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Regatta Souvenir Brochure
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Phyllis Court Club
Club News Summer 2014
Page 2
Inside this issue
Regatta Gallery 4-7
Club Room Refurb 8
Riverside Pavilion 10
Forthcoming Events 11
Page 3
Inside this issue
Regatta Gallery 4-7
Club Room Refurb 8
Riverside Pavilion 10
Forthcoming Events 11
Chairman’s WelcomeI don’t think I have ever seen Phyllis
Court looking more immaculate
than when I arrived early on the
Wednesday morning of Regatta
this year. The lawns were pristine,
the flowers on the riverbank in full
bloom, the hanging baskets a sight
to behold and to top it all our new
Riverside Pavilion stood there in all
its magnificent glory awaiting the
arrival of Members and their guests.
And so it continued for five days.
I judge the success of Regatta not
just by the financial results but also
by the enjoyment of Members and
by these measures this year was
a huge success. Provisional profit
(yet to be finalised) was around
£180,000, slightly down on last year
as expected but none the less very
satisfactory. Equally important was
the obvious enjoyment of Members
who were clearly very pleased to be
able to entertain their guests at such
a prestigious event.
The only cloud was the behaviour,
particularly on Saturday, of a small
number of members’ guests which
was not up to the standard that we
have come to expect. Fortunately
it was only a small number but
nevertheless it did spoil the occasion
for some Members and did disquiet
some of the staff. We intend to take
action in future to ensure that such
disruption does not happen again.
The Riverside Pavilion was a great
attraction and proved popular both
during the day and with the evening
activities. The external appearance
and internal spaciousness has
attracted glowing praise from
all who have used it and it is fast
becoming one of our most popular
venues for Members’ individual
events, Interest Groups and external
functions.
All Members have been individually
notified that we have been granted
planning permission to build the
proposed Health and Fitness
Centre. There is a huge amount of
work to be done before any proposal
can be put before Members but
working parties have already made
a start and Members will be updated
on their progress through special
bulletins, “In Touch” and reports in
the Club News.
A part of historyIn keeping with the Regatta theme
and facts we take a look back at the
Clubs News published in 1998.
An excerpt;
Behind the Scenes at Regatta
The awnings and marquees have
been dismantled and taken away;
the crowds have disappeared.
Within just a few days, it’s as if the
Regatta has never been. Phyllis
Court is back to normal. Gardeners
are again mowing the flawless green
sward; Members are tapping mallets
and balls on the croquet lawn. The
transition has been seamless.
Over the five days of Regatta
Henley’s own country Club has
been agog with activity. From
early in the morning until late at
night - and sometimes well into the
next morning - staff have beavered
away to ensure that Members and
their guests can enjoy themselves
at the Club’s premier event of the
year. An additional 150 staff are
taken on over the Regatta. These,
together with the permanent
staff, all have their allotted task
- the chefs, waiting staff, glass
clearers, washers-up, Pimms’ stick
preppers. This year 4991 lunches
and 4600 teas, comprising 2500
salmon portions and 1000 lbs of
strawberries were consumed over
the five day period, along with 1129
evening menus. In addition, regatta-
goers quaffed 4020 pints of Pimms
and 1380 bottles of Champagne
as well as huge volumes of wine.
Regatta 2014
Over the five days we welcomed 8148 guests to Phyllis Court Club,
477 visitors to our Riverside Pavilion hospitality boxes and sold:
H 2209 Lunch Rapide
H 600 Sauvignon Blanc Bottles
H 653 Bottles Champagne
H 1128 1/2 pint Pimm’s
H 1155 Jugs Pimm’s
H 200 Bottles Rose
H 1551 Scones
H and...1513 Programmes
An additional 120 staff were employed to help
over the Regatta week.
