Innkeeper Magazine June-July 2018 Edition by Iain Hoey

ISSUE 14 â&#x20AC;¢ JUNE/JULY 2018

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contents

welcome... this month...

For decades now there has been a vast amount of commentary and guidance on developments in policy towards environmentally friendly goods that affect few in the hospitality sector more than innkeepers, such as the replacement of plastic straws. Much of this has been rhetorical, and has met powerful resistance for reasons of cost and resistance to change despite the positive impact it may have on the environment. In April the new inclusive trade body UKHospitality restated its commitment to tackling packaging waste by signing the Plastic Act. This is a business collaboration aimed at cutting plastic waste. The pact, which is signed by 42 businesses responsible for over 80% of plastic packaging, has a deadline of 2025 to meet its objectives. By then, it aims to eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use plastic packaging through redesign, innovation or alternative delivery models, ensure that 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable, that 70% of plastic packaging effectively recycled or composted and that 30% average recycled content across all plastic packaging. This is all heroic stuff, and it was backed up last month with an event staged by the trade body in London that was specifically aimed at addressing the issue of packing waste in the industry. Addressing the disparity thus far of the approach to curbing environmental destruction, UKHospitality is now encouraging the entire sector to throw its weight behind the campaign, not only to address the issue of waste, but also to help underline the hospitality sector’s potential to make significant progress without the need for government intervention.

4 NEWS

Industry news from around the UK

12 CRAFT SPIRITS Stories behind the level of care that goes into making premium independent spirits

16 CIDER GROWTH As cider sales continue to soar we look at market growth data and the types and flavours driving the healthy rise in sales

20 INN PROFILE Inn Places managing director David Hancock pays a visit to the 300-year-old inn The Durham Oxs

22 GUEST ROOM DRINKS Tips on your assortment of guestroom drinks and suggestions on how to assemble an honesty bar

26 INDOOR LIGHTING Making the most of modern LED technology to showcase your inn

Bill Lumley EDITOR

30 RECRUITMENT Take control of hiring temporary staﬀ during the busy season by using an online recruitment platform

26 www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

JUNE / JULY 2018 | INN KEEPER | 3

news

PUTTING THE FIZZ INTO ROCK MUSIC Rock band The Who frontman Roger Daltrey has launched a limited edition champagne, Champagne Cuvée Roger Daltrey, to toast the band’s 50th anniversary, its classic 1969 rock-opera album Tommy and the forthcoming world tour. Daltrey says: "I am very excited to have this opportunity to express my passion for champagne through this limited edition cuvée. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do." The band is due to start the tour in Las Vegas on 7 March next year. The iconic British rocker will return to the US for a dozen shows to perform the band’s rock opera Tommy, backed by some of the best orchestras across the US. Champagne Cuvée Roger Daltrey is created in association with Eminent Life, a company that celebrates excellence in music and the arts by creating limited-edition products. A percentage of proceeds from sales of the Champagne will go to Teen Cancer America, a charity founded by Roger and fellow band member, lead guitarist and songwriter, Pete Townshend. The award-winning champagne is produced

RED RED WINE

by Charles Orban Champagne, a family vineyard in the village of Troissy, situated on the left bank of the Marne. It is produced from a subtle blend of three grape varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Eminent Life has partnered with 80s band UB40 to create a Limited Edition ‘Red Red Wine’ to celebrate Britain’s reggae legends who have sold more than 70m records, and to celebrate the band’s forthcoming 2018 international tour. UB40 fans can raise a toast as they listen to their recently launched album “A Real Labour of Love”, which features an acoustic smooth reggae sound that is reflected, according to the Eminent Life, in the Red Red Wine Bordeaux Supérieur. The wine is produced from a subtle blend of merlot and cabernet franc and represents “a perfect expression of the two varieties used in Bordeaux. Deep colour red fruit with some blackberry notes, enriched with ripe tannins, with a long and elegant finish". Wine Enthusiast magazine describes it as “a good blend: a rich wine with fine tannins and attractive fruits”. 4 | INN KEEPER | JUNE / JULY 2018

FEVER-TREE LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION CUCUMBER TONIC WATER The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) this month held a reception in the Scottish Parliament and published a new WSTA Scotland Gin Trail for the event to celebrate the phenomenal success of the Scottish gin industry. Last year HMRC recorded 20 new distillery openings in Scotland taking the total number of Scottish distilleries up to 149, a 63% increase in five years. The recent boom in gin distilleries means that over a third of these distilleries are now producing gin. The WSTA Scotland Gin Trail, first launched back in 2016, has been updated to reflect the rapid rise in distilleries and now includes 54 gin makers across the length and breadth of Scotland. With many of the gin producers making more than one type of gin the number of Scottish gin brands is believed to have climbed to around 140. These include gins infused with homegrown botanicals including bladderwrack seaweed, rowan berry, bog myrtle, garden mint and plum. Spirit sales in Scotland were worth almost £1.2bn last year, £150 million of that came from gin sales. A YouGov poll recently ranked Scotland’s gin as the most popular spirit drink ahead of vodka and single malt Scotch whisky. In 2017 UK gin exports grew to an all-time high, worth £530m.

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news EDITOR Bill Lumley bill.lumley@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 345 NORTHERN IRELAND EDITOR Francis Higney 01737 852 345 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Caroline Sargent 07076 362082 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Matthew Attwood 01737 852345 SALES MANAGER Dywayne Ramsundar dywayne.ramsundar@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 342 PRODUCTION MANAGER Stuart West stuart.west@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 343 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Ryan Goble production@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 341

ST AUSTELL INN WINS LICENSEE OF THE YEAR The me to a dramatic close on Tuesday the 5th of June, with Alex and Tanya Williams beating the five other finalists to the top spot and winning Licensee of the Year 2018 - sponsored by Sky. Alex and Tanya Smith, who run the Polgooth Inn in St Austell, fought through the several rounds of the 2018 Licensee of the Year competition to wow the judges at the ﬁnal judging day this month to win the trophy. They were judged on their display of excellent knowledge and experience in business development, people and training, and ﬁnancial awareness. They picked up the trophy in front of a packed audience at the BII Summer event held at the Honorary Artillery Company in the City of London on 5 June, attended by the brightest and best from the industry. Tanya said: “It’s slightly surreal and it feels amazing. The BII Summer Party is such a massive event. I’m bordering on emotional. “The competition process was so tough, so you have to

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Helen Richmond helen.richmond@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 344 No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. We regret we cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any solicited or unsolicited material. Contributors are advised to keep copies of all materials submitted. The opinions and views expressed in Innkeeper are not necessarily those of JLD Media. Being subject to the Advertising Standards Authority guidelines in place at the time of going to press, all data submitted by advertisers and contained in their advertising copy is accepted by JLD Media in good faith. Inn Keeper is available on subscription. UK & Ireland £65; Overseas £98. Inn Keeper is published monthly. Printed by Stephens & George Ltd

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believe in what you are doing, that it is the right thing. The other finalists are so amazing – we have all become friends.” David Rey, managing director of Sky Business said: “A huge congratulations to Alex and Tanya in winning the Licensee of the Year Award. Sky is delighted to sponsor this award and play a part in recognising the individuals that have achieved so much in the industry.” Mike Clist, chief executive of the BII commented: “I’d like to offer a massive congratulations to Alex and Tanya and the team at the Polgooth Inn on behalf of myself and everyone here at the BII. This is a tough competition to win, but it was clear to the judges that the Williams’ had the dedication and passion deserving of Licensee of the Year winners. I’d also like to congratulate our other finalists for getting this far and being such fantastic candidates- it really was a tough decision as they all brought something unique to the competition!” As winner of Licensee of the Year competition Alex and Tanya will receive a year’s free Pubs and Clubs subscription to Sky Sports, a Study Trip to Amsterdam courtesy of Heineken and honorary lifetime membership of the BII. The BII would like to thank everyone who entered this year’s competition.

WORLD CUP GUIDANCE TO PROVIDE A LICENSEE CHECKLIST The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has produced definitive guidance for inns and pubs to help ensure that this year’s FIFA World Cup screenings are a success. The advice has been developed with the support of the Local Government Association and the National Police Chiefs’ Council. Live sport is a hugely important part of the pub experience and the World Cup is a major opportunity to attract customers who want to watch live matches with a great atmosphere. The guidance is intended as a template for pubs, local authorities and police to work together to ensure that the FIFA World Cup is an enjoyable occasion for all. It provides a handy checklist for licensees to run through in making sure all angles are covered for busy and successful screenings. Advice for pubs includes contacting the police and licensing oﬃcers to let them know plans for showing FIFA World Cup events, making public transport information readily available to assist customers in leaving venues safely, and being vigilante for suspicious behavior or anything that seems out of place or unusual. BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simonds said: “Pubs are the home of live sport and will be at the heart of the World

Cup for those fans who won’t be making it to Russia. This new BBPA guidance has been designed to help pubs have a successful tournament by working closely with their local authorities to ensure as many people as possible choose to enjoy the football at their local.” A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council added: “We welcome the guidance published by the BBPA and hope that premises adopt the good practice it contains, this will help ensure that all those who wish to watch the World Cup in Pubs, Bars and Clubs can do so in as safe an environment as possible.” The tournament kicked oﬀ on 14 June and the ﬁnal takes place on Sunday 15 July.

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news GUIDANCE GIVEN ON PROLONGED HIGH TEMPERATURE COOKING OF STARCHY FOODS implemented today. Unfortunately, the EU Industry representative body UKHospiguidance is not yet finalised, meaning some tality has issued interim guidance for the critical areas of clarification are still required industry on new acrylamide legislation as to scope and interpretation. brought into force in April. “It is regrettable that despite our conThe organisation has published guidance siderable efforts we have been unable to to help catering businesses such as inns to produce a final document for the hospitaliidentify and implement measures to reduce ty sector in time for the implementation of acrylamide levels in food following new legthe regulations. UKHospitality is commitislation, which came into force on 11 April. ted to guaranteeing that not only we but The regulation requires food businesses to also our members have full confidence in identify potential sources of acrylamide and the integrity of the guidance. Until there demonstrate that they have taken appropriis total clarity about which businesses fall ate action to reduce the levels of acrylamide under the more onerous part of the reguaccording to the principle of ALARA, or As lations, and what foods fall into scope, we Low As Reasonably Achievable. unfortunately are not able to provide the Acrylamide is an industrial chemical industry with the much-needed guidance used in the manufacture of polyacrylathey require to be confident they are commides, and has also been detected in a plying with the new regulations. wide range of foodstuffs at relatively high “UKHospitality trusts that enforcement concentrations. It is formed during the frying, roasting or baking of a variety of foods, officers, who themselves will be relying on our guidance, will be mindful of this when particularly starchy foods such as potatoes considering taking any enforcement action and cereal products. until we all know where we stand when the The document provides operators with EU publishes its guidance.” best practice guidance on how to mitigate UKHospitality Chief Executive, Kate acrylamide in their food businesses. Prepared Nicholls, said: “UKHospitality is dedicated by the industry, for industry, this guide is Insight into staff activity tivity to ensuring its members have the practical being developed with valuable input from and easy-to-use guidance they need to make the Food Standards Agency, Food Standards VFKHGXOLQJ informed and confident decisions. As with Scotland and other (IƓFLHQW HPSOR\HH VFKHGXOLQJ key stakeholders in the our Catering Guide, this guide is set to be catering and food service sector. Assured by Cornwall Council – the Primary Despite regulations coming into force Quick communication ion with Authority for the hospitality industry. today, the publication of interim guidance relevant employees s “We hope that the EU guidance will comes before EU guidance – which will probe finalised sooner rather than later so that vide clarity on the EU legislation on which businesses the regulations are set. Upon clarification, erviewcanofget to grips with the new Comprehensive overview legislation and will not be unfairly penalised the guidance will be updated and finalised. business KPIs Acrylamide is a chemical that is created and given reasonable time to understand and implement any necessary changes needed. when many foods – particularly starchy Simple time tracking ngEarlier this year it emerged that A&E foods such as potatoes and bread – are statistics may have to be recalculated after cooked at high temperatures, such as the UK Statistics Authority said changes when baking, frying, grilling, toasting or Easy-to-use app for r employees in the recording method could lead to roasting. The tentative scientific consensus is that acrylamide has the potential to “misleading conclusions”. The current target requires hospitals to be carcinogenic. have treated, assessed or discharged patients Dr Lisa Ackerley, UKHospitality food Join the thousands of who businesses enter the emergency department safety expert, said: “Over the last 18 months within fourPlanday hours. UKHospitality has been working withalready worldwide that y use The UK Statistics Authority wrote to the FSA, FSS and other stakeholders to NHS England asking them to explain the produce practical guidance for caterers on changes the Acrylamide regulations which have been Learn more: planday.com/inn L l d //i /inn in the recording method.

