Club Mirror November 2015

clubmirror November 2015

AT THE H EART OF THE COMMUNITY

Exclusive Brands Report The top packaged brands in clubs

SPOR TING C ALEND AR • ASK THE EXPER T S • CL UB KIT CHEN • HAIL THE ALE

Contents

club mirror AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

NOVEMBER 2015

AWARDS, EVENTS AND CALLS TO ACTION

18

13 Free-to-clubs Beer Festival Join us as we Hail the Ale in Manchester.

36 Ask the Experts Live Club-supporting suppliers at your service.

37 Club Awards and Gala Dinner See you there?

NEWS, VIEWS, CLUB LIFE AND LEGISLATION 06 News Fears of beer price hikes, consultation on licensing conditions, free events for readers and brands news.

09 Legal Eagle Changes to the Licensing Act. What are the implications to clubs?

06

48

ASK THE EXPERTS 48 Club Kitchen

BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Beefing up the breakfast menu.

18 Drinks Report – Top club brands Which top packaged brands are deserving their place at the club bar?

54 Staff welfare

22 Preparing for Christmas

58 Insurance insights

Top advice on making the most of the festive season.

’Tis the season for late night parties, spillages and Public Liability claims.

25 The Grand Tour

59 Spotlight on E-Commerce

This month Club Mirror’s crew hit the road, seeking out top UK clubs.

What is it and how to use it. A beginners guide from resident experts Larrytech.

30 Sporting fixtures

60 It’s classified!

Sports4Bars.com looks ahead to the key live sporting fixtures coming to your screens.

Showcasing club-supporting suppliers.

40 Club Awards – A word with BT Sport

Feeling stressed? Not on our watch!

40

Referee Howard Webb talks to Club Mirror about his new matchday role.

42 Club Awards – A word with Club Insure Why prevention is better than cure.

44 Club Awards – A word with Marston’s Marston’s shares its national ale trail, from the Lake District down to the south coast.

46 Club Awards – A word with Molson Coors Why the club sector continues to thrive.

CLUB MIRROR 3

LEADER

Contributors

Complexities and opportunities

It’s been a busy month for Club Mirror. We joined with the BII and Carlsberg UK for our first ever joint trade show, met with CIU president George Dawson, headed up to the House of Commons for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Non-Profit Making Members’ Clubs and then took to the road for mystery visits of Club Awards finalists.

The variety of what we do is a reflection of a holistic industry where each participant has a part to play. From staff and members to suppliers and legislators, club life is a complex and intricate balance with many external as well as internal influencers.

This makes for an ever-shifting environment in which to operate, but this is where the sustainability of clubs comes into its own. The frustrations of passing decisions through committee procedures has the upside of ensuring that decision-making happens at a slower, more considered pace than some licensed operators are able to entertain when dealing with the immediacy of market forces.

Of course, it’s crucial that clubs do keep one step ahead of social trends and keep pace with new initiatives. So this is a last call to make the most of Club Mirror’s free-to-clubs activities taking place under one roof and on one day – our 7th Hail the Ale Beer Festival [pages 13-16] trade show Ask the Expert – Live! [page 36], and of course, the 24th Club Awards, hosted by Club Mirror’s favourite sports presenter John Inverdale, who makes a very welcome return to the Club Awards stage [page 37].

Club Mirror is proud to have been championing the causes of our industry for the past 47 years and lobbying government to help ensure that the future of clubs is secured. There is much still to do, but together we are making a difference.

Caroline Scoular Editor, Club Mirror

Caroline Scoular

Sean Ferris

Nick Walton

Justin O’Regan

Mark Newton

Ashley Cairnes

Jill Slingsby

Hamish MacLean

Larry Hardcastle

Leigh Ann Ogilvie

Jonathan Hardy

David Foster

Editor Caroline Scoular Design David Foster Editorial Chris Colverd Events Jill Slingsby, Karen Foreman Display Advertising Margaret Doherty Sales and Marketing Manager Leigh-Ann Ogilvie, Circulation Jon Hardy Accounts Andrew Soles, Pam Attrill, Michael Jeffries Publishing Director Sean Ferris

Club Mirror is published by Alchemy Contract Publishing Ltd, Gainsborough House, 59/60 Thames Street, Windsor SW4 1TX. Tel: 01753 272022. Fax: 01753 272 021 Email: caroline@clubmirror.com; sean@clubmirror.com; leigh-ann@alchemymedia.co.uk; info@clubmirror.com ACP Gainsborough House 59/60 Thames Street Windsor Berkshire SL4 1TX UK t. +44 (0)1753 272022 f. +44 (0)1753 272021 e.info@alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk www.alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Club Mirror does not verify the claims made by advertisers regarding their products.

CLUB MIRROR 5

CLUB NEWS

Beer Festival and Trade Show free to Club Mirror readers Club Mirror’s annual Beer Festival and Ask the Experts – Live! Trade Show is just a few weeks away as we go to press. Free to readers, CAMRA and club-supporting suppliers are gearing up for one of the biggest days of the year. And we hope you can join us.

These two events take place on the same day as the Club Awards at the Palace Hotel, Manchester, on Thursday, 26 November, between 2-5pm in the hotel’s Copper Face Jacks pub.

Beer Festival As always our friends at CAMRA are helping us to present perfect pints for sampling at Club Mirror’s 7th Hail the Ale Beer Festival.

Once again sponsors Carlsberg UK and Marston’s are working alongside us to ensure a truly enjoyable free-to-clubs event.

Trade Show On the same day – same time, same place

a host of suppliers on hand to help and advise clubs on any issues they may have.

Aon, Avensure, Booker, BT Sport, Carlsberg UK, Club Control, Club Insure, Dransfields, Larrytech, Marston's, Molson Coors and Poppleston Allen are just a few of the suppliers to look out for.

– is Club Mirror’s free trade show, Ask The Experts – Live! The informal event will have

• For details, timings and free registration for these events, turn to pages 35-38.

Fears of price increases as AB InBev buys SABMiller Beer prices could be hiked up after Anheuser-Busch InBev’s takeover of rival SABMiller, warns Wetherspoons boss Tim Martin.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Martin said: “They aren’t doing this for drinkers or publicans. It’s likely to mean higher prices, so I am against it.”

AB InBev’s takeover of SABMiller will create a £180billion

All for charity

brewing giant with more than 400 brands and nearly one in every three beers drunk worldwide coming from its stable, which includes Budweiser, Stella Artois, Grolsch, Foster’s and Peroni.

In the UK, it will have a more than 50% share of the premium lager market, say analysts, and will account for 29% of the global 198 billion litre beer market. “This will make it

Suppor ted

Poppy Appeal The British Legion was formed on 15 May 1921, bringing together four National Organisations of ex-Servicemen that had established themselves after the First World War. In 1921, after the First World War, there were two million unemployed. Over six million men had served in the war. Of those who came back (725,000 never returned) 1.75 million had suffered some kind of disability and half of these were permanently disabled.

The situation so moved Lancastrian Lance Bombardier Tom Lister, that he decided to do something about it, an action that eventually led to the formation of The British Legion. By the time of the Legion's formation in 1921, the tradition of an annual Two Minute Silence in memory of the dead had already been established and the first ever Poppy Appeal was held that year, with the first Poppy Day on 11 November 1921.

more than three times bigger than its nearest rival, Heineken with 9%,” said Jeremy Cunnington, senior alcoholic drinks analyst at Euromonitor International. “The deal will be a culmination of over a decade of mass consolidation which has seen the top five’s share of global beer volumes rise from 38% in 2005 to 56% following this deal in a category that has grown by 23% over the same period.”

by

A century on from the start of that war, the Legion is still helping today’s Armed Forces families in much the same way, whether coping with bereavement, living with disability, or finding employment.

The poppy has become a well recognised and powerful symbol, worn to commemorate the sacrifices of the Armed Forces and to show support to those still serving today and their loved ones.

Money raised through the Poppy Appeal goes directly to welfare work, providing through-life care to anyone who currently serves in the British Armed Forces, or who has previously served, as well as their families. This includes supporting bereaved families after the loss of a loved one, helping those leaving the Forces into work and housing and helping older veterans to get the care and support they need and deserve.

LIVE ON To the memory of the fallen and the future of the living http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/about-us/our-history/ The Royal British Legion, 199 Borough High Street, London SE1 1AA. t. 020 3207 2100 www.britishlegion.org.uk

6 CLUB MIRROR

BBPA responds to IoL consultation The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has expressed concerns over proposals from the Institute of Licensing (IoL) to create a ‘standard pool’ of licensing conditions for licensed premises.

Responding to an IOL consultation on the issue, the BBPA stated that it believed ‘such a standard list could encourage the wholesale application of such conditions rather than considering each case on its merits’. The response argues that conditions should be developed on a case-by-case basis and be appropriate and proportionate, wherever they are used.

The BBPA also takes issue with the standard conditions being put forward, ‘some

of which go further than existing legislation and are over-prescriptive and disproportionate’.

“I hope that the Institute of Licensing will listen to our concerns. While the proposals do attempt to highlight that blanket conditions are not appropriate, this itself shows the inherent problems with the approach they are trying to adopt. I hope they will think again and reassess the fundamental principles of what is being proposed,” said BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds.

“Conditions should only be applied to a Premises Licence when absolutely necessary, and they must be appropriate to the style and type of operation in that premises.”

Apprenticeship levy causes concern Following the Government’s consultation on the implementation of an apprenticeship levy, the ALMR has warned that the proposals risk disrupting investment and could increase the burdens on businesses. The industry body argues that the use of incentives, rather than a levy, would encourage investment and benefit business of all sizes.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The Government’s proposed levy focuses on quantity, not quality and could undermine the Government’s own objectives if businesses end up paying out more than they can generate in apprenticeships. The proposed levy opts for a one size fits all approach that totally fails to consider businesses size, market, or trading style. The proposals make no reference to the potential size of the levy and which businesses will be caught by it. The Government has spoken of applying it a ‘reasonable level’

without indicating what that entails. Smaller companies may not be able to generate the large numbers of quality apprenticeships the Government is asking for.”

The ALMR’s annual employment survey shows that per-employee investment in training has fallen by nearly 50% over the last year, despite a 32% increase in the number of apprenticeship starts. An additional employment levy is only likely to exacerbate this problem, argues Nicholls.

“The ALMR has repeatedly called for steps to incentivise training and apprenticeship take-up via additional funding and scrapping of employer NICs for under-25s. A tax credit regime whereby companies who make an investment have the ability to offset it against PAYE liabilities would incentivise employee investment and allow businesses to focus on addressing their own skills shortages,” she said.

CORCA clubs – erratum In our August issue, Club Mirror incorrectly reported that a special rate for clubs affiliated with the Committee of Registered Clubs Associations (CORCA) had been negotiated between BT Sport and CORCA. The error was kindly pointed out by Chair of CORCA and Chief Executive of the ACC (Association of Conservative Club) Philip Smith CBE. Mr Smith, who has recently been made Lord Smith of Hindhead CBE said: “In fact

CORCA do not have any agreement in place with BT Sport and have not been in discussion with BT Sport at any time.”

We apologise for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused.

ACC clubs can contact the association in writing at: The Association of Conservative Clubs Ltd, 24 Old Queen Street, London SW1H 9HP or by emailing assistance@toryclubs.co.uk.

BRANDS NEWS Wadworth winter beers Wadworth is releasing its seasonal beers Old Timer and Dray Bells. Old Timer, now in its 50th year, is described as rich, dark and chestnutty with an ABV of 5.8% and is available to the trade in the cask or in 500ml bottles. Dray Bells (ABV 4.1%) is a dark mocha coloured beer with a hint of spice and a twist of orange peel. Available in cask only, Dray Bells is available in December and over the festive season.

•t. 01380 723361

Jack Daniel’s launches Tennessee Fire Jack Daniel’s has expanded its core range with the introduction of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, a hot cinnamon flavoured variant. Positioned for the late night shot occasion as a straight up serve, the new fiery expression is crafted with Jack Daniel’s original Old No.7 Tennessee Whiskey blended with a cinnamon liqueur, resulting in a taste that is authentically Jack in flavour, but with an enticing, warm finish. The official launch of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire to the on trade follows one of the most successful trial periods the brand has ever undertaken in the UK, demonstrating the strong growth potential that remains in the ‘Flavours’ category in the UK market.

•www.jackdaniels.com

Smirnoff ElectricTM liqueurs launch Smirnoff ElectricTM liqueurs have been launched, supported by electronic dance music artists from around the world in the brand’s #WhatWeBring movement with a theme of ‘inclusivity’.

“We see a global generation emerging who simply believe the world should be a more inclusive place. At Smirnoff, we believe that too,” said VP Global Content Smirnoff Tim Parkinson. Only in the on-trade, the drink (ABV 29%) come in two flavours, Berry and Mandarin, and the 700ml bottles feature fluorescent colours that activate under black light.

•http://smir.nf/WWB

Asahi lager brand extension Japan’s Asahi Super Dry lager has launched its dark lager brand extension Super Dry Black in the UK market. Asahi Super Dry Black (ABV 5.5%) uses the yeast of the original Super Dry but achieves a deeper, darker appearance and flavour through the addition of roasted malt. The new lager is described as easy-to-drink, dry and crisp, with the ‘refreshing flavour of Asahi Super Dry, derived from the addition of rice.

Its clean lager taste imparts a deeper sweet nuttiness and rich, smooth flavour offering UK consumers a new lager experience’.

Asahi UK brand manager Samantha Catford said: “Super Dry Black offers a real point of difference in the UK. It will appeal to beer drinkers who appreciate a continental dark lager style: soft and elegant, with a rich, mildly-vanilla, nuttysweet palate, and a dry, rounded finish that is never harsh or acrid. The challenge for UK consumers, who are accustomed to full-bodied dark ales, will be to discover its surprisingly light, refreshing taste.”

•t. 01795 532206 CLUB MIRROR 7

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Call us FREE today and ask for Ian Devlin. We can give free immediate advice on a pressing issue or tell you more about how we already assist numerous clubs nationwide, just like yours.

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LEGAL EAGLE

Spotlight on deregulation This month Nick Walton examines changes to the Licensing Act. What are the implications to clubs and how should they be tackled?

T

he Deregulation Act 2015 contains a number of measures which were talked about before the General Election but for various reasons never made their way on to the statute book. There appears to have been a clean-up of such measures, and start dates for the legislation are now falling out of the woodwork at Westminster with some regularity. The measures which will affect clubs relates specifically to Temporary Event Notices and late night refreshment requirements.

Temporary Event Notices (TENS) TENS changes take place from 1 January, 2016, and relate to the number of TENS that can be issued each year on behalf of one premise.

Currently 12 TENS can be issued for one prem-

ise to cover events over a period of 21 days. Each event cannot be for longer than a period of seven days and each event must be separated by at least 24 hours.

From 1 January the number of events that can be notified to the authority increases from 12 to 15.

Unfortunately the total period for events remains at 21 days. However, as many events may only be for a period of 24 hours, the number of events covered increases by 25%.

Without further notification, therefore, clubs who regularly use TENS to benefit either the operation or the types of events which can be held will be allowed to issue 15 notices without further communication with the Licensing Authority.

Late night refreshment The second deregulation measure relates to late night refreshment.

As we all know the requirement to licence premises for the provision of late night refreshment between the hours of 23:00 and 05:00 hours the next day was a very broad brush requirement. Motorway service areas for example were treated in exactly the same way as pizza takeaways or kebab shops. The effects of low blood sugar and hence the brain’s demand that there be intake of food after consumption of vast quantities of alcoholic drinks is well known. However, the chances of encountering rowdy, inebriated souls in the amenity areas at service stations and the problems associated with crime and disorder as a result of queue jumping are to say

> CLUB MIRROR 9

LEGAL EAGLE the least highly unlikely.

Kebab shops or pizza takeaways (to name several facilities, but not wishing to stereotype) which provide the inebriated reveller with the glucose kick necessary to counter the increase in insulin levels presents a major set of problems for the high street which had not been experienced before the late night economy became the norm.

When I was younger growing up in a very rural community in Northumberland, a visit to a licensed premises on a Friday night was followed by a supper at 11pm which probably served the same purpose as a kebab. However, supper was at home and a review of the night could take place whilst tucking into pork pie and homemade chutney. There were no fights, no disorder – none was necessary as everyone knew that the fuel after a healthy Friday night spent playing darts and imbibing was a necessity to ensure maximum work output on a Saturday.

These days the kebab, burger, pizza or similar appears to be integral to the fulfilment of an evening out. Unfortunately, demand is always at the end of the evening when the effects of insulin on the brain can result in aggression if there is – for example – a perceived inappropriate or unauthorised movement of persons who wish to jump the queue to be served.

Later hours I have dealt with Police Licensing Officers who have been willing to support later hours for licensed premises if the operator provides late night refreshment. The kebab or burger can be ordered, cooked and eaten before the patron leaves the premises and there is, as a result, a noticeable reduction in the crime and disorder down the street at the only kebab house.

Another amazing anomaly continues to be outstanding with respect to late night refreshment; it only applies to hot food. A recreational area in a national sports facility near to my house provides by way of vending machines hot drinks which include chocolate and soup (in fact the minestrone soup is very good!). Next to the vending machine providing the drinks and soup is another which in two and half minutes can produce a carton of freshly fried chips.

I do not know how it works but the product is hot and passes for the real thing as well as any fast food outlet could produce. However, the soup is not licensable but the chips are, and a late night refreshment licence is required – crazy or not?

The need for an overhaul of the legislation to correct such anomalies is probably well overdue therefore.

Exemptions The Deregulation Act and its new provisions gives the power to Licensing Authorities to exempt premises in certain circumstances of the requirements to have a Premises Licence to provide late night refreshment.

There is a general agreement that deregulation in this area is best approached locally rather than broad brush nationally. Each Licensing Authority will be aware of the problem premises on the main drag who need to be licensed to ensure enforcement protocols are upheld based upon the promotion of

10 CLUB MIRROR

“

These days the kebab, burger, pizza or similar appears to integral to the fulfilment of an evening out. Unfortunately, demand is always at the end of the evening when the effects of insulin on the brain can result in aggression if there is – for example – a perceived inappropriate or unauthorised movement of persons who wish to jump the queue to be served.

”

the four licensing objectives. Takeaways have traditionally been in an enviable position – “sell it and forget it” springs to mind. However, increasingly Licensing Sub-Committees are responding to crime and disorder issues and public nuisance concerns by requiring door supervision and street marshals to clear up the packaging discarded by persons frequenting such outlets.

There are, however, the outlets I have mentioned (and clubs will probably fall into that category) which do not requiring licensing to ensure compli-

ance as they are already complying.

The Licensing Authority now has the power to designate businesses or areas where due to the lack of crime or anti-social behaviour associated with the night time economy there would be no need to burden the businesses with the extra costs involved in licensing. Notwithstanding the increased flexibility for the authorities which this could provide, thus enabling them to target their resources more effectively and more efficiently, it will remain to be seen whether the Licensing Authority grasps the nettle.

The exemption for licensing does not have to be for the whole licensable period or for all types of ventures and could be specifically targeted at low risk operations who have demonstrated that their offer does not create the issues that will compromise the four licensing objectives.

It sounds like a really good idea to me. However, as a postscript (and rather depressingly) none of the Licensing Authorities I have spoken to are considering such deregulation, ‘consultation’ being the reason; nothing can be done without consultation and agreement probably up to executive level in most cases. I suspect, however, that the real reason for a headlong rush towards deregulation being some way off relates to the revenues that are being generated currently from yearly fees paid by all of the late night refreshment licence holders. Money talks and any more talk of deregulation could be months (or years) away.

So much for deregulation!

If you have any questions about this article or any of the topics written by Legal Eagle Nick Walton, please do not hesitate to contact him on 07824 465 531.

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BUILDING THE BUSINESS – CASK ALE

Cask ale

–reapingthebenefits It’s time to Hail the Ale at Club Mirror’s 2015 Beer Festival. Here’s how.

FREE-TO-CLUBS BEER FESTIVAL Join us at our annual Hail the Ale beer festival, run in association with CAMRA. When:

2-5pm, 26 November, 2015

Where:

Copper Face Jacks Pub (within the Palace Hotel, Oxford Street, Manchester M60 7HA)

Cost:

FREE to clubs

Registration:

email info@clubmirror.com or use the booking form on page 16

C

ask could account for one in five on-trade beers by 2020 if current trends continue, according to the 2015-15 Cask Report. It currently has a 17% share of all on-trade beer sales and 57% of all on-trade draught ale (versus 43% keg). Given this backdrop, and the 642 million pints of cask ale drunk every year, it’s no surprise that many clubs are busy running their own beer festivals and attending those run by others.

Club Mirror’s annual beer festival in Manchester is just one event which Hails the Ale – and we’d like you to join us. This free-to-clubs event will welcome old friends and new brews, all served to perfection by our friends at CAMRA. On these pages you’ll get a flavour of last year’s event. Enjoy!

• To register: email info@clubmirror.com with your club details and how many of your colleagues would like to attend.

> CLUB MIRROR 13

BUILDING THE BUSINESS – CASK ALE

FAST FACTS • Three new breweries open every week in the UK. There are now over 1,472 breweries in Britain, the majority of which mainly brew cask ale.

• Cask ale is recruiting new drinkers, including women and younger drinkers.

• High price brings higher expectations of quality. Staff need training in the appreciation of cask ale so they can in turn educate drinkers.

• The perfect cask ale range is an equal balance between familiar and unfamiliar, local and exotic, permanent and guest.

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STARS OF 2014’s BEER FESTIVAL BOX STREAM BREWERY

CAMERONS

CASTLE ROCK BREWERY

• TUNNEL VISION • 4.2% ABV

• STRONGARM • 4% ABV

• HARVEST PALE • 3.8% ABV

A hand crafted, well rounded light amber ale. Full of character; clean, with a slight bitterness on the palate.

The brewery’s flagship beer.

Well-rounded, ruby red ale with a distinctive, tight creamy head. A good balance of malt, hops and bitterness.

The Supreme Champion Beer of Britain 2010, a pale ale, well balanced with a pleasant citrus aroma and long lasting crisp and pleasant bitterness, derived from a special blend of American hops.

HOOK NORTON BREWERY

JW LEES

MARSTON’S BEER COMPANY

• LION • 4.0% ABV

• MANCHESTER PALE ALE • 3.7% ABV

• MARSTON’S PEDIGREE • 4.5% ABV

A perfectly balanced bronze beer, full of fruit flavours and aromas. Complex yet refreshing, Lion has a long bittersweet finish.

A real refreshing alternative, MPA is a golden ale made from all British malt, Liberty and Mount Hood hops.

A dry hop aroma with a full range of complex flavours. The melding of nut, fruit and winey flavours create a smooth, satisfying drink.

MARSTON’S BEER COMPANY

MARSTON’S BEER COMPANY

PORTOBELLO BREWING COMPANY

• WYCHWOOD HOBGOBLIN • 4.5% ABV

• NEW WORLD PALE ALE • 3.8% ABV

• PORTOBELLO STAR • 4.3% ABV

Traditionally craft brewed with Chocolate & Crystal malts and a blend of Styrian, Goldings & Fuggles hops for a full-bodied, Ruby beer.

New World Pale Ale is infused with vibrant, exotic, contemporary flavours. Gleaming pale gold in colour it pours with a dense white head of foam and a fruity and floral aroma.

Berry hop characters & nice dry toasted astringency with a bitter hint.

ROBINSONS

SHEPHERD NEAME

ST AUSTELL BREWERY

• DIZZY BLONDE • 3.8% ABV

• SPITFIRE • 4.2% ABV

• TRIBUTE • 4.2% ABV

Inspired by our colonial friends across the pond, this is a vibrant golden ale with a distinctive wild aromatic invigorating hop.

Generous aromas of tangy malt, soft raisins and sweet oranges, freshened by the floral grassy notes of three Kent-grown hop varieties.

A bronze coloured English bitter, with a rich aroma of biscuit malt and tart citrus fruit from the Willamette hops.

TETLEY’S

TETLEY’S

THWAITES BREWERY

• TETLEY’S CASK • 3.7% ABV

• TETLEY’S GOLD • 4.1% ABV

• LANCASTER BOMBER • 4.4% ABV

This classic amber session bitter has roasted caramel bitter sweetness, balanced with distinctly aromatic smooth hoppy flavours and a lingering dry, bitter finish.

A glorious, gleaming beer with an intriguing blend of cuttingedge hop varieties which combine to give a sprightly quenching citrus character.

Award winning full-bodied chestnut coloured ale with an inviting malty aroma and warming aftertaste.

> CLUB MIRROR 15

BUILDING THE BUSINESS – CASK ALE

Welcome to the CLUB MIRROR BEER FESTIVAL

DEADLINE NOVEMBE : R 19

REGISTRATION AND BOOKING FORM

BEER FESTIVAL 2015 (FREE TO CLUBS) NAME: _________________________________________

CLUB NAME AND ADDRESS: ______________________________

• I would like to attend the Hail the Ale Beer festival • I will attend on my own

■

• I would like to bring colleagues _____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER: _____________________________

EMAIL ADDRESS: ____________________________________

■

■

Up to 3 ____ 3 - 5 ____ Other (please state) ____ SEND COMPLETED FORM (TO ARRIVE BY NOVEMBER 19) TO CLUB MIRROR:

BY FAX: 01753 272021

BY POST: Beer Festival 2015, Club Mirror, Gainsborough House, 59-60 Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1TX

BY EMAIL: info@clubmirror.com CALL: 01753 272022 <

16 CLUB MIRROR

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BUILDING THE BUSINESS – BRANDS REPORT

Top packaged drinks –

brands report Packaged Beers and Ciders along with Ready To Drinks (alcopops and spirit mixers) have always had an important place in the club sector. At one time the fridge would have been dominated by standard lagers, ciders and stouts – and tradition remains important – but as the category has diversified so has the selection available. CGA Strategy’s Mark Newton and Ashey Cairns report.

T

his month the top packaged brands (across all key styles) have been analysed using the latest CGA Brand Index data to see which products remain at the top of the list for both drinkers and licensees. While many famous and traditional names continue to dominate, there is also a sprinkling of newer brands making significant inroads – with the potential to help broaden

tastes still further in times to come.

The rankings in this Brands Report are based on the total GB MAT volume performance rank for each main brand in the main packaged sub-categories [CGA Strategy Brand Index P09 2015]. Where applicable, either a Top 3 or single key product – depending on overall category size – is included, with a brief commentary on the wider trade position for each one.

PACKAGED READY TO DRINK (ALCOPOPS/SPIRIT MIXERS)

#1 WKD

#2 VK The RTD category may be in continued overall decline, but WKD nevertheless remains the highest profile brand with continued investment in TV and PoS marketing helping to maintain a profile with younger male drinkers in particular. Sports related limited editions such as last year’s World Cup ‘Brazilian’ also add to its appeal.

18 CLUB MIRROR

#3 Crabbie’s Offering a wide range of flavour options this remains a popular and competitively priced options for those looking for a classic vodka-based RTD.

This popular alcoholic ginger beer brand has seen a number of fruit flavoured variants enter the market over the last couple of years in an attempt to keep the brand fresh. Its continued involvement with sponsorship in major horse racing events helps it maintain a high profile in the club sector.

PACKAGED CIDER

#1 Magners

#2 Bulmers

#3 Kopparberg

Since its introduction to the UK market over 10 years ago, Magners has managed to maintain a dominant position in the packaged cider market helped by regular new product development – especially in its packaged iteration – and commitment to a number of key sporting events.

With huge brand recognition Bulmers have been highly successful in the packaged cider market especially taking into account the diversity of its regular flavour innovations.

One of the original Scandinavian ciders and an originator of the fruit flavoured variants which have become one of the primary drivers of packaged ciders continuing success.

PACKAGED WORLD LAGER

#1 Corona

#2 Peroni Nastro Azzurro This original Mexican lager brand is popular across the on-trade and its easily identifiable packaging helps it stand out in the fridge.

#3 Sol As an essentially interchangeable alternative to Corona, the popularity of Sol (and to an extent Desperados) suggests that Mexico is currently the big thing in world-styled lagers in the Sports and Social club sector.

Not being a club-focused brand, Peroni Nastro Azzurro nevertheless appears to be benefitting from the continuing popularity of Peroni across the wider on-trade (not just Italian restaurants). This has translated into its solid packaged sales in the sector.

PACKAGED PREMIUM LAGER

#1 Budweiser

#2 Desperados Benefiting from instant brand recognition and regular high profile TV advertising campaigns (which often include major sports sponsorship deals) Budweiser remains a popular premium option.

#3 Becks A long-standing tradition in the club sector, some of Beck’s packaged market may have been reduced by the popularity of the draught Beck’s Vier option but it is still a regular sight in many club fridges.

This Mexican-influenced, tequila flavoured beer has been in long-term, organic growth for a number of years and is now reaching a wider audience – including lagerdrinking members looking for something a little bit different.

PACKAGED STANDARD LAGER

#1 Coors Light 4%

#2 Carlsberg A long-term, high profile TV campaign has reaped benefits for Coors Light as a popular alternative to more traditional standard lager options.

PACKAGED STOUT

#1 GUINNESS

#3 Foster’s As one of the biggest brands in the club sector, Carlsberg maintains a high level of support to this segment of the on-trade and continues to be heavily involved with a variety of sporting events and sponsorships.

PACKAGED ALES

#1 NEWCASTLE BROWN The successful Brewers Project continues to add reach for Guinness, with Golden Ale, Dublin Porter and West Indies Porter all driving growth in the on-trade generally. Its sports sponsorships provide continuous visibiity.

A hugely popular beer in its North East England heartland, Newcastle Brown remains one of the most easily identifiable bottled ales in the club market.

The majority of volume is the core product of Foster’s lager, supplemented by its variants such as Radler (plus Gold, although a premium lager). Another extension is Foster’s Rocks, a new rum flavoured lager, which has launched in the off-trade, and is currently also on trial in the on-trade.

PACKAGED LOW/NO ALCOHOL BEERS

#1 BECKS BLUE Becks Blue is the most popular option in the club market, with many drinkers choosing a beer brand with tradition in the sector and which has instant recognition to many.

< CLUB MIRROR 19

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BUILDING THE BUSINESS – STOCKING UP

Be prepared – advice for the festive season Each drinks category plays a distinct role at Christmas but the share does shift between the categories compared to the average of the year, so understanding which categories play which role will help determine effective management leading into Christmas. Kevin Paterson from Carlsberg UK explains.

D

uring December your members – and guests – go out more and drink more of their favourite drinks. Mainstream segments across drinks categories tend to show the greatest uplift, generally because they’re seen as a safe choice in a busy on-trade environment; people instinctively revert to what they know best and look for sessionable drinks. Those who don’t frequent the club as often (but are drawn there at Christmas) tend to revert to big well-known brands, so visual reminders of these connected to an occasion can drive footfall.

How important is Christmas to the on-trade?

• 165 million visits to the on-trade take place over Christmas (+15m Year on Year) • 37.8m consumers (71% of the population) visit the on-trade throughout December • It is worth between 9-15% of annual sales of food and drink • Wet led outlets see the greatest uplift in sales at 24%

Stocking stalwarts • Beer remains the most important category, accounting for 38% share and 66 million incremental pints (the most incremental uplift in serves of all the categories).

• Spirits take a 24.4% share – that’s 54.6 million incremental serves.

• Wine and Champagne see the greatest overall percentage uplift at 40% but accounts for 12.6% of serves and an additional 32.2 million serves. This is more important in food-led outlets; this share will be less in wet-led clubs.

• Soft drinks take a 19.5% share with 20.6 million additional serves.

• Cider accounts for a 4.7% share, representing an uplift of 19% and 6.5 million additional serves.

Perhaps surprisingly, last year apple cider saw an even greater uplift at Christmas at 19% than in the summer at 18%.

Why it pays to display The fridge plays an important role at Christmas with easy drinking packaged products (for example our own San Miguel Fresca) playing a distinct role delivering speed of serve and sessionability. Ensure your packaged offering is clearly visible during party season (late November/Early December).

This is also extremely important for fruit and flavoured cider which see a big uplift at this time of year. This is mainly due to the increasing number of young adults seeking drinks with new and interesting flavour profiles. Cider sales increase 19% at Christmas, so make sure that it isn’t a summer priority only.

Premium offer and upselling Members often look to treat themselves over the festive period. The key to offering premium drinks is to tap into the particular occasion these treatseekers are having. For example, communication such as ‘treat yourself to a San Miguel’ work well when they are looking for something a bit more special. Trade-up behaviours when people are in ‘treat mode’ are important to draw attention to, so premium products should be placed on the bar

22 CLUB MIRROR

“

37.8m customers – that’s 71% of the population – visit the on-trade throughout the month of December.

”

with space around them. Products that are on a single fount or highlighted on the back bar communicate premiumness and are more likely to be noticed.

Craft beer isn’t for everyone, but has witnessed something of a revolution in recent years. Today, the category has transformed entirely – with women, millennials and traditional beer drinkers all being key contributors to the surge in its popularity.

On premium pricing, ensure that the pricing ladder is in place to help people find a trade-up that is not too far away from what they currently drink (15p-40p trade-up tiers). This also compensates for the reduced volume per occasion compared to mainstream drinks.

Marketing and Point of Sale Showing the type of occasion members are likely to have in your outlet is highly motivating and ensures they don’t go to the competition. Wet-led clubs see the greatest up-lift at Christmas and are the most important segment to the on-trade alcohol market, so ensure people see your club as part of their occasion.

Christmas is not just about communicating parties, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. Black Friday has the highest wet rate of sale of the period (more than Christmas Day, Christmas Eve and even New Year’s Eve). Communicating Black Friday as an occasion is motivating not just because people believe they are getting a deal but also there are more people out shopping, out later and often want to escape from it all in their local.

Prompt trade with targeted communication around these occasions Where possible ensure your deals are connected to the core occasions. Highlight your most

important and profitable products on your back bar display with Point of Sale. Closer to New Year’s Eve emphasise both your spirits and packaged range and get people noticing your back bar and fridges.

Finally, whilst your regulars will be going out more and enjoying their favourite drinks more often, don’t forget that less-frequent members will be visiting your outlet due to the range of social occasions that December has to offer. This presents a great opportunity to showcase the best that your club has to offer and potentially prompt repeat visits.

CONTACT DETAILS Carlsberg UK For details of Carlsberg UK’s range and advice on maximising Christmas sales telephone: 08453 710 199

< CLUB MIRROR 23

BUILDING THE BUSINESS – CLUB PROFILES

The grand tour This month Club Mirror’s crew hit the road, seeking out top UK clubs. From social clubs to working men’s clubs, and from the small to the vast, here are just a few of the clubs which grabbed our attention.

BRIGHAM & COWANS SC

BLAKELAW & DISTRICT SOCIAL CLUB

6 Cragston Way, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear NE5 3SW Year founded Membership

“

1969 1,000

the new Committee was elected in 2008. With the help of Tom Satterthwaite and Kevin Smyth from the CIU, the Committee has turned round a struggling club which back then had debts of £500,000.

Rents in these houses, by the way, have been frozen so they remain affordable housing for local people.

We are proudest of the way that our members go out of their way to support their Committee and their club. And membership is going up every year.

We’re also proud of making sure that the club is a clean and safe place at the heart of the community, and we put a lot back into the community, sponsoring football teams and raising money for charities.

”

Brian Allen, Vice Chairman: In the past 12 months we’ve refurbished the whole of the club bar and we plan to refurbish the downstairs lounge in January.

We’ve also bought another two houses making a total of seven. Our seven houses mean that we now have £1m in assets. This has all been achieved since

CHADDERTON REFORM CLUB

Middleton Road, Chadderton, Oldham OL9 0LG Year founded Membership

“

1890 400

Maria Turner, Secretary: Our entertainment has continued to progress in leaps and bounds. Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons have been very popular for a while but our latest addition has been a singers’ night on a Tuesday. We provide a live organist and drummer and our most recent evening had 28 singers – and it was still going at 12.30!

This year we’ve refurbished the ladies and gents toilets as well as redeveloping part of our Crystal Room.

And we’re so proud of this year’s refurbishment that we’ve put pictures of the toilets on Facebook along with a word of appreciation for the builders! The Steward’s flat is next on the list. We’ve done just about everything else over the last four years.

We gained a lot of members when a nearby bowling club closed. They went to a nearby club but

didn’t find it very friendly, so now they come to us instead (we pride ourselves on being welcoming).

One of our biggest successes in the last 12 months has been the way the function room has taken off. We’re booked up until August 2016.

We are at the heart of our community and everything we earn is spent on improving the club.

Everybody pulls together for the good of the club and it’s all appreciated.

Our Facebook is very popular (942 Likes when you’ve got 400 members isn’t bad!). Our Assistant Secretary Joanne puts all our events on Facebook.

Steve, our signwriter, does great work on the Aboards outside the club; they’re very effective as we’re on a main road. We used to pay £2,000 a year for advertising in the local paper, but we don’t need to do that now.

”

Brigham Place, South Shields, NE33 2DL Year founded Membership

“

1947 1,500

Bob Growcott, Secretary: The success of the club rests on the fantastic value for money that we give our members. I’m particularly proud of our relationship with our suppliers. Our prices have been frozen until 2017, which mean that we won’t have increased them in five years. This has been achieved through a mutual effort with our suppliers. We don’t take an aggressive approach and play suppliers off against each other; it’s all built up through mutual respect.

The club is so popular that when we want new members we just put up a notice and word spreads like wildfire. There are always people wanting to join. We do have a proper vetting procedure so a lot of people are not accepted.

On the down side, the economy has had a big impact. People just don’t have the same amount of money these days and fewer are coming into the middle of South Shields for a night out. This isn’t helped by the reductions in bus services; the last bus now leaves at 10.30 so the club can be pretty empty at 10 o’clock as people head out to get the bus home.

”

CLUB MIRROR 25

BUILDING THE BUSINESS – CLUB PROFILES GARFORTH WMC Barley Hill Road, Leeds LS25 1UA Year founded Membership

“

1907 1,400

Keith Varley, Secretary: One of the best things that has happened this year has been the return of Garforth Villa FC to the club. The football section was originally part of the club in the 1920s but they broke away in the 1970s for various reasons.

We’ve now reached an agreement for them to come back to us and they now use the club as their base. They have a massive youth set-up from Under-5s upwards and play their games on Saturdays and Sundays on the council pitches across the road from the club. It’s a real win-win situation for both parties as they get the use of our facilities and we get hundreds of new people through the doors of the club.

The youth teams are great as the parents obviously come along to watch their children play and then come back to the club for refreshments and a sandwich.

Garforth Villa recently held their presentation day in the club and that went on all day with 600 kids and their parents passing through the club as

the medals and awards were handed out. There have also been several fundraising events for tours which have been successful.

We’ve continued to offer our facilities for private functions and that side of things is going really well.

We have plenty of bookings going forward and the

HUNSTANTON UNITED SERVICES CLUB Homefields Road, Hunstanton, Norfolk PE36 5HL Year founded Membership

“

1970 1,700

Libby Turner, Club Secretary: There’s been a major focus on getting new people involved with the club and a lot of hard work has gone into getting the message out to the surrounding area about great facilities and our entertainment line-up.

The website has been the main focus of that but we’ve also enjoyed a high profile in the local press and have kept a constant stream of information there for the ‘what’s on’ pages in the newspapers.

We have weekly live music and events, and the attendance for them has been really pleasing.

Membership has gone up - the number of families in particular. (We have a family bar with Wii games.) We went through a period when we lost out on getting young people through and we’ve really upped our game on that score. We’ve redecorated to make it more attractive to young people while the sports side of things – darts, snooker, pool – is also attracting new players. Our club discos are also proving popular.

We ran a special Charity Fair at the club where we invited loads of local and national charities to set up stalls in the club and we put on food, raffles, competitions, entertainment, etc. It was a great day for everyone.

The charities were delighted with the money

26 CLUB MIRROR

they raised and we were able to showcase the club to potential new members and boost our profile in the area.

We also held our Annual Open Day on the August Bank Holiday - again with live music and a variety of activities. It was really well attended and we’ve had lots of memberships from new people on the back of it.

club’s modern look really helps when it comes to holding parties and wedding receptions.

Last year we’d just started the ‘jamming’ sessions on a Wednesday night where club members come and play their instruments while at the same time giving youngsters a bit of tuition and that has gone from strength to strength. We hold it in the Lounge which has a capacity of 70 and on some Wednesdays there are people spilling out of the room into the corridor.

Our challenge now is to make sure we can fit everyone in. But the community aspect of the enterprise has really given the club a high profile in the area with plenty of coverage in the local press.

We’ve now hosted the Garforth Arts Festival for the fourth year and that has been brilliant with musicians from all over the world coming through the doors to entertain and engage young people.

The club is also trying to link the various strands of the club together. For example, with the BBC Children in Need in October, we’re having a full day of fundraisers with kids from Garforth Villa being sponsored to dribble the ball one mile up to the club, followed by young people from the Wednesday jamming sessions getting up on stage and playing live music.

Every time we host an event, a meeting or society night and new people come in and see the club, we pick up new members.

”

We have a catering franchise on site who rent the kitchen from us. They do lunches on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and the busiest day, Sunday, when a twocourse lunch is £8.50. We also do a steak night on Wednesdays which is very, very popular with the result that we’re going to try a Curry Night on another night of the week. We also offer burgers and hot dogs throughout the weekend.

”

LOWER HOPTON WMC 53 North Street, Lower Hopton, Mirfield, West Yorks WF14 8PN Year founded Membership

1880s 560

All the bar staff help to promote the club through social media such as Facebook. We also advertise in the local club guide.

We have three regular casks and sell two to three barrels a week of each at the moment. Our stewardess Alison Thornton has trained all the bar staff in keeping cask, and they can all change a barrel.

A few years ago the club was close to closing down. We were served notice by the bank but everybody in the club, particularly the Committee, has worked really hard to turn things around and we now have £90,000 in the bank. Everybody in the club pulls together and if something practical needs sorting there’s nearly always someone from the club who can deal with it. We’re proud of our support for local charities – and that we’re still going after 130 years.

”

“

Colin Avery, Club Secretary: Membership has increased since our recent refurbishment. We’ve spent £50,000 on a refurbishment of the club. This has included new doors, a new ceiling, new lighting, new flooring and a new roof. We have our regulars but there’s no doubt that the new bar has brought in new members. We’ve found that it pays to let people come in as guests to take a look and that after a couple of visits they tend to become members.

NORTH BIDDOCK SOCIAL CLUB Bonemill Lane, Washington, Tyne & Wear, NE38 8AJ Year founded Membership

“

1900 2,100

Eric Wilkinson, Club Treasurer: The club has maintained its high standards across the board and continues to be a real destination venue for people in the area.

We don’t have that much housing around us but there are a few pubs and restaurants in the immediate vicinity so we have to work hard to keep members coming through the doors, but it appears to be working. There’s a real buzz about the club seven days a week with a host of activities and lots of local clubs and associations using the club facilities.

Live sport has been very successful for us this year and we have three large screens in the bar. We try to ensure that anyone who comes into the club to attend a sub-club meeting or event will be impressed and will want to join.

We also have a website which showcases the club’s facilities and lists the upcoming entertainment. We have live entertainment on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Our Country & Western nights are very famous in the area and bring fans from all over the place.

There are two snooker teams, three pool teams, two darts teams as well as an U16 football club.

Our sporting facilities are second to none and we hosted the Durham Summer League snooker final and also recently hosted a charity pool tournament.

We also host the University of the Third Age (U3A) - meetings which cater for retired people.

The continuing growth of the U3A club meetings has been particularly pleasing. It allows primarily retired people to get together and take part in talks and projects. One such project saw members

researching the names of local people killed in World War I and resulted in a book being published and a film commissioned with funding from the Heritage Lottery. We held the world premiere of the film in the club and it was a pretty special night!

” <

CLUB MIRROR 27

BUILDING THE BUSINESS – CLUB PROFILES WEST BYFLEET SOCIAL CLUB 41 Station Approach, West Byfleet, Surrey KT14 6NE Year founded Membership

“

We’ve also started putting on members’ parties this year. We’ve done about 20. We pay £150 for a disco and the members have a great time. We staged our first wedding with 50 sitting down for the wedding breakfast. The couple, who were 72 and 73, had miscalculated the numbers and 65 turned up, but the club rose to the occasion and we had enough food! We also held a big charity night for the Woking Hospice, which raised £3,500 and we produced 120 fish and chip suppers, which were served with waitress service.

We have four regulars real ales and have gained Cask Marque accreditation. We do food every day from 12-2pm and from 7-9pm with a full table service. Sunday lunch is from 12-4pm from September to July (closed in August) and is well booked up. We also do a Young at Heart special for our older members – a small roast and a pudding for £5.

The club produces a regular leaflet detailing its upcoming events, which is distributed in the village.

Events are advertised on the club’s TV screens, our monthly newsletter is emailed to members along with the Treasurer’s report and, of course, we are on Facebook.

1912 700

Ian Geldard, General Manager: We have redecorated the main room with the help of our members. We’ve had new windows put in and put hanging baskets up outside the front door. We also have a new boiler and we’ve given the snooker room a facelift. We’ve refurbished the Committee room, installed air conditioning and we now let it out for business meetings. We’re handily placed for the station and The West Byfleet Business Association meet here as does the local PTA, and we regular hold 7am power breakfasts.

The next project is to refurbish the bar, put in new carpets and big screens.

We hold regular brainstorming sessions away from the regular committee meetings and we have taken the radical step of charging £25 for membership with a £10 joining fee. Possibly this is something you can only do in Surrey but it does mean the members we have value the club and make sure they get their money’s worth.

We identified the need to attract women and younger people as the key element to the club’s long-term future, so we came up with a number of plans.

As well as installing a jukebox with a choice of 1.8 million songs, we took the trophy cabinet and notice boards down, introduced subdued lighting to make it more female-friendly, and spent £70,000 on smartening the building, including £20,000 upgrading the kitchen – though much of the work on refurbishing the club was carried out by members themselves at cost-price.

We have a kids’ corner with colouring books, jenga, Connect 4 – and every last Sunday in the month they even hold a Committee meeting!

”

WILBY WMC Main Road, Wilby, Northants NN8 2UB Year founded Membership

“

1950 340

Nicky Green, Treasurer: It has been going really, really well this year. Our new Stewardess Ash Gardener took up the role in March and she has had a massive positive impact on the club along with her husband Darryl. They’ve really put their hearts and souls into the club and are full of ideas to improve things right across the board.

We’ve also continued to offer our regular entertainment including Friday’s very popular bingo night and Saturday’s live music. We have a band or solo singer on and try to have a wide spread of types of music to keep it fresh. We also run a game

28 CLUB MIRROR

of ‘Open The Box’ on Saturday nights which is really popular and brings the members in through the doors, particularly when the money hasn’t been won for a few weeks. The maximum is £1,000 and when it reaches that, it’s standing

room only in the club with real excitement generated by the game.

We have skittles and darts teams and that gives the place a real buzz when it’s a league night, and we’ve made a massive effort to try and appeal to a wider spectrum of generations; it’s paying off with younger people now wanting to join.

Getting the garden up and running has definitely been a high point. It was a truly team effort with fundraising carried out to get the furniture and everyone helping with the hard work. We had a Grand Opening of the garden with a free BBQ and everyone was welcome. It really makes a difference to have some outside space and it’s making the club more attractive for families who can come in with their children. The garden is securely fenced all the way around so very family friendly. It’s been a massive boost for the club.

<

LIVE SPORTING FIXTURES FROM

ATCH

ONE TO W

Wednesday November 11, 10.30am – Sky Sports 2 HD

International Cricket: Pakistan v England - 1st ODI Having concluded the three-Test series against Pakistan, England now face the same opponents in a one-day series. Eoin Morgan skippers an exciting England squad who will be desperate to make up for the defeat they suffered at the hands of the Australians in the most recent ODI series.

NDS

RECOMME

Monday November 23, 8pm – Sky Sports 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Crystal Palace v Sunderland The Black Cats will be hoping to put a pretty miserable few months behind them, a period which saw them lose manager Dick Advocaat in October following a poor run of form, and fight for their Premier League survival presence in the set-piece.

ATCH ONE TO W

Sunday November 29, 12 noon – BT Sport 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Tottenham v Chelsea Chelsea have looked a world away from their imperious form of last season during the past few months with pressure building at Stamford Bridge as the poor results stack up and the team plummets in the table.

Spurs, after some highly promising performances, will be going all out to claim the scalp of the reigning champions at White Hart Lane and will be looking to young superstar Harry Kane to inflict some mortal blows.

The best of Sports4Bars.com looks ahead to the key live sporting fixtures this month, including some big Barclays Premier League clashes.

Saturday November 7 12.45pm BT Sport 1 HD

Sunday November 15 4pm Sky Sports F1 HD

Barclays Premier League: AFC Bournemouth v Newcastle Utd

F1: Brazilian Grand Prix

It’s another big game for the Premier League new boys as they take on the Magpies.

High-octane action from Brazil as Britain’s Lewis Hamilton seeks yet another victory.

Tuesday November 17 10am Sky Sports 2 HD

Sunday November 8 5pm Sky Sports 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Arsenal v Tottenham A huge North London Derby as these two fierce rivals meet at the Emirates Stadium.

International Cricket: Pakistan v England – 3rd ODI England take on Pakistan in the third one-day international held in the UAE. Tuesday November 17 8pm ITV

Wednesday November 11 10am Sky Sports 2 HD

International Cricket: Pakistan v England – 1st ODI With the three-Test series now concluded, England and Pakistan compete in the shortened form of the game.

Friday November 13 7.45pm BT Sport 1 HD

International Football: England v France A friendly encounter at Wembley as England face Didier Deschamps’ talented French team.

Saturday November 21 12.45pm BT Sport 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Watford v Manchester United

European Rugby Champions Cup: Leicester Tigers v Stade Francais As the dust settles on the World Cup, here comes another top-class rugby competition.

Manchester United head to Vicarage Road and will expect to pick up a full complement of points here.

Saturday November 21 3pm Sky Sports 2 HD

Rugby Union: Barbarians v Argentina

Sunday November 15 1pm BT Sport 1 HD

European Rugby Champions Cup: Leinster v Wasps A difficult pool assignment for Wasps as they head to Dublin.

The famous invitational side, featuring several players who featured in the recent World Cup, will be showing their skills at Twickenham against the Pumas of Argentina.

The only place to show UEFA Champions League this season MEANS BUSINESS

30 CLUB MIRROR

No longer on ITV or Sky Sports

November’s live sport UEFA Champions League – Juventus v Manchester City: BT Sport, Wednesday, November 25.

ALSO COMING UP...

Wednesday November 11 7pm Sky Sports 2 HD

Greyhound Racing: William Hill St Leger Friday November 13 10.30am Sky Sports 2 HD

International Cricket: Pakistan v England – 2nd ODI Saturday November 14 12.30pm Sky Sports 1 HD

League One Football: Rochdale v Wigan Athletic Saturday November 21 5.30pm Sky Sports 1 HD

Tuesday November 24 7.45pm BT Sport

Thursday November 26 8.05pm BT Sport

Barclays Premier League: Manchester City v Liverpool

UEFA Champions League: Arsenal v Dinamo Zagreb

UEFA Europa League: Liverpool v Bordeaux

Can Liverpool’s new manager mastermind a victory at Old Trafford?

The Gunners have been a major disappointment in Europe during this campaign and will be eager to recapture some pride.

This is a crucial tie for Liverpool as they focus on qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.

If they do manage to get that far, they will have a genuine chance of gaining some silverware this season.

Sunday November 22 4pm Sky Sports 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Tottenham v West Ham West Ham have been one of the surprise packages of the season so far and will relish this trip to White Hart Lane to take on a youngish and exciting Spurs team.

Wednesday November 25 7.45pm BT Sport

UEFA Champions League: Manchester United v PSV Eindhoven Manchester United should be in reach of a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Monday November 23 8pm Sky Sports 1 HD

Wednesday November 25 7.45pm BT Sport

Barclays Premier League: Crystal Palace v Sunderland

UEFA Champions League: Juventus v Manchester City

Few pundits expected Crystal Palace to trouble the big names this season but under the steady hand of manager Alan Parde, Palace have put together a string of excellent performances.

Manchester City’s ineffective European performances in the earlier rounds left many pundits scratching their heads and they now have a mountain to climb to qualify for the knockout stages of this illustrious competition.

Friday November 27 7.45pm BT Sport 1 HD

Aviva Premiership Rugby: Northampton Saints v Gloucester This is likely to be a highly physical encounter at Franklin’s Gardens as Saints welcome the Cherry and Whites.

Sunday November 15 1pm Sky Sports 2 HD

Grand Slam of Darts: Final Friday November 27 4pm Sky Sports 2 HD

International Cricket: Pakistan v England – 2nd Twenty20 International Friday November 20 10am Sky Sports 2 HD

International Cricket: Pakistan v England – 4th ODI Friday November 20 7.45pm Sky Sports 1 HD

Championship Football: Middlesbrough v Queens Park Rangers

Sunday November 29 12 noon BT Sport 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Tottenham v Chelsea Spurs will fancy their chances of toppling the reigning champions at White Hart Lane following several below-par performances from the Stamford Bridge crew.

www.Sports4Bars.com

The only place to show UEFA Champions League this season MEANS BUSINESS

No longer on ITV or Sky Sports

CLUB MIRROR 31

YOUR HOSTS

Caroline Scoular

Sean Ferris

Justin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Regan

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For more information get in touch using the following details...

STOP PRESS: EXCLUSIVE CLUB EVENT When? 26 November, 2015 Where? Palace Hotel, Manchester Join us at these exclusive events on one day and under one roof.

HAIL THE ALE BEER FESTIVAL 2-5pm – FREE TO CLUBS •Expert advice on the value of cask ale at the club bar •Sampling – new brews and old favourites •CAMRA – the UK’s top consumer advocates of Real Ale •Cask Marque – accreditation and training

TRADE EVENT 2-5pm – FREE TO CLUBS Join our informal ‘Ask the Experts’ get-together to meet up with club-supporting suppliers.

(Space in the venue is limited so please book early to avoid disappointment) Aon, Avensure, Booker PLC, British Institute of Inn-keeping (BII), BT Sport, CAMRA, Carlsberg UK, Cask Marque, Club & Institute Union (CIU), Club Insure, Dransfields, Marston’s Beer Company, Poppleston Allen (UK), Villeroy & Boch

MEET THE TEAM Share your news and views with the teams.

ACP titles at the event include: Clubhouse Europe, Club Mirror (host), Club Rugby, Club Report, Sports4Bars.com

CLUB AWARDS & GALA DINNER 6.30pm-LATE – BY TICKET ONLY The annual Club Awards & Gala Dinner is a ticket-only Black Tie event which applauds clubs across the UK. Celebrate with fellow club managers and enjoy the four-course Gala Dinner, hosted by sports presenter John Inverdale.

Tickets: £58.80 per person (inc. VAT) Tables: £451.20 (inc VAT; table of 10)

JOIN US! To book for any of these events, please contact: info@alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk OR caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk t. 01753 272022

....info@alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk

Aon Risk Solutions Enterprise | Affinity

Insurance for clubs …don’t just take our word for it.

‘

The cherry on the cake was we saved money

’

Peter Crockett Club Secretary of Chillington Sports & Social Club.

Aon can arrange insurance for social clubs, with cover for your legal liabilities such as public and employer’s liability included as standard.

You will be able to build your club insurance to fit your requirements, by adding further options on, such as property or business interruption.

The price will be based on your club’s own circumstances and requirements, so give us a call to arrange a face to face visit.

‘

’

As Peter says I have no hesitation in recommending Aon.

Club insurance arranged through Aon - contact us to get a quote

0330 333 3887 | aon.co.uk/clubs

Aon UK Limited Registered Office: The Aon Centre, The Leadenhall Building, 122 Leadenhall Street, London EC3V 4AN. Registered No. 210725. VAT Registration No. 480 8401 48.

Aon UK Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA registration No. 310451. FP.ENT.924.CM 08.15 / TD7088

CLUB AWARDS 2015

Callingallclubs Join us in Manchester Busy clubs and officials are hard pressed to take time out unless there’s a very good reason to do so. This is why Club Mirror is cramming three events into one action-packed day on 26 November.

Whether it’s sourcing new suppliers, seeking expert advice on legislation, comparing notes with other clubs or trying out a new beer for the bar, the Club Mirror team invites you to join them for an actionpacked day (and evening!).

2-5pm HAIL THE ALE BEER FESTIVAL Club Mirror’s seventh Hail the Ale Beer Festival, in association with CAMRA, will present ales from brewers of all sizes. Free to clubs and free to sample, clubs can test out ales and seek advice from the experts on how to keep and serve the perfect pint.

Also: top tips on how and why well-kept real ales can create a point of difference.

> CLUB MIRROR 35

CLUB AWARDS 2015

2-5pm ASK THE EXPERTS – LIVE! This free-to-clubs event brings clubs and club-supporting suppliers together in an informal and informative atmosphere, aiming to forge new partnerships and cement old ones.

“Business-building is what it’s all about,” says publisher Sean Ferris. “We’re encouraging readers to come along and network with companies they already work with as well as meeting those not yet on their radar.”

Ask the Experts – Live! will host experts in a number of key club areas including cellar management, energy saving, gaming machines, web design and hitech screens, as well as advice on latest legislation and better buying.

6.30-7.30pm DRINKS RECEPTION Join us at the pre-Awards drinks reception. Photo opportunities to date have included the FA Cup (2014) and the Challenge Cup (2013). Try lagers, bitters and wine from our sponsors.

36 CLUB MIRROR

7.30-10pm CLUB AWARDS The 24th Club Awards and Gala Dinner will be presented by guest host and TV sports presenter John Inverdale (below), who joins the Club Awards Hosts Hall of Fame. Previous hosts include Chris Hollins, Steve Ryder, Hazel Irvine and Clare Balding.

10pm-1am ENTERTAINMENT ZONE The evening continues after the Awards with entertainment, tastings courtesy of Carlsberg UK and real ales at ÂŁ1 a pint.

< CLUB MIRROR 37

CLUB AWARDS 2015

Booking and registration form • GALA DINNER • HAIL THE ALE • ASK THE EXPERTS – LIVE! Join us and clubs from around the country at the club event of the year.

REGISTRATION AND BOOKING FORM Name: _______________________________

CLUB AWARDS AND GALA DINNER

Club Name and Address: _____________________

(Subject to availability) Please reserve me (STATE NUMBER) ________ tickets for the Gala Dinner at £58.80 per person (including VAT of £9.80).

__________________________________

Please reserve me (STATE NUMBER) ________ table/s for 10 at £451.20 (including VAT of £75.20).

Contact Telephone Number: __________________

Email: _______________________________

ASK THE EXPERTS – LIVE! (FREE TO CLUBS) • I would like to attend Ask The Experts – Live!

• I will attend on my own

■

• I would like to bring colleagues Up to 3 ________

HAIL THE ALE BEER FESTIVAL (FREE TO CLUBS) • I would like to attend the Hail the Ale Beer festival • I will attend on my own

■

• I would like to bring colleagues Up to 3 ________

38 CLUB MIRROR

■

■

3 - 5 ________

Other (please state) ________

■

■

3 - 5 ________

Other (please state) ________

YOUR FORM AND/OR DETAILS VIA:

DEADL NOVEMBEINE: R 19

BY EMAIL:

Email your details to info@clubmirror.com

BY PHONE:

Call in your details to 01753 272022

BY FAX:

Fax this page to 01753 272021

BY POST:

Club Awards, Club Mirror, Gainsborough House, 59-60 Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1TX

BEST NATIONAL CASK ALE BREWER

We’ve been running pubs and brewing beer in one form or another for over 180 years and we’re rightly proud of our heritage. Today we work harder than ever, making sure that everything we do; from the beers we brew, to the pubs they are enjoyed in, and the people that craft, deliver and serve them, are always the best that they can possibly be. And that’s what sets us apart, providing you the best customer service, flexibility, and product range.

5 REGIONAL BREWERIES & 7 DIFFERENT BRANDS FAMILIES. We craft some of the nation’s favourite cask, craft, smooth and bottled ales

Wide range of market leading standard, premium and world beers and ciders and full selection of wines and spirits

14

National network of TRADE QUALITY BEER Technicians distribution depots delivering nationwide

An unrivaled range of 20 PERMANENT CASK ALES & 50 MONTHLY GUEST ALES Local and national sales force backed up with AWARD WINNING CUSTOMER SERVICE

Preferential rates for all Marston’s customers on a range of extra services like energy, utilities, insurance and many more

See the difference quality brands and service can make to your business

Call us today on 0800 5870773 or visit www.marstons.co.uk

CLUB AWARDS – A WORD WITH BT SPORT

BT Sport’s whistleblower

BT Sport pundit Howard Webb is one of England’s most illustrious referees of all time.

Howard Webb is one of the most successful British referees of all time and in 2010 became the first person to referee the finals of both the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup in the same year. Now a BT Sport pundit, he talks to Club Mirror about his new matchday role and his previous career as a whistleblower.

How are you enjoying being part of BT Sport’s matchday presentation team?

I’m thoroughly enjoying it. Working with BT Sport is a really interesting challenge for me as I’m trying to make sure that what I say adds value and gives a bit of an insight into the role of the referee and some clarification of why something has happened.

And, of course, it’s kept in perspective because it’s all about the players and the game but at the same time the referee’s action can have a big impact on the final result. So I’m there to give viewers a slightly different perspective which adds to their understanding and enjoyment of the BT Sport coverage.

Hopefully I also humanise the role of the referee as I explain what its like to be out there making the decisions in the middle of a Champions League or Premier League encounter.

And it must be quite a responsibility to be in some way representing the views of the entire refereeing community given that the referee’s perspective is not something you often get on TV? I suppose it is as what I say in this role could be seen as the definitive referee’s view even though I’m only voicing my opinion and that could well differ from that of other referees who are watching the coverage.

Some people might have thought when I joined BT Sport that my role would be to criticise the decisions made on matchday by the men in the middle but I’m certainly not there to do that – I know how hard the job is.

But of course I have an advantage over the referees as I pore over decisions with the benefit of replays and other angles which is something that they don’t have access to during games. I try to talk about the decisions in that context in a way that helps the referee and demonstrates just how difficult it can be to make a split-second judgement. I also highlight the positive when a great decision has been made -

40 CLUB MIRROR

as most of them are. People remember the bad ones as they stand out.

How has the feedback been from referees?

It’s been generally very positive which is encouraging. I’ve had them emailing in and saying ‘thank you for saying this’ or for pointing out a particular technical aspect. It would have been worrying if there had been silence from the refereeing fraternity but that hasn’t proven to be the case and hopefully they feel that my presence is beneficial to referees.

There are always one or two big decisions during every game which in the past would have been solely scrutinised and analysed by ex-players and exmanagers who have got a tremendous understanding of the way the game is played – tactics, team selection, player psychology, etc – but in terms of the technicalities of a refereeing decision, they’re not necessarily qualified to make those observations. In the same way, I wouldn’t be bold enough to comment about whether a manager has got his team selection right or criticise a player’s performance.

And it must be great to have BT Sport’s technology to help you analyse decisions?

Absolutely. The technical wizardry at BT Sport means you can look at situations from so many angles so you can categorically say if a decision is right or not, for example on offside decisions. I was recently speaking at the SoccerEx convention in Manchester about the possible use of technology to help referees make decisions and it’s something which I think should be looked at. We should find out which aspects of technology would work and which aspects would ruin the game. I’m sort of trialling that at BT Sport by seeing how we can come to decisions which are categorically corrrect or incorrect rather than down to subjective opinion. I’m hoping that my work here will in a small way advance the argument of using technology in the future.

Do you subscribe to the view that the best games are the ones where you don’t really notice the referee?

As a referee I was always aware of that mantra but you have to make the big decisions and when you do that the spotlight will inevitably fall on you. Make the correct decision at that point though and you’re out of the spotlight as people don’t talk about correct decisions as much as they do the bad ones. So, I’d say the best referees are the ones that you see when you need to see them.

So, how did you get into refereeing in the first place?

I was 18 when I started my refereeing career and followed in the footsteps of my dad who had taken up the whistle when he stopped playing. I realised that I was never going to be a professional footballer and my dad suggested taking up refereeing. Back then I thought refs were all old, bald men – as I am now – so part of the appeal for me was that I would be something a bit different, a young ref who looked as though he could be out there playing. But these days you see a lot more younger people taking up the

whistle and to make it up the higher levels you need to start young.

What sort of age do potential refereeing ‘stars’ get picked out by the FA? If someone has real potential they will normally be identified in the first two years of reffing by academies and centres of excellence and then the ones with talent can be fast-tracked to the higher levels of the game – Conference, Football League and ultimately the Premier League. But, in my opinion, there’s a minimum amount of time that they have do to learn the skills to cope with top-class games. You couldn’t just have an ex-player moving seamlessly from playing to reffing at a high level – you need game time to learn things and develop the required skills over a period of time.

So you’d recommend becoming a referee?

Definitely. If you have a passion for the game, if you’re ambitious and if you have a lot of self-discipline it’s a great way to make it to the top of the game if you can’t make it as a player. If someone had said to me in 1989 when I was 18 that I’d go to 45 countries

Webb is part of BT Sport's UEFA Champions League matchday presentation team. to referee games, that I’d be involved in some of the biggest events in world football, I would have been amazed. I used to pinch myself when I found myself officiating at a Premier League game at somewhere

like Old Trafford or Anfield. I had the best seat in the house in the sport that I love and I’d been given the responsibility to control this event – what an incredible position to be in.

When I first started it was quite a lonely task even when you were in a stadium of 60,000 people but the introduction of the communication system was a real bonus and really changed the experience. You now have three colleagues speaking in your ear, five in the case of a UEFA Champions League game – encouraging you, notifying you of problems that are developing.

Reffing is very much a team effort at the highest level. I was lucky as one of the reasons for my success was the fact that I had the two best assistants that the country’s ever seen on my line. We worked together all the time, all over the world and we developed a really strong team ethos. Without them, there’s no way I would have ever got to the World Cup Final.

BT Sport is the new home of European football, with all UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches exclusively live. Visit btsport.com/europe

CLUB MIRROR 41

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CLUB AWARDS – A WORD WITH CLUB INSURE

Why prevention is better than cure Club Insure works with working men’s clubs, sports, social and politically affiliated clubs with the primary aim of providing a comprehensive, face to face assessment of client needs.

MD Simon Mabb explains.

W

e believe that the constant flow of information between ourselves and our customers and the relationships that we develop as a result gives our client’s unbeatable service.

As you will all be aware the fundamental principal behind insurance is to put the policyholder back in the position that they enjoyed before the insured incident occurred. While many brokers may operate reactively, at Club Insure our focus is on proactivity, we believe prevention is better than cure.

When the Club Insure concept was being formulated we considered the impact that a failure to comply with policy conditions can have on a claim. We realise that client’s often don’t pay as much attention

“

Exceptional! That’s the one word I would use to sum up the service provided by Club Insure, in particular the claims handling team. I’ve often likened choosing an insurance broker to choosing a bank; if you are happy with the service they provide you tend to commit yourself to staying with them indefinitely. However, I have occasionally learnt to take a leap of faith and assess the market from time to time.

Better products and services might actually be available.

Mr King, Chairman – Hessle RUFC.

”

42 CLUB MIRROR

to the policy wording as they should. This means that they can fall foul of the numerous policy terms and conditions, so despite paying their insurance premium they do not get the full benefit of the cover afforded under the policy that they should.

At Club Insure we have worked hard to ensure that our client’s are completely covered.

In September this year we won Schemes Broker of the Year at the Insurance Age Awards, and earlier this year we won Broker of Year at the Modern Claims Awards. These awards are testament to the quality service we offer. It is evident through our many initiatives that our customers are our key focus. In addition to comprehensive insurance cover we can offer building valuations, electrical

Simon Mabb

“

I can recommend Club Insure for several reasons: helpful service, efficient communication and their thoroughness in searching for the best option to suit their clients. Club Insure provide a policy to suit all our requirements.

Mr Crow – Stirchley United Working Men’s Club

”

inspections, health and safety advice, risk management, excess refund policies and use of our own designated loss adjusters. All of these services/products ensure that our clients’ claims are settled on the best possible terms.

These additional services also provide reassurance to our clients that in the event of a claim they have complied with the policy and that average will not apply as the correct sums insured have been identified. In short, the clients are ensuring that they get the benefit of the policy they have paid for.

In addition to keeping our staff abreast of industry changes and ensuring they are kept up to date

with new legislation and claims-related issues, our e-newsletters go out to all our customers and prospective customers at least bi-monthly and are a fantastic way to keep our customers updated too.

A claim is the true test of any insurance policy and our 97.2% renewal retention rate illustrates that our clients are very happy with the claims service we provide. Like any other sector the club market has been affected by the recession so for those risks that we have not renewed the majority are because the venues are no longer operating.

We can evidence our success through our many client testimonials and in addition to this we are

very proud to be the appointed preferred insurance broker by a number of the main club associations – Association of Conservative Clubs (ACC), Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO), National Union of Labour & Socialist Clubs and the National Union of Liberal Clubs.

CONTACT DETAILS Club Insure, Romero House, 8 Airport West, Lancaster Way, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7ZA e. info@club-insure.co.uk t. 0844 488 9204 www.club-insure.co.uk

< CLUB MIRROR 43

CLUB AWARDS – A WORD WITH MARSTON’S

Definedbybeer, inspiredbyservice Marston’s is the UK’s No.1 Premium Ale brewer. With five regional breweries – Jennings, Wychwood, Marston’s, Banks’s and Ringwood – it has eight brand families and crafts some of your favourite ales including Wainwright, Pedigree and Hobgoblin. Our full portfolio of cask, keg and bottled ales truly represents a national ale trail from the Lake District down to the south coast.

A

t Marston’s we understand clubs and their priorities, and we have a wealth of experience in helping our customers to increase their revenues in a very challenging market.

Marston’s Director of On Trade Sales, Simon Barnes says: “Market conditions have never been as tough as we’re experiencing now, and competition is fierce. Successful clubs survive on the basis of continued and expanding membership and active committees that take a great deal of pride in their venue.

We have the brands, the experience and the com-

44 CLUB MIRROR

mitment to support your business to enable it to thrive and grow.”

A big part of our formula for a sustainable business is making the most of cask ale as it provides clubs with a unique point of difference verses cheaper drinks from the supermarkets and gives a reason to visit and recruit members to your club.

Cask beer is in demand now as drinkers are looking for more premium, quality drinks, crafted with natural ingredients and genuine regional provenance, leading to a trend in seeking out different

taste and flavour experiences. So you can understand why more and more beer drinkers are enjoying the variety of flavours that can only be found in a delicious pint of real ale.

“According to our own research, clubs and pubs that build a reputation for keeping consistently excellent ales are more likely to experience an upturn in all trade, including food sales,” says Simon. “The cask ale drinker has remained loyal to going out for a sociable drink, so meeting their needs and recruiting more of them is an essential

“

By choosing to work with Marston’s you reap the benefits of over 180 years industry experience which is complemented with a comprehensive support service.

”

way to increase sales and protect your business going forward.”

Marston’s offers 23 permanent cask ales and an ever changing range of over 50 guest ales each year – you’ll never be stuck for choice and will always be able to offer your members something different to keep them coming back for more.

Quality is essential, and while clubs that see irregular or unpredictable trading patterns might think that cask ale is operationally too difficult for them, Marston’s unique fastcask format of cask beer provides more flexibility and is always available to be put on sale.

“Our innovative fastcask format is making cask beer an option for many clubs that previously wouldn’t have been able to offer it to their customers,” says Simon. “It delivers genuine cask beer that can be moved at any time and always be ready for sale, even when cellar space is at a premium.

Since launch, we have helped many customers with small cellars and unconventional trading patterns to offer cask for the first time.”

By choosing to work with Marston’s you reap the benefits of over 180 years industry experience which is perfectly complemented with a comprehensive support service. The full range of tailored support we offer includes: TM

TM

Exceptional service • Innovative business building advice from your dedicated local Business Development Manager.

• Highly trained, experienced customer service team – the only one in the industry to be awarded a prestigious ‘Customer Service Excellence’ award.

• Exclusive MyMarston’s website – a constantly

growing online resource with 24/7 online ordering and an online print shop which allows you to create bespoke point of sale items for delivery direct to your door.

• A wide range of training courses and business support.

Unrivalled quality A unique ‘caskforce’ team of over 30 Beer Quality Technicians who deliver on site beer quality advice, auditing and cellar support. Every year Marston’s delivers hundreds of training days and support to achieve BII ABCQ qualifications and Cask Marque accreditation.

National distribution A dedicated team of over 320 personnel based at 14 local depots around the country all ensuring high quality and personal service.

Extensive drinks range As well as being a leading cask ale brewer, Marston’s offers an extensive range of drinks, providing a one

stop shop. Our range of lagers, ciders, wines, spirits and minerals is constantly reviewed and checked against the latest industry trends to ensure we are providing an up to date and relevant range that meets your needs.

Cost saving solutions With over 1,700 pubs comes great purchasing power and Marston’s have negotiated fantastic deals on a wide range of products and services which are also available to you as a Marston’s customer – as an added benefit to help you run your business more profitably. Marston’s could help your club make substantial savings on waste management, card payment services, and kitchen and bar equipment.

CONTACT DETAILS Call 0800 587 0773 or visit www.marstons.co.uk for details on how Marston’s quality brands and service can help your club.

< CLUB MIRROR 45

CLUB AWARDS – A WORD WITH MOLSON COORS

Making the right choice Martyn Cozens

Earlier this year Molson Coors re-launched its wholesale offering – Service. Choice.

Trust: “If your customers drink it, we probably sell it, or we have a great alternative.”

To promote the re-launch, and to meet with, and speak to, as many clubs as possible, Molson Coors joined Club Mirror as a sponsor of the 2015 Club Awards. As the awards enter their 24th year, Molson Coors’ Director of Independent On-Premise, Martyn Cozens explains why the club sector continues to thrive.

A

t Molson Coors, a lot of what we do is about working with the people who are running clubs and what we often see in these thriving clubs is a small team of effective leaders. It’s important that we recognise these people for the work that they do, and that for me, is why the Club Awards are so important to the industry.

When I go into the trade and see the clubs which are really well-run, it’s usually down to the fact that they understand the important principles of retailing effectively – the warmth of the welcome, the quality of the drink and food on offer, the events and entertainment which are put on for the members and their families – those are the clubs which are positively thriving.

I’m very optimistic about the future of clubs – there will always be a place for them in the community. I hope our sponsorship of the Club Awards goes some way to showing how committed we are to the club industry, and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all entrants the very best of luck.

The relaunch Our re-launch aligns with Molson Coors’ aspiration to become the clear number one drinks wholesaler to the UK on premise and is built around three distinct pillars – Service, Choice and Trust.

Following six months of customer research to understand what our customers want from a traditional ‘wholesale’ offering, Molson Coors found that a high priority was customer service. Over 60% cited it as a real point of difference, with 61% also saying product range, or ‘choice’, was an important factor.

The range The Molson Coors range includes over 2,000 beers, wines, ciders, spirits and soft drinks and is delivered to trade by one of the biggest sales teams in the industry. In addition to selling Carling, Molson Coors has also worked closely with key drinks brands to deliver a range that meets the diverse needs of our customers. We offer: • 700 wines with over 150 exclusive to Molson Coors and 250 exclusive to the on-trade • Eight seasonal guest ales per month from regional and national brewers • Over 500 spirits across 16 sub-categories that range from house to super premium To ensure our customers can give their consumers the right serve, our range includes packaged (cans, NRBs, PETs), BIB and draught.

A lot of people, however, aren’t aware that we do

“

I’m very optimistic about the future of clubs – there will always be a place for them in the community.

46 CLUB MIRROR

”

a lot more than just sell great beer. The key point is that we have an industry leading range that meets our customers’ every needs. Not only do we supply Carling, the biggest beer brand in the UK, [based on CGA data/Best Selling Varietals] but we also sell a vast array of premium and world beers such as Grolsch and Cobra, a range of 56 cask ales, eight seasonal guest ales per month from regional and national brewers and a great range of craft beers.

Our club customers tell us that they want all their drinks requirement from a one-stop shop. They want one order, one delivery, one invoice and one payment in order to make their life easier.

Therefore, we recognise we need to sell a full portfolio of drinks by working closely with key drinks brands to deliver a range that meets the needs of both customers and consumers. We have wines, spirits, ciders, soft drinks, and other brewers‘ beers so that we can satisfy every requirement of our clubs and their members.

As always, we’re continuing to evolve and invest in our range to meet the needs of our customers and their drinkers.

Top tips for selling wine As part of our offering, we sell 700 different wines across the portfolio.

“

Our club customers tell us that they want all their drinks requirement from a onestop shop. They want one order, one delivery, one invoice and one payment in order to make their life easier. Therefore, we recognise we need to sell a full portfolio of drinks by working closely with key drinks brands to deliver a range that meets the needs of both customers and consumers.

When it comes to selling these wines, clubs should always keep consumers’ knowledge and preferences front of mind. This is vital in ensuring an optimised range is stocked in line with a diverse and varied consumer base.

For clubs with a price conscious consumer base, outlets should consider stocking a variety of great tasting house wines. Clubs can accommodate all preferences by stocking a good variety of house red, white and rose blends.

For clubs with a consumer base of everyday wine drinkers with a good knowledge of wine, outlets should make sure that their range includes the wellknown varietals that people recognise, and that appear on most wine lists. These are wines that consumers will know and trust, and include household names like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, White Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz.

We are also seeing a revival of sparkling wines within the wider wine category. This can be attributed to the surge in demand for Prosecco and Cava in particular, two variants which are proving

popular with consumers.

Prosecco is undeniably the sparkling wine of the moment. Our research shows sales of 75cl Prosecco experiencing 90%+ MAT growth. This has led to an increase in the availability of a wider range of Prosecco variants including 20cl bottles to enable outlets to offer it by the glass.

DOCG-classified Prosecco tends to out-do standard Proseccos in terms of quality and should be sought if looking for a more premium product. It is slightly more expensive than standard Proseccos in the market, but is still excellent value for money when the quality of the product is taken in to consideration versus other sparkling wines.

Promotional support To support our customers’ promotional activity, Molson Coors has a partnership with Sky which gives our customers up to 33% off their Sky TV subscription which means that they can access sports coverage, helping to drive footfall and attract new members.

Molson Coors also produces a monthly deals

”

brochure, Hotlines, which is sent out to over 13,000 customers. This contains seasonal deals, new and exclusive products, wine country of origin profiles and strong price points across all of our drinks categories. As well as monthly offers, exclusive ‘flash deals’ are available online and through Molson Coors’ national contact centre each week.

To support our range in outlets, we also provide our exclusive Menu Master, a free menu printing service (subject to a minimum order value) enabling our customers to print drinks menus for free. With menus often the first contact with wine offerings, it’s vital that it works hard to sell your products. Menu Master means that your individual list will be displayed on your tables or bar, helping to drive sales.

CONTACT DETAILS • Free Trade: 0845 6000 888 • Email: CustomerExperienceTeam@ MolsonCoorsDirect.com • www.MolsonCoorsDirect.com

< CLUB MIRROR 47

CLUB KITCHEN

Thebigbreakfast The all-day-breakfast is now firmly established on many UK menus. From traditional hearty breakfasts starting at £1.13 to Egg Florentines at 70 pence and Pancakes with Forest Fruits & Maple Syrup at £1.29, there are plenty of reasons to be beefing up your breakfast menu. Booker shows how.

COOKED BREAKFAST CL 15 Dozen Medium Fresh Eggs (M168776) CE Unsmoked Rindless Back Bacon (M147175) CL Baked Beans (M719799) CL Hash Browns (M300771) CE 50 Sausages (M147653) CL Peeled Plum Tomatoes (M4012322) Closed Cup Mushrooms (M123397) CL Standard Black Pudding (M323212) Portion size – 1 egg, 2 rashers of bacon, 150g baked beans, 2 hash browns, 2 sausages, two plum tomatoes, 50g mushrooms and one slice of black pudding.

Cost per serving – £1.13 QUALITY COOKED BREAKFAST CL 15 Dozen Large Fresh Eggs (M168775) CL Unsmoked Rindless Back Bacon (M115362) Heinz Beanz (M055257) McCain Classics Hash Browns (M113984) CL Premium 30 Lincolnshire Sausages (M105026) Salad Tomatoes (M097165) Farm Fresh Loose Flat Mushrooms (M097910) CL Scottish Style Black Pudding (M323352)

Cooked Breakfast

Portion size – 1 egg, 2 rashers of bacon, 150g baked beans, 2 hash browns, 2 sausages, 1 salad tomato, 50g mushrooms and 1slice of black pudding.

Premium Cooked Breakfast

Cost per serving – £1.89 PREMIUM COOKED BREAKFAST Free Range Medium Eggs Keyes Tray (M069052) Oscar Mayer America’s Favorite Bacon (M117017) Heinz Beanz (M055257) Blakemans Premier Breakfast Sausage (M773670) FF Beef Tomatoes (M132029) FF Mushrooms Portobello (M170369) CL Scottish Style Black Pudding (M323352) Portion size – 1 egg, 2 rashers of bacon, 175g baked beans, 2 sausages, half beef tomato, 100g mushrooms and 1 slice of black pudding.

Cost per serving – £2.06 Quality Cooked Breakfast

48 CLUB MIRROR Honey Baked Goats Cheese

Egg Benedict

Egg Florentine

Method • Toast the muffin under the grill.

• Poach the eggs in simmering water with salt and a splash of vinegar.

• Place the ham on top of the muffin.

• Place the eggs on the spinach and cover with warmed Hollandaise Sauce.

Portion size – 1 muffin, 2 eggs, 2 slices of ham with warmed Hollandaise Sauce.

Cost per serving – £1.62 FRENCH TOAST AND PANCAKES

THE EGG EVENT

Egg Royale

EGG FLORENTINE Kingsmill Muffins (M192801) CL 15 Dozen Large Fresh Eggs (M168775) CL Whole Leaf Spinach (M035738) Knorr Garde D’or Hollandaise Sauce (M060182) Method • Toast the muffin under the grill.

• Poach the eggs in simmering water with salt and a splash of vinegar.

• Warm the spinach and place on top of the muffin.

• Place the eggs on the spinach and cover with warmed Hollandaise Sauce.

Portion size – 1 muffin, 2 eggs, 25g of spinach with warmed Hollandaise Sauce.

Cost per serving – £0.70 EGG ROYALE Kingsmill Muffins (M192801) CL 15 Dozen Large Fresh Eggs (M168775) Craigellachie Smoked Atlantic Salmon (M002462) Knorr Garde D’or Hollandaise Sauce (M060182) Method • Toast the muffin under the grill.

• Poach the eggs in simmering water with salt and a splash of vinegar.

• Place the Smoked Salmon on top of the muffin.

• Place the eggs on the spinach and cover with warmed Hollandaise Sauce.

FRENCH TOAST (4 portions) Les Brioches Sliced Brioche Loaf – 8 slices (M144422) CL 15 Dozen Medium Fresh Eggs – 4 eggs (M168776) Semi Skimmed Milk – 500ml (M212311) Lakeland Dairies Pure Irish Butter Salted – 10g (M126113) Tate & Lyle Icing Sugar – 100g (M187985) Preema Natural Vanilla Extract – 5ml (M165595) CL Summer Fruits – 400g (M193863) Müller Wiseman Dairies Pasteurised Double Cream – 100ml (M966069) Method • Whisk the eggs, milk, icing sugar and vanilla extract together.

• Dip the brioche slices in the egg mixture.

• Heat the butter into a frying pan and fry the brioche slices until browned.

• Place on a plate, top with the fruits mix.

• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Cost per serving – £0.88 French Toast

Portion size – 1 muffin, 2 eggs, 100g of Smoked Salmon with warmed Hollandaise Sauce.

Cost per serving – £1.66 EGG BENEDICT Kingsmill Muffins (M192801) CL 15 Dozen Large Fresh Eggs (M168775) CL Thick Cut Slices Wiltshire Cured Ham (M138387) Knorr Garde D’or Hollandaise Sauce (M060182)

> CLUB MIRROR 49

CLUB KITCHEN Pancakes with Forest Fruits and Maple Syrup

PANCAKES WITH FOREST FRUITS AND MAPLE SYRUP Kingsmill 6 Pancakes (M179074) CL Summer Fruits (M193863) Clarks Pure Canadian Maple Syrup Medium Grade (M109654) Method • Warm the pancakes in a microwave for 30 seconds.

• Place the fruits on top of the pancakes and drizzle with Maple Syrup.

Portion size – 6 pancakes, summer fruits drizzled with Maple Syrup.

Cost per serving – £1.29 CLUB KITCHEN CODES CE - Chef’s Essentials CL - Chef’s Larder FF – Farm Fresh

50 CLUB MIRROR

PANCAKES WITH AMERICAN BACON AND MAPLE SYRUP Kingsmill Pancakes (M179074) Oscar Mayer America’s Favorite Bacon (M117017) Clarks Pure Canadian Maple Syrup Medium Grade (M109654)

Pancakes with American Bacon and Maple Syrup

Method • Cook the bacon as per the on pack instructions.

• Warm the pancakes in a microwave for 30 seconds.

• Place the bacon on top of the pancakes and drizzle with Maple Syrup.

Portion size – 6 pancakes, 2 rashers of bacon drizzled with Maple Syrup.

Cost per serving – £1.39

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information and menu ideas contact Booker.

• t. 0845 60 12 999 • www.booker.co.uk

<

ASK THE EXPERTS – EMPLOYEE CONDUCT

Tackling employee misbehaviour Employee conduct outside of the club workplace can have a serious effect on your club’s business particularly when there is the possibility, or probability, of your members becoming aware of that conduct. Tom Grady, Employment Law Barrister at Avensure explains.

W

hilst it is relatively rare to find your employees’ conduct being reported publicly, the expansion in the use of social media has led to an expansion in information that is in the public domain.

Consider this situation, a group of employees out on a Friday night, they may (and most probably do) make disparaging remarks about their employer and even about a member that they consider to be “difficult” or “too demanding”. It’s not uncommon, and as long as the remarks are not publicly broadcast, no real harm is done; it’s just letting off steam.

But what if the remarks are made via social media? The status of the remark is then elevated into being information in the public domain. It is not difficult to imagine a member’s response to offensive posts being broadcast to the world on Facebook or Twitter, or some other social media platform. The question that arises is: “what systems should an employer have in place to prevent employees from making offensive remarks”?

What can be said with certainty is that the protocols to be followed can be described as a minefield.

Most disciplinary policies state that conduct likely to bring the club into disrepute is likely to be a gross misconduct offence, but recent cases have shown that a standard disciplinary policy does not provide an employer with adequate protection.

It’s always sensible to have your policies checked by a legal advisor. Whilst you are at it, ensure that your social media policy is up to date and robust enough to deal with current issues.

Remember, there are key points that are essential to cover dismissal for conduct occurring outside of the workplace. These key points should be clearly set out in an appropriate policy. It is also advisable that any such policy is communicated to employees so that they are fully aware of their obligations and the potential implications of such misconduct.

A recent case at the Employment Tribunals involved an employee who had put on an Osama Bin Laden mask at work and took a ‘selfie’. The employee then used that photo as his profile pic-

ture on Facebook. The concern for his employer was that the company could easily be identified in the photo as the company name/logo was visible in the background. The employee was dismissed for gross misconduct. However the Employment Tribunal ruled that the employee had been unfairly dismissed as the company did not adopt a fair disciplinary procedure nor did it have a comprehensive Social Media Policy in place. It is never sufficient to simply implement universal or standard policies.

The case illustrates that instances of misuse of social media involve a complicated and forensic analysis of the following questions: • Does the employer have a Social Media Policy and if so, what is the precise wording of that policy?

• Does that policy enable the employer to rely upon a breach of the policy to dismiss?

• Have the employees been made aware of the policies?

• What is the nature and seriousness of the employee’s misuse?

• What is the actual or potential damage to customer relationships?

• What is the disciplinary procedure followed by the employer?

Finally, if something bad does happen, make sure the subsequent investigation is detailed and considers the facts of the case before you come to a decision on next steps.

And when facing the complexities of social media misuse, seek support from a professional expert.

CONTACT DETAILS For more help and details contact: Avensure Ltd City Tower, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester M1 4BT United Kingdom +44 (0)161 333 1856 enquiries@avensure.com

< CLUB MIRROR 51

ASSOCIATION UPDATE – CIU’S 25TH BEER & TRADES EXHIBITION

YOUR HOSTS

George Dawson CMD President

John Tobin Vice-President

Kenneth D Green CMD General Secetary

Bob Russell CMD NEC Member

Stephen Foster CMD NEC Member

Geoff Blakeley CMD NEC Member

Sid Hicks NEC Member

Ken Roberts CMD NEC Member

George Smith NEC Member

Geoff Whewell NEC Member

Carol Goddard NEC Member

Chris O’Neill NEC Member

John Baker NEC Member

David Gravel NEC Member

Brian Davies NEC Member

Stephen Goulding Office Manager

52 CLUB MIRROR

25TH BEER & TRADES EXHIBITION When? 8 April, 2016 Timings? 12-5pm Where? Norbreck Hotel, Blackpool, FY2 9AA JOIN US • Find out what CIU's National accounts and club suppliers are up to and what impact they could have on your club • Seek legal advice • See what's new in entertainment • Learn about sporting opportunities • Share your latest news and events with the Club Journal team • Network with other clubs WHO EXHIBITED IN 2015?

Ace Furniture Aon Avensure BOC CAMRA Carlsberg UK Co-op Bank Dransfields Heineken UK Smart Energy Projects Sky Sports WHY YOU SHOULD JOIN US “This year was our first Trade Show at this splendid new venue and was a huge success. We have aimed to provide an even more diverse and interesting line up for 2016 with new guests and a few surprises! Please take the opportunity to visit the Trade Show in 2016 to keep right up to date on developments in clubland.”

Stephen Goulding, CIU Head Office Manager SEE YOU THERE? Suppliers – Due to a high level of re-bookings there are still a number of stands left but they going fast so call 01753 272022 or email info@clubjournal.co.uk Clubs – CIU HQ will be sending out delegate/club information in March. If you have any questions in the meantime, call 020 7226 0221 or email info@wmciu.org.uk

For sponsorship and exhibition opportunities please call Sean Ferris on 01753 272022. < CLUB MIRROR 53

ASK THE EXPERTS – STAFF WELFARE

Feeling stressed?

Not on our watch!

If you’re feeling anxious and your team is looking fractious it could be that your stress levels are to blame. And you won’t be alone. According to a recent survey of 2,000 people, 54% of Brits are increasingly anxious and stressed. So with the challenges of the sometimes-not-so-very-festive season coming up, Club Mirror asked the experts for advice on dealing with seasonal stress.

C

hronic stress causes sleeping troubles, poor diet choices, low mood and health problems. We can’t eliminate it from our lives but, say the experts, we can definitely control the way it affects us.

Why does stress affect us?

Millions of years ago our bodies were designed to react quickly to danger. Just like wild animals, we were on constant alert so we could run or fight, if threatened. When your brain thinks your life is in danger, it stimulates the release of adrenaline and cortisol.

This fight or flight response is incredibly clever and thoroughly efficient. It provides instant energy for 5-10 minutes, allowing you to react swiftly to dangerous situations.

54 CLUB MIRROR

These days, many of us live under chronic stress.

However, our bodies can’t distinguish between late trains, missed appointments, spiralling debt, infuriating work colleagues and truly life-threatening stress. That is why our body still gears up to ‘flight or fight’ and reacts exactly the same way it has been programmed to.

The main problem with our modern lifestyles is that stress (our ‘perceived threat’) is almost continuous and comes without the natural release, that either fighting or fleeing might provide. Unless you’re physically active (as your body is expecting you to be) all that extra energy has nowhere to go and it can cause adrenal exhaustion. You might experience a range of symptoms including mood swings, anxiety, irritability, nervousness, aggressive outbursts, fatigue, palpitations, forgetfulness,

inability to concentrate, crying spells, insomnia, headaches, muscle cramps, digestive problems and food cravings.

You may not be able to control the stress, but you can control how it affects you physically by following the simple de-stress programme below.

Keep your sugar levels steady Maintaining steady blood sugar levels is key to stabilizing moods, according to leading nutritionist Dr Marilyn Glenville. “Ensure you have a small meal every 2-3 hours that contains protein (eat breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a snack mid morning and one mid afternoon). For example, a hard-boiled egg, 1012 almonds, a small can of tuna and brown rice. This will stop those roller-coaster highs and cravings for sweet foods. Because your blood sugar isn’t allowed

to drop, your body will no longer have to ask you for a quick fix. As the blood sugar steadies, so will the mood swings – reduced adrenaline levels will automatically make you feel happier and calmer inside.”

Which snacks you choose will be key. “Choose your snacks wisely – soybeans, dark chocolate, bananas and avocado are a good source of magnesium, which helps with efficient energy production while also helping to calm the nervous system. Whole-grain carbs, such as rye crisp breads, help regulate levels of serotonin, the “feel-good” neurotransmitter that helps us remain calm,” says Shona Wilkinson, Head Nutritionist at www.nutricentre.com.

Pop a ‘chill pill’ Certain nutrients can be very helpful in reducing stress levels, says Dr Glanville: “Go for the B vitamins, especially B5 for stress relief and energy, magnesium (nature’s tranquiliser) for relaxation and sleep, chromium for blood sugar balance, L-theanine for reducing anxiety and finally Siberian Ginseng, which acts as a tonic to the adrenal glands.”

Care with caffeine “Caffeine is a stimulant, which increases adrenaline levels in our body – the same hormone you are looking to reduce, when stressed. So drinking coffee is like adding fuel to the fire, it accelerates our body’s response to stress and prepares it to action, even though, you might only be sitting at your desk,” says Shona. “If you are still struggling with energy slumps at work, go for a powerful, natural stimulant, such as CoQ10, which helps to increase mental alertness.”

Not all bacteria are bad More and more evidence is coming to light about the link between our gut health and mood. “The walls of the digestive tract are home to millions of nerve cells, and these produce neurotransmitters, including serotonin – more than the brain itself does,” says Cassandra Barns, nutritionist at www.nutricentre.com. “It’s thought that a lack of the right bacteria in the gut – or too many of the wrong ones – can actually upset the balance and production of these neurotransmitters and therefore have a negative effect on our mood. For this reason, taking a probiotic supplement that is supported by clinical research could help support our mental health, as well as gut health.”

Working out Cassandra highlights the value of exercise to mental well-being: “A workout places stress on your body, which activates your sympathetic nervous system by increasing levels of certain hormones such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and cortisol. These hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure, stimulate energy breakdown and inhibiting immune function. To protect our body, our brain releases endorphins to fight that stress, giving us that good feeling.”

Finally – LOL Having a laugh is one of the best remedies for stress – it triggers healthy changes in our body.

“Many studies show that laughter boosts our energy, decreases stress hormones, improves immunity and diminishes pain. But what’s very important for anyone who is stressed is that laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the natural feel-good chemicals, that make us happier and relaxed,” says Dr Glenville.

CLUB MIRROR 55

<

ASK THE EXPERTS – INSURANCE

’Tis the season for late night parties, spillages and Public Liability claims This is probably your busiest time of year with members out to enjoy themselves. But, points out AON’s Andy Kitchener, dealing with the fall out the next morning isn’t quite so much fun for the club!

W

e all know that clubs are self-policing.

Nevertheless, as the festive season gets underway, it’s wise to take precautionary measures. So how do you protect yourself against late night revellers and just what does your insurance cover?

Here are some of the sensible steps that you can take now to try to prevent any insurance claims you may need to make being refused, causing disruption to club business.

When accidents happen You should have a clear statement of your health and safety policy, risk assessments, alongside an accident reporting and investigation system. This should help you reduce any Public Liability claims and help defend against them.

58 CLUB MIRROR

Had a bit too much?

Intoxicated members are far more likely to injure themselves or others, resulting in a Public Liability claim.

Remember, just because an individual is intoxicated doesn’t necessarily mean they cannot allege negligence against you in court. The safe option is to stop serving people alcohol before they have that ‘one too many’.

Theft by employees At this time of year you could be holding significantly more money in the safe than usual, which may be more of a temptation for unscrupulous employees. If a theft occurs, insurers will ask for the written references of the staff member in question.

Remember, you will need written references on record for any authorised official or employee with access to both club monies and stock.

CONTACT DETAILS If you have any questions about this article contact Andy Kitchener, Regional Client Manager, Aon UK Limited. t. 07714 180 551 e. andrew.kitchener@aon.co.uk.

Care has been taken in compiling the information contained within this article; this has been obtained from sources that Aon UK Limited believes to be reliable. Aon UK Limited does not warrant, represent or guarantee the accuracy, adequacy, completeness or fitness for any purpose of the content, including links and the content of any linked site within this article, and can accept no liability for any loss incurred in any way whatsoever by any person who may rely on it. In any case any recipient shall be entirely responsible for the use to which it puts this article. This article has been compiled using information available to us up to 16 October 2015.

<

ASK THE EXPERTS – E-COMMERCE

The barriers and the solutions to

E-Commerce What is E-Commerce and where do you start? “We won’t bore you with one of those wordy precisely constructed scholar’s definitions. What you need to understand is E-Commerce is a term for any type of business, or commercial transaction that involves the transfer of information across the Internet,” explains Larry Hardcastle.

E

-Commerce covers an array of different types of businesses. Most importantly it has had a significant impact on the emergence of the Internet and how clubs and companies use it.

The challenge As efforts to go online started ramping up, it becomes clear your website needs more than a few iconic “pretty pictures” to create that digital customer experience your members may be expecting. Is the platform you are using inefficient and not performing? Ask yourself, can it handle peaks in traffic and has it got the tools to integrate new products? Some businesses think that this whole concept of E-Commerce can be handled and developed by the marketing team. NO GO! Give E-Commerce that attention it requires.

The solution E-Commerce needs digital experts who have all the capabilities to reach state of the art solutions. Digital experts need to think outside the box, creating new ideas and features that can be customised to suit club business and members’ needs. In terms of customer service, what system can you incorporate that will listen and respond to your their needs? And how can you assist users?

The future With the beginning of the digital age seeming like a lifetime ago the question is what more can be done to utilise and revolutionise the digital era? For us, the next step is developing that digital experience offline by means of ‘in stores’. The question companies need to ask is what digital tools can enhance the shopping experience – whether that’s football kits or branded polo shirts.

Acquiring more members To acquire more members, you need to spark a conversation when they are in the early research phase of the buyer’s journey. Offer content such as guides and blogs which will educate them on why they should pick your club or services. Using pretransactional interactions help build a relationship with your potential members before they are actually ready to commit.

Acquiring better members What do I mean by ‘better’? Surely a member is a

member? Wrong. I mean those who will spend freely in contrast with certain customers who are ‘spending limiters’ – meaning they are restrictive with their money. With these higher spenders you not only develop that personal relationship, they become part of your community and are willing to spend money on products/services they believe in.

Finding them requires time as does creating that experience that they will admire!

Keep learning Hopefully we’ve covered the basics of E-Commerce along with a number of barriers and solutions as well as looking at different E-Commerce tactics and strategies to improve market performance.

But if you need any additional help or are looking to drive more business online then do just get in touch.

CONTACT DETAILS Keep members coming back This is without a doubt the most important factor.

Make sure your customer service is top level.

Digging deeper than that, think about re-engagement campaigns. This is a friendly, solution-based approach to help members get re-involved.

Personalised emails improve click-through rates by 14% and clever retention strategies will get similar results.

For more help on E-Commerce contact Larrytech. Also: if your website is looking a bit tired and outdated and you’re after a brand spanking new site or, if you want to add more features or just want to discuss how your current site could be updated, please get in touch by emailing sales@larrytech.com or call the team on 01892 888011.

< CLUB MIRROR 59

CLASSIFIED

CLUB SERVICES EQUIPMENT

SPORTSWEAR FOR GUARANTEED SATISFACTION

Squadkit is dedicated to providing top quality sportswear for the next generation of athletes.

We use the latest breathable and sublimated styles to provide high performance garments uniquely designed to help your school stand—out and your teams perform.

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our garments are delivered to your parents every time.

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60 CLUB MIRROR

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ssk entertainment • disco • quiz nights • master of ceremonies • weddings • birthday parties • award evenings • club events SSK Entertainment is based in Caterham, Surrey. We can provide all the ingredients you’ll need for your party, wedding, quiz night or any event at budgets to suit everyone. We operate anywhere in the Surrey, Sussex and Kent area.

TO CHAT ABOUT YOUR EVENT, REQUIREMENTS, BUDGET ETC PLEASE CALL DAVID FOSTER ON 07710 855295 or visit www.sskdisco.co.uk

CLUB MRROR 61

CLASSIFIED

CLUB SERVICES REFURBISHMENT

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62 CLUB MIRROR

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CLUB MIRROR 63

CLASSIFIED

CLUB SERVICES ENTERTAINMENT

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64 CLUB MIRROR

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CLUB MIRROR 65

CLASSIFIED

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TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CALL

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CF/24 Leather £114.90 Leather RF/1U £45.90

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WT/13 £59.90

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Ridge bases From £37.00

OF/7A £39.90

OF/3G £24.90

RF/16 From £45.90

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66 CLUB MIRROR

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However our focus on satisfaction doesn’t stop with the garments. We’ve partnered with Schoolblazer – the leading uniform supplier to independent schools to ensure that

our garments are delivered to your parents every time.

With intelligent sizing, high levels of availability and free name-taping, we take the hassle out of sportswear buying.

Q Breathable fabrics Q High performance garments Q Bespoke designs Q Team and staff-wear

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*Terms and Conditions: Open to representatives of private members clubs in England and Wales aged 18 years+. Offers applicable to purchases made directly from the Promoter. Promoterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standard terms and conditions of sale apply, copies available on request. No cash or credit alternative. Subject to availability. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Carlsberg Rangeâ&#x20AC;? means: Tetleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gold, Tetleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cask, Tetleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Smooth, San Miguel, Carlsberg, Carlsberg Export, Somersby, Tuborg, Holsten and Poretti. Free 11G keg: Install any product from WKH &DUOVEHUJ 5DQJH 3URGXFW LQ GUDXJKW IRUPDW DQG UHFHLYH RQH * NHJ RI WKH 3URGXFW IUHH RI FKDUJH ZLWK ²UVW RUGHU 2IIHU HQGV 31 December 2015. First order must be placed by 31 January 2016. Apple Burst Free: Purchase any 3 cases (where a Case is 8x500ml) of Somersby Flavours (Apple Burst, Blackberry, Cranberry) to receive 1 Case of Somersby Apple Burst free with order. Offer may be used up to ten times by each private members club before offer closes on 31 December 2015. ÂŁ200 Credit: Purchase ÂŁ1,000 of wine between 1 October 2015 and 1 March 2016 to receive ÂŁ200 credit off the next wine order placed. ÂŁ200 credit must be used before 31 May 2016. 48â&#x20AC;? TV: Install any two or more products from the Carlsberg Range in draught format before 31 December 2015 and purchase a minimum of 3x 11G kegs per week for a period of 24 FRQVHFXWLYH ZHHNV IURP LQVWDOODWLRQ 2UGHU 5HTXLUHPHQW WR UHFHLYH RQH LQFK +' ÂłDW VFUHHQ WHOHYLVLRQ RI DW OHDVW Â&#x2026; LQ YDOXH ,Q WKH HYHQW WKDW WKH 2UGHU 5HTXLUHPHQW is not met, Promoter reserves the right to remove and repossess or require the return of the television.

Promoter: Carlsberg UK Limited, 140 Bridge Street, Northampton NN1 1PZ

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