CLH Digital - Issue #109

Issue 109

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Staycation Boost as Seaside Destinations Exceed Pre-Pandemic Performance

Staycation is providing a real boost, with the seaside destinations of Blackpool, Bournemouth, and Plymouth all topping their pre-pandemic performance across average daily rates and revenue per available room, according to new analysis by commercial real estate firm Colliers has found.

Colliers’ UK Hotel Market Performance report examined the performance of 25 UK hotel submarkets during 2021 and in its latest report, the firm found that hotels in the seaside destinations were able to secure between 25 per cent and 45 per cent higher room rates than in 2019, helping to stave off rising costs of

operation. This resulted in the destinations achieving up to 20 per cent higher RevPAR than their 2019 results.

Although occupancy across the submarkets never matched 2019’s results due to the Government enforced lockdown at the beginning of last year, Bournemouth, Plymouth and Exeter were among the most popular destinations for domestic holiday makers, behind the region of Gloucester, and Norwich in 2021.

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Issue 109

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital Once again it is great to lead with a positive story during these difficult times of rising inflation, supply issues, energy costs, staffing issues and all the other woes the pandemic and the troubles in Ukraine are bringing.

PUBLISHED BY RBC Publishing Ltd Roddis House, Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 1LG

I did say in an earlier Editor’s Viewpoint that our old friend Staycation may prove to be an absolute boon to the sector.

EDITOR

Peter Adams

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And our lead story is saying just that! I also think that Staycations are here to stay at lot longer than current predictions.

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FAX: 01202 552666 sales@catererlicensee.com

Why? Because were getting better at it. I highlighted previously, that being based in Bournemouth town centre and living in Bournemouth, we get to see first-hand whether a top UK tourist destination is performing

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well or performing poorly.

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And Bournemouth is performing very well. Tourism is valued at £501 million and represents 15% of Bournemouth's total economy. Tourism supports 12,345 jobs, 9,190 are direct jobs - people actually employed in the industry. A further 3,155 are jobs related to the supply chain. Almost 5 million people on average visit Bournemouth although I suspect that will be more this year.

What I have noticed is how quickly Bournemouth has embraced the potential of Staycation.

CLHNews Cafes, bars and more were allowed to set up tables and chairs on pavements outside their premises as a temporary measure to help the hospitality sector, under the Business and Planning Act 2020, which saw applications for outdoor serving fast-tracked and fees reduced.

This followed a very confrontational stand-off in Spain, who had similar laws. In Madrid the a hospitality association made a request to extend alfresco dining without the need Back in the day, when I had my wine bar restaurant here in the late 80s and early 90s, for planning applications and fees, which was denied by the Madrid authorities, so they we really were a sleepy town catering for the elderly sector, and I was highly critical. were told “we are going to do it anyway”, and if you stop us you will not be able to colHowever, with the benefit of “mature reflection” it was impossible to compete with all lect business taxes of empty buildings. that overseas destinations offered.

It’s no surprise that the Madrid authorities backed down. I’m not saying that motivated If the last 2 years have taught us anything it is “adapt or die”. We are seeing bars and our government here, but I am sure they took note! restaurants on the seafront, with temporary licences granted to operate on the beach Now, I am absolutely delighted to say, licenses have been given the go-ahead to itself, bringing a fantastic continental feel that Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece become permanent, allowing thousands of pubs and restaurants to allow their cushave enjoyed for decades. tomers the continental feel of dining al fresco.

I walk past there every day and it is really working (except for the wet days of Don't forget to visit our website to download free posters you can print off to celecourse)! brate your events for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. They can be found at:– Earlier this week pubs and restaurants were also given the green light to make outwww.catererlicensee.com/posters-for-special-events door eating and drinking a permanent fixture.

Once again I would ask the favour - we are trying to maximise our advertisers reach The announcement in the Queen's Speech will let councils grant "pavement licences" as much as possible, without them would not be possible to run CLH NEWS, so please on a permanent basis. The café culture trend grew during lockdown, when sitting inside do follow us on Twitter, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to subbars and eateries was prohibited under Covid rules. scribe to our digital issue. Further details can be seen at www.catererlicensee.com

EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Charlene Fox Published Publishedbyby

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Staycation Boost as Seaside Destinations Exceed Pre-Pandemic Performance Issue 109

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) Marc Finney, head of Hotels & Resorts Consulting at Colliers, said: “ADR growth across the UK outstripped inflation last year, with 15 out of the 25 markets we analysed recording average room rates above prepandemic levels, and at least five submarkets exceeding their 2019 RevPAR as well. This was a result of various factors, including the UK Government’s temporary VAT reduction, as well as higher consumer spending observed across the country. Leisure markets particularly seaside destinations continued to lead the path to recovery, with five markets, Bournemouth, Blackpool, Bath, Plymouth and Exeter even exceeding 2019 RevPAR levels”.

GLOBAL INCREASE IN STAYCATION The rise in staycation popularity is happening globally as research reveals that the level of staycations being taken has increased by an average of 18%, with staycations being much more appealing for those lucky enough to live in tourism-rich, picturesque countries with a clement climate. And while our sometimes-inconsistent bad weather leaves staycationers looking abroad now restrictions have been eased, the consensus is that domestic tourism and staycations in the UK will be much more commonplace from now on.

Furthermore, dealing with the aftermath of Brexit and the Pandemic, travel abroad is still off the table for many people in the United Kingdom. According to a Barclays survey 52% of 25 – 34 year olds plan to increase their UK based holiday time, mainly because of the positive experiences they’ve had and want to repeat. According to a Holiday Cottages survey in 2021, 4 in 5 people are planning a staycation and are keen to explore more of what the UK has to offer.

SEASIDE DESTINATIONS POPULAR WITH DOMESTIC TRAVELLERS Each of the top seaside destinations are often popular with domestic travellers: Bournemouth is seen as the closest thing to an international beach destination. Plymouth is considered Britain’s Ocean City and benefits from its wide range of leisure attractions such as the Royal Theatre and the National Marine Aquarium. Blackpool particularly benefitted from the 125th anniversary of Blackpool Pleasure Beach and The Empress Ballroom celebrations in 2021, which created additional demand and an increase in room rates as well as the opening of the new Boulevard Hotel, which was ranked amongst the top 10 per cent of all

hotels worldwide in the 2021 TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, also helping to support higher rates across the submarket.

STRONGER MARKETS STRUGGLING Colliers found that historically strong markets such as London and Edinburgh continued to struggle during last year, however with the reopening of international travel and return of business conferences, fortunes for these markets are expected to return this year: hotels in London are already reporting high volumes of forward bookings for the coming months and overall the firm expects hotel performance for the majority of UK markets will return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year.

Marc added: “The staycation boom of the previous two years is likely to remain for at least the next 12 months, if not beyond. Surveys last year found that people were considering taking two breaks this year, a domestic staycation as well as travelling abroad. At Easter, we experienced the first test for the travel sector which resulted in significant disruption at airports and flight cancellations. This could result in some people rethinking their plans, which means further opportunities for the UK’s hotel market, which has become adept at pivoting their offer and streamlining their revenue costs over the last two years. While costs are increasing, average daily rates and consumer spending has been keeping in line with these and should ensure that profitability within the sector continues this year.”

“FOOTBALL WENT TO ROME HOLIDAYS CAME HOME” This year’s staycation boost and return to pre-pandemic levels follows last years boom in the domestic staycation market. A 2021 report by the Resolution Foundation entitled, Football went to Rome, holidays came home, revealed that, compared to other European countries, the UK benefited significantly from the switch to staycations, due to the comparatively high proportion of British people holiday who typically holiday abroad and spend far more doing so than overseas tourists spend in the UK. Analysis revealed that if all tourists across Europe replaced their foreign holidays with a holiday in their own country, annual spending on tourism in the UK would increase by one sixth to a total of £30.5 billion. That would be associated with 300,000 extra jobs in the hospitality industry (which has a total workforce of 1.7 million).

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In contrast, holiday hotspots such as Greece and Spain which traditionally enjoy huge tourism trade surpluses lost out most from the switch towards staycations.

However, the analysis also revealed that the UK’s staycation boom will not entirely close the £30.5 billion ‘tourism trade deficit’, with some still travelling abroad, and overall spending on holidays likely to fall The contrasting fortunes of the staycation rise across Europe also played out within the UK itself, where the main beneficiaries will be rural and coastal areas popular with domestic tourists.

TRAVELODGE STAYCATION RECRUITMENT DRIVE Earlier this month Travelodge announced plans to take on 700 staff including lots of roles at its headquarters in Oxfordshire. The budget hotel firm, based in Thame, said its performance so far in 2022 has been "extremely encouraging" and that another strong summer for staycations is on the cards.

The company said it is looking to take on 640 staff across its UK sites, with 40 roles also open at the Thame head office and 20 maintenance engineer positions. It is seeking to fill the permanent positions immediately as it rolls out a hotel revamp programme and prepares to open three new sites nationwide.

According to Snaptrip, the Top 10 most desired features for UK Staycations are: 1.

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BEACH NEARBY PET FRIENDLY HOT TUB ENCLOSED GARDEN PUB NEARBY GAMES ROOM WI-FI SWIMMING POOL LUXURY SECLUDED

Ireland’s VAT Cut Extension A Major Relief To Hospitality 4

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Issue 109

By Kunal Sawhney, CEO of Kalkine (www.kalkine.co.uk) Taking a bold step, the Irish government has decided to extend a reduced 9 per cent VAT rate for the hospitality sector by six months. The extension of the special measure that was introduced to support hospitality businesses hit by the Covid-19 may cost the government around €200 million to €250 million. The amount may sound hefty to many, but it was the need of the hour as the measures were due to expire at the end of August when the hospitality industry is still struggling to stand on its feet.

cent reduced rate effective until 31 March 2022. Before the reduction in VAT rates for hospitality, the normal rate was 20 per cent, which has now been reverted from 1 April 2022.

The decision will not be a budget day announcement and would likely be implemented through an amendment to the Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill currently making its way through the Oireachtas, a committee that scrutinises any legislative proposals. Something of this sort was coming became evident when at a hospitality conference last month, Minister for Tourism Catherine Martin stated that she was pressing for the extension of reduced rates. The government has also clarified that the reduced rate for hospitality will revert to its normal level of 13.5 per cent at the start of March 2023, though optimism is high that it could get extended until the end of 2023, which may cost the exchequer around €500 million.

IMPACT OF THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS STARTS SHOWING IN HOSPITALITY

THE VAT RATE IN THE UK In the UK, the government had announced a 5 per cent reduced rate of VAT in July 2020 to 15 per cent for certain supplies relating to hospitality, hotel, and holiday accommodation, which was replaced with a 12.5 per

UK households are already struggling with the cost of living crisis, and despite this, the hospitality businesses are forced to pass on the rate hike to the customer. Hospitality businesses need to make a profit to grow and evolve, and despite providing their patrons with an affordable and valued experience and if they are compelled to increase prices, it can impact the business prospects, testing guests’ loyalty.

Industry has been saying that the government’s decision to revert to the standard rate of VAT lacked the recognition of the sufferings of the industry.

The latest data from Barclaycard has revealed that while the average spending on utilities per customer increased near to 29 per cent in April, consumer spending on nights out and takeaways witnessed a sharp decline. Bars, pubs, clubs, and subscriptions all witnessed slower growth in April.

However, at the same time, consumer spending on travel and international holiday bookings reported a decent improvement. Scramble for weekend breaks at Easter was visible in the increased spending on hotels, resorts, and accommodation.

FINAL THOUGHTS UK hospitality suffered a lot during the pandemic, though it also provided an opportunity for them to reinvent and adapt to an unprecedented crisis. Businesses evolved to seize future opportunities, and government support was duly needed for that. It can’t be denied that sensing the grave repercussions of the pandemic on the hospitality industry, the government has been regularly announcing measures to support them, but the reversal of the VAT to its standard rate can be called hasty, and a decision to extend the reduced rate duration for another sometime would have supported the households to some extent amid rampant inflation.

Opera Returns to Fuller’s Gardens this Summer Fuller’s, the premium pubs and hotels business, is delighted to announce the welcome return of Opera in the Garden.

Produced by theatre company Rogue Opera, this year’s production sees Rogue Opera present the best (and worst) characters in opera, taking you through the big tunes, the tear-jerkers, the crowd pleasers and, of course, the drinking songs.

This year’s production offers 23 performances across 23 Fuller’s pubs from 14 June to 28 July 2022 and tickets can be purchased from https://www.fullers.co.uk/eventfinder/opera-in-the-garden.

From the classics - to the greatest hits you didn’t know you knew, to our favourite hidden gems, you'll be introduced to some of opera's infamous heroes, villains, lovers, jokers, martyrs and losers. With English dialogue woven throughout and all pieces sung in their original language, this is a great show for the opera buff or opera-curious alike.

also give you a behind the scenes, tongue-in-cheek look inside the world of the opera archetypes: the Soprano, the Mezzo, the Tenor, the Baritone and even the one on the piano.

Rogue Opera founder Bronwen White said: “We’re delighted to be back for another Opera in the Garden tour with Fuller’s.

Bringing opera to new audiences outside of traditional theatre spaces is so important in keeping this fantastic artform alive and thriving and we’re excited to perform in so many great pub gardens.”

Fuller’s Marketing Director Jane Jones said: “After a phenomenal season last year, we are thrilled to be welcoming Rogue Opera back to Fuller’s pubs and hotels this summer. This unique show works brilliantly in the settings of our fantastic gardens and feels like the perfect pairing for a summer’s evening. We are proud to be the only pub company hosting theatrical productions of this size and bringing the arts to a wider audience at an affordable price. Combining that with delicious menus and a bar at hand, Opera in the Garden 2022 is not to be missed.”

A full list of venues, performances and ticket prices can be found at https://www.fullers.co.uk/event-finder/opera-in-the-garden

Rogue Opera’s cast of five will not only take you on a journey through their favourite opera personas, but

SMART FLOW Partners With The Harbour Hotel Group For A Nationwide Rollout To Reduce Their Water Consumption Harbour Hotels is on a mission to reduce their water footprint and improve water sustainability after selecting SMART FLOW to install its water monitoring technology nationwide.

As Hospitality organizations begin to feel the pain of skyrocketing water and energy costs, companies are now starting to invest in water saving technologies not only for a return on investment and sustainability, but to future proof their organizations.

Harbour Hotels have multiple properties, each perfectly positioned in some of the UK's most iconic, desirable destinations, feature luxurious bedrooms, excellent inhouse restaurants, high-quality spas and first-class event facilities. It's no wonder the UK’s most exciting and talked-about emerging hotel brand has long relied on cutting-edge technologies to participate in the ecological transition and achieve their sustainability objectives. In this context, the group has appointed SMART FLOW to improve water management and drive sustainability goals.

Dave Hogan the CEO of SMART FLOW notes that “ Our water technology is now empowering companies to take total control of all their water usage and water costs in real time. Our client base is growing stronger with the addition of many brand names like Harbour Hotels. “

Harbour Hotels will have 24/7 real time access to verified information for their portfolio’s water consumption. The technology developed by SMART FLOW will thus enable the group to pursue its sustainability targets concerning water consumption and energy costs.

Gary Hall, Chief Financial Officer, Harbour Hotels, added “More and more, we are taking sustainable-driven decisions and actions as part of our commitment to reduce our environmental impact which meant it was extremely important to find a solution like SMART FLOW which improves water, energy, sustainability and overall water management at Harbour Hotels.”

Call +44 203 3688131 or visit www.mysmartflow.uk for further details.

Employees Working Longer to Keep Hospitality Afloat Issue 109

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Hospitality employees are working around six hours a week longer than before the pandemic, exclusive new figures from workforce management specialist Bizimply reveal.

hours a week mark was seen as a peak in the graph during the ‘eat out to help out’ promotion in summer 2020 and then again at the end of December 2021 for Christmas and New Year, the average is now steady at the 25 hour level.

As the hospitality sector works to tackle the unprecedented recruitment crisis, analysis of real-time data from Bizimply’s customers shows the practical steps operators are taking in order to deliver on customer expectation of service levels.

This means employers are asking existing staff to put in extra time in order to deal with the acute labour shortage, which is affecting hospitality along with many other sectors of the UK economy.

Within Bizimply’s customer base, the number of active employees – those regularly undertaking shifts – has increased by more than 25% compared with March 2020. Overall, ONS figures show the labour pool is smaller, as some older staff have not come back into the workforce post-pandemic, while significant number of experienced hospitality staff have also returned to the EU.

Taking March 2020 as the baseline, the data shows: • Employees are now working an average of around 25 hours a week, compared to a pre-pandemic average of 19 hours a week; • In food-led businesses, employees are working an average 28 hour week, compared to around 23 hours in wet-led businesses; • Fine dining restaurants, which are among the worst affected by recruitment issues, are typically asking their staff to work 40-plus hours a week. Cafés and hotels are also seeing staff notch up longer than average weekly hours at work.

Bizimply warns that employers who are currently banking on the goodwill of their staff to keep their doors open to customers need to be ready to pay back that commitment in terms of improved pay and conditions, and a better work-life balance.

Bizimply CEO Conor Shaw said: “Most operators have significant numbers of part-time employees, such as students or those juggling work with childcare commitments, so we expect to see the average hours worked to be below the typical full-time tally of around 35 hours.

“However, it’s clear that in food-led sectors, particularly more premium venues such as fine dining and hotels, the recruitment challenge is particularly acute. With experienced chefs and front-of-house staff in very short supply, operators are asking staff to put in longer shifts than ever.”

The figures are an insight into the extra commitment hospitality employees are making, While the average 25

Shaw explains: “The figures showing more active employees than ever suggests there are winners and losers amongst operators in the battle to recruit the best staff.

“The fact that employers using our workforce management system have increased their teams suggests that flexibility is an important factor for employees. Our scheduling tools mean employers can easily offer team members flexibility and that can make all the difference in this seller’s market for employees with the right skills.

“Of course, employers are also having to invest in improving pay, with upward pressure on wages at all levels, but it’s not just about the money. A student who wants extra time off in the run-up to exams, or a parent who needs their shift pattern to accommodate school holidays, will go with the employer who has systems in place to accommodate their needs.”

Shaw sums up: “The balance of power has shifted in hospitality, and employees hold more of the cards.

Employers will need to meet their staff’s expectation in terms of work-life balance as a quid pro quo for the extra commitment.”

National KP Day – Let’s Get Tweeting for Hospitality Action Is your kitchen porter amazing? June 22 is National KP Day and once again Winterhalter is celebrating by raising funds for Hospitality Action. For every picture of a KP that’s posted on Twitter or Instagram on the day, the company will donate £2.50 to the charity, up to a maximum of £500.

Hospitality Action provides vital support for people who work, or have worked, in the UK’s hospitality industry and who find themselves in crisis. They provide emergency grants for those in need, support for retired workers and education for catering students at the start of their career.

“KP Day is about having fun while raising the profile of hardworking KPs across the UK,” says Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter UK. “In past years we’ve had some great pics that have raised a smile and in turn they’ve raised much needed cash for Hospitality Action.”

Everyone in the foodservice industry can join the KP Day fun, from hotels to schools to pubs to restaurants – anywhere where there’s a KP! To take part, simply share a picture of your kitchen porters on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #kpday. As well as adding to the Hospitality Action funds, each photo of a kitchen porter will also be uploaded to the KP gallery at KPoftheYear.com.

