Luxury B&B December Issue

ALCOHOL FREE BEER POPULARITY IN LOW AND ZERO ALCOHOL BEER IS ON THE RISE

PLUS! OUTDOOR HEAT The luxury end of the outdoor heating market is booming

BREAKFAST THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF YOUR DAY

UK’S FIRST

LUXURY

B&B MAGAZINE WWW.LUXURYBBMAG.CO.UK • ISSUE 21 • DECEMBER 2017

10% UNT DISCeO : LBB11 Quot

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this month...

Welcome

The end of free movement will be bleak for the luxury bed & breakfast sector. That is more or less a given.

The end of a plentiful supply of comparatively low-cost labour from the continent is imminent. Probably. It is WKHUHIRUH UHDVRQDEOH WR DUJXH WKDW PXFK PRUH H΍RUW is required right now, by the entire hospitality sector, than merely fretting over the referendum result and dwelling on the fact that your business faces a major recruitment problem a couple of years from now. All the while rather hoping the whole Brexit thing will be overturned after all.

Case in point: at last month’s HOSPA conference, BHA economic policy adviser John Guthrie gave a presentation on the extent to which the hospitality sector has become heavily reliant over the past couple RI GHFDGHV RQ D VXSSO\ RI VWD΍ IURP PDLQODQG (XURSH (page 12). His presentation dwelt on the impact an end to free movement would have on the industry. Some 96% of the EU national working in the industry today would not get into the country under the immigration rules for non-EU nationals.

Yet while stressing this was a two-fold argument, he devoted just one sentence to describe the counteraction being taken. Here it is: “We are leading a 10-year campaign to recruit more people into the industry from the UK.” There it is, in a nutshell: the campaign every bed & breakfast business, inn and hotel across the UK should EH IROORZLQJ FORVHO\ UDLVLQJ WKH SURȴOH RI WKH H΍RUWV WR UHFUXLW PRUH 8. VWD΍ DQG EULQJ WKHP EDFN WR WKH OHYHOV they were before the Maastricht Treaty 25 years ago.

It troubles me to see such a formidable, creative, imaginative and innovative sector as UK hospitality to be investing its energies in despairing at the crisis that the end of free movement is likely to bring to recruitment, yet to hear so little about any tangible measures being put in place in preparation for the moment UK leaves the EU. Two years is not a long time. The BHA needs your support as much you need its H΍RUWV DV DQ DVVRFLDtion. The clock is ticking.

Bill Lumley

Editor

NEWS

4

12

Industry news from around the UK

16

18

20

24

28

32

CORE ISSUES

Analysis and insight of the critical issues confronting luxury bed & breakfast managers

TRAINING

The Tourism Business MD Martin Evans explains the LPSRUWDQFH RI VWD΍ WUDLQLQJ

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Infor’s Calum McIndoe says AI is already exerting its LQȵXHQFH RQ WKH EHG EUHDNIDVW PDUNHW

PRESENTING THE RIGHT BREAKFAST

Breakfast is now the most important amenity for luxury bed & breakfast guests when booking accommodation

ALCOHOL-FREE BEER

As abstinence grows so does the selection and the quality of low and zero-alcohol beer

OUTDOOR HEATING

Both the quality and range of outdoor heating for the luxury hospitality sector are soaring

WINTER WARMERS

A range of classy cocktails to warm up guests’ spirits in the winter season

32

20 Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 3 - December 2017

- News -

Industry gives cautious welcome to Budget measures The luxury B&B sector has given a mixed welcome to measures in the Budget that impact the hospitality market. %HG DQG %UHDNIDVW $VVRFLDWLRQ FKDLUPDQ 'DYLG :HVWRQ VDLG :H DUH JODG WR VHH WKDW WKH &KDQFHOORU NHSW WKH 9$7 WKUHVKROG DW e N DQG said that business rates will peg to CPI rather WKDQ WKH KLJKHU 53Ζ VDYLQJ EXVLQHVVHV e EQ The Tourism Business managing partner Martin Evans told Luxury Bed & Breakfast PDJD]LQH Ȋ2YHUDOO Ζ WKLQN WKH %XGJHW ZDV satisfactory for the hotel industry, although no-one in business in the UK will be happy about the downgrading of Britain’s productivity forecasts. Productivity is important in a sector where wage percentage is closely measured, and the hospitality industry must continue to ȴQG ZD\V WR LQFUHDVH SURGXFWLYLW\ ZKHWKHU LWȇV

ideas like four-day weeks for kitchen brigades, more streamlined hotel receptions, or more HÉ?FLHQW KRXVHNHHSLQJ SUDFWLFHV 7KH PRYH E\ the government to extend the National Productivity Investment Fund is therefore a good thing, as is the government partnering with the CBI and others to move digital training up the agenda. This can only be a good thing in such DV D IUDJPHQWHG LQGXVWU\ DV KRVSLWDOLW\ (YDQV VDLG LW LV D VKDPH WKDW WRXULVP 9$7 has not been reduced, but he conceeded that many in the industry can understand why the government can’t easily do this right now. $W OHDVW WKH 9$7 WKUHVKROG KDV EHHQ NHSW DW e IRU WKH QH[W WZR \HDUV VRPHWKLQJ that small businesses in the sector will be pleased about,â€? he said.

The new direction on ratings revaluations

HYHU\ WKUHH \HDUV LQVWHDG RI HYHU\ Č´YH ZLOO EH good in the long-term for hoteliers and B&B owners, giving them more structure and less of a fright to their business planning with smaller rises at the time of revaluation, he added.

From an operational cost perspective, he said the freeze in beer duty will help hoteliers with their pricing at a time when food costs HVSHFLDOO\ DUH ULVLQJ DERYH LQȾDWLRQ ȊΖW LV estimated that the freeze will cost the govHUQPHQW DOPRVW e EQ E\ D VXP WKDW will at least not now have to be passed on to WKH FXVWRPHU 2I FRXUVH KRWHOV DQG OLFHQVHG % %ȇV LQ 6FRWODQG ZLOO DOVR EHQHȴW IURP WKH previously-announced minimum pricing for alcohol, which will hopefully drive more peoContinued on page 6

Channel Four B&B show seeks participants for 2018 series The winner of the most recent edition of Channel Four show Four in a Bed said she enjoyed the experience and recommends that other B&B owners participate in future shows if they get the chance - provided they “act themselves and play fair�.

In the show, which is currently looking for participants for next year’s shows, B&B owners take turns to stay with each other as they compete to be crowned best hosts. /X[XU\ % % 6SULQJČ´HOG +RXVH RZQHU /XFLQGD 5HQVKDZ VDLG VKH had turned down the opportunity to participate in a series of the show several years ago, she said but had since changed her mind after she met a subsequent winner of the show, who persuaded her of its value. /XFLQGD 5HQVKDZ WROG Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “I found the comments from the other participants to be very helpful,â€? and added that bookings at her luxury B&B business had risen “massivelyâ€? since the show’s broadcast last month.

Four in a bed has been running for 11 series and to-date and has made more than 500 programmes.

7KH VKRZȇV SURGXFHU +HOHQ 2UWRQ WROG /X[XU\ %HG %UHDNIDVW magazine: “We are delighted to announce that Four in a Bed will return next year for another 75 episodes and the team are already looking for bed & breakfast owners who are interested in taking part. “The series Four captures B&B owners battling it out to be deemed

WR RÎ?HU EHVW YDOXH IRU PRQH\ HDFK ZHHN $V WKH SURGXFWLRQ WHDP ZH are delighted to shine a spotlight on the unique and varied accomPRGDWLRQ WKH 8. KDV WR RÎ?HU She said the best way for a luxury B&B to be considered as a participant in next years’ shows is to email the production team at fourinabed@studiolambert.com.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 4 - December 2017

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- News -

EDITOR

Bill Lumley bill.lumley@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 345 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Caroline Sargent 07076 362082 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Matthew Attwood 01737 852 345 NORTHERN IRELAND EDITOR

Francis Higney 01737 852 345 SALES MANAGER

Dywayne Ramsundar dywayne.ramsundar@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 342 DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Stuart West stuart.west@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 343 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

Helen Richmond helen.richmond@jld-media.co.uk 01737 852 344 No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher.

We regret we cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any solicited or unsolicited material. Contributors are advised to keep copies of all materials submitted.

The opinions and views expressed in Luxury Bed & Breakfast 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.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast is available on subscription. UK & Ireland ÂŁ65; Overseas ÂŁ98.

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Luxury Bed & Breakfast JLD Media, 25 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1QZ Tel: +44 (0) 1737 852 100 www.luxurybbmag.co.uk All rights reserved Š JLD Media 2017

Continues from page 4 SOH WR VHH OHVV RI D GLVDGYDQWDJH ȴQDQFLDOO\ LQ EX\LQJ alcohol on the premises,� said Evans. &KLHI H[HFXWLYH RI WKH %ULWLVK +RVSLWDOLW\ $VVRFLDWLRQ 8ȴ ΖEUDKLP VDLG Ȋ:H ZHOFRPH WKH IUHH]H RQ alcohol duty announced by the Chancellor to help hospitality businesses facing challenging commercial FRQGLWLRQV DQG VWHHS LQFUHDVHV LQ %XVLQHVV 5DWHV IROORZLQJ WKH UHYDOXDWLRQ ȋ 2Q WKH EXVLQHVV UDWHV KH VDLG Ȋ7KH &KDQFHOORUȇV DQQRXQFHPHQW RI DQ H[WHQVLRQ WR WKH e UDWH relief for small pubs is not nearly enough amounting, DV LW GRHV WR e D ZHHN 7KH GHFLVLRQ WR UHYLHZ UDWHV HYHU\ WKUHH \HDUV ZKLFK WKH %+$ KDV EHHQ FDOOLQJ IRU is welcome but is of no comfort to those hospitality EXVLQHVVHV IDFLQJ KXJH ULVHV ULJKW QRZ +LV GHFLVLRQ WR EULQJ IRUZDUG WKH XVH RI &3Ζ UDWKHU WKDQ 53Ζ WR VHW business rates is a good one.� +H DGGHG Ȋ:H ZHOFRPH WKH &KDQFHOORUȇV GHFLVLRQ WR SUHVV DKHDG ZLWK D UHYLHZ LQWR FXWWLQJ WRXULVP 9$7 LQ 1RUWKHUQ ΖUHODQG 7KLV LV WKH ȴUVW WLPH WKDW WRXULVP 9$7 KDV IHDWXUHG LQ D %XGJHW DQG LV D UHȾHFWLRQ RI WKH KDUG ZRUN E\ WKH %+$ DQG WKH &DPSDLJQ WR &XW 7RXULVP 9$7 :H KRSH WKDW WKH JRYHUQPHQW ZLOO UHFRJQLVH WKH EHQHȴWV RI D FXW WR 7RXULVP 9$7 DQG ZH will continue to urge a nationwide reduction.�

5HJDUGLQJ WD[ DYRLGDQFH ZLWKLQ WKH GLJLWDO HFRQomy, Ibrahim said: “We welcome the government’s new impetus in addressing the tax avoidance of some companies in the ‘hidden economy’, and look IRUZDUG WR VHHLQJ WKH OHYHOOLQJ RI WKH SOD\LQJ Č´HOG IRU WUDGLWLRQDO EXVLQHVVHV 7KH %+$ KDV ORQJ DGYRFDWHG greater scrutiny of digital platforms and we hope that the government’s call for evidence in the spring of ZLOO OHDG WR PHDQLQJIXO FKDQJH Č‹ 7KH :LQH DQG 6SLULW 7UDGH $VVRFLDWLRQ KDV ZDUPO\ welcomed the Chancellor’s decision to freeze wine and spirit duty.

7KH :67$ KDV FDOFXODWHG WKDW WKH FKDQJH LQ JRYernment policy will save the UK wine and spirit trade DURXQG e P 7KH ZLQH DQG VSLULW LQGXVWU\ VXSSRUWV %ULWLVK MREV DQG JHQHUDWHV e EQ IRU WKH 8.

HFRQRP\ ΖW DOUHDG\ FRQWULEXWHV RYHU e EQ WR WKH Treasury in duty alone. Introducing the duty freeze in today’s Budget the Chancellor highlighted his support for the great British pub, where wine and spirit sales QRZ DFFRXQW IRU RI DOFRKRO VROG DFURVV WKH EDU The freeze will mean that duty on an average SULFHG ERWWOH RI VWLOO ZLQH ZLOO UHPDLQ DW e VSDUNOLQJ ZLQH VWD\V DW e DQG GXW\ RQ DQ DYHUDJH SULFHG ERWWOH RI VSLULWV DW DEY UHPDLQV e It is only the second time in 15 years that wine duty has been frozen.

7KH :67$ DUJXHG WKDW D IUHH]H RU D FXW ZDV D win/win for both the Treasury and the wine and

spirit industry, which has been proven in previous Budget success stories. $IWHU D IUHH]H LQ ZLQH GXW\ LQ WKH %XGJHW ZLQH GXW\ LQFRPH LQFUHDVHG E\ e P WKH IROORZLQJ \HDU DQG DIWHU D FXW LQ VSLULWV GXW\ WKDW \HDU VSLULWV GXW\ LQFRPH LQFUHDVHG E\ e P

over the same period.

