HOSPITALITY
MIDLANDS COMPANY
HELPS TO DRIVE MERCHANDISE SALES AT ASTON VILLA
Rapid Retail Ltd, the Cheltenham-based provider of portable shop units
and kiosks, is celebrating another Premiership win, after scoring a
three-year deal to supply a bespoke retail unit to Aston Villa FC.
T
he firm has delivered the new shop to
Villa Park and installed it at Trinity
Road End where it will help meet
match-day demand from fans wanting to
purchase official club merchandise. The unit
will help ease pressure on the busy club shop
and improve the experience for visitors by
reducing time spent queuing.
This high-profile deal marks yet another
success for the company who, earlier this year
were chosen as the official suppliers of flexible
retail units for the UEFA Cup Final in
Manchester in May and who provided units for
the Rugby World Cup. It also comes hard on the
heels of the company’s recent deal to supply
three retail and one bespoke shirt-printing units
to Manchester United.
From evidence and experience now gained at
other sports venues Rapid’s units help clubs by
increasing retail footfall and maximum impulse
purchase opportunities. The units provide the
club with an affordable way to access flexible,
adaptable retail floor space. Nick Daffern, Rapid Retail’s managing Villa’s owners have done a lot work at Villa Park
One Premiership club acknowledged that, director, said: “It’s great to see more and more to ‘rebrand’ the operation, typical of the new
“since deploying Rapid’s retail units, our ability sporting clubs starting to capitalise on the breed of switched on commercial owners”.
to properly service our match day attendance has advantages of using portable retail space. It is a Rapid Retail is experiencing a tremendous
improved by some 30%. flexible and low-cost way to drive up revenues period of growth and this deal is the latest in a line
Evidence also suggests that, no matter the size through maximising opportunities to buy and of significant contract wins. The company has
of club, nor the sport itself, around 40% of also improves the overall experience for been in business for less than two years but has
match-day attendance arrive within 30 mins of spectators by minimising their queue time. already supplied programme kiosks for the Stade
kick-off, so it’s critical to service their needs “I really do believe that when you visit a de France in Paris, a retail shop for the Brit Oval
quickly and efficiently, otherwise sales are lost. prestigious venue like Villa Park, or any major cricket ground, kiosks for racing venue Prescott
At Villa Park, Rapid Retail’s own sporting event, you expect the complete Hill and earlier in the year supplied a specially
professionally trained staff will operate the unit, experience. If you want to buy a drink or a created bar for Gloucester Rugby Club. FSA
selling Official Villa merchandise on match-days. programme, a souvenir or merchandise, you
Rapid already manage Villa’s match-day should be able to do so without having to queue Rapid Retail Ltd
programme sales operation through 5 kiosks for ages or squeeze into an already full shop.” Nick Daffern Tel: 01242 693265
rented from them by the midlands club. Nick added that: “since acquiring the club,
www.rapidrental.co.uk
September/October 2008 | FOOTBALL & SPORTS ARENA | 51
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