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Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Times
The fanciest sport hospitality packages
The game hasn't even begun and I am already one charcuterie board, a platter of prawns, a gallon of sushi, a beef wellington and several beers deep. My football-watching career has started on a high. It was a Chelsea game in the box — a gift for my brothers' 40th (not from me — I'm a good sister but not that good). I left thinking I could watch the beautiful game more often. 'What was the score?' someone asked. 'Who cares? I had a cheeseboard at half-time!' You can fine-dine at almost all sports, from darts to the FA Cup final. Here is a list of luxury dining experiences at the biggest and best upcoming sports events. • This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Now the Six Nations have been and gone, it's time to move on. Luckily for rugby fans, this year's Autumn Nations is ripe for booking. The series will see England battle it out with four of the most exhilarating southern hemisphere teams. It'll be a wild watch and there is no need to do it hungry — you know the players won't be. Fret not — if the burger vans don't tickle your finely tuned taste buds, the Allianz hospitality packages are here for you. 'Today's hospitality offerings go far beyond a simple meal and a seat. Guests are choosing packages based on the culinary style, the exclusivity of the setting, and the opportunity to engage with sporting legends, both past and present,' says Laura Jefferies, head of marketing at Twickenham Experience. The chef Tom Kerridge (who owns the only pub with two Michelin stars) will be cooking in the Lock restaurant during the Australia, New Zealand and Argentina games. Expect free-flowing fizz and a four-course English-inspired menu. The chef Ollie Dabbous — who has two Michelin stars — can be found creating culinary excellence for the Australia game in the East Wing restaurant. You'll be dining all day, from arrival appetisers to amuse-bouches to a four-course menu — with complimentary drinks. The same package will be available with the chef Tommy Banks — a judge on BBC's The Great British Menu — subbing in to steer the East Wing helm during the New Zealand game. 'On a single match day up to 45,000 plates of food are served within hospitality, with a team of 300 chefs across 41 kitchens and 2,250 hospitality staff, who each undergo training, to ensure the highest standards across every facility,' Jefferies says. Autumn Nations at Allianz Stadium is November 1-November 23. More information at and • Read more luxury reviews, advice and insights from our experts You could find yourself easily distracted at the races. If you don't have blinkered focus on the horses, your eyes may wander to the outfits and your nose may lead you to the food. Royal Ascot does not hold back when it comes to treating guests to gourmet cuisine — there are 29 Michelin stars shared between the chefs in residence — 'the most ever at Royal Ascot, or any sporting event globally,' according to Jonathan Parker, the managing director of 1711 by Ascot. Among the runners and riders are Raymond Blanc, who will mark his ten-year residency anniversary at Ascot, returning to the Panoramic Restaurant (which, as promised, serves its four courses overlooking panoramic views of the racecourse). Gazing at the horses in the parade ring is best done at the Parade Ring restaurant, where Simon Rogan will be presenting his five-course à la carte lunch. Lisa Goodwin-Allen, the Michelin-starred chef and winner of Great British Menu, returns for her second year at Royal Ascot, headlining the Queen Anne Enclosure's flagship restaurant, ON 5, which sits on the fifth floor and is glass-fronted to create the ideal view of the course. If you have been there, done that — you will likely want to do it again. But if you want to try the newbies on the Ascot block, the French chef Yannick Alléno is doing an alfresco pop-up with a small-plate concept that — given his 17 Michelin stars — is bound to be scrumptious. Likewise, Benoit Blin, the patisserie king, is also making his debut with a French-inspired afternoon tea — available in multiple restaurants and private boxes, everywhere short of the horses' stables. Royal Ascot runs June 17-21. These offerings are available for all guests but need to be booked well in advance; Test cricket may be as English as it gets. Free-flowing Pimm's, polite chitchat in the stands, intermittent sun bouncing off the players' whites. All in all, you're in for a lovely summer's day. Given that the match can last five days, it is more than justified to be entertained by other activities alongside the play. And what better activity is there than eating? 'At the Kia Oval our aim is to match the calibre of the cricket on the pitch with the fine dining we provide to the spectators,' says the director of operations, Alex Lewis. There is a myriad of casual-dining options spread all over the Oval grounds, including the fancy food truck Bob's Lobster serving lobster rolls at the Pommery Champagne bar on the concourse right next to the pavilion. But those seeking the classiest escapades will head to the Duchy Suite. The days starts here with a three-course gourmet lunch curated by the fabulous chef Ollie Dabbous. There's also a Pommery champagne reception, a brilliantly quirky afternoon tea — including Cacklebean egg mayo and cress sandwiches and canales cooked in beeswax — free-flowing complimentary drinks and, of course, padded seats on the Laker Balcony so you can plonk your well-fed self comfortably down as you buckle in for the long match head. Next chance to nab all that is the England v India Test, July 31-August 4. The Duchy Suite is £1,299 + VAT; The smell of burning rubber and highly tuned engines as the mighty cars go hell for leather up the track need not fill your nostrils at these races. Instead, your noses (and taste buds) can be redirected to the equally impressive food. With many hospitality packages to choose from, you could opt for a Lawn Garden party, the award-winning sustainable restaurant Farmer, Butcher, Chef, or the exclusive member-only clubhouse, the Kennels. For trackside viewing with gourmet dining, you have a few options. The Moss restaurant, named after Sir Stirling Moss — who not only had his first race at Goodwood but also won here more than any other driver — overlooks the starting straight. Clark is positioned on the famously dramatic Molecomb Corner with views of the hill climb from both inside the restaurant and the trackside balcony. And last but not least there is Goodwood's fine-dining experience at Surtees — named in honour of the only person to win world championships on both two and four wheels, John Surtees. Not only are the views of the action unparalleled, but the Michelin-starred chef Ollie Dabbous (who I'd hazard a guess at being a sports fan) will be preparing cuisine to match. The Surtees package includes unlimited drinks, a live DJ, VIP parking as well as a personalised concierge service. 