Coca Cola 50th Anniversary

We were celebrating the 50th anniversary of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ Edmonton manufacturing site – a real golden milestone for the business and for our people. The factory first opened its doors in 1975 and has grown into a key part of CCEP’s GB manufacturing network, now running seven production lines and serving customers right across the country. 

For us, this wasn’t just about marking 50 years of soft drinks production. It was about celebrating the generations of colleagues who’ve worked here, the friendships built on site, and the contribution the factory has made to North London – from creating local jobs to supporting suppliers and partners in the wider supply chain.

We chose the London Chigwell Prince Regent Hotel because it gave the occasion a real sense of occasion and was practical for our team. We’ve used this venue before, so we knew it would work brilliantly for a larger celebration – from the spacious function areas to the professional events team on site. 

It’s easy for colleagues to get to and has that “special event” feel as soon as you arrive, which was exactly what we wanted for such an important milestone.

Knowing the venue and the team there meant we could focus on the celebration itself: speeches, long-service recognition, marking the 50-year journey of the Edmonton site – and of course making room for a proper dance floor once the band started.

The idea was to create a relaxed but celebratory atmosphere – something that felt like a genuine thank-you to our colleagues for 50 years of hard work at the Edmonton site. We wanted it to feel like a proper milestone, but not overly formal, so people could really unwind, catch up with each other and enjoy the entertainment.

It was great to bring together different teams, shifts and generations of colleagues together in one room to celebrate what they’ve built together.

For such an important milestone, we knew background music or a playlist wasn’t going to cut it – we wanted a real party atmosphere and something that felt like a thank-you to our teams. Live music brings everyone together in a way nothing else can, especially when you’re celebrating a site that’s been powered by people, shift after shift, for 50 years.

When we started looking for bands online, this Function Central band immediately stood out. The reviews were consistently excellent, their videos showed they could handle a mix of ages and tastes, and they seemed very experienced with corporate and celebration events.

Compared with other options we looked at, they had genuinely amazing feedback, so we felt confident they’d get our colleagues on their feet – and they absolutely delivered.

We could customise the line-up so chose a 4-piece – DJ, vocalist, sax and percussion.

The band were fantastic from start to finish, and Ella, the vocalist, was incredible – her energy and voice really lifted the room. Once the formalities were over and the first song kicked in, the dance floor filled up almost instantly, with people from every part of the site joining in.

It was especially special seeing long-serving team members dancing alongside newer apprentices and graduates – a perfect snapshot of our “Edmonton family”! We had singalongs, big anthems that everyone knew, and plenty of moments where colleagues who don’t usually get to socialise together were laughing and dancing side by side.

We would definitely recommend this band for any wedding, party or corporate event, and we’d be delighted to have them back at future CCEP celebrations.

We initially found Function Central through a Google search while looking for highly-rated live bands in London for corporate events. The website made it really easy to listen to demos, watch videos and compare different options side by side.

Function Central were quick to respond, clear on pricing and logistics, and very professional in terms of matching us with a band that would suit our guests and our timings. That combination of great reviews, straightforward booking and friendly communication made it an easy decision to book through them.

Our biggest piece of advice would be: choose this band – and don’t underestimate the impact live music can have on the atmosphere of your event. A great band doesn’t just play songs; they read the room, build momentum and help everyone relax and enjoy themselves.

We’d also suggest confirming your band early, sharing as much information as you can about your guest profile and schedule, and then trusting the musicians to do what they do best. For a milestone celebration like ours, investing in quality live music was absolutely worth it.

Our photographer did a brilliant job capturing the spirit of the day – from candid moments during the lunch and speeches to the key moments and the dance floor later on. They really managed to catch those little interactions between colleagues that show the community spirit behind the Edmonton site.

We were also very pleased with the venue team and catering, who helped everything run smoothly behind the scenes so our colleagues could simply enjoy the celebration. But in terms of standout suppliers, the photographer and the band were the ones who really helped bring the story of our 50th anniversary to life.