Gather & Gather extends contract with Charlton Athletic

Gather and Gather, part of catering and hospitality company CH&CO, has extended its partnership with Charlton Athletic Football club as the exclusive caterer for The Valley stadium and Sparrows Lane training ground with a new five-year deal.

Gather and Gather’s specialist stadia team will continue to provide all hospitality and retail catering at The Valley on matchdays, as well as selling conferences and events on non-match days, including meetings, exhibitions, private events, weddings and parties.

The team will also continue to cater for the men’s and women’s first teams, the club’s Under 23s and Under 18s at Charlton’s refurbished Sparrows Lane training ground.

The catering company added it will “invest a significant amount of money” into supporting the club in continuing to improve the matchday catering experience at The Valley.

Visitors and fans to The Valley can expect to see new menus across the stadium featuring more plant-based options, as well as a new VIP restaurant experience. 

Customers of the Upbeats Kitchen in the West Stand, which is part of the Upbeats programme run by the Charlton Athletic Community Trust for young people and adults with Down’s syndrome, will enjoy the introduction of a bespoke Upbeats pie.

Upholding CH&CO’s top-level sustainability rating from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Gather and Gather will focus on packaging and the elimination of single use plastic and maximising use of the local supply chain through the business’s South London Larder.

Rob Fredrickson, managing director for CH&CO Leisure, said: “We’re thrilled to extend our relationship with Charlton Athletic and have the opportunity to build on our shared successes to date. 

“The new deal includes us investing money into new and exciting fan experiences in hospitality and in the concourses via physical and digital infrastructure as well as creating new and exciting food and drink menus for all the fans and visitors to The Valley.”

Thomas Sandgaard, Charlton Athletic owner and CEO, added: “Since I have taken over, one of the important bits of feedback from supporters has been around improving the quality of food and drink on a matchday. We have taken that feedback and worked with Gather and Gather to make improvements – which have included the innovative, and very popular Upbeats Kitchen in the Covered End. 

“We know there is still more to be done and we’re really pleased that Gather & Gather has committed to investing in improvements to support our vision for an improved matchday experience.”