Facilities management service provider Servest Group has won a three-year contract to provide cleaning services for global art business Sotheby’s in London.

The contract will see Servest, whose UK-wide operation in based near Bury St Edmunds, provide cleaning, washroom, laundry, consumables and pest control services to all of Sotheby’s properties on New Bond Street and to the company’s fine art storage facility in Greenford.

Servest, a member of the EADT/EDP Top 100 listing of the 100 largest companies in Suffolk and Essex, said it had been awarded the contract because of its commitment to introducing a transformation programme to increase efficiency and productivity.

Sotheby’s had also been impressed by the exceptional standards of cleaning achieved by Servest on the site of a client in a related field, it added.

Rob Legge, Servest chief executive for the UK and Europe, said: “The Servest team is absolutely delighted to have won this contract with the world’s premier auction house.

“This is testament to our ability to deliver exceptional standards in locations containing some of the world’s finest art and other collectible memorabilia.

“We pride ourselves on our ability to deliver transformational programmes to the finest brands and work with them to provide new concepts and fresh approaches to their operations.”

As a result of the contract, Servest and Sotheby’s have agreed that, from April 1, cleaners working at the two sites will be paid in line with the current Living Wage level for London.

: : Servest has also announced the acquisition of pest control business Pest Patrol Ltd, based at Sawston, near Cambridge, as part of its growth and diversification strategy.

Pest Patrol provides pest control services throughout the UK and was identified by Servest as being a good strategic fit for its existing business in the sector.

Rob Legge said: “The acquisition is part of our growth strategy to become one of the top five FM (facilities management) service providers in the UK. I’m delighted to be able to offer new and existing customers a wider range of services through the new combined entity. I look forward to working with Pest Patrol’s senior management team on integrating the business into Servest.”

Pest Patrol provides a range of pest, bird, fly and rodent prevention services together with insecticide treatments and cleaning and hygiene services as well as providing customers with pest control products.

Its customer base includes food manufacturing, hospitality, warehousing and distribution, healthcare, local authorities, housing associations and office and commercial clients.

The value of the acquisition has not been disclosed. Peter Wordingham, managing director of Pest Patrol, and the senior management team, will remain in place to drive the growth of Servest’s pest control division.

Mr Wordingham said: “We’re delighted to be part of the Servest group, which shares our belief in consistently delivering high standards to clients.

“Being part of a much bigger organisation will enable us to considerably widen our reach and develop relationships with clients that are in the market for a range of services.”