Rapid Retail at Brit Oval

Rapid Retail, the Cheltenham-based business that designs, fabricates, fits and supplies high quality retail units, has unveiled its new shops at one of the world’s most famous sporting venues.

Surrey and England cricket supporters are now able to shop, as well as spectate, in comfort when they go to matches at the Brit Oval.

The two retail units were installed in time for Surrey’s Twenty 20 matches which, apart from internationals, attract the biggest crowds of the season. The Head of Retail at the Brit Oval believes Rapid Retail made a major contribution in increasing sales by more than 10% compared to 2006, in spite of decidedly un-cricketing weather.

The eye-catching shops are the brainchild of Nick Daffern, who has worked in events marketing for more than 20 years. He said: “People pay a lot of money for tickets and rightly expect a complete experience – that includes a good seat, somewhere decent to buy food and drink, and a shop where you can properly see what to buy, that replicates a proper high street store. Even now too many venues try to sell replica shirts, souvenirs and programmes from the back of a truck, on a trestle table or in a tent. It does not make sense from a retailing point of view or from a potential customer’s.”

Rapid Retail specially designs its shops to reinforce the brand of the venue. At the Brit Oval, for example, the outlets are decorated with the ground’s logo and images of cricketers. There is even a giant cricket ball on top. Rapid Retail shops are also found at Manchester City’s ground, painted in the club’s famous blue. Rapid Retail has already featured at the new Wembley and is in advanced talks with some of the best-known names in British sport.

As well as design and supply Rapid Retail also takes responsibility for recruiting and training staff and managing the shop on behalf of the venue. In addition to its shops, the firm provides kiosks from which to sell programmes and a marketing retail design service which allows some of the world’s top retailers to make maximum impact at one-off events or in a series of roadshows. The defining factors for Rapid Retail products are their innovative design and strong branding.

Curious customers, attending Surrey’s Twenty 20 match against Kent, made it a busy afternoon for Rapid Retail staff at the Brit Oval. The ground’s Head of Retail Drew Mullin said: “At the end of the 2006 season, The Brit Oval undertook to find new Mobile Retail Merchandising Units that would offer the visitor to The Brit Oval, the opportunity to purchase goods in a modern and welcoming environment. We selected Rapid Retail because the firm understood the complexities of managing high volume crowds in a short period of time. It is essential that the units can maximise revenue and ensure that the ambience of this facility blends with the arena and mirror image customer expectations of high street retailing.”

Mr Mullin added: “Through Rapid Retail we have maximised the space available around The Brit Oval arena, offering customers in all locations the opportunity to purchase Official Cricket Merchandise more conveniently. Success is measured by performance and we have seen a double digit sales growth from retail sales in our 2007 Twenty 20 campaign.”

Nick Daffern said: “Our shops are easy to install, look great and really reinforce the stadium’s brand. I am sure it is a pleasant change for spectators. I am delighted with our success at the Brit Oval and believe our shops will become a familiar sight at grounds up and down the country.”