CLH Digital - Issue #1 by CLH News

ISSUE 1

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Chancellor Gives 80% Average Profit Support to Self-Employed

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Millions of self-employed individuals will receive direct cash grants though a ground-breaking UK-wide scheme to help them during the coronavirus outbreak, the Chancellor announced today. In the latest step to protect individuals and businesses, Rishi Sunak has set out plans that will see the self-employed receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least 3 months. Millions of people across the UK could benefit from the new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, with those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment. This brings parity with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, announced by the Chancellor last week, where the Government committed to pay up to £2,500 each month in wages of employed workers who are furloughed during the outbreak.

employed people who are eligible for the new scheme will be able to apply directly to HMRC for the taxable grant, using a simple online form, with the cash being paid directly into people’s bank account. Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: "Self-employed people are a crucial part of the UK’s workforce who’ve understandably been looking for reassurance and support during this national emergency. "The package for the self-employed I’ve outlined today is one of the most generous in the world that has been announced so far. It targets support to those who need help most, offering the self-employed the same level of support as those in work. "Together with support packages for businesses and for workers, I am confident we now have the measures in place to ensure we can get through this emergency together."

(Continued on page 3...)

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CLH Digital

Issue 1

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the first edition of CLH Digital Welcome to the first edition of CLH Digital. This is an “offshoot” from our normal monthly CLH News which we will be also distributing via our digital newsletter, social media and also available to read online whilst this current Covid-19 crisis continues.

We, for our part, will continue to bring you the latest industry focused news. Visitors to our site will have noticed we have a dedicated Corvid-19 section at catererlicensee.com/category/coronavirus/, which is a hub for operators and employees alike. We would urge anybody who has any issues or questions to email us at edit@catererlicensee.com and we will endeavour to put them in front of our experts and share the answers and comments there for you to see.

If this crisis has taught one thing. it is the value that the pub/bar and hospitality sector has to the community and our wider well-being. It is only now that we are a lockdown this value is being realised. And, dark times though these are, you can definitely steer your business through, save it and have it thrive in the future, but you will only be able to do so if you really take control of your marketing. If you don’t your competition will. And it will be them who survive and thrive

We are also delighted to include positive, heart-warming As a sales driven organisation here at CLH News we and uplifting stories as the sector rallies round to help often used to find that some businesses when it came to those in need. So please contact us on the above email marketing would say to us “I simply don’t have the time” address and we will share your stories, your views, and your the most convenient of excuses. ideas - which may help other businesses “paddle their What can we say about the current crisis canoes through the storm”. This is a whole different scenario, and you now have time to examine how you have been marketing yourself. that has been said already? We are here to keep you informed and we are here to Is your website performing, have you been monitoring the help - if we don’t know, we know somebody that does! Quite a lot as it happens! hits and feedback, have you been doing enough on social We are making sure that we are staying connected with And that is what CLH Digital in these coming weeks media, do you have a database of birthdays and anniverour readers and advertisers, and most importantly provid- saries, do you promote special calendar events as much as intends to do. ing you with all the tools and knowledge you need to you should? Now is the CLHNews is now celebrating its 20th year in publishing immunise your business as much as possible from the situa- time to examine all of that, we are proud to have dedicated ourselves in the support of tion it currently finds itself in and the consequences that use this time and use it the independent sector of the licensed on-trade and hospiwill follow. wisely! Make this time a tality sector; primarily stand-alone businesses and small There is no magic wand, but there is a lot you can do to golden opportunity to independent groups. transform your marketing. As the industry now faces the biggest and most unprece- minimise the immediate loss. The major thing to do now is Our commitment to you dented challenge this country has seenin decades, we have to focus on getting your business positioned to emerge from this in as strong a position as possible. is to help as much as we launched CLH Digital for the duration of the crisis. EDITOR

Peter Adams

We aim to keep you as up-to-date as possible with news most importantly without the spin - as well as expert comment and opinion from industry professionals, and, as with our printed edition, the most diverse range of products and services every hospitality business needs at some stage, to help you return to day-to-day running as quickly as possible.

We all, and that includes us here, want to survive this crisis, but equally importantly we all want to come out of this thriving.

possibly can to help you get through and emerge as unscathed as possible!

The most important business lesson I have learned any crisis or recession is absolutely never to neglect your marketing.

KEEPING CALM AND CARRYING ON

This is vitally important, not only to the on trade/hospital- In the good times it can often be overlooked. It is very ity sector, but also to the country - to hit the ground run- easy when you’re busy not to dedicate as much time and ning when this crisis abates. effort as you should. You might not do as well as you should, and you could do better, but most businesses will There is financial Armageddon facing the country if we do not return to trading as quickly as possible and if we do not generally do okay. return to trading in good shape we could see the sector, and the entire country, face a devastating recession for years.

In the bad times, however, marketing is absolutely vital. In the coming weeks businesses will be unable to get away with neglecting marketing.

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SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

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PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Shelly Roche Published by

“No matter the difficulty of the circumstances, no matter how dangerous the situation, at the heart of each crisis lies a tremendous opportunity. Great Blessings lie ahead for the one who knows the secret of finding opportunity within each crisis.” PROVERB

Issue 1

CLH Digital

Chancellor Gives 80% Average Profit Support to Self-Employed (Continued from front cover..) The scheme will be open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 in 2018-19 or an average trading profit of less than £50,000 from 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. To qualify, more than half of their income in these periods must come from self-employment. To minimise fraud, only those who are already in self-employment and meet the above conditions will be eligible to apply. HMRC will identify eligible taxpayers and contact them directly with guidance on how to apply. The income support scheme, which is being designed by HMRC from

scratch, will cover the three months to May. Grants will be paid in a single lump sum instalment covering all 3 months, and will start to be paid at the beginning of June. Those who pay themselves a salary and dividends through their own company are not covered by the scheme but will be covered for their salary by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme if they are operating PAYE schemes. Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “85% of pubs are small or medium sized businesses run by independent operators or licensees who are self-employed, so the Chancellor’s support package today is welcome.

“Until today, the Government had focussed on helping pubs and other businesses with grants and loans, business rates relief and guarantees on staff salaries, which we warmly welcomed, recognising that it would help prevent permanent pub closures and staff losses. However, it did not specifically address the threat faced by self-employed publicans, whose personal incomes had instantly dried up as a result of the forced shutdown. “This support announced today is critical. However, ongoing support from Government is still required throughout this crisis to sustain our great brewing and pub sector through this unprecedent lock down, so that when we are through this, pubs can return to being the heart of communities up and down the country.”

CAMRA Joins Forces With Pubs And Independent Brewers To ‘Pull Together’ Industry Against Coronavirus Following Government advice to avoid pubs and other social venues during the Coronavirus outbreak, CAMRA has partnered with the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) and Crowdfunder to help pubs, clubs, breweries, taprooms and cider producers during these difficult times.

threat to the beer and pubs industry in a lifetime and we are doing everything we can to help pubs, independent breweries, and supplier companies weather the storm and come out the other side. We are delighted to be working with CAMRA on this cross-industry campaign and would encourage every brewery in the UK to get involved and engage with people in their local area keen to support them. Independent breweries are embedded in their communities and keeping that link between people and their local brewery taproom or pub during the Coronavirus outbreak is hugely important.”

The #PullingTogether campaign aims to publicise innovative ways that pubs, breweries, cider makers and taprooms are staying afloat, such as by launching a new online shop, offering beer or cider takeaways or providing redeemable gift vouchers for locals. It also hopes to put the public in touch with local initiatives in their community. CAMRA is inviting pubs, brewers and cider makers to get involved, the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) is encouraging independent breweries to sign up, and Crowdfunder is helping these pubs and breweries tap into their community for financial help to weather the crisis. CAMRA is also concerned about the impact of social isolation and distancing at a time when people need it most, and has also set up an online Facebook group for the public called Pulling Together for Pubs, Pints & People, where it hopes to host virtual pub quizzes, beer o’clock and other virtual events. CAMRA’s National Chairman Nik Antona said: “These are unprecedented times in the brewing, cider and pub industry, and it is now that we all have to pull together to help keep the UK’s producers and pubs afloat.

“We want to connect people with pubs as well as beer and cider producers in their area so that they can purchase great beer or a hot meal locally, rather than relying on the supermarket. This could end up being a real lifeline for people who are unable to get a delivery slot and could help ease some of the stress and burden of self-isolating during these troubling times. “Pubs and breweries need our help now more than ever – without a strong show of support from local communities, many are destined for permanent closure.” SIBA’s Chief Executive James Calder said: “This is the single biggest

CAMRA will also be working with Crowdfunder to promote opportunities for the brewing and pubs industry to tap into local funding during the period of crisis to tide them over. The idea is simple, breweries and pubs that will be suffering from closure and drastically reduced trade about their future can set-up a Pay it Forward campaign offering customers the option to pay for pints, meals and tickets now, which can be redeemed in the future. Rob Love, Founder and CEO of Crowdfunder explains: “This is a really difficult time for everyone and there are lots of different things people are worried about including their jobs. One thing people can do, if they can afford it, is support local businesses. Through Pay it Forward, we are committed to throwing Crowdfunder’s resources behind keeping business alive through this crisis.” To find out more, visit www.camra.org.uk/pullingtogether/ or search using the hashtag #pullingtogether

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$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ % $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $$$$ $ $ EVEN $ TIP$ THEM? $ $ $ $ $ $ When it comes to tipping, however, it would seem that a big motivaTO ARE WE$ SUPPOSED $! $ $ $ survey, it$$ was $ $ $! to OnBuy.com’s $ it came ]When $ $ !$ tion is how shameful it would be not to tip. In fact, over 3 in 10 Brits ! revealed ! $ that$ men$!were would still tip at a restaurant even if they received mediocre service far more $likely to tip $than women. 83% stated $ $ of$men surveyed $ $ they $ $ $ $ due to the social stigma attached to not tipping. Similarly, a whopping $$ always leave a tip !in a restaurant, for example, compared to only 72% of 41% of restaurant-goers would feel too embarrassed to ask for service $ $ $ $ $ $ $ women.$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $charge$ to be removed from a bill, despite poor service. $ $ $ or a $ $ But sometimes $ $$ a lack$ of$ $ tipping isn’t due to $$ someone’s $$ $ gender, $ fact that$ Brits $ $are unsure $ and do$ not want $ $ $ $ poor service-$ but just the $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ to$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ make a faux pas. SURVEY RESPONSES: $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ % $ $ $$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ It would seem $$$$ that consumers are most confused about whether they $ $ and if so – $how much? This $ represented $ $ $ $ of Why do you tip? should tip Uber drivers 20% $ $ regarding $ tipping$ professionals. $fact, Brits $ google whether $ all`questions In $ $ 7,160 $ times every$ month! $ ] $ $$ $ around $ • Because it is traditional to do so: 57% they should$ tip an$Uber $ $ $ $ $ $ • Because I would feel ashamed not to: 32% $ $ $ $ $ drivers$ (19% of $tip- $ $ • I$ Don’t $ tip: 11% People 9 $were equally $ $about $ $delivery $ $ $ $ $ $ their $$ $ unsure ping questions $were about these professionalsespecially pizza delivery $ $ $ $$ $ $ $ $ $$ $ $ $ $ $ $ (13%), Hairdressers $ $ $ and Massage $ $ $ by$ $taxi drivers drivers!), follow (12%) Which option best describes you at a restaurant? $ $ $ $ $ $ therapists$ (11%). $ $ $ $ % •$ I only tip when it has been a good service: 70% $ $ $ $ $ $$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $$$$ • I always tip, even if service was mediocre: 30% $$ 02-5.62! 02-5.62! $ 7! " "8! 8! $ $-./0! -./0! KM0K-2! KM0K-2! $ $ $ $ $ $ ]$ Would you ask to take off service charge from a restaurant bill for +,2/,2-!/"!/.1! +,2/,2-!/"!/.1! $ `$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ bad service? $ 67,-$ 67,-$ !"#$$ !"# •$ Yes: 59% $$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $$ $ Z,B4A,-E$ @V# Z,B4A,-E$ @V#$ • No, I would be too embarrassed to ask: 41% $ $ $$ $$ $ $ $$ $ F?W4$ @Y# F?W4$ @Y#$$$ $ $$ $ $ @!# $ you still tip if you were out alone compared to with friends? N?4-.-,)),$-$$$ $$ $ $ $ $ $ N?4-.-,)),-$$ @!#$$$$ Would • Yes: 86% $ $ $ K?))?H,$03,-?54)0$ K?))?H$,$03,-?5$$4)0$ @@#$$ @@#

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Companies To Receive 3-Month Extension To File Accounts Issue 1

Businesses will be given an additional 3 months to file accounts with Companies House to help companies avoid penalties as they deal with the impact of COVID-19.

This joint initiative between the government and Companies House will mean businesses can prioritise managing the impact of Coronavirus. There are approximately 4.3 million businesses on the Companies House register, and all companies must submit their accounts and reports each year. Under normal circumstances, companies that file accounts late are issued with an automatic penalty.

Business Secretary Alok Sharma said:

But it is important that our support is not limited to financial assistance. We are determined to help businesses in any way we can, so that they can focus all their efforts on dealing with the impact of Coronavirus, and this new offer of a 3 month extension for filing accounts is part of that. Companies House Chief Executive, Louise Smyth said:

As part of the agreed measures, while companies will still have to apply for the 3-month extension to be granted, those citing issues around COVID-19 will be automatically and immediately granted an extension. Applications can be made through a fast-tracked online sys-

enable them to thrive in the future. I would encourage companies who believe they would benefit from this new flexibility to make an application in good time.

tem which will take just 15 minutes to complete.

We have outlined a business support package on an unprecedented scale, backing companies and their employees through these challenging times.

From 25 March 2020, businesses will be able to apply for a 3-month extension for filing their accounts.

CLH Digital

We recognise that these are uncertain times for businesses and that’s why we’re doing all we can to help. By easing the burden, we can help businesses through this period and

Head of Corporate Governance, Institute of Directors, Roger Barker said: These measures will be welcomed by directors impacted by COVID19. Our members will be pleased to see government taking proactive steps to support them through this difficult time. By easing the administrative burden that comes with running a business, the government is supporting businesses to focus on the fundamentals during this exceptional period. The government is also in close consultation with company representative bodies, legal practitioners and others, to look at solutions for the impact COVID-19 may have on companies’ ability to hold Annual General Meetings. Updated guidance on this matter will be published in due course.

