CLH Digital - Issue #129

Hospitality at Heart of Economic Growth, but 'Support Critical'

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital

There is a storm at the moment over Prime Minister Liz Truss and her Chancellor Kwasi Kwar teng’s mini budget last week Before , I have to say, it has had the oppor tunity to succeed or fail

Given the current state of the economy sometimes it is difficult to remain balanced and objective Like ever y industr y we have seen enormous increases in printing costs (as well as others) but print is our biggest over head, and costs have gone through the roof

So we are as angr y as any other company!

My major concern is the threat to interest rates I have said in previous posts that I was a hospitality operator owning a wine bar/bistro here in Bournemouth during the 1980s and early 90s

Interest rates then were horrendous, 12% up to 15%

In fact, they were always between 10% and 12% throughout the 8 years I had my business

The consequence? I just about got by! Any profits eaten up (no pun intended) in inter est

In this budget, to my mind, I have seen nothing more than giving with one hand and tak ing back even more with the other

Abolishing the proposed increase in corporation tax will, of course , benefit large cor porations With smaller independents (like us) it will make vir tually no difference

Earlier this week a senior Bank of England official warned significant increases in interest rates will have to be imposed by the central bank in response to tax cuts put forward by Kwasi Kwar teng in his mini budget

The Bank’s chief economist, Huw Pill, said the chancellor’s planned tax cuts would act as a stimulus and increase inflationar y pressures, with the result that interest rates would need to go higher than previously forecast, and some economists have said that if inter est rates rise to levels now expected by financial traders, who are forecasting the Bank’s base rate rising to nearly 6% by spring 2023, it will have a huge devastating impact on the hospitality sector

And this once again is where the Chancellor holds the initiative Lower VAT in hospital ity Do not be held to ransom by the Bank of England

Already the storm clouds are gathering and the vultures circling for our newly installed

Prime Minister and Chancellor, with some bookmakers taking bets she might be gone by Christmas!

A pretty sad state of affairs And if the Chancellor really wants to claw back some good PR and instigate a policy that will cer tainly pay off in the long term then, I repeat, cut VAT in hospitality

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said immediately after the Chancellor’s budget that higher interest rates would “simultaneously diminish discretionar y spend for consumers while making borrowing more expensive , exacerbating the already challenging trading environment for our businesses”

And that is absolutely right on discretionar y spending If interest rates go as high as predicted, along with impossibly high energ y costs, it will be a final nail in the coffin that is hospitality

One simple shift of policy could adver t that

So my advice to the Chancellor would be “meet your critics face on and stare them down”

Any reversal in the policies announced last week would not only make difficult eco nomic times more difficult, it would be politically disastrous for any confidence in the countr y ’ s recover y

Only my humble opinion but I think these policies need the oppor tunity to see if they will work

Another repor t which took my eye was the one on page 11, which states that the UK pub and bar market is set to value £22 5 billion in 2022, 98% of its 2019 value with restriction’s and fur ther virus mutations hampering market recover y in 2021

A full year of unrestricted trading is expected to fuel growth of +£8 billion this year, though fur ther growth prospects have been thwar ted by the immediate challenges around consumer behaviour amid the cost of living crisis, surging inflation and energ y costs

Yet another indication of the sectors resilience , and another indication of how it could flourish if it were freed restrictive taxation

Once again I would ask the favour we are tr ying to maximise our adver tisers reach as much as possible , without them would not be possible to run CLH NEWS, so please do follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our newly created Instagram, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to subscribe to our digital issue

Fur ther details can be seen at www catererlicensee com

EDITOR

Peter Adams

Christchurch

Bournemouth

Hospitality at Heart of Economic Growth, but 'Support Critical'

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

They warned however, that these measures were simply not enough to safeguard the future of the sector The combination of pandemic specific debts, minimal cash reser ves, ongoing staffing issues and escalating infla tionar y costs across all areas for hospitality businesses, all against a backdrop of the cost of living crisis, was having a devastating impact

In par ticular, small hospitality businesses operating at the hear t of ever y community in the UK now face the biggest threat to their sur vival

In the letter, the trade associations called on the Chancellor to recognise the vulnerability of the sector by providing urgent suppor t in two key areas:

An immediate reduction in the headline rate of VAT for hospitality on all food and dr ink sales

• Cancellation of business rates for the remainder of this financial year

In a joint statement the industr y leaders said: Whilst the announcements made in the mini budget will go some way to suppor ting our sector, the stark reality for many businesses is that they will still be facing energ y costs of at least double those of 2021 At a time where crippling inflationar y pressures across all areas of their businesses are already threatening their sur vival, this is not sustainable Targeted suppor t for hospitality busi nesses at the hear t of their communities in villages, towns, cities and high streets across the UK will now be critical to ensure they can play a key role in the Government’s growth and levelling up agenda ”

“We need a plan for wide ranging suppor t that is in place for more than six months, allowing these business es time to plan for their futures The current uncer tainty facing hospitality businesses is a huge barrier to growth and the immediate suppor t we are calling for will give many the breathing space they need to ensure their sur vival past this winter ”

Read the in full Letter Here

THE CHANCELLOR'S PLAN

Last week the Chancellor announced a raft of measures to boost economic growth including:

• The basic rate of income tax will be cut to 19p (down from 20p) in Apr il 2023 The tax on highest earner s will also drop from 45 per cent to 40 per cent

The 12 5 per cent r ise in National Insurance wil be rever sed from 6 November

• Corporation tax will remain at 19 per cent instead of r ising to 25 per cent, as was previously expected from Apr il 2023

• No stamp duty wi l be paid on the fir st £250,000 of a proper ty, and £425,000 for fir st time buyer s Kwar teng said this will be a permanent cut, effective from today

• Low tax and low regulation investment zones will be established to accelerate new development The government is

working regional author ities nc luding Tees Valley, West Midlands , Norfolk and the West of England

• The unit pr ice on electr icity and gas bills will be capped for six months (October 2022 to Marc h 2023) under the Energy Bill Relief Sc heme (EBRS)

HOSPITALITY FUELLING CITY CENTRE VIBRANCY

The call for fur ther suppor t follows a repor t earlier this month which revealed that pubs, bars and restau rants are continuing to drive the post COVID 19 recover y of Britain s top cities

Research from CGA by NielsenIQ and Wireless Social highlighted footfall and sales performance steadily increasing but cautioned that with soaring costs for consumers and businesses, the hospitality sector needs urgent suppor t to help keep urban centres vibrant

CGA client director Chris Jeffrey said: Restaurants, pubs and bars are integral to city centre life , especially at a time when so much of retail has moved online , and they are at the hear t of Britain’s recover y from the COVID 19 crisis But as these figures show, that recover y is increasingly threatened by the impact of soaring fuel and food costs on businesses and consumers alike Trading is likely to remain challenging for some time to come , and hospitality needs and deser ves urgent suppor t from government on energ y bills, taxes and more if it is to continue creating jobs and investment in the countr y ’ s city centres

ENERGY COSTS FATAL TO PUBS

This week London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned that the cost of living crisis could be "fatal" for London's pubs and restaurants

The Mayor said spiralling energ y costs staffing shor tages and fewer customers were already hitting the capital’s hospitality businesses and bosses were as worried about the looming eco nomic crisis as they were about closures during the pandemic

Ahead of the Labour par ty conference in Liverpool he said: “London bars, restaurants and cafes are telling me that they are as worried about the looming crisis as they were about the effect of the pandemic on business

“The combination of rocketing food and supply chain costs, customers’ disposable income being hit by the cost of living cri sis and increased business costs mean this period could be fatal for many of London’s favourite hospitality businesses

“If the Government is serious about wanting economic growth they must suppor t hospitality and other struggling industries which provide so many jobs and huge revenues to the exchequer ”

Chancellor's Mini-Budget: There's More Left To Be Desired

The mini budget that the new Chancellor, Kwasi Kwar teng, presented has been met with mixed views Among the measures is a planned reversal of the corporation tax increase introduced by the previous Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the cancellation of the rise in national insurance , among others The announcement primarily aims to provide relief to the people reeling from the soaring cost of living crisis

The hospitality industr y welcomes several sections of the Chancellor's announcement The reversal in national insurance rise announced six months ago is excellent news for the sector and its customers It will help the businesses save money they can put into growth, while the customers will be able to afford the ser vices of the industr y as they'll get to keep more of their money

Moreover, the rise in alcohol duty rates has also been frozen for another year, and the Chancellor has promised reforms to modernise these duties and publish a consultation on it

However, Kwar teng s Growth Statement fails to address the immediate concerns of the hospitality industr y For months trade bodies and leaders from the sector have been urging the government for suppor t through VAT cuts and business rate reforms, but the government is yet to implement them While the mini budget includes VAT free shopping for foreigners to encourage more spending it is not enough to revive the sec

By Kunal Sawhney, CEO of Kalkine (www.kalkine .co.uk)

tor that first took a major hit from the pandemic and then from inflation

While corporation tax cuts may sound good for some , they wouldn't make much dif ference to businesses that aren't making profits In the current economic scenario infla tion is hitting decades old records, and people have cut down on leisure spending, leading to a huge impact on the hospitality industr y

In fact, the Bank of England's decision to raise the interest rates has negatively impact ed the already struggling hospitality sector It makes borrowing expensive for businesses and limits consumer discretionar y spending, aggravating the situation

Earlier, the government had announced suppor t for businesses against the high energ y bills For six months star ting October, there will be a cap on energ y bills under the Government Energ y Bill Relief Scheme

Overall the combined measures will help to ease the crisis to some extent but there's a lot to be done Especially when businesses are dealing with things like rising supply chain costs, labour shor tage , and falling number of customers, the government should offer more assistance to the hospitality sector to help it recover

The Chancellor's commitment to infuse growth into the ailing economy and make the UK a competitive tax regime is appreciated Still, he also needs to focus on providing targeted suppor t to sectors that need it the most

Creative Lives is par tnering with Pub is The Hub and C AMRA to launch a national Pubs Welcoming Creativity campaign This campaign will see publicans across England opening their doors to regularly host a variety of creative activities run by local groups anything from knitting circles to ukulele groups or poetr y corners!

We know that there are lots of creative activities that already happen in pubs, as a great way to make use of qui eter nights and bring in new customers We also know that there are many volunteer led creative groups who have lost their regular meeting spaces during the pandemic and will be looking for a warm space to gather have a drink togeth er and practise their craft as the evenings star t to get dark er

To kickstar t this campaign, Creative Lives has produced a Welcoming Creativity Toolkit for Publicans Pubs across England are now invited to self cer tify as a ‘creativity friend ly venue ’ The first 100 pubs to register will receive a free Welcoming Creativity pack in the post! This pack contains a ‘We welcome creativity here!’ window poster, and a ‘creativity friendly venue ’ badge for front doors and behind the bar These visual aids will encourage local creative groups to star t up conversations about hosting their creative activity at their local pub The posters are customisable with contact details opening times or any other useful information for potential creative par tnerships!

For pubs looking for a bit more suppor t to get star ted the free online and downloadable Toolkit for publi cans also includes five inspirational case studies of pubs across England already welcoming creative activity In addition, the Toolkit contains a curated selection of some of the free downloadable Creative Lives briefings, such as: Risk assessment: event management , and How to write a press release They ll also find ready made text and pictures to use on social media, to attract creative groups and to promote their activities

C AMRA National Chairman Nik Antona said: "It is fantastic to see these initiatives to encourage pub going

during what could otherwise be quieter nights in our pubs As natural hubs to their local communities, pubs are the obvious venue for creative groups This is an incredibly diffi cult period for pubs which are facing a double whammy of a cost of living and cost of goods crisis, so we'd like to encourage pubs to use this toolkit to tap into new customers There s plenty of ways to get involved, connect with your local community and suppor t our locals whether that's in a local knitting circle or at a C AMRA social!"

John Longden, Chief Executive of Pub is The Hub, added: “Many pubs are already well set up with spaces for wel coming creative groups to host their activities These groups are often in desperate need of a warm and welcom ing environment in which to get together, and meeting in a pub offers an ideal solution

Logden continues: We are proud to see a growing num ber of publicans and managers at pubs that Pub is The Hub has

vices, helping to host creative activities such as craft groups

hosted at a pub’s craft cabin

Welcoming Creativity

A Visit to The Showman’s Show 2022 is a Must For Anyone Within Hospitality

For anyone working within the catering and hospitality sector it presents an excellent oppor tunity to meet new suppliers and discover the latest innovations and technologies

Exhibitors include state of the ar t temporar y structures perfect for adding additional areas to existing venues or corporate hospitality facilities; caterers, bespoke concessions and catering equipment; the latest sound and lighting solu tions; furniture hire companies; theming, visual spectaculars and finishing touches to name but a few

A visit to The Showman’s Show is an absolute must for anyone involved in events and hospitality

You can find more details about the show and exhibitors by visiting www showmansshow co uk or see the adver t on the facing page

To register to attend The Showman’s Show 2022 please click https://tinyurl com/pjyxkkds

The Showman s Show will return to Newbur y Showground on the 19th 20th October 2022 with hundreds of exhibitors showcasing thousands of products and ser vices The show delivers practical solutions, handy hints and inspiration in abundance

Visitors can expect to meet companies launching new products, alongside show cases and demonstrations of existing solutions It’s also a great melting pot for ideas, with the chance to talk to the exper ts in their field face to face and interact with products and ser vices in a live environment which is really useful for making purchasing decisions

Drinks Sales Down Year-on-Year, but Energy Caps Bring Relief

Drinks sales fell just behind the levels of 2019 and 2021 in an unusual week for the On Premise , CGA by NielsenIQ’s latest Drinks Recover y Tracker shows

Average sales in managed venues in the seven days to Saturday (17 September) were just 1% behind the same week last year though they were 6% off the levels of September 2019, and even fur ther behind after adjustments for inflation

The week was dominated by mourning for Queen Elizabeth II and the run up to her funeral, and trading conditions in London were par ticularly atypical The week star ted well, with generally warm weather helping to lift daily sales to between 1% and 9% above 2021 levels from Sunday to Wednesday (11 to 14 September) However, year on year sales were than down by between 2% and 5% from Thursday to Saturday (15 to 17 September)

Beer and cider continued a good run of year on year growth, with sales in both categories finishing 7% ahead of the same week in 2021 Spirits sales were down 16%, against a tough comparative week last year when consumers were celebrating the full reopening of the On Premise Sales of wine (up 1%) and soft drinks (down 1%) were both ver y close to last year

“In a difficult week for many people in the On Premise the pattern of trading just below previous years continued,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland “The government’s relief on energ y bills for households and businesses is a welcome boost to both consumers ’ spending and operators’ margins but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to shore up trading as the summer draws to a close and the nights draw in

Labour’s Pledge to Abolish Business Rates to Save the High Street

Rating Exper ts at Colliers Say Labour’s proposals remain “woolly” and that “reform not abolition” of the system is needed

Although the Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves said at the par ty conference this week that Labour plans to “abolish business rates”

“So, Labour will level the playing field We will abolish business rates and replace them with a fairer system fit for the 21st centur y ”

it is not yet clear what it would replace the system with Labour is unlikely to spell this out this side of an election but has hinted that a new system will be based on a valuation process, probably a mix of land and rental value

It is also believed to be suppor ting

Removal of downward transition following the next revaluation

Small business rates relief to be extended to those whose premis es have rateable values up to £25,000, rather than £15,000 at present This could be paid for by increasing the rate of digital ser vices tax

An extension of the 50% relief from April 2023 up to £110,000

John Webber, Head of Business Rates at Colliers commented, “Whilst we would suppor t Labour if intro duced significant reform to the current system, we would not suppor t total abolition or any form of Land Value tax ”

Labour has been talking about more frequent revaluations, instant reductions in bills where proper ty val ues fall, (so no phased downwards transition following a revaluation), rates to be more closely aligned to economic change , to reward businesses that move into empty premises, (thereby helping the high street) and to incentive green improvements to businesses

Webber comments, “These are all good aspects of reform of the system that we in the industr y have been

calling for for years and we would include a wider reform of reliefs and reforms to the appeals system

Labour does seem to be listening to businesses who have expressed their frustrations with the current system, cries that both the Conser vative government (and Lib Dems when in coalition) have been ignoring

“However, if Labour is looking at a tax based on a valuation process (probably a mix of land and rental value), we do not think this would work as the tax would probably be levied on landlords Business rates were set up to pay for the amenities and ser vices that businesses use in the community so there should surely be no dispute that such busi nesses should pay something for these ser vices

The additional tax could also backfire Landlords would most proba bly recuperate the money by hiking up rents charged to occupiers “We would therefore have a system whereby businesses would end up paying more to the landlord but unlike the present system would be unable to appeal against their com bined rent and rate bills that the landlord would introduce So how would they benefit?”

Labour’s plans could just complicate the system and lead to more confusion in the appeals system

Webber continued, “Whilst we agree we need to look at other means of shoring up the tax take , we are not in any way in favour of a total abolition of business rates a tax, which provides £26 billion net to the exchequer Business rates as a tax has been around for 400 years it’s only the last 20 that it has been tin kered with so disastrously

Total abolition would be naïve Business rates is the one “ cer tain” tax Given the economic situation in which the UK finds itself, with sterling in plummeting, no politician wor th their salt would suddenly get rid of this the most cer tain of taxes This would also be the last thing the IMF would want to hear

Colliers’ view is that the current system must cer tainly be radically reformed, but not thrown out alto gether

NO-SHOWS, NO MORE? - Likelihood of No-Shows Has Almost Halved, Reducing the Cost Of No-Shows by

The latest figures from leading hospitality tech provider Zonal and data and insight firm CGA by NielsonIQ reveal the likelihood of no shows has almost halved from 11% to 6% The research also shows that the number of consumers making reser vations and honouring them has increased by 15 percentage points, reducing the cost of no shows to the hospitality sector to £12 6bn saving the industr y £5bn a year

The new research marks the one year anniversar y of Zonal’s #ShowUpForHospitality campaign, which found that customers not show ing up for bookings was costing the industr y an estimated £17 6bn a year in lost revenue , with one in seven people not turning up to their reser va tions and not informing the venue

The campaign highlighted the effect and harm no shows cause to hospital ity businesses already struggling to sur vive after the pandemic and tried to educate consumers on the financial and operational impact caused by not turning up for a booking

Olivia FitzGerald, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Zonal said: “While no shows continue to have a costly impact on the hospitality industr y, something which is felt even more

a Year

keenly by already hard pressed hospitality businesses, it is welcome news that the number of people honouring their bookings has increased Now that we ’ re a year on from the launch of #ShowUpForHospitality it’s clear that the industr y ’ s effor ts have resulted in a significant reduction in no shows

“Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes play a pivotal role in our communities and ever yday lives, so it’s impor tant to raise awareness on how crucial it is to suppor t them and always show up for hospitality At Zonal, we re contin uing to work with our customers to provide seamless booking technolog y to mitigate the risk of lost revenue ”

CGA client director Andy Dean says: “ A year on from the launch of the campaign has shown consumers the damage inflicted when they don’t turn up to their bookings, and it’s extremely positive to see the number of no shows has almost halved during this time On Premise , businesses face a multitude of challenges right now and its impor tant as we head into winter months and beyond that consumers continue to embrace their bookings and suppor t hospitality businesses ”

London Nightclub Puts Inclusivity at the Forefront as Black History Advocate

The Night Owl, an independent nightclub renowned for its soul and retro music , is celebrating the histor y of its Finsbur y Park venue for National Inclusion Week 2022

Formerly the renowned Silver Bullet, which closed in 2016 after much protest from the local music scene , The Night Owl’s London venue has since welcomed performances from celebrated soul ar tists including Leee John and Omar

The venue is a strong suppor ter of Black histor y, having taken inspiration from Motown music which played an impor tant role in racial integration in the 1950s The Night Owl is empowering com munities through its events performances and par tnerships with the likes of ILive Community Radio a local radio station which rep resents the diversity of the UK and European music scene

Arith Liyanage CEO and founder of The Night Owl said: “Having been born in London and a man of colour myself, I’ve always been keen to suppor t Black histor y and ensure my business follows suit We have policies in place to suppor t and encourage both employee and customer diversity

Our second Night Owl venue , opposite Finsbur y Park station, was launched during the COVID 19 pandemic It has since been met with open arms from the local community and musicians alike

“An extensive list of individuals are suppor ting us on our journey From Jermain Jackman, local labour councillor and winner of The Voice series, to Leroy Logan MBE, founding member of the Black Police Association ”

Leroy Logan MBE commented: “As a patron of Voyage Youth and the current Chair of Transition 2 Adulthood, it has led me to work with young people within the Finsbur y Park area, giving me an insight into the need for safe and secure spaces for people to socialise and enjoy themselves

“One such venue in the area is The Night Owl providing an eclectic mix of music events within a vibrant positive atmosphere Since launching during the negative Covid era it has become a posi tive source of fun, making Finsbur y Park a cool place , which has been desperately needed since I was a youngster in the area during the 60’s Long may it continue!”

