RA Venues has secured the contract to provide hospitality and catering services at prestigious Knebworth House, making it the latest addition to the company’s portfolio of catering at leading cultural and heritage destinations across the UK.
Situated in leafy Hertfordshire, in Stevenage, Knebworth House traditionally brings the finest in live theatre and music set amidst a beautiful historic backdrop. The venue also plays host to weddings, special celebrations and corporate events, with several options for parties of different sizes.
The new RA Venues contract, which commences in September 2020 through to 2026, will see RA Venues provide full catering services for day visitors in the Garden Terrace Tea Room, as well as the venue’s historic Barns Conference and Banqueting Centre. RA Venues will also cater the conferences and events within the estate. The carefully curated menus will feature seasonal ingredients from the Knebworth estate, grown within the vegetable and herb gardens and Knebworth’s own venison.
Event guests visiting the estate can expect to enjoy an array of dishes such as the Heritage Beetroot Niçoise with Clarence court eggs, Heirloom Tomatoes with wasabi mascarpone, and Kentish Asparagus & Wobbly Bottom Goats Cheese Tart. The menus will be predominantly plant forward with at least a third of the ingredients sourced locally. The Hydration Station will offer a range of fresh juices designed to provide a tasty and healthy alternative soft drink option.
Daytime guests visiting the Garden Terrace will be able to choose from a selection of seasonal gourmet deli sandwiches, heritage sourdough toasties, boxed salads, and hot snacks, as well as freshly-baked cakes and sweet treats.
Steve Chandler, Managing Director of RA Venues, comments: “RA Venues is excited to announce a long-term partnership with Knebworth House. As a leading historical venue, known across the country, we’re proud to welcome the business into our portfolio. The estate grounds offer the perfect opportunity for us to create beautiful seasonal menus that build on the customer experience to ensure a truly memorable visit. It is also wonderful to be supporting so many quality local producers.”
Martha Lytton Cobbold, Managing Director of Knebworth Estates, adds: “We are delighted to be working with the industry leaders RA Venues to provide our public and event catering from 1st September, we will continue to base the catering operations at our historic Knebworth Barns and work proactively with our established professional team for event opportunities at Knebworth House, Barns, Gardens, and Park.”
Knebworth House has been recognised for their proactive response to the covid-19 crisis and have gone above and beyond government guidelines to ensure the venue is Covid-secure. Alongside ‘We’re Good to Go’ accreditation by Visit England, Knebworth House has devised an 11-point health and safety strategy that RA Venues will adhere to alongside their own Gold Standard practices.