Risk Of ‘Unseen’ Depression, Isolation And Loneliness Could Be CPL Learning Launches Free Planning More Dangerous For Hospitality Businesses Than Coronavirus Delivery and Takeaway E-Learning Course EP Business in Hospitality, is calling for all hospitality businesses to make contact as a community, talk and be there for each other during what are unprecedented times. This comes in line with concerns that although coronavirus is clearly dangerous for businesses, so to is the growing risk to mental health as vulnerable employers and workforces across the world of hospitality, face dark times ahead surrounding job security, financial stability and an increasingly uncertain future. EP believes the crisis is bad enough, but that its recent conversations with several senior and middle-level players has revealed many have already been asked to take unpaid holidays, 40%-50% pay cuts and some reportedly face being rendered inactive, so as to receive government support. However, one thing has become clear, people need to talk, for no other reason than to hear the voices of others in the same situation and to share perspectives, insight and worries. Chris Sheppardson, CEO at EP Business in Hospitality, believes the issue is much deeper, “Many are feeling lost, anxious and concerned right now. Talking helps people to

adapt their operations to meet this demand. Considerations and processes need to be put in place so that they don’t risk damaging their business reputation or more importantly, people’s health.” Commented Jamie Campbell, Chief Operating Officer, CPL Learning.

feel better, to reinforce the fact they are not alone and to help them develop that sense of community that we are all there for each other during difficult times. It is going to take the hospitality industry time to re-energise their businesses after the crisis is over and to rebuild a more positive cash flow. Over the coming months EP has pledged to give back and support those hospitality firms that just want to offload chat, because talking is the only way people can make any sense of what is going on around them. Sheppardson added, “Hospitality professionals are, by their very nature, people centric. They are naturally extrovert and they thrive on social interaction; take that away completely and they will struggle to get through this period. Arguably isolation will be hardest for this sector so it is vital they have a network of people they can call on, for nothing more than a simple chat.” Leading multiple campaigns aimed at building relationships and doing more for social good, EP’s passion has always been for people so offering support through conversation is a natural progression.

CPL Learning, the learning & development partner to the hospitality sector, will launch, on Thursday 26th March 2020, their Planning Delivery and Takeaway e-learning course. This free course has been produced in collaboration with experts David Edwards MCIEH, Angeline Wolfe Chartered MCIEH CEnvH and Karen Turton.

“Hospitality businesses providing these services will play a crucial role in helping feed the nation and support key workers. As a business, we are committed to supporting the sector through this time, and we will be continuing to provide resources and guidance.” Continues Campbell.

Developed for the hospitality industry, this course has been designed to support businesses in adapting their current pub, restaurant or café into a takeaway or delivery business.

This free course is available to all those working in hospitality via cpllearning.com website, or it can be allocated onto current client’s platforms quickly and with ease.

“Many operators, some of which takeaway and delivery services will be entirely new too, are having to quickly

Link to course: www.cpllearning.com/ online-courses/planning-delivery-takeaway/

Government 'Must Extend Loan Guarantee Scheme To New Lenders' The Association of Alternative Business Finance (AABF) is demanding that the Government extends availability of the new 80% Covid19 Government Guaranteed Loan Fund to all the new lenders rather than just the old high street bank, and a relatively small number of lenders already authorised under the existing Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, some of whom don’t even lend to businesses. Driving the call from the AABF, Chairman John Davies said, ‘I have written to the Chancellor, the Business Secretary and the Chief Executive of the

British Business Bank to draw to their attention that failure to extend the new Guaranteed Loan Scheme to the very lenders who have backed hundreds of thousands of businesses that the high street banks have rejected will result in the those businesses not now being supported with their urgent cashflow requirements, with the result that many will fail. Without access to the Guarantee Scheme, and access to the Liquidity Loan Scheme from Government the new alternative lenders will simply not have the ability to lend, and many may just have to exit the market. This will not only have a devastating effect on businesses but will also remove much needed competition in the banking sector. I cannot emphasise enough that the Chancellor must act now. A ‘review in due course’ is simply not an option.’

Many of the new lenders and online banks currently do not qualify for the Guaranteed Loan Scheme, yet are the banks and lenders of choice for an increasing number of businesses.

Hospitality Operators Asked to Check Stock Availability to Support the Health and Social Care Sector Whilst their own businesses are closed, hospitality operators are being asked to check if they have any stock that could be used in the health and social care sector, following an appeal to the Access Group. The technology provider works with customers in both hospitality and health and social care and realised that one division might support the other when it started to receive details of shortages in the care sector. “The hospitality industry has been decimated by the impact of Covid-19” commented Henry Seddon, MD of Access Hospitality “yet time and time again, operators and their staff have risen to the challenges they face and rallied to support their customers and the community around them.

alleviate the pressure, the Access Group would be happy to coordinate getting them to those in greatest need.”

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CLH Digital

Perfect for pubs looking to sell their draught beer to customers before it spoils and great for offering a refill service! The 32oz (1.75 Pints) Amber Growler with Screw Top are now selling at £6.66 each in packs of 12 - OR with a 50% discount to beer trade for pallets of 384!

The 64oz (3.5 Pints) Clear Growler with Screw Top are now selling at £7.80 each in packs of 6 with a 50% discount to beer trade for pallets of 192!

Although it is a hugely difficult time for everyone within hospitality, customers of Access Hospitality have already indicated their willingness to help and a process has been established to share the requirements and availability more widely. “This is another great example of how hospitality operators are so often at the heart of the community” concluded Henry ”and, as they move into unknown territory for their own businesses, continue to support those in need around them.” Anyone who can provide much-needed stock for the care sector, or wants to find out more, is asked to contact hospitality@theaccessgroup.com.

“We’re asking even more of them as we try to provide practical support through our health and social care division to help source essential supplies that are in short supply. Customers working with the vulnerable in care have identified that lack of availability of basic household items including hand sanitiser, liquid soap and disposable gloves as well as disposable aprons, and face masks is affecting their ability to provide their usual level of service. If any hospitality venue is closed but has even a limited stock of any of these items in store that could help

Thieves Targeting Closed Pubs and Restaurants For Alcohol And Cash Reports of closed premises in Bolton being targeted this week by callous thieves is a warning for all pubs, restaurants and shops to reinforce their defences during the Coronavirus lockdown. The Bank, a pub in Westhoughton near Bolton put out a stark warning on its Facebook group on Monday saying they’d be broken into and so had 4 surrounding premises. Thieves were after alcohol and cash from charity collection boxes. “Because all premises are closed and empty, it’s easy pickings for those looking to profit from this time of hardship. Our advice is clear – reinforce all security measures before you are targeted!”, says Jonathan Ratcliffe from security company CCTV.co.uk. The lock down came suddenly on Friday night and so those who haven’t properly secured their premises are at risk from break ins and theft during the whole crisis. Many pubs and restaurants closed quickly on Friday. The combination of a very stressful situation and

financial worries, security might have been overlooked. You may want to consider these steps to protect your premises: • Reinforce hard deterrents such as considering boarding up back doors, cellar entrances and weak points • All alcohol should be taken out of view, perhaps into the cellar or off site • Remove all charity cash boxes • Leave tills empty and open • Check alarms and CCTV are working • Draw curtains and secure inner doors • Add signage to windows to say you have removed all alcohol, food and cash from the premises “It’s terrible we are having to issue this advice, but we are sadly seeing pilfering already across the country. We aren’t seeing shortage too badly yet, but I’m personally worried that if we do premises will be targeted for food and alcohol – so the time is now to go into lockdown mode!”, concludes Jonathan Ratcliffe from CCTV.co.uk

www.hsfrenchflint.co.uk/special-offers

HS French Flint Ltd. based in London and Lincolnshire but supplying all over the U.K and abroad, still have good stock of Growlers to support Pubs, Hotels, and Farm Shops with their carry-home sales of Beer, Cider, Wines and Oils. As part of the supply chain to the food industry we remain open and able to ship our full range of Glass and Plastic Bottles, Jars, Caps Closures and Pumps.

Our showrooms have had to close but you can call us on 020 7237 1750 or visit our website at www.hsfrenchflint.co.uk

The pubs are closed, but don't let the beer go off! HS French Flint LTD The Gallery, Springalls Wharf 25a Bermondsey Wall West London, London SE16 4TH United Kingdom

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Hospitality Tips For Managing Current Trade And Preparing To Bounce Back In The Future As hospitality operators continue to look for solutions to manage and protect their business through the downturn caused by the impact of Covid-19, Katy Hamilton of Access Hospitality offers some practical advice on managing current trade and using time and technology to plan for an uncertain future. First and foremost, though, operators should follow advice from the Government and the NHS to protect the health, safety and welfare of staff and customers and obtain the latest information on financial and other support. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Where businesses can remain open, for example those that have a strong delivery trade, make sure that staff are aware of shift availability and keep things as flexible as possible. Remember that their cashflow will be impacted when shifts reduce, so use appropriate variable, but compliant, methods to pay staff after shifts have been completed rather than necessarily having to wait until the end of week or month payroll Simplify your menu – either now, or when you reopen – to reduce the number of dishes available, minimise stock holding and cut costs. There is comprehensive F&B technology available, which can be used to quickly implement revised menu planning, costing, ordering of ingredients and allergen information to offer a more practical offer. Same great quality, just a reduced choice, will help your cashflow and will be welcomed by customers if it means you can keep the operation open Be flexible in response to customer’s reluctance to come out and mix in large groups. Can you offer online ordering for takeaway, for example, or offer a delivery service – particularly for those who may be self-isolating or reducing social interaction? If you have a private dining room, make sure that everyone knows about it as there will still be people who want to mix with friends in as controlled an environment as possible, whilst they’re still able to do so, and the privacy of private dining may give them the reassurance they need to go ahead If you run a community venue, think about your neighbourhood – we know that hospitality venues are at the heart of so many communities, so consider if there is anything you can do on a wider scale. Keep in touch with your regulars, particularly the more mature amongst them, and maybe make your site a coordinating point for providing support to those most in need. If you’ve got fresh produce that will go out of date during closure think about the option to donate this to those in need either at your site or deliver to a food bank to help the wider community Healthcare professionals and other essential workers are going to be at the forefront of the battle against Covid-

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19 and people are already looking for ways to thank them for the hard work they know they’re going to be facing. Could you run a ‘pay it forward’ scheme where members of the public are able to pay for one of these employees to have a meal in your venue when the outbreak passes to alleviate some of the pressure they’re under and to say thank you? 6. Whilst it’s quiet – which it undoubtedly is – start planning your comeback. If you already have a loyalty programme, put some simple actions together to appeal to your existing customer base, or maybe incentives for people who haven’t discovered your business yet. And if you don’t have a loyalty programme in place, now’s the time to change that! Some businesses have started to offer vouchers, with customers paying now, helping cashflow, but not taking the service until business resumes a more regular routine 7. If you do have to close for a time, which is now almost a certainty, don’t just put the shutters up and hope for the best. Be proactive and complete some of those tasks you’ve been meaning to do for a while but have been putting off. Property maintenance is an obvious opportunity and if staff are being paid, but you are unable to open, channel the resource into other reasonable tasks where possible. Maybe checking the fire equipment, sprucing up the décor or running other equipment checks. Where a technology solution is available, use it to review what regulatory inspections are due soon and ensure that all online paperwork is in order 8. Updating staff records and training programmes is another positive option. Use your tech to assess what training is already available, which members of staff are due for a review and look for trends and improvement opportunities that could help your employee experience and your business 9. Keep in touch with your customer database or social media followers so they know you’re thinking about them and your business is top of mind when things return to some kind of normal. Focus on positives and keep upbeat, without being flippant, and encourage interaction. Maybe swap creative menu ideas that people have discovered whilst they’re in isolation, their wish list of pizza toppings or any new drinks that they’ve tried and would like to see available next time they visit your business. Everyone is going to need remote human interaction and you have the chance to conduct some informative customer research to help shape your future business plans at the same time 10. It's understandable you are going to focus on cutting expenditure and making savings where possible, but as Peter Martin (founder Atlantic club) suggests “Coming out the other side fitter and leaner is a good objective…. Continuing to invest in people and their development, in smarter tech, in clever design and in quality data and insight (not least to monitor progress through these tricky times) will pay off down the line”. A lot of hospitality technology is designed to reduce food costs, repairs expenditure, optimise labour costs and increase revenue from getting better booking conversions and driving more footfall. These technologies will be critical when we “come out the other side” of the Coronavirus, and using the downtime now should put you in a better position to recoup profits when life returns to some sense of normality Many of these options are available to everyone, but some may be enhanced by using technology so have a chat to us about how we can help with your business continuity and post Coronavirus plans of attack please get in touch on 0845 345 3300 or hospitality@theaccessgroup.com

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Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I Launches Programme to Support On-Trade During Covid-19 Closures Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, a proud part of AB InBev, has launched Save Pub Life, a new programme to help communities support their local pub during the Covid-19 closures,

are a beloved part of our national culture and sit at the heart of our local communities. Yet, along with many businesses, the pub industry is facing an incredibly difficult period. Although it’s absolutely the right thing to do at this time, closing doors to consumers for weeks or months will see many pubs struggle to survive, risking lasting damage to the industry and those who work within it.

Last Friday, the almost 40,000[1] pubs and bars operating in the UK closed their doors as part of the measures announced to contain the spread of Covid-19. The industry is facing uncertainty during this period, and some establishments risk permanent closure.

“We know that Brits are passionate about pubs, so we have launched our Save Pub Life programme to help them support their local during this time. As a champion of Britain’s iconic beer culture, Budweiser Brewing Group is proud to match the funds for the pub, providing an even greater level of support for the trade. We hope that pubs and pubgoers throughout the country get involved to help secure the future of the industry.”

In response, Budweiser Brewing Group has launched Save Pub Life to help shore up the future of the sector and to provide an easy way for pubgoers to support their locals. The programme is open to pubs, bars and restaurants throughout England, Wales and Scotland, who can sign up to the scheme by visiting SavePubLife.com. The programme encourages pubgoers to buy a gift card, which they can spend at their local pub once it reopens. Budweiser Brewing Group will match the value of the gift card up to a combined total of £1 million, and the full matched amount will go directly to businesses within two weeks, when they need it most.

Lee Kelly, Director at Upton Tavern in Widnes, Liverpool says: “The coming months will be challenging for us, and for pub and bar owners all over the country. We welcome the Save Pub Life initiative, which gives our regulars the chance to lend a helping hand during this uncertain time, and Budweiser Brewing Group’s pledge to match contributions.”

To help businesses communicate with their supporters, Budweiser Brewing Group will be providing marketing materials and social media templates. And for those venues that are not yet signed up, the website will have an option allowing people to email their favourite pub to suggest they join.

“We are all unsure what the future holds, but immediate support like this is a breath of fresh air, and will be a huge help to operators like myself once we can re-open our businesses.”

