The pub that was the official birthplace of Arsenal Football Club has inspired a new hospitality space at the north London club’s Emirates Stadium.
Spanning 1,400 sq m, the space has been revamped into a modern “re-imagining” of the Royal Oak in Woolwich, south-east London, where, in 1886, the team adopted the name of “Royal Arsenal”.
The project has been carried out by strategic retail design consultancy 20.20 which was tasked with creating a hospitality space that brought to life the Club Level space at the stadium as part of the continued “Arsenalisation” work.
The area welcomes around 2,000 Arsenal Club Level season ticket holders on match days and is also used as an events space for up to 1,200 people.
Drawing influence from a traditional Victorian pub, the new Royal Oak hospitality space features a bespoke tiled floor mosaic, representing the original cannon from the 1922 club crest, as well as reeded glass signage and dividers.
The main bar counters have been transformed with brass tops and a traditional bell to call time. There are also new house ales such as Founders Ale on offer.
Jon Lee, creative director at 20.20, said: “Our team worked to create a space with a premium feel whilst also incorporating a pub which has close connections to Arsenal fans’ hearts.
“When creating an environment such as this, it’s important to ensure that the design emphasises what the football club is all about. We wanted tradition but with a modern twist, whilst also showcasing the history of this great football club.”
Michael Artis, director of leisure at 20.20, added: “We have created a beautiful premium space, which reflects the exclusivity of the Club Level season ticket. Further to this, the space has the versatility for multi-purpose use and offers fantastic views of the pitch.”
London-based 20.20’s leisure client base also includes Whitbread, Rank and Liverpool Football Club.
