Freemans Event Partners to Introduce Unique Food & Drink Retail Concept at Lord’s Cricket Ground
13 February 2024: Freemans Event Partners, the UK-based global multi-service event partner, is set to launch a brand-new sports stadium food and drink retail concept at Lord’s Cricket Ground in 2024, building on its existing partnership with Marylebone Cricket Club, owners of the world-famous ground.
The new two-floor structure will bring a wide variety of food and drink options together under one roof, giving spectators increased choice and, through the implementation of self-checkout kiosks, a significantly quicker experience with less queuing.
The concept is set to streamline the purchasing process, including a bar/drinks outlet on one floor and takeout self-service food on the other. All items can be purchased in one location in one transaction, meaning more time can be spent watching the action out on the field.
This increased efficiency will provide spectators with a quick and easy process, with a wider choice all in one place, and is expected to cut 36 seconds from the average transaction time.
The outlet is set to be introduced in May, ready to be used by the 500,000 visitors that come to Lord’s each season for the domestic and international cricket matches, including England Men’s internationals against the West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia, and the England Women’s match against New Zealand.
Simon Hanna, Chief Operating Officer, Freemans Event Partners, said: “We are committed to providing sports fans with the best matchday experience possible, and a key part of this is focused around food and drink. This innovative new concept at Lord’s Cricket Ground is set to revolutionise how match-going fans purchase food and drink at the iconic venue, giving them greater choice and reducing queues, ensuring they can get back to enjoying the action as swiftly as possible.
“The game of cricket is wonderfully multi-cultural, and this new concept can be set up in order to suit the flavours and tastes of each of the visiting nations. Spectators can expect to see delicious curries when India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are in town, and more BBQ-inspired flavours when the likes of Australia and South Africa visit. We’re really looking forward to getting creative with the menus.”
James De Groot, Chief F&B Officer at MCC, said: “We are delighted to be working with Freemans Event Partners to further modernise the matchday experience at Lord’s Cricket Ground. With customer experience at the heart of what we do, we believe that this fresh and modern concept will bring a new energy and feel to matchdays, while reducing queues and improving the overall spectator experience.”
ENDS
About Freemans Event Partners
Freemans Event Partners is a multi-service event partner, enabling the UK and Europe’s most prestigious venues and stadia to deliver outstanding fan and spectator experiences. The business reaches more than 15 million people, across more than 400 events each year.
Clients include Silverstone Circuit, Twickenham Stadium, Lord’s Cricket Ground, Wembley Stadium, the European Tour, the Jockey Club and the Badminton Horse Trials; and the business operates at events as diverse as the Formula One and Moto GP British Grand Prix, the Six Nations, the Cheltenham Races, the Ryder Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the Ashes, Major League Baseball, NFL and the FA Cup.
Services include bespoke food and beverage solutions, end-to-end payment technology, end-to-end wholesale & logistics, full procurement chain, facilitation of global commercial partnerships, and providing practical workforce solutions. Freemans Event Partners also works with leading brands, such as Moët & Chandon, Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Mastercard to deliver high-impact consumer brand activations.
Established in 1975, the family-owned company has grown from a single fish and chips outlet at Silverstone to an operation that can provide a bespoke offer to large events, venues, and experiences, anywhere in the UK and Europe.
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