Pubs Miss Out on £155million Summer World Cup Boost

UK pubs missed out on a staggering £155 million summer World Cup boost, new analysis from small business insurance provider Simply Business has revealed

The hospitality sector was already among the hardest hit by Covid 19, losing an eye watering average of £40,000 each due to the pandemic almost double the £22 000 average losses repor ted by UK small busi nesses Pub and brewing businesses across the UK are now at risk of closure due to out of control energ y bills, with upwards of 300% price hikes repor ted

Figures compiled by Simply Business found that, had the men ’ s England team reached the final of the World Cup this summer, an additional 38 million pints of beer would have been consumed in the UK With the average price of a pint in the UK at £4 07, this has resulted in pubs miss ing out on a huge £154,660,000 in total

If England hadn’t reached the final, pubs would have still expected to see 14 million extra pints poured during the group stages alone (3 5 mil lion pints per England group game), meaning pub owners across the UK would still have missed out on a guaranteed summer boost of up to £57 million

Though the winter competition will still attract punters, there is con cern that the full effect of World Cup trade will not be felt, with pubs already naturally seeing an upturn in trade due to the festive period The change in timing for the tournament has left a number of business own ers concerned that they will have to choose between Christmas par ties and World Cup viewings

Ben Stanford who runs The George & Dragon in Much Wenlock com ments: “The lack of summer tournament football has resulted in lost revenue , as we would have been showing all of the home nations games I’m not sure how the rest of the year is going to pan out the impend ing increase in energ y costs could result in the pub closing all together With the current cost of living situation, I’m not sure we’ll make much extra by showing the football in December ”

News of the government’s plans to cap fuel costs for businesses was welcomed in the SME community as small business owners have been calling for an energ y price cap for businesses Pub owners in par ticular were looking to use the cap as a star ting point to prevent them being

forced to close before they can reap the rewards of the World Cup and festive period sales boost

The analysis from Simply Business comes as pubs continue to close at an alarming rate , with pub numbers now at their lowest on record as inflation and rising costs eat into profit The changes to VAT and business rates announced in this year ’ s Spring Statement will have also significant ly hit the pockets of owners in these industries

Alan Thomas, UK CEO at Simply Business, said: “Pubs and independent hospitality businesses play an integral role in both our local communities and the success of the wider UK economy

“Having been hit dispropor tionately by the impact of the pandemic owners are now having to contend with soaring costs and rising energ y prices for many, this summer has been about sur vival as their recover y from the impact of the pandemic continues

“This makes the lack of a summer World Cup an even bigger blow Now more than ever small businesses needed a boost The surge in trade to the tune of up to £155 million for UK pubs would have come at a critical time for hospitality owners, many of whom are work ing hard to stay afloat while battling the impact of a surging cost of liv ing

“Looking ahead as the winter World Cup overlaps with the festive sea son another crucial time of year for the industr y pub owners will be forced to prioritise For many, profits will inevitably be down, with publi cans seeing their two busiest times of the year rolled into one

The Hop Inn in Hornchurch wins CAMRA’s National Cider & Perry Pub of the Year Award

visitors ”

C AMRA’s Competition Co ordinator, Sarah Newson said:

“It is a huge achievement for any pub or club to win such a major acco lade Its success is a testament to the hard work and dedication that Alison has put in towards bringing cider to the table

Alison & Phil said: We are absolutely thrilled to win the national Cider & Perr y Pub of the Year competition! The Hop Inn is small and fairly new, hav ing opened in 2019 and going straight into a pandemic The last few years have been tough, so to receive this accolade is quite amazing for us and our small team

“The Hop Inn was chosen by judges not only because the staff were ver y knowledgeable about real cider and perr y, but also because they felt like regulars upon entering With an incredibly warm welcome and a large range of real ciders and perries ser ved at top quality and temperature the Hop Inn really was the clear winner in this competition ”

The Hop Inn in Hornchurch will be presented with the award on Friday 30th September at about 1:30 pm kicking off the star t of C AMRA’s Cider Month promotion in October, which celebrates this unique drink during the har vest season

Other finalists in the competition were The King’s Ditch in Tamwor th, Pebbles Tavern in Watchet and the Queen s Head in Allens Green, Her ts

The Hop Inn in Hornchurch has won C AMRA’s National Cider & Perr y Pub of the Year Award, which recognises the best pub or club that pro motes and encourages the sale of quality real cider and perr y across the countr y

The award will come as no surprise to regulars with the micropub boast ing at least ten real ciders and perries on tap It’s owned by Phil Cooke and Alison Taffs Alison is a drinks educator and an advocate for cider, having recently set up the London Cider & Perr y Club to help foster interest in and knowledge of this special drink

Alison added: “I know how good real cider and perr y can be , and I want it to be viewed with the same enthusiasm & respect that we see across other drink categories We have so many talented producers in this countr y who are creating things that are just extraordinar y, and I love sharing these amazing drinks with our

Convenience Reigns King as Food Delivery Sales Soar Over Takeaways

Britain’s consumers have switched from pick up food takeaways to third par ty deliv eries, continuing the habits they picked up during COVID 19 lockdowns, the latest CGA Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals

The monthly repor t shows deliver y sales at managed restaurant, pub and bar groups in August 2022 were 13% higher than in August 2021 By contrast, takeaway and click and collect sales were 25% down from one year ago

Compared to August 2019 the last comparable month before the COVID 19 pan demic deliver y sales were 263% higher more than five times the growth of 49% for takeaways Deliveries accounted for nearly 15 pence in ever y pound spent with managed groups offering deliver y in August 2022, while takeaways attracted only seven pence

The Hospitality at Home Tracker shows how total at home sales have fallen since COVID restrictions ended, but remain much higher than pre pandemic levels Combined deliver y and takeaway sales in August 2022 were 8% down on August 2021 the tenth month of year on year decline in a row but 102% ahead of August 2019

currently offer deliver y however these operators need to consider how the quality of the deliver y ser vice can impact their brand CGA’s exclusive Food Insights repor t shows that consumers expectations about the quality of their food deliveries from restaurants have increased Two in five (42%) consumers say they would be less likely to order from a restaurant again if they got an unsatisfactor y order and while 13% would hold their deliver y company responsible for the failure , nearly three times as many (35%) would blame the restaurant

Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said:

“Restaurant closures and COVID concerns led many consumers to order in food and drink instead of going out in 2020 and 2021, and while restrictions have ended it is clear that deliver y habits are here to stay The convenience of third par ty platforms means people no longer need to leave home to pick up their food but instead enjoy door to door deliver y ”

This data suggests pubs, bars, restaurants, and takeaway outlets that don’t yet offer a deliver y ser vice are missing out on significant sales For those that do so there are now three big challenges: growing deliver y sales without compromising in venue trading meeting consumers ’ high expectations about food quality and manag ing relationships with deliver y platforms to protect profit margins and maintain customer loyalty ”

Bowood Hotel Receives 4 Red Star Rating from AA

Recognising it as One of the Best in Britain

A Wiltshire hotel has been awarded coveted four Red Star status by the AA with the assessors annual release of its hospitality standards recognising it as ‘Inspectors’ Choice’, which sees it rated as one of the best hotels in the British Isles

Bowood Hotel, Spa and Golf Resor t, which sits at the hear t of the 2,000 acre Bowood Estate , has been awarded highly sought after four AA Red Star accreditation, with inspectors noting the excellent level of quality on offer and the outstanding hospitality and ser vice

Previously assessed as a four silver star hotel, the latest assessment saw this rating retained, but with the recommendation that it be noted as Inspector’s Choice ‘Red Star’ status a mark of excellence that ser ves to set it apar t from other four star rated hotels

The AA has been recognising and rewarding accommodation since 1908 with its star rating introduced in 1912 to help guests more easily determine the quality of a hotel’s ser vices and facilities Assessing more than 4,000 hotels across Britain & Ireland, the AA’s unique Merit Score provides consumers with a means of comparing hotels with the same star rating enabling them to appreciate the features that set a hotel apar t from its competitors

Alongside its principal hotel offering, Bowood s amenities include its two AA Rosette Shelburne

Restaurant, its luxurious The Spa at Bowood, and its renowned golf course , which is the official PGA golf course & academy for the South West

As par t of the accreditation process, the AA inspector assessed three key elements: overall quality, critical areas (cleanliness, hospitality, ser vice , bedrooms, bathrooms and food), and the provision of ser vice & facilities To achieve a four Red Star rating, each element must meet the requisite standards, with Bowood achieving five for overall quality something that highlighted the exceptional nature of the hotel’s offering and provided the platform for its Red Star recognition

Jeff Condliffe , General Manager at Bowood Hotel, commented, saying: “I am extremely proud and delighted to receive the AA Red Star accolade This is an incredible achievement for us and in par ticular recognises the hard work and commitment of the entire team at Bowood who continual ly strive to exceed expectations and offer the highest possible levels of ser vice ”

My focus has been implementing the relevant changes that would allow us to achieve Red Star recogni tion Bowood is a wonderful hotel with enormous potential, and to see it realised is incredibly rewarding, but it’s a genuinely deser ved accolade that’s only possible thanks to our exceptional team of whom I’m ver y proud to be a par t!”

The shift away from takeaway or click & collect ser vices highlights the oppor tunities for outlets who don’t

The UK Pub & Bar Market is Set to Value

£22.5 Billion in 2022, 98% of its 2019 Value

According to the new Lumina Intelligence UK Pub & Bar Market

Repor t 2022 the UK pub and bar market is set to value £22 5 billion in 2022, 98% of its 2019 value with restriction s and fur ther virus muta tions hampering market recover y in 2021 A full year of unrestricted trading is expected to fuel growth of +£8 billion in 2022, though fur ther growth prospects have been thwar ted by the immediate challenges around consumer behaviour amid the cost of living crisis, surging infla tion and energ y costs

Outlet prospects are weaker in 2022 than previous forecasts, though 2024 is expected to mark the end of net closures

It is expected that six net sites will close ever y week in 2022, with the independent segment of the market is expected to see outlet decline of 1 5% with less suppor t for these operators leading to unviable sites

Lumina Intelligence forecasts decades of pub closures to net out in 2024 before positive growth in 2025 sees the market boast 42 729 sites

Investment in estates, digital ser vices and technolog y will be key growth drivers

Sustainability, innovation, training and digitalisation are being prioritised by hospitality business over the next 12 months Each of these invest ment areas will aid operators to drive spend per head whilst creating more efficient operations in the front and back of house , contributing to

cost management

Value will be a key focus for pub operators and consumers across the next 18 months

There has been a +5ppt increase in consumers being value led, with value for money also increasing as a top consumer need Good value equates to more than low prices and operators are targeting expansion on more premium pub concepts and to deliver value through good qual ity products and ser vices

Pub & bar restaurant operator drink price inflation is outpacing food inflation

Drink prices on menus have increased +8% from April to July 2022 mostly driven by increases in alcoholic beverages including la ger and cider

Operators have been able to cushion food increases through menu management including removing more costly items

Pub & bar restaurant menu sizes recover to pre pandemic levels

Pub & bar restaurant menu sizes have grown +32% year on year to an average dish count of 86 items, just 2% smaller than in Summer 2019 Operators are mitigating challenges through careful menu management including utilising customisable options and premiumisation

Recover y in the economy and consumer confidence will foster pub market growth to total £23 9bn in 2025F

Food led pubs will tap into non traditional day par ts, kitchen gardens and more aspirational cuisines to increase sustainability credentials and drive volumes and spend from consumers There is a crucial need for wet led pubs to create a point of differentiation to at home consump tion as consumers reduce drink only occasions and the number of drinks per occasion

Commenting on the results, Senior Insight Manager at Lumina Intelligence , Katherine Prowse , said:

“Despite a tough few years, a year of unrestricted trading is expected to see the market gain back £8 billion of lost value from the pandemic ”

“The market is facing a new challenge around the cost of living crisis surging inflation and energ y costs However strong pub operators are expected to continue investing in estates to drive spend per head with the FIFA World Cup offering oppor tunity to capitalise on an extended festive season ”

Find out more about Lumina Intelligence s Pubs and Bars repor t at https://store lumina intelligence com/product/uk pubs bars market repor t 2022/

Win A Brand-New Synergy Grill By Submitting Your Gas/Electric Bill!

The team behind Synerg y Grill Technolog y is excited to have launched a no strings attached competition which will see one lucky winner snap up a brand new Synerg y Grill (ST600) wor th £6,400

In order to be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize , UK chefs and operators simply need to fill out this shor t entr y form: www synerg ygrill com/winagrill Here , entrants will be asked to submit a few contact details as well as provide details about what they are currently paying for gas or electric (per kWh) at their venue

Justin Cadbur y Chairman of Synerg y Grill Technolog y is delighted to be giving UK chefs and foodser vice operators the chance to be par t of the Synerg y community by giving away a free Trilog y grill:

“With energ y efficiency and sustainability being at the ver y core of the brand it is key for us at Synerg y Grill that we steer operators through these times where scarily high gas and electric prices have the power to bankrupt foodser vice businesses Simply put,

with a full tank of gas, a Synerg y grill will cook 3000 burgers, in comparison to just 1000 on a traditional alternative By allowing operators the chance to become the owner of a super sustainable Synerg y Grill for free , we are demonstrating our commitment to sup por ting all foodser vice operators ”

Synerg y Grill’s revolutionar y, patented burner technolog y allows operators to cut gas consumption by a massive 59% in comparison to commercial gas a grills of a similar size When you quantify this astonishing figure into monetar y value operators are looking at potential savings of over £9,000 per year, equating to a staggering £48,000* wor th of sav ings over a five year period Synerg y s patented heat capturing combustion system delivers this massive financial saving by ensuring that the high heat is focused directly on the food, therefore requiring less energ y and providing both an economical and sustainable grilling experience

To enter this competition, please follow this link: www synerg ygrill com/winagrill and submit all fields in the form by 10th October T&C’s apply and are stated on the website

Guests with Disabilities Should Not Be Overlooked

By Howard Lewis , General Manager of Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel (https://all.accor.com/hotel/B737/index.en.shtml)

The Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel is par t of Liverpool’s vision to cement the city region as an international destination of signifi cance for the healthcare and technolog y industries As par t of this is our commitment in making the hotel accessible for all guests to be able to enjoy a stay in Liverpool and enjoy the luxuries of a modern hotel

It’s estimated that there are over 250,000 people living in the UK who require help to get in and out of bed However, in the whole of the UK, there are only 16 hotels that have bedrooms with adequate ceiling hoists, and for some disabled people , this could tip the balance between visiting Liverpool or not

Indeed, at the Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel, we are in a strong position to welcome more disabled guests, with 13 of our bed rooms wheelchair accessible , and one includes a state of the ar t bed hoist

In shor t, the team and I are extremely proud to have opened Liverpool’s first hotel room with a hoist thanks to our par tnership with Liverpool city council

I believe that operators are missing out by failing to accommodate dis abled guests To me it seems hard to believe that such a market could be overlooked, notwithstanding the impor tance of providing an accessible space for all customers With this in mind, Purple a disabled user led organisation estimates that the hospitality sector could lose out on

£1m to £2m per month by failing to suppor t disabled guests

It appears that a lot of operators have a long way to go when it comes to accommodating people with disabilities, which is why I am proud that the Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel is making some steps in addressing this issue In shor t my team and I have tried to design an

environment that is both practical, accessible , and elegant in equal meas ure to all our guests

When we opened our doors back in July one of our first visitors was a couple coming to celebrate their daughter’s graduation When asked about our accessible rooms, the woman ’ s father, who is disabled, remarked on how any parent with a son or daughter studying in Liverpool should be able to come and take them out for tea’ without having to concern themselves with where they are going to sleep Hearing remarks like this is exactly why we want to continue to suppor t disbaled people here at Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village

Moreover unique to Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village is its 39 long stay, apar tment style accommodation the first proper ty in the UK to feature this new, modern concept and designed in par tnership with key health and education stakeholders in the Knowledge Quar ter, specif ically for patients students and relatives attending the nearby hospitals and universities What this highlights is my team’s commitment to both disability inclusion, but also the healthcare sector in general

I want the Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village hotel to lead the way in helping disabled people feel more included, respected and suppor ted by the hospitality sector I only hope now that more hotel operators fol low suit

Hotel Rates and Occupancy Drop but Sector Gets Some ‘Breathing Space’ with Energy Price Cap

UK shows that

August compared

UK hoteliers also saw

shrink between

analysed

dropped

Rising

as a percentage of room revenue , rose sharply from 23 5% last month to 28 3% in August

The reduction in revenue , along with the continued increase in costs have resulted in gross operating prof its of UK hotels seeing nearly a 10% drop to 35 5% in August compared with 45% in July London hotels saw

‘While the hotel sector does ordinarily see a drop in occupancy rates in August, this was more pronounced than usual The fallout from the cost of living crisis is becoming entrenched in falling con sumer confidence and this is reflected in room rates and occupancy showing a sharper drop than normal at this time of year

‘What is encouraging however is that while the drop in average daily rates is significant, it remains higher than the same period in 2019 And, there are some positives for the sector as it heads into the winter and beyond The government s recent announcement of an energ y price cap, albeit a six month reprieve , will go some way to give hotels crucial breathing space as they have seen their utility costs per room rise

‘While the recent fall in sterling is not universally good news for the UK, this may be one sector that stands to benefit Falling exchange rates make the UK an attractive , cheaper destination for overseas visitors especially those from America and we would also expect to see a rise in domestic tourism with consumers increasingly priced out of overseas travel ’

The International Drinks Expo - 19th & 20th October

The International Drinks Expo is back and better than ever! 2021 was a hugely successful show, come and see for yourself this 19th & 20th of October! The expo is ready and raring to go for industr y professionals to project profits and see growth and success for your business!

Get a FREE ticket now, and you will be exposed to countless oppor tuni ties to see your drinks business thrive! We are so excited to host this expo at the ExCeL in London for what will be the most impor tant event in your business calendar!

The event will give you access to hand packed exhibitors and their plethora of innovative products, ideas and strategies, inspirational seminars, panel debates, innovation awards, networking oppor tunities and much more!

The UK’s only event dedicated to maximising your drinks sales is also run ning alongside 5 other industr y leading events, collectively forming #FES22, THE biggest business growth event dedicated to the world of food & drink

This is the chance to connect with fellow business owners like minded professionals and industr y leaders! Hear from your favourite drinks brands by attending our keynote theatres, this could be the advice you need to see exponential growth and success! Hear from representatives from BrewDog, Club Soda and Bournemouth 7’s, many more , become the competition you ve always envied!

So what are you waiting for? Secure your FREE ticket now and we will see you on the 19th and 20th of October!

https://bit ly/3QUsn15

a bigger monthly drop to 38 9%, down from 51% in July

Chris Tate , head of hotels and accommodation at RSM UK, said:

Helping Staff Manage The Rising Cost Of Living

–

What’s Your Legal Obligation?

The rising cost of living is never far from the news agenda, and hospi tality employers will undoubtedly be conscious of the impact on their teams As pressure to increase wages and provide other financial sup por t may be set to rise , it’s useful to understand what legal obligations hospitality businesses have and what else you can do to help strug gling employees

Legally, as long as you are paying your employees in accordance with their contracts (and at least the minimum wage) or above and are pay ing them for all the hours they’ve worked you will meet your obliga tions

However in the face of the present well documented recruitment challenges in the sector employers will naturally be looking at ways they can suppor t their staff and help them to navigate the coming months Not only will this help steady the ship by giving team mem bers a more stable employment environment, but it will help to build your business’ reputation as a caring employer

From the financial to the pastoral, there are various ways managers can help their employees in these times

PAY INCREASES

Perhaps the most obvious solution a pay rise However, not all businesses will be in a position to offer this, nor to keep offering rises as inflation continues to increase

ADVANCES IN PAYMENTS

Some hospitality businesses are already taking this approach allowing employees to take an advance on their wages to help them with unexpected bills or cashflow problems The concept is similar to a payday loan but much safer and without the sky high interest rates

LOOSENING CONTRACT RESTRICTIONS

Many hospitality businesses are traditionally reluctant to allow their employees to take on second jobs, espe cially with their competitors, and may include contractual clauses to prevent this (notwithstanding that exclu sivity clauses are prohibited for zero hours workers) There can be good reasons for this, including ensuring compliance with the Working Time Regulations (WTR) However, this may be the time to consider easing those restrictions off to allow employees to earn extra income The only caveat from a legal perspective is to make sure that employees working multiple jobs have enough break time to comply with the WTRand don’t end up working a day shift straight after a night shift elsewhere for example

SHARING FOOD

By Gareth Matthews , employment law par tner at MLP Law (www mlplaw co uk)

Given the sector s area of focus, chances are there is often food available , and businesses have the facilities and exper tise to provide meals or snacks for employees Even making unser ved food available to staff can help alleviate financial pressure for those who are strug gling

If considering this option, you should check to ensure the provision is not taxable as a “benefit in kind” In most cases, where the provision is offered to all employees and consists of free or subsidised meals of a reasonable value at a workplace canteen (or vouchers that cover the cost of buying these meals) then the provision will not be taxable

DELIVERING FINANCIAL EDUCATION

There s a gap in the education system when it comes to teaching good financial health and this may provide employers with another oppor tunity to suppor t their teams and demonstrate their commit ment to their staff Par tnering with an adviser or IFA to deliver some financial education introducing ISAs, pensions, saving schemes and so on can help your team develop a better financial profile

FOCUS ON BENEFITS

Improving your benefits package can also help make a difference to your team and help them feel suppor ted by their employer Benefits such as private dental care and health insurance can all make life easier for employ ees for example , offering a private GP ser vice can mean that staff don’t need to miss shifts for medical appointments, thus helping to make sure they don t lose additional income as they keep themselves well Benefits platforms that offer discounts or loyalty points for purchases can also be beneficial

WHEN LEGAL OBLIGATIONS KICK IN

Employers have a legal obligation to protect their employees’ physical and mental health, so if staff are strug gling with the cost of living crisis and come to their employer for help, it’s impor tant that this is properly con sidered and acted upon as a way to protect their health If you don’t take relatively small steps to help people sur vive this crisis, then you may find yourself in a legal sticky spot

As an employer, you are obliged to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities, for example , and this extends to mental health illness too It is often repor ted that mental health problems increase in times of recession so employers would be well minded to take decisive steps to tackle the cost of living crisis to suppor t their teams

MLP Law advises mult p e hospitality businesses in the UK on all elements of employment and corporate law Get in touc h to discuss your business’ requirements

Porters of 2022 Announced

The top ten kitchen por ters in the UK have been announced, as par t of the Kitchen Por ter of the Year competition organised by Winterhalter UK in association with The Caterer

The competition, now in its ninth year, was created with the aim of recognising the impor tance of KPs to catering and foodser vice Since 2013 it has gone from strength to strength as restaurants, pubs, hotels, schools and contract caterers have nominated their staff to celebrate and recognise the hard but vital work they do

In advance of the grand final where the overall winner will be revealed, the ten finalists have been announced The judging panel includes James Horler, chief executive of Ego Restaurants and chairman of Notes Music & Coffee and Ping Pong; Hayden Groves, chef consult ant; Deborah Homshaw managing director of education and healthcare at CH&CO; Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter UK; and Lisa Jenkins, managing editor of The Caterer

"We've had eight winners of this competition now and it's been fan tastic to see how the contest highlights the job that KPs do," says Stephen Kinkead "It's back breaking work that deser ves due recogni tion "

Deborah Hornshaw is a new addition to the jur y for 2022 "I was impressed with the breadth of experience , professionalism and care from all the many nominators " she says "To read the outpouring of such depths of appreciation and respect from each of the nominee's own teams was indeed moving Long may that pride in the job be heard

and recognised It truly cements my belief that our kitchen por ters are pivotal in the success of our industr y ' s kitchens in so many diverse ways "

This year the overall winner will take home £1000 and a celebrator y meal for the KP, their friends and family in a casual dining restaurant of their choice Meanwhile , the winner's place of work wins one of Winterhalter s products wor th up to £8000

Discover the Future of Plant-Based

It’s undeniable , what once was considered ‘fringe’ is now well and truly main stream The demand for plant based food options has skyrocketed since 2017, and the categor y is continuing to experience strong year on year growth With more businesses offering plant based options, the competition is fiercer than ever, and an easy way to stand out is to offer a wide range of innovative products on shelves and menus

Plant Based World Expo Europe is the only 100% plant based B2B trade show to bring together buyers and suppliers from across foodser vice hospitality retail and public sector catering Returning to Olympia London on November 30th December 1st, 2022, it’s a one stop solution for keeping your business competitive in one of the fastest growing food categories

Two highly commended KPs will also win a cash prize , and ever y KP who enters will receive an Oliver Hardy KP of the Year branded apron in recognition of their duties

The top 10 finalists are:

Gerr y Daly, head k tc hen por ter, Cameron House , Loc h Lomond, Scotland

Moustapha D ongue , kitc hen por ter, the Langham, London

Andrea Geraci, kitc hen por ter, Apr icity, London

Geoff Goater, kitc hen por ter, Ric k Stein, Cornwall

Marcin Kwasniewski head k tc hen por ter BaxterStorey London

Roy Madden, kitc hen por ter, Daish's Esplanade Hotel, Scarborough Victor Shooter, head kitc hen por ter, Baxter storey, Br itish

Remy Tingson,

Lango

Winterhalter

With so many new plant based products being launched, how do you decide which ones suit your business?

