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The Gateway to Greenery
When the John Hope Gateway (JHG) visitor facility opened at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) in October, Prestige Scotland, the incumbent catering company tasked with looking after the food and beverage needs of the thousands of annual visitors to the gardens, realised a golden opportunity. Not only is the new development an ideal platform from which to demonstrate their skills, it's also one of the most sustainable and efficient public venues in the country, and was therefore a perfect fit for the environmentally conscious caterer. Catering in Scotland visited Scotland's newest corporate and private dining venue…
From whichever angle you view it, the elegant glass-and-wood edifice is a highly impressive structure.
From the front it resembles a lofty gallery bathed in natural light while at the back, the 70 acres of landscaped gardens stretches out from the wooden sun terrace like a vast ocean of green mixed with an easel of autumnal colours.
The building's unique situation is no doubt part of the attraction for visitors. Located opposite Inverleith Park, the setting feels like the countryside and yet is only a couple of miles from Edinburgh's city centre.
Alyson Cawley, Managing Director of Prestige Scotland, is well-versed in providing quality catering facilities for public attractions throughout Scotland: 'This project is a true partnership between us and RGBE,' she explains. 'When we took over the catering at the Gardens in 2007, the concept and planning of the John Hope Gateway was well underway, and from the moment we began the contract, we worked with them to develop a visitor attraction that's green from the ground up, with food that exceeds all expectations.'
In addition to the John Hope Gateway's environmental credentials, the restaurant and hospitality services run by Prestige Scotland are a major pull for visitors. With a team of expert chefs who place particular emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, Prestige offer a wide range of freshly prepared dishes to both the public customers and private clients.
'If you're at a visitor attraction – it doesn't matter where it is – and you receive a poor quality meal, it can taint your experience of that venue,' adds Alyson. 'Our aim from the outset was to provide a unique, authentic menu for the restaurant which reflected the quality of the gardens. Our objective is to reach and expand the local community which already values a strong relationship with the Garden, and to introduce local residents and businesses to a new place that's ideal for meetings, socialising and entertaining. For the first time, the Garden can realise a long-held dream of offering early visitors the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed breakfast, from 09:30 during the week and from 09:00 at the weekends. As evening falls, the Gateway transforms into a magnificent event space with capacity for up to 190 people, and the restaurant becomes an exclusive and versatile corporate and private venue which is perfect for weddings and conferences.'
Meanwhile, the David Douglas Room, accessed from the restaurant area through glass partition doors, is a separate function room for smaller, more intimate events. Providing the perfect setting for wine-tastings, fine dining, business meetings, presentations and training courses for up to 40 people, the room is especially suitable for clients looking for a stylish setting with first class service. And, although Prestige Scotland can offer the David Douglas room as part of the building as a whole, Lesley Williams, Business Development Director at RBGE, believes the smaller space represents a unique venue in itself: 'The David Douglas Room is a special addition to the JHG,' she explains. 'People can use it for an exclusive meeting or event. Delegates can head into the restaurant to eat with the public, or they can take a walk around gardens after a presentation, and then head back to meeting room where lunch is served in private.
'Alternatively, when the building closes to the public after 5pm, they can hire the entire space. It's such a flexible room that really any combination of set-up or itinerary is possible.'
And on the subject of food, Prestige Scotland's offering is a reason in itself to host or attend events there at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Unlike many venues, the company operates its own fully fitted kitchen which is in use seven days a week in the John Hope Gateway building: 'We place a strong emphasis on sourcing ingredients from Scottish producers,' adds Lesley, 'and by supporting farmers who supply the best fruit, vegetables and meat, from Scotland, we ensure a consistently high class product for our discerning and health-conscious customer base.' So, the next time you're planning a corporate event, family gathering, conference day, product launch or all-out party, give Prestige Scotland a call at RBGE on 0131 552 2674. With unmatched catering facilities, a unique setting and enviable environmental credentials, you'll be hard-pushed to find a more desirable venue anywhere in Scotland.
This article has been edited from its original version. For the complete feature, please see Catering in Scotland magazine November/December 2009.
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