FROM ABOVE: Englefield estate hosts corporate team building days for companies like Facebook and Bupa
THE SPORTING TIMES Country estates see growing demand for corporate days out
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in early June, and in late June, Bupa hosted Challenge 2018, oogle ‘corporate days out’ and you get a return a team building event for their clients and business partners, of 659,000,000 hits. Whether it’s a raft-building involving different activities around the estate – everything challenge, an adrenaline-filled high ropes from mountain biking and laser clay shooting to a mental activity or a team go-cart driving race, the and physical obstacle course. idea is that employees will depart with a sense He continues: ‘Last year Facebook brought 12,000 of their of accomplishment and return to the office staff and families for their annual summer staff party, which motivated and engaged. If the theory is right was themed as an enchanted garden. We offer a bespoke service, it should boost morale and, in turn, improve productivity. pride ourselves on delivering the highest standards of service The growing trend for corporate days out is to head out of the and pay close attention to the little things.’ city to a countryside estate. Many corporate events businesses Space to accommodate large groups of people and Englefield’s have grown to meet that demand over the last 20 years. Alicia location so close to London, make it a particularly appealing choice. Currie, marketing manager of team building company Off Limits, The lure of the estate plays a big part for the corporate giants too. says: ‘Using countryside estates is definitely a growing part of our It is a famous filming location for Neflix drama The business. It is a great team day out. We work with a Crown and big movies like The King’s Speech, and huge number of country estates, many of which have further notoriety came when Pippa Middleton and so much to offer – from clay pigeon shooting to 4x4 James Matthews married there last year. off-road driving. Being outdoors can be inspirational. Capitalising on its place in the spotlight, The space, the beauty and the clean air is attractive. Englefield branched out even further this summer Often, the house can be a stunning venue for catering when it transformed itself into a unique music too, so you get the best of both worlds.’ concert venue for the first time, hosting Madness Englefield House, outside the quaint village of and Sir Tom Jones in July. With a community Theale near Reading, is one of the many country of farms and woodlands covering 14,000 acres, estates to have picked up on the demand. Events Englefield is a prime example of an estate perfectly manager Peter Carson explains: ‘There is definitely set up to offer corporate days. Pippa Middleton more and more interest in corporate hospitality. married James The house and grounds at Englefield were used as the Matthews at Englefield englefieldestate.co.uk venue for a large Aston Martin auction and concourse
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