Twickenham Stadium taking hospitality to the next level for the 2022 Autumn Nations Series

The hospitality sector has seen a seismic change in recent years following changing trends in society and the impact of the coronavirus. Stadiums around the rugby world need to think and act differently to keep up with the pace. But Twickenham Stadium is leading the charge like a Shaun Edwards blitz defence.

The 2022 edition of the Autumn Nations Series will see England host Argentina, Japan, the All Blacks and the Springboks at Twickenham on consecutive weekends in November. But this autumn things will be different.

Long gone are the days of the cramped 10-seater table in a compact room with dated décor. Today, the hospitality experience offered is so much more immersive, personable and closer to the action that ever before, helping to cater to a much broader demographic of people with a wide-ranging set of needs and increasing expectations.

Over the course of the Autumn Nations Series, Twickenham will welcome over 12,000 guests into their premium facilities in the East Stand, serving nearly 40,000 plates of food and many, many more pints of Guinness.

Opened in November 2018, The East Wing, The Lock, The Gate and the British Airways Rose Garden provide a mixture of premium experiences for fans from live bands to four course meals designed by two Michelin star chef Tom Kerridge.

On the culinary front Twickenham has made great strides to make the hospitality offering more sustainable with a minimum of 80% of its menus being made up of British seasonal fruit and vegetables. They have also adopted a food waste strategy that seeks to maximise every ingredient, reduce food miles and much more all in a bid to make the hospitality experience more environmentally friendly.

“When I started the hospitality offering was essentially tents in a car park and it always felt like it was a bit of an afterthought,” said Ozzie Wolf, Head of Twickenham Sales at Keith Prowse, the principal sales hospitality partner of England Rugby Hospitality.

“Over the last 8 years the stadium has evolved, providing exceptional experiences with fans being put at the heart of the building of the facilities in the East Stand. There is greater access to [current and past] players and our executive chefs like Tom Kerridge, are leading the way with exciting and innovative menus.

“The great thing about all of this is that the revenue generated from this helps support England Rugby in growing the game we all love.”