CLH News #198 March 2017

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March 2017

Issue 198

Hospitality Technology

Microwaves and Combis

Food Hygiene

Product Portfolio

Design and Refit

Property and Professional

Pages 18 - 19

Pages 20 - 23

Outdoor Leisure

Page 24

Pages 25 - 27

Pages 27 - 28

Pages 29 - 35

Pages 36 - 38

Budget 2017 Receives Mixed Response from Licensed & Hospitality Bodies CHANCELLOR PHILIP Hammond’s first budget, which will see a duty rise for beer, cider, wine and spirits has received a mixed response from industry leaders. The budget increases contrast with previous budgets, which saw a freeze or cut in beer duty. In a speech, the Chancellor announced that he would make no change to previously planned up ratings of duties on alcohol, which means that beer, cider, wine and spirits rise in line with inflation. The Chancellor also announced that the government will introduce a new temporary £1,000 discount on business rates bills for all pubs with a rateable value of less than £100,000, recognise “the valuable role that local pubs play in our communities”.

Miles Beale Chief Executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association said: “It is disappointing that the Chancellor has failed to support a great British industry. He has increased what were already excessive and unfairly high rates of duty for the UK’s wine and spirit consumers and businesses.

Between Brexit’s impact on the pound and rising inflation the wine and spirit businesses face a tough trading landscape. This is a missed opportunity to back British business and help out struggling consumers.

The added uncertainty of another Budget in 6 months’ time is unwelcome and will further undermine business – and consumer – confidence.

At least there is some sign that Philip Hammond cares about levelling the playing field. It is important that he treated all alcohol products equally. It is welcome news that he has introduced a consultation on wine and made wine between 5.5 – 8.5% – a category which holds a great deal of potential for innovation, especially for lower ABV products.”

The ALMR welcomed the Government’s Budget Statement and steps to address business rates inequality for pubs and bars and to promote growth and investment across the UK’s businesses.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The Chancellor has stated that he wants to make the UK the most attractive place in the world to do business. Cuts to Corporation Tax will help hardworking and successful businesses continue to grow and invest in their teams, but it must form part of a wider strategy on business tax.

“If the Chancellor is serious about encouraging investment then we need to see a detailed blueprint of how it is to be achieved and how this links with the Government’s wider industrial strategy.

“It is very encouraging to see the Government acknowledge and back the valuable work being carried out by the UK’s hardworking pubs, bars and restaurants. Sector-specific relief will help those businesses hardest hit by the revaluation. This much-needed Government support will save the sector over £24m and will help safeguard investment and jobs. We are pleased to see the Government acknowledge the issue and act positively to support a crucial growth champion and a sector with turnover of £60bn employing over 1.5 million. The £300m worth of relief made available to local authorities will also be crucial for addressing costs for hardworking, entrepreneurial restaurants also facing increased rates bills.

“The next step is for the Government to instigate the long term, root and branch reform that is needed for pubs and bars. The Chancellor indicated that the Government will look at more frequent revaluations, something the ALMR has been pushing for, and we look forward to working with him going forward.”

BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simonds, said: “We very much welcome the specific help for pubs with rate relief; £1,000 off for all pubs with a rateable value less than £100,000. We campaigned very hard for this and it is vital that this is extended in future years.

“We have been very clear with Government that pubs are paying 2.8 per cent of Business Rates, but only generate 0.5 per cent of turnover – an overpayment of £500 million. This very specific acknowledgement that pubs are so important to local communities and are a force for good, is very welcome.

“I am also pleased that the Chancellor has also announced a wider review, and has taken up the cause of ensuring the rates burden is shared more fairly, especially when it comes to on-line business.

“We will wait to see further details of the funding for local authorities, and we would urge them to make pubs a priority. Pubs play a vital role in their local communities and are a force for good.”

“When it comes to beer duty, a return to unpopular beer duty rises, with an extra 2p duty on a pint, is not good news for the British beer industry and in turn pubs.

“Business Rates, auto-enrolment of pensions, the national living and minimum wage, and the Apprenticeship Levy were already adding the equivalent of 5.3p in beer duty.

“Beer tax has now risen by 43 per cent the past ten years. This latest rise will mean 4,000 fewer jobs this year, mostly in pubs. Tax rises on all alcohol will add £125 million to the cost base of pubs.

“Britain’s beer taxes are three times the EU average, and an astonishing thirteen times higher than those of the largest producer, Germany. If we are to compete in the future and as we move towards the challenges of Brexit, action must be taken on tax, to ease the burden on a Colin Valentine, CAMRA’s National Chairman says: “UK beer drinkers, pubs and brewers have been let down by the Chancellor’s decision to increase beer duty for the first time in five years.

“The announced two penny a pint increase marks a return to the days when the muchhated Beer Duty Escalator contributed to 75,000 job losses, 3,700 pub closures and a 24% fall in beer sales in pubs. The rise in beer duty will ultimately hit consumers in their pockets and lead to pub closures across the country.

“The government’s U-turn on beer duty is a real missed opportunity to support consumers. The UK still pays one of the highest rates of duty across Europe, only consuming around 12% of the beer yet paying nearly 40% of all beer duty in the EU. Further beer duty increases will lead to unsustainable price increases in pubs. The decision completely ignores the pressures that are being faced by the beer and pub sectors.”

The Government has recognised the unique role that pubs play in our communities in England by introducing a new temporary £1,000 discount on business rates bills for all pubs with a rateable value of less than £100,000. CAMRA has warmly welcomed this relief and has called for it to be made permanent and increased further in future Budgets.

While this discount will provide welcome relief for the majority of pubs, not all will benefit as the relief does not apply to the largest pubs so a minority are still faced with very large business rate increases.

Colin Valentine, CAMRA’s National Chairman adds: “We are delighted that the Government has recognised the vital role that pubs play both in our local communities and our economy by introducing a new rate relief specifically for pubs in England.

“The announcement of a new rate relief for pubs in England is a ground-breaking step which recognises both the importance of pubs and the unfair impact of the business rate system on pubs. This new relief offers huge assistance to pubs and is a step towards CAMRA’s ambition of securing a £5,000 rate relief reduction for all pubs.

“While this is welcome news for most pubs, some of the largest pubs will be excluded from the new relief. For example, the CAMRA award winning Baum pub in Rochdale will be unaffected by this discount. The Baum pub’s rateable value is going up by 376.6%, and the pub will pay an additional £47,327 per year once transitional rate relief ends.

“CAMRA is calling on local councils to use the new discretionary fund announced today to support those pubs that will still be hit by massive business rate increases over the coming years.”

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Editor's Viewpoint

March 2017

ONCE AGAIN, I would like to welcome new readers to our publication CLH News!

As previously explained we are free-to-trade publication, and we have extended our readership to reach more independent hospitality businesses - please see the inside back cover (page 39) for further details The Chancellor’s decision to grant a £1000 business rate discount for the majority of pubs in the UK is a welcome move. However, as Ufi Ibrahim, the chief EDITOR executive of the BHA, said, some small hospitality businesses, facing an average 23% rates increase, will be forced out of business. In addition the hike in alcohol duty will cancel out any headline grabbing relief on business rates with the Chancellor effectively robbing ‘Peter to pay Paul’. I have to say, I could not agree more!

Some of the reports that I read “pubs are among the big winners as Chancellor boosts business rate relief”, so there you are, “big winners”! How does it feel?

When you look at it plain and simple, the same Chancellor announced significant rate increases which, according to reports will cripple many businesses, in particular pubs, so the same Chancellor has announced a relief, but at the same time has increased duty on beer, cider wine and spirits. A CAMRA spokesman said: “The announced two penny a pint increase marks a return to the days when the much-hated Beer Duty Escalator contributed to 75,000 job losses, 3,700 pub closures and a 24% fall in beer sales in pubs. The rise in beer duty will ultimately hit consumers in their pockets and lead to pub closures across the country.

“The government’s U-turn on beer duty is a real missed opportunity to support consumers. The UK still pays one of the highest rates of duty across Europe, only consuming around 12% of the beer yet paying nearly 40% of all beer duty in the EU. Further beer duty increases will lead to unsustainable price increases in pubs. The decision completely ignores the pressures that are being faced by the beer and pub sectors.

Again, I could not agree more, I think it is that he of the budget glossed over by an announcement of granting relief this more pubs, but at the same time hitting them with increased costs!

Furthermore, budgets like this make the campaign for reducing VAT in tourism, appear like nothing but a distant dream.

The letter sent to the Chancellor by the campaign to cut tourism VAT, and which can be seen here, (www.cuttourismvat.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Cut-Tourism-VAT-BudgetSubmission-210217.pdf) certainly fell on deaf ears, there was no reference to tourism VAT whatsoever. The letter highlights that a reduction in tourism VAT would create over 121,000 extra jobs over the next 10 years and improve the UK's balance of trade by £23 billion.

The letter goes on to highlight that 31 countries across Europe have already introduced reductions in tourism VAT and are reaping the benefits. A cut is backed by trade organisations and 170 MPs across all parties.

If you haven’t already, I would urge you to click on the link and read the letter and join the campaign to cut tourism VAT. The website is here www.cuttourismvat.co.uk And it literally takes two steps to join the campaign! And if successful would make a hugely positive influence on the UK tourist industry.

I would also take this opportunity to urge our readers old and new to sign up on our website newsletter at www.catererlicensee.com for all the latest news and views on a daily basis, tips and hints which we hope will make your life a little easier, for instance, I would draw your attention to the section on our website which has free posters for various functions, events and celebratory days at www.catererlicensee.com/posters-for-special-events So if you’re making preparations for Mother’s Day we have some posters on our website which can help you raise the profile, and hopefully help “pack ‘em in”!

Peter Adams

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Martin took the opportunity to use Wetherspoon’s results for the half-year to 22 January 2017 to hit out at the “continuing tax disparity between supermarkets and pubs, in respect of VAT and business rates”, saying: “The biggest danger to the pub industry is the continuing tax disparity between supermarkets and pubs, in respect of VAT and business rates.

“As previously indicated, we understand the need for the government to raise taxes. However, there should be a sensible rebalancing of the taxes paid by pubs and supermarkets, if the pub industry is to survive in the long term.

“Last Wednesday’s budget was presented by the Chancellor as providing tax relief of approximately £1,000 per pub, for pubs with a rateable value of less than £100,000.

“In fact, that sum is dwarfed by tax and regulatory increases. For example, costs to Wetherspoon will increase by approximately the following amounts in the next year: • Business rates: £7m • Electricity taxes: £4m • Excise duty: £7m

• Apprenticeship Levy: £2m “In addition, the proposed sugar tax will cost approximately £4m from April 2018 and there will be further electricity tax increases of around £5m by 2020.

“Companies like Wetherspoon, on examination of the fine print of the budget, are not, in fact, eligible for the £1,000 per annum decrease in business rates, in any event.

“The company has previously emphasised the far-higher taxes per meal or per pint that pubs pay compared to supermarkets. For example, supermarkets pay less than 2p per pint for business rates, whereas pubs pay around 18p per pint.

“The increase in business rates per pint for pubs from next month will be around 2p, further exacerbating the tax gap.

“Pubs also pay VAT of 20% in respect of food sales, but supermarkets pay almost nothing, enabling supermarkets to subsidise the price of alcoholic drinks. An article written for the trade press on this subject can be found below.

“Wednesday’s budget will weigh far more heavily on pubs than supermarkets, especially since wage costs per pint or meal are approximately 10 times higher in pubs.

“The Chancellor was less-than-frank in his budget speech, since he did not spell out the duty increases, giving the impression to many that there would be no increase.

“In effect, this was a budget for dinner parties, no doubt the preference of the Chancellor and his predecessor – dinner parties will suffer far less from the taxes outlined above, whereas many people prefer to go to pubs, given the choice.”

Pubs Code Adjudicator Makes First Arbitration Awards PAUL NEWBY, the Pubs Code Adjudicator, has announced the completion of the first cases referred to the PCA for arbitration, indicating that the new framework is working to achieve fairness and choice for tenants.

The first cases have been decided and the Adjudicator has made five awards. The numbers of awards will continue to rise as parties conclude their negotiations. Currently over half the accepted cases are at a stage where parties are agreeing procedure between themselves before the process reaches the final stages.

Mr Newby said: This represents an early milestone for arbitration under the Pubs Code. The bulk of the first referrals for arbitrations were received in October and November and cases have been moving through the arbitration process.

As part of arbitration, parties are encouraged to continue to negotiate and I am pleased to see this process is bringing pub-owning businesses and tenants to the negotiating table. In many cases this is leading to the narrowing of issues, a stronger negotiation position for tenants and swifter settlement.

It shows that arbitration is fulfilling its purpose: tenants and pub-owning businesses are talking and coming to agreement between themselves.

Arbitration awards remain private unless all parties to the dispute

agree to release details. As more cases reach award stage I will see where we can identify general principles and make information and advice available to tenants and pub-owning businesses to guide their future relationships.

Some big issues such as what a Market Rent Only compliant tenancy looks like are in the arbitration process. All cases will be considered on an individual basis.

The PCA has robust systems and resources in place to deal with the number of referrals we have received. My team and I are working very hard to progress all referrals.

However, the parties in any dispute have significant control on timing because at each stage of arbitration both tenants and pub-owning businesses have to respond with information or views, or take action independently of the PCA, to allow the process to move forward.

The Code is also new, and inevitably many of the issues raised are the first of a kind and take some time to resolve.

Mr Newby added: I am also continuing to gather information from tenants, other individuals including MPs, and representative organisations about the Code.

This information is beginning to build up and I am focusing on analysing the information so I have good intelligence to support action I will take. I urge any individual or organisation with information about potential Code breaches to bring that information to me. It will be treated in the fullest confidence.

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March 2017

Free From/Functional Food Expo 2017 - We've Grown!

FREE FROM Food/Functional Food Expo returns to Barcelona, Spain, for 2017 on June 8 - 9, 2017 - opening the doors on a stunning marketplace of free from products and ingredients from around the globe, all under one roof.

Free From/Functional Food Expo is Europe's annual tradeonly event on free from, and functional food and ingredients - driven by the explosion in the health, free from and functional category.

More than 3,000 buyers and professionals from retail, food service and the major multiples are expected to attend. They will be able to source the latest products from more than 250 exhibitors; as well as the latest trends and innovations offered by an extensive conference programme - with more than 50 specialist key speakers scheduled over two full days.

The number of suppliers and manufacturers showcasing their products at the Free From/Functional Food Expo and in the co-joined Ingredients zone, continues to grow year on year. The diverse and unique range of free from products and ingredients includes those which are lactose free, dairy free, sugar free, vegan, kosher, and much more.

The trend for gluten free continues to dominate, with more producers than ever before offering food, drinks and ingredients which are free of gluten, certified by the national bodies managed by AOECS, the Association of European Coeliac Societies.

Veganism, lactose free and functional foods are in demand - as consumers choosing a healthier lifestyle make the switch to plant-based food and drink products, and those with extra health benefits. More people than ever before

are going vegan in combination with protein, and this year the Vegan Society is the event partner, reflecting this trend.

Functional foods - vitamins, probiotics, nutritional and food supplements, protein and sports nutrition - will also be featured, as part of the specialist Functional Food Expo zone.

There will be a full conference programme in two dedicated theatres during the two day event. Experts will reveal all the latest insight into the market - and what the future holds. This year there will be even more to debate - with topics covering functional food and veganism. Last year, the show welcomed Hamish Renton from Renton Associates; David Jago from Mintel; and David Hedin from Euromonitor International, among the speakers.

For 2017, show organiser Expo Business Communications, has introduced a new dedicated free from Buyer Programme. Key pre-selected buyers will be invited to the show, from major supermarkets across Europe.

Ronald Holman, Exhibition Director, said: "The free from and functional markets continue to make huge strides right across Europe and beyond - and this growth shows no sign of slowing down, which is great news for producers and suppliers. This is an exciting year to be part of this growing and much-needed trade show. It is already bigger than last year and with so much more on offer with our new country and specialist pavilions - and the conference schedule, there is simply no better time to exhibit or visit."

Free From/Functional Food Expo 2017 takes place on June 8th and 9th 2017 at Fira de Barcelona, Gran Via, Barcelona, Spain.

Visit: www.freefromfoodexpo.com and www.functionalfoodexpo.com Twitter: @FreeFromFood17

Farm Frites’ Ultimate Chip Scoops Chefs Choice Award JUST FOUR months on from its launch to market, Farm Frites’ Ultimate Chip has been awarded a coveted Chefs Choice Award.

Farm Frites won the Best Meal Accompaniment category after judges declared that its Ultimate Chip was ‘a good crisp chip with a well-balanced flavour and texture.’ The product was also praised for its texture and taste with judges stating they ‘are both of high standard.’

Launched as the company celebrates 25 years in the UK, Farm Frites’ Ultimate Chip offers an authentic, high quality meal accompaniment for premium casual dining operators.

It offers a truly rustic feel by being ‘perfectly imperfect’ in design; popular among consumers and for operators who offer a premium ‘gastro’ menu. It is based on a 10-step process and is designed to take the strain off busy chefs and offer time savings with the end result to match with the chips they make themselves.

The Chefs Choice Awards are run by William Reed Publishing to showcase the work of foodservice suppliers from wholesalers through to manufacturers. They are judged by

chefs for chefs and reward quality, innovation value and great taste delivery.

“It’s a massive coup for us to have won this award, particularly against such high quality competition, explains Nic Townsend, marketing manager UK & Ireland, Farm Frites.

“This was a UK-first launch and was developed with valuable input from a team of chefs who work in the premium burger and casual dining sectors. We took our time to get this product right and this award is well deserved for everyone who has been involved in the manufacture of our Ultimate Chip.”

Manufactured at the peak of freshness before being professionally prepared and frozen, the Ultimate Chip contrasts a perfect fluffy inner for a melt in the mouth feel with a crispy outer for the perfect crunch.

Farm Frites’ Ultimate Chip is stored frozen and can be deep fried in small quantities for just 4-5 minutes. It is fully allergen free and reaches the Governments Salt Pledge target.

For further information about the Ultimate Chip contact Farm Frites on 01452 415845 email supportuk@farmfrites.com or visit www.farmfrites.com or see ad page 16.

Make Hay While the Sun Shines THE BRITISH hotel industry could be a net beneficiary of Brexit if it focuses on performance and process improvement now, says Ian Smith, General Manager at Invu.

The recent fall in the value of the pound must be good news for the hotel industry, enticing more overseas travellers to visit the UK, where they can make their own currencies go further. At the same time it seems likely more Britons will restrict their travel to British shore.

This bonus may not only be restricted to the tourist trade. Businesses can make their budgets go further in Britain too, meaning the UK could become an attractive destination for international business meetings and conferences over the coming months.

While there is a cloud on the horizon in the form of the implications of Brexit, the full ramifications of it are unlikely to be felt for a good two years.

George Osbourne, former Chancellor of the Exchequer, used to bang on about fixing the roof while the sun shines. For the hotel industry that moment is now.

It would be easy to miss this opportunity and look straight past it, waiting nervously to see what the true impact of Brexit will be.

It is understandable that industry leaders will place their bargaining chips on the pre-Brexit negotiating table.

British Hospitality Association CEO Ufi Ibrahim has been vocal on the subject, noting that the sector here employs some 4.5 million people – many of whom are now concerned about their ongoing right to stay and work in the UK. She is also campaigning for a cut to tourism VAT, to ease some of the pressure and enable the industry to remain competitive.

It is easy to be negative and focus on the ability to keep accessing competitive labour from Eastern Europe or imagine a world where the impact of tighter border controls impacts tourism.

Threats Digital transformation can be regarded merely as a threat by the industry.

Pressure from alternative accommodation is growing, for instance, via new models which harness social platforms and mobile apps like Airbnb. However, the recent judgement against UBER has perhaps dented the outlook for the Gig economy.

The industry has already gone through one transformation, with the marketing model already significantly impacted by the likes of Booking.com who have taken

over a large proportion of the bookings activity, enabling them to negotiate from a strong position on fees. Hotels need to be aware of the power of social networks, keep their propositions both fresh and enticing and their customer experiences strong, ensuring customers keep coming back. In today’s world of online reviews and viral feedback, no customer-facing business can afford to put a foot wrong.

All property-based businesses could soon see a hike in business rates, following a recent nationwide Government revaluation exercise.

However the penny falls with Brexit, the likelihood is that costs will rise – from the price of labour, to the cost of items imported from other markets (ingredients, wines, fixtures, and fittings). All of this needs to be absorbed as painlessly as possible, without detriment to the customer experience (e.g. through higher prices, or poorer service).

Mitigation of these threats will be reliant on strong cost management.

Opportunities As well as the likely increase in demand caused by a weaker pound, digital transformation can be regarded as an opportunity for the industry.

Digital transformation offers opportunities to optimise business processes. For example, financial processes can be digitised and automated reducing time staff spend in the back office, handling routine administration such as purchasing management and supplier invoice processing.

These processes tie up valuable resources – people whose time and skills could be more usefully allocated to being visible and available front-of-house, where they can make a difference for customers - contributing to a good experience (and a favourable review).

Traditional manual accounting processes and an overreliance on paper to record and keep track of spending makes visibility of expenditure difficult. Replacing manual systems such as accounts payable with automated processes will result in better control of the business.

Unstructured data, for example the detail of costs contained on invoices, can be captured and analysed.

Taking advantage of these opportunities will provide management with the tools for stronger cost management.

Timing is everything Hotels have an opportunity to act now and be prepared for the impact of Brexit.

If Brexit does ultimately lead to pressure on staffing levels by driving up wage rates, an early move to control costs and bolster productivity could mitigate the risk – as long as businesses make the improvements before the pain is felt.

Hotels should not wait. Two years will soon fly by, and the sooner they start to get their financial processes in order, the more robust a position they’ll be in when Britain breaks away.

Hotels Fail Child Exploitation Test NINE HOTELS and guest houses in Oxfordshire, have failed child exploitation tests carried out by Thames Valley Police.

In a campaign to raise awareness a plain clothes policeman and a 15-year-old girl were able to book rooms in nine hotels late at night without being asked questions.

Thames Valley Police said “valuable lessons” need to be learned from the test, run in Oxfordshire. The operation took place between 2-3 February in Banbury and Bicester.

Twenty establishments were visited by Thames Valley Police during the operation.

Four of the eight hotels or guest houses visited in Bicester failed the test and were willing to rent a room overnight to a 15-year-old girl and a plain clothes police officer without checking the identification of either the girl or covert police officer.

In Banbury, five establishments failed the test, with six stating they were full or did not have staff available to make a booking. Only one establishment denied the couple a room.

Sgt Steve Willis of the Bicester Town Neighbourhood

Policing Team said: “Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is an issue that Thames Valley Police takes very seriously. We feel it is very important to work with as many different organisations and individuals as possible so that more people can recognise the signs of potential exploitation. Raising awareness with our local hotels and guest houses about CSE can only lead to safer communities for our children. “Running operations like this allows us to practically test how local businesses react to a potential CSE and we can then use the results of such operations to help shape further staff training.

“We will work with the businesses that failed the test to ensure they check identification when an adult attempts to book a room with a child.

“It was pleasing to see that some hotel staff asked probing questions to our covert police officer and the girl, and then subsequently reported their concerns to the police. This is exactly what we want to see and they have set the benchmark that we want some of the others to now reach.”

Deputy Police Commander for Cherwell and West Oxfordshire local police area, Ch.Insp Emma Garside said:

“The results of this test purchasing operation show valuable lessons are still to be learned. Our inability to book more hotel rooms was found to be more due to lack of availability rather than the actions of hotel staff.

“In every case where it is believed that a customer is seeking to obtain a hotel room for a person under 18 years of age, staff should ask for identification of all guests and contact police immediately with their concerns.

“There is a Hotel Watch scheme in place and these operations will continue to ensure the safety of those living and working in our area.”

Cllr Tony Ilott, lead member for public protection, said: “The safeguarding and protection of children is of the utmost importance, so it is vital that we carry out these checks and balances in order to ensure nothing is being missed.

“We all have a duty to keep a watching eye out for anything that we may think is suspicious, and I would encourage anyone who suspects that they may have seen something untoward, to be proactive in reporting any such incidents.”

March 2017

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'There’s Beer for That' Urges Pubs & Restaurants To Interact With #Dinewithbeer PUB AND restaurant operators are being urged to engage with #dinewithbeer – a new initiative from There’s A Beer For That – to help consumers discover there`s more to beer than they might think and to boost their own beer sales as a result. In particular, they`re being asked to post photos of their favourite beer and food combinations onto social media to stimulate interest and conversation around the best pairings, in order to encourage people to choose a beer with their meal in and out of home.

There’s A Beer For That, the campaign to reignite Britain’s love of beer, is tapping into consumers’ enduring love for sharing images of their favourite food dishes by launching an Instagram account (beerforthat) using the hashtag #dinewithbeer and wants everyone in the hospitality industry to get actively involved. The launch is part of a wider #dinewithbeer programme that includes a new series of videos featuring the best in pub food and beer pairings, as well as a continued drive to promote beer and food through co-hosting Beer Club Events and co-creation of bespoke beer & food menus, with a range of pubs, bars and restaurants.

