Inapub magazine august 2017 issue 68 by inapub

inapub

Issue 68 August 2017 ÂŁ4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

Praying for extra time

When a football club leaves its home, what happens to the pubs nearby?

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aving a football ground on your doorstep can create a steady flow of customers on match days. But what happens if your sports team moves ground? What was once a reliable source of income could throw your business into chaos. In this issue we look at how communities and the pubs within have been affected by both stadiums closing and new ones opening. This of course ties in neatly with the return of the Premier League season, which we profile on pages 46-47. Football not your thing? Fair enough. We also look at live music, going vegan, how to motivate chefs and we provide you with some inspirational cocktail options? Hopefully, like most good pubs, there should be something inside for everyone. Cheers!

this month Pubs marooned by football • Vegan cuisine

drink Summer cocktails • German beer

eat

play Premier League • Live music

Roast dinners • Motivating your staff Editor Matt Eley •

50 back-bar business Recruitment • Twitter

Deputy editor Robyn Black •

time at the bar Pub cats • Your work for charity Eat writer Bronya Smolen • Production editor Ben Thrush •

Chief executive Barrie Poulter •

Sales & marketing director Matt Roclawski •

Sales manager Leah Gauthier • Subscriptions trade.inapub.co.uk/magazine •

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Printed by Warners Midlands

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Run a pub with us and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll give you a 30% saving on Sky TV and free WiFi. Call us now on 08085 94 95 96 or visit starpubs.co.uk Terms and conditions apply. Visit starpubssupport.co.uk for full details.

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this month.

BARSTOOL EXPERT all you need to know about THE DRESS CODE Wit woo, you’re looking a bit smart, where you off to? Meeting a mate in ’spoons for our usual Thursday Curry Club after this.

With that dapper combo are you sure it is a “mate” and not, in actual fact, a “date”? Don’t be ridiculous, I’m not dressing up for my old mucker, Nigel.

So, why the full bib and tucker then? Because Wetherspoons has a dress code, didn’t you know?

No, I certainly did not! Since when? Since forever, I think. But a fuss recently unfolded on social media after a number of people claimed they were chucked out of the company’s Thomas Waghorn pub in Chatham, Kent for not wearing the proper attire.

So, I have to go the full jacket and tie every time I want a pint of Ruddles? Well, it’s not that strict. The company just says that customers are “requested to remain fully clothed throughout their visit, including wearing shoes”.

And The Thomas Waghorn does? Correct, since it opened in July of last year the pub has operated a dress code.

So how are you supposed to know which Wetherspoons have fashion guidelines and which do not? The company says punters should check with the management team of the branch you want to visit.

That would make popping into a ’spoons rather a lot of work, wouldn’t it? It would but they aren’t the only pubs to operate a dress code. Just earlier this year Liam Gallagher slammed The Elizabethan in Stockport for refusing to serve one of his party who was wearing tracksuit bottoms.

Debonair dresser: Keep any dress codes as simple as possible and communicate them clearly to customers.

Dapper laughs: Make sure all staff are trained in handling any backlash, which is very likely to pop up on occasion — and not just from Liam Gallagher.

So what were those people all wearing — or not wearing? Ah, well that’s the confusing thing. In that case people were sporting tracksuit bottoms and/or hats, by all accounts, which that particular branch of Wetherspoons doesn’t allow.

You’re right, this is baffling. Basically, in addition to the general company dress code, some Wetherspoons branches may have their own specific rules as well.

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IN THE TRADE THIS MONTH Credit card surcharge looms

TOP STORIES ON TRADE.INAPUB.CO.UK

Pubs and other businesses are to be banned from adding an extra charge for customers paying by card. The government announced that surcharges – which cost Britons millions of pounds every year – will be outlawed from January 2018.

40 free firkins of Wainwright to give away

Andrew Griffiths is Beer Drinker of 2017

Latest craze prompts edible flower shortage

After years of Andrew Griffiths MP raising toasts to the industry, the industry has raised one back to him, by naming him Beer Drinker of the Year. The Conservative MP for Burton on Trent picked up the award at the recent All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group Dinner. He was recognised for promoting pubs to ministers as being “part of the solution not the problem” to social problems.

Locals lose 18-month battle to re-open pub

DogFriendly Awards open for entries The search is on to discover the UK’s most dog-friendly places — and which canine companion doesn’t love a trip to the pub? The DogFriendly Awards 2017, in association with the Kennel Club, is asking the public to nominate favourite places to take their four-legged friends via www.dogfriendlyawards.com.

Anti-binge-drinking app unveiled Researchers have created an app that aims to reduce binge drinking by telling students to go home if they’ve had too much. It sends users an hourly questionnaire in which they are asked to rate their alcohol consumption, spending, location and mood. Based on the answers, users receive advice. It is currently only available in Australia.

Liberation Group stops offering straws in all its 100 pubs Bar accidentally leaks private notes about its customers

Pub offers land in exchange for veg A pub is giving customers the chance to grow veg on its land — on the proviso that they share some of the goods. The Queen’s Arms in Breage, Cornwall, has invited locals to use their spare land as allotments. Users will pay a nominal £1 a year to rent a plot and have been asked to share 10 per cent of whatever they grow with the pub. Licensees Jodie Phillips and Neil Barku are also running a monthly farmer’s market on the field next to the pub. They have been working with Pub is the Hub to get the scheme off the ground.

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this month.inapub THE WAY I SEE IT BRIGID SIMMONDS

TWEET ALL ABOUT IT

Make sure you know how to tackle drugs

We said…

The problem of illegal drugs is often associated with the night-time economy, and even the best-run premises are not always immune. I am, therefore, pleased to introduce Drugs in Pubs the BBPA’s updated guidance for licensees on the latest laws around drugs, which also contains a host of useful information on how to deal with drug use and drug users on licensed premises. We have produced this guidance with valuable input from the Home Office and National Pubwatch. The guidance contains new, specific advice on the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 and on door searches, along with detailed information on commonly used drugs and how to identify drug use. It is of vital importance that licensees remain vigilant in identifying the use or distribution of drugs on their premises. A proactive approach and a strong relationship with the police and local authorities are the best way forward to being successful in creating a safe and responsible environment for customers. Following this guidance will further ensure that licensees and staff are fully up-todate on the law, and well equipped to deal with these issues. Drugs in Pubs is free to download on the BBPA website.

This app will tell customers when they should go home from the pub. Read the full story at trade.inapub.co.uk

•

Brigid Simmonds is the chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association

You replied… It’s the ‘fun police’ in an #app: “Beep — seriously, are you having another pint? It’s 1am and you have work tomorrow.” *Loses phone* Rob Willock @RobWillock Oh my good lord, the fact that hatstand is making eyes at you and it takes 6 mins to find the loo should give you a clue. Gawain Towler @GawainTowler No. Just no. Andrew S. @Irr_Orbit Yeah — this is wrong, surely Rotherhithe Locals @RotherhitheLoc Not sure if this a good idea? Nigel Sadler @unomacbuster

38%

Those who would publish positive feedback on social media, higher than the 31 per cent who would say something negative according to a Yonder Digital Group survey.

Find us online every month at trade.inapub.co.uk @inapub

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Inapub

@inapub_

AUGUST 2017

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Smokehouse Bacon Mayonnaise

Bacon – yum! Mayonnaise – yum! What’s not to like about this new condiment from Flagship Europe? The rich and creamy sauce can be used for dipping or drizzling and accompanies most savoury dishes by all accounts. Especially good over chicken, we’d wager. www.flagshipeurope.eu

Notes Gourmandes Macarons Afternoon tea week is later this month (August 14 to 20) but forget soggy sandwiches and solid scones — try these show stopping macarons. Free-from preservatives and artificial flavours they come in a range of exciting flavours including coconut, banana & poppy seeds, milk chocolate & hazelnut, and fig. 01908 266 700

Stuff

What’s new in the pub this month

Bonzer Bar Spoons

Longer than your usual bar spoon but still with the 5ml spoon and disc muddler at either end, these new spoons come in three finishes: stainless steel, gold and copper. The extra length makes them perfect for creating drinks in taller Highball, Hurricane and Collins glasses. www.mitchellcooper.co.uk

Tuaca

New packaging for Tuaca aims to make more of its Italian heritage (it is said the liqueur was originally made for Lorenzo the Magnificent, an Italian ruler in the 15th century). Now distributed in the UK by Hi-Spirits, whose managing director Dan Bolton said the new design was the first step in a drive to maximise the brand’s potential. Bellissimo! www.hi-spirits.com

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this month. Meaty Bites

Use them as canapés, in subs and sandwiches, on the bar as a snack… These new Tex-Mex inspired meatballs come on two flavours. The first, Spicy Albondigas, is made with lightly spiced minced pork, while the second, Antojito Pork Belly Bites, is slow-cooked in a mild Ancho Chilli barbecue sauce. www.funnybones.co.uk.

Cinque

At five per cent ABV and made with five grains, it won’t take Hercule Poirot to work out where this new lager from Shepherd Neame got its name. Barley, rye, wheat, maize and rice are blended with Strisselspalt hops to produce a, “clean, superior tasting, high-quality” lager to get those little grey cells jumping. www.shepherdneame.co.uk

The Duchess

Hallowed

A pre-mixed virgin G&T for “discerning individuals” is being distributed in the UK by Love Drinks, which imports it from South Africa. Botanical extracts and a bespoke tonic water are combined to create an “elegant, sugar-free alternative to alcohol.” 0207 501 9630

A fourth beer from the Iron Maiden and Robinsons collaboration will be released this October. Hallowed is a six per cent ABV Belgian-style beer made with a Belgian yeast. It is the first time the brewer has changed its yeast since 1942 but if skull-faced mascot Eddie asks you to do something, who’s going to say no? www.robinsonsbrewery.com

Without Gold

The team at craft brewer St Peter’s expect sales of alcohol-free drinks to rise to 10 per cent of the overall drinks category in the next 10 years, so they’ve added to their no-alcohol range with this new brew. Without Gold was created to appeal to ale drinkers who love full-bodied beers. www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk

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After the final whistle by LIAM COLEMAN

A farewell to Arms: a regular stop-off for Colchester fans on the way to Layer Road, The Drury Arms closed down after the club moved to a new home

The Premier League, with all its drama and riches, returns this month. It can be a golden time for pubs in the right area. But what happens to the pubs left behind when football clubs move to new stadiums? Let’s take a walk down Layer Road, former home of Colchester United. On a match day, fans would walk just under a mile to the south of the Essex town’s centre along Butt Road. Five minutes before they reached the ground as they turned on to Layer Road itself, they would be greeted by the welcoming sight of The Drury Arms. Yet no Colchester fan has made that pilgrimage to watch a football match for almost 10 years. In 2008 the club moved to the Colchester Community Stadium, a

10,000-capacity, all-seater stadium located an hour’s walk north of the town and right next to the A12. If you were to make that journey towards Layer Road today you would be met by the building that used to be The Drury Arms, but instead of a pub sign hanging over the door, burgundy branding identifies the former pub as a Sainsbury’s Local. Colchester play in the fourth tier of the English league and are far from the most high-profile of football clubs to recently move from their spiritual home to expansive modern facilities; around half of the clubs that will compete in the Premier League this season have moved grounds in the past two decades.