Instead of juggling samples, tastings and emails, the show is your chance to meet with 200+ plant based suppli ers under one roof You can speak with the right contacts, taste the products, and access all the information you need to make your decisions

Alongside the expo is a world class conference programmed for buyers and chefs eager to learn more The educational sessions are designed to suppor t the buying journey providing top line insights into the next trends oppor tuni ties and challenges that will affect your business in the coming months They will be led by world class speakers, from the biggest chains and foodser vice giants to some of the world’s largest food manufacturers and thought leaders

Trade professionals can register to attend for free on the website at www plantbasedworldeurope com

Follow @plantbasedworldeurope and #PBWE on Twitter and Instagram for ongoing conversations and updates about the plant based market

See the adver t on page 8 details

From left, L sa Jenkins , James Horler, Stephen Kinkead and Deborah Homshaw

Travel Means Business

The study repor ted an increase in those who had already booked to travel both domestically and overseas, as restrictions were lifted, with business travel on the increase

HGS also found that Airbnb was one of the most recognisable brands across the countries sur veyed, but that hotel brands remained the favoured booking choice for corporate travellers

City breaks, rather than beach holidays, were now back in favour for the domestic leisure traveller, while overseas leisure guests were heading for the beach followed by cities When booking going direct to the brand websites and using an OTAs both gained ground in terms of value perception while review sites fell James Bland director BVA BDRC said: “The past few years have seen travel plans subject to government restrictions as a result of the pandemic then in the UK border issues provoked by Brexit

“It has been a frustrating time for travel but as friction eases so will the volume of travellers Our study shows that par ticularly when on city breaks at home or abroad this means a stay in a hotel With inflation continuing to rise , value will be a motivating factor ”

Looking at the health of brands across the sur vey Airbnb was ver y popular in most of the categories but there was also strong local weighting favouring domestic brands such as NH in Spain, Ibis in France and Premier Inn in the UK

In the economy segment, Ibis remained one of the most recognised brands, par ticularly in European coun tries, with Novotel and NH strong in the mid market segment Hilton and Melia found favour in the upper full ser vice segments, with Four Seasons, InterContinental and Sofitel popular in luxur y

Looking at how the brands were viewed, Hampton by Hilton was strong on comfor t and design, while Holiday Inn Express was recognised as being strong on ESG There was a greater spread on the brands in the mid mar ket, recognising the disparate state of the segment, but Best Western was strong on general perceptions

In the upper full ser vice segment CitizenM and Hoxton were both pop ular, illustrating the growing popularity of lifestyle For luxur y, Waldorf Astoria and Ritz Carlton were both well recognised across the segment, while Westin was noted for its ESG policies

There was also a strong awareness of the master brand, or brand family, over the individual brands in the group ’ s por tfolios Despite being the smaller group than global leader Marriott International the Hilton stable had more brand awareness

The master brands have continued to add to their stable with a growing focus on collection brands which allow access to the groups ’ distribution platform, but with fewer, if any, brand standards

Bland said: “There is rarely a week which passes when one of the large global operators does not launch a new brand, allowing them to offer owners and customers more options

“While some of the smaller brands don’t make it into double figures this does not seem to be confusing the consumer On the contrar y, Hilton’s addition of ‘by Hilton’ to its brands means that the parent group is all the more strengthened in the mind of the guest, giving more weight to the company s loyalty programme , which binds these flags together ”

Talented Welsh Junior Chefs Preparing for the Culinary World Cup

A team of talented, young chefs will be flying the Welsh flag with pride at the Culinar y World Cup in Luxembourg in November

The Junior Culinar y Team Wales will be competing against 15 other teams from around the world at the high profile culinar y event, which runs from November 26 30

The competition comprises two different elements: a Restaurant of Nations hot kitchen when teams must prepare a three course menu 70 people and a ‘Table of Fire’ which will see teams prepare four dif ferent kinds of cold and hot finger food, a cold, festive fish or seafood platter hot main courses and desser t for 12 people

Wales presents its ‘Table of Fire’ on Sunday, November 27 before heading into the hot kitchen the following Tuesday

“The squad shows a good blend of skills, knowledge and youth,” said Michael “Their development over the last 12 months has been fantastic at ever y practice and they are raising the bar in terms of their work ethic and dishes produced

“We are arranging a series of training weekends and practise lunches and dinners to perfect the dishes in the lead up to the Culinar y World Cup

“Our mission is to keep developing young Welsh chefs who will hopefully progress into the Senior Culinar y Team Wales in the future ”

Graham Tinsley, MBE, the Culinar y Association of Wales’ culinar y director said:

“The junior team has great potential because the chefs are ver y dedicated are practising hard and have created some great dishes

“They have gelled together really well under the leadership of Mike , who is a good organiser and Danny, who is a ver y good chef with a lot of competition experience ”

HRC Announces Monica Galetti as Chef Ambassador for 2023

Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC), the business event for hospitality and food ser vice professionals, has announced that Monica Galetti will be the show’s Chef Ambassador for 2023

Monica Galetti is one of the best known female chefs in London Born in Samoa and raised in New Zealand, she developed an early interest in food and trained as a chef in New Zealand In 2000 she came to London to work for Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche Her talent was soon recognised and she became the first female sous chef at Le Gavroche and then Michel Roux Jr’s Head Chef at Le Gavroche Tropiques in Mauritius in 2005

After a total of 12 years at Le Gavroche , Galetti left in 2015 to spend some time with her family and focus on finding a site for her first restaurant in London Over the past seven years she has become a familiar television personality, as the inim itable presenter and judge on BBC2’s highly popular MasterChef: The Professionals As par t of her role as Chef Ambassador for HRC 2023 Galetti will be taking par t in a must attend keynote session on the show’s Vision Stage and will be a guest

Galetti commented: “I’m delighted to join HRC and International Salon Culinaire as Chef Ambassador for 2023 Now, more than ever, it’s so impor tant for hospitality professionals and chefs to come together, network, learn and continue growing this fantastic industr y There’s nowhere better do to this than at HRC ” Ronda Annesley, Event Manager for HRC , added: “We’re so excited to have Monica on board as Chef Ambassador for HRC 2023 Alongside an illustrious career at the forefront of culinar y innovation in the UK Monica is an advocate of rising industr y stars and a champion of quality ingredients She will be a fantastic addition to our 2023 event and an ambassador that epitomises many of the values the show holds dear

will take place

Food

Show and

Event,

Salon Culinaire

2023

chef competition

London To find

more about the

HRC Connects newsletter, head to hrc

Are You Still Hand Polishing Cutlery?

The difficulty in finding and keeping good employ ees in our industr y has seen an unusually high interest in our products A cutler y polisher used to be seen as a luxur y item for those requiring a high er quality finish to their cutler y than hand polishing, now it's seen as a must have as most restaurants are operating with reduced labour which is costly

Taking washed, still wet cutler y, handfuls at a time are placed into the polisher where the cutler y is immersed in a bed of crushed corn This corn absorbs water and polishes the cutler y

30 seconds before exiting under a UV lamp (which kills bacteria and viruses including Covid19) ready to place on the table It will polish a basket of washed cutler y in 2 min utes (up to 3500 per hour

our mid sized polisher) With a rental cost of just £3 57 per day, it's less than 20 minutes of staff time so it’s wor th looking at your costs and seeing if we can be of ser vice to you

thecutler ypolisher

us; at info@thecutler ypolisher co uk or 01474 873 892

For those reading who have a Nicem Cutler y polisher, our grain and ser vice deal runs until the end of October 2022, contact us for more information

Attitudes towards travel are increasingly positive , according to the latest Hotel Guest Sur vey from BVA BDRC

Junior Culinar y Team Wales is managed by Michael Evans, a lectur er at the Grŵp Llandrillo Menai campus in Rhos on Sea campus and coached by Danny Burke , co owner of Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn and former Senior Culinar y Team Wales captain

judge for historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire

Maximising The Benefits Of Your CSR

By Carly Sells , Director at Charity Escapes (www.charityescapes .com)

The hospitality sector is advised that embracing corporate social responsibility (CSR) is good for business

However, many companies wonder how it will benefit them apar t from generating a feelgood factor Not an unfair ques tion

The cost of being charitable can soon add up There is for example , the time it takes dealing with requests received from charitable organisations asking for suppor t either in cash or kind

We’re in tough economic times, with spiraling inflation including the recent announcement that food prices have soared by a record 10 6 percent a vivid indication of the current cost of living squeeze For an industr y that has had a tough time in the last few years, the bottom line is ever more impor tant

Equally, in the current fiscal climate , charities are facing unprecedented pressures with rising running costs, falling public donations and inflation eroding the value of grants and contracts while at the same time demand for their ser vic es is soaring

Indeed, the advisor y group Charities Aid Foundation recent ly revealed that 60 percent of people plan to cut discre tionar y spending, while nearly nine in 10 (86 percent) charity leaders anticipate that demand for their ser vices is likely to increase

For businesses, such as hotels, restaurants and other hospitality venues, there needs to be more to suppor t ing good causes than creating a warm fuzzy feeling

There is evidence available that demonstrates multiple benefits and a real return on investment can be possi ble when it comes to donating to charity events But many businesses neither have the time ability or inclina

tion to do this

Charity Escapes was established to both help good causes maximise fundraising oppor tunities and to make CSR easier and more measurable for hospitality businesses

We match make hospitality businesses, of all sizes, willing to donate prizes, such as a hotel stay, afternoon tea or cocktail making master class with charities that are organising fundraising events

Venues find that outsourcing par t of their CSR work to Charity Escapes is advantageous on several levels

Not only does it boost the reputation of the hospitality business, but Charity Escapes also takes care of all of the admin, which can be onerous and time consuming if dealt with in house

Any approaches by a charity to a hotel or hospitality venue can be quickly and easily redirected to Charity Escapes for it to handle It means that a charity never has to be turned down and we can match donations to a charity which best represents the brand of the doner

Outsourcing CSR to Charity Escapes also involves the businesses receiving hard evidence from us as to how wor thwhile suppor ting good causes is

This includes collating publicity repor ts charities are asked to post on social media about the donation and repor t back on how much money was raised Businesses see the value of their donation in black and white

Since being established by entrepreneur and philanthropist Jeremy Middleton Charity Escapes is proud to have helped third sector organisations to raise more than £750,000

The interest in Charity Escapes’ ser vices continues to grow; the number of charities wanting to work with us is rocketing This is reflected by the fact we have seen enquiries more than double in the last year

This includes an unparalleled number of requests coming in through our website www charityescapes com

During these unprecedented times charities have an even more impor tant role to play in society when things get tough with many existing to fill gaps left by Government

We are confident that with the help of the hospitality sector, even in the current challenging times, we can continue to help charitable organisations make a difference

Breweries and Pubs Showcase Team Member

Experiences for National Inclusion Week

Designed to celebrate inclusion and encourage action to create inclusive workplaces, the week will see ever yone from publicans to brewer y operation managers sharing their experiences of what inclu sion means to them in the brewing and pub sector

The celebration comes just three months after the British Beer and Pub Association launched its #OpenToAll Char ter, a sector wide commitment for businesses to help them embrace inclusion and cele brate diversity across all their sites

In one of the shor t videos used to showcase staff experiences from across the sector, Tracey Bowen who runs The Unicorn Inn, a Star Pubs & Bars pub in Hanley said: “I am proud to offer a welcoming and safe venue for ever yone at The Unicorn Inn, and inclusion to me means being respected for who I am ”

Aivy Nguyen, Quality Manager at Budweiser Brewing Group s Camden Town Brewer y said: “As a woman in the leadership team at Budweiser’s brewer y in Enfield, I feel I’m always empowered to be my most authentic self, with no barriers To me inclusion means equal access and oppor tunities which I feel I have at Budweiser ”

The videos also showcase some of the initiatives brewers and pubs are taking to ensure diversity and inclusion throughout their workforce and within their venues Ben Jenkins from Asahi talks of the organisa tion’s Shine programme which looks to champion diversity and meet targets for senior level diverse leader

Lucy Har ter y who works at Molson Coors talks of her experience of announcing she was transgender almost four years ago and describes how the reaction she received from her employer was nothing shor t of ‘superb’

Another showcases Vee Muli, a General Manager for Greene King from nor th Devon who has taken par t in the organisation’s reverse mentoring programme She notes how the experience of mentoring Greene King’s Chief Executive Nick Mackenzie has helped them both ‘ grow as people’

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:“The oppor tunities that exist within brewing and pub businesses are diverse and so it is right that those businesses also have a diverse and talented workforce We recognise how an inclusive workforce ensures people can thrive and be their ver y best selves at work

Our members are not only embracing inclusion but championing it throughout their businesses and we want to showcase that, so ever yone feels welcome in our industr y not only as a team member but as customers as well ”

The week will also see a diversity & inclusion toolkit for BBPA members being made available , created in collaboration with diversity consultants Inclusive Employers; one of a series of steps the British Beer and Pub Association and its members are doing to act and raise awareness about diversity and inclusion within the brewing and pub sector

Jangro Launches New Catering And Hospitality Catalogue

Jangro, the UK and Ireland s largest network of independent janitorial distributors, is delighted to launch a brand new catalogue , dedicated to the commercial caterer and hospi tality sector Available now in a compact A5 size , it is packed with many new sustainable choices These include disposable food packaging cutler y and drinkware that are made from recycled materials and are also compostable , biodegradable , or recyclable

From mixolog y, dispensing and ser ving essentials for bar tenders, a large range of glassware (entr y level to fine dining), through to front of house essentials, including crocker y, cutler y, oven to tableware , and presentation displays, the new catalogue has it all It caters for ever ything required within commercial kitchens, including equipment and fur niture such as ovens, cookers, toasters, dishwashers, juicers and blenders, as well as cook and bakeware storage and kitchen utensils For staff there is an array of uniform and PPE on offer, including chef s clothing, headwear, hand protection, and footwear

Also included are kitchen hygiene supplies, which are essential to avoid cross contamina tion and the risk of foodborne illness The catalogue covers all chemicals, paper products, and cleaning products, including the new ntrl range , Jangro’s innovative line of natural and

more sustainable cleaning products

All ntrl products use raw materials that are derived from plant based extracts; their natu ral formulas are 100% biodegradable , contain zero petrochemicals, and can reduce the prod uct’s carbon footprint by up to 85%

Jangro is also proud to offer products for hotels, from brands including Elsyl, and Taylor of London as well as ranges that are 90% natural Other features include an array of different signage , fire safety equipment, first aid, waste management, plus washroom essentials includ ing baby change facilities

Jo Gilliard, CEO of Jangro comments “We are thrilled to unveil our new Catering and Hospitality Catalogue It may be a more compact size than previous editions, but it is absolutely bursting with ever ything a catering business might need for its establishment What’s more , we have included more sustainable options than ever before , helping our cus tomers to make responsible choices and meet their own sustainability goals

For more info or to order a free copy visit Jangro net or call 01204 795 955

Businesses from across the brewing and pub industr y will be show casing what inclusion means to team members as par t of National Inclusion Week this week (26 September 2 October)

ship by 2030

How Memes Can Be Used To Motivate Employees,

Strengthen Brand Awareness, And Improve Engagement

By Max Kraynov, Group CEO of FunCorp, an enter tainment tech developer

Driving engagement, whether it be an internal initiative , or a social media campaign, can be daunting Tr ying to strike a balance between getting your own desired message or instruction across, while at the same time attempting to build a relationship with an individual or group, presents a challenge in terms of how genuine your communication comes across as well as its intended impact While retail marketers leadership teams and HR, are always tr ying to find innovative ways to make connec tions with staff and customers they could benefit from simply taking note of how their target audiences prefer to communi cate online

GlobalWebIndex data reveals that 54% of Gen Z, 41% of Millennials, and 21% of Gen Xers seek out or engage with new memes on a daily basis In my position at FunCorp, an enter tainment tech developer since 2004, I’ve had a front row seat in seeing how the creation of memes has become not only a main stay of pop culture and a lens through which news is viewed and immor talised but also how they’ve been used to persuade and inspire

Conversation in the workplace can often feel routine with the exchange of the same work or ‘how was your weekend?’ pleas antries, and the same post meeting summaries which often devolve into an unnecessar y post meeting meeting This Truman

Show style of mundane , repetitive interaction can make people feel like they’re in a rut and engagement with work begins to taper off Sometimes it’s just better to let the GIFs do the talking

Shor thand communications like memes are great for memor y and engagement Using a clever or funny meme that sums up a bunch of bullet points in a presentation slide (not a dr y stock icon), will create a reac tion, and that reaction or feeling is what stays with people Your employees may see a related image , or a dif ferent version of your meme posted elsewhere , and have the positive association with work reinforced, and

for the visual learners, it’s a faster way of retaining notes and information

For engaging customers and strengthening your brand, memes can be a great unifier being relatable never really goes out of style While memes can cover controversial topics and cause tension or division if used politically or either side of the pop culture references, most of them stem from expressing commonly shared feelings about how we experience the ever yday

The brands that most successfully leverage memes for engagement always take into account their current and target demographic , the media they consume , and have an awareness of self Self acknowledgement, or even self deprecation through memes is more effective than simply saying you ' re great because where's the fun in that? Being able to make fun of yourself making your humour more obser vational and authentic than promotional and desperate will always win out

Domino’s are a great example of this They know that people tend to over indulge when consuming their products and they also know at some point most of their target audience have experienced a ‘food baby’ (bloating and discomfor t) as a result By creating a meme about it, Domino s revel in the silliness of the situa tion, while making it intrinsic to the brand, and tell us ‘Yes, we know this happens Yes we experience this too Yes we ’ re people ”

If memes are used in a genuine , non pandering way, it reminds the viewer that there are actual people behind the company and that’s what people rate to, not a sales pitch

Memes can centre around a colleague or customer groups ’ favourite shows, music , or topics they enjoy By obser ving how others use memes, you tap into their sense of humour, what they respond well to, how they’re likely to engage in conversation all of which forms essential knowledge for working out your own engage ment strateg y

From lightening the load throughout the working day to making people aware of the personality of your brand, or even just being an effective tool for establishing tone (an essential in the world of hybrid and remote work, where plain text can be harder to read exact intent or emotion) keeping things playful with a meme helps to break down walls It can lead to inside jokes, expedite relationship building with customers and employees (including the remote ones), and ultimately create connections by meeting people on their level all of which is essential to achieving successful engagement

The Food Movement Putting Dorset on the Map

Set up by farmers for farmers, they are a not for profit that su local Dorset food producers, farmers and fishermen that are cr real local food & drinks They encourage them, promote them, bring them together as a community & also host an annual awards ceremony to celebrate the best of the best

There are lots of possible award categories to win including Cheese Dair y Meat Fish Baker y Drinks Honey Jams Chutneys & Condiments, Hospitality, Farm Shops, Innovation & Diversity, Conser vation & Sustainability, Business Growth & Development Award & potentially a Champions Award too

The awards are loyally sponsored by a lot of Dorset’s small businesses that want to suppor t and strengthen Love Local Trus Local’s work From local solicitors and estate agents to farmers and furniture makers, this is an event full of local Dorset organis tions working together to keep our British food industr y on the

“What a fab evening with great friends & gongs We had an amazing night thank you so ver y much!” Lizzie’s Baking Bird Winner of the Love Local Trust Local Sweet Baking Award

“Thank you so much, I feel ver y honoured to have won this wonderful award ” Bee Nice Blooms, Winner of the Love Local Trust Local Flowers Fruit & Vegetables Award

The 2022 Love Local Trust Local Awards have just closed for entries and the tough job of judging & tasting has star ted The awards event will take place on 9 Februar y 2023 at Kingston Maurward College and mean while , the ongoing campaign for suppor ting our wonderful farmers, fishermen and food producers is busy spreading the local food message all year round

If you’d like to get involved then email the team at Love Local Trust Local on awards@lovelocaltrustlo calawards co uk

To enter or find out more , you can visit www.lovelocaltrustlocalawards.co.uk or email us at awards@lovelocaltrustlocalawards co uk or follow us at Love Local Trust Local on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, for all our latest news and updates

Telephone with enquiries: Tel: 01273 492488 Email: kingedwards@ btconnect com Mobile: 07860 274243

Eat. Drink. Think.

Taste and nutrition company Kerr y has hosted a first of its kind summit for senior leaders from the foodser vice sector, sharing new research, knowledge and insights into the impor tance of sustainability in the industr y

The event unpacked the oppor tunity that exists to integrate sustainability, taste and health into a successful proposition for consumers

The event was hosted in London on Thursday 8th September and showcased Kerr y s new proprietar y research, which looks at consumer sustainable nutrition needs, attitudes and decision making barriers and drivers in foodser vice when eating out of home The qualitative and quantitative research examines the cur rent reach of sustainable nutrition with consumers and shares actionable recommendations on how foodser vice operators can integrate sustainability, indulgence and health into a winning proposition With over half (55%) of consumers repor ting that they are now eating more sustainably since the COVID 19 pandemic , food ser vice has a central role to play in helping consumers make more informed sustainable choices

Thought leaders from across the sector who provoked inspiring conversations throughout the day and included sustainable chefs and influencers Thomasina Miers, Ar thur Potts Dawson and Max La Manna, as well as innovative foodser vice operators such as MAX Burger, Brakes, Guinness & innocent, as well as The Sustainable Restaurant Association, Nesta and Nutritics

Commenting on the findings, Daniel Sjogren, VP Foodser vice at Kerr y said: “To truly accelerate the creation of a world of sustain able nutrition, we need to make the business growth agenda and sustainability one conversation Our industr y needs to act now and provide healthier and more sustainable food and beverage offer ing, that deliver on taste expectations of consumers and ultimately are better for the planet and society People are integrating sustainability into their ever yday choices and becoming significantly more proactive in living a more sustainable life As a result, there are great oppor tunities for food ser vice operators to respond to these new needs and expecta tions and grow their businesses successfully with a more sustainable

model ”

Key findings from the new research include:

Sustainable Tipping Point for the fir st time the major ity are c learly indicating strong sustainability preferences and displaying a sense of frustration around the difficulty in making more sustainable c hoices 65% of consumer s repor t that they are looking for sustainable options made easy whether through more information or a greater range of options , so that they can feel more empowered to make the better, more sustainable c hoice

Deliciously Sustainable & Healthy Taste is the most impor tant factor for people in OOH consumption Many people sti l believe they may be missing out on deliciousness if they c hoose a more sustainable option This ser ves as a strong reminder that consumer s are unwilling to compromise Always deliver ing a great taste promise is key for Foodser vice to dr ive confidence in more sustainable options

· Sustainably Healthy The major ity (59%) of consumer s believe that sustainably sourced meals and dr inks are healthier for you And these foods , produced locally or in season for example , are often considered to be higher quality and to deliver greater nutr itional benefits Nutr itional c laims are also becoming more impor tant to the consumer than ever before , especially c la ms with low/reduced sugar content Explicitly linking sustainability to healthier options could help dr ive demand

The Power of your menu Drawing on behavioural science a menu exper iment was created with different menus labelling pr ice or CO2 emissions or calor ie content to demonstrate that these labels or visual nudges can impact con sumer c hoices Foodser vice operator s have an oppor tunity to dr ive sustain able c hoices through low cost menu design inter ventions and message fram ng, especially given that consumer s actively want the industr y to make sustainable menu c hoices easier for them

The Sustainability Premium There is a strong belief that acting sus tainably comes at a cost and there is willingness to pay more for sustain able food and dr inks with 51% agreeing that they are happy to pay more Where there is a sustainability premium, consumer s need a greater under standing of why it exists and the cost differential must be defendable and is c learly communicated

Daniel Sjogren added: “Consumers want to see more sustainable choices on menus that is what they are telling us This summit and research insights helps us and our customers to better evolve the sustainable offerings and communications to meet consumers ’ grow ing expectations without compromising on taste and nutrition ”

“I believe that our sustainability ambitions can be achieved if we embrace a more collaborative approach throughout the value chain of bringing food and beverages solutions to the consumers At Kerr y we are excited to par tner with customers to bring this to life ”

World Steak Challenge 2022 Results Revealed

The 2022 World Steak Challenge results are hot off the grill following this evening’s event at the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin After a full day s technical judging at FIRE Steakhouse & Bar, a Japanese Wag yu was crowned the overall winner and was a clear cut above the rest also taking the World’s Best Sirloin and World’s Best Grain Fed A first time entr y from Japan, the winning melt in the mouth steak is an A4 grade , 30 month old female from Starzen Co Raised in the Kagoshima region with a warm climate and abundant water this ‘Akune Gold’ is carefully cultivated resulting in the highest quality Wag yu steak

The World’s Best Rib Eye went to Australia’s Jack’s Creek previous 2021 Best Fillet, Best Rib Eye and Grain Fed winners

The 32 month old pure bred Wag yu was grain fed and praised by judges for being tender, juicy and full of butter y flavour The winning fillet steak was revealed as the MFC Carni female from Poland Grain fed and obtained by a cross breed of Polish Holstein and Black Angus, the steak is well known for its intense flavours, sweet aroma and unique tenderness The Best Grass Fed steak in the world went to a full bred Dexter from Linden Foods Nor thern Ireland Sold in M&S this 30 day matured rib eye was described by judges as being ver y tender and rich

Now in its 8th year this year ’ s competition heated up with more entries than ever before from top steak producers and suppliers worldwide Ireland took the most medals with a total of 54 followed by England with 36 and Finland with 28 This year ’ s challenge took place in conjunction with the official host par tner Bord Bia the equipment par t ner, Synerg y Grill Technolog y and the judging par tner, FIRE Steakhouse The awards were announced at the

Ed Bennington, World Steak Challenge , said:

We are thrilled to have a new winner for this year s World Steak Challenge It is ver y exciting to have our first Japanese entr y and consequently the winner of World’s Best Steak The vast number of entries from across the globe truly showcases the quality of steak on an international scale ”

Mark Zieg, Beef Sector Manager at Bord Bia, said:

“We are proud to welcome all the producers from around the world here to Ireland, where grass fed and sustainable farming practices is core to our beef industr y We expor t 90% of our beef to over 50 markets around the world, even as far as Japan and the USA so it is ver y impor tant to get our origin known and be recognised on the basis of quality and taste In an environment like the World Steak Challenge with top producers, chefs and judges we feel it is the ideal oppor tunity to share our values in producing top quality beef

Richie Wilson, Culinar y Director of FIRE Steakhouse , said:

“It was a privilege to welcome the World Steak Challenge to Ireland and to have FIRE Steakhouse & Bar as the venue of choice for the 2022 judging process To have the world s best beef cooked and ser ved by our excellent team to a panel of industr y exper ts was an absolute honour a massive congratulations to all of the 2022 winners!”

