CASE STUDY
Bentley Motors Pyms Lane Festival
To mark an epic 100 years of operations, fresh, a company of FCM Meetings & Events, partnered with Bentley Motors to create the ultimate celebration for its employees and their families. Dubbed “Pyms Lane Festival”, more than 15,000 people rolled through the gates of Bentley’s Crewe, United Kingdom, campus for a carnival-style event that honoured the brand's legacy and got everyone excited for the future.
Key takeaways
- fresh, a company of FCM Meetings & Events, partnered with Bentley Motors to bring to life Pyms Lane Festival. A two-day festival for 15,000 attendees that celebrated 100 years of operations.
- Pyms Lane Festival transformed Bentley's Crewe campus into a family-friendly carnival featuring factory tours, entertainment zones, and brand showcases.
- Planning commenced 12 months in advance with over 150 crew members managing complex logistics during peak UK festival season.
- The events team managed strict access, accreditation, stakeholder alignment, changes, heatwave conditions, local supplier sourcing, and full site restoration.
- Attendees rated the experience 8.42/10, with exceptional feedback on brand experience, entertainment, and logistics.
- Th event successfully communicated Bentley's 'Beyond 100' strategy while building employee connection and pride.
Goals
Bentley Motors had been through a period of change and reached impressive milestones worth celebrating. A century of operations, new products rolling off the line, cultural shifts, a refined vision, and even physical campus upgrades. Because of all this, they wanted to bring their people together, and their families to recognise the progress with something that felt human, not corporate.
The goals for Pyms Lane Festival included:
- Create a family-friendly experience that celebrated employees and their contributions, while also building connection beyond day-to-day work.
- Ensure that every element of the event is fun, safe, and inclusive for a diverse, all ages audience.
- Celebrate major milestones, like Bentley reaching 100 years of operations and new factory developments.
- Raise awareness amongst employees about Bentley’s 'Beyond 100' strategy and showcase what’s next for the company.
- Minimise environmental impact and protect the Crewe campus grounds with full site restoration factored into post-event activities.
Deliver a money can’t buy experience that leaves a positive and lasting impression, stays true to the Bentely brand, and delivers on budget and agreed timelines.
Approach
Having previously delivered events at this scale for Bentley Motors, the event management team kicked off end-to-end event planning 12 months in advance. With an audience of this size, clear communication, structured registration processes, and detailed operational planning were an absolute must. Every decision balanced attendee experience with the realities of hosting a festival on the grounds of an active automotive facility.
The experience
For two days, Bentley’s Crewe 5.6 million sq ft campus transformed into a carnival-style playground, filled with entertainment at every turn. Factory tours gave families a rare behind-the-scenes look at how Bentley vehicles come to life, while festival rides, sideshow games, live music, roaming entertainment, and food trucks kept energy levels high and people engaged.
The event catered to different interests and age groups by creating dedicated zones.
- Kids got their own dedicated area with kid friendly workshops and activities.
- A sustainability zone brought Bentley’s environmental commitments to life with an interactive bee trail on the grounds and activities that asked attendees to think about their own carbon footprint.
- For those curious about what’s next, the brand innovation zone showcased a virtual reality future into tech, engineering, and design.
- A Maker’s Market was set up, where festival-goers could purchase goods and connect with local businesses, adding a community feel.
Logistics
While the result looked like pure fun, behind the scenes, it was a logistical marathon. Coordinating communications and registrations for thousands, safety planning, crowd movement, and supplier coordination. Every crew member and supplier needed accreditation and training before stepping onsite.
The timing of Pyms Lane Festival also meant the team were required to source extensive event infrastructure during the peak United Kingdom (UK) festival season. Three miles of pedestrian barriers, multiple performance stages, and a broad range of outdoor event equipment were required throughout the duration.
Over 150 crew members were on deck. Producers, technicians, crowd management specialists, safety experts, and more ensured every detail fell into place before, during, and after the event.
Outcomes
It’s one thing to plan a festival. It’s another to drop it into the middle of a workplace and make it feel anything but work. Attendees rated the experience an impressive 8.42/10, with brand touchpoints, entertainment, and logistics receiving the highest praise.
“On behalf of the project team at Bentley, I wanted to thank all the fresh team for the fantastic coordination of the two events last week. The feedback so far has been amazing. Please pass on my thanks to all your team. They did a great job.”
-Head of Colleague Services, Bentley.