“Everybody loves sharing photos of the food they’re eating” commented David Cunningham, Programme Director of There’s A Beer For That “and people take fabulous photos all the time that epitomise how great dining with beer is. We want to provide a platform to bring these shots together and encourage everyone to share their great beer & food pair-

ings. The diversity of beer, with more than 140 styles available, provides great versatility to pair with so many different foods and it is increasingly becoming a drink of choice to accompany meals either in pubs and restaurants or at home.

We want to encourage everyone in the industry to reinforce the message that beer and food are excellent partners through social media and to share their excitement of discovering great matches.”

The Instagram account for There’s A Beer For That strengthens its already strong digital presence which reaches an average of 200,000 people a day through Facebook and Twitter including the popular #BeerMatch service on Twitter which allows trade and consumers to request an instant beer match for any type of meal or recipe.

“We are asking all operators to encourage staff and customers to post photos of their brilliant beer and food combinations on social media” continued Cunningham. “By tagging @beerforthat and using #dinewithbeer together we can spread the word that there are many beers out there that pair perfectly with, and can enhance, most meals. @beerforthat will then curate and redistribute the best images, with the appropriate permissions and credit, to our followers. As more people change the way they think about – and drink – beer, sales should increase, especially in those outlets that are the most active.”

The #dinewithbeer initiative also includes a series of new videos released by There’s A Beer For That which provide an overview of different beer styles and how they bring out the best in food by complementing, contrasting or cutting through the flavours. The Anchor Inn in Dorset is featured in

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the first videos with Head Chef Jean Paul De Ronne sharing award-winning dishes, like Popcorn Parfait, paired with great beers and featuring some local Palmers Brewery ales, reaching over 150,000 people The initial six films in the #dinewithbeer series will be featured on Instagram and other social channels over the coming months, starting with the beer and dessert campaign.

Cunningham says “Running Beer Club events and having stand-alone `Dine with Beer` menus are a proven way for pubs, bars & restaurants to increase consumer education and engagement, as well as sales. We are continuing to activate these initiatives with existing & new partners, but we are always wanting to work with new partners, so I would urge anyone interested to contact us at hello@beerforthat.com.”

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March 2017

Protest Accusing Adjudicator OPINION: Kitchen Design and Tied Tenants of Failing to Act in Their Interest the Great Grease Trap Dilemma DURING THE design of a commercial kitchen, with today's regulations and enforcement challenges that owners face, getting the correct information in regard to the design of a kitchen is a significant challenge, writes William Clark, director of Alumina.

Good business practice would be to contract a good professional consultant. This will ensure all the current legislation, on all aspects of the design and operation of a commercial kitchen (Hygiene Practices HACCP, Oil and Grease Compliance), are covered. All consultants have indemnity insurance, combined with many years of experience too, so it is money well spent.

Consultants will take into account a grease management system in the initial design and allow enough space to accommodate it. Positioning the equipment correctly, e.g. number of sinks, combi ovens, etc. by using oversized or extra sinks, will increase the size of interceptor to be specified. The pipework system requires a clear run to drain outlet to give optimum performance and cost saving.

With the ambiguity of the adopted EN-1825/PDA sizing methods and the number of different trap systems in the marketplace, we presume they are all certified and fit for purpose in UK- if you read the different companies' literature.

However, it may use certification from different bodies. Be aware it is up to the business owner to ensure these meet current legislation; we would advise that this be obtained in writing and dated.

Raising the question, "How can the interceptors based on nominal sizing, be used if GMS hasn't been tested or approved by a UK authority, be passed by the compliance team approving each installation?" Only when installed and the kitchen is functioning and Interceptor tested, will the client know if they have chosen wisely. When a trap fails to perform, but has been passed by the FOG team, who is responsible in this instance?

This will cost money to replace to ensure it is compliant and still may fall foul of the Environmental Health Inspector.

"Be aware it is up to the business owner to ensure these meet current legislation; we would advise that this be obtained in writing and dated" Why are the food and beverage operators in restaurant/hotel groups not raising these issues with their local elected councils and government? If they have installed "Approved" Interceptors and subsequently found that they are not fit for purpose, how can they seek redress?

The new word "compliance" from water companies and sewer misuse teams will feature in design and implementation, as water companies become more aggressive in protecting their assets. The specialist for design is critical for future and existing establishments, the EHOs, may be over-stretched, the water companies slow to act.

However, this will change with the use of compliance teams checking your units.

Positioning of wash hand basins, sinks, gullies, waste bins and so on, will feature in design criteria.

Emphasis on the prevention of cross contamination will become even more important in the future.

Position of wash hand basins in a bar, for example in relation to the position of the ice chest, glass stor-

age, beer taps and so on.

The cost of retrofitting GMS installs can be more expensive if the initial design ignores positioning of drain outlets. Space is always at a premium, so sizing and space for retrofits can be a major problem.

We have first-hand experience of the cost of retrofitting in establishments where a design specialist was not involved. The added expense of trapping sinks and FOG producing equipment in these areas where equipment/walls/door openings, bar pipework etc. can cause problems is challenging and usually cost lee, requiring bespoke traps due to space availability.

With a proper layout which takes into account the GMS and organises the most efficient drainage, t his reduces the number of traps! This can be as simple as having more than one sink tied into the GMS. The c leaning/maintenance cost is reduced by use of fewer traps. Are all the sinks & gullies really needed? Are they sized for optimum use? In your business plan, known water usage levels and GMS maintenance costs should not be ignored.

The experts on the subject of grease, oil, foodstuffs entering the sewage pipe network have prepared many papers and documents. Authorities have produced regulatory documents/statements, to date the universities /experts/concerned companies, have failed to produce a definitive document or method of grease/oil retention that can guarantee a large quantity of FOG will not enter sewer systems from premises/homes where food is prepared.

"The cost of retrofitting GMS installs can be more expensive if the initial design ignores positioning of drain outlets" Water companies are using 'sewer misuse' as an attempt to implement in a larger area the controversial Dublin experiment. This, while a laudable attempt to control waste in sewers, led to an expensive period for restaurants in the Dublin area. The charges/fines/licence fees for a service that other than giving FOG a higher profile and many business a new service function and income stream, did little to further the cause of waste removal in a responsible cost effective manner.

Dublin restaurants are left with equipment, insisted on by some members of the FOG team, that is not fit for purpose.

Many questioned the methods/assertions/regulation interpretations, but were stonewalled by the system. The sewer misuse teams may earn a revenue stream for water companies, however we would recommend that first a proper method evaluating all ways of preventing FOG from entering sewers is activated.

That the use of certificates from bodies who are not accountable and use test methods not in line with requirements of health & safety or current building regulation in force, should be questioned.

It would be a start to identify the legislation in detail that allows the act ions carried out by the FOG Compliance/misuse team. The right of access is not in dispute, however the legislation covering all other actions would be of great assistance to restaurant owners.

Aluline is a specialist in drainage solutions and uses technological advances in biotechnology to produce managed maintenance systems for drains in commercial kitchens.

Visit www.alulinegms.com for further details.

TIED PUB Tenant protests in Birmingham on March 15th 2017 to accuse Pub Adjudicator of failing to act in the interest of Tied Pub Tenants and Pubs.

Tied tenants are calling on Mr. Newby to resign his position or they will continue to demonstrate their feelings on his appointment until Government accepts the fact that he does not have their support and relieves him of his position Tied Pub tenants from different parts of the Country will be attending a demonstration on Wednesday March 15th at 12.00 outside the offices of the Pubs Code Adjudicator Paul Newby, accusing him of failing to implement the Pubs Code, designed to re balance the relationship between larger Brewers and their tenants.

Mr Paul Newby was appointed as the Pubs Code Adjudicator in May 2016, despite his obvious conflict of interest, being a former Director of the property Company Fleurets, who derive nearly a quarter of their income from the companies he is supposed to regulate. Mr Newby also retains shares in Fleurets, which will be effected by any impact of the Code on their clients – Brewers and Pub companies.

Part of his role is to adjudicate the new Law, The Pubs Code, which came into force in July 2016. Within this legislation there is the option for a tied tenant to choose to go “Market rent Only” or MRO which means enables them to buy their beer on the open market and have a reasonable market rent.

Unfortunately Mr Newby has failed to make a single decision on over 100 referrals made to his office on this issue, resulting in tied tenants being forced to give up on the process Mr Newby has also failed to investigate the continual abuse of tenants, which in the opinion of The PAS has increased in frequency since the Code came into effect.

In November 2015 Government lost their only vote until Brexit on one of their own Bills when the option to go Free of Tie was voted into the Small Business and Enterprise Bill. Mr Newby’s inaction have shown his complete indifference to the

will of Parliamentary Democracy which occurred on this historic day.

Tenants from as far as Plymouth, Southampton and Hull will be attending the demonstration which has been organised by The Pubs Advisory Service, an organisation which has been a key part of the campaign to reform the unequal relationship between tied tenants and the Brewery’s that own Pubs and force them to pay sky high rents and hugely inflated prices for their beer under the “Beer Tie.” Tied tenants will be manning a bar outside of the Pubs Code Offices offering tasters of the specially brewed beers for the occasion. On offer will be pints of freshly brewed “Empty Promises”, “Dark and Murky Conflict” and a special “Bias IPA” Chris Wright, Founder of PAS said: “The fact that the Pubs Code has had absolutely no impact on the horror stories we are seeing, seemingly on a daily basis, demonstrates the complete contempt in which our new law is held by the Pub Companies, showing they have no fear of Paul Newby or the power he is supposed to carry.”

Dave Mountford also of PAS who is organizing the demonstration added: “When MRO was voted into the legislation in November 2015, we felt we had achieved everything that was needed to finally provide tied tenants with a fair deal. Alas the Government either deliberately or incompetently has put in charge, someone who has been part of the problem and then expected tenants to accept he will become part of the solution. Our justified fears about Mr. Newbys clear links to the industry he is supposed to regulate has been completely borne out by his actions or should we say, lack of them.”

Nicola Pearce, a tied Enterprise tenant from Plymouth who is making the 400 mile round trip said: “I’m here because every day that passes with no decision being made by Mr. Newby, has a detrimental effect on peoples lives. Every referral represents a person suffering and waiting for justice and in so many cases the justice they need isn’t coming fast enough for them.

Workplace Pensions-Are You Ready?

NEXT YEAR more than 700,000 employers will see the start of their workplace pensions duties.

Under the law, all employers must put certain staff into a workplace pension and make contributions into it - and this will include landlords, hoteliers and restaurant owners.

Like other sectors with seasonal and part time staff, the hospitality sector is one that may be at risk of failing to meet their duties. This is because employers may wrongly assume they will not have duties in respect of these types of staff and are unclear how the law affects them.

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is responsible for ensuring employers comply with the law. We provide information and tools to help employers understand how the law applies to them and what they need to do to comply.

When do I need to implement automatic enrolment?

Every employer has a staging date which is a date set in law and is specific to them. It is when their workplace pensions duties start. You can check when your duties start by heading to our online Duties Checker tool http://www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/employers/duties-checker.aspx.

We will also write to you well in advance of your staging date so that you have enough time to get your plans in place and we will send you an essential guide. Employers we spoke to said that taking time to read it and understand what they need to do, saved them time over all.

What do I have to do to meet my workplace pensions duties?

Your duties will vary depending on whether or not you have staff to put into a pension. Using our duties checker takes just 5 minutes and you will be able to find out what you will need to do and when.

Broadly, you will need to check which staff must be put into a pension. These are staff who are aged 22 and over and under State Pension Age who earn more than £10,000 a year. You must write to all your staff individually to tell them how automatic enrolment applies to them. Even if a member

of staff is not eligible for automatic enrolment, you must write to them so that they have the option to join a pension.

If you have staff who must be automatically enrolled, you will need to choose a pension scheme that can be used for automatic enrolment. TPR has easy to understand information about which schemes employers can use, including a list of providers that employers can choose from. There is also a checklist of questions you should ask potential pension providers. Choosing a scheme need not be difficult, but you should leave enough time to make your decision so that you choose a scheme that is right for your organisation and your staff.

You will also need to ensure the payroll software you use is suitable for automatic enrolment and is compatible with your chosen pension scheme.

If someone else is managing automatic enrolment for you, you can nominate them as an additional contact. This person will receive tailored information from us. Make sure we have the right contacts for you.

You must also complete and submit a declaration of compliance. Do not forget to do this as, it is a legal requirement and tells TPR what you have done to meet your duties.

What happens if I don’t comply?

TPR takes an educate and enable approach and wants to help employers meet their duties. However we will use our enforcement powers where an employer ignores their duties.

When we become aware an employer is non compliant we usually send a compliance notice. This tells the employer what they need to do to comply and sets a deadline for action. Failure to act may lead to a fixed penalty notice which is a £400 fine. It is worth noting that even if you subsequently then go on to meet your duties, you will still have to pay the fine.

Employers who continue to fail to meet their duties are at risk of an escalating penalty notice. This means they will have a deadline to comply before the start of a daily fine. This is between £50 and £10,000 a day depending on the size of the employer.

The vast majority of non compliance is because employers have left tasks to the last minute, so it is essential to start planning in good time. If you find that you have missed your staging date or are concerned that you will not meet your duties on time you should contact TPR immediately – don’t wait for a fine. More information on what happens if you don’t comply can be found at www.thepensionsregulator.gov.uk/en/ employers/what-happens-if-i-dont-comply.aspx See the advert on page 13 for details.

Peeks Spring into Action

SPRING IS in the air, moods are improving so you’ll be wanting excuses for a party.

And that’s what Peeks is for.

First up is St Patrick’s Day on March 17 – when the Emerald Isle makes you smile.

We’ve got the green stuff to go with the black stuff, the balloons to go with the blarney and the clovers to go with the ceilidh.

March 26 is the fourth Sunday in Lent – better known as Mother’s Day, or Mothering Sunday.

But don’t just send a card and a bunch of flowers this year - throw a party; have a laugh with the matriarch.

We’ve got everything you

need, including banners, signs and beautiful balloons. Go on, make a fuss – with us.

And there are plenty of other reasons for a party coming up, including St George’s Day. St George slayed a dragon – no, not his mother-in-law, a real dragon – and April 23 is when we celebrate England.

It was Shakespeare’s birthday too, so you can pretend your party is for educational reasons!

Indeed, as Shakespeare wrote in King Richard II: “This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England – goest to Peeks and party.”

Our huge range of products are available at our massive party store in Christchurch and through our wizzo website;- www.peeks.co.uk

Global ‘Safety and Security Kitemark’ System Needed In Tourism Industry IN THE wake of the Tunisia attack inquest, there are calls from within the travel industry for major changes in tourist safety information, including the introduction of a new security ‘kitemark’ system for hotels, airports and venues all over the world.

It comes on the day a new academic report on travel safety is published by global travel deals publisher Travelzoo (NASDAQ: TZOO). The white paper called “State of Play: The Impact of Geopolitical Events on International Tourism in 2017’ was written in collaboration with Yeganeh Morakabati, Associate Professor at the UK’s Bournemouth University and included research in nine countries.

30 Britons, among the 38 who died in the 2015 Tunisia tragedy, were unlawfully killed according to the Coroner’s ruling last week; in summing up the judge labeled the local police response as ‘at best shambolic, at worst cowardly.’

Throughout the inquest, it was reported some families of the victims said their relatives would not have gone to Tunisia if they had been aware of the Foreign Office warnings following an attack on the Bardo Museum 3 months earlier.

Travelzoo’s European President Richard Singer said: “It was with great interest and deep concern that the travel industry watched the proceedings in court regarding the Sousse attack, and this question of responsibility lies heavily on all of us working in the industry. Neither governments nor travel companies can ever guarantee 100% safety when on holiday, but what is clear is we can certainly improve how we communicate risk and consumer protection.”

He continued: “The inquest, and our white paper, shows we need better, easier-to-understand information on websites such as the Foreign Office and its counterparts in other nations. The recent FCO Travel Aware campaign is a step in the right direction, but it could be made clearer still. It also appears that most holidays are sold without any communication about the safety level of a destination until after the point of sale. More proactive communication about FCO advice ahead of purchase would build trust.”

The white paper reveals that for 97% of people safety and security is the top concern when choosing a holiday destination, and worry about terror attacks far outweighs risk of disease, local crime and natural disaster. For Britons taking part in the survey, 68% are more concerned with the risk of a terror attack than they were two years ago, with 75% saying the reason for this is they believe the world has become a more dangerous place. Around 40% of British respondents say they feel they are the most targeted nation abroad.

Singer added: “The ‘kitemark’ system we’re proposing is a quick and simple way of seeing if an airport or hotel has met a required set of safety and security standards, similar to the government’s cyber security kitemarks, or the systems in place for food or other goods. Ideally the system would work in tandem with improved destination advice for consumers on government websites, as well as increased proactivity from the travel industry in showing consumers this advice ahead of the point of purchase.”

Dr Yeganeh Morakabati supports the idea: “If it can be done with blue flags to tell us how clean beaches are, or certificates to let us know how environmentally friendly destinations are, then a kitemark system is certainly feasible to demonstrate how safe a destination, hotel or airport is. However, if these standards were in place, it would be important that implementation wasn’t just considered a box-ticking exercise; for instance, government policies would need to support any criteria set out in the kitemarks.”

A third of over 35 European hotels Travelzoo have spoken to believe a kitemark system should be implemented, and that figure rises to half for UK hotel owners. Many think the idea would help with consumer confidence too. In talking to city hotels across Germany, Spain and the UK Travelzoo also found just half of UK hotels have a dedicated member of staff responsible for guests’ security but in Germany over 80% of hotels have this. Just 43% of UK hotels surveyed have updated their security processes in recent years to be better prepared for a terror attack and half of UK hotels’ employees receive specific training to handle a terrorist incident.

Study Reveals Best and Worst Areas For Restaurant Food Hygiene THE BEST restaurants and cafes in the UK for food hygiene ratings are in the council areas of South Derbyshire, Darlington and South Norfolk, according to The best restaurants and cafes in the UK for food hygiene ratings are in the council areas of South Derbyshire, Darlington and South Norfolk, according to a new study, carried out by LoveMyVouchers.co.uk. The survey revealed the highest percentage of restaurants rated “good” or “very good” was in South Derbyshire with 99.1%, followed by Darlington (98.8%) and South Norfolk (97.7%).

The Food Standards Agency website holds the data from inspections carried out by each local authority under the food

hygiene ratings scheme. Every business that serves food is awarded a hygiene rating between zero (urgent improvement necessary) and five (very good). Out of a total of 360 council areas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the area with the highest percentage of restaurants and cafes with poor ratings was Newham in London, with 29.2% rated zero, one or two.

London boroughs dominated the list of the worst-ranking council districts, with Ealing coming second (28.2%) and Harrow third (26.2%). Outside London, Hertsmere, Birmingham and Hyndburn had the biggest percentage of eateries that were badly rated for hygiene.

The study also showed that out of England, Northern Ireland, Wales and London boroughs, Northern Ireland had the lowest proportion of restaurants requiring improvement.

However, most of the best-performing council districts, with high percentages of good and very good restaurants, were in England.

March 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

March 2017

Great British Chefs Unveils UK’s Most Comprehensive Foodie Survey THE UK’S most comprehensive survey of food lovers, as part of the Great British Foodie White Paper, shows that British foodies have an insatiable appetite when it comes to being adventurous with food. The national survey of over 5,000 British foodies was conducted by Great British Chefs, the award-winning online food publisher. It reveals what they like to cook, how they like to cook it and what inspires them.

British foodies are regularly cooking an impressive 44 different dishes and have close to 100 dishes in their repertoire. Far from sticking to chicken and salmon, they are cooking 31 different meats, fish, shellfish and game.

Comparing the sexes, the survey revealed that while all foodies love cooking, male foodies are even more experimental than female foodies, cooking double the number of exotic animals like kangaroo and crocodile and 20% more offal.

While many might have assumed that foodie TV is just for entertainment, over 95% of foodies admitted to cooking a dish that they had seen on a television programme.

WHAT WE LIKE TO COOK The research shows that Brits are wildly experimental when it comes to their food, with a whopping 91% of those surveyed admitting they eat almost everything and anything.

We’re getting adventurous with our roasts, with almost half of those surveyed having cooked goose (47%), quail (40%) and many having tackled a suckling pig at home (18%).

We’re not burying our heads in the sand when trying out unusual meats either, with 37% having cooked ostrich, closely followed by kangaroo (26%), snail (20%), buffalo (15%) and crocodile (13%). Snake (2%), insects (2%), camel (2%), llama (1%) and gooseneck barnacles (1%) are, however, yet to hold their own as a British staple!

It’s not surprising that liver and kidneys are top of the British offal list. However, foodies don’t stop there, with many having cooked cheeks (43%), heart (30%), bone marrow (25%) and trotters (20%). The passion for nose-to-tail eating has clearly expanded way beyond dedicated high-end restaurants.

THE FOODIE STORE CUPBOARD A snoop inside the store cupboard reveals a truly global approach to cooking, with food lovers more likely to own Thai fish (63%) sauce than brown sauce (62%). Their go-to ingredients range far beyond stock cubes and tinned tomatoes, with soy sauce (92%), coconut milk (74%), harissa (51%), tahini (45%) and dried seaweed (22%) all featuring heavily in the foodie larder.

Not only are UK foodies stocking up on global ingredients, they’re cooking a huge range of dishes with them too. While foodies are still regularly cooking classics such as roast chicken (74%) and spaghetti bolognese (62%), they are also regularly making risotto (47%), fish pie (42%) Thai green curry (35%), chilli prawns (33%), tagine (21%) and paella (25%). Over a quarter have made dim sum (31%) or sushi (30%) at home and 14% have had a go at kimchi, a fermented vegetable dish from Korea.

Foodies aren’t big fans of convenience foods, with 62% saying they would rarely or never order a takeaway and a whopping 71% would rarely or never buy a ready meal.

Instead, when foodies are looking to rustle up a quick meal, they overwhelmingly prefer to cook something from scratch (85%).

HOW WE LIKE TO COOK Not content with cooking 44 dishes on regular rotation, UK foodies regularly bake their own bread (82%), make pickles (40%), brew beer (13%) and some even cure salami (5%).

To do all this they’ve got a kitchen to rival the professionals as they own ice cream makers (36%), juicers (35%), smokers (12%) and sous vide machines (8%). They are preparing their produce with an army of traditional and technical gadgets, from sugar thermometers (48%) and mandolins (44%) to pizza stones (29%) and microplanes (33%) WHAT INSPIRES US The vast majority (82%) of foodies believe they are far better cooks than their parents, and they’re seeking inspiration from a huge variety of sources. When they are looking for a recipe they turn to their cook books (88%) or go online (85%). Their foodie inspiration comes from holidays abroad (76%), what they have eaten in UK restaurants (85%) or things they have seen on TV (83%). They are less likely to be inspired by what their friends and family have cooked for them (53%).

“Britain is one of the most multicultural places in the world, and our hunger for new ingredients, cuisines and techniques completely reflects this,” says Ollie Lloyd, CEO of Great British Chefs. “Food in the UK today is influenced and inspired by travel, migration and the growing availability of a global store cupboard – it’s no surprise that we’re cooking with more diversity than ever before. It’s phenomenally exciting.”

So if you love to eat, discuss and salivate over all things food, Great British Chefs have created the ultimate “Fanatical Foodie” quiz to test those culinary skills. (www.greatbritishchefs.com/foodie-quiz) The full White Paper detailing the study can be found here

Sunday Crunch: The Changing Face of British Food Traditions NEW INSIGHT from Bookatable’s Quarterly Dining Trends Report has revealed that diners are no longer indulging in British traditions such as the Sunday Roast and Full English Breakfast in favour of more contemporary options and a range of new dishes.

While ten years ago, the week was not complete without a hearty roast, today, diners are turning their backs on this traditional past time, with only one in five rounding off the week with a Sunday Roast compared to 44 percent ten years ago.

Furthermore, it would seem that the classic roast has been usurped in favour of more diverse flavours. Bookatable’s data revealed that Sunday bookings for non-European cuisines has increased significantly with Sunday bookings at Chinese restaurants in 2016 rising by 71% and bookings for Thai restaurants increasing by 61% since 2015.

When quizzed on the decline of the traditional Sunday Roast, 30 percent of those surveyed, said that the old time classic had become more expensive. Indeed, while in 1997, 64% of people spent between £0 and £10 on a roast with all the trimmings, today only half of these Brits spend the same amount.

Similarly, in 2017 nearly one in five will spend between £16 and £20 on the traditional British meal.

Brit’s top 5 most traditionally British meals have been voted as: Fish & Chips 61% Sunday Roast 56% Full English Fry Up Breakfast 32% Strawberries and Cream 27% High Tea 22% The research also shows that almost one in five consumers feel that the Sunday roast has become more sophisticated and ‘trendy’, over time.

Josephine Ellis, Head of Communications for Bookatable Europe comments: “Although the number of people eating a traditional roast every Sunday has reduced, this is not to say that roasts are a dying British tradition. Previously being the pinnacle of every Sunday, roasts are no longer confined to one

day, with diners opting for the meal on alternative days of the week. While in the past, the roast was simple in its creation and the staple of every Sunday, today, chefs are continuously innovating and re-inventing the meal in order to keep up with the growing gourmet trend. This includes anything from using interesting herbs in the stuffing, to elaborate presentations and experimenting with premium cuts of meat.”