Mark Lewis, chief executive of Hospitality Action, says his team is “hugely” grateful to be chosen as the nominated charity for National KP Day. “Thanks to supporters like our friends at Winterhalter, we’re able to transform the lives of many hospitality people who have fallen on hard times.”

For more information on Hospitality Action visit www.hospitalityaction.org.uk Winterhalter is also currently searching for the KP of the Year 2022. To find out more and nominate your KP, visit www.kpoftheyear.com

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SMART FLOW AI water meter empowers verifiable data to clients. 24/7 real time access to verify water usage and eliminate water wastage by 30%

Call +44 203 3688131 or visit www.mysmartflow.uk for further details.

How Can Hospitality Providers Avoid Insolvency In The Months Ahead?

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Issue 109

By Matthew Padian, Partner and Helen Wheddon, Partner at Stevens & Bolton (www.stevens-bolton.com) those tenants seeking to further delay potential enforcement action predicted that now is when businesses are likely to struggle most, with the accommodation and food service sectors being among the industries when the referral period ends. expected to find things particularly tough. The latest statistics indicate There are, however, other potential options for those with problematic that this industry suffered the most insolvencies in Q1 behind only the balance sheets to consider. These might include restructuring external sectors of construction and wholesale and retail trade. bank loans (perhaps, for example, to extend maturities, change pricing or But the current challenges go wider than the pandemic and the issues to soften mandatory prepayment triggers), re-visiting payment terms on associated with working from home. Other difficulties include rising infla- key customer or supplier contracts, or re-constituting investor debts tion, increasing energy costs, supply chain delays (aggravated by the war (such as to convert debt to equity). There may also be scope to explore in Ukraine) and problems with recruiting staff. So, what can hospitality disposals of non-core assets or attract new investments from third parbusinesses do to avoid financial troubles in the months ahead? ties.

Some have pointed to the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Act 2022 as offering some relief but this will be quite limited. The Act introduces a 6month window for tenants and landlords to refer ‘protected rent debts’ to arbitration. These are arrears which fell due during the pandemic The recent company insolvency statistics for Q1 2022 show the numwhen certain businesses were forced to close. The scheme does not extend to any periods when such businesses could re-open, or to prember of company insolvencies is continuing to increase. The figures show ises unoccupied due to when businesses followed government advice to creditors’ voluntary liquidations as being the most common procedure followed by compulsory liquidations - the number of which is more than work from home. Landlords can now exercise their usual options in twice as high as in the previous quarter, although still below pre-pandem- respect of non-protected rental debt, including the power to change the locks on premises by way of forfeiture of the lease. ic levels.

This was anticipated given the end of Government fiscal measures designed to see businesses through the pandemic, such as the furlough scheme, and the lifting of some of the restrictions on winding up on 30 September last year. There is likely to be a continuation in this trend in Q2 2022 with the expiry of the restrictions on forfeiting commercial leases as of 25 March, and a return to the previous debt threshold (£750) to petition for a company’s winding-up as from 1 April.

Whilst the worst effects of the pandemic are over, commentators have

In the worst-case scenario business owners may consider an appropriate insolvency procedure. Company voluntary arrangements (CVAs) seem to have fallen out of favour in recent months (perhaps due in part to the return of Crown preference), with the number of CVAs in Q1 2022 down 24% against the previous quarter. Administrations by contrast have remained at a fairly constant level over the last two quarters and offer a viable route for business rescue for those looking to salvage the good part of a business from the bad. In addition, for those who are willing to tread relatively unchartered waters there is the option of seeking a standalone moratorium (to buy time whilst negotiating a wider restrucWhilst shops, restaurants, pubs and hotels can benefit from the arbitra- turing with key creditors) or pursuing a restructuring plan (a court-sanction regime under the Act, the early indications are that few are doing so. tioned restructuring which offers the ability to bind dissenting creditors).

This second option has largely been unused to date by mid-sized compaThis likely reflects that many tenants have already reached agreements nies but more activity in this space is expected in the months ahead. with their landlords over outstanding rent arrears. The requirement to assess the ‘viability’ of the tenant’s business and provide financial informaFor those businesses who have not yet reached the end of the road, tion, as well as the potential for a public hearing of the arbitration may early dialogue with key creditors is always recommended. For the time also be off-putting. There may be a final rush to make referrals to this being, key stakeholders, including HMRC and banks, remain generally scheme as it draws to a close on 24 September 2022 (subject to any fur- reluctant to pull the plug and so engaging with such creditors can be cruther extension), but our expectation is this is unlikely, save perhaps for cial to obtain time to pay or similar compromises.

Greene King Launches £10k Prize Draw to Celebrate 10 Year Partnership with MacMillan Cancer Support

This month, Greene King is marking its milestone partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support by launching its first-ever nationwide prize draw.

Nick Mackenzie, chief executive officer at Greene King, said: “We are so incredibly proud to be celebrating a milestone 10 years of partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support.

Running from 1st May until 30th June, entrants will be in with a chance of winning the top prize of £10,000 in cash. Additional prizes on offer include £2,900 - which is enough to pay an average household’s energy bills for a year - plus £2,500 garden vouchers and a wide selection of Greene King gift cards.

“Over the past decade, we’ve raised an astonishing £11 million in donations for Macmillan, and couldn’t have done this without the support of our generous customers and passionate team members who work hard to create fundraising activity.

Greene King is inviting customers and team members to make a voluntary donation of £3 to Macmillan Cancer Support to enter the draw, plus one standard network rate message. All proceeds will help the charity continue to do whatever it takes to provide vital care and support for people living with cancer. To enter, simply text PUB 2022 to 84902*.

All 1,600 managed pubs in the Greene King estate will be supporting the prize draw too, with each site also offering a unique SMS entry code, giving customers an alternative method of entering the draw.

Alongside this, in celebration of the milestone pubs will continue to host individual fundraising events for Macmillan Cancer Support.

When Greene King first partnered with Macmillan in 2012, it set a fundraising target of £1m in the first three years which was surpassed with a year to spare. Since then, Greene King has raised over £11m thanks to annual fundraisers, coffee mornings and via Pennies, the digital charity box; the equivalent of 343,750 Macmillan professional nursing hours.

“The energy and creativity our teams put into fundraising is phenomenal, from annual fundraisers, shaved heads, bike rides, marathons, challenges, pub fun days and coffee mornings we know the team enjoy it, as do our customers.

“We’re hopeful that our first ever nationwide prize draw will provide another great fundraising initiative for Macmillan, and we look forward to announcing the lucky winners of the draw on 8th July.”

Lynda Thomas CBE, chief executive at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We are thrilled to be celebrating 10 years of partnership with Greene King. Its colleagues and customers have amazed us over the years with their incredible fundraising efforts and it is phenomenal that they have raised a staggering £11 million for Macmillan.

“We rely almost entirely on donations from the public and without generosity from partners such as Greene King, we wouldn’t be able to continue to do whatever it takes to ensure people living with cancer get the care they need, when they need it the most.”

The World’s No.1 Selling Rum Tanduay Signs UK Distribution Deal With Emporia Brands Tanduay Rum, made in the heart of the Philippines, is a multiple award-winning spirit that carries with it the true heritage and culture of East Asia.

Tanduay is the best-selling rum brand for 4 consecutive year and now Emporia Brands are bringing its 160+ years of experience in rum making, distilling and aging direct to all major wholesalers within the UK as of April 2022.

“The U.K. is one of the most exciting markets that Tanduay will be starting this year. We are fortunate to have found in Emporia Brands a like-minded company to help us in furthering our international business,” said Tanduay Executive Vice President Kyle Tan, who leads the company’s international expansion.

Emporia Brands is an award-winning premium spirits importer, distributor and innovator. The family-owned business has won the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) Spirits Importer of the Year three times.

“We’re very excited to welcome Tanduay into our portfolio of premium spirits and to share with our customers, for the first time, the liquids coming from the number one rum producer globally,” said Jack Rackham, Managing Director of Emporia Brands. He continues, “the quality of Tanduay rums at such a competitive price point, will provide a solid foundation to build longlasting rum relationships with key retailers and rum advocates throughout the market.”

In celebration of Tanduay’s official UK launch there will be Regional Trade Events across different cities (Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and London) with a focus on Filipino culture and community. The events will be in collaboration with Filipino DJs, restaurants and local communities from the surrounding areas.

Visit www.emporiabrands.com for further information

UKHospitality Comments on the Queen’s Speech Issue 109

Commenting on the content of the Queen’s Speech, setting out the Government’s legislative proposals, UKHospitality’s CEO, Kate Nicholls, said: “There’s plenty in today’s address that will unshackle our businesses, to better enable them to create growth. History shows us that hospitality is capable of driving growth across the nation, being in every village, town and city it is uniquely placed to deliver the Governments priorities and drive levelling up, generating jobs and economic growth.

“It must be recognised, however, that the measures in today’s speech will do little to bring immediate relief to the pains that hospitality businesses are feeling in the short term, so we urge the Government to ensure that regulatory reliefs come as soon as possible, to help struggling businesses stay afloat.”

On pavement licensing: “Making pavement licences permanent is a really positive move. They were vital during the pandemic enabling businesses to trade, when they would otherwise be forced to close or restrict their opening hours.

These outdoor spaces also benefit town and city centres, enabling them to enjoy the sort of outdoor experiences available elsewhere, and helping local economies recover faster, contributing to levelling up.

“Pavement licences also revealed the hospitality industry’s ingenuity and creativity, and significant levels of investment which will now continue to return value. That same innovation must also ensure that this opportunity for venues pays due regard to accessibility, so that all customers can benefit.”

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On planning: “The Government is right to look at the planning system which is unnecessarily burdensome and time-consuming. To unlock hospitality’s potential to drive regeneration we need to see reforms that speed up and ease the process. We want to work proactively with local authorities to make sure the planning system is right for businesses and for residents.”

On empty premises: “Proposals to get empty premises back into use – if properly considered and scrutinised – can make a huge difference in rejuvenating empty properties and, in turn, reviving high streets in our towns and cities.

Hospitality can make a massive contribution to recovery and levelling up and it’s vital to the health of high streets that we reduce the number of shuttered properties that could otherwise be trading and generating jobs, revenue and tax receipts.”

On business rates: “It is encouraging that Government is taking action to simplify and update the business rates system but this needs to be combined with concrete action to reduce the overall burden of rates on hospitality. Cutting the rates hospitality businesses pay will play a crucial role in regenerating high streets and levelling up the nation.

The Government’s consultation on an Online Sales Tax offers an opportunity to do this in a cost-neutral manner.”

On package travel and Brexit opportunities: “It is encouraging that Government is looking again at the package travel regulations in line with a commitment to look at Brexit opportunities. We want to work closely with Government to ensure that this allows businesses to flourish and provide our customers with a wider range of options.”

VisitEngland Announces Winners of 2022 ROSE Award VisitEngland has revealed the 100 winners of this year’s ROSE Award.

The ROSE Awards recognise the accommodation providers across England who provide visitors with the warmest of welcomes. They celebrate the establishments where the owners, management and employees, irrespective of their star rating, style or type of accommodation, provide outstanding experiences for their customers.

The awards are now in their sixth year after being paused in 2020 and 2021.

VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “It is great to see the ROSE Awards back as we celebrate and congratulate accommodation businesses across England excelling at customer service and creating stand-out experiences that keep visitors coming back time-after-time.

“The awards are also a wonderful showcase of the sheer scale of outstanding accommodation across England with visitors truly spoilt for choice. From stunning estates with camping on their doorstep to quintessentially English pubs with cosy rooms, from charming B&Bs and selfcatering cottages in glorious locations to quirky beach huts in picture-perfect seaside towns,

there is a stay to suit all tastes and requirements.”

The ROSE Award winners were nominated by VisitEngland’s quality scheme assessors and selected from assessor comments and online feedback from overseas and domestic visitors.

Recipients of the awards include all types of accommodation from Bed & Breakfasts (B&B)/guesthouses, self-catering and hotels to parks, campsites, glamping sites and hostels and cover a range of ratings from three to five stars, as well as accredited properties.

ROSE Award recipients can advertise their accolade as long as they remain within the VisitEngland quality scheme.

The VisitEngland ROSE Awards 2022 were presented at an afternoon tea event on Thursday 5 May at the Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa. See the full list of ROSE Award 2022 winners at https://tinyurl.com/2x6hf2pt Tourism is one of England’s largest and most valuable industries, supporting hundreds of thousands of businesses, employing about 2.6 million people and, in 2019, generating £76 billion in domestic visitor spending.

Slow Growth Raises Fears of Recession Issue 109

The UK economic recovery stalled in February and March as inflation rose to its highest level in 30 years, in the worst combination of rising prices and zero growth since the 1970s.

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) U.K.’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.8% during the first quarter of 22, with monthly figures revealing 0.7 growth in January while February saw no growth, a 0.1% contraction in March, compared to an overall increase of 8.7% in the first quarter of 2021.

This comes as consumer prices rose at an annual rate of 7 per cent in March, the fastest increase since 1992, according to data released last month.

Responding to the disappointing growth figures, Sunak said: “The UK economy recovered quickly from the worst of the pandemic and our growth in the first few months of the year was strong, faster than the US, Germany and Italy, but I know these are still anxious times.

“Our recovery is being disrupted by Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine and other global challenges but we

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are continuing to help people where we can.”

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Economist, said: “The economy barely kept its head above the water during a volatile start to the year, but times look set to get that bit tougher.

“Cost pressures and rising prices have tightened their grip, with both businesses and households feeling the pinch. The end result is a weaker economic outlook.

“It’s clear that the most vulnerable households and energy-intensive businesses may need further support, so the government should keep this under review.

“But the only way to build a resilient economy, one that can withstand price shocks, is a relentless focus on growing productivity and potential output. Business is the solution to both, so should be adequately supported to invest and grow.”

Sandwiches are Offering Operators Ways to Mitigate Rising Cost of Living Challenges

According to data from Lumina Intelligence’s Menu Tracker, the proportion of main dishes on operator menus that are sandwiches has risen across the following four key eating out channels: Channel Channel Cofffe Coffee ee & sandwich sandwich shops sh ops Pu bs & b a rs Pubs bars Ch ain rrestaurants estaurants Chain QS QSR R

off main listed as as sandwiches sandwiches in in %o main dishes dishes listed March 2022 Ma rc h 2 022 15.7% 15.7%

February change ch ange versus versus F ebruary 2022 +0.6ppts +0.

6ppts

7.4% 7.4% 1.7% 1.7% 1.4% 1.4%

+0.5ppts +0.

5ppts +0.

2ppts +0.2ppts +0.2ppts +0.

2ppts

Sandwich prices see modest increase versus overall average price increase The average price of sandwiches across these channels is: Channel Channel Coffee Co ffe fee & sandwich sandwich sshops hops Pubs bars Pu bs & b a rs Chain rrestaurants e s ta u r a n ts Chain QSR QSR

Average price off s sandwiches Av e ra g e p r ic e o a n d w ic h e s £3.57 £3.

57 £6.68 £6.

68 £9.06 £9.

06 £5.56 £5.

56

February 2022 % change change versus v e rs u s F e b ru a ry 2 022 +2.3% +2.

3% --3.0% 3.0% +2.1% +2.

1% +5.3% +5.

3%

On average, main dishes across all channels have risen by +5.8%, indicating that the price of sandwiches

has seen a modest increase in comparison, except from within the pub & bar channel where the price has fallen.

Sandwich calorie counts increase by 17% On average, sandwiches listed on menus in March 2022 contain 580 calories, versus 497 in February.

Channel Ch annel Coffee Co ffe fee & sandwich sandwich sshops hops Pu bs & b a rs Pubs bars Ch ain rrestaurants e s ta u r a n ts Chain QSR QSR

Average calorie per sandwich Av e ra g e c a lo r ie p er s a n d w ic h 412 875 476 556

The average calorie count of a sandwich within the pub and bar channel is much higher (875) versus the other three channels, with coffee and sandwich shops offering sandwiches with a much lower calorie count (412).

Commenting on the findings, Senior Insight Manager at Lumina Intelligence, Katherine Prowse, said: “The rising cost of living will see consumers become more conscious of what they spend their disposable income on. Lower-ticket meal solutions and channels are well placed to attract consumers that seek value.

Sandwiches provide operators within all channels to mitigate this challenge by offering cheaper solutions.”

Find out more about Lumina Intelligence’s Menu Tracker at www.lumina-intelligence.com/product/menu-tracker/

Pizzaiolo Takes on Greene King Pub Partners Site After £300,000 Investment yards. Plus it will serve a range of spirits including limoncello as well as nonalcoholic and soft drink options.

Claude Camilleri – whose pizzas have been ranked in Worldwide Pizza guide La Enciclopedia Della Pizza – has taken on The Old Mill in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire following a £300,000 joint investment with Greene King.

Claude Camilleri, licensee for The Old Mill pub, said: “When I visited Berkhamsted before, I fell in love with The Old Mill pub.

As soon as the opportunity came to take it on, I just knew I had to pounce on it!

The Old Mill is the first pub the Pizzaiolo has opened and his first hospitality business in the UK, having operated two well-known pizzerias – called Margos – in Malta for over 17 years.

“Our joint investment with Greene King Pub Partners has enabled us to bring in the state-of-the-art kitchen equipment we need to serve our pizza.

It has also enabled us to repurpose some of the pub’s space into a deli and bakery, so we can maximise alternative revenue streams for the pub business.”

The joint investment between Greene King Pub Partners and Claude has been used to bring state of the art equipment into the pub.

The investment has also been used to transform some of the site into a deli and bakery for pub goers and local residents to use as a food shop.

The pub will serve the same authentic Neapolitan pizza as that of Claude’s pizzeria business in Malta, but with an English twist – using organic buffalo mozzarella from Hampshire and charcuterie including hams and sausages all prepared at the pub using British pork and beef.

It will also serve an impressive range of beers and other drinks. It will serve Italian lager Birra Moretti, as well as Icebreaker Pale Ale, Amstel, Orchard Thieves cider, Guinness and cask ales. The pub will also have an impressive wine offer to complement its great food, with all but one of its wines coming from European vine-

Wayne Shurvinton, Managing Director for Greene King Pub Partners, said: “Partnering with the best operators and helping them to create a great pub business is what we are all about. Claude’s record and success speaks for itself and its great to be working with him.

“It is great to see entrepreneurs from outside the UK like Claude choosing the British pub – and Greene King Pub Partners – to expand their hospitality businesses abroad.”

MPs and Hospitality Heavy Hitters Set to Headline UKHospitality Summer Conference The conference is set to take place on Tuesday 7th June 2022, with a packed agenda that looks at the sector’s role in ‘levelling up’ and driving sector and UK recovery Alongside Government MPs and local mayors, other speakers include Sarah Willingham, former Dragon's Den entrepreneur and founder of Nightcap; Luke Johnson, former chairman of Pizza Express and founder of sector investment firm Risk Capital Partners; Nisha Katona MBE, CEO, executive chef and development chef of Mowgli Street Food, and Suzanne Baker, Commercial & Property Director at Stonegate Group.

The conference is an opportunity for the sector to come together and put its vision for the future to key government and political figures as well as being a valuable business learning opportunity for attendees. Speaker, panellist sessions and interviews on the day will address how, with the right support, the sector can become a catalyst for nationwide economic growth and the role it can play in the levelling up agenda. The industry’s progress in sustainability, business recovery and the plan to developing a highly skilled workforce for the future, will also be under the spotlight.

