While athletes may have to compete with the best of the best to earn a trip to London, attendees at the 2012 Olympic Trials only have to walk from the stands at Hayward Field to the London Pub across the street.
With a double-decker bus parked out front, a red, British phone booth near its entrance and posters from various parts of England adorning the walls, the London Pub is designed to bring a little taste of the Olympics’ host city to the Trials.
“This is the first year for something like this,” Shannon Byers said. Byers works for J & M Catering,@@http://www.linkedin.com/pub/shannon-byers/13/996/991@@ which is providing the food and beverages offered in the pub.
“They love the concept in here,” she said of those came in. They’ve also loved the food.
While there were a number of concessions stands in 2008, she said, there wasn’t any sort of restaurant-style establishment. The comfortable, covered seating area proved popular Friday afternoon as the rain drove spectators to cover. There is an outdoor patio for when the weather improves.
“We tried to find a place out of the rain,” Ben Temple@@can’t find anything@@ said. His three children bought their lunch from a hot dog stand, while he and his father, Bill Temple, enjoyed a beer and some fish and chips — the latter of which were a big hit with several other patrons as well.
“Just like I had in London last time I was there,” Jim Hendrickson@@same@@ said as he enjoyed a plate.
The menu also features Angus beef hamburgers, traditional bangers and mash with caramelized onions and mustard gravy as well as an English-inspired club sandwich.
In this pub, however, expected English beers have been replaced with local offerings from Bend’s Deschutes Brewery, wine from Duck Pond as well as selection of spirits.
Byers is planning on serving quite a bit of beer, wine, fish and other offerings during the Trials. She has 16 employees who will be working “all the time” to keep the crowds fed.
“We plan on serving thousands of people,” she said.