Green Venue Hire

The Perfect Backdrop For Your Event

Set within a private estate of 20 acres of landscaped naturalistic grounds that include an aromatic herb garden and a long lake with pontoon and boathouse and surrounded by the rolling chalk hills of the beautiful West Berkshire countryside, Sheepdrove is an event venue like no other – sustainable, authentic, natural, modern but with a heart. Less than two hours from London yet situated high atop the Lambourn Downs, Sheepdrove is both in the middle of nowhere but at the centre of southern England. A choice of unique rooms and diverse interior and exterior event spaces deliver a flexible, versatile location that lends itself to all kinds of corporate and private events, including conferences, presentations, activity days, corporate retreats, music recitals, private parties, vehicle demonstrations and much more. Eco-friendly onsite accommodation can be found in the form of three converted farm buildings. Sheepdrove’s event venue is certified net zero carbon in operation and awarded Green Meetings and Green Tourism Gold Awards by leading independent sustainable business certification Green Tourism.

Carbon Net Zero

Sheepdrove is harvesting heat from the earth with a ground source heat pump. A buried network of pipes captures this geothermal heat and uses it as renewable energy to power the central heating and cooling systems in our sustainable events venue. The whole system is powered by renewable electricity from our two wind turbines and 900 solar panels reducing on-site emissions to net zero.

Find out More About Green Meetings at Sheepdrove

Exclusive Use Events
Dry Hire and Events
Private Parties and Celebrations

Inspiring Spaces For Your Event

The pioneering green and sustainable events venue at Sheepdrove Organic Farm was opened by HM King Charles III, then HRH Prince of Wales in 2004. Surrounded by fields and woodlands, with spectacular views across rolling chalk downland, Sheepdrove combines beautiful surroundings with high standard and flexible facilities and an impressive variety of inspiring and versatile indoor and outdoor spaces. With multiple spaces of size, stunning outside areas and onsite and local accommodation, Sheepdrove is an ideal setting for events across consecutive days.

Facilities Include

Direct vehicular access
Removable staging
8 km private roads
135 free parking spaces
Courtyard with capacity for 20 cars on display
Standing capacity in Oak Room 170
Seating capacity in Oak Room 150
Seating capacity in Beech Room 50
Dining capacity in Dining Hall 140
Good ceiling heights throughout with impressive ceiling heights of 8 metres in vaulted Oak Room, Courtyard Hall and Lower Dining Hall
Choice of five additional breakout and syndicate spaces
High speed internet access (download speed 50 Mbps)
Abundant natural light throughout
Natural cooling and ventilation system
Choice of lighting scenarios in Oak Room
Acoustics ideal for music recitals, live bands and DJs
Easy loading/unloading with vehicular access right up to both Oak Room and Courtyard Hall

Special Features Include

20 acres gardens and grounds set in 2,000 acres of organic farmland
Aromatic herb garden with herbal thyme clock
Outdoor flint amphitheatre seats 30
Ancient woodland 5 minutes walk
Long lake, boathouse and pontoon 15 minutes walk
Converted farm buildings sleep 28
Located in Designated North Wessex Downs Area of Natural Outstanding Beauty
Green building using energy and water efficiently to reduce overall impact on the natural environment
Operationally net zero carbon with all electricity used on site, including heating and cooling, from renewable sources either from our own solar and wind installations or 100% renewable green electricity from Ecotricity.
Sheepdrove has achieved the Green Meetings Gold Award, a new standard for sustainability in meeting and events spaces run by Green Tourism.

Find Out More About Green Practices at Sheepdrove | Find Out More About Green Meetings at Sheepdrove

Exclusive Use Includes...

Seated on iconic Fritz Hansen Series 7 chairs, renowned for lasting comfort, up to 200 people can gather together beneath the Oak Room’s soaring vaulted ceiling. This versatile space can be opened up to allow vehicle access to stage exhibitions, product launches or concerts. There is also a viewing and production gallery, pitch perfect acoustics and abundant natural light.

Centred around a spectacular spiral stair case which encloses a pizza oven, the doors of the Dining Hall open on to a tree-lined courtyard and an aromatic herb garden. A classic French Charvet range cooker is the central focal point of the gleaming open kitchen.

Meeting Spaces: Oak Room 175 sq m Beech Room 100 sq m
Dining Area: Lower and Upper Dining Hall 100 sq m
Reception Area: Courtyard Hall 120 sq m
Breakout Rooms: Rook’s Nest 22 sq m Gallery 22 sq m Library 40 sq m
Outdoor Areas: Physic Garden 200 sq m Courtyard 750 sq m

Car launches
Ride & drive event days
Product launches
Training days
Receptions
Conferences
Weddings
Music Recitals
Photo Shoots
Filming

Lift
Level access
Disabled toilet
Disabled parking
Hearing aid loop

No corkage charge

Supplier flexibility
External catering and bar allowed
Recommended catering list available
Space for catering equipment

Professional kitchen with pizza oven
Late licence until midnight

1 ¼ hours drive from Heathrow
20 minutes from M4 Junction 14
40 minutes train journey 2 stops from London Paddington to Didcot Parkway with 35 minutes taxi
Easily accessible from London and Bristol
Located on M4 corridor in between Swindon and Reading

For all exclusive use enquiries and bookings, please call 01488 674747 or fill in our contact form

