Bradford City take a ‘heavy hit’ as catering firm pulls out of deal (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Bradford City take a ‘heavy hit’ as catering firm pulls out of deal
8:00am Saturday 9th March 2013 in Sport
By Simon Parker, Bradford City Reporter
Dave Baldwin
City have lost a long-term contract worth over £200,000 a year after the collapse of their Valley Parade catering company.
Events Management Catering Ltd (EMC) went into administration ten days ago and pulled out of the deal on Wednesday.
The club will do the job in-house for this afternoon’s clash with Aldershot and the six remaining home games until the end of the season. They will then have to decide whether to put the contract back out to tender.
News of EMC’s demise came out of the blue. They had been City’s caterers for the past six years and the current contract was set to run until 2016.
Director of operations David Baldwin admitted: “Nobody saw this coming and the club have taken a heavy hit. But in order to minimise the impact to the fans, we have our own staff taking over. I’d ask that supporters bear with us and we will be evaluating the situation between now and the end of the season.
“To help soften the blow, we’d encourage fans to buy their food and drink as normal from the corporate areas. They can be assured that the money raised from that will go towards helping off-set the loss that the club have made.
“This does not affect the stadium concourse which will remain open as usual.”
Uxbridge-based EMC also provided food and refreshments for several football and rugby league clubs around Yorkshire, including Hull City and Hull FC at the KC Stadium, St Helens, Doncaster and Halifax. The company have been going for 30 years.
Comments(19)
tyker2
says...
9:32am Sat 9 Mar 13
Freddy
says...
9:34am Sat 9 Mar 13
I may be alone with this comment. The catering at VP was abysmal. The prices of the foods on offer, were expensive, to say the least.The queues both before the match, and during the half time periods, were again slow,and caused by lack of staff,and general inefficiency.The foods on offer, were cause for concern, and added to the problematical service.
*
How I wished for 'City' to return to operating catering at VP. Where Supporters would be secure, in the knowledge that 'The Profit' would be totally benefiting The Club.
*
I accept the reasons for Mr. Baldwin & Co., to franchise the catering facility to an outside organisation. Passing the 'Buck'-- to alleviate any catering anomalies, and complaints levied at The Club, from Supporters.
*
But it was poor to say the least. Do we have people that could do the job, and be Supporters of The Club?.
*
That is what is needed. City Supporters--and Co. ! To streamline the whole match day catering operation.To produce an effective efficient operation--that is totally beneficial to The Clubs Income.
*
Rambo
says...
10:28am Sat 9 Mar 13
Nope, many agree. Its been like that for years now and I'm glad they have to find another supplier as like you say, the food was awful and overpriced; seemingly what anyone could buy at a wholesalers and charge whatever they wanted for it.
I bought a pint last week at city. Apart from the odd packet of crisps thats the first thing I've bought in 4 years.
I sit in the Bantams bar but used to sit in the Kop until a few years ago - big complaint then was there was no machine that could pull 4/6/8 pints like at other grounds. I assume they still haven't got them?
undercliffebantam
says...
11:23am Sat 9 Mar 13
Rambo wrote:You must drink some rubbish if your happy to drink from a machine that could pull 4/6/8 pints like at other grounds. Either that or you don't drink.
Freddy-
Nope, many agree. Its been like that for years now and I'm glad they have to find another supplier as like you say, the food was awful and overpriced; seemingly what anyone could buy at a wholesalers and charge whatever they wanted for it.
I bought a pint last week at city. Apart from the odd packet of crisps thats the first thing I've bought in 4 years.
I sit in the Bantams bar but used to sit in the Kop until a few years ago - big complaint then was there was no machine that could pull 4/6/8 pints like at other grounds. I assume they still haven't got them?
Rambo
says...
11:41am Sat 9 Mar 13
You know what youre getting in a football ground. If you want real ales and people who know how to hand pull pints properly youre in the wrong place, as much as id like to see it. If it bothers you, put it forward to david baldwin.
Like i said i sit in the Bantams Bar where there is a bit more choice, but dont see anyone offering anything other than the usual Carlsberg, Tetleys etc anytime soon.
pockman
says...
