We are proud of VCP's success at Hull City and even prouder of the team that have delivered it.

It was another successful evening for VCP at the 19th Annual Stadium Events & Hospitality Awards 2026 where our team at Hull City celebrated two major awards.

Held at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Liverpool’s waterfront on Thursday 2nd July, the awards brought together caterers from across the UK to recognise excellence in retail, matchday and non-matchday hospitality.

Building on last year’s success we received two prestigious accolades recognising our achievements in matchday retail and conference and events sales.

We are incredibly proud to receive these awards that highlight the success of our partnership at Hull and our long-term strategy there. It reflects the hard work, creativity and dedication that our team brings to the club everyday. More than simply adding to the trophy cabinet, these awards provide independent recognition of the consistently high standards delivered by our team in Hull.

‍Best Retail Catering –SILVER award-Hull City

This award recognises the best retail catering teams at stadia across the UK.  Winners demonstrated commercial growth, high-quality food offerings or proactive sustainability improvements.

Last year, winning Best Retail Catering, Gold was a fantastic moment. This was the second time in three years that Hull City have received this award against strong competition from across the Premier League, EFL and SPL, including the two giant North London Clubs; Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. This year we were placed Silver with Spurs taking this year’s award.

This is the result demonstrates what can be achieved with the right strategy with relatively modest, sustained reinvestment of surplus profits into street food concepts, dynamic menus and fan engagement.

Our offer is more exciting and more relevant to today's football fan. We have embraced bold, flavourful menus while maintaining consistent delivery standards. As our Retail Catering Manager, Henry Crane, said:

“This is recognition for a lot of hard work from a lot of people. We’re immensely proud of our output, creativity and consistency of service. Thank you for the recognition and we are excited to continue our standards throughout the forthcoming season with the support of VCP and their management team.”

At VCP we understand the need to develop a team culture and Henry is supported by a superb leadership team. Dan Coulson, General Manager, and Gareth Howden, Executive Chef. Both bring considerable operational knowledge and a passion for the fan experience. Together we have built a culture of service that is high-performing and forward-thinking.

This season sees Premiership teams visit the MKM Stadium, and they are certainly in for a treat with tasty options such as:

- Sticky toffee pudding with sticky toffee sauce and vanilla crème Anglaise

- Spice Bag-chips, chip spice, peppers, onions and Chinese curry sauce

- Crispy duck box, shredded duck cucumber, spring onions and hoisin sauce

- Korean fried chicken with Korean bbq sauce, mayo, gochugang seaweed and sesame furikake   

Best Non-Matchday Sales & Marketing Team –Silver Winner, Hull City

This award recognises the very best non-matchday sales and marketing team in UK stadium venues.  Winners demonstrate strategies for growth, new ideas for unique and different events, creative use of their spaces, and overcoming challenges.

We were also delighted once again to receive Silver in the Best Non-Matchday Sales Team category, marking the third year running Hull City has been recognised in this category.

This award is based on a mystery shop of the sales experience for conference and event enquiries. It covers everything from how well we understand the brief to how professionally and politely we respond. Coming second only to Brentford FC is no small achievement.

This success is down to the dedication of Katie West, Kathryn Drury and Sarah Shepherdson, who have worked consistently to grow the business through strong relationships, local insight and a deep connection to the Hull community. Despite increased competition in Hull, the team has retained the majority of its business, with many clients returning after trying alternatives. The reason is simple. They get better food and better service.

We have also brought our streetfood concepts into the conference and events side, including the Christmas offer. We have moved away from tradition for its own sake and created an eclectic mix of menus designed to appeal to all tastes. This approach helps us keep our DDR rates competitive while delivering real value.

The enquiry process at Hull is about understanding people, their event goals and the outcomes they want to achieve. That is why this award matters. It recognises empathy, professionalism and genuine care in everything we do.

These awards are a credit to the people on the ground. From the chefs and service staff to the sales team and everyone behind the scenes, they reflect shared standards, mutual respect and a collective ambition to deliver the very best experience, whether you are a first-time fan or a long-time client.