Get Great Wines to Tell Your Story

Heather Scott is Senior Business Manager at Lanchester Wines (www.lanchesterwines .co.uk)

“Great wines tell a stor y But, more impor tantly, great wines tell your stor y

“Creating a wine list that reflects your venue and elevates your offering with food pairings can be vital at a time when we ’ re all feeling a squeeze on spending

“The key to success is working closely with your wine merchant and indeed all your suppliers to identify how to main tain an optimum offering while maximising value , both for your customers and your self Look for a wine merchant, such as Lanchester Wines, who can provide an extensive wine range including high quality bottled and boutique bulk wines from all corners of the world We work directly with some of the leading wine producers to make sure we ’ re always offering highest quality wine at the best price

“Your wine merchant has extensive knowledge as to which wine regions are offering the best value right now, which wine varietals are on trend with consumers and which wines are similar to these ‘ super varietals’ but could offer better value For example , the ver y poor 2021 har vest of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc caused prices to skyrocket Because of our great supplier relationships, we had advance warning and were able to quickly develop a South African Sauvignon Blanc called Moloko Bay which has a similar flavour profile to Marlborough, and which has proved a success with consumers

“This ability to adapt will be vital while we continue to navigate supply chain uncer tainty (across the board, not just wine) and shipping issues However, this can be somewhat negated by offering of a fluid wine list, with manager ’ s specials and exclusive offers Again, your wine merchant can provide staff wine training to equip your team with the skills and knowledge required to provide your customers with unparalleled wine ser vice ”

For more information on Lanchester Wines please visit www.lanchesterwines.co.uk

Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin and were judged blind by a panel of over 60 independent exper ts including Richie Wilson, well known TV chef and Executive chef of FIRE Steakhouse and Ioannis Grammenos, Executive chef and Meatologist of Heliot Steak House in London

Calorie Counts on Menus Shift Consumers’ Choices

Calorie labelling on menus has changed people s out of home food choices with research from CGA by NielsenIQ revealing that half of consumers (49%) would change their food selection if they felt the menu showed it was too calorific and nearly two in three of those people would switch if their dish contained more than 1,000 calo ries

Six months after the government introduced mandator y calorie labelling for businesses with more than 250 employees, the new ‘Food Insights 22’ repor t from CGA by Nielsen IQ highlights how consumers feel about these measures and explores how pubs bars and restaurants can shape their offerings to appeal Two in five think they are a positive step to improving the nation s health, but over a third think they will have a negative impact on people with eating disorders and the rest are indifferent

Consumers are similarly split on their views of calories as a choice factor between those who sometimes or almost always track them (46%) and those who rarely or never monitor them (54%) Consumers aged 18 to 34 are nearly twice as like ly to pay attention to calorie information than those aged 55 or over

‘Food Insights 22’ provides much more actionable intelligence on consumers ’ attitudes to calorie labelling,

including:

• Nearly one in six (15%) of 18 to 34 year olds now follow a calo rie controlled diet, compared to just 8% of those aged over 55

• Consumers who would change menu choices because of high calories are much more likely to choose another dish (48%) than get a smaller por tion (33%)

• When tracking calories and reducing courses, similar numbers say they would prioritise a star ter (39%) or desser t (36%) to go with their main

Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director hospitality opera tors and food, EMEA, said:

“Our repor t shows how crucial it is for suppliers and operators to understand the ways calorie labelling affects consumers ’ deci sion making Venues need to find the right range of low calorie food and drink options to appeal to those who watch their calories carefully without compromising choices for those who have no interest in doing so Menu design and commu nications both physical and digital are crucial too and suppliers have a big role to play in suppor ting opera tors’ strategies ”

The Original Smartphone Quiz That’s Driving Footfall and Sales In Thousands of Pubs

In theor y, Thursday night at the Black Bull in York should be one of the pub’s quieter nights of the week, falling as it does just before the weekend But the reality couldn t be more different

“We run a Thursday evening quiz using SpeedQuizzing and it’s now one of our busiest nights, with rev enues up by about 80% and more than 35 four person teams competing each week,” says manager Jill Clarke

She s not alone The Black Bull is just one of over a thousand hospitality ven ues hosting weekly quizzes using SpeedQuizzing, an interactive app based quiz platform that’s revolutionising the pub quiz and driving footfall, sales and fun in pubs and bars all over the UK

It has been described as offering all the excitement of a quiz and game show rolled into one , and, when you speak with SpeedQuizzing co founder Alan Leach, it’s easy to understand why

“We created Speedquizzing to be fast paced, enter taining and hassle free , both for pub hosts and players alike

“Games are hosted in each venue via our platform using a laptop, and

instead of using a pen and paper, players answer the questions in real time through our app, which they download for free There s no need to keep score as that s done automatically and our customers love the fact that our quizzes are cheat free , with our software making it easy to set time limits on how long teams have to answer each question

“In keeping with the game show style of our quiz games, individual buzzer sounds can also be allocated to each team, while hosts can also use a variety of sound effects to add to the upbeat atmosphere ”

Its digital question packs, which come free with ever y SpeedQuizzing activa tion, are another key point of difference , with ever y pack being completely unique ensuring no host will ever receive the same question pack as another host

“They can be tailored by topic , age range or level of difficulty, meaning quiz hosts can perfectly cater to the needs and requirements of different audi ences ” says Alan “and with the World Cup just around the corner we ’ re already star ting to see increasing demand for our football themed quiz packs ”

For more information visit www.SpeedQuizzing.com

UK’s Top Hotels, Restaurants and Chefs Unveiled at AA Hospitality Awards 2022

HOUSEKEEPER OF THE YEAR

Diane Payne from Roc kliffe Hall in Darlington, County Durham

NEW 4 ROSETTES

Bohemia Restaurant, St Helier, Jer sey

The Dining Room at Whatley Manor, Malmesbur y, Wi tshire

Edinbane Lodge , Edinbane , H ghland

The Ferner y at The Grove , Narber th, Pembrokeshire

The Glenturret La ique Restaurant, Cr ieff, Per th & Kinross

Grace & Savour, Solihu l, West Midlands

The Ledbur y, London W11

Ormer Mayfair London W1

Soc al Eat ng House , London W1

The UK’s best hotels, restaurants, and their teams have been revealed at the AA Hospitality Awards tonight in a glittering ceremony at Grosvenor House in London

Returning with an in person ceremony for the first time in three years, and hosted by TV presenter Gabby Logan the awards honoured the best hospitality estab lishments in the UK across twenty six categories, including AA Restaurant of the Year, AA Hotel of the Year, the newly launched AA Accessible Award, AA Spa Hotel of the Year, AA Wine Award, AA Chefs’ Chef, AA Lifetime Achievement Award and AA Housekeeper of the Year

Simon Numphud, Managing Director at AA Media said: It was great to be back at Grosvenor House after three years and to celebrate the greatest hospitality establishments across England Scotland Wales and Nor thern Ireland The past few years have been incredi bly tough for the hospitality sector, from lockdowns to travel restrictions, supply chain issues to the rising cost of living, but these awards have highlighted how our industr y time and time again has worked tirelessly to overcome adversity and create unforgettable experi ences for the public We would like to congratulate all the winners and shor tlisted establishments for their hard work, passion and dedication to providing hospital ity to the highest standards

THE WINNERS OF THE AA HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2022 ARE: CHEFS’ CHEF

Mark Birc hall, Chef Patron of Moor Hall, Aughton, Lancashire

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

England Socius , Burnham Market, Norfolk London Chez Bruce , London SW17

Wales Gem 42 Newpor t

Scotland The Cellar, Anstruther, Fife

HOTEL OF THE YEAR

England Grantley Hall Ripon Nor th Yorkshire

London Pan Pacific London, London EC3

Wales Llanerc h Vineyard, Hensol, South Wales

Scotland The Balmora Edinburgh

Nor thern Ireland The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat, Templepatr ic k, County Antr im

RESTAURANT WITH ROOMS

England The Angel at Hetton, Nor th Yorkshire

Wales Crug Glâs Countr y House , Solva, Pembrokeshire

Scotland The Bonnie Badger, Gullane , East Lothian Spa Hotel of the Year

Lime Wood, Lyndhur st, Hampshire

HOTEL GROUP OF THE YEAR

The Pig Group

SMALL HOTEL GROUP OF THE YEAR Iconic Luxur y Hotels

ACCESSIBLE AWARD

Rudding Park, Harrogate , Nor th Yorkshire

SUSTAIN ABLE AWARD

Swinton Estate , Masham, Nor th Yorkshire

FOOD SERVICE AWARD

Hélène Darroze at The Connaught London W1

FIN ALISTS: Alain Ducasse at the Dorc hester, London W1

Lympstone Manor Hotel Exmouth Devon

WINE AWARD

England The Vineyard, Newbur y, Berkshire

Wales The Grove Narber th Pembrokeshire

Scotland UN ALOME by Graeme Cheever s , G asgow

COLLEGE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

Senara Restaurant Truro & Penwith College

FIN ALISTS:

The Brasser ie , Milton Keynes College

The Classroom, Cardiff & Vale College

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

John Williams MBE

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD

Nor thcote: Obsession Langho Lancashire

ver y lucky I’ve got a great team around me ”

Simon Numphud Managing Director of AA Media said: “We are delighted to honour Mark Birchall with the AA Chefs’ Chef award at the AA Hospitality Awards this year We would like to congratulate Mark for his hard work and determination over this year, and the last 20 years of his career

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR

The AA Restaurant of the Year recognises restaurants that provide cuisine of a truly excellent standard as well as demonstrating innovation and ambience and providing a high standard of hospitality The English Restaurant of the Year Award is sponsored by Cobra

HOTEL OF THE YEAR, ENGLAND GRANTLEY HALL, RIPON, NORTH YORKSHIRE

NEW 3 ROSETTES

Ark e at Chester Grosvenor Chester Chesh re

The Chubby Castor, Peterborough, Cambr idgeshire

Coast Restaurant, Saunder sfoot, Pembrokeshire

The Dipping Lugger U lapool High and

The Dower House Restaurant at the Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath, Somer set

The Flitc h of Bacon, L ttle Dunmow, Essex

The Great House , Lavenham Suffo k

HAAR, St Andrews , Fife

Hammer & Pincer s , Wymeswold, Leicester shire

The Jac kdaw, Conwy

Langshott Manor Horley Surrey

The Loc h & the Tyne by Adam Handling, Old Windsor, Berkshire

New Yard Restaurant, Helston, Cornwall

Opheem, Birmingham, West Midlands

Rafter s Restaurant, Sheffield South Yorksh re

Restaurant 22, Cambr idge , Cambr idgeshire

Restaurant 8, Birmingham, West Midlands

Restaurant Fol um, B rmingham West Midlands

The Seac iff Restaurant, Sandy Cove Hotel, Ilfracombe ,

Devon

The Sir Charles Napier, Chinnor, Oxfordshire

The Victor ia Oxshott, Leatherhead, Surrey

Wh te Swan at Fence , Burnley, Lancashire

NEW 5 RED STARS

Cameron House on Loc h Lomond, Balloc h, West Dunbar tonshire

The Grove Narber th, Pembrokeshire

NEW 4 RED STARS

Bowood Hotel Golf & Spa Calne Wi tshire

Congham Hall Hotel and Spa, Gr imston, Norfolk

Homewood, Bath, Somer set

Rothay Manor Hotel, Ambleside , Cumbr ia Storr s Hall, Windermere , Cumbr ia

NEW 3 RED STARS

The Bildeston Crown, Bildeston, Suffolk Glewstone Cour t Countr y House , Ross On Wye , Herefordshire

The Pig n the South Downs , Arundel, West Sussex

The full ist of this year ’ s AA Hospita ity Awards winner s can be found at:

https://business ratedtr ips com/awards/aa awards 2022

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR, ENGLAND SOCIUS, BURNHAM MARKET, NORFOLK

Natalie Stuhler and Dan Lawrence , Owners of Socius, said: “We’re so proud of our incredible team who work tirelessly to ensure we are constantly growing and delivering a memorable experience to all our guests This really does mean the world to us and we couldn’t be more grateful to ever yone who has helped us in our journey to get here A huge thank you to not only our amazing team but also our customers for getting us to this stage with their continued suppor t At a ver y tr ying time for our industr y our team have shone through it all and this award really is the cherr y on top ”

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR, LONDON CHEZ BRUCE, LONDON SW17

Matt Christmas, Head Chef at Chez Bruce , said: “I think we just tr y and cook the nicest food and give the nicest ser vice we can Thank you to the AA ”

An AA Inspector said of Chez Bruce: “A fixture on the London dining scene since the mid nineties Chez Bruce is set in a small row of shops and has the air y charm of a neighbourhood restaurant The dining area spans two rooms with plenty of natural daylight and the mood is elegant and subtly refined, much like the food Seasonally changing menus provide the ver y best modern dishes, based loosely on classical and regional French/Mediterranean cuisine ”

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR, WALES GEM 42, NEWPORT

Twin Brothers Chef Sergio and Pasquale Cinotti said: “Winning this award recognizes hard work and a job well done It is a celebration of the long hours the team put into their culinar y project Winning this award is a huge honour and will act as a great motivator for the whole team Fur thermore it is an indication that the team is working and moving together in the right direc tion This for us is not a point of arrival but a new star t ing point from where we intend to live up to the level of success that this award demands ”

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR, SCOTLAND THE CELLAR, ANSTRUTHER, FIFE

Andrew McPherson, General Manager at Grantley Hall, said: “On behalf of the owners, management and whole team at Grantley Hall we are absolutely thrilled to receive this prestigious award Grantley Hall is still a relatively new business which has navigated the chal lenges of Covid only months after opening our doors for the first time It has been a tough three years as it has been for all of our industr y colleagues and this award tells us that despite the challenges we have faced and continue to face , we are getting things right We have created a ver y special proper ty and the teamwork tirelessly ever y day to deliver exceptional customer ser vice to our guests This award is for the Grantley team ”

An AA Inspector said of Grantley Hall: “Grantley Hall offers a wonderful fusion of contemporar y style and historical character The original hall dates back to the 17th centur y and now boasts award winning restau rants along with a state of the ar t luxur y g ym, wellness centre and spa Arriving through the manicured grounds and gardens there is a real sense of luxur y and exclusiv ity ”

HOTEL OF THE YEAR, LONDON PAN PACIFIC LONDON, LONDON EC3

Anne Golden, General Manager at Pan Pacific London, said: “I am delighted, honoured and incredibly proud of the Pan Pacific London team who have worked so hard Their passion and suppor t for the hotel and for each other is nothing shor t of outstand ing, and ever y single member of the team has con tributed to Pan Pacific London in winning this award ”

An AA Inspector said of Pan Pacific: “Located in the hear t of the City of London, moments from Liverpool Street this impressive 43 storey bronze tower is home to the luxurious Pan Pacific London Since opening in September last year the hotel has hit the ground run ning, led admirably by general manager Anne Golden The overall level of hospitality and ser vice has a won derful humility and grace ”

HOTEL OF THE YEAR, WALES LLANERCH VINEYARD, HENSOL, SOUTH WALES

Ryan Davies Managing Director of Llanerch Vineyard Hotel, commented: “We are extremely proud to hold the title of Hotel of the Year especially as a small fami ly run business It is a testament to the incredible hard work and dedication of our fantastic team who go above and beyond to ensure our guests have the best possible experience ever y time they visit I took over the vineyard 11 years ago with no experience in hospi tality, but I was determined to create something really special With an amazing and ver y talented team at my side , we created a B&B, an award winning restaurant and bar, two wedding venues and popular wine tasting and vineyard tours The hotel then opened in 2019 offering 37 luxur y rooms and became the first vineyard hotel in the UK To be named Hotel of the Year just three years later is incredible I’d like to thank ever yone that has suppor ted us from the star t, throughout the challenging times of the pandemic and now as we con tinue to grow and look forward to an exciting future ”

HOTEL OF THE YEAR, SCOTLAND THE B ALMORAL, EDINBURGH

CHEFS’ CHEF MARK BIRCHALL

This unique award, introduced in 1996 and sponsored by Caterer com, is a popular and coveted title It offers all AA Rosette awarded chefs the chance to decide which of their peers deser ves the ultimate recognition of their performance over the past twelve months

Born in Chorley, Lancashire , Mark Birchall trained at Runshaw College and was previously Executive Chef of L’Enclume Mark also won the Roux Scholarship in 2011, and he then staged at El Celler de Can Roca, Girona Mark is now Chef Patron at Moor Hall, which under his patronage has been awarded five AA

Rosettes Moor Hall was also crowned ‘Restaurant of the Year’ at the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards 2021, retaining the title from previous years

Mark Birchall commented: “Thank you so much It means a lot It’s lovely to be among so many people I’m

Billy Boyter, Chef & Co Owner of The Cellar Restaurant, commented: I m not the type of chef that is driven by accolades or awards However, having The Cellar named as the AA’s Restaurant of The Year for Scotland is an incredibly humbling and special moment Especially when you look at the standard of some of the restaurants we have in Scotland now I know this means a lot to all of the team I could see how proud they were once I shared the news with them And I know this means a lot to my parents They have put as much into this restaurant as anyone If it wasn’t for them The Cellar wouldn t have even been here They really do deser ve it as much as anyone ”

HOTEL OF THE YEAR

The AA Hotel of the Year Award is the AA’s ultimate accolade for hotels in the UK It is awarded to hotels that are recognised as being outstanding examples of their kind From the small family run hotel to the most ambitious commercial ventures, hotels of ever y size and style are potential winners The Hotel of the Year Award for England is sponsored by Temple Spa, the Scottish Hotel of the Year is sponsored by GigRealm, while the Hotel of the Year for London is sponsored by Entegra

Richard Cooke , General Manager at The Balmoral, commented: “We are both proud and humbled to have been awarded this accolade To have recognition for our passion and enthusiasm of providing our guests with memorable five star experiences is an extremely rewarding feeling for the team I am hon oured to work with such a dedicated team of ladies and gentlemen With them, The Balmoral will go from strength to strength, and I would like to take this oppor tunity to thank the entire team for their hard work in what has been a challenging few years for all of us ”

HOTEL OF THE YEAR, NORTHERN IRELAND THE RABBIT, TEMPLEPATRICK, COUNTY ANTRIM

Lynsey Gordon General Manager at The Rabbit said: “We are proud and honoured to be recognised by the AA at these most prestigious awards This is a fantastic endorsement of all the hard work that has gone into the extensive redevelopment at The Rabbit Hotel & Retreat This award reinforces our unwaver ing commitment to deliver an outstanding experience and recognise the talents, dedication and effor ts of our team We are incredibly grateful to all our guests for their suppor t and we look forward to creating many more memor y making moments at The Rabbit

Hotel & Retreat ”

RESTAURANT WITH ROOMS OF THE YEAR

Introduced in 2017 and sponsored by eviivo, the AA Restaurant with Rooms of the Year award recog nises an AA rated guest accommodation that is also a dining destination

RESTAURANT WITH ROOMS, ENGLAND THE ANGEL AT HETTON, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Michael Wignall, Chef Patron at The Angel, com mented: “Winning the AA Restaurant with Rooms of the Year means the world to us We have all been through a difficult couple of years, we opened late 2018 and by early 2020 Covid had hit Winning this is fantastic recognition of all the hard work and effor ts that our team have put in, to make The Angel what it is today We are all honoured and proud to follow in the footsteps of so many other amazing restaurants in the past and to receive this from such a long established and esteemed organisation such as the AA ”

ble honour At Rudding Park we are instinctively inclusive and we endeavour to maintain the dignity of ever y guest The only reason for them to feel special is because of their visit to Rudding Park and the experiences we offer not to be singled out due to having a disability Our philosophy is to continually invest to ensure the products and ser vices are of the highest standard and accessible to all By ensuring guests with access needs are accommodated, it has improved accessibility for all Rooms that have been adapted have shown a 30% increase in occupancy and one of our accessible rooms, (271) is our most in demand room! Embracing accessibility is absolute ly the right thing to do, but it is also the business wise thing to do You sleep easy at night and make more money It’s a win/win Winning such a presti gious industr y award voted by our peers and high profile industr y judges is a fantastic endorsement and will allow us to raise awareness of the benefits how impor tant this is ”

SUSTAIN ABLE AWARD SWINTON ESTATE, MASHAM, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Introduced in 2010, the AA Sustainable Award recognises an independent establishment or group which has demonstrated a clear commitment to sus tainability, integrated its approach as a fundamental par t of their business and really champions this across its team and customers

Iain Shelton CEO of the Swinton Estate com mented: “It is fantastic to be recognised by the judges for the effor ts we make at Swinton and we continue to hold sustainability at the ver y core of what we do ”

This is a hugely prestigious award presented in recognition of the large hotel group that has a proven track record of striving to ensure the ver y best levels of ser vice , food and accommodation across the range of proper ties Attention to detail is imperative and a committed and structured approach to future development is essential The award is sponsored by Vision Linen

