Category: Events Suppliers

February 17, 2023

Local Inspiration - The Drunken Jockeys

This month we shine the light on a Surrey hospitality business that has gone to new levels during lockdown.

Born from the belief that a bar should be much more than simply a place to get a drink, The Drunken Jockeys launched in 2018 by three best friends, Zack Goodall, Will Burchill and Will Isaacs. Prior to the pandemic their mobile cocktail business was thriving but, when lockdown hit, cancelling weddings and events (their core market), the three business partners were forced to think outside the box. Creative director, Zack Goodall, explains more.

Who are The Drunken Jockeys?

We create mobile bars that transport guests to a world of fun with a great drink in hand.
We provide a full bar for weddings, public events, corporate events and private parties and we make impeccable cocktails for guests to enjoy. My background is in set design and heritage management, Will Burchill is our mixologist extraordinaire and also a great photographer and Will Isaacs basically lives and breathes the business and is a great people person and manager.

How did the company start?

We felt that at every wedding or pop-up event we attended, the bar was basically just a trestle table with bottles on it – there was no imagination there. No one spent time at the bar, it was just a place to grab a drink. So, we built our first bar, Arabella, by converting a dusty old horsebox (hence our name) with the idea being that we’d take it around to different events and cause a bit of a stir. We based ourselves down at Shred & Butta in Cobham, which builds and converts vehicles into creative spaces, and we’re still there. We’ve since converted an old American ambulance and an old American postal van into a self-service pulling station. We build our bar ranges around finds from antiques fairs, such as Ardingly and Kempton. Sticking true to our original concept, our custom designed modular system allows us to create solid looking pieces, that are both flatpack and extendable. It's pretty exciting stuff, keep your eyes peeled for more bar releases in the near future.

How did the business evolve during lockdown

Well, we had a full year of weddings and events planned but, of course, we couldn’t do any of those, so we were fully expecting that our business might collapse overnight. We felt so bad for our wedding clients, many of which not only lost out on their big day but were also left out of pocket by suppliers that went bust because of the pandemic. So, we sent them some cocktails in jam jars to cheer them up, realising that, with pubs and bars shut, it was actually a really good business idea. Soon we were making and delivering 300 cocktails each weekend. We began to collaborate with local businesses and, before long, big brands were interested, which opened the doors to the corporate market. We now deliver our menu of cocktails and mocktails nationwide and even as far as Malta, Germany and Denmark and host virtual and masterclasses too.

What are your top tips for anyone booking a bar for an event or wedding?

• Invest in a look. It doesn’t have to be for the whole party (there’s a certain luxury in subtlety) but for elements, such as the food and drink or décor.
• Invest in suppliers and trust them.
• Keep the menu small and high quality.
• Glassware is key – there’s a big difference between cut glass and other forms of glassware. It can really change everything.
• Give yourself plenty of time to organise and find the right supplier

So, what’s next for The Drunken Jockeys?

We are so thankful that we have become one of lockdown’s success stories and, because we are all best mates, it really doesn’t feel like we’re going to work (although we do work incredibly hard). Weddings and events are now back on so we are busier than ever with those, but the cocktail delivery service will remain, as will our virtual masterclasses. We’re looking forward to more collaborations and we’re also working on a new project but at the moment it’s top secret, so you’ll have to keep an eye on our social channels to find out more!

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February 17, 2023

Local Inspiration - Susie Evans

It’s been a tough time for the wedding industry of late. As she celebrates her 10^th year as a wedding planner in Surrey, Susie Evans discusses the highs and lows of the past year.

How did you become a wedding planner?

I previously worked in investment banking and insurance but knew balancing a career in finance with having a family would not be easy. So, I began looking for something that would enable me to be a mum and still work. When my husband and I got married there were no companies in the Surrey/Sussex area that helped style weddings and so that’s where the story began, wedding styling. Five or so years later, I moved into wedding planning and venue consultation and this year marks the 10^th anniversary of Susie Evans Weddings Co.

What makes a good wedding planner?

You need to be organised, of course, you need to have an eye for detail and good contacts –

collaboration is most certainly key. But it’s about much more than that. It’s about really understanding your client and also being open and honest with them and their families, who are usually very involved, particularly in at home marquee weddings, which is what I specialise in. Being able to mitigate when necessary is a good skill – and that’s most definitely been put into effect this past year.

Without dwelling too much, how have you coped this past year?

We are slowly coming out the other side and there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel but it has been the hardest year ever. I have cried so many tears with couples as their hopes and dreams have been crushed multiple times ­– some of my clients have had their weddings postponed five or more times. However, the ups and downs have taught me so much and my business is stronger that it has ever been. I’ve even expanded and taken on a new member of staff, Libby, who has been a god-send plus we’ve had quite a few bookings for post-Covid marquee garden parties this summer!

What makes marquee weddings so special?

They are a completely blank canvas. You can create the day you want and are not restricted by a venue’s specific stipulations, so usual traditions can go out the window (if you want them to). They are also a real family affair. It’s really special getting married at a family home or a location that is particularly special to the couple. A marquee wedding isn’t necessarily cheaper as you are in essence creating a wedding venue from scratch, but it does allow you to have exactly what you want.