GOVERNMENT REVIEWS ‘GIG ECONOMY’ TAX ARRANGEMENTS

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Inns and guesthouses in the UK are hopeful a government review of tax relief for home owners letting out rooms will lead to a level playing field. In his Spring statement last month Chancellor Philip Hammond launched a call for evidence of the way in which web companies are offering services in the so-called gig economy. He did not name any specific companies but providers of economy services such as the arch-rival of inns, guesthouses and hotels, Airbnb, as well as taxi firm Uber, are understood to be targeted under a digital crackdown by HMRC proposed by the government. Hammond’s call for evidence said: "Many of those earning money through a platform may never have previously made money without an employer to act as an intermediary between them and HMRC." He said that a number of European countries have already introduced measures to tax income from companies that used technology platforms to avoid paying their fair share of tax. Airbnb, one of the kind of operations whose tax affairs the government will be considering, has come in for criticism from the traditional hospitality sector for appearing to have a less onerous tax liability regime as well as for bypassing the rigorous regulation compliance inns, hotels and guest houses have to endure. Hospitality sector groups have welcomed the development, seeing it as potentially leading to a long-overdue level playing field. B&B Association chairman David Weston said: “When B&Bs pay tax on their profits whilst their neighbours using sites like Airbnb may choose not to bother, perhaps it is encouraging that they may not be able to get away with it so easily for much longer.” The traditional hospitality sector has had many concerns about the operation of Airbnb properties, among them the lack of health and safety regulation and the fact they can operate unchallenged by the authorities when B&Bs face being forced out of business if they fail to comply. David Weston said it is not the operators using the Airbnb platform who are at fault but the regulators who need to follow through.

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news PADDOCK INNS SCOTLAND CELEBRATES ACQUIRES SITE FROM THE SUCCESS OF THE WOODWARD & FALCONER GIN BOOM The Celtic Arms at Northop Country Park, near Mold, has been sold in an off-market deal to Paddock Inns by the pub operator Woodward & Falconer. Nathan Jordan and Jose Lourenco head up Paddock Inns and currently operate the Plough Inn at Eaton in Congleton, Cheshire. The new deal allows them to grow their operation. Jordan said: “The Celtic Arms is a perfect ﬁt for our business as we feel that there is an opportunity to maintain the existing trade yet at the same time, develop the function and wedding trade by bringing what we have learnt at the Plough. We believe that with the help of the great team we have around us, we can drive forward with both the Plough and the Celtic Arms.” The Celtic Arms was developed by Woodward & Falconer in 2014 when they converted the old Golf club at Northop

8 | INN KEEPER | JUNE / JULY 2018

Country Park into a destination foodhouse. Woodward & Falconer was founded by Jeremy Woodward & Duncan Falconer and they now retain an interest in only one site, having previously sold four pubs to Hydes Brewery in 2015. These sales have allowed Falconer the opportunity to pursue his new career as a commercial pilot. Commenting on the deal, Tim Martin from Fleurets said: “We marketed the pub discreetly, seeking oﬀers in excess of £2,000,000 and it was during discussions with Paddock Inns that it became clear that the Celtic Arms would be the perfect ﬁt for them. This deal reiterates Fleurets’ capabilities with handling discrete marketing campaigns; our understanding of the trade enables us to source suitable purchasers on a discrete and bespoke basis.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) this month held a reception in the Scottish Parliament and published a new WSTA Scotland Gin Trail for the event to celebrate the phenomenal success of the Scottish gin industry. Last year HMRC recorded 20 new distillery openings in Scotland taking the total number of Scottish distilleries up to 149, a 63% increase in five years. The recent boom in gin distilleries means that over a third of these distilleries are now producing gin. The WSTA Scotland Gin Trail, first launched back in 2016, has been updated to reflect the rapid rise in distilleries and now includes 54 gin makers across the length and breadth of Scotland. With many of the gin producers making more than one type of gin the number of Scottish gin brands is believed to have climbed to around 140. These included gins infused with homegrown botanicals including bladderwrack seaweed, rowan berry, bog myrtle, garden mint and plum. Spirit sales in Scotland were worth almost £1.2bn last year, £150 million of that came from gin sales. A YouGov poll recently ranked Scotland’s gin as the most popular spirit drink ahead of vodka and single malt Scotch whisky. In 2017 UK gin exports grew to an all-time high, worth £530m. WSTA chief executive said: “Over the past five years the UK has been in the grip of what has been dubbed a ‘ginaissance’ - with sales of gin increasing at a rate of 20% a year throughout the UK. Scotland has played a central role in the gin boom and the rapid rise in the number of Scottish gin distilleries and brands has provided a welcome boost to the local economy, bringing in more jobs and encouraging tourism. The updated WSTA Scotland Gin Trail includes even more destinations where visitors can learn about the innovations and traditions behind some of the world’s best quality gins and most iconic gin brands.”

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SPANISH STOUT WINS INAUGURAL LONDON BEER COMPETITION Brought to you by

A stout from a brewer in Spain's Basque country has taken the only Gold medal at the inaugural London Beer Competition, leading a field of 21 medal winners from the judging that took place in the capital last month. Black Gold, an 8.5% ABV stout aged in rum barrels from the Basque Oak Brewery, was awarded the 90+ points required to take a Gold by a panel of 12 beer experts. Sambrook's Brewery from London took three Silver medals, and the Brewery of the Year title. The London Beer Awards were launched in late 2017 by global drinks experts Beverage Trade Network, plugging a gap in the market for an award that judges beers in the way that consumers judge them - assessing not just their taste, but also their packaging and value for money. Chief executive of Beverage Trade Network Sid Patel said, "At all the major competitions, beers are judged solely on the quality of what's in "I'd like to see more competitions find a way Sambrook's and Basque Oak. the bottle or can. We wanted to take a different to include packaging, as it's important to buyers Patel said, "Launching a new competition is approach, by asking our judges to look at beers the and it's evident that the industry still needs way shoppers do, adding appearance and value for exciting but also daunting, especially when it feedback on what sort of branding is acceptable. radically changes the way beers are judged. We're money into the mix. Hopefully comments from events such as this delighted with the first London Beer Competi"The best-tasting beer in the world will stay on will help the drive for equality and diversity tion, which attracted entries from award-winning the supermarket shelf unless the pack design and throughout the industry." brewers in the UK and further afield and a panel price point appeal to the consumer. Equally, if the of respected industry judges. taste doesn't live up to expectations, there will be "We are already making plans to run the comno repeat purchase. petition again in 2019 and will be opening entries "Including all three factors in the judging Enter now and win towards the end of this year." produces results that are closer to the reality of the LONDON BEER COMPETITION GOLD Duncan Sambrook, founder of Sambrook's way consumers purchase beers and gives brewers · Black Gold - Basque Oak Brewery Brewery, said, "We're delighted to have taken three better feedback on how their beers are perceived medals in this inauguralWorth competitionup and toto win£1,500! by shoppers." BEER OF THE YEAR the accolade of best brewer. Winning these awards · Black Gold - Basque Oak Brewery At the judging session, judges tasted and scored in the city where we have been brewing for 10 beers ‘blind' before seeing bottles or cans and is a great endorsement all the hard work marking them for on-shelf appealPlus as well a as value OF THE YEAR £1,000years cash prize for theofwinning RoomBREWERY Attendant! our brewing team have put in. for money. · Sambrook's Brewery "The fact that this competition, unlike most The majority of the medals went to UK beer contests, assesses beers not just on the taste, brewers, though beers from Spain, Italy, BEST IN SHOW (BY COUNTRY CATEGORY) A hotel’s room attendants play a key role in maintaining ·the good reputation but also the packaging and value for money, is a the USA and Sri Lanka were also winners. Wold Gold - Wold Top Brewery of the hotel where they work by providing high-quality service and upholding welcome addition and gives us a realistic picture Reinforcing the robustness of the London impeccable room standards. of how consumers view our beers. We will be Beer Competition, many had won awards in BEST IN SHOW (BY PACKAGE) shouting about our success and looking forward to other contests, including Sambrook's Brewery, Islandwell Reserve - Orkney Brewery The Room Attendant of the Year Awards have been launched· Dark to give deserved selling more of our great beer." based in Wandsworth, who took the Brewery recognition to this key role as a part of the smooth running of a hotel. Mitch Adams, beer buyer at London-based of the Year title after scoring more points than BEST IN SHOW (BY VALUE) -(£2.25) Borough Wines, said, "Seeing the packagany other brewer and three Silver medals. · Battersea Rye - Sambrook's Brewery simply visit: and ing was a To greatenter, addition to the judging, Best in Show awards went to Wold Gold from well-managed so we didn't have preconcepYorkshire brewer Wold Top and Dark Island BEST IN SHOW (BY QUALITY) www.roomattendantoftheyear.co.uk tions when tasting the beers. Reserve from Orkney Brewery, as well as to · Black Gold - Basque Oak Brewery

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news BUTCOMBE BRINGS IN NEW HIRES TO DRIVE NATIONAL GROWTH Butcombe Brewery has appointed two new senior managers to support the brewery’s expansion. John Breading (pictured) has been appointed as UK Sales Director at Butcombe, part of Liberation Group. Breading previously worked for The Beer Seller, Magners UK, and developed a national sales strategy with Frobishers Juices. He will be responsible for Butcombe’s on and oﬀ trade sales, including trade marketing. He will continue to grow the brewery’s market share and retain Butcombe Original’s position as the top regional cask beer in the South West of England. Phil Rowsell has also joined Butcombe as operations manager at their new 54,000 square foot distribution centre in Brigwater. The new site has four new projects including a new craft beer production unit, a bottling and kegging line, alongside a beer storage and delivery facility. Phil joins with extensive logistics and project management experience, working as a General Manager with DHL Tradeteam. He has a strong customer service background and has worked in partnership with companies including Molson Coors, Carlsberg, Greene King, and Mitchells and Butlers. In addition, he has worked extensively as a project owner on several large national projects within the drinks industry in recent years. Breading said: “It’s an exciting time to join Butcombe as the company marks its 40th anniversary. My role will involve supporting our sales team’s passion for customer care and ensuring our focus is on quality. We plan to build on the brewery’s success in the local beer market, growing our loyal West Country customer base, as well as increasing sales further aﬁeld.”

