Hospitality Review NI November 2017

NOVEMBER 2017

The VOICE of Northern Ireland’s catering, licensing and tourism industry

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For over three decades, Hospitality Review NI has been the deďŹ niive business-to-business guide to the issues, news and views of the licensed, catering, hospitality and tourism sectors within Northern Ireland and, as the only oďŹƒcial publicaaon for Hospitality Ulster and the Northern Ireland Hotels Federaaon, you can be guaranteed your campaign will be seen by the key decision makers within the local hospitality industry.

We are the only NI hospitality trade magazine in Northern Ireland with a controlled circulaaon, with 90% of our publicaaons going to individuals who have h requested to receive it.

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NOVEMBER 2017

The VOICE of Northern Ireland’s Catering, Licensing and Tourism Industry

The official publication for

JOB CREATION POTENTIAL HIGHLIGHTED BY TOURISM VAT REPORT

BY ALYSON MAGEE

R THE TOP 100: ENTRY CRITERIA & SOCIAL PICS FROM THE LAUNCH EVENT PS7-9

OCHO TAPAS BISTRO: HRNI VISITS TRIPADVISOR’S TOP PORTRUSH RESTAURANT P13

TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT: HIGHLIGHTING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN HOSPITALITY P37-38

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educing Tourism VAT to 5% could create over 2,000 jobs in Northern Ireland over the next five years, according to an independent report launched on September 25

by Hospitality Ulster and the British Hospitality Association.

The report estimates 2,094 jobs could be created in five years, rising to 2,713 positions in 10 years if VAT was reduced from 20% to 5% across visitor accommodation and attractions.

Compiled by Nevin Associates, the study suggests the Treasury would lose £4.2m in income from the VAT reduction in Northern Ireland in its first year, but begin to recoup the losses between the second and third year. After five years, the study claims, the Treasury would gain by £32m at current prices, rising to £109m over 10 years.

Vernon Hunte, campaign manager of the British Hospitality Association – one of the drivers of the UK-wide Cut Tourism VAT campaign – spoke at the launch event, held in the Europa Hotel, Belfast, alongside Hospitality Ulster Chief Executive Colin Neill, Hastings Hotels Managing Director Howard Hastings and DUP MP Nigel Dodds.

“This is a measure which has been introduced across the rest of Europe,” said Hunte. “And they haven’t done this out of the kindness of their hearts or because they feel sorry for their local

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Vernon Hunte, British Hospitality Association, Nigel Dodds MP and Colin Neill, Hospitality Ulster.

industries. They’ve done it because it makes good economic sense and it’s supported by research.”

With the hospitality sector facing rising costs and the uncertainty of Brexit, “across the UK, there are thousands of businesses in an industry that is 95% SME depending on a VAT reduction”.

Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said: “This report is the first one that has looked in depth at the impact of a VAT cut on accommodation and visitor attractions in Northern Ireland. This is why the research by the UK Treasury, promised as part of the Conservative/DUP Confidence and Supply agreement is so important. It is time our ridiculously high VAT rate was reduced in line with many other countries, including the Republic of Ireland. Indeed 17 of the 19 EU countries have tourist VAT rates below 10%.”

NOVEMBER HRNI • 3

editorialcomment THE TEAM & CONTACTS Editor: Alyson Magee Manager: Mark Glover Art Editor: Helen Wright Production Manager: Irene Fitzsimmons Subscriptions: 028 9055 4598 (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: a.magee@independentmagazinesni.co.uk.

Tel: 028 9026 4175 Sales: m.glover@independentmagazinesni.co.uk.

Tel: 028 9026 4266 The Review is the official publication for: Hospitality Ulster: 91 University Street, Belfast, BT7 1HP. Tel: 028 9032 7578.

Chief Executive: Colin Neill Chairperson: Mark Stewart The Institute of Hospitality Northern Ireland Branch Email: nibranch@instituteofhospitality.org Web: www.instituteofhospitality.org Chair: Marianne Hood FIH Vice Chair: Siobhan O’Sullivan MIH 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.

Hospitality Review is copyright © Independent News & Media Ltd 2016

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PUSHING FOR TOURISM VAT

T

ourism VAT is not something new or experimental.

Indeed, it is the norm across most of Europe and many other countries internationally.

A sustainable hospitality sector has an important role to play in supporting and maintaining the community in which it is based but also, of course, the lucrative tourism trade our government is so keen to attract and grow as a significant contributor to the local economy.

This summer saw a tangible uplift in the trade, focused on Belfast but also beyond, with a buoyancy in the air as tourists’ cameras clicked away, rowdy groups spilled out of pubs and foodie tours shuffled along to their next destination.

It has been a long time coming, and is restoring pride in locals to see an influx of visitors from far afield – not just Irish, British or even European but Americans, Canadians, Chinese and many more.

Stories are plentiful this year of pleasant encounters with tourists, with my own favourites a group of middleaged Chinese ladies who queued to be photographed with my daughter’s primary school class on their day trip to Titanic Belfast, or the group of Texan Harley Davidson bikers choosing cake at Ballylagan Farm Shop in Straid, where they were staying ahead of a bike ride up the Antrim Coast and onwards on the Wild Atlantic Way. Let me repeat that, Texan bikers staying on an organic farm in Straid…

Yet, great as it is to see, this upturn in the hospitality sector is precarious and buoyed to a large extent by a weak sterling, which could potentially swing back into a less advantageous position at any time. Everyone has heard the stark figures of survival rates for new bars or restaurants, with every new opening countered by closures as venues struggle. For some, their business model is to blame but, for many, the struggle to be profitable when facing 20% VAT on top of rising wages and rates is perhaps the key factor in their downfall.

Right on our doorstep, we have a blueprint for what can be achieved through a VAT reduction for tourism

businesses. The Republic of Ireland reduced VAT from 18% and 23% respectively on accommodation and restaurant meals to 10% in 1986 and, after a hike to 13.5% in 1994, dropped it to 9% in 2011. As reported on p5, the Irish government had proposed an increase but has succumbed to industry pressure and will maintain the 9% rate in its 2018 Budget.

According to hospitality sector bodies in the Republic, introduction of the Tourism VAT rate directly resulted in the creation of 15,000 new jobs by their members. Tourism revenue in the Republic is eight times that of Northern Ireland, when RoI has less than triple the population of NI, while RoI visitors spend an average of £350 against only £186 for NI visitors.

“Right on our doorstep, we have a blueprint for what can be achieved through a VAT reduction for tourism businesses.”

The competitive advantage enjoyed by the Republic is apparent. Visiting Belfast in September, British Hospitality Association Campaign Manager Vernon Hunte described the 20% rate as “a business competing with one hand tied behind its back as far as the competition goes”.

With the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee confirming evidence NI businesses are losing trade to RoI as a result of this VAT advantage, and the Conservative/DUP election deal pledging a consultative report into Tourism VAT, it is time to pile on the pressure. It is time for government to support all the brave business owners investing in the hospitality trade by offering them a viable future, and the opportunity to boost the economy to the fullest of their potential.

Sign up as a supporter of Cut Tourism VAT by emailing support@cuttourismvat. co.uk.

Alyson Magee

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news

NEW HOTELS REPORT IDENTIFIES BARRIERS TO GROWTH

Pictured with the report are, from left, Ciaran O’Neill, outgoing president of NIHF, Bryony Boyd and Gavin Carroll, The Merchant Hotel.

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call for government action, to support the £500m of private investment going into hotel projects over the next three years, has been issued by the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF).

NIHF launched a new report, Hotel Expansion in Northern Ireland – an era of opportunity, at this year’s Hospitality Exchange held at the Crowne Plaza in Belfast. Highlighting a growing tourism market and strong hotel performance,

the report identifies availability of an additional 2,000-plus rooms across around 50 projects in Northern Ireland by 2020.

Over the next decade, hotels will create more jobs than manufacturing and equivalent to the IT sector, according to NIHF, but will struggle to fulfil their potential if government support is not forthcoming in areas such as skills, Tourism VAT, APD and more.

“We see a 25% increase in jobs which is a very strong message to get out there, and also the ability to attract larger events,” said Janice Gault, chief executive of NIHF. “The challenge we have is meeting our fuller potential of that. In the short term, we do see a certain amount of turbulence. There will be a bit of pressure on rates, definitely a pressure on occupancy but we would see that being corrected in a three to four year period.

“There has been some work done in the background on jobs and skills. We think this needs to go further back and start at the image piece; what kind of future can we give to people.”

Andrew Webb, managing director of report consultant Webb Advisory, said: “What jumped out for me was the scale of the sector, the impact that it has, this level of investment of £500m from primarily the private sector and the jobs and wages it generates. This is a sector delivering all this potential impact, so government needs to follow with removing some of the bumps in the road to help us get there.”

ROI RETAINS 9% TOURISM VAT The Restaurant Association of Ireland has welcomed a decision by the Irish government to retain VAT at 9% in its 2018 Budget.

“The Retention of VAT at 9% into 2018 and beyond is crucial, not only to the sustainability of restaurants and businesses in the tourism sector but also to job creation and the continued growth of our economy,” said Adrian Cummins, chief executive of RAI. The success of the lower rate of VAT is evident in the 37,800 new jobs that have been created since its introduction in 2011 and in the savings of €756m to the Exchequer in the past six years, said RAI.

ROI VISITORS & SPEND BOOST Latest statistics released by the Central Statistics Office in the Republic highlight total trips to Northern Ireland rose by 23%, while spend by RoI visitors reached almost £40m between January and June 2017.

Growth in trips was largely due to the higher spending holiday market, which was up by a third compared to the same period in 2016. Republic of Ireland visitors spent on average £31 more per night compared to the first six months of 2016, due in part to the fact that more visitors stayed in hotel and guest accommodation.

LOCAL RESTAURANTS RETAIN COVETED MICHELIN STARS

B

elfast restaurants Ox and Deane’s Eipic have retained their Michelin stars in the 2018 guide, while Noble in Holywood has been awarded a Bib Gourmand.

This year’s Michelin Guide lists a total of 74 establishments in Northern Ireland, and 350 in the Republic of Ireland.

Both Ox on Oxford Street and Deanes Eipic on Howard Street retained their single star each, having first made the coveted list for the 2016 edition.

Deanes at Queens also retained its Bib Gourmand award, with Michael Deane having won 17 stars in 21 years.

“We are absolutely delighted to hold the star for the third consecutive year and retain our Bib Gourmand,” said Deane. “It’s a true reflection of the dedication to high standards and the dogged www.hospitalityreviewni.com

hard work of the team at Deanes.”

Thanking chef Danni Barry “for her sterling contribution to Deanes Eipic over the last four years and for the seamless handover to our recently appointed new head chef at Eipic, Alex Greene”.

Also retaining their Bib Gourmand status were Bar + Grill at James Street South and Home in Belfast, Fontana in Holywood, the Old Schoolhouse Inn in Comber and Wine & Brine in Moira.

Rebecca Burr, Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland editor, said: “Northern Ireland produces some world-class ingredients, such as its lamb, beef, fish and shellfish, and it’s good to see so many of the entries in the guide using those with skill. We’re very proud of our Bib Gourmands, so it’s great to welcome Noble to the fold.”

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Michael Deane and Alex Greene, who is succeeding Danni Barry as head chef at Deanes Eipic.

NOVEMBER HRNI • 5

news

VISIT BELFAST HIGHLIGHTS BUOYANT FIGURES FOR 2016

Visit Belfast Chairman Howard Hastings and Chief Executive Gerry Lennon.

V

isit Belfast contributed £122m to the city’s tourism economy last year as part of its marketing and sales drive to push leisure break, conference business, cruise ship arrivals and tourist enquiries to new highs.

Visit Belfast, a public/private partnership backed by Belfast City Council and supported by Tourism Northern Ireland and over 500 industry partners, also confirmed at its annual general meeting that its sales, marketing

and visitor servicing activity had helped to generate £32 for the city economy per every £1 invested.

Visit Belfast said its efforts to market the city nationally and internationally – supported by its industry partners and funders – delivered over 500,000 hotel bed nights for Belfast in 2016, around one fifth of which were linked to the 77 conference wins secured, a major contributor that attracts international visitors and increases mid-week and offpeak business for the city.

A new high for visitor interest during the period was also evident by a record two million visits made to visitbelfast. com, as well as over 1.4 million engagements across its social media platforms.

Belfast’s success in competing for cruise visitors to cities across the UK and Ireland has gone from strength to strength, with this year delivering 93 cruise ships and 155,000 visitors as part of its Cruise Belfast partnership with Belfast Harbour.

OPPOSING ANY PLANS TO CURB MIGRANT WORKERS Hospitality Ulster Chief Executive Colin Neill and Chairman Mark Stewart are pictured at Westminster on October 10 with Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Karen Bradley and Gavin Robinson MP.

H

ospitality Ulster has voiced strong opposition to any plans the British government might have to place a cap on low-skilled workers entering the UK. Referring to news reports suggesting a cap was under consideration, Colin Neill, chief executive of Hospitality Ulster, said: “These reports are deeply alarming and would prove to be a disaster for the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland.

“To limit entry to the UK based on specific skills and to place a cap on migrant workers without the deemed

skills would critically hamper and undermine the development of the hospitality sector in NI, which sustains 60,000 jobs and contributes £1.1bn to the economy annually.

“By 2024, just seven years from now, we will need an additional 2,000 chefs and, in total, the sector will have over 30,000 jobs vacancies to fill over the same period. The reality is that we cannot fill those positions by recruiting from Northern Ireland alone, especially given our low unemployment rate.”

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Search online: Hospitality Ulster

NOMINATE NOW VISIT: HUTOP100.ORG

Building on the success of the Pub of the Year Awards, Hospitality Ulster launched The Top 100 Hospitality Businesses Awards in Belfast on Wednesday 27th September. Nominating for this exciting new industry event could not be simpler and anyone can nominate the premises they feel deserves the recognition – and indeed you can even self-nominate. Nomination is open to rural, urban or city pubs and bars, formal or casual restaurants and hotels.

