Inapub magazine October 2016 issue 59 by inapub

inapub

Issue 59 October 2016 ÂŁ3.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

Parenting at the pumps

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A SPOOKTACULAR NIGHT WORTH SCREAMING ABOUT! HALLOWEEN IS THE UK’S SECOND-BIGGEST PARTY NIGHT AFTER NEW YEAR’S EVE1 ONE IN EIGHT PEOPLE WHO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN PLAN TO DO SO AT THE PUB2 STOCK UP NOW! VISIT WWW.ONLINE.HEINEKEN.CO.UK OR CALL 0344 5560109 FOR MORE INFORMATION

1. Conlumino Insights 2015 2. Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker Report Oct 2015 www.strongbow.com/halloween

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ork-life balance is one of those phrases that gets thrown around a lot these days. Most people want to spend more time doing the things they love with the people they care about but also have ever greater demands placed on them from work. It’s brought into even sharper focus in the pub trade where the hours can be long and the family that you would love to see more of can be literally in the room above you. Running both a successful business and a happy home is no easy task and spending too much time on one and neglecting the other is very easily done. In this issue we speak to licensees with young families to find out how they get the right balance and, in some cases, create businesses that actually help them see more of their children. Also, with Christmas approaching we give you a run-down on festive drinks, and we squeeze our heads around the door of the smallest pub in the country.

this month juggling family and business •Halloween

drink Cider takes on bubbly • Drinks for Christmas

eat Bottomless brunch • Roast meat • Afternoon tea

play Champions League • Running a poker night

back-bar business Vaping •Digital Marketing Guide • Next Generation

Cheers,

Editor Matt Eley • Deputy editor Robyn Black •

60 time at the bar Your work for charity • Books of the month

Eat writer Bronya Smolen •

Production editor Ben Thrush • Chief executive Barrie Poulter • Sales & marketing director Matt Roclawski •

Visit us online at trade.inapub.co.uk

Sales manager Adam Skinner • Subscriptions trade.inapub.co.uk/magazine •

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this month.

BARSTOOL EXPERT everything you wanted to know about HALLOWEEN Boo! All ready for the thirdbiggest event in the pub calendar? Er, is that Valentine’s or Mother’s Day these days?

It’s spooktacular Halloween. Get away with you, that’s just for the kids.

Not these days, last year we spent a monstrous £400m on creepy costumes, devilish decorations, eerie-sistible sweets and the like. Tat, you mean?

Call it whatever you like, petrifying parties are now hot on the heels of Christmas and Easter one of the biggest events for pubs. Bloody Americans, coming over here and forcing made-up events on us just so we can put some more money in the tills.

It’s not made up — Halloween has its origins in paganism, though its exact roots are murkier than the contents of a witch’s cauldron. Quit with the themed jokes will you? You’re no pun king.

Very droll. It’s also been part of the Christian tradition since around the eighth century AD as All Hallow’s Eve, the night before All Saints Day. Yes, I can just see all those early Christians parading round as “sexy zombie nurse” and the jigsaw killer from Saw.

Actually the costume tradition comes from a 4,000-year-old Irish festival called Samhain, in which people wore ugly masks and scary disguises to confuse evil spirits. OK,OK. I concede it’s not just a new-fangled event but how come we’ve suddenly taken to it in the UK?

Probably because those who grew up celebrating Halloween in the 1990s are now throwing their own parties, YouGov data shows that today more than 40 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds celebrate Halloween. Blimey, that’s a lot of pumpkins.

It is — Tesco expected to shift three million pumpkins last year. I suppose it does liven up an otherwise quiet period between summer and Christmas.

That’s the spirit! Make mine a tequila snot-tail. Is that a trick or a treat?

Worth a gho-ul: Brands like WKD, Wychwood’s Hobgoblin (“the unofficial beer of Halloween”) and Moorehouse’s Pendle Witch brews are worth checking out, as they tend to make a big deal of Halloween. As is, for the first time this year, Greene King with a limited-edition Old Spooky Hen on offer. Also, the internet is full of devilish recipes for cocktails and food. Don’t bother with: Samhainophobia, the fear of Halloween.

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IN THE TRADE THIS MONTH Horse Guards is Guide’s greatest The Horse Guards in Tillington, West Sussex, has been named as The Good Pub Guide’s Pub of the Year. The 300-year-old inn was praised for its “panelling and open fires in rambling rooms, inventive food and charming gardens”. Licensee Sam Beard has run the Enterprise pub for nine years with his partner Michaela.

CAMRA celebrates capital comeback

TOP STORIES ON TRADE.INAPUB.CO.UK Welsh football fans boost Charles Wells sales in France Top 10 pub quiz team names of all time

CAMRA has proclaimed London to be the UK’s “beer boom city”. The 2017 edition of the Good Beer Guide, edited by Roger Protz, charts the rebirth of brewing in the capital, which was dubbed a “beer desert” by the campaign in the 1970s. Roger said: “The capital is a dynamic brewing centre and new brewers are clamouring to jump on the fast-moving bandwagon.”

Posters press the point on drunk punters The British Beer & Pub Association has relaunched a poster campaign to help raise awareness and understanding of the law around serving drunks. It follows research showing that one person in four does not know it is against the law to buy alcohol for someone who is drunk.

Griffiths goes The chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, Andrew Griffiths MP, has stepped down following his appointment to government. The MP for Burton, he been appointed to the Government Whips’ Office.

7 pub breakfasts to inspire your menu New Order launch a beer with Moorhouse’s Is this the smallest pub in Britain?

£150,000

Amount spent by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association to ‘revitalise’ licensed trade

Drinkers want the knowledge Some 86 per cent of cask drinkers believe pub staff should be trained to talk knowledgeably about the product, according to The Cask Report 2017. The report said that half of customers ordered cask ale as a result of staff talking to them about it. It also found that 57 per cent of cask drinkers are more likely to visit a pub if it advertises that it sells craft beer. Beer writer Sophie Atherton who helped compile the report said: “If there’s a theme to this year’s Cask Report it’s turning challenge into opportunity. Backed by well trained, knowledgeable staff and high standards of beer quality, cask is the lifeblood of British pubs.”

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this month.

At the same time as it announced the pub of the year,

The Good Pub Guide revealed readers’ number one gripe is background music. Should it be switched off?

We have automated playlists throughout the day. I think its adds to the atmosphere particularly in the early morning, as it wakes customers up for breakfast. Then we play a different tone or type of music throughout the day — it might be jazz or soul in the mornings, then something upbeat over lunch. I think it’s really nice, it’s part of our fun, relaxed feel and it actually complements customers’ food, as long as it is not loud and in-your-face music. And that’s where pubs go wrong, if it’s too loud or the wrong vibe. If you are going to have background music in your pub then you need to get organised — you can’t have one barman picking stuff one day and a different barman the next. If you can have live music too I think that’s great, it increases sales. And if not then playlists are the best way forward.

We might play jazz or soul in the mornings, then something upbeat over lunch. I think it’s really nice, it’s part of our fun, relaxed feel. And it actually complements customers’ food

Hector Ross, chief operating officer of Bel and the Dragon Inns.

Last year it was kids and this year it is background music. It seems readers of The Good Pub Guide would rather sit in silence with a pint than go to a pub with a modicum of atmosphere. Now I can understand a feeling of irritation if you visit a pub for, say, Sunday lunch and a barman with ambitions of a career in DJing has decided it would be a good time to try out his latest grime set, but really how often does that happen? The Guide has gone as far as saying that background music should be killed off all together to allow for conversation. I’m all for chat and you shouldn’t have to compete with music to be heard but it also serves a purpose. Background music lifts or enhances an atmosphere in a pub, provided it is right for the occasion and played at the right volume. Nine times out of 10 pubs get this spot-on and on the rare occasions when they don’t, customers can always ask for it to be turned down. Background music lifts or enhances an This usually suffices without the need for atmosphere in a pub, provided it is right for moaning or calls for bans on one of our the occasion and played at the right level. Nine greatest entertainment forms. times out of 10 pubs get this spot-on.

Matt Eley, Inapub editor

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Tepacho

It’s based on a popular Mexican street drink (tepache) and served with lemon & salt but there’s not a drop of tequila in sight. Tepacho is a new lightly sparkling 5.5 per cent ABV pineapple-flavoured cider from Molson Coors’ premium division Brew + Press. It can also be served with a squeeze of lime, or with white rum, lemon juice & sugar syrup to make a Piña Collins. www.brewandpress.co.uk

Stuff

Hot Toddy Ice Cream

It might be ice-cold - but it’s a hot toddy *mind blown* This collaboration between Laphroaig whisky and Jude’s ice cream is described as “the perfect winter pep-me-up”. and is made with Jude’s ice cream, honey, cinnamon and just a dasharoo of Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Whisky. 01962 711 444

What’s new in the pub this month

WKD

Not a relaunch but a “reinvention” of the alcopop brand in a bid to appeal to today’s 18 to 24-year-olds. The newlook range has been stripped back to a mere four variants – Blue, Iron Brew, Berry and Passion Fruit (which is the re-named Blush flavour), with two new “skinny” variants planned for the end of the year. 01452 378 500

Fritz Kola

Far less sweet than your usual colas and made from 100 per cent natural ingredients, including kola nuts and lemon juice instead of citric acid, this soft drink has taken its home market of Germany by storm. Other flavours in the range include melon, apple, cherry and Mischmasch — a cola, orange and lemonade blend. Wunderbar. www.jamesclay.co.uk

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this month. Kahlua Salted Caramel

Tapping into the trend for “swavoury” (sweet and savoury) flavours, this liqueur can be used to give a salty-sweet twist to a range of cocktails and mixed drinks, splashed into coffee, slugged into grown-up “hardshakes” and served alongside, or instead of, puddings on your Christmas menus. How very… sweasonal? www.pernod-ricard-uk.com

Stray Dog

The latest entry into the celebrity beer charts, this 4.2 per cent ABV ale has been made for Manchester band New Order by Moorhouse’s Brewery. It’s named after a track on the band’s album, Music Complete, and is currently available on cask with a bottled version in the pipeline for later in the year. www.moorhouses.co.uk

Thatcher’s Orchard Cut

As well as its recent move into apple wine (see pages 28-33), cider producer Thatcher’s has moved into spirits. Distilled from cider made from Katy apples, the 42 per cent ABV gin is made with an a-peeling mix of botanicals including local Somerset lavender, coriander, macadamia nut, buttercup, Seville orange and fresh apples.

