Surrey-ously good: why the county is winning big on events
Surrey offers the perfect blend of convenience and countryside calm - and event planners are making the most of it.
By Ellie Evans
As global conflicts and rising energy prices mean extra challenges to both budgets and travel, many are looking closer to home… and the Home Counties are stepping up.
Easy access from the capital and from two international airports mean Surrey offers a stress-free option for many. And its breadth of venues alongside pioneering tech and AI endeavours help make it a standout choice for everything from conferences to incentives.
Strengths in tech and AI
Part of the University of Surrey, Surrey Research Park is home to a growing community of innovative firms working across sectors including space technology, health, advanced engineering and cybersecurity. The park recently hosted the southeast edition of the ScaleUp Britain Summit in a move that reinforced the county’s role in helping to drive national economic growth.
"We’re all about cultivating a vibrant, multidisciplinary innovation community across Surrey; one that creates opportunities for companies and drives regional growth," says Surrey Research Park’s head of comms Ben Wilson. "Our work resonated with the ScaleUp Institute’s aims and made Surrey the natural choice for their inaugural ScaleUp Britain South East Business Summit."
The county is home to around 62,000 businesses, with some 40 per cent classified as innovation-active, compared to a UK average of 36 per cent, "so it is an intellectually rich environment". In fact, recent data from LinkedIn showed Guildford is ranked globally among the world’s most concentrated locations for AI talent.
"At a time when many companies are scrutinising their spend, hosting events in one of Surrey’s market towns, such as Guildford, provides immediate access to a local, high-value and highly engaged business community," adds Wilson.
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace
Enjoy an intimate evening at the Library at Fairmont Windsor Park
Enjoy an intimate evening at the Library at Fairmont Windsor Park
Surrey map
No shortage of stunning venues
Aimee Nicholas, co-founder of Clearcut Venues
Aimee Nicholas, co-founder of Clearcut Venues
"Surrey continues to be a really strong option for meetings and events because it offers the best of both worlds: excellent accessibility alongside a huge variety of venues," says Aimee Nicholas, co-founder of Clearcut Venues. "It’s easy to reach from London, Heathrow and Gatwick, with strong road and rail links, which makes it particularly appealing at a time when many companies focus more on domestic events and practical travel considerations, with the lure of London-based companies coming out of the city for that ideal offsite.
"What we also see with Surrey is the breadth of the venue offering. You have everything from luxury country house hotels like Foxhills and Great Fosters to modern hotels like the relatively new Doubletree by Hilton Woking, all within a countryside setting that feels a world away from the city. That combination of infrastructure, flexibility and standout venues makes it an easy destination to recommend for a wide range of events."
“For events in Surrey, venue is everything. People generally travel to your event, and it has to be enticing,” agrees Rebecca Cox, marketing and events manager for Peacock & Co Solicitors. “We are hosting a property networking lunch in Epsom next month – these events work very well for us, drawing a clientele of peers and referrers, associates and property professionals operating in East Surrey and southwest London.”
An event at The Horton
An event at The Horton
DoubleTree by Hilton Woking Suite
DoubleTree by Hilton Woking Suite
Where to meet
Award-winning arts and heritage venue The Horton in Epsom opened its doors to private events last summer. This refurbished Grade II-listed gem was originally a chapel and has three distinct spaces: the Atrium café and bar with its soaring arches, which could accommodate 250 for drinks; a mezzanine ideal for workshops or breakouts; and the double-height performance space, ideal for a unique dinner for 120.
Rebecca Cox hosted an afternoon tea at The Horton, and says the venue was "an excellent fit for us... The chapel has been so thoughtfully restored, to incorporate elements of its heritage into a dynamic and flexible arts space".
Surrey has no shortage of grand venues and RAC Woodcote Park certainly vies for pole position. According to Cox, "With Woodcote Park you know you are going to get slick service and a venue that wows. Attendees love the venue and the plentiful parking (being out of town) is appreciated." Its largest event space is the airy Cedar Room for 200 theatre-style – just bear in mind that any event requires a member sponsor.
Bingham Riverhouse in Richmond joined the ranks of the Elegant Hotel Collection last July. Described as 'a poetic riverside hideaway', don't miss its garden rooms and domes, ideal for intimate dinners or cocktail parties.
For something more 21st-century, Storyboard at Shepperton is an all-purpose events venue set within seven acres of landscaped gardens in Surrey. Part of the Holiday Inn London – Shepperton complex, the venue is all clean lines and can accommodate 250 theatre-style or 230 for a dinner with a difference. Bespoke set designs and green screen options come as standard.
Or, if you're seeking the ultimate blank canvas, Bespoke at Hartswood Estate is set within 1,500 acres of ancient woodland, wildflower meadows and lakes… think everything from festival-style incentive gatherings to leadership retreats that offer the very definition of blue-sky thinking.
The Horton
The Horton
The elegant exterior of RAC Woodcote Park
The elegant exterior of RAC Woodcote Park
Storyboard at Shepperton set up theatre style
Storyboard at Shepperton set up theatre style
New offerings:
- Just 20 minutes from Heathrow in Chertsey, Foxhills blends 18th-century elegance and 21st-century mod cons. After a £1.5m facelift, it launched new restaurant Lomri last month, "inspired by the spice ports of India", along with the Manor Lounge and Bar social space. The upgrade follows a wider multimillion- pound makeover in recent years which encompassed bedroom refurbishments and new padel and pickleball courts. Its popular clubhouse can host a conference for up to 200 delegates.
- Make the most of the beautiful gardens at Wotton House outside Dorking as it unveils its new summer garden terrace this month, complete with al fresco kitchen.
- The stunning 251-room Fairmont Windsor Park transformed its Library into an intimate Japanese whisky and sushi bar last summer: it's now available for private hire for small-scale but high-end events.
Buyer's eye
Sam Trevenna, co-founder of Goose Live Events based in Godalming, shares her recommendations. “As a born and bred Surrey girl, I am slightly biased, but it really is location, location, location!” she says. “Its proximity to London – and the fact it’s perfectly situated between Heathrow and Gatwick airports.”
- Meeting for 500: G Live in Guildford is an unusual space to meet.
- Gala dinner for 250: for a truly special experience, Hampton Court Palace is ideal, or we like to use Denbies Wine Estate for a more relaxed setting.
- Incentive activity for 50: Mercedes Benz World for a driving experience, or for a five-star incentive you can't beat Beaverbrook (think padel courts, spa, cookery experiences and more!).