Sandy Park celebrates best year to date
Sandy Park has recorded its best year to date with a 19% increase in income from the previous year.
The Exeter conference, banqueting and events centre opened in 2006, drawing in an income of £800,000 in its first year, rising to an average of £1.5 million per year. Sandy Park’s income reached £2 million in 2022/23 following the opening of the 250-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel on the same site in April 2022, followed by an all-time high of £2.5 million in 2023/24.
Sandy Park’s sales & event manager Bev Gratton said: “The opening of the hotel has had a huge impact on our business with our clients now able to hold multi-day events with accommodation located on the same complex.”
This has resulted in repeat business from food and drink exhibitions, plus new events booked by agricultural, veterinary, transport, technology, medical and charitable organisations. Loyal and valued clients include the University of Exeter, Devon Education Services, Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Jewson, Bradfords Building Supplies, Lord’s Taverners, Nuffield Health, Stags, Vertu, Devon & Cornwall Police, and Pennon.
Sandy Park also saw a rise in Christmas party guests with a record 7,563 clients served festive fayre in December 2023 and January 2024. They made up 9.5% of the total number of people who attended an event at Sandy Park between July 1, 2023, and June 30 this year.
Miss Gratton added: “We have always had success with banquets and events, but we are seeing a growth in requests for entire-site or whole-floor bookings using our multiple large-scale rooms for conferences, and seminar suites for break-out sessions.
“A professional rugby club at the weekends to serve the playing and training needs of Exeter Chiefs and Exeter Chiefs Women, Sandy Park was also designed to be a seven-day-a-week venue with convenience at its core with easy access, parking, accommodation and flexible facilities available to the South West. We are delighted everyone’s efforts have paid off with a record income last year, but there’s still a lot of hard work to be done, starting with Christmas 2024!”
Sandy Park’s sales & event manager Bev Gratton said: “The opening of the hotel has had a huge impact on our business with our clients now able to hold multi-day events with accommodation located on the same complex.”
This has resulted in repeat business from food and drink exhibitions, plus new events booked by agricultural, veterinary, transport, technology, medical and charitable organisations. Loyal and valued clients include the University of Exeter, Devon Education Services, Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Jewson, Bradfords Building Supplies, Lord’s Taverners, Nuffield Health, Stags, Vertu, Devon & Cornwall Police, and Pennon.
Sandy Park also saw a rise in Christmas party guests with a record 7,563 clients served festive fayre in December 2023 and January 2024. They made up 9.5% of the total number of people who attended an event at Sandy Park between July 1, 2023, and June 30 this year.
Miss Gratton added: “We have always had success with banquets and events, but we are seeing a growth in requests for entire-site or whole-floor bookings using our multiple large-scale rooms for conferences, and seminar suites for break-out sessions.
“A professional rugby club at the weekends to serve the playing and training needs of Exeter Chiefs and Exeter Chiefs Women, Sandy Park was also designed to be a seven-day-a-week venue with convenience at its core with easy access, parking, accommodation and flexible facilities available to the South West. We are delighted everyone’s efforts have paid off with a record income last year, but there’s still a lot of hard work to be done, starting with Christmas 2024!”