Adapt or die

This modernisation is inevitable, but have pubs near these former grounds been forgotten as times have changed or have they been able to adapt to survive? Figures for the number of pubs lost near football stadiums across the country are currently unavailable. Where it has happened though, the impact has often been keenly felt. Jon Burns, chairman of the Colchester United Supporters Association (CUSA), says the closure of The Drury Arms was a “massive casualty” and the loss of the pub has led to a small loss of the Colchester United identity. Despite this, Colchester United have made sure a trip to a pre-match boozer is still an integral part of the match day

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this month. experience. “The club made a lot of effort because they realised there is nothing near the new stadium. They now put on match day shuttle buses to the new ground, which stop at a couple of pubs,” Jon says. “Near Layer Road is a pub called the Ancient Briton — that bus stops there, then comes through town and picks up at The Fat Cat in the town centre, as well as The Victoria on the way to the stadium.” Colchester United is one example of a football club that has embraced many of the pubs associated with its former home. Yet moving stadiums is always going to bring teething problems for the fans’ relationship with new pubs.

New home, new problems

In August 2016 West Ham United played their opening game at the stadium that hosted the 2012 London Olympics. The London Stadium is in the heart of the Olympic Park, which was built on the Hackney Marshes. This means that not only is it more than three miles from West Ham’s home for 100 years — the Boleyn Ground — but it also lacks residential premises nearby and therefore isn’t blessed with the pubs that would be likely to be near to housing. The problem with the lack of pubs associated with West Ham supporters in the area near the club’s new home quickly became clear. By September 2016 one of the few pubs near the London Stadium had banned fans in West Ham colours from visiting the pub after matches. The Crate Brewery in Hackney Wick issued a notice to customers saying the “wearing of West Ham football merchandise is only permitted on the premises before the match” and “chanting etc is not permitted”. All of this means it has not been a happy year for West Ham fans since moving to the new stadium. Regardless, there are pubs that capitalise on having new neighbours — see “Mary D’s Beamish Bar” on p12 for an example. What does this mean for pubs near the most high-profile club to find itself in a new home — albeit temporarily — this season? For one year Tottenham Hotspur will be

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BBA Photography/Shutterstock.com

No place like home: West Ham fans have found the move to the club’s new London Stadium home less than smooth

playing their home matches at Wembley, while the club’s White Hart Lane stadium is renovated. Licensees in Tottenham have mixed feelings going into the new season. Tina Chisholm, the manager of The Coach & Horses near White Hart Lane, accepts trade is going to be slower on match days this season, but is ultimately remaining positive and actively looking for ways to use the next year as an opportunity. “We are taking this season as a chance to improve the pub ahead of White Hart Lane increasing its capacity. We are going to renovate the garden and take a shed out to increase the pub’s match day capacity,” she says. To retain some match day trade, the pub is also going to put on coaches, so local Tottenham fans are still be able to have a

drink in The Coach & Horses before the coach takes them the 10 miles along the North Circular to Wembley, before bringing them back to the pub after the match. It is understood other pubs in the area will not open on match days at all. Despite this, the on-trade around White Hart Lane is optimistic. The club should only be away from the stadium for one season and when they return the stadium’s capacity will have increased by 25,000 — from 36,000 to 61,000. That is just one example of how the modernisation taking place in the sporting world can be good for pubs near stadiums old and new. Licensees just need to continue doing what they do best: innovating and making the most of the situation they find themselves in.

Mary D’s Beamish Bar: serving the Citizens Mary D’s Beamish Bar is a stone’s throw away from Manchester City’s home since 2003, the Etihad Stadium, and the pub’s manager says the business has been transformed. A typical Saturday in Mary D’s will see one member of staff behind the bar, while a match day will see upwards of eight members of staff serving City supporters non-stop. The pub also makes sure it gives

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the best match day experience by having a DJ on and a burger menu specifically designed for a quick food turnaround. One member of the team told Inapub: “Before Manchester City got the ground, trade was dying off. It definitely breathed new life into the pub. “A match day Saturday and a non-match day Saturday is going from one extreme to the other.”

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75% OF GUESTS PREFER TO BE SERVED FROM THE ORIGINAL GLASS BOTTLE.*

PERFECT IS WORTH IT. Mystery shoppers will be visiting participating venues across GB and awarding instant prizes to bar and serving staff for delivering the Coca-Cola Perfect Serve. To find out more, contact your sales representative, call our Customer Hub free phone number on 0808 1 000 000 or visit cocacolaperfectserve.co.uk

**T&Cs apply. Promotion runs 31.08.17 – 30.11.17. GB only. To enter: mystery shoppers will visit a selection of outlets and order a Coke. If an employee offers a choice between all Coke variants and serves it from a Coke TM glass bottle, or Postmix, they instantly win a prize. Prize: 1 of 1,000 £20 retail vouchers. Max. one prize per employee. For full T&Cs visit www.cocacolaperfectserve.co.uk/mysteryshopper. *OnePulse Real-Time Digital Market Research, 500 respondents, M&F, 18-65 in GB, 16.02.17. © 2017 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved. COCA-COLA, COCA-COLA ZERO, DIET COKE and THE CONTOUR BOTTLE are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.

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FAMOUS FOR VEGAN CUISINE

Bronya Smolen meets the licensees who say no to meat on the menu

“

Carnivores eat here, many people don’t even notice the pub is vegan. They come in for a bite to eat and choose something off the menu without giving a second thought that there is no meat on offer

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If Olympic boxer David Haye, Premier League footballer Jermain Defoe and popstar Ellie Goulding walked into your pub, what would you feed them? Well put away that steak & chips because they’re vegan, and the Railway Hotel, in Essex’s seaside town of Southend, is ready to serve them a feast. The pub, just a stone’s throw from the shrieks of Adventure Island theme park and smells of frying doughnuts, describes itself as “a friendly, bohemian public house, live music venue and restaurant”. Southend is hardly known for its bohemianism, but the number of vegans in Britain rose by 360 per cent in the 10 years to 2016, according to a poll by Ipsos MORI. “We decided to turn the pub completely vegetarian six years ago after we realised how difficult it is to eat out,” explains Fi Dulake, who runs the pub with her husband Dave. “Then Dave and I became vegan for animal rights and health reasons. So it felt like the right progression to turn the pub vegan. We wanted to offer vegans a full menu to choose from.” The pub has won awards for its menu, including a special accolade from vegan organisation, Peta, for Best Vegan Seafood. The crispy, beer-battered “fish” served with hand-cut chips, pea purée, and homemade tartare sauce is a favourite with customers. It is made from a fish substitute, lined with a sheet of nori seaweed to look remarkably like fish skin and then deep-fried in Peroni beer batter. “Our Seiten (wheat protein) wraps are also a hit. We serve them in satay and spare rib style, both with chips, wedges and salad,” Fi continues. “We make many things from

scratch, but there are a few substitutes we use as well, for example bacon for the breakfasts, or the fish for the fish & chips. It’s nice to have that mixture of both and it allows us to create more dishes.” It’s clear that punters are not afraid to go meat free. Maybe that’s because the pub doesn’t preach. “Carnivores eat here, many people don’t even notice the pub is vegan. They come in for a bite to eat and choose something off the menu without giving a second thought that there is no meat on offer.”

Smart sourcing

Vegan ingredients aren’t always cheap. But according to Fi, that doesn’t impact on their margins. “It admittedly can cost more to make these dishes, it depends what ingredients you use. But that’s the same if you’re cooking meat. Plus sometimes it works out much cheaper, as good, real meat can be very dear. We don’t spend any more money being and serving vegan food than before.” And margins aren’t the only things that go unaffected at the pub. Despite what some may think, the menu size has never suffered due to lack of choice, as Fi explains. “We change the menu every season. We are constantly exploring new vegan dishes using published recipes, eating out, looking online and generally experimenting with different ingredients. Being vegan ourselves allows us to be very creative, which is why it’s so enjoyable for us here. We have a team of three kitchen staff and they really enjoy cooking vegan food mainly because it means they have to be more creative.” So take a pew Haye, Defoe and Goulding. Because fish & chips in a seaside pub just got vegan-friendly.

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this month.

more with special menus

The Duke of Edinburgh, Barming, Kent This Shephard Neame pub is 100 per cent gluten free. With a menu of sharing breads, crispy Cornish brie & cranberry and rib of beef burger, customers would never guess the kitchen was free from the G-word. The Walnut Tree, Thwaite, Suffolk Not quite vegan, but this fully vegetarian pub even creates and stocks homemade vegan ready meals, which are sold on site and in a local store. Its menu includes dishes such as smoked almond tofu laksa and parsnip, pistachio, chestnut & wild rice roast. The Alford Arms, Frithsden, Herts The Alford Arms provides a full dairy-free and gluten-free menu, and works hard to ensure every customer can eat comfortably, no matter what allergy or dietary requirement.

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Full vegan brea Coconut & m

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Style: Liv e selling v music venue egan foo d Fun fact : Owner s Fi and Dave ha ve t the Tupe heir own band, nny Bun ters Online: www.rail waysout hend.co.u k

d nut burger

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The Ra Southenilway Hotel d, Essex

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Guinness muffi

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RICHARD MOLLOY Einstein’s theory of relativity, in layman’s terms, states that time moves faster or slower depending on the observer. He spent 10 years trying to prove this. He could have saved himself an awful lot of time and thought by standing behind the bar of a local boozer on a hot Tuesday afternoon serving Boring George. Boring George is a metaphor for a particular type of drinker and anyone who’s ever worked the graveyard shift in a pub will know at least one.

He trudges far Searching for space The empty bar His favourite place If he looks in the window and sees a crowd, he’ll move on. He doesn’t wish to interact with fellow customers. They can walk away, turn around, tell him to shut up. It’s you he wants: the captive of the counter. He wants you all to himself. He knows you can’t leave; can’t get away. He knows you’re unlikely to tell him to fuck off. He knows that you’re his. His to bury with anecdotes and well-rehearsed tales; his to educate with proffered wisdom; his to correct and criticise, and improve with advice.

He spies his prey And shuffles in You’re his today Shall we begin... You groan when you see him. You know what’s coming, but you’re professional enough to smile and thank him when he pays you for his pint. Over the next hour or two your bar becomes cleaner than it’s been in weeks. Every glass gets washed. Twice. Every shelf gets wiped and dried. The back bar is arranged. Then re-arranged. Then put back how it was before you re-arranged it. But all to the droning

“

Boring George knows you’re his. His to bury with anecdotes and well-rehearsed tales; to educate with proffered wisdom; to improve with advice Richard Molloy is the landlord at Molloy’s in Torquay and managing director of four-strong pubco White Rose Taverns and the microbrewery Platform Five. Read more of his work on trade.inapub.co.uk

soundtrack of The World According To Boring George. There’s no escaping George. If you happen to nip out mid-anecdote to change a barrel (and believe me, there’s many a phantom barrel change when George is holding court) then he will continue as soon as you’re back in his sights. He doesn’t want you to reply, merely to listen. He uses you because nobody else will stand him for longer than they possibly have to, and you, stuck behind the jump in an empty bar, have to listen.

A story here A moan there Another beer Another stare And all this time you try to think happy thoughts, think about the good things about your job and try to resist the urge to set off the fire alarm. You look outside and every person walking by in the July sunshine is, to you, happy, rich, sexually satisfied and returning from a lunch of utopian quality. And you’ve just spent two hours with George. Two hours that seemed like eight, yet to him it’s flown by. He’s achieved his goal. He got to say what he wanted to say to someone who didn’t argue with him and, most importantly of all, listened. And that’s when it hits you: The realisation of how lonely George is. How much he craves the attention. How rare it is for him to interact as he just has and just how much he needs the empty stage and the single audience of the graveyard shift. And the feelings of relief at his departure vie with feelings of guilt and of pity.