Spiced Plum cider

Whilst it might sound like something Dickens used to get as “tight as a boiled owl” (Victorian slang, for the enthusiastic partaking of alcoholic beverages) this is in fact 2016’s winter cider offer from Swedish brand Rekorderlig. The limited edition will replace Winter Cider, which was first launched back in 2009, and is made by fusing pear cider with plums, cherries and spices. 08456 000 888

Pure Hopped Cider

Beer or cider? Can’t decide? Cider-maker Westons and craft brewer the Purity Brewing Company have the answer for you — a hopped cider. Made after a chance meeting of head cider maker Guy Lawrence and Purity founder Paul Halsey, the cider is aimed at craft beer and cider fans. www.westons-cider.co.uk

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Children and chips by BRONYA SMOLEN

If you are balancing books, babies and beer pumps, it might be nice to know you’re not alone. We’ve spoken to some publican parents of about how to do it all. Thirteen per cent of people in the UK work 50 or more hours a week, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development better life index. As a licensee it can be easy to fall into that group, but does running a pub — and often living “above the shop” —make it easier or harder to get a better work-life balance? David Keatley runs The White Horse in Quorn, Leicestershire, with his brother and

Winners in the trade and at home Grahsm Anderson and Sharon Stanton This year’s run the BIIEastfield Licensee Inn near of the Year winners, Rob and Lucy Brewer from

The Rashleigh Arms, after Charleston, have two children — Toby, aged 10, and Bristol as well as looking Jacob aged their boys Quinfive. (pictured) and Lucy They and have Rob made took life over the pub when Toby was just six months old. Dainton. Lucy was previously hairdresser, but she has found the career change easier for themselves by a integratmakes easier see the kids. She suggests working as a team to ensure ing a softitplay areato and children’s someone can betheir with the children. music lessons into pub. “Weare work opposite “There always childrenshifts aroundso there is always childcare,” she says. “It’s good contrast it to people who work nine-to-five because it and ourwhen oldestyou is very confident means we actually as he’s around people get a lot,”to spend more time overall with them.” With the pub situated in Cornwall, summer holidays are the busiest says Graham. times, but also the most difficult time for childcare. Rob jokes that they call it “Divorce August”, but with some carefully planned down-time fuelled by cheesy chips and wine, they get through. “It has been a struggle, but actually now the kids are older it’s a bit easier,” Lucy says. “It means when we do get that precious time as the four of us, we are all able to go in the sea together or ride bikes. Every year is different and the dynamics change, you just adapt and go with it.”

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recently gave up the tenancy at his second pub to spend more time with his family. He has a two-year-old daughter called Amelia and another baby on the way. “I found myself missing out on the first experiences,” he says. “I knew if I spent another summer at the other pub I’d miss out on even more things like first steps and first words.” “It was an easy decision. The second pub wasn’t performing as well and we couldn’t be there all the time, so when the three-year tenancy finished we gave it up. “I didn’t want to be a father that wasn’t home at all. It’s full-on at home or full-on at work but now I’ve found a balance.” The secret, he says, is investing in his staff. “For me, the best thing you can do is recruit well and treat your staff well so they stay. I have a manager who can take over my role when I’m away. You need a manager who sees things how you see them. “I’d also say it’s important to take at least a day off a week or you’ll regret not spending the time with your kids when they are young. Time flies, especially when you’re so busy. But that’s why investing in staff is key, so you can relax when you are away from the pub.”

Playtime at the pub

For Graham Anderson and Sharon Stanton, who run The Eastfield Inn in Bristol, their first pub coincided with their first child, Dainton. They knew starting a family and a pub at the same time would be a challenge, but as Sharon puts it “you just have to get on with it”. To make things easier, plus fulfil a requirement in the community, the couple run a family-friendly pub complete with a soft play room, colouring equipment and daily child play and music classes, which Sharon runs herself. “Having our own family

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Dominic Chapman outside his pub with wife Helen and boys Ben and Daniel. “We wanted our own business so we would have the flexibility to see our families and make something for ourselves,” he says.

“

If you don’t take at least a day off a week you’ll regret not spending time with your kids when they’re young. Staff investment is key trade.inapub.co.uk

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made us realise there was a big demand for this, but it also makes it easier for us to operate with our own kids,” Graham explains. “There are always children around, and it all fits together. Sharon can run her own business from here.” Though one thing they have learned is things don’t always go to plan. Dainton was born late, and even with a planned C-section for their second child Quin, who is now four months old, complications meant Graham couldn’t take the paternity time he had hoped for. “We had a big plan, we had all the rotas scheduled and Dainton was supposed to come on the 16th, but he was two weeks late. So you can plan all you want but, kids don’t stick to plans — it’s best just to roll with it.” Living on site, they find there are pros and cons. The non-existent commute can sometimes be outweighed by the constant

David Keatley with two-year-old daughter Amelia and stepdaughter Gabrielle Tyers, 21. He used to run two pubs but gave up one so he could spend more time with his family

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Graham Anderson and Sharon Stanton run Star Pubs & Bars venue the Eastfield Inn near Bristol as well as looking after their boys Quin (pictured) and Dainton. They have made life easier for themselves by integrating a soft play area and children’s music lessons into their pub. “There are always children around and our oldest is very confident as he’s around people a lot,” says Graham.

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involvement in the business. Graham explains: “Once you hear the business in the morning, even if you don’t have to get up, you’re there. “But it’s been good for Dainton, he is very confident as he’s around people a lot and we like that. As they get older though, I’m unsure how much longer we will live above the pub. We have a huge garden here but it’s not his garden, so when we play in it it’s different because there are always customers around chatting to me.” For Dominic Chapman, setting up his own business was all part of spending more time with his family. After working for the likes of Heston Blumenthal, he set up award-winning gastro pub The Beehive in White Waltham, Berkshire. He lives there with his wife Helena and boys Daniel, nine, and Ben, five. “We wanted our own business so we would have the flexibility to see our families and make something for ourselves,” he says. “I have a supportive wife – that’s key. We have a family business but the most important thing in life is your kids, so it’s a team effort. I work a lot of hours but when I have days off I need to pull my weight with the kids too, and you need to realise that. “It’s hard but if you can make your business successful then the kids benefit too. They get nice holidays, and they love the pub. They love coming to the pub after school, playing in the garden and they especially love eating our scotch eggs!”

Help is there if you need it Liz Gaffer is the director of marketing & charity services at the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC), which offers help and support to people working in pubs and breweries. She explains: “We provide useful guidance, a seven-day a week helpline and we also offer financial support to those who need it. This is means-tested. “The helpline is there for people who want anything from advice on benefits, ensuring their children get the best education, to improving their housing situation. Even helping families get the right tax benefits can make a huge difference to them, especially when running a business too.” LTC’s helpline is open 8am-8pm every day on 0808 801 0550 The website also hosts a library of guides for parents in the industry, at www.supportandcare.org — click through to Common issues > Education & Training Support > Education support for children under 18 > Guides for families

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FAMOUS FOR BEING TINY Bronya Smolen squeezes into potentially Britain’s smallest pub

“

I bought a little pub sign for £5 in a junk shop and decided I should do something with it. Fitting everything in behind the bar was the tough bit

Take a video tour of The Little Prince at trade.inapub.co.uk

“We’re at capacity” — imagine telling punters that when there are just six people in your pub. For landlord Andy Barrett at The Little Prince, capacity is exactly that. At 11ft x 6.6ft (2 x 3 metres), the pub is in the running to be Britain’s smallest pub. It is aptly located in an old brewery, which was then turned into a cinema and finally into Old Kent Market as it stands today. Inside the striking red building restored to its former glory, the pub occupies one of the units, surrounded by other quirky-looking food vendors and shops. Andy is the owner and “creator” of the pub. He greets me sporting a bowler hat, waistcoat, ponytail and impressive beard. He has run various businesses throughout his life, including a pub named The Prince of Orange in Chelmsford, Essex in the 70s. “To be honest I decided to set up the place because I was in a junk shop,” he says. “There was a little pub sign with nothing written on it, and it was only £5 so I bought it, and that’s when I decided I should do something with it. “I saw this little space and I knew we needed a good pub around here, so I painted the sign and that’s how it happened.” Despite the small space, it is fully equipped with a glass washer, fridges, a sink, beer pumps, a back bar and Optics. “We looked at the tiny unit and thought maybe it’s possible.

“We fiddled around with it a bit and figured it would work so we built it. “The idea was easy but we had to measure everything to get it in, and it got more difficult as we went along. But we did it. We adjusted things as we were building it. “Fitting the beer taps, the coolers, beer storage, fridges and getting all these things in that little tiny space behind the bar, that was the tough bit. “Then we make it work by having lots of regular deliveries. The wholesaler is virtually in the next road to us and he delivers seven days a week. “It’s been really popular, people love it, sometimes there’s a little queue to get in.” You’ve got to give it to Andy, with just a few metres of space to work with, he’s turned the unit into an authentic-looking, fully functioning pub.

Good things in small packages

He has sourced old stained glass windows to go in the entrance and above the bar, plastered posters and comic books on the walls, and had bespoke marble bartops made by a local firm. On the bar, he serves Belgian bottled beers, local ales, spirits, wines and lager on tap. “I’m also getting another tap installed so we can serve Belgian cactus beer — it’s brilliant stuff, it is bright green,” he says. With a lamp-post also on the way to go outside the pub entrance, you can

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this month.

Other tiny UK pubs The Nutshell Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk 15ft x 7ft The Signal Box Inn Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire 8ft x 8ft The Lakeside Inn Southport, Merseyside 16ft x 22ft The Butchers Arms Herne, Kent 14ft x 12ft

see why he has already gathered a following of locals who love the quirky vibe and drinks on offer. But with just six customers through the door at a time, how does he plan to make the business profitable? “The market itself will have events inside, so those will bring people in and we should get the overspill of that,” he says. “We can’t really get a band in there… but maybe just for fun we could get a guitarist or a violinist in. “It will work, if it’s popular it should just pay its way. We’ve got seating in the market and outside, so it’s a great place for people to come and spend time. “We also have an off-licence so people can take away the bottles from the pub. We have these gift packs of Belgian beers with the glasses, in which I think will be popular.” As the pub only opened a matter of weeks ago, it has not yet been verified by the Guinness World Records organisation as the smallest pub in Britain. Currently, the title is held by The Nutshell in Bury St Edmunds at 15ft x 7ft, but Andy hopes to change that. “It would be interesting if we were,” he says. “We’re going to try — if we can get the criteria right then we will have a go.” Andy is putting big ideas in small places, and so far it shows that size doesn’t matter.