There will be exclusive data from STR and others, insight and advice from business leaders and high-level networking opportunities for delegates. Both members and nonmembers are welcome to attend and tickets are available now from ukhevents.com UKHospitality CEO, Kate Nicholls, said: “This conference comes at a particularly key time for the industry as we look to recover from the pandemic while facing a challenging economic climate and soaring costs.

“The UKHospitality Summer Conference is always a popular date in the diary and the feedback from delegates always reflects what an important event this is for knowledge sharing and networking. This year should be no exception with our line-up of stellar speakers and panellists from both within and without the industry. This year in particular is an opportunity for operators who should be in the room as we look at how the sector and its stakeholders can come together to work collectively to shape our industry, so it is fit for the future and able to play its full role in the wider UK recovery.”

Nearly Eight Million New Travel & Tourism Jobs to be Created in Europe Within the Next Decade Issue 109

The forecast from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, also shows the sector will be a driving force behind Europe’s economic recovery, following more than two years of suffering.

Over the next 10 years and with an average annual growth rate of 3.3%, the Travel & Tourism sector is expected to grow at twice the rate of the overall economy, which is forecasted to expand by just 1.5% annually.

The global tourism body’s latest report also reveals Europe’s Travel & Tourism’s GDP is forecast to grow by 31.4% to €1.73 trillion (US$ 1.9 trillion).

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Europe’s Travel & Tourism sector is in a strong recovery. It looks set to create up to eight million new jobs over the next 10 years.

“In terms of contribution to Europe’s economy and jobs, the sector will almost reach pre-pandemic levels by the end of next year as the sector’s recovery continues its momentum.

“The recovery in 2021 was slower than expected due to the impact of the Omicron and the uncoordinated response by European governments around border closures which failed to stop the spread of the virus, but

WTTC’s EIR data for 2021 shows across Europe there was a 4.7% increase in the number of Travel & Tourism sector jobs accounting for just over 9% of all jobs, in marked contrast to the 12.5% fall the previous year.

The fastest growing region last year, it also saw the sector claw back its contribution to GDP with a 28% rise to account for 6.2% of Europe’s economy to €1.3 trillion (U.S.$1.45 trillion) up from 5.2% contribution (just over €1 trillion or U.S.$1.13 trillion in 2020).

Europe’s bounce back was in part driven by significant growth in key destination markets such as Greece, which saw a year-on-year growth of 75%, Turkey (61%), and Italy (59%).

The global tourism body also commends the EU Commission, which played a major role in the recovery of the sector with the launch of its Digital COVID Certificate last year.

According to the latest data, more than 1.7 billion certificates have been issued by member states. This successful roll out has provided a much-needed boost to economies and saved millions of jobs.

However, in several other European countries, there was a much slower than expected recovery due to numerous failed attempts by governments to clamp down on the transmission of the Omicron variant, causing the regional economic recovery to falter.

TripAdvisor has named Resident Hotels’ Covent Garden property as its best hotel in the UK for 2022.

the effort our team puts in every day, collaborating and working together to deliver hospitality.”

Resident Hotels credited the award to its team and described it as “a huge recognition for the hotel and the brand as a whole”.

“Reputation encapsulates the team and the guest experience and it brings a valuable element of trust. This achievement is all the more remarkable given the difficult circumstances that we, and the rest of the industry, have been working under over the past two years and serves to underline our conviction that independent brands can build a competitive profile in even the biggest markets.”

CEO David Orr said: “Reputation is at the heart of everything we do and I am incredibly proud to announce this recognition of

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Three of the group’s hotels were in the top 25 in the UK, with Victoria at number seven and Soho ranked at 16.

11

did cause real and lasting damage to economies and livelihoods.”

DISHWASHERS • GLASSWASHERS • REFRIGERATION

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) reveals Europe’s Travel & Tourism sector is expected to create nearly eight million new jobs within the next decade.

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The Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News Group is published by RBC Publishing Ltd, Suite 4, Roddis House, Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset.

Contributions are welcome for consideration, however, no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage. Views expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Whilst every care is taken when compiling this publication to ensure accuracy, the publisher will assume no responsibility for any effects, errors or omissions therefrom. All rights reserved, reproduction is forbidden unless written permission is obtained.

All material is assumed copyright free unless otherwise advised.

Combatting the Hospitality Staffing Crisis in 2022 12

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Issue 109

By Michael Clitheroe, General Manager at Balmer Lawn Hotel (www.balmerlawnhotel.com) In the months since coronavirus lockdown restrictions began to lift last year, there isn’t a single hospitality business that hasn’t been impacted in some way by the dearth of available staff. It’s an ongoing crisis that’s reached all corners of the country, with the sector still yet to identify a sustainable solution.

Last summer, research conducted by a combination of UKHospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association and The British Institute of Innkeeping confirmed that nearly 100% of businesses had open vacancies, primarily concentrated in front-ofhouse roles; non-head chefs; and kitchen porters.

Indeed, it was expected that following the winding down of furlough, the tide would turn and we would welcome an influx of people back to the fold – but, sadly this doesn’t appear to be as much in evidence as originally anticipated. In a bid to both attract and retain staff, many employers have boosted salaries in the hope it enables a short-term fix. Figures from Indeed confirm that hospitality wages have grown by 4.6% in 2021, making the sector one of the fastest-growing in terms of pay.

As a result, we continue to see more and more examples of how the credibility of the hospitality sector as a prospective career option has been restored. Taking the time to invest in individuals and their education throughout the industry has been a major factor.

More and more work-based qualifications, such as NVQs, apprenticeships and degrees are being obtained in the workplace, which has resulted in an incredible re-evaluation of the hospitality sector, in terms of its employment and career prospects.

In fact, the sector is going full circle with a meticulous focus on its people. In a bid to entice this fresh wave

of talent into industry hospitality venues have even launched their own recruitment and training academies.

To develop talent within the business, Balmer Lawn Hotel (BLH) has created an array of specialist roles to help upskill existing employees, which includes several management positions. On top of this, progression extends to the kitchen, where opportunities have been successfully provided to porters to develop them into prep or starter chefs.

The key success factor to recruitment is retention. At BLH, we have a meaningful and purposeful business plan with people at its heart. A culture that has seen us win awards for training and development, while also producing a pre-pandemic staff retention rate of more than 97 per cent for full-time employees for over two years. Employees’ long-term progression, from that of a part-time job, student, or graduate placement to longterm education whilst in full-time employment, demonstrates how effectively we position hospitality as opposed to other industries for a prosperous and long-lasting career.

Struggles with recruitment are by no means a new phenomenon for the hospitality sector, although the past two years have exacerbated the issue to a degree never seen before. Many people place a large chunk of the blame on Brexit and its impact on access to the continental labour market. At present, the Government doesn’t include hospitality jobs on its shortage occupations list, which offers lower barriers of entry and reduced visa fees for certain professions. Calls have been growing recently from across the sector to loosen rules to include a 6-month working visa for EU Nationals – a move that would certainly help but is unlikely to materialise.

There are other profound factors to consider that predate Brexit and the pandemic, but it is how the sector worked on addressing these image problems prior that have stood the industry in such its good stead at such a critical time, therefore enabling employers to fast-track change and evolution.

Overall, while the industry will continue to face many challenges in the next six to 12 months, we look forward to exploring relationships with our educational bodies locally to attract students on training programmes and placements for graduates. Maximising our routes to the labour market alongside the development of our existing pool of potential.

British Curry Day Raises Thousands of Pounds for Good Causes “A huge thank you to Naseem and all involved through the British Curry Club in their fundraising efforts.”

Curry houses have raised thousands of pounds for good causes – thanks to a national event celebrating the forefathers who introduced millions of Britons to a taste of the subcontinent.

Dr John Manley of AskingBristol added: “Working with AskingBristol’s ambition to democratise asking and giving across Greater Bristol, the funds raised were divided among five brilliant community groups providing physical activities for young people.”

British Curry Day was launched to mark those who came to Britain from the 1960s - opening restaurants and takeaways – and to show support for the industry today.

Businesses taking part donated £1 to good causes for every Tikka Masala sold on the day.

Armed forces charity

Community champion Naseem Talukdar, from Bristol, whose own parents ran a restaurant, said: “It’s great so many people were keen to get involved.

And Maya, in Atherstone, raised £500 for Veterans’ Contact Point (VCP), which was nominated by North Warwickshire’s MP Craig Tracey.

“It was an opportunity to both commemorate past generations and support our community.”

Kamal Miah, who runs Maya, in Sheepy Road, and is third generation in the industry, said: “This was an opportunity to support charity and celebrate our forefathers, who introduced millions of Britons to a taste of the subcontinent.”

Charities and community contributions Bristol alone raised £2,500 for AskingBristol, which connects charities with individuals, organisations and businesses that can support them.

It then gave £500 each to the five following organisations: Barton Hill Amateur Boxing Club; ConfiDANCE, which provides free dance sessions to children and young people in Shirehampton and Avonmouth; Street Space, a youth and community work organisation is based in Knowle; St Aldhelm’s Juniors Youth U12 Girls football team and Oasis Community Hub North Bristol.

The hub works across the communities of Lawrence Weston, Shirehampton and Avonmouth in North West Bristol to reconnect people to each other and to the services they need.

Amy Boucher from ConfiDANCE said: “The dancers are very excited to buy some new costumes and props to help enhance their dance shows.

Tam Webster, peer support lead VCP, said: “We are very grateful to all the team at Maya and their customers for supporting our charity.

“British Curry Day, which marks the nation’s favourite dish and has coincided with Bangladeshi independence, is a great event.”

Mr Tracey said: “Kamal and his team are fantastic supporters of our local community and get involved in lots of charitable work.

“I was delighted to be asked to work with them on this particular initiative, where it was great to be able to support local veterans through the excellent Veterans Contact Point - a charity very close to my heart"

Check for Four Signs of Cockroaches this Spring British Pest Control Association (BPCA), is encouraging hospitality businesses to check for cockroaches when cleaning around stoves, sinks and heating ducts this spring.

• Sighting of the insect Dealing with a cockroach infestation is no easy task, so BPCA recommends taking steps to deter the insects, including cleaning all surfaces thoroughly, keeping bins covered and emptied regularly and sealing gaps around doors, windows and utility lines.

The trade body is also signposting to its online guide with video for advice on preventing the insect intruders.

Dee added: “Control of cockroaches is seldom easy because of the difficulty of getting to the insect.

Cockroaches can act as vectors of disease and are capable of carrying the organisms which cause food poisoning in humans and many other bacteria.

“For any cockroach infestation, we would always recommend contacting a professional pest control company, preferably a member of the BPCA.

They will contaminate utensils and preparation surfaces as they forage and may taint food with an obnoxious smell.

“They are trained in cockroach control and will have access to a range of professional use products which are not available to the public.

Experts at a national trade body are urging restauranteurs and hoteliers to look out for signs that cockroaches have entered their business.

Dee Ward-Thompson, BPCA Head of Technical, said: “Cockroaches pose a direct health risk to humans.

cially in humid areas, and will often remain hidden during the day.”

“They will feed on almost anything, including refuse, faecal matter and food for consumption.

As cockroaches are nocturnal, BPCA recommends looking out for these four tell-tale signs that cockroaches may be present:

“They also require access to water and will be generally found in inaccessible harbourages, close to water and food.

• Droppings • Egg (ootheca) cases • Obnoxious odour (large infestations)

“Cockroaches are rarely able to survive out of doors in the British climate but thrive around the heating ducts, pipes, stoves, and sinks, espe-

“Businesses operating in highly regulated environments, such as those handling food, must take steps to ensure their have adequate pest management procedures in place.”

For more advice about proofing your home or business against cockroaches, the new online guide is available at: www.bpca.org.uk/cockroach BPCA members are trained, qualified and regularly assessed to the British Standard in Pest Management BS EN 16636.

Issue 109

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Consumer Card Spending Grew 18.1 Per Cent In April As Holiday Bookings Boost The Travel Sector, But Rising Living Costs Start To Impact Retail and Hospitality Consumer card spending grew 18.1 per cent in April compared to the same period in 2019* – the highest uplift since October 2021 – with the travel sector seeing its best month since before the pandemic.

However, inflation and rising living costs are starting to impact the retail and hospitality sectors, with a number of categories seeing smaller uplifts than last month.

Almost a fifth (17 per cent) of Brits are also spending more on special occasions (such as weddings and hen/stag dos) and holidays this summer, to make up for lost time over the last two years. Among this group, some of the most popular purchases are new clothes and accessories (27 per cent), and beauty products such as fake tan and make up (13 per cent).

Data from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, reveals that spending on essential items increased 17.4 per cent – slightly less than in March (18.1 per cent).

This was largely due to spend on fuel falling from a record 26.1 per cent increase last month to 23.0 per cent in April, in a possible sign that Brits are reducing car usage as a way to save money.

In a sign that Brits enjoyed more time outside in the sunnier weather, spending on at-home experiences or ‘insperiences’, though still in growth (63.5 per cent), saw a slightly smaller increase than in March (66.0 per cent). Within this category, spending on digital content and subscriptions also saw slightly less growth month-on-month (52.1 per cent compared to 56.7 per cent), possibly due to some Brits cancelling their entertainment subscriptions in response to rising living costs.

The proportion of Brits feeling concerned about the impact of higher household bills on their finances remained high at 90 per cent. Average spending on utilities per customer jumped 28.8 per cent year-on-year, as cost increases also continued to hamper consumer confidence, with optimism about the future of the UK economy falling slightly from 27 per cent in March to 25 per cent in April.

Spending on takeaways and nights out was also reined in as growth on fast-food and takeaways (77.9 per cent) as well as bars, pubs, & clubs (39.2 per cent) was lower than in March (79.6 per cent and 41.7 per cent respectively).

Despite the challenging economic backdrop, spending on non-essential items grew 18.4 per cent compared to the same period in 2019, representing a small uplift from last month (17.5 per cent).

Despite this backdrop of increasing prices, shoppers’ confidence in their ability to spend on non-essential items currently remains steady (52 per cent), as does their confidence in their ability to live within their means each month (68 per cent).

Spending on hotels, resorts and accommodation rose 16.6 per cent compared to three years ago, the category’s highest growth since September last year, while the international travel sector had its best month since before the onset of COVID-19. Travel agents and airlines saw significant improvements, declining just -3.5 per cent and -9.9 per cent respectively, compared to last month’s contractions of -10.7 per cent and -12.0 per cent.

José Carvalho, Head of Consumer Products at Barclaycard, said: “The impact of rising living costs on consumer spending is starting to show, with a number of categories – including subscriptions, takeaways, and bars, pubs & clubs – seeing less growth than in March as Brits begin to feel the pinch. However, the improvements seen by airlines and travel agents are particularly positive, and hopefully point to a recovery in spending on international travel later this year.

This comes as more than a fifth (21 per cent) of Brits say they are making social or holiday plans for the long weekend in June to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with 16 per cent of this group opting for a staycation in the UK.

“While concerns around rising household bills may continue to hamper spending on non-essential items, the upcoming Platinum Jubilee Weekend and summer months should provide opportunities for Brits to spend on celebrations and make the most of warmer weather.”

Unilever Away From Home Offers Free New Mental Health Course as Part of its UFS Chef Academy To coincide with Mental Health Week 2022 (9th – 15th May 2022), Unilever Away From Home is adding a ‘Mental Health in the Kitchen’ course to its recently launched Unilever Food Solutions (UFS) Academy in a bid to tackle rising concerns across the industry.

Available to view now on the Unilever Food Solutions website, The ‘Mental Health in the Kitchen’ course comprises a series of engaging training videos to give chefs and hospitality staff practical advice on everyday changes they can make to encourage a better working environment for all. The films will include invaluable advice and support across several areas within mental health including selfcare, working environment, teamwork, and team management. They will also provide pointers on how to spot signs a team member may be struggling, as well as advice on facilitating conversations around mental health.

This latest course from the UFS Academy comes in response to the rising mental health concerns which continue to challenge the industry. In 2020, a survey by leading charity and Unilever #FairKitchens partner, Hospitality Action, revealed a picture of staff struggling to cope with the uncertainty of the pandemic alongside pressures typically associated with the sector such as long and unsociable work hours. In fact, over a third (37%) described their jobs as stressful ‘most of the time’ and 68% said stress levels had increased in their organisation in the past three years.

Another area that is influencing the mental health of those working in the sector is the significant recruitment and retention issues kitchens are facing as they struggle to meet demand with severely reduced staffing levels and inexperience. As of July 2021, 72% of hospitality professionals described staff shortages as the number one challenge as they reopened and these shortages are also impacting the training and development of staff working in the sector. Further research revealed that over half of hospitality workers had not taken part in any development training since re-joining their work which is a fundamental part when it comes to keeping people engaged and feeling fulfilled.

With a clear need for support as the hospitality industry gets back on its feet after several years of turmoil, Unilever Away From Home, introduced the UFS Academy in March 2022 to address wider training and growth issues across the industry. The platform, which will host the new ‘Mental Health in the Kitchen’ program, acts as a chef training portal and features free online culinary courses by some of the world’s best chefs. Created by Chefs, for Chefs, professionals can get tips, skills and techniques across a range of disciplines from preparation techniques to how to create plant-based dishes and learning more about business management and leadership. The overall ambition is to equip chefs through free and quality training to create better and more successful working environments.

Alex Hall, Executive Chef at Unilever UK&I, explains: “The mental health of staff is critical to long term success across the industry – a healthy working environment makes for a healthy business. The challenges of working in hospitality are well documented, with stress levels amongst staff high pre-pandemic, but with increased recruitment and retention challenge, we are in danger of them rising even higher as the sector bounces back. We must do more to support the mental health and wellbeing of all, which is why we have developed a specific course to give people the tools they need to help make positive changes to the kitchen culture.

“The Mental Health in the Kitchen module is our latest instalment to our UFS Academy which offers free online courses from renowned Chefs across the world. The programmes arm head chefs, management and their teams with practical advice to develop themselves and their teams to create a positive nurturing environment where teams can learn and thrive together. Investing in your team is a great way to keep them engaged and motivated, knowing that their leaders are there for them builds a stronger more collaborative team for the future. We also need to consider the new generation and what they need from their leaders only then can we focus on the future of our industry. We will be adding more courses to our platform across the year and would encourage people to get involved and be a part of a positive change.”

Further information Unilever Away From Home capitalises on its scale and reach, to bring knowledge paired with inspiration to help chefs get creative in the kitchen and deliver food experiences that can’t be matched at home.

The brand is committed to being a ‘force for good’ within the sector promoting a working culture that allows employees to grow and develop. Whilst the UFS Academy focuses on upskilling Chefs and their teams, Unilever also co-founded the #FairKitchens global initiative - an online movement that fights for a more resilient and sustainable industry by sharing stories and real-world experiences that demonstrate how a healthier kitchen culture grows a healthier business. The #FairKitchens movement aims to recruit 17 million businesses from across the globe to join the conversation and bring about significant change across the industry.

The UFS Academy supported by the #FairKitchens movement are creating this positive working environment, putting wellbeing and development above all else.

For more information on The UFS Academy visit the Unilever Food Solutions website : UFS Academy - Online Chef courses for FREE (www.unileverfoodsolutions.co.uk) To find out more and ‘Become a Friend’ of #FairKitchens visit: www.fairkitchens.com

The Supply Chain - Rethinking Priorities in Challenging Times 14

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 109

By Bharat Ahir, CEO of Two Eight One (www.twoeightone.co.uk) and based in Hong Kong, Bharat has 30 years experience in global sourcing and a track record of delivering supply chain solutions and expertise for brands and retailers. orities – resilience became the name of the game. What this means in practice is that companies need to sacrifice some flexibility and a transactional approach to supply chain management in favour of building strategic long-term partnerships that are mutually beneficial and create stronger links.