It is not only the Sunday Roast that has fallen out of favour.

The tradition for fish on Friday has also seen a reduction in popularity. Ten years ago, nearly a quarter of diners (23%) ate fish on Friday, while in 2017, only one in ten continue to uphold the tradition.

While the traditions of the Sunday roast and fish on Friday are no longer regimented around certain days of the week, Bookatable data shows that British cuisine remains a popular choice amongst diners, with British bookings being the second most popular choice of cuisine on any day of the week.

Furthermore, while there is an impression of Britain as a ‘greasy spoon’, surprisingly over half of those surveyed would never opt for the classic Full English Fry up on a Saturday.

Instead, Bookatable data revealed that since 2013, there has been an increase of Saturday brunch bookings by over 102% with Brits replacing the traditional fry up with poached eggs and avocado.

When looking at what people consider the most ‘traditionally’ British meals, fish & chips was deemed the top British treat (61%), followed by the Sunday Roast (56%) and Full English Fry up Breakfast (32%).

Josephine Ellis, Head of Communications for Bookatable Europe comments: ‘Over the past ten years, Britain has cemented itself as one of the food capitals of the world. While in the past, meals were often regimented around British ingredients, today, people are looking to be more adventurous with their food as they get out more and discover the range of food options on their doorstep. This is not to say that British cuisine is no longer a popular choice, just that people are looking to enjoy everything that the UK food scene has to offer. With this in mind, it is not a surprise that British traditions are changing.’

Punch Celebrates Its 100th Pub Apprentice

PUNCH HAS reached a major milestone with their 100th pub team member successfully completing their Apprenticeship qualification and now set to further their career in the hospitality industry.

As part of Punch’s commitment to offer the best training and support to its Publicans and their teams, they have, over a number of years, facilitated opportunities for Publicans to offer Apprenticeship qualifications to pub team members.

The aim has been to further develop Punch Publicans’ businesses whilst supporting the aspirations of those working within its pubs. All 100 apprentices have had access to a wide range of training materials, workshops and E-learning modules, which are all part of the Punch Progress training and development offer.

The 100th apprentice, Mathias Sexton, worked at Punch’s Old Quay Inn, Truro as an apprentice where he respectively completed a L2 NVQ followed by L3 NVQ in hospitality supervision and leadership (HSL). Working together with training provider, Lifetime Training, Punch’s successful apprenticeship

scheme enabled Mathias to receive the best training, support and development to achieve the skills needed in a fast-paced and ever-changing hospitality industry.

Consequently, to enhance and develop Mathias’ current job role as acting bar manager at The Old Quay Inn, he was given, support and guidance to proceed and complete the next level – NVQ L3 HSL. This involved a collective mix of developmental skills, such as staff personal development plans as well as training plans, ensuring he learnt the practical skills alongside his current job role.

Helen Willis, learning and development manager at Punch said: “Encouraging training and continuous learning within the workplace is so important to us. We are really pleased to have seen our 100th learner complete an apprenticeship qualification and reach such a momentous milestone.”

Helen added, “Apprenticeships offer a vital gateway for many young people like Mathias, enabling them to learn valuable workplace skills so they can excel across the workplace. And so, we’re delighted that our apprenticeships are thriving in what is a tough job market out there. We look forward to welcoming and supporting more apprentices.”

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March 2017

Pubs Fined Total Of £93,000 For Showing Illegal Football Games Pubs from Liverpool, London and Croydon are among 10 that have paid a total of £93,000 in costs for infringing copyright with unauthorised broadcasts of Premier League football.

Furthermore, three suppliers of pre-loaded IPTV boxes that facilitate mass piracy of Premier League football broadcasts have been ordered to pay a total of £267,000 by the Courts for infringing copyright.

The three sellers of pre-loaded IPTV boxes ordered to pay costs are: • Football for Pubs Limited (based in Liverpool) was ordered by the High Court to cease the sale of the illegal devices and pay costs of £90,000; • Pub Entertainment Systems (based in Royston, Hertfordshire) was ordered by the High Court to cease the sale of the illegal devices and pay costs of £77,000; • Neosat was ordered to cease the sale of the illegal devices and pay costs totalling £100,000.

These actions are part of a wide-ranging and sustained Premier League campaign to protect its copyright, the investment in its rights from Sky and BT and the benefits they bring across English football and beyond, and support the individuals and pubs that broadcast our matches the right way.

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

The High Court injunctions and orders to pay costs for the three suppliers follow a case in December 2016 that saw a seller of similar devices jailed for four years.

The Premier League also supported FACT in its recent raids of several IPTV box suppliers across the North-West of England that led to five people being arrested.

The focus of the Premier League’s protection of its copyright is not only sellers of IPTV boxes but also pubs that ignore warnings and broadcast matches on unauthorised foreign channels.

Premier League Spokesman, said: “These actions are part of the largest anti-piracy campaign the Premier League has conducted to protect its copyright, and the investment from our UK live broadcasters Sky Sports and BT Sport.

“Like other sports and creative industries our model is predicated on the ability to market and sell rights and protect our intellectual property. It is because of this that clubs can invest in and develop talented players, build world class stadiums, and support young people in schools and communities across the country – all things that fans enjoy and wider society benefits from.

“These injunctions and costs orders, and the recent supplier of IPTV boxes sent to jail for four years, provide further evidence to consumers and the pub trade that the sale of these devices is illegal.”

Punch Announces Regional Publican of The Year Winners PUNCH HAS celebrated the pub group’s leading business and hospitality innovators in the East Midlands and Yorkshire areas at this year’s Regional Publican of the Year Awards.

Held at one of Punch’s own pubs, the Great Northern in Mickleover, Derby, the event saw over 70 people attend to celebrate their business’ success.

Now in its third year, the ceremony is the brainchild of Punch’s regional director, Steve Burns, with accolades Publican of the Year and Special Recognition among many of the highlights. The awards help to further establish the relationship between Punch and its Publicans by congratulating them on all they have achieved.

Awards were broken down by areas, starting with the Punch development managers’ shortlist of their nominated Publicans, each selected for showcasing ‘best pub practice’. This was followed by the grand finale of Punch crowning the overall win-

ners on the night. Regional Publican of the Year Winners were Allison Lund from the Waterloo, Wakefield Steve Burns commented: “We’re thrilled to be able to celebrate our Publicans’ successes and have been delighted by the feedback provided by the Punch development managers.

Their role is to not only advise the Publicans on how they can achieve their business goals but to also strengthen Punch’s own connection with the Publicans to provide the best support possible. The Publicans have shown a continued commitment to running outstanding pubs over the last 12 months and the awards provide a great opportunity to celebrate their successes and strengthen the relationship we have with our talented Publicans.”

CEO of Punch, Duncan Garrood, addressed Publicans at the awards ceremony, emphasising his pride of the fantastic achievements across the portfolio of pubs and recognising that Publicans are the soul of the Punch business.

Read all the latest news from the licensed industry at

www.catererlicensee.com @CLHNews

www.facebook.com/catererlicensee

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March 2017

BHA Offers to Help Brexit Secretary Hammer Out Immigration Law HOSPITALITY AND tourism leaders are urgently seeking a meeting with Brexit Secretary David Davis to hammer out an EU migration plan following Mr Davis’ “heartening” comments that the UK would keep its door open for service workers in hospitality, agriculture and social care.

In a letter to Mr Davis, the British Hospitality Association, the leading tourism body, said it would welcome the opportunity to help shape the UK’s new immigration law. It was reassured by Mr Davis’ recognition that it would take “years and years” to get British workers ready to fill jobs done by European migrants.

The chief executive of the BHA, Ufi Ibrahim, said today: “We are delighted that Mr Davis has listened to the realistic and clear arguments we have made that it will take time to replace the 700,000 EU workers who work in our industry, the UK’s fourth largest. We want to now have a serious dialogue with the Government as we get into the nitty gritty of a new immi-

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gration law.

“We think that in the interests of maintaining our strong economy, which Mr Davis recognises is dependent on service workers from the EU, there needs to be a rigorous evidencebased approach to immigration. We suggest that this would be best done by expanding the role of the Migration Advisory Committee, which up till now has dealt with matters outside the EU. Ms Ibrahim continued: “We also need to ensure that any new law is not overly bureaucratic or costly as 80 per cent of the 200,000 businesses in the hospitality sector are SMEs employing less than 10 people. Many of these businesses are already just about managing, and increased costs could put them over the edge.

She said: “We are determined to rely less on EU service workers over the coming years but it will take time, as Mr Davis has recognised. This is why we have already urged the government to consider a phased approach. We at the BHA will be focusing our efforts on promoting hospitality as a rewarding and exciting career to UK workers.”

Record-Breaking 2016 For Inbound UK Tourism

STATISTICS PUBLISHED by VisitBritain confirm a 3% increase in numbers on 2015, although spending, at £22.2 billion, remained the same as the previous year.

The figures reveal strong growth in 2016 from Canada and the US. The US remains Britain’s most valuable tourism source market, with 4.3 million visits, up 7% on 2015.

In addition, there was a record 25.3 million visits from the European Union in 2016, up 4% on 2015.

Overall, there were 7.5 million more visits in 2016 than 2010, an increase of 25%.

The figures show a boost in holiday visits to the UK towards the end of 2016 with a record 3.2 million visits from October to December, up 11% on the same period in 2015. Inbound visits to friends and family also saw strong growth throughout 2016 with a record-breaking 11.5 million visits, up 10% on

2015.

Latest flight booking data shows that 2017 is off to a strong start, with flight bookings to the UK up 16% for February to April compared to the same period last year.

Tourism minister Tracey Crouch said: “The industry makes a significant contribution to our economy, and we will continue to support tourism to grow the sector further and promote the UK across the world.”

VisitBritain chief executive Sally Balcombe added: “The strong growth in inbound visits demonstrates British tourism’s continued ability to compete for international visitors and deliver economic growth across our nations and regions.

“We must seize the opportunity to build on this, boosting visitor spending by driving home the message of welcome and value particularly in our high spending markets such as China and the US and the valuable European market.”

Spending Increase in Restaurants And Hotels For The First Time In 5 Years FIGURES RELEASED by The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have revealed that UK households spent more than £45 a week on restaurants and hotels for the time in five years, an increase of £1.80 compared to last year.

The survey examined how, UK households spent their money after they had paid for essential items, commonly referred to as discretionary spending.

In the financial year ending 2016 (2015/16), UK households spent an average of £45.10 on restaurants and hotels. This is an

increase of £1.80 when compared with the previous year, where figures have been adjusted for inflation, and is significant at the 10% level. High levels of employment and rising disposable income are considered to be the factors influencing this increase.

This category includes spending on goods and services such as: • Restaurant and café meals (£17.30) • Alcoholic drinks consumed away from home (£7.50) • Takeaway meals (£4.70) • Accommodation services (£8.90)

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 every 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 reserved, reproduction is forbidden unless written permission is obtained.

All material is assumed copyright free unless otherwise advised.

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Introducing Bidfood - Bidvest Foodservice Launches New Name to Wholesale Market BIDVEST FOODSERVICE has announced that from 3 April 2017, it will be trading under the new name of Bidfood.

The change follows the separation of the global Bidvest Foodservice businesses from the Bidvest Group, when it listed independently on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in May last year.

The listing meant that Bidvest Foodservice UK, along with the other Bidvest Foodservice businesses around the world, have all changed their name to Bidfood reflect this.

Chief Executive Andrew Selley said in choosing the new name, it was important to retain a link to the company’s heritage as well as to reflect what is at the very heart of the business, hence the name Bidfood was developed.

“It’s no secret that as our business has evolved over the years, so too has our name,” says Andrew.

“When we made the move from Bidvest 3663 to Bidvest Foodservice, we also launched a new mission, vision and employee values, all cen-

tring on service excellence and offering the best customer experience in the market.

“Although our name is changing, these principles and our wider business priorities remain firmly in our focus, and I believe this is a stronger brand for us and for our Bidfood businesses globally.

“We’re passionate about delivering service excellence, making life easier for customers and helping them to grow, and over the last 18 months we’ve been focused on making important internal changes to meet customer needs now and in the future.

“We are fully committed to investing in our local depots, our teams and our services and delivering great food, the best choice in the market and innovative and exciting ranges to achieve this,” says Andrew.

There will be a short period of transition from April, where the new name and logo will be introduced in phases across the business including our corporate website, fleet livery, and depot signage.

GMB Whisky Workers Demand Action to Protect £5billion Industry Post Brexit GMB, THE union for whisky and spirits workers, has written to the UK Government Scottish Secretary David Mundell, calling for measures to protect the £5billion Scotch industry amid Brexit uncertainty.

More than 40,000 UK jobs are directly supported by the industry, with a further estimated 120,000 jobs connected with whisky production and export.

At least 7,000 of these are in rural areas where other work is hard to find.

The industry is worth a massive £5 billion to the UK economy – £4 billion of which comes from exports.

Whisky is covered by World Trade Organisation agreements – meaning exports won’t be subject to tariffs inside the EU. But 10% of exports – amounting to £400million – go to markets like Columbia, Mexico and South Korea where trade agreements were brokered through the EU. Following Brexit these lucrative exports could become subject to punishing tariffs.

GMB is called on Mr Mundell to give reassurances for the whisky industry similar mirroring those given to Nissan, an industry worth around £2.9billion supporting 28,000 jobs overall.

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland Organiser, said: “Whisky is a massive success story for Scotland – and the UK – but we need the government to back us up in the months and years ahead.

“Westminster was quick to pledge support for Nissan – which is also vital for the economy – but is frankly dwarfed by the size of the whisky industry.

“We need parity for workers in our whisky industry and the same guarantees that were given to Nissan.

“Tens of thousands of jobs depend on whisky and the government needs to take action to protect our members livelihoods post- Brexit.

“Our members want assurances that the government will be doing all it can to ensure whisky sector can thrive, creating much needed new jobs by securing good deals with new markets.

“Quite simply, we cannot do without this industry. “

Instant Cash Injection to Help Hospitality Businesses Grow BUSINESS OWNERS within the hospitality sector are often held back from expanding and growing due to a lack of funding, particularly during seasonal disruptions to trade.

Funding issues remain a major worry for independent businesses, especially since banks tightened up their lending criteria following the recession, coupled with more recent uncertainty around Britain’s “post-Brexit” future.

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Taunton pub and restaurant owner, Andrew, says “A cash advance is perfect for my company. I needed funds quickly and the application process was simple and straightforward. I’m glad I’m not tied in to a long repayment term and I haven’t noticed the repayments!”

To find out how much funding you can raise to grow your business, call 0800 3777 402 or visit www.quickcapital.co.uk

Nittan Smoke Detectors Stop False Alarms From E-Cigarette Vaping NITTAN’S EVOLUTION EV-DP Dual Wavelength Photoelectric smoke detectors have been installed in a Southampton pub and live music venue to prevent false alarms caused by vaping.

With the rise of the e-cigarette, which can be smoked in public places such as bars and restaurants, a new, unexpected problem has arisen: false alarms from vaping. The issue of steam causing smoke alarms to false alarm is well documented. Generally speaking, the Infra Red scattered light technology currently used for commercial smoke detectors is unable to distinguish between larger size particles like steam or dust, that are major causes of false alarms, and particles generated by combustion (fire).

E-cigarettes feature a cartridge containing nicotine in a solution of either propylene glycol or glycerine and water.

When you suck on the device, a sensor detects the air flow and starts a process to heat the liquid inside the cartridge, so it evaporates to form water vapour. In an enclosed venue where there are a number of people vaping, this can have the same effect as steam on a smoke detector, leading to false alarms.

The legendary Frog & Frigate in Southampton is renowned for being a very lively venue where visitors are encouraged to get on the tables and sing along with the band! Vaping is permitted in this busy venue which has led to false alarm issues. Venue owner Derek Gardener explains the problem: “we have relaxed, fun vibe here and are happy for people to use e-cigarettes inside. However, it has led to the alarms activating, espe-

cially when people are vaping right underneath them. We can’t stop people from vaping underneath them and equally we didn’t want to ban vaping.”

Derek turned to Fire and Safety Testing for a solution, which recommended the use of Nittan’s Evolution EV-DP smoke detectors. Owner Derek Fay explains: “Many venues such as this resort to using heat alarms instead of smoke alarms, but the local fire officer would not allow this. He suggested a Multi-Sensor, but the same issue remains as it still looks for smoke and will false alarm. I had read about Nittan’s dual optical detectors resistance to steam in a magazine article and thought they might offer a solution here as the problem was very similar. Vaping is relatively new and neither myself nor Nittan had come across this issue before.

I discussed it with the client and he was happy to see if it would work. We swapped the existing alarm devices out of the conventional system with the Nittan ones and there hasn’t been a single false alarm since; that was about six months ago. Its worked beautifully.”

Nittan Evolution EV-DP smoke detectors have been designed to reduce false alarms caused by non-combustion products such as steam, dust and aerosols. Unlike other industry standard (single optical sensor) smoke detectors on the market that claim to distinguish between smoke and non-combustion products, the EV-DP effectively measures the actual particle size in the chamber via its combined IR and blue LED technology. As steam and dust are much larger particles than smoke, the detector won’t false alarm.

To learn more about Nittan’s products go to www.nittan.co.uk.

Peers Vote to Protect Pubs

CAMRA welcomed a House of Lords vote to close a planning loophole which allows pubs to be unfairly targeted by unruly property developers.

Lords voted by a clear majority of 90 to support an amendment tabled by Lord Kennedy of Southwark to the Neighbourhood Planning Bill.

The amendment sought to remove ‘permitted development rights’ from pubs. Currently, a pub can be demolished or converted into a number of other uses without a developer needing to submit a planning application. This not only denies local communities a say on their beloved local’s future, but also makes pubs a ‘soft target’ for developers, leading to 21 pubs closing every week.

CAMRA members have been lobbying the House of Lords during the passage of the Bill to gain the support from Peers.

CAMRA Chairman, Colin Valentine, says: “There is a huge appetite for pub protection across the country. At CAMRA, we see thousands of campaigners across England and Wales

fight tooth and nail in local campaigns to save their beloved pubs. Over 5,000 people have contacted Peers in the past two months to ask them to help protect their local pub through this legislation. This shows us just how important this issue is to many local communities.

“Pubs play a huge community role in villages, towns and high streets across the country yet can be lost overnight without the public having a say. We are delighted that Peers have chosen to support this amendment and we hope that the Government will respond to the will of communities across the country.”

Shadow Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government, Lord Roy Kennedy, added: “I am delighted that we have won this vote tonight. It is vital that we take the steps needed to protect our pubs so that they continue to be the heart and soul of communities. I look forward to continuing to work with CAMRA to ensure that this is a reality.”

The Neighbourhood Planning Bill will now go through Third Reading before returning to the House of Commons where MPs will vote on the Bill.

Hotel, Bar & Restaurant Sales “Buck the Trend”

HOTELS, RESTAURANTS and bars saw spending increases in January 2017, outperforming other “sluggish” sectors as consumers continued to spend on of leisure.

Spending on hospitality businesses rose 5.7% year on year in January, compared to a 3.1% increase for recreation and culture, and a “sluggish” 0.4% rise in spending overall, according to Visa’s Consumer Spending Index.

Kevin Jenkins, UK & Ireland Managing Director at Visa commented: “Following a bumper Christmas season, there were signs that consumers were starting to rein in their spending at the start of the New Year. Annual growth slowed down from 2.5% in December to a five-month low of 0.4% in January, as households monitored rising prices on everyday items and how this would impact disposable incomes.

“Clothing and household goods retailers experienced a particularly difficult January. The traditional start of year sales did little to lift clothing spend, which saw the biggest drop in nearly five years. The high street as a whole suffered a disappointing month too, with spend falling at the quickest rate in four years.

“Face-to-face wasn’t all doom and gloom in January though, and winners on the high street did emerge. Brits continued the trend of spending on experiences rather than

goods, with a near 6% spending boost in the Hotels, Restaurants and Bars sector and a 3.1% lift in recreation and culture spend.”

What UK businesses are saying: Visa is tracking the sentiment of several small businesses across the UK on a monthly basis, asking about their views on the economy, business conditions and forecasts for the month ahead.

Tony Bailey, Top Notch Hair & Beauty, Manchester: January is usually one of the quietest months of the year and last month was no exception. The average bill remained the same, but we had fewer visits. Our customers were probably trying to save money or pay off their Christmas spending. So one of the ways that we’ve tried to accommodate this is to advertise discounts ahead of the postChristmas lull on social media. We expect these offers to help boost business in February too.

Josh Beer, The Illustrious Pub Company, Cambridgeshire: As expected, January was a quieter month for us with turnover down 5% compared to last year. While our catering orders remained steady, customers who came to dine and drink at our pubs were spending more cautiously. The cold weather and icy driving conditions might have kept quite a few of our regulars at home too, and our figures support this, as our locations with easier pedestrian access were the best performers.

Rising Costs Biggest Worry for Eating And Drinking Out Market CONFIDENCE IN the out of home eating and drinking sector is returning despite mounting concerns about rates, other input costs and Brexit, CGA Peach’s 2017 Business Leaders’ Survey reveals.

The exclusive poll of around 250 senior executives finds that two thirds are either very optimistic (10%) or fairly optimistic (57%) about their business prospects in the next 12 months.

That is well down on levels at the start of 2016 (83%) but up on November 2016 (61%), when uncertainty reigned about the impact of Brexit on businesses’ staffing and the economy.

Leaders’ confidence about their own companies’ prospects is higher than it is for the market in general, about which only half (48%) are optimistic in 2017.

While Brexit fears have eased a little, alarm about mounting costs is clear—and it is most evident in business rates. This tops the Survey’s list of the most significant financial challenges facing operators in 2017, with more than half (55%) of leaders very concerned by the issue and another quarter (24%) concerned. It follows a surge in rates valuations in many areas of the country, prompting urgent calls on government to ease the burden on operators.

Hikes in rates are adding to a host of other costs issues for operators, the Business Leaders’ Survey shows—and in three key areas in particular: • Food. Four in five leaders are either very concerned (41%) or concerned (39%) by rising costs here, led by lower availability and rises in the cost of items including vegetables • Property. Beside rates, operators have been stung by soaring rental prices in many of the country’s hotspots, especially London.

More than half of leaders are now either very concerned (31%) or concerned (23%) by property costs • People. The introduction of the National Living Wage has raised many operators’ wage bills, and three in five are very concerned (24%) or concerned (35%) about it at the start of 2017.

Other challenges identified by leaders include drinks supplier prices and the threat of saturation triggered by the over-supply of sites. On the operational side, businesses’ biggest challenges are around engaging and motivating staff, providing a high quality customer experience and building loyalty.

Some segments of the market are more confident about 2017 than others, the Business Leaders’ Survey shows. For instance, well over half (57%) of businesses that are predominantly based within the M25 are optimistic about the market, much higher than the figure among businesses with a national

spread (42%). It indicates the continued buoyancy of the London economy and the positive impact of tourism in the capital.

Smaller and more nimble businesses in eating and drinking out meanwhile tend to be more confident than their larger counterparts. A quarter (25%) of businesses established for less than five years are very optimistic about their prospects for 2017—way more than among mature businesses that have been running for more than ten years (7%). As the Market Growth Monitor from CGA Peach and AlixPartners has made clear, these smaller businesses are behind many of the country’s new openings lately, and are less likely to feel threatened by rising property, food and people costs.

Despite the crop of challenges facing operators, leaders’ forecasts for 2017 are ambitious, with optimism on issues including: • Openings. A fifth (21%) of leaders plan to open at least ten new sites in 2017, rising to three in five (60%) of those with more than 200 sites • Acquisitions. Just under a third (29%) of operators are looking into the option of a business acquisition in the next 12 months, with a similar number (27%) possibly interested if an opportunity becomes available • International expansion. More than a quarter (29%) of respondents say their business has grown internationally in the last year, with three quarters of those anticipating more global expansion this year.

There is also hope that consumers might spend a little more when eating and drinking out in 2017. Two in five (40%) leaders think customers’ spend per visit will increase slightly in 2017, with another third (33%) anticipating no change. But access to funding remains challenging for some and could put the brakes on expansion—and perhaps the greatest cause for concern is that four in five (79%) leaders expect more business failures in 2017 than in 2016.

“Our fascinating Business Leaders’ Survey reveals a sector facing a barrage of input costs in property, food and people, with rates the issue at the top of execs’ in-trays. But this is a positive industry that is very much on the front foot rather than in retreat, and that deserves government support to ease its burden of expenses. Operators will have to ride out some big challenges in 2017, but strong, differentiated operators that can deliver a compelling offer while keeping a tight rein on their costs are well placed to thrive, both this year and well beyond," commented Peter Martin, vice president, CGA Peach.

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Get Ready for New Food Hygiene Legislation or Risk Losing Customers ALMOST HALF (44%) of customers could physically turn away from the front doors of more than 43,000 restaurants, takeaways, cafés and pubs when food businesses in England are legally required to display their food hygiene ratings, according to research by commercial insurer NFU Mutual.

The NFU Mutual Food Hygiene Ratings Report, published last month, reveals that 44% of people would turn away from even their favourite places to eat and try somewhere else instead, if a food hygiene rating of less than four out of five was on display.

