Hospitality Review NI April 2017

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Culloden Estate & Spa Tuesday 4th April 2017 tasteoftourism.com

APRIL 2017

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NEW HMRC SUPPLIER SCHEME URGES DILIGENCE AMONG TRADE FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK: Sean Muldoon on his route to success pg8

HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES FOUND BUYING ALCOHOL FROM SUPPLIERS NOT REGISTERED ON THE NEW ALCOHOL WHOLESALERS REGISTRATION SCHEME (AWRS), AS OF THIS MONTH, COULD FACE HUGE FINES, FORFEITURE OF ALCOHOL AND LICENSING SANCTIONS.

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THE FRENCH OPEN: Jean-Christophe Novelli talks about his Belfast venture pg12

THE GREAT BELFAST ROOM BOOM DEBATE: The trade’s views on the growth of the hotel sector pg33

SHARING BEST PRACTICE: London Michelin starred chef Jun Tanaka and the Taste of Tourism Summit pg35

rom April 1, 2017, any hospitality business found buying alcohol from UK suppliers must ensure that the supplier has been approved

by HMRC as part of the AWRS or they could face fines of up to £10,000 and/or imprisonment.

It is now the responsibility of alcohol trade buyers including pubs, restaurants, hotels and any other premises trading in alcohol, to ensure they are buying from a supplier on HMRC’s register of approved wholesalers.

From January last year all UK alcohol wholesalers must have registered on the scheme and from April 2017, trade buyers who purchase alcohol from wholesalers with the aim of selling it on to their own customers should, as part of their own due diligence processes, check the wholesaler’s Unique Reference Number (URN) via an online look up service, to ensure that the wholesaler they are purchasing from has been approved.

This includes online sales from UK wholesalers but not online sales from wholesalers based outside the UK. To ensure a purchase is legitimate, trade buyers will be expected to carry out sufficient due diligence and demonstrate to HMRC that

they have requested a wholesaler’s URN and checked its authenticity before doing business with them.

It is also advised that trade buyers periodically refresh these checks says HMRC. The purpose of AWRS, which was announced in George Osborne’s 2013 Autumn Statement, is to tackle the UK’s estimated losses of £1bn to alcohol duty fraud.

Nicola Carruthers from the NI Drinks Industry Group said: “The full introduction of the AWRS has been a long time in coming. The

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registration process for suppliers has been detailed and has taken well over a year, and all legitimate suppliers will now have a unique reference number. These will be appearing on invoices, but HMRC also require that retailers check this number by way of on-line look-up. Retailers should not be tempted to purchase stock from those who don’t appear on the on-line look-up as the penalties from HMRC for doing so will be heavy - fines and/or confiscation of stock. The purpose of AWRS is to root out the

illegal trade - a trade which pushes prices up for everyone else - and it is to be hoped that AWRS in the long term will be successful in helping to stamp it out.”

Colin Neill from Hospitality Ulster advises the trade to be astute when purchasing alcohol, including those smaller traders who may have previously used supermarkets for small stock replenishment. “This is the law and the industry must ensure who they are buying from is registered or face huge fines,” he said. ED

ADJUSTING TO LATEST RISE IN NATIONAL LIVING WAGE Richard Willis, Managing Director of Belfast-based Willis Insurance and Risk Management

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he announcement in 2015 by the then Chancellor George Osborne of a new National Living Wage was hailed as a major boost to low-paid workers.

And while any attempt to raise living standards is to be welcomed, the measure posed a major challenge for employers, especially in the hospitality industry which was disproportionally impacted by the initiative.

However, the introduction of a minimum £7.20 hourly rate for over-25s was just the first step of a programme to raise wages at the lower end of the pay spectrum.

By 2020, the hourly rate is due to increase to £9 which, according to research by the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre, is around 15 per cent higher than current average pay in the hospitality sector.

That compares to median hourly rates in the economy overall, which are already around 30 per cent higher than £9.

From 1st April 2017, the National Living Wage will reach £7.50 an hour for workers aged 25 and over while those aged between 21 and 24 will see their pay increase from £6.95 to £7.05 an hour.

Richard Willis, Managing Director of Belfast-based Willis Insurance and Risk Management (Willis IRM), which provides a range of employment and HR services to businesses said that although the increase may appear small, it could potentially have a major impact on company overheads: “The introduction of the National Living Wage last year added around one per cent to the average company’s pay bill.

“The actual percentage increase, however, varied widely depending on the industry and was expected to impact the hospitality sector more than most.

“Faced with increasing rates of pay for those aged over 21, and higher again for

workers 25 and older, employers could be tempted to opt for younger staff.

“However, this approach provided its own problems, such as the loss of experienced staff.”

Richard said there are other steps companies could take, when following the right professional guidance, to deal with the effects efficiently – and avoid costly penalties.

“With different pay due depending on the age of staff, it is important that employers are aware of the rate each worker in their company is entitled to.

“Managers must be trained on recruitment and how to conduct salary reviews to ensure they avoid any potential age discrimination risks.

“And failure to pay the correct amount can result in a financial penalty of 200 per cent of any underpayment due.”

The National Living Wage is just one element of a suite of government initiatives to raise pay.

Statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay is to rise from £139.58 to £140.98 a week from 2nd April, while statutory sick pay will also increase from £88.45 to £89.35 per week.

Rather than being viewed as an insurmountable challenge, a rising wage bill could provide an opportunity to review overheads across the business.

Richard continued: “Business owners should take the increased costs as an incentive to look at other areas where efficiency can be improved.

“Having to increase salaries may put a different perspective on other costs such as reducing overtime, bonuses and recruitment, negotiating with suppliers, or increasing what you charge.”

Even following a thorough review, tough decisions may still have to be made, and should be done ‘sooner rather than later’.

Richard added: “With further increases due over the next three years, a long-term strategy is required and taking action earlier will avoid further financial difficulties later on.”

Seeking professional advice will help employers prepare for the changing pay landscape and ensure they maintain the same level of service with minimal impact on the bottom line.

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forward THE TEAM & CONTACTS Editor: Emma Deighan Manager: Mark Glover Art Editor: Helen Wright Production Manager: Irene Fitzsimmons Subscriptions: 028 9078 3200 (Price £27.50 UK, £37.50 outside UK) Published by Independent News & Media Ltd: Hospitality Review NI, Independent News & Media, Belfast Telegraph House, 33 Clarendon Road, Clarendon Dock, Belfast BT1 3BG. Contact: Editorial: e.deighan@independentmagazinesni.co.uk.

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orthern Ireland is most definitely attracting attention for its hospitality this month it would seem. We’ve welcomed Jean-Christophe Novelli (pg12) to the city for a taster of what’s to come when he opens his first Irish enterprise at Belfast City Quays next year and we’ll also be rolling out the red carpet for Michelin starred chef Jun Tanaka (pg35) who will be speaking at the Taste of Tourism Taste Summit early this month. In this issue it is very clear that the high standards in this sector have been responsible for gaining investment from such credible personalities and businesses. It’s the grafters who have moulded this industry and put it on a world stage - people like Sean Muldoon (pg8) who have since gone on to shine globally. On pg33 our breakdown of the great hotel room boom illustrates perfectly just how much faith external players have in our country and for that we should be proud. Just don’t forget to renew your licence to keep up the good work!

Emma Deighan

BUSHMILLS DISTILLERY TO EXPAND WITH PLANS FOR 30 NEW WAREHOUSES

The Review is the official publication for: Hospitality Ulster: 91 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HP. Tel: 028 9032 7578.

Chief Executive: Colin Neill Chairperson: Olga Patterson The Northern Ireland Hotels Federation: The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road, Belfast, BT15 3PJ. Tel: 028 9077 6635 Chief Executive: Janice Gault President: Ciaran O’Neill Design & Production by: Independent News & Media Ltd Printed by: W. & G. Baird Ltd. The opinions expressed in Hospitality Review are not necessarily those of Hospitality Ulster or the NIHF.

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he Co Antrim distillery has lodged plans to add the buildings close to its existing historic site just outside the town. Plans revealed the warehouses will be built gradually over more than a decade. It comes little over a year after the new owner of Bushmills, Jose Cuervo, lodged plans to build a £30m expansion to its current distillery. The company has now been given permission for the facility which, it says, will “effectively double production capacity”.

Colum Egan, master distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, told HRNI that the new extension will help the international whiskey brand grow across the globe.

“At Bushmills Irish Whiskey our primary focus is always on making great whiskey and introducing it to more and more discerning whiskey drinkers around the world. As part of that growth we have received outline planning permission for the expansion of a new distillery facility on 62 acres of agricultural land surrounding the existing site. Extensive consultations have been undertaken with the

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Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and a wide range of statutory bodies, to identify this particular area of land as the preferred site to build. It is an exciting time for the Irish whiskey category which continues to experience significant growth and this expansion is an important factor in facilitating the future growth of Bushmills Irish Whiskey.”

The company that originally built the distillery was formed in 1784. The new expansion is part of a “masterplan” established in 2007 and it is expected to lead to up to 20 jobs with a 1015% rise in the wages bill. The distillery currently employs around 150 staff. Under the plan there will be around £3m of capital expenditure at the distillery every year for the next 10 to 15 years.

The application encompasses details of a new tourism and visitor centre. The company has previously said its aim is to produce a “world class” facility.

In the 34-page document, the plans stated that the “new distillery facility will effectively double production capacity”.

APRIL HRNI • 5

news

HOSPITALITY ULSTER CALLS ON LICENSEES TO ACT NOW FOR RENEWAL PROCESS THE INDUSTRY BODY SAYS IT HAD TO SUPPORT OVER 60 LICENSEES WHO FAILED TO RENEW IN 2012.

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olin Neill and his team at Hospitality Ulster are urging the trade to act now to get their licences renewed in time for the deadline of September 2017.

The Chief Executive said that regardless of how long a trader has held their licence they must still apply for a renewal this year.

“We are calling everyone to react and although renewal forms are due in September there is a very lengthy process to go through,” began Colin.

“It’s time for every club, pub, hotelier and off sales to move on this matter.”

Back in 2012 63 licensees failed meet the deadline which demanded the support of Hospitality Ulster to prevent closures.

“It took us considerable work to save 60 plus bars last year and we don’t want to be there again. We understand that this is a complex issue and we have partnered with McCartan Turkington Breen (MTB) who are offering a preferential rate of £200 to make the process easier. While there are just a few

forms to complete, this is a an important and complex issue,” he continued.

All forms must be lodged with the Clerk of Petty Sessions for your area by Wednesday August 9 this year. Late applications may attract an additional fee, plus additional paperwork and proof of good reason for failure to lodge in time.

In its guidance form for the trade, Hospitality Ulster also states that copies of the form must also be served to the District Commander of the PSNI District in which your premises are situated; and the District Commander of the PSNI District in which you live, if different from your premises; and the District Council for the district in which your premises are situated.

Colin Mitchell from MTB Solicitors has 20 years experience in providing specialist advice in what is a ‘particularly challenging area of law’. He said: “We recognise that a business’s licence is one of, if not the most valuable assets it owns and we

BREXIT ON THE AGENDA AT WESTMINSTER

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ospitality Ulster CEO Colin Neill recently spoke to the NI Affairs Committee at Westminster regarding the challenges facing the Northern Irish Hospitality and Tourism industry as Brexit negotiations get underway.

Topics on the agenda included the need for a ‘seamless’ land border plan, with ‘67% of Northern Ireland’s highest spending tourists coming through from the Republic of Ireland’.

The Hospitality Ulster CEO also stressed the importance of access to labour to allow the industry to continue to grow, saying; “Anything that reduces that access will damage expansion and the survival of existing businesses.”

Addressing the need for support during a considerable period of growth for the industry in Northern Ireland Colin Neill continued, “Rooms don’t fill by accident. Investing in products, skills and training is hugely important.”

He added: “The Hospitality industry is a cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s economy, but it is critical that we are taken seriously by both Westminster and the Northern Ireland Assembly.”

6 • HRNI APRIL

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ospitality Ulster launched the Hospitality Trade Survey recently in conjunction with the Ulster University Business School, BDO Northern Ireland and Tourism NI. The data collected by the survey will cover three key sectors; food, beverage and accommodation, across a wide range of business types and will give real time information on the performance of the Hospitality Industry. Pictured (L-R) at University Ulster, the venue of the launch, is Colin Neill CEO of Hospitality Ulster, Professor Una McMahon Beattie of Ulster University, BDO Partner Brian Murphy and John McGrillen CEO of Tourism NI. To participate in the survey, and to hear more about the benefits of being involved email joel.neill@hospitalityulster.org

continually provide bespoke advice on all aspects of licensing law to ensure that our clients can secure and maintain the licences that allow them to trade.

“History teaches us that licence renewal can be a time when many licensees inadvertently get

things wrong which can lead to a licence not getting renewed and unnecessary expense. The sooner licensees take steps in hand, the better. We have worked with HU members to ensure they have the best advice which is as cost-effective as possible.”

MINIMUM PRICING PER UNIT IN NI - WHAT IF?

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s it looks likely that Scotland will force ahead with its minimum pricing scheme of 50 pence per unit of alcohol, despite the Scottish Whisky Association’s bid to appeal at the UK Supreme Court, a newly released survey by the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group projects the outcomes should the policy work its way across the water.

