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ISSUE 30 / Editor’s Letter
Hello Contributors
Bob Pease Brewers Association
As we near the end of the year already, I can’t help but reflect and wonder at how quickly it’s flown by. With Christmas still a couple of months away, industry is taking a break to strategise and recuperate after a busy summer and before we hit the festive season. In this respect, many of our features reflect the planning that industry will be doing and offer key advice on how to improve your unique offerings during the ‘down time’. As a result, industry welcomes some of its best and brilliant industry exhibitions, including the International Drinks Expo and Restaurant and Bar Tech Live, both of which we are privileged to be media partners with. In this feature we build on keynote speaker at Restaurant and Bar Tech Live, Janet Wood, on her panel session on 5* customer experience. We come up with some of our own thoughts on this topic on page 6.
Michelle Hazlewood John Gaunt & Partners
Moreover, on the subject of forward planning, we launch a series on how you can curate your perfect wine list, starting with the most popular offering – the house! What constitutes a universally loved house wine? How can you please every customer and match every dish in one value-for-money offering? We answer all these questions on page 24. Lastly, one of our favourite events of the season took place this month… the 2020 Michelin launch was a star-studied, industry event. We recap some of its best bits on page 32.
Drinkaware Independent alcohol advice, information and tools
So relax during the down time and enjoy the quieter period before festive season gets into full swing. We’ll see you for our Christmas issue next month…
Mya Medina Editor-in-Chief Ontrade Progress magazine
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About us Ontrade Progress takes a detailed look at everything that is needed to run a pub, club, bar or restaurant successfully including interior design, security, seasonal food and drink trends, technology and training & recruitment. This is all brought together by the latest industry news, big name interviews and round-table events with senior industry professionals. Printed and distributed monthly, Ontrade Progress is the essential community for owners, operators, and licensees in the hospitality sector looking to keep abreast of news and articles to assist in progressing their businesses.
Our team
Published by:
Director Ryan Bunce Editor Mya Medina Editor Jon Hardy Account Manager Phil O’Regan Subscriptions Dan Allen
www.bwmediagroupltd.co.uk
Lead Designer Richard Day
contents
ISSUE 30 / Contents
www.ontradeprogress.com 4
www.ontradeprogress.com
ISSUE 30 / Contents
06
10
12
Restaurant & Bar Tech Live
Creating Magic
Sky Sports announces November’s fixtures
This month we are proud to be partnered with Restaurant & Bar Tech Live!
Ontrade Progress explores how you can offer everyone that walks through your door the very best.
Sky Sports has confirmed its latest selection of live Premier League games for the coming months.
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18
20
Designing a great restaurant website
The International Drink Expo 2019
Make festive drinking safe
Fat Media gives us their top tips to creating a successful website design for your restaurant.
We are one step ahead of trend driven culture, this is why we are proud to be working with IDE.
Drinkaware lets us know how pubs and bars can help their customers to avoid alcohol harms.
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28
30
Good house wine
Flat beer detectives
The Cask Report 2019
What makes a good house wine? Ontrade Progress offers advice on how to curate your house offering.
Crystaltech, is the UK’s leading expert on achieving flawless wash results.
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Rising stars in British and Irish restaurants
What’s on
The Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Stars for 2020 have been unveiled... find out who rose above the rest.
What events, shows and exhibitions are coming up in the world of hospitality.
Cask Marque gives Ontrade Progress the results of The Cask Report 2019.
Have you got story to share, why not send it to us to spread the word? Send it to: editor@ontradeprogress.com
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ISSUE 30 / Restaurant & Bar Tech Live
EXHIBITION
Meet BrewDog and Coppa Club at Restaurant & Bar Tech Live! At Ontrade Progress, our readers are at the heart of everything we do and it is our mission to discover innovative products and services to meet customer and readership needs; which is why we are proud to have partnered with Europe’s leading event for the drink products boosting the profits of restaurant and bar owners, Restaurant & Bar Tech Live !
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www.ontradeprogress.com
ISSUE 30 / Restaurant & Bar Tech Live
Lisa Paton International Growth Director at BrewDog
Taking place on the 19th & 20th of November at the ExCeL London , the unmissable free event promises to connect bar and restaurant professionals with over 15,000 decision makers actively looking to streamline their operations, enhance their efficiency and improve the customer experience!
As part of this year’s incredible keynote lineup, you’ll gain invaluable insight into some of the biggest brands in the industry, including none other than the mighty Brewdog! International Growth Director Lisa Paton will take you through the ins and outs of their pioneering innovation strategy, revealing exactly what it takes toaccelerate growth through concept and franchise innovation. Lisa is now responsible for the rapid global growth of BrewDog retail including bars, microbreweries and hotels, in the fast paced and exciting world of craft beer. So be sure to join the beer revolution, and get the lowdown on the beer that changed the game!
If that isn’t enough to tickle your tastebuds, you can also hear from the Head of Systems at Coppa Club, Iwona Dobek . Starting her career in Jamie’s Italian and now, heading the Systems Team in Various Eateries, where she is actively involved in the success of brands such as Coppa Club. She’ll be discussing their famous igloos, and the planning that went into creating a social media sensation. Don’t miss the chance to get the inside scoop on the brand’s innovative dining experience, and the story behind the success of the industry’s most instagrammable restaurant - Coppa Club is raising the bar of customer experience!