'Whether it's a private paddock tour, a helicopter flight or photo moment on the balcony of Goodwood House, Surtees is the ultimate way to experience the Festival of Speed,' says Amy Yeates, the hospitality director at Goodwood. Goodwood Festival of Speed is July 10-13. The Surtees package is £2,100pp +VAT; Dating back to 1860, The Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world. It is also one of the most popular — so much so that tickets sell out almost instantly. Those for 2025 are sadly long gone. As are the hospitality packages, which included the silver-service fine-dining Engravers package — including breakfast, four-course à la carte lunch, complimentary bar and afternoon tea. Next year will approach in the blink of an eye — so it is best to start getting ahead of the game. The equivalent option on the 2026 line-up at Royal Birkdale would be the premium package. Although not silver-service, the experience holds its own. Guests get access to many wonderful restaurants — including Clarets, where you can dine on gourmet cuisine while looking out over the 17th green. The Retreat serves a charcuterie-style lunch overlooking the 7th green. Complimentary beverages will be served to guests in Clarets, the Retreat, the Platinum Lounge and Links, which all have top-class views of the top-class golf. The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale is July 12-19, 2026. Prices for the signature package start at £1,000 per person for the weekdays and £2,300 for the weekends; It wouldn't be the British summer time without Wimbledon. Dating back to 1868, this sporting spectacle is the oldest tennis tournament in existence. There is only one thing I can think of to improve this classic English event — fancy food. It's not all strawberries and cream. Whilst the talented players serve on the pitch, the equally talented chefs are serving off the court. For the snazziest of service, you are looking at Le Gavroche at The Lawn. Michelin star mastermind, Michel Roux, will be offering a five-course tasting Menu Exceptionnel with wine pairings, followed by the famous Le Gavroche Cheese Trolley and the Assiette du Chef (selection of five desserts). There will be a complimentary bar for continuous whistle wettening — whether it is with Vintage champagne or bespoke cocktails. Of course, that is just the beginning — this package includes seats with uninterrupted views of Centre Court, a private terrace and access to The Lawn's English-style garden with live music, a whisky and cigar bar as well as a huge outdoor screen so you don't have to miss out on a single second of action while having fun.
Irish Daily Mirror
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mack Hansen has crowd in stitches with reason for British and Irish Lions call
A stunned Mack Hansen had the rugby crowd chuckling away following his unexpected British and Irish Lions call-up debrief. The Connacht wing wizard was among the 38 players named by boss Andy Farrell for the tour of Australia this summer. And proceedings took a welcome turn when select players from each of the four nations received a video call from the O2 Arena in London to react to the news. While it's nothing out of the ordinary seeing rugby stars getting emotional about their selection, the addition of real-time reactions certainly added an extra element. And one player in particular had fans rolling with laughter thanks to his response. Hansen, 27, was found chilling on a beach in Galway when he got the surprise call, explaining that it wasn't even meant to be him on the screen. Instead, it was supposed to be club and international team-mate Bundee Aki on the line, before dad duties called him elsewhere. "This has been sprung on me. Bundee was meant to do it but he's minding the kids," said the Aussie-born star, leading to a hearty chuckle amongst those in attendance at the London reveal bash. Hansen also unwittingly turned himself into a sideways spectacle on the O2's giant 30-foot screen. Some folks are just born entertainers, and the Canberra-born finisher falls into that bracket. The former Brumbies star was clearly overwhelmed by the massive announcement, and he admitted as much. And he joked that head coach Farrell would be chuffed to see him at a loss for words. "I was just heading for a swim," said Hansen as he popped up on-screen. "I'm lost for words for the first time in my life I'd say, which is good for Faz to hear. It's an incredible... I don't know what to say, honestly." Farrell, 49, quipped that it was "the other coaches" who decided to give Hansen the green light, not him playing favourites. But it's clear there's a unique bond between the two. Both hail from overseas but have been perfecting their skills in Ireland, with Farrell being the one to offer Hansen his chance in the team he now calls home. The speedster even has a tattoo of the coach's face on his leg after losing a wager with Johnny Sexton that Ireland wouldn't clinch the Grand Slam in 2023. Come June, a contingent of 15 players from Ireland will jet off to Australia, with England providing the second-largest group after 13 of their players were selected. These figures could have been different if Leinster's Caelan Doris hadn't sustained a serious injury right before the squad was revealed, having been tipped to also take the captaincy. Hansen has notched 12 tries in his 28 appearances for Ireland so far, with his latest coming as a double against Fiji during the Autumn Nations series. Despite making three appearances in the 2025 Six Nations, he didn't manage to score as Ireland failed to defend their title. There was a bit of controversy over Hansen's selection, with some arguing Scotland's Darcy Graham or England's Immanuel Feyi-Waboso were more deserving. However, he's sure to bring value of his own - on and off the pitch - as he looks to prove those critics wrong back in his homeland.
