Partner Article

NOHM strikes deal at historic Warwickshire venue

A growing hospitality management business in the Midlands has landed a new strategic partnership with a historic venue, which has links to royalty and literature.

Coventry-based No Ordinary Hospitality Management (NOHM) has been selected to grow the conference and events business at Stoneleigh Abbey, the site of 12th Century Cistercian monastery, in Warwickshire.

Stoneleigh Abbey, now a stately home, proved fit for a queen in 1858 as Queen Victoria stayed for two nights while the historic building and its grounds provided inspiration for Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park, where she lived during the early 19th Century. The history of the venue and its 600-acre grounds – including the River Avon running through – are expected to prove a major selling point for NOHM.

NOHM, which was launched in 2021, manages Coombe Abbey Hotel in the same region, as well as eateries, artisan markets and florists across Coombe Abbey and War Memorial Parks. Other venues include St Mary’s Guildhall in Coventry’s Cathedral Quarter, the on-site restaurant, Tales of Tea, and IXL Events Centre, where the company is also a partner on the corporate business side.

IXL in Southam is managed by CEO, Atul Lakhani who also founded Sanjay Foods, an award-winning catering and events management business. The new venture is another link between NOHM and Sanjay Foods, which currently operates the weddings business at Stoneleigh Abbey, after the two organisations announced their first corporate partnership in 2022.

Sanjay Foods will continue to service the weddings market at Stoneleigh Abbey, with NOHM tasked with increasing corporate bookings. Corporate events of up to 100 people can be held in ‘The Saloon’ in the main building’s West Wing, while up to 250 can be accommodated in the beautifully refurbished Riding School building.

The grounds lend themselves to teambuilding garden games or an opportunity to take a walk to soak up the natural environment. Ron Terry, Group Operations Director of NOHM, said: “There is a really strong connection between Stoneleigh Abbey and Coombe Abbey, which is why this partnership makes perfect sense.

“Coombe is a former Cistercian monastery too and also has historic links to royalty, so this partnership is one we believe can bring a corporate boost to Stoneleigh Abbey with our understanding of how to position a historic venue in the potential market. “We are looking forward to bringing events to this amazing property in the coming months and years.”

Lai-Yee Cheung, Director of Sales & Marketing at Sanjay Foods, said: “We have struck up a very strong partnership with NOHM and this builds on that. “Stoneleigh Abbey is an incredible place – steeped in amazing history, from Queen Victoria and Jane Austen all the way back to ties with the English Civil War.

“It’s a real selling point that helps to set it apart from the crowd and we believe it has huge corporate potential.” As well as providing a meeting and events space, corporate bookings can also include guided tours of the stately home at an additional cost.

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