Contract Catering Awards

Located in the west of the nation’s capital, Scottish Gas Murrayfield is the largest stadium in the country boasting a capacity of over 67,000. As any sports fan no doubt knows, it is the nation’s home of rugby union – though work has been undertaken recently to extend its scope beyond sport.

The person responsible for overseeing this transformation is Natalaigh Taylor, who is head of marketing for Elior UK at the iconic venue, which employs over 600 staff on major event days. Responsible for transforming its sales and marketing strategy, the key project that led to her winning a Contract Catering Award was her work on creating and launching The Murrayfield Experience.

“It is a fresh, versatile brand that truly reflects the stadium’s prestige, while also unlocking new commercial opportunities,” she explains. “I led the project from concept to completion – setting clear strategic objectives, commissioning a branding agency and managing the full creative process through to launch.”

Her nomination specifically recognised Taylor’s leadership in delivering The Murrayfield Experience brand. This involved repositioning the venue from a purely sports-associated identity to one that embraces conferences, events, hospitality and tourism.

“It was about creating a strong, standalone brand that complements the stadium’s master brand while communicating directly to diverse audiences.,” she says “The work spanned stakeholder workshops, brand values development and refining the customer journey.”

This is clearly a huge task, but what does Taylor think gave her the edge when it came to our awards? “I believe I won because the project didn’t just refresh our look, it fundamentally changed how we market ourselves and engage customers. Murrayfield is one of Scotland’s most recognisable venues, and we’ve enhanced its status as a global destination and developed new revenue streams. Strong branding is a business driver that shapes perception, builds trust and directly impacts sales.”

These are all elements that always play well with our judges, though Taylor is modest enough that she still didn’t expect to win on the bug night. “I really didn’t!  I knew the project was ambitious, and had been well-received internally and by the client, but I was up against some fantastic competition. When my name was called, there was a moment of disbelief followed by a huge sense of pride.”

Of thhttps://contractcateringmagazine.co.uk/story.php?s=2025-03-04-compass-claims-seven-contract-catering-awardse event itself, she continues: “It was a wonderful celebration of talent and achievement. It’s rare to have the chance to step back, connect with peers from across the industry, and share stories of innovation and creativity. There was a wonderful atmosphere, and it was so great to see so many industry colleagues come together to celebrate success.”

However, the benefits of Elior’s victory didn’t begin and end then. Taylor says that they are still being felt in a number of ways, having helped to elevate the visibility of The Murrayfield Experience brand.

“Internally, it has given our team a huge morale boost and reinforced the value of investing in bold, strategic marketing,” she concludes. “Externally, it has sparked new interest from potential clients.

“Personally, it has deepened my confidence to push boundaries and champion ideas that ultimately deliver real impact. Winning has been both a milestone and a motivator for what’s next.”

You may also be interested in…