Working at The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens

The Bishop’s Palace: Our Commitment

The Bishop’s Palace is dedicated to equal opportunities, diversity, and inclusion. We value the strengths that a diverse workforce brings to our organisation and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances.

Join Us

If you are excited by the prospect of helping shape the future of one of Somersets most iconic historic sites,  we would love to hear from you. Become part of a team that celebrates heritage, fosters community, and believes in making a lasting difference.    

Step into history—and help us write the next chapter.

Looking for a Voluntary role?  We often have volunteering opportunities too which you can find here. 

Chef

Full time (37.5hrs pw) – straight shifts
£29,250 pa (FTE).  Part time hours considered

One of our Chef team will be leaving us to further his career in London – which leaves us looking to recruit an excellent chef to join our Kitchen team.    
The Role:
We’re looking for a full time (37.5 hrs pw) Chef who can work within a small kitchen team to produce exceptional food cooked to order.    The Bishop’s Table offers breakfast, Brunch and lunch in the busy café.    The team work day shifts, generally 8am until 4.30pm.  The café is open from 9.30am until 5.30pm daily.  Very occasional evening if a special event is taking place.       Our Kitchen team are responsible for creating menus, ordering and all health, safety and hygiene to ensure an efficient smooth-running kitchen.      You will work with our Garden team to help plan seasonal produce from the Palace Garden and develop/maintain relationships with local suppliers.   We also have a monthly Supper Club, plus cater for special events both within the café and in the Palace.

Who are we looking for:
We’re looking for Chef with at least 3 years’ experience in a busy kitchen producing fresh food to order.    The café menu includes breakfast, sandwiches, salads and daily specials.   The Supper Club and event catering range from Afternoon Teas to 3-course menus, so a good range of catering experience is essential.  

This could be a great environment to develop your career.   Or perhaps you are looking to change your work /life balance and come to an exciting catering environment which has daytime shifts.     You must be a team player, be enthusiastic about creating and producing seasonal menus, be willing to learn and share learning.     It is key time in the café’s development to join and to help influence the future catering offering.  As a small team there may be times when you may be asked to assist in other areas.

Qualifications / Skills:
Ideally our Chef would have NVQ L1 or 2 or City and Guilds 7061/7062.  
At least 3 years’ experience as a chef in a fast-paced kitchen
Level 2 Food Hygiene and good knowledge of food allergens
Willing to share skills and experience
Excellent communication skills and ability to place orders and maintain kitchen paperwork.

How to Apply
Please send a CV along with a Cover letter to [email protected] 

Full details of the role can be found:  Chef Job Description

Applications will be considered as received and shortlisted applicants invited to interview.

Start date:   Ideally mid-late August so we can arrange a handover week with our chef who will be leaving us. 

Assistant Catering Manager

Full time 40 hours per week (part time hours will be considered).
Salary £31,000 (based on FT/40 hrs)

Every memorable day out involves great food and drink.     

At The Bishop’s Palace, a medieval visitor attraction located in the centre of the City of Wells in Somerset, we believe great hospitality is essential.      Our Café, The Bishop’s Table, nestles next to the rampart walls with a fantastic view of the Palace.   It is enjoyed by day visitors and locals and we are excited to be expanding our staffing team.      At the heart of our offer is the delivery of freshly made, great tasting and locally sourced food and drink.    We believe this should be accompanied with exceptional customer service with options to cater for all visitors’ expectations – from a quick ‘coffee to go’ to enjoy while exploring the gardens to a celebratory breakfast for the whole family. 

As an independent charity (The Palace Trust) we aim to be part of the local community while sharing this wonderful heritage gem with all.   It is a thriving working environment with a great team across the whole site.

The Role:
We’re looking for an experienced Assistant Catering Manager to join the team to deliver exceptional customer service – and fantastic coffee!    The Bishop’s Table offers breakfast and lunch in the busy café plus there are several seasonal outlets in the grounds.    This new role will work closely with both the Head of Catering and the Shift leads adding additional experience and support to the team, building on the catering success and continuing to develop and improve the catering offering.

The team work day shifts, generally hours between 8.30am until 6.30pm on a rota basis.  The café is open daily from 9.30am until 5.30pm daily.  There will be some occasional evenings if a special event is taking place such as Supper Club, Private Hire/bars or site wide events such as Outdoor Theatre, Party at the Palace or Sparkle Illuminations.

Who are we looking for:
We’re looking for someone with at least 3-years catering experience, where you have provided excellent customer service.  Experience of supervising or leading a team in a busy café along with barista skills and an understanding of EPOS systems and financial procedures are key for this role.  We want to ensure that every customer has a great visit, aiming to serve exceptional coffee, cake and fresh cooked food while offering a warm welcome and excellent customer service.    Bar experience would be an advantage.

This could be a great environment to develop your career.   Or perhaps you are looking to change your work /life balance and come to an exciting catering environment which is mostly daytime shifts.    We are looking for Assistant Catering Manager who can be flexible in their working days.  You must be a capable team leader, able to use your initiative, anticipating and resolving issues.  You should be enthusiastic about customer care, be willing to learn and share learning.     It is key time in the café’s development to join and to help influence the future catering offering.  As a small team this role can be very hands-on. 