Commenting on the Chancellor’s decision to IUHH]H ZLQH DQG VSLULW GXW\ 0LOHV %HDOH :67$ FKLHI executive said: “We are pleased that the Chancellor has found his IHVWLYH VSLULW DQG OLVWHQHG WR WKH FDOO IURP WKH :67$ DQG LWV PHPEHUV DQG KDV IUR]HQ ZLQH DQG VSLULW GXW\ +H KDV shown the Government is in touch with what consumers want and is supporting an industry that is proving to be D UHDO DVVHW WR %ULWLVK EXVLQHVV +H KDV UHFRJQLVHG WKDW rebalancing the UK’s excessive duty rates is a win-win for both the Treasury, the wine and spirit trade – not to mention consumers. This decision will be celebrated by millions who will raise a glass this festive season.�

2Q VLQJOH XVH SODVWLFV ΖEUDKLP VDLG Ȋ:H ORRN IRUward to working with the government to reduce the use of single use plastics in the hospitality industry and ensuring that any such charge does not bring unnecessary burden on businesses.�

2Q 7 OHYHOV KH VDLG ČŠ7KH &KDQFHOORU DQQRXQFHG DQ DGGLWLRQDO e PLOOLRQ WR EH VSHQW RQ SUHSDUDWLRQ IRU 7 OHYHOV $V D Č´UVW PRYH KH VKRXOG EULQJ IRUZDUG hospitality T-levels from their delayed introduction LQ 6HSWHPEHU DIWHU WKH 8. KDV OHIW WKH (XURSHan Union. This would mean that UK students could make an earlier start in a career in hospitality, in the process helping reduce the number of EU workers in WKH KRVSLWDOLW\ LQGXVWU\ KH VDLG

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 6 - December 2017

- News -

Be My Guest partners with VisitEngland to support small accommodation businesses Small accommodation provider hospitality roadshow Be My Guest is delighted to announce a new industry partnership with VisitEngland. The UK-wide roadshow undertaken by Be My Guest will bring together the entire spectrum of small accommodation providers ranging from owners of B&Bs, guesthouses, holiday rentals and small hotels right through to independent hosts, campsites and self-catering properties.

6WDUWLQJ LQ )HEUXDU\ %H 0\ *XHVW will hold one-day, free-to-attend editions in 6RXWKDPSWRQ +DUURJDWH *ODVJRZ %ULVWRO Penrith and Norwich, bringing together a multi-billion pound industry to connect, learn and discover in a new event format featuring a marketplace, learning roundtables and a business talks stage.

9LVLW(QJODQG ZLOO VXSSRUW WKH Č´UVW HGLWLRQV RI WKH URDGVKRZ LQ 6RXWKDPSWRQ DQG +DUURgate as industry partner and further developing relationships with the small accommodation market throughout England.

Speaking about the partnership, head of

business support for VisitEngODQG 5RVV &DOODGLQH VDLG “This roadshow provides a great opportunity for VisitEngland to engage with small accommodation operators and showcase the resources available to them such DV RXU %XVLQHVV $GYLFH +XE 5DLVLQJ DZDUHQHVV RI the support available enhances (QJODQGȇV SURGXFW RÎ?HU GULYLQJ WKH EHQHČ´WV RI WRXULVP WKURXJKRXW WKH UHJLRQV Č‹ VisitEngland’s activity at the roadshow will include talks covering accessible tourism trends and how accommodation providers FDQ WDS LQWR WKH e EQ Ȇ3XUSOH 3RXQGȇ DV ZHOO DV SURPRWLQJ WKH %XVLQHVV $GYLFH +XE DQG the Pink Book, which is described as essential reading to keep up-to-date with tourist accommodation legislation.

(YHQW 'LUHFWRU 'LDQH 6KHSSDUG FRPmented: “We are extremely excited to be

working with VisitEngland on this new event platform for the LQGXVWU\ 2XU DLP IRU WKH roadshow is to deliver high level value and informative business development content for this industry in an environment that is approachable, friendly and fun. “VisitEngland’s support and knowledge will make sure this event is a must attend for the small accommodation industry in the UK.�

Be My Guest is owned, managed and operDWHG E\ 4XDUW] 6PDUW (YHQWV EDVHG LQ 5HGKLOO Surrey. Quartz Smart Events is a subsidiary of UK exhibition company Quartz Business Media, which has launched, managed and UXQ PRUH WKDQ HYHQWV DFURVV PXOWLSOH sectors, and which recently won Tradeshow /DXQFK RI WKH <HDU DW WKH $VVRFLDWLRQ RI (YHQW 2UJDQLVHUV ([FHOOHQFH $ZDUGV

London mayor pushes for new tourism tax Objections are growing to a hotel bed tax or so-called tourism tax currently being mooted in various cities in the UK. 7KH /RQGRQ $VVHPEO\ (FRQRPLF &RPPLWtee discussed the issue last month, and other cities are threatened by the proposed tax LQFOXGLQJ %DWK (GLQEXUJK DQG +XOO ZKHUH the council has announced a consultation.

Currently in England individual local authorities do not have the power to raise such a tax so it would need to be carried out at a national level, but the Mayor of London has proclaimed his support for the tax and is calling for local authorities to be given the power to raise it, which would add to the price of guest room. $ EHG WD[ KRZHYHU VPDOO ZLOO GLVFRXUDJH guests from staying overnight and reduce the amount they spend in the wider London economy, impacting shops and restaurants as well as hotels, according to the British +RVSLWDOLW\ $VVRFLDWLRQ

%+$ FKLHI H[HFXWLYH 8IL Î&#x2013;EUDKLP VDLG â&#x20AC;&#x153;The London tourism tax will unfairly penalise hard-pressed Britons, who make up the overwhelming proportion of visitors to London. Sadiq Khan has proFODLPHG Č&#x160;/RQGRQ LV 2SHQČ&#x2039; \HW LV EDFNLQJ a tax on anyone coming for a weekend break in the capital, professionals going Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 7 - December 2017

about their business and holidaymakers with their families. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tax on fun and EXVLQHVV 7KLV LVQČ&#x2021;W MXVW DERXW WRS HQG hotels, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about hard-working people on budget breaks too. This levy threatens our industry, which is the lifeblood of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy, employing over half a million people in London, and generating an estiPDWHG e EQ WR WKH 8.Č&#x2021;V *'3 +RVSLWDOLW\ DQG WRXULVP DUH KLJKO\ price-sensitive, and domestic and international YLVLWRUV KDYH VLJQLČ´FDQW GHVWLQDWLRQ FKRLFH DV do business tourism, event organisers and LQYHVWRUV 'RPHVWLF WRXULVWV LQ WKH 8. DOUHDG\ pay one of the highest rates of tax in Europe and the World Economic Forum currently UDQNV WKH 8. RXW RI FRXQWULHV LQ WHUPV of tourism tax competitiveness,â&#x20AC;? he said. $ VSRNHVPDQ VDLG WKH %+$ ZDV VHHNLQJ DVVXUDQFH WKDW IRU DV ORQJ DV 8. WRXULVP 9$7 remains at such a high rate, no hotel bed tax would be implemented.

- News -

Chiltern Brewery launches new range of stouts The Chiltern Brewery in Buckinghamshire launched a new range of imperial stouts at the opening of its Christmas Brewery Shop in Terrick, near Aylesbury, last month.

The range comprises three stouts, Tudor 6SLFHG 'DUN &RÎ?HH DQG ([SRUW 2ULJLQDO DOO LQ PO &KDPSDJQH VW\OH ERWWOHV ZLWK detailed historical and tasting notes on the eye-catching labels. )RXQGHG LQ WKH EUHZHU\ LV WKH Chilternsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; oldest. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the start the ethos KDV EHHQ WR EUHZ D UDQJH RI Č´QH (QJOLVK cask and bottled ales using traditional WHFKQLTXHV DQG WKH Č´QHVW %ULWLVK PDOW DQG KRSV Č&#x2039; VDLG KHDG EUHZHU 5LFKDUG -HQNLQVRQ SLFWXUHG 0DQ\ RI WKH EHHUV are award-winning and every one of the bottled ales holds at least one Great Taste $ZDUG KH VDLG Trade delivery of the brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s range of ERWWOHG EHHUV Č&#x201A; IRXU RI ZKLFK DUH FHUWLČ´HG gluten-free - can be ordered from the brewery at www.chilternbrewery.co.uk

Old-fashioned perceptions hamper coastal B&Bs Old-fashioned perceptions are a key barrier to encouraging visitors to coastal communities, according to a report published last month by an all-party parliamentary group (APPG), which says the government needs to make it part of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growth story.

7KH 5HSRUW RQ WKH Î&#x2013;QTXLU\ LQWR &RDVWDO Communities cites a Butlins survey from ZKLFK IRXQG WKDW RI SHRSOH YLHZ WKH FRDVW DV RÎ?HULQJ Č&#x160;EHDXWLIXO XQVSRLOW beaches and coastlines with lots of natural beautyâ&#x20AC;?, but fewer than half had visited the FRDVW LQ WKH SUHYLRXV WKUHH \HDUV DQG YLHZHG FRDVWDO YLVLWV DV DQ H[SHQVLYH MRXUQH\ to areas that are both out of date and in need of investment.

Luxury bed & breakfast owners are best placed to take the lead in dispelling old-fashioned public perceptions of B&Bs, according to %HG %UHDNIDVW $VVRFLDWLRQ FKDLUPDQ 'DYLG Weston, who welcomed the reportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recomPHQGDWLRQV +H WROG Luxury Bed & Breakfast: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The concept of old-fashioned perceptions is VRPHWKLQJ ZH KDYH DOZD\V WULHG WR FRXQWHU $ lot of the new generation of B&Bs are boutique and design-led, run by a younger generation of people. If people still have a perception of a Blackpool landlady then it is out of date and we should all promote the new image of B&Bs and guest houses. This is a role that luxury B&Bs should certainly be leading.â&#x20AC;?

(YLGHQFH SUHVHQWHG WR WKH $33* KLJKlighted the dependence of coastal areas on the summer season and the challenges this dependence presents, particularly in terms of employment. The National Coastal Tourism $JHQF\ VWDWHG WKDW RI DOO WULSV WR WKH FRDVW WDNH SODFH LQ -XO\ DQG $XJXVW D Č´JXUH consistent for the past decade, creating large ČľXFWXDWLRQV EHWZHHQ VHDVRQV The report said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The provision and availability of broadband has now become one of the top reasons for choosing a destination or accommodation provider.â&#x20AC;? It revealed the top most desired holiday comforts included a QLFH YLHZ ZL Č´ FOHDQ DFFRPPRGDWLRQ D JRRG mattress and a great restaurant. $PRQJ WKH UHSRUWČ&#x2021;V FRQFOXVLRQV ZDV WKDW the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s view of hospitality and tourLVP QHHGV WR FKDQJH WR UHČľHFW WKH LPSRUWDQFH Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 8 - December 2017

of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth-largest industry.

The report included a number of recommendations to address the concerns raised, among WKHP EULQJLQJ WRXULVP RÉ?FHV XS WR GDWH 5HFRPPHQGDWLRQV LQ WKH UHSRUW DOVR included better digital connectivity skills for coastal communities for all ages and using social media and webcams to promote local coastal regions, an improvement in marketing and infrastructure and the promotion of UK package holidays. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The view of hospitality and tourism in govHUQPHQW QHHG WR FKDQJH WR UHČľHFW WKH LPSRUtance of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth largest industry,â&#x20AC;? said the report, which can be found on the British +RVSLWDOLW\ $VVRFLDWLRQČ&#x2021;V ZHEVLWH

- News -

Future staffing issues must be addressed, delegates warned Attendees gathered at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HOSPA conference & exhibition for the reunion of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s panel discussion on Brexit, to hear how opinion had shifted. The LVVXH RI VWDÉ?QJ ZDV NH\ ZLWK -HUHP\ Robinson, partner, Watson Farley Williams, telling delegates: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Immigration is a fundamental issue to resolve. The question of bringing in visitors to the EU must also be addressed. Whilst we can't expect anything from our government as a sector, we can keep the pressure up over aviation and migration.â&#x20AC;?

Mark Essex, director, public policy, KPMG, added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There aren't many certainties around Brexit, but the cost of wages is JRLQJ XS 5DWKHU WKDQ OREE\LQJ JRYHUQPHQW I would look at what I can do to mitigate what can only be upward wage pressure.

5HWHQWLRQ LV LPSRUWDQW 3URGXFWLYLW\ DQG innovation is important. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have businesses who are assuming a %UH[LW FOLÎ? HGJH DQG DFWLYHO\ SODQQLQJ IRU WKDW Č&#x2039; $W RQH RI WKH PDQ\ ZRUNVKRSV ZKLFK WRRN place during the event, attendees heard from Eproductive and the University of Surrey that the number of hours worked by UK employees had gone down, in addition to the number of UK employees, while labour from the EU was up and the number of hours EU labour had worked was up.

3URIHVVRU $QGUHZ /RFNZRRG 8QLYHUVLW\ of Surrey said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possibly comment on whether EU workers are more productive WKDQ 8. ZRUNHUV 5HYHQXH RYHU WKH SHULRG went up as labour went down, which must mean that productivity has increased.â&#x20AC;?

With costs rising as a result of the falling pound and rising labour costs, one area in which hotels were being encouraged to economise was in the drive to direct

bookings, with the branded hotel operators XVLQJ WKHLU OR\DOW\ SURJUDPPHV WR RÎ?HU discounted rates, with varying responses from owners. &DURO 'RGGV 93 FRPPHUFLDO 8. Î&#x2013;QWHUVWDWH +RWHOV 5HVRUWV VDLG Č&#x160;:H KDYH VHHQ GHČ´QLWH UDWH FDQQLEDOLVDWLRQ EXW ZH DUH hoping to build a loyal base and strong lifetime members. When member discounts came around and we pushed that through the metasearch engines there was a masVLYH VKDUH VKLIW EXW WKH GLÎ?HUHQW 27$ WHUPV forced us to come out of being so visible DQG LW EHFDPH TXLWH GLÉ?FXOW Č&#x2039; +RWHOV ZHUH HQFRXUDJHG WR SOD\ WKH ORQJ JDPH ZLWK 6WHYH /RZ\ FKDLUPDQ +RWHO 0DUNHWLQJ $VVRFLDWLRQ FRPPHQWLQJ Č&#x160;:KDW has to happen is that hotels need to look at commission spend - hotels need to look DOO WKH ZD\ GRZQ +RWHOV QHHG WR ORRN ORQJ WHUP DW PDUNHWLQJ DQG VWDÎ? WUDLQLQJ DQG DW their websites - customers become loyal to 27$V EHFDXVH RI WKH ERRNLQJ SURFHVV QRW always the price. The book direct message DOVR QHHGV WR Č´OWHU GRZQ WR WKH UHFHSWLRQists. The franchise model has potentially caused lots of challenges.â&#x20AC;?