At last he goes With a parting groan A reminder of woes And again he’s alone.

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STOCK UP NOW CGA Packaged Cider Report, Total GB, Volume Sales, MAT to 25.02.17 For more information about stocking Kopparberg cider, please e-mail info@kopparberg.co.uk

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12/07/2017 09:01

Turn tap water into trade with tempting soft options More and more people are choosing not to drink alcohol on a regular basis. According to recent figures, 1 in 5 adults is teetotal and the number of young people aged 16 to 25 choosing not to drink has increased by 40% over the last decade, so soft drinks are more important to your customers than ever before. To help you make the most of this important category we joined forces with Britvic to create the Inapub Soft Drinks Academy. In the picturesque Buckinghamshire village of Haddenham, The Green Dragon pub re-opened two years ago complete with a total refurbishment and hopes of becoming well known for its food. Over the course of its first year things went well and the pub is gaining a reputation as a destination pub. Its soft drinks range, however, was struggling to excite the increasing number of drivers and teetotallers visiting the venue from further afield. So, we went along with Ray Patterson, marketing manager at Britvic GB, to see how we could help. Soft drinks specials “People do quite often go for tap water when they are not drinking

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and so it would be good to be able to tempt them with something more profitable,” notes bar manager Simon Wilkins. Britvic’s Ray suggests they take a cue from their menu: “It is quite a premium food offer here and so the soft drinks brands need to match that. It’s also locally sourced and seasonal, also things you can think about when it comes to soft drinks.” With this in mind, brands such as the recently revamped R White’s Lemonade could work very well. It has a very British story and the smart new bottles fit well in the Green Dragon, plus the flavoured variants add a seasonal touch. “The R Whites Raspberry would make a great summer drink, changing it to Pear & Elderflower in

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

inapub SOFT DRINKS ACADEMY the autumn perhaps?” says Ray. “Flag it up on the specials board just as with food, so people are aware of it,’” he suggests. Food matching Soft drinks and food matching is becoming more and more popular but although the pub has hosted wine and food evenings, “I’d never thought about soft drinks and food matching,” admits Simon. It needn’t be difficult though, and would make those diners who are driving feel just as special as those who are able to partake in a tipple. Looking at the Green Dragon’s menu Ray suggests some classic combinations: “For example you have a salmon & asparagus starter, which would go brilliantly with a Pear & Raspberry J20 Spritz. “Or pair the ham hock main dish with a Pepsi Max – the cola flavour and texture of the drink work particularly well with the meat. Then for dessert, the Orange & Passionfruit J20 would really complement the sticky toffee pudding.” Aperitif opportunity Of course soft drinks play a role for those having an alcoholic drink as well, in the form of mixers. “We do sell a lot of G&Ts,” says Simon. “Last year we tried to mix things up with some more exciting garnishes and they sold really well.” Using classic, premium mixers such as Britvic that fit well with the pub are a good move but in addition to thinking about unusual garnishes, Ray suggests syrups could bring a whole new twist on the pre-prandial tipple. “Make it something that you become known for,” he says. “That doesn’t need to mean anything complicated. Look at the

Building Business with Britvic NICK HARDING, OWNER OF LUKE’S EATING HOUSE, CHESTER As part of the Soft Drinks Academy we partnered with the Britvic Business Builders — expert operators who have perfected their soft drinks sales and can help you do the same. This month it’s the turn of Nick Harding from Luke’s Eating House in Chester. He says: “Serving soft drinks as alcohol alternatives for adults is a great way to drive sales. These days there’s more and more designated drivers so it’s important to provide these customers with exciting options. A great way to achieve this is with food pairings offering a wide range of soft drinks to try. Promoting this on boards within the restaurant or pub as customers walk in is a great way to get bookings. Another way to encourage soft drinks is trading-up to more interesting options when customers order water with their meals. Often this can be a default order for non-alcohol customers, so provides a great opportunity to suggest soft drinks that would pair well with the food they have ordered. We make sure our staff are trained up on the menu and know what soft drinks work well with each dish making customers feel they’re getting tailored, expert advice.” For more information on how Britvic can help you to boost soft drink sales this summer and beyond call 0845 758 1781 continent — syrups are hugely popular in mixed alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks in countries like France, where our syrup brand, Teisseire is the no.1 selling syrup. Simply adding a small measure to a range of drinks gives a touch of flair and flavour that will surprise and delight pubgoers. They won’t be ordering yet another jug of tap water with their meal after that! Check out www.pourmoreflavour.co.uk/ for hundreds of ideas

For more information on how Britvic can help you to boost soft drink sales this summer and beyond, call 0845 758 1781 p18-19 soft drinks academy.indd 19

25/07/2017 23:15

drink At cocktail chain Be At One “virtuous” cocktails now make up seven per cent of the sales mix. For those wondering what on earth such drinks might be, they are generally accepted to be tipples with fewer calories, less sugar and, generally, lower in alcohol too. Perhaps you are wondering what the point of these kinds of drinks is? Punters flock though your doors for a spot of indulgence, you might think. But so-called “skinny cocktails” have been on the radar for some time, reflecting the move in all food and drink categories to healthier alternatives. We can see it in soft drinks too, where Coca-Cola distributor CocaCola European Partners says sales of low and no-sugar Coke should overtake that of Classic next year. The RTD category has got in on the action — SHS Drinks launched Skinny WKD at the end of last year. In wine Skinny Prosecco from start-up Thompson & Scott hit the headlines in 2016 and just a few months ago, in May,

with ROBYN BLACK

Mitchells & Butlers rolled out Skinny Fizz across 400 of its sites. The latter, a sparkling Spanish wine, has barely a gram of sugar per bottle and its maker, Milton Sandford Wines, swears it tastes just as good as standard wine. And that bit is important. For, just like glutenfree bread, alcohol-free beer and all the other “better for you” alternatives that came before it, such drinks will have to break through the idea that they taste as bad as they did 20 years ago — which is to say, pretty rank. Technology in drinks production has moved on, though, and the end results are a vast improvement on those drinks of old (just compare the alcohol-free beers of today with those we remember from the 80s). Such products remain niche (non- and low-alcohol wines account for less than one per cent of total wine sales by volume in the UK ontrade, according to CGA). But with better-for-you alternatives dominating many other categories, it would be foolish to assume the pub was immune to the power of the virtuous.

So-called ‘skinny cocktails’ have been on the radar for some time, reflecting the move to healthier alternatives

COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN Thatchers Haze • Emerging Artists Project In the second phase of the cloudy cider brand’s “what music’s supposed to sound like” activity, Thatchers has teamed up with the NME to give one emerging band or artist the chance to hit the big time. Frontier • Find Flavour Brewer Fuller’s is bringing virtual reality (VR) headsets into pubs as part of its ongoing Find Flavour campaign for the craft lager brand. Barstaff will see a VR version of head brewer, Georgina Young, discuss Frontier’s flavours and food matches.

20 AUGUST 2017

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WKD • For the now The RTD’s summer promotional activity is expected to reach up to two million 18- to 24-year-olds this year, with a mixure of social media activity, outdoor posters and a new range of signature summer cocktails, as well as appearances at several festivals.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/07/2017 01:00

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Isla de Tesoro

Fidel Castro’s own rum has now been released – a snip at £499 a bottle. For 50 years the spirit was created from a blend of antique rums, exclusively for Castro’s personal consumption and until now has never been commercially available. spiritcartel. com

Sleeman Railside Session Ale

Importer Morgenrot has added this “distinctly hopped tipple” from Canadian brewer Sleeman to its range. Legend has it that the wild hops growing alongside the train tracks leading to the original Sleeman brewery inspired the 4.2 per cent amber ale, now made with Galaxy and Cascade hops. 0845 070 4310

Look out for... The Village Press

A freshly squeezed orange juice, a cloudy pressed apple juice and a still lemonade are the first three variants under this new brand from Sunmagic Juices. The range caters for those looking for more premium and healthier soft drinks, the company said. sunmagic.co.uk

Sharish Blue Magic

This gin from Portugal has a head-turning party trick — it turns pink when you add tonic water. The gin is made with a flower known as the Butterfly Pea that gives the gin a natural deep blue hue. Adding tonic alters the pH of the gin, turning it pink before your — and your customers’ — very eyes. hammondsof knutsford.co.uk

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The perfect choice to boost soft drink sales By Rob Harris, Out of Home Director GB at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) All licensees want to encourage repeat sales and build a reputation for delivering quality service. Ensuring customers receive a perfectly served Coca-Cola every time is one way to help achieve this. For us, the first step in delivering the Coca-Cola Perfect Serve is offering guests the perfect choice. For some, that’ll be the iconic taste of Coca-Cola Classic, but those looking for that signature Coca-Cola flavour without the calories may prefer Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Completing the trio is Diet Coke, which appeals to customers looking for a lighter, zero calorie cola taste. Explaining the classic and zero sugar variants that are available adds to the customer experience by highlighting what their options are. Most venues will be able to offer customers the choice between a draught or glass bottle Coca-Cola, but with 75 per cent of guests preferring the original glass bottle*, offering this format can help you deliver a premium soft drink experience and increase sales.

* Source: OnePulse Real-Time Digital Market Research, 500 respondents, M&F, 18-65 16/02/17

26/07/2017 01:00

STOCK UP TODAY TO SEE CIDER SALES 'FLY'! OLD MOUT IS THE FASTEST GROWING PREMIUM FLAVOURED CIDER*

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*SOURCE: CGA AND NIELSEN MAT JUNE 2017

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24/07/2017 26/07/2017 15:21 00:59

Sangria

A taste of summer

From Spain to Hawaii via Brazil, why not take your punters on a world tour this summer from the comfort of your pub garden (or snug, if the usual British weather applies) with these super-simple spirit drinks. Now, where’s that (cocktail) umbrella?

Glass: Jug or pitcher for serving and Highballs to drink out of

Sangria

Method: Add the fruit and sugar to a pitcher and muddle (bash) it with a muddler if you have it, a wooden spoon if not. Add the orange juice and the brandy and muddle some more. Add the red wine and give it a good stir, before adding lots of ice to chill, stirring again. Garnish if desired, serve and have a siesta. Faff factor: ✭✭ Inapub verdict: Extra pub points because you can make this in advance and in large batches and it’s supereasy to customise as well. Use any fruits in season, swap the brandy for rum, the juice for orangeade, even the red wine for white.

white rum •60ml 120ml pineapple juice •60ml coconut milk •Maraschino cherry and cocktail umbrella for •maximum kitsch garnish (optional) Glass: Hurricane

Method: Put all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until your arms ache. Strain into a glass and tell yourself the incessant British rain is in fact a short tropical shower. Faff factor: ✭✭✭ Inapub verdict: Got miserable punters who can’t afford to go on holiday? Join the club pals, but be cheered with this tropical treat because what says holiday more than coconut, pineapple and rum together, even if you are still in Staines?

AUGUST 2017 p23-24-27-28.indd 23

Caipirinha

of cheap but nice Spanish red •14 bottle tablespoons brown sugar •180ml orange juice •80ml brandy (Spanish if possible) •Half a chopped apple •Half a sliced orange •Orange wheels to garnish (optional) •

We’ve missed National Piña Colada day for this year (July 7) but you should still consider putting this classic Caribbean concoction on your cocktail list because, frankly, who doesn’t like a Piña Colada? Cocktail umbrella compulsory, in our view.