Experience & Qualifications:
Ideally our Assistant Catering Manager would have:
At least 3 years’ experience working in a busy café/restaurant
Experience of managing / leading a team
Barista Experience (essential)
Excellent communication, customer service and leadership skills along with ability to well work under pressure.
Budgeting, stock, till management skills and bar experience would be advantageous
A-level or equivalent
Level 2 Food Hygiene & Safety (willing to complete Level 3)

What you will get for the role :
You will be working for an independent charity whose main aim is to share, preserve and protect the 800-year Bishop’s Palace, with its medieval buildings, moat and spectacular gardens.      We reinvest in the team and the site and work with local community groups and organisations as part of our community engagement.     See below for benefits.  

How to Apply:

To apply send your CV along with a cover letter highlighting your skills to [email protected] .   Applications will only be considered with a cover letter. 

You can find full details of role and specifications here:   Assistant Catering Manager Job Description

Applications will be considered as received and shortlisted applicants invited to interview at The Bishop’s Palace.   

Anticipated start date from July 2026.

Food & Beverage Assistant

Full and Part Time hours (between 16 – 37hr)
£13.45ph

Every memorable day out involves great food and drink.     

At The Bishop’s Palace, we believe great hospitality is essential.      Our Café, The Bishop’s Table, nestles next to the rampart walls with a fantastic view of the Palace.   It is enjoyed by day visitors and locals and we are excited to be expanding our staffing team.      At the heart of our offer is the delivery of freshly made, great tasting and locally sourced food and drink.    We believe this should be accompanied with exceptional customer service with options to cater for all visitors’ expectations – from a quick ‘coffee to go’ to enjoy while exploring the gardens to a celebratory breakfast for the whole family. 

As an independent charity (The Palace Trust) we aim to be part of the local community while sharing this wonderful heritage gem with all.   It is a thriving working environment with a great team across the whole site.

The Role:
We’re looking for an experienced Food & Beverage Assistant to join the team to deliver exceptional customer service, fantastic coffee and food!    The Bishop’s Table offers breakfast and lunch in the busy café plus there are several seasonal outlets in the grounds.   

The team work day shifts, generally hours between 8.30am until 6.30pm on a rota basis.  The café is open daily from 9.30am until 5.30pm daily.  There will be some occasional evenings if a special event is taking place such as Supper Club, Private Hire/bars or Events such as Sparkle Illuminations.

Ideally, we are looking for one full time and one part time team member.  

Who are we looking for:
This role will be working both front of house and in the kitchen assisting with food preparation, sandwiches and salads.  We’re looking for someone with at least 2-years Barista experience who wants to ensure that every customer has a great visit.    We aim to serve exceptional coffee, cake and fresh cooked food while offering a warm welcome and excellent customer service.    Bar experience would be an advantage. 

This could be a great environment to develop your career.   Or perhaps you are looking to change your work /life balance and come to an exciting catering environment which has daytime shifts.    We are looking for team members who are flexible in their working days.  You must be a team player, be enthusiastic about customer care, be willing to learn and share learning.   All while working in a beautiful visitor attraction. As a small team there may be times when you may be asked to assist in other areas.  

Experience & Qualifications:
Ideally our Food & Beverage Assistant would have
A-levels or equivalent
Barista Experience (essential)
At least 2 years’ experience working in a busy café/restaurant
Experience of working in kitchen
Excellent communication and customer service skills along with ability to well work under pressure.

Bar experience would be an advantage and Level 2 Food Hygiene & Safety (or be willing to complete)

What you will get for the role:
You will be working for an independent charity whose main aim is to share, preserve and protect the 800-year Bishop’s Palace, with its medieval buildings, moat and spectacular gardens.      We reinvest in the team and the site and work with local community groups and organisations as part of our community engagement.     See below for benefits.  

How to Apply:

To apply send your CV along with a cover letter highlighting your skills to [email protected] .   Applications will only be considered with a cover letter. 

You can find full details of role and specifications here:   Food & Beverage Assistant Job Description

Applications will be considered as submitted and shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.      Anticipated start date – July/August.  

We reserve the right to close any vacancies early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested in any of the above roles, please submit your application as early as possible.

Employee Benefits

You will be working for an independent charity whose main aim is to share, preserve and protect the 800-year Bishop’s Palace, with its medieval buildings, moat and spectacular gardens. We reinvest in the team and the site and work with local community groups and organisations as part of our community engagement.    

• We are a real living wage and a Disability Confident employer.
• We provide an induction and training plan for each employee from day one.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and long service holiday rewards
• Wellbeing support and access to the organisational Employee Assistance Programme
• A positive, supportive, inclusive, and collaborative working environment
• Family-friendly policies
• Staff social events
• Free admission for yourself and a guest ticket
• Free event tickets and staff discounts
• Opportunity to join the Palace Trust Pension scheme (min of 12% basic pay contribution)
• Opportunity to support the local community through volunteer days
• The chance to make a meaningful impact in the preservation and celebration of local heritage

Accessible recruitment

Usually our job applications ask for a CV and cover letter to be submitted via email.    If any applicants are unable to apply via email then you are welcome to apply in the following ways: 

By post – If you wish to send a letter and your CV via post please address to:  HR,  Job Application, The Bishop’s Palace. Wells, Somerset BA5 2PD 

In Person –  If you are local to Wells and wish to deliver your application just drop into the Ticket Office / Shop during our opening hours,  addressed to HR, Job Application.

By Phone – if you are unable to submit a letter or CV and would prefer to provide details of your experience over the phone you can call 01749 988111 and we can arrange a time for a member of the team to contact you.