Nomination Guidelines* • The business, premises and staff must encompasses the very essence of our unique hospitality industry • The business must go the extra mile in delivering a great customer experience that matches their target market and customer demographic • The business must deliver a high quality product experience that matches their target market and customer demographic • The premises must have the correct level of investment to ensure the fabric of the premises in in keeping with its target market and customer demographic

• The premises must have good hygiene standards • You would recommend visiting the premises to your family, friends and visitors • The business demonstrates a commitment to the community that matches their target market and customer demographic • The premises provide a unique customer experience that matches their target market and customer demographic * It should be noted that these are only guidelines and do not exclude nominations on other grounds

thetop100

LAUNCHING THE TOP 100 HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES IN STYLE THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY TURNED OUT IN FORCE FOR A GLAMOROUS EVENING IN THE MERCHANT HOTEL BELFAST TO LAUNCH THE NEW AWARDS

Colin Neill, David Meade and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill, Ciaran Myler (United Wine), Maura Bradshaw (Heineken) and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill, Cathy Fox (Counterpoint), Marty McNulty (Counterpoint) and Mark Stewart.

Petra Wolsey, Francis McConnell (Dillon Bass – Jameson Whiskey), Rory Donnelly (Dillon Bass, Beefeater Ambassador), Colin Nell and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill, Mark Glover (Hospitality Review), Alyson Magee (Hospitality Review) and Mark Stewart.

8 • HRNI NOVEMBER

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thetop100

Colin Neill, Victoria Brown (Tennents NI), Ross Hegarty (Tennents NI) and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill and Martin Breen (Sunday Life).

Colin Neill, Petra Wolsey, Ryan McFarland (Molson Coors) and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill and Peter McVerry (U105).

Colin Neill, Ian Howard (Richmond Marketing), Fergal Ward (Richmond Marketing) and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill, Dermot O’Donnell, (Coca-Cola), Gareth Devlin (Coca-Cola) and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill, Terry Brannigan (Tourism NI) and Mark Stewart.

Colin Neill, Paddy McKenna (Diageo) and Mark Stewart.

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Ronan Gourley (UCC Coffee), Jana Rackovska (UCC Coffee), Michael Lappin (Henderson Foods), Mark Stewart, Kiera Campbell (Henderson Foods), Mark Stewart Maunder (Henderson Foods), Petra Wolsey and Colin Neill.

Colin Neill and Mark Stewart.

NOVEMBER HRNI • 9

chefprofile

Chef profile

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ADRIAN McDAID, EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF AT THE EUROPA HOTEL, BELFAST, TALKS TO ALYSON MAGEE and it’s one of the biggest jobs in the north so I had to go for it.

HAVE YOU ANY CULINARY QUALIFICATIONS? The old-school catering qualifications, and I’m currently doing the Hastings Hotels’ MAP programme with Ulster University.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET INTO COOKING, AND WHAT INSPIRED YOU? I started off at Ballymaclary House in Magilligan aged 14, washing lettuce and doing a bit of dishing. It was always something I knew I wanted to do. We had our own produce at home, as my father had a garden he grew vegetables in and had chickens, ducks and geese so there was always a lot of home cooking going on.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND IN THE TRADE? After Ballymaclary, I went to the Alexander Arms in Limavady, and worked for Tommy O’Brien, and then I moved to Hastings Hotels, as junior sous chef at the Stormont and then as head chef at the Everglades in 1995.

I was at the Everglades for two and a half years, before I left the group to go to the Roe Park in Limavady, where I was for 11 years, and then La Mon for four years. I had just left La Mon, and joined the Marine Hotel in Ballycastle for three months when it reopened in 2013 when the Europa job came up

HAS ANYONE INSPIRED YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER? All the people I’ve worked for, I’ve taken the best bits I’ve seen them do and their strong points and I’m still learning to this day, even from the young people working for me. I don’t always feel I have to be in control; sometimes you get the best out of other people by letting them be in control sometimes. I do enjoy working with James McGinn, the general manager; he’s really switched on.

WHAT STYLE IS YOUR COOKING? I like to keep it simple, with local, seasonal produce. If you’re using great carrots or cabbage, and add butter and salt and pepper, that can be enough.

We try and bring a bit of restaurant style to our banqueting. When 400 to 500 people come in for dinner, we like to offer something a bit more refined and eye catching than the usual banqueting food.

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SOURCING POLICY? We try to use as much local food as we can, with all our chicken sourced in Northern Ireland, beef from

Carnbrooke and Hannan’s, seafood from Ewings and local vegetables. We’ll have venison in season, and more tomato dishes in the summer.

WHAT SIZE IS YOUR STAFF? We have 17 chefs across the Causerie, Piano Lounge, Lobby Bar and banqueting, and a couple on pastry as well. We have eight kitchen porters, and they are as important to us as the chefs.

WHOSE CAREER WOULD YOU WISH TO EMULATE? I’m a great believer you should try to achieve the best you can to your own abilities. I just try to do things right and I do look at the other chefs and their books but I’m quite happy doing what I do. I’ve worked in all the places I’ve wanted to work, and there’s nothing better than being in a job you’re content with and I would say I have that.

HAVE YOU ANY INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK? I enjoy family time with my wife Deborah and son Charlie, 11, going out for a bite to eat, going on family holidays and following a bit of football.

It’s very difficult to get chefs into the industry, but I think it’s a great job being a chef, and if my boy wanted to go into it, I would be happy with that.

You have to bring something to the party; there’s no point pulling on the whites if you’re not going to push yourself to be a leader. I’ve loved all the places I’ve worked. I’ve enjoyed my career.

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foodnews

‘MIGHTY’ CHEFS RE-INVENT TRADITIONAL DISHES

BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

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ur talented cadre of chefs has been busy re-inventing many of our best-known ingredients, and are helping to establish Northern Ireland as a great food destination for the benefit of local diners as well as the many thousands of tourists now visiting us.

Even the humble potato has been given a delicious rejuvenation by Michelin star chef Mark Abbott, head chef at the Midsummer House in Cambridge, as part of last month’s hugely successful Mighty Spud campaign that’s helping to boost sales of the potato, a long-time staple of diets here (see p14.

What Mark has done very successfully is to showcase the versatility of potatoes and create some very exciting and original dishes that have attracted warm praise from Michael Deane, his original mentor, as well as Great British Menu judges.

We were delighted when Mark accepted the stakeholder group’s invitation to headline this important campaign that’s now in the third year of a three-year programme. We all hope the programme with receive the necessary funding for a further period working for this important local sector.

The initiative has helped to halt the slide in sales against other products, such as rice and pasta, long regarded as being more convenient and healthier.

Attitudes, I am delighted to say, are changing.

The creativity of Mark and other local chefs has successfully challenged perceptions of the potato as a rather old-fashioned product. They’ve turned the dinner tables. Local producers such as Wilson’s Country, Glens of Antrim Potatoes and Orr’s Potatoes are also addressing this by coming up with innovative products showcasing the convenience and rich flavours of potato varieties.

They’ve also tackled concerns over waste and sustainability through smaller pack sizes and developing products that can be popped in the microwave for a couple of minutes.

The relationship that has developed between Mark Abbott and potato growers and producers is another excellent example of how established products can be given a creative twist that widens their appeal to consumers and home cooks. Food NI saw the potential of such relationships several years ago.

This involved the establishment of a Chefs’ Steering Group and an extensive programme of visits by chefs to local producers, especially smaller businesses.

As well as introducing the chefs to new food and drink here, the programme provided scope for ongoing dialogue in areas such as original product development and recycling.

We are seeing confidence growing throughout the industry in the quality of ingredients available here and the ability of our chefs to come up with original dishes within highly innovative menus, especially for visitors. And it’s a process that Food NI is determined to encourage as we seek to promote a distinctive Northern Ireland cuisine. We aren’t there yet but are moving steadily in the right direction.

‘EGGHEAD’ JASPER CASTEL TO REPRESENT UK AND IRELAND AT US EVENT J asper Castel, a Dutchman who has called Northern Ireland home since 2005, is set to represent the UK and Ireland at the 20th Annual EGGtoberfest in Atlanta, Georgia in October.

EGGtoberfest is an outdoor cooking event and festival at which EGGheads, fans of the outdoor ceramic kamadostyle charcoal grill Big Green Egg (BGE), cook up a storm for 3,000-plus guests.

Moving to Northern Ireland in 2005 to work with his brother Joery as an events manager at Stonebridge Catering and later as co-owners of The Boathouse www.hospitalityreviewni.com

in Bangor, Castel began working on a freelance basis to promote the BGE for The Stove Yard in Newtownards after taking some time out to embrace fatherhood.

Showcasing the BGE at local events such as the Sea Bangor and Dalriada festivals, he was approached

by BGE UK to work at Meatopia London 2017 – at which a three-course meal was fed to 1,200 people in three days – with the invitation following to represent the UK and Ireland at EGGtoberfest.

“This year is the first time that Europeans are invited to cook at the event, and I’m the first to represent the

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UK and Ireland,” said Castel. “As drink and barbecue go hand in hand, I needed to do something with drink and gin is hip so my gin & chicken was born, or I might even call it DC Chicken, as in Dutch courage. It’s a take on Portuguese piri piri, mixed with a few more ingredients.”

Local Echlinville gin and Long Meadow Cider vinegar will be used in the recipe, alongside BGE olive oil, chillies, garlic, lemon juice, bay leaf, lemon thyme and ginger, with the flavours infused over a few weeks to create a fresh and flavourful hot sauce. Castel plans to spatchcock and grill the chicken, and baste it with the hot sauce, streaky bacon cooked in a Dutch oven, butter, garlic and smoked paprika, and serve it with burned beets and grilled sweetcorn.

NOVEMBER HRNI • 11

foodnews

MICHELIN STAR CHEF REOPENING NORTHERN IRELAND RESTAURANT

Nicky Reid from Lisburn, executive chef for Sodexo at Almac, Craigavon has picked up the All-Ireland Chef of the Year competition and the Best in Show accolade at Salon Culinaire 2017.

He took home the gold medal for his entry of a starter of kohlrabi linguine, pecorino emulsion and truffle pesto, followed by his entrée of pan-roasted hake in dulce butter with smoked cockles, celeriac pomme puree, sea aster, peas and shoots. His dessert was a caramel pink pepper pineapple with pistachios, lime and avocado ice cream.

Two other NI chefs also took home medals; Dennis McCarroll who is based at the Ulster Independent Clinic and Adam Stewart, based at Allstate in Belfast.

BY EMMA DEIGHAN

A

top Northern Ireland chef is set to revitalise a restaurant closed for two years in a sleepy Co Antrim village.

Danni Barry earned her reputation at the Michelin-starred Deanes Eipic in Belfast, and is now reopening the once-popular Clenaghans restaurant in Aghalee with business partners.

The Downing family ran the restaurant for 20 years, until an announcement in August 2015 it would close ‘until further notice’.

Clenaghans is now set for a November launch with Danni and Lisburn’s Square Bistro owners Stevie and Cristina Higginson in charge.

Twenty new jobs will be created at the restaurant, which is currently undergoing refurbishment.

Both Danni and Stevie are established chefs in Northern Ireland, with Danni named Ireland’s Chef of the Year 2017 at the Restaurant Association of Ireland Restaurant Awards in May. The business partners said: ‘We are excited to bring the very popular Clenaghans Restaurant back to life with modern comfort warming the traditional stone building. The excitement and support from the local community has been wonderful.’

Joris Minne, restaurant critic at the Belfast Telegraph, said: “The new hands on the tiller of Clenaghans are probably the most anticipated news in restaurantland this year. Danni Barry is proven as an international standard chef and the Higginsons have excellent form with the consistently-good Bistro on the Square in Lisburn.”

THE SALTY DOG INVESTS £50,000 TO INTRODUCE FOUR-DAY WORKING WEEK

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North Down hotel and bistro is switching to a four-day working week, in a bid to create a more attractive working environment for its chefs.

Introduced by hotelier Ken Sharp at The Salty Dog in Bangor, the move represents a £50,000 per annum investment and a 15% increase in the number of chefs.

Ken Sharp The four-day week, effective from September, allows chefs to work their hours over four days on straight shifts rather than the more traditional five split shifts, encouraging a healthier work-life balance and enabling quality down time.

“Many businesses are looking to deskill the chef role and are buying in 12 • HRNI NOVEMBER

SODEXO AWARDS CHEF OF YEAR

pre-prepared dishes and ingredients,” said Sharp. “However, we believe that is a shortterm fix. By continuing to work on core chef skills and prepare as much of our great local produce as possible in our own kitchen, we hope to stay at the top of our game.

“It’s no secret the hospitality industry here in Northern Ireland, and indeed across the world, is facing one of its most challenging periods in terms of staffing. There is a shortage of talented and committed chefs and the working environments that were acceptable in the past aren’t helping with recruiting and retaining staff.”

BRUNEL’S ON THE MOVE Award-winning Newcastle restaurant Brunel’s has relocated its premises to a larger, 70-seat restaurant, leading to the creation of 15 new jobs.

Opening in mid-October, a significant sum has been invested in the new restaurant, with upwards of £100,000 allocated to creating a state-of-the-art kitchen.

The restaurant is also upgrading from 40-seat capacity to occupy a 2,700-square-foot unit located on the Downs Road in Newcastle, employing 25 staff in total.

LITTLE WING LAUNCHES ANNUAL LITTLE STARS BURSARY Little Wing Pizzeria is spreading its wings into the local community and funding eight bursaries to local children’s clubs this November as its Little Stars scheme returns for a fourth year.

Since the scheme launched in 2014, 18 clubs from across NI have benefitted and, this year, eight clubs will receive a bursary of £500 each.

The programme is open to all clubs for kids under the age of 13 located near any Little Wing branch. Branches include: Ann Street, Lisburn Road and Ballyhackamore in Belfast, Holywood, Bangor, Lisburn, Enniskillen and Newtownards.

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restaurantprofile

Ocho Tapas Bistro, Portrush CO-OWNERS SEAN AND TRUDY BROLLY, (WITH TRUDY ALSO HEAD CHEF), TALK TO ALYSON MAGEE

WHEN DID OCHO TAPAS BISTRO OPEN? TRUDY: Two and a half years ago, after a year in Coleraine before this building became available. I went to catering college and then went off to Spain, and Sean worked in hospitality in England.

