The South of England Event Centre in Ardingly, West Sussex, hosts conferences, training days, team building, banquets and wedding receptions on a 150-acre showground. Its Norfolk Pavilion offers 1,100 square meters over two floors, with the Ardingly Room seating up to 400 and the Balcombe Room up to 350 for conferences. The centre is 36 miles from London, 20 miles from Brighton and 11 miles from Gatwick Airport.
Seminars and company events
The centre offers conference halls, a conference centre, meeting rooms and break-out spaces. The Norfolk Pavilion is the core of the offer, with light space over two floors. Rooms can be hired individually or in combinations, so a plenary can be paired with smaller rooms for workshops. Wi-Fi and audio-visual equipment are included in the offer, and an events team builds a package for your group. The centre also lists team building and training as corporate formats. Parking is free for up to 6,000 vehicles, which removes a common problem for events with many delegates, and the M23 and M25 are close.
Weddings and receptions
For weddings, the Norfolk Pavilion hosts dinner and dancing overlooking the showground. The Ardingly Room takes up to 350 guests and the Balcombe Room 200, both with a dance floor, audio-visual equipment and catering facilities. The centre also hosts celebrations, with a banquet for up to 350 or an evening party for up to 450 in the Pavilion, and the grounds are large enough for a marquee.
Rooms and capacities
The Ardingly Room seats 400 for a conference and the Balcombe Room 350. Capacities for dinners are lower: 350 and 200 for wedding receptions. Other indoor venues on the site are the Abergavenny Building, the Lindfield Suite, the Queen's Jubilee Hall, Rank Lodge and the Stockman's Building. Outdoor and equestrian facilities, the NFU Barn, the Robins Building and the Young Farmers Building complete the list. Ask the team for capacities of the rooms the pages do not detail.
Catering
In-house caterers provide locally sourced cuisine and adapt to dietary requirements. For celebrations the options include a silver service dinner, a buffet, afternoon tea, a barbecue or a hog roast.
History and setting
The centre is the home of the South of England Show and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the South of England Agricultural Society. Profits from venue hire fund the Society's work in agricultural education and countryside learning. The site welcomes over 100,000 visitors a year across its events.
Getting there
The showground is in the Sussex countryside at Selsfield Road, near Haywards Heath. It is reached from the M23 and M25 and is 11 miles from London Gatwick Airport. It is accessible from mainline rail stations, and parking is free and ample.