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ISSUE 30 / Restaurant & Bar Tech Live
Come to the show Better yet, your FREE ticket will give you exclusive access to all of the hottest new tech trends in hospitality, you’ll be able to find over 300 cutting-edge suppliers, engage in 200 educational seminars, gain 1-21 business advice, cultivate invaluable new contacts, get involved in live demos and so much more, giving you unprecedented access to all the aweinspiring advancements fueling the future of restaurants and bars across the globe. What’s more, this year’s instalment runs alongside 5 other industry-leading events; collectively forming #FES19, THE biggest business growth event for the world of food and drink. So what are you waiting for? To register for your free ticket now, simply head over to: www.restauranttechlive. co.uk We can’t wait to see you there!
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Iwona Dobek Head of Systems at Coppa Club
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1 9 & 2 0 E XC E L ,
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ISSUE 30 / Customer Experience & Entertainment
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Creating Magic Crafting an engaging and memorable customer experience is everything, Ontrade Progress explores how you can offer everyone that walks through your door the very best. Once they arrive Even before a customer enters your venue, the 5* customer experience has begun. To be honest, they don’t even need to be on your street to have already formed an opinion on your business. A US-based company, Upserve, found that 90% of customers research a restaurant or bar online before deciding to go there. In the modern digital age, this means having a solid online presence is the first step to ensuring you get as much business as possible. Having an up-to-date website, with relevant menus and offers, is key!
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While it may be a fallacy that an opinion of someone is formed within the first second of meeting someone, the logic remains unchanged – first impressions can’t be taken back. As a result, making sure every single customer is greeted in your venue with a warm and welcoming smile is hugely important. The worst situation is when a group of customers enter a venue and simply stand there while waiting staff either are too busy to greet them or simply not there. A solution to this may be making sure a member of staff is front of house for any of the busy periods, such as peak evening dining. www.ontradeprogress.com
ISSUE 30 / Customer Experience & Entertainment
Throughout the meal
Ensuring they return
There has come a strange commonplace in restaurants to interrupt a customer throughout their meal to ask how they’re finding it. Through constrained-with-foodjaws, the customer is barely able to answer an inaudible “lovely” or “fine, thank you”. The bar for how great customer service is is not set there. Waiting staff, especially during quieter periods, should take the time to interact with customers and build a memorable rapport. This will not only be good for the customers who will remember the waiter fondly, but also will help customers be more inclined to give good tips.
Our memory of taste is fallible. While we remember a meal being delicious, most people often can’t recall the exact flavours that made it so. However, the way we felt, our emotional memory, has a far greater pull. If a customer remembers having a wonderful experience in a restaurant and feeling overly satisfied upon leaving, they are far more likely to leave a review than if the food alone was outstanding. As industry knows, we pair food with experience – and the experience makes it special.
Moreover, serving staff should work to make the dining experience is as seamless as possible. If they notice a customer’s glass of water has run low, they should naturally offer to top it up. It’s far more memorable for a customer to remember trying to catch the waiters eye for a significant portion of the meal, then them asking whether the meal is good whilst they are eating it. You don’t need to be a member of Downtown Abbey to create a first-class dining experience, it’s the attention to detail and anticipating the customer’s needs that does the trick.
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ISSUE 30 / Sports
Sky Sports announces November’s Premier League fixtures Sky Sports has confirmed its latest selection of live Premier League games for November and early December, including Liverpool’s clash with Manchester City at Anfield. Champions City make the trip to Merseyside on November 10 in the second part of a Super Sunday double-header that starts at Molineux with a West Midlands derby between Wolves and Aston Villa. Pep Guardiola’s side will be back in front of the Sky Sports cameras on November 23, with Frank Lampard’s Chelsea the visitors to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday Night Football. Newly-promoted Sheffield United host Manchester United at Bramall Lane on Super Sunday on November 24, before Aston Villa vs Newcastle gets the full Monday Night Football treatment on November 25. December kicks off with Arsenal’s trip to Norwich and Leicester’s clash with Everton on Super Sunday on the first day of the month.
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Premier League games live on Sky Sports this November: Saturday 2 November, 5:30pm Watford v Chelsea Sunday 3 November, 2pm Crystal Palace v Leicester City Sunday 3 November, 4:30pm Everton v Spurs Friday 8 November, 8pm Norwich City v Watford Saturday 9 November, 5:30pm Leicester City v Arsenal Sunday 10 November, 2pm Wolves v Aston Villa Sunday 10 November, 4:30pm Liverpool v Man City Saturday 23 November, 5:30pm Man City v Chelsea Sunday 24 November, 4:30pm Sheffield Utd v Man Utd Monday 25 November, 8pm Aston Villa v Newcastle Utd Saturday 30 November, 5:30pm Southampton v Watford Sunday 1 December, 2pm Norwich City v Arsenal Sunday 1 December, 4:30pm Leicester City v Everton www.ontradeprogress.com
It starts with a following... When it comes to the latest hospitality news, Ontrade Progress is a one stop shop. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instragram for more info.
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Tech stuff HEADLINE
Zonal serves up Menu Management solution Zonal customers are set to benefit from a new Menu Management solution that will help them create and track recipe and menu information including allergens. Originally developed by Comtrex, part of the Zonal Group, the Menu Management technology fully integrates with Zonal’s suite of technology products including EPoS, Stocks and Purchase to Pay, completing their end to end supply chain solution. Zonal’s director of online commerce, Helen McMillan, said: “With the pressure on operators to provide greater visibility of allergens, alongside tighter margins and increasing competition, this technology delivers improved efficiencies and accuracy through integration. “The Menu Management solution has been adopted across Comtrex’s customer base and is already used by brands such as Bill’s, Cote and Prezzo, so we are delighted to bring this exciting technology to our Zonal customers.” Menu Management not only centralises and maintains ingredient, pricing and allergen information, but it also provides quick and easy visibility of accurate information in every dish. This ensures consumers are fully informed on allergens and operators are compliant with the latest legislation.
