Spending time in the garden (of England)

Following on from Square Events busiest ever month for Masonic Ladies Festivals I thought it was time for a mini-break to relax and recharge the batteries. Always on the lookout for suitable hotels for Lodge Ladies Weekends I had decided to visit the QHotels properties Bridgewood Manor and Ashford International.

 

Due to crazy parking prices in Brighton Lodges looking for suitable Masonic Ladies Weekend venues have started to look elsewhere in the South East and with Kent being the ‘Garden of England’, with great shopping and plenty of history a suitable alternative has been found.

 

QHotels Bridgewood Manor is located in Chatham in close proximity to the M2, M20 and M25 and with excellent rail links also within 30 – 40 minutes of central London. The entrance area is full of quiet little areas where you can relax with a drink. Dinner in the Squires Restaurant was magnificent and it’s clear that chef takes a lot of pride in the food that leaves the kitchen. The hotel is set around a lovely courtyard which would make an ideal setting for a drinks reception ahead of your Ladies Night. The bedrooms are well appointed and extremely comfortable especially the suite we were staying in!

 

QHotels Ashford International is perfectly located being just 5 minutes from the Eurostar Station with its high-speed links to France and central London. Shopping enthusiast will be buoyed by nearby Canterbury, the (apparently) fabulous McArthur Glen Designer Outlet and, just two stops on the train away, the new Westfield Shopping Centre. The hotel is ideally set up for Masonic Lodge Weekends with large banqueting suites able to cope with numbers up to 250 for a dinner dance and various levels of bedrooms all beautifully decorated and lavishly appointed. The public areas are spacious and again decorated to a high standard. The hotel has a gym that wouldn’t be out of a place at leisure centre complete with a luxurious spa which will surely be extremely popular with the Ladies.

 

With extremely competitive prices I truly believe that both hotels would be ideal for Masonic Ladies Weekends. When your next Ladies Festival comes around why not pass Square Events Managements details to the Festival Secretary and recommend that he gives us a call and includes Bridgewood Manor and Ashford International in the brief.

 

Contact Matt on 01202 400855 or visit the Square Events Management website.

Square Events night at the Langstone Hotel

The Square Events Management team had the pleasure of staying at The Langstone Hotel on Hayling Island a few weeks ago, where we were given a really warm welcome and the opportunity to view how well the hotel could accommodate the perfect Masonic Ladies’ Festival.

 

Upon arrival we were shown to the hotel’s spacious bar, the perfect place to meet for a pre-dinner drink. We were immediately able to envisage how Masonic guests on a Ladies’ Festival Weekend would be able to come here to relax and mingle with their fellow Lodge members – it had a great atmosphere.

 

We were then shown around the hotel’s wide range of rooms and function suites, two of which really stood out as ideal venues for a Masonic Ladies’ Festival. The Langstone Suite, which would accommodate around 100 guests, was well situated on the ground floor, with glass doors leading onto a patio. Next, The Spinnaker Suite wowed the Square Events team with its breathtaking view over Langstone Harbour and onto the Solent. The suite was circular shaped, with ceiling-to-floor glass spanning around half of it, giving the effect of a panoramic photograph. The room also had its own bar, and would fit around 80 guests comfortably for the perfect Masonic Ladies Festival dinner.

 

We were able to see the different ways in which The Spinnaker Suite could be set up for a gala dinner. The hotel includes the cost of chair covers in its room hire rate, and Square Events Management are able to help you arrange the other important details, including table displays and name cards, and securing your toastmaster, band, and photographer.

 

Dinner at the hotel was delicious. Its restaurant currently holds two AA Rosettes, and is aiming for a third this year. The quality of service really stood out to us, and it was clear that any Masonic Ladies Dinner would run smoothly and professionally, allowing the Lodge’s President and his Lady to enjoy the evening without any worry.

 

A comfortable night’s sleep was also had by every member of the Square Events team, the newly-refurbished bedrooms being luxurious and spacious. The hotel has 148 bedrooms in total, meaning it could easily accommodate guests on a Masonic Ladies Festival Weekend.

 

Square Events Management takes away the hassle of organising your Ladies Festival. Call Matt and the team on 01202 400 855, and we would be delighted to be of assistance!

Helping a Lodge celebrate their 250th anniversary

Square Events is delighted to be organising its first ever 250^th Lodge Anniversary. The event, which is planned for May 2016, will not only require intense planning and attention to detail, it will also need the touch of someone who truly understands the fundamentals of Masonic events.

 

This is where Square Events can help. Matt and the team will do everything possible to take the effort out of organising the perfect Ladies’ Festival, Masonic Weekend, or even that incredible Lodge Anniversary.