The sector is currently facing a number of issues around technology, including that

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 9 - December 2017

RI VHFXULW\ ZLWK 7HG +RUQHU PDQDJLQJ GLUHFWRU (+ $ OHDGLQJ WKH GHEDWH DURXQG cyber attacks and how to keep guests and employees safe. +RUQHU VDLG Č&#x160;Î&#x2013;Q LW LV HVWLPDWHG WKDW WKHUH ZLOO EH WULOOLRQ LQ IUDXG DQG cybercrime. Now, it has a greater revenue than the drug trade. Cyber crime is growing because it is low risk and low cost. Point of sale is the greatest area of threat in hotels the area needs to be focused on in managePHQW DJUHHPHQWV $W VRPH SRLQW \RX DUH going to get hacked.â&#x20AC;? $GGUHVVLQJ WKLV 'DYLG 'HUE\VKLUH GLUHFWRU Î&#x2013;7 VHUYLFH GHOLYHU\ +LOWRQ DQG FKDLU RI WKH +263$ Î&#x2013;7 FRPPLWWHH VDLG Č&#x160;:KHQ \RX do your homework on data, look at legacy DQG VWRUHG GDWD $QG ORRN DW \RXU WKLUG SDUties. Someone's presence and identity is key to the contract with your guests. If you have a breach, imagine the impact on trust.â&#x20AC;? Č&#x160;%XW Č&#x2039; DGGHG 'DYLG 1LFROVRQ 93 Č´QDQFH -XPHLUDK DQG FKDLU RI WKH +263$ Č´QDQFH committee, â&#x20AC;&#x153;you're only as good as your weakest link. The answer is to have multilayered systems, protect your most important data with the greatest investment.â&#x20AC;?

See Core Issues page 12

- News -

Midlands regions partnership announced to attract overseas visitors.

VisitBritain has announced a partnership with Birmingham and the surrounding areas to promote more of Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regions to overseas visitors.

7KH WKUHH \HDU SDUWQHUVKLS LV D MRLQW LQLWLDWLYH ZLWK %LUPLQJKDP $LUSRUW WKH West Midlands Growth Company, Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s England and Marketing Peak 'LVWULFW 'HUE\VKLUH Under the new partnership the organisations will collectively market Birmingham and the surrounding areas to a global audience, convert inspiration to visit into ERRNLQJV DQG SURPRWH GLUHFW ČľLJKWV WR WKH DUHD Î&#x2013;Q WKH Č´UVW \HDU WKH SDUWQHUVKLS ZLOO focus on the US market. $FFRUGLQJ WR D VSRNHVPDQ WKH SDUWQHU GHVWLQDWLRQV RÎ?HU D ZLGH UDQJH RI H[SHULences to overseas visitors, â&#x20AC;&#x153;from stunning rural landscapes to cosmopolitan retail and world-class cultural gems, Birminghamâ&#x20AC;?.

VisitBritain commercial director Carol 'UD\ VDLG Č&#x160;7RXULVP LV RQH RI WKH 8.Č&#x2021;V PRVW YDOXDEOH H[SRUW LQGXVWULHV ZRUWK e EQ annually to the economy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Increasing regional connectivity not only makes it easier for visitors to see more of Britain, the West Midlands and the Peak 'LVWULFW LW ERRVWV HFRQRPLF JURZWK DQG helps keep us an attractive destination in WKLV Č´HUFHO\ FRPSHWLWLYH JOREDO PDUNHW Č&#x2039; West Midlands Growth Company director of marketing and communications Emma Gray said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Birmingham and its surrounding areas have become increasingly popular tourist destinations, attracting some 1.5m LQWHUQDWLRQDO YLVLWRUV LQ â&#x20AC;&#x153;By working in partnership with our destination partners we will be in an even stronger position to attract more visitors to the region, increasing economic development and growth. We look forward to capLWDOLVLQJ RQ WKH RSSRUWXQLWLHV DQG EHQHČ´WV that this initiative will bring to the tourism industry in the future.â&#x20AC;? %LUPLQJKDP $LUSRUWČ&#x2021;V FRPPHUFLDO director Jo Lloyd added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud and

excited to be working with partners on this gateway campaign to drive more visitors to the region over the next three years. EngODQGČ&#x2021;V +HDUWODQG RÎ?HUV YLVLWRUV HYHU\WKLQJ they could possibly imagine - from adventure and history to culture and arts â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and with new long haul low cost direct services commencing next summer, Birmingham $LUSRUW RÎ?HUV WKH SHUIHFW JDWHZD\ IRU visitors ready to discover our vibrant cities, beautiful villages and rolling countryside.â&#x20AC;? %LUPLQJKDP $LUSRUW LV WKH 8.Č&#x2021;V WKLUG ODUJest airport outside London and is described DV Č&#x160;WKH JDWHZD\ WR (QJODQGČ&#x2021;V +HDUWODQGČ&#x2039; 1H[W \HDU 3ULPHUD $LU ZLOO ODXQFK ORZ IDUH GLUHFW ČľLJKWV LQWR %LUPLQJKDP IURP 1HZ <RUN Boston and Toronto in the US and Canada.

The US is Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most valuable inbound visitor market and also one of its largest. /DWHVW Č´JXUHV IURP 9LVLW%ULWDLQ VKRZ WKDW there were 1.9m visits from the US to the 8. LQ WKH Č´UVW VL[ PRQWKV RI WKLV \HDU D LQFUHDVH RQ WKH VDPH SHULRG ODVW \HDU 9LVLWRUV IURP WKH 86 VSHQW e EQ EHWZHHQ -DQXDU\ DQG -XQH WKLV \HDU D LQFUHDVH on the same period last year.

VisitBritainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forecast shows that overseas YLVLWV DUH H[SHFWHG WR UHDFK P LQ

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 10 - December 2017

XS RQ Č´JXUHV 6SHQGLQJ E\ RYHUVHDV YLVLWRUV LV IRUHFDVW WR UHDFK e E XS RQ 7RXULVP LV ZRUWK e EQ WR WKH 8. HFRQRP\ FUHDWLQJ MREV DQG ERRVWLQJ HFRQRPLF growth across its nations and regions.

The West Midlands Growth CompaQ\ :0*& ZLOO KHOS WR FUHDWH QHZ MREV expand existing businesses and attract new businesses and investment to the region, aligned to the ambitions set out in the West 0LGODQGV &RPELQHG $XWKRULW\ :0&$ 6WUDtegic Economic Plan. Formerly Marketing Birmingham, the company was established LQ $SULO 0DUNHWLQJ 3HDN 'LVWULFW 'HUE\VKLUHČ&#x2021;V purpose is â&#x20AC;&#x153;to develop and grow a successful and sustainable tourism economy, working closely with a wide range of partners to PDNH WKH 3HDN 'LVWULFW DQG 'HUE\VKLUH WKH destination of choice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; regionally, nationally and globallyâ&#x20AC;?. %LUPLQJKDP $LUSRUW LV WKH 8.Č&#x2021;V WKLUG largest airport outside London, and the 8.Č&#x2021;V VHYHQWK ODUJHVW RYHUDOO KDQGOLQJ P SDVVHQJHUV D \HDU Î&#x2013;W VHUYHV PRUH WKDQ GLUHFW URXWHV DQG RÎ?HUV D IXUWKHU SRVVLble connections worldwide.

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- Core Issues / Insight -

Staff retention is critical for the hospitality sector Opening the panel discussion at Hospace conference and exhibition on the impact of Brexit on the industry, BHA economic policy advisor John Guthrie presented his overview of the situation regarding the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probable departure from the EU, and suggested the consequences arising from the end of free movement could be dramatic for the industry.

Luxury bed & breakfast operations, inns and independent hotels must focus as never before upon employee retention, Guthrie warned a packed hall of delegates at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HOSPA conference and exhibition (HOSPACE), which was held for the Č´UVW WLPH LQ FHQWUDO /RQGRQ ODVW PRQWK "At the time of the build-up to the Maastricht Treaty the idea that Britain was going to get a deal, or secure its opt-outs from the single currency or social chapter, was viewed as deeply improbable," Guthrie said.

"Although the economic and political FDQYDV WRGD\ LV PXFK PRUH GLÉ?FXOW DQG Conservative party policy more complex, there are 27 member states to negotiate with, not 11, it has to be the case that Brexit must be viewed by businesses if not as a FHUWDLQW\ WKHQ D SUREDELOLW\ (Î?RUWV E\ WKH likes of Nick Clegg, Andrew Adonis and Ken Clarke going to Brussels and so forth are all very interesting but I think businesses should regard Brexit as overwhelmingly probable, but that they should only regard a transitional deal as probable.

"Probabilities today are all well and good, but it was probably the case that the UK was going to vote to stay in the EU, it was probably the case that Hilary Clinton was going to win the US presidential election, and it was also probably the case that Jeremy Corbyn was going to get annihilated. So SUREDELOLWLHV DUH PXFK PRUH GLÉ?FXOW WRGD\ than they were 25 years ago."

When the referendum result came through last year, many of us in the industry came to realise very quickly that the consequences were potentially very serious for our industry

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 12 - December 2017

because of the end of free movement, he said "If I just concentrate on employment, the end of free movement will have potentially very serious consequences indeed.

"If we just take a few simple numbers, we estimate there are 3.2m direct employment jobs in hospitality. One of the features of hospitality as we all know is that labour turnover is quite high. If you take 30% as the JURVV WXUQRYHU Č´JXUH WKDW PHDQV WKH QXPber of people who are leaving their job in the hospitality industry each year is 916,000.

But what we do not know absolutely is net turnover - the number of people who leave their job in hospitality and leave the sector entirely. But if you were to take it as 20% you are at a resourcing requirement of 192,000.

If you just add 1.5% organic employment JURZWK Č&#x201A; WKH DYHUDJH RI WKH ODVW Č´YH \HDUV Č&#x201A; then that is another 48,000."

That means there are 24,000 new people that need to be recruited each year just to maintain current operations and grow, he said.

"If you end free movement on a Friday and there is no replacement immigration machine the following Monday - the soFDOOHG FOLÎ? HGJH WKHQ WKH .30* WHDP ZH commissioned to look at it would estimate that in those circumstances the hospitality sector would need to recruit an additional 62,000 UK workers each year."

At a time of very low level of UK unemployment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; currently at 4.4% - and at the same time the highest employment rate in the OECD, such a resourcing requirement all other things being equal is regarded as being deeply implausible, said Guthrie.

"What we have to remember is there

- Core Issues / Insight -

are quite deep-seated reasons why the industry has come to be so reliant on an EU ZRUNIRUFH Î&#x2013;W KDV D ORW WR GR ZLWK ČľH[LELOLW\ and the aversion that many people have to the anti-social hours within the industry; the image of the industry in our country as an industry compared to it being seen as a profession in many continental European FRXQWULHV Î&#x2013;W UHČľHFWV GHFDGHV RI QHJOHFW RI vocational education in this country. So there are many powerful reasons â&#x20AC;&#x201C; some of them social, some cultural â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as to why we have such a reliance on an EU workforce. So if you have a situation where free movement ends suddenly with nothing in its place because 96% of the EU nationals who work inside our industry would not get into the country under the immigration rules for non-EU nationals.

"Our response has been two-fold, while recognising the very demanding political environment in which we are operating.

7KH Č´UVW LVVXH LV WKDW WKH FRXQWU\ YRWHG for change last year. The BHA was absolutely neutral in that campaign for good reason. When you think of the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s member companies and our customers and team members, 50% were one way 50% the other. Aerospace and telecoms and car manufacturers might have had a quite partial view of the referendum but we quite deliberately were independent.

More than anything what we are calling for is a graduated change. We need continuing access to the workforce but we understand the public desire for change, and therefore there needs to be a gradual reduction in the number of EU workers that we recruit each year. That needs to be spread out over a number of years. Whether or not at the end of that period we actually have enough people is highly doubtful.

"The second issue is that we are leading a 10-year campaign to recruit more people into the industry from the UK. The deadline has now passed for submissions to the migration advisory committee in terms of a new immigration system and an Immigration Bill is going to be passed within the next few months. That is fundamental to commercial success.

"Whatever your success on employee retention, operating margins because of pay rates, HR costs and visa costs and work permit costs are going to come under relentless pressure for the next few years, and EXVLQHVVHV DUH JRLQJ WR Č´QG LW YHU\ GLÉ?FXOW to deal with this challenge, he concluded Following John Guthrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall analysis an audience of around 500 then heard a panel discussion on Brexit and the way in which opinion had shifted over the past 12 months.

7KH LVVXH RI VWDÉ?QJ ZDV NH\ ZLWK Jeremy Robinson, partner, Watson Farley

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 13 - December 2017

Williams, telling delegates: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Immigration is a fundamental issue to resolve. The question of bringing in visitors to the EU must also be addressed. Whilst we can't expect anything from our government as a sector, we can keep the pressure up over aviation and migration.â&#x20AC;?

Mark Essex, director, public policy, KPMG, added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There aren't many certainties around Brexit, but the cost of wages is going up. Rather than lobbying government, I would look at what I can do to mitigate what can only be upward wage pressure. Retention is important. Productivity and innovation is important. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have businesses who are assuming a %UH[LW FOLÎ? HGJH DQG DFWLYHO\ SODQQLQJ IRU WKDW Č&#x2039; At one of the many workshops which took place during the event, attendees heard from Eproductive and the University of Surrey that the number of hours worked

by UK employees had gone down, in addition to the number of UK employees, while labour from the EU was up and the number of hours EU labour had worked was up.