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For chefs, simple to follow visual recipe books not only support dish consistency and customer satisfaction but also menu profitability. “Menu optimisation, costs control, and waste reduction, as well as being able to rapidly react and adapt to changing consumer trends and seasonality, are all hurdles our customers have to overcome. Thankfully, the technology is now available to help operators manage these challenges,” concluded Helen.
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Temporary Catering Facilities During Refurbishment
Need an advert for the magazine? We can help... We are iconative. A creative studio based in Kent specialising in Branding and Marketing.
We regularly provide our services to clients when they are undergoing a kitchen refurbishment or carrying out other building works that necessitate the closure of existing catering facilities. We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.
Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.
The elements that make up our temporary kitchen and restaurant facilities can be provided as individual units in their own right – Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms, Restaurant Units, etc - or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex. Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer term hires. We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project. For further information or to arrange a site visit, please email:
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ISSUE 30 / On tech
TOP TIPS
How to design a great restaurant website When it comes to creating a website for your restaurant there are features that are fundamental to most designs. This guide will take you through those features as well as some tips that will enhance the user experience and usability of your website.
Ambiance
Usability
Your website should reflect the atmosphere and space of your restaurant. This allows customers to get a sense of the experience they will get when they visit your establishment. Many details feed into the vibe your website gives off, from the fonts and the colour palette you choose to the imagery you use. Beautiful imagery can show customers how great your restaurant looks or how appetising your food is. By using high quality photography, the restaurant can sell itself.
The colour black exudes sophistication, luxury and simplicity which is why it is often used on fine dining websites. Black is also a prevalent colour for restaurants with a rustic or industrial style.
The most commonly used colour palettes for restaurant websites are red, black, white or light grey, and brown and neutral earth tones.
Restaurants that use browns and neutral tones on their websites communicate reliability, comfort and adherence to tradition which makes them a popular choice for fine dining establishments as well as those offering hearty, rustic, comfort food.
Red symbolises energy and increases appetites. It is most commonly used in the fast food industry. Muted, earthy toned reds or richer, darker reds are effective for creating a comforting or luxurious feeling. 16
Websites that use white or light grey convey a sense of cleanliness and openness as well as simplicity and elegance. White is a regularly used colour for upscale restaurants for those reasons. Light grey can also have a similar effect.
Ease of navigation for your customers is central to creating a great website. There are numerous features of a website that provide a simple and more enjoyable user experience. Have the website designed using a mobile-first approach. 81% of consumers search for restaurants on their mobiles so instead of trying to make a desktop design work for mobile create a better, faster website that will work on all devices. This way each user will have the same experience. Place your restaurant logo in the top left corner. It’s the traditional positioning for a logo because it’s almost always the first thing your customers read as most customers read from top to bottom, left to right.
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ISSUE 30 / On tech
Consider using a sticky header; a navigation or menu bar that will remain visible as the user scrolls down and moves around a page. This enables the user to view the information they want wherever on the website they may be. Avoid PDF menus. Google has menus included in its search metrics so if your menu is in PDF form not only is it harder for the user to access and navigate, it also means that your menu isn’t driving traffic to your website by showing up in Google search results.
Essential pages for a restaurant website: • Homepage • Our story/About us (which may include: the story or inspiration behind your restaurant, where you source your ingredients, a head chef profile, an introduction to your front of house and back of house staff) • Gallery • Menu • Book A Table • Contact & Hours
We hope this gives you a better understanding of what to consider when creating the restaurant website of your dreams. If you have any questions or would like some help in putting any of this into action, our dedicated website design team are here to help. Say hello on 01524 548948, or email info@fatmedia.co.uk
Allow you customers to make a reservation through your website. You can either utilise third party booking software like OpenTable or you can have your own booking form created.
We are a national, award-winning full-service digital marketing agency. Fat Media is all about the people - us and you. We build successful long-term relationships with our clients here in the North West and throughout the UK. We’re digital marketing experts and we love every minute of it.
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Get in touch, the kettle is always on. info@fatmedia.co.uk www.fatmedia.co.uk Lancaster Office: 01524 548948
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ISSUE 30 / The International Drink Expo 2019
EXHIBITION
The International Drink Expo 2019 At Ontrade Progress, we are one step ahead of trend driven culture, this is why we are proud to be working with the International Drink Expo, not only to highlight the importance of the competitive beverage industry, but also to show drinks brands smart new ways to embrace drinks solutions and the tips of the trade!
The International Drink Expo will be hitting London’s ExCeL on the 19th & 20th November, transforming the capital into the ultimate hub for beverage innovation, asserting its presence in the industry as the UK’s leading event for maximising drink sales. At the incredible 2019 event, your FREE ticket will give you exclusive access to all of the hottest new drinks trends, immersing you in the ultimate marketplace for business growth, and equipping you with all the tools you need to maximise your revenue. The array of incredible exhibitors will offer insight into some of the biggest brands in the industry, including none other than Drop Bear Beer Co, Rudwolf and Mélange Drinks.
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All will be on hand to enlighten visitors with the very best beverage guidance, so join the industry’s biggest and most innovative suppliers showcasing the solutions shaping the drinks sector! The show is packed with innovators and visionaries demonstrating their products live at the show, allowing you to test some of the hottest trends in drinks technology and sample delicious concoctions from some of the sector’s finest mixologists. The very best of the drinks industry will be brought together - including everything from naturally sourced botanicals and CBD infused spirits, to ethical packaging and premium craft beers!