The paper titled ‘Minimum Unit Pricing in Northern Ireland: Evidence from the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model’ revealed that 556 deaths and 26,000 hospital admissions are due to alcohol consumption each year in NI. It read ‘the burden of harm is felt very disproportionately by low income heavy drinkers’ and advised that ‘targeting cheap alcohol could significantly reduce alcohol-related harm without affecting (or penalising) moderate drinkers’. It revealed that the largest effect would be evident on high risk drinkers in poverty as it projected a 13% reduction in consumption, equivalent to 65 bottles of wine or 25 bottles of vodka per year. It said the effect on moderate drinkers would be small: 1.6% reduction equivalent to two pints of beer per year.”

The research paper also anticipated revenue changes in the on trade of +£3m and +£22m in the off trade.

The minimum pricing scheme in Scotland was proposed by MSPs in 2012. Delays emerged last year when the Scotch whisky industry challenged the move, arguing the plans breached European law. twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

chefprofile

Chef Profile

Gareth McCaughey, chef and owner of The Muddlers Club

sponsored by

THE MUDDLERS CLUB OPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 2015 AND QUICKLY WELCOMED A STRING OF AWARDS, CRITICAL ACCLAIM AND A REPUTATION THAT MAKES IT ONE OF THE GO-TO RESTAURANTS IN BELFAST. HERE HRNI CATCHES UP WITH CHEF AND OWNER GARETH McCAUGHEY... thing. They gave me a lot of encouragement and pointers - the dos and don’ts of what to look out for. I couldn’t have bought the knowledge they passed on to me.

WHAT’S YOUR MOST POIGNANT MEMORY IN YOUR CAREER? My fondest memory was completing my first service in The Muddlers Club. My first service (the peak time in the restaurant’s kitchen) in The Muddlers Club was a pretty big achievement.

It took two years to get the restaurant off the ground. I always wanted to open my own place, but it took a lot of time to find the right site and get it up and running.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED? Born in Co Tyrone, in Donaghmore. Also where I grew up WHAT’S YOUR MOST MEMORABLE FOODIE EXPERIENCE? Cooking alongside Alain Passard.

WHERE WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? Peeling potatoes in local fish and chip shop.

as possible using only the best ingredients we can.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU EMPLOY? 21 WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME? Out of work I dine out and spend time with my wife and kids.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR MUDDLERS CLUB? To continue to cook the food we always have in the style/environment we always have.

WHO INSPIRES YOU? The people that inspire me are those dedicated local food heroes and suppliers who work extremely hard to bring quality and amazing ingredients to work with.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE MUDDLERS CLUB’S OFFERING? Modern dining in a relaxed space.

WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR INGREDIENTS? We source locally. As close to the restaurant

ASIDE FROM YOUR CURRENT ROLE, WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE POST IN THE INDUSTRY? That was working with the boys at OX restaurant as sous chef. It’s another place that came out of nowhere and broke all of the rules. Being part of it when it was all kicking off was a great experience. OX took everything in a new direction which was nice to see. The guys there knew I would eventually go out to do my own

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APRIL HRNI • 7

thebiginterview

FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK

BY EMMA DEIGHAN

NORTH BELFAST NATIVE SEAN MULDOON IS LIVING THE QUINTESSENTIAL AMERICAN DREAM AS CO-FOUNDER OF THE WORLD’S BEST BAR IN NYC BUT THE GLOBALLY-RENOWNED COCKTAIL BAR NEARLY WASN’T HE TOLD HRNI.

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Jack McGarry and Sean muldoon outside the Duke of York on their recent CNN Travel tour.

(Photo by Elaine Hill Photography) Opposite page; The Dead Rabbit and BlackTail

8 • HRNI APRIL

hen Sean Muldoon co-owner of The Dead Rabbit bar in New York’s Financial District, returned home to Belfast to judge the Jameson Experience cocktail competition, the press were all over it.

He’s the perfect model for that rags to riches story and he’s local. His two-year journey to get to where he is today; operating the best pub on the planet and, more recently, opening a second thriving Cuban-themed bar, is a sequential tale of misfortunes and living on $8 burrito deals.

Sean, 45, who was instrumental in beckoning the prestigious accolade of World’s Best Cocktail Bar 2010 for the Merchant Hotel in Waring Street, Belfast almost boarded a plane to return home to his wife and two step-daughters.

“I walked home one night and Jack was beside me and I said ‘I’ve had enough. I’m not taking this anymore. I’m going home, I’m better than this’,” he began.

It took Sean and his business partner, Jack McGarry, two and a half years to open the doors of their visionary product. Almost three years of living on the breadline.

“Jack bought his clothes in second hand shops.

I didn’t even buy clothes and we ate in the same Mexican cafe everyday because it was $8 for a burrito and a tin of Diet Coke.

“I had nothing to show after that time and I was going to go home that night to email everyone and tell them to stick it. Then I went into the apartment we were sharing and there was an envelope with a $5,000 tax refund that I wasn’t expecting. That paid for three months’ rent and if that hadn’t have happened when it did the Dead Rabbit wouldn’t have happened,” he confessed.

With the help of an investor who ‘didn’t care about us being penniless and wasn’t prepared to listen to a sad story’ Sean and Jack found their location and got to work.

Hurricane Sandy threw a spanner in the works and devastated the local vicinity - another curve ball that still didn’t hinder the subsequent success.

“I left Belfast in November 2010 and it was November 2012 when we were meant to open and Hurricane Sandy delayed us by four months.

That was painful. I cannot explain how painful that was. We were in the most badly affected area of Manhattan and it felt like the death knell.”

On reflection, Sean, while still admirably humble, says it was the pair’s fighting spirit that kept them going. “That comes from being born in Belfast. I was born in the middle of the Troubles. You can either succumb to that or fight to be better,” he continued.

“I left school at 16 with no qualifications but I believed I could do better.”

Today, success seems limitless for them both and Sean will readily admit to that. “It’s endless twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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thebiginterview

“People say if you can do it in New York you can do it anywhere.

What we did in New York we did in Belfast with The Merchant so I don’t agree with that. The eyes of the world are already on New York.” possibilities. Anything can happen in New York. If someone said they would pay us $100m each to open a few bars it wouldn’t surprise me.”

Such are the opportunities for businessmen like Sean and Jack that Sean deems regular home visits essential to keep him grounded.

“When we’re home, we’re normal.

And no-one cares as much,” he says and while most would hardly count his recent return as run of the mill; judging the Jameson Experience but more noteworthy - being filmed on a pub crawl for a St Patrick’s Day special for CNN Travel - he still says his ego is in check.

Perhaps its that humility and focus then that has been responsible for the quick success of their second hospitality undertaking; BlackTail Bar in Battery Place ‘a Cuban-American themed’ establishment.

“People find that strange, the whole concept but we had this idea before the Dead Rabbit. We were thinking about Cuba long before Obama was going to Cuba, long before the flights to Cuba started.

People think we jumped on that bandwagon but we didn’t,” he explained.

Sean’s interest in Ernest Hemmingway was the driving force behind BlackTail, which he admits has been a more ‘testing’ project than the Dead Rabbit.

“Cuba is a word in America that you have to be careful of how you translate it. People in New York seem to like bars that are cosy and comfortable too but this is much more grand and people aren’t used to that so they’re either going to love it or hate it. No in between.

“We have a huge painting of The Landing of Columbus there and in front of that a sculpture of José Martí - the Cuban liberator. People don’t seem to understand that,” he added before admitting that initial reception was mixed.

“One woman from the New Yorker magazine was totally fixated on the fake ivy we have hanging from www.hospitalityreviewni.com

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

the roof but what she didn’t understand was that to have real ivy hanging we’d need a structural engineer and that would have created all kinds of red tape. Even in Cuba they use fake ivy because of dead bugs and dry leaves falling.

“We also had one reviewer who said our Cuban sandwich wasn’t worth the money and there were better elsewhere so we went and tried them all and they definitely weren’t as good as ours.”

The cocktail list at BlackTail is almost 50 drinks long and mostly rum-focussed, carefully imagined by Jack and the Dead Rabbit’s Jillian Vose.

The food menu ‘heavily features classic American fare that travellers to Cuba would have been presented with at the time. There is a bias towards seafood – the freshest seasonal produce available’ reads its synopsis.

But despite those insignificant jibes the pair are still experiencing immense triumphs that have elevated them to pioneer status within the local hospitality trade so it makes sense that Dillon Bass chose Sean, as well as a few other industry spearheads, to judge cocktail competition ‘The Jameson Experience’, recently.

The winner was Nicole Kane from Muriel’s Bar. Just

one woman in the competition of eight.

“She just had that edge,” Sean explained. “But I remember when I was a kid and did cocktail competitions I always felt that the only girl had an added advantage because guys would always give her that wee bit of support. But Nicole had an energy and genuinely won.”

And while he’s very complimentary about the talent in NI, as well as the venues that are executing the cocktail culture that is the foundation of his career, Sean said he’s more contented to settle for a pint of Guinness when he’s home. With the backdrop being that of a typical pub.

“I just want to have a pint with a good ambience,” he added. “There are a lot of younger people here who I know would love to have Jack and I visit their bars and see what they’re about and I will,” he said before giving a piece of advice to those who want to follow his lead.

“People say if you can do it in New York you can do it anywhere. What we did in New York we did in Belfast with the Merchant so I don’t agree with that.

The eyes of the world are already on New York.

“We’re both in a great position now, financially, and we’ll never be where we were before the bar opened. We’ll never have to endure anything that bad again unless something catastrophic happens.”

IN BRIEF ■ NYC DRINK TRENDS: Whiskey is the big drink. It’s bigger than vodka at the minute. It’s all about brown spirits. When you look at the cocktail menu there is American, Irish, Scottish and Japanese whisky.

Irish whiskey in the pot stilled sense such as Redbreast is hot.

■ COCKTAIL TRENDS: Bartenders are also working with Mezcal, the smokier version of the agave plant. The other thing they are mucking around with is amaro. They’re putting flavouring agents into that like orange peel, clove, cocoa and leaving it for a bit; hours maybe days and then you’ve got this super concentrated solution that is watered down.

■ ADVICE: I was inspired by Morgan Watson when I was starting off. Morgan’s advice was to go to London and work under someone, go to trade shows, see what was happening, subscribe to magazines and travel. It’s important to find role models.

■ FAVOURITE DRINK: Guinness and Red wine.

■ FAVOURITE BAR: Local, traditional pubs like the Duke of York.

APRIL HRNI • 9

Discover what all the hush is about.

Treasured for its rare Single Pot Still complexity and Oloroso sherry maturation, Redbreast drinkers are tight-lipped when it comes to spreading the word.

Enjoy REDBREAST Sensibly.

food/restaurantnews

ALFREDO’S MARKS ONE YEAR MILESTONE ON THE SQUARE O

ne of Lisburn Square’s first tenants following the extensive redevelopment of the city centre site in 2015 is celebrating its one year milestone.

Italian restaurant, Alfredo’s on the Square, is celebrating a year since it opened its doors following investment of £100,000 in the new eatery in March last year.

The restaurant is owned by local restaurateur, Richard Graham and led by its Head Chef, Will Crawford.

Commenting on the milestone, Richard said: “It is a moment of pride not only for me personally, but for the entire team. We’ve worked tirelessly and the Alfredo’s offering is very dear to our hearts. We strive to continually provide the best service and uphold the quality our patrons have come to recognise. And with that in mind, as Lisburn continues to see significant investment and redevelopment, we look forward to hosting more local diners in the years to come.”

Alana Coyle, director, CBRE Retail commented: “Alfredo’s has been a very welcome addition to Lisburn Square. The objective was always to attract tenants of a high quality who would provide a superior offering and on that basis, Alfredo’s has been a huge success. It complements the other businesses that exist on the Square and delivers a unique dining experience.”

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GINGER BISTRO TO EXPAND T

he popular, award-winning spot is owned and run by husband and wife Simon and Abby McCance, and currently sits on Hope Street, just off Great Victoria Street.

But new plans show the business wants to expand around the corner, to the glass-clad site facing out on to Great Victoria Street.

It was formerly home to the Ulster Scots Agency, which has since set up at Gordon Street.

The 70-seat restaurant is expanding into the much more prominent building, which looks on to the busy street.

Plans show an additional seating area for 25 people, along with a bar and new entrance accessed from Great Victoria Street.

In its 17 years in business, the eatery has picked up numerous accolades. Just last year it was named best casual dining restaurant in the Irish Restaurant Awards.

MOUNT CHARLES WINS TOP CATERING AWARD M

ount Charles has been crowned the 2017 winner of the contract catering division of the Chef Ireland Culinary Competition at the CATEX exhibition in the RDS, Dublin recently.

The senior team from Mount Charles, which was led by Group Development Chef Simon Toye who was previously Executive Chef at the Michelin-starred Deanes restaurant in Belfast, saw off competition from Sodexo, Aramark and Katy’s Kitchen.

Each team was tasked to create and serve a gourmet three-course meal for guests and an independent judging panel within a time limit of just two hours and with a budget of €12.50 for six covers.

Managing Director at Mount Charles, Cathal Geoghegan said: “We’re thrilled to have won top prize in contract catering at what is undoubtedly Ireland’s biggest and most prominent hospitality showcase event, run by the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance.”

The Mount Charles team included Simon Toye, Group Development Chef, Chris Kennedy, Events Division Manager, Christopher Telford, General Manager at Fed & Watered at Belfast International Airport, Ciaran Drain, Head Chef at Ulster University and Colin Carson, also a chef at Ulster University. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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T: 028 9267 3316 APRIL HRNI • 11

interview THERE IS NO BETTER ENDORSEMENT OF A CITY’S HOSPITALITY OFFERING THAN THE INVESTMENT OF AN INTERNATIONALLY REVERED CHEF. HERE EMMA DEIGHAN CHATS WITH JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI ABOUT HIS NEW SIGNATURE RESTAURANT IN BELFAST, WHY HE’S NOT HERE TO COMPETE AND WHY HE PREFERS A WOMAN’S TOUCH IN THE KITCHEN...

