CLH Digital - Issue #155

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www CLHNews co uk CLHNews CLHNews CLHNews Issue 155 THE LEADING PUBLIC ATION FOR THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR & LICENSED TRADE Manchester Imposes UK’s First Tourist Tax Manchester has become the first city in the UK to introduce a tourist tax, which will cost an additional £1 per night for accommodation stays The “Manchester Tourist Tax”, also known as the “City Visitor Charge”, is a flat rate of £1 per night per room that is charged to overnight visitors staying in hotels, hostels, and other types of accommodation in the city centre of Manchester From the beginning of the month (April) ever y hotel and shor t stay ser viced apar tments’ in the city centre with a rateable value of £75,000 or more will charge the fee (CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 )

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital

As coincidence would have it, I am due to travel to the city of Manchester later this month for a family function

However, I have now decided to stay in my home city of Liverpool and travel to and from the function, as opposed to staying more conveniently in Manchester

Why, I hear you ask? The introduction of a tourist tax

I have said in previous editorials my favourite holiday destination for many many years (at least 25) was the wonderful island of Majorca

Family holidays alternated between two coasts on either side of the island and we were regulars at these hotels for decades

Then the Balearic Isles introduced a tourist tax in 2016, and that was the last time I was there! I actually wasn’t aware in advance one had been introduced (not paying attention) and it currently stands at four euros per night if you stay in a decent hotel

It probably sounds petty and I suspect that now Manchester has introduced this tax there will be a scramble for other cities to do the same

But in my humble opinion the ver y last tax any government or administration should impose is a tax on hospitality Attacks on hard-working people who, for at least a couple of weeks of the year, seek relaxation, AFTER working hard and paying taxes for the rest of the year

It is apparent that we should not be taxing people s leisure times I don t care whether it’s Manchester or Barcelona - when anybody visits any location they bring their hard earned cash with them, which helps sustain local economies and taxing for the privilege is outrageous

This, unfor tunately, is the society we live in now, where central and local administrations sit around a table to devise ingenious ways of raising more taxes

And it really cannot go on The sector needs relief and suppor t not additional taxes

I note that Sacha Lord, the Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, has joined the calls for Ofgem to launch an investigation and suppor t the cancellation of exit fees for small and medium businesses, as the pressures of soaring energ y bills grow

As repor ted last week, from April 1, the Government’s energ y suppor t scheme has been

significantly reduced A move that hospitality industr y leaders have predicted will mean the closure of thousands of venues across the UK

Sasha Lord rightly describes the current energ y debacle , the costs of cancellation exit fees as a national scandal and highlights a par ticular example where a Greater Manchester pizzeria has been asked to pay a £32 000 exit fee to terminate its contract its supplier

Originally paying 17p per unit for electricity when the restaurant was launched, contracts soared last December to 70p per unit, capped at 47p per unit through the Government s energ y cap scheme until April 1 – a subsidy that, of course , has now expired

I said in my editorial column last week that it is nothing shor t of racketeering The inability to be able to renegotiate a contract, par ticularly under extenuating circumstances is outrageous

The British Beer and Pub Association has warned that pubs will need to increase turnover by an average of at least 11% to break even and that even with an improved energ y scheme in place , turnover needed to be 8% higher than before the energ y crisis, and is urging the Government to insist suppliers offer a window for renegotiation to allow businesses locked into sky high rates to recover their cost base

I have often said that the sector has been taken for granted and used as a cash cow by successive governments Prior to the pandemic which devastated the sector there were an estimated 3 2 million people employed in hospitality in 2020 approximately 10% of the countr y ’ s workforce , there were an estimated hundred and 40,000 businesses, and the sector contributed an estimated £39 billion in total tax revenues in 2020

Just imagine how successful it could be if it wasn t forced to operate with one hand tied behind its back!

That said, the sector is nothing if it is not resilient, so I do hope you have a wonderfully busy Easter! Lord knows the first three months of this year have been difficult, not only for the hospitality sector, of course , but for the wider economy, so what better place than a pub bar restaurant or hotel to enjoy some Easter cheer

As you will see on page 5 research reveals that trading on Easter Sunday in 2022 was 59% higher than the average Sunday over the year, while Easter Saturday achieved 56% growth There were more modest uplifts on Good Friday (+29%) and Easter Saturday (+9%)

One more thing! Once again I would ask the favour - we want more Twitter followers! So please do follow us on Twitter and encourage as many people you know in the trade to subscribe to our digital issue Fur ther details can be seen at www.catererlicensee .com

The Caterer Licensee & Hotelier News Group is published by RBC Publishing Ltd Suite 4 Roddis House Old Christchurch Rd Bournemouth Dorset Contributions are welcome for consideration however, no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage Views expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team Whilst ever y care is taken when compiling this publication to ensure accuracy, the publisher will assume no responsibility for any effects, errors or omissions therefrom All rights reser ved, reproduction is forbidden unless written permission is obtained All material is assumed copyright free unless otherwise advised

Published by PUBLISHED BY RBC Publishing Ltd Roddis House Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 1LG TELEPHONE: 01202 552333 FAX: 01202 552666 sales@catererlicensee com www.CLHNews.co.uk @CLHNews CLHNews CLHNews EDITOR Peter Adams SALES EXECUTIVES David Bar tlett Guy Stephenson PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Charlene Fox Published by Editor's
Viewpoint
2 CLH Digital Issue 155
EDITOR Peter Adams

Manchester Imposes UK’s First Tourist Tax

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

The money raised from the tax will be used to fund a range of projects that will improve the visitor experience in Manchester, such as:

• Improving publ c transpor t: The money wil be used to improve public transpor t in the city centre , suc h as by increasing the frequenc y of buses and trams

• Improving the city’s cultural attractions: The money will be used to improve the c ty’s cultural attract ons , suc h as museums and galler ies

• Improving the city’s green spaces: The money will be used to improve the city’s green spaces , suc h as parks and gardens

73 hotels and shor t stay ser viced apar tments located within the centre of Manchester and in par ts of Salford signed up the scheme The new charge comes as 6,000 hotel rooms are due to open in Manchester over the coming years, which is expected to attract a fur ther one million overnight stays

Annie Brown, the first chair of ABID, said: “The goal of the Manchester Accommodation BID is simple – we need to increase overnight stays in line with that growth so that hotels and ser viced apar tments in the city can continue to thrive ”

“ANTI-COMPETITIVE TAX”

Elsewhere in the UK, Wales is also set to introduce legislation that will enable a tourist tax Legislation allowing local authorities to introduce a levy will be put to the Senedd within the next two years, the Welsh government has said

It has also published the findings of a public consultation on the topic Suppor ters say the tax would contribute towards maintaining and investing in holiday destinations - opponents say it would put people off visiting Wales

David Chapman, executive director at UKHospitality Cymru, is “deeply disappointed with the news He said: This tax on beds is widely opposed by the accommodation sector in Wales who see it as anti-competitive and another restriction on an industr y in the midst of its recov-

er y and rebuilding effor t

“While the Welsh government is right that visitor levies are common around the world what they fail to mention is that in those countries they have a significantly lower level of VAT and other taxes incurred by British hospitality The introduction of this tourist tax simply raises the tax burden on our businesses even higher to punitive levels compared to the rest of the world, making us yet more uncompetitive compared to similar destinations,” Chapman added

Edinburgh is another city which is also considering the introduction a £2 nightly tourist tax and is currently subject to approval from the Scottish parliament Oxford, Bath and Hull have contemplated similar moves in the past but, thus far have decided against the decision “DAMAGING EFFECT”

Five years ago, then Chancellor Philip Hammond mooted the idea of a tourist tax which proposed a £1 to £2 levy incurred by visitors staying overnight in cer tain UK cities and was heavily criticised

Kate Nicholls Chief Executive of UK Hospitality voiced concerns in 2018 that the measure could potentially have a “damaging effect” on the hospitality sector as a whole

In the group ’ s letter to the Chancellor, she said: “I am writing to convey our profound opposition to such a policy and our sincere concern over the impact any additional taxation would wreak on an already-strained and over-burdened sector ”

Ms Nicholls suggested that the proposed levy would ‘wreak havoc’ on a sector which employs approximately one in 10 of the UK’s working population argue that the tax could give way to a number of negative outcomes, such as reduced tourism, leading to businesses losing out on customers

Conversely, those who come for a day trip, stay with friends or use a home-sharing ser vice , such as Airbnb, will not contribute a penny, despite using local amenities,” she wrote

EUROPEAN CITY TOURIST TAXES

Tourist taxes in many European cities and destinations who have charged a tourist tax for several years is often cited as a reason for the introduction of a similar tax within the UK

Cities including Venice , Rome and Barcelona, and the Balearic Isles all charge a tourist tax

Barcelona, for guests in rental accommodation, the nightly tax is €4 –with €2 25 going to the region and €1 75 to the city For those who stay in a five-star hotel, the regional tax rises to €3 50 From tomorrow (1 April) the city fee will be raised to €2 75 and then again to €3 25 on 1 April 2024

Rome’s city tax rate varies from €3 to €7 a night according to the rating of the accommodation In Venice , where the charge also depends on the star rating of accommodation, there has been a push to introduce a daytripper tax of up to €10 a person, too This would have come into effect in Januar y this year, but has been postponed due to protests

TAX “TREATED WITH CAUTION”

However there is a significant difference between hospitality tax within the EU and the UK, which was highlighted by the All-Par ty Parliamentar y Group for Hospitality, several years ago when they said that tourist taxes must be "treated with caution"

It produced a repor t which called for “greater examination of the potential impact of a tourist tax on consumers, businesses and the economy before taking any decisions on the principle of introducing one ” , suggesting the introduction of another tax on the industr y [Tourist Tax] would require a significant cut in other rates for hotels stating: “if VAT is cut to continental levels alongside the introduction of a tax, it is likely that this would mitigate industr y opposition ”

In European cities with tourist taxes, for example , VAT rates are significantly lower than the 20% in the UK - Italy and France is 10%, Germany 7% and the Netherlands 6%

Issue 155 CLH Digital 3

Late Night Levy: A Look into the Issues and Possible Solutions from Poppleston Allen

Ahead of the Government’s public consultation on Late Night Levy charges coming to a close on 3rd April 2023 licensing solicitors Poppleston Allen (www popall co uk) have shared insight into the nature of the levy and what it means for businesses

Associate solicitor Suraj Desor has highlighted the main criticisms of the levy at present, from operators seeing it as ‘not ver y effective’ and councils and licensing officers are finding difficulty with its inflexibility, and why even if changes are made , that still might not be enough to tempt councils to adopt it

WHY HAVE SO FEW COUNCILS IMPLEMENTED THE LEVY?

Currently, nine councils across England have the Late Night Levy in place – far less than the Government had predicted (80) would opt for the levy It is fair to say there has not been great appetite for adopting a levy however within the London ‘bubble’ at least the levy has found a home and two thirds of the total number of levies adopted in England are within London (Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Southwark the most recent with the others being City of London, Islington and Camden)

There may be various reasons for this including significant concentration of licenced premises and demands on policing the night-time economy in the capital and an additional revenue stream may be a temptation difficult to resist in a time of reduced budgets for local authorities

Outside London, the levy is more widely spread, with the levy in place in Newcastle , Chelmsford and Liverpool Liverpool recently decided to retain its levy for now, following a consultation on the basis it was seen as a vital revenue stream in assisting in managing the night time economy

In the current economic climate and reduced budgets for local authorities you would think an additional revenue stream would be welcomed with open arms, however, on the whole , councils have resisted the temptation From my experience some councils and licensing officers share operator’s views considering the power too blunt an instrument which lacks flexibility (applying to either the whole of a local authority’s jurisdiction or not at all) – with significant numbers of operators outside main city centres seen to be unfairly affected

and some giving up later hours to avoid the levy as a result There are also some criticisms that the use of proceeds lacks transparency

WHY HAVE SEVERAL COUNCILS ABOLISHED IT?

Of those local authorities that have adopted the levy, three of them have successfully removed it since (Nottingham being the most recent, others being Southampton and Cheltenham), citing significant financial pressures on businesses within the hospitality sector Removing the levy would reduce the burden on existing licensees and remove costs that may be considered a barrier to incoming and expanding businesses

Another factor has been the use of BIDs (Business Improvement Districts) considered a better and more flexible alternative as all businesses within the BID area pay towards the BID as opposed to simply those premises licensed for sale of alcohol late at night, which can generate more money as a result compared to a levy This view is most evident in the case of Cheltenham where the levy was adopted but only collected half the revenue anticipated and was swiftly replaced with a BID

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS REMOVING IT CAN HAVE FOR BUSINESS?

There is a feeling amongst operators and trade bodies that the levy is not ver y effective and is an unjustified additional cost which fur ther stifles the recover y of the night-time economy Where a levy is removed the benefits are clear for publicans, it removes an additional financial burden in an already difficult economic climate , and those monies can be used towards dealing with escalating costs or investing in their business

WHAT IS THE CURRENT CONSULTATION TAKING PLACE AND WHAT MAY THE FUTURE HOLD?

