Hospitality Review NI February 2020 by Helen Wright

FEBRUARY 2020

HOSPITALITY SECTOR REELING FROM UNSUSTAINABLE RATES HIKE

RESTAURANT PROFILE: 10 YEARS TRAVELLING AROUND THE WORLD HAS PROVIDED INSPIRATION FOR CHEF PATRON MARTY MURPHY’S BELFAST RESTAURANT ORÃ TAPAS & WINE BAR P10

IFEX 2020: COMING TO TEC BELFAST OVER MARCH 24-26, EXHIBITORS AT THE HOSPITALITY & RETAIL EXHIBITION ARE SET TO INCLUDE FLOGAS, SYMPHONIA GIN & HUGH JORDAN PS12-17

TASTE OF TOURISM: NIHF’S FOOD & DRINKS SUMMIT RETURNS TO THE CULLODEN ON MARCH 31 FEATURING ACCLAIMED CHEF MICHAEL WIGNALL & TV GASTRONAUT STEFAN GATES P29

A DAY IN THE LIFE: MONTALTO ESTATE OPERATIONS DIRECTOR KEITH J REILLY’S ROLE RANGES FROM EVENTS, CATERING AND GARDENS TO HR, TICKETING, MARKETING AND MORE P31

any pubs and hotels are facing rocketing rates bills likely to have a “catastrophic” impact on their livelihood, prompting Hospitality Ulster to call for an immediate overhaul of the current rating system. Land & Property Services (LPS) published a draft schedule of its NonDomestic Rates Revaluation, based on the net annual value of businesses on January 7. And businesses now have a short window of opportunity to challenge the new rating, based solely on turnover with no consideration of profitability, before it is applied to bills from April. Reval2020, the first revaluation of non-domestic rates since 2015, is overall fiscally neutral but features both winners and losers among the 74,000 revaluated businesses. Among hospitality businesses facing significant hikes under the draft revaluations are the Europa Hotel, up 55% to £800,000; The Sunflower, up 563% to £50,000; and The Dirty Onion, up 121% to £320,000. Such unsustainable hikes highlight the current system as unfit for purpose and effectively another income tax penalising successful businesses enjoying high footfall, but which may nonetheless be operating on tight margins, says Hospitality Ulster. The trade body has advised its members to urgently check their new valuations on the LPS website, with delayed publication of the draft valuations due to the December General Election resulting in a reduced timeframe for appeal. “Our antiquated rating system needs radical change and is a major burden for our members,” said Colin Neill, chief executive, Hospitality Ulster. “It is not only curtailing growth and dampening any ambition, it is actually impacting the very

sustainability of many businesses in the sector.” “How can we on one hand be the sector which is celebrated on a global scale and contributes £1.2bn to the local economy, and on the other be taxed through rates to the point that we can no longer grow or invest. “The outworking of this defective model is that in many cases rates look likely to rise considerably and will be a bitter pill to swallow for the many who have dedicated their careers to building some of our bestknown hospitality businesses. In certain cases, it could have a catastrophic and negative impact on some livelihoods.” Danny Coyles, chairman, Hospitality Ulster, said: “Given the excessive and unsustainable levels of rates increases facing many businesses in our industry following the recent rates revaluation, I have called an urgent meeting of the Hospitality Ulster Board to explore all options available to us to assist our members. “The Board of Hospitality Ulster will do everything possible to support its members and defend our industry from the potentially-devastating financial consequences of what is an outdated and unfair rating system.” James Sinton, group finance director for Beannchor, said: “This is grave news for our industry and an attack on local hospitality businesses in Belfast City Centre, most notably the Cathedral Quarter. The implementation of these increases can only lead to two things: redundancies and price hikes. These levels simply cannot be absorbed by businesses amid what are already challenging trading conditions. “We believe that this a very short-sighted approach. Hospitality is a key catalyst for inward investment in our country. We should be making every effort to ensure these businesses are sustainable and continue to attract additional tourism.”

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FEBRUARY HRNI • 3

comment 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: Danny Coyles The Institute of Hospitality Northern Ireland Branch Email: nibranch@instituteofhospitality.org Web: www.instituteofhospitality.org Chair: Marianne Hood FIH Vice Chair: Eoin McGrath MIH Northern Ireland Hotels Federation: The McCune Building, 1 Shore Road, Belfast, BT15 3PJ. Tel: 028 9077 6635 Chief Executive: Janice Gault President: Stephen Meldrum 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 a copyright of © Independent News & Media Ltd 2019

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NEW DECADE, SAME CHALLENGES W

elcome to the February edition of Hospitality Review. In last month’s magazine, I referred to the ‘traditionally-quieter early months of the year’ but it has been anything but in terms of industry news. Among headline news is of course the restoration of the NI Assembly after a three-year absence, under the New Decade, New Approach agreement. Will the new local government manage to set aside the partisan politics of the past to make any real progress? Only time will tell. But certainly, as Stormont reconvenes, there has been a frantic scrambling for cash as different sectors make their case for urgent, overdue funding. And already, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Julian Smith has reproached the NI Executive for treating the Treasury like a bottomless pit by seeking support over and above the £1bn allocated to implement the new agreement. The Secretary of State said NI already receives 20% more funding than any other part of the UK, and the Executive needs to step up and raise any extra funding. Meanwhile, the NI Department of Finance has stated the Executive’s budget for the current fiscal year is £530m below its pre-austerity allocation. In this environment, hospitality and tourism unfortunately finds itself fighting for much-needed funding in competition with more emotive services such as health and education. Alongside liquor licensing, which I will return to, key priorities for the hospitality sector as the new Assembly gets up and running include business rates, with Reval2020 leaving many pubs and hotels potentially facing huge hikes in their rates bill from April onwards. Based on the net annual value of businesses or turnover, the calculation fails to take into account the actual profitability. It is essentially penalising

successful businesses potentially surviving on very tight margins which the rates hike could shrink to no margin at all. And more than a few high-profile venues in Belfast and beyond are voicing concern over the sustainability of their business looking forward. New Finance Minister Conor Murphy has pledged to look into the matter. Another of our news stories, on the latest ONS figures showing a 35% decline in the number of local pubs and bars over the last two decades, only serves to highlight the fragility of the sector. Pubs play an important role in our communities for locals and are a vital part of our growing tourism offer, but have been following a well-publicised trend of closure. Contributing factors include competition from lower supermarket pricing for alcohol, high business rates and VAT and our outdated licensing laws. Reform of liquor licensing has been identified as a priority in the New Decade, New Approach agreement, and was already advancing at Stormont before the Assembly was suspended in 2017. Hospitality has been waiting for too long to see this ridiculous, outdated legislation overhauled and, while the sector may have to fight its corner for funding around other issues, it should have to wait no longer around liquor licensing. It is time. Our February edition also features the usual profiles and Q&As traversing Northern Ireland and the many different roles encompassed by our vibrant hospitality sector. And we look ahead to the Top 100 Hospitality Businesses on February 19, the IFEX exhibition over March 24-26 and the Taste of Tourism Summit on March 31. Enjoy!

Alyson Magee

Hospitality Review NI is a part of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). If you believe you have been unfairly treated, you can contact IPSO in writing via its website for guidance on what to do. The service is free. IPSO can then advise on whether it’s likely you have grounds for a complaint and what to do about it. The normal procedure is for the complainant to then contact the publication’s editor directly. If no agreement is reached, the complainant can go back to IPSO to look for an adjudication, or for it to take over the complaint. Full details are available at www.ipso.co.uk. Alternatively, email complaints@ipso.co.uk, or inquiries@ipso.co.uk, or telephone 0300 123 2220, or the out-of-hours emergency number: 07659 152 656. Or write to: IPSO, c/o Halton House, 20-23 Holborn, London EC1N 2JD. twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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news

HOSPITALITY TRADE WELCOMES RETURN OF NI ASSEMBLY NOW IS TIME TO MOVE ON LIQUOR LICENSING LEGISLATION, SAYS HOSPITALITY ULSTER

estoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly on January 11 has been welcomed by a hospitality trade frustrated by inaction on key issues during its three-year suspension. A commitment to address outdated liquor licensing legislation is included in the New Decade, New Approach agreement, which saw Stormont reconvened and eight new ministers appointed including Finance Minister Conor Murphy. “This is really welcome news that the deal is over the line and a way forward has been agreed, restoring the Assembly after three years,” said Colin Neill, chief executive, Hospitality Ulster. “We recognise there are many pressing social issues, such as health and education to address. But there are also pressing economic issues like the challenges presented by outdated liquor licensing, an uncompetitive rate of hospitality VAT, Air Passenger Duty and the highest business rates in the UK, which have been highlighted by the Reval2020 showing the serious issues around the ‘receipts and expenditure model’ on which rates are assessed in parts of the sector. “Many will recall that the bill to reform our licensing laws had already been introduced to the last Assembly prior to its collapse, with much of the heavy lifting in terms of drafting already carried out. “We welcome that licensing legislation is contained in the new Assembly deal and we will ensure that the leaders of the five main parties will see through

Colin Neill, chief executive, Hospitality Ulster.

their promise and written commitment to us in making those required legislative changes swiftly and decisively for the benefit of the sector and wider economy. We look forward to getting to work on this immediately. “We now seek urgent meetings with incoming ministers and party spokespeople to move these issues forward with real intent.”

MINISTER URGED TO HELP BREWERIES BY MARGARET CANNING

orthern Ireland’s new Communities Minister has been urged to adapt licensing laws so that breweries can open ‘taprooms’ on their premises all year around. The UK-wide Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) claimed Northern Ireland’s beer lovers are at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the UK as licensing laws mean that brewers can only run taprooms a few times a year. CAMRA said it was calling on the new minister, Sinn Fein MLA Deirdre Hargey, to consider reform. Taprooms are facilities on brewery premises for serving the beer brewed onsite, often with food. But in Northern Ireland, breweries are limited in the extent to which they can serve beer onsite although they can obtain temporary licences for occasional events. “In Northern Ireland, CAMRA members regularly support occasional taproom events that are held by local brewers,” said Ash Corbett-Collins, national director, CAMRA. “However, restrictive licensing laws mean brewers can only run taprooms a handful of times per year. “That is why we are calling on the new Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey to commit to changing the law to allow all brewers to open full time taprooms should they choose to do so. “This would allow Northern Ireland’s beer scene to catch up with the rest of the UK and Ireland where local taprooms are going from strength to strength, helping to support the local economy and employ local people.”

