South West Marquees
South West Marquees is a marquee hire company setting up marquees for weddings, parties, and events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersNunney, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What South West Marquees does
South West Marquees is a privately-held marquee and event-hire company headquartered at Castle Hill Farm, Nunney, Somerset, operating across the South West of England (Somerset, Bath, Bristol, Taunton, Wiltshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire). The business rents temporary structures and ancillary equipment for weddings, parties, and corporate events, with weddings identified as the primary customer segment. Its product portfolio spans traditional canvas-effect and PVC marquees, sailcloth marquees, clearspan frame marquees, stretch tents, giant-hat tipis, bell tents, entrance marquees, and pagodas/Chinese hats, all modular in design so they can be resized by adding or removing bays. The hire price includes delivery, installation, erection, and dismantling labour.
The company owns and maintains all equipment in-house, including tables, chairs, flooring, lighting, heating, generators, luxury toilets, refrigerated trailers, and marquee weights. It also operates in-house PVC, electrical, and furniture manufacturing and repair, supported by a high-frequency welder for larger PVC repairs, an in-house fleet management operation for 20+ vehicles, and a 60,000-litre rainwater harvesting system (built 2016) used for cleaning equipment. Sustainability initiatives include a tree-planting program that reached 660 trees in 2025 versus a 50-per-year historical average.
South West Marquees makes money primarily through one-time event-based hire fees that bundle delivery and setup, quote-based pricing with a 20% booking deposit and balance due 14 days before installation, a non-refundable damage waiver, hourly generator fuel charges, and optional paid additional site visits. Its go-to-market relies on word-of-mouth referrals, an SEO-driven website with a Quick Quote system and a self-service Marquee Planner tool, a content-marketing blog with wedding planning advice, organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest), MailChimp email newsletters, and partnerships with Weatherill Brothers (sales/manufacturing) and Henge Estate (Wiltshire countryside wedding venue). The company has no disclosed external investment, no AI/ML capabilities, no apps or APIs, and no enterprise software product.
South West Marquees firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- South West Marquees
- Legal name
- South West Marquees, Ltd.
- Website
- https://southwestmarquees.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- South West Marquees is a marquee hire company setting up marquees for weddings, parties, and events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
South West Marquees industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Tent and Marquee Hire
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tent & Canopy Rentals (HSACAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Decor Props & Themed Set Rentals (HSACAFAK), Dance Floor, Staging & Platform Rentals (HSACAFAD)
Keywords
Where South West Marquees is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nunney
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
South West Marquees business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Marquee Hire: Primary revenue stream from renting various types of marquees (Traditional, Sailcloth, Frame, Stretch Tents, Tipis, Bell Tents) for weddings, parties, and events. Hire charges include delivery, installation, erection, and dismantling labour. Pricing is quote-based and varies by marquee type and event requirements.
- Equipment and Furniture Hire: Additional revenue from ancillary equipment including tables, chairs, flooring, marquee lighting, heating, generators, luxury toilets, refrigerated trailers, and marquee weights. Table and chair hire includes delivery but not erection/placement.
- Damage Waiver and Insurance: Damage waiver fee charged as part of hire cost (non-refundable) covering damage by Fire, Theft, Vandalism, Explosions, Storm and Tempest. Hirer responsible for first £1,500+VAT of each claim.
- Generator Fuel Charges: Fuel charged per hour of generator operation post-event based on hours meter. Pre-paid packages available with hourly costs on order confirmation.
- Site Visit and Planning Services: First site visit offered free of charge for logistics planning and site plan production. Additional site visits may be charged at company's discretion.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
South West Marquees product offering
Product offeringCore offering
South West Marquees hires, delivers, and installs temporary event structures — including traditional pole marquees, sailcloth marquees, stretch tents, frame marquees, tipis, bell tents, pagodas and entrance marquees — for weddings, private parties, and corporate events. The service is bundled with complementary event equipment such as flooring, lighting, heating, luxury toilets, generators, refrigerated trailers, and furniture hire, supported by in-house manufacturing, repair facilities, and on-site installation.
