CLH Digital - Issue #151

Welcome to the Latest Issue of CLH Digital

I am currently in the Westcountr y at a trade show, so a bit of a shor ter comment from me this week

This show, once again, was a wonderful oppor tunity to get feedback from the “coalface” Visitors to the show were mainly from the independent sector of hospitality pubs bars restaurants, cafes, B&B’s, hotels, and outside caterers All, I have to say, quite optimistic about trade this coming summer, but highly critical of the state of our economy and its impact on hospitality

Staycation in this “neck of the woods’ is an absolute boon, and many people looking forward to a busy holiday period, but spiralling costs are , of course , a grave concern

Energ y costs are at the top of concerns I heard accounts of eye watering increases, but that was of no surprise - our costs in print have spiralled too

And it cannot go on 155 hospitality businesses have written to the Chancellor calling for immediate action I hope they have better luck than I did when I wrote to then Chancellor Rishi Sunak I received a polite but resounding set of “ no ’ s ” to the suggestions I made which were general industr y issues that have been brought up repeatedly over the years

Reducing tourism VAT would, as operators said here in Cornwall, make a HUGE difference to their ability to compete with European destinations

I cannot for the life of me see why any competent person, par ticularly one in charge of the nations finances, cannot see that our top rate deters visitors who see rates in Europe only half as much, and in current circumstances people are looking for the best possible value

Add to that taxation, the cash cow that is alcohol taxes must be addressed The duty freeze expires on August 1, and I have seen no calls for the Chancellor to extend it fur ther

It would be disastrous to even consider increasing it, so I hope the protest of November 25 (which I attended) is still ringing in his ears NO MORE TAXES!

Please don't forget to follow us on Twitter @CLHNews and visit www.catererlicensee .com to keep up with all the latest sector news

Hospitality Bosses Unite in Call for Action at Spring Budget

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

It is a clear demonstration that the sector is behind UKHospitality’s asks of the Chancellor at the Budget to tackle ongoing cost pressures, par ticularly around energ y, to prevent price increases and actually help drive down inflation

INFLATION AND DEBT PRESSSURES

The letter warns that ongoing inflation and debt pressures are holding the sector back from delivering economic growth and that, without action, there could be fur ther business failures and job losses

To sur vive the current crisis, without being able to access the additional energ y suppor t available for some sectors in April, and return to delivering growth, the signatories are urging the Chancellor to:

• Invest in our people through Apprenticeship Levy reform and incent vising economically inactive people into work

• Invest in our places through licensing and planning reform to speedily regenerate towns and cit es nationwide

• Invest in growth by freeing up investment and removing unnecessar y red tape , reforming the out-dated business rates system and tac kling debt to boost liquidity

In the letter, the business leaders write:“These measures would unshackle the inflation and debt pressures that are holding back growth in our sector, warding off the spectre of fur ther business failures and job losses

“In doing so, it would allow us to rapidly deliver growth and investment, bringing many more people back into work and creating prosperity in communities right across the countr y

“We urge the Chancellor not to miss this crucial oppor tunity to unleash the potential of hospitality to deliv-

er the positive economic benefits across the nation ”

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “From some of the largest hospitality businesses in the UK, to local community pubs and hotels, the sector is united in its message to the Chancellor : inter vene in the Budget or lose businesses for good

“No one wants to see that happen It would mean the loss of jobs and livelihoods, ripping the hear tbeat out of communities and robbing the economy of a powerful force for growth, employment and recover y

If the Chancellor puts his faith in hospitality, the sector will repay it many times over We have seen it time and time again – hospitality drives economic growth and creates jobs

“I hope the collective voice of hospitality is enough to convince the Chancellor that his actions on 15th March will, quite literally, be make or break for many venues across the countr y ”

BUSINESS RATE RELIEF

Venues will also be hoping there is good news on business rates and VAT on 15 March In par ticular, the introduction of a new, lower business rates multiplier for hospitality would help bring the tax system into the 21st centur y and a temporar y reduced rate of VAT would stimulate growth and cut costs

At the moment, far too many businesses are not operating at full capacity due to cost pressures and staff shor tages Introducing measures that can help tackle the root causes of these pressures, as well as fur ther incentivising businesses home-grown recruitment through reform of the Apprenticeship Levy, will unlock the undoubted, but pent up, potential of hospitality

Call to Get Behind English Tourist Week March 17-26

The annual week dedicated to celebrating England’s tourism industr y is fast approaching with VisitEngland putting out a call for people and businesses to get involved English Tourism Week, underway this year from the 17 to 26 March, sees the industr y come together to highlight tourism s economic impor tance and to promote the innovation, quality and range of products and ser vices on offer to boost domestic breaks

This year ’ s campaign, co-ordinated by VisitEngland, is using the strapline ‘amazing’ to celebrate the amazing people , places, businesses, attractions, experiences and destinations that make up England’s tourism sector

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “With spring upon us and the Easter break just ahead it is timely to shine the spotlight on the outstanding tourism offer here on our doorstep and on an industr y which suppor ts millions of jobs and local economies right across England

“England’s tourism industr y caters for ever y taste , budget and wish-list From enjoying contemporar y cul-

ture in our vibrant cities to our stunning coastal and seaside destinations, from our heritage , countr yside and adventure tourism to our outstanding B&Bs and self-catering accommodation, consistently rated as some of the best in the world, there really is something for ever yone ”

Destinations, tourism businesses and visitor attractions can download the English Tourism Week toolkit including logos, slogans, images and poster templates

In the lead-up to English Tourism Week and throughout, VisitEngland is also encouraging people to show suppor t for English tourism on social media by using #EnglishTourismWeek23

VisitEngland and local destinations are also asking MPs, local authorities, the UK Government and other stakeholders to get involved including visiting local businesses and attractions during the week

Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries suppor ting hundreds of thousands of businesses employing about 2 6 million people and in 2019 generating £76 billion in domestic visitor spending

Staycation: How Operators Can Capitalise on UK Holidays to Take Advantage of the Staycation Boom

By Lance Bar tlett, General Manager of Stanwell House (www.stanwellhouse .com)

travel becoming more accessible , UK consumers are still keen to enjoy domestic getaways The hospitality industr y can capitalise on this trend in several ways, whilst still being mindful of the energ y crisis that is affecting both the choices of its customers and the UK operators tr ying to run a profitable business

UK NATIONAL HOLIDAYS

Firstly, they can offer appealing packages and deals to entice customers

This doesn t have to be wildly creative , cost a lot of money to organise or even be an original idea, but capitalising on UK national holidays like Mother’s Day and Easter can be a great way to target those who are looking to do something different to celebrate Crafting these packages together in a way that incorporates the special day as well as a shor t break/staycation could be an effective way to attract bookings As many consumers are mindful of their finances offering discounts or all-inclusive packages could be a persuasive proposition

UNIQUE AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES

Despite the ongoing cost-of-living squeeze on household incomes and the gradual reopening of international travel, recent research has found that UK consumers are still opting to book staycations in 2023

According to a sur vey by RSM UK, over a third (36%) of respondents are planning to take a shor t break of 1-4 days in the UK over the next 12 months while 28% are planning to take a long-stay break of five or more days

This trend towards staycations is not entirely new Since the pandemic hit, many consumers have chosen to explore their home countr y, rather than taking overseas trips However, it seems that even with international

Saying this, most hotels nationwide will be hoping to capitalise on the national holidays and awareness days so to capture the eyes of those looking for some time away to celebrate the occasion, operators must focus on providing unique and memorable experiences As staycationers are typically looking for something different from their daily routine , and potentially something they’ve never tried or experienced before , offering activities and experiences that are exclusive to a par ticular location can be a real draw For example offering guided hikes in scenic areas hosting food and drink tasting events, or providing access to local events can all

enhance the overall staycation experience

BENEFITS OF A STAYCATION

Thirdly, and potentially one of the biggest drivers to people choosing a staycation is promoting the benefits of one This would include promoting the reduced travel time and cost and the ability to explore and discover hidden gems closer to home Whilst also emphasising the benefits of suppor ting local businesses and communities by staying in the UK

So whilst the staycation boom in the UK shows no signs of slowing down in 2023, there are still undeniable factors that pose risks to both operators and customers However, by taking advantage of what you have , rather than looking to add anything drastic to your existing offering, you can help to keep costs low for both the business and its guests By prioritising the customer experience and appreciating what the UK has to offer, operators can build customer trust and loyalty, leading to long-term success in the growing staycation market

At this time , it’s about mastering the basics and establishing a strong foundation to prepare for a more stable climate By doing so operators will be better positioned to build on ideas and investments when conditions improve

Lance Bar tlett is the General Manager of Stanwell House a privately owned boutique hotel situated in the centre of the picturesque Regency market town of Lymington, one of the south's most attractive and historic locations It has recently undergone an extensive multi-millionpound refurbishment project, re-opening to the public in December 2022

Welsh Chefs Meet Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street St David’s Day Event

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Max Boyce and Sir Br yn Terfel were amongst the guests who enjoyed canapes prepared by a team of Welsh chefs at a St David’s Day reception held at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday

Chefs from the Culinar y Association of Wales again travelled to London to prepare savour y and sweet canapes for VIP guests from business, culture and enter tainment

The chefs were led by Michael Bates, executive head chef at the Celtic Manor Resor t, Newpor t who was accompanied by work colleagues William Hobbs, food beverage manager, Byron Lewis Burns, senior sous chef and Rebekah Ann Wright, sous chef and Craig Bennett and Jessica Shaw from Cambrian Training Company

The savour y canapes were ballotine of coastal seafood, lobster jel, pressed cucumber and crispy seaweed, mini whipped Pembroke potato, shepherd’s pie , “Welsh rarebit” ser ved on onion bread and local beetroot chutney and Glamorgan bon bon

The desser t canapes were lemon ‘Welsh Gin @Tonic’ macaroon and Welsh cake with strawberr y jel and Welsh clotted cream

Drinks included white and red wines from Radnorshire vineyard Blue Moon and Ty Nant sparkling water

“We met the Prime Minister who commented that ever yone had enjoyed the canapés at the reception and how well the food had been received, which was pleasing to hear,” said Mr Bates

“Max Boyce also commented that the food was ‘great’ when we posed for a photograph with him outside No 10 We used as many Welsh products as possible and there were several food and drink producers there from Wales

This was fifth St David s Day reception I have worked on at 10 Downing Street and I was delighted for the team members who were excited to be representing Wales for the first time It was a successful event which we all enjoyed ”

Robert’s Dorset – The Perfect Snack

• We are 100% cer t fied by the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oi and buy only from a segregated supply c hain (Palm Oil only used in Fudge)

• Our ingred ents are of the highest quality, fully traceable and sourced locally where possible

Independent shops - Our colourful packaging is designed to draw the eye , and the contents won’t disappoint The pots can be stacked to optimise your space , and our mason jars will add that extra wow factor to any display

Pubs and Hotels - We have the perfect bar snacks to complement your fine beverages Whether you re wanting our eye catching, refillable , glass jars to add a touch of class to your bar area or want to add a special something to your guest’s welcome basket

THE BENEFITS OF WHITE LABELLING

SAVE MONEY FOR YOUR BUSINESS

We already have a range of tried, tested, and loved products available in all sizes Saving you money stress and time

FULLY BRANDED FOR YOUR COMPANY

We will work with you to create your branded packaging Set up fees and minimum orders apply

EASY SALES PROCESS

Choose whether you would like us to deliver direct to your customers or send the products to you for distribution

FOCUS ON BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS

As we supply, package , and ship the product, you get to focus your precious time on sales and marketing

OUR PRODUCTS

Proper Pork Crackling - available in eight amazing flavours, including Sea Salt, Salt & Vinegar, and Chorizo Keto Friendly and Allergen Free - No

MSG – No ar tificial flavours – No enhancers – No compromise Prepared to order to guarantee freshness, and triple cooked to give you that perfect crunch ever y time

ALL YOUR TRADE, HOSPITALITY AND WHITE LABELLING NEEDS MET

Nothing gives a better welcome to your customers than a delicious snack and whether they are following a Vegan or Keto lifestyle or need allergen-free snacks, Rober t’s Dorset has just what you need

We supply independent shops, pubs, and the hospitality industr y, with a range of sizes for direct reselling and are now offering white label products

WHY ROBERT’S DORSET?

We are family owned and run since 2011, with us business is personal, and this means our trade customers get:

• Delicious snac ks to de ight your own customer s

• Great customer ser vice with a dedicated Account Manager

Easy order ing options , either online or by phone

• All products are handmade in beautiful Dor set, England

• All items are prepared to order Customer s always get the freshest products Our production process is 99 9% waste free

Whether you are looking to star t a new business or increase brand awareness of your current one white labelling is a fantastic way to go about it and here are just some benefits:

Yummy Nuts and Delicious Cashews - Up to 11 delicious flavours including Sea Salt, Sweet Chilli, and BBQ These AA grade nuts are ethically, and sustainably sourced Like all our other products, they come in fully recyclable packaging and our pots and jars reusable They are Gluten-Free , as well as being both Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly too

Fabulous Fudge - Fabulous by name and by nature , made with locally sourced, real dair y cream, and supplied in pouches or bars 11 mouthwatering flavours, including two Vegan options Clotted Cream, Sea Salt & Caramel Millionaire Vegan Vanilla and Vegan Sea Salt & Caramel

We have a range of Crumbs and Seasoning too!

If you are looking to rebrand and sell, stock, or gift our amazing, delicious snacks we'd love to hear from you

Contact Rober t to discuss your needs and ideas:

rober t@rober tsdorset com

01202 875280

www rober tsdorset com or see the adver t on

leek smoked paprika beignet and wild garlic mayo

Surge in UK Workers Seeking Hospitality Jobs

The number of UK workers seeking jobs in the hospitality sector has surged over recent months according to new repor t from Caterer com which shows how thousands of people are looking to pubs, restaurants and hotels for a new income

The latest ‘Hospitality Hiring Insider’ from Caterer com, specialist hospitality recruitment solutions par tner, reveals the number of applications per vacancy has risen significantly on the platform

A new sur vey of 1,200 workers, conducted by Caterer com this week, shows that 2 9 million people are currently thinking of making a move into hospitality from another sector, with 2 1 million considering a role in hospitality as an additional job

In addition UK-based Google searches for hospitality jobs rose by 23% between 2021 and 2022, in comparison to overall job searches which showed no increase over the year

The common reasons being wanting to star t a new hospitality job are; people wanting a more sociable job (30% of people considering); to secure an additional income (27%); for greater flexibility (25%) and for ongoing job security (24%)

The biggest uplift in applications per vacancy seen by Caterer com has been for Barista Management roles followed by Food & Beverage and hotel roles Regionally, the data suggests hospitality roles in the East Midlands are most in demand, followed by Wales and the West Midlands Sustained demand for hospitality workers

Despite an encouraging rise in the number of homegrown workers seeking jobs in hospitality, data shows how its long-standing skills shor tage , exacerbated by Brexit and the pandemic , remains a challenge

ONS research reveals that following a period of relative post-pandemic stability the number of vacancies has steadied however remain 63% higher than 2019 s levels

Despite growing challenges with the rising cost of living, Caterer com data suggests hiring intent remains resilient in the coming months

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF THE SECTOR

Alongside a decline in available international talent the sector has also long faced a perception challenge However, the repor t reveals initial signs that people may be star ting to think of the sector differently

Analysis of job moves by Caterer com suggests positive signs of recover y, with an increase in candidates moving into the hospitality sector Whilst movement in and out has remained relatively steady compared with 2021, those moving into the sector grew from 22% in 2021 to 26% in 2022 This represents a real-terms increase of 18%

With young people in par ticular less likely to choose a career in hospitality, Caterer com recently launched a campaign in association with Choose Hospitality and top hospitality brands to inspire the next generation of talent via a series of inspiring videos content and resources featuring some of the UK s leading hospitality celebrities, including Tom Kerridge The campaign reached over 40k people across Tik Tok and Instagram, with Caterer com seeing 4m applications to jobs on the plat-

form in the last quar ter of 2022 alone

The recruitment solutions par tner has also launched a candidate targeting tool Equality Boost which utilises programmatic adver tising to reach and engage talent across a broad range of backgrounds The tool is being utilised by a wide range of hospitality employers to reach into untapped talent pools

Kathy Dyball, Director at Caterer com, comments:

“It is ver y positive to see that more homegrown UK talent is turning to the hospitality sector for work It demonstrates just how valuable the hospitality sector is to UK employment, and how much it has to offer employees

“A huge par t of the success of any hospitality business depends on its people , so to continue on this positive trend, it’s crucial that in 2023 employers focus on delivering the outstanding workplace experience that talent want, to encourage more candidates to the industr y and be retained within it

“An impor tant par t of this is maintaining a diverse and inclusive workforce which is key to strong business performance; research shows that companies that embrace gender and ethnic diversity can expect a financial performance boost of 25% compared to industr y peers Our Caterer com Equality Boost tool, is designed to help employers improve their DE&I with access to diverse talent pools and new approaches to candidate targeting, allowing employers to broaden the range of skills that they attract to their business ”

And Then There Were Seven – Dodo Pub Co. Goes ‘All Inn’ in Bristol

DODO PUB CO has announced the newest addition to its growing family with the takeover of the Cross Hands in Fishponds, Bristol Taking its por tfolio to seven, the All Inn, as the pub will be renamed, will be the first foray for the Dodo Pub Co into the thriving Bristol hospitality scene

Co-founder Leo Johnson said: “We’ve been wanting to find the right place for a Dodo pub in Bristol for several years now Two of us lived there for a while and we all love its vibrancy and the feeling of inclusion that seems to permeate the city It s got a great mix of pubs, bars and restaurants, and we firmly believe that our neighbourhood vibe will fit right in

Located on Staple Hill Road in Fishponds, the All Inn will open its doors in May 2023, with refurbishment works due to star t straight

away The Dodo Pub Co’s traditional, yet quirky, welcoming style will run throughout the new pub, alongside its ever-popular menu offering dir ty burgers, authentic slow rise Neapolitan pizzas and a variety of sides

The All Inn will be creating around 15 new jobs, with recruitment star ting immediately for all positions Becoming par t of the Dodo family means enjoying flexible working hours, real career progression, a whole host of day to day perks, as well as an annual blow out ‘Thank You’ par ty for all staff Please visit Dodo Careers for more information

The All Inn will follow the Dodo Pub Co tradition by opening its doors with an all out launch par ty in May

Reputation Study Finds that Hospitality Consumers’ Expectations Have Risen Alongside Inflation

An exclusive study from CGA by NielsenIQ, the data, research and insight consultancy for the out of home leisure market commissioned in par tnership with Reputation reputation experience management, has unveiled the extent to which macroeconomic factors like global inflation and the COVID-19 pandemic have fundamentally shifted the customer journey to include online engagements across Britain, France and Germany

The study includes insights from a sur vey of around 2,300 nationally representative consumers in Britain, France and Germany who have visited a pub or restaurant over the past six months, looking at their decision making process before , during and after a visit It found that consumers are still keen to eat out, in spite of inflationar y pressures, and they are turning to digital channels to help them make decisions

However, rather than searching for the cheapest option, they would rather make fewer visits and prioritise great value and quality when they spend their money

The repor t highlights several key takeaways on consumer habits when visiting pubs, bars and restaurants:

• Across Br itain, France and Germany, 23% of all consumer s say they demand more from venues than they did 12 months ago

• Across the three countr ies nearly 71% agree that eating and dr ink ng out is the treat they most look forward to

• Enthusiasm var ies by countr y Of consumer s sur veyed, 41% of Br itish consumer s , 44% of Frenc h consumer s and 35% of German consumer s have dined out at least weekly over the past six months

• The cost of living cr isis is a major concern with 65% of Br itish consumer s repor ting that they are worr ied about cost increases and 42% stating that they are dining out less frequently than they did before the COVID-9 pandem-

ic British consumers are specifically evaluating the following criteria when choosing a venue:

1 Pr ice (61%)

2 Quality of food (57%)

3 Range of food (49%)

4 Customer ser vice (44%)

5 Quality of previous visits (37%)

“While consumers are still keen to treat themselves, they are pulling back on the frequency of pub, bar and restaurant visits, making ever y step in the customer journey a make or break moment for operators,”

says Chris Sparling, CX Strateg y Director at Reputation “With consumers prioritising the best value for their money hospitality industr y leaders must find ways to elicit, analyse and take action on customer feedback, so they can make continuous improvements to the guest experience Tools like Reputation are helping pub, bar and restaurant operators make feedback work harder for their businesses by improving the customer experience to drive repeat visits ”

The repor t also highlights the many ways in which consumers interact on digital platforms with those brands before , during and after a visit

While 57% of consumers across all three countries are more likely to visit a venue if its food, drink or atmosphere look good on social media, there are some slight variations in digital interaction habits by countr y For example 32% of French consumers are likely to recommend a venue during their visit compared to 19% British guests and 24% of German guests

Karl Chessell, CGA Director - Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA, adds: The cost of living crisis is having a significant impact on consumers discretionar y spending, and it s substantially raised their expectations when they go out to eat and drink Our research shows their love of pubs, bars and restaurants is undimmed, but they want to be sure they will get full value for their hard-earned cash Operators will have to stay laser-focused on guests’ habits and priorities, and be agile and fast when they act on feedback Despite all the challenges, brands that make continuous improvements to their customer experiences have a lot to look forward to this year ”

Reputation’s platform empowers hospitality leaders to make customer feedback work harder for their businesses Interested in learning more?