A THIRD OF NI PUBS DISAPPEAR ACROSS TWO DECADES

he number of pubs and bars in Northern Ireland has fallen by 35% over the last two decades, according to new figures. The drop is particularly significant among small pubs - the number of bars employing 10 or fewer people which fell from 1,000 in 2001 to 605 in 2019, according to the UK’s statistics agency. Bars employing between 10 and 24 people fell from 150 in 2001 to 115 last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Hundreds of pubs here have called

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time on their businesses over the past few years as the industry faces up to unprecedented trading difficulties. In Belfast there are now around 3.5 pubs per 10,000 people, which is lower than the UK average of 5.8 pubs. There are 50 fewer pubs in Belfast than in 2001 and 2,000 less jobs in bars, a drop of 11%. In Derry City and Strabane, there are around 30 fewer pubs in the area than a decade ago and currently around 800 employed, 20% fewer than in 2001. In Armagh City, Banbridge and

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Craigavon, there are 60 fewer pubs and currently 600 jobs in the industry. Meanwhile, in the Causeway Coast and Glens area, there are now around 40 fewer pubs and 200 fewer jobs than in 2001. Within Newry, Mourne and Down, the 500 jobs represents 44% less than in 2001, with 60 fewer pubs. There are 10 fewer pubs in Lisburn and Castlereagh than in 2001 and currently 400 jobs, a decline of 20%. Overall, ONS said the number of small UK pubs and bars (fewer than 10 employees) increased by 85.

FEBRUARY HRNI • 5

news

PLANS PROGRESS FOR £12M BELFAST AQUARIUM BY MARGARET CANNING Artist’s impression of the site.

£12m aquarium proposed for Belfast’s Titanic Quarter will potentially become a venue for private evening events, according to new documents. More detail of the major project has emerged after London aquarium company ReefLive filed planning documents to support its application. The aquarium is set to open in Spring 2021 if it wins planning permission. When it comes to sourcing its sea life, the company says it plans to use surplus lists from other UK and European aquariums, or from other trusted and reputable suppliers. But all animals destined for the aquarium will be subjected to 30 days of quarantine. ReefLive wants to build the tourist attraction on a car park next to We Are Vertigo, close to Belfast Met, Titanic Belfast and Titanic Hotel. It’s estimated that it will draw around 300,000 visitors a year. In the statement making up part of its application, the company says

it will create ‘memorable and personal experiences’ for visitors ‘that they can relate to and be part of (and share on social media)’. The firm also hopes that the aquarium will become a night-time attraction, with ‘unique corporate and private hire opportunities’ beside the main Coral Reef Ocean tank. It said the proposals took into account the proximity of the listed Titanic Hotel, with the eaves line no higher than the upper cornice of the hotel. The statement also says that the choice of materials ‘reflects the historic context of the docks and their industrial past’. The ground floor of the building will feature the ticketing, shop and cafe, while the facade of the upper floor will have a ‘triangulated motif’ which reflects the materials used in Titanic Belfast to add interest and detail. As well as live aquarium displays, the development will use digital augmented reality and other audio-visual methods ‘to tell vital conservation stories of those animals that cannot and should not be kept in captivity’. It’s expected that visitors would spend between 1.5 and two hours on-site, with special tours offered such as dive experiences, behind-the-scenes tours and virtual reality ice dives. The statement says that the directors of ReefLive ‘have a long and successful track record in aquaria, both delivering them and running them’. And the statement says they hope that the attraction will support other investment in the area. The aquarium will take up a total floorspace of 2,912 square metres.

PROFITS BOOST FOR TITANIC BELFAST

rofits at Titanic Belfast increased by 63% to £4.2m in the 12 months to the end of March 2019, with more than 900,000 people visiting the world’s largest Titanic visitor experience in Belfast. This contributed to revenues increasing by 10% from £16.3m to £17.9m. The 9% increase in visitors helped Titanic Belfast’s pre-tax profits increase from £2.5m to £4.2m. According to the directors’ report, 90% of the 902,165 visitors in the 12 months to the end of last March were from outside Northern Ireland - one in five international visitors said Titanic Belfast

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was the main reason for their visit. The attraction is made up of nine galleries within the landmark Titanic Belfast building and the company also provides venues for conferences, events and banqueting. The centre opened in March 2012 and the directors said the company ‘has enjoyed a successful seventh year as a premier visitor attraction on the island of Ireland’. The directors added that the appeal of the Titanic story is resulting in continued growth, particularly from international markets with visitors coming from 148 countries.

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news

FLYBE RESCUE HIGHLIGHTS APD ISSUE C

alls to scrap Air Passenger Duty (APD) have escalated after the UK government saved flybe from collapse last month with a last-minute rescue package. Prior to the government deal, union GMB had warned up to 150 jobs were at risk in Northern Ireland with 90% of all flights comprising 14 routes from George Best Belfast City Airport operated by the beleaguered airline. UK-wide, Flybe operates more domestic flights than any other airline. “Delighted we’ve been able to work closely with Flybe to ensure Europe’s largest regional airline is able to continue connecting communities across Britain,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. “@transportgovuk will undertake an urgent review into how we can level up the country by strengthening regional connectivity.” And Chancellor Sajid Javid said the UK government was looking into potentially allowing flybe to defer its estimated annual APD bill of £106m for three years, or even possibly removing APD for all domestic flights. Northern Ireland’s hospitality and tourism sector has long been lobbying

A Flybe plane at Belfast City Airport.

for abolishment of APD to stimulate connectivity and visitor numbers, and create a level playing field with other European countries such as the Republic of Ireland where APD has already been removed. “We call on the Chancellor to intervene and abolish this unnecessary tax which pushes up airfares and actively discourages tourists from coming here as we struggle to compete with other destinations in Europe,” said Colin Neill, chief executive, Hospitality Ulster. “The knock-on impact that this has for the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland should not be underestimated. It deters visitors from coming here and hinders

the growth of a sector that benefits the whole economy. It’s time to act now on this tax to help promote tourism and hospitality, not strangle it.” Graham Keddie, managing director of Belfast International Airport, said: “It is very clear that APD is a competitive disadvantage to Northern Ireland, the tourism and hospitality sectors, and the wider economy. “Maintaining APD makes no sense, a fact recognised by the Republic of Ireland, which abolished its airport tax a number of years ago and which has reaped the benefits. Many additional jobs could be created if we had the economic leverage of removing the tax from flights.”

SLIEVE DONARD TO HOST NORTHERN IRELAND TOURISM AWARDS 2020 T

ourism NI has launched this year’s Northern Ireland Tourism Awards in partnership with event sponsor Diageo, with the event set to be held at Slieve Donard Resort and Spa, Newcastle on June 4. The awards identify and reward exceptional performers in the tourism industry over the last 12 months, with businesses and organisations across Northern Ireland encouraged to enter to win recognition for their hard work, dedication and contribution to creating quality visitor experiences. This year, 12 categories open for entry range from Best Guest House and Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year to Best Food and Drink Experience and a new category, Excellence in International Marketing & Sales. “On the back of a decade of growth for tourism, we want to keep building our reputation as an internationallycompetitive destination and continue the momentum to double the value of tourism to Northern Ireland by 2030,” said John McGrillen, chief executive of

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From left, John McGrillen chief executive, Tourism NI, and Paddy McKenna, commercial manager, Diageo Northern Ireland.

Tourism NI. “Recent achievements including the return of The Open in July, which contributed over £100m to the economy, as well as global awards for Titanic Belfast, high-profile recognition by Lonely Planet and our success with Game of Thrones has brought worldwide attention to Northern Ireland. “With all these achievements we must not lose sight of the many businesses

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and individuals across the country who deliver a warm welcome and outstanding experiences for our visitors. The awards will showcase the exceptional standards and levels of service that exist in our industry and I wish all our entrants this year the very best of luck.” Paddy McKenna, commercial manager, Diageo, said: “Diageo is delighted to be title sponsor of the Northern Ireland Tourism Awards 2020. Through our customers and our world-class brands, such as Guinness, Harp, Baileys and Smithwick’s, Diageo is synonymous with the tourism and hospitality industry in Northern Ireland.” The website, judging and entry process have been refreshed for 2020 in response to industry feedback, with a deadline of 5pm on Friday, February 21 applying for submitting entries online. For further information and to enter, visit www.nitourismawards.com.