Professor Andrew Lockwood, University of Surrey said he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possibly comment on whether EU workers are more productive than UK workers. But he said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Revenue over the period went up as labour went down, which must mean that productivity has increased.â&#x20AC;?

- Core Issues / Insight -

Staff teamwork will drive direct bookings

Revenue by Design director Ally Northfield addressed a panel at HOSPACE 2017 that explored the everexpanding dynamics of the online travel agent.

1RUWKČ´HOG DVVHUWHG WKDW LW LV JRLQJ to become increasingly important to understand the dynamics between the asset management ownership relationship with the online travel environment and the hotel management as the relationship with OTAs evolves with these VSHFLČ´F HQWLWLHV There has been a lot more engagement of owners and assert managers in the distribution environment in terms of cost of distribution in the past few years, NorthČ´HOG VDLG 6KH DOVR LGHQWLČ´HG D VLJQLČ´FDQW level of engagement from various competiWLRQ DXWKRULWLHV LQ GLÎ?HUHQW FRXQWULHV â&#x20AC;&#x153;The dynamics of these players have been such that the OTA relationship has come under a great deal more scrutiny and the evolution of the consumer role in this relationship is also quite important,â&#x20AC;? she told delegates. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most discussion in the past has been related to cost, not least that of customer acquisition.

"In 2016 some 10 brands came out with e book direct strategy. So did it work and does it pay to book direct: how much did it cost the brans to book the customer and in the long run is it going to continue to work.

From the independent hotelier perspective, one school of thought is that the OTA booking should be viewed as a marketing cost and that if that costs werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there and the distribution werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t there then independent hotels would have to employ other people to generate the business brought in

by OTAs,â&#x20AC;? she suggested.

Chairman of the hotel marketing associa-

tion Steve Lowy presented the perspective of the independent hotelier encompassing luxury bed & breakfast operations and inns across the UK. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you look back to 2007 when the iPhone was launched there are some small hotels that only now are just getting used to having a website that works on a mobile.

As an industry it has truly been behind the times in terms of technology,â&#x20AC;? he began.

Often during a recession marketing and training are the two things that are cut from a budget, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In 2007, when ERRNLQJ FRP Č´UVW SXVKHG LWVHOI RXW LW ZDV the start of the last big recession, which coincided with a big worldwide tech push. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the same time people were pulling back on technology investment and training. That is why the OTAs won the battle: partly because of the technology, but partly also because the timing was perfect for WKHP 7KH GLÎ?HUHQFH EHWZHHQ ERRNLQJ FRP and other OTAs is that they are a technology company that has chosen hotels as a vertical compared to a travel company trying to do technology.â&#x20AC;?

During the intervening years commissions slowly crept up and it was considered manageable, then the pound weakened and all of a sudden they found it accounted for 40% of their business, which was too much, he said.

What has to happen to address this is QHYHU JRLQJ WR EH D TXLFN Č´[ KH ZDUQHG â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any marketing plan will take perhaps two to three years of work. Small hotels now need to look at what they are spending each year on commission. If you were to

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 14 - December 2017

reduce it by just 2% what cost would that be? Hotels are good at top line analysis but if you look deeper, what are their marNHWLQJ FRVWV DQG LQYHVWPHQW OHYHOV LQ VWDÎ? straining?â&#x20AC;? he asked.

It is important to understand the message that will encourage people to book direct, Lowy said, and he suggested the small independent may to be able to give loyalty points. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s say you are selling a room for ÂŁ100.

Take of VAT and commission you are left with ÂŁ60 net. Add breakfast for two - thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably ÂŁ5 a head - so you are down to ÂŁ50: a 50% margin before taking into account the rest of your costs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the quick win. What happened during the recession was booking.com became a painless way to drive the top line. In fact their margins were worsening because their average room rate was not growing by 20%, but their costs were 20%. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In terms of implementing a marketing plan, coming up with the concept can take as little time as a week, but to drive it successfully is not automatic or simply a GLJLWDO WKLQJ Î&#x2013;WČ&#x2021;V RQOLQH RÉ&#x17E;LQH VWDÎ? WUDLQLQJ having everyone in the team particularly in an independent hotel really driving for this direct business. If someone calls up or books a wedding, send them a message saying please make sure you book direct, for example. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The problem is that relying on booking. com you can make money while you sleep, which is the easiest way of doing it. Understandably to begin with inn the early days of booking.com independent hospitality

- Core Issues / Insight -

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If a consumer looks without all the popups, meta-searches and OTAs, ultimately wherever they look the guest room they are searching for is the same price. As a FRQVXPHU \RX DUH QRW Č´QGLQJ WKH EHVW SULFH \RX DUH Č´QGLQJ WKH RQO\ SULFH â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many of these OTAs say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Best price onlineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; when in fact it is the only price online.

Yet to the consumer that is not what they generally believe. Someone in a pub may say: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I found this amazing deal on booking. comâ&#x20AC;?, and they are amazed when they are introduced to the fact it is the only price.

Even interviewed by the competition commission and explaining this to them he said he was met with amazement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They came back with, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been through that

managers were not concerned because WKH\ KDG FXW VWDÎ? \HW ZHUH VWLOO JHWWLQJ business in.â&#x20AC;?

7KDW ZDV Č´QH KH VDLG XQWLO WKH OHYHO of that function became so high that you FRXOG SUREDEO\ EHQHČ´W IURP HPSOR\LQJ D marketing person, rebuild your website, and have a fulltime social media manager. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Analysing that total cost of sales on any transaction via the OTA channel and then PDNLQJ D VFLHQWLČ´F FDOFXODWLRQ RI ZKDW \RX should do next is a better way of going about things, rather than just saying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I hate OTAsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, because there is a need for them as they get to places you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reach,â&#x20AC;? he warned. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If there is no reason to book direct then they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.â&#x20AC;? He also warned that if an operation such as a boutique hotel does not have a presentable website or the booking engine does not work, its owners are doing themselves no favours. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You should take a more eclectic view rather than, as has happened for years, saying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We hate OTAsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you just manage your inventory base and have strategies for each channel. It IHHOV YHU\ GLÉ?FXOW WR FRPSHWH EXW LI \RX have a two to three year plan and employ marketing people and perhaps work with an agency, then there is a bit of front end investment which you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need with booking.com. The industry has become somewhat complacent through having relied on OTAs, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you look back just 15 to 20 years, independent hotels, bed & breakfast operations

and inns were very creative.â&#x20AC;? He suggested investment in a marketing budget in addition to paying commission to OTAs may be a gamble but if you win customers that way they will soon become invaluable loyal customers. Č&#x160;<RX PLJKW DOVR RÎ?HU LQFHQWLYHV VXFK as, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If you stay more than two nights we ZLOO EULQJ \RX D SRW RI IUHVK FRÎ?HH WR \RXU room every morning before 8am,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; or â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;you get one piece of dry cleaning through your stayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. That would cost them very little, and far less than an OTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commission,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you are great at hospitality you should really push the boat out for direct customers. Let booking.com customers know that if they book direct they will get that extra mile. It is real tangible added experiences that work.â&#x20AC;?

Small hotels should start analysing and devising strategies to bring a bit more control over their direct bookings, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By this I mean a consumer selecting a luxury bed & breakfast to stay in, having gone to multiple aggregator sites, might think he or she has done a really good job RI Č´QGLQJ WKH EHVW KRWHO UDWH LQ WKH EHWV hotel that suits all their needs. So why is the competition authority looking at that area? What is going on in the consumer buying process?â&#x20AC;?

He explained; â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you use a search tool such as comaprethemarket to look for the best deal for electricity gas, it is overwhelmLQJ EHFDXVH WKHUH DUH VR PDQ\ GLÎ?HUHQW rates, options and contracts for ultimately the same product.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 15 - December 2017

myself. I always thought booking.com was one of the cheapest,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? he said.

People search 10 to 15 sites, according to Google, in order to book a high-end experience such as a luxury bed & breakfast, and they have therefore probably forgotten some of the sites they have visited along the way, and they probably donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t write down the prices, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So they use these aggregators to book the best price, but when they look more closely it is all the same. When they become loyal itsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; because they like that booking channel process rather than the hotel or B&B itself, and most importantly the price. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That is where the competition authority is most interested in its investigation, the issue of transparency. They are also interested in the issue of the fact this is a consumer issue. Rate parity is driven by the hospitality industry and the authority prefers it to be consumer-led for the government wants to gain popularity and if it wins them a few extra votes then that is helpful DQG LW VKRZV WKH\ DUH Č´JKWLQJ IRU HYHU\RQH The competition authority is looking at the hospitality sector much as it did the energy sector 10 years ago, because that sectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participants were colluding with each other and the hotel sector is doing the same.

The competition authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investigation into OTAs could have opened a can of worms, and rate parity may soon be a thing of the past, as has happened in France and some other countries, he said. But he concluded: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The way that will change revenue management will be up to the individual luxury B&B owner.â&#x20AC;?

- In Depth / Training -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 16 - December 2017

- In Depth / Training -

Training â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a miss or a must?

The Tourism Business managing director Martin Evans, organiser of the National Hotel Marketing Conference, tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast of the importance of investment in staff training

J

ust as the political parties have their â&#x20AC;&#x153;conference seasonâ&#x20AC;?, so do we in the hotel industry, and with it now having drawn to a close, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth considering the real health of the sector. With WKLV \HDUČ&#x2021;V RFFXSDQFLHV DW UHFRUG Č´JXUHV IRU hotels and B&Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s across the UK - Expedia alone saw a 20% increase in domestic trips between July and September - itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to fall into the thinking that Brexit and the consequent low value of the pound will mean more domestic and incoming tourists staying with us for years into the future, and leading to continued high occupancies and strong turnover.

But that would be a mistake. You probably know the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;familiarity breeds contemptâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more appropriate here is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;success breeds complacencyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Working as I do in marketing in the hotel sector, I see this all the time.

Whilst the number of people who practise marketing in hotels has increased exponentially in the last ten years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the opportunities to learn and debate the subject have also grown â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in fact weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in danger of becoming lazy in our approach to what is one of the most important functions of any business. And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re lazy partly through lack of knowledge.

First of all, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all become used to relying on the OTAs (online travel agents) as a strong source of our new business. In fact, some hoteliers seem to depend on these OTAs in the VDPH ZD\ WKDW Î&#x2013; QHHG D FRÎ?HH LQ WKH PRUQLQJ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lazy and not-so-smart approach to business generation.

Owners of luxury B&Bs, guest houses and

inns are in danger of succumbing to the practice of selling ever more rooms on OTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at up to 25% commission, or promoting discounted short breaks on Groupon, even in the summer months (youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be surprised how many hotels do this). And of course many hotels and B&Bs are still sending the same marketing email to their whole database (not considering UHFLSLHQWVČ&#x2021; GLÎ?HUHQW EX\LQJ KDELWV ZKHUH WKH\ live or even if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already booked for next month). And with industry-average open rates of only 20-40%, and very few of your Facebook fans seeing each of your posts, this means that at least six out of ten of your guests are not reading your communications!

We really need to stop and take a breath if our apathy isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t to become terminal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; even in a bull market. Yes, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a place for these distribution channels â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but so there is for a properly planned approach to marketing.

Which hoteliers can say they have a well-resourced, two-year marketing strategy in place? And a tactical marketing plan for your monthly marketing activity and your top 3 or 4 market segments?

But then who has been trained to deliver these things? Of course, the major hotel groups all have their in-house training resources. But for independent hotels and inns, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not so easy - yet itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certainly not impossible. Many tourist ERDUGV DQG ORFDO HQWHUSULVH SDUWQHUVKLSV RÎ?HU excellent training courses that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cost the earth. As do local colleges and other organisations like Chambers of Commerce and BIDs (business improvement districts).

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 17 - December 2017

And why stop at training in marketing!

Rather than a Marketing Plan, perhaps your Č´UVW SODQ VKRXOG EH D 7UDLQLQJ 3ODQ )RU \RX DQG \RXU VWDÎ? Î&#x2013;I %UH[LW KDV DOUHDG\ WDXJKW us one thing, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rely on easy DFFHVV WR VWDÎ? LQ IXWXUH \HDUV 7KLV LV WKH time for you to draw up a TNA (training needs analysis) for yourself and your team, and to take your team with you on a programme of CPD (continuing professional development). %HOLHYH PH WKH PDMRULW\ RI \RXU VWDÎ? ZLOO thank you for it and may well stay with you longer as a result. And youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll become better motivated yourself.

Even without considering the â&#x20AC;&#x153;craft skillsâ&#x20AC;? which every hospitality business needs in its workforce, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a need for us all to brush up regularly on the latest techniques in marketing, social media, GDPR (new data protection regulations), Finance, Personnel and other â&#x20AC;&#x153;professionalâ&#x20AC;? business skills. Give your team the training they need. I once saw a hotelier LQDGYHUWHQWO\ VKRZ KLV VWDÎ? WKDW WKH WUDLQLQJ EXGJHW OLQH LQ KLV 3URČ´W /RVV $FFRXQW IRU every month across a full year was zeroâ&#x20AC;?. No training for 12 months then. A big mistake.

The message should instead be to invest in training and become an even more professional business owner. Give yourself the skills to create a better planned marketing strategy, resource it properly (hotels spend an average of up to 10% of turnover on sales and marketing), train your team, and turn a â&#x20AC;&#x153;missâ&#x20AC;? into D Č&#x160;PXVWČ&#x2039; DQG UHDS WKH EHQHČ´WV ZKDWHYHU WKH economy and political situation throws at us.

