Bakewell has always been the centre of agriculture with its famous cattle market and show. The Agricultural Business Centre is host to them all and is in a beautiful setting across the River Wye, very close to the large car park and close to the town centre or recreation park, depending which way you want to stroll from the car. Amidst the rolling hills of the Derbyshire Dales, the District Councils Agricultural Business Centre Is a fantastic venue the meetings, conferences, seminars and training workshops. Team bonding will never be the same again, with fantastic facilities and a picturesque setting, it’s close to the town centre to be able to nip to the pub or a cafe at lunchtime if you like, but there are great catering facilities already there.
So close to Bakewell Recreation Park, it’s great to have a morning of business and then take a stroll and perhaps grab an ice cream and get away from it all for a while. The Agricultural Business Centre is the centre of the Peak rural economy and is the venue for a whole host of regular events, including the second biggest farmers market in the whole of the UK, attracting more than 5000 visitors. It’s now so popular that many of the 70 stallholders sell out before closing. The Business Centre also is home to one of the UK’s top five weekly livestock markets. It is open Monday to Friday between 9 and 4.30 but closes just a little earlier on Fridays at four o’clock.
The Business Centre brings in visitors from miles around which have a great knock-on effect for tourism in Bakewell. Local hotels and businesses in and around the market town reap the benefits of as a major source of trade which it generates and several local shops and cafes employee extra staff on market days to meet demand, so its supporting employment too. There are public conveniences with baby changing facilities and modern refurbished amenities.
It is based on the aptly named Agricultural way and is an unmistakeable building to spot with its architecturally surprising curved roof and particularly modern facilities. Its catering facilities are second to none, providing prepared food for conferences and meetings. The large cafe / restaurant has a fully licensed bar which is good news if the morning is a heavy schedule! Food and drink can also be provided to suit individual requirements sand special diets are well catered for. The Centre kindly provides whiteboards, flip charts and a multimedia projector and the conference room has an audio loop system. There is Wi-Fi of course, essential to catch up on those pesky emails when you can.
The concourse is an extensive open space ideal for all sorts of events, large enough to show off large vehicles, display stands, machinery and equipment, and is ideal for trade exhibitions and displays on livestock market days. Small areas of the concourse can be hired to display agricultural products and equipment and is a great way to promote all sorts of products. Choose the conference room which can seat up to 60 people cabaret style or 100 people theatre style if you are wanting a conference, a large meeting or promotional event with a difference. The conference room is ideal for training workshops and lectures. The meeting room is smaller and can seat 20 people boardroom style which is ideal for small seminars, inter-departmental meetings, job interviews or training workshops.
With full disabled access and over 400 car parking spaces, as well as 15 colossal coach bays, it is a venue second to none. No wonder its host to many unusual and individual events such as the High Peak Bantam Show, antiques auctions and regular Blood Donor sessions. It is home to Bakewell Funfair and Carnival as well as the infamous Bakewell Show. With the Farmer’s market, The Arts Festival, and Farmers Harvest Festival to name but three, it is also home to some very unique events such as the British Wildfowl Decoy show.
The centre’s popularity goes from strength to strength and has a massive range of themes including the High Peak Poultry show, Peak Model Railway Exhibition, Wildfowl Carver’s Association Annual Show it is a wildlife and animal lover’s delight. It is also host to sterner stuff such as the Police and Derbyshire Dales District Councils Liberation Day Event, but we’re sure fun is had by all! With an extensive range of facilities and in an excellent and convenient location, it’s certainly somewhere to be considered for hosting an event or two!