Emergency Fund Launched to Assist Hospitality Workers Pubs can sign up to the scheme by visiting SavePubLife.com

Paula Lindenberg, President of Budweiser Brewing Group says: “Pubs

An emergency fund entitled “ Hospitality Workers Emergency Fund” has been launched by Hospitality Action and Tipjar to help to support those working in the industry who will lose their zero-hour contracts as a result of the Corvid-19 crisis. Hospitality Action, which supports hospitality staff including chefs, waiters, sommeliers and bartenders, has launched an appeal after the “unprecedented crisis” that is the coronavirus outbreak “puts many thousands of

livelihoods at immediate risk”. The announcement of the closure of Pubs, bars and restaurants until further notice many worker’s employed on zero hour contracts find themselves in limbo. The fund allows people to donate directly to hospitality workers in their local city, with 100% of donations going directly to Hospitality Action to distribute. In a statement the Charity said: “We urgently need to build a significant fund to enable us to make a one-off award to eligible workers suddenly facing hardship. “To be effective in meeting the anticipated demand we need to secure funds before we can open the scheme for grant applicants so

we urgently need the industry to mobilise. We won’t be able to help everybody who applies, but with your support we will reach as many people as the fund allows. “Please give whatever you can today and leave a note in description that it is for the Covid-19 Hospitality fund.” People can also request their own town to have their own page, or request a donation page to be set up for their specific business, resulting in proceeds donated to the staff there directly. Donate, download a fundraising pack or apply for a grant at: wearetipjar.com/emergency-fund Or donate via Hospitality Action here: hospitalityaction.org.uk/donate

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Top Brands Predict Acceleration Ahead Colman’s: The Classic Condiment That Always Cuts The Mustard for the Low/No Alcohol Category As with any changing consumer demand, there are real benefits for operators who get it right and offering inclusivity for all kinds of drinker is important. “There’s an opportunity to trade up from sugary, calorific soft drinks and generate incremental revenue” said James Pattison, Marketing Manager of Stryyk. “Given the market trend for healthy choice, getting your offer right can put more money in the till, with 33% of consumers happy to pay £6 for a quality non-alcoholic drink.” The three brands are amongst the seventy plus exhibiting at the Low 2 No Bev Show at The Old Truman Brewery in London on 17th and 18th June which has been developed to provide a wider understanding of the emerging category for the licensed retail, hospitality, convenience and out of home sectors in on and off trade. Some of hospitality’s top drinks brands are predicting an exciting year of acceleration for the emerging low/no alcohol drinks category that will continue to build momentum for the rest of the year. Whilst the facts around changing drinking behaviours have been widely available for some time, there has been a noticeable sea change in opinion, with more on trade operators beginning to realise the potential of stocking a range of alcohol free and low alcohol products. Kamila Sitwell, Founder of Kolibri Drinks commented “The ontrade now acknowledges that there is a need to cater for those who are not drinking, or are drinking less, and, whilst some believe that a handful of mocktails on their menus might be the solution, most are realising that the emerging category needs a range of solutions for all types of occasions and they must be as exciting as their choice of alcoholic beverages.” Mathilde Boulachin, CEO & Owner of Pierre Chavin added “You just have to look at consumer interest to know that things are starting to change. According to google trends, for example, online searches for the phrase “non-alcoholic” is up 81% across global searches over the past year.” “This is an entirely new revenue stream for outlets which won’t cannibalise their alcoholic drinks offer. It enables teetotal consumers to switch from water or soft drinks to a more sophisticated adult drink and alcohol-free wines offer a very interesting alternative to accompany gourmet meals.”

“Trialling is key” confirmed James Pattison, “but any brand can trial, so we have developed a revolutionary menu hack for our products to work in conjunction with any level of operator and actually save menu space. By placing a S asterisk next to any vodka, gin or rum cocktail and swapping out the alcoholic spirit for a delicious Stryyk alternative, the operator can extend their alcoholic and nonalcoholic offerings at the same time.” Outlining plans for Pierre Chavin, Mathilde Boulachin added “we are planning a lot of activation in 2020 to stimulate our brands, including the launch of new formats and new grape varietals to develop our core range of drinks. We will also help people discover our beverages though events and festivals and will be inspiring new drinking occasions through the launch of mocktails.” A key theme for all the brands is training and tasting, encouraging front of house staff to demonstrate their expertise across the entire range of drinks stocked, including low and no alcohol. Operators will be encouraged to treat the category with the same importance as alcohol by respecting the margins, ensuring the quality of serve and training staff to upsell these drinks, and drink familiarity is expected to be of the utmost importance for widening the consumer base within this category. If a consumer already knows and loves a mojito – one of the most popular cocktails in the world – they’ll be far more likely to purchase an alcohol free version than anything unique. Whilst trialling is seen as key to the continued development of the low and no alcohol drink category, innovation will remain at the forefront of accelerating and nurturing interest.

Colman’s is the nation’s favourite mustard(1) and has been a firm staple with the much-loved roast for many years. But what makes this British brand great is the story behind the locally sourced ingredients which give it it’s bold, distinctive flavour… Whether it’s Salt Marsh Lamb, Dexter Beef or locally sourced Beetroot we know that chefs are passionate about the heart of the dish. But it’s also important to ensure that these delicious dishes are complimented with great-tasting, quality condiments.

Colman’s perfected its signature English mustard way back in 1814 and today, its distinctive flavour is seen as a British staple – in fact 72% of guests agree that Colman’s is the original taste of mustard (2). Founder Jeremiah Colman was something of a perfectionist, grinding the mustard seeds not once, but twice, to turn them into a pungent, double superfine mustard powder - which is still a key ingredient in Colman’s English Mustard today. However, Colman’s love for bold flavour extends beyond mustard - they have mint, horseradish, tartare and seafood sauce which are all made with British ingredients. They believe local sourcing is key in achieving knock-out taste. That’s why they have partnered with the National Farmers Union and Red Tractor in support of the ‘Back British Farming’ campaign, which encourages consumers and operators to support the highest animal welfare standards, sustainable farming and great-tasting British-raised meat. Although carefully roasted meat and flavoursome condiments are a favourite British pairing, condiments are wonderfully versatile – they can bring a kick to marinade, add glaze to pastry, enhance vegan & vegetarian dishes, and much, much more. So, there you have it - As the nation’s favourite (1), Colman’s is an essential in any outlet, especially if roasts are on the menu! Whether in a pot or stirred into exciting new recipes, it is a key part of the celebrations this Easter. See the advert on page 6 for further information. (1) UK Nielsen Retail Grocery Value Sales MAT 02.11.19 (excluding brown sauce) (2) Consumer Online Survey, n=1,000 (UK=800 / Ire=200), Cambridge Direction Q2 2018.

Tel: 01329 285518 www.microsave.co.uk

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CLH Digital

Hotel Revenue Management: Is There a Breakthrough on the Horizon? Reflections on the recent Phocuswright study and the challenging yet dynamic landscape of revenue management solutions

by Vivek Bhogaraju, Director, Revenue Management Platform Solutions at Expedia Group In the digital age, where innovation happens at lightning speed, it’s hard to believe that only about 15% of lodging properties globally leverage revenue management (RM) technology even though hotel revenue management practices and technology have been around for more than 30 years. Using this baffling industry statistic as a motivation, we commissioned Phocuswright to conduct a global study on the state of hotel revenue management from the perspective of the rev-

event space is required too; or if loyalty program status of guests is relevant to the process. And, that’s not even the end of it. The rise of short-term vacation rentals and alternative accommodation (which is not ‘alternative’ anymore!) has added a new complexity that forces revenue managers to rethink their pricing and forecasting decisions. As the research study found, often revenue managers are asking themselves, “In this fluid market, how do we determine where our property fits? What’s the competitive set?”

THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE 1. Less RM technology, more RM capabilities There was a consensus among research participants that industry action is needed to create information standards and open architectures to support RM tech adoption. Revenue managers are looking to have a truly integrated, cloud-based RM technology, or an insights solution that is capable of integrating data from the universe of hotel systems, validating data and sharing actionable recommendations.

Information overload, disparate hospitality systems, and the increasing complexity of online distribution: I know, it’s not getting easy any time soon

However, only a handful of properties relying on RM technology is not the way for moving the industry forward. We need to see RM capabilities separate from RM technology solutions, so there is widespread adoption of data-driven pricing and forecasting decisions. Unfortunately, traditional RM technology solutions mean hurdles such as cost, complexity and the need for a RM specialist to manage the solution. We know that this does not work for the vast majority of lodging properties.

The prevalence of the internet, online travel agents and travel aggregators and the resulting price transparency has made it almost impossible for revenue managers to do what they used to be good at – managing room inventory and making pricing decisions in a timely fashion to drive revenue performance.

What if we were to remove these hurdles and enable every hotel, irrespective of their size or geo-location to make better pricing and forecasting decisions every single day? Not only would we make our respective markets perform better, but as an industry, we would be better served with rational, consistent and timely decisions.

enue manager - and the results are telling.

THE CHALLENGES OF TODAY

Inundated with the sheer volume of data from various distribution channels, revenue managers have to spend 50% of their time collating information, leaving limited time to analyze and execute decisions that ultimately make a well-reasoned RM strategy stand out from the rest. Larger properties and chain properties are also not immune. The study found that although most large chain properties and management companies have access to revenue management technology, many propertylevel revenue managers override system recommendations either because of local knowledge or “lack of faith in the recommendations” made by their brand-prescribed RM solution. Many revenue managers believe that “other important information is lacking”. For example, type of booking – whether it’s room only or

2. Travel intermediaries to step up, filling the information gap As consumers’ path to purchase has shifted online , travel intermediaries are being increasingly called upon to provide more information, such as destination demand data, traveler purchase insights, that is simply not available elsewhere. Indeed, if you look at how hotel revenue management works in the current environment, it tends to focus more on demand for rooms and event space at property-level. With the evolving distribution landscape, travel intermediaries can unlock valuable insights such as destination demand data, price-response attributes, conversion rates and real-time competitive set data. Closer to home, at Expedia Group, we see over 3 billion search com-

binations for our travelers every day; 20,000 lodging price and availability changes every second and over 2 billion exchanges of data between lodging partners on our platform on a daily basis. Our lodging partners tell us that when they incorporate Expedia Group demand insights into their revenue management decision-making, they can preempt where the market is going. In the study, one senior level chain RM executive also noted, “With improved destination demand info, there’s a possibility to reduce forecast error from 10% to 2%.” 3. Prescriptive Storytelling: Human and AI are joining forces The real breakthrough of RM technology lies in the machine learning capability of aggregating and analysing data, making clear and prescriptive recommendations, while still enabling users to understand the outcomes of their actions. Simply put, revenue managers yearn for receiving recommendations in a simple storytelling format. In this AI-driven world, where RM technology is racing to harness the data and build on its strengths, let’s not forget that ultimately it will be up to humans to act on that data. A future when people and machines truly unlock revenue growth opportunities is what we should all aspire to as an outcome. Wouldn’t it be great if RM technology speaks your language? Wouldn’t it be valuable if RM capabilities could simulate what would occur if particular actions were taken; what would happen if those actions were not taken?

CALL FOR INDUSTRY COLLABORATION Mark Twain once said: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” With new opportunities on the horizon in the competitive landscape, it’s high time for the best minds in the industry to come together and start building a new and collaborative platform for hotel revenue management practice. At Expedia Group, we are committed to democratising access to RM technology and help our lodging partners drive revenue performance. However, we cannot do this alone. I would personally like to hear from you if there are opportunities for our teams to collaborate on adoption of revenue management practices for all lodging properties – no matter the location or size. I’m convinced that together, as an industry, we can make this happen. Let’s go! Download the Phocuswright report here to learn more: www.joineg.com/RMwhitepaperEG2019

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Chancellor Confirms That March Beer Duty Payment Will Not Be Cancelled Chancellor Rishi Sunak has refused to cancel monthly beer duty payments, prompting warnings that thousands of jobs are at risk, a decision described by The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA)as ‘incredibly disappointing’ and a ‘huge blow for the UK’s small independent brewers. Brewers have been calling on the Chancellor to unilaterally cancel the payment, due to be debited from bank accounts in the face of decimated sales following social distancing measures including pub, bar and restaurant closures, and as of lastnight the closing of takeaway sales for beer businesses. James Calder, SIBA Chief Executive said in response to this news: “SIBA has been calling for the cancellation of Beer Duty for over a week and it is incredibly disappointing that the Chancellor has decided not to act, given he knows how poor the answer rate and experience on the helpline is. The Chancellor has left brewers with few options if they are unsuccessful in reaching the helpline. There will be brewers tomorrow who will have thousands of pounds direct debited from their accounts by HMRC. This is a huge blow for the UK’s small independent brewers.” In lieu of beer duty being cancelled brewers are being encouraged to phone the HMRC time to pay helpline, which HMRC say is now fully staffed, with options to speak specifically about excise duty, however a poll of small brewers by SIBA showed that only 21%* have been able to successfully reach the helpline. SIBA say the average small brewer will be landed with a beer duty bill of around £5,000, but for larger independent breweries in the UK it could be as much as £500,000. CAMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said: “CAMRA is disappointed to hear that the Chancellor has decided not to cancel beer duty in light of the current COVID situation. “This could have meant the difference between many hundreds of independent breweries standing a chance of surviving this crisis, or closing their operations permanently and never reopening. “Many brewers were already faced with the difficult challenge of trying to continue to run their businesses and retain staff, in order to allow customers across the country enjoy great beer – one of the small pleasures still available to people. “The postponement or cancellation of beer duty could have helped keep some of these small independent businesses open and trading online, rather than see thousands of pounds sent to HMRC.” Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “We urged the Chancellor to cancel the imminent Beer Duty bill, to allow businesses to use funds to invest in their survival. The decision not to act on duty is extremely disappointing. Make no mistake, this is a huge blow to Britain’s world class brewing industry that has been devastated in the last week. “Cancelling the duty payment due on March 25th would have freed up cash for many hard-squeezed pub and brewing businesses, helping them get through this difficult period whilst saving jobs. “Brewers are being encouraged to phone the HMRC’s helpline if they have concerns over paying their duty bill, but with answer rates on the helpline so low, it is a lottery as to those who get through and receive the additional support they need at this time.”

Businesses Need Funds NOW To Survive, Says Meetings Industry Association The Meetings Industry Association (mia) has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson demanding businesses get immediate access to funds to avoid a staffing and economic crisis across the sector. Despite the Government announcement that it will extend its support to all businesses through short-term rate relief and loans, not just those with rateable values of less than £51,000, the mia says the help offered simply isn’t enough. A survey of representatives of the mia’s 800+ members and the wider meetings and events industry showed that 85% don’t believe the Government’s current support package will enable them to survive. Over the last few days meetings and events venues have been forced into making crisis and damaging decisions after clients cancelled meetings, leaving many venues empty for the next three months. The outcome is having a devastating impact on the industry’s workforce, with up to 56% of it expected to be affected according to the mia’s survey.

