A COMPANY which serves up food at Wimbledon is the new caterer at the Galpharm Stadium.

Letheby and Christopher, part of the giant Compass catering group, has been awarded a five-year, £7m catering contract for Huddersfield's premier sports venue.

The company succeeds Sodexho - formerly Ring and Brymer - which had provided catering at the stadium since it opened 10 years ago.

Letheby and Christopher will provide food for up to 24,000 people on match days and for other major events, such as pop and rock concerts.

It will also provide conference, banqueting and hospitality services for events ranging from meetings for 10 people to gala dinners for 450.

Galpharm Stadium managing director Ralph Rimmer said the link-up with Letheby and Christopher further underlined the "wind of change" sweeping through the venue.

It follows a highly successful summer pop concert, the new sponsorship deal and plans to extend the stadium to provide extra space for commercial offices, a new ticket office and a bigger shop for supporters.

Mr Rimmer added: "The venue is undergoing some major changes and this new partnership is a big step in our mission to provide Huddersfield fans with a stadium they can be proud of."

Letheby and Christopher's operations director is Huddersfield-born Simon Evans. He was general manager at the McAlpine Stadium in the mid-1990s.

The venue became the Galpharm Stadium this summer after a 10-year sponsorship deal with the Barnsley-based pharmaceutical company.

Letheby and Christopher operates at the Wimbledon tennis championships, as well as venues such as Hull's KC Stadium and the new Coventry Arena.

Mr Evans said:

"The new catering partnership marks an exciting stage in the stadium's development.

"We look forward to providing a service which will enhance the stadium's reputation as one of the premier conference and event venues in the North."