Benugo to cater at London's Natural History Museum

Café-to-restaurant operator Benugo has added another museum client to its books with a £3m deal to provide public catering for visitors to London's Natural History Museum.

The contract, previously run by Elior's public catering arm, Digby Trout, adds to existing Benugo deals at the British Film Institute, Victoria & Albert Museum, Museum of Childhood and Museum of London.

The company will run the public restaurant at the South Kensington location but not the event catering, which is handled by one or other of a range of preferred contractors, chosen on an event-by-event basis.

Benugo, set up in 1998 by brothers Ben and Hugo Warner, merged with contract caterer BaxterStorey last December.

In a statement, Elior, which still runs the public restaurant at the Science Museum, said: "The relationship with the Natural History Museum has been strong and successful, spanning a period of 10 years, Naturally, we are disappointed, but we wish them all the best for the future."

In better news for Elior, Digby Trout has announced that it will this month open a new restaurant at the Royal Institution of Great Britain in London's Mayfair, called Time and Space, after a £22m refurbishment of the venue. The caterer will also be providing event catering at the site.

Elior has just appointed former Brakes corporate finance director Phil Foster its finance director.

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By Chris Druce

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