To help salvage the industry, which is worth £70bn to the UK economy – of which business meetings and events forms a substantial part – the mia is asking the Government to provide a grant scheme for businesses of all sizes; a defer scheme for VAT and clarity around the measures. Jane Longhurst, chief executive of the Meetings Industry Association, said: “Businesses in the meetings and events industry have been hit so hard by the Government’s guidance. Our survey has revealed nearly two-thirds of respondents have seen more than 50% of events scheduled to take place in the next three months cancelled. Therefore, many simply cannot ride out the next three months without help and possibly for some not even the next few weeks. “The industry’s focus for some years has been on the retention of a talented workforce to provide the highest standards and profitable service to the events world. We need huge incentives to keep these people in the workforce and out of the benefit system to ensure the sector is able to re-build. “But the help needs to come now, we cannot wait.”

HMRC Waives UK Duty On Hand Sanitiser Production After Distiller and MP Lobby Treasury Gin distiller Harrogate Tipple, which recently announced that it would be switching production from gin to hand sanitiser, has been supported by Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, and, together, they have successfully lobbied the Treasury to remove duty from alcohol used in the production of hand sanitiser across the UK. Harrogate Tipple, the distiller of Harrogate Gin and Rum along with the Downton Abbey gin and whisky range, is planning to produce a not-for-profit alcohol-based hand sanitiser for the care sector in response to the growing need due to the spread of coronavirus. With duty due on a 25 litre bottle of alcohol currently £25, the waiving of the tax will make the products dramatically cheaper to produce. “With organisations such as care homes, GP practices and dental practices all struggling to source much-needed hand sanitiser, we realised that we could help by quickly switching production,” explains Steven Green, co-founder of Harrogate Tipple. “Working with my fantastic production manager, Andrea Natiello, we consulted World Health Organisation guidelines and last week successfully produced our first batch of 500 bottles of 70% alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Fortunately, hearing of the problem, Andrew Jones MP got in touch and has been in discussions with HMRC which has now agreed to waive the duty, enabling us to make the product at a realistic cost.” Harrogate Tipple is currently producing four different bottle sizes from 250ml to 5l. Co-founder Sally Green adds: “We’ve now been inundated with orders from all sorts of businesses – for example, Ripon police station as well as the Royal Mail in Harrogate which will be delivering medicines. We’ve already started production and our plan is to make as much sanitiser as we can – we’ve ordered more alcohol and other ingredients and believe we have the capacity to produce thousands of bottles a day. “We are struggling to source enough plastic bottles of all sizes, so if any businesses have large quantities they can donate, we would really appreciate it.”

“Our plan is to supply the hand sanitiser at cost, with no profit margin, to the care sector, charities and other businesses providing vital public services. However, as a distillery, HMRC told us we would still be liable to pay duty on the alcohol used in the hand sanitiser.

Andrew Jones MP, added: “Yorkshire is renowned for its innovation and sense of community – this is a great idea from Steve of how we can contribute to the health emergency. I am proud to be supporting the initiative. In fact, I believe that my approach to the Treasury on behalf of Steve and Harrogate Tipple was the first such approach made to the Treasury in the entire country about this issue but now the idea is being rolled out nationally. This initiative and the tax relief making it happen are a locally distilled solution to a national problem.”

Lamb Weston Launches ‘The DUKES, A Proper British Chip That is a Cut Above the Average! It’s the moment the entire country has been waiting for – discerning citizens rise up and prepare to rejoice in this great British occasion as Lamb Weston launches ‘The DUKES’, elegantly exciting, perfect pub chips – with chips this good, one can see why the British started queuing! Allow us to introduce to you The Dukes of Chippingdom – Proper British Chips. Distinctively natural, gloriously golden, royally rustic, thick-cut chips – made from 100% British potatoes - The Dukes are more British than a British bulldog in a union jack waistcoat, spiffing! We all know that everyone loves chips, and none more than pub goers; more than half (56.2%) of pub dinner occasions include chips, fries or wedges as a side, and chunky, thick-cut chips are the most ordered potato product in pubs*.

In a recent consumer test^ almost 40% declared their love of chips as a side, more than 60% said they prefer skinon in a pub, and a whopping 72% said they are willing to pay a bit more in a pub for a British sourced product. The most important attributes of a chip were cited as having a crispy outside, being thick cut with a fluffy inside and a having a hand-cut appearance. Enter, The DUKES! Brought to you by innovative global leader, Lamb Weston, The DUKES are super tasty, irregularly thick cut to appear homemade and distinctive in character. With gloriously golden edges, and a richly rewarding taste, Dukes will grace every plate with a guarantee of quality that’s as firm as a gentleman’s handshake. These little beauties have been irregularly cut, with feathered, golden edges. They are beautifully crispy on the outside – even though they’re non-coated – fluffy on the inside, are available with skin-off and skin-on, and they’re ready to make their grand entrance, gracing pub plates across the land.

they have already earned their place in the Craft Guild of Chefs highly esteemed Product Endorsement gallery, with an above average rating, they are Red Tractor certified and gluten free. These are like no ordinary chips; they are the ultimate quintessentially British menu item with a proud and distinguished British heritage. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Chippingdom’s finest creation are proper pub chips, cut from British potatoes. Step aside, pretenders to the throne, make way for the Proper British Chip. The DUKES are remarkably reliable, fabulously fry-able, marvellously moreish and British, through and through. Characterful in their cut, they’re fluffy and light, yet as reliable as a gentleman’s character and as crisp as his tailoring. For innovative ideas, recipes and potato inspiration, head over to www.lambweston.eu/uk , call 0800 963962 or email us at salesUK@lambweston.eu or see the advert on the facing page. * LW research 2019 & MCA Eating Out Panel 2018

So come on, let’s make this chip nation proud! Be ^ Consumer survey, 9th September 2019, London. 42kg of chips samupstanding and make some noise for The DUKES! So far, pled with 310 consumers

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The Psychology Of Restaurant Menus: Engineering Caterbook In Part 1 of our look at the psychology of restaurant menus, we examined how consumers react to design and what operators can do to ensure maximum impact for their offer. In this second part of the series, we’re looking at menu engineering. Revenue Management Solutions VP Dora Furman presents the latest thinking on categorisation strategy and targeting for optimal profitability. There is a lot to be said for the theory of “keeping it simple”. A clear, undaunting menu makes for a more pleasant dining experience for consumers and will encourage a relaxed atmosphere and potentially longer dwell-time. However, each visit must be profitable for the operator so the menu needs to work for them too. The layout of the menu needs to guide decision-making and pricing should work for the target audience, so what’s the best way to ensure consumers are directed to a dish they will love while driving profit for the business?

LAYOUT When constructing the menu, operators should consider whether the consumer comes with preconceptions about their experience or their needs from that visit: for example, did I come here for dinner or for a burger? Operators should consider how easily the structure and layout of the menu guide that consumer through the decision-making process. Are burgers organised in one section of the menu, dispersed among 20 different main plates, or located within multiple sections of the menu? Effective menu category headers help guide the customer in their decision. The categories should fit and highlight what the restaurant is trying to achieve as a brand or how customers already view the concept, for example: “We are known for burgers and people come here for burgers.” In this case, creating a section that highlights the burgers will help expedite the decision-making process. Sections should also be easily digestible for the customer. Operators sometimes worry that the “golden number” of items in a menu category (starters, mains, desserts) is seven, as the belief is that more will overwhelm customers. However, while some research points to seven, it’s very limited in scope, and there are reports of success with other numbers. Initial success is based on the organisation of the menu, and ensuring the sections are logical and relatable to the overall dining experience. Taking our burger example, if customers come to the restaurant for burgers, having a section that closely follows with sandwiches may be the logical next step in persuading them to try something else that may be more profitable to the restaurant. A sudden introduction of a main dish category with prices double that of the burgers may put the customer off and not nudge the customer into the more profitable purchase decision. Besides the organisation of categories, the order in which items are listed within a category is also important. Some believe including an expensive item near the top of a menu makes everything else seem reasonably priced, however I’d advise leading with a midpriced item, reflective of the general pricing, to limit “sticker shock” (dismay at a price) and any resulting change to buying behaviour. So where does that leave us on item positioning? There is a lot of research on place-

ment within a menu, much of it offering conflicting advice. Truly understanding the brand and how people navigate its menu involves additional testing. In our practice, we have found menu placement and additional items receive attention using heightened descriptions, selective photography or other visual cues, which can lead to favourable menu use and increased orders of items to drive spend. Boxing an item will naturally draw attention to it. However, the item description and cost will still influence the decision. Operators must ensure boxed items are appealing and appropriately priced. More importantly, the item needs to deliver on quality and value, and be an item that the operator is proud of. This is a marketing opportunity to win over that customer and ensure they come back regularly. Don’t disappoint. Operators should use item descriptions as a real chance to showcase the menu and the skill of their chefs. More detailed descriptions may provide the sense of greater volume but more importantly, they provide an opportunity to communicate more unique ingredients as well as time or care (think hand-made, locally grown, etc.). This language helps create a vision of a dish that may otherwise be difficult to conjure in establishments where photography is not part of the menu.

PRICING To encourage customers to spend more, some maintain price tags should be as inconspicuous as possible – even going so far as removing pound-signs because it reminds customers they’re spending money. However, let’s be realistic: there are limited opportunities to hide price-tags without aggravating the consumer. Examples where it can work include extremely high-end restaurants or on a wine list. Most consumers take price into consideration and making it inconspicuous may arouse suspicion and mistrust. A Cornell University study found that written-out prices, such as “thirteen pounds” and using £6.95 instead of £7, also encourage customers to spend more. Written prices may encourage higher spend as it’s harder to compare prices across the menu and the decision may therefore hinge more on description. In most languages, people read left to right, so research suggests the customer will see a price-point of 6.95 as a 6-pound item. A 6-pound dish may be acceptable while a 7-pound item may not. Leveraging a .95 or .99 ending allows a restaurant operator to approach a higher price-point without negatively impacting the customer’s purchase decision. In summary, when it comes to engineering a menu for success, the following should be given top billing: • • • • • •

Sensible sections Logical item grouping Item order within each section Visual vs written description Menu highlights Pricing display Using this advice, operators should be able to design a menu that is engineered for success, ensuring customers enjoy choosing their meals and information is correct and attractively displayed. But keep in mind, product quality and service are ultimately what customers will remember and why they will keep coming back for long-term success. For further information about Revenue Management Solutions (RMS), visit www.revenuemanage.com or call 020 3755 0960

A Software Solution for the 2020s This Spring - Hotels, B&B’s and pubs like yours are migrating to Caterbook - a modern, cloud-based hotel software solution for the 2020’s. • Batch create, print and email invoices in a single click. • Post food & drink items from your EPOS to the room bill for settlement on checkout. • Use yield management to automate pricing changes based on availability. • Create and schedule custom guest email and SMS messages. • Role based access control restricts staff privileges to features based on their needs. • Responsive, customisable booking engine embeds on your own website. • Configure and assign unique per-rate deposit and cancellation policies. • Housekeeping report shows cleaning type, linen and towels required each day. • Industry standard reporting metrics of RevPAR, ADR etc. • Take payments in real time using our built in PCI compliant payment gateway. • Channel Manager links to booking.com and Expedia. Call 01840 298298 or visit www.caterbook.com and sign up for a free 14 day trial account.

Extra Protection For Businesses With Ban On Evictions For Commercial Tenants Who Miss Rent Payments Issue 1

Commercial tenants who cannot pay their rent because of coronavirus will be protected from eviction, the government has announced. Many landlords and tenants are already having conversations and reaching voluntary arrangements about rental payments due shortly but the Government recognises businesses struggling with their cashflow due to coronavirus remain worried about eviction. These measures, included in the emergency Coronavirus Bill currently going through Parliament, will mean no business will be forced out of their premises if they miss a payment in the next three months.

Communities Secretary, Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP, said: "We are protecting both people and their businesses by providing the urgent support they need. We know many commercial landlords are already setting a great example by working closely with tenants and offering rent deferrals or holidays. "However, these new measures will provide reassurance to businesses struggling with cashflows and ensure no commercial tenant is evicted if they cannot pay their rent because of coronavirus over the next three months."

This builds on the unprecedented package of support announced for businesses who are affected by coronavirus.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak MP, said: "We are taking unprecedented action and doing so at unprecedented speed, because we know that businesses and their employees need help now.

As commercial tenants will still be liable for the rent after this period, the Government is also actively monitoring the impact on commercial landlords’ cash flow and continues to be in dialogue with them.

"That is why we are taking steps to change the law so that no company can be forced out of its premises due to loss of income. Alongside our support for workers and £330 billion of business loans and guaran-

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tees, this will help make a real difference to firms across the country trying to protect jobs”

UKH WELCOMES BREATHING ROOM FOR COMMERCIAL TENANTS Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality said: “With the next pending rent day falling this Wednesday, this move by the Government is hugely welcome and will help to protect jobs across the sector. The industry has been pressing ministers for several days to act on this crucial issue, and we are thankful they have responded positively to our concerns. “While this removes the immediate cashflow pressure of quarter rent day, the Government has made clear that the negotiation is now with lessee and landlord to reach a solution on payment. Hospitality businesses want to work with landlords constructively during this crisis to find solutions and the hope now is that they enter into meaningful discussions on the optimum way forward.”

Country Consumes Curry For Comfort During Coronavirus Crackdown Orders of Indian takeaways have more than doubled in the UK since the coronavirus crisis, according to Flipdish, the online ordering system for restaurants and takeaways. Some restaurants, such as Tuk Tuk Indian Street Food in Edinburgh, have experienced an unprecedented boom in demand with online orders exploding by 1,300%.

Glasgow, exemplifies the challenge now and ahead for restaurateurs: “We’ve had to scale more in the last two weeks than the previous two years. We’re currently suffering short term pain for long term prosperity. Once the coronavirus is over, the takeaway industry is going to prosper but those restaurants and takeaways that don’t innovate will suffer.”

In other cuisines, after an initial decline in sales in February, orders of Chinese and Thai food have started to bounce back, increasing 23% and 73%, respectively. Fish and Chips shops saw sales rise by 74% while pizza demand grew 13% in one week.

Giving advice to restaurants and takeaways, McCarthy continues: “With the government mandating all cafes, pubs and restaurants must close to help contain the spread of coronavirus, the only way for many restaurants to stay in business is to urgently transform into takeaways. We’ve had plenty of calls from restaurant owners asking how to switch to a delivery model, and whether it’s even possible to get a website up and running in time. My message to restaurants is that it’s not too late to set up a takeaway service.

