Even on an autumnal grey day this view looks divine.
Last month we held our monthly team huddle off-site at yoghurt connoisseurs Yeo Valley HQ, tucked away in the rolling green hills of the Mendips in Blagdon, North Somerset. The aim was to have a creative space where we could forget about the hum drum of the office, get together as a team and feel inspired by our surroundings. Of which the latter definitely delivered on.
From the moment, you enter the Yeo Valley reception you feel transported into another world – the Yeo Valley world. For anyone who may dismiss the importance of interior design or retail theatre, I challenge you to take a visit to Yeo Valley and not leave feeling inspired. When it comes to office branding they’ve got it spot on and a perfect example of how good authentic branding should be executed. And I’ve been to Google, Twitter and Facebook offices this year, so that’s saying something.
It’s all about the detail, from the grass Yeo Valley logo in reception, a corridor adorned with memorabilia and photos showcasing the history of the brand, the most wonderfully decadent ladies toilet (this is usually a tell-tale sign of culture), through to the Cow meeting room with aptly printed cow wallpaper finished off with the most amazing view of Blagdon Lake – which made me instantly want to grab my paddleboard and go SUPing.
Nice bush!
Every corridor needs a disco ball…
Iconic…
Caller, please hold…
All the pretty things. Now, this is why girls spend so much time in the toilets…
Oh hey there… this room is moo-vellous
It’s all in the detail…
If only every meeting room was this cool…
As we were residents for the day we were fortunate enough to have both breakfast and lunch in The Canteen. Again, a proper authentic experience, you can see why people pay to come for lunch. The food is healthy and organic, using Yeo Valley produce – of course, and the decor although rustic chic has an upmarket Nottinghill-esque feel, again with beautiful views of the Blagdon countryside. I can see why half the team were suddenly thinking about how they can make a transfer to work for Yeo Valley!
So many pretty things to look at, where to start….
Bringing the outside in…always a good idea…
Big night…
First impressions do count but don’t take my word for it, you can visit Yeo Valley at any time during the year. They also do tours of the HQ with a ‘farm to fridge’ theme, deli days and they even have their own festival ‘Valley Fest’. Yeo Valley – a brand that thinks with their hearts and remains true to their roots. They definitely grabbed a bit more of my heart that day and I was already a Yeo Valley yoghurt lover and now I’m fully on board with their ethos.
Have you come across any cool creative spaces recently? Let me know as I’m always on the lookout for inspiring places to hold team meetings.
