Compass nets £34m contract with Sheffield United

Compass Group has scored new business with a £34m contract at the home of Championship football team Sheffield United.

The ten-year deal to provide catering and hospitality at Bramall Lane Stadium represents brand new business because the services were previously in-house.

Compass will operate the match day catering and hospitality through the 16 retail outlets, 31 corporate boxes and three suites at the world’s oldest professional football ground, which has been in use since 1855.

In addition, Compass will provide sales, marketing, catering and hospitality for non-match day conferences and events held at the stadium and the on-site hotel.

Matthew Thompson, Compass managing director for sport, leisure and hospitality, said: “We know that fans and visitors to Bramall Lane are there for the football but food and drink is an increasingly important contributor to the day’s experience.

“It is for this reason that we will be looking to introduce new technologies and innovations, such as fast pour, to enable visitors to be served more quickly and efficiently and to cut down queuing time.”

He added that Compass will also be looking to promote Bramall Lane as a non-match day events venue.

As a result of the new contract, Bramall Lane will be included in Lime Venue Portfolio’s collection of meetings and events venues - a selection of flexible spaces available for hire.

Simon Argall, Sheffield United FC operations director, said, “We were impressed by the sales processes that Compass had to offer us, as we felt that we had exhausted the local and regional markets and wanted to get more national business, which through Lime Venues they seem positioned to get.”

Compass scores £60m contract with Chelsea FC >>

Compass scoops £50m contract with the Rose Bowl cricket stadium >>

Compass nails £100m, 15-year contract with Welsh Rugby Union >>


By Janie Stamford

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