Corporate Event for a Hedge Fund Investment Company, Berkshire
Facilities: Newbury Racecourse glamping area (01635 40015 / www.events.newburyracecourse.co.uk)
Details: The conferences and events team at Newbury Racecourse received a request from their client, a hedge fund investment company, to create a glamping village for 250 tents at the centre of the course (although it could host many more!). This was to accommodate attendees of an exclusive four-day event involving various conferences, meetings and a party to celebrate the business’s anniversary.
The glamping tents and tepees (which housed the party) were all outsourced from external suppliers, including the toilet facilities that were brought onto the course for overnight use. However, when it came to catering for 1,500 people in this space, the racecourse was able to provide BBQs, bars, lounge areas and other food outlets. The 225 acre site is surrounded by natural beauty and has excellent infrastructure for events of any kind with water, power and numerous facilities on site. The camping took place in area that had reinforced grounds so it was ideal for all the products brought onto site to sit securely.
There were no real challenges encountered for this event however, as it was so bespoke and involved many different elements, the team at the racecourse had to think outside of the norm. The whole team, from the event coordinators to those working in the catering department, had numerous planning meetings leading up to the event in order to make sure all elements were covered from every aspect.
Feedback: The feedback following the event was very positive and the company was very impressed with the space provided for the glamping and that everything could be accommodated so well.
Open Golf Camping Village
Products supplied: Camping tents with mattresses for 2,000 campers and bell tent glamping for 250
From: Tent2Hire (01403 785751 / www.tent2hire.co.uk)
Details: Tent2Hire has been providing tents for the Open Golf Tented Village since 2016 when the R&A came up with the great idea to provide free camping for visitors under 25. Each year the village has grown in numbers and in 2018 a luxury glamping bell tent option was added.
Tent2Hire provides a range of tents from two man to eight man camping tents that guests can easily stand up in. The bell tent glamping option is dressed with Indian style rugs, storage facilities and bedding that includes luxurious mattresses and duvets and linen you would find in a hotel. Solar power lighting and phone charging points complete the luxury option.
As the Championship moves around different parts of the UK each year, one of the many challenges is the different sites the village is pitched at. The size of the operation also means it not a simple case of loading the kit into the back of a van and driving up to the location. In 2019, the golf was in Northern Ireland and required five containers worth of equipment to be shipped across the Irish Sea. This year’s event is in Kent so a bit closer to home. Another challenge is pitching over 700 tents in a very short space of time – it requires a large event team to pitch and dress all the tents.
Feedback: Tom Critchley, Open Golf Tented Village director, said: “Each year we have grown our tented village and the Tent2Hire crew has been very adaptable and flexible to meet our needs. They have also made sure all the accommodation is ready on time without hassle, so we can welcome our guests.”
