16.03.09 - THE GRAND NATIONAL, RACING AT AINTREE

Jockey Club Racecourses sign landmark catering deal with Compass Group UK & Ireland

Jockey Club Racecourses are delighted to announce that Compass UK & Ireland will be its partner in a catering deal worth a projected £500 million in revenue over a ten year period.

Jockey Club Racecourses stage many of the key events in the British sporting calendar, including the Cheltenham Festival, the Aintree Grand National meeting and the Derby at Epsom. The group stages 350 fixtures a year, drawing crowds in excess of 1.8m, as well as hosting thousands of events on non race days at its 14 courses spread across the country.

Before the announcement of the landmark deal, Compass catered at Aintree, Cheltenham, Newmarket and Warwick, but following today’s announcement they will also take the reins at Carlisle, Epsom Downs, Exeter, Haydock Park, Huntingdon, Kempton Park, Market Rasen, Nottingham,  Sandown Park and Wincanton.

Simon Bazalgette, Chief Executive of the Jockey Club and Chairman of Jockey Club Racecourses, said: “We are very excited at the prospect of working in partnership with Compass UK & Ireland. This ten year deal represents a fantastic opportunity for both parties to invest in the future and to provide improved standards of service across all aspects of our catering output, which will be appreciated by all of our customers.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of a long term strategic objective of Jockey Club Racecourses to bring together the assets we hold within the group so that we may optimise their leverage in negotiating an improved catering deal. In order to do so we needed to bring our various existing contracts to a co-terminus conclusion before embarking on what, unsurprisingly, was a very competitive tender process.

“One of the group’s great strengths is its diversity and we have been careful to ensure all of our courses, both the larger and smaller ones, retain their individuality. Indeed, built into the deal is a commitment from Compass Group UK & Ireland to work with regional suppliers, support local produce and continue to serve the dishes that are unique to the respective courses.”

Compass Sports and Leisure is the market leader in the UK in this field, and provides innovative and flexible solution to clients, and has a rich heritage in providing catering at racecourses.

Matthew Thompson, Managing Director of Compass Group UK & Ireland’s Sports and Leisure business said: “We are delighted by today’s announcement which demonstrates our ability to deliver national innovative solutions in the sporting arena and be a trusted partner in our clients’ business. This is a great and prestigious win for the team, and an important move for both us and Jockey Club Racecourses.”

The ten year deal gets underway across the group on 1st July 2009. It will be subject to review at various stages and as part of the contract both parties have undertaken to meet a range of targets. Lord Daresbury, Chairman of Aintree Racecourse, will chair the board with representatives from both partners tasked with the role of monitoring progress.

Lord Daresbury said: “I am delighted to have been asked to chair the Jockey Club Catering Board, which is the key driving force of this partnership with Compass Group UK & Ireland.  Catering plays a central part in all the activities – raceday and non-raceday – which take place at our racecourses and I look forward to overseeing the improvements in standards of service and quality, together with ensuring ongoing innovation in the product so as to constantly upgrade our competitive position.

“Our objective is to create Jockey Club Catering as the quality flagship against which all outdoor events and sports catering is measured.”

Andrew Gould, the Jockey Club’s Finance and Commercial Director, led the negotiations on behalf of Jockey Club Racecourses, he added: “There are many benefits to entering into our partnership with Compass Group UK & Ireland, above and beyond the commercial incentives to work together for improved results. The deal enables us to invest in upgrading catering facilities across the group, including a greater focus on public catering as well as hospitality areas.

“The alignment of our commercial interests with Compass, through the partnership arrangement, will facilitate much greater operational and financial efficiencies. It will also undoubtedly be to the advantage of our courses and our customers that we will be working with a dedicated catering team.”

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