FEBRUARY HRNI • 7

chefprofile

CHEFPROFILE

NIGEL MANNION, EXECUTIVE CHEF AT TITANIC HOTEL BELFAST

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SOURCING POLICY? I have always been passionate about using the best of Irish produce. Some of the finest and freshest ingredients can be sourced from small, local suppliers. One of my favourite suppliers is Northern Ireland-based Carnbrooke Meats. They have a purpose-built dry aging chamber on site which allows us to order our beef to the exact specifications we require.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET INTO COOKING? My interest in cooking was instilled in me at the age of 15. My aunt got me a summer job working in the kitchen in Gulliver’s Restaurant, Sligo. I discovered a love for creating new dishes and the excitement of working in a busy kitchen. I loved it so much I ended up returning every time I was on a break from school and ended up working there for a further three years. HAVE YOU ANY CULINARY QUALIFICATIONS? Inspired by working in the kitchen at Gulliver’s, I decided to take a home economics class at school. While cooking during class, we would usually be in a team of three and I would always take the lead. It was my teacher who recognised I had raw talent and advised my mum I should be a chef. After secondary school, I attended Killybegs Catering College in Donegal for two years where I developed my skillset and achieved a degree in Culinary Arts. To gain further experience in a professional environment, I used to drive from Donegal to work at the Sligo Park Hotel during weekends. WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? I have had a varied career in the catering industry which spans over 22 years. I have worked all over the island of Ireland and the United States. I had the pleasure of working in Molly’s, Cape Cod for six months. I had intended to stay there longer; however, during a holiday at home in Sligo, I was asked to help in a restaurant and ended up staying. Travelling has allowed me to experience different cultures and culinary techniques which I implement into my work to this day. HAS ANYONE INSPIRED YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER? I found working under Eleanor Walsh, owner and original head chef of Eden, 8 • HRNI FEBRUARY

WHAT SIZE IS YOUR STAFF? I have a team of 14 chefs and five kitchen porters. Working as a team in such a busy kitchen is imperative to delivering the high quality of food and service that is expected of such a luxury hotel. On any one day, we cook a wide variety of dishes in order to cater to all our guest needs, from the traditional and comforting bar food in Drawing Office Two to the more refined dining in the Wolff Grill restaurant. We could have a busy morning with breakfast followed by a host of afternoon teas or even banquets, feeding up to 300 guests at a time. I enjoy working in close partnership with Belfast Metropolitan College School of Hospitality which provides placements and apprenticeships for students wishing to grow their career within the industry. Dublin, was the most valuable of lessons. She has the most amazing talent for matching flavours. She is a real inspiration. WHEN DID YOU JOIN YOUR CURRENT VENUE? When I heard the former Harland and Wolff Headquarters and historic drawing offices were being restored and opened as a luxury hotel, I knew it would be an incredible addition to Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector. It is such an iconic and significant venue, where over 1,000 ships were designed, including the world-famous Titanic. To come on board as the original executive chef when Titanic Hotel Belfast opened in August 2017 was an honour. Creating entire menus for the hotel from scratch was certainly one of the greatest challenges of my career so far but one I am immensely proud of. The restaurant remains popular among the local community and tourists alike.

WHOSE CAREER WOULD YOU WISH TO EMULATE? I have been inspired by many great chefs but one in particular who stands out is Keith Floyd. I appreciated his talent for creating traditional meals in an entertaining and interesting fashion. HAVE YOU ANY INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF WORK? I am a proud father to three kids: Haylee, Archie and Charlie. I look forward to spending quality time with them and my wife Christine, as we celebrate our upcoming 10-year wedding anniversary. Outside of work and family life, I thoroughly enjoy running. My goal is to complete a half marathon this year. I appreciate visiting criticallyacclaimed restaurants when I can. One I particularly enjoyed was the Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire. Heston Blumenthal is an innovator who marries science and cookery; his ideas are so original and inspiring.

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foodnews

MAINTAINING GLOBAL FOCUS IS CRUCIAL TO CONTINUING GROWTH AS A HOSPITALITY DESTINATION FOR NI BY MICHELE SHIRLOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, FOOD NI

hat tremendous endorsement for our food and hospitality sector to see 10 experiences featured by the influential USA Today newspaper in the Best Places to Eat series covering Northern Ireland. The article cites ‘farm to plate’ as a way of life here and describes the food scene as ‘exploding with heart and talent’ and ‘worth crossing the Atlantic for’. Such publicity in a national US newspaper is priceless and will surely have an impact on holiday destination decisions. Northern Ireland has benefited hugely from such promotional coverage, especially since our successful Year of Food & Drink in 2016 and the follow-up Taste the Island initiative. Media visits organised by Tourism Ireland, Tourism Northern Ireland and Invest NI are essential as the coverage proves. Year of Food & Drink, as many readers will be aware, was a major public relations triumph and successfully raised Northern Ireland’s global profile leading to us winning Best Food Destination at the World Travel Market. USA Today was assisted by Tourism Ireland/Tourism Northern Ireland to organise a visit by a number of writers to several hotels, restaurants and food destinations such as Long Meadow Cider in Armagh and Ursa Minor Bakehouse in Ballycastle, as well as Taste of Ulster outlets such as Brunel’s in Newcastle, Bushmills Inn and the Mourne Trail and Ales Tour. As we who live here already know, ‘abundant lands and seas provide a bounty of ingredients for this foodie paradise’. The focus on supporting such media visits to hospitality providers and smaller food and drink producers will continue in the year ahead for a number of councils. We are keen to bring our experience and expertise to councils seeking to expand promotional activities that help to keep their regions’ food and drink reputation to the fore. The ready availability of superb food and drink is widely accepted as a key influence on travel decisions. And tourists generally spend around 30% of their budget on food and drink when they are www.hospitalityreviewni.com

here. Visitors want to know they will be able to experience local food that’s outstandingly tasty, original and wholesome at their chosen destination. The encouraging growth in visitor numbers and spend, especially over the past few years, indicates that the message about our food and drink is now registering in tourism markets abroad including Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland; our two most important sources of visitors. We all need to coordinate promotional initiatives to optimise resources and maximise impact, especially now that the new and exciting Embrace a Giant Spirit drive has been launched by Tourism NI. An excellent example of a collaborative approach is our work alongside Invest NI in promoting our fabulous food and drink companies over the past year through the agency’s imaginative Small Food Business Programme. We are delighted to be working with Invest NI in the delivery of a programme which is providing platforms for local companies to grow sales in Britain and Ireland. This strategic collaboration has already helped many smaller producers to develop contacts and sales in these

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markets over the past year. We clearly need to stand together as an industry during the 2020s as Brexit is completed and replaced by negotiations on a potential trade deal with the EU. I do think that it is important to envision the challenges and opportunities that this and subsequent years will bring. And this decade looks set to bring unprecedented change in both trade deals and consumer preferences. Sustainability and flexitarianism are growing trends and ones to be prepared for. In relation to trade, the challenge will be to ensure that post-Brexit developments do not inhibit our vitally important business with the rest of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland through the imposition of new tariffs and other barriers as has been predicted by many observers both here and abroad. Regrettably, the corrosive uncertainty, which was such a feature of much of last year, appears likely to continue for agri-food in the months ahead. Let’s hope that the massive strides made in growing our reputation as a food region are a foundation for both the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. FEBRUARY HRNI • 9

restaurantprofile

ORÃ TAPAS & WINE BAR, BELFAST MARTY MURPHY, CHEF PATRON, TALKS TO ALYSON MAGEE

WHEN DID YOUR RESTAURANT OPEN? We opened the doors in June 2019. The inspiration came from travelling for about 10 years around the world, and I took a little piece of each place I was in and always maintained the intention of opening a restaurant in my home city, Belfast. Howard St was the first restaurant I opened, and I was using those ideas there in the beginning, but then Howard St took on its own life and it was always on my backburner to open another venue where I could do small plate dishes. TELL US ABOUT THE SPACE YOU HAVE I always had my eye on this unit; the back door of my kitchen in Howard St is pretty much facing the back door of the kitchen in Orã. It seats 46 people quite comfortably. It’s split level with a bar at the front you can sit around, and then out the back is for slightly bigger parties. WHAT FEEL ARE YOU AIMING FOR? I wanted to do a sort of speakeasy.

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People have asked if I’m going to put more signage out the front and I’m not to be honest. I wanted that discrete look; coming off Great Victoria St, not really knowing what to expect. It’s a very small frontage and then, when you walk in, it’s got this New York loftstyle cool vibe about it, good music on and a real warmth to it. That’s what I really wanted to capture with this space.

WHAT IS YOUR FOOD SOURCING POLICY? I have worked with a lot of local suppliers for many years now at Howard St and have a good rapport with them. I think the produce we have here is some of the best in the world. There’s a guy who grows our veg organically in Dromore and Dromara, and we also take some stuff from in and around Helen’s Bay that is completely seasonal.

WHAT’S ON YOUR MENU? The menu has a map on the back with all the different places I’ve lived around the world, so you could be eating a Shawarma from the Middle Eastern region or you could be eating a curry I picked up from my travels in South Africa. I’m classically trained so there’s some traditional dishes on there as well. It’s tapas but it’s not Spanish-style tapas where you go in and it follows a certain format.

WHO ARE YOUR CUSTOMERS? It’s a slightly different vibe to Howard St, which would be more of a big lively brasserie-style place. Orã is more intimate, and the people who come here tend to be into their wine, well travelled and hopefully appreciate the style of food.

DOES YOUR MENU CHANGE OFTEN? We’ve just introduced a new menu for 2020 but, to be honest, I’ll just change a menu when I’ve gathered enough ideas from dishes I’ve been working on. We do work a lot with seasonality, everything’s fresh in the restaurant and that has a lot of influence on it as well. WHAT ELSE DO YOU DO TO IMPROVE AND DRIVE YOUR MENU? There is a massive Asian influence on my food, and I spend hours in the Asian supermarkets, picking up various ingredients to marinate meats in a different way. We cook on an open-fire robata grill in Orã, so there’s a real barbecue flavour from the meats and fish.

HOW DO YOU SEE YOUR RESTAURANT DEVELOPING THIS YEAR? Coming into 2020, my sole focus is going to be Orã. I want to really push the wine offering we have here in terms of the level of service. We extract with Coravin and I want to introduce a trolley that goes to your table if you order a certain glass of wine. We’ve just done a new menu, and we’re going to work really hard on putting Orã really firmly on the map. 12 Great Victoria Street, Belfast T: 02890 315 565 W: orabelfast.com/ Facebook & Instagram: /Oratapasbelfast/ OPENING HOURS Wed-Fri: 5-10pm Sat: 3-10:30pm Sun: 3-8pm

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JOB LOSSES AS 2020 USHERS IN ITS FIRST RESTAURANT CLOSURES

he Stables in Groomsport and The Ivory in Belfast are among the first restaurant closures of 2020, with the latter announcing plans to reopen at a later date in a new location. The Co Down restaurant has been operated by Paul and Amanda O’Kane since 2006, although both parties were disqualified as directors of D&L Platinum (NI) last year after the business went into liquidation in March 2016, owing creditors over £408,000. While around 35 jobs were lost when the restaurant and bar closed last month, Paul O’Kane has said he

hopes to employ some of the staff in his other hospitality establishments, the Groomsport Inn and Grace Neills in Donaghadee. Fixtures and fittings have been removed from The Stables, which is owned by the Carmichael Group. Meanwhile, 27 jobs were also lost last month after father and son team Brian and Adam Stockman closed The Ivory Restaurant and Ivory Champagne Cafe Bar in Belfast’s House of Fraser. The restaurant was located on the top floor of House of Fraser, recently rebranded as Fraser’s in Belfast,

while the Champagne bar was on the women’s wear floor. “As a privately-owned business, it has been increasingly difficult over the last 12 months to successfully trade in a retail environment that is undergoing significant change,” said a spokesperson for the businesses. “We have been actively looking for alternative sites in Belfast City Centre and continue to do so, but at this time we have been unable to secure a new site for our business.” The Stockmans were commended for refunding gift vouchers for the sites.

