Sodexo has extended its partnership with Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for a further seven years.

The £21m contract will see Sodexo continue to deliver retail catering, restaurant, public cleaning, sales and marketing, and events services at the RBGE. Under the extension, Sodexo will now also provide staff dining and cleaning services at the Edinburgh Garden and cleaning services at Dawyck Botanic Garden.

Around 100 temporary and permanent Sodexo employees are based at RGBE, which receives 800,000 visitors annually. Each year the venue hosts around 80 weddings, 50 social events, 40 corporate events, the Botanic Lights in autumn, and a full Christmas and Hogmanay events programme.

Austin Tilsley, Sodexo Sports & Leisure operations director, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have extended our eight-year relationship with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. We have a very strong on-site and local management team who have built an excellent relationship with the client and clearly demonstrated the values Sodexo brings to a partnership.”

Heather Jackson, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh director of enterprise, said: “We’re looking forward very much to continuing the excellent relationship we already enjoy with Sodexo. The new contract, commencing 1 February 2016, gives us both the opportunity to realise our ambition to deliver a world-class visitor experience in a world-class botanic garden.

“From presenting the very best of Scotland’s larder, to providing the warmest of welcomes to all of our guests, are objectives we’re committed to delivering in partnership. In addition, the income generated by our hospitality offer across the Edinburgh Garden, goes a long way to help support our vital plant science and conservation work.”

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