A key benefit of this approach is the ability to undertake collaborative planning with all stakeholders, from the factories you use to the people who move your products. This will pay dividends in times of crisis in contrast to a transactional approach that relies on a variety of companies where you are all trying to respond to the unexpected as it happens. The deeper your relationships, the more you will know about your partners and their capabilities and requirements, where the gaps are, and how they can be filled.

The pandemic well and truly revealed the fragility of the just-in-time approach to supply chain management. A model that had been working for the 21st century suddenly appeared broken. Port closures, closed borders and lockdowns around the world showed how easy it was to disrupt a way of life that suppliers and their customers had taken for granted. Staffing levels, transport and warehousing all suffered.

Consumers began to notice products missing from the shelves and manufacturers were waiting for longer for parts.

As a result, companies across the supply chain had to rethink their pri-

There is also a knock-on effect on the financial approach to your partners, which gives you greater predictability and long-term benefits.

Instead of having multiple deposits with various suppliers, transporters and storage facilities, you have strong partnerships that you can rely on to manage disruption effectively and a single line of commitment for each segment of the supply chain.

It's a myth that the shift to resilience from just-in-time means sacrificing flexibility. Forming enduring relationships enables suppliers to get to know you well, including your needs and associated fluctuations. This means understanding when and how you need flexibility within the partnership, based on a predictable demand plan. Factories can plan for your raw material needs and what room for manoeuvre you might need at

the margins, with associated cash management benefits. You get a greater scope of flexibility from one supplier, rather than limited flexibility from many.

A critical element of making these partnerships work is visibility and control, which are in fact made easier by having a limited number of partners versus a wide spread of stakeholders in each segment. Digital management of the supply chain brings transparency and visibility at every stage of the process; increased data sharing, deeper analysis, actionable insights and improved efficiency enable companies to more effectively manage their bottom line.

Committed partnerships mean mutual understanding and a dedication to addressing problems swiftly and with long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes. By identifying problems rapidly and at an early stage through digital supply chain management, or anticipating them in advance, risk management and mitigation is far more secure.

Resilience in supply chains means building stronger links across the chain from beginning to end. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

A commitment to long-term partnerships builds a strength that is lacking in the short-term transactional approach that characterises the justin-time model. Only by deepening relationships and using digital supply chain management to reinforce operational resilience can we mitigate the kind of disruption we saw during the pandemic when the next global crisis hits.

Contract Caterers Building Back from Covid-19, but Closures and Cost Pressures Hit Growth

Sales in the contract catering sector remain well below preCOVID-19 levels despite good year-on-year increases, CGA research reveals.

sales comparison of -20% marks a steady improvement on the figure of -36% in the third quarter of 2021, and of -26% in the fourth quarter.

The new edition of CGA’s Contract Caterer Tracker shows sales from January to March 2022 were 69% higher than the first quarter of 2021, when the country was under lockdown restrictions.

CGA’s Contract Catering Tracker aggregates sales from leading operators to provide quarterly reports with year-on-year analysis. It offers businesses a valuable benchmarking tool to measure performance across various metrics and market groupings, and participants in the Tracker receive additional analysis in return for their contributions.

However, sales are 20% below the figure recorded in the first three months of 2019—the last first-quarter in which businesses were able to trade as normal. It reflects the closure of many contract catering venues and lower footfall in others, despite an easing of restrictions and concerns about COVID19. The Tracker shows that caterers now serve around 1,250 fewer units than they did three years ago. High inflation’s impact on spending and costs is also restricting real-term growth.

Despite the challenges, there are signs that both units and sales are building momentum. The three-year

TVC Leisure WHO ARE WE?

TVC Leisure is one of the last remaining independent family owned and family run companies in our industry that is otherwise dominated by national companies and conglomerates. We have specialised in supplying gaming and amusement machines to pubs, social clubs and licenced premises for nearly 40 years. We operate regionally, supplying customers throughout London and The Home Counties.

OUR PRODUCTS We offer an extremely diverse range of equipment that includes fruit machines, digital gaming machines, digital jukeboxes, pool tables, quiz

Karl Chessell, CGA’s director - hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “These figures show the contract catering sector will be dealing with the after-shocks of COVID-19 for some time to come. Offices and other venues served by caterers remain well short of pre-pandemic usage, and the soaring costs facing all businesses and consumers are adding to the challenges.

Our Tracker indicates that sales momentum is starting to build, but we can expect fierce competition for sales and share throughout 2022.”

machines, lottery machines and amusement machines. In addition, we also offer a variety of ancillary equipment to help support our customers in their day-to-day activities, such as CCTV systems, plasma televisions, projectors, ice machines, glass washers and bottle coolers.

OUR GOLD STANDARD SERVICE TVC Leisure’s gold standard service is what separates us from the competition, it gives us a competitive edge in our fast-paced industry which is

dominated by national companies that fail to service their customers adequately. Examples of our 'Gold Standard Service' include a 2 hour response to technical issues 7 days a week, easily accessible at all times of the day, regular machine rotations and upgrades, routine collection services, ongoing support and regular communication through text messages, weekly emails and monthly newsletters.

WHY CHOOSE TVC LEISURE We are a family run business that deploy strong family values and culture within our company. We build relationships with our customers, provide a personal service, and offer friendly and helpful advice, we are always looking to exceed expectations and improve. Our approach is unique and unmatched by national companies 01189 121 042 info@tvcleisure.co.uk www.tvcleisure.co.uk See the advert on page 11.

The Changing World Of Hospitality Interiors 16

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 109

By Nicola Ball, Associate Interior Designer at KKA (https://kka.studio) a short period. These spaces are perfect for the business professional working away from home, those away on a long weekend, and any others looking for ‘quick-fix’ accommodation that can fulfil their needs.

These venues provide a different experience from longer stay spaces, from the lighting, check-in or food and beverage offering.

Lighting in these spaces is much lower and atmospheric with softer, delicate furnishings that bring an extra layer of comfort to guests.

Check-in services are typically automated, coupled with the ability to order convenient room-service, minimising contact with staff so they can get to their workplace, event, or destination more efficiently.

When comparing design of longer-term stays, there is a large disparity in guests’ needs.

The world of hospitality interiors is changing. Heineken announced last week that they would be spending up to £40 million on pub upgrades, in a bid to maintain commercial success in an increasingly competitive and diversifying landscape.

The pandemic has taught businesses the combination of agility and robust contingency plans have proven priceless.

Across the architecture industry we have seen client briefs change at a moment’s notice. Hospitality spaces that were designed for short-term stays were hosting guests for longer periods due to the demands of selfisolation, and thus, weren’t meeting their demands – albeit in the most unprecedented of circumstances. However, we’ve demonstrated the ability to respond with the nimbleness required to adapt when needed.

But, with the resurgence of hospitality in full flow – and a summer of maximum capacity events around the corner – it’s timely to consider how hospitality briefs have changed during this turbulent period.

When designing interiors for hospitality venues near airports, major sporting or music venues, the brief is targeted towards guests staying for

In longer stay spaces furnishings and finishes have improved durability, meaning they have an extended lifespan and quality doesn’t deteriorate from overuse. Also, lighting is set to ‘task lighting’, meaning it is brighter and replicates everyday life at home, rather than atmospheric lighting that can lead to over-relaxation. As expected, the food and beverage offering is different too. Rather than ‘quick-fix’ meals, guests are offered holistic menus and partner with local suppliers to offer different dining experiences.

The differences between the two styles of venue are deeply considered, and for a venue to change to meet the demands of the other, they must be very flexible.

During the last two years a number of hospitality venues have been faced with this challenge. The Courtyard by Marriot at London City Airport had to deal with this first hand, with KKAI having to alter its interior plans to meet the demands of longer-term guests having to complete isolation periods after international travel, rather than a quick stop-over.

The venue altered its approach to lighting, check-in, food and beverage offering and finishes, in order to quickly meet the demands of its guests.

Now, with summer round the corner, international travel becoming

easier and a full calendar of maximum capacity events taking place, have the considerations of future briefs changed?

Through delivering the Hilton Garden Inn at Silverstone, KKAI have found first hand that there is still a demand for short term hospitality, with the associated considerations. However, certain aspects are being reconsidered.

Wellness is now at the forefront of every design decision. These spaces need to be inviting for guests who are apprehensive about returning to large crowds again. As such, maximum capacities have been reassessed, with management teams including a certain amount of flex within elaborate contingency plans. Also, finishes – across all spaces – are more durable. Due to increased cleaning, antimicrobial fabrics and materials are favoured.

Although we can be excited about returning to original briefs that made hospitality venues a place of escapism, it is important that operators learn from the experience of the last two years and evolve with it – not doing so could have disastrous implications for the hospitality industry.

Stonegate Group Celebrate Career Landmark Graduation with Employees Stonegate Group has celebrated the graduation of 38 team members from its internal Accelerator Programme at Stonegate’s Academy, in Birmingham. The qualification, which is part of the company’s award-winning Albert’s Theory of Progression, earmarks graduates for managerial roles and the next step in their promising careers within the company and the hospitality industry.

ing and development team, and HR Director Tim Painter, who also presented the graduates with their certificates during the ceremony.

The Accelerator Programme focuses on developing Deputy Managers skills, through education and dynamic group learning, to then go forward into a General Manager position within the company and industry. The skills that are developed and supported during the programme are the individual’s confidence, effective teamwork and continued independent learning.

“The Accelerator programme is a key part of our vision of raising the bar on the British pub, by being the best for our people, our guests and our communities. Stonegate is committed to providing outstanding opportunities and dynamic career paths for all team members, following the ethos of bar to boardroom.”

Tim Painter, HR Director at Stonegate Group, said: “Congratulations to all the individuals that graduated from The Accelerator Programme. This is an incredible career achievement.

This year’s graduation ceremony saw the class of March 2022 celebrate their career achievement and hard work throughout the programme alongside each other, members of the Stonegate learn-

Otter-ly Scrumptious Food Pairings

By Keith Bennett, Head Brewer at Otter Brewery (www.otterbrewery.com) “As summer approaches and pub gardens start filling up, the need for classic staples with a jazzy twist are becoming more prevalent. Whilst food and wine pairings are notoriously known to be more for ‘date nights’, there is a new contender on the block…food and beer pairings, made to be enjoyed whilst chilling with friends and family in the warm summer months!

Otter Brewery has a wide selection of beers and lagers which make excellent companions to well-loved barbeque classics which would be perfect to enjoy on a warm terrace or out in the pub garden. Head Brewer at Otter Brewery, Keith Bennett, offers up his fresh and tasty ideas which are sure to be a crowd pleaser!

• Thai Cuisine – If Thai or Asian cuisine is on the menu then Otter Bright is the ideal companion. With tasting notes of lemongrass and soft fruit, this beer instantly gives Thai vibes! The light-oriental spices will pair perfectly with the notes of lemon grass and complement the peachy hop aroma that comes from the beer. At only 4.3% this is the perfect choice of drink to start your session off with!

• Steak - The first thing that comes to mind when customers think of steak is… Otter Bitter and Otter Ale! Give this classic dish a summer make over by putting a cote-de-boeufe on the barbeque. By marinating the cut of beef in warm spices such as garlic, paprika, salt and pepper, it pairs wonderfully with the fruity and spicy notes in the classic beers. No need to complicate it

any more than that! This makes for the ultimate sharing platter, serve with some thin cut fries, and chargrilled veggies, customers will definitely be coming back for more!

• Delicious Desserts – Otter Head has notes of warm sherry! Once that sun has just disappeared and customers are wanting to tuck into a pud, why not try pairing Otter Head with some classic smores! Yes, that’s right beer

Stonegate Group has signified its dedication to internal progression and training. Later his year, the company will be celebrating 10 years of The Accelerator Programme, which has seen over 493 of Deputy Managers progress to General Manager. and chocolate! The notes of sweet marshmallow and crisp dark chocolate pairs wonderfully with the warm notes of Otter Head.

• Pub Classics – light and refreshing, the Hawthorn Pale Ale is the perfect drink to serve up to a classic burger. A chargrilled patty, stacked between a strong cheddar and some smoky bacon, Hawthorne ensures to be the ultimate accompaniment. Furthermore, customers can enjoy this pint whilst knowing that they are helping Devon Wildlife Trust, as for every brewer’s barrel sold, Otter will plant a tree!

• Summer Salads – Tarka Four is the ultimate session lager which is perfect for these warm summer months. Sitting at 4% and hosting a clean, crisp flavour it will keep thirsts quenched and conversations flowing. With a subtle taste of citrus, this lager is perfect with barbequed tiger prawns dowsed in fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper! Added into a fresh crunchy salad or served with chargrilled Mediterranean vegetables and fruity couscous, this makes for a delicious lunch or early supper. Alternatively, pair with some fresh seabass, simply grilled with some lemon, thyme, salt and pepper.

• Mediterranean Cuisine – Tarka Pure has notes of lemon and herb which gives the perfect excuse to sling some lemon and herb chicken skewers on the barbeque. This is an all time classic and a real crowd pleaser! Served on the skewers to be dipped in some cooling, minty tzatziki, they are the winning choice of sharing snack… just make sure there is enough Tarka Pure available!”

Established in 1990, Otter Brewery began brewing its beer from a stunning location in the heart of Devon’s Blackdown Hills. Their beer and lagers are a necessity in any pub or bar this summer, and through doing so will be involved in their Pints mean Trees initiative. Through this, for every brewer’s barrel sold, Otter will plant a tree in Devon. The brewery has already successfully planted over two-thousand mixed leaf saplings and they are set to plant another forty-thousand in the next five years. So, get that barbeque lit, pour those pints and plant some trees.

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

How The Industry Can Cater For New Types of Travellers In 2022 18

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 109

By Giles Fuchs, owner of Burgh Island Hotel (www.burghisland.com)

holiday. Hospitality businesses must ensure that they adapt to grant guests’ wishes.

This phenomenon of the “bleisure” traveller is not entirely new, but its growth has been accelerated by the pandemic and, in particular, the rise of flexible working. Expedia Group research revealed that 60% of trips in 2016 were extended for leisure purposes, while 89% of respondents to a 2021 SAP Concur survey expressed a desire to add a private holiday onto their next business trip.

Indeed, the pandemic has hastened a trend of people wanting to work wherever they are in the world, so hospitality businesses should ensure that they are equipped with the superfast Wi-Fi and sufficient workfriendly space to meet the expectations of today’s business-cum-leisure travellers.

PRIORITISING TECH Hospitality businesses are beginning to welcome the spring and summer months that usually yield robust revenues, unfettered by the restrictions caused by Covid for the first time in two years. But even with the pandemic hopefully consigned to the past, much has changed in guests’ needs and expectations that hospitality businesses cannot afford to ignore...

RISE OF THE “BLEISURE” TRAVELLER It seems that “Don’t mix business with pleasure” is an outdated mantra. At least, many consumers are now eager to mix business with leisure, according to a survey conducted by Hilton Hotels; 69% of business travellers aged 25-30 would like to extend work trips for a mini

Rapid, reliable connectivity is not only an essential for those travelling on business; it is increasingly an amenity on which all holidaymakers are unwilling to compromise. So hospitality businesses simply cannot afford to skimp on the technology front in the coming months and years.

Tech is particularly important for underlining a businesses’ sustainability credentials. At Burgh Island, for instance, our luxury hotel is powered by a solar array on our disused tennis court, as well as two modern, energy-efficient boilers that have been blended seamlessly with their 1920s Art Deco environs. As the race to Net Zero continues apace, technology that supports sustainability goals will be a critical selling point for businesses.

But guests should be convinced of a hotel’s tech-savviness before they

even arrive. With 70% of people now researching potential holidays on their smartphone, having a website conducive to mobile browsing is no longer just a nice-to-have. Moreover, remote check-in functions can help bring hotels, and up to speed with other areas of the travel industry, and into a new future.

SUSTAINING THE STAYCATION BOOM This new future for the UK travel industry will also include increasing appetite for flight-free holidays. Boosted by last summer’s staycation boom, domestic travel looks set for a prolonged period of growth; 78% of people expressed their intention to travel within the UK between this March and May this year, according to TripAdvisor’s Spring Travel Index, while 47% planned to spend more on holidays than they did last year.

Far from being a compromise, therefore, staycations are now high-priority holidays for growing numbers of guests.

Hotels must therefore allow guests to access unforgettable experiences without leaving the UK, and even without leaving the hotel itself.

At Burgh Island, for instance, sample some of Devon’s finest dining experiences in the Grand Ballroom or the Nettlefold Restaurant, but they can also enjoy artist experiences, sustainable shark-tagging trips, and Murder Mystery events worthy of Agatha Christie herself. All this has helped the hotel surpass 80% occupancy for the first half of this year.

Admittedly, the future of the UK hospitality industry will not be determined over a period of six months, and many businesses will be thankful that the final removal of restrictions now affords more certainty for long-term strategising. And with the pandemic hopefully receding in the industry’s rear-view mirror, keeping abreast of guests’ changing wants and needs will be absolutely key to remaining competitive.

Three Restaurants and a Bar to Open in Flannels New Liverpool Store This summer, Flannels Liverpool will open in the Owen Owen Building as the city’s most exclusive and experiential department store, fusing retail and leisure under one roof, with a mixture of best in class brands, dining and experiences. The new store will feature four venues open from dawn until late creating a new eating and drinking destination for the city of Liverpool.

floors’ most intimate, sensual and vivacious space. An open kitchen will take centre stage in which diners will be able to watch chefs cook over the open flames of the robata grill, craft fresh sashimi and work with seasonal ingredients to create Asian inspired dishes that are both daring and reimagined.

Those looking to enjoy a drink can do so in the new rooftop bar, serving a mix of skilfully crafted modern and classic cocktails alongside a curated wine and beers list. The space makes for the perfect setting to enjoy daytime catch ups, after work drinks and late night parties, with DJs every weekend and special events planned throughout the year.

On the ground floor, Bacino will introduce modern Italian cuisine in a setting that oozes personality and brings social dining to life. An all day menu will incorporate brunch classics alongside pizzas, pasta, aperitivo cocktails, coffees and desserts; offering seasonal, fresh ingredients prepared with creativity in a setting perfect to relax, gather and dine.

On the sixth floor three additional venues will open this Autumn featuring a Rooftop Brasserie, Bar and Pan Asian Restaurant. With their own entrance, the sixth floor venues will open outside of store hours and boast views across the city with space to dine, drink, work, gather and party late into the night.

Serving brunch, small plates and an eclectic mix of classic mains, alongside signature cocktails, coffee and wine; whether enjoying brunch, working from the lounge, meeting friends for dinner or sipping sundowners with a view of the city, the brasserie makes for the perfect day to night hangout.

The Pan-Asian restaurant will take inspiration from some of the globes’ most famous venues set within the

The venues will be created and operated by Zanna Hospitality Group, the brand behind some of the North West’s most loved eateries including Evelyn’s Café Bar, Gooey, Mughli Charcoal Pit, Les Deux Pizza Bar, Arlo’s, The Daisy and a number of Flannel’s most recent dining venues – Sienna Kitchen and Bar in Sheffield and Cafe Clo in Leicester.

Commented Sax Arshad, MD of Zanna Group, ‘We’ve been looking to open in Liverpool for a while now, it’s such a vibrant city with an exciting food and drink scene that we’ve always wanted to be part of. This unique space has given us the opportunity to bring not just one but four new concepts to the city. Each of our spaces will offer something slightly different – from a work space to a late night party venue, they’ll be something for everyone and we can not wait to open the doors later this year and welcome the city in.’