The statistics are released as Flipdish announces an increase of more than a third (35%) in new UK restaurant sign ups in the last two weeks so they can operate as takeaways during the crisis. In a year-on-year comparison, the number of UK restaurants transforming their business models to include takeaway services digitally has nearly tripled (270%)1. Conor McCarthy, CEO of Flipdish, commented: “As people stay at home to do their bit to tackle the coronavirus, many are opting for a comforting curry. But not only are they protecting themselves and the NHS by ordering takeaway food, Brits are helping to keep restaurants afloat. Independent restaurants are the lifeblood of the UK hospitality industry and a fundamental part of the cultural fabric of the nation. Everyone who can should support their local favourites during the crisis.” Restaurant owner Lee Bandoni, who runs the Aldwych Cafe in

“Working with an aggregator like Just Eat might seem like a fast way to get up and running, but it won’t protect your margins and it will also mean you lose control of your most important asset: your customers. Using marketplaces also means sending your precious customers to a space that has all of your direct competitors listed alongside your menu. “We’ve been working with a number of customers over the last few days, getting them set up with their own websites and apps in a matter of hours. Building an online delivery service could help restaurants stay afloat during the crisis, and also rebuild their balance sheets in the long term.”

‘Stand by Your Workers and We’ll Stand By You’ Says PM Stand by your workers and we will stand by you, that is the message Prime Minister has urged firms to do to protect their staff despite many suffering immense losses because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s by this combination of ruthless, determined, collective action and scientific progress that we’re already seeing that we will succeed. ‘And I know how difficult it may be or it may seem right now, but if we do this together, we will save as I say many, many thousands of lives. ‘I say to business, stand by your employees, stand by your workers, because we will stand by you.’”

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Shropshire Hotel Forced To Cancel Community Food Service After Food Supplies Raid The owners of a hotel and brasserie in Shropshire are devastated after about £1,200 worth of food has been stolen, which was being planned to start a community food delivery service during the Coronavirus crisis. The Old Vicarage at Worfield, near Bridgnorth, was broken into on Friday night and intruders have raided its fridges and freezers of food such as chicken, beef, lamb and fish. Owner David Blakstad said: “We just can’t believe this has happened. Times are really tough for us as a business and we have closed our doors to customers in line with government advice.

At his daily Downing Street press conference earlier today Boris Johnson said: ‘Stand by your employees, stand by your workers, because we will stand by you.’ As people have been urged to stay at home and avoid socialising in pubs, clubs and restaurants, many businesses, particularly in the hospitality industry, are facing an existential threat. But in a plea to bosses, the PM said: ‘Think very carefully before you start laying off your staff we do want to stand behind good companies we want to make sure people recognise they should stand behind their staff.’ The PM thanked the British public for the ‘huge efforts’ they have taken in complying with social distancing advice to curb the spread of Covid-19. He added: ‘We’re asking students to put their education on hold, we’re asking people not to socialise in the normal way and already we can see the impact this is having on the UK economy and on business, on great, great companies.” “So, it’s vital that we in Government stand behind them when what we are asking everyone to do is so crucial for saving literally thousands of lives by fighting this virus. ‘That knowledge of where the virus is will make a huge difference to our management of the disease and our ability to reduce disruption and economic difficulty.”

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“We were planning to start up a community food service on Monday where we would offer residents nearby to order their meals and we would deliver it to their doors, but sadly we are not going to be able to do this. “The people who have done this have not only stolen from us, but they have taken away the chance for the community to receive this help from us.” It was planned that from next week residents in the village of Worfield and surrounding areas would have the opportunity to select from a daily menu which the venue’s head chef Gavin Allan were putting together. These orders would have been delivered to the door for only the cost of the ingredients, helping those who were self-isolating, or in need of a meal. Facing the media the Prime Minister said Chancellor Rishi Sunak will be unveiling a package of measures to help the workforce cope with such unparalleled circumstances. He added: ‘This country is going to bounce back we’re going to need some fantastic companies remaining to bounce back as well.’ Johnson said the UK could ‘turn the tide of the outbreak’ in the next 12 weeks providing people stick to the guidance set out by the Government. He stressed that for the peak of infections to come down, people had to continue to self-distance. The PM added: ‘If enough people do go in for self distancing – and we don’t know if it’s enough – that will pull the peak down. If they don’t, that will be a big problem.’

“It’s heartbreaking, we were trying to pay something back to our community, and now it looks like that is not going to be possible,” said Gavin. Meanwhile, following the closure of pubs, cafes and restaurants across the country, David has warned other businesses to be extra vigilant. “We would never have believed that people could do this,” he said. “But this serves as a warning to other business owners, with people stripping food, and now the alcohol sections of supermarkets and shops, our bars and kitchens are a target.”

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Keeping Hospitality Businesses Afloat During the COVID-19 Crisis

By Gareth Ogden, Partner and hospitality expert at chartered accountants haysmacintyre

vides a welcome relief to many businesses. Similarly, a three-month moratorium on commercial property landlords’ ability to exercise rights of forfeiture due to non-payment of rent by tenants has also been introduced, easing the pressure of paying rent for many businesses in the short term. However, negotiations with landlords will continue so that operators can reach sensible compromise on obtaining lasting relief from rental obligations whilst the crisis continues.

SUPPORTING THE STAFF

The COVID-19 crisis has seen pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels shut their doors to customers for the foreseeable future, wreaking financial havoc upon the sector. In these unprecedented times, many owners and operators of hospitality businesses will be faced with concerns over the survival of their company, and how it will come out on the other side. With income cut for almost the entirety of the hospitality sector, many business owners will be looking at the steps they can take and the help on offer to ensure that the company, and the workforce, is able to go back to business once the crisis has calmed. One key, overarching measure to help the business survive is to maintain communication with all involved: from staff and customers, to stakeholders and suppliers, as well as HMRC.

RATES AND RENTAL CONCERNS Both the retail and hospitality sector alike have struggled to manage with sky high rents and business rates, even before the COVID-19 crisis hit. Thankfully, the Government has announced, since the outbreak became a major concern, that all hospitality, retail and leisure businesses in the UK, regardless of rateable value, no longer have to pay business rates for the 2020 to 2021 tax year. And for businesses operating from smaller premises with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000, a £25,000 case grant will also be available. This support pro-

Many operators are concerned that they may not be able to support their staff throughout this time, and that the teams in which they have invested so much time and money in training and establishing a positive working culture, will be broken apart. The burden of maintaining staff on the payroll throughout this crisis, is relieved, in part, by the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention scheme. The scheme allows any business register employees who are no longer able to work with HMRC as ‘furloughed workers’, and up to 80% of their wages will be reimbursed by HMRC (capped at £2,500 per month). However, it is yet to be clarified whether the scheme applies where an employee’s contract entails reduced working hours, and when the reimbursement system will go live. It is now key for the sector to get the clarity they need on how the scheme will work in practice.

MAINTAINING INCOME Despite the reliefs and grants available, most businesses will still require additional cash to help see the company through the crisis. The new Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan scheme allows small businesses, with a turnover of less than £45m, to borrow up to £5m from banks, with an 80% loan guarantee provided by the government and the first 12-months interest-free. Whilst this scheme offers much-needed liquidity for short-term survival, loans should be approached with care, as they may not be appropriate longer term. Additionally, some operators are reporting difficulties in quickly negotiating agreements with banks. The full effectiveness of the scheme remains to be seen for those businesses in urgent need of an injection of cash.

The Coronavirus crisis has seen occupancy rates at hotels in Bristol fall to roughly half the levels they usually are in March.

for one year, to help with the retention of staff. • Ensure the insurers are suitably supported to assist businesses experiencing cancellations. • At least delaying, if not reviewing, the implementation of a points-based immigration system, due to be introduced on 1 January 2021, which will have a huge impact on the ability of hotels, as well as other industries such as the care sector, to recruit staff. • Ensure that insurers are suitably supported to assist businesses which are experiencing widespread cancellations. • Postpone until September the proposed April increase in National Minimum Wage and the Living Wage, to ease the financial burden on struggling businesses. He said: “Among BHA members, it’s estimated there will be a revenue loss of at least £3 million through March and April, which is a massive drop which cannot be sustained. Or even more when hotels will be forced to close.

The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) say levels among its members are currently between 30 and 40 percent - but most hotels would usually be around 80 percent occupied in March. Those rates have now fall further, to around 10 to 15 percent over the next two weeks. Raphael Herzog, BHA Chair, has been in contact with Bristol North West MP Thangam Debbonaire about the impact of the virus on the hospitality industry. The BHA is now hosting weekly conference calls among hotel General Managers, sharing feedback, experiences and ideas as their businesses fight to survive.

“We are expecting occupancy rates to drop further in the coming weeks. “There is the possibility that the Government will instruct hotels to close completely during the next few weeks following the announcement on closing bars, restaurants and leisure facilities, which presents additional challenges, but clearly the welfare of our staff and guests must be the most important priority, and we must follow all guidelines. “At present all hotels are only offering room service or take away options as we need to still be able to offer food and beverage to all our guests. “Some of us have staff living in, so there are concerns about what will happen to them if hotels have to close. Some hotels are not going to be able to survive without either short-term lay-off of staff or even redundancies, which is a huge worry to many of our dedicated employees.” He said most conferences that had been scheduled to take place between now and May have been cancelled, many conferences planned for June and July have also been called off and there are no new enquiries being made.

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY Although the crisis continues to evolve, normality will, to some extent, return and hospitality businesses will need to be prepared to restart trading. Maintaining support from both customers and staff through continued engagement of teams and supporting the local community, for example, is vital during this tricky time, and the Government’s schemes will alleviate some of the pressure faced by operators. Owners and operators need to have a recovery strategy in place early. Many consumers will be keen to return to their social lives, however the struggling economy may affect their willingness to spend. Carefully modelling supply to meet demand will be a key first step, to avoid over-ordering stock or taking too many staff out of furloughed status early on. Those businesses that operate a large number of sites will need to consider whether it is financially viable to open all their branches at the same time; instead, staggering the opening of sites to prioritise the key locations could ease the pressure of reopening. The global economic crisis caused by COVID-19 is truly unprecedented, and the UK hospitality sector is faced with a challenge to survive these challenging times. The Government support and advice certainly does alleviate some of the pressure, but businesses would do well to focus on the long-term steps to ensure they are able to come out of the other side and recover effectively, returning to trading as normal.

While they are still able to, some businesses have been adapting their

Bristol Hoteliers Hit Hard by Coronavirus Crisis

Mr Herzog said: “These are difficult times for many people, but the hospitality industry has been hit particularly hard.

offerings to maintain some income through takeaway or delivery, for example. Many restaurants are allowing customers to place food orders over the phone for collection, or may liaise with delivery platforms to ensure they are able to continue their offerings. Another popular step is for businesses to offer vouchers for customers to purchase now for future redemption when operations are back up and running.

He said: “Most hotels are offering alternative dates over the next 12 months, but the big worry is all the uncertainty.”

“After the crisis is over, we will need time to rebuild, which is why I believe we should not be restricted on who we are able to employ.

Earlier this month, Chancellor Rishi Sunak promised to do “whatever it takes” to support the UK economy and introduced a number of measures designed to help businesses in the hospitality sector, including a 12-month business rates ‘holiday’, the offer of measures to help pay salaries and rents, and a relaxation of planning legislation to enable pubs and restaurants to provide takeaway services without the need to submit a planning application.

“The points-based immigration system should be delayed until at least mid-2022, to help the hospitality industry recover from this crisis.”

Mr Herzog said: “There are a number of other steps that the Government have introduced to help hotels and hospitality businesses further, such as paying 80% of the wages up to £2,500 as this will keep people in their jobs as well delaying VAT payment to ease cashflow, interest free loans to help company cashflow.” But he said there is more that could be done, including: • A VAT-cut to encourage consumers to book trips and holidays so that trade can resume as soon as possible once the virus threat is over. • Slash the rate of National Insurance Contributions

Until such time as hotels are ordered to close, BHA members are doing all they can to minimise the risk of spreading the virus and to maintain some social distancing. This includes adding hand gel sanitising stations, not offering buffet services but instead only serving wrapped or plated food, increased cleaning regimes on all touching points around the hotels, public areas and bedrooms. Hotels are also asking people to pay only by card and are not taking cash. Mr Herzog said: “We are all determined to do everything we can to make our hotels as safe as possible for our guests and our staff. This is the most important as we need to follow government guidelines and reinforce social distancing.” The Bristol Hoteliers Association represents 40 major hotels in the city, with around 4,000 rooms. Hotels put an estimated £200 million into the local economy.

Free From Functional & Health Ingredients and Free From Packaging Postponed The organisers of the Free From Functional & Health Ingredients (FFFHI) and Free From Packaging (FFP) have confirmed today that the events, which were planned to take place at the RAI Amsterdam from 24-25 June, will be postponed to 24-25 November 2020, following the global escalation of COVID-19. Speaking about the announcement, Ronald Holman, Event Director, said: “The health and safety of our growing Free From community is our number one priority. While it is disappointing to postpone, we believe it is in the best interests of all involved – from our exhibitors and visitors to our staff, show sponsors and partners. This is not a decision we have made lightly, but with careful consideration of the needs of the wider community that make this event such a success. “We understand that Free From Functional & Health Ingredients is an important event in the Free From community and we want to extend our thanks for the support and understanding shown during this challenging time. We look forward to welcoming you to the RAI Amsterdam this November when we can return to create a great event that offers value for both our exhibitors and attendees.” Free From Functional & Health Ingredients (FFFHI) is Europe’s leading platform for the dynamic free from industries. The Expo sits alongside Free From Packaging (FFP) – making this the most comprehensive Free From focused event in Europe. In addition to an exciting show floor, packed with exhibitors showing the latest plant-based and free from innovations, four targeted conference programmes will offer attendees with an exciting schedule of seminars. Delivered by some of the world’s most eminent food and drink professionals, FFFHI continues to provide delegates with quality insight into the latest innovations, trends and market analysis. Bringing together more than 4,500 high calibre professionals from more than 63 countries, FFFHI offers the perfect platform to establish and grow business relationships, with a range of networking opportunities available including International Matchmaking and Expert roundtables. The exhibition runs in conjunction with Free From Packaging which aims to service the food, pharma, cosmetics and luxury markets. This dedicated event focuses on the requirement for sustainable packaging and the latest developments within this arena, making this the industry’s most comprehensive Free From focused event. For updates and further information, please visit: www.freefromfoodexpo.com

Pubs Rally to Support Communities In Pandemic shutting, but pubs will find a way to remain a force for good in their local communities. ”

PUBS RAISE £100M EVERY YEAR FOR HUNDREDS OF CHARITIES AND WORTHY CAUSES PubAid’s World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, held every March, has raised £750,000 for charities since its launch in 2016. The 2020 Quiz figures are not included in this, with around 1,700 pubs thought to have taken part.