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GLOBAL HOSPITALITY DESIGN COMPETITION INVITES ENTRIES The Vision Style Awards, powered by textile company Vision Support Services, are now calling on hospitality venues including inns, B&Bs, spas and restaurants to enter their stylish venues into a global design competition as they return for 2018. The Vision Style Awards recognise excellence in interior design and individual style from across the hospitality sector. This year it returns with seven brand new categories and six brand new judges who aim to reward those hidden escapes and unsung heroes from across the industry. The Awards, which this year is open to hotel groups as well as accepting entries from across the world, is now in its sixth year and follows the hugely successful 2017 competition which saw the likes of Soho House Barcelona, VIVOOD Landscape Hotel, Nolinski Paris and At Six walk away with a range of prizes including a double-page spread in the company’s annual design look-book, the Vision Style Guide. Vision is now calling on hospitality establishments, architects, designers and hotel groups from across the world to submit their projects and venues to the coveted awards which has grown in esteem and prestige over the last few years alone. Entries are open until 14 September and judging will take place by the panel of judges in October, after which the winners will be announced. Judging the awards this year are world renowned

chef and ambassador to the Northcote Group, Nigel Haworth, editor of Innkeeeper Magazine and Luxury Bed & Breakfast Magazine, Bill Lumley, Director of Park Grove Design, Lori Pinkerton-Rolet, International Hospitality Sales Director at Vision, Marc Wynne, Award-Winning Journalist, Photographer and Blogger, Abigail King and Group Hospitality Sales and Marketing Director at Vision, Fraser Donaldson. The categories this year are: • Picture-Perfect B&B • Most Beautiful Bar or Restaurant • Eco-Champion of the Year • Innovative New Venue of the Year • Hottest Hotel – Independent • Hottest Hotel – Group • Most Sumptuous Spa Prizes include a cash voucher to spend on the online shop, a case of champagne, glass trophy and certiﬁcate and double-page spread in the design publication, The Vision Style Guide. You can register your entry free of charge before 14 September by visiting: www.visionsupportservices.com/style-awards

POPULAR HISTORIC YORKSHIRE INN GOES UP FOR SALE Four-bedroom inn the Three Tuns in Osmotherly near Northallerton in Yorkshire has been put up for sale at a£700,000. The mid-terrace four guestroom inn, which has been owned by the Di Giorgio family for the past 13 years, includes a restaurant, bar, snug and a beer garden. The 300-year-old Three Tuns is popular yearround but in the summer months and school holidays it sees an inﬂux of tourists which help bolster the trade. The current owners are looking to relocate. The Rennie Mackintosh inspired décor provides a warm and welcoming atmosphere for the discerning diner seeking some inspired dishes in the restaurant. David Cash, business agent at Christie & Co’s Newcastle oﬃce said: “Osmotherley is a quintessential North Yorkshire village and The Three Tuns is a charming character property, immaculately presented throughout. In addition to its stunning appearance, the business is a well-es-

tablished and consistently proﬁtable concern. “The Three Tuns would be well suited for a lifestyle owner operator, looking to live and work in a honey-pot village, which thrives during holiday season. The pub’s ideal location oﬀers the perfect balance of living in the National Park with access to larger towns, such as Northallerton and Thirsk via the A19.” The inn has a 4.5 rating on Tripadvisor with 62% rating it as excellent.

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UKHOSPITALITY PROMOTES JOB STABILITY AT LOW PAY COMMISSION Future mandatory wage rate increases should only be introduced after full consideration of economic pressures on businesses and take into account sector job losses, according to UKHospitality. The trade body has met this month with the Low Pay Commission (LPC), the independent body advising the government on the national minimum wage, to discuss wage rates and the impact on the sector. The meeting follows last week’s annual consultation by the LPC, to which it responded. UKHospitality has advised the LPC on how best to make national minimum and living wage rates work in the current, challenging market and cautioned against proposals that could lead to job losses. Chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “Increases in the rate of national minimum or living wage will put more money into the pockets of our customers, but the Low Pay Commission needs to be cautious about further tightening margins for employers. Increases to wage rates must take into account the economic pressures being faced by employers, or the jobs themselves could be under threat. “It is crucial that the LPC recognises this, along with recent closures in the sector when making its recommendations to the Government. “The hospitality workforce is in a transitional phase as Brexit approaches and needs stability to adapt. This includes the retention of diﬀerential wage rates for younger employees to support youth employment and career progression. “The Government can support work, training and the UK’s younger workers by reforming the apprenticeship system and bringing forward early introduction of T-levels urgently to help with workforce supply and development.”

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JUNE / JULY 18 | INN KEEPER | 11

The potency of a spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back story If a luxury bed & breakfast is equipped with a bar, it has the opportunity to stir the imagination of its guests simply by presenting them with the stories behind the spirits it sells. Bill Lumley takes a look at the way some of these stories unfold.

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Craft spirits

nns can attract the kind of guests who enjoy exploring and encountering new experiences. In a world away from the Holiday Inn or Hilton, guests come to your hospitality business to encounter something special, and as a rule they do not leave disappointed. You pay a high level of attention to detail in presentation of your abode to help enhance the guest’s experience. Your bar enables you to take that experience to a new level not by intoxicating your guests but by introducing them to new sensory experiences via the back story to an intriguing drink such as a craft whisky. It is the perfect platform from which to lead them to try to enjoy spirits they may never have enjoyed by simply immersing them in the brand’s own history and the way in which its drinks are created. Craft spirits distributor Maverick Drinks is shamelessly particular about the brands it works with, focusing entirely on the kind that have provenance, have a strong story and the right people behind them. Co-founder and head of brand development Michael Vachon tells Innkeeper magazine: “We call the brands that we work with craft spirits, a catch-all term that we have defined for ourselves. “Every one of these craft brands has six points to which it adheres: Craftmanship, authenticity, provenance, high-quality, having a purpose, and being founder-led.” Having a purpose ties into the idea that a craft spirit brand such as a whisky should have a story behind it to tell, he says. Every one of the brands with which the company works has a reason for existing more than simply filling a gap in the market. “It’s something that guides them. That’s important, because there are so many new products on the market that are designed around either what they manufacturers perceived as a market need, or what they saw as an opportunity to get into the same game. That has never been part of our objective. “By contrast everyone we work with has a purpose, which may be to pursue their grandparents’ legacy, or a belief that they have great local grains that give their product a unique edge. “It is important to identify what makes the brand stand out from those that may just be in the game to make a quick buck,” he says. And he explains what he means by brands being founder-led: the distributor does not necessarily insist on the brands being independent. He says: “Just because a brand has extra investment shouldn’t mean their ethos is any different; we believe that having a vision with a www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

founder who is actively involved d with that brand is important.” The brands with which Maverrick Drinks partners don’t believee they are in the business for ﬁve years, instead every one of them is fulﬁlling their life’s work, and as people they remain involved with the brand, he says. “That is soo important to me.” DISTILLERY RESURRECTION Vachon is proud of the company’s y’s stable of brands, a portfolio that it is building slowly with carefully ly selected brands. His company is the sole UK distributor for a number of craft spirits brands in n the UK. For example, Wolfburn is a whisky distilled in Thurso, in the far north of Scotland close to John O’Groats and the northernmost town on the British mainland. The brand was one of the newest stories in decades up in the highlands but in a place where there was an existing ngg distilling heritage, says Vachon. “There “Th There had been a distillery in in the early rly 1800s 1800 that h they decided to resurrect to bring back whisky distilling to the area,” he says. The founders wanted something they could pass on to their children and their children’s children. They said they were not for sale: the brand is their life, their passion, and the whole purpose of this brand is to create something of meaningful legacy, he says. “I think that is incredibly powerful. It speaks to the products themselves which are patiently and lovingly crafted and matured for longer than they necessarily need to because this is not a business they need to make a quick return on,” says Vachon. Most importantly, he adds, Wolfburn only makes whisky. “Many other producers making whisky are also making a gin for the purpose of bringing cash into the business to keep it going while they lay down and age more whisky.” That singular vision that nothing is going to cause them to deviate from that path is highly unusual, he says. “It is whisky made by people who are truly committed to whisky. Wolfbern’s products are extremely well received by the market and they are as dedicated to what they do as anyone we work with.”

FRENCH SINGLE MALT Further south to France, Maverick Drinks has a whisky that is brand new to the market, having only been launched this year, called Brenne. It was founded by a former US ballerina named Allison Parc. She had always been interested in food and drink from around the world, notably fine wine, but in 2012 she decided to get into whisky. She discovered that while terroir was at the forefront of every discussion about wine – the soil, the environment, the weather – people weren’t really talking about these elements as much with regards to whisky. After she left the world of dance she wanted to see if she could create a whisky that has its roots in terroir. She chanced upon a single malt distiller in the Cognac region. At that time, a majority of the oldest whisky was around three to four years old in new French Limousin oak barrels. Upon tasting it, she immediately identified it as something special. She and the distiller collaborated over the next four years to refine the aging spirit and continue laying down more barrels as each year’s crop of barley was ready to be harvested. The breakthrough came when she decided to incorporate his previously used Cognac casks JUNE / JULY 2018 | INN KEEPER | 13

Craft spirits

in the whisky aging process. This stimulated the whisky in a beautiful way; ultimately creating a new profile within the single malt category that became Brenne Whisky. Brenne Whisky is crafted from seed to spirit in the heart of Cognac in very limited batches. Allison’s first expression, Estate Cask, has no age statement as every barrel is bottled in single barrel releases and the aging time on each cask may vary slightly. “Brenne is more linked than any product we work with,” says Vachon. “The flavour is dominant and the brand is very much driven by its sense of place. It ties in very well with the concept of craft, it is authentic, it has provenance and it has craftsmanship in the sense that nobody else is doing this: it hits every note with us.” LOCALLY SOURCED When guests enter the restaurant at an inn they may be told that the proprietors source their meats from a local farm a few miles down the road, that they grow some of their own vegeta14 | INN KEEPER |JUNE JUNE/ /JULY JULY2018 2018

bles in their own garden. Vachon says: “That is increasingly important to the kinds of people visiting these places. Yet nobody really thinks about this sense of origin when it comes to spirits. But interest is growing, and people are deﬁnitely more in discovery mode.” He says he was staying in a guest house recently in Cirencester, a beautiful old town in Gloucestershire, where on the menu was a list of local gins. “You could identify with one gin from the region produced within a few miles, and it was a highlight of my stay to discover where the gins came from and how they were made,” he says. “Furthermore, the property itself faced onto an artisan food market where the local gin distillery bottles were on sale.” The wider craft message here is that to be able to provide an oﬀering your guests are increasingly moving towards with products that have more

character. “You may try to provide a personalised experience and add a bit of charm and character to your place but when the guests go to the bar and ﬁnd just Gordons and Bombay Sapphire then it doesn’t illustrate that same level of thought and care that you are putting into the other details of your establishment,” says Vachon. Punters will absolutely be willing to pay an extra pound for their G&T because it’s form a more well though-through selection, he adds. “That’s the real craft element here: you are creating experience that should show you have put thought into every aspect of that hospitality. When I see a bar stocked with the bog-standard gin then you are still providing a bog-standard experience.” www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