MOUNT CHARLES WINS RTÉ CATERING CONTRACT

ount Charles has added RTÉ, Ireland’s national public media organisation, to its portfolio of highprofile clients, which also includes Griffith College Dublin, Public Appointments Service, Ordinance Survey Ireland, Abbey Theatre, National Aquatic Centre and Custom House in Dublin. The seven-year contract will see the company deliver a high-quality, bespoke food and beverage offering for 1,822 staff and clients at RTÉ’s Donnybrook campus, which includes RTÉ’s television and radio studios, as well as the Fair City set. Following in-depth market research and analysis of RTÉ’s bespoke requirements, Mount Charles has invested £100,000 to deliver a new food concept which includes Real Good Food, Honest and Urban Square Coffee. Real Good Food uses the best local ingredients to provide traditional home comfort food with a modern twist.

From left, Gavin Annon, head of sales and marketing and Terry Woods, commercial director, Mount Charles; Eileen Duggan, sustainability and environmental services manager, RTÉ; and Philip Sangari, head of operations at Mount Charles.

Honest will serve fresh, non-processed, food and juices, accompanied by comprehensive nutritional information and Urban Square Coffee aims to transform the radio coffee shop into a destination venue. All the menus have been developed especially for RTÉ featuring traditional home comfort food with a modern twist and dishes will be prepared using healthy cooking techniques.

ROI GOVERNMENT ADDRESSES CHEF SKILLS SHORTAGE

estaurants Association of Ireland has welcomed an announcement from Irish Business Minister Heather Humphreys extending eligibility for work permits to all chef grades. Commis chefs have been removed from the ineligible list for work permits, while the Minister has also removed both a quota of 610 chef permits and cap of two chefs per establishment with all changes coming into effect last month. “Hopefully, these new work permits will help to alleviate staff shortages currently being experienced by the industry,” said Adrian Cummins, CEO, Restaurants Association of Ireland. “This will be of benefit to all sectors in the hospitality industry and will facilitate combating the chef shortage Ireland is now experiencing.” The hospitality industry in the Republic of Ireland directly employs 152,000 people and employment in tourism is projected to be 310,000 by 2025.

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“We are delighted to announce our most recent contract win. It is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of some heavyweight contracts we have picked up over the last two years and I believe it sends out a strong message to the market,” said Trevor Annon, chairman and founder, Mount Charles. Mount Charles currently employs 2,500 team members and services over 400 clients across the UK and Ireland.

BELFAST MAKES TOP 10 FOOD CAPITALS IN THE UK LISTING

elfast has been ranked eighth in food capitals of the UK, beating Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham while Liverpool takes the top spot. The list has been compiled by Wren Kitchens using weighted metrics including number of Michelin stars per area, restaurant price, how popular the cuisine is and the cost of drinks. It also ranked European cities, with Lille, France crowned the Food Capital of Europe. FEBRUARY HRNI • 11

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WHAT’S COOKING AT IFEX 2020 PLAN YOUR VISIT NOW!

Sean Owens, Caroline McCusker, Anna Mckeever and Wojtek Bielanczuk.

FEX, Northern Ireland’s premier foodservice, hospitality, and retail event, returns to the TEC, Belfast from Tuesday 24th – Thursday 26th March 2020. With upwards of 7,000 visitors expected to attend, it’s one of the most eagerly anticipated industry events of the year. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, registration for the three-day event is now live and free via www.ifexexhibition. co.uk. For those looking to source the newest food and drink products, catering equipment, technology and services or simply keep their fingers on the pulse on the hottest trends, the event promises to serve up innovative new business ideas and will combine quality produce with world-class features and masterclasses across the three days. Supported by

Students from Belfast MET, taking part in IFEX 2020.

Celebrating its 25th edition, IFEX is the only trade event in Northern Ireland dedicated to the hospitality, foodservice and tourism industries. TRADE ONLY

advertorial Caroline McCusker, IFEX event manager; Paul Cunningham, head chef, Brunel’s Restaurant; and Soraya Gadelrab, IFEX event director.

industry stalwarts, Flogas and Stephens Catering Equipment, IFEX has firmly cemented its reputation as a staple industry event providing all the right ingredients to help visitors and exhibitors generate new business for the years ahead. According to visitors, identifying new products is the number one reason for visiting IFEX and this year, there’s set to be a record number of new products and services from 200-plus exhibitors. Accounting for over 20% of the exhibitor list, new names are a welcome addition to the show and attending for the first time are Lutosa SA, Karcher Craigmore and Grenke to name but a few. Returning to the exhibitor list for 2020 are leading names such as BD Foods, Golden Glen Catering, Henderson Foodservice, Hugh Jordan, Lynas Foodservice, Matthew Algie, Nestle (Ireland) and North South Retail, which will all have an unmissable presence at IFEX. IFEX Event Manager Caroline McCusker explains: “We’ve had a great

response to IFEX 2020, with many of Northern Ireland’s biggest names in the foodservice and hospitality sectors already securing their space. “IFEX has a longstanding reputation for being an excellent show with a vibrant mix of exhibitors, visitors, competitors and features, and the forthcoming event will be no exception. If you’re a stakeholder in the food, drink, retail and hospitality industries, IFEX is a show that’s not to be missed.” For visitors who are looking for authentic produce, IFEX have once again partnered with The Guild of Fine Food to bring a unique opportunity to see and to taste Ireland’s award winners all in one place at the Great Taste Market. Central to this year’s show, companies such as Glens of Antrim Potatoes, Warbler & Wren, S.D. Bell, Yellow Door Deli, Goodness Grains, Woodlab Distillery and Ballymaloe Foods will be hoping to meet prospective buyers, who can bring their quality produce to a wider audience.

Patricia Kingston,Tourism NI; Joel Neil, Hospitality Ulster; Sean Owens, IFEX; Glyn Roberts, Retail NI; and Caroline McCusker, IFEX.

As well as the array of exciting food and speciality products on offer, IFEX has partnered with Hospitality Ulster to launch Drinks@IFEX. Showcasing the newest drinks and freshest innovations all aimed at revolutionising your offering, Drinks@IFEX will feature exciting drinks producers helping visitors uncover the next big thing from new distillers and brewers. Salon Culinaire – Ireland’s largest and most prestigious chef competition programme – will be at the heart of the show. A packed programme of live competitions across the three days, and home to NI Chef of the Year, means visitors to IFEX will have the unique opportunity to get up and personal with the very best chefs in the country.

“WE’VE HAD A GREAT RESPONSE TO IFEX 2020, WITH MANY OF NORTHERN IRELAND’S BIGGEST NAMES IN THE FOODSERVICE AND HOSPITALITY SECTORS ALREADY SECURING THEIR SPACE. IFEX HAS A LONGSTANDING REPUTATION FOR BEING AN EXCELLENT SHOW WITH A VIBRANT MIX OF EXHIBITORS, VISITORS, COMPETITORS AND FEATURES, AND THE FORTHCOMING EVENT WILL BE NO EXCEPTION. IF YOU’RE A STAKEHOLDER IN THE FOOD, DRINK, RETAIL AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRIES, IFEX IS A SHOW THAT’S NOT TO BE MISSED.” CAROLINE MCCUSKER IFEX EVENT MANAGER

Added to this mix, a huge number of networking opportunities, a display of award-winning products, and a melting pot of new services and ideas, you have three unmissable days at IFEX 2020. You won’t be short of inspiration! If you are in the foodservice, catering, retail or hospitality industry then IFEX is THE most important date of the year! Make sure you’re a part of it. Registration is now open, and you can register for FREE at www.ifexexhibition. co.uk.

Get expert insight from our industry partners, network with new contacts and catch up with old ones and explore the latest in food & drink from over 200 exhibitors. You won’t be short of inspiration!

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FLOGAS LAUNCHES CARBON OFFSETTING SOLUTION FOR BUSINESS CUSTOMERS John Rooney, managing director, Flogas Ireland with brand ambassador Neven Maguire at the launch of the company’s carbon offsetting solution for its business customers.

midst increased pressure on the commercial sector to take more responsibility for their carbon footprint by driving down carbon emissions, Flogas has launched a carbon offsetting solution for its commercial customers. It will allow them to offset 100% of their own carbon emissions by providing critical support for projects directly benefiting the environment. To launch the initiative, Flogas has offset its own carbon emissions and that of Flogas brand ambassador Neven Maguire’s restaurant and home. Collectively, they have now compensated for over 3,500 tonnes of carbon emissions in 2019, achieved by investing in climate protection projects via South Pole, a gold standard provider of carbon offsetting projects all over the world. John Rooney, managing director, Flogas Ireland, said: “We’re urging our business customers to take a proactive approach towards tackling climate change and differentiate themselves from the competition. Participating customers will be able to display marketing materials and certificates demonstrating their carbon offsets and

it’s an excellent opportunity for savvy business owners keen to get ahead of the curve.” At MacNean House and Restaurant in Blacklion, Cavan, Neven Maguire uses Flogas LPG for cooking, heating and hot “WE’RE URGING OUR BUSINESS CUSTOMERS TO TAKE A PROACTIVE APPROACH TOWARDS TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE AND DIFFERENTIATE THEMSELVES FROM THE COMPETITION. PARTICIPATING CUSTOMERS WILL BE ABLE TO DISPLAY MARKETING MATERIALS AND CERTIFICATES DEMONSTRATING THEIR CARBON OFFSETS AND IT’S AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR SAVVY BUSINESS OWNERS KEEN TO GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE.” JOHN ROONEY, MANAGING DIRECTOR, FLOGAS IRELAND

water and Flogas electricity for its power needs. Neven said: “I am delighted to be a part of this wonderful initiative from Flogas. By investing in gold standard carbon offsetting projects, we can all help bring positive change around the globe with sustainable, economic, social and health benefits to different communities.“ Carbon offsetting is recognised worldwide as a way of managing carbon emissions. For a minimal fee, Flogas will purchase carbon credits on behalf of participating commercial customers, investing in sustainable global projects that either reduce or capture an equivalent amount of carbon emissions. Examples of such projects include forest protection, providing access to clean and efficient LPG cookstoves, supporting renewable energy projects and wastewater treatment and biogas utilisation projects. Carbon emission reductions are certified through globallyrecognised standards and audited by independent third parties. For more info, see www.flogas.ie/carbon www.flogasni.com/carbon

