InnKeeper Magazine November/December 2018 Edition

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ISSUE 16 • NOV/DEC 2018

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contents

welcome... this month...

With the brakes held on the escalation in beer duty, many inns will have been given a stay of execution. The British Beer and Pub Association warmly welcomes the Chancellor’s decision in his Budget last month (page 8), which will give landlords a little breathing space, at least until the next Budget providing nothing dramatic occurs in the meantime arising from the UK’s pending exit from the European Union. In the meantime there are ways aplenty of boosting your own cashflow. The first is to revisit and sharpen up your website and boost your occupancy levels. In this issue we talk to a variety of website and social media expertise to put give you a guide to techniques you can deploy to get the most out of your website and thus compete more effectively with the online travel agents (page 30). Another approach to boosting your income is to jump on board the gin band wagon. Sales of the spirit have reached record levels, and there are great sales opportunities to be had with gin. Obviously going down the gin cocktail route can backfire in terms of profit if you are having to invest in hiring specialist cocktail mixologist bar staff. One way of over-riding that is to sell pre-mixed cocktails, which will also help cut down queues as bar staff don’t spend an inordinate time mixing just one drink while thirsty revelers wait impatiently (cocktails feature page 18). Alternatively you can focus on gin sales by trying out the té bags, teabag-like blends of botanicals, herb and spices that drinkers can infuse with their G&T. We put the drink to the test with eight men and eight women drinkers and the results were astounding. The full verdict is on page 22.

4 NEWS Industry news from around the UK

12 PROFILE David Hancock of Inn Places takes a look inside Helen Browning’s Royal Oak in Wiltshire

18 COCKTAILS Premixed cocktails, premium gin and presenting your guests’ drinks on a premium honesty bar

22 INNKEEPER TASTING VERDICT A panel of 16 tasters puts Té Tonic’s té bags to the test resulting in a big thumbs up

26 FARM FRESH FOODS

Bill Lumley EDITOR

Locally sourced and naturally produced foods can make all the difference to your guests’ meals

22 www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

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30 MAXIMISING YOUR WEBSITE Tips on designing, implementing and maintaining a successful website to draw in the crowds NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 | INN KEEPER | 5

news ARKELL’S BREWERY WINS BEST MULTI-PROPERTY AWARD Swindon-based Arkell’s brewery was announced the winner of the Best Multi-Property Award at the eviivo Awards 2018. Last month 200 of the UK’s finest independent accommodation owners attended a lavish Venetian-styled event at iconic Italian restaurant Quaglino’s in London’s St James’s. Innkeeper magazine editor Bill Lumley presented the Best Multi-Property Award to Arkell’s Brewery managed house controller Julie Moss. Among the finalists identified as Hidden Gems contending for the Star amongst Stars Award was the Four Horseshoes in Suffolk. Other awards presented at the event also included the Quirkiest Place to Stay-Budget with a Twist awarded for the most inventive budget accommodation, while

the most deserving B&B owner was revered as Outstanding Host. The most attractive property was awarded Most Beautifully Presented and the stand-out self-catering property was crowned Sweetest Homestay. Last up, following the Tastiest Breakfast cook-off judged by celebrity chef, Phil Vickery, the most

delicious winner was announced. The culmination of the Awards was the announcement of the 9 regional Hidden Gems awards, followed by the overall winner of the night, which was crowned Star Amongst Stars. The event was Venetian Carnival themed, which was evident from the moment our honoured guests

stepped inside the Venetian wonderland. Guests, judges and eviivo staff alike enjoyed the atmosphere, the beautiful Venetian decorations and the rare chance to mingle with others in the travel industry from all around the UK. During dinner, there was entertainment from an accomplished harpist, three opera singing waiters and an acting troupe in 16th Century Venetian costume. Evirvo marketing director Ed Goldswain said: “We are honoured to host such a grand occasion, which does wonders to drive publicity for independent B&Bs, hotels, guest houses and self-catered accommodation. It’s our pleasure to shine a light on the fantastic work of our customers and the broader industry, and we love giving them the recognition they deserve."

THE BRIDGE INN AT RATHO ANNOUNCES A NEW MANAGER Ben Watson has been confirmed as the pub’s new general manager of The Bridge Inn, Ratho in Midlothian. Ben trained as a chef under the guidance of his late father Ian Watson and has worked at the AA Pub of the Year for Scotland for the past seven years. He had stepped up to the role of GM on a temporary basis, following the departure of the previous manager. Ben continues to manage the kitchen brigade and oversee menu development, as well as playing a much bigger role in front of house management and the general day to day running of the business. The multi-award-winning four-bed room inn, which is fêted for its food, has held an AA Rosette for the last five years, and lays claim to being one of just two Scottish establishments on Estrella Damm’s Top 50 Gastropub’s list and features in the Michelin Guide. Commenting on his new permanent role at The Bridge Inn, Ben said: “I’ve enjoyed the challenge of the last 16 months and am delighted to move positively forward and focus my entire energy on the role of general manager. The role will afford me great opportunities to continue driving the business forward at 6 | INN KEEPER | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

what is an exciting time for Scottish hospitality. I have amassed a great deal of experience over the years from some fantastic people in the industry, and I am looking forward to putting those skills to good use and helping the already strong team continue to grow and

develop into top operators within the Scottish hospitality sector.” The Bridge Inn bar serves a variety of Scottish cask ales including Lia Fail from Inverlamond, Trade Winds from Carngorm Brewery and Dark Island from Orkney.

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news BII ANNOUNCES INNOVATION AND TRAINING AWARDS FINALISTS The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has announced the finalists for this year’s National Innovation in Training Awards (NITAs). The awards celebrate those who have demonstrated training excellence and innovation in the licensed retail sector. Tickets are available for the NITAs Award Ceremony on 20 November at London’s Café de Paris, when the winners will be announced. The finalists in each category, listed below, will have undergone the final judging stage of presentations and interviews before panels of industry experts and sponsors, with the exception of the licensee trainers, who by the time of the awards will have been visited and interviewed in their own inns. BII CEO Mike Clist commented: “The NITAs continue to go from strength to strength and our industry is again proving itself to be streets ahead in terms of training and development of its staff. We need to be shouting about how exciting and rewarding a career in the hospitality industry can be and the NITAs are a great way to showcase the talent we have. We can’t wait to celebrate these successes with our finalists and winners on 20th

November at the Café de Paris. We are also very grateful for the support of our fantastic category sponsors and, of course, our partners, CPL Online and Propel Info.” In addition to the categories below, The Franca Knowles Lifetime Achievement Award sponsored by Sky will be chosen by a panel led by Keith Knowles, CEO and founder of Beds & Bars. This award will identify and recognise an individual working within the on-trade sector who leads by example and demonstrates training and people are at the core of what they do. This is an industry recognition award rather than a category open for entries, and is in memory of the late Franca Knowles, who herself was a multiple winner of NITA awards. Mike Clist added: “This year saw an unprecedented level of applications, which has made our judges lives much more difficult during the shortlisting process. The level of talent and commitment to excellence in training in our industry has blown us away. Shortlisted finalists will present to our judging panels on Tuesday 23rd October to make their training programmes come alive and show us in greater depth what makes them worthy of a coveted NITA.”

NITA FINALISTS 2018 Best Training Programme Leased & Tenanted Companies Charles Wells St Austell Brewery

sponsored by Yapster

Best Managed Training Programme Companies under 50 outlets sponsored by Greene King 16 Hospitality Barons Pub Company Beds and Bars Coaching Inn Group Oakman Inns & Restaurants Ltd Yummy Pub Co Best Managed Training Programme Companies over 50 Outlets sponsored by CPL Training Fuller Smith & Turner McMullen & Sons Stonegate Pub Company TGI Fridays Youngs Best Apprenticeship Programme Mitchells and Butlers Stonegate Pub Company

sponsored by HIT Training

Best Casual Training Programme TGI Fridays Oakman Inns & Restaurants Ltd

sponsored by HARRI

Professional Trainer of the Year sponsored by BIIAB Dean Barker-Rogers – Learning & Development Manager, Stonegate Pubs Gary Richmond - Culinary Learning & Development Manager, Mitchells and Butlers Karl Czinege - Trainer & Business Coach, Karl Czinege Consulting Ltd Peter Spivack - Business & Training Consultant, Peter Spivack Associates Sarah Halpin - HR & Training Manager, Castle Rock Brewery Tanya Wicks - Head of Compliance & Development, Barons Pub Company Licensee Trainer of the Year sponsored by Admiral Taverns Kate Ross - The Turk's Head Mark Thornhill - The King's Head

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news EDITOR Bill Lumley bill.lumley@jld-media.co.uk 07710 271 099 NORTHERN IRELAND EDITOR Francis Higney 07710 271 099 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Caroline Sargent 07076 362 082 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Matthew Attwood 07710 271 099 SALES MANAGER Frankie Butler frankie.butler@jld-media.co.uk 07590 297 877 PRODUCTION MANAGER Stuart West stuart.west@jld-media.co.uk PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Helen Richmond helen.richmond@jld-media.co.uk 07765 008 507 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 bi-monthly. Printed by Stephens & George Ltd

Inn Keeper JLD Media, 29 – 31 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LS

