The Premier League is back and for football fans around Leicestershire the weekend focus is firmly back on King Power Stadium. You can now enjoy much more than a pie and a cup of Bovril at the game though with Leicester City offering a number of match day hospitality options. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, want to treat your Dad or have clients to entertain there are options to suit a range of budgets.
If you’re not a season ticket holder or Fox Member then match tickets are going to be hard to come by this season. However if you’re considering buying a hospitality package these are on sale for all home fixtures throughout the season. Whether you want to see Liverpool on Boxing Day or Manchester United on the final day, places are available now. We were invited along to the first home match of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers to see all that they had to offer.
But why pay for hospitality?
Well it’s not all just about securing a match ticket, it’s about upgrading your experience. Make the most of the day, enjoy great food and drinks, high end surroundings, maybe bump into a Leicester City legend or 2… you might even get to have a selfie with the Man of the Match.
On arrival as you go through the Hospitality Entrance you’ll be greeted by the in house team who will show you to whichever suite you’re in for the day and through to your table. On your table you’ll find a Leicester City gift (a boxed pen in the Fosse Club and previously a Leicester City paperweight in the Legends Lounge), your complimentary match day programme and your table will be set for however many are in your party (no, you don’t have to share tables with strangers). TV screens in the lounges also have Sky Sports on so if there’s a live match on before or after you don’t have to miss a thing.
Across the lounges you’ll find that you might bump into Steve Walsh (he hosts The Gallery on a match day), Gerry Taggart and Muzzy Izzet (both spotted in the Fosse Club) or Ali Mauchlen (he hosts the Legends Lounge for each game). Always happy for a chat about the match or a photo, it’s a lovely added touch for fans.
If you opt for a table in the Legends Lounge one of the stand-out highlights is the fact that this is where the Man of the Match presentation takes place after the game. Guests are invited back to their seats to enjoy drinks and refreshments before the selected Man of the Match comes up for a post-match Q&A and to be presented with their award. Of course we’re never ones to miss out on a selfie opportunity, so we were sure to grab Çağlar Söyüncü for a photo.
So what about the food & drink?
The food & drink options vary depending on which hospitality suite you book into but some of the highlights include:
Legends Lounge
> 4 course plated meal
> Half-time and full-time refreshments
> Cash bar
> All inclusive bar available on request (subject to table numbers)
Fosse Club
> Three course meal including buffet table starters, carvery/chefs table mains and choice of desserts
> Half-time tea and coffee
> Full-time refreshments
> Cash bar
Banks Lounge
> Two course seasonal buffet
> Half-time refreshments on sale
> Cash bar
And the quality of the food? Dining in the Fosse Club we noted from the menu that they source a lot of their produce locally, which was great to see. The aged beef from Oakham, pork pies from Melton Mowbray, Long Clawson Stilton, Bosworth Goats Cheese and bread and pastries from a family-run bakery in Rugby. With starters offering a selection of soup, pulled ham hock, pate, antipasti, grilled vegetables with halloumi and salads, there was ample to choose from, and importantly the dishes were regularly being topped up and kept presentable to offer more of a grazing station than a buffet experience.
Main courses again offered a large selection including roast chicken or lamb with Sunday trimmings, choice of beef or vegetable madras, or the dish of the day which was glazed pork and mushroom stroganoff (or vegetarian alternative without the pork), with main dishes served carvery style and help yourself to side dishes. Again, both the service and food quality were impressive and with two service points in the room for both starters and main courses it meant that despite the numbers there was never a queue. With desserts you also have a choice with both New York Cheesecake with fruit compote or Sticky Toffee Pudding with warm caramel sauce available (oh, or fruit salad… if you’re being good).
The food between the lounges varies in service style with the Legends Lounge offering a more formal table service plated meal, whilst the Banks Lounge along with the Fosse Club offer slightly more relaxed options, meaning that the experience can certainly suit different groups and budgets.
But the food highlight? Well we’ve saved a special mention for the Full-Time refreshments which came in the form of Sausage & Red Leicester Rolls (vegetarian rolls also available). Whether you’re celebrating 3 points or disappointed in defeat walking inside to be greeted by a platter of fresh warm sausage rolls is perfect in every situation.
Whilst we were there we popped our head into The Gallery. This is King Power Stadium’s most exclusive match day dining area with a champagne reception, pitch facing restaurant, all inclusive bar and little extra touches such as branded fudge from the Rutland Fudge Company. The Gallery hospitality spaces were available on a seasonal only basis this year, but it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on!
And the cost?
The great thing is that the club has split the pricing into 3 different categories depending on the match – Fans, Gold and Platinum. Fans fixtures include Watford, Southampton and Brighton at home and see hospitality priced at only £115 per person + VAT for the Banks Lounge experience, £125 + VAT for the Fosse Club and £145 + VAT for the Legends Lounge. For Gold fixtures prices start from £130 + VAT and for the Platinum fixture (Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United) they start from £230 + VAT. When considering the match ticket price, food options and extra touches, the pricing (especially for those Fans fixtures) is really quite reasonable.
Is it worth it?
Absolutely. From the moment you arrive at the stadium you’re treated like a VIP, it turns the 90 minute match into a full day out and you can enjoy the special touches that King Power Stadium provides. From enjoying a Burleighs Gin & Tonic on arrival before your meal to the padded seating in the West Stand and, of course, those post-match sausage rolls, for a special occasion it really is the perfect treat.
Hospitality spaces for all upcoming Premier League games are available to book now via the Leicester City website or by calling the enquiry line on 0344 815 5000 (Option 2).
We were invited by Leicester City to review their hospitality options but under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are our own.