So what’s in store for the future of drinks trends? Found on your typical drinks menu and on every off-license shelf, rum is becoming exceedingly well-loved in the UK. In fact, it’s becoming so popular that it now ranks alongside whisky and gin as one of the UK’s favourite spirits! Annual rum sales in Britain topped £1 billion for the first time in 2018, with over 1 billion litres consumed. So let’s look into the future and see what’s in store for the 2020 rum market…
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ISSUE 30 / The International Drink Expo 2019
Quality Over Quantity
Innovative Flavours
A key market trend in the drinks industry sees consumers “drinking less, but drinking better quality” and there are no signs of this stopping. As consumers are becoming more interested in age and origin, luxury rum is expected to increase in sales by almost $230 million between 2015 - 2020. With this in mind, and the knowledge that consumers are starting to care more about content over cost, big brands are turning their focuses to launching premium rum.
The UK has experienced a big increase in competition and new product launches thanks to consumers wanting to explore a variety of new flavours. In 2006 there were 50 rum brands in the UK, there are now nearly 200, with that number only looking to escalate in the future. Consumers are always on the hunt for new, innovative flavours, which is why this is predicted to be a big trend in 2020. Coconut rum is already particularly popular, along with coffee rum-like RumJava . According to reports, the flavoured sector will be bigger than white rum in off-trade by 2020.
Rum Cocktails Daiquiri, Mojito, Piña Colada, it’s hard not to think of cocktails when you’re talking about rum! The UK’s cocktail culture is booming, and as rum cocktails are growing in popularity, bars are looking for new and innovative recipes to captivate their customers.
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ISSUE 30 / Responsible drinking
DRINKAWARE
Make festive drinking safe drinking, urges Drinkaware How pubs and bars can help their customers to avoid alcohol harms.
Usability Ahead of the festive season and the drinking occasions that come with it, Drinkaware is encouraging pub, bar and club operators to take steps to create an environment where customers can enjoy themselves without suffering alcohol harms. Drinkaware Chief Executive Elaine Hindal said: “A visit to the pub with friends, family or workmates is part of the fun of Christmas for many people, and most will enjoy a glass of wine or a pint of seasonal ale responsibly.
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“However, the sheer number of people coming into pubs, clubs and bars over the festive season inevitably means a heightened risk of alcohol harms, especially as it often involves drinking over a long period of time – the office Christmas lunch followed by drinks, for example – or group drinking, where people feel under pressure to join rounds. “Responsible operators will be aware of these risks and plan now to mitigate them. They’ll also be looking at how customers who choose not to drink alcohol – whether because they’re driving or for other reasons – are made to feel just as welcome as those who are drinking.”
Festive socialising in groups can lead to people feeling peer pressure to drink more than they intended. Latest research from Drinkaware1 revealed the scale of the issue, with more than a third (35%) of drinkers saying that pressure to drink is common in their age group, rising to 60% in the 1824 age group. The survey found that peer pressure is exerted mainly by friends and coworkers, with 43% of drinkers saying they felt pressure to drink when out with colleagues. Men report pressure to drink from bosses or superiors (13%) more than women (8%).
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ISSUE 30 / Responsible drinking
Helping customers to moderate their drinking
Tips for an alcohol harm-free festive season
Drinkers who want to moderate their drinking employ a number of techniques to achieve it. According to research by Drinkaware2, 72% of drinkers choose certain drink free days in the week to stick to, around half (52%) set themselves a limit and the same number alternate alcoholic drinks with soft drinks.
Offer an interesting selection of no and low alcohol drinks. This will be welcomed by customers who are choosing not to drink alcohol, including drivers, and it can also help customers who are drinking, if they alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. There’s never been more choice, so incorporate no/low alcohol beers and wines, non-alcoholic spirit alternatives and mocktails into your drinks list and make sure customers know they’re available. It’s also great to offer self-serve tap water on the bar, for customers who want a glass of water in between, or instead of, alcoholic drinks.
The same study showed that 34% of drinkers have cut down their drinking by choosing a lower strength alcohol drink, and 29% a non-alcoholic beer, wine or spirit substitute. As the range of low and no alcohol drinks continues to expand, choosing them is set to become more popular as a way of moderating alcohol consumption.
Review your wine list. Drinking large glasses of wine can quickly add up to a harmful amount of alcohol. Offering smaller serves, and lower ABV wines, can help customers to stay within the Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines of 14 units of alcohol a week. For example, a 250ml glass of a 14% ABV wine contains 3.4 units, while a 125ml glass at 11% ABV contains 1.4 units. Make sure customers know the 125ml serve is available. Make food available, where possible. Food helps to slow the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. Ideally, make sure customers can order food for the same hours as you serve drink.
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ISSUE 30 / Responsible drinking
Make customers aware. that you will not serve alcohol to any customer who is drunk, or who you think may be buying alcohol for a drunk friend; the latter being something to look out for if you have a large group in your pub. Drinkaware and the British Beer & Pub Association have produced two posters - ‘Can’t Get Served’ and ‘Mate’s in a State’ – that are useful in communicating this to customers, and can be downloaded free from the Drinkaware website.
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Look after designated drivers. Pubs and bars should be welcoming drivers in festive groups and making sure they enjoy their visit as much as their friends or colleagues. This could include offering free soft or no alcohol drinks for designated drivers. For more information please visit: www.drinkaware.co.uk
Survey by YouGov for Drinkaware. Total sample size was 2145 adults across the UK Fieldwork was undertaken between 11th - 12th July 2019. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). 2
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Train your staff. Without the right training, your staff team may not be able to identify and support customers who may be at risk of alcohol harms, particularly when your venue is busy over the festive season. Drinkaware’s Alcohol Vulnerability Awareness e-learning course equips team members with the skills and knowledge they need, with practical advice on dealing with a range of scenarios including sexual drunken harassment. For more information, please contact elearning@drinkaware.co.uk
Survey by YouGov for Drinkaware. YouGov interviewed a representative sample of 8,906 UK adults aged 18 to 85 online, between 14th May and 5th June 2018. Data have been weighted to be representative of the UK adult population (aged 18 to 85) according to gender, age, social grade, and region.