THE FRENCH OPEN W

hen Jean-Christophe Novelli came to Belfast to provide a taster of his upcoming restaurant at the AC Marriott Hotel in City Quays there wasn’t a spare seat in the house.

The 5 out of 5 AA Rosette and multi Michelin Star award winning chef, dubbed ‘the nation’s favourite chef’ has chosen Belfast as the location for his first restaurant in Ireland and no-one was in doubt that the offering would be pretty spectacular such is his reputation. And it was.

Jean-Christophe, 56, had called in the assistance of Niall McKenna and his team at James Street South to prepare a three-course lunch at the Harbour Commissioners’ Office recently, that will be typical of the French fare served at the simplistically titled ‘JeanChristophe Novelli at City Quays’ which will open in March 2018.

Beginning our interview with compliments to the chef, Jean-Christophe praised the team who perfectly executed his menu: “He’s just fantastic.

I knew of him. He has a great reputation and is a very modest chap. The menu wasn’t a problem for him, it was just perfect.”

A stark difference to a similar event he harked back to many years ago in Copenhagen. “I sent my recipes and I was delayed to the event so I

12 • HRNI APRIL

arrive minutes before service and the restaurant is full. I’d never met the chef before so I asked to taste the food and I think ‘what the f**k is this?’. We hadn’t got time to change anything.

In the end there was nothing wrong on site, it wasn’t them, it wasn’t my recipes it was their eggs and their cream. They were weak. You see

the cows and chickens there only see the sun for six months of the year so there isn’t the same strength and textures,” he divulged.

No stranger to the city, Jean-Christophe first came to Belfast over 22 years ago and since has been visiting ‘like Columbo’ navigating the restaurant scene here to test the water but he Editor Emma Deighan and Jean-Christophe. Above, the chef outside the construction site of the AC Marriott Hotel and his new restaurant.

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interview

“From my first visit all those years ago so much has changed and I’m here because I want to be part of the party...” makes it very clear that he’s not here to rival those establishments he’s had his eye on.

“This is the first thing I want to say, I am not here to prove anything or here to compete.

I’m here to be part of the movement which is improving. From my first visit all those years ago so much has changed and I’m here because I want to be part of the party,” he said.

His confidence in his new venture is very evident when he talks passionately about the restaurant and promises to ‘look over that place like I’m looking over my sons and my daughter with pride and excitement’.

“That establishment you see on the Quays is www.hospitalityreviewni.com

going to be there for at least 150 years.

“For me this is a great investment and when you’re an investor you don’t gamble and I’m not a gambler. It’s going to be a beautiful venture.

“I feel Northern Ireland is the place to be. There is so much going on here that I’m surprised this hasn’t happened before now. I feel like there’s going to be an explosion here, the waking of a giant,” he continued.

Presently under construction, the AC Marriott Hotel and Jean-Christophe’s 104-seat restaurant will feature a double height glazed façade with waterfront views across Belfast

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Lough and the menu will have all the French flair, brasserie-style, that is associated with the popular chef.

He plans on sourcing locally and this objective extends beyond the ingredients on his menu and into the kitchen.

“As a chef I’ve always looked at the best product geographically. I already bought stuff from Northern Ireland; prawns, flatfish from up north, potatoes, good beef, butter, I could go on. I value the produce here and I would be silly to buy from anywhere else,” he explained.

Referencing his kitchen and front of house team Jean-Christophe, who hails from Arras, France, admitted that it’s the only thing left he really has to work on; “Ideally it has to be someone local,” he said of his lead in the kitchen. “A chef or chefette. I would prefer a chefette. I’m not against male chefs and that would be an insult to say I was but with a woman it’s different,” he revealed.

He attributes this preference to the inspiration in his life - his mother, Monique.

“I am who I am today because of my mother.

She is the organiser, she’s always consistent and she can cope with any situation. She’s a fabulous cook and every woman in my life were excellent cooks.

“I’ve experienced women in front and I find that easier. They focus on the details.”

Monique lives with a disability having suffered from polio as a child and this saw Jean-Christophe heavily involved at mealtimes. “She couldn’t move that much so I helped a lot. Had that not have happened I would have been, God knows, a fire fighter.

I became good because I wasn’t taught, I helped out and watched,” he explained.

Looking to the finer details of the restaurant; from appointing staff to finalising the menu (which he expects to do three month’s prior to opening) Jean-Christophe added: “That’s the excitement of getting to the day, finding the staff and one thing we are going to do is spend time getting the right programme and we have an obligation to spend a certain amount of time on that.

“I won’t create the menu too early because I’ll be a different chef in a year’s time. What will be great about the opening is the timing. It will be spring and everyone will be happy. We will have just come out of the hell of winter.”

It’s convenient then that Jean-Christophe’s home, and award-winning cookery academy, is so close to Luton Airport allowing him to quickly access the city at short notice for such events and, he hints, he may look at purchasing a property here to be closer to his Irish project.

“To be here in City Quays allocates you to a position that it’s very clear where you are.

Who knows, we may buy somewhere here,” he concluded.

City Quays is Belfast’s newest mixed-use regeneration project, providing Grade A office space, a 190-room hotel, retail, cafes and restaurants in addition to new residential accommodation. More than £250 million has been earmarked for investment across the 20-acre site.

APRIL HRNI • 13

restaurantprofile

At almost one-year old Oliver’s on the Newtownards Road has worked its way into the local community’s heart methods of cooking. The menu itself wants to showcase what great local produce we have in Northern Ireland and Ireland as a whole.

us as we have more space for parking.

DOES YOUR MENU CHANGE OFTEN? The menu changes in accordance with the seasons and with the availability of local produce.

WHEN DID YOUR RESTAURANT OPEN? We opened the doors on Friday the 13th of May 2016, coming up to our 1st Birthday. Peter Oliver WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO TO McCloskey the owner and renowned barber wanted to expand his empire ranging from barber IMPROVE AND DRIVE YOUR MENU? Our suppliers, not just the food, but drink shops, coffee houses to restaurants. suppliers also work very closely with us to be able to train the staff on knowledge of local TELL US ABOUT THE SPACE YOU HAVE. products. We take on board feedback and never The restaurant has a capacity of over 45 seats brush customer opinion under the table in turn and has a beautiful open brick layout with this helps the business establish consumer needs portraits (Shawcross), a wood burning stove for and wants. cold nights and a green safe built in 1857! We have a lovely long wooden pippy oak bench table WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SOURCING to hold parties of 10 and we also use it for our POLICY? cocktail schools, which has been very popular We are always in conversations with our local since I launched them back in July 2016. The suppliers to have in the freshest produce. They Restaurant itself has held private events such as Direct Wine Shipments wine dinners and Jawbox are able to forecast their produce on what is in season and able to help us use the finest Gin Nights (Gerry White) ingredients on the market.

WHAT FEEL ARE YOU AIMING FOR? We are aiming for a modern, fresh feel and add to the heartbeat of Ballyhackamore.

We aim to develop this area as I believe it has produced fantastic restaurants and we want to be seen in the aid to increase the reputation of Ballyhackamore.

WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU AND WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND IT? We use as much local produce as possible from local suppliers such as Ewings Seafoods, Abernethy Butter, Still Water Fishery & Carnbrooke Meats. Inspirations come from peers of successful local restaurants and Ideas infused with different

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WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? The majority of our customers would be locals from East Belfast. In terms of age range we’ve got a good mix from young professionals to the older generations. However, we do have a good range of customers who travel from far to be here, working closely with Stormont Hotel, we tend to have tourists who enjoy to dine in this area.

HAVE YOU FACED ANY PARTICULAR CHALLENGES TO DATE? Location would be a minor challenge as we are further up slightly from the heart of Ballyhackamore, although it can also benefit

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR RESTAURANT STAND OUT FROM COMPETITORS? As mentioned we hold a cocktail school that no other business around the area does. It offers a fun and experience for our guests. It gives an education to our guests about the local products Northern Ireland has to offer.

HOW WAS TRADE OVER THE PAST YEAR? From the word go we have encountered ups and downs but we used the negatives and turned them into positives, for instance the layout of the menu changed, opening times, drinks lists, competition in the area changing, the list continues but I think it’s healthy to try new things, if it doesn’t work learn from them and move forward. The business is now at a steady pace but of course we know being so young there’s so much more to learn and with being nominated with the Irish Restaurant Awards 2017 we hope to be recognised more within the industry and continue to help Northern Ireland be recognised in the culinary experience.

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR RESTAURANT DEVELOPING THIS YEAR? We hope to strive for more development, we like to try new things to help promote the restaurant.

We will be re designing the restaurant to hold more covers so we can increase capacity for our most popular times. Develop our menus such as a new set menu to give more offers to the customers which will be a set menu which will be a 2 or 3 course option and a bottle of wine.

Mon: Closed, Tues-Thurs: 12-3pm & 5-9pm, Fri & Sat: 12-3pm & 5-10pm, Sun: 12-3pm & 5-8.30pm Facebook: Oliver’s Restaurant Twitter: @Oliversknock16 e: oliversrestaurant16@gmail.com Website: www.oliversknock.com Telephone: 02890671105

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drinksnews

CHANGES IN LICENSING LAWS A PRIORITY

BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI centres as part of the tourism drive and others are planned – and at food and drink exhibitions here.

For instance, the highly successful BBC Good Food Show, which was held in the Waterfront Conference Centre in October, was unable to sign up beer, cider and spirits producers because the existing legislation ruled out sales to the general public. Yet at similar

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crucially important role for Food NI is our representation services provided to our 300 plus companies in Food and Drink facing issues such as restraint of trade.

A good example of this activity is our support for the Hospitality Ulster campaign to modernise our antiquated licensing laws over the past few years. We have a significant number of members in the drinks industry and especially in craft brewing, cider production, and distilling.

Indeed, the craft drink has become among the most vibrant and innovative sectors here.

Significantly many of our members in the sector are also collaborating with other producers in other categories including bread, cheese, and beef in the search for unique products that could boost sales outside Northern Ireland.

The emergence of a dynamic craft brewing and distilling sector is in tune with the recommendations of the Agri-Food Strategy Board’s Going for Growth Strategic Action Plan to accelerate the expansion of the sector including the launch of at least two new potentially global brands to follow the lead of Old Bushmills, a prominent Food NI member, and Niche Drinks, the producer of Irish Cream Liqueurs and most recently The Quiet Man Irish whiskey, now available in 45 markets. In fact, most of Northern Ireland’s craft beer and cider firms are Food NI members. Several are already selling outside Northern Ireland.

The growth of these companies and their contribution to the economy, especially the rural communities in which most of them are based, is being inhibited by our restrictive licensing laws. A big problem for the companies is their inability to sell products to visitors to their premises – several have created visitors’ www.hospitalityreviewni.com

“Indeed, the craft drink has become among the most vibrant and innovative sectors here. Significantly many of our members in the sector are also collaborating with other producers in other categories including bread, cheese and beef in the search for unique products that could boost sales outside Northern Ireland.”

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shows in British venues, such as London and Birmingham, our companies took part and enjoyed good business in terms of sales to visitors. It just doesn’t make sense.

We lobbied ministers in the Executive before it collapsed. A bill was drafted for a measure of reform but has been stalled by the difficulties at Stormont. The chances of an early vote and implementation appear remote because it seems likely that there will be a lengthy period of negotiations to restore the Executive and Assembly.

Exciting plans for several tourist attractions may also have to be put on the back burner, a serious setback for two of our most promising industries – tourism and food and drink. We’re not giving up, nor is Hospitality Ulster. We’ll continue to back the body’s campaign for additional hours for the sale of alcohol, extra drinking up time, the relaxation of restrictive licensing hours over Easter, and a license to allow craft distillers/brewers to sell their products on-site and at events here.

Our smaller breweries and distillers need to be able to reach out to customers to increase awareness of their products and generate revenue because of their limited access to consumers outside the area in which they are located.

We’ve supported Hospitality Ulster in its campaign against our outdated laws. It’s an immensely important campaign which will benefit producers and enhance Northern Ireland’s appeal as a destination for tourists and short-break visitors.

APRIL HRNI • 15

advertorial

BUSHMILLS IRISH WHISKEY KICKS OFF #ANSWERTHECALL EVENT SERIES (L-R) Michael Morris and Mark Kelly, collectively known as the Bearded Candle Makers

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onfident, passionate and determined, Bushmills® Irish Whiskey represents those who reject convention and are hardworking in spirit, pursuing their ambitions.

Bushmills® Irish Whiskey has launched the #AnswerTheCall campaign, partnering with the creators, thinkers, artists, entrepreneurs and adventurers from across the country, celebrating the talent that people of Northern Ireland have to offer and inspiring others to fulfil their true calling through an exciting event series.

The Old Bushmills Distillery™ has been hand crafting whiskey for over 400 years, and is one of the first distilleries in the world to make both single malt and blended Irish whiskey. This innovation and fearlessness to forge their path has inspired the launch of #AnswerTheCall.

Activated across PR, social media and experiential events in licensed premises across Northern Ireland, the campaign aims to showcase the talents and stories of those who defy convention and boldly answer their calling, creating a legacy of their own.

