New era for Farncombe Conference Centre

General Manager Gillian has big plans for award-winning venue

Farncombe Conference Centre near Broadway in the Cotswolds has appointed a new General Manager to oversee the operation of its conferences, events, weekend courses and growing leisure business.

Gillian Roe, aged 47, is a leading venue and events manager with experience of launching and transforming hotels and venues around the UK.  She joins Farncombe this autumn with the aim of steering the business through an exciting stage in its evolution.

“I want to redefine Farncombe into a place you can’t define!” she says.  “It has a wonderful history of conferencing and events. But the rule book hasn’t yet been written here and there’s so much we want to achieve. It’s really exciting to be part of the start of something new.”

Gillian’s career began at venues like Alveston Manor in Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford’s famous Randolph Hotel. She has been General Manager of many more, including the Bull Hotel in Gerrards Cross, Bowden Hall in Gloucester, the Mill and Old Swan in Minster Lovell and Warbrook House in Hampshire, the last two for De Vere Venues. She also launched the Holiday Inn, Oxford in 2001.

 “I have always had a leaning towards conferencing and events,” says Gillian.  “At The Bull and Warbrook House we would do 120 weddings a year. I have also been privileged to work in places with extensive grounds. What I love about Farncombe is that this beautiful 400-acre estate has great people and so much potential.”

New wave of leisure guests

At the heart of the estate is the 87-bedroom Farncombe Conference Centre, where companies like Balfour Beatty, Ecover and NFU Mutual meet for conferences, training and team-building. At the weekends, the village of buildings becomes home to Farncombe Courses, a much-loved programme of art and crafts, history topics and music-making.  

Gillian’s brief is to integrate these businesses with a new wave of leisure guests seeking an affordable but wonderfully-located Cotswold break. New business licences mean that holiday makers are just beginning to appreciate the venue’s long views over the Vale of Evesham and its peaceful, well-managed parkland setting. 

She will also be delivering an exciting proposition for business customers looking for new ways to stage their training and inspire their teams. Think giant bean bags, campfire meetings and a wide range of outdoor challenges.

 “Farncombe is different to anywhere else I’ve worked,” says Gillian, “and we need to embrace that.  We are going to let our highly-individual flag fly!”