Worcestershire have named one of their NatWest T20 Blast food outlets after one of their long serving catering employees as they look to further improve the matchday experience available to members and supporters during the short format of the game.
"Gibbo's Grill" is situated at the back of the Diglis Stand and Cathedral side seating in honour of Director of Catering Steve Gibbs who has been an invaluable part of the New Road set-up for more than 25 years.
It is an outlet which serves cheeseburgers, hamburgers and jumbo hot dogs and was sold out for the opening T20 Blast home game with Leicestershire Rapids last week.
Serving quality food produce was an area the Rapids looked to upgrade after last season's impressive performance when the Worcestershire Rapids match-day experience for NatWest T20 Blast games was deemed second best in the country behind Notts Outlaws.
The club have taken on board observations from spectators who attended T20 Blast matches last summer via the feedback from a survey emailed out to them.
Worcestershire commercial director Jon Graham said: "We came second in the NatWest T20 experience last year, which was great, but there are a few things that came out of the survey which we can improve – and in fairness I think we knew ourselves.
"One of those was the PA system, which has been completely replaced, from a substantial contribution from the Supporters' Association.
"Another was the music when we've got T20 on. We've had our first T20 and Glenn Brazil, who does that, did a fantastic job last Friday. We'd like to think we put that one to bed.
"Queueing times for food and drink was another point raised in the survey so, where the Club Shop used to be in the concourse near to the Premier Inn, is now a huge bar – and that went well last Friday.
"The other thing was burgers, hot dogs, good quality barbecue food.
"We were talking about this in the off season and anyone who has been coming to the club for a period of time will know of or heard of Steve Gibbs who is our Director of Catering.
"We decided we were going to get some really good quality barbecues in and so we just needed to give it a name – and next time anyone comes to a T20 Blast game then they will see 'Gibbo's Grill' food outlet which is situated by the Diglis Stand and Cathedral seats.
"It contains all local produce, all really good stuff. We sold out last Friday and I would recommend who comes to the game to give 'Gibbo's Grill' a try because it is really good quality food.
"We do cheeseburgers, hamburgers, jumbo hot dogs. It has been really well received and a fitting tribute to someone who has put in decades of service to the cricket club."
