CLH News #203 August 2017

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August 2017

Issue 203

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Only 0.1% Of The Business Rates Relief Paid Out Pages 18 - 19

Pages 20 - 23

Page 24

Page 22 - 23

Earlier this year, the Government set aside £300m to help small businesses hit by the rise in business rates. But so far, only a tiny fraction of that money has been given to businesses.

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Only around £197k of the government's £300m business rates relief fund has actually been allocated, despite businesses being hit with higher rates over four months ago, the Liberal Democrat party reveals following a Freedom of information request The £300m national relief fund was announced in the Spring Budget to help businesses hardest hit by the business rates revaluation, which came into force in April and has hit many small firms with punishing tax hikes.

Just two local authorities have so far distributed any money - totalling £197,000 - or 0.1% of the total budget for the scheme.

Of the 99 local authorities that responded to Freedom of Information requests, only two said they have so far distributed any money from the fund to local businesses, Tandridge (£156k) and Amber Valley (£41k).

A quarter of councils that gave a reason for the delay blamed the need to update software to automate payments, one-third said they were still waiting for approval from their local council while one-fifth were still developing local schemes to distribute the funds.

Responding to the figures, Lib Dem leader Vince cable said “The government’s business rates fiasco threatens to turn our high streets into ghost towns.The hardest hit businesses were promised rapid relief to cushion the blow, but five months on most have received nothing” “That is enough time to wreck many a small independent business, who face having to lay off staff or even go bust. This delay is completely unacceptable. The government risks crippling thousands of small businesses through its incompetence. It beggars belief that the relief fund was not properly set up before the business rates revaluation came into force, leaving local authorities with very little time to put together effective schemes. Ministers now need to get a grip and make sure struggling business owners get help before it’s too late.”

BBPA Chief Executive, Brigid Simmonds said: “It is deplorable that much-needed rates relief is simply not yet reaching those small businesses most in need, as the Government intends.

“We are hearing a very similar story from our members, when it comes to the pubspecific relief announced in the March Budget, which is itself worth £25 million.

“Whilst the Government has taken up our calls for action, and has been putting pressure on councils, the delays at local level are inexcusable. If some councils can get their rates relief up-and-running, others should be able to do the same.”

The, BBPA, which welcomed the announcement of pubs rates relief in the Budget, is calling for the £1,000 relief to be extended in future years, and to be raised fivefold, to CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SPROWTS

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The association is also calling for comprehensive business rates reform, as its own research shows that pubs pay 2.8 per cent of the total business rates bill, despite generating just 0.4 per cent of business turnover.

Earlier this month the Campaign for Real Ale called on the Government to stop viable community pubs from being driven out of business by introducing a £5,000 annual reduction on their rocketing business rates.

Reviews of business rates across England are seeing many pubs hit with a massive new financial burden, which in some cases could only be covered by them selling tens of thousands of extra pints of beer every year.

The call follows new research conducted by YouGov on behalf of CAMRA which found that the public overwhelmingly supports an urgent tax break for pubs. More than two-thirds (69%) of people who expressed an opinion agree with the argument that pubs should receive tax relief as they provide safe, managed places for people to get together and drink responsibly.

While the Government introduced a one-off £1,000 discount scheme for some pubs in the latest Budget, CAMRA says this action does not go far enough to help keep many afloat.

Sean Hughes, landlord of The Boot pub in St Albans, which has stood on its site since the 16th century, is set to see his rates bill soar by 280% over the next five years from £14,000 a year to £52,000. He says: "Our new business rates bill means that we would have to sell an additional 22,000 pints of beer a year just to pay for the increase. I can't see how we're going to do that - it leaves us in a very difficult situation. We've already had to increase our beer prices by 10p per pint, and expect that to increase to 35p a pint. If our customers can't afford a pint at the pub they will go elsewhere, which means that our historic pub of 600 years may cease to run as a public house. We urgently need support from the Government to continue trading."

James Brown who runs three pubs as part of the Brown Ales portfolio agrees, saying: "All of our pubs are multi-CAMRA award winning pubs and are seeing enormous increases to their business rates. The Chesterfield Arms has seen its rateable value rise from £27,000 to £64,000 - an increase in its final business rates bill of 140%. What is the incentive to run a successful business if the additional profits are taken away in rates? The £1,000 reduction is just a drop in the ocean when rates are increased by £20,000 - any publican will tell you that the business rates system is the most unjust cost to successfully run pubs in this country."

Colin Valentine, CAMRA's National Chairman says: "Taxes now make up more than a third of the cost of a pub pint. Despite the fact that pubs currently account for 0.5% of turnover of the UK economy, they are still paying 2.8% of the business rates. This is frankly unsustainable, and it is the consumer that will ultimately pay the price whether it's when their beloved local closes down or when the price of their pint goes up.

"It's clear that most of us believe that pubs need our help and recognise the vital role that they play in local communities. From celebrating a special occasion to meeting up with friends after work, pubs are an integral part of many people's social lives.

Business rate relief is urgently needed in order to ensure their continued survival."

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Editor's Viewpoint

August 2017

WELCOME TO THE AUGUST ISSUE OF CLH NEWS Once again, I would take this opportunity to welcome any new readers to our publication, previously explained we are free to trade publication! And, we have in recent months extended our readership to reach more independent hospitality businesses.

We hope you’ll find us a one-stop publication news, views products and services which we are sure will help you in the day-to-day running of your business.

We would ask just one thing of you!

EDITOR When responding to our advertisers would be most grateful if you could kindly mention that you saw the product or service in CLH News, even if you are buying online! Please mention us to our advertisers!

A news story in this month’s issue caught my eye and raised an ironic smile, “55% think beer duty is too high” according to a survey from YouGov. It begs the question what on earth were the other 45% thinking?

You may recall a news article in our June issue where we revealed that the United Kingdom pays more in alcohol duty than Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Poland combined! I went on to say that the 5 million people who live in Essex pay more than alcohol duty and 82 million who live in Germany. So, I would ask the question again. What on earth was the other 45% thinking?

The average duty paid on a bottle of still wine in the UK is £2.08, meaning that 55% of every bottle sold goes on duty and VAT, while the duty paid on an average bottle of sparkling wine is £2.67. By comparison, consumers in France pay just 6 pence in duty on an average bottle of sparkling wine, according to the WSTA, with 3 pence paid on still wine. Following March’s budget the level of tax – excise duty and Vat – on an average priced bottle of Scotch Whisky is now an burdensome 79%, one of the highest levels in Europe, and 21% higher than in 2010. The excise duty burden on a 70cl bottle of Scotch is £8.05 and the total tax is £10.20.

As the news article from BBPA states, beer tax rates here are three times the EU average, five times higher than in Belgium, and a staggering 11 times higher than in Germany. Furthermore, as regular readers will be aware, according “Cut Tourism VAT” campaign, run by the British Hospitality Association, tourists in the UK pay more than three times as much VAT than they do in Germany or France and double in VAT than in Spain or Italy.

I have always felt the biggest tragedy is that the industry will never fulfil its true potential. The hospitality and leisure industry is enjoyed enormous growth since the financial meltdown, and the industry’s contribution to the economy has grown faster than any other industry. According to the British Hospitality Association 500,000 jobs could be created over the next five years. However, research by Ignite Economics, carried out for the British Hospitality Association, put forward an alternative scenario, and has predicted the sector’s workforce could begin to drop by 2021 with the contribution it makes to the economy also falling as cost pressures from wages and business rates bite alongside a potential labour squeeze once the UK leaves the EU. The report’s least optimistic ‘bear case’ scenario suggests a 1pc fall in the number of people directly employed in the sector compared to 2016 to 3.17m, with the economic contribution the sector makes also starting to fall from its current level of £73bn.While the estimated drop is small, any weakness in the industry would be a concern given it employs almost 10pc of the entire UK workforce. As I say a real tragedy given simple and sensible changes, changes that our European counterparts have already made in VAT, in particular, and a sensible reevaluation of alcohol duty would make a huge difference and create thousands more jobs.

I would once again urge all readers to support the cut tourism VAT campaign, details can be found at www.cuttourismvat.co.uk . The campaign does have support of many MPs has been debated in Parliament, and I would urge you to get your staff, friends and family to support too!

Peter Adams

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Rating Specialists at Colliers International have called on hotel operators to appeal over ‘material change’ to their circumstances, given onslaught of disruptors like Airbnb.

The products affected are processed foods in which egg is one ingredient among many others, mostly used in sandwich fillings or other chilled foods. While in some European countries eggs containing Fipronil residues have been sold as fresh eggs, in the UK this is not the case. Many of the eggs involved were mixed with other eggs which have not come from affected farms so Fipronil residues will be highly diluted. It is likely that the number of eggs that have come to the UK is closer to 700,000 than the 21,000 previously believed had been imported. However, as this represents 0.007% of the eggs we consume in the UK every year, it remains the case that it is very unlikely that there is any risk to public health from consuming these foods.

The decision to withdraw these products is not due to food safety concerns, but is based on the fact that Fipronil is not authorised for use in food producing animals.

85% of the eggs we consume in the UK are laid here. The FSA say they have no evidence that eggs laid in the UK are contaminated or that Fipronil has been used inappropriately in the UK. Testing of eggs on farms is underway across the UK and results to date for England and Wales show no exposure to Fipronil.

Heather Hancock, Chairman of the Food Standards Agency, said: ‘I’m confident that acting quickly is the right

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Hotel operators have a real opportunity to appeal against their business rates, given that new “disruptors” in the hotel business, who don’t pay business rates, are having a massive impact on the market, according to Colliers International, the global commercial real estate agency and consultancy.

According to Colliers the rise in volume of Airbnb lettings should be seen as a “material change” to the hotel industry. The Valuation Office Agency, who undertakes business rates appeals, normally looks favourably on businesses that can show a “material change in their circumstances” and by definition Colliers believes hotels in areas where Airbnb is strong and growing should be included in this policy.

Currently, hotel operators are suffering from a massive increase in the business rates that they are liable to pay following the recent April 2017 revaluation. For example, one hotel in Belgravia is seeing an increase of nearly 194% in its rateable value from the last valuation in 2010, and two hotels in Victoria are seeing rises of over 150%. This is not a trend in the West End alone, with Hotel Z and Fielding Hotel in WC2 seeing rises averaging 114%. (See table below.)

And they are also competing against new entrants into the marketplace such as Airbnb, who acts like a hotel provider to let out rooms, but because of loopholes in rating legislation is able to avoid paying business rates.

“This is just not a level playing field, ” says John Webber, Head of Rating at Colliers International. ” Not only is Airbnb attacking hotel market share, by offering cheaper room rates, but is able to do this through the unfair advantage of not paying business rates.”

Webber continued, “The quantity of additional rooms being made available by Airbnb is equivalent to the building of several hundred new hotels across the UK. Yet should these hotels have been built, the Valuation Office Agency ((VOA) would accept “a material change of circumstance” to the hotel operators’ business.”

Webber backs up his argument with strong research about the rise of Airbnb – recent figures from Colliers International and Hotelschool in The Hague has shown that nights booked with Airbnb in London rose 130 percent in 2016 reaching 4.62 million, (compared to just

over 2 million in 2015) with market share of overnight visitors doubling to 9%. The trend looks likely to continue with the number of properties listed in 2017 increasing by 80% year on year and the first four months of the year showing an additional 55% uplift in the number of nights booked through Airbnb compared to the same period in 2016.

In addition, of the 2016 listings, almost 54% were offered by hosts with more than one listing, up from 48% the year before, reinforcing concerns about professional lettings via the site. “Airbnb seems to be no longer an accommodation site for individuals letting out their own homes, but people are buying residential properties specifically for Airbnb and running these as businesses”.

Bookings in the boroughs of Westminster, Tower Hamlets, Kensington, Chelsea and Hackney accounted for nearly 50% of all Airbnb stays last year. So, Webber feels hotels in these areas of London in particular should take note, and begin appeals against their rate bills, as should hotel operators in other cities such as Oxford and Bath that attract tourists and hence Airbnb operators.

“We would argue that the advance of Airbnb rooms let in close proximity is a “material change” and hotel operators should appeal their rateable value and hence their rates bill, before they take a financial turn for the worse, which would affect both profits and jobs in the trade.”

Webber continued, “This is yet another example of how the current business rate regime is out of date and needs root and branch reform. Everyone quotes the financial advantage Amazon has over traditional retailers, by not paying business rates, but the hotel industry is similarly affected. Hoteliers need to fight back and point out “the material change” created by operators such as Airbnb, and get their rating bills under control. “ Colliers Manifesto for Business Rates Reform includes: 1. More frequent revaluations, three-yearly, at least, by 2022; 2. Increase funding for VOA in order to deal with existing appeals’ backlog; 3. Release VOA from pressure exerted by local councils and HM Treasury; 4. Introduce a register of appeals professionals – removing the ‘cowboy’ element; 5. Root and branch reform of current business rates exemptions and reliefs.

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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Businesses Urged to Check Eggs as Fipronil Scandal Deepens Hospitality businesses are being urged to check the source of their eggs as investigations into the Fipronil incident reveals that there are more contaminated eggs than first thought .Investigations into the Fipronil incident in Europe are continuing, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have now established that more eggs from affected farms than previously identified came to the UK. It is very unlikely that these eggs pose a risk to public health, but as Fipronil is unauthorised for use in food-producing animals we have acted with urgency to ensure that consumers are protected.

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thing to do. The number of eggs involved is small in proportion to the number of eggs we eat, and it is very unlikely that there is a risk to public health. Based on the available evidence there is no need for people to change the way they consume or cook eggs. However, Fipronil is not legally allowed for use near food-producing animals and it shouldn’t be there.’

Mike Williams is Director of UK food safety consultancy STS said: "This ‘scandal' seems to be something of a moving feast with statements issued over recent days by the Food Standards Agency changing tack as more evidence appears.

On Monday, the FSA advised that a very small number of eggs had been affected, but by Thursday they advised that more eggs than previously thought were in the UK food chain and a variety of product recalls have been instituted.

"I'm pretty certain that this is not going be the next horsemeat scandal as it seems that the contamination was not purposefully done i.e. there was no thought process to contaminate eggs and food fraud is not on the agenda. It is however, perhaps a salutary lesson in recognising that food incidents can leave a significant footprint.

"The majority, if not all, shell eggs supplied by shops, farms and supermarkets in the UK are laid in the UK and, as such, consumers should not be fearful of using eggs that they have previously bought. However, eggs are also imported for use in food production and, whilst it appears that the risk from Fipronil is low, food businesses and consumers should check that they do not have any foods in their stores that are part of the recall.

"From a food supplier and food business operator point of view, it is possible that Local Authority food safety enforcement teams will be checking that the recalls are being taken seriously and where product is identified, that it is removed from sale and returned to the supplier (or discard ed). As such, ensuring that appropriate checks have been carried out will assist in making these enforcement checks as efficient as possible."

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August 2017

Engineer Your Menu To Avoid Costly Impacts Of Beef And Pork Price Increases PURCHASING COMPANY Beacon, is encouraging operators to rethink their menus, after reporting significant price increases in beef and pork. Beacon recently revealed that the cost of beef is currently at an all-time high, with prices up almost 40 pence per kg compared to July 2016, representing an 11% increase YOY. The price of pork is also on the rise and set to stay, where costs are up almost a third on 2016, with current prices sitting 20% higher than those in 2015, Beacon is offering its advice on how to carefully engineer a menu to alleviate the impact of these price increases.

Alice Bexon, Purchasing Manager at Beacon, commented: “The cost of British, Irish and Imported Beef has risen and continues to rise dramatically, with current prices at an all-time high with pork showing a similar story. The latest Foodservice Inflation figures show that costs are up by 8.8%, the highest they have been in nine years and it is only a matter of time before foodservice outlets will not be able to swallow up these increases. However, this can be avoided with careful planning and research.”

Weigh up cost vs value When menu engineering, weighing up cost vs value is very important, making sure your menu is delivering quality whilst minimising cost. This can be as simple as reviewing the origin of your products, or the products themselves, to make sure you buying the best value product for your money.

Seek out alternatives According to Fairfax, the US BBQ trend for beef and

pork cuts for “low ‘n’ slow-style” cooking has seen what were previously underused cuts, such as beef brisket, beef shortribs and pork shoulders, soar in price. Always keep an eye out for alternative cuts that are available, which utilise lesser-used parts of the animal. For example, whole feather blades make a great alternative to brisket when slow cooking.

Rethink your steak offering In terms of steaks, Fairfax has reported that the demand for ribeye is continuously increasing, making this a more expensive choice for operators. With that said, we would advise considering rump as an alternative. Rump is less susceptible to wider beef price increases as the demand for this cut is lower in relation to other prime steak cuts. It is being often overlooked as a go-to great value steak option.

Ask the expert Take advantage of your butcher or butchery suppliers by asking them for their thoughts and ideas, as they may have knowledge that could help you maximise sales. For example, seek information from them on how you could innovatively present different cuts of meats in order to maximise your GP and create brilliant looking dishes too.

Focus on British We would recommend a focus on British, and communicating the locality of produce to your customers. Although costs may be higher than imported products, the opportunity for added value through provenance marketing can help you engage with guests.

Alice continued: “In the long term, we predict that beef prices will begin to soften. The increased prices and strong export market are making cattle an attractive farming proposition again, and through an 18-month turnaround period, we could see the availability of UK beef increase and therefore prices steady. The same cannot be said for pork production, which looks likely to struggle to remain competitive against international exporters and adverse exchange rates – so look at what you can do to avoid passing on higher costs to your customers.”

Leisure Businesses Losing Thousands to Invoice Scammers LEISURE BUSINESSES are being warned to be vigilant following an increase in invoice redirection scams – costing businesses thousands of pounds.

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.

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NatWest has released a short educational video to raise awareness of the scam, which involves tricking clients into updating bank account details for regular suppliers.

The details are replaced with the scammer’s account which gets credited the next time the supplier is paid. The debt to the real supplier still stands, so the victim ends up having to pay twice.

David Scott, Head of Leisure at NatWest, said: “This is a very effective scam which can have devastating consequences. Victims typically lose about £30k, although some cases have involved significantly larger sums. So every business, however big or small, is a potential target.

“It is vital that any letters or emails that claim to come

from your suppliers, and which ask you to change bank account details, are vetted.

“Call someone you know at the company using a number you know and trust, to ensure the instruction is genuine.”

The new video explains how fraudsters select their targets by referring to information in the public domain that confirms trading and supply-chain relationships. It also shows examples of the fake instructions to help clients spot these scams.

David added: “Education and awareness are key in the fight against fraud.

“We encourage all those involved with keying and authorising payments to watch the new clip and to exercise extreme caution should they receive a request to update long-standing payment instructions.”

Information on other common scams affecting both the private and public sectors can be found at www.natwest.com/stopfraud.

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

5

Getting A Smart Meter Is The First Step To Transforming What Britain's Ideal Pub Looks Like Why Energy Use For Your Hospitality Business It would appear that we Brits are looking for something a little more sophisticated from the pub, according to a survey by YouGov, which places serving meals and having a beer garden top Britons’ list of key pub features, and cigarettes and fruit machines machines at the bottom.

In a 1946, George Orwell detailed what he wanted from his ideal public house, the fictitious “Moon Under Water”. While some of Orwell’s preferences have not aged well (such as serving beer in strawberry-pink china mugs and being able to use the pub’s telephone), new YouGov Omnibus research shows that many aspects of Orwell’s ideal pub have stood the test of time.

The results show that at least half of Brits agree on five key characteristics their ideal public house would have, four of which featured in Orwell’s essay. The single most important feature of Britons' ideal pub is that it would serve meals (67%). Having a beer garden - the thing Orwell said was the most important - is the second most common feature (63%).

The top five features of the ideal pub are rounded off by the presence of a fireplace (52% and the only one of the top five not to be on Orwell’s list), bar staff knowing regular customers and taking an interest in everyone (51%) and selling snacks (50%).

Less essential pub features include serving real ale (37%), hosting live music and having background music (both 35%) and hosting pub quizzes (34%).

The one armed bandit was the least essential component of the ideal pub, with just 5% of Brits saying that fruit machines would appear in their own personal Moon Under Water.

Men and women’s ideal pubs The results also highlight how different men and women’s ideal pubs would be. For instance, women are more likely than men to want their ideal pub to serve meals (74% vs 60%). When it comes to drinks, men are much more likely to say that their ideal pub would serve real ale (46%, vs 28% for women), while women are more likely to want it to serve cocktails (31%, vs 14% for men).

When it comes to appearance and ambience, women seem to be the most likely to prefer those walls of hardback books that no-one reads (32% vs 18%). They are also more likely to appreciate the presence of a fireplace (58% vs 45% of men) and have background music (39% vs 30%), while men prefer televisions on the walls (22% vs 13% of women).

More men want both televised and pub sports in their ideal boozer. They are more likely than women to want it to show football/sports (27% vs 9% of women), and also have a snooker/pool table (29% vs 19%) and dart board (21 vs 13%).

55 Per Cent Think UK Beer Duty Too High Brigid Simmonds Comments Commenting on a survey from YouGov for CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) that 55 per cent of those surveyed think UK beer duty is too high.

Brigid Simmonds, BBPA Chief Executive, said: “This YouGov survey shows there is widespread public concern over the sky-high rates of tax on British beer. “This is totally understandable – beer tax rates are three times the EU average, five times higher than in Belgium, and an astonishing 11 times higher than in Germany. “Further increases, including inflation-based rises, are unsustainable if we want to protect Britain’s brewers and pubs.

Action is needed from the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget.”

By Lucy Maggs, Smart Energy GB

All across the country, the way we buy and manage businesses energy is changing. As we build a modern energy infrastructure that is fit for Britain’s smarter, greener future, there has never been a better time for hotels, pubs and restaurants to get involved.

The hospitality industry is an important part of Britain’s business economy. According to VisitBritain, the 37.6 million overseas visitors who came to the UK in 2016 spent £22.5 billion. Domestic tourism is also high, with 119.5 million overnight trips taken in Great Britain during 2016.

Ensuring customers are comfortable and happy is a priority for hospitality businesses, but keeping energy use and bills under control, reducing carbon, and building a green brand are also important. And the more people that visit and enjoy your business services, the more gas and electricity is needed to keep things running the way you want them to.

The first step to saving on energy costs and improving your business policy on sustainability is understanding your energy use. That’s where smart meters come in.

You may already know that smart meters are available for every household, but did you know that many small businesses can also upgrade to the new digital meters?

Smart meters send automatic meter readings to your energy supplier, meaning accurate bills and an end to meter readings and estimated bills. They also show you exactly how much energy you’re using and what it’s costing you in pounds and pence.

A smart meter will help you keep track of your energy costs, allowing you to budget and manage cash flow more effectively. Accurate information about the energy your business is using will help you make energy-saving changes, which can have a real impact on the bottom line.

According to government’s Potential of Smart Technologies in SMEs report, smart meters alone could save SMEs in the accommodation and food sector £57m annually. And when it comes to adopting smart technologies in general, SMEs in the accommodation and food sector are expected to save the most, up to £12,369 annually.

Sometimes knowing where to get started can be the most difficult step when it comes to energy saving, and smart meters are a great place to start.

Installations normally take around two hours and your energy supplier will work with you to try to find a time that’s convenient for both parties. Many businesses can get their smart meter at no additional cost; others may need to pay a small charge for the installation or access to data. Your supplier will tell you about any charges up front.

If your business has fewer than 10 employees – or their fulltime equivalent – you may be eligible to upgrade to a smart meter. Contact your energy supplier today about arranging your installation.

BHA Welcomes Government Study on EU Workers

The British Hospitality Association (BHA) has welcomed the news that the government has appointed the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to undertake a comprehensive study on EU workers in the UK.

The study will look at the costs and benefits of EU migrants, migration trends, the impact on competitiveness, the benefits of focusing migration on high-skilled jobs, and the impact of migration cuts.

The Home Office has asked the committee to consider the regional distribution of EU migration, which sectors are most reliant on it, and the role of temporary and seasonal workers.

Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive of the British Hospitality Association, said: “Over 700,000 Europeans work in hospitality and tourism and although we are determined to rely less on EU service workers over the coming years it will take time. In March KPMG published a report, commissioned by the BHA, which showed that in the event of free movement ending and no successor regime being put in its place the industry would need to recruit an additional 65,000 UK workers each year in addition to the ongoing recruitment of 200,000 workers to replace churn and to power growth. Our industry recognises that immigration policy needs to change however at a time when unemployment is at its lowest since 1975 we will still need access to the European workforce.

The BHA has been campaigning for several months for an enlarged role of the Migration Advisory Committee and welcome the government commissioning the MAC to undertake a detailed study on EU workers with businesses throughout the country. We believe this should go further and the MAC

should advise government on the number of visas for all strategically important sectors including hospitality and tourism, the fourth largest industry in the UK. Britain needs services workers as well as scientists and engineers and we look forward to having a serious dialogue with the Home Secretary as we get into the detail of a new immigration law.”

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

August 2017

65-Year-Old Hotel Catering & Retail Show Postponed!

The organiser, Hale Events, is postponing the 2018 Hotel, Catering & Retail Show, citing financial constraints as the main reason that stand sales are not at the levels needed to present a show to market. Due to take place 13-14 March 2018, the event is now under review, and may take place again, if more realistic costs for clients can be achieved. The show has taken place for 65 years, so it was not an easy decision for the organisers to make.

Managing Director Mike Anderson said: “We have been organising successful trade shows for 25 years, and our customers’ needs are at the

heart of all the decisions we make. We have not taken this decision lightly, but rising costs for many essential associated client services make this show very expensive compared to our other trade shows in similar markets, which has led to falling stand sales. It is important to us that the products we offer our customers give them value for money and a return on their investment. At this time, we do not feel able to do this in Bournemouth, and therefore we would prefer to postpone now and allow our clients to plan their trade show year with confidence, rather than leaving such a critical decision until the last minute”.

Hale Events organise The Source trade show in Exeter, Expowest Cornwall in Wadebridge, and The Food & Drink Trade Show in Worcestershire. www.haleevents.com/our-trade-shows

WSTA Calls for Government to Produce A Clear Plan to Prevent Brexit Chaos The Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association has warned that ministers need to set aside differences and produce a clear plan for Brexit or trade will suffer.

WSTA CEO, Miles Beale, revealed “deep seated” concerns from the drinks industry about their chaotic approach to Brexit and called on them to liais e with EU Counterparts immediately after the summer.

He urged Government to “get a grip” and provide businesses with an agreed, clear, carefully thought through policy for the UK’s trading future.

The trade association, that represents over 300 companies, believes a transitional period is key, to avoid disruption to historic trade flows.WSTA Calls For Government To Get A Grip And Produce A Clear Plan To Prevent Brexit Chaos WSTA Chief Executive, Miles Beale, said: “The wine and spirit industry has had enough of political posturing and Cabinet rifts which have led to a flurry of mixed messages over what we should expect from the Government approach to Brexit. Put bluntly we want Government to get a grip and put to rest some of the deep seated concerns facing our trade – by telling us clearly what they are going to ask for when negotiations get serious in the Autumn.

“The WSTA has argued continually for a negotiated deal including a transition period that would allow the UK to agree a Free Trade Agreement with the EU. Then the Government needs to make quick progress on other bilateral FTAs with our major trading partners. Such a transition would give businesses time to prepare fully for a post-EU trading environment.

“We have been encouraged by some recent comments made by the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, but just when you think there is a plan in place another minster comes in and contradicts it. It is simply not good enough for business needing to plan for their future and that of their

employees. It has been over a year since the referendum and over four months since Article 50 was triggered. We have had nothing solid from Government since the White Paper and no coherent message about our trading future.

Our industry needs to feel confident that there is an agreed, carefully thought through, plan for trade before we leave the EU. Without it businesses are just bystanders – increasingly frustrated ones at that.

“We want to see the Government getting a grip, forming a plan, communicating clearly and taking it to the EU to get a deal that works for everyone”.

Last month Miles and others from the food and drink sector relayed their concerns to the new Secretary of State for Defra, Michael Gove, at a roundtable.

Miles followed up with a letter spelling out what the wine and spirit industry needs to keep its status as a key hub for the global drinks market.