Page 4
Page 5
Regatta 2014
Regatta 2014 Evening Events
Page 6
The Inaugural Dinner proved such a success with Members eager to dine in the new Riverside Pavilion that the Club
took the unusual step of running it for a second night during the first days of Regatta. The gourmet menu created by
head chef Tarik Ramjaun included delicious summer dishes of Lobster Bisque, Smoked Chicken Terrine, Lemon Sorbet,
Roast Fillet of ‘Angus’ Beef and a delicious Vanilla Panna- Cotta. 105 Members on the Wednesday evening and 97 on
the Thursday enjoyed a late Summer’s evening on the river along with the opportunity to experience the fantastic new
Riverside Pavilion.
Riverside Pavilion Dinner Wednesday 1st July and Thursday 2nd July 2014
Jazz Evening Friday 4th July 2014
The Friday of Regatta saw the ever popular Jazz Evening return with an enticing three course dinner of Chicken Liver
Parfait followed by Roast Sea Bass Fillet, finished fittingly with the summery dessert of English Strawberries with Vanilla
Sable. The grand 6 piece band took 183 Members and their guests on a Jazz journey playing music from over 100 years
for all to enjoy.
Page 7
Regatta 2014 Evening EventsRegatta Ball Saturday 5th July 2014
The Ballroom once again hosted the annual Regatta Ball,
the room was decorated with elegant damask duck egg
blue linen and ivory and green floral arrangements for
the table centres including great white hydrangeas, white
delphiniums and fresh mint to add a subtle aroma. Cracked
mercury tea lights were scattered around the tables which
added a gentle glow to the overall ambiance. Entertainment
was provided by Todd Miller and the Joe Loss Orchestra.
118 Members and their guests were treated to a delicious
menu of Tea-Smoked Mackerel Tian and Roast Fillet of
Angus Beef followed by a sumptuous Rich Chocolate Torte
which kept everyone going until the firework display and
the dancing had come to an end!
To view more pictures from the Regatta week visit
www.pccmembers.org
Remember we are now on Facebook and Twitter
so please ‘like’ us on Facebook (Phyllis Court
Club) and follow us on Twitter @PhyllisCourt
Page 8
Regatta Results and Moving Forward in Autumn
As this summer edition of Club
News shows, we had wonderful
weather and a great time at Regatta
this year with strong support from
Members and guests plus a welcome
contingent from reciprocal clubs
which made the Saturday one of the
busiest days on record. On that day
636 were catered-for in the Lunch
Rapide alone, and all other catering
and spectating areas were full.
Over 200 Members enjoyed the
formal dinners held in the Riverside
Pavilion on the Wednesday and
Thursday evenings, and the take-up
of Isis Lounge places on Wednesday,
Saturday and Sunday was up on last
year.
Jazz on Friday night was a sell-
out and the transformation of the
Ballroom for Saturday night by the
florist and banqueting teams brought
much delight.
Henley Festival week saw full use
of the Riverside Pavilion with a bar
facility on the Upper Deck and full
dining below with the choice of early
and late sittings.
Looking forward, the list of
forthcoming Club events appears on
page 11, but may I commend to you in
particular the concert and dinner on
Friday 17th October with the King’s
Singers.
For autumn the menus in the
Orangery, Dining Room and Club
Room will evolve to take advantage
of all the warm and rich British foods
in season including game, sea fish,
sweet root vegetables, woodland
mushrooms, apples, pears and soft
fruit berries – delightful comfort food
indeed.
On-line booking of the Orangery
and Dining Room is now on a much
improved platform, as is booking
of the ‘sporting venues’ (tennis,
snooker, croquet). The scope of on-
line booking increases this autumn
to cover a number of Club events and
for 2015 Regatta ticket booking on-
line will become an option.
As ever, you can keep abreast of
all Club news via In Touch which is
published by e-mail each Tuesday and
Thursday. There will be a new look for
it from October to tailor it to viewing
on tablets and iPhones. To ensure
your correct e-mail contact address is
on the distribution list please contact
Club Room Refurbishment The Club Room, with its discreet atmosphere, is perfect for
lunch or dinner where diners can enjoy fine food and wine
and a private dining experience. The Club Room is currently
in the final stages of a refurbishment which has included new
lighting and decor to brighten the room and a new service
entrance/exit.
