CLH Digital - Issue #140

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Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital

leader we discussed the ongoing issues facing the industr y, and all the lobbying and petitions to the government change

I did comment that the sector of society which foots the bill when the government squeezes the lemon until the pips squeak” is the public , who never seem to voice any objection

The hospitality and on-trade sector is the most overtaxed industr y in the countr y A sur vey by UKHospitality revealed that business rates tax alone places a disproportionate burden on the hospitality sector, with estimations that the sector overpays by £1 8 billion per year compared to its turnover

possible , and I think it might have had an impression (partially) at least on the issue of rates for the hospitality sector

Never theless there was nobody from the public which was a huge disappointment I would urge operators to let their clientele know just how much tax THEY the public are paying to the Treasur y! It’s ver y easy to say it comes from the hospitality sector when in reality it comes from the public as if they are not taxed enough!

Another stor y which I have to say I was rather disappointed about is the fact that many hospitality operators are looking to shor ten their operating hours this Christmas due to staff shor tages (See page 11)

Cutting operating hours at Christmas! The ver y concept is unthinkable!

to incorporate into the lead stor y but decided against it since I wanted the headline and the point made to stand alone

“Hospitality is the saviour of mankind” Now some may think that rather over the top! However, I am delighted to say that the concept of hospitality is extremely old; it is mentioned in writings dating back to Ancient Greece , ancient Rome and Biblical Times

In fact in 2020 researchers revealed that they had fully unear thed a frescoed “thermopolium” or fast food counter in an exceptional state of preser vation in Pompeii which as we know was buried lava when the volcano on nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD!

Nathan Outlaw says “People love to eat and drink too much Human beings love it Hospitality is the saviour of mankind If you don’t eat well, if you don’t drink well, and you don t have fun, then what s the point?

What is the point indeed? Imagine any countr y without hospitality It really does not bear thinking about Which is why I feel it is time for the public to step up I said the ver y same in Februar y this year at a licensed trade seminar in London Speaking with a hospitality sector

Don t get me star ted on VAT! The UK is one of the few countries in Europe that does not have a reduced rate of VAT for the hospitality sector It has been widely and successfully introduced in almost all EU countries as a measure to boost tourism and to grow the economy yet we let the oppor tunity slip by in 2021 when then Chancellor Rishi Sunak ignored pleas to keep VAT at 12 5% until December 2023

And when it comes to taxes on alcohol, I may be a little out of date , but I remember repor ting within the last year that Finland, Ireland and the United Kingdom are the three countries that levy the highest excise duties on beer

We here in the UK have the second highest excise rates on wine in Europe (only Ireland is higher) and when it comes to spirits, we are the four th highest in the world, according to The Tax Foundation Tax on Scotch Whisky in the UK currently stands at 70%, meaning around £3 in ever y £4 spent on Scotch Whisky in the UK goes to the HM Treasur y in excise and VAT

And while it is the hospitality sector that the government collects this tax from, it is invariably Joe Public who foots the bill

Last month I attended a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament, which then moved on to the Treasur y We had sector leaders, operators, chefs and waiting staff from around the countr y making as much noise as

When I worked for a ver y well known steakhouse early in my career I managed several outlets in the Midlands, London, Hampshire and Berkshire (and I could tell a few stories!)

Many of our bar and waiting staff were working par t-time second jobs, making up household income , but also the oppor tunity for a change of environment for a few hours of the week

It seems like they were different days then, we have soaring inflation rising energ y costs and I would have thought a second par t-time job would be the answer to many problems

And for those entering the workplace for the first time , well, as I’ve often said before the sector is a wonderful oppor tunity for people from all social backgrounds, irrespective of qualification, to join a vibrant friendly progressive sector Hard work yes, but an oppor tunity for career progression, travel, enjoy an abundance of new skills, and meet new people

Which I hope is the message the sector will be taking through to 2023!

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

So please do follow us on Twitter, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to subscribe to our digital issue , fur ther details can be seen at www catererlicensee com

EDITOR

Peter Adams

Support Local Hospitality During Train Strikes - Public Urged

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 )

GET BEHIND HOSPITALITY

With the Covid pandemic having hit hospitality especially hard, the sector is facing its third heavily impacted Christmas in a row, with the costof-living crisis now set to be compounded by train strikes, which will disrupt the plans of hundreds of thousands of people Cancellations across the hospitality industr y have skyrocketed following the announcement, and with hotels and other hospitality venues already facing a difficult winter, HOSPA, the Hospitality Professionals Association, is calling upon the public to get behind hospitality businesses local to them to help keep the industr y going

TEETERING ON THE BRINK

Commenting Jane Pendlebur y CEO of HOSPA said: “The hospitality industr y has gone from one crisis to another, with the pandemic having caused many operators to close and never reopen This winter, it’s set to happen all over again with many teetering on the brink ”

She continued: “We have sympathy for people fighting for better pay and working conditions and this is something we champion at HOSPA However, the bleak fact is, whilst others are looking to improve their working conditions the knock on effect will be people in hospitality losing their jobs completely Operators have clung on over the last few years, with many only doing so miraculously, and now, with consumers already struggling confirmed bookings are fast evaporating It’s difficult enough to generate trade during a cost-of-living crisis, but now hospitality is even losing the custom of people in a position to afford it – but who just can’t get there It’s yet another blow on top of the many before it ”

With travel disrupted, HOSPA is calling on those who ve been affected by the strikes to consider their local hospitality businesses instead, while it’s also urging those who can afford to do so to engage with hospitality wherever they can

Jane said: “With costs rising, it’s incredibly difficult for so many at pres-

ent – but the hospitality industr y is the third largest employer in the UK, suppor ting millions of households So we urge people to not forget us and we ask them to suppor t their local hospitality operators wherever they can Something as simple as popping into bars and pubs for a pint, or having just a light meal in a restaurant all helps to keep these businesses going Simply staying open with the lights and heating on is a huge expense in itself at the moment, so you’ll be helping to offset these costs To coin a phrase from Tesco, ever y little helps – and that’s never been more fitting in our current predicament ”

GOVERNMENT “HAS LOST CONTROL”

Michael Kill CEO of Nightime Industr y Association (NTIA) Says: “Its abundantly clear the Government has lost control, strike action has overshadowed the first Christmas period we have had to celebrate with some normality in over 3 years ”

“Businesses are already seeing a 30% downturn in trade due to transpor t challenges and changing weather with festive bookings being cancelled daily and par ty sizes reducing as we move into the hear t of the festive period ”

“It is estimated that businesses will lose over 2 Billion in revenue during this period, vital revenue that will help them sur vive in the early par t of 2023 ”

“The Government cannot ignore the escalating situation any longer As more unions join the UK wide industrial action bringing the countr y closer to a stand still

Our sector is one of the hardest hit by the rail strikes, first to close and last to open during the pandemic The current circumstances are critically impacting businesses and will require a Government inter vention and fur ther suppor t for businesses at the sharpest end of this crisis ”

HIT MASSIVELY

Chef Tom Kerridge , who owns restaurants in London, Marlow and Buckinghamshire , said his London venue Kerridge’s Bar & Grill would see its revenues being “hit massively” by the strikes, but noted that more rural areas may be less affected

Mr Kerridge echoed the sentiments of other operators stating that he sympathised with railway workers going on strike but that the government should have been working harder to facilitate negotiations with rail unions

To suppor t the initiative , HOSPA has created a series of social media assets for hospitality businesses to use on their social channels to help highlight the plight of the sector and drive awareness of #Suppor tLocalHospitality These can be downloaded via https://www hospa org/suppor tlocalhospitality

Jane Pendlebur y concluded:

With ever yone assessing their own circumstances at present, it s easy to overlook the impact beyond this If hospitality businesses can help to raise awareness of the struggles the sector is facing where they can, they might inspire those who are in a position to do so to dine out, go for drinks and even indulge in an overnight hotel stay For a sector in crisis the smallest of things can make the difference , so we encourage those who can to get involved ”

Hospitality and Leisure: Survival of the Staffed

It is no secret that the hospitality and leisure (H&L) industr y has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years From forced closures due to pandemic-related restrictions, to staff shor tages and soaring energ y bills, it is little wonder that some operators are struggling to cope

The largest challenge facing the industr y is that of recruiting and retaining staff A repor t by accountancy firm Menzies LLP has revealed that a lack of skilled workers from baristas to hotel managers and chefs is holding the industr y back, and with staff beginning to look elsewhere for more rewarding work as the cost-of-living crisis hits, businesses in the sector are struggling to remain viable In fact, a hospitality and leisure thinktank, led by Menzies, found that most hospitality employers said that they had been forced to close due to staffing issues, and some felt that wage inflation was also a par ticular issue

With 1 288 million unfilled roles within the H&L sector according to

By Chris Maloney, par tner and head of hospitality and leisure at accountancy firm, Menzies LLP (www.menzies .co.uk)

data from the ONS repor ted in UKHospitality’s Workforce Strateg y it is little wonder that employers are facing significant staffing and recruitment challenges However, with some innovative thinking around building a brand and implementing a structure that suppor ts staff in a rewarding long-term career, businesses could reverse their situation to become an employer of choice

To succeed in attracting staff in a climate of low unemployment, employers need to put together a compelling and competitive offer, seeking to implement changes both internally and externally as they do so For example , with many candidates looking for work that empowers them and allows them to have a positive effect on the world around them employers need to create career paths with this in mind; adapting practices and developing a brand with a social purpose

Potential applicants are looking to work with businesses that not only understand the world around them, but the experience of being an employee within the H&L sector This can also help to retain employees, as employers seek to understand how they compare to others in the sector Listening to the workforce and acting on appropriate feedback is one way to ensure that recruits find their new roles motivating and skilled staff feel respected and valued

Employers should also be aware of external processes that could help to attract and retain staff These can be as simple as considering the business’ hiring strateg y and reaching out to new employment pools, perhaps to candidates who will require a little more training than origi-

nally

With the

Additionally, changes to immigration policy in both 2021 and 2022 now allow employers to recruit skilled workers from overseas Whilst the UK may be facing a shor tage of staff, the world is made up of people who are willing to work, and there are a number of routes available to employers to engage with them For example , the Youth Mobility Scheme visa allows young people between 18-30 years from par ticipating countries to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months In addition, as par t of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, there are pathways for workers from Australia to live and work in the UK for a set time period

Finally, it is well wor th considering internal practices, such as the approach to staff development, internships and par tnering with local colleges and universities, which may provide hospitality courses

Implementing a robust training and development programme will also act as a draw for candidates from all walks of life Careful career structuring, combined with a sensible approach to pay that allows the business to remain viable , could help employers to build a strong reputation within the industr y, attracting and retaining workers over time

In the face of unprecedented challenges and disruption attracting and retaining the right staff, in the right roles, is a key ingredient for success Employers should examine their businesses both internally and externally and focus on building a brand with staying power

SLTA Issues Strongest Warning Yet on Future of Scotland’s Licensed Trade and Hospitality Sector

“Even with a freeze on the Scottish UBR (top tier) the Scottish one will pay over £75,000 more (70%) than the English one in rates in 2023/24 when they were paying vir tually the same this year How can that be fair?

Colin

the

finance and economy por tfolio while Cabinet Secretar y Kate Forbes is on maternity leave , offered little respite for the hard-pressed hospitality industr y, Mr Wilkinson noted

Mr Swinney, who is responsible

“The industr y is on its knees and businesses hoping for a busy and successful December trading period, which would have helped them get through the traditionally quieter months of Januar y and Februar y would have received at least some festive cheer if Mr Swinney had fully recognised their plight, he said

“With trains cancelled due to strike action, some cities and towns lacking taxi capacity and buses that aren t always reliable , staff are finding it challenging to get to work and many people are simply not bothering to go out due to the difficulties getting home – this is not where the sector hoped it would be at this time ”

Mr Wilkinson added: “There is extended and increased relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England wor th almost £2 1 billion and this is the most generous business rates relief in over 30 years, outside of Covid-19 suppor t

“Yet there is nothing for Scotland which means we cannot remain competitive with our neighbours south of the Border Instead, our hospitality sector is facing a winter of discontent ”

Mr Wilkinson offered as an example the difference in rateable value between two hotels – one in West Lothian and one in Surrey “The rateable value (RV) of the hotel in Surrey has gone from £370,000 to £210,750 while the West Lothian hotel’s RV has gone from £367,000 to £350,000,” he said

Earlier this week, the SLTA, along with the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) and UKHospitality Scotland, warned that many hospitality businesses were on track to fail without “meaningful inter vention on business rates” The groups, urging Mr Swinney to match the suppor t for the sector in England and Wales, said: “The sector desperately needs this to sur vive , to continue to provide employment for staff and remain competitive with our neighbours ”

Repeating previous calls for a fur ther review of Scotland’s commercial rating system at the earliest oppor tunity, the groups stated: “Ever y day is a challenge for our pubs and bars who have worked ver y hard post-Covid and Brexit to showcase Scotland’s hospitality industr y, but we need more help to protect the jobs that outlets provide directly and the associated jobs in the wholesaling, brewing/distilling and food-producing sectors

Mr Wilkinson cautioned that the next few months will be grim and pointed to a recent SLTA sur vey which revealed that some pubs and restaurants are considering closing over the winter period because they are unable to absorb recent sharp increases in energ y bills at a time when they are recovering from the pandemic and still paying off debts incurred during Covid

“The hospitality industr y creates jobs, it brings vibrancy, life and footfall to high streets in our towns and cities, it sits at the centre of society in communities the length and breadth of Scotland as well as playing a key role in tourism and therefore contributing to both local and the wider Scottish economy

“What happens when we are no longer there?