Paloma

Don’t snigger señores y señoritas! If you use decent ingredients this Spanish punch will reach hitherto unforeseen heights, and will be almost unrecognisable from the stuff of Spanish package holidays of the ’80s. This recipe will make a nice pitcherful for punters to share.

Piña Colada

Sangria

Root 56

25/07/2017 23:49

Jägermeister •50ml Ginger beer •Cucumber and lime to garnish •

Root 56

Let’s get all those German holidaymakers back for years of stealing our sun loungers by cleaning them right out of Jägermeister this summer. We can’t do that through shots alone, so give this longer drink a go as well.

Pretend you’re on a party boat somewhere near Ibiza in the late ’90s with this easy-peasy breezy cocktail. Just don’t mention Club 18-30, we’re still not over it.

• • • •

Paloma

60ml vodka 90ml cranberry juice 45ml grapefruit juice Wheel of lime to garnish

Glass: Highball or large wine glass

AUGUST 2017

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Sea Breeze

Tom Collins

Piña Colada

Method: Fill a glass with ice, pour over the Jägermeister and top with ginger beer. Garnish with the cucumber and lime. Job done. Faff factor: ✭

Inapub verdict: German efficiency at its finest, this really couldn’t be simpler to produce and suits both daytime leisurely quaffing and hi-tempo late-night partying.

Glass: Highball

Gin Iced Tea

Root 56

Mai Tai Sea Breeze

Sangria

Glass: Highball

Inapub verdict: If you want a truly authentic version then you’ll need to source the Jarritos brand of grapefruit soda. But we’d settle for whatever you can get your hands on to be honest, it’ll still be a winner.

Method: Put the vodka, cranberry juice and grapefruit juice in a glass, add ice, stir with a bar spoon and garnish before serving. Faff factor: ✭

Inapub verdict: You can make this in a cocktail shaker (just add all the ingredients together with some ice and give it a good jiggle around) and this will create a nice foamy top on the drink. But few bartenders bother with this method and we’re with them. Anything for an easy life.

Gin Iced Tea

Paloma

tequila •150ml Grapefruit (e.g. Ting) • Squeeze soda of lime • Pinch of salt • Wedge of grapefruit (or •lime at a push) to garnish

Method: Put the tequila and lime juice into a glass full of ice and add the pinch of salt. Add the grapefruit soda then simply stir and garnish before serving. Don’t be tempted to skip the salt — although you could do that in the form of a salt rim on the glass if your staff are a bit more skilled. Faff factor: ✭

Caipirinha Root 56

Our next destination is Mexico but we’re not resorting to Margaritas, oh no! What do you take us for? We’ve got way more imagination than that. UK pubs, meet the Paloma…

Mai Tai

Sea Breez

Paloma

Tom Collins

Piña Col 3

trade.inapub.co.uk 25/07/2017 23:49

ANYTHING ELSE IS A BUT

WE FOLLOW A GENERATIONS-OLD SECRET RECIPE TO BLEND OUR 56 ROOTS, HERBS AND SPICES. WE MAKE 383 QUALITY CHECKS ALONG THE WAY TO GUARANTEE EVERY BOTTLE DELIVERS OUR TRADEMARKED TASTE. THAT’S WHY WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN OUR BRAND AND WILL DO ANYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT IT. SO IF A CUSTOMER REQUESTS IT OR IT SAYS JÄGERMEISTER ON THE MENU, MAKE SURE IT’S JÄGERMEISTER IN THE GLASS. Jägermeister, Jägerbomb and J-Bomb are trademarked by both MJUK and MJSE.

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25/07/2017 23:55

OF YOUR DRINK IS THE MIXER, MIX WITH THE BEST ™

NAMED TONIC OF CHOICE BY THE WORLD’S TOP BARS AND RESTAURANTS*

17 20

E’S CHOICE PL 2 O

*Named tonic of choice by majority of world’s top bars and restaurants surveyed. Leslie Henry Research, 2016. TM Fever tree Ltd.

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G OLD W IN N ER A W A R D

12/07/2017 11:40

Tea

Caipirinha

Say it with us: “kai-pe-reen-ya.” There you go, that wasn’t so hard was it? And now you know how to pronounce Brazil’s national cocktail, you need to learn how to make it. Read on… cachaça •50ml 1 bar spoon of sugar •½ a lime, cut into wedges •

Mai Tai

Aloha Hawaii! Get out the coconut cups and Tiki mug for this one, the ultimate Tahitian drink, we think — and not just because we don’t really know any other Tahitian drinks.

Gin Iced Tea

white rum •25ml 25ml rum •12.5mlgolden orange •12.5ml grenadineliqueur •Juice of 1 lime •50ml orange juice • Glass: Hurricane, Hi-Ball or Tiki mug

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Sea Breeze

Rum Punch

Method: Place the first three ingredients in a glass and add ice. Give it a genteel stir with an elegant bar spoon and supplement with soda water. Pop on the orange garnish and serve with the sense of a job jolly well done. Faff factor: ✭ Inapub verdict: If you find yourself bored beyond all belief of serving gin & tonics this summer, then this is a great alternative to offer the gin-soaked crowd.

Method: Put the lime wedges and sugar into the bottom of a glass and really squish and mush them all up together. Add the cachaça and cubes of ice before giving it a good stir. Serve with an extra lime wedge if you’ve got one to hand. Faff factor: ✭✭✭

Inapub verdict: We’re suckers for a bit of authenticity, so we’d stick with the cachaça but, if you want to cut down on the amount of specialist booze bottles on the back bar, then try it with vodka instead. In which case it becomes a Caipiroska.

Method: Put all the ingredients in a shaker with some ice and keep shaking until it gets really cold. Strain into a glass and garnish with a lei (a Hawaiian garland) or a surfboard or something more practical. Faff factor: ✭✭✭

Rum Punch

Tom Collins

Mai Tai

Glass: Old Fashioned

Glass: Highball

Caipirinha

60ml gin •30ml juice •20 mllemon sugar •Soda water syrup • slice or peel •Orange to garnish

Negroni Gin Iced Root 56

Caipirinha

Tom Collins

Since you’ve got something in the region of 40,000 gins cluttering up your back-bar these days, you might as well make use of them with a gin-based drink or two this summer. This simple-to-execute classic should fit the bill — and hopefully boost some bills too.

Mai Tai

Tom Collins

Inapub verdict: Allegedly “Mai Tai” is the Tahitian word for “good” (we say allegedly, as no one at Inapub Inn speaks Tahitian and there’s only so much Wikipedia info a team of trained journos can trust). Despite our lack of linguistic prowess, however, we agree with the Tahitians, this really is very good method and we’re with them. Anything for an easy life.

Gin Iced Tea

Mai Tai

Sea Breeze 6

AUGUST 2017

25/07/2017 23:50

Rum Punch

cup of earl grey tea, •1cooled. gin •25ml Squeeze •1 tsp sugarof lemon juice • •Lemon slices to garnish

Negroni

Caipirinha Negroni

Tea

Gin Iced Caipirinha

Earl grey tea goes really well with gin, especially those brands that note bergamot among their botanicals. So why not combine the two into one simply marvellous drink that just couldn’t be any more British if it tried, isn’t that right darling?

Mai Tai

We’ve featured the Negroni in these pages before and with good reason — it remains the cocktail of the moment and could not be easier to make. So, for those who didn’t catch it before, here’s how to make a topnotch Negroni. gin •25ml 25ml •25ml Campari vermouth •Twist ofredorange for the garnish •

Method: Pour the tea over some ice to really cool it down. Fill your serving vessel with ice and add the gin and sugar, stirring to combine. Strain the now cold tea over the top of the gin and sugar mixture and garnish with the lemon. Faff factor: ✭✭✭ Inapub verdict: Jolly good show chaps, what a simply spiffing tipple this is. Just enough to wet one’s whistle for a spot of afternoon tea, what ho!

Glass: Old Fashioned Method: Fill a glass with ice, add all the ingredients and stir before serving. Simples. Faff factor: ✭

Inapub verdict: It couldn’t be any easier to make or any more delicious to drink, so what are you waiting for? Get them on the menu and invite us down for a drink.

Rum Punch

Mai Tai

Rum Punch

dark rum •500ml 250ml rum •500ml white pineapple •500ml orange juicejuice •35ml grenadine •Juice of 8 limes •

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Gin Iced Tea

There must be as many recipes for rum punch as there are grains of white sand on a Caribbean beach, so we’d like to say this is just one version, not a definitive recipe. But it’s a very good version, as our time hard at work testing it will testify. This will make about two litres worth, so enough for a decent-sized party or one small Inapub team. Hic.

Glass: Tea cup or Old Fashioned.

Negroni

Mai T

Gin Iced Tea

Root 56

Sea Breeze

Tom Collins

8 dashes Angostura Bitters •Pinch grated nutmeg •Fruit to garnish • Glass: Pitcher, jug or punch bowl

Rum Punch

Method: Combine all the ingredients in a large jug or punch bowl and add plenty of ice. Add slices of pineapple and/or orange to garnish. Faff factor: ✭

Inapub verdict: You can make this a touch weaker by adding a dash of soda water, which might be nice on a really hot day. On the other hand you could make it a touch stronger by swapping the white rum for the Jamaican cure-all overproof white rum. It’s really up to you.

trade.inapub.co.uk 25/07/2017 23:50

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11/07/2017 14:05

German beers? Is there still a place for

by ROBYN BLACK

German beer has long been a byword for everything that is great about beer. Its styles are copied the world over and the country’s passion for its national drink often puts us to shame. But, um... in a world of local and craft beers, is there still an opportunity for the Germans? Is German beer still relevant in UK pubs?

Can authentic German beers work in pubs where the mainstream lagers dominate? Stephan Kofler, sales and marketing director, Krombacher UK “I think the craft message has reverberated around beer drinkers as a whole and even if they are not interested in weird and wacky beer styles, they are definitely becoming more discerning in their lager choices and are searching for quality over quantity. “Gone are the days when an insipid mainstream lager was king of the bar — now consumers are looking for something more than a catchy advertising campaign. They want to know about how beers are produced, with what ingredients and by who. “With the on-trade as competitive as ever, licensees are also realising that brands like Krombacher can be very beneficial to the bottom line. Not only can they help set venues apart from the competition, provide a point of difference and add value to promotional activities but they can also generate a premium price.”

Emma Hibbert, marketing director, Adnams (sole UK distributor of Bitburger) “With the wide varieties of beer available in the UK today and the increasingly beercurious consumer, German beers have a terrific opportunity to succeed here. “German beers offer a distinctive flavour, are clean and crisp and those imported from Germany often have a strong provenance and heritage. “The UK beer market is highly competitive with many new UK craft brewers emerging; in order to succeed, German beers need to emphasise their provenance and ingredients, using social media to engage with consumers, as well as aligning with consumer trends towards lower alcohol. “We distribute Bitburger Drive, an alcoholfree beer (0.05% abv), which is brewed in exactly the same way as the full-strength Bitburger beer and therefore retains the same flavours, which is unlike many alcohol-free beers. “It has proved extremely popular with the UK market, and its taste marks the product out as different and has made it successful.”

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26/07/2017 01:01

drink. Are German beer brands appealing to UK drinkers?