Please visit www reputation com

London Pubs Set for a Grand Slam Revenue Hike if England Beat France in This Weekend’s Six Nations

Six Nations rugby matches drove an 84% revenue surge for pubs across the UK compared to overall Februar y income

London pubs can expect a boost to food and drink sales this weekend if the England Rugby team is victorious in its next Six Nations match against France , according to new spending data from payments company Dojo

Data from the last Six Nations match weekend (25th/26th Februar y 2023) found that pubs in London made up to 8% more in sales revenue when England’s rugby team won its match against Wales versus when it lost against Scotland, and over 4x more than the average amount spent in pub’s each day in Februar y across the UK

London pubs generated an average of £5,633 in sales when England beat Wales on 25th Februar y – 8% more than the £5,232

average sales per location when England lost their first game against Scotland on 4th Februar y Overall, the last Six Nations weekend boosted sales across the UK by 84%, with the third weekend of matches generating average sales of £2,480 a day per pub, compared to £1,347 for the whole of Februar y Jon Knott, Head of Customer Insight at Dojo, said: “Live spor t is a huge revenue driver for the UK’s hospitality industr y It’s fantastic to see fans across the countr y going out and helping suppor t their local pubs and restaurants, regardless of who they are backing in the Six Nations

“However, household finances continue to be squeezed – meaning ever y pound spent not only costs more but means more Hospitality venues are under pressure to ensure they deliver the best experiences for their customers, to create loyalty and help drive sales Those that can do this successfully should see a healthy uptick in sales this weekend as the second half of the Six Nations kicks off ”

Looking Ahead to… Food & Drink Expo

Food & Drink Expo returns to the NEC , Birmingham this April (24th –26th) as par t of the UK Food & Drink Shows Visitors to the UK’s premier trade event for the food, drink and hospitality sectors, will leave with heightened awareness of the sector s capabilities as well the latest innovations Register for a free pass here

The event will showcase the latest products and ser vices in the market Expect big-name exhibitors such as Belvoir Fruit Farms (Stand K278), Jersey Dair y (Stand K260), Mizkan (Stand J240), Meadow Vale Foods (Stand J231), and Grumpy Mule Coffee (Stand K268), who will all be showcasing their wares

For a full list of exhibitors and products, visit: https://www foodanddrinkexpo co uk/exhibitors-2023#/exhibitors/

In a first for Food & Drink Expo, the show will also include two exclusive sections in 2023, Healthy & Natural and Plant-Based, which will each be dedicated to exhibitors showing the latest innovations and NPD in these flourishing markets

Meanwhile , on The Grocer Live stage , exper t panels will be discussing some of the biggest issues facing the sector Industr y heavyweights such as Kate Nicholls OBE, Chief Executive at UKHospitality, Will Shu, CEO & Founder of Deliveroo and Tom Athron CEO at For tnum & Mason are just some of the names that have been

lined up to tackle hot-topic issues

The programme is set to cover a variety of essential themes across the three days, such as people , sustainability, trends, health and technolog y, with individual sessions promising to drill down fur ther on various aspects of each Key highlights of the programme ’ s schedule include:

The cost-of-living crisis: How has UK food and drink adapted and what is the outlook?

In this session we are joined by the leading trade organisations to analyse the suppor t available to businesses

Charity

:

food waste with FareShare Join

Hospitality May be Added to Shortage Occupation List to Tackle Staffing Crisis

Ministers are understood to be considering adding the hospitality sector to the shor t of occupation list (SoL) to help alleviate the sectors chronic staffing issues

According to repor ts ministers have asked the Migration Advisor y Committee (MAC) for advice on whether the hospitality, construction and retail industries should be on the list of sectors where there is a shor tage of workers, helping them to recruit from overseas

Earlier this month UKHospitality revealed that a record 2 6 million people are now employed in accommodation and foodser vice , with the sector creating one in five new jobs – despite crippling vacancies and staff shor tages

The trade body said there was significant job creation taking place in the sector now and insisted there was “the potential to go even further”

But it said that would only be possible with the right action at the Spring Budget and has called on chancellor Jeremy Hunt to implement two key measures

The first is to reform the Apprenticeship Levy to enable funding to be used for other forms of training and to change its operation to offer greater flexibility to employers and employees over training – and incentivise economically inactive people into work

The second is to implement minor, shor t-term immigration reforms to counter the sales being lost due to labour shor tages, par ticularly abolishing or reducing the Immigration Skills Charge and offering more flexibility to students to work longer hours

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said:

“The ability of hospitality businesses to create more than 20% of new jobs in the past year, in the face of extraordinar y cost pressures, is testament to its resilience and ability to battle against the odds

“Employing a record number of people is something we should all be proud of, especially when those figures don t include the hundreds of thousands employed in broader contract catering, leisure and visitor attractions

“If we can do this now, just think what we can do in calmer economic times We can be the engine behind significant job creation and economic growth, offering ever yone oppor tunities to enter the workplace , further their career or return from being economically inactive ”

Jeremy Hunt ordered the workforce review amid concerns the economy is being held back by shor tages of workers that have emerged since the pandemic and Brexit

On the 24 Januar y 2022 the government introduced changes to the rules confirming that Care Workers were added to the UK’s “Shor tage

Occupation” list She now enables them to apply for Skilled Worker visas, under the new Points Based Immigration System They will remain eligible for this route , initially for a 12-month period only

The MAC offers independent advice to the Home Office on immigration policy and produces repor ts on whether cer tain occupations should or shouldn’t be given some special dispensations to make it easier for employers to access migrant labour to fill vacancies

Pre-pandemic , it produced a damning repor t recommending chefs be reduced from the shor tage occupation list and saying the failure of employers to improve the domestic pipeline and hostile working environments spoke against keeping chefs on the list The repor t was criticised by operators and trade bodies who have said it was “hardly surprising” the industr y struggled to fill roles with UK candidates when cheffing was branded “low skill” Chefs are now eligible for a skilled worker visa

A petition last year calling for a hospitality worker visa scheme gained more than 18,000 signatures, however the Home Office said there were no plans to introduce a visa route for recruitment “at or near the minimum wage with relatively shor t training” and that businesses “should invest in and develop the UK’s domestic labour force”

Beer & Pub Sector Urge Next FM to ‘Throw-Out Ludicrous Advertising Proposals’

The leading trade association representing pubs and brewers urged the next First Minister to ‘throw-out’ the proposals on alcohol adver tising as the Scottish Government s consultation, which close this week

Both leading candidates to be the next SNP leader and First Minister, Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes have highlighted concerns regarding the proposed measures which would destroy the Scottish brewing and distilling industr y, and would have widespread negative ramifications for tourism, spor t, events, and the economy

Emma McClarkin OBE, CEO of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association, said: This poorly conceived consultation was entirely unbalanced, at odds with wider Government goals and policies, and refused to acknowledge the economic , social, historic , and cultural impor tance of the brewing, distilling and hospitality sector

“If enacted, the proposals would have a catastrophic impact not just for Scottish producers, but for so many other vital sectors that are engines of economic growth This would include our tourism industr y as well as spor ts clubs and associations, from professional to grassroots community level Our cultural sector, theatres and cinemas would also come under additional pressure as well as public transpor t providers

“It is encouraging to hear the SNP leadership candidates have some understanding of this potential damage and are committed to a rethink The beer and pub sector remain steadfast in their commitment to responsible consumption and reducing health harms but we strongly urge the new First Minister once elected, to quickly throw-out these ludicrous proposals and instead look to targeted inter ventions and par tnership working with key stakeholders ”

Recruiting Overseas Nationals In The Hospitality Sector

By Jane Biddlecombe , employment law exper t, Paris Smith solicitor s (www.parissmith.co.uk)

work is the Skilled Worker visa

If your business is considering recruiting from overseas, you should take the following steps:

1. IS THE JOB ROLE ELIGIBLE?

The first step to take is to establish whether the role you ’ re recruiting for is eligible for a Skilled Worker visa The job role that the overseas national is going to be doing in the UK must be within one of the eligible job classification codes, known as “SOC” codes This includes hotel managers; restaurant and café managers; publicans and licensees; conference and event organisers; chefs; kitchen and bar managers as well as staff involved in other areas of the business such as HR, finance , marketing and IT

2. WHAT SALARY DO YOU NEED TO PAY?

Once the correct SOC code for the role has been identified it’s necessar y to establish the minimum salar y that needs to be paid for the role

Once you ’ ve established that the role you ’ re recruiting for is eligible to be sponsored under a Skilled Worker visa, you will need to apply for a sponsor licence which normally takes eight weeks This is an online application process whereby the employing company has to prove it is a genuine business in the UK by producing relevant suppor ting documents The Home Office is ver y specific about the documents that must be sent and will reject applications if the rules aren’t followed The application needs to be suppor ted by a covering letter and again the Home Office sets out what this must include , for example , a hierarchy char t for the business and details of the roles you intend to sponsor It s vital to get the sponsor licence application right because if the application is refused, then there is no right to appeal You will be prohibited from making a fur ther application for a period of six months by which time the recruit you wish to secure will have probably obtained an alternative role elsewhere

4 ISSUING A CERTIFICATE OF SPONSORSHIP

In a time of great recruitment challenges within the hospitality sector, it can be hard for businesses to secure the talent they need for their business to sur vive and succeed One option for hospitality businesses that are struggling to recruit from within the UK is to look to recruiting internationally

There are some routes which allow overseas nationals to come to work in the UK without a licensed sponsor For example , the Graduate visa allows international students who have completed an eligible UK degree to stay in the UK to work for two years after they have completed their degree The Youth Mobility Scheme visa allows young people aged between 18 and 30 years old from par ticipating countries (including Australia Canada Hong Kong New Zealand Japan and India) to come to live and work in the UK for up to two years

However, the main route for overseas nationals to come to the UK to

The minimum salar y level for a Skilled Worker visa is £25,600 a year However, each SOC code has a “going rate” of salar y which must be paid if this is higher than £25,600

Often the going rate for hospitality roles is less than the minimum salar y level for a Skilled Worker visa For example the going rate for a Restaurant Manager is £21,000 a year but they would still need to be paid the minimum of £25,600 a year if they were employed on a Skilled Worker visa However, if hospitality roles are put on the Shor tage Occupation List (which it’s understood the government is considering) then the minimum salar y is reduced to 80% The minimum salar y requirement can also be reduced to 70% for “ new entrants” (for example , if they are under 26 years old or switching from a student visa in the UK)

3. BECOMING A SPONSOR

Once the business has a sponsor licence you can apply for and assign a Cer tificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to the potential new employee The CoS is actually a reference number that the individual puts on their online Skilled Worker visa application to prove they have an eligible job offer from a UK employer

5. SKILLED WORKER VISA APPLICATION

The last step is for the potential employee to make their online Skilled Worker visa application and once this has been granted, they can star t working for you

Sponsorship can seem like a daunting process but, with the right advice and guidance your hospitality business can secure a sponsor licence to enable you to employ overseas nationals and deal with any recruitment challenges you currently face

Consumer Spending Grew Just 5.9% in February, but Pubs Record Small Increase

Consumer card spending grew just 5 9 per cent year-on-year in Februar y, below the latest CPIH inflation rate of 8 8 per cent, owing to a reduction in discretionar y purchases amidst the ongoing the cost-ofliving squeeze

Growth rates were also impacted by the lifting of Omicron Plan B restrictions last year which caused a spike in spending due to pent-up demand bringing down this year ’ s figures

Data from Barclaysreveals that spending on groceries increased just 6 6 per cent in Februar y – well below the latest food price inflation figures – as almost seven in 10 (68 per cent) Brits say they are looking for ways to reduce the cost of their weekly shop

Pent-up demand for eating and drinking out in Februar y last year, combined with the impact of ongoing inflationar y pressures, meant restaurants also saw a decline (-3 0 per cent), while pubs, bars & clubs saw a considerably smaller rise (7 7 per cent) than in Januar y (18 1 per cent) – although it’s wor th noting that Januar y ’ s figures were also inflated by the Plan B restrictions last year

Brits are also switching up where they shop in order to save money

Of those tr ying to cut costs, a third (34 per cent) are shopping at multiple supermarkets to source a range of deals, and three in 10 (30 per cent) are shopping in larger supermarkets, because they tend to have lower prices than smaller stores

SALAD CRUNCH

Food shor tages are also influencing grocer y shopping habits, with one in two (51 per cent) Brits noticing that some shelves in supermarkets are considerably emptier than normal Over a third (35 per cent) has found they are less able to buy the items they need because of these shor tages while a similar propor tion (33 per cent) has seen supermarkets restrict the amount of cer tain items they can buy Tomatoes (43 per cent) eggs (34 per cent) cucumbers (22 per cent) peppers (19 per cent) and lettuce (16 per cent) are the top items shoppers have seen shor tages of recently

DISCRETIONARY SPENDING FREEZE

As households switched on or turned up their heating amidst the cold weather, spending on utilities grew 43 2 per cent, with two thirds (67 per cent) of consumers consciously tr ying to save energ y at home

In response to rising household bills, nearly six in 10 (58 per cent) are cutting down on discretionar y purchases, with spending on non-essential items seeing a markedly smaller year-on-year uplift (5 5 per cent) than in Januar y (10 4 per cent) The slower growth is also because last month s figures were inflated by Brits having had fewer oppor tunities for non-essential spending in Januar y 2022, during the Plan B restrictions

Card spend on clothing (-1 2 per cent) was also impacted by last year ’ s Omicron guidelines – the categor y saw a considerable uplift in Februar y 2022 as Brits bought new outfits to celebrate the end of restrictions, which 2023 couldn’t match In addition, the data shows that 65 per cent of the shoppers who are cutting back on discretionar y purchases are reining in spending on new clothing and accessories

However, as consumers continue to seek out bargains, discount stores were a bright spot, rising slightly faster than in Januar y (5 5 per cent versus 4 2 per cent)

Insperiences also benefitted from the release of new boxsets such as ‘The Last of Us’ and series four of ‘You’, plus blockbuster hit “Black Panther : Wakanda Forever”, which fuelled a 2 2 per cent rise in spending on digital content and subscriptions – the first growth for the categor y since November 2022

SUPER DUPE’R SAVINGS

In an effor t to save money, over a third (34 per cent) of consumers are buying ‘dupes’, otherwise known as affordable versions of more

expensive , popular products The most popular items shoppers are buying dupes of are food and drink products (68 per cent), clothing (28 per cent) and make-up and beauty products (23 per cent)

EGG-ONOMICAL EASTER

The cost-of-living squeeze is set to impact Easter this year with three in 10 (30 per cent) Brits aiming to reduce their Easter spending due to rising costs Of those marking the occasion, a quar ter (25 per cent) will be spending less on Easter eggs, one in five (22 per cent) is scaling back Easter holiday plans, and 28 per cent intend to spend less on Easter meals out (28 per cent)

Despite this, consumer confidence in household finances remains steady at 64 per cent, while optimism in the future of the UK economy has increased slightly to 24 per cent – up from 21 per cent last month

Esme Harwood, Director at Barclays, said:

“Several categories saw their growth taper off last month, especially those in the hospitality & leisure sector This is par tly because they couldn’t match the pent-up demand witnessed at the end of last year ’ s Plan B restrictions and also due to the ongoing cutbacks brought on by the cost-of-living squeeze

“The recent fruit and veg shor tages are forcing Brits to consider alternatives for their weekly shop, as they continue to look for savvy ways to offset rising food price inflation Popular trends this month include buying ‘dupes’ of popular products, shopping at discount stores, and limiting Easter spending ”

Silvia Ardagna, Head of European Economics Research at Barclays, said:

“The UK economy flir ted with a recession in the second half of last year as real GDP declined in Q3 and was vir tually flat in Q4 Persistent elevated inflation continues to take a toll on spending, as indicated by today’s figures, which could prolong the headwinds

“However, some sur vey indicators for consumer confidence , and the recent business activity in the manufacturing and ser vices sectors both point to tentative signs of a rebound The labour market remains tight with wage growth too strong for the Bank of England to stop hiking We expect an additional 25bp increase to the Bank rate in March to 4 25 per cent

Number of UK Hospitality Businesses on the Rise, With 17% Increase in Five Years

New analysis reveals the resilience of the accommodation and food ser vices industr y, experiencing a surge in business numbers over the last five years despite economic challenges

The number of accommodation and food ser vices businesses in the UK has risen by 17% in the last five years – resulting in an additional 25 000 new companies in the sector From 2021 to 2022 alone over 8,000 hospitality businesses joined the industr y

The findings were collated by Business Name Generator using data from the Office of National Statistics’ repor t on UK business activity

The analysis uncovers the industries that have shown the most growth in recent years

Hospitality has experienced the four th largest growth out of all UK industries in the last five years, ahead of sectors including retail, finance

and agriculture

Top 5 industries by business number surge over last five years:

1 Transpor t & storage – 26 42%

2 Proper ty – 18 81%

3 Construction – 17 23%

4 Accommodation & food ser vices – 16 56%

5 Retail – 13 95%

Despite this increase in UK accommodation and food ser vices businesses the sector is set to continue facing challenges According to a repor t by trade association UKHospitality, up to a third of UK hospitality businesses are at risk of closure despite achieving record sales in 2022 UKHospitality is calling on the UK government to give the suppor t the

Tommy Banks and Team To Launch Pub with Rooms In North Yorkshire

The Banks family, Matthew Lockwood and the Tommy Banks Group have announced the for thcoming launch of a pub with rooms in Nor th Yorkshire in late Spring The new venture , close to their Michelin-starred restaurant The Black Swan will exhibit the hyper-local sustainably focused ethos for which the Tommy Banks Group is renowned, with the famous grown and reared produce from the family’s farm in Oldstead taking centre stage

The coming months will see more details of the pub revealed, includ-

ing date of launch and location For now, the team is busy working on a refresh of the historic site , with a stateof-the-ar t kitchen, relaxed dining room and cosy bar area equipped with roaring fires and a bar stocked with the team’s favourites (including of course the Group’s ver y own Banks Brothers canned wine) The food-focused pub will include a number of rooms, in addition to dining, and two-night packages will be available for guests to experience the magic of The Black Swan, as well as the pub, as par t of their Nor th Yorkshire sojourn

sector needs in the upcoming Spring Budget They highlight the need to tackle causes of price inflation in the industr y including energ y, recruitment and taxes

Chloe Chai, spokesperson from Business Name Generator, says:

“The 17% increase in the number of companies in the UK hospitality industr y is a positive sign of growth and resilience in the face of economic challenges

However, as we look ahead to 2023, accommodation and food ser vices businesses must remain vigilant and proactively address financial constraints to continue this upward trajector y It’s impor tant for companies to seek out new oppor tunities and adapt to the changing market to maintain this growth and stay competitive in the industr y ”

HOTEL L AUNDRY: Is an in-house, outsourced or a hybrid solution best?