Commenting on the report, Darren Seward, Hospitality Sector Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Our report shows that when it comes to food safety customers have naturally high standards and that a ‘good’ score can no longer be seen as an aspiration but a minimum benchmark.

“It’s fantastic to see that over 82% of all hospitality-sector food outlets in England have a rating of good or very good and the industry as a whole is taking real pride in food hygiene, but imminent compulsory displays are destined to be a game changer for those businesses struggling to reach the top grades. In advance of legislation changes all business owners should prioritise their food hygiene plans and processes, acting now to ensure that they have considered all hygiene and paperwork aspects rated by their local authority including cleanliness, structure and confidence in management, to ensure a continued rating of 4 or 5 for the day an inspector calls. Our free Food Hygiene Ratings Report also

March 2017

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contains advice to help businesses achieve a good rating.”

The report, which assesses consumer attitudes, public support for new legislation and its potential impact, shows that in total over 65,000 – almost one in seven2 – relevant businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland have a food hygiene rating of three (generally satisfactory) or below – with over 43,000 of these being catering and hospitality businesses in England. Over 82% of all English catering and hospitality businesses have a hygiene rating of 4 (good) or 5 (very good). A different scheme is used in Scotland2.

Wales and Northern Ireland have already subscribed to mandatory display of food hygiene ratings schemes, with new legislation set to come into force in England by 20194, and a comparable Scottish scheme likely to follow suit. Mandatory display means any outlet that serves or sells food must display its score in a prominent place such as the front door or window.

Running in Wales since 2013, the mandatory ratings display scheme has been hailed by its Deputy Health Minister as a big success story, helping to drive up industry standards – so much so that the number of businesses with the highest rating of 5, ‘very good’, has risen to 60.8% in November 2016 from 45% prior to the legislation coming into force.

The NFU Mutual report found that a law for compulsory display of rating stickers in England and Scotland has gained the support of consumers, with 88% in favour and 66% strongly so.

To request a free PDF copy of the full report, visit www.nfumutual.co.uk/foodhygiene

Win a Sensational Trip to New York Plus monthly cash prizes and experiences

‘Your Dram. Your Way’ is a 9-month scratchcard promotion that rewards both you and your customers. Glenfiddich will send activation kits to 4,800 UK venues, including a total of 403,000 scratchcards, glassware and point of sales materials to advertise the campaign.

The Consumer prizes include two ways to win a trip to New York, £100 Red Letter Days experience vouchers and bespoke Glenfiddich nosing glasses. The prize pool for consumers is worth over £5m and every card is a potential winner, making this a compelling promotion for your customers and a fantastic opportunity to drive Glenfiddich sales. The trade can also win tailor made trips to New York or Red Letter Day experiences by simply encouraging customers to register their scratchcards on the Your Dram. Your Way microsite. Its as simple as that.

How to take part Buy 2 bottles of Glenfiddich 12Yo and get your free ‘Your Dram. Your Way.’ activation and incentive kit.

Register

Receive your activation and incentive kit Register at www.YourDramYourWay.co.uk/trade with your venue code

Sell For each serve of Glenfiddich you sell, your customer receives a scratchcard When customers upload their scratchcards to www.YourDramYourWay.co.uk, you win points every card a potential winner, make sure you remind your customers to upload their scratchcards

Win Monthly Prizes for the top 10 performing venues Every month, the top three performing venues will win £500 Venues in positions 4-10 will win one £100 Red Letter Days experience voucher Quarterly prize for the top performing venue Win the ultimate incentive trip to New York City To order your activation kit, call 01276 587317. (In order to receive a kit, proof of a transfer order for 2 bottles of GF 70cl will be necessary.)

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT

www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS

Home Delivery in Britain Growing 10 Times Faster Than Eating-Out Market HOW LONG will it be before getting breakfast delivered to our home or workplace becomes routine?

Global information company The NPD Group says the delivery channel in Britain’s eating-out foodservice market (known as out-of-home or OOH) was worth £3.6 billion as of YE December 2016, up 6% on the previous year. The delivery channel has grown rapidly, up nearly 50% in value terms since 2008.

Last year delivery grew 10 times faster than the total OOH market. While total visits to ‘eat out’ increased just 1% year-onyear to 11.3 billion, the delivery sector jumped nearly 10% to 599 million visits in 2016. Most delivery business (over 80% of visits) is through the fast-food QSR channel, but pubs are now part of the picture too as they begin to partner ‘aggregator’ brands such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, Hungry House and UberEATS. The aggregator brands are a big catalyst in the success of delivery.

Although British pubs only account for 4% of the delivery market, they increased their delivery visits by 59% in 2016 over the previous year. Across the wider industry, at the end of 2016, delivery accounted for more than one in 20 (5.3%) of British OOH foodservice visits (versus 3.5% in 2008).

Millennials (those aged 18 to 34) use aggregators heavily. The 18-to-24 age group especially has become a major source of demand accounting for 15% of aggregator delivery visits compared to 9% of total OOH visits.

Normally associated with evening meals, delivery has room to grow at lunch and even breakfast time. Currently, 65% of all

Silver Celebrations at Flower Pot PAT THATCHER and Tony Read, licensees at the Flower Pot in Aston, were recently presented with a special ‘Silver Celebration’ pump clip and a barrel of Brakspear Bitter to mark their 25 years at the popular pub.

Enjoying the beer at a special party for regulars and friends, Pat and Tony recalled the highlights of their quarter-century at the pub. Pat said, “When we took on the pub, we never imagined we’d still be here 25 years later! The whole family has been involved over the years including my granddaughter who recently helped out behind the bar.”

The Flower Pot was Pat & Tony’s local back in 1992, and when they learned that the landlord was leaving, they decided to try their hand at running it. Although Pat had worked in the catering industry, Tony was a builder – so taking the keys to a pub was something of a leap of faith. “We didn’t think too hard about it,” says Tony. “If we had, we probably wouldn’t be here now!”

Over the years, the pub has attracted its fair share of celebrities including Sir Tom Jones, Vinnie Jones, Brigitte Nielsen, Marco Pierre White to name just a few.

It has also raised a huge amount of

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aggregator deliveries are for dinner but breakfast currently accounts for just 5% of deliveries and lunch 11%, suggesting there is a clear market opportunity for expanding these occasions.

Cyril Lavenant, Foodservice Director UK at the NPD Group, said: “Ordering ready-to-eat food for delivery via an app or by phone is growing so fast that ‘eating in’ is becoming the new ‘eating out’. It goes beyond getting delivery of conventional ‘takeaway’ food because full-service restaurants are offering delivery too. Delivery obviously saves on the effort of visiting the foodservice outlet – ready-to-eat food comes to your door of course. But it’s now easier to duplicate at home the quality and enjoyment you always associated with eating out at a fullservice restaurant. Plus, you can effortlessly order a wide selection of takeaway food not just from one local restaurant but from several. Millennials are pushing the trend. It’s ultra convenient for them just to ‘tap an app’ to order.

“We believe delivery will keep growing. The aggregators will surely view the current low level of penetration at breakfast and lunch as irresistible market opportunities. How soon will it be until we go beyond getting a basic take-away breakfast on the way to work and opt instead for a fancy breakfast delivered to our workplace on a work day or even order a breakfast to our home when we are not working?

“By the end of 2020, the value of the delivery channel could grow by nearly 50% to reach £5.3 billion. This is based on a likely faster rate of 10% growth in 2017 and the same amount in each of 2018, 2019 and 2020.” money for local charities, the latest campaign being for Cancer Research, with Pat’s granddaughter Katie having raised £1,000 already through a planned parachute jump.

The Flower Pot also has a more unusual boast, as home to the UK’s largest private collection of cased fish, with more than 80 adorning its walls, including a 50+lb pike. “We get a lot of fishing parties in here, so it’s a relevant theme and it gets customers talking,” says Tony.

The world has changed since Pat & Tony moved into the Flower Pot, but the pub itself hasn’t changed too much. Tony said, “The price of beer has gone up from £1.40 a pint in 1992 to £3.80 today! But the pub has stayed the same, it’s unspoilt and that’s why our regulars love it.”

Tony added, “We’ve enjoyed almost every minute of our time at the Flower Pot, and I think that comes through in how guests experience the pub – if we weren’t happy, they wouldn’t be either.“ Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive, added, “We congratulate Tony & Pat on this impressive achievement. The past 25 years have not been easy ones for the pub industry, but the Flower Pot has thrived thanks to Tony & Pat’s natural talent as landlords, creating a welcoming, friendly environment for their customers. We’re delighted to have had them within the Brakspear family for all these years – here’s to many more of them!”

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT

www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS

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Hospitality Technology

March 2017

Big Data – What Is It? That How Technology from NFS is Helping CAU Roll Out Across the UK Is The Question Says Zonal WE ARE in the midst of a data capture revolution, giving hospitality operators the opportunity to learn more than ever about their customer profiles and business operations.

But this ‘Usable Data’ is only helpful if operators know how to capture it, analyse it and do something with it advises.

Working with CGA, Zonal’s GO Technology research polls 5,000 UK consumers looking at their behaviours, preferences and how they engage with brands when eating and drinking out. The findings are wrapped up in the latest report from Zonal, called Big Data – What Is It? www.zonal.co.uk/news/zonal/big-data Zonal’s chief executive Stuart McLean said: “To analyse customer basket data from every aspect of their journey; from booking online to ordering, payment and feedback, technology integration is essential.

“With ever-increasing volumes and sources of data, successful companies will be those that harvest the data to gain the insight they need to make better decisions on their business strategies.

“Investing in technology in isolation is not sustainable, it’s operators with a clear strategy that will reap the benefits. Taking an integrated approach is key and that is something that we understand at Zonal.”

But trust is still an issue for operators, with almost a

C.C.R Systems Ltd CCR SYSTEMS have been supplying, installing and maintaining Retail and Hospitality EPOS systems for over 34 years.

We are an ISO-9001 registered company with a diamond award for customer satisfaction. Our Powersuite software package that includes Total Control Premier/Stock, Instant Loyalty and Drilldown is the ideal package for all types of Hospitality & Retail

quarter of 18 to 34 year olds surveyed by CGA and Zonal citing ‘lack of trust’ as the biggest barrier to engaging with a brand. Gaining their trust, therefore, is essential as 72% are ready to engage with and share their data in return for instant offers.

CGA’s retail business unit director, Jamie Campbell, said: “Loyalty is always a hot topic within the eating and drinking out market, but current market conditions and the fight for share of spend mean that it’s more important than ever.

From a consumer perspective, loyalty is often perceived as an emotional factor, but the reality for operators is that we want them to keep coming back, which is something far more behaviourally driven.”

The research also reaffirms: • 80% of consumers who consider themselves to be loyal (emotional loyalty), also state that they are very or extremely likely to revisit (behavioural) • 79% of consumers will sign up to a loyalty programme with an instant offer • 69% of guests cite speed of service as the biggest frustration when eating out GO Technology by CGA and Zonal, tracks consumer attitudes and experiences with technology when eating and drinking out. The research of 5,000 UK adults is conducted quarterly to gain an insight over a period of time to measure consumer behaviour and trends, helping operators to keep one step ahead. outlets.

Our hardware is a choice of top of the range touch screen terminals from selected quality manufacturers.

The ORDERMAN Restaurant table ordering system is without doubt the best of it's kind, utilising the latest Oderman 7 hand held terminal and Kitchen Monitors or printers. Have a look at our web site on 'ccrsystems.co.uk' and view the ORDERMAN video.

We also cater for the client that needs a low cost system that easily compares with the box shifters. Please contact GEORGE GUNNERY on 0151-644 8296 for a quotation for your establishment, or email to: epos@ccrsystems.co.uk

Leading in POS Technology ... since 1990 epos driven business intelligence FROM ONLY £2.18 Per Day* • 12.1“ & 15“ touch screens • titan cloud sales, stock & employee management • hand held ordering • table reservations • on-line ordering • gift cards • hotel interface • chip “n” pin integration • lease direct from the manufacture • local reseller support

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t: 0203 608 1860 w: www.vposuk.com www.facebook.com/vectronsystems www.twitter.com/vposuk

CAU ARGENTINIAN steak restaurants are taking the UK by storm – and as they roll out across the country, they are relying on Aloha electronic point of sale (EPoS) technology from NFS Technology Group.

CAU now has 23 highly successful restaurants, with more in the pipeline.

Aloha is the leading EPoS restaurant technology that delivers everything from tableside ordering and billing via hand-held devices to comprehensive management reports.

Estates and Property manager Colin Williams says: “We’ve been with NFS for ten years, and they are absolutely fundamental to us. The product line is very good – and you get an unbelievable level of service.”

Staff mostly use Aloha via iPads, but the solution is adapted for each location.

“It’s definitely saving us money in terms of time, efficiency and capturing data so we can identify trends,”

said Colin.

“We also appreciate the way it helps you cut down on fraud – staff who might be tempted know they can’t get away with anything.

“It’s amazing for stock control – and integrates well with our other platforms.

“Our market is constantly changing, and Aloha helps us keep up with that. In all, it helps us deliver a slicker service.” * Learn more about Aloha – www.nfs-hospitality.com

Guaranteed To Save You Money On Your Card Processing Fees!

BUSINESSES ARE often confused by unnecessary card processing fees, which means they are usually paying far too much. At Handepay we’re so confident that we can save you money that we’ll put our money where our mouth is. Let us review your current merchant services costs, and if we can’t save you money we’ll give you £1,000!

We like to keep things simple with transparent pricing and no hidden fees. For example, we don’t charge our customers PCI DSS compliance and non-compliance fees, authorisation fees or joining fees unlike some of our competitors.

We have a range of card machines to suit hospitality businesses and all accept contactless payments, including Apple Pay and Android Pay.

On average, customers switching to Handepay save a massive 36% on their card processing fees. In 2016 alone, we offered UK independent business owners combined savings of over £3.75 million. One customer made a staggering annual saving of over £16,000 by switching to us!

‘Saving over £1,200 per year has allowed us to invest more money growing our business. Taking the Handepay Price Challenge is a definite must!’ The Lane - Kent To take the Handepay Price Challenge simply email a copy or photograph of a recent merchant statement (your last bill) to pricechallenge@handepay.co.uk and one of our advisors will be in touch.

To find out more call 0800 3777 382 or visit www.handepay.co.uk/clh or see the advert on page 14.

Terms and conditions apply. Offer only available to new customers. Product images are for illustrative purposes only.

Hospitality Technology Harnessing the Power of the Internet to Boost Your Hotel’s Revenue

By Aditya Sanghi, Co-Founder and CEO of Hotelogix.com

CONSIDER THIS – 90% of travellers research their travel plans on the internet while 80% of all bookings today are made online. There’s no doubt that the internet has become the undisputed kingpin of all booking platforms. While offline reservations have not disappeared altogether, your hotel must prioritize its online presence in order to ensure a stable, long-term revenue stream.

There are multiple ways you can go about doing this.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) OTAs are booking platforms that gather stacks of inventory from various hotels and organize them on a single site on which guests can compare multiple accommodation providers and make a reservation.

List your hotel’s inventory on multiple OTAs, avoid depending too heavily on any single portal. Modern cloud tools like channel managers make the process simple, allowing your hotel to integrate to many of these online channels in real-time, enabling rates and inventory to be updated across all portals instantaneously.

Direct booking website Having an independent website for your hotel is fundamental to establishing an online presence. Not only does a website create a whole new revenue stream for your property, it also provides guests with a portal to

which they can return in the future. This drives loyalty – repeat bookings are an important component of a successful business because it’s usually cheaper to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one. But perhaps the biggest advantage of having an independent website is the increased bottom-line. Since direct bookings are commission-free, they can significantly improve profitability.

Invest in setting up a website for your hotel if you don’t have one. If you do have a functional site, ensure that it’s well optimised for all devices as mobile bookings are growing exponentially every year.

Social Media There are over 2 billion active social media users around the world today, and that number is only expected to go up as computer literacy continues to scale unprecedented heights every year. Simply having a presence on these sites isn’t enough. Assign someone to regularly post on all social channels to drive audience engagement. Activities like photo sharing contests don’t just get guests interacting on your profile, they also display your brand to all the people your followers are connected to. That’s powerful marketing, and it’s free!

Hotelogix is a cloud-based, end-to-end, hospitality technology solution, built to seamlessly manage hotels, resorts, serviced apartments or multi-location hotel chains, by providing a single window to manage all hotel operations and bookings (online and offline). Hotelogix is currently used by properties in 100+ countries.

New 15” Touch Screen EPoS Terminal with Gesture Control and 10 Years Warranty!

THIS NEW product of the Leading German EPoS Manufacture, Vectron Systems AG, has been on the market since midDecember.

The EPoS Terminal is very high-quality, reliable and robust and offers, besides a modern and customizable user interface, further highlights such as the operation by gesture control. In addition, chip n pin, mobile ordering, loyalty, gift cards, and Sales

& Stock Control functions can also be added to provide you with the ultimate EPoS System!

The embedded software includes numerous functions, which speed up workflows and make controlling easier.

The generous 5-year manufacturing guarantee can be extended to 10 years when the terminal is purchased. A unique offer in the industry!

For further information call 0203 608 1860 or visit www.vposuk.com

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3R Brings You the Ultimate Edge in Business and Simple Payment Management

OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART point-of-sale till systems and handheld devices are designed to become an essential part of your business. Assembled with detailed reporting functionalities which will help to minimize your costs whilst maximizing profits, they are excellent for both multi-sites and singlesite businesses.

3R have an excellent reputation for customer service providing personal access to assist with customer’s queries for fast and efficient deployment; as well as providing a personal service to assist customers with their growth and development.

Built on over 16 years of experience, 3R EPoS’ reporting facilities safely stores information regarding your business and can be

uniquely tailored to suit your requirements. 3R hold the advantages of providing customers with: speed of service, better staff productivity, cost control, stock control, visibility and reduced shrinkage. Alongside comprehensive account reporting, an increase in profits can be realised immediately.

3R EPoS Till Systems coupled with our robust, easy to use handheld hardware, the results are uniquely tailored solutions that meet your needs. With complimentary installation and training provided, you can simply plug in the till and use it from the get go with over 40,000 products pre-installed.

Contact our dedicated team today for a complimentary consultation. info@3rtelecom.co.uk www.3rtelecom.co.uk or www.cessoftware.com See the advert on page 7.

Wireless Temperature Monitoring Made Easy THE CONSTANT requirement to perform manual checks on all cold storage units is something all catering establishments are burdened with. Taking a reading from every fridge and freezer, is to say the very least, tedious. It may be a tried and trusted method, however its accuracy and reliability is somewhat questionable.

With the current process, incorrect temperatures are only discovered after they have oc-curred, when it’s too late! Checks are often missed or forgotten altogether for a variety of reasons.

Our solution is a fully automated temperature monitoring solution, purpose built for the cold chain, allowing any employee to log, store and access live and historical temperature records from any web enabled device, anywhere in the world.

Here at Logicall Wireless Solutions we believe above all else, the consistency, quality and safety of perishable

food products is paramount. As food safety becomes a more prominent issue and food regulations become ever stricter, we feel it is necessary to drive change in the catering industry.

This past year alone we’ve helped numerous companies to fully automate their tempera-ture monitoring process resulting in money saved, revenue added and productivity in-creased. Just ask Griff.

“The Logicall Honeycomb Solution is something that has saved us time, stress and stock on numerous occasions. Being alerted to any refrigeration issues before they become a prob-lem is a real win for any restaurant business”.

Griff Holland – Friska Food So why wait? Contact Logicall today and get your very own 24/7 temperature monitoring system, perfect for a catering establishment with a clear view on food safety.

Contact details: Website: www.log-i-call.com Email: info@og-i-call.com Phone: 01672 569374

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March 2017

Outdoor Leisure

Outdoor Leisure

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Microwaves and Combi Ovens Microwave Ovens - Pat Bray of Regale on How and What to Buy 22

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

March 2017

A COMMERCIAL microwave oven is one of the most essential items in a ‘fast food’ commercial kitchen, unless someone comes up with a quicker method of turning out hot food in seconds, then the commercial microwave oven will be around for many years to come. To demonstrate this one only have to see the volume of replacement microwaves sold every year which is “thousands upon thousands” in addition to new hospitality sites opening which are automatically being fitted with them, sometimes in the region of six per unit!

Currently, as new models are coming on the market they are basically the same as the models that they are replacing!

Generally, they only had ‘added’ programmes and facilities (which sometimes are never used). However there is one feature that Panasonic introduced was to stop using incandescent lamps (which are never covered by the manufacturer’s warranty) and fit an LED electronic circuit which can be programmed to flash when the cooking has finished instead of (or with) the bleep, so with a bank of microwaves it is easy to see which oven has completed the cooking cycle. The other good reason for this the savings made as the new LED has a three year warranty – so no more expense for lamps!

Regale Microwave Ovens also followed suit with the LED idea and when they supply a new microwave oven complete with their Microsave Cavity Liner they change the incandescent lamp(s) to LED free of charge in the heavy duty compact range of Daewoo and Sharp and give them a free 3 year warranty.

Microwaves cannot be compared with other cooking methods as generally in the fast food market microwaves are used for re-generation of pre-cooked product. When used as a cooking aid (for example melting chocolate, cooking vegetables etc there is no other kitchen equipment that can compare with a microwave for speed, footprint and running costs.

So what should dealers look out for when specifying microwaves, going forward?

That they firstly consider what power is required to do what is required and how heavy the usage is, it is pointless to buy on ‘price’ as you can end up with a low powered ‘back bar’ or ‘sweet’ type microwave which would be useless in a fast food environment situation, bear in mind that a microwave with only 1000watts to 1200watts is a low powered unit and should not be expected to be used continually during the day, quite a few of this power level are generally ‘uprated’ domestics so don’t go on price - go for a branded product, preferably one that you know of.

If you are wanting to cook items, or reasonably fast regeneration, then look for a branded 1400watt – 1500watt output but if somethings are frozen to be regenerated and you also want quick re-heat then you must go for an 1800watt – 1900watt output to be on the safe side, but once again, as there are very many microwaves that all come out of the same factory with different names on them so always go for the branded names that you know well of. Another fact that would be of help in the longevity of the microwave, help avoid some costly repairs if the ceiling plate burns out

or the base plates crack which are not covered by the manufacturers and can cost well over a hundred pounds to have replaced, you should consider making sure that the microwave has a ‘Microsave’ Cavity Protection System prefitted which will also save ‘cleaning time’ and avoid ‘down time’ whilst waiting for the engineer to call to replace the ceiling or base plate.

There are currently three brands on the market in which the Microsave can be pre-fitted and they are Panasonic (for models NE1843 and NE1853 both 1800watts) the Sharp (for the R22AT 1400watt – R23AM 1900watt and R24AT 1900watt) and the Daewoo (for the KOM9F50 1500watt and KOM9F85 1850watt) all the above will have LED type of lighting when purchased with the Microsave. All are available from the dealer network of Regale Microwave Ovens.

Factors to take into consideration include: 1) Some operators often make the mistake of using domestic models. What is the single biggest factor that sets a commercial microwave apart from a domestic model?

Domestic microwaves are generally made of less expensive parts and materials therefore will not work correctly over extended periods of use. A medium duty (1500watt output) and a heavy use (1800watt plus) commercial microwave will have at least two magnetrons’ to help provide a constant heat for long periods of time. The lower powered commercial microwaves from 100watt to 1200watt output tend to have a more efficient single mangnetron to which is generally only for light duty use (ie sweet counter – back bar use) but is far more rigorous than a standard domestic unit and generally all come with some sort of three year manufacturer’s warranty.

2) I am a foodservice operator that uses my microwave dozens of times a day, every day of the week.

How long can I expect it to last?

A good quality ‘branded’ medium to high duty microwave oven will have a manufacturer’s three year warranty and looked after can last years, however, bear in mind that NO manufacturer will give a warranty on the ceiling plate (roof liner) base plate or lens light cover (let alone the lamp) so it would be prudent to always use a ‘Cavity Protection System’ at all times whilst the microwave is in use as a single as a call out by an engineer in the warranty period plus the parts can cost in excess of £140 which is twice the price of an actual Microsave Cavity Liner (which will continue to protect these parts).

3) Is there a correlation between the power and internal capacity of a microwave? (e.g. if I want a microwave that holds larger portion sizes, does it require more power to do so?)

Basically, Yes. In theory a microwave bounces around the actual cavity, therefore the larger the cavity the more time it will take. However, the difference in size is quite minimal therefore the answer to this is, (a) decide the size of the plate (receptacle) that you are cooking/reheating on, then (b) how fast and often it is required, if for heavy continual use then a minimum 1500watt output should be considered. (c) if only a single portion re-heat ‘one offs’ are required in a few minutes every-so often then 1000watt to 1200watt would suffice.

4) What factors determine the power ratings that come with microwaves and can this be distinctly categorised into ‘low’, ‘medium’ and ‘heavy’ duty?

