Theatre Royal Bath, one of the country’s most prestigious regional theatres, has appointed Lindley Heritage to manage and develop all aspects of the catering and hospitality services at the theatre’s Vaults Restaurant, theatre bars, and the 1805 Rooms which are used for functions.
The £4 million, seven-year contract sees Lindley Heritage assume responsibility for developing the menus and driving business opportunities for the Theatre Royal Bath. It is the latest in a series of contract wins for the new division created just a year ago by The Lindley Group to expand its business into heritage and arts & leisure venues, and the new addition to its client portfolio firmly establishes Lindley Heritage as a key player in this sector.
Within weeks of setting up the new division, Lindley Heritage was awarded the £1.8 million contract at The Hepworth Wakefield Gallery, and in the autumn it won an early £4 million, five-year extension to the existing agreement with The Malvern Theatres taking the contract through to 2018.
At the Theatre Royal Bath, Lindley Heritage is planning to step up marketing activity to raise the profile and extend usage of the Vaults Restaurant, and the long term ambition is to make greater use of the dining facility and attract new customers by establishing the Vaults Restaurant as a prime lunchtime destination venue.
Lindley Heritage is putting the emphasis on high quality, fresh seasonal produce with meat, fish, cheese, ice cream and bakery items being sourced from local suppliers, while the bars will feature beers from Bath Ales. In due course, the caterer aims to create bespoke ‘Signature’ dishes for the Vaults Restaurant.
Lindley Heritage will also actively promote the use of elegant and stylish 1805 Rooms for both corporate and social events - the Theatre Royal Bath has a civic wedding licence.
Danny Moar, Director at the Theatre Royal Bath, says: “We believe that working with Lindley Heritage will provide us with a great opportunity to make the most of the facilities we have here at the theatre.
“We’ve been very impressed with Lindley Heritage’s success in developing the Scene Bistro at The Malvern Theatres, and the knowledge they have of business in the local area through managing the catering at Bath Racecourse and at Bristol City FC’s Ashton Gate Stadium where they have been instrumental in generating incremental revenue from non-match day events business.
“The experience has in delivering quality food and service in a high volume, fast serve sports stadia environment, together with Lindley Heritage’s innovative and creative approach to menu development, and the focus they bring to marketing their clients’ venues provides us with the combinations of skill sets we were looking for when we put our catering out to tender.”
Adam Elliot, The Lindley Group's CEO, adds: “Theatre Bath Royal is one of the country’s premier regional theatres and with its prime city centre location it attracts high numbers of theatre goers who make good use of the restaurants and bars so the venue does enjoy a steady income from its catering facilities.
“However, there’s huge potential to increase revenue from catering and events outside the theatre’s primary business, whilst building on the thriving pre-theatre dining offering. The theatre is a fine Georgian building perfectly situated in the centre of Bath, and the Vaults Restaurant offers a choice of both fine and casual bistro dining in intimate and atmospheric surroundings, while the 1805 rooms provide an elegant and stylish setting for business or social occasions.
“Opening the Vaults Restaurant for lunchtime business, and proactively marketing the conference and banqueting facilities to members of the public and event organisers as a stylish unique venue, will both play key roles in establishing the theatre as a magnate for diners and anyone looking for a location to serve as a fabulous back-drop for conferences and special occasions.”