The Little Prince Margate, Kent , Size: 11ft by 6.6ft Standing room: 6 pe ople (8 if they’re small) Employees: 3-4, one per shift. Online: www.theoldkentmar ket.com

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Some of over 200 unmissable fixtures coming up on Sky Sports

LIVERPOOL v MAN UTD Mon 17 Oct, 8pm

ENGLAND v SOUTH AFRICA Sat 12 Nov, 2.30pm

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MAN CITY v SOUTHAMPTON

CHELSEA v MAN UTD

WALES v SERBIA

MAN UTD v ARSENAL

Sun 23 Oct, 1.30pm

Sat 12 Nov, 7.45pm

Sun 23 Oct, 4pm

Sat 19 Nov, 12.30pm

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S ’ N M U T U A THIS

G N I N WIN

P U E LIN e events this has v li 0 0 2 r e v o With Sky Sports r, e b m e v o N & r Octobe cluding: in , d e e n u o y n all the actio ague games e L r ie m re P 2 2 • es • 24 EFL match 2018 Qualifiers • 24 World Cup d & Ireland’s n • ALL of Engla ationals Autumn Intern ore… hm • And so muc

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Call 08442 414 659 Statistics quoted refer to content shown on Sky Sports channels during the whole of October & November 2016. Sky Sports requires a Sky subscription, equipment and installation. Further terms apply. Calls to Sky cost 7p per minute plus your provider’s access charge. Fixtures correct at time of print: 21.09.2016 and may be subject to change. The F1 Logo, FORMULA 1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula One group company. All rights reserved.

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drink If drinking moderately could help you live longer, you’d want to know that wouldn’t you? As I said in last month’s column, for too long the drinks industry has been too afraid to talk about the benefits of drinking and the debate has become skewed. So much so, that when the chief medical officer, Professor Dame Sally Davies, recommended new drinking guidelines stating (among other things) that there is “no safe level of alcohol,” they were accepted by the UK government this summer. It flies in the face of much of the evidence and finally the industry has had enough. Outgoing Pernod Ricard boss Denis O’Flynn voices the frustration of many in the industry when he says: “We take very serious issue with this statement [which] does not take international and domestic evidence into account.” It’s not just those of us in the industry who find the statement jarring, either. A YouGov survey of UK adults found more than half disagreed with that idea, and a similar

with ROBYN BLACK

survey of GPs commissioned by CAMRA found most of those also believe moderate alcohol consumption can be part of a healthy lifestyle. Most likely the reason they think this is because actual science tells us so. “Overall our studies have led us to conclude for most people, drinking in moderation is better for their overall mortality rate than not drinking at all,” says Professor Ramon Estruch, a recognised expert on the matter. And he’s not the only scientist to have said so, there are many — too many to quote here. So we welcome the newly formed Alcohol Information Partnership announced last month. Funded by eight of the biggest wine and spirits companies, it aims to ensure a more even-sided debate around safe levels of drinking. And that’s all we want — some balance. If for nothing else than because people should be allowed the full facts on which to base an informed choice, which for most of us (if we take into account current evidence) means choosing to drink rather than to abstain entirely.

Most GPs believe moderate alcohol consumption can be part of a healthy lifestyle. Most likely because science tells us so

COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN HEINEKEN •More than a race David Coulthard stars in Heineken’s first ad to highlight its sponsorship of Formula 1. It launches alongside a responsible drinking campaign with F1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart. CARLING • In off the bar Carling launched a TV show with Sky last month to maximise its deal with the Premier League. Carling In Off The Bar will broadcast after Friday night fixtures on Sky Sports 1.

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PORETTI • Piaggio Van This quintessentially Italian sampling van will be continuing its tour of the UK throughout 2017, as Carlsberg seeks to build on the success of its Italian beer, Birrificio Angelo Poretti, which this year grew 150 per cent in sales, it says.

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drink. Jameson Maker’s Series

The popularity of Irish whiskey will be further driven by these three new versions of Pernod Ricard’s Jameson brand. Modelled around the three key skills for whisk(e)y making (distilling, blending and maturation) the whiskeys are called: Cooper’s Craze, Blender’s Dog and Distiller’s Safe. www.pernod-ricard-uk.com

Estancia Raicilla

Like a combination of gin, mezcal and tequila, according to distributor Proof Drinks, this spirit is made from Agave Maximiliana, also known as Lechuguilla, rather than Blue Agave (from which tequila must be made). The company is hoping it will tap into the mania for all things Mexican. www.proofdrinks.com

Chris Verrall The Bay Horse Northern Quarter, Manchester

Look out for... Not Your Father’s Root Beer

Charles Wells has joined forces with US craft brewer, Small Town Brewery, to bring root beer to UK drinkers. It has already been a huge hit in the US and is and made with vanilla, liquorice, honey, mint and sarsaparilla — the ingredient that gives root beer its distinctive taste. www.charleswells.co.uk

Free Spirit Drinks

Aiming at grown-ups who want a more “sophisticated” soft drink, this five-strong range has been in development for over a year. With flavours including Lemon & Yuzu and Apple, Mint & Lime, the non-carbonated drinks also act as a great mixer for spirits. www.freespirit.com

On the bar

Gordon’s Gin

A taller, narrower Gordon’s bottle will roll out this autumn, as brand owner Diageo looks to “assert its quality and trust credentials” in what is become a crowded gin market. It will be supported with a £3.6m campaign, set to launch this month. www.diageo.com

I’ve been here since May 2011 and in terms of the products we do, it has changed as the area has changed — there are a lot more different venues here now, including restaurants. We now have a downstairs area, which is like a cocktail bar, open at weekends. In the week we serve a lot of draught beer and just have a small cocktail menu. Carlsberg supplies most of our draught products, but we do try to swap things up a bit. We change our ales around every four to six weeks and we have a guest cask ale. We do a lot of craft beers now, they’re very popular. We try and keep the offer as fresh as possible. We have stocked cans before but the craft beers in cans haven’t sold through quick enough in the past, so we’ll see happnens there in the future.

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drink.

tippler’s tips for Christmas 1

Push posh and premium

‘Twas the month before Christmas and all through the on-trade, drinkers were saying: “Yes, I would like to treat myself by spending an extra £2 on this drink please bar-keep, and one for my friend Santa here too.” It’s no coincidence that the 12 weeks to Christmas are the busiest time of year for premium spirits sales, so get those more expensive brands out for the boys and girls to see and encourage them to spend that little bit more. They deserve it after all…

Name brands on your cocktail menu

Re-name existing drinks

Don’t ask us why, but more than half of UK adults think it’s important to list brands on drinks menus, according to CGA research. As it’s always a good idea to give customers what they desire, you might want to make sure that’s reflected on your own menus this Christmas – a time when 5.5 million more spirit serves are sold compared with other periods of the year (CGA again) and when punters are more likely to trade up to premium brands than any other (see above). Or not, it’s entirely up to you (but we know what we’d do).

Tweet us your best efforts (@inapub) and we’ll award the winner a money-can’t-buy prize of some back issues of the mag and a selection of unwanted freebies that are cluttering up the office. Don’t miss out!

Add seasonal ingredients

The unmistakable waft of pine needles, the first mulled wine of the season and mince pies baking in the oven all speak of Christmas. So add some festive flavour to your drinks by switching or adding more seasonal ingredients to help invoke that sense of seasonal cheer. Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, oranges, cranberries and dried fruits are all Christmas classics that can be added to everything from hot chocolate to gin & tonic. No complicated new recipes required.

Adding a seasonal spin to the names of drinks you already offer is a low-effort, zero-cost way of boosting purchases of more profitable drinks. So, who’s up for a “Straw-Merry Daiquiri” or a “Scroogedriver”?

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Dig out the cream liqueurs

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Dust with glitter

Eighty per cent of cream liqueur sales happen over Christmas, so dust off that bottle and make sure it’s to hand. As well as serving them over ice, invent new ways of serving brands such as Baileys and Thornton’s Chocolate Liqueur to boost sales. Try offering dessert cocktails, such as the Flat White Baileys Martini for example, pour a shot over ice cream, add a splash to hot drinks or pair a glass with a mince pie for a simple upsell.

When people say “less is more,” they aren’t talking about Christmas. In fact, never was a season so well suited to edible glitter. So sprinkle some liberally over drinks and food to add a bit of Yuletide magic — use a coffee stencil to make festive shapes if you like, or just chuck it around like it’s, well, Christmas. Also keep an eye out for limited edition drinks with the glimmer factor — Global Brands has already announced it will bring out Corky’s Blueberry Glitter for the first time this party season.

Get creative with the garnish

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: there’s no need to restrict yourself to expensive fruit garnishes when it comes to drinks. In fact, you can cut costs and waste and up the “wow factor” with just a little imagination. When it comes to this time of year, think candy canes, cinnamon sticks, mini gingerbread men, even a stick of Christmas tree or some cheap baubles or bells. Don’t forget the current trend for sweet-with-savoury flavours, either — chez Inapub the current G&T of choice comes garnished with dried grapefruit, pink peppercorns and juniper berries, but also think about sticks of rosemary or lemon thyme, where appropriate.

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Pimp your Prosecco

There are two ways of doing this. Our first suggestion is to factor in a glass of Prosecco to your party package and then offer customers a chance to trade up by adding extra flavours such as peach purée to make a Bellini, Chambord for a Chambord Royal, or a drop of cordial such as elderflower. Our second suggestion is to encourage party-goers to treat themselves to a nice glass of Champagne instead. After all, Prosecco’s practically 2016’s answer to a glass of Pinot Grigio and you want something a little less “Wednesday evening catchup” at Christmas, do you not?

