Member Article

New deal sees football team swap pub food

A local football club has swapped the usual post-match fare of pies and peas for fine dining-style pan-Asian cuisine after landing a sponsorship deal with one of the North East’s hottest new restaurants.

Yarm FC, which plays its home games at Allens West in Eaglescliffe, has agreed a sponsorship deal with Lotus Lounge, the new Stockton-on-Tees restaurant which is backed by a number of prominent North East chefs.

The deal will not only see Lotus Lounge sponsor the club’s shirts, but also means the team – and its opponents of the day – will be served up with the restaurant’s signature pan-Asian cuisine after each home game.

While Lotus Lounge is a new name on the region’s culinary scene, Yarm FC is also a relatively young organisation, having been set up two years ago.

The sponsorship deal came about because several members of Lotus Lounge’s staff currently play for Yarm FC, including Michael Johnson and Sam Clennett.

Club manager Tim Wye-Williams said: “I’ve been coaching for 13 years now and Lotus Lounge has by far been the most supportive sponsor that I’ve been involved with.

“It would have been easy to have just found a local pub for us to go to after the game, but Lotus Lounge is more than that. The food is first class and the service is superb, as a number of opposition teams have noted - as well as our own squad.”

Matt Marriott, manager of Lotus Lounge, said: “We are proud to be forming this relationship with Yarm FC while they are still a very young club. They are a great local team and we’re delighted to support them through sponsorship as well as playing for them.”

Lotus Lounge first opened its doors earlier this year on the back of significant investment and the appointment of executive chef Martin Moore – who formerly held senior roles at luxury venues Seaham Hall and Rockliffe Hall.

It offers authentic dishes from across Asia in an ambient setting on two floors featuring deep oak furniture, orchids and Buddha statues. It also provides a relaxed bar area for guests looking to soak up the atmosphere over a drink.

For more information on Lotus Lounge, please visit: www.lotus-lounge.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Harvey and Hugo .