First impressions count! Guests expect fresh clean linens when they step into their hotel room and to be able to trust hotels to care for their garments, so being able to deliver top quality laundry is essential for ensuring customer satisfaction and your hotel’s success

To deliver the best results hotels have three options: to outsource bring laundry operations in-house or a hybrid combination of the two Whilst outsourcing may seem like the easiest option, as there are no capital outlay or space requirements it often comes with high processing costs lengthy turnaround times and a lack of control

To help you decide which option would work best for your hotel commercial laundry specialist, WASHCO, looks at the advantages of on-premise laundries and reveals how you can overcome limited laundry space by adopting a hybrid solution

Advantages of handling laundry in-house

• Ultimate control over costs and quality

• Less stock is required compared with outsourcing your laundry

• Generate additional revenue from handling guests’ personal clothing in-house

• Minimise damage by managing use of wash chemicals and detergents

• React quickly to changes in demand with full control of the process

• Reduce your carbon footprint as transportation is not required

With many years of experience, WASHCO regularly partners with hotels to implement on-premise laundries Fairmont Windsor Park is currently benefiting from handling the entire process in-house using WASHCO s innovative range of smart laundry equipment WASHCONNECT which they’ve found has been vital in delivering consistent quality and sustainable results

The reliable machines use a cloud-based system to monitor every process helping WASHCO’s technical team to react quickly and solve any issues remotely, before the laundry team even notices there s a problem!

Want more control but limited by space?

An increasingly popular choice amongst WASHCO customers is opting for a hybrid laundry approach The latest commercial machines can be specifically programmed to handle various items allowing hotels to manage the quality of items, like robes and towels, whilst reducing their outsourced laundry costs

Other items such as bed and table linens which require large multi-roll ironers would be better outsourced, to save valuable space in the laundry room

Having an on-premise laundry will give you flexibility to clean your own uniforms and mop heads, to help manage infection control and lower the costs of outsourcing It also presents an additional revenue stream if you choose to take on hand-finishing of guests garments

Concerned about the cost of an on-premise laundry?

If you are concerned about the capital investment required to bring your hotel’s laundry in-house, a finance option, like WASHCO s rental package, could be the ideal solution

With rental, there are no upfront costs and it s easier to manage outgoings with affordable monthly payments WASHCO also includes the equipment 7-day repair cover, annual servicing and safety checks as standard, giving you full peace of mind

If you decide to bring your hotel’s laundry in-house, or opt for a hybrid approach, it’s important to invest in the right equipment

To help you choose the right solution WASHCO has created a useful Buyer’s Guide

Simply scan the QR code to download your free copy

Or visit: www.washco.co.uk/resource/hospitality-and-hotel-buyers-guide/ WASHCO’s end-to-end service has helped hotels across the UK to bring their laundry operations

like to find out more, get in touch with our expert team on 08000 546 546 or info@washco co uk

If you

Government Confirms Licensing Extension for King’s Coronation

The Government has announced a licensing extension for the King’s Coronation weekend which will see pubs bars and clubs licensing hours extended by two hours The extension will cover 5-7 May, across the Coronation weekend, and an additional bank holiday has been confirmed for 8 May

The government has said that following consultation in which 77% of the public backed the proposals that it “will be proceeding with the proposal to make a licensing hours order under section 172 of the Licensing Act 2003 to relax licensing hours in England and Wales to mark His Majesty the King’s coronation

“The order is intended to enable people in England and Wales properly to celebrate the constitutional, historic , and momentous significance of the coronation of the King and the beginning of his reign ”

The order will apply to premises already licensed until 11 pm for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, for the provision of late-night refreshment only where there is also the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, and for the provision of regulated enter tainment in England and Wales The order will extend the licensing hours for such premises from 11 pm to 1 am the following day, on Friday 5 May,

Saturday 6 May and Sunday 7 May

Home Secretar y Suella Braverman said: “His Majesty The King’s Coronation will be a momentous occasion deser ving of special celebration That is why I am extending the licensing hours over this historic Coronation weekend Up and down the countr y, people can enjoy an extra pint or two in the evening while families and friends can come together to wish His Majesty The King a long and happy reign ”

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) said: “This is a timely boost for the pub industr y In the midst of an acutely challenging period I am sure our pubs will look to mark this joyous occasion by hosting special events and par ties as par t of national celebrations The announcement of extended opening hours will help us all to mark this impor tant event

It is sure to be a time for community and celebration and the great British pub is always right at the hear t of both, so I would encourage ever yone to head down to their local and raise a toast to His Majesty during the Coronation weekend ”

An economic assessment is being prepared and will be published alongside the order on www gov uk

Licensing Act Consultation “Overwhelmingly Positive” says Sector Leaders

The government has launched a consultation to consider making permanent the alcohol licensing provisions in the Business and Planning Act 2020 or whether to return to the provisions in the Licensing Act 2003

The Licensing Act 2003 allows premises licence holders to sell alcohol for consumption on-site or for consumption off-site or both however in response to the pandemic , the Business and Planning Act 2020 provided regulator y easements which enabled holders of licences that only allow sales for consumption on-site to automatically additionally do sales for consumption off-site , without any need to amend their licence

The Licensing Act 2003 also allows licensable activities to be carried out on a one-off basis without the need for a premises licence or any other authorisation, by means of a temporar y event notice

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The proposals from the Home Office to make permanent a number of temporar y measures introduced during the pandemic are overwhelmingly positive and we strongly urge the Government to do so

“Extending on-sale licences to automatically include off-sales and expanding the Temporar y Events Notices allowance are both measures UKHospitality has been asking the Government to make permanent and will allow venues to continue reaping the benefit from these expanded trading oppor tunities

“Taking advantage of these simple practical changes shows that the Government understands the pressures the sector is under and, as with the extension to licensing hours for the King s Coronation, wants to give operators the oppor tunity to boost revenue wherever possible

Reducing the burden of excessive and costly red tape is a priority for UKHospitality and I hope these proposals mark only the star t of that process

The sector hopes to continue to work with Government on eliminating other unnecessar y and prohibitive regulations, such as mandator y newspaper advertising for licence applications and the late-night levy ”

The consultation, which can be viewed here , will run for 8 weeks and is aimed at the hospitality sector, local licensing authorities, the police , licensed premises, members of the public and other interested par ties in England and Wales where these proposals apply

Research: Hospitality Operators Falling Behind As Staff Wellbeing Crisis Grows

More than two million UK hospitality workers are repor ting declining mental health, because of money worries, according to a new repor t from financial inclusion exper ts and campaigners The latest State of Financial Wellbeing index - one of the UK’s largest studies on the financial health and wellbeing of the workforce - found that hospitality workers are among the UK s most financially stressed, but their employers are lagging behind other industries in stepping in to provide suppor t

Compiled by financial wellbeing exper ts at Wagestream, with input from leading bodies and exper ts such as Money and Pensions Ser vice , StepChange and the Work Foundation, the State of Financial Wellbeing research programme benchmarks the views and actions of 10,000 workers and 1,000 employers across the UK Launched in 2021, the programme is designed to improve understanding of the blockers and drivers of workers’ financial wellbeing

The latest index State of Financial Wellbeing: Hospitality Outlook 2023 highlights a financial stress understanding gap between UK hospitality workers and their employers: • 87% of hospitality workers’ mental health is worsening, due to money worries • 67% have cut back on their spending, and 30% used savings to make ends meet • 42% have missed a bill due to the cost of living crisis56% more likely than the rest of the workforce • 21% are struggling to focus at work, as a result - 31% higher than the rest of the workforce 30% worr y about money ever y day - but just 1% of employers realise it 14% have £0 in savings - but just 1% of employers realise itThere are signs that hospitality operators are taking steps to close the gap Three quar ters (76%) had introduced at least one new financial benefit to staff last year with the most common being educational workshops health cash plans and flexible pay Overall 57% of hospitality employers focused more on the issue as a response to the cost of living crisis - though that is a 20% decrease on the average across other industries

The findings see exper ts now calling on employers and government to act urgently with fur ther measures to reverse the trend - from suppor t packages in the shor t-term, to improving workers’ rights and suppor t structure in the long-term In par ticular, the repor t recommends that hospitality employers look to improve the security of work provided to workers

Ben Harrison, Director for The Work Foundation at Lancaster University, explains: “While millions more people may be in employment, the quality and security of jobs they are in often means they are unable to make ends meet It will be acutely worse for the six million people in the UK who are in severely insecure work, and already face low pay and uncer tain hours

Sarah Porretta - Propositions, Insights and External Engagement Director at the Money and Pensions Ser vice , adds: “it’s vital that many more employers respond positively to these findings, by seeking ways to close the gap between their employees’ need for better financial wellbeing suppor t in the workplace , and employers’ perception of what these needs are ”

With record levels of vacancies in the hospitality sector, the repor t recommends a number of actions employers can take to over take other industries on wellbeing suppor t and win in the war for talent In par ticular it emphasises a shift in thinking on the issue of pay - with hospitality workers 13% less likely to have asked for a pay rise , but around 10% more likely to say increased hours/shifts would help them It recommends employers build their pay strateg y around the ‘ new dynamics of pay ’ :

• Pay Secur ity - working and earning enough, to fulfil financial ob igations shor t-term

• Pay Autonomy - c hoice over hour s and pay c yc le , in order to live with dignity

• Pay Potential - the total amount of compensation, beyond base salar y

• Pay Growth - oppor tunities to move up a pay grade , and increase Pay Potential

Emily Trant, Head of Impact and Inclusion at Wagestream, comments: “Our latest State of Financial Wellbeing index highlights the two things hospitality workers want most: more predictable income , and the ability to choose their own pay cycle Ever y hospitality operator is in a war for talent - and if they are serious about winning, these are the new dynamics of pay they should be building their people strateg y around By doing so they will see a huge swing in recruitment, retention and shift uptake - which are key foundations for success in the current environment

Greene King Pledges “More Even Gender Split” in Senior Management Positions

Pub operator Greene King has set out its goal for a more even gender split within its senior management teams along with its plans to work towards achieving them

The business is working towards having women make up 50% of its senior management roles by 2030 an ambition set by Greene King’s executive board, which forms par t of its wider diversity and inclusion strateg y and is suppor ted by Greene Sky, its women ’ s focused employee-led inclusion group

Greene Sky said its ambition is to help more women shape the future of the business and is composed of women and allies across all levels of the company ” As well as advising on current issues faced by team members, its role is to encourage female empowerment and inclusion across all of Greene King On the back of initiatives already in place , including reverse mentoring, female mentoring and inclusive leadership training and the introduction of a new maternity policy Greene King is now committing to fur ther action It said more programmes are underway which will focus on developing and nur turing existing talent to aid better succession planning, as

well as introducing inclusive hiring training aimed at driving more women into its recruitment pipeline

Clair Preston-Beer, managing director for Greene King pubs and Greene Sky’s executive board sponsor said:

“We recognise that we ’ re on a journey to ever yday inclusion, where all our people are embraced and valued for who they are so that they can reach their full potential and thrive This pledge is the first step in the right direction to working towards delivering greater gender parity and our ambition to have 50% of senior management roles filled by women by 2030 With our ongoing inclusion activity, developing existing and attracting new talent, along with fur ther policy improvements, I believe we have solid plans in place to make change become a reality

Although International Women’s Day is a great oppor tunity to highlight the fantastic female success stories within Greene King suppor ting and developing women is a constant ongoing focus for us ”

Rosemullion Distillery Cultivates Success... 60 Awards and Growing

Founded by Liz and Andy Bradbur y in 2017, and based on the Helford river Cornwall, Rosemullion s success stems from their commitment to being protectors and perfecters of the distillers’ craft They take their role as Ar tisan-producers ver y seriously, ensuring quality control by confining production to 300 to 500 bottles at a time , with all spirits produced by hand using their bespoke copper stills

Being placed in an area of outstanding natural beauty has enabled Rosemullion to draw upon its unique proper ties – Helford rainwater is used in the fermentation and distillation process complemented by local Cornish ingredients plus seasonal fruit from their own orchard and vines

These business values and natural benefits have led to Rosemullion being one of the most awarded Ar tisan distilleries in the UK Currently holding 60

awards, these include a Gin Guide Award for its Rosemullion Summer Gin, and, most notably, a haul of 9 awards in the Sip Awards 2022 The Sip Awards covered 3 Platinum wins for Rosemullion’s Har vest Gin (including best flavoured gin), Dark Rum and Dr y Gin; they were also awarded a Double Gold for the Summer Gin and 5 Gold Awards for their Seafarer’s Gin, Spiced Rum, Gold Rum, White Rum and Chocolate rum (which also received an innovation award)

Andy Bradbur y confirms ‘like all the entrants UK and Worldwide , we work really hard to get our spirits noticed both nationally and Internationally so these awards cer tainly gave us a licence to celebrate! We are hopeful this recognition will help us expand our hospitality and retail stockists in 2023 www.rosemulliondistiller y.com

Act Now or Extend Energy Support – UK Hospitality Calls for Urgent Ofgem Intervention

In a letter to Grant Shapps MP the Secretar y of State for Energ y Security and Net Zero, UKHospitality has reiterated the pressing need for OFGEM to take suppliers to task for their unscrupulous behaviour towards hospitality

If the Government is unable to do so, UKHospitality is calling for a three-month extension to the Energ y Bill Relief Scheme for sectors recognised as energ y intensive , and therefore vulnerable , and that hospitality should be among them

Almost half of businesses in the sector (48%) are contending with energ y bills fixed at record high prices during the height of the energ y crisis between July and December last year With Government suppor t significantly diminished from April, this represents a ‘terminal’ doublewhammy for the sector

UKHOSPITALITY IS URGING THE GOVERNMENT TO INSTRUCT OFGEM TO:

Enforce the renegotiation of contracts signed between July and December 2022, penalty-free , with the suppor t of deposits already taken

Enact full regulation of the non-domestic energ y market if suppliers are not willing to act

Reset security deposits to reflect falling prices and increase business liquidity

Introduce a Government-backed trade credit insurance scheme for sectors that suppliers perceive to be high-risk

In the letter UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls writes: “Half the businesses in our sector will be locked into extor tionate prices as energ y suppor t is significantly reduced from April This could have a potentially terminal impact on thousands of businesses that are simply unable to afford their bills

“We appreciate that Government has had to take tough decisions to stabilise the nation’s finances, and that is why the onus has been put on OFGEM We welcomed this direction but have concerns about the extent of OFGEM’s powers and their ability to act at the pace necessar y to provide the suppor t businesses require

“We need to see OFGEM take action on non-commodity, ser vice and access charges, as well as security deposits and terms of supply, which undermines Government suppor t Evidence we have seen from businesses demonstrate refusals to supply, blanket risk applied to sectors, 600% increases in standing charges and widespread use of security deposits

“Without action, we believe the only alternative is to extend the Energ y Bill Relief Scheme – either across the economy or for specific sectors – for a fur ther three months

SIBA Business Awards 2023 Finalists: The UK’s Best Independent Beer Businesses Revealed

The Finalists in the SIB A Business Awards 2023 have today been revealed, highlighting the ver y best breweries, taprooms, retailers, pubs and beer industr y businesses from across the UK

The SIB A Business Awards seek to congratulate excellence in the brewing industr y across a variety of categories from pump clip can and bottle design to effor ts taken by brewers to make their business more sustainable , innovative or successful, as well as naming the UK’s best pubs, bars and retailers of craft beer from independent breweries

The 2023 awards will also for the first time include a new Empowering People Award, which seeks to highlight the best breweries in the UK to work for by empowering and suppor ting their teams and championing inclusivity and diversity

The new award places a spotlight on independent craft breweries who go above and beyond for the members of their team; empowering

people to achieve more in their professional career, introducing initiatives and incentives which create a positive working environment, making effor ts to promote diversity and inclusivity or providing benefits or suppor t mechanisms which encourage a happier healthier life for employees

“With hundreds of superb entries from across the UK I would like to say a huge congratulations to all of the breweries and beer businesses named as finalists in the SIB A Business Awards 2023 To make it this far is a huge huge achievement and the judging panel had an incredibly tough job this year such was the quality of entries overall I’d also like to wish the finalists good luck ahead of the awards presentation at BeerX in Liverpool on the 15th March – I look forward to congratulating the winners, including this year ’ s prestigious Brewer y Business of the Year 2023 ” Neil Walker, Chair of Judges

Joining the exper t judging panel for 2023 were Andy Slee , SIB A Chief Executive; Caroline Nodder, Editor of Independent Brewer and the SIB A British Craft Beer Repor t; Alex Metcalfe lead on C AMRA Learn & Discover ; Jo Hunter, Interior & Architectural Design exper t and founder of Hunter’s Daughter ; Charlie Docher ty, SIB A Business Development Officer ; and Neil Walker, SIB A Head of Comms & Marketing, who chaired the panel

The SIB A Business Awards 2023 will be presented on Wednesday 15th March at BeerX UK in Liverpool by acclaimed beer author journalist, broadcaster and consultant Pete Brown Named British Guild of Beer Writers’ “Beer Writer of the Year” in 2009, 2012, 2016 and 2021, Pete has won three For tnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards, been shor tlisted twice for the Andre Simon Awards, and in 2020 was named an “Industr y Legend” at the Imbibe Hospitality Awards

2023 Plastic Ban - How Can Hospitality Businesses Prepare?

By Nathan Gray, Head of Sustainability at Reconomy (www.reconomy.com)

The subject of plastic pollution has become a hot topic over the last five years in the wake of David Attenborough’s Blue Planet BBC series

The hospitality industr y is a significant contributor to this problem, and with predictions that there will be as much plastic pollution as fish in our oceans by 2050 action needs to be taken

According to government estimates consumers in England use 2 7 billion items of single use cutler y per year, with only 10% of these recycled

This has a devastating effect on the environment and wildlife

To help reduce the pollution caused by these materials, the government has recently announced that a wide range of single-use plastics will be banned in England from October 2023

Plastic bowls, cutler y, balloon sticks, plates and trays will be banned, alongside types of polystyrene food containers and cups Consumers can no longer buy these products from businesses such as takeaways and retailers

With wide-ranging repercussions for the hospitality industr y, we share our thoughts on what this means and how businesses can embrace waste reduction and recyclability

IS THIS A GOOD IDEA?

While the government’s decision should be welcomed, it is impor tant to remember that the new products selected should be more sustainable than the single use plastics they are replacing If disposed of correctly, some single-use plastics are recyclable , yet issues arise when large quantities of these materials are littered

Businesses should ensure that they are not just switching to another single use alternative which isn t much better than plastic Ensure that you are not opting for materials with ver y few recycling options and infrastructure available For example , compostable products may degrade quicker than plastics but this is pointless unless these can be segregated from other waste streams These will likely end up in landfill, producing methane or carbon dioxide

So, what can businesses do to maximise the environmental benefits of their switch from single-use plastics?

