Former Great British Bake Off winner-turned-publican Candice Brown celebrated London Luton Airport’s (LLA) latest milestone today as she said ‘cheers to 85 years’ as London’s simplest, friendliest airport.

Candice, who owns The Green Man pub locally in Bedfordshire and was a former air stewardess for Monarch Airlines based at LLA, delighted passengers today by making a surprise appearance to toast the anniversary.

Known for her warm and friendly personality, Candice had the honour of pouring the first pint of specially brewed beer, ‘Lift Off 85*’, to mark the momentous occasion. Paying homage to the airport’s roots, Candice recreated the iconic shot of Lorraine Chase at the airport from 1979, completing her look with a replica boater hat and raising a glass of the specially brewed beer in place of the champagne from the original shot.

The exclusive beer has been crafted by The Big Smoke Brew Co and is only available to buy at the ‘Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen’ in the airport’s departure lounge.

To add an extra touch of sweetness to the celebration, the Bake Off winner created a stunning Victoria sponge birthday cake, designed to replicate the iconic features of the airport.

Measuring almost 30cm high, the three-tier Victoria Sponge birthday cake filled with apricot jam, fresh strawberries and vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream, featured LLA’s logo in fondant, a runway running across the cake and a plane on standby.

Candice Brown expressed her delight about the collaboration, saying, “I’m delighted to be invited to celebrate London Luton Airport’s milestone anniversary. Raising a glass of ‘Lift Off 85’ with passengers is a celebratory moment and a heartfelt gesture from the owner of one local establishment to another. It wouldn’t be a birthday without cake, and I hope I’ve captured the essence of the airport in every delicious bite. It’s been an honour to join the team for the celebrations and commemorate the airport's illustrious past while looking forward to an even brighter future. Cheers to 85 years of excellence and many more to come."

From its humble beginnings as a municipal aerodrome in 1938, LLA served as a base for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. After the war, the airport returned to commercial use and, by the 1960s, was playing a key role in the thriving package holiday business. Now established as one of the UK’s leading and busiest airports, LLA currently supports around 27,000 jobs and flies to over 140 destinations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Following continued investment in the terminal over recent years, passengers can now choose from over 50 exciting shops and restaurants across the airport, with more openings planned, along with a £20 million refurbishment of the airport’s security hall that will provide an enhanced passenger experience.

Clare Armstrong, Head of Guest Experience at London Luton Airport, added, "It was wonderful to welcome Candice to London Luton Airport as part of our 85th birthday celebrations, and her infectious enthusiasm mirrors our own pride in the airport’s continued achievements and our excitement for what lies ahead. Over the last 12 months alone, we have seen the airport receive a historic visit from The King, as well as the transformational launch of the DART shuttle service and Luton Airport Express. We have also seen the arrival of several exciting new shops and restaurants in the LLA terminal, adding to the airport's appeal. Our 85th birthday represents the latest milestone in the airport’s remarkable history and our unwavering commitment to delivering a simple, friendly passenger experience over the exciting years ahead.”

Passengers flying from London Luton Airport can raise a glass to the airport’s 85 years of remarkable achievements at the Big Smoke Taphouse & Kitchen in the airport’s departure lounge with the specially crafted birthday beer from Wednesday 19th July.

As part of the celebrations, the airport is also offering customers the opportunity to win incredible prizes, including a holiday worth up to £5,000.

Notes to Editors:

* Please note, this ‘Lift Off 85’ is a limited-edition product. The beer is made from two popular hops in pilsners, Herkules and Saaz, which impart a light bitterness and a peppery, herby aroma.

London Luton Airport (LLA) is one of the UK’s busiest airports, carrying over 13 million passengers in 2022.

The airport is operated by a consortium of which the majority shareholder is AENA, the world’s largest airport operator, and InfraBridge, a leading infrastructure investment manager. Airlines include easyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair, Tui, FlyOne, Sun Express and El Al.

The Luton Airport Express is a new dedicated train service launched by East Midlands Railway (EMR) that allows passengers to travel from central London to the LLA terminal in around 30 minutes. With fares starting from approximately £10, the Luton Airport Express runs from St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway station and connects seamlessly with the DART, a new automated, electrically powered people mover that connects to the LLA terminal in less than four minutes.

London Luton Airport is ranked as the best-performing company by GRESB, an internationally recognised sustainability framework that benchmarks environmental, social and governance (ESG) management and performance. LLA is ranked first among all participating assets, achieving a maximum score of 100 and a 5-star rating.

To learn about the progress London Luton Airport is making across its sustainability programme please click here: https://www.london-luton.co.uk/corporate/sustainability/reports-and-performance

Further information on London Luton Airport can be found here: https://www.london-luton.co.uk/

Contact Details:

Contact Details:

London Luton Airport Press Office 
T : 01582 395333
E: pressoffice@ltn.aero

London Luton Airport – PR agency:
E: LLA@tinmancomms.com 

URL: https://mediahub.london-luton.co.uk/news/19072023/cheers-to-85-years-at-london-luton-airport