Elite Entertainment - Press Articles

Sometimes, we even make the local press

Many of our bookings come through Add to Event. They are one of the UK’s leading marketplaces for event services, helping event organisers connect with trusted suppliers. Since launching in 2014, the platform has helped hundreds of thousands of people plan a wide range of events, from weddings and private parties to corporate functions. Add to Event works with over 20,000 independent businesses, offering a simple way to discover, compare, and book the right suppliers for any occasion.

They recently approached us to see if we would be interested in a spotlight article as we seemed to be having a highly successful relationship with them - lots of bookings and, more importantly, lots of great reviews. We were more than happy to accept. The published article made it to the Oxford Mail and Bicester Advertiser. These are unfortunately hidden behind a subscription paywall, so not open to all. They were also significantly edited from the original piece that Add to Event wrote, so I have included the un-edited version below. Please enjoy and consider us for your future events!

From RAF to DJ: The Bicester Local Swapping Air Bases for Private Islands

RAF Engineering Officer swapped air bases for DJ booths, bringing high-energy sets to Bicester and beyond.
Rooted in Bicester, he’s become a go-to DJ for everything from weddings to community events and even Bicester Pride 2025.
He may have left the RAF, but the adventures haven’t stopped – his latest mission saw him whisked away to a private island in Oxfordshire.

From managing RAF technician teams to spinning decks for private parties, Phil McNulty made the bold decision to leave the RAF and chase his dream. And what he experienced along the way was definitely unexpected.

At just 17 years old, Phil moved away from Glenrothes in Scotland to join the Royal Air Force. After completing his basic training, he was then transferred to RAF Locking in Weston-Super-Mare for a year of trade training.

Phil shares, “I graduated as an electronic communication technician, working on nearly every type of communication equipment the RAF had, from radios to telephone exchanges, satellite communications to IT servers and networks.

“After working my way through the ranks, I commissioned and became an Engineering Officer, managing teams of technicians as well as working at HQ Air Command.”

While Phil loved being in the RAF, his passion for music and a nudge from a friend made him consider a different direction.

RAF bases to DJ decks

Phil shares, “I’d always had a diverse musical taste and a friend had suggested DJing as a great way to get out and meet people whilst doing something I enjoy. So in 1992, I started DJing at a small nightclub in High Wycombe.”

Still serving in the RAF, Phil found himself juggling a demanding work life with his newfound passion, which proved more difficult than anticipated.

Phil elaborates, “The RAF moved me around regularly, so every time I became established somewhere, I would move on and then have to start all over again, which definitely put a crimp in becoming a ‘successful' DJ. I also had to ask permission every time I moved base to have a second job!”

After some ups and downs, Phil decided to fully commit to DJing in 2016, and that’s how Elite Entertainment was born. He shares, “I even went as far as buying a brand new van and have it sign-written – now there’s commitment!”

After travelling the length and breadth of the country, Phil finally settled down in Bicester, a stunning market town in Oxfordshire, eager to establish his business there. But then Covid hit and his plans began to unravel.

Phil reflects, “Trying to grow my business was rather difficult when no one was booking DJs for the next 18 months! Business was slow to recover, but steadily picked up year on year.

“The true breakthrough was finding Add to Event in late 2023, as this opened up a whole new cross-section of potential customers. As bookings came in, the importance of the review system became evident as the great reviews I received helped tremendously in steering people to the right decision – to book me!”

The private island party

Over the years, Phil has found himself in a range of weird and wonderful situations – and this one was no exception.

Phil shares, “I’d received a booking on Add to Event for a 60th birthday party, but there was no mention of it being hosted on a private island!”

It was only during his first discussion with the customer that these “special circumstances” were revealed. “I had to take a small dinghy/boat (with a carefully selected amount of equipment) across a private lake to a private island for a private party,” shares Phil.

So on a cool Saturday in October, Phil began his peculiar journey to The Island in Oxfordshire, a quirky private island in the middle of a picturesque lake.

To prepare, Phil carefully chose his equipment, hoping it would fit on the boat. He elaborates, “Even though I cut the equipment down to what I thought was the minimum, I still left some in the van when I saw just how small the boat actually was.” And that wasn’t the only shock.

“I was even more surprised when I found the boat pilots were actually guests – they’d watched a video just the day before, which qualified them to transport everyone to and from the island!” Phil shares.

Despite these surprises, Phil welcomed them with open arms. “A key aspect of the business is being flexible and adaptable. Although the circumstances here would be particularly challenging, it was something I relished”.

The surprises didn’t stop there. Halfway through the night, the guests swapped their sequined dresses for leopard-print pyjamas.

Phil reminisces, “Not only my first event where I had to travel by boat, but also my first event that became a pyjama party!

“It was definitely one of my more fun events. With requests from across the musical spectrum coming in all night, they were dancing nearly non-stop for the whole 6 hours – always an indicator of a successful night in my book.”

Once the guests were all partied out, “all that was left was to load the boat again in the darkness, and a much more nerve-wracking trip across the lake in the pitch black night. But my video-trained pilot was more than up for the job and got me safely back to dry land!” says Phil.

What began as a passion project quickly became a thriving livelihood, with Phil still behind the decks 33 years on – most recently at Bicester Pride 2025.

Sabrina Cooper

Add to Event

Wow - that all sounds amazing, so how do we go about booking you?

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