Bespoke Bushmills® Irish Whiskey serves showcasing the signature smooth taste and famous style of BLACK BUSH™ will be exclusively available to attendees at each event whilst interactive experiences and opportunities will immerse consumers in a world where the full potential of Northern Ireland is unveiled.

Some of the talent collaborating with Bushmills® Irish Whiskey to host and curate #AnswerTheCall events include; Downpatrick duo, The Bearded Candle Makers, Whitehead based tattoo artist Willy G who in his second

16 • HRNI APRIL

year of tattooing won 6 awards and has countless celebrity clients on his books, one of Belfast’s best known street artists, Visual Waste who has attracted thousands of tourists to Belfast through his expressive and unpredictable murals, adventurer Mark Pollock who has not allowed blindness to stop him exploring the world and David Torrans, owner of Belfast’s only independent crime-fiction bookstore No Alibis, who for the last 20 years has been providing a home for niche titles and a shelf space for local authors.

More information about the Bushmills® Irish Whiskey #AnswerTheCall event series and the local talent involved can be found at www. answerthecall.co.uk. To join in the conversation and keep up to date with the #AnswerTheCall series, follow Bushmills® Irish Whiskey on social media @BushmillsUK

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Bushmills® and other trademarks are owned by The “Old Bushmills” Distillery Company Limited. ©2017 Proximo Spirits UK. Enjoy Bushmills responsibly.

drinksnews

NORTHERN SANTA RITA IRELAND CRAFT 120 TAPAS DISH BEER SUCCESS PROMO N

orthern Ireland drinks distributor United Wine Merchants Ltd. (UWM), is launching an exclusive value added, Off Trade consumer promotion, offering a free Tapas dish with every two bottles of Santa Rita 120 purchased. This promotion coincides with the launch of an attractive new look Santa Rita 120 bottle and label which is more reflective of the premium quality of the wines.

The designation “Reserva Especial” (Special Reserve) is now incorporated on the 120 label and the new bottle has an embossed image of an iconic solider fighting on his steed, a homage to the 120 patriot heroes who sought refuge in the Santa Rita wine cellars whilst fighting in Chile’s war of independence.

Ireland’s number one selling wine brand, Santa Rita 120, was named in honour of these 120 heroes. The subtle but impactful changes to the bottle add a more premium, contemporary look and feel which more truly reflects the 120 brand and the quality of the wines.

United Wine Merchants Brand Manager, Emma Haughian comments: “The tapas dish promotion will reward loyal consumers of the 120 brand with a value added item when two bottles are purchased. The promotion embodies the purpose of the Santa Rita 120 “Living la Vida” campaign which is focused around sharing great wine and food with people who are important to us.“ Viña Santa Rita was named 2016 Winery of the Year by Wines of Chile, an important distinction that reflects Santa Rita’s success in both the domestic and international markets.

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our Northern Ireland artisan companies have won awards at the recent Alltech Craft Beer and Cider Awards in Dublin.

The greatest success for Northern Ireland companies came in the cider category with three companies winning medals – Long Meadow Cider, Loughgall, county Armagh won a bronze medal for its Oak Aged Cider, MacIvors of Portadown, county Armagh gained two silvers for its Medium and Plum and Ginger and Tempted of Lisburn, county Antrim also won two medals, bronze for its Medium Dry and silver for its Elderflower.

In the Dublin Craft Beer Cup, Lacada Brewery of Portrush, county Antrim gained a bronze medal for its Stranded Bunny beer.

The Dublin Craft Beer Cup is an international competition which allows craft brewers to showcase their brews to have them rated, tasted and analysed by an expert panel of judges.

Award-winning brewers received prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals in eight different categories of beer, establishing the best examples of each. Entrants to the Dublin Craft Beer Cup are critiqued based on appearance, aroma, flavour, body, style and quality.

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NEW LOOK

LIVING LA VIDA

pubnews

MINDFUL DRINKING

LOW STRENGTH, NO STRENGTH AND LOW SUGAR ARE BUZZ TERMS THAT HAVE INFILTRATED THE DRINKS LIST THANKS TO INCREASED CONSUMER AWARENESS AND MINDFUL CONSUMPTION WHICH HAS WORKED ITS WAY FROM THE DINNER PLATE INTO THE GLASS. IN THIS FEATURE WE LOOK AT THE INDUSTRY THE WORLD’S FIRST TRENDS AND THOSE CATERING TO THE DEMAND...

NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS COPPER POT DISTILLED

THE TRACEABLE TREND

THE SKINNY TREND

THE NO ALCOHOL TREND

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onsumers want to know more about where their food, and, now drink, originates. They want the stories, the heritage and quite often the low mileage that comes with the collection of craft drinks on the market today. Such is the demand for knowledge and indigenous craft spirits, launches increased 265% globally from 2011-2015 according to Mintel GNPD. The report attributed the surge of craft spirits to a universal agreement that ‘artisanal alcohol’ are of higher quality than bigger brands.

Around half of consumers across Europe believe that small/craft distillers are more appealing than mass-produced brands while in the UK, 37 % of dark spirits/liqueur drinkers are prepared to pay more for craft variants.

The pace of this growth is very much evident in NI with the Quiet Man Distillery in Derry under construction and Echlinville Distillery about to launch its first vodka.

When it comes to the ‘craftiest trend’, the research specialist says whisky reigns supreme, accounting for 43% of global craft spirit launches in 2015. Gin is hot on its heels it continued.

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Solving the dilemma of “What to drink when you’re Not drinking”®

ugar has been a hot topic with the health authorities for a long time creating something of a sugar-astute customer and when mindful eating has been mastered, soon comes mindful drinking, paving the way for ultra Brut Champagnes, Skinny Prosecco and the launch of Skinny Brands Ltd which will launch a Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc this year. AS U G A R F R E E EETENER FREE small 100-125ml glass ofS W brut S E RV E W I T H T O N I C Champagne typically contains around 100 calories, but a properly dry version has nearer 60 - stats that every discerning consumer are becoming familiar with. With the cocktail category still thriving, the big spirit players are taking note of this trend. For example Grey Goose vodka developed a range of low calorie cocktails in response to huge demand for the ‘Skinny Bitch’ in London, a mix of vodka, lime and soda. Vodka remains the spirit most affiliated with lower cal serves.

ero proof drinks with a sophisticated edge are becoming something of an asset for the bar that has it all. Alcohol consumption has dropped 18 per cent since 2004 according to the Office of National Statistics signalling that moderation is key for many consumers who will still visit the pub but demand more than an infantilised coke or a sugar-rich mocktail. Ben Branson of Seedlip has nailed this niche with the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit - a product that has been snapped up by the most premium food halls in the UK and wnow ww S e e dinlNorthern i p D rIreland. ink it is. available

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NO CAL N O A RT I F I C I A

AWA R D W

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advertorial

THOMSON & SCOTT SKINNY CHAMPAGNE & SKINNY PROSECCO and the message seems to have caught the zeitgeist. The Times described Thomson & Scott Skinny Prosecco as “a gift from God”, The Guardian called it the “basic bitch drink of summer” and it’s been name-checked as relevant in everything from GQ to the New York Times.

It’s a grown-up way of enjoying life while having all the facts. After all, sparkling wine is a party waiting to happen, and if you can have a delicious fresh taste with fewer chemicals and sugar, then Thomson argues, “What’s not to like?”

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hen Amanda Thomson launched Thomson & Scott Skinny Champagne, she thought her methods to reduce sugar in wine would be considered relatively uncomplicated. A former arts broadcaster for the BBC, Thomson moved to Paris to enroll at Le Cordon Bleu and had one of those lifechanging ‘Eureka!’ moments when she met a maker of grand cru Champagne who didn’t rely on a dosage of processed sugar to create his champagne’s distinctive sweet taste. A life-long sugar-dodger, Thomson was brought up in the Seventies by a mother who was considered a health nut for her anti-sugar beliefs.

“She taught me that sugar was the devil,” say Thomson. “It turns out that she was right.”

Thomson has long been a lover of sparkling wine, so low dosage sparkling wine seemed the perfect match. What Thomson hadn’t considered was that the industry would initially be skeptical.

When she launched her own company Thomson & Scott, Thomson realised that she had identified an entirely new sector of the wine industry. It wasn’t that “low dosage” sparkling wines didn’t exist, but that the industry wasn’t capitalising on consumer demand for transparency.

It came as a big surprise to discover what might be in a bottle of sparkling wine. A typical bottle of Champagne or Prosecco might have been made with up to 10 invasive industrial www.hospitalityreviewni.com

processes and an approved list of up to 60 additives. Obviously, some are necessary – no one wants to be drinking musty wine and pulling bits of pip out of their teeth. Other methods have been accused of doing everything from covering up inferior flavour to blocking the over-production of bacteria that over intensive methods often cause in the first place.

Thomson & Scott Skinny Prosecco, which launched in April last year and has since become part of the healthy luxury lifestyle ‘must-haves’ is certified both organic and vegan, something that again causes gasps from consumers.

“I’ve had plenty of people’s eyes pop when I tell them that not all wine is vegetarian, let alone vegan,” Thomson explains. “Most consumers assume that it’s just grapes, alcohol and sulphites because that’s all it indicates on the label. We’ve all become obsessed with what’s in our food, but very rarely do we ask what’s in our bottle.” Egg white can be used as a fining agent, milk products for the removal of poor flavours, and gelatine to clarify what goes into a bottle. “Don’t get me started on the traditional method of using bull’s blood as a filtration method!” she laughs.

If Thomson & Scott Skinny Champagne and Prosecco has one core message though, it’s ‘fun.’ Specifically, what Thomson refers to as “Healthy hedonism.” Thomson & Scott proudly champions transparency in bottle labelling,

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Thomson & Scott Skinny Champagne & Prosecco are now available in Northern Ireland through Harland Wines www.harlandwines.com Tel: +44 28 9029 7053 APRIL HRNI • 21

advertorial

ALL SPIRIT NO ALCOHOL

BEN BRANSON, A PIONEER IN THE NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS BUSINESS TALKS ABOUT THE DEMAND FOR NA SPIRITS AND CREATING A WORLD FIRST.

SPICE

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NOSE Aromatic, Earthy, Woody

B OTA N I C A L S All Spice, Cardamom, Oak, Lemon, Grapefruit

SERVE HOW DID THE WORLD’S FIRST NONALCOHOLIC SPIRIT COME ABOUT? Seedlip didn’t actually begin as a business idea at all! Whilst looking into different herbs to grow at home I came across a book online written in 1651 called The Art of Distillation. It documented distilled herbal remedies that were non-alcoholic. Out of curiosity I bought a little copper still and began experimenting in my kitchen with herbs from garden.

It was only when I began to understand that the world and how we’re drinking is changing that the mission to solve the dilemma of what to drink when you’re not drinking, invent the world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirits and continue my family’s 300 year legacy of working with the land came together as a business idea!

IS THERE A DEMAND FOR NONALCOHOLIC SPIRITS AND HOW DID YOU DISCOVER IT? It’s early days, we’re just over a year old and this time last year I was still a one man band, the demand so far has been surreal.

I experienced first-hand the poor options available if you’re not drinking; Juices, fizzy sugary drinks or inadequate mocktails, I think we can all relate to that.

The first 1000 hand made bottles launched in Selfridges in November 2015 and sold out in 3 weeks the next two batches sold out in 3 days and 30 minutes online! We couldn’t make it fast enough!

Seedlip is now in some of the best restaurants, bars, retailers and hotels across England including The Fat Duck, The Savoy and The Ritz and we are solving the dilemma of ‘what to drink when you’re not drinking with Seedlip & Tonics.

WHAT IS YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC? We target the 28-40 age bracket, the young 22 • HRNI APRIL

50ml Seedlip Spice, tonic & a grapefruit twist

Waitrose shopper!

People who buy Seedlip typically appreciate good quality food and drink and lead a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

They are likely social, professional and drink alcohol a couple of times a week WHAT IS THE CURRENT ACTIVITY IN YOUR INDUSTRY, ARE THERE EMERGING PLAYERS? We are still the only distilled non-alcoholic spirits company in the world and have worked very hard to create a coveted and bespoke process for each of the 12 individual plants we work with. I’m extremely proud that some of these plants come from my farm.

YOU’VE TWO BRANDS ALREADY, ARE THERE PLANS TO EXPAND? We have two products, Seedlip Spice and Seedlip Garden.

I’ve got loads of ideas for future products and we certainly want to continue to lead the revolution in NA Spirits but at this early stage we don’t want a big range.

WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS NICHE GOING IN THE FUTURE? The future for us is to continue to lead the fight towards poor mocktails and fruity sweet childish drinks and raise awareness about the potential of what can be done with drinks that don’t contain alcohol. The future for us is to continue to lead the fight towards poor mocktails and fruity sweet childish drinks and raise awareness about the potential of what can be done with drinks that don’t contain alcohol. We have more world firsts in the pipeline, some experimentation to do up on my farm and an exciting year ahead launching into Copenhagen, Milan, Los Angeles and Dubai.

GARDEN

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NOSE Herbal, Grassy, Floral

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Peas, Hay, Spearmint, Rosemary, Thyme

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SERVE 50ml Seedlip Garden, tonic & a handful of peas

Seedlip’s two products, Seedlip Garden & Seedlip Spice are now available in Northern Ireland through Harland Wines www.harlandwines.com Tel: +44 28 9029 7053

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THE WORLD’S FIRST NON-ALCOHOLIC SPIRITS COPPER POT DISTILLED

Solving the dilemma of “What to drink when you’re Not drinking”®

SUGAR FREE

NO CALORIES

SWEETENER FREE

N O A R T I F I C I A L F L AVO U R S

S E RV E W I T H T O N I C

AWA R D W I N N I N G

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news

ORMEAU ROAD CHAPEL TO BECOME RESTAURANT

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he former Holy Rosary church, al andmark church on the Ormeau Road in Belfast is set to be transformed into a new restaurant.

