South Shields FC join forces with popular pub The Lakeside Inn to offer match day hospitality and more ahead of new season

The Lakeside Inn, in Jarrow, will be offering a hospitality package with the club to its customers and fans in the corporate areas of the 1st Cloud Arena, including the new executive boxes.

The partnership follows the Lakeside offering catering at the Stadium for the last four games of last season as well as the John Cooke testimonial game, in May.

The partnership will commence on July 10, just in time for the first home pre-season friendly of South Shields’ season, against Barrow, on July 16.

Carl Mowatt, manager of The Lakeside Inn, said: “Myself and the team at The Lakeside are so excited and delighted to be supporting our local club, and I admire how much Geoff Thompson and his team have done for the borough by putting South Shields as a football club back on the map and hope to share more success next season.

“We are growing as a business and are open seven days a week offering breakfasts, lunch and dinner with two function rooms available to hire for private occasions.”

As well as match day hospitality, The Lakeside will also be offering catering on non-match days, including a ‘Lakeside Carvery’ at the stadium on July 10 and a ‘Lakeside buffet’ for future functions at the ground.

Last season, South Shields F.C missed out on promotion after a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat to Warrington Town.

Despite the defeat, club chairman Geoff Thompson reaffirmed his commitment to the Mariners and has highlighted the importance of working with other local businesses in the area.

He said: “We’ve had a relationship with The Lakeside for some time and we recently went out on tender with the new season approaching and our new stand opening and were delighted they won the tender and have been working together over the last few weeks to get everything ready for the new campaign.

"We’ve got our first pre-season friendly at home on the 16th and it’s a very exciting time for both them and us.”