Searcys and Benugo partner with Alva

Searcys and its sister brand Benugo, have partnered with The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA).

Both teams will provide ALVA members with industry insight, thought leadership and benchmarking initiatives to support its members in continuing to develop and enhance its visitor experience.

Searcys and Benugo have almost 200 years of combined catering and operational experience within some of the UK’s historic and cultural visitor attractions.

National Portrait Gallery in partnership with Richard Corrigan, The Pump Room in Bath, The Barbican and 116 Pall Mall, whilst Benugo partners with some of the “famous” museums, including the British Museum, V&A, Science Museum and Edinburgh Castle.

ALVA members consist of over 2,200 locations from gardens and galleries, castles and cathedrals, through to heritage sites and historic houses, hosting over 119 million visitors each year.

The Association aims to represent its members to the government, the broader tourism industry, business and media.

Paul Jackson, managing director at Searcys, said: “We are delighted to further cement our close relationship with the ALVA. Searcys has been part of the UK’s hospitality scene for over 175 years.

“We hope that over the years we have played a part in preserving and developing our world-class cultural institutions for future generations, from our WWII concerts that Searcys catered for at the National Gallery to our most recent opening with Richard Corrigan at the National Portrait Gallery. We look forward to working closely with the ALVA members, providing an open dialogue to make sure that we all deliver the best possible customer experience.”

Ben Warner, Benugo founder, added: “Benugo wouldn’t be where it is today without the partnerships we have formed with some of the UK’s foremost visitor attractions. In the past 25 years, we’ve been lucky enough to work with a wide selection of ALVA members, contributing to their further success through our café operations. Looking ahead, we can’t wait to work on more initiatives with members like the recent Kids in Museums Family Café Standard. We couldn’t be prouder to strengthen our relationship with ALVA and the excellent work they do.”

Bernard Donoghue OBE, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, concluded: “We are so pleased to be partnering with Searcys and Benugo. Catering and events are integral to the visitor experience, enhancing the venue’s reputation whilst providing a valuable revenue stream. Searcys and Benugo have so much sector-specific expertise and I look forward to introducing them to our members and working with them closely to build on the reputation of our world-renowned attractions.”