Venues We Love to Get Fired Up About
We don’t like to have favourites, but after 20 years creating shows at venues the length and breadth of the country, we can’t help but get excited about some of the places we visit. With their stunning vistas and historic buildings, they’re more than a bit inspiring. So, it’s no surprise these venues regularly get voted amongst the best in the country.
1. Stapleford Park
This majestic Grade II listed country hotel, spa and sporting estate sits right in the heart of the England, near Melton Mowbray. Guests here can indulge in an enviable range of sporting pursuits during their stay, enjoy superb facilities and luxuriate in the home-from-home grandeur that Stapleford Park has made its hallmark. With breathtaking views of the English countryside and 500 glorious acres of Capability Brown landscaped grounds, it’s a sensational setting in which to create a fireworks display to remember. Whatsmore, with a Clarins gold spa and 2 AA rosette restaurant, we can’t think of anywhere we’d rather relax post-show either.
http://www.staplefordpark.com/
2. Orchardleigh
Orchardleigh is nothing short of a fairytale venue. Situated in the heart of stunning Somerset, just ten miles from the historic city of Bath, an event at this family-owned and operated venue, guarantees you exclusive use of the 500 acre estate and 19th century Victorian stately home. And with accommodation for 172 guests, two estate churches, a fabulous walled garden, and an 18-hole golf course, it’s everything you could possibly want for your special occasion, all on one site. Whatsmore, with 35 acres of ornamental lakes, beautiful gardens and views to die for, we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to firing a show here. It’s easy to see why it consistently gets voted one of the best wedding venues in the country.
3. Ellenborough Park
This stunning country house hotel rests in the idyllic Cotswolds and dates back to the 1500s. Just ten minutes from Cheltenham Spa, it’s undoubtedly one of the most enchanting manor houses in Britain and has all the trappings of a 5 star luxury estate; a 3 AA rosette restaurant, a top class Indian-themed spa and 90 acres of parkland including beautifully maintained gardens and land that once formed part of the original Cheltenham racecourse. All of which means that when it comes to designing a display with the wow-factor, we’re already off to a flying start. The hotel was voted the UK’s Best Luxury Hotel in the Trip Advisor Traveller’s Choice Awards 2013.
http://www.ellenboroughpark.com/
4. Ringwood Hall
Situated on the doorstep of the Peak District National Park in Chesterfield, this beautiful Georgian Grade II listed manor house is a fabulous setting for a display. Boasting 29 acres of award-winning grounds, 6 acres of formal gardens that look great whatever the season, and a main house that’s over 200 years old and offers fabulous facilities, it’s no wonder this is somewhere that always fires our imagination.
http://www.ringwoodhallhotel.com/
5. Colwick Hall
Once the ancestral home of Lord Byron, this magnificent Palladian-style Georgian house has played host to its fair share of parties over the years. With impeccable lawns to the front and set in over 60 acres of parkland with its own lake, just two miles from Nottingham City centre, the Grade II* listed manor house contains all the ingredients needed for a show with impact: a dramatic backdrop, great location, exquisite views and bags of charm.
6. Stubton Hall
Voted one of the hundred best wedding venues in the world, Stubton Hall is an idyllic setting for a spectacular display. Offering exclusive use of the country house and 24 acres of gardens and grounds, hosting a wedding or party here is a luxurious experience. And when it comes to designing an inspiring show, there’s no greater inspiration than a setting that boasts its own 300-foot water feature.
7. Hotel Portmeirion
Portmeirion is a unique venue in a unique location. With exquisite views out over the shores of the Mawdach Estuary and its famous quirky architecture, the Welsh village of Portmeirion is a popular tourist attraction, not least because it was used as the location for ‘The Village’ in cult 1960s TV series The Prisoner. A popular retreat with artists and writers since it first opened in 1926, the Hotel Portmeirion has inspired such celebrated guests as H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward in its time. And it’s not hard to see why. It’s a hidden gem, perched on the side of a cliff in its own wooded peninsula. It’s a spell-binding place that demands a bespoke show as individual as the location.
