FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
Sodexo Live! has renewed its partnership with the Royal Academy of Arts in London for a further six years.
The new contract, awarded following a competitive tender process, will see Sodexo Live! continue to serve a modern, seasonal British-inspired menu to the Royal Academy’s visitors throughout the year at the RA Café, and in summer months in the Courtyard Café and Summer Exhibition Bar.
Sodexo Live! has been delivering hospitality and dining experiences at the Royal Academy since 2016.
Across 2026 there will be an exciting investment programme, focusing on the RA Café and the Sir Hugh Casson Room that forms part of The Keeper’s House, the RA Members area. This includes updates to layout, design, furniture and menu offering.
As part of the new partnership, a collaboration with celebrated chef José Pizarro has been launched in The Keeper’s House, open to Royal Academy Friends, Patrons and Members. The vibrant newly refurbished dining destination will serve Pizarro’s bold, authentic Spanish cooking and Mediterranean-inspired flavours exclusively to Royal Academy members, in the Shenkman Bar & Garden and The Academicians Room.
Alongside this, the specialist event catering brand of Sodexo Live! Heritage Portfolio, will curate and deliver bespoke hospitality experiences for all events held in The Keeper’s House and as part a panel of event suppliers that work across other parts of the Royal Academy.
Claire Morris, CEO Sodexo Live! UK&I said: “The Royal Academy of Arts is a well-known and popular destination for art lovers from across the world. Our culinary team serve delicious, freshly prepared dishes with a quintessential British feel but with global influences reflecting our commitment to creating memorable culinary moments for the Royal Academy’s friends, members, patrons and visitors and supporting its position as one of London’s leading cultural institutions.”
Simon Wallis, Secretary and Chief Executive, Royal Academy of Arts said: “We are delighted that the Royal Academy’s partnership with Sodexo Live! has been renewed for a further six years. They deliver outstanding hospitality, and we look forward to this continuing across the RA Café, The Keeper’s House and our Courtyard Café.”
According to the 2026 UK Facilities Management Market Research Report by askporter, facilities management professionals want clear, verifiable evidence of work being delivered, with teams that can communicate progress in real time. This requires technology that is affordable, intuitive, and quick to adopt.
Yet the report found that:
Over three quarters of FM professionals (76 per cent) experience operational inefficiencies caused by siloed software which results in a lack of real-time visibility.
Communications challenges lead to maintenance issues, with 73 per cent of teams being forced into reactive problem-solving on a weekly basis.
A worrying level of compliance gaps, with 44 per cent of admitting that half or less of their compliance tasks are tracked and automated within their systems.
Closing this gap requires the establishment of transparent and consistent communications using affordable software that gives FM teams the ability to track, evidence and improve their services.
This webinar provides a valuable overview of the main findings of the report by askporter followed by a panel discussion by FM thought leaders on practical, strategic solutions that can help close this communications gap.
To register for the webinar taking place 29 January 2026 at 11:00am click here.
