Pinewood Studios and Kudos Hospitality end agreement

Contract caterer Kudos Hospitality and Pinewood Studios, the home of the James Bond franchise, have parted company four months before the contract was due to end, it emerged today.

Kudos, part of the Crown Group, said that it had terminated its contract at the world famous film studios, in Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire.

The company had provided catering and hospitality at the studios for four and a half years, and the contract was up for renewal this July. The new catering deal has been awarded to Couture.

Jon Pryce, managing director of Kudos Hospitality, admitted that the Pinewood deal was not working out and added that the caterer wanted to concentrate on its core business.

"The Kudos Hospitality business model works to deliver corporate business on behalf of its clients," he said.

"At Pinewood we were mainly serving the tenants and studios and therefore not being used to our full potential. It is for his reason that we have taken the decision to withdraw from our contract."

However a spokeswoman for Pinewood hit back, and said the studio was "delighted" to confirm that Kudos was no longer its caterer and added: "It is unfortunate that they were unable to reach their full potential".

Recent blockbusters filmed at Pinewood include The Dark Knight, Quantum of Solace and The Bourne Ultimatum.

In better news for Kudos, the company has won the deals to cater for the UK's three main political parties this year at their respective party conferences.

The caterer has landed contracts to feed delegates at the Labour Party Conference at the Brighton Centre, the Conservatives at Manchester Central and the Liberal Democrats in Harrogate.

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By Chris Druce

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