County seeks new venues for marriage ceremonies
Warwickshire County Council is seeking more venues to register as licensed premises for civil wedding ceremonies in the north of the county.
The Registration District of Warwickshire North covers the boroughs of North Warwickshire and Nuneaton and Bedworth. There are currently only 11 venues for the area compared to 54 in the southern area of the county.
Atherstone-based Warwickshire County Councillor, Anne Forwood, who sits on the economic development overview and scrutiny committee, feels that many couples would welcome the opportunity to get married in some of the spectacular venues in the north of the county.
She also thinks that premises not already licenced for marriages in North Warwickshire may not be taking advantage of the rich cultural heritage and attractive countryside of the area in the same way that their counterparts in the south do.
She said: “Couples who are looking at civil marriages rather than church weddings often want the appeal of an interesting building. As you would expect, Stratford has many buildings which are licensed to host wedding ceremonies. But the north of the County is also full of buildings rich in character that would be a memorable venue for weddings. There is a real opportunity for them to offer a service to couples wanting to get married here.
“We wouldn’t rule anywhere out – working men’s clubs, schools, sports clubs, halls, large or small - anywhere that would be suitable to host a ceremony would be welcomed. One of our current licensed venues is a gazebo!
“It is not just couples in the area who would use these venues. With its rural setting and the interesting buildings, northern Warwickshire, like the south of the county, could bring in people from far and wide looking for somewhere to host a really memorable day.”
Last year, 662 couples got married in the area, many at one of the 11 premises currently approved to host wedding ceremonies. Felicity Howard of Warwickshire’s Registration Service points out the advantages for premises considering applying for a licence:
“A wedding is an excellent opportunity to increase revenue; even if a venue only held one or two weddings a year, catering and refreshments could soon pay for the cost of the licence.
“And because of the feelgood atmosphere on the day, a venue will stick in the minds of guests and it is a good opportunity for premises to build up their reputation and encourage further business.”
A licence, allowing a premise to hold a civil wedding ceremony, costs £900 for three years and can be paid in instalments. Buildings must be permanent fixed structures, have full public liability insurance, and comply with fire safety regulations.
Any venues that would be interested in hosting wedding ceremonies should call Felicity Howard on 01926 746805. A link, for applying online is also available at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/registervenues