To address these criticisms the Government has sought to improve the levy and make its use more appealing for local authorities through changes made via the Policing and Crime Act 2017 These changes include: * flexibility to allow councils to ‘localise’ the levy to cer tain areas rather than applying it to the whole council area so it is more geograph cally focused on the perceived source of late-night problems , * allow the levy to apply to late-night refreshment premises that ser ve hot food and operate beyond midnight, * and require publications of information on how revenue is spent

However, these changes are still yet to take effect because the Government pledged to first consult on the level of charge to be applicable to premises providing Late Night Refreshment That consultation is now underway and closes on 3 April 2023, bringing us closer to the changes coming into effect

If the Government retains the levy, and these changes come into effect, councils put off by the inflexible nature of the levy may have a renewed interest – even then, whether this ‘levy lite’ will be preferable to BIDs, as with most things in life , only time will tell But until then, appetite for adopting the levy is likely to remain mild at best

READ THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AT WWW.C ATERERLICENSEE.COM

Robert’s Dorset – The Perfect Snack

ALL YOUR TRADE, HOSPITALITY AND WHITE LABELLING NEEDS MET

only from a segregated supply c hain (Palm Oil only used in Fudge)

• Our ingredients 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

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:

SAVE MONEY FOR YOUR BUSINESS

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 FreeNo 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

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 del ght 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

• We are 100% cer tified by the Roundtable of Susta nable Palm Oil and buy

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

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 page 3

4 CLH Digital Issue 155

On Premise Set for Easter Boost

As Easter gets closer, operators and suppliers will be pinning hopes on good weather to drive sales over the long holiday weekend CGA by NIQ s sales measurement ser vice reveals the potential for an uplift in drinks sales that is wor th up to 60% of normal trading Data from CGA’s Volume Pool of management outlets shows that trading on Easter Sunday in 2022 was 59% higher than the average Sunday over the year, while Easter Saturday achieved 56% growth There were more modest uplifts on Good Friday (+29%) and Easter Saturday (+9%)

CGA’s data also flags some interesting differences between drinks categories over the Easter weekend In spirits the sales upswing in 2022 was much higher on Easter Sunday (+99%) than on Saturday (+3%) or Monday (+41%) a sign that many consumers are ready to extend their weekend habits into the Easter holidays With consumers in celebrator y mood, cocktail sales also achieved an impressive uplift (+63%) on Easter Sunday

Sales of beer and cider tend to be spread more evenly across the long weekend The beer categor y recorded uplifts of 43% and 59% on Easter Sunday and Monday respectively, while cider sales were up by at least 50% on each of the four days in 2022 This reflects good weather over the 2022 Easter weekend, which typically gives a major boost to LAD categories and cider in par ticular Easter Sunday and Monday also pushed sales of wine (+23% and +48% respectively) and soft drinks (+52% and +78%) well above average trading levels in 2022

CGA client director Paul Bolton said:

“Easter often helps to kickstar t Spring and Summer drinks sales and with costs so high for consumers and businesses it will be extraimpor tant this year As ever, much will depend on the weather, and operators will be hoping for sun and warm temperatures to drive people into pubs’ beer gardens and terraces Understanding sales and behavioural trends and responding to consumers ’ demands for both quality and value will give suppliers a great chance to grow market share over the holiday period ”

Adam Handling Crowned 2023 Great British Menu Champion

Adam Handling, Chef/Owner of the Adam Handling Restaurant Group and owner of restaurant Michelin-starred Frog by Adam Handling, , successfully made his way through to the banquet in this year ’ s highly popular Great British Menu on BBC Two, broadcast tonight (31st March)

Following a vote from the banquet guests – members of the British animation and illustration industries – Adam’s trifle-inspired ‘Food Fight’ desser t was declared the best dish at the dinner, resulting in him becoming the Great British Menu Champion of Champions 2023

The desser t was inspired by Dundee publishers, DC Thomson, to mark the 80th anniversar y of the Beano and Dandy With trifle being his favourite desser t it was only natural for Adam to recreate the chaos with his throwable custard, smashable cake and wobbly jelly

Adam’s dishes throughout the 18th series of the programme are based on both classic and contemporar y works, with deep-rooted links to his native Scotland Throughout his menu, Adam created dishes which

demonstrate his commitment to sustainability and reducing food waste

His star ter of Hen of the Woods mushrooms, potato and crispy nettles, The mouse that saved the lion , was inspired by one of the episodes in the BBC’s Five Fables animated series, based on Aesop’s Fables and narrated by Billy Connolly

The inspiration for his fish course was Disney’s animation ‘Brave’, set in the Highlands Named ‘A Princess should not have weapons ’ , the dish was comprised of a beautiful piece of barbecued salmon – as shot with a bow and arrow by Princess Merida of the clan Dunbroch – ser ved with wild garlic capers and a whey sauce

‘The Wind in the Willows’ book by Kenneth Grahame sets the theme for Adam’s main course ‘Ratty’s Picnic’ where Adam created a mouthwatering feast that evokes the excitement that Mole felt He adds a real personal touch by ser ving his picnic with a bottle of ‘ granny ’ s ginger beer’, which he made using his grandmother s own recipe

Issue 155 CLH Digital 5

Consumers Seek Natural Beverages To Boost Energy Levels

2. BOOST FOR NATURAL CAFFEINE

This demand for natural beverages is driving major shifts in where consumers are looking for an energ y boost A third (33%) of Europeans are drinking more traditional sources of caffeine , such as tea and coffee , demonstrating the oppor tunity for these ingredients within the ‘clean energ y ’ movement “It’s really interesting to see , from our research, that consumers are as likely to drink tea for an energ y boost, as they are to drink energ y drinks” Edwards notes

“Supply shor tages of synthetic caffeine from China, the world’s largest expor ter has driven demand for natural sources of caffeine from tea and coffee ” explains Edwards “The ‘health halo’ around coffee and the rising interest in its health proper ties are paving the way for beverage brands to innovate For example utilising cold brew coffee , a natural source of caffeine , and quality tea extracts, rich in naturally-derived antioxidants, to provide additional benefits ”

3. ‘HYDRATION-PLUS’ BECOMES MAJOR TREND

Finlays (www finlays net) has carried out proprietar y new research showing the fundamental shifts in consumer drinking habits post-COVID, and which mega trends have sur vived the turbulence of the last few years

1 CONSUMER DEMAND FOR NATURAL AND ORGANIC HAS ACCELERATED

Consumers are drinking more natural and organic beverages, Finlays research shows, compared to two years ago It seems that these mainstream trends continue to grow in appeal and have not reached saturation point with one in ten 25–35-year-olds fur ther increasing their already high consumption of natural and organic beverages

“Consumers are seeking ‘clean label products’ such as those containing organic ingredients (18%), and free of ar tificial flavour or sweeteners (15%) , Sian Edwards, Group Insights Manager at Finlays, explains Beverage brand owners can tap into this trend by choosing ingredients that consumers perceive as naturally beneficial for their health, such as green tea, which contains naturally occurring antioxidants and catechins ”

Half of European consumers (48 4%) are drinking more water than they did pre-pandemic But consumers are seeking more than just hydration, with one in five consumers (20 2%) looking for drinks with more than one benefit increasing to nearly a quar ter (24 1%) of consumers aged 35-55

However brand owners have to balance this with the need for goodtasting products – 16 8% of consumers are looking for healthy drinks without compromising on flavour “Great taste is a major factor in encouraging that repeat-purchase , Edwards explains She adds, “Consumers are looking for new ways to enjoy water with enhanced flavours and added benefits Finlays new Just Add Water range of single-ser ve sachets, featuring cold water soluble tea and botanical powder blends, can meet the needs of consumers who want their water to work harder – provide hydration, exciting flavours and added benefits ”

4 FUNCTIONAL BEVERAGES CONTINUE TO

GAIN MOMENTUM

Six in ten European consumers are more conscious of their physical health than pre-pandemic “This is a major acceleration of the already well-established health and wellbeing trend,” Edwards explains, “and interestingly, this is even higher for older generations, demonstrating the broad appeal of products that tap into the health and wellbeing space ”

Consumers are looking for a wide range of functional benefits from their beverages, including energ y-boosting (34%), relaxation (22%) and mood-boosting (22 6%) “This shows the huge scope for innovation in the beverage industr y relating to both physical and mental wellbeing” Edwards adds “Tea and coffee are well-established with consumers as natural ingredients that can be positioned as energising or relaxing ”

5. CONSUMERS WILLING TO PAY MORE FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Another major trend accelerated by the pandemic over one in ten (13 3%) consumers have changed their drinking habits because they are more aware of the environmental impact of beverages, compared to before the pandemic Consumers are looking for sustainably-sourced beverages with a minimal impact on the planet “Finlays Just Add Water sachets can save up to 99% of packaging volume vs plastic bottles so are ideal for those consumers who want to avoid single use plastic but don’t want to compromise on beverage taste and added benefits,” Edwards explains

This trend is also a major value driver, as more than 75% of European consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products

Edwards concludes “the staying-power of mega trends such as health and sustainability has been tested over the last few years but consumers have only been more engaged in these trends since the pandemic We’ve also seen some major shifts, as consumers look for a wider range of functional benefits delivered by natural ingredients such as tea and coffee In an increasingly competitive marketplace , offering natural, sustainable products that tap into health trends, without compromising on taste , is essential to attract modern consumers who want it all ”

Greene King Pub Partners Appoints New Managing Director

Greene King Pub Par tners has announced the appointment of Dan Robinson as Managing Director

Robinson will officially star t his new role this week (week commencing April 3rd) and will hold overall responsibility for the Pub Par tners business unit within Greene King He will repor t into Wayne Shur vinton, the previous Managing Director of Greene King Pub Par tners, who has moved into the role of Par tnerships and Ventures Managing Director following a realignment of Greene King’s divisional structure

A Greene King employee since 2016, Robinson previously held the position of Asset Optimisation Director for Greene King for the last two years Prior to this, he held roles as interim Managing Director of Greene King Local Pubs and Central Operations Director across Greene King’s managed pubs

Prior to Greene King, Robinson held operational roles in Spirit Pub Company,

Punch and Scottish & Newcastle His career star ted at Allied Domecq as a Graduate Trainee giving him over 25 years ’ experience in the pub sector

Dan Robinson, newly appointed Managing Director of Greene King Pub Partners, said: “It is a real privilege to be appointed Managing Director of Greene King Pub Partners Having worked in operational and leadership roles across the Greene King business over the last seven years, I have long been an admirer of the team and the brilliant Partners we work with I cannot wait to get started and help our Partners continue to grow their pub businesses with the support of our great team ”

Wayne Shur vinton, Managing Director, Par tnerships & Ventures at Greene King, said: “I am delighted with the appointment of Dan as Managing Director of Pub Par tners With his years of experience in the pub trade Dan understands Pub Par tners well and I am excited to see him take the business forward building on the great work that the team has already delivered ”

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 par tner : Tackling food waste with FareShare

(1:20pm, Monday 24th Apr il)

Join this session to understand more about the work FareShare do and how you can par tner with them to mitigate food waste improve your sustainability credentials and suppor t those in need

(1:45pm Wednesday 26th Apr il)

Register for your pass today for free: https://food-drink-expo-2023.reg.buzz/

6 CLH Digital Issue 155

Businesses Urged to Sign Up to New Hospitality Wellbeing and Development Promise

More than 30 leading businesses1, including Big Table Group, Greene King, Parkdean Resor ts and Revolution Bars, have helped launch the new campaign by signing up and promising to provide a workplace that helps employees thrive through development and reward

The new Hospitality Wellbeing and Development Promise , set up by the sector2, spearheaded by the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board and suppor ted by Government, is designed to ensure all team-members are given the opportunity to thrive , within a suppor tive and positive workplace

All hospitality businesses are eligible to sign up by visiting www wellbeingpromise co uk and demonstrate their commitment to the training, development and wellbeing of their staff by joining the 32 businesses already on board As well as a commitment by businesses a wide range of guidance to help businesses deliver a better workplace environment is being made available

The Promise is also suppor ted by trade associations across the sector

including UKHospitality, British Beer and Pub Association and British Institute of Innkeeping

Steve Richards, chair of the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board, CEO of Parkdean Resor ts and a signator y to the Promise , said: Hospitality is a people business at its hear t and taking care of our staff must be ever yone ’ s top priority

“Growing our own talent is so impor tant and ensuring we offer the right suppor t for our staff is critical Long gone are the days of just sticking someone on a training course to tick the development box

“As employers, we have a duty of care to look out for our teams’mental health and wellbeing and it’s our responsibility to take this seriously, in addition to the formal training we all offer

“I would urge ever y hospitality business to sign up to the Promise and together we can show that hospitality is one of the most suppor tive , inclusive and rewarding places to work ”

Proper Pubs Donates Over 12,200 Easter Eggs to Local Communities

Proper Pubs, the community wet-led division of Admiral Taverns, has collected 12,200 chocolate Easter Eggs to put a spring in the step of communities in need this year The Easter Eggs have been collected and donated by individual community members from across the UK and will be donated to a host of different community groups

Since the beginning of March, each pub has been collecting as many chocolate Easter Eggs as possible to make sure individuals, families and children across the countr y have a delicious sweet treat to look forward to Ever y pub has chosen a selection of local charities to donate to, which range from food banks to children’s hospitals Despite the ongoing pressures of the cost-of-living crisis, community spirit shone across the estate , with one pub – The Owd Joss in Hyde – collecting over 630 Easter Eggs

Mark Brooke , Director of Proper Pubs, commented:

“We have always championed community pubs because we understand the value they bring to millions of

people across the countr y Pubs are so much more than just somewhere for people to go for a drink – they are an integral par t of communities, and places where people come together to suppor t one another It’s incredible to see this in action through this initiative and even better to be able to provide a little treat to those who might otherwise go without

“As always, I am so grateful to our fantastic operators and their communities who have come together to make this happen, demonstrating Proper Pub’s commitment to community focus ”

Proper Pubs is always looking for ways to raise funds for charity and to suppor t its local communities through an annual schedule of events, including installing life-saving defibrillators, Christmas selection box donations and live music events Through its par tnership with national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma, it also raised an impressive £35,000 in under one month where each of its pubs hosted different charity events, including barbeques and quiz nights Chasing the Stigma is a charity which aims to normalise mental health and ensure it is easy for ever yone to find suppor t when they need it

Issue 155 CLH Digital 7

Government Launches Campaign to Help Businesses Drive Down Energy Bills

A new government campaign has been launched to help organisations save money on their energ y bills by improving energ y efficiency

The campaign targeted at small and medium sized businesses will offer guidance on how organisations can make significant savings while cutting emissions, from installing light and heating timers, to turning down boiler flow temperature and changing light bulbs

While many organisations are already aware of ways to boost their energ y efficiency and have put these measures into practice , the government says that a substantial number of businesses are missing out on huge potential savings, due to a lack of information on how to cut down on their energ y costs

For many companies, a 20% cut in energ y costs represents the same bottom-line benefit as a 5% increase in sales A new website will help organisations access simple , low-to-no cost advice , outlining a range of possible actions from having better sight of current energ y use to upgrading and modifying equipment

EXAMPLES OF BUSINESSES ALREADY BENEFIT-

ING FROM ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES:

• LED lighting allowed a carpark in Bedford to cut their average annual lighting costs by 50% Lurke Street Multistorey Carpark installed lighting throughout their premises in 2017 replacing older less energ y efficient lighting By installing a smar t meter they were able to actively track and compare year-on-year savings – on average £50,000 per year – allowing them to build business cases for fur ther investments

• Marlec Engineering, a wind turbine manufacturer in Corby, switched to energ y saving lighting as par t of a range of measures to make their business premises more energ y efficient The company replaced T8 Fluorescent lamps with new, energ y saving LED tubes The lighting did not reduce light levels in the office and achieved a 60% saving on lighting costs

To make sure as many businesses as possible know about the campaign, it will be promoted through paid adver torial across TV, radio, social media and more , and we are seeking to promote this through par tnerships with the British Chambers of Commerce and Federation of Small Businesses

It follows the launch of the government’s £18 million ‘It All Adds Up’ campaign last year This provides similar advice for households, saving them hundreds on their energ y bills, and saw UK sales of ‘draught protection products’ on eBay double shor tly after the launch

Minister for Energ y Efficiency and Green Finance Lord Callanan said:

Falling wholesale energ y prices are welcome news, but this in no way changes our firm, long-term commitments to vastly boost UK energ y efficiency across industr y and households

From today businesses, charities and public sector bodies can access helpful and practical advice on simple actions they can take to substantially reduce their energ y use – and potentially increase profits

Not only will this help lower operational costs by up to hundreds of thousands of pounds, but smar ter energ y use will help us deliver on our critical pledges to cut demand by 15% and reach net zero by 2050

The new site also offers guidance on taking full advantage of the government’s range of energ y suppor t schemes available , such as the new Energ y Bills Discount Scheme , which offers a unit discount on bills, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme , which offers grants to help make installing heat pumps and biomass boilers as cheap as a gas boiler

ENERGY BILLS DISCOUNT SCHEME

From April 1st organisations across the countr y will star t receiving money off their energ y bills through the new Energ y Bills Discount Scheme It comes as wholesale gas prices are at levels not seen since before Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine with eligible UK businesses charities, public sector bodies and others to receive the discount until 31 March 2024

Customers do not need to apply for the universal discount, with suppliers automatically factoring it into the bills of all eligible nondomestic customers