- In Depth / $UWLȴFLDO ΖQWHOOLJHQFH -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 18 - December 2017

- In Depth / $UWLȴFLDO ΖQWHOOLJHQFH -

Artificial intelligence in hospitality Enterprise software provider Infor hospitality sales director Calum McIndoe explains that artificial intelligence (AI) has arrived and is already influencing hospitality operations

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- In Depth / Breakfast -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 20 - December 2017

- In Depth / Breakfast -

The most important meal of your business Bed. And breakfast. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy for bed & breakfast proprietors and boutique hotel owners to focus all their energies on the core accommodation and let the food offer go a little, well, stale, but when Hotels.com surveyed 1,000 worldwide travellers they found that breakfast is now the number one most important amenity for guests when booking accommodation. Caroline Sargent reports.

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eeping abreast of foodservice trends and adapting to consumer behaviours can not only help small businesses monetise their early morning starts, but reduce waste, increase guest satisfaction and, subsequently, generate new and repeat business.

In a report for Euromonitor International (New Concepts in Foodservice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Best of 2017), consumer foodservice senior analyst, Stephen Dutton, says that peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changing relationship to food is manifesting itself in a desire to eat in more informal, home-like places that simultaneously incorporate an element of exclusivity â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a real opportunity for the luxury bed and breakfast business to step forward, SDUWLFXODUO\ LI LW DOUHDG\ RÎ?HUV PHDOV DW RWKHU times of the day.

The thirst for media and travel continues to fuel a global food culture, exposing consumers to new cuisines and formats, such as the mid-morning brunch. The popularity of brunch has sky-rocketed, leaving the institution that is the Great British Sunday Roast under threat.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the obvious benchmark for the luxury B&B sector, but when Wetherspoons replaces its traditional Sunday fare with all-day brunch options at 900 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, you know somethingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up.

As trends go, this is unlikely to catch on within the B&B community as quite often the

person doing the cooking is going to be the same person changing the beds, and checkins wait for no man. Consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; growing awareness of food provenance and dining styles may have led to higher expectations for TXDOLW\ SURGXFH DQG PRUH ČľH[LEOH PHDOWLPHV but aside from extending breakfast to 10 or 10.30am, proprietors will struggle to deliver on the latter meaning this trend, like the bottomless cocktails which accompany the big city brunch menus, will have to stay on ice.

Quality produce, however, will not be new news. The best establishments already know that reputations can be won and lost on the porkiness of their breakfast bangers but 2018 GHPDQGV % %V ČľH[ WKHLU IU\LQJ SDQV IXUWKHU than a full English. Getting creative with avocados and almond milk is all well and good in theory but seasonality, supply and demand can challenge the most fervent of foodies, and make discernible dents on margins.

The British dairy industry, as an example, continues to lurch from one crisis to another.

In 2016 farmers were being asked to cut back milk production in a bid to help stem over-supply and stabilise milk prices; now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re being urged by behemoth processors like Arla to increase productivity and prevent a national butter and cream shortage this Christmas.

The price of butter on supermarket shelves jumped by as much as 53% in the past year, Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 21 - December 2017

while generic price hikes have seen spend on supermarket own-label products rise 5.5% year-on-year versus the usual branded alternatives. However, in cheerier news, The *URFHU UHSRUWV OLNH IRU OLNH JURFHU\ LQČľDWLRQ remained at 3.2% for the 12 weeks to 8 October, noting that we could be welcoming a slowdown in price rises in the New Year.

GUESTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PREFERENCES Looking at other data, the October IRN survey found a big jump in consumers buying organic, vegetarian and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;free-fromâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; products as well as those with less sugar, salt and fat (72% of shoppers), helping to reinforce the Euromonitor research which states that price point becomes less of an issue â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in retail and foodservice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when consumers are wanting genuine, authentic and memorable eating experiences.

Veganism and gluten-free is presenting its own challenges to the foodservice and hospitality sectors. More and more people â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from teens to millennials and baby boomers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are dumping dairy and meat in favour of a healthier, cleaner â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Flexitarianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lifestyle. In America, veganism has grown 500% since 2014 and vegan food and drink options have increased threefold globally between 2012 and 2016 (Innova Market insights). Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GlobalData report Top Trends in 3UHSDUHG )RRGV LQ LGHQWLČ´HG Č&#x2020;JRLQJ PHDW freeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and veganism as the #1 consumer trend,

- In Depth / Breakfast -

PREMIUM TEA FOR A HEALTHIER BREAKFAST Allan Pirret, Sales Director of Novus Tea, explains how breakfast providers can [^g^Ă&#x203A;m _khf ma^ lnk`^ bg \hglnf^k ]^fZg] for healthier teas and infusions.

For those looking for a healthier and less caffeine-fuelled start to the day, tea is the perfect alternative to coffee at breakfast.

English breakfast tea is still the most popular choice but, with [gfkme]jk j]Ydakaf_ l`] hgl]flaYd `]Ydl` Z]f]Ă&#x161;lk g^ l]Yk$ gl`]j choices are growing strongly, including green teas, fruit and herbal teas, speciality blends and matcha.

Matcha contains the same healthy and nutritional properties Yk l]Y Zml$ Z][Ymk] qgm j] af_]klaf_ l`] o`gd] g^ l`] d]Y^ jYl`]j l`Yf bmkl Yf af^mkagf g^ l`] d]Y^$ qgm j] Z]f]Ă&#x161;laf_ ^jge Y em[` higher proportion of these antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Matcha is particularly rich in antioxidants and contains 10 to 15 times the nutrients found in regular green tea and 137 times more EGCG catechins than regular tea bag green tea. These EGCG catechins are a unique set of polyphenols which research suggests may help the immune system, boost metabolism and regulate both cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Matcha is also said to be even better than tea at enhancing calm (as the Buddhist monks realised), boosting memory and increasing concentration. It is also reputed to increase energy levels, burn calories, detoxify the body and strengthen the aeemf] kqkl]e& 9 _j]Yl klYjl lg Yfq egjfaf_ Yf\$ a^ l`Yl k fgl enough, it also tastes fantastic!

Al k ]Ykq lg klYjl g^^]jaf_ qgmj [mklge]jk eYl[`Y ghlagfk$ ]al`]j Yk `gl Yf\ [gd\ Z]n]jY_]k gj af ^gg\ ^gje& Al \g]kf l j]imaj] Yfq kh][aYdakl ]imahe]fl l`Yl qgm ogf l Ydj]Y\q `Yn] Yf\$ gf[] qgm n] eYkl]j]\ kge] g^ l`] ZYka[k$ qgm dd Z] YZd] lg klYjl g^^]jaf_ Y jYf_] g^ hjgĂ&#x161;lYZd] ghlagfk& L`] j]kl ak mh lg your imagination.

Green teas are also a really popular healthy choice. But for customers less experienced in drinking green tea, why not try Y [jgkkgn]j hjg\m[l km[` Yk =a_`l K][j]lk & L`ak ak Y ja[` Zd]f\ that combines eight different types of green and white tea with Y\\alagfYd ^jmalq Ă&#x203A;Yngmjk lg [j]Yl] Y ^mdd%Zg\a]\$ Ă&#x203A;Yngmjkge] and refreshing drink. This is ideal for encouraging drinkers of ZdY[c l]Y lg lYc] l`]aj Ă&#x161;jkl kl]hk aflg l`] ogjd\ g^ _j]]f l]Y& Al k Y kljgf_]j$ ^mdd]j%Zg\a]\ Zd]f\ o`a[` g^^]jk egj] hmf[` than traditional green teas, making it more akin to an English breakfast tea. The drink is also perfect for experienced green tea drinkers looking for something a bit different.

with ethical eating in the top six.

Plant-based innovations are providing new directions for existing products or categories.

Manufacturers like Pioneer Foods, who produce own-label cereals for all the major supermarkets, are experimenting with vegetable ČľDYRXUV OLNH EHHWURRW ZKLFK EULQJV sweet, earthy notes to baked goods DQG REYLRXV KHDOWK EHQHČ´WV EHLQJ a rich source of iron and naturally occurring folic acid.

Pioneerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipe for Sainsburyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 7DVWH WKH 'LÎ?HUHQFH UDQJH RI PXHVOL is an appetising blend of oats, spelt, WRDVWHG ZKHDW ČľDNHV DQG UDVSEHUU\ ČľDYRXU EDUOH\ ČľDNHV WRSSHG ZLWK crisp dried beetroot, dates, apples, cranberries, coconut, pumpkin seeds and roasted hazelnuts. A seasonal granola boasts Belgian dark chocolate, Valencia orange oil, Brazil nuts, almonds and crunchy seeds which, says Pioneerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marketing managHU 6XVDQQH )UDVHU ZLOO KHDG RÎ? consumer desire for super deluxe, special weekend breakfasts over the indulgent Christmas period.

GRANOLA GROWTH The granola phenomenon shows no sign of abating.

Liziâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Granola was launched in 2003 by a farmer and food scientist as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;good for youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; granola that was lower in sugar, high LQ Č´EUH DQG

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 22 - December 2017

protein and low glycaemic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; GL labelled â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so good for blood sugar control (it contains no honey so is also suitable for vegans). This USP has catapulted Liziâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to become the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second largest granola brand; exponential growth that has seen them branch out into RQ WKH JR Č&#x2020;WUHDWČ&#x2021; DQG ORZ VXJDU KLJK Č´EUH childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s varieties.

Low sugar consumption is another key trend with consumers increasingly cutting out sugar completely as part of a more healthy and active lifestyle. However, while consumers search out products that are lower in sugar, they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compromise on taste.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a major balancing act for anyone running a small scale kitchen but luxury bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels need to keep pace and adapt. When it comes to trend forecasting, social media is hard to beat. After experimenting with Pinterest to research a family holiday, Karen Thorne, owner of Hopton House, near Ludlow, now relies on it and Instagram to market her business as well as research new recipe and interior dĂŠcor ideas.

Her website now receives more than 200 hits a week from Pinterest users, many of whom are over 50.

Figures from Pinterest reveal there are 200 million users on the site with 67% being under the age of 40. Particularly of interest to the luxury hospitality sector is that 54% of women aged 34 to 55 are frequent â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pinnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, with 35% of them claiming household incomes of over $100,000.

A kind of online pinboard, the platform is used for collecting visual pieces of multimedia. Images are mostly shared on Pinterest but video enjoyed a 60% uptake last year and brands who include it

- In Depth / Breakfast -

in their social media strategy report strong followings, brand loyalty and excellent ROI according to Pinterest, â&#x20AC;&#x153;87% of Pinners have purchased a product because of Pinterestâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;93% of Pinners have used Pinterest to plan a future purchase.â&#x20AC;?

Instagram is similarly visual, notorious for its daily deluge of foodie photos in the vein of, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Look what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m having for breakfast!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; This makes it the perfect partner for the travel and hospitality sectors, which have always depended on strong imagery to sell in.

3URSHUWLHV DUH RIWHQ JRRG DW GHČ´QLQJ ZKDW WKH\ RÎ?HU WKURXJK WKH VWDWLF SODWIRUP of a website, but Instagram allows them the chance to expand on their unique qualities and spin a visual narrative around it. Scenic views, interiors and pictures of food tend to get the most likes and shares on this platform, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth spending some time creating a story and snapping away at every RSSRUWXQLW\ Î&#x2013;QVWDJUDP KDV VRPH IDQF\ Č´OWHUV DQG HÎ?HFWV WR KHOS WKH DLOLQJ 'DYLG %DLOH\V among us). Boasting 700 million monthly active users, can any independent hotel or B&B DÎ?RUG QRW WR EH SDUW RI LW"

BESPOKE BREAKFAST Karen Thorne is a big believer in the power of networking and uses local groups and media, as well as social (Facebook and Twitter in addition to Pinterest and Instagram) to promote Hopton House and her side-line hospitality training business bedandbreakfastacademy.co.uk.

On a day to day basis, platforms like Pinterest help keep her inspired and in touch with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new. She uses the virtual pinboard as an alternative to a kitchen scrapbook, keeping notes and formulating ideas for guests sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expecting and might hope to attract in the future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Breakfast here is something of a USP and I really love cooking,â&#x20AC;? she says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I spent ages creating whole Pinterest pages on vegan recipes when I knew I had a vegan gentleman booked in, as I would never want to just serve up a boring old Linda McCartney sausage, but ZKHQ Î&#x2013; Č´QDOO\ DVNHG ZKDW KH PLJKW OLNH IRU breakfast he just said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Beans on toast.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Having expanded and shrunk her accommodation over the years to work around her family, Thorne now runs just two annexe bedrooms at ÂŁ120-130 per night, but enjoys an excellent reputation across the Heart RI (QJODQG UHJLRQ IRU KHU ORFDO IRRG RÎ?HU Included in the room rate is gluten-free lemon drizzle cake and the option for every guest to state their breakfast preferences before they arrive - whether linked to special dietary requirements or not - whereupon she will go and shop those products to order.

So if someone asks for smoked salmon to go with their scrambled eggs she might pop down the lane to the Shropshire Smokery for a small consignment. Local producers and suppliers are important at Hopton House, with meat from the butchers in Leintwardine, milk from the farm in the village, mineral water from Radnor Hills (at trade prices because Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 23 - December 2017

theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the delivery route) and locally grown, seasonal fruit, including her own plums for homemade compotes.

While buying piecemeal and in smaller quantities sounds like a more expensive method of running a kitchen, Karen has made continuous economies, succeeding in cutting back on waste through tricks like getting her butcher to vacuum pack her bacon order into separate smaller packs so it lasts longer, and freezing sausages and black pudding.

