Island Life Magazine Ltd October/November 2011 | Page 126

BUSINESS

Top marquees
for James

When Island Marquees' James Cave
got the call to erect a marquee for 700
people at a famous motor-racing track,
he quickly put on his planning hat.
The call came from Indian catering
company Love Foods, based in Kent,
who needed a huge, top quality
traditional canvas marquee on a
tarmac car park. Several visits to
Brands Hatch followed before the final
specification was thrashed out and
James jumped into action.
One of the best things about Island
Marquees is that it makes its own
canvas marquees to the old traditional
Grays of Newport design using a
natural canvas produced in India.
It’s then taken to Scotland where it
is treated and processed. The design
has stood the test of time and each
15’ panel can be laced together using
the Dutch lacing technique to allow a
massive marquee to be built.
The logistics for the 170’x 40’
structure were complex and included
hiring a 40’ articulated lorry from MP
Lightbown and Sons, neighbours to

Island Marquees in Blackwater. Armed
with a detailed list, James and the
crew loaded 432 sections of wooden
flooring, 10 large poles, side poles
and large metal stakes together with
the canvas, linings, doors and a huge
assortment of fittings.
Anyone who has spent time working
with Island Marquees and Grays will
be saying: ‘but there are 11 king poles
in a 170’ marquee!’ There were - until
the client requested one to be removed
to make way for the ‘Mandap’, a
structure built inside the marquee
where the main wedding ceremony
would take place.
Calling on the expertise of island
companies Dees Scaffolding and W
Stay and Son, a lightweight metal
structure was designed and tested
which enabled the offending pole to be
removed, leaving a clear view for the
700 guests to watch the ceremony.
Building the tent took three days
although James was on site for eight
to ensure the event was delivered
professionally. The result was

stunning. A magnificent marquee
built and lined in sophisticated plain
ivory with a champagne carpet. In
the centre was the Mandap, decorated
with lilies and showered with red rose
petals.
The day after the marriage, the
wedding party returned to find the
dividers had been removed and
sections of the carpet had been
replaced by a white starlight dance
floor. James’s team had also built a
stage and set out tables and chairs for
a banquet.
This sort of work isn’t new to Island
Marquees. Over the last few years,
more and more celebrity A-listers
have been turning to the Island’s