Lord’s plans to lay a spread for visitors

Article posted by Coliseum, June 3^rd, 2022

Image: MJR Group Ltd./Coliseum

Freemans Event Partners has agreed to a long-term partnership with the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) to deliver a range of event solutions at the Lord’s Cricket Ground (UK).

The ‘Lord’s’ stated that the new multiyear agreement follows a successful trial period in 2021 and will see Freemans Event Partners managing a major part of the public catering offering and all payment solutions to deliver leading food and drink options for visitors at the venue.

The Freemans Event Partners is a family-owned business established in 1975 by Stephen Freeman Senior. It has grown from a single fish and chips outlet at Silverstone (UK) to now operating across a wide range of high-profile event venues and festivals.

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The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club founded in 1787 and based since 1814 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground, which it owns, in St John’s Wood, London (UK). The club was formerly the governing body of cricket and still holds considerable global influence.

The 30,000-capacity Lord’s Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord’s, is a cricket venue in St John’s Wood, London (UK). Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the European Cricket Council (ECC) and, until August 2005, the International Cricket Council (ICC). Lord’s is widely referred to as the ‘Home of Cricket’ and is home to the world’s oldest sporting museum.

The ‘Lord’s’ further stated that by growing the breadth and diversity of the public food and beverage offering, Freemans Events Partners will support the venue in enhancing the customer experience further, broadening the public catering footprint on multiple levels across the whole site. The Freemans Event Partners has designed bespoke menus and brand-new outlets exclusively for Lord’s Cricket Ground ensuring the food and beverage offering matches the customer demographic of the venue.

As a leading International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant provider, the Freemans Event Partners will also deploy industry-leading payment technology solutions across the venue, enabling spectators to make fast and reliable card transactions. The Freemans Event Partners will manage payment processes and payment hardware across all point-of-sale locations within the venue, including the food outlets, bars, Lord’s Tavern, and hospitality suites. The payment systems will be fully integrated with the venue’s digital point of sale (POS) platforms.

Commented Andy Muggleton, Assistant Secretary (Commercial), MCC, “Having worked with Freemans Event Partners in 2021, we are delighted to have agreed to this long-term partnership that will ensure our food and beverage offering continues to be of the finest standard our visitors expect. We’re looking forward to welcoming spectators to Lord’s this season and providing them with a memorable experience, both on and off the field.”

Freemans Event Partners provides event solutions to over 400 of the United Kingdom and Europe’s biggest events and venues, from Silverstone, Twickenham and The DP World Tour to the Boomtown Fair and Victorious Festival.

Freemans Event Partners now offers a full range of services to iconic venues and festivals from catering, bars, concessions and product wholesale through to payment solutions and brand partnerships.

Added Stephen Freeman, CEO at Freemans Event Partners, “Over the years we have built a strong reputation delivering innovative and elevated food and beverage solutions for some of the most iconic events in the country. The opportunity to develop a premium offering alongside one of the most esteemed and historic sporting venues in the world are a momentous and hugely exciting project for us. We really appreciate Lord’s Cricket Ground’s trust in our ability to deliver an enhanced customer experience.”

Continued Freeman, “This appointment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Freemans Event Partners team and we look forward to being a part of the international cricket calendar.”

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