Rhubarb pushes Compass out of the Royal Albert Hall

Events caterer Rhubarb has orchestrated a deal with the Royal Albert Hall, ousting Compass Group's Leith's brand which has held the contract for the past 15 years.

Rhubarb, Harbour & Jones and Benugo were reported by Caterer to be interested in the multimillion-pound food and beverage contract in April, after the Royal Albert Hall appointed Chris Barber of Leith's Food Solutions to assist the tender process.

Pieter Bas Jacobse, managing director at Rhubarb, said: "We are absolutely delighted to have won this prestigious contract. To be working with such an iconic and world-class venue is the ultimate partnership for us, and the Rhubarb team cannot wait to get started."

Rhubarb is scheduled to take over the running of the catering operation, which includes 13 bars, 142 boxes and three restaurant offers, from 1 January 2011.

A second tender process has also concluded and sees accreditation awarded to a number of caterers for the event business, a new initiative for the Royal Albert Hall aimed at strengthening its position within the market. Absolute Taste, Admirable Crichton, Create, Mosimann, Payne & Gunter, The Recipe and Urban Caprice have all been selected for the approved list.

Jasper Hope, director of events at the Royal Albert Hall, said: "We are always striving to enhance customer and client experience at the Hall, the world's most famous stage.

"By working with our new suppliers we look to offer our clients a diverse choice of caterers and raise the quality of food and service on offer to the highest of standards. For the main catering contact Rhubarb showed the best understanding of our requirements and their tender convinced us they could offer us outstanding results going forward."

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By Janie Stamford

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