FRIDAY
26th August 2005
BBC 3 Counties
The Big Brother house is to be hired out as a party venue at the end of the current series - and it looks like being very popular.
Among the suggested uses for the famous house at Elstree studios in Hertfordshire, are conferences, parties, training days and new product launches.
Subject to a change of use planning application, the house will be available from August, after the end of the current series to when the next series starts in 2003.
A spokeswoman from Endemol UK, which produces the Channel 4 programme, confirmed: "This is the first time that the house will have been used in this way."
The production company are working with marketing agency and event co-ordinators Skybridge.
Skybridge has put together three packages for partygoers although there is the flexibility within each to tailor make it for a company’s specific needs. The packages cost from £18,000 to £30,000 a night depending on the type of event and services that you want, although with all of them, beer, wine and vintage champagne are provided at an additional fee.
Skybridge’s Big Brother Project Manager Peter Neil says that since the packages were announced things have "gone potty" and they are "extremely pleased with the most incredible response we’ve had so far".
He said this is probably due to the fact that it is a unique venue: "As far as I know it is the only TV set that you can have a party in."
He also explained how useful the recording facility could be. As well as being able to film people enjoying themselves, it is particularly good if you are planning some kind of training day. He said that companies have been filming role play and group tasks for years, and the Big Brother house is just made for this kind of event. The Diary Room should also be useful as well - "for confessions!"
The house can accommodate approximately 100 people if they choose to have a disco, or seat 80 at a more sedate dinner party. They can also provide overnight accommodation for 12 in the famous padded bedrooms.
A corporate package for 100 people costs from £18,000 to £20,000 and gives clients exclusive hire of the house for the night, with high security, a barbecue or finger buffet, disco, use of the diary room chair and a behind-the-scenes tour.
For just a little more at £25,000, you get designer £295-a-chair furniture and Calvin Klein and House of Fraser bed linen thrown in, plus "floral decor", and "additional ambient lighting".
Then, at a ‘snip’ of £30,000 clients can have their entire event filmed by the 15 remote-control cameras, 13 fixed cameras, and 40 microphones which currently record the show.
However, if you’re thinking of saving up for that big birthday ‘do’ you’ve been planning, don’t start counting the pennies yet, because these party packages will only be available for corporate events.
Whatever parties are held there in the future though, one thing is certain. The place will need a good clean first!
If you are interested in planning a corporate event at the Big Brother House you should contact Peter Neil, the General Manager of the Big Brother House Project at Skybridge on 020 8254 1785 or e-mail
bigbrother@skybridgegroup.com