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Go retro

The trend for nostalgia continues, so why not offer a range of camp Christmas classics, such as sweet sherry, Babycham or Snowballs (pour lemonade and lime juice into an ice-filled glass and add Advocaat)?

some festive vessels 10 5 Get While jam jars have become a bit “yawn”, being more inventive with serving vessels can still pay dividends. Brands such as Southern Comfort (now distributed by Hi-Spirits) and Absolut and Malibu (from the Pernod Ricard stable) are offering Christmas-themed ones for stockists — mugs for the former and crackershaped vessels for the latter two. Or, of course, you could source your own festive cups, mugs and jugs.

11 5 Add some heat

Mulling is the name of the Christmas drinks game — but there’s more to it than wine and cider (although those are surefire winners). Think also about hot toddies, buttered rum and flaming punch, or for something even simpler, spike coffee or hot chocolate with a snifter of whatever you fancy.

Run themed 12 5 promotions

There’s no point going to all that effort if you don’t tell any of your customers what’s on offer and even here you can give things a seasonal slant. Create a “12 Drinks of Christmas” promotion or an advent calendar of offers; target weary shoppers with a mid-afternoon treat; use chalkboards and Aboards now to highlight your plans, and get busy online — according to research by Pernod Ricard last year, social media plays a role in more than a third of drinks purchases at Christmas. Check out www.inapub.co.uk/pubsgetonline for ideas and info.

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With thanks to Janel Fatania, commercial planning and activation executive, Diageo GB Abbigale Wallis, communications manager, Global Brands Michael Hardy, managing director, Ooberstock Amy Burgess, trade communications manager, Coca-Cola European Partners Russell Kirkham, out-of-home marketing manager, Britvic Ian Peart, on-trade sales director, Pernod Ricard Andrew King, managing director, Funkin Dan Bolton, managing director, Hi-Spirits Tina Connolly, brand manager, Halewood International Ron Hickey, on-trade sales director, Bestway Wholesale Lee Hyde, beverage innovation manager, Monin Amy Ledger, marketing spokesperson, CWF

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Can cider go posh? by ROBYN BLACK

With super-premium variants bubbling up nicely, is the Wurzels’ tipple of choice about to muscle in on Prosecco’s territory? Prosecco has shown that UK drinkers have an appetite for bubbly, light, refreshing drinks that are a touch more expensive than your usual tipple. Cider matches the taste profile, and has also proved its popularity with drinkers, but does it have what it takes to play at the top end of the market in a bid to increase value in the category? To achieve this, the industry would need to build a “superpremium” sector and position itself as an alternative to wine. “Part of the problem is cider is still seen as a long drink and most of the market is focused on 500ml bottles and pint serves,” points out David Sheppy, managing director of Sheppy’s Cider. “Producers would need to go down the

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restaurant and gastropub route with sharing bottles and people just don’t associate that with cider yet. At Sheppy’s we’d like to see more around 750ml wine-sized bottles and our research shows there’s interest there, but where we have done bottles of that size it hasn’t really taken off in any meaningful way.” The stats show there is the start of some growth in this area, however — the latest CGA data shows super-premium cider up 3.2 per cent in volume, says Darryl Hinksman, head of insight at Westons. “There is most definitely a thirst for growth at the top end,” he says. “The trend for premiumisation continues to be one of the main drivers in the on-trade cider category. Customers are becoming increasingly discerning and are becoming used to better quality products and experiences.” And indeed, this has been reflected in the most recent launches in the sector. Heineken’s latest entry, for example, is the super-premium Cidrerie Stassen, which borrows heavily from the world of wine — 750ml bottle, a Champagne-style cork and the recommended serve is in a Champagne glass. “The branding is likely to capture the attention of drinkers from the sparkling wine and Prosecco category, but as a superpremium cider, Stassen also offers a trade up option from world ciders, for those looking for something exciting and a little different as part of a sharing occasion,” says Emma Sherwood-Smith, cider director at Heineken.

Somerset’s own Champagne

Thatchers has spotted a similar opportunity this summer, launching Thatchers Family Reserve, an 11 per cent ABV Apple Wine, as marketing director Yvonne Flannery explains: “What we are seeing is trade-up in all sectors of the cider market and at the

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director Henry Chevallier Guild. “Most of these have gone abroad as there has been limited appeal within the UK market but we aim to change that in coming years.”

Refreshing the big brands

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The superpremium cider sector is gaining more drinkers and is expected to continue to rise in popularity

same time we wanted to do something special to commemorate 20 years of our Katy Apple Cider, which is hugely popular.” A rediscovered recipe from a century ago provided the inspiration and the “Champagne-style cider” was born. “It’s only on sale locally at the moment,” she says. “But it’s proved very popular and we are planning to roll it out further next year.” Other players can claim they have been playing in this end of the market for some time, such as the Suffolk-based Aspall Cyder. “Alongside our core range we have experimented and produced a great number of ciders over the years, including double-fermented, wild-fermented, bottle-fermented, oaked, and still variants,” says

All this is having an effect in the mainstream part of the market too. This year we’ve had rebrands for both Bulmers and Magners, aimed at making them look more premium. Of the latter, Claire Arnott, head of UK activation at brand-owner C&C Brands says: “We are seeing consumers returning to more authentic products such as Magners Original [and] this year unveiled striking new packaging, backed by a million-pound media campaign.” Aston Manor too, has been busy not only capitalising on the burgeoning super-premium market with the launch of Friels First Press Vintage Cider and Knights Malvern Gold, but has also updated the packaging of its flagship Kingstone Press brand by emphasising premium credentials, such as provenance. “The superpremium cider sector is gaining more drinkers and is expected to continue to rise in popularity,” says Glen Friel, sales and marketing director. “Consumers

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drink. premium cider, what we sell most of are easy drinking, sociable ciders,” confirms managing director Andy Atkinson “That’s still where most of the volume is and therefore where most producers play. Premium is an over-used word but we press apples and ferment them in a traditional manner and we pay attention to aroma and flavour for all our ciders, so it is authentic.”

A decade on from cider over ice

Watch our cider video at trade.inapub.co.uk

are drinking less volume but trading up in quality and whilst this has always had particular relevance in the high-end market, it is increasingly influencing the mainstream sector too.” This is reflected in the success of brands such as Cornish Orchards, which also plays on its premium cues in the main market — and is able to command up to £5 a pint in some London venues, as a result. “Although we do make a small volume of what you might call super-

Gabe Cook, the newly installed communications officer at the National Association of Cider Makers, agrees that the terms “premium” and “super-premium” can be a bit woolly but says nonetheless the opportunity to take cider super-premium is there. “It’s been more than a decade since that transformative summer of cider-over-ice, so what we have now is the generation that experienced that growing up and wanting to experience something a bit more grown-up. “On top of that we’ve a whole new generation of drinkers that are familiar with the versatility of cider. They are thirsty for new flavours and not afraid to experiment or treat themselves to something a little more expensive when they go out. On top of that again, we’ve an exciting new generation of cider-makers emerging who are interested in the craft end of the market, so the scene is set for super-premium cider boom in my mind.”

What about fruit cider?

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While fruit cider continues to grow within the bottled category — up nine per cent in volume (CGA to 11.06.16) gone are the days when fruit cider producers could, “rely on the flavour conveyor belt,” for growth, as Rob Salvesen, customer marketing manager at Kopparberg, puts it. “Craft and heritage offerings can’t be ignored from a growth perspective. I believe this trend will continue,” he explains. At rival Rekorderlig, the team is looking to cocktails to grab more market share. “Recently the brand has broadened its appeal by developing cider cocktails, which offer drinkers a unique and exciting experience,” says Ali Pickering, brand director at Molson Coors. “This is a relatively new innovation but one of which Rekorderlig is at the forefront.”

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eat Are you a one-trick pony? One pub learned the lesson of excluding a customer group the hard way when it put up a sign saying “it’s all about meat”. The Victoria Inn in County Durham was criticised by veggies after they took offence, but did they really do anything wrong? A recent survey by HospitalityGEM revealed that 23 per cent of diners described themselves as having special food requirements. That could be a huge part of your food base, but at the same time, if you are so renowned for your meat dishes that carnivores flock through your door from all over the land, is it a problem?

with BRONYA SMOLEN Clearly it is a question to which only you will know the answer. Understanding your customer base is an important thing, and it’s always a good idea to take regular surveys or simply ask people for suggestions. What’s more, you can’t escape the stats. More people are now vegetarian, vegan, coeliac, dairy-free… the list goes on. And sometimes nailing the dishes for customers with specific requirements can bring in a bigger crowd. Nobody wants to sit diown to dinner with a moaning vegetarian. The safest thing to do is to have a rounded menu — but if you want to make a statement, then who is stopping you? You might make the headlines at least.

Dog burgers With Britain being a nation of dog lovers, this headline might have you reeling — but fear not, we’re talking about burgers for dogs to eat. Dog-friendly restaurant chain Porky’s BBQ, has created London’s first burger for dogs. The burgers are gluten-free, as well having no additives, preservatives, salt, sugar or artificial colourings. While they were only available for a limited time, we think a pub could be the perfect place to have a doggy-friendly burger menu, especially if you are popular for a post-walk pit stop. Give us a yap on Twitter @inapub if you already have one!

HOW TO MATCH BEER WITH FOOD DON’T JUST STICK TO MEAT AND BEER When done right, veggie and fish dishes can be washed down perfectly with a pint TRY STYLES OF BEER YOU DON’T NECESSARILY LIKE with food to see if they enhance your dish TASTE THE BEER LIKE YOU WOULD A WINE The way you pour and present the beer is just as important to the experience, but unlike with wine, you need to swallow it

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For more tips and videos, visit trade.inapub.co.uk 21/09/2016 02:30

KELP-CURED CORNISH MONKFISH TAIL, BATTERED MONKFISH CHEEKS, TARTAR & LEMON BROWN BUTTER Emily Watkins The Kingham Plough, Cotswolds

Monkfish tail

Battered monkfish cheek

“We cure this in kelp by washing and dehydrating the seaweed, then we mix it with salt and wrap it around the fish. The curing process takes about 24 hours to ensure that we are getting all that seaweed flavour.”

“This whole idea came from the notion of fish & chips. We batter them last-minute with a batter made with honey and vodka – vodka evaporates at a higher temperature, so you get a crisper batter. We also keep the batter in a creamwhipping bottle to aerate it and keep it light.”

Tartar & Lemon Brown Butter “We make our own preserved lemons to go in our beurre noisette. The tartar is made with really fresh shallots, capers and gherkins bound with home-made mayonnaise. We brown the butter then emulsify it with the home-made preserved lemon purée.”