Raise the Bar of Your In-Venue Entertainment with NSM's Hottest Jukeboxes Leeds Based Jukebox Manufacturer NSM Music has a rich heritage of pioneering jukeboxes using the state of the art technologies for over 70 years, for customers across 5 continents.

Whether it’s licensed music content, Video’s or the latest technological hardware, NSM Music prides itself as a one stop shop music solution with fantastic technical support and after sales.

• On Screen Visual Advertising • Contactless payments.

• Online connection gives customers the use of both NSM Apps, daily music updates, the Official Big Top 40 and access to our entire music library.

A key area when developing our jukeboxes user interface is to make it simple and easy to use, this way the customer doesn’t get frustrated and walk away and instead feels comfortable and takes pleasure from interacting with the jukebox.

• How has ‘NSMMusic App’ affected business? Any increase in attendance and/or footfall?

• Tell us more about your interCustomers just love jukeboxes, many of times Licensee tell us how the active digital jukeboxes. How do jukebox keeps their customers in their venue longer which increases wet they affect customer experisales. ence?

The app has been an amazing addition to our jukeboxes. NSM’S Alex It’s no fluke that NSM has been manufacturing jukeboxes for over 70 years. All NSM products have been developed off the back of customer and operator feedback, We believe we have something for everyone, for example;

• All our jukeboxes have the option to be an audio or audio/video jukebox and can be changed at a press of a button.

Kirby explains, the “NSMMusic” App is for customers to browse the jukebox, buy credits and make selections, all without having to leave their seat, It’s certainly a great facility for shy customers.

Customer simply download the app from the Google or App Store, create an account, then your all set. Once logged in you can buy credits via Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, Debit Card or Credit Card.

We have also a second app called “Co-Pilot”, Co-Pilot is an app which

was developed so operators can manage their jukeboxes remotely, for example; Operators or location staff can use Co-Pilot on their phones to pause, reject, change the volume up and down or even reboot the jukebox.

They can also use the app to create and schedule adverts by choosing from one thousands of our predefined templates and adding their own text, they can even create ads by using their own photos from their phone.

Other Co-Pilot uses are as follows; • Check Jukebox Internet Connections – know which devices are in an error state, haven’t connected to the NSM network recently, or need to be tended to immediately • Access Location Details and Controls – view and manage all jukeboxes including money collections.

• Receive Jukebox Notifications – get alerts for power downs, overheating & door opens Over the next few years we will continue to develop this powerful tool and add many new exciting features including Back Ground Music Control. www.nsmmusic.com Tel: +44 0113 2713 708 Email: info@nsmmusic.com

20

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 109

Happy Hour: Pub and Bar Staff Are The Happiest Shift Workers Pubs and bars are the happiest workplaces in hospitality, according to new data released by Deputy workforce management app.

felt ‘ok. The happy score for pubs and bars was closely followed by cafes and coffee shops, which recorded a 50% ‘happy’ score, with 24% ‘good’ and 18% ‘ok’.

More than half (52%) of the shifts worked by pub and bar staff resulted in them feeling ‘happy’ in the first four months of 2022, compared to just 26% for those who work in fast food restaurants and takeaways.

Workers in restaurants and those working in fast food/takeaways had the lowest ‘happy’ scores and the highest reports for feeling ‘stressed’ or ‘frustrated (9% of restaurant workers and 11% of fast food/takeaway workers).

The data has been recorded using Deputy’s new Shift Pulse feature.

Workers rate how they’re feeling at the end of their shift on a sliding scale from ‘stressed’, to ‘frustrated’, ‘ok’, ‘good’ and ‘happy’. More than 92,500 UK shifts were measured between 1 January 2022 and 30 April 2022.

David Kelly, General Manager for EMEA at Deputy, said: “It’s great to be able to share some really positive feedback with pubs and bars after the turbulent time they’ve had in recent years. We all know that every business is only as good as its team, especially in hospitality. Not only is it vital to look after your team for their own wellbeing, a happy, healthy workforce is also good for business.”

The data comes as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (9-15 May 2022), an annual event that provides an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health.

David Kelly said: “It’s important for managers and owners who receive negative feedback to use it to open up conversations with their staff and find ways to improve things. We want to help managers and employers to support the good mental health of UK shift workers. ther 26% of pub and bar workers felt ‘good’ about their shift and 15%

As well as achieving the highest ‘happy’ scores from their staff, a fur-

“Our new Shift Pulse feature is designed to provide workers with a simple way to share how they’re feeling after every shift, so that managers can respond to their team’s needs.”

Supply Chains Heroes Honoured at Pride Of Greene King Awards Teams who went above and beyond to ensure pubs remained well stocked with products during the unprecedented challenges of the past 12 months have won an outstanding contribution prize at the annual Pride of Greene King awards.

three internal business development manager appointments. He has a natural flair for getting the very best out of people, but in the right way.

Andrea Greenwood, operations manager for Greene King Local Pubs, won the Pedal to the Medal award for the way in which she produces consistently strong financial results for her pubs, while simultaneously encouraging her pubs to fundraise for Greene King’s charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support, with her pubs raising £165,000 last year.

The awards returned for a second year following a successful launch in 2021. After the first year was held virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions, this year’s event took place on Wednesday 4 May at the Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, with 170 people in attendance.

Angelo Vitale, holding general manager at The Packhorse & Talbot in Chiswick, was voted by Greene King team members as the winner of the We Pour Happiness into Lives award after he stepped up to run the pub and look after his team following a shocking and unprecedented incident at the pub where his general manager was attacked and seriously injured by a customer in February. He has led the team through this, offering them constant support and showing a calm and caring authority.

As well as the outstanding contribution prize – chosen by Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie – other awards reflected the new behaviours currently being embedded across Greene King as part of the company’s Unleashed culture change programme, with last year’s winners judging the majority of the awards.

The Procurement, Supply Chain & Distribution teams won the outstanding contribution prize because of the challenges they have overcome to keep pubs stocked in the past year, despite a number of world events putting continual pressure on product availability, inflation, and deliveries.

Other winners at the awards ceremony included: Terry Rigg, general manager at the Fox & Pheasant in Stoke Poges, won the High Flyer award for producing consistently fantastic sales while always putting his customers first and making his pub a real cornerstone of the community, always looking to push the boundary of what is possible.

Pete Taylor, a dray driver based at the Eastwood depot in

Nottinghamshire, won the Building Bonds award after he hired a truck with a 1.4 tonne payload and filled it with donations of much-needed goods including first-aid items, sleeping bags, clothes and sanitary products, which he then drove on his own to the Polish border with Ukraine to deliver everything to the Polish Red Cross. He travelled 2,000 miles and spent 40 hours driving.

David McBride, operations manager for Greene King Local Pubs, won the Nourish and Flourish award for the support he has shown for his team since he joined Greene King in 2020. In that time, the way in which he coaches his team has been praised repeatedly and led to

Nick Mackenzie, Greene King CEO, said: “Celebrating successes such as we’ve seen at these awards truly is one of the best things about our great industry. We aim for Greene King to be the pride of British hospitality and the stories we heard from across our 39,000 employees have been exceptional, humbling and inspirational.

“It has been impossibly hard to whittle so many nominations down to a shortlist, never mind choosing an overall winner. It has been a challenging year but listening to the extraordinary efforts and achievements of our teams, I am full of hope and excitement for what the future holds.”

Food Waste Dryer Slashes Waste Disposal Costs The Eco-Smart Food Waste Dryer is taking the country by storm, saving catering and hospitality owners up to 80% in food waste disposal costs. With macerators and disposal units banned in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it’s only a matter of time before they’re illegal in England too. And putting smelly food waste in wheelie bins is a health hazard attracting vermin and pests, particularly in warm weather.

The Eco-Smart Food Waste Dryer is already in hotels, hospitals and restaurants solving these problems. Each unit extracts the water from food waste overnight, leaving a dry powder, only 20% of it’s former weight and volume.

The result is an 80% saving in disposal costs, no smelly wheelie bins and no

blocked drains.

There are seven models from 20kg to 350kg daily capacity so even small premises can benefit from the technology as the smallest unit is about the size of a small fridge. It is a ‘plug and play’ solution: you just need a power socket and a nearby sink drain for the extracted water to drain off. “This really is the future of food waste disposal. The dry powder is collected for recycling so no food waste goes to landfill. Not to mention the substantial savings from disposal” said David Boyd from Eco-Smart.

For more information and a brochure go to www.foodwastedryer.co.uk or call 01522 692888

Fuller’s Team Members Raise Over £25,000 with 26 Mile Bridge Walk Over 80 Fuller’s team members – from right across its pub and hotel estate and the support centre – took to the streets of London last week to raise in excess of £25,000 for Fuller’s corporate charity, Special Olympics Great Britain.

Joined by a number of Special Olympics athletes, the team walked 26 miles from Fuller’s HQ at Pier House, Kew Bridge to

The Sail Loft in Greenwich, crossing the River Thames 19 times using 18 bridges and the Greenwich Foot Tunnel.

Special Olympics Great Britain provides year-round sports training and competition opportunities for all people with intellectual (learning) disabilities in England Scotland and Wales (www.specialolympicsbg.org.uk).

Why Nightlife Operators Are Moving Into Restaurants 22

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By Alexandre Santamaria, Founder of Aware Hospitality (www.awarehospitality.com)

We all know that the pandemic totally changed the world of restaurants. From outdoor dining to parties of six via “substantial meals”, the last three years were undoubtedly tumultuous for all in the hospitality industry. What was perhaps more unexpected however, was the impact these changes would have when everything returned to ‘normal’, with restaurants in a more remarkable place than ever before in 2022.

More and more establishments are totally changing the way they operate, what they offer, and what they can do for their customers. To truly understand the restaurant space in this new era, it’s important to look at the significant changes in the landscape, and what the future holds.

Having founded bar and restaurant development company, Aware Hospitality, operator of restaurants, members clubs and bars in Central London, I’ve seen a huge wave of nightlife entrepreneurs entering the capital’s restaurant sector. You only have to look at the past five years to see a spike in the stats: COYA and Sexy Fish paved the way for the one-stop restaurant offering both an incredible dining experience alongside live DJs, a fantastic atmosphere and a lounge to carry the party into the early hours.

People are calling this sensation the “Clubstaurant”, where dining and dancing is the order of the day, effortlessly taking guests from evening into the night.

With a handful of restaurants focusing on not only a high-standard of food, but a level of entertainment to match to keep people longer, guests soon found themselves staying in one place for the whole night. On top of this, nightclubs were already facing challenges with the twenty-something crowd focusing on health and mindful

drinking with declining alcohol sales and a rise of daytime parties and brunches running from early afternoon to late evening gaining in popularity.

The restaurant-cum-nightclub model was truly accelerated when the pandemic gripped the UK in 2020.

Covid-19 had a devastating impact on London’s nightclubs, with figures from the Local Data Company showing that Wales, Yorkshire and London had the most nightclub closures — between 10 and 13 per cent of their total. With social distancing unable to work on a dance floor, the entertainment industry suffered the blow of two lockdowns and strict guidelines. Since re-opening on July 19th 2021, London clubs have faced huge set backs too; the Track and Trace ‘pingdemic’; staff shortages; the absence of the Night Tube coupled with a quieter than usual West End made for declining sales across the board and empty dancefloors.

Post-covid, the Central London nightlife scene, which attracts customers from across the world, was still struggling due to the global restrictions for travel. With overseas clientele – including guests from the Middle East, Russian and Asia – unable to rack up a large, clubs’ earnings significantly nose-dived.

Nightclub operators are now adjusting to the new trade, opening successful restaurants in London that are both commercially and financially astute. With no minimum spends for tables or “bottle service only” policies, adapting to price-sensitive customers whilst delivering a memorable experience, is paramount. With access to status-seeking investors who dream of owning a restaurant in Central London, the market has never been more fluid.

JP Kley, former owner of nightclubs Mason House and Beats, is now behind Private Members Clubs, Nikita, a low-lit, cocktail bar designed to mimic a Haussmann-style flat in Paris with exquisite food, Kley is set to launch his next venture - Mr Nice in the heart of Mayfair located opposite Cipriani – a French restaurant with a broad European influenced menu.

Make no mistakes, this isn’t going to be a fledging trend in the hospitality industry. It’s going to be interesting to see what restaurants offer next, and the people that enter our industry and shake things up further. You know what they say, that’s entertainment.

Scottish Planning Shake-Up to Boost Cafe Culture

by Aiding Outdoor Dining

Rules for setting up outdoor restaurant and café seating in Scotland will be relaxed under proposals for a radical shake-up of the planning system.

The Scottish government is opening a consultation on changing “permitted development rights”, which would streamline the process for certain types of application.

As part of its Permitted Development Rights review, the Scottish Government is consulting on measures that would save applicants the time and expense of applying for planning permission for some types of development.

Consultation proposals include: • outdoor restaurant seating could be permitted without a planning application under new proposals to support the hospitality industry • relaxing the need to seek planning permission for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in car parks or at filling stations • allowing a wider variety of changes of use for premises in city, town and local centres to promote more rapid adaption to changing circumstances • permitting conversion of buildings to small workspaces to support local innovation and entrepreneurship as part of the national strategy to transform the economy Planning Minister Tom Arthur said: “The pandemic has highlighted that use of outdoor spaces can help bol-

ster our hospitality industry and make city, town and local centres feel more welcoming and vibrant. I encourage local businesses and communities to submit their views on these proposals to relax planning requirements.

“Extending permitted development rights to make changes in use easier will help to deliver our entrepreneurship ambitions by creating enterprising communities, as set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.

“Proposals to support the extension of the charging network reflect the significant growth in electric vehicle ownership forecasted for the coming years and the vital role of electric vehicle owners in helping Scotland reach net zero by 2045.”

UKHospitality Scotland Executive Director Leon Thompson said: “Over the course of the pandemic hospitality businesses made great use of outdoor space, allowing them to trade whilst keeping customers and workers safe. Outdoor seating is extremely popular with guests and these often imaginative and creative spaces continue to be used extensively.

“UKHospitality Scotland is pleased that the Scottish Government has listened to our calls and is putting forward plans to relax planning requirements. This will save businesses time and money, whilst adding to the vibrancy of our towns and cities. This move will also help to boost local economies and create jobs.”

Beat the Blues by Bringing in the Jazz!

Whether you own a pub, bar, café or restaurant it’s important your business reflects the positive atmosphere you want your customers to experience.

That’s why playing music, particularly upbeat songs and other well-known tracks, could help to create an upbeat, happy environment and potentially relieve stress for your staff. It could help to provide an added burst of energy throughout the day and improve concentration and focus, especially during long hours and repetitive tasks.

Playing music that suits a style or a certain occasion, in your venue, could help to create the right feel, whilst distinguishing your brand and helping to make it stand out. It could also help to promote customer loyalty and ensure the experience is both unique and memorable for customers.

You may want to create a lively environment during the evenings as opposed to perhaps a more relaxed and calming space during the day, or how you might want to reflect a certain theme at events or other occasions.

Whatever the situation, the right music can help to create a unique and appealing space and can even influence consumer behaviour.

Music can be an important part of day-to-day life for many people, particularly during their leisure time, which is why something could seem lacking without it in a hospitality environment.

For more information on the benefits of music and TheMusicLicence contact us today on 0800 0868 803 | pplprs.co.uk/get-themusiclicence/

The Queen’s Speech Disappointing for Business Rates 24

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“This week’s Queens’s Speech was disappointing in the least -particularly in terms of what was announced concerning business rates.” says John Webber, Head of Business Rates at Colliers (www.colliers.com) That’s not to say it did not address business rates at all. Although absent from the speech itself, the government did confirm a ‘Non-Domestic Rating Bill’ will form part of the agenda during the next Parliamentary session.

The Bill, which will apply to England and Wales, commits to a move to shorten the revaluation cycle from five years to three from next years and will be accompanied by new duties on ratepayers and ‘measures to support compliance’ in what it claims is a bid to improve valuation accuracy and timeliness.

The government will also provide relief on rates for a year where increases to rateable value occur as a result of improvements made to a property. It says this move is aimed at boosting investment in properties, and a new 100% relief for low-carbon heat networks.

And the Valuation Office Agency will receive new powers to provide ratepayers with information on the calculation of their rateable value.

There will also be a ‘tightening’ of appeals against rates based on changing circumstances, with the government relying on the £1.5bn provided in the pandemic support fund to ‘future-proof business rates against further shocks.

“Reading these proposed reforms, feels like careering into a brick wall,” says John Webber. “None of these proposals are new and most were announced in last year’s Budget where they were criticised then for not being radical enough.

“Obviously a three yearly revaluation is to be welcomed, although we would prefer a move to annual valuations so that rates bills give a more accurate reflection of market values. But the new duties on rate payers will be burdensome, time consuming and costly as we have continually said since they were first announced last year.”

And the rates relief to properties where increases to rateable value occur as a result of improvements made to a property are limited to just one year- so no great radical change there. One year is a tiny time in the life of a property.”

Webber is also very concerned about the statement concerning ‘tightening’ of appeals against rates based on changing circumstances” He comments, “This sound ominous. Last year the government effectively denied over 400,000 rate payers the chance to appeal their business rates bills on the grounds of Material Change of Circumstance caused by the impact of Covid 19 and the subsequent lockdowns, through striking such appeals out in one fowl swoop and legislating against them. This was the biggest MCC in history and it was a disgrace that businesses were denied their right of appeal.”

“The £1.5bn COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) offered instead has been a joke- not just in terms of the inadequacy in size, but also because thousands of businesses are still waiting to receive support one year on.”

It took the Government nine months to pass the necessary legislation relating to the MCC provisions and to set out guidance to Local Authorities for their relief schemes and the scheme is still mired down by delays.

Colliers latest research shows that only 33% of Local Authorities have opened their schemes to applications and “As we know from past experiences, local authorities will all have different interpretations of how to spend the money, so there will be 300 different policies – a postcode lottery for businesses hoping to receive grants.”

“It is worrying if the government thinks this fund will be the answer to future MCCs, given it has not adequately dealt with the current one.” despairs Webber.

He concludes, “Yet again the government is missing a golden opportunity to bring about proper business rates reform.”

“There has been nothing said about reducing the business rates multiplier to a manageable 30p in the pound- so that businesses are not straddled with a 50p plus tax, nothing said about reforming the myriad of reliefs that complicate the system and no reassurances to the retail and hospitality sectors that the government won’t bring in downwards transition following the next revaluation in 2023. If they did introduce downwards transition, as they did in the last revaluation, this would delay rate bills immediately reflecting the lower rental levels we have been seeing in the sector. This would particularly hit retail in some of the less affluent parts of the country.

“The government must make an announcement about downwards transition soon, particularly as retail businesses are making their business plans now. Without this reassurance the government’s “levelling up agenda” will be meaningless and the high street unlikely to get back on its feet.”

Thomas Ridley Successfully Diverts 99% of Waste From Landfill With a continued focus on waste and recycling, Thomas Ridley reveals its achievement of diverting 99% of waste from landfill as part of its ongoing commitment to positive environmental action for its own operations and supporting customers to do the same.

