The specialist caterer, Peyton and Byrne is to withdraw from its contract at Brighton Dome, Brighton Museum, the Royal Pavilion and Hove Museum.
Won just 18 months ago, and reportedly worth £20m over seven years, the deal – the firm feels – no longer fits into it business strategy.
Local press reports say that joint tenders will be run for the event catering and cafes part of the contract, with the Dome services coming back in-house.
Peyton and Byrne will honour its commitments over the next several months until alternative arrangements can be put in place. In the meantime, the firm is working hard on its new Imperial War Museum contract in London where refurbished facilities recently opened.
In other pull-out news, upmarket caterer Searcy’s is to withdraw from its contract with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre at the end of August. The theatre management said in a statement that the move was ‘by mutual agreement’ and reflected ‘a change in Searcy’s business priorities’.
A review of catering services at the site is planned for the autumn.