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BE MY GUEST FIRST YEAR GETS EXHIBITORS' THUMBS UP Regional UK-wide event for independent accommodation providers Be My Guest has reported a highly successful first year. As we went to press the final event of the year was poised to be staged in Skegness, Lincolnshire. Feedback from exhibitors and delegates has been positive. At the Southwest Be My Guest event in Torquay last month Plymouth-based Summerskills Brewery reported a successful event. Summerskills owner Norman Lewis told Innkeeper: “We enjoyed participating in the event, where we had some good leads and are hoping to participate again next year. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and I definitely think it is worthwhile.” Innkeeper magazine tasted the Urban Brew, a recently launched vegan-friendly stout infused with organic cold brew coffee, and enjoyed a deep flavour with a gentle aftertaste of coffee. The beer itself is now stocked in a number of inns, pubs and restaurants. In Plymouth itself that includes the Village Restaurant, the Fisherman's Arms, in Yelverton the Game Larder and in Tavistock, Roots & Vines. Further afield it is stocked by the Dartmouth Wine Company, Darts Farm, Kingsbridge Wine Rooms, The Maltings Tap House & Bottle Shop in Newton Abbot and Happy Apple in Totnes. Norman said: “Our Start Point and Bolt Head beers are popular in the South Hams and are being stocked in an increasing number of outlets. Our Devon Dew, which recently won a Food Drink Devon gold award is one of our most popular brews. “We deliver direct to outlets within about a 50-mile

radius of the brewery, work with a local wholesaler, other wholesalers with national coverage and the JD Wetherspoon pub chain nationally. “As well as our core range of beers we produce seasonal specials, such as Plymhop Ale made with green hops grown locally, an IPA made with Slovenian Wolf hops called "Akela" and a November Porter in support of the Chestnut Appeal. “We’re currently taking it into pubs and restaurants in the region,” he added. The brewery supplies a number of inns including the East Dart Hotel at Postbridge in the summer, The Leaping Salmon at Horrabridge, the Modbury Inn and the Who'd Have Thought It at Milton Combe. It also produces a house beer for the Modbury Inn in the summer called Airedale Ale.

#MYMICROGAP CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES URGING YOUNG BRITS TO TAKE MORE SHORT-BREAKS IN THE UK VisitEngland has launched a campaign to inspire more young Brits to discover the UK by taking mini gap-year style breaks. The £2.5 million ‘Join the World – #MyMicrogap’ campaign targets young people with experiences and activities typically taken during a gap-year that can be condensed into a micro-holiday of one to three nights in the UK. The campaign kicked off at the end of October with the the first in a series of short films that are being rolled out across digital display and social media channels during the coming months. The campaign, run in partnership with the tourism organisations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, is part of a drive to get more young people to holiday at home. According to the tourist authority, statistics show that in 2016, 16-to-34 year olds took almost 1.4 million fewer holidays in Britain than a decade previously.

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The microgap campaign follows research by VisitEngland into the travel habits of young Brits which showed that less than a quarter (24%) of 18-to-34 year olds were likely to take a career break to travel in the next three years. The idea of microgapping, however, appealed to almost two-thirds (64%) with more than half (57%) likely to take a microgap during the next three years. Research showed that young people keen on taking a microgap wanted the same self-development opportunities typical of a gap-year. Top activities and experiences sought were wellbeing and relaxation, visiting iconic landmarks, trying local food and drink and seeing nature and wildlife. VisitBritain/VisitEngland director of marketing Clare Mullin said that whether learning a new skill, volunteering or ticking off a bucket list experience, the UK was packed full of life-enriching experiences right here on our doorstep.

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COASTAL PATH ASSOCIATION SEEKS INN COLLABORATION The South West Coast Path Association is calling on coastal inns in South West England to join the organisation to encourage the use of their facilities by walkers along the 630 mile-long path. The path stretches from Minehead in Somerset to Poole Harbour in Dorset. More than 9 million people visit the South West each year to walk on the world-famous path, the longest way-marked trail in the country. Walkers spend an estimated £560 million each year during their travels to the region. One association business member, Sally from The Cricket Inn in Beesands, Devon said: “Being a member with the association means we’ve linked to all walks on the Path within a five-mile radius, so it’s a great way of letting people know we’re here and generating business for both the food and drink and the accommodation side of our business. We noticed this summer large number

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of locals and non-locals were stopping off with us for lunch as part of their day walk on the path and then booking to come back to stay with us at a later date, so we’re converting hungry walkers into guests. We’d definitely recommend it to similar businesses on or near to the path.” The role of the South West Coast Path Association, a registered charity, is to protect and promote the coastal path. Its website has more than 1.2 million hits a year, with people looking for more information about how to walk the path, when to go and where to stay. Association business membership offers B&B and hotel owners and innkeepers the chance to feature on the site, which is linked to popular walks in their area. In addition, each business is listed in the annual guidebook. To find out more, visit www.southwestcoastpath. org.uk/business-membership or call 01752 896237

news

HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES RISK GDPR NON-COMPLIANCE PENALTIES

More than 200 exhibitors are lined up for PUB19 when the event returns to London’s Olympia from 5-6 February. The show offers an opportunity for innkeepers to meet with suppliers, network with others to share ideas and inspiration, and to learn about the latest trends from across the pub sector, one of the most thriving and vibrant UK industries. PUB exhibition manager Alex Booth said: “Our audience of pub owners, operators and decision makers tell us they see the PUB shows as their primary for the latest trends, products Many source UK hospitality businesses are nowand suppliers to their industry. In a competitive riskingspecific penalties by failing to adhere to some landscape where rules pubs must evolve and differentiate of the GDPR despite legislation having tocome keep up consumer demand, it isago. essential intowith effect over four months that According PUB19 continues to showcase to a survey of 1,002exceptional UK workers companies products and services to support in full or with part-time employment a large the continued(45%) development and success ofhospub proportion of businesses in the business the UK.”failed to wipe the data from pitalityinindustry Heequipment added: "The exhibition, IT they disposedcombined of in the with two a dedicated and Workshops months Talks following GDPR. programme, Taste Table, Trends Bar also and special is proven The research found events, that 97% of tohospitality bring thousands of pub owners and operators businesses surveyed did not have together to share ideas, business network.” an official process or do protocol forand disposing of To register the event: obsolete IT for equipment. www.thepubshow.co.uk/register-to-attend Some 97% of hospitality workers admitted they wouldn’t even know who to approach within their company in order to correctly dispose of old or unusable equipment. Hospitality businesses are one of the industries most likely not to wipe existing data off old IT equipment, according to the survey by IT service provider Probrand. Marketing director Matt Royle said: “Given the amount of publicity around GDPR it is arguably impossible to be unaware or misunderstand the basics of what is required for compliance. So, it is startling to discover just how many businesses are failing to both implement and follow some of the simplest data protection practices. “This is especially startling to see from businesses within the hospitality sector, where sensitive customer information including address details and card numbers are handled all the time.”

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budget analysis INNS WELCOME SURPRISE BEER DUTY FREEZE AND RATES CUT The hospitality sector responded positively to the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget but was disappointed with the proposed increased on levy on wine. British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) CEO Mike Clist said: “The freeze on duty for beer, cider and spirits was unexpected, but very welcome, and will provide a much-needed boost to our industry.” The Chancellor also recognised the important contribution the industry has made to the reduction in single-use plastics. This was highlighted by the joint campaign led by the BII in conjunction with the Morning Advertiser, UKHospitality and the BBPA. Clist said: “We believe that the help our industry has been given by the Chancellor in today’s Budget is a direct result of all the organisations and associations within our great sector, joining together as one voice behind the #longlivethelocal campaign.” He added: “We are delighted to hear that business rates have been cut by one third for many of our members running businesses with a rateable value of under £51k. This will provide much needed help to the most vulnerable pubs in our communities. In the longer term, root-and-branch business rate reform will be required to tackle the disparity between high street businesses and online retailers.” The freeze on beer duty was welcomed by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA). Thousands of emails were sent by CAMRA members to MPs ahead of the Budget, which saw the unexpected announcement of a freeze in duty on beer and cider. Pub-going is increasingly becoming an unaffordable activity for many, driving consumers from their local to supermarkets. With pub closures at 18 per week, pubs are becoming an endangered feature of our high streets, suburbs and villages. Hundreds of CAMRA members took part in a mass lobby after the Budget to reinforce the importance of pubs and encourage MPs to commit to necessary change, including: - An urgent review of the Pubs Code so that the Market Rent Only option becomes a genuine choice for tenants - Support introducing a preferential rate of Duty for draught beer - Commit to reshaping the Business Rates system to address the unfair burden on pubs. CAMRA national chairman Jackie Parker said: “A decision to freeze Beer Duty is welcome, and 10 | INN KEEPER | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

will no doubt go some way to keeping the British pub-going tradition affordable. “However, the decision to implement the business rates relief for some and not all pubs is not enough to help protect pubs from extinction - we need wholesale reform of the business rates system to tackle the grossly unfair burden placed on pubs. “There must be long-term change to business rates, beer duty and the pubs code to secure the future of our treasured locals." The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) welcomed the beer duty freeze as “an early Christmas present for Scottish pub-goers and licensees”. Ahead of the budget, the SBPA warned that the country stood to lose 12% of pubs within the next five years without the Chancellor easing some of the tax burden. Estimates from Britain’s Beer Alliance, produced for the SBPA, showed that if closures continue at the current rate, 561 Scottish pubs will close their doors in the next five years. The SBPA is now also calling on the Scottish Government to match the support announced for English pubs through business rates relief, which would support 2,415 of Scotland’s community pubs and equate to £11 million per year. Responding to the Chancellor’s Budget speech SBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: “Scottish pub-goers and licensees will be toasting the Chancellor following his decision to freeze beer duty. This early Christmas present will save brewers, pubs and pub-goers across the UK £110 million and secure upwards of 3,000 jobs that would have been lost had beer duty gone up.

