British Airways ARC entertainment and music venue in London taps Boxbar Tech self-serve bars
British Airways ARC, an entertainment and music venue, recently opened its doors at London Olympia. Opening performances include Self Esteem and McFly, followed by Van Morrison, Khalid and The Black Keys later this year.
The 3,800-capacity venue forms part of a £1.3 billion transformation of Olympia.
Hamish Mcvey, Director of Marketing at British Airways, said: “British Airways ARC represents an exciting new chapter in our partnership with Olympia and AEG, and a step forward in how we connect our customers with unforgettable experiences, both in the air and on the ground. We’re proud to be a founding partner of a destination that celebrates British creativity and world class entertainment, and we can’t wait for our customers and Club members to step inside, take their seats and experience it for themselves.”
Boxbar Tech has been announced as the self-serve bar partner at the venue. In a LinkedIn post, the company said: “It has been a real privilege to work alongside AEG Presents UK and the wider project team on such an exciting development. The venue welcomed its first public events last week and the atmosphere was incredible. The permanent Boxbar Tech TapWall installation is located on the ground floor, just off the gig floor and within view of the stage. Fans can grab a drink in seconds and get straight back to the action without missing a moment.”
It concluded: “The energy throughout opening week was something special and we can’t wait to see the venue flourish in the months and years ahead.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Self-service technology will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