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19 & 20 NOV 2019
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ISSUE 30 / From grape to glass
WINE
The House
Ever wondered what makes a good house wine? Ontrade Progress offers advice on how to curate your house offering.
“The house”, “the house”, “the house” – although this is easily the most popular order from customers in terms of wine, it is actually the one that puts the most pressure on the venue. The assumption is that as a venue, you have picked a wine that is both universally liked, good value and can deliver consistent quality time and time again. The trust is firmly placed in this moment on the restaurant. The house red or white must be palatable with all dishes and also not too expensive either – as it is always the cheapest wine on the menu. So which ‘house’ variety is best? 24
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ISSUE 30 / From grape to glass
White
True to you
With white wines, it’s important to not alienate customers – a Chardonnay is likely to be too sweat and after the Chardonnay craze of the late 1980s, the abbreviation ABC (anything but Chardonnay) still stands. Similarly, a Pinot Grigio may be too crisp and bitter, and that may alienate the lighter dishes on your menu such as salads or soups. The ideal house will likely be a Sauvignon Blanc – the creamier, the better. Sauvignon Blanc presents a nice mix between dry and sweet, whilst also having lots of variety in terms of origin and cost.
Generally speaking picking a house wine that reflects your brand and ethos is advised. For example, if you’re an Italian restaurant that sources key ingredients from Italy, then similarly your wine offering may come from Tuscany, for example.
Red Red wine is a lot trickier to establish in terms of a “best” or “advised” house. Generally however, a house red shouldn’t be too smooth. Tannins are generally associated with most luxurious reds and so steering clear of young Pinot Noir is ideal. Too many tannins and some of your dishes may not match, in this respect, we wouldn’t recommend a Bordeaux wine. A Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon may be ideal.
One way that you can make your wine offering, especially the house, fun and engaging is to get your serving team involved. While becoming an accredited sommelier is often harder than passing The Bar, you don’t need your whole team to be clued in on every grape variety and wine region around the world, but they should be knowledgeable on your wine list. This means tasting! Ask the chef to prepare a selection of your house dishes and pop open a few of your most popular bottles (this of course, includes the house). Then ask your team which wine works best with which dishes and wine. Of course, they should be able to identify the basics – naturally, a red wine pairs best with steak. But perhaps they need to add that the Argentinian Malbec will work particularly well because the cut of meat is from the same region in Argentina and also the beefy texture of the meal compliments the smooth and dry Malbec perfectly. Whatever you do, making sure that your staff have at least a basic knowledge of your wine list so customers aren’t left in the dark.
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ISSUE 30 / Glassware
TOP TIPS
Keeping your Cool with Glassware Bob Pease, CEO/president of the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, looks at the importance of glassware cleanliness and temperature for delivering high quality draught beer. “You may have the perfectly designed and operated draught system in your pub or bar but your customers’ experience may still be ruined by unclean glassware or glasses stored at the wrong temperature.” A beer-clean glass should be free of visible soil and marks, as well as foamkilling residues and lingering aromatics such as sanitiser. American craft beer poured into a beer-clean glass forms a proper head and creates residual lacing as the beer is consumed. Check out these tips for keeping your glassware in top condition:
• Serving beer between 4-6 degrees C delivers the best taste experience for most beer styles. • Glasses should be stored chilled but never frozen as this can result in ice crystals that cause foaming problems during filling. If you chill your glasses be sure to avoid frosting. • Beer served at near frozen temperatures retains more CO2 (resulting in a more filling experience for the beer drinker) and blinds the taste experience (taste buds are ‘numbed,’) resulting in a bland taste experience in comparison with beer served at recommended temperatures.
• Wet glassware should not be placed in a freezer or cooler as it may create a sheet of ice inside the glass.. Extremely cold glass surfaces will cause beer to foam due to a rapid release of CO2 from the product. • Room temperature glasses are preferred for craft beer but may cause foaming with highly carbonated beer. • Water mist devices may be used to pre-wet and chill the glass interior prior to filling but ensure water supplied to the mist device is filtered and free of aromatics such as chlorine.
More information is available on www.brewersassociation.org
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When only the best is good enough
The new GIGA X8
Coffee pleasure – freshly ground, not capsuled 32 speciality coffees can be selected via the 4.3" touchscreen colour display 2 precision ceramic disc grinders with Automatic Grinder Adjustment (A.G.A.®) for consistently even grinding Speed function: Hot water bypass for perfect speciality coffees in record time plus added user convenience
Ideal areas of use: Public bars, hotel bars, hotel restaurants, private clubs, private function areas, seminar / conference facilities Recommended maximum daily output: 200 cups JURA – If you love coffee
JURA Products Ltd., Vivary Mill, Vivary Way, Colne, Lancashire, BB8 9NW, Tel: 01282 868266, Fax: 01282 863411, sales@uk.jura.com, uk.jura.com
ISSUE 30 / Glassware
TOP TIPS
Flat Beer Detectives As a glasswashing specialist in the pub and catering industry and with over 38 years’ hands on experience, Crystaltech is the market leader when it comes to solving warewashing results problems. Derek Maher, founder of Crystaltech, is the UK’s leading expert on achieving flawless wash results. The Issue “Unlike most other service companies, Crystaltech not only fixes problems with glass and dishwashers, but also ensures that the visual results of the items being washed are of the highest possible quality before our engineers complete the job,” says Maher. Much of the focus of pub operators is quite rightly on cellaring and the handling of beer to maintain quality, but operators should never lose sight of that vital last yard - from the pump to punter. There is nothing more offputting than dirty glasses in a pub – it gives a poor impression of hygiene at the premises and can adversely affect the taste and head retention of beer. Not all customers will complain, they just won’t come back!