CONDUCT A PLASTIC AUDIT

One of the first things businesses should do is to identify ever y piece of plastic used during their operations The goal should be to calculate the total plastic weight used as well as the different types of plastic Itemise each material so you get a complete over view of your operations Your audit should be separated into plastic items sent to waste , and those which will be recycled

Calculating the true impact of your enterprise upon the planet can be a compelling motivator to adopt more sustainable practices which can then be communicated across your workforce

REDUCE YOUR USAGE

A plastic audit should help you establish which single-use items you used in the largest quantities Tackle these first by tr ying to source more sustainable alternatives

This could involve a conversation with your suppliers to source easily recyclable materials It is best to take advice on what products are the most sustainable , in terms of recyclability, production and circularity cre-

dentials Wood cutler y, though more expensive , may be a better alternative as it is 100% renewable and contributes no plastic waste

CONSIDER REUSABLE ALTERNATIVES

If possible , tr y to promote products that are reusable such as steel cutler y, plastic tableware and ceramic plates Of course , this will be easier in closed environments such as offices, canteens and restaurants This is harder to achieve in an open street food or takeaway environment but could be tempered with a deposit scheme

Music venues such as Glasgow’s OVO Hydro operate a £1 deposit scheme with ever y drink they sell – the £1 is refunded at the end of the evening upon return of the cup, which can be reused up to 300 times

RECYCLE AND REPURPOSE

Businesses should also look to extend the life cycle of their plastic products through recycling and reuse

The cyclical nature of this process allows materials to be reused again in your manufacturing or operational procedures and doesn’t consign plastics immediately to landfill or ocean waste as in linear methods

For any on-site waste ensure that you have dedicated recycling bins available You should also brief your employees accordingly on which materials go where and the benefits of following this

One novel recycling incentive is the reverse vending machine which will collect plastic items in return for a monetar y award This could be a voucher or even a charitable donation

Sources

Far-reac hing ban on single-use plastics n England - GOV UK (www gov uk) https://www ovohydro com/visitor-information/stac k-cups https://www thebubble org uk/lifestyle/travel/the-hospitality-industr ys-over-relianceon-single-use-p astic/

Plastic Rec yc ing | Singlye- Use Plastics | Reconomy | Waste Management Rever se Vending - Reconomy

Smashed AF Drynks’ Mission to Get the UK to Rethink Drinking... Not Ban Drinking

For Dr ynks Unlimited founder Richard Clark alcohol free drinks are not just an oppor tunity to “cash in on the latest trend” Richard is on a mission to motivate the British public to “rethink drinking”!

“For me there’s a huge oppor tunity: the consumer wants to be excited more , and given more options Operators are looking to make more profit and attract new consumers - this is the perfect combination!”

With Sir Clive Woodward calling for big changes at Twickenham following the Welsh Rugby League setting up an alcohol-free zone at the Principality Stadium on international match days, Richard argues that banning alcohol at spor ts events - whether Wembley or Twickenham - is not the solution

Richard believes that consumers should have access to have a good range of alcohol beers, ciders and wines

People who drink alcohol have a great time but Dr ynks Unlimited believe in freedom of choice for those who may not want to drink, for whatever reason It would be great if more retailers would promote the great AF options available,” he says Dr ynks Unlimited’s “Smashed”, its range of alcohol-free beers and ciders, are not just an addition to an alcoholic product but are all carefully brewed and de-alcoholised using an innovative cool vacuum distillation machine Which, put simply, smashes the alcohol out of its lager, pale ale , shandy as well as apple and berr y ciders

“As the branding says, we smashed the alcohol out of our bespoke beers and lagers and ciders creating some real drinks at 5% that are right to be de-alcoholised (not ever ything can be) and they become 0% real beers and lagers and ciders”

"We can all go that bit more to suppor t retailers," Richard adds

"Not just by providing more choice , but by offering staff training and samples so they can help educate and inspire consumers

"We can help do that and play a key par t in helping people rethink the way they drink!", he added

For fur ther information visit www smasheddr ynks com or see the adver t on the facing page

Cost Of Living: Can’t Afford To Give Employees A Pay Rise? Here’s How You Can Help

By Joanne

DO STAFF KNOW ABOUT THE BENEFITS YOU ALREADY OFFER?

One of the first points to consider is whether employees are aware of the benefits you already provide to them These might include free or discounted prescription glasses or eye tests, healthcare , a cycle to work scheme , assistance with travel costs and mental wellbeing suppor t Reminding employees what you offer, where they can access information about these and encouraging them to use existing benefits doesn't cost anything

You could also consider making use of benefits platforms, something we can offer as par t of our bank of hours packages

LOW COST BENEFITS

In recent years, there have been some star tling statistics about employees ’ financial wellbeing and the impact this has on the workplace One sur vey found that 70% of employees repor tedly admitted to wasting a fifth of their time at work worr ying about their finances and in another one in four employees said that financial concerns impacted their ability to do their job

The cost of living crisis has exacerbated this trend Employees are becoming increasingly worried about whether their income will go far enough to suppor t the basics of life and how long it will take before inflation star ts coming down

The ONS has repor ted that between March and June 2022, 57% of adults who had seen their cost of living increase had begun to spend less on non-essentials, while 35% spent less on food and essentials

Between August 2021 and August 2022, domestic gas and electric prices increased by 96% and 54% respectively causing increased pressure on already tight budgets

THE BUSINESS CASE FOR HELPING STAFF COPE WITH COST OF LIVING INCREASES IN COSTS

Given that employees now repor t financial stress as the highest cause of stress outside of work and 15% employees consider that financial stress causes a decrease in their productivity, there’s not only a moral argument to suppor ting employees more comprehensively to manage their financial wellbeing, but a business argument too

One key issue for employers is keeping up with the rate of inflation whilst still tr ying to run a successful business The ONS repor ted at the end of the year that while average regular pay among employees increased by 6 4% between September and November 2022, on average employees still face a real terms pay cut of 2 6% since the star t of 2022

You may need to think outside of the box in order to be able to suppor t employees without compromising the financial security of your business

You might also consider offering additional, alternative benefits The extent and nature of these will depend on your set up and whether you can contribute towards the cost But it is always wor th bearing in mind that some benefits cost you nothing or ver y little Some examples of benefits you could include are considered below

1. One off bonuses

You might not be able to commit to making pay rises across the board but you may be in a position to make a one-off cost of living bonus to suppor t your employees and help them feel valued

2. Allowing staff to work flexibly to reduce commuting costs

If you don't already do so, consider allowing those staff who can, to work flexibly so that they can reduce their travel costs and make days in the office productive and wor thwhile Introducing set office days or giving staff complete flexibility to arrange their working time is a real-terms benefit that many employees want

Plus, it will allow staff to save money and could also reduce resentment at having to go into their workplace only to sit in front of a screen on vir tual meetings when they get there

You could also consider introducing a four day working week or allowing staff to work compressed hours, to give them more free time and reduce commuting costs A recent study has indicated that a four day week does not impact on productivity and, in many cases, employees are motivated to work harder in order in exchange for a shor ter working week (see our ar ticle on this for more information)

3. Directing staff to reliable information

Another cost-free or low-cost way to suppor t financial wellbeing directly is to signpost employees to useful resources to help them manage their finances The Money and Pensions ser vice offers some free

advice on this and there are a variety of useful courses online

4. Providing an additional day's holiday

Rewarding all staff with a day of leave to allow them to focus on their wellbeing, or an additional day’s holiday, will demonstrate that you recognise their hard work Alternatively, you could allow employees to give back a cer tain number of days’ holiday and allow them to work and be paid for that time You must ensure that they still take at least four week's leave each year

5. Providing salar y sacrifice schemes

You could look at salar y sacrifice schemes (where employees sacrifice pay for a non-cash benefit) to help with the costs of green energ y products and child-care

6 Providing meal subsidies and other benefits

You could take a leaf out of John Lewis book and offer staff hot meals during their shifts to suppor t them, or you could opt to provide tax-free rebates (where possible) to offset some of the costs of working from home such as broadband and home-office furniture

You might be able to provide staff with reduced cost-access to the products and/or ser vices your company provides – such as vouchers for staff of retail companies or free legal advice for employees of law firms This should cost you less than an equivalent benefit provided by a third par ty

You could also alter the benefits you currently offer to suit your employees’ needs Since the pandemic , health-related benefits have been increasingly impor tant to staff (par ticularly being able to access online GP advice) as well as benefits such as pet insurance Employees’ priorities may have changed and you might be able to tailor your benefits package accordingly

ATTRACTING AND RETAINING TALENTED STAFF

However you decide to assist your employees through this difficult period, we know that demonstrating your commitment to them is essential if you want to retain and attract talented staff It’s wor th investing time and, if you can, money, to ensure your employees feel sufficiently valued and suppor ted and can thrive at work

Wellbeing isn't just about pay and benefits Your staff may also want a career structure which allows them to develop and move on, will want to be recognised for their achievements and will want to work in decent environment where they feel respected and valued

These concerns should not be an after-thought when considering your recruitment, retention, and employee wellbeing strategies

P&G Professional: Reduce Energy Without Compromising Results

Moseley and Mar tha Kent from the Employment Team of Irwin Mitchell (www.irwinmitchell.com)

Soaring Food and Energy Prices to Remain Pain Points for UK Economy in 2023, Forecasts Globaldata

The cost-of-living crisis in the UK is becoming increasingly severe as millions of people struggle to keep up with soaring prices, par ticularly for essential goods like food and energ y The overall inflation rate in the UK is expected to remain stubbornly high at 6 8% in 2023, far above the Bank of England’s inflation target of 2% In par ticular, the food and energ y inflation rates are forecast to reach 7 2% and 16 7% respectively, exacerbating the financial burden on households and businesses across the countr y, predicts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company

Although the overall inflation rate in the UK eased for the third consecutive month to 10 1% in Januar y 2023, it stayed above 10% from September 2022 onwards Food and energ y inflation stayed above 15% and 88%, respectively, from October 2022 onwards Prices of all food items remained above 15% in Januar y 2023 including milk, cheese , and eggs (31 1%), oil and fats (26 7%), bread and cereals (16%), fish (15 7%), vegetables (15 5%) and meat (15%)

On the other hand, the prices of electricity, gas and other fuels increased by 89 5% in Januar y 2023 compared to 22 7% in Januar y 2022 High energ y inflation in Januar y 2023 was mainly driven by 129 4% rise in the prices of gas, and 66 7% rise in the prices of electricity, on an annual basis

Arnab Nath, Economist at GlobalData, comments:

“The outbreak of bird flu, rising cost of production due to higher cost for feed and energ y continue to remain the key concern for the domestic producer of vegetables eggs meats and other dair y products

“On the external side , bad weather conditions in Spain and Morocco, the UK’s key impor t par tners of agricultural products resulted in the shor tages of farm produce seriously challenging the food security However, the food supply shor tage is expected to ease in next three to four months as fresh farm producers just planted vegetables in Februar y 2023 instead of December 2022, according to Lea Valley Growers Association (represents 80 growers across the UK) ”

Only a Pavement Away Launches Women in Hospitality Campaign and Female Mentorship Programme, a Seat at the Table

This International Women’s Day (8th March), Only A Pavement Away, the industr y charity aiding prison leavers, veterans and those facing homelessness find employment in the hospitality sector, has announced the launch of a brand-new Women in Hospitality campaign and mentorship programme , A Seat at the Table

The campaign, which will be announced at the Only A Pavement Away Time to Make A Difference Conference today, has been created to champion the hospitality industr y as inclusive and a great career option for women facing homelessness For its par t, Only A Pavement Away has committed to suppor ting at least 250 women into purposeful careers in hospitality this year

The mentorship programme A Seat at the Table – Women Mentoring Women has been launched to help female Only A Pavement Away members to progress in their careers within the hospitality industr y, and to more broadly, suppor t the sector in placing more women in senior leadership roles, a sizeable challenge given just 30% of all hospitality leaders are women according to a recent study[1] The mentorship programme is open exclusively to women placed into employment by Only A Pavement Away and will match mentees with inspiring female leaders from across the industr y to suppor t them in achieving their respective career goals and help mentees tackle barriers in the way of them gaining senior leadership roles

A Seat at the Table – Women Mentoring Women, will initially pilot with 4 mentorship par tnerships, with each mentor committing to spending 6 sessions this year with their mentee under the guidance of Only A Pavement Away career coach Will Andrews The ambition is to expand the programme to suppor t many

more Only A Pavement Away members, with many female senior leaders already signed up to be a future mentor

The mentorship programme will form par t of Only A Pavement Away’s broader Seat At The Table campaign, launched to champion the hospitality industr y as a safe and welcoming place for women facing homelessness and increase the charity’s suppor t specifically for women and their needs

As par t of the Seat of the Table initiative , Only A Pavement Away has committed to working with 4 new charities tackling domestic violence to both increase the number of women Only A Pavement Away is able to place into work, as currently 25% of members are women, and to raise awareness of the specific issues women face that may make them more at risk of homelessness

The Seat at the Table campaign is being suppor ted by female leaders from across the industr y with over 25 leading women and Only A Pavement Away’s employer par tners delivering social content to raise awareness around the initiative across International Women s Day Greg Mangham, CEO & Founder of Only A Pavement Away, says “Through our work with people facing homelessness, and our close ties with hospitality, we know women face unique issues both prior to us working with them and when they are in employment It s our ambition, with the launch of the A Seat at the Table campaign, to raise awareness of these issues and to facilitate more female veterans, prison leavers and women facing homelessness to achieve stability through long term and meaningful employment This campaign will help us deliver the end-to-end suppor t needed to help our female members throughout their Only A Pavement Away journey ”

Stroud MP Visits Gloucestershire Hotel to Explore Ways to Support the Hospitality Industry Amid Cost-of-living Crisis

Stroud MP, Siobhan Baillie , has met with a Gloucestershire hotel to discuss the positioning of local businesses amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis – with talking points ranging from Government suppor t to sustainability and Brexit

Baillie , who has ser ved as a Member of Parliament since 2019, was recently welcomed to Stonehouse Cour t located in the hear t of the Cotswolds to hear and reflect on the challenges currently engulfing the hospitality industr y as a result of spiralling economic uncer tainty

Last year, UK Hospitality released a sur vey revealing that prices across the sector had increased by 11% On top of this, fur ther increases in energ y (41%), labour (19%), food (17%), drink (14%) and insurance costs left many of the businesses it represents in debt and running out of available finances, the organisation said

Amongst the most pressing areas of discussion were the rising costs of energ y and the sustainability practices available to counteract such costs, as well as current labour challenges and the impact of Brexit

Commenting on the discussion, Maz Jurko, General Manager at Stonehouse Cour t, said:

“Throughout our community and across the countr y, businesses are feeling the full effect of the cost-of-living crisis and the precarious financial landscape it creates as a result Meeting with Siobhan was a perfect oppor tunity to cast a spotlight on the current situation and discuss

viable solutions to ensure no local businesses are at risk of going under or seeing their long-term future in question, with conversations about how the Government can suppor t the industr y as a whole

“We also spoke in-depth about the success of Stonehouse Cour t championing sustainability-focussed initiatives to help create viableproven solutions to reducing energ y costs We feel it’s impor tant to not only become greener but also to help the countr y by taking some pressures off the national grid Here at Stonehouse Cour t, we re determined to become an ever more environmentallyfocussed community and the conversation with Siobhan reinforces our determination to do so ”

Siobhan added: “I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Stonehouse Cour t and was impressed by the hotel’s vision to champion conservation so that future generations can enjoy all the natural beauty that Stroud has to offer Managing, innovating and limiting our carbon footprint is a fundamental

t of the vision to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it so it was

share and champion this vision ”

LED lighting throughout the building motion light sensors in corridors and has implemented efficient recycling and waste minimisation schemes, as well as a flagship on-site bottling system for its water needs

Crafty Idea: How a West Yorkshire Pub’s Warm Welcome to Creative Groups is Helping Local Crafters and the Pub

Publicans Eileen and Jock Geater and daughter Jess Har vey have worked hard to establish a pub at the hear t of its local community since taking over The George , at Birkenshaw near Bradford, after lockdown in April 2021

Examples of the strong community spirit the trio have fostered at The George include running a lockdown shop selling food essentials and working with food waste schemes to distribute food to people on their own or struggling to afford food Activities which help bring people at the pub together also include regular trips, such as to breweries or a myster y trip, and 35 people from the pub going on a cruise together this year too

CREATING CONNECTIONS

Since October 2022, the publicans have also been offering the pub as a warm space and have put on more daytime activities to help enter tain and bring locals together This was inspired by Pub is The Hub s Join Inn – Last Orders for Loneliness’ initiative Join Inn – Last Orders for Loneliness – Pub is The Hub

Eileen says: ‘I read about Pub is The Hub’s ‘Join Inn – Last Orders for Loneliness’ initiative in a pub industr y magazine and found out more on the PiTH website We cried when we read David Attree’s poem ‘Calling Last Orders for Loneliness’ https://www youtube com/watch?v=CQlb27qWhx0&embeds euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww pubisthehub org uk% 2F&feature=emb imp woyt

She adds: “We thought this is us and feel our pub is the community hub and we are more than just a pub We want to help tackle loneliness in our local area ”

The aim of the pub’s daytime activities, such as ‘Meet Up Mondays’ and ‘Thursday Board Games Day’ is to encourage people to come to The George to keep safe keep warm and keep in touch with others as well as offering the oppor tunity to meet new people

Eileen adds: “The pub is here we are open so why not use the space we have got to help others ”

The publicans’ warm and welcoming approach to customers is also reflected by all of the pub’s team Eileen says: “As publicans we are always out and about on the shop floor so if people come in for the first time we will fill them in on what is on offer at the pub and just get to know them We always make a point of telling people who we are and how long we have been at the pub and that this is a family pub etc

CONNECTING THROUGH CRAFTING

A group that has helped locals to create connections with others is the pub’s weekly ‘Crafternoons’ group, which meets on a Tuesday from 12 noon to 2pm, offering weekly changing activities organised and led by a volunteer

Around ten people attend the ‘crafternoons’ group weekly, with people paying £2 a session, towards craft materials The pub’s team also collect materials from people giving things away for the group to use A hot drinks station is set-up for the group so they can make themselves refreshments during their session

It was during lockdown that the idea of hosting a regular craft group at the pub came about Eileen says: It was my sister s idea, who is into crafting, and she was saying that there was nowhere locally for people to go to do this and meet up, so the group star ted as soon as lockdown was over ”

She adds: “The group has bought people together and star ted friendships It gives people a reason to get together and get out of the house The group has a lovely vibe and is really well suppor ted Three of the craft group attendees also now come along to the pub’s weekly quiz night together and many bring their families in for Sunday lunch

ATTRACTING ATTENDEES

To help encourage people along to ‘crafternoons’

Eileen features the group on posters in the pub and displayed locally and through table talkers Word of mouth is also an impor tant way of getting people along

Eileen says: “Put something on and people will come Some people have got involved by seeing the group going on in the pub or when I’m out in the village I talk to people and tell them about it I love being a community connector ”

The craft group also has a stall at the pub’s annual Christmas Market, which helps to raise awareness of the group and gives a great focus for their crafting activities

GROUP BLOOMS

A flower arranging group, organised and funded by a local organisation, which met at the pub for a few weeks was also really popular, with around ten attendees Eileen says: “It was really successful with par ticipants taking par t in different activities including making planters and arranging vases of flowers The materials were funded by a grant the group got We hope it will restar t this year

KNITTING PEOPLE TOGETHER

The George is also the venue for a ‘Wool & Wine’ group, which meets at the pub on Wednesday evenings and has been running for a couple of months, with around seven attendees and growing Eileen says: “We just book a table out for them each week The group star ted meeting at The George following a conversation I had with the organiser who said they were hosting a knitting group at home They are enjoying meeting at the pub, which also gives plenty of space for more people to come along as the group continues to expand ”

EILEEN’S TIPS ON HOSTING CREATIVE GROUP

It is about being flexible and giving groups a warm welcome and the oppor tunity to feel at home , so they don’t feel like they can’t move tables or make a mess You want to create an environment where they feel they can do their class freely and easily