When I came back from Spain, we got together and now have a restaurant in the street we grew up in.

WHAT SPACE DO YOU HAVE? SEAN: Depending on the way it’s configured, we can do up to 75.

TRUDY: We tend to do larger parties upstairs. It’s very much a social way of eating with tapas.

WHAT FEEL ARE YOU AIMING FOR? SEAN: We just tried to get a traditional Spanish feel…

TRUDY: …without being too chintzy.

We’ve got a lot of Spanish art and artefacts on the wall. It’s not heavily Spanish but it’s a theme than runs throughout.

WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU? TRUDY: We’re using Peter Hannan’s meats. The Glenarm Estate Lamb Rump is really popular, especially with American groups. We also do the

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short rib of beef from Hannan, and the onglet - a hangar steak. We’re just in the process of changing the menu, and will be adding a water buffalo tartare, aged 28 days, from Ballyriff Farm. We’ve been doing slightly different things, and people are coming to us for our specials.

We sell a lot of sherries in the restaurant, which used to be the perfect accompaniment to food but went out of vogue. Sherry is up and coming again, and we do pairings with local foods small pieces of bread with toppings on little pintxos plates.

SEAN: Causeway Coast Foodie Tours come here after the Old Bushmills Distillery, which uses sherry casks to make whiskey, and they tell us they can recognise the Oloroso sherry from the whiskey. And we have all the Lacada beers; once we started pairing those with our specials, all summer they were flying.

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SOURCING POLICY? TRUDY: We get a lot of produce from Spain. We go over four to five times a year, and buy in seasonings, hams, chorizo, cheeses, sauces, dried peppers, salts, oils and smoked paprika. We do road trips around the different wine areas, Albarino, Rioja and Rueda, and the south with the sherries. You just feel more passionate about it, and you want to be able to talk about it once you’ve met the producer.

SEAN: Some things you do have to get in Spain, but we source probably 85% of our produce locally. We will do Spanish olive oil but also Broighter Gold rapeseed oil, and Spanish sea salts but also North Coast Smokehouse Smoked

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Sea Salt. We give the customers a chance to try both. We had a Spanish customer blind taste the Corndale Chorizo, and they chose it over the Spanish.

TRUDY: You’ll find a lot of great producers in this area like Ballinteer Farm for quails’ eggs, Broughgammon for goat bacon or Morelli’s ice cream.

Yes, it is a Spanish restaurant but we’re doing Irish tapas, using a lot of local produce and bringing that Irish twist to it.

WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? TRUDY: We’re getting great repeat business now. We get a lot of American groups and the better travelled, with more money in their pocket. We had a little bit of market research done on how people perceive tapas and it seems to be that people in NI don’t particularly like to share their food, but people who live in this area are ok about it and they’ve been to our restaurant and have maybe seen a different way of eating.

HOW DO YOU DRIVE TRADE? TRUDY: We did get help from the council, with digital marketing. TripAdvisor is the big thing; we’re number one in Portrush and, in Co Antrim, there are 650 restaurants and we’re three or four.

The very day we got to number one in Portrush, our business increased.

92-94 Main St, Portrush Tel: 028 7082 4110 Facebook: @OchoTapas

NOVEMBER HRNI • 13

foodnews

GREAT BRITISH MENU STAR LENDS HIS SUPPORT TO POTATO CAMPAIGN

BY ALYSON MAGEE

From left, Ivor Ferguson, deputy president, Ulster Farmers’ Union; chef Mark Abbott; restaurateur and chef Michael Deane; and Michele Shirlow, CEO of Food NI.

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hen an invite comes in to join celebrated chef Mark Abbott at Deanes Eipic on a rainy Monday morning, watch him recreate his Great British Menu dish and then sample the results, what can you do…

Antrim-born Mark, whose potatobased dish scored full marks on the popular BBC2 show and was featured in the final banquet menu last year, earned his stripes at Deanes and is now head chef at Midsummer House in Cambridge, which holds two Michelin stars.

He was visiting Belfast in his new role as an ambassador for the Mighty Spud campaign, an initiative created by the Northern Ireland Stakeholder Potato Promotion Group (NISPPG), which formed three years ago to address declining potato consumption.

A speech by Eipic’s former head chef Danni Barry at the Food on the Edge symposium in Galway, challenging chefs to do something about it rather than just complaining about the decline of traditional local foods, inspired Mark to get involved and back the potato campaign.

From a farming background, Mark says “there would always be a pot of spuds at the top of our table” regardless of the meal, with Colcannon a favourite and an inspiration for a few elements of his Great British Menu dish. “It was a 14 • HRNI NOVEMBER

complete privilege to represent Northern Ireland doing that, and a bit ironic I got through using a potato dish,” he says.

At the Deanes event, where Mark was reunited with his former mentor Michael Deane, he used local Maris Pipers, Peers, Roosters, Charlottes and Purple Magic potatoes to recreate his ‘ordinary to extraordinary’ starter dish for the banquet, featuring pomme soufflé, champ croquette, buttermilk mash, and purple potato salad.

The Mighty Spud campaign has been highlighting the versatility, convenience and healthy credentials of potatoes at festivals, agricultural shows and in classrooms around Northern Ireland.

And signs are emerging of a reverse in the decade-long decline in consumption, with figures published in August 2016 by the UK Agriculture and Horticulture Board highlighting a 1.4% year-on-year increase in UK consumption, equivalent to an annual 18,000-tonne boost.

Also speaking at the event, Ivor Ferguson, deputy president of the Ulster Farmers’ Union and chair of NISPPG, said: “It’s really encouraging to see that after three years of hard work, we have started to see negative trends reversed.

We’ve certainly turned the corner.”

And, in case you were wondering, the dish was beyond extraordinary, proving the Northern Ireland spud is indeed mighty…

MARK ABBOTT’S GREAT BRITISH MENU DISH ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY BY MARK ABBOTT FEATURES 14 ELEMENTS:

■ Buttermilk mashed potato ■ Potato, truffle and onion airbag ■ Bacon basket ■ Purple potato salad ■ Garlic creamed potato ■ Crispy potato skins ■ Champ croquette ■ Pickle onion puree ■ Baby onion petals ■ Curly chives ■ Nasturtiums ■ Pomme soufflé ■ Bacon jelly ■ Baked potato infusion

Mark Abbott’s potato dish which scored top marks on BBC’s Great British Menu.

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WE’RE SHELLING THEM OUT! PAUL CARSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF STILL WATERS, TELLS HOSPITALITY REVIEW WHY THE PORTAVOGIE-BASED BUSINESS IS A LEADING DISTRIBUTER OF SCALLOPS

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ucculent, sweet and straight from our shores, archaeological evidence suggests we have been eating scallops from the dawn of time. Nowadays, they are gracing the dinner plates of every gastro pub, bistro and fine dining restaurant in town and it’s plain to see why.

Fantastically versatile, we’ve seen them seared with chorizo, pan-fried with a parsnip puree or used to make a shellfish pasta dish sing. And at home, the simple scallop is one of the easiest seafoods with which to impress. However, one key ingredient can never be forgone to achieve its classic subtle sweet flavour, ‘freshness’.

Still Waters, a fresh fish supplier nestled by the busy Portavogie harbour has been dedicated to supplying fresh sustainable seafood from the heart of the Irish Sea for generations, and Paul Carson tells us why, particularly at this time of year, they’re shelling out the scallops.

“As a business, it’s always been important to us to promote the key produce we have on our doorstep,” he says. “Our shores are full of scallops from late September to early April. They are enormously popular for a variety of reasons. Our local restaurants want to support and cook with local produce. At home, consumers are acutely aware of the health benefits of this widely accessibility 16 • HRNI NOVEMBER

lean protein and, last but not least, they are delicious!

“We’ve also seen demand for our scallops from countries further afield increase, as European markets have recognised the high quality of our scallop product sourced directly from the Irish sea. To that end, the export side of our business has grown steadily year on year.”

The Still Waters fishing values are steeped in 75 years of fishing heritage.

This is certainly reflected in the quality and personal touches that go into their products. Their Co Down Scallops are hand shelled to ensure complete control over the quality, and are 100% natural meat.

Skilled filleters prepare every order with a meticulousness that can only be attributed to living a harbour life.

“We care about the sea, we care about the fishermen and we care that the industry thrives,” says Paul. “Sustainability and traceability are therefore incredibly important to us.

We have worked closely with Co Down fishermen to produce strict guidelines ensuring the long-term sustainability of scallops on our shores.

“If we’re careful about how they are fished, if we continue to adhere to strict sustainability regulations, we should be enjoying scallops for another couple of thousand years at least.”

PAN SEARED SCALLOPS, HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND SALSA ROSA

ANDY ARCHER, HEAD CHEF OF LITTLE BIG FISH, DONAGHADEE, SHARES HIS RECIPE USING STILL WATERS SCALLOPS 1. To make Pan Seared Scallops, Heirloom Tomato and Salsa Rosa, marinate heritage tomatoes in a bittersweet cabernet sauvignon vinegar, and oil solution.

2. Ratio 2:1 oil to vinegar fresh garlic, cracked black pepper and fresh tarragon, which is then compressed and left for 24 hours to infuse.

3. Roll out sourdough bread and cut to shape for the croutons, baked at 170oc for nine minutes after being brushed with a garlic and thyme oil, and seasoned with rock salt.

4. Make basil crisps, using fresh basil placed into a dehydrator lightly seasoned with salt and left overnight to crisp.

5. For the salsa Rosa dressing, prepare a combination of roasted red pepper, vine tomato, sun dried tomato, anchovies, shallot, chive with a small amount of cucumber; all finely diced to add a burst of freshness and brought together with a small amount of the marinating liquor from the tomatoes.

6. The dish is completed using three of Still Waters’ finest king scallops, perfectly seared and finished with clarified noisette and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

To experience more of Andy’s fine seafood dishes at the newly opened Little Big Fish in Donaghadee, visit www.littlebigfish.co.

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A MASTER OF REINVENTION AN ENTREPRENEUR DUBBED THE POSTER BOY OF THE CELTIC TIGER, FORMER O’BRIEN’S SANDWICH CHAIN BOSS BRODY SWEENEY TALKS TO EMMA DEIGHAN ABOUT HIS RETURN TO THE HOSPITALITY WORLD WITH EXPANDING THAI FOOD TAKEAWAY CHAIN CAMILE

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hen Brody Sweeney, the man who headed O’Brien’s sandwich shop chain, reflects on its rise and fall, he’s honest and modest.

The entrepreneur who was once hailed as one of the top businessmen in Ireland when the economy was booming, simply says: “Ultimately I take responsibility for my own actions. I took my eye off the ball, acquired too many properties and, when the downturn came, we were in a bad position.”

Perhaps it’s this stark accountability and realist approach to business that has been the backbone to his newfound success as the founder of Camile, a chain of Thai takeaways with healthy food the main USP. Last year he opened his first outlet on Belfast’s Lisburn Road and, just recently, his second unit in Ballyhackamore in the east of the city.

Camile was a bit of a labour of love for Brody who says, had his first empire of sandwich shops not failed publicly with him at the helm, he may have taken a career break.

He says of the period between 18 • HRNI NOVEMBER

O’Brien’s and Camile: “It wasn’t great, I needed to get another business. I was financially wiped out. If I’d a choice, I would’ve taken a break. The new business didn’t really work well at the beginning, and then I spotted the move in online food sales with Deliveroo and the likes performing well. I thought that was the place to be - online - but a quality takeaway.”

And last year, Camile reported profits of €651,703, considerably higher than the previous year’s €479,087.

Today, there are 14 Camile takeaway restaurants with the majority across the border, one in London and two in Belfast.

And he’s not stopping there. Brody is on the hunt for franchisees to help him expand the chain operating a ‘laptop-tolap’ delivery philosophy.

Investors seeking to enter franchise agreements with Camile are looking at costs of between €200,000 to €250,000 to set up a new restaurant.

“We’re trying to create a bit of interest in franchising,” he told Hospitality Review, ahead of a recent franchise exhibit in Dublin.

“The big thing is there is good growth in this industry, and people are spending more but what’s driving our business is broadband penetration and people looking for more convenience and it’s a fundamentally challenging time.

“In the UK in the last number of years, foodservice has been flat but the growth in home delivery is growing 10% year on year,” says Brody.

But back to the chain making him the business model for the Republic’s burgeoning economy.

“I wasn’t bankrupt but I had been completely wiped out,” he says. “I had a Celtic Tiger-era mortgage and no money coming in at all. Not a penny. All I had was an old Toyota Prius with a prang in one side.

“I had been hanging onto O’Brien’s by my fingernails. I really thought I could turn it around and it was completely crushing when in the end I had to let go.”

He sold O’Brien’s to the owners of Abrakebabra in 2009, which is why the brand is still present on most high streets throughout Ireland.

He describes it as a battle he lost but,

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thebigpicture

rather than mope, he researched the industry and Camile was born.

“Eventually you get the bones of an idea and you start trying to build around it again. I decided that it would be a good idea to start a Chinese takeaway.

“The difference would be a higher grade of food - to restaurant standard - and that there would be a brand, a Domino’s for Chinese food,” he says.

That concept evolved into Camile and social media here in NI is awash with restaurant-goers singing the praises of a long-awaited healthy alternative to Domino’s and its contemporaries. And Ballyhackamore’s launch has created 20 new jobs.

But he’s struggling still. Not financially, but more on the manpower front, citing industry skill deficits and Brexit’s threat to an immigrant workforce as a worry for his outlets here.

“There is a shortage of chefs in NI and RoI and these positions are mostly filled by young immigrants,” says Brody.

“We would be the first to employ NI natives but there’s none there. In our London and Dublin outlets, we are staffed by a young immigrant population but that is drying up because it’s not the place for immigrants with Brexit. We would have it at the back of our minds that Brexit could be part of the reason for shortages.

“Any modern economy needs young immigrants because the local people tend to move up the food chain in www.hospitalityreviewni.com

jobs and aren’t prepared to work for minimum wage jobs. We need a supply of young immigrants who are prepared to take those jobs,” says Brody, who has now worked in the hospitality industry for 30 years.

