Issue 60

FUNCTION VENUES
AERIAL ESSEX
CASE STUDY
Browning Bros.
Based near Colchester, Essex, Browning Bros. offer unique
weddings, celebrations, corporate events, luxury cabins
and quirky glamping
Deciding to make their
livelihood on the family
farm, brothers Nat and
Archie have gone from
event equipment rental to
delivering memorable events
at two sites on their family’s
organic farm in Essex. We
talk to Nat Browning about
the curation of the two sites
which offer outdoor functions
and glamping.
When did you start your venue
business and what is its history?
Browning Bros. was formed in
2012 when my brother and I left
university and came back to
the farm. Instead of following
our friends and the crowd into
London for a job in the city we
really wanted to do something on
the farm (what that was we were
not sure!). We began by renting
equipment for events, e.g. disco
equipment and luxury loos, until
we realised we could try and bring
events to us as we were fortunate
enough to have the space to do so.
We first created Teybrook
Orchard as a small glamping site
for individual camping, followed
by Chalkney Water Meadows
as the first events venue for dry
hire for weddings. Fast forward
a few years and we have put in
infrastructure and facilities at both
sites for clients to hire the venues
out exclusively, and we can now
host all manner of events. We
have also built two luxury lakeside
cabins which we rent to anyone
who would like a secret escape,
and they also get booked up for
the events that we host. We have a
large supply of bell tents which we
also rent out offsite for events in
need of glamping accommodation.
Browning Bros. is located on
a certified organic family farm in
North Essex countryside, where the
focus is always on sustainability
and protecting the land for future
generations, of which we are
the fifth generation. It is a family
story where a passion for bringing
people back to nature merges
with a love of local heritage,
beauty and farm diversification
to create a thoughtful place.
Teybrook Orchard is now an
intimate woodland venue that
is hidden away from the world
and is perfect for any occasion
accommodating up to 120 guests.
Chalkney Water Meadows venue
is hidden away amongst ancient
FILMMAKERS OF LONDON
“TEYBROOK
ORCHARD
IS NOW AN
INTIMATE
WOODLAND
VENUE THAT IS
HIDDEN AWAY
FROM THE
WORLD AND IS
PERFECT FOR
ANY OCCASION
ACCOMMODAT-
ING UP TO 120
GUESTS”
woodland next to a picturesque
river and a tree-lined lake. It’s
a great location for any type of
event in Essex accommodating up
to 200 guests, with celebrations
taking place under three giant
hat tipis and ceremonies taking
place on the willow tree pontoon
facing the lake. Each venue has its
own glamping accommodation,
be that luxury bell tents set up in
a glamping village with African
animal names, or a converted grain
silo from the farm itself. We pride
ourselves in the lighting of our
venues, both with an incredible
amount of festoon, uplighters and
even disco balls in the woodland at
Teybrook Orchard.
Tell us about your location
and site
Both sites are uniquely positioned
50 minutes from London
Liverpool Street station and
a short 30-minute drive from
London Stansted Airport in
WWW.OPENAIRBUSINESS.COM 21