“We of course welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling child pover ty, strengthening public ser vices – including the NHS – and the transition to net zero, ” Mr Wilkinson added “However, with the Bank of England’s announcement this morning that interest rates will rise to 3 5% from 3%, their highest level for 14 years, and Mr Swinney’s decision to increase income tax for ever yone earning more than £43 662 in Scotland consumers ’ spending power will be fur ther eroded ”

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

Hospitality

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

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

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

Utilising

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

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

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

anticipated

right suppor t from their employer these newcomers can flourish and stay to pursue their careers

The SLTA (Scottish Licensed Trade Association) has issued its strongest warning yet that the licensed trade and hospitality industr y nor th of the Border is on its knees with many businesses set to close permanently amid the cost-of-living crisis and other ongoing pressures

Wilkinson, the trade group s managing director, also expressed bitter disappointment at Deputy First Minister John Swinney’s failure today in the Scottish Budget to follow the lead of England and Wales by implementing a 75% rates relief package for businesses

for

Scottish Government’s

Small Firms Fear This Christmas Will Be

Their Last if Energy Support Ends Post-March

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is warning that discontinuing government energ y suppor t at the end of March would force tens of thousands of small firms, many in the hospitality and licensed on trade to close or downsize

This comes ahead of the publication of the Energ y Bill Relief Scheme review, which is due imminently – when the government will decide whether current energ y suppor t for small firms will continue after the six-month coverage ends on April 1, 2023

Latest FSB research shows that one in four small firms (24%) plan to close , downsize or restructure if energ y relief comes to a sharp end in April next year

This rises to 42% of firms in the accommodation and food sector, followed by the wholesale and retail (34%), and manufacturing sectors (29%)

A third (30%) of small firms expect to cancel or scale down planned investment if the government ends suppor t on energ y, while more than four in ten (44%) consider raising prices to cope with soaring bills, although it will be impossible for them to pass on full costs to consumers tightening their belts amid the cost of living rises

From local pubs and knitting shops to laundr y ser vices, small firms in this tough winter are reluctant to turn their heat up, as ever y extra

degree will affect the viability of their small business

“Covid never worried me as we were suppor ted from the beginning This energ y crisis however is ver y bad I might not be here next year, ” said Stuar t Race , who owns the Woolpatch, a knitting shop in Long Melford, Suffolk

Others were asked by energ y suppliers for dispropor tionate upfront payments when tr ying to secure new contracts Out of the three gas suppliers I approached for new quotes, two including my incumbent supplier wanted a £16,000 deposit,” said Rona Tait, who runs laundr y ser vice TDS Commercial in Islewor th, London, despite having a good credit rating

We’ve also heard repor ts of energ y suppliers filing winding up petitions against cash-strapped small firms when they fall into arrears

FSB has proposed through the Government’s review that there should be significant suppor t for small businesses for at least the next 6-month period, based on a fixed wholesale price There should however be further controls added on energ y suppliers to prevent them cutting vulnerable small businesses off who fall into arrears, hiking their standing charges and enabling them to offer Time To Pay in the same manner as HMRC with tax debts

Continuing to apply suppor t directly to bills, as in the current scheme ,

Wales Announces £460m

will ensure that there is no deadweight cost, and will minimise the chances of small businesses who should be entitled to suppor t missing out The current deliver y mechanism is therefore preferable to local authority-based grants, or loans that small businesses who are steeped in debt since COVID, with low cash reser ves, cannot afford to repay

FSB National Chair Mar tin McTague said: “After two long years of Covid, this Christmas was supposed to the one bringing back that small business spirit – but many small firms are now worried that they might have to shut their doors for good in a few months, if not weeks

“More than 16 million jobs are in small firms Our members are telling us their businesses as well as their staff are dependent on government suppor t in this energ y price crisis

We d like to see the upcoming publication of the review taking business size into account, acknowledging the fact that small firms have typically lower margins and are least able to deal with skyrocketing energ y costs – a purely sector-based decision will lead to deadweight and unfairness

“At the same time , Government must inter vene when energ y suppliers find routes to inflate prices, raise standing charges, and ask for dispropor tionate upfront payments – these heavy-handed practices defeat the whole purpose of the multi-billion-pound relief scheme and will drive more small firms to go under

Rates Support Package

Hospitality TV Systems: 3 Cost-Savvy Considerations

When Choosing Management Software

By Nadav Avni, Chief Marketing Officer of Radix Technologies (www radix-int com)

Hotel guests can also access their favorite streaming ser vices to use these hospitality TV systems Using their personal accounts, they can log in to the ser vices and watch their favorite movies and TV shows Running your entire fleet with the Android TV operating system means having an inexpensive and secure system that s always up to date It also features the largest librar y of smar t TV applications, thanks to suppor t from the Google Play Store

The Android TV operating system ensures smar t TVs perform more than just in-room enter tainment ser vices Using additional applications found in the Google Play Store , smar t TVs can also act as the vir tual remote control for other smar t gadgets inside the room This includes having remote access for locks climate control and lights Android TV also enables hotel smar t TVs to function as digital kiosks and registration booths when needed It s simply a matter of switching apps and locking other applications while the main function remains active

hospitality TV systems Ideally, the system should run on ultra-reliable platforms such as Amazon Web Ser vices (AWS) for the most secure and stable end-to-end connections

With cloud systems, administrators can remotely access ever y hotel smar t TV to download installers, apply updates, and perform other required ser vices The efficient device manager can also perform lowlevel maintenance based on what’s needed Admins can deliver updates per individual device by batches of selected units or throughout the entire fleet simultaneously

2. Assign and Manage Access Levels

At the same time , the ideal device management software recognizes that different stakeholders require different access levels when using a fleet device End users such as hotel guests only need access to the general system to open public applications such as the remote control, general ser vices director y, and customer ser vice General access also lets them log in to streaming ser vices like Netflix and Amazon

It’s hard to imagine a typical hotel room without the venerable television set near the bed Generations of travelers have felt more at home by watching local news and enter tainment or ordering pay-per-view movies With the popularity of digital media, however, the hotel TV as you know it is gone Hospitality TV systems are undergoing a makeover to provide guests with a better customer experience

MODERN HOSPITALITY TV SYSTEMS

What’s with the makeover? Hospitality TV systems are far more complicated than stringing a bunch of sets and adding a cable subscription In fact, a complete system involves an administrator controlling the hotel’s entire fleet of TV sets from a central location This includes TVs in the reception, lobby, and other common areas Apar t from optional ondemand ser vices such as premium cable TV shows and movies, hotel TVs display:

• Welcome messages from the hotel administration

• Upcoming hotel events Director y of ser vices

• Room ser vice adver tising

• Loca weather c hannel

• Tour st destination gu de

THE BEST HOSPITALITY TV SYSTEMS RUN ON ANDROID TV

INVESTING IN HOSPITALITY TV SYSTEMS IMPROVES GUESTS’ EXPERIENCE

Upgrading hospitality TV systems to provide additional digital ser vices requires a significant investment The cost of replacing analog TV systems with smar t TVs can add substantially, even as LED TVs are dropping significantly Hotel management must also invest in reliable device management software to make this investment count and generate a great return on investment

3 FEATURES OF EFFECTIVE DEVICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Don’t rely on the default hospitality TV systems software You need an affordable , reliable , all-in-one software solution to effectively manage your smar t TVs fleet At a minimum, the ideal device management solution should have the following features:

1

Cloud-Based System

Forget about using a device management system that runs on legacy protocols The typical upscale hotel features an average of 313 rooms Asking your IT team to perform maintenance ser vices on TVs in each room is inefficient and unnecessar y

Instead, opt for cloud-based remote-access systems that perform secure and encr ypted wireless connections with the devices in your

Meanwhile , sales, marketing, and executive teams can use the data collected in the devices to gather insights on improving the customer experience fur ther For example , they can sift through the information and apply analytics to make your hospitality TV systems more effective

Finally, the administrator and IT team members need access to plumb the operating system and settings This allows them to establish remote connections and apply changes fixes and updates

3 Provide Enhanced Security

Like other modern devices, smar t TVs tend to attract interest from curious hotel guests For instance those with some rudimentar y background in IT might attempt to access the system out of malice Or they may tr y to har vest data or copy proprietar y software

The ideal device management solution should be able to stop any attempts remotely In addition, to protect the unit from fur ther damage , admins should be able to freeze or shut down the helpless device In the unlikely case that a guest manages to pr y the unit away from its place , geolocation ser vices can track down the unit and disable it from use

Absent-minded guests who forget to log off from their private accounts can also benefit from device managers Between hotel guests, administrators can simply wipe all login data clean Even after checking out, guests will feel better knowing the hotel management protects their user accounts

Vicar Steps in to Rescue a Community-Owned Pub

The Brewers Arms in West Malvern is a small and charming stone-built pub perched high on the western slopes of the Malvern Hills The 190-yearold pub with fabulous views closed in June , with its future uncer tain The move prompted the local community into action, and in little more than six weeks 437 individuals raised over £400 000 to buy the place to run themselves Since taking ownership a small army of unpaid volunteers have dedicated themselves to knocking it into shape Despite these effor ts, the team has been unable to source a landlord or landlady to run it ahead of its reopening date on the 10th of December A team of volunteers will therefore be filling the breach, including the vicar of the parish, the Reverend

The Reverend Rebecca said: “Like the church and the school, the pub is a key par t of our local community Therefore , at its time of need, I’m delighted to be able to chip-in and do my bit I’m quite looking forward to pulling a few pints, whilst also enjoying meeting up with local people ”

Meanwhile , the hunt for the right person (or people) to run the Brewers Arms goes on

The team of volunteers set to run the pub includes the licence-holder, Mark Haslam, who said: “The Brewers Arms is a delightful pub, and we refuse to believe there aren’t the right people out there who want to become a key par t of our vibrant and ‘ can do’ community ”

Sustainability, Cobotics and Hygiene Habits

The Cleaning Show 2023 returns to ExCeL, London, from 14-16 March 2023 to demonstrate the ver y latest advancements in cleaning technologies and provide unmissable learning and sourcing oppor tunities for the cleaning and hygiene sector, which together with the waste industr y is one of the biggest sectors in the UK wor th nearly £59bn and employing 1 47m people

The show, organised by the British Cleaning Council and Quar tz Business Media, is set to attract more than 100 cleaning suppliers with the likes of Jangro Numatic Makita UK, Karcher UK, Nilfisk and SC Johnson Professional among those confirmed to exhibit And, with more than 7,000 senior cleaning professionals set to attend from across the contract cleaning, facilities management (FM), healthcare , hospitality, retail and public ser vices sectors, it is no surprise that the event has become the largest and longest running exhibition in the UK dedicated to cleaning hygiene and facilities management

A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Alongside a growing list of Europe’s leading cleaning suppliers confirmed to showcase their latest technologies and innovations on the show floor, The Cleaning Show Conference will also return Welcoming the industr y ’ s leading exper ts, the conference will offer a place to discuss and debate the big issues affecting the sector A full programme of speakers and topics will be announced in the coming weeks

Also returning after a successful debut in 2021, the Cleaning & Suppor t Ser vices Association will once again host the CSSA Innovation Showcase The dedicated pavilion is designed to highlight and celebrate the industr y ’ s most innovative cleaning products, ser vices and initiatives Among the big trends anticipated to take the spotlight the theme of sustainability will return to help operators minimise their impact on the planet Cobotics and the evolution of robotic technolog y to suppor t the cleaning process and tackle the ongoing resources challenge will also play a key role alongside healthy buildings, where the Internet of Things (IoT) enabled dynamic resource applications will transform operations

With a focus on creating the Future of Cleaning, businesses and organisations operating throughout the industr y can enter their innovations via the CSSA website by 30 November 2022 Prior to The Cleaning Show the CSSA will hold an Innovator's Pitch with a panel of leading industr y exper ts who will review and inter view all entrants and select those to be exhibited at the Innovation Showcase itself For fur ther information on submitting an entr y, visit https://www cssa-uk co uk/

Registration for The Cleaning Show 2023 will open on 1st November 2022 To register your interest to attend and find out more about this year ’ s event, visit https://cleaningshow co uk/london/ See the adver t on page 7 for fur ther details

A team of volunteers, including the local vicar, will be stepping up to help run the Brewers Arms in West Malvern after the local community raised over £400,000 to buy the pub after it closed and looked unlikely to reopen

Rebecca Elliott, who will be doing a few shifts ser ving behind the bar The Reverend, who’s church St James, is just a pint glass’s throw from the Brewers Arms and – what is more – is the final resting place of Roget (of thesaurus fame), will also bless the beer barrels too

Hospitality ’s November Sales Up 3.7% Year-on-Year but Inflation Slashes Growth

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed pub bar and restaurant groups in November were up by 3 7% from the same month in 2021 according to the new Coffer CGA Business Tracker

The exclusive monitor produced by CGA by NielsenIQ in par tnership with The Coffer Group and RSM UK was also ahead of pre-pandemic comparatives for the tenth month in a row, recording like-for-like growth of 5 0% on November 2019 However, with the Consumer Price Index now showing inflation of more than 11% in the last 12 months alone , hospitality’s sales are significantly down in real terms

The star t of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 delivered a strong November for pubs, where sales rose by 8 1% year-on-year The distraction of the tournament and pressure on discretionar y spending made it a much more difficult month for the managed restaurant sector, where like-for-like sales slipped 0 8% from November 2021 Sales in the bars segment were down 8 6%

The Tracker also indicates that London’s hospitality sector continues to bounce back from the upheaval of COVID-19 November sales within the M25 grew by 6 2% year-on-year twice the rate of 3 0% outside the M25

behind the rate of inflation consumer spending under strain and rail strikes threatening festive footfall it will be a challenging December for managed groups Spiralling costs leave many hospitality businesses extremely fragile , and with little respite in sight there is a strong case for urgent and targeted government suppor t to protect businesses and jobs ” David Coffer, Chairman, The Coffer Group, said: On the face of it, these figures are ver y promising especially in relation to turnover, but the consumer price index figures obviously counter this progress dramatically, as well as the deterioration of turnover because of a wide range of industrial actions – in par ticular, those relating to trains and local transpor t

With the impending strikes over the festive period there will cer tainly be fur ther sector trading damage , but it is hoped that there will be extensive intolerance and resistance from the public wishing to seasonally celebrate for the first time in 3 years It is hoped that this will see a dilution of the effect that is feared ” Paul Newman head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK said: “The festive trading period is when most hospitality businesses make the majority of their annual profits With last year ’ s festivities severely impacted, 2022 needs to deliver if the sector is to avoid a grim star t to 2023 The World Cup is providing some welcome respite as fans come together to celebrate in their local pubs but industrial unrest alongside fragile consumer confidence will only add to restaurant operators’ woes and could leave a number of under-capitalised businesses teetering on the edge as New Year approaches ”

Be At One Crowns Best Bartender in Nationwide Contest

Be At One has been on the search for their best bar tenders with the return of their annual Bar tender Challenge , after it’s three years absence The winner was Adam Jennings, who works at Be At One , Berkeley Square in London

260 Be At One Bar tenders took par t in the contest, sponsored by Havana Club, each competing for title of Best Bar tender The winner Adam Jennings, who also won best pourer, has been with Be At One for seven years His special skills include ridiculously complicated pours with the most difficult bottles to hold

This competition ran for five months star ting in each Be At One bar where bar tenders competed in pouring skills, spec knowledge , speed, spirit and brand knowledge and their interaction These heats would decide who represented the bar for each categor y in the semi finals which were held in Manchester Berkeley Square Liverpool Street and Russell Street The best two bar tenders from each Semi Final went through to the Grand Finale in Be At One , Regent Street

Helen Charleswor th Managing Director of Stonegate Group said: “Our Be At One Bar tenders are really at the top of their game and this competition gave them the chance to put their showmanship and exper tise on show The contest is about more than just skills, at Be At One we hire personalities not skills and at events like these those personalities shine through ”

The winners of the contest, who all got a share of the collective £8000 prize pot, are as follows:

• Best Bar tender – the highest scor ing bar tender overall in the final

• 1st Place – Adam Jennings , Berkeley Square

• 2nd Place – Stevie Bur ton Norwic h

• 3rd Place – Desi Perr icone , Liverpool

• Best Newcomer- this is the best score of a bar tender who cer tified after Apr il 2022 – Jac k Powell, Hammer smith

• Fastest Bar tender – The bar tender who has the highest score in the speed round – Cassie McLeman, Hammer smith

• Best Pourer – this is the highest scor ing bar tender in the final pour test– Adam

• Most Knowledgeable – this is the highest scor ing bar tender in the final across both the knowledge test & spec test – Stevie Bur ton, Norwic h

• Best Bar – Norwic h

continued: “A huge congratulations to our winners and well done to ever yone who took par t Stakes were

incredible prizes to be won I am so proud of the hard work and commitment

”

Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA, said: “It was a positive November for pubs screening World Cup matches, and another strong month for London as workers and visitors continue to return to the capital, especially ahead of the festive season But with restaurants and bars trading way