“We are delighted that the Chancellor has listened to our campaign and the seven in 10 people across the country who said they’d like to see beer duty cut or frozen in the Budget. Pubs are so important to their local communities and this is a big step in the right direction for those across the country that are struggling. “What is important now for Scotland’s pubs is that the Scottish Government now match the business rates relief announced for English pubs. The new relief will see pubs in England with a RV of under £51k have one-third reduced from their business rates bill. A like-for-like scheme in Scotland would support almost 2500 of Scotland’s smallest, community pubs and be worth £11 million in support.” Pubs are under a range of tax pressures, and one in three pounds spent in pubs goes to the taxman. Three pubs close their doors for good every day in the UK and with seven in every 10 alcoholic drinks sold in a pub being beer, Beer Duty is clearly a significant tax pressure. If Beer Duty increases in line with RPI (3.4%) as planned in the Budget this month, and continues to rise with RPI in subsequent years, the pressure on pubs will increase and could lead to over 12,500 job losses within four years. The last time beer duty increased year-on-year was between 2008 and 2013 when the Government put a beer duty escalator policy in place. Over those five years there was a 24% decline in beer sales in pubs, 5,000 pubs closed, and 58,000 people lost their jobs. www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

budget analysis

WINE PRICES HIT YET AGAIN Following the Chancellor’s announcement that duty on wine, sparkling wine and fortified wine will rise by RPI from 1 February 2019, the Treasury has now confirmed that RPI is forecast to be 3.1% next year. Duty on spirits, beer and most ciders will be frozen at current rates. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association is warning consumers to brace themselves for wine price rises as businesses take a huge inflationary hit following the Budget announcement at the end of October. Brexit’s impact on the pound combined with inflation mean the wine trade is already facing a tough trading landscape. As a result of the 3.1% inflationary rises on alcohol imposed by Philip Hammond, wine businesses and consumers will bear the brunt of the tax hike a month before Brexit. The duty rises by inflation will mean a bottle of wine will go up by 7p, sparkling wine 9p and an average priced bottle of fortified wine will also go up 9p. This does not include VAT which would add a further 20% to the wine duty rise. Based on volumes of wine sales over the last 12 months, from February next year UK consumers of wine and sparkling wine will be hit with an extra £90 million bill. An average priced bottle of spirits will remain

Duty on a 750 ml bottle of wine will go up 7p to £2.23

Duty on 750 ml bottle of sparkling wine will go up 9p to £2.86

Duty on a 750ml bottle of fortified wine will go up 9p to £2.98

Duty on a 700ml bottle of vodka at 37.5 % will remain at £7.54

Duty on a litre bottle of vodka at 37.5 % will remain at £10.78

Duty on a 700 ml bottle of gin at 40% % will remain at £8.05

Duty on a litre bottle of vodka at 40% will remain at £11.50

Note: These prices exclude the corresponding rise in VAT Source: WSTA

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THE GRAPH BELOW ILLUSTRATES HOW THE HIKES IN WINE DUTY BY SUCCESSIVE GOVERNMENTS HAVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED ON THE WINE INDUSTRY COMPARED TO OTHER ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS.

the same following a welcome freeze to spirit duty. Hammond has made himself an unpopular Chancellor with the wine trade and wine drinkers after singling them out for a rise and freezing duty to all other alcohol products. The Chancellor also put up wine duty in the Spring Budget last year. Commenting on the Chancellor’s decision to freeze duty on spirits and raise wine duty by inflation, Miles Beale Chief Executive of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association said: “We welcome the Government’s decision to freeze duty on spirits, which will support this great British sector to invest, grow and create jobs - as well as supporting the public finances through increased revenues. “However, the decision by the Chancellor to increase wine rates significantly is a hammer blow to this great British industry. It actively undermines a sector that has been hardest hit since the Brexit Referendum and will be thoroughly unwelcome for the 33 million consumers of the nation’s most popular alcoholic drink. “This inflationary rise is grossly unfair, unjustified and counter-productive. The UK is the world’s biggest wine trading nation and, as such, deserves government’s support, not punishment.” He said the wine industry is no stranger to harsh treatment from Chancellors. Since 2012 wine overtook beer as the largest contributor to the public purse through duty payments, and no alcoholic drink has paid more to the Treasury since then. There have only been two

occasions since 2003 that Chancellors from either party have showed their support to an industry employing some 190,000 people across the country, he added. The failure to rebalance this unfair tax burden on the wine industry will stifle business’s ability to invest and grow and damage the sector which last year brought in almost £19 billion in economic activity. The increase goes against recent Budget success stories. After a freeze in wine duty in the November Budget last year, between February to August 2018, wine duty income increased by £39 million up 2% on the same time last year. Miles Beale added: “The freeze in duty on spirits will be hugely welcomed by the hundreds of producers across the UK, and over 280,000 people employed across the spirits sector. Gin exports are now worth over £532 million, and the freeze will give UK spirit producers the confidence to continue to expand their export markets and seek to take advantage of future trading opportunities. However, the Budget represents a missed opportunity, he said. It ignores the evidence from the last Budget that Treasury coffers actually increase following a freeze in wine duty. The inflationary rise in wine duty suggests the Chancellor has closed himself off to the concerns of our world leading industry and is wildly out of touch with British consumers.” The revised rates are due to come into effect after midnight on Friday, February 1st. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 | INN KEEPER | 11

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ROYAL OAK Inn Places managing director David Hancock pays a visit.

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emote, country-rustic downland pub owned by local organic farmer, renowned for its relaxed and fun atmosphere, delicious organic food, and now for its smart new rooms.

THE PERSONAL TOUCH You’ll ďŹ nd Helen Browning’s country-rustic Royal Oak in an isolated village high up on the North Wessex Downs, just a stone’s throw from the Ridgeway. The glorious rolling landscape is fabulous walking country and the far-reaching views from the ridge across swathes of Oxfordshire are stunning. Local organic farmer Helen Browning, who farms 1500 acres of downland close to Bishopstone, rescued the pub in 2005 and it has thrived ever since as a village local and a dining destination, the draw being with her delicious organic beef, pork and lamb and other local organic ingredients, all sourced locally. Helen owns Eastbrook Farm, which is entirely organic, and was awarded an OBE in 1998 for services to farming. She is also Chief Executive of the Soil Association.

accommodation annexe and it’s just a short stroll from the Royal Oak. They have done a fabulous job, all the rooms face a sunny shared courtyard and each room is named and themed after a ďŹ eld on Eastbrook Farm – it’s a truly peaceful spot, well away from hubbub of the pub. In keeping with the pub, they are quirky and fun but stylish and contemporary too, so guests can expect to be very comfortable. Photos of ďŹ elds and woodland have been blown up to create a statement wall covering, or they have striking oral or farm-related wallpaper, and they feature unusual wooden or metal storage units,

wooden oors, crisp linen and cosy down on big beds (some have barn door or plank designed headboards), splashes of bold colour, Nespresso machines, and swish tiled bathrooms with walk-in showers. Kate’s Folly, Cuckoo Pen and Eastbrook Valley rooms also have a roll-top bath. Chill out, play games or spin some vinyl and share some drinks in ‘The Wallow’, a cool shared space with sofas, chairs, books, magazines and mini-kitchen with tea and coee making facilities. A hearty breakfast will set you up for your day, whatever it holds, and high-speed wi-ďŹ will keep you connected.

Do not disturb Helen and Tim opened twelve spanking new rooms in 2017 having transformed the derelict village pub Arkell’s closed years ago into a smart

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É Head chef Paul Winch’s menu changes twice daily and reects the changing seasons and the fresh, totally organic ingredients sourced from Eastbrook Farm, other surrounding farms and local artisan organic producers - David Hancock.

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Mastering the menu Head chef Paul Winch’s menu changes twice daily and reects the changing seasons and the fresh, totally organic ingredients sourced from Eastbrook Farm, other surrounding farms and local artisan organic producers. Beef, lamb, pork and the bacon, sausages and eggs comes from Helen’s farm and milk delivered from nearby Berkeley Farm, who process the milk from Helen’s dairy herd. Westmill Organics down the road provide the vegetables and bualo ice cream comes from Laverstoke Park in Hampshire. Local allotment produce is bartered for food and drink. Inspired by all this fabulous organic food, Paul delivers generous portions of simple, quality pub food with oodles of avour – a typical lunch menu may include a delicious chicken soup served with homemade bread, or deepfried pig’s cheeks and coleslaw, beer battered hake with chips and aioli, a steaming bowl of moules marinière, and a cheese and bacon burger with pickles and hand-cut chips. Evening extras could be local asparagus with butter and Parmesan, beef shin, cabbage mash and jus, and pig’s cheek lasagne with garlic bread and salad. For pudding, try the rhubarb crumble or the baked cheesecake with summer fruits, or tuck into a platter of English cheeses. Behind the bar you’ll ďŹ nd four tip-top ales from Arkells, brewed down the road, organic soft drinks and cordials from Belvoir, and organic wines from Vintage Roots. 16 | INN KEEPER NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

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Helen Browning’s Royal Oak Cues Lane, Bishopstone Swindon, Wiltshire SN6 8PP Tel: 01793 790481

What’s the damage?

Highlights

12 doubles/twin: ÂŁ85-ÂŁ135

• • • • • •

Local, Local, Local Bishopstone is signposted o the A417 east of Swindon, just north of the M4. Follow the rural road through Wanborough and Hinton Parva to reach the village and the Royal Oak. Swindon is just over eight miles away – should you wish to arrive by train, you can by prior arrangement be collected from the station in the pub’s old red Land Rover. www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

Country-rustic downland pub Quirky, relaxed and fun Totally organic; food and drink Owned by local organic farmer Smart, individual rooms Big welcome to kids and dogs

www.helenbrowningsorganic.co.uk/ royal-oak _____________________ www.innplaces.co.uk

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cocktails

Cashing in on cocktails The rise in the popularity of cocktails seems never-ending. Bill Lumley looks at some of the premium trends both in the blend of drink and in the manner of its serving.

