New Matchday Kiosk Catering team joins the Club
Managed and run by Ben Boothman whose reputation in the industry goes before him in Rochdale, his business, Lancashire Hospitality (click here for more information) is not only is responsible for the Flying Horse Pub and Hotel, which is featured in our friend’s section, but also The Baum, Indian restaurant Bombay Brew, Crown and Shuttle, and the Red Lion in Whitworth. “Lancashire Hospitality is most definitely a local company, staffed by local people, fronted by the Rochdale businessman of the year and supported by some of the finest catering minds in the industry said Ben with a wry smile, “being local gives us a better understanding on what our customers want and it’s essential that we always tap into that understanding”
With exciting times hopefully to come on the pitch; a new manager and players, a nearly new and fan supportive board, and now, a “NEW FOOD AND BEVERAGE SUPPLIER” for the food and catering kiosks at the ground things seem on the up again at the Dale.
It’s been well known that the Trust has been involved over the years dealing with complaints and the general dissatisfaction with the whole matchday kiosk catering experience at the ground, often banging our heads against the wall in trying to get improvements. If the quality of the coffee at the last home game, whenever that was, taught us anything ithen we were fighting a losing battle, and the club always seemed to have excuses.
For now we can only applaud the club, the new board, and director Tony Pockney for bringing into the ground a catering pedigree in Ben Boothman and his team. Lancashire Hospitality already provide all the corporate hospitality catering for Dale’s home games and are used by the Trust when hospitality is required at our events.
Lancashire hospitality now have the catering responsibilities for the five fans food outlets around the ground
A supporter of the Dale even though he was an egg chaser, a Dale Trust member, and importantly a person who works and lives in our community, Ben is keen to make sure that he and his team are accessible to fans whenever needed and contact information is supplied below.
For this new venture at the Dale, Ben is supported by his business development manager Tom McNeeley also who by a happy coincidence is also a qualified chef.
Above Tom McNeeley and Ben Boothman at the ground preparing for the big day
How is this change going to improve the fan’s matchday experience? In recent times many fans shunned the kiosks due to the poor quality and choice and we asked Ben and Tom to comment.
“Well the first thing you need to remember,” said Ben “is that we only have a small window of time to provide for fans before and at half time. To extend menus from traditional fayre may not be totally possible, but what we can do is ensure that what we offer is quality, both quality of service but more importantly quality of the products”.
Ben states that as well as traditional snacks and soft drinks pies will feature as one of the main areas of improvement, We know that the backbone of any match day food is a good pie, get it right, make sure it’s warm, don’t sell out before half time, Simple really, it’s our ethos to source locally produced sustainable and fresh product and a local business, The Northern Pie Company, based in Milnrow were able to meet our requirements
“Yes, it really is one of our pies which we are bringing to you the fans,” said Ben
As an aside Tom also said “all of our local pub business’s, including The Baum, Crown and Shuttle and the Red Lion in Whitworth, are supplied by the Northern Pie Company (The Trust will be featuring the company as one of its “Friends” on its web site in the future.) so there is a good chance that many fans will have sampled them already”
From proper meat & potato (yes with real chunks of meat) chicken balti with an actual kick and the best cheese pie we’ve ever had in a foil tin, we’ve picked a front line that can’t fail to please!” “ Oh and” said Ben with a grin “Following our successful trial from our catering contract with Rochdale Hornets, we’ve discovered local supporters love a kebab, so that’s what they’re getting. In all of the kiosks, we’re saying goodbye to microwave hotdogs, rubber burgers, and hello to tandoori kebabs to go.
For more information on the menu, prices and additional details from the club click HERE to go to the club’s website
Our final question to Ben and Tom was about feedback, as a Trust we are more than aware our fans are quick to criticise, rightly so in recent times but also to ask questions on what’s happening, to offer suggestions, and the like.
Lancashire Hospitality have set ourselves a six-week initial period to evaluate the kiosk process, to see how it is going and to offer fans a chance to feedback to us on their thoughts and any suggestions and criticism. It will be essential that the fan base share with us their experience.
You can contact Ben or Tom at Lancashire Hospitality at
Or alternatively through the Trust at
questions@daletrust.co.uk where we will pass on and feedback any questions you have and the responses when received.
After so long without football and with a kiosk history which has often disappointed it’s time to applaud the club for taking the opportunity to bring Ben and his team on board. The proof is in the pudding, give it a go and let us know what you think!
Feed back (no pun intended) to us at the Trust on your experience to questions@daletrust.co.uk