Enquiring what guests would like to eat in advance not only lends the business a personalised, high-end touch, LW DOVR KHOSV VWDYH RÎ? XQQHFHVVDU\ EXON buying - how many cooks have splashed out on a litre bottle of pricey nut milk when all that was needed was enough IRU D FXS RI WHD" â&#x20AC;&#x153;I used to put a top brand organic IUXLW \RJKXUW RXW RQ WKH EXÎ?HW Č&#x2039; VD\V Thorne, â&#x20AC;&#x153;until I realised it was only being eaten once every two or three weeks. You could end up spending so much money just in case someone decides to pick it up, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve come to understand you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t please all of the people all of the time. One great advantage of being a B&B over a small hotel is that if we do over-buy, most things the guests donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t eat we can eat ourselves so thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very little waste these days.â&#x20AC;?

5HČľHFWLQJ WKH PRGHUQ SUHIHUHQFH IRU something special, Karen supplements her standard full English with an extensive, constantly changing menu of daily dishes that bend to her guestsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; evolving tastes, lifestyle FKRLFHV DQG VSHFLČ´F GLHWDU\ UHTXLUHPHQWV Herby mushrooms and poached eggs, buttermilk pancakes, omelettes, eggs Royale and avocado toast are amongst the most popular, with 50-60% of Karenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guests now selecting a special over the traditional fry-up. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People are used to travelling widely, so today a sweet pancake with crispy bacon and maple syrup is commonplace where a few \HDUV DJR LW ZRXOGČ&#x2021;YH EHHQ Č&#x160;(U ZKDW"Č&#x2039; VKH explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People also expect a wider choice of breakfast when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re paying a premium room rate,â&#x20AC;? she concludes.

And so we come full circle, to the concept of eating well in an environment that feels like KRPH EXW RÎ?HUV WKDW OX[XULRXV WRXFK DQG WKH excitement of a special â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;birthday breakfastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; any day of the week. Get that down, make breakfast the most important meal of your day. and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on track to be one of the trendiest picks for 2018.

- In Depth / Alcohol Free -

Maxing out on minimum alcohol beer After a month of glutinous excess culminating in New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve celebrations you may recognise the fragility of some of the guests in your bar next month following Decemberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over-indulgence.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 24 - December 2017

- In Depth / Alcohol Free -

T

he habit of Britons drinking to excess is on the wane, many studies FRQFXU 7KH SDVW Č´YH \HDUV KDYH seen growing numbers of consumers abiding by the principle of Dry January, a concept launched in the UK by Alcohol Concern in 2013. %XW IRU YLVLWRUV WR D OX[XU\ EHG EUHDNIDVW establishments, an alcohol-free month in January should be no bar to its participants MRLQLQJ LQ WKH IXQ ZLWK RWKHU UHYHOOHUV RZLQJ to the abundance of alcohol-free beers.

A recent report from out-of-home foodDQG GULQN VHFWRU UHVHDUFK DQDO\VW &*$ UHYHDOV that half the British population had been for a night out without drinking alcohol at least RQFH LQ WKH SUHYLRXV VL[ PRQWKV OHG E\ WKH younger generation.

Mean while the stigma once attached to ORZ RU ]HUR DOFRKRO EHHU KDV DEDWHG RYHU WKH years as a more mature approach to drinking KDV GHYHORSHG HQFRXUDJHG E\ WKH ZLQH DQG liquor market, which has adopted a compreKHQVLYH DSSURDFK WR UHVSRQVLEOH GULQNLQJ 'DWD IURP WKH 2É?FH IRU 1DWLRQDO 6WDWLVWLFV 216 VKRZV WKH SURSRUWLRQ RI DGXOWV who say they drink alcohol is at the lowest OHYHO RQ UHFRUG Î&#x2013;Q WRWDO VRPH RI WKRVH DJHG DQG RYHU KDG D GULQN LQ WKH ZHHN EHIRUH EHLQJ LQWHUYLHZHG - a fall from 64.2% in 2005, the data shows. $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH 216 RI DGXOWV GR not drink alcohol at all, and among those not DEVWDLQLQJ WKHUH DUH ORZHU OHYHOV RI GULQNLQJ experienced among the rest of the population.

7KH Č´JXUHV DOVR VKRZ WKDW DIWHU GHFDGHV RI JURZLQJ OHYHOV RI ELQJH GULQNLQJ \RXQJ SHRSOH are increasingly turning away from alcohol.

CATEGORY DRIVER 7KHUHČ&#x2021;V EHHQ D GHČ´QLWH VKLIW LQ WKH ODVW IHZ years as consumers place more of a focus on health and wellbeing, which for beer and cider drinkers means moderation and making SRVLWLYH ORZ FDORULH GULQN FKRLFHV ZLWKRXW compromising on taste. The low and no alcohol segment of the beer and cider category is VHHLQJ JURZWK LQ WHUPV RI YROXPH DQG YDOXH with the recently launched Heineken 0.0 EHLQJ UHVSRQVLEOH IRU RI WKH YROXPH VDOHV FRQWULEXWLQJ WRZDUGV WKDW JURZWK Č´QGLQJV illustrated by a CGA report in August 2017 on premise management data.

Heineken 0.0 was launched with a ÂŁ2.5m

marketing campaign to address the key category consumption barriers: taste perception and social stigmatism. It is brewed using only natural ingredients, including Heinekenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own A yeast, Heineken 0.0 contains just 69 calories DQG LV GHČ´QHG E\ LWV UHIUHVKLQJO\ IUXLW\ QRWHV and soft malty body, which is perfectly balanced with a short after-taste.

With a clear consumer need itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important WKDW \RXČ&#x2021;UH VWRFNLQJ DOFRKRO IUHH DOWHUQDWLYHV WKDW DSSHDO GXULQJ WKH IHVWLYH SHULRG DQG WKDW youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stocking low and no alcohol products from well-known brands. Heineken 0.0 is one such option. Popular since its launch, the new beer responds directly to those looking to moderate their alcohol intake, but still want great tasting beer as they more frequently attend social outings.

When you consider that a tenth of all wet YROXPH LQ WKH RQ WUDGH RYHU e EQ LV GHOLYHUHG LQ WKH PRQWK RI 'HFHPEHU LWČ&#x2021;V YLWDO WKDW \RX SUHSDUH HÎ?HFWLYHO\ VR \RX FDQ PD[LPLVH WKH PDVVLYH RSSRUWXQLW\ WKDW WKLV WLPH RI \HDU presents. With plenty of reasons to celebrate, consumers are more likely to be out and about in the run-up to Christmas, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to remember that competition will EH VWURQJ +HLQHNHQ V DGYLFH WR EDU PDQDJHUV LV WR IRFXV RQ FUHDWLQJ D &KULVWPDV RÎ?HU WKHQ SURPRWLQJ LW WR GULYH SHRSOH LQWR \RXU RXWOHW DQG SUHSDULQJ \RXU VWDÎ? VR WKDW WKH\ FDQ GHOLYHU HÉ?FLHQW VHUYLFH DQG D JUHDW H[SHULHQFH Ultimately, you want to bring more people into your outlet, encourage them to stay longer, spend more and come back. Î&#x2013;WČ&#x2021;V LPSRUWDQW WR UHYLHZ \RXU UDQJH DQG to ensure you are stocking options to suit all your customers, including those looking to moderate their alcohol consumption, or abstain completely. Î&#x2013;W PD\ VRXQG REYLRXV EXW PDNLQJ VXUH \RXU UHJXODU FXVWRPHUV DQG HYHU\RQH LQ WKH ORFDO DUHD LV DZDUH RI DQ\ VSHFLDO HYHQWV RU seasonal specials on the menu, is absolutely crucial to getting more people through your EDU GRRU &UHDWH D IHVWLYH DWPRVSKHUH ZKHWKHU WKDWČ&#x2021;V WKURXJK GHFRUDWLRQV RU UHDO Č´UHV GHSHQGV RQ \RXU YHQXH DQG FXVWRPHUV EXW make it clear inside and outside that your pub is a great place for a drink, some food and to relax in the busy holiday season. Keeping your website and social media channels upto-date will also help customers know exactly what is going on and entice them in.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 25 - December 2017

18 to 34

69 53 42

%

34 to 55

%

Over 55

%

PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION HAVING A NIGHT OUT WITH NO ALCOHOL IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS Source: CGA

- In Depth / Alcohol Free -

So many to choose from

50

%

OF PEOPLE NOW MODERATE THEIR ALCOHOLIC INTAKE

15

%

OF CONSUMERS SAY THEY WOULD VISIT PUBS MORE OFTEN IF THERE WERE BETTER NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AVAILABLE

47

CGA Research reported this autumn that it had found consumers in the UK were drinking less but drinking better. Consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; appetite for premium drink, with pricier ZLQHV DQG VSLULWV VWRFNHG LQ LQFUHDVLQJ OHYHOV E\ XSPDUNHW EDUV LV DOVR UHČľHFWHG LQ WKH low alcohol market, with a steady growth in the range of alcohol-free lager. Techniques KDYH DOVR LPSURYHG LQ WKH SURGXFWLRQ RI ORZ alcohol beer. They key country to brew low alcohol beer is Germany.

German beer including many of the low DOFRKRO YDULHW\ LV EUHZHG DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH Reinheitsgebot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the German Beer Purity Law - which permits only water, hops, and malt as ingredients, and stipulates that beers, not H[FOXVLYHO\ XVLQJ EDUOH\ PDOW VXFK DV ZKHDW beer, must be top-fermented.

7KHUH LV D YDVW DQG JURZLQJ FKRLFH RI premium light or zero alcohol beers and lagers to choose from. Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine takes a look at what brews are DYDLODEOH IRU \RX WR SRSXODWH \RXU EDU DQG ZKDW VRPH RI WKH EUDQGV ZKR SURYLGH WKHVH VD\ DERXW WKHLU EHYHUDJHV

ERDINGER ALCOHOLFREI Erdinger Weissbräu low alcohol is a refreshing beer that is low in calories and rich in minerals. A pure wheat beer taste with an alcohol content of less than 0.5%. It is still ODUJH DIWHU VHYHUDO PLQXWHV DQG LV LPSUHVVLYHly creamy. The nose is a soft wheat with hints RI EDNLQJ EUHDG DQG FORYH

COBRA ZERO

%

OF CONSUMERS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE BEER OFFERING IN THE UK MARKET, AND THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A TRUSTED GLOBAL PREMIUM BRAND TO ENTER THIS SEGMENT WITH A BETTER TASTING PRODUCT.

$OFRKRO )UHH /RZ LQ &DORULHV EHVW VHUYHG chilled. Like its mainstream companion, Cobra Zero compliments curry and spicy foods.

BERNARD AMBER ALE 0.5% This multi-award winning non-alcoholic, semi-dark beer from the Czech Republic is produced using the original brewing procedure with pasteurization and has a rich amber colour. It is described as combining the harmony of a sweet caramel aroma with a pleasant bitter taste and, unusually for a low alcohol drink, is recommended for those who enjoy their beer on the dark side.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 26 - December 2017

BREWDOG NANNY STATE 0.5% %UHZLQJ D IXOO ČľDYRXUHG FUDIW EHHU DW LV QR HDV\ WDVN 1DQQ\ 6WDWH LV GHVFULEHG as being â&#x20AC;&#x153;packed with loads of centennial, amarillo, Columbus, cascade and simcoe hops, dry hopped to the brink and back and VLWWLQJ DW Î&#x2013;%86Č&#x2039; :LWK D EDFNERQH RI HLJKW GLÎ?HUHQW VSHFLDOLW\ PDOWV 1DQQ\ 6WDWH SURPLVHV WR WDQWDOLVH \RXU WDVWH EXGV DQG OHDYH you yearning for more.

CLAUSTHALER LOW ALCOHOL LAGER Marke Clausthaler Premium Low alcohol Lager â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A German Bohemian Pilsner Its strength is its taste highly popular in Germany.

KROMBACHER PILSNER This refreshing and natural isotonic lager is recommended by Krombacher as a thirst quencher after playing sport, or for those WDNLQJ WR \RXU EHG EUHDNIDVW EDU DIWHU D long winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s country walk. This low-alcohol beer is described as full of taste and has a YDVWO\ UHGXFHG FDORULH FRQWHQW Î&#x2013;W DOVR KDV WKH FRQYLQFLQJ .URPEDFKHU WDVWH %UHZHG with natural spring water, it enjoys cold, gentle fermentation and storage.

SCHNEIDER WEISSE WHEAT BEER 0.5% 6FKQHLGHU 6RKQ LV D %DYDULDQ EUHZHU\ FRPSDQ\ IRXQGHG LQ E\ *HRUJ 6FKneider and his son, after they acquired the Weisses Brauhaus in Munich, the oldest wheat beer brewery in the city.

KALIBER ALCOHOL FREE LAGER One of the minority of alcohol-free lagers and beers to come in a can, Kaliber is a premium alcohol-free lager from owner Guinness.

It is brewed as a full strength lager, and Kaliber sasys that only at the end of the brewing SURFHVV LV WKH DOFRKRO DFWXDOO\ UHPRYHG

- In Depth / Alcohol Free -

BITBURGER LAGER 0.5%

ESTRELLA LAGER 0.0%

%UHZHG H[FOXVLYHO\ LQ %LWEXUJ *HUPDQ\ VLQFH Tradition and perfection are the rules that make Bitburger Premium low alcohol German Beer so special.

A combination of traditional brewer's craft and state-of-the-art technology has not only created one of the world's leading breweries, but also a world-renowned classic Pilsner.

)XOO RI ȵDYRXU DQG ZLWK ]HUR DOFRKRO (VWUHOOD LV brewed with the same ingredients that are used to make alcoholic beer.

7KDQNV WR DQ DGYDQFHG WHFKQLTXH FDOOHG YDFXXP distillation', the percentage of alcohol is brought down to 0.0% without changing the beer itself in any way.

