Conferences for up to 120 delegates theatre style, training days, exhibitions, weddings for up to 140 guests and private celebrations can be organized at The Northover Manor, a family-run hotel with 20 en-suite bedrooms in Ilchester, Somerset, in the south west of England. The hotel lies just off the A303, the main road between London and the West Country.
Seminars and company events
The main event space is an oak and glass function suite, bright and open, which the hotel uses for presentations, meetings, corporate functions, exhibitions and team building. It seats up to 120 delegates theatre style or 60 cabaret style. A Garden Room is also available for hire, and the hotel restaurant can be booked for smaller meetings or as a breakout area during a larger event. Room hire includes a projector, a screen and a flip chart, and Wi-Fi is free. Day delegate packages cover tea, coffee and biscuits through the day and a buffet lunch. Free parking behind the hotel helps for a group arriving by car from across the region.
Weddings and receptions
The Northover Manor is licensed for civil ceremonies, held either in the gardens or in a ceremony room. For the wedding breakfast the hotel seats up to 90 guests for a formal meal, and up to 140 for a less formal format or an evening party with dancing. The gardens, which include a horse chestnut tree said to be around 400 years old, give a backdrop for drinks and photos. The hotel also hosts birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations of life.
Rooms and capacities
The function suite is the largest room, for up to 120 theatre style or 60 cabaret style for a conference, and up to 140 for an informal wedding reception. The Garden Room takes smaller groups, and the restaurant serves as a breakout space or a room for a small meeting. The hotel can advise on the best layout for each format.
Accommodation
The hotel has 20 en-suite bedrooms in a range of styles. That covers speakers and organizers for a day conference, a small residential training course, or the wedding party and close family on the night of a wedding.
Catering
Food is cooked on site from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, with vegetarian and vegan options. Conference catering is built around refreshments and a buffet lunch. In the evenings the hotel runs Chilli's, a Mexican restaurant, from Monday to Saturday, which gives residents a dinner option without leaving the building.
History and setting
The hotel is a Grade II listed building in Ilchester, a small town on the River Yeo near Yeovil, in the Somerset countryside. It is run by a family, and its gardens are a large part of what it offers for weddings and summer events.
Getting there
The address is The Northover Manor, Ilchester, Yeovil, Somerset, BA22 8LD. The hotel is just off the A303 and about 40 minutes from junction 25 of the M5. Both Yeovil railway stations are about 15 minutes away by car, with direct trains from London Waterloo and from Exeter St Davids.