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Pea shoots “These are local pea shoots from Westlands in Evesham, which is only 15 miles away. This gives a lovely fresh flavour and ties into the whole fish & chips idea. “

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Pass the pastries by HUGH THOMAS

Lucie Bennett is a trained patissier, but says even without that level of expertise you could create a simple afternoon tea

With the Great British Bake Off hitting headlines interest in pastries, cakes, and the like has never been higher. But what are pubs doing to leap on this trend? Afternoon tea remains a niche way for pubs to fill the gap between lunch and dinner. Companies such as Nicholsons and Moleface have introduced it on menus, however, and more and more pubs are enjoying a large slice of the cake. “We started with afternoon tea in the summer of 2014 as a way of offering food all day but not needing the staff in,” says Ryan Stacey, landlord at The Bourne Valley Inn near Andover, Hampshire. He has seen a dramatic change in the pub’s wider appeal

since afternoon tea went on the menu. “It’s brought in a different clientele,” he adds. “We now have a lot of hen parties and baby showers in, and they specifically want afternoon tea. We feel it works well for a pub.” Other than acquiring the requisite crockery, such as teapots, not to mention the right ingredients, the new menu requires little in the way of upkeep. He also employs a strict no walk-ins policy. “Everything’s prepared on site and in advance. We only do afternoon tea for bookings, as that keeps wastage to a minimum.” Ryan’s experiences in many ways echo those of Fiona Harris, general manager at Young’s pub The Bull’s Head in Chislehurst, south-east London. The hotel-cum-pub started serving afternoon tea in March last year, and Fiona says that, since then, she gets “a type of customer through the door who may not have normally come into a pub.” “It gives you the opportunity to showcase everything else you have to offer,” she says. She might be right, but The Bull’s afternoon tea is a bit of an attraction in itself, complete with its own patissier. “We’re lucky that we have a breakfast chef who’s also a very keen pastry chef, so she freshly bakes all our scones and little cakes daily,” says Fiona. “We prepare 90 per cent of it in-house — the only things we buy in are some lovely little macarons that one of our suppliers does well.”

Hidden talents

Unfortunately, formally trained pastry chefs tend to be on the unaffordable side for a pub. But that’s not to say the talent and knowhow for creating different layers and textures with pastry isn’t already in your kitchen. “If you’ve got a full pastry menu, you’d

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You can keep it simple to make sure you don’t price yourself out. A good scone, carrot cake and sandwich is enough

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Afternoon tea at The Bull’s Head in Chislehurst

need it to be booked up regularly to cover the cost of the pastry chef,” says Lucie Bennett. Lucie is the patissier and chocolatier behind her own company, Fleur De Sel, and won last year’s Young British Foodies award for baking. “The level that I’ve trained at, people normally do patisserie, which is quite scary if you don’t have the experience. “But from what I’ve seen, there’s generally someone in a kitchen who’s spent some

Ryan Stacey, pictured with wife and business partner Billy, says afternoon teas fit well with his pub, which hosts a lot of hen parties and baby showers

time in a pastry kitchen as part of their training. If it’s a gastropub, there should be someone already on the team who could create a simple afternoon tea at least.” A “simple” afternoon tea entails scones with clotted cream and jam, sandwiches, and on occasion a slice of cake. Sometimes, establishments are able to go the extra mile and provide little patisseriestyle cakes that, as Lucie says, look a bit more “wow”. Dare we say more Instagram-able too? Don’t think it’s merely the “wow” factor that brings in the punters, though. If a pub can source its own local ingredients, and has a habit of doing so, that can feed into an afternoon tea menu. Special occasions, such as Mother’s Day, can also present the opportunity to try out an afternoon tea option. “Just to test out what customers think, and settle on prices,” says Lucie. “And obviously people like to book tables up for that kind of event.” If a trial or pop-up works out, Lucie suggests exploring the potential for a more permanent arrangement. “They’re doing more technical things now on the Bake Off, so that’s definitely in fashion. And it’s something different, rather than stodgy cake.” However, Ryan says, it’s important to not get ahead of yourself. “You will never be as good as The Ritz or Savoy. Keep it simple — a good scone, carrot cake and sandwich is enough — to make sure you don’t price yourself out.”

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Pleasures of the flesh by BRONYA SMOLEN

The Great British Roast – Part III

No film has set the box office alight with a shoddy leading star — and if the roast dinner were a movie, the meat would be the lead. If you want to wow your customers, take note of how 2015’s British Roast Dinner Week winner now offers its meat. Leroy Allan of the Larwood & Voce in Nottingham purchased a dry maturation fridge specially for the beef. “It gives customers more choice,” he says. “The meat goes into the fridge for between 35 and 90 days. The longer it matures for, the stronger the flavour and the more tender and buttery it becomes. “It’s helped us increase variation in our roast dinner offer as we rotate our beef. One week we can offer a 60-day-aged cut, the next a 90-day option.”

Catering for special diets Research by Coeliac UK revealed that 80 per cent of surveyed members said their need for safe, gluten-free options determines where they eat when dining out with a group. With one in every 100 people being affected by coeliac disease, gluten -free options are worth investing in. Jason Rodriques, Maggi savoury food category and commercial manager at Nestlé Professional, says: “Inclusivity is key and it’s important that the entire menu suits the needs of everyone, without any one diner feeling ‘singled out’. “Combating cross-contamination is vital to ensure those with coeliac disease are able to enjoy their favourite pub meals — whether it’s using separate butter and condiment containers to prevent crumb contamination, or using colour-coded gloves for preparation of gluten-free menu items.”

If a maturation fridge is slightly out of budget right now, experimenting with breeds or where your meat comes from can also be a winner, as Leroy has discovered. “We’ve experimented with different breeds,” he says. “Everything from Dexter and Aberdeen Angus through to Longhorn and Galloway. The customers love finding out about our meat.” Aaron Goodman, manager of The Fox & Hounds in Riseley, Bedfordshire, says local sourcing is also a big driver of sales. “Everyone likes that because we are surrounded by farmers here and it’s tradition that our pub gets the produce from them.”

Serve it yourself

The pub has its own butchery counter where customers can choose steaks freshly cut to their preferred size and it offers a “carve your own roast” option — an increasingly popular way for pubs to offer meat. Aaron recommends asking customers to pre-book, allowing you to order in a big enough joint of meat. “It’s best to set the minimum booking to six people, as that is usually the smallest joint of meat you’ll get,” he says. “We mainly get big families and friends from about six to 20 people. They’ll get all the veg and sides on the table in the middle, then the cut of beef, pork or gammon. We give them a carving knife and away they go.” Taking the “carve your own” aspect to the next level is the Old Red Cow in Smithfield, London — part of pub group Pubs of Distinction. A “bespoke” menu, which must be pre-booked, means customers can order anything from a roast leg of lamb to share, to a whole suckling pig. “It is based around the idea of eating with your family at the table with everyone sharing from the centre of the

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HOW TO SERVE A GREAT ROAST GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT Research shows diners expect three slices of meat, three roast potatoes and two Yorkshire puddings CELEBRATE SEASONALITY Meats like pheasant and partridge are often cheaper than other meats when in season and they will help you stand out from the competition

The roast beef of old England — last year’s winner from Larwood & Voce

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We give customers the cut of pork, beef or gammon and a carving knife, and away they go

table,” explains marketing manager Andrew Weir. “It is a real talking point. A showpiece. When the dishes come down from the kitchen there is a genuine wow factor. Lots of people eating on nearby tables have booked on the back of seeing others eating from the bespoke menu.” If you’re wondering how to price up such aXxxxx menu, the pub says it’s best to consider a feasible price per head and work from there. Andrew explains: “Dishes are priced as a Xxxxx whole and so it changes from dish to dish but we like it to work out so the average price per head is close to what one might expect to pay for an à la carte course.” Creating a real feasting experience for your guests could boost your average spend per head, as long as you don’t make a pig’s ear of it.

LET PEOPLE SERVE THEMSELVES We Brits love our gravy and there’s nothing worse than not having enough – so give customers their own gravy boat brimming with it SERVE YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS WITH EVERY ROAST 85% per cent of people want a Yorkshire pudding with every roast Tips from Unilever Food Solutions’ pub expert Chris Barber

Butchery before your eyes at The Fox & Hounds

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Mornings unlimited by BRONYA SMOLEN

Bottomless Brunch: n 1. A popular offering in which customers pay £15-£35 for an all-you-can eat and drink brunch, within a certain time slot. Conditions vary per venue.

Could your weekend brunch offer rival the Sunday roast? Chuck in a bottomless well of Prosecco and just maybe. The concept has taken off all over London, and is growing in popularity across cities such as Manchester, Bristol and Brighton. Why should I offer bottomless brunch in my pub?

Pics: @allthingsmeaty

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Juanita Rai, founder of the brunch search engine Best of Brunch, says the boozy brunch has become commonplace. “In the spirit of the modern age, long lazy brunches with unlimited drink have become the new norm,” she says. “Additionally, they are a unique way to celebrate special occasions like hen parties and birthdays.” If you want to up covers on a

Saturday morning, this could be the answer. For the Pen and Pencil NQ in Manchester, their bottomless brunch once a month is a guaranteed sell-out. “Saturdays are so much busier when we hold a boozy brunch on the first Saturday of each month,” explains sales and marketing manager Rachael Honeyman. “It sells out every time and it means we’re guaranteed 90 covers between the hours of 10am and 1pm.” If you fancy the idea but aren’t sure whether it will work for you, running a trial bottomless brunch as an exclusive event could be the answer. Just make sure you have enough staff.

Won’t I just end up with a bar full of drunk punters? Boozy Brits swinging their underpants around before noon (or any time) is hardly desirable, so there are a few things you can do to keep the event under control. Rebecca Farmer of The Oaks in Nottingham has found a solution. “You ensure there are enough staff to man each section of the pub and consider the timeframe in which customers have to drink,” she says. “We gave customers two hours of bottomless booze, but now we’ve limited it to 90 minutes and we think this will work much better. “We also have a rule that customers have to order two items off the menu, so their stomach is lined.”

