Twickenham unveils East Stand to the industry

Twickenham Stadium has opened its state-of-the-art East Stand, unveiling an enhanced hospitality offering for meetings and events that will immerse event planners in an even greater destination experience.

The versatile new venue opened its doors to more than 250 leading industry figures on Thursday 22nd November, offering guests the chance to explore the various new spaces and sample the latest menus from Executive Head Chef, Thomas Rhodes.

The multi-million pound redevelopment offers six floors of creative event space, providing unexpected and dynamic settings that go far beyond a simple conference or banqueting space. With the arrival of the East Stand, Twickenham Stadium can now host even more events, ranging from an intimate private dining experience in a private members club setting, to an informal 1,000 capacity drinks reception, all at the same time.

Twickenham’s Catering, Conference & Events Director, Nils Braude, said:

We understand the ever-growing demands on our clients. They need a range of options at their disposal for their increasingly discerning guests. By offering such diversity under one roof we’re allowing organisers new-found flexibility and ease. The addition of the East Stand has transformed our facilities and allows us to truly break from the norm.

 

We’re asking clients to embrace change and use our modern and varied facilities to really explore what is possible.

A total of over 6,700sqm of versatile, contemporary event space has been added to the venue. Its new facilities include:

The East Wing

A contemporary space reminiscent of a private members club, that demonstrates sophistication without stuffiness. Alongside four private terraces with both pitch-side views and outdoor access, it has four individual private dining areas that can accommodate up to 30 guests for a relaxed lounge environment or formal private table setting and 800 covers for the whole restaurant. The space can host up to 400 for a bespoke and exclusive drinks reception.

The Gate

A modern, simple, but exquisite chop-house style restaurant, complete with low-lighting and open brickwork. The space offers a dedicated meat store and separate wine room. For a banquet (restaurant-style) The Gate can also host 550.

The Union Ale House

This expansive space on level one, focuses on providing a relaxed onsite pub setting with capacity for 300 for informal celebrations, drinks receptions and parties. Meetings can also take place for up to 170 guests.

The Lock

A larger space that may resonate with clients as a more traditional event setting. The venue is divided into two – The Lock No. 4 and No. 5 – and overlooks the pitch. It is well-suited to hosting gala dinners, awards and parties, with each space able to cater for a 900-capacity reception or 550-capacity dinner.

The Clubhouse

This space is similarly split into two, with the first area offering restaurant facilities, and the Clubhouse Bar providing a 1,350-capacity room adorned with contemporary wood, leather and metallic finishes.

British Airways Rose Garden

A fun and lively roof terrace with an ‘outdoors feel’. It can accommodate up to 550 people and embraces the popular street-food phenomenon by using a stone-baked pizza oven and rotisserie.

Braude added:

We couldn’t have launched a product like the East Stand into this market before now, it’s taken a lengthy collaboration with our clients to come up with something that challenges the ‘normal’ conference or banqueting set up. Right now, we feel both our existing clients, and the wider market is ready for a venue that offers something a little more disruptive to the market place.

The new East Stand spaces have also opened for hospitality on match-days, sold exclusively as England Rugby Hospitality by the Rugby Football Union, and long-standing official partner Keith Prowse.

KSS were lead designers and architects for the East Stand development working with Wildfire London on the interior design concept and delivery. 

Images, courtesy: The RFU / KSS

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