As International Women’s Day approaches, NEOS Hospitality is proud to highlight the achievements of its Senior Design Manager, Charly Westcott. Charly has played a pivotal role in shaping the visual identity of the company’s core brands, most notably spearheading the design of Circuit, one of their stand-out venues. Her story is one of passion, adaptability, and the power of women in leadership!
Charly’s journey in design began in 2010 when she started her Graphic Design degree at the University of Cumbria. Straight out of university, she joined a leading London-based publishing house as an intern and over six years, she worked her way up to a mid-weight designer, refining her skills in many different facets of the design industry, including photo and video shoots, working for household names, gaining an impressive understanding of creative campaign execution along the way.
By 2019, Charly was ready for a new challenge and joined a creative agency which led her to work with an in-house creative team, this acted as a stepping stone into her making the bold move into hospitality graphic design. In April 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined Deltic as a mid-weight designer, receiving her laptop in the post (!) and not meeting anyone in the business face to face due to restrictions – a risky but rewarding decision, that then set the stage for her future at NEOS Hospitality.
She was tasked with designing critical COVID materials, including signage and floor stickers for all the brands – she recalls that this was a strange time, creating clinical designs rather than the fun, high-vibe usual night-life venue designs but it really pushed her to do something out of the ordinary and showed her she could adapt to do anything. As the industry reopened, she pivoted to branding and campaigns that brought venues back to life, including the ‘Pub in the Club’ campaign.
Charly’s adaptability and innovation earned her a promotion to Senior Designer in 2022 and then Senior Design Manager in 2023. She has had a huge influence in developing and refining NEOS’s brand portfolio, and with tight deadlines and high expectations, Charly has successfully built and developed striking and recognisable branding that has since become a key part of NEOS’s identity. Seeing Circuit evolve from concept to reality has been one of her proudest moments.
Charly said, “Bringing brands to life is my passion. It is so surreal seeing something that was on my screen now an established venue identity that people know and love. It’s the best feeling and never gets old – I used to read newspapers on my way into work that now have a brand I helped to create featured in it. I feel like a proud mother when I see brands I’ve developed come to life, it’s so rewarding and it’s amazing to be leading the way in graphic design as a woman in such a traditionally male dominated industry.”
Beyond her personal achievements, Charly is invested in growing talent within the company. She gave a special mention to her time mentoring Kai Packwood, a junior designer with a tech background, who has now progressed to a mid-weight designer under her guidance, which she also cites as one of her biggest achievements. Charly noted that the overall success of these brands is a “true testament to teamwork” between them, with Kai now working alongside her on websites and design at NEOS – a role so crucially important in branding.
Charly has also noted NEOS’s Commercial Director, Nicola Romeo, as someone who has been an inspiration to her, and a powerhouse mentor and advocate for women’s voices in the workplace. She concluded, “One thing hospitality has taught me that it’s okay to be a strong woman. Women in this industry stick together, and we’re showing that we matter and are leading the way. Our voice matters and we should never second guess ourselves.”
As NEOS Hospitality continues to grow, Charly is now focused on expanding her expertise, looking into computer-aided design to enhance floorplans and venue openings. She is a truly inspirational creative, crucial to the team, who continues to shine a light on the power of adaptability, resilience, and female leadership in shaping the future of hospitality graphic design.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Charly, please contact: hannahleeland@leisurepr.co.uk
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Notes to Editors:
About NEOS Hospitality
Formed in 2024, NEOS Hospitality is the UK’s leading party bar company, renowned for creating unforgettable experiences across the country. With a portfolio of 19 venues, including modern party bars and a small group of late-night venues, the group operates a range of core brands, including Bonnie Rogues, Barbara’s Bier Haus and Circuit. NEOS is dedicated to offering guests a diverse entertainment experience, whether it’s enjoying a vibrant, social atmosphere in its unique themed bars, or dancing the night away in one of its world-class late-night venues. NEOS Hospitality is committed to quality, service and innovation, and is dedicated to staying at the forefront of the UK hospitality scene with their unique concepts. Unforgettable fun, exceptional standards.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Charly, please contact: hannahleeland@leisurepr.co.uk
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