WE TALK WITH MICHAEL WAINWRIGHT FROM BOODLES TO FIND OUT MORE…
What does The Cheltenham Festival mean to you?
Being a horse racing fanatic, the four days of the Cheltenham Festival are inked in my diary at the beginning of the year. They are simply unmissable for me. However, even if horse racing is not your thing, it is such an exhilarating, exciting and social week everyone would love it.
Tell us more about ‘The Orchard’ and what attracted you to exhibit within it?
The Orchard has become a little bit of Mayfair at Cheltenham, with Boodles and Holland & Holland amongst the exhibitors. It has been beautifully designed by the racecourse and is a thoroughfare for many of the racegoers accessing the luxurious dining offerings. Our stand is permanently busy and we now meet a lot of customers who we only meet each year at the Festival, who do not necessarily go to London very often.
How does you partnership with The Jockey Club allow you to reach new audiences?
A few years ago it dawned on us that it is easier to pick up new customers, who are crucial to every business, at events than by any other marketing activity. We therefore looked at several events which presented the possibility for us to meet likely customers. The Cheltenham Festival, along with Chelsea Flower Show, Burghley and Blenheim Horse Trials, have been selected by Boodles for exhibiting. This year will be our fifth year exhibiting at the Festival and notwithstanding the pandemic, business has grown each year. Our staff also love being a part of it.
Why would encourage other Walpole Members to showcase their wears in The Orchard?
Admittedly I am biased as I love horse racing, but I can think of few events which are more on-brand than the Cheltenham Festival for exhibiting, sponsoring and entertaining, and we do all three through the week.