The WSTA represents an industry worth around £50 billion to the UK and supports over half a million jobs in the UK. The UK is an incredibly important market for the world’s wine producers. Over 99% of wine consumed in the UK is imported and in 2016 total sales amounted to more than £10bn.

The most important issue for UK wine businesses, and the 277,000 UK jobs that the industry supports, directly and indirectly, is for the UK to remain central to world wine trading post-Brexit.

Britain is by far the largest exporter of spirits in the world and the industry which supports some 296,000 UK jobs, directly and indirectly, can only invest and grow if trade flows are secure.

Over 1bn litres of UK spirits are exported to foreign markets, including more than 200m bottles of gin.

Three out of every four bottles of gin imported around the world are made in the UK

Inevitable Surprises in the Travel, Hospitality and Business Events Sector

By Rohit Talwar, CEO and Alexandra Whittington, Foresight Director, Fast Future CHANGE CAN happen quickly in the travel, hospitality and business events sectors – making a strong impact on revenues. So, what are some of the biggest “inevitable surprises” on the horizon between now and 2022?

1. Surveillance Capitalism.

Each search, post and ‘like’ generates information that can be mined and interpreted allowing companies to develop intimate knowledge of us as individuals and then manipulate our purchase choices. This is surveillance capitalism.

Tools are coming which will act as intelligent guardians of our data allowing third parties to access only that which they really need, for example, why does a meeting organizer or hotel need our personal details? A simple numeric identifier could allow us access so long as payment has been made.

Responses to surveillance capitalism could undermine the customer data-centric personalization strategies adopted by many in travel, meetings and hospitality.

2. Consumerism in Decline.

There is a movement away from ownership towards usership, away from consumerism and toward frugalism, a growing preference for experiences over physical goods, and an increasing awareness of the impact of constant consumption on fragile ecological systems.

The sharing economy is a perfect example of the rejection of mass ownership and consumption. Airbnb, for example, speaks to experiences over materialism; the trappings of a hotel vs. the authentic experience of a room in a private home. Being able to cater to these consumers may be key to competitive survival.

This trend towards cost saving, frugality and rejecting the outwardly ostentatious could also have an impact on delegate attendance and expectations.

3. Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The range of AI applications will explode over the next 18 months.

For example, an algorithm could gauge a customer’s preferences before they arrive at a hotel; a room stocked with all your favorite toiletries and the right number of towels.

These, along with automation providing specialized moments of customer engagement—the perfect fragrances, colours and dynamically changing electronic wallpaper displays - are premium, reputation enhancing perks.

4. Political Uncertainty.

Brexit and policy changes in the US may deter international visitors. Some businesses may therefore move offshore to make it easier for their foreign staff to function

effectively.

Strict travel regulations put the hospitality industry in the middle of a potentially chaotic situation, perhaps making it important for hotels to provide a calm oasis for meetings that bring participants from all over the world.

Projections suggest that future growth in traveller numbers will come from China, and those who practice Islam.

This shift means that the meetings and hospitality sectors will need to improve language skills and cultural sensitivity.

5. Retail on the Road.

Car-sharing and taxi app services free up time for consumers to shop when they would normally be driving personal cars. This creates an opportunity for companies to interact commercially with people riding in connected cabs and self-driving cars. Furthermore, free of fixed transportation expenses, there could be increases in consumer’s disposable income.

6. Digital Currency.

The growth of digital currencies, like Bitcoin and Ether, offer new systems for payments, reservations and billing. The basic mechanism bypasses traditional centralized financial clearing and accounting systems and their associated charges by enabling direct financial flows between buyer and seller with a theoretically immutable ledger of record.

Blockchain, the decentralized ledger that forms the public database of digital currency transactions, can also be used for information transfer activities beyond money transfers.

7. Blockchain.

Blockchain-based contracts could completely automate reservation, delivery management, ordering, accounting, record keeping and in-room purchases.

Blockchain can track payments, confirm inventory, validate documents, verify ownership and notarize the authenticity of a variety of things. For example, Dubai Airport is pioneering the use of blockchain for digital passports.

8. Immersive Technologies.

Immersive visual technologies like AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) and shared mobile video content could have a major impact on meetings and hospitality. Incompany meetings are increasingly virtual and more teams are working remotely. There is always likely to be a space for live events, but immersive technology will increasingly encroach on the sector’s territory.

Eventually, digital experiences of food, travel, even sex, could compete with real-life in terms of authenticity and satisfaction. Strong, convincing simulations are something for the hotel world to consider; technologies that can create authentic, shared experiences could become a lowercost alternative to physical gatherings. If hospitality and meeting providers can utilize these technologies in ways that emphasize the human element, they may find many rewards for preserving what matters when it comes to meetings and physical travel experiences.

CPL Online and Zenith Hygiene Group plc Announce New Working Partnership CPL Online, a leading provider of learning and development software, has announced a new partnership with Zenith Hygiene Group, a UK leader in hygiene technology solutions.

The Merseyside-based company has developed a bespoke range of learning resources for Zenith Hygiene, which includes an e-learning course, learning management system and mobile app. The introduction of these resources is the first step in Zenith Hygiene’s plans to provide accessible and effective training to the Group’s diverse customer base.

Developed in conjunction with Zenith Hygiene’s product chemists and technical director, the new e-learning course – ‘Chemical Competence’ – focuses on the core principles of COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) and how to apply the appropriate controls needed to prevent or reduce employees’ exposure to hazardous substances.

Ensuring the course content was effective and applicable, products from Zenith Hygiene have been applied to the learning content to help learners identify and implement specific processes associated with various chemicals.

Customers have the option of accessing the course in a variety of ways – one of which is the custom-developed learning management system and mobile app, which is available free of charge to Zenith Hygiene’s 20,000 customer sites. Alternatively, the companies’ mutual customers can access the course via their own CPL platform or easily integrate with third-party learning applications or their existing in-house learning management systems.

The partnership will also see both companies work collaboratively to create new business development opportunities. A selection of CPL Online’s compliance courses are now available for purchase and accessed from Zenith Hygiene E-Learning Portal, which will be offered to customers as additional training. This, combined with the new resources, will help to showcase CPL’s

Christmas Tree World

For over 30 years www.ChristmasTreeWorld.co uk has been supplying artificial Christmas trees to venues big and small throughout the UK. In recent years they have also exported trees to embassies such as the British Embassy Rangoon, and theatres such as St Gallen Opera Company Switzerland. You will see their trees at the Royal Festival Hall, the Millennium Stadium, the Atheneum Club, Blenheim Palace and many more prestigious buildings, but as a Lancashire based company they are dedicated to offering top quality products at down to earth prices.

products and services and reach out to potential clients.

Tony Clough, group technical director of Zenith Hygiene Group, said: “We take safety and training incredibly seriously and as a trusted hygiene partner, we know that the safety and wellbeing of our customers’ employees is of pivotal importance. That is why we have invested in the creation of the ‘Chemical Competence’ course, which takes users through the key safety messages associated to chemicals and the principles of COSHH, and we chose to partner with CPL Online to create and develop our e-learning portal because of their breadth of experience and expertise in this area.”

Ringo Francis, chief executive of Zenith Hygiene Group, said: “The safety of our customers is of the upmost importance. One of the most documented pieces of feedback from our customers with regards to traditional classroom style COSHH training has been the challenge of organising all employees of a site to attend. Having an online portal which is accessible from any device and at any time of day and night, available in a host of languages, correctly engages our customers to learn about the correct and safe handling of chemicals, removes that obstacle and provides a significant host of benefits. The launch of our e-learning portal, free chemical competence course and availability of complementary courses such as Food Safety Level 2 and Allergen Awareness with CPL online is just the first step in our plans to provide leading training to our customer sectors. We look forward to continue working in partnership with CPL Online.”

Daniel Davies, chief executive of CPL Training Group, said: “We’re delighted to establish a new working partnership with one of the UK’s leading cleaning and hygiene companies.

The new learning resources are an example of how companies can streamline operations and open new opportunities without compromising any aspects of business. In addition, the new partnership with Zenith Hygiene presents us with a chance to establish new working relationships with a larger target market.”

Why artificial? Modern trees are so realistic it's hard to tell the difference, www.ChristmasTreeWorld.co uk trees are fire retardant and robust, they don’t make a mess or introduce insect infestations and are guaranteed for 10 years, so the saving on buying a real tree every year is enormous.

Even better if you choose a pre-lit tree, which are all LED, there is no need to mess with lights ever again.

To create the perfect and magical Christmas ambience this year buy a tree from the experts, just click on www.ChristmasTreeWorld.co.uk See advert page 12

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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Leading Industry Trade Bodies Present A Unified Voice On Wage Costs Misinformation Online Costs Independent Businesses £6.1 Billion A Year The ALMR, BBPA and BHA gave evidence to the Low Pay Commission earlier this month outlining investment by businesses in staff members and sector job creation, but highlighting increasing costs that threaten to undermine further investment.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The eating and drinking out sector is one that has been characterised by high levels of growth, strong community and high street investment and record job creation since 2010, with employment up 18% and 1 in 7 jobs created.

“However, that has slowed markedly over the last year to 18 months, partly as a result of economic and currency pressure but largely due to increased regulatory costs, such as business rates, which are in danger of becoming unsustainable in the current trading environment.

“The 2017 ALMR Christie & CO Benchmarking Report shows a drop in growth from 3.4% to 1.1% across the entire sector. At same time, wage costs have jumped by 12% and gross wage costs as a proportion of turnover now stand at 28%.

“Eighty-five percent of businesses have found ways to absorb some of these increased costs, 40% of which have fully

absorbed them, resulting in a drop in operating margin, but the sector is approaching a tipping point. Many businesses do not have a cushion against any significant increases and the LPC must understand that large increases in wage rates will threaten future employment and investment.”

BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds said: “Given current economic uncertainties and the big increases in costs the industry is facing this year, we do need a cautious approach.

The National Living Wage cost the industry around £34 million per year in 2016, with the increase to £7.50 this year adding a further £52 million – an average of around £1,600 for every pub. “We are also facing significant new costs in other areas, such as the four per cent rise in beer duty in the Budget, auto enrolment pensions, business rates, and the apprenticeship levy.

The LPC does need to weight all these factors carefully when setting rates.”

Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive of the British Hospitality Association said: “The BHA urged the Commission to be cautious in setting rates for the National Minimum Wage from April 2018. As there is only one compulsory rate for all regions and nations of the UK, particular attention must be paid to those parts of the country which are struggling economically.

Consumer Spending Down But Hospitality Spend Up 6%

Consumer spending in the UK fell for the third month in a row in July, marking the longest period of decline in four years. However, spend in UK hotels, restaurants and bars rose by 6% in July compared with the same month a year ago, according to data from Visa’s Consumer Spending Index.

Visa’s Consumer Spending Index, which tracks shopping habits using data from credit and debit cards as a base, showed the amount we spent dropped by 0.8% in July compared to last year.

That follows similar drops of 0.9% in May and 0.2% in June.

Transport and communication spending saw the biggest decline, down 6.1% year-on-year, partly helped along by a drop in flight bookings as more people choose to enjoy their summer holidays at home.

Clothing and footwear also took a significant 5.2% hit, while spending on household goods has continued its downward trend, declining by 4%.

The figures provide “further evidence that rising prices and stagnant wage growth are squeezing consumers’ pockets”, Kevin Jenkins, UK and Ireland managing director at Visa, said.

“The drop in spending was felt across a broader range of retail sectors last month, with clothing, household goods, food and transport among the worst hit.”

The increase in hospitality spend reflects the impact of the fall in the value of the pound following Brexit, which has pushed the cost of overseas holidays up and encouraged more people to stay in the UK for the summer.

“The sector is likely to have benefited from an early surge in summer staycations, as the weak pound made holidaying at home more attractive,” Mr Jenkins said.

Government Must Ditch Outdated RPI

The ALMR has echoed the Office for National Statistics’ sentiments about the unsuitability of using RPI as a measure of inflation and called on the Government bring forward its 2020 switch to CPI for business rates to help reduce burdens for eating and drinking out businesses.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The ALMR has repeatedly called for the introduction of CPI for businesses rates and a move away from the current, unworkable system.

The Government’s own statistics body agrees that the current system of using RPI is totally discredited and only increases costs on employers.

“The Government’s plan to switch to CPI in 2020 is not soon enough and, given the statements of the ONS and spiralling rates costs for businesses, must take action immediately.

We need a move from RPI to CPI in this Parliament in order to support hardworking businesses and eradicate unmerited and unaffordable cost burdens that are stifling investment and employment.

“The move would save eating and drinking out businesses £40 million and would help facilitate discussion between the sector and service providers such as PPL and PRS as well as subscription services.

“This simple switch could help minimise inflationary pressures in the supply chain at a time of considerable economic and political uncertainty for the UK. “This statement by the ONS, that RPI is unfit for purpose, validates what we have been saying to the Government for years. We need action by the Government now, not in 2020, if eating and drinking out venues are to continue to grow.”

INACCURATE OR missing online information is costing independent businesses £6.1 billion a year in lost revenue, according to data published by the UK Domain.

Despite nearly seven in ten (67%) customers-to-be checking the web when planning to visit a physical business, 61% of independent businesses have inaccurate opening hours listed online, or none at all.

Businesses are often victims of inaccurate online listings that search engines share for the world to see. They may have no idea that these listings are there and the information shared is often unverified by the businesses themselves, relying on crowdsourced data and potentially unreliable third-party sources.

The consequences for independent businesses are huge.

Almost two-thirds (63%) of shoppers would never return to an independent business if they arrived to find that the business was shut and that they’d had a wasted journey, despite online information stating it was open.

The winners here are the established chains: the certainty afforded by their more established and accurate online presence lures in more customers. 71% of people polled say once their trust has been lost by an independent business, either due to inaccurate information or another factor, they are more likely to turn to established chains.

Ultimately, this costs independent high street businesses up to £6.1 billion in lost revenue every year as consumers spend elsewhere. This, coupled with the hike in business rates, where a fifth are expecting to see a rise of more than 40%, makes the retail environment increasingly challenging.

As a champion of getting small businesses online, the UK Domain is encouraging all independent high street businesses to take charge of their web presence. Those with a website are more likely to win the confidence of potential customers because 69% of UK consumers trust businesses that have one.

It’s not all about click-and-collect or buying online, the six most important things UK consumers want to be able to find at the click of a button are: Most important pieces of information on a website 1 Opening hours (87%) 2 Product information (86%) 3 Opening days (85%) 4 Address (81%) 5 Contact information (78%) 6 Business background (36%) Helen Tomes, Director of Marketing and Service Delivery at Nominet which runs the UK Domain, added, “Most independent businesses are online – whether they realise it or not – but unfortunately there’s no guarantee that basic information like the address and opening hours displayed about them is correct. Inaccuracies can directly impact sales, and so just as you’d never ignore a customer who visited your shop, in a world where time-poor shoppers research online, causing them a wasted trip is tantamount to poor customer service and could alienate them in the future.

“We’d strongly encourage businesses to review the information that exists about them on the web and to correct any errors. Creating a simple website outlining what you sell, when you’re open and where you’re based is an easy step to save yourself and your customers time and to improve opportunities for your business.”

Local Licensees’ Raise £50,000 For Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice

A hundred and fifty pubs embarked on a fundraising journey into the City of London on 30th July in aid of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.

Decked out in Spartan regalia, 300 managers and team members from Stonegate Pub Company’s Southern region set off at 1:00pm on the 12.5-mile walk from the Danson Stables in Bexleyheath, taking the London Road into the City and arriving at The Alice in Houndsditch crossing the finish line at around 3pm.

Adam Stothart, Stonegate Area Manager and organiser said, “We see the tremendous amount of courage these young children have in fighting life-limiting conditions and thought it appropriate to honour that bravery dressing as Spartans. We also fundraised en

route to add to the sponsorship money our teams across the south have already raised. I am so proud of the effort everyone has put in and to be sitting at £50,000 before all the money has been counted is phenomenal”.

Daisy Wilson from Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice said, “We are delighted that the Stonegate pubs in the south have chosen Noah’s Ark as the beneficiary for their fundraising. It is through support and donations that we help to ensure families are able to live life as fully as possible by providing support for those who have children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.”

The Stonegate Spartan’s are aiming to raise over £100,000. Donations can be made via just giving. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ (name of pub)

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Overseas Cash Masks Downturn In Home Grown Leisure Spending, Says KPMG An influx of cash from foreign tourists could be masking a slowdown in spending by UK nationals on leisure activities, says KPMG. Since the EU referendum the fall in value of the pound has boosted inbound tourism, reviving the sector at a time of uncertainty for UK business. Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show that overseas visits to the UK in 2017 are at an all-time high since records began in 1986, and recent data from Expedia shows there has been a significant increase in interest from international and domestic holidaymakers looking to travel to the UK this year.

UK hotel and other accommodation providers have been celebrating increased revenues throughout their sector, however this is not seen to be filtering through to the rest of the UK leisure sector, with pubs and restaurants in particular struggling to boost their takings. Last month saw sales growth of only 0.6% across pubs and restaurants despite good weather, according to the latest Coffer Peach Tracker.

KPMG‘s Head of Leisure, Will Hawkley, believes that the reason rising hotel revenues are not being mirrored across the rest of the leisure sector is due to growing caution amongst UK customers, who are reining in spending in the wake of creeping inflation and a slowing down of real wages and disposable income.

Will Hawkley said “The increase in accommodation revenues is great news for the UK economy with increasing inbound tourism and staycation numbers demonstrating that the UK remains a top holiday destination.

“However when looking at pub and restaurant takings in the UK over the last twelve months you will see that not much has changed. Revenues remain flat, with numbers occasionally tipping over in to minus figures and I believe that

sadly the problem is potentially more serious than is evident at first glance. The injection of cash from inbound tourists could be seen as creating a false sense of security amongst leisure proprietors. If you were to suddenly remove this layer of sales you would see that the real decline in UK leisure spend by UK nationals has been masked.

“Figures from Cardlytics that highlighted card and contactless payments within the leisure sector have increased could also potentially be misleading, as it has never been easier to use contactless payment, and since the payment limit per transaction was raised from £20 to £30 the need to carry cash has lessened significantly. Thus these cashless payments are artificially increasing card payment figures.

“To continue to grow in this tough marketplace, operators in the pub and restaurant sector must continue to focus on reducing costs and encouraging more custom.

“The use of technology will be crucial in achieving cost efficiencies by enhancing the customer experience and reducing back of house costs. Encouraging patrons to order from a tablet device provided or a downloadable app can not only speed up the sales process, but it can also enable more orders to be taken at any one time. The aim of which is not to replace interaction with those working at any given establishment, but to improve the customer experience by adding something that differentiates you from the competition. As we have seen in the US the use of such technology can also result in significant up-sells.

“With the summer months shortly coming to a close, and the inevitable seasonal drop, off now is a key time for the sector to really focus on cost efficiency and new ways to attract customers whilst increasing spend per head. The use of data and technology will be key to driving innovation and the future success of the sector.”

Tap into Expert Knowledge at the Glamping Show The Glamping Show, the only event of its kind that caters purely for the glamping sector, has grown and evolved since its inception in 2015.

It’s not just a great source for glamping products and services but it is also the leading forum for essential industry intelligence.

Whether you are in the throes of planning to diversify your business with a new glamping site, an established glamping site operator or an event organiser planning temporary event accommodation you can access expert advice, free of charge, at the Glamping Show, to ensure success in your project.

You will have the opportunity to meet and listen to industry experts

for tips and advice on how to enhance your business going forward, clue yourself up on the latest legislation including data protection and seasonal employment law as well as finding out about the latest technology and services that are currently on the market to help you enhance, and continue to run, a slick operation.

“It is an excellent show. I am in the process of setting up a glamping site and have especially found the seminars useful and very informative. For anyone planning a glamping site the Show is well worth a visit.”

Mrs Cheney, Northamptonshire, 2016 See advert page 12

What Can Mcdonald’s And The Fat Duck Have In Common?

Conduct an online search for mobile and online ordering technology and you will likely find stories that mention Chipotle, Subway and Starbucks, not L’escargot or Le Gavroche. It’s a shame in a way because, despite these quick service venues being some of the most successful hospitality companies in the world, they are not generally described as ‘high end’. Consumers love them but the Jay Rayners of the world are unlikely to endorse the cuisine, or decor for that matter. Where then are all the wonderful examples of independent venues adopting digital ordering?

The publicity these quick service chains have received from their adoption of digital ordering has done wonders for raising general awareness of the technology. However, it might be precisely because attention has been given to such establishments that audiences assume the technology can and should only be employed by similarly bracketed ‘quick service’ venues.

If that is the reason, then we’re here to say that the assumption is wrong. There many not have been as much publicity surrounding pre-ordering at premier venues, but that doesn’t mean it can’t or isn’t happening.

One perfect example is ULI, a beautiful restaurant located in London’s prestigious Notting Hill. In April it announced the launch of its mobile and online ordering service; if it can benefit from such technology, why shouldn’t others? And it’s not just classy restaurants benefitting from online and mobile ordering, the Royal Opera House offers a similar service to its guests ordering interval refreshments. You don’t get much more ‘high-end’ than that.

Technology-centric restaurant services are important to the broad spectrum of consumers, not just those that frequent Pizza Hut and McDonald's.

Nowadays both students and duchesses expect their favourite venues to offer technologies that make their lives more convenient. Technology has become a fact of daily life everywhere else in their lives and they could hardly hold anything against a restaurant that decided to move forward into the digital age.

When visiting a top quality eatery, the state of the food is clearly important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all.

Just as important is the ambiance of the surroundings and level of service provided. These factors must come together to form a truly top-class experience. It’s why the world’s highest-rated restaurants begin their customer’s dining experience before they walk through the door. It makes them feel special and takes the meal goes beyond the realms of sitting and eating.

By adopting online ordering, restaurants find themselves on the right path to creating this: a special, timely and smooth dining experience.

Let us paint a picture; the diner is excited about their upcoming meal at El Restaurante Fantástico. In order to add to the mystique of the venue, the exact menu and experience are kept hidden, accessible only by those that have booked a seat at the table. The day of the booking, the guest is sent a link to an exclusive microsite containing details of the restaurant, the story behind the food, the chefs and serving team. Presented with the menu for the first time, the guests can now spend time mulling the menu, preselecting their courses in advance, at leisure. On the day of the meal, each course appears in a timely fashion as if by magic.

We would defy any customer to not appreciate such outstanding levels of customer service.

While most restaurants will not be able to set up experiences quite as detailed as the one described, they can absolutely benefit from the use of a pre-ordering platform; there’s no need to restrict the use of said technology to quick service restaurants.

Online and mobile ordering opens businesses of all sizes up to new streams of customers and provides fresh revenue potential. It reinforces brand identity and forges close customer connections through the collection of data that informs better business and marketing decisions. Never has it been easier to identify the venue’s most popular menu choices at any given time of day, month or season. Combining this information with data that sets out a group or individual’s average spend, and frequency of spend, can be used to fine tune aspects of the business including ingredient ordering and what dishes appear on the menu. From this then comes the opportunity to grow the business and its revenue.

There’s no reason why fast food restaurants should be the only beneficiaries of this business-changing technology.

So, what can The Fat Duck and McDonald’s have in common? Online and mobile ordering, and as a result, satisfied customers and a stronger business.

National Report Reveals Co-Operative Pubs Sector Continues to Thrive With an impressive 15% annual growth in new businesses and 100% survival rate, the co-operative pubs sector looks set to grow in a market where an average of 29 pubs are closing each week. Co-operative pubs are flourishing where the private sector has failed because they are ‘more than a pub’ to the communities that own them. Numbers are set to increase significantly as a result of a £3.62m support programme launched in 2016.

These are some of the findings from a new report ‘Cooperative pubs: A better form of business’ which provides the most comprehensive research available on the performance and impact of co-operative pubs in the UK. Published on 5 July 2017 by Plunkett Foundation, the leading support organisation for co-operative pubs which has been promoting co-operation in rural communities for nearly 100 years.

The research shows that at the end of 2016: • The co operative pub sector had grown by 15% with six new pubs opening during 2016 • 46 co operative pubs were open and trading, widely spread across England and Wales [the 50th co-operative pub set to start trading in June/July 2017] • 90 groups were actively exploring setting up a co-operative pub • More than 2,000 pubs had been registered as an Asset of Community Value in England • No co operative pub has closed maintaining an impressive 100% survival rate In tracing the growth of this sector, the report notes two significant boosts to development. The first was the introduction of the Localism Act in 2011 that allowed communities to register pubs as Assets of Community Value. The second was the launch in March 2016 of the More than a Pub: The Community Pub Business Support Programme funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Power to Change Trust. Plunkett Foundation received 145 enquiries in 2016 from

communities exploring community ownership of their local pub.

All co-operative pubs are independent democratic organisations owned and ultimately controlled by their members on the basis of one member one vote, regardless of the number of shares owned. At the end of 2016 over 9,000 people had shares in co-operative pubs. Members elect a voluntary board to oversee the strategic direction of the business and to determine how the pub is managed and who manages it.

About a quarter of co-operative pubs have recruited a tenant to run the business and pay rent, while most manage the business directly with a combination of paid staff and volunteers.

28% of co operative pubs benefit from volunteers in the day to day running of the business.

The primary motivation for setting up a co-operative pub is to save an existing pub from closure and possible redevelopment. However, all the co-operative pubs surveyed have taken the opportunity to explore additional services and facilities to meet the needs of the community and to generate income.

Typical services hosted by co operative pubs include: • Restaurant, cafes, school dinners and lunch clubs • Shop, postal and bill paying services • Libraries, book exchange • Allotments and community gardens • Meeting rooms for community use and external hire • Spin-off local clubs and societies • Traditional indoor and outdoor games • Live music, entertainment, festivals and community events • Holiday accommodation and affordable housing Nicole Hamilton, Head of Frontline at Plunkett Foundation, said: “For me, the most valuable learnings in this report are how these businesses, through the leadership of locally rooted people go about meeting the needs of their communities and establishing a service offering that really is so much more than a pub.

From the start-up phase to the running of the pub, these businesses involve large numbers of people from the membership, committees, volunteers, staff and customers.

They bring people together of all ages, backgrounds, interests, and give them a purpose to interact.”

Entries for Best British Roast Dinner Closes Soon Time’s running out for pubs to enter the Best British Roast Dinner competition before the deadline on 1 October 2017.

Entries for the national competition have been flooding in, with pubs eager to give their roast the fame it deserves – with £10,000 of PR up for grabs for the winner.

Nick Otley, owner of Bunch of Grapes, winners of Best British Roast Dinner 2016, said: “We’ve always been busy, but after winning the Best British Roast Dinner competition we’ve been taking bookings for Sunday service weeks in advance.”

The competition will also crown

regional champions for South England, North England, Midlands, Wales and Scotland. With the exception of the national winner, each regional winner will receive a runner up prize of £2,500 of PR to help put their pub on the map.

To be in with a chance of winning, all pubs need to do is explain what makes their roast great. Visit www.britishroastdinnerweek.co.uk for full entry criteria, terms and conditions and to enter the competition online.

Now in its sixth year, the Best British Roast Dinner competition is part of British Roast Dinner Week (24 September – 1 October 2017).

The campaign – sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions – inspires pubs to serve a roast every day of the week.

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Been Served A Complaint? Respond, With Caution The hospitality industry is perhaps the most service-driven of any other but whilst hotels, pubs and restaurants all strive to deliver a satisfactory service to customers, they are inevitably going to receive a complaint or negative feedback at some point – despite their best efforts.

This might seem unjustified and appear to be an attack on your hard-earned reputation. Perhaps you think it might just be a delay tactic to avoid or withhold payment. Understandably, many business owners or managers will take the complaint personally and will trigger a hasty reaction, with many defending their business by confronting the complainant.

Gemma Carson, Head of Wright Hassall Solicitor’s dispute resolution team, explains this could do more harm than good: “Independent business owners are understandably protective of the services they provide, and receiving a seemingly unjust complaint can sometimes be enough to tip some individuals over the edge.

“Negative criticism can cause emotions to run high which can easily lead to a heated dispute over who is at fault and things quickly escalate.

“In the heat of the moment, we can act in a way that may not be the right option in helping to resolve matters quickly and amicably.