Craft spirits

Another brand Maverick Drinks distributes is one called Few, based in Chicago, which makes a breakfast gin – ideal for a bed & breakfast, and the only gin tailored to the glory of the first meal of the day. It features a recipe based around Earl Grey tea and bergamot as a botanical with a good dose of juniper. The people at the distillery are trying to innovate and to do so very much on the craftmanship side, rolling out new products every few months so they are quite agile. We come at them with ideas and they come back with some products. They are trying different things pushing innovation and having fun along the way. Guests who visit an inn often demand more out of an experience: The story, the heritage and the craft, he says. “I don’t think you are providing a good enough experience if you are leaving out any detail, but this is actually a pretty important detail because it is so visible in the bar. When you first walk into the place where most guests will spend at least some time. “A bar in an inn is potentially high yield commercial element of the business. An inn’s guest is looking for a personal experience, so why give them an impersonal experience? That’s the customer right there,” he concludes. AUSTRALIAN WHISKY Scotch whisky dominated the category for decades – centuries even – before the emergence on the international stage of whisky from North America and Japan. Relatively unheard of here in the UK is Australian whisky. In fact, there are 120 listed distilleries in Australia with quite a few of them down south in Tasmania. Whisky was being distilled there in the late 18th century, but the price of Scotch whisky fell, and it killed off the domestic whisky trade. It wasn’t until the early 1990s that Aussie whisky saw a revival. Starward Whisky founder David Vitale set out in 2007 with a goal of creating a uniquely www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

Australian whisky. His idea of an approachable, affordable whisky to be served neat or as a cocktail with food was a big leap of faith at a time when Australia had a small-scale ultra-premium whisky scene. The whisky was founded at a Qantas hangar in Melbourne suburb Essendon Fields. Here it produced the first whisky, Starward Solera, in 2013, and last year produced a product to commemorate the brand’s 10th anniversary. Starward is now Australia’s fastest-growing whisky brand. Starward has been in the UK since 2016 but was only picked up by distributor Axiom Brands in late 2017 and following the soft launch in the UK it is now in the position to step up, says UK brand manager Pete Garraway. “For B&Bs guests will come in and the owners will appreciate a story to tell. There are a couple of stories here. The wine barrels we use give it an absolutely Australian flavour: where it is produced in Melbourne is surrounded with fantastic wineries and wine producers and has four seasons in one day “We get the barrels as fresh as possible from the wineries and our new make spirit goes straight in to clean the barrels up a bit and there is still a lot of the wine character in the wood “The climate helps too with Melbourne weather - as anyone who has visited will testify - famously able to offer four seasons in one day. While in Scotland the whisky is put into the barrels to rest, in Melbourne it goes straight to work: the whisky is constantly expanding and contracting, creating the colour and character from the wine that is still in the wood given the barrels are so fresh from the wineries.” A major factor behind the brand is that Starward drinkers aren’t established whisky drinkers, says Garraway, which reflects founder Vitale’s original goal of approachability. “We try to create an accessible whisky both in terms of price but also flavour. We want people playing around with it and use it in different ways. For example, we create a whisky and tonic for example which raises a few eyebrows. “As a distillery we are curious and always encouraging ways of thinking differently with different products and at the distillery always having fun and trying new and wonderful things. That will resonate both with innkeepers and their guests, who want to

try something a little bit different. We are trying to challenge the perceptions of what whisky is and for us it is not about sitting by the fireplace and sipping a dram, it’s all about exploring the flavour and do something a bit different.” There are currently two Starward expressions. One is aged in apera barrels – Australian style sherry barrels, while the other is made with Australian wine barrels. “Australia is at the forefront of changing the market in the wine world and we very much want to follow that route with whisky. Mention the big flavours of an Australian shiraz or cabernet and people know what you are talking about. If you like those big flavours then take another step on that journey and try this fantastic whisky,” Garraway says. “We use brewer’s barley and brewer’s yeast in the production process which is very different to classic scotch produced with yeast and barely. We are seeing quite an explosion in craft beers among beer drinkers and now they understand the brewing process”, he concludes.

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"UBBLING WITH jAVOUR As we move into summer, now is a good time to take a look at the fastgrowing cider market and consider the potential it oﬀers to increase your base of regulars as well as upping the spend of your overnight guests. Bill Lumley reports.

rrespective of how well your bar is performing in terms of beer sales, pressure is mounting on turnover and margins from all sides. The UK is the largest cider market both globally and across Europe. UK cider represents 39% of the global market, according to the National Association of Cider Makers (NACM). Cider is produced by partial or complete fermentation of apple juices, pear juices, and other fruit juices. The alcoholic content of the beverage ranges from 1.2% to 8.5% abv. Ciders can be still or carbonated based upon secondary fermentation and carbon dioxide injection. The addition of distilled alcohol to cider is strictly prohibited. Currently, the cider market registers the highest growth rates of any alcoholic drink across the world. The growth of the global cider market is driven by surge in demand for gluten-free drinks and rise in preference for low alcohol beverages.

Apply strains Recognising the growth in the drink, the new owners of Aspall Cider, Molson Coors, this year pledged to invest £10m into the drink According to Aspall, apples fall into three main camps when it comes to the fermentation of cider. The ﬁrst is sweets or eating apples such as Cox. The second is sours - cooking apples with sharp acidity, such as Bramleys Seeding. The ﬁnal category comprises bittersweets and bittersharps, the equivalent of a red grape to 16 | INN KEEPER | JUNE / JULY 2018

a cider maker, with skins packed with astringent tannins and juice with an abundance of sugar such as Medaille d’Or and Kingston Black. Fruit cider, which according to Westons accounts for 27% of all cider sold, is now an important component of any retailer’s cider fixture, with retailers assigning anything up to half of their cider fixture to fruit cider products, and cider makers large and small, mainstream and crafted, being increasingly creative with the serves, flavours and propositions. However, fruit cider is a fairly new entrant to the cider category and was initially dismissed by many as a passing fad. Data from GlobalData shows that 13 years ago fruit cider barely registered in the UK market, in 2005 the 500,000 litres sold represented 0.08% of total cider volume sold, since when it has consistently grown to reach 27% of the marketplace by the end of last year. Fruit cider has done much to revitalise cider by bringing in consumers who would otherwise not have entered the cider category, Westons claims. In the on trade, data from CGA Strategy shows that fruit cider is bringing in more females to the cider category. Females make up 60% of fruit cider drinkers, compared with 47% of all cider drinkers. CGA also shows fruit cider is introducing a younger consumer to the cider category with 50% of fruit cider drinkers aged 18-34 compared with 36% of all cider drinkers being 18-34. Similarly, in the off trade, Kantar Worldpanel shows that the fruit cider shopper is younger with 48% of fruit www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

cider shoppers aged under 44, while only 33% of shoppers for all cider are under 44. So, over the last twelve years, fruit cider has done an important recruitment job for the wider cider category, bringing in new consumers and driving innovation through the myriad of new propositions in the marketplace. Fruit cider is clearly here to stay. If current growth continues at the same rate, fruit cider will be 48% of all cider by 2023. The clear majority (90%) of fruit ciders sold in the UK use berries or mixed dark fruit. The most consumed draught cider was Heineken-owned Strongbow Dark Fruit, while both Koppaberg’s strawberry and lime and mixed fruit-flavoured ciders were revealed to be the best-selling bottles in the on-trade. Helen Thomas, Westons Cider managing director and fourth-generation family member, says: “The cider industry has once again evolved over the past year. It remains a resolutely dynamic marketplace with new brands, packaging and producers all emerging over the past year. Fruit cider is now a firmly established part of the cider marketplace, most notably in the on trade where draught fruit cider has delivered cider category growth in a challenging marketplace, while premiumisation and evolving formats have driven growth for cider in the off trade. In many respects the cider marketplace is unrecognisable to what it was a few years ago

Cider volume by flavour

Cider volume by sector

On Trade Drinker By Age

Cider stats Total on-trade cider volume for the year to 21/4/2018 was 2.86m hectolitres which was + 0.1% v prior year. Value is £1.865bn which is up + 2.4%. Apple cider takes 61.6% of the category, pear 1.8% and fruit the remaining 36.6%. Draught represents 72% of all cider volume with volume up 5% year on year and value ahead by 7.6%. This has chiefly been driven by draught fruit cider, which now accounts for 17.5% of all Cider and has seen annual volume growth of 32%. Packaged cider takes 28% of the market but volume is being attacked by the above mentioned Draught Fruit and Packaged sales have slipped by -10% over the year. Draught apple still dominates sales with a 54.4% share of all Cider albeit this has slightly fallen by – 1.7% over the year with value sales flat. Source: CGA

Cider volume by tenure

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cider

and it is this dynamism that makes the cider industry such an exciting place to work. Looking forward to the next few years, the cider marketplace is not without challenges; changes in consumption habits threaten many on trade outlets where cider is drunk, while Minimum Unit Pricing threatens both pricing and promotions at varying levels of the oﬀ-trade marketplace. However, past experience shows retailers, operators and cider makers will work together to innovate and evolve to meet these challenges head on.”

Cider trends for 2018 Rob Sandall, on-trade director at Thatchers Cider tells Innkeeper magazine: “It’s all about the experience – and consumers want to know that when they go into the bar they are going to be drinking a great pint of cider in a great environment. If they enjoy that great experience, they’ll come back for more. People are prepared to pay more for quality, and that includes knowing they’re drinking a great-tasting cider that has strong values of authenticity and provenance. That’s why we work really hard and invest heavily throughout all stages of the cider journey to make sure all the ciders that leave Myrtle Farm reach the very highest standards of taste and quality. “This dedication to quality has meant that our range of ciders are now in increasing demand and people are asking for them in bars and restaurants throughout the UK. They’re loving the taste and really appreciating the provenance of the brand. This has seen Thatchers Gold grow to be the no 2 draught apple cider in the UK, whilst Thatchers Haze is seeing incredible growth – doubling in size over the last twelve months.” Alongside the continued popularity of apple cider and Thatchers Gold, cloudy cider is a style innkeepers need to be including in their range, he says. “Cloudy cider continues to show very strong growth, and by stocking a cloudy cider – Thatchers Haze - as your number two tap on the bar (after Thatchers Gold) or in bottle in the fridge, operators have an invaluable opportunity to oﬀer their customers a new and innovative cider,” Sandall adds. JJUNE JUN JU UNE / JULY JUL JU UL 2018 | INN KEEPER | 17

cider

Each E ch h Th Thatchers Thatch herrs cider cid ci cide deer has has a d h di different iff ffeer nt ffere nt sstory ttoory too te tell. elll • Thatchers Gold is a medium dry Somerset cider, full of flavour with a wonderful rich golden colour as its name suggests. Their cidermakers use a blend of their favourite apples including Dabinett, Porters Perfection and Harry Masters Jersey, for this smooth and refreshing cider. • Always on the look-out for creating a new and exciting cider, Thatchers have used the juice of the Jonagold dessert apple to give Thatchers Haze its all-natural cloudy nature. This is a cider that has a crisp sweet finish, great for summer outdoor eating and other relaxed occasions. • For serving with food, Thatchers Katy and Thatchers Vintage offer endless possibilities. The rich, round, full-bodied oak matured Vintage has a depth of character that makes it perfect to pair with bold, savoury flavours. Whilst Thatchers Katy, a crisp and slightly sparkling single variety cider crafted from the Katy dessert apple, pairs well with lighter more delicate flavours.

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TThe he iim importance mportanc of provenance Sandall says: "Provenance is deﬁnitely an important factor for consumers, alongside quality and authenticity. A family cidermaker such as Thatchers – we’ve been making cider at Myrtle Farm for four generations – has authenticity in bundles. We have 500 acres of our own orchard, we press all our apples at Myrtle Farm and we make and package all our ciders at Myrtle Farm. Customers are really keen to know the story of the brand, and are appreciative that they know where their cider is produced by people who care with a passion for the product."