It’s no secret that companies produce waste, but it’s what Thomas Ridley do with it that sets the company apart. Following many months of hard work, achieving a key goal, to divert 99% waste from landfill is a major success for the Suffolk based wholesaler. Ongoing work as part of a commitment to environmental action also includes fitting the warehouse with 400 solar panels to reduce the amount of power required, saving 21 tonnes of CO2 emissions so far. In 2021 alone, Thomas Ridley recycled over 150 tonnes of cardboard, and 24 tonnes of plastic, including their own, and their customer’s waste.

Supporting customers to meet their environmental goals is important and thanks to a partnership with Arrow Oils, 300,000 litres of cooking oil were repurposed into biodiesel, with

over 400 customers participating in this particular scheme.

Paul Knight, Commercial Director at Thomas Ridley Foodservice is delighted with these achievements, “As a company, we have set ourselves a plan of action to reduce our impact on the environment. As part of this overall plan, we aim to help our customers in their environmental action as well, and we take back used cooking oil as well as packaging and dispose/ recycle these items. It’s important to us that we offer additional services to our customers and as well as assisting with oil and recycling, we also offer features such as Allergen Check, a tool that identifies allergens in items ordered and helps customers to navigate food information regulations. In addition, we believe we have the easiest online ordering you will find; it sounds simple but it really is important that our customers can order with speed and ease.”

Plans to Turn Neglected Brighton Seafront Building into Boutique Hotel A derelict building and former hostel on Brighton seafront could be transformed into a boutique luxury hotel with a rooftop bar and restaurant, under plans submitted to the city council by two local businessmen.

“Lucky and I both grew up near Brighton in Lancing, so we know the city well and we want to create something here we can be proud of.”

Lucky said: “Currently there are hardly any rooftop bars and surprisingly, no Michelin-star restaurants in Brighton yet.

James Randall and Lucky Gohler want to refurbish the empty Hostel Point building on the corner of Grand Junction Road and Pool Valley and turn it into a 40-bedroom hotel called The Louche, to help attract more high-spend visitors to Brighton, grow the city’s tourism economy and support the regeneration of Brighton seafront.

Built in 1830, 10 – 12 Grand Junction Road originally comprised of three separate houses, which were combined and run as a private hotel by 1861. An additional floor was added to number 11 by 1897, and from 1911 the building was known as the Palace Pier Hotel until the mid1980s, when it was re-fitted and re-named the Princes Hotel. In 2015 it reopened as Hostel Point, offering cheap accommodation to backpackers, but has since closed and fallen into disrepair.

The new owners, James and Lucky, aim to restore the derelict building to its former glory as a seafront hotel with stunning views of Brighton’s Palace Pier and the beach. As part of the renovation, they plan to add a rooftop extension for a terrace bar and restaurant, which would be open to the public. The proposed fifth floor extension would be set back from the building’s façade, with seating areas for visitors along the front and sides of the building, providing panoramic sea views.

James said: “Our vision for The Louche is to bring this beautiful

“Our city attracts millions of visitors every year, yet we know there’s a shortage of accommodation and an appetite for more high-end options.

“The Louche would help fill this gap, as well as providing a vibrant new venue for local people to enjoy and local jobs.”

Visitors make more than 11 million trips to Brighton and Hove every year, spending nearly £886 million in the city. There is a recognised need to attract more overnight visitors, as evidence shows that longer-staying visitors spend more and are more likely to build a relationship with the city. seafront building back into use and restore its former purpose as a hotel, attracting more high-spend visitors to the city and providing a boost for local businesses, as well as creating new jobs.

Plans for The Louche have been drawn up by award-winning London architects Dexter Moren Associates; specialists in designing hotels and hospitality venues.

“This corner of Brighton is ripe for respectful redevelopment, as part of a broader regeneration of the seafront. It needs major investment as the site at 10-12 Grand Junction Road has been neglected. If a successful outcome cannot be reached there is a danger that this site will remain derelict for at least another decade and negatively impact the building next door – Pier Nine Casino.

Darren Johnson, conference and business development manager at VisitBrighton, has already voiced support for breathing new life into 1012 Grand Junction Road: “The Tourism & Leisure Department would be supportive of any works that would bring the building back into use and to renovate the exteriors in an area which acts as a city gateway to our business and leisure visitors.”

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Food Safety

Hygiene Demands by Consumers Serve as Wake-up Call Blake Gladman, Strategy & Insights Director at KAM said: “COVID-19 has catapulted hygiene to the top of consumers’ minds. It’s now an absolutely key consideration when deciding which venues to visit and where to avoid.

This heightened awareness means that consumers are more ‘ratings aware’ and also incredibly unforgiving when standards fall; if a venue falls short of a customer’s hygiene expectations just once they risk losing that customer for good. Venues simply will not prosper if they fail to get the fundamentals right and meet the increased expectations of consumers on food hygiene and cleanliness.”

Hospitality operators who fail to maintain high food hygiene standards and cleanliness post-Covid have been warned they risk their businesses as consumers are less likely to give them a second chance.

The ‘one-strike and you’re out’ wake-up call follows new research from Food Alert and KAM Media into how people’s attitudes have changed since COVID-19 when deciding where to go out for a drink or meal or order food for delivery.

In their survey, nearly two in three consumers agreed that hospitality hygiene standards had become more important since the pandemic and 69% wanted to see hand sanitising stations become a permanent feature.

More than half also wanted hospitality venues to continue to have extreme hygiene measures evident, displayed, and transparent.

The top five considerations for choosing a venue were ranked as food quality, prices, cleanliness of venue, range of food and the Food Hygiene Rating (FHR). The FHR was third in importance when choosing a restaurant for a food delivery.

Food Hygiene Ratings should be visible in venues, said respondents, with 4 being the minimum standard that was considered acceptable, but with newly opened venues the majority expected a rating of 5. Some 49% of consumers had a ‘one strike and you’re out’ policy when it came to bad hygiene standards.

Consumers wrongly believed that venues were inspected for food hygiene standards every six weeks on average, yet the reality is that even annual inspections are being delayed.

Food Alert operations director Mike Williams said: “As we emerge from the pandemic it’s clear that consumer hygiene awareness has heightened and shows no sign of waning. Those venues that can prove they operate the highest levels of hygiene and food safety will be the ones to win trust and enjoy strong relationships with their customers and build sustainable businesses going forward.

“Our research shows that FHRs are decision makers – or breakers – for consumers and getting the scores on the door can be the difference between business success and failure.”

It was particularly relevant to the 18-34 year-old age group where they were 42% more likely to check Food Hygiene Ratings when visiting a hospitality venue than those in the 34-plus category. They were 84% more likely to check FHRs when ordering for delivery than those over 34 and they expected hospitality venues to be inspected more than twice as frequently as older consumers.

With this generation more likely to be ‘rating aware’ across various channels, from customer reviews to rating specific dishes, it gave venues an opportunity to use positive FHR scores to drive footfall. When ordering online, from Deliveroo and Just Eat for example, the FHR was more likely to be used as a sorting factor for venues above range of food and drink, delivery times and images of the food.

The independent research commissioned by Food Alert has been published in a white paper, Hygiene Matters – one strike and you’re out download at https://www.foodalert.com/consumer-report-hygiene-matters/

How Label Printers Keep Food Safety Standards High and Compliant Aaron Hopkinson, product and solutions manager for labelling at Brother UK, explains how technology is helping caterers and hospitality businesses to keep food safety standards high, while allowing kitchens to comply with new legislation.

Brother has delivered tailored solutions for the food service and hospitality sectors for many years. Our label printers make it easy to create labels for compliant allergen content, ingredients, barcodes, branding, pricing and expiry dates quickly and accurately, using thermal print technology without the need for inks or toners.

In October of 2021, the UK government changed the law surrounding how food allergens need to be labelled in certain instances for customers, meaning many caterers have had to adapt the way they do business.

More kitchens are adopting labelling technology like our TD range following the introduction of Natasha’s Law. But it’s true that they have a broader role to play in food safety.

Natasha’s Law requires that pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) food be clearly labelled with information on all potential allergens present and made to stand out so a customer can tell at a glance what they’re about to eat. Businesses that fail to comply risk a £5,000 fine, alongside the reputational damage that a serious allergen incident could create.

Portable label printers like the ones offered in Brother’s TD line of printers offer hyper-fast connectivity through a wireless platform without any extra clutter around the machine - perfect for food prep environments.

In research we conducted in 2020, around 90% of businesses were still handwriting 'day-dot' labels as part of their stock rotation. This involves manually recording open dates and discard dates on colour-coded labels, with each colour denoting a day of the week to signal when it must be used by. It’s a process prone to human error, where an efficient labelling solution can reduce the likeliness of mistakes involved with monitoring food and keeping consumers safe.

We’ve partnered with Nutritics, providing third party software to enhance user interfaces, making use of Nutritics database of more than 750,000 ingredients to manage recipe and menu information – helping staff to easily manage stock rotation and day-dot labelling.

Learn more about how labelling technology can be used to boost food safety standards here: https://www.brother.co.uk/business-solutions/mobile-print-and-label/food-labelling

Making every kWh count Our customers are faced with rising operational costs, particularly those in highly energy intensive industries that carry industrial refrigeration requirements.

will experience fluctuations in refrigeration use in line with their food and drink delivery schedules.

A typical commercial refrigerator uses around 70kWh a day, which for catering companies amounts to approximately 40% of the electricity typically consumed across all key appliances. It is easy to see just how much financial pressure is facing these businesses when the price of what is already their biggest overhead is growing exponentially.

There are some simple steps firms can take to boost energy efficiency performance in and around these flux periods. Let’s start by looking at times when demand for refrigeration is low. Here, a common example in recent times would be catering operations in buildings where occupation is lower than usual in light of increased home working.

These firms, like many others, are facing a huge problem. They are confronted with a dilemma of pursuing efficiencies to remain competitive and secure customers or passing on higher costs to clients which could result in losses in business.

Here, catering staff should re-evaluate their stock and delivery patterns to avoid unnecessarily full fridges, a move which will also cut down on waste and prevent food from spoiling. In some cases, refrigeration units may be able to be switched off entirely.

While efficiencies in many cases unfortunately translate into job losses and redundancies, it also means becoming savvier when it comes to energy consumption. Many are already headed down that path for sustainability purposes, but now energy efficiency has become an imperative simply in order to survive.

At the other end of the scale, there are times when demand for refrigeration spikes. These can include workers returning to offices, hospitals experiencing influxes of patients during winter months, and schools when pupils return from holiday periods – situations where overfilling fridges becomes a realistic possibility.

MANAGING PERIODS OF HIGH AND LOW DEMAND

Overfilled fridges consume more energy. To counter against this strain, caterers should utilise technological devices to measure and record temperature readings on a regular basis – we recommend at least every few hours.

A key area where efficiencies can be made is how firms deal with fluctuations in demand for refrigeration space.

Caterers often operate through periods of high and low refrigeration usage. For instance, schools and universities will store far less food during holiday periods, while event caterers will also encounter busy and quieter periods throughout the year depending on their bookings – think festive season spikes versus quiet months such as January. Other companies, meanwhile,

This, in line with keeping an inventory of what produce needs what amount of refrigeration, should help to limit cases where critical limits are reached. What’s more, by monitoring air and core temperature, caterers will also be able to utilise early alert systems which will prompt them to take action before problems arise.

Visit www.thermometer.co.uk for further details.

CIDER- “A CORE FAVOURITE”!

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this is evident in the success we’ve seen with cocktails since the sector reopened. There is a greater emphasis on sustainability and local/UK produce in the post Covid market, so the local nature of cider and sustainable credentials of home-grown ingredients should be communicated to consumers.”

PRE-PANDEMIC SNAPSHOT-OF THE TOP 10 CIDER CONSUMING COUNTRIES: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

The winter will be short, the summer long, The autumn amber-hued, sunny and hot, Tasting of cider and of scuppernong."

ELINOR WYLIE

CIDER SALES SET TO SOAR AS SUMMER APPROACHES It will come as no surprise that the appeal of cider is broader than ever and is probably the drink sector’s fastest moving category. Keeping up with trends in cider can sometimes prove to be a challenge even for the most experienced of operators, particularly since these past two years have been rather tumultuous to say the least to the hospitality and on-trade.

which as any operator will testify, played a pivotal role in helping hospitality businesses survive during the past 2 years.

John Gemmell, On Trade Category and Commercial Strategy Director at HEINEKEN UK says “Fuelled by the importance of outdoor space – 53% of people said they would be more likely to visit a pub with a beer garden, increasing to 67% among 25 to 34-year-olds – cider should absolutely have its day in the sun. Enjoying a crisp pint of apple cider or an over-ice flavoured cider in a pub garden will be a huge pull for customers returning to the on-trade.”

Cider has played a major role so far this year in driving sales in pubs bars and restaurants, not only with mainstream ciders, but also with the rise of fruit ciders and the increasing popularity of premium and craft ciders.

Overall, cider is worth £2.32 billion (an increase of 11%) and in Cider an total UK purchased almost 667 d is now w Perr y million litres of cider in 2021. In o 2.32 billi rth the on trade 1.153 billion was on to the spent on cider.

on trade

Playing an enormous part in driving sales in the on-trade, the choice of cider available now is astonishingly varied. From mainstream apple ciders to the fruit ranges and the increasingly popular premium and craft ciders.

According to the Westons Cider Report consumers continue to elevate their draft cider choice but share is moving from mainstream to premium brands. Prior to the pandemic mainstream category enjoyed 53.6% share of the total draft apple category however by January this year this had dropped to 52.2%. What is interesting is that crafted ciders are emerging as a strong category in the on trade with a vibrant mix of keg, back in the box, packaged, apple and fruit format.

All, the report says, underpinned with authenticity, provenance, quality ingredients and craftsmanship.

OUTDOOR SPACES Strong sales in cider are traditionally driven by good weather and sports events, with warmer weather and the prospect of another booming “staycation” season, we may see “standing room only” in beer gardens,

• • • • • • • •

A sociable get-together Special celebration Family occasion Drink after work Out on the pull/chatting up Having a laugh Bonding with others Spending some me time

FIRST FOR THE CIDER INDUSTRY A first for the cider industry, the unique Thatchers Fusion Font embraces world leading innovation and pioneering technology to bring the choice of three infused premium fruit flavoured ciders to the bar in one single font. Dispensed to offer customers the perfect pint of Thatchers Cider, the 3 in 1 Fusion Font brings craft and innovation together for great tasting, premium infused cider.

So, with spring here and summer approaching, now is a good time for operators to focus on their cider offer.

Furthermore, a GGA strategy study revealed that one sixth of on trade guests consume cider, generating an average annual revenue of up to £16,000 per pub which is more than red, white and rosé wines combined.

LOOKING BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC STUDIES THE NUMBER ONE CIDER DRINKING OCCASIONS AND MOTIVATIONS INCLUDED:

With tap space becoming increasingly competitive, Thatchers Cider has unveiled its new 3 in 1 Fusion Font, now available to on-trade operators.

The good news is that on-premises drinks sales are, according to CGA’s latest Drinks Recovery Tracker currently hovering just below pre-pandemic levels, consumer confidence has risen to its highest level since pre-Covid, and surprisingly older age groups it would appear of gaining the most in confidence.

According to Weston Cider’s 2022 cider report 70% of average consumers in Britain currently feel very or quite confident about visiting pubs bars and restaurants, and the 55+ age group the number was 63%, in the 35-54 age group percent and in the 18-2 for group it was 74%.

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A Lumina intelligence pub market report in 2021 also highlighted the importance of outdoor spaces, identifying outdoor space as a major driver for the sector.

Thatchers Cloudy Lemon is one of the three ciders to feature on the Fusion Font, making its appearance in the on-trade for the first time. It is accompanied by Thatchers Dark Berry, and a new flavour, Thatchers Blood Orange.

Prior to lockdown, the Thatchers Fusion Font was trialled in selected managed houses across the South West with Cloudy Lemon and Dark Berry flavours.

Rob Sandall, Thatchers On-Trade Director says, “This is an amazing innovation that brings together the biggest flavour trends in food and drink to the bar in one font – including Thatchers Cloudy Lemon which has taken the off-trade by storm since its launch in spring 2020. There it has grown to become the No 4 fruit cider brand in a short space of time, and now we’re delighted to be bringing it to the on-trade for the first time on draught.

“The Fusion Font also includes a brand new flavour, Thatchers Blood Orange, which is being launched into the take home trade this spring.”

Rob offers this insight to operators: “With half of all fruit cider in the on-trade sold on draught, this pioneering technology with Fusion Font opens up brand new theatre to the bar, allowing operators to tap into fresh opportunities and offer drinkers exciting experiences, such as cider cocktails.

“Customers will love the sensory experience of the Fusion Font, as the aroma of the freshly mixed infusion hits the glass.

“Meeting consumer expectations at the bar in an engaging way is so important. Three flavours in one font, from one keg and through one cooled line, brings with it a significant reduction in the need for glass bottles, resulting in less packaging waste, meaning when your customers choose a cider from Thatchers Fusion Font, they are making a sustainable choice.”

Currently 126 million litres of cider are served in the on-trade each year. 93 million litres are served as draught, and 39% is fruit cider. The Thatchers Fusion Font gives operators the chance to tap into this Draft important market, serving three represe cider nt new fruit flavoured ciders with of all c s 74% id the confidence they all come sold in er th with the quality of the Thatchers on trad e e name.

“We believe this ground-breaking development will transform how cider is enjoyed, revolutionising the category,” concludes Rob.

Rob Sandall on trade director of Thatchers adds: ”It’s no secret that outdoor space played a huge role for pubs post lockdown and, despite the easing of restrictions it’s clear this trend is here to say. Cider has a reputation for being a drink for warmer weather, but it also has strong links to sport and social events all year round. Presenting a great opportunity not only to drive footfall but also increase spend as customers treat themselves more to premium choices”

FOOD PAIRING

SUSTAINABILITY AND HOME GROWN INGREDIENTS Chris Stirling, client director at CGA says, “It’s been clear the last 2 years have left some indelible marks on the trade. One strong trend that has been sped up is the use of technology and digitalisation in venues. 46% of consumers in CGA's July 2021 Pulse stated that they would prefer to use technology to book, order and pay. A second important trend is localisation, as 70% of consumers are planning to work from home more, combined with 80% of consumers initially planning to visit venues within 20 minutes of travelling. This will give urban and neighbourhood pubs opportunities to capitalise on those after work social occasions.

“For cider, like a lot of categories, re-engaging with their customers will be crucial. We know the importance of the on trade in driving trial and creating brand loyalty, so looking to provide consumers with a premium experience with your brand will be important, as

One font, one line, three ciders.

With one font dispensing three ciders, from one keg and through one line, the 3 in 1 Fusion Font uses less cellar and bar space than three separate lines, meaning lower maintenance, less space and more choice.

“This is world leading innovation – a first for Thatchers and a first for the industry. We’re introducing a unique dispense system that will add to consumer experience at the bar,” says Martin Thatcher, fourth generation at the independent Somerset cider maker.

At the point of pour, the Thatchers Fusion Font infuses a micro measure of the selected fruit flavour into a pint of Thatchers premium apple cider, creating one of three freshly mixed ciders. As the cider is being dispensed through the Fusion Font it delivers a unique sensory experience of flavour and aroma.

Drinkers get the same expertly crafted apple cider, with a freshly-mixed infusion hitting the glass as one.

Almost 40% of cider sales in the on trade with food, and while the majority of cider sales are wet led occasions there is a massive opportunity for food pairing and having cider with meals. Jennie Dorsey, the Cider Association‘s pairing philosophy spokesperson, says that the only truly important part of pairing is to remember that if you like it, it works! “With that being said, there cannot really be rules on what will automatically pair well. Both food and beverages will have many nuances that can ultimately make an undesirable pairing,” she says. “But don’t be scared, there are guidelines that will help point you in the right direction, and then there is the fun part of trying them out!”