18 | INN KEEPER NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

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cocktails

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here are certain types of drink that appear to be on a relentless growth path. Every quarter for the past couple of years, for example, gin sales volumes have been growing inexorably. A similar rise in popularity can be identified in cocktails, with that growth not limited to any particular drinker profile. It is now becoming increasingly expected of UK inns that they should cocktail menu, both to visitors to their bar and their overnight guests.

Premium gin If you are mixing your own cocktails at your bar then you could do better than to keep an eye on the evolution of premium spirits brands. Gordon Castle Scotland is a premium brand that produces an unusual combination of botanical, hand-crafted gin, and bath and body products. An awareness of the mixability of the gin is growing, according to events manager Pery Zakeri, who says the brand will be looking increasingly at working with mixologists in 2019. “Gin liqueurs went down a real storm at the Independent Hotel Show last month. The plum gin liqueur and the raspberry gin liqueur were both really popular. They go well on their own, but they go well with prosecco or champagne.” She adds: “We currently do a refreshing gin mojito, but mixology is probably the next step in the story of our gin, which we are currently serving as a classic gin and tonic because the flavours in the gin are so subtle. When it was first conceived they worked really hard on the recipe because they wanted to make an elegantly balanced gin. The two main flavours in it are lavender and garden mint. But mixologists is something we will be looking at more and more next year, when we will have cocktail recipes.”

ments depending on the outlet itself and what they pair it with, whether it’s premium gin or cocktails or mocktails. But it pairs extremely with the premium high-end spirits, adding to the flavour you experience with the spirits themselves.” Franklin & Sons has recently launched dual-flavour tonics. “These are ideally suited to cocktails in any form of bar, be it at an inn, restaurant, guesthouse or hotel.” She suggests guests are becoming increasingly likely to try out the soft drinks and mixers whose brand they are unfamiliar with. “People are more adventurous these days in terms of trying new flavours or new flavour pairing and new experiences. If they did see something that perhaps they hadn’t seen before then I think they would be more inclined to try it rather than a drink they have always had in the past. If something behind the bar bar catches their eye and looks and feels premium like Franklins, then I think

they would be more inclined to try them. “We see the occasions when people don’t want to drink anything with alcohol or want something with a very low ABV as a time to pair the dual-flavoured tonics with a vermouth, port or a sherry for example that tend to have a lower ABV,” she adds. Premiumisation has had a huge impact on the cocktails category, and there is now more focus on quality over quantity by consumers. This move towards higher-end products in an inn is not just about price but has put an increased emphasis on natural ingredients and their provenance. Both the heritage and provenance of brands are the key things consumers look for, she says. “When choosing drinks – particularly soft drinks that demand a premium - brands must be able to state the provenance as well as style and type of the ingredients in order to add another dimension and give consumers exactly what they want from their premium drinks.

Exceptional mixers The provenance of one of the key components of cocktails – the mixer – is often overlooked. If your bar stocks premium or super-premium spirits then the experience of enjoyment can be enhanced by providing your guests with premium mixers, rather than some of the more ubiquitous brands. Franklin & Sons produces a range of premium soft drinks and tonics. These would not look out of place in an inn serving a discerning customer mix. Head of marketing Jen Draper says: “Our drinks are sold across a wide range of establishwww.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

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cocktails “We understand that consumers will be on the lookout for interesting flavours and avoiding drinks containing artificial flavourings and sweeteners. We have focused on the quality of the liquid and the final taste, whilst ensuring only natural ingredients have been used.” ‘Naturalness’ will be key to the category growth as consumers start to understand the use of artificial sweeteners more and realise they don’t want to compromise on flavour, she says. “There has become a growing desire for natural soft drinks with ‘real’ ingredients. The Franklin & Sons range is made up of selected ingredients sourced from all corners of the world to ensure the best possible quality, such as Sicilian Lemons and Scottish Raspberries,” she adds.

Bottled cocktails The idea of pre-mixed bottled cocktails may seem to take some of the theatre out of the cocktail experience, but they save valuable time and by serving them pre-mixed means that that a bar does not need to employ anyone with the expertise to mix cocktails. Often inns are reluctant to serve cocktails because of the drag factor it adds to the role of the bar staff and in the process irritating the other queueing customers: measuring several spirits shots and mixers and mixing the cocktail itself takes a disproportionate amount of time exacerbated when the bar is busy Factor in the fact that cocktail drinkers may be disappointed if their expectations are raised and

these expectations need to be met. It is hard and costly for an innkeeper to commit to employing full-time trained mixologist bar staff. Enter Cambridge based supplier Bottle Proof, which produces hand-crafted bottled cocktails for the hospitality trade. Co-owner Charlie Anderson tells Innkeeper magazine: “The bottled cocktails can be served in less time than it takes to pour a pint, saving vast amounts of time. Meanwhile training is a big issue. It is hard for many inns and guest houses both to afford and to keep hold of such staff in a very transient industry.” Another advantage of the bottled cocktails is consistency. “When people go to a bar and ask for a cocktail, a bit like a signature dish at a highend restaurant, you want it to be the same each time you go back. “With cocktails, if you have different bartenders mixing the same drink slightly differently, then it makes a big difference. Consistency is key,” he says. A further advantage of pre-bottled cocktails for operators comes in terms of stock control and wastage. He says: “I own a couple of cocktail bars, and one of the biggest problems we have is trying to carry out stock checks and to keep account of what has been sold when you are using so many different backbar spirits. Often free-pouring makes it very difficult, particularly when you go off piste with cocktail bar tenders with a tendency to get a little bit creative, for example doing their own take on a classic. “With the bottled cocktails – I prefer to call

them bottled rather than pre-made cocktails because they still have to be made, shaken or stirred – the advantage is that it is very easy to do a stock take and there is no wastage. It’s like stock taking bottled beer.”

Cocktail drinker profile It is hard if not impossible now to profile the typical cocktail drinker, he says. “Everybody enjoys a cocktail now. There isn’t a stereo-typical cocktail type. It’s a little like the craft beer explosion and similarly with the gin explosion: it is popular with everyone – there really is a cocktail to suit everybody’s taste.” The bottled cocktails pretty much follow the national trend, he says. “Pornstar martinis are very big this year – over the past 18 months they have become very popular, a vanilla vodka, orange passionfruit very fruity cocktail that you’d normally serve with either a shot of champagne or prosecco. “The espresso martini is always very popular, the mojito, timeless, and we have a couple of our own that have worked really well. One of these is a Botanical blast, a gin-based cocktail featuring one of our own syrups that gives the balance and longevity and enables them to be either shaken or stirred, largely down to us getting the consistency of the syrup that holds everything together right. The Botanical is a pink gin-based cocktail with grapefruit and various herbs including rosemary and thyme.” He stresses that the drinks still need to be shaken or stirred, depending on the guest’s preference. “You still have to present the theatre of the cocktail before serving,” he says.

Honesty bar The concept of an honesty bar is a growing one at inns and bed & breakfast establishments, providing small but critical numbers of residential guests with the chance to drink out of hours, for example on returning to the inn after a wedding party, without the inn having to employ out of hours staff. Jonathan Green is head of design for The Gin Trolley, a drinks trolley created for Quench, which specializes in crafting contemporary home bars. He says the Gin Trolley would work well in a high-end inn’s honesty bar. Until recently the Gin Trolley had been targeted at private wealthy individuals, but recently it has taken orders from a number of five-star hotels including the Ritz Carlton in Germany, prompting its owners to set up at the Independent Hotel Show. 20 | INN KEEPER NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

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cocktails FESTIVE CHRISTMAS SPRITZ Al k fgl bmkl \jafck ZjYf\k l`Yl [ge] mh oal` f]o [g[clYad j][ah]k& Lg []d]ZjYl] l`] klYjl g^ l`] ^]klan] k]Ykgf$ _dYkkoYj] \akljaZmlgj 9jlak l`ak q]Yj Ykc]\ alk j]ka\]fl eapgdg_akl lg [ge] mh oal` Y kmalYZdq egj]%ak` k]YkgfYd lahhd]$ l`] ;`jakleYk Khjalr& “The idea of using the unit as an honesty bar came up at the show in quite a few conversations. We brought our experience in designing cocktail bars into the trolley, creating a more practical and functional drinks trolley,” he says. “The drinks trolley has been historically as more of an aesthetical piece of storage. The new design allows a guest to make a drink at source with a mini fridge and a drawer with storage for glassware and garnish, and finally having all the spirits bottles nicely on display in section storage throughout the trolley so it looks nice rather than being cluttered on top. It would work exceptionally well at the luxury end of inns.” At around £4,000 it’s not cheap, he agrees, but he stresses: “For a top end inn it’d make a great story on the booking website, where it would flag up interest not least because gin is so incredibly popular, and the idea of a gin trolley elevates the theatre somewhat more than just putting a couple of bottles on a sideboard.” A drawback to the Gin Trolley is that it does not accommodate ice, he admits. He says: “This was the one element that we were toying with. It was a bit of a design challenge. There is a science to having any kind of cooling technology ion a cabinet. The unit itself would have to be so much bigger to house any kind of ice-making facility so ultimately it was something we simply couldn’t factor into the design. The hoteliers that have bought the Gin Trolley a couple of times during an evening simply top up a small crystal glass ice bucket that they put on the top of the trolley with a couple of bags of supermarket ice always on hand in the main freezer.” At the Independent Hotel Show Bottle Proof ’sAnderson tells Innkeeper he had quite a few visitors from high-end inns and guest houses with an honesty bar offering, making enquiries as to whether the gin trolley would work in such a setting. “The answer is of course yes, absolutely it would work,” he says. “For a start it takes what you can offer you guests to drink to a higher level, and secondly, they are very easy to make, with simple instructions on the bottles, and mostly they only require ice and garnish. About 20% of them that require more simply need something carbonated adding, a Long Island Iced Tea for example requiring Coke, and with a mojito you have to add soda. For the most part quite simply you have just to provide a cocktail shaker and some ice.” Let the theatre begin. www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