The Pig Group commented: “Winning such a signif icant award, AA Hotel Group of the Year is the per fect culmination of the past 10 years a tangible recognition of The Pig’s position in the market a decade on and crucially real recognition for the enormous cast of characters that make up the entire Pig stor y Our immediate ‘family’ our core team of close to 1,000 employees who work tirelessly to ensure ever y guest has the best time Equally as impor tant are the connections forged with our won derful local suppliers; it’s a two way relationship that plays an essential par t of The Pig experience And it’s not just the brilliant farmers, fisherman, foragers and winemakers who we rely on but a whole myriad of other creative people who we work with and of course , most impor tantly, the PIG guests they all play their par t in making The Pig what it is SMALL HOTEL GROUP: ICONIC LUXURY

HOTELS

Sponsored by Sky Business the AA Small Hotel Group Award is presented in recognition of the small hotel group that has a proven track record of striving to ensure the ver y best levels of ser vice , food and accommodation Attention to detail is imperative and a committed and structured approach to future development is essential

RESTAURANT WITH ROOMS, WALES CRUG GLÂS, SOLVA, PEMBROKESHIRE

Janet Evans, Owner of Crug Glâs, said: Winning this award means ever ything to all of us at Crug Glas We are a team with a goal in mind to make sure that all our guests have the experience they came for and more Our aim is to surpass their expectation within all aspects of The Countr y House and for our guests to leave but wanting to return in the future Our fantastic staff work tirelessly to make sure that ever yone that walks in through our front door has an experience that they want to share and recommend, our staff are an extension of our family, and we could not be prouder that they have helped to achieve this incredible accolade This award sym bolises ever ything that we work hard for, and it is an honour to receive it ”

RESTAURANT WITH ROOMS, SCOTLAND THE BONNIE B ADGER, GULLANE, EAST LOTHIAN

Tom Kitchin, Chef at The Bonnie Badger, said: “This is a really proud achievement for our entire team Having been up and running for three years now, we have worked hard to lead the way in hospitality, offering an exceptional experience to our guests whether they are staying dining or visiting us at The Bonnie Badger We are constantly evolving our menus and we believe our passion and commitment to working with the Scottish seasons really shines through in our menus and experiences on offer to our guests We never sit still and we always strive to constantly innovate when it comes to the guest experience too, offering a calendar of immersive and exciting events and constantly improving ever y aspect of our guests’ journey ”

SPA HOTEL OF THE YEAR LIME WOOD, LYNDHURST, HAMPSHIRE

The AA Spa Hotel of the Year Award recognises an outstanding spa offering within a hotel delivering both an excellent overall product and spa experi ence

Kenneth Speirs, Managing Director of Lime Wood, said: With the difficult past few years behind us it s wonderful to see the caring and relaxed ar t of hospi tality return to Lime Wood This is a tremendous recognition by AA Hospitality for the dedication, commitment and care delivered by the whole team Being appreciated in such a way is a great source of motivation for ever yone and encourages us all to reach for higher goals ”

ACCESSIBLE AWARD RUDDING PARK, HARROGATE, NORTH YORKSHIRE

New to this year, and sponsored by Blue Access Award, the AA Accessible Award seeks to recognise a hotel that has gone above and beyond in making their proper ty as accessible as possible while proac tively promoting their accessible credentials to con sumers The award not only recognises high quality accessible provision through the physical elements of the proper ty but also, of equal impor tance , its approach to guests with accessible needs through tailored ser vices, staff training and guest engagement

Peter Banks, Managing Director at Rudding Park, said: “To win the AA Accessible Award is an incredi

FOOD SERVICE AWARD HÉLÈNE DARROZE AT THE CONN AUGHT, LONDON W1

Sponsored by Taittinger, this award recognises restaurants that deliver excellent standards of restaurant ser vice and hospitality Teams will deliver technical ser vice skills and food and beverage knowl edge of the highest standard

Chef Patron Hélène Darroze said: It is an honour to receive this award My team are an impor tant par t of such achievement: Executive Chef Marco Zampese and General Manager Mirko Benzo, who have been working with me at The Connaught for over eight years It is a wonderful recognition for the whole team

WINE AWARD

This award recognises an outstanding contribution to promoting, understanding and appreciating wine Nominees are judged on the quality of their wine list and their ability to inspire customers to make wider and more adventurous choices in selecting wines The award is sponsored by Matthew Clark

WINE AWARD, ENGLAND THE VINEYARD, NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE

Andrew McKenzie , Managing Director at The Vineyard, said: “All of the wine team at The Vineyard are delighted that our unstuffy approach to ser ving the whole gammit of wine from the ever yday to some of the ver y best wines in the world, has been recognised as the way to get guests engaged and involved A proud moment ”

WINE AWARD, WALES THE GROVE, N ARBERTH, PEMBROKESHIRE

Alexios Stasinopoulos, Head Sommelier at Grove of Narber th, commented: “It’s such an honour for The Grove to be recognised for our wine offering There’s no greater joy for me and the team than helping our guests discover new flavours and con texts, and I m delighted that we have had the oppor tunity to build and maintain a continually evolving wine list that allows our guests to do so Wine is a wonderful thing, and wine knowledge is one of the most powerful means of getting people together I love it!”

WINE AWARD, SCOTLAND UN ALOME BY GRAEME CHEEVERS, GLASGOW

Callum McCann Graeme Cheevers and Stuar t Bonis, Managers of UNALOME, said of their win: “We would like to thank both the AA Guide , our loyal customers and hard working staff to be recog nised for this achievement in the shor t space of time we have been open It has made this an even more monumental year for the restaurant ”

COLLEGE RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR SEN ARA RESTAURANT, TRURO & PENWITH COLLEGE

First awarded in 2016 the AA College Restaurant of the Year Award has been developed in conjunction with People 1st to recognise accredited colleges within the AA College Rosette Scheme that have shown outstanding achievements in a realistic work ing environment

Senara Restaurant, Truro & Penwith College com mented: “We are so so privileged to have this award for 2022 23 for College Restaurant of the Year Thank you so much to AA Hospitality ”

HOTEL GROUP: THE PIG GROUP

into The Ritz Restaurant, ever y day It’s been a chal lenging couple of years but I really believe the entire experience that we are offering in The Restaurant is the best it has ever been ”

Simon Numphud Managing Director of AA Media said: “We are delighted to recognise John Williams MBE with our prestigious AA Lifetime Achievement Award at this year ’ s AA Hospitality Awards This is a huge milestone and one ver y much deser ved John should be incredibly proud of his significant contribu tions to the industr y for more than 40 years We are pleased to be celebrating his career tonight and we are incredibly thrilled for John ”

Andrew Stembridge , Executive Director of Iconic Luxur y Hotels, said: “Although a decade in the mak ing, Iconic Luxur y Hotels as a hotel collection is a mere five years old and therefore , I couldn’t be prouder to have collected the AA Small Hotel Group of the Year Award this evening with many of my longstanding senior team by my side and in front of the great and good of the hospitality industr y Although each of our individual proper ties is undoubtedly familiar with the recognition and pres tige that comes with an array of accolades, this par ticular award is a significant milestone for us as a collective and testament to our 900 strong team, whose shared Iconic DNA ensures that we con stantly deliver exceptional experiences for our guests and team alike With clear aspirations to grow the Iconic Luxur y Hotels brand over the coming months, this award represents a wonderful recogni tion, which we are immensely grateful for ”

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION

NORTHCOTE: OBSESSION

The Outstanding Contribution Award was created to reflect and acknowledge the work being done in the face of new challenges being presented to the hospitality industr y

In 2020 the AA honoured UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls for her tireless work throughout Covid ensuring the hospitality industr y had a strong, clear voice to Government, while in 2021 the award went to Chairman of the B&B Association David Weston, for his tireless work on behalf of the B&B sector to ensure their challenges were heard

This year, the AA has chosen to recognise Nor thcote for their Obsession programme , a culi nar y event that celebrated its 20th anniversar y last year and has contributed over £200k to hospitality action over this time The award is sponsored by Travel Exchange Great Britain (TXGB)

Lisa Goodwin Allen Executive Chef of Nor thcote and Craig Bancroft Managing Director of Nor thcote commented: “We are absolutely delighted that Nor thcote s Obsession event has been recognised with the Outstanding Contribution Award For twen ty two years Obsession has grown in stature to become one of the leading global gastronomy events However, it’s more than just an event, it brings peo ple together in the industr y to deliver outstanding hospitality and friends are made for life Following the challenges we have all been faced with Obsession22 proved hospitality was back and to raise over £70k for Hospitality Action made it even more special Our thanks to ever yone who has been involved and we cannot wait to welcome chefs, their teams and our guests to the 23rd Obsession!”

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT JOHN WILLIAMS MBE, THE RITZ

The AA Lifetime Achievement Award, introduced in 2006, recognises professionals within the hospitality industr y who have committed their lives to the pur suit of perfection within their discipline Winners of this award are to be congratulated for making signifi cant fundamental contributions to the industr y which have had a notable impact and must have demonstrated a lifetime commitment to progress in their field

A veteran of the industr y John Williams has been in the hospitality trade for more than 40 years Born in Tyneside , the son of a fisherman, Williams was pas sionate about food early on in life , studying at South Shields College and Westminster College He began his career at Percy Arms Hotel, Otterburn in 1974, joining The Ritz London as Executive Chef in 2004 Today, he heads a team of 64 chefs cooking in the grand French style He has an MBE and a CMA from the French Government for ser vices to French cui sine , the first British chef to receive such an honour

John Williams MBE commented: “It is truly the greatest honour to have been recognized by the AA, the leading authority in the hospitality industr y, thank you! I’m over the moon I’ve been the Executive Chef at The Ritz since 2004 with my main objective to run the best hotel restaurant and offer the finest hospitality in Great Britain My philosophy has always been to strive for perfection, knowing you’ll never get there I’m ver y lucky to have a brilliant brigade of Chefs working with me whose passion is to deliver the ver y best experience to ever y guest who comes

Simon Numphud, Managing Director of AA Media said: “We are ver y happy to announce Nor thcote on winning the AA Outstanding Contribution Award at the AA Hospitality Awards for their Obsession initia tive As we don’t always designate a winner for this award this is a remarkable achievement and one ver y well deser ved Congratulations to Lisa Goodwin Allen and the whole team

HOUSEKEEPER OF THE YEAR

DIANE PAYNE FROM ROCKLIFFE HALL, DARLINGTON, CO DURHAM

Recognising outstanding commitment and perform ance identifying a housekeeper who goes above and beyond the call of duty, the AA Housekeeper of the Year is sponsored by Sealey

Diane Payne , Executive Housekeeper at Rockliffe Hall, said: “I am absolutely delighted have won this award After a ver y difficult couple of years, I am incredibly proud of what we ’ ve achieved To be shor tlisted for this award is testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by the wonderful housekeeping team here at Rockliffe Hall ”

An AA Inspector said of Diane Payne: “Diane is a highly experienced Head Housekeeper and has led the team at the AA Five Red Star Rockliffe Hall for over five years She heads up a team of 35 house keepers to deliver the highest housekeeping stan dards which we have regularly obser ved on our annual inspections

The full list of this year s AA Hospitality Awards winners can be found at https://business ratedtr ips com/awards/aa awards 2022

All AA Hospitality Awards winners will be included in The Restaurant Guide 2023, published by AA Publishing

Supporting UK Hospitality Businesses To Unlock A Sustainable Tomorrow

HELPING HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES ACHIEVE NET ZERO

The UK government has made it clear that to achieve net zero carbon by 2050, everyone must do their part both in business and at home For hospitality businesses where heat ing and hot water contributes significantly to their overall energy consumption, it’s clear that taking steps to convert to low carbon energy sources will have a positive impact

What’s more, with customers becoming more aware of how their lifestyle choices impact on the environment, hotels have a lot to gain in terms of increasing revenue and improving reputation by actively reducing their carbon footprint

Looking ahead, as part of its commitment to offer our cus tomers 100% sustainable energy solutions by 2040 Calor continues to take steps to encourage our hospitality cus tomers to make the switch to bulk Futuria Liquid Gas help ing to support the hospitality industry across the UK deliver on their sustainability goals for today and tomorrow

Ahead of the government s proposed phase out of fossil fuel heating installations in off gas grid homes and small businesses starting in 2026, and in larger off gas grid non domestic buildings from 2024, UK hospitality businesses are facing increasing pressure to explore alternative sustainable fuel sources Alastair Lovell Head of Sustainable Fuels at Calor discusses how sustainable fuels can not only help reduce carbon emissions but can also support businesses looking to future proof operations

Annual energy costs for the hospitality sector are in excess of £1 3 billion1, and result in carbon emissions of more than 8 million tonnes per year2 On top of this the industry is consid ering, waste management, ongoing staff shortages and the sustainability credentials of the items and products they use on a day to day basis

SHOWING SUSTAINABILITY

Despite the ongoing cost of living crisis, research continues to indicate consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions with businesses and brands based on their sustain ability credentials In fact, latest research has shown that 65%3 of shoppers think about sustainability before making a purchase Against this backdrop and as the hospitality indus try just like many other business sectors work towards the government’s net zero legal obligation, it makes good busi ness sense to explore sustainable practices and solutions as a way to attract new customers as well as contribute to the success of net zero

As one of the most carbon intensive fuel sources, oil fuelled

boilers are still commonly found in off grid pubs, hotels and bars across the UK Yet what is often a simple and straight forward switch from oil to bulk LPG can immediately cut CO2 emissions by up to 17 8%4, compared to oil, making it ideal for rural hospitality businesses where electricity is simply not viable because of limited supply to the location

For those businesses looking to further improve their sus tainability credentials Calor s Futuria Liquid Gas offers hospi tality businesses a reliable bulk supply fuel source which also makes a positive impact on reducing carbon emissions

Futuria Liquid Gas (previously BioLPG) is a sustainable fuel made from a blend of waste, residues and sustainably sourced materials While there is currently a price premium when compared to standard LPG bulk supply of Futuria Liquid Gas, when at a 100% blend, can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 86% (kgCO2e/kWh) when compared to using heat ing oil and up to 80%6 compared to conventional LPG

Globally, 85% of people7 indicate that they have shifted their purchase behaviour towards being more sustainable in the past five years As the sector continues to face uncertainty those businesses which are able to clearly demonstrate their commitment to sustainability will ultimately be the ones who are able to attract the more environmentally conscious con sumer One of the ways we’re supporting customers here is through our Green Gas Certification Scheme The independ ent scheme ensures traceability of all bulk Futuria Liquid Gas delivered to and used by our hospitality customers while also highlighting the amount of CO2 saved

To

visit www

Independent Night Time Economy Businesses are Being Marginalised says NTIA

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has accused the govern ment of marginalising independent and night time economy businesses It said while trade associations battle for suppor t now and in the next Budget, representation is leaning towards the exclusion of cer tain busi nesses across the sector, marginalising true independents

Frustration, the NTIA says is growing as interest rates rise and the pound plummets to all time low, businesses across the countr y are feeling the pressure , par ticularly hospitality and night time economy SMEs and independents (Pubs, Live Music Venues, Nightclubs, Venues and Bars) and adds that it is “clear that representation is leaning towards the exclusion of cer tain businesses across the sector marginalizing true independents ”

Michael Kill CEO NTIA says: “We fear that Independent hospitality and night time economy businesses are being frozen out of future suppor t! As was the case during the pandemic with VAT cuts only aligned to food, soft drink and accommodation

“At that time wet lead businesses were marginalized by the Government, and we fear that they will continue

to be , whilst the predominance of representation in Government is influ enced by wealthy corporations and the trade associations that back them ”

It s about time the true night time economy and hospitality sector made up of Independents, predominantly small medium enterprise busi nesses are heard and considered by the Government ”

“We will only have true parity when the likes of VAT cuts and targeted financial relief are inclusive , and beneficial to all businesses across the sec tor, not exclusive to cer tain types of business ”

“Under the current cost constraints a huge propor tion of the hospitali ty and night time economy businesses will be lost in coming weeks and months Leaving many to become an oppor tunity for cheap acquisition by corporations with financial scope to expand their empires ”

“The rhetoric suggesting that the rich will get richer is all but true in our sector as we move into darker times, we must fight for fair and inclusive suppor t for all within the Government, in the fight for sur vival ”

Today (September 30) is the Last Day for Paper Banknotes

• You can exchange

England, including by post

• You can exchange withdrawn banknotes with

Although the majority of paper £20 and £50 banknotes in circulation have been replaced with new polymer versions, there are still over £5 billion wor th of paper £20 featuring the economist Adam Smith, and nearly £6 billion wor th of paper £50 banknotes featuring the engineers Boulton and Watt, in circulation That’s more than 250 million individual £20 banknotes, and more than 110 million paper £50 banknotes

Stonegate Group Team Members Celebrate Graduation from Learning and Development Programme

Stonegate Group has recently celebrated the graduation of 34 team members from its internal learning and development programme Accelerator

The class of summer 2022 celebrated their career achievement with a graduation ceremony held at Stonegate’s Academy in Birmingham The group of 34 graduates celebrated alongside each other, Stonegate Success Coaches and HR Director, Tim Painter, who also presented the graduates with their cer tificates

Tim Painter said: Congratulations to each of our team members that have graduated in this cohor t of the Accelerator programme , this is a great career achievement ”

The Accelerator programme is par t of Stonegate’s award winning Alber t’s Theor y of Progression and provides team members in

Deputy Manager roles, with the fundamental skills to progress within their careers and into General Manager roles The programme con sists of a range of modules both education and group learning which aids the development of individuals current skills and well as learning new ones

Tim added: “The Accelerator programme is just one of the out standing oppor tunities Stonegate provides to its teams and we are committed to providing more oppor tunities like this All the learning and development oppor tunities Stonegate provides suppor t the ethos of bar to boardroom, ensuring ever yone in the business has the oppor tunity to learn new skills and develop within their careers With our team members advancing within their roles and the company, it enables them to play a par t in our vision of raising the bar on the British pub being the best for our people guests and communities ”

Vision Linens Launches New Loyalty Program

The Visionaires Members Club is completely free to join and rewards its members for ever y interaction they have on the online shop The more its members spend and the more they share online , the more points Vision will offer to redeem against its

Visionaires can earn one Reward Point for

they spend

So,

*Terms

conditions apply

Vision Linens, leading textile supplier and distributer, has launched a new loy alty program across its ecommerce site , visionlinens com Vision is best known for supplying textiles to some of the biggest names in hospitality and retail, including Accor, IHG, Hilton and John Lewis & Par tners What many may not realise , is that Vision’s ecommerce site enables accommodation providers, as well as ever yday consumers to buy the same ethically sourced, high quality products, direct from Vision and delivered straight to their door

Scotland’s Pubs Face ‘Unprecedented Challenges’ as Sector Calls for Urgent Increased Government Support

The (SLTA) Scottish Licensed Trade Association today releas es a snapshot sur vey of the challenges facing Scotland s pubs and bars

This latest sur vey, which represents over 10% of Scotland s on trade premises and contains key insights into the significant impacts of a tide of unprecedented challenges, highlights that nine in 10 outlets will need government suppor t to sur vive the winter

Colin Wilkinson, SLTA managing director, said:

“Our snapshot sur vey covers all types of licensed premises and is an indicator of the key issues facing the wide range of small to large businesses which trade within the wider hospital ity sector

“Our sur vey is based upon quantitative research from over 600 outlets covering the length and breadth of the countr y and is suppor ted by major food and drink chains and independent pubs bars and hotels in Scotland’s hospitality sector

“Many of our respondents are still carr ying significant Covid debt and are dealing with the challenges of Brexit but we are now facing even bigger hurdles with rising costs staff shor tages and enormous increases to energ y costs with one in four anticipating an increase in energ y costs of over 500%, despite the Chancellor’s announcement on capping wholesale energ y prices

Mr Wilkinson warned:

“For many outlets it won’t be economically viable to remain open and one in 10 of our respondents plan to close during the winter months and nearly one in two expect to reduce opening hours Our sector is a cru cial par t of the tourism industr y and reduced opening hours will have a knock on impact for Scotland’s wider food and drink sector, and for employment within the sector

Our pubs and bars have worked ver y hard post Covid and Brexit to showcase Scotland s hospitality indus tr y, but with a tsunami of rising costs and low consumer confidence we urgently call on local and national gov ernments to help us through the winter

“We must protect the jobs that outlets provide directly and the associated jobs in the wholesaling brew ing/distilling and food producing sectors

Executive summar y of key challenges

• Staffing: 40% of outlets are employing signif cantly fewer staff, while recruitment post Brexit remains an issue

• Trading Conditions: 5% of outlets have not re opened post Covid, while 50% are trading at significantly lower levels than pre Covid

• Covid Debt: one in two of hospitality outlets are carr ying significant Covid related debt

• Rising Costs: par ticular y energy whic h business owner s have identified as the biggest threat to their businesses One in four of venues are facing an increase in energy cost of over 500%

• Economic Outlook: with r ising energy costs , 45% of outlets expect to reduce their opening hour s whic h wil impact on tour ism and employment

• Government Suppor t: suppor t is urgently needed, with 87% of outlets requesting government suppor t to sur vive the winter

Buzzworks to Close All Venues for Annual Wellbeing Day

The sixteen prestigious venues across Scotland will close their doors giving over 650 team members the oppor tunity to meet up, get to know each other in the great outdoors and take par t in activities to help boost mental health and wellbeing

Having built an upstanding reputation throughout Scotland for excel lent food and customer ser vice Buzzworks is well known for suppor t ing the communities it operates in as well as placing an emphasis on its team wellbeing

This year the Buzzworks team have raised more than £10,000 so far for a variety of good causes, including running the Troon 10k and com pleting the Mighty Stride at this year ’ s Edinburgh Kilt Walk

To thank them, Buzzworks, which has been recently named in The Best Companies to Work For in the UK list, has invested over £12,000 to allow the team across the business to enjoy time off together and boost their wellbeing funding a wide range of activities including hill climbing, golfing, potter y painting and

“We love asking our people for suggestions on what else we can do to create a happy, positive working environment that stays with them after they finish their shifts and head home , and our Wellbeing Day forms just one par t of an ongoing programme of initiatives that suppor t our people both within the business and in their personal life

“The two are inter twined and it’s something we are always mindful of Now more than ever, it’s impor tant that we all look after our own wellbeing so we in turn can look after those that matter most to us

“Throughout the past year many of our people have given back to the local communities we operate in either by volunteering or taking on a variety of fundraising challenges so with this in mind it’s time to give back to them and reward our people with a day that focuses on them ”

As a way of giving back and saying thanks to its team for all their hard work this past year the family owned business will close ever y venue in its por tfolio on Monday 3 October

Riso Gallo’s Fantastic Young Risotto Chef

Competition is Now Open for Entries for 2023!

Now in it s 6th year, the competition has gone from strength to strength and is a fixture on the culinar y calendar for many Open to young chefs aged 17 23 from UK and Ireland, either already in our wonderful profession or still in education, the competition offers the oppor tunity to win a 3 day culinar y stage at the esteemed Michelin starred Il Luogo aimo in Milan and see at first hand the Gallo rice mill

Established in 1856, Riso Gallo is the oldest Risotto rice producer in Italy and has been delivering its premium rice to consumers around the world for over six generations Riso Gallo is the first international rice brand to have produced its rice from sustainable agriculture mak ing their premium best selling risotto completely sustainable from field to fork something which align well with our choice , for the 2nd year, to hold our final at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, itself reknowned

for its green credentials

In addition to the competitive element the competition is known for its fun, excitement and sheer enjoyment in the cooking, and chefs at the top of their game from around the countr y willingly give up their time to judge the young chefs work and offer, in many cases, ongoing suppor t and encouragement long after the last spoon has been ser ved at the Final With heats around the UK and Ireland scheduled for Januar y & Februar y culminating in the stellar final in early April the whole thing is a celebration of all things rice and risotto and is just a joy to take par t in

For more information please see https://www youngrisottochef com or see the adver t

Independent restaurant and bar operator, Buzzworks Holdings, will close its entire business on Monday 3 October for an annual Wellbeing Day for its workforce

escape rooms

Kenny Blair, Buzzworks Holdings MD, said:

Get Snacking Sorted

brand awareness in a recent survey of Craft Gin Club members, they’re proving incredibly popular with the 25 34 year age bracket And our new improved mouth wateringly meaty Roast Ox flavour has just won a Great Taste 2002 Award!

