Payne & Gunter's Best BRITs Moments
Saturday 3rd of March saw Payne & Gunter deliver hospitality at the BRIT Awards for the twentieth consecutive year.
Selected in 2003 after a competitive tender process, they have continued to work alongside event organisers BPI (British Phonographic Industry) to develop the ceremony into the prestigious event it is today.
To mark this milestone, we asked a selection of Payne & Gunter personnel to tell us what their favourite memory is from their time working at the UK's most prestigious and renowned celebration of music.
BETHAN JAMES
MANAGING DIRECTOR
NUMBER OF BRITS: 20
A memory that comes immediately to mind is when I received the call from Maggie [Maggie Crow, BPI director of events & charities Maggie] that we had won the catering contract after an intense and competitive tender process. When the call came through, I was in Ireland at the time, managing an event on some windswept golf course. The mixture of relief, excitement and happiness got the better of me, and I welled up. Thinking of it now, the emotions still stir, and little did I know that twenty years later, I'd still be working alongside Maggie to deliver one of the most inspiring events we have the pleasure of delivering.
LUCY FULFORD
OPERATIONS MANAGER
NUMBER OF BRITS: 20
Adele. BRITs 2011. 'Someone Like You'. As she filled The O2 arena with that beautiful, soulful voice—at once powerful and fragile—you could sense the entire audience swell with exhilaration and pride. It was a moment not to be forgotten and sealed her status as an international star.
REBECCA DEWICK
SENIOR EVENTS MANAGER
NUMBER OF BRITS: 16
As someone partial to an old-fashioned musical. Hugh Jackman's opening performance of The Greatest Show at the 2019 ceremony would be my favourite. Not only was it a pleasure to see a performance that was a bit different, but what a performance it was, too! I vividly recall the stage being awash with colour and the auditorium soaked in light. From Hugh Jackman's staircase descent to the flame blowers and the choreography, it was a BRITs number like no other.
JAMES BUCKLEY
CULINARY LEAD
NUMBER OF BRITS: 10
I thrive on culinary creative challenges, so my favourite BRITs memory is the successful delivery of 2018's dessert. Inspired by Anish Kapoor's design of the BRITs trophy, we incorporated the notion of negative and positive form by devising a dish that emphasised geometrical shape, creating a clear distinction between the dessert's lines and surfaces with its surrounding space. Our semi-standing dessert was somewhat of a nightmare to deliver logistically, but I'm pleased to say not a single one was returned to the kitchen.
PRIYA BHAMRAH
SALES & ACCOUNT MANAGER
NUMBER OF BRITS: 1
This was my first year at the BRITs, and for me (being a woman of a certain age!), it was all about Kylie! The pint-sized Princess of Pop brought a rush of memories to the fore and capped off what was a fantastic night of tunes. It was also the culmination of an event set-up that took over a week, and having got to see the final preparations being made in the immediate run-up, I was struck by just how many people are needed to put a show like this together and how much precise planning is involved. It truly is a team effort, and the results were captivating – a night I'll never forget.
From tasty tunes to culinary creations that never miss a beat, Payne & Gunter's twenty-year relationship is a testament to their enduring commitment to culinary quality and impeccable delivery year after year. Here's to the next twenty!
EXPERIENCE THE PAYNE & GUNTER TOUCH
Payne & Gunter bring the same commitment, attention to detail and creative flair to every event they deliver. We'd love to hear from you if you'd like to experience the Payne & Gunter touch at your next conference, exhibition, or special event. You can browse our Payne & Gunter venues by clicking the button below. Find out how you can win tickets to the BRIT Awards 2025 by booking a Payne & Gunter venue this year.
