A popular restaurant will be providing a culinary option for a North East football club and promised it is in it for the "long haul."
Smokin Joe's, which owns a restaurant in Guisborough, is set to open a new venture in Redcar Athletic's clubhouse on Saturday (October 14) and was looking forward to serving food to fans.
Joseph Smith, 33, from just outside Stokesley, said the business had previously catered an event in 2022 and this was well-received.
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He added they were invited to cater this year's event, and after meeting chairman Kev Fryett, were invited to cater another event and home fixtures.
Mr Smith said the club and chairman were pleased with the reception of the food and added he was "flattered" when approached to cater for the clubhouse.
He said: "It's been a success, it's been very well-received by all the fans.
We've had people coming to watch the football who wouldn't have normally but have come specifically for the food, which was fed back to us.
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"The clubhouse hadn't really had any kind of reinvigoration for quite a while, it was looking a bit tired, the menu was a bit tired, and I think they wanted something a bit more 'out there.'
"We've branded it up Smokin Joe's style.
"Everyone's welcome, we pride ourselves on the freshness of our ingredients and the quality of our produce. People can look forward to good quality food, the good atmosphere and good vibes that we bring as well."
The new venue sports art from the restaurant's airbrush artist, David Earl, which will be unveiled on Saturday.
Mr Smith said they had purchased new tables and chairs to update the room, and are also looking to bring in "football-related arcade machines."
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He added the business has spent £5,000 so far to get the venue ready for the weekend, and believes this will help benefit the community.
He said the menu has been tailor-made to ensure it is as affordable as possible.
Mr Smith added they are planning to host a 'Smokin Joe's fest' in 2024 and are hoping to maximise the use of the space.
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