FRANZISKANER BLUTORANGE 0.5%

Fürstenberg Frei Lager 0.5% is a pale yellow lager from the Black Forest in Germany.

This cracking beer is described as hoppy with a slightly fruity nose and an aroma of peppery hops with touches of barley sugar, which leads to a crisp, FOHDQ È´QLVK

FÃ&#x153;RSTENBERG FREI LAGER 0.5% The full-bodied aroma of the Franciscan alcohol-free beer combined with the fruity taste of blood orange is the ideal drink for moments of excitement at any time of day. )UDQFLVFDQ DOFRKRO IUHH %OXWRUDQJH FRQWDLQV YLWDmin C, B12 as well as folic acid.

It contains 55% alcohol-free wheat beer and 45% VRIW GULQN ZLWK EORRG RUDQJH ȵDYRXU

SAGRES LAGER 0.5% This Portuguese beer is light-bodied, refreshing and LV VROG RQ LWV ȵDYRXU VDLG WR EH WKH VDPH WDVWH DV LWV 'full-alcohol' big brother.

CHEERS PRETA Another Portuguese beerCheers Preta is a PortuJXHVH FODVVLF GDUN EHHU ZLWK D FUHDP\ DQG YHU\ stable head. It has an aroma of cereals and caramel and is sweet and light.

PAULANER WEISSE WHEAT BEER 0.5% Paulaner is a German beer with fewer calories than an apple spritzer and, says its brewers, without any compromises.

TOP TIPS Heineken says it recommends focusing on the below areas in order to drive sales and create quality experiences during the festive period: â&#x20AC;¢ Offer a Christmas menu and suggest beers to match seasonal dishes and drive extra spend

VELTINS LAGER 0.5% Veltins is one of Germany's premium low alcoholic 3LOVQHU ODUJHUV Î&#x2013;W LV EUHZHG LQ 6DXHUODQG QHDU 'RUWmund, to the standards of the German Purity Law of $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH %DYDULDQ ODZ WKH RQO\ ingredients that could be used in the production of beer were water, barley and hops.

Using natural spring water from its own mountain, Veltins has a superb delicately dry and clean SDODWH ZLWK D È´QH FDUERQDWHG ERG\ WKDW JLYHV D VOLJKW ELWWHUQHVV ZLWK D OLJKW FLWUXV È´QLVK $%9

MALZ 0% 0DO]ELHU LV D IRUP RI VZHHW ORZ DOFRKRO EHHU that is brewed in Germany like normal beer but without fermentation. The yeast is added at about 0 Vitamalz from Maltz.

HEINEKEN 0.0 ALCOHOL FREE BEER Brewing a great-tasting 0.0% alcohol lager beer, is it HYHQ SRVVLEOH" +HLQHNHQÈ&#x2021;V PDVWHU EUHZHUV VWDUWHG from zero and spent years exploring, brewing, and WDVWLQJ EHIRUH WKH\ È´QDOO\ FUHDWHG D UHFLSH GHÈ´QHG by its refreshing fruity notes and soft malty body perfectly balanced.

It comes with the uncompromising Heineken FKDUDFWHULVWLFV WKDW KDYH EHHQ DURXQG VLQFH made with natural ingredients and Heineken's unique A-Yeast. According to Heineken: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It wasn't HDV\ EXW QRW LPSRVVLEOH È&#x2039;

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 27 - December 2017

â&#x20AC;¢ Get the ambience right â&#x20AC;&#x201C; these days, we all know al k fgl ]fgm_` lg bmkl Z] a venue serving drinks â&#x20AC;&#x201C; competition is tight and customers expect quality across the board, so make your Christmas décor really stand out! â&#x20AC;¢ Promote deals and special events well in advance.

Print posters with a [Yd]f\Yj g^ ]n]flk qgm j] holding and place them in prominent positions. Use social media for promotion.

Heineken Direct can be referenced for more advice â&#x20AC;&#x201C; direct.heineken.co.uk â&#x20AC;¢ Book extra bar staff to reduce queuing when it comes to your busiest times. Offering table service or bucket deals can reduce queuing time at the bar

- In Depth / Outdoor Heating & Lighting -

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 28 - December 2017

- In Depth / Outdoor Heating & Lighting -

High-end heat When it comes to outdoor commercial business heating few have been in the industry for as long as Heat Outdoors’ managing director Steve Levy. He launched the company when the UK smoking ban was introduced as a consequence of the Health Act 2006.

S

teve Levy tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine: “The business began when the smoking ban was introduced. I was building houses at the time and I was bored, and this was a hobby of mine. Within two years we had become market leaders in the UK, so I gave up building houses to concentrate on outdoor heating.”

Levy’s view at the time - and ever since - was that he only wished to sell outdoor heating products to the higher end of the market or the quality end as he puts it.

“There is a very clear market split in terms of the products that are out there, between luxury heaters and the cheap-and-cheerful, largely Chinese-made patio heaters, which are SUHGRPLQDQWO\ HOHFWULF :H QHHG WR GL΍HUHQWLate between electric and gas heaters as they DUH TXLWH GL΍HUHQW SURGXFWV DQG PDUNHWSODFHV [see below]. I wanted to stay both at the quality end of that, and to deal with the commercial sector, rather than getting involved with the private homeowner who wanted a heater in their gardens.”

7KHUH DUH VRPH IXQGDPHQWDO GL΍HUHQFHV between the products, he says. “I wanted to concentrate on the ones that really did work and lasted a long time, that didn’t give you hassle. By contrast, there are lots of products out there that you can buy in a garden centre IRU ȴIW\ TXLG WR VWLFN LQ \RXU EHHU JDUGHQ 2IWHQ these are pretty useless, but as long as you are six inches away from them it isn’t going to do any harm and they serve their purpose.” +H VD\V ZKDW GL΍HUHQWLDWHV KLV FRPSDQ\ IURP RWKHUV LV WKDW +HDW 2XWGRRUV LV WKH RQO\ outdoor heating company focused solely on

the commercial market. “Everyone else is OLQNHG WR JDUGHQ FHQWUHV 2XU FOLHQW EDVH LV therefore pretty varied,” he says.

Indeed it is: as well as developing outdoor heating facilities for boutique hotels, luxury bed and breakfast businesses and pubs, the company has provided heaters for the outside of Tower Bridge, on board the HMS Belfast, for most major hotels, and it recently installed 100 heaters around Trump Tower in Istanbul.

In keeping with Levy’s determination to focus on the high end of the market, the company has also provided outdoor heaters for the owners of high-end hotels and restaurants including London’s Coq d’Argent, Paternoster Chop House and Madison, all of which form part of D&D London.

BREAKTHROUGH The biggest evolutionary trend of the past year in outdoor heating has been in higher-quality lamps and equipment. “Whereas we used to have lamps that were very bright – you’d walk past a pub and everyone would be illuminated orange – we went to low glare, now we have ultra-low glare (ULG) lamps. It gives out 95% less light but the same amount of heat. You can naturally stand in front of the lamp,” he explains.

The company developed its ULG lamps from work that it was carrying out in Asia/PaFLȴF ZLWK RQH SDUWLFXODU FRPSDQ\ ZLWK ZKLFK LW works very closely, and Levy says its development came about by complete accident.

“I was in the factory, looking at a lamp, and I asked what it was. They dismissed it as a failed experiment. I asked what was wrong and they said various aspects were wrong, Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 29 - December 2017

including its colour.

“Then I noticed it was the same heat, and I suddenly realised that we had stumbled on what the market had been seeking for a long time: lower glare products. A company in Germany for example had spent a fortune to try and come up with something like this because it would address the customers’ biggest objection: the amount of light these things punched out. The factory I was in had unwittingly invented something the market had been looking for.”

The other breakthrough recently has been controls in the systems. The company’s new Heat and Beat system for example is a combination of an ultra-low glare heater with an DPD]LQJ UHȵHFWRU “It punches out loads of heat and it has built in speakers so you can stream music to it from your phone, and the whole system is controlled by Bluetooth,” he explains. “You download an app and a restaurant owner can up heaters 5 sand 6 and turn down heaters 1 and 2 all from an iPhone. You can put one on a timer, turn on the music - all that functionality comes from the app.”

He admits some people may think it is a bit of overkill and ask if they actually need that technological functionality, but it is there if they want it.

Another big development in the market place is a reversal back away from a trend towards heaters getting increasingly slim line.

“In doing so they lost a lot of the heat because WKH UHȵHFWRUV JRW TXLWH VPDOO ΖQ WKH SDVW year we have developed a series of heaters we call Fat Boy. The heat that comes out of

- In Depth / Outdoor Heating & Lighting -

them is just phenomenal. That is because we have gone right back to basics and developed D KHDWHU ZLWK D ELJ UHČľHFWRU DQG WKH\ DUH selling like hot cakes. They still look quite attractive but instead of prettying them up and making them really slim line this is in fact a big fat heater that chucks out an enormous amount of heat. At the end of the day that is what people want, which is why they are buying into this kind of equipment,â&#x20AC;? he says.

SAFETY 7KHUH DUHQČ&#x2021;W DQ\ VLJQLČ´FDQW VDIHW\ UHVWULFWLRQV to have to overcome in developing these systems he says, beyond electrical appliances having to be mounted above a certain height to keep them out of harmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way and prevent SHRSOH IURP VWLFNLQJ WKHLU Č´QJHUV LQWR WKHP â&#x20AC;&#x153;For outdoor purposes heat can be transPLWWHG LQ WZR PDLQ ZD\V 2QH LV FRQYHFWLRQ which is what a radiator does. It heats the area around it and that heat then heats you. +LJK HQG DQG PRUH HÎ?HFWLYH RXWGRRU heaters use short wave radiation techniques.

In practice this means if you are walking down the street in a T-shirt at this time of year on a sunny day, and you are walking in the shade, you may feel a bit cold so you cross to the other side of the road. However, if you produced a thermometer from your pocket you ZRXOG Č´QG WKH DLU WHPSHUDWXUH ZDV H[DFWO\ WKH same either side of the road. Because you are standing in the sunlight your body is hit with shortwave infrared heat, and that is what we are generating. It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heat the air at all.â&#x20AC;?

It is a popular misconception that heat rises. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you heat the air it will rise, which is how a balloon goes up. If you heat a person then that person will get warm. The heat you are generating is generated as a light wave going VWUDLJKW SDVW WKH DLU ZKLFK KDV QR HÎ?HFW RQ it at all and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rise. You can put a heater

GAS VS ELECTRIC Choosing between gas and electric power for your outdoor heaters depends on a number of factors.

Electric mains power heaters are relatively lightweight and may be wall-mounted, ceiling mouited or free klYf\af_ Yk o]dd Yk [gfn]jlaZd] ^jge oYdd lg Ă&#x203A;ggj%egmfl]\& Electric heaters are cheaper to run than gas heaters, and they operate silently.

Egkl ]d][lja[ `]Yl]jk lYj_]l `]Yl \aj][ldq lg af\ana\mYdk kcaf kg l`]q [Yf Z] lYj_]l]\ jYl`]j l`Yf `]Ylaf_ mh Y whole room with a lot of empty space.

L`]q Yj] fgl hjgf] lg jmf gml g^ ^md] Yf\ [Yf Z] gh]jYl]\ oal` Y Ă&#x203A;a[c g^ Y koal[`& The heat electric heaters generate is not usually affected by wind.

Gas heaters are good for heating up enclosed areas such as outdoor bars.

The heat generated by a gas heater is a gentle,radiant heat that proeuces the same sensation as the sun.

A gas heater can be used where electricity is not a practical alternative.

L`]q Yj] ]Ykq lg k]l mh Zq kaehdq hdY[af_ af l`] Yj]Y lg Z] `]Yl]\$ Ă&#x161;llaf_ Y [Yfakl]j Yf\ lmjfaf_ l`] \]na[] gf&

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 30 - December 2017

up quite high and focus it down low and the heat will be exactly where you want, like VKLQLQJ D WRUFK 'HSHQGLQJ RQ WKH UHČľHFWRU LQ the torch the heat will go exactly where you want,â&#x20AC;? he says.

HIGH STANDARD You can leave the heaters outdoors all year round, according to Levy, who says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;All Heat 2XWGRRUVČ&#x2021; KLJK HQG HTXLSPHQW LV Î&#x2013;3 $OO outdoor equipment has ingress protection.â&#x20AC;? Î&#x2013;3 UHIHUV WR Î&#x2013;QJUHVV 3URWHFWLRQ 7KH Č´UVW GLJLW relates to the level of intrusion protection from 1, no protection, to 7, totally dust tight.

Level 6 is protection against dust that may harm the equipment.

The second digit relates to the level of moisture protection, from 1, no protection, to 9, protection against immersion under pressure. Protection level 5 protects from spray from all directions.

Levy says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can have our heaters turned on full glare and run a hosepipe on it and it ZRQČ&#x2021;W DÎ?HFW XV DW DOO 6R LQ WKDW VHQVH WKH\ DUH completely waterproof.â&#x20AC;?

The heaters never require any servicing, he adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Typically a good heater will have 5,000 to 7,000 hours lamp life. Start dividing that out into three hours a day, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1,000 hours a year. If you install it outdoors assuming nothing happens to it, it will last for years.

Things do happen to them from time to time due to human error â&#x20AC;&#x201C; people mount them WRR ORZ DQG SHRSOH OLJKW FLJDUHWWHV RÎ? WKHP Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll kill a lamp. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had lots of crazy situations such as a central London restaurant where we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work out why their lamps kept on blowing. I went up and did a site visit to try and work out what was going on. I stood back and looked at it and realised where they are mounted was a spot where about four stories higher pigeons were roosting.â&#x20AC;?