Spencer Chambers, co-founder of Hofmeister

Spencer Chambers, co-founder of Hofmeister “We have all seen a huge demand for quality, premium world beers as consumers look to widen their drinking repertoires and experiment with authentic new ales and lagers with genuine provenance. It is why, after 13 years, we have brought Hofmeister back to the beer market. “We feel the time is right for a genuine, craft-produced Bavarian beer that is true to the 1516 Reinheitsgebot German Beer Purity Laws. “We are also looking to finally introduce the UK beer drinker to the easy drinking style of slow brewed, low carbonated Helles lager. “The emphasis is not on hops and strong fruit-forward flavours, but on smooth, creamy, balanced beers that have wide appeal to both men and women. We only see this trend accelerating in the future.”

Where are the opportunities for German beer? Des Gallagher, category controller, Marston’s (distributor of Erdinger, Warsteiner and Kaltenberg) “We import Warsteiner, which is growing massively in both the on- and off-trade and recently we launched its award winning no-alcohol brand Fresh to the UK in Tesco to tap into the ‘healthier living’ market. “We also have Erdinger as part of our portfolio and Erdinger Alkoholfrei is driving growth in Europe and now the UK, being marketed as an isotonic regenerative drink and we think this will also tap into that ‘healthier living’ sector. “We also see the expanding Bierkeller and Oktoberfest-style events in the autumn. The Wittelsbach family, the originators of the Oktoberfest, produce the Royal Bavarian Kaltenberg brand for the UK, which would be perfect for such events.”

Can German brands compete against “trendier” beers? David Bremner, director of marketing, Robinsons (distributor for Veltins) “Veltins does particularly well in our premium pubs as it provides them with a real point of difference. It’s seven per cent up in our tenanted estate and 31 per cent in our managed where we treat it as our own beer. “For example, the 500ml Veltins bottle outsells Corona and Peroni in our pubs by 40 per cent — that’s without any advertising. It’s easy to keep and customers love the authenticity. The alcohol-free version is also great.”

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26/07/2017 01:01

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26/07/2017 01:13

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26/07/2017 13/07/2017 01:13 11:13

eat The best things in life often go under-appreciated. And I fear the local pub is owed more thanks than it gets. The past few months have highlighted the very worst and the very best traits of humanity. With every new tragedy came another family grieving, another story to talk about, cry about and get angry about. Such horrors often throw the frontline services into the limelight. News outlets quite rightly brand them as heroes, but when the dust has settled they’re still saving lives and the victims are still hurting. The media has forgotten about them, but the pub is still there. Familiar walls of the local boozer beckon anyone feeling

Where have all the flowers gone? Growers have warned of an edible flower shortage due to “huge unprecedented demand”. Dull weather has also impacted edible flower crops at Westland Nurseries, which grows vegetables and herbs for suppliers. “They’re going mainstream. Even the supermarkets have started including them in prepared salads,” explains James Seymour, Westland Nurseries product development manager, exclusively to Inapub. “Not long ago it was difficult to persuade people to eat edible flowers, but now thanks to Instagram and some big name restaurants using them, they’ve become a hit.”

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with BRONYA SMOLEN broken or tired, with problems big or small. Not just with a liquid antidote, but with a friendly face, a warm fire or a spot in the sunshine. It’s a church for all faiths and a building for all occasions. Pub grub is a hug in menu form, served in an atmosphere which says “go ahead, drown your pie in ketchup if you fancy it, there’s no judgment here”. But behind it all is a team of people to open the doors, day in, day out. We pay you for a pint and a packet of crisps and you provide much more than that. You’re a different kind of healthcare system, and for that, we, your customers, thank you.

What’s not to love about an ice cream-filled doughnut ? Move over cookie dough and mirror glaze cakes. The next big sweet treat to take social media by storm is the ice cream-stuffed doughnut. LA-based B Sweet dessert shop has been making headlines with its hot pressed doughnuts stuffed with ice cream. They’re known as “Halos” and we wouldn’t be surprised to see them on this side of the pond very soon. Maybe your pub could be the first.

26/07/2017 01:02

ORKNEY SCALLOPS WITH SMOKED PORK BELLY & PEA VELOUTÉ Steven Ellis, chef proprietor, Oxford Blue, Windsor Scallops

Peas & broad beans

“These are in season right now. They’re British and add a freshness to the dish. We simply heat them in a light emulsion made from butter and chicken stock.”

“These are hand-dived from Orkney because dredged scallops ruin the seabed. Plus Orkney has a great reputation for sweet scallops with an ideal texture. We pan fry these to perfection.”

Pork belly

“This is from Dingley Dell farm and has fantastic flavour. The pork is smoked especially for us. We sous-vide it, dice it and add it to the greens. The smokiness highlights some of the back notes of the scallops.”

Pancetta

“It’s baked in the oven until crisp. This dish needs some crunch so crispy pancetta is perfect for that.”

Pea & scallop velouté

“We like to keep waste to a minimum, so we blitz down pea skins with unused scallop muscle, some fish stock and cream to create a light velouté. We also make a pea juice foam, and add the pea at the very last minute so it keeps that vibrant green colour.”

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26/07/2017 01:02

Rewriting the roast by BRONYA SMOLEN

The roast dinner is as British as queuing for a box of teabags in the rain. But with 600 years of history behind it, can the rules of the roast really get an overhaul? For some, a Yorkshire pudding is alien on any plate not filled with beef, while mint sauce should be served with nothing but lamb. Of course, every cut of meat has its perfect partner; mint and lamb, apple and pork, horseradish and beef, cranberry and turkey and gravy with everything. But can these combos change? Northumberland-based Phil Mason, head chef and owner of the award-winning Rat Inn in Hexham, Northumberland, has given in to the punters. “You’d be amazed at the sheer amount of

people who order mint sauce when we don’t have any lamb on the menu,” he says. “Horseradish is always a favourite with beef though, and I think that’s just habit. People have been brought up on it.” Given that 44 per cent of UK consumers think mint sauce is the most essential roast dinner condiment, according to a Consumer Omnibus survey, this is no surprise. Phil also says he would never serve a Yorkshire pudding with his own roast chicken, but customers have become so fond of them that they’re worth serving by the dozen. “They’re so cheap and easy to make, and everyone expects them, so we just send them out.” Andrew Pern is a Michelin-starred chef and owner of four pubs and restaurants, but perhaps most importantly, he’s a Yorkshire boy, born and bred. The love of the sacred pudding runs in his blood. “Traditionally, they were served as a starter to act as bulk to fill up on before the more expensive meat course,” he explains. And as Andrew says, there’s more than one way to serve them. “I think it’s nice to share the experience of the world-famous Yorkshire pud to other meats too. Try rosemary Yorkshires with leg of lamb, Boulangère potatoes and broccoli. “Or how about chili, sage & onion Yorkshires with roast pork, apple & vanilla chutney champ mash (Irish potatoes with leeks) and a local cider gravy?” He also suggests trying juniper ones with a haunch of venison for a suave Sunday lunch, but for beef, it’s got to be the regular, no-nonsense Yorky-P. “Well seasoned, with duck fat roasties, stump (carrot & swede mash with grain mustard in it), peppered savoy cabbage and a dark bone & ale gravy, served with hot horseradish sauce,” he explains.

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eat.

Are you getting the full four inches? Scientists at the Royal Society of Chemistry concluded that a Yorkshire pudding can only be deemed a success if it rises to four inches. John Emslev, scientist and Yorkshireman, devised the formula after the society was contacted by an irritated cook whose Yorkshire pudding was failing to rise. His scientifically proven recipe to the perfect pudding is as follows:

PERFECT YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS *� 85g of polysaccharide powder; kitchen grade (flour). * 1g of sodium chloride, NaCI, table grade (�1/2 tsp of salt). * 1 egg (use 2 eggs in areas of higher altitude). * Solution of 230cm3 reducedIipid bovine lactate (230mI milk) mixed with 20cm3 H2O (20ml water) * 1-2 tbsps of beef dripping (No clever scientific name here�)

Yorks for all

“

How about chilli, sage and onion Yorkshires with roast pork, apple & vanilla chutney champ mash and a local cider gravy?

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If Yorkshire puddings with pork or chicken is too much for you, then look away now. Apparently they don’t even have to be served with meat. Andrew says: “When I was little we used to eat Yorkshires with jam and syrup, and I actually incorporated them into my Great British Menu on TV. It had rhubarb & ginger jam, hot spiced syrup and pistachio nut Yorkshires. It won four 9/10s in the final, so quite a hit.” There’s no reason you can’t incorporate traditional (or not so traditional) flavours into gravy too. Alex Hall, executive chef at Unilever Food Solutions, says: “Add apple and cider for pork gravy, red wine and thyme for beef, and garlic for lamb. It’s a quick win and your customers will really notice the difference.” And it’s not a roast dinner without potatoes. According to Nigel Phillips, country sales manager UK & Ireland, at potato producer Lamb Weston, a crisp outside and fluffy middle is the perfect consistency for a roast potato for most customers. But roasts aren’t the only possibility. He explains: “To create further stand-out

and a personalised approach, publicans can shape up their menu by adding trade-up options.” The roast dinner is clearly still a British classic, but that doesn’t mean it can’t benefit from a bit of an upgrade.

•

British Roast Dinner Week is back for 2017. If you think your pub roast is the best in the UK, why not enter the Best British Roast Dinner competition, sponsored by Knorr, at www.britishroastdinnerweek.co.uk

AUGUST 2017

26/07/2017 01:02

The motivation game by BRONYA SMOLEN

The Gordon Ramsay approach might make fantastic TV viewing, but it doesn’t take a genius to see it’s not the best way to motivate chefs. Cries of ‘my gran could do better than that, and she’s dead’ might entertain, but they certainly won’t encourage your staff. We speak to three top chefs to find out how they keep a motivated team in the kitchen. Leon Higham

Head chef at the The Rose & Crown, Warwick

Leon Higham (centre) with his team at The Rose & Crown. “We have a lot of fun in the kitchen, and I think that is what won us the award”

The Rose & Crown recently won the title of Britain’s Best Brigade, a UK-wide and cross-industry competition run by stock company Essential Cuisine to find the best chef team. “We have a lot of fun in the kitchen, and I think that is what won us the award. We laugh, don’t take life too seriously but we also work extremely hard. The team has lasted a long time here, which is rare in the chef industry, and I think that’s testament to the environment we create. “From the start I recruit for personality, not

so much skill. If I think they’ll get on with us, then the rest can be taught. I also think it is really important to talk to staff regularly and get them to respect you. Every night after a long or busy shift I will always buy the team a pint so we can all wind down together and have a chat. “Staying on top of one-to-ones has proved very important. I’m always pushing them, asking them to try doing different things, and letting them know that I care about their development. I’ll try to get them out to see suppliers, do cooking challenges with them or do anything they need to help their career. It boils down to communication and listening to them.”

