At Ellingham Hall, we always like to think of our team as a family. So, we were delighted when we welcomed a new addition to our General Manager’s family late last year. Anthony and his wife, Jane, decided to host their special naming ceremony at the Hall for their beautiful daughter, Theodora.

For everyone here, it was like welcoming a new member of our extended family and we had a wonderful day.

A stunning carousel at the front of the Hall greeted guests as they made their way to the Entrance Hall, where welcome drinks were available, before they headed to their seats for the ceremony.

One of Anthony’s family friends carried out the naming service for ‘Teddy’ who was the star of the show.

There was something for everyone during the day of celebration: children enjoyed the carousel, a bouncy castle, rustic tree houses and explored the grounds. An acoustic singer, magician and photo booth stand offered entertainment for the adults.

The Chapel was decorated by the Whole Sch-Bang event stylists in ivory and pale pink with bunting, silk tablecloths and stunning blossom trees and balloons. Imagery from the day couldn’t have been more perfectly captured by Phil Smith Photography.

Our Head Chef and his team cooked and served a tremendous barbecue, while the sweet-toothed adults (and children, of course) were offered treats from the candy cart along with popcorn and candy floss.

Anthony said: “We had a great afternoon with friends and family, and I want to thank all of the suppliers who helped us to create this very special day.”

We can’t wait to welcome you and your family to Ellingham Hall. So, if you have a new addition, we’d be happy to make your day as special as Teddy’s!

Catering for celebrations for up to 140 guests, we offer a wide range of tailored catering and drinks packages to suit your occasion, from champagne, canapés, right through to buffets and fine dining.

Our Naming Day Sunday Afternoon Packages run from 2-5pm and are based on a minimum spend of £450 on food and beverages. No venue hire charges apply and dates are subject to availability.

To request our private hire enquiry pack, please call the team on 01665 568118 or email info@ellingham-hall.co.uk.

Ben, a local resident his whole life, has had a varied career including working as a ground worker, delivery driver and farmhand before coming to work at Ellingham Hall. Not only does he look after the Hall and grounds but also looks after its sister venue Lemmington Hall too.

We caught up with Ben to find out how he is finding his new role. He said: “I really enjoy working at Ellingham Hall. I love the fact every day is different. At the moment I’m fitting new door locks, but last week I was decorating three bedrooms and fitting new windows.
“It’s a lovely place to work, in fact it’s the best place I’ve worked. I fix most things along with the maintenance team, including plumbing. As well as the fabric of the building, we’re responsible for the security and safety of guests and staff here.”

As an essential part of the team that works behind the scenes, we were delighted when Ben agreed to be promoted. Like the rest of our family, he’s a hard worker and we are thrilled that he enjoys his work.

Our General Manager Anthony has celebrated his 10th year in the post. So, we thought we’d catch up with him and find out more about his past decade.

What have been the highlights of 2018 for Ellingham Hall?

There are three things that stand out: we’ve had our busiest ever summer with weddings! Our Head of Weddings, Wendy, was named Wedding Co-ordinator of the Year in the North of England Wedding Awards. And we officially launched the venue for corporate events. It has been very eventful, but I’ve enjoyed it.

What has been your biggest challenge this year?

As this has been the busiest summer, the biggest challenge has been on logistics. It was essential to ensure our guests’ expectations were met or exceeded, but it was equally important to look after and support our team.

What has been your proudest moment?

It was when Wendy, our Head of Weddings won her award! As well as being proud of her, I was also proud of the fact the whole team had been recognised for the service we deliver. We pride ourselves on our service, and this award highlighted that effort.

What are you currently working on?

I’m currently working on an exciting new venture! We will be launching our sister venue Lemmington Hall, as an exclusive-use event space next year, so I’ll be very busy with that. We are also arranging a calendar of events to enable the public to experience Ellingham Hall. As an exclusive-use venue, there isn’t the same chance to visit like you can with a hotel. If you’ve been a guest or a client in the past, we want to welcome you back. It will give you the chance to relive some great memories! We’re also working on building on the success of the corporate launch.

Tell us about your team?

I’m fortunate to have in place strong Heads of Departments, all of whom have been with me for between four and nine years. I appreciate it’s quite unusual in this industry to work with people for so long, and I hope that length of service shows how well we get on, and that we are a genuine team. I also think the key is mutual respect and listening to them. Their opinions and work are valued, and that’s what has helped make Ellingham Hall what it is today.

As we plan for further growth in 2019 and 2020, I recognised that we needed additional experience in marketing and sales and have made two new appointments in Lynn Sanderson and Rachel Barlow. I’m looking forward to working with them for many years to come!

How do you keep ahead of the competition in such a competitive sector?

We were one of the first exclusive-use wedding venues in Northumberland, and in that time, we’ve focused on customer experience, retained our exclusivity, and our attention to detail hasn’t wavered. It’s important to move with demand and offer a high-quality service at a good price. We listen to our customer feedback to help us improve where we can.

What services do you offer?

Exclusive weddings, corporate and special events; private parties; private dining and holiday cottage breaks.

Where do you see the business in 12 months’ time?

We should have experienced the planned growth and launched our second venue, Lemmington Hall, ready for trading in 2020.