The new scheme replaces the Energ y Bill Relief Scheme , which by late March had paid out £5 6 billion – around £35 million a day to cut energ y costs for businesses Minister for Energ y Consumers and Affordability Amanda Solloway said:

This government will always be unapologetically pro-business We’ve spent over £5 billion to protect against disruption to UK industr y at the hands of Putin, saving many businesses around half on their wholesale energ y costs this winter

The new level of suppor t offered today reflects a substantial drop in global energ y prices – now at their lowest level since before Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine

We will continue to firmly back UK industr y and are making sure those unable to cut back on their energ y use continue to be shielded Meanwhile , eligible energ y and trade intensive industries will be able to apply for a higher level of suppor t through a GOV UK por tal later this month This is expected to save some businesses 20% of predicted wholesale energ y costs

NON-STANDARD CASES

The government has also announced fur ther that non-domestic energ y suppor t will be extended and eligibility expanded to include customers receiving energ y from non-licensed suppliers through the public electricity or gas grid

These customers will be able to apply for Non-Standard Cases suppor t under the Energ y Bills Discount Scheme covering similar levels of energ y costs from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024

Non-Standard Cases suppor t will also be expanded to include non-domestic customers who receive electricity or gas from license-exempt suppliers via private wire or pipe and where prices paid are pegged to wholesale energ y prices This wider group can apply for backdated suppor t under the Energ y Bill Relief Scheme as well as under the new Energ y Bills Discount Scheme Fur ther information about how eligible customers can apply will be provided on GOV UK in due course

Ty ’n Llan in Llandwrog Diversifies Services to Help Local Residents Come Together with Support from Pub is The Hub

The Ty n Llan in Llandwrog, Nor th Wales, is the first pub to be suppor ted in diversifying its ser vices as par t of a new two-year programme for Wales from Pub is The Hub in par tnership with The Prince’s Countr yside Fund

Pub is The Hub the not-forprofit organisation that helps pubs to diversify and provide essential local ser vices, is suppor ting projects in rural areas across Wales after receiving a grant of £25,000 from The Prince’s Countr yside Fund

The Ty’n Llan was reopened after four years of closure in December 2021 by local residents who formed a community benefit society called Menter Ty’n Llan The core vision to create a busy community hub, encouraging a wide range of ages and interest groups to come together Its focus is also to suppor t local people by promoting wellbeing and helping to tackle the issues of social isolation and loneliness

Exper t help and a Community Ser vices Fund grant from Pub is The Hub was provided to help suppor t the pub’s calendar of social events groups and volunteer oppor tunities The grant helped with the purchase of equipment to assist these groups, including a crock pot, soup warmer, bingo machine , por table PA, IT equipment, PlayStation, iPad, and garden tools

This has helped to suppor t an over 60s lunch club, quiz and bingo evenings for all the community, and local clubs including a young people s group, which have Chromebooks and a PlayStation for educational sessions, enter tainment and socialising

There are now also oppor tunities for volunteers to be involved in the upkeep of the garden, which

includes a sensor y and wellbeing corner, for all the community to enjoy Chair of the management committee of Menter Ty’n Llan, the community benefit society that owns and runs the pub, Car yl Elin Lewis said: “The range of activities offered at the pub has created a real sense of community and helped to improve people’s health and wellbeing through volunteering, socialising and learning new skills

She added: “The suppor t from Pub is The Hub has been invaluable in helping us to facilitate and run these important groups that bring local people together People who would never have previously visited Ty’n Llan as a pub, now visit on a regular basis to par ticipate in activities and meet friends ”

Wales Regional Advisor for Pub is The Hub Malcolm Harrison said: “The Ty’n Llan is a pub that is truly at the hear t of its community It has become the hub of the area and the focus of a range of exciting activities for those in the village and fur ther afield It has been a privilege to help the team at the Ty’n Llan bring people together in this rural area

“We are continuing to help pubs in Wales to diversify to help their local communities whether that is projects such as village stores cafés or allotments ”

Ellie Burnage , Head of External Affairs at The Prince’s Countr yside Fund, said: “We are so pleased to be suppor ting projects such as Pub is The Hub and their work with businesses such as the Ty’n Llan is vital in ensuring that rural communities remain sustainable Our grants programme which opens again for applications in March 2023, helps to address the challenges faced by those who live and work in rural areas by powering community-led solutions

8 CLH Digital Issue 155

Sacha Lord Urges Ofgem to Launch

Intervention to Prevent Business Closures

Sacha Lord the Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester has called on Ofgem to launch an urgent investigation and suppor t the cancellation of exit fees for small and medium businesses, as the pressures of soaring energ y bills grow

As of April 1, the Government’s energ y suppor t scheme has been significantly scaled back, a move that hospitality industr y leaders have predicted will mean the closure of thousands of venues across the UK

The British Beer and Pub Association has warned that pubs will need to increase turnover by an average of at least 11% to break even and that even with an improved energ y scheme in place turnover needed to be 8% higher than before the energ y crisis

Lord now believes a national scandal is on the horizon with venues who locked into contracts at the peak of the energ y crisis last year now being left without Government subsidy in the face of excessive unit costs

One Greater Manchester pizzeria Dokes has been asked to pay a £32 000 exit fee to terminate its contract with supplier, Pozitive Energ y Originally paying 17p per unit for electricity when the restaurant was launched, contracts soared last December to 70p per unit, capped at 47p per unit through the Government s energ y cap scheme until April 1 – a subsidy which has now expired

Lord said, “As energ y prices soared last year, we saw a host of providers decline to take on new contracts from the hospitality industr y This inevitably led to a black market where businesses were pressured into signing up to energ y contracts far beyond their means with unscrupulous providers

“We are now seeing these providers charging unwarranted prices for gas and electricity, and even more concerning are the extor tionate exit fees being summoned as business owners now tr y to renegotiate terms

“Ofgem was set up to protect consumers and improve the energ y system but they are currently doing neither We urgently require inter vention from Ofgem to investigate these providers and provide a realistic pathway for businesses who without help will undoubtedly fall into bankruptcy ”

Ofgem has been at the forefront of media scrutiny in recent months, following its failure to care for energ y customers, both residential and commercial

In Februar y, former Prime Minister Gorden Brown, accused the regulator’s Chief Executive , Jonathan Brearley, of “dismally” failing to protect vulnerable customers after it was revealed that hundreds of thousands of customers were forced to switch to costly prepayment meters pushing some of them into the hands of illegal moneylenders

Community Pub Collects Over 380 Easter Eggs For Local Charities

The Bird in Washington – par t of Proper Pubs, the community wet-led division of Admiral Taverns, has successfully collected 389 chocolate Easter Eggs to donate to local communities Designed to put a spring in the step of those in need which given the cost-of-living crisis is more impor tant than ever, the Easter Eggs have all been donated by individual members from the local community

Despite the ongoing pressures of the cost-ofliving crisis, community spirit radiated through Washington The Bird star ted collecting Easter Eggs at the beginning of March to ensure individuals, families and children across the UK have a sweet treat to look forward to The pub has chosen to donate to Mickey’s Place a local charity dedicated to suppor ting their local community through offering foodbanks for those struggling

Matthew Gurney, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, commented: “We have always championed community pubs because we understand the value they bring to millions of people across the countr y The Bird is so much more than just somewhere for people to go for a drink – it is an integral par t of the Washington community, and places where people come together to suppor t one another It’s incredible to see this in action through this initiative , and even better to be able to provide a little treat to those who might otherwise go without ”

“As always, I am so grateful to our fantastic operators and their communities who have come together to make this happen, demonstrating Proper Pub’s commitment to community focus ”

Issue 155 CLH Digital 9 RECONDITIONED & SECOND USER CATERING EQUIPMENT • TOASTERS • STAINLESS STEEL SINKS & TABLING • • W e have a comprehensive range of Re-conditioned Catering Equipment in stock • W e can supp y most of the markets leading names in New Equipment at competitive prices • Full Service & Installation facilities by fully qualified engineers • W e can also supply modular fridge & freezer rooms • MICROWAVES • EXTRACTION CANOPIES • C O O K E R S • I C E M A C H I N E S • F R Y E R S • S L I C E R S D I S H W A S H E R S • G L A S S W A S H E R S • R E F R I G E R A T I O N EKE EQUIPMENT LIMITED Telephone with enquiries: Tel: 01273 492488 Email: kingedwards@ btconnect com Mobile: 07860 274243

Travel & Tourism Sector in Key European Capitals Strongly Recovering Says WT TC

A repor t from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has revealed strong signs of recover y of the economic impact from Travel & Tourism in the five city ‘powerhouses’ of Western Europe

The Cities Economic Impact Repor t, sponsored by Visa and researched in par tnership with Oxford Economics, analysed key indicators such as Travel & Tourism’s contribution to GDP, employment and traveller spend The study examined the impact of the sector in London, Paris, Berlin, Rome , and Madrid

The repor t from the global tourism body shows that in 2019, the Travel & Tourism sector contributed over $83 5BN to the economies of the five European capitals and last year was just 15% below 2019 at almost $71BN Paris has shown the strongest recover y of the five capital cities with the other four being 18% to 30% below 2019 demonstrating slightly slower recoveries than the French capital In Paris, the sector GDP contribution was $38BN in 2019 but in 2022 it recovered to just 6% below pre-pandemic levels at an estimated $35 7BN

Although the sector’s GDP contribution to London was wor th almost $15BN in 2022, it is slightly behind Berlin in terms of recover y to 2019 levels The German capital s contribution to the city s economy was wor th over $7 7BN in 2022, 18% below 2019

Madrid’s GDP contribution was more than $5 5BN in 2022, 24% below 2019, however Rome is witnessing the slowest recover y – 30% below 2019 levels with a sector contribution of al-most $7BN

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Travellers are flocking back to Paris, London, Berlin, Madrid, and Rome Business travel is growing steadily

And China’s reopening is bringing welcome visitors to cities across Europe

Tourists provide a massive boost to both the economy and job creation

“It is crucial that the national and local governments continue to recognise the impor tance of Travel & Tourism for the local and national economies, jobs, and businesses ”

JOBS ON THE RISE

Just before the pandemic there were over 976,000 jobs in Travel & Tourism across the five cities

In 2020 job numbers in the five capitals fell by 41% to just over 580 000 jobs The following year job numbers rose by 13% to 654,000, and last year job numbers rose again by a fur-ther 23% to reach 807,000, just 17% below the combined total in 2019

Paris currently has the largest job market in Travel & Tourism of the five capitals with almost 322,000 jobs

St Austell Brewery Partners With ETM Group on New Sports Bar Venture

South west brewer and pub

The

“We

cant growth potential ”

Led by Ed Mar tin ETM operates a collection of bars, pubs and restaurants in central London

As operator of the leading premium spor ts bar business in London, we are keen to take our experience to new markets outside of London ” says Mar tin “With Kevin and the team at St Austell Brewer y, we have found the perfect joint venture par tners who have a deep understanding of the West Countr y and brands which resonate strongly with our target consumer We are confident that this combination will enable Ludo to rapidly expand across the West Countr y and beyond ”

Issue 155 CLH Digital 11
company St Austell Brewer y has entered into a joint venture with the directors of ETM Group to launch a series of premium spor ts bars across the west countr y – Ludo Spor ts Bar & Kitchen, a new brand that will debut in Bath in May
new par tnership will combine St Austell Brewer y ’ s knowledge and understanding of the south west with ETM’s proven concept and operational exper tise in premium spor ts venues
Ed
are ver y excited to be working with
and the team at Ludo ” says Kevin Georgel chief executive of St Austell Brewer y “The combination of their premium spor ts retail exper tise and our award-winning beer por tfolio is compelling and has signifi-

Why the New Non-Domestic Rates Bill Won't Solve the Business Rates Question for the Retail and Hospitality Sector

The government’s proposed reform of business rates were not reduced costs the hospitality sector according to proper ty exper ts Colliers, and may include an increase in rateable values

The New Non-Domestic Rates Bill was laid before Parliament last week in the House of Commons and is expected to receive a second reading on 24th April

The Bill came about following the 2020 Business Rates Review and states that there will be deliver y of:

• More frequent revaluations

• Administrative reforms to deliver a sustainable shor ter reva uation c yc e , whic h will hopefully enable more accurate rating lists and enab e the disc losure of more information to ratepayer s about their business rates valuations

• Measures to suppor t decarbonisation and investment, inc luding a relief for low carbon heat networks and a new Improvement Relief so that, from Apr i 2024, ratepayer s will not see an increase in the r rates bill from qualifying improvements made to their proper ty for 12 months

Suppor t announced by the Government at Autumn Statement 2022 This inc ludes a three-year Transitional Relief sc heme The Bill removes the statutor y requirement for revenue neutrality within transitional relief with the removal of downwards transition

• The Digital sing Business Rates project, whic h, we are told, will modernise the business rates system, improve the targeting of rates relief, generate better data for central and ocal government and help to improve business rates compliance

• Improvements to the administration of business rates inc luding replacing RPI with CPI as the measure of inflation used in the annual indexation of the multiplier

Commenting, John Webber, Head of Business Rates at Colliers said,

“On the surface these changes look positive for all sectors We have long been fans of more frequent revaluations and the removal of downwards transition, which will cer tainly help the retail and hospitality sectors in this current list- although ideally, we would prefer annual revaluations if rates bills are to be a more accurate reflection of rental levels The relief for low carbon heat networks and the new Improvement Relief scheme are also in the right direction- although we would argue limiting the relief for only 12 months is unlikely to encourage long term investment ”

However, on closer inspection, Colliers has large concerns about the administrative burden put on rate pay-

ers with the new requirements for the annual provision of information and the duty to notify whereby businesses will not only need to confirm the physical details of the proper ty on an annual basis but also provide updates on rents and lease information as well as trading information, even where there have been no changes notifications Failure to do so could result in some serious fines or even imprisonment for false statements Now an additional 700,000 businesses, who currently pay no business rates due to reliefs- many of these smaller retailers and hospitality companies, will have to send information to the VOA in a bureaucratic exercise , which “ won’t result in any increase in the business rates tax take- just cause an administrative headache ” says Webber

John Webber continues, “Overall this bill represents a complete change around in terms of the obligations on the VOA – obligations which are now being put on the ratepayer

The new regime requiring annual notifications and duty to notify is backed up with penalties and onerous fines, which could run into tens of thousands of pounds with the ultimate sanction of imprisonment

Yet no similar obligations have been placed on the VOA to produce its assessments quickly and any timetable associated with transparency is silent The government has also said nothing about speeding up the appeals system or any timetable to achieve this ”

Webber is concerned this increasing burden will put smaller retail and hospitality businesses even more into the hands of rogue rating advisers who will claim to advise them through the paperwork

As Webber continues: “Unless the government does something about the issue of rogue sur veyors, these new demands will give a green light to cowboy rating advisers taking advantage of businesses now even more unsure of how to negotiate the complex business rates system ”

“Meanwhile nothing has been said about tackling the real issue with business rates- that it is overburdensome and just too high a tax to be sustainable for businesses – it s a plus 50p in the £ tax Far from cutting business rates as promised in the Conser vative manifesto this year ’ s list will show a general 7 1% increase in rateable value Even on the government’s figures, the retail sector alone will still be providing £6 7 billion in business rates in 2023/4 which is nearly a quar ter of the overall business rates tax take , despite the fact that the gross value-added from retail to the economy is less than 10%

