Hospitality

The O2 partners with Qatar Airways for The NinetyThird

Images: The O2 / Luke Dyson

The O2 has launched a new, VIP members club, with Qatar Airways coming on board to back a venture which aims to elevate the premium hospitality experience at London’s live entertainment, leisure, and retail destination.

After plans were first revealed in April, when the project was then titled ‘The Residence’, The NinetyThird by Qatar Airways has been officially unveiled today (Wednesday) with Qatar’s national carrier taking on naming rights as part of a multi-year deal. The partnership intends to enable Qatar Airways to merge its hospitality with The O2’s evolving premium offering.

Qatar Airways will have unique branding opportunities within the space and across the venue’s out-of-home and digital networks. Qatar Airways Privilege Club members will also have exclusive access to tickets for events at The O2 within The NinetyThird through Privilege Club Collection – a newly launched platform, offering members the opportunity to bid from a selection of curated experiences.

With uninterrupted views from every seat of its 300-capacity space, The NinetyThird will also be home to the Walkway – a first-of-its-kind retractable viewing platform, 70ft above the arena floor, accessible only to members within the space.

Matt Botten, senior director of premium seating at The O2, said: “It’s been our biggest investment in premium to date at The O2, and the attention to detail within the space is second to none – it really does reimagine what premium hospitality in a UK arena can offer.”

Set over 1,150 square metres, The NinetyThird is home to the arena’s first high-end, 50-seat, on-site restaurant and several premium bar areas which are all exclusive to members. In addition to the main bar area, members can also visit The Golden Circle, a private, floating bar housed within the space, and Bar 1800 – an intimate cocktail bar serving a range of signature cocktails developed exclusively for the space and inspired by iconic moments in The O2’s history.

The design of the new members club also draws inspiration from the venue’s rich music heritage, with over 50 references to artists, performances, and iconic moments at The O2 arena.

Regarding the new identity of the premium space, Botten added: “The O2 has become synonymous with hosting some of the most iconic artist residencies over the last 16 years – from Prince and Elton John, to most recently six nights of Madonna.

“Up to this point, we’ve had an impressive 92 residencies at The O2, and it felt fitting to honour this new premium space as our 93rd, given that the design of the space has been so heavily influenced by our musical heritage.

“The NinetyThird by Qatar Airways is the ultimate space to entertain and be entertained, and we can’t wait to welcome members to enjoy the space for a packed year of world-class events at The O2.”