WORKING TOGETHER
BWT & GROSVENOR CASINOS

The Goliath Poker Tournament is one of the fastest growing poker tournaments in the world. It has gone from strength to strength since its inauguration in 2011, when 1,765 turned up for the event’s debut in Coventry, UK (1). Goliath is an amateur deep stack poker tournament, designed to give new and experienced players a taste of what it is like to play in a Las Vegas style event.

In 2019, BWT became their official water partner for the duration of the event. Taking place from 24th July to 4th of August, an army of poker players descended on the Grosvenor Casino in Coventry, in a bid to make their mark at this year’s Goliath Poker Tournament. The event attracted thousands of participants to the biggest poker tournament, Europe has ever seen! (2). Ensuring players and spectators are kept fed and watered is a mammoth task.

Partnering with BWT, Grosvenor Casinos handed over responsibility for the supply of fresh drinking water throughout the venue, to the BWT team. Flexibility, reliability, and quality were key drivers in choosing BWT and proved vital to ensure unpredictable demand was met seamlessly.

An event of this scale requires meticulous planning and preparation, so that any potential problems or issues can be recognised early on, and the necessary actions can be put in place. One of the issues that needed to be addressed from the beginning was where to put the 20 water coolers and 360 bottles of water until they were needed. Whilst neither required specialist storage conditions, it was essential that the designated area was dry, cool, and away from direct sunlight. Working closely with the casino’s on-site food and beverage team Gary Garland, BWT’s National Field Sales Manager, was able to secure the use of a cool storage room. Gary explained, “It is not always easy to get this level of cooperation at this type of event but the team on site were helpful from day one and went out of their way to accommodate and work with us.”

The second issue that needed to be discussed was the delivery date for the bottles of water. Gary and his team had a number of discussions regarding the best way to go about ensuring the delivery of water was on time. “Planning was key and after numerous discussions with the Food and Beverage team, it was decided that the best option was to deliver a day before the event. This ensured that the coolers were set up in advance, with water available for guests to drink as soon as the tournament began.” Gary added that, “Planning prior to the event taking place, ensured everything flowed smoothly. 20 BWT Water Coolers and 360 Bottles of Water were delivered to the Ricoh Arena on 23rd of July and performed faultlessly throughout, coping with changing demand easily."
By preparing fully for the event, Gary and the team were able to avoid any potential issues early on, ensuring the service provided by BWT was hassle-free, reliable, and flexible.

When asked about the service provided by BWT, Dominique Mortlock, Food & Beverage Executive at Grosvenor Casinos, stated that, “We were extremely pleased with the way in which Gary and his team efficiently organised the water coolers to be delivered to the arena. From the beginning, Gary regularly communicated and updated us on what was occurring.”

BWT’s water coolers offer ultimate flexibility. Coming in a range of styles from bottled water coolers to plumbed in water coolers, their variety is perfect for work offices, homes, events and even Poker Tournaments! There are designs and colours to suit everyone. As well as that, BWT’s friendly customer service team are always available to discuss your requirements.

Russell Tamplin, Head of Poker at Grosvenor Casinos, also commented that, “the bottled coolers were definitely put to good use, with many players refilling throughout the day. Not only did this make our job easier, but it also ensured that all staff and attendees were kept hydrated. By the end of the tournament, I believe we used all of the 360 water bottles we had originally ordered for the event.”

With BWT, you can be assured of a high-quality service that is tailored to the needs of your business and customers. Easily accessible, BWT’s water coolers provided essential drinking water for not only Grosvenor Casino’s staff but for all the poker players that participated in the Goliath Poker Tournament. Through open communication and hard work, BWT were able to provide a flexible service for the biggest Poker Tournament in Europe!

Links:

(1) Official Goliath Poker Tournament 2019: 1,765 entries"

(2) Official Goliath Poker Tournament 2019: Grosvenor Casinos"