Unless the Government reduces the Multiplier to levels businesses can afford- say 34p in the £ -none of the above changes will make a significant improvement for businesses in these sectors ”

“We will be continuing our lobbying campaign among MPS as this Bill makes its way through Parliament ”

The Source Roadshow Carries on Bristol’s Trading Tradition

650 years ago, in 1373, the Great Char ter of Liber ties gave Bristol and its suburbs jurisdiction independent from other county authorities, making it a county in its own right From then it has gone from strength to strength as a centre for trading, thanks to its location on the River Avon, and then the creation of the Floating Harbour in 1809, which kept Bristol viable as a commercial por t until its closure in 1975 Now the por t area has been revitalised as a centre for leisure , commerce , and residence , and is just one of the many reasons Bristol now has a well-deser ved reputation as a foodie city, with a wide variety of cultural influences leading to ever ything from pop-ups, street food, and restaurants of all shapes and sizes, up to and including those in the Michelin Guide

As members of Business West, Bristol’s Chamber of Commerce , who are themselves celebrating their bicentennial this year, Hale Events are delighted to be once again bringing the Source Roadshow to Ashton Gate Stadium on Tuesday 27th June

Although our trade show is a mere toddler when compared to these significant Bristol anniversaries, having only launched last year, we are proud to be continuing this city’s trading heritage , and to be doing so at such an iconic Bristol venue The Source Roadshow brings a wide range of producers, hospitality and catering supplies food ser vice and business ser vices to Bristol It’s a great oppor tunity for the hospitality industr y to connect, network, and share ideas, whilst tr ying out the best products from the South West and beyond Visiting this show is free for trade buyers, who can register to attend now, at bristol thesourcetradeshow co uk Information about exhibiting at this show is available from James Cur tis, or Paul Thomas on 01934 733433 or by emailing stands@hale-events com Media par tnerships are available Contact Mike Anderson on 01934 733433

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

12 CLH Digital Issue 155

UK Brewery Numbers Relatively Stable Despite Challenges

with Some Regions Seeing Growth

The total number of breweries in the UK has remained ‘relatively stable’ in the first quar ter of 2023 according to figures released today from the SIB A UK Brewer y Tracker – which tracks new brewer y openings and closures across the UK to give net numbers both regionally and Nationally

Covering the period from the star t of Januar y 2023 to the end of March 2023 the SIB A UK Brewer y Tracker shows some regions increasing their net brewer y number, and overall the UK figure being down by just -4 on the star t of 2023 – just a 0 22% change and a much better picture then many in the industr y would have predicted given the mounting pressures on small independent breweries

“It is ver y positive to see some areas of the UK now in growth and a National figure which has beaten the odds to remain relatively stable , despite the challenges faced by brewers With rising raw material and utility costs, alongside existing market access issues, far too many small breweries are closing but the figures paint a much better picture than many predicted

Small breweries have a hugely positive impact on their local community, providing jobs, raising money for charity suppor ting local initiatives and providing access to the freshly-brewed local beers that are now in such demand across the UK All small independent breweries deser ve your suppor t ” Andy Slee SIB A Chief Executive

Recent consumer polling showed eight out of ten people believe a well-run independent brewer y has a positive effect on its local community* – and that community-spirit is a sentiment shared by brewers, with a whopping 98% of SIB A brewers saying they consider their local community to be impor tant to them

“It is clear that demand is there from drinkers for great quality beer from local breweries, but getting those beers onto bars and into the hands of consumers can be tough in a competitive market It s the reason why so many breweries are now opening community taprooms where they can ser ve brewer y-fresh beer direct to local people ” Andy added

The SIB A Craft Beer Repor t launched last month showed 40% of independent craft breweries now have a taproom (up 10% on 2022) and that on average 27% of an independent brewer y ’ s income now comes from sales direct to consumers via their taprooms, brewer y shop or webshop – a huge increase for an industr y historically heavily reliant on pub sales

According to the SIB A UK Brewer y Tracker figures released today Wales leads the UK in terms of brewer y growth, with their net number rising by an impressive +5 overall, whilst just over the border the West of England saw the needle swing in the opposite direction, with figures falling by -4 overall Surprisingly this was

Please

mirrored in the South East, an area which has seen a huge growth in breweries in recent years, who also registered -4 overall in the first three months of 2023 South West and Nor th East England each had a decline in their overall brewer y numbers of -2 with Scotland seeing a smaller decline now with -1 brewer y less overall

It was a more positive picture elsewhere though with the East and Midlands regions each seeing a +2 growth The Nor th West of England and Nor thern Ireland have finished the first quar ter of 2023 on the same number as they star ted it, with any closures counteracted by new openings

The SIB A UK Brewer y Tracker is compiled by full-time professional staff employed by the Society of Independent Brewers and is cross-referenced by SIB A Regional Directors in each of the eight SIB A Regions across the UK The organisation considers a number of factors and data-sources alongside its own data analysis and extensive research, including, but not limited to, HMRC registrations

SIBAUK BREWERY TRACKER Q1, 2023

Cover ing per iod 01/01/23 – 31/03/2023

Issued 4th Apr il 2023

UK: 1824 (-4)

• Scotland: 145 (-1)

Nor thern Ireland: 29 (-)

• Nor th East: 263 (-2)

• Nor th West: 209 (-)

• East: 180 (+2)

• Midlands: 284 (+2)

• West of England: 71 (-4)

• Wales: 107 (+5)

• South East: 331 (-4)

• South West: 205 (-2)

The above shows the new total number and net change compared to 01 01 23

Issue 155 CLH Digital 13
mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying
to advertising

Survey Reveals Growing Demand For Gin-Based Cocktails and Innovative Drinking Experiences in the UK

Bar and lounge Amazing Grace (https://amazinggraceldn com/) has released new data indicating a growing demand for gin-based cocktails and unique drinking experiences across the countr y The data, collected from a sur vey of over 1,000 bar patrons, offers insights into the preferences and habits of UK bar-goers, shedding new light on the trends shaping the bar industr y

According to the sur vey, 68% of respondents prefer gin-based cocktails when visiting a bar or lounge making it the clear favorite among UK bar patrons In addition, 76% of bar-goers are willing to pay more for highquality gin-based cocktails indicating a growing demand for innovative and well-crafted drinks When it comes to other preferences, the sur vey found that 71% of respondents prefer bars that offer a wide selection of spirits and mixers, while 54% look for drinks with natural and organic ingredients

The sur vey also showed that UK bar-goers are interested in unique and innovative drinking experiences For example , 62% of respondents indicated that they would be interested in attending cocktail-making classes or workshops, while 48% prefer classic cocktail recipes with a modern twist In addition, 89% of bar patrons prefer bars with a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere , indicating that the ambiance of a bar is an impor tant factor in their decision to visit

The owner of Amazing Grace , Sammie Ellard-King, commented on the

findings of the sur vey stating: "Our sur vey shows that UK bar-goers are increasingly looking for high-quality, innovative drinks that offer a unique and memorable drinking experience At Amazing Grace , we are committed to meeting this demand by offering a wide selection of well-crafted gin-based cocktails and creating a welcoming atmosphere that invites our

customers to tr y new and exciting drinks "

The sur vey ' s findings also offer insights into the trends shaping the UK bar industr y With the popularity of gin-based cocktails on the rise , bars across the countr y are likely to focus on expanding their gin-based drink offerings and experimenting with new recipes and flavors The sur vey also suggests that bars that prioritize a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere and offer unique and innovative drinking experiences will be wellpositioned to attract and retain customers in a competitive market

Fuller’s Presents Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility

Following the success of Shakespeare in the Garden, Fuller’s is thrilled to welcome Open Bar back to its pub gardens this spring – for a new theatrical performance of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility

A quar tet of performers will delight audiences with this much-loved classic in Fuller’s pub gardens – across 23 pubs in London and the South Performances will run from 10 May to 10 June – tickets can be purchased on Fuller’s website

Sense and Sensibility tells the stor y of the Dashwood sisters Elinor Marianne and Margaret as they come of age It follows the three sisters as they must move with their widowed mother from the estate on which they grew up and look for a new home They find themselves on the proper ty of a distant relative , Sir John Middleton, and star t on a journey of love , romance and hear tbreak

Following their journey in a Fuller’s pub garden is the perfect way to while away a spring evening and fall in love again with this Jane Austen classic

Nicky Diss, co-founder of Open Bar Theatre, said: We are thrilled to be back in Fuller’s gardens with our first spring show, Sense and Sensibility 2022 was a huge year for our partnership with more performances in more pubs than ever before and four Off West End award nominations So we are delighted to be adding another tour to the season and creating a brand new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beautiful romantic comedy “Four of your favourite Open Bar actors will bring the romance , hear tbreak and comedy of Sense and Sensibility to life in your local pub What could be better than that?”

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

14 CLH Digital Issue 155
just by providing more choice , but by offering staff training and samples so they can help educate and inspire consumers
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
"We
Key Findings Percentage Prefer gin-based coc ktails when visiting a bar or lounge 68% W lling to pay more for high-quality gin-based coc ktails 76% Interested in tr ying new and innovative gin-based dr inks 82% Prefer bar s that offer a wide se ection of spir its and mixer s 71% Look for dr inks with natural and organic ingredients 54% Prefer c lassic coc ktail recipes with a modern twist 48% Interested in attending coc ktai -making c lasses or workshops 62% Prefer bar s with a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere 89% Willing to wait longer for a well-crafted coc ktail 81% Believe that presentation and garnishes are impor tant for coc ktails 72%

One in Five Meals Consumed at Home in Europe Will Come from Restaurants

For the first time since the pandemic began, consumer spending in the food ser vice industr y in Europe bounced back to pre-pandemic highs according to “State of the European Food Ser vice Industr y ”analysis, which was announced by The NPD Group through its CREST consumer panel

Continued hybrid working, spending more time at home , and the ease of both online shopping and ordering food for takeout and deliver y has resulted in increased consumption at home However, it has also made it difficult for the food ser vice industr y to completely rebound Total food ser vice spending in Europe in 2022 declined by 6% to €292 billion (compared to €309 billion for the full-year 2019) NPD expects the sector will bounce back to pre-pandemic levels this year as inflation eases and COVID-19 concerns continue to recede

Growth in click-and-collect orders tripled in 2022 European consumers spent close to €9 billion in 2022, up from €3 billion in 2019 Click and collect is the fastest growing athome foodser vice and is expected to reach €10 billion this year

Consumption of prepared food from restaurants that is consumed at home is expected to remain 50% above 2019 levels These types of meals will represent more than one out of five meals, according to NPD, which recently merged with IRI to create a leading global technolog y, analytics, and data provider

While food deliver y sales will remain far above pre-pandemic levels, the pace of growth will slow More than a third (36%) of consumers in NPD’s “Uncer tainty Sur vey ” say they plan to cut foodser vice expenditures in 2023

Consumer confidence remains low across Europe and eating out is now perceived as expensive As a result, people are visiting restaurants and food ser vice establishments less often, leading to a 14% decline in the number of visits in the past year In fact, 60% of consumers claimed that prices in restaurants had increased too much for them Seven out of 10 consumers noticed that prices increased more than they expected

TRADING DOWN OR OUT AND ORDERING LESS

Consumers are also finding other ways to lower the cost of their final bills Trading down is par ticularly popular with people shifting from casual dining to limited-ser vice restaurants In fact, 16% of people said they were going to different restaurants with better prices or promotions Going to their usual restaurant but ordering less to reduce the final bill is a strateg y adopted by 15% of people who order fewer sides, star ters, and drinks Sales of alcoholic beverages, for example , declined by 13% during the financial crisis in in 2009

A similar decline was also seen across supermarkets, convenience stores, and off-licenses in Europe last year IRI repor ted a €2 7 billion (4%) decline in sales of beer wines and spirits in 2022 taking total categor y sales value for the year down to €66 billion

Trading out of food ser vice altogether is another strateg y being adopted by consumers At-home eating occasions, which increased during the pandemic as the food ser vice industr y almost shut down, continued at an increased level during 2022, with 513 million more visits than in 2019

COVID-19 changed work and private life forever, said Jochen Pinsker, the senior vice president of European foodser vice at NPD “Along with continued pessimism about the economy and healthier consumer behaviours, the disruption to the foodser vice industr y structures is likely to remain for some time , if not forever People are increasingly spending time and, therefore , are eating food at home That is a great oppor tunity for the restaurant industr y when offering the right solution, order methods, and packaging But it is also vulnerable to pessimistic consumers when they are forced to manage their finances Eating out has become a discretionar y cost for price sensitive consumers ”

Despite these headwinds, the industr y is stable , and the industr y can expect fur ther growth throughout 2023 and into 2024 when sales for the sector may completely rebound to its pre-pandemic state Tapping into the at-home trend and managing price perception could provide fur ther oppor tunities for growth ”

Craft Guild of Chefs Launch National Chef of the Year Competition

The Craft Guild of Chefs has begun its mission to find the next talented chef to follow in the footsteps of current National Chef of the Year title holder, Ben Murphy

The UK’s most sought-after culinar y title spans five decades during which it has crowned some of the biggest stars in hospitality including Gordon Ramsay, Simon Hulstone and Luke Selby

This year the National Chef of the Year criteria focuses on food waste and the creative use of ingredients as the UK and rest of the world grapple with the cost-of-living crisis, food inflation, supply chain disruption and ongoing global events, which continue to challenge us all

Chair of Judges Kenny Atkinson who is chef patron at House of Tides and Solstice in Newcastle said: “This year I really want chefs to focus on how they use ingredients and showcase their creativity and skills

With the cost-of-living crisis ever yone is having to think outside the box and look for ways to reduce costs and waste not only to ensure a more sustainable business but also to meet the demands of consumers National Chef of the Year is one of the most anticipated culinar y events in the UK so it’s great we can use this platform to shine a light on issues which are so impor tant to both businesses and consumers right now

The star ter can be a fish, seafood or vegetarian dish with a focus on zero waste It should have a strong emphasis on vegetables, pulses and/or grains within dishes Chefs must demonstrate techniques that show waste reduction, whilst using ingredients which are harmonious and belong together

For the main course , chefs should create a delicious lamb dish using two cuts of lamb suitably garnished

The choice of primar y and secondar y cuts is down to the chef, but the dish must make use of ingredients, techniques and cooking styles that bring the ver y best from this main ingredient

For the final dish the way to the judges’ hear ts will be using chocolate as competitors are required to produce a warm or cold desser t The recipes should include a savour y aspect which may be a vegetable or vegetable derivative to balance and marr y the desser t

Chefs have until Wednesday 10th May to complete their menus and these are to be submitted online at www nationalchefoftheyear co uk It is recommended that chefs register their details now and then they can keep working on recipes over the coming weeks By registering early, chefs will receive any updates from the Craft Guild of Chefs including answers to any FAQs

Organiser of the competition David Mulcahy who is food innovation & sustainability director at Sodexo UK and Ireland added: “Each year, when planning the brief we tr y and address the key challenges or big issues that are affecting the hospitality industr y Food waste , sustainability and money saving are so impor tant for chefs to think about as the world tries to find new ways to overcome the current financial crisis

Chefs are mindful of these issues ever y time they create a new dish and so we hope entrants relish the oppor tunity to show us how innovative , creative and skilful they can be As always with this competition, we want to see professional chefs from all ethnic and gender backgrounds get involved as whatever stage you get to it’s a fantastic way to push yourself into the limelight, test your skills against other chefs and potentially open new doors ”