Gordon Stott

Chef & patron, The Sun Inn, Basingstoke

Gordon took over at The Sun Inn at the age of 20. He has since received a Bib Gourmand in the 2017 Michelin Guide and two AA rosettes, plus was recently named Pub Chef of the Year at the Craft Guild of Chefs Awards. “The thing that motivated me to the top of my game is the fact that I’ve had a free rein

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Gordon Stott with trainee chef Jade Smith. “I’ve employed a team of like-minded people and it works” he says

“

I work with everyone to get them involved in other aspects of the business like pricing, trialling new dishes and stock-taking. It really helps give them the drive to achieve more and work hard

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with my dishes. So I take great care to make sure I give the team their own dishes on the menu and make sure they know I value their input. “I work with everyone to get them involved in other aspects of the business like pricing, trialling new dishes and stock-taking. It really helps give them the drive to achieve more and work hard. “We close on Sunday nights so I always organise something for the team to do. We often go for dinner somewhere and gather more ideas for the menu. I also do training on site so they can progress their skills on paper too. “We’re a small team, which means we’re pretty close. You have to be. I’ve employed a group of like-minded people and it works. The chef industry is renowned for seeing people hop around kitchens a lot to gain different experience, so I make sure my staff know it’s worth their while to stay and know they can progress.”

Rick Panesar

Former food blogger, now owner of a street food business

Rick’s background has given him a different attitude to how kitchen team should be treated. He says that instead of “motivating” it is about “inspiring” staff. “Kitchen staff are a funny breed, as it is not a

job that ‘just anyone’ can hack. Whilst there have been some changes in the industry of late, the unfortunate nature of working in a kitchen still involves long hours, low wages and egotistical managers and owners. “It’s about managing people’s expectations, whilst at the same time being genuine enough for the team to believe in me and the way the company is run. “Communication is key as well as a degree of real responsibility. I use the word responsibility as opposed to discipline, as we believe that staff taking responsibility for their duties and actions, will enable them to reach the best of their potential. “We also believe in having a sense of community and belonging. There needs to be some staff cohesion so we encourage partaking in activities that are important to each other, whether we want to do them or not. Like going to a gym session together, visiting a local temple, or volunteering with causes that are close to people’s hearts.”

Rick Panesar

26/07/2017 01:03

Up to October 1st we’ve got more live games featuring these Premier League giants than Sky Sports.

Man Utd

Chelsea

Liverpool

Man City

Arsenal

Spurs

Plus on average we are 63% cheaper*

Be There Terms and Conditions: Full terms apply. © British Telecommunications plc 2017. We’re registered in England at 81 Newgate Street, London EC1A 7AJ (company number 1800000). All this information correct at time of send. See our terms and conditions atbtsportbusiness.com/terms. *Saving based on average rateable value of and independent pub and BT and Sky’s standard rate card prices for new customers. Average rateable value of independent pubs: £20,900 for BT (2010 average rateable values), £24,637 for Sky (2017 average rateable value), excluding VAT. Sky’s rate card last published in 2013, 5% price rise applied in 2014, 0% in 2015, 10% in 2016 & 5% in 2017. Excludes promotions. The BT Sport Total pack contains all BT’s top level content including Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League and Europa League while Sky Sports top pack contains content exclusive to Sky including 126 Premier League games, games from the Football League and the Carabao Cup.

Join now in time for start of the season Call 0800 678 1061

Up to October 1st we’ve got more live games featuring these Premier League giants than Sky Sports.

Man Utd

Chelsea

Liverpool

Man City

Arsenal

Spurs

Plus on average we are 63% cheaper*

Join now in time for start of the season Call 0800 678 1061

play with MATT ELEY They say fortune favours the brave. But then people also question if those who take risks are brave or just plain stupid. It’s easy to be wise after the event. That’s why I can sit here and say (write) “well, obviously all pubs should have opened up early to show the Lions v the All Blacks”. Those that did (see below) saw a big uplift in sales, especially on the last weekend of the series. Would they have done if the All Blacks had kept 15 players on the field and won the second test? Quite possibly not. The point is, unless you take a chance, you don’t know. Thinking about doing breakfast? Offering posher soft drinks or more zero-alcohol choices? Considering running

open-air Shakespeare nights? Many pubs have tried. Some have succeeded, some have failed. But at least they didn’t die without having a go. That’s the biggest sin of all. All the data (yep, we’ve read all of it) shows pubs are having to evolve to stay relevant and to keep pace with changing consumer demands and an increasingly competitive high street. So maybe breakfast and rugby are for you, maybe they are not — but I bet there is an idea in the back of your mind you think might just be worth trying out. So go on, try it. What’s the worst that could happen? Or maybe the question you should really be asking yourself is: what’s the best?

Punters pour in to catch the All Blacks v Lions series decider Opening early to show the British & Irish Lions worked well for pubs, according to data from beer-flow monitor Vianet. The final test in the tied three-match series was the best of the bunch, with sports pubs experiencing a 58 per cent uplift in sales compared with the previous weekend. Overall that Saturday (July 8) the average sports pub poured 467 pints during the day. Mark Fewster, product manager at Vianet, said: “The series decider undoubtedly encouraged more fans to head to the pub, with our data

42 AUGUST 2017

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showing huge volumes at certain sites. Some operators may have questioned the value of early trading but our data proves those that did so and delivered a great customer experience reaped the rewards of repeat visits and increased revenue.” Meanwhile, search data from sport pub finder MatchPint showed there were a total of 160,000 searches for the three matches across the series, with the final game proving the most popular.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/07/2017 01:04

World Athletics Championships

This is the last chance to watch Mo Farah and some other chap called Usain Bolt take to the track. Worth switching on the box for. August 4—13, BBC

Carabao Cup

The League Cup has a new sponsor. First up will be Colchester United against sleeping giants Aston Villa. We may have mentioned the Premier League starts soon… (p46-47) August 9, 7.45pm, Sky Sports

Happening this month Mayweather v McGregor

The greatest boxer of this (and arguably any other) generation takes on the UFC champ in this much-hyped battle. Some people are going to get very rich and you could make a few quid by showing it. August 26

Bank holiday

Three-day weekend! Hurrah! Well, hurrah for those of us who can enjoy going to the pub. Good luck to everyone working all three days. August 28

Great British Beer Festival

Brewers, beer aficionados and the largest stampede of sandals you will ever see head to Olympia for the biggest festival of its kind in the country. August 8—12

International Cat Day Oh yes it is. Let your feline friend be the star of the show for the day. Also, check out 10 of the best pub mogs on page 54. August 8

Let me entertain you Del Brindle, Duke of Kent, Ealing London pubco Fuller’s is ensuring as many pub customers as possible get bard this year with the return of its successful Shakespeare in the Garden programme. Twelfth Night will be performed at 30 different pubs from now until September. The final shows will be held at the Duke of Kent in Ealing. General manager Del Brindle said: “We’ve closed the tour in previous years and it is always great fun and a fantastic atmosphere at the end of the run. We get 250 people a show in the garden for the performances and they are incredibly popular with customers of all ages. “It forms the heart of what we do entertainmentwise and we don’t do any other shows in the garden because we are located very close to our neighbours. We have a good relationship with them.” Del, who has been in charge for six years, said other events at the pub are based on barbecues in the garden, a link-up with the Ealing Half Marathon and hiring the pub’s function room for private parties.

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26/07/2017 01:04

Perfect pitch by MATT ELEY

They say that seeing is believing but at Porter’s Bar in Cardiff it is all about the sound.

The venue was opened five years ago as a space to celebrate performing arts in the city. It is owned by actor and producer Dan Porter and staffed by a host of musicians, poets and artists. One of those is Lewis Morgan, the bar’s manager and in-house sound engineer. He was the man behind Porter’s successful entry to this year’s Music Makeover competition, run by PRS for Music. The bar fought off competition from 200 other venues to bag £10,000 to improve its offer as a live performance space. Judges – which included Inapub – were impressed by the way Porter’s embraces the local arts scene and, in doing so, has become an important hub for that community. Now it can offer an even better service, after the PRS team — led by renowned music producer Steve Levine — visited to make the improvements. Lewis, a music technology graduate, explains: “I saw the competition at the same time that we were thinking of upgrading our

sound system. It felt like the perfect opportunity and it has worked out brilliantly.” The money has been spent on a new PA system, top-of-the-range microphones and other bits of kit. Steve, who has produced acts such as Culture Club and The Beach Boys, said the equipment and set-up has been tailored to the specific needs of the venue, which include a stage area in the main bar and the theatre-style “Other Room”. “Here was a quite an interesting space but underpowered,” says Steve. “So we have beefed up the PA so it is high-volume and high-quality.”

Working the space

“One of the challenges is that the stage space is quite small but the auditorium is quite big. We had to maximise the stage space so there is no clutter but give volume to the audience, so we have mounted the PA system on girders to spread the sound. It also doesn’t cover up the band.” He continues: “Lewis wanted one of the new digital snakes, which means rather than having a tonne of cabling you have a stage box connected to a mixer controlled by a computer or an iPad. The advantage of that is that everything can be stored, so if you have a residency they can be soundchecking in moments.”

Two-part harmony: PRS’s Steve Levine (left) with bar manager and sound engineer Lewis Morgan

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play.

Porter’s Cardiff

Style: Freehouse Entertainment: Live music, cabaret, comedy, bandaoke, quiz nights

Awards: PRS for Music Music Makeover winner 2017, Cardiff Life award winner 2017

Online: www.porterscardiff.com

“

Bands will come here, sound great and they will spread the word to attract bands that perhaps wouldn’t have come here before trade.inapub.co.uk

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And Lewis says that performers are already noticing the difference. “Where the speakers are means there is a direct line of sight between the audience and performers. We had an open mic night and all the performers said it was like playing in a totally different venue.” This, Steve says, should encourage bigger acts to want to play at Porter’s. “Bands will come here, sound great and they will spread the word to attract bigger bands that perhaps wouldn’t have come here in the first instance,” he adds. One thing neither the audience nor the artists can see is the changes Steve suggested they make to the stage. “It was like a box before, without a solid foundation” he explains. “So the instrument would resonate the stage. We took up the floorboards and filled it up with concrete then put the floorboards back. There’s no cosmetic difference but sonically it is 1,000 times better.” One of the bonuses of winning for Lewis has been the opportunity to work closely

with Grammy-winning Steve, who sits on the board at PRS. “It’s been amazing to work with someone like Steve,” he says. “When he came down he just clapped and clicked and said ‘these are the problems with the room’s acoustics and this is what you need to do’. With the award we have ticked those boxes, we have treated the room and got great mics and great PA so everything is in place.” And while not every pub can benefit from a £10,000 Music Makeover they should, Steve says, seriously consider investing to up their sound game. He says: “My benchmark is a recording studio, which is custom-built. You can never replicate that but you can get close. I have seen some fantastic performances but been bitterly disappointed by the sound. These performers are battling against problems in the room and owners won’t spend the money on decent equipment. “If you want your business to be successful, you want your audience and customers to enjoy what they hear.”

AUGUST 2017 45 26/07/2017 01:05

Get your game on by MATT ELEY

Wimbledon is over for another year, the final putt has been sunk at the Open and Usain Bolt will soon completing his last ever lap of honour. Fear not, though, sports fans — the national game has been warming up on the sidelines and is raring to spring into action. Here’s what’s in store for pubs when it comes to this season’s Premier League.

When does it begin?

It feels as if the Premier League season gets earlier every season, with little let-up between the last season finale, summer tournaments (how many of the Under-20 World Cup winners will we see in action this season?) and the new campaign. This season is a little different in that it kicks off on a Friday with a live game on Sky. The broadcaster launched its Friday night football coverage last season. Pubs will argue about the sense of football being screened on a night that is traditionally busy anyway, but if the sun is shining people will have an excuse to either sit in the garden or in front of the big screen. Check the box below for the live action coming up over the next few weekends.

Who’s got what?