“Various measures can be taken to avoid making the issue worse. Initially, consider the content of the complaint fully and if it angers you, ‘mantelpiece’ your response; write everything you feel like you want to say and save it as a draft, instead of clicking send straight away.

“By sending an email in the heat of the moment, you risk sabotaging any future working relationship over what may be an easily resolvable, trivial issue.

“After you have had time to calm down, return to the draft and assess whether it still makes sense to send. Remember, a complaint can easily turn into a dispute and e-mails written on impulse have a nasty habit of biting back.

“It is important to check whether a service agreement and/or a contract exists between the parties. If there are any agreements in place, check them carefully to clarify what they say as you may be able to respond to the complaint by highlighting relevant contractual terms.

Don’t delay “It’s important to proactively deal with a complaint instead of ignoring it. Taking steps to deal with it

straight away can often prevent it developing into a major problem before positions become entrenched.

“Meeting face-to-face can often help air issues before they escalate. Either raise the matter directly or before doing so, seek legal advice.

“Where issues cannot be resolved easily, if at all, retain all supporting documents and correspondence relating to the complaint.

Early intervention “Early intervention can entail more collaborative methods of dispute resolution, offering significant benefits over traditional adjudicated court proceedings, including: • Speed: A dispute can often be resolved swiftly.

• Costs: A significant reduction in costs of dealing with a dispute.

• Flexibility: More flexibility and commercially focused resolutions for resolving disputes • Relationships: Parties more likely to preserve working/commercial relationships.

• Publicity: Allows a confidential resolution process.

• Concurrency: Often these approaches can be used alongside other methods of dispute resolution, if necessary.

When is professional help necessary?

“A serious legal dispute does not need to arise before seeking legal advice.

“Seeking dispute resolution advice when an issue first emerges can be very effective. Lawyers may not need to necessarily take an active role, but can offer legal guidance focused on strategy and diffuse potential disputes, whilst preserving the commercial position for the future.

“The most important legal factor to consider is that any rash statement or decision to stop providing services or products, sent by e-mail in haste, can potentially cause a serious breach of contract. If this should happen, the affected party may be entitled to terminate the contract and bring legal proceedings against you for damages.

“So, consider the consequences before sending that inflammatory e-mail it could be a huge mistake that ends up costing valuable time and money.

“If legal proceedings are threatened and seem the only option, seek experienced lawyers who are well-versed in commercial disputes and demonstrate a commitment to an early, pragmatic, commercial and cost-effective resolution.”

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

types of Hospitality & Retail 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

C.C.R Systems Ltd 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

Revolutionary Pub App Gr8niteout Launches An innovative app for pubs/bars that benefits both the business and customer is now available on free download, allowing anyone, wherever they may be, to spend money at local pubs at the tap of a few buttons safely and securely.

Gr8NiteOut is a new app which enables savvy pub goers to buy credits for their friend, spouse or family without stepping foot in the establishment. A friend’s birthday, family celebration, an impromptu gathering – you can still be there in spirit and buy a round, a meal or even an overnight stay for your favourite people.

The app and interactive website essentially opens a complete new revenue stream for pub owners that they wouldn’t have otherwise had access to, at no extra cost.

There are also several added benefits for publicans that sign up to Gr8NiteOut, including the ability to collect and use valuable customer data to drive repeat business. As well as the details of

Jura Products

Many of us associate coffee with the mornings and breakfast. No one can deny the pleasure of a freshly brewed coffee, or the convenience of satisfying your caffeine craving on a moment’s notice.

The WE8 by JURA is complete with a total of up to 12 specialities – with a maximum output of 40 per day – sleek

the purchaser and receiver, publicans also collect significant anniversary dates which 170 therefore provides ideal opportunities to create extra streams of revenue.

Having worked in the pub industry for over 30 years, Sheila has experienced the highs and lows of making a living in a pub and understands the struggles that publicans go through to market an establishment at an affordable price.

As Sheila explains: “The driving force for me has been to design and create an app that benefits both publicans and their consumers. Having worked in the industry for a long time and now owning my own pub, I know how to attract and retain customers. I also know how to extract money into the till, but it started to dawn on me that we could increase our revenue streams considerably if we could find a 100% safe and reliable way of tapping into the pockets of those that may want to share a great night out without having to be physically present or within a hundred miles of the pub!

Visit www.gr8niteout.com to register

aesthetics, one touch-operation and the exceptional Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.©) which optimises extraction time for a supreme serve.

From creamy cappuccinos to silky flat whites, the WE8 offers the ultimate technology for coffee lovers and foodies to experience out-of-home.

Reader Enquiries: uk.jura.com Or contact sales@uk.jura.com See advert page 14

Farm Frites launches Sweet Potato Fries

Keeping your profits sweet – and your plates filled at speed

Farm Frites has added a longer-length sweet potato fry to its range which boasts one of the quickest cooking times on the market.

Its new premium sweet potato fry has been launched to help operators maximise profits through the upselling of side orders.

“The retail market in the UK has seen a 120% YOY* uplift lift in sweet potato sales and the trend to upgrade to a premium side order continues to be strong,” explains Nic Townsend, marketing manager UK and Ireland, Farm Frites.

“Our sweet potato fry cooks in just 1.5 – 2 minutes but this speed is not at the expense of taste. This chip has a fluffy texture, a crunchy bite and a quality taste that will keep consumers coming back for more.

“We’ve designed this fry to be longer than standard to continue the premium theme and give the consumer ‘wow

factor.’ A longer length fry not only looks great but allows for maximum plate coverage.

“We know that speed is paramount to a successful serving and are proud of the results of our tests which showed great taste up to a minute faster than our competitors. That is a time that makes all the difference in busy commercial kitchens.”

Farm Frites’ Sweet Potato fry contains non GMO ingredients. The product is lightly coated for crunch and pre fried in rapeseed oil.

“Consumers like premiumisation and the ability to customise their meal. Sweet potato is not just a popular choice that customers expect to see on a menu, it’s a profitable choice for operators who can make a good margin on a simple product upgrade.”

For further information on Farm Frites’ latest launch call 01452 415845, visit www.farmfrites.com or email supportuk@farmfrites.com

Props4shows - Prepare To Be Inspired Props4shows is a family run business, selling one of the UK’s largest and most extensive ranges of all things prop for any event or display purpose. Our range includes fake foods, artificial foliage, replica animals and birds, seasonal and themed props among many more.

Combining with our next day delivery service on thousands of in stock products, we usually have something to suit any display or prop requirement, making us a one stop prop shop available to all. We particularly specialise in replica foods, offering a beautifully realistic and extensive range of breads, cakes, meats, fruits, vegetables and all things sumptuous.

Perfect for creating timeless food arrangements in open kitchens and entertaining areas. With this in mind we have enjoyed working closely with many well known hotel, restaurant and bar chains, helping them achieve a very unique and stylish feel to their establishments. If you have an upcoming event or are looking for inspiration for a display you have in mind, have a browse on our web shop and order online, or if you need help to conceptualise your idea, our friendly sales team are just a phone call away. Large quantities of items can also usually be sourced, as well as special order items.

Tel: 03333 440078 Email: sales@props4shows.com See the advert on page 9 for details.

70 Years Of Winterhalter: Ingenuity, Internationalisation And A Focus On The Future Winterhalter, the warewashing specialist based in Meckenbeuren, Germany, is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2017. For three generations this family-run company has stood for quality and reliability in the kitchen, and over the last 70 years it has led the market with its technical innovations.

The company was founded in 1947 by Karl Winterhalter, whose first big seller was the Backhexe (baking wizard), a portable electric oven. The development of the first dishwashers took place in the family home, with a garden shed used as the workshop. Jürgen Winterhalter, son of the company founder and current joint CEO of the Winterhalter Group, remembers the testing process: “My mother used to rub plates with spinach and leave them to dry in the sun. Then we’d wash them in the machine, and they actually ended up clean. It fascinated me.” The company’s success story had begun and the GS 60 dishwasher was launched in 1959. “My father’s message to restaurants was, ‘you can have clean dishes in the shortest possible time’ – and they loved it!” says Jürgen. The popularity of the Winterhalter dishwashers led to mass production and the eventual development of additional manufacturing plants in Endingen (Germany) and Rüthi (Switzerland).

Export markets beckoned and Winterhalter opened its first foreign branch in 1967 in Holland. It was a move driven by Jürgen Winterhalter: “My passions are technology, machine development and, most importantly, internationalisation.”

Gradually further subsidiaries were established in Europe and Asia. In order to supply the Asian market more effectively, a production site was established in Rayong (Thailand) in 2015.

The ‘warewashing-through-technology’ gene was inherited by Ralph Winterhalter, grandson of the company founder and now joint CEO of Winterhalter. In his first four years he lived in the factory in Meckenbeuren – his playground was the production floor! “I have enormous respect for the achievements of my grandfather and father,” he says. “My grandfather had the courage to establish a company during hard times after the war and, with great vision, my father developed it into a top international brand.

“Every business person should have a field they are passionate about,” he adds. “Mine is the digital kitchen.

Digitisation and connectivity are changing the world. We asked ourselves how we could harness digitisation to support our customers even further.”

This focus has led to Winterhalter developing its latest state-of-the-art initiative, called Next Level Solutions, which uses internet connectivity to optimise the efficiency of warewashers. “Exploiting technological advances is the way to secure our brand for the future and ensure we enjoy sustained growth and expansion,” says Ralph.

Today the company employs 1,500 employees worldwide. Approximately 40 subsidiaries, as well as numerous sales partners in countries around the world, ensure its global presence – over 75% of Winterhalter’s manufacturing output goes to export markets.

Winterhalter UK 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.

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Profit Growth at UK Hotels Unabated by Election Uncertainty Pub Increases Sales By 70% With Interactive Quiz Technology GOPPAR (total gross operating profit for the period divided by the total available rooms) at hotels in the UK increased by 5.4% this month, in spite of the heightened uncertainty across the country as the snap general election ended in yet another hung parliament, according to the latest worldwide poll of fullservice hotels from HotStats.

The year-on-year growth in GOPPAR this month was fuelled by a 6.2% increase in RevPAR, as hotels in the UK recorded a 0.6 percentage point increase in room occupancy, to 82.7%, as well as a 5.4% year-on-year uplift in achieved average room rate, to £122.23.

In addition to the uplift in room revenue (RevPAR), hotels in the UK recorded a 0.7% increase in Food and Beverage revenue, to £42.31 per available room, which contributed to the 4.5% increase in TrevPAR. Cost savings, which included a 0.2 percentage point reduction in Payroll, to 25.7% of total revenue, enabled a high flow through from the top line to the bottom line and hotels in the UK subsequently achieved a 5.4% increase in GOPPAR, to £65.24.

“The UK hotel market would have been forgiven for stumbling a little in the messy aftermath of 8 June. However, the strong economic fundamentals of the UK remain and the hotel sector is buoyant, illustrated by the continued

upward trajectory this month,” said Pablo Alonso, CEO of HotStats.

Hotels in London continued to perform strongly in June, with a 6.0% increase in GOPPAR for the month contributing to the 13.9% year-on-year profit per room increase for yearto-date 2017, to £75.15.

The potential impact on hotel performance from terrorist-related activity in the capital at the beginning of the month was more than offset by the 30,000-strong attendance at IFSEC International 2017 at ExCeL. Furthermore, the capital continues to benefit from the drop in the value of Sterling following the Brexit vote this time last year, with both business and leisure visitors arriving in increasing numbers from major source markets such as North America and Europe.

Despite declines in Food and Beverage (-1.9%) and Conference and Banqueting (-5.8%) revenue at hotels in London in June, a 6.3% increase in RevPAR supported a 4.4% increase in TrevPAR, to £195.07.

“UK hoteliers are currently enjoying the benefits of Brexit, which has fuelled a record number of overseas visitors to the UK. The high demand levels have enabled room rates to be leveraged in the Individual Leisure, Group Leisure and Best Available Rate segments, with the rate premium flowing through to profit. This is great news for hotel owners and operators across the UK,” added Pablo.

Anuga 2017: Very Good Registration Figures Months Before Opening of the Fair ALREADY THREE months before the event, very good registration figures have been recorded for the coming Anuga in Cologne from 7 to 11 October 2017. In total, some 7,200 exhibitors from 100 countries are expected to participate.

Anuga, the world's biggest and most important business platform for the international food industry, will thus also be the benchmark for all food trade fairs worldwide again in 2017, in terms of both quality and quantity.

In addition to numerous, big market leaders, the majority of the international group organisers have also confirmed their participation at the trade fair, indeed at all 10 trade shows. In order to further develop the successful and unique concept of Anuga, "10 trade shows under one roof" in an industry-oriented manner, new themes will be introduced in 2017. For example, coffee, tea & co., are receiving their own independent presentation format in the form of the trade show, Anuga Hot Beverages, which does justice to the segment's big significance within the trade and in the out-of-home market, which has grown over the last years. The theme "cuisine" is also being redefined at Anuga. To this end, the trade show Anuga Culinary Concepts is bundling cooking skills, technology, equipment and gastronomy concepts. Here, as in the previous years, the finals of the two established professional competitions, "Chef of the Year" and "Patissier of the Year", will once again take place. With its wide-ranging offer, Anuga equally targets buyers from the trade and from the out-of-home market. Around 160,000 buyers from all over the

world are expect to attend.

• 10 trade fairs under one roof • Anuga Fine Food - the trade show for delicatessen, gourmet and basic food • Anuga Frozen Food - the trade show for frozen food • Anuga Meat - the trade show for meat, sausages, game and poultry • Anuga Chilled & Fresh Food - the trade show for fresh convenience foods, fresh delicatessen, fish, fruit & vegetables • Anuga Dairy - the trade show for milk and dairy products • Anuga Bread & Bakery • Anuga Drinks • Anuga Organic • Anuga Culinary Concepts • "Chef of the Year" and "Patissier of the Year" - competitions of the professionals Furthermore, the professional competition for the dessert area, the "Patissier of the Year", has been conducted since 2015. This competition also offers aspiring young talents from Germany, Austria and Switzerland the opportunity to battle it out against the best of their class in preliminary rounds. The Final will then take place on 8 October 2017, also at Anuga.

There is also a first-class jury here too. "The taste, textures and quality of the products is decisive - fun and free creativity in the work produced is the best thing of all," according to Pierre Lingelser, President of the competition and patissier at the Hotel Traube Tonbach in Baiersbronn, the establishment in the Black Forest that is decorated with three stars.

The 34th Anuga will take place from 7 to 11 October 2017 in Cologne. It is exclusively open to trade visitors on all days.

Further Information is available at: www.anuga.com. See advert page 9

Staffordshire-based pub, The Crafty Sow has seen an average increase in sales by 70% in just two months since introducing the first Googleproof quiz as part of its entertainment.

The Crafty Sow based in Stafford, operates as part of the Stonegate Pub Company, but with sales plummeting across the pub and entertainment industry over the last decade, Team leader, Kim McCreadie was keen to find a way to boost the pub’s profits.

Kim McCreadie approached the creators of KwizzBit, the interactive digital entertainment platform, in June 2017, after hearing about the success of the software from other local venues.

Kim McCreadie purchased a trial of the unique quiz entertainment for customers old and new to enjoy which would encourage footfall and increase bar sales midweek.

Kim said: “I was given the task of starting a quiz night at The Crafty Sow and I wanted the evening to be unique and stand out from competitors. Using a technology-based quiz seemed to fit the venue perfectly and would make for a much more interesting night than a regular pen and paper format.

Two months on, The Crafty Sow has not been disappointed with the feedback it has received from customers regarding KwizzBit. Kim added: “We tend to get a lot of feedback about our Crafty Kwizz; the fact that it is un-googlable, points based, and

accessed from a mobile device is what keeps our new Kwizzers Kwizzing. We are also getting a lot of compliments from customers about the fact our quiz is so much more fun than traditional pub quizzes.

“The fact that attendees can see the leader board is brilliant because it helps to bring out their competitive side and keeps things very interactive, with a game-show atmosphere.

We even have a dedicated display where the winner’s photographs and team names are presented, along with a trophy.

During the first four weeks of using KwizzBit, The Crafty Sow’s sales increased on average by 25%. The quiz now runs at 7.30pm every Wednesday, coinciding with the pub’s promotional drinks offers between 5pm and 8pm, Sunday to Friday. This keeps customers on site longer than they usually would midweek and visiting the bar more frequently.

KwizzBit is hooked up to several big screens at the venue so that everyone can view the live leader board. With six players per team, The Crafty Sow charges £1 per head and the winning team takes all.

Commenting on the customer service received from KwizzBit, Kim said: “We do have fantastic support from the KwizzBit team; questions and queries are answered immediately and we catch up every Thursday to discuss how the Kwizz went the night before for us.

“The Crafty Sow now has regulars that come here every week to have a go at winning or to defend their KwizzBit title. We currently have an average of ten teams a week but I firmly believe we can get this up to twenty at the rate our quiz night is growing in popularity.”

Bidfood Group Sales & Marketing Director Receives Doctorate For Services To Hospitality

Bidfood’s Group Sales & Marketing Director, Andy Kemp, received an honorary doctorate from the University of West London (UWL) for his services to the hospitality industry, at Wembley Stadium on 25th July.

Andy – one of the best-known and most-respected faces in hospitality – has previously been a guest lecturer at the university’s London Geller College of Hospitality & Tourism.

He has been a driving force in raising awareness of some of the vital issues facing our industry, more recently mobilising industry bodies to support the protection of Universal Free School Meals and particularly the benefits of children’s attainment through good nutrition and hydration. He remains on the work study group that is analysing and gaining data to support further evidence going forward.

Andy is also passionate about highlighting the skills gap within the industry.

His work with UWL is supported by an unwavering commitment to many of the industry’s leading charities and organisations including Springboard, Hospitality Action, the One and All Foundation and the British Hospitality Association, where Andy is focused on championing positive

change across the industry.

Andy Kemp, Group Sales & Marketing Director of Bidfood, comments: “I am immensely proud and grateful to receive this honour from the University of West London, it is truly humbling.

“Over the course of my 36 years in this great industry I have been privileged to witness many challenges, opportunities and experiences. This is a great industry and it’s given me not only the pleasure of working with some amazing people but also the opportunity to play an important part in raising awareness of key issues facing foodservice and hospitality.

“Partnering with the University of West London gave me the opportunity to help broaden students’ knowledge around elements of food procurement, food safety and food distribution as well as creating awareness of the depth of employment opportunities in foodservice.

The chefs and managers of tomorrow have a real opportunity to shape the next generation’s attitudes and appreciation of food and its service.

Future work continues and will include focus on growth hormones and antibiotics in food and further work on nutrition and education attainment.

“It is an honour to support the University of West London in any way I can.

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New Tripadvisor Study Shows Restaurants Falling Behind in Marketing A STUDY by review sites chip adviser, which has over 4 million restaurants listed, has revealed that restaurants are falling behind with their marketing strategy .

To learn more about the evolving marketing trends that are impacting restaurants today, Tripadvisor surveyed its partners for their thoughts. The result is the largest TripAdvisor Restaurant Marketing Study to date — spanning five markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, France and Italy. Read on for the latest restaurant marketing trends.

Key UK findings from the study include: • The vast majority of UK respondents (80%) believe they should be doing more to promote their restaurant businesses.

• More than half of UK respondents reported spending less than 10% of their time on marketing activities.

• The top three marketing channels where UK restaurateurs invest their marketing dollars are print advertising (69%), social media (65%) and online listing services (45%).

• In the UK, 94% of restaurateurs report that they are monitoring the reputations of their businesses.

• Worldwide, restaurateurs report that their most effective marketing channels for driving more business are social media (#1), online listing services (#2) and search engine marketing (#3). Online voucher/coupon services were reported to be least effective by worldwide respondents.

In the UK, over half of respondents spend less than 10% of their time on marketing activities. This is consistent with the majority of global respondents who also report spend-

ing 10% or less of their time on marketing activities (56%).

Only 12% of UK survey respondents have hired a dedicated marketing employee and just 2% report using an outside marketing consultant. Globally, 9% of respondents have hired a dedicated marketing resource and 3% have hired a marketing consultant.

The top 3 channels where UK restaurateurs invest their marketing dollars are Print Advertising (69%), Social Media (65%)and Online Listing Services (45%).In the UK, 9% of respondents report paying for a professional reputation or social media monitoring service. Across the globe, this figure is 13%.The vast majority of UK respondents (80%) believe they should be doing more to promote their businesses.

This compares to 71% of global respondents.

Worldwide, restaurateurs report that their most effective marketing channels for driving more business are Social Media (1), Online Listing Services (2) and Search Engine Marketing (3). Online voucher/coupon services were reported to be least effective by worldwide respondents. It’s interesting to note that Print Advertising is not among the top three most effective channels, despite its place among the top three most popular channels in which restaurants invest their marketing spend.

In the UK, 94% of restaurateurs report that they are monitoring the reputations of their businesses. This is very consistent globally, with 93% of respondents indicating they’re monitoring their reputations regularly.The majority of worldwide restaurateurs report that they monitor their online reputation several times each week.

VegfestUK Returns to Give London a Vibrant Health Kick for 2017

RETURNING TO London with a colourful bang, one of Europe’s premier vegan superfood and Lifestyle festivals, VegfestUK, is back at Kensington Olympia for October 2017.

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Regularly attracting around 15,000 visitors across the weekend, the festival has become a pinnacle for those passionate about healthy-living and fabulous guilt-free food.

Highlights from this year’s legendary Food Village include the likes of sushi-aficionados, Happy Maki, Jakes Vegan Steaks, who specialise in healthy twists on American fast food classics, Indulgent comfort food pros, LazyBoy Kitchen as well as Pitfield Brewery, the vegan pub brand serving hand-pulled and keg craft beers, cider and moreish wine.

Continuing to widen perspectives as well as entertain, the festival will also host the Environment & Food Sustainability Summit, the increasingly popular Vegan Comedy Corner, a

cinema, Kids area and Teen Zone, along with a plethora of vegan-centric stalls, talks and cookery demos from industry professionals.

Along with their Consumer event, VegfestUK will also be holding the UK’s first dedicated Vegan Trade Show on October 20th for media professionals as well as those in the business.

VegfestUK Organiser, Alan Lee, says “This year is seeing us hit London harder than ever before. Our previous dates in Brighton and Bristol were a fantastic kick off to 2017, and now we’re ready to take the capital by storm with beautiful food, fantastic traders and an all-round exemplary event that everyone can enjoy.”

VegfestUK’s London dates take place over October 21st and 22nd within the Central Hall of Kensington Olympia.

Tickets go on sale August 1st at www.london.vegfest.co.uk/tickets

Serving Up The Best For You The Warwickshire Food & Drink Trade Show opens its doors on 22 November, with a wide range of exhibitors from across the West Midlands region. Come along and sample the finest produce the county has to offer, including cider, coffee, meat, soft drinks, cakes, pies, preserves and much more.

It’s been a really busy year for the Coventry and Warwickshire food and drink industry and the show will exhibit products from local producers, many of whom have won awards. There will even be a chance to try brand new items, produced for the first time at this show. Here is just a taste of what you can expect: Springfield Kitchens will be exhibiting their delightful range of chutneys, jams and pickles suitable for coeliacs and vegans.

All of their products are made from 100% natural ingredients, with no artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives. The Rugby-based company grow their own vegetables and produce items depending on seasons. They use no pesticides or composts in the soil for their certified organic range. A recent award winner, Springfield Kitchen won the Muddy Stilettos 2017 Food and Drink producer category for the region.

Purity Beers will be exhibiting in the

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

main hall. The award-winning Alcester-based brewery has recently introduced its cask ales Pure UBU and Pure Gold across five of the Ricoh Arena’s concourse bars. The home of Rugby Premiership champions Wasps RFC, the Ricoh Arena has become the first stadium in the UK to be awarded Cask Marque status. This independent award is usually reserved for pubs serving great quality cask ale.

Henley Chocolates is Warwickshire’s leading provider of hand crafted artisan chocolate. They make their products with fresh, local ingredients and even offer workshops where those with a sweet tooth can sample their chocolate and try making their own.

Helen Peters, CEO of Shakespeare’s England, said: “Our region boasts an exceptional range of local food and drink suppliers and this is the ideal platform for buyers to see the whole range all in one easy to reach venue.”

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Leader of Warwickshire County Council said: “I’m really impressed by the sheer variety of different offerings we have here in Warwickshire. With so much to choose from, this trade show is essential for anyone in the catering industry.

I’d wholeheartedly encourage businesses to make the trip in November and discover for themselves all there is to offer” Registration is free to trade and there is a nominal charge for suppliers who wish to attend, alongside an exhibitor package. For more information, please visit www.warwick-food-drink.co.uk.

Manitowoc Foodservice Changing Name To Welbilt Manitowoc Foodservice, Inc. (NYSE: MFS), a leading global supplier of commercial foodservice equipment, has announced a rebrand of the company, its logo and its brand identity to Welbilt, Inc. The ticker symbol has changed to “NYSE:WBT”.

The new name and brand represent a long-standing commitment to put customers’ needs first.

The change is part of the company's strategic repositioning after it spun off from its former parent company, The Manitowoc Company, in March 2016.

“We are excited to announce the changing of our name to Welbilt, Inc., which further strengthens our corporate identity as a stand-alone company,” said Hubertus M. Muehlhaeuser, President and CEO of Manitowoc Foodservice, “Welbilt reflects our promise and commitment to bringing innovation to the table. Rooted in the Hirsch brothers’ innovative stove in 1929, Welbilt developed to become the first company in the industry pursuing a complete systems approach. The name Welbilt uniquely connects our past with our vision of the future. Our primary objective is to continue offering a complete solution for the entire kitchen with high-quality products supported by excellent service that help our customers’ kitchens reach their full potential. As we continue to innovate and grow, we will always remain grounded in our long history.”

Josef Matosevic, Chief Operating Officer commented: “Welbilt is synonymous with great quality and reliability in everything we do. We have

significantly improved our operations to live up to that promise. Welbilt is also pragmatically innovative and all our products and solutions are designed with the entire kitchen in mind.

Finally we are intelligently connected and create seamless solutions in the kitchen to get the highest operator benefits and help our customers achieve the return on their investment faster.”

Andreas G. Weishaar, SVP, Strategy, Marketing and Human Resources said, “The corporate rebranding builds on the accomplishments of our dedicated team over the past year.

Today, we are more customer-centric and more agile. To meet our future growth objectives, we will focus on further developing our 12 strong global brands under our new corporate name. In short, we are ready to live up to our new name, Welbilt.”

Welbilt has one of the broadest portfolios of both hot and cold foodservice equipment in the industry, from ovens, fryers, steamers, grills, ranges and induction cooktops to beverage dispensing, blending, refrigeration and ice-making equipment. The company has a global manufacturing footprint and award-winning brands that serve the world’s largest quick service, fast casual and fine dining restaurants. In 2016, the company released 23 product innovations. Among others, the company received two National Restaurant Association Kitchen Innovation Awards and a variety of customer appreciation awards.

The company has also been an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year since 2009 and has received seven years of award winning excellence.

If you have any interesting news articles that would be of interest to our readers please email us at

edit@catererlicensee.com

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2017 ALMR Late Night Awards – Nominations Open The ALMR is pleased to announce that nominations for the fifth annual ALMR Late Night Awards are now open.

The six categories in which the awards will recognise the best in the dynamic late-night sector are: • Best Late Night Food • Best Late Night Drink • Best Late Night Entertainment • Best Service & Team Development • Best Marketing & Promotions • Best New Late Night Venue For the fourth year in a row, the ALMR will return to the lavish surroundings of London’s Café de’ Paris, for the most glamorous night in the late-night calendar.

The Awards will be given out at the annual Dusk ‘til Dawn event on Monday 9 October and will follow the Bar and

Nightclub Conference held at BAFTA, Piccadilly Circus in association with Propel.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The UK’s latenight sector encompasses so many varied and innovative businesses from nightclubs to restaurants and incorporating a fantastic, dynamic range of entertainment from live music to cabaret.

“The ALMR’s Late Night Awards is an annual celebration of this fantastic sector and we are once again looking forward to welcoming the best to Café de Paris.