The nation’s 12-week lockdown could cost charities and grassroots sports an estimated £35 million in funds raised by pubs, according to PubAid, the group dedicated to promoting pubs as a force for good in their communities. However, hundreds of pubs, who have seen a drastic fall in trade since the Covid-19 outbreak, are actively increasing support for their communities, helping local residents who are unable to leave their homes. Many have adapted their menus to takeaway or delivery, with a number providing free meals to local pensioners, others setting up village shops to serve those unable to travel, and generally acting as a hub to co-ordinate community efforts to support vulnerable residents. Just as importantly, many are looking for ways to offer local people some of the social and emotional benefits they gain from a visit to the pub. A number have set up helplines to offer local housebound people a much-needed social interaction, others have organised on-line pub quizzes. PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan said: “Clearly, traditional fundraising through events in pubs will have to stop in line with Government advice to avoid social contact. With pubs raising £100m a year for charities and £40m to grassroots sports, a three-month lockdown will equate to a £35 million shortfall. “Despite the catastrophic consequences of the pandemic for pubs, many have responded by doing all they can to support customers and local residents and remain a hub for their community in this time of need. Pubs have survived for hundreds of years by adapting to the changing world around them, and the speed with which so many have changed their business practices in the face of the Covid-19 lockdown is impressive. “We are only at the beginning of this very difficult time, but we are confident that pubs will continue to help people to come through it, offering practical, social and emotional support. Pub doors may be

An email signed by chairman Tim Martin set out the company’s position, saying: “We are asking for a moratorium on payments, until the pubs reopen, at which point we intend to clear outstanding payments, within a short timeframe. “We understand that this puts significant pressure on our suppliers, but we are kindly asking for your assistance during this very difficult period. “A number of our suppliers have already offered assistance and we would be most grateful for your cooperation as well.” A Wetherspoons spokesperson said: “Wetherspoon has asked suppliers to help it out at this difficult time, but individual suppliers can get in touch to discuss this with Wetherspoon.” Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has also now agreed to pay his staff before his company receives financial support from the government’s wage reimbursement scheme, following pressure from almost

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Introducing Proper Bar Snacks by SCT

In 2019, PubAid carried out research into pubs and grassroots sport, revealing that pubs provide £40m in funding and in-kind support (free room hire, aftermatch food and drink), for local sports clubs The PubAid Charity Pub of the Year Awards reward pubs for their charity and community support. The 2019 winner, the Rose of Mossley in Liverpool, has raised an estimated £250,000 in 30 years, as well as offering hands-on help to individuals in need in the community.

PUBS’ RESPONSE TO PANDEMIC • The Chequers in Aylesford, Kent, is delivering free hot lunches and dinners to anyone over the age of 70 within the village or nearby. • The Fleece Inn, Brereton near Evesham is running a ‘loneliness buster’ helpline, as well as offering local meal deliveries. • The Polgooth Inn in St Austell ran its regular Pub Quiz on 17 March on Facebook Live • The Heritage in Slaugham, West Sussex, is looking to set up a village shop, to help local residents avoid trips to supermarkets and give local food and drink suppliers a new outlet. • Ye Old Sun Inn in Colton, North Yorkshire, is baking fresh bread, pies and cakes daily, selling them from a stall outside the pub as well as delivering orders to local residents unable to get out. • The Pickled Ploughman in Adderbury, Oxfordshire, is delivering free hot meals to local vulnerable people and to others who are self-isolating on a BOGOF deal. It also has a stall outside the pub selling fresh fruit and veg, dairy and dried goods. • The Loyal Tavern is Bermondsey, South London, is turning its restaurant into a grocery store and deli and will also be donating grocery boxes to the elderly. • The Tap & Run in Upper Broughton, Melton Mowbray is opening a village shop to sell groceries and pre-prepared meals to cook at home. A delivery service will be free to over 70s and NHS workers. • Customers are also doing their bit to support pubs. A regular at The Lugger in Polruan, Cornwall, loaded £2,000 onto a loyalty card to use in the pub this summer.

JD Wetherspoon Requests Supplier Payment “Break”

Pub giant JD Wetherspoon has requested a payment break from suppliers until after its pubs reopen following the coronavirus crisis.

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100 MPs and widespread media criticism. The chain first told staff they would attempt to use the government’s furlough scheme get their first payment of wages which covers 80 percent of workers’ wages up to £2500 per month. Wetherspoon has committed to paying its staff tomorrow Friday, March 27 to the hours worked the previous week. Wetherspoon announced yesterday March 25 that after discussions with UK hospitality chief Kate Nicholls progress had been made in the introduction of the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme, and that it has proposed its own rules as to how the scheme will work and has submitted them to the government for approval. Tim Martin said: “As we have already confirmed, Wetherspoon will pay all our 43,000 staff this Friday for the hours worked last week. The first payment under the new scheme will be made on Friday 3 April, subject to government approval, and weekly thereafter. “Many thanks to Kate Nicholls, UK Hospitality and the government for their great efforts in dealing with the logistical issues involved in introducing a complex scheme so quickly.”

Based in Dorset, SCT & SCT LIMITED is a family-owned and operated company serving the whole of the UK. They provide high-quality snacks to retail and trade customers, including pork crackling and nuts. They have been creating these products for more than 10 years, and they are proud of the service that they are able to offer. The recipes have always stayed in the family, and this is how they are able to create their quality products.

PROPER PORK CRACKLING 9 flavours

50g pots £0.77 RRP £2

100g pots £1.29 RRP £3

2.5kg bucket £30 with a free 3L glass jar per flavour

DELECTABLE NUTS PEANUTS & CASHEWS 9/7 flavours

90g/65g pots £0.50 - £1.00 RRP £1.50 - £2.50 5kg Bucket £20 with a free 3L glass jar per flavour

FOR MORE DETAILS CALL 01202 875280 OR EMAIL trade@sct-sct.com

CLH Digital

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Pub Landlords Warned “Flout Rules Risk Losing License”

Police have issued a strong warning to landlords that if they breach the government-imposed lockdown and continue to serve customers, commonly referred to as “lock-ins” they could lose their licence. Prime minister Boris Johnson ordered pubs, bars, cafés, restaurants to close from Saturday march 21st during the coronavirus pandemic, however police forces including Lancashire, Derbyshire and the West Midlands received reports that some licensees had failed to do so.

Lancashire Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods said “this has got to stop”. “If you carry on then you (publicans) can expect significant problems obtaining a licence when the time comes to open.” Derbyshire Police said it has received a “large number of reports” that some pubs were opening, adding, “It is now against government restrictions for any pub, bar, club, restaurant or similar to open their

Hotel Focuses On Supporting Businesses A Shropshire hotel has come up with an ideal solution to help fill some its rooms now empty due to the Coronavirus crisis – and at the same time help people who find it very hard to work from home.

At the same time, while the Government is advising as many people as possible to work from home, for some this is not feasible, and will be even harder next week when the schools close.

Lynn Hood, Chief Operating Officer of Focus Hotels, which manages Albrighton Hall, said: “We are offering our empty rooms as home office space for people who find their own homes too distracting or who simply wish to work in isolation.

“People can also choose to have food from the hotel menu safely delivered to their rooms, for an additional charge. “Like many businesses, our income has been severely reduced as a

Britain’s Largest Beer Festival To Be Cancelled This August

CAMRA announced last week that it would be cancelling events and beer festivals between now and the end of June, a move that included its Members’ Weekend, AGM & Conference in York (3-5 April) and the inaugural Great Welsh Beer Festival (23-25 April).

“We can offer people a private room with work desk, between 8.30am and 5pm.

“The rooms cost £8 per hour, or £50 for eight hours.

“Any licensee who fails to comply with the government regulations and the terms of their licence may be handed prohibition notices and potentially unlimited fines. They may also face the loss of their alcohol licence.”

The festival, which features over a thousand different beers and regularly attracts nearly 40,000 visitors through the door, has been running for over 40 years. Completely managed by volunteers, it is the largest beer festival across the UK and a fixture in many beer-lovers diaries – and CAMRA is determined it will be back better than ever next year.

But the hotel has a solution, which will enable people to work in a good degree of isolation but without the many distractions there might be at home.

“In addition, we are offering free use of the hotel’s spa facilities for one person with any booking for a room to use as an office away from the usual workplace.

“We have dedicated licensing teams covering the entire county and officers are noting all licensed premises reported to be staying open.

The Campaign for Real Ale has announced that it will be cancelling its flagship event the Great British Beer Festival, due to take place from 4-8 August at Olympia in London. The announcement follows the Prime Minister’s decision to restrict all movement outside the home to combat the current Coronavirus crisis.

The Mercure Shrewsbury Albrighton Hall Hotel & Spa, like many other hotels nationwide, has been hit hard by the impact of the current pandemic, with conferences being cancelled and guests opting to stay at home and maintain some social distancing rather than go to a hotel.

“They can enjoy the comfort of their own ensuite bathroom, the use of a large TV screen, using their own HDMI cable, free high-speed wi-fi, free tea, coffee, biscuits and free car parking.

doors for people to stay on the premises, including in beer gardens.

result of the Coronavirus crisis, so we are looking at ways of keeping some money coming in while our usual type of business is not practicable, and at the same time provide a service for people who, for many reasons, will find it very difficult to work effectively from home. “We are, naturally, closely monitoring updates from the World Health Organization and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and following the guidance of the government and public health officials around the use of our spa. “We are reinforcing all recommendations on the appropriate health and safety measures within our own hotel teams. The safety and welfare of our guests and staff are our highest priority.”

CAMRA will provide a full refund for anyone who has bought an advanced ticket this year within 5-10 working days. This will happen automatically with no further action required. Catherine Tonry, Great British Beer Festival organiser said: “Whilst we hope that restrictions on movement will ease up by August, it is clear we will not have the resources available to organise an event this size during the current crisis. “The decision to cancel the Great British Beer Festival has not been taken lightly. We were hoping to wait until closer to the time to avoid disappointing our volunteers and the public, however we can no longer delay. “We know this will incredibly disappointing for many of our volunteers who regularly travel from all corners of the country to help pull pints throughout the week. We want to thank them all for their help each year and hope they will be able to join us once again in 2021.”

Give your pub and hotel guests a free wireless TV headset • The free AudioZone app lets guests tune into silent TVs with their phone. • Let sports fans hear match audio while you have music in the bar • Hotel guests can watch TV without keeping other guests awake • Show news broadcasts without ugly subtitles • Fantastic service for hearing impaired guests

The standard AudioZone service is free to all UK pubs and hotels and requires no hardware installation or account registration. Contact us for promotional materials.

sales@audiozone.net 0207 175 8880 www.AudioZone.net

COTTONS HOTEL & SPA

Andrew Roddis, Food & Beverage Operations Manager “The Cutlery Polisher Company are an efficient supplier offering great products alongside personal and swift service. Never had any issues and can always rely on a speedy response and actions.

MACDONALD SPEY VALLEY HOTEL

Pedro Ramos, Food & Beverage Manager “The time (and money) we save with this machines is huge. A no brainer to use them. More than that... staff loves it!”

Tom Lee, Pub & Grill Manager “It was set up at a time to suit me and never had an issue with the machine. Saving me around 20 hours of labour a week it’s a no brainer.”

OULTON HALL HOTEL

Jan Coskun, Director of Operations “The cutlery polisher has drastically reduced our labour costs and simply reduced the number of people standing around. It is quick, efficient and most importantly polishes the cutlery to a high level. So we are happy with the result. We have also just taken on a glass polisher machine and so far has shown similar results.”

FORBES OF KINGENNIE COUNTRY RESORT

Sandy McGregor, Operations Manager “The Cutlery Polisher has been a fantastic addition to the team at Forbes of Kingennie. The number of labour hours that we have saved, especially on a weekend when we have four weddings and a fully booked restaurant on top of that, is unbelievable. The customer service from the engineers is also second to none. We highly recommend.”

RAITHWAITE ESTATE

CHEPSTOW GARDEN CENTRE

Stuart Cox “Your machine has made our cutlery standards much higher and made my team more productive with serving and looking after our customers rather than time stood trying to keep on top of polishing the cutlery, a very good investment for a high turnover business. We will be looking to getting another machine some time towards the end of next month for 1 of our other sites which is currently being built.”

VILLAGE HOTELS

COSMO RESTAURANTS

Alan, General Manager “I am very happy about the cutlery polisher we are using right now. It does help a lot on saving time and labour costs. I am also very satisfied about their services, very prompt and professional. I would highly recommend it to other restaurants.”

Lorraine Smith, Food & Beverage Controller “I have been using our cutlery polisher for a few years now. I find the company very friendly, efficient and inexpensive for the service I receive. It’s a more hygienic way of polishing cutlery and it reduces the back of house workload. We had our polisher on trial and it’s virtually silent when running without cutlery in, it’s very efficient and polishes to a very high standard. It sits conveniently next to the dishwasher. It is so simple to use that all our catering assistants are able to operate it with ease, freeing up the food service team to concentrate on customer service. We are very happy with the service we receive and wouldn’t think of not using this company.”

www.thecutlerypolisher.co.uk | 01474 873 892 | info@thecutlerypolisher.co.uk

Mother and Daughter Deliver Meals To The Elderly During Coronavirus Outbreak A MOTHER and daughter involved in running a pub business are offering to help the elderly and vulnerable who are staying at home due to coronavirus.

“So we thought why don’t we offer a service where we produce a meal at cost – we don’t want to make any profit from this – and Danielle and I will take it round to them.

Dianne Irving runs three pubs and a gin parlour in Carlisle and another pub in west Cumbria. Her daughter Danielle works for the business as a commercial photographer.

“We were thinking it would be one of our dishes each day – such as steak pie and mash, or stew and dumplings – which are so popular with our regulars.

The duo have been touched by the stories they’ve heard of some of their regulars who are staying indoors because of coronavirus.

“If there are issues about us not seeing the people for medical reasons then we can leave it in a safe place for them, such as in the porch, or with a neighbour who is looking out for them.

So they’ve decided to come up with a solution, and offer a not-forprofit service where they will take their popular pub meals on the road and deliver them to those most in need. Dianne said: “We’ve all got family, elderly relatives, friends and others in at-risk groups who we know are all very worried about the coronavirus outbreak. “With all the news and advice which is all around us every day, some of them are understandably deciding to stay at home. “We know how much many of those people really look forward to their regular trip to our pubs as a chance to socialise and to enjoy some good homemade food. “We were having a chat among our family and thought there must be something we can do to help.

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The Howard Arms in the city centre and The Crown in Stanwix. They are asking those interested in having their lunchtime meal delivered to contact The Howard Arms (01228 648398) or The Crown (01228 512789) by 4pm on the previous day. The meals will be delivered between 11am-1pm the following day to the local area. If family, friends, or neighbours, want to order the meal on behalf of someone else, Dianne and Danielle are happy to accommodate such requests. Dianne Irving is managing director of Drouth Limited which also runs Said The Actress To The Bishop gin parlour upstairs at The Howard Arms; the soon-to-be-opened Milbourne Arms, in Shaddongate, Carlisle; and the White Mare at Beckermet.

