Historic £60m catering contract

02 June 2011

Danny Homan, Director of Communication & Development at Historic Royal Palaces and Paul Jackson, MD of Ampersand

Ampersand has won a five and a half year public catering contract for Historic Royal Palaces worth a combined estimated sales value of £60 million.

From October 2011, Ampersand will provide the public catering services for the 3.2 million people who visit the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace every year. As part of the contract Ampersand will launch a new café at Kensington Palace and a destination waterfront restaurant at the Tower of London.

Paul Jackson, Managing Director of Ampersand, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to be working with Historic Royal Palaces. This appointment turns the spotlight on what Ampersand does best - delivering leading edge, creative ideas and services that enhance the visitor experience which in turn delivers financial returns for our clients."

The company, which is the public attraction and venue caterer in the CH&Co portfolio, plans to put the best of British seasonal produce at the heart of every menu for the variety of restaurants and cafes in the palaces, but each will pay homage to the history and character of the individual setting.

Danny Homan, Director of Communication & Development at Historic Royal Palaces said: "Ampersand won a highly competitive tender process with a combination of creativity, innovation and flair. We are thoroughly looking forward to the team transforming catering across all the palaces and are convinced that our customers will be surprised and delighted by their ideas. Great catering is ever more important to our visitors and staff and this contract is a unique opportunity for Ampersand to make real impact within some of the UK's most popular historic sites".

Alison Tyler, Managing Director of the Commercial Businesses within CH&Co said: "This contract is a significant milestone for Ampersand. We have been in this sector for the last six years, ever since we first won the business at the Royal Institute of British Architects. It is only a year since we rebranded CH&Co and launched Ampersand as a specialist brand. Winning this contract is an endorsement of our great team, creative food ideas, service standards as well as our sales and marketing expertise."