8 CONCLUSION
133. The Refreshment Department operates a large
and complex operation with great success. This is in large part
because of the dedication of its staff. However, there is a significant
body of dissatisfaction with some of the services provided, and
in this Report we have made recommendations for change to meet
the evolving requirements of Members, staff, and others based
on the Parliamentary Estate. There is a clear need to improve
the quality of food and service whilst taking into account the
desire to do more to reduce the level of public subsidy.
134. A number of our recommendations for improvement
can be implemented without significant cost, such as:
a) The development of a ten-year Refreshment
Department strategy
b) Menu changes in the Members' and Strangers'
Dining Rooms
c) Changing the concept and menu of the Churchill
Room to a quality grill room
d) Improvements to the cold counter and to the
menu in the Tea Room
e) Better sandwiches and salads in the cafeterias
f) Widening access to the Press Gallery cafeteria
g) Improving the enforcement of access regulations
in the Debate and Terrace Cafeterias
135. The implementation of some of our other recommendations,
particularly those for the longer term, will involve capital cost,
but increased usage and more efficient deployment of resources
should allow this cost to be more than recouped in due course.
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