Wimbledon Serves Up New Cocktail Amidst Price Hikes

Wimbledon organizers are launching a new signature drink, the "Centre Court Cooler," a gin-based cocktail featuring lemon and elderflower, priced at £12.80. This initiative aims to enhance the experience for over 500,000 guests attending the two-week tournament. The event is recognized as Europe's largest annual catering operation in sports, boasting 55 kitchens and 292 staff.

Fans can anticipate substantial consumption figures, including 345,000 glasses of Pimm's and 2.5 million strawberries with 17,363 liters of cream. Additionally, approximately 315,000 restaurant meals, 19,000 fish and chips portions, and 27,000 pizzas will be served. The tournament also expects to sell 230,000 cups of tea and 24,396 bottles of champagne.

Minor price adjustments have been implemented due to inflation, with a punnet of strawberries rising by 15p to £2.85 and a glass of Pimm's increasing by £1.20 to £13.45. On the courts, Serena Williams is set for a comeback after a four-year hiatus, and Jannik Sinner will defend his men's title. Enhancements to the electronic line-calling system, including visual indicators on scoreboards, are also being introduced following player feedback.

Further improvements include optimizing ticket reselling to fill empty seats. The tournament is actively seeking ways to enhance productivity and guest satisfaction throughout the event.