There are no rules when it comes to choosing which cider to go with a meal, but it can be useful to use these 3 guiding principles: 1. CUT: Use a cider that cleanses the palate, or helps to cut through richness 2. CONTRAST: Use a cider that provides an entirely different sensation to that offered by the food to create a balanced spectrum of flavours 3. COMPLEMENT: Use a cider that accentuates similar flavours in the food to bring them to the fore

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 28...)

CIDER- “A CORE FAVOURITE”!

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SHEPPY'S EMBRACE SUSTAINABILITY

4%. Made with traditional Somerset Redstreak apples, the cider is crisp and light with a notably refreshing fruity flavour that Sheppy’s is famed for.

Lower ABV innovations are more important than ever to maintain volume growth and keep drinkers interested in cider, which is why Sheppy’s wanted its Redstreak to sit at 4% ABV. The lower ABV makes it perfect for long lazy days in the sun and for enjoying at festivals and summer social occasions.

INCREASING SALES Sheppy’s is passionate about being environmentally friendly and ensures that the entire production process from orchard to bottle has sustainability front of mind. Alongside the sustainable initiatives on the Sheppy’s farm, which sees tree cuttings turned into flooring for the children’s playground, and pumice used for cattle feed, the cidermaker’s bag in a box format is of particular note. Made of 75% corrugated cardboard, the bag in a box packaging is fully recyclable and biodegradable and requires little water and energy to create. Set be a hero product as the UK heads towards the summer months, the often overlooked bag in a box format will likely be a popular choice at social gatherings this year thanks to its ability to serve large gatherings who may be congregating post-pandemic. As well as being a sustainable packaging option, bag in the box cider has the added benefit of being cost effective and keeping the cider fresher for longer. Sheppy’s offers both cider with fruit and more traditional ciders as part of its bag in box range, appealing to all drinkers across the sector.

SUMMER CIDER SALES SET TO SOAR Coinciding with the start of summer and the inevitable increase of fruit cider sales, Sheppy’s awardwinning Redstreak cider is a good option for those who enjoy something slightly sweeter but don’t want to go down the fruit cider route. Redstreak is a medium-sweet single variety cider with a modest ABV of

As one of the strongest performing categories the market is there, so now is the time to take a look on what you stock and how you promote it.

• A well-stocked bar has at least four to five different ales on, maybe three varieties of gin and rum and a well-stocked and varied bottle fridge, so make sure your offering a good selection of ciders, Apple and fruit, carbonated, still, sweet, dry, or a combination of the two in between.

• Cider also has a benefit compared to ales in that almost all companies will have bag in box versions of their range which means they can be placed behind or under the bar without having to commit to a dedicated line or having to replace one of your existing best sellers.

• Advertise and promote your ciders, obtain point of sale literature from your cider supplier, beer(cider) mats, bar runners and posters, A boards, portable bars which pay for themselves after a short period of time.

• To satisfy the growing demand for health-conscious consumers and those limiting their alcohol consumption consider stocking low and alcohol free ciders which are now increasingly available.

www.thatcherscider.co.uk www.sheppyscider.com

Heating Solutions

Prepping To Decarbonise most cost-effective answer to reducing energy consumption, reducing CO₂ and lowering long-term operational costs. The high-temperature demands of commercial hot water systems do however curtail the current generation of heat pumps as a singular response, with existing, poorly insulated buildings further reducing efficiencies. For this reason, you will need to consider more complex hybrid systems, or if on gas, look to solar thermal as a practical way to reduce energy use and decarbonise a building.

The government’s recently published Heat & Buildings Strategy aims to start guiding commercial operations towards reducing energy use by at least 20% by the end of this decade as the first step toward achieving net zero by 2050. Whether in new buildings or replacing existing ageing systems, new low-carbon heating sources will help provide substantial savings on energy bills as the industry recovers from the disruption caused by COVID-19 and also create more hygienic and safe working environments.

Currently, the government favours air source heat pump (ASHP) based applications as the simplest and

Faced with varied building stock and fluctuating user demands from showers, washbasins and kitchens, as well as complex space heating demands, applications will vary dramatically across each bespoke case, making decisions on decarbonisation all the more complex and difficult without specialist support. Consulting with Adveco’s expert sales and engineering staff can help you truly understand your needs, limitations, and the options best suited to your bespoke situation.

Talk to us about heat pumps, solar thermal and electric or gas water heating and get your decarbonisation plan on track. www.adveco.co

AHTIDAIKIN Heat Recovery Solutions • ENERGY PRICING IS AT HISTORICALLY HIGH LEVELS • CHOOSE AHT/DAIKIN AS YOUR STRATEGIC PARTNER • PREPARE FOR THE CHANGING COST OF ENERGY AHT/DAIKIN have leading edge energy saving solutions including fully heat recovered technology.

AHT/DAIKIN provide low GWP, high efficiency products.

The lowest GWP in the market (R290).

Our refrigeration systems can be used to power instore heating.

AHT Cooling Systems (UK) Ltd

Drastically reducing energy usage and providing up to 95% of all heating.

Email - info@aht.at

Phone - +44 1280 826 600

Issue 109

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The Source Roadshow Preview

Bringing the Best of the South West to Bristol’s Food & Drink Buyers This June

On Thursday 16th of June, the Source Roadshow will be bringing 150 exhibitors to Bristol's Ashton Gate Stadium, for one day only.

Hale Events has been organising food and drink trade shows in the South West for 15 years. Their Source food and drink trade show, which takes place each February in Exeter, has been running successfully for over 15 years, and this is the first time they are bringing it to Bristol.

“Bristol has a thriving independent food sector, with a focus on local, organic and ethical produce, so it’s perfect for us to connect more regional producers to. We want to help Bristol buyers try, taste and test even more of the best produce that the South West has to offer.” Mike Anderson, Managing Director. Hale Events.

“Trade shows offer a unique marketing medium in today’s digital world. Their face-to-face nature enables long-term trusting relationships to be built. They are engaging and in a market like food and drink, events like this are a great way to compare the competition.”

If you are buying food and drink, to reflect the everchanging needs of your customers, there is nothing quite like a face-to-face event for you to test, touch and taste and add value to your offering. Keep up with the latest developments and spot fresh opportunities.

Discover remarkable local products with fascinating provenance stories to tell and spend valuable time with passionate producers and knowledgeable suppliers face-

South West Labels

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

South West Labels are a supplier of labelling guns, thermal label printers & labels. We’re here for retail, industrial and manufacturing businesses. We’re independent, which means impartial recommendations combined with over 30 years experience in supplying these products.

The labelling gun market can be complicated. Many products are known by

to-face. Compare different flavours and textures, build relationships with new partners, catch up with colleagues, clients, and friends, as well as get a feel for the latest trends.

John Sheaves, Taste of the West’s Chief Executive said: “Taste of the West is absolutely delighted to support the new Source Roadshow in Bristol, being one of the key cities and therefore markets for high quality food and drink, in the Southwest. This is a truly exciting venture that takes quality, high integrity products right into the heart of Bristol, where producers will be able to share their knowledge and expertise with buyers from the city. For us having the Source trade show skills and expertise behind the venture provides us with great confidence”.

Alongside the exhibitors, the organisers are creating a Feature Space to allow visitors to relax and kick back in between checking out the latest food, drink, and business services on offer from the exhibitors. Bristol Robotics Laboratory will be showcasing one of their robots in the Feature Space too.

The Source Roadshow takes place on Thursday 16th June, from 10.00am to 6.00pm at Ashton Gate Stadium, Bristol. Visiting this show is free for trade buyers, who can register now, at bristol.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk.

Information about exhibiting at this show is available from James Curtis, or Paul Thomas on 01934 733433 or by emailing stands@hale-events.com. different names depending on their use. Labelling guns, price guns, pricing guns, label guns, coding guns and batch guns. Our range of products can meet all needs: Simple low use models, durable machines for industry.

A wide variety of specialist features including auto-incrementing guns for batch codes.

All equipment is supplied with a one year factory warranty and are designed to give years of reliable and effective service.

Visit us on stand B18 to view our products.

Bar Snacks

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for “Everyone I know is lookinagck” solace, hoMpeAIRaAnKdAaLMtaAstNy sn

- “Tapping into Consumer Cravings”

When it comes to satisfying customers in pubs and bars, competition is fierce and continues to grow! Post pandemic the message to operators is: “Tempt them back and persuade them to stay!”

It is therefore crucial for operators to always be on the lookout for ways to update their products and services accordingly and meet customers’ growing and changing demands.

Snacks provide a lucrative opportunity to increase sales and profit.

According to research from NPD group, out-of-home snacking pre- pandemic increased by 11% with pubs seeing the strongest growth with spend on snacks increasing by 28%.

A further pre-pandemic report by Kantar World Panel revealed that the value of sales for crisps, snacks and nuts in UK pubs and bars totalled over £24 million and with increasing 6% year-on-year.

So, what defines a snack? Not a difficult one, a snack is “a treat between meals”, something to curb your hunger, or even replace a meal if necessary. However, you see it, for most people snacking is a daily habit. And in many cases, one that is indulged several times a day, driving a huge demand for products to satisfy this insatiable consumer need, and want better place for a snack than a pub or bar!

Critical opportunity

Bagged snacks represent a critical opportunity for pubs and bars to drive their sales, says Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks “Increasing spend and tempting customers on drinks-only visits to trade up.

With social calendars filling up and several major sporting events coming up this year, there will be plenty of opportunities for pubs and bars to capitalise on snack sales.!

“52% of customers purchase snacks on impulse and pubs and bars can turn these impulse opportunities into incremental sales by stocking a range of best-selling snacks that are recognisable and trusted. Ensuring a core range is available and, importantly, visible to consumers is key to making the most of this opportunity.”

Pubs and bars can give themselves the best possible opportunity to maximise snacks sales by following a few simple tips, say Matt: Credibility: Stock a range of best-seller snacks and NPD to meet all your customer needs Consumers will be be looking for something new - from ‘hunger fill’ to ‘treat’ to ‘better for you’ Availability: Ensure your range is always available to purchase Visibility: Position your snacks with high visibility - 37% of customers purchase snacks because they noticed them while at the bar!

For decades, bar patrons have grown accustomed to snacking on traditional favourites such as salty nuts, crisps or pork scratching’s, as snack when they order drinks at the bar, however, in recent years compassions between some pubs and restaurants has become a “distinction without a difference”, with many operators of traditionally drinks-focused venues turning their hand to food. And so, it begs the question is there still a place for traditional bar snacks?

A Perspectus Global survey a year ago reveal that pork scratchings were still U.K.’s favourite pub snack dry roasted and salted peanuts ready salted and salt and vinegar crisps all in the top 5.

The “trendier” snacks trailed considerably, with olives coming in at 13 and was wasabi peas coming in at number 20.

Alcohol of course has a way of arousing our hunger pangs and also arousing flavours on the palate and making those delicate little snacks taste that little bit better whether you are drinking a mainstream or premium beer, a crisp chilled wine or a gin and tonic, snacks and alcohol complement each other exceptionally well.

Insight from KP Snacks revealed that the bagged snacks market outperformed other impulse categories including confectionary, soft drinks and biscuits, clearly demonstrating that operators have the opportunity to capitalise on demand and boost profits.

Advertisers Choice!

KP SNACKS portfolio is extensive. Tyrrells is an award winning hand cooked English crisp brand, while KP Nuts is the UK’s number one nut brand with 5 packs sold every minute in bars . Hula Hoops is ideal for a family audience, whilst popchips and POM-BEAR are brilliantly placed to capitalise on healthy snacking trends.

With five packs sold every minute in pubs and bars, KP Nuts is the UK’s number one nut brand . The KP Nuts portfolio includes a broad range of exciting flavours that cater to all tastes and occasions. KP Honey Roast peanuts compliment cream and red ales, bringing a delicious sweetness and subtle salt flavour. Meanwhile, KP Salted Peanuts create a perfect balance when matched with the malt character of a pale ale. Our KP Spicy Chili Peanuts make a thrilling combination with IPAs as the bitterness of an IPA acts as a cleanser for the lingering heat of these tasty nuts.

Our snack brand Tyrrells pairs exquisitely with a variety of beers and ciders to make a visit to a pub or bar feel like a more premium experience. As we welcome Spring, cider can be a more refreshing choice of drink. Our Tyrrells Mature Cheddar & Chive are the perfect pair for a dry cider for a full and rich taste experience. For a more dynamic combination, our Tyrrells Sweet Chilli and Red Pepper crisps can be paired with sweeter ciders based on dessert apples which cut through spice and savoury flavours for a delectable contrast.

KP Snacks has also invested in providing simple and relevant advice via its ‘Behind the Bar’ platform which offers category support and guidance to get snack sales moving for all types of outlets. This includes support and advice on what to stock, point of sale materials, and merchandising recommendations. Pubs and bars who want help getting snacks sales moving can contact KP Snacks at thebar@kpsnacks.com.

You will be pleased to hear the answer is a resounding YES, more than ever!

A Snacking Occasion Consumer Report by Technomic, again pre-pandemic, revealed that nearly half of consumers eat snacks between meals and as meal replacements. Customer dining habits have changed in considerably from the standard 3 meals a day routine. Today’s consumer has an on-the-go lifestyle and seeks out pubs and bars that fit in with that lifestyle. As consumers choose to eat between meals and want smaller portions of food, pubs and bars that provide this will stand out from the competition.

snacks over the last year. We know staff shortages have been an increasing problem in the hospitality sector since the pandemic with kitchens closing or offering limited opening times, which has led to an increase in the demand for easy to eat, bagged snacks across pubs and bars. All good landlords know how to please the customers and will have a good selection of ready snacks for every drink and every occasion. And simple ready to eat snacks work well! Bar snacks are quick, convenient and increase profits, keeping the customers content and encourage more drink sales. We are now seeing something of a renaissance for traditional snacks in the on trade sector with pork scratchings in particular”!

Generating Sales-Boosting Dwell Time “Conserving cash and maximising sales have never been more important to the on-trade! Bar Snacks offer a brilliant opportunity to increase sales through the ‘double whammy’ of generating incremental sales AND boosting dwell time. We know that less than 20% of people regularly buy a snack with a drink and the main reason for not doing so is ‘I just didn’t think about it’, explains Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto Group Ltd

Quick, tasty and convenient bar snacks are an easy temptation, a great way to increase profits, feeling hungry customers encouraging more drink sales, and often a talking point.

“Prompting a purchase by displaying snacks prominently and getting staff to offer them, can make all the difference. By not offering a range of premium snacks, pubs could be leaving money on the table as Smith explains, “Our research shows that most people either have no idea what they pay for pub snacks, or expect to pay over £1 a pack, so venues can easily make over 50p profit per pack. All it takes is for staff to ask “Do you want some snacks with your drinks?”

“Snacks also have the potential to increase sales of drinks. Pork scratchings are a great example. The perfect partner to cider, wine, and especially premium beers and lagers, their unique taste balances the sharpness and carbonation of some drinks, while the saltiness enhances the flavour and helps get your thirst on.” Matt added.

Limited Service Leads to Increased Demand

Robert Parkin, Founder of Robert’s Dorset, comments: “We’ve seen a real increase in demand for our bagged

ROBERTS OF DORSET offer fully recyclable bags for our Proper Pork Crackling which currently comes in two sizes, across all 11 flavours.

We also have four different offerings across our nuts range, Delicious Cashews, Yummy Peanuts, Keto Mixed Nuts, and 50 / 50 combinations, across 13 flavours. These are packaged in handy pouches, which are perfect for a multitude of businesses. Our Proper Pork Crackling is allergen free and keto friendly, and our Nuts are gluten free and vegan. For those looking for a sweeter option, make sure to check out our 16 flavours of Fabulous Fudge which is 100% British. Within the next month or so we’re launching something new which will be a huge gamechanger for so many great reasons, but more news on that later! (See page 3 for details.)

Pub consumers look for brands they can trust and it’s important to stock proven sellers! TAYTO has a range of award-winning snacks to suit every pub: – Mr. Porky Original Scratchings – the No 1 brand6 from the most recognised name in scratchings and a Great Taste award-winning scratching – Midland Snacks Traditional Scratchings – the No. 2 brand6 and our best-selling pubcard – is also a Great Taste award-winning hand cooked scratchings using a recipe that has stood the test of time – Mr. Porky Crispy Strips - a lighter bite, akin to crispy bacon rind, for those who want all the taste of a scratching but a less hard texture, and another Great Taste award-winner – REAL Hand Cooked Crisps – premium, award-winning, hospitality exclusive crisps with strong flavours and characterful packaging which really stands out and drives sales – Animal Adventures – vegetarian, gluten-free, no added nasties, animal-shaped fun snacks that kids love!

Given that snack sales increase by up to 80% when they are more visible, Tayto provides pubfocused solutions such as eyecatching pubcards for pork scratchings to be hung behind the bar and a range of FREE POS for REAL crisps - available at realcrisps.com/POS

thebar@kpsnacks.com www.realcrisps.com www.robertsdorset.com

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Cleaning and Hygiene

Pioneering Axiene Hygienic Door Handles Glana Ltd has developed the Axiene VH01 Clean Touch system to improve hygiene when multiple people touch the same surface. Axiene provides continuous active disinfection on the touch surface to reduce infection transmission risk.

The pioneering level of hygiene protection continually kills more than 99.999% of bacteria, including coronavirus, norovirus, MRSA and E-coli.

Unlike shot-per-use dispensers, the innovative design means that Axiene disinfectant lasts longer and so, in addition to improved protection, Axiene also reduces costs.

hand hygiene and infection risk reduction.

Broad spectrum protection is provided by the bespoke and certified Axiene fluid, a formulation approved by the WHO for hand sanitation in the fight against coronavirus. Being water-based, Axiene fluid safely provides ongoing active disinfection on the handle surface and a lingering disinfection on the hands.

Axiene VH01 is based on a standard pull-handle size, is straightforward to fit, can replace existing pull handles and as Axiene requires only simple maintenance, can easily be looked after by existing staff.

Independent lab results from trials at a university, an office complex, a primary school and several care homes consistently demonstrated that Axiene significantly surpasses international food & healthcare sector legislation for surface cleanliness. Results show that normal manual cleaning of a door handle can lead to bacteria growth of 24,000 times that found on the Axiene handle.

As Axiene fluid lasts longer than existing gel dispensers this offers a more sustainable hygiene solution with reduced waste and reduced fluid use and so Axiene makes good hygiene, economic and environmental sense for businesses looking to protect their staff or customers.

Continual protection and very low surface contamination makes Axiene a world leading product in offering user protection, improved

For further information and contact details please see www.axiene.com or email info@axiene.com

Infection Control - Why Rotowash?

Rotowash, one of the pioneers in the design and production of compact floor cleaning machines, was established in 1981 to distribute high quality industrial floor cleaning equipment, manufactured to BSI and similar International Standards by the Rotowash factory. We have a significant presence in both the private and public sectors with many businesses entrusting their cleaning regimes to Rotowash equipment.

