ConTENTment

Shisha Hookah Narghile Pipe - Shisha / Hookah Hire

2009-06-03T19:55:00.001+01:00

Its nice when other people feature our work without us realising it: here is one of our tents being used at the Goldsmiths University Party in London 2009.
Link at http://www.youtube.com/v/gU3mF4H5stA

Oasis in Wedding Venues Magazine

2009-06-02T09:47:00.004+01:00

Oasis Specialist Tent Hire appears in the latest Wedding Venues magazine in the "real weddings" feature.
We provided a chill-out tent, other chill-out furniture for the Orangery and props and accessories (including Moroccan lanterns) for a wedding at Kiddington Hall in Oxfordshire.

Oasis provides decor, furniture and beautiful temporary structures for all sorts of weddings.
We can create a chillout area for a traditional wedding, provide the wow factor and the something different for an alternative wedding or theme an event for a Moroccan, Middle Eastern or Arabian party.

March Photo competition winner

2009-05-27T16:01:00.003+01:00

Our winner for the Oasis Photo Prize for March 2009 is Emily for a photo of Oasis chill out furniture behind a beautifully laid formal dining table at her cousin’s wedding. Their clever use of blue vases and spring flowers really pull the look together, with Oasis chill out furniture providing the perfect balance to a formal wedding reception. Thanks for sending us your photo Emily - your prize is on the way!

May Photo competition winner

2009-05-27T16:00:00.005+01:00

Our winner for the Oasis Photo Prize for May 2009 is Caroline Hanbury for this photo of her wedding. Everyone knows the importance of the first dance, but this last dance, surrounded by sparklers under the golden Oasis ceiling to end their wedding party could not look more romantic. Congratulations to the new Mr and Mrs James Carey!
Your prize is on the way!

April Photo competition winner

2009-05-27T15:52:00.006+01:00

The winner for the Oasis Photo Prize for April 2009 is Firehouse for their photo of Oasis bringing North Africa to the London Hippodrome. Here is the photo complete with suitably dressed guests relaxing!
Oasis props and accessories were shown to great effect in the Oasis chill out area, before the Sugababes’ performance for Firehouse’s client. Congratulations to Firehouse!
Your prize is on the way!

Oasis win award for excellence in customer care

2009-05-10T22:37:00.006+01:00

Wow - we won!
Against all my expectations, last night we won the Hire Association Europe (the HAE's) award for Excellence in Customer Care 2009.

We are very, very grateful to our team (in both parts of the business - account management and delivery): this fantastic achievement is a reflection of all the things they do every day to bring Oasis the recognition it has received.

Hire Association Europe (HAE) is the leading trade association for hire and rental companies in the UK and Ireland: http://www.eha.org.uk/. The Association is unique in that it brings together the diverse sectors involved in hire; with membership from the tool and equipment, plant, audio visual, catering and leisure sectors and associated suppliers and manufacturers for those sectors.

The awards were the Hire Awards of Excellence 2009 http://www.hae.org.uk/hire_awards_of_excellence_2009/index.cfm. We entered the Award for Excellence in Customer Care.

Judgement criteria for the Award for Excellence in Customer Care:
The winning nomination will have demonstrated to the judging panel, the existence of a clear and structured policy which delivers the highest standards of customer care and service.
Essential evidence

A short statement (maximum 200 words) stating why your nomination should win this award
Demonstration of a training programme in customer care and service for employees
Evidence of a specific customer complaints procedure

Supporting evidence

Evidence of testimonial letters or the resolving of customer complaints
Use of market research for customer service evaluation
Evidence of support to customers through donations, community sponsorships
Introduction of add on services (e.g. complimentary tea/coffee, comfortable waiting area)
Evidence of specific schemes or guarantees offered to the customer

Camels given beer for speed

2009-04-17T13:54:00.006+01:00

Joe and Rebecca who supply camels at some of our events have appeared (along with their camels) in the local and national press (here is a selection):
Racing Camels fed beer for speed
Time! Don't get the hump
Racing camels enjoy a beer at Shipston pub

Excellence in Customer Care

2009-04-03T21:57:00.003+01:00

The Event Hire Association has announced that Oasis Specialist Tent Hire has been shortlisted for the Excellence in Customer Care Award 2009.
This is a huge feather in our cap - especially as we're up against some of the big names in the hire industry: HSS hire and A-Plant.
A big thankyou to all the team at Oasis - we receive the results on 9th May.

Annoucing the monthly Oasis Photo Prize 2009

2009-04-01T16:41:00.009+01:00

We love to see our tents and interiors in action, and because we dont attend all the parties and events would be very grateful to receive any digital photographs that you or your guests would be willing to share. By way of a thank you we will enter all entries into a monthly Oasis Photo Prize to win a gift box of champagne. Please send all entries to oasisadmin@oasistents.co.uk

Rules:

The Oasis Photo Prize will take place monthly during 2009.
The judges’ decision is final.
Digital photos only please.
Photo must show Oasis in action at an event and can be submitted by you or your guests.
Monthly prize is a gift box of champagne
Please email photos, your name and address to oasisadmin@oasistents.co.uk.