Celebrating its 25th edition, IFEX is the only trade event in Northern Ireland dedicated to the hospitality, foodservice and tourism industries. TRADE ONLY

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SYMPHONIA SPIRITS FROM WOODLAB DISTILLERY - A COMPOSITION OF SCIENCE AND NATURE

he Woodlab Distillery (literally The Laboratory in the Woods) produced its first spirits in June 2018. The Symphonia spirit range is named after the method of production, where a series of flavour notes are produced by bespoke distillation of individual botanicals, and these notes are then composed into a series of symphonies. Symphonia range of spirits is the brainchild of Ulrich Dyer, who had a background in chemistry and spent nearly 30 years discovering new medicines. Two years ago he decided to do something different and apply his skills and knowledge to his other passion, food and drink. “I had been following the rise of the craft gin industry as an interested consumer for a couple of years,” he says. “If I was going to enter this crowded market I had to do something to stand out. There were two areas where I felt I could make a difference, one was to use my scientific expertise and the second was to showcase the unique micro-climate here in this part of Northern Ireland. I could clearly see a parallel with the wine industry, where vineyards exploit the terroir of their region to produce a specific style of wine and the rise of modern winemakers who have adopted scientific processes and equipment to get the very best out of their grapes.” Ulrich produces his gin using a novel process which uses the latest scientific equipment. This give him a wider palette of flavours which are not available with

more antiquated traditional processes. In addition, the approach is very energy efficient, using only 2% of the energy a normal gin requires for production. He also took a scientific approach to his choice of botanicals by analysing their molecular structures by sophisticated chemical analysis. “I found the same flavours that other gin makers get from exotic locations could be found in local herbs and flowers so I could reduce the distance ingredients have to be transported.”

Ulrich wanted where possible to grow all the ingredients in the local area. This wasn’t possible for juniper berries which do not grow sustainably in Northern Ireland, so instead he sourced juniper bushes from around Europe and compared them by chemical analysis, identifying Tuscan juniper as the closest match. He did a similar exercise with coriander seed and identified English coriander to be the closest to Irish coriander Armed with the essences of the local countryside, Ric then set about recipe

creation and produced a classic dry gin and a unique apple gin. Symphonia Dry Gin features, in addition to juniper, herbs and flowers from the garden including rosemary, basil, dandelion and rose. It works well in a GnT and alternatively the herbal notes work well in a Negroni or a Dry Martini. Apple flavour was always going to feature in any gin Ric produced because of the location. The Armagh Bramley apple has a unique flavour that assures its position as the king of culinary apples. It has been afforded Protected Geographical Ingredient status by the EU. “I wanted to capture the crisp tart taste of green apple not the sweet taste of a dessert apple, I achieved this by using the juice of our Bramley apples. It is great for sipping neat on the rocks as you would a Calvados, or taken with tonic to give a GnT with a crisp apple finish. It is also perfect in a green apple martini.” This novel approach to gin making has reaped many prestigious awards in 2019. Symphonia Dry Gin won an IWSC Silver medal scoring 93% and was named Irish Gin of the Year Champion of Champions at the Irish Gin awards. Symphonia Apple Gin also won two stars at the Great Taste awards, receiving the comment ‘Outstanding – beyond delicious’ from the judges.

To purchase Symphonia gins, go to sales@ woodlabdistillery.com.

Celebrating its 25th edition, IFEX is the only trade event in Northern Ireland dedicated to the hospitality, foodservice and tourism industries. TRADE ONLY

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AJ STUART, HOME TO NORTHERN IRELAND’S LARGEST CATERING SUPPLIES SHOWROOM

oin AJ Stuart at IFEX this year at stand C3. We are delighted to have joined forces with Hugh Jordan since 2018 to broaden our product offering and service across Northern Ireland and Ireland. Since 2018, we have expanded in a variety of ranges such as tableware, glassware, furniture and hospitality products; to name a few. With the expert knowledge from the team at AJ Stuarts, combined with the knowledge of the sales team at Hugh Jordan, we are confident that we can meet your every need within the hospitality industry. At IFEX, we will be focusing on showcasing some of these latest products that AJ Stuarts have to offer while also showcasing items such as kitchenware and equipment that we are known best for. Sticking with the AJ Stuarts background of being the one stop shop for chefs and kitchen professionals, there will be a focus on back of house and equipment on our IFEX stand. Paired with this on our stand will be a wide range of innovative tableware, glassware, buffet display and more from our new product offering.

While having expanded in areas such as tableware and display, AJ Stuart will also be revealing some new product categories at IFEX. Our brand new range of high-quality

“SINCE 2018, WE HAVE EXPANDED IN A VARIETY OF RANGES SUCH AS TABLEWARE, GLASSWARE, FURNITURE AND HOSPITALITY PRODUCTS; TO NAME A FEW. WITH THE EXPERT KNOWLEDGE FROM THE TEAM AT AJ STUARTS, COMBINED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SALES TEAM AT HUGH JORDAN, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN MEET YOUR EVERY NEED WITHIN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.”

chefs uniforms will be available, along with our new guest amenities ranges. If you are looking for the perfect one stop shop at IFEX, make sure to stop by stand C3 and speak to one of our members of staff! If you are unavailable to visit the show, make sure to stop by our newly renovated showroom. AJ Stuarts has the largest catering supplies showroom in Northern Ireland and having been newly renovated, our showroom is the perfect place to browse everything from front of house to back of house. We showcase a wide range of well-known suppliers such as Steelite, Churchill, Degrenne, Blue Seal, Rational, GI Metal and more. Our expert sales advisors will be on hand to talk to if you need any help. Visit us at 161 Dargan Crescent, Belfast, BT3 9J, open five days a week from 9am-4:30pm Monday to Friday.

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drinksnews www.unitedwines.co.uk

SIX BIG REDS FOR WINTER

DRINKS BLOG FROM #DRINKSBLOGGERNI

CIARAN MEYLER, WINE MANAGER, UNITED WINES

t this time of the year when we’re all hibernating, there’s more salt on the roads than there is in a fast food burger and you can’t wait to get home and snuggle up by the fire. It’s a time when people always ask me, what’s a good big red wine to drink? WELL HERE ARE SIX OF MY FAVOURITES Number one: Carmen Gran Reserva Petit Sirah; an unusual sounding grape. However, most of you will be familiar with its daddy Syrah. Petit Sirah (aka Durif or Petit Syrah) is the America’s name for Durif, which takes its name from Dr Francois Durif, who created the new grape when he successfully crossed Syrah with Peloursin. Restricted planting in France means the grape is more popular in California and Australia, with small plantings in Chile. Anyway, what does it taste like Meyler? It’s a monster, massive depth of colour from the thick black skins, averaging 90 points per vintage, it’s full bodied with an explosion of bold aromas of warm berry pie plus blueberry mixed with vanilla and a light pepper spice to finish. Number two: Vega Douro Tinto; Portuguese

18 • HRNI FEBRUARY

red are all the rage at the moment. Vega emanates from the steep terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley (home to the great Port houses) and is a sturdy red blended from three of the region’s best varieties, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. It is rich with plum, cherry and mineral elements and complex with a firm grip of tannins, typical of the region. I like to call it Diet Port. Number three: Ropiteau Cotes du Rhone Villages; whilst France is not as popular as it once was in the market, it doesn’t mean they still don’t produce excellent wines. What I like about this Cotes Du Rhone Villages is that it over delivers for the price. Grenache is the backbone, 75%, blended with Syrah 25% giving a deep coloured wine with stewed fruit, wild berries and liquorices and spice. Cook a beef stew or mushroom wellington and give this a lash. Number four: Dona Paula Estate Malbec, over the past 3-5 years, everyone has been raving about Malbec. We now see Malbec coming from Australia, Chile and many new styles from, its ancestral home, France. However, Argentina has become synonyms with this grape and we just love it. 90 points from Robert Parker

On the palate, the fruit takes the lead, with plum, blackberry and licorice. Round and soft tannins, finish off what is a really lovely wine. Great value. Number five: Chocolate Box (Truffle Chocolate) Cabernet Sauvignon from Rocland Estate in Barossa Valley, one of Australia’s finest Cabernet producing regions, this wine is a big hug in a glass. Ripe blackcurrant is beautifully balanced with subtle vanilla, cassis and minty chocolate to leave a long, rewarding finish. The only thing you need is a big glass. Number six: Marques de Caceres Reserva Rioja. Arguably one of the best most consistent producers of top class Rioja Marques de Caceres Reserva is without a doubt the best value in the range. The jump in quality from Crianza to Reserva is enormous. Produced only in vintages classed as Very Good or Excellent when Tempranillo is at its expressive best, the Reserva is aged for 22 months in oak and 24 months in bottle. A dense bouquet of toasted aromas, red and black berries, luscious fruits and spices with a rich, layered body of spicy black fruits and succulent red fruits with integrated tannins, fresh acidity. Enjoy over the next six years, if you can resist it, with roast lamb, venison or game birds. I love a good bottle of red and a nice game bird, boom boom.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH “I ONLY DRINK WINE TO MAKE YOU MORE INTERESTING.” twitter.com: @Hosp_ReviewNI

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GLENDALOUGH PURCHASE MARKS FIRST IRISH SPIRIT ACQUISITION FOR MARK ANTHONY

From left, Brian Fagan, co-founder, Glendalough Distillery; Davin Nugent, chief executive of Mark Anthony Brands International; and Barry Gallagher, co-founder, Glendalough Distillery.

ark Anthony Brands International has purchased the remaining shares in Glendalough Distillery to give the company complete ownership of the Irish craft spirits business. The deal comes three years after Mark Anthony Brands International took an initial 40% stake in the fast-growing distiller. “As the pioneer of craft Irish whiskey and gin, Glendalough has quickly established itself as one of Ireland’s leading premium spirit brands,” said Davin Nugent, chief executive, Mark Anthony Brands International. “The Glendalough portfolio presents a truly differentiated offering in both Irish whiskey and gin, which uniquely

positions the company for significant success, not only in Ireland and North America but in many other international markets. “As investors since 2016, we have witnessed at first hand the passion and hard work from our Glendalough colleagues in growing their business and we are delighted to now welcome them into the Mark Anthony family.” Founded in 2011 by Barry Gallagher and Brian Fagan, Glendalough has become one of the country’s most innovative Irish whiskey and gin makers. Brian Fagan, director, Glendalough, said: “It’s been an incredible journey for the whole team here at Glendalough.

