Published by Neil ThompsonJudges selected Butlin’s Bognor Regis for the Best Residential UK Venue award at the C&IT Awards that took place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on Friday 18th October. Judges highlighted Butlin’s “strong mission, outstanding growth, and exceptional commitment to sustainability and community.”
Cat Turnbull, C&E Manager for Butlin’s and Jon Kelly, CEO of Meet & Potato were on site to collect the award.
“Winning this C&IT Award is especially meaningful because it was decided by a panel of industry professionals, who selected Butlin’s from an outstanding group of venues. This award reflects the dedication of our events teams across all resorts in executing our Conferences and Events strategy, which has continually evolved since its launch in 2021. With investments in both upgrading existing offerings—such as making Studio 36 a permanent feature at all three resorts—and developing new innovations like PLAYXPERIENCE, which opened at Bognor Regis in October, Butlin’s is set to go from strength to strength.”
Cat Turnbull, C&E Manager, Butlin’s
Butlin's all-in-one solution is more than just convenient and budget friendly—it challenges the traditional notion of what a corporate event should be by ensuring fun and attendee engagement take priority.
Since relaunching its Conference & Events offering in 2021, Butlin’s has positioned itself as a venue that goes beyond providing physical space for events. Butlin’s partners with end users like Poundland and Meet & Potato to deliver on the goals of each event.
The resort features purpose-built corporate event spaces, including the Conference Centre and Studio 36, as well as a range of adaptable venues like Centre Stage, Reds and the Skyline Pavilion, all equipped to host diverse event formats. Professional AV and sound systems are included in the venue hire, allowing budget reallocation to employee engagement.
The innovative use of venues and successful partnership with creative event agency Meet & Potato in delivering the Poundland Annual Conference in April this year was another key contributor to the judges’ decision to choose Butlin’s Bognor Regis for this award.
By leveraging state-of-the-art facilities like Studio 36 and providing an all-in-one-place approach, Butlin’s has redefined the corporate event experience, establishing itself as a premier UK venue. With a dedicated events team, versatile spaces, and comprehensive support, Butlin’s ensures each event is tailored to meet the unique needs of its clients.
Butlin’s demonstrated the potential of Studio 36. The flexible event space was transformed into a circus for the “Greatest Show in Town” plenary session during the day. The Butlin’s events team executed a quick turnaround from theatre setup to gala setup in under 1 hour and 40 minutes, showcasing the venue's versatility and the team’s efficiency.
Another example of innovative delivery was the conversion of the Reds venue into a functional Poundland concept store. Delegates explored the new store concept and made purchases, adding a unique, interactive dimension to the event. This required extensive coordination with Meet & Potato, Poundland’s partner agency, including multiple site visits and early access for setup, as well as technical discussions to ensure smooth operation of retail systems within the venue. The success of this collaboration has resulted in a continued partnership with Meet & Potato.
A Butlin’s resort is often synonymous with its community– Bognor Regis, Minehead, Skegness each bring Butlin’s to mind. The story of Butlin’s has always been about community and bringing people together. In this spirit, each Butlin’s resort, including Bognor Regis, is host to the Butlin’s Chef Academy, which provides coaching and high-level skills development for apprentice chefs. This year-long program provides new chefs the perfect platform to enter a highly competitive industry and gain a professional qualification.
In 2022, Butlin’s also reached an incredible £1 million fundraising milestone for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH), and in April 2023, Butlin’s committed to becoming a Founding Partner for the Children’s Cancer Centre, pledging to raise another £1 million over the course of the next five years.
Always looking to the future, in October Butlin’s opened the highly anticipated PLAYXPERIENCE activity centre at the Bognor Regis resort, marking a £15m milestone in Butlin’s biggest year of investment to date.
The launch of PLAYXPERIENCE at Butlin's Bognor Regis is not just about adding more activities; it's a move into the future of corporate engagement through state-of-the-art AR and VR technology.
Spanning nearly 50,000 square feet and set over two floors, PLAYXPERIENCE is an interactive indoor hub featuring nine state-of-the-art experiences including TechPutt, Escape Rooms, Laser Tag, Shuffleboard, and Digi Darts. The games take advantage of innovative AR and VR technology to create fully immersive experiences.
The events team at Butlin’s can provide bespoke packages and solutions to incorporate PLAYXPERIENCE for events of different sizes, duration and budget. Exclusive hire packages include access to all games and The Bar, while flexible corporate packages are available to provide a VIP experience for small groups on shorter stays.
For more information about The Greatest Show in Town, exclusive hire packages at Butlin’s or the PLAYXPERIENCE launch in October please contact josh.engleman@butlins.com.