• Family favourites Golden Wonder Animal Adventures are lightly salted animal shaped fun snacks, they are gluten free and have no artificial colours or preservatives

IS THERE A NO. 1 BAR SNACK?

Scratchings really are the ULTIMATE PUB SNACK! They topped the list when 2,000 pub goers were asked to name their favourite pub snack 5 This comes as no surprise as 94% of pork snacks are con sumed with a drink6 The combination of a pint and scratchings has been passed down generations and is fundamental to the Great British pub experience There really is no matching a scratching!

Premium crisps are another essential bar snack, given a consumer survey showed that 82% of pub goers eat them4 As a partner to a gin & tonic, hand cooked crisps are the top snack preferred five times more than nuts and premium crisps1 Offering hand cooked crisps are that bit more special than everyday (flat) crisps and consumers are willing to pay up to 30% more for premium, over standard snacks7 a treat for both customer and licensee!

We recently asked consumers what appeals to them the most, when looking for a snack to accompany an alcoholic drink1, and they said:

Good crunch and texture

Premium quality

Strong flavour

A bigger bag to share with others

A brand that you wouldn’t eat every day

It’s important to cover a large range of ages and dietary requirements with your snacks offering Pub goers are more and more conscious about what they and their families eat 4 in 10 Brits regularly shop the free from fixture2, buying local and British made are key purchase drivers for food3 and the flexitarian diet is set to be the No 1 diet in 2022 (more popular than calorie counting) 3

Nearly 3 in 10 pub goers want to see pubs offer a better range4, so here’s a short list of the most popular snack types and flavours:

• Pork scratchings an especially popular accompaniment to a lager, beer or cider drink Midland Scratchings are traditional hand cooked scratchings and the ultimate pub snack! Mr Porky is the the UK’s No1 pork snack The Nation’s favourite includes a range of textures and bite sizes to tempt and tantalise!

• Hand cooked crisps particularly favoured by Gin drinkers The staple favourites of Sea Salt and Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar are must stock flavours, alongside Cheese & Onion (of course!) 1 To widen appeal, consider hot and meaty flavours for younger male clientele and flavours like Sweet Chilli too 1 These flavours, not usually eaten at home, offer something familiar but different a less traditional alternative The premium REAL Hand Cooked Crisps range is gluten free, with no added MSG, suitable for veg etarians and six flavours are suitable for vegans too With 82%

CAN OFFERING BAR SNACKS AFFECT REVENUE?

Bar Snacks offer a brilliant opportunity to increase sales through the ‘double whammy’ of generating incremental sales AND boosting dwell time 80% of people don’t regularly buy a snack with a drink and the main reason for not doing so is “I just didn’t think about it”8

We also know that seeing is believing and visibility can improve snack sales by 80%9

Prompting a purchase by displaying snacks prominently and getting staff to offer them, can make all the difference ” explains Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto Group Ltd, owners of the UK’s top pork snacks brands Mr Porky and Midland Snacks as well as the award winning hospitality exclusive REAL Hand Cooked Crisps

By not offering a range of premium snacks, pubs could be leaving money on the bar as Smith explains, “Our research shows that most people either have no idea what they pay for pub snacks, or expect to pay over £1 a pack, so venues can easily make over 50p profit per pack8 All it takes is for staff to ask, “Would you like a snack with your drinks?”

Snacks also have the potential to increase sales of drinks Pork scratchings are a great example The perfect partner to cider, wine and especially premium beers and lagers, their unique taste balances the sharpness or carbonation, while the saltiness enhances the flavour and helps get your thirst on!

WHAT DO YOUR BRANDS OFFER TO THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY?

Pub consumers look for brands they can trust and it’s important to stock proven sellers!

Tayto has a range of award winning snacks to suit every pub:

Mr Porky Original Scratchings the No 1 brand10 from the most recognised name in scratchings and a Great Taste award winning scratching

Midland Snacks Traditional Scratchings the No 2 brand10 and our best selling pubcard is also a Great Taste award winning hand cooked scratching using a recipe that has stood the test of time

Mr. Porky Crispy Strips a lighter bite, akin to crispy bacon rinds, for those who want all the taste of a scratching but a less hard texture, and another Great Taste award winner

REAL Hand Cooked Crisps premium, award winning, hospitality exclusive brand 100% vegetarian, no added MSG and 100% gluten free with strong flavours and characterful packaging which really stands out and drives sales

Golden Wonder Animal Adventures vegetarian, gluten free, no added nasties, animal shaped fun snacks that kids love!

Given that snack sales increase by up to 80% when they are more visible9, Tayto provides pub focused solutions such as eye catching pubcards for pork scratchings to be hung behind the bar and a range of FREE POS for REAL crisps available at realcrisps.com/POS

Snacks offer a simple route to incremental sales if customers are prompted to buy them with their drinks Thankfully there are a few simple tips for venues to achieve this:

Stock a range of proven, premium snacks that have been developed for the licensed sector

o Award winning pork scratching pubcards from Midland Snacks and Mr Porky

o Premium REAL Hand Cooked Crisps which are exclusive to the hospitality sector

Get your team to prompt purchase

o ‘Would you like some crisps or pork scratchings with your drinks?’ is all it takes!

Put your snacks where customers can see them

o Pubcards behind the bar

o A full range of crisps on the bar or visible on the back wall

o Bar runners and coasters are great eye catching prompts

SOURCES:

Q&A with Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto Group Ltd (www.taytogroup.com)

(Owners of market leading Mr Porky and Midland Snacks scratchings, REAL hospitality exclusive premium hand cooked crisps and Golden Wonder family favourite Animal Adventures)

WHAT ARE THE LATEST TRENDS IN BAR SNACKS AND WHAT ARE CONSUMERS LOOKING FOR AS THE PERFECT PARTNER TO THEIR DRINKS?

Pub operator JD

The proper ties,

Ultimate Brunch & Cocktail Event Features Innovative Plant-Based Egg Dishes by Kirk Haworth & Pritesh Mody

Plant

During

cocktails like espresso

sours

tinis

create desser ts from mousse to meringues

sharpness with trending flavours, they’re perfect at showcasing the lux urious frothiness of OGGS® Aquafaba, which is so popular with con sumers right now ”

“Sustainability continues to boom, and eco aware consumers are increasing seeking low carbon alternatives Plus, we ’ re seeing more operators tr ying to eliminate eggs from recipes Our products are an easy swap for eggs This means even more people can enjoy low car bon dishes and cocktails with 60% and 70% less co2e than eggs and which have all the qualities of eggs but none of the guilt associated ”

Kirk Hawor th Chef and Co Founder of Plates London says

“Eggs are a classic brunch dish, so it’s been great sharing my ideas for showstopping brunch dishes that help operators add the wow factor Scrambled OGGS® are incredibly easy to use and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much like the real thing they are ”

Pritesh Mody leading drinks exper ts and TV mixologist from Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch Kitchen says,

“Frothy cocktails are on trend right now, providing a premium expe rience for consumers when they go out OGGS® Aquafaba is easy to use and foams up a treat adding a smooth creamy foam that doesn t affect any flavours in the cocktails ”

OGGS® Egg Alternative Aquafaba can be bought in one litre car tons (the equivalent to 20 eggs) from Brakes , Ritter Cour ivaud Ltd, Vegetar ian Express and Countr y Range

Scrambled OGGS® is available in 330ml bottles , equivalent to 3 ser vings , from Brakes

Pritesh Mody brought along his shaker from Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch Kitchen, to demonstrate his selection of deliciously frothy cocktails, Yuzu Sour and Garibaldi, perfect for both

and freshly made cocktails

Hannah Car ter, founder and CEO from OGGS®, says,

“We know brunch is hot right now, so we were excited to bring Kirk and Pritesh onboard for our Ultimate Brunch Kirk is uncompro mising on flavour and a strong innovator of plant based dining, and we par ticularly loved his Breakfast Porridge Sponge ser ved with Jam, coconut yoghur t and berries which elevates Scrambled OGGS® to a whole new level ”

“Pritesh is super creative and his premium Yuzu Sour and Garibaldi cocktails added real sparkle to the occasion Providing an elegant

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Easy Cook for an Easy Life

Few ingredients in a chef's pantr y provide more interest ing textures or more versatility and profit potential than rice

Did you know that rice is the most popular grain on the planet and the primar y dietar y staple for more than half the world’s population? Despite the soaring inflation of food, US grown rice remains one of the most cost effective ingredients in the food ser vice pantr y US rice is ver y high quality and an ideal option when seeking to diversify your menu offering whilst crucially increasing your profit per plate margins; from Thai, Indian, Brazilian, Salvadoran, Chinese , Spanish, Turkish cuisines and beyond With rice on your menu, you can take your patrons around the world

Rice is an economical choice for chefs and opera tors as commodity prices continue to increase The ongoing Ukraine conflict has resulted in a global shor tage of wheat resulting in huge price increases of bread and pasta, whilst the cost of potatoes has also risen significantly

Rice dishes are always popular, are ideal for diners seeking gluten free dishes and work exceptionally well when tr ying to maximise profits, par ticularly if using the grain as the main ingredient on the plate , adding smaller amounts of higher cost ingredients Our top tips to keep your profit margins healthy:

1) Increase Vegetarian Choices Rice lends itself per fectly to plant based and vegetarian menu options

2) Rice is a fantastic tool in achieving a full looking plate to help adjust por tions as the price of costly

proteins continue to sky rock et

3) Embrace World Foods customers increasingly want to tr y new and unusual dishes so look to the Caribbean, Africa and Asian to create low cost, high margin rice based meals

4) Cut down on waste by repurposing leftovers, prepped ingredients from a previous ser vice can be utilised to cre ate dishes like fried rice and stir fr ys

Tropical Sun USA Rice is:

• A free from food with no GMOs

• Contains 15 essential vitamins and minerals

• One cup has 23% of your dai y recommended folic acid

• Gluten free

Tropical Sun USA Easy Cook Rice is cultivated in the southern American states of Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas Tropical Sun USA Easy Cook Rice is steamed before milling This process allows the rice to harden therefore making it less sticky so the grains remain separate when cook ing As a result, this helps the rice to retain much more of its nutritional content, which is normally lost during cooking

Tropical Sun USA Rice is available in catering size packs of 5kg, 10kg, 20kg and 40kg from Wanis International Foods, either from their huge wholesale cash and carr y in East London or for nationwide deliver y

For more information, please visit www wanis com; email sales@wanis com or call 0208 988 1100

Plant-Based Bottomless Brunch With Oggs®

With plant based diets a growing trend, it’s more impor tant than ever to ensure that menus are as inclusive as possible This Veganuar y, over 600 000 people signed up to go vegan for a month Eggs were the sec ond most missed product over this time (14% of par ticipants), with options when eating out being the major barrier to sticking to the pledge (26% of par ticipants)

Enter OGGS®, creators of OGGS® Aquafaba and Scrambled OGGS® On a mission to remove unnecessar y eggs from the food chain, OGGS® products are perfectly designed to provide your customers with delicious alternatives that are better for the planet and the animals

Scrambled OGGS® is an egg alternative for break fast and brunch menus made from chickpea protein Simply shake , pour and cook in minutes for a break fast scramble to take centre stage on vegetarian or vegan brunch You can also create omelettes, quiches and so much more with Scrambled OGGS®

Producing 60% less CO2e than eggs it’s not just kinder to animals, but the environment too

Restaurants including Bill’s and Shepherd Neame are already using Scrambled OGGS® to innovate

across breakfast and brunch menus, from indulgent vegan full English break fasts to plant based carbonara OGGS®

Aquafaba is an egg white alter native made from chickpeas an innovative solu tion to removing egg whites from cocktails With

six months shelf life and a neutral flavour profile , OGGS® Aquafaba functions exactly the same as egg whites in cocktails, while removing an allergen from your menu With 72% less CO2e than eggs, you can create the same delicious drinks without the egg using OGGS® Aquafaba for a more inclusive and environmentally friendly cocktail menu

Will at 31k in Nottingham said: “Ever y other drink we sell is a cocktail, and 1 in 4 for those calls for a foam That s 100 cocktails a night which would call for 100 eggs Thanks to OGGS® , we ’ ve saved 100 discarded yolks and 100 broken eggs shells each shift and the hassle of rinsing spilled egg whites! OGGS® is hassle free in use , taste free in cocktails, and guilt free as it helps us lower our environmental footprint ”

For more information contact trade@loveoggs.com

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Fylde Fresh and Fabulous

Based in the hear t of the Fylde countr yside

Fylde Fresh and Fabulous Ltd are a well established family run business with over 30 years of histor y growing and processing potatoes We are passion ate about what we do We grow har vest store process and deliver fresh chips and potato products under the Triple F brand to customers the length and breadth of the countr y We operate 24 hours a day 365 days a year

We are BRC AA accredited and Red Tractor approved making us a reliable supplier to the foodser vice industr y POWERED BY POTATOES

Fylde Fresh are committed to suppor ting the environ ment We have our ver y own anaerobic digester which is uses all of the peelings generated from the potato process This produces biogas which powers the site and the local community and produces a fer tilizer for grow ing next years spuds

WHAT WE OFFER

We provide national coverage delivering our fresh

potato products direct to your door via a network of distributors across the UK

We offer a number of fresh potato products from fresh chips to whole peel and quar ter cuts Our chilled prod ucts take all the hassle out of food preparation Products can be delivered fresh daily There’s no waste , prep time , labour cost or mess All you need is chilled space We aim to take the stress out of potato preparation Why not contact us today for a free sample Just email sales@fyldefreshandfabulous com and one of our sales team will be in touch directly to deal with your enquir y FFF chips are now available to buy online from our website www fyldefreshandfabulous com For all the readers of Caterer Licensee Hotelier Magazine we are offering a 10% discount off any purchase of either FFF chips or 20mm chunky chips online Simply add discount code CLHM001 when purchasing any of these two products from our website

We’ve Got A New Website! What Do You Think?

Its official, we have done it! Our new website fresh from the oven as it were we think it has turned out rather splendidly Truth be told, this has been some time in the making But the best things come to those who wait

It will give us fresh impe tus and the means to add more LittlePodders to our growing family It will help us to showcase our prod ucts and suppor t vanilla farmers in the Equatorial regions It will enable us to underline our most impor tant message: that if you choose to use real vanilla, you will make a difference to our world

Some of our personal high lights include the humming bird that buzzes around our beautiful homepage and all our delicious new recipes from our chef ambassador, and Master Chef of Great Britain The Peter Gor ton Collection We would like to know what YOU think, so please , pop the kettle on, have a good look around and do get in touch and share your thoughts Make sure you continue to join us on Instagram (follow @little pod and use our hashtag #CampaignForRealVanilla) Visit www littlepod co uk

Spirits, Mixers and Cocktails

Cocktails Defying Cost of Living Impact

The post lockdown return to market has seen a growth in demand for premium ser ves amongst treat seeking consumers But the price of cock tails is rising, against a broader market backdrop of growing inflation and a cost of living crisis

As a result consumers are increasingly focusing on price and value And their price consciousness highlights a renewed onus on pricing and promo tional mechanics for the categor y

CGA by NielsenIQ s sur vey of 1 000 nationally representative GB On Trade cocktail drinkers revealed that 19% of GB consumers drink cocktails out of home Out of 9 million cocktail drinkers, 67% are ver y likely or quite likely to pay more for a higher quality cocktail, (+7pp vs Q1 2021)

Many consumers are undecided on the cocktail they will choose before visiting But the most impor tant factors when choosing a cocktail are 1 flavour(s)

2 ingred ents

3 is already tr ied and tested

4 on promotion

5 pr ice compared to other coc kta ls

The cost challenges currently facing bars, pubs and nightclubs mean that costs are being squeezed and some price rises will have to be passed on These cost expectations have grown across the On Premise , with con sumers expecting sharp increases to prices on each drink in restaurants (+£1 18) and nightclubs (+£1 51) vs Q1 2021 This includes significant increases in expected price points for cocktail ser ves, with inflated prices especially in the nightclub sector

“VALUE FOR EXPERIENCE”

Despite cost of living increases, consumers are still planning to prioritise

food and drink spend, but they are increasingly “value led” For a significant propor tion of consumers this means “value for experience” for example is the price wor th paying for? Value is considered to be more impor tant than price however value doesn’t necessarily mean cheaper but can be considered synonymous with quality To this end, high quality, premium cocktails that are par t of a memorable experience will keep visitors com ing back

Price is also impor tant to consumers, even if it’s not the most impor tant factor in choosing a cocktail with 56% of consumers purchasing this drink type on promotion ever y time or almost ever y time they go out for cocktails (+8pp vs Q1 2021) In addition, non cocktail drinkers are 32% more likely to be tempted by an offer to change to the categor y

Phillip Montgomer y director of client ser vices UK & Ireland said: “Many consumers are alleviating the rising cost of cocktails by focusing more on the availability of deals and promotions, as they assess the value outlets are offering So, offering cocktails at great value is impor tant for operators and suppliers hoping to appeal to a much broader consumer base , rather than just competing for consumers who actively seek high quality cocktails ”

BRANDED SPIRITS

The latest CGA Consumer Impact repor t shows that in the past month 2 in 5 consumers have visited the On Premise 3 or more times and 56% of consumers ’ last trip to the On Premise was within the past week Visitation levels remain positively steady compared to the previous month, however 38% of consumers have been out for a drink led visit, up +2pp compared to July; likely driven by consumers wanting to make the most of patio sea son and the warmer weather

Significantly, the repor t reveals that almost 3 in 5 cocktail drinkers have

Flavourful Fun Fast Frozen Cocktails

We’ve all been there Queuing at the bar for up to 30 minutes as the bar tender uses their mixolog y skills to make a huge order of complex cocktails from scratch

You don’t want this for your thirsty customers

With an Absolute Frozen Cocktail Machine you can forget never ending queues It takes upto 1 minute per cocktail! To make them, you add alcohol, neutral slush then flavoured syrup to the cup All in under 1 minute It’s really that simple

The possibilities are endless There s no order 2 of the same cocktail catch in a 2 4 1 deal because of the slow process Your customers can order lots of cocktails in one round without holding up the queue

Your whole menu can be made with just one Absolute Frozen Cocktail Machine thanks to the neutral base syrup in the bowls Our extensive range of syrups cater to ever yone s tastes from fruity flavours like strawberr y to sweet flavours like pink lemonade and sour like sour cherr y

seen cocktails listing branded spirits on menus when visiting bars and/or restaurants in the past 3 months and 44% have subsequently ordered these cocktails

Among consumers who have ordered cocktails including branded spirits in the past 3 months, 2 in 5 have done so ever y time/almost ever y time they have visited the On Premise highlighting the influence this brand exposure has when positioned as a key ingredient in a preferred cocktail type

There is still significant room for growth in this area for brands to entice consumers to tr y a branded spirit in a cocktail by optimising this crucial par t of the consumers ’ path to purchase 52% of consumers order cock tails with branded sprits only occasionally when visiting bars and/or restau rants

Typically, when ordering spirits, 43% of spirits drinkers order by specific brand while just over a third (33%) order the categor y generally and 24% do so depending on the situation This presents suppliers with the oppor tu nity to engage loyal brand consumers, and to drive consumers to trial brands when presented in a range of cocktail ser ves

Matthew Crompton, regional director Nor th America, said “Casual din ing chains continue to be the most visited venue type in the On Premise , with over half of consumers visiting the channel in the past 3 months Working effectively with target outlets to get branding and branded descriptions on menus can help boost visibility fur ther to influence cocktail choice It’s impor tant for suppliers to consider the effectiveness of branded and non branded options when building On Premise strategies with opera tors and independents Steady Level of Consumer Visits

On Premise satisfaction remains high across the board, par ticularly around quality of ser vice The research also suggests operators and suppli ers can expect steady levels of consumer visits to bars and restaurants in the upcoming month, and new oppor tunities to entice target consumers to repeat purchase and trial brands

Not only are you ser ving a lot quicker, these fun drinks will have them coming back for more Once they’ve tried one of your frozen cocktails, they’ll be returning again and again to tr y the whole menu Plus, you can sell frozen cocktails for a significant markup so profiting from each cup is inevitable!

We ve put together a CLH readers promotion; a package wor th 2,000 drinks for FREE! Within this, you get high quality Absolute Slush/Cocktail Syrups (choose from the standard package or opt for whatever flavours you’d like), glassware and P O S material, including menus and an A board to promote your fantastic drinks With this package you can earn profits of £10,400 as your only cost is the alco hol, based on 1 x 25ml shot per cup After this

Lease or purchase an Absolute Frozen Cocktail Machine from us at Absolute Drinks We supply and install the equipment, provide ser vice throughout and sell stock and supplies!

Get in touch for a free quote or appointment with a rep 01942 607 634, sales@absolutedrinks.net

Spirits, Mixers and Cocktails

Cocktails Defying Cost of Living Impact

To determine the rankings, the team looked at the previous 12 months of Google Search Data and calculated the monthly average for each

These average totals were then stacked up against one another to determine the winning bev erage

The UK’s most popular cocktails

• Porn Star Mar tini (108k Monthly Goog e Searc

• Espresso Mar tin (92k Monthly Google Searc

Piña Colada (71k Monthly Goog e Searc

• Cosmopolitan (66k Monthly Goog e Searc

Searc

• Mojito (57k Monthly Goog

‘Mix Like An Italian’ With The New Range Of Premium Mixers From Sanpellegrino

As

The

shared drinking occasions, whether mixing into a cocktail, elevating a mocktail or ser v ing over ice with a slice; inviting consumers to

their

Michela Tasso, Sanpellegrino UK Brand Manager says: “We can see that early evening consumption from 5 to 8pm known in Italy as the aperitivo moment keeps growing and that a strong cocktail offering provides great benefits to outlets; with cocktails accounting for 7% of total venue food and drink sales in 2021 compared to just 4% in 20191 Italian to our core , this ‘aperitivo hour’ is something we have always embraced at SanPellegrino and are delighted that we can now enhance this moment with the launch of our new Italian mixers range Indeed, for moments to savour, mix like an Italian ”

Available to purchase online and in the on trade directly from Nestle Waters See the adver t on this page for details

Bottleproof Cocktails – Allowing All Venues To Serve Quality Cocktails

Bottleproof Cocktails have been supplying their premium range of pre made bottled cocktails exclusively to the hospitality trade since 2016 Customers include hotels, theatres, restaurants, pubs and events venues across the UK

Why choose Bottleproof? Well, they have a range of over 25 cocktails including 0% cocktails and they only supply the on trade Plus they have received a list of awards as long as your arm from IWSC , Spirits Business and LSC

Their cocktails are , as Charlie Anderson, co owner of Bottleproof says, “created to replicate the perfect bar ser ve They are all full abv and we only use premium ingredients and branded spirits just as a top bar would We don t add any preser v atives, flavourings or colourings so they really are the real deal with no synthetic tastes”

Bottleproof cocktails are now ser ved in some of the UK s best hotels, pubs and restaurants and the reason, other than the taste , says Mark Thompson, co owner, who heads up sales is

they can be ser ved in less than 30 seconds, require no training (other than

how to use a cocktail shaker) and allow venues far greater stock con trol Both Charlie and I have either worked in or supplied the on trade for over 20 years and we understand the hospitality business I think the fact that our cocktails are an on trade exclusive is really appealing to our customers Also the post lockdown staffing difficulties have seen many venues really struggle with staffing and ser ving cock tails with un trained staff has been a real issue Bottleproof ’ s cocktails have provided a solution

In addition to their range of cocktails, Bottleproof also make many bespoke cocktails for customers, including a cocktail designed specifi cally for hotel rooms that requires no ice and no shaking! With a range of 0% cocktails as well, Bottleproof really can allow trade venues a full and balanced cocktail list

And Eco friendly Paper bottles options

Bottleproof Cocktails are available either direct or through selected trade wholesalers

For more details, visit www.bottleproof.co.uk or email info@bottleproof.co.uk

Outdoor Leisure

Sovereign - Bringing Imagination Into Play

With decades of experience in the play industr y, Sovereign pride themselves on the qual ity and longevity of their out door play equipment Perfect for busy, family friendly estab lishments, Sovereign s flagship range of timber towers have infinite play value are a great addition to any outdoor area

We think you’ll love:

Popular for a reason, the Captain Mannering (named after a pub local to Sovereign’s Essex headquar ters) incorporates four tower units to give extra space and capacity to satisfy older and more active children It pro vides a challenging play envi ronment which will inspire endless possibilities for imagi native play A truly impressive addition to any play area

The Republican Bench and Table Set is designed with commercial areas in mind Built with our robust planed

Pop-Up for Profit!

