CLH Digital - Issue #135

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital

attire , or front of house Unfor tunately, well for me at least, it is quite some years since I was in frontline opera tions, and as the waistline has now spread nothing fits!

But I will be carr y ing a copy of CLH News and I desper ately want to talk to as many people as possible and share your news and views so please do come say hello and make yourself known and more impor tantly tell me what you think!!!!

I am ver y pleased once again to lead with some positive news, albeit only slightly positive in an otherwise gloomy economic environ ment

Despite the economic mess, and as always, I have to moderate my tone , since I have had my knuckles rapped when I have been a tad too critical of government, minis ters and policies!

pitality sector outlets are not faring so well

Managed sites contracted by 179 outlets whereas the independent sector contracted by a staggering 1751 out lets

This was rather disappointing since we repor ted just on a year ago that has re emerged check from the Covid pandemic , shifts in consumer spending and behaviours were at that time offering a light at the end of the tunnel

Research commissioned at IW Capital revealed that over 63% of consumers were going to suppor t independ ents and small businesses over larger rivals, while 58% plan to spend more time at their local high street

Yes we have the pandemic of course but I am frankly at a loss to see why independents have been dispropor tion ately hit harder than multi outlets, so I will once again be putting out an aler t for some exper t comment on the topic!

We repor ted on a rather interesting trend (see page 6) which reveals that the sale of alcoholic drinks in restau rants in pubs has increased as operators add alcoholic drinks to their menus

Something upon reflection is a simple but wonderful idea “Back in the day” we would present customers with a food menu and wine list, and leave it to their own per sonal choice as to what they wanted to drink

Parliament Square

The aims of the demonstration are as follows:

1 Pr imar y aim is a VAT reduction to 10% inc luding alcohol sales

2 Business rates holiday or reduction

3 Visa sc heme to allow over seas worker s to work in hospitality

The organisers are urging people to dress up in their work uniforms, whites, morning suits, waiter/waitress

Never theless we are in an absolute mess and the fact that cities can record positive sales in this current eco nomic climate is nothing shor t of miraculous Research reveals that sales were 4% higher for the same corresponding period and in 2019 (with 2020 and 2021 being an absolute disaster thanks to the ludicrous overre action to the Covid pandemic)

I was disappointed however to see that the majority of this growth is with managed houses and independent hos

This of course meant “ no impulse buy” Customers did not have the oppor tunity to see new drinks new brands and experiment, so I have to say this is a wonderfully sim plistic but effective idea!

Once again I would ask the favour, we want more Twitter followers!

So please do follow us on Twitter @CLHNews, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to sub scribe to our digital issue

Fur ther details can be seen at

EDITOR

Peter Adams

Hospitality Sales Climb 4% in Britain’s Top Cities

The ’Top Cities’ repor t combines sales data from CGA and device log in statistics from Wireless Social to provide a vibrancy ranking of the top 10 cities Manchester heads the list of top cities, ahead of Birmingham, which makes the top two for the four th time in a row Both cities recorded double digit sales growth in the latest four week period

At the other end of the rankings, London is bottom for the third peri od in a row, with both sales and device check ins still shor t of pre COVID levels though both metrics are now moving closer to 2019’s numbers See below for the full list of cities

CGA client director Chris Jeffrey said: “Our latest repor t confirms that public demand for eating and drinking out is stable It highlights hospitality’s huge contribution to the vibrancy of city centres However, with consumers spending under pressure from rising costs in energ y, food, mor tgages and more , the post COVID recover y will come under severe strain in the months ahead Businesses have a cru cial role to play in Britain’s economic growth but they need targeted suppor t to help them through these unprecedented challenges ”

“ENCOURAGING

TO SEE GROWTH”

Julian Ross, founder and CEO of Wireless Social, said: “It’s hugely encouraging to see growth across the sector, in terms of sales and footfall, in a number of the UK’s biggest cities However, this growth will count for ver y little if the economic environment con tinues to be as volatile as it is currently With the World Cup and a restriction free Christmas on the horizon, hospitality busi nesses can expect a boom in shor t term sales But it s the weeks and months that follow that require attention, and businesses are going to need targeted suppor t to continue to grow and develop on the other side ”

The series of ‘Top Cities: Vibrancy Ranking’ repor ts is based on a pow erful combination of sales data from CGA’s Managed Volume Pool of more than 8,000 pubs, bars and restaurants, and Wireless Social’s guest data gathered from more than one million log ins It provides the most accurate assessment yet of the vibrancy of Britain’s key city markets for eating and drinking out

BRITAIN’S 10 BIGGEST CITIES, RANKED BY VIBRANCY

RANKINGS FOR THE FOUR WEEKS TO 22 OCTOBER 2022 NUMBERS IN BRACKETS INDIC ATE POSITION FOR THE PREVI OUS FOUR WEEK PERIOD.

Manc hester (3)

Birmingham (1)

Glasgow (2)

Leicester (5)

Br istol (4)

Edinburgh (6)

Leeds (9)

Sheffield (8)

Liverpool (7)

London (10)

SALES AHEAD OF PRE PANDEMIC LEVELS

Overall, while like for like sales in the UK s top managed pub, bar and restaurant groups were 3 0% behind the levels of September 2021, they are still ahead of pre pandemic levels for the eighth month in a row compared with September 2019, according to the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker

Pubs were the strongest performing of the tracker’s three hospitality segments in September, with year on year sales growth of 1 7% Restaurants’ like for like sales were down by 7 9% on September 2021 and bars’ sales by 16 0%

“HIT FIRST HIT HARD”

Despite this growth, the licensed leisure sector appears to be the par t of the leisure market that has been hit first and hardest by inflationar y pressures and the rising cost of living par ticularly the wet led pub bar and club industr y

The repor t also reveals a sharp contrast in the for tunes of managed hospitality groups and independent operators While the number of managed sites is 3 0% below pre Covid levels, it increased by 0 9% (+179 sites) in the last three months, but the independent sector contracted by 2 6% ( 1,751 sites) It reflects the greater resources and buying power of larger businesses compared to smaller firms, many of which are now ver y fragile

In contrast to the managed independent divide , the trend of steady closures over the last quar ter has been notably consistent across differ ent locations High street suburban and rural locations all recorded the same net decline of 2 1% in licensed premises between June and September By region, quar ter on quar ter declines varied only slightly, from a low of 1 6% in the South and South East to a high of 2 9% in Scotland

RECOVERY UNDER THREAT

It is clear that despite the growth in representation we have seen in the café and takeaway and restaurant sectors over the last year, be it through multiple or independent operators, this recover y is now under threat from rising costs for businesses and consumers alike , par ticularly for pubs bars and club operators OpenTable's weekly restaurant cover data suggests, so far, consumer appetite for eating and drinking out is undimmed

However, the recent fall in representation suggests thousands of busi nesses, par ticularly independents, are in need of financial suppor t if they are to stay afloat The government’s energ y suppor t package has provid ed some relief on businesses' energ y bills for the time being, however, many operators are calling for fur ther suppor t to include business rates reform and lowering the rate of VAT Given that this decline is already happening before an expected slowdown in consumer spending, it is rea sonable to conclude that without increased suppor t from government the closure rate will in all likelihood accelerate

Sam Arrowsmith, Director, Commercial Research said: “The tracker has better news from the London market as groups ’ sales within the M25 rose 3 1% year on year This suggests that the capital may be on the precipice of turning a corner, following a steady return of visitors and office workers to the capital That said, September did see a dramatic influx of people after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, so it will be inter esting to see if London can sustain this improvement in the coming months ”

Advice for a Safe Night Out in The UK

Nightlife in the UK is changing As more people feel confident about going out and as technolog y makes it easier for people to meet new friends, we are seeing a rise in the number of people who go out and enjoy themselves

But there's still a lot of fear out there , especially around safety and sexual harassment ONS (Office for National Statistics) data this year revealed that women felt less safe than men in all settings after dark

When people don t take their safety seriously they can end up a victim of crime and going out should not be tainted by the fear of being attacked

Arith Liyanage , CEO and founder of The Night Owl, an independent nightclub renowned for its soul and retro music , has commented: “Hospitality and enter tainment venues, as well as the government and the police , have a responsibility to ensure the safety of customers is front of mind

“In ever y Night Owl location, we operate the ‘Ask for Angela’ scheme so that anyone who feels unsafe can discreetly receive help from our colleagues Ever y member of staff is trained to spot signs of distress in patrons and identify who might be afraid to reach out for help “As well as this we operate ‘Ask for Clive ’ which signals to our patrons that our venues are a safe space for anyone from the LGBTQIA+ community We won’t hesitate to address harassment or dis crimination based on a person s sexual or gender identity

Below, Arith provides tips to ensure you and your par ty enjoy a safe night out, whilst exploring how nightlife and the confidence in going out has changed over time

PLAN BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE

Where you ’ re going and who you ’ re going with will be top of mind whilst you ’ re getting ready, but there are a few things you should action before leaving the house

Make sure you eat well first and foremost as a full stomach will slow the absorption of alcohol and allow you to enjoy your night for longer Ensure your phone has enough batter y life and let a friend parent or responsible adult know where you ’ re going as a point of contact for the night

People will often have valuables stolen on a night out and if you ’ re drunk, you ’ re an easier target Put any house keys, ID, money, and cards somewhere that you won t lose them a back pocket is not advised!

THINK SAFETY IN NUMBERS

Sticking with your friends in a large group may not always be easy in a busy nightclub, so ensure to head off in twos when you ’ re going to the bar for a drink or taking a trip to the toilet

Make sure ever yone in your group has a phone on them at all times while out having fun together ; this way if something goes wrong (like getting lost) then ever yone will be able to contact one another easily without spending too much

By remaining close to the people you trust and know well you’ll reduce the risk of being targeted by people who are up to no good and may be out to take advantage

Other key symptoms of being spiked include:

• Nausea

• Unconsciousness

Loss of balance

• Separation of fr ends

• Confusion

Ensure you ’ re clued up on the above signs to avoid yourself, or your friends, from becoming a victim of drink spiking

GET HOME

SAFELY

Avoid the ease of getting into an unlicensed taxi for a faster route home The risks are too great especially for women traveling alone Make sure you have a reliable taxi company ’ s contact details and book ahead to save waiting at the end of your night

If you ’ re walking home , make sure it isn’t alone and in a suitable enough distance Stick to well lit areas where there are plenty of people and CCTV Never take shor t cuts, especially down dark alleys, by canals or through unlit parks

HOW CAN BUSINESSES HELP?

Hospitality venues should be aware of safety schemes The “Ask for Angela” campaign, for example , has been a widespread success across the company allowing customers to discretely signal staff when they feel unsafe This can lead to workers calling a taxi or aler ting the police in emergencies

DON’T

LEAVE YOUR DRINK UNATTENDED OR CONSUME TOO MUCH

Not only does alcohol make it harder for you to make good decisions (and sometimes even harder for others around you), but it also increas es the risk of sexual assault or other crimes happening against those who are intoxicated

Drink spiking is also a real problem in the UK, with one in nine women and one in 17 men having repor ted having their drink spiked, so it s best not to leave your drink unattended and if someone offers to buy you a drink, be careful about how much you accept If you get tipsy or drunk ver y quickly, that could be a sign of a spiked drink

Arith continued: “If a member of staff notices someone messing with someone else’s drink, take it off them and put it to one side for testing later Having key signs around your venue including Don t Leave Your Drinks Unattended' ensures the safety of your customers and staff, no matter how big or small the place is

“Businesses should be telling customers that if they see anything suspi cious or if they feel unsafe , to contact a member of the team Whether it’s the DJ, door staff or bar staff, ever yone ’ s there to help and should know to escalate incidents to a super visor or manager ”

SOURCES

https://cr mestopper s uk org/campa gns media/blog/2017/dec/7 top tips for a safe night out https://www natwest com/l fe moments/students and graduates/student liv ng index html https://www ega exper t co uk/per sonal in ur y/cr imina in ur y c la ms/i was attac ked on a n ght out can c aim compensation/ https://www por t ac uk/student life/he p and adv ce/staying safe/stay ng safe on a night out

Celebrity Chef Warns Dining Out is on the Brink as Hospitality Rising Campaign Podcast Launches

“I left school and didn’t really know what I wanted to do I think it’s hard knowing what you want to do and it’s even harder now

launched in a bid to help fill the industr y s 400,000 vacancies

Figures from KAM, which is suppor ting the Hospitality Rising effor t, show that only 1 in 5 people would consider a hospitality job and 42 per cent of current employees are thinking about leaving the sector

Speaking of the impact on the industr y to Food and Drink Podcast presenter Matty White , Thomasina said: “Sadly there is a massive shor tage of staff I think the future of restaurants is in a crisis right now Unless culturally something shifts in this countr y, we won’t be able to get to that amazing ser vice Monday nights, Sunday nights, Tuesday nights, forget it restaurants will be shut because there just aren’t enough people to suppor t the industr y

“Quite simply, we can’t take as many bookings We have people wanting to have bookings at our tables, and we don’t have enough staff However we could feed more people open more restaurants and create more jobs if we had the staff to do it ”

The Hospitality Rising campaign has already achieved unwavering suppor t from some of the biggest names in the UK Coca Cola Europacific Par tners (CCEP) recently became the campaign’s first official platform supplier par tner, while Whitbread, Pret, Welcome Break, Hilton, Soho House , Prezzo, Revolution Bars, Parkdean Resor ts, Claridges, J W Lees and The Pig are just some of the influential businesses backing the movement

By asking backers to pledge £10 per employee , it aims to reach a £5m target allowing for a government sized” collaborative campaign that will change the perception of the industr y and bolster its workforce for good The campaign’s effor ts have so far raised £850,000

Thomasina told of her hopes that the campaign will help to attract people into the industr y once again, after leaving school not knowing what she was going to do with the rest of her life She still believes that the sector is perfectly placed for taking on bright and talented individuals who want to go against the grain

“What it did for me was it gave me a focus I loved food anyway and star ted my own business without any training or background knowledge I just got stuck in I did lots of different things before I could set up my own business and be the mas ter of my own destiny

Thomasina believes that a career in hospitality is the fastest way for young job seekers to skill themselves up for a career that s not only rewarding, but also fun and progressive

She continued: I am 100 per cent behind what Hospitality Rising is doing Until we tell people , and people really understand, that working in hospitality is infec tiously creative , engaging and feels amazing, things aren’t going to change

“You’re making money, and creating business, wealth and jobs there is something ver y incredible and emotive and wonderful about hospitality, and until we star t real ising that, and putting more people into it, it will star t shrinking and that will be a great shame

“Young people should work in hospitality because it’s the fastest way for people to skill themselves up with people skills, managing skills accounting skills, finance skills and it’s the fastest way to run your own business

Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and campaign director, said: “Thomasina is the perfect example of where a career in hospitality can take you There are thousands of school leavers across the countr y ever y year who might find themselves in a similar situation to Thomasina and be wondering what next?

