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Sandon Manor – Advisory support to the launch of the Estates Wedding business
ASSIGNMENT
Following GFG’s presentation to the Historic Houses ‘Next Generation’ the Faure-Walker family approached our senior Consultant seeking his advice on their forthcoming planning application. The family had decided to convert the 400-year-old medieval Barns and the Manor House into a commercial Wedding business.
With 1200 acres in the heart of Hertfordshire, the family required our input in two stages as they needed to evaluate the demand from the celebratory market, whilst at the same time assessing the commercial opportunities from established companies in the area.
The first stage was to evaluate the competition within thirty miles of Sandon and in particular key ‘price points’ as the family wanted to create a wedding package that not only included the use of the medieval barns but also the nine-bedroom Manor House for guests’ accommodation.
As ‘planning’ would only grant a license for 75 weddings a year, we were also asked to evaluate alternative revenue and income streams in particular demand for ‘mindfulness and wellbeing’ weekends. With the emphasis on biodiversity, the Estate had also decided to ‘set aside’ 500 acres for re-wilding projects.
Once planning had been granted and with the anticipated eighteen months of building works, the next stage was to outline our thoughts on the staffing model required to deliver this wedding business, but also organise a catering tender which resulted in the appointment of three preferred caterers. This was important as six months before the official opening, they all had to demonstrate their ability to provide additional support to Sandon’s sales, marketing and social media plan.
OUTCOMES
Following this eighteen-month assignment, the Wedding business and website were launched in Q.3 2022. In 2023 their first year of operation, just over 25 weddings were contracted with an average number of 150 guests. With the excellent team Sandon now employs the business is now growing from strength to strength and the Faure Walker family is on track to achieve their business goals over the next five years.