Hilary Benn and the Rural Experience

2009-03-30T13:20:00.006+01:00

Oasis is a rural business located on the edge of the Cotswolds on the Oxfordshire-Gloucestershire border.

We have just had a visit here in Moreton-in-Marsh from Hilary Benn MP, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as part of the Rural Experience programme run by the Commission for Rurual Communities.
The Rural Experience is an initiative to inspire senior people from government, public and private sector organisations and the voluntary sector to make a positive contribution to rural communities. They came to talk to Oasis to hear about our experience of using broadband in this rural area.
The results of the visit will be incorporated into the governments Digital Inclusion Action Plan which is designed to deliver their Universal Service Agreement by 2012 and a forthcoming CRC report to the Prime Minister and Lord Carter, the minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting, on digital inclusion in rural areas.

More links here:
Oasis Specialist Tent Hire in the Cotswold Jounal
Oasis Specialist Tent Hire on the Farming UK website
Oasis Specialist Tent Hire on the Rural Services Network Online

Oasis Specialist Tent Hire on the Commission for Rural Communities website
Commission for Rural Communities Press Release
Commission for Rural Communities Rural Experience report

Wedding Professional Magazine

2009-03-18T11:32:00.003Z

The Spring 2009 edition of Wedding Professional Magazine is in the shops and Oasis appears.
I was asked to write about the prospects for the 2009 events season and how budgets have been squeezed.
You can read all about the beautiful wedding decor we're creating for clients on page 15 here: http://www.weddingprofessional.co.uk/

Bucking Camel

2009-03-10T18:23:00.005Z

This is an unusual alternatve to the real camels that can be hired out through Oasis and our suppliers.
The clever people at funtime hire have found a way of using the 'bucking' bit of their 'bucking bronco' by adding a camel 'hat' onto it!
Its not as authentic as the real thing and looks a lot less comfortable.

To dine for: Oasis in Asiana Magazine

2009-03-04T13:30:00.006Z

One of the Indian weddings we were involved with last year has appeared in Asiana Magazine in a feature about Laguna Catering. Picture and full article below.
Its nice to have been featured and is a seal of approval from a long-established London restuarnt and catering business we work with.

Salsa party

2009-02-20T17:14:00.005Z

Last year we started doing a Salsa or Spanish look working with a local Tapas company to deliver the complete experience.

Here's an article that we've appeared in recently from a party we were involved with in November 2008. Unfortunately we didn’t get a mention but here's some information on how to organise a Salsa evening! Wherever you are in the country we can help, and there are Salsa clubs and professionals all over the country to provide entertainment (and training).

Henry Vinã is at http://www.salsaking.co.uk

The Tapas Company are at http://www.tapasinabox.com/

Rafael is at http://www.flamencoguitarist.co.uk

Ian Pickering did the photography: http://www.ianpickering.com/

The magazine is Countryside La Vie Magazine which delivers in the Rutland area of the UK.

Oasis in Brides Magazine

2009-02-06T13:10:00.006Z

Oasis is in Brides magazine for the wedding of one of our client's of 2008:

The Oasis Story

2009-02-05T20:42:00.002Z

We have finally got around to writing the history of Oasis. From 1995 and the tent souk in Riyadh to our new premises in Gloucestershire in 2008.

Ayoush Restaurant opens for 2009

2009-02-03T17:50:00.004Z

Oasis has supplied the new Ayoush restaurant with tentage and chillout furniture for their terrace shisha bar and summer chillout area.

Soft Furniture Rental

2009-02-02T17:53:00.008Z

You can also rent furniture from Oasis on a dry hire basis.

We have beanbags for hire, cushions for hire, cubed seating for hire, and a range of chillout furniture for hire too.

We offer very competitive prices and delivery across the UK, or pickup from our warehouse the centre of the UK if easier.

Click here for more information on our soft furniture rental.

Event Hire Association - Home

2009-01-28T14:53:00.003Z

Oasis have joined the Event Hire Association, part of the Hire Association Europe. Event Hire Association - Home.

The Event Hire Association (EHA) is an association dedicated to event hire companies. The EHA moves together as one with HAE to work with hire companies and to both suppliers and manufacturers for the hire industry as a whole: together members of the EHA demonstrate true commitment to the hire industry and can make real change. The objective of the EHA is to be the leading trade association providing support, protection and development and promotion to the event hire sector.

EHA works for its members within government circles and beyond, promoting and protecting the interests of all operators in the event hire industry - from the largest to the smallest. It provides members with a wide range of benefits and services designed to protect, develop and support their business: it keeps them informed of industry issues; up-to-date with legislation; helps them to grow their business; and provides a wide range of training, specialised insurance schemes and safety information.

A view on 2009 – Maintaining the “wow” and minimising the “ouch”

2009-01-16T16:15:00.003Z

2009 should be a year of opportunity for event organisers. Given the weak pound and the state of the economy, it’s likely that people will spend more time in the UK over the summer season. Indeed for tourism and outdoor events, 2009 should be a good year.

