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Coventry firm celebrates growth with Christmas party - during scorching heatwave

A Stratford-upon-Avon hotel hosted a delayed Christmas party in the second UK heatwave for a Coventry based company celebrating its international growth.

The team at The Arden Hotel on Waterside was delighted to organise a postponed festive get-together for 46 employees from ApplianSys, a UK server appliance specialist, which began as a start-up in 2001 and now has customers in 165 countries.

Staff from the Coventry office were joined by representatives from their three satellite offices in USA (Austin, Texas), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) and South Africa (Johannesburg) for a cruise on the River Avon, canapes and drinks on the outdoor terrace, followed by a three-course meal in the hotel’s award-winning restaurant, No. 44 Brasserie.

As employees celebrated on one of the hottest days recorded in the UK with sweltering temperatures and dazzling sunshine, it was too warm for Christmas jumpers but the team enjoyed pulling crackers and a traditional turkey roast with all the trimmings as an option. The hotel even put up Christmas decorations and a Christmas tree.

Sales director at ApplianSys, Magdalena Jovanovic, said they had missed Christmas parties over the last several years as it was their busiest time of year, and after their parties slipped to the summer they decided to keep them that way for fun.

She said: “It was great to be able to celebrate our recent successes with a Christmas party in the summer – our hottest to date!

“We have been building IT server computers helping schools internationally improve their internet connectivity. We have customers in 165 countries, particularly in USA, Latin America and Africa. We are a fast-growing business and are expanding in all locations right now.

“This year we had people from all of our satellite offices join us for the Christmas party. It was quite cool to have everyone over at the same time. We were laughing with our colleagues from South Africa as it’s the middle of winter over there.”

Anna Lytwyniw, a senior marketing executive at ApplianSys, said: “We like to do things differently!

“It was nice to get dressed up and show representatives from each of three international offices how lovely Stratford-upon-Avon is and enjoy some good food and conversation in a gorgeous hotel. It was a nice and relaxed event.”

Josefine Blomquist, general manager at The Arden Hotel, said: “It was the first time we have hosted a Christmas party in the middle of a heatwave.

“Following a river cruise guests will enjoy drinks and canapes on our terrace and in the gardens followed by a 3-course dinner in the Brasserie. Turkey with all the trimmings was on the menu and our guests celebrated with crackers and of course a Christmas Tree. It was a great event.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .