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Wimbledon debuts 'Centre Court Cooler' cocktail as prices edge higher
🇸🇬 Singapore /Culture & Society

Wimbledon debuts 'Centre Court Cooler' cocktail as prices edge higher

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Wimbledon will introduce a new signature cocktail, the Centre Court Cooler, for its upcoming tournament.
  • Organizers anticipate serving over 500,000 guests, with significant consumption of Pimm's, strawberries and cream, and various meals.
  • Prices for some items, like strawberries and Pimm's, have seen slight increases due to inflation, while on-court, Serena Williams and Jannik Sinner are notable participants.

Wimbledon is set to unveil its new signature cocktail, the "Centre Court Cooler," a gin-based drink, as it prepares to welcome over half a million guests for the two-week tournament.

We have a new signature cocktail, the Centre Court Cooler, which is gin-based and very tasty.

— Michelle DiteOperations director at the All England Club, describing the new drink.

Michelle Dite, operations director at the All England Club, highlighted the year-round planning involved in enhancing the fan experience. "We want to make sure that anyone who comes that their experience is not short of outstanding," she told Reuters.

The £12.80 cocktail features gin, lemon juice, cucumber juice, and elderflower. Wimbledon boasts Europe's largest annual sports catering operation, with 55 kitchens and 292 staff. Fans are expected to consume 345,000 glasses of Pimm's and 2.5 million strawberries with 17,363 liters of cream. Additionally, 315,000 restaurant meals, 19,000 portions of fish and chips, and 27,000 pizzas are anticipated, alongside substantial sales of tea and champagne.

We spend a year reflecting on previous Championships and looking at what more we could do differently for the future.

— Michelle DiteExplaining the planning process for the tournament.

Reflecting broader economic trends, prices have seen a modest rise. A punnet of strawberries now costs £2.85, a 15p increase from last year, and a glass of Pimm's is up by £1.20 to £13.45. The iconic strawberries continue to be sourced from Hugh Lowe Farms.

We want to make sure that anyone who comes that their experience is not short of outstanding.

— Michelle DiteStating the goal for attendee experience.

On the court, the tournament will see the return of 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams after a four-year break, while world number one Jannik Sinner defends the men's title. Organizers have also addressed player feedback by upgrading the electronic line-calling system, introducing visual indicators on scoreboards for "out" and "fault" calls to improve audibility. Efforts are also underway to enhance ticket resale productivity and fill empty seats.

We’ve learned a few lessons about volume and making sure players can hear the calls.

— Michelle DiteDiscussing improvements to the electronic line-calling system.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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