“The Best of Both Worlds”
The iconic Monet-inspired bridge at High House Weddings in Essex
The story behind the purchase of High House Weddings, Essex
High House Weddings, near Burnham on Crouch in Essex, was an ideal first venue for Xenia Venues. It was already a popular venue in a good area, and the added benefit was that the existing team, including both of the owner’s daughters, would be staying on to run the venue. The family had always been at the heart of the venue, and for all involved it was important and appropriate for that to continue. This is how the story unfolded, shared with the family’s permission.
“ I’ve got the best of both worlds; the business I built up can continue to thrive, but I’m no longer tied to it financially or physically. I’m free to invest my time, money and energy elsewhere.”
The vendors’ situation
The vendors, Robert and Jan Hollingsbee, were reaching retirement age and were ready to spend more time travelling. They wanted to release their money and their time commitment from High House while still offering job security to both daughters, Kate and Samantha, who worked at the venue as well as the larger venue team, who had become like family to them. Robert explains "It was important to me that we sold the venue as a going concern. We'd spent years building up the business, we had a great reputation and a strong team, so handing over to someone I knew I could trust was important."
The venue had grown organically over the past 10 years, with Robert carefully restoring the Grade II listed barn and installing a permanent marquee within the beautifully manicured gardens. It had become one of Essex’s most popular venues and was hosting weddings every weekend from April to October. Robert and Jan, as well as Samantha and her young family, lived in the farmhouses at High House and were unable to enjoy weekends throughout the spring, summer and autumn.
The purchase offer
Robert had a recent property valuation, and by assessing 3 years of accounts we were able to calculate the business value. As a wedding venue business depends on the existence of the venue to be able to operate, the two values can’t be added together, but the higher of the two formed our starting point. With two houses and such a desirable position, there was significant residential value. However, by selling as a business Robert could achieve an additional premium, as well as having a secure and steady cash flow from ongoing weddings throughout the sale process.
With the basics agreed, we arranged for a formal valuation by Polly Graham from Savills, one of a handful of specialist wedding venue valuers in the UK. She acknowledged that Robert and Jan had timed their venue sale well, taking advantage of the increased demand post-covid, which was reflected by a high business valuation. She commented ‘Wedding venues considering selling in the current market are able to capitalise on strong post covid trading and the appetite from existing operators looking to expand their portfolio.’
“Wedding venues considering selling in the current market are able to capitalise on strong post covid trading and the appetite from existing operators looking to expand their portfolio.”
For Robert to achieve maximum value for his venue, planning would be required to allow the two farmhouses to be converted from residential houses to guest accommodation, so planning consent formed part of the terms, with Xenia Venues covering all of the costs involved.
Both parties were equally motivated to ensure that High House’s award winning venue team, including both daughters, remained in their roles at High House. Robert chose the right time to discuss plans with each member of the team, and contracts for key staff members were negotiated at an early stage to offer security and stability. In addition to protecting the team and couples, this enabled a smooth transition that could take place at any point in the year.
Wedding ceremonies take place in the Grade II oak barn and outside in the thatched gazebo
The planning process
The correct planning consents to enable High House to continue to thrive and grow is inevitably an important part of any long term plan. Ideally these consents should be in place prior to discussing a sale, as the process can be time consuming and costly. As there would be a change of use for the farmhouse from residential, both parties agreed to the purchase being subject to planning, with a period of exclusivity while the process took place to protect both parties. Once planning was obtained the purchase could quickly be completed.
The wedding team
Kate and Samantha had been working on future plans with Xenia’s team from the start of the discussions and at an appropriate time they also involved their venue manager, Hayley. As High House couples particularly value the long term relationship they have with their event managers, we didn’t want to risk anyone feeling unsettled by the process. We agreed to tell other members of staff in person, so that all their questions could be answered, and they could be excited about the transition. Couples with weddings booked at High House were then contacted, along with suppliers, before the news was announced.
This carefully managed process, sympathetic to the needs of everyone involved, ensured that every team member, and couple, remained with High House.
Robert’s daughter Kate has a particularly affinity with High House; not only is she the venue manager, she got married there herself in December 2022.
“It’s a really special venue and we are delighted to have a new owner that will help us build on all we’ve already achieved in a meaningful way, while keeping true to our values and ethos. We’re a strong and committed team, and it was important to us all that the existing team all stayed on at High House to look after our lovely couples who already know us all so well.”
