Newcastle United strike St James' Park sponsorship deal after stadium 'upgrade' and Man Utd tease

Newcastle United have confirmed iconic department store Fenwick as the club's new Official Luxury Retail Store Partner.

The Magpies have announced a 'multi-year deal' which will see Fenwick 'lend its name and expertise' to the new hospitality area 'The Rooftops with Fenwick' at St James' Park. Fenwick logos could be seen on the advertising boards at St James' Park during Newcastle's 1-0 win over Manchester United on Saturday.

Following the partnership, Newcastle United's chief commercial officer Peter Silverstone said: “We are incredibly proud to be teaming up with Fenwick – an organisation that is very special to Tyneside. Newcastle United and Fenwick have a combined 270 years of history and heritage in the heart of Newcastle. We share a passion for the city and its people.

"After recently launching its Quiet No More brand campaign, there could not be a better time for Fenwick to turn up the volume by joining forces with Newcastle United; one of the loudest and most talked about clubs in Europe and across the globe. We look forward to supporting Fenwick as it embarks on an ambitious programme of investment, transformation and global recognition as we continue on our own upward global trajectory, both on and off the pitch.

“With such incredible attention to detail and commitment to excellence, Fenwick is also the perfect partner for The Rooftops with Fenwick where we will provide memorable Newcastle United and Fenwick experiences for our members and guests.”

It marks yet another behind-the-scenes commercial deal agreed with the club, and possibly the most popular to date. While the partnership with Fenwick won't be anywhere near as lucrative as the £25million-per-season deal with Sela or £7million-per-season deal agreement with Noon, it's a partnership that has strong links to the city itself.

Fenwick was founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1882 and still stands today as the largest store in the city centre. The department store has since expanded across the United Kingdom with a further eight branches. Two Fenwick stores are located in London with further locations in Canterbury, Colchester, Kingston upon Thames, Royal Tunbridge and York.

The deal with Fenwick is fitting to mark the start of the festive season for Newcastle. Fenwick's Christmas Windows are a seasonal tradition on Tyneside with this year's display telling the story of C.S Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Leo Fenwick, strategic partnerships director at Fenwick, said: “Partnering with Newcastle United Football Club marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Fenwick, which has been an anchor in the city since we first opened over 140 years ago, bringing our unique curation of fashion and hospitality to the community.

"We are incredibly proud to be on a shared mission to support local talent, creativity and passion, whilst putting the city and North East on the map globally. With our ongoing investment programme transforming our store for the future, we're pleased to join wider efforts to invest in the region, and this partnership will only serve to amplify our reach and impact."

As Newcastle look to navigate Financial Fair Play restrictions, further commercial deals will be necessary in order to increase the club's spending power in the transfer market.