The successes we have enjoyed have been as a direct result of all the hard work of our innovative and passionate team. In 2016 we welcomed Mark Anthony Brands on board as a shareholder. “They have always shared our vision for Glendalough and supported our efforts to grow the business. We are excited to now become full members of the Mark Anthony family and look forward to building the brand together.” Mark Anthony Brands International is a member of the Mark Anthony Group of Companies, one of North America’s largest privately-owned alcohol beverage businesses. Led by Nugent, it was established in Dublin in 2014. To date the Dublin-based business has focused on the development and distribution of major innovation projects including the successful White Claw Hard Seltzer. Available in the United States since 2016, Mark Anthony International is currently examining additional international markets to launch White Claw in early next year. The purchase of Glendalough is the first spirit acquisition for Mark Anthony’s Irish business, but not its first move into the spirits category. The company has already developed a new Canadian Whiskey brand called BEARFACE, launched in North America last year.

GALWAY BAY BREWERY LAUNCHES NEW RANGE OF CANS

alway Bay Brewery, one of Ireland’s most-established craft breweries, has kicked off the New Year with the launch of a full range of canned beers. Galway Bay Brewery’s core range will now be available in 33cl cans, with all limited edition, seasonal, and collaborative brews available in 44cl cans. The cans can now be purchased in retailers and off-licences across the country, with selected bars also stocking the cans. The core range includes Of Foam & Fury, a double IPA with big tropical fruit flavour, bittersweet balance and complex flavour; Full Sail, a simple malt beer with light fruity sweetness upfront, hints of zesty orange and a piney dry finish; Bay Ale, a coppercoloured, traditional ale with malt and hop aromas and a smooth and www.hospitalityreviewni.com

well-balanced flavour; Althea, a modern American Pale Ale which is low on bitterness, yet massively hoppy on the aroma; and Buried at Sea, a chocolate milk stout brewed with milk sugars and chocolate which gives rich flavour and body whilst retaining a lightness. Limited edition beers that are now available in cans include Weights & Measures, a citra session IPA which is heavily hopped with massive orange, lemon and grapefruit notes; and Slow

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Lives, a German-style Helles Lager with a bit more body and hop bitterness on the finish. New limited edition beers will be released in cans each month. “In recent years we have seen increasing demand for cans of craft beer and have gotten a great reaction to the limitededition cans we have released using an outside canning service,” said Jason O’Connell, owner of Galway Bay Brewery. “We are delighted to have taken the canning in-house and to offer our complete core range, monthly specials and seasonal beers in cans. We do our best to be as sustainable and environmentally conscious as possible, and the fact that cans are greener in relation to packaging, shipping and recycling is very important to us as well.” FEBRUARY HRNI • 21

research&development

IDENTIFYING R&D OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY SMES CAN CLAIM UP TO 24.7P FOR EVERY QUALIFYING £1 SPENT ON R&D, SAYS JEFF DRENNAN, MANAGING PARTNER AT AMPLIFI SOLUTIONS From left, Jamie, Jeff, Chris, Lisa and Andrew, the senior team at Amplifi Solutions.

licking through the menu at quite a nice restaurant recently, with quite a few dishes I hadn’t seen before, something struck me. Research and development really is everywhere. It’s not just fish and chips anymore. It’s pan-fried seabass with herb butter, trophy of pomme de frites and a full stop of minted pea puree. We’re getting more adventurous with our food and drink, and the competition is getting fierce – with restaurants, chefs and supermarkets always on the lookout for the next cutting-edge thing. It’s great news for our taste buds. What we might not see is the amount of research and development that goes on in the background to get those foods from thought to plate. Looking now at supermarkets shelves that would seem alien to the ones our grandparents might have looked at, you can see that we’ve not been shying away from consumer demand. From gluten free or reduced salt, to meat free and organically sourced, it’s obvious the food and drinks industry has got the taste for R&D. What producers, food developers and distilleries might not realise, however, is 26 • HRNI FEBRUARY

that what they’re doing is R&D. Simply put, R&D tax credits can be awarded to any company providing they are undertaking steps in research and development; even if the project fails. Or in this case, ends up not really tasting that great.

Amplifi has worked with The Copeland Distillery to diversify the brand.

Here at Amplifi, we recently had the pleasure of working alongside The Copeland Distillery as they diversified their successful ‘ginfusion’ brand by developing their own gin and whiskey spirits. Previously, Copeland had been infusing gin with organic botanicals before filtering and bottling it. Now the team have moved full production to Donaghadee where they fully distil their own gin and whiskey. Copeland

is an innovative, creative and exciting example of R&D within the drinks sector. After starting with two flavoured gins, they progressed into classic Irish gin, single malt whiskey and pot still whiskey. Since the move to their new distillery, Copeland has focused on distillations rather than infusions and although they still produce their two flagship gins, the team has found through market research that their consumers are going back to classic-style gins. It’s not just been about expanding their business through product development innovations at Copeland. They’ve also opened their doors and their growth strategy with a new distillery tour. So, whether it’s new flavours, recipes or shelf-life testing, if you’re a leader in the food and drinks industry, now’s the time to have a think about what R&D opportunities there are for you. And if you’re thinking R&D might not be lucrative enough to invest the time in, take a closer look. SMEs can claim up to 24.7p for every qualifying £1 spent on R&D – a significant boost for any business.

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WHO WILL CLEAN UP AT THE NIHF 2020 HOUSEKEEPING AWARDS?

From left, Mal Metrustry (Ecolab), Janice Gault (NIHF) and Alan Blaney (Bunzl Rafferty Hospitality) and, back row, Kevin O’Neill (King Koil Beds) and Stephen Meldrum (NIHF).

orthern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) has launched its annual competition to find the best housekeeping teams in Northern Ireland.

The awards, which are celebrating their 10th year, recognise and celebrate the contribution that cleanliness plays in sustaining Northern Ireland’s thriving hospitality industry. “The competition seeks to raise the profile of housekeeping, recognise best practice in the sector and reward those who make an outstanding contribution to the hotel industry,” said Stephen Meldrum, president, NIHF. “One of the most important parts of any guest’s stay is the standard of housekeeping and this department is often overlooked, despite its crucial role within a hotel. “Last year we had a record number of entries and the awards now have four categories. This reflects the

BUSHMILLS INN RAISES £6,000 FOR NI CHILDREN TO LAPLAND

he Bushmills Inn has raised £6,000 for the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust. The money played an instrumental role in a trip to Lapland on December 17 for terminally ill and life-limited children. “We are thrilled that our fundraising efforts have From left, Colin Barkley, chair, Northern Ireland Children to generated £6,000 so far this Lapland and Days to Remember Trust; Nikki Picken, sales and year to support the Northern marketing manager, The Bushmills Inn; and Alan Walls, hotel Ireland Children to Lapland and manager, The Bushmills Inn. Days to Remember Trust as they fulfil the dreams of terminally ill, life-limited and deserving children by taking them to see Santa at his home in Lapland,” said Alan Walls, hotel manager, The Bushmills Inn. “Earlier this year we formalised our association with the charity which stretches back over the last three years. With the support of our generous customers and our own donations, we have now raised over £21,700 to help the charity create magical memories that families can treasure forever. It is such a deserving cause and we have more initiatives and events organised to generate even more funds to make the dreams of more children come true.” Colin Barkley, chair, Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust, said: “This donation is very timely, and I want to thank The Bushmills Inn and all their customers for their generosity. “The Bushmills Inn has been supporting the charity for the last three years and they have raised a significant amount, making a huge difference to the lives of deserving, terminally and long-term ill children.” In Northern Ireland, at any given time, there are approximately 1,500 children suffering from a terminal illness or life limiting illness.

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significant growth that there has been in the industry over the last decade and the scale of the contribution that housekeeping has to play. I would encourage all managers to submit an application and recognise the vital role that their staff make.” The 2020 competition to find Northern Ireland’s best housekeepers will take place in the Europa Hotel, Belfast where entrants will undergo an assessment of their skills focusing on the key tasks in housekeeping. Winners will be announced at an awards dinner in the Hilton Hotel, Templepatrick on March 11. For further information, call the NIHF office on 028 9077 6635 or visit www.nihf.co.uk.

EARNINGS AT DALATA ‘IN LINE WITH MARKET EXPECTATIONS’

reland’s largest hotel operator Dalata has said earnings will be ‘in line with market expectations’ despite tougher than expected market conditions in Dublin in the second half of 2019. The group, which has four hotels in Northern Ireland, said revenue per available room in Dublin is down 3.2% for the 11 months to November 30; compared to a decline of 1.4% for the first half of the year. Dalata Hotel Group owns the Clayton Hotel on Ormeau Avenue, Belfast as well as Maldron Hotels in Belfast, at Belfast International Airport and in Londonderry. The firm has also signed an agreement to lease a new hotel to be built in Liverpool. The performance of the company’s regional Ireland portfolio in the second half of the year was similar to the first half of the year. Like-for-like revenue per available room for the portfolio decreased by 0.7% for the 11-month period. ‘Our UK regional city hotels are performing particularly well and all outperformed their city markets in terms of revenue per available room change versus 2018,’ Dalata said.