While he says the new venture is performing well, the locations are well chosen and its future is promising, “it could do better”, he says.

“Lisburn Road is a super area; the demographic works well for us. It’s where young professionals, two-income households, time-poor, cash-rich and Internet-savvy live. It’s the right area.”

The Lisburn Road branch opened in 2016 and employs 18 people.

“Ballyhackamore is fast developing as a foodie area. There are a lot of great restaurants there, which is great,” he says.

So, does he feel he’s in a more robust position now, having launched a business during one of the most economicallytesting times?

“It’s different,” he says. “This business is different. O’Brien’s was positioned in areas with high pedestrian footfall and,

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during a recession, it was hit hard. This business is focused on bringing food to houses where property costs are lower.

“The difference now is that I don’t have much cash, so every single step I’ve made has had to be considered.

I did manage to get a loan from AIB, which explodes the myth that the banks aren’t lending.

“As a new business, I probably stood a better chance but it’s a lesson for other people like me who are getting back on their feet - put a good plan together and approach the bank.”

And he does have further tips for those entering the world of business or rising from a fall.

“I think stick to something that is focused,” he says. “Go in focused and do it well. You are going to make loads of mistakes but try to learn from them. I still don’t really know what you should do but I do know what I shouldn’t be doing. Focusing on one niche area in the foodservice area and not trying to be all things to all people is a start.”

Ulster Rugby players Rob Herring and Paul Marshall with Camile owner Brody Sweeney at the launch of Camile Lisburn Road.

NOVEMBER HRNI • 19

drinksnews

FEBVRE SCORES TOP AWARDS AT NOFFLA F

ebvre has picked up Wine of the Year, Red Wine of the Year and five gold awards, among nine overall Star Awards for 2017-2018 at the Irish Wine Show Awards organised by the National Off-Licence Association (NOFFLA) in Dublin last month.

Wine of the Year went to Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2015, Stellenbosch while Bodegas Valdemar, Conde Valdemar Reserva 2010, Rioja, Spain was named Red Wine of the Year.

“We are delighted with this tremendous success having been awarded both red and white Wine of the Year and nine medals including five gold out of a grand total of 45,” said Liz Coogan, managing director of Febvre & Company.

“The fact that they are across different price points and represent wines from France, Spain, Austria, Romania, South Africa, New Zealand and Chile shows the depth of our portfolio.”

The winning wines will be easily identifiable in independent offlicences nationwide, displaying the NOFFLA medals on the shelf.

Febvre & Company recently concluded the sale of its business to members of the management team together with a private investment group.

Under the new structure, Jim Bradley, current CEO, becomes chairman, financial director, Liz Coogan is the new managing director and Aidan Farrell is operations director.

Conde Valdemar Reserva Red Wine of the Year.

GOLDS FOR QUIET MAN IN IRISH WHISKEY MASTERS

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he Quiet Man 12-year single malt whiskey has won a gold award in the Irish Whiskey Masters hosted by The Spirits Business magazine, with the company’s Standard Blended Irish Whiskey also picking up a gold and its 8-year old Single Malt a silver award.

The Quiet Man is developed in Derry by Niche Drinks, and is currently completing construction of a new stateof-the-art distillery in the city, the first in over a century. The distillery is scheduled for completion next year and will feature a distinctive visitors’ centre on the site at Ebrington Square on the outskirts of Derry.

20 • HRNI NOVEMBER

WALLED CITY’S NEW SPECIAL BREW TO LAY SIEGE TO THE SENSES

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erry’s newest craft beer, which is literally steeped in the history of the Head brewer James Huey city dating raises a toast to the Walled City back 300 Brewery’s new ‘1689’ beer. years, was launched on the banks of the Foyle last month as part of the Slow Food Festival taking place in Guildhall Square.

Walled City Brewery has developed its 1689 Mumm ale from an extraordinary recipe dating back to the Siege of Derry, and said to have been found in the home of Governor George Walker.

“1689 continues to tell the story of our historic city as an international tourism destination in a very unique and innovative way which also plays a key role in firmly placing this region on the visitor map for our award-winning ‘LegenDerry and local’ food and drink offer,” said Aeidin McCarter, head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council. twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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drinksnews

DIAGEO DELIVERS THE PERFECT SERVE AT TESCO TASTE FESTIVAL 2017 DRINKS GROUP HIGHLIGHTS ITS RESERVE PORTFOLIO OF LUXURIOUS SPIRIT BRANDS STEEPED IN HERITAGE, CRAFTSMANSHIP AND AUTHENTICITY

Pictured are Paddy McKenna, Diageo and Stephen Magill, Tesco commercial manager, Northern Ireland.

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he Diageo Reserve portfolio of luxury spirits was a star attraction at this year’s Tesco Taste Festival, with visitors getting the chance to sample a number of the global drinks company’s brands including Tanqueray No. Ten gin, Ketel One vodka and Bulleit bourbon.

The signature serves available to try at the Diageo stand proved extremely popular with guests and included: Tanqueray No. Ten & Tonic with pink grapefruit; Ketel One Strawberry Mule, and Bulleit & Ginger.

For those who had acquired a taste for the small batch, handcrafted gin, which is widely considered by the world’s best bartenders to be the world’s best gin, there was a Tanqueray No. Ten £5 off voucher within the Tesco Taste Festival leaflet.

Diageo Reserve Commercial Manager Kevin Stanton took part in the Tesco Beer, Wine & Spirits colleague engagement session, which welcomed representatives from Tesco stores right across Northern Ireland.

The session was designed as an

22 • HRNI NOVEMBER

“The Diageo Reserve portfolio is made up of some of the most luxurious spirts in the world. Brands that are steeped in heritage, craftsmanship and authenticity, including Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Bulleit, Tanqueray No. Ten, Ketel One, Zacapa and a collection of Single Malts.” opportunity to give those involved in the Tesco off-trade the opportunity to find out more about the Diageo Reserve brands, amongst others, and to offer support with sales advice.

Speaking at the Diageo stand at the Tesco Taste Festival, Paddy McKenna, Diageo NI commercial manager, said: “The Diageo Reserve portfolio is made up of some of the most luxurious spirts in the world. Brands that are steeped in heritage, craftsmanship and authenticity, including Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Bulleit, Tanqueray No. Ten, Ketel One, Zacapa and a collection of Single Malts.

“We know that consumers are becoming increasingly discerning in their choice of spirit, and they are valuing quality over quantity. At Diageo, we believe that luxury experiences should be available and accessible to all and the Tesco Taste Festival provided us with the ideal platform to showcase our Reserve brands in a way that people can replicate and enjoy with family and friends in their own homes.”

To find out more about the Diageo Reserve portfolio, visit https://www.diageo.com/en/ our-brands/brand-explorer.

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drinksnews

BELFAST INVENTOR AND ENTREPRENEUR HOSTS LOCAL WORKSHOP

Ciaran Larkin

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hiskey and Invention’, a collaboration between local inventor and entrepreneur, Ciaran Larkin, and Bushmills was held last month at The Menagerie, as part of the local drinks brand’s #AnswerTheCall series.

Attendees sipped on a selection of Black Bush serves while listening to the determined and fearless story of how Ciaran answered his call and rose to the top, to become of the world’s greatest inventors working for international giants such as Hasbro.

Attendees also took part in an invention workshop, led by Ciaran, putting their creative genius to use to create a whiskey-inspired, take-home item made from used materials such as scrap metal, empty bottles and electrical waste.

The #AnswerTheCall series sees Bushmills Irish Whiskey collaborate with local creators, thinkers, entrepreneurs and adventurers to celebrate their stories of fearlessness and inspire others to answer their own individual callings.

For more information, visit answerthecall.co.uk.

TEAM EFFORT PULLS IN £12,000 FOR CANCER RESEARCH

Pictured are, from left, Jane Major, James Woods, Louisa Garrett, Leanne Dunlop, Mark McMahon (Cancer Research UK), Colin Salt, Manus O’Gorman, Nicole Caldwell, Danielle McCann, Conleth Oliver and Peter Mulgrew.

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team of 10 colleagues from Richmond Marketing and Cider of Sweden, both based in Belfast, ran the Belfast Half Marathon in September, raising over £12,000 for Cancer Research.

The team effort was inspired by a colleague Danielle McCann who, at the age of 30, has just completed treatment for bowel cancer. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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Quote of the Month “I had to cook a meal good enough to match the Lafite, it took 3 days.” Unknown

Wine Blog from #WineBloggerNI

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he marketing department are always getting at me about never having this article in on time. The magazine editor tells them this is always the last feature to be finalised.

Well I’m happy enough with that, “save the best to last I always say”.

Except of course when you are talking about wine, I always find you should serve the best somewhere in the middle. Not too soon, as people’s palates haven’t warmed up sufficiently, and not too late as they may not be in a position to appreciate it.

You always need to season your taste buds, just like an nice amuse bouche, this helps stimulate your digestive juices and prepares your taste buds for something more exciting. I like to call it wine foreplay; it’s just a wee tease before the main event. Yes indeed, wine and food can be very sexy!

However the next piece isn’t so sexy. All across Europe the feedback from our viticulturists and oenologists is very worrying. 2017 has been another very difficult harvest, with some regions in Italy reporting the smallest harvest in 60 years.

Prosecco and most major French wine producing regions are down as much as 17%. Chablis in particular has experienced three very poor vintages.

A very dry summer in Spain reduced the yields but increased the quality.

This can only mean one thing, higher prices.

So what are we going to do, drink beer or gin? I don’t have a problem with you doing either of these as long as the beer is Heineken and the gin is Caorunn or Whitley Neill.

On a serious note, we will see more increases in Jan/Feb next year; this coupled with a predicted duty increase in November’s budget could see as much as 50p on a good bottle of wine.

So drink better quality but consume less, that’s my message this month.

by Ciaran Meyler

THE 2017 VINTAGE

NOVEMBER HRNI • 23

drinksnews

Love whiskey. Love Whiskey Club.

How do you feel about the comeback of Irish whiskey? I know there was concern in the 60’s that whiskeys like Green Spot could have disappeared forever.

WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN WITH JONATHAN MITCHELL, FROM MITCHELL AND SON FOR A CHAT ABOUT ALL THINGS WHISKEY. Can you tell us a little about Mitchell and Son? Mitchell and Son was started in Dublin in 1805 by William Mitchell who hailed from Northern England. At the time he was a trained pastry chef and moved to Dublin to open up a bakery, confectionery business and restaurant on Grafton Street.

It was here where the family business really began. We’ve changed somewhat since then, and to this day 212 years later I’m glad to say we’re still in business, albeit in the world of retailing and wholesaling wines and spirits as opposed to cakes!

We’re most well known for our involvement in the Spot range of Irish Whiskey.

Tell us about your relationship with Irish Distillers?

In the late 1800s the Mitchell family were involved in the wine importing business.

At this stage we were importing quite large quantities of sherry, port, burgundy wine, Bordeaux wine and sweet dessert wine from Malaga in Spain. These wines were being imported in wooden casks and when the casks were emptied we discovered they were ideal for maturing Irish Whiskey. From 1887 we were regularly shipping empty

casks to the Jameson Distillery on Bow St where new make spirit was being added before the barrels were shipped back to us to age gracefully for up to 15 years.

Ourselves and Gilby’s would have been the biggest bonders at the time and when the three main distilleries (Jameson, Powers and Cork) decided to join together under the guidance of Kevin McCourt, the bonding situation changed. Bonding was centralised under Irish Distillers to try to ensure consistency was achieved. Our bonding ceased in the mid to late 1960s and we had around 10 years supply of whiskey in our bonded store. Green Spot, which at the time was a 10 year old, Yellow Spot, which was a 12 year old, and Red Spot, which was a 15 year old. There was also a very small amount of 7 year old Blue Spot, but it didn’t feature much in the range.

Where did the Spot range get its name from?

We marked the casks with spots of paint to differentiate them during the ageing process. Green for Green Spot, Yellow for Yellow Spot and Red for Red Spot! The whiskey that ran out the quickest was the 12 and 15 year old.

WHISKEY OF THE MONTH: Black barrel STYLE: TASTING NOTES BY JOE MAGOWAN, IRISH WHISKEY AMBASSADOR FOR DILLON BASS

Yes that’s true – however in the early 70’s, when bonding stopped, we didn’t worry too much as we knew we had about 10 years supply of whiskey. However the closer it got to the stock dissipating, the more we got concerned that the brands would disappear. We ended up sitting down with the MD of Irish Distillers and discussed how best to deal with this. We agreed that the best way of protecting the brands was for Irish Distillers to purchase the brand names and allow Mitchells to receive the distribution rights for the island of Ireland – it has remained like this to this day. The marketing of Green Spot and the success of our newer release of Yellow Spot in the last decade has grown and it’s fantastic to see the resurgance of Irish Whiskey.

Finally then I’d just like to ask about your feelings about Irish whiskey. Do you drink much Irish Whiskey yourself?

Oh yes – and I can safely say I’ve never really drank much Scotch. It’s not something that appeals to me, the same way Irish Whiskey does. It is fantastic to see Irish Whiskey as popular as it is today and I was really delighted when the guys were able to recreate Yellow Spot and I would put that as my favourite tipple. I’m excited about the upcoming innovation with the Green Spot series – the Leoville Barton and Chateau Montelena releases will be quite incredible. I love nothing more than a whiskey in the evening, neat without any water or ice and I think the glass is vital – I like the Riedel single malt glass instead of the heavier rocks glass.

Blend of single pot still and grain Irish whiskey

ABV: 40%

NOSE:

TASTE:

FINISH:

Vanilla and creamy fudge. Almost buttery.

Leads to some tropical fruit – papaya and ripe peach.

Notes of toffee and caramel. Butterscotch toffee and milk sweets.

Finishes with a touch of pineapple and heavy toasted oak.

LOVE YOUR WHISKEY? JOIN US:

WhiskeyClubNI

whiskeyclub.com

24 HRNI NOVEMBER 10 ••HRNI | APRIL

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hotdrinks

TURNING UP THE HEAT WITH AN AUTUMNAL CHILL ALREADY SETTLING IN, HOSPITALITY REVIEW LOOKS AT THE LATEST WINTER WARMERS ENTICING CONSUMERS INTO THE ON-TRADE

BUSHMILLS BLACK BUSH AND MULLED CIDER

Summer nights have gone for another year and winter’s chill is on its way and it’s the perfect season to enjoy warming and reviving serves.