Current title holder Ben Murphy, chef patron at Launceston Place , commented: “Since winning this title , I’ve already had some incredible experiences From featuring on magazine covers to being invited on an unforgettable culinar y tour of the south-west thanks to CCS, attending the launch of Gordon Ramsay’s new TV show and cooking for huge audiences at leading industr y events As it’s the most sought-after chef title , I’ve always dreamed of winning it and sometimes still can’t believe it happened I’d encourage all chefs to believe in themselves and give it a go as it literally could be your turn next ”

P&G Professional: Reduce Energy Without Compromising Results

16 CLH Digital Issue 155 Against the backdrop of the current energ y crisis and impending net zero targets, companies are now more aware than ever as to how much their practices are impacting the environment Customers are also increasingly conscious of the products businesses use , and how sustainable they are However, an emphasis on sustainability should not come at the expense of product performance Businesses need commercial solutions that can save energ y and conser ve energ y without compromising results P&G Professional’s trusted brands – including Ariel® Professional, Lenor® Professional, Fair y® Professional, Flash® Professional– are formulated to provide an outstanding clean even with one wash shor t cycles and low water temperatures giving professionals confidence that their business will always shine For example , Ariel® Professional is specifically formulated to provide an outstanding clean, even at colder temperatures, meaning businesses can save energ y and in turn save money on bills, while still achieving a spotless clean In fact, making a simple change such as switching temperature from 60°C to 30°C can save up to 60% on washing machine bills! Learn more on: https://pgpro.co.uk/en-gb/ *Cost of electricity saved for aundr y when wash ng at 30C vs 60C c yc e and for automat c d shwash ng when us ng a shor t c ycle (average 47C) vs a norma c yc e (average 57C) Plus cost of gas saved f l ng in a 10L bucket of water at 20C vs 50C for surface clean ng and a 45L sink at 20C vs 46C for hand d shwash ng Energy cost sav ng based on average H1 2022 e ectric ty and gas prices ( ncl taxes) for bus nesses in the United K ngdom source Eurostat (Stat st cs for European Comm ssion) Based on 4 washes per day (1460 per year) for both hand and automat c dishwash ng 1 wash per day (365 per year) for surface c eaning and 10 loads per week (520 per year) for aundr y

Almost Two-Thirds Of Employers Set To Hire Ex-Offenders In 2023

One in three (30%) UK businesses in the private sector do not currently employ any ex-offenders, despite the majority (62%) saying they are struggling to fill positions 43% repor t finding it difficult to fill in excess of ten current vacancies

This is according to a new study commissioned by Sodexo, the food ser vices and facilities management business which runs six UK prisons on behalf of the Ministr y of Justice and Scottish Prison Ser vice The study sought to understand the extent to which prison-leavers and exoffenders who have not ser ved custodial sentences have the same employment oppor tunities as other job seekers

Sur vey results specifically from businesses in the retail, leisure and catering sector revealed:

36% say they don’t currently hire any ex-offender s

Just 2 5% say they are Ban the Box employer s but 32% said they were likely to consider adopting this in their hir ing process

52% say they will be consider ing hir ing ex-offender s in the next 12 months

When asked what, if anything, might attract them to hir ing ex-offender s , the highest propor tion, 26%, said a need to fill crucial skills gaps

While 43% believe pr isoner s can gain cooker y skills whi e in pr ison, just 18% believed they can gain ca l centre/customer ser vice skil s and only 14% believed they can gain waiting/waitress ng skills

32% said they have more than 10 job vacancies they are currently struggling to fill

Launching the campaign ‘Star ting Fresh’ today, the organisation is collaborating with par tners including New Futures Network, The Oswin Project, Clean Sheet and Novus Works to help remove the perceived barriers associated with the employment of ex-offenders, which hold back the reintegration of people into communities

Sodexo, which itself is a Ban the Box employer, commissioned research of 1,000 owners and senior leaders with hiring responsibilities across British businesses, finding nearly two thirds (61%) will be hiring exoffenders in 2023, while 21% say they will not

When asked about their greatest concerns, one quar ter (25%) agreed they were worried employees would re-offend and the same propor tion agreed they feared for the safety of the rest of their workforce (25%) More than one in five (23%) agreed that they wouldn’t trust them to behave appropriately at work

More positively, as the UK grapples with a talent shor tage , many businesses this year said they are investing in training for their HR teams to ensure ex-offenders are suppor ted in the company (40%) Almost half

(46%) said that suppor ting their wider community was impor tant during this time , and one of the reasons why they’d be hiring people with criminal records

The research found a cross sample of industr y leaders believed exoffenders could help to fill shor tages in specific areas such as food pickers and deliver y drivers in farming (62%) and talent shor tages in hospitality (57%)

SUPPORT ON FURTHER PROGRESS

When respondents were asked what might encourage them to hire ex-offenders, 22% suggested there should be a government initiative which incentivises businesses A fifth (20%) suggested an initiative giving businesses a target for hiring ex-offenders, and 20% said a need to fill crucial skills gaps would force them to look at individuals with criminal records

According to the UK government, though the propor tion of prisonleavers who were employed at six months from their release rose by almost two thirds between April 2021 and March 2022 to 23%, this must improve

Sodexo is itself committed to filling 5% of appropriate job oppor tunities with ex-offenders During 2021 and 2022, the business had 162 DBS applications return as positive 133 (82%) of these went on to gain employment

The facilities management and food ser vices company which employs more than 30,000 people in the UK and Ireland, knows both from its own experience looking after a prison population of over 6,000 people across six prisons, with a commitment to rehabilitation, and as a proactive employer of ex-offenders, how critically impor tant it is for both the individual and the wider community to suppor t those with a criminal histor y

Statistically, ex-offenders who get a job are less likely to re-offend, while 81% of consumers believe businesses employing ex-offenders are making a positive contribution to society

Commenting on the findings and launch of Star ting Fresh Tony Simpson, Justice Operations Director at Sodexo UK & Ireland said: While not all ex-offenders are prison-leavers, an impor tant aspect of this campaign is to help employers understand the quality of learning which takes place in prison Nearly 50,000 people leave prison ever y year, many emerging with formal qualifications they didn’t have before “Prisoners at the sites we manage are prepared to be job-ready for

the oppor tunities in the outside world, whether that be in IT suppor t, cleaning, catering, hospitality or hairdressing and beauty It can be a win-win situation because there is a huge skills shor tage in many UK sectors and we believe exoffenders could absolutely help to plug some of these gaps while providing a more stable and secure income , and a better future , for the individual It’s positive to see the majority of businesses suggesting that they will employ from this largely untapped talent pool in 2023

Star ting Fresh is not just about helping employers understand the valued contribution ex-offenders can make to their business, but to also encourage them to proactively engage with our prisons and our par tners to star t the hiring process with prison-leavers We have more to do and we want to star t new conversations about how we share our experience and learn from others as par t of this campaign ”

Kate Nicholls OBE, CEO UK Hospitality added: “Most hospitality businesses cannot currently operate at full capacity due to ongoing labour shor tages Collectively, the industr y is turning away £25 billion of potential revenue a year, with huge consequences for the Treasur y

“As such, hospitality employers cannot afford to turn their back on any talent pipeline that could provide vital resource The issue is that employers don’t know how to access at scale the volume of recruits –prison leavers and other ex-offenders - potentially available to them It’s great, therefore , to see Sodexo launch Star ting Fresh which will really help demystify the process ”

To help businesses with the employment of ex-offenders, Sodexo has launched Star ting Fresh, an online hub with resources for employers seeking to discover the underutilised community of people with criminal backgrounds and suppor t them in the workplace , as well as case studies of what impact this has had on the companies and individuals involved Sodexo is also using this campaign to let employers know they are welcome to visit their prisons if they are interested in offering oppor tunities on release Organisations with multiple job oppor tunities can even run employer days in the prisons

Read Susan’s stor y about how she went from prison to working as a cleaner for Sodexo

Award-Winning Pub Company, Craft Union, Celebrates 500th Pub!

Multi-award-winning pub company, Craft Union, celebrated a significant milestone with its 500th pub opening in Leicester

Known for providing a warm and welcoming ‘home from home’ since 2015, Craft Union pubs have become famous for putting quality pubs back in the hear t of communities and have fast become an industr y success stor y Boasting both high retention among loyal operators and thousands of regulars up and down the UK, Craft Union’s appeal is rooted in values of humour, community, diversity, and honesty

From early origins within EI Group to impressive growth as a Stonegate company, Craft Union continues to set the standard of how an operator model can keep individuality at the hear t of each pub that ser ves its community The pub company ’ s philosophy is to ‘think big, act small while playing a vital role in its customer s lives

Standing shoulder to shoulder with operators is a big par t of this as Regional Managers are encouraged to nur ture relationships with a relatively small group of pubs and operators under their wing

The 500th site is the Royal Standard, Leicester - a pub run by different generations of the same family for decades, and one that flies the flag for Craft Union community values

Operator, Chris Chappell said: “You feel really suppor ted in helping your business to thrive , especially by your Regional Manager, who will sit down with you regularly and go through how you see the pub developing ”

Suppor ting and engaging with local communities has always been at the hear t of Craft Union This has been recognised by the Publican Awards, with Craft Union being shor tlisted for Best Community Operator numerous times and winning the laurels for this categor y in 2020 and 2022

Charity and community fundraising has also been a consistent cornerstone of Craft Union with recent campaigns such as ‘Winter Warmth ’ which raised £8000 and donated 480 bags of warm essentials to senior citizens in pub communities As par t of ‘Love your Local,’ an impressive £60,000 was donated towards local grass roots community activities As well as suppor ting local charities, the Craft Union team will come together to run in the Rob Burrow Marathon in May, to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease Association - Stonegate’s Group charity

OiLChef Wins Prestigious Best Kitchen Innovation Award

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

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

OiLChef is vir tually maintenance free , takes 3 seconds to install and only needs to be replaced ever y 3 years FDA Approved technolog y, and winner of “Best Kitchen Innovation Award UK 2022”, the OiLChef device is vir tually unbreakable and maintenance free

The OiLChef device is now available for fish pans and can cost as little as one

pound per day and guaranteed for 3 years!!

60 second explainer video: https://youtu be/UMGuvCnFSHc

No wires, chemicals, replacement par ts and vir tually unbreakable , each unit comes with a full 3-year warranty, and we give you a “tr y before you buy 14-day money back guarantee”!

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

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

18 CLH Digital Issue 155

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 in-house If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with our expert team on 08000 546 546 or info@washco co uk

Hospitality Going the Extra Mile(s) Hotel Team Walks Equivalent of Ten Marathons in One Shift

The hospitality sector typically sees employees on their feet for long periods, racking up high step counts as they go the extra mile for guests and customers Inspired by the upcoming London Marathon, Clermont Hotel Group, the largest hotel owner-operator in London, reveals that a hospitality team within its por tfolio of hotels collectively walks the equivalent of ten marathons a

With

working in this industr y

The hotel group is dedicated to suppor ting the progression and welfare of its teams and has recently announced the launch of The Academy, a bespoke

learning and development centre designed to deliver best-in-class hospitality training for its new and current employees The curriculum includes a breadth of downloadable materials such as how-to guides and development toolkits which also aid individuals’ mental health and wellbeing

Amanda Hall, Head of Learning & Development at Clermont Hotel Group, comments; “These figures emphasise just how much hospitality roles go the extra mile , clocking up to 40,000 steps a day in some instances Now, more than ever, leaders in the industr y are aware of just how hard their teams are working and so prioritising health and well-being is a must By ensuring we re checking in regularly on our people , for both physical and mental health we can continue to sustain our sector and attract new talent into the fold We’re extremely proud of all our teams and our goal is to continue providing all the resources we can to suppor t them where they need it most

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

*up to 10 taps

Issue 155 CLH Digital 21
– spanning
day in one shift1 The data reveals a selection of team members across six of the group s hotels2
across its core brands The Clermont, Hard Rock Hotel London and Thistle – walked up to 547,720 steps in one day alone
each person clocking an average of 20,000 steps, double the average daily figure of 10 000 the figures are a product of the daily dedication and resilience of those

Recruiting International Workers in the UK Hospitality Sector

Angela Barnes , Head of Business Immigration at Napthens (www.napthens .co.uk), explains the key steps to take when hiring hospitality staff from abroad

In what was a thriving industr y pre-Covid, hospitality businesses are now one of the most vulnerable markets in the UK economy

Par t of the problem is the difficulty in attracting workers back into the sector, especially after many of them left due to the pandemic

Also, the days when bars, hotels, and restaurants could rely on the steady arrival of workers from the EU to fill these crucial roles are gone , adding more pressure to hospitality businesses looking to hire from abroad

Employers now face a myriad of specific immigration laws that make hiring from abroad more complex In the face of these new challenges there are impor tant steps and hurdles that hospitality businesses need to be mindful of when recruiting from overseas

STEP ONE - GETTING A LICENCE

If you re looking to hire skilled workers from overseas, you will first need approval from the Home Office , by way of a Skilled Worker Sponsor License (licence) Applying for a licence can be complex, so it is impor tant that you have a dedicated legal exper t guiding you throughout the process Once you have secured a licence , you can then sponsor skilled workers to carr y out the necessar y work within the UK

To secure a licence , you will need to submit a suite of corporate documents including, for example , your latest annual accounts corporate bank statement Employer’s Liability Insurance Cer tificate and VAT registration cer tificate Other pieces of evidence need to be disclosed, such as confirmation that the company has robust HR processes in place that will ensure compliance with the strict repor ting and monitoring requirements placed on all sponsor licence holders Organisations also need to have appointed key personnel from within the business to manage the sponsorship system

On top of all these requirements, a payment fee of £536 for small or charitable sponsors and £1,476 for medium to large sponsors is required

STEP TWO - GETTING KEY TALENT IN

It usually takes the Home Office around 8 weeks to process a licence , but can take longer depending on the capacity of the sponsor licence processing team at any par ticular time and complexity of the par ticular application Whilst there is an option to ‘fast-track’ the application, it is subject to availability – and also costs an

additional £500 When hiring more than one non-UK national, the costs can star t to quickly add up

Once a licence has been granted, potential new staff will need to meet several criteria to be able to work in the UK This includes a minimum skill level minimum salar y level and they must meet an English language requirement

Typically, a skilled worker using this route will need to be paid a salar y of £25,600 (rising to £26,200 on 12 April 2023) or the going rate for the role , whichever is the higher However, there are exceptions to this when an individual can be paid a lower salar y This would include , for example , if the job is on the Shor tage Occupation List (SOL) or if the individual qualifies as a new entrant to the profession

GETTING OVER THE LINE

Providing that all of the eligibility requirements are met, roles such as chefs, restaurant managers, bar managers, accommodation managers and managers of licenced premises are all eligible for sponsorship In the last quar ter of 2022 alone , approximately 1,300 chefs and 650 Bar Managers entered the UK on a Skilled Worker visa

Although chefs remain eligible for sponsorship the role was removed from the SOL in 2021 making it more difficult for UK businesses to recruit non-UK chefs under the Skilled Worker route The SOL comprises those roles deemed by the UK Government to be in shor t supply within the UK resident labour market with such roles afforded more relaxed eligibility criteria for sponsored work visa applications

Since 2021, there have been calls for the Government to add chefs back onto the SOL and earlier this month, the Migration Advisor y Committee released a call for evidence , in relation to its review of the current SOL Hospitality businesses should provide evidence before the closing date on May 26th to let the Committee know about their experiences hiring from abroad and how these key roles need to be viewed as critical to the success and longevity of the industr y

THE JOURNEY AHEAD

The UK’s immigration rules are complex and the application process can be overwhelming Speaking to a business immigration specialist before embarking on the process would be a wise step to ensure recruiting from abroad is a smoother process, and avoid mistakes that may lead to a swathe of unnecessar y costs, fees and administrative burdens

Hospitality businesses and recruiters are working tirelessly to deliver the best ser vice to the UK population The Government must take fur ther action to make foreign recruitment more accessible and cost-effective , so that the industr y is able to focus on delivering the world-class hospitality that our countr y is renowned for

Bunzl Lockhart names Winterhalter and Classeq as Heavy Equipment Supplier of the Year

Warewashing specialist Winterhalter and sister company Classeq were named Heavy equipment Supplier of the Year at the recent Bunzl Lockhar t annual supplier conference The award is voted for by the Bunzl Lockhar t team and Winterhalter was up against the top foodser vice equipment manufacturers from ever y equipment categor y

Awarding the prize Iain Hicks Purchasing Director at Bunzl Lockhar t said “As Bunzl Lockhar t’s strategic supply par tner for warewashing it is with great pleasure to announce Winterhalter as our 2022 Heavy Equipment supplier of the year

“The Winterhalter and Classeq teams have provided excellent suppor t As a business we strive to offer our customers both best in class and innovation in product development to suppor t our key values Team Winterhalter has continued to demonstrate a high level of suppor t to reach our targets

Congratulations and thank you ”

Stephen Kinkead managing director of Winterhalter UK accepted the award and said, “This is such a special award, especially since it’s voted for by the guys we work with It is wonderful recognition of the suppor t and help offered by the Winterhalter and Classeq teams to our business par tners Well done to them and huge thanks to Bunzl Lockhar t!