“Hospitality doesn’t just need to be a par t time job while studying This movement is all about showcasing the oppor tunities and promise of where hospitality can lead It’s an environment where you can go fur ther, faster all while having fun

To see the full range of Hospitality Rising podcasts featuring backers and chefs, visit the campaign’s Youtube channel at https://www youtube com/channel/UCg76HvFKwhnYwwaDiVNtYXQ

“The ver y word hospitality means to me a kind of welcoming, warm hug,” she said “Sitting around a table and eating food with people you love , get on with or work with, is one of the greatest pleasures in life That’s why I cook because I love to feed people

“This industr y is made up of a lot of ver y bright, ver y creative , energetic , brilliant people and if they could all come together and harness their collective talent pools and get up and go we can make real change here ”

Industry Unites to Tackle Recruitment Crisis

In a joint letter to Mel Stride MP, UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), the Institute of Hospitality and charity Springboard have called on the Minister to suppor t a new industr y wide recruitment campaign, after a sur vey of hospitality businesses showed the current vacancy rate stands at 11% compared to UK average of 4%, a problem costing the industr y £22bn a year

Outlining the difficulties businesses are having in recruiting, the letter points to the newly launched Hospitality Rising campaign, which aims to change the perception of what it’s like to work in pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels and encourage more people to take up fast progressing and fulfilling careers in hospitality Now, building on the backing of businesses from across the entire breadth of hospitality from national coffee shop and pub businesses to

The Red Lion in Barnes is delighted to announce that the Great Sausage Roll Off is back taking place on Wednesday 8 Februar y 2023 Ever y year, managers of The Red Lion, Angus McKean and Claire Morgan, host their iconic chefs’ competition in a continued quest to find the best sausage roll in the land

Previous years ’ judging panels have includ ed Michelin starred chefs, MasterChef win ners, food critics and other icons of the British culinar y scene This year will be no different, if not better The Great Sausage Roll Off is now hunting for new competitors from all walks of catering pub chefs hotel chefs development chefs food writ ers, chefs from restaurants, cafes, food trucks, contract caterers and beyond Anyone looking to get their sausage roll creations in front of the exper t judges can enter the competition by completing the online entr y form

The competition will see entrants heading to The Red Lion on the

In a joint statement, the organisations said:

“The

night to cook up their sausage rolls and present them to the panel of esteemed judges and the general public who will be crammed into the South West London Fuller s pub Ever yone will have the oppor tunity to sample the savour y snacks along side the judges with a view to raising funds for the charity Hospitality Action while simultaneously enjoying themselves

Angus McKean, General Manager of The Red Lion, said: “Claire and I are really excited to bring Roll Off back After nearly three years of no sausage rolling due to the pandemic we ’ re ready to bring the competition back with a bang(er) and we can’t wait to see some new creations innova tions and clever twists on the famous classic

“The Great Sausage Roll Off has also developed into a fledging chari ty fundraiser and a magnet for all foodies to come and rub shoulders with some of hospitality s shining stars and glitterati Never underesti mate who you may bump into at Roll Off

“Since the pandemic vacancies in our sector have rocketed with many businesses now struggling to recruit the staff needed to simply keep trading day to day Couple this with the current extreme cost of doing business and you have a perfect storm which will force many businesses to close for good without urgent inter vention

“Our industr y is one of only a few that suppor ts livelihoods and con tributes to local economies in ever y single par t of the UK, but we are being held back We are already collaborating as a sector to demonstrate the dynamism of our businesses and the oppor tunity careers in hospital ity offer but we need the Government to help unlock our potential by ensuring there is a sustained talent pool available to suppor t our busi nesses for the long term as well ”

As well as urging suppor t for the campaign, the groups have also previ ously called on the Government to take action to help resolve the crisis by providing greater flexibility in the apprenticeship levy and increasing the number of youth mobility visas that are available to allow more peo ple with the right skills to come to the UK

hotel chains and ser vice stations the letter has urged the Secretar y of State to recognise the severity of the current crisis, to publicly endorse the campaign and ensure careers in hospitality are on the radar of young people and school leavers deciding their next steps

recruitment crisis currently facing pubs, restaurants, hotels, cafes and bars across the UK is causing an existential threat to our industr y

This is not a problem facing just one type of venue or hospitality busi ness, it is a universal issue , and it is critical because brilliant, passionate people are the lifeblood of hospitality

Operators Increase Items to Drink Menus to Encourage Price-Conscious Consumers

Pubs and bars have also adopted this strateg y, and their non alcoholic and alcoholic drink menus have increased by +13 5% and +6 5%, respectively from June to September 2022 a move that also seeks to appeal to consumers who are on a drink only occasion

Vodka has increased in share of pub and bar spirit listings, up +1 3ppts from June to September 2022, to a 7 9% share , after opera tors expanded flavoured vodka following new product launches by Absolut and Smirnoff It is impor tant to note , however, that overall spirits are at the most risk by consumers to cut back on to save money, being the most expensive alcoholic drinks

“Younger consumers are leading this pattern of behaviour, as they are the most affected by financial uncer tainty and so operators should expand marketing effor ts to this age demographic to re engage with them,” advised Senior Insight Manager

Guild of Beer Writers Announces Finalists in Annual Awards

year and hope they enter again

The Brewer of the Year Award sponsored by SIB A is decided by Guild members Seven brewers were nominated by members who then voted in an online poll The winner will be announced at the dinner

Judges read, viewed and listened to 190 entries including books, newspaper and magazine ar ticles, blogs, radio broadcasts, films and pod casts Entries were submitted across 16 categories including new Awards for Best Communication about Diversity in Beer and Pubs and Best Communication about Cider, the latter following the Guild’s deci sion to include cider writing within its remit The winners will share a highest ever prize fund of £19,500 thanks to the Award sponsors

Finalists were selected through a robust judging process by a panel chaired by Pete Brown, current Beer Writer of the Year, who said: “I first chaired these Awards a decade ago and this year ’ s field feels ver y different: more entries tackling a broader range of topics and using a wider range of media, submitted by a more diverse group of writers and other communicators

“The quality of entries this year is as high as it’s ever been, which

Hale Events trade shows can help your business succeed in 2023 With 2022 already ending, it's time to plan how you will find ingredients for your new menus, the best retail food and drink, and the equipment and ser vices your business needs to keep ahead of the competition

Hale Events’ three trade shows have real bite They introduce buyers to a wide range of exhibitors and suppliers, to help them find ways to maximise profits whilst improving efficiencies They enable networking with colleagues to share challenges (and solutions!)

Hospitality and retail are facing another tough year, and it’s more impor tant than ever to draw the silver lining from the economic storm clouds in ever y way possible These shows do just that!

THE SOURCE TRADE SHOW Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th of Februar y 2023, at Westpoint near Exeter.

The Source trade show takes place in Februar y There s been a food and drink and hospitality show in this time slot in the South West now for more than 20 years This is one of the key times of year for buyers to seek out new suppliers of products and ser vices In par tnership with regional food group Taste of the West, this trade show will delight your senses with the latest flavours and ideas

If

The Awards dinner will be held on 23 November at One Great George Street in Westminster Guests enjoy dinner with beers matched to each course and beers before and after the meal, provided by the Awards sponsors Guild members, both individual and corporate , and non Guild members, are welcome to attend, more information and tickets are available on the Guild website

Alongside Pete Brown, this year ’ s judging panel includes: Mitch Adams, Beer Sommelier and beer buyer at Euroboozer ; Molly Davis, head of communications at the BII; Claire Dodd, travel and drinks writer ; Matt Eley, communications consultant and former editor of Inapub magazine; Fergus Fitzgerald, production director at Adnams; Kelly McCar thy CBII, licensee of the Old Sun Inn in Yorkshire; John Mitchinson, co founder of crowdfunding publishers Unbound; Ned Palmer, cheesemonger and author and Michelle Perrett, industr y journalist and communications exper t

drink retail, then this is the show you cannot afford to miss!

Taking place well before the all impor tant summer season kicks off, the show is regarded as a cornerstone of the Cornish business calendar It’s an absolute must for buyers to compare a range of competing offerings, as well as get a feel for the trends from afar shaping the market all under one roof

THE SOURCE ROADSHOW - Tuesday 27th June , Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol.

Returning to Bristol after last year ’ s inaugural show, this show brings both the best of the South West, as well as the latest innovations from around the world to Bristol’s food and drink buyers

These shows will satisfy your appetite , whether you run a pub, hotel, restaurant café deli farm shop holiday park tourist attractions catering business, supermarket or if your business is food and drink They’re free to attend for trade buyers all you need to do is visit the relevant show website to register or ring the team at Hale on 01934 733456 Of course , they welcome enquiries for stand bookings via the websites too, or you can call the sales team on 01934 733433 Visit www hale events com to find the website you ’ re looking for

flavours!

Feed your need

EXPOWEST CORNWALL Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th March, at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge .

you have a Cornish business that’s in hospitality, catering, or food and

Katherine Prowse

The British Guild of Beer Writers has announced the writers, journal ists, bloggers and other communicators who have reached the finals of its Annual Awards 2022 Categor y winners and runners up as well as the overall Beer Writer of the Year and Brewer of the Year will be unveiled on 23 November at the Guild’s Annual Awards Dinner in London

speaks volumes for the standard of communication achieved by Guild members It also means that some great work has sadly not made the cut this year, so as well as congratulating our finalists, we send our commiserations to the talented communicators who’ve missed out this

World Cup Hospitality Spend Expected to Fall but 20million Fans Will Watch Games in Pub & Bar

The 2022 World Cup Spending Repor t1 by VoucherCodes co uk fore casts that pubs, bars, and restaurants are set to make £395 million in sales throughout the tournament 10% less than the last World Cup (£439 million)

With the competition being held during winter for the first time ever data shows the colder weather combined with the current cost of living crisis will have a big impact on hospitality sales as consumers look for cheaper ways to celebrate throughout the tournament

Overall, £287 million is expected to be spent on drinks and £117 mil lion on food at venues around the countr y, with the group stage (20th November 2nd December) predicted to be the highest earner for bars, pubs, and restaurants This stage of the competition is expected to generate £205 2 million in sales, while smaller sums are expected to be spent across the round of 16 (£95 million) quar ter finals (£51 5 million) semi finals (£27 7 million) and the final match (£15 9 million) This is due to the expectation that England will only make it to the quar ter finals before being ousted from the competition

Total predicted hospitality spend for the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Maureen McDonagh, Managing Director at VoucherCodes co uk com mented: “After a difficult year for hospitality, it’s clear from our repor t that the ongoing cost of living crisis is going to have a huge impact on hospitality spend across the 2022 World Cup

“The colder weather and darker nights, coupled with rising living costs, and high bar prices means consumers are less likely to want to go out to enjoy the tournament and this is evident in our forecasts

“However, with 20 million people still set to brave the cold weather to soak up the atmosphere in pubs and other venues, there are ways pub, bar and restaurant owners can take advantage of this greatly anticipated tournament and entice customers into their venues Giving customers value for money has never been more impor tant, so offering discounts on food or drink during matches will allow hospitality venues to capi talise on the excitement around the World Cup ”

JD Wetherspoon to Put a Further Seven Sites Up for Sale

2022, I set out various threats to the hospitality industr y and these continue to apply

The location of the sites has not yet been disclosed but it is under stood most are close to existing Wetherspoon pubs

The group, which currently operates 847 pubs in the UK and Ireland, put 32 sites in England up for sale in September

Wetherspoon said today it had opened one pub and sold five during the past 14 weeks, resulting in a cash inflow of £1 9m

“Trading has been broadly in line with expectations, although October has been a slightly slower month,” chairman Tim Mar tin said “In my comments on the full year results released on 7 October

“Those caveats aside in the absence of fur ther lockdowns or restric tions, the company remains cautiously optimistic about future prospects

Like for like sales during the period were 9 6% higher than last year and 0 4% up on 2019

But in an update to investors the company warned costs of labour food and repairs were “substantially higher” this year

The pub group said trading over the past 14 weeks had been broadly in line with expectations, but October had been a slightly slower

month

Wetherspoon chairman Tim Mar tin said he was “cautiously opti mistic” about its prospects if no fur ther coronavirus restrictions were introduced

Last month he warned that the group is facing a “momentous chal lenge to persuade punters back into its bars after they got used to drinking cheap supermarket beer during the COVID pandemic

The firm said it now remained “cautiously optimistic” despite the cost pressures hammering the hospitality sector It expects positive cash flow for its 2023 financial year ending July

Sales in UK hospitality venues during the 2022 FIFA World Cup are expected to drop by £44 million compared to the 2018 competition a new repor t reveals, but an estimated 20 million fans will still use a hos pitality venue to watch games

JD Wetherspoon is putting seven more of its pubs on the market this week after warning of the impact of challenging sales and rising costs

Foodservice Price Index Shows Inflation Nearing

Amid Storm of Cost Pressures

Prestige Purchasing predicts inflation will continue to be high While food com modity markets have shown some signs of easing in recent weeks, OPEC’s reduction of oil production and the

The

Kicking off the series Adam Byatt chef owner of one Michelin Star restaurant Trinity in Clapham, will be cooking a special menu on the 22nd November, while Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge will take to the pass on 17th Januar y The series will finish in Februar y (date to be announced) with ‘chefs chef ’ , Phil Howard, chef proprietor of Michelin starred Elystan Street in Chelsea and recently opened Notto Pasta Bar in Piccadilly

Known for his honest cooking designed to showcase the ver y best local produce , Adam’s set menu will begin with Fisherman’s Canapés (cheese and onion vol au vent, potted par tridge on toast, and Parmesan sable), followed by warm semi smoked salmon beurre blanc capers and dill Main course will come in the form of venison cooked on the saddle truffled celeriac lingonberries and boulangere potatoes for the table to share and a desser t of milk and honey will complete the menu

Tom

Series in Aid of The Alex Lewis Trust

ative menu which is seasonal, flavour driven and ingredient led Booking details will be announced in the weeks to come

Phil Howard owner of Michelin starred Elystan Street in Chelsea and newly launched Notto Pasta Bar in Piccadilly will create an offering of deli cious authentic fresh pasta dishes including highlights such as Gnocchetti with smashed sausage , white wine , fennel and chilli and Squid ink spaghetti with a sauce of sardines, garlic , sweet peppers, and tomato Booking details will be announced in the weeks to come

The dinners are in aid of The Alex Lewis Trust, a foundation set up by owner Lucy Townsend’s par tner, Alex Lewis In 2013, Alex collapsed and was rushed to Winchester ICU hospital his only symptom being a common cold He had contracted Strep A which led to Septicaemia, Toxic shock syn drome and necrotising fasciitis Alex underwent life saving surger y resulting in his left arm being amputated above the elbow, and both his legs being amputated above the knee Six months later he lost his right arm below his elbow

Greyhound on the Test, a 16th centur y retreat in the Test Valley district of Hampshire is set to welcome three culinar y heavyweights to its kitchen for a series of one off charitable suppers to raise money for The Alex Lewis Trust

Kerridge owner of The Hand & Flowers, the only 2 Michelin Star pub in the UK will ser ve a cre

Funds raised will go towards the amazing projects The Alex Lewis Trust runs, including Project Limitless; providing soft shell prosthetic arms for UK children and The Wild Wheelchairs Project; funded engineering

continued vulnerability of the Black Sea grain corridor deal with Russia are among the factors placing upwards pressure on pricing

Prestige Purchasing CEO Shaun Allen said: “The speed of price rises from suppliers to the hospitality sector continues to increase , and there is little that we can see in the months ahead that will change that Inflation has well and truly taken root in our supply chains, and whilst we do expect prices to rise more slowly in 2023 we believe we will still be seeing significant levels of inflation for most of next year With so many other pres sures it would be easy for operators to take the eye off the ball of managing supply prices, which in this mar ket could be ver y costly ”

James Ashurst, client director at CGA by NielsenIQ, said: “Hospitality is besieged by the biggest challenges that many in the sector can remember News that inflation is closing in on 20% will deal another heavy blow to the confidence of businesses and consumers alike , and there is no respite in sight Britain’s best restaurants, pubs and bars still have a bright future , but thousands of businesses weakened by two years of COVID 19 are now extremely fragile Government suppor t is desperately needed to sustain them through this storm

Hospitality Spending Grows in October but Rail Strikes and Inflation Take its Toll

Consumer card spending grew 3 5 per cent year on year in October higher than in September (1 8 per cent) but well below the 8 8 per cent rise in consumer price inflation as the cost of living crunch continues to put pressure on Brits’ personal finances reveals data from Barclaycard

The hospitality and leisure sector grew 10 2 per cent however this was the smallest uplift for the categor y since March 2021, possibly due to the impact of rail strikes as well as rising living costs In fact, of the half of Brits (52 per cent) who are cutting back on discretionar y purchases to afford their energ y bills this autumn and winter, six in 10 (62 per cent) say they are spending less on eating out at restaurants and 37 per cent are buying fewer cinema tickets This perhaps explains why restaurants contracted 11 3 per cent and enter tainment slipped back into decline ( 1 0 per cent) in October

Bars, pubs & clubs, however, saw a slight improvement (1 7 per cent), though prior to September this would have been the smallest growth for the categor y since March last year

Some “insperience”

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The hospitality sector is reminded that at 10 30am on Monday 14th November members of the hospitality industr y will converge on Parliament Square , to urge the government to revise its existing policies relating to hospitality venues

CLH Editor Peter Adams will be attending the demonstration, so please do make yourself known We will be following up with a news stor y so please do let your views known He can be easily spotted he will be carr ying a copy of CLH News!

At the third HospoDemo protest in two years, protestors from all corners of the sector including restaurants bars pubs clubs hotels and cafés will come together to stand up for their industr y Dressed in their work uniform, they will come equipped with pots, pans, ladles, cocktail shakers, wooden spoons, last orders bells and other hospitality related tools with which to make themselves heard At 11am, all protestors will turn to face the Houses of Parliament and make as much noise as possible to ensure the sound resonates within the building, before marching on to HM Treasur y to do the same

HospoDemo is expecting a large turnout due to the perilous position so many hos pitality businesses now find themselves in Operators are still reeling from the loss of business during three Covid lockdowns and the enormous rent debt accrued during that time Since then the sector has had to contend with ongoing labour shor tages

and drink, including turkey and mulled wine , and two fifths (42 per cent) will curb their spending on Christmas par ties and socialising

In addition, a fifth of Brits (21 per cent) plan to set a spending limit with their friends and family for gift purchases and a similar propor tion (19 per cent) have star ted their Christmas shopping earlier this year to spread the cost One in 10 (10 per cent) thrifty shoppers even plan to buy more sec ond hand / pre loved items to give as presents this year

Against a backdrop of political and economic uncer tainty, confidence in the UK economy fell sharply to 15 per cent the lowest level recorded since 2015, when Barclaycard began tracking this data and less than half the level this time last year (31 per cent) Meanwhile , 92 per cent are wor ried about the negative impact of rising inflation on their personal finances, with 30 per cent of Brits assessing whether ever y individual purchase is necessar y and a fifth (19 per cent) feeling that the cost of living squeeze is having a negative impact on their mental health

Esme Harwood, Director at Barclaycard, said: “Rising petrol and super market costs continue to bite , but Brits are spending less on energ y bills as government suppor t kicks in and people find ways to economise at home Consumers continue to swap big nights out for cosy evenings in as they reduce their discretionar y spending, while health & beauty and home improvements enjoy a little boost “With the festive season around the corner we ’ re likely to see fur ther cutbacks as Brits reign in their Christmas spending Consumers are adopting a restrained approach to festivities, reaching for pre loved gifts and setting spending limits to manage their costs during this traditionally expensive time of year

followed by the onslaught of the cost of living crisis and spiralling costs of supplies from fresh produce to cooking oil, staff costs to crocker y and glassware , and of course , surging energ y prices With operators lurching from one crisis to another, profitable trading is becoming impossible for many

Prominent attendees from previous HospoDemo protests included chefs Yotam Ottolenghi, Jason Ather ton, Tom Aikens, Fergus Henderson and Margot Henderson, along with well known figures in the drinks industr y including Monica Berg, Alex Kratena Alessandro Palazzi and Jan Konetzki Well known figures from across the industr y are expected at the protest on November 14th Hospitality professionals from around the UK are encouraged to attend or if they cannot to upload videos to social media of themselves making a noise with the tools of their trade at work

The HospoDemo protest is suppor ted by chef Tom Kerridge who said: “The situation that hospitality businesses are facing now is nothing shor t of a nightmare I fully sup por t HospoDemo in their effor ts to make the government accountable by urging them to make policy changes such as a 10% VAT reduction, a business rates holiday and an overseas worker visa system The question is, how many more hospitality businesses need to fail before the government takes action and gives our sector proper suppor t?”