“The nominations are open to both ALMR members and non-members and we are encouraging businesses to get involved and celebrate the venues that contribute so much both culturally and economically.

Nominations can be made online before the deadline on Friday 8 September.

Visit www.almr.org.uk/event/dusk-til-dawn/

10 Top Tips To Surviving The Rise In Food Prices In The Hospitality Industry Comment from Mark Kuperman, Chief Operating Officer, Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) According to the latest index from the Office for National Statistics, food inflation in the UK hit its highest rate in three years in June. Food and non-alcoholic beverage prices were 2.3 per cent higher than a year earlier, up from a rate of 2.1 per cent in May. Therefore, hospitality operators need to get wise to this major and growing expense without causing harm to their business.

Here are 10 top tips for operators looking to reduce costs without impacting their bottom line: 1. Rethink the menu It may sound like an obvious first step, because it is something operators do every day, however, Executive Chefs need to be taking a hard look at re-engineering their menus. This isn’t about saying goodbye to quality produce, it is all about using fewer ingredients more creatively and indeed wisely.

This will present operators with ways to cut costs in a way that will be invisible to customers.

2. Don’t try to be everything to everyone Streamlining the number of dishes on offer to customers will help operators reduce food costs, whilst also improving execution.

3. Do the maths on operational efficiency Chefs should look at the operational impact of specific menu items, to see if the way certain dishes are prepared impacts on profitability or throughput. There are menu items that are very profitable, but actually slow down service. It’s about understanding operationally where those bottlenecks occur.

4. Understand price barriers and which ones your customers are reluctant to cross For both independent and multi-site operators, there are certain price barriers consumers are reluctant to cross.

Chefs would be better off re-engineering portion sizes or the ingredients served with a dish, than crossing barriers that may be prohibitive to customers. Multi-site operators should

firstly explore crossing barriers with their least sensitive dishes, in their least sensitive locations.

5. Be unique If an operator offers burgers or a pasta dish served with chicken in a cream sauce, diners are going to have an idea in their minds about what that should cost. However, if operators get creative with menu items, using lesser-known ingredients, customers are less likely to have a frame of reference for price, which in turn means they will be less likely to balk at any price increases.

6. Leverage loyal customers Unlike chains, independent restaurants have a lot to learn about who their customers actually are. Savvy operators need to be reaching out to their customers through social media or point-of-sale data to provide incentives for repeat visits.

7. Combat rising costs with greater efficiency Operators should be turning to technology, not only to deliver on that all important dining experience, but also to get ahead of the competition in terms of increased efficiencies.

The beauty of technology for operators is that it seamlessly steps in as a silent partner to take care of all aspects of the customer journey, leaving staff to deliver on the experience.

8. Keep price changes small and more frequent For many operators, price increases are inevitable.

However, in an environment of increasing costs, this is much easier for customers to swallow if done in small increments over time.

9. Change your hours of operation A restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner may not need to be open between 3pm and 5pm.

Therefore, there is room for operators to better align their opening hours and in turn, staffing requirements. This is where independent restaurants reap the benefits of flexibility.

10. Don’t cut staff Cutting staff impacts the overall dining experience. There’s the saying, ‘food brings them in and service drives them out’ – it’s important for operators to remember that cutting back on service is not the answer.

For further information about RMS visit www.revenuemanage.com or call 020 3755 0960.

Councils Want Answers Over ‘Hijacking of Soft Drinks Levy’ COUNCILS ARE demanding money earmarked for boosting physical activity and healthy eating in schools is not used to plug a black hole in education funding.

Instead, the Government needs to find genuinely new money to pay for its recently announced school funding pledges.

The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, is concerned that money due to be raised from the soft drinks levy is being used to shore up a shortfall in school budgets.

In February, the previous Government announced that the £415 million levy money would be invested in facilities to support sports, after-school activities and promoting healthy eating, as part of a healthy pupils capital programme.

But last week, the Department for Education announced that £315 million from this will now be diverted to addressing school funding shortages, leaving just £100 million to fund the original intentions of the levy.

Councils have long-called for a fairer funding system for all schools, but say that the levy needs to be protected.

Local government leaders, also with a responsibility for public health, said money being taken away from healthy initiatives to pay for it will be a setback for tackling obesity, and could “derail” the previous Government’s childhood obesity plan, in which the levy was a key part.

This follows cuts to councils’ public health budgets, which have already been reduced by £531 million over five years.

The LGA said it is “perverse and counterproductive” to shift funding for children around existing departmental budgets, and that the Government needs to find genuinely new money to pay for its new school funding commitments.

It also says councils should be given a key role in overseeing how schools spend the money raised by the levy.

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “It is vital that the soft drinks levy, which marked a significant step in the fight against obesity, is protected.

“Government needs to find genuinely new money to meets its new school funding commitments. It is perverse and counterproductive to simply shift this money around, particularly at the expense of children’s health.

“We were supportive of the previous Government’s announcement of a soft drinks levy. But we now have grave concerns that the Government is hijacking this money to plug funding shortages elsewhere. It calls into question the original purpose of the levy.

“This also threatens to derail the childhood obesity plan, where the levy was a major theme.

“The Government needs to be clear about what this now means for the levy, and for reducing the worrying levels of child obesity in this country.

“Schemes that encourage physical activity, healthy eating and improve children’s mental and physical health, which the levy would have been used to pay for, cannot be seen as nice to do but fundamentally non-essential.”

Pub Chef of The Year Competition Takes Off FOLLOWING THE huge success of the British Beer & Pub Association Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year Competition in 2016, the BBPA has launched the 2017/18 awards in partnership with the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group and supported by Nestlé Professional.

With two categories, Pub Chef and Young Pub Chef, this year’s competition looks set to surpass last year’s inaugural contest, which was devised so that MPs could join forces with local pubs across the country, to celebrate the hugely talented pub chefs, and great pub food, in their constituencies.

Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds said: “With pubs serving around a billion meals each year it is important to recognise the contribution pub chefs make to the eating out experience in this country. The outstanding range of culinary options that span from breakfast to evening meals demonstrates the huge wealth of creativity and skill in our kitchens, big and small.

“Many leading, well-known celebrity chefs have ventured into the pub arena helping to further boost the quality of food in pubs whilst still making it an affordable treat. Our aim is to highlight the talented chefs around the country, help spot future stars and encourage more young people to consider training and working as a chef in a pub.”

Mike Wood, Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, commented: “With well over 100 MPs nominating chefs in their constituencies last time round, I am sure the competition will be well supported in this parliament. Pub food has

come on in leaps and bounds in recent years and its great that through competitions like the Parliamentary Pub Chef of the Year we are able to recognise that.”

George Vezza, Managing Director of Nestlé Professional® commented: “We’re particularly excited to be sponsoring an award that recognises those doing their best to secure a bright future for our pub sector. Pubs are being increasingly recognised as venues where both chefs and bar staff can get really creative with food and beverages. Shouting about these opportunities will play a major part in encouraging the rejuvenation of pubs and the wider hospitality industry.

“Fostering the next generation of talent is something we’re passionate about at Nestlé Professional®. Our Toque d’Or competition for student and apprentice chefs is just one example of this commitment and we’re proud that a number of former competitors now have jobs in pubs. Sponsoring the Parliamentary Pub Chef Award is a natural extension of this passion and we wish all entrants the best of luck.”

Nominations run until 27th October when the chefs will be judged by a panel of industry experts including the acclaimed TV guest chef presenter and former Michelin Star holder, Paul Merrett. Paul’s passion for developing young people within his own business, The Victoria, Sheen, SW London, and Director of Jolly Fine Pubs makes him the ideal choice for supporting and juSecond round judging will take place in December with the final cook off taking place in January 2018.

More information on how to enter can be found at www.beerandpub.com/events-awards/pub-chef-of-the-year-award

BT Sport’s Exclusive Live Premier League Games The Autumn Clashes between title contenders Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool take centre stage in BT Sport’s line-up of Premier League games to be shown exclusively live this Autumn.

By the end of November, BT Sport will have shown matches featuring 18 of the 20 teams in the Premier League.

BT Sport’s coverage kicks off with the heavyweight clash between Antonio Conte’s Chelsea and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City on Saturday, 30 September at 5.30pm. The next day will see BT Sport focus on the Emirates as Arsenal welcome Brighton & Hove Albion at midday on Sunday, 1 October.

Following the October international break, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal will make the short trip to Vicarage Road for a 5.30pm kick off on Saturday 14 October, as they look to improve on last season and qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

The next two weekends will see BT Sport cameras descend on the South Coast with Southampton hosting West Bromwich Albion and Bournemouth taking on Chelsea. Both games are 5.30pm kick offs on Saturday 21 October, and Saturday 28 October, respectively.

Fireworks will be expected on BT Sport when November kicks off with two matches across the first weekend. The weekend starts with Liverpool battling it out against West Ham United in the east end of the capital at 5.30pm and is followed by a Sunday lunchtime clash that will see a London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace.

Following a further international break the BT Sport

Food Allergy Guide for Caterers National charity, Allergy UK, has launched a guide to support food caterers reduce risks for the allergic community. The 'Guide to Food Allergy' aims to educate caterers about the legal requirements regarding serving food to those who live with food allergies. The Guide covers information on the top 14 allergens, provides helpful guidance on where to find training and expert advice for front of house staff such as what to do when someone experiences a severe allergic reaction.

According to the Food Standards Agency, around 10 people die every year from food-induced anaphylactic reactions.

Serving an allergy sufferer, the wrong food can have severe consequences for both the sufferer and the food outlet.

Recently, there have been reports in the national media about the deaths of several people as a result of anaphylaxis, the most severe kind of allergic reaction.

All of these deaths were a tragic consequence of an allergic person eating a meal purchased from a catering outlet which was, for whatever reason, not suitable for them.

cameras will resume coverage of the Premier League with Manchester United playing Newcastle United on Saturday November 18 at 5.30pm. With the latter back in the Premier League, Rafa Benitez’s men will be eager to impress at Old Trafford as they bid to stay clear of relegation trouble upon their return.

All of BT Sport’s matches broadcast on Saturday’s will follow BT Sport’s football results show, BT Sport Score. The show starts at 2:30pm and is presented by Mark Pougatch. He is joined by a host of BT Sport pundits during the season including Chris Sutton, Robbie Savage, Jermaine Jenas and Rachel Brown-Finnis.

The last week in November sees Liverpool put their title credentials on the line as they play host to Chelsea at Anfield in a fixture that last season saw the current champions unable to beat Jurgen Klopp’s men. The match kicks off at 5.30pm on Saturday 25 November.

The final two matches in November sees BT Sport cover two midweek matches. On Tuesday 28 November Watford play host to Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United at 8pm and the following evening sees the focus turn to Goodison Park as big spending Everton play West Ham United also at 8pm.

Bruce Cuthbert, director commercial customers, said “Pubs can look forward to an action packed autumn as some fantastic Premier League games are being shown on BT Sport, including title challengers and those competing for a place in Europe. In addition we’ll be showing exclusively live matches taking place throughout the autumn in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.”

These fatalities could have been avoided if regulations were understood and adhered to and if practical allergen management processes had been put in place and followed.

Allergy UK has created this Guide to provide food service operators with the information that they need in order to keep allergic customers safe. This new resource is just one part of the work that Allergy UK is undertaking to further support and educate the catering industry. Another key element of this work is the charity's Allergy Aware Scheme, which aims to provide consumers with confidence when eating out at accredited food establishments. It allows responsible catering outlets to show their customers they not only take allergens seriously but offer a high standard service for those with allergies. Allergy UK's Guide to Food Allergy' can be downloaded for free at www.allergyuk.org/guidetofoodallergy . For more information about the Allergy Aware Scheme, please contact julia@allergyuk.org.

Learn more about practical allergen management techniques and find out how you can collaborate with Allergy UK at this year’s Industry Group Meeting! Allergy UK’s industry event for catering professionals will take place at Food Matters Live, ExCeL London on Wednesday 22nd November. The event is free-to-attend and will provide the latest food allergy updates and solutions for caterers. Please visit www.allergyuk.org/igm to register

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Snacks

August 2017

Call 07890 919875

or email : nicknibblers@hotmail.com for full product / price list Nibblers - making bar snacks work for you!

By stocking an interesting and wide range of bar snacks you can dramatically increase your sales and make snacks an important part of your business. Customers like to have something to Nibble whilst drinking and Nibblers has the nibble that will satisfy this need. Make a snack a standard request not just an occasional one.

Take a look at our wider selection of Nuts, Olives, Crisps, Crackers and Antipasti; available loose or in individual packs. It's easy to order and we offer a free next day UK wide delivery service on a small minimum order.

To discuss our premium bar snack range or to place an order simply call us on 01285 720923.

PREMIUM OLIVE RANGE

A mouth-watering range of premium black and green olives, marinated or simply stuffed with succulent complimentary fillings

SPECIALITY NUTS

CRISPS & CRACKERS

Hand cut crisps, exotic wasabi nuts and fiery chilli crackers all make this a mouthwatering addition to your bar snack menu

ANTIPASTI RANGE

Luxury smoked and roasted cashews and peanuts, honey, fiery chilli and wasabi flavours, this is a sumptuous range of bar snacks

All the flavours of the Med, from succulent garlic mushrooms to salami bites and sunsweet tomatoes with capers wrapped in vine leaves

CONFECTIONERY

RETAIL PACKS

Intensely fruity beans, eggs filled with creamy milk chocolate and crisp honey coated peanuts complete the range for the sweet tooth

Our ever expanding range of tasty snacks in handy retail packs. Just as handy are our retail dispensers and stands to show off the range

Follow Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News on Twitter @CLHNews

Food-To-Go On The Move To £23.5bn By 2022, IGD Forecasts

It’s a booming sector fuelling our busy lives the “Grab & Go” food market! The UK’s food-to-go sector is in rude health and will be worth £23.5bn by 2022, up from £17.4bn in 2017, according to IGD, as people’s preference for eating on the move shows no signs of slowing down. More and more people are buying meals and snacks to eat outside the home as the number of foodservice outlets in the UK continues to grow and the choice of foods broadens.

IGD’s food-to-go research splits the market into five segments, with the organisation’s latest forecasts suggesting particularly strong growth among specialist food-to-go retailers (e.g. Greggs, Subway, Pret, EAT and Leon), which are set to overtake quick service restaurants (QSRs) to become the biggest part of the market in the next five years.

Never has the phrase “convenience is king” been more appropriate than in the booming food-to-go market. A mixture of factors, new methods of ordering and payment technology, global food trends and so-called “time poverty” has helped to fuel a sector that used to be rather limited.

According to Foodservice data analysists Horizons “People are now snacking more, or having one, or maybe two courses instead of three, which explains why average spend appears to have fallen. This backs up our previous consumer research that shows that while spend has fallen back slightly, frequency of eating out is rising,” said Emma Read, Horizons’ director of marketing & business development.

“Foodservice operators have done a great job at changing their offer and adapting to the way consumers eat out today, providing more foods that satisfy the snacking opportunity throughout the day. This, typically, means several small meals during the day, whether it be coffee and porridge bought to eat at our desks in the morning, a muffin with a coffee midmorning or light snack in the afternoon,” she added.

The research also shows that more people are eating out at the weekends. Some 42% of operators said they were serving more meals from Friday to Sunday. Just over a third say they are serving more on Sundays with pubs and bars (61%) reporting the biggest hike in weekend sales Gavin Rothwell, Senior Insight Manager at IGD, says: “As people become more sophisticated in their tastes and demands, so too does the UK’s food-to-go market.

Across all our five market segments we’re seeing some highly innovative product and menu development, much of this

inspired by shopper trends towards health and wellness and global flavours and tastes. Many operators are looking to tempt shoppers with ranges tailored to different times of day, while also improving the quality of their fresh food and coffee offers.

When it comes to snacks, the old favourites are still king.

With UK consumers are having a “major snack attack” at the moment. According to data from Euromonitor, the UK savoury snacks category is worth $7bn per annum making it the largest market for savoury snacks in Western Europe.

And Euromonitor expects the UK savoury snack market to continue to lead the way in Europe until at least 2021.

This growth is being driven largely by the rising popularity of nuts, which saw an extra £31.7m in sales last year [Kantar Worldpanel to year end 29 January 2017] and sharing formats. Although Euromonitor figures show that sales of crisps contracted in the period 2011-16, sales of sharing bags of crisps and snacks sky-rocketed with consumers splashing out an additional £19.7m on them [Kantar].

• Crisps are still the most popular snack (50%) nuts 40% and 10% for baked and children’s snacks • The snack market is worth over £2 ½ Bn • According to research sales of snacks can be increased by up to 80% by making them more visible • Peanuts account for 50% of snack sales by volume 20% cashews 13% and others 20% • 35% would pay more for all-natural ingredients, 14% would pay more for regional products and 34% will try popcorn with different coatings Sun Valley have been supplying the best quality peanuts and not products to the UK hospitality industry since 1949, and has seen a huge increase in the sale snack products.The company has a focus on quality and service aiming to enhance hospitality snack sales with policy products and point-of-sale support. Sales and marketing manager Alison Robson says “our great range includes classic handed bags on cards or in cartons, our handy bar pot range and 11 different varieties of bulk nuts and nut mixes to see your establishment. Our bright new designs will help standout in your venue, encouraging sales and adding value to your snack offer, there are plenty of opportunities for hospitality businesses who want to increase their sales and bottom-line but the key is selling a good range and ensuring that what is on offer is clearly visible”.

Nick Mason of “Nibblers” has also seen an increase in snack sales.

Nibblers supply a range of snack products, including mouthwatering olives, antipasti, Confectionery luxury nuts and crisps and crackers. We like to offer something that bit different, says Nick “offering something different gains customer interest, we all like to try something new. Spicy salty snacks strategically placed are a great way of driving up sales”

Snacks

Sun Valley Snacks

Sun Valley have been supplying the best quality peanuts and nut products to the UK hospitality industry since 1949. With a focus on quality and service we aim to help you enhance your snack sales with our quality products and point of sale support.

Our great range includes classic branded bags on cards or in cartons, our handy bar pot range and 11 different varieties of bulk nuts and nut mixes to suit your establishment.

Our bright new designs will help stand out in your venue, encouraging sales and adding value to your snack offer.

For more information on our range and free POS support call us on 0800 917 8181, email us at orders@sun-valley.co.uk or go to our website www.barsnacksonline.co.uk

Titbits! Something Different From Yorkshire Crisps!

The Yorkshire Crisp Company, well-known for its unique, re-sealable drums of Yorkshire Crisps and Yorkshire Popcorn, has introduced an exciting new addition to its range of gourmet snacks.

Titbits Gourmet Bites – described as ‘little pieces of perfection’ - are delicious, lightly- baked bite-size biscuits made from mature cheddar cheese and finest oats.

They are perfect for sharing over a glass of wine or great for popping in a picnic hamper.

Suitable for vegetarians and containing

no artificial colours, MSG or GM ingredients, Titbits come in Yorkshire Crisps’ famous stay-fresh, re-sealable drums (100g) and have a long shelf life of 12 months. They are available in two tasty flavours – Mature Cheddar & Finest Oats, or tangy Tomato, Basil, Cheddar & Oats.

Said Tim Wheatley from The Yorkshire Crisp Company, “We are very excited about this new line which we hope will prove popular with our hamper market as well as with theatres, cinemas and farm shops.”

For further information please call The Yorkshire Crisp Company on 01909 774411 or visit www.yorkshirecrisps.co.uk

Bite UK To Launch A UK First Range Of Rice, Coconut And Nut Clusters Yorkshire’s Bite UK is proud to announce the launch of its new range of rice, nut and coconut baked snack clusters in a UK first taking healthy snacking to a different level. The range will launch nationwide across the UK, Finland and Middle East in August 2017.

Bite UK is a young, British and hungry company founded by Jason Bull. He says; “Our mission is to create delicious freefrom products for UK consumers. Our products are low in calories and suitable for people with allergies and intolerances.

What I am most proud of is our ability to achieve a product of such outstanding health credentials which taste incredible – and to deliver that package at a competitive price to retailers.”

Snacking categories are experiencing double digit growth with nut based snacks the highest, while grab and go snack packs have seen 26% growth accounting for 10% of the market*. There is an acute demand for nut snacks with a 23.5% increase in consumption of nut snacks in 2 years.

The Pure Bite range are dairy free, gluten free, vegan, preservative free, high fibre, high protein, low salt, low sugar and low in calories. The products sit in between two trends – healthy free from snacking and convenient food to go.

Since 2015 over one million of Bite UK’s various free from snacks have been enjoyed by health conscious

consumers worldwide. The development of Pure Bite is in answer to a gap in the market for delicious, bite size, attractive and convenient healthy snacking products in an impulse format.

Founder, Jason Bull experienced first-hand via friends and family diagnosed as coeliac, the difficulties they were having in finding good quality and tasty gluten free product for the mass market.

Pure Bite is available in the following variants priced at £1.49 per unit: 1. Pure Bite Popped Rice Clusters, Blueberry and Cranberry, 20g, £1.49 2. Pure Bite Popped Rice Clusters, Strawberry and Gojiberry, 20g, £1.49 3. Pure Bite Nut Clusters, Almond, 30g, £1.49 4. Pure Bite Nut Clusters, Hot and Spicy, 30g, £1.49 5. Pure Bite Crunchy Coconut Clusters, Strawberry, 30g, £1.49 Bite UK is the innovative retail arm from the stable of Eurostar Commodities, and with access to their unrivalled global sourcing network. It provides trust of the very best quality because their track record in sourcing the finest ingredients in small supply chains to ensure quality and provenance. Pure Bite will go on sale concurrently in Europe from 28th August 2017.

For further information please contact Helen Trevorrow or Vicky Hague @ Green Row on 0794 000 9138 or email helen@greenrow.co.uk

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Pipers Crisps - The Perfect Premium Bar Snack Alex Albone, founder of Pipers Crisps, voted Britain’s Best Brand of savoury snack for the fifth consecutive year, emphasises the increasing importance of premium crisps and the unique opportunity they offer operators to increase sales and margin.

Premium crisps are one of the best-performing types of snack in the on-trade at present, having almost doubled their penetration in less than five years. They also represent a significant advantage over ‘standard’ and ‘value’ crisps in terms of their rate of sale and price/margin. Premium crisps command around a 30% price premium over quality mainstream products (CGA Trading Index figures).

Ever-more sophisticated consumer tastes have led licensed outlets to premiumise their food menus, enhance flavours and improve provenance. This trend has also driven the ‘premiumisation’ of snacks and is the reason behind the huge sales growth in this category. The growth is happening right across the UK, in all kinds of pubs; managed, branded or independent.

What does this mean for the licensed operator?

The figures send a clear message to licensed operators; premium crisps offer a great opportunity to grow sales and increase margin by meeting the consumer demand for greater menu sophistication and food provenance. Premium crisps are the perfect snack for more discerning customers who don’t mind paying for high quality, great-tasting products.

By selecting the right premium crisp brand operators can further enhance the benefits they achieve. Look for a range of flavours that accompany a wide variety

of drink choices. For example, these days, crisps aren’t just for beer drinkers; Britain’s growing number of spirit drinkers - particularly gin - are realising that premium crisps are also the perfect partner for their favourite tipple. The gin-drinking revolution is currently riding the crest of a wave based on exciting new premium blends. Gin distillers are travelling the world discovering the best flavour combinations - juniper and other botanicals - to make their gin unique.

Gin drinkers are looking for high quality snacks with innovative herbal flavours that go really well with these gins. Flavours such as thyme and rosemary work really well in premium crisps, and are a perfect match for great gins.

It’s also a good idea to recognise the increasing importance of healthier eating and the fact that growing numbers of people are choosing to follow a gluten-free diet, either because they are gluten intolerant or suffer from coeliac disease. So, as an additional selling point, look for a range of premium crisps that is gluten-free and preferably also wheat-free and barley-free Alex’s Top Tips for driving bar snack sales…

• Choose premium crisps for the best rate of sale and top cash margin • Offer only great-tasting snacks with good provenance • Place packs in clear view, on or behind the bar • Offer a point of difference - don’t offer something that’s available in every supermarket • Train staff to use every drink sale as an opportunity for cross-selling your snacks • Use snacks as part of your food offering (e.g. a ploughman’s with Pipers Crisps) Pipers contact details: Tel: 01652 686960 or visit www.piperscrisps.com

Golden Wonder Refreshes Popular Snacks Range

Following the successful relaunch of its crisps range last year, iconic Tayto Group brand, Golden Wonder, has refreshed its popular snacks range with exciting new products and updated packaging, giving it even more ‘shelf appeal’ than ever before.

As part of the revamped range, the leading flavours of Golden Wonder’s best-selling snack brands, Transform-A-Snack and Ringos, are now available in a range of impulse, grab and £1 priced packs. There is also a tasty new addition to the Transform-A-Snack family, a cheese variant, which has been introduced across all pack sizes in recognition that cheese is the top-selling flavour in single pack snacks.

Marketing director at Golden Wonder, Matt Smith, explains: “With solid distribution in the convenience sector, our leading brands, Transform-A-Snack and Ringos, have a loyal customer base. Flavour is key when consumers choose a snack and Golden Wonder is renowned for offering fully-flavoured snacks which are great value for money.

“The changes we’ve made to our snack range are based on extensive research and a strong consumer understanding.

We know that current

Golden Wonder fans will love the changes and expect to attract new customers to the brand, helping us to gain further traction in the market.

“Tapping into the insight that almost half of us play with our snacks, Transform-A-Snack offers interactive fun as well as great taste as the snack can ‘transform’ into a car by slotting pieces together. The new cheese flavour broadens the brand’s appeal and the updated packaging has great in-store presence.”

A major piece of NPD for Golden Wonder is the introduction of Chippies, a range of real potato sticks in three strong, distinctive flavours, Ready Salted, Salt & Vinegar and Chip Shop Curry.

Matt added: “Golden Wonder Chippies, in three mouthwatering, savoury varieties, offer consumers the punchy, chipshop taste that everyone loves at their fingertips. They are an exciting addition to our range and we look forward to establishing Chippies as a firm consumer favourite.”

All of the brands are available in £1 priced packs, in recognition that this is the fastest growing price point in the snacks market, giving both retailers and consumers the opportunity to trade up.

With attractive price points and revised case sizes, the Golden Wonder snack range also delivers strong category margins for retailers as well as improved stock holding and replenishment.

Titbits! Something Different From Yorkshire Crisps!

The Yorkshire Crisp Company, well-known for its unique, re-sealable drums of Yorkshire Crisps and Yorkshire Popcorn, has introduced an exciting new addition to its range of gourmet snacks.

Titbits Gourmet Bites – described as ‘little pieces of perfection’ - are delicious, lightlybaked bite-size biscuits made from mature cheddar cheese and finest oats. They are

perfect for sharing over a glass of wine or great for popping in a picnic hamper.

Suitable for vegetarians and containing no artificial colours, MSG or GM ingredients, Titbits come in Yorkshire Crisps’ famous stayfresh, re-sealable drums (100g) and have a long shelf life of 12 months. They are available in two tasty flavours – Mature Cheddar & Finest Oats, or tangy Tomato, Basil, Cheddar & Oats.

For further information please call The Yorkshire Crisp Company on 01909 774411 or visit www.yorkshirecrisps.co.uk

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

August 2017

Spirits and Mixers

Maximising Spirits and Mixer Sales: The Four Key Areas To Master

By Matthew Coles, Director, Cardinal Research

TRADITIONALLY SOARING in the hotter summer months, it’s possible to maximise spirits and mixer sales yearround. As advisers to the licensed trade for over 20 years, we can distill our top tips into these four main areas to consider.

1. VISIBILITY: people will not buy what they do not see.

• This can be overlooked in spirits and is hard to achieve – back bars are crowded areas and bottles line up on shelves with little visual priority (that is managed at least), although it can happen by chance with adventurous bottle designs or accidents of lighting. Optics can help create priority, of course, but unfortunately they have downmarket connotations.

• Some of the most effective category initiatives we’ve worked on are simple plinths or up-lit displays that invite the purchaser at the bar to consider a range of drinks; very effective in whisky and bourbon. The range should have some logic to it and offer diversity and easy to communicate parameters of choice – lighter, darker, sweeter, spicier, stronger or weaker, floral or peaty, for example.