Whiskey is essential for a toddy and Bushmills Irish Whiskey is an exceptional choice. Rich and fruity to taste, with a velvety-smooth finish, Bushmills Black Bush is the ideal whiskey to complement any warm serve.

This year, Bushmills has introduced Black Bush and Mulled Cider, a tempting, warm serve packed with familiar winter flavours such as fragrant spice, fruity berry and sweet cinnamon. The dry, subtle sweetness of the cider allows the rich, fruity flavours and smoothness of Black Bush to be experienced.

The Black Bush and Mulled Cider serve will be available at leading licensed premises across Northern Ireland over the coming months.

INGREDIENTS 35ml Bushmills Black Bush One bottle of your preferred craft medium cider Lemon juice Rosemary Star anise Honey to taste (depending on the cider) METHOD Bring the cider, rosemary, and star anise to the simmer on a low heat.

If a less-citrus taste is preferred, lemons can be added once the cider has been brought to the simmer.

Add 35ml Black Bush to the mulled cider.

Add honey to taste and serve in your favourite mug or glassware.

ROE & COZY INGREDIENTS 1 Bottle of Roe & Co 2 x Earl Grey tea bags 2 x Cinnamon sticks 10 Star anise, broken into pieces 168cl Boiling water 140ml Honey 2 x Lemons 56 Cloves

(MAKES 14 SERVES)

METHOD The preparation is in two parts.

First, spice the whiskey by adding the tea bags, cinnamon sticks and star anise into the bottle. Leave for 20-30 minutes to infuse.

Once the whiskey is ready, create individual serves for your friends by pouring 50ml of the spiced whiskey into your chosen glass.

Top each serve with 130ml boiling water, 15ml honey and garnish with a lemon rind studded with three to four cloves.

BLACK BUSH IRISH COFFEE There is little better than curling up on a winter afternoon with a relaxing, warming drink.

Botanic-based cafe, Town Square has put a local twist on its coffee serve by adding an extra shot with a difference, a dash of Bushmills Black Bush.

Rich and fruity to taste with a velvety-smooth finish, Bushmills Black Bush is the ideal whiskey to complement the intense flavour of coffee.

Town Square will be serving this impressive Irish Coffee throughout the coming months.

INGREDIENTS 35ml Bushmills Black Bush 10ml Frangelico 10ml Chocolate Syrup Freshly brewed coffee Cadbury & Nutmeginfused cream, lightly whipped METHOD Coat a warmed, glass coffee mug with the chocolate syrup. Add your favourite coffee, freshly brewed. Pour into the glass until 3/4 full.

Blend in the Black Bush and Frangelico. Float the lightly whipped cream on top over the back of a spoon and serve.

FOR MORE WHISKEY-INSPIRED IDEAS AND LOCAL INFO ON BUSHMILLS IRISH WHISKEY, VISIT @BUSHMILLSUK ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ANSWERTHECALL.CO.UK. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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NOVEMBER HRNI • 25

heinekenrugbyclubexclusive

HEINEKEN RUGBY CLUB DRIVES FORWARD

HOSPITALITY REVIEW NI HEARS EXCLUSIVELY FROM UNITED WINE MERCHANTS ABOUT EXCITING PLANS FOR THE HEINEKEN® RUGBY CLUB IN 2018

H

EINEKEN has earned recognition as one of the brands with the greatest impact on the sports world, thanks to its commitment to the biggest rugby tournaments in the world and sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League.

HEINEKEN’S slogan Open your World perfectly reflects what the beer company, headquartered in the Netherlands and operating in 70 countries worldwide, asks its audience: to be receptive to the new experiences that Heineken® offers them, and this rings true in Northern Ireland too.

Earlier this year when Martin McAuley, MD of United Wine Merchants, announced that HEINEKEN Northern Ireland was being integrated into the United Wines Merchants business, it signalled a new era for the HEINEKEN portfolio across Northern Ireland.

Martin and his 49-strong team at UWM have taken responsibility for all the brands in the portfolio including Desperados, Tiger, Sol and the already hugely successful apple cider 26 • HRNI NOVEMBER

brand Orchard Thieves. 2018 has been earmarked as a year with huge opportunity for UWM, with a major focus on HEINEKEN and its association with rugby in this market.

Martin explains: “HEINEKEN has had a relationship with rugby for over 20 years. The brand has been committed to the Rugby World Cup since 1995 and

Heineken® and World Rugby recently extended their deal to the Rugby World Cup 2019 which will be hosted by Japan. The latest deal also meant that the brand became an official partner of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2017, held recently at Kingspan Stadium. This was special – as we were able to celebrate the women’s game on the world stage Stephen Ferris – Heineken® Brand Ambassador

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heinekenrugbyclubexclusive Here’s hoping we bring it home - Ireland2023

right here in Belfast. Our partnership with the Kingspan Stadium and our long standing relationship with Ulster Rugby enabled us to engage and entertain fans on Finals Day.” The team at UWM activated in style, hosting events in the Heineken® Quarter Bar, working with rugby raconteur Michael Jackson, Grace Davitt, a former Irish Grand Slam winner, Instagram influencer Tiffany Brien and Ulster player Tommy Bowe. Throughout the build up to the tournament, fans were also offered opportunities to win tickets for Finals Day which included the opportunity to take part in the captain’s coin toss before the games.

Emma Haughian, Brand Manager at UWM, said: “It was a special atmosphere that day and naturally there was a lot of speculation about Ireland’s bid for the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

Witnessing the buzz that the Women’s Rugby World Cup brought to Belfast, everyone at United Wine Merchants already have their fingers and toes crossed for November 15th, when World Rugby makes their decision for 2023.”

HEINEKEN’S association with rugby in Northern Ireland dates back to 2010 when the brand agreed a relationship with Ulster Rugby, which was renewed in 2015 for a further five years. HEINEKEN sees the relationship as a crucial part of their rugby strategy on the island of Ireland, alongside a similar relationship with Connaught Rugby and as a Tournament Partner to the European Rugby Champions Cup & Challenge Cup. “The brand has a significant pedigree in the game,” explains Emma. “Our job is to bring this to life for our partners and fans – and that is exactly why we are going to make a significant investment in

the Heineken® Rugby Club platform in this market.”

Heineken® Rugby Club is a community that aims to connect supporters around the world. Fans can find recommendations on the best pubs and get information on cities for upcoming away fixtures. Once registered at heinekenrugbyclub.com, members can receive exclusive benefits such as match tickets, rugby event invites and ‘always on’ discounts from key partner brands.

Mike McGoldrick, aka Shane Todd, a Heineken® Rugby Club regular

There are already over 32,000 Heineken® Rugby Club members across Ireland and the game is more popular than ever with high profile matches often sold out months in advance. This season the activity has already ramped up – with members being given the chance to win a trip to Bilbao to watch the European Rugby Champions Cup Final, accompanying brand ambassador Stephen Ferris, and the plans for activities in Northern Ireland are well under way.

To support trade partners and bring consumers closer to the game, UWM are rolling out plans for Heineken® Rugby Club in the stadium, in the on-trade, offtrade and online.

In previous seasons, the Heineken® Rugby Club has hosted events at Kingspan Stadium with Mike McGoldrick (aka Shane Todd), the self-proclaimed ‘Prince of North Down’ and Stephen Ferris. These events regularly featured guests including; Malcolm O’Kelly, Tommy Bowe and Andrew Trimble – all of whom got the full ’24 Carat McGoldrick’ experience.

“In the 2017/2018 season, UWM intend to bring the platform to life in both the on and off-trade, as well as in Kingspan Stadium on selected match days,” Emma said: “In the on-trade, we are supporting our key partners with premium visibility that will cement their reputation as the place to watch the biggest games of rugby throughout the season. We will deliver external visibility and a full suite of merchandising options and social media tools that will drive footfall and increase rate of sale.

Key trade partners will be allocated a prize fund through their HEINEKEN representative including match tickets to Ulster Rugby games and branded merchandise. On high footfall match days, we will deliver engaging consumer activations in partner venues. We are also offering our partners a chance to win hospitality tickets for staff to key home Ulster Rugby games throughout the season.”

Exciting plans are also being worked on for the off-trade which will include, entry draws for Ulster Rugby tickets and Heineken® Rugby Club and Ulster Rugby merchandise.

Northern Ireland consumers are also encouraged to sign up to heinekenrugbyclub.com and the team at UWM are working closely with HEINEKEN Ireland and Ulster Rugby to secure new Northern Ireland partners that will reward members with year round discounts and access to moneycannot-buy experiences.

Emma concludes: “We are very excited about the plans. In short the partnership between UWM, HEINEKEN and rugby in Northern Ireland looks like it has a very bright future.”

For more information on how to get involved with the Heineken® Rugby Club, contact United Wine Merchants on 028 3831 6555 or check out the website: www.unitedwines.co.uk.

For more information on Heineken Rugby Club check out: www.heinekenrugbyclub.com www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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NOVEMBER HRNI • 27

q&a

A DAY IN THE LIFE

NIALL MCMULLAN * MANAGING DIRECTOR, HERCULES BREWING COMPANY

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE? Managing director of Hercules Brewing Company.

It involves everything from brewing to accounts, export, health and safety risk assessments, and of course selling. You name it and I probably do it.

WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I’ve worked in the hospitality sector since my late teens, primarily working behind a bar before moving into restaurants and hotels. My primary degree is in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Magee College and my Master’s Degree is in Marketing from Jordanstown, so I’m a proud University of Ulster graduate.

WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? The best part of my job is creating something like Yardsman Original Double Stout, walking into a bar and seeing other people asking for a pint of Yardsman and then sitting down to enjoy it. Sometimes I’ll even listen to them talk lovingly about their pint and their choice of pint... I love that, you can’t beat that feeling. Worst part is the 2.30am starts; I’m pleased to say that we have now actually managed to push the mashing in time to 5.30am, but it’s still tough.

28 • HRNI NOVEMBER

WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT THE SECTOR? I love the hospitality and tourism sector, it has a vibrancy and creativity here now that knows no bounds. But what’s most challenging and stifling for the sector and craft beer scene is the dominance and exclusive nature of the two big corporate beer giants who control 80% of all draught beer here in Northern Ireland between them. People want choice and I genuinely believe that consumers will make the discerning choice for quality and ‘real’ local beers if they are given the chance. The craft beer revolution is happening and will happen.

me wrong, awards and accolades are great, but nothing beats someone you don’t know asking for your beer or telling their friend, or a tourist, ‘Do you know that’s made here in Belfast, it’s a great beer’.

OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY To be honest, there really isn’t one. I could be selling one day, kegging the next, talking to customers or presenting to prospective distributors, so I don’t have typical days. Every day is another adventure.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? I love listening to music, and when possible going to the odd concert or gig.

PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE Seeing my beers being poured, consumed and enjoyed in any bar or restaurant makes me proud. Don’t get

BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN THE LOCAL SECTOR The people first and foremost. We have some of the best people in the industry in Northern Ireland. The creativity of our restaurateurs and chefs, the quality of the local produce, the quality and hospitality of our pubs, not to mention the hotel sector. I’m really proud to be associated with some of these great people and I love working with them.

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW I’m dyslexic, so if you get an email or text from me and its incomprehensible, it’s not predictive text kicking in… it’s me!

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THE KRAKEN ESPRESSO

COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH

2 parts The Kraken rum 1 part Amaretto 1 part vodka 1 shot espresso

COCKTAIL MONTH of the

WITH THE KRAKEN

In the latest of a regular series, we ask local bartenders to showcase a signature serve featuring the superb premium spirits brands presented by Proximo. Lisa Kennedy, general manager of The Cloth Ear in Belfast, creates a classic cocktail featuring The Kraken.

THE KRAKEN ESPRESSO 2 parts The Kraken rum 1 part Amaretto 1 part vodka 1 shot espresso Shaken over ice Served in a coupe

“I love coffee, and the dark rum and coffee marry together and complement each other so well,” says Lisa.

“The Kraken Espresso is a popular cocktail on our menu here.”

about the bartender Lisa has been with the Beannchor Group from the beginning of her career in hospitality, starting out as a waitress at the Tatu Bar & Grill 13 years ago. She then had the opportunity to join the opening team at The Merchant as assistant marketing manager.

There, Lisa underwent a management training course in which she moved around each area of the hotel, before settling in The Cloth Ear as general manager four years ago. “Every day is different,” says Lisa, “and it’s nice to be part of creating people’s special memories. We’re very lucky in that we’ve really seen tourism growing over the last 10 years. It’s great to see the growth and development within the Cathedral Quarter, and obviously the hospitality industry as a whole.”

Lisa Kennedy, general manager of The Cloth Ear

THE KRAKEN® AND OTHER TRADEMARKS ARE OWNED BY PROXIMO SPIRITS. © 2017 KRAKEN RUM CO.

pubnews

GALWAY BREWERY TAKING OVER BELFAST’S BREWBOT BAR

BY JOHN MULGREW

B

elfast bar Brewbot on the Ormeau Road is to be renamed Northern Lights and taken over by Galway Bay Brewery, which is based in Galway but runs around a dozen pubs across RoI. Galway Bay is one of the Republic’s top breweries, and the acquisition

marks its first foray into Northern Ireland. It’s thought staff working for the bar will be retained.

The news comes after the Belfast Telegraph revealed that Brewbot, a technology company that also runs the existing bar, has staved off a petition to wind it up by entering a Company Voluntary Agreement with HMRC. Galway Bay Brewery helped lead the way for the craft beer scene in Ireland, and the company produces a range of its own pale ales, stouts and India pale ales (IPA).

Some of the brewery’s top beers

£4.2M INVESTMENT IN THE DOYEN CREATES 80 NEW JOBS

A

£4.2m investment by Wine Inns in the former King’s Head site on the Lisburn Road, Belfast, has created a new 15,000-squarefoot entertainment and dining complex employing 80 staff Pictured at The Doyen ahead of its opening are, members. from left, Andrew Rylands and Patrick Hunt from Wine Inns.