RUNNING COSTS There is no right or wrong answer as to whether outdoor heaters are cheap to run, says Levy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people - environmentalists especially - will argue that heating anything outside is a waste of money and energy because you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t heat outside, but with high end heaters you are not heating outside, you are heating the people outside. I could heat a dozen people outside more cheaply using this kind of energy than by heating a whole room indoors. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s less expensive because you are heating people not the air. If you are heating

- In Depth / Outdoor Heating & Lighting -

IP..

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air then it is indeed a lot more costly.

“If we are heating a large outdoor space we can choose the area we heat. If we are tasked with heating an inn with a big outdoor area, we’d heat the area where the people congregate and only turn the other parts on if we need them. You can’t do that with a conventional heating system – you can’t just heat a quarter of a room for example. The larger they are to heat, the more economical it becomes,” he says.

A decent heater is going to cost upwards of £140, he says, and in many scenarios people may install multiple heaters, often with some sort of controller. “Pubs, inns and B&Bs used to use what were called a soft start timer/time lag,” he says. “We use something that does the same but electronically. You’ll have a red button outside a bar that a smoker can press when he goes out for a smoke and it is preset for, say, 20 minutes. This saves it having to be on for that full time. That’s a very popular piece of kit for smaller premises such as bed and breakfasts.”

Among its premium customers, Heat

OUTDOOR LIGHTING L`] ghlagfk ^gj dmpmjq Z]\ Zj]Yc^Ykl Yf\ Zgmlaim] `gl]dk lg hjgna\] aehj]kkan] Yf\ [gkl% ]^Ú[a]fl gml\ggj da_`laf_ ^gj Ydd caf\k g^ _m]kl Y[lanala]k `Yn] aehjgn]\ \jYeYla[Yddq af j][]fl years as LED technology has become increasingly exploited.

9[[gj\af_ lg Y f]o eYjc]l afl]dda_]f[] j]hgjl Zq :AK J]k]Yj[` ]flald]\ ?dgZYd Da_`laf_ Yk Y K]jna[] EYjc]l$ 9fYdqkak >gj][Ykl$ *()/ % *(*- $ l`] _dgZYd da_`laf_ Yk Y k]jna[] eYjc]l ak ]ph][l]\ lg j]Y[` z+&. Zaddagf Zq *(*-& L`] eYjc]l ak _jgoaf_ \m] lg l`] af[j]Ykaf_ \]eYf\ g^ ]f]j_q ]^Ú[a]fl da_`laf_ kqkl]ek& ?jgoaf_ aehd]e]flYlagf g^ Afl]jf]l g^ L`af_k AgL! oal` da_`laf_ k]jna[]k ak Ydkg ]ph][l]\ lg increase the adoption of this service across the globe.

L`] D=< da_`lk eYjc]l `Yk mf\]j_gf] ka_faÚ[Yfl ljYfk^gjeYlagf af l`] dYkl [gmhd] g^ years. A major change in the lighting industry has occurred as it has replaced the outdated af]^Ú[a]fl da_`laf_ l][`fgdg_q& D=< da_`laf_ `Yk Z][ge] f][]kkYjq lg e]]l l`] f]o klYf\Yj\k g^ =AK9 k ]f]j_q klYf\Yj\k& L`] Y\ghlagf g^ l`]k] da_`laf_ kqkl]ek d]\ lg j]\m[]\ ]f]j_q [gklk Yf\ ka_faÚ[Yfl aehjgn]e]flk af h]j^gjeYf[]& @go]n]j$ l`] `a_` mh ^jgfl [gkl j]imaj]\ af l`] afklYddYlagf g^ D=< ZYk]\ da_`laf_ kqkl]e d]\ lg l`] \]n]dghe]fl g^ f]o ÚfYf[aYd kljm[lmj]k km[` Yk Da_`laf_ Yk Y K]jna[] D99K!& L`]k] f]o ÚfYf[aYd kljm[lmj]k `Yn] `]dh]\ Zgl` l`] hmZda[ Yf\ hjanYl] k][lgj [gehYfa]k [YhalYdak] gf l`] [gflafmgmk affgnYlagfk l`Yl Yj] lYcaf_ place in the LED industry.

One of the major issues that lighting as a service business models aim at solving is that of ]f]j_q eYfY_]e]fl& Kge] g^ l`] Y\nYflY_]k g^ ]f]j_q eYfY_]e]fl af[dm\] [gkl j]\m[lagf$ ]f]j_q hja[] Ûm[lmYlagfk$ kmhhdq k`gjlY_] Yf\ [YjZgf ]eakkagfk j]\m[lagf& ;gehYfa]k Yj] fgo afl]_jYlaf_ Afl]jf]l g^ L`af_k AgL! kgdmlagfk oal` dmeafYja]k lg kYn] egj] ]f]j_q& Oal` internet connected LED lights, the service providers will be able to constantly monitor the da_`lk& L`]k] k]fkgjk [Yf Ydkg `]dh [gdd][l \YlY YZgml nYjagmk Zmad\af_ gh]jYlagfk& Jggek ]imahh]\ oal` k]fkgjk [Yf Y\Yhl da_`laf_ d]n]dk Y[[gj\af_ lg l`] mkY_] hYll]jf g^ l`] jgge$ dimming them in vacant areas and increasing the brightness levels in the occupied areas.

The sensors also send room usage data to the cloud to help facility managers decide how to ghlaear] khY[]$ ^gj afklYf[] [gfn]jlaf_ mfmk]\ [gf^]j]f[] jgge aflg \]kc Yj]Yk& DYkl egfl` 9[[]kk >aplmj]k dYmf[`]\ f]o 9F?G D=< ]pl]jagj oYdd da_`lk$ ^gj ]pYehd]& L`]k] \Yjc%kcq%[gehdaYfl$ ^mdd%[ml%g^^ oYdd hY[ck Yj] \]ka_f]\ oal` Y klqdak` jgmf\]\ ]pl]jagj Yf\ strong, tempered clear glass.

9nYadYZd] ^jge +- lg )+1 oYllk$ l`] 9F?G ^mdd%[mlg^^ oYdd hY[ck ^]Ylmj] Yf AH.- jYlaf_$ e]Yfaf_ l`]q Yj] hjgl][l]\ Y_Yafkl \mkl Yf\ oYl]j& 9\\alagfYddq$ l`] 9F?G D=< oYdd da_`lk Yj] ;K9 jYl]\ ^gj o]l dg[Ylagfk Yf\ l`]q Yj] \Yjc%kcq [gehYlaZd]& L`]k] dmeafYaj]k [Yf j]hdY[] mh lg ,((%oYll e]lYd `Yda\] Úplmj]k$ kYa\ 9d]p ?mYj[g$ g^ 9[[]kk >aplmj]k& G^ [gmjk]$ mkaf_ [mllaf_%]\_] D=< l][`fgdg_q$ l`]q oadd dYkl Yl eafaeme Ún] lae]k Yk dgf_ Yk l`gk] gd\]j mfalk$ lgg& And there was light.

2XWGRRUV SURYLGHV WKH KHDWLQJ IRU .HQVLQJWRQ roof gardens, an outdoor space in elegant surroundings of the kind a boutique hotel may have to heat. /HY\ DGGV Ȋ:KHQ ZH ȴUVW ZHQW LQWR WKH Blind Beggar pub in Whitechapel we noticed they had quite a big outdoor area if you are looking at it from the front. They decided they want to put outdoor heating so we designed a system for them. They came back to us after a year to say they have found that even if the pub was half full those people would rather be standing outdoors in the heat than inside.

So they went ahead and heated the other side of their outdoor area,” he says.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 31 - December 2017

There are popular misconceptions regarding outdoor heating that are not helpful either to the industry or those who provide the heaters. A decade ago news stories were published reporting environmental groups objecting to the use of outdoor heaters owing to the fact that the heat simply rose to the sky. As the ingenuity of providers such as +HDW 2XWGRRUV FRQWLQXHV WR GHYHORS LQFUHDVLQJO\ HɝFLHQW KHDWLQJ ODPSV LW LV WR EH KRSHG that misguided information will fade and independent luxury accommodation operations can provide greater levels of comfort for their guests.

- In Depth / Outdoor Heating & Lighting -

Winter Warmers

THE CHRISTMAS GINGLE

ST NICK'S FESTIVE FIZZ

BAILEYS CHOCOLAT LUXE

A festive, fruity and spicy Gin cocktail from South Devon. Last month we told readers of a planned Christmas Cocktail from South Devon distillery Salcombe Gin. Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s December, we can bring you the recipe.

50ml Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky PO 6FKZHSSHV 6OLPOLQH (OGHUȵRZHU Tonic 1 slice orange 5 cloves

50ml Baileys Chocolat Luxe 1 piece(s) Raspberry

50ml Salcombe Gin â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Start Pointâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 75ml Luscombe Cranberry Crush 100ml Luscombe Passionate Ginger Beer 5ml fresh lime juice 3 thin slices of fresh ginger 10 fresh or frozen cranberries A sprig of fresh mint Ice

Add ice to a glass.

Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.

Pour in Johnnie Walker Red Label.

Add 50ml Johnnie Walker Red Label to the glass.

Top up with Schweppes 6OLPOLQH (OGHUȵRZHU 7RQLF Pour in 150ml Schweppes Slimline (OGHUȵRZHU 7RQLF RU HQRXJK WR ȴOO WKH JODVV Garnish with a clovestudded orange slice.

Cut a slice of orange and push 5 cloves into the slice. Place on top of the drink to garnish.

Add 10ml of lemon juice and 10ml of Grenadine to bring RXW WKDW ȵRZHU SRZHU

Add Salcombe Gin, fresh lime juice, È´YH FUDQEHUULHV DQG WZR VOLFHV RI IUHVK ginger to a Boston shaker glass. Add ice and shake vigorously. Fill a large highball with ice. Double strain the mixture over the ice into the glass XVLQJ D +DZWKRUQH VWUDLQHU DQG È´QH sieve. Add Luscombe Cranberry Crush followed by Luscombe Passionate *LQJHU %HHU DQG VWLU *DUQLVK ZLWK È´YH cranberries, a sprig of fresh mint and the remaining fresh ginger, sliced into thin julienne matchsticks.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 32 - December 2017

+DOI È´OO D JODVV ZLWK LFH 3ODFH WKUHH ice cubes into a wine glass.

Add Baileys Chocolat Luxe. Using a jigger, measure 50ml Baileys Chocolat Luxe into the glass.

Add a skewered raspberry to garnish.

Carefully pierce a single raspberry with an elegant skewer known as an â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;atteletâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, and place across the rim of the glass to garnish.

- In Depth / Outdoor Heating & Lighting -

Tequila Cocktails Premium tequila is growing in popularity across all demographics. There are a growing number of brands available. Here we cite three winter cocktail recipes from Patrón, although you can use any premium tequila – that is, made from 100% agave fruit.

A TOUCH OF EVIL – PATRÓN AÑEJO This citrusy and modern digestif is not half-bad, it's actually all good.

Ingredients: 45g Patrón Añejo 60g Warmed apple cider 15g Fresh lemon juice 15g PX Sherry 1 dash Black Strap rum Grated cardamom for garnish Combine liquid ingredients in a mug and garnish with grated cardamom.

TOUCHDOWN TODDY

ESPRESSO SOCIETY

You’ll want to go for two after one sip of this classic, spirit-forward cocktail that’ll keep you warm all season long

Perk up the evening with this sweet, VSLULW IRUZDUG FR΍HH FRFNWDLO WKDW KDV a modern tequila twist

60g Patrón Anejo 45g lemon Juice 30g honey 85g hot water 1 cocktail spoon ground cinnamon 3 drops vanilla extract

25g Patrón XO Café 15g Patrón Citrónge Orange 25g whisky 30g Fresh espresso 30g heavy whipping cream 10g salted caramel syrup Good quality chocolate for garnish

In the bottom of a sturdy mug, combine a pinch of ground cinnamon, honey, hot water. Stir to combine. Add Anejo, lemon juice, vanilla extract. Stir to combine all ingredients.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 33 - December 2017

Combine XO Café, whiskey, Patrón Citrónge and espresso in a shaker with ice.

Shake vigorously to chill and combine.

Strain into a small rocks glass.

To a clean shaker, add heavy cream and caramel syrup and shake vigorously to whip together.

Carefully layer the cream over the top of the cocktail and garnish with grated chocolate.

- In Depth / Outdoor Heating & Lighting -

Premium whisky cocktails

OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS

GLENGOYNE JULIP

PO RI 6PLUQRÎ? 1R 9RGND 50ml Apple Juice 1tsp Cranberry Sauce 1pinch(es) Cinnamon Powder 1piece(s) Orange Zest 1piece(s) Star Anise

Glengoyne Cask Strength Gomme Syrup Fresh Mint Rhubarb Bitters Crushed Ice

Fill a glass with ice.

Fill a glass mug with ice cubes. $GG 6PLUQRÎ? 1R 9RGND DSSOH juice, cranberry sauce and orange zest into the glass.

8VLQJ D MLJJHU PHDVXUH PO 6PLUQRÎ?

1R 9RGND PO DSSOH MXLFH teaspoon cranberry sauce and orange zest into glass.

Stir thoroughly.

Stir with a bar spoon until the mixture is well combined.

Garnish with cinnamon and star anise.

Sprinkle cinnamon powder over the drink and place a star anise on top to garnish.

You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to hide the strength or WKH PDLQ SURČ´OH RI WKH FDVN VWUHQJWK so how about a traditional Julip? /DFHG ZLWK PLQW DQG Č´QLVKHG ZLWK Rhubarb bitters, this is a true whiskyloverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drink.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast - 34 - December 2017

THE TAMDHU 10-YEAR-OLD MANHATTAN Pour double measure (50ml) of Tamdhu 10 Year Old Add one measure (25ml) of sweet vermouth to compliment WKH XQLTXH VKHUU\ ČľDYRXU Add two dashes of bitters and stir with ice Strain and garnish with an orange rind.

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