Which ciders should Innkeepers stock? Innkeepers should think carefully about which ciders they stock this year – the category is undergoing substantial change, so you need to refresh your range with the right brands that are going to work for you. "We’d advise to stock draught apple cider as your number one cider – Thatchers Gold - and for your second consider your customer proﬁle carefully and choose between a cloudy cider (Thatchers Haze), or a fruit cider. "Support this choice by a variety of innovative, apple ciders in the fridge. Remember that apple cider represents nearly 2/3 of all cider volume (62%). "On the bar choose a strong brand – Thatchers Gold - that is growing and that is being given above the line marketing support." Consumers are willing to pay more for a quality cider, and Saddler says: “Thatchers Gold’s will work hard www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

cider

PAIRINGS ANDtastesFOOD OPPORTUNITIES WITH CIDERthat enhance and flavours in food. The Guide, for you, the innkeeper. We are investing in the brand with TV advertising, so your customers will know about the brand, and will be asking for it by name. Provenance and authenticity is so important, and at Thatchers we do everything diﬀerently to ensure a quality pint of cider every time. From the quality of the apples we grow – we only accept the best from our growers – to the continued investment in our cider mill to produce world class Somerset ciders, to the hands-on experience our cidermakers bring - we test every batch of cider - all results in a great tasting cider, that people want to buy."

Innovation Thatchers Family Reserve is a ﬁne Somerset Sparkling Apple Wine, making the drink an alternative to Prosecco. The cider rediscovers the recipe for “champagne cider” originally crafted by the brand’s founder William Thatcher in the early 1900s. Today,

From including cider recommendations on menus; using tasting notes on chalk boards with meal suggestions; to holding cider/food pairing evenings, we know that it can really help operators to find a point of difference and encourage new trade. To help, we’ve created a cider and food pairing guide, which tells people about the principles of food pairing, the characteristics to look out for, and importantly plenty of ideas of food and flavour suggestions to get the creative juices flowing. The Thatchers Guide to Pairing Cider with Food not only demonstrates the versatility of cider when it comes to serving it with a meal, but also the characteristics

which is available in full at www.thatcherscider.co.uk, looks at the characteristics of ciders, and then explains why certain foods work well. Here are some ideas for pairing suggestions: • The natural fruit acids in cider provide a refreshing, mouth-watering quality, cutting through fatty food, such as battered fish and chips. • A rich, full-bodied cider such as Thatchers Vintage can take on hearty dishes, such as strong cheeses, beef or lamb dishes such as curries or lasagne. • Juicy, fruity and aromatic ciders, such as Thatchers Katy can be paired with savoury dishes that feature fresh fruit, fruit sauces, chutneys or caramelised onions – think of pork with apple sauce, parma ham with melon or onion bhajis with mango chutney. • Lively bubbles give the impression of being extra mouth-watering and thirst-quenching, and are perfect for light savoury and salty snacks and starters. Thatchers Family Reserve is an 11% sparkling apple wine, perfect for special occasions and celebratory events.

Thatchers has taken William’s sparkling apple wine recipe to create a delicate, elegant fizz, that is just perfect for special occasions and celebrations. "Selecting the first gentle pressing of its beautiful Katy apples to create the finest and most delicate juice, Thatchers has created an 11% abv sparkling apple wine. It has light golden hues, gentle fine bubbles, and a great combination of intensity, delicacy and length." Martin Thatcher, fourth generation cidermaker says, “This is a very special sparkling wine, not just because the recipe originated with my Great Grandfather, but because we have taken great care and attention to produce a very fine Somerset apple wine. Using the first pressing to extract the finest juice is a skill that our cidermakers have put to great use with Family Reserve.” Thatchers, based at Myrtle Farm in Somerset, has a reputation for expertly using its apples to create ciders with character and quality, and is now adding its first apple wine to the family. The Katy apple is a fine dessert fruit, a bright red apple that is a cross between the Worcester Pearmain and James Grieve, that provides Thatchers with the perfect balance between acidity and sweetness. Martin continues, “Our orchards are cared for like no other, resulting in apples of the highest quality. “Family Reserve is created at the foot of the stunning Mendip Hills where we take inspiration from our surroundings, respecting tradition and embracing a modern approach creating interesting and premium drinks from the tastiest apples. “English sparkling wines are quickly gaining an international reputation for their amazing quality. We hope very much that people will take Family Reserve Sparkling Apple Wine to their hearts.” www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

Seasonal Cider Cocktails Cider cocktails are a great way to attract the interest of your customers, particularly over the summer period. Try these two refreshing ideas, featuring Thatchers Haze, and also Thatchers Katy, offering your customers a great experience.

Thatchers Haze and Gin Cocktail - 275ml Thatchers Haze - 25ml shot of premium quality gin Mix the Thatchers Haze with the gin. Pour over crushed ice and top the glass with mint, cucumber, lime and of course a slice of red apple.

Katy Blossom – a refreshing summer punch - 700ml Thatchers Katy - 100ml elderflower cordial - juice of 1 lime - crushed ice - 2 thinly sliced red apples Mix together the Katy Cider, elderflower cordial, and lime juice in a jug. Pour into individual glasses over crushed ice, and top with slices of red apple. JUNE / JULY 2018 | INN KEEPER | 19

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The Durham Ox

The Ibbotsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fabulous foodie pub set in an idyllic village with views to York draws the discerning for seasonal British cooking, ďŹ ne wines and local beers, and countrychic rooms. Inn Places managing director David Hancock pays a visit.

he Ibbotson family have owned the Durham Ox for some 18 years. Having spent time out developing Provenance Inns with Chris Blundell, Michael Ibbotson returned to the pub full time in 2017 to drive the business forward with his wife Sasha, and they plan to take the Ox, as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aďŹ&#x20AC;ectionately known, to a new level.

The personal touch They are passionate about the business and work tirelessly to maintain and improve the oďŹ&#x20AC;ering and the standards at the Ox. Levels of customer care and general attention to detail across every facet of the business is impressive. The unassuming 300-year-old inn stands on 20 | INN KEEPER JUNE / JULY 2018

the hill of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;grand Old Duke of Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fame in the heart of beautiful Crayke, and aďŹ&#x20AC;ords stunning views across the Vale of York, taking in York Minster, from the rear cottage bedrooms and the garden. Within easy reach of York, Castle Howard and the North York Moors, this civilised retreat is a favoured local dining destination and draws foodies from afar for top-notch pub food and very comfortable rooms. Beyond the lively localsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bar, the cosy and smartly traditional lounge bar sports a red-andblack tiled ďŹ&#x201A;oor, warm terracotta walls, unique carved panelling, an eclectic mix of pine and oak dining tables, and a pair of worn leather chairs fronting the huge inglenook ďŹ replace with its crackling winter log ďŹ re. The adjacent dining room is just as smart and informal and

a great place to dine away from the hubbub of the bar. The relaxed and informal vibe extends to children and dogs, with the latter welcome in the bars and overnight in the rooms (except the Studio Suite). Children have their own menu, or smaller portions are available, and extra beds can be added to some of the rooms. Upstairs there is an elegant private dining room upstairs that comes with a relaxing lounge area with deep sofas, antiques and an honesty bar, and ďŹ ne views up the village street to the church. The Ox Barn, which seats 25-85 people, is a great space for larger celebrations and makes a cracking wedding venue, replete with its own bar, blazing wood burning stove, and direct access to the sheltered rear terrace with its posh brollies and smart outdoor furnishings, the perwww.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

Ă&#x2030; fect spot for summer sipping. The Ox also hosts literary lunches and the ever-popular Friendship Lunches or monthly get-togethers, which aim to reach out to those in the local community who are lonely and rarely leave the house, so they can meet new people and make new friends.

Do not disturb Six comfortable, well-equipped rooms are split between the inn, converted farm buildings to the rear and Ivy Cottage, a beautifully equipped 3-bedroom cottage located a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw (literally) from the pub. All are individually designed with a country-chic feel and ooze charm and character â&#x20AC;&#x201C; oak beams, exposed brick walls, big brass beds with crisp linen, warm throws and bright cushions, deep sofas to lounge in, rich fabrics, antique furnishings, big lamps, magazines to peruse, CD players and smart, compact bathrooms with walk-in power showers and quality Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Occitane toiletries. The luxury self-contained Studio Suite has acres of space â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a super king size bed, double sofas, honesty bar, 42-inch plasma screen and a private terrace and balcony with view across the Vale of York and up the hill to Crayke Church. The large Cottage is the perfect bolthole for friends or a family as it has two large bedrooms, a big bathroom with walk-in shower and separate tub, and honesty bar, and a galley kitchen. Michael has plans to develop more rooms at the inn, perhaps adding a clutch of smart new lodges on currently unused space at the bottom of the car park. Tucked away from the inn and enjoying the magniďŹ cent views across the Vale of York, these would certainly be the icing on the cake for the Durham Ox.

sseasonal greens, and hake, crushed new potatoes, ssamphire, shrimp butter. For something simple aat lunchtime, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a steak sandwich with rockeet, tomato, horseradish cream and onion gravy, oor beer-battered haddock with hand-cut chips, m mushy peas and tartare sauce. To ďŹ nish, there are mouth-watering puddings, p perhaps treacle tart with lemon curd ice cream or ssticky toďŹ&#x20AC;ee pudding, and an excellent cheesebboard, served with homemade oatcakes, grapes, cchutney and a glass of port. Roast Sunday lunchees â&#x20AC;&#x201C; leg of Mount Grace lamb with roast potatoes aand apricot and rosemary stuďŹ&#x192;ng â&#x20AC;&#x201C; draw a loyal llocal crowd and best enjoyed following a brisk w walk around the Crayke Estate.

HHighlights F Foodie haven in an idyllic village Top British cooking; seasonal food T C Country-chic rooms; Studio for views The Ibbotsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s; great hosts Th Great views across the Vale of York

THE DURHAM OX Westway, Crayke, York, North Yorkshire, YO61 4TE 01347 821506 www.thedurhamox.com www.innplaces.co.uk

Mastering the menu Cooking is classic British with monthly menus and daily specials listing hearty, big ďŹ&#x201A;avoured dishes that make good use of seasonal produce sourced from surrounding farms and local artisan suppliers. Guests can choose a bottle of wine from the array of bottles and bin-ends on the dresser, or order a tip-top pint of hand-pulled Timothy Taylor Boltmaker to accompany asparagus, prosciutto, poached egg and parmesan, peppered 35-day aged rib-eye steak, dauphinoise, asparagus and black truďŹ&#x201E;e butter, and lemon baked Alaska, a typical choice from the May specials boards. Main menu dishes take in seared king scallops, watercress and peas, caper butter, The Ox shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pie (braised lamb) with mash and www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

JUNE / JULY 2018 | INN KEEPER | 21

alcohol

*XHVW URſP GULQNV Many guests at inns like to break from the hustle and bustle of the bar for a relaxing time together in their guestroom. Bill Lumley explores the potential return on investment an honesty bar can oﬀer

n addition to the provision of a bar, an inn can still perfectly well meet the needs of your guests who wish to have a drink in their own bedroom through the provision of an honesty bar. The risk of shrinkage seems theoretically higher than a bar, and obviously so, but evidence suggests it is a risk worth taking. Despite the very idea conjured up by an honesty bar of being left out-of-pocket by unscrupulous guests who may help themselves to your booze without signing for it, the hospitality

market is surprisingly immune to petty theft in this particular regard. Indeed, psychologists such as Dr Diogo Gonçalves of the Tilburg Institute for Behavioral Economics Research at Tilburg University have been left bewildered by the lack of abuse of the honesty bar worldwide, perplexed for example by the wealth of evidence that cash put into the till or box is not stolen by others. Guests who make use of the honesty bar may well then make their way to their respective rooms which, if they are equipped with a minibar, crack it open to continue the evening’s festivities.