Jennings , Berkeley Square

Helen Charleswor th

high with

that went into this competition

World Cup Firing Drinks Sales but Rail Strikes Threaten Festive Footfall

Last week’s drinks sales in the On Premise were up by 8% on 2021 as the football World Cup continued to boost pubs and bars

Average sales by value were ahead on each of the seven days to last Saturday (3 December), delivering an eleventh week of year-on-year growth in a row Uplifts peaked at 64% on Tuesday (29 November) the day of the game between England and Wales England’s quar terfinal against France delivered another big lift

However, the latest sales figures benefit from comparisons with last December, when lingering concerns about COVID kept some people away from festive occasions in the On Premise Against the same period in 2019 the last comparable pre-COVID Christmas sales were 8% down last week With inflation now exceeding 11%, trading is substantially fur ther behind in real terms

The World Cup has been ver y good news for beer and cider sales, which were up year-on-year by 16% and 19% respectively last week Growth was more muted in soft drinks (up 10%), wine (up 5%) and spirits (down 8%) and sales in all categories were behind the same week in 2019

“This should be the best December for the On Premise in three years but comparisons with the pre-COVID levels of 2019 show how trading remains tough,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland “The squeeze on consumers ’ spending continues to tighten, and for thcoming rail strikes will have a significant effect on many operators at the most impor tant time of their year While the World Cup is a welcome bonus for many pubs and bars, it is unlikely to be enough to deliver the real-terms growth that the On Premise operators and suppliers need ”

Welsh Tourist Tax is ‘Wrong Tax at the Wrong Time’ Sector Leaders Say

He went on to say that it was also “deeply regrettable” that legitimate self-catering businesses were being caught up in the second homes issue

Tourism businesses across Wales were also encouraged to respond directly to all consultations on tourism policy changes proposed by the Welsh Government The urgent call was made by Adrian Greason-Walker, the WTA’s policy advocate and Val Hawkins, chief executive of Mid Wales Tourism, the independent organisation that represents nearly 600 tourism and hospitality businesses and organisations across Powys Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia

The calls follow Welsh Government proposals that will give local authorities powers to introduce a “discretionar y ” visitor levy which they say will generate revenue to suppor t investment in the tourism industr y in their areas

The consultation on its proposals ended on December 13

Introducing a visitor levy is a Welsh Government Programme for Government commitment the consolation says

Mr Greason-Walker said: “We have entered a far more economically challenging period than has been seen over the last 20 years, ” he said “The Welsh Government’s own Par tial Regulator y Impact Assessment highlights the severe economic conditions that tourism businesses are currently facing “As we know from the ver y recent past, the economic tail of a recession is long and this time the effects of inflation and rising costs will only exacerbate the position

We have already asked if the Welsh Government will abandon the proposals if the majority of respondents to the consultation say they don t want the tourism tax

We will now see seismic changes to the way self-catering accommodation is assessed for proper ty taxation in Wales,” he added

Responding to the consultation UKHospitality Chief Executive , Kate Nicholls said: “We strongly oppose the introduction of a discretionar y visitor levy in Wales, par ticularly at a time when the hospitality industr y is facing a troubling combination of soaring costs and staff shor tages The added burden in administrative costs, time and likely impact on visitor numbers and spend, could prove to be the final straw for some businesses that are the hear tbeat of many local communities and the lifeblood of our highstreets Put simply this is the wrong tax at the wrong time ”

In its submission to the Welsh Government the leading hospitality trade body highlighted the significant contribution overnight visitors make to local economies in Wales and requested that a detailed, independent Economic Impact Assessment be carried out in order that the full consequences of implementing such a levy be comprehensively explored UKHospitality Executive Director for Wales, David Chapman, added: It is clear to us that any levy will make Wales uncompetitive compared to other international travel destinations, as in European nations where such a levy is in operation, hospitality business are subject to fewer taxes and a lower rate of VAT Should any visitor levy be introduced in Wales, the money must be ringfenced and operators given full sight and control over where the funds are spent ”

The Welsh Government’s proposed levy differs greatly from the recently announced Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement district (ABID) initiative This voluntar y, collaborative scheme gives operators full sight and control over the use of funds raised from a £1 guest surcharge that will be used solely to reinvest back into the sector

Next Step in Keeping Business Costs Down

Digitising the Supplier Order Process with Choco

By Alex Kiely, General Manager of Choco UK (https://choco com/uk/)

process, replacing the ‘gut feel, phone and paper list’ system All available products are shown on the interface in real time , giving chefs the confidence that in a few clicks they can know exactly what products they are ordering and at what cost This is hugely impor tant, with inflation soaring and food costs changing on a daily basis, the platform provides transparency to chefs for accurate budgeting

Food waste on the restaurant and supplier side is also adding to economic worries, and it is also leading to more of a focus on creating more sustainable environments Currently 30-40% of food produced goes to waste each year and nearly three-quar ters of that waste happens in the supply chain before consumers are involved Waste is the third-largest driver of climate change If food waste were a countr y, it would be the third largest in carbon dioxide emissions on the planet

We estimate that, when using the Choco app, restaurants are saving on average 1 27 kilos ever y week by reducing their ordering mistakes and saving up to two hours ever y week by improving their efficiency in the kitchen

London's Fitzrovia district ser ving a seasonal menu of modern British cuisine , uses Choco I ve never come across an online food ordering platform for restaurants before , so when I was introduced to Choco I loved the concept We’ve been using the platform for a few months now and it’s truly transformed the way we do things 99% of our suppliers use the platform We can see in real time what is available , and we can select exactly what we want any time of the day It not only saves me approximately 20 minutes at the end of each ser vice , but it also cuts out the human error, so I now get exactly what I ordered

Previously, when done by phone , I could be waiting around to speak to someone , then I could read something out wrong or the supplier could have noted it down wrong so with Choco we both know exactly where we stand so it’s a more seamless efficient experience ”

The UK food industr y has a real appetite for tech It’s adventurous Many of us know that digitising our business is not optional anymore The margin for error with orders being exchanged on pen, paper, voicemail or WhatsApp is too high Wrong, misheard, or misspelt orders cost money and reputations If anybody has been watching The Bear, the recent US TV drama about a top chef who takes over his brother’s neighbourhood restaurant in Chicago you’ll have seen the repeated scenes of increasing frustration when orders are delivered in the wrong quantities

As our industr y prepares for a difficult few seasons, Choco, the industr y ’ s No 1 global ordering platform, has launched to the UK restaurant and supplier market

Choco can enable both suppliers and restaurants to make ever y possible financial and process efficiency, improving margins and strengthening the digital food chain

Choco’s app allows suppliers to offer customers a fully digital ordering

THE SUPPLIER PERSPECTIVE

Shaun Henderson, founder of Henderson Seafood, the Brixham-based, sustainable and ethically sourced fish supplier to the restaurant industr y is using Choco “We use it as a platform for our customers to buy online from us We typically take 50 orders a day WhatsApp or phone can be prone to human error, but Choco eliminates that It saves time for our customers as they simply tick box what they want, the order comes through to us, we process it, and the invoice is automated, saving us even more time Onboarding has been quicker than ever imagined and we were up and running within two weeks - two thirds of our orders are already coming through Choco Customers have really taken to it Choco has really changed the way we do things and we couldn’t be happier ”

THE CHEF’S EXPERIENCE

Chris Bassett, Head Chef at Por tland, a Michelin starred restaurant in

Find out more about him and Choco UK at https://choco.com/us/stories/life-at-choco/london-launch https://choco com/uk/ contact@choco com

The

Launched to help the industr y rebuild from the ongoing impacts of the covid pandemic , ‘Springboard to 2022’ sought to tackle the hospitality, leisure , and tourism industr y ’ s long-term staffing crisis by ensuring an engaged, skilled talent pipeline to fill vacancies

The charity is now celebrating having surpassed its initial target, helping more than 10,000 people nationwide secure jobs in hospitality The 10 000 trainees of all ages backgrounds and walks of life have fallen in love with hospitality and secured work within renowned businesses, including IHG, Compass, Hilton, Jur y ’ s Inn, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and Nando’s

Of the 10,000 people securing jobs in hospitality, 56% were male and 46% were female , with 85% aged under 30 40% went into front-of-house roles, 25% into the kitchen, 15% into reception jobs, 8% into cleaning, and 12% into suppor t roles, including marketing, finance , or maintenance

Among the trainees, Mar yna Tonka, a single mother who fled the war in Ukraine to find shelter for herself and her daughter in Scotland, has secured work as an F&B Assistant at the IBIS South Bridge in Edinburgh Mar yna signed up for the training hoping to learn new skills to help her overcome the language barrier faced in Scotland and enable her to find employment

Discussing her experience Mar yna said: “As a refugee from Ukraine I wanted to be useful to the countr y sheltering us As par t of my training, I learned valuable skills such as how to work in a team and how client relationships differ between Ukraine and

‘Outstanding Response’ to Community Pub Hero Awards

”

The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Chairman of the APPBG, said: At a time when there has been plenty going on at Westminster, to receive 70 pub nominations from MPs is an excellent result This level of engagement clearly shows that MPs across the countr y see the value of pubs as hubs of community and charity suppor t in their constituencies ”

Entries are being judged by the PubAid Steering Group of 20 senior people from the pub industr y Shor tlisted pubs in the Community Suppor t and Charity Fundraising categories, alongside the finalist Community Regular Heroes, will be published in Januar y 2023

Hospitality charity Springboard is celebrating having suppor ted more than 10,000 people into employment through its Springboard to 2022 initiative , which launched in October 2020

scheme saw the leading hospitality charity suppor t thousands back into work, from all walks of life including Ukrainian refugees, care leavers, those with mental and physical health conditions, and various other barriers to employment

John Steele , Trade Marketing Director, Matthew Clark added: “We have been ver y happy to suppor t the Community Pub Hero Awards since launch Pubs truly are heroes in their communities and this scheme gives them well-deser ved recognition We look forward to naming the finalists and winners of this year ’ s competition

Third of Businesses to Reduce Opening Hours

Over Christmas Due to Staff Shortages

New data from UKHospitality, in par tnership with CGA by NielsenIQ, also shows the toll labour shor tages have taken on business confidence , with 60% of business leaders no longer confident about recruitment

The 12th edition of Future Shock is focused on ‘Shaping the workforce of the future’ and also reveals that more than a third of businesses (35%) plan to simplify menus, 32% have been forced to reduce their opening hours and 13% have reduced opening days, all because of staffing shor tages

UKHospitality is calling on the Government to implement a ‘twophase’ approach to tackle the issue with changes to the immigration system and reforms to the Apprenticeship Levy In par ticular :

• Expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme to include EU member states

• Reviewing the Shor tage Occupation List to accurately reflect the state of the labour market

• Abolishing the Immigration Skills Charge a punitive measure that is an additional charge on top of other visa requirements and deters would-be applicants

• Reform of the Apprenticeship Levy to include a propor tion of funds being made eligible for use on nonapprenticeship training and improving the operation of apprenticeship system UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:

“This edition of Future Shock is incredibly timely because workforce challenges have unfor tunately become a fixture for hospitality businesses We are facing a systemic problem that has persisted for years and it needs

Vance Fairman-Smith, Greene King’s supply chain director, hopes 2023 will see a new record number of tubs collected He said: “Tub2Pub is simply a great initiative as we all need to play our par t in tackling waste As a company we ’ re constantly working to suppor t our communities and are committed to reducing the impact on the environment

“Januar y and early Februar y is an ideal time for our pubs to act as community collection points as mil-

urgent attention from Government

“The statistics in the repor t lay bare the real-life impact on businesses and consumers as a result of not having enough staff It s so disappointing that businesses are having to go to such lengths such as simplifying menus and reducing trading hours to deal with this It’s also doing the consumer a disser vice , limiting choice and availability

“There are ver y simple measures available to the Government that can free up the immigration system and make a huge difference to business Expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme to the EU27, for example , would do wonders to add good numbers of people to the available labour pool

“Implementing these measures, alongside reform of the Apprenticeship Levy to best develop our own talent would help hospitality businesses no end With the right staffing resource , hospitality can really drive growth, offer customers an enhanced experience and help lift up the economy

CGA s Director of Hospitality Operators and Food, Karl Chessell said:

“CGA’s data shows us that the industr y has been resilient and resourceful in the face of ferocious headwinds, with managed groups sales consistently ahead of pre-COVID-19 levels

However, strong underlying demand is being compromised by a storm of cost and labour issues As we see in this repor t, a shor tage of labour is compromising trading for restaurants, pubs and bars and driving up pay All these issues have hur t business confidence and profitability ahead of the crucial Christmas and New Year trading period The challenges highlight the urgent need for targeted government suppor t for hospitality, which UKHospitality continues to work tirelessly to secure ”

in the Tub2Pub scheme Co-cre8 specialises in recycling the hard polypropylene plastic which the tubs are made of Money raised from the sale of the resulting granulated plastic will be passed on to Greene King’s charity par tner, Macmillan Cancer Suppor t

lions of these tubs are sold over the festive season ”

Peter Goodwin, managing director and co-founder of co-cre8 added: “We are delighted to be working with Greene King again in 2023 Our successful par tnership means there is an extensive network of pubs across the countr y where people can drop off their empty tubs It s simple , convenient and effective It s good for customers, charity and the environment ”

Customers can drop their tubs off at par ticipating pubs from 1 Januar y to 19 Februar y

“Hospitality Is The Saviour Of Mankind,” Says Celeb Chef Nathan Outlaw

Celebrity chef Nathan Outlaw has said the hospitality industr y is the ‘saviour of mankind,’ warning of a bleak future if people are unable to go out to eat, drink, or let their hair down

Speaking in an exclusive new Hospitality Rising podcast, the Por t Isaac-based fish maestro said employers must invest in new recruits in order to ensure the industr y sur vives amid fears that people are quitting hospitality for good

Having star ted working in the kitchen with his chef father aged just nine Nathan is the latest among big-name chefs to back the bold Hospitality Rising campaign, ‘Rise Fast, Work Young,’ which has been launched in a bid to help fill the industr y s 400,000 vacancies

Within just four days of the movement’s launch, more than 6,000 applications were received for jobs across the UK, which will no doubt see significant hires within the sector

Nathan believes that now is one of the most impor tant times for hospitality leaders to get behind the campaign and help tackle the jobs crisis

The 44-year-old said: Looking at the industr y, there is clearly the issue of gaps in the market in kitchens and front of house

"It does also depend on employers I always say to a young person, find as many inter views as you possibly can before you make a decision and find a kitchen culture or a restaurant culture where you feel like you belong

“I think the hospitality industr y will step up because it does always The one thing about hospitality is we always make it happen

“I believe there are good people in the industr y, across the world and in the UK, and I think that people will get together and we'll make sure that the foundations are there for an industr y that brings people into it, trains them properly, looks after them, pays them well and they obviously get the reward from where they work in I believe that will happen because it can't go any other way

"People love to eat and drink too much Human beings love it Hospitality is the saviour of mankind If you don't eat well, if you don't drink well, and you don't have fun, then what's the point?