The Premier League is the jewel in the crown as far as Sky is concerned – and so it should be when the broadcaster pays around £10m a match for the live rights. Sky will be showing 126 games this season, maintaining its traditional Sunday slots, along with Fridays, Mondays and Saturday afternoons. BT Sport will show 42 Premier League games, primarily at 5.30pm on Saturdays. The latter has made itself the home of European football and will again major on

Who is showing which game and when?

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Friday, Aug 11 Saturday, Aug 12 Saturday, Aug 12 Sunday, Aug 13 Sunday, Aug 13 Saturday, Aug 19 Saturday, Aug 19 Sunday, Aug 20 Sunday, Aug 20 Monday, Aug 21

Arsenal v Leicester Watford v Liverpool Brighton v Man City Newcastle v Spurs Man Utd v West Ham Swansea v Man Utd Stoke v Arsenal Huddersfield v Newcastle Spurs v Chelsea Man City v Everton

7.45pm, Sky 12.30pm, Sky 5.30pm, BT Sport 1.30pm, Sky 4pm, Sky 12.30pm, Sky 5.30pm, BT Sport 1.30pm, Sky 4pm, Sky 8pm, Sky

26/07/2017 01:11

play.

All to play for: get your game plan right to make sure your investment in live sport pays off

“

If you have a pub in Brighton, Newcastle or Huddersfield you should be celebrating their return to the big time

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the Champions and Europa leagues. European football could actually benefit the Premier League this season. All of the so-called big clubs (Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton) will compete in European tournaments, which should result in a tighter title race: the last two teams to win the league — Leicester and Chelsea — were not involved in European competition when they became champions. If you have a pub in Brighton, Newcastle or Huddersfield you should be celebrating their return to the big time and the extra interest that should bring.

What’s it going to cost?

Unsurprisingly, the cost of showing football will be going up this season. It’s slightly confusing due to the recent business rates reviews, and some pubs could potentially get a reduction. Anyway, Sky has upped prices by five per cent. If you had an increase at review your bill will be based on your old rateable value (RV). If it went down at review it will be based on that. BT Sport is increasing prices by 3.5 per cent, with the bill based on your old RV.

What else do you get?

Both broadcasters are trying to improve the support they offer to pubs outside of the live action itself. BT Sport is giving pubs the opportunity to create more bespoke posters, giving licensees the chance to hone in and promote the games that are more important to them. It is also making more marketing assets available for pubs to use when promoting fixtures on social media. The broadcaster had great success last year with its Pub Cup football tournament and will be expanding the competition this year. Also expect to see campaigns celebrating licensees. Sky is bringing more channels to you this year — two new ones, in fact — plus it’s revamping its overall package. Premier League football will be shown on either Sky Sports Main Event (401) or Sky Sports Premier League (402). All other football — some 900 games — will be on Sky Sports Football (403). However, a deal that is open to domestic customers to pick and choose channels is not available to business subscribers. Sky is also reviewing and making some changes to the support it offers licensees online and via its monthly Preview magazine.

AUGUST 2017 47 26/07/2017 01:09

Making sport work for your business with great content and premium support

Bringing pubs more of the sports that matter

Sky Sports now brings venues 10 dedicated sports channels as part of its best ever offering, giving pubs and bars a massive line-up of live sport to help them attract customers and drive trade. The new Sky Sports season is set to be one of the greatest to date with more top-flight sporting action from the biggest and best events. So what can landlords look forward to over the coming months to help pull in the crowds to their venues? The return of the domestic football season The Premier League is back and yet again, it promises to be full of drama, surprises and excitement. 90% of landlords say that Sky Sports is the home of Premier League and with 126 exclusively live games this season, Sky will bring pubs the pick of the action as the season unfolds. MatchPint says that the average pub showing Premier League sees a £30,000 boost in drinks sales in a season, showing the opportunity for venues to make money from the nation’s favourite sport. Pubs can also look forward to 127 matches from the EFL, the final group matches and play-offs from the FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Europe, 30 matches from the Scottish Premiership including every Old Firm derby, the Scottish Cup, Spain’s La Liga, MLS, Eredivisie, the Chinese Super League and more.

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It’s not just about football! It’s not just football that encourages customers to visit their local:

• • • • •

Pub goers’ second favourite sport to watch is rugby – pubs saw a 58% increase in beers sales during the final Test of the recent British and Irish Lions series against the All Blacks In F1 nearly 700,000 people watched the Monaco Grand Prix in the pub last season Boxing is a growing sport for the pub with over a million people watching the Joshua v Klitschko bout in April in a Sky Sports venue Last year, days 1 and 2 of golf’s Open championship each attracted half a million people to watch in a pub or bar With so much amazing live sport taking place this year, Sky Sports venues can look forward to a season to remember.

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Making money with

As well as bringing the best live sport and an outstanding experience to landlords, their customers and their businesses, Sky helps venues to drive maximum footfall through their doors throughout the year. Sky Sports offers a range of simple sales and marketing tools to help pubs draw the biggest crowds: Preview magazine A monthly sports magazine packed with fixtures and tips to help landlords successfully market the sport their customers love.

MySkySports.com to take advantage of even more fixtures information, extra posters and help on how to use social media to promote their pub. Sky Sports Pub Finder Sky Sports promotes venues to sports fans who use Pub Finder to help them decide where to enjoy the game. Landlords can tailor their listing to make their pub even more appealing to customers.

Mike Armitage, publican, The Lion Brewery

Fixture posters Sky Sports designs, prints and delivers fixture posters free of charge so pubs can make sure their customers know what they’re showing , when. MySkySports.com – Sky Sports’ customer portal for landlords Landlords can register for free on

Saving money with

Sky has created a range of discounts that help to ensure the price customers pay for their subscription reflects their business:

• •

Up to 33% off with partnership discounts – A discount off their monthly bill when pubs switch to Molson Coors’ brands. Up to 30% off if a pub serves food – Landlords can get a discount of up to 30% depending on how much food they offer and what percentage of sales is made up by food

“I’m on the edge of a village, it was a very, very popular venue but it has helped my business considerably since I put Sky in”

• • •

A further 30% off for some locations – Sky offers an extra discount for venues in less densely populated areas. Plus further discounts – If a venue has an outdoor sports area that contributes to its rateable value, Sky takes more money off. A saving of £35 with free Sky WiFi – Sky supplies great free WiFi, saving pubs £35 on the rate-card price.

Mike Armitage, landlord at The Lion Brewery in Ash, Surrey signed up for the Molson Coors and Sky TV deal to keep loyal drinkers coming back, while also attracting new drinkers. The Lion Brewery has had Sky TV since the deal enabled his pub to save up to 30% off Sky, by stocking three Molson Coors brands. “We shook hands and signed the documentation and within a few days I had Sky TV installed,” says Armitage. “I’m on the edge of a village, it was a very, very popular venue but it has helped my business considerably since I put Sky in.” When explaining his decision to go with the Molson Coors and Sky deal, Armitage explains: “I was quite pleased really because I am a sports person and I have a lot of sports people use the pub. I’ve got a golf society and a football team, but I’ve had additional people starting to use it since I’ve had Sky. “With Molson Coors’ products I thought right, we’ll get these in and I’m going to get 30% off the Sky deal, which is brilliant. It’s helped me considerably and my business has grown through having Sky TV.”

To bring Sky Sports to your venue, please call 08442 414 659 or visit business.sky.com p48-49 Sky advertorial.indd 49

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back-bar business

7 Everybody’s heard about the bird: Twitter makes it easy for you to get your message out there but with five million tweets sent a day, it’s easy to be overlooked

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ways to win at the game of Tweets In the 140-character world of Twitter, your pub should be aiming to be a Barack Obama, not a Donald Trump.

Twitter is a black hole of ever-changing content. This means you need to be doing the right things (like Barack) to get noticed for the right reasons (unlike Donald). Thankfully, as always, Inapub has got your back with this licensee-friendly Twitter guide, so you can knock down those communication walls and make your tweets great again.

Get the basics bang on

Make life easier for yourself

Twitter is snappier than Facebook. You have just 140 characters per tweet to get your message out there, but that certainly doesn’t make it less effective. A good rule of thumb is to use it little and often. With five million tweets sent into the Twitter-sphere daily, you need to increase your content volume to make sure it is seen. Use it to communicate and grow brand awareness, provide timely customer service and connect with potential customers and even other brands.

As a busy licensee, tweeting often is easier said than done — that’s when the use of scheduling tools comes in. By using platforms like Hootsuite or TweetDeck, you

26/07/2017 10:37

inapub

DIGITAL MARKETING GUIDE

For help with Twitter, or any social media platform for that matter, our Digital Marketing Guide will have the answers. It offers a step-by-step solution to any queries, from setting up a Google business page to dealing with Trip Advisor reviews and boosting your Twitter following. You won’t miss a trick either — the guide is updated regularly to include the newest functions and updates from each platform. To find out more email sales@inapub.co.uk or call 0800 160 1986

can schedule content to go out at any time in the future. Got a big gig coming up? Schedule to send out a couple of tweets on each day leading up to it to increase awareness. You can also schedule tweets about things like menu specials and holidays like Halloween. By setting aside just 30 minutes to an hour every Monday to schedule in content for the week, you should instantly see engagement increase.

Use media, not just words

It’s been proven time and time again that tweets with pictures or videos attached perform much better than tweets with just words. If you can illustrate your tweet with a picture, leaflet, GIF (moving image) or video, then do so. It will grab attention and prompt more engagement. Smartphones make it incredibly easy to include things like this. Top tip: pictures of cats and dogs tend to go down a storm on social media, so get snapping those pets.

Remember to listen

Perhaps the most powerful thing about Twitter is not what you say, but how you listen. Twitter is full of potential customers begging to be heard, so open your ears. For example, on a Thursday after work it’s very likely that someone in your area is tweeting about needing a beer. You just need to find them. Set up a local search for the word “beer” by using a location filter and hey presto, The Nag’s Head to the rescue! You can offer them a beer.

Be inclusive

Twitter is like a school playground. There are thousands of voices but everyone wants to feel part of a group. So make sure your customers feel like they’re in your gang. You might have heard of Beliebers (Justin Bieber fans) KatyCats (Katy Perry fans) or Little Monsters (Lady Gaga fans). Well, why not create your own name for your customers at the pub? Another way to make customers feel like they’re part of your club is to retweet them

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Hot topic: use Twitter to provide your customers with important information and remember that adding a picture or other media will grab even more attention

when they mention your pub, interact with them by replying to tweets or even take pictures of them and (with permission) tweet them out from your own account and tag them in.

Don’t take it too seriously

Learn to deal with negatives

Some of the most successful bits of content on social media have absolutely nothing to do with promotions or the brand. Recently, Southern Rail’s Twitter account went viral after a work experience boy named Eddie Smith took over the company’s feed and started answering some tough questions from customers, like what they should have for dinner that night. Make sure your personality shines through and the rest will follow.

It’s rare, but customers can sometimes take to Twitter to complain or spread negative reviews. The way you respond to this is crucial, and it’s often wise to be kind, calm and take the complaint away from social media as soon as possible by asking them to call or DM (direct message) you. This will be respected by onlookers. Attacking a customer, even if they are in the wrong, could backfire.