Christmas Spritz Recipe The Drink: ;`jakleYk Khjalr The Glass: Eapgdg_q Khjalr -/[d *(gr Zq Dma_a :gjeagda Ingredients: +(ed [jYfZ]jjq bma[] .(ed Kgd]jfg % Zdgg\ gjYf_] daim]mj )*(ed Hjgk][[g GjYf_]$ [jYfZ]jjq$ jgk]eYjq _Yjfak` Method: :mad\ af l`] _dYkk gn]j a[] Yf\ lgh oal` hjgk][[g Yf\ _Yjfak`& L`] ^]Ylmj]\ _dYkk$ Eapgdg_q Khjalr$ ak hYjl g^ l`] Dma_a :gjeagda eapgdg_q kl]eoYj] [gdd][lagf&

CHRISTMAS IN MANHATTAN E]Yfo`ad] af []d]ZjYlagf g^ l`] dYmf[` Yf\ lg [gaf[a\] oal` l`] ^]klan] k]Ykgf$ <jmjq `Yk [j]Yl]\ Y f]o ;`jakleYk n]jkagf g^ l`] a[gfa[ EYf`YllYf [g[clYad mkaf_ alk ;`jakleYk hqjYea\ l]YZY_k2 Ingredients: ,-ed :gmjZgf af^mk]\ oal` <jmjq ;`jakleYk L]Y ,-ed Ko]]l N]jegml` <Yk` gjYf_] Zall]jk Method Lg eYc] ;`jakleYk l]Y af^mk]\ ZgmjZgf2 Af^mk] log hqjYea\ l]Y ZY_k af *-(ed ZgmjZgf ^gj .( eafml]k& Kim]]r] l]Y ZY_ o]dd Yf\ \ak[Yj\& ;geZaf] Ydd af_j]\a]flk af Y [g[clYad k`Yc]j oal` a[] Yf\ k`Yc] na_gjgmkdq& K]jn] af Y [g[clYad _dYkk oal` Y [g[clYad [`]jjq& Drury Director Marco Olmi says: Gmj k]YkgfYd g^% ^]jaf_ \]dan]jk l`] h]j^][l lYkl] g^ ;`jakleYk Yf\ l`] j]lYad hY[ck eYc] h]j^][l klg[caf_ Údd]jk& L`] f]o hqjYea\ hY[cY_af_ ak hYjla[mdYjdq kmal% YZd] ^gj l`] Zd]f\& Al Yddgok l`] l]Yk Yf\ kha[]k lg [aj[mdYl] Yf\ Zj]o hjgh]jdq o`adkl Yl l`] kYe] lae] Ynga\af_ Yfq e]kkq j]ka\m] af l`] [mh&

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Infusing Gin & Tonic 22 | INN KEEPER NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

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in is enjoying a sustained period of growth in popularity in the UK, but it does not appeal to everyone’s taste. Spanish company TÊ Tonic has come up with a drink that may convert these non-gin drinkers with a blend of botanicals, herbs and spices, in a pyramid-shaped silk pouch. When infused with the gin, the tÊ bag transforms the drink, we were told, so we put it to the test. To assess whether these tÊ bags would sell well in a public bar environment, Innkeeper magazine arranged an evening’s tasting in a bar in Tunbridge Wells. A panel of 16 tasters participated, spanning the taste range of the gin-lover to the gin-hater, eight men and eight women, hailing from the UK and from central, eastern and southern Europe. Reactions were mixed, but overwhelmingly our tasters were favourably impressed, particularly the females of the tasting group, who represented a higher proportion of non-gin-lovers: we found we had a number of tasters in our group who would never choose to drink gin, and yet a number of these were indeed converted to the drink when infused with the tÊ bags.

The review For the review of the TĂŠ Tonic Infusion bags we used the perfect combination of a Bombay Sapphire Gin and Fentimans Tonic Water. The box of six avours was opened and presented in a private seating area in a pub on a mild November weekday evening. Each taster had a sip of neat gin followed by a sip of gin and tonic then we poured six large tasting glasses and allowed each avoured tĂŠ bag to soak in a shot of Bombay Sapphire gin and ice for ďŹ ve minutes.

Straight away every one of the female drinkers were drawn by the attractive packaging, more than one applauding the “little cute boxes�.

YELLOW CITRIC Lemon rind, hibiscus, juniper berries, camomile, physalis, lemon aroma and cardamom. The Yellow Citric tĂŠ bag was one of the most popular amongst the tasters. This was mainly due to being very palatable “The danger is you could easily drink way too many without realising it.â€? One of the main other highlights was the Citrus avour amongst gin lovers and haters. A gin lover highlights “It’s the citrus avour that belongs with gin. My favourite one todayâ€?. What I found fascinating about this product is how non-gin drinkers were being converted too. One of the tasters that was not a gin drinker states “You know what? This is really nice. It takes away some of the bitterness of the gin, it’s a really nice smell, and it just tastes smoother.â€?

GREEN Dried Cucumber, lemon rind, physalis, juniper berries, lemon verbena and cardamom. The Green tĂŠ bag was a big hit with hardcore gin drinkers as well as the non-gin drinkers. Hardcore gin drinkers highlighted they loved it because: “It tastes like Hendrick’s with cucumber.â€? Another of the tasters even went so far to say: “It’s actually even nicer than Hendrick’s with cucumberâ€?. One of our non-gin drinkers described his experience of the drink, comparing it with the previous taste: “In the same way as the Yellow Citric, the green takes away the sharpness of the gin. It makes gin a much smoother drink.â€?

However, there were two or three tasters who did remark that they did not consider the green to be as punchy as some of the other tĂŠ bags. “I don’t like it. I prefer the orange,â€? said one local male taster. “The green is not as aromatic or punchy as the yellow or the red. The green just tastes like a normal G&T. The aromatics make the dierence. You can’t eat a raw onion but if you block your nose you can.â€?

RED PASSION Dried apple, hibiscus, elderberry, rose-hip, strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blackcurrant. I think everyone at the tasting session would agree that the Red Passion was one of their favourites out of all the tĂŠ bags. It provided a strong fruity avour and it was quite awe-inspiring to watch the gin itself changing colour with the red tĂŠ bag. One of the tasters reected popular opinion at this stage of the tasting, saying: “My favourite so far is red. It’s got that strawberry avour and that red colour is really coming through. I like that.â€? Another taster mentioned, “It still has the smell of gin, yet it tastes so fresh.â€? As with a number of the other tĂŠ bags, a nongin drinker gave her favourable view of the drink: “It’s taking away the horrible taste of gin, like the yellow did.â€? And another asserted her own view that she could easily be converted: “I could drink this for a whole night. I normally drink wine, but I would buy this rather than a glass of wine in a bar. I’d happily pay the extra to get this avour.â€? From an inn or pub landlord’s perspective it was starting to seem to be a no-brainer that the tĂŠ bags would go down well with the punters.

ROSE JASMINE Hibiscus, to give the gin a light tint, dehydrated rose petals, orange blossom, green jasmine tea and dried apple. The Rose Jasmine was a tĂŠ bag that according to our tasters didn’t really add much avour to the gin. The general consensus was that the taste was very similar to a conventional G&T, but that there was a strong aroma when you raised it to your nose. One female taster noted that, “the rose bag takes away the bubbles from the tonicâ€? but she remained undecided whether that was a good or bad thing. Another taster went a step further and instantly exclaimed: “Wow! I’d buy this in a bar. You don’t have the bitterness in your mouth.â€? And she said without hesitation: “My favourite so far is the rose. Very owery, very light not sickly sweet. Gin mixes perfectly with the rose.

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Pricing structure

Physalis, lemon rind, juniper berries, black pepper, cardamom and orange blossom. The feedback from the tasters was that the White Essential tĂŠ bags provided a more pepper avour taste, some comparing it to a Shiraz. One female from central Europe even went on to maintain: “I do not like Gin. But I would drink this all evening.â€? However, the pepper taste was not to everyone’s liking. One taster said the overall avour was incompatible with the gin itself: “I don’t like the aftertaste. And even with a mixer it tastes like a neat gin with a peppery taste that shouldn’t be there.â€? I concluded that the White Essential is more of an acquired taste owing to the pepper avour that in the view of most of our tasters deďŹ ned it. It received mixed reviews and would say it wasn’t high up on our list out of all the tĂŠ bags.

One area that did receive mixed opinions concerned the question of how you would implement this - with or without incurring additional cost. Introducing it behind the bar, would you charge it at the same cost of gin and tonic or would you treat it like a full cocktail and charge a higher cost? One concerned gin drinker expressed the view: “It shouldn’t massively aect the price dierence, gin is so expensive already so it shouldn’t massively impact the price. And if it doesn’t then I would go with this all night. Whereas one of our female non-gin drinkers had the completely opposite view: “I think there should be a price dierence, because the tĂŠ bag It makes such a dramatic dierence.â€? I consider that there needs to be a middle ground when it comes to the pricing. In other words it should not be charged at a cocktail rate. My own view is that a bar should charge a higher rate for a TĂŠ Tonic infused Gin and Tonic drink on your menu compared with a standard G&T still but not as expensive as the price of a cocktail.