• Do not rely, even in more mainstream premises, on paper-print base table cards and posters. These are mostly wallpaper and usually provide few incremental sales to either a brand or category. If it’s something retailers want to do then make sure there is a clear call to action with a solid ‘what’s in it for me?’ message.

• Remember, the most powerful form of visibility for spirits is the great looking drink someone else is drinking!

Visual-viral spread is something any good Irish Coffee maker will tell you all about.

• Menus and drinks lists are also no longer the preserve of premium upscale bars. As consumers premiumise they will give more thought to spirits choices earlier in the session. Build visibility at the table and bar with clear menus and evocative descriptions anchored with brands that make the drink more attractive and reliable.

people usually want to look good in front of who they are with – a sharp shirt and a boring-looking drink don’t mix.

2. BRANDS: let people trade up and discover with your help; this is a premiumising market.

• Choose your brands wisely and carefully to reflect the preferences, knowledge and aspirations of your customer base. Don’t go too flashy or premium in a regular bar. Likewise, allow customers who are showing off or exploring to do just that. It’s really important to understand the bar’s role in what people want to do; easy familiarity versus open to challenge and discovery? Where do your customers sit? Manage the mix accordingly.

• Look to lead them a little to premium upstream, but only a few steps at a time. Don’t jump too far, just a rung or two up the ladder in brand terms.

• Upselling is achieved in different ways: simple suggestions, “Is Absolut OK, sir?” work for small step upgrades (attainable – easy upgrade), versus an explanation upsell, “Have you tried this whisky, it’s aged in 50 year old sherry casks”, versus the novelty sell. Read the customer.

4. ACTIVATION: spirits can be a slightly daunting and impenetrable category which benefits hugely from staff communication.

• To do this staff have to be confident with brands – upselling requires training to provide drinkers with a reason to spend more. Training should be increased the further up the premium ladder you travel because so the expectation of the customer greatly increases.

• Suggestion and bar staff recommendation is the single best way to activate in bars if you can be heard or have the time to do so. Customers are often an open book: around half of them don’t know what they want or at least admit to being open to be swayed.

• Create a message and an incentive to switch in to spirits or across brands – what’s in it for the customer? It’s usually higher value in some form, either looking cooler, an elevated experience in taste terms or some such ‘improvement’.

• Other activations that work tend to be more experiential: a lot of brands invite customers to join in an activity which raises the consumption experience and conveys a hopefully positive impression and context for the brand. Often these will play to the brand-converted, so create incentives which encourage switching from other serves to one that is going to make the bar more money.

• Consider incremental serves – shots are a great example here.

Encourage round behaviour with rituals and visually impactful serves that do the visual-viral job again, if appropriate to the environment.

3. SERVE: this is crucial for taste and appearance.

• Remember, a great serve will be the prime motivator to encourage customers to buy it again. An amazing G&T will probably trigger another one. Many customers look for the path of least resistance in making choices, and that’s why ‘same again’ is a common call.

• A great-looking serve will be ‘visual-viral’: serve one appetising Aperol Spritz and we guarantee you’ll serve another 10 to admiring customers.

• Remember always: the on-trade is conspicuous so

Time To Release Your Spirits With NEW Luscombe Drinks Tonic Waters RENOWNED FOR its award-winning portfolio of drinks, Luscombe Drinks has just announced the launch of three new premium natural tonic waters: Devon Tonic Water, Elderflower Tonic Water and Grapefruit Tonic Water. The range is available in 20cl bottles and has a recommended retail price of £1.20 per bottle.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association labelled 2016 ‘the year of gin’ as sales in the UK broke the £1billion mark for the first time. Sales of gin overseas were also higher than ever before, worth almost £500million.

On the back of this, tonic water sales are also on the rise, with Mintel reporting 10.2% year-onyear growth (Attitudes Towards Premium Soft Drinks Report, February 2015). This rise is being credited to the expanding craft spirits sector, and the trajectory looks set to continue.

Gabriel David, chairman and founder of Luscombe Drinks, said: “Given the phenomenal rise in craft spirits, we have had a number of requests from our trade customers for a range of super-premium tonics that will enhance - rather than compete with - the complex flavours of these artisan spirits.

“Using natural Devon spring water, we have developed tonic water recipes with very distinct yet subtle flavours. Furthermore, we have increased the carbonation, helping to maximise the flavours of the spirit for a truly delicious drinking experience.”

The traditional Devon Tonic Water is enhanced with the zingy citrus taste of Japanese yuzu, a rare and expensive citrus fruit that has three times more vitamin C than a lemon. The Elderflower Tonic Water is infused with wild English elderflowers, hand-picked in full summer sunshine and uniquely pressed, resulting in a light floral tonic. The third of the trio, the Grapefruit Tonic Water uses the finest pink grapefruit to create a delicate citrus tonic.

All three are perfect served either on their own or with one of the many craft gins, and other premium white spirits, that continue to emerge on the market. The Devon spring water helps to make the tonic waters crisp and refreshing, as well as bringing out the individual characters of the spirits with which they are mixed. It’s time to release your spirits!

Gabriel went on to say: “We are also seeing an increase in the number of consumers ordering tonic water instead of the usual draught soft drinks. Tonics deliver a dryer, more complex flavour – and this range has been created to so that each flavour is delicious served on its own over crushed ice.”

The three new tonics add to Luscombe Drinks’ existing range of 23 delicate bubblies, fruit crushes, juices, traditional soft drinks, ginger beers and a cider, which have, to date, received 58 Great Taste Awards.

For further information on Luscombe Drinks please visit www.luscombe.co.uk, email info@luscombe.co.uk or call 01364 64 30 36. Follow Luscombe on Twitter: @luscombedrinks and ‘Like’ on Facebook.

Spirits and Mixers

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

19

Speyside Distillery Launches Luxury Limited Edition Sekforde Mixers ‘Unlocking The Flavour In Spirits’ Whiskies Featuring Stunning Wildlife Images A Scottish distillery with one of the most impressive heritages in the industry has released, for the first time, a limited edition, single malt whisky collection which will significantly enhance its global reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after exclusive brands.

Speyside Distillery, set in the foothills of the magnificent Cairngorm Mountains, has launched the luxurious PSTA/SPEY Speyside Wildlife Collection in support of the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts (PSTA).

The rare whisky bottles in the new collection feature stunning portraits of the wildlife found in the vicinity of the distillery and complement the original art which features in the company’s new office, Gallery & Lounge, in Glasgow’s Art District.

The artwork has been created by Joanna McDonough, PSTA graduate and Speyside Distillery’s Artist in Residence The range also features, amongst others, an exquisite SPEY Byron Crystal Cabinet, decanter and eight crystal glasses which Speyside Distillery invited designated craftsmen to the Royal family, Titchmarsh & Goodwin, to create. It was designed by Joanna and John McDonough.

The Prince's School of Traditional Arts is a charity founded by HRH the Prince of Wales in 2004 with which Speyside

Distillery has a longstanding connection.

Officially launching the collection to selected guests last week Speyside Distillery CEO Mr McDonough said: "We are delighted to extend our support of the PSTA with the release of our limited edition Speyside Wildlife Collection.

"The new collection emphasises the strong connection we have with the school and the wonderful and beautiful, natural environment in which we create our single malt whisky.”

Artist in Residence at Speyside Distillery, Joanna McDonough said: “My inspiration for the artwork in the gallery, and which appears on each bottle, has drawn on the natural beauty and wildlife of Speyside.”

The distillery, operated by Speyside Distillers, has been committed to extending the ‘Art of Distilling’ into actual sponsorship of art charities through its support of the PSTA. Joanna will take up an artist in residency at Dumfries House, near Auchinleck, Ayrshire, later this year. www.speysidedistillers.co.uk Speyside Distillery Managing Director Patricia Dillon said: “The launch of these rare whiskies featuring our Artist in Residence’s work and the opening of our new SPEY Gallery & Lounge is in support of the PSTA, Scotch whisky and Traditional Arts and we are delighted to be in the Glasgow Art District.”

Prices and more detail on the range are available on application.

Spirit Of Soho Set To Travel Across The Land

Take the hedonism, creativity and fun of London’s Soho, bottle it and the result is The King of Soho Gin. This fabulously authentic London Dry Gin has already found its way into the capital’s coolest bars and onto the shelves of its most iconic retailers. Now with the news that the brand has been snapped up by Asda, Costco, and, from today, Morrisons, the whole of the UK can savour its unique taste!

The King of Soho Gin is lovingly crafted in small batches in the heart of London – unlike many a socalled London Dry Gin. In fact it’s still created using traditional methods by an 11th generation master distiller whose family’s love affair with gin began in the 1680s – around the same time the name ‘Soho’ was first coined by the 1st Duke of Monmouth.

Quadruple distilled, no less than 12 botanicals - juniper, coriander, grapefruit peel, angelica root and cassia bark

among them - are used to create its delicate combination of sweetness, citrus and earthiness.

The bold and colourful bottle, a celebration of the district’s flamboyancy - and its reputation as a hotbed of creativity, music and art - has also confirmed The King of Soho Gin’s reputation as a true stand-out.

Enjoy the King of Soho Gin as a classic G&T served with a slice of pink grapefruit to complement its citrus notes, or as a base for some truly fabulous cocktails. Try seasonal special Summer in Soho (pictured), a beguiling blend of 50ml King of Soho Gin, 15ml fresh lemon juice and 125ml raspberry lemonade. Build in a tall glass filled with ice and stir. The perfect way to cool down!

Aside from its smooth and delectable taste, this exemplary potion has a story as vibrant as the drink itself.

West End Drinks Ltd was founded by Howard Raymond and Alex Robson – a truly independent spirits company. www.kingofsohodrinks.com | www.westenddrinks.com

Sekforde are brand new, natural, botanical mixers, specifically designed for whiskey, rum and gin. Using a blend of natural botanicals and English sparkling water, Sekforde are not only low in calories, but also celebrate the flavour of the designated spirit rather than masking it.

This innovative concept gives premium rum and whiskey their very own mixers, (as tonic is to gin) opening doors for those that are cautious of drinking them straight. Each one of the three mixers has been designed to perfectly enhance the flavour of the spirit without overpowering it, through the use of natural botanicals that work with the unique characteristics of each spirit, creating a sophisticated and delicious drink, every time.

London-based husband and wife team Tom and Talula White, were frustrated at the lack of mixer-options available to them to go with their favourite spirits, all seemed to be sugar-loaded and flavour-dominant. Sekforde came about as a result and both run their business, hands-on from their home.

Sekforde for Whiskey - Delicate orange and Istrian botanicals Sekforde for Whiskey leads with a sweet orange flavour and hint of rosemary, set off by a combination of dry bitters.

Sekforde is incredibly versatile - it makes a perfect drink with most bourbons and blended scotches too. Serve in a tumbler or copa glass with ice and a twist of orange peel and, if liked, a spring of rosemary.

Recommended brands: Chivas Regal 12 yr old, Bulleit Bourbon or Rye, Buffalo Trace, Monkey Shoulder Sekforde for Rum - Aromatic lime and Mistral botanicals Sekforde for Rum enhances the true character of the spirit. Lime is a classic partner, the zest draws out the common flavours, in rum, of sweetness, tropical fruits,

vanilla, caramel, leading to molasses in the darker and stickier varieties. These flavours are lifted by Sekforde for Rum’s combination of aromatic herbs and floral notes, finishing with a bitter-sweet note and a touch of mint. Serve in a tumbler or copa glass with ice and a twist of lime peel and mint sprig.

Recommended brands: Havana Club, Westerhall Rums, Ron Barceló Imperial, Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva Sekforde for Gin - English Garden botanicals with a hint of Raspberry Sekforde for Gin is an interesting one, swapping the classing quinine flavours of tonic for a lightly carbonated blend of raspberry, sage and rose, giving a soft, natural sweetness that works well with the juniper, letting the true spirit of the gin shine through. Serve over ice, with a twist of grapefruit and a rosemary or sage sprig.

Recommended brands: Portobello Road, Dingle, Elephant Gin, Hendrick’s Co-founder Talula White says: “Our taste trials show that people welcome new ways to enjoy dark spirits, especially with interesting botanical flavours rather than being drowned in sugary cola or ginger beer”. Her approach is to honour the traditions and dedication shown by premium whiskey, rum and gin producers by creating the best bespoke complementary mixers she can, using the finest botanicals and ingredients. Sekforde is easy to mix both behind the bar and from home, ensuring a refreshing, sophisticated drink every time.

Sekforde are the first individually designed mixers to complement and enhance the flavour profile of spirits. The recipes were created by Tom and Talula from their home on Sekforde Street in East London, giving both the business and brand its name.

For more information contact: enquiries@sekfordedrinks.com and info@boutiquebarbrands.com Tel: 0207 585 2294

Double Dutch Drinks

Double Dutch offers a unique range of tonic waters and mixers that revolutionise the world of beverages.

With seven different products – Cucumber&Watermelon, Pomegrante&Basil, Cranberry Tonic, Indian Tonic, Skinny Tonic, Ginger Beer and Soda Water --, each bottle of Double Dutch is made entirely in the UK using flavour pairing techniques in order to create amazing drinks with no artificial flavouring, colouring or preservatives.

We only use natural ingredients, blending them with the highest quality spring water from the North of England to create crisp, fresh and innovative mixers for refined palettes.

Our drinks are also low in calories. www.doubledutchdrinks.com

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

August 2017

Cleaning and Hygiene

Cleanliness & Hygiene - Getting It Right First Time (Before Your Reputation is Trashed on a Review Site)

POOR HYGIENE RISKS • Reflects badly on your image, damaging your brand and reputation • Jeopardises staff wellbeing and increases costly absenteeism • Bad reviews and negative impact on booking levels • Contravenes health and safety legislation • Your guests leave feeling dissatisfied with their visit

areas around the sink.

• Lobby/Corridors/Common Areas - Spotless lobby and corridors are highly visible to your visitors and it reflects how your management team care about your guests.

• Outdoor areas - according to guest reputation specialists HGEM 42% of families with children will use and outdoor hospitality area. And again, first impressions count, your outside space will often be the first area guests see. These areas, seen as seasonal can often be overlooked. Keeping your outdoor area clean is a great way to attract custom.

Check pathways, patios and decking for moss, or slippery lichen, check floors and walls for algae, check extraction area for staining, does the outside of your conservatory need a deep clean? What about your waste/refuse and storage areas? Take into account that aside from the outside area needing to look good to attract custom, you have a duty to safeguard your guests and staff.

Good hygiene will help you portray the right image to your guests and leave them feeling valued. So good hygiene is vital in your customers’ decision to visit, stay and come back.

CLH News contacted hygiene specialist Dr Peter Barratt, Technical Manager, Initial Washroom Hygiene for expert advice, guidance and best practice for a clean hospitality premise!

A high level of hygiene within your business will help portray the right image to your guests and leave them feeling valued - this can help to increase the customer’s decision to revisit your establishment. Initial Washroom Hygiene carried out global research to evaluate public hygiene habits, which revealed that 88% of respondents in the UK admitted hygienic washroom facilities in restaurants are an important factor in returning to the establishment. Almost half (48%) said they would not return to a café or restaurant if it had poor hygiene standards.

Today people are increasingly conscious of poor hygiene standards outside of their homes and the potential implications this has on their health. Businesses in the hospitality industry experience high levels of guests it is important that the standard of cleanliness and hygiene remain consistently high throughout the year.

Not only is it important of course for health implications, now, thanks to review sites and social media almost every hospitality business will be judged in “the court of public opinion”.

When any hotel, pub or restaurant “hits the news” for whatever reason, you can guarantee that somewhere in the article, a journalist will have looked at review sites and taken the worst reviews to embellish the article. And they invariably centre around cleanliness and hygiene. The penalties for poor cleanliness/hygiene standards are severe. A pub in Essex last month (July) was closed down and the owners find over £43,000 after a routine inspection revealed health and hygiene breaches which were described by an inspector as “the worst I’ve seen in 30 years”.

Furthermore, in these highly competitive times (we have seen 20 casual dining outlets open in Bournemouth this year), customers are not as forgiving as they once were, when they are spending money to treat themselves, they want to have as good experience as possible. If they don’t get that experience, it’s going to lead to a lost customer, and potential customers as they vent their disappointment on review sites. A survey by food safety management company Checkit in 2016 revealed that hygiene ratings have a greater influence over diners choice of venue more that customer service, and a survey by the Hague hotel school revealed that 70% of hotel guests believe cleanliness and hygiene to be the most important factor when making recommendations about a hotel to friends and colleagues.

The penalties for poor cleanliness/hygiene standards are severe. A pub in Essex last month (July) was closed down and the owners find over £43,000 after a routine inspection revealed health and hygiene breaches which were described by an inspector as “the worst I’ve seen in 30 years”.

With a high level of guest/customer turnover that hotels, pubs and restaurants experience, it is vital to ensure that all areas are cleaned effectively and hygienically to reflect the image of your establishment.

• Entrance/Reception - A hospitality business’s entrance is critical to creating the best first impression, as the saying goes “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” Hygiene and cleanliness are the most important factors when recommending a place to stay, or eat to friends and colleagues.

• Guest Rooms – From the moment guests open the door to their room, they are making judgments on the suitability of the accommodation. Sight and smell will shape their impressions. A clean, fresh-smelling room can be very wel coming. After thoroughly cleaning guest rooms, add that finishing touch with odour eliminators, , that offer light, fresh scents and ingredients that can capture or remove odours from the air. These products deal with the odours and keep the smell fresh and clean, rather than overpowering • Washrooms/toilets - many businesses overall standards of cleanliness and hygiene would be judged by the standards of the washrooms. Guests/customers expect to enter a clean, odor-free washroom/toilet when they visit a hospitality establishment. According to a survey, hospitality cleaning professionals ranked bathrooms as “the most important area to clean” (50 percent) and “the most difficult area to clean” (48 percent). Within a washroom risk hotspots include toilets, flush handles, cubicle handles as well as

The Recipe For Clean Hospitality Premises

While providing high quality meals and maintaining a good customer experience may be the cornerstone of your business, failing to implement stringent hygiene levels in the process can have a direct impact on its profitability. Research has shown that nearly half of customers (48%) said they would not return to a restaurant or café if they considered the establishments’ hygiene standards to be poor.

Bacteria multiply quickly on surfaces in your catering facility, and can remain infectious on hard surfaces for up to 24 hours. In a world where customers can post a restaurant review with the tap of a button, it’s crucial to ensure that you are ahead of the competition when it comes to hygiene.

GAIN THE UPPER HAND It may seem obvious, but effective handwashing goes a long way to improving overall hygiene levels. Frequent and thorough handwashing can decrease the presence of bacteria on hands by up to 80% and reduce the risk of illness by up to 50%; particularly illnesses which are easy to pass on like gastrointestinal infections. The power of handwashing in the fight against the spread of infection and sickness in your premises should be recognised, and the correct procedures followed by all employees.

This not only reduces the chance of an outbreak of di ease amongst your customers, but also helps keep your employees in better health. Promoting good hand hygiene can be achieved through these four simple and effective steps: 1. Wet your hands using clean, running water – Preferably warm water – and apply soap, if possible using a no-touch dispenser to avoid washroom cross contamination 2. Rub soap all over your hands, covering the front, back, fingers, thumbs and nails, in order to remove maximum bacteria and viruses.

3. Rinse your hands again with clean running water - The entire handwashing process should take around 20-30 seconds – that’s about the time it takes to sing happy

birthday twice 4. Dry your hands thoroughly. Damp hands spread 1000 times more bacteria than dry hands, so the door handle of the washroom is likely to become contaminated if hand drying is missed.

Clean up your act with sanitisers All employees should be encouraged to always take a proactive approach to hand hygiene. This can be achieved by making sure hand sanitisers are regularly available. Hand sanitisers, when used after handwashing and drying can form a long-lasting barrier against microbes and can fight germs for hours after use.

Staff should always be instructed to wash their hands before and after eating or preparing food, especially in shared kitchen facilities. Other important times to apply a hand sanitiser include after using the washroom, after blowing your nose, and after handling any refuse or rubbish.

With so many choices, which hand sanitisers should you opt for? Alcohol-free sanitisers are the best option, as they contain a quick and powerful germ-killing solution while being gentle on the skin. Initial’s UltraProtect, for example, uses residual anti-microbial technology to kill 99.9% of germs.

Optimise your washroom environments The layout and design of your washrooms can have a direct impact on overall hygiene levels in your premises. For example, reducing the number of handles in your washroom can help to prevent the spread of germs, as it limits the touch points between the washroom and the main area of the building. Similarly, no-touch products such as taps, soap dispensers, hand dryers and sanitary bins are available, and can dramatically reduce the risk of bacteria spreading via cross contamination.

As well as cleaning communal washrooms regularly, you may want to consider installing air fresheners that automatically dispense a fragrance to help neutralise odour. An air purifier can also help to eradicate any airborne bacteria and viruses including the flu virus, E Coli, Salmonella Streptococcus, Rhinovirus and Hepatitis A. Taking into account the sheer number of surfaces and objects vulnerable to cross contamination in communal facilities, such as restaurants, it’s critical that managers enforce these hygiene practices and take care with surface hygiene. In this way, they can protect both their staff and customers,while ensuring their reputation remains intact.

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

August 2017

Cleaning and Hygiene

Truvox ‘Cuts The Cord’ With AwardWinning Valet Battery Upright Vacuum Innovative model now available in UK Cleaning teams can now ‘cut the cord’ and vacuum more quietly and productively following the arrival of the UK’s first cordless commercial vacuum cleaner.

The award-winning Valet Battery Upright (VBU) – now available from Truvox International – is a light yet powerful upright vacuum, designed for maximum productivity.

Powered by a lithium ion battery, the VBU provides more than 60 minutes’ continuous runtime. In the Cleaning Show 2017 Innovation Awards, the machine won in the carpet cleaning category.

Built to Truvox International’s robust standards, the Valet Battery Upright weighs only 5kg. A convenient carry handle makes it easy to transport between cleaning jobs.

Ideal for daytime cleaning, the machine works quietly and safely around people and obstacles with no risk of trips or snagging – or interruptions to switch power

sockets.

A battery level indicator ensures the user knows when their machine will need re-charging. A full re-charge takes no more than 2.5 hours. The battery delivers 312W of vacuum motor power and a 3,000rpm brush speed.

The vacuum floats evenly over all flooring surfaces thanks to a self-adjusting nozzle, while a squeegee improves cleaning results on hard floors. Performance and productivity also benefit from an edge cleaning feature and full suction when the VBU is laid flat to clean under beds and furniture.

High filtration is provided by a HEPA 13 media bag. Replacing the dust bag is simple.

The compartment unzips and the bag is automatically sealed as it’s pulled from the bag holder.

Support videos on the Truvox website guide users on operation and maintenance of the VBU. For more information call 023 8070 6600, email sales@truvox.com or visit www.truvox.com

Bag A Bargain This June With TME Thermometers' Kit Of The Month Looking for a waterproof thermometer that’s quick to use, comes with its own handy storage and won’t bust your budget? Bag an online bargain this June with TME’s CA2005-PKW for just 129.60.

Throughout 2017 UK thermometer manufacturer, TME, is offering Kit of the Month deals on a selection of quality thermometer kits from its extensive temperature test and measurement range. By combining popular combinations of thermometers and probes at a lower cost, TME kits already offer great value for money all year round but each Kit of the Month will attract an extra 10% saving. Offers change each month and will be publicised on the TME website www.tmethermometers.com and monthly newsletter.

The CA2005-PKW Food Kit offers a high accuracy HACCP compliant thermometer, six interchangeable colour-coded needle probes – sufficiently waterproof to run through a dishwasher – and a stainless steel wall unit to keep everything safe and convenient to hand.

CA2005 Temperature Range TME’s colour coded temperature range offers an IP67 waterproof thermometer with a choice of colour coded, high accuracy probes – delivering a superfast 3 second

response. Each probe is fitted with a thermocouple mini plug so it’s easy to switch between food groups or to order different colours if you prefer. Most important of all - the probes are dishwasher-safe for ease of cleaning and sterilisation.

Affordable Food Hygiene More hygienic than using conventional colour coded pen thermometers which are only splash-proof - the new system is not only a cheaper option but also tough enough to stand up to the rigours of any commercial kitchen.

Colour Coded Wall Storage The system is also ideal for kitting out a small restaurant kitchen with everything easily accessible in one place as the CA2005-PKW storage unit features strong and safe cradles for both the thermometer and probes and immediate visual guidance for kitchen staff on the major colour-coded food groups.

MD, Tom Sensier: “The CA2005 system is designed to bring easy to use, high performance thermometers within all budgets, helping both small restaurants and the bigger chains the opportunity to up their hygiene ratings without having to spend a fortune.”

For more details on TME’s Kit of the Month offers or the CA2005-PKW visit www.tmethermometers.com email sales@tmethermometers.com or talk to our . friendly sales team on 01903 700651.

Fit and Forget - Kingspan Environmental’s New Smart iFOG Management Systems Kingspan Environmental, a global leader in the design and manufacture of commercial waste management, has turned its attention and considerable expertise onto the problem of catering food waste with the launch of its new ‘smart’ fat, oil and grease management system. iFOG is an intelligent system for waste removal that uses naturally-occurring micro-organisms to eat the fat, oil and grease (FOG) which builds up in kitchen drains.

It can reduce drain unblocking and grease trap emptying costs by up to 75 per cent per annum, lessening the resultant kitchen odours, while also eliminating all health and safety risks associated with chemical or mechanical methods of FOG management.

The self-contained unit uses high-performance multi-strain bacteria which are scientifically proven to be highly effective at digesting FOG from a wide range of food-

stuffs.

The fully managed “Fit and Forget” system also contains remote-monitoring technology guaranteeing effective, continual treatment 24/7, preventing further build up. “iFOG saves you time and money, and makes for a cleaner, far more pleasant working environment for staff – many of whom, I’m quite sure would be delighted that they don’t have to empty grease traps with the same regularity,” says Mr Anderson.

“It’s also an entirely trouble-free way of ensuring your business is compliant with the myriad of environmental regulations around FOG.” iFOG was Highly Commended in the Sustainable Catering Equipment Award category at the recent CESA Awards 2014.

IFOG is available on a free hire basis for a minimum 12 month contract. Prices start from £2.60 per day.

Learn more about Kingspan’s range of food waste management solutions at kingspanenviro.com/foodwaste

The Comark Kitchen Checks-app PAPER RECORDS for HACCP creating an admin burden on your business? Records being lost or being completed after the fact?

The revolution is here….

The easy-to-use Comark Kitchen Checks-app can be loaded with your HACCP plan and paired with the new bluetooth model of our tried and tested pocketherm thermometer. Checks-app

is available free on both the Apple and Google Play app stores and all records created across your estate are automatically stored in the cloud, accessible anywhere.

Going paperless means better records, less time filling in paperwork and leaves you and your team more time to serve your customers.

For further information, please call 0207 9420712 or visit www.comarkinstruments.com

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

What’s At Stake – The Costly Consequences Of Food Safety Failures Responsible pub, hotel and restaurant operators should be well aware of the consequences of a lapse in food safety standards.

The financial implications alone can be crippling. A recent court case saw an independent pub fined over £30,000 for shocking food safety failings which saw rat droppings spread across the kitchen and mould growing in the ice machine.

Unsurprisingly, the pub is no longer allowed to serve food. What’s more, one of the directors received a personal fine of £10,000 and a hygiene prohibition order, which prevents him from managing any food business, indefinitely. It is hard to see how a business can recover after an incident like this.

While this is an extreme example, it is clear to see that food safety is a top priority not only for authorities, but also to customers. According to recent research by Checkit, over 60 percent of consumers would refuse to visit any business with a hygiene rating of 2 or under and a total of 75 percent would never visit a food outlet that has suffered a hygiene incident. Few businesses, regardless of size, could survive losing over half of their customers, or the downtime that follows. Rebuilding business following an incident is not easy, and the internet has a long memory: bad reviews can remain online for years and it can take serious investment, staff retraining and promotion to rebuild customers’ trust.

So, with the financial – and professional – future at stake, what can managers do to protect their business? The only effective way to avoid the damage caused by food safety incidents is to pre-empt them.