When talking about basic ‘microwave ovens’ and not combination microwave ovens then these can be categorised. A ‘low’ power single magnetron microwave of 1000watt to 1200watt is ideal for back bar use, reheating small portions or at sweet counters. The ‘medium’ power is generally classed as 1500watt and, in some cases, are only a little slower than an 1800watt output, and there is not much difference in price as it costs nearly as much to produce them! howev-

er, in busy sites it would be practical to have an 1800watt or 1900watt (there is no noticeable time difference between them). There is of course the extra heavy duty models which generally require to be hard wired directly into the mains (they cannot be used in a standard 13amp socket) the output power of which are from 2000watts to 3200watts of output – so powerful and fast, some with FOUR magnetrons,(don’t consider these for small portions!) they are ideal for large batch cooking.

5) Is a 1000W microwave likely to be less rugged or durable than a 1900 watt model? Or is the difference in rating purely a question of power and speed?

A 1000w only requires a single magnetron and High Voltage circuit, some are only ‘uprated domestic microwaves’ so care should be taken to choose a ‘branded’ low powered model that has been specifically designed for a commercial environment.

6) What’s more important when choosing the right model for my business: How frequently I intend to use it?

How much food I want to cook at once? How quickly do I want it to work? (a) Decide the size of the plate (receptacle) that you are cooking/reheating on, then (b) how fast and often it is required, if for heavy continual use then a minimum 1500watt output should be considered. (c) if only a single portion reheat ‘one offs’ are required in a few minutes every-so often then 1000watt to 1200watt would suffice.

7) It’s been stated that the main feature that operators should pay closest attention to when buying a microwave is the number of magnetrons it has. Is that true or false?

On low powered ovens there will only be one magnetron, on 1500w to 1900w there will be two magnetrons and two High Voltage circuits, it is important that when there are two magnetrons then to get a good even cooking pattern that one magnetron should be placed at in the top of the

microwave and second one is under the base plate, this will mean that you get a better cook pattern across the food, especially if two plates are stacked one above the other.

8) Microwaves can get dirty very quickly. How important is it to make sure my microwave has a removable oven cavity liner?

This goes without saying! It isn’t so much that microwaves get dirty quickly, it is the fact that food particles splash and splatter onto the ceiling plate and start to burn holes, ceramic glass base plates get broken, seals around the base get torn and become leaking due to grease penetration and lens light covers become dry and brittle and start to peel off all of which are not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.

Most of the major Restaurant Groups and Brewery Groups realise the savings on repair costs that having a Microsave Cavity Liner pre-fitted into the microwave when purchased that has helped prevent ‘down-time’ – ‘cleaning time’ - ‘costly repairs’ – and by keeping the microwave clean can help to extend the life of the microwave oven, In fact there are over 15000 units in use every day in all the top food establishments, they think all it’s a ‘must have’ product.

9) Some microwaves come with manual dial controls and others with programmable touch controls. What are the pros and cons of each?

This does depend on the actual operator, the touch controls are now-a-days quite simple to use and when set up correctly can make life quite simple, however, there is a good case for manual controls, it is easy to see and set the correct power level and timer, BUT it is important that if a manual control microwave is selected then make sure it has a separate START button or a digital manual control, this will prevent the oven from being switched on or operating when then door is closed with no food inside the cavity. Beware buying a manual control microwave that only has the power and timer dials – for safety sake look for a model with a start button.

EVOLVING OUT of the same technology that gave the world radar, microwave ovens have helped to revolutionise the cooking process in the foodservice industry. They are ideal for safely defrosting and reheating chilled and frozen foods, and can be used for prime cooking. You’ll find them in kitchens large and small across the industry, including sites without full kitchen facilities.

While standard microwaves are generally only used for basic heating and reheating, combination microwave ovens add greater flexibility into the mix. The addition of a grill and/or convection heater allows microwaves to perform almost all the functions of a standard oven, quickly and efficiently. With a bit of practice you should be able use a combi microwave to cook almost anything, from cakes to a roast!

Keeping it clean As with any piece of catering equipment it is vital to keep your microwave oven clean and maintained. The intense heat they generate can cause food splatter, and the general daily hustle and bustle of kitchen life can lead to spills and debris.

Staff should be trained to wipe up spills as soon as they happen, and a full clean should be undertaken at the end of each shift. It's important to use non-abrasive cloths for this, as the interior can be prone to scratching, which will allow bacteria to gain a foothold. Another alternative is to use a cavity protection liner, which will help to keep the inner cavity free of debris and can be easily removed for cleaning.

Microwaves are relatively low-maintenance but it's vital that door seals are checked regularly as microwave leakage can be extremely hazardous to health.

The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA) is the authoritative voice of the catering equipment industry, representing over 180 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment - from utensils to full kitchen schemes. For more information on CESA visit www.cesa.org.uk

Put Microwaves on Your Radar

by Glenn Roberts, Chair of CESA

As with all professional catering equipment, commercial microwaves are sturdier and more powerful than their domestic counterparts. You can determine the heating power of a microwave by its wattage. Domestic microwaves are usually rated between 600 to 900 watts, whereas commercial versions can go up to 2000 watts. This means that commercial ovens take far less time to cook, reheat or defrost food.

Domestic versions should never be used in a commercial situation, since they are not designed for heavy duty use and will compromise food safety.

As well as being energy efficient in themselves, microwave ovens create little in the way of steam or waste heat, so they are ideal for front of house use and won’t put pressure on the extraction system.

A winning combination

The Choice of Combination Microwaves Combi Steamers - The ‘Must Have’ Combi

by Glenn Roberts, chair of CESA

MICROWAVES COME in many formats and as such have several applications that can benefit a variety of catering operations. When used for predominantly reheating wet food such as soups, gravies and sauces, a standard oven will suffice, although there are many other tried and tested uses too; drying herbs, roasting spices, toasting nuts, tempering chocolate, the list is endless!

However, if you have a lunchtime offer where your menu may consist of items such as paninis, pies and toasties, or indeed any other item requiring a crisp, baked finish you should look at alternative ovens, such as the combination microwave.

The Panasonic NE-C1275 is a combination microwave, grill and convection oven with six power levels and four different combination options so pastry will maintain its crispy, golden brown crust and snacks such as panini can be toasted in seconds, with a crunchy finish.

For larger scale catering, Panasonic has a microwave that will accommodate two 1:1 Gastronorm containers. Perfect for operations with high turnover, multi-portion or multiple single portion operations, and Panasonic’s NE-1880 / NE-3280 Gastronorn microwaves come with removable sheves, effectively doubling the usable internal space.

When choosing your oven, take the time to review your business and what it is you want the microwave to do, what space is available and will it be your only microwave. If two microwaves are required in the same location, then ovens that stack and save on worktop space will be an advantage – not all microwaves are stackable. Most operators want a combination of speed, reliability, power usage, the quality of the cooked dish and reasonable costs over the life of the oven – a cheap oven that breaks down frequently and loses custom is not cost efficient in the longer term.

Once you have chosen your oven, you must carry out a regular cleaning regime to ensure its effectiveness and reliability. Certain breakdowns have been known to occur on a regu-

lar basis that can have been easily prevented. Burnt ceiling plates, cracked base plates and penetration by grease into working parts will not be covered by a manufacturer’s guarantee and the cost for repair will lie with the operator but a simple cleaning routine at the end of every service will help ensure your microwave will function throughout service. Daily, you should remove the air filters and wash them and if your machine has an easily removed ceiling take that out and wash it too.

Iain Phillips, Sales and Marketing Manager, Panasonic; “Panasonic has always offered a comprehensive, three-year, on site, parts and labour warranty, on all electronic (excluding light bulb) and mechanical parts, across our entire range of commercial microwaves, such is the confidence in the quality of our build and components, offering the operator total peace of mind. This element of a purchase is often overlooked but buyers should be mindful that a three-year warranty will offer the assurance of reliability, peace of mind and in the longer term, reduced costs.

“The bare truth is that offering a warranty adds additional cost to the manufacturer, so the conditions of that warranty will reflect the quality of the equipment. A manufacturer offering a longer warranty, covering some electrical parts but not others, probably isn't as confident in their product as they would like the user to think they are. The wording of the terms and conditions of a warranty can also be misleading which is why we believe that ours leaves nothing to the imagination; everything is covered, including labour, apart from the light bulb. A comprehensive cover warranty for a professional/commercial microwave oven should be three years. It should include on-site repair, including labour, and cover all electronic and mechanical parts. The exception to this with our warranty is the light bulb as this is regarded a consumable but we have been industry leaders in moving to super long life LED lights inside the cavity to overcome this situation.”

To find out more about the range of Panasonic microwave ovens, call 01344 476617 or go to www.panasonic.co.uk

THE COMBI steamer has become a ‘must have’ in most commercial kitchens. By balancing the amount of dry heat and steam, the combi can duplicate many different cooking processes, so it can be used to pan fry, roast, steam, poach, bake, grill, smoke…

Meanwhile the programmability of the machine means even untrained staff can load up the combi and cook chef ’s signature dish to perfection – at the touch of a button.

Combi steamers are also popular because they use less energy than conventional cooking appliances and thus cut kitchen running costs.

Traditional combi steamers were bulky bits of equipment. Manufacturers have responded to the big squeeze on kitchen space with the development of ever-smaller machines that offer all the programmes and functions of their larger siblings, but in a compact footprint.

One function that is especially popular with the kitchen brigade is self-cleaning. A quality machine will almost certainly feature this and will keep the unit sparkling and more hygienically clean than staff could ever do.

Make more of your combi Its versatility makes the combi a truly multifunctional cooking machine. However, many chefs admit that they don’t use all of their combi’s features. Indeed, in many kitchens it’s simply used as either a steamer or a convection oven.

Nearly every combi steamer manufacturer worth its salt runs training courses for customers, often for free. So if you have a combi steamer, or are thinking of buying one, be sure to set aside the time to get you and your staff trained in its techniques. This is the only way you can realise its full potential, not only in terms of cooking quality but also cost saving.

The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA) is the authoritative voice of the catering equipment industry, representing over 180 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment - from utensils to full kitchen schemes. For more information on CESA visit www.cesa.org.uk

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Food Hygiene

Food Safety And Temperature Monitoring In The Independent And Small Chain Sector Of The Hospitality Industry FOOD BUSINESS operators have a legal obligation to comply with food hygiene legislation which states that they must ensure the food they sell is safe for consumption and does not cause ill health to customers. Therefore, a successful catering business relies on good food hygiene practices to prevent food poisoning, achieve legal compliance and attain good food hygiene ratings as well as customer satisfaction and a respectable reputation.

Such laws are enforced by Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) from local councils who will also offer support and guidance. However, should they witness evidence of non-compliance or an imminent risk to health they can close the businesses or prosecute for food hygiene offences. They can also publish a low Food Hygiene Rating which is accessible to the public on-line. Poor publicity associated with such actions can be devastating for the company’s reputation. The Mitchells and Butlers case in which a woman died after contracting Clostridium perfringens from turkey received plenty of unwanted attention. The Chef and the Manager were found guilty of perverting the course of justice and jailed for 12 and 18 months respectively. They had fabricated food safety records relating to the cooking of the turkey meat.

Adhering to legislation, achieving compliance with best practice and ensuring you are prepared for an EHO visit can appear to be daunting, especially to small and independent businesses.

With 30 years’ of experience, Food Alert’s Managing Director Client Services, David Bashford states that with new increased sentences for compliance breaches, increasing customer awareness of food hygiene ratings and reputations on the line, food businesses need to operate at higher standards now more than ever.

Achieving compliance is not impossible and does not have to be over complicated. A simple food safety management system should be in place. Small businesses can make use of the Food Standards Agency’s ‘Safer Food Better Business’ system (available from their web-site) or call in competent advice from a company like Food Alert.

Effective cleaning is an essential pre-requisite to any food hygiene system. Adequate cleaning ensures food preparation areas and equipment are cleaned in between use, especially inbetween the use of ready-to-eat and non-ready-to-eat foods.

Using a commercial cleaning chemical provider (rather than supermarket or cash and carry products) means you will be more effective in achieving high standards of cleanliness with products that are effective against bacteria and viruses. Staff should be made aware of the correct use of such products including the contact time. The use of a cleaning schedules can prove as a useful tool for ensuring cleaning standards have been maintained on a daily basis. Cleaning schedules should outline what needs to be cleaned, the frequency of the cleaning, and

what products should be used.

It is a legal requirement for food handlers to uphold a high standard of personal hygiene including wearing clean protective clothing so that individuals do not contaminate the food (it’s not worn to protect the staff!). With regards to training staff, there is no legal requirement to attend a formal training course, rather, food handlers must receive supervision, instruction or training which is appropriate for the task they will be carrying out. However, it must be noted that those responsible for developing food safety management procedures must have received adequate training which allows them to do so competently.

Cooking is an essential step to ensuring food is safe for consumption as thoroughly cooking will kill any harmful bacteria that may lead to food poisoning. When deciding what core temperature you wish to achieve, consideration should be given to the following core temperature and time combinations of 70°C for 2 minutes or 75°C for 30 seconds. When holding food hot, food must be kept above 63°C. Safe storage is critical to the safety of food. Keeping foods chilled below 8°C is a legal requirement as it keeps food in the safe zone to slow the growth of harmful bacteria. Delivery temperatures should be monitored and foods transported to refrigeration as quickly as possible. During preparation foods should not be left out of the fridge for any longer than is necessary and the chilling of cooked foods should be done as quickly as possible.

Record keeping is a measure of ‘due diligence’ to assist in demonstrating that the food safety controls are in place and are being maintained. Record-keeping should be done so in accordance with the nature and size of the business. Critical control point (CCP) checks do not need to be done at every point all the time instead at regular intervals daily.

Yes, temperature records help to show what you did, but it also (and primarily) helps to ensure you are selling safe food.

Successful prevention of cross-contamination on hands, equipment, surfaces and foods is fundamental to food safety. It is imperative to prevent cross-contamination between ready and non-ready-to-eat foods. They should be stored and prepared separately, have separate designated equipment such as chopping boards and separate ‘complex’ machinery such as vacuum packing machines and slicers.

Sources of support and information:Food Standards Agency – Starting up www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/multimedia/pdfs/publication/sta rting-up-booklet.pdf The Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice: Catering Guide www.foodalert.com/services/food-safety/catering-guide-2016 Food Alert www.foodalert.com Food Standards Agency - Safer Food Better Business. www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/sfbb-caterers-pack.pdf

Digital Food Safety And Temperature Monitoring Saves Time, Money And Stress

IF LIKE most food businesses managing food safety paperwork is time-consuming and cumbersome, Checkit will help you. How? Checkit is a completely paperless food safety and temperature monitoring system created with the help of food inspectors. It replaces paper checklists and diaries with a handheld device that prompts staff when to do food safety checks and creates your food safety records automatically.

Checkit comes with smart wireless temperature probes for hot and chilled food checks and notify staff if

food is in the safe range and what to do if not. Checkit wireless sensors are placed in fridges, freezers and chilled cabinets and continuously record temperatures 24 x 7. All temperature data is automatically time-stamped and stored securely online for visibility and compliance.

When it’s busy in the kitchen it’s easy to miss checks or forget to fill in the paperwork. With Checkit you can make sure your food safety and cleaning tasks always get done and it completely eliminates food safety paperwork from the kitchen. Even in the smallest business, this will save at least a day of time, each month. To book an online demo visit: www.checkit.net/request-a-demo/ or call 01223 371027.

Salmonella Testing Made Fast, Convenient And Accurate AS SALMONELLA bacteria are the most commonly reported cause of foodborne illnesses, never has testing been so important. However, while conventional salmonella test kits involve numerous complicated steps, Hygiena International’s recently developed InSite Salmonella micro-organism colorimetric test is rapid, convenient and extremely accurate. It combines both swab, pre-enrichment and selective enrichment in a single self-contained swab device for testing environmental surfaces, giving results in 24 hours.

Salmonella bacteria are found worldwide in a range of cold and warm-blooded animal species. In most cases, salmonella infections are contracted by ingesting poultry, pork, beef, fish or seafood that has not been heated/cooked appropriately, or was cross-contaminated after preparation. According to the European Food Safety Authority, around 100,000 cases are reported every year in the EU. Designed with the facts in mind, Hygiena InSite is a costeffective Salmonella screening test for food contact surfaces, processing equipment and general environmental samples that combines the principal steps of pre-enrichment and selective enrichment in an all-in-one swab device.

The test consists of a large sponge swab pre-wetted with a neutralising agent – to counter the effects of residual sanitisers – and a pre-enrichment broth to enable the detection of low numbers of Salmonella.

The bulb contains the AOAC enrichment Salmonella Indicator Broth PDXSIB. After activation and incubation, a colour change of the selective enrichment

broth from purple to yellow is considered as a ‘presumptive positive’ result.

A brief pre-enrichment period of just six hours enables the detection of presumptive positive samples within a 24-hour period. Alternatively, optional overnight or 24-hour pre-enrichment permits the detection of such samples in 48 hours. The test requires fewer materials, fewer steps and less manipulation by users. Furthermore, its all-in-one format maintains security by confining hazardous pathogens.

Screening for pathogens is a vital element of environmental monitoring programmes for certain food manufacturing plants.

Not only does it confirm the effectiveness of a sanitation procedure, environmental monitoring also forms part of a comprehensive preventive control verification programme.

It is imperative that testing for the presence of Salmonella is carried out during facilities manufacturing and processing as well as wherever there is packing/holding of foods for consumption. However, while there are probably 40 different methods for salmonella detection currently commercially available, all require a skilled operator and are time-consuming, laborious and prone to errors at several stages.

In contrast, Hygiena InSite is quick, straightforward and reliable, while further benefits include reduced risk of cross-contamination and the retention of active culture for any subsequent verification and identification tests.

An instructional video explaining the product details and proper use of InSite Salmonella can be viewed at: http://www.hygiena.com/insite-salmonellafood-and-beverage.html For further information contact Hygiena International Ltd, on Telephone: 01923 818821, e-mail: contactus@hygiena.com or visit www.hygiena.com

Outdoor Leisure Kirklees Developments Ltd Catering Equipment WITH OVER 35 years’ experience of designing and manufacturing barbecues and a variety of gas appliances with C.E approval Kirklees Developments now produce 2 sizes of hog roasters, to cook up to 200lb pigs.

The 200lb pig roaster, the largest on the market, has a viewing window and wooden handles for comfort. It`s geared motor unit is 4 times the power of smaller roasters in its class. Chickens, jacket potatoes etc. can be cooked in the optional attachment & tall chefs may specify the optional adjustable carving brackets. Carving trays are also available.

Our newest product is our

Decarboniser soak tank. Designed for ease of use and robustness. Fabricated from stainless steel with 150Litre usable capacity. Simply switch it on, leave your pans and grills in it overnight, take out the clean stuff in the morning.

Kirklees Developments produce an extensive range of large professional catering grill & griddle barbecues including the widely respected Masterchef and Zenith ranges.

The 8 burner Magnum has removable grills for easy cleaning and is most versatile due to its overall size and independently controllable burners.

Tel: 01484 401134 Email: enquiries@kdev.co.uk Web: www.kdev.co.uk

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

WE ARE an independent supplier serving the outdoor restaurant trade with supplies for outdoor seating areas. We have some large clients including Gondola group along with many smaller cafe bars, restaurants and public houses.

We design and manufacturer our own windbreaks and use the best materials available. For anyone looking long term that saves you money as you won’t be replacing cheap internet imports next season. It’s one area where it doesn’t pay to

Glassjacks Ltd

GLASSJACKS ARE pleased to announce a new range of products and an improved website (www.glassjacks.co.uk). Customers can now purchase a full range of beautiful catering quality glassware (Genware) and glassjacks together.

From elegant wine glasses and champagne flutes to tumblers, beer glasses, shot glasses, carafes and water jugs. This full range of glassware complements our comprehensive range of glassware storage boxes (glassjacks).

buy budget as the continual bumps and scrapes outdoor goods receive combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job.

We also supply Markilux awning which are some of the best made in the industry 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 If it’s just glassware storage boxes (glassjacks) you are looking for there is a new feature on our website, the “Glass Measurement Guide” where you simply insert your glass height and width to be directed straight to the glassjack you require.

Our additional new products include compartment glass racks, dishwasher racks, barware and plastic glassware.

Glassjacks Ltd have supplied products for over 5 years to thousands of delighted customers; from catering hire companies; race courses; hotels; bars; restaurants; golf courses; glass manufacturers; catering wholesale suppliers, event companies and many more.

For your glassware storage box and glassware requirements please take a look at our new website www.glassjacks.co.uk.

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Outdoor Leisure

Exciting New Ranges From Leisurebench Ltd. For 2017

“HERE AT LeisureBench, we have been working hard to bring new products into the marketplace to further enhance the emerging trend in quality outdoor and indoor furniture.”

Josh Wesson, General Manager: Here is a sample of some of our exciting new products available for 2017.

Fibre cement furniture 2016 saw a significant increase in the demand for rustic industrial style furniture. Our new Fibre cement range is the next generation along this theme. Suitable for outdoor or indoor use, it comprises a table and bench set made from a composite material renowned for its strength and durability, with natural acacia wood legs.

Fire pit tables Fire pits have been popular for many years and this is a natural extension to this trend. Fire pit tables combine cooking and eating with the aesthetic appearance of a fire pit, added to the practicality of a

table that can be used for outdoor cooking or just relaxing.

Rattan planters Designed to complement your Rattan garden furniture and suitable for outdoor or indoor use. They are available in various colours and sizes, some of which include self watering technology.

Madrid Set Made from quality weather resistant resin in a continental style found extensively across Europe, this table and chairs set is suitable for outdoor or indoor use and benefits from the aesthetic appearance of Rattan, but with more durablity.

Neptune chairs Mix and match designer chairs are currently on-trend. Our new Neptune range comes in a variety of colours and is suitable for use outdoors or indoors. It combines the look of a designer chair but built to last due to its sturdy robust polypropylene construction.

For further information visit www.leisurebench.co.uk or call 01949 862920

The Big Umbrella Company Ltd

THE BIG Umbrella Company is a leading supplier and installer of a wide range of shade solutions.

parasols, heat & lighting, awnings, canopies, terrace screening, cafe barriers, glass screens, along with service and repairs. Our installation service can include every aspect of works so that you can just concentrate on using your new product!

T: 01256 475099 or visit www.thebigumbrellacompany.com

We specialise in large umbrellas,

SmartFire UK - Design Led Heating Solutions With an eye for breath taking design, contemporary looks and heat efficiency, Smart Fire UK is one of the leading names in heating solutions.

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It has provided heating for some of the country’s top hotels, restaurants, bars as well as establishments overseas.

It’s the sole British distributor for EcoSmart bio ethanol fires and Bromic heaters. Eco Smart bio-ethanol fires have rewritten the rulebook when it comes to fireplace design.

Because bio-ethanol fires require no chimney or flue, their design potential is

almost limitless. They can be placed in existing grates or situated anywhere within a room.

Smart Fire UK also stocks a range of design led outdoor fires which create a focal point in any exterior space.

The Bromic collection, including portable and static models, combines contemporary design and efficient output which work in indoor and outdoor settings.

These practical heating options are more powerful than similar alternatives on the market, whilst also boasting more economical, greener heat.

For more, visit SmartFireUK.com

COMMERCIAL SHADE SOLUTIONS Make the most of your outside space

The Big Umbrella Company has many years experience in supplying and installing a range of shade solutions, including large umbrellas, hardwood parasols, awnings and heat solutions.We also maintain, recover and service all umbrellas and awnings throughout the UK. Our in-house designers can also create branding on umbrellas and awnings which can help promote your business and make you stand out from the crowd.

Many businesses are finding the need to utilise outside space to create a warm, sheltered and comfortable area for your customers, if this sounds like you please call us for a free site survey or quotation.

Tel: 01256 475099

sales@thebigumbrellacompany.com

LARGE STOCKS OF UMBRELLAS AVAILABLE FOR FAST DELIVERY

www.thebigumbrellacompany.com

Resintech Services HERE AT Resintech Limited, we strive in giving our customers satisfaction and peace of mind that they are getting the best value, and

Coir Matting from Coirstore COIRSTORE IMPORTS coir matting direct from the manufacturer and therefore can offer premium quality coir products at cheaper prices than most of our competitors.

Ideal for Bell tents, Yurts, Tipis etc. our range of half moon mats are very popular. Constructed from 100% unbleached & natural Vycome yarns in either Panama or Herringbone weaves, each half moon is hemmed and machine stitched.

A new addition this year; 10.5m diameter matting to suit larger Yurts & Tipis. Unlike the smaller Tipi and Yurt matting we offer, which comprise of 2x Half Moon mats. These 10.5m diameter mats comprise of 5 separate pieces, when laid together form the full mat.

For marquees and bigger structures we currently offer 2 specifications; M4A4 & M2BV3. These mats are available in

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product when laying their resin bound surface.

We specialise in swimming pool surrounds, patios, driveways. We have an excellent track record and brilliant feedback from our customers.

After Please contact us to today for a free no obligation quotation.

Telephone: 01202 287302 or 01202 287305, email: info@resintechltd.uk or visit www.resintechltd.uk 9m, 10m and 12.2m lengths.

Another new addition this year is 3m wide mattings, suitable for Gazebos & Party Tents. These mats enable the floor area to be covered in one go!

Coirstore provides free delivery on all orders within the UK mainland. We also deliver throughout the British Isles, Europe and further afield if required. We aim to dispatch orders within 24 hours or at our customer’s convenience. www.coirstore.co.uk andy@coirstore.co.uk 0788 430 3082

Offer Your Clients A More Varied Menu - Generating Additional Profits Too

WITH THE Elite Range of Hog Roasting equipment you not only have the best equipment available, but you also have the confidence that training, support and aftersales care is second-to-none.

