EBar Beerwall® at The Den, home of Millwall FC
How Beerwall transformed an underutilised space at The Den into a high performance bar
Looking to speed up the process by which their fans could grab a pre-match or halftime pint, Millwall FC and their catering partners Sodexo Live! turned to EBar for an effective and permanent solution.
Having previously hired in our Mobile EBar solution on a number of occasions, the Lions were already well aware of the benefits of EBar’s rapid Order > Pay > Pour system, and confident in the quality of pints delivered consistently by our patented Pressure Pour technology.
Having seen how mobile EBars enhanced their bar performance and elevated the fan experience, Millwall FC and Sodexo Live! were ready in October 2023 to commit to a permanent installation of EBar units, built into the fabric of the stadium itself – our newly available Beerwall solution.
Millwall would be not only the first deployment of EBar’s Beerwall, but in fact the first permanent fully automated beer dispensing system anywhere in the world.
Client
Millwall Football Club/Sodexo Live!
Location
The Den Stadium, London, UK
When
Launched October 2023
Outcomes
- Built on success of mobile EBars
- Fans served quicker, club nominated for awards
Client’s Problem
The Den is home to Millwall Football Club and their famously passionate and loyal supporters – plenty of whom like to enjoy pre-match pints and maybe one at half time too.
Getting served quickly enough to make it back for the second half wasn’t always easy though, particularly at the busiest matches – leaving Lions fans either waiting in long queues for the manned bars or giving up on a pint altogether. From the club’s point of view, that translates to frustrated customers and loss of potential income. A solution was needed.
That’s when Millwall’s catering partner Sodexo Live! introduced the club to EBar and our mobile units – and very quickly the Lions saw the benefit of this high-speed, high-efficiency, high-quality pint-pouring solution which, with a 3 unit setup, was delivering around 750 pints per match with only one staff member required to supervise and assist.
The success of hiring these mobile EBars was enough to convince the club to take the next step – and in 2023 Millwall became the first venue in the world to order and install a permanent, fully integrated, fully automated Beerwall.
EBar’s Solution
In consultation with the club and Sodexo Live!, EBar’s team identified a disused kiosk in the concourse of the Dockers Lower stand as a candidate location for conversion into a permanent Beerwall, owned and operated by Millwall FC.
The dual-unit Beerwall was installed in just two days, with the help of technicians from Shepherd Neame and made its debut at The Den in October 2023, pouring delicious cold pints of Hürlimann Lager at rates of up to 600 pints per hour.
“Our Beerwall® is a true world-first, driven by our mission to create a truly frictionless bar service solution for venues and to transform the event experience for their customers”
Nick Beeson, EBar Managing Director
Outcomes
The installation of an EBar Beerwall was very well received by Lions fans who, already familiar with the tech from the club’s days of hiring in mobile EBars, took to the new permanent version with enthusiasm. Getting their matchday pints had become a lot easier, and the custom branding specified by Millwall FC gave the whole thing an official and professional feel that fit perfectly with their club’s brand values.
And it wasn’t just the fans who took notice of Millwall’s groundbreaking new catering offer – within a few months of installation, Millwall’s Beerwall had been nominated for two important industry awards:
- Product Innovation Award at TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2024
- Concourse Activation Award at TheStadiumBusiness Design & Development Awards 2024
And though neither occasion proved award-winning, it was nonetheless a huge compliment and vindication of the EBar technology to have been nominated alongside major players in the world of international sports hospitality, including the home stadiums of the New Orleans Saints (NFL), the LA Kings (NHL) and LA Lakers (NBA), and the Gaelic Athletic Association’s Croke Park.
“Sodexo Live! is the global leader in the live industry, for good reason. We serve tens of thousands of customers each week and are always looking at pioneering ways to do things differently to benefit our guests and our venue partners.
“The launch of these fixed EBar Beerwalls is a world first for our partners Millwall FC and an exciting new innovation to add to our service portfolio.”
Rebecca Kane Burton
CEO, Sodexo Live! UK & Ireland
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