Achieving optimal food safety requires consistent compliance. Having an effective, regular cleaning routine in place not only protects the business, staff and customers, but it also takes the stress away from food safety inspections. This is especially important for independent and smaller operators, who lack the corporate support bigger chains use to enforce standards.

When staff complete the required hygiene and food safety compliance checks on schedule, the risk of an inci-

dent is minimal. However, kitchens can be highly pressurised working environments and in busy periods administrative tasks may be put on the backburner. When compliance checks are managed using paper records, they are easy to neglect or even forge. As paper records provide no realtime visibility, if a crucial check is missed, it might not come to light until it is too late: during an EHO inspection when the paper records are fetched from storage to be examined or worse, when a customer falls ill.

So how can managers be sure that everything gets done?

Improving management visibility is key. Using a digital system will significantly reduce the stress of EHO inspections and protect the business against the consequences of poor food safety and malicious claims. It also eliminates the need for food safety paperwork. New cloud-based technologies enable the completion of checks to be prompted and then logged on the spot via handheld touchscreen devices. The real-time data automatically creates digital food safety records and is available to managers, no matter where they are based, via an online dashboard. As in so many other industries, the availability of up-to-the-minute data has the potential to transform the management of foodservice operations.

Digital records eliminate the time staff spend on filling in paperwork and management on scrutinising it, yet provide a time-stamped record for every compliance task that has been done. If a scheduled check is missed, managers are instantly alerted and can take steps to address the issue before customers, staff or stock are at any risk. The cloudbased records can be accessed remotely, so that managers can check the status of their business from home or holiday, and gain peace of mind that every effort has been made to maintain the highest possible standards. At the same time, precious minutes are saved in the kitchen and stress is reduced.

In an increasingly competitive industry, independent operators need to be proactive and vigilant to safeguard profitability. With poor compliance posing such a significant risk, and inadequate paperwork affecting hygiene ratings, food safety is an area that can’t afford to be neglected. Reviewing existing compliance management processes and upgrading to a more effective digital system is investing in the future of the business, and significantly cheaper than trying to undo the irreversible damage after a food safety failure has occurred.

David Davies, Managing Director, Checkit

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

August 2017

Products and Services

Start Saving Time and Money with LineClenze WITH LINECLENZE we can help you identify how much product you are wasting, how much money LineClenze can save you and how quickly you can see a return on your investment. The results may surprise you.

We spoke with David Coe at The Holiday Inn, Telford and asked him how satisfied he has been with LineClenze both as a product and as a money saving device. David told us, “The time it saves is the most important aspect, from 3 hour cleaning periods every Monday afternoon – the cost saving means we will pay it back within the year. Very good.” LineClenze helps to save costs by reducing any risk to health when performing line cleaning as well as offering a fresh taste to the beer. We help to reduce the amount of beer that is wasted from rigorous, frequent cleans and in turn reduce the amount of time spent by staff cleaning. David has been working in the industry for over 20 years and said, “It would have been amazing if this product was around then.

LineClenze as a company, the support is second to- none.

Offering a trial period just to see if it works is great.”

The extended time between cleaning the beer lines saves time and money by: • Saving on ullage, up to 75% • Saving water • Saving time/labour • Saving cleaning materials • Extending the working life of the beer line • And, the quality of the beer is maintained • Environmentally Friendly.

For example, if there are 10 product lines, with a 3 pint pull each, 30 pints are lost with each clean, every week. If a pint is approx £3.50, that is £105 a week lost.

By increasing the time between cleaning, that saves £105 a week, so 3 weeks saves £315.00, then clean on the 4th week.

Annually this is a saving of £4095. For a chain of 6 inns, that would represent an annual saving of £24,570 Telephone: 0800 170 1564, visit www.lineclenze.com or see the advert on page 7.

Better Beans And Souper Soups

Manufacturers and caterers have a huge opportunity to improve the flavours of both soups and beans thanks to an important upgrade by seasonings supplier Unbar Rothon of its top quality flavourings for both market sectors.

Soon to celebrate its centenary as a leading supplier serving Europe, North America, Africa, Australasia and the Middle East, the British company provides both off-the-peg flavours and a design service which creates unique profiles for customers.

There is a choice between premium, standard and economy grades and organic, healthy eating and gluten free styles

are available in all three The improved flavours for beans are for chilli, Mexican chilli, mixed bean salads, hot and spicy, BBQ, curry, Madras, korma, peri peri and smoky bacon and the selection for soups is equally all embracing “Both soups and beans can be bland products so the flavours we generate make them innovative, unique and exciting,” said Unbar Rothon director, Richard Rothon.

He added that interest in the company’s unique seasonings design service was growing internationally as manufacturers and caterers sought to improve their products.

Reader enquiriesTelephone- 01277 632211 Email- richard.rothon@unbarrothon.co.uk Web- www.unbarrothon.co.uk

New Forest Ice Cream Triumphs In Triple Coffee Shop Quality at the Touch of a Button! Recognition At The Great Taste Awards 2017

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

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 see the advert on page 13 or contact 08083016483 or visit www.kafevendingmachines.co.uk

Mobile Self-Scan Eliminates The Queue

In the UK, 59.4% of us believe we will soon become a cashless society. We’ve seen enormous growth in the use of contactless payment and this is only set to continue, with pubs, bars and restaurants one of the places most likely for consumers to use mobile contactless payment.

Omnico’s latest product, mobile self-scan, allows customers to scan items directly through their mobile device and skip the till queue, receiving real-time bonus point calculations and digital e-receipts. Currently in use

by Denmark’s leading grocery brand, Coop Denmark, the applications for the product go beyond a store environment, allowing consumers to scan items from a menu, to pre-order, and pay directly from their device.

Working across the hospitality, retail and destinations sectors, Omnico has developed a range of mobile products. To watch a video of the mobile app in use, click here.

For more information and to speak to Omnico: www.omnicogroup.com/catering and enquiries@omnicogroup.com

3R Brings You The Ultimate Edge In Business And Simple Payment Management 3R 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 single-site 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. Newsround delivery, shelf edge labels, mix and match offers and operator tracking/control features also available.

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 immediately with over 40,000 products preinstalled.

Telephone- 01992 574 650 Email- info@3rtelecom.co.uk Web- www.3rtelecom.co.uk See Advert page 11

Sadia Delivers for Foodservice with Key Roasted, Coated & Grilled Chicken Lines BRF’s extensive foodservice product selection is making chefs’ lives easier the country over.

With a number of Sadia offerings to choose from, there’s a product for every menu type.

ROASTED Create fast yet distinctive restaurant dishes with Sadia’s Roasted assortment. Spicy Mexican coatings or original roast flavour, chicken wings or diced breast, these fully cooked crowd-pleasers are the perfect component for so many dishes.

COATED Whether cooking in a local restaurant, a highstreet takeaway or in the kitchen of a busy bar, Sadia Coated is the ultimate versatile kitchen staple. Crispy chicken cuts never fall out of favour, and Sadia’s mouth-watering range of coated crispy chicken cutlets, nuggets, goujons and wings will have punters coming back for more. Ready-to-eat, all Sadia Coated chicken options are quickly prepared during the busy summer season.

GRILLED

Health-conscious customers will always have plenty of choice with the Sadia Grilled assortment of chicken products. All fully cooked and reduced in sodium, Sadia Grilled items are the essential puzzle piece to every contemporary menu. With chicken chunks, strips, slices, dices, inner fillets and breasts, the possibilities are endless.

MEATBALLS It’s well-known that diners are once again falling in love with the classic meatball. With this in mind, Sadia’s new turkey-based offering will be sure to satisfy customers’ appetites. Fully cooked, just add Sadia Meatballs to pasta, wraps, stews and soups: the possibilities are endless.

ONLINE FOODSERVICE PLATFORM Through BRF’s dedicated foodservice platform, you’ll be able to stay up-to-date with the hottest trends in the foodservice industry.

Exclusive and regularly updated market news and insights will give foodservice players the cutting edge they need when it comes to designing menus and selecting products. Visit us now at www.brf-foodservice.co.uk.

For the sixth year in succession, New Forest Ice Cream has been recognised by the Guild of Fine Foods, with a haul of prestigious gold stars at the annual Great Taste Awards.

Achieving an exceptional rating of two gold stars for the new Lime & Coconut Sorbet and one gold star for the Gin & Pink Grapefruit Sorbet and Dairy Coconut Ice Cream respectively, the family run business, based in Hampshire, is celebrating once again.

As one of the most coveted international food awards, the Great Taste Awards are judged on flavour, texture and appearance, by some of the most demanding food critics, chefs, restauranteurs and journalists in the industry. A total of 12,366 food and beverage products were entered into the awards in 2017, with just 3,171 (25%) awarded one gold star and 1,011 (8%) receiving an exclusive two stars, making New Forest Ice Creams achievements all the more impressive.

Taking the number stars bestowed

upon their range to the extraordinary total of 16 since 2012, New Forest Ice Cream has further strengthened its position as a supplier of quality ice creams and sorbets for the trade and retail industries.

We are truly delighted to have achieved Gold Stars at the Great Taste Awards for another year, and we are particularly pleased to have gained two stars for our new Lime & Coconut Sorbet that only launched earlier this year. Taking into account the most recent results, we are thrilled to now have four products with two Gold Stars, something achieved by less than 10% of the thousands of manufactuers who enter the awards each year. A further five of our flavours have now been awarded one gold star.”

New Forest Ice Cream is enjoyed across the UK in countless restaurants, hotels, cafés and leisure outlets and retail sites. The award winning Lime & Coconut Sorbet is available in 2ltr catering tubs along with the Gin & Pink Grapefruit Sorbet, while the Dairy Coconut Ice Cream is available in a 4ltr and 4.75ltr catering tub.

For further information on New Forest Ice Cream please call 01590 647611 or visit www.newforesticecream.com

St Peter's Brewery Continues To Lead AlcoholFree Revolution with Launch of Without® Gold Suffolk-based micro-brewery, St Peter's, has unveiled Without® Gold, a hoppy, golden ale that's full of flavour and completely alcohol free.

Following on from the huge success of St Peter's Without® Original, which is now the world's No.1 alcohol-free craft beer, Without® Gold is a delicious new golden alcohol-free craft beer, with a full-bodied, slightly sweet malt flavour combined with a citrus bitterness.

The perfect follow up to the best-selling St Peter's Without® Original which is a rich, malty beer, Without® Gold targets ale and lager drinkers who like a refreshing, light, golden beer.

“In Without® Gold we have created a beer that will appeal to a nation of ale drinkers who love a good, full-bodied golden ale, as well as lager drinkers looking for a delicious alcohol-free beer,” explains Steve Magnall, CEO at St Peter's Brewery. “Without® Gold is completely different from other alcohol-free beers on the market, most of which are conventional lagers and often thin and watery. Instead, it is made in exactly the same way as a traditional beer, just without the alcohol, and consumers can expect a full-bodied pint, with a good head and delicious taste.”

St Peter's Without® Gold is available nationwide in 500ml bottles (RRP £1.49) and on tap. For more information visit www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk or call 01986 782322.

A Giant Leap Forward in Affordable Induction Cooking Up until now and across the foodservice industry, the cost of induction has been prohibitive to many, meaning it has only been realistic for top chefs and the most elite kitchens. However, this is all about to change, thanks to an exciting new launch from British manufacturer, Burco by Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances, in the shape of the new Titan Induction Range Cooker.

Built using the latest innovative induction technology, the new British manufactured Titan Induction Range features a unique, five zone induction cooking hob, complete with a large 2/1 gastronorm compatible oven. Having already forged a reputation for reliability, this exciting new launch will take the brand’s portfolio to an entirely new level, offering the flexibility demanded by a modern kitchen combined with exceptional energy efficiency, and what’s more, thanks to the unique design, the Titan Induction Range is compatible with both a single or multi-phase power supply.

What’s more, because induction technology generates the heat inside the pan, it means surrounding surfaces will be cooler to touch and with a heavy duty glass hob, it is simple to wipe clean and maintain. The technology also offers instantaneous heat thanks to its very nature and design. Making the most of this instant heat, the Titan Induction range features simple to operate temperature dials, which allow the chef to adjust

the power according to their needs and an instant response altering the temperature to prevent overcooking or burning.

Taking existing induction technology to the next level, the new Titan Induction Range features five independently controlled cooking zones, four x 1.9kW with one centrally located 2.6kW, each zone also features a ‘Boost’ mode for when additional power is required. This boost function allows the operator to inject a 10-minute power increase for when rapid heating is required. For further energy saving and safety, the Titan unit also features Advanced Smart Pan Detection technology, meaning the unit will only ever consume power and generate heat when a pan is in place. A choice of three pre-set cooking controls, ‘melt’, ‘simmer’ or ‘cook’ along with the ability to select your own temperature setting on a 1-9 temperature control ensures maximum versatility and simplicity.

The Titan range comes with a 6mm thick glass hob to withstand the demands of a commercial kitchen and with heavy-duty fitted castors as standard and side opening oven doors, giving chefs easier access in compact kitchen environments. Fitted with easy-toreplace air filtration cartridges, operators can be confident in the ongoing efficiency and smooth running of their appliance over a sustained period.

For further information on the Titan Induction Range manufactured by Burco Commercial please visit www.burco-commercial.co.uk or call 0344 815 3742.

Warewashing Solutions

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

Classeq Warewashing – Simply The Best!

Squeaky clean crockery and glasses are a must for any establishment. That’s why British-madebrand, Classeq Warewashing, offers the Hospitality Industry a range of great value, robust, easy to use (and maintain!), glass and dishwashing equipment.

Drawing off parent company’ Winterhalter’s heritage both for product development and unprecedented levels of service and customer support, Classeq has a range to suit every footfall, every type of catering establishment and most importantly, every budget. The innovative, newly launched under-counter collection from

Classeq comprises of 13 different machines across two ranges (Standard and Duo), and offers customers space efficient, highly bespoke solutions to their warewashing. With new digital displays for clear visibility of programme and consistent dosing, alongside sustainable and energy efficient features plus easy to use controls, operators are guaranteed great results, wash after wash, backed up by fast service support when needed. Renowned for reliability, effective results and great value – check out Classeq on www.classeq.co.uk or phone Tel: 0844 225 9249

Winterhalter’s New Connected Wash System

Connected appliances will bring a whole new and different type of efficiency to kitchens. Operation managers will be able to monitor equipment like never before and will be able gain efficiencies because of the power of the data at their fingertips. These will be efficiencies like reduced downtime through identifying products or components that are be about to fail.

Winterhalter’s new Connected Wash system exploits the latest networking and digital technologies to make warewashing more efficient, reliable and controllable. Initially available for Winterhalter’s UC Series of undercounter machines, the system allows Winterhalter warewashers to be networked to provide more continuity and efficiency in the kitchen – or in multiple kitchens. The system keeps Winterhalter warewashers working at optimum efficiency as it lets operators know when anything goes wrong.

Automation, across the board, is making cater-

Maidaid Halcyon

Maidaid Halcyon has achieved the impressive milestone of supplying cost effective, high quality products to the professional catering industry for over forty years. We are firmly established as leaders within the industry.

Maidaid Halcyon specialises in commercial warewashing equipment, and icemakers.

Whatever the range or product type, our machines have a longstanding reputation in the UK marketplace for durability, reliability and serviceability.

Our approved distributor’s network is expanding and our client base is growing, so we must be getting it right!

ers’ lives easier. From Winterhalter’s point of view this would be the introduction of software-driven products, such as machines that can be adapted to precise on-site conditions, ones that can automatically adjust their pressure depending on what’s being washed, and units that will automatically replenish water when they sense it is too dirty. Many warewashers can also notify users if they detect basic errors, reducing costly downtime.

For example, Winterhalter’s UC Excellence-iPlus undercounter warewasher features a hybrid technology that saves water while giving the best possible results.

Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance. Alongside its marketleading 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.winterhalterscout.biz or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.

Maidaid Halcyon offer the Evolution, C, D and Amika ranges of glass and dishwashers that provide a suitable solution for the smallest country pub to major city centre venues. With over 40 years of experience in supplying warewashing solutions to the UK hospitality sector they are uniquely placed to provide a model that fits any sites criteria of capital budget and specification’.

Maidaid Halcyon is a double industry award winner during 2016 for its dedicated comprehensive training. One of the main training topics, and one that we are passionate about, is that of good housekeeping and how imperative it is to clean warewashing machines and equipment on a daily basis. Not only will this make the machine last longer but most importantly it will help to maintain high levels of hygiene and give better, cleaner results.

For details on this and all Maidaid Halcyon products please visit www.maidaid.co.uk.

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

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

August 2017

Outdoor Leisure

Tips For Successful Alfresco Dinning At times of economic uncertainty, and Brexit has brough that, it is essential, more than ever, for hospitality operators to ensure that they take advantage of opportunities to maximise sales, and stand out from competitors.

According to a report by Visa, the bad news is that consumer spending in the UK fell for the third month in a row in July, marking the longest period of decline in four years. The good news is that spend in UK hotels, restaurants andpubs/ bars rose by 6% in July compared with the same month a year ago.

That said, there is no better time to maximise sales, than utilising your outdoor areas.

Research has revealed that you can increase sales by a staggering 30%, with the addition of outdoor seating So what exactly are people looking for during the summer? You may recall that we printed an article by Guest Experience Management specialists Hospitality GEM who conducted a survey to determine exactly what guests want when eating or drinking outside. And to re-cap: • 79% of respondents would increase their dwell time if table service were available outside • 48% said that slow or poor service most puts them off from eating outside • Lunch is the most popular meal for al fresco dining, with the majority of customers stating they would choose to eat two course • 39% would expect a pub to offer a children’s play area as part of its outdoor experience

• 32% would like music played through speakers. This is a desire particularly prevalent in those aged 18-35, as they are three times more likely to want music from speakers than those aged 36+ - 39.8% compared to 13.09% • Heating, shelter from the wind and garden umbrellas are all expected as basic facilities for a pub with outside eating • Operators should consider separate eating areas for smokers and nonsmokers. Survey responses include: “I really hate how smokers think they own the outdoor area - it’s the main reason I don’t eat outdoors.” and “Smokers are the biggest issue with eating outside.

• 37% said they would be more inclined to dine al fresco if they could communicate with serving staff via an app on their phone. This figure increases to 45% amongst men, and 53% for the 18-25 age group.

So, taking into account the above statistics here are a few hints and tips to help you get backsides on seats, and the tills ringing (do they still ring?)

1. Don’t rely on perfect wea ther While we have had some extremely sunny days and there are plenty more to come, (hopefully) for all the other days of operating an outdoor seating/drinking/ dining area, sun and rain protection is an absolute must. Poor weather can shut down outdoor seating for days in certain seasons and cut into a restaurant, pub, or hotel’s profits in no time.

Furthermore, as we see on the continent this month, with temperatures of over 40°, too much sun and heat aren’t always welcome either. So, make sure you’re prepared for all types of weather!

And never forget a full and active patio/garden area is the best advert for your is business.

2. Are you Covered?

While we all love

the sun, it can become uncomfortable, and in these healthconscious days over exposure to ultraviolet light can be a concern. Consider investing in shading, this can be in the form of parasols, gazebos, canopies, or umbrellas. Patio cover will allow you to use the space in inclement weather.

3. L ig ht up the a m bia nce ambient lighting enhances your outdoor area, enabling your customers to soak in the natural beauty of your outdoor area. This can include lanterns , down lighting, spotlights, floodlights, a string of lights and table lanterns. Lighting should be subtle enough to provide a warm, comfortable atmosphere, but not intrusive enough to annoy the neighbours!

4. P rotect your diners a nd dining a rea from the wea ther Investing in a retractable canopy makes any outdoor space weatherproof. These options can work with a pergola, as an awning, or with an selection of other outdoor structures, and are perfect for those looking to increase their dining covers without losing precious al fresco dining space in the summer months.

5. Crea te a defined spa ce Consider using expressive boundaries, such as screens, windbreakers or a row of plants or planters, to define a space and give it an architectural structure.

6. Outdoor P lay 42% of families with children will use of outdoor space, and the secret is keeping the little adventurers happy and occupied. This can be in the form of outdoor creative play surfaces, timber built play equipment, or even games such as Jenga! Word of caution children are susceptible to accidents and injury, so make sure your equipment is regularly

checked, maintain records and carry out risk assessments 7. Consider furniture options Since Alfresco dining took off here in Britain there has been an array of wonderfully diverse outdoor furniture to suit every hospitality establishment! Outdoor furniture needs to look inviting, and in keeping with your business and its surroundings It also needs to be durable and able to witstand the elements, easy to clean and if space is an issue stackable. You might also be considering leveraging an outdoor bar with a counter space, adding another level to your entertaining and your diners’ experience.

8. B uild excit em ent with m a rketing “a man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time “ There’s no point in going to all the trouble and expense above if you don’t market yourselves. The weather will have the final say on the exact day your patio opens, but you can still whet the appetite. Signs, table cards, posters (visit www.catererlicensee.com for free event posters) and chalkboards can announce your special patio plans and menu items. Have a planned launch or “soft opening”. Try live entertainment a few evenings or a outdoor happy hour to introduce the patio atmosphere. Or try something low-key, such as a charity event in aid of a good cause as long as it fits your approach to community involvement.

9. Get socia l Constantly update your social media accounts, about any outdoor events. Avoid telling customers what they already know, you’re open and you have food. Play on their senses and inviting them to join the fun, in the form of a band, quiz night, sports events, happy hours, menu specials, or discounts ! The secret is tweet and retweet

Your Outdoor Space Can Make You Money

With one of our great canopies you can turn outdoor space into somewhere usable no matter the weather.

The choice is vast – marquee-style with a clear roof (very funky) or a lightweight retractable. High-end rotating louver roof or fixed polycarbonate. Jumbo umbrella or garden gazebo. It is entirely up to you what you choose, however we will help with advice and options to make sure you make the most of your structure and your space. In addition to the structure there are options for the roof and the walls – solid, retractable, clear, opaque and more. Then there are the lights, speakers and heating!

For more help and information visit our website or give us a call. We are specialists in shade and shelter and we are ready to help.

New for 2017, we have a new logo and new office – but the same great service.

To get in touch, call 0844 561 7679 or email sales@outsidestructures.co.uk

COMMERCIAL SHADE SOLUTIONS Make the most of your outside space

SPECIAL OFFER August & September Buy 7 Get 1 FREE

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 TO OBTAIN A TRADE DISCOUNT PLEASE QUOTE CLH201

Outdoor Leisure

Crown Verity – The Grill To Last A Lifetime, Not Just A Summer...

CROWN VERITY provide the complete outdoor cooking system, with a range of barbecue grills to suit every user – from the publican with a small outdoor space to the busy event caterer looking for the ultimate outdoor kitchen!

Designed to last a lifetime, every model in the range is built to the same high specification, using only the finest materials and workmanship throughout. A 10

year warranty on the Stainless Steel burners and cooking grates speaks for itself!

A Crown Verity barbecue system will pay for itself in a very short period of time and become a great profit generator for many years to come.

The flagship MCB mobile barbecue range leads the way, available in sizes from 30” to 72” - complemented by built in options, traditional charcoal barbecues and hand wash stations – as well as a wide range of add-on accessories to help create a varied menu.

For more details, please contact our Sales Team on 01296 663400, sales@rhhall.com or visit rhhall.com

Sensational Surfacing from NovaPlay THE FOUNDATION of excellent play starts from the ground up: with safe, creative and colourful play surfacing suitable for any installation.

Nova Sport Ltd specialises in the supply and installation of NovaPlay wetpour and rubber mulch surfacing for play areas and walkways.

Both offer low-maintenance, porous play areas that are safe, sustainable and durable.

Where artificial grass is preferred, Nova Sport’s PlayGrass is a durable and attractive addition to any play space, court or multi-use games area (MUGA), combining the realistic appearance of natural grass with a robust surface that requires

minimal maintenance.

Whatever the surface, dull and dated play equipment stifles imagination. Capture children’s imagination with the exclusive new 3D rubber animals range.

Not only do they enhance the look and feel of a facility but also create a greater sense of adventure to feed children's imagination and make play even more fun!

The 3D rubber animals are safe, flexible, diverse, functional and add limitless play value to your leisure facility.

For show-stopping play, from the ground up, contact: Nova Sport Ltd 01332 292202 info@novasport.co.uk www.novasport.co.uk

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

• Attract more customers with your own play area • Beautiful natural timber for long life • Huge range of designs to suit all budgets and areas • See more on our website www.home-front.co.uk For more details. a full colour catalogue or to get a quotation Contact us today

0845 643 2373 info@home-front.co.uk www.home-front.co.uk

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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

Outdoor Leisure glassware storage boxes (glassjacks).

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.

Exciting Ranges From Leisurebench Ltd. HERE AT LeisureBench, we have been working hard to enhance the emerging trend in quality outdoor and indoor furniture.

Fibre cement furniture: Suitable for outdoor or indoor use, our Fibre cement range 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.

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: Our Neptune range 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.

White Pavilion Hospitality Gazebos STYLISH LUXURY Hospitality Gazebos Giving Your Customers 20 Years Relaxing Time… at least.

• Today the Hospitality Trade has a better understanding of adding value to their customers outdoor experience.

• Keeping your customers comfortable outdoors, the more time they will spend with you…. which means more money they will spend. Simples.

• The TRUE cost of a WHITE PAVILION Hospitality gazebo is only the profit from ONE drink a week because our Hospitality Gazebos will last 20 years and more.

• So, no more replacement canopies or parasols or Jumbo umbrellas.

Do not waste your hard earned money on stuff that doesn’t work for your business.

COMPARE these features to anything else on the market. If you can

find anything better - then buy it.

• Long-Life Canopy - 20+ years • Long-Life Pressure Treated Timber • Stainless Steel Brackets & Fixings • Translucent Canopy - lets in 85% of the light • ‘Self Clean’ Canopy • 100% UV Protection • 100% Waterproof • Tested To Safely Withstand 100+ Mph Winds • 40 Colour Choices • Optional Side Screens - Infrared Heaters • Simple Self Build - can be dismantled and moved • 5 Year Guarantee To find out more you must visit our HOSPITALITY page at whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk Call us Today on: 01653 695 285

Top Tips for Successful Barbecuing from Cinders Barbecues

1. Safety

7.Equipment

Ensure that the person connecting the gas bottle to the barbecue is competent in the use of bottled gas, also keep children and less able adults at a safe distance – perhaps a chalkboard or notice could be displayed to this effect.

For convenience you will find it much easier to use disposable plates and cutlery. Estimate the numbers required and add 50%. Make sure any items that require wrapping are done way ahead of time – and don’t forget the spoons for young children and if you are serving dessert.

2. Organisation Organisation is the key to larger scale catering. Organise your staff accordingly and make sure they each know what their specific job will be.

8. System

Choosing the more extrovert members of your staff to be on duty will help to ensure a lively party atmosphere.

Encourage them to put on a show.

It is so important that you devise a system and let everyone know what the system is! Will guests purchase a ticket in advance, or will they pay when they receive their food? Will the staff serve salads, potatoes etc. or will guests help themselves?

These simple points will ensure that your event runs smoothly and with the minimum of effort on the day.

4. Food

9. Themed Events

3. Staff

Your menu should be well prepared in advance. Make sure you keep the fat content of the food as low as possible. Excess fat just causes flares and smoke which is the last thing you need at a large function. Try not to barbecue food straight from the fridge as this makes cooking through to the middle difficult.

5. Profit Remember, customers are willing to pay extra for food off the barbecue, so capitalise on this.

6. Menu Experiment! Try kebabs, salmon, marinated lamb or chicken satay on sticks. Always have a good supply of sauces, salads and coleslaw on hand. Baked potatoes are also very popular and can be cooked beforehand in a conventional oven. Remember the vegetarians amongst your guests, so try spicy vegetable kebabs, stuffed tomatoes baked in foil, or keep a vegetable risotto in a shallow tray on the go. Keep the party going with a dessert menu – bake bananas in their skins and serve with warm chocolate sauce, or wrap soft fruit in foil parcels, sprinkle with brown sugar and bake for about 5 minutes & serve with crème fraiche.

The possibilities are limited only by your imagination!