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Flat Beer at a Busy Central London Pub... Crystaltech was recently called in to investigate and solve the problem of flat beer from using a glasswasher in the upstairs bar of a central London pub. The issue was more complex than many call outs as the glasswasher in the basement bar presented good results, and the lager held its head, and yet the moment glasses were washed in the machine upstairs the beer went flat. All of the usual processes to determine the problem were carried out but pin-pointing the cause was proving difficult. Having previously invested in 3M’s ATP Bioluminescence Rapid Hygiene testing equipment the Crystaltech engineers were able to swab the dry glasses for levels of bacteria with test results revealing no cause for concern. However, the problem of flat beer appeared to be worse the more recently that the glasses had been washed.
A further investment was made in 3M’s water quality test swabs and samples taken from the water supply to the upstairs glasswasher were found to have a high level of bacteria. This finding explained why the problem was worse immediately after the glasses had been washed. As a precaution for the customer, a test was also carried out on the water supply to the taps used for salad washing and to the ice machine as well as various other points around the pub, all of which were well within acceptable levels of contamination.
A recent survey highlighted that at 38%, dirty glasses was one of the ‘most burdensome frustrations’ for customers in pubs/bars.
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ISSUE 30 / Glassware
The Solution One option to resolve the problem would have been to chlorinate the water system but this would have meant that the pub would have to close during the process and would lose trade. Another option was to use a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system developed by Crystaltech which not only removes minerals and salts but also bacteria. Crystaltech installed the RO system on one month’s free trial and the bacteria levels were significantly reduced from 236RLU to 3RLU (150 is the maximum acceptable limit).
The effect was an immediate resolution to the problem of flat beer, chemical usage was reduced by 70% - enabling lower wash temperatures, and the cleanliness of the glasses is now, near perfect. Crystaltech has the technical resource to detect even the most obscure glass and dishwashing issues to ensure minimal downtime of machines, provides optimum wash results for sparkling clean glassware.
“We were really impressed with the meticulous determination of Crystaltech to fix our problem with flat beer. Not only did they find the source of the problem but came up with a solution that will save money in the long run and one that did not impinge on the daily running of the pub,”
Perfect Wash Results Time After Time with Crystaltech... Crystaltech Services UK Ltd is the country’s only nationwide specialist commercial glass & dishwasher repair and installation operation. Crystaltech engineers are on call 24/7 to get your operations running smoothly and offer: •
Installation and repair of all makes and models of machines
•
Fast response time
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Over 60, DBS certified engineers nationwide
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40,000 parts stocked
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On-site bacterial tests with immediate results
With over 38 years’ experience and regarded as the one of the leading experts in the warewashing industry, Derek Maher, Managing Director of Crystaltech, “We pride ourselves on a high first time fix rate and we can save operators valuable time and money through making machines work more efficiently. With the right combination of a reverse osmosis system and the right level of cleaning chemicals, our team can get glasses and tableware crystal clear and clean and able to be taken straight from washer to table with no additional polishing.”
Call our team on:
0370 350 2424
Email: info@crystaltech.co.uk Website: www.crystaltech.co.uk
ISSUE 30 / Beer
The Cask Report 2019 – The Findings There are more breweries in Britain than there have been for decades – around 2,300. They supply over 50,000 pubs, bars, hotels, restaurants and clubs with cask beers, making over 10,000 different beers available each year.
“It’s not just the number of cask beers on offer that is so impressive,” says Matt Eley, editor of the 2019 Cask Report. “It’s the variety of styles. The choice of colours, strengths, flavours and aromas just keeps on growing, as people become more adventurous in their tastes and brewers become more experimental.” Of course, not all in the garden is rosy. There is an ongoing decline in ontrade beer consumption, fourteen pubs a week are closing and the average number of cask brands on the bar has reduced from 4.4 to 2.8 in two years. This means that competition for space on the bar is intense.
“Given the sheer scale of competition, and the level of support available from reputable brewers, it is perverse that there are still pubs that serve cask ale in poor condition,”
He points to the fact that 70% of cask drinkers have at some point been served an ‘off’ pint. “This deters them from going back to the pub (40%) and puts them off the brand (39%),” he says.
“Our research showed that licensees who are passionate about beer and proud of their cask ales are angry to see poor pints being served in other pubs. They view it as a grave disservice to everyone.”
As part of the research for the Report, drinkers were presented with cask beers at different temperatures to try. A resounding 95% thought the temperature of those served at the industry recommended 110 to 130C was “just right”.
The Report contends that premiumisation – in terms of quality, strength and price – offers significant potential to the industry. “This is where the Cask Fight-Back begins,” says Matt. “With premiumisation.”
Yet in July this year, nearly half of pubs without Cask Marque accreditation were serving cask ales at over 140C. “This is unacceptable – not just for the drinkers in those pubs, but for the whole industry,” says Matt.
says Matt. 30
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ISSUE 30 / Beer
Premiumisation – Quality
Premiumisation – Price
Cask drinkers spend over £1,000 a year on food and drink at the pub. They are worth looking after. Too many brands and not enough throughput means poor quality. So does serving the beer too warm. A concerted effort to get the range right and serve each and every pint in top notch condition, at the right temperature, helps pubs to keep existing customers and to attract new faces through the doors.
