Client Profile:

Loughborough Town Hall is Charnwood’s principal performing arts venue. It comprises a 528 capacity multi-use theatre, catering for exhibitions, dances, balls, meetings, seminars and more formal performances of drama, dance, music and comedy. The venue also hosts the magnificent Victoria Room, which is used for meetings and civic functions and increasingly as a studio/cabaret venue, as well as two restaurants and a bar. The Town Hall is overseen by the management of Charnwood Borough Council.

Situation:

Loughborough Town Hall was commissioned a £2.8M grant for refurbishment from the council. Following a competitive tender process, Catering Consultancy Bureau were appointed and outlined the following via an initial healthcheck report:

• The poor state of the facilities and inadequate resources limited the income generation potential.
• The overall performance of the catering service was not considered to be satisfactory in terms of the quality and management of the service provided.
• While the venue’s catering sales were high, profits were not.
• There was a major trading opportunity for the catering service to provide function catering for corporate hospitality, theatre hospitality and the wedding market.

Outcome of Project:

Following an in-depth review of the catering and bar facilities, Catering Consultancy Bureau were retained to manage the following aspects:

• To commission the complete redesign of the catering and bar facilities.
• To manage the strategic direction of the facility, including the development of the special event and functions trade.
• Following the decision to contract out the services, CCB conducted the entire tender procedure and mobilisation, including the on-going auditing.
• The venue has moved from an old style Town Hall to a lively modern venue during a comparatively short period of time. The Town Hall is now a major performance venue for Charnwood and the wider East Midlands.
• On the 24th November 2004, the restaurant, cafe and bars were opened by the Right Honourable Mayor of Charnwood, Cllr Mike Jones.
• Loughborough Town Hall are now in the process of achieving Hospitality Assured accreditation.

"CCB have assisted us in transforming our venue through a professional and
enthusiastic approach to the whole process”.

Nigel Strong, Front of House Manager