OK, so how do I give away booze without losing out? Most pubs tend to limit bottomless booze to Prosecco or Bloody Marys. They’re easy and

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“

Long, lazy brunches with unlimited drink have become the norm

cheap to make, plus they’re trickier to drink too much of. The White Star Tavern in Southampton, on the other hand, offers an entire cocktail menu. “You’ve got the Rum Passion made with fresh orange & passion fruit & the Coffacini, made with coffee and Baileys,” says general manager Marc Wilson. “They all go with breakfast. We know our clientele, and they don’t go mad. Plus breakfast is filling so sometimes they’ll only have

Best of bottomless What are the standout features of the most successful bottomless brunch offers? Best of Brunch founder Juanita Rai explains. Unlimited drinks …including not just Prosecco, but other speciality brunch cocktails, breakfast juices and tea & coffee

one or two, then they might stay on for lunch and spend more.”

Right, so bottomless brunches are all about the drinks? No way. In fact, without a fantastic food offering, people are unlikely to come again. Speciality Breads managing director Peter Millen says: “Like with any food and drink nowadays in a pub, it has to be top-quality when it comes to taste and looks. Consumers will just not accept it otherwise. Brunch is a treat, so consumers go expecting the best ingredients and an array of tempting dishes.” Anthony Gunson, owner of The King & Co in London’s Clapham, agrees. He has a rotating collaboration kitchen for his bottomless brunch, showcasing London street food traders and pop-up chefs. “It doesn’t matter if you’re offering free booze, the food still has to be good,” he says.

Is it for every pub though? Live entertainment …or make your own brunch cocktail station — create some guest interaction. A high-quality, hearty brunch selection …including both sweet and savoury dishes which will help to soak up all that alcohol. Brunch set menus with two or three courses are the most popular. Many restaurants we see are now offering more traditional “lunch” options as well as the usual breakfast offerings. An affordable, reasonable price.

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You need to consider location and clientele. If you’re a city pub, you might find it’s a great way to pull in different customers. Anthony continues: “Everyone knows their customers, but it is worth giving it a go. Just make sure the food brings people in as much as the booze. “It also depends on how much you want to boost brunch trade. The bottomless offer is a good way to compete against other brunch-focused establishments.”

OCTOBER 2016

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play with MATT ELEY As journalists we are sent plenty of spurious reports and research, much of which is designed to push whatever product someone is trying to sell. However, just occasionally some numbers come in that can’t be ignored. Such was the case when stats about the behaviour of students reached my inbox. Apparently, today’s undergraduates are more interested in going to the gym (favoured by 41 per cent), shopping (66 per cent), watching TV (59 per cent), reading (35 per cent) or cooking (31 per cent) than they are in going to the pub (a measly 27 per cent). This is frankly nothing short of a national scandal. Back in, ahem, the 1990s, when I was a student, going to the pub was something that happened virtually every day.

You would meet friends, socialise after sport, clubs or class or just hang out there when you wanted something more than the plastic cups of lager and chips with cheese served on paper plates that the Student Union bar could offer. Now I’m not saying students should be encouraged to give up reading or, heaven forbid, TV box sets, but they should still be going to the pub. And the good news is that virtually all of the things they list as being preferable to a pub visit can be done at the pub anyway. So get them in and tell them they can read there, watch TV there, eat great food and even shop online if they so desire. Whether you choose to install weights and a treadmill to attract them is, of course, entirely up to you.

Pints: the star player for mid-week matchday drinking

17%

The increase in mid-week lager sales during football matches at pubs

11%

Ale sales also receive a boost during football

-3%

But spirits do not fare so well during mid-week matches

Figures from Match Pint and CGA, based on sales at 2,000 pubs

44 OCTOBER 2016

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trade.inapub.co.uk 21/09/2016 11:14

INAPUB WITH GARY LINEKER by MATT ELEY

The Champions League is back, giving you a chance to boost those It’s a massive midweek takings. Once draw, and even again, the European this year, the action will all be on BT group stage Sport. We caught up has thrown with BT Sport presenter up some Gary Lineker to chat magical ties football, pubs and keeping his clothes on.

“

Pundit predictions: how will English clubs get on in the Champions League? Rio Ferdinand “It’s the Spanish teams and Bayern Munich. The English teams aren’t going to pose a threat. Not unless Guardiola gets City going straight away. It goes in cycles and now it’s the Spanish teams.” Jermaine Jenas “I think the thing that might affect Spurs is playing at Wembley. It didn’t work for Arsenal all those years back, but that’s Arsenal for you.” Glenn Hoddle “I don’t think any of the four English clubs will go and win it. Manchester City are the ones who did well last year and it will be high on their agenda. It could be a burden on Spurs’ league form. Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool don’t have that issue and it could have a big say in the league.”

JUNE 2016

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What can the Champions League do for a club and city like Leicester that isn’t usually in the competition? The magnitude of the surprise has grabbed the public’s imagination around the world. I don’t have the statistics to back it up, but it must give business in the area a boost. The whole city is looking forward to it, both in terms of travelling to matches, and in welcoming supporters from different clubs from around Europe. Will Leicester’s ambition be to get out of the group and just enjoy the experience? I should think so. Anything beyond the last 16 would be a massive bonus. Talk about winning the thing? After what happened last season, who knows? But I promise not to make any stupid remarks that could embarrass me at some point in the future! How will the other British clubs get on? Celtic have been killed with the draw, but they have not been in the competition for a couple of years so they can look forward to some big clubs coming to their ground – particularly Barcelona and Manchester City. And British games are always exciting. The atmosphere at Celtic Park is always very special. Manchester City, under Pep Guardiola, will be the most likely. It’s remarkable how he has got them playing already which shows what a good teacher he is. I think Spurs will do all right. They’ve got a reasonable group and I like manager Mauricio Pochettino a lot. They are a young maturing side and I think they will get better and better. Arsenal? Probably last 16.

trade.inapub.co.uk 21/09/2016 10:36

INAPUB WITH GARY LINEKER by MATT ELEY

“

JUNE 2016

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trade.inapub.co.uk 21/09/2016 10:36

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09/05/2016 10:23 23/05/2016 16:33

tips for running 12 a poker night by MATT ELEY

Pub poker continues to be a decent draw, with leagues all over the country offering prizes for players, and punters for pubs. But what do you need to know before you shuffle the deck and start dishing out the chips? Here’s our guide to running a poker night. an expert 1 Get Poker is full of rules that can be

baffling to beginners, so make sure you have someone running the night who can take charge and settle any disputes that may arise.

your format 2 Choose Poker comes in various guises but Texas Hold ’Em is the most popular and the majority of players will be familiar with it.

the chips in part 1 3 Get You don’t need much in the way of equipment but playing cards and poker chips are a must. You can get the full kit online or even at a second-hand shop without having

50 OCTOBER 2016

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Our poker night

The Queen’s Head, Congleton, Cheshire The Queen’s Head has been running a weekly Tuesday poker night for several years. It attracts a regular group of between eight and 10 people and forms part of a local league. Players win points each week and have the chance to qualify for regional finals and win prizes. General manager Ben Somers says: “It’s been very good at attracting people to the pub for the first time and them staying with us as their local even when they are not playing poker. “From our perspective it is also good because they spend a bit on drink while they are playing. We provide them sandwiches and chips when they have a break.”

to pay a fortune. You’ll also need a table, but we’re assuming you have one already. Join a league and these should be provided for you. Cigars and sun visors are optional.

4 Team up with a league

Linking with a league is popular because it takes some of the admin away from you and allows players the chance to compete on a wider scale. If they win your pub league they can qualify for regional and national events with bigger prizes. Oliver Sherrington, managing director of pub poker league operator Hi 5 Poker, says: “A poker night is very much about the social element. Imagine the stereotypical poker night, where a group of

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Our poker night The Churchill Arms, Alderholt, Dorset Tanya Wynyard, licensee at the Hall & Woodhouse pub, is in the process of putting a regular poker night together. She says: “It is a good one for us because it doesn’t cost much to do. We have the equipment and someone who can run the night for us. It brings people in regularly and helps to drive wet trade.”

friends have a game in their kitchen over a few beers and some takeaway pizza. Our aim is to recreate this type of environment in the pub and provide a place where people can make friends with one another, have some banter and a bit of fun.”

the chips in part 2 5 Get Poker can take a while, so the players will need food and drink. Many pubs provide snacks such as sarnies and chips to keep them sustained for the poker and for buying more drinks.

Make them feel special

Poker is a game of skill and it requires concentration, which means your players will not take too kindly to being squeezed between a karaoke session and a stag do. You don’t necessarily need a separate room but a dedicated table — and table service — in a quieter area is a minimum requirement.

players 10 Incentivise That said, you can incentivise people to play. Hi 5 Poker recommends deals for players such as 15 per cent off food bills for the night or “buy two pints get the third free”.

people know 11 Let Social media, posters and —

quiet times 7 Target Think about the best time to host your poker night. The quieter the better, as it will boost your trade and mean the game can be played in relative calm.

the long game 12 Play If you are going to do it, commit to

players you are doing well. It might not sound huge but according to Hi 5 Poker you could expect to make up to £15,000 extra a year if you get 20 players each spending £15 a week.

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the rules covering pub poker on the Gambling Commission website — www.gamblingcommision.gov.uk — to ensure you are not running an illegal poker event. Headlines are that the maximum buyin per player is £5 and the total buy-in for the pub for the day is £100. £100 is also the maximum prize for a game. You are not allowed to charge participation fees and only over 18s can play.

perhaps most importantly of all — staff all play a part here. Hi 5 also recommends creating a poker display and running taster sessions for beginners.

expect miracles 8 Don’t If you can get up to a dozen regular

52 OCTOBER 2016

the law 9 Know It’s worth a quick look at

it. Poker games can take up a good chunk of the evening to play and leagues will run for weeks, if not months. If you deal the right hand, though, you should find you get players who come for their regular poker and make your pub their local.

trade.inapub.co.uk 21/09/2016 13:43

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ASK THE EXPERTS Can I get into trouble if I ban vaping in my pub?

THE EXPERT ANSWERS IN FULL

THE SHORT ANSWER

So long as you explain the policy THE SLIGHTLY LONGER ANSWER

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

There are currently no laws around vaping in public spaces so it is entirely at your discretion as to whether you allow it in your pub. A clear policy should help you avoid any problems with customers.