According to the research, 59% of drinkers think that cask should be more expensive than mainstream lager. Yet, despite being a natural, fresh product, usually made in smaller batches, and with a short shelf life, cask ales are rarely priced much higher than standard lagers.
Premiumisation – Strength Sales of premium-strength cask beers (4.2% to 7.5% abv) grew in in the last four months versus the same period last year. Licensees should be looking to include them in their range, particularly for evening and weekend sessions when they are most popular.
“The most perplexing thing is the price difference between craft keg beers and cask beers,” says Matt. “Drinkers are paying on average an extra £1.50 per pint for craft keg than they are for cask. Given all that goes into creating a great pint of cask ale, it’s strange that there is so little equivalence”.
As Paul Nunny of Cask Marque concludes, “If you can’t get the quality right, please don’t stock cask”. “Get it right – and build a name for your pub on the back of it. Get the selection of beers right for the size, type and location of the pub that you run. Involve your staff, making sure they are well trained, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and watch your sales grow”. “As our research shows, that’s what is happening in successful cask pubs where licensees care about their beer”. A copy of the 2019 Cask Report can be downloaded by visiting: www.cask-marque.co.uk
“The industry can massively reduce this gap. But, to increase profitability in the long term, it has to improve throughput and get quality right.”
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ISSUE 30 / On the plate
Rising stars in British and Irish restaurants The Michelin Great Britain & Ireland Stars for 2020 have been unveiled yesterday at a special launch event at The Hurlingham Club in Fulham, London. One hundred and eighty-seven Michelin-Starred Restaurants are featured for 2020, including one new Three Star, four new Two Stars and 23 new One Stars. This year’s highlight is the promotion of Sketch (The Lecture Room & Library) in Mayfair (Johannes Nuding) from Two to Three Michelin Stars – our highest accolade. “Despite the obvious challenges being faced by the industry here in the UK, we are thrilled that this has been such a stellar year, and we have seen many first ventures opening and rapidly rising to success,” says Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin guides. “With three Michelin Stars, Sketch joins four other restaurants at this prestigious level. This Pierre Gagnaire restaurant won its first star in 2005 and its second in 2013.
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Our inspectors judge the cooking here to be wonderfully complex and highly original, with each element of the meal excelling in terms of structure, composition and, above all, flavour,” adds Mr Poullennec. Three restaurants have been promoted from One to Two Stars: La Dame de Pic in the City of London (Anne-Sophie Pic); The Dining Room at Whatley Manor in Malmesbury (Niall Keating); and The Greenhouse in Dublin (Mikael Viljanen). Meanwhile, Aimsir in Celbridge – where Jordan Bailey focuses on foraged and preserved produce – enters the guide for the first time with Two Michelin Stars. The Lake District is a big winner, with three restaurants gaining One Star: the sweet, intimate Old Stamp House at Ambleside; Allium at Askham Hall in Askham, which makes great use of produce from its gardens and estate; and hidden gem The Cottage in the Wood in Braithwaite.
One Star is awarded to Interlude in the Leonardslee Gardens in Lower Beeding and to Pensons in Tenbury Wells, which both focus on local and garden produce; meanwhile, Nottingham’s new One Michelin Star alchemilla really brings plant-based ingredients to the fore. It is pleasing to see an increasing number of restaurants run by couples, with six of our new Stars run by husband and wife teams. These include the picture-perfect Royal Oak pub at Whatcote; modest little Stark in Broadstairs, which seats just 10 guests; The Angel in Hetton, which is now under the leadership of experienced owner Michael Wignall; and Laurie Gear’s Artichoke in Amersham. London has a good geographical spread of new One Stars, with intimate Mãos in Shoreditch; Da Terra in the restored Town Hall Hotel in Bethnal Green; Dysart Petersham, set in a charming early1900s house in Richmond; and Japanese Endo at The Rotunda in the old BBC Building in Shepherd’s Bush. www.ontradeprogress.com
ISSUE 30 / On the plate
Other city establishments include sophisticated Indian restaurant Opheem in Birmingham and stylish Mana in Manchester, which receives the city’s first Michelin Star in over 40 years. Scotland brings home two new Stars in the form of understated Condita in Edinburgh and Isle of Eriska, which is set within an impressive baronial mansion on the island of the same name. Wales sees the charming Beach House at Oxwich awarded a Michelin Star and the trendy Muddlers Club brings a third Star to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland also has much to celebrate, with intimate wine-barcum-bistro Bastion in Kinsale being promoted from a Bib Gourmand, and funky modern Variety Jones in Dublin and grand hotel dining room The Oak Room in Adare both receiving One Michelin Star. “This is an amazing year for the Republic of Ireland, with five new Michelin Stars being awarded – two of them at Two Star level. This brings the total number of Starred restaurants in Ireland up to 18 and is just reward for the determination of young chefs who are keen to make their mark on the Irish dining scene,” says Rebecca Burr, Director of the Michelin Guide Great Britain & Ireland.
She adds: “Running a successful restaurant is tough, and we know that. It takes long hours, dedication, teamwork and the support of those people closest to you. I congratulate all the teams and chefs who have won and retained Michelin Stars in the 2020 guide.” Alongside the new Stars, the winners of the three Michelin Awards for 2020 have been announced: Welcome & Service Award 2020 – Team Bonwick at The Crown at Burchetts Green. Sommelier Award 2020 – Jurica Gojevic at Adare Manor in County Limerick. Sustainability Award 2020 – Loam in Galway.