"I personally suppor t Hospitality Rising because I believe that the future of the industr y is strong and I want to being young people into it to fulfil their dreams ”

Finding recruits has never been more challenging for leaders in the industr y Hospitality lost valuable talent in what has been dubbed the ‘great resignation’ following the height of the pandemic , while Brexit also resulted

in a mass exodus of experienced workers

Add to this the fact only 1 in 5 people would consider entering the industr y, and 42 per cent of those working in the industr y want to leave , and it’s clear drastic action was needed, and fast

That action has come in the form of Hospitality Rising’s recruitment initiative – which brings hundreds of brands together to champion the industr y across the UK

Nathan said: “My dad is a chef, and my grandparents were all in the industr y So, I've really only ever known hospitality - it's in my blood To this day I get out of bed and don't feel like I'm working which is great

"I star ted basically on Saturday mornings with my dad at eight or nine years old I d do things like tray up bread for toast or I'd butter bread for sandwiches all little things like that I just loved the teamwork par t of it that's what got me into it really It was the influence of a good team around you and feeling par t of something

"I think it's really impor tant for others to get involved in Hospitality Rising If you ' re par t of the hospitality industr y, you should be involved It's about bringing people into the hospitality industr y for a great future , and a great career "

By asking backers to pledge £10 per employee , the recruitment campaign 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

Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and campaign director, said: I wholehear tedly agree with Nathan in the fact that hospitality must find a way to sur vive because it’s an industr y that delivers all the pleasures in life – good food, drink, great company, helping to make memories, and creating the ultimate experience

“We’ve already achieved huge success in the number of people who have applied for hospitality roles through our website , and through the suppor t we ’ ve achieved from our inspiring and generous backers

“However, our work is not done and with fur ther sector-wide suppor t and investment, we ’ re cer tain that we can spread the word about this powerful campaign and find more of the exceptional people that make the hospitality industr y so special ”

To see the full range of Hospitality Rising podcasts featuring backers and chefs, visit the campaign’s Youtube channel

A full list of vacancies can be found at www hospitalityrising com

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 heating 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 highlighting the amount of CO2 saved

THE FUTURE WITH CALOR

As

- Michelin-starred

chef urges industr y leader s to back Hospitality Rising campaign and help fulfil young people’s dreams -

Many Hospitality SMEs to Reward Staff with the "Gift of Time" at Christmas Ahead of Challenging 2023

Many hospitality and leisure SMEs are rewarding staff with the gift of time over the festive season, according to the latest quar terly Barclays SME Barometer The study shows that 9 per cent of small and medium hospitality and leisure businesses will give their employees 3 5 additional days off, on average

This is par t of a wider national trend as Barclays’ research shows that over half a million of the UK’s smaller businesses said they’ll be gifting each employee 2 5 extra days leave on average This means that SME staff across the countr y will receive 120,345,602 days off cumulatively

The Barclays research also found that 45 per cent of hospitality and leisure SME employers believe staff activities leading up to the festive season contribute to employee retention Similarly, a third (33 per cent) of consumers say they are less likely to look for another job if their employer organises activities to reward staff over the Christmas period

In fact, of hospitality and leisure employers who are seeing an increase in demand for benefits from new employees, more annual leave is one of the top three benefits being requested by existing employees, according to 33 per cent of small businesses, behind more flexible working (71 per cent) and higher wages (70 percent)

In addition to providing time off, more than 4 in 10 (43 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs will be hosting end-of-year par ties, spending an average of £35 per head on festivities, while 28 per cent will be closing offices between Christmas and New Year and 20 per cent will be awarding Christmas bonuses

Q3 SME Revenues

Although data from Barclaycard Payments showed a slight decrease of 1 58 per cent in the value of card payments to SMEs from July to September 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 over two thirds (65 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs repor ted their total revenue grew

More than half (58 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs repor ted turnover growth in Q3 2022 against Q2 2022, consistent with data from Barclaycard Payments, which showed a minor increase of 0 27 per cent in the value and 1 62 per cent in the volume of payments made to SMEs between July and September this year

Businesses expect growth to continue throughout the festive season, as over 45 per cent predict a year-on-year revenue increase in Q4, and 42 per cent expect revenues to grow from Q3 to Q4 this year

Macro-economic concerns

Festive cheer and optimism are , however, dampened by the cost-of-living crunch as nearly two thirds (59 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs are worried about their business prospects for 2023

Fur thermore , 9 in 10 (90 per cent) are concerned about the negative impact that rising energ y bills will have on their business, with 29 per cent feeling ver y concerned

Larger businesses are feeling the pinch too, with nearly two-thirds (59 per cent) predicting a decrease in consumer spending, and 41 per cent worr ying about their businesses prospects as they approach 2023

Colin

of SME at Barclaycard Payments, said: The upcoming festive period will be our first since the pandemic without restrictions, with both employers and employees looking to make the most of it While it s been yet another challenging year for hospitality and leisure businesses, many SMEs are looking to inject some festive cheer by rewarding their employees, as business owners are aware of the positive impact that employee morale can have on staff retention “Our research, however, shows that although owners are ver y aware of the difficulties to come , they remain resilient in the face of risings costs, and we hope this festive period allows them to celebrate their achievements and ring in the New Year with energ y and a degree of optimism ”

Prestatyn Pub Reopens After £185,000 Investment

The Royal Victoria in Prestatyn reopened over the weekend following a combined investment of over £185 000 from leading community pub company, Admiral Taverns, and brand-new licensees, Sean Thomas and Debra Gee , who bring a wealth of experience and charisma to the pub

Having run pubs across the countr y for over seven years, the licensees will use their knowledge and exper tise to ensure The Royal Victoria becomes a pillar of the local community For Sean, this is a dream come true as he is finally returning home to Prestatyn after 26 years away travelling around the countr y and the world with Debra His family and friends have been visiting The Royal Victoria for generations and he is now determined to give something special back to his beloved local community

Licensee at The Royal Victoria, Debra Gee , said: “It really is such an honour to take over The Royal Victoria – it’s going to be our baby I know how much it means to Sean and I am delighted I

lives Prestatyn is somewhere we both hold

soul into the pub and give the wonderful

As well as being a talented pub operator, Debra is a performer at hear t and looks forward to treating her customers with special performances each week What’s more , the licensees are hoping to run biweekly music quizzes with a well-known, local quizmaster as well as Karaoke nights on a Friday and live music on a Saturday featuring local up and coming acts

For the licensees, community will be at the centre of ever ything they do, so on top of their fantastic enter tainment line-up, they will also make sure the pub acts as a safe haven to the elderly Sean and Debra will provide somewhere for the older residents to come and enjoy during the day offering a warm, friendly environment and hot meals In addition, they plan to host regular charity raffles giving residents the oppor tunity to win back old trophies which have been sitting in the pub for years in aid of local initiatives

Becky Whitlock-Torr, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns commented: “It’s hard not to be happy when you ’ re around Debra and Sean – their passion is totally infectious and I am confident they are the perfect people take over The Royal Victoria Thanks to Debra and Sean the pub is a perfect blend of old and new and I look forward to seeing how they bring it to the forefront of their community ”

O Flaher ty, Head

What Are The Rules For Hiring Under 18s To Work In Hospitality? Licensing Experts Answer Key Questions

The Christmas and New Year period will see many businesses like pubs and restaurants looking to take on extra staff to cope with higher demand around the festivities, which may include workers under the age of 18

Of course there are several key differences when hiring those who aren’t legally adults and considerations that must be made in terms of the kind of work they can do and what they are able to be responsible for

To help with guidance on the subject for those looking to take new workers on, leading licensing exper ts Poppleston Allen have answered key questions on the rules and regulations around bringing younger employees into the workforce

A spokesperson for Poppleston Allen said: "With hospitality vacancies still at extremely high levels, many businesses are likely to want to tap into the temporar y talent pool of students on school holidays However, licensed venues must make sure they follow all the rules in terms of what those under-18 are and aren t allowed to do in terms of ser ving alcohol

"They also need to make sure they comply with all the regulations regarding how many hours children can work in school holidays and in term time if they decide to keep them on after the festive break With the cost of living crisis affecting many families it s possible some under18s will ask for more work than they are actually allowed to do, so it's impor tant businesses are completely up to date on what is allowed, bearing in mind this varies depending on age and educational status "

WHAT KIND OF WORK ARE UNDER 18S ALLOWED TO DO?

Subject to local bylaws, children aged 14 and above can be employed to do light work which is not harmful to their safety, health, and development nor to attendance at school or par ticipation in work experience Generally, due to licensing restrictions children under 16 tend to work in kitchens and back of house areas, not front of house CAN UNDER 18S SELL ALCOHOL TO CUSTOMERS?

The Licensing Act 2003 does not allow a person under 18 to sell alcohol unless the sale is specifically approved by an adult That might be easy in a supermarket where not ever y transaction involves the sale of

alcohol but in a bar that is going to prove more challenging

WHAT ABOUT IF THE ALCOHOL IS BEING CONSUMED ALONGSIDE A MEAL?

The 2003 Act does allow under 18s to work in premises (or a par t of the premises) set aside and reser ved for diners and to take orders and deliver alcoholic drinks for consumption with a meal It would be sensible to check with the local authority for any local bylaws relating to agerestrictions on this The child would need to carr y out age verification checks as appropriate and you need to ensure that they have the maturity and training to under take these

They would not be allowed to physically dispense the alcohol nor put the drinks order together behind the main bar unless super vised by an adult Technically, the law does not prohibit them from dispensing drinks or putting drinks together at a separate dispense bar in the restaurant/dining area however, again from a risk management point of view you will want to ensure sufficient training and super vision

HOW MANY HOURS CAN UNDER 18S WORK FOR?

14 to 16 years (child)

There are restrictions on the number of hours and days that can be worked depending upon whether it’s term time or holidays

If a person is 15 years old but has just finished school and has a bir thday by 31st August, then you have to treat them as a child ‘still at school’ until their bir thday

16 to 17 years (young worker)

A person who has left school and is under 18 must now either stay in full-time education or star t an apprenticeship or can do par t-time education or apprenticeship and work at the same time

WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN EMPLOYING UNDER

18S?

You are legally responsible for ensuring that the child is not exposed to a risk due to their lack of experience , maturity, or absence of awareness of the risk You must check with the local authority for bylaws including whether the child needs a work permit A young worker is eligible for the national living wage (or the apprenticeship rate) and must receive a payslip and be on the payroll whereas a child under 16 is not (subject to local bylaws)

www.popall.co.uk

Plea for Energy Bill Help as String of Breweries Shut Up Shop

C AMRA urges the Chancellor to announce continuing suppor t with energ y bills to stop more beloved breweries going under

The Campaign for Real Ale is making a plea to the Chancellor to confirm before Christmas that breweries pubs and hospitality businesses will receive suppor t with their rocketing energ y bills when the current scheme runs out in April 2023

It comes after a string of announcements in recent months of small, local and independent breweries closing down as they can’t make ends meet

Research by Steve Dunkley of Manchester-based Beer Nouveau has revealed that dozens of breweries have closed their doors in 2022

Brewers, and the wider pub sector, face a Christmas of uncer tainty as the Government has failed to make key announcements about economic suppor t and fiscal arrangements in 2023

The sector is anxiously awaiting news on which businesses will get energ y bill suppor t past April, as well as a decision on whether or not general beer duty will be uprated next year (which could see huge inflationar y rises in the price of a pint at the bar), leaving brewers and publicans in the dark

C AMRA's campaign has now reached the House of Commons where Chair of the All Par ty Parliamentar y Pub Group Charlotte Nichols MP has submitted parliamentar y questions to the Chancellor and Business Secretar y asking for suppor t with energ y costs to help stop more pubs and breweries having to call last orders for good

Commenting, Steve Dunkley of Beer Nouveau said: “It is deeply worr ying to see scores of small breweries

announcing in recent weeks that they are having to close down for good due to the soaring costs of both making beer and keeping pubs open

“Coupled with customers tightening their belts and the risk of energ y bills rocketing when the Government suppor t scheme ends next year, these closures could go through the roof if the Government doesn’t offer urgent suppor t to save this crucial par t of British brewing ”

Charlotte Nichols MP commented: "With pubs and other hospitality businesses facing a cliff edge in suppor t for a crisis that will last long beyond April, it's vital that Government give the trade some cer tainty over the festive period The risk of spiralling future energ y costs will leave licensees and brewers in limbo as they tr y to mitigate the impact of consumers being forced to tighten their belts There are a huge range of measures that the Chancellor and Business Secretar y could take to suppor t pubs and I look forward to hearing from them both about their plans "

C AMRA Chairman Nik Antona added: “Small and independent breweries have been a huge success stor y for the UK economy over the past 30 years, employing local people and reviving the UK’s beer scene and massively increasing the choice of tasty and distinctive brews for drinkers

“If we are to make sure that our beloved breweries can sur vive and thrive , then the Government urgently need to give brewing and pub and club businesses cer tainty and make key announcements about ongoing energ y bill suppor t and freezing general beer duty as soon as possible

“C AMRA are also calling for venues to receive more help with the burden of business rates – and for the new lower rate of duty charged on draught beer and cider to be introduced as quickly as possible to help pubs and small, independent breweries ”

OiLChef Wins Prestigious Best Kitchen Innovation Award

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The OiLChef device is a small accessor y that fits inside your Deepfr yer and will double the life of your fr ying oil, saving you up to 50% on oil purchasing This is not a filter!

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The OiLChef device is now available for fish pans and can cost as little as one pound per day and guaranteed for 3 years!!

With OiL Chef in your fr yer, your food cooks quicker, becomes a little crispier, absorbs less oil and your food holds its texture for longer which is fantastic news for your deliver y and kerb side pick-up!