Tullymore House Ltd, has confirmed plans which will effect the transformation from a place of worship through a £1m investment.

The group, which also owns the awardwinning Galgorm Resort and Spa and Fratelli group of Italian restaurants, has acquired the former Holy Rosary church and surrounding land.

More than £1m will be invested improving and enhancing the site, which has been derelict since 1980, with plans to convert the church building.

More than 40 full and part time jobs will be created once the project is completed, with a further 30 jobs during the construction phase.

Project Manager Colin Johnston says the plans will add to the vibrancy of the area.

“We plan to regenerate this section of the Ormeau Road with a sympathetic redevelopment of the building, which has stood on the site since 1898.

“The Ormeau Road project is part of an ongoing investment programme in the hospitality sector by Tullymore House Ltd,

including planned extensions to Fratelli restaurants in Galgorm in Ballymena and Belfast city centre.”

Mr Johnston added: “As a major employer in Belfast and Ballymena, we are committed to the development and enhancement of Northern Ireland’s hospitality offering, and this project is one of a number of expansion plans

for 2017.”

Tullymore House Ltd recently invested more than £11m in a redevelopment programme at Galgorm Resort and Spa. The company has also developed the successful Fratelli group, with one restaurant located in the four-star Galgorm Resort, and another on Belfast’s Great Victoria Street.

LIQUOR LICENCE HOLDERS MUST GET THEIR HOUSE IN ORDER AHEAD OF 2017 RENEWAL DEADLINE

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wners of all types of licensed premises must take action now if they don’t want to run out of time to renew their liquor licences ahead of the September 2017 deadline, a leading legal expert on liquor licensing warns.

Cathy Colton, partner at Carson McDowell, said most licence holders in Northern Ireland are aware that their licence is due for renewal in six months, but she is concerned that many have not yet started to put the necessary measures in place for a successful renewal.

Renewals occur once every five years and the deadline will impact every licensed premises in Northern Ireland, including pubs, bars, restaurants and clubs.

Ms Colton said: “Now is the time that licence holders should be getting ready for renewals by seeking advice on what the court requires at the renewal date. This is particularly important if any alterations, however minor, have been carried out on the premises since the last renewal in 2012.”

“Whatever type of venue you have, if you sell alcohol you need to ensure that your house is in order. Renewals are coming and our advice is, don’t rest on your laurels, get started on it now. The process can take up to four months with only a few court dates set aside to deal with these applications. With courts closing at the end of June we are recommending that anyone with alterations needs to seek approval prior to this date,” she added.

“Carson McDowell has a team of liquor licensing experts who can provide advice on this process.”

ADVERTORIAL

24 • HRNI APRIL

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Proudly distributing

Want to taste the quality? Tel: 028 9267 3316

drinksprofile

BITTLES BAR Ciaran Bittles of Bittles Bar in Belfast explains exactly why his father’s bar is one of Belfast’s best-loved traditional venues and why it’s a hub for whiskey lovers…

TELL US ABOUT YOUR BAR My dad, John Bittles opened Bittles in 1989.

He’d been in the trade from he was 14 and his first job was in the Slieve Donard after which he worked in The Morning Star but he always knew he wanted his own place. Good old 70 Upper Church Lane was free. It had been lying derelict and was an absolute state. Bass invested in it to get the place open and running.

There’s always been a bar on that site since 1861.

At one stage it was the Dolphin and over the years my dad has tried to go further with it, to maintain a presence in the bar scene and retain a sense of tradition. We’ve tried to stay rooted in that culture.

WHAT ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS/ INITIATIVES TO DRIVE SALES IN YOUR BAR? Working alongside Joe from Dillon Bass and Phil from Belfast Taste Tours would be one of our newest initiatives. The Whiskey Walk starts off with us where we will serve up a Jameson and Lime.

We also offer bespoke whiskey tastings so if someone contacts the Facebook page looking for that kind of event we are only too happy to work with them.

WHAT MAKES IT AN IRISH WHISKEY BAR? We are always on the ball when it comes to the Irish whiskey releases. My dad has always managed to source new releases even before suppliers hear about it. He doesn’t miss a trick.

Staying on top of the stock is important and I think my dad’s character attracts a lot of people. He would be one of the oldest old school pub owners still knocking around.

WHAT ARE YOUR BEST-SELLING BRANDS, AND PERSONAL FAVOURITES, IN THE IRISH WHISKEY CATEGORY? My personal favourite is Green Spot Château Léoville Barton Whiskey - it’s got a lovely richness to it. I also like of Redbreast Lustau, it’s almost like drinking Christmas cake. I was really blown away

by Method + Madness too.

Our whiskey flights are, excuse the pun, really taking off! Some of the Powers stuff is starting to move fast and I think by offering the flights we’re really starting to encourage people to try different things.

HAVE YOU ANY FUTURE PLANS TO DEVELOP THE BAR? We’re hoping to open something of a specialist whiskey room. We gutted out the kitchen a while back as we don’t serve food anymore. We’ve made it more presentable – it would be a similar operation to Willie Jacks’ Friend at Hand – a specialist whiskey shop. My dad has a lot of old label stuff that’s not quite on the market so with this we’re appealing to collectors and people who have a real interest in whiskeys.

26 • HRNI APRIL

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q&a

A DAY IN THE LIFE Q&A “Locally, tourism and hospitality is a ‘movement’ of great people who work hard to serve others while building businesses, an industry and our international reputation.

While doing this they build a great community that is fantastic to be part of. ”

MICHAEL McQUILLAN • CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE STREAT CAFÉ CHAIN AND THE STREAT FRANCHISING LTD • DIRECTOR OF THE BUSINESS INSTITUTE AT ULSTER UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL AND TOURISM NI BOARD MEMBER.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE, WHEN DID YOU TAKE IT UP AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? I have been Director of the Business Institute at Ulster University Business School, since August 2014. Our objective in the Business Institute is the development of people and through them, the development of organisations, communities and economies consequently growing the business and civic impact of the university. I have also been a board member with Tourism NI for almost four years, together we are tasked with ensuring Tourism NI fulfils the aims and objectives set by the Department, that Tourism NI’s policies and actions support the wider strategic policies of the Minister, and that Tourism NI operates with probity.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND IN HOSPITALITY/TOURISM? Although it seems like yesterday, I graduated www.hospitalityreviewni.com

from Ulster University the eighties and spent twenty-plus years establishing several businesses, mostly in hospitality.

The most notable was The Streat a coffee chain that I co-founded with my wife Nikki in 1999 starting off with just one outlet, the business grew organically and then expanded through franchising which led to an acquisition by the Henderson Group in 2010. I also developed Manor House Catering Service’s during the late 80’s and early 90’s, with my brother John and had a spell launching and running the contract catering division of the Campbell Bewley Group in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Throughout my business career I lectured part-time at Ulster University and have been constantly involved in the development of tourism in Northern Ireland and the NI skills agenda.

WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? My role with the university combines two things that really enthuse me. Firstly, the encouragement and development of people and the subsequent impact that can have on their lives, their organisation, their community and the wider economy – this has been at the centre of every business I have been involved with.

Secondly, in a changing world the university needs to grow its business – the challenge and excitement of ‘business building’ has got me out of bed in the morning for years!

My role on the board of Tourism NI brings the responsibility of providing guidance and challenge to the senior management team.

They are a really focused and passionate team working to support, develop and grow tourism in Northern Ireland. It is a privilege to work with the senior team and fellow board members for an industry and country I am very proud of.

Quite simply there are no ‘worst’ parts of my job, sure there are circumstances out of my control in Northern Ireland that can hinder progress, lead to loss of opportunity, and while that can be frustrating, I’m very much a glass

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half full person. I look forward to the progress the business community will make in the coming years.

OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY At the university, I run the day-to-day operations of the Business Institute and SME Development Centre. I must also grow student numbers and income for the business school from our local and growing international client base. My average working day is usually long, with lots of productive meetings with the Business Institute team, existing and potential clients and client businesses, colleagues across the university and a range of collaborators in the public, private and third sectors throughout Northern Ireland and beyond.

Once per month I will attend a Tourism NI board meeting and I will have several engagements on specific tourism areas that I am working in partnership with the industry on. At the moment this includes some really constructive work on the future skills strategy.

PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE I am not good at singling out moments in my life outside of the important ones- my wedding day and the days when our children were born.

Career wise there were many memorable moments including being very proud on the night in the Guild Hall, London when The Streat became the first ever café chain to win a UK National Training Award. I was also personally proud and humbled when I was appointed as a Visiting Professor to Ulster University in 2010.

BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY/TOURISM SECTOR Locally, tourism and hospitality is a ‘movement’ of great people who work hard to serve others while building businesses, an industry and our international reputation. While doing this they build a great community that is fantastic to be part of.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? Nikki and I try to walk regularly. When we walk we discuss how we need to live less busy lives and unwind a little more!

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW I performed in an opera with the Priests (Eugene, Martin & David) in the late 70’s. They went on to sell thousands of albums and fill concert halls across the world. I didn’t!

The Department for the Economy is currently carrying out a recruitment exercise for new Tourism NI Board Members. Further details can be found at economy-ni.gov.uk/ department-economy-public-appointments or by contacting the Public Appointments Unit at DfE on 028 9052 9918.

APRIL HRNI • 27

CoCKtaIL oF tHe MontH

StuyveSant Sour 35ml Black Bush 15ml Lillet Blanc 10ml Amer Picon 5ml Maraschino 2oml lemon juice 15ml sugar syrup White of one egg

COCKTAIL MONTH OF THE

with Black Bush

James Maddison, Bar Manager at the Merchant Hotel, plays on the classic Brooklyn cocktail this issue using the deep intense character of Black Bush to give this old school sip a modern twist…

Black Bush

about the bartender

The featured spirit in this month's signature

Born in Durham, James, 32, has a strong background in cocktail-making having

serve is Black Bush. Matured in former

worked in restaurants for over 15 years but more recently as Bar Manager for

Oloroso sherry casks with a sweet, batch-

Burger and Lobster in Soho. “The cocktails in London cover many different

distilled grain whiskey. Bushmills Black Bush

trends. There are a lot of Tiki-style and rum-based drinks,” said James of the

unique recipe has rich fruity notes, balanced by

drinks menu in his former place of employment. It was James’ experience in

an incredibly unique smoothness.

restaurants, located in both London and Newcastle Upon Tyne, that led him to a role at Living Ventures – the parent company of a group of restaurants

stuyvesant sour

throughout England and Scotland. This is where he was introduced to the world of cocktails. “They had over 200 drinks on the list and I suppose that was

35ml Black Bush

my real exposure to the industry. I was head waiter there for two years,” said

15ml Lillet Blanc

James who confesses to loving the air and water quality in NI! “People think

10ml Amer Picon

I’m crazy saying that but when you’ve been in London for so long you notice

5ml Maraschino

the difference.” Talking about his cocktail, Stuyvesant Sour – Stuyvesant being

2oml lemon juice

a district in Brooklyn – James added: “This is a take on the Brooklyn cocktail

15ml sugar syrup

but the Black Bush makes it a more accessible drink. Black Bush has that real

White of one egg

versatile asset.”

James Maddison Bar Manager at the Merchant Hotel

Available from all good wholesalers.

Patrick Morgan T: 07734 128048 Bushmills® and other trademarks are owned By the “old Bushmills” distillery Company limited. Bushmills® ©2017 proximo spirits. enjoy Bushmills responsiBly.

tourismnews

NI RACING WORLD GETS THE SWISS TREATMENT

UU STUDENTS TEAM UP WITH NORTH WEST 200

F

Tourism Ireland’s busy programme of activity to promote Northern Ireland around the world continued recently in Switzerland, where the organisation had a presence at Swiss-Moto Zurich – Switzerland’s premier motorcycling show.

With about 70,000 people visiting Swiss-Moto Zurich each year, it was an ideal platform to highlight North-

ern Ireland as a great destination for motorcycling enthusiasts. A highlight of the show was a special ‘Irish road racing’ exhibition – which celebrated the most famous family in road racing, Northern Ireland’s legendary Dunlop family. Pictured is Austrian road racer Horst Saiger (left) and Christian Ruebel, Tourism Ireland, at Swiss-Moto Zurich.

DERRY TOURISM GETS A BOOST WITH MAJOR GOLF TOURNAMENT

T

he largest event in this year’s PGA calendar, the Walled City of Derry Pro Am tournament, is set to take place in Derry-Londonderry on 26th and 27th August 2017.

For the first time ever the two courses, City of Derry Golf Club and Foyle International Golf Centre, will join forces to share the event on both days.

This will provide a larger number of competitors with the opportunity to put their skills to the test, while also promoting the local offering to a wide range of visitors.

Launching the Walled City Pro-Am golf tournament Ordhan Dunne, General Manager, Visit Derry said: “Ireland’s North West region is currently at the forefront of golf tourism on the island and whilst this tournament will be an excellent opportunity to promote the quality of the city’s parkland golf, it will further enhance our reputation as a central hub for www.hospitalityreviewni.com

golfers to enjoy a premier golf and tourism experience.”

Visit Derry in partnership with Derry City and Strabane Council are sponsoring the tournament which will be one of the top attractions in the North West social and sporting calendar this summer.

