Creativity Island – why the UK is perfect for team retreats and corporate offsites

About five minutes from where I live sits one of London’s most popular tourist destinations: Abbey Road Studios, visited (well, the zebra crossing, at least) by over 120,000 tourists a year.

Five minutes in the other direction? Maida Vale Studios, one of the most famous live music venues in the world.

Within ten minutes, I could visit Island Studios, where Bob Marley recorded Exodus, or RAK Studios, where Arctic Monkeys created AM.

Turns out, the UK is a nation of studios — and not just in cities.

From the remote Welsh cottage where Led Zeppelin recorded their albums, to the Oxfordshire manor that inspired Radiohead’s OK Computer, this country has long been a refuge for the world’s most creative teams.

But it’s not just artists anymore.

Today, the best companies are using the UK to do exactly the same thing: step away, focus, and do their best work.

A country designed for offsites

The UK’s geography is one of its greatest assets for team offsites.

It might not feel like it at times, but the UK is a small island. As a result, it’s easy to take a team from the city and transport them to somewhere completely different — fast.

Within two hours, you’ll find everything: quiet villages, windswept beaches, or rolling countryside.

Decide to go a bit further, and the options expand even more: from the rugged Highlands of Scotland to the (less windswept) Cornish coastline.

It’s a bit like why people say California became the home of Hollywood: within an hour’s drive of LA, you can find pretty much every type of filming location imaginable.

It’s the same with the UK and offsite locations.

A playground for teams

Once you’ve arrived, there’s always plenty to do nearby.

The UK is perfect for the kind of things that elevate a team offsite: bookable chefs, charming restaurants, scenic walks, and inspiring half-day activities.

It’s also steeped in history. Wherever you stay, you’re likely to stumble upon something that sparks ideas: a neolithic stone circle, a National Trust property, or a quiet local bookshop.

What the UK lacks — sun-lounger beaches, 40-degree heat, or late-night bars — aren’t the kind of things conducive to great work anyway.

But a trip to Hay-on-Wye, Y Combinator founder Paul Graham’s favourite town in the world, is something entirely different.

Stay where creativity lives

In the UK, even the homes themselves inspire creativity.

You don’t need to bring up Cool Britannia or soft power to see that this country has a knack for building a creative culture.

Many of the partners we work with at Ashore come from this lineage: architects, artists, and music producers.

When you stay at one of our locations, your team is immersed in that same culture. These are homes designed with intention, shaped by their creators' tastes and craft.

And as anyone who’s ever stayed in a beautifully designed space knows, being surrounded by great design helps us work better and build more beautiful things ourselves.

Keep it local. Keep it simple.

Finally, you avoid some of the costs - and logistical pain - that necessarily comes from international travel.

Lost luggage is inconvenient with family, but it’s a disaster with colleagues. Add to that the usual stressors: passports, health insurance, visas, and navigating airports.

By sticking to the UK, you cut out all of that hassle. No customs lines. No time zones to adjust to. Just a simple, straightforward trip that keeps the focus on what matters: your team.

Discover something new

If you live in the UK, you might think you’ve seen it all. But chances are, you haven’t.

This country is packed with surprises, from unexpected landscapes to cultural treasures. It has a rich history of teams — from musicians to startups — getting together, honing their craft, and doing great work.

So if you’re planning a team retreat and want to bottle some of that Abbey Road magic, we’re here to help. Contact the Ashore team - here - to learn more and explore our locations today.