Open Air Business April 2017

FUNCTION VENUES
CASE STUDY
Heart of
England
This 160-acre estate in Warwickshire
offers a spectacular array of event options
with a twist for corporate and private clients
Shaped by the impressive vision of owner and managing director
Stephen Hammon, the Heart of England is a conference and events centre where
thinking big and outside the box is positively encouraged. Open Air Business talks
to head of marketing Ema Townsend about tennis festival themed weddings and
animatronic dinosaurs.
When did you open Heart of
England?
Stephen Hammon, owner and
founder of Heart of England, bought
the property in 2001. Prior to that,
Stephen made his living working
as a DJ and event supplier. He
decided to buy the site in order
to expand. Stephen says: “I’d had
years of experience behind me in
organising and managing events
at various locations throughout
the UK. I was inspired to create
something different, something
spectacular that no-one else was
offering. I wanted to create a truly
unique venue; where a multitude
of corporate events and private
celebrations could be expertly
organised, planned and managed by
a specialist creative team of handpicked
staff.
“Purchasing the 160 acre
Warwickshire estate in 2001, I set
“I WAS
INSPIRED
TO CREATE
SOMETHING
DIFFERENT,
SOMETHING
SPECTACULAR
THAT NO-ONE
ELSE WAS
OFFERING”
about renovating and building,
making a start on creating the
remarkable events centres I had
envisioned. I want what we do to be
the best in the UK.”
Tell us about your location and site
Heart of England is a privatelyowned
estate. We’re situated right
in the heart of England between
Meriden and Fillongley. The site is
close to motorway networks and the
Birmingham International airport
and train station.
Our site is set in 160 acres of prime
Warwickshire countryside with 60
acres of medieval woodland, 100
acres of open park space, a lake, a
purpose-built conference and events
centre, and a stunning bar and grill
restaurant – The Quicken Tree.
A favourite with some clients is
the Cedar Suite - a meeting space
that’s moveable. It can be picked
up and moved anywhere on the site
allowing for peace, tranquillity and
the space to create.
A new bridge has been recently
constructed over ‘Dinosaur Canyon’
(yes you read that correctly) - we
have a canyon of animatronic
dinosaurs leading you across the
bridge and into the new bar and
restaurant.
As well as the conferences, events,
product launches, team building,
fun days and weddings we host,
we have nestled in the grounds a
4*, 16th Century boutique country
house bed and breakfast - Old Hall
House, which featured on Channel
4’s Four in a Bed. There are also
two glamping pods and a log cabin,
built and designed by the owner.
We are currently building our very
own shepherds hut. Stephen is at
the forefront of everything we do as
a team. He is the leading creative
force and has designed and built the
site from its humble beginnings as a
country farmhouse and outbuilding
to the stunning venue it is today.
What facilities for outdoor
functions do you offer?
We have a lake and pier set in our
park, and an on-site hotel with seven
stunning double en-suite bedrooms,
including our master suite boasting
a four poster bed and double
jacuzzi. There are two glamping
pods, a log cabin and a shepherd’s
hut on the way. We have a 39x12m
10 WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM