Club mirror September 2015

Make your venue the home of UEFA Champions League MEANS BUSINESS

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Time for a transfer?

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clubmirror September 2015

AT THE H EART OF THE COMMUNITY

Location report Spotlight on clubs in Paris SPIRIT S • ASK THE EXPER T S • LEG AL EA GLE • CL UB KIT CHEN

Contents

club mirror AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

SEPTEMBER 2015

AWARDS, EVENTS AND CALLS TO ACTION

27

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

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

19 Club Awards and Gala Dinner Book early to avoid disappointment? Here’s why you should.

NEWS, VIEWS, CLUB LIFE AND LEGISLATION 06 News Minimum wage, free-to-clubs trade show, brands news and underage drinking.

08 Legal Eagle Alcohol taxation – the story continues.

BUILDING THE BUSINESS 10 Drinks Report – Top club brands Part one of our annual report with partners CGA Strategy. The UK’s top club spirits brands.

12 Back in the day...

Going back in time – Club Mirror's early coverage of the spirits market.

22 Club Awards – A word with Molson Coors

50

ASK THE EXPERTS 47 Time management

Martyn Cozens shares the company’s news and views.

Making the most of your working day.

27 Rugby World Cup

48 Web advice – Bespoke v off-the-shelf

Right here, right now. Is your club match-ready?

• Fixtures and venues • Players to watch • Presenting the presenters

Is WordPress the right choice for your club?

38 Sporting fixtures

50 Promoting your club

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

Planning an effective press release programme.

49 Legal advice Insurance and free legal advice.

52 It’s classified!

41 Location Report – Paris

Showcasing club-supporting suppliers.

Club Mirror checks out the city’s clubs.

44 Club Kitchen

10

The magic of Italy – bringing a touch of the Mediterranean to the club kitchen.

32 CLUB MIRROR 3

CLUBS & ASSOCIATIONS

SOLICITORS TO THE LICENSED TRADE Nottingham 37 Stoney Street • The Lace Market • Nottingham • NG1 1LS • Tel: 0115 953 8500 London 88 Kingsway • London • WC2B 6AA • Tel: 020 7936 5869 email: info@popall.co.uk

www.popall.co.uk

LEADER

Contributors

Positive outlooks and sporting spectacles It’s been another busy and productive month for clubs and club suppliers as we all gear up for a busy last quarter and prepare for a financially robust 2016.

Networking events from Club Mirror, club suppliers and clubs themselves, are growing in number and frequency. They are proving an informal and practical forum for the industry to come together and work at driving members into clubs and building business while keeping a sharp eye on the bottom line. Time is always a premium, but feedback confirms that this is certainly time well spent. Make sure, then, that you register for our next trade event on 26 November in Manchester (pages 17-20).

On the same day at the same venue, we’ll be holding our seventh Hail the Ale Beer Festival in association with CAMRA. (You can register on page 20.) New brews and old favourites are all there, pointing out that cask is a unique ontrade offering which can reap benefits at the club bar. It can also be a point of competitive difference.

As we hear from our Club Awards judges, many clubs are competing head to head with local pubs and are now winning. How? Through building the bar offering and creating an action-packed entertainment programme. Others are picking up the social mantle from pub closures, and are adjusting the club offering to ensure that the displaced pub drinker has a warm and welcoming club environment to enjoy.

A busy summer of sport is obviously helping, with cricket fans bowled over by the drama of the Ashes series, football fans enjoying the start of the Barclays Premiership League campaign and, of course, the excitement of the Rugby World Cup. Now is the time to persuade members and their friends that clubs are the first port of call for sports screening events.

And on the Rugby World Cup, we’re expecting some exciting insider info from our Club Awards host John Inverdale. John is key presenter for ITV’s coverage of the exciting tournament, and will share many tales no doubt at the Club Awards.

See you there? (Turn to page 20.)

Caroline Scoular Editor, Club Mirror

Caroline Scoular

Sean Ferris

Nick Walton

Justin O’Regan

Mark Newton

Ashley Cairnes

Jill Slingsby

Hamish MacLean

Lawrence 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

Come and join us 26 November, Manchester Club Mirror and club-supporting business partners are gearing up for one of the biggest days of the year. And we hope you can join us.

is Club Mirror’s free trade show, Ask The Experts - Live! The informal event will have 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 Insure, Dransfields, Larrytech, Marston's, Molson Coors and Poppleston Allen are just a few of the suppliers to look out for.

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 –

• For details, timings and free registration for all of these events, turn to page 17 – 20.

STOP PRESS: New Trade Show dates to be announced in next issue.

Clubs to benefit from BT Sport deal CORCA and BT Sport have agreed a special rate for clubs as well as a loyalty discount for those clubs which signed up to the broadcaster during its first two seasons.

BT Sport’s offering has now expanded to include its new package, BT Sport Total. As well as BT Sport 1, BT Sport 2 and BT Sport ESPN, the

package includes new channel BT Sport Europe which shows all of the live UEFA Champions League and Europa League games, a total of

All for charity

Suppor ted

Team Margot Every 20 minutes someone in the UK is taken ill with blood cancer. For many blood cancer patients their only hope of survival is through a stem cell donation – no money necessary. Team Margot explains.

In 2014, Margot was one of 2,000 people in the UK in desperate need of a life saving bone marrow / stem cell transplant. There are more than 37,000 worldwide.

Awareness of the need for more donors is poor, which is astonishing when you consider that every 20 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with blood cancer (it’s every four minutes in the USA).

Increasingly, bone marrow transplants are being used as life saving solutions for more than just blood disorders, so there is and will continue to be an ever increasing need for stem cell / bone marrow donors.

You can get started online straightaway - http://www.teammargot.com/how-toregister/ - and have a DIY kit sent to you. It’s a simple process and you return your DIY kit by post.

6 CLUB MIRROR

223 games this season.

The new package will cost more due to the expanded offering, but includes matches which won’t be available to home viewers. European matches will be screened on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and aim to drive members into the club mid-week.

Clubs to help drive women’s football A £3.7 million cash award has been granted to encourage more women to play football.

Sessions, funded by the FA and Sport England, will be run by 87 Premier League and Football League clubs for 30 weeks of the year.

The money will pay for an extension of the Female Development Programme, which was launched in 2013 with the aim of getting 40,000 new players into the sport – it has exceeded its target by more than 2,000.

The programme, which brings together Sport England, the Football Association, the Premier League and the Football League Trust, has been set the target of attracting another 21,000 aged 14 and over to football in the next year.

Increase in minimum wage kicks in next month From Thursday 1 October 2015, the adult rate of the National Minimum Wage rises by 20 pence from £6.50 to £6.70 per hour. Summary of increases from 1 October: • The adult rate will increase by 20 pence to £6.70 per hour • The rate for 18 to 20 year olds will increase by 17 pence to £5.30 per hour • The rate for 16 to 17 year olds will increase by 8 pence to £3.87 per hour This is the largest real-terms increase in the National Minimum Wage since 2007.

by

Once on the register, on average you have about a 1 in 1,200 chance of being asked to actually donate. Your own bone marrow regenerates within about 10 days post harvest. Harvest is relatively straightforward and will have little / minimal impact on your life. And if you actually donate, you know that you’re likely to be saving someone’s life.

You CAN save a life. Or at least gift someone more time with their family and loved ones.

Margot eventually found her donor match but unfortunately too few ever succeed in finding one: only 50% of people with a blood cancer ever find their matching donor. And the odds of successfully funding a perfect match fall to only 20% if the patient is of mixed heritage.

It needn’t be this way...

As a result of Team Margot’s efforts to date, statistically there will be over 500 people who will now have the option of a donor match that could potentially save their life.

We hope you can join us in saving more lives. Thank you.

CLUB POSTERS An online poster has been emailed to 214,000 UK clubs, pubs, restaurants, hotels & suppliers to the UK hospitality Industry with a request to print and post in venue. To download your own copy go to: http://www.teammargot.com/you-can-save-a-life-2/

Entries flood in for 2015 Club Awards Entries for the 2015 Club Awards have hit an all time high.

“We’re inspired as always by the quality, quantity and calibre of entries,” said judge Leigh-Ann Ogilvie. “The ingenuity and acumen of our finalists is exceeding even our own very high expectations.”

While judging continues apace, Club Mirror is delighted to welcome Avensure as a sponsor for the first time. “Avensure recognises the value of independent clubs around the UK and is very much looking forward to joining us at the Awards on the 26th November,” said Publisher, Sean Ferris.

The Club Awards, now in their 24th year,

welcomed 650 guests last year and are the only Awards which applaud the UK’s club sector.

The annual Club Awards and Gala Dinner, hosted by renowned sports presenter John Inverdale, will also welcome the CIU, BII, RFU and other major trade Associations.

Fall in underage drinking Underage drinking has continued to fall, according to the Government’s annual report Smoking, Drinking and Drug Use Among Young People in England .

The report, published on July 23, showed that the proportion of 11-15 year olds who had tried alcohol at least once was at its lowest level since the surveys began in 1982.

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) welcomed the news and praised the positive work being done by licensed hospitality across the UK, stating

that under-age purchases from licensed premises stand at just 6% compared to almost a quarter for off-licensed premises.

This figure has almost halved over the past two decades.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “That the number of under-age drinkers remains so low is particularly encouraging given the evolving nature of our sector.”

The report was released following a survey of 6,173 secondary school pupils in England in years 7 to 11.

Regional Winners announced Regional Winners of the CAMRA Real Ale Club of the Year, run in association with Club Mirror, have been announced.

The 16 Regional Winners will be welcomed to the Club Awards on 26 November in Manchester, where they will be further whittled down to four Super Round Winners.

The Regional Winners are: • Central Southern – Royal British Legion Club (Marlow) • East Anglia - Birchanger Sports & Social Club • East Midlands - Rushden Historic Transport Society • Kent - Marden Village Club

• Greater London - Orpington Liberal Club • Greater Manchester - Flixton Conservative Club • Merseyside & Cheshire - Appleton Thorn Village Hall • North East - Darlington Snooker Club • Scotland & Northern Ireland Ravenswood Club • South West - Cheltenham Motor Club • Surrey & Sussex - Albatross RAFA Club • Wales - Real Ale Farm (Aberbargoed) • Wessex & CI - The Poole Ex Servicemens (RBL) • West Midlands - Kinver Constitutional Club • West Pennines - Blackpool Cricket Club • Yorkshire - Wortley Mens Club

BRANDS NEWS

If Carlsberg did kickabouts...

Carlsberg, the official beer of the Barclays Premier League, launched a TV commercial to celebrate the start of the 2015-16 season, centred on the concept, ‘If Carlsberg Did Kickabouts...’ Former Manchester United goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel and renowned football presenter, Jeff Stelling make star appearances in the creative, which focuses on a typical kickabout; a casual game between friends in a park, which is transformed by Carlsberg into probably the best kickabout in the world. ‘If Carlsberg did Kickabouts’ is the third film in the new run of the ‘If Carlsberg did...’ series, which was relaunched this year backed by a £12m media investment.

• View ‘If Carlsberg Did Kickabouts...’ at http://bit.ly/kckabt

LMA and Carling partnership The League Managers Association (LMA) has announced a new commercial partnership with Carling. The partnership will provide Carling with access to the LMA membership to support a number of consumer promotional programmes, trade activities and internal activations. Carling, based in Burton-on-Trent, is a partner of St. George’s Park, the FA’s National Football Centre and home to the LMA.

Drop Kick from Caledonian Drop Kick is the latest addition to Caledonian Brewery’s monthly guest beer line-up designed to celebrate the 2015 the Rugby World Cup. The 4% ale is brewed with hops from tournament favourites including England, Australia, France, New Zealand and South Africa and malt from Scotland.

• www.caledonianbeer.com

Crown Cellars becomes Corporate Patron of WSET Crown Cellars, the specialist wine and spirits division of Carlsberg UK, has become a Silver Patron of The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). James Lousada, Chief Executive of Carlsberg UK, says: “We have always admired the WSET’s commitment to deliver first class qualifications for the trade and place education and training high up on our own agenda. All of our 70 regional sales managers have been put through wine and spirits training as have our telesales team. Indeed, the entire field sales force have recently gained their Level 2 WSET Wines & Spirits certificate.”

Shepherd Neame Spitfire Ale Spitfire Gold (4.1%ABV) has been created to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. This will now be a permanent part of Shepherd Neame’s range and will be available in cask from September. The golden ale is described as having ‘delicate and floral aromas’ and uses Centennial and Saaz hops with a sweet malt base.

• www.shepherdneame.co.uk CLUB MIRROR 7

LEGAL EAGLE

Alcohol taxation – the story continues Last month we examined the beginning of the tax regime, with The Saladin Tithe in 1187 adding a 10% tax to beer and alcohol. More focused attention, specifically on the different types of alcoholic product in differential tax percentages, were to follow. Nick Walton explains.

B

eer had been a staple for centuries, partly because it was reasonably safe to drink at that time, (unlike water) thanks to part of the brewing process which boiled the mixture, killing off bacteria – although this wasn’t understood until the 1800s. Taxes on beer were as unpopular then as they are now.

Henry VIII, still a young man at the age of 21, recognised the damage that alcohol was doing within his kingdom notwithstanding the fact that he was generating a significant amount of revenue from its sale. He complained of “the moral decay of towns and the lack of moral fibre of their inhabitants” stating that the towns were no longer inhabited by “men of substance”. Nevertheless, the King continued to be dependent upon the revenue generated, and officers in each borough were made responsible for setting alcohol prices as well as ensuring that unscrupulous purveyors were brought to book. Unfortunately, during his reign, Henry VIII also created “Court, Wards and Liveries” which effectively transferred the collection of taxes due to the Crown to the knights and barons who managed the Crown’s lands. In that way the revenue stream was guaranteed as it became the responsibility of the intermediary to collect the feudal dues and pass them on to the Crown. Abuse of the system became rife and hundreds of thousands of people were executed during Henry’s reign for non-payment of taxes.

Charles II recognised that the system had “grievously wronged and prejudiced the people” (this probably also recognising that the Republic of Oliver Cromwell had not worked to the benefit of the Crown) and revoked the law relating to the “Court, Wards and Liveries”. However, he also saw his own opportunity to centralise income, enacting an Act of Parliament which rolled from tax year to tax year, the revenues that would be generated for each of the products. A number of standard taxes therefore appeared on beer, ale, cider, perry and mead with further fines for failing to report correct volumes of production.

The fact that brandy could be distilled from cider and perry saw a specific Act of Parliament introduced which related to the taxes on these products.

8 CLUB MIRROR

Charles II initiated further legislation which banned the mixing of wines with items such as water or herbs, designed to change the taste or consistency of the wine. (This is an early form of the “passing off” problems witnessed in the 2000s where, for example, wine has been adulterated or poor vintage years bottled as good vintage years.)

In the early eighteenth century (1702) Queen Anne introduced punitive taxes on French Brandy following a declaration of war with France, and the production of home brewed product was encouraged (partly because of the revenues it generated).

Indeed, licensed premises grew significantly during Queen Anne’s reign partly because she needed the revenue to fight the wars with France and Spain.

Gin replaced beer as the alcoholic drink of choice and it appeared the country had become addicted to alcohol, to such an extent that in 1757 during George III reign the distilleries were closed by an Act of Parliament because of a shortage of wheat, barley, malt and any sort of grain which could be used to brew alcohol. The knock on effect was that the price of grain soared and bread became a luxury item; the poor starved.

Food riots and a ban on the export of grain along with legislation to allow the baking of bread with mixed milled grains stabilised the situation and further legislation was enacted to require those selling alcohol to have two licences for the sale of spirituous liquor and one for the sale of beer.

Queen Victoria’s Government recognised that the pendulum had swung too far, and enacted legislation to provide “expedience for the better supply of the public with beer in England to give greater facilities for the sale thereof than was afforded by licences to keepers of inns, ale houses and victualling houses”.

The Beer Houses Act of 1830 had the effect of separating forever the revenue generated for the Crown by way of alcohol and the mechanism which we would recognise today as the licences required to sell alcohol. The Act also defined who should be responsible for the collection of taxes (Commissioners of Excise). This resulted in the siting of revenue men in larger breweries and distilleries to ensure that accurate records were maintained

and taxes collected as a result. The Act also revised the volumes in which beer could be sold (gallon, quart, pint or half pint) and the hours which public houses could be open for the sale of alcohol.

The effect of the Act was a huge increase in ale houses with estimates of the increase from 24,000 to 48,000. Temperance movements sprang up in response and as a result of the proliferation of ale houses, the brakes were once again applied and further requirements initiated for the grant of a licence to sell alcohol. Excise duties continued to grow because the duty was applied at the point of manufacture in expectation of consumption.

The Government had, and continues to have, a difficult balancing act, although revenue from alcohol is not now as critical to the Treasury.

Philosophers such as Bentham had argued (1776) that “the sole objective of Government ought to be the greatest happiness of the greatest possible number of the community. The care of providing for enjoyments ought to be left almost entirely to the individual, the principal function of Government being to protect them from suffering”.

And therein lies the dichotomy which faces any organ of the state in respect of the control of and availability of alcohol.

Attempts at minimum pricing of alcohol continue to be considered nationally as a way of protecting the public from themselves. So was Bentham correct? Is the principal function of Government to protect the individual from suffering [the effects of alcohol]? As we now know, public health costs in treating alcohol abusers are a significant drain on the publically resourced health system. To that extent Bentham was correct about the individual’s “care of providing for enjoyments”, but the Government’s function is yet to be realised.

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.

<

BUILDING THE BUSINESS – BRANDS REPORT

Thetop10 – brands report

This month we launch Club Mirror’s annual and exclusive Top 50 Club Brands Report in association with CGA Strategy. Part one reveals the UK’s Top 10 spirits brands. Mark Newton and Ashley Cairns report.

S

pirits remain a vital and successful part of the club core offer. Using the latest CGA Brand Index data, we’ve examined the Top 10 key spirits brands (across all styles) to see which products remain at the top of the list for both drinkers and licensees.

Even though the last few years has seen a significant shift towards premiumisation there’s no doubt that many drinkers continue to trust and enjoy the big mainstream brands, making them a stalwart at many club bars.

Gin is a key performer, maintaining modest

10 CLUB MIRROR

volume growth of +2.6% year-on-year, while at a lower level Tequila also sees some uplift.

Looking further into the future it is likely that the key trends which will affect the club trade are the continuing innovations found within popular spirits brands with flavoured (fruit/ spice) variants and rebranding a common theme throughout.

The top brands listed on the opposite page are ranked on the total GB MAT volume performance (and relative uplifts as applicable) for each brand along with their UK distributer (or owner).

Gin is a key perfomer at the club bar.

#1 Smirnoff Red

ABV: 37.5% Diageo GB

#2 Famous Grouse

Vodka remains a key option in the club market and there is no brand bigger than Smirnoff Red. Although overall there have been volume and value declines for the brand it still stands more than three times bigger in sales than its nearest spirit rivals.

#3 Jack Daniels

ABV: 40% Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands

Famous Grouse holds its position as No.1 whisky and continues to grow distribution in the trade. As the premiumisation trend continues, higher quality Scotch brands have had more success particularly within single malts. However, Maxxium are looking to turn things around for the Blended whisky category with the release of its new Mellow Gold expression using sherry & bourbon seasoned casks.

#4 Bells

As the most famous bourbon brand in GB, Jack Daniels continues to enjoy solid support from sports and social club drinkers. Its instant brand recognition makes it a popular option whether straight with ice or mixed with cola and has been further boosted by recent innovations such as the Honey variant and more premium offers such as Gentlemen Jack.

#5 Jagermeister

ABV: 35% Cellar Trends

ABV: 37.5% Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands The mainstream white rum of choice in the GB on trade, it again benefits from the club markets preference for brands with strong brand recognition and its ubiquity as a partner for a variety of mixers. It is also widely used as the base for popular summer cocktail classic such as the mojito which helps push its versatility still further.

#9 Baileys

ABV: 17% Diageo GB This classic cream liqueur remains an important brand in the club market.

Especially popular at Xmas time, it has also benefitted from a variety of product innovations over the last few years with additional flavours such as Chocolat Luxe and new, original cocktail recipes such as the chocolatini and midnight mint.

ABV: 40% Diageo GB This instantly recognisable blended whisky is still a crucial part of the back bar for many traditional sports and social clubs. Although it is not a brand noted for major innovation it remains a popular choice for many drinkers – especially mixed with soda, ginger ale or cola.

Its close association to the Help for Heroes armed forces charity also provides additional club appeal – especially within the Royal British Legion estate.

#6 Gordons

The popular shot and mixer has made further inroads into the club market in the past year with double digit (+13.3%) volume growth on the MAT. This is relatively in line with performance across the wider on trade.

Jägermeister has recently overtaken Jack Daniels as No.2 brand at GB level showing its power and distribution growth has begun to increase further.

#7 Bacardi Carta Blanca

ABV: 40% Maxxium UK

ABV: 37.5% Diageo GB Gin is one of the key spirits categories showing solid growth in the club sector and Gordons is still the brand of choice for many.

More recently new flavoured brand extensions such as cucumber and elderflower have helped raise its profile and the easy accessibility of classic canned pre-mix options (with tonic) also add to the convenience factor for licensees and drinkers.

#8 Courvoisier VS ***

ABV: 40% Beam Suntory The dominant brand/ Cognac brand in the club sector accounting for nearly three quarters of the volume in this segment. The brand is the most widely distributed brand in GB positioned in nearly 70,000 outlets which continues to grow year on year. The brand will look for future success off its recent package redesign inspired by the brands history and Parisian heritage.

#10 Captain Morgans Spiced

ABV:35% Diageo GB

By far the most popular golden/ spiced rum in the club market, Captain Morgan can rely on high brand recognition amongst customers and the continuing interest in the spiced sector - especially as a long drink with cola - and also sees double digit volume growth year-on-year (+11.9%).

< CLUB MIRROR 11

BACK IN THE DAY... SPIRITS

Spirited performances pay off We go back in time and revisit Club Mirror's early coverage of the spirits market.

he first few issues of Club Mirror were packed with advertisements and editorials about dark rum, Cognac and whisky – the more traditional dark spirits. What is surprising is the number of advertisements and comments in the early copies about white spirits – particularly vodka.

In the second issue – November 1968, the year Manchester United won the European Cup – under the heading ‘Great drinks of the World No 2 – John Douglas writes: “Sales of Vodka have reached unprecedented heights both in Britain and America, due partly to magnificent advertising and sales promotion.” The feature goes on to explain why the drink had become so popular in club bars.

On the same page is an advertisement containing the sort of ‘magnificent’ copy line he had in mind.

Under a picture of a woman with a typical sixties haircut, looking seductively at the camera is the headline ‘The bare facts’.

The first part of the copy then reads, ‘There’s a vodka revolution going on led by Cossack Vodka.

Cossack Vodka’s a young drink with a lot going for it.

People know they can mix it with just about anything

T

12 CLUB MIRROR

they fancy – with nary a worry about the after effects.

Add advertising to that. Good strong, young advertising. It’s not surprising that Cossack Vodka is becoming the most clearly identifiable young person’s drink sold today’.

According to Douglas, vodka was once a mysterious liquor from behind the Iron Curtain, virtually unknown and treated with suspicion.

“It really is hats off to the people who set out to

1960s: sales of vodka reached unprecedented heights challenging gin sales.

popularise the line ‘Cossack gets mixed up in all kinds of things’, for they seemingly had nothing in their favour and everything against them,” says Douglas.

Beefeater and Booth’s Gin also make an early appearance in Club Mirror (November 1968) and are joined in July 1969 by the first Gordon’s ad with the copy line, ‘Mix it with Gordon’s – the heart of a good cocktail’.

Cocktails seem to have been the fashionable thing to drink in this decade and now, 46 years later, we’re seeing a resurgence of the cocktail in many a marketing mix.

By October 1969 the Cossack campaign had moved on, reading: ‘Your parents never gave a Cossack vodka party, your grandparents never gave a Cossack vodka party, your great grandparents never gave a Cossack vodka party – What are you, a slave to tradition?’.

Booth’s had apparently begun to see the upstart vodka as a challenge to gin sales, at least if its advertising tag line is anything to go by: ‘The king of gin is on the attack, going straight for the young lions, the trend setters, the ones who want excitement in everything they do. And to prove that Booth’s is a lion-hearted spirit, we are taking a whole page full colour advertise-

ment in Club Mirror and in the TV Times to encourage this eager young market to stir things up with Booth’s’. (The TV Times incidentally, went national for the first time in the same year that Club Mirror launched.)

Telling the club trade where and how much is being spent on advertising brands in the national media seems popular during this period. It still is, as companies aim to show on-trade partners that customers will be driven towards certain brands through sophisticated campaigns and heavy advertising spend – just take a look at the Brands News column in this month’s news pages.

Long John whisky, which started advertising in mid 1969, also employs this method, with an ad showing simply the papers and magazines appearing in and around a copy line which says, ‘Now you can see just what powerful advertising we’re doing for Long John this Autumn... in England and Scotland, over 80 per cent of your best customers will see the Long John ads over and over again... so place a tall order as soon as you can’.

The vodka market took a new turn when a brand called Borzoi made its first appearance in Club Mirror (December 1969) with an offer for a set of six vodka shot glasses.

In June 1970 an ad announces J.C.McLaughlin has become its selling agents. It’s not until October in the same year, however, that we learn in product news that Borzoi Dry Imperial vodka is distilled by James Burroughs and distributed in Scotland by Peter Thompson. It also explains it’s been marketed since 1967 and could be found in over 100 countries.

The article also reveals that vodka consumption in Scotland per head of population was well ahead of the rest of Britain. But it’s not until November 1971 when an ad for the ‘Magnificent six’ McLaughlin brands appears – Teachers Highland Cream, Munich-brewed Löwenbräu, Beefeater Gin, Asbach Uralt (German brandy), Appleton White (Jamaican rum) and Borzoi – that we learn Borzoi is ‘a snappy dresser, stands out in the crowd, anything he gets mixed up in gets mighty exciting’. Borzoi didn’t quite have the same staying power of the other McLaughlin brands however.

In the same issue we learn that ‘vodka had become one of the great success stories of the last decade in the UK drinks market. Smirnoff and Cossack are the leading brands with a new challenge from Vladivar’.

This edition has the first full colour page ad for Smirnoff with the copy line, ‘I thought the Karma Sutra was an Indian restaurant until I discovered Smirnoff – the effect is shattering’.

Cossack, meanwhile, was suggesting that if you drink Cossack you won’t get a hangover, with the line, ‘The morning after should be as beautiful as the night before’.

Rum explodes on to market Lamb’s Navy Rum made it into the second ever issue, with a youthful Henry Cooper and Mary Rand on the front cover exchanging mock punches at the opening of the Sportsman Club.

By March 1969, United Rum Merchants (URM) is hitting the club market with its Hart brand with force – Hart, ‘glowing heart warming, Jamaica’s traditional rum’; and Daiquiri, ‘smooth, light, dry, sophisticated, a

Left: Ads that stand the test of time from Haig and Smirnoff.

Martell was the first Cognac to advertise in Club Mirror’s pages. Above: posters from 1905 and 1939.

Cointreau ads stand the test of time. left to right; 1905, 1950, 1981. perfect mixer with tonic, bitter lemon or coke’.

A few months later a full page ad is taken by URM to , ‘persuade a lot of new customers to try the new lighter Lemon Hart blend that’s tailored to the taste of today’s drinkers. Our theme? Is your Lemon Hart in the right place? With large sales to come, there’s one place that’s right for new Lemon Hart. Your place.

Make sure it’s there’.

There’s no shortage of competition. In February 1971 Buchanan Booth’s Agencies launched two more rums – Cabana Blanca, ‘a white rum of exceptional purity’, and Cabana Dark Rum, ‘most subtly flavoured of traditional spirits’.

Meanwhile, competitor Captain Morgan is taking a different line. Its first advertisement in November 1969 has an alluring fresh faced sixties woman looking out of the page and a large headline reading, ‘Had any Yo-Ho-Ho lately?’, assuring us that ‘if everyone had a little more Yo-Ho-Ho now and then, the world would be a happier place’.

The Seagram campaign for Captain Morgan had been trying for years to get away from the Yo-Ho- Ho image of its swashbuckling seafarers with eye patches because of its association with the old, black sticky rums, says the editorial. But the Captain was having none of it and has been resurrected and reinvented by the still-going-strong brand.

Sporting spirit In the October 1973 issue is an advertisement for Squires London Dry Gin – the sporting spirit which is claimed to be the ‘fastest growing leading brand of gin’.

The other two spirits drinks categories to make early appearances in Club Mirror are whisky and Cognac.

Teacher’s is right there from March 1969 with a campaign around the theme, ‘Teacher’s does wonderful things to water’. Subsequent ads in 1971 under the banner ‘Water and Teacher’s Unlimited’ is well ahead

In 1847 four businessmen in Pessione, Italy, formed a wine and liqueur producing company. They were joined by one Alessandro Martini, and a series of aromatised wine made from local grapes and rare spices was produced until chief wine maker Luigi Rossi, hit upon a mixture that came to be known as MARTINI & ROSSI Vermouth.

of some of the other drinks advertising of this era and could – with minor adaptions – happily be run today.

As well as Long John – ‘drink tall’ and Haig – don’t be vague’ – Johnnie Walker makes an early appearance going down the branding route. Under the heading, ‘Now your regulars say, “A large Johnnie Walker, George” (and they used to say “Small scotch please.”).’

The ad encourages clubs to make up their mind about what scotch to recommend: ‘Of course you can go along with the minority and not stock the world’s largest selling scotch. Or you could cash in on the consumer move to a smooth, mellow adult scotch like Johnnie Walker’.

Whiskies and Cognacs J&B Rare was launched on the club market in the Autumn of ‘73 while the interestingly named Red Hackle scotch whisky made a first appearance in November 1974. Red Hackle apparently won lots of awards, gold and silver medals at competitions no one remembers, dating back to a silver at the London Brewers exhibition held in 1928. Other than that, the ad only gives away the fact that it’s a blended scotch whisky and that it is blended and bottled by Hepburn & Ross.

Cognac’s strength in the club market has been as consistent as its advertising spend. Martell was the first to appear in September 1969, and focussed on different sized bottles in its range, as does Courvoisier.

Martell’s charity work for the RNLI is featured early on, while Hennessy starts off with a campaign headed, ‘Cold hands? Have a warm heart’, beside a picture of a heart-shaped glass of Cognac and the stylish old Hennessy bottle.

The main copy reads, ‘There’s a way to take the sting out of even the bleakest Winter’s day. Just snuggle up with a glass of warm-hearted Hennessy Cognac. Gently sip the glowing liquid and feel its magical effect. Suddenly it’s a warm Winter’s day. And if that’s not heart-warming we don’t know what is’.

CLUB MIRROR 13

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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 17

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.

18 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 19

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 Early Bird Rate

Club Name and Address: _____________________

__________________________________

Please reserve me (STATE NUMBER) ________ tickets for the Gala Dinner at the Early Bird Rate of £58.80 per person (including VAT of £9.80).

Please reserve me (STATE NUMBER) ________ table/s for 10 at the Gala Dinner at the Early Bird Rate of £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 ________

20 CLUB MIRROR

■

■

3 - 5 ________

Other (please state) ________

■

■

3 - 5 ________

Other (please state) ________

SEND COMPLETED FORM TO CLUB MIRROR:

BY POST:

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

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

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CLUB AWARDS... A WORD WITH MOLSON COORS ABOUT MARTYN COZENS Your education I went to primary school in a small mining village called Senghenydd, then went to comprehensive school in Caerphilly and did a business degree at Leicester Polytechnic.

How did you get to where you are today?

I’ve worked for the company for 29 years, joining the graduate trainee scheme at what was then Bass Plc in 1986 and worked in a number of roles, starting off in logistics for a year or so and then moving into sales as a free trade salesman. I then moved to Hampshire to lead a regional free trade sales team. I spent some time at HQ in Burton where I worked in procurement and then got involved in some strategic mergers and acquisitions. I also worked in some trade marketing roles before moving back to Wales and running the Wales & West region for Bass and Molson Coors. That led to my current role running the independent onpremise for the UK business.

Most challenging and enjoyable job to date?

I led the Molson Coors team which acquired Sharp’s Brewery in 2011 and then managed the integration of Sharp’s into the company for two years post acquisition. That was a really satisfying experience and I’m very proud of what we achieved because we’ve managed to be very sensitive to Sharp’s and protected the integrity of the brewery in North Cornwall by allowing it to operate with appropriate autonomy whilst at the same time investing several millions of pounds in expanding the brewery site at Rock in Cornwall and creating great employment opportunities in the local community.

Anything you’d have done differently?

No, I’ve had a ball! I’ve absolutely loved working in the industry for Bass/Molson Coors and it’s been a fantastic experience. A lot of my best friends have come from the industry and I met my wife through the company, so I’ve loved it. It’s a great place to work with great people – we all take our jobs seriously but we never take ourselves seriously.

Biggest influence in your working life?

My wife, as without her support I wouldn’t have had the confidence and belief to push on. Another was my boss at Wales and West region, Brian Blake, who sadly passed away a few years ago. He was a very charismatic and powerful leader and had a big influence on my career.

22 CLUB MIRROR

Spotlight on

Molson Coors Martyn Cozens, UK Sales Director Independent On Premise at Molson Coors, explains the background to the company’s latest strategy and shares his views on why clubs are important in the on-trade.

I

come from a small South Wales community where my dad was at the club every night and I was made a member, so I do understand the importance of clubs. Coupled with that, I spent seven years as a front-end account manager in West Cardiff and then the Rhondda Valleys where around 80 percent of my business was with clubs. Club genuinely are the hub of the communities and serve a vital role.

Things tend to be cyclical and looking back to the 1970s and 1980s – the halcyon days of clubs – they were absolutely about serving communities, many of them centred around heavy industries such as mining and steel and clubs formed a pivotal part of that.

Some of that community spirit broke down subsequently, but I think that over the last decade you can really see a resurgence in the importance of community in people’s lives and clubs have an enormous role to play in helping bring communities together.

When I go into the trade and see the clubs which are really well-run 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. A lot of that is about the people who are running those clubs and what we often see in these thriving clubs is a small team of effective leaders. The challenge is to increase the size of those leadership teams in order to continue to allow those clubs to continue to be successful.

Our job as a supplier is to work out how best to support these leadership teams in clubs. I’m very optimistic about the future of clubs; there will always be a place for them in the community.

Molson Coors – 2015 and beyond When we looked at the marketplace four years ago it seemed that pretty much everyone was doing the same thing – whether it was a brewer supplying directly into a club or via a wholesaler, and we felt that drinks suppliers were not doing enough to differentiate their offer.

If you look at the retail market and look at how some of those businesses – John Lewis being the most obvious example – set themselves apart in their

service to their customers, that differentiation was not something you saw in the drinks supply business. So using an independent third party we undertook a very detailed customer research programme including our club customers – in order to understand what they were looking for and to what extent Molson Coors was matching up against their needs.

Customer insights This research went across all of our customer touchpoints – account managers, deliveries, technical services, credit control and telesales and overall our ability to add value as a supplier – we asked a range of questions and received some very strong insights into where we needed to make improvements in order to make us easier to do business with and improve the experience we give our customers.

That was the start of the process and we’ve continued to undertake that research with around 4,000 customers a year across both our own customers and our competitors’ customers to continue to understand how we’re shaping up and can continue to improve.

Net Promoter Score All of this research delivers what is called a ‘Net Promoter Score’, the extent to which a customer would be a promoter and recommend Molson Coors to other customers. It’s a well recognised rating systems which a lot of other industries use. We’re continuing to drive our Net Promoter Score upwards over the last four years and currently it stands at 64 which is a good score, putting us amongst some of the topperforming companies. Our sales force are all targeted with delivering a minimum Net Promoter Score for their customers and if they don’t deliver that then they don’t qualify for any bonuses, regardless of how much they sell or how much revenue they deliver.

That’s all about having sustainable, long-term winwin relationships with the customer. It’s not about making a quick sale today, it’s about really understanding what’s important to that customer and then delivering that.

Service, Choice, Trust We’ve packaged that up into what we call our ‘Service, Choice, Trust’ approach. For Service, that’s about delivering exceptional basics. For deliveries that’s about every single thing the customer orders being delivered on time, in full. We measure ourselves against all our customers on a weekly basis with what we call our ‘Perfect Order Measure’. For example, if one single bottle is broken in a load or we miss the time window by a few minutes, then it’s classed as an imperfect order. When we started this we had about 83 per cent of our orders that were perfect, now we’re scoring 96-97 per cent of perfect orders to our circa 12,000-13,000 customers on a weekly basis. That’s the level of detail we get into to ensure that we are delivering those exceptional basics.

Technical services Our customers have also told us that technical services are very important to them and we are now one of the only major national brewers that has retained our own in-house technical services team. Indeed we’ve just completed a major change programme in this area where we’ve just recruited another 70 technicians. We now have a 200-strong team of technicians so that all of the install, maintenance and quality work for our brands, is done by our own people because this is what our customers tell us they want.

In terms of our sales force, the basics are important – so turning up when you say you’re going to turn up, keeping your promises and if you can’t do something, tell the customer immediately and don’t leave them hanging.

The ‘Choice’ part is really about us as a wholesaler.

Clearly, as Molson Coors, we are a brand owner with a very strong range of brands including Carling – the biggest beer brand in the UK* – but equally we recognise that customers 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 – wines, spirits, ciders, soft drinks, and other brewers’ beers – in order to satisfy the requirements of our clubs and their members. It means we have over 2,000 products

in our range alongside our own brands.

The last bit of what we stand for is ‘Trust’. It’s about the customer having a long-term, trusting relationship with us as a supplier where we are able to support the club and add value in a meaningful way to their business to help them attract and retain their membership and increase the footfall and the overall membership of the club. That includes the Sky Sports and Uplift Media offers but also means our expert account managers sitting down with the officers and committees of clubs and getting an understanding of their businesses. What are the things they need to tweak and change in order to move forward as a business? I have a clear expectation that my sales team will absolutely deliver on that kind of challenge. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to differentiate ourselves and help clubs to thrive in the longer term.

For this reason, we’ve put more feet on the street, more people into the trade than any other major brewer out there. We have the biggest sales force because customers want to see our people regularly and they want to have meaningful meetings with them and carry out proper in-depth reviews and build action plans as a result That’s a snapshot of what we’re trying to achieve.

The single most important thing for us it to retain our existing customers. We all want new customers but if you start losing customers then you’re absolutely dead in the water. Protecting and supporting your existing customer base is the lifeblood of our business.

Partnership with Sky Sports Our partnership with Sky Sports is a genuine partnership which works for us, for Sky and, most importantly, for our customers, particularly our clubs for whom Sky Sports is really important. It gives clubs the opportunity to get Sky at a discounted price with the support we can bring to bear in return for the club choosing Molson Coors as their supplier. It’s a deal which genuinely seems to work for all three parties.

The feedback we’d received from the clubs taking up the offer has been extremely positive. Our customers tell us the importance of Sky in driving footfall and the opportunity to get the live sport from Sky with additional support from Molson Coors is huge for clubs. It’s a partnership which is really working and one we’re really keen to continue to develop on a long-term basis. With Sky we’re looking at ways of further enhancing the Sky Sports experience in clubs to differentiate that experience from watching at home.

On Uplift Media It’s early days on Uplift Media but the way that the model works with the opportunity for Sky, ourselves and other brands and suppliers to advertise on the digital screens and for pubs and clubs to get a revenue stream from the advertising feels like a sensible move.

As I say, it’s in the early stage of being rolled out so we’ll watch with interest in terms of the feedback we get from our customers and how it’s working for them as an opportunity to drive revenue as well as publicising events at the outlet in advance in a really professional way.

*Stats: combined on trade and off trade data sources (On Premise: CGA MAT Volume 13/6/15; Off Premise: Nielsen MAT Volume 18/7/15)

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL What are you reading?

The Bat by Jo Nesbø.

All time favourite film?

The Shawshank Redemption.

First record you bought?

American Pie by Don McLean.

Last live event you attended?

Michael McIntyre with my wife and four daughters.

What gadgets couldn’t you live without?

Espresso machine and iPhone.

Favourite five items of food?

Fish, bread, granola with Greek yoghurt and fruit.

How do you unwind?

Walking, gardening, a bit of running, watching my daughter play hockey and watching rugby – particularly the Six Nations and the upcoming World Cup. Three famous people you’d like to meet?

Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and Henry VIII. Top Tips for a happy life?

Be yourself. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not. And, as I say to people at work – if you’re not enjoying your work, go and do something else.

Most looking forward to ...

The UK leadership team is currently spending quite a lot of time thinking about the long term and how we want to respond as a company to the changes in the industry in order to stay ahead of the game. That’s pretty exciting.

What makes you leap out of bed in the morning?

My kids! And life – you’ve got to relish every moment of it whether for work or pleasure.

< CLUB MIRROR 23

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

24 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 25

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RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015

RWC 2015 > CLUB MIRROR 27

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015 New Zealand celebrate after beating France in the 2011 Final.

The world in union

RWC 2015 Preview

After a four-year wait the world is about to go oval shaped again as the UK stages Rugby World Cup 2015 in September and October – and all 48 matches will be played in our own back yard.

C

lubs up and down the country will be delighted that the moment is nearly upon us: Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2015, a feast of rugby as the best players and teams in the world land in our back yard to do battle for the sport’s greatest prize, the Webb Ellis Trophy.

The tournament is set to be the biggest RWC yet and the meticulous planning on the part of the organisers has left nothing to chance as rugby union takes this precious opportunity to win over the hearts and minds of the general population.

England’s successful bid to stage the tournament promised that RWC 2015 would grow the game and that process began many years ago. At grassroots level, a huge amount of work has been carried out by clubs to ensure that they are ready for the likely influx of new players and spectators who will be inspired by the World Cup to get involved in the sport.

The RFU’s Lead Up & Legacy grants associated with RWC 2015 have pumped plenty of funds into the grassroots, allowing clubs to upgrade and

28 CLUB MIRROR

improve their facilities, deliver training to players, coaches and referees in order to capitalise on the expansion of the sport.

Indeed, you only have to look at the frenzied excitement surrounding ticket sales to understand just how RWC 2015 has caught the public imagination even before a ball has been kicked. Some 2.3 million tickets at 13 different venues are expected to be sold for the tournament in an event that will take the game to new territories with matches to be staged at Manchester City Stadium, St James’ Park in Newcastle, London’s Olympic Stadium and Birmingham’s Villa Park.

Even those fans who have not been lucky enough to obtain tickets for the game may still have the chance to see the players up close at one of the 41 training venues across the country.

These are a mix of schools, universities, sports clubs and, of course, clubs, who will be given a great chance to showcase their facilities.

There will also be 6,000 members of The Pack, the specially assembled RWC 2015 volunteer army

– based on the Games Makers who were such a key part of the 2012 Olympics – who are charged with making Rugby World Cup 2015 a fantastic experience for everyone attending.

Meanwhile, the Rugby World Cup trophy tour began in June with a trio of luminaries in Jonny Wilkinson, Will Greenwood and Prince Harry launching the event at Twickenham.

The famous trophy headed to Scotland and will be paraded across the rest of Britain and the Republic of Ireland before arriving back at Twickenham for the start of the tournament on September 18 when England take on Fiji.

As host nation, the spotlight will be well and truly on England as they try and emulate the achievements of Martin Johnson’s 2003 side, to date the only Northern Hemisphere side to win the Rugby World Cup. England exited the tournament at the quarterfinal stages in RWC 2011, staged in New Zealand, and will be hoping that home advantage works in their favour this time around.

Certainly current skipper Chris Robshaw is feeling confident that his side, who finished as runnersup to Ireland in the 2015 Six Nations Championship, will deliver on the world stage come September.

And Robshaw is hoping that RWC 2015 inspires people on a similar scale to London 2012 and will turn the country into a nation of rugby supporters.

"During London 2012, you walked around the Olympic Park and you could feel the excitement, just how happy everyone was to be there, the passion of it,” he said.

"We want to bring the people who are potentially huge rugby fans, get them involved. The beauty of it is there’s games all over the country."

Robshaw is determined to utilise the support for England as host nation to inspire the team to greater heights.

He said: “People ask ‘is it pressure?’ No, we’ve got to put that pressure on other teams. Other teams come here playing in front of 60 million people cheering us on and we’ve got to use that to our advantage.”

Home advantage certainly worked for New

Zealand in 2011 as they powered their way to the title but the All Blacks are a pretty fearsome prospect away from home too and are being tipped by many pundits to win back-to-back titles and were certainly looking dangerous in the Rugby Championship, the Southern Hemisphere’s answer to the Six Nations last year.

The All Blacks are not invincible – their 22-match winning streak came to a shuddering halt against South Africa in Johannesburg last year but they rarely let their standards slip.

With flanker Richie McCaw still in situ as captain four years on from lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy in Auckland and a spine of highly decorated veterans alongside him in the squad, the All Blacks have a settled, confident feel to them and will relish the challenge of becoming the first team to win successive World Cups.

South Africa and Australia are also likely to be leading contenders for the title, having won the World Cup twice apiece and generally demonstrating a knack of arriving at major tournaments in good shape.

Australia have a tough draw, finding themselves in the so-called ‘Group of Death’ alongside England, Wales and Fiji but have never failed to reach the knockout stages of a World Cup, meaning that one of Wales or England is likely to find their progress halted at the pool stages.

The Springboks, meanwhile, will take huge confidence from their victory over the World Champions last year but will want to erase from their memory the 12-6 defeat they suffered against Wales in Cardiff and Ireland in Dublin.

It goes without saying that England, as was the case in 2003, would have loved to have gone into the tournament as European champions.

That accolade is accorded to Ireland who won the Six Nations on points difference in March. Some recent victories over Southern Hemisphere opposition will have given the men in green confidence that 2015 could be the year when they progress beyond the last eight of the competiton for the first time.

But whichever team lifts the Webb Ellis Trophy at Twickenham on October 31, you can guarantee they will have earned the honour the hard way.

England skipper Chris Robshaw has shrugged off any notion of the pressure of being host nation.

< CLUB MIRROR 29

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015

Photo: DAVID ILIFF, License: CC-BY-SA 3.0

Fixtures and venues Rugby World Cup 2015

POOL A

Twickenham

AUSTRALIA, ENGLAND, WALES, FIJI, URUGUAY Fri 18 Sept ENGLAND v FIJI Sun 20 Sept WALES v URUGUAY Wed 23 Sept AUSTRALIA v FIJI Sat 26 Sept ENGLAND v WALES Sun 27 Sept AUSTRALIA v URUGUAY Thur 1 Oct WALES v FIJI Sat 3 Oct ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA Tues 6 Oct FIJI v URUGUAY Sat 10 Oct AUSTRALIA v WALES Sat 10 Oct ENGLAND v URUGUAY

(Twickenham, 8pm) (Millennium Stadium, 2.30pm) (Millennium Stadium, 4.45pm) (Twickenham, 8pm) (Villa Park, 12pm) (Millennium Stadium, 4.45pm) (Twickenham, 8pm) (Stadium MK, 8pm) (Twickenham, 4.45pm) (Manchester City Stadium, 8pm)

POOL B

Brighton Community Stadium

30 CLUB MIRROR

SOUTH AFRICA, SAMOA, JAPAN, SCOTLAND, USA Sat 19 Sept SOUTH AFRICA v JAPAN Sun 20 Sept SAMOA v USA Wed 23 Sept SCOTLAND v JAPAN Sat 26 Sept SOUTH AFRICA v SAMOA Sun 27 Sept SCOTLAND v USA Sat 3 Oct SAMOA v JAPAN Sat 3 Oct SOUTH AFRICA v SCOTLAND Wed 7 Oct SOUTH AFRICA v USA Sat 10 Oct SAMOA v SCOTLAND Sun 11 Oct USA v JAPAN

(Brighton Community Stadium, 4.45pm) (Brighton Community Stadium, 12pm) (Kingsholm, 2.30pm) (Villa Park, 4.45pm) (Elland Road, 2.30pm) (Stadium MK, 2.30pm) (St James Park, 4.45pm) (Olympic Stadium, 4.45pm) (St James Park, 2.30pm) (Kingsholm, 8pm)

Elland Road

Leicester City Stadium

Millenium Stadium

Kingsholm Stadium

Manchester City Stadium

MK Stadium

POOL C NEW ZEALAND, ARGENTINA, TONGA, GEORGIA, NAMIBIA Sat 19 Sept TONGA v GEORGIA (Kingsholm, 12pm) Sun 20 Sept NEW ZEALAND v ARGENTINA (Wembley Stadium, 4.45pm) Thur 24 Sept NEW ZEALAND v NAMIBIA (Olympic Stadium, 8pm) Fri 25 Sept ARGENTINA v GEORGIA (Kingsholm, 4.45pm) Tues 29 Sept TONGA v NAMIBIA (Sandy Park, 4.45pm) Fri 2 Oct NEW ZEALAND v GEORGIA (Millennium Stadium, 8pm) Sun 4 Oct ARGENTINA v TONGA (Leicester City Stadium, 2.30pm) Wed 7 Oct NAMIBIA v GEORGIA (Sandy Park, 8pm) Fri 9 Oct NEW ZEALAND v TONGA (St James Park, 8pm) Sun 11 Oct ARGENTINA v NAMIBIA (Leicester City Stadium, 12pm)

Olympic Park

POOL D FRANCE, IRELAND, ITALY, CANADA, ROMANIA Sat 19 Sept IRELAND v CANADA Sat 19 Sept FRANCE v ITALY Wed 23 Sept FRANCE v ROMANIA Sat 26 Sept ITALY v CANADA Sun 27 Sept IRELAND v ROMANIA Thur 1 Oct FRANCE v CANADA Sun 4 Oct IRELAND v ITALY Tues 6 Oct CANADA v ROMANIA Sun 11 Oct ITALY v ROMANIA Sun 11 Oct FRANCE v IRELAND

(Millennium Stadium, 2.30pm) (Twickenham, 8pm) (Olympic Stadium, 8pm) (Elland Road, 2.30pm) (Wembley, 4.45pm) (Stadium MK, 8pm) (Olympic Stadium, 4.45pm) (Leicester City Stadium, 4.45pm) (Sandy Park, 2.30pm) (Millennium Stadium, 4.45pm)

Sandy Park

St James Park

KNOCKOUT STAGES - QUARTER FINALS Sat 17 Oct Sat 17 Oct Sun 18 Oct Sun 18 Oct

QUARTER FINAL 1 QUARTER FINAL 2 QUARTER FINAL 3 QUARTER FINAL 4

(Twickenham, 4pm) (Millennium Stadium, 8pm) (Millennium Stadium, 1pm) (Twickenham, 4pm)

KNOCKOUT STAGES - SEMI FINALS Sat 24 Oct Sun 25 Oct Fri 30 Oct

SEMI FINAL 1 SEMI FINAL 2 BRONZE FINAL

(Twickenham, 4pm) (Twickenham, 4pm) (Olympic Stadium, 8pm)

FINAL

(Twickenham, 4pm)

Villa Park

FINAL Sat 31 Oct

<

Wembley

CLUB MIRROR 31

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015

Players to watch We profile a player from each of the Home Nations who will be key to their team’s RWC 2015 hopes.

ANTHONY WATSON – ENGLAND One of a number of bright young English talents who came of age in the 2015 Six Nations, Watson is improving with every outing at Test level and looks to be the complete package.

Watson’s main attribute may be his tremendous pace but he also has a dazzling array of skills in both defence and attack.

Watson, a promising footballer who had trials for Chelsea as a youth before the lure of the oval ball proved too strong, was called into the England Six Nations squad in 2014 and made his debut against South Africa in the autumn later that year. He is now an automatic selection, having settled into the squad and gained immeasurably in confidence.

It was his performance in the 2015 Six Nations opener against Wales which really caught the eye of aficionados of attacking play as Watson shredded the Welsh defence on several occasions, scoring a first-half try in the 21-16 win.

From that point he played a major role in England’s Six Nations campaign and his contribution to the upcoming RWC campaign is eagerly anticipated by fans of the Red Rose.

PAUL O’CONNELL – IRELAND This World Cup will mark the end of an era for Ireland as legendary second row Paul O’Connell bows out of the international game after an astonishing Ireland career which began back in 2002.

The Irish captain may be heading off to Toulon next season to ply his trade in France’s Top 14 competition but you can guarantee that the 35 year old will not be holding back during Ireland’s World Cup campaign.

Physical aggression is the stock-in trade of the longtime Munster forward and he will be straining every sinew to inspire Ireland on to glory following his starring role in his side’s 2015 Six Nations title, their first back-to-back championship win since 1949.

A three-time Lion, O’Connell led the British and Irish team to a series victory in Australia in 2013 and is regarded as one of the finest second rows of all time.

O’Connell’s authority in the scrum and lineout is one of the chief reasons why Ireland’s setpiece statistics have been so outstanding in recent seasons and this will once again the foundation to Ireland’s plans during RWC 2015 as they look to build on their European dominance.

32 CLUB MIRROR

FINN RUSSELL – SCOTLAND Russell appears to have solved the fly-half problem for Scotland, a tricky position for the team to fill in recent seasons.

Hailing from Stirling in the heartland of Scottish rugby, Russell’s rise through the ranks has been nothing short of meteoric with the 22 year old only signing a full-time contract with Glasgow Warriors at the beginning of the 2014/15 season when his quality was recognised

by Warriors coach Gregor Townsend, himself one of the finest No.10s ever to play for Scotland.

Russell started in all three of Scotland’s November Tests in 2014, facing Argentina, New Zealand and Tonga and he started in four of Scotland’s five 2015 Six Nations matches, only missing out on the Italy game due to a suspension and scored his first Test try in Scotland’s final game against Scotland.

A fairly burly customer at six foot one and nearly 14 stone, Russell provides a good defensive force in midfield but it is distributive skills and game management which really marks him out as a valuable player for Scotland.

He will certainly need to bring his top game if the Scots are to progress from a tough pool.

LEIGH HALFPENNY – WALES Already the third-highest points scorer in Welsh rugby history, fullback Leigh Halfpenny is the epitome of consistency when it comes to goal-kicking with a success percentage that has ensured – courtesy of a contract with French side Toulon – he is one of the world’s best paid players. He is incredibly valuable to Wales too and his unerring boot was a major factor in their back-to-back Six Nations title wins in 2012 and 2013.

But there is more to Halfpenny’s game than mere goal-kicking. His tactical kicking is also second to none with opponents foolish enough to kick the ball down Halfpenny’s throat likely to find themselves pinned back well into their own territory.

This will be Halfpenny’s second World Cup, having played a key part in Wales’ RWC 2011 campaign when he was first-choice fullback for the the major games, including the quarter-final against Ireland and the semi-final against France. Now he will be determined to help steer Wales out of their pool and into the knockout stages of RWC 2015.

CLUB MIRROR 33

<

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2015 Several members of ITV’s RWC 2015 team.

Left to right: Sir Ian McGeechan, John Inverdale, host of the Club Awards (see pages 28-29), Lawrence Dallaglio, Shane Williams and Sean Fitzpatrick.

ITV invests in star quality Having secured the rights to every Rugby World Cup since 1991, ITV will be bringing all the action from RWC 2015 to UK audiences and has lined up a stellar team of international rugby legends.

A

s with every World Cup bar the first in 1987, UK viewers at home and in bars will be watching the action unfold on ITV, who will be showing every single match live throughout the six weeks of the tournament, on ITV and ITV4.

And, as you’d expect, the broadcaster has wasted no time in signing up a veritable galaxy of international stars to their broadcast team for the tournament, including several members of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning side.

Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jason Robinson and the coach who led them to that victory, Sir Clive Woodward, will all be ITV studio pundits for the tournament.

Former scrum-half George Gregan, who skippered Australia that day and also played in the victorious 1999 Wallabies side, is also a part of ITV’s line-up.

Former Wales and Ireland skippers Gareth Thomas and Brian O’Driscoll will also be involved in the coverage, which will be led by presenter John Inverdale, a veteran rugby anchor who has fronted the BBC Six Nations coverage for many years.

Thomas reprises his broadcasting role from 2011 while O’Driscoll will be watching a World Cup from the sidelines for the first time since 1995

34 CLUB MIRROR

after retiring from the game last year, before turning his hand to punditry.

Former British and Irish Lions and Scotland coach Sir Ian McGeechan, victorious 1995 South Africa captain Francois Pienaar, New Zealand’s Sean Fitzpatrick, Australia’s Michael Lynagh, former England international David Flatman and England Women World Cup winner Maggie Alphonsi complete the line-up of pundits.

Craig Doyle and Mark Durden-Smith – well known to rugby audiences for their work with BT Sport will also be presenters for the tournament.

Joining them with a wealth of experience in the Jonny Wilkinson will be lining up for ITV during RWC 2015.

commentary box will be Nick Mullins, Miles Harrison, Jon Champion, Martin Gillingham and Simon Ward, plus co-commentators Geordan Murphy, Scott Hastings, Shane Williams and Ben Kay. Bringing viewers all the latest developments from in and around the venues will be reporters Jill Douglas, Martin Bayfield, Fran Donovan and Gabriel Clarke.

ITV’s director of sport Niall Sloane believes that the team he has assembled will do the event proud. “A Rugby World Cup hosted by England is a once in a generation event and it’s our privilege as the exclusive television broadcaster to bring viewers the full impact of all the action and emotion throughout what we hope will be an unforgettable tournament,” he said.

“We believe we’ve assembled a world-class line up of rugby talent who, through their own expertise, experience and sheer passion for the game can help deliver the best possible coverage for those watching at home.”

The broadcaster intends to air the vast majority of the 48 matches live on its flagship ITV channel, with only a handful of contests among smaller rugby-playing nations expected to be aired on ITV4.

<

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LIVE SPORTING FIXTURES FROM

ATCH

ONE TO W

Tuesday September 8, 7.45pm – ITV

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier: England v Switzerland England will be aiming to take another giant step towards qualifying for the 2016 European Championships as they take on Switzerland at Wembley.

The reverse fixture – in September 2014 – saw England winning by 2-0 in Basel with Danny Welbeck scoring both of England’s goals. The Three Lions will expect another convincing victory on home turf.

NDS

RECOMME

The best of Sports4Bars.com looks ahead to the key live sporting fixtures this month, including the start of Rugby World Cup 2015.

Saturday September 5, 5pm – ITV

Tuesday September 8, 7.45pm – ITV

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier: San Marino v England

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier: England v Switzerland

This should be a mere formality for the Three Lions as they take on a team from the tiny Principality of San Marino. The earlier fixture between the sides ended in a 5-0 victory for England and Roy Hodgson’s side will expect to win by a similar margin, even on opposition turf.

England currently top their qualifying group and should be able to continue their impressive form against Switzerland at Wembley.

Having beaten the same opponents 2-0 in Basel last year, confidence will certainly be high among the home contingent.

Saturday September 12, 5.30pm – Sky Sports 1HD

Formula 1: Italian Grand Prix

Barclays Premier League: Manchester United v Liverpool

The legendary Monza circuit hosts the Italian Grand Prix. Last year saw Lewis Hamilton finishing top of the podium ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg and Williams driver Felipe Massa. As usual, the biggest cheers from the home crowd will be reserved for the Ferrari drivers.

A North West derby which always sets the collective pulse racing no matter where the teams happen to sit in the Premier League table.

Louis van Gaal’s United side look highly capable of challenging for the title this season once they hit their stride while Liverpool also have plenty of potential.

Sunday September 6, 5pm – Sky Sports 1 HD

Monday September 14, 8pm – Sky Sports 1 HD

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier: Wales v Israel

Barclays Premier League: West Ham v Newcastle United

Wales have been something of a revelation in their Euro 2016 qualifying games and will be aiming for another comprehensive victory on home turf. The portents are certainly good for Wales, having beaten the same opponents 3-0 in the reverse fixture back in March.

The Hammers produced a shock win over Arsenal on the opening weekend of the season and will be aiming to build some momentum going into the second month of their League campaign.

Sunday September 6, 1pm – Sky Sports F1 HD

Friday September 18, 8pm – ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: England v Fiji The much-anticipated Rugby World Cup 2015 kicks off at Twickenham as host nation England take on Fiji. There will be a huge weight of anticipation on Stuart Lancaster’s side as they attempt to mount a convincing campaign for the Webb Ellis Trophy. They will be eager to get off to a flying start against a team who boast several dazzlingly skilled players but lack a real presence in the set-piece.

ATCH ONE TO W Saturday September 19, 12.45pm – BT Sport 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Chelsea v Arsenal Chelsea will be out for revenge after losing to the Gunners in the FA Community Shield game at the beginning of August. It has certainly been an action-packed start to the season for the Blues with the usual measure of controversy and drama following Jose Mourinho’s team wherever they play.

The Gunners suffered a dismal start to their Premier League campaign after losing to West Ham on the opening day and will be desperate to lay down a marker against the reigning champions.

Monday September 7, 7.45pm – Sky Sports 5 HD

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier: Northern Ireland v Hungary Northern Ireland are on course to qualify for the European Championships by finishing second in Group F and will be desperate not to slip up against a limited but always lively Hungary side.

Friday September 18, 8pm – ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: England v Fiji RWC 2015 gets underway at Twickenham as England take on Fiji a team traditionally committed to open, running rugby but not renowned for their ball-winning abilities. The home side will therefore aim to dominate the Islanders in the scrum and lineout.

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

38 CLUB MIRROR

No longer on ITV or Sky Sports

September’s live sport RWC 2015 - England v Wales: ITV, Saturday, September 26.

ALSO COMING UP...

Friday September 4, 5pm Sky Sports 1 HD

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier: Georgia v Scotland Friday September 4, 7.45pm Sky Sports 1HD

UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifier: Gibraltar v Republic of Ireland Sunday September 6, 2.30pm Sky Sports 1HD

Football – Sky Bet League One: Burton Albion v Coventry City Saturday September 19, 12.45pm – BT Sport 1 HD

Sunday September 20, 4.45pm – ITV

Barclays Premier League: Chelsea v Arsenal

Rugby World Cup 2015: New Zealand v Argentina

There is always a keen rivalry between these two illustrious London sides and that will be intensified by the recent FA Community Shield clash between the sides which resulted in a victory for the Gunners.

There have been whispers about the relatively advanced ages of some of the key All Black players but judging by their recent performances in the South Hemisphere’s Rugby Championship the reigning World Cup holders are still a force to be reckoned with.

Saturday September 19, 5.30pm – Sky Sports 1HD

Barclays Premier League: Manchester City v West Ham Manager Slaven Bilic certainly seems to have the ‘X-factor’ when it comes to motivating his players and is likely to be in super-animated form on the sidelines during this clash against one of the strongest teams in the Premier League.

Sunday September 20, 2.30pm - ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: Wales v Uruguay Pool A has been dubbed the ‘Pool of Death’ given the presence of leading nations Australia, England and Wales in the same pool but this should be one of Wales’ more straightforward games against the lowly South Americans.

Saturday September 26, 12.45pm – BT Sport 1 HD

Barclays Premier League: Tottenham v Manchester City Tottenham look set for another season of consolidation as the star transfers their fans had hoped for failed to materialise. Spurs threw away a 2-0 lead against Stoke City in early season to finish with a draw and will need to bolster their defensive efforts if they are to prosper this season.

Saturday September 26, 4.45pm – ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: South Africa v Samoa Villa Park hosts this Pool B game between two of the most physical sides in world rugby. Samoa are renowned for their power in the

tackle but will have their work cut out to stop the relentless forwarddominated game-plan favoured by the Springboks. Blockbusting London Irish flanker Ofisa Trevirnus skippers the Samoans and will be aiming to make plenty of his trademark breaks against South Africa.

Saturday September 19, 2.30pm ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: Ireland v Canada Saturday September 19, 8pm ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: France v Italy

Saturday September 26, 8pm – ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: England v Wales

Sunday September 23, 2.30pm ITV

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of this game to both sides given that Pool A also features twotime World Champions Australia. A loss here would certainly be a devastating blow to either team’s chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.

Rugby World Cup 2015: Scotland v Japan

Sunday September 27, 2.30pm – ITV

Sunday September 27, 4.45pm ITV

Rugby World Cup 2015: Scotland v USA Few pundits are backing Scotland to challenge for the World Cup this time around but they will be eager to prove their critics wrong and mount a memorable campaign. The USA have a number of top players in their ranks, including former Northampton No.8 Samu Manoa.

Sunday September 27, 4pm Sky Sports 1HD

Barclays Premier League: Watford v Crystal Palace

Rugby World Cup 2015: Ireland v Romania

www.Sports4Bars.com

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

No longer on ITV or Sky Sports

CLUB MIRROR 39

LOCATION REPORT

Spotlight on

France The Région Parisienne – AKA the Île-de-France – is a huge administrative region of France with Paris at its busy heart. Club Mirror hopped on Eurostar to check out how the region’s clubs are keeping an audience of over 12 million people entertained. ÎLE-DE-FRANCE – FAST FACTS Geography: Created as the Région Parisienne – District of the Paris Region – in 1961, it was renamed Île-de-France in 1976 when its administrative status was aligned with the other French administrative regions created in 1972. It is still popularly referred to as the Région Parisienne.

Economy: This is the world’s fourth-largest and Europe's wealthiest and largest regional economy. If it were a country, it would rank as the 18th largest economy in the world.

Population: Over 12 million. This is the most populated of the 27 administrative regions of France.

Food: Regional specialities include Champignons de Paris, Moutarde de Meaux, Brie and crystallised rose petals.

Drink: Grand Marnier, Noyau de Poissy and local cider Cidre briar.

THE RACING CLUB OF FRANCE Paris Founded in 1882, the club came to life through the efforts of keen runners, students from the Lycée Condorcet. Now the club includes golf, hockey, tennis, water polo, shooting, skiing, judo and athletics. Since its inception it has seen members win 93 Olympic medals, 53 world championship titles, 30 European Cups, 115 European Champion title and 1,000 French league titles.

> CLUB MIRROR 41

LOCATION REPORT LE STADE FRANCAIS Paris Founded in 1880 by students of Paris’ Lycée SaintLouis, Le Stade Francais is one of the largest multi-sport clubs in Europe. Its claims to fame include organising the first international rugby match (1892), launching the first World Championships tennis on clay (1912) and the instigation of an international athletics meeting (1968).

This massive club now covers four sites in the region – La Faisanderie (in the heart of Paris), Courson Golf Course, Haras Lupin, and Geo André.

The club’s purpose and vision is to educate young people through sport, encouraging the values of ‘sharing, solidarity and respect’. It has more than 12,000 members and 21 sports sections across its sites. Six of these sections have been recognised by their respective federations for the quality of their training.

Membership costs vary between €705 (GeoAndré) and €1,170 (Haras Lupin).

La Faisanderie Geo André

La Faisanderie The Paris site has a major focus on tennis (36 courts) and is very family-focussed, with dedicated children’s areas and youth training. It also boasts a club bar and restaurant with a panoramic view and offers a daily menu from €23.20. Facilities include: • 36 tennis courts (19 clay courts, 3 artificial turf, 14 hard) • Heated outdoor pool (April to October) • Gym and cardio • Dedicated children’s area • Football / rugby pitches • Petanque • Male and female saunas • Lawn with sun loungers • Clubhouse with terrace, bar and restaurant • Pool/pool bar Geo André Multi sports complex Geo-André is the club’s headquarters five minutes from Porte de SaintCloud. It caters for 12 sports including athletics, badminton, basketball, dance, fencing, squash, tennis and volleyball. Badminton, squash and tennis are available to non-members, and a restaurant offers a daily menu from €14. Facilities include: • Sports hall of 1,500m2 • 300m2 dojo (judo and ju-jitsu) Geo André

42 CLUB MIRROR

Courson

Haras Lupin Fifteen minutes from Paris is the 26 hectare Haras Lupin where four sports are enjoyed: football, golf, hockey and rugby. Golf is accessible to nonmembers. Facilities include: • 9-hole golf course • Driving range with 60 bays • 2 football fields • 2 rugby fields • Hockey pitch

• • • • • • •

6 squash courts 5 indoor tennis courts 16 badminton courts Ballroom Gym Athletics track (180 meters – 4 lanes – 1 jumper height – 1 jumper pole) Male and female saunas

Courson This site, 30 minutes from Paris, covers 100 hectares. The 36-hole golf course (divided into four 9-hole courses) was designed by Robert Von Hagge and attracts International as well as national competitions. Facilities include: • Par 72, 4,555m – 6,557m2 • Driving range – 60 stations • Training area – approaches and bunkers • Putting green • Changing rooms and sauna • Caddy Master • Rental of electric carts

Haras Lupin

Haras Lupin

Tennis Club de Paris

pre-season welcome BBQs, curry nights and a Christmas Ball.

Membership fees start at €200 euros for playing members or €45 for social members.

TENNIS CLUB DE PARIS Porte de St Cloud The Tennis Club de Paris was founded in 1895. It is proud of its historical routes, but equally proud to have extensively modernised the club to keep a fresh and modern approach.

While the club’s focus is tennis, it has a strong social focus, bridging the gap between professional and recreational tennis. Its 2,000 members come from all backgrounds and all levels, socialising at the clubhouse with likeminded people of all generations.

• 18 tennis courts (indoor and outdoor clay courts, indoor and outdoor green set), 14 covered from October to March • Balls and towels provided • Modern and spacious clubhouse • Bar / restaurant • Locker rooms with sauna • Swimming pool • Cardio / weight training and fitness • Proshop • TV lounge • Playground for children • A sports field, 2 tennis courts and a training wall • Kids’ playground • Parking for members.

BRITISH RUGBY CLUB OF PARIS Paris The British Rugby Club of Paris was formed in 1923 by English Ex-pats living and working in Paris. It joined the Corporate League in the Île de France section of the Federation Francaise de Rugby after World War 2, winning top honours a number of times.

The club’s 1st XV competes with other teams in Paris and the suburbs and regularly hosts touring sides – particularly during International match weekends.

Social events are part of the club’s fabric and includes, for example, Sunday night quizzes,

PARIS INTERNATIONAL GOLF CLUB Baillet-en-France The Jack Nicklaus-designed 18 hole course opened on 13 October, 1991, to high acclaim.

Wide fairways, water hazards and strategically placed bunkers are signature features, while the impressive clubhouse covers 5,500m2, incorporating a terrace and Le Belvédère restaurant overlooking the 18th.

Facilities include: • Driving range • Rental carts and clubs available • GPS • Pro Shop • Golf school restaurant • Clubhouse • Changing room • Spa • Pool • Tennis

Paris International Golf Club

Paris International Golf Club

< CLUB MIRROR 43

CLUB KITCHEN

The magic of Italy Looking for an Indian Summer? Well how about making it an Italian one instead? From tasty tagliatelle to the perfect pizza, bringing a touch of the Mediterranean to the club kitchen has never been easier – or more affordable – according to the folk at Booker.

Black Olive & Herb Focaccia

Homemade Lasagne Al Forno

BLACK OLIVE & HERB FOCACCIA CL White Bread & Roll Mix (M081926) CL Extra Virgin Olive Oil (M073018) CL Spanish Pitted Black Olives (M114912) Red Onions (M111479) CL Thyme (M129596) CL Garlic Puree (M083887) CL Extra Virgin Olive Oil (M073018) CL Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (M097299)

Cost per serving – £0.67 HOMEMADE LASAGNE AL FORNO WITH ROCKET SALAD (6 portions) For the Ragu: FF Celery Heads (M109555) FF Carrots (M099783) Cooking Onions (M529776) FF Garlic (M107117) CL Oregano (M129584) CL Minced Beef (M094872) CL Cooking Red Wine (M101912) CL Chopped Tinned Tomatoes (M494716) Maggi Beef Bouillon (M048942)

For the Bechamel Sauce: Semi Skimmed Milk (M212311) CL Bay Leaves (M129589) Schwartz Ground Nutmeg (M924070) CL Plain Flour (M483840) Meadowland Professional (M174108) For the Lasagne: CL Lasagne Sheets (M396820) CL Grated Cheddar & Mozzarella Mix (M095276) Accompany with: Florette Leafy Rocket Salad (M076639) Fresh Baby Plum Tomatoes (M129466) FF Large Cucumber (M113463) Red Onions (M111479) Mixed Peppers (M107803) CL Extra Virgin Olive Oil (M073018)

44 CLUB MIRROR Honey Baked Goats Cheese

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano (M135167) CL Garlic Bread Slices (M147703)

Cost per serving – £2.98 TAGLIATELLE WITH SEARED TOMATOES & MOZZARELLA (4 portions) CL Tagliatelle (M109325) Fresh Baby Plum Tomatoes (M129466) CL Crushed Chillies (M129608) FF Garlic (M107117) CL Chopped Tinned Tomatoes (M494716) Florette Baby Leaf Spinach (M101478) Caseificio Villa Mozzarella Ball (M135165) Gran Duca Parmigiano Reggiano (M135183)

Cost per serving – £1.27

Homemade Florentina Pizza

Tagliatelle with Seared Tomatoes & Mozzarella

HOMEMADE FLORENTINA PIZZA CL Pizza Base Mix (M107784) Reggia Spiced Neapolitan Pizza Sauce (M107592) CL Grated Cheddar & Mozzarella Mix (M095276) CL Frozen Whole Leaf Spinach (M035738) CL Medium Fresh Eggs (M168776) CL Spanish Pitted Black Olives (M114912) Gran Duca Parmigiano Reggiano (M135183)

Cost per serving – £0.86 CLUB KITCHEN CODES CL - Chef’s Larder FF – Farm Fresh

> CLUB MIRROR 45

CLUB KITCHEN

WINE SUGGESTIONS Gabbia d'Oro Soave (M179787) 2015 IWC Commended Soave is arguably the most famous whitewine DOC in Italy. Made from Garganega grapes grown on the hillsides east of Verona, it is a dry, crisp, fruity white wine, whose naturally refreshing appeal led it to phenomenal popularity in the second half of the 20th Century. It is ideal with seafood, shellfish, antipasti (Italian appetizers), soup and, in general, with light and tasty dishes. £23.99 (6x 75cl) Cost per serving (inc VAT) – £0.67

Spicy Prawn & Chorizo Pasta SPICY PRAWN & CHORIZO PASTA Chef’s Larder Tagliatelle 3kg Frozen King Prawns Peeled & Deveined 21/25 1kg CL Pasta Sauce Arrabiata 4x2.15kg (online exclusive) Campofrio Selection Chorizo Cubes 140g

Garlic Bread Slices

Cost per serving – £1.64 CHICKEN & SPINACH RISOTTO CL Arborio Risotto Rice (M105113) ooking Onions (M529776) CL Frozen Whole Leaf Spinach (M430030) CL Cooked Large Diced Chicken Breast (M122779) Lakeland Dairies Pure Irish Butter Salted (M126113) CL Vegetable Bouillon (M069713) Double Cream (M966069) Grana Padano Il Formaggiaro (M135428)

Cost per serving – £1.04

GARLIC BREAD SLICES CL Garlic Bread Slices (M147703)

Cost per serving – £0.38 FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information and menu ideas contact Booker.

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

Galadino Montepulciano (M179774) Made from Montepulciano grapes grown in the rugged, hilly vineyards of Abruzzo in central Italy. With notes of warm plum and blackberry fruits, this easy drinking red is perfect served with good friends, pizza, hearty pasta dishes and hard cheeses. £23.49 (6x 75cl) Cost per serving (inc VAT) – £0.65 Cavatina Pinot Grigio Blush (M180022) 2015 IWC Commended A truly classy and sophisticated rosé from Northern Italy. Pinot Grigio has become the most fashionable grape in the UK over the last few years. This delicate rose shows a delicious balance of citrus fruits, cherry and red berry flavours. Excellent as an aperitif, and also pairs brilliantly with prawns and uncomplicated risottos. £24.99 (6x 75cl) Cost per serving (inc VAT) – £0.69 Mignanego Gavi (M179518) Produced from Cortese grapes grown around the town of Gavi in the outstanding Piemonte wine region of northern Italy. This refreshing and aromatic wine balances the flavours of tangy lemon, weighty fruit and subtle waxy nuttiness.

Enjoy with a wide range of dishes including salad, antipasti, creamy pasta sauces or risotto. £32.49 (6x 75cl) Cost per serving (inc VAT) – £0.90 Ponticello Chianti Classico (M179813) 2015 IWC Commended Chianti Classico is the heartland of the Chianti wine region – stretching from Florence in the north to Siena in the south. Traditional, but with a modern style, this is a ruby-red, Sangiovesebased wine with powerful, fragrant and complex aromas of violets and cherries and a hint of earthy spice. Extremely accomplished wine. The acidity in this wine make it a perfect food match to most Italian foods. A perfect partner to roast meats, pasta dishes and pizza. £35.99 (6x 75cl) Cost per serving (inc VAT) – £1.00

Chicken & Spinach Risotto

46 CLUB MIRROR

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ASK THE EXPERTS – TIME MANAGEMENT

Time management and the art of productivity Not enough hours in the day? Increasing productivity at the club is a golden chalice. But contrary to popular belief, just checking tasks off a to-do list isn’t necessarily the answer.

T

ruly productive people aren’t focused on doing more things; this is actually the opposite of productivity. If you really want to be productive, you’ve got to make a point to do fewer things.

1. Create a smaller to-do list. Getting things accomplished during your workday shouldn’t be about doing as much as possible in the sanctioned hours. It may be hard to swallow, but there’s nothing productive about piling together a slew of tasks in the form of a checklist. Take a less-is-more approach to your to-do list by only focusing on accomplishing things that matter.

2. Take breaks. You know that ache that fills your brain when you’ve been powering through tasks for several hours? This is due to your brain using up glucose. Too many people mistake this for a good feeling, rather than a signal to take a break.

Take a walk, grab something to eat, workout, or meditate – give your brain some resting time.

Achieve more productivity during your workday by making a point to regularly clear your head.

You’ll come back recharged and ready to achieve greater efficiency.

3. Follow the 80/20 rule. Did you know that only 20 percent of what you do each day produces 80 percent of your results? Eliminate the things that don’t matter during your workday: they have a minimal effect on your overall productivity. For example, on a project, systematically remove tasks until you end up with the 20 percent that gets the 80 percent of results.

4. Start your day by focusing on yourself. If you begin your morning by checking your email, it allows others to dictate what you accomplish.

Set yourself in the right direction by ignoring your emails and taking the morning to focus on yourself, eat a good breakfast, meditate, or read the news.

5. Take on harder tasks earlier in the day. Knock out your most challenging work when your brain is most fresh. Save your busy work – if you have any – for when your afternoon slump rolls in.

6. Pick up the phone. The digital world has created poor communication habits. Email is a productivity killer and usually a distraction from tasks that actually matter. For example, people often copy multiple people on emails to get it off their plate – don’t be a victim of this action. This distracts everyone else by creating noise against the tasks they’re trying to accomplish and is a sign of laziness. If your email chain goes beyond two replies, it’s time to pick up the phone. Increase your productivity by scheduling a call.

7. Create a system. If you know certain things are ruining your daily productivity, create a system for managing them. Do you check your emails

throughout the day? Plan a morning, afternoon, and evening time slot for managing your email.

Otherwise, you’ll get distracted from accomplishing more important goals throughout the day.

8. Don’t confuse productivity with laziness. While no one likes admitting it, sheer laziness is the No. 1 contributor to lost productivity. In fact, a number of time-saving methods – take meetings and emails for example – are actually just ways to get out of doing real work. Place your focus on doing the things that matter most as efficiently and effectively as possible. Remember, less is more when it comes to being productive during the workday.

CLUB MIRROR 47

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ASK THE EXPERTS – BESPOKE V OFF-THE-SHELF

Is WordPress the right choice for your business?

The right choice of platform for a website is a matter of frequent discussion at Larrytech HQ – particularly when clients make specific requests for platforms during the tendering process. In the vast majority of cases, the platform of choice is WordPress. But is that the right decision? Larry Hardcastle examines the importance of bespoke versus off-the-shelf solutions.

B

efore kicking off, it’s worth noting that there are two flavours of WordPress. The first, WordPress.com is a hosted platform-as-a-service, meaning that it is updated automatically and limited to a relatively small number of (more secure) plugins and themes.

The second, WordPress.org, is the WordPress package available as a download for self-hosting and installation. For the purposes of this discussion, I’ll be focusing on WordPress.org. The hosted version is great for small, personal sites and blogs, but the highly limited degree of customisation available makes it unworkable for commercial projects.

I think WordPress can be brilliant. It offers a wonderfully simple installation process, meaning you can be up-and-running with a new site within minutes. This is very appealing, and certainly offers a much cheaper route to getting online.

There are thousands of plugins and themes available, offering you a choice of looks and functionality that would be incredibly expensive and time-consuming to craft from scratch.

However, the simplicity often belies the potential pitfalls in the platform...

Creativity Every club, school or business we work with is unique. And for that reason, we would - and do advocate starting every project from scratch. A truly blank canvas. We believe this is the only way to start. A template cannot truly represent any organisation that is serious about their online presence. It’s certainly more time-consuming, and, as a result, more expensive, but we believe any business that values their brand will value NOT having a template site.

And a word to the wise; we’ve come across situations where clients are using an agency to create what they believe is a unique site, whereas in fact the agency has used a $50 template, and charged “bespoke rates” for the privilege - ouch!

Security This is the big one. As mentioned earlier, the key advantage of WordPress.com is that it is updated

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automatically. A terrifying number of self-hosted WordPress sites are not kept up-to-date, and this is where issues start to arise.

Because WordPress is open source, the code is free to view. This is great in many ways, as it allows developers to extend and enhance the software in almost any way imaginable. The downside is that any bugs or flaws are visible, and can be exploited by those with malicious intent. This often results in site content being deleted, site visitors being redirected to malicious sites or infected sites generating hundreds of thousands of spam emails. None of which are good for business!

All websites are vulnerable to some degree, but the risk is much higher when using an open source platform. So while the site may have been cheap, it’s critical to factor in a higher on-going cost to ensure it is maintained and upgraded on a regular basis.

Site features Although there are a massive number of plugins available, we’ve often found clients trying to “shoehorn” plugins to suit their requirements. If a plugin isn’t quite right for the task, they end up changing their processes to suit the plugin.

Similarly, when it comes to WordPress upgrades, it’s not uncommon for themes or plugins to break, requiring further work to fix them (and the potential of affecting the core functionality and availability of your site). In my opinion, any agency should start every project with a requirements brief and ensure that they understand the requirements and that the solution delivered addresses those requirements exactly.

This is an exercise we always undertake and we know it works - and works well!

Are YOU a web designer?

We are firm believers in sticking to what we do best. We don’t do IT support or offer financial advice. We design websites. In the same way that I’d never consider trying to run our own payroll, I struggle to understand why businesses try to create their own websites when they should be

focusing on running their business, and doing what they are best at. With our Content Management System (CMS), making on-going updates is quick, easy and, of course, free. Which leads nicely onto support.

Support WordPress is community-supported, which essentially means your support is Google, support forums and trying to do-it-yourself. By contrast, we believe in supporting every site that we launch. A problem with your site shouldn’t be your problem to fix – it should be ours.

Search Engine Optimisation A lot of people are fooled into believing that the many search engine optimisation (SEO) plugins available are a one-size-fits all “fix” to “doing” SEO. They’re pretty good, and can achieve measurable results. However, nothing beats completely customisable control you’ll have over a bespoke site, meaning the results will never be quite so good.

So, in summary, WordPress is a great tool for certain jobs. However, as a platform choice, it’s well worth doing some research and ensuring the potential downsides are understood. The areas of concern I have highlighted almost all result in potential downtime, additional cost or more major business risks. But don’t take our word for it; we’re always very happy to demonstrate how our process works, and how our bespoke Content Management System (CMS) lines up against WordPress. Just give us a call – and see if you agree with us!

CONTACT DETAILS 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 with Larrytech by email to sales@larrytech.com or call the team on 01892 888011.

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ASK THE EXPERTS – LEGAL COVER

Insurance and free legal advice Can clubs benefit from free legal advice as part of their insurance policy? Yes they can, says Andy Kitchener, Regional Client Manager with insurance broker Aon.

O

n my travels when I discuss insurance with club secretaries and officials I get a mixed response when the conversation turns to legal cover. Some see it as invaluable, while others are dismissive. But every club is at risk of an employment dispute or some sort of contract dispute. So it follows that every club could benefit from some sort of professional legal advice. But do you know what benefits are available to your club from this much misunderstood and underused service?

It's possible that with the right insurance policy, legal advice could be provided free of charge.

Check what your insurance offers and whether there is a legal helpline included as part of the policy, one that is manned 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Club insurance could cover legal advice on topics such as: • Contract Disputes • Criminal Prosecution • Employment Disputes • Tax Protection including VAT Disputes • Property Disputes • Data protection • Statutory Licence • Personal Injury • Wrongful Arrest Defence • Jury Service Allowance • Pension Trustee Defence Who do you turn to for advice?

In today’s litigious society, using legal advice as soon as an issue arises can safeguard the financial future of the club and importantly ensure your own piece of mind.

It’s easy to assume that we know what the correct procedure is all circumstances, but most of us are laymen when it comes to the law. Our assumptions could be totally wrong so it make sense to speak to the experts.

If you’re a member of a club association, you may feel happy to rely on your local branch secretary for advice, but if the situation escalates and you need to involve your insurer you will be in a much stronger position if you’ve consulted them for legal advice in the first instance. The initial advice might be the same from your branch secretary as the insurer, but if the case

does proceed the insurance company may pay the legal fees and any award for damages; the branch secretary will not.

Let’s look at an example If your club had an employee who was off sick for three weeks but the committee believes that they are actually fit for work. They may feel justified in sacking this unreliable employee and recruit a replacement. But this action could leave the club open to an expensive and stressful tribunal.

However, the club may be protected if they were able to contact their insurer’s legal advice helpline prior to taking any action, explain the predicament and then follow the advice.

If the club didn’t seek advice in the first instance then insurers may refuse to provide any assistance if, in their opinion, there is not greater than a 50% chance of winning the case.

One club Secretary who is glad he did use a legal helpline is John Ullyatt of Manor Social Club in Sheffield.

John was very impressed with the advice and service he received when he recently used his

insurer’s legal advice service.

John says: “We had an employment issue we needed to sort out, when I contacted the insurer’s helpline they were brilliant grasping the situation immediately, and giving us clear concise instructions, so much so, we were able to deal with our situation swiftly avoiding expensive legal costs and any stress, and all this for free.”

CONTACT DETAILS If you have any questions about this article contact Andy Kitchener 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 29 July 2015.

< CLUB MIRROR 49

ASK THE EXPERTS – PRESS RELEASES

Thevalueof press releases Michael Braidwood CCM, Director of Education for the CMAE (Club Managers Association of Europe) shares his thoughts on planning an effective press release programme for the club.

T

he number one benefit of having a press release plan in place is that your club is constantly in the news (more or less for free).

This instantly helps raise the profile of the club and also creates the impression that the club is busy with activity. This will be attractive to new members.

The other key factor is the good will it creates from the people the press release is about; members, suppliers, sponsors, charities, as they too are benefitting from the free exposure.

If you do need to justify your PR efforts to your Board then you can keep a press clipping file and do the calculation of the equivalent media value you have achieved/Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE).

This is the column inches your press release got multiplied by that publication’s advertising rate for the same space. Some PR companies will multiply this figure by – for example – 1.5, arguing that the value of third party editorial is greater than a paid

50 CLUB MIRROR

for ad. These measurements may not be an exact science, but nevertheless they are a measurement!

90 day press release plan One way to get free coverage for your club is to create a 90 day rolling press release plan. I have done this consistently for years for the organisations that I have worked for.

First of all I create a simple spread sheet or table and create monthly headings. I then review our activity calendar to see what is coming up and then schedule into my plan the press releases I am going to write. If, for example, you are a sports club manager you can focus your press releases around your key events, then add in other key activities or happenings at your club. You will be surprised what is news worthy!

Include things like forth coming events, event results, new staff appointments, training activities

(members and guest like to read that you are investing in people!), new innovations, new purchases charity initiatives – even wild life or the bird count on the club grounds!

Once you have your plan then put in place your press release template which should have a heading, place for the key content and ‘boiler plate’ (this is the post amble about your club and a contact person in case editors want more information).

The next stage is to create a database of your local, regional and international media contacts so you have great distribution and then start feeding them releases (and invite them to the club to see you in action). Also – of course – don’t forget to post your press release on social media too.

For more details about the Club Managers Association of Europe, visit www.clubhouseeurope.com

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