ORANGE ENERGY Dried orange rind, dried lemon rind, whole cinnamon pods, mint, physalis, juniper berries and orange and cinnamon tea. The Orange Energy tĂŠ bag was another favourite among our tasters for its refreshing avour and its elimination of sharpness in the gin. It was not to everyone’s taste. One non-Cinnamon lover stated his mixed feelings: “It is so refreshing, but I can taste the cinnamon and I really don’t like cinnamon. But if you do then I feel this would go with any white spirit and not just Gin.â€? By this time, I was not surprised to hear one of the tasters conďŹ rm that the drink was smoother than a regular G&T. “The sharpness of the gin has completely gone. It’s so smooth! The aroma – the orange comes through distinctly, and I have a poor sense of smell‌Ooh! Flavour! I thought I wouldn’t be able to taste the dierence, but I can!â€? she said.

The bar manager’s opinion We also spoke to the bar manager who joined us in the tasting session. He had nothing but praise for the tĂŠ bags. “This is good!â€? he said after his ďŹ rst couple of sips. “I think I’d sell twice as much gin. I’d certainly give it a go here, but it’d probably sell best on special occasions as we have the capability to make cocktails. But for a normal pub that doesn’t have sta capable of making

cocktails, this would be absolutely great. I can see it working very well for them.â€? He also went on to declare his favourite TĂŠ Tonic was the Red Passion, and echoed the view that from the range of avours, “there’s something here for everyoneâ€?.

mini-bar or honesty bar? With more and more inns having either a mini-bar or honesty bar, we wanted to gather thoughts from our tasters on this regard: having tasted the tĂŠ bags, would they be inuenced to drink more gin from the mini bar if there was a tĂŠ bag in the room. The ďŹ rst taster we asked conďŹ rmed: “Yes, If I was staying in an inn or a B&B and there was a gin in the minibar I’d deďŹ nitely mix it with this. It’s so cute! I would drink the gin just because the tĂŠ tonic is there.â€? Another taster highlighted “if a tĂŠ bag was in the mini bar and I had never had it before, I would probably give it a try with the Gin, just see what is was likeâ€?. Going a step further they also highlighted that it would potentially entice them to go downstairs and have more Gin if the tĂŠ bag was also available behind the bar.â€?

great for your inn Throughout our tasting session with the TĂŠ Tonic bags, it was quite clear that there should be a strong demand for this product, not only in pubs but in any property that host rooms, whether that be an inn, hotel or B&B. Many of our tasters were blown away about how great this product was and

Conclusion on flavours Overall all the avours were unique and interesting. From the selection there is certainly a avour in there to suit everybody’s taste: every one of our 16-strong taster team liked at least one of the tÊ bags. During our tasting session, the Orange Energy, Red Passion and Yellow Citric were probably the most popular due to the impact they made to the gin and tonic via taste and eliminating the sharpness. The White Essential and Green tÊ bags were still popular, but they provided a more classic gin experience that simply didn’t include the sharpness and bitterness of the traditional drink, with the White Essential dividing opinions on the pepper avour. 24 | INN KEEPER NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018

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Ç Ă‹6 Ă‹ P 8Ă‹ how something like this is not currently being stocked. One of our tasters even went as far to say: “If there was a choice of two pubs and only one of them sold this then deďŹ nitely I’d choose the one that sold tĂŠ tonic.â€? Another taster, female, said several times during the tasting session, “I could drink this all night!â€? – on one occasion adding: “Oh my goodness! I’d pay six or seven quid for a glass of that. It’s so mixable!â€? Marketed the right way in your inn, TĂŠ Tonic bags should attract keen gin drinkers and nongin drinkers alike to your pub on a regular basis and thus help set you apart from competitor drinking establishments.

Christmas Spirit Throughout the review process it was also clear that TĂŠ Tonic Infusion bags would also be a perfect Christmas gift for partner, friend and family member. Here are some of the views expressed in this regard during our tasting session: “Stocking ďŹ llers! The box is perfect!â€? “How much is a box like this? I want to buy one for my parents for Christmas. My family is obsessed with gin. This looks and tastes amazing.â€? “I think this is a brilliant product. I’d buy these for people for Christmas and I’d like people to buy them for me. It is the perfect present.â€? In addition to stocking TĂŠ Tonic Infusion bags in your inn, why not also treat a gin lover you know to a unique and fun stocking ďŹ ller/ gift at Christmas.

If you would like try this product for your inn, or buy some personally for friends and family for Christmas, please email info@fresh-sky.com and ask for a 10% discount on a tester box by quoting “Inn Keeperâ€?. Up to 20% off is also available for bigger orders. The discount code is valid until the 7th December. Qgm [Yf Ăšf\ egj] af^gjeYlagf YZgml l`] different Infusions on their website, www. fresh-sky.com

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SOUR CING F INE CUISINE

A strong and growing demand for natural and locally sourced food is helping strengthen bonds between the hospitality sector and local farmers and food suppliers. Bill Lumley reports

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erving locally produced food is a winning strategy for inns across the UK, at breakfast as well as lunchtime and dinner in the restaurant. According to a recent Nielsen report, locally sourced food is fresher, environmentally friendly, healthier, helpful to the local economy, and helpful in making connections with the local farmers. It adds interest to your menu and it can help you earn more money. And it is highly fashionable among the type of guests that innkeepers welcome to their property overnight. The demand for locally sourced food is so of-the-moment that the term 'locavore' has been newly coined to indicate someone who is interested in eating food that has been locally produced and not moved long distances to market. One common deďŹ nition is food that has been grown within 100 miles of the point of purchase or consumption. All this means that the origin of some if not all the food served at inns should be identiďŹ able as local. The regional Be My Guest events this year have featured exhibition stands presented by local food producers who have been able to display their goods to potential buyers - the owners of inns, guest houses and hotels from the same region. One such supplier is Devon-based Westaway’s, which showed o its highly avoursome and locally produced sausages at the South West edition of the event in Torquay last month. Westaway’s has been a premium UK sausage producer for over 100 years. The Baughan family that owns the brand is proud of its strong agricultural heritage, and its award-winning range of recipes is supplied into retail, foodservice and wholesale markets both nationally and internationally. Westaway’s is a pork-only site that boasts British Retail Consortium (BRC) AA Grade accreditation. The bespoke factory produces artisan Butcher’s-style sausages made with fresh British Pork sourced from Red Tractor accredited pig farms in the South of England. Only using what it describes as the best British Pork ensures that the sausages are of the highest standard, and that they deliver on more than just taste. The UK Government has recognised them as one of just 50 Food Stars, an award that recognises the rising stars of Britain’s food and drink industry. The sausages are 100% British Pork, made with fresh meat and individually quick-frozen – meaning the meat retains texture and its fresh pink colour. IQF meanwhile means the customer can take out the amount of sausages required to cook, minimising wastage.

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Westaway Sausages managing director Charlie Baughan says: “Our sausages are perfect for guest houses including inns, as you cook them straight from frozen. You can even deep fat fry them for convenience cooking.“ Being frozen of course results in an Increased shelf life, he adds. He says: “We strongly believe in local food to local people and feel that everyone within a 20-mile radius of our factory in Kingsteignton should be eating Westaways. This is also reected in the number of local customers we have who run inns, hotels, cafes and so forth - we also supply the local schools, rugby club and many of the South West tourist attractions with our products.

“Although the occasional customer collects direct from our factory, our IQF Honey roast sausages are available through almost all the major food service providers in the South West, and regionally in Booker and Makro Stores.� People today are asking more questions about their food and where it comes from, he says. “We only use fresh meat from British Farms, and it is traceable back to its farm of origin. “More recently we have embarked on the journey of reducing the amount of plastics that we are using in our production process. Our retail packs are now packaged in biodegradable cardboard trays, which over the course of the year will prevent 1822 wheelie bins of black plastic from

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86ĂŠ 8 going into landďŹ ll. We are hoping to transition all of our products over to fully biodegradable packaging in the near future. “Being based in an area surrounded by beautiful countryside, we know that it is going to grow in importance to our local customers to be buying products that impact upon the landscape as little as possible,â€? he says. He adds: “By oering customers biodegradable packaging it is ensures that wherever our packaging may end up, it should cause no long-term impact to the environment, and ultimately works towards protecting the provenance in which we have built our brand.â€?

Jam today It is not just locally sourced high-quality meat that is sought after both by innkeepers and their discerning guests, with producers of high-quality jam able to equip your establishment with outstanding-tasting preserves to accompany arguably the most important meal of the day. Family-owned Boddingtons business owner Phil Boddington tells Innkeeper magazine: “On the ingredients front we are 80g of fruit content in 100g, compared with a lot of standard strawberry preserves, which are often half that. The biggest dierence arises from the fact that we don’t use any artiďŹ cial gelling agents, unlike most national jams.

