About Sundial

What is it that makes Sundial so special? In short, it is the dedicated team of friendly people across the venues that define the business. Obviously the facilities and physical features and specifications of the venues have to be of the highest standard, but without the right staff, excellent facilities count for nothing. If a business can combine the two it will be successful, and for over forty years, Sundial Group, has done just this. Huge amounts of time and effort are invested into the recruitment process, with an emphasis on only employing people with an attitude that enables them to provide excellent customer hospitality.

The four key Sundial Values govern everything we do. Professionalism, Experience, Respect and Quality are the perfect words to define our organisation, and these values are put into action every day at every Sundial venue.

Key points in Sundial Group’s History

• 1964: Mr and Mrs Chudley acquire Highgate House in Creaton as a home for them and their large family. Run down after 30 years standing empty, Highgate House was in need of updating and by welcoming bed and breakfast guests Mrs Chudley is able to raise the funds to do this gradually. Mr Chudley, meanwhile, builds a successful packaging business in Northampton.
• 1966: The swimming pool is dug in a field at the back of Highgate House. It gains a roof a few years later, and is eventually joined to the back of the main house by the Pool Terrace.
• 1972: Floyd conference room, also featuring seven bedrooms, is built over part of the main car park at Highgate House.
• 1976: Stable Cottage, then featuring only two bedrooms, arrives at Highgate House. In its time, it has also been home to two of the current family directors. It is expanded twice over the years, and in 1991 it is completely converted into a bedroom block featuring nine rooms.
• 1980: Eleven bedrooms are added onto the end of the Floyd building.
• 1983: The Bridle block, comprising six bedrooms and a gymnasium is added next to the pool area at Highgate House.
• 1983: Three bedrooms are added to the Cedar bedrooms at Highgate House block to increase the number from 2 to 5.
• 1985: Willow Cottage is converted into five bedrooms.
• 1988: Mrs Chudley formally hands responsibility for the day-to-day management of Highgate House to the next generation, although she remains involved and continues to influence the business.
• 1989: The Coote suite is built at Highgate House, filling in the gap between the Conservatory and Cedar.
• 1992: Conference Centres of Excellence, a marketing consortium of dedicated conference centres, is formed following a meeting at Highgate House. Initially there are venues, today membership stands around the forty mark.
• 1993: Highgate House joins IACC, the International Association of Conference Centres.
• 1994: The first Teamscapes activity is built at Highgate House.
• 1995: After nearly thirty years operating Highgate House as a residential conference venue, the Chudley family is invited to tender for the opportunity to run Barnett Hill (Guildford) in the same style on behalf of the property's owners, the British Red Cross.  They are successful, and in May 1996 are granted a 14-year management contract.
• 1997: Woodside, an Edwardian country house in Warwickshire, is purchased in September. Around this time Sundial Group Ltd is formed.
• 1998: The name Sundial, and the Sundial Group brand is used for the first time from 1st January. 'Sundial' represents precision, attention to detail, reliability, innovation and longevity - undeniable attributes of the business.
• 1999: Twenty bedrooms are added to Woodside, in a building adjacent to the main house.
• 1999: Sundial Options and Solutions is formed in May.
• 2001: Bailbrook House in Bath is acquired from Serco in August. After a major refurbishment, it is opened the following January.
• 2004: Sundial Group completes the purchase of Barnett Hill in December, following the British Red Cross's decision to sell.
• 2005: Towards the end of the year, Sundial enrols its properties in VenueVerdict, BDRC's independent customer research survey that also benchmarks against other venue operators.
• 2006: Mark Cooper, Brian Howes and Jerry Toth are formally appointed Directors of Sundial Group Ltd.
• 2006: At the end of its first full year participating in the scheme, Sundial Group tops the VenueVerdict league and is named 'No.1 UK Venue Group'.
• 2007: Bailbrook House is sold to Hilwood Resorts, who have plans to develop the property as a five-star hotel. The nature of its location meant it was operating outside Sundial's area of expertise; being busier with tourists and transient accommodation than it was for meetings. The sale of Bailbrook would allow Sundial to invest heavily in refurbishment across its portfolio and consider future expansion.
• 2007: For the second year running, Sundial Group is named 'No.1 UK Venue Group' by BDRC.
• 2008: The original pool at Highgate House is filled in, and, absorbing the pool terrace, becomes the Terrace Restaurant.

• Download: History of Highgate House
• Download: History of Barnett Hill
• Download: History of Woodside