Sparkling wine Champagne, English sparkling wine and prosecco are likely to sell well in virtually any honesty or mini-bar, but particularly if your inn is used by wedding guests or group parties. Guests are just as likely to open and buy a standard 75cl bottle to share among themselves, as they might a miniature. But in the minibar, individual bottles of sparkling wine should appeal to thirsty 222 | INN IIN NN KEEPER NN KEEPE KE PEER JUNE P JU JUN UNE / JULY JULY JU L 2018 201 00118

guests in celebratory mood. Miniatures of mainstream premium brands such as Moet & Chandon and Bottega compete for space in commercial high-end hospitality businesses, but as with whiskies that yield high sales levels due to their intriguing back stories, there is also great scope for a similar eﬀect with non-mainstream prosecco or champagne brands. One example is highend prosecco brand The Emissary, which launched last month at the London Wine Fair. It is currently only available in standard-sized bottles, but Innkeeper magazine tried it and gave it a strong thumbs-up on tasting it at the show. In developing the drink, founder ww www www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk ww.in ww innnke nkkkeeepe e rma rm gaz rm azine az zine nee.co .cc .uk u uk

alcohol Ed Smith says he embarked on a journey to produce a prosecco of the highest quality. “The Glera grapes for our Prosecco DOC Treviso Spumante Brut are harvested from the foothills of Colli Asolani, in the province of Treviso, Veneto. The family owned vineyards are 150m above sea level, providing good sun exposure and a mild, temperate climate. The soil composition is a balanced combination of silt, clay and sand,” he says. “The Emissary is a brilliant straw yellow with fine, persistent perlage forming a hearthy white froth. Floral and mineral nose with a touch of citrus; displays notes of white flowers. On the palate it is lively yet elegant and very refreshing with a dry finish. Food Pairing Great as an aperitif wine.” or aass an n aall-round ll rou ound dw in ne. e.

BBeers eers A YouGov YouG Yo YouG Go survey compiled by tthe th he fe ffemale emaal beer group Dea Latis p pu blis bl ishe is he last month revealed he published that tth hatt almost alm lm one third of women aare ar re choosing ch ch hoo oo to drink beer at ho h ome me, ccompared with just home, 3% % ooff women in 2009. This staggering sst tag aggg growth of more tth than ha 1,000% should not be ov overlooked. The survey report aauthors attribute some of au that change to the emerth gence of more accessible gge e craft cr r beers, but the UK still st ti has one of the lowest percentages of women pe beer bbe e drinkers in the world. That percentage is likely Th to grow as the traditional older old ol ld female drinker is replaced by the young re ep generation with their gge e modern tastes. m mo o Timely stepping up to the mark in terms of this major growth in women beer drinkers is the team behind the creation of New Yorker Fine Lager Beer, freshly bottled for shipment to the UK for its unveiling at the London Wine Fair last month. Ross Humphries from New Yorker Beer tells Innkeeper: “A new entrant into the premium packaged lager market, we want to be premium in price. We believe we are premium in quality, and as a new entrant we have the advantage of being able to tailor the taste to a global market, and also to make it easy drinking and female-friendly.” This should appeal to many innwww.innkeepermagazine.co.uk www w ww w..in w.in .iiinnnke nke keeepe eperma ep epe rmaggaz rm rma gaaazzine zine inne ne..co ne.co .cccoo.uk uukk

keepers. Often single woman staying alone eep eper per ers O ften iiff a ssi ft in nggle l w oman iiss sst om tay a in ingg al loon n at an inn on a business trip, she might typically sit down in her room with some work and open a drink from whatever source the venue oﬀers, be it an honesty bar or a mini bar in the bedroom, rather than risk being interrupted and perhaps drawn into a distracting conversation at the bar. Another advantage to the beer being premium in both price and quality is that the supplier can set its own price. “People have preconceptions of the value of mainstream global brands, so there is

a premium to be charged d since ssiin ncce we we are not currently in the ooff ff tr ttrade, rad de, e, and we have no point of reference refe re fere renc re ncce in the supermarkets,” he ssays. ays. ay s. If a beer is designed for or a male drinker with a preconoon n n-ception of what he wantss to to buy, for example something ing ng heavily malted at 5.5%, then th hen en that’s half the potential au audiudidiid ence gone. By contrast, in n the the case of a beer with a clearer rer re bottle such as The New Yorker York Yo rkkerr Fine Lager Beer, the tonee an and nd colour should indicate that haat itt is not heavy in taste while le the tth he he bottle declares the alcohol ol att a more modest 4.2%, which too should indicate it is female-friendly, while being male-accessible as well. Many mini bars and by association honesty bars will attempt to cover all bases encompassing mainstream global brands, a stronger male-focused beer and a Corona or Peroni. “It is the intention of The New Yorker to break down these barriers,” he says. New Yorker Fine Lager Beer, whose importer is Norlin Distribution within the UK, is in the process of building up its wholesale network, but can get stock to any inn, according to Humphries. A range of premium bottled beers is available from Enfield Brewery, which uses only natural water and locally sourced products and and a very labour-intensive, manual manufacturing process. Founder Rahul Mulchandani tells Innkeeper: “We have two beers that are selling well to the female drinker. IPA is doing well – it is a really floral and not overly bitter beer that women do enjoy.” Surprisingly he says the other beer that is gaining popularity among women drinkers is Porter. Typically he says when a bar manager suggests JUN JU JUNE UNE / JULY JU ULLYY 2018 20118 | INN 20 IN NN N KEEPER KEEEPER EPE PER | 23 2

alcohol someone tries a dark beer, they are put off because they think it is going to taste very bitter, and they often automatically think of Guinness. But he says: “The way we explain the dark beer is by suggesting it suits people who enjoy drinking coffee, because the grain is roasted in a similar way to which coffee beans are roasted. You get the similar aromatics and nuttiness that you get with roasted coffee. We find a lot of women who enjoy drinking strong tea and coffee enjoy the Porter, and our Porter isn’t overly bitter so that helps to make it very easy-drinking beer.” Enfield Brewery also encourages food pairings across its range. “Even if the customer is not drinking the beer with food it gives them a good idea of where the beer sits in terms of the intensity scale,” he says. “For example, we say our Pale Ale is good with slightly more intense flavours like lamb, beef and portobello mushrooms. The Porter goes well with deserts and very well with dark chocolate, gooey chocolate desserts, blue cheese, and there are notes of berries in the beer so it goes very well with dark berry fruits. That helps to encourage people to try something a little out of their comfort zone,” Mulchandani says.

Spirits Veering from the path of stocking household global brands such as Bombay Sapphire or Smirnoff is another way of drawing in experimental drinkers. In their local bar they may stick to what they know and be less likely to veer into new territory, but the surroundings of an inn provide the perfect setting for adventure when it comes to experiencing new brands. One such vodka brand is Thunder, geared to the tastes of skiers notably those of the French ski resort of Val D’isere. The vodka was created and founded by managing director Jon Lilly, veteran and one-time bar manager of the famous G-Jays bar in Val D’isere. He says he wanted to create a premium brand that will stand the test of time and what a triumph it has been. Thunder is now widely available throughout the UK, and is listed with many of the biggest drinks distributors. Toffee-flavoured vodka mixes have for a long time been rife in their experimentation in the bars and restaurants, according to Lilly. The vodka is based on a recipe that combines both vodka strength and toffee syrup delicacy. “It is the culmination of many years of mixing and meticulous preparation to find the perfect consistent toffee plus vodka spirit drink, which could be bottled, branded and introduced to the drinks industry,” Lilly says. 24 | INN KEEPER JUNE / JULY 2018

An ice-cold fridge would clearly be a requirement if such a drink were to be oﬀered by the inn’s honesty bar, of course.

Evolving habits According to California research company Hexa Research, the global minibar market size is expected to reach $1.5bn in the next six years, owing to the “transformation, growth, and emergence” of the hospitality industry. With the rise in the demand for customer satisfaction and the necessity of enhancing profitability in the hospitality sector, and as the demand for minibars grows, the increasing prerequisites of consumers and guests for hassle-free services, high levels of comfort, facilities, and luxury while travelling and during their stay is anticipated to encourage the market growth, says the research company. This in turn is expected to reassure the hospitality sector to focus on providing value added services such as safety box, laundry, Wi-Fi, ironing, dry cleaning, minibars, in-room dining and others. One of the services offered by exclusive hotels nowadays is the in-room minibars, which adds to customer experience. And as we make progress with growing confidence towards a cashless society, Innkeeper magazine confidently expects a growth in the emergence of honesty bars whose transactions are exclusively card-only. And with evolving habits such as the sharp rise in the number of women drinking what drin dr i ki in kingg bbeer, eer, ee eer, r, w haat is i currently cur urre rent re nttly n ly sseen een aass a qquirkier ee u rk ui rkie kiieer style sst tyl y e to to tthese h ssee bbars he arrs co ccould ou ulld be bbecome eco c me m commonplace com ommo monp mo npla npla lacee in in the not-too-distant th he no ott--ttoooo-d diissttan ant future. futu fu ture r.

Alcohol sales rising sharply Total yearly alcohol sales increased by £580m in 2017 compared with 2016, including an extra £120m on last year’s quarterly sales to the end of December. • Volume sales continue to decrease whilst value sales increase in both yearly and quarterly sales, leading to increasingly higher average prices affected by high inflation. • Sparkling wine’s growth slowed slightly in the last quarter of 2017 but remains a leading category for growth, particularly by value. There is also now a noticeable increase in average prices, something which hasn’t always been present in sparkling wine, as value sales start to outpace volume sales. www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

alcohol

Ideal areas of use: Public bars, hotel bars, hotel restaurants, private function areas.

www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

JUNE / JULY 2018 | INN KEEPER | 25

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Light technology is evolving fast, led by increasingly sophisticated LED technology, but the principles behind lighting and of achieving the most eďŹ&#x20AC;ective way to showcase your inn remain the same. Bill Lumley talks to the owner of Peter Reid Lighting

lighting

eter Reid developed a fascination for lighting techniques when he began his career in the 1980s as a writer for glossy interior design magazine The World of Interiors. In 2008 he launched his own online shop for beautifully engineered outdoor and garden lighting. Business went so well that in 2013 he set up a second online shop to showcase a rapidly growing portfolio of luxury and designer indoor lights. Then, in March 2016, the two shops together were combined to form Peter Reid Lighting. He says: “Our business model is simple. It’s to offer high quality luxury interior and outdoor lighting with enduring appeal, from brands you can trust, all backed by attentive personal service.” One defining characteristic, he says, “is our enthusiasm for all design styles: contemporary, traditional, classic, retro. Every interior and exterior space makes its own demands, and we try to satisfy those demands as best we can.” Interior lighting at high-class guest houses and boutique hotels, while clearly functional, is also much more than that, he says. “It’s about trying to create mood, and to achieve that effectively involves painting a space with both light and shade to create areas of high lights and low lights.”