The ‘crafternoons’ group meet in our spor ts bar, which has really big tables which are ideal for crafting and can be pushed together to create a really big table for people to sit around We let the group redesign the room how they want for their activities

Ensure your team members are well-briefed on the needs of the group and that it doesn’t matter if they make a mess

‘PUBS WELCOMING CREATIVITY’ INITIATIVE

The George now features a ‘Creativity Welcome Here’ window sticker and poster from Creative Lives, www creative-lives org, in the pub to help encourage more creative groups to have a chat with the pub’s team about hosting their activities there

Publicans can find a range of resources from Creative Lives, as par t of its ‘Pubs Welcoming Creativiuty’ campaign to help them to welcome creative groups to their venues here: Pubs Welcoming Creativity – Toolkit | Creative Lives (creative-lives.org)

KP Snacks Gets Flavourful With Exciting New McCoy ’s Launch

KP Snacks has unveiled a brand-new product range for the UK’s number one ridged crisp brand with the launch of McCoy’s Epic Eats

Delivering on McCoy’s unmistakable bold flavour, the range features two new irresistible products, Nacho Cheese and Spicy Salsa

Rolling out from 20th Februar y, the McCoy’s Epic Eats range delivers unique and tempting flavours and promises an epic snacking experience for consumers looking to tr y something new

Amy Heap, Marketing Manager at KP Snacks says: “McCoy’s is the original and best ridged crisp brand, synonymous with big and bold flavours We know taste is the most impor tant factor driving purchases in CSN and our NPD reflects flavour trends and delivers innovative new products to the categor y McCoy s Epic Eats packs that flavour punch with the same signature crunch

engaging media campaign spanning radio and social to drive awareness of the new product range

Finger Clickin’ Good: How Hospitality Can Get Better at SEO

By Chris Pitt, Managing Director at Ver tical Leap (www ver tical-leap uk)

But what the vibrant nature of the sector does surface is that outlets’ search marketing strategies need to be more effective than ever

HOSPITALITY NEEDS A ‘NEAR ME’ STRATEGY

Our analysis of consumer search terms for our recent Restaurant SEO Repor t reveals the first- and second-ranked phrases include the words “ near me ” It might seem innocuous but it’s hard to overegg the importance of making location a key ingredient of hospitality marketing The inclusion of those two shor t words in searches has become almost unconscious for consumers - showing how much this matters when they’re making a choice

So, optimising for near me searches should be a given - no matter how big or boutique an eaterie is But work doesn’t end there

Simply stating the location in the text of search results won’t do That would be a missed oppor tunity to display other aspects that make the place special and wor th consumers ’ time and money

Search optimisation is a key par t of nourishing the narrative (or, at least, moving negative sentiment fur ther down the rankings) We’re certainly seeing a rise in interest among brands to tackle this aspect Changing the conversation involves challenging brand assumptions That begins with a renewed focus on the business website to show exactly what’s on the menu

SEO IS A MAIN COURSE NOT A SIDE DISH

Search optimisation has long been overlooked by many hospitality brands and establishments This misses the strateg y ’ s power to tap into new audiences and its effect on wider marketing oppor tunities SEO allows eateries to reach diners higher up the funnel as well as in their hungriest moments lower down the food chain Any visitor to an outlet’s website means more volume , more fuel for CRM and more people to target through other channels

Whether fried chicken or foodie dishes are to your taste , the chances are you’ll have made a hospitality booking or devoured a deliver y in the past few weeks

It’s likely, because the value of eating out is even higher than previously predicted - almost £92bn by the beginning of 2023, while the takeaway market’s set to reach £12 6bn by 2025

In the pandemic , more of us turned to deliveries Post-Covid, we ’ ve returned to hospitality venues in droves while keeping up the takeaways

While the cost-of-living crisis might mean different decisions for households up and down the UK, it’s unlikely to result in a dramatic downturn of bookings and orders Most people still like being catered for

Competitors need to create culinar y curiosity by including other details in copy That means going beyond opening times and a bog-standard image of a building exterior Adding aspects of ingredient provenance , speciality dishes and accessibility will all drive choice

In this way businesses can engage a brand new audience fur ther up the funnel That might be enough to persuade people to eat in or take away, thus growing the target market

Conversely, the last thing any hospitality venue wants is a slew of bad reviews (unless, of course , it infamously dines out on poor publicity) But they don t have to leave a sour taste - in fact, it s bad practice to ignore them Embracing difficult reviews is an oppor tunity to respond with an improved marketing strateg y

If you want to improve your SEO, there are lots of tools available , not least Google’s own options These include Google Analytics Search Console and Keyword Planner All are useful for managing and augmenting your website and Google Business Profile , one of the most vital aspects for achieving online visibility at a local level

It’s also impor tant to realise that it’s ver y difficult for any organisation to handle the granular aspects of successful search strategies alone Optimisation is a resource-intensive discipline that delivers an almost endless supply of data for customer trend analysis, and marketing and operational improvement

Engaging a professional external par tner that can manage the lion’s share of SEO through an AI-driven dashboard can make all the difference in the race to provide the most mouth-watering offer to the UK’s growing army of diners

Bristol’s Hospitality Heroes Shine on Biggest Awards Night Yet

The latest Night Of The Stars event to honour Bristol’s hospitality heroes has been hailed the biggest and best yet by organisers

A record 400 guests descended on the city s Ashton Gate spor ts stadium on 2 March for the fifth glittering gala to be organised by the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA)

Together, they recognised and rewarded those who have gone the extra mile in suppor t of the hospitality sector as it continues to recover from the impact of both Brexit and the pandemic despite the impact of soaring energ y and fuel prices

Raphael Herzog, Chair of the BHA, said:

“It was wonderful to see so many people – a record crowd

at this year ’ s Night of the Stars, for a ver y welcome celebration of success

“People are the most impor tant asset in our businesses, and it is so gratifying to be able to recognise the many stars of our industr y in and around Bristol “The judges had a harder time than ever deliberating over the nominations to choose the winners, and ever yone who was nominated should feel proud – and be thanked – for all that they have achieved “I would like to extent my congratulations, once again, to all the winners and ever yone else who was nominated for the awards

“While now based in Bristol, the winners come from all over the UK and Europe , showing the diverse and cosmopolitan nature of the talented teams working in our industr y

“I would also like to express our immense gratitude to our sponsors, without whom we would not have been able to stage this event and given our shining stars the recognition they have thoroughly earned

“The suppor t of our sponsors is a huge vote of confidence in all our hard-working teams ”

It was not just the award winners who had cause for celebration at the Night of the Stars event, as its

annual raffle once again provided valuable suppor t for a ver y wor thy cause

This year ’ s raffle raised £3,503 60 for the Bristol Autism Suppor t organisation, which is the BHA s charity par tner for 2023

The charity suppor ts thousands of local families who are affected by autism, and the money raised at the Night of the Stars event will go towards suppor t groups, information sessions for parents/carers and family events

AWARD WINNERS:

Green Initiative (sponsored by Sounds Commercial): Clayton Hotel Bristol City

Bright Idea & Best Innovation (sponsored by Limber): Nights’ Knights, Hotel du Vin Avon Gorge

Community Spirit (sponsored by 6 O’Clock Gin): De Vere Tor twor th Cour t Team

Chef of the Year (sponsored by City of Bristol College): Eliza Brewer, Aztec Hotel & Spa

Rising Star (sponsored by Bristol City Centre BID, Redcliffe & Temple BID and VisitWest): Nacho Puchol, The Bristol, Harbourside

Unsung Hero (sponsored by Molson Coors Beverage Company): Melanie Harden, De Vere Tor twor th Cour t

Employee of the Year, Hear t of House (sponsored by Johnsons Hotel Linen): Nick Payne , The Bristol, Harbourside

Employee of the Year, Front of House (sponsored by Ashton Gate): Lara Venable , Clevedon Hall

Team of the Year (sponsored by Entegra): Housekeeping and Maintenance Team, Holiday Inn

Beer Piper Putting Quality First To Deliver Cost Savings For Customers

Beer Piper, home of the automated beer line cleaning system, are offering a package deal to make beer line cleaning simpler, more consistent and ultimately cheaper by focusing on quality

For just £175 a month* customers will receive a beer piper automated cleaning unit and all chemicals delivered bi-monthly This amazing deal also includes installation, training, technical suppor t, a free hygiene star ter pack, discounts on other products, as well as use of the dedicated app and por tal

It’s no secret that times are tough and businesses are worried and the hospitality industr y is no exception Identifying new money saving measures is at the forefront of ever yone ’ s minds and this is where Beer Piper can help

The Beer Piper system is easy to use and can result in major cost savings for customers by reducing the amount of time staff spend on the task – a Beer Piper clean takes just 8 5 minutes! Not only does the system improve staff efficiencies, but it also ensures consistent high quality cleans are achieved ever y time The sealed system mixes the neat beer line cleaner with fresh water directly into the lines, ensuring the correct dilution rate regardless of flow

The superior quality chemicals used and supplied by Beer Piper ensure lines are immaculate and allow customers to ser ve the best pints possible Another advantage of this is

that with time customers can go longer between cleans The automated nature of the system also means that there is no need to manually mix these chemicals thus reducing the associated risks to staff

No CO2 is required with the Beer Piper system so the surging costs of CO2 in the UK need not be a concern The system also uses much less water than a manual clean so this also adds to the cost savings being made As does Beersave – a function unique to an automated line clean as it allows the beer that would usually be wasted and poured down the drain before a clean to be sold, ensuring even more money is saved

Beer Piper moved into a new facility last year along with their sister company Chemisphere UK The extra space has allowed the companies to expand their Research & Development depar tment and invest in new equipment and develop a wider range of products

Beer Piper are currently working on their next generation machine , the new BP5, which will utilise sister company Chemisphere’s game changing powder-based line cleaning product The companies are also developing a training academy as their mission to raise the bar in quality standards in the industr y gathers pace

Visit www.beerpiper.co.uk for more information

Vacancies Drop but Wage Bills Climb as Hospitality Tackles Labour Issues

The sur vey shows one in 11 roles (9%) are currently vacant and open for application It marks a drop of two percentage points since the last sur vey of leaders in October 2022 The rate of churn – the propor tion of staff leaving a business in the last three months – has meanwhile dipped by three percentage points to 16%

Despite improvements since the turmoil of Brexit and COVID-19, vacancy and churn levels continue to cause concern Only a third of leaders (33%) say they feel confident about their ability to recruit Attracting and keeping staff has also come at a significant cost, with hospitality businesses raising their pay by 12% and 11% for new and existing staff respectively in the last 12 months – just ahead of the rate of inflation

The Business Leaders’ Sur vey from CGA and Four th flags hospitality’s effor ts to improve conditions for their teams Well over half (57%) of business leaders say cultivating the right working culture has been effective in improving retention, while a high level of communication with staff (41%), a focus on staff wellbeing and mental health (33%) and creating learning and development oppor tunities (33%) have been impactful Industr y collaboration – including via the Hospitality Rising campaign – has also helped to improve the reputation of pubs, bars and restaurants as places to build a career for younger workers

Sebastien Sepierre , managing director

EMEA, Four th, said: “While the pressures related to labour shor tages might be star ting to ease , it is apparent that workforce related challenges are ver y much continuing to keep operators awake at night The fact that only a third of business leaders feel confident about recruitment right now, indicates the impor tance of retaining existing members of staff and keeping them motivated Technolog y plays a pivotal suppor ting role here helping businesses to forecast demand as accurately as possible enabling them to optimise their workforce planning so they are best placed to combat the issues present during this challenging period This, in turn, makes it easier for businesses to hire , onboard, engage and retain team members, helping them to operate as effectively and efficiently as possible ”

Karl Chessell, CGA s director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: It is encouraging to see that hospitality’s hard work on recruitment and retention is star ting to pay dividends However, with thousands of jobs still vacant wages rising sharply and the cost of living crisis hitting consumer spending there is no room for complacency Hospitality is one of the UK’s most dynamic industries for job creation and it can kickstar t the economic recover y, but first it needs targeted government suppor t on labour shor tages and cost challenges ”

Greene King Licensees Become Multiple Operators

Greene King Pub Par tners licensees Iain Warren and Jenny Small have become multiple operators after taking on The Willow Tree in Winchester following a £200 000 investment by pub owner Greene King

The pair also operate The Queen Inn in Winchester, another successful pub business in par tnership with Greene King Pub Par tners

The Willow Tree has received a major facelift as par t of Greene King’s £200 000 investment

Outside , water from the River Itchen flows either side of the pubs garden making it a popular spot for outdoor eating and drinking To enhance this, the pub’s garden has an all-new patio and covered pergola, plus updated decking, enabling customers to make the most of the garden all year round and especially in the warmer months

Inside , the pub has a brand-new back bar and toilets, as well as updated interior and fixtures and fittings to create a welcoming and traditional look and feel

As par t of the investment, the pubs signage , roofing and external decorations have also all been updated As experienced operators who ran The Queen Inn in Winchester for over 8 years as managers before

becoming tenants, Iain and Jenny will provide a similar offer at The Willow Tree

This will include quality, traditional pub food and a large drinks selection featuring cask ales

Iain Warren and Jenny Small, licensees of The Willow Tree , said:

“We’re thrilled to become licensees of The Willow Tree and take the step up to becoming multiple operators

“The suppor t from Greene King Pub Par tners – both with The Queen Inn and now with The Willow Tree – has been pivotal in us growing our successful pub business

“With Greene King’s investment we have been able to create a truly unique outdoor space at The Willow Tree We cannot wait to welcome people into the pub ”

Wayne Shur vinton Managing Director Par tnerships & Ventures at Greene King said:

“Our £200 000 investment in The Willow Tree has been transformational I am delighted for Iain and Jenny who with our suppor t have taken the journey from pub managers to multiple operators I wish them continued success ”

Titanic Hotel Awarded ‘Hotel of the Year’ Second Year in a Row at Liverpool Tourism Awards

Titanic Hotel Liverpool has won the Hotel of the Year for the second year in a row at the prestigious Liverpool City Region Tourism Awards The awards took place on 2nd March at the beautiful surroundings of Liverpool Cathedral, hosted by Olympic athlete and tv presenter, Sam Quek

Recognising excellence across the city region’s visitor economy sector, the annual awards, which are delivered by Growth Platform, cover all areas of the sector and give winners the oppor tunity to go forward to the national Visit England Awards for Excellence

Amongst the 18 categories was Hotel of the Year, of which Titanic Hotel Liverpool was triumphant against four other shor tlisted hotels which included Formby Hall Golf Resor t and Spa Hope Street Hotel

INNSiDE by Melia and Pullman Liverpool

Brian Connor, General Manager of Titanic Hotel Liverpool, comments: We re delighted to win this award for the second year in a row It’s a reflection not only of the unique accommodation and outstanding amenities that we offer guests at Titanic Hotel, but also of our extremely hard-working team who constantly strive to deliver exceptional customer ser vice , and make each guest’s stay a memorable one “It’s wonderful to see how so many businesses in the hospitality industr y have bounced back after the past couple of years showing their resilience against unprecedented challenges, and we look forward to another busy year at the hotel with many exciting projects in the pipeline”

Products and Services

Discover the Power of Chefs’ Most Trusted Bouillon*

Chef Tom Kerridge has joined forces with Knorr Professional Bouillons to launch a new online training hub for chefs The Base contains exclusive recipes, video tutorials and training tools that will help other professional chefs to improve their skills in the kitchen

As the new Creative Director for Knorr Professional Bouillons, two Michelinstarred Chef Tom has also developed a range of classic recipes with modern, seasonal twists, each using products from the range in a different way The dishes showcase the versatility of Knorr Professional Bouillons, from delivering depth of flavour at the base through to a seasoning boost meat rub or salt replacement

Tom said: "Using bouillons in kitchens isn’t about cutting corners It’s about bringing the best out of the ingredients in a dish adding an extra dimension to your food and making this food accessible and achievable for chefs of all levels Knorr Professional s Bouillons are available in Powder, Paste and Jelly formats, offering chefs versatility and flexibility in usage and application, plus consistent depth of flavour ever y time

GET TOM’S RECIPES AT UFS COM/BITB

See the adver t on the facing page for details

*Aggregated UK wholesa er va ue sa es 52 w/e 27th Januar y 2023

Exclusive Elegance and Quality by Design

Benefiting from Fracino's extensive research and development programme , world class engineering skills and state of the ar t production technolog y, the new Romano-R is a genuine fusion of style and luxurious quality

Available in 2 or 3 group versions, it boasts all the power, technical qualities and reliability synonymous with Fracino products, in a stunning design to create the ultimate coffee bar furniture The Romano elegantly combines classic cur ves and retro styling with contemporar y materials and close attention to detail ensuring a truly outstanding finish Featuring latest technolog y integration, the full width touch pad features ‘digital trace’ icons for the drink selection and a wide range of control features within the programme - including controlled on/off times for maximum energ y efficiency, coffee extraction displayed in volume and time for each espresso shot for precise drink quality, multi-lingual display selection and digital programme set-up for easy user adjustment capability

Our powerful combination of stylish design and creative technolog y enables discerning clients to choose a

Gibson Plus Landmark Baubles

Gibson Plus is a family-run, manufacturing business based on the outskir ts of Newtownards, an historic market town in beautiful County Down, Nor thern Ireland Established in 1989 by Brian and Jacqui Gibson, the ever yday running of the business is now taken care of by their children, Susan and Matthew Traditionally, our company specialised in the manufacture of labels, badges and signs selling mainly to industrial customers schools and nursing homes We pride ourselves on having built our family business around a core of loyal, returning customers over many years Quality products at fair prices, attention to detail and excellent customer ser vice are our top priorities at Gibson Plus

LANDMARK BAUBLE

Our Landmark Baubles are produced in the U K using 3mm ethically sourced, Maple Veneer with a thin plastic backing The beauty of the Landmark

bespoke finish for their Fracino espresso machine Our exper tise caters for individuality – whether it be to enhance a theme or interior design, promote a brandor simply to challenge convention

We offer the option to select a bespoke mirror finish in a range of lustrous colours, which draw out the beauty of the highly polished stainless steel, whilst an extensive range of dramatic solid colours – in a satin or matt finish – are available to complement and enhance the interior designer’s creativity and provide the finishing touch befitting the individuality of the exclusive luxur y restaurant and coffee bar

Transforming the purely functional into an enviable work of ar t; that’s Romano!

sales@fracino.com www.fracino.com

See the adver t on page 13

Bauble is they can be produced with the landmark or image of your choice This allows you to create a design that you can be confident your customer base will love!

MAGNIFIQUE BAUBLES

The same great product manufactured using the exact same processes, but adapted for the warmer months The Magnifique Magnet is perfect for hotels, gift shops and tourist attractions We can engrave the image of your choice to make the perfect personalised magnet for your customers!

PRODUCT BENEFITS:

• All our products are handcrafted in the U K

• L ght weight & robust perfect for popping in a Chr istmas card

• Free no obligation ar twork, see exactly how your product will look before committing to an order

• Minimum order from just 60 products

Visit www.gibsonplus.co.uk call 028 9181 8801 or email admin@gibsonplus.co.uk

See the adver t on page 7

Hotels and restaurants typically exhibit significant but varied hot water and heating usage patterns, which contributes to the current 40% tally of UK greenhouse gas emissions generated by the built environment

To help achieve climate-neutral building stock by 2050 the industr y is being challenged to reduce operational energ y use By increasing the use of renewable energ y supply and prioritising on-site renewable energ y sources the hope it to reduce both harmful carbon emissions and bills

There is no doubt that being more sustainable comes with a cost Whether in the form of new build projects or, and far more likely, the refurbishment of existing, yet ageing facilities understanding the necessar y capital investment, operational savings and payback periods is going to be key

Addressing the efficiency of domestic hot water (DHW) systems - whether through the implementation of heat pumps, solar thermal, direct electric water heating or even simple modernisation of existing gas appliances - helps proper ties meet sustainability goals in a practical and cost-effective manner It also delivers

improved year-round conditions for staff and customers providing access to spaces better suited to delivering quality hospitality

For buildings already on gas and that rely on large amounts of DHW - a large propor tion of current UK hotels for instance – silent solar preheat is the preferable option For new build proper ties, the expectation is for specification to default to a mixture of heat pumps and direct electric afterheat New system approaches, including prefabricated packaged plant rooms, also

Is It Time For Some Fresh Promotions?