Anna Mathias

Barrister with national licensing firm Woods Whur E-cigarettes certainly divide health opinion, but with an estimated 2.8 million Britons using them at the last count, the issue of whether or not to allow customers to vape inside pubs arises frequently and there appears to be some confusion on the topic. The answer, at least for now, is that the question of whether or not to allow customers to vape in your pub is a matter entirely

If you do decide to allow vaping, it might be advisable to display signs to that effect, so that everyone knows where they stand

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“

Rooms filled with a haze of vape smoke should be no more welcome in a pub than sticky floors, nicotinestained net curtains and cock-fighting

for your discretion. The Welsh Government has recently brought forward a White Paper to ban vaping in enclosed public spaces, to bring it in line with cigarette smoking, but this is unlikely to come into force until 2017 and vaping is currently unregulated elsewhere. Some pub chains, such as Fuller’s, Mitchells & Butlers and JD Wetherspoon, do not allow vaping, perhaps because of the difficulty sometimes in distinguishing between vapers and smokers. There has also been some debate surrounding vaping “re-normalising” smoking. On the other hand, Enterprise has been reported as positively in favour of vaping, agreeing a deal with Nicolites to make their products available in their 5,000-plus tenants’ pubs as a new revenue line and, no doubt, with a view to keeping nicotine users in the pub for longer. The decision is yours, but clarity for your customers is key. If you do decide to allow vaping, it might be advisable to display signs to that effect so that everyone knows where they stand – and to make it plain to any passing authorities that your patrons are vaping, not smoking.

Jonathan Swaine

Managing director at Fuller’s Inns The smoking ban has been credited with numerous consequences, both positive and negative. But at no point, do I remember

anyone foreseeing the rise of vaping. For Fuller’s, the smoking ban has proved to be good news for a great number of our pubs, contributing significantly to the growth of food. Customers who had forsaken pubs for years came back and, bearing in mind that the majority of the country were nonsmokers, when the e-cigarette arrived, we didn’t feel any obligation to allow them in. We have invested in our smoking areas to make them comfortable and welcoming — and e-cigarettes are as welcome there as a king-size Dunhill. But, while there may be a legal difference between smoking and vaping, the action is too similar to allow one inside, when the other is forbidden by law. The presence of an e-cigarette, and in particular the resultant cloud of vapour, can be disconcerting for our customers and distracting to our pub teams who are left to decide if it’s smoke, vapour, a small fire breaking out or a lost, and very low, cumulonimbus. We don’t like making decisions that are unpopular with anyone — but this is one that we are going to stick to. The smoking ban has made our pubs infinitely more pleasant for our customers and our team members, and we intend to keep it that way. Rooms filled with a haze of vape smoke should be no more welcome in a pub than sticky floors, nicotine-stained net curtains and cock-fighting.

Got a question on a problem you face when running a pub? Email editorial@inapub.co.uk and we will find the best people to get you an answer

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21/09/2016 11:18

back-bar business

morsels from Manchester Next Generation is sponsored by

Supported by

From hiring “sponges” to Facebook mastery and the evolution of the six-pack... the speakers at our latest Next Generation event, in Manchester’s Rain Bar gave our attendees plenty to think about. Here’s some of what they had to say.

Selling drinks

Joel Harrison, drinks writer “It’s cooler these days to have a six-pack, rather than drink a six-pack.” “You won’t find it hard to sell the first bottle of craft spirit. It’s the second you need to worry about.” “Don’t be afraid to think beyond the drink. It’s about delivering experiences and stories.”

Training and retaining staff William Lees-Jones, managing director, JW Lees “Employing people with the right personality is crucial.” “The number-one thing you need to ask yourself when someone is applying for a job is: ‘why are they leaving their current one?’” Keith Marsden, Prince of Wales, Moseley “Always recruit people who really want to learn – sponges not stones.” “Think long term and hire the best.” “Create a brand not just for your customers, but for your staff as well.” Alastair Scott, Catton Hospitality “One day a year, we close all the pubs and have a full team bash away from the business.” “Find out from your staff what skills they want to develop and the areas in which they don’t feel fulfilled.”

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Building footfall from Facebook Simon Delaney, The Firbank, Manchester “You need to interact at any time of day. It’s a two-way thing, so people want a response, it’s like a conversation.” “Take ownership of your page — make sure all the basic information is filled in.” Mark Daniels, digital marketing manager, Wadworth “You can work out when your audience is online by using your insights on Facebook. If you use a web browser, you get a lot more information than you do through your phone or tablet.” “Newsjacking is a great way of getting people talking on Facebook and carrying it into the bar. Take a story that’s already out there and make the conversation relevant to you.” Ed Davies, Inapub “Facebook advertising is brilliant for sales because it’s targeted. With football, you can target the away fans in their home town the week before a game.”

The history of gin with Diageo’s Bar Academy Alex Percival “We have seen lot of premiumisation in the category and it’s also about premiumising your mixers and your serve.” Matt Guest “In the year 2000 Sipsmith lobbied Westminster to say “can we change the Gin Act and produce gin in small quantities again?” They got a letter back that, basically, said ‘yeah that’s fine’ and that launched this boom.”

The perfect serve with Heineken Helen Wilde “72 per cent of consumers will leave an outlet if the quality of service is not as expected.” “A single beer tap in the average bar will generate £12,000-worth in wastage a year.”

“Think about what your customers want to see, rather than what you want to push out to them.”

Get a flavour of the Manchester event on video at trade.inapub.co.uk

Be part of the Next Generation Inapub set up Next Generation to bring new licensees, managers and deputies together to help them shape their careers in the trade. Events get guests together to network, share ideas and hear from a range of industry experts and operators in an informal environment. Keep an eye on the website and magazine for detaills about our next event. To register your interest email

nextgen@inapub.co.uk or visit trade.inapub.co.uk for more information.

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21/09/2016 13:49

back-bar business

Put your pub in the picture

Those customers photographing their lunch on their phones will be posting it on Instagram, so your offer is likely already being discussed online. Isn't it time you joined the conversation?

Instagram is predominantly a photo-sharing platform. Video plays a part, but 80 million photos are shared each day — most of them food. London pubs take note -—the capital is the top city in the world for Instagrammed (yes, it’s become a verb) burgers. If you’re offering some fantastic gourmet burgers, you may want to check what Instagram is saying about you.

‘It’s not for me’

If you are wavering and think this might not be for you, at least give the following exercise a try. We do it in our Inapub social media training with some surprising results.

• • • •

Take out your phone and download the Instagram app or go to Instagram.com on your desktop. Search for your pub, and on desktop from the drop-down look for the Places marker next to your name On mobile, look for “places” on the top bar This will then show you all the Instagram photos that have been tagged in your pub. If there’s plenty going on there, maybe you should look at joining the conversation with your own Instagram account. At the very least, you’re now aware of what customers are seeing and saying about your venue.

It’s good to share

What can you do with these photos once you find them? Share them of course — that’s what social media is for! Encourage users to tag your pub or use your own hashtag so that you can find their posts on Instagram and share them on

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Simply clicking on a filter shows you the result in real time before you post. It takes seconds to put a filter on to get your phone camera snaps looking sharp. Switch to Edits for more manual control over your image.

Hash it all together

There are also hashtags to add to the equation. Unlike Facebook, where they hurt the reach of your posts, on Instagram they’re essential. Adding four to five on each of your posts can help people discover your photos and your pub. For example, the name of your town or the subject of your photo.

That’s insightful your other platforms. Only 33 per cent of customers trust what you post about your pub online, but 90 per cent trust what their peers say about your pub.

It’s owned by Facebook

Inapub's Digital Marketing Guide Grappling with Google or flummoxed by Facebook? Inapub could have the answer. Our new digital and social media “how to” guide will offer stepby-step instructions on improving your Facebook Page, Google presence, Twitter following, TripAdvisor ranking and more, so you’ll be marketing your pub more effectively in no time. Keep an eye out for the Inapub Digital Marketing Guide - coming soon to inapub.co.uk

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With Facebook as its parent, it’s no surprise that there are some fantastic tools for you to use — including advertising on Instagram. For those pubs that are segmenting and advertising on Facebook (more advanced than "boosting" existing posts), the social media giant makes it easy for you to get your image adverts on Instagram, either with or without them showing on Facebook. You can save time by posting to both platforms at once. Taking your photo and when posting it to Instagram, you’ll see the option to also post it to Facebook. As well as saving time, this has a positive effect on Facebook. Recently social media analysts BuzzSumo discovered that photos posted through Instagram provide a 23 per cent increase in engagement. Put simply, by posting from Instagram you are likely to see your posts perform better.

As you read this, Instagram is rolling out business accounts, which gives you a Contact us button in your profile and basic insights on how your Instagram posts are performing — reach and engagement again. If you have more than 100 followers on Instagram, it will also unlock demographic data. Just create your account, then on your settings page towards the bottom is the Convert to business page button. Hit that and you’re away.

Once upon a time...

Instagram recently introduced Stories, their own version of Snapchat’s Stories, which is almost identical. Stories allow you to show more casual images that you take throughout the day, separate from your main posts. For example, if your main post was of a Sunday roast on Sunday afternoon, your story could start at 7am with you preheating the oven, then show you prepping the meat, then the Yorkshires coming out of the oven etc. Use it to tell the story behind your posts.

Rose-tinted glasses

Instagram users favour photos that look great — the better your images, the better reach and engagement you’re likely to see. They’ve included some useful tools within the app to help you achieve this. Filters are pre-determined visual enhancements.

21/09/2016 13:51

time at the bar

PLATE OR SLATE? Where the nation’s publicans stand on the really big questions Henry Gravells

The Hour Glass, South Kensington, London Henry managed pubs across London with Fuller’s before becoming general manager at freehouse The Hour Glass. The traditional pub caters for a busy regular and business community and offers quality pub food in its upstairs dining area. It is the first pub opened by new company South Kensington Pubs.

Plate or slate? It has to be plate, I can’t stand slate. The food should speak for itself really. A few years ago it was all massive boards and paddles, which is fine in top-end restaurants but in a pub the food should be the star.

Cocktails or cask ale? Cask ale. We have three rotating and one permanent, London Pride, which is a good product. Everyone knows it and we are a London pub and real ale drinkers know what they are going to get every time. We are a small bar, we haven’t really got the space for cocktails and the clientele here are quite traditional and know what they want.

