Stadium catering outsourced for a further ten years

[AbingtonAve]

Even if they sell no pies, NTFC will still make a profit as Centerpoint will still have to pay rent.

Still if you'd rather the Club spent money on food that they may not sell, sales, marketing and staffing for events rather than on the team just so you can have a nice pie at half time then you need to write to David Cardoza and suggest that.  Or maybe you could eat before going to the game?

Outsourcing is the best option, most clubs do this from West Ham to Brighton to Northampton. It's easy money with no effort for the Club.

While the fans (who are the life blood of the club) get served expensive crap!

I don't know why the Cardoza doesn't just out source the chairmanship himself. Could get a Pole in and then spend all day on the golf course.

The Pole would probably do a better job too 

[Tyler]

Couple of thoughts on this :-

A ten year deal is a very long one, and could go one of two ways.

Only at Northampton Town would outsourcing catering and making money because someone else cooks the pies be a 'smack in the face to loyal supporters'. One of the most ridiculous things I've ever read on various levels. How about you go stand outside DC's office proclaiming WE WANT OUR PIES BACK?

Mugs

[AbingtonAve]

Couple of thoughts on this :-

A ten year deal is a very long one, and could go one of two ways.

Only at Northampton Town would outsourcing catering and making money because someone else cooks the pies be a 'smack in the face to loyal supporters'. One of the most ridiculous things I've ever read on various levels. How about you go stand outside DC's office proclaiming WE WANT OUR PIES BACK?

Mugs

Agreed, smack in the face of supporters is o.t.t but it is another layer that erodes fans' identities with the club and their willingness to support it financially.
We've heard so many tales of potential sponsors willing to spend money at the club but giving up because of the poor service received, the fans that go to the ground and refuse to spend money on food, drink, merchandise etc because of the overpriced, bog standard products peddled.

Its no way to build a brand and its not particularly fair on loyal fans who god forbid actually need some decent sustenance on a cold day.

[lordjord]

This dosnt massively bother me, as I tend to eat at one of the fast food places before the game. However on the odd occasion I do eat at Sixfields I dont expect to pay £6.10 or whatever it is for a pie and drink!

[AbingtonAve]

This dosnt massively bother me, as I tend to eat at one of the fast food places before the game. However on the odd occasion I do eat at Sixfields I dont expect to pay £6.10 or whatever it is for a pie and drink!

If you got some decent food in the stadium and knew that the money was going straight back into the club would you not be more inclined to eat there?

Tyler's juvenile "mugs" comment was actually very telling of an unhealthy lack of solidarity that runs through English football. In Germany, ticket prices, transport for games  and food and drink are all reasonably priced because of an understanding that fans are the life blood of the game.

At certain grounds in England a price of a cup of tea is 25% of the cost of entry to a top flight bundesliga game.

[threeinabed]

just means the club can budget for a set income every month from the caterers.

rather than having to f*** about with doing everything else.

don't eat the food if you think it is s***, the club will still get the money from them in rent.

i am sure, as most people say over and over again DC is not a football man, but he is a business man, which means we must all think he will know what will make him the most cash, and the best way of doing it.

i think there is more to life than worrying about who is serving the s*** food and drink to us from a kiosk.

[j20cobbler]

I have never understood why the quality of catering can vary so much between clubs. It must be a fairly simple template to follow, at a fair price, better the food the more you will sell.
Kiddy used to get it right imo. What system did they employ. Outside caterers or in house?

[A view from the east]

This is the 21st century and NTFC is a business.
Does anybody really think that they have'nt looked at all the possibilities ?
The days of sentiment are long gone and if the club can make money from the real estate without
spending anything they will and good luck to them.
Take away food and drink is overpriced and crap wherever you buy it from and ours is no exception.
Who is to say it would be any different if it was brought in house ?

[j20cobbler]

This is the 21st century and NTFC is a business.
Does anybody really think that they have'nt looked at all the possibilities ?
The days of sentiment are long gone and if the club can make money from the real estate without
spending anything they will and good luck to them.
Take away food and drink is overpriced and crap wherever you buy it from and ours is no exception.
Who is to say it would be any different if it was brought in house ?

It needn't be crap though. I'm not gonna buy an overpriced inadequate pie. I'll eat beforehand or wait till I get out the ground. It's not like football is an all day affair. If the food were good and fairly priced, then knowing that, I would buy it. That's how it works isn't it?