Watch the theatre of a full hog roasted to perfection with juicy succulent pork and mouth-watering crispy crackling.

The Elite can accommodate a hog up to 90 kilos, feeding up to 300 people in one serving and with the new Oven lid additional pork joints(or a variety of other meats and other produce) can be cooked simultaneously

adding variety to the menu and increasing profits substantially for the operator from only one machine.

Additional accessories such as the BBQ Hot Plates enable you to barbecue while the pig is full flow too Alternatively add on the Poultry Rack giving you the ability to roast 40 chickens in around 2 hours 25 minutes creating 160 meals at the same time The Elite – Without Equal For further details call 01652 681 883, email: info@spitroast1.com or visit www.spitroast1.com

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Products and Services KalGUARD Offers Maximum Benefits For Limescale Control Fish & Chip Flavoured Crisps?

LIMESCALE CONTROL is recommended for catering facilities and hotels located within hard water areas. If left unchecked, limescale may lead to premature repairs and breakdowns of secondary hot water systems and appliances, causing downtime and unplanned capital expenditure, and can escalate energy bills since just 1.6mm of limescale can increase a heating system’s fuel requirement by up to 12% (British Water).

To inhibit the buildup of limescale, KalGUARD® from Sentinel Commercial should be installed. Arguably the best limescale control device on the market in terms of overall cost-effectiveness, performance, ease of installation and maintenance, KalGUARD uses unique

driven electrolytic technology (the only powered device-led methodology to be recommended by Part L) to permanently control limescale.

Easy and cost-effective to install, KalGUARD works with all types of heaters from leading OEMs and is not LSI dependent, so there is never any need for extra units or complicated water analysis. What’s more, only one KalGUARD system is needed to treat an entire system when it is installed on a rising main before pump and booster sets.

Once commissioned, maintenance of WRAS-approved KalGUARD is negligible, as no consumables are needed for its ongoing operation. The unit requires only a biannual service if the system filter is fitted.

KalGUARD is available in a range of sizes, from 22mm through to 108mm. To find out more about the benefits of KalGUARD, call 01928 704330 or alternatively visit www.sentinelprotects.com

Our Bar Saves £7000 Every Year After installing a single LineClenze device

JOHN WATSON, one of our clients at the Drayton Manor Hotel was astounded when he found out he was set to save £7,000 every year simply by reducing the amount of beer he would normally throw away during the line cleaning process of a single hotel bar.

“Our bar now saves £7000 every year... I cannot recommend the device highly enough.”

The Lineclenze device is a small, compact box that agitates the yeast molecules in beer lines, lessening the amount of cleans required by 75%.

Paul, at the Riverside Bar, StratfordUpon-Avon says: "Anyone wanting to save money should consider the LineClenze system it is well-worth the investment. We have 15 lines here at the Riverside Bar, each

holding 4 pints, which we pour down the drain every time we clean the lines. Thanks to LineClenze we have reduced our line cleaning from weekly to monthly, resulting in significant savings.

What's more our customers tell us that our beer tastes better now!"

With devices installed around the UK in varying different venues, ranging from hotels to pubs, from sports clubs to theme parks, Lineclenze have a positive portfolio of happy customers making yearly savings ranging from £3000 to £20,000 per bar depending on their wastage levels.

For more information on Lineclenze whether that be to delve deeper into the technical side of the device or to browse our testimonials, please visit us at: www.lineclenze.com To arrange a free quote call: 0800 1701564 or email: enquiries@lineclenze.com or see advert on page 4.

THAT’S RIGHT - and it doesn’t stop there.

The Great British Crisp Company has a whole range of ‘meal in one bite’ flavours including Tikka Masala, English Breakfast and their newest addition: Cornish Pasty. If you’re more of a traditional crisp lover, the classic varieties of West Country Cheddar & Chive and Cornish Sea Salt are a must.

The Great British Crisp Company has been created by an award winning

British bakery, recognised as one of the nation’s leading craft bakeries. To create their flavours, they hand cook small batches of Cornish potatoes in sunflower oil, before seasoning with Britain’s finest natural ingredients.

The result? An exciting range of crisps to really give your customers something to talk about.

For more information and to sample the Great British Crisp Company first hand visit www.greatbritishcrispcompany.co.uk or call 01736 788538 or see page 9.

The Sweet Smell of Warewashing…

WINTERHALTER’S NEW cleaning tablet has warewashers smelling sweeter and lasting longer Even the most careful manual clean or most effective selfcleaning programme will leave tiny mineral deposits in warewashers. Over time these can grow and, as well as potentially damaging the unit, can lead to unpleasant odours.

To combat this Winterhalter has developed a cleaning tablet, the A 15 MC, for use with its UC series of undercounter warewashers. It gets rid of the deposits, leaves a clean, fresh fragrance, delivers a new level of hygienic cleaning and, by removing any trace of mineral deposits and limescale, extends the life of the machine.

Using the A 15 MC tablet is very simple and effortless: simply remove it from its wrapping and pop it in the machine during the self-cleaning programme.

The tablet is precisely tailored to the UC series’ self-cleaning programme and ensures the most thorough cleaning and care for the machine, preventing unpleasant odours and

leaving a subtle, fresh fragrance.

“In trials, these new cleaning tablets were a huge success, because they are really effective and are so easy,” says Peter Alsworth, sales director of Winterhalter UK’s cleaning chemicals division. “As well as improving the working environment, they protect the value of the warewasher over its service life.”

The A 15 MC comes in containers of 25 x 8g tablets.

Dosing is one tablet per self-cleaning procedure. The tablet should only be used in an empty machine on the self-cleaning cycle, it is not suitable for cleaning dishes.

Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance. Alongside its market-leading dish and glasswashers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, cleaning chemicals and detergents. For further details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, see www.winterhalter.co.uk, or www.winterhalter-scout.biz or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.

Products and Services

Ching’s Gluten Free & Organic Soybean Noodles Coffee Shop Quality at the Touch of a Button!

YUTAKA (TAZAKI FOODS) is introducing a new range of healthy, soybean noodles this spring at the Natural & Organic Products Show 2017 on stand no P44.

Endorsed by Ching-He Huang, British Taiwanese TV chef, these high-protein, glutenfree noodles make a lighter alternative to pasta.

The two varieties - Soybean Noodles & Edamame Soybean Noodles - come in a 200g box featuring an innovative new packaging design. Made from organically grown soybeans, the noodles are high in protein and fibre, low in sodium and completely free from additives.

Find out more at www.yutaka.london/chinghehuang

Free from Gluten But Full on Flavour

TOO GOOD To Be Gluten Free is the UK’s leading gluten-free pastry brand, specialising in quiches, pies and tarts as part of its extensive range.

Too Good products appeal to both medically-led coeliacs and consumers who choose a gluten-free lifestyle.

Market research has shown a huge growth in the gluten-free sector, 13% of Brits now choose to go gluten free! The demand for gluten free ranges is rapidly increasing but consumers want more focus on the taste and quality of the product.

Too Good To Be Gluten Free, as the name

suggests, is the market leader in offering gluten free food with no sacrifice on flavour.

With buttery pastry and rich sauces that combine succulent meats the range includes savoury favourites like the Red Thai Chicken Pie, Steak & Ale Pie as well as Cauliflower, Kale & Stilton Open Top Pie and Quiche Lorraine.

Extending its range further, Too Good offer desserts including Dark Chocolate and Salted Caramel Tart, Bramley Apple & Blackberry Pie and Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake. Too Good To Be Gluten Free products are available at selected UK wholesalers or visit www.toogoodtobe.co.uk or see the advert on page 17.

Ozo Innovations Launches eloclear System to Advance Food Factory Hygiene OZO INNOVATIONS (Ozo) makes food factory hygiene more robust and sustainable with the launch of eloclear, a state-of-the-art single step cleaning and disinfection system.

Ozo supports food industry customers to improve their sustainability credentials, win new business and gain production capacity by reducing time spent undertaking hygiene, whilst improving deep cleaning and disinfection standards.

Customers make eloclear onsite using Ozo’s elosystem which transforms food grade salt and water into a powerful cleaner and biocide. In field trials, the company proved that eloclear delivered greater microbial control and a more consistent disinfection result than traditional hot water, detergents and terminal sanitisers.

On site production of eloclear is monitored and controlled using advanced sensors; secure

data recording and 24/7 monitoring. Authorised and authenticated, customers can monitor production using a computer or smart device. Ozo undertakes continuous analysis of customer site data to be able to detect any production issues and to ensure that the eloclear is effective at the point of use.

Rowan Gardner, CEO of Ozo Innovations said: “Our objective was to make effective hygiene simpler to achieve for the food industry. Currently, companies invest significant time and resources deep cleaning food facilities.

Switching a hot water based multistep hygiene process for a simple cold eloclear process is measurably more energy and time efficient.”

Technical Directors and other interested food industry professionals are invited to register for Ozo’s half day seminar, Innovations in Food Factory Hygiene. To find out more, visit the website: www.ozoinnovations.com

“WE’VE SEEN greater demand for premium coffee as consumers turn away from the mass market in search for high-quality products.

Coffee has become a lifestyle drink so establishments should look to capitalise on the growing love for out of home breakfast – by serving a quality coffee to accompany food, in keeping with a boutique stay,” - Roger Heap, Managing Director at JURA UK.

JURA manufactures premium, Swiss-made bean-to-cup coffee machines that are exceptionally well-made for commercial use – producing from 50, up to 200 cups per day. The JURA WE8 is perfect for a boutique offering as it’s capable of producing around 35 speciality coffees per day.

This machine features 12 programmable specialities, from a latte macchiato to a flat white. It also has a 3l water tank capacity and a 500g bean container capacity with an aroma preservation cover. For optimum convenience, the WE8 is compatible with the JURA Coffee App, so you can control it wirelessly via Bluetooth.

For more information, please visit uk.jura.com P: 01282 868266 E: service@uk.jura.com or see page 15.

Jura Products

DELIVERING A fresh, consistent and great tasting hot drink is becoming more important as the public become increasingly educated by high street coffee chains. An ever increasing range of hot drink menus, including espresso, flat white and latte macchiato is forcing manufacturers to innovate in order to bring the high street into the office.

Eden Kafevend has quickly adapted to ensure the maturing tastes of its customers are catered for, developing a coffee machine

The StarPRO Range

TO GET your windows, tables, bars, glassware and everything else in your establishment sparkling clean and ready for the sunny days ahead, it’s important that you use the right products.

Why choose StarPRO? The StarPRO range is perfectly suited to the hospitality industry, as they have been specially developed to meet the challenging needs of these environments.

Products have been conveniently separated into eight colour-coded categories that correspond to the COSHH guidelines, allowing StarPRO to be seamlessly integrated into any professional cleaning routine.

AutoFry from HHD WANT TO fry but don't have the space or funds for ventilation then look no further.

Autofry is a fully enclosed, automated system making operation simple and safe for all employees, easy to maintain, it has its own inbuilt fire suppression system.

Hotels, Cinemas, Restaurants, café, children's play centres are among the many business that benefit from using the Autofry.

With Autofry you can increase profits by serving your

range that reflects the demanding needs of today’s caterer.

The diverse Melitta coffee machine is perfect for any catering environment. Simple and quick to operate with industry leading technology and reliability it delivers great tasting drinks that are consistent and professionally crafted. Large capacity bean hoppers provide an output of between 80 – 100 cups an hour and its large graphic display is perfect for selfservice operation.

For further information contact 08083016483 or visit www.kafevendingmachines.co.uk

How can StarPRO offer premium-quality products at such competitive prices?

StarPRO offer a fantastic range of top-quality cleaning products that offer significant savings over products of similar quality, some of which are up to 55% cheaper than competitors.

StarPRO are able to offer these great prices due to the fact that the company owns and operates its own production facilities right here in the UK. To further streamline operations and allow further savings, StarPRO sell products directly to customers from the StarPRO web site (www.starprodirect.co.uk). This means no retailer commissions are added to any StarPRO product, and logistics costs are also reduced.

Products can be ordered from www.starprodirect.co.uk, which makes the ordering process simple, saving you time and hassle when purchasing your cleaning supplies. Next day delivery is included as standard for orders over £20 for mainland UK addresses. customers hot and delicious deep fried food in a matter of minutes.

There are four models from Counter top to floor standing operating single or three phase, single or double baskets. visit our website www.hhdltd.co.uk or call us on 01235 817283 for more information.

For further information see the advert on page 6.

MAJIsign - Design, Print, Manufacture MAJIsign are the UK’s largest manufacturer of chalk boards, A-Boards and pub displays.

MAJIsign have invested heavily recently in large format printers allowing us to digitally print direct to our wooden displays and chalk boards that we design and manufacture inhouse.

With a new product designer joining the team we now offer 3D design visuals & proof of concepts for our unique display products. This enables us to design

and proof bespoke display products considerably quicker than constructing a prototype unit and allowing for amendments to the product design, branding requirements almost instantly. With an in-house design and print studio MAJIsign offer a full range of banners, posters and print for your premises often delivered in 3 working days.

Contact us today to see what we can do to help your business.

For further information call 0800 78 35 887 or email sales@majisign.co.uk Alternatively see the advert on page 17.

Landmark London Hotel Adds Girbau HS-6057 Washer The Perfect Combination - Falcon Launches New Combi Ovens with Improved Functionality and Ease of Use

THE LUXURY 5-star Landmark London hotel recently took delivery of a new Girbau HS6057 washer for its basement on-premise laundry. Delivery and installation of the new machine involved a finely-tuned operation using specialist lifting equipment and manoeuvring through gaps with no more than inches to spare.

The London Landmark Hotel is adjacent to Marylebone railway station and combines classic British elegance with deluxe facilities including 300 guest rooms, a luxurious spa and health club, gymnasium and 15-metre swimming pool.

While laundry flatwork is outsourced the hotel’s on-premise laundry processes all towels and towelling including robes, slippers and face cloths. It also handles staff uniforms and guest work.

The new Girbau HS-6057, 57-63kg capacity washer replaces a 55kg machine which had reached the end of its working life. The laundry operates every day of the year and Girbau was able to install the new machine in just a 5-hour window at the weekend, in order to keep disruption to a minimum. A delivery truck with HIAB crane was used to lift and then lower the washer carefully through a basement window. A section of firewall had to be temporarily removed and replaced as the washer was carefully manoeuvred into place, before being connected to services and commissioned.

“We were very impressed with how well Girbau managed the complex installation of our new washer,” said Geraldine Maursy, Director of Accommodation at The Landmark, London. “We are very busy here and they told us exactly how, when and where it would be done. The installa-

tion team were very professional throughout and we are very pleased.”

Margaret Benisz-Kaggwa, Laundry Manager at The Landmark has already noticed how much more smoothly and quietly the new washer operates and highlights the advantages of the machine’s EASYLOAD function: “EASYLOAD makes the machine easy to load and unload, reducing the manual effort required and lessening the wear on fabrics as they are pulled out of the machine.”

Girbau HS 6 Series washers can spin at speeds of up to 1,000rpm to create water extraction forces of up to 400G. Depending on the fabrics being cleaned, this means residual moisture after washing can be less than 50%, which in turn means faster drying and further energy savings. G-Drive, Girbau’s exclusive control and communication system linking the inverter, motor and microprocessor ensures accurate balance even at high speeds for quieter operation, reduced vibration and longer machine life. Girbau’s unique Care Touch Drum prolongs linen life and optimises water extraction.

In common with all other models in the Girbau HS Series, the HS-6057 is on the Water Technology List. This means it is very water efficient and businesses purchasing new machines can benefit from 100% tax relief under the UK Government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme.

The Landmark London chose Girbau UK for: • Swift, efficient and meticulous installation • Quiet and efficient machines • Ergonomic and labour-saving EASYLOAD function • Girbau equipment reliability and long life • Dealing direct with the manufacturer For more information, visit: www.girbau.co.uk or telephone 01462 427780

FALCON HAS taken the functionality of combination ovens to a new level with the launch of its latest models. These units are available in programmable and manual versions, with both benefitting from improvements to construction, aesthetics and usability.

The top of the range ‘T’ models feature an upgraded user interface. The new high definition colour tablet-style touchscreen is incredibly easy to operate. It can be completely configured to suit each individual kitchen’s requirements, with the home page able to display the most frequently used programmes, which can then be started with just one touch.

Recipes can be organised in folders so that, for instance, those used on a certain day can be readily called up together. Previous models featured a 400 programme storage capacity, whereas the new ‘T’ models feature unlimited storage. Cooking advice and notes can be typed in and images can be added to help quick identification – these can be uploaded from an image gallery or from a USB. Multilevel and Just in Time cooking enables menu items with different cooking times to be cooked simultaneously, with the combi oven intelligently recognising compatible recipes that can also be cooked together.

All of Falcon’s new 7 and 10 shelf models benefit from new Liquid Clean automatic cleaning and descaling systems, making it easier to keep the combi oven chamber in optimum condition.

The detergent and descaler containers are in-built, housed in a discreet compartment beneath the oven chamber, saving space and improving the appearance of the units. Each unit is also supplied with a multipoint temperature probe and hand shower as standard.

Alongside the new models, Falcon will continue to supply its popular compact combi oven range. The compact combis are only 510mm wide and enable smaller kitchens to benefit from combi cooking. They feature an easy to operate, interactive touch screen with 400 programme storage capacity, and an automatic cleaning system.

There is also a full range of cooking accessories available, such as perforated trays, skewer racks, meat grids and nonstick containers specifically designed to enhance the quality of the food being produced.

“The new Falcon combi is a really excellent machine, says Shaune Hall, product development chef at Falcon.“It is full of innovative and useful features and the touch screen is very easy to use. I love the fact that you can adjust the programme settings even during any stage of the cooking process. The accessories really do make a difference too, making it even easier to produce great food.”

To help operators realise the full potential of the new combis, Falcon’s sales managers provide on-site demonstrations showing how to use and get the best out of the equipment. Shaune Hall also regularly visits sites to give demonstrations to groups of caterers. Falcon’s customers can also visit the factory and development kitchen pre- and post-purchase for hands-on training and to try cooking their menu items prior to purchase.

Falcon is the market-leading UK manufacturer of professional cooking equipment. With a company history going back nearly 200 years, Falcon now supplies operators throughout the catering industry, exporting around the globe.

Its comprehensive product portfolio is backed by award-winning customer support.

Visit www.falconfoodservice.com for more information.

Furniture Direct FURNITURE DIRECT'S new look showroom contains a selection of many of our best selling items together with a range of items which are new for this year.

Furniture Direct established in 1997 as small family business to provide best value products for your money, and with all our good customers we managed to continue do

After The Love Is Gone...

NOT JUST an Earth Wind and Fire song or a lonely lament, but the day after Valentine's night for restaurants.

So, you survived Valentine’s night!!!

Did you make sure everyone had their delightfully romantic candle lit evening at your wonderful restaurant! And did you then spend ages cleaning up all the mess of the wax dripping everywhere, or where it has filled your candle holders up with waxy leftovers or

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what we are good at and build nationwide repetition.

We have the largest display for REPRODUCTION FURNITURE in the south as well as the Italian furniture and our beautiful selection of Mirror and Clocks and Lighting and Oil Painting plus our exclusive collection of CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS. However, they all have one thing in common – the Furniture Direct guarantee of value. We firmly believe that we offer the best value possible in reproduction furniture. All items are carefully sourced to ensure that our prices are amongst the most competitive available. In addition you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing that there are absolutely no hidden extras and a No Quibble Guarantee.

For further information, call us on 01202 434303 or visit www.furnituredirect.org.uk from tablecloths where the candle was knocked over?

Well you can have beautiful natural candle light every night of the year, not just Valentines, without any of the messy heartache of wax candles, by switching to oil candles.

Oil candles burn cleanly, there is no mess, and no waste. They don’t turn into mush and people can’t stick things in them They are economical to buy (from £2.95) and economical to run (from 1.2 pence per hour). They can save you time, money and misery!

Contact us for details on our sample ordering service and change your restaurant for the better, today!

Visit www.clearcraftcatering.co.uk or call 0845 345 5123 for details.

QED Launches New Range of Coffee Shop Display Systems at ScotHot 2017 QUALITY EQUIPMENT Distributors (QED), based in Glasgow, is a leading UK designer and supplier of modular bar, coffee shop and food service equipment, with a large selection of contemporary and classic module styles for catering and retail environments.

The company is launching new additions to its range of serve-over counters, bar modules and retail refrigeration products at ScotHot, SECC Glasgow, UK, March 15 - 16, 2017. Stand number 4620.

QED Avalon counters and bar systems are designed for coffee shops, restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals and many more retail and catering locations. They are available in a wide selection of sizes, temperature ranges (chilled, heated and ambient) and wood veneer or coloured laminate finishes.

QED will also be featuring new designs in its Continental Coffee Shop System collection of matching counter, bar and shelving modules, with both straight and curved glass options.

In addition, QED supplies general back bar and food service equipment from leading UK manufacturers.

QED projects in Glasgow include the Commonwealth Games Stadium, Scotstoun Stadium, City Chambers and Collegelands, a major development comprising student accommodation, retail and office space. The company also supplies many independent coffee shops and fast food outlets in the city.

QED offers a design and installation service using a national network of catering dealers and refrigeration engineers.

For further information, visit www.qualityequipment.co.uk or call: 0141 779 9503

We have the largest display for REPRODUCTION FURNITURE in the south as well as Italian furniture and our beautiful selection of Mirror and Clocks and Lighting and Oil Painting plus our exclusive collection of CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS. Furniture Direct guarantee value and offer the best value possible in reproduction furniture.

In addition you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing that there are absolutely no hidden extras and a No Quibble Guarantee.

Tel: 01202 434303 Fax: 01202 434304 Email: info@furnituredirect.org.uk www.furnituredirect.org.uk

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Keeping Track Of Investments Allen Pavitt Contracts Can Drive Business Value

KEEPING TRACK of any upfront investments in property, efficiency or product development initiatives can help hospitality and leisure businesses to drive value and manage cash flow positively. In a surprising number of cases, such investments could qualify for R&D tax relief or form the basis of a capital allowances claim.

In a sector that is required to respond quickly to changing customer preferences and fierce market competition, it is important to stay one step ahead by investing in new service offerings, refurbishments and sales and marketing activities on a regular basis. Crucially however, some business owners are not making the most of their investments, and are failing to claim back significant sums in the form of tax reliefs and capital allowances. In an industry where evolution is crucial, business leaders must be sure to analyse and execute claims promptly and efficiently in order to free up funds for future investment.

The R&D tax credit scheme was launched by the Government in 2000 to incentivise businesses investing in innovation. Under the scheme, profit-making SMEs can recoup up to 46p of every £1 invested in qualifying activities and even those that make a loss can claim a tax refund of up to a third of the money they invest. While claims are on the rise, many businesses are still missing out on R&D tax relief because they simply don’t believe that the investments they are making would qualify for the scheme. Tellingly, hospitality and leisure businesses are among those least likely to claim R&D tax credits. HMRC data reveals that less than 1% of claims for R&D tax relief received in 2014/2015 were submitted by ‘accommodation and food’ businesses.

There are a number of different types of investment that may qualify for the scheme. These include:Investment in new products or processes, the creation of websites and software for internal or external use, data management and analysis, sustainability efforts and carrying out work on listed buildings. Some of the more intriguing R&D claims submit-

ted by hospitality and leisure companies include a restaurant that used a 3D printer to make bakery and other food products and a hotel that invested in glass structures that help to conserve energy on a golf course by adapting existing technologies to turn grass clippings into energy.

When businesses are considering ways to make the most of their investments, it can be helpful to ask ‘what problems have been overcome?’ Approaching the subject in this way can often uncover opportunities to claim R&D tax credits that they may not have been thought of previously. The timing of claims is also important, as claims can only be made for activity dating back two accounting periods. For this reason, a full assessment of the company’s investments and other activities should be carried out at an early stage and tracking processes should be put in place to help monitor R&D spend on an on-going basis.

In the case of capital allowances, it may be possible to submit a claim to recover costs associated with building or refurbishment projects. Depending on the use of specific materials or equipment, it may also be possible to increase the value of such claims and reduce the company’s corporation tax liability further.

The majority of claims for capital allowances attract tax relief of either 18% or 8% on the expenditure incurred, however businesses should also consider and maximise first-year allowances.

In addition, where a business has invested in plant and machinery that is energy-efficient or otherwise benefits the environment, it may also be possible to claim ‘enhanced capital allowances’, which are also calculated based on 100% of the capital investment.

Any investment decision should be undertaken following an extensive evaluation of costs, business outputs and the projected return on investment. Care should be taken to utilise R&D tax relief and capital allowances to their full potential, freeing up extra resources for growth and new business development.

Driving the business forward in this way will allow firms to streamline processes and access new products and services to gain an edge over the competition and maximise revenues.