The picture shows Stephen Kinkead, centre , with Bunzl Lockhar t Interim Project Suppor t Director Simon Pointon on left and Managing Director Mark Lombard on right

Winterhalter provides a total solution for dishwashing and glasswashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales ser vice , training and maintenance , with sustainability fitted as standard Alongside its market-leading dish washers and glass washers, the company ’ s range includes utensil washers advanced water treatment machines, and cleaning detergents and rinse aids For fur ther details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, visit www winterhalter com/uk-en/ or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.

Thatchers Digs Deep for Pub Gardens

Thatchers, the leading family cider maker in the UK, is continuing its suppor t for pubs this spring and summer with the launch of a new competition that offers the chance to win one of three top prizes of a £10,000 garden makeover

Each winner will be offered a bespoke makeover of their outside space ensuring the design meets the needs of the winning pub and its customers

There will also be 10 runners-up prizes of a garden parasol kit comprising a sought-after Thatchers jumbrella and five eye-catching premium parasols

All the winners and runners-up will receive a Thatchers sampling event for their outlet

As British consumers continue to show their love for premium ciders 1 in ever y 7 ciders sold in the UK on–trade is from family run cider maker Thatchers, with brands including Thatchers Gold, Thatchers Haze and its new Fusion flavours Blood Orange , Cloudy Lemon and Dark Berr y,

To enter the competition, pubs simply need to purchase three 50-litre Thatchers draught kegs from par ticipating wholesalers before the closing date of 30th April

2023 For the list of par ticipating wholesalers and the full terms and conditions visit www.thatcherscider.co.uk/pub-garden-makeover

Pubs can enter the competition as many times as they like during the promotion period

James Palmer, Head of On Trade at Thatchers says,

“A pub’s outside space , whether a garden or cour tyard, however large or small, has an increasingly growing appeal to customers The addition of plants and shrubs creates an attractive and welcoming environment with items such as garden furniture , umbrellas and planters adding interest throughout the year

“The winning pubs will each receive exper t advice from our makeover team who’ll work closely with them to implement the new design in time for the summer season, to create the perfect pub garden for the perfect pint of Thatchers ”

The cider maker’s continued investment into pub suppor t follows its Pledge campaign during the Covid restrictions, which saw over 6,000 pubs receive a free keg of cider

22 CLH Digital Issue 155

Products and Services

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

The new range is suppor ted by an engaging media campaign spanning radio and social to drive awareness of the new product range Running from Februar y to March, the Epic Eats radio activity is par t of McCoy’s ongoing par tnership with Global radio and will feature a range of on-air adver ts including an exciting competition offering listeners the chance to win their own epic adventure

See the adver t on page 21 for details

Exclusive Elegance and Quality by Design

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

Gain Valuable

With

Hotels and restaurants intending to replace existing gas-fired domestic hot water (DHW) systems with more sustainable electric technologies as par t of a decarbonisation strateg y should invest in data gathering first recommends hot water specialist

Adveco

Live Metering is a simple to install, non-invasive onsite ser vice provided by Adveco that generates consistent six minute data 24 hours per day from existing hot water systems to accurately understand actual usage including critical peak demands and their profile shape Adveco’s specialist engineers will visit to fit the meter and assess the proper ty The data will then be processed, and a repor t generated with design recommendations for a replacement system that meets the exact needs of the building

The most consistent issue we see in hotel and restaurant hot water systems is oversizing, whether through lack of understanding of application design or concerns over providing suitable back up to ensure system continuity The result of oversizing is always the same , unnecessar y capital costs for system supply and installation As the hotel and catering sectors seek to adopt greener building operations, replacing old gas-fired

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

For Gas To Electric Decarbonisation

systems with like-for-like electric is another guaranteed way to gain an oversized system Should the new system’s electrical demand exceed a building’s available amperage of electrical supply, project installation costs will inevitably soar, or even stall the project This can be avoided by understanding your actual hot water demands and designing the replacement to meet those specific needs This is why accurate data is so valuable

The recommended replacement design by Adveco will show carbon reduction and outline new operational

Is It Time For Some Fresh Promotions?

costs Accurate to the actual demands of the proper ty, Live Metered designs avoid excess capital costs associated with oversizing and ensures operation within the limits of the existing electrical supply of the building Businesses which opt to purchase the recommended replacement system from Adveco will receive a 50% refund on the cost of implementing the initial Live Metering ser vice Talk to Adveco about booking Live Metering at your proper ty https://adveco.co/products/live-metering/ or see the adver t on page 5
Insight
Adveco
The star t of the year is always a good time to reflect on what you did last year and what worked best for you in terms of both bringing in the footfall and ultimately profits Planning your promotions throughout the year is always good practice with any business and for our market sector we have to focus on events around the year and of course seasonal activity such as Valentine s Day and Mother s Day HFE Signs have a range of pre-designed Pub Banners which are great to give some ideas There is no better way to adver tise your promotions than Printed Banners from HFE Signs – with great deals such as Three 8x3ft Printed Banners for just £108 delivered you can’t go wrong! Fur thermore if you order printed banners by 11am they are delivered next working day and if that isn’t good enough, the design is free too For more information on Printed Banners, check out www hfe-signs co uk today or see the adver t on page 5!
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
24 CLH Digital Issue 155

Chef's Buyer's Guide

The Menu Matters: One Little Tweak Will Get Meat-Eaters Going Veggie

ProVeg (www.proveg.com) reveals which menu layouts prompt people to pick the most veggie meals

A sur vey carried out by global food awareness organisation, ProVeg International, has found that people are significantly more likely to choose plant-based options in restaurants if those options are both integrated into the main menu and featured in a separate vegetarian section

“The use of menu design can actively promote the consumption of plant-based foods and help people to transition to more climate-friendly diets Our sur vey has uncovered simple strategies to achieve that, which we hope the catering industr y will employ to good effect,” Jasmijn de Boo Vice President of ProVeg International said Plant-based foods emit half as much greenhouse gas as animal-based foods so it is vital that people are encouraged to choose more plantbased options The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has also pointed out the impor tance of more plantbased diets to bring down carbon emissions and suppor t biodiversity

“SEGREGATED

AND DOUBLED” WORKS BEST

The ProVeg sur vey, which inter viewed 1,000, mostly omnivore , people , explored how four different menu designs impact the likelihood of meat-eaters choosing vegetarian options

One of the main findings was that the most effective menu for triggering the selection of plant-based meals was the “segregated and doubled’ menu

The “segregated and doubled” menu is where the vegetarian options are presented twice – both mixed into the main menu, and in a segregated vegetarian section Compared to a completely segregated menu design, displaying vegetarian items in this way led to a 102% increase in the selection of vegetarian options

The sur vey found that a menu described as mixed, labelled also helps to direct consumers to plant-based meal selection This menu listed 18 options together, with the vegetarian and meat options mixed and vegetarian options labelled with a (v)

With this menu design, 16 4% of meat-eating respondents chose vegetarian options, compared with 83 6% who chose meat-based options

“MIXED, UNLABELLED” MENU DOES BETTER

But a menu described as “mixed, unlabelled” and presenting the same mix of 18 vegetarian and meat options, but with the vegetarian options unlabelled did better

With this menu design, 16 9% of meat-eating respondents chose vegetarian options while 83 1% chose meat-based options

“SEGREGATED” MENU FALLS SHORT

A “segregated” menu presenting the nine meat options and the nine vegetarian options in a different section of the menu, with the vegetarian section labelled with (v)s performed the poorest in terms of attracting diners to eat plant-based meals

With this menu design, 8 8% of meat-eating respondents chose vegetarian options, compared with 91 2% who chose meat-based options

MENU

INTEGRATION MORE IMPORTANT THAN MENU LABELLING

Dietar y symbols are impor tant for consumers who are seeking a guarantee that a product is vegan or vegetarian However, these consumers typically make up less than 10% of the total market

ProVeg is therefore recommending putting less focus on menu labelling and more focus on menu integration

FLEXITARIANS ABOUND

As par t of the sur vey, consumers were also asked about their eating habits A total of 32% of respondents described themselves as ‘flexitarian , meaning they are reducing their meat consumption, while 59 3% follow an omnivorous diet

ProVeg is responding to the growing number of people who wish to reduce their meat consumption by providing key resources for manufacturers, retailers and food ser vice providers to better appeal to flexitarians, ” De Boo said

As well as providing regular repor ts for industr y, ProVeg also runs an Incubator scheme which helps to accelerate alternative protein products to the market through financial suppor t and communications and regulator y exper tise

Plant-Based Egg Alternatives from OGGS®

while removing an allergen from your menu With 72% less CO2e than eggs you can create the same delicious drinks without the egg using OGGS® Aquafaba for a more inclusive and environmentally friendly cocktail menu

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

Enter OGGS® creators of OGGS® Aquafaba and Scrambled OGGS® Scrambled OGGS® is an egg alternative for breakfast and brunch menus made from chickpea protein Simply shake , pour and cook in minutes for a breakfast scramble to take centre stage on vegetarian or vegan brunch You can also create omelettes, quiches and so much more with Scrambled OGGS® Producing 60% less CO2e than eggs it’s not just kinder to animals but the environment too

OGGS® Aquafaba is an egg white alternative made from chickpeas an innovative solution to removing egg whites from cocktails With six months shelf life and a neutral flavour profile , OGGS® Aquafaba functions exactly the same as egg whites in cocktails,

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

For more information contact trade@loveoggs.com

“MIXED, LABELLED” MENU DOES WELL
26 CLH Digital Issue 155

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

There is a better way to feed our future Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat pioneered plant-based meat that is crafted to look, cook and taste like its animal counterpar t while being better for people and the planet Today we ' re growing the plant-based movement globally

WE'RE ON A MISSION

Through small, ever yday choices -like shifting to plant-based meat- ever yone has the ability to make a meaningful impact on some of the most pressing issues our world faces today: human health, climate change , constraints on our natural resources and animal welfare With products in retail and foodser vice outlets, we ' re making plant-based meat more accessible to the ever yday consumer

BETTER FOR YOU

OUR PROCESS: Through a simple process of heating cooling pressure and mixing we ' re recreating the meaty taste and texture you love about animal meat

OUR INGREDIENTS: Our quality, plant-based ingredients -like peas and brown r icecontain no GMOs , antibiotics , hormones or c holesterol They re also pac ked with nutr ients , providing you with a great source of protein and other impor tant benefits you get

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 who esaler va ue sa es 52 w/e 27th Januar

from animal meat

Beyond Meat products enable you to Eat What You Love™ no sacrifice required

For example compared to 80/20 ground beef , our iconic Beyond Burger contains 35% less total and saturated fat fewer calories and a comparable micronutrient profile

BETTER FOR OUR PLANET

Plant-based meat is far more sustainable to produce than animal-based meat

Compared to a 1⁄4lb U S beef burger, producing an original Beyond Burger uses*:

99% LESS WATER

93% LESS LAND

46% LESS ENERGY

TASTING IS BELIEVING

Visit www beyondmeat com for fur ther information or see the adver t on the previous pages

*As of June 2021

The Next Generation of Fries Have Arrived… and They Are RE ALLY Crunchy!

Lamb Weston has launched its latest potato innovation; REALLY Crunchy Fries!

Created to satisfy growing demand for unique sensor y dining experiences and sustainably-minded quality ingredients and designed for the next era of dining out these ground-breaking coated fries promise an unbeatable long-lasting crunch sensation that no other fr y can rival, appealing to diners that want the ver y best food experiences

When choosing to eat out, 1 in 2 diners in the UK want food experiences they can’t get anywhere else^ and right now 75% of diners crave indulgent foods that offer sensor y pleasure as a means to boost their mental wellbeing and make them feel happier and UK operators want added-value products that offer a ‘ wow factor’ moment for their guests, whether in-restaurant takeaway or home deliver y

Lamb Weston’s UK Marketing Manager, Pete Evans, says; “Expectations on foodser vice operators have never been higher Guests want to be wowed like never before and ever y element of a dish needs to deliver a great quality sensor y experience that goes beyond just taste! Our industr y-leading innovations in frozen fries over the past 25 years have created a legacy for world-famous potato solutions in quality taste and heatholding capabilities, but now the time is right to elevate the fr y experience to a new

standard in indulgent sensor y potato enjoyment!”

Sensor y research by acclaimed audiologist Natan Bauman MD revealed that the sensation of crunchy food stimulates feelings of enjoyment and excitement in our brains † This makes crunchier foods more pleasurable to eat, so REALLY Crunchy Fries means really satisfied diners!