Perceptions of Low Pay Deterring Young People off Hospitality Jobs

Young

The

The research, which asked more than 2,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 21 year old, was designed to understand the challenges and oppor tunities for the hospitality industr y when it comes to recruit ing and retaining Gen Z employees

Adele

“We’re

”

The reasons given for wanting to pursue a career in hospitality included wanting to make people feel happy (36%) because they enjoyed cooking (29%) the oppor tunity to work abroad (26%) a fun working environ ment (26%) and career progression (25%)

young people While there are lots of anecdotal explanations, our aim in com missioning this research was to collect some hard evidence and data on what young people really think about the hospitality industr y

hoping that the insights we have gathered will help shape how we as a sector behave in the future , and by taking the recommendations forward create a pipeline of talent coming into our industr y who see oppor tunities in the sector and will carr y it into a bright future

categories saw a boost in October, including digital content and subscriptions and take aways and

which grew 4 8 per cent and 11 7 per cent respectively This comes as half of consumers (50 per

are swapping nights out for evenings in to save money this autumn and winter

With the festive season fast approaching almost half (48 per cent) of Brits are planning to cut down on Christmas purchases, including festive activities and gifts, to save money this year Of these consumers, six in 10 (59 per cent) will be spending less on gifts for family and friends, 44 per cent will cut back on festive food

Halloween Raises Weekend Spirits and Drinks Sales

The growing popularity of Halloween celebrations have helped lift Britain’s On Premise drinks sales above last year s levels for the sixth week in a row

Average sales in managed venues in the seven days to Saturday (29 October) were 2% up on the same weekend in 2021, CGA by NielsenIQ’s latest Drinks Recover y Tracker shows However, it is a dip from the 6% growth of the previous seven days, and well below current rates of inflation in Britain

While sales were down by 9% year on year on Sunday (23 October), they were up on ever y other day of the week peaking at 13% and 11% on Wednesday and Thursday (26 and 27 October)

Fridays and Saturdays have been slower for sales than midweek in the last few months, as some people cut back on big nights out But Halloween brought more

consumers out to pubs and bars, and sales were up by 6% and 5% last Friday and Saturday (28 and 29 October)

Continuing the pattern of recent weeks, beer (up 15%) and cider (up 19%) were the best performing drinks categories year on year Soft drinks (up 5%) and wine (up 7%) were in good growth, while spirits (down 10%) suffered from tough com paratives to slip behind the same week in 2021, despite their strong connection with Halloween occasions

“Spending is pretty restrained at the moment, but Halloween showed pubs and bars are still central to people’s big social occasions,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland “This bodes well for the Christmas season, though with costs and interest rates continuing to rise , there is a long way to go before the On Premise reaches real terms growth after adjustments for inflation ”

Bank of England Rate Rise Will Leave Small Businesses Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Interest rates have risen sharply as the Bank of England continues to use its powers to tackle soaring prices

The Bank has increased its benchmark rate from 2 25% to 3% That is the eighth consecutive increase since December, pushing the rate to its highest level for 14 years

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chair Mar tin McTague said: “Whatever the macroeconomic justifications for this latest rise , the eighth in a row, its effects will be felt immediately on the ground by small businesses carr ying many kinds of debts, as well as by hard pressed consumers

“Consumer confidence in October was only slightly above its all time low in September, which spells worr ying news for countless small firms relying on consumer spending in the so called ‘golden quar ter’ running up to the festive season

“Our research found that firms in the hospitality sector had a confi dence reading almost twice as negative as the overall score for all sec tors in Q3 raising fears of a wave of closures if prospects do not improve this winter

“Prior to today’s base rate hike , small firms were already telling us that the availability of new credit worsened in the third quar ter, and that finance was already getting more costly, adding to the financial pressures they face

“Inflation is still sky high especially for business inputs where it is running at around twice the rate of that felt by consumers

“Today’s rise may be seen by markets as necessar y and inevitable , but for small businesses struggling under a debt burden and seeing decreas es in custom that will be cold comfor t

“The Chancellor must not forget small businesses and self employed people in the upcoming Budget

“While there are undoubtedly tough decisions ahead, a fur ther drop in small business numbers, after 2020 and 2021 saw a combined loss of nearly half a million will hamstring the UK’s economic recover y before it has a chance to get going

“Action on late payment at least would be a godsend for small firms, opening up flows of working capital to keep them able to trade The long running scandal of large corporates’ poor payment practices must end, and the sooner the better ”

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) said: “The last thing pubs and brewers want to do is put prices up for loyal customers but are stuck between a rock and hard place

The cost of running their businesses has become completely unsus tainable , the price of key ingredients and utilities are rocketing, and now their customers will, understandably, be tightening their belts even

of interest rates rising ”

She called on the government to reinstate the freeze in beer duty and tackle the overall cost of doing businesses to “keep a trip to the pub affordable this Christmas

“Spiralling inflation is driving our pubs and brewers to breaking point and many more will be forced to shut their doors for good if urgent action isn’t taken to save them,” McClarkin added

Alpesh Paleja, CBI Lead Economist, said: “The Bank has deployed a bumper rate rise underscoring the scale of the UK’s inflation challenge A weakening economy and tighter fiscal policy is set against volatility in global energ y prices, stubbornly high inflation expectations and persist ent wage pressures

“With monetar y policy focused on tackling inflation, the government’s immediate priority should be to reinforce markets’ faith in the UK’s hard won reputation for stability but fiscal sustainability and growth shouldn’t be an either or choice

The Autumn Statement must learn the lessons of the 2010s: fiscal sustainability and lifting trend growth are both priorities Alongside pro tecting the most vulnerable the government should safeguard capital spending and investment allowances to enable private sector invest ment to drive future growth ”

fur ther following the news

Is Big Tech Giving The Travel Technology Industry A Big Talent Problem?

When it comes to the recruitment and retention of tech talent the travel industr y has faced stiff competition from the ‘big tech’ player s over the last few year s But with Meta and Twitter announcing lay offs recently could the pendulum be about to swing the other way? We asked a selection of our Belvera Par tner s clients to comment

Anthony Hunt, VP Strateg y & Product at Shiji Group, the tech provider to the hospitality industr y, comments:

“Did we see an engineer brain drain during COVID times from ‘big tech ? Yes we did, especially in markets like Poland where salaries for tech talent are lower than in the US The demand for talent is higher than the supply But on the upside we see the pendulum is star ting to sway back again the other way, several of the engineering talent going to US or other companies come back as they were unsatisfied with the experience

“We do a lot of work on culture and the workplace , making it more fun for the teams, showing them how they re contributing to the digital transformation of an entire hospitality ver tical is quite exciting We have a huge task ahead so culture and team is critical But as I said there's still more demand than supply, even though we do see things settling down a bit "

Adding to this Emilie Dumont, Managing Director of B2B travel tech group Digitrips (whose companies include France s leading OTA Misterfly) says:

During the peak of the COVID period in 2020 we saw a clear trend for tech talent wanting to leave travel due to the uncer tainty and instead go to ‘big tech’ firms, or at the ver y least other sectors But since then the problem has slowly reduced a lot, in fact this year out of a tech team of 90 we ’ ve only seen five people go

“What we see is that in tech teams, and especially amongst developers,

they are more interested now in working on projects that they find exciting or interesting and that they have strong preferences to for some technologies over others For example anything involvingKubernetes, Docker or continuous deliver y always draws more applicants and higher satisfaction levels

Never theless, demand outstrips supply when it comes to tech talent for our space , we find recruitment periods are still ver y long and that getting the ‘right’ profile signed up and onboard working takes an aver age of 6 months Anything that can be done at an industr y level to address this would be welcome ”

Whilst Lorraine Sileo, Founder & Senior Analyst at Phocuswright Research whose annual conference takes place in Phoenix, Arizona from 14 to 17 November adds to this:

“Unemployment levels in developed countries are at some of the low est rates ever and the travel and tourism industr y is struggling to fill front line roles such as check in staff waiters cleaners call center opera tors baggage handlers and cabin crew

“So the industr y needs rapidly to discern when the human touch can be replaced with technological alternatives as in many cases advanced technological solutions could be employed to solve , or at least alleviate , such problems

“But guess what? Rather ironically, while the travel tech space has always suffered from a dear th of talent, this problem is now even worse not least as many talented developers and engineers have been seduced by higher salaries in ‘big tech’ firms This is acting as a brake on innovation

“These employment problems must be solved rapidly as no one likes the alternatives of a smaller industr y, higher prices and less ser vice Employers must embrace a flexible workforce (with both staff and con tractors) as talent be that tech or front line is too precious to waste It's better to make changes now than wait for things to ‘get back to normal’ as when it comes to the labor market normal may never come ”

And finally Emilio Galán CTO & Founder of Beonprice a revenue manager for the hospitality sector, says:

“The general shift to remote working for technolog y roles driven by the pandemic resulted in businesses being able to access talent on a global scale Businesses began to contract developers from ever y corner of the world and the developers became more and more empowered to negotiate their conditions

“This provoked a global fight for the best talent and an upward trend in salaries regardless of the geographic location Even now this fight con tinues due to the high demand for these profiles and their scarcity ”

Institute of Hospitality Announces New South East England Region Chair and Vice Chairs

Confirming

“I

”

Francisco

It is an exciting time for the Institute as it prepares itself for the Char tered Status application and we look forward to working together to suppor t this impor tant step in its histor y

The hospitality industr y never had so much focus, so it is crucial that we continue to raise the industr y flag and over the next few weeks we will be working on our plan of activities ensuring that we cover events across the region ”

More Than Great Coffee For Your Business

As we enter the winter season with the continued inflationar y pressures, rising energ y bills and increased labour costs; operators from all corners of the hospitality market are looking at their total offer to consider changes that will make guest eat ing and drinking occasions work more effi ciently and effectively, better for the guest experience and better for business

The demand for quality remains but the expectation for value for experience grows, here’s where Douwe Egber ts Cafitesse can help your business with more than great coffee

EXCLUSIVE

Ar ticle supplied by Belvera Par tner s (https://belverapar tner s .com)

Francisco Macedo FIH MI SJS, Group Operations Director at Iconic Luxur y Hotels & Cliveden has been appointed as the first IoH chair of the South East Region under the Institute’s new English regional struc ture

the appointment, Rober t Richardson FIH MI, CEO of the Institute said:

am absolutely delighted to welcome Francisco on board as chair of our new South East Region Francisco is a Fellow of the Institute and has been an active and involved member of our #HospitalityFamily for many years now Francisco’s experience as chair of the former Thames Valley branch will undoubtedly help our new South East Region thrive

added “I am extremely delighted to be taking over as the chair for the newly formed IoH South East Region; continuing the work

we did when we were heading the Thames Valley Branch, and suppor ting Rober t and his team in driving engagement amongst our members and proac tive collaboration with the other regional committees

Joining Francisco as joint vice chairs will be Mike Wood FIH and Mark Taylor FIH

UK’s Ideal Work-Life Balance Split Revealed

The average Brit’s work life balance is 55 per cent work and just 45 per cent pleasure according to research

A study of 2 000 adults found just three in 10 are satisfied with the current balance with the ideal considered to be 43 per cent work and 57 per cent ‘life’

To improve the split 42 per cent tr y to get a healthy amount of sleep, 40 per cent avoid discussing work at weekends and 34 per cent take a lunch break each day

More than a quar ter also tr y to book in social plans to give them something to look forward to away from work

The study, commissioned by Novotel (https://novotel accor com), found the typical working day lasts seven hours and 39 minutes, but on average an additional three hours and 55 minutes over time is worked each week

More than half (51 per cent) admit to sending or reading emails out side of their contracted hours, while others catch up on work they didn’t get to during the day (42 per cent) and admin tasks (38 per cent)

It also emerged that more than half work during the commute , which typically lasts 35 minutes, with 54 per cent claiming they then feel organised for the day ahead

The average time to ‘wind down’ at the end of the working day was found to be 6:22pm, although a fifth claim work is always on their mind

Stephanie Rowe , spokesperson for Novotel said: “It’s interesting to see how people split their work and life commitments, with work often taking over from having a social life or down time

“The past couple of years have no doubt had an impact on our general routines and priorities, especially working hours with many homes also becoming workplaces

“We want to encourage people to take time and make time for things that matter and help with their gen eral wellbeing worr yingly, the results show more than a third have had to take time off work due to stress

“Even when working away, it’s possible , and impor tant, to enjoy some leisure activities too in order to switch off

“In fact, the study shows 82 per cent make time for themselves when travelling for work, an indication that ‘bleisure’ travel and ‘workations’ are trends that will remain this year

The research also polled adults in various countries and found Germany has the worst work life balance 58 per cent and 42 per cent respectively while Poland has the best with a clear 50/50 split

It also found Brits work the fewest hours, compared to those in Germany, Netherlands and Poland who all work more than eight hours a day

Germans clock off and wind down the earliest, at 17:36pm, while Polish workers don’t feel switched off until 18:55pm

And while Brits manage six hours 37 minutes of ‘ me time’ a week, German’s get the least at five hours 46 minutes

Despite this, more than a third of Brits would like to have more ‘ me time’ in general and 30 per cent want to make this a priority for 2022

However, just 26 per cent feel they prioritise ‘ me time’ over their job

To wind down, 57 per cent watch TV, 39 per cent go for a walk or run and 27 per cent go shopping

While a fifth feel their work life balance improved during the pandemic , 33 per cent have spent longer work ing than usual

Of those polled via OnePoll, 42 per cent also travel for work, making an average of three trips in the UK or abroad ever y six months, this includes experiences such as dining out, seeing sights and using hotel facilities such as pools or spas

Stephanie added: “As business travel returns, ‘workations’ offer people the oppor tunity to create me time and family time , extending business trips to explore either solo or with friends or family

“In 2022, we want to catch up with far flung friends and families and remember why we love the ones we have shared lockdowns with

“At Novotel, we also understand the incredible need for ‘ me time’ and predict an increase in solo travel this year as people seek ways to recharge their batteries, whatever the choice of escape , “time well spent” is more impor tant than ever ”

Fullers Celebrating 177 Year Birthday!