FEBRUARY HRNI • 27

hotelprofile

HOTELHUB

THESTATS

DOBBINS INN HOTEL, CARRICKFERGUS A fter an onerous restoration project over 2018-2019, Dobbins Inn Hotel is expecting to reap the rewards of its investment this year with increased interest from visitors eager to stay and see first-hand the rich history of the property. Embarking on the project mid-2018, in conjunction with Carrickfergus Townscape Initiative and with part funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Mid & East Antrim Borough Council, the building was covered in scaffolding for close to a year. “Business did suffer, and we saw a decline in walk-in trade over the summer months,” says Kirsty Fallis, operations manager and daughter of hotel owners, Maureen and Derek Fallis. Due to the age of the building, complications arising throughout the works and red tape encountered along the way, the restoration took longer than expected. Now completed, however, the heritage project sees the building restored to its original tower house façade dating back

to 1567. And 2019 also brought a surprise honour for Maureen and Derek, who received a Carrickfergus Lifetime Achievement award for their 40-plus years of business within the borough. Looking ahead: “We have already began targeting new markets this year, focusing on our history and those markets that enjoy historic buildings and tours,” says Kirsty. “Refurbishment will continue on our bedrooms and public areas.” Challenges, meanwhile, include a lack of support from Stormont for the hospitality sector and, “as with all businesses, this year we will see more

HOTEL OPENED: Maureen and Derek Fallis took over the business in 1978; however, it started as a hotel in 1946. OWNERSHIP/REFURBISHMENT HISTORY: Since 1978, when the bedrooms had shared bathrooms, there have been several redevelopment projects including the bar, restaurant and public areas in 1990; bedrooms in 2010; restaurant in 2016; and major investment in restoration of the external walls, roof and windows in 2019. EMPLOYEES: 22 staff (four full-time and 18 part-time) ROOM NUMBERS: 15 STAR RATING: 3 STYLE: Historic and quirky MARKET POSITIONING: Historic building; a perfect location to visit all parts of Northern Ireland. GUEST PROFILE: Foreign tourists, staycations and families. USPs: History, its own ghost, the location and friendly staff. FOOD & BEVERAGE: Bar lounge with open fire and 70-seater Landings Restaurant. increases to energy costs, wages and rates and these are never easy to absorb in a very competitive market,” she says. “The main bug bear for our sector is the VAT rate; a reduction on this would be very welcome this year and beyond. “We would also like to see government movement on licensing laws, and also a reduction on Air Passenger Duty would greatly assist all tourism businesses.”

q&a

A DAY IN THE LIFE

KEITH J REILLY, OPERATIONS DIRECTOR AT MONTALTO ESTATE

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT ROLE? As operations director of an incredibly busy estate, my daily duties are varied. When the decision was taken to open the estate, my role changed to focus on preparing the business for this. Since September 2018, my position expanded to oversee the many elements of Montalto Estate including events, catering, gardens, HR, ticketing, marketing and a lot more besides. Working closely with, and maintaining a synergy between, these departments is fundamental to ensuring the successful and smooth running of the estate. If I wasn’t as fortunate to have such an outstanding team alongside me, Montalto wouldn’t be what it is today. WHAT IS YOUR BACKGROUND? Like many students, whilst studying, I had a number of hospitality-related jobs. This was a great introduction to the level of work and dedication that is required to work in this industry. I originally joined Montalto as manager of The Carriage Rooms back in 2012. I was responsible at that stage for all of the events that took place up until my role changed in April 2017. It has been a wonderful journey to have made the progression from managing a luxury wedding venue to now running a five-star visitor attraction. WHAT ARE THE BEST/WORST PARTS OF YOUR JOB? I first came to know of the estate when I was 16. I met my future wife Rachael at that time, and it was her parents that bought Montalto back in the mid-1990s as their family home. I am incredibly thankful to work for a family business which lends itself to a great work-life balance. I take great pride in having been involved in the Montalto brand from the very beginning. It has been a fulfilling experience, not least of all when I see so many people coming to enjoy this award-winning attraction. It would be remiss of me not to also mention the advantage of working in such a picturesque setting. WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING ABOUT THE SECTOR? In recent years, tourism across the island of Ireland has been enjoying a growth period but many factors have brought uncertainty into the tourism marketplace. As with many other companies in this sector, a growing labour and skills shortage is another big challenge facing the industry, especially in the catering element. Montalto Estate is a little different to other visitor attractions as a large percentage of our customers are from the local area and return to us time and again. We have therefore had to be adaptable with our offering to ensure that we regularly have something unique for our customers so as to stay ahead of our perceived competition; for example, ensuring we have seasonal interest in our gardens. OUTLINE A TYPICAL DAY I typically work normal office hours, but this can change depending on the needs of the business. I often attend industry workshops and conferences to ensure I am informed about not just trends but the legislative and procedural requirements of the business. I take responsibility for much of what happens at Montalto and, as such, I require agility in my role to allow me www.hospitalityreviewni.com

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to take on whatever task is required that day; for example, working on plans for further development of our play area. This flexibility allows me to have regular discussions with all departments and that gives me a situational overview on a daily basis. PROUDEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE Professionally, the official launch event for the estate in September 2018. It felt like all the researching, planning and hard work had finally paid off and we were excited about opening and introducing the public to Montalto. Personally, on our opening morning, I walked into the café and saw our first two customers having breakfast; it stopped me in my tracks for a second. I have never been involved in something from the very beginning like this and to see people enjoying what we had envisaged was very satisfying. BEST THING ABOUT BEING INVOLVED IN THE SECTOR Working in tourism is about helping people to enjoy their time off. So many of us have stressful lives and the industry we work in is about offering the opportunity to step away from it all, especially so at Montalto, where part of our ethos is about reconnecting with nature and making memories with family, friends and loved ones. It’s about providing a complete experience, and this means there is a variety of areas that we will continue to develop. WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO TO UNWIND AWAY FROM WORK? With four children between the ages of three and 10, most of my spare time is spent with family. I love endurance running, however, and have completed a number of marathons and ultra-marathons. I am on the Board of Governors for Spa PS, and also coach Mini Rugby on Saturday mornings for Ballynahinch RFC. TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF NOT MANY PEOPLE MAY KNOW Despite working in the hospitality industry for many years, my academic background is actually in science. I have a biochemistry degree from Queen’s University and worked for almost 10 years in clinical diagnostics. FEBRUARY HRNI • 31

tourismnews-attractions

TOURISM NI LAUNCHES NEW QUALITY ASSURANCE SCHEME T

ourism NI, in partnership with the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), has launched a Golf Quality Assurance Scheme designed to certify golf courses in meeting and exceeding customer expectations. Having carried out more than 200 golf tourism audits across golf courses worldwide over the past two decades, IAGTO unveiled its Quality Assurance Scheme at the International Golf Travel Market back in October 2019. Since then, 10 clubs from Northern Ireland have successfully passed the certification programme including Ardglass, Castlerock, Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort, Roe Park, Malone, Royal Belfast, Belvoir Park, Portstewart, Royal Portrush Golf Clubs and Hilton Belfast Templepatrick Golf & Country Club. In addition, IAGTO launched its first ever Golf Tourism Accreditation programme for golf course managers which recognises the proficiency and expertise of individuals working in the golf tourism sector. “This is a fantastic opportunity

From left, Aine Mangan, IAGTO; Ross Oliver, Galgorm Castle; and Leanne Rice, Tourism NI.

for golf clubs in Northern Ireland to showcase and deliver the best possible golf experience for both international and local golf visitors,” said Leanne Rice, golf marketing manager, Tourism NI. “Northern Ireland is experiencing unprecedented success and status as a golf destination following the triumphs of its champion golfers, its world-ranking golf courses and hosting outstanding events, most recently The 148th Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club. “In the last five years, golf tourism revenue

has grown by over 50% and in 2018 alone, we welcomed over 124,000 golf visitors, contributing £42.6m to the local economy.” The certification programme is open to all golf courses and includes an online Golf Tourism Audit, and an IAGTO site inspection. Any golf course that does not achieve certification is provided with a step-by-step roadmap to achieving certification status. For more information, visit www.tourismni.com/golf.

NEW ARTS PARTNERSHIP DELIVERS FOUR UNIQUE VISITOR EXPERIENCES A

new arts partnership between Tourism NI and the Arts Council for Northern Ireland has delivered four unique visitor experiences and engaged a wide range of organisations across the arts and tourism sector. Embrace the Place, a pilot initiative, was developed following an investment by Tourism NI and an open call for the best talent in the arts sector to create new innovative content to animate key tourism sites across Northern Ireland. The four successful projects developed content to reflect the heritage of some of Northern Ireland’s iconic visitor destinations including Belfast’s Maritime Mile, Seamus Heaney HomePlace in Bellaghy, Navan Fort in Armagh and the Ulster American Folk Park in Omagh. DumbWorld and Titanic Foundation’s All The Things We Are, a striking piece of audio-visual contemporary art, has been installed at the Riverbox since August and has delivered footfall on 32 • HRNI FEBRUARY

the Maritime Mile. Theatre company Kabosh created A Bellaghy Tale, a theatrical walking tour which took place across three weekends in September, linking key sites closely related to the life and work of Seamus Heaney in the village of Bellaghy. The Armagh Rhymers and Armagh Pipers Club presented Macha at Navan Fort, a multi-media performance featuring music by renowned composer Niall Vallely. Snow Water created Folk Park Live! taking visitors on a musical journey charting the stories of those who had to leave Ulster over the course of 300 years with a live performance from each musician filmed at 12 locations across the Ulster American Folk Park. January 2020 will see a new permanent exhibition, a QR code guided tour of the Park, a Folk Park Youtube Channel and Spotify playlist and a piece of vinyl, which will be available at the visitor centre.

