Meet the Southend Barns and Roots team

The driving force and inspiration behind Southend Barns. Mariella and William Fleming’s family have lived and worked at Southend Farms for over five decades. It was their vision and passion that saw the disused farm buildings transformed into the stunning venue you see today.

Always looking for new and innovative ways to keep the venue fresh and contemporary, the family are still very much involved in the daily running of things and are an inspiration to our close-knit team.

Mariella and William are hands-on owners, they repurposed the heritage farming buildings with care and attention, ensuring that they continue to be a prominent aspect of the local area. Although modern touches and sustainable details have been added, protecting the essence of these structures, that have stood in service for so many years, was at the heart of the renovation.

Our entire wedding team have a shared love of the local West Sussex area, from the sweeping South Downs to the beautiful market towns, communities, sailing villages and family-orientated spaces. This depth of connection to Southend Barns, as a home to the Fleming family for generations, is reflected in all we do.

Names: Mariella and William Fleming

Dan is known for being the driving force behind Southend Barns and Roots. His passion, creativity, and determination to make our business the best in the industry is evident in everything he does. With over 30 years of experience in European kitchens, Dan is a highly skilled chef who is committed to ensuring that Roots remains a leader in wedding food in the South.

In addition to his role as a chef, Dan also serves as the General Manager for both Southend Barns and Roots. In this position, he oversees all aspects of the business on behalf of the owners.

According to Dan himself, he initially came to Southend Barns for a three-month consultancy contract to design a new kitchen, recruit a team, and implement new processes and systems for the owners. However, that was over five years ago, and he has remained with the business ever since. Dan finds the barns to be an inspiring place to work, and he is thrilled to be a part of such a dynamic team.

Name: Dan Clarke

Flawless catering, contemporary cuisine, exquisite canapes, and luxurious wedding breakfasts are essential to a superb wedding day. The Roots Kitchen Team always delivers, as an integral part of the Southend Barns experience, incorporating twists, cultural influences and a flair for originality and authenticity into every dish.

We are incredibly proud of the calibre of in-house chefs, catering management and service teams we provide. Our chefs, servers and planners deliver delightful bouquets of flavour and style, always tailored to reflect your wedding or event, drawing on local and international influences to capture those sensations that make a meal worth savouring.

The Roots team works closely with our wedding coordinators to design bespoke menus, including plant-based and vegan or vegetarian, BBQ and seasonal ingredients to ensure your catering is seamlessly delivered with impactful taste and presentation.

Names: Brendan – Head Chef, Rachel – Pastry Chef, Ale – Junior Sous Chef, Ryan – Demi Chef de Partie

Our office team is well-equipped to handle the logistics of every wedding or celebratory occasion, deploying flexibility, knowledge, and local connections to visualise and bring your plans to life. They provide decades of know-how and comprise a team of four respected coordinators and managers in the premium wedding space.

Working with Southend Barns is more than hiring a venue: our capable managers will take on all the organisation, following your instructions and consulting with you regularly to ensure you have absolute confidence that the finer details are in excellent hands. Handing your vision to our team allows you the freedom to enjoy each stage of the excitement, anticipation, and joy that every wedding day should be about.

Our organised and friendly office team will help you through all your planning. With a huge wealth of experience in delivering exceptional weddings and events, our talented team are not only impeccably organised but they also make sure the whole planning process and experience is fun and stress-free. From viewings through to final wedding day preparations, you are in safe hands with Southend Barns.

Names: Kelly – Event Manager, Olivia – Event Manager, Sophie – Office and Accounts Manager, Becky – Trainee Event Manager

This is the wonderful team that keep our venue and gardens looking absolutely flawless.

From our beautiful barns and accommodation areas to all our outdoor space including the courtyard, rose garden, flower beds, allotment and outside ceremony garden, we are dedicated to making sure that the entire venue looks perfect all year round.

Luckily we have our meticulous garden and maintenance team on hand to keep everything looking impeccable and running smoothly.

Names: Zach, Gemma and Lee

Our hardworking housekeepers who ensure our venue always looks immaculate.

Working tirelessly behind the scenes our housekeeping team ensures Southend Barns looks picture perfect for each and every occasion.

With extraordinary attention to detail and a passion for what they do, no corner is ever overlooked when it comes to keeping the barns absolutely spotless.

Names: Wendy – Head Housekeeper, Teresa and Julie