A round-up of the latest news from the contract catering sector...
Sodexho closes on PFI deal
Sodexho is to provide facilities management services to a new 859-bed hospital being built in Romford, Essex, under the Government's Private Finance Initiatvie. The contract will turn over £16m a year over 36 years and services provided by the contractor will include catering, cleaning and portering as well as estate and grounds maintenance. Sodexho is part of the Catalyst consortium, along with Bovis Land Lease and Halifax Bank of Scotland, which agreed terms on the project last week. Support staff will remain employees of the NHS.
Avenance adds £500,000 turnover
Avenance has secured three new contracts across London with a combined turnover of nearly £500,000. The largest is with fund management company Morley FM, where Avenance will employ eight staff at two sites in the City. The second win is at the new corporate headquarters of publisher Reed Elsevier, where the contractor will operate a café and deli bar and provide hospitality services. The third deal is an extension of its contract with oil and gas company Chevron Texaco, to provide hospitality to 30 executives at a new site in the West End. In addition to the three new wins, Avenance is also moving with existing client Swiss Re to its new 40-storey building in the City, better known as the Gherkin. The contractor will employ 12 staff.
New managing director for Compass defence arm
UK defence contractor ESS, part of the Compass Group, has appointed a new managing director. Tom Byrne, 39, was previously with Whitbread, where he was operations director for Beefeater and Travel Inn. He will lead the development by ESS of modern pay-as-you dine facilities at defence sites.
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