A FOOTBALL tournament for Oswestry businesses will be taking place at The Venue this summer.

The Companies’ Cup is set to take place for a 10-week period throughout the summer, with 10 businesses from the town putting together teams to take part.

Organised by The Venue, the tournament aims to give people the opportunity to fit competitive football around work.

Jake Williams, duty manager at The Venue, said: “There used to be a companies’ league years ago, but it didn’t quite work out with availability of people taking part varying due to work commitments.

“This time we are going to make it a tournament which is a group stage followed by a knockout stage.

“For this year we have limited the number of teams to 10 so it can be manageable and still competitive.

“Next year we will be hoping to increase that number.”

After the 10 weeks, the final will be played on Saturday, August 24.

Teams who do not manage to make it to the final will also play in a six-a-side tournament on the same day.

All spaces now filled by teams including a team from BT Open Reach, The Venue and Gobowen’s orthopaedic hospital.

Jake hopes people can turn up to support the event as well as play in it.

“We’re hoping to make a big event of the final,” he said.

“We’re hoping to have lots of people coming down to show their support and enjoy a good day out.

“It’s something we would like to make quite big for the area, a cup which people get excited about playing for.

“I think it’s great for businesses to take part in – it’s a great form of teambuilding, not just for the players, but for staff supporting them too.

“Playing here is a very good opportunity for a lot of people.

“I think there is a real gap in the market, particularly around Oswestry, for this type of thing.

“There are not too many Sunday league options for people nowadays around here, so this is a way of giving everybody an opportunity to play competitive football.”