 

The ball is already in motion for the 250^th Anniversary, because although 2016 may still seem to be in the distant future, Square Events knows that it is never to soon to ensure that every detail is organised to perfection.

 

This particular Anniversary already looks to be an exciting one. The Lodge celebrated its 200^th Anniversary in 1966 at London’s Grand Connaught Rooms, a stone’s throw from Freemason’s Hall, where a six course banquet cost only five guineas! Whilst Square Events won’t be able to replicate the price, they will be replicating the menu, planning an exquisite banquet of six courses to be held in one of London’s most prestigious venues.

 

In particular, the Lodge is looking forward to re-enacting one of its most cherished traditions: the serving of black pudding as the dinner’s first course. And woe betide the person who doesn’t finish their helping! Ritual dictates that anyone who is unable to eat their portion must make a donation to the Lodge’s chosen charity.

 

Square Events already has a fantastic choice of venues lined up for the Lodge to consider. These include some of London’s most stunning hotels, all of which are steeped in history and all of which boast splendour and luxury. With an in-depth knowledge of venues such as these, Square Events is well-equipped not only to advise the perfect venue, but also to negotiate some fantastic rates for your Masonic Event.

 

If Square Events is able to help you with your Lodge’s Ladies’ Festival, Lodge Anniversary, or Masonic Weekend, give us a call on 01202 400855 and we will be delighted to help!

Do Lodges prefer a full service of just find the venue?

Over the last few years Square Events Management have seen a change in the way lodges are organising their annual Ladies Night or Weekend Festival. With fewer Festival Secretaries organising the event, it is increasingly the Worshipful Master’s responsibility to select the destination, locate the Masonic Ladies Festival Hotel or Masonic Ladies Festival Venue (and negotiate a good rate and workable terms and conditions), organise entertainment and get enough people together to make the event viable.

Square Events Management help organisers to either put the whole event together or just locate the hotel (and negotiate good rates and terms). In fact Square Events Management are arguably the only company offering a completely open book service. Lodges can see exactly how much each supplier is quoting and can be confident the price quoted has not been added to by Square Events Management. Unlike some of our competitors we do not add to the ticket price to boost our commission all prices, from all suppliers are passed onto the Lodge as we receive them, and we are more than happy to put you in touch direct if you wish to check!

The open book approach reassures Lodges’ that nobody is lifting their leg and ensures the Lodge achieve best value for money. Other companies who only organise Masonic Ladies Festivals, insist on minimum profit margins that the lodge have to meet. No risk/reward share is entered into putting all the risk in the lodges court. Square Events Management will earn most of the profit from the venue but because their parent company Brief2Event place £3M+ of business into hotels and venues in the UK, Lodges will always save money by using Square Events Management rather than booking direct.

50% growth in lodges booking events year on year and the option for whole event or just venue find, places Square Events Management as the most popular company to assist lodges with their Masonic Ladies Festival.

Why run a Ladies Festival, Ladies Weekend or Ladies Dinner

Having analysed the attendees to all Masonic Ladies Night Hotels and venues over the 2010 / 2011 season, Square Events have found some amazing statistics:-

15% – Percentage of Masonic Lodge Members attending a Ladies Weekend Event – a great opportunity for recruitment of potential Masonic initiates.

85% – Percentage of NON Masonic Lodge members attending a Masonic Ladies Night Event.

Most people leaving the event have a positive view on Freemasonry in general and of that lodge in particular.

Most organisers have never organised a similar event

Most Masonic Ladies Weekend or Ladies Night event will raise over £500 for charity and some as high as £1500 – please let us know if your Ladies Night event raised over £1500.

Square Events Management will take away most of the pain of running your event and allow you to chose the menu and chase the guests to attend.  The key to a good and stress free event are good terms and conditions and chase every member to attend!!

For more information please call Square Events Management on – 0845 1656 220 (local charge) to begin your event anywhere in the country or complete the request form and we will call you back for a chat!

Making a meal of it!

Saturday 21^st May 2011 saw Square Events Management deliver the Meyrick Lodge Ladies Night event.  The event was a huge success with number up 15% and The British Heart Foundation benefiting from £1,000.  The price included a three course menu, printed table items (menu, place cards and table plans), Masonic Ladies Night  photographer, pianist during dinner, Masonic Ladies presents, an excellent band (Chris Manning Project) and a disco.

Square Events Management (www.squareeventsmanagement.com) assisted the Master of the lodge to source a suitable venue.  Feedback on last year’s Masonic Ladies Night hotel and an increase in ticket sales indicated that we needed a larger room.  After offering the Master a choice of four suitable venues and visiting two of them, The Carrington House Hotel in Bournemouth was selected.

