Compass Group UK & Ireland has rugby fever

10 December 2009

Compass Group UK & Ireland has announced two new catering contracts at Twickenham Rugby Stadium, the home of England rugby, strengthening a relationship which began more than 20 years ago.

Eurest Services, Compass’ business and industry division, has signed a three year contract with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) to provide catering to the 250 staff from January 2010. Meanwhile Restaurant Associates, Compass’ executive dining business, has extended its contract with Virgin Active and now provides catering in a gym located in the Stadium’s new South Stand development. The gym overlooking the grounds is Restaurant Associates’ fifteenth site with Virgin Active.
Paul Vaughan, Business Operations Director, Rugby Football Union, said, “It is great to see that Compass, a major partner of the Rugby Football Union, has extended its relationship at Twickenham through two very different brands, servicing RFU staff through Eurest Services and catering in the new Virgin Active Classic health club restaurant through Restaurant Associates. The quality of the food and beverage offering provided by Compass throughout the stadium’s outlets is consistently high and provides a diverse service on match days as well as at the wide range of conferences and events held at Twickenham Rugby Stadium throughout the year.”
Compass, through its Sport, Leisure and Hospitality business, has been part of a joint venture with the RFU and Hamsard since 2000. The joint venture has seen Compass provide catering 365 days a year, provide sales and marketing for match day corporate hospitality and the sales and operations, including conference and banqueting, for non match day events.
The awarding of these two new contracts, amounting to £350,000 of annual revenue, follows the announcement earlier in the year that Compass’ Sport, Leisure and Hospitality business has a new multi-million pound 15 year deal with Millennium Stadium, extending the partnership until 2024.