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Bacchus Wines PLDC

Bacchus Wines PLDC Ltd is an independent wine merchant that offers joyful and affordable wines Launched online in 2021, Bacchus Wines is a par tnership between Hampshire locals, wine broker and hospitality exper t Pierre-Loup DeCam and Trond Rornes of CardsSafe Limited They offer wines to restaurants caterers, bars, and wine enthusiasts

The current Bacchus Wines collection features three family-owned independent wine estates - Chateau Parenchère , Paul Lebrun Champagne and Château du Rooy

The flagship collection by Parenchère features the ‘Magnificent Seven’ wines, which includes four beautiful reds and the sulphite-free and fruity L’Équilibriste Bordeaux Rouge , a wonderful Blanc-Sec and two unique rosé wines

I have been buying wines from Pierre-Loup DeCam of Bacc hus Wines for over twenty-two year s When I owned the Mic he in-starred JSW Restaurant in Hampshire , and since retirng, I stoc ked my cellar with the joyful w nes of Château de Parenc hère They are my go-to wines and I always receive excel ent wines and ser vice

CHEF & RESTAURATEUR J AKE S WATKINS

Bacchus Wines PLDC is also excited to announce their new UK-exclusive par tnership with champagne house Paul Lebrun

Founded in 1902 the Maison draws its inspiration from multi-generational winemaking know-how Their Champagnes are top in their class and have beaten the biggest brands on the market in taste tests Currently three 100% Chardonnay champagnes are available , including the Car te d’Or Brut with a nose of candied lemon and peaches The elegant Extra Brut has notes of white blossom, pineapple and low sugar content And the spectacular Cuvee Prestige Brut aged on lees for a minimum of for ty-eight months with an intense structure “I ser ved the Extra Brut c hampagne at my supper c lub The citrus notes and creaminess compl mented my salmon s salty, smoky notes The c hampagne solic ted muc h pra se from the diner s!”

CHEF TIM WHITTAM

Small yet perfectly curated, the Bacchus Wines PLDC collection is handpicked and personally selected by the founders They choose quality wines with provenance and integrity, with the utmost impor tance on the ar t of winemaking rather than mass production They offer prices and ser vice hospitality businesses can appreciate

For more information, please visit https://bacchuspldc com/

Farm Frites - The Fresh Taste of the Land

Potatoes may be a seasonal har vest, but demand is year round We balance seasonality with demand to ensure high quality crops are used at their best

At Farm Frites we har vest multiple varieties across two seasons with processes that ensure that the quality outcome is the same whichever variety we use Sustainability star ts with us There is a great responsibility with food manufacture and we are aware of our impact on the environment Growing manufacture and supply is the beginning of the chain, and it is impor tant to us that we are setting the right intentions to minimise the impact

Potato products go a long way to satisfying need for customisation consumers expect to be able to customise for taste or to suit an allerg y requirement Loaded fries allows from healthy to indulgence offers for flexitarian diets and allow an

The year ahead presents many challenges for the hospitality sector and its consumers Still, it remains a place where we all enjoy spending time for social engagements, a celebration or a treat!

Seafood is often seen as a tricky product to prepare at home , meaning that operators ser ving

operator to respond to trends in a cost-effective way – ever ything works with chips from plant-based, classic sauces & cheeses to world flavours and spices

Our potatoes are grown and farmed at sites near our factor y HQ and then prepared and frozen quickly allowing for essential nutrients to be retained in the product - freezing in itself is a preser vative

The Quick Oven Fries range is ideal for food outlets who need to ser ve great tasting fries but can t use deep-fr yers due to location operation or regulation These fries can be oven cooked in a conventional, trade oven from frozen in just four minutes Fast cooking times mean these fries allows operators to cook five times more por tions in 20 minutes than other oven fries

Our Ultimate Chip goes beyond triple cooked and is based on a ten-step process – the texture of Ultimate Chip is second to none A full chip that is effectively a roast potato in terms of its inner fluffiness and external crisp The imperfect lengths in each ser ving will offer an authentic product with more of a focus on texture , crispiness and taste – the ideal premium side dish

For more information call us on 01452 415845, or visit www farmfrites co uk

Spirits and Cocktails

Goldstone Rum

There’s a new family run distiller y on the scene in Sussex and it’s offering something a bit different to Britain s rum industr y Their scratch rum is made from fresh sugar cane juice which is added to the fermentation within hours of being pressed This along with three other types of sugar jagger y, panela and traditional molasses makes for a ver y unique tasting rum

John Bowell co-founder said ‘Our rum has a flavour profile like nothing else we ’ ve tried during our recipe development The rum has notes of baked banana and hazelnut making it rich and round on the palate and nose

We’ve been overwhelmed with the feedback we ’ ve received from customers and hospitality professionals’

Born out of the idea that there is a gap in the market for an ar tisanal quality rum usterlising traditional methods over mass production Goldstone Rum is made with a slow fermentation, using high quality natural sugars The result being something exceptional

Tom Surger y who recently visited the distiller y said I m so excited to see the journey Georgina and John are on with Goldstone Rum It’s inspiring stuff The rums are characterful, pure and super smooth I can’t wait to watch them develop fur ther ’

The team at Goldstone Rum are currently developing their flavour range inspired by traditional rum cocktails Ginger and lime after the dark and stormy and Kola Nut after the cube libre The flavoured rums will be available in the Spring

The Brighton-based husband-and-wife duo are also working with the hospitality industr y to provide sessions at the distiller y for restaurants and bars to expand their knowledge on fermentation and distillation of spirits Their rum school upstairs allows sommeliers and bar staff to create their own flavour combinations of rum Their distiller y is open to the public on Saturdays for tours and tastings for just £10 per head

To find out more visit www goldstonerum com

Pineapple and Ginger Daiquiri

INGREDIENTS

50ml Goldstone white

Rum®

50ml pineapple ju ce

25ml ginger syrup

25ml coconut water

Ju ce of half a lime

METHOD

- Make the ginger syrup by comb ning the sugar coconut water and a thumb of peeled grated ginger in a saucepan on a low heat and stir until d ssolved Allow to cool

- Combine Goldstone Rum®, pineapple juice , lime juice and ginger syrup together in a coc ktail shaker with ice Shake well, stra n and ser ve

Flavour Blaster - Add Theatre to Every Serve With Aromatic Bubble Garnish

A DEVICE adding the wow factor to cocktails has taken the international market by storm, after being inspired by the childhood experience of blowing bubbles

Flavour Blaster Pro, which creates aroma filled bubbles on the top of drinks is now used by professionals in Michelin Star Restaurants and Five Star Hotels around the world As well as leading mixologist and Flavour Blaster ambassador Simone Caporale , owner of Sips 3rd best cocktail bar in world

The professional aroma gun is sold to more than 40,000 customers in 150 countries, thanks to its use of innovative technolog y

Other clients include top chains such as The Alchemist, Maybe Sammy in Australia, and it is also currently helping to create the immersive experience at Johnny Walker in Edinburgh

The company also has a strong foothold in the international market, particularly in the USA where it can be found in venues in California, Florida and Las Vegas to name a few

Its success is the result of a collaboration between hospitality entrepreneur Colin Myers and manufacturing

guru, Rober t Flunder who came up with the initial concept to add some theatricality to the drinks experience And the resulting creation was down to Colins fascination with the concept of edible bubbles which would use authentic aromas rather than synthetic flavours

Australian-born Colin who previously worked in the bar and leisure industr y in the UK, spent four years helping to develop the product which he describes as “ an inner child gadget ”

The company uses a leading company in New York to prepare its aromas, which are distilled from actual fruits, herbs and spices rather than being ar tificially produced

And it s not stopping there Now with a 15-strong staff plus a R & D team, a number of other products for the Hospitality sector are also in development

“The ultimate in theatrical mixolog y ”

For fur ther information visit www flavourblaster com

Spirits and Cocktails

Introducing Bareksten – A Premium Range Of AwardWinning

Spirits From The Dark Norwegian Forests

Norway is renowned for the best quality berries in the world; juniper, blueberries and lingonberries are selected for their depth of taste and aroma Whilst herbs sourced from amongst the pine trees add dense dark under tones of the forest floor Produced at the Oss Craft Distiller y in Bergen, Bareksten Botanical Gin tastes exactly as you would expect it to - of the Norwegian forest The nose is vibrant and inviting with clear notes of fresh pine inter twined with enticing spiced under tones For a perfect ser ve , a classic Bareksten Botanical Gin & Tonic is best ser ved with cherr y tomatoes to fully appreciate the botanical flavours

Bareksten has bottled the essence of Norway, in both taste and character – dark, wild, breath-taking and dramatic Developed

Stig

& Tonic

Ingredients:

• 35ml Bareksten Botanical Gin

• Premium Tonic Water

• 2 Cherr y tomatoes halved

• Coriander leaves

Method:

The Bareksten Spirits collection also includes Navy Strength Gin Old Tom Gin Double Gin Illsint Absint and the Scandinavian favourite Botanical Aquavit Bareksten Botanical Gin was awarded Gold in the Gin categor y at The London Spirits

Competition in 2022

For trade enquiries, please contact sinead@osscraft.no or visit www barekstenspirits com

• Pour Bareksten Botanical Gin in a glass full of ice cubes

• Top up with premium tonic water and garnish with halved cherr y tomatoes and coriander leaves

Osprey Charging Sustainable Resources

each location, with a range of hardware speeds to suit each site The chargers were also designed to be user-friendly and simple to operate , with easy payment options and clear instructions making the customer journey as simple as possible The installation of the chargers has also helped Marston’s to attract new customers, as well as to retain existing ones who have switched to EVs

Osprey Charging, the one of the UK’s leading EV charging networks par tnered with Marston’s (amongst other UK wide hospitality groups) to install EV chargers across their UK estate The ongoing par tnership has proved a huge success and provides a footprint of how businesses can embrace the transition to electric mobility

The Marston’s project is an excellent example of how EV charging can be integrated into existing business operations The pub chain has over 1,500 locations throughout the UK, and as more people switch to electric vehicles, it became clear that offering charging facilities would be a valuable ser vice for their customers The process of installing EV chargers requires a significant investment in infrastructure and logistics, so Marston s decided to work with Osprey Charging, as a leader in the UK market, to deliver and operate the infrastructure Osprey worked with Marston’s to understand their requirements and to find the best solution for

The roll-out continues at pace , with Osprey installing and operating over 200 chargers across the Marston’s por tfolio As the market has grown, Osprey have worked with Marston’s to revisit and upgrade earlier sites to keep up with customer expectations and demand To date the par tnership has delivered over 25 million electric miles, the equivalent of nearly 7000 tonnes of CO2 savings

The par tnership provides an excellent example of how businesses can embrace the transition to electric mobility, with the help of exper ts such as Osprey Charging It s not just about providing a valuable ser vice for customers – it’s also about future-proofing your business With the UK government planning to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 the shift to electric vehicles is inevitable Businesses that are ready to offer EV charging facilities will be in a better position to meet the needs of their customers, as well as to contribute to their company ’ s ESG targets and the UK’s wider decarbonisation effor ts proper ty@ospreycharging co uk www ospreycharging co uk

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

The hospitality sector is a prime example of an industr y in which EV charging solutions can flourish, whether electric vehicle charging points are placed at a pub for a quick top-up or at hotels where guests can safely and efficiently charge their vehicles overnight

In 2021, over 220,000 EV owners sought hotels that provided EV charging facilities, choosing to book at these destinations over hotels without EV charging The average cost of an overnight stay in a UK hotel is around £85 –£90 per night; that’s about £19 8m of EV-related revenue last year alone

This revenue increase doesn’t just stop at check-ins either ; with RAW

Charging s fully-funded host solution you can enhance your business and create a new revenue stream

So why exactly should you invest in EV charging solutions?

Here are just four reasons for introducing EV charging facilities to your commercial premises:

• You ll attract more guests – With 1 in 5 of al new veh c les in the UK being an EV and ever y major manufacturer offer ng an EV range open ng up your bus ness to EV owner s is a no-brainer

• You ll ncrease your ROI – With plenty of incentives and subscr ipt ons , suc h as RAW Charging s fully-funded solutions , EV c harging faci ities are affordable for any business and, in turn, can dramatically increase income and footfall

You ll increase guest dwe l time – EV owner s using hospitality-based EV c harging are far more likely to stay longer as they c harge This increase in dwell time subsequently means they’ll spend more at the destination

• You’ll cement your brand as a sustainable business – Being environmentally conscious is a huge plus for many potential guests In addition investing n EV c hargng facil ties w ll boost your ESG credentials signpost

Riso Gallo - Sensationally Sustainable!

Riso Gallo is the first international rice brand to have produced its rice from sustainable agriculture , making their premium bestselling risotto completely sustainable from field to fork!

Established in 1856 Riso Gallo is the oldest Risotto rice producer in Italy and has been delivering its premium rice to consumers around the world for over six generations

Known to many as Italy’s first choice Riso Gallo is one of the longest sur viving rice companies in Italy and is still growing A family run business it is now in it s 6th generation

The company has uniquely created its own Circular Economy within it’s rice production, collaborating with innovative star tups to give new life to the by-products of the rice mill which produces the delicious range of rices of the Riso Gallo Brand

Rice House is an Italian initiative in which the secondar y materials in rice cultivation are used to build ethi-

cal houses

Rice by-products are even used by Mogu in a range of designer furniture production

The Albini Group to develop a process of ‘Off the Grain’ dye for fabric When the Nero (black) rice is processed for the food industr y, the by product of the deep grape coloured water is used as a natural dye

All Riso Gallo plastic vacuum packaging is now suitable for recycling, following the launch of a new eco-sustainable , low environmental impact plastic Riso Gallo are the first company to adopt this sustainable packaging The Gallo Risotto Traditional, Arborio, Carnaroli, and the Carnaroli Rustico are now in packs using FSC cer tified cardboard outer to protect the grains

Riso Gallo is committed to reducing and monitoring greenhouse emissions and uses energ y from renewable cer tified resources www risogallo co uk

Whether you are a business or an individual switching to more sustainable eco-friendly solutions is becoming a central par t of our ever yday lives

At Intrinsic , we want to help customers with this transition by providing market leading paper straws that truly deliver on Quality, Safety and Sustainability These are impor tant values for how we operate as a business and are embodied in each and ever y drinking straw that we manufacture

All our paper straws are made from carefully selected materials (e g FSC® paper, inks, adhesives, packaging), that must meet our strict criteria of being sustainable , compostable , biodegradable , and food safe approved

As a cer tified Carbon Balanced Printer through global conser vation charity World Land Trust we are able to offer carbon balanced straws that contribute towards offsetting projects tackling carbon, reducing deforestation, and protecting threatened species

With onsite manufacturing facilities, we can give customers a complete straw making ser vice , offering a choice of paper straw solutions suitable for various

drinking applications and beverages

Including:

Cocktail Straws

• Classic Straws

• Milkshake Straws

• Smoothie Straws

• Bubble Tea Straws

• Individual Wrapped Straws

• Custom / Branded Straws

Whatever your requirements, product aesthetics and performance are fundamental features of any Intrinsic straw as we want people to enjoy their drink experience , giving them peace of mind and the ability to sip in comfor t Our straws are strong and durable in many different liquids, ensuring their shape and integrity are retained for many hours, while also looking great and feeling comfor table on your lips

Would you like to know more? Interested in samples or pricing? Get 20% OFF fir st order when quoting CLH0223

Call us on 01952 980810 visit www.intrinsicpaperstraws.com or email hello@intrinsicpaperstraws.com.

Cleaning and Hygiene

Ozone Clean

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

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

We have over 850 clients and 11 million rooms per

year being treated with our equipment In manufacturing we only use the highest quality par ts which enables us to say that we still have machines that are still in use after 15 years Therefore , our range of products are the most efficient and reliable on the market

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

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

Should you decide to buy either our OC1500 or OC700 we will offer you a 15% discount exclusive to this ar ticle Just quote OZO15

Web: www ozoneclean co uk

Call : 020 8883 2756

Emails: sales@ozoneclean.co.uk

edencleen from Cleenol

Over the course of our histor y, we at Cleenol have always produced products that offer a perfect balance between cleaning performance and efficiency with an attention to reducing the environmental impact that our products may carr y edencleen our latest brand reaffirms our commitment to our credentials for environmental guardianship, and represents an evolution of what has been an integral par t of our DNA Edencleen has been designed to reflect in par t our vision for a cleaner, safer world, that touches not only the environmental aspects of sustainability, but has as an aim, a social ambition to leave the planet in the safe care of and for future generations As such with edencleen, Cleenol looks to ensure transparency in our approach, which may on occasion result in some counter intuitive elements

The range covers the essential needs to cover 80% of daily cleaning and include: a washroom cleaner and toilet gel cleaner and urinal deodoriser, an all-purpose surface sanitiser, a degreaser and a washing up liquid, a no rinse floor degreaser, a window cleaner and a laundr y detergent and fabric softener

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GroutGleam - Refresh, Recolour, Restore

GroutGleam restore and recolour grout and tiled surfaces to like new condition incredibly affordably No mess, no stress, no hassle , completed and reusable in hours

This everlasting solution has huge commercial appeal with low upfront costs which result in ongoing cost savings with reduced cleaning and maintenance requirements

Operating successfully for over 5 years, our 50+ nationwide network of Official Par tners exclusively offers the GroutGleam ser vice after completion of our full training programme

Any grout and tiled surface in any tiled location can receive the full GroutGleam treatment

Our list of satisfied customers grows daily and so far includes hotels, pubs, restaurants, holiday parks, offices, leisure centres, g yms, theatres, stadiums, airpor ts, train, and bus stations and much more

We are not tilers, we do not regrout Our bespoke compound overlays and chemically bonds to your existing grout resulting in an everlasting low maintenance , easy clean surface

edencleen from Cleenol

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edencleen products have been developed around the following principles and ingredients:

• RSPO cer tified palm oil der ivatives

• No animal der ived products

• Cruelty free

• Minimal petroc hemical der ived products

• No parabens , formaldehyde , CMI/MIT, tr ic losan, phosphates , c hlor ine bleac hes , optical br ightener s , quaternar y ammonium compounds

• VOC free and phosphate , EDTA, NTA free

• Rec yc lable / rec yc led pac kaging

• 100% bio-based surfactant - made by us ng bio-based ethy ene oxide whic h is manufactured from biomass ethanol

EXAMPLE ONE:

20 room, independent hotel in Blac kpool, affordably recoloured all 20 ensuite shower cubic es in just 6 days with one of our Official Par tner s

EXAMPLE TWO:

After almost a decade in ser vice a holiday lodge company with 10+ UK s tes and approac hing 800 cabins were concerned about the condit on of their bathrooms

Their biggest complaint from customer s when sur veyed is the tired appearance of their bathrooms To replace 800 bathrooms would require an investment of mill ons of pounds and too muc h downtime To regrout 800 bathrooms would require an investment approac hing a million pounds and too muc h downtime

The solution to GroutGleam each bathroom will save the company hundreds of thousands of pounds when compared to regrouting And ver y impor tantly with one GroutGleam Official Par tner able to complete 2 bathrooms per day, with them being reusable within hours, there is barely any downtime

GroutGleam is proven to be a total win win for their customers with huge savings and next to no downtime

See the adver t on this page for fur ther information

• Bioethanol, naturally der ived acids , sugar-based surfactants , bio-based solvents , low impact preser vat ves

Combining carefully formulated products, with appropriate packaging, using recycled material or recyclable componentr y the range ’ s mostly colourless liquid and low fragrance usage are designed to convey a transparency and straightforwardness of our approach which will be a hallmark of all edencleen products and associated ser vices

Careful use of enzymatic formulations and more traditional chemistr y brings a por tfolio of products that’s finely attuned to delivering effective cleaning which when used as instructed helps maintain a neutral environmental impact edencleen’s new range represents just the star t to a fully refreshed solution to meet the most demanding of customers expectations

See the adver t on this page for fur ther information

Only GroutGleam Official Partners offer the MOST AFFORDABLE and COMMERCIALLY VIABLE grout and tiled surface refurbishment, restoring to like new condition in HOURS with almost no downtime

GroutGleam operates nationwide, offering your establishment an everlasting solution that has already transformed thousands of bathrooms, kitchens, restrooms, shower facilities, entrance ways, offices, lobbies and more over the last 5 years

Join our growing list of super satisfied customers that include hotels, pubs, restaurants, holiday parks, offices, leisure centres, gyms, theatres, stadiums, airports, train and bus stations and many more

We are not tilers, we do not regrout Our bespoke compound overlays and chemically bonds to your existing grout resulting in a low maintenance, easy clean surface As well as being incredibly affordable, GroutGleam reduces your ongoing cleaning and maintenance costs

JUST HOURS WE MAKE GROUT & TILED SURFACES LOOK BRAND NEW AGAIN!