Recessed down lights A mainstay of many hospitality interior lighting schemes is recessed ceiling down-lights. Reid says: “There’s nothing wrong with that, but people do like to have a sense of where the light is coming from, so it’s helpful if it can be supplemented by light from a fitting in your field of vision like a ceiling pendant or table lamp. That way, visitors can subconsciously tick that particular reference point and know where the light is coming from.” One tip when using recessed ceiling down lights is to place them close to the walls rather than scattering them around in the ceiling. When they’re by the wall they create a highlight down the wall, but when they’re scattered around the ceiling you’re basically lighting the floor unless there’s something like a dining table directly underneath them. “You don’t generally want to spot light the floor, unless is it a particularly beautiful floor,” he suggests. Recessed down lights are certainly a good way to spread light around a room. “But installing them is a major job unless you’re planning a big refurbishment. It involves far more work, time and expense than simply getting an electrician in for half an hour,” he says. Another drawback with recessed down-lights is they’re not particularly interesting to look at. One idea to make them more attractive, he suggests, www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

is to consider Original BTC’s new Sopra recessed down lights. These come with a fine bone china surround in a choice of smooth, ridged or quilted textures. “When they’re lit, the bone china glows and, because the light source is largely obscured, they create less glare. Basically they turn the humble, recessed down-light into a little bit of luxury, rather than just a hole in the ceiling surrounded by a chrome or white flange,” says Reid. At around £150 each, these downlights aren’t cheap, however. Another alternative solution Reid suggests is a fitting like the Male Recessed stable Decorative Spotlight. This is a down light with an ornate cast brass flange that gives it a period look, Reid says, it would blend well into a Georgian or Victorian interior. It’s also adjustable, ideal for spot lighting paintings or other art works.

Decorative light fittings Although the beauty of recessed downlights is that they’re unobtrusively out of the way, functional and do their job well, they’re not particularly decorative. Reid says: “All other lights, be

they ceiling pendants or chandeliers, wall lights or table lights, should be thought of as decorative as well as functional features. They add to the interior’s visual richness just like a painting on the wall, a beautiful piece of furniture or a choice vase on a mantelpiece. They’re literally part of the furniture and so deserve careful thought.” Another rule of thumb when it comes to selecting your light ﬁttings is the more the merrier, within reason. Using a single ceiling light to illuminate a space can make it look ﬂat and uninteresting, whereas deploying a mix of ceiling, wall and table lights allows you to create varying levels of illumination throughout the space, putting light where it’s needed, using it to highlight decorative or architectural features, and generally creating a sense of depth, richness and even drama, he says.

Glass, metal or fabric One important decision to make with ceiling lights concerns is whether you want an all-round 360-degree light eﬀect, or perhaps you want to direct the light downwards onto a dining table, serving counter or reception desk. Reid says: “That will dictate the choice of shade. If you use clear or white opal glass you’re going to get an even 360 degree spread of light.” Clear glass shades are extremely fashionable at the moment, he says. “But bear in mind you’ll want to select an attractive light bulb, which could limit your choice if you’re using LED bulbs. With white opal glass you can’t see the bulb, and it also softens the light.” Another fashionable alternative is smoked or tinted glass, which can create a mood all its own. JUNE / JULY 2018 | INN KEEPER | 27

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LEDs LE ED Dss have haavve two ttw wo great g eeaat advantages. gr ad dva vant n agges e . They They are The arre very veryy ve energy een ner ergy g efficient, effi fficcie ient ent n , capable caapaabblle of of cutting cut utti tingg your ti you ourr lighting lliigh hti tn ngg eelectricity el ecctr triccitty bill tric bbiillll by by abou ab boou ut 80 880% 0% co 0% omp par a ed dw ith h oldabout compared with sstyle styl st tyl yle incandescent in ncaandes nd n des e ce c nt n bulbs. bul ullbs u bs. Secondly, SSeecoon nd dlyy, good ggoood od quality quaalityy LEDs L LE ED Dss will wiilll last last for la forr a very ver e y lo long ong ttime, im me, e, w with itth so someome mthing thin th hin i g like likkee a 20-year li 200--yeear llife iiffe n no not ot ou oout ut ooff the the h question que u st s iioon depending de d epe pen nd ding in ng on on usage. usa s ge g . That That means Tha mean me ans ns more more mo r ttime ime to im t sspend sp peen nd looking looookkin ng after afte af t r guests ggu uesstss rather rat athe heer than th haan n changing cha h nggin ingg llight li ight igh ght bulbs. gh bbu ulb bs. s When Wh W hen n choosing ch hoooossin ng your yyoourr L LED ED E D bbulbs, ullbss, th tthere erre ar are re three tth hre ree things th hin ngs gs to to look looookk out out for. for or.. First Fiirs F rst iss what wha h t wattage w ttttag wa tagge yyou yo ou need neeed ne d to to replace repl re plaacce an an eexisting xist xi s in ingg in iincandescent nca cand ndessce nd centt fivee bbulb. bu ulb ulb lb. A handy lb. haand h ndy dy rule rule ru l of of thumb thum th mb is is to to divide diivi d v de de by by fiv fi the tth he wattage wattttaagge of wa of the th hee old old d bulb bul ulb lb you’re yoou’ u’ree rreplacing. e la ep laci c ng ng. So S a 12 12 watt waattt LED LE ED will wiilll create w creeatte ap appr approximately p oxxim pr imat atel at elyy the th he same sa ame me light lig igh htt output out utp pu ut as a a 60 60 watt w tttt incandescent wa inccan ande d sscceen nt bulb. bu ulbb. Then Th The n check chec ch heecck whether whethe wh etheer the et th he LED LED bulb LE bu ulb l is is dimmable. diim mm mab able le. Some SSo ome me aare, re, but re bbu ut many maanyy aaren’t. m rreen n’’tt.. The Th second seeccon ond thing th thin hi g to to look looook for foor when wh w hen en buying buy u in i g LED L LE ED bulbs bulb bu ullb bs is is the th hee light lig i h htt colour. coollou our. r LEDs LE ED Ds offer off ffeerr a wide wid i e choice cch hoi hoi oiccee of of light liggh li ht colours c lour co lourrs which lo wh hic i h are are usually ar usua us uaallllyy grouped grou gr grou upe ped

into in ntoo ‘warm ‘w waarm m white’, whi w hite h te’,, ‘neutral ‘ne n utra utra ut r l wh w whit hitte’ e and and d ‘cool ‘ccoool ol white’. whiitee’. white’ Re R eid d ssays: aayys: ys: s: “We’d “W Wee’d d always alw way ayss Reid rre eco eco comm om mm meen nd w wa arm mw h tee hi recommend warm white ffo or inns in nn nss and and d hotels hotel otells because ot becaus beca be caaus ue for it’s’ ssofter it ofte of ter an nd m mo orree iinviting, n it nv itin in ng, g it’s and more comp co mp m par ared d with wit ith neutral neeu n uttra ral or ral o compared cool co oll whites wh hiitees which wh whic hic ich can can look ca loookk rather rra ath theerr clinical. clliin niiica ccaal.l. Look Looook for ffoor 2700K 2700 27 0000K oorr 3000K 300 0 00K K on on the the label th llaabbeel for foor warm waarm rm white. wh w hitte. e. Higher Higghe her K numbers nu n umb mber ers like liikee 4000K, neutral 440 0000 00K 00 K,, oor,rr,, 55000K 000K 00 000K K aare re n re eeu uttrral utr al aand nd ccool.” nd ool.l.l.” oo Some LED Edison filament LED SSo ome vvintage-style in ntaaggee-s - tyyle L ED E ED diso di son fil fi laam men nt L LE ED warmer options, bbulbs bu ullbbs offer off ffe even eveen wa arm rmeerr ccolour olou ol oou ur oop pti tioon tion nss,, like lik ikee 2200K, the 222 20000K, or or have haave h avvee aan n am aamber beer ti ttint ntt ttoo tth n he glass, ggllas ass, s, which whi hich ch h ccreates cr rea eate tes a simi ssimilar si imila milaar effect. effec eff ect. ec t.. ““We We think We th hiink n these the hessee warmer warme armerr are lighting bbulbs bu ulb bs ar re lo llovely v ly ve ly ffor orr aaccent cccen ent li igh g ti ting ing ng llike ike ik ke wa wallll aand nd table hesitate ta ablle lights, ligh g ttss, but gh bu ut we’d we’d dh esit es itaatte too ssuggest ugggeesstt using ug ugge usi sing n ng them room’s th hem m across acr ccrros o s an n entire entir nttirre ro oom m’ss llighting,” igh ig httin ngg,,” says s ys sa y Reid. Rei e d. final Th fi The n l thing na tth hiin ng ttoo llook ooook out oou ut fo ffor or is is tthe hee LED h LED bulb’s CRI Ra). Colour Renbbu ulb b’s C R ((or RI orr R a)). CRI CR C RI stands ssttaan nds ds for for or C o ou ol ur Re Ren ndition which how d di iti t on on IIndex, nd dexx, wh w ich ic h is is a measure meaasu uree of of h ho ow cl ow cclosely los osel elyy el the light created daylight. tth h hee li igh ht ccr rea eatteed resembles rese re ese semb mbble les da d aylliiggh htt. A CRI CR RI off 100 110 00 means 00 meean ans it it rrenders en nde ders ers all alll tthe hee ccolours h olour ol ourrss ooff the ou th he specspec sp ecec trum daylight. tr ru um m aass perfectly peerffec ectl t y as d aylliigh ay ght. t Both Bot o h halogen haaloogeen an aand d incandescent CRI in nccaan nd deessce cent entt light lig i htt bbulbs u bss achieve ul acch hieevvee a C R ooff 10 RI 1100, 0,, but LEDs have bbu ut LE EDs Ds ccurrently urre r nt n lyy don’t. don n’tt. Most Moost M st h ave a CRI av CR RI off have 8800 oorr 85 5 bbecause ecau ec aau use tthey heey h ha ave ve ttoo ooo much muc uch blue bllue ue in in their spectrum not red. Reid th hei e r sp peccttrru um m aand nd n ott eenough nooug n ugh re ed. d. R eiid sa ssays: yss: ys: “What “W Wha hat this th his is means meeaans n iss all alll the th he reds reeds ds and an nd d browns bro rown wn wns ns in n your your floors, yo ou urr sspaces paacees – yyo p ourr ttimber iim mbeer fl flo ooorrs, rs, s, mahogany mah hoggan anyy fu ffurrniture, upholstery, n ni itu turee, brown tu brrow own leather own leat le athe at heer up u ph hools lste teery ryy, even eevven n that tha hatt red r d re English ggrilled gr ril ille led tomato tooma mattoo iin n your yoour u E nggliish n sh bbreakfast reeak akfa fast s – will st wil il look flat lack Your lo oookk fl at aand nd d lac a k vibrancy. vibr b an br ancy ncy cy. Yo cy. Y ou urr gguests ueesstts won’t u woon’ nt llook lo ook o ttheir heeir bbest, esst, t either, eithe her, er, bbecause eeccau usee ttheir h iirr skin he ski k n tones tone to n s ne will shop w wi ill aappear pp pea ear washed ear was ed wa wash d out. out ut. However, Hoowe H owe w ve v r, r if if you yyoou sh hop o higher LEDs aaround rou o nd d tthere heere re are are r h igghe herr CRI CRI LED CR LE L EDs Ds aavailable. vvaail i ab a le. lee. example, GU10 LED Forr ex Fo xam mpllee,, our our Soraa Sor oraa aa G aa U10 LE U1 L D spot ssp poott llamps amps am for downffo or recessed r ceesssed re ed cceiling ei eiling ei d ow wn-- llights iigght hts are arre CRI CR C RI 95 95 rated, rate t d, making makkin i g their t eir colour th coolloou urr rendition ren endi diti di tiion on aall-but lll-bbutt indistinguishable halogen.” in ndi d stin ngu guis isha habl ha b e from om mh aloggen al e .”” Reid piece advice R Re id offers off ffer fer er s on oonee last laast p iieecee ooff ad dvi v ce ce oon n LEDs: “An number LE E Ds D : “A An incr iincreasing in n c easing ngg n um mbbee r of of llight igght ht ffittings ittttiing n s with integral LEDs. aaree now being ar bee ing in ng designed d siign de ned dw itth in n te tegr e ggrral al L ED D s. s integral LED Iff an inte egr g al al L E ffails, ED ails, ai lss , itt ccan’t a ’t’t ssimply an impl im plyy replaced bee repla a ced ceed byy popping p op p piingg oout u ttoo your ut yyoour ou urr llocal occ aall The whole ssupermarket su u p erm m arrket ket to ke t o buy uy a new new e oone. n .T ne Th h hee wh hol ole fitting returned llight li g t fi gh i ttt in i n g usually ussua u u lly has haas too be h b e rre e tu tu rn rned e to to the tth he manufacturer Wee think ma m aanufa fact ctt u urrer er ttoo be rrepaired. ep pai aire ree d. red. d W tth hin ink that’s th hat’s at’ss at going make lot go oin ingg to m a e a lo ak o t of of ccustomers us toome us m rs r aawfully wfu wf ull ly l aannnoyed, which why don’t n no oye yed, d, w h ch hi h iiss wh h y we w d on’t’tt ssell on e l lights el li gh li g tss with witth integral LEDs unless can iin ntegr t egr te g al a L ED D s un unle lleess tthey heey ca a n be b e rreplaced ep p lace laacee d on o site. You upgrade LED the si i ttee. Yo Y u al aalso s o ccan’t so a ’tt u an pgg ra r de de tthe he L he ED as ED as th he technology With non-integrated te tech e ch chno nooloo gy g iimproves. mproovvees.. W mp itt h a no ith non n- in n-in nnte tegr g at gr ated ed d LED have been LE L E D if i f yyou ou ffeel eeee l your yoou urr llight i g htt bbulbs ig ull bs u bs h avve bbe e een n superseded su u peerrss ed ed eed d you yoou u can can simply sim mpl plyy ch cchange chan h an an ggee tthe hee bbulb.” h ull b. u b” JUN JUNE UN NE / JULY JU ULYY 2018 2201 0 8 | IINN NN N KEEPER KEEPE KE EPEER | 29 EP 2

