Arbuthnot House Catering and Hospitality Survey
The catering survey covered both the proposed café and restaurant offers, and asked respondents about when they might visit (for coffees, lunches or dinners) and whether they would be likely to book the venues for events. The survey asked what was most important in terms of the fit-out of both spaces, and the catering offer that was available in each of them. There were 38 responses to the café survey and 36 to the restaurant survey.
In response to when they would use the café, 81% said for brunch or coffee; 76% for lunch without a visit to the museum or library; and 65% for lunch as part of a visit to the museum or library. When asked what was most important about the café food and drink offer, the three top responses were that it: promote the best of regional produce; offer affordable prices and value for money; and offer a variety of food that meets different dietary requirements. Interestingly, these were the same three areas highlighted in relation to the question on the restaurant’s food and drink offer as well.
In response to what matters most for the café space the three top answers were: a garden terrace (66%); quality furniture and tableware (55%); and table service (50%). In comparison, when this question was posed about the restaurant, the three top responses were: views over Peterhead (75%); high quality furniture and tableware (61%); and outside space (56%).
When asked about how they might frequent the restaurant, respondents replied: for lunch and dinner without visiting the library or museum (92%); for lunch or dinner as part of a visit to the library or museum (78%); and for group dining, without private use (50%).
Comments received about the restaurant and café included: concern at competition for other local cafes and restaurants; a request to careful consider acoustics in the designs so that neither the café nor the restaurant was too noisy for visitors; the need for physical accessibility to accommodate prams and wheelchairs; the issues that might be posed by seagulls for outside areas; and the suggestion that the spaces could also be used for music and spoken word events.
We asked, You said, We will
All spaces within the building, including the café and restaurant will be fully accessible, and there will be a Changing Places toilet on site as well. The issue of acoustics will be considered by the design team, and operational measures to limit any issues with seagulls on site will also be considered. The use of the catering spaces for events will be at the discretion of the independent hospitality operators, but there are a series of other spaces within the building under the full control of the council that will be available for public / community events and functions use.