The Doyen features a traditional public bar serving a top-quality, gastropub menu daily with a large outdoor seating area; stylish café bar open from early morning; a family-friendly, Italian-themed restaurant upstairs Morso seating 130; and private rooms catering for parties up to 140.

The main bar has live entertainment from Wednesday to Saturday evenings, and will be well equipped with indoor, outdoor and drop-down screens to cater for sports fans.

A secret snug bar for 30 guests will feature specialised cocktails created by the venue’s mixologist. The café bar will specialise in crafted coffee, brunch and prosecco, gin and cocktail serves.

“The King’s Head was an iconic bar, attracting customers from across greater Belfast, but it was badly in need of a makeover after a long period in administration,” said Patrick Hunt, director of Wine Inns. “We have taken the character of the old venue and created two totally new concepts in The Doyen and Morso.”

Wine Inns’ growing portfolio of venues currently includes Alibi, Cutters Wharf, Four Winds, Robinson’s, The Chelsea, The Eglantine Inn, The Empire and The Parlour.

See p41 for social pics from the opening. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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include Of Foam and Fury — an award-winning strong, punchy, bitter 8.5% double IPA. Aside from its own range, the brewery’s bars across Ireland stock a large range of top beers from across the UK and Ireland, Europe, and the US. Galway Bay Brewery, which produces its beers in the west coast of Ireland city of the same name, operates 12 bars across the island, including six in Dublin alone, including Brewdock — across from Connolly Station — and the Black Sheep, to the north of the River Liffey.

£100,000 INVESTMENT MARKS NEW ERA FOR THE CARDAN

Gemma Kidd, manager, and Eimear McCullough, waitress.

L

isburn’s Cardan Bar & Grill has completed the latest phase of its redevelopment, a £100,000 makeover, which follows an initial investment of £400,000 to transform it from The Robins Nest into The Cardan back in 2004.

The latest investment marks a new era for the venue, and includes an updated range of menus, new décor to reflect a more contemporary and modern feel, and expansion of the eating area bringing the bar and restaurant areas together with seating for up to 70 guests. Further investment plans are in place, meanwhile, to potentially create an additional 10-15 local jobs.

“The Cardan has been a local treasure for years now, but I knew now was the time to breathe new life into it,” said Jon Poots, owner. “Lisburn is thriving with small pubs and restaurants, but I wanted The Cardan to offer something unique. With the renovation, we are poised to attract a wider audience and to reflect the growing emphasis on socialising and eating out.

“We hope to invest further in 2018 and announce these plans soon, but for now we’re delighted to offer the locals somewhere to begin and end their night out.”

NOVEMBER HRNI • 31

hotelnews

HASTINGS AND MALDRON COLLABORATE ON HOTEL EMPLOYMENT ACADEMY

Pictured are, from left, Howard Hastings of Hastings Hotels, Belfast Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister and Stephen McNally of the Dalata Hotel Group.

B

elfast City Council has teamed up with the Hastings Grand Central Hotel Belfast and the Dalata Hotel Group’s Maldron Hotel Belfast City, both of which are due to open next year, to launch a

new Hotel Employment Academy.

The initiative aims to help the two hotels recruit almost 200 staff and is open to anyone living in the Belfast City Council area who is currently out of work, or works less than 16 hours a week.

“Belfast City Council recognises that creating viable, long-term job opportunities for our people is paramount to our vision for a successful and vibrant city, both now and in the future,” said Nuala McAllister, the Lord Mayor of Belfast.

“By connecting people, and especially those currently out of work, to such opportunities, this new Academy supports the objectives of the Belfast Agenda to create 15,000 new

LOUGH ERNE RESORT CELEBRATES 10 YEARS IN BUSINESS

jobs, as well as to double the economic value of out-of-state tourism and welcome 1.5 million overnight tourist stays, by 2021.”

The first Academy will start in January, with others taking place early in 2018.

It will involve two weeks of intensive training in areas such as customer care, food safety, health and safety and manual handling, as well as practical experience working in a hotel. Offering the skills needed for specific posts within the two new city centre hotels, everyone who completes the training will be guaranteed an interview.

For more information, visit www.belfastcity. gov.uk/employment.

EVERGLADES HOTEL APPOINTS NEW EXECUTIVE HEAD CHEF

D To mark the hotel’s 10th birthday, General Manager William Kirby was joined by longest-standing staff member, Eleanor Neal and Enniskillen Integrated Primary School pupil and special guest Poppy Watson who was also celebrating her birthday on the same date.

O

n September 29, award-winning luxury five-star hotel Lough Erne Resort celebrated 10 years since it officially opened.

Over the last decade, the Enniskillenbased resort has hosted many famous faces and won several top accolades.

Most recently, it was awarded Hotel of the Year 2017 and Food and Wine

magazine’s Hotel Restaurant of the Year 2017.

As part of its 10th-anniversary celebrations, the resort is offering its guests exclusive packages, including the chance to win £10 guest rooms, complimentary suite upgrades, special B&B rates and gastronomic treats from Executive Head Chef Noel McMeel.

BULLITT MAKES GEORGINA CAMPBELL AWARDS 2018 B elfast’s Bullitt Hotel has been named Newcomer of the Year in the annual Georgina Campbell Awards. ‘Bullitt is cool, chilled out and yet nostalgic,’ reads the respected hospitality guide. ‘This is back to basics with a difference and it has taken Belfast by storm.’

Casual Dining Restaurant of the

32 • HRNI NOVEMBER

esmond Morris, a sous chef at the Everglades Hotel since 2012, has been promoted to the position of executive head chef. Bringing over 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, he has previously held culinary positions in London, Jersey and Derry~Londonderry. His new role includes overseeing the entire running of the Everglades kitchens from ordering local produce to designing menus, stock taking and food control.

DOUBLE WIN FOR FITZWILLIAM HOTEL

T

Year, meanwhile, went to Holywoodbased Noble, praised for its ‘genuinely warm welcome, terrific seasonal cooking and superb service’.

Representatives of the very best in Irish hospitality gathered at Bord Bia’s Thinking House in Dublin last month, for the announcement of the 2018 Georgina Campbell Awards.

he five-star Fitzwilliam Hotel Belfast recently scooped two top honours at the Northern Ireland Hospitality Awards 2017, taking home the title of Hotel of the Year 2017, while General Manager Cian Landers was named Best Hotel General Manager.

The awards were bestowed towards the end of what has been a memorable year for the hotel which was awarded a five-star rating under the Tourism NI accommodation grading scheme, completed a £2m refurbishment and was granted planning permission for a £6m extension.

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hotelnews

MAKE YOUR WEBSITE COUNT

Conall and Petra Wolsey on site at Babel.

BY ADRIENNE HANNA, FOUNDER & CEO, RIGHT REVENUE

W

ebsite design can be daunting; what with the battle between too little or too much text or the ‘will I – won’t I’ add more images, video, social media or reviews. It honestly doesn’t have to be daunting; just start with the basics.

The most important thing to remember is that your website is your online shop front. A recent survey of customers (by the clever people who monitor customer behaviour) confirm that the experience your customer receives on your own brand site is more influential than word of mouth, OTAs or even review sites, so hadn’t we better get it right?

SO WHERE DO WE BEGIN? 1. Can I make my website engaging and does it tell my story...

Does it have the right mix of text, images, video and virtual tours that will instantly attract someone browsing and that will make them want to find out more.

2. Start from point zero and always approach your site from the perspective of a customer who has never heard of your hotel before, has never stayed in your area before and knows nothing at all about your product or things to do in the area. I bet if you did that and looked at your current site, you might just do things differently.

3. Know your customer and know what they want. Are you helping them visualise that experience? What are your rooms like?

Don’t just rhyme off the usual tea and coffee making facilities... make it emotive. Describe what it is actually like to stay in one of your rooms, then only describe the features that matter, not those that every guest expects.

4. Do your images reflect your property and your facilities? If not, then good photography is probably the best investment you can make.

5. Why should they book direct? Have you actually given your guests a reason to ‘stick’ on your website and enough curiosity to progress to your booking engine and not off to costly OTAs? 6. Do your special offers motivate? Are you giving your customers engaging and relevant special offers? Do they actually meet your customer profile ie the guests you know stay. Are they easy to find from your homepage and are they engaging enough to make your guest want to find out more?

7. Tell the truth. Be open and honest and present customer reviews on your homepage, accessible via a very visible link.

They are going to go to a review site anyway, so why not be open enough to allow access from your own site?

8. Don’t distract by having an over-crowded menu or navigation.

Keep it simple.

9. Know your three most important pages - special offers/gallery and location - make them easy to find.

10. Make your call to action bold and straightforward. Have one very strong call to action - Book Now - visible from your homepage. Don’t distract and make it clear.

We all have the goal of converting as much as possible through our own site and to do that we must make sure our brand sites are at the cutting edge of design, offer clear, emotive and beautiful images, and have links to video and virtual tours. But above all, they must be easy to navigate and reflect the wonderful product we have and the experience we will provide.

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

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BULLITT’S NEW ROOFTOP BAR TO OPEN THIS MONTH B

ullitt Hotel is expected to open its new rooftop bar and garden, Babel, later this month, ahead of the first anniversary of the Beannchor Group property opening in Belfast.

Babel is part of a £1.75m expansion project for Bullitt, which also extends to 31 new bedrooms including the hotel’s first twin rooms, with the project adding 30 new jobs to create a workforce of 130 at the venue.

Thought to be Ireland’s largest rooftop bar and garden, Babel will offer capacity for 250 people and will feature an open-air terrace with panoramic views over the city.

Unique features include an interior living wall made up of 300 fresh plants and herbs and a vertical exterior garden wall that can be seen from ground level.

Babel’s drinks menu will be based around Shrub Cocktails, with the bar’s living walls providing a fresh supply of herbs, to be used as ingredients and garnishes for the cocktails.

The venue will also be available for private hire and will have its own food offering, influenced by South and East Asian cuisine.

“The vision behind the hotel is for it to offer much more than a bed space, we want it to be a place where people come to work, come to relax and come to socialise,” said Conall Wolsey, director of Beannchor. “The addition of the new rooftop bar and garden will only add to this vision and the stunning views across Belfast were the selling point for us when deciding how to utilise this space.”

Babel will host a calendar of events throughout the year, kicking off on Sunday, October 22 with a special Belvedere Vodka Tasting as part of Belfast Cocktail week.

NOVEMBER HRNI • 33

hotelsreport

AN ERA OF OPPORTUNITY FOR THE HOTELS SECTOR A CALL FOR INDUSTRY SUPPORT NIHF identifies a number of areas requiring intervention beyond the remit of the sector alone to optimise the positive impact from forthcoming hotel developments: PEOPLE Attracting people to the industry and developing the required skills is a real concern. A broadbrush metric is that each additional hotel room needs one extra employee.

Current forecasts would suggest an additional 2,000 jobs will be created. Along with the normal recruitment requirements, this would mean 4,400 new employees will be needed by 2020. Training provision needs to be revolutionised, moving beyond a narrow age bracket and focused on industry needs. The perceived image of working in hospitality remains very poor and can only improve with a joint approach by all stakeholders.

ACCESS A reduction in budgets for tourism agencies has resulted in a decrease in campaigns and dilution of brand activity. This decline is inconsistent with the approach adopted by many of our competitors.

TAXATION The constraints and challenges of an uncompetitive VAT rate, coupled with the additional burden of Air Passenger Duty, continue to present challenges for Northern Ireland. The promotion of the island as a single entity only adds to the issue.

The favourable VAT rate of 9% on accommodation, visitor attractions and food in the Republic of Ireland has done much to stimulate growth and improve appeal. The reduction of Air Passenger Tax to zero has supported air access growth to record levels.

CAPACITY Capacity at visitor attractions is a concern.

Creating and marketing a larger Northern Ireland ‘proposition of scale’, like the Wild Atlantic Way, would improve flow and demand issues.

BREXIT The effects of, and structure of, the UK’s departure from the EU are unclear. This uncertainty can lead to lack of confidence and a reduction in tourism spend. The most notable concern for the hotel industry in Northern Ireland is people, given that 23% of employees in the sector are non-nationals.

The current exchange rate with the euro has benefited Northern Ireland tourism, but an increase in the value of sterling may result in a falling off in demand from the euro-based market. Sterling’s current weakness is leading to a rise in inflation with growing pressure on food costs, services and energy.

34 • HRNI NOVEMBER

HOTEL EXPANSION IN NORTHERN IRELAND, A COMPREHENSIVE REPORT ON HOTEL INVESTMENT AND FUTURE GROWTH, WAS LAUNCHED AT THIS YEAR’S HOSPITALITY EXCHANGE BY THE NORTHERN IRELAND HOTELS FEDERATION

REPORT IN NUMBERS £500M INVESTMENT IN HOTEL PROJECTS BY 2020 4,400 NEW EMPLOYEES NEEDED BY 2020 1 NEW HOTEL ROOM = 1 NEW JOB

N

ew hotel projects scheduled for completion by 2020 represent a private sector investment of £500m, and are expected to boost sector jobs by a quarter to 10,049, according to a new report published by the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation.

The report, Hotel Expansion in Northern Ireland, identifies the majority of new and expanded projects as falling under three to four-star hotels, offering more jobs due to their service nature.

The construction phase of the expansion period up to 2020, meanwhile, is highlighted as potentially creating a further 6,846

jobs.

According to the Federation, an expanded hotel sector will allow the region to compete for significant events and attract more business.

‘Some events like the Rugby World Cup 2023 and European City of Culture may identify accommodation as a constraint, but with a 25% increase in rooms and a well-invested comparatively modern room stock, the region has everything to play for,’ it reads.

‘The hotel sector is stepping up and making a significant investment in developing its customer offer and attractiveness. Policy needs to back up the investment to ensure all realise the fullest benefits.’

NIHF’s Hotel Expansion in Northern Ireland report was compiled through research and analysis conducted by ASM Chartered Accountants, STR and Webb Advisory with input from Ulster University Economic Policy Unit. To view the report in full, go to nihf.co.uk. twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

tourismnews

LAKE TORRENT ON TRACK TO DRIVE NI ECONOMY

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reparatory work has begun to create an international motorsport centre of excellence expected to deliver huge economic benefits and put Northern Ireland on the global racing map.