OiLChef trusted by industr y exper ts used by the industr y and available for you now in the UK Contact them today via their website: www.OiLChef.com

Leading licensing solicitor s Poppleston Allen share exper t advice on hiring under 18s over the festive period

Global Research from RoomRaccoon Reveals

Key Trends Shaping The Hotel Industry

t, ‘RoomRaccoon

The data covers key hotel performance indicators such as occupancy, RevPAR booking lead time length of stay international and domestic travel, direct and OTA bookings, as well as upsell performance to forecast trends shaping the hotel industr y in 2023

Highlighting the speed at which the sector has recovered from the pandemic , the repor t reveals that guests are returning in greater numbers, with occupancy levels reaching and exceeding parity with pre-pandemic levels In August 2022, RoomRaccoon’s clients in Europe had record-breaking occupancy levels averaging 64% in comparison to 61% in August 2019

Some of the findings include:

• D rect bookings are on the r ise Direct bookings have been on an upward tra ector y, increasing by a stagger ing 169% from 2019 This reflects the continued desire of guests who want greater control over their accommodation bookings

Hotels are generating better revenue Revenue per available room (RevPAR) in 2022 is up 46% compared to 2021 The data reflects a spike in RevPAR over the European summer season, hitting a record-breaking €105 on 13 August 2022

• Memorable exper iences outweigh r ising inflation In 2022, RoomRaccoon

c lients that use automated upsell tec hnology

• Domestic tour ism is still going strong Despite a 33% increase in hotel bookngs from international traveller s , domestic bookings account for 64% of bookings in 2022 and will cont nue to present significant business oppor tunities for hotels

• Booking lead time returns to normal: The average hotel booking lead time is on par with pre-pandemic levels , measur ing 30 days in 2022 in compar ison to 31 days in 2019 This shows a shift in traveller s confidence as restr ictions are eased and the travel landscape stabilises

Commenting on the data and the industr y ’ s recover y, RoomRaccoon’s CEO and Co-Founder, Tymen van Dyl, says: “Despite predictions that hotel occupancy would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023, recover y has come sooner than expected This will come as encouraging news to the industr y However, challenging economic times and soaring inflation could weigh the pace of recover y in the new year ”

“For me , the impor tance of making decisions driven by data is more imperative than ever before With the industr y rapidly evolving and the dramatic shift in guest behaviour, analysing the numbers has become the most effective way to track patterns, develop appropriate strategies and understand where your effor ts, and money are best spent Going forward it will be imperative that hotels use data to inform their marketing and commerce strateg y to ensure they remain competitive and maximise revenue despite uncer tain economic times,” says van Dyl

Visit web roomraccoon com/Hotel-Performance-2022 to read the full repor t and discover key insights and oppor tunities to inform your hotel business strateg y in 2023

Culinary Director Encourages Progression of Wales’ Best Young Chefs

The junior team was managed and coached at the Culinar y World Cup by Michael Kirkham-Evans, a lecturer at the Gr p Llandrillo Menai campus in Rhos-on-Sea and Danny Burke co-owner of Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn, respectively

Michael has retired from his role as manager but Danny is continuing as coach and will be suppor ted by Graham who takes on overall responsibility for both the senior and junior teams

“I think Mike and Danny have done ver y well with these young chefs who are talented and understand the competitions,” said Graham “When chefs reach the age limit for junior team competitions, they should progress into the senior squad

“We were all thrilled when the junior team won a silver medal in the hot kitchen in Luxembourg The team was great and these young chefs have really gelled together It’s a shame that three of them are going to be too old for the Culinar y Olympics but hopefully they will now progress to the senior squad

“Progression is ver y impor tant because we have to bring the young chefs through They are the future of the senior team ”

Olympics

Having attended his sixth Culinar y World Cup Graham said it was good to meet up with old friends including his mentor Anton Mosimann who visited the C AW stand to suppor t Wales bid to host the Worldchefs Congress 2026

Now

Graham has already had positive feedback from some experienced chefs he has approached about joining the senior team for the Culinar y

The other members of Junior Culinar y Team Wales are captain Calum Smith, pastr y chef at Shrewsbur y School, Stephanie Belcher, chef de par tie at Coast, Saundersfoot and Jay Rees, who is studying for a degree at Gr p Llandrillo Menai

Dispelling the Myths About Good Cellar Hygiene

Following the opening of their new 13,500 sq ft Trafford Park facility, sister companies Chemisphere UK and Beer Piper International are working on a drive to educate the industr y on the impor tance of good cellar hygiene and to dispel the myths that it’s a complicated process

The two companies have a unique proposition – Chemisphere are specialists in providing the hospitality industr y with premium detergents and accessories for ware-washing, beverage dispense system sterilisation and kitchen hygiene , whilst Beer Piper provide advanced beer line cleaning systems This means that

cleaner changes colour if the line is dir ty, when it

yeast and bacteria free This product revolu-

both manual cleans and automated cleans

ever-increasing workload in these difficult times,

automated beer line cleaning systems such as Beer Piper have taken the stress out of a little-loved, yet essential, task The Beer Piper unit is programmed, meaning it does all the hard work for establishments during their opening hours One of the distinctive features of the Beer Piper system is the Dispense Line Beer function which gives the option of saving much of the valuable beer that until now, was simply poured down the drain ever y week when doing a manual line clean

Chemisphere and Beer Piper continue to invest in new equipment and develop a wider range of products Wilf Worsley, Operations Director at Chemisphere said “ our research and development depar tment are hard at work and strive to lead the industr y through new product development We are the home of several pioneering products and we continue our mission to educate the industr y on the impor tance of maintaining high hygiene standards of their dispense equipment and glass hygiene to ensure optimum quality of their dispensed products ”

Both companies now look forward to continuing to execute their growth plans with Chemisphere UK focusing on expanding their product range and Beer Piper International on the launch of their new BP5 beer line cleaning machine which will utilise Chemisphere’s game changing powder-based product Visit www chemisphereuk com and www beerpiper co uk for more information

RoomRaccoon hotel management system has unveiled its annual global repor

Repor t 2022, A Year of Impact: What’s Next?’ The repor t analysed the booking data of thousands of independent properties in 54 countries around the world

The culinar y director of the Culinar y Association of Wales is keen to see talented young Welsh chefs progress into the Senior Culinar y Team Wales

Graham Tinsley, MBE, executive head chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, near Chester, praised the Junior Culinar y Team Wales for their silver and bronze medals at the Culinar y World Cup in Luxembourg

he wants the chefs, who are too old to compete with the junior team at the Culinar y Olympics in 2024 to take the step up into the senior Wales squad as par t of the C AW’s succession planning

Three chefs – Harr y Paynter-Rober ts and Sion Hughes from Carden Park Hotel and Spa and Harr y Osborne head chef at the Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy – are set to leave the junior team because of their age

He is keen to hear from chefs interested in competing for a place in both the junior and senior squads

RBH Looks Ahead to the 2023 Hotel Landscape

GREEN CREDENTIALS TO BE REQUIRED IN PROCUREMENT PROCESS - GREGOR MACNAUGHTON, CTO

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS TO DOMINATE OVER PRIVATE EQUITY FUNDS -

DAVE HART, CEO

The UK transaction market has been ver y slow in 2022, driven by a lack of stable trading coupled with increased cost of capital which has seen many investors pause and take stock in recent months I fully anticipate that we will see much increased transaction activity in 2023 which I believe will be dominated by the institutional investors who, as longterm investors, are perhaps the best placed to capitalise versus private equity funds that generally have a shor t to medium term view of the market

WITH INCREASING RATES WILL COME GROWING EXPECTATIONS – SUSAN BLAND, MANAGING DIRECTOR

In a year full of ups and downs, 2022 did bounce back with corporate travel, and international travel returning much quicker and stronger than initially anticipated This resulted in rate driven strategies that saw soaring room rates and healthy occupancies It was also a year of staffing shor tages, increasing cost pressures, rising inflation and ongoing political and economic turbulence

I anticipate that 2023 will see the corporate and international markets continue to grow with revenue levels exceeding the 2019 figures currently being used as a benchmark However, with increased room rates, comes increased customer expectations in order to ensure value , so a huge focus on the customer experience is required and deliver y of the highest standards Achieving this in a world of staffing challenges will require a drive of technological solutions that can free up time and allow hotel teams to focus on personalisation They will be expecting to be rewarded accordingly which will lead to fur ther competition for the best

McKays

staff who can be most productive

The customers requirement for an increasingly eco-friendly experience will also drive changes in deliver y of the experience and those who are not able to demonstrate their performance in this area will fall behind

FORECASTING COSTS TO BE APPROACHED WITH CAUTION - ANDREW ROBB, CFO

This has been a unique year with really strong revenue recover y offset by extreme inflation levels and utility costs that have impacted ever yone

As an industr y we remain in a strong place and all of RBH’s forward booking data continues to be positive , however caution remains within forecasts, with a number of previously predictable cost lines potentially subject to change as ever yone (including suppliers) settle into a new cost base However, I remain hopeful that inflation levels will return to more manageable levels within the first half of 2023 and that we will continue to see the downward trend in staffing related issues that we have seen across the sector over the last few months

After a year where material prices soared by 10%, we ’ re now seeing as much as 20% inflation on projects priced in 2019 and 2020 This is likely to slow down the development of new build hotels and could lead to more focus on refurbishments of existing hotels

Based on rising energ y prices and the ever-increasing pressure to reduce our carbon footprints, we expect to see far more consideration from owners and developers (which we gladly welcome) for the introduction of environmental initiatives not only in new build hotels, but also in refurb projects

More companies, and hopefully those in the construction industr y, will begin to take a lead and star t to consider their scope 3 emissions and how they are recorded, which can only be a good thing to help reach Britain’s net zero targets At RBH, FM and capital, and development teams are already asking companies to demonstrate their green credentials through our procurement and tendering processes

DIGITALISATION TO CONTINUE WITH A FOCUS ON SECURITY - VIBHU GAIND, CIO

Where technolog y is concerned, 2023 will see another year of investment in automation and fur ther advancements in direct-to-room arrival for guests This will be driven by kiosks and online check-in enabling hotel teams to focus on meaningful customer ser vice Due to staffing issues across the industr y, there has already been a rise of digitisation like digital dining, and this will carr y on growing Data based analytics will become mainstream with consolidated data across a company, leading to a more concise view of the business and benchmarking ability

Fast and efficient connectivity will be crucial, as room casting and streaming will be a standard across multiple brands and independent hotels Governance will also take precedence , as lenders and funders star t to ascer tain risk PCI-DSS and cyber cer tifications for the business will become a basic requirement – especially given the increasing number of targeted threats to hospitality

Gift 100 Free Xmas Lunches to Pitlochry Community

y ’ s Community Christmas Lunch

Staff at the Pitlochr y hotel are teaming up with the Atholl Centre , who run the Pitlochr y Food bank and Community Larder to provide ready-made festive meals with all the traditional trimmings McKays have also decided to devote the takings from their Thursday Quiz nights to supplying cases of food for the Food bank, which is seeing increasing demand due to rising living costs

The hotel, restaurant and bar has pledged to suppor t the free Christmas Day community lunch at the Atholl Centre , after working with the team there last year

Concerns over potential new Govt lockdown announcements saw hotel visitors cancel pre-booked Christmas lunches and McKays donated excess turkey por tions to the Food bank

This year they have gone fur ther, working with their trusted suppliers to provide full pre-cooked meals, free of charge , for 60 covers and 40 festive food parcels

“Having spoken to people at the Atholl Centre , we know they are getting busier They do an amazing job More people are facing pressures with the cost of living

“When you turn on the TV, there is a lot of stuff about people having to choose between heating and eat-

Natasha’s Law has significant implications for all businesses that produce foods pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) to customers on-site Together with putting customers at risk, those who don t comply face the possibility of large fines and reputation damage , with longer-lasting consequences for customer numbers

It’s created a product labelling challenge for food retailers But while our research found that all agree the regulation will make consumers with food allergies feel safer, many say they are finding it challenging to adapt their labelling processes

Handwritten labels open you up to the risk of human error, and preprinted labels can be costly and limit your ability to make any changes to an ingredient list - neither provide the speed accuracy and flexibility of a digital compliant food labelling solution

Brother has a strong track record of delivering tailored systems for the food ser vice and hospitality sectors and creating a solution for full ingredients labelling for PPDS food needn’t be complex or expensive

Our compact desktop devices make it easy to create long-lasting highresolution labels for allergen content, ingredients, barcodes, branding,

ing this winter That is bad in this day and age As individuals we can take things for granted but businesses and individuals that can afford it could help

“At this time of year, as a business, we believe we should be helping if we can Our suppliers have been great as well We’ll be doing ever ything you would associate with a traditional Christmas lunch bar the gravy, ” said McKays Chef, Richard Kirby

As well as operating the Food bank, the Atholl Centre is one of 4 designated Warm Places in the town where individuals, concerned about the cost of heating their homes, can meet and work

Helen Kirkwood, Manager at the Atholl Centre , is delighted at receiving the help from McKays, as well as other community individuals and businesses

We ve had a lot of help and McKays have really pulled out the stops It’s just amazing

“The Community Christmas Lunch will be for many different people , free of charge There are some people who might be on their own, some who might be able to make a Christmas lunch but are perhaps worried about the costs of cooking We will also be sending out the turkey dinners, in food parcels, too Christmas is a family time and some people want to spend it in their own homes, with the kids staying in pyjamas for most of the day We are catering for all, including our Food bank recipients

“I am sure we will use all the 100 dinners!”

By

Law

Depending on setup and menu size , we offer businesses three types of solutions: a complete standalone solution with pre-built designs and prestored menus, a wirelessly connected tablet and app from one of our specialist software par tners, or a multipurpose PC-based solution that can be used alongside our free P-Touch label design and print software

One business benefitting from our multipurpose solution is café Common Ground, in Altrincham in the Nor th West

After the business star ted offering takeaway PPDS food for the first time , they used our Brother TD-4520DN professional network desktop label printer, alongside our free P-touch Editor software , which enabled them to design and print custom food labels alongside logos images and barcodes They simply connected the device to a laptop and printed off batches of labels for that day’s products

To discover more about how to integrate food labelling solutions into your business, visit www brother co uk/food-labelling

pricing and expir y dates quickly and accurately, using thermal print technolog y without the need for inks or toners For those with multiple sites, our solutions also integrate with menu management systems

Ged Cairns , Head of Auto ID at Brother UK

Exper ts in their respective fields RBH Hospitality Management’s Executive Committee share their thoughts on the UK hotel industr y after a year of change , challenges and success From hotel investment patterns to the rising prevalence of sustainability in the procurement process, what lies ahead for 2023?

McKays Hotel is to play its par t to ensure the Christmas spirit isn’t swallowed up by the cost-of-living crisis by providing 100 free meals for Pitlochr

Top Ten Tips On How to Interview and Hire the Right Candidate

• According to 51% of recruiter s , the best candidate is often found after three inter views

• Recruiter s spend about two-thirds of their hiring time on the inter view process

Much is written about what it is like to be inter viewed What is it like , however, from the other side of the fence –that is, from the inter viewer’s perspective? Emma Alexander, a seasoned human resources practitioner who spent eight years with Hilton and who now heads up Elite Hotels’

Personnel & Development Depar tment at Tylney Hall Hotel, near Hook, in Hampshire , is fully aware of the challenges faced by inter viewers today - that is, she and her peers

The industr y continues to be competitive and, although Elite Hotels offers an excellent overall remuneration and benefits package , the existing external factors – including an acute labour shor tage and competition from other industries able to offer more desirable working hours –are proving to be an additional challenge when tr ying to attract the right calibre of employee

Emma says: “Today it’s ver y much an employee’s market; job vacancies are at record levels, the likes of which haven’t been witnessed for a long time Would-be employees are conscious that the pendulum is swinging in their favour, so the inter view experience is of vital impor tance in deciding whether or not the candidate is happy to consider joining your organisation or not

Emma is ver y aware that inter viewing skills are now playing a more significant role than ever before when seeking to find that elusive right candidate To help others in similar situations, she has put together a list of handy tips on how best to conduct a successful inter view that will help the inter viewer not only to find, but also to secure , the right person for the job in question

1 SUCCESS IS IN THE ADVERT

Not enough organisations put the required thought into their advertisements, but the ad itself is the key driver that can either attract - or deter - the right candidate Think of it as your shop window; it really needs to stand out from the crowd Make sure it’s relevant to the job you re adver tising - include not only the hours, the salar y scale and working patterns, but also the hugely impor tant element - your organisation’s culture

2 BREAK THE ICE

Many candidates find the inter viewing process daunting A good idea is to call them before meeting them; this allows you to get a feel for their communication style , and is also a good oppor tunity to sell the team in which they will be working - and the wider business, too - before they even come through the door It also helps to put candidates at ease , ready for what may be a daunting experience for them

3 QUESTION TIME

Make sure you are prepared and have a list of relevant questions to ask – not just the run-of-the-mill inter view questions You need to come across as both knowledgeable and confident, as well as genuinely interested in your inter viewee

4. BE ANSWER READY

Be ready and eager to answer their questions; you are the hotel’s ambassador, so make sure that you know all about both the depar tment in which the inter viewee will be working and also are thoroughly briefed on the overall business *Some 47% of inter viewers say they wouldn’t choose a candidate who had little knowledge of their company What if YOU couldn’t answer a candidate’s question about your company ?

5. YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION

Your own appearance sets a standard If you ’ re not presenting a smar t image , you can’t expect the candidate to follow suit This is par ticularly impor tant for junior candidates, who are looking up to senior management for direction and guidance

That said, appearance and dress shouldn’t be a barrier to attracting the right candidates – you cer tainly don’t want prospective employees to be put off, or to feel intimidated The best strateg y is to be clear up front about the dress code required for the inter view *A massive 71% of inter viewers will not select a candidate who isn’t appropriately dressed

6. READ YOUR AUDIENCE ON ARRIVAL

To help a candidate to get through the inter view as well as they possibly can, make sure that you read their body language Are they ner vous? If so, tr y to put them at ease; some small talk works wonders, and you’ll get much more out of your candidate if they feel comfor table in your company

*Lack of confidence during an inter view is why 40% of inter viewers don’t take a candidate past the first inter view stage By helping the candidate to relax, you could well help bring down that percentage –both to your/your company ’ s advantage , and to the advantage of the inter viewee

7 INTERVIEW SETTING

Where you inter view the candidate plays an impor tant role in their performance For junior candidates, tr y to create an informal ambience , as this will help them to relax and will get the meeting off to a good star t

8. ENCOURAGE AND ENGAGE

Inter views are not about putting candidates on the spot unnecessarily Aim to encourage and motivate them with positive affirmations A smile goes a ver y long way! *Having a positive inter view experience makes candidates 38% more likely to accept a job offer

9. WHAT’S IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION?

Make sure that the job description is clearly set out, so that the candidate understands exactly what they are potentially signing up to This is a good oppor tunity to let them know that your company can help to develop their skills, that you offer training, and that career prospects are good

10 WILL VERSUS SKILL

Attitude is an impor tant factor when it comes to a candidate’s work ethic; although they may possess the right skill set, they might not have the right attitude Tr y to ascer tain if they have the will to succeed, and whether they have the right attitude for the hospitality industr y; it could well make the difference between employing the right - or the wrongcandidate Skills can be taught - but having a positive attitude , and also the will to succeed, is the ver y best star ting point

*The average inter view-to-offer rate is 42 1%

*What To Become is a usefu website that offer s educational information and career advice

Hospitality Spending in Greater Manchester Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

Spending and demand in the hospitality sector in Greater Manchester has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, boosted in the past quar ter according to data released today by the Greater Manchester Chambers of Commerce

In its quar terly Economic Outlook repor t released today (14 December), the Chamber revealed that the hospitality sector has recovered better than its counterpar ts in retail, with spending across hospitality in the city region now marginally exceeding pre-pandemic levels attributed to Christmas shopping inbound regional tourism and World Cup fixtures boosting trade for pubs and bars

The sur vey of 324 businesses held between November 7th and November 30th also revealed spending in outer boroughs of the region has been bolstered by customers staying local, a contrasting picture to that of the city centre where struggles continue in the main due to the changing work habits and well publicised transpor t difficulties

Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester and Chair of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) who has launched a ‘Give the Gift of Going Out’ initiative to encourage spending over the Christmas and New Year period, said: “Trading across Greater Manchester has been quietly improving in the past 12 months, and given how much the region suffered, our recover y post-pandemic has been pleasing There have been some extremely tough times, but the region is outperforming multiple cities including London in its recover y and this is testament to the strength of the sector and the ability of the region to attract tourists

“However we cannot be complacent and although I am confident the sector can sustain its recover y the first quar ter of 2023 will be extremely tough Januar y is a difficult month in any year, but add in the complex-

The results also highlighted significant and ongoing financial difficulties for many operators While data showed consumer spending has improved, the number of businesses in negative cash flow remains high, signalling the potential for financial distress in the first six months of 2023

Lord continued, “Business cash flow has suffered a heavy blow, burdened by the uptake of debt to weather the pandemic and rising costs of inflation which has had a severe impact on budgets This isn’t just a Nor thern problem it’s nationwide and businesses across the countr y are suffering

“In an ideal world, we would be advising operators to stockpile now in order to reser ve cash flow, but clearly this is an impossible strateg y given the lack of a solid star ting ground We will continue to push for fur ther financial suppor t for operators and continue to suppor t business owners as we move into the next period of recover y ”

Subrahmaniam Krishnan-Harihara, Head of Research at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce , said:

“Spending during Black Friday sales contributed to an uptick in ser vice sector activity So has increased hospitality spend in the lead up to the festive season It is also likely that the FIFA World Cup, par ticularly the progression of the England football team, led to increased patronage at pubs and bars giving a boost to the hospitality sector

“However, the post-Christmas period presents some concerns There are valid questions around the ability of households to sustain consumer spending beyond the festive season, which could affect economic growth and business sentiment ”

Emma Alexander, Tylney Hall’s Per sonnel & Development

Manager, offer s her Top Ten Tips on how companies can not only deliver a successful inter view but can also hire the right candidate

ities of a stuttering economy, historic covid-related debt piles and the cost of living crisis, and we are forecasting a severe drop in consumer spending which businesses must prepare for ”

Hospitality Venues Set to Miss Out £199m Following England’s World Cup Exit

With England crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against France at the quar ter-final stage , the UK s retail and hospitality sectors are set to lose out on £267 million, according to a new repor t

The World Cup 2022 Spending Repor t1 by VoucherCodes co uk estimates that 70 9 million consumers were set to watch the rest of the tournament at home and in pubs, bars, and restaurants, should England have made it to the final But, as the Three Lions lost out to the French, the repor t expects just 27 4 million Brits to tune in to the rest of the tournament –almost two-fifths (39%) fewer viewers than if England had made it through

Retailers are set to miss out on £68 3 million in sales due to England’s early exit Despite no par ticipation from Gareth Southgate’s men the repor t expects shoppers will still spend £133 3 million in stores However, if England had made it all the way, £201 6 million was predicted in retail sales

their local hospitality venue Contrastingly, if England had reached the final, hospitality spend was predicted to hit £243 3 million, with 13 7 million viewers

With the remaining teams fighting for the World Cup trophy, pubs, bars, and restaurants are predicted to sell 12 1 million pints, down from an estimated 39 9 million pints predicted to have been poured if England had made it all the way

Maureen McDonagh, SVP International and Managing Director at VoucherCodes co uk, commented: “2022 has been a hard-hitting year for the hospitality sector, with the cost-of-living crisis looming large over consumers and venues alike and unfor tunately England’s premature depar ture from the tournament will be another hit However pubs, bars, and restaurants will be relieved that some fans are still continuing to watch the remainder of the World Cup at their local venues, despite the Three Lions’ exit

Hospitality venues will also suffer a significant loss of £199 million as a

result of England

to

the final hurdle Sales are forecast to hit £43 6 million throughout the remainder of the tournament as 4 9

football fans prepare to brave the cold and head out to watch the rest of the

Businesses Suffering 30% Downturn in Bookings & Trade as Government Loses Control of Escalating Strike Action

risk “killing” hospitality businesses across the countr y fur thermore research has revealed that the industrial action could also see industr y workers lose up to £15 million in tips

record highs during COVID lockdowns, CGA by

Karl

“Our sector is one of the hardest hit by the rail strikes, first to close and last to open during the pandemic The current circumstances are critically impacting businesses and will require a Government inter vention and fur ther suppor t for businesses at the sharpest end of this crisis ”

failing

reach

million

World Cup tournament from

These venues can generate business in a variety of ways throughout the latter stages of the tournament by appealing to football fans and those out to celebrate the festive season with discounts on food, drinks packages and more It’s impor tant that hospitality venues provide good value for money to encourage the predicted 4 9 million customers to watch the remaining matches outside of their homes ”

NTIA

Michael Kill CEO NTIA Says: “Its abundantly clear the Government has lost control, strike action has overshadowed the first Christmas period we have had to celebrate with some normality in over 3 years “Businesses are already seeing a 30% downturn in trade due to transpor t challenges and changing weather, with festive bookings being cancelled daily and par ty sizes reducing as we move into the hear t of the festive period ”

“It is estimated that businesses will lose over 2 Billion in revenue during this period, vital revenue that will help them sur vive in the early par t of 2023 ”

“The Government cannot ignore the escalating situation any longer As more unions join the UK wide industrial action bringing the countr y closer to a stand still ”

Chef Tom Kerridge , who owns restaurants in London, Marlow and Buckinghamshire , said his London venue Kerridge s Bar & Grill would see its revenues being hit massively by the strikes, but noted that more rural areas may be less affected

Mr Kerridge echoed the sentiments of other operators, stating that he sympathised with railway workers going on strike but that the government should have been working harder to facilitate negotiations with rail unions

By Roy Sullivan / Authorising Engineer [Water], Water Hygiene Centre Ltd (www waterhygienecentre com)

Sampling

of water systems for Legionella

Pseudomonas aeruginosa or bacteriological can be somewhat daunting, with thoughts of ‘do I need to sample’, ‘how to take a sample’ and ‘where should I send the samples

CLH News has spoken to Roy Sullivan at Water Hygiene Centre Ltd to provide some background on the sampling process

INTRODUCTION TO WATER

SAMPLING

The accuracy of the results obtained from water sampling relies principally on ‘doing the basics well’ Whilst it is imperative to understand the; how, what, why, where and when we take water samples, these considerations are underpinned by two key requirements:

• The sampler must follow the approved tec hnique when sampling from an outlet;

• As far as reasonable and practicab e , think about all aspects of the sampling environment that may pose a cross-contamination r isk

By following the approved methodolog y/sampling technique coupled with the adoption of good sampling practice , to mitigate factors that may otherwise cross-contaminate the sample taken, it is possible to consistently obtain results that accurately represent the water quality within the outlet sampled

SAMPLING PROCESSES

Guidance is available from British Standards and the Environment Agency which both offer practical advice on how to sample and monitor from hot and cold water ser vices (BS 8554:2015) BS 7592:2022 describes how to sample specifically for Legionella bacteria in water systems and laborator y advice surrounding the determination/detection and enumeration of aquatic bacteria is found in Microbiolog y of Drinking Water – ‘Blue Book’

Therefore sampling processes may be defined by two par ts:

• Operational considerations when sampling outlets;

• Laborator y methodologies and associated diagnostics when determining the ‘target organism’ presence

This ar ticle will focus on the first par t and outline the operational considerations of taking a water sample following the aforementioned British Standards

LEGIONELLA SAMPLING RATIONALE

For legionella sampling, it is advised that water samples are under taken to demonstrate the effectiveness of the established control scheme and are not considered a control measure themselves Therefore superfluous sampling (‘fishing for results’) is not advised

The WSG should use Legionella risk assessments to determine when and where to test, which may include the following circumstances;

• When storage and distr ibution temperatures do not ac hieve those recommended and systems are treated with a biocide regime , testing shou d be carr ed out monthly, although that frequenc y may be altered depending on the results obtained;

• In systems where the temperature or biocidal control regimes are not consistently ac hieved, week y c hec ks are recommended unti the system is brought under control, after whic h the frequenc y of monitor ing can be reviewed;

• When a nosocomial (a disease or iginating in a hospita ) outbreak is suspected or has been identified;

• Where there are at-r sk patients with increased suscept bility

For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, it is advised in the HTM04-01 that samples are taken ever y 6 months from outlets in augmented care units Most care that is designated as augmented will be that where medical/nursing procedures render the patients susceptible to invasive disease from environmental and oppor tunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other aler t organisms

The water outlets to be sampled should be those that supply water that:

• Has direct contact with patients;

• Is used to wash staff or visitor s hands; or

• Is used to fill or c lean equipment that will have contact with patients or visitor s as determined by r isk assessment

Although, guidance for Scotland ‘Guidance for neonatal units (NNUs) (levels 1, 2 & 3), adult and paediatric intensive care units (ICUs) in Scotland to

minimise the risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection from water’ does not advocate routine sampling for Pseudomonas aeruginosa

For general bacteriological monitoring it is advised in the HTM04 that routine samples are not necessar y as no direct association with the presence of waterborne pathogens Although testing may be considered necessar y where there are taste , discolouration, or odour problems

SAMPLING PLAN

Before water sampling begins there should first be a strateg y/rationale for the works and HTM 04-01 Par t B Paragraph 10 2 guides in this regard Moreover, it is advised that water samples should be taken from the nearest and far thest points on a water distribution system, known as the sentinel outlets

As a minimum, samples should be taken as follows:

• From the cold water storage and the fur thermost outlet from the tank;

• From the calor ifier flow, or the c losest tap to the calor ifier, and the fur thermost tap on the hot water ser vice circulating system;

• Additional samples should be taken from the base of the calor ifier where drain valves have been fitted if safe to do so due to scald and mec hanical r isks;

• Additional random samples may also be considered appropr iate where systems are known to be susceptible to colonisation in line with BS7592-2022 guidance

Sampling from outlets at the extremities of a distribution system offers insight with respect to the microbiological quality of water between these sentinel points, thus removing the need to sample ever y outlet in between The sampling plan should also consider the need to sample any additional outlets, such as those that represent remote par ts of the system e g , an outlet positioned at the end of an unusually long pipe run

COLLECTING SAMPLES

When collecting a water sample the aim is it should be representative of the sample location at the time of collection; hence the impor tance of using the approved sampling technique and mitigating any risk of cross-contamination

Equally impor tant is the handling of the sample once it has been taken to minimise change before the laborator y analysis begins Therefore , careful consideration

should be given to the following:

• Cho ce of sampling point;

• The possible presence of biocides suc h as c hlor ine;

• Whether or not there is a need to dis nfect the sampling point;

• Location & timing of the sample – concerning normal operating conditions & control measures of the system Especially if secondar y disinfection is commonplace;

• The type & quantity of sample to be taken – considering the requirement for different volume samp es dependent upon the target organism For example; Legionella samples are usually collected n either 500ml or 1-l tre container s whereas Pseudomonas analysis only requires a 100ml sample and may be collected in a 100ml to 500ml container depending on the laborator y;

• Storage of the samples

• Transpor tation of the water samples

SAMPLING TIPS TO REMEMBER

Sampling can provide valuable information on the efficacy of the control scheme , which pre-planned maintenance (PPMs) such as temperature monitoring may form a par t However, this will only be true if the sampling programme is properly planned and executed following available guidance

Random ‘fishing for results’ is not recommended Sampling should be carried out in response to a specific need with a clear underlying rationale

When sampling has been carried out as a result of a previous loss of control, once it’s been accepted that control has been regained, then sampling following the original regime should resume – suppor ted by the site-specific Legionella risk assessment and the organisational Water Safety Plan (WSP)

Par t 2 - The water sampling tec hnique and the c hain of custody associated with microbiological testing will be discussed in next week’s CLH News

Support England’s Independent Food & Drink Sector Government Urged

The national platform of 26 regional food and drink organisations, Food from England, has issued an urgent letter to the Prime Minister and all England’s MPs requesting suppor t for the food and drink sector amid the current cost of living crisis

