Focusing on performance The AELTC operations director says a huge amount of work went into getting the Championships into the ERP , and that while it did not result in any financial support from Government the increased capacities meant the final pieces of the puzzle could fall into place .
In terms of entry requirements , it meant all ticketholders were required to show proof of Covid status upon entry , either in the form of double vaccination or a negative lateral flow test . Once seated , the wearing of masks was not required .
During the early stages of the Championships a 50 % ground capacity was permitted across the grounds . As the Championships progressed the peak attendance was 75 % of the ground ’ s capacity , which enabled AELTC to achieve full capacity in Centre Court for the Finals .
“ Wimbledon is a really trusted event , so it was vitally important that when people walked through our gates they felt comfortable .”
“ One of the upsides of the delayed capacity confirmation was it resulted in us having a slightly different audience demographic come to the Championships because people were able to go online and buy tickets shortly beforehand .”
Playing safe While there was no shortage of people wanting to attend the iconic tennis tournament this year , regulars aired concerns .
Says Dite , “ We had a reduced attendance among our members than usual , and we knew there would be concerns among all guests who had not been out of their houses to attend major events for many months .
“ Wimbledon is a really trusted event , so it was vitally important that when people walked through our gates they felt comfortable and if they didn ’ t they knew that they could go and speak to our guest services team and we would do whatever we could for them .”
While the focus was on making everything look normal for guests front of house , behind the scenes the team retained mask wearing and social distancing in workspaces in an effort to reduce exposure to the virus and enhance resilience
Another major focus for the event team was the creation of a minimised risk environment for the players and their close contacts .
Says Dite , “ Players are used to staying in local houses and having family and friends around them , having a great time in SW19 and the surrounding boroughs , but we decided early on to create a dedicated player hotel – the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge .
“ We made sure that it was a bit of a home for home , created a bigger gym space and worked very closely with the hotel on menus to make sure that everything was in line with performance requirements . We also provided all the transport , and so expanded our relationships with suppliers .”
The experienced events professional is naturally proud of the work achieved by the AELTC team but is also hugely appreciative of the support from Government , public health bodies , Merton Council and the many suppliers that helped make it such a success .
She says , “ We worked really hard with all the local authorities , and we can ’ t give enough credit to Merton particularly and their public health team who worked hand in glove with us right from the very start to make sure that not only was the Championships environment safe for all those that attended but the local community was considered and supported .
“ It was just really fantastic to see the industry come back online . It was obviously a vibrant experience for ticket holders , but also for those people from the event businesses . We are proud to have played a significant role in the event industry ’ s confidence and recovery .”
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