Pete Evans adds; “We set out with clear vision to create the crunchiest fr y we ’ ve ever made , and with REALLY Crunchy Fries we have cracked it! This is a really new and really exciting product that is uniquely different in appearance and mouthfeel, offering an unbeatable fr y experience for diners and an unbeatable product solution for forward-thinking foodser vice operators ”

Ready to experience REALLY Crunchy Fries for yourself? Visit https://pages.lambweston eu/en/really-crunchy-fries to request a sample now

Sources/References:

^ Foresight Factor y: Consumer behaviour s towards dining OOH, 2022

†C Spence , 2004 – Journal of Sensor y Studies The Role of Auditor y Cues in Modulat ng the Perceived Cr ispness and Staleness of Potato Chips , 2004

y 2023 Discover the Power of Chefs’ Most Trusted Bouillon* 28 CLH Digital Issue 155 Chef's Buyer's Guide
Sizzle
Are you squeezed for time? Why not tr y our quality Vanilla Bean Paste in a tube It has been specially created to provide top-quality vanilla in an easy and versatile form, with no wastage and less flavour bake-off Each tube has a two-year shelf life and contains the equivalent of 20 pods seeds and all Put it in coffee , porridge , smoothies and ice cream, rub it into meats like duck and pork use it in your cakes and bakes or as a marinade for fish! Sweet and savour y alike LittlePod products are gluten free suitable for vegans and kosher cer tified LittlePod’s responsibly-sourced product range includes our innovative , easy-to-use natural vanilla paste and organic vanilla pods, as well as our extracts of vanilla, coffee and chocolate These ingredients not only suppor t each other in the rainforest but are also perfect flavour par tners in the kitchen Visit www.littlepod.co.uk It's Time
Beyond Meat - Serious
Made From Plants
To Get Real
DISC VER O THE WER PO CHEF OF ’ S on dec P Knorr culinary f ades o essional Bouillons ar f o r MOS e an xperienc e e built US TR T BOUILL TED ON * he Base, our T and advic x t e Ge in the business. e pr r ’ e w online tr w ne che om our e fr ecipes, skills tutorials e r clusiv with the best che ork w oud to f culinary aining hu online tr y ommunit c f c skills th best ch alue sales 52 VISIT OR GET O T v wholesaler egated UK *Aggr 2023 / OM C . S UF CIPE RE S ’ OM T January e 27th w/ 52 BITB HERE CLICK S

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Bacchus Wines PLDC Announce UK-Exclusive Deal with Champagne House Paul Lebrun

Bacchus Wines PLDC Ltd, an independent wine merchant, offers wines to restaurants caterers, bars, pubs and wine enthusiasts

The UK-based wine wholesaler sells top-quality, award-winning wines at prices that hospitality businesses can appreciate They have excellent relationships with family-run winemakers in France , and the team personally select their wines to ensure top quality at great prices

In addition, they handle the impor t of wine into the UK, solving all freight and trade agreement issues

Bacchus Wines are pleased to announce its 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

Bacchus Wines Co-Founder Trond Rornes told us, "We are ver y excited to bring the fantastic Champagnes by Paul Lebrun to the UK market The Champagne house has been exper tly making Champagne for generations, and we love the unique character and the rich taste of Chardonnay their Champagnes offer We know our customers will love this Champagne as

much as we do

Over the decades, the VignierLebrun family have adopted a progressive outlook to understand better and look after the unique terroir to grow exceptional Chardonnay grapes for their cuvees The grape variety is grown on their chalky soils south of Épernay and on the soils rich in rolled pebbles in Sézanne which are rare in the Champagne vineyards These exceptional terroirs must be protected and respected to produce their outstanding Champagne , which is necessar y to achieve their Grand cru classification

Private Chef Tim Whittam told us, "I ser ved the Extra Brut champagne at my supper club The Champagne solicited much praise from the diners!"

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 In addition, 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 a quality and exciting seafood range can be guaranteed to impress their diners Providing creative and innovative menu dishes will entice consumers to enjoy eating out of home and drive footfall in the hospitality sector

With the additional challenges of a well publicised labour shor tage , Pacific West provides a wide range of great tasting, easy to ser

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

30 CLH Digital Issue 155
ve products that also meet the demands of busy operators in terms of quality style and presentation Mar tin Finegan, Managing Director at Pacific West, says, "Our most popular products include the best selling Salt & Pepper Squid, the classic Seafood Basket, and our wide range of value added King Prawns The team at Pacific West are inspired by world foods to bring market leading innovation to menus across the UK " Mar tin goes on to say, "Our love of seafood now also includes a highly creative plant based range to meet the growing demand from vegans and flexitarians This range includes plant based Calamari Rings, the high impact Enoki Mushrooms and the incredibly popular and flavoursome Jackfruit Bao Buns " With innovation at its core Pacific West has recently launched new products including Katsu Prawns, Sweet Chilli Squid Bites and Panko Katsu Fish Pacific West is proud to deliver the world's finest seafood & more Get in touch to find out how Pacific West can enhance your menu and delight your guests www.pacificwestfoods.co.uk Pacific
West Foods

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

32 CLH Digital Issue 155

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

with the finest ingredients and exceptional flavours,
product
range of spirits; Bareksten
is
smooth
a superpremium,
it a distinctive addition to any bar’s gin line-up Featuring 26
19 of which are found locally, the exquisite black bottle hints at the deep, dark forests where the majority of the botanicals are sourced
the hero
in this
Botanical Gin (46% ABV)
a
potato based botanical gin,
versatile spirit, making
botanicals,
trade enquiries, please contact sinead@osscraft no
of Malt | LWC | Hammonds | Amazon | Enotria | Speciality Drinks Barekstenspirits com | @barekstenspirits Join the Spirit of Norway
Issue 155 CLH Digital 33
For
Master

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.

ng that you re future-ready and ahead of the competition RAW Charging is spearheading EV infrastructure change In shor t we ease the entire process guiding you from planning and installation to completion with the perfect EV infrastructure plan for your specific business Once your EV charging facilities are in place we ll continue to provide ongoing customer suppor t and build a strong working relationship With RAW Charging: • You can find the perfect ta lored c harg ng solution for your location • We ll nstal and mainta n your c harging facilities Benefit from reliable and easy-to-use roaming EV c harger s wil benefit you and your guests • Receive an option for a free ful y-funded consultanc y process at no extra cost Are you ready to join the hospitality sector s fastgrowing EV charging infrastructure network? RAW Charging is on hand to provide risk-free revenue and seamless EV charging solutions to your location See the adver t on the facing page for details
for Success
RAW Charging: Why Hotel EV Charging is a Must-Have Make The Right Choice With Your Drinking Straws Sustainable Resources Issue 155 CLH Digital 35
Book
with

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

(CONTINUED ON FOLLOWING PAGE)

36 CLH Digital Issue 150
mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Please

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

(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

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

Cleaning and Hygiene Issue 150 CLH Digital 37
TEL: 01234 43 49 43 | WHATSAPP/TEXT: 07515 00 50 00 INFO@GROUTGLEAM.CO.UK | WWW.GROUTGLEAM.CO.UK
BEFORE AFTER
IN
JUST HOURS WE MAKE GROUT & TILED SURFACES LOOK BRAND NEW AGAIN!
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

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

Recruitment Challenges Set to Continue in 2023

MCR Systems

MCR Systems has over 40 years of experience in providing hospitality, catering and leisure organisations with enterprise

Issue 155 CLH Digital 39
high-quality software and cutting-edge EPOS technolog y MCR Systems T: 0116 299 7000 E: enquiries@mcr-systems co uk www mcr-systems co uk See the adver t the facing page .
management solutions that directly improve the efficiency of their business operations We do this by combining
Hospitality teams put in longer hours over the fes-
season to meet the
of strong trading,
to
Bizimply,
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 PLEASE MENTION CLH NEWS WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTS
tive
demands
according
workforce management specialist
but staff recruitment remains

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

you the ability to maintain your food ser vice while we refurbish your kitchen space
www inoxequip
their
mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Please
40 CLH Digital Issue 155

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

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

www.blue-seal.co.uk
The Premium Fryer and Bur ner System The ultimate solution for any catering establishment, perfect for pubs, hotels, restaurants, cafes and much more.
Evolution Fryers and Filter Units
mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising Issue 155 CLH Digital 41

For All Your Commercial Catering Ventilation Needs

Why

is a Five-Star Choice For Top Pastry Chefs

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out The oven is the cornerstone of any baking operation for caterers, licensees, and hoteliers Controlling the movement of air inside the convection oven coupled with the performance of steam generation ensures perfect heat distribution and the best baking results Whether it s a countertop oven to produce delicious snacks or full-scale ovens for busy kitchens MIWE offers the oven to suit your needs and to provide the bake quality you demand It’s no wonder that top pastr y chefs request MIWE ovens for their five-star hotels The MIWE range of convection baking ovens offer excellent quality throughout the entire product catalogue with the benefit of gastronomic functions and auto cleaning to provide ovens that offer fantastic flexibility and energ y efficiency With a myriad of clever features to make baking a pleasure , programmable controllers to ensure consistent results and an automatic cleaning system that allows you to clean your baking station overnight and save energ y with the auto-star t technolog y MIWE convection ovens are designed to offer bakers the solutions to meet their needs Its ovens also feature a variety of energ ysaving technolog y The MIWE eco mode ensures the right compromise of low energ y consumption and baking-readiness is assured in between baking processes In addition, MIWE air control technolog y allows bakers to precisely control the amount of circulated air in convention ovens, allowing you to ensure optimal baking conditions for all baked goods in ever y baking phase EPP is the exclusive UK distributor of MIWE To find out more visit www.eppltd.co.uk
Caterquip Ventilation Ltd is proud to be celebrating their 23rd Anniversar y this year This Warwick based company offers nationwide coverage for all your commercial catering needs: free site sur veys, quotations and designs (C AD), quality bespoke and standard fabrications, specialist knowledge of catering ventilation systems including input air odour reduction (carbon filtration and ESP) and sound attenuation Affiliated members of Constructionline CHAS and B&ES Caterquip Ventilation have a strong hold in the marketplace often advising industr y professionals on ventilation systems to a DW172 specification & BSEN:6173 They have strong relationships with all leading kitchen equipment suppliers, and they offer a kitchen design ser vice to help you build your ideal kitchen Projects under taken have included Olympic Villages, Basildon Hospital, The Mitre Hotel at Hampton Cour t, The Truck Stop at Anglesey, The Lodge at Old Hunstanton, Colleges, Schools, Hotels, Restaurants and Public Houses They ensure their systems are compliant with the current guidelines whilst maintaining an efficient and dynamic facility With extensive knowledge of manufacturing and installing ventilation systems, they can help you design the best kitchen within the space available Call: 01926 887167, visit: www.caterquipventilation.co.uk, email: info@caterquipventilation.co.uk 42 CLH Digital Issue 155
MIWE
Caterquip Ventilation

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Temporary Catering Facilities For Events & Kitchen Refurbishments

in Microwaves Food Processors, Toasters etc Internal equipment can be interchanged and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout

We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project

So if you ’ re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal For fur ther information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mk-hire .co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www mk-hire co 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

Why LP Group Mixers Are A Top Choice for Artisan Bakers

LP Group mixers are trusted across the globe to deliver high-quality assured dough production The Italian machiner y supplier has harnessed decades of engineering and manufacturing experience to create industr yleading models that produce excellent dough results for bakers Its latest lines of fixed bowl solutions are ideal for ar tisan use , such as at small restaurants and bakeries with an array of different sizes suited to dough handling production from 40kg to 250kg

“LP Group produces fantastic mixers for consistent high-quality ar tisan baking using specialist doughs,” says Steve Merritt, managing director of EPP, exclusive distributor of LP Group mixers in the UK and Ireland

“We’re pleased to offer its comprehensive range of high quality, robust mixers, which are perfect for small bakers and Italian pizzerias The ability to produce at a smaller scale (whilst maintaining consistency) affords additional flexibility Bakers can even make batches of just half a dozen loaves or a handful of pizza bases –ideal for smaller requirements, or to use as experimenting and testing, all with less wastage

All LP Group fixed bowl spiral mixers feature a tough steel construction and reinforced motors built for many years of use Its intuitive models have been designed for low maintenance and easy dough extraction, and they can be extensively customised to suit individual requirements The mixers are capable of handling many types of dough, but are especially suited to ar tisan dough mixtures with hydration greater than 55% with European flour

Its Star Mixer line – designed for 40kg or 60kg dough capacity – features an easy-touse control panel with double scale electro-mechanical timer (which can be upgraded to an optional electronic control panel with bypass selector), and models can even be colour customised – ideal for reinforcing company branding, from kitchen to table Meanwhile , the VIS line is designed for dough capacities from 60kg to 250kg

LP Group mixers are available in the UK and Ireland from baker y equipment specialist EPP For more information visit www.eppltd.co.uk

Issue 155 CLH Digital 43
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
are available
units in their own right or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer-term hires We offer a free design ser vice , and project management from concept through to deliver y and installation on site , plus full technical suppor t throughout the hire period The standard specification of our smallest Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range , salamander grill twin basket fr yer upright fridge , hot cupboard, single bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, plus ample power points to plug
Units
as individual
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

Outdoor Spaces

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

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

44 CLH Digital Issue 155
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

Extending Outdoors Ltd Outdoor Spaces

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

Many hoteliers restaurants and cafes depend on their openair 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

Country Benches - High Quality Benches

Countr y Benches is run by a vastly experienced and time ser ved tradesman who has been ser ving in the trade for over 25 years

Although based in Bedfordshire we cover the whole of the United Kingdom on trade offers Countr y Benches is also pleased to be able to offer you a deliver y ser vice for smaller orders with a deliver y cost In addition to this, Countr y Benches can offer you these prices much cheaper than our competitors Our ser vices are great value for money and are of the absolute best quality All our products are built to order and delivered within seven days and we also operate a "payment on deliver y " basis So contact us today so that we can build

order to your exact specifications For details call 07446 101657 or email countr ybenchesltd@aol.com

ExtEnding OutdOOR Living Retractable Buildings - Retractable Roofs - Glazing Choices - Automatic Awnings Pergolas Verandas Swimming Pool, Spa & Hot Tub Enclosures Extending Outdoors Ltd provide a wide range of products to extend outside living Planning undertaken as applicable 30 years experience - guarantees up to 10 years We have over 1,000 installations throughout the UK Only provide quality products Most products are exclusive all from Europe. Residential and Commercial Email: extendingoutdoors@yahoo.com telescopicpoolenclosures@yahoo.co.uk Mobile: 0771810511 Main Line: 01722 444590 Websites: www.extendingoutdoorsleisure.co.uk www.extendingoutdoors.co.uk 8 Wilton Business Centre, Kingsway, Salisbury, Wilts SP2 0AH - Nationwide Create an outdoor living space to enjoy all year
Issue 155 CLH Digital 47
business
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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

translating into increased spend Our research shows 81% of consumers agree that ambience is impor tant to their decision to stay out longer or return to an establishment “Candlelight plays a vital role in creating that atmosphere with more than two thirds of consumers feeling that lighting and candlelight are impor tant to their overall experience at an establishment, and 60% feeling candlelight invites them to stay out longer What s more , candlelight can also contribute to the perception of a venue with 61%3 of consumers saying it would make them feel they were experiencing higher quality at an establishment That s why we ve pulled together a selection of tips and ideas for operators from furnishings to foliage and comfor t to candles we ’ re helping them to unlock revenue through expanding into this typically under-utilised area ” Bolsius Professional is a leading candle manufacturer with an extensive range of indoor and outdoor candles designed specifically for restaurants, bars and hotels To discover more about their candle range , and to download a copy of the Bolsius Professional guide ‘Investing in outdoor : attract and retain customers to grow revenue ’ go to www bolsius com/en/professional/inspiration See the adver t on the previous page or visit www bolsiusprofessional com Outdoor Spaces 46 CLH Digital Issue 155
Maximise the Potential of Your Outdoor Space With Our Range of Patio Heaters

Outdoor Spaces

Keeping Food Hot? We Have All The Answers

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 over 4,000 tonnes

of recycled plastic waste from landfill By producing our furniture from recycled plastic rather than wood, we have saved over 10,000 trees from being felled We manufacture all our furniture in Derbyshire Ever ything is handcrafted and as such you can order your furniture in custom colourways, and we can include branding, establishment names table numbers and other key information as either engravings or plaques Our furniture is longer-lasting and easier to maintain than their wooden alternatives, meaning you buy them once and they will last a lifetime for your business

From your first contact with us, to taking deliver y, we want the whole experience to be both enjoyable

and stress free We’re here to help so please do visit our website www tdp co uk, give us a call on 01629 820011 or drop us an email at info@tdp co uk
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Issue 155 CLH Digital 45 First of all, you will want one of our world beating Kanga boxes and a Carbon Heater You can then keep food hot indefinitely and fully comply with HACCP regulations Sounds too good to be true? Well we only supply premium German manufactured products from stock at incredibly low prices The insulated box manufactured from top quality expanded polypropylene is a dense closed cell insulation material but incredibly light to handle when empty for example the GN insulted box with a 117 mm internal depth only weighs just over a kilo and yet holds a massive 21 lts capacity Now combine the Kanga box with a Carbon Heater and the magic begins hot food all the time! Our range of Carbon heaters offers two voltage options 12 volts for car operation using the cigarette lighter socket or 230 volt mains voltage for internal or external mains use The big advantage of the Carbon Heaters they are absolutely fool proof just inser t them in the bottom of the box turn on and forget there are no consumer controls the temperature is pre-set at the factor y at 75 deg C The Carbon Heater is ver y light at only 700 grammes and does not take up much room only being 10mm thick Dishes can be place on the Carbon Heater straight out of the oven up to 120deg C Finally quick and easy to clean just wipe over with a damp cloth Contact Catering Equipment Limited on Tel: 0121 773 2228 or visit www.clickonstore .net or www.kangaboxuk.com

Outdoor Spaces

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

outdoor goods receive combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job

We

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

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

Get Ready for a Hot and Profitable Summer!