On Tuesday 15 November 2022 Fuller’s is celebrating its 177th bir thday and is offering all customers to join in the celebration on the day with three drinks for just £1 77 each

In 1845, the Fuller, Smith and Turner par tnership papers were signed and, since then, Fuller’s has been bringing people together The Fuller’s Get Together star ted in 2018 to celebrate the anniversar y of the par tnership and each year the price of the three drinks reflects the age of the company Fuller’s is delighted to celebrate the wonderful contribution its premium pubs and hotels make to the many communities they are at the hear t of, and the Get Together is the chance to thank all Fuller’s customers

Anyone wishing to join the celebrations, can register for their £1 77 drinks voucher by visiting Fuller’s website

For those who don’t fancy beer other tipples available include Cornish Orchards Cider (bottle or draught), 125ml or 175ml glasses of house wine , or selected soft and hot drinks Full terms and conditions can be found on Fuller’s website

Fuller’s Retail Director, Fred Turner, said: “The Get Together is a great day in the Fuller’s calendar and I am delighted to have the oppor tunity to invite our customers to join in our anniversar y celebrations We’ve been a par t of families and communities for 177 years and we wanted to celebrate this with as many people as possible

London Battersea

Station Official Launch Date Confirmed

“We

The 164 bedroom hotel will be located within Battersea Roof Gardens, a new build ing forming a key par t of Electric Boulevard: a collection of buildings comprising

Boris Ivesha President & Chief Executive Officer PPHE Hotel Group said:

are ver y pleased to confirm the official opening date of our first UK ar t’otel in the highly anticipated new Battersea Power Station neighbourhood in London Operating under a management agreement and utilising our best in class, scalable operating platform, the hotel will be a first of its kind in many respects, and we expect demand to be high We look forward to welcoming guests ver y soon ”

“With a quar ter seeking to improve their work life balance this year we encourage people to reconnect with loved ones travel explore , experience things once more and make time well spent this year

Innovation Grants Launched to Support Tourism and Hospitality Businesses

Hospitality, tourism and food and drink businesses in par ts of the Nor th East region will now be able to bid for grants of up to £50k to implement innovative solutions to challenges facing the sector Grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 are available to businesses in Nor thumberland, Newcastle and Nor th Tyneside , thanks to the Hospitality, Innovation, Tourism, Supply (HITS) project, funded by the Nor th of Tyne Combined Authority The grant will represent 50% of a total project cost with match funding needed for the remainder

The grant scheme was launched as par t of the first Time Out Tuesday event held this week The HITS programme is being delivered by NewcastleGateshead Initiative in par tnership with Food and Drink Nor th East and NBSL, who suppor t businesses in the region to access grants and mentoring

Nor th of Tyne Combined Authority Mayor Jamie Driscoll opened the event with guest speakers also including the BBC’s Nor th East and Cumbria Political Correspondent Richard Moss and Ian Wright former co chair of the Government’s Food and Drink Sector Council

The innovation grant is open to tourism, hospitality and supply chain businesses for under taking innovation projects that can contribute to the following drivers delivering business growth, suppor ting the safe guarding and creation of good quality jobs and driving economic impact in the tourism and hospitality sectors within the Nor th of Tyne area

This could be new products or ser vices, or adopting a new innovative process not currently used in the sector Projects could focus on new technologies, solutions which enable businesses to be more efficient or processes to improve staff training or recruitment

Businesses are also being encouraged to work together on a collabo

rative bid which could benefit more than one organisation

The HITS programme was launched earlier this year to help suppor t businesses in the sector embed innovation into their ways of working Time Out Tuesday will be a monthly event open to members of the pro gramme Only members of the programme will be eligible to apply for a grant

Metro Mayor for the Nor th of Tyne Jamie Driscoll said: “This is all about backing our local tourism and hospitality businesses It’s about working together to provide visitors with the best possible experience And it’s about doing this in a way that helps companies grow, create jobs, and protect the environment That’s why this programme is so impor tant ”

Destination Director at NGI Ian Thomas said: “We know the impact

recent challenges have had and are still having on this sector, so it is imperative we star t working together to grow our businesses and drive more visitors

“There are some huge oppor tunities for the region including develop ing our food and drink offer, marketing to new international markets, working with par tners such as the BBC who have made a phenomenal investment into the Nor th East in terms of film and TV production so we need to ensure our businesses are in a position to take advantage of these oppor tunities HITS can suppor t this by bringing like minded peo ple together to create new ways of working, which will benefit both the sector and visitors ”

Chris Jewitt, Founder and CEO of Food and Drink Nor th East added: “With the trifold impact of Brexit uncer tainty, the global pandemic and the current cost of living crisis, the past three years have hit the food, drink, hospitality and tourism sectors hard here in the Nor th East

“From food producers to restaurateurs, hoteliers and visitor attrac tions, business leaders have had to dig deep to navigate through these challenging times What we have seen is an upsurge in collaborative entrepreneurship, hard graft and invention come to the fore as business es from across the supply chain have battled to remain open and opera tional

The HITS programme is a unique oppor tunity to cement that spirit of innovation and provide the potential funding that can help unlock some of the solutions that will help these businesses not just sur vive but thrive ”

To find out more about the project and to sign up to become a mem ber go to www.ngi.org.uk/innovation

Current

If nightclubs were to close in line with the current trajector y for the remainder of 2022, we would see 1 in 3 nightclubs lost since 2019 by the end of 2022, up from 1 in 5 at the end of 2021

The UK is a world leader in electronic music and UK clubs have been a breeding ground for contemporar y music talent events and dj’s for decades Nightclubs have made a huge contribution to the culture sector and are renowned globally

Michael Kill CEO NTIA Says: “The Government is ripping the hear t out of nightlife , with cost inflation accelerating closures of nightclubs from 1 in 5 at the end of 2019, to 1 in 3 in just 9 months in 2022

“This inflationar y circle is taking its toll on our sector, with business

es trading 15% down across the board, costs up over 30% taking the shine off the golden quar ter ”

before ”

“With the prominence of dance music in the UK as recently high lighted by the BPI, it is a huge tragedy for UK Culture seeing nightclubs in decline These spaces nur ture up and coming talent and are also cul tural and social hubs of communities which are now at risk of being lost forever “

“The Chancellor must consider suppor t based on the impor tant role that this sector plays in the economic recover y of this countr y ”

“Independent businesses across the night time economy need you to re instate the alcohol duty freeze extend business rates relief and reduce VAT across the board for ever yone ”

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

All ntrl products use raw materials that are derived from plant based extracts; their natu ral formulas are 100% biodegradable , contain zero petrochemicals,

Jangro

Jo

Independent nightclubs across the UK are fighting to sur vive , manag ing cashflow on a day by day basis, waiting on a budget which has failed them twice

Restaurant Insolvencies Up 46% as Sector Leader Warns of “Collapse”

The Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, Sacha Lord, has warned of a collapse in the sector unless business suppor t is provided in the Government's Autumn Budget, following a 46% rise in insolvencies in hospitality nationally

According to figures released from the Insolvency Ser vice and analysed by RPG Char tered accountants incorporating Crawfords, the number of restaurant and food outlets going into liquidation nationally increased 46% in the quar ter to September 2022, from 108 in June to 158 by the end of August

Sacha Lord, who is one of three night time advisers across the UK, has warned the data signals an impending collapse in the sector, and has once again urged the Government to suppor t businesses in its upcoming Autumn Budget Commenting, he said, "The data we have received today is just the tip of the iceberg, and shows a ver y worr ying trend which we believe will only get worse over the months to come An increase of nearly 50% in insolvencies in three months shows the sector in an extremely worr ying state and it is now entering winter in freefall

"There is a severe lack of confidence among operators par ticularly those run ning small independent businesses, and this has been exacerbated by the confu sion over possible business suppor t and ongoing u turns The implementation and subsequent reversal in the freeze on alcohol duty is just one example where planning has been made impossible , adding to the despon

dency and anxiety across the board "

"The stark truth is that hospitality businesses are paying more for ingredients energ y and day to day business needs than they were this time last year, and we are seeing venues shutting due to financial difficulties on a daily basis The sector urgently needs suppor t through a reduction in VAT and through business rates relief, both measures that will undoubtedly offer operators a lifeline

Gareth Hunt, Licensed Insolvency Practitioner at RPG Char tered Accountants, comments,

"We are seeing more smaller and medium businesses across the board in Greater Manchester and the surrounding areas beginning to struggle with ongoing financial commitments, and within our insolvency team we have had a number of restaurants, fast food outlets and pubs entering into liquidation this year The main catalysts of these closures have been the increase in business costs and gas prices, interest rates rises reduced footfall and unfor tunately we are wholly expecting this trend to rise fur ther over the winter months in par ticular "

The figures echo separate research by UKHospitality the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) and Hospitality Ulster this week, which showed that 35% of operators were expecting to be operating at a loss or be unviable by the end of the year, with 96% experiencing higher energ y costs and 93% facing food price inflation

Growing Manchester Hotel Mentoring Scheme Launches for Sixth Year

“Our hotel mentors are extremely proactive and engaged, allowing mentees to be guided through a real time view of operations in key city centre hotels, giving them invaluable experience in the industr y

The course has been running for six years and has been praised by hospi tality students previously as ‘ an advanced scheme that allows valuable insights into life as a general manager ’ at some of Manchester’s leading hotels and last year resulted in ten new jobs being created for young gradu ates

MHA chair Adrian Ellis, Chris Mitchell, principal lecturer at MMU and Diane Connelly Senior Lecturer at MMU run the initiative which they say ‘has been designed to attract students to careers in the hotel industr y to help with tackling the recruitment challenge the hospitality industr y faces but more impor tantly, to retain talent ’ Adrian who is working as a mentor in his day to day role as The Lowr y Hotel’s General Manager said: “We are thrilled to be hosting this extremely beneficial programme again this year and has been impor tant

Christopher Mitchell, Programme Leader for IHBM at Manchester Metropolitan University said: “The Mentoring Scheme involves MHA indus tr y leaders assisting our IHBM students in adapting to the culture of the organisations and helping them develop their career oppor tunities In this, our sixth year, Diane , Adrian and the general managers have created a learn ing relationship that will assist the mentees in taking ownership of their development their skills and their knowledge by achieving the career that they value Thanks to all GMs for achieving the success stories and for your ongoing suppor t!”

MHA has over 50 members made up of general managers of hotels throughout the region Its key objectives are

improving the offering for visi tors

Loungers Launches a New Restaurant Rollout Aimed at Reinvigorating Roadside Dining in the UK

Loungers, a nationwide operator of all day café bars and restaurants under the Lounge and Cosy Club brands, has announced the launch of a new road side restaurant brand Brightside

The Group sees great potential to reinvigorate roadside dining in the UK, a sector that it believes has become tired and uninspiring Loungers has acquired three sites initially, the first of which is set to open on the A38, south of Exeter, in Februar y 2023 Fur ther sites will open on the A303 near Honiton, and on the A38 near Saltash, in the spring Loungers believes there is scope to develop a truly national brand and has ambitious plans to roll out Brightside to all corners of the UK in the coming years It is envisaged that sites will be situated predominantly on A roads, and will focus on bringing genuine hospitality back to a sector that has been dominated by drive thru and QSR (quick ser vice restaurant) concepts in recent years

Brightside will offer a freshly cooked menu full of classic , comfor t food style dishes including an extensive brunch menu, burgers, pizzas, and kids’ menu in nostalgic surroundings The roadside restaurants will appeal to a broad range of customers including families locals and UK holidaymakers

Brightside will share the same core DNA of the Lounge and Cosy Club brands a focus on all day dining to appeal to a broad audience a fierce commitment to value for money and run by teams that deliver exceptional ser vice Brightside roadside restaurants will be friendly warm and wholesome and will endeavour to bring back the pleasure of heading out and exploring

Chairman of Loungers, said: “We’ve had the itch for a while now to create a roadside restaurant con cept that’s fit for purpose in the twenty first centur y For many people , the highlight of childhood road trips in days gone by was a stop at the likes of Little Chef We believe there is a gap in the market for a fresh concept that gives customers the option to take a proper break and enjoy wholesome food and great hospitality, in a landscape that is currently dominated by drive thru and QSR formats

Commenting, Alex Reilley,

Brightside will have a contemporar y, welcoming, and warm feel, whilst also evoking nostalgia for a time when motoring in the UK was a more exciting experience We want it to be an integral par t of our customers’ journey planning, and something both adults and children alike look forward to We believe that Brightside will really shake up what has become an unin spiring sector and that there is potential to roll out Brightside across the UK in the coming years Our exper t ise in high quality, great value all day dining, developed through Lounge and Cosy Club, gives us confidence that

Founder

Brightside can bring proper hospitality back to roadside dining across the UK ” Loungers currently operates 175 Lounges and 35 Cosy Club venues around the UK The Group recently announced it was accelerating its site roll out programme targeting 30 new openings in the current financial year and between 32 and 34 on an ongoing basis These initial three Brightside openings fall within these fore cast new site opening numbers Loungers recently opened its 210th site Barco Lounge in Selby on Saturday 5 November

Manchester

for our industr y over the past six years The programme will create oppor tunities for the next generation and help our industr y tackle recruitment challenges

The

being a strong voice for the hotel community, and continually

spending time in the city

The mentor programme began on the 9th November and will continue until the end of term in May 2022

Scottish Hospitality Sector on ‘Life Support’ say Industry Campaign Leaders

Some of the biggest names in Scottish hospitality have joined forces to help safeguard around 220,000 jobs as the industr y faces its third and toughest winter since the star t of the pandemic Edinburgh’s Brewhemia; McKays Hotel in Per thshire; Links House at Royal Dornoch in Sutherland; Ingliston Countr y Club & Hotel in Renfrewshire; Tyneside Tavern and Mazzoli Italian Kitchen in East Lothian; and Banchor y Lodge in Aberdeenshire are amongst over 50 hospitality firms and organisations already backing a new Scotland wide ‘Help Out Hospitality’ campaign to suppor t firms battling for sur vival due to rapidly escalating costs

Energ y is the biggest repor ted cost hike on top of massive increases in food and labour bills this winter Many business owners believe this could be a stretch too far without the vital suppor t of initiatives like ‘Help Out Hospitality’, which is being led by The Full Range , one of the UK’s leading food and drink procurement firms

Since last year, commercial energ y bills are around 400% higher, food bills are up by around 20% and labour costs have increased by around 10% The Bank of England’s biggest interest rate rise since 1989 (up by 0 75 percentage points to 3%), is also having an impact on consumers, who are already star ting to tighten their belts fur ther and cut spending on eating out

Now suppor t has been drawn from across Scotland with hoteliers restaurateurs and publicans who are teaming up to highlight the scale of the crisis facing the industr y and help drive footfall and bookings this winter

The ‘Help Out Hospitality’ Initiative has been designed to incorporate ever y aspect of the hospitality supply chain, including food and drink

PUB

Richard Drummond, owner of McKays Hotel in Pitlochr y, Per thshire , said: “Help is precisely what the hospitality and tourism industr y requires After the past three years, the closures, the uncer tainties, staffing issues and now spiralling costs

“The Full Range came up with the ‘Help Out hospitality’ initiative to suppor t our industr y which the scheme sets out to achieve However it

not only helps our industr y, but it also helps ever yone , our suppliers, and the end user, it allows us to pass the discount we receive , on to our cus tomers

“Hopefully, this will drive additional revenue to our businesses and offer our guests great savings, which is a win win for all ”

The ‘Help Out Hospitality’ campaign was spearheaded by Barr y Knight, Director of The Full Range He said: “Scotland’s hospitality industr y employs around 220,000 people , which makes up around 8 6% of the countr y ’ s total jobs The current cost of living crisis is having a signifi cant impact on each and ever y operator regardless of business size

“The sector really is on ‘life suppor t’ if help is not provided to trade more efficiently through the winter trading period We think our new ‘Help Out Hospitality’ will go some to suppor ting businesses where they need it most at this critical time

Barr y added: “By leveraging our unique position in the marketplace , we ve been able to negotiate a suppor t package across a wide range of suppliers and manufacturers which allow our par tner restaurants to run promotions throughout the month of November, in turn, encouraging diners to eat out and sustain footfall at a par ticularly vulnerable time for hospitality

“By involving suppliers in the process, we can drive meaningful change generating discounts at the beginning of the process while removing commission on the other end; a real win win for the industr y, at the same time satisfying consumer demand for great value deals ”

For more information about the ‘Help Out Hospitality’ campaign, to register and for a full list of par ticipating businesses visit www.helpouthospitality.com

in members only events at the four venues throughout the year

The loyalty card was initially trialled at The Percy Arms, Chatton, during the summer and proved so popular the Group had no hesitation in rolling it out to its other venues

Inn Hospitality Group, which owns The Olde Ship, at Seahouses, The Percy Arms at Chatton The Anglers Arms at Longframlington and The Derwent Arms at Edmundbyers, has introduced its first ever loyalty card And its aim is simple to thank customers for their continued suppor t by giving back to them, at a time when costs and prices are rising

The card which can be obtained from and used at any of the four pubs gives holders one point wor th 10p for ever y £1 they spend The points can then be redeemed against food or drink at any of the sites And membership of the scheme will also give card holders early bird access to a range of food and drink promotions and the chance to take par t

Free

“Although our pubs are spread out geographically, they are each at the absolute centre of their villages and communities,” said Oliver Bennet, who co founded Inn Hospitality Group with fellow director Matt Daniel

“And we value our customers which is why we announced earlier this autumn that each of our pubs would provide warmth free hot drinks and book sharing libraries throughout the winter, so no one need sit alone and cold in their home

“This loyalty scheme is another way for us to give back to those who are suppor ting us and helping them out a bit at a time when the cost of living is on the rise ”

For Hospitality To Safeguard Record Festive Turnover

Rob Easton BSc , PgDip, MSc , MB A, Head of Environmental Health at Shield Safety discusses the potential £4bn revenue spike heading towards the UK’s hospitality sec tor during the 2022 festive period but warns venues could be at risk if they aren’t prepared for surging footfall

With less than two weeks until the kick off of the FIFA World Cup 2022, venues across the UK can claw back lost earnings from the 2020 and 2021 festive seasons, which were severely impacted as a result of COVID 19 restrictions This period also comes at a time when the hospitality sector is struggling with rising costs, recruitment challenges and dis rupted supply chains The prospect of a bumper Christmas period could provide the lifeline that many busi nesses are seeking, however, if managed poorly, the rise in trade could tip an already rocky boat

If venues aren’t managing their safety systems in the right way increased revenues could be hit by large penalties, due to a predicted lift in expedited reviews by police and licensing authorities throughout the festive period

There is a golden oppor tunity for the hospitality industr y here , as Christmas and the 2022 World Cup coin cide; people are going to turn out in record numbers and for UK venues this will be the first full trading fes tive period since 2019 This does however need to be managed carefully to avoid an own goal A huge increase in visitors will take place against the challenges of var ying staffing levels, adapted menus, venue layout changes, more outdoor presence to mention just a few Venues need to be prepared to avoid heavy fines for health and safety breaches, so many of which are easily avoidable

