Case Study
A new restaurant
How business suppor t can encourage a new venture and outstanding customer ser vice
visit coastaltourismacademy.co.uk
visit coastaltourismacademy.co.uk
The Project The owner of a successful local pub in a coastal suburb wanted to diversify into the restaurant business. The NCTA provided him with research and business support that strengthened the business plan and persuaded them to open a new venture, creating 14 new jobs for Bournemouth and gaining national press coverage. After the opening, the NCTA supported the start-up and helped develop a customer service feedback system for the new business.
The Background The NCTA undertook a business consultation with a popular pub which revealed that the owners wanted to launch a new restaurant, but were unable to find appropriate premises in the local area and lacked any research to support thier business plan to raise finance. They had started to consider opening a business in another town where access to information was easier.
The Client Since owning the Grove Tavern pub, in the coastal Bournemouth suburb of Southbourne, the owners had rebranded and refurbished the bar, turning it into a popular venue with both visitors and locals. Located on a busy High Street, the owners were keen to expand and launch a new project within the area. Southbourne is an economically vibrant part of Bournemouth with a number of retail chains, trendy cafÊs and delis entering the area within recent years. It is a popular tourist resort being quieter than the town’s centre but with an excellent beach. The area is populated with scores of small, family-run and boutique B&Bs, but has few middle-market restaurants, making this the ideal venture. 1
Case Study : A new restaurant
The Action The Academy provided the owner with visitor survey data (undertaken by the NCTA) and also the town’s new Seafront Strategy to highlight potential business opportunities and future developments to attract new visitors. The NCTA also provided relevant industry business links and contacts to speed up the venture. These were all included in the client’s business plan to strengthen the case for investment. Once the business was up and running, all fourteen of the new staff undertook the NCTA’s free online Ambassador training; and shortly after the restaurant’s launch, one member of staff received an NCTA customer care nomination for excellent service. The NCTA continued to support the owner to help evaluate the project’s success. It emerged that the client wanted to develop a cost-effective way of finding out customer feedback and asked for NCTA help. The NCTA sourced a market research company to create a customer feedback system to enable the restaurant to improve their dining experience and make the business more sustainable. The NCTA funded this strategy, (about £1,000) and the client funded the more substantial production and administration costs. The client was offered three feedback options: a paper placemat with a request for feedback, a folded menu asking for response graded by number or the option for customers to download a feedback app. The client opted for the paper placemat feedback.
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Case Study : A new restaurant
Results With the help of new research and local contacts, the client was able to strengthen the business plan and discover suitable local premises within convenient distance of its existing pub and acted swiftly to secure the lease. The new restaurant generated 14 new jobs, half of which were given to previously unemployed young people. The client commented: “I was actually giving up on finding anything in Southbourne and was considering premises in Southampton. But thankfully the NCTA provided me with business data that allowed me to put together a business plan and seize an opportunity the minute it arose.� The story gained national and regional press coverage generated by the NCTA. The client recognised the importance of excellent customer service to business survival and the need for a simple and effective customer feedback system. The NCTA will be evaluating the success of the placemat system in due course.
Conclusion Undertaking industry engagement with a local pub, resulted in the launch of a estaurant, creating 14 new jobs. By funding the development of a simple customer feedback system, the NCTA has helped give a new business the means to identify ways in which it can improve the visitor experience, and remain a successful enterprise. Continuing engagement with the owner is helping to ensure the business sustainability. The restaurant has successfully won two business awards and the owner is now considering a third visitorfacing venture. 3