Product overview
South West Marquees is a premier marquee hire company offering a comprehensive portfolio of temporary structure solutions for weddings, parties and events. The core offering consists of multiple marquee types (Traditional, Sailcloth, Stretch Tents, Frame Marquees, Tipis) that can be configured for various event sizes. These are complemented by a full range of ancillary equipment including furniture, toilets, generators, lighting, flooring, and heating. The company provides end-to-end service from site consultation and planning through to professional installation and dismantling, with all equipment owned and maintained internally. The modular design of marquees allows customization through adding or removing bays, with optional features such as window walls, coloured linings, and various flooring solutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Wedding Marquee Hire
Quantifiable outcome
- 150 guests can be accommodated in stretch marquee setups for seating during ceremonies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use South West Marquees
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
South West Marquees technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
South West Marquees partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Weatherill BrotherscoreWeatherill Brothers is an official partner for sales and manufacture. South West Marquees serves as the official partner for marquee hire in association with Weatherill Brothers' sales and manufacturing operations. This partnership enables South West Marquees to offer complementary sales and hire services.
- Henge EstatecoreCollaboration between South West Marquees and Henge Estate in Wiltshire for wedding venue provision. Henge Estate provides a stunning 25-acre countryside setting while South West Marquees supplies bespoke marquee solutions, setting a new standard for elegant countryside wedding celebrations.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
South West Marquees competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Weatherill Brothers: Weatherill Brothers is South West Marquees' official partner for sales and manufacturing of marquees. It operates in the same marquee hire and manufacture category in the UK and is directly comparable in product offering and customer base.
- Fews Marquees: Fews Marquees is a long-established UK marquee hire firm specialising in weddings, corporate events, and private parties. It directly competes with South West Marquees across marquee styles and ancillary equipment rental, serving a similar end customer.
- Big Top Events: Big Top Events is a UK-based marquee and tipi hire company serving weddings, festivals, and corporate events. It offers comparable traditional and stretch-tent structures and ancillary hire, making it a direct regional competitor.
- Original Marquees: Original Marquees is a UK marquee hire company offering traditional and frame marquees for weddings and private events with full ancillary services. It is directly comparable in product mix, target customers, and delivery model.
- The Marquee Company: The Marquee Company provides marquee hire for weddings, corporate events, and private parties across the UK. It competes directly with South West Marquees on product range (Traditional, Frame, Stretch) and the full-service wedding value proposition.
- Abbott Event Hire: Abbott Event Hire is a UK event equipment hire business offering marquees, furniture, and ancillary equipment for weddings and corporate events. It is directly comparable to South West Marquees in both core marquee hire and the ancillary equipment bundle.
Broad incumbents
- Countrywide Marquees: Countrywide Marquees is one of the largest UK marquee hire companies, offering Traditional, Frame, and Chinese Hat structures with full ancillaries. It is broader in geographic reach than South West Marquees but operates the same core hire business model targeting weddings and events.
Regional players
- Coastline Marquees: Coastline Marquees is a regional UK marquee hire company providing wedding and event marquees with ancillaries. It is comparable in service scope to South West Marquees but serves a different geography (South coast), making it a relevant competitive benchmark rather than a head-to-head rival.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
South West Marquees social profiles
Digital presenceSouth West Marquees financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
South West Marquees leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
South West Marquees funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
South West Marquees M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about South West Marquees
What does South West Marquees do?
South West Marquees hires, delivers, and installs temporary event structures — including traditional pole marquees, sailcloth marquees, stretch tents, frame marquees, tipis, bell tents, pagodas and entrance marquees — for weddings, private parties, and corporate events. The service is bundled with complementary event equipment such as flooring, lighting, heating, luxury toilets, generators, refrigerated trailers, and furniture hire, supported by in-house manufacturing, repair facilities, and on-site installation.
Is South West Marquees a public or private company?
South West Marquees is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was South West Marquees founded?
South West Marquees was founded in 1999. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is South West Marquees based?
South West Marquees is headquartered in Nunney, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does South West Marquees make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Marquee Hire is the primary driver. The others are equipment and Furniture Hire, damage Waiver and Insurance, generator Fuel Charges and site Visit and Planning Services.
Who are South West Marquees's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Weatherill Brothers, Fews Marquees, Big Top Events, Original Marquees, The Marquee Company and Abbott Event Hire. Countrywide Marquees is listed as a broad incumbent. Coastline Marquees is listed as a regional player.
Does South West Marquees have an API?
No public API is recorded for South West Marquees.
What industry is South West Marquees in?
South West Marquees's product category is Event Tent and Marquee Hire. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSACAFAA, Tent & Canopy Rentals, with a secondary code of HSACAFAK, Decor Props & Themed Set Rentals. Its SIC code is 7900.