Ideas Fest Makes Successful Return to Dacorum

Panel discussion at Ideas Fest 2025

For the second consecutive year, Dacorum Borough Council joined forces with Ideas Forums to host the Ideas Fest business festival, held at Pendley Manor Hotel in Tring on Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 September 2025.

Labelled the ‘Glastonbury for Business’, Ideas Fest is a two-day business festival for founders, investors, operators, and creatives who want to build real connections, blending festival energy with straight-talking business conversations.

The line-up of keynote speakers featured some of the most influential names in business, including the founders of CALM, YO! Sushi, LADbible, New Covent Garden Soup and Dr PAWPAW.

The event attracted 4,000 visitors across the two days, despite the rain. More than £4 million in business deals were achieved at the event last year – success hoped to be emulated this year.

Discounted tickets were made available for local businesses and residents to attend, whilst a selection of local entrepreneurs were invited to showcase their businesses, exhibiting on the dedicated Dacorum business stand. These included Made with Knots of Love, Arf and Win, High and Dry and Debbie Shrimpton Illustrates.

The Council’s Economic Development Team were on hand to promote their wide range of business support initiatives and to assist the local businesses attending.

Such was the success of this year’s event, Ideas Fest founder, Francesca James, is planning to return to the borough to host the event again next year.

Diane Southam, our Strategic Director – Place, at Dacorum Borough Council said: ‘It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Ideas Fest once again to bring this dynamic business festival to Tring. The event offered local entrepreneurs and business founders an exceptional opportunity to engage with a high-quality programme right on their doorstep, fostering new connections, sparking innovative ideas, and gaining insights from an impressive line-up of speakers.’

Louis Church, founder of High and Dry no-alcohol beer, said: ‘Being able to show High and Dry off at Ideas Fest was a real benefit for me. It got me into the eyes of other investors, founders, working professionals who are looking to help small brands grow. The connections I’ve made off the back of being at Ideas Fest have already been worth the time put in to attend the event. A huge thanks to Dacorum Borough Council for giving me this opportunity.’

For more information, please visit the Ideas Fest webpage.