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Pectin can help the ingredients go further, and it is a cheaper method of making jam.â€? The cooking process is quicker, he says, and there is a taste of apple from the pectin in all such preserves. “Our jams are just made with fruit and sugar, cooked to a natural selling point. We cook the water out of the fruit in the same method followed before the war. The result is a taste of fruit and sugar rather than fruit, acidity regulator and pectin.â€? Another key aspect of Boddingtons is that the company is a dedicated strawberry grower. “We’re not in Unit 12B – it’s all made on the farm where everything is cooked, labelled and delivered,â€? he says. Boddingtons is based in Cornwall, which is noted for its high-quality foods as well as being a tourist attraction. It uses national distributors and restaurant distributors as well as exporting some of its products abroad. In addition, all its products are available direct through the company website. There is a growing demand for locally sourced food, Phil says, as well as a demand for naturally produced foods. “The process we use to make our jam makes it slower to produce and the higher fruit content makes it more expensive, but for the decent proportion of inns that are looking to oer a good quality experience, competing on quality, then using our product against a national or international supplier is bound to result in a

better experience for the guest. “If you are oering a cream tea or breakfast then cost your product, put your price up accordingly and shout about the fact that you are oering high quality local produce. That way you are bound to get return customers,â€? he says. The company does not just sell its products for breakfasts and cream teas, also selling a lot of welcome packs, and innkeepers have the opportunity to sell the jam as a retail take-home product for their guests, he adds.

Smoked fish Patrick Salmon is the owner of Grimsby smokehouse Alfred Enderby. He took over the business two years ago. The smokehouse was this year awarded two Great Taste Awards for its smoked ďŹ sh products. The highly acclaimed awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, are the acknowledged benchmark for ďŹ ne food and drink. “Often described as the Oscars of the food world, the Great Taste logo is widely recognised as a sign you can trust when buying locally produced food and drink,â€? says Salmon. Alfred Enderby submitted both its smoked salmon and smoked haddock which were awarded the highest three-star and two-star awards respectively. The Three-star ‘exquisite’ award is awarded to those foods classed as ‘extraordinarily tasty’ and is only awarded to 3% of all entries received, putting the company’s salmon in a class above the norm. The two-star rating received for the haddock is awarded to just 15% of entries received each year. Feedback on the Alfred Enderby Three-Star Smoked Salmon included the following comments; “A truly beautiful, near perfect looking side of salmon, glossy, burnished, yet ďŹ rm eshed.â€? “The texture is fantastic – resilient, ďŹ rm, yet melting in the mouth. The ďŹ nish is lingering yet remarkably clean.â€? “What a magniďŹ cent beast. We are salivating just looking at it. It is majestic, with glossy deep orangey-pink esh. The smoky avour gently supports the avour of the ďŹ sh itself. It is silky and smooth, sweet and succulent and cuts like butter It is just divine – a stunning product – congratulations!â€? Its Two Star Smoked Haddock was also well-acclaimed: “An attractive succulent piece of ďŹ sh with great smokey aroma which akes well giving excellent www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

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meaty texture, the smoke is natural and subtle bringing out the great tasting haddock.â€? “A fresh tasting ďŹ sh with light marine notes, with a ďŹ rm but meltingly soft texture. Carefully judged smoking that builds in the mouth and lingers delightfully.â€? Patrick Salmon explains: “We had never entered the Great Tastes Awards, but our customers tell us we produce the best product that is available, that’s why I bought the business two years ago from the retiring son of Alfred Enderby, Richard. “My goal was to maintain the very high standard we had established over previous decades, reďŹ ne and improve where possible and get it out to the public. People need to know this is available and the great taste awards are a brilliant opportunity to sign post fabulous products like ours. “We have long serving loyal sta who diligentwww.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

ly go about their craft proud of the Alfred Enderby reputation but blissfully unaware of just how good the smoked ďŹ sh they produce really is. I feel it is my job to seek the recognition and show the lads in the smoke house that their eorts are truly recognised. “We pride ourselves on the high quality of skill and craftsmanship that goes into our product. And as such to gain a three- and two-star status from the Great Taste awards cements our conďŹ dence in our wonderful smoked ďŹ sh – we are truly chued!â€? The awards show that Alfred Enderby has something very unique, he adds. “There is a lot of salmon out there, a large proportion of it very mediocre that I wouldn’t consider eating. To get three stars in our ďŹ rst attempt to apply for this vindicates our claim that we have something very unusual.â€?

He worries sometimes that people don’t ďŹ nd them, he says. “There are signposts around and we have protected geographic indication as well, the only such business in Lincolnshire. “Ours is a unique process and we care very passionately about delivering the best product we can using a very old-fashioned approach.â€? He says he does not eat out very much because it is mostly disappointing, but he says: “If you do eat out you like to know where the food you are eating is from and I always ask where everything is from, regardless. “I can’t imagine why a restaurant or an inn wouldn’t say, ‘We source it from XYZ, these are the credentials – please enjoy it!’. It beggars belief that people have smoked salmon or smoked haddock on their menu without indicating where it is from.â€? NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 | INN KEEPER | 29

websites

maximising

your website

Your website is the gateway to the world. It follows that you should pay it the attention your property deserves

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websites

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ne of the biggest challenges faced by Innkeepers across the UK today is the creation and maintenance of their website. The purpose of an effective website is to show off your property, convey all the amenities you offer from the bar to the bedroom as well as the places to go to and things to see nearby, while inspiring potential guests with the confidence to book with you direct. It you get it right it can become a powerful tool. The reality is that getting to such a point is fraught with confusion. Technology is still not generally an area of specialisation among guesthouse owners or innkeepers. Many know a friend or a friend of a friend whom they will have employed for the one-off task of creating the property’s website. But getting from no presence to having a website is one thing. Having a website that is outdated, has invalid information or a lack of up to date attractive images is going to be of little help to your hospitality business and for obvious reasons can actually harm it. And the friend of yours who set it up may not have the time or inclination to devote to updating at all, let alone regularly. Alternatively, you may have invested in a professional website company but be loath to contact them again to carry out the updates you need because the cost is significant. Amenitiz is a company that builds websites with integrated booking engines for guest houses and independent hoteliers. Co-founder and CEO Alexandre Guinefolleau says: “We see beautiful properties in the middle of the countryside completely renovated and we see beautiful pictures of them, yet when we look at their website there are often no pictures on there, or there are often the worst pictures you can imagine that don’t show off any aspect of the property.” The first piece of advice he gives to a guest house owner is to add as many pictures as they can. “When you book a break at such a place you want to feel close to the house you are going to stay in, you want to see where it is that you’ll be staying,” he says. He stresses the importance of the ability of an inn’s website to provide a clear feel for the kind of experience a prospective guest can expect. “Not every guest is going to have the same taste for your design, or the type of house, so you should have as many pictures as you can on your website. That’s the number one advice we give to all our clients in the hospitality sector: pictures, pictures and more pictures.” One of the main gripes of many innkeepers is that if potential guests type in the name of your

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inn into a search engine, they often have to scroll down through the screen to find you, typically after the property’s listing under an online travel agent such as Booking.com or Expedia. This is issue he says can be addressed with search engine optimisation (SEO). And he insists that there is no need for you to appoint (i.e. pay for) a specialist SEO company to help you out. “It is important to have great content about your property, but also clear information about the surrounding area. Most potential guests are going to be looking for accommodation in a certain region or location, or with certain outdoor facilities. It is therefore highly advisable for you to include one or two pages on your website that describe the area around you with very specific words.” If you are in coastal South Wales, for example, you may benefit from drawing attention on your website to the beaches within reach of your inn. “Having a couple of pages featuring great content about the area where you are located will help you when people are looking for a place to stay in that region,” he says. You should then have a short description of the website itself. “The benefits of this are twofold,” he says. “It will help Google decide if you are relevant to a particular Google search, and it is a great way for you to persuade someone that is looking for a guesthouse in a particular location. Therefore, the process of persuading your guests to pay a visit actually starts before they reach your website.”

Pitfalls to avoid One of the key pitfalls he says is cluttering a website. “Don’t make your website too confusing. Some of the websites we see have two dozen different links, two dozen sub-links all directing you to another page. “If a guest is just looking for a nice place to stay, the may prefer to see a maximum of perhaps five or six pages with all the information they are looking for at once. They want for example a page with a gallery, a page with pricing, a page on the surroundings and activities, but at the same time potential guests don’t want to be drawn into a lot of information. The chances are that a guest is going to spend a maximum of five minutes exploring your website. More information will be more confusing than helpful.” He emphasises that it is important to keep your website up to date, whether it be with new pricing, developments, renovations, new activities, discounts or partnerships with local companies. He adds that one of the main issues that hinders

innkeepers in their desire to keep their website up-to-date is the fact that any changes need to be made by a third party such as the company or individual that created the website in the first place. Often websites in this sector remain unchanged literally for years after perhaps a friend of the owner created it and is now too busy to help you out. “We find that most of our clients want to have the ability to modify their website themselves. This means that that they can always keep it up to date, and they can always add new pictures. “If you choose to go with a developer then anything you want to change is going to cost you, whereas if you use a company like Amenitiz then you can modify and make any changes yourself, which makes a huge difference. Thanks to our intuitive block system, building your website and making it evolve when you want is very easy,” he says. He describes how one of his clients recently had a beautiful guesthouse and a “really fancy” website that had been created by an actual designer. “We told him we might not be able to redo the site to the same level as at present. And he said he didn’t care – he said he valued the ability to be able to make changes himself over a fanciful website. It is all about taking control,” he concludes.