[Zen Master]

Bring back Ansell. Vegetarian is the way

[St Edmundsbury Cobbler]

Have you seen the contract and compared it to an in-house model or is this all conjecture?

Of course I haven't seen the contract but through work know about outsourcing Catering and if this is a standard contract then NTFC will make more money outsourcing then they will doing it themselves.

As I said Centerpoint have the overheads of staffing, stock, training, advertising and would still have to pay rent and a % of income.  I couldn't care less what the quality of a £2.50 pie is, I'd rather money is spent on the football team than the waitressing team.

In house, if NTFC didn't sell all the food it gets thrown away, money lost
 If Centerpoint don't they can move it and sell it elsewhere.

Companies outsource security, transport, IT etc because its cheaper than doing it themselves, football clubs do the same with catering for the same reason.

[guest48]

Companies outsource security, transport, IT etc because its cheaper than doing it themselves, football clubs do the same with catering for the same reason.

Of course it can be cheaper than having it "in house" if your selling cr*p. Then again ,if you do the job properly "in house", sell good quality stuff at sensible prices you will sell a lot more and you get all the profits not just a percentage. Yes it would be a steep learning curve to start with on amounts to order , so as to minimise waste , but at the end of the day you'd soon get the amounts right and then its profit all the way. I think of the 4000 who visit Sixfields for every match , most would be much more likely to spend money knowing that you get a good product and all the profits go to NTFC .

[AbingtonAve]

Of course I haven't seen the contract but through work know about outsourcing Catering and if this is a standard contract then NTFC will make more money outsourcing then they will doing it themselves.

As I said Centerpoint have the overheads of staffing, stock, training, advertising and would still have to pay rent and a % of income.  I couldn't care less what the quality of a £2.50 pie is, I'd rather money is spent on the football team than the waitressing team.

In house, if NTFC didn't sell all the food it gets thrown away, money lost
 If Centerpoint don't they can move it and sell it elsewhere.

Companies outsource security, transport, IT etc because its cheaper than doing it themselves, football clubs do the same with catering for the same reason.

You're saying this like you have some sort of shared account with Mr Cardoza.

[AbingtonAve]

Of course it can be cheaper than having it "in house" if your selling cr*p. Then again ,if you do the job properly "in house", sell good quality stuff at sensible prices you will sell a lot more and you get all the profits not just a percentage. Yes it would be a steep learning curve to start with on amounts to order , so as to minimise waste , but at the end of the day you'd soon get the amounts right and then its profit all the way. I think of the 4000 who visit Sixfields for every match , most would be much more likely to spend money knowing that you get a good product and all the profits go to NTFC .

Would it be that much of a learning curve? Jeez We have a decent pie manufacturer in Wellingborough as tagged up by a previous poster and a bloody great brewery in the town centre. What do we get? ridiculously priced pap and three quarters of a pint of Tetley's for a stupid price.

Congratulations NTFC!

[Gibbo]

Is this thread real or have I slipped into an alternate reality ?

[guest48]

Would it be that much of a learning curve? Jeez We have a decent pie manufacturer in Wellingborough as tagged up by a previous poster and a bloody great brewery in the town centre. What do we get? ridiculously priced pap and three quarters of a pint of Tetley's for a stupid price.

Congratulations NTFC!

Can't see why you quote my post , I am basically agreeing with you ! The only thing I said is it would be a learning curve in the amounts to order which is very true.

[AbingtonAve]

Can't see why you quote my post , I am basically agreeing with you ! The only thing I said is it would be a learning curve in the amounts to order which is very true.

I was just replying to your point about it being a stiff learning curve. Of course your post makes absolute sense.

[AbingtonAve]

Is this thread real or have I slipped into an alternate reality ?

Both

[andycobbler]

Why are people discussing this. It's simple you don't want then don't buy, like me. if you want then buy and put up.

[sbedscobb]

As long as any new supporters with young families are made aware of the over priced and sub standard food and beverages on sale at the ground and encouraged to take in food from other sixfields outlets or home, then its not a problem.
They then are not being treated as a captive audience in which to fleece.

I hope we don't see a big step up in bag searches and confiscation's Olympic park style.