Thank you all for this. I contacted BA with reference to the above advice and was awarded 10000 Avios for my compromised flight.
H. will call on Friday and see what can be sorted for his flight.
We had no idea that there would be no catering or bar until announced as we took our seats - do feel BA could have sent a text to this end so something could have been purchased at RAK especially after the poor Lounge offerings.