For a venue with an average weekly turnover of £12k, fines for culpability or harm range from between £25k to £120k, with top fines equating to 6% of the entire year ’ s turnover

Statutor y fines for hospitality var y according to the severity of the breach, but even if a

is not hit with a fine , the review process can and does result in significant business disruption, even closure , while investigations are under taken So, in the event that there is no breach a fine is avoided but the venue has still lost potential income from having to close its doors We are campaigning to help venues avoid this situation

We can be fairly confident of record footfall in venues this Christmas To put some context to this, during the last World Cup, spending in hospitality increased by 41% compared to the previous year and this shot up to 73% on the day of the England Croatia semi final Coupled with the Lionesses' victor y in the European Championships earlier this year, there is huge excitement for the World Cup this winter

A recent sur vey from Access Hospitality found that 76% of foot ball fans are looking for venues to watch the World Cup this winter and 30% of respondents said they would be happy to sit in a heated beer garden This shows the scale of oppor tunity for hospitality but interestingly, if they have outdoor space they can adapt with patio heaters and can provide alfresco dining options such as BBQs or pizza ovens, there s scope to really diversify, enhancing customer experience and bringing in vital revenue

To help the hospitality industr y be prepared, stay safe and avoid fines, Shield Safety has produced a free XLMAS Guide and risk assessment template , which is available to access and download for free here at https://info shieldsafety co uk/hubfs/Content/XLMAS/xlmas guide with links to ra template pdf In addition to the spirit of England’s last (and only) success at the FIFA World Cup in 1966, they are offering a free “Safety Net” access to their RiskProof safety checklist software and Safety Advice Line for 66 days the Safety Net businesses really need this festive period You can access at https://tr y shieldsafety co uk/safety net Shield Safety also has a free webinar to help more venues learn how to prepare for the busy festive period, which can be viewed here: https://vimeo com/759076029/0d8f5f0f9a

venue

producers, allowing businesses to create enticing consumer deals on both meals and overnight stays at a time which typically sees a drop in business

The new commission free ‘Help Out Hospitality’ online platform is now live for hospitality businesses to promote offers, attract direct bookings and allow customers to enjoy the best value over the quieter winter months

Operators Keeping Total Food Menu

Inflation Low Through Menu Management

Total

NEW STARTERS, SIDES AND DESSERTS PRICED HIGHER THAN EXISTING DISHES

Menus

2022

Sides, star ters and desser ts that were new in September 2022 are +23%, +14% and +8%, respectively more expensive than the average dish

Sharing items have increased in share of star ter, main and desser t from June to September 2022 accounting for 7% of total restaurant menus increasing to 14% of desser ts

There is scope for operators to increase the price of sharing star ter side and desser t items with these dishes currently just +47% +39% and +13%more expensive than non sharing dishes

SAME LINE DISH PRICE INFLATION IS HIGHEST FOR STARTERS, SIDES, AND SNACKS

Star ters sides and snacks registered +1 7% from June to September meaning that operators have increased the prices of existing dishes, with star ters ranking the highest surge , most at +2 8%

In this way, operators are finding a way to pass on unavoidable cost increases, though not at the rate of inflation, but by managing menus by adding/removing dishes instead

So far, operators have been able to avoid increasing food and drink price points in line with CPI and food inflation Instead managing menus through changes in proteins used, the types of dishes offered, and clever NPD has enabled operators to avoid alarming price rises,” commented Katherine Prowse , Senior Insight Manager at Lumina

New Chef Trainer Joins The Buzzworks Team

Buzzworks Holdings the Scottish independent restaurant and bar operator has welcomed a new Chef Trainer to the business

Neil Clark who has over 20 years ’ experience cheffing and working in some of Scotland’s top restaurants has joined the award winning family business to help oversee chef development and retention as Buzzworks focuses on its continued growth strat eg y

The Scottish company, recently named in the Top 100 Companies to Work For, currently operates 16 prestigious venues across Scotland, employing over 650 team members

As the business expands fur ther, with two new venues set to open in the near future , employment oppor tunities for chefs will continue to rise Buzzworks is keen to ensure it trains and devel ops its kitchen team to create a positive working environment, whilst attracting top new talent keen to learn from some of the best in the business

In his role as Chef Trainer, Neil will be tasked with building a world class training and development structure that is fit for growth, encouraging the continued development and progression of its team within the kitchens, whilst attracting and developing Buzzworks chefs of the future Most recently, Buzzworks has launched an industr y recognised chef apprenticeship scheme , set to include culinar y masterclasses, educational excursions and active mentoring when working alongside skilled and experienced chefs, which Neil will also oversee as his remit

Neil who resides in Troon has joined Buzzworks from Six by Nico where he was instrumental in develop ing and rolling out its Home X brand He has worked in some of the countr y ’ s top kitchens for over 20 years in a number of Head Chef and operational roles including Braehead Foods Edenmill Farm and La Vallee Blanche Neil also worked for four years under Geoffrey Smeddle at Conran restaurants with Geoffrey having now held a Michelin star for the past 12 years Nicola Watt, Head of People at Buzzworks Holdings, said: “Welcoming Neil as our new Chef Trainer is a fantastic addition for the business, with the role being specially created to ensure the development and retention of our chefs, whilst maintaining the highest standards of our dishes ser ved within all of our venues “Neil’s appointment is testament to our ambition of growing Buzzworks fur ther and is essential in ensuring we continue to provide a positive working environment for all employees, including our kitchen team, by providing the knowledge and tools to deliver an exceptional experience to our customers with each and ever y meal ”

Neil Clark, Chef Trainer at Buzzworks Holdings, said: Much has been made of the current predicament of hospitality businesses struggling to attract and retain talent, especially within a kitchen setting Buzzworks and my own ethos are ver y much aligned in that if you challenge chefs, provide excellent training oppor tuni ties and clear pathways to grow within the business, you will create a happy and multi skilled restaurant brigade and I am here to help do just that

“It is an exciting time to join Buzzworks both with its por tfolio of existing and up and coming venues alongside the kitchens producing excellent dishes that make use of Scotland’s natural larder I’m looking for ward to ensuring we continue to attract and retain the best talent within the industr y whilst helping to influence our strategic direction and build on the continued success of the company through our food out put ”

Taking Steps Towards A Sustainable Future For Hospitality Businesses

topic of sustainability is only going to grow

Yet while the appointment of a chief sustainability officer might not be possible , there are other steps hospitality businesses can take today to help foster a sustainable future One of the ways that pubs and bars off the mains gas grid can unlock significant reductions in their carbon emissions is through the transition to sustainable fuels

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OPTIONS

Calor Futuria Liquid Gas (previously BioLPG) is a sustainable fuel made from a blend of waste , residues and sustainably sourced materials

With busy pubs and bars requiring a fuel source that offers increased reliability and a controllable flame for cooking, Futuria Liquid Gas can be utilised for a variety of uses, such as hot water, heating and cooking requirements In addition, Calor’s range of storage options, including underground tanks, which can be hidden out of sight, means there’s a solution for ever y business

As the drive towards net zero continues to gain pace , UK businesses are continuing to put sustainability at the hear t of their operations Research has highlighted that almost two fifths (37%) of UK businesses have appointed a chief sustainability officer, while over half (56%) have an employee in post whose remit includes sustainability

And with the UK Hospitality Association unveiling its 10 pledges to guide those working in the sector to net zero by 2040, it s clear the

Available in a 100% blend bulk Futuria Liquid Gas can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 86% (kgCO2e/kWh) when compared to using heat ing oil and up to 80%4 compared to conventional LPG For businesses keen to demonstrate their reduction in carbon emissions, the Green Gas Cer tification Scheme ensures traceability of all Futuria Liquid Gas delivered to, and used up by, hospitality customers, while also highlight ing the amount of CO2 saved

THE FUTURE WITH CALOR

As

To

uk/hospitality

Operators

Why Hospitality Must Invest

In

Employees

By Penny Brown, Chairman of Inntelligence (www inn-telligence com) and Giles Fuchs , owner of Burgh Island Hotel (www burghisland com)

For those that are considering a long term career in hospitality, it is vital that employees can envisage themselves progressing within their job Promoting a staff centric conception of succession plan ning allows hospitality businesses to star t identifying and nur turing the next generation of aspiring managers

As

In a competitive recruitment landscape hospitality venues should be coming up with new and creative strategies to promote some of the amazing oppor tunities a career in hospitality can provide

TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION

A career in hospitality can offer oppor tunities for people of all ages and at all levels To attract employees, venues need to raise awareness around training schemes which can prepare people for a lifetime of employment

From classes on English and Maths, to thorough hospitality courses and qualifications, these training pro grams are designed to provide oppor tunities for employees to enhance their own CV whilst discovering their passion within the industr y

For example , our ver y own Director of Guest Relations here at Burgh Island Hotel was trained at the ESO Euroschool Hotel Academy, where he gained exposure to different cultures and cuisines that helped shape his journey within the hospitality sector

These experiences provide employees with invaluable experiences and should be promoted in order to show a career in hospitality can open many doors in your career progression, PROVIDING PATHWAYS FOR PROMOTION

This planning can include prioritising skill development and mak ing sure that members of staff have the room they need to grow within their role Within this process, new star ts should have peo ple to look up to and who can help them understand the different oppor tunities available to them Having a role model to look up to and confide in can make the world of a difference for those at the beginning of their careers

RETAINING TALENT

However, more should also be done to challenge people's per ceptions about a career in hospitality According to a recent sur vey, only 3% of new hires currently see a long term career in hospitali ty, and 5% in the sector said that they're unhappy in their jobs compared to 30% in the overall UK economy Unhappy and uninspired employees are not a recipe success, and hospitality needs to do more to make employees feel valued Creating an environment in which people feel respected, listened to, and suppor ted can help hospitality retain the talent it needs to address the current vacancy crisis

IMPROVING THE GUEST EXPERIENCE

All these policies can help hospitality venues create a happy and skilled workforce , providing guests with a memorable experience Aspiring employees will go above and beyond to make sure that guests ever y need are attended to and will be more likely to become great ambassadors in the future With winter approaching, it is essential that hospitality venues look to change what it means to work in the hospitality sector Implementing pathways for progression within a suppor tive and nur turing environment will help the UK maintain its position as global leader in the hospitality industr y

The Free From Functional & Health Ingredients Expo 2022 takes place in RAI Amsterdam on 22 and 23 November It gives valuable oppor tunities for national and international exper ts from various fields and all over the world to meet and share insights into the most impor tant food trends and what will be on the shelves in the coming years

CLEAN LABEL, ORGANIC , VEGAN, PLANT BASED, ALLERGEN FREE

Free From Functional & Health Ingredients 2022 provides insights into the latest trends in lactose free , gluten free , sugar free and plant based products, organic , vegan, protein transition, functional food and ingredients It will also carefully address the future trends “For example , products that are becom ing more mainstream are those that are processed as little as possible and that contain few or no ar tificial additives,” says organizer Ronald Holman of Expo Business Communications

At the same time , more and more people are thinking about where their food comes from and what's in it “This is reflected in the ever increasing ranges of plant based products being found in supermarkets today,” adds Holman

DOING BETTER BUSINESS FOR RETAIL AND FOOD SERVICE

Ever yone has the right to be safe at work Yet a new YouGov sur vey con ducted by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and suppor ted by Peoplesafe for National Personal Safety Day 2022, has found high levels of violent, aggres sive , sexual and unwanted behaviours perpetrated against employees work ing or on their way to work in the night time economy

The findings show that women are more likely than men to have experi enced harassment within or on their way to their workplace , with 44% of women having experienced harassment compared with 26% of men In the majority of all repor ted cases of harassment (83%) the perpetrator was a man These statistics highlight the shocking prevalence of violence against women and girls within the workplace

No one should be a victim of violence , aggression, and harassment in the workplace However, of the 1768 night time economy workers sur veyed, a shocking one third (34%) had experienced some form of unwanted behav iour whilst working, or on their way to work, and 15% of respondents had experienced sexual harassment (28% of women)

Of respondents who had been harassed, 60% had never repor ted their experiences to their employer, com monly citing a lack of faith that action would be taken Likewise , three quar ters of respondents who had been harassed whilst working or travelling to work in the night time economy had not repor ted their experiences to the police

These findings speak to the need for employers to take all reasonable steps to combat harassment within the workplace and for urgent legislative change to criminalise and prevent such unwanted behaviours both in the workplace and in public spaces

Based on the findings of this repor t, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust is making the following policy recommenda tions:

For the government to suppor t the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Bill that would legislate for a preventative duty and require employers to take all reasonable steps to stop workplace sexual harassment while also protecting women from sexual harassment from third par ties

The government should work with specialist ser vices to ensure there is a national framework on tackling harassment that can be implemented within businesses This framework would build on best practice from ini tiatives such as the Women s Night Safety Char ter21, including rolling out bystander training22

Legislative change is urgently needed to ensure individuals’ right to safety within public spaces It is impera tive that the Government suppor ts proposals to make public sexual harassment a standalone offence

The Government should urgently ring fence funding for women and girls’ safety on public transpor t across

The Government

employers

For employers to publish their personal safety policy If employers do not have any policy in place , such as the one advocated for through Suzy’s Char ter, they should consult with specialist organisations such as the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to introduce one Suky Bhaker CEO of Suzy Lamplugh Trust says

“We are extremely concerned by the findings of our research which demonstrate that harassment of night time economy workers is widespread and under repor ted, with women being more likely to experience harassment than men Testimonies from victims indicated a lack of faith in both employers and the police to tackle these behaviours and take repor ts seriously This is not good enough We urge the government and employers to take all reasonable steps to stamp out workplace harassment via a robust legislative framework, policy and suppor t to help shift the per vasive culture of abuse within the night time economy Ever y employee deser ves to be free from violence aggression and harassment”

Naz Dossa Peoplesafe CEO and BSIA Chair of the Lone Working Group says: “A decisive , legislative response to this issue is long overdue We need to finally shift the dial on the impor tance of employee personal safety and are collectively calling on employers and government to work together to achieve a step change in how working people are protected Our own Peoplesafe research, commissioned earlier this year, found that harassment, in par ticular verbal and physical abuse , is all too common across ever y industr y sector, with significant gender difference 27% of male employees experience harassment, rising to 38% for female employees This problem is clearly not confined to the night time economy sector and the message is clear All employers, across the board, should now ver y seriously consider the need to go beyond existing legal requirement and tick box compliance to provide the level of safety and peace of mind that is a basic employee right ”

MP Wera Hobhouse says,

“Ever yone has a right to feel safe in their workplace and the work that the Suzy Lamplugh Trust does to help ensure this is vital Unfor tunately, we still have a long way to go to ensure that the problem is eradicated What is needed is a culture shift so our understanding of acceptable behaviour ensures that staff at all places of work are safe Notably in the night time economy, where workers are potentially more vulnerable , protec tions must be especially stringent

My Private Members Bill recently passed its Second Reading in the House It aims to prevent sexual harass ment in the workplace by forcing employers to ensure that their workplaces are safe This Bill, alongside the work of organisations like the Suzy Lamplugh Trust I hope will star t the culture shift we desperately need”

the UK, and continue funding for safer public spaces such as through the Safer Streets Fund Transpor t ser vic es must provide regular, safe routes home from work, such as 24 hour transpor t systems

and

should collect and publish data on the prevalence of workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, and the impact on those who experience it to suppor t more victims

With rising business energ y costs energ y efficiency has become much more of a necessity no matter the size of your company

Lowering energ y consumption is highly profitable for businesses Effectively reducing energ y costs means you have much more cash flow available to invest in more advanced equipment, salar y increases, mod ernisation, renovation works and more

Business utilities exper ts Love Energ y Savings (www loveenerg ysavings com), has put together a commercial ener g y savings guide to help large and industrial companies build an energ y efficient model to implement in their companies to save energ y

UPGRADE YOUR THERMOSTAT

Smar t devices are not just for domestic environments A company can hugely benefit from investing in smar t technolog y especially a program mable thermostat The thermostat doesn't even need to be a smar t device , simply installing a thermostat that can be programmed during business hours can help reduce heating and cooling costs by up 30% according to the Carbon Trust

HOT WATER HEATERS

Manufacturing companies may use large amounts of water leading to an increase in energ y usage Whilst also considering switching business water suppliers, investing in a more eco friendly energ y efficient hot water heater can be a great idea

This is also a great idea in corporate office environments as water heaters can usually be installed directly where the old water heater tank was kept This conser ves energ y as you won’t continue to heat copious amounts of water throughout the day

You may also wish to consider the option of a solar hot water system This water heating system pushes water through solar heated tubes Both of these options benefit from piping insulation an inexpensive , but highly effective means of encouraging heat retention

INSTALL MOTION SENSITIVE LIGHT SWITCHES

Lighting costs are usually the biggest contributors to the energ y bill

Simply installing motion sensors for lighting can help your business become much more energ y efficient and help reduce those energ y bills

A great place to star t is areas around your business premises that are not occupied throughout the day This can help with saving energ y by stopping employees from leaving lights on when areas are not in use

MAKE THE MOST OF DAYLIGHT

Maximising the amount of daylight that enters an office space should be something that all building owners should prior tise By making use of the likes of skylight windows, par ticularly on the nor th or south side of your building Operable windows or skylights are an effective solution as they allow hot air to escape when it’s warmer, which in turn reduces the cooling load

UPGRADE YOUR LIGHTING

LED lighting is a hugely popular choice right now largely because of its proven energ y consumption minimising effects So, if your lighting setup is in need of an upgrade , LED is the way to go Switching to LED lighting has the potential to reduce your electrical costs by up to 60% according to the Carbon Trust

help make for a more productive and happier workspace

It’s also wor th switching old fashioned bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs with a low energ y consumption Typically speaking, lighting an office costs approximately £3 per square metre each year, compared with £1 per square metre each year in an energ y efficient office space

PERFORM REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS ON EQUIPMENT

HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) is one of the quickest and easiest means of elevating energ y efficiency The proper maintenance of HVAC systems will make for a building that uses 15 20% less energ y than those without a maintenance plan It’s impor tant to ensure that your maintenance plan is inclusive of refrigerant level checks

AFTER HOURS USAGE

The term 'phantom electric loads’ refers to the electricity consumed by electronic devices when they aren’t actually in use Devices such as clocks on the oven or microwave and lights that are set up on a timer are just a couple of examples and while these may seem fairly insignifi cant, did you know that they can contribute to up to 10% of your ener g y bill?