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back-bar business

Pick your team Pubs are about people. The ones you serve and the ones who do the serving. Get them both right and you are well on your way to enjoyable and profitable times. Finding staff that fit your business is essential to your success, so that means the recruitment process is too. We spoke to Kim Tomlinson, the head of operations at brand new online jobs board FindMyPubJobs.com, to get her tips on hiring the right folk for your bar and kitchen. She says: “Building a great team is one of the most rewarding measures of success for a pub owner — it creates a winning environment which drives the growth of individuals and the company. Although recruitment can be a time-consuming process, it is one of the best time investments you can make and can take your pub from good to outstanding. “Simply put, if you hire the right people, most other things tend to take care of themselves and you can get on with the enjoyment and job satisfaction that comes with running a pub.” So, with that in mind, here are Kim’s top tips on hiring staff for your pub.

Cast your net wide

Use a job board. Get your job out there and in front of the biggest audience you can so you can get the pick of the very best candidates out there searching for their perfect pub job.

Define the role

Sounds simple, but a clear, concise job description for every job within your pub or bar is essential. Clearly outline the responsibilities of the candidate to help them assess whether it’s the right job for them. Equally as important is outlining your philosophy and vision for your business. The staff will be the living embodiment of what you want your pub to be. This does not

52 AUGUST 2017

happen by magic and cannot be taught. It has to be instinctive.

FindMyPub.com’s Kim Tomlinson stresses the importance of getting a feel for the person

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“

The staff will be the living embodiment of what you want your pub to be. This does not happen by magic

Be different

Be picky

Trust your instincts

Create an advert that ensures your advert is the pick of the bunch. Be different, share your vision and values, and talk about the person you want, not just the skills they should possess.

Be clear when you receive CVs about the skills, attitudes and standards you want and expect. This in turn will ensure you don’t waste time interviewing people who just don’t fit you and your business.

The pub business often attracts people with outgoing personalities and who enjoy socialising. If you’re sitting in an interview and don’t get the right “feel” for the person, chances are you’re right. CVs, covering letters and endorsements are great but if the personality doesn’t fit your pub, look elsewhere.

Ask the right questions

Ask the questions you want answers to, not the questions you think you ought to

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ask. This is your business, your values and your money. Try to gain an insight into personality by asking candidates to respond to specific scenarios to see if their responses are how you want your staff to react.

Try before you buy

Enjoy your workforce

Not sure about a candidate? Not sure they are a good fit for the business? How about giving them a couple of shifts? This way you can observe how they interact with customers and colleagues and get a feel for their work ethic too.

The pub and bar business is a dynamic place to be — no one wants to work in an environment that’s not stimulating and fun, so don’t allow it to become like that. Yes, it’s a business first and foremost but don’t forget that a happy workforce stays together.

•

FindMyPub.com is an online job board that launches next month. It can help you advertise jobs and find potential recruits. For more information visit www.findmypub.com/manage-a-pub

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time at the bar

PUSSYCATS IN PUBS 10 TOP

Pub cats — the cute, the charming and the crazy 1. Chairman Meow

The Kings Head, Leicester This fella has a Facebook page following Kim Kardashian would be jealous of. He’s an attention-loving aristocat who loves the finer things in life and often has to be forcibly retrieved from a posh hotel down the road.

2. Mr Cow 3

The Rising Sun, Sheffield, Yorkshire According to his owner, this mog loves nothing more than tucking in to a tomato. Yep, none of that “cat food” here, please. Well, he is named after a herbivore after all…

3. Pumpkin

The Perch, Oxford “Silly humans. Who needs chefs when you could catch dinner yourself?” So thought Pumpkin as she dragged a large, dead goose through the pub one lunch time…

4. Churchill

The Old Eagle, Camden, London Churchill loves to accept food bribes from customers and you can find him lazing about on a sofa or hiding underneath a chair. Once a politician, always a politician.

7. Shmoo

The Hallamshire House, Sheffield This kitty isn’t fazed by even the rowdiest of customers. On New Years Eve she’s been known to fall asleep at the bar and stay so still people thought she was a taxidermy cat.

8. Pubcat

The Hope, Sutton, Greater London Or PC for short. She’s a no-nonsense kind of gal who traded her life in the book shop across the road to become a mainstay in the pub. She knows what’s good.

9. Spongebob

The Pineapple, Camden, London He does live in a pineapple! And he’s a ladies’ man, to say the least — he loves ladies’ laps, sitting on newspapers mid-crossword and begging for prawns from the Thai kitchen.

10. Legz

The Charlotte Despard, Archway, London AKA his legless lordship. He’s got just three legs after being in a car accident, but that doesn’t stop him from ruling the roost. And who can blame him? He did win Outstanding Rescue Cat of the Year 2014. 8

5. Craig David

The Free Trade Inn, Ouseburn, Newcastle Sadly this legendary pub cat went missing and passed away earlier this summer, but he was regarded as “truly a pillar among the pub cat community” — uniting pubcat owners across the UK. Big furry respect for this fella.

6. Bailey

The Heart & Hand, Brighton, Sussex By day he’s a doorman; by night you’ll catch him spinning the decks. But he drives a steep bargaining price: a glass of milk and bowl of cat food every shift.

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A mac ‘n’ cheese eating contest raised hundreds for charity, and left one man with a very full belly. Customers devoured 2.5kg of mac ‘n’ cheese at The Old White Horse in Baldock, Hertfordshire, with the winner finishing in just 15 minutes and 38 seconds. Dale Barker, winner of the contest, even ate a portion of ice cream after his mega pasta ingestion. The pub was raising money for local charity the Garden House Hospice Care, and also held a raffle on the night. George King, manager of the pub, said: “People thought it was going to be easy but quickly realised it was tough. There was a lot of pasta and cheese to get through. “It was a great night with a big turnout, and it was nice to donate some money to charity. We’ll be holding another food challenge for charity later in the year.”

THE COLLECTION TIN What pubs around the country are doing to help good causes Your customers can raise money for charity by eating pies in the pub, thanks to Pieminister. The baker is donating a pie to UK Harvest on your customers’ behalf every time one of its special pies is eaten, to help the charity feed thousands of people across the UK.

Publicans are helping young people and volunteer programmes by selling Ginerosity gin. The social enterprise gin reinvests profits into good causes and has recently sent its first group of volunteers to Africa, where they will help communities by building and teaching.

Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers members at the 2017 ALMR Golf Day at Stoke Park Country Club raised £2,040 for the Tim Bacon Foundation. The Foundation was established in memory of the Living Ventures bar group founder, to support charities fighting cancer.

Pub-goers have taken part in a 15-mile charity bike ride for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity. Cyclists got on their bikes and pedalled between Birmingham Brewing Company, Thousand Trades Brewery and Two Towers Brewery as part of Birmingham Beer Week. An awareness drive has been launched to educate anyone working in bars, pubs and breweries about what to do when they have personal or family problems. The Licensed Trade Charity has launched the “Time to Open Up” campaign to inform people about the free helpline, resource website and financial help it offers those working in the trade. Liz Gaffer, director of marketing at the charity, said: “Last year more than 7,000 people made use of the Licensed Trade Charity’s resources and support. We know that it’s often not easy to talk about problems but we hope this new, engaging campaign raises awareness of the help we can offer and gives people the confidence to open up.”

Are you raising funds for a great cause? Let us know at editorial@inapub.co.uk

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PLATE OR SLATE? Where the nation’s publicans stand on the really big questions Molly Raftery, The Bull, Ditchling, East Sussex Molly is the general manager of The Bull. The freehouse is a multiple award winner and is regarded as one of the finest pubs of its kind in the country. It is currently investing in the garden with an outdoor bar, pizza oven and cinema screenings new additions this year.

“

Come in from a muddy walk on the South Downs, or a glamorous night out with the girls. I’d always get my heels on if there’s fizz involved

Plate or slate? I prefer a plate but the occasional slate with scallops or salmon does look amazing - but they are nightmare to clear from tables as you can’t pick them up – we’re sure the chefs mainly use them to wind us up!

Cocktails or cask ale? I absolutely love a craft beer. I really enjoy the fun of discovering new breweries and its great fun working our way through samples with the team. I’m not a massive fan of cask ale, I prefer it from the keg – and there’s always time for a cheeky cocktail!

Table service or order at the bar? Table service is really important but we also like to maintain the feel of a proper pub and some people prefer to order at the bar and we embrace this too. If I’m in a pub I love going to the bar because I’m curious and like to see what’s going on and it feels more sociable. I think you meet the most interesting people at the bar.

Menus online or on paper? On paper every time, we print them every service and they change daily with the

market and what’s in season. We love it when our resident gardener Alan inspires our menus with what he’s grown in the kitchen garden.

Wellies or heels? What I love about our pub is that it’s both and you’re made to feel welcome in either. Come in from a muddy walk on the South Downs or out for a glamorous night out with the girls on the Ridgeview — I’d always get my heels on if there’s fizz involved.

On the tab or no credit here? On the tab — our locals love the fact they can stroll in and add it to the slate. It makes them feel like proper locals and we love the fact that we’re the hub of our community.

Book in advance or find a seat where you can? Find a seat where you can and share a table. We’ve always had a no-booking policy and prefer it that way so we can always seat our customers, although we have seen customers running through the door the minute we open to secure their favourite table on a Sunday!

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26/07/2017 12:39

time at the bar

HAIR OF THE DOG Tales of the unexpected from the wonderful world of pubs Can we put this through

expenses?

? Maybe ndered where it ended up Ever lost a receipt and wo wers. dra of the back of your chests you should check down t eip rec -old ear s found a 250-y That’s where auctioneer fford. It lists at The Vine Hotel in Sta 7 176 in ht detailing a nig charges. and servants among the two suppers, horses’ hay -owned n’s rsto Ma receipt, the now Remarkably, just like the pub has survived the test of time and successfully bid the princely sum of £85 to be re-united with the historic artefact, which it has framed for customers to see.

Beware the digital banter Note to self. Be really careful when taking notes. Comments about customers on a booking system have been leaked and have gone viral on Twitter. It shows what staff at the unknown American restaurant really think about the people they are serving. One stated: “We accommodated a last minute 12 top NO PRIXE FIXE for Will Smith. And she lied. It was a bunch of random people and he did not come AND THEY WERE LATE.” Another says: “Nice Guy. Rude wife!!! Poor guy.” And adds: “Wife is Gina. Beware of Gina.” It’s a reminder that staff should beware of who might see what you are thinking!

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UK trails boozy world leaders Think the Brits are boozy? Think again. We rank just joint ninth in a league table of boozy nations – alongside Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Latvia. According to discount voucher app Vouchercloud, which compiled the list from World Health Organisation stats, Brits drink 12.3 litres of pure alcohol per person a year – roughly equivalent to 126 bottles of wine. It leaves us lagging behind the runaway leaders Lithuania, with residents of the tiny Baltic nation consuming 18.2 litres of alcohol – or half a bottle of wine a day. Maybe that’s a place to check out if you’re thinking of opening a second site.

Super-sizing the customers Still on indulgen ce, one pub has come under fire tion that some m for a promoight say encourag es unhealthy livin The George Pub g. and Grill in Stoc kton-on-Tees ha offering free food s been to customers — providing they we than 25 stone an igh more d are willing to pr ove it by getting pub’s scales. onto the Food on offer fo r th — deep-fried chick e “winners” includes burgers an d parmo en with a Parmesan cheese topping. Pub owner Craig Harker shrugged off criticism, saying food challenges are at the heart of the busin ess. He added: “We’r e not Slimming World at the end of the day.”

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22/03/2017 13:07

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26/04/2017 02:22