“All of our businesses have five-star hygiene ratings. We will use all hygiene and safety precautions – as we do in our business every day anyway – to ensure that we are complying with the latest government advice as well as all the health and safety and food hygiene regulations “We know that isolation for elderly people or vulnerable groups can cause its own problems, and we hope this way we are helping keep that element of routine which we know our regulars really value. “We are lucky that places like Carlisle, and the whole of Cumbria, still have close-knit communities where people look out for one another, and we wanted to do our bit to help those less fortunate than ourselves.” Dianne and Danielle will start the service with immediate effect from

Pub and Restaurant Sales Fall 71% in Last Week of Trading Like-for-like sales in Britain’s managed pub, bar and restaurant groups plummeted 71% in the week that the Government ordered all licensed premises to close down because of the COVID-19 crisis. Exclusive weekly figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker showed like-for-like trading in restaurant chains down 75%, with managed pubs down 67% and bars, which are more dependent on weekend business, tumbling 88%. “Many pubs and restaurants, especially away from London, had stayed open even with dwindling trade after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s warning at the start of the week for people to avoid going out. The closure order on Friday obviously then killed all business overnight,” said Phil Tate, Group Chief Executive of CGA, the business insight consultancy that produces the

Tracker, in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM. “It was pretty clear that more and more businesses would have shut up shop anyway even without the closure and then lockdown orders, as CGA’s snap consumer poll showed that more and more of the public were going to give up on even attempting to go out,” he added. The current nationwide lockdown means that only pubs and restaurants providing takeaway or a delivery services will continue to operate, and from next week CGA plans to begin tracking those sales. CGA’s consumer polling has already shown that the public's appetite for delivered food and drink from restaurants and takeaways has grown significantly during the current emergency.

Britain Sees The Opportunity For More Delivered Food And Drink 28

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tive during the current crisis, with 13% getting delivery from a restaurant or takeaway either for the first time, or more often than usual, in the last two weeks.

Even in rural areas where delivery provision is thin, there is a predicted surge in demand, with the same proportion of consumers planning to increase frequency (22%) as in city centres.

The survey showed a clear opportunity for delivered drinks too, with a third (32%) of the public looking for opportunities to have both food and drink delivered.

Looking to the future, 72% of those that had either upped the use of delivery or had used it for the first time in the last two weeks suggested that they were likely to continue this behaviour, regardless of COVID-19.

In contrast, click’n’collect from restaurants and takeaway has yet to be as popular as delivery, with just a third (36%) of people saying they have used or would use such a service. “With major fast food and sandwich chains like McDonald’s, Greggs, Pret and Burger King now closing, local operators who are able to keep their kitchens open for delivery could play a vital role in taking the strain off of the supermarkets,” suggested Peter Martin, vice president of CGA, the out-of-home sector’s leading research and insight provider, which conducted the snap consumer poll. With Britain in lock-down, hot food delivery services from restaurants and takeaways are set to have an increasingly important role in keeping the nation fed. The public’s appetite for delivered food has been growing. In the week prior to yesterday’s Prime Ministerial order for the public to say at home, research from CGA showed that just over half (53%) of the public are either currently using, or planning to use, delivery as an alterna-

The survey showed the biggest demand for delivery is among those who usually eat out at least weekly, among the under 35s, parents and those living in city centres. Of those who have already increased their use of delivery, 60% are under 35, 50% are parents and 38% are city dwellers. The findings also highlight a pent up demand in suburbia. Nearly half (48%) of all those who are planning to increase delivery in the next few weeks live in suburban locations.

The main reasons people aren’t using delivery are around cost and trust, and the fact that many want to cook for themselves. Overall, 39% mentioned the expense, 21% wanted to minimize contact with other people, 16% said they didn’t trust the places preparing the food and 12% didn’t want to interact with delivery drivers. The survey showed that consumers were also looking for assurances about quality and 39% thought that only items that travelled well should be available for delivery. “Communicating your commitment to exemplary food hygiene principles and product quality is crucial to bolstering consumer confidence,” commented Jamie Campbell, chief operating officer at CPL Learning. “For many operators takeaway and delivery services will be entirely new to them. They are having to quickly adapt their operations to meet this demand, so considerations and processes need to be put in place that they don’t risk damaging their business reputation or more importantly, people’s health.”

Diageo Pledges More Than Eight Million Bottles Of Sanitiser For Frontline Healthcare Workers a 96% strength ethyl alcohol used primarily in production of vodka and gin – and make it available at no cost to hand sanitiser producers in multiple countries, to help overcome shortages in healthcare systems. This donation will enable the production of more than eight million 250ml bottles of hand sanitiser.

Drinks giant Diageo has pledged to enable the creation of more than eight million bottles of hand sanitiser, by donating up to two million litres of alcohol to manufacturing partners, to help protect frontline healthcare workers in the fight against COVID-19. Diageo will provide Grain Neutral Spirit (GNS) –

Diageo continues to engage with national and local governments across the many countries where the company has major distilling operations. The spirit will be made available in supply chains according to local circumstances, working with the relevant authorities and hand sanitiser manufacturers. This will ensure the donation is used for maximum impact in protecting health workers and patients and that sanitiser reaches the frontline as quickly as possible.

The plan includes:

• The UK and the Republic of Ireland: 500,000 litres of GNS to be made available for national healthcare systems and workers across the UK and Ireland. • Italy: 100,000 litres of GNS to support the healthcare system and other national needs • USA: 500,000 litres of GNS to be supplied to meet local community needs • Brazil: Diageo’s Ypioca plant will produce 50,000 litres of spirit for the local healthcare system, in conjunction with the Ceara State Government. • Kenya: Diageo’s East Africa Breweries Ltd will enable production of 135,000 litres of sanitiser, prioritising vulnerable and at risk groups. • India: 500,000 litres of alcohol to supply to the sanitizer industry across 25 States, for use in national healthcare systems and for consumers.

• Australia: Diageo’s Bundaberg Distilling Co. to produce 100,000 litres of ethanol for the Queensland Government, to be forwarded to hand sanitiser manufacturers. “Healthcare workers are at the forefront of fighting this pandemic and we are determined to do what we can to help protect them,” said Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive of Diageo. “This is the quickest and most effective way for us to meet the surging demand for hand sanitiser around the world.”

THE ONLY BRITISH COMPANY THAT CAN BRING YOU BOTH OF THE UK's No 1 SNACKS IN MULTIPLE FLAVOURS

FAST COMMERCIAL FINANCE FOR ALL EMERGENCY SITUATIONS Call For All Business Debts us toda Complete or Partial Re-Finance w y ith Redevelopment & Refurbishment delaout y Purchase & Expansion Cashflow Correction & Working Capital

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enquiries@hotelandpubrescue.co.uk

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PROPER • FABULOUS • DELICIOUS

PROPER PORK CRACKLING

ALLERGEN FREE & KETO

DELECTABLE NUTS PEANUTS & CASHEWS VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE

FABULOUS FUDGE GLUTEN FREE

FOR MORE DETAILS CALL 01202 875280 OR EMAIL trade@sct-sct.com

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CLH Digital

Proper By SCT Proper By SCT is now it its 3rd year supplying the trade/wholesale sectors for shop, camp site, touring sites, bar, hotels, butchers, farm shop and everything else in between.

Products and Services out with FEDEX for next day delivery anywhere in the UK with European deliveries on a 3 day service. Our Proper Pork Crackling has a 6 months BB, Fabulous Fudge 6 Months and our Delectable Nuts 12 months. Our full range is available to see on our retail website so please call 01202875280 or email trade@sctsct.com for a trade price list. See page 21 for details.

We now tick more boxes than anyone else in our field. Proper Pork Crackling: ALLERGEN FREE & KETO Delectable Nuts, Peanuts: VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE & KETO Delectable Nuts, Cashews: VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE Fabulous Fudge: GLUTEN FREE We not only supply are products pre packed but loose with a free 3L display jar, supplied in a large clip seal bucket for the perfectly free taste every time. which give you an even greater margin.

For Lovers Of Speciality Coffee – The Jura WE8 Bean To Cup Coffee Machine

Hillbrush Hygiene and Cleaning Hillbrush is the UK’s largest manufacturer of brushes and specialist hygienic cleaning tools, including products specifically for use in the food manufacturing industry. Hillbrush was established by brothers Fred and Bill Coward in 1922 in the small rural town of Mere, in South West Wiltshire, UK and is still family-owned today. As well as Hillbrush Traditional, wooden brushes which are sold all over the UK and for which the company holds a Royal Warrant, Hillbrush has been innovating since the early 1980s and expanded into new markets including the food industry. The company now produces a range of over 1,000 plastic hygiene and food preparation products, sold under its Hillbrush Hygiene brand, predominantly manufactured in-house on state-of-theart injection moulding and brush making equipment. Hillbrush Hygiene offers one of the most extensive ranges of hygienic cleaning equipment in the UK. Many products use a unique and

EAIS is a leading Manufacturer and Supplier of storage and transportation products supplied both to the Foodservice and Healthcare industries. Proud to be based in King’s Lynn, Norfolk we are renowned for our innovation and ability to offer solutions which not only meet the customer’s demands, but their expectations as well. Whether you are looking for food storage shelving, racking systems, trolleys and fabrication, or maybe its

healthcare shelving and medical trolleys or even bespoke design products. With the combination of our ability to hold vast stocks of our key product lines, combined with our hugely experienced and award winning customer service it has made EAIS the number one choice within the Industry. Why not put us to the test and let EAIS become your Ideal Solution? Contact our sales department on either 01553 765205 or sales@eais.co

Boe Gin Adds Apple & Lime to Its Family

All orders received before 2pm each day are sent

Wherever customers can enjoy superlative coffee, the atmosphere is warm and relaxed Anyone who appreciates the finer things in life and the wide choice of speciality coffees, will love the WE8. The WE8 offers 12 different specialities . JURA has perfected the complete brewing process for short, speciality coffees, allowing the WE line to make them to professional barista standard every time. Cleanliness and hygiene are essential in the workplace, so integrated rinsing and cleaning programmes, combined with specially developed cleaning products for JURA coffee machines, ensure perfect hygiene at the touch of a button. Because requirements vary

East Anglian Installation Systems

from one situation to another, the WE8 comes with many options for programming and customisation. The amount of ground coffee and water can be adapted to suit personal preferences and the cups and glasses used. WE8 packages are available with JURA I Ltr Cool Control and cup warmer, adding to the professional presentation of your customer coffee offering. The suggested daily capacity is 40 cups a day suiting many cosy pubs, bars, restaurants or staff rest areas. To view the full range of JURA Professional bean to cup coffee machines and full information on JURA, go to uk.jura.com or sales@uk.jura.com or see the advert on page 2. pioneering filament technology that ensures the highest standard of filament retention while the company’s premium colour-coded Anti-Microbial Cleaning Tools™ have been developed specifically for the high-risk hygiene food manufacturing and healthcare industries. They prevent the growth of bacteria by up to 99.99% and reduce the risk of cross contamination and 5S best practice with colour-coded segregation. Hillbrush Commercial completes the Hillbrush portfolio with a selection of products suitable for the janitorial, HORECA (hotels, restaurants and catering) and household markets. Altogether, Hillbrush offer an extensive range of brushware and ancillary cleaning equipment products from a single British manufacturer. Find out more about Hillbrush Hygiene on our website. sales@hillbrush.com +44(0)17 4786 0494 hillbrush.com See the advert on page 10 for details.

Retain Payment or ID Cards & Be PCI Compliant Whilst Increasing Profits When a vendor retains a credit card or debit card, or • Walkouts are reduced by at least fifty percent (50%) indeed handing over his or her ID card as security • Tab mistakes drop significantly and finally, against running a tab or renting sporting or other • There is a major uptick in sales equipment, there is always some uncertainty about the If you are concerned about how safety of the card whilst out of the cusCardsSafe works within the PCI scheme, tomers’ possession. Alan Gill from the independent PCI certifying company Orthus Limited states: CardsSafe® eliminates the need to “The PCI DSS standard encompassed worry about any loss or theft as it is the 264 controls. CardsSafe helps to reduce simplest and most efficient way to ensure the need to meet all of these through the card’s safety from potential misuse. ‘compensating controls’ which allow The CardsSafe® system has now businesses to comply to the standard become the “best practice” way of hanwithout having to change the way they dling credit and debit cards in the hospioperate”. In addition to the commercial tality and leisure industries. More than benefits the CardsSafe® solution thereeighty thousand boxes are in use every fore helps merchants become PCI comday and hundreds more are added every pliant, which truly gives peace of mind week. for all! Customers who share their experience To order, please contact CardsSafe with our staff report these benefits: Limited on either of: Phone: 0845 • Chargeback drops by more than ninety per5001040 or visit www.cardssafe.com cent (90%)

The award winning Boe Gin family continues to be very popular with publicans and gin drinkers in pubs and bars across the Scottish Gins UK, and is now sold in more than 16,000 outlets. This range of premium, flavoured gins is backed by heavyweight investment in marketing with Paloma Faith featuring in the advertising, which has led to the brand being the most engaged with gin brand on social media in the UK in 2019.

Visit www.boegin.com or see the advert on page 29.

Boe Apple & Lime is the latest addition to the range, and is a unique and distinctive flavour which also has an outstanding appearance on the back bar and in the glass. It is stocked by all leading wholesalers and will make a big impact this summer as gin drinkers turn to cool, refreshing flavours.

Free App Gives All Your Guests Their Own Wireless TV Headphones been popular with hearing impaired guests. The standard service includes synchronised TV audio of the main UK free to air channels. For many bars and hotels without Sky this will cover all their guests’ needs. An individually tailored channel listing including premium channels for Sky subscribers can be arranged with a call to AudioZone.

