Memorandum by the Parliamentary Press
Gallery
REFRESHMENT DEPARTMENT SERVICES INQUIRY
The Parliamentary Press Gallery represents the
300 or so journalists accredited by the Serjeant at Arms, of whom
around 170 are based permanently in accommodation provided by
the Commons. These facilities have the following catering services:
— Waiter service dining room
— Banqueting services for monthly lunches
and occasional reception functions in the Press dining room
The cafeteria, dining room and bar are also
used by staff of the Official Report.
These services are highly valued by members
of the Parliamentary Press Gallery who work extended hours which
span a period from 7.30 am to midnight or 1.00 am after critical
votes. Although these services are provided only when the House
is sitting, the Press Gallery is the permanent base of its members
and is in use almost every day of the year.
CAFETERIA
This provides hot and cold meals, drinks and
snacks on a counter service basis. It is the most popular and
widely used of our catering facilities and is of particular importance
as at times journalists have only a brief time in which to have
a meal whilst covering debates, committee hearings or other parliamentary
business. Although this service is highly valued there is and
has been for some time concern amongst members of the Press Gallery
about the quality of the hot food served. We have raised this
with the Refreshment Department and understand and accept that
this is due to the age and condition of the kitchens and equipment
at the disposal of the staff, of whom we have no criticism and
whose work is much appreciated. As a result, however, some of
our members tend to eat elsewhere in the Palace.
DINING ROOM
This is a table service restaurant within the
Press Gallery. It is the only place within the Palace of Westminster
in which our members can book a table in their own name and entertain
at their own expense a Member, Officer of the House, Peer or other
guest. It provides good food and service. In addition it is the
venue for our monthly lunches, at which the guest speaker is normally
a government or opposition spokesperson, and the only suitable
space in which we can hold functions (such as the reception for
new Members of Parliament which took place in June this year).
It is therefore of central importance. Like many of the refreshment
facilities within the House, its custom appears to have fallen
off following the changes in sitting hours. However, on evenings
during which there are critical votes in the House the dining
room gets very busy and is of vital importance.
BAR
This is a popular facility which we understand
to be one of the busiest within the Palace. Whilst it is used
particularly in the evenings, it is an important part of our monthly
lunch arrangements (at which most of the guests are Members or
Peers) and is a focus for the social life of the Gallery.
THE FUTURE
The Parliamentary Estates Department has informed
us of plans to replace and re-equip the kitchens that serve the
Press Gallery's catering facilities as part of a project to renovate
the whole Press Gallery area. We are in discussions about the
precise plans to reconfigure the bar, cafeteria and dining room
in locations deemed to be more efficient by the Palace and which
will allow us to maximise office accommodation. We are informed
that these works may take place in the summer recesses 2006 and
2007.
If work to replace the kitchens and reconfigure
the facilities goes ahead as planned we would hope to achieve
more flexible services which make optimum use of space and encourage
useage. In particular we would like to see an area where hot drinks
(coffee/cappuccino/tea/mineral water etc) could be available throughout
the day in the manner of the Despatch Box in Portcullis House.
We feel that this would help retain business within the Press
Gallery and so avoid adding to queues at other popular venues
at peak times.
Given that the House is planning to invest in
improved catering facilities, and that the Press Gallery is in
use throughout Parliamentary recesses, we would urge that consideration
be given to keeping open some basic functions throughout the calendar
year, for example, the bar and basic cafeteria counter service.
Separately we have been informed about plans
to renovate the south roof of the Palace over the Press Gallery
dining room. We understand that starting in the spring of next
year these works may result in the restriction or temporary closure
of our catering facilities. If that is the case we would wish
to open discussions with the House on how temporary replacements
may be put in place to replicate our existing facilities for the
duration of the works, namely: a counter-service cafeteria, waiter
service restaurant, monthly banqueting facilities (for up to 80-90
people), an occasional function room and, if affected, the bar.
We would be happy to answer questions on any
of the points covered in our submission and to talk to the Administration
Committee if required.
3 November 2005
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