Starting with music and carrying on the theme - think 60’s, 70’s or 80’s and have your customers crying out for more! Fancy dress is always a party winner - Pirates of the Caribbean and Wild West Nights to name just two! Barbecues are not just for summer – they are great for all outdoor activities and festivals.

Easter Egg Hunts, Halloween and Bonfire Night are great examples.

10. Advertising Use your Social media to good effect and build excitement in the run up to the big day. Use your local newspaper; ‘What’s On’ notices will attract customers who may not have visited your establishment previously. Print a few colourful posters and ask other local businesses to display them in return for a free ticket. Don’t forget the most valuable free advertising of all ‘word of mouth’. Tell everyone you speak to about your planned barbecue – you may well be surprised by the response.

Relax – You Have Followed Our Tips And The Stage Is Set. With The Right Organisation Your Only Job Now Will Be The Bare Minimum Of Supervision. Good Luck And May Your Profits Sizzle!

Pelmondo Outdoor Heating Solutions from Renove Renove based in Ellesmere Port have been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Pelmondo outdoor heating solutions. Pelmondo invented the outdoor pellet heater over two years ago as an easy to use wood burning solution without smoke or ash.

After extensive research, they introduced their first wood pellet based outdoor burner ‘The Fire Cube’ to a rave reception and since then have steadily increased their product portfolio with a number of attractive lines. For 2017 they have introduced their new ‘Fire Barrel’, an outdoor table mounted on a wine barrel with integrated burner

and glass shield and the ‘Fire Table’ for sitting areas.

So why Pelmondo: 1. They are cheap to run … almost 70% less running costs than bottled gas.

2. They look great!

3. They are easy to light and to refill.

4. They are environmentally friendly with a neutral CO2 footprint.

The outdoor burners are an ideal solution for Hotels and Restaurants as the owners love the look of the product and its ability to lift outdoor spaces.

Customers love the natural wood flames and radiant heat from the burners.

To request a catalogue contact Renove on 0151 601 9984, or send us an email on sales@renove.co.uk

Outdoor Leisure

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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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 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

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

The Big Umbrella Company Ltd

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

We specialise in large umbrellas, 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 To obtain a 10% trade discount, please quote: BUDIS

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

Elegant & Sophisticated Woodware

Freshen Up Your Food Service • • • •

Steak Boards Charcuterie Boards Food Presentation Box Steak Stones

www.blackrockgrill.com +44(0)1256 359858 info@blackrockgrill.com

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

August 2017

Breakfast Ideas

Capitalise On Changing Consumer Demand At Breakfast Time For Maximum Profitability “To eat well you should have breakfast Somerset Maugham three times a day.”

THE MESSAGE is breakfast is big! According to research from the NPD group breakfast now accounts for 11.2% of Britons total eating out visits and sales have seen a rise, particularly in pubs of over 20% as licensees have seized the opportunity. Britons spend on average £13 billion a year dining out for breakfast, and with current growth at just under 1% its making headlines as the fastest growing eating out day-part in the total eating out market. As consumers lifestyles get consistently busier, we’re continuing to see the blurring of meal times with many consumers now undertaking a ‘brunch’ option or an all-day heartier breakfast when dining out. Breakfast is growing faster than lunch in the out-of-home (OOH) market.

Last year the NPD study showed the average bill for eating an OOH breakfast is 31% higher (at £3.30) than it was eight years earlier.

In contrast, the average bill for lunch is only 6.5% higher during the same period (£4.57 versus £4.29).

While people still spend more at lunchtime, the gap is closing. In 2008, the price of an eat-out breakfast was 59% that of lunch. In 2016, it is 13% higher at 72% the price of lunch. It’s the same story when viewed in terms of visits. Since 2008, lunch has lost more than 80 million visits, while breakfast has added an extra 107 million.

NPD UK director of foodservice Cyril Lavenant said he expected breakfast to continue to grow faster than lunch, but not at the same extent.

He added: “I think breakfast will still outpace lunch because it’s cheaper. Consumers are likely to cut back on their lunch spend given the current economic uncertainty, whereas breakfast is still affordable. The channel that is seeing the benefit of this trend is bakery because these outlets concentrate on those two day-parts. The sector seeing a negative impact is pubs. They were not serving breakfast eight years ago and while it is growing in the short-term, this is likely to be at the expense of lunch because consumers are unlikely to eat both meals in them. If they switch lunch for breakfast it’s a losing situation in the long-term.”

NPD Group said more people were having breakfast out because they didn’t have time to focus on that meal at home.

Purchasing company Beacon, has extensively researched breakfast trends and is encouraging hospitality operators to rethink their breakfast menus, following new research highlighting a shift in consumer behaviour in the out of home breakfast market. Beacon has shared its insight and advice on the UK breakfast market and the opportunities for growth, with stats revealing that average consumer spend at breakfast has seen a 31% increase since 2015.

Millennials are a key consumer at breakfast and brunch, with 40% of millennials sporadically choosing to avoid gluten as a lifestyle choice it’s important for vendors to know their consumers wants and needs. Kara has partnered with Britain’s favourite Gluten Free brand Genius, to bring a wealth of gluten free products to the foodservice arena. With American cuisine still dominating the UK, sweet Pancakes are proving to be a popular menu choice, up 32% from 2015.

Alice Bexon, Purchasing Manager at Beacon, commented, “Although the number of people eating breakfast out of the home has decreased by 11% since 2015, the increase in consumer spend (+31%) shows that there are still huge opportunities in this market. Consumer habits during breakfast have changed quite quickly over time, so businesses need to stay on top of these trends, to take advantage of opportunities. Working with Kellogg’s, we have identified some of key points for operators to be aware of when it comes to the breakfast table.”

GRAB AND GO CONTINUES TO PERFORM WELL The grab and go concept at breakfast is one that has continued to show growth in the market, with insight revealing that takeaway options now account for 3% of all breakfasts consumed in hotels. We are now regularly seeing more of our customers offering on-the-go options to satisfy the demands of busy corporate guests.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BRANDS Whilst data shows that cereal is the fourth most popular breakfast food in the hotel market, it also shows that guests are more likely to buy cereal if it is branded. This provides a real opportunity for operators to invest in branded goods, which may seem like a more costly option, but will ultimately generate better return.

THE FULL ENGLISH CONTINUES TO REIGN SUPREME The demand for healthier choices at breakfast remains prevalent, however the full English breakfast continues to outperform all other dishes. According to Kellogg’s, UK adults consume an estimated 309 million full English breakfasts per year in the eating out market, compared to just 41 million portions of cereal.”

Alice continued, “The most important factors when it comes to a profitable breakfast menu are ultimately the quality of product, freshness and good value for money. Getting these right, as well as catering to the demands and tastes of your target demographic, will help operators to capitalise on the lucrative opportunities for the most important meal of the day.”

HOTEL ROLLS OUT NEW BREAKFAST MENU Capitalising on the growing trend is New Northumbria Hotel, which is owned

by Newcastle’s leisure and hospitality operator, the Malhotra Group plc, is at the heart of one of Tyneside’s most popular party districts.

They have launched a new breakfast menu, which is served in the hotel’s Scalini’s restaurant, has been designed to appeal to everyone from corporate clients wishing to start their business day ‘sunny side up’ and partygoers recovering from the night before to those staying at the 55-bedroom hotel.

Along with a traditional full English, it offers everything from eggs Benedict and New Yorkstyle pancakes with crispy bacon and maple syrup to smoked haddock kedgeree and kippers.

Current food trends are also catered for with crushed avocado and poached eggs on

toasted sourdough and eggs Florentine – poached eggs and wilted spinach served on a toasted muffin with Hollandaise sauce.

While more adventurous foodies can opt for dishes created specially by the hotel’s chefs, which give classic ingredients a contemporary twist.

These include black pudding Floddi - grilled black pudding, with cheese, bacon, potato hash and a fried egg and four egg omelettes, with fillings such as brie, spinach and smoked salmon A large number of vegetarian options are also available such as sweet potato hash, with avocado, spring onion coriander and a poached egg, baked courgette and horizo egg muffin and breakfast wraps with egg, kale and tomato.

Those looking for a more Continental start to the day can opt for a cold buffet of cereals, fresh fruit, charcuterie, yoghurt, pastries and bread rolls, while customers in a hurry can grab hot sausage, bacon or egg rolls and coffee to take away.

“Breakfast is widely believed to be the most important meal of the day,” said hotel manager Rachael Lavelle, “and we believe it should also be the most interesting.

“So, our chefs have created a menu which caters for every possible taste and combines traditional and contemporary dishes with one thing in common; the best possible ingredients.

“We are confident it will prove very popular with our overnight leisure and corporate guests.

“And, by opening it up to non-residents, too, we hope breakfast at the New Northumbria will become a must, for parents on their way back from the school run, for students and for anyone who just wants an egg-cellent start to the day.”

American Pancakes Proving that we British really are becoming more adventurous in our eating habits, has been the rise of American pancakes!

“American pancakes are really proving popular as breakfast items in the UK at the moment,” said Gordon Lauder, managing director of frozen food distributor Central Foods.

“We sold more than five million individual pancakes in 2016, which, if laid end to end, would reach 6,500 times the height of the Statue of Liberty. Over the past five years, our sales of the pancakes have grown an amazing 74.3%.

“American pancakes are versatile, can be used for sweet or savoury items, and as well as being perfect for breakfast, they also suit a range of meal occasions throughout the day, so are ideal ‘stand by’ products that can be whipped out and used whenever necessary. It takes just minutes to defrost and serve them, so they are great for those who are short on time too.

“The trend for American pancakes shows no sign of slowing down and we’re expecting customers to continue tucking into them for the foreseeable future.”

Pancakes are a great fit for the 2017 food trend of using sweet versions of savoury products and savoury versions of sweet product “It’s something that imaginative operators can consider with American pancakes, which provide a great base for different toppings,” said Gordon. “Try bacon and maple syrup, as well as the more traditional salmon and scrambled egg, for tasty breakfast items.

“With the traditional lines between breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and other meals continuing to blur, it makes good commercial sense for caterers, licensees and hoteliers to stock and offer items on their menus that are versatile and can be served for a range of meal occasions, whether that’s at breakfast, during the morning, or indeed later on. Frozen items are perfect for this, as they can be quickly defrosted and prepared, depending on customer demand. Alongside American pancakes, crumpets, waffles and fruit breads are also ideal for this, as they can be used at breakfast, brunch or later in the day.

“Crumpets really tap into the comfort food trend known as the taste of yesterday trend, providing memories of childhood, and in these uncertain political times, it’s a trend that’s popular in foodservice.

“Products that appeal to a wide audience and are suitable for a range of dietary requirements are great. There are now half a million vegans and 1.14 million vegetarians in the UK, according to an IPSOS Mori poll in 2016, and one in three people is now a flexitarian, avoiding meat most of the time, according to a survey by Forum for the Future/Counterpoint revealed in December 2016. In addition, there are people who don’t eat meat for religious or cultural reasons, so it’s really important to cater for this group at breakfast, as well as at other eating times of the day.

“KaterBake crumpets are suitable for vegans and vegetarians, for example. Items like the KaterBake Fruitbread are also perfect for breakfast, a mid-morning snack or brunch, and are suitable for vegetarians too. They just need thawing and toasting on a panini machine, in a toaster or under a grill, and then they’re ready to serve with butter or butter and jam. Made using a sponge and dough process, enriched with egg, and flavoured with orange zest and cinnamon, they smell great when toasted, which can be very enticing and may encourage customers to not only purchase but to trade up when they’d originally planned on just buying a drink. Importantly, the KaterBake Fruitbread is individually wrapped so operators can just defrost and serve what they need, which reduces waste.”

The nations favourite With the grab-and-go style of eating performing so well, particularly at breakfast with many establishments catering for guests “on the move” the nations favourite breakfast cereal Weetabix (see advert back cover) has seen an increase in sales up +4% to £150million and volume up +4% .

Francesca Davies, Group Head of Category at Weetabix says “Part of this success is down to well-performing sub-categories including high sales of protein cereals. Winner of a 2016 Product of the Year Award, Weetabix Protein biscuits currently own a 54% share of the protein sector, the fastest growing segment of the cereal sector (up +7.3% ). Another product making huge progress in sales in the category are breakfast drinks, with Weetabix On the Go drinks selling 40 million bottles to date, with a 76% share of the category.”

Developing the Weetabix Protein range has been a direct response to the 40% increase in consumer demand for food products that will help people increase their protein intake. This figure has seen Protein Cereals rapidly grow to a £13.1m category. The Weetabix Protein range fulfils this demand, offering a wide variety of products including Weetabix Protein biscuits, Weetabix Protein Crunch Original and Chocolate, plus our convenient breakfast drink Weetabix Protein On The Go, available in three variants; Vanilla, Strawberry & Raspberry and our new Chocolate flavour – the best-selling flavour in the dairy drinks category.

The drinks range appeals to the high number of young consumers between 18-35 years old who regularly skip breakfast thanks to increasingly busy lifestyles and is a must stock for the impulse channel. The drinks offer a tasty combination of milk, protein, soluble wheat fibre, and the addition of fruit in some of the variants, blended into a deliciously smooth breakfast drink

that comes in resealable 250ml bottles.

Problems with space?

As options for breakfast increase their will invariably be a pressure on the amount of space set aside for breakfast/dining areas. To help counter this, Alpen, the UK’s number one muesli brand has announced it will reduce case sizes of sachets of its muesli brand sold to caterers in the hospitality sector. In response to the problem of limited storage space in hospitality venues, cases will now contain 30x50g sachets, a reduction of 20 sachets per box, and will measure a compact 90x16x163mm to better suit the needs of hospitality operators.

Reducing case sizes creates more flexible storage solutions for hospitality operators under increasing demand to stock a range of options for their guests. Changing consumer habits has created the need for venues to offer more variety and reduced pack sizes not only allows operators to store and offer guests a more varied selection of foods, it also ensures that Alpen remains a key product for operators looking to offer guests their favourite brands. In-turn this will undoubtedly enhance guest experience and drive more custom for these venues.

Sarah Morris, National Food Service Account Manager at Weetabix Food Group says, “The decision to reduce our case sizes comes from our commitment to meeting the needs of the food service industry. At Alpen, we understand that hotels, pubs and other hospitality venues are a key stream of revenue for wholesalers, and as the industry evolves we always seek to evolve our products to meet its needs.”

Wake up and smell the coffee Drinks matter in the morning, not just to consumers looking for a caffeine kickstart to begin the day, but also to the operator who wants to capitalise on the current boom in breakfast as an eating out occasion. Research from Allegra world coffee portal has revealed that the coffee market is expected to grow considerably in the coming years. According to the Allegra World Coffee Portal: Project Café2016 UK, the branded coffee chain alone segment recorded £3.3 billion turnover across 6,495 outlets, following impressive outlet growth of 12% and delivering sales growth of 15%.

Jonny Forsyth, Global Drinks Analyst at Mintel, also highlighted the growth in the coffee market, he said:“The nation’s appetite for coffee shows no signs of abating. The coffee boom has been remarkably recession-resistant in the past decade, which illustrates just how important a part of UK culture the fresh, specialty coffee habit has become. However, in 2015, the UK market was also helped by the increase in real incomes and consumer confidence seen during the year, which has led to more spend per visit. Large coffee shop chains continue to expand aggressively which is helping to boost the market.”

Today, as many as three quarters of Brits (74%) buy hot drinks out-of-home, with just over one quarter (27%) using independent coffee shops or cafes, 27% using fast food chains and a significant minority (14%) of consumers buying hot drinks from restaurants, pubs and hotels.

Purchase of hot drinks out of the home peaks among Millennials before declining with age.

Those aged 16-34 are more likely than most to buy any hot drink out-of-home with 81% doing so, compared to 67% of those aged over 65.

However, it seems that it is the older consumers who are most likely to be coffee connoisseurs with respect to quality. Of those aged 45-64 who buy hot drinks out of the home, three in five (60%) say that high quality coffee was an important influence when choosing where to buy their beverages, compared to just 50% of those aged 16-34.

Leading coffee and coffee machine supplier JURA (see advert page 14) who place a keen emphasis on innovation, precision, quality, reliability, sustainability is the only brand anywhere in the world to focus solely on automatic speciality coffee machines and is positioned as a specialist in this market. Coffee machines from JURA are associated with the best coffee result, the simplest operation and stunning design.

JURA coffee machines are self-explanatory, easy and intuitive to use. To name just one example, the filter cartridge and coffee machine are wirelessly linked by RFID technology. The machine automatically recognises the filter and selects the appropriate settings.

JURA coffee machines are durable. Even after years of use, they can be maintained during service. Components are reconditioned to save precious resources. This is ensured by a dense, global network of service factories, Hospitality Centers and authorised JURA service centres.

Jura's automatic speciality coffee machines opperate very simply at the touch of a button … or by touching your smartphone display. Ingenious operating concepts, numerous programming options, RFID and mobile app technologies make operation totally self-explanatory and always satisfy individual desires.

JURA's software engineers are revolutionising the enjoyment of coffee: An app can be used to conveniently undertake all settings on your smartphone*. To start preparing your customised specialities, just touch your mobile's display. The clever bit is that your personal preferences are stored in the app. So you can prepare speciality coffees to your own taste at any time on all JURA automatic coffee machines fitted with Smart Connect.

Fancy something ususual? A recent poll by industry booking specialists eviivo revealed some rather unusual breakfast requests including King Prawn Vindaloo and a boiled egg, CornFlakes in lager and a plate of fried onions, Weetabix and Marmite, smoked salmon and HP sauce and curry omlette!

TOP BREAKFAST TIPS • Open early and make sure customers know with prominent signage.

• Make sure coffee is good quality.

• Offer healthy options – people are more likely to eat healthily in the morning.

• Try offering loyalty points.

Design and Refit Welcome to Big Red Industries We at Big Red Industries strive to take your vision and make it a reality. We endeavour to bring perfection to all aspects of construction, joinery, bar refurbishments, renovations, decking, decoration, flooring and much more.

Big Red Industries understands that undertaking any type of construction/ maintenance work is a big decision for you to make. We like to help remove the stress about this work with a fantastic project management team and a team of skilled personnel. We equally understand that time is a massive factor to consider. Whether a home renovation or a full build of a commercial

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

property we aim to keep the work to the tightest constraints without compromising our fantastic quality.

We were fortunate enough to work with Revolution Bars Group PLC on one of their most popular bars, Revolucion de Cuba Manchester. The bar required an updated feel and we were asked to provide different touches across two floors. We started in the venue at 6am Sunday morning and had finished on Wednesday night. Visit our website and take a look at our video with music very fitting to the Revolucion de Cuba feel!

Nothing is Impossible. We are Big Red! For further details visit www.wearebigred.com

Sealy - The World’s No.1 Bed Brand

Sealy has collaborated with some of the largest hospitality chains and leading hotel groups in the UK. From Center Parcs to the Malmasion and the Savoy, Sealy have acquired numerous years of experience in delivering large quantities of beds and mattresses on time and within budget.

The World’s No.1 Bed Brand upholds a level of excellence by delivering an extensive range of beds and mattresses that are engineered around a simple premise: that quality of sleep is every bit as important as quantity of sleep. Through the intertwinement of the most advanced technological developments and state-of-the-art design, Sealy lead the way in product innovation.

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.

As a direct importer of commercial furniture Mayfair Furniture offer the most

Luxury hotel company, the Langham Hospitality Group, have recently partnered with Sealy to deliver sleep solutions within its infamous hotel in West London. Known for delivering the highest standard in customer care and satisfaction across the world, the Langham Hospitality Group has chosen Sealy as its preferred supplier to maintain and extend its global reputation. Sealy are delivering an order of around 350 renowned Palatial Crest beds to the hotel in the UK, with the aim of sustaining the company’s promise of luxury, quality and world class service.

Contact Sealy Contracts DepartmentTel – 016973 24417 E-mail – contracts@sealy.co.uk Website – www.contract.sealy.co.uk See advert on page 32 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 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

TOTEM CHP at New London Hotel

Adveco Ltd. has been awarded the contract to supply a TOTEM T25 m-CHP within a complete domestic hot water system at a new value hotel located near the Gherkin in central London. The TOTEM CHP will operate alongside six Adveco stainless steel calorifiers and a cascade of A.O. Smith Upsilon boilers in an ultra-high efficiency water heating system serving almost 400 rooms.

The design of the system allows the CHP to achieve high run hours to maximise its contribution to overall efficiency and cost savings. Primary system water will be pre-

heated by the CHP via an Adveco MSS buffer vessel, before feeding into stainless steel indirect calorifiers to heat the building water in conjunction with the boiler cascade.

The Adveco TOTEM is the product of almost 40 years of R&D. Manufactured in Italy by Totem Energy s.r.l., it features a 1.4-litre Fiat Fire engine sourced from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles paired with an ECU and catalytic converter supplied and tuned by automotive experts Magneti Marelli. This grants the TOTEM the highest total cogeneration efficiencies available on the UK market in addition to carbon and NOX emissions less than 10% of other CHP appliances within its market sector.

Find out more by visiting http://www.adveco.co/totem/ today!

To advertise in the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier Tel 01202 552333

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Design and Refit

Go Beyond Sustainable Business Practices

HOTELIERS ARE switching on to the value of adopting sustainable practices within their businesses, using this as a compelling message to communicate to today’s environmentally friendly consumers but also to cut down on operating costs.

“But it’s important that hoteliers take a stance on sustainability beyond their own operations and strengthen their consumer message further by looking at their entire supply chain,” says Sara Nolan Sales Manager for The Fine Bedding Company Hospitality Division.

The Fine Bedding Company has released new figures relating to the production of its entire product range designed especially for the hospitality sector, demonstrating how it’s leading the industry in environmentally friendly practices.

It has revealed that • 100% of the energy used to produce its synthetic duvets and pillows comes from certified renewable sources • Compared to the industry standard, it has a 19% lower carbon footprint on its duvet production • 94% of waste from its production facility in 2016 was recycled into ‘use’ and ‘energy’ • Its Spundown duvet uses up to 30% less fibre than the market average to produce the same tog rating (but still delivering loft) The Fine Bedding Company Hospitality Division produces all of its synthetic duvets and pillows in their state of the art facility that has been awarded Eco Factory status and last year was named Estonian Environmentally Friendly Business of the Year.

Sara Nolan says “Over the past few years, we’ve recognised the positive eco measures that hotel operators are taking as part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility) policies.

“Simultaneously, consumer awareness and demand for eco-friendly accommoda-

tion is on the rise, with a recent report claiming that 68 per cent of hotel guests are more likely to consider accommodation knowing that it was eco-friendly.

“It’s important for our customers to know that the products they’re specifying have been produced in an environmentally friendly way and there is a great opportunity for them to convey this to the end user as part of their eco credentials.

“Our environmental policies focus on quality, energy and resource efficiency. We aim to reduce the carbon footprint of our products through sustainable manufacturing and better quality performance.”

In addition to green production credentials, The Fine Bedding Company also offers hoteliers some of the most easy to wash products on the market, which in turn helps businesses reduce their laundering costs.

Sara Nolan comments, “Many hotels are recognising the benefits of using bedding that can be washed in-house, and we’re able to supply products that meet this need with our Spundown collection.”

It isn’t just the synthetic product range that comes with industry leading accreditations. The Fine Bedding Company and Nimbus natural ranges are setting industry standards in quality assurances regarding the traceability of their natural feather and down fillings. Both of these brands carry globally recognised quality assurances, full IDFL certification and also the Downpass seal, that that certifies no live plucking or force feeding practices occur, and products are traced from parent farms to finished product.

“Some of our customers include Intercontinental London O2, City Apartments, Motel One, who all report huge cost savings without compromising on quality.”

For further information visit www.finebeddinghotels.co.uk or call 0161 864 5632.

Air Conditioning Associates Limited We can offer air conditioning, heating & ventilation, design, installation and service & maintenance both residential and commercial, at a very competitive price.

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising VSRW designs cut gas consumption and minimise the risk of legionella at The Old Palace Lodge.

When The Old Palace Lodge experienced problems with their aged boilers and hot water plant, VSRW were asked to carry out a feasibility study, with a view to maintaining the existing plant, whilst having new boilers and hot water plant installed, so as not to disrupt the hotel’s operations.

This was doubly important, as the new heating and hot water plant, would have to feed the proposed 18 bedroom extension.

As this required a significant investment from the owner of The Old Palace Lodge, VSRW accepted a deal that they would only receive 2/3 of their fee at tender stage and, the remaining 1/3 when the gas savings were realized.

as the previous hot water system was based on tank fed storage calorifiers, the new mains fed hot water generators have helped minimise the risk of legionella.

The new installation has resulted in significant gas and Co2 reductions and,

VSRW Ltd 27 Wallingford, Bradville, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK13 7DN

VSRW proposed that one of the existing bedrooms was converted into a new plantroom to house 2No. condensing boilers and 2No. anti-legionella “loading” hot water generators.

Hotel owner Martyn Murphy said “it’s amazing that the heating and hot water are better than ever, whilst producing positive savings.

Telephone: (01908) 315366 Mobile: 07736 067547

www.vsrw.co.uk

Air Conditioning Associates specialise in all aspects of heating, ventilation and air conditioning. We operate across London, the south-east and beyond.

Up-and-down the country you are never far away from an ACA satisfied clients.

We can offer the complete solution, from free site surveys and quotations through to design, assistance with planning applications, installation and preventative maintenance.

Our customer base is expanding and and diverse including blue-chip companies, schools, charities, hospitality, and com-

mercial clients, allowing us to continually develop our understanding and experience. Our experienced design team will offer expert guidance on the most cost-effective and energyefficient system for your needs. No air conditioning project is too big or too small. We are here to help.

Tel: 0208 977 0208 fax: 0208 977 0200 info@airconac.co.uk www.airconac.co.uk

Design and Refit

Rearo Expands the RapidFit Range

RapidFit the industry leading range of ‘off the shelf ’ washroom solutions has been extended into two complimentary systems: RapidFit MR-MFC and RapidFit Compact.

RapidFit MR-MFC toilet cubicles, vanity units and IPS wall panels are now available in a extended choice of eight mix and match colours with a five year guarantee.

RapidFit Compact cubicles have been introduced with high-traffic areas in mind. It is vandal resistant, 100% waterproof and extremely hardwearing. Compact comes in 10 complementary colours and is guaranteed for 10 years.

Kevin Nicoll, sales manager at Rearo, said:

“The new RapidFit systems have three main benefits for our customers: convenience, choice and with the Compact range durability.

“RapidFit can be collected the next day and is sold in components, so that our customers can buy a single door or pilaster, or a whole cubicle system. It’s very quick and flexible.

“We’ve chosen complementing colours that can mix and match to create a stylish, bespoke design and the Compact cubicles offers a extremely tough solution when it is needed.”

For more information and full specifications, visit the rearo website at www.rearo.co.uk or call 0141 440 0800 to request a brochure or samples.

CFB Boilers Gets Energy Bills Out of Hot Water

Round-the-clock demand for heating and hot water in hotels and catering facilities can create significant financial burdens.

The 80kW and 100kW gas or oil hot water boilers can be fitted individually or combined (from two to eight boilers) using CFB Boilers’ cascade kits, thus providing condensing outputs of up to 800kW. To precisely match heat demand, single boilers can automatically modulate output down to 19kW or less, while multi-boiler cascade systems can modulate down to 2.5% of total output. Consequently, system efficiency is always high – even when heat demand is low – and fuel consumption is significantly reduced. Wear and tear is also minimised.

CFB Boilers’ renowned 24/7 technical support covers everything from system layout design to installation. For more information about the GB 162 hot water boiler range, please contact CFB Boilers on 01255 224500 or visit www.steamboilers.co.uk.

The Vandal Resistant Toilet Door Lock From Burstcatch Locks are a critical part of the decision process when designing or refurbishing your bathroom.

Durable and hard-wearing toilet cubicle locks are essential to ensure longevity of your investment.

Burstcatch ensures both privacy and security of your bathroom cubicles with its unique, patented vandal resistant design.

Built to last in the most extreme of environments, Burstcatch is designed to operate flawlessly in the washroom environment.

Suitable for extreme high traffic commercial toilet areas such as night clubs, bars and restaurants.

