Gather & Gather has won a major, long term contract with Edinburgh College for student and staff catering and hospitality across its four campuses - its first FEHE sector contract.

Edinburgh College, which has 24,000 students, has benefited from an upfront investment of £300,000 by Gather & Gather to transform the catering environments by improving the equipment, furniture and facilities in the college’s shops and food courts. Gather & Gather will also launch a street food van, which will travel around the campuses hosting pop up street food menus from around the world, a ribs and wings menu, noodle bar and regional dishes, throughout the year.

Gather & Gather will introduce digital technology, including menu screens, contactless payments terminals and the YoYo app to allow students to pay for their food in the most convenient and speedy way. The YoYo app allows food to be pre-ordered and paid for without the need for cash or cards.

There will also be a new visual brand identity for the college’s catering outlets, which will be consistent across all four campuses. This revamp is designed to create vibrant spaces where students can meet and collaborate.

Union Coffee’s hand-roasted blend Camino has been introduced, and a new artisan coffee shop will open on the Milton Road campus. As part of its commitment to work with increasing numbers of local suppliers, Gather & Gather will also source coffee and other supplies from businesses within the local region. Vegan inspired dishes will be introduced at the Sighthill campus, as well as a ‘grab and go’ convenience option at Granton campus.

The company has also pledged to support the college’s Hospitality curriculum by providing students with extra learning opportunities, as well as access to industry events and culinary demonstrations to inspire future graduates.

Allister Richards, Managing Director, Gather & Gather, said:

 “We are very pleased Edinburgh College has chosen Gather & Gather to transform its catering offer and are looking forward to bringing our contemporary approach to food, service and technology to refresh the experience for students and staff across all four campuses. We’re also delighted to be supporting the Hospitality curriculum to provide learning and development opportunities.” 

Notes to editors

Notes to Editors

About Gather & Gather

Launched in April 2013, Gather & Gather offers restaurant, café, hospitality and event services to a range of clients across a broad spectrum of sectors including media, technology, legal, financial services and retail. Following the successful award of a place on the LUPC outsourced framework for catering services, Gather & Gather has recently moved into the Further and Higher Education sector, with Edinburgh College its first client.

Employing 2,700 people, Gather & Gather has become one of the UK’s leading workplace catering experts, connecting customers to brilliant, on-trend food and drink, a market-leading wellness programme and an award-winning suite of technology. Gather & Gather received the maximum Three Stars in the SRA Sustainability Rating in 2018. Gather & Gather is part of Mitie Group plc

About Mitie

Founded in 1987, Mitie is the UK’s leading facilities management and professional services company. It offers a range of specialist services including Security, Engineering Services, Catering, Cleaning Landscaping, Energy and Property Consultancy, Property Maintenance, and Custody Support Services.  

Mitie employs 54,000 people across the country, looking after a large, diverse, blue-chip customer base, from banks and retailers, to hospitals, schools and government offices. It takes care of its customers’ people and buildings, by delivering the basics brilliantly and by deploying advanced technology. It is pioneering the Connected Workspace, using smart analytics to provide valuable insight and deliver efficiencies to create outstanding work environments for customers.