Take a Look Around

Watch our short film for a flavour of the inspiring settings for your event, meeting, conference, activity day or corporate retreat. Situated on a 20-acre estate, surrounded by over 2,000 acres of organic historic farmland in the picturesque countryside of North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sheepdrove is hidden gem yet perfectly accessible from major transport networks. Sheepdrove’s flexible indoor and outdoor spaces offer the perfect environment to connect, create, engage and re-discover surrounded by outstanding scenery and abundant wildlife. If you’re looking to get your team away from their desks for a collective breath of fresh air, this rural oasis is the natural place to meet. Get In Touch here

New Green Credentials

We are delighted that Green Tourism’s independent assessors have awarded Sheepdrove the Green Meetings Gold Award and the Green Tourism Gold Award after a wide range of criteria from energy, water, waste, procurement, awareness and community involvement were examined. For over 25 years Green Tourism has promoted a greener, cleaner environment for people, places and our planet by recognising and supporting the eco-friendly achievements of businesses and organisations with their internationally respected sustainable tourism accreditation that is in fact the only national certification process endorsed by the UK National Tourism agencies. In June 2021 Green Tourism, who are a not-for-profit organisation, created a new standard specific to meetings and event venues, the Green Meetings Award certification programme.

Visit Green Tourism Website

Choosing an environmentally aware venue that takes sustainability seriously will help cut the carbon footprint of your event. Our events venue was opened nearly 20 years ago by the HRH Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, to celebrate on one of the most sustainable venues in the country. Our green building was constructed with sustainable building materials, extracted water from the local aquifer and cleaned its waste water through its own reed bed system. Today it is powered exclusively by 100% renewable green energy and employs many sustainability practices which further reduce the environmental impact of events at Sheepdrove. Our events team are officially ‘Carbon Literate’ after successful completing Carbon Literacy Training and can advise on simple steps to achieve an eco friendly event that protects our planet. Interested in giving back? Please get in touch for more information about Green Activity Days.

Find Out More About Green Meetings at Sheepdrove

Find Out More About Green Practices at Sheepdrove

Just over 10 years ago we committed to reducing our climate impact and installed 600 solar panels on nearby buildings to power our events venue. But we knew that in burning gas for heating we weren’t achieving our aspirations. We made a huge investment to improve our carbon footprint and our venue is now heated by a ground source system that draws energy from a nearby field. This innovation has allowed us to iradicate any direct emissions from powering our venue. Combined with using 100% renewable energy we are a net zero venue. In fact we have a net positive climate impact as we reduce emissions through exporting renewable energy generated by the two wind turbines and 900 solar panels on our organic farm. In November 2022, we were certified as Net Zero Operational Carbon Building 2022 according to the UK Green Building Council “Net Zero Carbon Buildings: A Framework Definition” standards by community interest company Better Century consultancy and online community.

Gallery

A Venue For Every Style and Occasion

Set in 2,000 acres of glorious rolling countryside and surrounded by organic fields and woodland, Sheepdrove offers a variety of unique rooms and diverse spaces suitable for events of every size, style and occasion, whether business or pleasure. The varied and versatile indoor and outdoor spaces on our organic farm deliver the perfect backdrop for company away days, team building events and group meetings as well as exhibitions, receptions and celebratory dinners.

Dry Hire Facilities at a Glance

High speed internet access (download speed 50 Mbps)
135 free parking spaces
Abundant natural light throughout
Natural cooling and ventilation system
Choice of lighting scenarios in Oak Room
Acoustics ideal for music recitals, live bands and DJs
Good ceiling heights throughout with impressive ceiling heights of 8 metres in vaulted Oak Room, Courtyard Hall and Lower Dining Hall
Entertainment Licence
Easy loading/unloading with vehicular access right up to both Oak Room and Courtyard Hall
Courtyard with capacity for 20 cars on display
Tipi and bell tent hire company based on site

Converted farm building sleeps 28
Lakeside Boathouse sleeps 2
Pets Welcome
Building includes lift, level access, disabled toilet and disabled parking
Designated North Wessex Downs Area of Natural Outstanding Beauty
Green building using energy and water efficiently to reduce overall impact on the natural environment
Operationally net zero carbon with all electricity used on site, including heating and cooling, from renewable sources either from our own solar and wind installations or 100% renewable green electricity from Ecotricity
Sheepdrove has achieved the Green Meetings Gold Award, a new standard for sustainability in meeting and events spaces run by Green Tourism.

Find Out More About Green Practices at Sheepdrove | Find Out More About Green Meetings at Sheepdrove

Further Information

Oak Room 175 sq m Seating Capacity 150
Beech Room 100 sq m Seating Capacity 50
Dining Hall 100 sq m Seating Capacity 140
Courtyard Hall 100 sq m Standing Capacity 170
Rook’s Nest 22 sq m Seating Capacity 10
Courtyard 750 sq m Vehicle Capacity 20 Cars

Car Launches
Green Activity Days
Conferences
Meetings
Corporate Away Days
Corporate Retreats
Training Days
Team Building Events
Product Launches
Photo Shoots
Filming
Receptions
Private Dining
Private Parties
Weddings
Music Recitals

No corkage charge
External catering alcohol allowed
Recommended catering list available
Space for catering equipment
Professional kitchen with bread oven and indoor rotisserie
Late licence until midnight

For all dry hire and private events enquiries and bookings, please call 01488 674747 or fill in our contact form