Dave Gosling is partner and head of the hospitality and leisure sector at accountancy firm Menzies LLP The firm has authored a whitepaper which outlines the key considerations and steps businesses should undertake to unlock R&D tax reliefs and capital allowances, see the full report here. www.menzies.co.uk/boost-business-bottom-line/

ALLEN PAVITT Contracts is Europe's leading manufacturer and supplier of hospitality products. Our designs include the very latest style in banqueting and conference furniture currently leading the way for comfort and ease of use.

All of our products are manufactured in the UK and include dance floors, folding tables, stages, conference chairs and tables. These are all guaranteed to perform in the most testing conditions within the busiest venues. We are particularly proud of our modern locking portable dance floor system with 21st century technology replacing high maintenance products!

To assemble simply push together and the

locking floor is ready to use and will not come apart. Hard wearing laminate surface ensuring service free lifetime use.

To compliment our exhaustive range of standard products, we also build bespoke items for other areas such as theatres and concert venues.

Compatible with our other UK suppliers such as Burgess, our furniture provides the very highest standards of reliability, giving every confidence to the discerning hotelier. Other products within the range include table cloths, skirting, valances, chair covers and conference cloths. These are made to fit our chairs and tables plus those of other manufacturers. We would be delighted to discuss your requirements, and provide free no-obligation quotes call us now on 01404 890290 and visit www.allenpavitt.com

Woodman Chairs

Woodman Chairs is a long established, dedicated chair manufacturer and wholesaler who make most of their own chairs. We offer a wide and varied choice of solid oak and beech chair and table styles – both modern and contemporary – with many finish and seat options. Included in our range is an exciting choice of sturdy bar stools and bar tables.

The fact that we make gives us greater control and flexibility. It also enables us to offer bespoke chair and chair frame or component production to end customers or other suppliers and manufacturers looking for their own design or seeking to

create a unique range or theme, again in both oak and beech, raw or finished.

Always keen to innovate, Woodman are constantly introducing new styles and have recently added Carver options to their more popular dining chairs and have further expanded their range of bar stools to include rush seated and fabric pad options. Here is a simple decision that won’t require a Referendum! If you want your customers to have the best choice, with honest quality, at affordable prices, with decent lead times and no minimum order, then you need only vote Woodman for your chairs.

For further details call 01884 841789, visit www.woodmanchairs.co.uk or email sales@woodmanchairs.co.uk

Tel: 01404 890290 sales@allenpavitt.com Complete Table system for Banqueting

Folding Tables Nylon Flock Plain Timber Laminate

Conference Cloth Table Skirting

Wheeling Folding Stage one man operation

Conference Tables Portable Dance Floor Easy clean no polishing Locks together will not come apart All Manufactured in the UK at one premises Allen Pavitt Contracts

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Embracing International Fire Designs IT HAS been a busy year for Diligence Fires with the company making a concerted effort to expand the product portfolio with some of the most exciting designs from around Europe.

The result of this hard work is one of the most extensive collections of fires available in the market today.

Diligence is particularly excited by the addition of the Rocal range from Barcelona which brings fresh design ideas for any interior room setting.

This is a truly innovative, stylish and technically superb collection of log burning fires, with

Letters and Logos WITH ALMOST 30 years experience in providing a wide range of signage and graphic solutions to many businesses throughout the south, Letters and Logos Ltd have a proven track record of providing quality products with a high level of customer service and after sales care. Our customers range from our local shop and plumber to international brands in the automotive, aerospace and retail sectors. On top of this we guaran-

both free-standing and wall-mounted options.

Design flair is found in abundance... from the descriptively named Drop which takes inspiration from the shape created by a drop of water to the much talked about Born which provides a triangular view of the fire ... with all three doors being openable.

Other international manufacturers include Dutch manufacturer Interfocos with its Bellfires and Barbas collections, Scandinavian influences in the TermaTech range, classic French lines of the Totem and the Italian styling found in the Vanixa range.

Diligence offers a ‘one-stop shop’ facility, with its highly qualified survey, design and installation teams ready to help with any project.

Diligence Fires Dart Mills, Buckfastleigh, Devon TQ11 0NF Tel: 01364 644790 Email: focus@diligenceinternational.com Web: www.diligenceinternational.com

tee all our work!

We can provide A-Boards, Banners, moulded or built up letters, window graphics, point of sale and wide format printing for wall decoration. All of which will help you to advertise your business cost effectively.

If you are branding one van or a fleet of vehicles, no problem! We can produce printed and cut vinyl liveries for vans, lorries, cars, boats, and aeroplanes using only high quality vinyl’s that are warranted against shrinkage and fading. We manufacture signage in many materials including sheet or composite aluminium, foam board, acrylic and more.

If you have any signage requirements, we are happy to help. Please contact us with your details on 01425 477281 or team@lettersandlogos.co.uk

RapidFit, by Rearo, An Instant Washroom Solution IF YOU are looking for an an instant, off-theshelf solution for toilet cubicles in a bar, restaurant or hotel then RapidFit, by Rearo, provides everything you need.

Incorporating cubicles, vanity units & IPS, RapidFit can quickly transform even the most basic facility into a great looking, modern, functional washroom.

The easy to install system is available in five modern laminate shades from leading industry supplier Egger. Laminate components are available in each shades allowing to mix and match and create a unique design RapidFit’s design allows for maximum flexibility. With a choice of panel heights

and dimensions, it can accommodate most typical configurations that may be required including transverse and adapted (disabled) installations All components come with a comprehensive five-year warranty.

From their Glasgow manufacturing facility Rearo also manufacture and supply a full range of bespoke washroom solutions with a selection of ranges suitable for all budgets and design requirements.

For more information, or to request a brochure, contact Rearo today. www.rearo.co.uk

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

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Resin Flooring Specialists Meet Commercial Kitchen Brief For Hilton Hotel LEADING MANUFACTURERS Resin Surfaces Limited (RSL) and expert installers Resintek Services Ltd have teamed up to supply commercial flooring to one of the Hilton group’s newest London hotels.

The Hilton London Bankside is based on Great Suffolk Street, SE1 and is popular with tourists keen to be close to the Tate Modern, Shakespeare Globe Theatre, London Bridge and other attractions in the capital.

RSL worked with Resintek to meet the brief, installing 1300sq metres of Resuthane™ TG69 and 650sq metres of coving to the hotel’s kitchen and service areas.

Market-leading Resuthane™ TG69 is a heavy duty, foodgrade flooring system, providing seamless, textured, non-slip and non-taint properties that are ideal for food preparation areas.

RSL and Resintek have established an excellent reputation for commercial kitchen flooring in recent years installing systems across London, including the Michelinstarred Le Gavroche restaurant, run by Michel Roux Jnr. As part of the work for the Hilton London Bankside RSL and Resintek also supplied flooring for the hotel’s external entrance lobby, known as a porte-cochere. Already featuring a striking set of wall-coverings, this impressive

Capricorn Contract Furnishings CAPRICORN CONTRACT FURNISHINGS are now firmly established as one of the country’s largest stockist and supplier of quality contract furniture to cafes, bars, bistro's, restaurants, pubs, clubs and hotels.

Capricorn Contract Furnishings are based in an 85,000 square feet showroom and distribution warehouse on the outskirts of Exeter in Devon. From within the distribution area we are able to offer a next day delivery service

137sq metre entrance required a solution that suited the aesthetics of the hotel, but also needed to be hard-wearing, have excellent slip resistance and be able to withstand all weathers. RSL and Resintek recommended a bespoke decorative system that showcased their capabilities as problem solvers.

Commercial Director at RSL, Martin Wroe, said: “Commercial kitchens are bread and butter projects for us. Resuthane TG69 is well suited to this type of environment as it ticks all the boxes.

The porte-cochere was something that needed a bit of extra thought as there were a number of factors to consider.

However, we worked closely with all parties involved to provide a solution, which suited the project requirements nicely and demonstrated our unique approach to problem solving.

That’s just one of the things we are extremely good at.”

Established in 1982, RSL is a specialist manufacturer of resin floor and wall finishes and part of the Sherwin Williams Company. It supplies solutions to a variety of sectors as well as hospitality, including industrial, retail, aerospace, food and drink, pharmaceutical and healthcare.

For more information about the Resuthane™ range contact RSL on 0161 483 1232 email us info@resinsurfaces,.co.uk, visit our website www.resinsurfaces.co.uk or follow @ResinSurfaces. throughout the UK on hundreds of products including outdoor dining tables, tub chairs, bar stools, lounge furniture, conference stacking chairs.

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.

Opening hours for the showroom are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Capricorn Contract Furnishings are in the enviable position of being a sole UK importer of quality furniture which means that you the customer, will be dealing direct with manufacturers from around the world at very competitive prices.

For further details, please see the advert on this page.

Temporary Catering Facilities During Refurbishment MOBILE KITCHENS Ltd specialises in the hire or sale of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

We regularly provide our services to clients when they are undergoing a kitchen refurbishment or carrying out other building works that necessitate the closure of existing catering facilities.

We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.

The elements that make up our temporary kitchen

and restaurant facilities can be provided as individual units in their own right – Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms, Restaurant Units, etc - 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 have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

For further information or to arrange a site visit, please email: sales@mobilekitchensltd.co.uk, call us on 0845 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk

Temporary Catering Facilities During Refurbishment Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

We regularly provide our services to clients when they are undergoing a kitchen refurbishment or carrying out other building works that necessitate the closure of existing catering facilities.

We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.

The elements that make up our temporary kitchen and restaurant facilities can be provided as individual units in their own right – Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms, Restaurant Units, etc - 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 have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

For further information or to arrange a site visit, please email: sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk

Design and Refit

Catering Wall Panels by Rearo, An Instant Solution REARO ARE a UK manufacturer, supplying an industry leading range of waterproof wall panels, for both commercial and domestic applications.

Their commercial products includes the original ‘catering panel’ – which provides the perfect, low cost, solution for cafeterias, canteens and all food preparation areas – everywhere an easy clean surface is essential.

Rearo’s commercial catering panel clients include market leading fast food restaurants to local fish and chip shops. The panels are used in numerous food storage areas, kitchens and

canteens throughout the UK. The off-the-shelf solution is stocked in white gloss but Rearo also offers a bespoke product - choose from a wide range of coloured and patterned laminates complemented by a selection of trims to achieve the perfect finish.

Supplied with traditional ‘Tongue & Groove’ for seamless joints, the 590mm panel width makes installation easy, while a comprehensive 10-year guarantee and Class II fire rating ensure confidence.

Rearo’s commercial portfolio also includes: Toilet Cubicles, Vanity Units and IPS Panels.

For more information call 0141 445 0800 or visit www.rearo.co.uk

Clark Electrical Industries Ltd

CLARK ELECTRICAL Industries have been established since 1952 and are specialists in assisting the Hospitality Industry achieve Electrical Health and Safety Compliance and ensure continuous service through a 24hr breakdown facility and a wide and varied range of services.

Their extensive customer portfolio of restaurants, hotels and nightclubs have all benefitted from Clark Electrical Industries’ fast and professional service. From test and inspection services including Portable Appliances, EICR, Fire Alarms and Emergency Lighting, 24hr Breakdown service through to installation, refit and remedial works, you can rest

Custom Made Red Carpets WHATEVER THE event, whether its a wedding, a corporate ball or a grand opening, there's just nothing like a stunning, quality Red Carpet to create a memorable occasion.

We at Custom Made Red Carpets produce just about any colour in any size & any shape.

Red Carpets are now used as the traditional way of highlighting a grand event, be it a film premier in Leicester Square or a grand hotel wedding entrance.

We have a selection of eight types & shades of Red Carpet, from our Splash All Weather range to Pure New Wool Velvet & our versatile best-selling Scarlet Red, all suitable for repeated use. Check our website for more details.

Many clients use our services to match a particular colour, we are able to supply most colours from stock eg Cadbury Purple, Black, Orange, Royal Blue, - Ivory White is very popular for Wedding Ceremonies. - see website for full

assured that every element of your electrical requirements will be expertly and efficiently handled.

Clark Electrical Industries also have a fully functioning workshop which offers rewind, refurbishment and sale of electric motors / pumps / gear boxes and control gear including installation and vehicles equipped for on-site repair facilities. Full technical back-up and a 24hr electrical emergency department offers you complete peace of mind that if you are working, so are we.

Clark Electrical Industries hold NICEIC, AEMT, SAFEContractor and CHAS accreditations as well as full commercial insurance up to £10 million pounds.

For a free quotation, simply call 020 7474 7404 or visit www.ceiltd.co.uk

stock list & colour images.

Free sample packs are available, delivered in two-three days.

Optional Fitted Rubber Safety End Plates to reduce trip hazards.

Non – Slip Backing to prevent movement on polished floors.

Scotchgard Stain Protection for added stain resistance.

FREE DELIVERY / FREE NO OBLIGATION SAMPLE PACKS / ANY LENGTH, ANY WIDTH, ANY SHAPE / ALMOST ANY COLOUR / ALL CARPETS DOUBLE OVERLOCKED BORDERS Custom Made Red Carpets TEL: 01726 816572 / 07876 698730 EMAIL: info@custommaderedcarpets.co.uk

WEB: www.custommaderedcarpets.co.uk

CUSTOM MADE RED CARPETS

Make your events truly special! we can supply any colour in any length, any width & any shape.

A choice of seven types of Red Carpet always in stock for fast delivery.

From Economy Red for one off events to Pure New Wool Velvet for long-lasting luxury.

We can also supply just about any other colour: ask for a free sample.

NEW RANGE NOW IN STOCK:

SPLASH ALL WEATHER WATERPROOF

AVAILABLE IN RED, WINE, BLACK, BRIGHT BLUE, NAVY BLUE, GREEN & YELLOW

Suitable for interior & exterior use. Heavy contract wear rated & Stain Resistant.

For your wedding package, we also stock Ivory White Standard 7mm & Ultra 9mm •

•

•

FITTED RUBBER SAFETY END PLATES to reduce trip hazards

NON-SLIP BACKING to prevent movement on polished floors

SCOTCHGARD STAIN PROTECTION

CALL OR EMAIL US NOW or VISIT OUR WEBSITE for enquiries, sales & FREE no obligation SAMPLE PACKS – see the quality before you buy!

TEL: EMAIL: WEB:

01726 816572 / 07876 698730 info@custommaderedcarpets.co.uk www.custommaderedcarpets.co.uk

Custom Made Red Carpets

March 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

March 2017

Design and Refit

Europa Furnishings - Turning Whatever You Can Imagine Into Reality…

WITH DECADES of experience in commercial, contract and specialty upholstery, we always aim to deliver the very best for our clients.

Over the years, our versatility has been proven as we have worked closely with clients from many sectors including hotels, restaurants, cruise ships, wine bars, public houses, show houses, private hospitals, interior designers, architects, manufacturers of leisure furniture and

domestic clients. We have particularly built a fine reputation for top-quality commercial seating and chair solutions.

Whatever you require, from a bespoke one-off item to a large commercial project, we have the capacity, experience and ability to produce outstanding results, time and again. So why not get in touch and see how we can help you?

For further information contact Europa Furnishing on 01489 789700 or visit www.europa-ltd.co.uk

Pro Auction Valuers & Auctioneers

PRO AUCTION Limited are one of the leading specialist valuers & auctioneers. Providing a comprehensive range of services to ensure that the full value of surplus or redundant assets are realised, to maximum value, be that by a private treaty, tender or auction.

Auctions are conducted on a regular basis, throughout Europe in the Hospitality, Catering & Leisure sectors. We provide valuation and sale advice on all classes of industrial and commercial business assets.

Auction sales are conducted both on site and webcast

through our world-wide bidding platform.

Pro Auction runs both traditional and online auctions throughout Europe, using the latest auction platforms and software, developed to meet the demands and needs of both the seller and purchaser. The company provides expert advice to insolvency practitioners, corporate recovery specialists and turnaround professionals. It is widely acknowledged as a leading provider of machinery and business asset advice – from initial valuation to exit strategy planning and implementation – helping clients through the whole process.

Contact Pro Auction Limited on 01761 414000 or email info@proauction.ltd.uk

Contract Furniture Group

Contract Furniture Group has been set up to offer quality contract dining furniture to the hotel, restaurant, pub trades and leisure industries at realistic prices. We carry a lot of our range in stock so we can help you to meet your deadlines.

We also offer a unique source and supply service; if you send us a picture of an item we will do our up most

P CL lea s H re 1 e sp 98 qu on w ot di he e ng n

34

to supply to you at the best price.

All our furniture is manufactured to the highest standards, we only use hardwood frames which are glued screwed and dowelled for strength. crib5 interliner (if required) sprung seat areas or webbing and top quality Italian leathers and fabrics.

For further information, call 0115 965 9030, visit www.diningchairsuk.com or email info@diningchairsuk.com

Mayfair Furniture AS A leading supplier of contract furniture to the leisure and hospitality industry Mayfair Furniture is always striving to bring high quality products at the lowest prices possible. We supply a huge range of products to suit a variety of establishments from café and bistro furniture, restaurant, pub, bar, hotel lobby and bedroom furniture.

Design and Refit

March 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

brought in a new range of premium quality seating from Europe with prices starting at £44.50 almost half the prices of our competitors.

For busy restaurateurs and hoteliers the entire range of commercial furniture and prices are quickly accessible from our fully ecommerce website. Buyers can also come and view our products at our new and extended showroom based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire five days a week Monday to Friday 9am till 5pm. Business Contact Details: Phone: 01733 310 115 Email: sales@mayfairfurniture.co.uk Website: www.mayfairfurniture.co.uk

As a direct importer of commercial furniture Mayfair Furniture offer the most competitive prices in the UK. For example we supply restaurant table tops manufactured in the UK and made from FSC & PEFC certified sustainable sources, with prices starting from £19.95. In 2017 we

Insignia Blinds ESTABLISHED FOR nearly 20 years, Insignia Blinds specify, custom design, supply and install great value, quality internal and exterior shading solutions throughout Dorset and Hampshire.

Our extensive product range is designed to meet every budget.

Insignia blinds supply and install a range of Conservatory blind systems, external awnings and pergola mounted retractable shading systems. We are UK importers direct from our manu-

facturing partners in Europe, supplying high quality products at well below our competitor’s prices without compromising quality or choice. We do not employ commission only sales people and often your first point of contact for your requirements will be with the Managing Director. Quotes are free of charge, and we will come to you without obligation.

We will provide, professional and unbiased advice on all aspects of blinds and awnings and the suitability and viability of your project. We can supply all styles of covered al-fresco dining solutions and include decking and landscaping options, and have worked alongside most styles of independent catering operators and our client’s include McDonald’s franchises, Tesco’s and Whitbread free-trade tenants.

Our Showroom is open 6 days a week from 9.30am at 1 – 7 Ashley Road, Branksome BH14 9BS. Tel: 01202 741671 or visit www.insigniablinds.co.uk

Retain Credit & Debit Cards and Be PCI Compliant While Increasing Profits THE CARDSSAFE® system is now the “best practice” way of handling credit and debit cards retained by merchants in the UK hospitality industry. More than three thousand venues now use the system every day and when managers share their experience they report these financial benefits: • Chargeback drops by more than ninety percent (90%) • Walkouts are reduced by at least fifty percent (50%) • Tab mistakes drop significantly and finally – • There is a major uptick in sales

In addition, their customers really appreciate that their security concerns are dealt with in this easy to use system as offered by CardsSafe limited.

If you are concerned about how CardsSafe works within the PCI scheme, Alan Gill from the independent PCI certifying company Orthus Limited states: “The PCI DSS standard encompassed 264 controls. CardsSafe helps to reduce the need to meet all of these through ‘compensating controls’ which allow businesses to comply to the standard without having to change the way they operate”.

Please contact CardsSafe Limited on: Phone: 0845 5001040, Email: cardssafe@cardssafe.com or Web: www.cardssafe.com

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

35

36

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

Property and Professional

March 2017

New Instruction: Character Destination Inn, Sought After Trading Position STONESMITH OF Exeter have recently been appointed as agents for the sale of The Bickford Arms, a substantial and highly impressive landmark destination inn with grounds extending to over an acre.

Situated in the rural hamlet of Brandis Corner, The Bickford Arms occupies a prominent landmark trading position adjacent to the A3072, midway between the towns of Hatherleigh (5 miles) and Holsworthy (5 miles).

The Bickford Arms has been the subject of fastidious renovation and refurbishment to exacting standards following a fire in 2003, and a substantial extension in 2015 which added additional letting bedrooms on the first floor and increased the size of the restaurant and function suite. Consequently, the business is presented and furnished to an exceptionally high standard throughout and

PORTSLADE

• 2 bar areas

• 45 cover restaurant

• Games room

• Smoking solution

£380,000 FREEHOLD

CHALLOCK Busy food pub 120-cover restaurant 50-cover function room Trade gardens & car park • 3 bedrooms £139,995 LEASEHOLD

• Covered patio • 3 bedrooms

£325,000 FREEHOLD

• New private lease

• Basement cellarage

• Rear trade patio

• No accommodation

£90,000 FREE OF TIE LEASE

NR EMSWORTH

• Prominent village pub

• Retirement Sale

• Grade II Listed

• Open plan bar

• Bar & dining room

• Trade patio

• Courtyard patio

• 100% wet trade

• 3 bedrooms

£90,000 LEASEHOLD

• 2 bedrooms

HURSTPIERPOINT

NR HAYWARDS HEATH

• Village pub

• Large patio areas

• Garden & car park

• Car park

• Managers flat

£40,000 LEASEHOLD

TENTERDEN 01580 766522

• Potential 5 letting rooms • Manager’s bedsit

• Free of Tie MIN CAPITAL REQUIRED £20,000

BRIGHTON 01273 565621

www.pubsales.co.uk

to the paddock and by utilising the excellent indoor and outdoor facilities for weddings, festivals and private functions etc.

There is a welcoming bar (circa 16) with open fire, separate coffee shop (circa 24), two section restaurant (circa 40) with Tudor décor, separate dining area (circa 14), 6 en-suite letting rooms, fully equipped commercial kitchen, spacious 6 bedroom owners accommodation, decked patio area, one acre enclosed paddock and a patrons car park for approximately 25 cars.

Mr Bryan added that it is a rare opportunity to acquire this well established business with such versatility and growth potential in an excellent location with spacious living accommodation offering an enviable lifestyle.

Price: ‘OFFERS IN EXCESS OF’£60,000. Tenure: Free of Tie Leasehold – 14 years remaining (we are advised).

Renewable at end of term. Sales Criteria: £280,476 (Incl.

VAT) 9 Months only. Trade Split: 20% wet, 60% dry, 20% accommodation. Current Annual Rent: £65,000.

Contact the agent, Guy Simmonds on 01332 865112.

Recently Reduced: Impressive Detached Bed And Breakfast Business Set In 6 Acres Within Dartmoor National Park THE CHARACTERFUL property of the Beechwood Guest House, situated in a prominent position within the Dartmoor National Park, is being offered to market by agents Stonesmith, for a recently reduced sale price of £355,000.

£45,000 LEASEHOLD

• Village inn

• 3 letting bedrooms

Senior Valuer, Geoff Bryan, said this impressive inn is in a superb location and has a regular local wet trade and a good reputation for a good quality food destination venue from the local community and surrounding area, with the added benefit of the 6 letting rooms and being near to Peterborough it is becoming popular with the many visitors and tourists to the area all year round.

There is huge growth potential for new owners to build on this already successful business by promoting the letting rooms more, installing a cesspit and water supply

BRIGHTON KEMP TOWN • Open plan bar

• • • •

HOVE

LEADING NATIONAL Licensed Property Agents Guy Simmonds have been instructed to sell this well established, popular and thriving inn and restaurant with letting accommodation with massive potential and immense versatility in an enviable central location in the affluent and sought after village of Stilton in Cambridgeshire.

• 16th century inn

• Trade garden • 3 bedrooms

The Stilton Cheese Inn, Stilton, Cambridgeshire on the Market

DYMCHURCH

• Real ale freehouse

offers 11 high quality en-suite letting bedrooms, an attractive locals bar (24+), further Main Bar & Dining Area (52+), a Separate Restaurant/Function Room with its own private Bar Servery (70+), and an exceptionally well equipped Commercial Catering Kitchen with associated ancillary facilities. There is also a spacious and extremely well presented 2 bedroom selfcontained owners accommodation with open plan Sitting Room, Kitchen/Dining Room and Shower Room. Externally, the grounds extend to over an acre and incorporate a large Car Park Area for 46+ vehicles, Single Garage and adjoining Workshop/Store Room, attractive Patio Terrace to the rear (24), Further Al Fresco Seating to the side and front (24), and a Separate Area of Woodland.

The inn is a successful and well regarded business with an excellent reputation, benefitting from strong levels of year round trade from the immediate area and surrounding villages and towns. The sale of The Bickford Arms represents an excellent opportunity to purchase a well regarded country inn and restaurant with high quality letting accommodation and impressive owners accommodation.

The freehold business is on the market for £695,000. Full property details are available from the website www.stonesmith.co.uk and viewings arranged by calling 01392 201262.

The property is situated on one of the main routes across the Dartmoor National Park and benefits from visible signage from both directions. The well-known and popular moorland towns of Moretonhampstead and Tavistock are just 8 and 12 miles away respectively.

The detached character property is in first class order throughout and has been sensitively renovated and refurbished during the present owner’s time. Features include four granite fireplaces (three with wood burning stoves) and a four-oven Aga. The accommodation provides 7 bedrooms (5 used for letting), 4 bath/shower rooms, an owners lounge, residents lounge, dining room, conservatory/sun room/breakfast room, boot room, reception

hall, large kitchen and utility.

