3rd Aug 2011 - 00:00
Abstract
Lindley Venue Catering – the specialist sports stadia catering division of the Lindley Group – and Gillingham FC have teamed up as part of a seven year, £21.3 million joint venture to expand both match day and non-match day hospitality catering sales at the club's Priestfield Stadium.
The partnership will see Lindley Venue Catering work with the npower League 2 Club to maximise potential sales revenue from the facilities at the only football league ground located in Kent.
From the start of the 2011-12 season, Lindley Venue Catering will take on responsibility for all of the catering services at the 11,440 capacity Priestfield Stadium which has undergone extensive re- development since the arrival of Chairman, Paul Scally in 1995.
It also provide sales and marketing support for the recently expanded in-house sales team at Gillingham FC, with the launch of a new dedicated Priestfield Conference and Banqueting website.
Banqueting facilities at the ground include the Great Hall which can accommodate 550 for a banquet or 700 seats theatre-style. The floor above includes the boardroom and six other hospitality suites, which each cater for between 30 and 100 covers. Gillingham FC chairman Paul Scally said: "We have contacts throughout the footballing world, and those using Lindley's services all spoke highly of them. We were well aware of their reputation for operating retail outlets at various sporting venues, and although that was important to us, we also wanted an operator who would help us capitalise on our superb conference and banqueting facilities."
Adam Elliott, chief executive officer of The Lindley Group, added: "Gillingham FC has invested heavily in the infrastructure and facilities at Priestfield, and the club has been single-minded in its ambition and commitment to equip the Stadium to the very highest standards expected of a top-flight football venue."
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