An estimated 700 jobs will be created in the 18-month construction phase of the £30m Lake Torrent development, which will transform 163 acres of former clay pits in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, into a world-class motorsport complex with a championship racetrack and motorsport training centre for Northern Ireland.

Up to 80 part-time and temporary positions will also be required to provide ancillary services such as security, engineering, promotions, and marketing, with significant spin-off benefits for local

retailers, transport and accommodation providers.

Approximately 25 full-time jobs will be created on completion to run and maintain the track on a daily basis, with an additional 50 staff required on race days.

Last month, Mid Ulster District Council granted planning permission for the first phase of work which includes the race circuit, pits, medical centre, restaurant, hospitality suites, six business units and a crèche, as well as a new public ring road to bypass the town and facilitate easy access in and out of the Lake Torrent centre.

This first phase is due to be completed in early 2019, while a second phase may potentially include 90 retail and business units, and a range of community and leisure facilities including a hotel, cinema, theatre and more food outlets.

Lake Torrent is the brainchild of Manna Developments founder and motor-racing enthusiast David Henderson, who lives in Islandmagee, Co Antrim but has roots in Co Tyrone.

AUSTRIAN JOURNALISTS VISIT NORTHERN IRELAND

RIVERRIDGE AND TRANSLINK COLLABORATE NI’s leading public transport provider, Translink, has partnered with RiverRidge to achieve its overall goal of zero waste to landfill and to extract value from its waste streams by the cost savings.

“Working with RiverRidge has meant that we can capitalise on opportunities to develop innovative solutions to improve resource efficiency,” said Andy Bate, Translink corporate environmental manager.

“As a result of RiverRidge’s full suite of waste management services, Translink already successfully diverts 95% of waste from landfill and are on track to achieve our zero waste target.”

SAKS’ WINDOWS FEATURE LOCAL SCENES Tourism Ireland has teamed up with the iconic Saks Fifth Avenue stores in New York and Beverly Hills in an exciting new collaboration featuring the Giant’s Causeway and Royal County Down as backdrops to its window installations and in-store displays.

In addition, a double-page spread about the island of Ireland is featured in the Saks Fifth Avenue fall fashion book, which reaches customers in stores, through direct mail and via saks.com.

Social media activity via Saks and Tourism Ireland channels is highlighting the partnership and a competition to win a trip to the island of Ireland.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER FEATURES BELFAST

Austrian travel writers and bloggers are pictured at the Dark Hedges with Simon Bopp, Tourism Ireland Switzerland (standing, left).

A

group of Austrian travel writers and bloggers toured Northern Ireland last month, as guests of Tourism Ireland and Tourism NI. The journalists’ packed itinerary included a chance to enjoy Belfast’s Culture Night, and visit attractions such as Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic and Crumlin Road Gaol. The group also spent time in Londonderry, taking part in a walking tour of Derry’s historic walls, with stops at the Guildhall, the Tower www.hospitalityreviewni.com

Museum and the Walled City Brewery.

During a drive along the Causeway Coastal Route, the journalists spent time at the Dark Hedges, the Giant’s Causeway and Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge.

“Their articles and blogs will reach over 5 million people in Austria, helping to raise awareness of the many things to see and do on a holiday in Northern Ireland,” said Zoe Redmond, Tourism Ireland manager, Central Europe.

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

A seven-page article showcasing Belfast as a ‘must see’ destination features in the latest UK edition of National Geographic Traveller magazine, profiling the city to almost 43,000 readers – or potential GB holidaymakers for Belfast and Northern Ireland.

Tourism Ireland in London, in conjunction with Tourism NI, invited journalist Pat Riddell and photographer Chris Copeland to visit Belfast in June. The resulting article appears in the November edition of the magazine under the headline City Life Belfast. Food and literature tours, the Titanic Quarter and Belfast’s unique street art are all featured.

NOVEMBER HRNI • 35

tourismnews

TI LEADS UAE AND INDIA MISSION A delegation of 12 tourism operators from Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland have taken part in a recent targeted travel trade mission to the UAE and India.

With approximately 100,000 visitors from the UAE and India travelling to the island of Ireland last year, Tourism Ireland is committed to growing tourism from these markets further in 2018.

Throughout the week-long visit, the participating companies from the island of Ireland met with more than 350 top travel agents and tour operators in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Mumbai and New Delhi.

NYC LAUNCH FOR BELFAST INTERNATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL

AUSTRALIAN GOLFERS ENCOURAGED TO DISCOVER NI An article describing Northern Ireland as ‘the hottest golf destination in the world right now’ appeared last month in Escape, one of Australia’s biggest travel magazines, viewed by over 5.6 million readers.

Tourism Ireland had invited top travel writer, John Rolfe, to visit Northern Ireland earlier this year and Tourism NI arranged for him to stay and play some of our best golf courses. The piece is titled Emerald Greens, and describes the links at Royal County Down, Royal Portrush and Portstewart while adding ‘superb golf is merely one more reason to come’.

Pictured are Richard Wakely, director, Belfast International Arts Festival; Councillor Nuala McAllister, Lord Mayor of Belfast; Alison Metcalfe, head of Tourism Ireland North America; and Norman Houston, director of the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington.

T

his year’s Belfast International Arts Festival was launched in New York on September 18, at an event hosted

by Tourism Ireland, Invest NI and the Northern Ireland Bureau.

The event offered the opportunity to shine a spotlight on Northern Ireland and Belfast, and was attended by influential American arts and lifestyle journalists, as well as representatives of the travel trade and businesses in New York.

Footage from previous festivals was shown during the evening and, to provide a ‘taste of Northern Ireland’ for the guests, the food and drinks were coordinated by New York’s award-winning bar, The Dead Rabbit, which is owned by two Belfast men.

“Events and festivals like the Belfast International Arts Festival are a really important part of our overall tourism offering and are a key message in our promotions of Northern Ireland around the world – particularly to our ‘culturally curious’ audience,” said Alison Metcalfe, Tourism Ireland head of North America.

“In 2016, we welcomed a quarter of a million North American visitors to Northern Ireland and the most recent figures for 2017 confirm growth of +31% in the first quarter.”

AUSTRALIAN TRAVEL AGENTS SAY G’DAY TO CAUSEWAY COAST

GOT CAMPAIGN SCOOPS GRAND PRIX AWARD Tourism Ireland took silver, gold and the overall Grand Prix award at the 55th Kinsale Shark Awards in September, for its global Game of Thrones tapestry campaign. It features a 77-metre long, Bayeuxstyle tapestry, hanging in the Ulster Museum, which brings to life the trials and tribulations of the show’s characters in its most epic scenes.

The Kinsale Sharks International Creative Festival is recognised as Ireland’s premier advertising awards and, at last year’s awards, Tourism Ireland’s Doors of Thrones campaign also took the top prize.

36 • HRNI NOVEMBER

Travel agents from Australia enjoy a tour around Bushmills Distillery.

E

ighteen travel agents from Australia enjoyed an action-packed trip around Northern Ireland last month as guests of Tourism Ireland, Tourism NI and Qatar Airways.

The agents’ itinerary included a drive along the Causeway Coastal Route with stops en route at the Walled Garden at Glenarm, the Giant’s Causeway and Bushmills Distillery. The group also spent time in Belfast, checking out Titanic Belfast, SS Nomadic and Belfast City

Hall.

“Familiarisation trips such as this are extremely important, as influential travel agents get to experience our superb tourism offering at first-hand,” said Sofia Hansson, Tourism Ireland manager for Australia. “Our aim is to enthuse the travel agents about the destination, so that when they return home to Australia it will be easier for them to advise their clients on planning and booking holidays in Northern Ireland.”

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

training&development

HOME GROWN & GROWING SHOWCASING OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Colin Neill, Hospitality Ulster; Marianne Hood, IoH; Jonathan Topping (Stormont Hotel); and Niall Coffey (Culloden Hotel & Spa).

W

ell known figures from across the local hospitality sector shared their expertise and lessons learnt with students last month, at an event organised by the Institute of Hospitality (IoH) Northern Ireland branch.

Held at Belfast Met’s Titanic campus, the Home Grown & Growing event was attended by students from Newry SRC, Dungannon SWC, Enniskillen SWC, Bangor SERC, UU Business School and Belfast Met. “It was our second student conference this year, and the purpose of the conference was to inspire the passion of future professionals within the hospitality industry at the start of their careers in hospitality,” said Sinead Scott, a lecturer at Belfast Met, and organiser of the event as an IoH NI committee member.

“The range of speakers featured the wide range of possible careers within the industry and provided the students with the opportunity to meet, engage and learn from industry experts who all originated from NI.” Sponsors of the day included Molson Coors and Cafolla’s, while food was prepared by chefs on the Level 1 Professional Cookery programme. www.hospitalityreviewni.com

SPEAKERS AT THE SEPTEMBER 19 EVENT INCLUDED: Christine Brown Marianne Hood Adrian McNally Michael Stewart Ryan McFarland

head of School, Belfast Business School chair, Institute of Hospitality GM, Titanic Hotel director, House Belfast director, Molson Coors

Patrick McKeown Marcus Lemon

management accountant, Hospitality Accounting Solutions head chef, Stormont Buildings, Compass Group

John Paul Leake exec head chef, Merchant Hotel Sarah Jade Jamieson head pastry chef, Merchant Hotel Caitriona Lennox business development and retention manager, Mount Charles Padraig Callaghan outlet manager, Mount Charles Sean McLoughlin director, Fulton Arms Niall Coffey deputy GM, Culloden Hotel Lisa Kennedy GM, Cloth Ear Lucy Waugh front office manager, Bullit Hotel Simon McCance chef proprietor, Ginger Restaurant Daryl Shields manager, Bull & Ram Colin Neill CE, Hospitality Ulster Aiveen Cassidy CAM, Belfast Met

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

NOVEMBER HRNI • 37

training&development

FINDING A NEW VOCATION LATER IN LIFE Colm Smyth

FORMER SERC STUDENT TO TRAIN ALONGSIDE GREAT BRITISH MENU FINALIST

F

S

outh Eastern Regional College’s Downpatrick Campus is highlighting its history of providing access to further and higher education courses across the east down region, helping people to gain the skills and knowledge needed for a successful career.

One recent example, 34-year-old Colm Smyth from Downpatrick, having been made redundant, decided to put structure back into his life and earn some money by accepting a job as a dishwasher in a local hotel.

Reinvigorated by his new job in the hospitality industry, Colm took the brave decision to retrain to become a chef. With the encouragement of his friends and family, he returned to education, enrolling on a Level 2 Professional Cookery.

Having been out of education for nearly 15 years, Colm overcame his apprehensive about returning to college, successfully completed a level 2 and level 3 diploma in professional cookery at SERC, and is now working as head chef at Corriewood Nursing Home.

SERC is still enrolling for full and part-time courses. For more information, call 0345 600 7555, visit www.serc. ac.uk or look for SERC on Facebook.

ormer South Eastern Regional College (SERC) catering student Sean Comisky is preparing to travel to London to train alongside Great British Menu finalist Tom Brown at the Michelin-starred restaurant Outlaw’s Former SERC catering student Sean Comisky is pictured at The Capital. with Jim Mulholland, head chef at the Ballyrobin Country Having originally Lodge. trained as a plumber just before the recession, Sean decided that he needed to retrain in a thriving industry and enrolled in a catering class at his local college.

Reinvigorated by his course in hospitality, he embraced all the challenges presented to him and won numerous industry awards including IFEX, where he won a bronze medal. Sean was also part of one of only 10 teams from the UK to reach the final of the Country Range Student Chef Challenge 2016 competition in Hotelympia.

Successfully completed his level 2 and level 3 catering apprenticeship and a Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering at SERC, he is now working as senior chef de partie at the awardwinning hotel Ballyrobin Country Lodge, in Antrim.

“We have worked with SERC for over 10 years to help train the next generation of chefs,” said Jim Mulholland, head chef at the Ballyrobin Country Lodge. “The industry is thriving and having trained, knowledgeable staff is extremely important. I would encourage other businesses to work with SERC when upskilling or retraining staff.”

NWRC RESTAURANTS GET A £500,000 MAKEOVER

Mayor of Derry and Strabane District Council Maolíosa McHugh serves the first breakfast at North West Regional College’s newly refurbished Flying Clipper Brasserie, with Hospitality and Catering students Calum Falls and Siobhan Walton.

N

orth West Regional College (NWRC) has unveiled its newly-refurbished training restaurant at Strand Road

38 • HRNI NOVEMBER

Campus in Derry~Londonderry.

The college has invested more than £500,000 over the past 12 months upgrading the Flying Clipper Brasserie, Tower Building Canteen and fine dining Flying Clipper Restaurant. All three of the eateries are open to staff and students, as well as the public.

The newly refurbished Brasserie was officially opened last month by Mayor of Derry and Strabane District Council Maolíosa McHugh.

“This is an important investment for the college as the North West continues to grow its reputation as a first-class food destination,” said Leyonia Davey, curriculum manager of Hospitality and Catering at NWRC. “It is essential that we continue to support young people with aspirations

to pursue a career in the food and hospitality sector.

“The Brasserie is an excellent training ground which allows students to demonstrate to future employers their on-the-job experience in the work place.”

Open to the public, the Flying Clipper Brasserie is located in the college’s Northland Building just off Asylum Road, serving a varied menu for breakfast and lunch. The public can also visit the Flying Clipper fine dining restaurant, open for lunch on Wednesdays and gourmet dinners on Thursday nights. Garnetts restaurant in Limavady is open for morning break, lunch on Monday and Thursday, supper on Tuesday and gourmet dinners on Wednesday evenings.

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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businessnews

WHAT’S IN A NAME? LANDMARK LISBANE TEA-ROOMS

BY GARETH HOWELL, DIRECTOR, OSBORNE KING

AND GIFT SHOP CHANGE HANDS

I

remember well, in times gone by, a leading surveyor periodically sending company-wide emails inviting people to submit suggestions for the name of some new development. I very rarely recall anything that really struck a chord and, more than likely, it was some derivative of the building’s address.