The most effective way to minimise phantom electric loads is to unplug equipment where possible , or failing that, set up standby times Another energ y saving technique is to incorporate smar t power strips to help ensure power is being consumed

SWITCH BUSINESS ENERGY SUPPLIERS

On top of reducing energ y

Top Tips For A More Energy-Efficient Business HRC

with the FE A for 2023

North-West

The

illegal to be gay in Qatar with a jail sentence of up to seven years

A statement issued by the Liverpool Arms pub said they were "deeply con cerned" about the situation regarding LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar and had there fore decided not to promote the event, although they wished the England and Wales team well in the tournament

"As Chester's LGBTQ+ bar we are deeply concerned about the host nation's lack of LGBTQ+ rights which are well documented

"We will not promote this event However we wish England and Wales ever y success in the tournament "

In

"As Chester Pride , we fully suppor t their decision

The Liverpool Arms is a safe space for the

community and as they have highlighted Qatar has ver y

treatment of LGBTQ+ people and poor human rights in general, to "welcome" people of all backgrounds but suppress people is not welcoming people at all

"We too wish the teams well but as a Pride charity will always call out the unfair treatment of LGBTQ+ peoples rights "

A FIFA spokesperson added: “Qatar as a host countr y is fully aware of its responsibility to adhere to FIFA’s expectations and requirements on human rights, equality and non discrimination

“Qatar is committed to ensuring that ever yone will be able to enjoy the tournament in a safe and welcom ing environment to building bridges of cultural understanding and to creating an inclusive experience for all par ticipants and attendees including members of the LGBTIQ+ community ”

LED lighting also boasts the benefit of minimal heat generation ulti mately lowering air conditioning load and thanks to the long lifespan of LED lighting, cutting maintenance costs, too The majority of LED lighting users note an improvement in the clarity and crispness of their lighting, which can

Warren,

HRC Event Manager Ronda Annesley adds: “Our ongoing par tnership and con tinued collaboration with the FEA brings a huge amount of value to the wide range of suppliers, chefs, dealers, foodser vice operators and hospitality business owners that take par t in HRC each year The team s insights and suppor t are

response to the announcement, Chester Pride praised the pub for making the move as Chester Pride Chair, Warren Lee Allmark said:

LGBTQ+

poor

With the festive period fast approaching, customers are researching the best spots for the family holiday work socials and Christmas dinners For those in the hospitality sector, the final quar ter of the year is a time when there is so much more oppor tunity to deliver the best customer ser vice , connecting and engaging with existing and new customers

Therefore , excellent customer ser vice lies at the hear t of hospi tality during the colder winter months It’s what keeps cus tomers coming back, encouraging them to recommend their favourite bar or restaurant to their friends 88% of consumers in the UK celebrate Christmas meaning that an unpleasant experience over the season can cause damage to a venue ’ s reputation and loss of business

In addition, more than a quar ter (27%) of hospitality businesses are seeing bookings surge for Christmas already, higher than in previous years Call intelligence tools can ease the stress of these mass bookings, as well as optimise adver tising and streamline staff training as bars, restaurants, and hotels will have access to the relevant data to positively affect the customer experience Such tools integrate into booking sys tems supplying businesses with a deeper insight into the nature of each call

BOOST THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

A recent repor t found that one in five hospitality businesses are already seeing a surge in bookings for the Football World Cup Also, three in ten are hiring more people to ensure they can cope with the uptake of customers With so many new team members, it’s difficult to ensure all staff address customers in the same style and gather the right information over the phone

Conversation Analytics can identify which destinations, rooms, menus,

By Oyin Bamgbose , Vice President at

and promotions get discussed at scale It also highlights how well staff are handling calls, helping to identify common friction points, such as tak ing pre orders for large par ties Managerial teams can then come togeth er to create a solution guiding both new and old staff on how they can address such issues in the future

Once installed these analytics are also a great retrospective tool for the following year Businesses can predetermine obstacles and iron out any problems before they surface This means that customer ser vice strategies can be revised and enhanced, helping businesses to gain a competitive advantage throughout the year

CREATING COMPELLING CHRISTMAS ADVER TISEMENTS

In today s digital world, ever ything star ts with a Google search

Potential customers will scour the internet for their dream winter holi day or the best spot for a Christmas dinner but so much more can be gained and understood from a conversation with a call agent The intelli gence gained from these calls can reveal the reason a guest picked up the phone , even tracking the keywords Googled that led them to your website

With the ongoing cost of living crisis, winter may present challenges for many in the hospitality industr y However Christmas is a major sea son for both retail and hospitality In 2021 PwC expected a total spend of £21 billion on presents and celebrations over the season Competition is high, and ever y organisation wants to be the one that makes an individual’s festivities special Innovative strategies to market Christmas menus and winter stays are key to capturing the customers’ attention

Call intelligence can help with this by assigning call outcomes and rev enues to marketing activity Organisations are able to identify which campaigns, channels and key words are pulling their weight and which aren’t in addition businesses can understand the thoughts and feelings of their callers Teams then have the information needed to

create incredible campaigns and optimise costs The nature of call intelli gence allows businesses to determine the true value of the campaign responsible for mass bookings

ADDRESS CUSTOMER QUERIES QUICKLY

More than half of Brits say being on hold is the biggest time waster Customers become frustrated sometimes causing them to call back later or look to book elsewhere However, during such busy periods, it’s not easy to always have somebody on hand to answer the phone Staff are often caught up welcoming guests missed call repor ts are beneficial in situations like these

By monitoring calls, organisations have access to the caller’s telephone number, time of the call and the pages on the company ’ s website they visited the missed call Businesses then have the oppor tunity to ring the caller back whilst their interest is still hot

Moreover, this is a great tool to help create rotas and manage staffing levels Hospitality businesses have intel into which times of the time , month or year require more staff availability to answer the phone This ensures that employees can provide the upmost customer ser vice with ease

RECOGNISE YOUR GUESTS’ KEY VALUES

Overall, call intelligence is key to truly understanding your customer base and providing them with a fantastic Christmas experience Businesses can analyse phone calls to generate revenue and ensure sleek customer ser vice The hospitality industr y can align its Christmas mar keting tactics with customer values, making campaigns more compelling Calls can then be met with helpful ser vice , which heightens the cus tomer experience

Festive Ordering

Indulge Your Customers with Mozart Chocolate Liqueur

Mozar t Chocolate Liqueur is the world renowned Austrian chocolate liqueur that combines two favorites from the world of indulgence: choco late & spirits Exclusively natural ingredients a sugar beet distillate and the exquisite craftsmanship of the master distiller & chocolatier, from the Mozar t Distiller y in Salzburg, combine unique quality ingredients and flavors in a Chocolate Symphony that proudly boasts the “made in Austria” quality seal

Mozar t is the number one chocolate liqueur in the on trade (CGA, P6 2022) and it’s clear to see why Featuring classic flavours such as cream, white and dark (Vegan), as well as trending flavours Strawberr y, Coffee and Pumpkin Spiced, the full por tfolio is award winning Most recently the brand has been awarded with medals across the range in 2022’s IWSC Awards and the Bar tender’s Brands Awards, to name a few Mozar t has been named Liqueur Producer of the Year 2020 for the second time , after being awarded this title back in 2017 for it’s premium range of chocolate flavours This year Mozar t Chocolate Liqueur invested over

£100 000 into building brand aware ness amongst consumers and the trade , including an influencer and PR campaign as well as par tnerships with the likes of German Gymnasium (par t of the D&D group) The Whiskey Exchange and Amazon, plus many more

Mozar t Chocolate Liqueur can be enjoyed in many different ways in its pure and natural state , slightly chilled on ice , over ice cream, in a hot drink or as a ‘choctail’ The most popular way to use Mozar t is in an Espresso Mar tini a popular cocktail with con sumers over the winter

Bolsius Professional Launches Guide To Help Operators Drive Footfall And Boost Customer Dwell Time Over The Winter Period

As temperatures drop and nights draw in, Bolsius Professional is releas ing a new guide aimed at helping operators drive footfall and boost customer dwell time during the busy winter period Combining inspira tional interiors and seasonal style tips Tempting Autumn Winter Months: Creating a warm welcome for customers’ provides cost effective ideas and guidance on creating a com pelling experience for customers

The guide provides easy to imple ment tips on boosting atmosphere; the effective use of mood lighting, driving footfall through welcoming window displays, embracing seasonal décor, and maximising architectural features such as fireplaces, to enhance a venue ’ s environment Alongside , the guide highlights interior design trends from the casual dining space; from traditional to mod ern, minimalist to maximalist, with an array of ideas to suit any venue ’ s aesthetic

The premium candle specialist has launched the repor t as operators ramp up for the busy festive peri od With many dining and drinking destinations facing fierce competition and a challenging climate , the look book is designed to demonstrate how elevating the environment can suppor t revenue through creating a space where customers want to stay, and revisit time after time

Hospitality says, “The winter months can be the toughest time of the year to lure cus tomers out of their homes Days are shor t, darkness descends, and sofas beckon

“Post pandemic , the environment has changed Customers became skilled at creating lavish nights out at home As a result, exper ts predict that customer experience will come into sharp focus: creating unique memo rable environments that premiumise offerings lengthen dwell time and spotlight venues to existing and poten tial customers

We ve gathered a few of our favourite winter interi ors in this look book, showing how a few simple touches can go a long way Lighting is a key element, helping to create a welcoming and intimate environ ment for any venue We’ve shown how operators can use this to maximum effect showing their venue in the best possible light for customers ”

Bolsius Professional is a leading global candle manu facturer with an extensive range of indoor and out door candles designed specifically for restaurants, bars and hotels Free from palm oil and animal fats, they are clean burning and odour free , creating a warm wel come and premium atmosphere that encourages guests to linger

To find out more about the Bolsius Professional can dle range , and download a copy of the guide go to www.bolsius.com/en/professional/inspiration

For

Paul Christodoulou National Account Manager UK & Ireland Out of Home and Hospitality at Bolsius Professional and Member of the Institute of

White Lake are cheesemakers who make over 25 cheeses on their farm in Somerset Their range includes many top international award winning cheeses made of goat’s milk from their own herd, local Guernsey cow ’ s milk and British ewe ’ s milk

The variety of tastes, textures, sizes and styles make them a popu lar choice with top chefs and cater ers Their newest products have been designed specifically for use in professional kitchens The Glaston Brick and Glaston Tile are two sizes of pressed goat’s curd without the bloomy rind They deliver the tradi tional taste of that style of cheese but can be easily cut and shaped to size

Roger Longman, owner and 3rd generation cheese maker says We ve become known for our constant aim to make the best cheeses we can using traditional ar tisanal methods, while exploring unconventional ideas and innovating in exciting new ways We love to see how exper ts in catering work with our range Chefs often share their creative , new dish es on social media Our English Goat Curd seems to

tailor made packages and competitive trade pricing Sip Champagnes offers options for local wine shops, Michelin starred restaurants and ever ything in between

For fur ther details contact: trade@sipchampagnes com

For more information on Sip Champagnes and its lat est UK releases in time for Christmas visit https://sipchampagnes com

be par ticularly popular at the moment ”

White Lake supply small cheese makers, pubs and delis but are ver satile enough to fulfil greater requirements such as for the cater ers at Wimbledon “As a small company we can be nimble enough to accommodate specific require ments when given notice Cheese needs enough time to develop complex flavours, par ticularly the hard varieties For example Alpine style Rachael Reser va final weight is 12 kg so is matured for a minimum of twelve months It’s in constant demand for its rounded richness in taste and larger size Roger explains

The cheesemakers, affineurs and packers who hand make White Lake’s cheeses get into top gear from September until the end of December Roger advises “We hate to disappoint people so strongly advise our customers to place their Christmas orders now ”

Contact Justin Car ter National Sales Manager White Lake Cheese Limited justin@whitelake co uk | www whitelake co uk Mobile: 07903 313812 | Office: 01749 831527

Festive Ordering

Ensuring your establishment is appropriately decorated and fur nished during the festive period is a necessity for the hospitality industr y In turn, restaurants, bars and pubs will all want to capi talise on the seasonal influx of business which is available The best way to do so is make your establishment as appealing as possible during this period

DECORATING THE ROOM

When looking to decorate an eating or drinking area for Christmas you should first consider where your fire exits are and that all customers will still have a clear route to an exit Once you have done this, check you can begin to decide how you want your festive design to look We would always recommend a tree , go for a larger one if you can as this can be quite a statement piece , attracting par ty pho tos in front of it which can act as great free publicity across social media if your venue gets tagged In addition to Christmas trees, garlands and wreaths give you the option to add a subtle hint to areas such as toilet doors, mantles, shelves and other places Equally, fair y lights, tinsel, baubles and balloons are also all great ways of adding some festive cheer to your hospitality business this year

Superior

Scrocchiarella

Ranges

DRESSING THE TABLES

There are many ways to dress your table to add a hint of Yuletide style Firstly, if you have a colour scheme or a set theme for Christmas which features one par ticular colour, replicate that in your table setting You could do this by incorporating the colour into your tablecloth, or if you want a white tablecloth then possibly a coloured table runner with matching napkins

For tableware you could opt for classic whiteware or go for something more modern which can be a way of intro ducing colour to your table Glassware we’d suggest sticking with classical looks to add a sophistication to the drinks you ’ re ser ving

Finally, if you ’ re finding you ’ re being booked up with groups looking to celebrate a Christmas works par ty, you could offer par ty accessories to go with the meal Whether it be par ty poppers a festive mask kit ar tificial snow spray all are great for adding a par ty vibe for customers With winter on the immediate horizon, restaurants, pubs and other such businesses should look to star t ordering Christmas decorations and planning for the festive period now Alliance Online offers a wide range of Christmas options which will be perfect for your establishment this year View the Christmas selection at https://tinyurl.com/56zd8dr9

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 second 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 breakfast and brunch menus made from chickpea protein Simply shake , pour and cook in minutes for a breakfast 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

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Neame are already using Scrambled OGGS® to innovate across breakfast and brunch menus, from indulgent vegan full English breakfasts to plant based carbonara

OGGS® Aquafaba is an egg white alternative made from chickpeas, an innovative solution 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 inclu sive 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

Whilst 50% of turnover comes from our top 10 companies, family owned businesses remain prominent, result ing in an industr y that is flexible authentic and forward thinking

distilleries 36 CLH DIGITAL Issue 135

are playing an increasingly impor tant role in attracting and enter taining tourists Distilleries on the Island of Ireland attract over 1 million visitors per year and the likes of Bushmills, Echlinville , Rademon, Boatyard, Hinch and Belfast Distiller y are playing a key role in this growth Invest NI’s dedicated food business development team suppor ts local companies to develop their business with customers in GB and beyond Visit buynifood com or contact us directly to learn how our world class food and drink can help grow your business

Restaurants including Bill s and Shepherd

Despite

For

end of this decade as a blend at 20% volume to deliver a safer, greener gas alternative that reduces carbon emissions

Those currently working on commercial water heating projects with Adveco can continue to commit to gas fired applications with the knowledge that Adveco’s instantaneous ADplus and semi instantaneous AD water heaters, and MD boiler ranges are all hydrogen

20% blend ready This instantly delivers an oppor tunity to embrace more sustain able gas supplies once available without the need for any change in specification or post installation upgrades to the appliances

With advanced burner technolog y and rugged titanium stainless steel construc tion of the heat exchangers Adveco’s ADplus AD and MD will continue to oper ate well into the 2030s, providing a practical, future proof choice today to decarbonise operations in the most cost effective manner as hydrogen blending becomes commonplace Organisations also gain a clear path to the adoption of future generations of proven 100% hydrogen appliances as the gas network matures and greens

For those wishing to commit to immediately decarbonising their hot water sys tems, Adveco can suppor t hybrid applications that use solar thermal, as well as heat pumps, to pre heat water and offset gas energ y usage without removing the gas connection necessar y for future infrastructure developments www adveco co

Wines, Spirits and Cocktails

Authentic Spanish Sangria

– Now In A Can!

