Murrayfield to debut self-serve bar

Freemans Event Partners has teamed up with Scottish Rugby and The Murrayfield Experience, Elior UK’s hospitality and events brand for Scottish Gas Murrayfield, to roll out a mobile self-serve offering at the Edinburgh stadium.

Launching at Murrayfield’s hosting of the Six Nations meeting between Scotland and Ireland on Sunday, the new service will allow rugby fans to pick, pay and pour their own pint of Guinness or Tennent’s lager in as little as 45 seconds.

The self-serve bar will comply with Challenge 25 legislation and responsible drinking measures, with bar team members present to check fans ID in advance of access and a digital check at the point-of-sale, providing further security. 

The new technology will be delivered on a mobile outlet for the first time, with Freemans planning further roll-out of self-serve bars this year across a host of its other venue and event partners.

The self-serve bar at Murrayfield is equipped with 12 taps and an innovative keg system capable of pouring 2,500 pints per day. The smart system keeps each keg at the optimum temperature, ensuring each pint poured is of the highest quality. It also reduces wastage compared to a conventional tap, with 99% of each keg used.

Simon Hanna, chief operating officer of Freemans Event Partners, said: “We are always looking for ways to improve the matchday experience for spectators, whether that’s through the provision of more exciting food and beverage options or making the ordering process more efficient.

“Nobody wants to stand in a queue at a major event for too long, running the risk of missing out on the action, so we’re really excited to be accelerating our roll-out of self-service bars; starting at Scottish Gas Murrayfield for one of the biggest games of this year’s Guinness Six Nations.”

Elior UK teamed up with Scottish Rugby in December to launch The Murrayfield Experience as part of a move to position the stadium as a year-round destination. The brand is seeking to offer bespoke hospitality for rugby fans, as well as the likes of families, concert-goers, corporate guests, conference organisers and private event hosts.

Craig Stewart, managing director of stadia, universities and concessions at Elior UK, said: “At The Murrayfield Experience, we pride ourselves on delivering world-class event experiences and this latest innovation is a testament to that.

“Partnering with Freemans Event Partners allows us to provide a seamless and premium experience for fans; ensuring they can enjoy the game with an ice-cold pint in hand, faster than ever before. This brand-new outlet combines state-of-the art digital technology with stringent Challenge 25 and drinking responsibly processes.”

Freemans, a provider of food and beverage services for the events industry, last month launched a new payment processing solution, FEP Pay, designed to reduce checkout times and improve operational efficiency.