Food From England brings together exceptional food and drink producers and local organisations under one federation, giving them a united voice In total it represents over 43,000 local growers, producers, retailers, and hospitality businesses Local trade organisation Food Drink Devon represents 350+ members and is throwing its weight behind the demand for increased backing for local independent food and drink producers, growers, retailers, and hospitality outlets; having seen the current cost of living crisis directly affect their members, some of which have been recently forced to shut their doors for good

Chair of Food Drink Devon, Greg Parsons explains: “Our members are calling out for increased suppor t and information to help them understand how they can weather the cost-of-living crisis It’s affecting ever y stage of the supply chain and, due to customers having no choice but to cut their spending, passing on the costs is not a viable solution Local businesses have gone above and beyond over the past few years to suppor t their communities and if we don’t suppor t the ones that have managed to sur vive so far we will lose them ”

The UK Agri-food sector – made up of agriculture , manufacturing, wholesale , retail, and catering – contributed 116 2 Bn (6%) to the national Gross value added (GVA) in 2020 and employed 4 1 Mn people 1 But its role is much broader than suppor ting the economy alone

THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF THE UK FOOD AND DRINK SECTOR

Local independent food and drink businesses reconnect the consumer with the land their food comes from and with the people growing, processing, selling, and ser ving local products, creating a sense of place and community, and making people proud of where they live

The sector looks after the land and is a driver of innovative , more sustainable practices, while also providing the culinar y infrastructure to the countr y ’ s tourism industr y: food and drink are the glue of any tourist experience and greatly influence its success Without a quality offering, visitors are less likely to dwell or stay over, and spend less

Local, freshly produced food and drink is a healthy alternative to super processed foods and – when used efficiently – does not have to be expensive Food Drink Devon, along with their members makes a concer ted

effor t to educate the public on how local seasonal food can be the healthy, affordable , and sustainable option

THE CRISIS FACING THE UK FOOD AND DRINK SECTOR

But despite its invaluable contribution to the local economy, England’s characteristic landscape , the environment, the countr y ’ s social cohesion and its public health, the local independent food and drink industr y is in peril

Rising costs of impor ted ingredients and materials, supply chain issues, continuing staffing shor tages and skyrocketing energ y and fuel prices have all contributed to a steep increase in production costs Unable to absorb the additional cost due to tight profit margins, businesses are having to pass this on to customers amid a cost-ofliving crisis

“The Covid lockdown saw both the demise of many ar tisan producers, and food outlets disappearing overnight If we do not suppor t the industr y now, we will see a repeat of this tragic loss of livelihoods, skills, employment, and community, possibly on an even larger scale” says Rachel Mallows, Food from England

Government action required Food from England has urged central Government to take action in the following areas:

• Extend the Energy Bill Relief Sc heme to the 30th of June 2023 – with trade usually pic king up from Apr il onwards , this would give businesses some breathing space

• Provide additional (grant funding) suppor t to high-energy us ng food businesses to invest in a wide range of green energy solutions

Extend the seasonal worker sc heme beyond December 2022 across all sector s in the food and dr ink industr y to avoid fur ther (par t) c losures due to staffing shor tages in 2023

Devise a fairer business rate system that will suppor t smaller businesses in the onger term

• Provide capacity-building suppor t to regional food groups in England In addition to lobbying the Government for suppor t, Food from England will also be launching a DON’T LOSE IT, USE IT! consumer campaign, urging customers to buy local and suppor t our independent food and drink businesses this winter

Scottish Budget Falls Short of Delivering Christmas Cheer to Hospitality

“Rather than holding hospitality back with burdensome and costly regulation, the Scottish Government should be suppor ting and applauding the significant contribution our businesses make to employment and vibrant community life across the countr y

While a basic freeze on business rates was widely welcomed, a move to raise income tax was criticised

Leon Thompson, Executive Director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “The freeze on the business rate announced today is welcome news, and a key ask of UKHospitality Scotland, but we needed the Deputy First Minister to go fur ther

“Our businesses face a hard winter as costs continue to rise for them whilst customers concerned at their own spiralling costs and hit by rail strikes, are increasingly being more cautious and visiting venues less and less

“What should be a time for hospitality to build up a financial cushion for the lean months ahead is instead resulting in cancellations and losses for many businesses The lack of sector-specific relief on business rates for hospitality from the Scottish Government is painfully at odds with the suppor t provided by the UK Government and Welsh Government to their hospitality sectors By following their example , the Scottish Government would have extended a lifeline to struggling businesses so vital to our economy

“This budget comes as our businesses were already counting the cost of the recent business rate revaluation process This has resulted in many receiving higher valuations than before , which simply cannot be right after two years of Covid closures and restrictions for businesses now gripped by severe financial challenges While the details for the transitional relief scheme announced today are still to be released it remains the case that these are simply sticking plasters patching up a dysfunctional system that is in desperate need of reform

“Beyond the budget it is ver y concerning to learn that the Scottish Government’s own Gateway Review into the Deposit Return Scheme concluded that the scheme is not deliverable , in full, by the go live date of 16 August 2023 DRS alone is already costing hospitality businesses and producers time and money as they work to prepare for it This assessment throws the viability of the scheme into fur ther doubt and in the current economic circumstances cannot be afforded by our businesses

“There

“The

Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce , said there was little cheer in the budget

“The Scottish Government’s move to increase the top and higher rates of income tax will hit taxpayers in Scotland more than other par ts of the UK," she said

“This is a clear disadvantage for Scotland’s businesses and workers and could position Scotland as a less attractive place to live and work

While standard and basic rates of tax will not change , the higher rate threshold will be maintained and the top rate will be lowered to £125,140 from £150,000 The higher and top rates of tax will be increased by 1p each, to 42p and 47p respectively

Colin Wilkinson, Scottish Licensed Trade Association managing director, also pointed out the difference in rateable value between two hotels – one in West Lothian and one in Surrey

The rateable value of the hotel in Surrey has gone from £370,000 to £210,750 while the West Lothian hotel’s RV has gone from £367,000 to £350,000,” he said

“Even with a freeze on the Scottish UBR (top tier), the Scottish one will pay over £75,000 more (70%) than the English one in rates in 2023/24 when they were paying vir tually the same this year How can that be fair?”

Scottish business leaders have expressed dismay at the lack of suppor t for the sector as well as deeper labour challenges in the wake of the Scottish budget

”

Marc Crothall, of the Scottish Tourism Alliance , said: “The tax increase announced this afternoon fur ther reduces consumer ability to suppor t our already struggling sector ; spending on leisure will continue to drop

has been little respite for our industr y and no meaningful fiscal suppor t to date to enable an economic bounce back for tourism and hospitality businesses across Scotland

situation is grim; we have now entered our most difficult winter yet

The Source Trade Show Preview

Take a Bite Out of the Best the South West Has to Offer

With 2023 rapidly approaching, it’s time to plan how you ’ re going to 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 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, the Source trade show is for you

The Source trade show will take place on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th Februar y 2023, at Westpoint, near Exeter 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 and, in par tnership with regional food group Taste of the West, this trade show will delight your senses with the latest flavours and ideas The Source is easily the biggest and best regional trade show in the countr y You’ll discover

ever ything a food or hospitality business could possibly want, from high quality ingredients, the freshest food and drinks through to foodser vice , kitchen equipment and designs stylish furniture and the latest EPoS and other business systems to keep your operation running smoothly

This is a two day oppor tunity for you to see what s hot in the fast-moving world of cuisine , network with colleagues, and pick up on the trends, business challenges and oppor tunities shaping the sector for 2023 Meet the Newcomers, who are new companies from the South West that have never done a trade show before Plus many exhibitors put on exclusive show offers that you can advantage of!

For more information about the show and to register to attend visit www.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk/welcome You can also follow the show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @SourceFoodDrink

All

It’s Beginning To Taste A Lot Like Christmas- We Can Smell It In The Air

For Christmas recipes see our new selection developed for us by master chef Peter Gor ton littlepod co uk/our-recipes/

For that extra sparkle we are putting our chopped Vanilla pods into ice cubes adding a dash of luxur y to our cocktails

Of course , the Perfect Gift for the Passionate Cook is our store- cupboard essential, LittlePod tube of Vanilla Paste Tr y rubbing it into your turkey Put a squeeze into your morning porridge , smoothies, Coffee Vanilla is perfect for savour y dishes as well as the Christmas cake!

Fancy a vegan Christmas? Our products are suitable for vegans We are also kosher cer tified and this year we are proud to say that we are a ‘Made in Devon’ Trading standards Approved company Cheers to Olly and cheers to you All Look forward to catching up in 2023!

Vinicola Tombacco Achieves Equalitas Sustainable Winery Certification

has been awarded Equalitas

Cer tification, a globally recognised sustainability standard set for the wine sector which guarantees the winer y ’ s commitment to sustainability Tombacco, who’s wines are available in the UK through Lanchester Wines has announced the achievement following a series of both ongoing and new projects to address key sustainability issues The third-generation family business, which recently celebrated its centenar y year has implemented various practices across its wineries to minimise its impact on the environment

Solar panels are installed on Tombacco’s buildings which optimises the cost of electricity covering 10% of the company ’ s energ y needs and is the first step towards complete energ y autonomy An innovative Israeli-type drip irrigation system has been installed, that delivers just enough water and nutrients to the vines while minimising wastage And, Valoritalia, the Italian cer tification body, has rewarded 47 Anno Domini's effor ts with organic cer tification which in itself is a guarantee of attention and care to the highest standards

Fur thermore , Tombacco has introduced an employee welfare programme which, in the long term, will see them as recipients of annual awards for their good work and team building activities

Brothers Cristian and Andrea Tombacco are joint

owners of Vinicola Tombacco Cristian said: "Improvement is a path taken one step at a time and each step must follow a precise direction made up of shor t-term objectives that lead to more ambitious and prestigious long-term successes Ever y year we'll prepare a Sustainability Repor t setting out the improvement policies that we intend to put into practice , measuring the overall situation An independent body performs an audit to cer tify progress: this guarantees greater transparency, but also encourages businesses to show constant commitment and efficiency ”

"We know the path we have decided to take is a difficult one , but we do it with the awareness that this is the right one in order to stay faithful to our principles and guarantee future generations a thriving business like the one we are experiencing today,” concludes Cristian

The Equalitas standard focuses on the social, environmental and economic pillars of sustainability It’s a voluntar y cer tification procedure regarding wine sustainability with the aim of bringing together companies in the wine sector to promote one shared approach to sustainability For more information, please visit www equalitas it/en

For more information on Tombacco’s commitment to sustainability, please visit www rinomatatombacco it

Let Your Christmas Menu Sparkle with Just Desserts

With over 100 handcrafted desser ts already on offer, Just Desser ts Yorkshire have revealed their Christmas 2022 desser ts range Taking inspiration from those Christmas desser t classics, the new product range offers a unique twist on those traditional festive flavours we all love

The new festive trio includes:

MINCEPIE FRANZI

A sweet butter pastr y case filled with classic mincemeat, topped with franzipan sponge and finished with a dusting of sugar snow

GINGER & TOFFEE CHRISTMAS

PUDDING

Classic ginger sponge topped with an irresistible toffee sauce – a real winter warmer!

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE

Digestive biscuit base with a white chocolate pepper-

mint

Established in 1985 in the renowned Salt s mill Just Desser ts Yorkshire specialise in baking a range of over 100 quality handcrafted desser ts

Using the finest of ingredients, the Just Desser ts Yorkshire range includes a selection of over 20 large and individual luxur y cheesecakes, decorative gateaux and cakes tar ts and pastries – featuring a range of delicious fillings, the famous Yorkshire Scoundrel, puddings and crumbles and so much more

Widely available for distribution throughout the UK, Just Desser ts Yorkshire supply the hospitality and retail sector, including pubs, restaurants and hotels with the finest of desser ts https://just-desser ts.co.uk/

Padua’s Vinicola Tombacco

The

Garments needed to be smar t and professionally laundered with a strong emphasis on quality and brand image It had historically experienced a lack of consistency with ser vice levels from a range of suppliers creating complexity and additional administration pressures

Elis worked closely with Har ts Group to understand its key requirements at a site level It completed site sur veys and meetings with the management team of each restaurant This helped to identify the number and type of garments required and the number of wearers enabling Elis to work out a schedule that would fit the restaurants’ exacting requirements while offering a consistent level of ser vice As a result Elis was able to reduce the number of weekly collections and deliveries increase the amount of stock in circulation and combine all ser vices into one straightforward deliver y model This reduced the carbon footprint of the ser vices being delivered and unlocked fur ther

Laundry and Linens

Harr y Bown Director of Operations

Har t Group said: “Having worked with some well-known laundr y suppliers in London for many years it’s been refreshing to work with a supplier of Elis’ professionalism and quality It was impor tant that we streamlined our invoices and supply chain to remove complexity Laundr y and washroom ser vices have historically taken time to manage However, Elis has delivered on its commitments and caused no disruption to our operations during the transition ”

Textile and laundr y ser vices provider Elis UK (https://uk elis com) has par tnered with Har ts Group to deliver on laundr y and washroom requirements for all its London restaurants These include the modern Spanish Barrafina and Parrillian restaurant groups, the Mexican El Pastor chain and the historic Soho Quo Vadis restaurant and private members club

company required a range of products such as chef and front-ofhouse uniforms table linen kitchen linen and washroom ser vices

commercial benefits

Following the site visits Elis gained a strong understanding of the operational and logistical requirements for the group and was awarded the contract The ser vice cycle commenced as par t of a two-phase roll-out to suppor t the Group during the withdrawal of the incumbent suppliers

Har t Group was impressed with the thorough preparation and attention to detail that Elis has shown The ser vice has proven to be reliable and straightforward allowing the restaurant teams to focus on their core business operations rather than worr ying about the availability of laundr y Aurelija Sovaite , Operations Manager of Har t Group, said: “We chose Elis after reviewing several options and we ’ re ver y pleased by the attention to detail shown in the transition of the ser vices Visiting ever y restaurant and getting a full understanding of the needs and challenges of each has meant that the ser vice Elis has designed fits our requirements, reduces the number of deliveries and collections and offers true value for money As a result, I now spend little time of dealing with complaints in regards to laundr y and washroom ser vices, and we ’ re delighted to have selected Elis as our laundr y and washroom par tner ”

at

Hospitality Technology

Holidaymaker

When holiday park guest spending is at a premium it is time to look at new ways of working Gain a new competitive advantage with Holidaymaker, our integrated Guest Experience platform to upsell holidays, increase on-park spend and encourage direct re-bookings

Holidaymaker has been designed to help you engage with your guests from the moment their booking is confirmed, allowing you to deliver key information, upsell and market new oppor tunities to them and provide an exceptional guest experience before , during and after their stay with you

We have 24 Parks already using Holidaymaker and over 100 000 guest downloads to date

Our park owner customers are already

• Earning more from ever y booking by up-selling ser vices or promoting products or ser vices from local par tner s

Creating new revenue streams by promoting special offer s , caravan sa es , and late-season deals with push notifications

• Sav ng staff time and reducing costs by prov ding all their key information and messaging via their own branded app

Holidaymaker is jam-packed with functionality, and we integrate with some of the leading park booking systems to personalise app content, including RMS, Elite Dynamics, Prophet, GemaPark, ParcVu, and CampManager, as well as activity booking systems such as