Solsueño sangria in a can introduced to the UK in spring 2022 in par tnership with Proof Drinks Ltd, has brought a premium, innovative addition to the pre mix beverage sector and a ray of liquid Spanish sun shine to UK consumers!

Packaged in a modern 330ml slimline can at 5% abv, Solsueño is an authentic sangria crafted in the Denominacion de Origen region of Jumilla, Murcia

Using local and natural ingredients the great tasting liquid is vegan and gluten free , instantly giving consumers the sun sea and sangria holiday feeling

Ideal for all indoor and outdoor set tings, with no preparation or wastage , the can offers single ser ve conven ience but can also be used in shared occasions adding ice and fruit in a jug The eco credentials of cans mean lower transpor t costs due to the lightness of the packaging and the cans are infinitely recyclable

Awarded Bronze in the 2022 IWSC

Alternative Drinks categor y competi tion, the professional wine tasting

panel offered the following tasting notes: ‘’juicy cherr y and plum palate , with clove and cinnamon spice giving a refreshing and drinkable palate’’

Following a first year of attending many national trade fairs, regional outdoor events, Foodie Festivals and local food & drink fairs, the overwhelming reac tion to the liquid is really positive and has driven early successes with on and off trade distribution, as well as Amazon Suppor ted by an active social media and extensive sampling campaign, Solsueño has established a firm foothold and the brand is ver y much looking for ward to continued successes into 2023

With pre mix drinks growing to be a hugely popular categor y par ticularly dur ing the summer, sangria is a natural fit given the high levels of consumer aware ness due to Spain being a major holiday destination for the UK consumer Solsueño sangria Bringing Spa n to the UK!

Contact us at: info@sangria solsueno com www sangria solsueno com

Bottleproof

With over 25 cocktails in their range , Cambridge based Bottleproof Cocktails are one of the leaders in their field, supplying premium cocktails exclusively to the On Trade since 2016 Customers include hotels, theatres, restaurants, pubs and events venues across the UK and beyond

All Bottleproof cocktails are full ABV professional bar ser ves using branded spirits, juices and their own syrups Each cocktail still has to be shaken, stirred or built so the theatre of a cocktail ser ve is not lost but they are considerably quicker to make and provide consistency without the need for extensive training

Initially Bottlepr toof have launched two of their best sellers in the eco friendly paper bottles, the multi

refuse collection”

Compared to glass bottles, the paper bottles are:

As Mark Thompson, co owner of Bottleproof Cocktails who heads up sales, says

“Interest in the paper bottles from our existing customers as well as new cus tomers has been phenomenal Our cock tails are high quality with a proven track record in the on trade; the packaging looks great and we are offering an initial stocking price that makes them cheaper than our glass bottles Plus we are all helping the environment what’s not to like!”

For more information visit www.bot tleproof.co.uk Tel 01223 462211 Email info@bottleproof.co.uk

Cleaning and Hygiene

Ozone Clean

Ozone Clean is the leading manufacturer and supplier of Ozone generating equip ment to the hospitality sec tor as well as many other industries for Odour and Infection control We supply a range of generators suit able for all applications both industrial and domestic that can effectively treat small to ver y large areas

Our company is multi internationally award winning and has rapidly built a strong reputation within Hospitality and other industries since our inception in 2005 Our goal is centred on supplying products that are efficient, safe and cost effective , backed up by an excellent ser vice ethic and after sales 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 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 consumption

Should you decide to buy either our OC1500 or OC700 we will offer you a 15% discount exclusive to this ar ticle Just quote OZO15 Web: www ozoneclean co uk Call : 020 8883 2756 Emails: sales@ozoneclean co

Invest today, profit tomorrow: Why sustainability is for laundries a plus for their budget and for the climate?

Several tons of laundr y are processed in a laundr y ever y day Textile ser vice providers stand for reliability, quality and hygiene Today, a responsible and integral circular economy means much more: Consistently clean and sustainable processed textiles

Kannegiesser is the global par tner for the future of the laundr y industr y For us, sustainability is an elementar y component and more than just a trend In addition to savings in resources and textile care in the laundr y technolog y, Kannegiesser stands for the integral sustainable corporate culture This includes securing long term economic stability comprehensive education and training of the own employees and security for the future through innovation

g y of the PowerPress and PowerSpin provides low residual moistures permitting high savings in the subsequent evaporation process Thanks to the process control Eco2Power for the transfer dr yer PowerDr y, the energ y is kept in the system and needs not to be recovered via heat exchangers In the finishing process, Kannegiesser is a pioneer for low temperature dr ying during the process of iron ing, finishing or full dr ying with impressive results for both, in maintaining textile value and energ y consumption Ultimately, the energ y contained in the ironing and finisher exhaust air is used to heat fresh water for the washing process the cir cle is completed

The modern technolog y of Kannegiesser reduces the use of fresh water and fossil fuels Our solutions drive growth for our customers and create attractive , future oriented and ergonomic jobs for us and in the entire industr y This is how we help people to live clean healthy and safe lives

Visit www.kannegiesser.com/uk/en/ for fur ther information

Double Accolade For Southern Contracts

SOUTHERN Contracts is thrilled to receive not one , but two awards for their performance over the past year

Electrolux Professional have announced Southern Contracts as their Laundr y Par tner of the Year 2021 which is award ed to the top selling Par tner of commercial laundr y appliances across last year

Southern Contracts have also been awarded Electrolux Professional s Special

years we look forward to an optimistic future and all our clients being able to fully open up their businesses in this bright new world ahead ”

a first class and profes sional par tner

“I have worked with them personally for over 4 years and can always rely on them to provide the right solution and fantastic after care for any customer, from a wide variety of sectors, across the Marine environment through to Care Homes, Hotels and Schools

“Due to their many years of experience , they have a wide breadth of knowledge covering both the laun dr y and catering environments and although they are a company that can deal in a global marketplace , they still give the first class friendly care of a family run business for both their remote and local customers

For more information about products and ser vices on offer, contact Southern Contract s exper t team of technical staff to provide guidance and advice through ever y aspect of your purchase and ongoing commit ment to ser vice , please telephone 01202 422100 or visit www southerncontracts co uk See the adver t on the previous

Mark Rogers, Regional Business Manager for Electrolux Professional, added: “Electrolux Professional have dealt with Southern Contracts for over 30 years and during that time they have established them selves as always being one of our leading distributors We have always found them to be

Those in the hos pitality industr y who weathered the pan demic and Brexit and lived to tell the tale find themselves in a different landscape Customers’ expectations have grown as the world opens up to travel and tourism with renewed enthusiasm

Top Hospitality Partnership Takes Customer Experience To New Levels

Restaurant owners now have access to frictionless client engagement thanks to an exclusive par tnership between a leading provider of restaurant epos and the most advanced digital guest experience platform

NFS Technolog y, provider of Aloha restaurant man agement software have announced the selection of Paytronix Systems Inc as their UK and Ireland par t ner in a move predicted to be hugely popular in the industr y

Chris Car tmell, Chief Commercial Officer for NFS restaurant technolog y, said the development is a response to the dramatic change in the way cus tomers want to engage with their favourite restau rants

“Many of our clients ask us how they can take a more integrated approach to client engagement, loy alty and feedback,” he said

“The Paytronix platform seamlessly integrates with Aloha, to be able to offer our clients a tool to improve client engagement, grow revenue and be able to get a much better picture on both client spend and preferences,” said Chris

Aloha integrated with Paytronix, benefits the cus tomer experience in key ways:

1 It enables restaurants to pro vide a customised one to one journey for c lients , combining data and market ng automa tion in one dashboard

2 Digital marketing s highly per sonalised to customer behaviour and connected to actual guest spend

3 Restaurateur s can create and deploy omn c hanne marketing campaigns in minutes , us ng core design options that suit guest needs

4 Order frequenc y is increased by offer ing comb ned ser vices for example , online order ing and loyalty pro grammes together have been shown to increase order frequenc y by 18%

5 Customer loyalty is grown The integrated system enables more ways to enrol and more promotion types many user s see guest par ticipation of 50 to 70%

Discover more about epos technolog y and cus tomer experience: https://alohaepos co uk/ See the adver t on the previous page for details

Hospitality Technology

Intelligent Data

By Scott Muncaster, Owner and Managing Director of Adactus (www adactus co uk)

By definition, intelligent

data is any data collected by your company which offers insight into the behaviour and mindset of your customers This data will help you gain a bet ter understanding of what drives and excites your customers

Intelligent data is invaluable when it comes to marketing out reach, new customer procurement, and customer retention, as it allows you to provide a targeted and bespoke approach for all your guests

However, so often brands are guilty of taking a blanket approach when it comes to communicating with customers Not only are they missing an oppor tunity to build a strong rappor t with those who walk through their doors, but equally they risk losing existing clientele with irritating, irrelevant mar keting

Capturing intelligent data that creates a single customer view has never been more impor tant No one needs to dine out, especially with a cost of living crisis, so knowing who you ’ re speaking to and tailoring your messages appropriately is crucial to capturing people s attention, enticing them in, and then nur turing those relationships fur ther For example , you might want

couples who have the flexibility, but not as much disposable income , with mid week

deals, or retirees living in a specific area with a lunchtime offer Maybe you want to get early bird discounts in front of families who are slightly more cash strapped but still relish those one off family outings intelligent data allows you to do this

MCR Systems

Then there’s using this data to track customers’ behaviours and to tailor to suit For example , having a high chair ready for the family with a baby or tracking a customer’s usual drink choice so the waiter is informed on arrival

This insight can also be used to shape the company ’ s future product or ser vice plans For example , is it time to introduce ‘order and pay ’ options at the table for those on a tight schedule or who want to be more in control of their experience if you ’ re seeing more customers that fit that profile? Or perhaps offering the option of takeaway could boost weekday sales?

It s about doing a deep dive into data to help shape and grow your business, while delivering a more per sonalised experience that makes you stand out Har vesting intelligent customer data means you ’ re able to interrogate data to understand where when and how a guest engages with your brand

Collecting intelligent customer data is easier than you might think Using the right tools means as you gath er, cleanse and segment your data, the more asser tive you can be with your selling

However, the more data you har vest, the more analysis is needed to make this data work harder for you, all of which can be automated via CRM systems

This involves categorising your data so you can make inferences at a glance The analysis process is where you begin to truly understand the trends of your customers Once this stage of the customer intelligence process is complete , you’ll have a comprehensive single view of all your customers

We find that consistency is key in the hospitality sector, and using technolog y can add speed and accuracy to your approach as well as clearing a more visible path to maximising your data’s potential

The hospitality industr y is one of the most competitive , and as the sector continues to be hit by the cost of living crisis, businesses simply cannot afford to provide a so so ser vice Intelligent data will help improve ever y facet of your offering, and make it easier to navigate the challenges of the current climate

Employers Must Adapt To Employee Expectations, says Bizimply

“The recruitment crisis is already stretching wage budgets, so employers don’t always have the option to increase pay significantly for entr y level staff work ing front of house and kitchen shifts However it’s impor tant to understand employee motivation at this level

“Many of the businesses we work with rely on par t time staff, including team members who combine work with their studies, or who have childcare or other commitments For these employees there is the potential to take home a little more from ever y shift they work, through the increases in the mini mum wage and the National Insurance threshold introduced earlier this year

The monthly ONS vacancy figures have seen a decline in the number of hospitality vacancies with 158,000 vacancies recorded in the quar ter from July to September 2022, a decline of 8 8% compared with the 173,000 vacancies in the from April to June 2022

Conor Shaw, CEO of workforce management special ist Bizimply said: “While vacancies still represent a huge challenge for the sector the drop reflects our experi ence that some operators are using technology to manage their workforce a little better, and maximise the benefits to the business of the workforce available

“An employer tr ying to run their businesses with 10% vacancy rates needs their existing staff to be 10% more efficient, and ever y employee willing to work an extra shift helps to relieve the immediate challenge for employers, while employees need to know that they can fit work around other commitments

Businesses that have robust workforce manage ment systems in place can input changes such as new rates of pay, tax and NI, give employees the maximum notice of shifts, and process any changes in employ ees ’ shift patterns quickly Employees can use the same technolog y to it to let their employer know what hours they can work regularly, and if these change due to school holidays or other circum stances

“Bizimply’s software helps businesses reduce the amount of time spent creating staff rotas and sorting out payroll It means that GMs and super visors can spend more time front of house, where they can have the most positive impact, making operational decisions, managing team members and interacting with cus tomers ” See

Outdoor Spaces

Putting Safety On The Menu For Al Fresco Dining

While vehicle as a weapon attacks are rare , they have become the tactic of choice for terrorists and any location where people gather outside close to vehicular access is vulnerable to this type of attack

No so long ago, al fresco dining was a lifestyle we associated with summer holi days abroad; a European pavement café cul ture that we’d never quite mastered over here, with our narrow roads and limited pavements Indeed, al fresco dining was so foreign to us Brits that we ’ ve never even coined our own name for it!

But COVID was a catalyst for change Forced to provide the option for customers to eat and drink outside when indoor spaces were too risky at the height of the virus many hospitality businesses have made that tempo rar y provision into a permanent change , and are now benefitting from their investment in outdoor dining with increased capacity and appeal to a wider demographic

Extended outdoor seating licensing introduced as a temporar y measure June 2020 was extended until September of this year and has now been extended again until 2023 pending permanent legislation to allow bars and restaurants to provide furniture on pavements and pedestrianised roads adjacent to their premises It’s great news for a sector still recovering from the pandemic and offers customers greater choice , along with the conti nental vibe they may have enjoyed while en vacances But there is an ele phant in the outdoor space: safety

UNDERSTANDING THE POTENTIAL RISKS

Terrorism is not the only safety consideration either While drink driving statistics have been falling over the past few years, drug driving offences continue to rise , putting pedestrians at risk of incidents involving errant vehicles Add to this a spate of ram raid attacks on high street stores, and it’s easy to see how quickly a relaxed lunch could become a serious inci dent if the risks involved have not been identified and mitigated

Following the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, campaigning led by Figen Murray mother of one of the victims has led to proposed legislation called UK Protect Duty (Mar tyn’s Law), which will involve mandator y risk assessment and the implementation of safety plans for businesses responsi ble for gatherings of people The consultation element of the legislative process has already been completed, and a draft bill is expected soon Regardless of the parameters of any future legislation however many busi nesses are already preparing and embracing the need to consider safety as par t of their duty of care for al fresco diners

THREAT, VULNERABILITY AND RISK

An outdoor hospitality environment ought to be a place where people can relax and enjoy good food and good company, so mitigating risk should definitely not involve creating a For t Knox enclosure that makes customers feel in constant jeopardy Any measures put in place to protect people should be propor tionate to the risk, and the level of risk will depend on numerous factors, including the proximity of roads, the direction of traffic , ease of vehicular access, etc

A risk assessment process that considers the potential threats and specif ic vulnerabilities of individual al fresco dining environments to understand

"Can We Sit Outside Please?"

Over

the level of risk involved enables hospitali ty owners and operators to make informed choices about the measures they put in place to protect people There is a balance to be struck between risk mitiga tion and practicality/affordability It will never be possible to eradicate risk, but it is possible to ensure safety measures are targeted and propor tionate

BLENDING IN OR STAND ING OUT?

