Prestige Scotland, the Scottish catering division of Sodexo Prestige, has secured a contract with Thirlestane Castle to run events in the grounds.
Thirlestane Castle in Berwickshire has partnered with an external company for the first time to grow its event services. Prestige Scotland, the dedicated Scottish catering division of Sodexo Prestige, has secured a contract with the castle to run events in the grounds.
Prestige Scotland will be responsible for growing both corporate and private events at the castle, and identifying opportunities in both areas.
The contract employs two full-time employees, five part-time seasonal workers and 14 volunteers.
Prestige Scotland operations manager David Forbes said: «This is the first time that Thirlestane Castle has appointed an external company for its catering and events. We are delighted to be working with the castle, using our expertise to provide excellent food and to grow its event and catering opportunities. We hope that it is the start of a long and successful partnership.»
Searcys, the posh catering group that runs the Champagne bar at St Pancras station, has been bought by its management in a deal thought to value the firm at Ј8m.
The hospitality firm, which was established in 1847 and operates restaurants at the top of the ‘Gherkin’ and London’s Hurlingham Club, is being spun off out of its parent, the Alternative Hotel Group.
AHG, which also owns the MalMaison hotel group is a joint venture between Lloyds and a group of investors led by chief executive Richard Balfour-Lynn.
Following the management buyout, which includes Ј3m in funding from Barclays Corporate, it plans to expand its portfolio of Champagne bars to Manchester, Birmingham and Brighton next year.
Doug Tetley, Searcy’s chief executive said: ‘We plan to focus on the company’s core strengths namely the management of the food and beverage operations at prestigious venues as well as the identification of other suitable locations for our Champagne bars.’
Sodexo Prestige provided hospitality and on-site catering at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show from 25 – 29 May at Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Sodexo catered for 16 chalets within the hospitality village and provided three restaurants, including a champagne bar and food courts.
Visitors were guided around the show by Sodexo’s Gourmet Guides who were on hand to suggest where to eat and to suggest areas to visit.
Sodexo also partnered with Severn and Wye Smokery to provide a sustainable seafood restaurant.
Other suppliers that worked on the event included furniture provider Thorns and GL Events Owen Brown, which supplied temporary structures for the Ranelagh restaurant and hospitality village, and De Boer provided a range of structures including the Great Pavilion.
To view pictures click here.
Feeding fans at Premiership champions Chelsea helped catering giant Compass net a 14% rise in profits.
The firm, which also does catering at London’s 02 arena and the Bank of England, made £462million in the six months to the end of March.
Boss Richard Cousins said Compass clinched a string of new contracts for companies such as Visa and Nestle as well as the 2010 US Open Golf Championship. The company now serves around four billion meals a year in more than 50 countries