Burstcatch is the standard fitting in the UK’s largest pub chains JD Weatherspoon, Yates, Mitchell & Butler, Stonegate and Missoula Bars Burstcatch ensures their washrooms are always 100% operational, reaping the financial benefits everyday.

• Privacy with unique anti-vandal door

lock design • Works with all types of toilet cubicle doors • Built strong. Built to last. Built to save you money.

• Guaranteed to save your toilet cubicle doors and locks from vandals.

In the high traffic pub and club environment it's essential your toilet doors stay operational. Burstcatch will give you the piece of mind that once fitted you no longer have to call out service engineers to repair your toilet cubicle doors. Generally a call out would be £60 plus per call, so its a simple calculation to see Burstcatch is a valuable investment.

Customer safety is ensured with our unique design.

Burstcatch will allow standard privacy but if you are required to access a cubicle during an emergency situation you can easily force the door open without causing any damage to the toilet door hardware or to the door. Safety without the expense!

Tel: 0151 608 8666 or visit www.burstcatch.co.uk

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Design and Refit

Kingston’s New DoubleTree Hilton Hotel Welcomes LED Filament Lamps AN IMPRESSIVE range of decorative, vintage-style Bright Goods LED filament lamps was specified to enhance distinct areas of Kingston’s brand new DoubleTree Hilton hotel.

The lamps, all in 2.2K very warm colour temperatures highlight the various shaped LED filaments and create a welcoming, atmospheric ambience. The Florence 6W sepia tinted maxi globes, for example are hung bare and installed in clusters amongst the copper pipework that runs around the perimeter of the restaurant, giving a contemporary industrial feel. The Elizabeth 3W candles, Joseph 5W GLS’, Jane 6W sepia tinted classic pears and John 6W long tubes are installed throughout the reception area, lobby, lounge, kitchen, bar and restaurant area

providing the ultimate warm and cosy glow for all visitors.

Steven Brazil, General Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton in Kingston said, “Aesthetically we were looking to create a modern and industrial décor and the Bright Goods LED filament lamps definitely helped us achieve this. They look fantastic and we have received some really positive feedback from our hotel guests who have commented on their vintage-modern design. We wanted to incorporate ‘mood lighting’ which could be altered throughout the day and into the evening and as these lamps are fully controllable, and can be dimmed when required, they were exactly what we were looking for.”

For details call 01276 691 230, visit www.brightgoods.co.uk or email sales@brightgoods.co.uk

Airbloc Air Curtain Installed at Porter & Rye, Glasgow

WHEN THEY launched their new top flight steak restaurant Porter & Rye in Glasgow, owners Kained Holdings chose a natural, rustic look for the décor. However, an influx of cold air every time the door opened was definitely not on the menu. Airbloc was called in to provide a HVAC solution that would keep draughts at bay and ensure a comfortable environment for diners.

Porter & Rye specialises in quality dry-aged meats and classic mixed drinks.

The restaurant occupies the ground floor of an elegant Georgian building on Argyle Street, close to the bustling West End, and incorporates a mezzanine. It is in an exposed location, in as much as cold air is channelled along the street from Kelvin Grove Park directly towards the entrance.

Airbloc, which is part of Nortek Global HVAC, supplied an air curtain from its AC Chassis range. The electrically heated CMS1000HE12-SM unit delivers a powerful downflow of heated air to create comfortable conditions for staff and customers. It is a highly energy-efficient HVAC solution, typically reducing, heat loss around an open door by up to 80%.

The CMS air curtain is suitable for a variety of commercial and retail applications and is intended for discreet positioning in suspended ceilings or doorway bulkheads.

However, Kained Holdings – which also operates a Porter & Rye restaurant in Edinburgh and Lebowski’s bar in

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 cus-

Glasgow – deliberately chose to have the unit in full view.

The owners wanted an ‘industrial look’ to complement the overall décor, which makes a feature of the exposed stone and ironwork. Airbloc therefore supplied the unit with an unpainted outlet and grille. This not only created the aesthetic effect required, but also ensured that the flush, adjustable grille was a perfect match for the restaurant’s frameless glass door.

Mo Clark, Estates Director at Kained Holdings, said: "A warm and welcoming environment is vital if we are to attract and retain customers, so we had to find a way to counteract the cold winds that we experience in the Finneston area of Glasgow.

"The air curtain has solved the problem. We can't stop the wind from blowing but, thanks to Airbloc's solution, there's no noticeable impact on the comfort of diners when customers enter or leave the restaurant. The unit is economical to run in its own right, and the building's main heating system doesn't have to work extra hard, which would result in an increase in our energy bills, to maintain the set temperature."

For improved energy management, the air curtain was installed in conjunction with Airbloc’s class-leading SmartElec controller. Incorporating MODBUS protocol and digital sensors, the system allows closer control, enabling end users to save 40%-65% on their energy costs.

For further information visit www.ambirad.co.uk or call 01384 489 250.

tomers 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

Design and Refit

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 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.contractfurniture.co.uk or email info@contractfurniture.co.uk

HotelContractBeds - Premium Quality At Affordable Prices WE’RE ONE of the leading suppliers of contract approved beds and mattresses within the UK. Manufactured by ourselves, we pride ourselves on high quality whilst also providing comfortable low trade prices. While of course we offer all the standard UK sizes for beds and mattresses, we also provide an affordable bespoke service that will enable you to get the exact bed, mattress or sofa bed required for your establishment.

We work on a no minimum order

value policy, meaning you may order as much, or as little as you need. This enables us to supply the big hotel chains, while also providing top quality to the smaller and independent hotels.

Delivery is free of charge for all mainland UK orders with an estimated time of 3-5 working days. And what’s more, you can be assured that every contract bed manufactured and supplied via HotelContractBeds - including our memory foam mattresses, sofa beds, zip and link beds and divan sets - complies with BS5852 and Crib 5, ensuring that they pass stringent fire safety inspections. Call our friendly sales team on 01234 834693 or visit our website www.hotelcontractbeds.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

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Stainless Steel Centre Prep Tables

Chef King Imperial Lava Rock Chargrill

Stainless Steel Wall Shelves

Gastroline Serve Over Counters

24" / 615mm Wide

£29 FROM

£69 FROM

£69 900mm W x 600mm D x 890mm H £79 1200mm W x 600mm D x 890mm H £89 1500mm W x 600mm D x 890mm H £99 600mm W x 600mm D x 890mm H

Gastroline Bottle Coolers

£259

£799 FROM

FROM

Double Door Hinged Double Door Sliding

£259 £269

Italinox Prisma 12” Dough Roller Made In Italy

Quattro 108ltr Convection Oven

£4 49

£299 Burco Titan Natural Gas or LPG 6 Burner Gas Cooker

900mm W x 600mm D x 860mm H

220kg an Hour Mincer MG 22SS

Sous Vide Thermal Circulator

Quattro 1000w Programmable Microwave

Gastroline PS300 3 Door Refrigerated Prep Counter

Italinox MK Hood Dishwasher

£3 49

White 400ltr Catering Fridge

£3 49

Italinox MK 500mm Basket Dishwasher with Drain Pump

£799

£999

£299

£109

£599

£29 £39

1200mm W x 600mm D x 860mm H £49

£149

Italinox 400mm Shaft Hand Held Mixer - Blender

£129

1.5mtr £799 2.0mtr £899

Twin Ceramic Plate Contact Grill

£899

£475

600mm W x 600mm D x 860mm H

Fish Fridge Including 7 x Fish Trays

£699

Vacuum Packer 300mm Wide Seal

Italian Prisma 8 x 13” Pizza Oven. Made In Italy

£749

£275 1/1 Wet Heat Bain Marie with Drain Tap and Pans

GAM MI250 Heavy Duty Anodised Slicer 10" / 250mm

£99

All prices shown are excluding VAT. Full terms and conditions available on our website www.ecateringonline.co.uk. Whilst stocks last.

£3 49

Property and Professional

Right To Work? Navigating The 2017 Licensing Law Changes

By Louise Portman, licensing lawyer and Rachel Harvey, business immigration specialist from Shakespeare Martineau

WITH THE hospitality and leisure industry now well into its busy summer season, many hotels, bars and restaurants will be continuing to take on staff to provide extra support over the coming weeks and months.

With businesses in the sector commonly turning to workers from areas such as Eastern Europe to fill posts during peak periods, and legislation to control the recruitment of illegal immigrants having been in place for a number of years, ‘right to work’ checks will already be a priority for many licence holders.

However, recent changes to the 2003 Licensing Act and

statutory guidance, means that there is far more scope for licences to be under greater scrutiny, which could lead to the closure of licensed premises if illegal workers are found to be present. When entering into one of the busiest periods of the year, hospitality proprietors must now be more diligent than ever about who they employ.

Statutory changes to the Licensing Act which came into force in April mean that businesses risk losing their licence if found to be failing to comply with immigration law. In addition to a premises licence, any establishment looking to sell alcohol is also required to employ at least one person holding a personal licence. In order to apply for either type of licence, an individual must demonstrate their right to work in the UK. Crucially, premises that sells alcohol must have a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) who holds a personal licence. If these lapse, the establishment must not sell alcohol until a new DPS is in place and if caught doing so, the licence could be revoked.

The timings of when licences are granted is also crucial. If

an individual is granted a licence after 6 April 2017, and their entitlement to work in the UK lapses for example due to the expiry of a visa, then the license will also be automatically revoked, inhibiting premises from serving alcohol and late-night refreshments. However, for individuals that were granted their licence before 6 April 2017, their circumstances will be reviewed, and although it may still result in revocation of their licence, it is not necessarily the only outcome.

Moreover, immigration enforcement teams now possess new powers to enter and inspect premises under the Licensing Authority. This means that rather than having to rely on the police, these newly termed ‘responsible authorities’ can review licences or issue closure notices directly.

In order to ensure they remain on the right side of the law when delivering their seasonal recruitment drive, it is essential that businesses have a clear and up-to-date knowledge of Home Office guidance as well as adopting a meticulous approach to who they employ.

When conducting ‘right to work’ checks, businesses coming under pressure to fill roles quickly may be tempted to allow staff to begin work immediately pending the receipt of a passport or other documentation. However, in reality, such an approach constitutes a severe breach of legislation. In order to ensure they can prove the status of employees to immigration enforcement officers, business owners should make sure they

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

37

not only see a worker’s original passport, but also make themselves a copy and sign and date it. Another common pitfall is taking for granted an individual’s right to work in the UK based on their accent, ethnicity or general appearance.

Applying a universal and diligent approach to the document checking of potential new recruits is the most effective way that employers can prevent against penalties which could ultimately threaten the future of their business.

With immigration offences often closely associated with crimes such as trafficking or failure to provide the minimum wage, the changes introduced in April do have an important purpose. Moreover, the hospitality sector is likely to see an explosion of these checks in the coming months. This issue is likely to be exacerbated by potential new rules following the UK’s departure from the EU, requiring EU nationals to provide documents confirming their right to work, which may tempt some licence holders in the service industry to cut corners.

However, with the risk of businesses ultimately losing their licence, the price for being caught doing so is one that employers cannot afford to pay.

By ensuring a clear understanding of the recent changes to licensing law and putting strong processes in place when it comes to checking candidates’ right to work, service industry employers can negotiate post-Brexit challenges smoothly.

For Sale: Renowned High Quality Destination Pub/Restaurant With Excellent Level Of Turnover PROPERTY SPECIALISTS Stonesmith are offering to market The Blue Ball Inn Sidford, Sidmouth, East Devon - an impressive and profitable destination pub/restaurant, with extensive outdoor space and 9 en-suite letting rooms.

The Blue Ball is one of the South West’s most well renowned and well regarded high quality destination pub restaurants, with origins dating back to 1385. Exceptionally well presented throughout, the property was completely refurbished and refurnished to an exacting standard following a fire and reopened in 2007. The high standards inherent throughout all of the business ensures excellent levels of regular repeat business and word of mouth recommendations, with the business being well regarded by its clientele for its high quality freshly prepared food using the finest local produce, set in an attractive character property. With an enviable reputation and excellent levels of year round repeat trade, the business attracts customers from a wide catchment area. The business has been awarded 4 Star Guest Accommodation by the AA.

The Blue Ball Inn is a prominent landmark building standing alongside the A3052 Exeter to Lyme Regis main road, in the village of Sidford. Sidford is located on the outskirts of the popular and attractive East Devon Regency town of Sidmouth, an affluent town situated on the Jurassic Coast.

This high quality destination public house and restaurant briefly comprises:- Public Bar (24+), Lobby and Family Dining Area’s (32), Lounge Bar (50+), Restaurant and Dining Areas (65+), Function Room and Skittle Alley (80+), Commercial Catering Kitchen with extensive backup facilities, 9 High Quality En-Suite Letting Bedrooms, Residents Lounge. Externally, the property benefits from extensive Trade Gardens, Patio Terrace and a Barbecue Area with seating for 116 customers, extensive Car Parking and a separate paddock.

With a net turnover in the order of £1.4m, the leasehold business opportunity is on the market for offers invited on £275,000. Full property details are available from the website www.stonesmith.co.uk and viewings arranged by calling 01392 201262.

The Bee, Windlesham, Surrey on the Market Why Invest in France?

LEADING NATIONAL Licensed Property Agents Guy Simmonds have been instructed to sell the highly impressive 19th century village inn; the Bee, situated in the sought after and affluent location of Windlesham, Surrey.

National Sales Director Martin McConnell said, “Our client has refurbished and modernised this delightful pub throughout with no expense spared and during his ownership has achieved an extremely solid and well-established trading foundation which can be fully emulated; yet still offers massive potential to increase the turnover and profits by focussing on an intensive marketing campaign to promote the diversity of the premises for being used for parties and private functions etc”

This imposing and traditional inn features a warm and relaxing Public Bar (circa 50), a private Dining Room (circa 14 covers) and a versatile and a Function Room/Restaurant (circa 30+ covers). There is also a fully equipped Commercial Catering Kitchen and the family accommodation briefly comprises: 3 good sized bedrooms, office and shower room. There is also a good sized Beer Garden (circa 100+) with an outside Bar and Patron’s car parking facilities for circa 15+ cars.

Price: £150,000. Tenure: Leasehold – 6½ years remaining. Turnover: Advised current sales circa £635,000 (incl. VAT). Trade Split: 50% wet and 50% food. Rent: £45,000 per annum. Landlord: Enterprise Inns.

For further information, please contact Guy Simmonds on 01332 865112

INVESTMENT IN commercial real estate totalled well over 30bn euros last year and continues to grow. It is a mature, transparent, market where Hotels are a popular asset for international investors, with around 4bn euros invested in 2016. France offers attractive income returns with a stable economy and a growing opportunity for rental growth.

Leggett was recently listed by the Financial Times as one of the top 10 fastest growing property consultancies in Europe.

They offer an award winning service throughout France which includes: Agency, Development & Investment, Valuations, Marketing, Sale Consultancy … Our bilingual

team works closely with dedicated English speaking lawyers, notaires and accountants, specialising in the disposal and acquisition of commercial property in France. With over 400 Leggett Immobilier agents spread across France, Leggett have a unique opportunity to source commercial property opportunities in all the major centres / regions, including hotels, retail opportunities, student accommodation, car parks and offices.

France is the world’s top tourist destination … here the hospitality industry is built on solid fundamentals, enabling it to weather economic downturn. It has a great deal to offer tourists, ranging from its varied landscape, to its culture and lifestyle. Its many dynamic sectors (ski, business, culture, wine etc) give France a unique appeal. As a result, France has become one of the world’s most dynamic markets for hotel transactions with a continued rise in overseas investment activity.

Contact : Christopher Smith Tel: +33 (0)5 53 60 84 88 Email: hotels@leggett.fr www.Leggett-Hotels.com

38

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

Property and Professional

August 2017

The White Lyon & Dragon, Worplesdon, Surrey on the Market LEADING NATIONAL Licensed Property Agents Guy Simmonds have been instructed to sell the highly impressive 20th century inn, the White Lyon & Dragon, situated in the affluent and highly sought after village of Worplesdon.

T H E W E S T C O U N T RY S P E C I A L I S T S

BUCKFASTLEIGH, DEVON

EXETER CITY CENTRE

DORSET

Substantial Country Hotel & Restaurant Bar (18), 2 Restaurants (74) 14 En-Suite Letting Bedrooms Flexible 3 Bedroom Private Accom Gardens, Car Parks & Small Paddock Area

Impressive City Centre Guest House 9 Quality Letting Rooms & Owners Accom Trading on Bed & Breakfast Only Basis Attractive Home & Profitable Business An Internal Inspection is Recommended

Extremely Well Regarded Daytime Cafe Dorset Town Centre Close to Coast Cafe Dining Area (26), Al Fresco Seating (10) Impressive 2 Bedroom Owners Accom.

Outstanding Catering Opportunity

DEVON COASTAL TOWN Upmarket Licensed Cafe & Coffee Shop Prime Sought After Coastal Town Presented to High Specification Main Cafe & Dining Area (46+) Impressive & Growing Levels of Trade Move In and Start Trading

2063C

5959

FH £395,000

SOMERSET

Quality Destination Inn & Restaurant Bar & Restaurant (50+) Trade Gardens & Terrace (100+) 5 En-Suite Letting Rooms, 2 Bed Private Set in over 1 Acre Grounds

NEW FREE OF TIE LEASE £54,950 4750

2061

SOUTH HAMS, DEVON

Licensed Restaurant with Accommodation Sought After Estuary Town Main Restaurant (60) Rear Courtyard Garden (38+) 3 Bedroom Owners Accomomdation Excellent Catering Opportunity

LH £49,950

2066

NE W

NE W

LH £145,000

FH £595,000

NE W

5980

NE W

FH £545,000

MID DEVON

EXETER

SHREWSBURY, SHROPSHIRE

Well Regarded Town Centre Restaurant (50) Impressive 3 Bed Accommodation Gardens, Car Parking (6) Well Presented Throughout Superb Home & Business Opportunity

Quality City Centre Restaurant Highly Desirable Trading Position Restaurant Areas for 70 Customers Bar Area & Fully Equipped Commercial Kitchen Impressive Levels of Trade & Profits

On Instructions of The Forestry Commission Only Catering Facility In Forest Cafe (20+), Exeternal Seating (72) Adjacent to Large Customer Car Park Approx 240,000 Day Visits Per Year

LH £64,950

1927A

LH £60,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

2067

NEW LEASE-NIL PREMIUM 1988

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

To advertise in the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier Tel 01202 552333

National Sales Director Martin McConnell said “this cracking pub is a truly lovely little gem on the outskirts Guildford and is offered on a highly desirable ‘part tied’ lease. The White Lyon & Dragon is ideally situated within a short distance to the town centre of Guildford and close to many National Trust circular walks and attractions enabling this delightful inn to capture trade from visitors and tourists; coupled with the excellent local trade making this lovely inn an extreme-

ly popular venue with ever increasing levels of trade all year round.”

This delightful inn features a traditional Lounge Bar (circa 40) and a versatile and multi-functional Restaurant (circa 80 covers). There is also a fully equipped Commercial Catering Kitchen and the family accommodation briefly comprises: 6 good sized bedrooms, lounge, office, 2 kitchens and 2 shower rooms. There is also a good sized Beer Garden and Patron’s car parking facilities for circa 30+ cars.

Price: £25,000. Tenure: Leasehold.

Turnover: Advised current turnover circa £600,000 (incl. VAT). Trade Split: 30% wet and 70% food. Rent: £62,000 per annum (which includes a tie release fee of £17,000 per annum). Landlord: Enterprise Inns.

Contact Guy Simmonds on 01332 865112.

Sold: Award Winning Restaurant In Busy East Devon Coastal Town STONESMITH OF Exeter are delighted to have sold the leasehold of Les Saveurs Restaurant; a high quality, award winning establishment located in the busy East Devon coastal town of Exmouth.

Set within character premises, which have been purposely equipped and presented to a high standard throughout, this well-regarded business boasts an enviable reputation and has won numerous awards and accolades during our clients 10 years of ownership, including 2 AA Rosettes. Using high quality, locally sourced produce, this attention to detail has ensured that the business enjoys excellent levels of regular repeat trade and an excellent local following. Not only

from Exmouth but also from the surrounding towns and villages, together with a seasonal boost during the peak summer months. The business includes owner’s accommodation (including 2 double bedrooms, sitting room and facilities), the like of which rarely comes with a business of this nature.

The business was bought by Kerry Dutton and Nigel Wright, who both have a strong background in hospitality. Kerry and Nigel recently travelled the world for a year, exploring differing cuisines, which has had a great influence on their ideas. When they returned to the UK they decided to move to Devon.

The leasehold business was sold off an asking price of £79,950. For further details please contact Stonesmith on 01392 201262.

Sky Bar & Bistro, Paignton on the Market AWARD WINNING Licence and Leisure Agents Bettesworths are delighted to be marketing the Sky Bar & Bistro in Paignton. The premises are being offered off an asking price of £33,000 for the Leasehold interest, trade inventory and goodwill.

The premises are held on a 20 year lease commencing July 2016 at an initial rent of £10,000 per annum, increasing to £12,000 per annum in July 2018. Rent review dates are every fifth anniversary. The tenant is respon-

sible for the internal upkeep and repair of the premises along with the shop front. The tenant is also responsible for a percentage of the buildings insurance.

Genevieve Stringer, who heads Bettesworths catering department commented, ‘Sky Bar & Bistro is a stylish premises suitable for a variety of catering uses. Its versatility will be reflected in the high level of interest I expect to receive and would therefore advise an early viewing’.

For further information please contact Bettesworths on 01803 212021 or visit www.bettesworths.co.uk

BUSINESS OF THE MONTH SHROPSHIRE £49,950 FREE OF TIE LEASEHOLD OR £695,000 FREEHOLD REF: 7926

BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED AND THRIVING 15TH CENTURY GRADE II LISTED FREEHOLD OR ‘FREE OF TIE’ INN WITH LETTING BEDROOMS SITUATED IN THE MARKET TOWN OF BISHOPS CASTLE

www.guysimmonds.co.uk Tel: 01332 865112 email: sales@guysimmonds.co.uk Also featured on www.pubsforsale.co.uk

August 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

39

A Recipe For Success: How To Beat The Shortage Of Chefs Industry Expert Launches New Insurance Company For Hospitality

By Gareth Ogden, Partner, haysmacintyre WITH MORE than twenty years’ experience in THIS MONTH British takeaway giant Just Eat issued warnings over a shortage of curry chefs in the UK, calling on the government to review immigration rules and improve training throughout the hospitality sector. With Brexit negotiations commencing amid current economic uncertainty, many are becoming increasingly concerned with attracting and retaining the best staff. We aren’t yet sure what the implications of our exiting the EU will be on recruitment in the hospitality industry, but the forecasts are not good. With the pool of talent seemingly drying up, how can restaurant owners recruit and keep hold of the best chefs?

Recruitment strategies Ensuring that you offer a competitive basic salary, and benchmarking yourself against rival restaurants and catering businesses is essential to avoid falling at the first hurdle: top chefs will expect top industry salaries. Bonuses, regular pay reviews and other company benefits also need to be explored as these continuous financial incentives will encourage loyalty and keep morale high.

Bonus schemes It is worth considering a well-targeted bonus scheme, linked to the performance of the business. This is a straightforward incentive for the short term, and will encourage staff to take a greater interest in the business as a whole – as opposed to just running a kitchen.

Another way of giving employees a vested interest in the company’s performance is to offer them a stake in the business. Share options schemes, such as EMI options, can be a good way to keep key staff motivated and engaged with general business performance. Persuading them to think like business owners will encourage them to contribute towards attracting and retaining new business. Employees are then

much more likely to see the benefits of getting directly involved in marketing initiatives and new projects.

Building the brand Ambitious chefs will also expect the restaurant to benefit from high quality marketing and an established social media footprint; there is significant appeal in working for an establishment with a powerful brand that a chef can identify with and feel proud to be part of. The personality of the head chef invariably plays a key role in determining the overall reputation of a restaurant – in fact, high visibility of the chef’s name and character in its promotional activity is becoming an approach favoured by more and more customers.

Restauranteurs can also underestimate the motivational importance of giving their chefs creative freedom: many chefs, especially those of a high calibre, expect to take charge of the menus. As the creative engine in your kitchen, a head chef should also be encouraged to play a key role in the recruitment process so they can build up a team which shares their vision.

Training and development It is important to offer the right professional support in the form of training and development to cover both compliance and skills certification, particularly for more junior staff. This will not only result in a more competent team but convince them of the value the business owner sees in them. Online training is increasingly available and can be more cost effective and convenient, as staff can train in their own time and do not have to take days off work. Better-qualified staff will attract more customers, and a higher quality menu, meaning prices can be raised, and chefs will appreciate the feeling of career progression within the same business. By funding their training, business owners can also lock in staff members who would otherwise have to pay back the costs if they decide to terminate their contract, a factor which provides an added element of security.

In the current competitive recruitment landscape, the above incentives should form the bread and butter of a catering business. It is, of course, equally important to make sure the numbers add up and you know precisely how much you can afford to offer employees and what kind of return on investment you are likely to reap in the long run. Finding the right fit is a challenging task; once you find the right person, you need to work hard to make sure they stay happy, motivated and invested in the future prosperity of your business.

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

successfully reducing costs and making sure that customers have the right cover for the demands of the hospitality sector – industry specialist Jamie Jenkinson has launched Sector Associates – with a team dedicated to the licensed hospitality sector.

Jenkinson, previously with PXL Insurance, has launched Sector Associates. He commented: “We have, for a long time, earned a reputation for understanding the insurance issues which pubs, restaurant and hotels face. By starting Sector Associates we can continue to achieve the right level of cover for the business and seek even better premiums for our customers.”

Sector Associates have taken office space in Thirsk, Yorkshire and have employed six staff with all of the claims and administration team

Straight To The Sauce STRAIGHT TO The Sauce is a regional chef recruitment agency. We established our firm with the intention of helping fellow chefs achieve their full potential and helping restaurants and kitchens find the best talent in the UK and beyond.

In an industry that’s facing an ever-increasing shortage of hospitality staff, we understand that connecting with the right chefs is a vital ingredient for any business’s growth and success.

For many kitchens, finding the right balance of staff can be a difficult process, putting stress and an extra workload on existing team members. This can sometimes overflow into negativity and bad customer feedback, causing a loss of revenue that can be devastating for any business.

‘Straight To The Sauce’ is an independent boutique agency, which means we don’t charge our clients over-inflated consultancy fees. We take pride in being able to spend time focussing on our individual candidates’

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

based out of the Thirsk office.

Jenkinson added: “Our team pride themselves on getting to know and understand the customer and their venue(s) so we can ensure that the underwriting is completed painlessly and with customers properly covered for any claim they might need to make during the time the policy is in place.”

Sector has already secured access exclusive underwriting markets and claim to be able to provide cover at prices lower than the existing provider in 9 out of 10 cases.

Jenkinson added: “We are able to negotiate direct with the underwriters and present the requirements of each and every business we work with – this ensures we get the very best cover at market leading prices as well as reducing the time involved for the business owners.”

They have launched on online form for fast quotes at www.sectoria.co.uk and the team can be contacted on 01845 527428. strengths and qualities, matching them with our clients’ needs. We always make sure that we place our chefs in the right position, rather than just for filling a vacancy at a minute’s notice. We want to help our chefs’ careers progress, so they can continue to flourish and feel passionate about their trade.

All of our hospitality packages are specifically tailored to suit your affordability and budget, as we know that no kitchen is the same. Are you ready to cut down on hiring costs and recruit the ideal chef for your restaurant? Call or email us today.

Straight to the Sauce helps chefs find the right opportunities From French bistros, modern gastro menus, location catering, Michelin-starred restaurants and 5* hotels, we have a client base of some of the industry’s most renowned chefs. That are ready to share their wealth of knowledge or maybe just offer a chance to refine your culinary knowledge and sharpen your knife skills. What ever you employment situation our friendly team of constants, would love to speak with you and discuss how we could help your career develop and help you achieve the rewards and benefits you deserve…

Office hours 9:30-6:00 Tel : 01637 621554 Out of hours 24hr. Tel : 07342 824278 Email: straighttothesauce.com or see the advert on page 2.

head 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