Parties of up to 10 can dine with the ‘A La Carte’ menu.
Larger numbers (up to 20) may dine from a set menu or a shortened ‘A La Carte’ menu. The Club Room can be booked
via Reception. It would be ideal for private entertaining for small birthday or family celebrations.
Our Head Chef, Tarik Ramjaun, can offer a bespoke menu service and would be delighted to meet with hosts in advance
to produce something especially for their occasion. Barry Eaton and his team very much look forward to welcoming
you.
Reservations may be made through Reception on 01491 570500 or [email protected]
Page 9
Henley Festival 2014This year Phyllis Court celebrated
the annual Henley Festival by hosting
the ever popular ‘Dining Room-
on-Thames’ in the new Riverside
Pavilion. Over the five nights of the
Festival, Members and their guests
were treated to a menu including
dishes such as Treacle Cured Salmon,
Pan Fried Seabass, Teppanyaki Grilled
Fillet of Angus Beef and Pimm’s-
marinated English Strawberries.
The Riverside Pavilion provided the
perfect spot to listen to the Festival
line-up with this year’s Floating Stage
performers including Bryan Ferry,
Joss Stone, Burt Bacharach and The
Jacksons.
Whilst enjoying drinks on the balcony
as the sun went down diners were
able to play ‘spot the roving artworks’
with Monet and Van Gogh roaming
across the water.
As in previous years the Sea Cadets
played a crucial role transferring
Members by boat from the Club to
the Festival and back again, with the
money raised going to support their
organisation.
Finally, the Lords of Lightning created
a spectacular night-time display
across the water using four million
volts of electrical power as they
duelled one another from podiums as
the fireworks filled the sky and many
boats filled the river.
The sun set on another year’s Festival
and we look forward to hosting you
again next year!
Health Club UpdateCouncil is very pleased to advise
Members that Planning Permission
to build a Health & Leisure Centre
has now been received from SODC.
As usual there are a number of
conditions but none are considered
onerous. A series of working parties
is being set-up to take the project
forward to the next level. These
working parties will work in parallel
on both the financial and operational
aspects of the scheme with a view
to formulating a comprehensive
business plan covering build and
running costs, market research
and financing options and cost. The
working parties may seek input from
Members as their work progresses.
The business plan will then be
submitted to outside experts for
independent scrutiny and stress-
testing as to its viability. With this
approach it is anticipated that the
timescale for submission to Members
can be brought forward from the
end of 2015, but Council will be in a
much better position to give a more
definitive view on this at the Open
Meeting on 13th November 2014.
Council will not put any proposal
to Members unless confident of its
financial viability and that it is in the
best long-term interest of Phyllis
Court Club. Members will appreciate
that this is only the very first stage in a
long process, but Council is delighted
to have reached this point.
Page 10
Contemporary, Fresh and New...The Riverside Pavilion This pavilion was originally built for
the Regatta in 1913. In the last one
hundred years it has undergone a
number of upgrades and renovations
and the latest, which was completed
at the end of June this year, has
proved an absolute triumph. The
sympathetic way it has been carried
out using the most modern of
materials embodies the ethos of
Phyllis Court; is to keep the best of
the old while embracing the best of
the new.
The renovations which started in
October 2013 were completed at
the end of June 2014. Initially the
building was stripped out and old
materials were recycled. Over the
coming weeks Architen Landrell (the
same company who installed the
Millennium Dome roofing structure)
installed a new high tech fabric
tensile roof system. The following
months saw the top deck glazing
completed, paved and carpeting laid
down. Once the landscaping of the
Northern and Western elevations
had been completed in June all that
was left to finalise was the new
kitchen extension and lift.