Free app gives all your guests their own wireless TV headphones. Better still, the standard AudioZone service is provided completely free to all UK venues with no requirement to install any equipment or even register an account. Over 40.000 people have already installed the free AudioZone app to tune into muted TVs in pubs and airport lounges or to listen to TV in a hotel room without keeping everyone else up. AudioZone has also

All you have to do is make your guests aware that the service is available. Give AudioZone a call to get promotional posters or TV frame stickers sent out to your site. All your guests have to do is: install the free app, join the WiFi, select the channel they wish to tune in to, and press play. Why not install the AudioZone app and give it a quick test yourself right now? sales@audiozone.net 0207 175 8880 www.AudioZone.net

Vegan Sauces To Cover All Bases els the prevalence and power of the plant-based market here in the UK is rocketing. Its value is predicted to reach £1.1 billion in value by 2023. Looking further ahead, by 2025 25% of adults are expected to be either vegan or vegetarian, with the proportion of flexitarians set to rise to 50%. Once a rare choice, veganism – and vegetarianism – are becom-

With more and more pressure on operators to respond to the vegan movement, Macphie is delighted to be first to market to launch a new Plant-based White Sauce and Cheese Sauce to tap into this enduring trend. Incredibly versatile and readyto-use, this fantastic new range is now available in a convenient 12 x 1litre pack format. As with our core ready-to-use stable of sauces the new lines are tolerant to additional flavours and inclusions that allows operators to deliver a variety of on-trend recipe applications, inspiring customers all year round. Consistently good quality sauces that cover all bases, with the trusted mark of vegan certification.

ing mainstream.

SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY

Macphie is a strong believer in a more sustainable environment and the development of this range echoes the ongoing commitment from Macphie to social and environmental ethics, transparency and accountability, which has now been recognised on a global scale Use as a pizza sauce base, pasta bake, lasagne base or through the B Corp certification. panini filling. Add value to burgers or use as a pastry The plant-based sauces join the ready-to-use savoury filling. Create dirty fries, savoury doughnuts, waffles and sauce range such as Bechamel with Butter, Hollandaise, quesadillas to deliver the perfect Instagram-friendly Cheddar Cheese and Red Wine, all of which are gluten sharing dish. free and vegetarian.

RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION Responsibility has been the key trend in 2019. This is the year consumers and operators are starting to take responsible consumption seriously. This includes lower beef consumption, growing interest in vegetarian and vegan diets, falling alcohol consumption and rising demand for local produce. 2019 has very much been the year of the vegetable – interest in vegetarian and vegan options picks up.

STILL NEED CONVINCING? With consumers ditching meat at unprecedented lev-

Macphie Brand Manager, Anna Massie comments “We are delighted to be first to market in the UK with the launch of a vegan certified savoury sauce range. This launch demonstrates our ongoing drive for innovation and commitment to a more sustainable environment.” For businesses interested in obtaining a sample please contact our Customer Service team on 0800 085 9800 or through our website www.macphie.com/contact/ or see the advert on the back cover. Source: Mintel | Sainsbury’s Future Food Report

Outdoor Leisure

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CINDERS Doubles Product Range UK manufacturer Cinders Barbecues Ltd announces a doubling of its product range for 2020.

Development Director. The 2020 range also includes an upgraded version of their popular half-size folding barbecue. ‘the new Festival SG80F is ideal for when customers begin to gather again in smaller groups, preferring outdoor areas whenever possible,’ adds Karen.

LPgas innovations include an operator-friendly wok burner for kiosks and trailers and two new barbecues which meet the latest UKLPG Code of Practice 24 for tented areas and build-ups.

Call 01524 262900, email info@cindersbarbecues.co.uk, or visit www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk

‘This is our time to coordinate recovery with our distributors at home and abroad’ says Karen Swift, Marketing & Business

High Quality Outdoor Furniture from LeisureBench

LeisureBench are an industry-leading supplier of quality indoor and outdoor furniture, offering unrivalled care and service for our customers. Our furniture is selected for strength, longevity, quality and value. We source worldwide to ensure that both our ethical standards of production and our high environmental demands for sustainability are met. We are situated in the very heart of the UK and with over 100,000 square feet of warehousing we can ensure a reliable supply and fast delivery wherever and whenever you need us. We are also participants in LOFA's 'Made Aware' scheme which focusses primarily on sustainable forestry.

We deliver high quality outdoor furniture suitable for any commercial environment. Nearly all of our products are FSC certified and EU compliant too.

VALUE Because we buy direct from manufacturers worldwide and deliver all our stock direct from our own warehouses we can offer the best value available anywhere both online and offline.

QUALITY

SERVICE Our customer service team will do everything they can to make sure your furniture is delivered to you where and when you want it. We go the extra mile to ensure our customers have the best possible service. Visit www.leisurebench.co.uk

Add Value To Your Customers Experience, With Total Weather Protection* Hospitality Gazebos starting at £1,581 or 98 pence per day with our Bluestar Leasing Deals White Pavilion Gazebos, carefully designed in Yorkshire

whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk 01653 695 285 *100 Mph Windproof guaranteed - 100% Waterproof 100% UV Protection - 20 Year Design Life ‘It doesn’t get tougher than this’

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Design and Refit

Increase Awareness of Your Business With HFE Signs be a little goldmine! The simple answer is awareness, I’m sure they do ok or they wouldn’t be there, but it was just by luck that we stopped, and we spent just over £50. How many others drove past? How many more £50 could they have taken that day?

Awareness is a vital essential for any product or service if its going to a success – You might have the best Chef with the best menu and keen prices but no customers or you might have average pub grub slightly overpriced and be rushed off your feet. The key to success is identifying you target market; do you have competition and what can you offer that they don’t? Once you’ve established your market how do you let them know. I recently walked into a pub after my daughter’s gymnastics competition, the carpark was empty, it was 4:30pm on a Sunday. I popped my head in and asked ‘are you doing food’ – the lady on the bar pointed to the carvery, I called in the rest of the family and we had a super meal, absolutely what we needed after a busy day. Obviously, we’ll go back, and we’ve also told a few people. So why was the carpark empty when the food was so good? The price was £8.95 for large and £6.95 for medium. There are a few pubs nearby but none of them have a carvery. I went away thinking that place should be full it has potential to

A simple Carvery Banner on the fence would make every passing car aware of what’s on offer. Pubs, Hotels and Restaurants use Banners all the time for promoting offers and raising awareness. HFE Signs have a wide range of pre-designed food banners just for this purpose. HFE Signs have Carvery Banners, Steak Night, Quiz Night, Grill Night and hundreds more – Even if you’re just looking for ideas you should check out their library! HFE Signs have been designing and printing pub and food banners since 1996. A typical PVC Banner with eyelets 8ft x 3ft costs just £45+vat and if you order two, you get a 3rd FREE and also FREE UK Delivery! Check out HFE today at www.hfe-signs.co.uk

The Latest in Electric Boiler Innovation – The Fusion Comet 3-Phase Electric Boiler Available in 12kW, 14.4kW, 23kW and 39kW Outputs

The Fusion Comet Electric System Boiler is an intelligent solution and alternative for a wet central heating system in light commercial properties, hotels, guest houses and large properties with 3-phase electricity. Silent in operation with no requirement for any sort of flue, the Fusion Comet Electric Boiler can also be installed with an underfloor heating system. The Fusion Comet 3 Phase Electric Boiler is very easy to install with minimal upheaval. With emphasis on safety, we have installed multiple fail-safes in the unit. With proven reliability of our products, we offer 2 year warranty

with the option of extended warranty which will extend the cover to up to 5 years from the date of purchase. This boiler is not only powerful, it’s versatile. The Fusion Comet boiler can be supplied alone or with a choice of Heat Packs and Unvented Cylinders. For larger output requirements, this Electric Boiler can be combined on a low loss header to increase the overall output which gives endless install solutions. For further information or a free brochure contact 01698 820533 or visit www.electricheatingcompany.co.uk

Sims - The First Port Of Call For Banquette Seating We are a family run business with 3 generations of commercial furniture manufacturing experience. Unlike other suppliers we manufacture all our seating inhouse, no importing, no subcontracting. We have full control over every aspect from design to installation to ensure every product leaves our workshops punctually and to our reputable high quality. Proudly offering 2 versions of Banquette Seating, firstly our “Premium Made to Measure” Banquette Seating which is built to your exact design, shape and size, then installed by our professional installation team. You can have anything from floor to ceiling designs to seating that perfectly follows the walls in a period setting. Secondly our “Modular Banquette Seating” which is freestanding, set size units for you to mix and match to best fit your space. Made to the same high

standards as our premium range without setup costs, site visits and installation fees. Also, we offer a range of furnishings – tables, chair and bedroom furniture. To request a brochure or to discuss your requirement further please contact our sales team on 01945 450957 email Sales@simscf.com

Design and Refit Café Culture - Pavement Profit The Contract Furniture Group Issue 1

restaurants and public houses.

We design and manufacturer our own windbreaks and use the best materials available. For anyone looking long term that saves you money as you won’t be replacing cheap internet imports next season. It’s one area where it doesn’t pay to buy budget as the continual bumps and scrapes outdoor goods receive combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job. We also supply Markilux awning which are some of the best made in the industry and Uhlmann parasols another top rated German brand. We are an independent supplier serving the outdoor restaurant trade with supplies for outdoor seating areas. We have some large clients including Gondola group along with many smaller cafe bars,

Bespoke goods are also a speciality with custom made menu holders, waiter stations and planters all to you requirement. If we can help you do drop a line to sales@cafeculture.biz

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unique source and supply service; if you send us a picture of an item we will do our up most to supply to you at the best price.

Contract Furniture Group has been set up to offer quality contract dining furniture to the hotel, restaurant, pub trades and leisure industries at realistic prices. We carry a lot of our range in stock so we can help you to meet your deadlines. We also offer a

All our furniture is manufactured to the highest standards, we only use hardwood frames which are glued screwed and dowelled for strength. crib5 interliner (if required) sprung seat areas or webbing and top quality Italian leathers and fabrics. For further information, call 0115 965 9030, visit www.contractfurniture.co.uk or email info@contractfurniture.co.uk

ILF Chairs - Seating with Wider Appeal Crib 5 fire regulations. The majority of our products are available in a choice of frames, colours and we can offer an extensive choice of fabrics including real Leather and Faux Leather. In addition, we also able to offer a full service on bench seating and re-upholstery. ILF have been supplying top quality indoor and outdoor chairs and tables for over the past 30 years to the hospitality market. We offer a wide selection of products to suit all tastes and as importantly, budgets! We pride ourselves outstanding personal service with the motto ' No job is ever too big or too small – it’s customer satisfaction that counts'. In this demanding Health & Safety led market place we guarantee that all our fabrics and fillings meet the exacting BS5852

Delivery times are generally 4 weeks from order, but we can also offer a "fast track" service for certain products. Why not contact us at sales@ilfchairs.com or on 01293 783783 and find out how we can help you fulfil your seating and table needs.

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Trent Furniture’s Italia Bistro Chair Offers Italian Style at a Competitive Price Bring a hint of Italian style and quality to your establishment with the Italia Bistro chair and tall stool from Trent Furniture. The classic ladder-back design and customisable seat makes this range a perfect fit for any commercial environment from bars and pubs to restaurants, bistros and cafes. The frames are crafted from solid beechwood and are available in a timeless dark oak or walnut finish. Expertly manufactured, they are durable, sturdy and easy to care for – perfect for a busy contract environment.

fashion using materials from sustainable sources. Trent Furniture offers a huge choice of upholstery patterns and colours which are hard wearing, easy to clean and CRIB 5 fire retardant. As the Italia Bistro range is upholstered inhouse you can even send your own fabric to fit with your décor and branding.

The plush and comfortable seat pads are created in an eco-friendly

MST Auctioneers

MST AUCTIONEERS Ltd specialise in handling & auctioning a wide variety of goods. We act for Insolvency Practitioners, Receivers, Bailiffs and Solicitors as well as large PLCs. We are members of The National Association of Auctioneers and Valuers (NAVA). For the past 25 years, we've provided a unique disposal service tailored to suit, liquidators,

Square One Interiors Starting out in his garden shed, Jamie never thought that his new range of reclaimed furniture would become as successful as it has over the past 2 years. Having had a history in design and furniture design, an idea was born and he decided to run with it. He loved the idea of a rustic looking, industrial range which was also eco friendly and sustainable. He soon found that a modern twist was also achievable, by using bright colours on the steel frames, as well as several different wood finishes

The Italia Bistro Chair starts from just £29.90 and the Tall Italia Bistro Stool from £44.90 (plus VAT) See the Italia Bistro range and more great options at www.trentfurniture.co.uk or call us on 0116 2986 286 for more information.

banks, receivers as well as private and corporate vendors. We carry out probate valuations and conduct complete house and commercial clearances. We have the largest Auction venue in the South of England. Our regular monthly Auctions occupy 45,000 sq.ft. of undercover space, selling over 2500 lots from 3 rostrums over two days. We have storage and removal facilities. In addition we have forklifts for machinery up to 5 tons. We also hold regular Auctions ”On Site” and "On Line" See the advert on this page for further details.

which would compliment the overall design. Making furniture from scratch also had its benefits, as Jamie soon found that businesses would approach him with specific needs and requirements, meaning that he was able to provide a fully bespoke service, as well as offering design and advice. Since his humble beginnings in the garden shed, Jamie and the company have now work with hospitality operators, pubs, bars and hotels, as well as some large contract furniture companies and high street names. Our portfolio and workforce are growing and we are very excited to be working on some fantastic projects moving forwards, so watch this space! Visit www.squareoneinteriors.co.uk

Design and Refit Capricorn Contract Furnishings Capricorn Contract Furnishings are now firmly established as one of the country's largest stockist and supplier of quality contract furnishings to cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs and hotels.

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For more information or a Capricorn Contract Furnishings catalogue and price list contact Brian Pengelly on 01395 233 320, visit www.ccf-ltd.uk

Capricorn are based in a 40, 000 square feet showroom and distribution warehouse on the outskirts of Exeter in Devon. From within the distribution area we are able to offer a next day delivery service on thousands of products including tables , chairs , stools and lounge furniture. Customers are encouraged to visit our large showroom to view an extensive range of furniture ideally suited for the leisure market. Here you can relax and let Capricorn help and advise you with your requirements. Opening hours for the showroom are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Drakes Bar Furniture - UK Bar Furniture Supplier We pride ourselves in providing the best quality items at great prices with fantastic customer service and can supply bespoke tailored made furniture such as booths, tables, seating or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;off the pegâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; items. Drakes Bar Furniture not only sell chairs, stools, tables we also design build and install all types of fixed seating, pews and booth seating for pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and clubs. When fitting out a premise the seating is almost paramount for a successful space. Fixed seating, booth seating or banquette seating as its also called can come in variety of colours, finishes, types and styles. Below are just a few examples showing what we have done in the past. With clever planning, seating gen-

erates a great flow for customers and staff around a pub, restaurant, cafe or club. It can be used to divide areas, create new spaces in a room and offer intimacy allowing for the perfect social meet up. The beauty of bespoke fixed seating is that we can make the most of and take advantage of your space and features. We can come to your venue and measure up, give you advice and show you examples of our past work, finishes, types and styles. We have a wide range of Bar Furniture, including tables, stools, chairs, outdoor beer garden, fixed seating and banqueting furniture. If you require a bespoke quote either call us on 01422 839 690 or you can send us an email. See the advert below for details.

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