Simon Thornton, PGA Professional Golfer on Derry City’s Walls

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

inal year International Travel and Tourism, and Leisure and Event Management students developed a digital strategy for the North West 200 Festival Week and Race Event recently, including physical design components of web, social media (including a Snapchat presence for the first time) and smartphone applications.

Working in tandem with Fergus Mackay (Operations Manager of the North West 200) through John Bustard (Doctoral Researcher and part time Lecturer) and facilitated through the eBusiness Strategy module run by Dr Peter Bolan, the student groups were also competing for major awards (the Origin Digital Award and the Bank of Ireland Digital Innovation Award).

Ulster University Business School’s Dr Peter Bolan said: “We very much strive to provide our students with the opportunity to work with live businesses and industry scenarios to enhance the relevance of their learning and develop their employability in the tourism and events industry.

“At the Coleraine campus we value the strong links and support we have with local community businesses and we are delighted that through our innovative modules and the work of our students we have been able to enhance such industry connections and indeed help develop new business collaborations as well.” Pictured: Dr Peter Bolan (Ulster University Business School), Fergus Mackay (Operations Manager North West 200) and John Bustard (Ulster University Business School) with final year tourism and event management students.)

JANUARY OCCUPANCY ROOM RATES UP

L

atest figures from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) show that Northern Ireland hotels achieved a 42% increase in room sales in January 2017, pushing the annual average room occupancy level to 58%, a growth of 17 percentage points for the same period in 2016.

Across the wider accommodation sector, there was a 42% increase in bed spaces sold in Northern Ireland hotels during January 2017 equating to 77,300 additional beds sold compared with January 2016.

The Guesthouse and B&B sector also continued their growth into 2017, with room and bed sales one third higher than January 2016.

APRIL HRNI • 29

advertorial

MAJOR CLUB MIXERS RELAUNCH CLUB – LIFTING IRISH SPRITS SINCE 1852 ritvic is unveiling a complete re-launch of its iconic Club Mixers range, a range which has been lifting Irish spirits and has been a part of Irish pub culture since 1852. The Club Mixers portfolio offers a wide range of flavours, best enjoyed served chilled over ice with your garnish of choice. Club Mixers are the perfect accompaniment to spirits, expertly designed to blend deliciously with gins, vodkas and whiskeys- or even to be enjoyed on their own over ice.

Improved liquids As part of the relaunch Club has improved its Tonics. Club’s new Tonic is skilfully blended , with crisp citrus notes balanced with a distinct fizz. Similarly, the Slimline Tonic is based on the original recipe and has a crisp and refreshing taste but with fewer calories per sip.

Club Mixers Soda water is both bubbly and refreshing. As well as the Tonics and Soda, the Club range includes Lemonade, Bitter Lemon and its classic Ginger Ale. The improved liquids have been developed in conjunction with extensive consumer work. Club has listened to both customers and consumers to develop the great-tasting tonic to lift consumer’s spirits – in both senses of the word. It’s a truly an iconic tonic!

B

RICH HERITAGE AND INVENTOR OF GINGER ALE IN BELFAST Club Mixers has a rich heritage, it was invented in Ireland and the year 2017 represents the 165th year anniversary since the first bottle was produced.

This heritage goes back to Belfast in 1852 in which Club Invented a world first - Ginger Ale. During the 1850’s, Ginger Beer was widely available and often cloudy due to the residues of brewing, and had a stronger ginger taste.

The Club Belfast team perfected the production of Ginger Ale with its dark coloured, generally sweet to taste, a strong ginger spice flavor

BRI006-Club-A4poster-V2.indd 3

30 • HRNI APRIL

and smooth liquid. Club Ginger Ale went on to be marketed with “The Original Makers of Ginger Ale” embossed on its bottles. At the time local doctors described it as “sparkling and clear as the choicest champagne, as having a most agreeable odour, perfectly free from any C intoxicating L U B G Iquality, N G E and R Ayet L Eeminently warming and invigorating, pleasant to the taste and pleasant to look at.” Ginger Ale was an addition to many Soda waters and Tonics Club had at the time. Club Soda and Club Ginger Ale where globally recognised for their quality

and awarded 32 gold medals across Paris, Jamaica, Liverpool and New York exhibitions during the 1890’s. With such esteem, Club Mixers was recognised by the White Star Line and sold on the Titanic.

MIXERS RELAUNCH To celebrate the 165 years Club Mixers will

relaunch across the Island of Ireland. As part of the Club Mixers relaunch we are delighted to be introducing an improved Tonic, two iconic bottles in the shape of 125ml and 200ml, a refreshed brand identity that will be supported TTL. Our new Non-Returnable Club Mixers bottle is modern, with a sleek design featuring broad confident shoulders on the bottle neck accompanied by 1852 embossed on the end of the bottle to add to the premium finish. The 200ml format is one of the market’s fastest growing SKUs as it offers customers a convenient size to cater for both single and double measures.

With Club launching into the 200ml market we bring a great range in Tonic, Slimline Tonic, Soda water and Ginger Ale. The new bottles are complemented with new livery across the range, using metallic labels which reflect the premium quality of the liquid contained inside. The new livery has bold and strong colours coupled with Metallic labels on both body and neck allow for easy navigation through the range on the back bar. As well as the metallic labels and neck labels Club has increased the over panel size of the label for impact. Our new non-returnable 125ml and 200ml bottles are available in cases of 24.

INVESTMENT IN THE CATEGORY To further grow and excite the category Club Mixers will be supported with a significant marketing campaign which will include experiential and sampling marketing, consumer PR, trade press, point of purchase comms and digital support. Across the summer, Club Mixers will be showcasing its improved liquid and bottle to consumers at several events. This move is the first in a series of investments in the pipeline as Club Mixers looks to reconnect with the consumer through the brands unique heritage, new look, improved liquids and support plan. The new bottles and improved liquid will be available from April onwards and can be ordered through your Counterpoint Rep. 16/03/2017 15:16

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hotelnews

DEAR OTA PARTNER... I THINK WE NEED COUNSELLING...

BY ADRIENNE HANNA, FOUNDER & CEO, RIGHT REVENUE

CRUMLIN ROAD COURTHOUSE TO BECOME £25M HOTEL

We are in a relationship... and like with some relationships, one partner was a little more ‘needy’ in the early days and the other partner took advantage. Now the relationship has turned toxic and the ‘needy’ one is pushing back and frankly... is contemplating divorce!

So before that happens I offer counseling, so lets start with at the facts.

Way back at the end of the 90’s when the Spice Girls were still cool, we had a recession and Hotels panicked - desperate to fill rooms at any price. Along came OTA’s to save the day. To begin with this seemed like a wonderful idea but like everything that seems too good to be true, it kinda was.

OTA’s also went into this relationship at the beginning thinking only good things. Relationships were built on trust and a desire to work together. They were the new kid on the block and frankly what they offered hotels wasn’t great. Platforms and technology were being built and there were so many to choose from that the OTA’s were just grateful that any hotels wanted to be in a relationship with them at all!

But then the OTA’s started needing more attention - there were demands on rate parity; then allocation demands; then they wanted to take our name!

Over time Hotels became weaker because as we all know, ‘if you don’t stand up for something, you fall for everything...’ Suddenly the OTA’s were demanding more commission; giving our hard won business to other hotels; with-holding information about our guests; they went to the media saying that they had better rates than we did; offered loyalty programmes that independent hotels can’t match and with their advertising budget, it is a battle few hotels can ever hope to win. Basically they took all the good things that we gave openly in this relationship and used them against us.

Hotels then decided to fight back and offered better rates, incentives, competitions, upgrades all to entice their loyal customers back. Hotels are at last fighting back, as when you break everything down the facts are clear: • OTA’s offer only two things: a software platform for people to book and a marketing opportunity.

Hotels in return offer: up to 25% commission; an allocation of rooms even when they are full directly; a promise not to enter price wars; the right to use their branded name and of course, we provide the service.

I don’t know about you all, but I am growing tried of hearing about ‘Book Direct’ strategies. So what is the answer...

Well like in any relationship, we need to talk... One partner cannot be dominant and it frankly isn’t fair that hotels offer bricks and mortar; attentive staff; invest heavily both in training and in product; and best of all… offer an experience.

Hoteliers are struggling to often make less than £6.00 per room when an OTA can take 4 times that for offering just a software platform to book and a marketing opportunity.

So my counsel is this... OTA’s please meet us in the middle. Reduce your commission to 10% (trust me, we would be happy with that) and stop demanding allocations - they just aren’t fair.

We understand your need to be in business, but please afford us the same courtesy. Meet us half way, not a compromise but a win:win.

There would be no more mixed messages. Customers would be free to choose where and how they booked.

Win:Win for us both. Doesn’t that sound better than divorce?

Visit www.rightrevenue.co.uk or email adrienne@rightrevenue.co.uk

32 • HRNI APRIL

T

he landmark heritage building dating from 1850 has fallen into a state of disrepair and the Signature Living Group said it planned to restore it to its former glory.

It will be the first of up to five new hotels the developer will bring to the city over the next three years.

Signature chairman Lawrence Kenwright said “The courthouse is currently in a state of disrepair and our focus will be on sympathetically restoring the building to its former glory in a way that is both true to its architectural heritage and aligns with the exciting style for which Signature Living is reputed.

“We see ourselves simply as custodians of these important buildings and the courthouse will very much still belong to the people of Belfast.

“For us, this is an investment in the local Belfast community and, as well committing around £25 million to the restoration project, we will be investing in a series of community initiatives including the launch of a special apprenticeship academy - in the coming months.”

DALATA REVEALS A YEAR OF GROWTH D

alata, owners of Belfast’s Maldron Hotel in Derry, Maldron at Belfast International Airport and the Clayton Hotel in Belfast revealed positive results of its performance last year.

Discussing the recent performance of Dalata’s Northern Ireland portfolio, Dermot Crowley, Deputy CEO, Dalata, said: “We are very happy with the performance of our three hotels in Northern Ireland – the Clayton Hotel, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast, the Maldron Hotel in Derry, and the Dalata-managed Maldron Hotel at Belfast International Airport. All three hotels performed strongly in the last year. The Clayton Hotel in Belfast traded particularly strongly in the second half of 2016, whilst the Maldron Hotels in Derry and Belfast International Airport performed consistently well throughout the year. Progress in our Northern Ireland portfolio continues with the completion of the new 206-room Maldron Hotel in Brunswick Street, Belfast, expected in late April/early May 2018.” twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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hotelnews

THE GREAT BELFAST HOTEL HUB ROOM BOOM DEBATE

I

t’s not really news that Belfast is in the midst of a hotel revolution but when the statistics were released and the extent of plans revealed in a recent CBRE map of developments, the true growth of rooms here was evident – posing a supply and demand debate within the trade.

The Belfast Hotel Market has approximately 3,400 of existing bedroom stock. Research shows that there are approximately 3,750 of additional hotel bedrooms at various stages of the planning process, with a number of established local hoteliers behind many of these schemes.

The illustrative map released to press from CBRE, the world’s leading commercial property and real estate services adviser, shows 27 developments in various stages of planning/construction.

Among those are 500 new rooms as part of the Titanic Quarter masterplan. And enquiries are still coming, from far afield as Asia.

Alex Speers at CBRE said that with a “strong demand for hotel rooms and an evergrowing tourism industry, it is encouraging to see developers addressing this requirement in Belfast”.

Referring to the increased demand for rooms due to tourism and conferences, Gerry Lennon, chief executive of Visit Belfast said visitors are now spending over four million nights in the city each year and hotel room sales have grown by a third over the last five years.

There are reportedly 133 confirmed conferences for the city from now until 2022 which is expected to generate some £106m.

Reception to the detailed breakdown among those already operating in the trade was mixed. Some are developing their properties in response and some are calling on tourism authorities to increase marketing strategies to further increase tourism here.

The Fitzwilliam Hotel has revealed plans of an extension to the tune of £5-6m – a project

that manager Cian Landers knows will stand them in good stead: “We are confident of our position, our location and our investment.

Of course we’re concerned but we would be foolish not to be. New supply creates a new dynamic; to bring new business and that’s a challenge all cities have and we’ll work hard to secure that business.”

Meanwhile Ten Square, Belfast, has just celebrated phase one of its plans which saw it unveil 55 additional rooms recently. Stephen Perry from Ten Square told HRNI that the influx of new rooms would prove a challenge but the team are prepared for it. He said: “Continued development of the competition is a challenge and we have to evolve or die. We will continue to grow the demand for the three to five year period as Belfast continues to develop the supply side of the business equation and compete in the labour market.”

One of the most high profile hotels coming to Belfast in 2018 is The Grand Central Hotel from Hastings Hotels.

Speaking about his heftiest investment to date, Sir William Hastings, Chairman of Hastings Hotels said: “The Grand Central Hotel will fulfil the requirement for much needed city centre accommodation in Belfast.

Tourism in Northern Ireland continues to thrive and it is the ideal time to extend our portfolio of hotels with more high profile events coming to the city as well as an increase in business tourism.”

Gavin Carroll, General Manager, The Merchant Hotel, Belfast welcomed the growth but expressed concerns:”Progress and development is a positive thing for our city and the businesses that operate within it. That being said, we have a number of serious concerns.

Projections show that by the end of 2018, there will be 1000 more hotel bedrooms; effectively this means the industry will have to sell 1000 more bedroom nights every day to stand still.

Based on current occupancy figures we can’t see how this will be possible.

“Any growth of hotel bedroom stock must be backed up by a government led tourism growth strategy to ensure we have the numbers of people coming here to fill these extra rooms.

