800 guests. 20 regions. 50 tonnes of granite. And one very busy car park.
The brief: Managing a large-scale event
In September 2026, we provided event management for the Pétanque Inter-Regional Championships at Sand Bay Holiday Village in Weston-Super-Mare. With around 800 attendees from 20 regions, the four-day sporting event involved months of planning, complex site logistics and a busy team on the ground.
We managed the event from the initial planning and accommodation bookings through to building the competition area, coordinating guest arrivals, managing suppliers and overseeing the final breakdown. And, as with any large-scale event, it was the details behind the scenes that made everything come together.
From Car Park to pétanque arena
One of our biggest challenges? Turning a working car park into a competition-ready pétanque arena.
That meant bringing in a further 50 tonnes of granite, getting it moved and spread, and coordinating the construction of the individual playing pistes, complete with wooden borders, markings and signage.
It wasn’t quite as simple as closing the car park and getting on with it, though. Sand Bay Holiday Village was still welcoming guests, so cars were in the way, deliveries had to be manoeuvred around parked vehicles and sections of the site could only be completed as space became available.
Our operations team adapted the build as they went, working with specialist machinery operators and other contractors to get the arena ready for competition.
Once the championships were over, we also coordinated the recovery and repositioning of the granite, helping return the site to its usual use.
It’s a good example of the practical side of event management that guests don’t always see. Getting an event ready means a lot more than putting out a few tables and chairs!
Accommodation, guest check-in and event logistics
Alongside managing the competition area, we were also responsible for coordinating accommodation for attendees staying at the holiday village.
With a mixture of single, double, twin, triple and quad rooms, matching everyone’s requirements to the available accommodation took careful planning and plenty of communication with the regional organisers and the venue.
On arrival day, we organised regional check-in desks where guests could collect their keys, wristbands and event information packs.
The aim was to make finding their way around and getting settled as straightforward as possible, even with hundreds of people arriving for the same event.
Event logistics, parking and contingency planning
Anyone who’s organised an outdoor event knows it’s worth having a backup plan. The weather doesn’t always read the brief!
We planned designated parking areas for Blue Badge holders, staff, day visitors and full-weekend attendees, with additional grassed areas available when ground conditions allowed.
But what if it rained for days beforehand? We also considered alternative parking arrangements in case the grass became unsuitable, so the team knew what to do if conditions changed.
It’s that sort of forward planning that helps keep a busy event organised when things don’t go quite as expected.
Health, safety and event communications
With hundreds of competitors and visitors on site, clear communication and appropriate safety arrangements were essential.
We recommended dedicated professional first-aid provision and arranged for St John Ambulance to attend during competition days, with access to an ambulance providing a private treatment area if needed.
We also put together a radio communications plan covering everything from parking and check-in to announcements and emergencies. Staff briefings highlighted key locations, including first aid, exits, water points and the muster point.
Even the construction schedule had safety considerations built in: practice couldn’t take place while the pistes were being built, so dedicated practice time was arranged before the competition began.
It’s not necessarily the most glamorous part of event planning, but getting these details right matters.
Entertainment, awards and event photography
Our team was on hand throughout the championships, supporting the Pétanque committee and helping manage parking, check-in and day visitors.
We also coordinated the Friday and Sunday awards ceremonies, arranged a live band for Saturday evening and organised professional photography and videography across the three days. A consent process was put in place for anyone who didn’t wish to be photographed.
There was a lot going on beyond the playing pistes, and our job was to make sure all those moving parts worked together.
Event breakdown and results
When the competition finished and the awards were handed out, we still had a site to take down and guests that needed to leave the venue safely.
As guests checked out on Monday, our operations team coordinated the breakdown of the temporary infrastructure and worked with specialist contractors to recover the granite and restore the area.
From the first planning conversations eight months earlier to the final clear-up, we managed the event through its full lifecycle.
The championships brought together many different aspects of event management: venue liaison, accommodation, site construction, supplier coordination, guest logistics, safety planning, entertainment and on-site delivery.
And with every event, there’s something new to take away. We documented lessons around site access, staffing, parking contingencies and check-in to help inform future projects.
And what did the guests think?
“Good Evening, I just wanted to express my sincere thanks and gratitude for all your work put in over the weekend. As a player, who has been attending IR for 10 years, I found for the first time our health & safety was thought of and your whole team were amazing!
Well done and already looking forward to next year!”
Planning an event of your own?
Whether you’re organising a company fun day, a corporate gathering, a conference or a multi-day celebration, there’s usually a lot more to it than meets the eye.
From finding the right venue and coordinating suppliers to managing the practical details on the day, we’re here to make the moving parts work together — so you can spend more time enjoying the event and less time worrying about what’s happening behind the scenes.