BookWhen

Holidaymaker app is available for single parks but can also be used by park groups with the multi-park set up Manage all the information from one central CMS and allow your guests to select their park (and respective app information) when they download the app

Here’s just a few examples of what Holidaymaker can provide to you and your guests:-

Holiday countdown and payment reminder s

• Welcome pac ks and video FAQs

Push notifications – send messages directly to your guest’s smar tphone whenever you want to notify them

• Things to do, vir tual park maps and per sonalised guest itinerar ies

• Events and special offer s

• Holiday home sales module – display your odges and caravans for sale just like RightMove

New - Digital signage module – use one CMS to manage your app and digital s gnage content and update disp ay screens around your park from your head office Book a Demo to see how Holidaymaker technolog y can help you connect directly with guests and generate new revenue oppor tunitieswww holidaymakerapp co uk/discover

Designed

New DrainMinor C (Combi

Oven

Pump) Creates Considerable

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 installation footprint is just the size of the compact tank and potential leaks from knocked manifold piping and joints are eliminated

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

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

ComPaCK GlassWasHErs

ComPaCK FroNT loadING dIsHWasHErs

ComPaCK Pass THroUGH dIsHWasHErs

• Electronic control with push buttons for high efficiency and easy to use

• 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

Fryers and Oil

By David Chesshire , National Accounts

Operators should consider when purchasing a fr yer and their oil the oil capacity against production rate burner efficiency and recover y rate as well as a true cool zone in gas fr yers to help prolong the oil life Blue Seal V ray Gas Fr yers are our premium fr yer and burner system, which come at a higher price compared to some competitors’ gas models However the fuel efficiency, cost saving, performance and stainless steel high build quality far out way the additional initial cost to the operator

Blue Seal produce high performance thermostatic controlled gas & electric fr yers

Our Evolution range gas fr yers GT60 GT46 & GT45 have a premium feature benefit of all using our patented “V’Ray” burner system This system uses infrared technolog y radiating the heat into the tank, only heating the area of oil the baskets are sitting in This promotes incredibly fast recover y rates, high efficiency for limited fuel consumption provides a true cool zone in conjunction with the specially shaped tank The true cool zone prevents crumb and food debris that drops below

The oven is the cornerstone of any baking operation for caterers, licensees, and hoteliers Controlling the movement of air inside the convection oven coupled with the performance of steam generation ensures perfect heat distribution and the best baking results Whether it s a countertop oven to produce delicious snacks or full-scale ovens for busy kitchens MIWE offers the oven to suit your needs and to provide the bake quality you demand It s no wonder that top pastr y chefs request MIWE ovens for their five-star hotels

The MIWE range of convection baking ovens offer excellent quality throughout the entire product catalogue , with the benefit of gastronomic functions and auto cleaning to provide ovens that offer fantastic flexibility and energ y efficiency With a myriad of clever features to make baking a pleasure , programmable controllers to ensure consis-

the batter plates from continuous cooking and carbonising which in turn helps prevent the degrading of oil quality This all achieves considerable cost saving for the operator with fuel and oil, as well as time efficiency, producing the finished products Blue Seal also offer an additional Filtration units that give a fantastic solution to improving oil life, have great mobility and space saving features as well as powerful pumps & full stainless steel construction

Moisture , fatty acids and food residue contaminate cooking oil, spoiling fried food taste and causing the oil to smoke Blue Seal Filtamax removes impurities, quickly and effectively, maintaining consistent high cooking quality and considerable extension of oil life

The Carbon Pads remove sub-micron par ticles down to 0 5 microns – this is 100 times smaller than a grain of sand Daily filtering of fr yer oil using carbon filters can massively increase the life span of the oil creating large cost savings and create more consistent finish and taste to the food product

tent results and an automatic cleaning system that allows you to clean your baking station overnight and save energ y with the auto-star t technolog y MIWE convection ovens are designed to offer bakers the solutions to meet their needs Its ovens also feature a variety of energ ysaving technolog y The MIWE eco mode ensures the right compromise of low energ y consumption and baking-readiness is assured in between baking processes

Evolution Fryers and Filter Units

The Premium Fryer and Bur ner System

The ultimate solution for any catering establishment, perfect for pubs, hotels, restaurants, cafes and much more.

www.blue-seal.co.uk

Manager, Blue Seal (www blue-seal co uk)

Outdoor Spaces

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

We are an independent supplier ser ving the outdoor restaurant 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 internet 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 combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job

We also supply Markilux awning which are some of the best made in the industr y and Uhlmann parasols another top rated German brand Bespoke goods are also a speciality with custom made menu holders waiter stations and planters all to you requirement If we can help you do drop a line to sales@cafeculture biz

"Can We Sit Outside Please?"

Over 79% of UK diners have attested that they would spend more time and money in a restaurant if they incorporated outdoor dining

Integrating outdoor dining into your establishment is a no brainer decision especially when you consider the al fresco movement across the UK and return on investment oppor tunities For example when discussing predictions for the rise in al fresco dining in 2022, Janice H Dobson, Business Development Director at Archatrak, said: “Restaurant owners can look at it mathematically they know the value of ever y seat they offer and I encourage my clients to ask themselves, ‘what could 8 extra seats, 12 extra seats 20 extra seats mean for your business? Often they’ll find that, in a relatively shor t period of time , these outdoor areas can pay for themselves and continue generating revenue years afterward ”

The maths is simple; seating 16 people under a 4m x 4m parasol at an average spend of £12 50 per head 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, deliver 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

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

only from a segregated supply chain Pretty impressive Rober

Products and Services

gluten free and available n 15 flavour s with two vegan var ieties

Ever yone can enjoy their delicious snacks which can cater for Keto, Vegan, Sugar Free , Gluten

Fire Detection and Emergency Lighting Solutions You Can Trust

stock from many of our fire alarm manufacturers

As well as distributing stock via courier, if you are in the local area you can pick up your equipment from one of our many branches which have trade counters

See the adver t on page 9 or visit www.illuminoignis.co.uk

The Safety Exper t has created an online Level 2 Food Hygiene course for hospitality businesses that enables staff to learn through video The course consists of videos that are filmed in real-life scenarios with practical examples The course is created and delivered by Natalie Stanton, Founder of The Safety Exper t Natalie is a Char tered Environmental Health Officer, food safety advisor and trainer

Natalie said: Presenting information in a visual way can increase knowledge retention That’s why I opted for video My mission is to bridge the gap between elearning and face-to-face training I want to retain the flexibility and affordability of online training whilst presenting information in a visual way to ensure staff learn and remember as much as possible I know now more than ever food businesses are experiencing a high turnover of staff It is essential that all of these staff are trained to work safely After all, a business is only as good as its staff

I’m passionate about helping food businesses to succeed by ensuring their staff are trained to work safely

My experience shows that training can t just be a tick box’ exercise To produce safe food and for a business to get a good food hygiene rating staff need to understand food safety This is only possible if they learn and retain knowledge from training

Having worked as a local authority EHO for over 11 years I’ve seen many examples of how poor staff training can impact a business During a food hygiene inspection, it only takes one mistake from a food handler to cost the business its 5-star rating For example; I’ve seen food handlers panic to get food into the fridge and cause cross-contamination by storing raw meat incorrectly The EHO can’t ignore this when calculating a food hygiene rating Effective training should help staff make the right decisions when it comes to food safety ”

To find out more:

www.thesafetyexper t.co.uk

info@thesafetyexper t co uk

See the adver t on page 9 for fur ther details

Authentic Spanish Sangria

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 sunshine 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 settings with no preparation or wastage , the can offers single-ser ve convenience 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 competition, the professional winetasting 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 reaction 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 forward to continued successes into 2023

With pre-mix drinks growing to be a hugely popular categor y par ticularly during the summer, sangria is a natural fit given the high levels of consumer awareness due to Spain being a major holiday destination for the UK consumer Solsueño sangria, Bringing Spain to the UK! Contact us at: info@sangria-solsueno com www sangria-solsueno com @sangriasolsueno

See the adver t on page 2 for

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Design and Refit

Iconic Project Management. Commercial Construction Projects; On Time, On Budget, On Brief. Guaranteed.

Iconic Project Management

are on a mission to improve the reputation of the construction industr y We exist to help our clients turn their construction plans into reality It goes without saying that our clients are our number one focus We love solving their problems and delivering their projects What we love even more is to delight our clients by exceeding their expectations

Ever yone has a horror stor y of that building contractor who over-promised and under-delivered It’s almost considered standard practice to under-quote in order to secure contracts but we think that s counter-productive

Almost all our work comes from recommendations by people we ’ ve worked with in the past The reason that they are happy to recommend us is not necessarily that we quote the lowest prices and the shor test deliver y times but that we can be relied on to deliver what was agreed, by the agreed date

Our team has over one hundred years of experience between them We are exper ts at delivering restaurant and kitchen fit out projects Satisfied recent clients include Tim Hor tons, Poke House , Boparan Group and Yolk

Whether you are opening your first restaurant outlet or have a whole chain of pubs you want to fit out we can help you achieve your ambitions We’ll guide you through each step from establishing your brief procuring your design and selecting contractors, to managing the fit out

We promise to keep your budgets and timelines on track so that your restaurant or pub is perfectly ready on time for your grand opening Call us to talk through your project on 07775 543038 or email info@iconicprojectmanagement com If you d like to know more about us, or would like hints and tips on how to plan your project, check out our website at www iconicprojectmanagement com

10 Years of Mayfair Furniture

Furniture

Choosing individual pieces of furniture that complement both each other and your existing space can be tricky, timeconsuming and sometimes expensive That’s why at Trent Furniture we offer furniture packages designed to give you the perfect seating arrangement for your venue at great prices

perfectly paired with 12 upholstered Tall Boston Bar Stools For diners, our American Diner Package offers amazing savings on our fun and durable faux red and white leather American Diner range , with 10

bar and pub

Design and Refit

Additional Ranges as ILF Continue to Expand

Most made to order indoor seating and indoor wooden table bases and tops can be finished to any customer specification Outdoor items offer a variety of colours within the same product style

Also included is a link to priced chairs and table bases plus a selection 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 specification, 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

Saniflo Provides a New CPD Offering

ing for Public Health Engineers, Mechanical Consultants, Architects Mechanical Installers and Specialist Resellers

The hour-long talk, which can be supplemented with a two-hour session of pump cur ve training if required, is designed to discuss and offer technical training on macerators and lifting stations for commercial and domestic buildings This CPD is par t of wastewater and drainage in the public health sector/mechanical engineering

By the end of the presentation, attendees will understand the challenges of gravity-fed drainage systems, be able to identify where and when to use a macerator or lifting station be able to navigate critical installation requirements and considerations, understand some of the key differences between the lifting station technologies, and be able to use pump cur ves to help specify the correct pump

To book a CPD for your organisation, call 020 8842

Mayfair

bespoke orders We deliver to all areas of the UK Ireland & Europe

We are not just a supplier ; we understand that from time to time hospitality and leisure establishments like to give themselves a fresh new look That's why not only do we supply contract furniture but when it s time for your establishment to go through a refurbishment we also offer

your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the labour usage in your business

And YES Covid19 changed a lot of things We need to learn from those things!

Right now we are experiencing massive increases in the cost of the raw materials that we buy both Food and Drink We will take that fully into consideration When was the last time that you fully and meticulously costed out and priced correctly, ever y dish on your menu both Food and Drinks?

Budgeting, Forecasting, Menu Management, Stock Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are just a few of the other areas that David Hunter, your Restaurant Consultant, will work on with you, and improve with you

MANAGING PEOPLE

Managing people brings with it a whole set of new skills that are now 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 customers

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

Property and Professional

Insurance in the Good Times, Insurance in the Bad Times

Independent hospitality businesses play a vital role in the local community across the nation by creating jobs and providing access to essential products and ser vices When times are bad the last cutback you want to make is your insurance cover, it is the equivalent of throwing parachutes out of a plane to reduce the weight or throwing life vests out of a ship taking on water to stop it from sinking In the modern day, insurance is the only truly effective method of mitigating risk

With over 32 years of experience protecting the hospitality sector Forum Insurance understands that the key to achieving long-term success is having your business run smoothly and preparing for any unforeseen incidents Insurance is designed to do exactly that protect your livelihood your assets and your customers – paying the way for your business to truly grow

WHY FORUM INSURANCE?

Over 3 decades we have developed longstanding relationships with insurers and a wealth of insurance broking experience in this sector We have the access and exper tise to provide your business with advice , tailored insurance covers, and competitive premiums For the most par t, we have had great success in understanding our client’s

needs, mitigating the risks involved and when they have a claim getting them back on their feet with our inhouse claims handling process We understand that if we look after our clients, our clients will look after us

Whether you ’ ve just star ted your business and are unsure which insurance covers would be beneficial for you, or you ’ re an experienced business looking for a free insurance review request a call back using our website or call 0208 909 2899 and our friendly team will be able to help you

Don t just take our word for it we have achieved a 97% satisfaction rate with our clients because we ensure they have the correct cover at a competitive price See the adver t on the facing page for details

A Zero Hours Time Bomb? How to Work Out Holiday

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

Pay Under New Rules

As we enter the busy Christmas season, hospitality businesses should beware of new changes to zero hours contracts and how holiday pay is worked out Following a Supreme Cour t ruling earlier this year, the previously commonplace practice of adding 12 07% to wages to cover holiday pay for zero hours workers is no longer acceptable –and hospitality managers must act now to protect themselves

Zero hours workers, or casual workers, have no set hours and businesses are under no obligation to offer them hours This makes them an attractive solution to seasonal rush periods like Christmas or major spor ting events which see pubs, bars, hotels and clubs heat up in terms of footfall

The ver y nature of zero hours work means that people under these contracts end up working variable hours, but this causes difficulty with holidays as all workers in the UK are entitled to paid time off When there is no set amount paid each week, it becomes tricky to work out a formula to ascer tain holiday entitlement and so many organisations settled on enhancing the time worked by 12 07% to reflect a holiday pay allowance

However, following a recent challenge to this protocol, the Supreme Cour t has now ruled this this is legally incorrect and that employers must follow a new process to establish holiday pay entitlement Now, employers need to work out how many hours were worked on average in the last 52 weeks where the person worked This gives a weekly average which

is then multiplied by 5 6 (5 6 weeks being the minimum holiday amount, including all bank holidays) to give a holiday allowance In many cases, this will give a greater sum that the 12 07% method

This change will impact all businesses using zero hours workers but par ticularly those who use seasonal workers, due to the ruling that the average must be taken from weeks worked, not merely the past 12 months – which would have brought their average pay rate down

There are two solutions for businesses using zero hours workers:

Firstly you can approach the issue by ensuring that all seasonal workers have clearly defined fixed term contracts for each season worked This takes away the ongoing agreement to offer work, removing a yearround relationship and agreeing upfront a holiday entitlement

The risk with this approach, however, is that workers may not return following the completion of their fixed term contract; so you must be confident that you can easily replace these workers before choosing this route

A second option is to tackle this change proactively with zero hours workers making sure they take annual leave throughout the year so they do not accrue huge payments

Whatever is right for your business it’s advisable to receive proper legal input and speak to an exper t to find out what is goinG to be best for your organisation

It’s a challenging time for business owners in the hospitality industry, with global price hikes driving up the cost of products and bills. However, we’re here to support you throughout the festive season, leading into 2023 and beyond...