Hospitality Technology

Aqilla Helps Independent Hotel Reach a Level of Financial Control to Rival Global Groups

When Sage 200 Extra Online was withdrawn it was the perfect oppor tunity for Rober t McCluskey, Financial Controller at The Spa Hotel in Tunbridge Wells, to implement new accounting software that would offer advanced financial analysis, reduce the time spent on manual tasks and gain a competitive advantage for this independent hotel He chose Aqilla’s cloud-based accounting software to help achieve these strategic goals

Explaining his reasons for choosing Aqilla, Rober t said, “Having come from larger hotel groups, I’m used to working with the level of financial analysis you get from bigger applications QuickBooks was never going to do it, and the bigger packages are out of my range , but Aqilla is in that middle space where you can get lots of functionality from quite a light product and a low cost of ownership ”

THE CHALLENGE

The 70-room independent hotel has several revenue streams, including a Spa and Leisure Club, restaurants, conference ser vices and events Different business applications are in place to suppor t each depar tment; the hotel management system covers bookings and housekeeping and a spa and leisure club system manages therapy bookings and memberships There is also a food and beverage till system, which stores information to help manage stock and predict purchasing needs in line with historic trends

There are around 2 000 metrics that can potentially be har vested and analysed daily for improved financial control The data from each system is currently impor ted into Excel However, it wasn’t possible to upload Excel data into Sage This meant that the financial analysis could only span the volume of data the accounts team could manually input each day – on average just 30 lines Par ticularly impor tant following the impact on the business caused by the pandemic , improved financial analysis would help the hotel control costs, increase efficiencies and make more accurate predictions

THE SOLUTION

Sage’s limitations meant that Rober t could only tap into a small percentage of the total data available to him, limiting his range of performance measures and the quality of the insights from such a small data pool Aqilla s Excel Add-In means that Rober t can combine 100 per cent of his data in Excel before impor ting it to Aqilla He explained “I was only able to manually input about 30 lines a day Now I have almost 100 automatically uploaded that I use to check costs and performance

He continued “With Aqilla I push a button and it takes seconds to populate the data The sheer volume it can handle is incredible , and it gives me the kind of detailed insights you’d expect from a much larger system It saves me an insane amount of time maybe as much as two hours a day that I can spend improving efficiency

Rober t also uses Sharperlight, a self-ser vice BI tool integrated with Aqilla that draws information out for repor ting purposes He explained how it saves time tr ying to find the source of discrepancies, “I’d often get to the end of the month and wonder why my spreadsheet is different to the accounts Drawing repor ts from Aqilla via Sharperlight means my repor ting is always in sync ”

Quantifying some of the advantages the finance team have experienced since switching to Aqilla, Rober t added, The daily banking process used to take two and a half hours with Sage With Aqilla it takes less than an hour The bank reconciliation process at month end that used to take three or four days now takes me less than half a day ”

Streamlined, accurate accounting and access to cross-company data can help hospitality businesses recover from the challenges of Covid and get through today’s turbulent economic times Summing up Rober t says “Our accounting needs are basic; bank rec , general ledger and purchase ledger Mainly, I want to get large volumes of data in and out of the system, fast The level of analysis we can get from Aqilla and our ability to combine data from various sources gives us a real advantage I ve got big system analytics from a fast and light mid-range system It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 or 100 lines, I push a button on the toolbar, and the data is in ”

For fur ther information email or info@aqilla com visit www aqilla com

Boost Your Efficiencies During the Spring & Summer Rush

As the spring/summer season approaches, the upcoming events calendar is looking quite busy; from St Patricks Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, Coronation of Charles III, and Father's Day, all the way through to Eurovision and the FA Cup Final

During this busy period operators need to raise their tech game to ensure customer experience and operational efficiency are slicker than ever

Call Systems Technolog y (CST) specialise in innovative communication technolog y and software solutions that transform and enhance the hospitality industr y – for both customers and operators Helping to deliver a truly first-class ser vice whilst subtly elevating the experience to stand out from competitors Staff should be readily available without being constantly visible , and communication between teams should be almost invisible yet still allow the establishment to operate at its best Thankfully, modern paging systems, designed specifically for the hospitality industr y, are allowing just that

Here are our top tips to make sure spring/summer is a sizzler :

1) With many operators currently shor t-staffed call buttons allow customers to instantly gain a team member's attention when needed, making it easier to

order additional food and drink or request to pay the bill

2) Instead of getting customers to wait in a long, tedious queue , create an invisible one instead Utilising customer paging solutions gives diners the freedom to wait where they wish – such as the barwhile reducing congestion

3) Simple but effective WaiterCall instantly connects front and back-of-house for the slickest ser vice

Instant communication eliminates the need to run back and for th from the kitchen pass, leaving more time to upsell drinks and maintain high levels of customer ser vice

4) Two-way radios provide instant communication between managers, kitchen staff and waiting staff Meaning table turns are increased incidents are dealt with immediately, and the overall guest experience is enhanced No guessing, shouting or time wasted –just clear communication

Keeping on top of the latest technolog y not only relieves stress for staff during busy periods but also helps improve simple operations keeping customers happy and most impor tantly, loyal

For more information www call-systems com or solutions@call-systems.com

Recruitment Challenges Set to Continue in 2023

Hospitality teams put in longer hours over the festive season to meet the demands of strong trading according to workforce management specialist Bizimply, but staff recruitment remains the biggest challenge for the sector in 2023

According to Bizimply’s sur vey, 66% of operators did not have enough staff available in December, prompting them to ask existing employees to work longer hours Average hours worked in the second half of December climbed to 32 hours per week, compared to 28 in October

Employees in top end restaurants put in even longer shifts, averaging 48 hours, up from 40 before the festive period

Of the operators polled by Bizimply one-third are expecting no easing of the challenges in recruiting front-of-house staff, rising to two-thirds when it comes to filling kitchen vacancies

Shaw commented: “Despite the cost of living crisis we re seeing signs of a recover y for hospitality Operators need to make sure they have the right staff in place to meet increased trade later in the year ”

BIZIMPLY’S TOP TIPS FOR STAFF MANAGEMENT

Staff, par ticularly new recruits, thrive when their GM is visible and actively managing them, so make sure your GMs are front of house and reduce the time they spend in the back office on admin like staff rotas

Respect your team members by giving them plenty of notice of their shifts And empower them to schedule their own holidays with Bizimply’s ‘Unavailability’ feature

Use the data to identify whether you are over- or under-staffed and create your staff rotas accordingly www bizimply com

A FULL TURNKEY SERVICE

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump)

Creates Considerable Interest

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

There are significant advantages that this combi oven drainage pump offers The pump features a tank with its clear side window was the large , triangular, low-level float attached to the pump by a rigid arm, external to the pump casing Because of the design of this float system the unit can cope with an exceptional quantity of grease , fat and food par ticles before the reliable star t/stop operation of the pump is affected

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

was also a discussion point, with the mechanical shaft seal arrangement between pump impeller and motor winding generally agreed as an advantage over a common lip seal/diaphragm arrangement especially considering the hot wastewater temperatures and potential grease which these units have to handle It can be connected to multiple ovens or oven and sink combinations Also, multiple inlet connections can be cut onsite directly into the rigid Polyethylene tank without the need to manifold inlets outside of the tank and then feed into it via a single inlet This means that the installation footprint is just the size of the compact tank and potential leaks from knocked manifold piping and joints are eliminated

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

Inox Equip - A Full Kitchen Refubishment Service

A kitchen refurbishment can cause a massive disruption to your home and residents and can prove to be overwhelming But don t worr y - Inox Equip has you covered with

temporar y commercial catering facility ser vice Not only does Inox Equip handle all aspects of the refurbishment processfrom electrical work to gas work, ventilation, Altro flooring, Whiterock walls, and ceilings - they also offer a turnkey solution that takes care of ever ything from star t to finish And with their competitive pricing and project management ser vice , you can trust that the entire refurbishment will be handled efficiently and effectively Inox Equip doesn't just stop at refurbishments They also offer a range of high-quality commercial catering equipment and supplies and their team is on hand to

help you choose the right options for your needs and budget Plus, with installation and maintenance ser vices available , you can trust that your equipment will always be in top working order Inox Equip is dedicated to providing their clients with the highest level of ser vice and quality So if you ' re in need of a temporar y commercial catering facility or new equipment and supplies, don't hesitate to reach out to their team of exper ts They'll make sure your business stays up and running, even during the largest refurbishments Please contact us on 01280 822124 or sales@inoxequip com

Please visit our website for more information https://www inoxequip com

COMMERCIAL CATERING KITCHEN SPECIALISTS

Giving

As well as supplying catering equipment from all the top manufacturers in the catering industry, at Inox Equip we can also provide full fit out services for new and refurbishment projects. This includes:

Altro Whiterock or Hygeinic wall cladding

Altro or Polyfloor non- slip safety flooring

Full electrical wiring with NICEIC certification

Mechanical services including new and replacement water, waste and gas pipe with GasSafe certification

Lay-in grid and plasterboard ceiling solutions

Lighting systems

Internal wall removal and construction

Temporary kitchen supply

n 01280 822124 e sales@inoxequip com d

com

Fryers and Oil

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 infra-red 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

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

By David Chesshire , National Accounts Manager, Blue Seal (www blue-seal co uk)

drops below 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

Choose British-Made Stainless Steel Products

Pland has been manufacturing commercial Stainless Steel products for over 100 years

Still based on the same site in Leeds, there isn’t much they don’t know about designing stainless steels products for the catering market

Stainless steel has many beneficial proper ties that has led to its dominance in the commercial kitchen It offers a smooth neutral surface that impar ts no taste to food so ideal for food preparation

This also makes it difficult for bacteria to adhere and sur vive , it s therefore naturally hygienic and it s also ver y easy to clean It has a high resistance to corrosion too so will not be affected by its surrounding environment be that steamy, in the case of a kitchen or ver y cold, within a freezer The surface works well over a long period and at the end of its life it is 100% recyclable and therefore less harmful to the environment

When total life cycle costs are considered, stainless

Avancini Launches Heavy Duty Variable Speed Single-Phase Spiral Mixers

Avancini, a company with 60 years’ experience of manufacturing spiral mixers for bakeries and restaurants, is extending its classic SP mixer range by offering mid-sized variable speed models in a single-phase format

Traditionally multi-speed spiral mixers with a dough handling capability in excess of 20kg (33litres), are only available in three-phase configurations, which means that the majority of high street operators are denied the opportunity to prepare stiff doughs, high-hydration doughs or enjoy the time-saving benefits of larger multi-speed machines, by virtue of the fact that they only have a single-phase supply on site

steel is usually the least expensive option so it truly offers long term value

The Pland range of catering products star ted in the supply of Sinks and they still produce them in many sizes, with or without leg stands They also produce a broad selection of wash basins be they circular or square inset or wall mounted Through customer demand their collection over the years grew to include stainless steel urinals cupboards work surfaces tables shelving units and trolleys with complementar y accessories too

Check out their standard range of catering products online at www plandstainless co uk, but please be aware , a growing number of the products they produce today are specially designed for clients to a par ticular size or to help provide a product solution For this ser vice speak to their in-house design team by calling Pland Stainless on tel: 0113 263 4184

But now after a year of R&D and many months of rigorous testing in a commercial kitchen environment, Avancini launched a range of single-phase spiral mixers with fully variable speed controls, in 23, 50 and 85 litre models at Italy s SIGEP Expo in January

Michael George, from Avancini s UK distributor NOWAH, explained the reason for these new additions to the Avancini range "In recent years we've seen increased demand for multi-speed mixers from local artisan bakeries, as well as independent contemporary Italian pizzerias/restaurants, all of whom want to craft excellent quality products using stiffer or high-hydration doughs and breads These specialist doughs require a mixer with two or more speed settings in order to achieve the ideal yeast activation and optimal mixture Sadly, in the past, it was only businesses with a three-phase electrical supply that could produce these doughs (in volume) and benefit from the time-saving features of multi-speed mixers But not anymore, thanks to Avancini

NOWAH, Avancini’s UK distributor, are Craft Guild of Chefs business partners, sponsors of the CGC Graduate Awards, and sponsors of the 2023 Young Pastry Chef of The Year by Passion to Inspire Apart from Avancini mixers, NOWAH also distribute the highly regarded Kemplex range of dough sheeters/ laminators/ dough breaks GGF deck ovens and La Pastaia pasta machines

For more information on the Avancini spiral mixers, or the other specialist pastry, bakery and restaurant equipment supplied by NOWAH visit www.nowah.co.uk

Please

For All Your Commercial Catering Ventilation Needs

Why

is a Five-Star Choice For Top Pastry Chefs

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Temporary Catering Facilities For Events & Kitchen Refurbishments

Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire or sale of temporar y catering facilities and foodser vice equipment

Ideal for events or to provide temporar y catering facilities during your kitchen refurbishment, our versatile units and equipment offer an efficient and economic solution to the caterers’ needs

Production Kitchens Preparation Kitchens, Warewashing Units, Dr y Store Units, Cold Rooms and Restaurant Units are available as individual units in their own right or they

uk

Kitchen Extract Hygiene – A Burning Issue

filters canopy plenum fan and ductwork

Should a kitchen fire reach the extract ductwork, or a flash fire occur in the extract system, then the accumulated grease deposits can act as fuel helping to spread the fire The ductwork itself can also help to spread the fire , acting as a chimney through which smoke and flames can travel, spreading the danger to the other par ts of the building

To counter this potential fire risk, operators of commercial kitchens are required to comply with a new standard for the fire safety management of grease accumulation in kitchen extract systems TR19®

Grease

One of the biggest challenges in keeping a commercial kitchen spotlessly clean is the regular cleaning of the canopy fan and extract ductwork This must be tackled, not only for the sake of hygiene , but also for fire prevention and compliance

Airborne fat oil and grease is a natural by-product of even the healthiest diet Carried in the steam that rises from cooking, grease and oil par ticles are drawn into the kitchen extract system to be vented away to the outside As the exhaust stream cools, grease is deposited on the metal surfaces of the hood canopy

Compliance is also essential to ensure that you don’t compromise your buildings insurance If a fire should break out and the ductwork can be shown not to have been cleaned in accordance with TR19® Grease many insurers will now refuse to pay out on a claim

Ensuring legal compliance , a reduced risk of fire and greater hygiene in your kitchen are items which should always be on ever y maintenance menu www swiftclean co uk

Congratulations to OiLChef for winning the prestigious Best Kitchen Innovation Award at the Restaurant & Takeaway Expo at the Excel in London Cooking oil is expensive Would you like to save up to 50% on fr yer oil purchases ever y month? If you do then OiLChef is for you

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!

Outdoor Spaces

Why Weather-Proofing Your Commercial Outdoor Space Should Be A Priority In 2023

By Stuar t Dantzic , Managing Director, Caribbean Blinds (www cbsolar shading co uk)

As the world returns to a sense of normality after a chaotic couple of years, life post-pandemic cer tainly looks a lot different for many of us Reigniting our love for the great outdoors and the “staycation” are amongst some of the most prominent new norms for Brits Statistics show an additional 18,000 restaurants that listed ‘outdoor dining’ as par t of their offering since the star t of the pandemic For establishments to capitalise on this new-found interest and growth in outdoor dining, it s impor tant that they utilise the full potential of any outdoor spaces and secure them for year-round protection

INCREASE CAPACITY

As a general rule , all businesses should be taking advantage of ever y resource available to them however commercial outdoor spaces can often be overlooked and not utilised to their full potential By investing in and monetising outdoor spaces, commercial establishments such as restaurants, bars and hotels can reap the rewards, resulting in an increase in revenue , footfall, reputation, and overall business success

Preparing outdoor spaces for year-round use can provide venues with additional seating/eating areas, expanding their capacity and enabling them to welcome more guests – especially during busier periods such as public holidays, the festive season and national/regional events

CAPITALISE ON ‘BEER GARDEN’ & ALFRESCO DINING CULTURE

As summer approaches, many Brits will flood towards pubs, bars and restaurants in search of a pint in the sun or an al-fresco style lunch/dinner, and with many businesses competing for their attention; it’s essential to provide an outdoor space that offers comfor t, is aesthetically pleasing

and stands out from the crowd

Although soaking up the sun will be a priority for many, comfor t is key to enticing customers, whilst enhancing their overall experience As such, it’s impor tant to provide substantial shading to offer a welcomed break from the heat Awnings provide instant shade and shelter from direct sunlight; both heat and glare (bright light) and offer outstanding UV protection (typically 95% minimum UV block) Not only this but they also deliver a much-needed cooling effect to the indoor room adjacent to where they are positioned and help stop fixtures and furnishings from fading

PREPARE FOR RAIN

If the change-up of the 2022 World Cup being held in December has taught us anything, it’s that regardless of weather and time of year, the masses will flock to local watering holes to suppor t national/popular events 28 5 million pints were sold across the UK on the 10th December – the day England exited the World Cup – an increase in 166 pints compared to a regular Friday and Saturday

To suppor t these busy times, utilising all available space is impor tant and, in the winter/wetter months, waterproofing outdoor spaces is imperative It’s likely that more temporar y covers such as brollies and parasols won’t stand up to adverse conditions and although retractable awnings can protect and shelter customers from sun, shade and light rain showers at the touch of a button, they can be susceptible to damage from high winds

Modern pergolas with either sliding fabric or rotating aluminium louvered roofs and sides offer a more pragmatic solution, providing protection from heavy rain, gale-force winds and even snow Pergolas with a retracting or rotating louvered roof are also multifunctional and can be left open throughout the warmer months and fully closed during the winter The addition of side screens LED lighting and infrared heating will also provide customers with additional comfor t and warmth, enabling businesses to make the most of their outdoor commercial space at all times of the day (or night) and in any weather

Regardless of season and time of day, weather-proofing your commercial outdoor space will benefit and suppor t business growth, revenue and capacity, whilst working in tandem to boost the venue ’ s potential and enhance its reputation as a result

Outdoor Spaces

A Special Offer from Fenton Timber

Fenton Timber was established in the late 1990’s by Jim Miller who sadly passed in 2007, since then the business has continued under the management of Alex Spencer, with Ade Tate overseeing manufacture who were both staff members from the early days of the business

Fenton’s USP is delivering fully assembled, weather treated “ready to use ” Picnic Benches/Tables and associated Garden Furniture to the License Trade , Schools and the Leisure Industr y all year round

The benefits of purchasing from Fenton Timber is not just the fact we deliver all of our own goods, with our own transpor t and staff but that we also guarantee our goods and operate all year round It might sound strange selling garden furniture during the winter!