Dyson Airblade or hand towels? Airblade. They work better and they are hygienic. You get dry hands rather than

water over the floor. We haven’t got them yet but that’s the dream! I got a quote but it was a bit steep to buy outright.

Wellies or heels? I prefer wellies but in South Kensington it is definitely heels. We don’t get the Made in Chelsea lot in yet, but I’m sure we will.

Table service or order at the bar? I like a mixture of both. Downstairs we ask people to order at the bar because that’s what happens in pubs and upstairs in the dining area we offer full table service.

Karaoke or pub quiz? Karaoke. I just think it’s entertaining and there’s no pretence about it. Pub quizzes can get a bit competitive whereas in karaoke people are happy to make an idiot of themselves.

Cash or Apple Pay? Apple Pay. It’s quick, it’s easy and there’s less cash on site. Contactless and Apple Pay are probably about two-thirds of the business now.

Wear what you like or uniforms for the staff? We have wear what you like so long as it’s dark colours. There’s no set uniform with branding on. That’s the atmosphere that we want. If staff are relaxed, I’m relaxed and the customers will be too.

Family-friendly or keep the kids at home? We are family-friendly but the children have to be out by 9pm. That’s our licence and I agree with that, mostly from the children’s point of view. It’s not fair on them being kept up that late. It’s nice for the grown-ups too.

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21/09/2016 12:09

9/10

DRINKERS SAY

“a quality vital/importanpitnt is en deciding wherwh to drink” 1 e

¹SOURCE: Market Measures Aug 2013.

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For more information on the perfect serve, visit www.guinness.com or call 0845 7515 101 if you require help in driving the quality of your GUINNESS.

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21/09/2016 12:15

time at the bar Masterchef’s Gregg Wallace is challenging you to become Prostate Cancer UK’s favourite local. The presenter is asking pubs to host a fundraising night in support of men living with prostate cancer. Pubs can receive fundraiser kits, as well as barware from Prostate Cancer UK if they raise over £200. The top five fundraising pubs will be shortlisted to become Prostate Cancer UK’s favourite local and win free Facebook advertising and PR. The winner will be chosen based on how much is raised, innovative ideas, customer involvement and commitment to their local community. A panel of judges including Gregg will name the charity’s “favourite local”. To sign up for a fundraising pack or receive more information visit www.prostatecanceruk.org/menunitedarms

THE COLLECTION TIN What pubs around the country are doing to help good causes The Chequers Inn in Stapleford, Nottingham, has raised £2,000 for a four-year old girl who has leukemia. The pub held a family fun day with a bouncy castle, barbecue and raffles. The pub also has a charity box on the bar for the Glenfield Hospital Heart Link charity. Zoe Keightley of The Donkey in Leicester has walked 500 miles from Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain. She walked in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support and at time of printing, had raised £770.

A group of riders from the Steamin’ Billy pub group raised £3,029 for disability charity the Matt Hampson Foundation. The cyclists rode 350km around Holland, in just three days. McMullen area manager James Carboni has swum from England to France to raise money for spinal cord injury charity Aspire. To date he has raised £2,808. The brewery has also donated 10p from each pint sold of its seasonal ale The Last Walk to the Royal British Legion. Oakman Inns held a 72-hour fundraiser in aid of the victims of August’s earthquake in Amatrice, Italy. The company, which runs 17 pubs in the Home Counties, donated all profits from the sale of its pizza and pasta dishes to the Italian Red Cross, to care for the victims of the quake. The pubs encouraged diners to #EatForItaly, and raised £20,744 for the cause.

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

OCTOBER 2016

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trade.inapub.co.uk 21/09/2016 12:23

YOUR ROUND Got something to say? Share it with the pub trade here Tweets of the month

Books of the month

On Inapub’s Next Generation event

The Pub by Pete Brown One of the UK’s premier beer writers has turned his hand to the cultural institution that is The Pub. Unlike many books on pubs that tend to get bogged down in history Pete manages to convey the charm and atmosphere and, indeed, the characters that ensure pubs have a very special place in British society. Featuring 300 of his favourites with focuses on publicans, punters, yarns and myths. Spoon’s Carpets: An Appreciation, by Kit Caless Speaking of institutions, cultural or otherwise, you could throw Wetherspoons’ pubs into that mix. Writer Kit Caless certainly appreciates them, or at least appreciates the unique carpets at Spoons across the country. He has stepped on them all, initially commenting on them for his hugely popular blog wetherspoonscarpets.tumblr.com and now for an actual book on the subject. He provides wistful and witty words on the carpets, the people who walk on them and the buildings they are found in.

@GreyHorseMCR Thanks everyone for a very informative day #inapubnextgeneration @RainBar_Mcr gr8 experience that licensed/hospitality staff should attend @DGloucester Working hard drinking and eating today bringing the perfect standard @DGloucester #toughjob #InapubNextGeneration @RainBar_Mcr We love hosting great events with great groups of people! #inapubnextgeneration @taps_leicester Learning new tricks of the trade with @inapub and @DiageoBarAc National Burger Day

The

PUB

nd Pub PETE BROWN

f the Year mystery pub.

ture pubs ulture and ublic house.

h its own b that boasts culiar and stitutions.

@DavidEllis432 The best burgers are @MillstoneSthGos inc “What Drives Dave Carr” it’s got loads of cheese! @inapub fantastic #burger at the @thewhitebearsb on national burger day 2016 #nationalburgerday with @charnbrew

PETE BROWN

Did Welsh football fans drink 225,000 at Charles Wells French pubs?

A Cultural Institution – from Country Inns to Craft Beer Bars and Corner Locals ‘The Beer Drinker’s Bill Bryson’ Times Literary Supplement

Jacket illustration: Jeremy Sancha

@robwxm Spine 24mm

1st Proof

Title:

Job No:

The Pub : 30544 PD0416-8/Alice

Jacqui Small

12/4/16 9:36 AM

that’s only 782 barrels so I would say yes

@marchamjack as if proof needed...outside said pub in Bordeaux with @DaveFlooring @timbo2603 and others

@iammfj Least 10 of them were me

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21/09/2016 12:19

time at the bar

SCARY THINGS IN UK PUBS TOP

Supernatural and surprising stuff up the trade’s sleeve 1. Mummified cat

The Nutshell, Bury St Edmunds This claims to be Britain’s smallest pub. Nonetheless it is crammed with curios including a mummified cat hanging from the ceiling.

2. Coffin

The Old Horse, Leicester As made famous in our “Pride of Leicester” feature last month, this pub boasts a coffincum-table to put your pints on.

3. Hangman’s noose

Prospect of Whitby, London Come hang out at this riverside pub, where the noose on the shore outside serves as a reminder of the execution dock that once stood nearby.

4. Fossilised ichthyosaur 2

Square & Compass, Swanage Not many pubs can claim their own sea monster. The terrible-toothed marine lizard might not be quite so frightening now it’s turned to stone, but try telling that to a prehistoric fish.

5. Norman the pool room ghost Arden Arms, Stockport He might not have the most terrifying name we’ve ever heard, but Norman has been spooking poolplaying punters at this pub for years.

Pic: Nessy-pic

6. Stuffed giraffe’s neck The Black Boy, Winchester Excuse the pun but this pub is

stuffed with terrific taxidermy. You can enjoy your drink under the glassy gaze of not only that giraffe but also a donkey, some dogs and a baboon.

7. Stone circle

Red Lion, Avebury The only pub in the world to be located inside a prehistoric stone circle. But that isn’t its only link to the spirit world – this boozer also boasts an 86ft-deep well and a ghost who takes exception to men with beards. Hipsters beware!

8. The cabinet of largesse

The Seven Stars, London Containing, among other things, a rodent skull wearing a spectacle — yup, that’s right, a single framed lens with two arms — another skull wearing a barrister’s wig, and a fossilised turd.

9. Door of human skin

Hatchet Inn, Bristol Legend has it that the 300-year-old front door of this pub incorporates a base layer of human leather underneath the topcoats of black paint. No-one knows why though – pore effort chaps.

10. Giant gorilla

The Broad Leys, Aylesbury If you fancy monkeying around in this pub garden, you can recreate scenes from King Kong with its gigantic model of a gorilla.

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21/09/2016 12:28

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time at the bar

HAIR OF THE DOG Tales of the unexpected from the wonderful world of pubs A year of faded cheer d, has turned dar king” Kevin Beresfor Worcestershire’s “calen r, of pubs with his latest offe his attention to the plight tures such dditch. The chronicle fea The Perished Pubs of Re mer lost gems as The Jolly Far ”, now y joll so ot (“n in Woodrow ) tion cap the to according od and The White Lion, Astwo We r. yea t las sed clo t Bank, tha re mo es rais he e hop can only for n tha bs pu for s awarenes The his previous subjects — and itch dd Re of uts Roundabo d Re ing ear app Dis The Fast les — Telephone Boxes of Wa ll we are s day our otherwise ed. ber num and truly

Hare raid shelter The Siege of the Hares: World War II, which mixes “factual events from the wars with fictional talking hare characters,” will hit shelves this autumn. The book, by graphic designer, Simon May, also stars pub dog Franklin of The Golden Cross Inn in Cirencester, who in chapter 13 appears: “His tail was wrapped around the beer pumps and his bone-filled jaw drooled onto the front page of the latest edition of the Wilts and Glos Standard.” Never mind the conversing hares, people reading the local news rag and (in these days of ’elf and safety) dogs being allowed to drool all over the bar seem more far more far-fetched.

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Ghostrustlers We all know punters are partial to trousering the odd bit of pub tat but forget the spoons and salt cellars, you need to keep an eye on your pub ghost. Ye Olde Man and Scythe, Bolton, is said to be haunted by the seventh Earl of Derby – or at least it was until a Chinese artist arrived and “stole” the ghost after he saw CCTV footage of it on You Tube. The apparition is now on display (in a metal canister) at the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art but landlord Richard Greenwood is mounting a spirited campaign for its return.

Which wag wrote this? There was no pa w-city of pup puns in th e press release announcing the launch of the inaugural DogFriendly Pub Aw ards. Run by dog-sittin g site DogBuddy – wh ich touts itself as “A irbnb for dogs” – the blur b urged publicans to em brace “paw power,” wh ich was not to be “s niffed at” and to enter their pubs in the “paw some” competition. Mut t they? Some of that wo rd-play was ruff.

trade.inapub.co.uk 21/09/2016 12:37

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