Wedding industry collapse sees Notts firm turn to Government for support
One of the biggest wedding and private events companies in the Midlands has turned to Government support after delivering just 15 weddings this year – 185 less than in 2019.
Goosedale, a second generation family-run private events company, has secured a loan from HSBC UK through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) as it prepares for even more uncertainty over the coming winter months.
Goosedale, one of the top-five wedding operators in the Midlands, will use the funding to cover refund deposits for customer cancellations and to continue to pay its staff during the pandemic. Located in Nottingham, Goosedale was staging over 200 weddings per year, catering for up to 600 people, before the pandemic and also delivering a wide range of private and corporate events.
However, Goosedale has seen a new trend emerge in the B2B market over the last six months, with demand for outsourcing event space increasing significantly due to the pandemic. As a result, the company has seen a rise in enquiries for its corporate events services, such as conferences and exhibitions, as businesses have considered more cost effective workspace solutions as an alternative to office space.
Dominic Hayer, managing director of Goosedale, said: “Like many other hospitality businesses, we’ve been dealt yet another blow following the Government’s national lockdown announcement. It’s fair to say that the coming winter months are set to present a challenging time for the hospitality industry. Covid-19 has already made the last six months an incredibly difficult time for our business, but thanks to the support from HSBC UK and in particular our Relationship Manager, Chris Haslam, we have been able to withstand this pressure and are well-placed to recover.
“The unprecedented challenges we faced earlier this year have highlighted the importance of planning ahead. As a result, we’re thinking strategically about our business model to ensure we’re able to adapt quickly to the ever-changing situation and to meet the needs of our customers over what is poised to be a turbulent and uncertain coming six months.”
David Tomlinson, HSBC UK East Midlands area director, added: “HSBC UK is committed to supporting its customers during this difficult time. The hospitality sector, and wedding industry in particular, have taken a big hit this year and when the team at Goosedale approached us we were pleased to be able to support them during this period of uncertainty.”
Goosedale also owns Goosedale Lodges – a range of high-spec lodges adjacent to the company’s private events venue in Nottingham. After investing £1m into the estate in 2019, Goosedale has seen an increase in demand for its luxury lodges as a result of the growing staycation trend in the UK.
