Goodwood Festival of Speed draws over 200,000 attendees over its four days, along with thousands of manufacturers, companies, media and general public. It’s fair to say that administratively it is a colossal event.

Which made it slightly challenging when we were approached very near the event date by a major car manufacturer which was exhibiting at Festival of Speed, to assist with their Event Management. They needed 700 nights of accommodation, and transportation for 200 guests to and from airport, hotels and Goodwood. Those attending included VIPs, senior management and guests, media and exhibition stand staff.

All the local hotels were already fully booked, as were all the transport companies anywhere south of Manchester.

But we knew, with our connections, we could make this happen and ensure the manufacturer had a successful event. We really love a challenge, it’s what brings out the best in us.

And we had a head-start compared to many other companies. We know Goodwood and the local area intimately. We’re based right there, so we know everyone and every facility in the area around.

We got to work, over very long hours, to ensure we met the client’s requirements. Working alongside the manufacturer, we maintained total flexibility even though the significant time difference did add to the challenge. However, being a bespoke event management company does mean that we work far outside the normal 9-5 envelope.

That was really tested when, as you probably know, the event was cancelled at the last minute for the Saturday due to extreme weather. We liaised with our client to ensure that changes to their transport programme were made efficiently in the background. They had an enjoyable and safe day before the Festival of Speed resumed on its final day, Sunday.

We like to think not many people could have achieved what we did, and we couldn’t have done it without an intimate knowledge of every aspect of running a major event at Goodwood. Everything was focused on ensuring the manufacturer had a successful programme, and that their media, guests and management all had a brilliant time. Our aim was a seamless experience, with everything running smoothly from the moment they arrived in England to the moment they left – until we see them again next year.

Was the client happy? The manufacturer described us as: “A personal company that prioritises customer satisfaction. It was an honour to share unforgettable moments with Salone Events.”

Award-winning Salone Events, run by Bernadette Palombo, is passionate about creating seamless events. And it makes us very happy to share that joy and passion with our clients.

Talk to us today to see how we can assist you with your next event.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO VIEW MORE CASE STUDIES?

No problem! You can view a case study about a charity day with a difference here, or a case study for an event we organised for a Swiss Bank here.