There is a varied array of hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) systems available , and selecting the right solution for a specific environment depends on a variety of risk factors, along with practical, operational needs and aesthetics For al fresco dining environments, it is entirely possible to select HVM protection that not only blends into the surroundings but actually enhances them

A correctly specified IWA 14 1 rated HVM system can be concealed within a variety of streetscape casings, including planters, benches, bike racks and barriers, providing a decorative touch for outdoor spaces that keeps people safer Bars and restaurants can even choose to combine HVM protection with branded banners enabling them to combine safety with customisation too

RELAXED DINING

Al fresco dining is an oppor tunity for customers to relax and enjoy By ensuring they understand and mitigate risk, hospitality operators can relax too

equals £200 If you were to turn these 3 times a day that would equal £600 If we multiply that by a realistic 4 days of the week, you re looking at £2400 or £9,600 a month! Multiply that by 12 and your revenue would increase by £115k per annum Assuming 50% gross margin, the investment of 1 parasol could provide a profit contribution of £57 6k per annum which is a welcome statistic in these economically tr ying times What’s more , our zero deposit leasing options allow for payments to be spread over 2 5 years So taking a 4mt X 4mt parasol with a moveable base , impor t, deliv er y and fitting, the monthly payment over 36 months would be £184 09 or the weekly equivalent of £42 98 As such your potential R O I massively outweighs this no deposit figure

What are you waiting for?! 01352 740164 www indigoawnings co uk enquiries@indigoawnings.co.uk

Deborah Ainscough, founder and direc tor of Crowdguard, specialists in safety installations for events and pedestri anised locations , discusses the safety considerations for al fresco dining areas to protect staff and customers

Outdoor Spaces

The Sausage Man Launches the Optimum Grab and Go Sausage Solution with Sausage2Go

Launched at this year ’ s Casual Dining Show, The Sausage Man’s Sausage2Go unit, presents the perfect hot hold solu tion for caterers across all sectors wishing to offer hot dogs as a quick ser ve or grab and go option

Specialists in authentic , premium quali ty German sausages, The Sausage Man, offers five bestselling sausages from its extensive range to kick off the Sausage2Go launch; choose from deli cious Bratwurst Bacon Krakauer Cheese Frankfur ters, Chilli Beef or Vegan Hot Dogs to entice custom

All sausages are fully cooked, ready to eat and reheat, and are supplied chilled or frozen, benefiting from a long shelf life The sausages are offered for sale accompanied by high quality brioche baguettes from baker y brand St Pierre

The Sausage2Go unit, made by Flexeser ve , the spe cialists in hot holding, flexible merchandising solu tions, facilitates the latest ground breaking, patented

air recirculation technolog y retaining heat without over cooking for perfect food condition, superior flavour and texture , and no moisture loss through out the day

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 y 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 offer

For operators, the unit couldn’t be simpler to use and is especially useful for quick ser ve situations

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

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

We are an independent suppli er ser ving the outdoor restau rant trade with supplies for outdoor seating areas We have some large clients including Gondola group along with many smaller cafe bars restaurants and public houses

We design and manufacturer our own windbreaks and use the best materials available For anyone looking long term that saves you money as you won’t be replacing cheap inter net impor ts next season It’s one area where it doesn’t pay to buy budget as the continual bumps and scrapes

outdoor goods receive com bined with the harsh British cli mate really needs something tough enough for the job We also supply Markilux awning which are some of the best made in the industr y and Uhlmann parasols another top rated German brand Bespoke goods are also a spe ciality with custom made menu holders, waiter stations and planters all to you requirement If we can help you do drop a line to sales@cafeculture biz

•

ComPaCK GlassWasHers

ComPaCK FroNT loadING dIsHWasHers

ComPaCK Pass THroUGH dIsHWasHers

• 350, 400 and 500 basket machines available

• 120 seconds washing cycle

• Ecoclean control system for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle

• Built in drain pump included

• Complete with built in adjustable detergent & rinse aid dispensers

• Guarantees hot rinse thermostop

• Thermal protection for wash tank and boiler

• Light function button with self diagnostic

For all models

• Self diagnosis with errors solution, precise setting of the detergent dispenser, different temperature setting for each cycle

• Ecoclean control system for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle (only with built in drain pump)

• Thermal acoustic double door

• New inclined and deep drawn welded tank

• Door reinforcement brackets

Adjustable rinsing arm rotation speed

• Fully stainless steel made wash and rinse arms for low maintenance, heavy duty, all corrosion resistant

• Removable double filtering system for wash and drainage cycle

• Electronic control DIGIT with temperature display

• 4 washing cycles

• Ecoclean control System for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle

• Built in drain pump included Complete with built in adjustable detergent & rinse aid dispensers

• Guarantees hot rinse thermostop

• Thermal protection for wash tank and boiler

• Built in softener (only on D50S and D55S)

• Colour coded function button with self diagnostic

• Evolute Electronic control with lCd display

• Electronic control with LCD display

• 4 individual programmable cycles

• Ecoclean control System for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle

• Built in drain pump included

• Complete with built in adjustable detergent & rinse aid dispensers

• Break tank AA air gap Wras approved

• Guarantee rinse temperature 85⁰C at constant pressure

• Self cleaning cycle on drain down

• Thermal protection for wash tank and boiler

• Built in softener (only on BT55S)

• Self diagnostic

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Quality, Flexibility and Efficiency: Decarb It is the Decarboniser Supplier That Delivers

There are many benefits to con sidering shor t term decarboniser hire for your commercial kitchen Deep cleaning kitchen ware that is heavily greased and carbonated maintains the hygiene of your kitchen and is recommended by EHO’s Decarbonisers enable time previously spent scrubbing and cleaning to be used on more impor tant tasks They increase the longevity of your kitchen ware , and, unlike long term hire or pur chasing, they don t require permanent space in your kitchen All of these have a direct impact on your kitchen’s bottom line High hygiene ratings increase cov ers, more efficient use of staff reduces your wage bill, longer lasting kitchen ware means less money spent on replacements and efficiently utilizing the space in your kitchen increases productivity

Most reputable decarbonisers deliver all these cost saving benefits but with energ y prices skyrocketing we at Decarb It think it’s impor tant to go fur ther to sup por t your long term profitability Our decarbonisers deliver all the benefits above but are also the most energ y efficient decarbonisers currently on the market

By Kate Wearden, Marketing Ninja, Decarb It Ltd

We invest in high grade steel, pre mium insulation, and advanced electronics, resulting in an average of approximately 40% less power used vs a leading competitor

We also appreciate the chal lenges of the changing environ ment in which we now live , which is why we recognise the impor tance of flexibility

Committing to long term contracts with vendors isn t always possible when the economic environments are so fragile which is why we not only offer a range of decarbonisers to suit all budgets, but also flexibility when it comes to the length of hire Whether it’s two weeks, a month, or longer, we can provide a solution that is bespoke to your needs

Our flexibility, commitment to efficiency, and cus tomer focused approach ensures that ever y aspect of our ser vice , from our product to our customer rela tionships are the highest quality possible

To find out how Decarb It can make your kitchen shine , for less, visit www decarbit co uk or call 0161 871 7393

Fry More For Less with OilChef

How can the food ser vice and hospitality industr y protect against risings costs? One way is to make the cooking oil last longer In fact, the award winnin accessor y for deep fr yers, is doi that The OiLChef device is a ca tor for deep fr yers!

It keeps the cooking oil in a fresher condition, by slowing down oxidation, stopping polymerizations of the oil molecules and by retarding the buildup of free fatty acids, peroxides, total polar materials and most impor tantly of all the carcinogenic acr ylamides in fr y ing oil The OiLChef device is not a filter, it is not a chemi

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Kitchen

One of the biggest chal lenges in keeping a commer cial kitchen spotlessly clean is the regular cleaning of the canopy, fan and extract duct work This must be tackled, not only for the sake of hygiene , but also for fire pre vention and compliance

Airborne fat, oil and grease is a natural by product of even the healthiest diet

Carried in the steam that rises from cooking, grease and oil par ticles are drawn into the kitchen extract sys tem to be vented away to the outside As the exhaust stream cools, grease is deposited on the metal surfaces of the hood, canopy, filters, canopy plenum, fan and ductwork

Should a kitchen fire reach the extract ductwork, or a flash fire occur in the extract system,

Temporary Catering Facilities For Events & Kitchen Refurbishments

New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) Creates Considerable Interest

There are significant advantages that this combi oven drainage pump offers

The pump features a tank with its clear side window was the large , tri angular, 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 reliable 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 temperatures 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 installa tion 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

The New DrainMajor C (Combi Oven Pump) manufactured by Pump Technolog y Ltd

A Special Treat from KEMPLEX and NOWAH

enhance

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while also spending a few days in Milan “We know that

who purchases one of

sheeters is going to have a real passion for pastr y, so in

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that passion and get the ver y best from their K l d ugh sheeter what could be bet ter than spending two days learn ing from the current world champion?

has been manufacturing a wide astr y equipment since 1986 eeters remain its flagship product ils of NOWAH approved dealers, ntact NOWAH Catering t by visiting owah co uk/kemplex products

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out with Williams

By

These days kitchen space is get ting squeezed, as foodser vice operators look to increase their restaurant areas to get in more customers The logical result of which is that, despite being small er, the kitchen has to produce more meals A new commercial kitchen fit out often has to com ply 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

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

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 com petitor 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

Malcolm Harling, sales and marketing director, Williams Refrigeration

Design and Refit

Archetypely

Archetypely is a boutique design and construction project management consultancy that was founded in 2019, specialis ing in commercial fit outs & refurbishments Since then, we have been working on many interesting projects successfully delivering to the satisfaction of our clients

We can deliver the projects via the traditional procurement as ‘Main Contractor’ or via the ‘Design and Build’ route , but our biggest strength sits in the ability to also deliver the fit out projects via ‘Construction Management,’ providing our clients with great control over time/cost and quality of the final product by directly con trolling the trade contractors on client’s behalf

In doing this we provide full suppor t to the client and our team fully manages the entire process We manage all of the client’s direct packages during the fit out, from tender selection and inter views through negotiations, appointments and construction while coordinating all trade contractors

and managing the site and main building works

Here at Archetypely, we have a holistic and process oriented approach to project management consultan cy We are known for an unparalleled commitment to customer satisfaction; we bring together the best architects, engineers and designers within one team Ever y project is unique and comes with new challenges That's why at Archetypely we customise our approach and resources to suit the individual client’s requirements

At Puttshack Watford the new mini golf course uses tech infused ideas to bring a unique twist to the traditional game of golf

ANAMO Design Studio was employed as the Interior Designer for the project, whilst Archetypely was the Main Contractor Renata Zywicka, Director at Archetypely, has under taken all por tfolio devel opment related duties for Puttshack and has acted as the primar y representative on their construction projects

Archetypely has fully managed the entire project from its initial feasibility studies, through the design development procurement and on site management of the construction phase of the fit out

For more information visit: https://www archetypely com/

One of the UK’s most profes sional and technically advanced engraving and etching supplier, Brunel Engraving, is providing a rapid response to the growing demand for etched table numbers and QR code discs in the pub and catering industr y

The company has made a sub stantial investment in additional state of the ar t equipment and related software in order to pro duce a wide range of individually engraved and printed table num bers and discs

The numbers and discs enable customers to link to apps or menus eliminating the requirement for hard copies of menus and making it quicker and more con venient for customers to order

“Our investment in additional equipment and soft

ware has ensured that our cus tomers in the hospitality sector can benefit from

Design and Refit

and our clients For example briefing meetings can take place via video call, with plans, mood boards, etc dis cussed 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 visiting the site ever y week, holding long face to face meetings with all the contractors and any unnecessar y steps that tradi tionally 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 foreman 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

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

Additional Ranges as ILF Continue to Expand

www.ilfchairs.com email;terr y.kirk@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 cus tomer 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 seating 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

Sparkle interiors has been set up to help our clients create fantastic interiors while saving on expensive designer fees

Design and Refit

London Roof Garden Boasts Toilet Block Thanks to Saniflo

The Queen Elizabeth Hall at the iconic Southbank

Early

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

No More Time Wasted Cleaning Up Candle Wax

One of the issues many restaurants are currently facing at the moment is a shor tage of staff So anything that can reduce workload has to be of interest

We firmly believe that can dles are an essential par t of the dining experience , but what comes with them is all the mess which uses valuable time cleaning up Time and money that could be better spent elsewhere So how do you square that circle? The answer is with oil candles

There are two types Glass bodied refillable ones and plastic prefilled, disposable ones Both do the job fantastically well, while making no mess having no waste and minimal maintenance The refillable ones are ver y economical while the disposable ones have all the convenience of a tealight

On top of that, they look absolutely great and will enhance the look and feel of your restaurant or bar

If you ’ ve never used, seen or heard of oil candles before or even if you have , the best place to go to find out more is www clearcraft catering co uk

There is an extensive amount of information there , FAQ section, guides to help you decide which candle is best for you and a full e com merce site

You can also request a free sample oil candle , with some oil by e mailing sales@clearcraftltd.co.uk Please state what design you wish to see and include your deliver y details

Clearcraft Ltd Tel: 01279 731621 www clearcraft catering co uk

Richard Riley from building contractor, Eleven London, was contracted to construct a wooden toilet block with two separate WC’s and hand basins With

Navigating Permitted Development Rights for Temporary Structures

By Simon Atha, Associate Director Boyer (par t of Leader s Romans Group) (www boyerplanning co uk)

The requirements for social distancing during the pandemic opened up the oppor tunity to utilise wide ranging outdoor sites for hospitality, and in a rare ‘Covid positive’, that legislation is here to stay

Under Class G of The Town and Countr y Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) (No 3) Order 2021, the operators of pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants can sig nificantly increase footfall, and thereby profits, by erecting a mar quee or gazebo on their premises, running a pop up bar in a beer garden or any other moveable structure As a result popu lar spor ts matches, large wedding par ties and a wide variety of events can attract greater numbers of patrons for hospitality venues

The legislation surrounding Planning Permitted Development Rights (PDR) is much misunderstood Best known for home extensions and the controversy over change of use within the built environment (such as from commercial or agricultural buildings to residential use) it also applies to ‘temporar y ’ struc tures such as marquees

There are some limitations on what is allowed The first is that

dismantled or on wheels It must be less than three metres in height with

a maximum footprint of 50 sq m, or 50% of the footprint of the building with which it is associated, whichever is smaller In residential areas the structure must be at least two metres away from nearby homes There is also a limit of one structure per site and does not apply to the cur tilage of a listed building or scheduled monument

Despite social distancing being relaxed and the summer coming to an end, this announcement is good news Even for those venues which don’t have outdoor spaces of their own the ability for high streets to hold markets and food festivals may assist in attracting footfall Additionally, commercial spaces such as the landscaped grounds of office blocks can bring life to a site which may be underutilised as a result of changes in working patterns And outdoor visitor attractions will have additional flexibility to introduce temporar y structures on their grounds

Another oppor tunity is the likely change to the marriage regulations in England and Wales which could allow outdoor venues such as the grounds of a hotel or a beer garden to host wedding ceremonies, in addition to receptions In July the Law Commission recommended that weddings should be able to take place anywhere , pro viding the presiding official considers it safe and dignified The potential for a hotel to host one wedding inside and one (or perhaps more) outside , and for a pub to host ever ything from pre wedding drinks through to the final dance will no doubt be well received

Assuming that these proposed changes to marriage laws go ahead there is one impor tant caveat planning per mission: to use a barn, a community centre or a historic building for a wedding could represent a change of use and as such may require planning permission Whilst permitted development rights have been extended in some areas such as temporar y structures there remain planning challenges for hospitality businesses to navigate to ensure their operations comply with the appropriate planning legislation

PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS

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 cost ed 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 needed 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 cus tomers

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

Hotel Snapshot Shows Resilience of the UK Market

The

ered at a faster rate than first anticipated since Januar y 2022 with overall performance nearing or surpassing 2019 levels since May 2022 However, the coming months may prove more challenging for the sector s different stakeholders due to the cost of liv ing crisis, weakened GDP, and increasing inflation rates

The snapshot analyses the performance and out look for the UK’s top ten cities, which includes London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Bristol and Newcastle

Regional UK markets such as Edinburgh, Birmingham and Liverpool saw the highest increase in RevPAR in H1 2022 surpassing 2019 levels by 6 9% 8 5% and 7 5% respectively In comparison London has been slower to recover as the capital relies on inter national source markets and business travellers

Since Januar y operators have maintained high ADRs in order to balance some of the increasing cost pres sures as well as par tly protecting their profit conversions The success of this strateg y has been made possi ble by a change in consumer behaviour in the face of rising costs, with holiday spending being prioritised

Transactional volumes have remained strong and a total of £1 9 billion was spent on UK hotel transactions in H1 2022, an increase of 32% compared to H1 2021 Interestingly, domestic buyers are far more active in the market compared to last year In 2021, cross border investors represented 52% of the buyers yet this number dropped to 23% in H1 2022, likely due to international travel restrictions imposed over the past few years due to the pandemic , although this is unlikely to be a long lasting trend

KEY FACTORS IMPACTING THE MARKET

The repor t provides insight into the positive and negative factors that are impacting the hotel market Following the pandemic , hotels that were considered popular ‘staycation’ destinations have seen increased performance par ticularly in more rural areas such as Belfast Cardiff and Newcastle Hybrid hotels have also continued to perform well since the pandemic , as guests seek more flexibility in these spaces

The impact of the Ukrainian war on the rising cost of gas and electricity bills has already affected hoteliers’ financial decisions in 2022, with many maintaining high ADRs to balance increasing cost pressures Rising interest rates are predicted to directly impact financing options for hoteliers next year

EMERGING TRENDS AND OUTLOOK

Since 2020 with the rising popularity of “staycation” destinations, the UK market has seen an increase in domestic buyers At present 77% of the UK volume is credited to domestic investors, a number which may continue to rise

Inflation rates and GDP are expected to have a direct impact to the hotel market, with the BOE base rate expected to rise by 3% by the end of 2023 The market is full of active buyers, which may continue as a trend throughout 2022 as the rising inflation rates will encourage more hoteliers to buy rather than develop green field projects Lenders may also grow more cautious in the next half of 2022 despite the upwards trend in the market over the last 12 months

Diane Loubeyre , Senior Consultant Hotels at Christie & Co, comments, “Despite having to navigate a new wave of challenges in 2022 the UK hotel market has remained resilient and we are pleased to repor t the encouraging performance levels witnessed across the countr y so far this year Inbound international travel is also picking up and might grow fur ther into 2023, and with the pound at an all time low compared to USD or Euros, the UK is now more affordable to visit This will only act to fur ther suppor t the sector s

Specialist business proper ty adviser, Christie & Co, has today launched a new repor t, The UK Hotel Market: New challenges on the road to recover y providing a snapshot of the UK hotel market in 2022 as it emerges from the pandemic and faces a new wave of economic and operational challenges The repor t also shares a market outlook from major industr y players, Accor and Pygmalion

snapshot suggests that the UK hotel market proved resilient throughout the pandemic and has recov

Carine Bonnejean,