Aside from customers whom might have outdoor

functions barbecues summer fairs live music etc there are also unfor tunate times whereby customers have been flooded and suffered losses, and we are there to assist getting them back up on their feet

As readers of the Caterer & Licensee – you can also take advantage of our current offer –20% off RRP on Supreme and Octagonal Tables (Ends Fri 10th Mar '23) so call us free on 0800 085 6447.

Enjoy The Sunshine With Our Maintenance Free Outdoor Furniture!

With Spring just star ting (we hope!) what better way for your customers to enjoy the sunshine than sitting outside and relaxing TDP’s furniture , made from recycled UK plastic waste , will be ready and waiting as it doesn’t have to be stored away for the winter or be treated for the new season

Our range of furniture includes picnic tables, dining sets, benches and chairs as well as planters and children s furniture All products benefit from a 20-year warranty and ver y low maintenance , with no annual staining or treatments required It will not rot or splinter, is ver y stable and extremely durable , lasting for decades in even the busiest of areas

TDP has been supplying environmentally friendly products to the industr y for over 30 years We are the choice supplier for those who want outdoor furniture that lasts and to date we have saved

Bolsius Professional Helps Operators To Unlock Revenue In Their Outdoor Spaces

Following last year ’ s heat wave , and with an additional bank holiday on the horizon, consumers are expected to flock to pub gardens and restaurant terraces this spring and summer, representing a valuable oppor tunity for operators with outdoor spaces

Premium candle specialist Bolsius Professional has released a new guide for operators keen to capitalise on their outdoor spaces

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

Paul Christodoulou National Account Manager UK & Ireland Out of Home at Bolsius

Professional said:

“At the moment, consumers are ver y conscious of where they are choosing to dine and spend their money Yet, with one in four (27%) pub goers saying that they expect outdoor areas and almost half of UK consumers that go to pubs or restaurants stating that they would prefer to sit in an outdoor area – even if the weather was ‘just okay’ , getting your outdoor space right is more impor tant than ever

“In these challenging times, a welcoming outdoor area can mean more covers and extended dwell time -

As the cold winter months star t to make way for the warmer and hopefully drier spring and summer period, the use of outdoor enter taining spaces star ts to increase

At Space-Ray we can help you maximise the potential of your outdoor space and extend its use beyond sunset, and the inevitable drop in temperature

Specialising in heating solutions for external areas, Space-Ray’s range of gas fired and electric heaters offer you the option to choose the product best suited to your applications:-

The Coldblocker gas fired radiant heater, is ideal for covered outdoor spaces and is rain proof to IP44 Fitted with a tinted glass front which not only offers flame protection, it also gives the heater a stylish sleek appearance when not in opera-

tion

The Linea electric radiant heater offer IP55 level of protection along with remote control and glass front, it is ideal for the smaller space where gas is not available , or a viable option

Our SURA Plus and AQUA ranges of electric heaters use high quality Dr Fischer shor twave radiant lamps also offer an IP55 rating making them durable and weather resistant The Sura plus range is remote controllable

The Eclipse range of zero glow electric radiant heaters are perfect for those intimate areas where no additional light is required Ceramic heating elements are utilised, which provide a gentle level of heat from the sleek and stylish fully black heater Suitable for covered outside areas and offer protection levels of IPX4

Check out our outdoor heating website for fur ther information

www outdoorheating spaceray co uk info@spaceray co uk

Extending Outdoors Ltd

Extending Outdoors offer a wide range of Pergolas & Verandas to extend your living into the outdoors

Many hoteliers, restaurants and cafes depend on their open-air space to distinguish them from their rivals so displaying this space with an excellent outside open or covered construction can help entice customers in and to appreciate the ambience and vistas regardless of the weather

For hospitality businesses requiring a fast, simple and affordable change to their outside space one of our pergolas or canopies could be the ideal arrangement Both pragmatic and beautiful, they give shade and protection from the elements

For existing verandas and pergolas, outside blinds can be mounted to the top and sides to give powerful protection from the sun or rain, establishing a

comfor table climate throughout the entire year

Shades and pergolas offer an incredible expansion to large open spaces, par ticularly when supplied with your own personalisation including remote controlled retractable or sliding rooftops sliding glass zip screens separate passage entr yways climate sensors and LED lighting and radiators

All work carried out is fully guaranteed and our products are all fitted by our own fitters and offer nationwide coverage We have over 35 years experience in bespoke made to measure glass extensions, conser vatories and orangeries

Allow your customers to dine outdoors with full protection or utilise the extra space for a children's play area the oppor tunities are endless

See the adver t on this page for fur ther details

Please

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

Preparing for Spring Advice

Now is the time to get your outdoor areas tidied up and planned for spring trade

Here are 3 top considerations to help you prepare

1) KERB APPEAL & FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Get more people through the door by creating a great fir st impression

Smar ten and tidy up your outdoor s

• Give your grass c hance to recover from winter

• Jetwash your patios and dec ks

Use plant pots or planter s to create welcoming entrances

• Chec k and c lean outdoor dining furniture , replace any broken Create impact with colour

Stand out from other venues and be eye catching to passers-by with an injection of colour Choose bright plants colourful outdoor furniture and parasols

2) PLAN YOUR OUTDOOR

SPACE TO MAXIMISE SALES

What do your customers want from your outdoor space?

Who are your core customers?

Does your outdoors suit their needs? Are they comfor table on the furniture you have?

What are they doing? Is it mostly consuming drinks and snacks or do you offer full dining? Or a bit of ever ything? Do you have a mixture of furniture to accommodate all these requirements?

Weatherproof your outdoors

Make customers comfor table no matter the British weather, increase dwell time and spending with outdoor shelters and parasols

3) MAKE YOUR OUTDOORS GREAT Events and Enter tainment

Your outdoors provides extra space to host events and enter tainment

Are you planning events for the kings coronation?

Will you need additional seating or long tables for large groups?

Be memorable and do something different

Use your outdoor areas to differentiate your venue from others

Do you have space for outdoor games or a pizza oven or BBQ?

Is it welcoming especially going into the evening? Can you add lighting to create a welcoming atmosphere

Contact Woodberr y Outdoor Furniture

Woodberr y are outdoor furniture and shelter specialists for the hospitality trade Give Woodberr y ’ s friendly exper t team a call to chat through how you can improve outdoor trade 01926 889922

Browse a wide range of outdoor furniture , shelters and planters online at www.woodberr y.co.uk

Design & Refit

Magicman - Repair, Renew, Restore

The appearance of your hotel is of paramount impor tance when inspiring confidence and delight amongst clientele You have earned your name and now want to maintain your position and reputation

Being awarded ‘Best for Innovative Hard Surfaces Restoration and Repair Ser vices 2022’ by Design and Build Awards and with 30 years ’ experience in specialist repairs and restoration, Magicman can assist

Our customers include celebrated hotels, famous cruise lines and busy international transpor t hubs From Park Lane to Pakistan, Bermondsey to Bermuda, we provide repair and restoration ser vices all over the UK and around the world At Magicman, we know that a good repair is the best thing to do

If your premises are in need of some TLC we have the ser vices and equipment to help you out We can handle minor chips scratches and other superficial issues as well as more major damage such as dents burns and cracks

Our team can handle most problems with efficiency and ease , whether they involve cabinets or furniture We'll even handle any of your snagging issues before you hand over possession of the room to your client, so they don't have to worr y about paying extra fees due to incomplete repairs

We've got all kinds of options when it comes to repairing damaged items in your hotel rooms

If you want to find out more visit www.magicman.co.uk or download our free app available now

Additional Ranges as ILF Continue to Expand

www.ilfchairs.com email terr y.kirk@ilfchairs.com

With the ever-growing success of the ILF Chairs website , 2023 has seen an increase in their stock chairs to 8 ranges available in different Faux and Velvet upholster y and selection of frame colours, plus an 8 colour stock range of Egger laminated 25mm table tops in a selection of sizes

A full range of table bases in metal and stainless steel are also kept in stock In addition a new range called Boutique elegant seating with frames in Ash Walnut and Beech and offering a full selection of stain finishes and fabrics

Their new online website offers both indoor and outdoor seating and table solutions

Divided into Contemporar y seating, Boutique , Barstools, Lounge Seating, Period Seating, Outdoor seating and tables plus Indoor Dining & Coffee height tables, offering a great selection of products to view at

your leisure Also included now is an extensive range of stock seating, barstools, table bases and table tops

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

We have developed a range of innovative repair solutions to rectify damage to all types of hard surface – wood, laminate, ceramic, metal, uPVC, stone, marble, granite, even glass

The damage disappears, just like magic!

Design & Refit

Get Ready for the Great British Summer with Indoor/Outdoor Furniture

With blue skies never guaranteed, planning for the summer months can be a challenge That’s why at Trent Furniture , we ’ ve got a great range of options that are ever y bit at home in the interior of your hospitality venue as they are in your outdoor seating area throughout the summer months

Our Bolero Chair is lightweight and stackable , making it easy to move around as the weather and other needs dictate Made from hardwearing polypropylene , it’s built to last and its brown woven design looks great both indoors and outside with the matching and equally versatile Bolero Table If you prefer black, check

Lose Less, Sell More

If you ’ re considering the CardsSafe system for your venue , retaining your customers’ banking or ID cards is safer than ever CardsSafe eliminates walkouts and helps increase customer spending and trust in your brand while protecting staff from discrepancies

The CardsSafe system is specifically designed to securely retain customer credit and debit cards while the cardholder runs a tab As a result, staff can securely keep customers’ bank cards while customers enjoy the facilities, allowing them to up-sell onsite

LESS LOSS

CardsSafe’s cost-effective tab-keeping system works alongside existing POS to retain customer credit and debit cards securely As a result, CardsSafe vir tually eliminates walkouts and chargebacks because it is a deterrent for slipper y customers and prevents it from happening because their bank card is securely retained

CardsSafe

out our popular Plaza range for similar contemporar y style and flexibility

The clean monochrome lines of our Cannes range is another great option for furniture that provides chic and comfor table seating alfresco or inside The full aluminum construction means it will ser ve you well in any setting for years to come and when not in use it can be easily stacked and stored away For more information about our cost-effective range of indoor/outdoor furniture please call us on 0116 2864 911 or fill in our contact form at www.trentfurniture .co.uk/contact-us

Over 5000 venues, including Young’s pubs, Hilton Hotels Lord’s cricket ground and many independent restaurants and bars utilise the system The CardsSafe units can sit discreetly behind the bar or POS and the system does not capture data so it never breaches

Our system has revolutionised how the hospitality industr y manages its customers obligations It s also incredibly easy to install and requires minimal staff training Our customer ser vice team is on hand with troubleshooting and we also supply you with free replacement keys should they go missing The question is, can you afford not to have CardsSafe as a par t of your business?

For more information, please visit www cardssafe com

Or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040

Design & Refit

Top Engraver Supports Hospitality Sector

with Swift Service for Etched & Printed Table Numbers & QR Discs

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

The company has made a substantial investment in additional state of the ar t equipment and related software in order to produce a wide range of individually engraved and printed table numbers and discs

The numbers and discs enable customers to link to apps or menus,

10 Years of Mayfair

Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 10 years this year of providing the UK’s fastest and affordable commercial furniture

Supplying all kinds of establishments from high end hotel chains to small local takeaways

We keep in stock a huge variety of items ready for immediate dispatch, and can fulfil a wide range of 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

Furniture

only do we supply contract furniture , but when it's time for your establishment to go through a refurbishment we also offer a complete clearance ser vice We ll organise ever ything from a suitable time and date , professional clearance staff to remove contract furniture whether fitted or unfitted Along with our sister company Caterfair who provides commercial catering equipment for your kitchens we are the ideal people to speak to when you are looking to refurbish

See the adver t below for fur ther details

Sanicom Provides The Solution For

In Historic York

MST Auctioneers Ltd

MST AUCTIONEERS Ltd specialise in handling & auctioning a wide variety of goods

We act for Insolvency Practitioners, Receivers, Bailiffs and Solicitors as well as large PLCs

We are members of The National Association of Auctioneers and Valuers (NAVA)

For the past 25 years, we ' ve provided a unique disposal ser vice tailored to suit, liquidators, banks, receivers as well as private and corporate vendors We carr y out probate valuations and conduct complete house and commercial clearances

We have the largest Auction venue in the South of England Our regular monthly Auctions occupy 45,000 sq ft of undercover space , selling over 2500 lots from 3 rostrums over two days

We also hold regular Auctions ”On Site” and "On Line"

See adver t on this page for fur ther details

Property and Professional

Saffron Academy Limited - Training. Development. Collaboration.

Saffron Academy deliver a world class training ser vice by: Collaborating, Development, Training

These are the values that we prioritise and believe are desirable and wor th striving for Saffron Academy Limited gets a buzz from helping individuals, teams, and businesses to be the best that they can be , and we are passionate about the power of training, watching individuals grow, and

pursuing talent and creativity

We provide training that is ENGAGING INNOVATIVE & MADE SIMPLE; from engagement to completion, we will handle ever ything for you These internationally and nationally recognised courses could be your chance at achieving the goals you ’ ve set and improving your qualifications

For details of the courses we offer, go to the courses page for full descriptions of the training packages and the latest training schedule; https://saffronacademy co uk/courses/

These packages are a combination of accredited and bespoke training, and we can tailor them around your own organisation if you prefer ‘in-house’ training

The funding for our courses is par tly provided by the European Social

Fund (ESF) and is available from the Depar tment for Work and Pensions (DWP) until December 2023 We can offer this funding to businesses in the Hospitality, Leisure , Travel, Tourism and Retail sectors, operating in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly providing that they have less than 250 employees

On the other hand, we also have available commercial courses, such as First Aid, for any business outside the earlier sectors, should they need it For fur ther information about us, please contact:

https://saffronacademy co uk/contact/

Email: hello@saffronacdemy.co.uk

Telephone: 07983 469870

https://www.facebook.com/saffronacademylimited/ https://mobile .twitter.com/saffronacademy

Inflation and the cost-of-living crisis has made it a challenging time for hospitality business owners, but that doesn’t have to hold back your ambitions to thrive Millbrook Business Finance can help you secure funding to make your business dreams a reality

Millbrook Business Finance are leisure and hospitality finance specialists

Capify - We're Here to Support Your Hospitality Business

For almost 15 years, Capify has worked closely with the hospitality sector, providing business owners with much-needed funding We ve been there through some difficult times – like the 2008 recession and Covid-19, and have continued to lend even when the banks have said no Unfor tunately, business owners are once again confronted with turbulence , thanks to the ongoing cost of living crises However, there’s still an oppor tunity to prosper

If you ’ ve got exciting business plans in 2023, we can help you achieve them We’re proud to have created an accessible business loan which is both quick and easy to apply for, and, once approved, the funds can be paid out in as little as 24 hours

Capify s finance can be used for any business purpose , whether that’s:

• Managing shor t-term cash flow issues

• Purc hasing seasonal food and dr ink

• Hir ing additional staff

Why Use a Specialist Hospitality Consultant?

Answer: because we can help your business to succeed.

With over 30 years of industr y experience in the Hospitality sector The Bowden Group s Managing Consultant

David Hunter will work with you to address the following elements:

Profitability, Operational Strateg y, Staff Management, Marketing and The Future of your business

David will also be on hand to give you extra (and this can be without any extra charge) suppor t through our Sprowts4Mentoring system, to analyse , ever y single week, your business performance figures giving you weekly analysis and concise repor ts, with appropriate guidance , to optimise your business’s Sales, Profitability and Staff Management PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS

Our exper ts will analyse your entire operation and also its key operating figures if they are available We then help you to identify strategies to manage costs and overheads associated with the core Profitability of running a Hospitality business

The largest overhead even higher than Cost of Sales is the Labour cost, so, with detailed analysis of your wages and being able to understand ‘’the way your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the labour usage in your business

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

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

Budgeting, Forecasting, Menu Management, Stock Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are just a few of the other areas that David Hunter, your

Restaurant Consultant, will work on with you, and improve with you MANAGING PEOPLE

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

From Digital Marketing, such as Social Media marketing Websites eMail Marketing and online adver tising to print design, Promotions and offline adver tising, your Hospitality business should be constantly working on ‘’ all things Marketing’’

If your business is actually struggling, or if you just feel that it could be doing some things better, give David Hunter a quick call on 07831 407984 to arrange a ‘’Free of Charge’’ initial consultation (please quote CLH Offer) when David will discuss with you what could be achieved if you ask us to work with you

• Purc hasing new cater ing equipment or anything else which your business needs

Our flexibility means we will tr y and look beyond your credit histor y when assessing your application and instead, we will consider whether your business has the potential to deliver solid and sustained growth

If you d like to find out how much finance you qualify for, www.capify.co.uk/hospitality-fund

You'll be taken to Capify s website , where you can get a no-obligation quote within minutes You'll also be able to find out more information about the business loan and the unique and straightforward repayments

To find out more www capify co uk/hospitality-fund or call us on 0800 151 0980 to speak to one of our specialist finance sale team

Property and Professional

The Grey Walls pub and hotel on Elleray Road in Windermere , a year-round Lake District top tourist destination, is being offered to experienced operators to lease with the benefit of a major £750,000 investment

Extensive staff accommodation and parking, a rarity in this prime location, and multiple income stream potential make The Grey Walls an appealing commercial oppor tunity

Heineken-owned Star Pubs & Bars plans for The Grey Walls will transform the tired premises into a premium local with a reputation for great food and drink, filling a gap in the market It will also have 10 ensuite letting bedrooms and a newly refurbished two-bedroom manag-

er s flat alongside its plentiful staff accommodation and parking

The proposed works, which the new operator would have input into, would involve a top-to-toe redecoration of the pub giving it a more modern countr y look and feel and creating seating for over 200

Inside , upgrades will include new lighting, flagstones and hand sawn wide timber floorboards, a new bar with overhead gantr y, retro style leather armchairs and rustic wooden tables and chairs An open through fire with woodburner will demark the pub’s two trading areas and create a greater sense of space

Outside , the pub façade will be redecorated in more contemporar y black and grey colours with new signage and lighting completing the look The front of the pub will also benefit from a new alfresco café style eating and dining area The large beer garden at the rear of the pub will also be upgraded with new timber furniture Planting and festoon lighting will add to the ambience

Other changes will include a new commercial kitchen and upgrade of the customer toilets, a new hotel reception area, renovation of the cellar and installation of the latest dispense technolog y which improves the quality and consistency of draft beer and cider The Smar t Dispense System’s unique cooling technolog y and line insulation from keg to tap is 20% more energ y efficient than standard systems, keeping cider and beer colder

Says Star Pubs & Bars Area Manager, Rick Rose-Coulthard: “The Grey Walls is all about location, facilities and an oppor tunity to be par t of one the UK’s top staycation locations It is right in the centre of beautiful Windermere in the Lake District National Park one of the UK’s leading tourist destinations Even better, it is only 200 meters from

Windermere train station and has parking, so is perfect for both local and tourist trade With competition for staff, the extensive staff accommodation is a real bonus, especially as this is a rarity locally

“There is a great oppor tunity for the right operator to capitalise on the current lack of premium, destination food-led pubs in the area They will need to have run a good food pub before and preferably have hotel experience

Anyone interested in finding out more about leasing The Grey Walls can see fur ther details by visiting www.starpubs.co.uk/pubs/greywalls-windermere