On the date the sale actually completed, at the start of January 2024, James Matthews from Xenia Venues was already up to speed on all the operational processes and Alison Hargreaves was already assisting the team with their marketing, so the transition of ownership was seamless and simple.
Robert commented "We timed the transition for a quiet time of year to ensure minimum disruption and agreed how and when the news would be shared with members of our team, and our couples. James and Alison were discreet throughout the process, so we felt in complete control of notifying key people at the appropriate time."
Why High House?
Xenia Venues were looking for a venue business that was already profitable, but that still had plenty of scope to grow. The Xenia team identified that High House was already very popular, but was not able to reach its full potential without being able to offer accommodation and without reception spaces that would allow year round operation. The ability to operate year round is a key criteria for Xenia Venues; it reduces pressure on the venue in the summer months, ensures year round job security for staff and suppliers and allows for weddings to be sold at much lower prices on off-peak dates, to make such an important local facility accessible to all.
In terms of facilities and options for couples, High House already had most of the elements that make a great wedding venue; a Grade II barn, dedicated ceremony and reception spaces, a honeymoon suite, guest lodges and beautiful gardens with an iconic Monet-inspired bridge. It was also blessed by being part of the Althorne wine estate and partially surrounded by a vineyard, with neat rows of soft vines transforming the venue into an Instagrammer’s heaven.
The vineyards surrounding the wedding venue supply the wine for drinks receptions, and are striking photo backdrops
The future for High House
Work started to convert the houses into luxury ensuite accommodation straight away. Award winning local interior designers, Van der Poll White, worked alongside local architects to bring a luxurious and elegant feel to the farmhouse, which will become an integral part of the wedding venue.
The stable bar and drinks courtyard adjacent to the ceremony barn and bridge is being extended to offer a year-round drinks reception area with picture-perfect backdrops for guests, and wedding photographers, to enjoy.
The vineyard already offers a special element to High House and we’ll continue to offer wine from the estate for the ultimate grape to glass experience for couples and their guests. Additional vines will be planted and the entrance repositioned so that the first glimpse of the venue will be through vines.
We’ve successfully worked hand in hand with the team from Valentine Caterers for many years, but the time has come to bring catering in-house from 2025 to offer couples restaurant quality food and drink for weddings.
Lovers of High House’s gorgeous dressing room, with its walled garden and private swimming pool, will be delighted to hear that it will of course remain, and will be enhanced with an extension to allow for even more space for the wedding party to enjoy on the wedding morning.
Over the winter, in time for 2025 weddings, the marquee will be replaced with an elegant glass orangery. The marquee has provided a great setting for summer weddings, but the new building will blend more sympathetically into the landscape while also offering better acoustic and thermal properties to reduce any impact on the environment.
The vendors’ experience
We caught up with Robert a month after the sale had completed, on his return from a break in Mauritius. His daughters were both enjoying their new roles, bookings had increased by over 10% during the transition and he couldn’t have been happier with the outcome. He summarised, "I had taken the business as far as I could comfortably take it without significant investment and a change in lifestyle. We lived on site and were doing 80 weddings a year. The obvious next step was to move out and get planning permission to convert our farmhouse to become part of the wedding venue. It seemed the right time to sell."
Xenia Venues have bought a venue that they are excited to own as part of a growing group of wedding venues within easy reach of London, and Robert and Jan have been able to release funds from their business and secure the future for both daughters, and the venue that they have carefully and lovingly developed.
The final word has to go to Robert, as he reflects on the experience. 'I've got the best of both worlds; the business I built up can continue to thrive, but I'm no longer tied to it financially or physically. I'm free to invest my time, money and energy elsewhere."
Robert and Jan Hollingsbee and family celebrating a wedding at High House
Fact file:
Venue: High House Weddings
Location: Essex
Distance from London: 1 hour by train
Ceremony and reception capacity: 120 seated
Onsite accommodation: 27 guests
Wedding ceremonies: Civil ceremonies, Civil Partnerships, Hindu Fire Ceremonies, Celebrants. Licenced for indoor and outdoor weddings
Reception spaces: Grade II Barn, marquee/orangery, terrace, thatched gazebo
What couples also love: Vineyard, incredible dressing room with pool, couples’ hideaway, fabulous photo opportunities
Photo credits: Our thanks to the following photographers: Bloomfield Photography, Laura Jane Photography, Pure Images, John Thompson
Our thanks are also extended to Robert, Jan, Kate and Samantha for helping us to share their story here.