12:18pm Sat 9 Mar 13
simplythepest
says...
12:23pm Sat 9 Mar 13
bantam59
says...
12:51pm Sat 9 Mar 13
call in Tesco up road now for food n 4get the pint like many others do
Birky_Neil
says...
1:02pm Sat 9 Mar 13
Freddy wrote:No wonder they gone bust.
*
I may be alone with this comment. The catering at VP was abysmal. The prices of the foods on offer, were expensive, to say the least.The queues both before the match, and during the half time periods, were again slow,and caused by lack of staff,and general inefficiency.The foods on offer, were cause for concern, and added to the problematical service.
*
How I wished for 'City' to return to operating catering at VP. Where Supporters would be secure, in the knowledge that 'The Profit' would be totally benefiting The Club.
*
I accept the reasons for Mr. Baldwin & Co., to franchise the catering facility to an outside organisation. Passing the 'Buck'-- to alleviate any catering anomalies, and complaints levied at The Club, from Supporters.
*
But it was poor to say the least. Do we have people that could do the job, and be Supporters of The Club?.
*
That is what is needed. City Supporters--and Co. ! To streamline the whole match day catering operation.To produce an effective efficient operation--that is totally beneficial to The Clubs Income.
*
I remember years ago my mates mum did all the pies which were the best!
Since they took over the service was crap, also was the food and the prices where stupid!
webess
says...
7:04pm Sat 9 Mar 13
As the saying goes, if you want a job doing well, do it yourself..
collos25
says...
9:33pm Sat 9 Mar 13
Rambo
says...
2:00am Sun 10 Mar 13
collos25 wrote:Its called maximising profit. Its what businesses do.
I thought Bradford City was a football club not a catering outlet.
Scargutt2
says...
11:40am Sun 10 Mar 13
smitd
says...
8:18pm Sun 10 Mar 13
Scargutt2
says...
8:39am Mon 11 Mar 13
smitd wrote:My preference would be to change the structure of how they operate so no sole supplier would pay up £200k per year.
Brilliant idea Scargutt2 which local brewery, crisp factory or curry house do you suggest might like to part with over 200 grand a year for the priviledge
Instead, City would run all catering in-house and source their own preferred suppliers for different products. Salamander and Saltaire could both bottle their beers in plastic bottles so you could get nice beer quickly, seabrook provide crisps etc. As someone said above the contract is worth about £1 per attendee per game. I'm sure they could recoup more than that over the course of the season - and drop the prices slightly.
This method cuts out the middle man (ie. the catering company) meaning there is one less component in the supply chain which needs to make a profit. By employing staff directly i'm sure we'd also see an improvement in customer service as well. The only downside is someone would need to manage it and in a club which has 'streamlined' its structure so much in recent years I imagine there's few candidates with the ability and none with the time so an additional catering manager would need to be employed.
Scargutt2
says...
8:52am Mon 11 Mar 13
I will make an offer to provide background checks free of charge on any potential suppliers/contractor
s for the club in future and hopefully something like this won't happen again.
irish bantam
says...
1:17pm Mon 11 Mar 13
Prisoner Cell Block A
says...
1:06pm Wed 13 Mar 13
Scargutt2 wrote:I like every idea you have put forward mate; it may be unworkable in today's climate and with the club not 'being trusted' by many local businesses due to historic collapse.
I'm in no way being critical of the club when I say this, but they have obviously been lead to believe this company had been in business 30 years. Yet, the company was only incorporated in 2005 and appears to have been bought by an Australian company called SPotless in 2010.
I will make an offer to provide background checks free of charge on any potential suppliers/contractor
s for the club in future and hopefully something like this won't happen again.
The Australian company, S Potless, How apt ;)
Local beer, locally bought food, even if not locally sourced, and local people working the outlets. Someone somewhere should be able to make this work, improve the quality of food on offer and the variety and also the cost.
The caterers who have just gone bust were charging ridiculous prices for every item. A captive audience is not going to starve over 90 minutes so need enticement to visit and return, not visit once, feel cheated then bring a flask and a bar of chocolate.
radiobantam1 says...
9:10am Sat 9 Mar 13