The Belfry reports record year after £85m transformation near Sutton Coldfield

The Belfry, the famous golf resort near Sutton Coldfield, is reporting a record year for its meetings and events business, twelve months after finishing the biggest transformation in its history. The £85m-plus redevelopment almost doubled the size of the resort, and the figures suggest the gamble has paid off, the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce reports.

The work added 149 bedrooms, an 852 sq m events space called the Masters Suite and a new fitness and wellness hub, The Club. Bedroom capacity rose by more than 46% and event space by 43%.

Busier rooms, longer stays

So far this year the Masters Suite has been 70% occupied, and revenue per square metre is up 8%. The resort has hosted events for organisations including the Meetings Industry Association, beam and Teams Europe, as well as major hospitality programmes for the DP World Tour and the British Masters.

Leisure guests are staying longer too. Longer-stay packages generated more than 2,000 room nights over the summer and pushed up the average daily room rate by 11%. So far this year, stays of three to four nights are up 85%, and the average room rate has risen by 13%.

Katie Niland, The Belfry's commercial director, said: "One year on from completing our transformation, we're seeing clear evidence of its commercial impact. We have grown market share, expanded into new segments and strengthened our position across meetings and events, leisure, golf, wellness and family markets."

"The Belfry has always been an iconic destination, but today it's also one of the most dynamic and diverse resort businesses in the UK," she added.

Families and fitness

New family attractions have proved popular. The WaveSurfer drew more than 14,000 guests this summer, and seasonal events in the Woodland Adventures playground have consistently sold out. The Club has added Reformer Pilates, Hyrox and a run club to its fitness programme.

The resort has collected a string of awards over the past year, including Hotel of the Year - Independent at The Cateys, and a place in the top ten Best Big Places to Work nationally in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2026.

Chris Eigelaar, The Belfry's managing director, said: "What a year it's been! When we embarked on this project, we knew we were taking on one of the biggest challenges in The Belfry's history, but seeing what we've achieved together over the past 12 months has been incredible."

"Whether you're here for business, leisure or both, success has been about bringing everything together to create a much more complete Belfry experience - and that makes me immensely proud."

A famous name in golf

The Belfry is best known around the world as a four-time host of the Ryder Cup, in 1985, 1989, 1993 and 2002, and its Brabazon course remains one of the most famous in European golf. But the resort's growth now rests on far more than golf, with conferences, weddings, family breaks and wellness bringing visitors all year round.

That matters for the local economy. A busy resort supports hundreds of jobs in hospitality, catering, events and maintenance, and brings conference delegates and visitors who also spend money in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham and the surrounding area. The resort is also training the next generation of hospitality staff through its new chef academy, launched last month.

With its new winter light trail due to open in late November, The Belfry is hoping the busy year has a little further to run.