If no, you need to shout about your outdoor areas with visible signage at your frontage and marketing promotions

INCREASE DWELL TIME

If customers are comfor table they will stay longer and hopefully spend more! Ensure your customers are comfor table with the right outdoor furniture but also make sure they are protected from weather conditions too

Have you got enough shelter and shade provision for sunshine and rain? If we do have a hot summer, make sure you ve got enough parasols!

INCREASE PROFIT

With the long range forecast (MET office) saying summer 2023 will be hotter than 2022 due to El Nino effect, get your outdoor spaces ready for bumper trade

What can you do to maximise footfall, dwell time and profit? At Woodberr y, we help our hospitality clients maximise their outdoor spaces for customer enjoyment and profitability

INCREASE FOOTFALL

Is your garden or outdoor area visible from the outside of your venue? If yes that’s great for business but make it even more stand-out with brightly coloured parasols or plants to draw in passers-by

To generate more profit, can you increase the throughput of your customers by zoning drinking and dining areas? This is easily done with different types of outdoor furniture , bar height tables for drinkers, dining tables and chairs or picnic tables for diners

Contact Woodberr y Outdoor Furniture suppliers Woodberr y are long-time exper ts in supplying outdoor furniture to the hospitality trade We offer a wide range of hardwearing furniture , shelters and planters to help our clients maximise their outdoor spaces Call our friendly team on 01926 889922 or visit the Woodberr y website www woodberr y co uk

an independent supplier ser ving the outdoor restaurant trade with supplies for outdoor
We are
seating areas We have some large clients including Gondola group along with many smaller cafe bars, restaurants and public houses
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
48 CLH Digital Issue 155 Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

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!

QuALitY REPAiRS tO dAMAgEd itEMS & SuRFACES On-SitE Magicman® technicians are trained to deliver on site repairs to doors, floors, worktops, baths, shower trays, tiles, window frames and cills, furniture and so much more BEFORE AFTER tel: 0345 458 1010 get an estimate today www.magicman.co.uk Magicman® is the premier damage repair and restoration service
Issue 155 CLH Digital 49 Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

Design & Refit

Closing Down Sale - 25% Discount on All Stock Items

After over 30 years of trading Capricorn Contract Furnishings are closing down due to retirement

As a result we are offering customers a 25% discount on all stock items (excluding special offers) while stocks last Just quote CAT 2023 when contacting the office

Capricorn Furnishings are based in a 30, 000 square feet showroom and distribution warehouse on the outskir ts of Exeter in Devon From within the distribution area we are able to offer a next day deliver y ser vice on thousands of products

The Manor Hotel

Trevillion were delighted to work once again with Exclusive Collection delivering a “fresh new look” for their Michelin starred restaurant at The Manor House Bybrook at The Manor has held a Michelin star since 2017 and the hotel were keen to achieve a crisp contemporar y environment to compliment the culinar y style of Executive Chef Rober t Potter Taking inspiration from the exceptional surroundings, produce grown in the hotels kitchen garden and the river from which the restaurant takes its name , Trevillion have delivered a scheme that evokes a true sense of calm within a building full of heritage

A new wine room star ts the journey having a rich décor intentionally contrasting the light environment of the restaurant Eurocave wine fridges sitting on a light oak floor surrounded by “bottle green ” textured wallcovering presents the perfect sense of “Theatre”

The bespoke designed carpet influenced by the flowing Bybrook that runs through the hotels grounds provides a soft aesthetic for the main restaurant and continues to “flow” across the room and into the adjacent

including tables chairs stools and lounge furniture suitable for pubs restaurants cafes etc

Customers are encouraged to visit our large showroom to view an extensive range of furniture ideally suited for the leisure market Here you can relax and let Capricorn help and advise you with your requirements Please call office to arrange appointment

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

Bybrook Restaurant

Brook Room Natural oak tables with dark timber & aged bronze pedestals are surrounded by chairs with a simple silhouette All are upholstered in a textured faux hide , combined with a tactile boucle velvet & perfectly finished with a tiny light oak “foot”

Bespoke planters offer a subtle screening between diners & large scale glass wall lanterns, mirrors and two overlarge chandeliers provide elements of “sparkle” & layers of ambient light

An existing collection of three fret cut leaves together with two new commissioned pieces of Ar t dress the now papered walls adorned with a pattern chosen for its “nod” to the formality of a traditional “knot garden” and the surrounding landscape

The adjacent Brook Room has been furnished with subtle differences to emphasise its own character yet remains an integral par t of the main dining room Plain textured cur tains are trimmed with the embroidered pattern that furnishes the bay in the restaurant and wall lights featuring an indulgent rocklike cr ystal have been chosen to “balance” the aesthetic of the featured stonework all providing the perfect place to dine ! For fur ther information visit www trevillion co uk

Please

50 CLH Digital Issue 155
mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
LARGE STOCKS AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY (While stocks last) QUOTE Ref CAT 2023 DUE TO RE TIREMENT CLOSING DOWN SALE CLOSING DOWN SALE DUE TO RE TIREMENT ALL STOCK ITEMS REDUCED BY 25% ON WEB SITE PRICES (EXCLUDING SPECIAL OFFERS) REDUCED BY LARGE STOCKS AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY (While stocks last) QUOTE Ref CAT 2023 Tel: 01395 233 320 www.ccf-ltd.uk sales@ccf-ltd.uk Head Office/ Showroom: Unit 1, Greendale Business Park, Woodbury Salterton, Exeter, Devon EX5 1EW

Design & Refit

To make sure the happy couple’s wishes are catered for on their big day, it’s vital to offer seating that’s as flexible as it’s attractive Trent Furniture’s fantastic range of banqueting furniture is designed to tick both boxes

Our Banqueting Folding Table is available in diameters from 92cm to 183 cm, to comfor tably seat groups from 3-4 to 10-12 Its round shape makes it perfect for socialising, but if a rectangular shape is required for the top table , our American Trestle Table is a great choice Wedding chairs need to look stylish while withstanding heavy use Our Harrow Steel Stacking Chair is an economical option available in a silver or gold finish Or for a touch of opulence opt for the Chiavari Stacking Chair –

If you want to build trust and relationships with your customers CardsSafe can help The system wirelessly and securely holds customers bank cards while they run a tab As a result, staff can spend more time with customers, upsell and build valuable relationships Customers will also feel more relaxed knowing that their cards are safe

The CardsSafe system is specifically designed to securely retain customer credit debit and ID cards while the cardholder runs a tab As a result the technolog y not only protects against credit card fraud but also eliminates walk-outs and allows for checking the validity of bank cards

The CardsSafe system has now revolutionised how hospitality businesses manage their customers' payment obligations Their wireless technolog y can be safely tucked away behind the bar POS or ser vice station The units are easily installed and the system does not capture data so it never breaches GDPR CardsSafe helps pubs, bars and restaurants avoid losses, and it helps to increase profits by allowing staff to

available in gold, limewash and silver finishes, it features a removable seat pad for added versatility

All our banqueting furniture is great value , making it a viable option for wedding venues to buy different styles to accommodate var ying tastes Not only that, it’s lightweight and stackable too, making it easy to accommodate when not in use

For more information about our elegant and durable range of wedding furniture please call us on 0116 2864 911 or fill in our contact form at www.trentfurniture .co.uk/contact-us

Prepare For Wedding Season With Chic and Cost-Effective Furniture Avoid Losses, Increase Profits and Build Relationships with CardsSafe®

upsell to their customers

That's why over 5000 venues trust CardsSafe to manage their customer food and drink tabs and leisure facility hires

From Young s pubs to Hilton Hotels, the London Golf Club, Lord's cricket ground and numerous restaurants and bars utilise the CardsSafe system

Timothy Young's Bar Manager explains "Average spend is up and chargeback has vir tually disappeared after we installed CardsSafe which really puts our customers minds at rest

CardsSafe is affordable! Each unit contains ten card drawers that can be hired for just £9 95 per month In addition, each hire comes with customer ser vice troubleshooting and free replacement keys Additional units can be added at any time

Avoid losses with CardsSafe® and reap the benefits today!

For more information please visit www.cardssafe .com

Or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040

52 CLH Digital Issue 155
mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Please

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

eliminating the requirement for hard copies of menus and making it quicker and more convenient for customers to order Our investment in additional equipment and software has ensured that our customers in the hospitality sector can benefit from high quality products with excellent swift ser vice at a fair price Our ISO9001 accreditation means that ever y job no matter how large or small goes through the workshops with this expectation level and the continuous amount of 5 stars we receive on Trust pilot, highlights this commitment” said Tom Pycock, Sales Director of Brunel Engraving In addition to rotar y engraving, Brunel offers laser engraving, chemical etching, anodic print dye sublimation print flatbed UV print and wide format UV print T: 01275 871 720 E: info@brunelengraving co uk W: www brunelengraving co uk
Issue 155 CLH Digital 53 Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

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

Gatehouse Coffee located in Walmgate Bar is a charming café nestled within the ancient walls of York As the most complete of the four main medieval gateways into the city, Walmgate is the only ‘Bar’ in the UK to retain its barbican por tcullis and inner doors and par ts of it date back to the 12th centur y Offering a selection of ar tisan coffee and tasty treats to locals and tourists, the café owners reconfigured the space to improve the flow of the café for customers As par t of the refurbishment the catering sink was relocated which meant a pumping solution would be required to enable the discharge of hot waste water A Saniflo Sanicom lifting station proved to be the perfect answer and it was duly installed out of sight underneath the adjacent stairwell Protected by a grease filter, the Sanicom takes grey hot water waste and pumps it upwards through a network of discharge pipes within the café walls and ceiling ultimately connecting to an existing cast iron soil pipe concealed within the toll bar walls A job that gravity drainage could just not do The Sanicom is the perfect pumping solution for catering and hospitality and is available with one or two pumps Visit www.saniflo.co.uk or email marketing@saniflo co uk
54 CLH Digital Issue 155
Design & Refit
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Café

Property and Professional

Hospitality Businesses Can Use Finance to Access New Tax

Why Use a Specialist Hospitality Consultant?

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

Answer: because we can help your business to succeed Issue 155 CLH Digital 55 The UK Government recently launched Full Capital Expensing’; a new tax incentive designed to encourage business investment This Capital Allowance enables hospitality firms to fully write-off the cost of qualifying purchases in the same year the asset was purchased This equates to a saving of 19% or 25% of the asset’s purchase price (depending on your tax rate) The allowance can be claimed on a wide range of equipment by incorporated businesses, with the Annual Investment Allowance accessible under similar rules by unincorporated businesses This means you can get that new equipment, refurbish your premises install an alarm or air-con at a significant effective discount For example , a pub refurbishing with £30,000 of qualifying equipment would deduct £30 000 from their company profits and pay Corporation Tax on the remainder At a 19% Corporation Tax rate the company would now pay £5,700 less tax, a saving equivalent to 19% of the purchase price For businesses who prefer to spread the cost of their equipment or project, using either a business loan or a hire purchase agreement allows the full expensing allowance to be claimed The government uses the term plant and machiner y ’ to denote items that qualify for the allowance , which must all be new, but in reality, this covers a wide range of purchases: • Items that you keep, to use in your business Costs of demolishing plant and mac hiner y • Par ts of a building considered integral • Some fixtures inc luding kitc hens , bathrooms , air-con and alarms/cctv • Building alterations required to install plant and mac hiner y • Vehic les for moving goods (but not car s) Por tman Asset Finance is both a lender and a broker, able to provide both hire purchase agreements and business loans methods that allow capital allowances to be claimed We have been helping pubs, restaurants and hotels spread the cost of new equipment, fund refurbishments and cover unexpected operational costs since 2007 Por tman also provide finance leasing, shor t term and flexible loans as well as tax loans and equipment refinance , helping hospitality businesses to boost cashflow or capture oppor tunities in today’s challenging environment If you ’ re looking to fund new equipment, refurbish your premises or boost cashflow, talk to the exper ts at Por tman Call: 01604 669343 Visit: www por tmanassetfinance co uk
Incentives

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

Do You Have Plans To Take Your Business To The Next Level This Year?

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:

• Manag ng shor t-term cash flow issues

• Purc hasing seasonal food and dr ink

• Hir ing addit onal staff

• Purc hasing new cater ng 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

56 CLH Digital Issue 155
Property
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 and can help fund any of the following: • Equipment and mac hiner y • Refurbishment of trading premises • New stoc k and inventor y • Unexpected VAT bills and staff wages • Cashflow and working cap tal requirements Millbrook Business Finance are exper ts at arranging fast and affordable finance between £25 000 to £25m We offer flexible repayment terms and industr y-beating pay out times too, meaning your money can land into your account within as little as 24 hours We will not be beaten on price We guarantee to beat any like-for-like finance approval* We offer free business finance reviews Looking to reduce your costs? Let Millbrook review your current finances and see if we can save you money through refinancing Interested in business finance , but not sure you'll be approved? We can check your eligibility in minutes without it impacting your credit score Speak to a business finance specialist today: 0333 188 2206 Or visit our website to submit an enquir y: www millbrookbusinessfinance com See the adver t on page 47 * Conditiona on Mil brook Business F nance Ltd rece v ng a copy of the formal f nance approval and is at the so e d scretion of Mi lbrook Bus ness Finance Ltd

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