Will Devlin’s Acre group adds eco events space to Birchwood estate

The Acre group, which also includes the green Michelin starred restaurant, the Small Holding, Birchwood and Birchwood Studio, has launched multi-use events space, Forestside.

Run by brothers Matt and former Pétrus chef Will Devlin, Forestside is set within 46 acres of ancient birch and chestnut woodland, adjacent to Birchwood on the Flimwell Park Estate in rural East Sussex.

The facility is a mixed-use woodland development, designed by the Architecture Ensemble and a team of foresters, ecologists and permaculturists.

Interiors showcase an open expanse of space, wooden beams, smooth concrete floors and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the woods.

As a hub for the community, Forestside brings together a programme of seasonal events, while also available for private hire. Forestside hire costs starts from £500 and is available for “community, celebrations and corporate” bookings. 

Designed to be an eco-friendly venue with capacity for 140 seated or 200 standing and fully licensed for weddings, events at Forestside are intended to be kinder to the planet, without compromising on style and quality.

Acre’s restaurant team will provide the in-house catering alongside a team of experienced events coordinators.

Forestside offers a range of indoor and outdoor spaces and catering options, including bowl food, canapés, a feast cooked over fire in the woods and formal sit-down dining.

Environmental, social, and economic sustainability has been at the heart of the construction of Forestside, using sustainably sourced timber, weathering steel, solar power panels and a green roof. The car park sustainable drainage system is made from local stone, geo-textile filtering layers and recycled plastic and has six Tesla charging points.

Will Devlin commented: “Events are a wonderful way to bring together friends, family and work colleagues, but they can be wasteful and leave a heavy environmental impact.

“At Forestside we are purpose-driven to achieve the highest standards of social and environmental practice. This reflects our unrelenting belief that as a society we must tread more lightly on the planet and to operate more sustainable business practices, while also recognising that we still have so much we can do.”

Will opened the sustainably-focused Birchwood on Flimwell Park in 2021 centred on his farm-to-fork cooking. His Curlew restaurant in Bodiam closed in 2022 due to difficult trading conditions. 

Photography: Saltwick Media