Top tips Website consultant and social media guru John Macdonald has a checklist of tips for innkeepers to follow. He says: “First off, make your website tell a story.” Estimates vary, he says, but it’s thought that around 60% of bookings for guesthouses, hotels and B&Bs are made via the Internet. “Your website should therefore be rich with original, compelling content. This is easier than you think: you just have to tell a story to guide your prospective guest through the entire experience of your inn.” It is crucial that you establish the profile of your guest and target the demographic that engages most frequently with you online. “This may be golfers, hikers, retired couples or families. Having identified the profile of your guest, you must then generate online content to engage most effectively with the people of this demographic. Doing so through social media will help encourage traffic to your website and increase conversions.” The next tip is to restrict your website to one topic per page. He says: “This will help enable your potential guest to engage with your website, and therefore with you. “Use key words throughout each page to highlight its purpose. Use appropriate imagery, keep it NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 | INN KEEPER | 31

websites simple and uncluttered and inclusive words such as ‘our’ and ‘your’ to help build the relationship.” Video content will provide an invaluable boost to your website, he contends. “YouTube is estimated to be growing in popularity by 50% year on year, and all social media channels now enable video hosting on their platforms. But keep the video short. Typically viewers will switch off after less than 20 seconds,” says Macdonald. Equally important to the website is the feedback you receive from your guests, and the way in which you respond to it. “Treat your satisfied customers as brand ambassadors and encourage them to leave online reviews,” he says. “Some 95% of guests are believed to allow their decision as to where to book to be influenced by reviews. Crucially, respond to all reviews – even the one-stars,” he adds.

Multiple languages Many guests overseas planning a visit to the UK may come across your site. If a visitor from China wishes to get the full experience of staying in the UK then where better to get that but from staying at an inn? English is only the third most spoken language in the world after Chinese and Spanish. Simply by adding content in these two languages you will be opening the door to many more potential guests from abroad.

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A great way of adding to your website’s potency is to offer a translation service. You can always embed the free Google translate function into your website, but it is not completely reliable and takes away control of what the translation will actually mean in the language to which text has been translated. It has been described as being “borderline unprofessional” that is never perfect. There are a variety of online website creation services, among them Squarespace, Weebly and Wix, the latter of which is easy to use, requires little or no knowledge of coding and offers templates pre-populated with content that you can edit accordingly.

Guest expectations keep growing Whether you enter an inn or guesthouse’s website to plan a weekend break, a family trip or a business meeting, the chances are the contents will be exactly the same. In fact, one could argue that a downloadable PDF might be almost the same experience, according to Avvio head of marketing Chris Rose. “Hotel and other accommodation websites, still today, are often mere online versions of brochures, to which a booking engine has been attached. Potential guests are shown a lot of static, yet gorgeous, content before they eventually

click the ‘Book Now’ button, at which point they are taken off to a second system which does the heavy lifting,” he says. There is nothing personal about it, he stresses. “Nothing even vaguely customised to the guest’s needs. And this is still happening now, in a time when people expect the right movie or product to be suggested to them without even searching for it. According to Pepijn Rijvers, Booking.com’s CMO, “50% of Alibaba turnover last year was generated through personalised promotions, while only a small volume came through search”. Not to mention Google search, Facebook, Twitter and thousands of other personal recommendations, triggered automatically and without any active user interaction.” Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) have long since dropped this static approach, he says. “They tailor everything based on what their system thinks you want to see next. While, obviously, your property’s website can’t compete on all fronts, it should, at least, be able to tailor the experience around their potential guests’ needs.”

Improving the direct booking experience In 2009 Avvio embarked on a research and development project to experiment with artificial intelligence (AI) and personalisation, and how they could be used to improve the direct booking experience. At the time Booking.com was not yet very well-known outside of Europe, the iPhone had only been was around for a couple of since only two years and cloud-computing was mainly a buzzword. Rose says: “Our initial goal was to prove that a hotel website could (and should) be much more than a mere digital copy of a brochure. We felt that hotel websites needed to move out of the passive brochure model into something much more personalised that could make a much better use of all the technologies available. “Over the years, we have learned a lot. Today, Avvio’s booking engine technology and web design are among the most advanced personalisation platforms available in the hotel industry. “We believed that hotel and other accommodation websites could dynamically adjust based on the users’ intent and answer their needs, rather than merely try to force them toward the ‘Book Now’ button. By doing so, we could finally transform e-commerce websites into communication systems, able to answer guests’ questions or suggest pertinent information for their stay. If, for example, a guest returned to the website after having been on the rooms’ page earlier, it would www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

websites be way more pertinent to inform about other services (such as your restaurant specials), or suggestions about what to do in the area according to the reason of their stay. It is not about how complex we can make it, but how intuitive it can become for the guest.” Today, he says, there is an expectation by customers, that companies should be able to predict and personalise messages based on their needs. Imagine a female user logging on to Amazon and being shown only men’s products. “We expect personalisation to the point where non-personalised experiences are considered insulting.”

Pivotal moments When looking back, it is easy to identify some of the pivotal moments that redefined travel search. During the mid-90s, for example, search engine ranking algorithms were much simpler and less efficient than today. “Ironically, this weakness created an opportunity that some exploited (‘Black Hat Techniques’, we would call them today). These SEO golden years, eventually, came to an abrupt conclusion once search engines started to get smarter and started personalising search engine results based on preferences, history, location and many more factors,” he says. Eventually, hotels had to adapt to this optimisation - by paying for search ads - to keep in-line with the times. More recently, with Google openly increasing Hotel Ads visibility at the expense of both Google Ads and organic results, TripAdvisor moving to a news feed approach à-la-Facebook, and OTAs undercutting brand.com offers with B2B2C rates, independent hotels are facing yet new challenges and increased acquisition costs. “In almost a decade of work, tests and implementations in creating the world’s first AI powered booking platform Allora, we can confidently safely say, these are the principles to follow,” says Rose. “Our advice for hoteliers, accommodation providers, agencies and digital marketing managers is simple. Regardless of the technology you’re using, you have to start the personalisation journey now. It takes time to build the right models that work for your property. “Start building it out today. Start small with little actions that can be personalised now, then grow bit by bit. Excellent service starts with recognising the guest and their individuality. One of the first points of contact they have with you is your website. And as the saying goes, you don’t have a second chance to make a good first impression,” he concludes. www.innkeepermagazine.co.uk

English is only the third most spoken language in the world after Chinese and Spanish.

Simply by adding content in these two languages you will be opening the door to many more potential guests from abroad. - Alexandre Guinefolleau.

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Tax rates in Northern Ireland damage tourism potential With inns closing at an unprecedented rate in Northern Ireland we talk to Hospitality Ulster CEO Colin Neill about the way tax is unfairly skewing tourism in the province

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n the past couple of years pubs in Northern Ireland have been closing at a rate of one every four days, and a quarter of all the province’s pubs have closed in the past 20 years. Much of this can be attributed to the absence of a level playing-ďŹ eld between the region and the rest of the UK. Northern Ireland has a devolved government but there are areas that are still the responsibility of Westminster, with Hospitality Ulster lobbying very heavily to keep down the level of duty on alcohol. Partnering with the British Beer and Pub Association and UKHospitality, it was successful in this regard. Hospitality Ulster CEO Colin Neill tells Innkeeper magazine: “Two or three pence on a pint may not sound that much, but when it happens year after year it hammers us away, particularly in pubs and inns where one pound in every three is going to the exchequer.â€? The challenge being fought in Northern Ireland at the moment concerns the level of VAT. A UK-wide campaign is arguing for a lower VAT rate on behalf of the tourism sector, but the tougher trading situation in Northern Ireland is exacerbated by the fact its closest competitor and market is the Republic of Ireland. Neil says: “Although the Republic of Ireland rowed their VAT back to 13.5%, they had a rate of just 9% for a number of years, which gave them an advantage by which to grow, and even at 13.5% they still have a 6.5% advantage. You just have to look at our tourism market compared with theirs.â€? It is often said that tourism is booming in Northern Ireland, but as Neill point out it is doing so from a very low base. “It sounds like a high percentage growth each increase, but in actual fact GDP in Northern Ireland is 5.2%, while everywhere else in Great Britain it is over 10%,â€? he says. He stresses the need for Northern Ireland to be competitive for its tourism market to survive. “We have a huge journey to make that entails a number of factors, but we need to be compet-

itive. The island of Ireland is marketed internationally as one destination, but when people arrive they ďŹ nd we have higher costs, which skews our marketplace. VAT is critical for us to grow our tourism market,â€? he says. Looking at overall taxation overall, Northern Ireland business rates are the same as the rest of the UK. “We have the same rates, we pay the same national living wage, the same pension contributions and so forth, but disposable income in our domestic market in Northern Ireland is 20% less than the GB average, so our price points are suppressed, and our margins are much tighter.â€? He says a lower VAT would help address that gap. “At the moment in our restaurant sector we are experiencing negative investment because the margins are so tight. We were therefore disappointed as regards VAT in the Budget. We had hoped for a pathway to lower the VAT rates.â€? He stresses he has not given up hope. “We are still lobbying our MPs very heavily to push the ask again. Treasury said no twice with regards corporation tax before they lowered it in Northern Ireland, so never say never,â€? he adds. Tourism organisations across Northern Ireland have said Brexit will provide an opportunity to lower VAT, but Neill says: “It depends entirely on the deal, and whether we stay in some sort of customs union.â€? But he says: “Brexit provides an opportunity to have dierent VAT rates in dierent regions for hospitality n the UK. We would argue that in Northern Ireland there is the case for a particularly low rate, and we support or colleagues in Great Britain calling for it. But up until the point that we leave the EU we can’t have a lower rate for tourism in Northern Ireland compared to the rest of Great Britain. “Post Brexit if the deal is right we should be able to allow it. We have not gone away and have redouble dour eorts. We had several meetings straight after the Budget making the case that we have to see this happen,â€? he says. NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2018 | INN KEEPER | 35

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