Best Day Ever Venues expands its portfolio with Bestwood Pumping Station

Overview

About Best Day Ever Venues

Owned by Ensarb Estates, Best Day Ever Venues is a growing hospitality and events business focused on restoring and operating distinctive heritage properties as premium wedding and events venues.

The business has developed a strong reputation for sensitively giving historic buildings a new purpose, creating unique destinations that combine architectural heritage with exceptional experiences for guests.

Opportunity

The opportunity: Acquiring and restoring a nationally significant heritage landmark

Following the successful launch of Whistle Barns on the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire border, Best Day Ever Venues identified an opportunity to expand its portfolio through the acquisition of Nottinghamshire-based Bestwood Pumping Station – one of the East Midlands’ most iconic heritage sites – with plans to transform the site into a world-class wedding venue.

The Grade II*-listed property, which is expected to reopen as Hawksley Tower in 2027, is recognised as one of the most architecturally significant buildings in the East Midlands. Originally designed and built by renowned Victorian engineer Thomas Hawksley in 1873, the site features a striking Gothic Revival design, a Venetian-inspired tower, a Grade II-listed ornamental lake, and nearly six acres of parkland within a Grade II-registered park and garden.

For Best Day Ever Venues, the project represented an opportunity not only to expand its portfolio, but also to bring an important heritage asset back into use and secure its future for generations to come.

What We Did

How our corporate, insolvency and licensing experts supported the acquisition

From the involvement of multiple interested parties interested in the transaction to the historic nature of the site giving rise to heritage, planning and operational issues, the transaction presented a number of complexities requiring careful, considered navigation.

We advised Ensarb Estates throughout the full acquisition process, including due diligence, contract negotiations, and managing the complexities that come with the purchase of a Grade II*-listed site.

Led by Real Estate Partner James Lunt, the transaction drew on expertise from Real Estate specialist Elin Davies, alongside Restructuring & Insolvency specialists Jonathan Moor, Andrew Carser and Jeremy Steele. Regulatory experts David Roberts and Amy Kelly will also continue to advise on premises licensing matters as the venue progresses towards opening.

By bringing together multi-disciplinary legal expertise throughout the transaction, we helped guide the deal towards successful completion – laying the foundations to bring our client’s long-term vision for the site to life.

Impact

The outcome: Securing a landmark venue and preserving local heritage

The successful acquisition of Bestwood Pumping Station has enabled Best Day Ever Venues to move forward with ambitious plans to transform the historic site into Hawksley Tower, a flagship wedding and events venue expected to open in 2027.

By supporting the acquisition, we helped secure the future of a nationally significant heritage asset while enabling Best Day Ever Venues to expand its growing portfolio of distinctive wedding venues.

The project will breathe new life into an iconic Nottinghamshire landmark through careful restoration and collaboration with local stakeholders – culminating in the creation of a flagship wedding and events venue designed to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Reflections from Ensarb Estates:

Commenting on the transaction, Ben Reeves, Managing Director of Ensarb Estates, said:

“This was a complex transaction involving multiple interested parties. James and the team at Knights did an excellent job navigating the process. Their proactive approach, responsiveness and ability to keep all parties moving forward were instrumental in getting the deal over the line.”

Speaking about the future of the site, Ben added:

“We have been aware of this building for some time, and we are in no doubt about what it means to this community. It is a building of national significance, and we intend to be custodians worthy of that.”

Reflections from Knights:

Reflecting on the transaction, Real Estate Partner James Lunt shared:

“We’re delighted to have assisted Ensarb Estates with the acquisition of this unique property to add to its portfolio of Best Day Ever Venues. It was a pleasure to work with Ben and Sarah on this acquisition.

“We wish them every success and that many get to enjoy their special day at this fantastic new venue.”

Key results, in review:

Supported the creation of Hawksley Tower, a new flagship wedding venue.
Advised on a complex transaction involving multiple interested parties.
Delivered specialist support across corporate, insolvency, and licensing matters.
Facilitated the continued growth of the Best Day Ever Venues portfolio.
Helped support the long-term preservation and restoration of an iconic Nottinghamshire landmark.