May 2, 2013, 2:45 pm
Last edit by: corporate-wage-slave
This thread gives details of the changeover of catering supplier to British Airways lounges in the UK in April to June 2013. The new supplier is BaxterStorey, taking over from Compass / Restaurant Associates. For details of the current catering arrangements in specific lounges please see below
LHR lounges - terminals 1, 3 and 5:
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR : menus 2013 - T5 only
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2013 - T3 and T5.
Galleries Club lounge LHR: Dining menu and food options 2013 - T3 and T5.
International Lounge Terminal 1 LHR - catering options from May 2013 - T1 international flights. This is due to change to BaxterStorey on 12 June 2013.
For the lounges in Gatwick and UK domestic lounges in Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen:
First Lounge London Gatwick (North terminal): Catering options from April 2013
Galleries Club Lounge Gatwick (North Terminal): Catering options from April 2013
UK Domestic lounges (outside London) - catering arrangments from April 2013
Feedback:
There's various methods to give feedback on the catering changes. These include:
LHR lounges - terminals 1, 3 and 5:
Concorde Room (CCR) LHR : menus 2013 - T5 only
Galleries First (Flounge) LHR: Dining menu and food options 2013 - T3 and T5.
Galleries Club lounge LHR: Dining menu and food options 2013 - T3 and T5.
International Lounge Terminal 1 LHR - catering options from May 2013 - T1 international flights. This is due to change to BaxterStorey on 12 June 2013.
For the lounges in Gatwick and UK domestic lounges in Newcastle, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen:
First Lounge London Gatwick (North terminal): Catering options from April 2013
Galleries Club Lounge Gatwick (North Terminal): Catering options from April 2013
UK Domestic lounges (outside London) - catering arrangments from April 2013
Feedback:
There's various methods to give feedback on the catering changes. These include:
- The lounge guest book - comments left here are read by BA and BaxterStorey managers on site.
- Twitter - tweet @British_Airways and @Baxter_Storey your experience at the time.
- Through BA.com - its useful for BA to hear what you think whether you're a high tier point earner or just an occasional business class traveller.
- Your recent feedback on catering in our lounges - Note to this forum from BA Executive Club (which says they are monitoring feedback in that thread).
New lounge catering contract : BaxterStorey replaces Compass - eff 1 May 2013
Jan 23, 2013, 2:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
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New lounge catering contract : BaxterStorey replaces Compass - eff 1 May 2013
Apologies if this has been mentioned elsewhere already, but in case it hasn't been I thought it might be of interest:
http://www.caterersearch.com/Article...unges-deal.htm
http://www.caterersearch.com/Article...unges-deal.htm
BaxterStorey has seen off stiff competition from long term incumbent operator Compass Group to snag a lucrative catering contract with British Airways (BA).
The sought after deal was struck following a competitive tender process, which French catering giant Sodexo – operator of rival airline Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouses – is also believed to have been keen to win.
Compass Group’s Restaurant Associates business has held the contract, which industry insiders estimate to be worth in excess of £20m a year, for 20 years.
BaxterStorey is expected to be responsible for all of the airline’s First Class and Galleries lounges, as well as the Concorde Room at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5.
Airport lounges used by Leicestershire-based airline BMI, which was bought by BA’s parent company IAG in 2011, is also expected to be part of the contract.
A spokesperson for BA would not confirm the contract award, but said that it is “standard practice” to regularly review its suppliers. At the time of going to press, BaxterStorey was unavailable for comment.
A Restaurant Associates representative said: “We can confirm that Restaurant Associates will no longer be delivering catering services at the BA loungesin the UK. Restaurant Associates will continue to provide excellent service, ensuring a timely transfer of activity over the coming months.
“We are very proud of the long-standing relationship we have had with British Airways and wish them well in the future.”
The sought after deal was struck following a competitive tender process, which French catering giant Sodexo – operator of rival airline Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouses – is also believed to have been keen to win.
Compass Group’s Restaurant Associates business has held the contract, which industry insiders estimate to be worth in excess of £20m a year, for 20 years.
BaxterStorey is expected to be responsible for all of the airline’s First Class and Galleries lounges, as well as the Concorde Room at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5.
Airport lounges used by Leicestershire-based airline BMI, which was bought by BA’s parent company IAG in 2011, is also expected to be part of the contract.
A spokesperson for BA would not confirm the contract award, but said that it is “standard practice” to regularly review its suppliers. At the time of going to press, BaxterStorey was unavailable for comment.
A Restaurant Associates representative said: “We can confirm that Restaurant Associates will no longer be delivering catering services at the BA loungesin the UK. Restaurant Associates will continue to provide excellent service, ensuring a timely transfer of activity over the coming months.
“We are very proud of the long-standing relationship we have had with British Airways and wish them well in the future.”
Jan 23, 2013, 3:15 am
#3
Join Date: May 2012
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Intresting
Jan 23, 2013, 3:35 am
#4
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Baxter Storey handled the catering for at least one large UK bank that I am familiar with. I was always very impressed by the quality of their operation there.
It is a shame that Do&CO were not picked for the CCR but I guess it would be difficult to fragment the catering provision across lounges.
The biggest failing in the lounges is the management of the staff. I would assume that Baxter Storey will sort this out with their own people.
It is a shame that Do&CO were not picked for the CCR but I guess it would be difficult to fragment the catering provision across lounges.
The biggest failing in the lounges is the management of the staff. I would assume that Baxter Storey will sort this out with their own people.
Jan 23, 2013, 4:11 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Let's hope their culinary repertoire at BA's LHR T1 lounge extends beyond the current hot choice of lasagne or lasagne.
Jan 23, 2013, 4:21 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: LCY is always preferred
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Very annoying, my shares in Compass have gone down! 
Like Land of Miles, I am aware of Baxter Storey's catering, and have found it to be very good indeed, so the catering should be great in the lounges if they can maintain the standard I have encountered in the past.
Like Land of Miles, I am aware of Baxter Storey's catering, and have found it to be very good indeed, so the catering should be great in the lounges if they can maintain the standard I have encountered in the past.
Jan 23, 2013, 4:25 am
#8
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Jan 23, 2013, 4:32 am
#9
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Jan 23, 2013, 4:45 am
#11
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New lounge catering contract
Is anything going to change?
From what i understand uk employment law forces the new contract holder to take on the existing employees
From what i understand uk employment law forces the new contract holder to take on the existing employees
Jan 23, 2013, 4:52 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Herts, UK
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Posts: 3,211
not that I am an expert in this area but,
I would assume that the F&B offering from any of these companies is going to be closely linked to the Budget BA gives them to work with. coupled with the same staff, i dont see much changing
I would assume that the F&B offering from any of these companies is going to be closely linked to the Budget BA gives them to work with. coupled with the same staff, i dont see much changing
Jan 23, 2013, 5:04 am
#13
Join Date: May 2009
Location: London
Programs: BAEC GGL & CCR
Posts: 59
My thoughts are pretty much the same. Staff canteen contract recently taken over and initial thoughts were trying hard but not much improvement. After a few months, still trying hard, quality back to the bad old days
Jan 23, 2013, 5:15 am
#14
Join Date: Apr 2012
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