‘Pop up ’ barbecue means paring back to folding gazebos and collapsible tables, two or three cool boxes with thermometers thrown in and a hand wash within easy walking distance At all levels of operation initial costs can be much lower, outdoor areas can still be multi purpose and storage space is kept to a mini mum Spot the ‘deliberate’ mistake in the car toon BIG TIP: HSE don’t like cool boxes sitting on the ground, even with lids!

Whilst Cinders gas barbecues fold flat for easy stor age , the popular Classic TG160 model is capable of over 1000 burgers a day at a large event which must be the fastest pay back on equipment ever! Made in Britain and with a two year warranty for commercial use , the work horse TG160 will also hum away in the corner of a beer garden with our flat griddle on one

and pressure treated timber, this set is perfect for high traffic areas and a great edition to beer gar dens and outdoor seating areas

Ideal for smaller areas, the Foxtail features a slide , rock climber and a fireman’s pole to keep children enter tained for hours!

The Thumper is a truly impres sive addition to any play area, this tower incorporates many of the features seen in other models, with the addition of a fur ther deck area that allows extra space and capacity to satisfy older and more active children

With a 20 year warranty on all timber products, 25 year warranty on all metal products and the option for Sovereign Compliance inspection and maintenance pack ages Sovereign equipment will bring joy to children and families for years to come

Find us at www sovereignplayequipment co uk

side and a couple of gastronorms on the other, to de skill and make life a little less fraught

Smaller half sized models also available www cindersbarbecues co uk

Have a great summer and remember, POP UP for EASIER PROFITS

Outdoor Leisure

Authentic

Sangria Solsueño, an authentic Spanish sangria, is now available in a 330ml slim line can, bringing a ray of liquid sunshine to the UK market and beyond Crafted in the Denominacion de Origen protected region of Jumilla in Murcia Spain Solsueño is a 5% abv bright red, easy drinking liquid, and is instantly recognisable as a genuine sangria

Tim Smith of Solsueño explains “the advantages of a ready made liquid are consistency, time saved in preparation and no wastage Solsueño is ideal for all indoor and outdoor settings, available as a single ser ve reflecting modern con sumption patterns and in a format which is innovative and convenient It can, of course , be added to a jug for the sharing experience

First of all,

Sounds too good to be true?

Well

only supply premium German manufactured products from stock at incredibly low prices The

box manufac tured from top quality expanded polypropylene

with ice and fruit’’

Solsueño is vegan gluten free and uses only natural ingredients, plus is packaged in an eco friendly can format

With high awareness levels of sangria amongst UK consumers, and the travel challenges faced in recent years, Solsueño is bringing a much needed taste of Spain to the UK!

To receive a free Solsueño sample pack and back bar display unit, limited to the first 100 requests, visit:

https://www.sangria solsueno com/free sample pack/

out more

sueno

solsueno com

sangria

touch

email

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

Outdoor Leisure

Moda, Where Outdoor Furniture Really Means Business

Unlocking the potential of your outdoor space can be a seriously good business move Whether you need a place to close deals with clients, a second meeting room or a nineteenth hole par excellence taking your work outside offers huge attrac tions And as the UK’s leading luxur y outdoor furniture brand, Moda is ideally placed to help turn your vision into reality

Having star ted out as a family run company in 2014, Moda has quickly established a reputation for innovative furniture solutions with exceptional customer ser vice This has led to a growing demand for their ser vices from an increasingly diverse client base as a greater variety of commercial sectors have looked to transform their outdoor spaces

A TAILORED APPROACH

With a dedicated Commercial team, Moda’s clients can choose from a vast collection of furniture sets to meet all business requirements

UNIQUELY MODULAR, UNIQUELY MODA

Your outdoor space can change from one day to the next, which is where Moda’s flexible modular systems really come into their own All of their furniture ranges

Monster Mesh

have a number of modular configurations that can be cus tomised move them around your business areas, expand your collection, split them up or put them together to com plement your changing com mercial requirements

SMART FURNITURE TO DRIVE BUSINESS ES FORWARD

With their all weather materials and uncompromising build quality Moda furniture collections are meticulously engineered to withstand the demands of the modern workplace and the great British weather Ever y item of luxur y outdoor furniture is designed exclusively in house

This allows Moda to offer a perfect balance of both style and substance that can be enjoyed all year round What’s more, Moda’s market leading three year commercial guarantee offers commercial clients peace of mind and their aftercare policy and maintenance packages rein forces their commitment to client satisfaction

Take the first step to maximising the use of your out door space Talk to one of Moda s Commercial Business Development Managers Tel: 033 3363 7015, email: commercial@modafurnishings co uk or visit www modafurnishings co uk/commercial

panies

We can provide a range of custom designed and printed products for HERAS fence covers, PVC and ACM Hoarding panels, PVC and mesh banners, and large scale scaffold wraps We have been in operation for 4 years now, continually growing year on year thanks to both new and return clients

At Monster Mesh we agree that your brand needs to generate the right impact Getting an eye catching design is the most impor tant when displaying your ban ner amongst others so at Monster Mesh we offer a complete in house design ser vice Most of the time this is a free ser vice where our team of designers will take your logo and a brief sample of text to create your individual design Throughout our years of experience in large format design we have learnt several ways to produce the impression you desire

The majority of our products include free deliver y and typical lead times are just 7 working days, with some products available through our 5 day express ser vice

To find out more , please visit www monster mesh co uk

Bolsius Professional Helps

Operators to Unlock Revenue

As consumers flock to pub gardens and restaurant ter races Bolsius Professional has released a new guide for operators keen to capitalise on their outdoor spaces

Combining stunning exteriors, design tips and cost effective ideas, ‘Investing in outdoor : attract and retain customers to grow revenue ’ provides ideas and guidance on creating a compelling multi sensor y outdoor experi ence for customers

The premium candle specialist has launched the repor t in response to changing market dynamics over the past few years This includes, the government relaxing of pave ment dining laws during the pandemic , which allowed restaurants, pubs and bars to ser ve food alfresco and new legislation plans to make this permanent, represent ing a valuable oppor tunity for operators with outdoor spaces

Paul Christodoulou National Account Manager UK & Ireland Out of Home and Hospitality at Bolsius Professional and Member of the Institute of Hospitality said, “Outdoors is most definitely in and now more than ever Before , outdoor spaces were a ‘nice to have’ used almost exclusively when the British summer finally arrived However, as a result of the pandemic , savvy pubs, bars and restaurant made the most of their outdoor space in recent years, and they are now seen as an oppor tunity

By investing in your outdoor space and creating a wel coming atmosphere customers want to stay in and revis it again and again operators are not only able to ser ve more covers over the summer months but growth their full offering through additional year round space

To suppor t, we ’ ve pulled together a selection of tips and ideas for operators, from furnishings to foliage and comfor t to candles we ’ re helping them to unlock rev enue through expanding into this typically under utilised area ”

Bolsius Professional is a leading candle manufacturer with an extensive range of indoor and outdoor candles designed specifically for restaurants bars and hotels To discover more about their candle range and to down load a copy of the Bolsius Professional guide Investing in outdoor : attract and retain customers to grow revenue go to www.bolsius.com/en/professional/inspiration

Products and Services

Your Perfect Print Partner

deckchairs, gift vouchers, branded merchandise and ever ything else a hotel might need to

Managing Director Ian Shenton commented; “We’ve been in the print business for over 50 years and have a strong team of staff who all know the hospitality industr y inside out We truly understand how to market a hotel through effective use of design and print, and can turn projects around within a matter of days We pride our selves on building a solid working relationship with our loyal client base Our ever expanding product range keeps customers coming back to us month after month, and our excellent customer ser vice and high quality design and print keeps them more than happy to use Aspenprint "

For more information please visit their website at www.aspen print.com or request a free sample box of hotel related design and print by emailing hello@aspenprint com

Better Beer, Better Business

Operating in over 3000 venues nationwide Clear Brew are the beer line cleaning professionals that you can rely on to help reduce waste save money and time and improve the quality of the draught products you ser ve your customers

At Clear Brew, we understand that recent challenges such as staff shor tages and inflation can add pressure to a business We are pleased to be able to help over 3000 licenced premises across the countr y by pro viding a fully managed regular beer line cleaning ser vice Our experienced technicians maintain dispense quality across both keg and cask lines on an extended frequency During each visit your local technician will carr y out a full line clean and cellar check to ensure your products and equipment are kept in top condition Our labour inclusive system comprises of a specialised water fed mixing unit, that uses no electricity or propellant gas, combined with inhibitor technolog y and market leading chemicals This results in a ser vice that is guaranteed to save your venue money, reduce your waste and improve the quality of your draught products

INTRODUCING OUR NEW CELLAR REPORTING APP

Our ser vice now includes our new cellar repor ting app paired with our fully managed beer line cleaning ser vice this adds real value to any operator in todays licenced sector The app has been designed to provide our customers with information related to their cellar and bar on each and ever y clean Customers are able to view the ullage , water, labour, and chemical savings they are making on each clean, they will see that standards are being maintained within the cellar and all associated equipment is being cleaned and checked and any possible

concerns have been highlighted The Clear Brew ser vice combined with the cellar repor ting app allows our customers to be confi dent that their beer bar and cellar are being well maintained and managed

OUR GUARANTEES

1 Guaranteed to reduce ullage improve your carbon footprint and save you money 2

Guaranteed to improve beer dis pense quality protecting yields and sales 3 Guaranteed to relieve the stress associated with organising staff 4 Guaranteed to provide profes sional, fully trained operators 5 Guaranteed to carr y out the first clean FREE of charge and provide a ser vice without any contracts or upfront costs

‘Great ser vice always on time and great value for money Would recommend to any venue big or small Saves a lot of time and energ y when we are all busy Lloyd Price Proprietor

START A CONVERSATION WITH CLEAR BREW TODAY

We are so confident in our cleaning method that we don’t request a contract and provide an initial sur vey and clean completely FREE of charge During this first visit we will measure your ullage and produce a full quotation that will clearly show how much you can save BII members’ exclusive offer : 10% off your beer line cleaning for the first 12 months (QUOTE REF BII10) 01209 219889 freeclean@clearbrew.co.uk

A Compostable Straw That Does Not Go Soggy in Your Drink?

Agave Fibre Straws are a new 100% plant based compostable straw Made entirely from natural fibres of the Agave plant, a biproduct left over as a waste material when making Tequila

Manufactured sustainability in Mexico, they are natu rally biodegradable and compostable at end of life They are also vegan friendly and gluten free

Agave straws break down naturally in as little as 12 months but unlike paper they do not disintegrate or go sogg y when submerged in drinks Instead, they pro vide a similar drinking experience to plastic This makes them the perfect choice for bars & restaurants ser ving high end cocktails or smoothies, delivering a much improved drinking experience for your cus tomers

Not only is the expe rience improved, but unlike other eco friendly alternatives such as PLA, they do not need any special waste sepa ration or an

industrial process to be recycled They break down natu rally in the presence of oxygen and sunlight, meaning they will disinte grate in land fill or ocean conditions without any negative impacts on the environment

In Mexico, the relationship between the Agave plant and the people has been long inter twined Within the region there are hundreds of variations of the plant in different shapes and sizes but in recent years, the plant has been mostly used to produce alcoholic bev erages Introduction of Agave straws to the UK mar ket is the result of a collaboration between Penka & Buzz Catering which aims to continue a long standing local tradition whilst creating a truly sustainable prod uct that contributes to solving a global environmental issue

For sales and more information visit us online at www.buzzcateringsupplies.com or see the adver t on page 15

At BioPak, creating sustainable packaging that puts the planet first is at the hear t of what we do Single use packaging can be unavoidable but we can help reduce the negative impact on the environment

As well as being manufactured in an eco friendly way, and commercial ly compostable and recyclable , BioPak single use packaging has a host of other benefits, like guilt free convenience It also saves the water and energ y required to sanitise reusables, and eliminates the need for cleaning labour

There is no planet B That’s why it’s our mission to produce the most sustainable environmentally friendly packaging on the market

So what’s in it for you?

YOUR OWN ACCOUNT MANAGER

At BioPak, our account managers are fully dedicated to our customers They’ll be there ever y step of the way right from when you get in touch They can advise you on the best packaging solutions for you, and gen erally just be a helping hand whenever you need them

You ll have access to our free samples ser vice , and our enquir y lines are open from 8:00am 5:30pm

NEVER RUN OUT OF STOCK We mean it when we say you ll never run out of

Composting

How to Cut Water Use, Bills and CO2 in One Simple Step

Hospitality businesses could slash CO2 footprints, cut water use by hundreds of thousands of litres each year, and annually save over £1,200 on ever y three urinals operated, simply by switching to waterless technolog y

These findings have been released by Smar ti Environmental, the UK’s leading waterless urinal business, following one of the driest and hottest summers in living memor y, leading to water shor tages, and drought meas ures across the UK

The savings are possible with the installation of Smar ti Environmental s eco friendly waterless Vor tex triple seal valve (TSV) which has been designed to cut urinal run ning bills by over half at the same time as eliminating bad urinal smells and blockages commonly experienced in flushing urinals

Ending the need for water, the eco friendly, retro fit Vor tex valve typically saves 100,000 litres of clean water and 105kg CO2 per urinal, per year It also prevents air borne infections caused by flushing urinals, which have been shown to spread 500 000 germs per inch per flush landing on skin surfaces and clothing spreading viruses including Covid 19 influenza and norovirus

The Vor tex TSV fits 98% of all urinals, which means that businesses can retain their existing urinal bowls, and it also provides the fastest draining waterless urinal solu tion on the market

film proteins, the valve not only makes urine PH neutral a world first but it also prevents costly and damaging back fill flooding caused by the chemical reaction between urine and water, which leads to uric salt and biofilm build up that often blocks flushing urinal waste pipes

With the ability to be fitted in under a day, Smar ti’s waterless urinal solutions offer a great way to cut costs, carbon and water use simply, easily and with the mini mum of fuss, enabling hospitality businesses to function even during periods of water shor tages

From

Visit

Utilising an eco friendly bio block enzyme ring and integrated bio tablet that breaks down uric acid and bio

Visit https://smar tilimited com/ or call 01392 311 202 for a no obligation washroom sur vey and quote

See the adver t on page 3 for fur ther details

Bournemouth based Aspenprint is the leading provider of design and print to hotels across the UK

The talented team are competent at working with big name brands and adhering to brand guidelines, as well as creating bespoke designs for smaller boutique hotels In addition to providing

graphic design ser vice they also have a large

print facility filled with digital and

tment to

Aspenprint’s

Ozone Clean

Ozone Clean is the leading manufacturer and supplier of Ozone generating equipment to the hospitality sec tor as well as many other industries for Odour and Infection control We supply a range of generators suitable for all applica tions both industrial and domestic that can effectively treat small to

large areas

Our

is multi internationally award winning and

rapidly built

strong reputation within

since our inception in

that

by an

operation

We have over 850 clients and 11 million rooms per year being treated with our equipment In manufactur ing we only use the highest quality par ts which enables

Products and Services

us to say that we still have machines that are still in use after 15 years Therefore , our range of products are the most efficient and reliable on the market

Due to the efficiency and reliability of our flagship products the OC1500 and OC700, at a cost from 28p per day, we have empirical evidence , that by using Ozone Cleans range of products you will be able to enjoy an ROI within 12 months often sooner Genuine and provable results This is achieved by the permanent removal of Odours, Bacteria, Mould and Viruses in as little as 5 minutes

Peace of mind, efficiency and reliability go hand in hand with Ozone Clean and don’t forget by using our OC range you will be having a positive impact on the environment as opposed to the traditional methods which have a high energ y or chemical consump tion

Should you decide to buy either our OC1500 or OC700 we will offer you

count

Just quote OZO15

15%

ozoneclean

Call : 020 8883 2756 Emails: sales@ozoneclean

Denby Launches

‘Kiln’ tableware launched this year is a true celebration of British craftsmanship from iconic potters, Denby Using age old pot ter y methods Kiln has a calming colour palette of chalk white and hues of oatmeal and grey with a hand decorated freckling glaze effect

Beautifully uncomplicated, Kiln creates a perfect setting to make food look stunning, the new freckling technique is designed to frame food yet is uniquely differ ent on ever y piece Kiln’s fully vitrified stoneware includes a new collection of ser ving bowls and plat ters in organic asymmetrical forms which make great statement pieces There are also classic place setting items such as coupe plates, which are known as the ‘Chef ’ s plate’ as they are great for presenting food, that can be comfor tably stacked and withstand use in a busy restaurant Denby rigorously tests its products to tough industr y standards and the pattern performs well against stringent hospitality criteria without look ing like standard hospitality ware Plate and bowl rims

are tested extensively and form par t of Denby’s 10 year chip war ranty

Produced from local Derbyshire clay, each piece of Kiln’s ar tisan potter y is handcrafted by 20 pairs of hands at Denby’s original 200 year old potter y by craftsmen whose skills have been handed down over generations Kiln shares Denby’s environmental attributes and is the conscious choice for hospitality venues who prefer to suppor t “Made in England” ceram

ics Denby was the first UK potter y to be zero to landfill on process waste and holds ISO14001 which is awarded when sustainability and the care of the envi ronment form an integrated par t of the production process

Kiln has all Denby’s inherent strengths, is freezer and dishwasher safe and can be used in the oven up to a temperature of 250ºC For more information on Denby for Hospitality, visit www.denbypotter y/hospitality or see the adver t on page 6

Sausage2Go couldn’t be easier to use; no catering experience is required, and user friendly control panels set over individual zones can be independently used to allow greater energ

efficiency Unit sizes range from counter top to freestanding with front and rear loading options tailored to individual needs Branding and packaging featuring The Sausage Man’s eye catching visuals will also be available to fur ther enhance the

For operators the unit couldn’t be simpler to use and is especially useful for quick ser ve situations; on using the Sausage2Go unit at Ashton Gate Stadium Bristol, Dave Gorwill, Concessions Manager was impressed by its efficiency and by the popularity of The Sausage Man’s product; “When we launched the 150g Porky Hot Dogs from The Sausage Man, we were surprised how quickly they sold we had to cook more before kick off! We restocked again for the break and the fans seemed to love the sausages so much that this will become one of our biggest selling food items ”

For product information, inspirational recipes and to find your foodser vice distributor go to www wholesale sausageman co uk, email info@sausageman co uk or call 01322 867060

CLEAN,

RESIN FLOORS

Choose a FloorTech® commercial kitchen floor and protect the welfare of your staff

Trazcon® has certified slip ratings and has superb upgrade potential for future modifications

Our FloorTech® flooring systems are HACCP certified ensuring that our customers have the most hygienic floor system

FloorTech® - At the Forefront of Flooring Technology

Commercial kitchen floors are constantly being exposed to spillages such as fats, oils, grease , detergents and acids Add heavy footfall to mix and you have the potential create an extremely hazardous environment

By choosing a FloorTech® commercial kitchen floor you are protecting the welfare of your staff by investing in the safest flooring system on the market

Trazcon® has cer tified slip ratings and has superb upgrade potential for future modifications e g increase anti skid, change colour scheme etc Our FloorTech® flooring systems are HACCP cer tified ensuring that our customers have the most hygienic floor system

Trazcon® Decór is primarily used in commercial kitchen and food prep areas mixing baking & rooms chill rooms, ingredient stores, connecting corridors, gowning rooms and washrooms, thereby creating a safe and fit for purpose working environment

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Stephens Catering Equipment were awarded the con tract for the commercial kitchen Fit Out at Clayton Hotel, Bristol Stephens worked for McAleer & Rushe Construction on the installation of a highly efficient kitchen ser ver y and kitchen extract system for the new hotel The full remit included: Ber to’s Cooking Equipment, Rational self cleaning combination ovens, Foster Refrigeration Moffat Fabrication Hobar t Warewashing, and the extraction system was complet ed by Bridge Air

Stephens Catering Equipment (SCE) are the premier catering and food ser vice equipment firm in Ireland and the UK, with 50 years track record of delivering some of the most prestigious landmark projects across the market Working with a variety of clients from concept, design build install and commissioning thereafter to maintain and ser vice the equipment to ensure clients

objectives are consistently met

The SCE team are delighted to have played a role in the completion of this impressive project which saw the Clayton Hotel located in the hear t of Bristol open its doors in March 2022 Stephens Catering Equipment has extensive experience across all sectors but is par ticularly specialised in delivering optimal food ser vice solutions for the hospitality industr y Commenting on the project, Ian Manson, Sales Director of Stephens Catering Equipment said, “We were delighted to design, install and project manage the Fit Out of the Clayton Hotel, Bristol We wish them great success in the future ”

T: 028 25861711/ 0141 2660031

sales@stephens catering com

stephenscateringequipment

Cut Bin Collection Costs

Large bins of food waste are costly to collect and cause hygiene health and safety, pest and smell issues

Regular collection costs are rising but one way to cut these costs and improve hygiene is by switching to on site food waste processing

Meiko’s BioMaster range features a hygienic stainless steel hopper which can stand alone or be built into tabling BioMaster pulverises all typi cal food waste including oil, grease , liquids, fish skins and flowers This is then pumped automatically to on site sealed storage for collection by tanker Collections could change to being ever y few months instead of weekly or for t nightly, saving a small for tune

Meiko BioMaster uses minimal water, is simple and safe to operate cuts labour and saves floorspace by

replacing scrapping bins and wheelies

BioMaster stops food waste going to landfill and prevents discharge of food residue and fats from plate waste to drains

EFFICIENCY: BioMaster processes all typica kitc hen food waste inc luding oils and fats The slurr y is pumped to stor age tanks Multiple smal user s suc h as a high street parade of food reta ler s or a food cour t could share BioMaster

