Mitie good start for subsidiary

Mitie Catering (London) has won four contracts with a combined annual turnover of more than £1m in its first two months of trading.

The new subsidiary was set up by Mitie Catering Services earlier this year to focus on the capital. Robin Hay, managing director at Cirencester-based Mitie Catering Services, said the group also intended to establish another subsidiary to target the North of England and Scotland by the year-end.

Hay declined to name the new London contracts, but said the deals spanned a private dining room deal in the West End, a staff restaurant in Marylebone, a party and external events contract, and a hotel consultancy.

Mitie Catering Services boosted its turnover to £10.6m from £4.2m in 2003 in the year to 31 March 2004. It now operates 30 contracts across 50 sites and employs 800 full-time staff.

Hay attributed the growth to the retention and extension of existing contracts with the Ministry of Defence and Bookham Technology, plus new wins with Rolls-Royce, the Construction Industry Training Board and Ashfield Healthcare.