The Flagship, which is located at Hartlepool College of Further Education, has built up an excellent reputation with a strong team of chefs backed up by catering students from the campus who learn their skills on site.
Those skills are now being transferred to Victoria Park after the College signed a deal to look after the corporate hospitality for Pools for the forthcoming season.
Corporate guests at every home game will now enjoy their pre-match meal from a menu prepared and cooked by Flagship staff, with the College also supplying students to wait on the tables in the hospitality boxes.
Andrew Steel, Vice Principal at Hartlepool College of FE, said: “This is another example of the College working side-by-side with big businesses in the town and we are delighted with the partnership the Flagship now has with Hartlepool United.
“Anyone who has eaten at the Flagship can testify how wonderful it is and we are glad to extend this further into the local community with Pools.
“The hospitality at Hartlepool United has been redeveloped, and there is a new menu which will be regularly reviewed and changed over the season.
“This is an excellent opportunity for our students to develop their skills, both on the catering side and front of house service.
“It is a high intensity environment to serve large groups of people in a relatively short space of time at a football match, and we are confident our students will flourish.
“We are looking forward to staff and students getting the opportunity to develop their skills.”
The partnership has received some excellent feedback since it got underway during Pools’ pre-season friendlies and will be in operation again when Craig Hignett’s men welcome Colchester United to The Vic on Saturday for the first competitive game.
Mark Burrows, Operations Director at Hartlepool United, added: “We’re thrilled to have gone in to partnership with The Flagship and Hartlepool College of FE.
“It’s pleasing that we’re able to link-up with a local organisation which not only helps us provide our corporate guests with a high-level service but also allows some of the town’s youngsters to learn their trade.
“The feedback so far has been extremely positive so we’re looking forward to a long and successful partnership.”
Meanwhile the original Flagship, which is accessible form the Stockton Street entrance to Hartlepool College of FE and is open to the general public, is currently having its kitchen area refurbished.
When it reopens towards the end of the month, it will be open on Thursday-Saturday evenings as well as Sunday lunchtimes, and diners will be able to choose from new taster and main menus.
For more information about Hartlepool College of Further Education or the Flagship, call 01429 295111 or visit www.hartlepoolfe.ac.uk.