What are your top tips for a marquee wedding?

Make use of your garden space and don’t worry about obstacles you think might prevent you from having a marquee wedding at home – marquees can be built over almost anything. We’ve planned weddings where marquees have been built over swimming pools and even a ha-ha. Anything is possible. Marquee weddings are more logistically challenging though, so it’s an idea to get help to avoid extra stress leading up to the big day.

And finally, what local businesses do you like to collaborate with?

Mad Lilies in Banstead [which we showcased last month] has been a huge part of my success and has made me realise how important it is to have a friendship with my suppliers, as well as a business relationship. Other local companies who are amazing and we use time and time again to create amazing weddings for our couples are Inside Outside Marquees, Drunken Jockeys, Two Many Cooks and Caper & Berry.

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February 17, 2023

Local Inspiration - Mad Lilies

A queen of collaboration, Alison Howe, of Mad Lilies in Banstead, loves nothing more than supporting local businesses and was recently awarded for her efforts with a national High Street Hero award. In the latest of our Local Inspiration series we find out how she got into floristry, what it’s been like for the industry over the past year and why flowers are such a wonderful addition to a home.

How did you become a florist?

Flowers are a big part of my heritage – my late mum and grandmother owned a floristry business in Belfast together when I was growing up – but it wasn’t until I was in my mid-forties that I began to wonder if I too had the floristry gene.

I previously worked in sales and marketing for pharmaceutical but after my mother died in 2011, I decided to enrol in a floristry course with Jane Packer, and five minutes in, I knew I too had to forge a career in flowers.

Why Banstead?

Starting from scratch aged 44 was not going to be easy so I decided it was best to find an established business to buy, which I could then take in the direction I wanted. Easier said than done – the search took a long time.

But, then I got a call about a business that was up for sale in Banstead, called Mad Lilies. Living in London, I had no idea where Banstead was but my grandmother’s name was Lily so it felt like a sign and, following a four-month handover, I took the keys in February 2013.

 My husband Darren and I moved into a renovated pub in the Surrey countryside and have never looked back. We love all Surrey has to offer, as do our dogs Duffy and Dougal, and you’ll often find us foraging for foliage, berries and flowers in the countryside.

Tell us about your recent High Street Hero award…

The Small Awards is organised annually by Small Business Britain, which champions, inspires and accelerates small businesses in the UK across all sectors. We found out we’d been shortlisted along with four other businesses for the High Street Hero category in April.  On May 13 there was a virtual ceremony and I was surprised at my door with the award and a delivery of cocktails and nibbles.

We will continue working with our community to build awareness of the high street and showcase the fabulous independent businesses we have in Banstead and Surrey. We love a collaboration and not only do we see the business benefit from them but we enjoy learning and developing from other local businesses as we all evolve to meet consumer needs.

It’s an amazing accolade to have won, particularly in such a tough year…

Thank you. Yes, it’s been an incredibly tough year. The first lockdown was announced the week before Mother’s Day, which is the biggest day in the floristry calendar. Weddings were, of course also off the cards, which is a massive part of the business so we were hit hard.

But the team worked hard to get Mother’s Day deliveries out before we went into lockdown and, while the shop had to close, it soon became apparent we would be able to do deliveries and we became quite busy with orders from people gifting bouquets to loved ones they weren’t able to visit.

Like many other businesses, we diversified and created a flower subscription service, Bare Naked Stems, and we also hid jam jars of flowers across Surrey for people to find and take home as random acts of kindness. As well as flowers, we stock all sorts of lovely homeware and gifts in the shop so lockdown was also a catalyst for getting our Mad Lilies at Home collection online.

You’ve been called the Queen of Collaboration, what businesses do you enjoy partnering with and why? 

There’s something quite exceptional about the High Street’s small and independent shops in how open they are to supporting one another.

Throughout lockdown, we partnered with other Banstead businesses such as Fego, Café Chai and Louisa Grace to cross promote wherever possible. We did a Valentine’s Day meal kit with food supplied by Two Many Cooks and cocktails from the Drunken Jockeys. We also had a Tea Towel designed by Surrey Illustrator Lisa Tolley to promote all that is great about Banstead and then we worked with local illustrator Lewis Woodham, from Wood&Ham to create an illustration of our shop for our gift cards that go out with our bouquets.

We also collaborated with Gayas Cakes and Cai & Kyn on our Here’s to Hugs gift set which included a bouquet, brownies, a gift card and candle.

How do flowers enhance a home and what tips would you give people to enhance their longevity?

There’s a lot of research out there to suggest that flowers and house plants offer health benefits; they relieve stress and lift your mood. Plus, they enhance any form of celebration, however large or small. My top tips are:

• If budget allows, buy flowers from a florist like Mad Lilies instead of a supermarket. Not only are you supporting small, local businesses but you’ll also find more unusual stems and they will last longer as the flowers will usually have been delivered to the florist that day and so haven’t already sat there for some time.
• Always change the water (don’t just refill) and re-trim the stems every couple of days.
• Keep the flowers as cool as possible, so don’t put near radiators or direct sunlight

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