Compass Group unveils new joint venture with Warwickshire County Cricket Club

21st March 2011, 10:16am

Compass Group UK and Ireland's sport, leisure and hospitality business has announced a new joint venture with Warwickshire County Cricket Club in a 12 year deal worth up to £10 million.

The venture, which will trade as Edgbaston Experience Ltd, will see Compass provide all retail and hospitality food service for Edgbaston's match-day and conference and banqueting business which currently attracts up to 200,000 visitors per year.

This new venture will also be responsible for the selling of match-day corporate hospitality through Compass' Keith Prowse business as well as selling and marketing the conference and banqueting facilities.

This deal forms part of the £32million redevelopment of the Edgbaston stadium, which together with enhancing the cricketing, spectator and media facilities, will provide the Club with "some of the best banqueting, conference and event facilities in the region".

The development is expected to be completed in July, in advance of the 3rd npower Test Match between England and India, which starts on Wednesday 10 August 2011.

Neil MacLaurin, sales director – sport, leisure and hospitality at Compass Group UK and Ireland, said: "We are delighted to enter into partnership with Warwickshire at this very exciting period in its history. 

"We operate similar successful partnerships at iconic sporting venues including as The Kia Oval and Twickenham Stadium and are pleased to add Edgbaston to this portfolio. We look forward to working in partnership with Warwickshire to drive consistent quality at a wonderful venue."

Craig Flindall, finance director at Warwickshire Cricket Club, added: "This is another important and progressive development for the Club which will help us deliver a first class customer experience to our visitors on both cricket days and for conferences and banqueting events.  The willingness of a FTSE 100 company like Compass to invest in Edgbaston demonstrates the strength of our proposition both now and more importantly going forward."

Related Articles:

• 11 Mar 2011 - Compass Group secures contracts to offer retail to hospitals
• 20 Jul 2010 - Compass staff cuts affect 'relatively small number'
• 19 Nov 2009 - Compass backs junior chefs' academy
• 13 Jul 2009 - Compass Group to cater for Leaders in Football
• 15 Jun 2009 - Compass Group wins Stadium Experience Award
• 13 May 2009 - Compass reports pre-tax profits up 38%
• 27 Apr 2009 - New business director joins Compass Group
• 07 Apr 2009 - Compass Group achieves four RoSPA accolades
• 07 Apr 2009 - Compass wins contract for new Cardiff City Stadium
• 13 Feb 2009 - Compass launch first Irish junior chefs' academy
• 05 Aug 2008 - Compass defiant as 'scapegoat' chef runs to GMB
• 15 May 2008 - Compass rides out food inflation worries
• 22 Apr 2008 - Compass Group chef wins Roux Scholarship
• 08 Feb 2008 - Compass Group struggles with cost of food inflation
• 22 Jan 2008 - Compass scoops several Springboard awards
• 29 Nov 2007 - Compass reports profits up at £515m
• 10 Aug 2007 - Compass UK rings management changes

Click here to submit a comment!

Have your say!

To comment on this article, simply enter your name and email and send us your views. Please note that your comment will appear publicly below this article once it has been processed. For enquiries please email info@costsectorcatering.co.uk.