“...the industry will have to sell 1000 more bedroom nights every day to stand still. Based on current occupancy figures we can’t see how this will be possible”

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WITH THE MALDRON HOTEL, BRUNSWICK STREET, BELFAST

The upcoming, the newcomers and the masters of the hotelier scene talk rates, renovations and room numbers with HRNI… ■ DUE TO OPEN/ RENOVATION COMPLETION DATE: Completion expected in late April/early May 2018 ■ LOCATION: Brunswick Street, Belfast ■ NO. OF ROOMS: 206 ■ STAR RATING: 3/4 Star ■ STYLE: Newly built comfortable and contemporary luxury at an affordable price ■ MARKET POSITIONING: Maldron hotels serve both leisure and corporate customers with a main focus on leisure guests and families.

■ REASON BEHIND NEW BUILD: We are very happy with the performance of our three hotels in Northern Ireland and excited by the prospects for this market.

■ USPs/ADD ON SERVICES: Maldron hotels generally provide spacious contemporary

rooms, with family and executive rooms in some locations along with integrated bar and restaurant facilities serving simple menus made from fresh quality produce.

At select Maldron Hotel locations, conference room and fitness facilities are available to corporate and leisure guests.

■ COST OF INVESTMENT: £21m investment ■ JOB CREATION: In excess of 100 new employee positions.

■ CHALLENGES: While the UK’s decision to leave the EU has not impacted Dalata Hotel Group, or our plans to expand our presence in the UK, geo-political events and fluctuations in the value of sterling could result in uncertainty and impact general economic activity in the UK and Ireland.

To date we have not seen any significant change in booking patterns. With no trading impact directly attributable to Brexit, we remain positive on the future of the market. However, we would be slighted concerned if the supply of rooms were grow too aggressively in Belfast.

APRIL HRNI • 33

hotelnews The increasing numbers of hotel bedrooms will also require an increased number of staff to service them. We are currently in the midst of a staffing crisis and Brexit is already casting uncertainty on the futures of international staff working within the sector. The government must urgently put a focus with promoting hospitality as a long term career path or we will not be able to adequately staff hotels in the city.”

Awaiting planning permission is easyHotel, the budget accommodation arm of the easy empire which announced the signing of a new franchise agreement in Belfast earlier this year, which will add a further 81 rooms to the city.

The existing office space and dry cleaners in the Howard Building at 24-40 Howard Street will be converted into an 81-bedroom hotel and ground floor café.

Guy Parsons, CEO of easyHotel PLC revealed that the draw for the group was urban regeneration in the city and its reputation for conferences and exhibitions.

“Belfast’s Waterfront venue is recognised as a world leading conference and exhibition centre and the city has become a preferred location for both national and international events,” he said.

In pre planning stage is Bullitt Hotel’s extension of 40 bedrooms.

Michael Sullivan, general manager, Bullitt Belfast reiterated the sentiments of the Merchant Hotel adding:“Belfast hotel occupancy figures are showing an upward trend, however we experienced a quiet January. We are cautiously optimistic about the year ahead, with signs positive for the coming months and our average daily rates exceeding expectations.

Looking to the future we do feel there will be an increased need to boost tourism to Northern Ireland if supply of hotel rooms is to meet demand, particularly in light of the number of new hotels planned for Belfast city.

“Expansion of Bullitt Belfast in 2017 will give us greater scope to target the growing group travel market.” ED

TEAMWORK KEY TO HOUSEKEEPING SUCCESS TEAMWORK – that’s what it was all about at the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation assessment day, which aimed to find the best housekeepers in Northern Ireland.

This year’s Bed-making exercise event was staged in The Clayton Hotel in Belfast and had a record number of entrants. Participants competed in a range of tasks that reflect the skilled and important role of housekeeping. It included room inspections, bed-making, and hygiene related tasks.

Ciaran O’Neill, President of the NI Hotels Federation said: “The NIHF started this competition seven years ago to ensure that housekeepers were recognised and rewarded for the exceptional job they do. The competition highlights their contribution to the running of a successful hotel and raises the profile of their profession.”

Commenting on the role he added: “We often forget the important job they play in giving our guests an enjoyable stay. Standards amongst this year’s entries were particularly high and I would like to commend all those who took part. It would not be possible to stage events of this nature without the support of our industry partners and I would like to thank: Tourism Northern Ireland, Bunzl McLaughlin, Robinson Services, Ecolab and King Koil for their support.”

There are two categories in the competition open to hotels, guesthouses and guest accommodation: under 90 bedrooms and 90 bedrooms or more.

The competition has moved on to its second stage with short-listed finalists having a mystery inspection to decide who will win the coveted title of ‘Housekeeping Team of the Year 2017’.

34 • HRNI APRIL

BREXIT – BUSINESS AS USUAL

J

anice Gault, Chief Executive of the NIHF discusses the impact of leaving Europe “Like many sectors, the views of the hotel sector on Brexit were mixed. The decision to leave has given rise to a degree of uncertainty and a lack of clarity around what a post EU United Kingdom will look like. Indeed, the only certainty is that there is uncertainty!

The message to our sector is that it’s ‘business as usual’.

The latter half of 2016 saw a strong performance from the Hotel Sector with data from the Economic Policy Centre at Ulster University indicating that tourism in effect saved the region from entering recession in 2016.

While it’s important to note the uncertainty of what Brexit might look like and how a reduction in confidence could affect the tourism economy in Northern Ireland, the NIHF believes that the industry should maximise the benefits from the current exchange rate and wait until Article 50 is triggered before adopting any significant business changes.

Due to its geographic Location, Northern Ireland is in a unique position within the UK, in that we will be the only region to share a land border with the European Union. This places the region in a unique position with a special set of circumstances.

How these are dealt with is up for debate. Both the UK and Irish Governments are keen to stress that they do not wish to see a return to a hard border and are keen to preserve the common travel area.

The NIHF has highlighted the need for workers, visitors and guests to be able to travel freely. We have been lobbying on this issue to the NI Assembly and several Westminster committees including the NI Affairs Committee. This matter along with the role of nonnationals already employed here has vexed many people. The short-term answer is that nothing will change until after Article 50 is triggered and there will be a two-year period to allow businesses to adapt.

AREAS TO NOTE: PROMOTION Tourism Ireland is responsible for the promotion of Ireland overseas and this cross-border body was set up under the Good Friday Agreement. The island of Ireland is promoted as a single island destination. Both governments are on record as supporting the institutions set up under the agreement and Tourism Ireland’s role may not alter considerably post Brexit.

EXCHANGE RATE The fall in the value of sterling has made Northern Ireland an attractive destination for travellers in the Euro and Dollar economies. Northern Ireland has seen a good performance from the US and Republic of Ireland (ROI) markets in the latter half of 2016. Communicating the region’s offering, promotion in the marketplace and an attractive exchange rate has contributed to an increase in visitor numbers from our nearest neighbour.

INFLATION The flip side of a good exchange rate for visitors means that importing goods from outside the sterling zone becomes more expensive purely on an exchange basis. In the short term this could lead to inflation.

Longer term, limited access to the common market could result in significant food, service and energy inflation. This would see disposable income drop and base costs for hotel businesses rise.

VAT The NIHF has long campaigned for a VAT reduction. Aside from the Treasury’s reservations about implementing a reduction, EU regulations also prohibit the introduction of a reduced VAT rate in a sub region of a country.

Leaving the EU would effectively remove this barrier.

Over the coming months, a clearer picture will emerge.

Businesses, including hotels and those in the hospitality sector will evolve and no doubt adapt to changing circumstances. The hotel sector has always been a resilient one and with major investments underway, it is set to grow considerably.

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interview

SHARING BEST PRACTICE AS THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GEARS UP FOR NIHF’S ANNUAL TASTE SUMMIT THIS MONTH, WE CATCH UP WITH CELEBRITY CHEF AND OWNER OF LONDON’S THE NINTH RESTAURANT, JUN TANAKA. HERE HE DISCUSSES ADDRESSING THE NI TRADE AT THE EVENT, WINNING THAT COVETED MICHELIN STAR WITHIN JUST ONE YEAR OF OPENING AND THE RISE OF SUPER CASUAL DINING... chefs - there are too many jobs for the number of chefs there are, it’s a continuous cycle. It’s important that you retain the good people otherwise it’s going to be a painful process over and over again. It’s super competitive because there is so much variety.

I’ll get them in for the day when I receive a CV, and that way I see them work and interact with the rest of the staff. Within a kitchen environment you can tell they have the skills.

I’ve got a lot of staff that have been with me from day one, which is unusual for an opening so we look after them. That’s a priority.

YOU’RE COMING TO BELFAST TO SHARE YOUR CULINARY KNOWLEDGE BUT WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT OUR FOODIE SCENE? I’ve never been and it’s a city I’d like to learn a lot about. I’m really looking forward to the experience.

YOUR RESTAURANT, THE NINTH, IS UNIQUE IN THE SENSE IT FOCUSES ON SHARING PLATTERS - WHAT ENCOURAGED YOU TO WORK ON THIS STYLE OF DINING? All our dishes are made for sharing. They’re not tapas but proper portions and the whole concept came from wanting to recreate the feeling of guests coming round to my house to eat. It gives that warm casual inviting feel and that was the foundation.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU EMPLOY AND WHAT MAKES YOUR KITCHEN RUN WELL? We have around 30 members of staff. On a busy night we will service up to 135 covers. The percentage of chefs to customers is not that high and it’s quite a lean team. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

When we were recruiting I sat down with my GM and we believed the number one thing for us was to look after the people who were working for us. We can’t do this on our own. We looked at personalities. As soon as you meet them, my gauge is, do I want to be served by this person. People always remember character not if their water is continually topped up. For me it wasn’t about experience, that’s a skill that you can teach and we did a lot of training.

For the kitchen we need some skill and it was really vital that they fit into our ethos of what our restaurant wanted to be - family friendly and if I believed they could fit into that they were halfway there to getting the job, after that I talked about my expectations and in regards to behaviour - this is what I expect in my kitchen.

People are the most stressful part of any job as an employer but if I had to rank order of things that caused me headaches or problems staff wouldn’t be one of those so we have a great team.

IS THERE A SKILL SHORTAGE IN THE KITCHEN IN LONDON AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME THAT WHEN RECRUITING? With difficulty, there is a huge shortage of good

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YOU RECEIVED A MICHELIN STAR WITHIN ONE YEAR OF OPENING, HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT FOR YOU TO RECEIVE THAT RECOGNITION AND WHAT VALUE HAS IT BROUGHT TO YOUR VENUE? It was incredible and a complete surprise that was never the goal of the restaurant. When I opened I wanted to be a simple neighbourhood restaurant where people would think, ‘I don’t fancy booking so I’ll pop over to The Ninth’.

It’s a friendly casual service, the decor is warm and inviting. It was about good food and great ingredients at a good price but the Michelin Star was the icing on the cake and it’s been amazing.

It took a couple of weeks to sink in and it’s been amazing in terms of business brought to the restaurant and to get that recognition from the most prestigious restaurant guide is an amazing feeling. It does add pressure.

You have to earn it every year but I guess we achieved one because of what we are doing so maintaining the standards and maintaining true to what we set out to do is very important.

WHAT WILL YOU BE SHARING WITH THE NI TRADE WHEN YOU COME TO BELFAST? I’ll be interviewed about my background and how I came to open the restaurant and maybe my experience after working for other people for such a long time.

YOU HAVE QUITE THE PUBLIC PROFILE HAVING PRESENTED CHANNEL 4’S COOKING IT AS WELL AS APPEARING IN SATURDAY KITCHEN ON BBC ONE HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO BE RECOGNISED FOR YOUR WORK? I think doing any kind of PR is incredibly important, being a chef is about trying to get your name out there. TV does work in terms of bringing customers to the restaurant, getting the APRIL HRNI • 35

interview

moment I left my last employment I stupidly thought it would take a year to open my own so we looked at over 100 places and it was a real struggle, then we got this incredible location on Charlotte street and after a year we achieved a star. I feel like throughout my career it’s been ‘what’s next?’ In three to six months I’ll probably look for the next thing! initial interest but ultimately they’re going to judge you on what their experience is.

Is the food you do worth it for them to come back?

One of the difficult things is to balance the two - a lot of chefs find that difficult but for me that’s fine because I don’t do that much TV. My priority is the restaurant and if I believe in doing a particular show I will.

WHAT ARE THE CURRENT TRENDS COMING INTO THE WORLD OF DINING IN LONDON? The latest thing I’ve noted has been casual Indian restaurants. I know that’s been around but there are more lower end restaurants and 36 • HRNI APRIL

they’re doing really nice food like sharing styles and no reservations. Hoppers is an example even though it’s Sri Lankan and Cricket which offers Indian-influenced food that is very casual and with a good price point.

There’s one Mexican restaurant which opened up in SoHo, Barafina. It has a Spanish tapas concept which is very good. I guess everything is pointing towards super casual and less high end restaurant.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR YOUR OWN BUSINESS? I’ve thought about this and because it took three years to open this restaurant I want to take a moment to appreciate what I have. From the

Michelin Star chef Jun Tanaka is a keynote speaker at the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) Taste of Tourism Summit which will take place on Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 April 2017 in the Culloden Estate and Spa. For further details log on to tasteoftourism.com or call 028 9077 6635.

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FOOD TRENDS Food is now fashion; driven by new trends, exotic cuisines and flavours previously unfamiliar to our palates. Taste of Tourism will look at where the next food revolution will come from. Will you be ready?

