This week, we will profile the team who will run the new Oldham Event Centre.
INTRODUCING: Robert Smyth
Q: Rob, first of all, please give a brief description of your job?
A: My job is Stadium and Events Manager for the Oldham Event Centre and Oldham Athletic AFC. This includes full responsibility of catering and all stadium-lead operations from catering to cleaning. I have held this position since January 2015.
Q: Just so we know a bit more about you, please give us your career background so far.
A: Prior to here I was at Leeds United where I spent two years as General Catering Manager. I was responsible for that business which turned over circ £5 million, both matchday and non matchday. Before that I was Operations Director for a company that catered at 12 stadiums across the m62 corridor and one in South Wales. Over this part of my career I opened six new stadiums. The first one being Doncaster's Keepmoat Stadium and the most recent was the new St Helen's stadium.
Q: What will the new stand bring to the town of Oldham and the football club?
A: The new stand is a really exciting development and it gives the football club a base grounding to very good revenue opportunities. This new stand will take the club into the 21st century. We have got great plans with food, great plans with service and we are creating something unique to both the football market and the Oldham, Greater Manchester and Lancashire area. We want to be the best and in order to do that, we are going to develop a team that are the best to take the business forward.
Q: As part of your role, what is the most important thing to you?
A: The most important thing to me is the customer. It is understanding what customers want, how we deliver it and make sure everyone who attends the Oldham Event Centre or Oldham Athletic go away with a really good experience. I see Oldham Athletic as a great family club which means we have the ability to build on what is already a fantastic brand. Our brand pillars which help us build the company will be: performance, professionalism, partnerships. We will not stand still and will endeavour to be ahead at all opportunities.
Q: What changes can we expect to see this season?
A: As a club, we are now under one umbrella. All money taken over the turnstiles and over the kiosks comes back into the club. That means we have had an opportunity to look at new products. We have just entered into a new partnership with Wright's pies & Mom's Fabulous hot dog. On top of that, we are reintroducing quarter-pounder burgers and in the new stand, we will be offering chips and dips. Our brewery partner will be JW Lees. We will be offering a range of meal deals from pie & a programme for £5, hot drink and a chocolate bar £3 plus much more.
Q: What are your long term plans for the stadium?
A: We want to create a destination. I want this to be a destination for people to come for weddings, meetings, dinners, Christmas and it to be a showcase centre. We want to attract the local community, school proms, sports clubs, and social gatherings.
For more information regarding the Oldham Event Centre, please click the link.
To contact Rob, please email rob.smyth@oldhameventcentre.co.uk or call 0161 785 5185.
Tomorrow, we will introduce Commercial Director, Mark Moisley.