Communication with the Lodge membership ahead of the evening was managed by Square Events Management who sent out invitations and a Masonic Ladies Festival booking form.  The President was kept informed of ticket sales from start to finish and regular pushes by him in lodge and lots of friends and family supporting the night ensured a superb attendance.

Quotes from guests included:-

‘Square Events Management made my life infinitely easier.  From the initial enquiry to delivery on the night the team really made my Masonic Ladies Night one to remember.  I have no hesitation in recommending Square Events Management to any Master planning his event.’  – 2010 / 2011 Master of Meyrick Lodge.

‘My wife and I had so much fun at the recent Masonic Ladies Festival hotel – The Carrington House Hotel in Bournemouth.  The event really opened my eyes to the good that Freemason’s do.  I can’t believe the generosity of the guests in raising over £1,000 for The British Heart Foundation’ – Non Masonic guest at the Meyrick Lodge Ladies Festival dinner.

‘Great job Square Events!  Call me next week to get the ball rolling on finding a Masonic Ladies Festival hotel for my event next year!’ – Senior Warden.

‘I have recommended Square Events Management to a friend of mine who is Master of a Masonic Lodge in London.  He wants to run a Masonic Ladies Festival in Bournemouth or a Masonic Ladies Weekend South Coast or New Forest.  Can I pass your details on? – Happy guest at the Masonic Ladies Night hotel in Bournemouth.

Latest copy of Freemasonry Today

The latest copy of Freemasonry Today is out and includes the Square Events Management full page advert.  The advert is designed to re-enforce the services Square Events Management provide in helping lodges organise Masonic weekend hotels all over the UK.  If you are an experienced Festival Secretary to a new Master with yet another job to do, Square Events can provide a FREE service to meet your needs.

Also included is a draw to win a stay at a QHotel.  Click on the link below and complete the entry form online and you will be entered into the draw.

Square Events Competition

Ever considered London as a destination for your Ladies Weekend?

2012 will see London looking better than ever with new hotels and venues that will be ideal venues for your Masonic Ladies Festival.  London 2012 closes after the Olympic Games and Paralympics on 9th September 2012.  Following the last few Olympic Games, the host city suffers from a Post Olympic hangover.  Hotels are available and more cost effective than at other times of the year.

Square Events Management, arguably the UK’s leading organiser of Masonic Ladies Weekends and Masonic Ladies Nights, have attended events to enable us to pass crucial information to Festival Secretaries and other organisers of Ladies weekend events.

Square Events Management strive to deliver the best value for money for Masonic Lodges at destinations all over the UK and see September 2012 as the ideal time for Masonic Lodges to organise the annual Ladies Festival in London.  Contact Square Events Management to assist you with finding the venue for your Masonic Dinner and Dance:-

Telephone: 01202 400855

Website: www.squareeventsmanagement.com

To place an online enquiry: Click Here!

Other destinations

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Bath

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Blackpool

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Bournemouth

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Cambridge

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Cheltenham

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Cotswolds

Masonic Ladies Festivals in New Forest

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Oxford

Masonic Ladies Festivals in Stratford

The 2011 Ladies Festival Season

Square Events Management have seen a 50% year on year growth of lodges using their services.  The largest area of growth has been in the Venue Only sector.

Experienced Festival Secretaries striving for that elusive venue will receive a comprehensive list of suitable venues in their desired location within 24 hours.  With the volume of events that Square Events Management organise and the relationships we have with the hotels ensures rate negotiation come easily with all the savings being passed directly onto the Lodges.

For the Master who is arranging his own event, Square Events Management can provide a comprehensive ‘One Stop Shop’ approach but with total flexibility of the package to deliver the right event rather than the event other similar companies may want the Lodge to have.

For more information:-

Call: 08451 656220

Or visit www.squareeventsmanagement.com

 

Due to Manic March we have now attained a 60% increase in the number of Lodges we look after since 2010!

2011 ‘on the up’ for Square Events

2011 has seen a dramatic increase in enquires from Lodges requiring assistance in organising their Ladies Night or Ladies Festival Weekend.

 

With an increase of over 50% year on year Square Events feel the message has really got through that lower rates can be achieved through Square Events with no additional charges to the guests, organiser or the lodge.

 

The work we are doing with the hotels to identify key dates to offer best value for money are assisting both lodges and guests.  Negotiating streamlined Terms and Conditions are also assisting hotels to embrace the Masonic community and ‘Square Pound’!

 

Services to organisers can be a simple a purely finding the right hotel or venue for the event through to delivering the entire weekend supply chain.  The organiser has the choice to do as they require.