At present across the UK, we see the emergence of cleverly-named companies developing even more cleverly-named residential developments under the guise of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) or Build to Rent (BTR) which promote a new way of living. The concept is predominantly based on accepting smaller personal living space in return for a range of communal facilities and the opportunity to interact with fellow residents in a community. The name or brand attached to the scheme is often the core from which the concept will hang.

So, what potential does this have for Belfast?

The emergence of ‘generation rent’ will be at the heart of this new mode of living and it will provide a very real alternative for the future postgraduate population of Belfast.

The success of the concept in Belfast will go hand-in-glove with the continued progression and success of Foreign Direct Investment in securing the appropriate career opportunities for an educated workforce that entices them to stay in Belfast.

As always, there are challenges in realising the potential for PRS in Belfast, not least our historic preference to exit to suburbia in the evenings but also the nature of the rating system for leasing residential property, and the need to see an acceptance of a pricing differential around a unique offer. The key for potential landlords lies in understanding that design and branding are key elements of what the end user will want and that, if executed correctly, a successfully branded development can generate a high level of tenant retention which can translate to a very investable asset for landlords.

Embraced to the utmost, this new model has the potential to address housing shortages, improve social cohesion but most importantly for Belfast, PRS has the genuine potential to change the cultural behaviour of a generation and deliver a truly vibrant city centre.

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

T

he Old Post Office in Lisbane village, Co Down has been acquired by a private buyer. Dating back to the 1840s, the Grade IIlisted property operated as a post office until the early 1990s. However it lay derelict for a number of years until it was sold and converted into tearooms and a gift shop in 2004.

“There was a strong degree of interest in this thriving business which is also a well-known landmark within the locality benefitting from a high volume of passing trade,” said Mark Carron of Osborne King, who sold the property on behalf of its former

owners, husband and wife team, Alison and Trevor Smylie.

“This was reflected in the fact that the sale figure was achieved as well as the freehold business being sold in a short marketing period.

The new owners have acquired a thriving business and charming property full of character that offers excellent scope for future business development.”

The commercial property, which includes car parking for up to 50 vehicles, a central courtyard and enclosed garden area with additional seating, was sold by private treaty.

HERBERT GROUP TO CREATE 100 LOCAL JOBS

Pictured are Michael Herbert, owner of the Herbert Group; Brian Shane, Corporate banking manager at Danske Bank; Jason Carlisle, finance director at The Herbert Group; and Geoff Sharpe, head of Corporate at Danske Bank.

T

he Herbert Group has announced the addition of 27 new KFC stores to its growing portfolio in Great Britain and Ireland. The expansion follows the company agreeing a major refinancing deal, with Danske Bank providing £27m of the new funding.

The Herbert Group, controlled by Northern Ireland businessman Michael Herbert, is the largest KFC franchise in Central Europe. The latest acquisition brings the group’s total number of stores to 145, with a further 20 stores contracted for quarter one in 2018.

This will see the Group employ 5,000 store staff. Of the 100 new jobs being created, 80 of the roles are to support the roll-out of the home delivery service in Northern Ireland with a further 20 created at the Group’s Head Office in Belfast.

NOVEMBER HRNI • 39

businessnews

HRNI RENEWS ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INSTITUTE OF HOSPITALITY INSTITUTE OF HOSPITALITY NI BRANCH Marianne Hood FIH (chair)

H

Siobhan O’Sullivan (vice chair) Johnathan Topping (treasurer) Padraig Callaghan (secretary) Sean McLaughlin (membership officer)

ospitality Review NI has become the official publication and media partner representing the NI Branch of the Institute of Hospitality, representing the renewal of a historic partnership.

Supporting the Institute in its aims to promote professionalism within the ever-changing hospitality landscape in Marianne Hood Northern Ireland, HRNI will be covering IoH events and news on a monthly basis.

“As always, the year’s largest event will be the Institute of Hospitality Awards for Professionalism, which will take place on Friday, 11th May 2018, and recognises the most talented individuals who have contributed so much to their business and the industry over the past year,” said Marianne Hood, chair of the IoH NI Branch. “The awards will be officially launched on Wednesday 22nd November 2017 in Babel from 6-8pm. We love it when members stay in touch with us or give us feedback, so please feel free to contact us using any of the methods below.”

Facebook: @InstituteofHospitalityNI Twitter: @IOH_NI Email: nibranch@instituteofhospitality.org

Michael Cafolla (past chair) Sinead Scott (past chair) Gerry Bennett Michael Stewart Mark Langham Michael Sullivan Ryan McFarland Eoin McGrath

NATIVE/MH Hospitality Solutions Fitzwilliam Hotel Hastings Stormont Hotel Mount Charles Group Fullerton Arms Hotel Cafolla’s/Beckett Hanlon Belfast Metropolitan College B&C Catering House Belfast/Bar Czar Hilton Hotels Bullitt Hotel Molson Coors Hastings Hotels

IOH NI CALENDAR OF EVENTS Nov 22, 2017 Feb 5, 2018 Feb 27, 2018 Mar 6-7, 2018 Mar 28, 2018

IoH Awards for Professionalism launch/ members networking event Awards nominations closing date Nominees’ preparation workshop and briefing Nominee interviews Finalists’ celebration event

April 11, 2018 May 11, 2018

Students’ conference Institute of Hospitality Awards

May 30, 2018 June 7, 2018

Annual General Meeting Post awards celebration/members networking event

THE FRIEND AT HAND DELIVERS DESIGN AWARD FOR McCUE

M

cCue Crafted Fit has picked up an NAS Design Partnership Award for its work at The Friend at Hand Whiskey Shop in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.

Presented last month at the newlyopened Postal Museum in Phoenix Place, London, the NAS Design Partnership Awards celebrate collaboration between the very best of interior design and innovative fit out contractors.

“We are incredibly proud to have been recognised by leading industry professionals for our work at The Friend at Hand Whiskey Shop, Belfast,” said Les McCracken, managing director of McCue Crafted Fit. “The NAS Awards are extremely competitive, so this is just that little bit sweeter. We thoroughly enjoyed working on this project due to its uniqueness and its wonderful story, so to be recognised for our work alongside that of Fresh Interior Design is humbling.”

40 • HRNI NOVEMBER

distinctive Belfast memorabilia including ceramic whiskey decanters, mirrors, and artefacts.

McCue amalgamated his personal collection, along with some signature In partnership with designer pieces of furniture, antique Michael McKervey from display units and an Fresh Interior Design, antique counter, into McCue transformed the scheme along with a typical deli-comenew bespoke display sandwich-shop into a cabinets whilst creating traditional Irish offthe old charm and licence, selling only Irish character of a 100-yearWhiskey. The Friend at Hand old establishment. also plays host to a mini A number of other Pictured are, from left, Willie Jack, owner of The Friend at Hand, Michael museum upstairs, paying McCue projects have McKervey, designer at Fresh Interior homage to the history of Design and Les McCracken, managing been shortlisted for director of McCue Crafted Fit. distilling in Belfast. awards.

The award-winning Friend at Hand A refurbished luxury Spa and Mei Ume Whiskey Shop, the first of its kind in Restaurant at The Four Seasons London Ireland, is dedicated to the memory of has been shortlisted for Best Spa and owner Willie Jack’s life-long friend and Wellness and Best Restaurant respectively business partner Bruce Kirk, a wellin the illustrious 2017 AHEAD awards. known Belfast man who passed away And the stunning Collins Room at the aged just 62. five-star Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge, Willie Jack owns an extensive antique London has been shortlisted in the collection of Irish whiskey, reported to Restaurant and Bar Design Awards for be the largest in Ireland, along with 2017. twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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socialscene

THE DOYEN OPENS ITS DOORS ON BELFAST’S LISBURN ROAD T

he Doyen opened last month at the site of the former King’s Head pub on the Lisburn Road, Belfast, representing a £4.2m investment by Wine Inns.

Eighty new jobs have been created at the new venue, which features a traditional public bar serving a gastropub menu, outdoor seating area, stylish café bar, Italian-themed restaurant Morso and private rooms.

See p31 for further information.

Wine Inns hosted an opening event on September 27.

Kathryn McMahon and Chloe Henning.

Damian Greer, Alan Davison and Ruth Hardy.

Leanne Murray, Jeff Meredith and Emer Dooris.

Martin Hart and Kevin McGarity.

Andrew McCabe, Derek Dubery, Lisa CunninghamBlack and James McCabe.

Niall Foster and Rebecca Maguire.

Emma Deighan and Cara Taylor.

Kyle Greer, chef and Andrew Rylands, general manager.

Cathy Martin and Paul McGarrity.

Jenna and Carl Hill.

www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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NOVEMBER HRNI • 41

socialscene

THE GALLERY CAFÉ-BAR REVITALISES THE DUBLIN ROAD T

he Gallery Café-Bar hosted an official opening party last month, bringing its loyal customer base, industry stakeholders and partners and friends together to enjoy the best of what the unique Dublin Road venue has to offer.

“We’re delighted to be a part of the re-emergence of Belfast’s Dublin Road, and the Gallery Bar has already firmly established itself as one of the city’s finest new venues,” said Gary McCausland, proprietor. “From our locallysourced menus, extensive wine list, bespoke décor and the stunning art on display from local artists such as Colin Davidson, Brian Ballard and William Conor, there’s much to celebrate and we look forward to a fantastic first year, continuing to offer the excellent service that we’ve already become known for.”

Danielle and Joel Neill.

Emma Mooney and Melissa Riddell.

Ursula Murphy, Martin Breen and Ali Gordon.

Glyn Roberts, Angela McMurtry and Alyson Magee.

Suresh and Karen Tharma and Nikki Larkin.

Kyle Anderson, Gary McCausland, Michele Crawford Jefferson and Aidan McMahon.

WEIR HERE, SAYS NEW EVENTS BUSINESS E

John Stuart and Sheridan Pennell (Saville Audio Visual) with Gerry White (Jawbox Gin).

Michael Stewart (Bar Czar) and Siobhan O’Sullivan (Fitzwilliam Hotel).

42 • HRNI NOVEMBER

Marianne Hood (Institute of Hospitality) and James McGinn (Europa Hotel).

vents expert Sarah Weir has launched a new business, Weir Events, with the aim of delivering exceptional events in partnership with the best suppliers in the industry.

The company was launched last month at an event in the Penthouse Suite of the Europa Hotel, attended by over 100 guests from the finance, legal, hospitality, travel and tourism, entertainment and sporting industries.

“I have over 13 years’ experience and have managed some of the most prestigious events that have taken place in Northern Ireland to date for a broad range of corporate and consumer clients,” said Sarah Weir, director of Weir Events, previously with JComms for 12 years and most recently the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Pamela Ballantine and Sarah Weir.

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NOVEMBER HRNI • 43

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NOVEMBER HRNI • 47

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DECEMBER 2017 DEADLINE: Editorial: FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER Contact: Alyson Magee T: 028 9026 4175 e: a.magee@independentmagazinesni.co.uk Advertising: FRIDAY 10 NOVEMBER Contact: Mark Glover T: 028 9026 4266 e: m.glover@independentmagazinesni.co.uk

UPHOLSTERY SPECIALISTS

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DECEMBER 2017 www.hospitalityreviewni.com

twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

NOVEMBER HRNI • 49

q&a

THE LAST WORD SOCIAL

FAVOURITE FOOD: You can’t beat a big bowl of carbs, so I would have to say Italian.

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT: Noble in Holywood is fantastic. Big up to Saul and the guys, they really nailed it.

LAST HOTEL YOU STAYED AT: Galgorm Resort & Spa. Probably my favourite hotel.

LAST BAR/NIGHTCLUB YOU VISITED: Liquor xxx on the Dublin Road.

FAVOURITE PLACE IN WORLD: I’ve visited lots of great places, but I did love NYC. Always a great buzz about and some great bars.

INDOOR CONCERT OR FESTIVAL: Concert LAST HOLIDAY: We had a family wedding in Cascais in Portugal.

DRINKS

FAVOURITE HOT DRINK: Coffee without a doubt FAVOURITE SOFT DRINK: San Pellegrino Orange BEER OR CIDER: Beer WHITE OR RED WINE: White WHISKEY OR BRANDY: Whiskey GIN OR VODKA: Vodka COCKTAILS OR BUBBLY: Cocktails

NAME CONOR QUINN COMPANY MACCAE JOB TITLE DIRECTOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS ROLE? Two weeks.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY? At the minute, we are forward planning for the Christmas period, alongside finalising our plans for the refit of Aether & Echo. We have some big plans for the development of the building and this is the first phase. Keep your eyes peeled…

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? My first job was in the hospitality industry, Milk Nightclub in Tomb Street had just opened its doors and my bar backing career had begun. I loved my 50 • HRNI NOVEMBER

WHAT FOUR PEOPLE WOULD YOU INVITE TO A DINNER PARTY? Mike Tyson, Kevin Bridges, Noel Gallagher and George Best. Not much dinner to be had by the sounds of it.

“Life isn’t about getting and having, it’s about giving and being.”

ONE ITEM YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Mobile phone.

Kevin Kruse

WHO WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE OF YOUR LIFE? I’ll probably decide if someone ever makes a movie.

time there and learnt a lot.

ENTERTAINMENT

FAVOURITE TV SHOW: Breaking Bad was hard to beat.

FAVOURITE BAND: Do like a bit of Kasabian LAST BOOK READ: Shoe Dog, a book about the creator of NIKE, and its rise from intrepid start up to becoming one of the world’s most iconic brands.

FAVOURITE CELEBRITY: Big boxing fan, so I would probably have to say at the minute Jorge Linares. Some great local talent rising in Belfast, Ryan Burnett’s definitely one to follow.

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL JOB? My current role.

FAVOURITE QUOTE? “Life isn’t about getting and having, it’s about giving and being.” Kevin Kruse INSPIRATION IN YOUR LIFE? My wife and kids.

THE MOST IMPORTANT LIFE LESSON YOU’VE LEARNT? Work hard for the things you want in life.

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www.hospitalityreviewni.com

NEW

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WHERE RUGBY MEETS THE WORLD

JOIN US AT HEINEKENRUGBYCLUB.COM Where Rugby Meets the World A4 5mm bleed 1

12/10/2017 14:00