Major gain for Wilson Vale

Independent catering company, Wilson Vale, has gained the single largest contract in its fourteen year history to date – a full service contract with Conference Aston in Birmingham. 

Worth £1.75 million in annual turnover, the three-year contract is due to start on 1st August when Wilson Vale will take over from the incumbents, Sodexo, at the 163 bedroom AIM accredited residential conference centre, which is part of Aston University.

As well as managing catering and hospitality services under a seven-day operation, Wilson Vale will manage housekeeping and bar services.  A team of 46 Wilson Vale staff will be involved in running the contract at the venue which attracts up to 55,000 hotel guests and conference delegates each year. 

Andrew Wilson, co-founder of Wilson Vale, said: “This is a seriously special milestone for us. Over the last three years we have steadily developed our conference and venues portfolio so to have gained this flagship venue shows our understanding of the specific needs of this niche market.  

“We were up against some industry heavyweights, and it is wonderful that Conference Aston has bought into our food and our culture to drive their business forward.”

Samantha Brown, head of Conference Aston, said: “As a venue, we are always seeking new ways to drive innovation into our guests’ experience, and food plays a crucial role within this, often creating the lasting impression for our conference and hotel guests. 

“The business tourism sector in Birmingham is increasingly competitive, so it was vital that our contract partner for catering and housekeeping could provide the energy and creativity for us to stand out from the increasing number of conference hotels and continue to develop our first class service offer. Wilson Vale stood out during the tender process with their passion for fresh, local, homemade food and we are looking forward to taking our food offer across our restaurants and bar to exciting new places as we progress the partnership.”

The value of Wilson Vale’s conference portfolio has doubled over the last twelve months, representing 15% of the business, with the remainder of the portfolio within business and industry and private education.

The company now employs 600 people and projected annual turnover is £23 million for 2016.

Since it was established in 2002, Wilson Vale has seen an average 15 cent compounded growth rate year-on-year, showing consistency of standards and growth over its entire history to date.

Wilson Vale became preferred suppliers to Venues of Excellence in 2012 and are in partnership with two member venues.

Burleigh Court continues award winning streak with Gold at VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014

imago’s four star conference centre and hotel Burleigh Court has won Gold in the Large Hotel of the Year category at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014. 

“This is a fantastic accolade for the venue and our hard working, customer focused staff,” said head of sales and marketing, Emma Boynton. “In particular, as a university owned hotel originally built as part of a conference facility, winning what is essentially the country’s leading leisure hotel award is testament to the high standards we aim for and achieve.  Our fellow finalists were all stately homes, castles and luxury resorts so it was a real opportunity to demonstrate why a business focused venue can compete at the very highest levels in the hospitality sector.”

The awards ceremony took place at Cheltenham Racecourse on Monday May 12, 2014. Finalists were judged on key criteria such as customer service, commitment to excellence, staff training and development, accessibility, marketing and promotion, quality improvement and development and sustainability. 

Burleigh Court was invited to submit an application for the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2014 after winning Gold in the Hotel of the Year category at the Leicester and Leicestershire Excellence in Tourism Awards.

Burleigh Court is part of imago’s portfolio of venues, offering business and leisure guests 26 meeting rooms, 150 square metres of exhibition space and 225 en-suite bedrooms with a range of facilities to suit all needs. Other on-site features include a well-equipped gym complete with swimming pool, sauna and a spa offering a range of relaxing treatments. 

imago was recently awarded the Investors in People Gold standard, making it one of only a handful of venues from the meetings industry to achieve the accreditation.  

Launched in 2003, imago unifies Loughborough University’s conference and events venues under one brand, offering high quality meeting spaces, venues and accommodation alongside excellent sports and leisure facilities. 

Warwick Conferences chef wins Institute of Hospitality award

Warwick Conferences has another culinary success to celebrate after a member of its catering team was recognised at the Institute of Hospitality awards.

Graham Crump, Executive Development Chef at Warwick Conferences, was nominated for the Innovation in Management award for his contribution to the university’s development of its chefs and catering. The Institute of Hospitality selected Graham as the winner from a shortlist of nominees for his involvement in Warwick Conferences’ apprenticeship scheme and for leading chef development at the University of Warwick.

Graham mentors Warwick Conferences’ apprentices throughout their training. He ensures they gain experience in all areas of catering and frequently goes the extra mile to make sure they benefit from a rounded experience. The panel were particularly impressed by his planning and arranging specialist placements to enable them to learn skills in areas of expertise, as well as covering the fundamentals normally expected during an apprenticeship.  

In terms of supporting chef development, Graham ensures the team are kept up to date with modern trends and are constantly involved in the ‘bigger picture’ of understanding and appreciating how the food is grown, cared for, selected and processed to make it onto a delegate’s plate. The fact that Graham also encourages chefs at all grades to enter and participate in culinary competitions did not go unnoticed: the panel commended his efforts to help them hone their skills in different environments and under different pressures, and to network with professionals in the industry. 

The awards were organised to mark the Institute of Hospitality’s 75th anniversary and to celebrate excellence in the hospitality industry. Aside from Innovation in Management, two other awards were presented for the Highest Achieving Student and Outstanding Leadership categories.

Graham commented: “I’m delighted to accept the Innovation in Management award. The Institute of Hospitality is a hugely respected organisation in the industry and it’s a real honour to have been recognised as part of their 75th anniversary celebrations.” 

The awards were presented at a gala dinner on the 20th November at The Westbury Hotel in Mayfair, London.