LABOUR: B oMaster nlets prevent double handling They can be sited in kitc hens , prep areas and dishwash, sav ing labour and improving ergonomics by reducing secondar y handling

SUSTAIN ABLE DESIGN: There s no need to p ace

B oMaster nto a stand alone location It can slot into the kitc hen In ets can be placed within counter s or in line w th the d shwasher to rep ace scrapping bins For fur ther information see the adver t below or visit www.meiko uk.co.uk

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out with Williams

By Malcolm Harling, sales and marketing director, Williams Refrigeration

The combination of modular compact drawers with variable temperature controls and a front venting refrigeration system makes the VSWCD1 an extremely flexible option that can be fitted in to the tightest spaces, providing easy access to fresh or frozen ingredi ents right where the kitchen brigade need it

These days kitchen space is getting squeezed, as food ser vice operators look to increase their restaurant areas to get in more customers The logical result of which is that, despite being smaller, the kitchen has to produce more meals A new commercial kitchen fit out often has to comply with what the Foodser vice Equipment Association (FEA) calls 20:20 vision: 20% more productivity from 20% less space

All of which means there’s a big demand for equip ment that can help maximise the available space such as the Chef ’ s Drawer from Williams Refrigeration The latest version of these individual refrigerated drawers is the VSWCD1, a variable temperature unit that can be switched from chilled to frozen storage , keeping pace with a business’s changing needs

Depending on the selection of castors or legs the height of the individual drawer can be adjusted by over 70mmm, between 456mm and 530mm Each VSWCD1 measures 1100mm wide by 670mm deep Despite its compact size each drawer can hold 2/1GN pans up to an impressive 150mm in depth, compared to 100mm for some competitor models giving it a capacity of 105 litres Another advantage is the ability to stack two units beneath a standard worktop, creating an even more flexible storage solution

The body and removable drawers are constructed from robust foodsafe stainless steel The Chefs Drawer uses natural refrigerant and eco friendly high perform ance , high density polyurethane insulation, meaning it can operate in ambient temperatures as high as 43°C

To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams refrigeration.co.uk

THE ALL NEW - SPH515 Hood Type Dishwasher

The latest SPH515 hood type dish washer from Smeg Foodser vice , has a new and patented hood lifting design, making it one of the lightest in the industr y and effor tless for all operators in any installation

Fitted with the all new 3 stage , inter locking water filtration system, the SPH515 ensures excellent wash per formance and results As standard, the machine has a drain pump, break tank and rinse and booster pump ensuring safe reliable and consistent results with ever y wash

trols are easily accessible and provide simplicity for understanding and opera tion of the machine

For time sensitive sites requiring rapid throughput there are 7 dedicated wash cycles with the fastest cycle being just one minute The powerful wash pump delivers a superior wash and due to the machine’s soft star t function, it does so without damaging delicate items

Thanks to the SPH515’s double skinned, fully insulated hood there is reduced noise and lower energ y con sumption

Visit www smegfoodser vice co uk

The hood mounted soft touch con

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) Creates Considerable Interest

R TEC Ser vices & Innovation Ltd (previously known as Rational Technical Ser vices UK Ltd ) demon strated its Combi Oven equipment to commercial kitchen operators at the recent HRC ExCel London Exhibition

On the stand was a working demo of a Rational Combi Oven and the New DrainMajor C (Combi Oven Pump) manufactured by par tner Pump Technolog y Ltd

This proved a focal point for Combi Oven manufactures, installers, mainte nance engineers and users alike

Potential users were shown a number of significant advantages that this combi oven drainage pump offered

Ver y noticeable when viewing the exhibition demon stration tank with its clear side window was the large , triangular, low level float attached to the pump by a rigid arm, external to the pump casing Because of the design of this float system the unit can cope with an exceptional quantity of grease , fat and food par ticles before the reli able star t/stop operation of the pump is affected

The triangular low level float also means that inlet heights can be just 70mm from base to centreline giving the appropriate inlet requirement for wall or central island Combi Ovens

The build quality of the submersible wastewater pump was also a discussion point, with the mechanical shaft seal arrangement between pump impeller and motor winding generally agreed as an advantage over a common lip seal/diaphragm arrangement, especially considering the hot wastewater tempera tures and potential grease which these units have to handle

It can be connected to multiple ovens or oven and sink combinations Also, multiple inlet connections can be cut onsite directly into the rigid Polyethylene tank without the need to manifold inlets outside of the tank and then feed into it via a single inlet This means that the installation footprint is just the size of the compact tank and potential leaks from knocked manifold piping and joints are eliminated

It looks like the New DrainMinor C is a winner and will soon be featuring in combi oven installations ever ywhere

Cemco (The Catering Equipment Maintenance Company)

Cemco (The Catering Equipment Maintenance Company) first opened for business in 1990 and have been ser ving Dorset Wiltshire Somerset Bath and the rest of the South and Southwest ever since

We offer a full range of ser vices, including ser vicing and repairs for all commercial catering appliances, rang ing from small local projects to major national work, and ever ything in between Specialising in commercial Glasswasher and Dishwasher repairs sales and ser vice our reputation is second to none

We can offer you a no obligation quote now, so con tact us for more information

CEMCO also carr y out repairs to commercial cater ing equipment Dishwashers Glasswashers Ovens Grills Bournemouth Poole Dorset and The Southwest We

Specialists in Servicing, Repairs and Maintenance of all Commercial Catering Equipment

Cemco undertake Service and Repairs to ALL Commercial Dishwasher and Glasswasher Manufacturers Including Hobart, Electrolux, Meiko, Winterhalter to name a few

CEMCO carry out repairs, servicing and routine maintenance to all makes and models of commercial catering equipment, including dishwashers and glasswashers

We can also supply you with a new or used dishwasher simply Contact Us for details of available Used Stock

We are based in Bournemouth & Poole and cover the whole of Dorset, along with the neighbouring counties of Somerset, Devon, Hampshire and Wiltshire

Trust CEMCO for commercial catering dishwasher servicing!

Call us now, on 01202 377205 for a free quote to repair your dishwasher www.cemcoltd.co.uk

under take repairs and ser vicing to ALL types makes and models of commercial catering equipment A repair is often far cheaper then a replacement! 30 Years in this Industr y gives us the edge over our competitors, with time ser ved Commercial Catering Equipment Engineers our clients have found we save them the cost of purchasing new equipment time after time why buy new when a guaran teed repair is often all your Catering Equipment requires

We are based in Bournemouth & Poole , covering the whole of Dorset, as well as Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire Call 01202 377205 now to arrange a site visit www.cemcoltd.co.uk

Design and Refit

Make First Impressions Count with Major Plants

get on with your business while we ensure that out side , your plant arrangements and presentation never let you down

Making sure your business looking good is our busi ness!

First Impressions Count! Major Plants Limited spe cializes in providing cost effective , visually striking, hang ing baskets rental and maintenance ser vices

In business over 10 years our company grown through word of mouth via our satisfied and expanding customer base

We know that busy businesses have enough work to do without tr ying to remember whether the flowers have been watered, fed, or tidied up Calling in the exper ts like Major Plants Limited means that you can

Whether you are seeking an alternative quotation to compare with an existing supplier or are looking at external flower arrangements for the first time our flexible agreement and personal ser vice will give you a piece of mind reliable suppor t for your business

Please get in touch!

0800 111 4014 info@majorplants co uk

Catering for Children More Important Than Ever

The hospitality industr y is ever evolving, and even more so post covid Most families are now back to eating out on a regular basis, however, their requisite for restaurants has changed Families are seeking clean reliable and hygienic facilities to accommodate their youngsters which now plays a huge role when selecting an appropri ate dining venue

As a consequence of changing con sumer habits, the demand for such facilities is growing from the hospitality industr y Helo is a leading UK supplier of both commercial highchairs, booster seats and baby changing units The brand has been trusted to deliver quality, reliable furniture to the hospitality, leisure , and school sectors since 1999 All our products are rigor ously tested to ensure they meet current British Standards

Helo offers an extensive range of commercial high chairs suited to any environment ranging from the Eurobambino through to the Simplex Highchair Many

high street chains purchase the Eurobambino Helo’s bestselling high chair The Eurobambino is constructed from Rubber Wood and is available in a variety of finishes making it suitable for all decors ranging from classic wood stains to more vibrant options

Fur ther, the highchair is stackable up to 4 units thanks to its exceptional strength and design, this allows for compact discreet storage in any loca tion

On top of highchairs, Helo also sup plies commercial baby changing units These units are manufactured to the highest quality standards which helps create a safe , versatile , and long lasting, baby changer Both our horizontal and ver tical units are tested up to 100kg and include dual purpose , heavy duty fixings for guaranteed peace of mind

For more information visit Home Helo

Commercial High Chairs (www hel o co uk) or give us a call on 01284 772400 or sales@hel o.co.uk and we’ll do what we can to help

Mayfair Furniture

Design and Refit

London Roof Garden Boasts Toilet Block Thanks to Saniflo

The Queen Elizabeth Hall at the iconic Southbank Centre has a stunning roof garden and café overlook ing the Thames Filled with wildflowers and attracting bees and insects from all over London it is a place to socialise , dine and even work when the weather is fine

Early in 2022 the team running the venue came to a consensus that the dis tance of the nearest WC’s was hindering the experi ence for clients and staff alike; customers had to descend the winding staircase back to the Royal Festival Hall in the main building

Richard Riley from building contractor Eleven London, was contracted to construct a wooden toilet block with two separate WC’s and hand basins With no gravity drainage available in proximity of the new block, a pumping solution was going to be the only way to discharge the waste away to the nearest soil

stack some 40m away

With input from the Saniflo technical team, including a visit to site to assess the potential run of pipework a Sanicubic Pro 2 lifting station with twin pumps and a wireless alarm was specified and installed by Richard and his plumber This powerful unit uses alternate pumps when operating normally, but in the unlikely event of a pump failure can switch to single pump operation in order to provide continuity of operation at all times

A wireless alarm offers early warning of any issues

The unit is installed in a cupboard to the rear of the block and provides quiet, efficient operation

The installation of the roof garden toilet block has proved to be an excellent investment with the whole space enjoying more visitors who stay for longer

For more positive solutions and inspiration, visit www saniflo co uk

Design and Refit

Electric Water Heating & Hard Water

Electric only designs for water heating provide a sim ple to install cost effective and familiar technolog y that delivers lower carbon emis sions addresses regulator y changes on new gas connec tions and improves indoor air quality (IAQ) For the high grade heat required for domestic hot water (DHW) applications, there is a notable use of electric immersions, but this can have a catastrophic impact on a system if located in one of the hard water areas that span approximately 65% of the UK

While excellent as backup heat sources in commercial boiler fed indirect cylinders, immersions are not advised as a primar y heat source in hard water areas where limescale will typically form on the heat exchanger or heating element The high temperatures accelerate scale formation which can lead to costly system failure in as little as six months When hot water is essential for

operations it’s a cause for concern

An electric boiler, such as the Adveco ARDENT, heats water using immersion heaters located in a small tank within the boiler hous ing rather than directly installed into a hot water tank This creates a sealed primar y loop to an indirect coil in the cylinder eliminat ing the common problems of direct electric heating The electric boiler heats the same water continuously so there is only a small, finite amount of scale in the system which will not damage the elements

The electric boiler additionally offers a level of redun dancy that is not achieved with a single immersion heater and with significantly less scale reliability also improves drastically reducing maintenance demands for operational savings

www adveco co

CardsSafe - Protecting AssetsLock in Our Old Prices Today!

Until Januar y 2023, CardsSafe unit rental will remain at just £9 95 per month

We have been helping restaurants bars pubs golf courses and other venues to securely retain their cus tomer bank cards while they run a tab for almost twenty years

Since we introduced rental contracts in 2008, we ’ ve kept our prices as low as possible at just under a ten ner a month and this has never increased However, due to significant increases in both our cost of goods and related costs we plan an increase in Januar y 2023

Our existing customers will continue to benefit from our low prices, so if you ’ re considering CardsSafe for your business, or need additional units, lock in at just £9 95 per month (per unit) for the duration of your contract

Our cost effective wireless technolog y has revolu tionised how the hospitality industr y manages their customers’ obligations, and we are trusted by over 5000 brands in the UK, including Hilton Hotels, Young’s pubs, Lord’s and golf resor ts, including the London Golf Club

There are many benefits to using CardsSafe in bars

restaurants and pubs:

• Managing customer tabs

• Helping to increase spend ng therefore profits

• It is a significant deter rent for walkouts

Offer s protection against credit card fraud helps to build trust!

Pays for itself by reducing c harge bac k and walkouts

• No data capture required to use

• Customer s have peace of mind that the r bank cards are kept safely, and they keep the unique key!

“Turnover increased significantly after CardsSafe was installed, and the system easily pays for itself ” Siobhan, The Prodigal London CardsSafe is affordable! Each unit contains ten card drawers that can be hired for just £9 95 per month Each hire comes with customer ser vice troubleshoot ing and a number of free replacement keys Additional units can be added at any time

The question is, can you afford not to have CardsSafe as a par t of your business?

For more information, please visit www cardssafe com

Or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040

From Concept to Fit-Out with CFG

A COMPLETE SERVICE

The Contract Furniture Group offers pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels an end to end fit out ser vice; from theme concepts & interior design, to bespoke joiner y and final fitting Recent projects range from the creation of a new private dining space in an exclusive restaurant, to the complete refurbishment of hundreds of bedrooms & public areas for an international hotel brand Specialist divisions including customised fabrica tion, soft furnishings and installation mean the firm is well positioned to plan and execute all types of work on time and on budget

WELL ESTABLISHED. WELL

POSITIONED

Formed in the late 1990s, the Contract Furniture Group has consistently grown to become one of the leading trade only manufacturers and distributors of quality furnishings, fixtures and fittings for the hospitali ty industr y Its creative team relentlessly tracks the lat est trends in interior design for commercial environments; and its sourcing team utilises suppliers around the world to ensure customers can achieve stunning results whatever the level of investment DELIVERING ON A GLOBAL SCALE

The Contract Furniture Group holds around 30,000 stock items at any given time As well as the ability to supply on demand the business prides itself on its capacity to produce tailored and completely bespoke solutions to meet specific client requirements Highly

skilled upholsterers work on and off site to quickly turn classic and contemporar y furniture designs into individualised collections to meet brand standards Experienced craftsmen create and fit custom made installations including bars, flooring, fixed seating, light ing, case goods and all other elements of a complete commercial venue fit out

With it’s creative and craftsman capabilities, Contract Furniture Group truly sets itself apar t from other sup pliers Whether businesses need instant, low cost replacement items, or unique design led pieces to really make a venue special Contract Furniture Group has the experience and exper tise to deliver

For information or to order visit

www.contractfurniture .co.uk

Get Ready for Winter with

Furniture

Keep It Cool

Design and Refit

What Can a TROLLEY Do For You?

The elegant ser vice trolley is an essential element of high tea You could say this popular tradition in the hospitality world isn’t complete with out it! Euroser vice s range of trolleys are a perfect comple ment to this popular ser vice and will add that touch of class

Hotels, conference centres, restaurants and coffee shops are sure to find a model to suit their décor uroser vice trolleys range from ver y traditional designs to more contemporar y models

Any trolley, any size , any colour!

The use of a trolley will not only enhance your ser vice but alleviate all too frequent staff shor t ages to ensure a swift and elegant ser vice

Trolleys are invaluable to good ser vice and with a choice of style and colours to suit your envi ronment you are sure to find the right trolley for you

Contact our friendly sales team today and find out how much a trolley can do for you!

Freephone: 0800 917 7943

e: sales@euroser vice uk.com www euroser vice uk com

Additional Ranges as ILF Continue to Expand

www.ilfchairs.com

With the continued success of the ILF Chairs comprehensive website ILF have now added to the 2 chairs already stocked in 7 colours, a stock armchair in 7 dif ferent Faux colours, matching the chairs, plus a 6 colour range stock of Egger laminated table tops in a selection of sizes A full range of table bases are also kept in stock

Their new online website offers both indoor and outdoor seating and table solutions

Divided into Contemporar y seating, Barstools, Lounge Seating Period Seating Outdoor seating and tables plus Indoor Dining & Coffee height tables, offer ing a great selection of products to view at your leisure Also included now an extensive range of stock seating, barstools, table bases and table tops

Most made to order indoor seat ing and indoor wooden table bases and tops can be finished to any customer specification Outdoor items offer a variety of colours within the same product style

Also included is a link to priced chairs and table bases plus a selec tion of priced made to order seat ing in a selection of Faux Leather upholster y colours and wood frame colours These products can also be supplied to customer specifica tion, just ask for details

Enquiries can be sent to them directly from the website and they will reply within 24 hours They hope you will enjoy the experience of viewing their easy to navigate website and they look forward to helping clients get the best products for their hospitality site

Design and Refit

Sparkle Interiors, Interior Design, Professional and Online

man can receive all the information and updates they need any changes immediately handled and issued back by e mail to all that are concerned All the above changes mean the costs for the client, designer, QS and contractor have been reduced significantly or completely eliminated in some cases This is why Sparkle Interiors is

fees

directly

the client

website today

The interior design industr y has been evolving in recent years, companies have had to adapt along with many other professions One of the main affects is on designers having to work remotely For us its meant that we ’ ve been working on projects where actual site visits have not been a possibility, but this actually has had many positive effects on our process for both us and our clients For example , briefing meetings can take place via video call, with plans, mood boards, etc discussed and edited live through screen sharing All types of drawings can now be completed within a matter of days rather than weeks with how easy it is now to share information Gone are the days of visit ing the site ever y week, holding long face to face meetings with all the contractors and any unneces sar y steps that traditionally are there for the sake of it

Solutions to on site issues can also be addressed with our new online focused process, as the site fore

Sparkle interiors has been set up to help our clients create fantastic interiors while saving on expensive designer fees

Design and Refit

Imaginative and Integrated Interior Design, Vicaima Makes It Real!

Vicaima, as one of the leading European expo nents of contem porar y joiner y solutions, including interiors doors, doorsets wall pan els and associated furniture products have just intro duced a new brand for profes sionals called Infinity

Combining their extensive experi ence within this sector with the latest technological advancements in image realisation, they present a major step forward for the world of interior design, enabling creative vision to be made real, with imaginative design composition that encompasses multiple elements

No longer constrained by conventional limitations, Infinity provides scope for interior design professionals to think beyond what they thought was possible , towards what they would ideally like to achieve Whether creating a theme that brings rhythm and repe tition, or a more dramatic and contrasting vision with pronounced statement pieces, Infinity can make it real

Infinity permits almost endless possibilities when it comes to visual aspect with choice of colour tone pat tern and even the perception of texture This enables interior designers and specifiers complete flexibility when aiming to deliver bespoke project solutions However, for those professionals looking for insight from the Vicaima exper ts in trends and fashions, Infinity’s top three collections offer a myriad of fresh inspiration Select from either wood, stone or metal for an immersive experience which includes among many others, Spalted Maple , Terrazo Amber and Antique Patina

Property and Professional

Once the design and hues have been chosen, it is then a matter of selecting which joiner y elements can be combined to reflect the desired theme Here Infinity broadens horizons and uniquely permits creators to match and play with individual pieces in a way that has traditionally been limited Blending integral building ele ments such as interior door assemblies and decorative wall panels with more ephemeral components like wardrobes and furniture to achieve the perfect balance

While flexible aesthetic design is the hallmark of Infinity, it should not be forgotten that as a Vicaima brand, superior quality and performance are integral to all elements Exceeding industr y recognised standards and in the case of doors and doorkits, third par ty fire accredited to both TRADA and the British Woodworking Federation, all products are environmen tally produced and FSC cer tificated

Infinity marks a new era in design for interiors whether in public commercial or residential applica tions Expanding, evolving and elevating both the cre ative process and eventual project realisation by combining visionar y image technolog y with industr y leading joiner y manufacture , to achieve outstanding results

For more information or to request a brochure visit www vicaimainfinity com

For almost 15 years, Capify has worked closely with the hospitality sector, providing business owners with much needed funding We ve been there through some difficult times like the 2008 recession and Covid 19, and have continued to lend even when the banks have said no

recently conducted a Business Confidence

and found that cash flow and cash reser

for business owners across the UK

those who responded also said they lack confi dence

tners

their existing banking

Property and Professional

Why Use a Specialist Hospitality Consultant?

Answer: because we can help your business to succeed

With over 30 years of industr y experience in the Hospitality sec tor, The Bowden Group’s Managing Consultant David Hunter will work with you to address the following elements:

Profitability Operational Strateg y Staff Management Marketing and The Future of your business

David will also be on hand to give you extra (and this can be without any extra charge) suppor t through our Sprowts4Mentoring system, to analyse , ever y single week, your business performance figures giving you weekly analysis and concise repor ts, with appropriate guidance , to optimise your business’s Sales, Profitability and Staff Management

PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS

Our exper ts will analyse your entire operation and also its key operating figures if they are available We then help you to identify strategies to manage costs and overheads associated with the core Profitability of running a Hospitality business

The largest overhead, even higher than Cost of Sales, is the Labour cost, so,

with detailed analysis of your wages and being able to understand ‘’the way your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the labour usage in your business

And YES Covid19 changed a lot of things We need to learn from those things!

Right now we are experiencing massive increases in the cost of the raw materials that we buy both Food and Drink We will take that fully into consideration When was the last time that you fully and meticulously costed out and priced correctly, ever y dish on your menu both Food and Drinks?

Budgeting, Forecasting, Menu Management, Stock Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are just a few of the other areas that David Hunter your Restaurant Consultant will work on with you and improve with you

MANAGING PEOPLE

Managing people brings with it a whole set of new skills that are now need ed more than ever From Managing the Managers through to Ser vice and Kitchen staff, your team needs careful and skilful Management, Motivation, guidance and Development

We have a ver y good record in helping Hospitality business owners to implement processes that improve how they manage their people , which in

.

turn benefits the owners as well as the Team Members themselves

We can help you to manage ‘difficult’ people situations, to improve your operational planning, to recruit, train and manage your team better, creating a more productive pleasant and ‘’retaining’’ working environment MARKETING

We will help you build a workable planned Marketing Strateg y We don t do fancy, posh or expensive we just recommend what our experience says will actually work for your business

It’s no longer enough to rely on word of mouth and repeat business You need to employ a wealth of skills in a number of areas to ensure that your Marketing is attracting new customers and engaging with existing customers

From Digital Marketing, such as Social Media marketing, Websites, eMail Marketing and online adver tising to print design Promotions and offline adver tising, your Hospitality business should be constantly working on ‘’ all things Marketing’’

If your business is actually struggling, or if you just feel that it could be doing some things better, give David Hunter a quick call on 07831 407984 to arrange a Free of Charge initial consultation (please quote CLH Offer), when David will discuss with you what could be achieved if you ask us to work with you

The Westmorland Inn, Bowness-On-Windermere Comes on the Market

like Also, with opening hours star ting at 1pm except Sundays which opens earlier for Sunday lunch there is scope to enhance the business If the new owner wanted to open and offer break fast and lunchtime food this would increase both the food and beverage sales within the business as the letting rooms are on a room only rate

To the rear of the proper ty is an adjoining 3 bedroomed house , for either the owner to live on site or as staff accommodation

cosy bar has

large selec

ything

All in all, this huge building amounting to over 6000sq ft or 560m2 needs to be seen to appreciate

Prominently positioned on Lake Road, just before the Royalty Cinema towards the top of the popular tourist village of Bowness On Windermere on the main road leading from Windermere to Bowness

To book a viewing call 01539 444461 or see the adver t on this page for fur ther details