From left, Rosemary Lightbody, Tourism NI; Aaron Ward, National Museums NI; Sonya Whitefield, Arts Council NI; and Neil Martin and Eilidh Patterson, musicians from Folk Park Live!

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IRELAND NAMED TOP 10 MOST PROMISING OVERSEAS DESTINATION I

reland has been named one of the top 10 most promising overseas destinations at a travel and tourism summit in China. The award was presented to Tourism Ireland at the Golden Footprint Cultural Tourism Summit, which took place in Panzhihua in the Sichuan province in December. The event was organised by Weibo – a hugely popular microblogging site, often described as the Chinese version of Twitter. It was attended by social influencers, travel journalists and travel professionals from across China. At the ceremony, Ireland was named one of the top 10 most promising overseas destinations for Chinese travellers, alongside Germany, Greece,

Elfie Yang, Tourism Ireland, with the trophy.

Portugal, Denmark and Indonesia. The award was presented for Tourism Ireland’s activity on Weibo during 2019 to grow its followers, to continue to raise awareness of the island of Ireland among Chinese travellers. Tourism Ireland now has 330,000 followers on Weibo – up +54% since

the beginning of 2019; the organisation also has thousands of followers on other social platforms like WeChat and TikTok. In 2018, the island of Ireland welcomed an estimated 100,000 Chinese visitors. In 2019, Tourism Ireland announced its intention to double its marketing investment in China to almost £1m, and to also double its marketing team to 12 with the aim of growing Chinese visitor numbers to 200,000 by 2025. Most Chinese travellers seek opinions online before selecting a holiday destination and half of all destination planning is done on mobile devices; a key objective for Tourism Ireland is to raise awareness of Ireland through digital and social media.

WORLD’S LEADING ONLINE TRAVEL AGENTS SHARE TIPS WITH LOCAL TOURISM INDUSTRY

From left, Cormac O’Suilleabhain, Tourism Ireland; Abi Selby, Spabreaks.com; and Dave Vincent, Tourism NI.

he world’s leading online travel agents visited Belfast recently for a workshop organised by Tourism NI in partnership with Tourism Ireland, which saw over 140 local industry in attendance. Understanding Online Travel Agents and Bedbanks Distribution is the first large-scale event of Tourism NI’s

Tourism Enterprise Development (TED) Programme for 2019-20 and was supported by the NI Hotels Federation. Key speakers including Expedia, Booking.com, Lastminute. com and Expedia Local Expert (Attractions) provided insights on who the online travel agents are and how they work. The session also explored how best to manage and protect online reputation with Ciaran Connolly from ProfileTree. “The internet has revolutionised the way that we travel; however, there is still uncertainty about how online travel agents can help attract overseas visitors and encourage them to stay longer and spend more,” said Carolyn Boyd, industry development manager, Tourism NI. “Following the success of last year’s Demystifying the Role of Online Travel Agents, this event provided the industry with a further opportunity to get under the skin of the top online travel agencies operating in the GB market.” Further TED events will be taking place from January to March 2020 and details will be released in the coming months. For further information, visit tourismni.com/tnievents.

TARGETING LUXURY TRAVEL BUSINESS FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

wenty-four tourism businesses from Northern Ireland and the island of Ireland joined Tourism Ireland in Cannes recently for the annual International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM). ILTM is an invitation-only event for the global luxury travel industry – attracting more than 1,800 influential travel agents and decision-makers designing www.hospitalityreviewni.com

unique, luxury travel itineraries for their high net-worth international clients, from 80 different countries. Luxury travel editors and journalists from around 200 international publications also attend. Key themes highlighted at ILTM included Embrace a Giant Spirit, Belfast, the Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland’s Ancient East and Dublin.

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Pictured at ILTM in Cannes are, from left, Eoin McGrath, Hasting Hotels; Geraldine Egan, Tourism Ireland; Leigh Heggarty, Galgorm Resort & Spa; and Paula Stephens, The Merchant Hotel.

FEBRUARY HRNI • 33

businessnews

SERC RECOGNISES QUINN’S BAR AND RESTAURANT WITH BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD

From left, Quinn’s winning team: Matthew Hannah, sous chef, who recently completed his Level 3 WorkBased Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery; Michael Keenan, head chef; and Ciaran McCabe general manager; and Damien McKibben, SERC.

outh Eastern Regional College (SERC) has recognised Quinn’s Bar and Restaurant, Newcastle in its annual Business Excellence Awards for supporting education and employability. The popular bar and restaurant is one of 11 local employers recognised with

the accolade. “SERC is the most successful college in Northern Ireland,” said William Greer, chief training and contracts officer at SERC. “Our contribution to shaping the workforce of the future and ensuring people update and develop their skills is second to none. Our innovative, employer-led approach creates better skills, better jobs, better economy and ultimately, better lives for the people of Northern Ireland. “We are proud to work with over 7,000 employers and businesses across the country. Our Business Excellence Awards recognise just some of our partner employers’ commitment to the education and training process and to continuous investment in skills development of their staff and we congratulate them and wish them continued success.” Quinn’s was recognised with the

TITANIC FOUNDATION APPOINTS NEW CHAIR & TRUSTEES

itanic Foundation, a charity set up to preserve and promote Belfast maritime and industrial heritage, including the development of Titanic Belfast, has appointed a new chair and two new trustees to its Board. Marie-Thérése McGivern, chief executive of Belfast Metropolitan College, will take up the position of From left, Kevin Kingston, Marie-Thérése McGivern, Gerry Hughes and Kerrie Sweeney. chair, with Kevin Kingston, chief executive of Danske Bank UK and Gerry Hughes, president of Avison Young Europe, bringing their expertise to Titanic Foundation as new trustees. “I am thrilled to be able to help Titanic Foundation achieve its inspirational and ambitious plans and push forward into our next phase unlocking the true potential of Belfast’s iconic heritage waterfront; creating a seamless, accessible and vibrant destination for both local people and visitors to the city,” said McGivern. Kerrie Sweeney, chief executive of Titanic Foundation, said: “We are extremely grateful to the outgoing chair, Nicky Dunn OBE, for her excellent leadership over the past six years. Looking ahead to 2020, it is an exciting period for us as we embark on a new chapter and begin to implement the exciting plans created for the Maritime Mile; driving local community engagement, heritage interpretation and restoration projects, volunteer initiatives and promoting the usage of Belfast’s historic waterfront.”

34 • HRNI FEBRUARY

award for its Commitment to WorkBased Apprenticeship Programme. Michael Keenan, head chef, said: “We are delighted to receive this award from SERC which recognises, not only our commitment to training, but the importance of mentoring and life-long learning for people in the industry and our business here in the local community. “We are continually impressed with the standard of young people coming through to us from SERC, ready for work and to complete their qualifications and training with us and the College, often going on to become full-time employees.” Keenan himself trained through the College, was Calor Gas Young Chef of the Year in 1992, and has continued this passion for learning, recently completing a Level 5 qualification for teaching.

BAXTERSTOREY IRELAND NAMES NEW MANAGING DIRECTOR

axterStorey Ireland has appointed Alan Russell as managing director. Bringing over 25 Alan Russell years of industry experience to the role, he has held senior roles at several catering companies, most recently at Gather & Gather. Russell’s role will involve growing the business with a focus on talent attraction and retention. “I am delighted to be taking up the role of managing director at such a progressive and innovative business as BaxterStorey,” he said. “Over the next 12 months, we will see the launch of some exciting nutrition and sustainability initiatives, as well as continued investment in training for our employees. I’m looking forward to working closely with our senior management team to continue pushing the boundaries of foodservice excellence.”

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q&a

THE LAST WORD FAVOURITE BAND: I don’t have one LAST BOOK READ: I Did It FAVOURITE CELEBRITY: Bruno Mars and Usher

SOCIAL

FAVOURITE FOOD: Seafood, sushi FAVOURITE RESTAURANT: Papa Browns, Carrickfergus LAST HOTEL YOU STAYED AT: Rosen Inn, Orlando LAST BAR/NIGHTCLUB YOU VISITED: Revolution de Cuba FAVOURITE PLACE IN WORLD: Siseta Key Beach, Florida INDOOR CONCERT OR FESTIVAL: Adele LAST HOLIDAY: Florida

DRINKS FAVOURITE HOT DRINK: Coffee FAVOURITE SOFT DRINK: Diet Coke BEER OR CIDER: Cider and then beer… WHITE OR RED WINE: White WHISKEY OR BRANDY: Whiskey GIN OR VODKA: Vodka COCKTAILS OR BUBBLY: Cocktails

NAME

MILENA MODLIBOWSKA

COMPANY

IBIS HOTEL BELFAST CITY CENTRE

JOB TITLE

HOUSEKEEPING MANAGER

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THIS ROLE? I joined the Ibis Hotel in April 2018, so it has been nearly two years. DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY? Every day in the hotel job is completely different. There are a different amount of rooms to service, different people you meet, new guests arriving, current guests checking out. I love the buzz of the hotel; the coming and going. The things that are the same every day are delegating rooms to our team of housekeepers 42 • HRNI FEBRUARY

and carrying out a thorough check of all rooms; this is done by myself and our supervisor. Check in time is at 2pm so very often we are under a bit of pressure to have as many rooms as possible ready. In between checking rooms, it’s all about the guests. We strive to provide the best service we can, making sure they get more than they expect. As a manager, I also have some paperwork to do as well as training, rotas and laundry counts etc. Working in a busy hotel in Belfast is very challenging, but with the great team we have in Ibis, it makes it fun and highly rewarding. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB? Waitress in Galgorm Resort and Spa.

WHAT FOUR PEOPLE WOULD YOU INVITE TO A DINNER PARTY? Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Julia Roberts. ONE ITEM YOU COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT? Smartphone WHO WOULD PLAY ME IN A MOVIE? Cameron Diaz WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL JOB? General manager of the hotel… FAVOURITE QUOTE? “Its not what we have in life but who we have in our life that matters.”

ENTERTAINMENT FAVOURITE TV SHOW: Luther FAVOURITE FILM: Star Wars ALBUM CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Anything and everything on Spotify

MOST IMPORTANT LESSON I’VE LEARNT? To not depend on anyone for anything.

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