Externally the property is set in 6 acres of grounds and includes 2 hay meadows, a paddock with stables, parking for 10 plus vehicles, attractive lawned gardens, vegetable and herb gardens, a greenhouse, chicken coop and wooden storage shed. There are also a useful range of outbuildings and an owners single garage.

The business is currently run by a husband and wife partnership, trading to fit in with their current lifestyle, and choosing to keep the turnover just below the VAT threshold. Therefore there is an opportunity for the new owners to develop the trade and all aspects of the business.

As with the majority of business premises in Dartmoor National Park, Beechwood is for sale under the terms of a Duchy lease. Information is available from the agents Stonesmith, who are looking for offers off a recently reduced guide price of £355,000. Full details can be downloaded from the website www.stonesmith.co.uk and viewings arranged by calling 01392 201262.

THE WEST COUNTRY SPECIALISTS LA PETITE MAISON TOPSHAM, DEVON

SQUID INK LOOE, CORNWALL

TOWN HOUSE B&B EXETER, DEVON

MARTHA’S COFFEE HOUSE MORETON-IN-MARSH, GLOS

THE CRANFORD INN TORRINGTON, DEVON

DELI ON THE STRAND EXMOUTH, DEVON

SOLD FREEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD FREEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

THE BANK HOUSE RESTAURANT CHARMOUTH, DORSET

PIZZA PROVENCALE CLIFTON, BRISTOL

THE FOREST INN HEXWORTHY, DEVON

TREWITHEN RESTAURANT LOSTWITHIEL, CORNWALL

SOLD FREEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

A FEW OF THE BUSINESSES SOLD BY US IN 2016. THINKING OF SELLING IN 2017?

WE OFFER:• FREE VALUATIONS • NO SALE, NO FEE

• COMPETITIVE FEES • NO UPFRONT CHARGES

WE SELL PUBS, RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, GUEST HOUSES, CAFES, TEA ROOMS AND OTHER CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH WEST.

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

THE HIGHWAYMAN’S HAUNT CHUDLEIGH, DEVON

THE CLOCK TOWER FISH BAR EXETER, DEVON

THE HORSE & JOCKEY NR BATH, SOMERSET

THRIVE CAFE TOTNES, DEVON

THE FIVE BELLS NR EXETER, DEVON

THE BRIDGE GUEST HOUSE TIVERTON, DEVON

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD FREEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD LEASEHOLD

SOLD FREEHOLD

CONTACT STONESMITH NOW FOR A FREE VALUATION AND GET MOVING IN 2017

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

Property and Professional

Are You Focused?

35 YEARS AGO, I stood on Lambeth Bridge & threw my briefcase in the Thames saying 'never again will I work conventionally. At the time I was MD of 3 companies, part of a large group, but I couldn't stand the politics. That was on a Thursday, the following day I went to my 3 offices & said goodbye to all my staff & put my car keys in the postbox of the group head

Signature Senior Lifestyle SIGNATURE SENIOR Lifestyle is a privately owned company and one of the leading providers of quality care home accommodation in the country. Signature's aim is to provide accommodation and care of the highest standard to meet the needs of frail elderly people, both now and in the future.

As both developers and operators we are looking for prominent, high profile sites in affluent residential areas capable of accommodating a care home

office & caught the train home.

The following day I went to Italy for 2 weeks & on the first day back, I saw a Midland Bank Manager, told him what I'd done & he said "despite the fact you're young, you've had a lot of experience in running companies, I think you can help some of my customers".

So for 35 years, I've been helping companies & it took me years to work out the 1 reason why a business makes money is the same reason why a business makes money: FOCUS. Focus just on your skill, you'll never make money. Focus on profit & you'll make money.

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01202 551193, email: office@markliddle.com or visit www.markliddle.com

of around 60,000 – 70,000sq.ft GIA within a single building.

Each Signature development is unique in its design and configuration and does not follow any set architectural style. As such Signature will consider a variety locations and development opportunities, including mixed use schemes, high rise developments, urban and semi-rural locations.

The focus of Signatures land acquisition is currently within the Greater London and the Home Counties with land values paid up to £25m for the right site.

Introductory fees are paid at 3% of the land purchase price for off market introductions with £5k payable on exchange of contracts.

Please contact: James Wilson, Land & planning Manager on 077141 72173 James.wilson@signaturesl.co.uk www.signature-carehomes.co.uk/site-acquisition

Looking For Finance Solutions For Your Business?

FOR OVER 20 years Moorland Finance have been sourcing and providing finance for personal and business use to our customers all over the UK. We offer flexible funding services in Cornwall and Devon to ensure your business is fulfilling its full potential. Our services include hire purchase deals, leasing, sales and leaseback and contract hire for equipment between £1000 and £1,000,000, including: • Catering equipment • Office equipment • Cars • Vans • Lorries • Coaches • Heavy duty equipment • Plant equipment • Printing equipment The above list isn't exhaustive, our finance services aim to help you acquire whatever you need to make your business a

success. We offer flexible fixed-term funding solutions to assist with the management of your monthly cash flow to enable you to have access to the equipment you require.

Having problems raising the funding you need for your equipment or vehicle purchase?

Then you need the help of Moorland Finance Ltd. We provide finance solutions for new start businesses, sole traders and partnerships throughout Cornwall and Devon. With a number of contacts established over many years in the industry, we can offer you the best deals available.

Rest assured that our team can find a solution and tailor a finance package to suit your budget.

Malfunctioning equipment never happens at a good time.

Replacing the item or repairing the fault could lead to a loss of vital finance. Don't struggle on without the essential things you need to succeed, let our specialists tailor a leasing, hire purchase, leaseback or contract hire in Cornwall to suit your needs today.

If you would like to call us for a chat about your options, please give us a call on 01626 333373 or send us an email.

March 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

37

ANDREW GREENWOOD BUSINESS TRANSFER AGENT

The Hospitality Business Mentor from The Bowden Group DAVID HUNTER is the Hospitality Business Mentor – he works with owners and investors in hotels, restaurants and catering businesses.

Ensuring the business performs and makes the required profit, is what David does, and he does this by: 1. Setting realistic targets for the business, and creating budgets and forecasts 2. Monitoring Sales, Gross Margins and Labour costs very closely 3. Mentoring the owners and/or managers of the business to help them achieve their objectives Other areas that David advises on include: • Marketing – general and specific (ie promotions etc) • Human Resources (HR) - including all the legislation, and disciplinary positions.

• Reward and Bonus schemes – always linked to achievement of objectives • Customer Service - including Hospitality skills training Do contact David for an informal chat, or make an appointment to meet with him.

Call David direct on: Mobile 07831 407984 or by email on davidhunter@bowdengroup.co.uk Visit the website at www.bowdengroup.co.uk or the Blogsite at www.hunterbowden.co.uk

CONTINENTAL STYLE CAFÉ/RESTAURANT WITH FULL ONLIC., CLOSE TO UNI BUILDINGS, CITY CENTRE, PORTSMOUTH. Staff run business offering easily manageable menu with scope for eve and Sunday opening. NB premises are licenced to midnight. Approached across a wide pavement with seating for 40. Eye-catching, dble frontage with 2 pairs of folding doors. Attractively decorated with seating for 70. Comprehensively equipped catering kitchen. Current gross T/O £6,500/£7,000 pw.

Accts record T/O of £284,343 (ex VAT) for y/e 31 March 2016.

Gross profit £221,267 (77.8%). Leasehold at current rental of £16,500 p.a.x. – OIRO £200,000 + S.A.V. (Ref. C.3694)

LOCK-UP DAY TIME COFFEE SHOP (A3 USE), PROM POSN AT MAIN RD JUNCTION, IN CENTRE OF COMMUTER TOWN, NR. SALISBURY, WILTS. Character Grade II Listed Bldg circa 17th Century. Close to arterial road & historic attraction. Airconditioned with Italian theme & seating for 40. Catering kitchen & 2 parking spaces. Open congenial hrs – 6 days. Same hands 10 yrs. T/O £1,500 pw (not VAT reg). GP 70%. Leasehold at rental of £12,000 p.a.x. - £35,000 + S.A.V. (Ref. C.3690)

CATERING BUSINESS, SPECIALISING IN COLD FOOD BUFFETS & SANDWICH MANUFACTURING, SOUTH HAMPSHIRE. Occupying an accessible location amidst a small business park. Grnd flr of unit extends to approx. 1,309 sq.ft and includes a fully equipped production kitchen with sandwich conveyor, etc. First flr mezzanine approx. 665 sq.ft, used as office and staff room. Retirement sale. Same hands 15 yrs. Current takings peaking at around £20,000 pw. GP 50%+. 10 yr lease from Oct. 2016 at £16,000 p.a.x. 2 refrigerated vans included. – OIRO £200,000 + S.A.V. (REF. C.3685)

www.andrewgreenwood.com

RoMsey (01794) 522228

MOORLAND FINANCE LTD Equipment & Vehicle Finance Specialists LEASING HIRE PURCHASE CONTRACT HIRE Kitchen Equipment, Furniture, Vans, Coffee Machines, Cars...

We Can Finance It CONTACT:

01626 333373 Malcolm Taylor Newton Abbot Office

38

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

Property and Professional

March 2017

The Laughing Monk, Strete on the Market

AWARD WINNING property agents Bettesworths are offering a fabulous opportunity to acquire a beautifully presented restaurant with superb self contained owners accommodation within an area of outstanding natural beauty.

The Laughing Monk, in Strete in the South Hams, is being offered at an asking price of £625,000 freehold as a ‘home and income property’.

This sympathetically restored and successful business is located in the pretty village of Strete, on the main road between Dartmouth and Kingsbridge on the most beautiful Devon coastline. Both beaches of Slapton Sands and Blackpool Sands are only 1 mile away and Dartmoor National park is only a 30 minute drive making this location not just a picturesque place to stay but also an ideal base from which to explore the beautiful South West Coast and Countryside.

The Laughing Monk Restaurant is housed in the former village school which dates back to 1839. This superb building,

which retains many of its original features, also has the benefit of separate superior 3 bedroom owner’s accommodation with fantastic panoramic views out to sea. To the side of the accommodation runs an elevated decked terrace on which to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and views. Trade comes from a far reaching catchment area and swells during the summer months when the many campsites, hotels and holiday cottages are full with visitors.

The restaurant is operated by a Husband and Wife team assisted by a 2nd chef and pot washer and 2 part time front of house staff members. During the summer seasonal staff are also taken on. Although the business is trading successfully, the next proprietor has huge scope to increase the trading times to 7 days a week during the summer season and to include lunches.

Although the Laughing Monk has built up a fantastic reputation and strong local following, the beauty of the location and the layout of the premises would lend themselves to a variety of catering uses.

For further information please contact Genevieve Stringer on 01803 212021 or email genevieve@bettesworths.co.uk

The Clements, Aston, Birmingham on the Market THE CLEMENTS is located in in the suburb of Aston only 10 minutes’ walk away from the centre of the city of Birmingham in the West Midlands. Aston boasts one of four universities located in Birmingham and this property is positioned an equidistant 15-minute walk from both Aston Villa and Birmingham City football clubs.

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

This popular inn is of brick construction with a wooden facade and sits under a flat roof on the main A34 bus route into Birmingham city centre. A small entrance porch to the front provides access to all the trading areas. These consist of: Bar (circa 36+ plus standing) has a solid oak floor, central pool table and a well stocked bar server of wood construction. A Hammer organ also sits quietly in the corner waiting to be played. In the corridor outside the bar is a hot deck carvery that provides delicious food on a Sunday lunchtime. Corridor links to: Lounge (circa 50+ plus standing) with carpeted floor, 2 large wall mounted HDTV’s either side and a bar server of wood construction.

There is a partially equipped Commercial Catering Kitchen with stain-

less steel appliances (appliances not tested). This is currently only used on a Sunday however provides great opportunity for the introduction of a traditional basic food offer to the business. Below ground floor beer Cellar with python, remote and plenty of storage space.

There is no owner’s accommodation and this business is a lock up. There is however a 1 room bedsit with toilet and shower room.

To the rear of the property is a good sized enclosed al fresco Garden Area (circa 50+ plus standing) with an attractive flowering Fallopia Russian vine, a raised covered decked area/smoking solution and an astro turf covered lower section with attractive surrounding décor, hanging baskets and a large graffiti mural. There is no car park for this business however there is layby parking directly outside the front door and Prichard Street to the rear provides plenty of free parking throughout the weekend.

Price: £35,000. Tenure: Free of tie Lease. Rent (if applicable): £18,000.

Landlord (if applicable): Private / Freeholder. Turnover (annual): circa £216,000 (inc VAT) to October 2016.

Wet : Dry split: 100% Wet. Contact the agent, Guy Simmonds, on 01332 865112.

Thinking of selling?

Regional Specialists National Exposure

W! NE

PRICE: £120,000

W! NE

PRICE: £275,000

• Exceptional restaurant with stunning panoramic countryside views • Main trade area with seating for 80 • Well equipped & spacious commercial kitchen • Large garden accommodating 100+ • Large catchment area including Falmouth & Helston

HELSTON, CORNWALL

LEASEHOLD

REF: 2668

OKEHAMPTON, DEVON

• Substantial Country Pub off the A30 & on the edge of Dartmoor • Sizeable open plan trading area for 60 covers plus • 5 very well presented en suite letting rooms • One bedroom owners’ accommodation • New double glazed UPVC windows throughout - priced to sell

FREEHOLD

REF: 2704

ASHBURTON, DEVON

• Five bedroom town house/B&B in thriving town • Accommodation arranged over 3 floors • 4 Spectacular en-suite Bedrooms • Ground floor kitchen, dining room, bedroom & shower room • Fabulous opportunity to acquire a hugely versatile property

W! NE

PRICE: £375,000

FREEHOLD

LEASEHOLD

PRICE: £325,000

DAWLISH, DEVON

• Licensed home and income premises located in Dawlish • Popular cafe/coffee shop with outside seating • Main trade area seating 34 and commercial kitchen • Self- Contained 2 double bedroom apartment- (currently let on an AST) • Scope to increase trading hours to include evenings

FREEHOLD

REF: 2662

REF: 2701

REF: 2691

BEAMINSTER, DORSET

• Rare opportunity to purchase a substantial freehold property • Recently undergone a complete refurbishment • 10 superior, brand new en suite letting rooms • Character bar, restaurant, function rooms with log fires • Fully equipped commercial kitchen and large conference room

NR SHEPTON MALLET, DORSET

W! NE

REF: 7871L

TORQUAY, DEVON

• Prominently sited, pretty roadside freehouse with frontage to A37 • Traditional main bar with open fire, 2 double letting rooms • Attractive restaurant with up to 40 covers (Converts to skittle alley) • Private 3 bedroom owners accom, lawned beer garden • Very profitable husband & wife partnership business

PRICE: OFFERS IN THE REGION OF £300,000 FREEHOLD REF 2456

CAMBRIDGESHIRE OFFERS OVER £60,000 F-O-T LEASEHOLD

• Completely refurbished, vibrant licensed cafe/bistro/bar • In the heart of the cosmopolitan village of Wellswood • Superb open plan trading area with 60 plus covers • Operating limited hours with scope to extend trading hours • T/O £350,000 pa with very strong Net Profit

W! NE

PRICE: £150,000

BUSINESS OF THE MONTH

PRICE: £650,000

FREEHOLD

• Sympathetically refurbished and beautifully presented restaurant • Stunning South Hams location close to award winning beaches • Spacious customer seating for circa 45 • Superior 3 Double bedroom accommodation with sea views & terrace • Fabulous opportunity to acquire a successful home and income business

STRETE, DEVON

W! NE

PRICE: £625,000

REF 2688

FREEHOLD

01803 212021 www.bettesworths.co.uk

REF: 2645

POPULAR AND WELL ESTABLISHED TRADITIONAL FREE OF TIE LEASEHOLD INN AND RESTAURANT WITH LETTING ACCOMMODATION IN THE FAMOUS VILLAGE OF STILTON

www.guysimmonds.co.uk Tel: 01332 865112 email: sales@guysimmonds.co.uk Also featured on www.pubsforsale.co.uk

Silver Surfers – Rolling Out Tourism Growth on The Coast?

THE OVER 55 age group will be the largest sector of the population by 2024, numbering more than 22 million. So-called empty nesters could offer the latest in a suite of opportunities identified by the National Coastal Tourism Academy’s (NCTA) to drive up off-peak tourism on the coast, according to its latest research.

A survey of 1,800 adults aged 55 to 75 reveals that half of this group believes the English coast to be as wild and beautiful as any other coastline in the world, with most favouring a coastal harbour town or a rural seaside break.

A primary motivation for many empty nesters is to escape or relax, but 65 per cent visit the seaside to walk or hike and 59 per cent to observe its nature or wildlife. Some threequarters of this group travel with a partner.

“In the past ten years there has been a steady increase in the proportion of over 55s in paid work; in 2015, 56 per cent were still employed. This group is generally better off than the generation below, both in terms of salaries and investments. Furthermore, they’re happy to travel out of school holidays – 72 per cent avoid July and August – making them an ideal audience for coastal breaks,” said NCTA director Samantha Richardson.

“This new report looks at the reasons empty nesters visit the coast, their perceptions and activities and how they plan their trip – use of social media, for example, has risen significantly, with 72 per cent of those aged 55 to 64 now using the internet on a daily basis.

“However more needs to be done to attract this group.

While half of the empty nesters surveyed believed the English coastline to be as good as any other in the world, only one third believes individual destinations have something unique to offer them and few think they’re becoming more appealing.”

Empty Nesters: Coastal Holiday Pen Portraits Analysis of the travel behaviour, aspirations and lifestyle of this age group and their interest in visiting the coast off-peak

has led to the development of six profiles, key segments for coastal destinations to target.

Each pen portrait provides a snapshot of the group’s general holiday behaviour, recommendations on how to attract them and what destinations should deliver and offer.

Sixteen per cent of empty nesters are Coastal Enthusiasts who are always on the look-out for new things to do and places to see, they enjoy socialising and meeting new people.

More affluent than average, they prefer premium or mid-tier accommodation and, importantly, 56 per cent are not deterred by poor weather in the off-peak season.

Energetic Enjoyers comprise 14 per cent of respondents; very sociable and fun-loving, most of this group uses social media in everyday life. Key motivations for visiting the coast include taking part in an activity or sport or to attend an event or festival. This group is attracted to a destination that offers a wealth of amusements, attractions and activities.

Natural Coasties account for 17 per cent of those surveyed; they like to revisit places and enjoy nature, gardens and beautiful scenery. They plan holidays online, prefer selfcatering accommodation and enjoy bird-watching, hiking, walking or visiting parks. A key target market, 54 per cent of this group had holidayed on the UK coast in the past two years.

Thirteen per cent are Contented Coasters, happy with their pace of life, they like to repeat their visits and avoid crowds. They like quiet, familiar destinations and prefer to stay in B&Bs. They like to explore their hobbies and enjoy history and culture.

Eighteen per cent are Aspirational Elusives; well-travelled and on the look-out for new experiences, they will pay more for the right product, 57 per cent like to stay in a premium hotel. Aspirational Elusives seek history and cultural events and activities.

Twenty-two per cent of those surveyed are branded Sun Seekers; although this group likes to travel overseas for a holiday, more than one third had travelled to the UK coast in the past two years. The best way to attract this group is through online marketing and publicity.

Beer Lovers to Descend on Bournemouth THE CAMPAIGN for Real Ale (CAMRA) Members’ Weekend, AGM and Conference will bring more than a thousand CAMRA members from across the UK to Bournemouth from the 7-9th April.

The main events will be hosted at the Bournemouth International Centre, where discussions on how to widen the campaign in light of new trends and consumer behaviour will take place. CAMRA members will also look forward to spending time socialising at local pubs and breweries.

Welcome socials are planned at local pubs, including a parallel young member’s event, organised trips and informal pub crawls along East Dorset’s best micro brewers and cider houses. A number of local brewers have opened their doors to CAMRA members with complimentary beer and food samples as part of the weekend’s festivities.

Bournemouth has seen an explosion in micro brewing,

with the number of brewers doubling in just five years. One of the most recent openings is Micro Moose, which bucked national trends when it was converted from a coffee shop into a micro pub in September 2016.

Nigel Jones, event organiser from CAMRA says: “Beer lovers from across the UK will be delighted to experience the rich variety of breweries and pubs in Bournemouth, which has seen real growth in recent years.

We look forward to introducing our fellow CAMRA members to the area and have put together a number of pub guides and tours to showcase the best that East Dorset has to offer, which we hope will provide a welcome boost to local businesses.”

The CAMRA Members’ Weekend, AGM and Conference is held in a different part of the country each year to attract as many members as possible and provide support to breweries all over Britain.

March 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

39

Over One in Three Has Had A Date Ruined By Restaurant Background Noise NATIONAL CHARITY, Action on Hearing Loss is calling on restaurants to give romance a chance this Valentine’s Day by providing a quieter dining experience.

An online survey of 1200 members of the general public conducted by the charity found that nearly 40% have completely misheard their date or partner during a romantic meal because of loud background noise, resulting in awkward conversations ranging from confusion about who is paying the bill, if there is a next date and even failed marriage proposals.

Potential romance deal breakers from people surveyed included: • ‘My partner said they wanted marriage, kids and a dog and I only heard the bit about the dog. It was awkward because he didn’t realise that I hadn’t heard the rest.’

• ‘I thought she said she loved me, but she said she loves Stew.’

• ‘He asked me to move in with him and I thought he had asked me to prove my love to him.’

• ‘I missed my partner saying I love you for the first time because of loud background noise.’

• ‘Was dumped by my partner but due to the noise I thought he was trying to propose.’

One respondent even ended up booking the wrong holiday: ‘We were talking about holidays and I booked where he

hated instead of where he wanted to go because I misheard him.’

Overall, over one in three people (38%) told the charity that they considered their date ruined because they had to repeat themselves while struggling to keep up with the flow of conversation due to high background noise.

Nearly half (45%) of people said that background music being turned up too high is the noise that irritates them the most when they are eating out. This was a close second to the noises from other diners’ children (51%), and ahead of the noise of people talking on their mobile phone (33%).

The charity’s Speak Easy campaign is calling on restaurants to take action on background noise.

Paul Breckell, Action on Hearing Loss Chief Executive, explained: ‘A romantic meal out is all about making a connection and having a special night, but our survey suggests that a third of people have had a bad date due to the high levels of background noise which can ruin a romantic occasion just because people can’t hear each other.

‘We would like more restaurants to engage with us on our Speak Easy campaign to provide a quieter dining experience where people don’t have to repeat themselves or raise their voices to be heard. Our research shows that it would encourage more people to dine out and become loyal customers.’

1,800 UK Hotel Companies at Risk Of Going Bust STAFF SHORTAGES and increased food and beverage costs amongst threats to the hotel sector 1,800 UK hotel companies have at least a 30% chance of going insolvent within the next three years, says Moore Stephens, the Top Ten accountancy firm.

Moore Stephens says that the advantages of the fall in the value of sterling post-Brexit may not be able to overcome the other strong headwinds the sector faces.

It explains that while a weaker pound may encourage more tourists to visit the UK, and tempt more Britons to take ‘staycations’, visitors are likely to focus on key tourist hotspots, leaving hotels in other less popular locations struggling.

At the same time, food and beverage costs are set to increase as unfavourable exchange rates push up import prices, adding to already-rising overheads tightening profit margins.

Moore Stephens says that the introduction of the living wage could lead to further financial strain for small hotels outside cities. Many hotel workers are over the age of 25, and so the living wage affects almost half of the hospitality workforce.

Moore Stephens adds that internet comparison websites have helped to increase price transparency in the sector and often charge hotels a significant commission to be advertised on the site. This additional cost and pressure to price competitively can put further financial strain on smaller hotels, which often operate on tight profit margins.

Competitors, Airbnb and similar apps have increased this

strain, providing lower price options in a wide range of locations, Moore Stephens says. Unlike hotels, Airbnb users do not need to charge VAT, and so can keep prices low.

The popularity of budget hotel chains such as Premier Inn may have also had a negative effect on smaller hotel chains.

Moore Stephens explains that tourists will often choose hotel chains due to low prices, and the familiarity and reliability of the facilities.

Moore Stephens adds that uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the economy since the referendum vote has also placed some financial stress on hotel companies. A casualty of this uncertainty is the business travel sector, which has slowed down due to corporate budgets being squeezed. This has resulted in a substantial chunk of hotel custom being cut out.

Jeremy Willmont, Head of Restructuring & Insolvency at Moore Stephens, says: “Greater costs across the board as a result of the Brexit vote and competition from Airbnb are putting some hotels at risk of insolvency.

“The drop in the pound, and the increase in staycations since the Brexit vote has the potential to be a boon for the hotel industry, with more foreign tourists choosing to visit the UK. However, the benefits have yet to reach hotel companies right across the country.

“Much of the hotel business in the UK comes from overseas tourists and those traveling for leisure. In order to combat any loss from the business sector, hotels should look to attract more custom from tourism, particularly those higher spending foreign tourists, such as Americans and Europeans.”

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