technology

Finding WKH ULJKW VWDIŶ T

Online recruitment platforms automate the process of ﬁnding, appointing and paying temporary staﬀ at peak season. Bill Lumley talks to Buzzhire founder and CEO Nick Miller.

30 | INN KEEPER | JUNE / JULY 2018

here are always going to be occasions when you will at find yourself having to employ temporary staff to assist you with guest accommodation or bar work, particularly during your busiest seasons. And if you have gone through the process of hiring such staff in the past then you are likely to have witnessed the potential compromise that it can place on your business. Recruitment is big business, and across most business sectors there are many worthy traditional recruitment agencies that handle seasonal staffing support services. Across the UK there are many such companies specialising that are well-equipped to help you out by providing hospitality and catering staff at short notice. However, in recent years recruitment facilities have emerged that capitalise on relatively new technologies such as GPS and social media. One such company is Buzzhire, an online platform that allows hospitality owners to manage and request flexible staff with the same quality and reliability, it claims, as if they were full-time staff. Making use of Buzzhire is similar in terms of process to making a purchase from a household-name online shopping facility such as Amazon or Ocado, according to CEO Nick Miller. You go on line submit the details of your business, your requirements, and

when you need them. The process is then automated. He explains: “There is a lot of transparency on who has been conﬁrmed on your booking you can see their past history. But there is always a human aspect: we provide automation for technology, but we still have the human factor that is important to translate the needs of our client. “Imagine you know exactly what you are getting but you also know where they are an hour

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technology before they show up, you can message the directly,” he says. The main challenges in the field of recruitment faced by the hospitality sector stem largely from the fact that these are very seasonal businesses and therefore need to increase and reduce their staffing levels often. The problem with this is that you inevitably have part time temporary workers working for you and you have to best manage your cost, he says. “Fluctuations in demand need to be supported by an equivalent reduction in staff. If you are very busy in the summer months and quieter in autumn you can’t justify employing the same staff in the autumn that you employ at high season or the costs of payroll will be too high.” You run a seasonal business, but you also operate very much in a service industry, and you therefore rely on the right people to create good customer service. “As the sector has become increasingly competitive and margins are squeezed and overall the hospitality industry has suffered over the last few years it is important that hospitality businesses across the UK whether large or small can manage flexibility in their work force but still maintain the best quality,” says Miller. “A technology platform such as the one we have at Buzzhire makes it exponentially easier to manage. There are two underlying aspects behind quality. The first is that temporary, part-time staff tend to be far more unreliable than full-time staff. They may not show up or they may arrive late and so forth, leaving the innkeeper in great difficulty.” He claims that Buzzhire ensures that over 99% of people who are booked via the platform arrive at their appointed job on time, and he explains: “We do that by leveraging GPS data and historical performance data. When you have part time staff one of the major problems is their failure to show up on time or even at all and we have made that no longer an issue. Leveraged GPS data tells us where people are and enable sus to remove them from bookings if they are not on their way

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to a job for which they have been booked and replace them with people who we have as backup and thus ensure everyone arrives on time. “The second thing is that because historically whenever you used part time or temporary workers you would need them maybe for a few weeks and then you won’t need them and then when you needed staff again you’d be sent a new set of people who did not know the ins and outs of your operation. “By contrast on our platform there is a great deal of data that you provide on how people have performed on previous shifts. You can request the same workers for future shifts. That means you have a more consistent pool of flexible staff with people who have worked with you before. And the matching system which is automated is built around a wealth of data that illustrates the kind of work that person excels at. Perhaps this person has worked very well at a fast-paced restaurant and therefore achieved associated ratings, and prioritise to work on another such shift at a similar establishment or perhnaps a fine dining hotel. So, it is a more refined profiling process.” In the past this has always been going on but only manually: a hospitality business calls up an agency and says it needs five people who then go through the whole process of sending out text messages and calling up people, but there was no real matching, no understanding of profile or using historic data about an individual’s perfor-

mance. That is one way of appointing temporary staff with a higher level of experience when using flexible work. There are obviously parts of the process that are far more automated. Payments for example take far significantly less time than they have done through traditional recruitment agencies because people automatically clock in and out of their shift, and this data is all sent to their employer automatically to verify and payment is then made automatically, thus reducing hours and hours of work traditionally associated with sending out invoices sand time sheets, cutting down on costs on the payment side and cutting down on the cost of matching and finding the right workers. “We are also far more optimized on sourcing as it is all done digitally through apps, and we are using social networks, and we pass some of that cost efficiency on to the employer, the innkeeper,” he stresses.

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THE GREATEST TAX RELIEF

YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF You could be entitled to a signiďŹ cant tax rebate against your inn, according to Kieran Murphy

32 | INN KEEPER JUNE / JULY 2018

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lthough capital allowances have been around for many years, there are few individuals that have ever heard of the term, and fewer still that understand the potential positive ramiďŹ cations it can have on a business, especially an inn, where so often the line between proďŹ t and loss is so narrow. Capital allowances are a form of tax relief that allow you as a bed & breakfast owner to make a claim with HMRC to signiďŹ cantly reduce your tax burden by using your property itself as the claimable vehicle. Any money you spend on your business is a capital expenditure that allows your business to operate. This means that as an owner of a Bed & Breakfast you will have spent money on purchasing, renovating and running your property for the purpose of hosting guests. According to HMRC, this expenditure counts as a business expense for which you may make a claim for tax relief under Section 35 of your SA105 tax form for property. This is what Capital Allowances are, tax relief for the money you have spent on your business premises, which in your case is your inn. To put it another way, you could ďŹ nd yourself entitled to claim back a proportion of those personal savings you may have poured into your property when you ďŹ rst set up your business. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? As the owner of a inn then you may be eligible to make a claim for this capital allowance tax relief through ďŹ rms such as James Nazir & Co that specialise in this niche area of accountancy. It has been estimated that fewer than one in 10 commercial property owners have actually claimed their capital allowance tax relief, and if your accountant hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t conducted a full on-site survey of your property, then it is likely you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t either. This isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surprising, because as with all professions, you cannot expect any one person to have in-depth knowledge of every facet of their industry. Capital allowances are a specialist niche form of accountancy that requires a ďŹ rm that deals exclusively with them to make an adequate claim on your behalf. This means that you could be missing out on signifcant levels of tax relief potentially in the tens of thousands of pounds for your business that you should be enjoying. To understand what this actually means for you, it is typical for between 30% and 40% of a

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bed & breakfastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purchase price to be claimable under capital allowances with HMRC. This means that if you spent ÂŁ300,000 purchasing your property, it could result in around ÂŁ100,000 of capital allowances being identiďŹ ed as claimable assets to make a claim with HMRC for tax relief on your behalf. This level of capital allowances will then be calculated against your marginal tax rate to provide you with the tax relief you are owed. Therefore if you currently pay 20% tax, then you could be seeing tax relief in the region of ÂŁ20,000 from the above scenario, and even more

if you are a higher rate tax payer. That is a signifcant amount of tax relief that you may claim against your previous and future yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tax, allowing you to claim both a refund (if you have owned your property for at least one year and have paid tax), and relief on future tax depending on the level of capital allowances claimed. WHAT CAN BE CLAIMED? According to the Capital Allowance Act 2001, Section 23, List C, a commercial property can make a capital allowance claim on items that

Picture 1: An image of a room, indicating what an accountant would normally claim for business expenses on your behalf.

Picture 2: An image of a room, indicating what James Nazir & Co would claim under Capital Allowances on your behalf.

JUNE / JULY 2018 | INN KEEPER | 33

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are known as "plant". List C therefore contains a vast list of items that can be claimed, varying from business to business. This includes, but is not limited to: heating and ventilation installations, lighting and general power systems, ďŹ re and security alarms, data and telecoms systems, carpets, ironmongery, lifts, incoming mains (water, gas, electric) right through to kitchen cabinets, toilets and everything in-between. So whether you have a traditional inn that oďŹ&#x20AC;ers a bar, a basic room and eating facitilies, or own an extensive property with a gym, spas, sauna, hot tubs and so forth then you can make a claim for capital allowances for the work that you put into making your property what it is, regardless of when you actually made the improvements. MAKING A CLAIM The work involved in ascertaining your entitlement is considerable and capital allowance specialists charge a fee of 6% of the capital allowances they identify for your property as an industry standard, but there is no payment of that fee due until HMRC conďŹ rm that your claim for tax relief will be successful. Once you engage a specialist in this accountancy area, they will be in touch with you, your lawyers, and your accountants to enable them to conduct a full review of your property on your behalf, and ensure a smooth process for all involved. If the pursuite of capital allowances interests you, and you would like to see if you are eligible to claim this unique form of tax relief, then con34 | INN KEEPER JUNE / JULY 2018

"you could find yourself entitled to claim back a proportion of those personal savings you may have poured into your property when you first set up your business"

KIERAN MURPHY, JAMES NAZIR & CO.

tact a capital allowance specialist such as James Nazir & Co to ďŹ nd out more. This article was written by Kieran Murphy of James Nazir & Co the leading capital allowance specialists in the UK, as an educational piece to bed & breakfast owners about their tax rights. Kieran may be contacted directly via phone on 07525 160527 or email at kieran@jamesnazir. com if you wish to speak with him about a free consultation to assess the Capital Allowances that your may be able to claim on your property. www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

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