Something that we have noticed in our small business is the number of people organising weddings and parties for August 2009. It’s usually a last minute month when people decide to have a party a matter of weeks in advance. This year we're operating at close to capacity for most August weekends. This is probably because people are simply not planning to go abroad and want to have an event instead.

Whilst parties are downscaling in size people still want to have fun. Although we did a New Year's event for around 600 people in a tented structure at a private house in Oxfordshire, ultimately best bang for buck is going to be the trend for 2009 and sharing the event with family and friends seems to be popular at the moment. The Oasis look can be applied to different degrees – some like a completely themed look, others prefer Oasis to make a small difference to a more traditional or conventional event with our linings and lights only…. From a small company summer drinks party for 60 guests up to a large scale private New Year’s Eve party, and weddings and significant birthday parties in between, we are able to offer something to suit every budget.

We are seeing bookings with less formal catered dining - with more casual buffet style events and chill-out furniture being the preferred option. We sit in a niche supplying particular looks for event interiors but find that our look has broad appeal (e.g. Moroccan, Indian, Bohemian, Oriental, warm winter wedding, colourful summer party, funky green rooms etc.). Providing something different is always important for clients but providing something luxurious-looking for a competitive price with great service is the priority this year.

Where tents are involved, it’s tempting for clients to save money on what are perceived to be added extras like expensive wooden flooring; actually details like this can make or break an event. There’s a skill in helping clients to spend their money wisely inside a tight budget! Generally when choosing a tent supplier a good track record and reliability are invaluable to ensure basics like waterproofness between structures, good heating and sticking to a schedule and enough experience to give the client / organiser excellent advice and recommendations based on the specific site. Oasis prides itself on tailoring quotes to suit the needs of each client, and working with tried and tested industry partners all over the UK, not just on delivering a package.

More clients are asking us to dress alternative venues – we’re doing a lot of work in village halls, warehouses, and “blank canvas” event spaces like Paintworks in Bristol which we transformed for the Hype Agency (see here for our decorations and transformation). Or the Hippodrome in Leicester Square which we worked on for Firehouse Productions in December. They can save on overall cost and can provide clients with additional facilities like built in loos and kitchens.

We’re working on a few new ideas during 2009, both operationally and for some new products. However I think most companies will be holding off new investment to see how the economy shapes up over next few months. For event organisers this will mean working with suppliers to reinvent existing stock for budget-conscious 2009 clients. We have done this with our marquee linings to create a Thai or oriental theme and a Tapas or Spanish theme. Let's just hope the weather improves.

Small Business Week 2008

2008-11-04T13:50:00.002Z

Oasis has won the ‘Responsible Business Day’ competition, which BT Business ran in association with Global Action Plan as part of Small Business Week 2008.

This will involve training to improve green credentials through achieving Phase 3 of the BS8555 standard in environmental management with a tailored environmental consultation. We'll let you know more as and when.

Spanish party style - Tapas

2008-10-06T12:15:00.001+01:00

We've teamed up with the Tapas Company who recently won Warwickshire's best newcomer in the food category to provide you with the complete Spanish party package!

Here's a flyer we produced for a recent food fair... hopefully it will whet your appetite for the food and for the atmoshere we can create.

Why not wrap the evening up with some Salsa lessons from the professionals?

Cotswold Style: Oasis features with wonderful feedback on our wedding decor

2008-09-16T08:04:00.003+01:00

One of our clients from this year was recently interviewed for Cotswold Style 's new supplment Wedding Style:

Jo writes in answer to the question"What one thing made your wedding day?"
"The whole theme and idea behind our wedding day came from our marquee lining and decor. We spotted a company on the internet called Oasis Tents, who supply Arabian linings and decor for marquees, and totally fell in love with the idea. We hired a plain clearspan marquee and Oasis filled it with colour and stunning, opulent soft furnishings. Our guests couldn't believe it! We separated off part of the the marquee as a bar/chill out area for those who wanted to relax and escape the music in the evening. Oasis filled it with ottomans, cushions and low brass coffee tables, rugs and bean bags. It was stunning."
Here are Jo's words in context:

what better feedback could we hope for?

MicroLoan Foundation: Supporting women in sub-Saharan Africa

2008-08-11T10:43:00.002+01:00

One of the charities we have donated to this year is the UK-based charity http://www.microloanfoundation.org.uk/ which provides small loans, business training and continuing guidance to groups of women in sub-Saharan Africa. The MLF lend money to groups of women to help them build sustainable businesses, and by providing meaningful training and ongoing mentoring support.

Oasis was started by our female founder Biny Gregory 13 years ago, so our contribution to the ongoing support of women in business from a part of the world where our tents come from seemed very appropriate.

Childhood Memories: Blue Peter Garden / BBC Event

2008-07-23T12:54:00.001+01:00

Photos taken on a mobile phone are never quite what they should be - here's a shot during the installation of one of our smallest tents in the Blue Peter garden last week!

There's more here on the row brewing over whether English Heritage will list the garden at http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/tv/2008/07/should_we_save_the_blue_peter.html