2019 will see both England cricket and rugby teams compete in World Cups on foreign shores, while another scintillating football season will play out at grounds across the country. We look at four associated sporting venues to get delegates closer to the action.
Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium unveils its transformed East Stand this month, offering six floors of creative events and match-day hospitality space.
Alongside four private terraces, with both pitch-side views and outdoor access, the East Wing of the stand has four new dining areas that can accommodate up to 30 guests for a relaxed lounge environment or private table settings of various sizes.
The Gate is a new chop-house style restaurant within the East Stand. The space offers a meat store and separate wine room, perfect for intimate wine tastings.
During 2019, two-Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge, who is running another new dining space called The Lock, will host a series of ‘An evening with Tom Kerridge’ events in The Gate for up to 400 guests.
In total, Twickenham’s East Stand will offer more than 6,700sqm of contemporary event space, available to hire from December.
Craven Cottage
Home to Premiership new boys Fulham Football Club, Craven Cottage is a perfect opportunity to host events beside the River Thames against an elegant sporting backdrop.
The stadium has a number of boxes suitable for meetings of between 10 and 18 delegates in a boardroom style, as well as larger spaces that can accommodate 30 to 100 guests theatre-style.
For larger parties and events, the venue is also offering to erect a marquee on the stadium river terrace to create additional space should it be needed. The marquee is situated between the Riverside Terrace and the Thames so exceptional views over the river are created.
For Christmas parties, Craven Cottage is staging a shared party night on 7 December. A 70s and 80s Disco Party Package for tables of ten (priced at £56.50 per person + VAT) includes a two-course buffet and glass of bubbly on arrival.
Craven Cottage is also hosting private gin tasting events throughout December, priced at £40 per person +VAT, based on 25 guests.
King Power Stadium
Leicester City Football Club has had a tough time since joining venuefinder.com last month and we’d like to offer our heartfelt condolences to everyone involved with the club.
King Power Stadium has now announced it will honour the memory of its late chairman, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who tragically died alongside four others in a helicopter crash, with a commissioned memorial statue.
Under Khun Vichai’s guidance, the Foxes established themselves in English football’s top flight, became Premier League champions and graced the UEFA Champions League for the first time.
Despite the recent tragedy however, King Power Stadium is still very much open for conferences and events and offers a full range of facilities for up to 650 delegates. They consist of a choice of nine versatile meeting rooms, including two large function rooms, seven air-conditioned smaller rooms, all with natural daylight and 43 Executive Suites overlooking the pitch.
Lord’s Cricket Ground
In May last year, Lord’s opened its Pelham’s event space, situated within the newly-built £25.6m Warner Stand in the Pavilion end of the ground.
The highly flexible space has a capacity for 136 seated, 165 standing and 150 theatre-style.
As part of Lord’s commitment to sustainability, the space includes photovoltaic roof panels for electricity generation and is now the first cricket ground in the country to run on 100 per cent renewable energy. Other eco-friendly features for the project include a state-of-the-art rainwater collection and recycling system, ground-source heat pumps for heating water and enhanced waste-sorting and storage facilities to reduce the need to collect waste during a match day.
By Mike Fletcher