Fine-dining lovers, whether British, Irish or tourists who wish to enhance their stay with a first-rate culinary experience, will also be able to book certain tables online and enjoy exclusive offers.
The 2020 selection at a glance: • 1,464 restaurants in total (131 New) • 5 Three Michelin Star restaurants (1 New) • 23 Two Michelin Star restaurants (4 New) • 159 One Michelin Star restaurants (23 New) • 131 Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurants (22 New) [See also the Bib Gourmand Press Release] • 1,146 Michelin Plate restaurants (131 New)
This selection is highly symbolic because it also marks a turning point in the enormous digitisation work launched by our teams, adds Mr Poullennec. “Indeed, foodies around the world can now find the full selection on line, free of charge, accompanied by exclusive editorial content that is regularly enriched throughout the year.”
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ISSUE 30 / On the plate
MEAT FREE
The Meatless Farm Co lands on menus in JD Wetherspoon across the UK Innovative British food company, The Meatless Farm Co, has launched its plant-based burgers in the JD Wetherspoon pub chain across the UK. The burgers will be fully branded on menu and available in 877 outlets, almost the entire estate. The roll out follows a successful trial across several Wetherspoon premises. This new menu addition will allow consumers to make the swap from red meat to plant-based easily, without comprising on taste or texture. As the plant-based industry continues to grow rapidly, restaurants and pubs are turning to meat-alternatives to bolster the menu and add real and varied choices for those looking to reduce meat consumption, rather than just having the one veggie/ vegan option.
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Morten Toft Bech, Founder of The Meatless Farm Co says: “It’s not about these polarising views between ‘vegan’ and ‘meat-eater’ anymore, it’s about balance and everyone working together to reduce their red meat intake as we know it’s fundamentally better for our planet and health. To partner with a pub giant such as JD Wetherspoon is testament to the fact that plant-based is well and truly mainstream. We’re looking forward to taking plant-based to new levels together.”
The British plant-based company spent over two years blending, researching, experimenting and trialing different recipes and ingredients to create their range, which also includes sausages and mince. Now it has become a serious contender in the global plantbased market, alongside US groups Impossible Foods and Beyond Burger. It was recently recognised by the industry for its innovation, being awarded best emerging business at the Food and Drink Federation awards.
Oliver Addis, Wetherspoon Food Development Manager says: “We were looking for a plant-based burger that could deliver on taste and texture and we found that in The Meatless Farm Co. The British company is really driving the UK’s plant-based based movement and we’re confident customers are going to enjoy this new offering within our pubs.”
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Legal stuff HEADLINE
Remember, remember the 5th of November With Bonfire Night fast approaching, hosting a fireworks display can mean a revenue boost and an opportunity to attract new customers. But you must plan responsibly so that the night goes with the right ‘bang’. First, assess the suitability of outdoor areas and whether they are actually large enough for the display, then check for obstructions or weather abnormalities which might affect wind direction. Signpost exits and first aid facilities clearly, ensuring they are well lit; nominate a team member to call the emergency services if needed. If operating an outdoor bar, check whether the area is licensed or if you need to apply for a Temporary Event Notice. Check your licence allows the provision of late-night refreshment should your display continue past 11pm. As a robust protection for your position, ensure that either the professional provider or your own public liability insurance is in order. Michelle Hazlewood is a partner at leading licensing firm John Gaunt & Partners www.john-gaunt.co.uk
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There is lots of legislation covering fireworks, but key points include: • Fireworks can be let off until midnight on Bonfire Night. On all other dates the curfew is 11pm. • Running the display yourself restricts you to category 1, 2 and 3 fireworks. Professionals can use category 4. • Inform neighbours, the local authority and local fire officer, plus local police and St John’s Ambulance. • Fire extinguishers, sand, water and blankets must be easily accessible; helpers should wear high visibility clothing, while first aiders must be clearly identifiable. And though not statutory, it is good practice to provide a minimum two stewards per first 500 spectators, and one per every additional 250.
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RHUBARB COLLINS
~ 30 ml Giffard Rhubarb liqueur 30 ml Gin 10 ml Giffard gum syrup 20 ml Fresh lemon juice 40 ml sparkling water
~ Method Shake first four ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass
Garnish Rhubarb ribbon
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What’s On Upcoming Events... 22-23 January 2020
Our media partnerships:
The Professional Kitchen Show
This November is a busy one for Ontrade Progress as we extend our media partnerships with more events and shows. So look out for the magazine or members of the Ontrade Progress team.
NEC, Birmingham
Catering for your equipment needs... The UK’s largest and most comprehensive event for professional catering equipment. Exhibitors cover both heavy and lightweight equipment, spares, dealers and designers.
19-20 November
Restaurant & Bar Tech Live ExCeL, London
17-18 March 2020
19-20 November
Northern Restaurant & Bar
Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo
NRB19 provided an opportunity for leading operators, suppliers and industry figures to meet, speak and do business. From Liverpool to Leeds, the North East to the North West and the Lake District to the Peak District, NRB19 brought the cream of the hospitality industry to Manchester Central on 19-20 March.
19-20 November
Manchester Central
ExCeL, London
Restaurant & Bar Design Show ExCeL, London
19-20 November
International Drink Expo For more details about the events please visit our website:
ExCeL, London
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Raising the bar Caterfab Ltd are the leading manufacturers in the Bar industry in the UK. Cocktail stations - Bespoke fully welded bars - Ice wells - Back bar displays and glass stemware Mobile bars - Glasswash stations - Bar tops (various materials including brass and copper)
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