Keith Prowse, official hospitality provider to Wimbledon since 1982, has noted a shift in the demographic of corporate hospitality bookers for the social season’s stand out event.
After extensively reviewing guest data recorded over the past 3 years, including the recently held 125th Championships, Keith Prowse found that the average table size booked has decreased from 6 in 2008 to 4 in 2011, demonstrating the larger numbers of bookings taken from private individuals and small-to-medium size businesses.
Keith Prowse expects the increase in smaller businesses entertaining to support forecasts of a 24 per cent growth for the corporate hospitality industry by 2014¹, reaching the value of £1.47 billion by the year 2015².
The Gatsby Club, which was redesigned for this year’s Wimbledon, is a favourite with smaller groups, offering a menu crafted by Michelin starred chef Albert Roux. The award-winning venue has become a destination dining experience at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, showcasing the best in summer cuisine drawing on local provenance. The Gatsby Club’s impeccable service standards and skilled kitchen team, overseen by Albert Roux, were recently championed on the hit BBC2 series, Service.
Guests were invited to dress in pink on Tuesday 28th June, Ladies Singles Quarter-Finals Day, to mark Cancer Research UK Day with Keith Prowse donating 20 per cent of all package receipts purchased to the charity.
Ted Walker, head of marketing at Keith Prowse said: “As Wimbledon can be considered a litmus test for the corporate hospitality market, we are always eager to review data and trace booking patterns. While our 2011 hospitality range has seen strong corporate demand as expected, our figures clearly show an increase in the number of smaller groups entertaining at The Championships.”