Daikon, Yuzu, Ube - three vegetables you might never have heard of but ones that could be on your menu very soon.

Food Trendologist, Charles Banks, knows them all and he’s coming to Taste of Tourism to explain what other trends are likely to appear on our plates.

Charles says that he learnt about food at his mother’s side and is a fourth generation foodie. His early food endeavours culminated in him winning Junior Master Chef, which led to a trip to France and a degree in catering.

From high-street restaurants, he moved into new product development at Saxbys. By the time he left for Grampian, Charles was head of this department, a role in which he

Charles Banks An opportunity for you to tap into the knowledge of a leading expert on food trends. Using his global experience, Charles will give delegates the inside track on trends, food fashion and the future.

would continue, working with among others, Sainsbury’s. There he met Wayne Edwards and the seeds for thefoodpeople were sown. Charles co-founded thefoodpeople with Wayne in 2004.

mainstream European cooking in recent times. It is not the only international ingredient to appear on our local menus: items like harissa, miso and bok choy have all transcended into Northern Ireland cuisine.

Over the last decade, this groundbreaking global agency has demonstrated a shared love and knowledge of food and drink and a passion for gastronomic trends. The team help to develop market-winning products and realise big food ideas. thefoodpeople produce great reports on food and beverage trends in the UK.

Ube is a strangely purple yam, used to flavour a range of desserts.

Daikon (below right) is in fact a type of radish. It is stalwart of Asian cuisine and sometimes referred to as a mooli.

Daikon has crossed over to

Yuzu looks like a tangerine, tastes similar to a floral lime and has three times more vitamin C than a lemon.

As the culinary world appears to shrink, our available ingredients seem to grow. We’ve added spice to our local hero ingredients: creating Bombay Aloo with Comber Earlies, added seaweed to locally churned Abernethy butter and sun dried tomatoes

to sodas! Come along and hear what Charles has to say about menus, adapting to culinary change and keeping ahead of trends.

The full programme for this year’s Taste of Tourism event is available on tasteoftourism.com and you can also book directly via the website. Book today and see if you can use agave to sweeten your menu and attract new customers!

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CATEX COOKED UP A STORMING EVENT IRELAND’S LARGEST FOOD SERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SHOW CELEBRATES BIGGEST NUMBERS YET.

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ATEX 2017 saw almost 12,000 visitors descend on the RDS, Simmonscourt, making it the biggest turnout for the exhibition to date. With footfall up by almost 10%, exhibitors reporting that substantial business was done and overwhelming positive feedback from visitors and exhibitors alike, CATEX 2017 really did serve up a show that will benefit all of those involved in the months and years ahead.

Organised by the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance, Larry Smith, Chairman of IFSA commentd: “IFSA, alongside our industry partners, has worked hard on this show for the past two years. Our goal was to make CATEX 2017 as good as it could be and the vibrancy and atmosphere over the three days was incredible.

“In the build up to the sold-out event, the signs were very positive but visitor numbers have exceeded our expectations and we are thrilled to hear exhibitors are reporting that major deals have been done.”

Exhibitor stands were both impressive and engaging, with CATEX sponsors, Calor revealing a brand-new look and Bunzl offering up innovative business solutions and cost saving ideas.

From delivering on-stand masterclasses to showcasing efficient technologies, the quality of exhibitor stands throughout the show was striking. Exhibitors’ efforts to showcase their businesses in the best possible manner really added vibrancy to the event and for visitors, they came hungry sampling some of the thousands of quality food and drink products that were on offer!

38 • HRNI APRIL

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SMITHWICK’S HOSTS A CELEBRATION OF IRISH ALE FOR CUSTOMERS AT ST GEORGE’S MARKET O

n Tuesday 28th February, Diageo welcomed over 150 customers from across the country to St George’s Market, Belfast to celebrate Smithwick’s Ale and the ongoing ale renaissance in Northern Ireland.

Beer in Northern Ireland is in healthy growth again and ale is the growth engine with an estimated 10.1 million serves per year . Ale fits perfectly into the new beers of taste category and new crafted ales are appealing to younger drinkers with 1 in 2 ale drinkers aged between 25-44 years.

The event was an opportunity to focus on Smithwick’s and how, as an Irish brand with heritage, it is set up and ready to support the ale trend in the on-trade in Northern Ireland.

Not only has Smithwick’s a range of ales to appeal to all consumers in both draught and bottle formats but the brand has invested in a new advertising campaign on TV, outdoor and radio – ‘We’re in it, for the love of it’ – as well as new glassware, taps, lenses and ceramic counter mounts.

The Smithwick’s Homebrew Challenge is also open for budding brewers who think they have what it takes to produce a winning summer fruit ale – a session ale made with any fruit or combination of fruits. The deadline is 21st April and more information can be found at www.smithwicks.com/homewbrew.

The evening closed with a few words from Jorge Lopes, Country Director and Mark Mulholland, Sales Manager Diageo NI followed by food and entertainment from the band Rare Oul Stuff.

to sample the full range of Smithwick’s ale including Smithwick’s Red Ale, Smithwick’s Blonde Ale and Smithwick’s Pale Ale with tasting notes provided by Padraig McLoughlin, the Smithwick’s beer ambassador • Category story - an opportunity to hear all the good news about the growing NI Ale category and the rationale behind Smithwick’s great variants.

Phil Patterson, Austin Guy (Diageo) and Gary McCalmont

Paul Leonard and Diane Boyle

Tony McCabe, Jonathan Mills, Frank and Gerard Boyd

Phil Patterson, Mikey Bailey and Jack Creighton

• Heritage & History - Simon Walsh from the Smithwick’s Experience Centre in Kilkenny offered an insight into the journey of the brand over the last 300 years

Nicky Weir from Diageo with chef James from Mount Charles Catering hosting the food pairing part of the evening

Norman Beattie (Diageo), Thomas Flynn, Colin Bell (Diageo), John Davidson and Jim Watson

At the event, customers were invited to tour the 4 ‘pods’ that had been set up in the market including: • Sampling - each guest had the opportunity www.hospitalityreviewni.com

Jorge Lopes, Niamh Everard and Mark Mulholland (Diageo)

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• Smithwick’s Food Pairings - Mount Charles provided the food which had been carefully paired to accentuate the ales on offer.

- Smithwick’s Red Ale with roasted marinated pork belly with red ale jus and creamy mash - Smithwick’s Blonde Ale with chicken, parma ham, garlic and bacon pizza - Smithwick’s Pale Ale with Walter’s Mussels cooked in Smithwick’s Pale Ale with smoked bacon, scallions and cream APRIL HRNI • 41

socialscene

JAMESON EXPERIENCE COCKTAIL COMP WHO: Eight local bartenders and mixologists, Dead Rabbit’s Sean Muldoon, Ger Garland, Irish Whiskey Ambassador for Irish Distillers Pernod-Ricard; Jason Scott, owner of Bramble Bar in Edinburgh and Craig Harper, UK On Trade Manager for Fever-Tree, Dillon Bass reps and local media.

WHAT: Eight of Northern Ireland’s Jameson Irish Whiskey-loving bartenders battled it at the grand finale of the Jameson NYC Experience competition, with a once-in-alifetime trip to New York up for grabs. Nicole Kane from Muriel’s Café Bar impressed judges and walked away with the prize.

WHERE: The Governor’s Room, Gasworks, Belfast.

Nicole Kane from Muriels Café Bar, winner of the competition with Sean Muldoon.

The eight finalists

Lorraine Kennedy, Gillian Johnston, Joanne O’Hagan and Karen Anderson.

Jonathan Lavery and Timmy White.

Bronagh Bennett, Andrew Dickey, Leigh-Anne Deegan and Liam McCluskey.

JEAN-CHRISTOPHE NOVELLI TASTER EVENT WHO: Chef Jean-Christophe Novelli, members of the local hospitality trade, journalists and those involved in the construction of the AC Marriott Hotel due to open in 2018.

WHAT: The globally-renowned chef provided a taster of what will be available in his signature restaurant at the new AC Marriott Hotel, City Quays which will open next Spring. The chef was ably assisted by Niall McKenna and his team at James Street South.

WHERE: Harbour Commissioners’ Offices, Belfast.

Ann McGregor, Kerrie Sweeney and Isabel Jennings.

John Campbell, Colin Neill and Julian O’Neill.

42 • HRNI APRIL

Jean-Christophe with Niall McKenna (second right) and the kitchen team from James Street South.

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APRIL HRNI • 43

DRINK DISTRIBUTORS

44 • HRNI APRIL

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DOWN TO EARTH, WITH A GOOD HEAD ON HIS SHOULDERS, THIS CHARACTER W I L L W A K E Y O U W I T H A S T A R T.

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D E E P A N D L I G H T. S M O O T H A N D S H A R P. T H I S C O M P L E X F L AV O U R K E E P S E V E RYO N E O N T H E I R TO E S .

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APRIL HRNI • 45

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46 • HRNI APRIL

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APRIL HRNI • 47

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APRIL HRNI • 49

q&a

THE LAST WORD PHILIP MORGAN, NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE OF MOLSON COORS BREWING COMPANY, DISCLOSES HIS FAVOURITE THINGS IN LIFE WITH HRNI...

FAVOURITE CELEBRITY: Peter Kay.

SOCIAL

FAVOURITE FOOD: All hence my growing waistline.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT: Tedfords Kitchen, Safa to name two.

LAST HOTEL YOU STAYED AT: Clayton, Dublin.

LAST BAR/NIGHTCLUB YOU VISITED: Clayton Hotel Bar. FAVOURITE PLACE IN WORLD: A little village in Belgium called Melsele or the Algarve.

INDOOR CONCERT OR FESTIVAL: Kenny Rogers (I was working).

LAST HOLIDAY: Kilbroney Forest Park Rostrevor in a motorhome last summer.

DRINKS

FAVOURITE HOT DRINK: Coffee FAVOURITE SOFT DRINK: Water BEER OR CIDER: Beer WHITE OR RED WINE: Red WHISKEY OR BRANDY: Neither GIN OR VODKA: Vodka COCKTAILS OR BUBBLY: Bubbly

Pictured (clockwise) Philip, Little Mix, Tom Cruise in Top Gun and Frank Skinner’s autobiography

NAME PHILIP MORGAN COMPANY MOLSON COORS BREWING CO. JOB TITLE NATIONAL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

FAVOURITE QUOTE...

“It’s nice to be important buts it’s more important to be nice”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS ROLE? Eight months

on his milk round when he was ‘tired and emotional’ on a Saturday morning! My first job by choice was working in TKMaxx as a sales assistant.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY? Thankfully I don’t have a typical day; my role is all about developing relationships with key stakeholders within the On trade which means its constantly varied. Supporting our sales teams with key accounts and developing new business take up the bulk of my time. My customer meetings can be anywhere across NI and in any sector, from pubs to fine dining restaurants, meaning no two days are ever the same.

ENTERTAINMENT

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? My mum used to make me cover for my older brother 50 • HRNI APRIL

FAVOURITE TV SHOW: Strictly Come Dancing (don’t judge me!).

FAVOURITE FILM: I believe the stock answer is The Shawshank Redemption, but mine is Top Gun. ALBUM CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Little Mix or whatever my daughter has put on in the car.

FAVOURITE BAND: Mumford and Sons.

LAST BOOK READ: Frank Skinner autobiography.

WHAT FOUR PEOPLE WOULD YOU INVITE TO A DINNER PARTY (DEAD OR ALIVE)?

Peter Kay, Bill Maher, Kenny Dalglish and Seth McFarlane.

ONE ITEM YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? TV probably.

WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE OF YOUR LIFE? Tim Robbins.

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL JOB? My current one of course.

FAVOURITE QUOTE: “It’s nice to be important buts it’s more important to be nice.”

INSPIRATION IN YOUR LIFE? Tara and Mya my long suffering wife and daughter.

THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT? It’s OK to ask for help.

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

The Taste of Tourism Summit takes place on Tuesday 4th April in the Culloden Estate & Spa. This full-day event includes breakfast, lunch and refreshments. Delegates leave with a special Takeaway Bag and the inspiration from some amazing, internationally-acclaimed speakers.

If you run a hotel, restaurant, bar or any hospitality business with a food focus, this is the conference for you. Here’s what’s on the menu.

Success and Service Creating a successful business, maintaining profits and attracting customers.

Star Chefs Our three guest chefs share their stories, their vision and what inspires them to keep cooking.

Cost Tickets for Taste of Tourism are priced at £95 inc VAT. This includes all meals, refreshments, takeaway bag and the full speaker programme.

Food Trends Are you ready for the next food revolution? International influences and what’s next for food.

Find out more and book online now at tasteoftourism.com.

The Taste of Tourism Summit is supported by

tasteoftourism.com 028 9077 6635

y of Catherine Every delegate gets a free cop , along with a Fulvio’s book, A Taste of Home dies!

Takeaway Bag full of local goo tures some of our The Artisan Marketplace fea : best local producers, including s Cavanagh Free Range Egg Clearer Water Clements Eggs Farmview Dairies Glastry Farm Ice-Cream Hilden Brewing Company Hughes Craft Distillery Kearney Blue Cheese Kennedy Bacon Kilmegan Cider Long Meadow Cider

ds Meadow Farm Quality Foo y Mourne Mountains Brewer Papas Mineral Company Rubyblue Spirits South African Kitchn Tasty Wee Numbers Home Bakery The Chocolate Manor The Echlinville Distillery y The Quiet Man Craft Distiller p Cro i Wasab

ported by The Artisan Marketplace is sup