We hope it will be the jewel in the
crown of the Club and, indeed, of
Henley, for many years to come.
View step by step weekly progress pictures of the redevelopment on our website gallery; www.pccmembers.org
Drilling of piling mat October 2013 Upper Deck carpeting May 2014
Roof removal October 2013
Upper Deck paving May 2014
Kitchen complete June 2014Exterior landscaping May 2014 Exterior decoration June 2014
Completed Riverside Pavilion July 2014
Page 11
DATES FOR YOUR DIARYTuesday 16th September
One Year Members Dinner
7pm in the Ballroom
Dress Code: Jacket and Tie
A lovely dinner hosted
by the Chairman
to congratulate all
Members who have
first anniversary
of Membership in
2014. It’s a great
opportunity to meet
fellow Members who
have recently joined
and to compare notes
on enjoyment and what
Interest Groups others have enjoyed becoming a
part of.
Members will enjoy a drinks reception, a
welcome from the Chairman and a delightful
three course dinner.
Friday 17th October
Classical Concert and Dinner
with The King’s Singers
7pm for 7:30pm in the Ballroom
Dress Code: Black Tie
The King’s Singers are a British “a cappella” vocal
ensemble founded in 1968. They are named after
King’s College in Cambridge, where the group
was formed by six choral scholars. In the 1970s
and early 1980s after great success at home they
began to reach a wider international audience
until today the ensemble travels worldwide
for its performances, appearing in around 125
concerts each year, in Europe, the U.S. and the
Far East. In recent years the group has enjoyed
several UK appearances in the Royal Albert Hall
Proms, and concerts as part of the Three Choirs
Festival and City of London Festival.
With a discography of over 150 recordings, The
King’s Singers have garnered both awards and
significant critical acclaim, including Grammys.
In June 2013, the group’s contribution to
classical recording was recognised when they
were selected to join the Gramophone Hall of
Fame.
The King’s Singers are a class act, instantly
recognisable for their spot-on intonation,
impeccable vocal blend, flawless articulation of
the text and incisive timing.
They are currently working a on a performance
tailored specifically for Phyllis Court Members.
Saturday 1st November
Bonfire Night
6.30pm Bonfire lit, 6.45pm fireworks in the
Paddock and Supper in the Ballroom at 7.30pm
From 6.30pm Guy
Fawkes will be ready
with the Bonfire lit and
at 6.45pm the amazing
firework display will
fill the sky over the
Paddock. Members
and their families
will be able to enjoy
warming Winter Soup
and Hot Dogs from our
stand in the Paddock.
Alternatively you can head indoors for an
informal supper in the Ballroom.
All events can be booked 6 weeks in advance at the Main Reception:
Tel: 01491 570500 Email: [email protected]
Phyllis Court ClubMore than just a Club, it’s a way of life
Page 12
Set along the banks of the river in Henley-on-Thames within 18 acres the Club offers Members a unique environment in which to enjoy a diverse range of Club events, Interest Groups and the
opportunity to make new friends.
Summer Opera - Learn to play Tennis - Wine Tasting - Regatta - Fine Dining - Jazz
The Riverside Pavilion is a fantastic venue set on the finish line of the famous Henley Royal Regatta with spectacular views along the Thames. Our Members benefit from discounted room
hire in all rooms.
Next Open Evening: Wednesday 17th September from 6.30pm
Members who successfully propose a new Member this year will be entered into a special draw made from all 2014 Proposers and the name chosen will have the value of their
membership subscription for 2015 re-imbursed.
There are also quarterly draws throughout the year for Members who successfully propose new Members whereby the Member/s chosen receive a complimentary dinner at
the Club.
Keep on proposing!
For further Membership details please visit
www.pccmembers.org or call us on 01491 570510
Club News is produced and published by Phyllis Court Club,
Marlow Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 2HT
Tel: 01491 570500
www.pccmembers.org