A catering business in south Norfolk is to create 70 new jobs after winning a series of new contracts.Churchill Catering, based at Botesdale, has secured £2.

A catering business in south Norfolk is to create 70 new jobs after winning a series of new contracts.

Churchill Catering, based at Botesdale, has secured £2.7m of new business - winning new clients including Cambridgeshire Police, media firm Newsquest in Brighton, Devon poultry firm Lloyd Maunder and KLM Engineering in Norwich.

Managing director Tony Nicholl said the business, which was founded 12 years ago, traded on a reputation of using local suppliers and sourcing ingredients from local farms.

Churchill's turnover is expected to hit £20m this year and it counts Syfer Technologies, Hamlins at Diss, and Kerry Foods at Redgrave among its existing clients.

But Mr Nicholl added that the change in the economic climate had “helped the business a little” as companies looked to trim costs and outsource their kitchen and catering services.

The new jobs will be created on each client's site, although a small number will be administration jobs at the company's office at Botesdale.

“This new business represents a £2.7m increase in our turnover and an additional 70 new employees will be joining our company. “This means more jobs based at our financial headquarters at Bottestdale and more opportunities throughout our expanding business.

“We are a family business using and supporting local suppliers and we believe our philosophy of 'local food served by local people' really does work and our clients throughout the UK see real benefits in our unique style.”

Mr Nicholl added: “The economic climate helps us a little because it makes larger companies that subsidise their restaurant services look to reduce costs when things get a little tough - and 95pc of the time, that's what we can do.”