In some establishments just the “appearance” of cleanliness can be sufficient, but cleaning is paramount and needs to be consistent and effective to ensure the possibility of infection is eradicated, or at least significantly reduced. The Rotowash system works exceptionally well on textured surfaces, such as safety flooring, tiles and carpets, and carries many endorsements from leading flooring manufacturers. The small footprint allows easy storage and the requirement to have only one machine to efficiently clean both hard flooring and carpeted floors reduces costs to labour, downtime, training, mainte-

nance and of course machine investment. Recognising the importance of infection control, we are also able to provide a full range of colour coded brushes that helps eliminate any fears of cross-contamination, enabling you to safely use the same machine throughout your facilities.

All our machines are extremely portable, easy to operate and clean after use and use up to 90% less water and chemical than other.

On-site training is available free for the life of the machine, and our own service engineers are available to carry out on-site maintenance across the UK. 020 884 74545 cleanfloors@rotowash.com www.rotowash.com

• • • • •

Infection Control Why Rotowash?

Cleans both carpets and hard floors Lightweight and dries as it cleans Easy to use with free operator training National support with on-site service Colour coded brushes helping to reduce cross contamination • Uses up to 90% less water & chemical • Made in Austria • 3 year warranty 020 884 74545

cleanfloors@rotowash.com ROTOWASH LTD

The Wireless Factory | Fleming Way | Isleworth | Middlesex | TW7 6DB

www.rotowash.com

Cleaning and Hygiene

Issue 109

CLH DIGITAL

What To Consider When Upgrading Washroom Dispensers There’s an old rule of thumb that if a restaurant toilet is clean, then it’s a safe bet that the kitchen will be too. Unfortunately the opposite is also true – if the restaurant operator won’t make the effort to keep floors and fixtures clean, how can diners trust that kitchen surfaces and cookware are hygienic?

So which areas should operators focus on in order to provide greater protection and improve user experience?

SOAP DISPENSERS Manual soap dispensers are often subject to heavyhanded usage, with levers repeatedly pumped with excessive force – particularly when product is running low.

For subsequent users, attempting to operate a broken or malfunctioning soap dispenser provides a frustrating, negative experience. This is why managers should ensure systems are robust enough to withstand heavy use and not choose to install poor-quality dispensers based on their low price.

PAPER DISPENSERS For washroom users, being confronted by an empty hand towel or toilet paper dispenser may be frustrating, inconvenient or even embarrassing, so it’s essential that these remain well stocked at all times. Double-roll toilet paper dispensers can help achieve this, while a simple viewing window allows product level to be easily monitored.

TOUCHLESS SYSTEMS Moving away from manual dispensers and upgrading to automatic, touch-free systems means users’ hands do not need to contact any part of the unit, providing protection and reassurance while improving infection control.

The majority of touchless systems operate on batteries, with the drawback that regular service visits are required to ensure systems do not run out of power and be left out of service. However, mains-powered systems are now entering the market, which removes this common problem and ensures soap or sanitizer is available on demand.

Visit www.seko.com for details.

OptiClean Rapidly Reduces Levels of Virus-sized Airborne Particles Carrier's OptiClean™ air cleaner for hotels, restaurants and pubs is proven to rapidly reduce levels of ultra-fine, virus-sized particles in the air.

Research carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) demonstrated that OptiClean cuts levels of airborne particles in the critical size range (up to 1 m diameter), covering viruses and virus-containing droplets, by around two thirds in just 30 minutes.

The results also show OptiClean is as effective when located in the corner of a room as at the centre.

Matthew Maleki, the company’s air quality specialist, said: "These independent findings demonstrate that OptiClean effectively targets ultrafine virus-sized airborne particles and can be installed in hospitality settings as part of a risk reduction strategy.”

OptiClean is part of Carrier's Healthy Buildings Programme, a suite of advanced solutions to help deliver healthy, safe, efficient and productive indoor environments.

In the US, where OptiClean was introduced first, the device was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best

Inventions of 2020. In the UK it was selected as Air Conditioning Innovation of the Year in the Cooling Industry Awards.

OptiClean uses a highly effective High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter, which operates with an efficiency rating of up to 99.995% at the most penetrating particle size.

To broaden protection, OptiClean comes with optional internal UV-C lamps to target pathogens on surfaces within the unit and activated charcoal filters to reduce odours and absorb Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

The unit is easy and quick to deploy, with smooth-running castors enabling it to be moved rapidly to areas requiring treatment.

Matthew Maleki said: “Good air quality is as important as safe drinking water. With people now returning to pubs and restaurants, OptiClean offers owners and managers a practical and visible means of reassuring customers and staff and supporting premises."

For more details: www.carrier.com/commercial/en/uk/products/airtreatment/air-scrubber/39uv/

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

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Cleaning and Hygiene Introducing A Sustainable Cleaning Regime At Cedar Court Four-star luxury hotel group Cedar Court has sites located across Yorkshire. At the beginning of the pandemic the group’s managing director, Wayne Topley, was looking to find new solutions to protect customers and staff against COVID-19, while also improving the cleaning regime for over 500 bedrooms and reducing environmental impact. Topley approached Spectrum Cleaning Solutions to find out what could be done.

Jo Thompson, Spectrum’s MD, introduced Cedar to the sustainable range of Toucan Eco products, which produce an effective disinfectant cleaner from tap water, normal salt and electrochemical activation. She explained: “Toucan Eco removes the need for the majority of your synthetical cleaning chemicals, along with the plastic bottles these solutions are supplied in, replacing them with a powerful, safe and non-toxic solution that’s certified to EN 14476 and EN 16777 for viruses and EN 1276 and EN 13697 for bacteria.

“It’s been great to provide the cleaning teams at Cedar Court with such an effective solution as Toucan Eco. During the early stages of the pandemic, when

surface sanitisers were in short supply, Cedar Court’s investment really paid dividends, especially as they didn’t need to rely on a stretched supply chain – they could simply make their own disinfectant cleaner on-site and on demand.”

The hotel group installed one of two models, Toucan Eco Active or Toucan Eco Active Plus, at each site depending on individual site requirements. Toucan Eco Active makes 10 litres in 15 minutes, while Toucan Eco Active Plus comes with spray bottle and hose dispensing system and takes 45 minutes to make 20 litres from the spray dispenser and 30 litres from the hose dispenser.

Wayne Topley said: “I truly believe Toucan Eco is the future of eco-friendly cleaning. It’s so simple to use, effective and it’s led by science – it really is a new way of working. Over the last 12 months our cleaning chemical costs have reduced by 75% and the initial investment has already been returned. More importantly though, I know my teams are using a safe and effective sustainable product in all areas of the business.”

For more information visit www.toucaneco.co.uk

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT

www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS

Chef's Buyer's Guide Katana Saya is the Universal Knife Brand of our Times, Encompassing the Very Best of our Different Cultures and Traditions The Katana was the prized sword of the Samurai with its extra sharp blade fashioned from folded steel. The blades of our knives are similarly crafted from 67 layers of Japanese VG-10 Damascus Steel.

The comprehensive collection evolves from its Eastern traditions to Western culinary classics.

Comprised of 16 essential knives and additional accessories including whetstones, sharpening steels & carving sets, Katana Saya offers all that any chef could need.

For Japanese traditionalists, we present the traditional Japanese style knives with traditional Wooden Saya, to match the knife handles. For those of a more Westernised nature, we have adapted the series to represent all the popular Western style blades and provide a more modern and practical storage and safety solution, with a real leather sheath.

Furthermore, each of our Katana Saya Knives comes complete with a durable wooden presentation case. Whilst offering additional protection, the case provides the perfect gift for someone in your life who loves to cook!

The handles of our Katana Saya knives offer a fur-

ther choice. They are all crafted from the finest wooden material in the traditional chestnut shape to give a safe grip and perfect balance. You may choose either the traditional dark Pakkawood handles, or the light Olive Wood handle alternative.

So… Old, New, East, West, you choose whatever’s best for You! Our knives are available through selected stockists.

For more information, and to view the complete collection you can visit our partner Knives From Japan at their website www.knivesfromjapan.co.uk or pay a visit to our showroom, SANTOKU at 100 Great Portland Street, London.

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Lancashire Supplier Brings Edible Print to the Food Service Market Established UK based bakery business Eat My Logo has set its sights on the UK foodservice industry after high demand for their products in 2021. The company specialises in bespoke fully finished cake, biscuit and chocolate products, all printed with company branding or themed images.

The award-winning business has supplied bespoke products to UK businesses big and small since 2014. Work has now been carried out with some key catering and hospitality businesses to bring new and exciting options to market.

There has been demand for bakery treats decorated with a company logo or themed image for several years, with catering businesses looking to offer their clients unique products for celebrations, staff engagement, awareness days, and events.

The businesses core range includes frosted cupcakes, biscuits, brownies along with more unique options such as cake jars and cake pops. Also available is a range of printed toppers, for use by chefs on their own creations. As part of their launch, the business has developed a website and brochures for industry professionals

from chefs to buyers and business owners.

Business Development Manager Daniel Clarke commented that ‘having spoken to dozens of catering and hospitality businesses we know that time, staff and resources can be a limitation at times, so we’re offering an easy way to provide themed or logo branded solutions at the right price for end-clients. Offering themed or branded solutions can make all the difference to your client’s event, awareness day, celebration or reward’, and could enhance your proposition and generate additional revenues.’

Eat My Logo is an innovative supplier of sweet treats, decorated with a themed image or company Logos.

Established in 2014, we work with catering and hospitality businesses to offer their clients unique products for celebrations, staff engagement, events and conferences. We specialise in irresistible cakes, biscuits and chocolates.

Contact: Eat My Logo Limited Phone: 01772 273137 Email: catering@eatmylogo.co.uk Website: www.eatmylogo.catering See the advert on page 39.

Riso Gallo - Sensationally Sustainable! Plant Purity from Glebe Farm Foods

Riso Gallo is the first international rice brand to have produced its rice from sustainable agriculture, making their premium best-selling risotto completely sustainable from field to fork!

Established in 1856, Riso Gallo is the oldest Risotto rice producer in Italy and has been delivering its premium rice to consumers around the world for over six generations.

Known to many as Italy’s first choice, Riso Gallo is one of the longest surviving rice companies in Italy and is still growing. A family run business, it is now in it’s 6th generation.

The company has uniquely created its own Circular Economy within it’s rice production, collaborating with innovative startups to give new life to the by-products of the rice mill which produces the delicious range of rices of the Riso Gallo Brand.

Rice House is an Italian initiative in which the secondary materials in rice cultivation are used to build

ethical houses.

Rice by-products are even used by Mogu in a range of designer furniture production.

The Albini Group to develop a process of ‘Off the Grain’ dye for fabric. When the Nero (black) rice is processed for the food industry, the by product of the deep grape coloured water is used as a natural dye.

All Riso Gallo plastic vacuum packaging is now suitable for recycling, following the launch of a new eco-sustainable, low environmental impact plastic. Riso Gallo are the first company to adopt this sustainable packaging. The Gallo Risotto Traditional, Arborio, Carnaroli, and the Carnaroli Rustico are now in packs using FSC certified cardboard outer to protect the grains.

Riso Gallo is committed to reducing and monitoring greenhouse emissions and uses energy from renewable certified resources. www.risogallo.co.uk

We’ve all seen a significant increase in demand for plantbased dietary alternatives – and now every good business wants to ensure they can offer a variety of options to suit every need.

Milk alternatives have made a big splash everywhere recently – with oat, almond, rice, pea, hemp, soya, coconut, and potato all being options to traditional dairy. Out of these, oat is widely seen as the most popular in the UK, having overtaken soya in the last few years.

Oats are a natural superfood, rich in vitamins, minerals, and soluble fibre. They are also naturally gluten free – but only when they are completely pure. Most commercial oats are processed in facilities that also process wheat, barley, and rye. This opens them up to cross-contamination, making them unsuitable for consumers who suffer with gluten allergies and intolerances (such as Coeliacs). However, all Glebe Farm Foods oats are milled on a dedicated gluten free farm.

This then ensures 100% complete oat purity and no cross-contamination.

Glebe Farm Foods is the leading gluten-free oat grower and manufacturer in Europe – with all oats being grown right here in the UK on an independent family-run Cambridgeshire farm. So, all the oats that go into making their PureOaty oat milk (as well as their porridge oats, oat flour and cereals) have far fewer miles to travel from farm to fork or seed to shelf. Their farm also utilises solar panels and biomass generators for renewable energy, and they have won awards for their excellence in sustainable business practice.

Buying local produce, supporting British farmers, and choosing the companies who care about their carbon footprint are all effective ways to showcase the ethics of your own business – and reflect what modern consumers are looking for. Good choice, good taste, good values!

Visit www.glebefarmfoods.co.uk for details.

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It's Time To Get Real

LittlePod’s responsibly-sourced product range includes our innovative, easy-to-use natural vanilla paste Are you squeezed for time? Why not try our quality and organic vanilla Vanilla Bean Paste in a tube. pods, as well as our It has been specially created to provide top-quality extracts of vanilla, vanilla in an easy and versatile form, with no wastage and coffee and chocoless flavour bake-off. Each tube has a two-year shelf life late. These ingrediand contains the equivalent of 20 pods, seeds and all. ents not only Put it in coffee, porridge, smoothies and ice cream, rub support each other in the rainforest, but it into meats like duck and pork, use it in your cakes and bakes, or as a marinade for fish! Sweet and savoury are also perfect alike, LittlePod products are gluten free, suitable for veg- flavour partners in the kitchen. ans and kosher certified.

Visit www.littlepod.co.uk

Denhay Direct

The West Country is renowned for making the finest produce, and Denhay certainly enhance that reputation. They have been crafting bacon for almost 30 years, developing the Denhay method and their own special cure. Conceived at Denhay Farms, founded by the Streatfeilds and the Hoods in the Devon Hills 70 years ago, pig farming and bacon was initially a byproduct of the dairy farm and sold only to local outlets. From these small beginnings, the excellence of their hand dry cured produce has resulted in Denhay bacon being available across the UK in multiple retail outlets such as Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Ocado and now Amazon Fresh.

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Denhay Direct has recently been created to supply the catering industry’s need for high quality product and already has many clients, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons among them.

All Denhay’s bacon is created using the best outdoor bred pork, raised to high welfare standards at RSPCA approved farms. Their expert curers hand rub each loin and belly to carefully apply the cure and then allow them to slowly mature drawing out the bacon’s exquisite taste.

Longtime holders of a Royal Warrant and winners of over 100 awards for taste and quality, Denhay bacon has been a consistent winner of Great Taste Awards and recently won Gold for Taste of the West.

The Denhay Direct range includes smoked and unsmoked variants of back and streaky bacon including a special thin cut Smoked Streaky, all available in multiples of 1kg packs. The ordering is simply done online or by phone and delivery is quick and reliable. As Chris Lamper, Denhay Direct’s Foodservice and Wholesale Account Manager, says “Today’s consumers are becoming more and more discerning. The hospitality sector in particular needs good quality product with quick and reliable service. When it comes to bacon, we can provide both.”

Visit direct.denhay.co.uk or see the advert below for details.

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Good Food Express Ltd Good Food Express Limited is a multi award winning Company based in the heart of Yorkshire producing Sausages, Burgers, Meatballs, High Welfare Chorizo and Salamis, and a range of Meat Free products under our Herbivore brand.

With over 40 years combined experience within the meat industry, our handson Directors have built up a reputation for producing top quality and innovative products for the UK and Export markets.

Our key brands include The British Premium Sausage Company, The Bath Pig & Herbivore.

The British Premium Sausage Company is the Sausage and Burger manufacturing division of GFE, producing multi award winning Sausages, Burgers and Meatballs.

With the Bath Pig we believe that we can deliver

British charcuterie that’s tastier, more sophisticated and at similar price to those imported from lower welfare European suppliers.

Herbivore dining options include our plant-based burgers, meatless balls, meatless sausage non-meat and hot-dogs are a fantastic alternative to their meat-based cousins.

They look like meat, cook like meat and have the texture of meat, but are entirely meat-free. It means you can enjoy a classic burger, hot dog or bangers ‘n’ mash experience while remaining strictly herbivore.

Good Food Express Limited is a multi award winning Company based in the heart of Yorkshire producing Sausages, Burgers, Meatballs, High Welfare Chorizo and Salamis, and a range of Meat Free products under our Herbivore brand.

For further information and to order see the websites at www.britishpremiumsausages.co.uk, www.thebathpig.com and www.herbivore.co

GLOBAL Knives Need Little Introduction The Komin Yamada design has become a true icon. Hand crafted in Japan for over 35 years using the best raw materials available.

Like the samurai swords before them, each knife is carefully weighted to ensure perfect feel and balance in the hand.

In 2021 Global knives was awarded The Icon Award at the prestigious Excellence in Housewares Awards, solidifying Global’s truly iconic status.

It is this iconic status along with unfailing quality that has drawn the attention and trust of some of the world’s most renowned and exceptional chefs. Global have established a long-standing relationship with the legendary Roux family as a key supporter of the prestigious Roux Scholarship since its inception in 1984.

Michel Roux Jr’s signature range has been popular amongst professional chefs and keen amateur cooks

alike. Personally curated from the GLOBAL classic collection and stamped with the Michel Roux Jr signature, emblemizing the relationship between Roux and Global.

Here we offer a selection of three carefully selected knife sets ideal for chefs. Whether you choose the 3 Piece, 6 Piece or 9 Piece there really is the perfect tool for any kitchen task.

This tremendous offer is only available for a limited time, so do not hesitate in taking the chance to own one of these fabulous knife sets.

This offer is available online exclusively through our partner website, Knives From Japan www.knivesfromjapan.co.uk but you can also visit us in our London showroom, SANTOKU at 100 Great Portland Street.

www.britishpremiumsausages.co.uk www.thebathpig.com www.herbivore.co

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Diageo Provides £2.4m To Transform Pubs and Bars Outdoor Sports Gardens Diageo, maker of GUINNESS, is offering the opportunity for pubs, restaurants and bars to transform their outdoor sports areas through the latest phase of the Raising the Bar £30m initiative. The programme launched in 2020 and has supported over 30,000 outlets over the last two years.

Diageo is providing £2.4m to help provide safe and comfortable outdoors spaces to outlets who have struggled to host guests outdoors over the past 18 months. Outlets can apply for the scheme on Diageo One now.

With sporting focused venues in GB recovering behind the rest of the market, the latest support from Raising the Bar will offer successful outlets a variety of options to maximise their outdoor spaces, including stretch tents/awning, timber cladded walls, standalone bars, outdoor seating, external lighting and more.

Catharina von Franck, Commercial Director, On Trade, comments: “Prepandemic, 54% of consumers in GB watched live sports in the on trade and we anticipate a growing demand for these in-venue sporting moments once more. The Raising the Bar team continue to look at ways to support the on trade and we look forward to seeing how we can help transform those outdoor sporting spaces not only to help businesses, but also to create amazing experiences for consumers.”

To apply for support, licensees simply need to fill out a questionnaire on www.diageo-one.com by the 30th April 2022. Successful outlets will be selected by a non-commercial board from Diageo and will hear from the Raising the Bar team in May, with installations taking place across May and June. The criteria for outlets to apply is split into four stages; outlet details for validation, understanding size and scale of the venue, assessing the need of venue for support and assessing outlet viability for install. Outlets will also have the opportunity to elaborate within the questionnaire how the pandemic has affected their ability to showcase live sports in their venue.

Since launching in 2020, Raising the Bar has invested £30m in targeted support and has worked with 30,000 outlets in GB to provide 1million litres of hand sanitiser, 15,000 PPE kits, 600 mobile bars, 150,000 parasols and over 30,000 hand sanitiser dispenser stations. To help bars, pubs and restaurants operate safely and securely, Diageo also offers free access to digital training and practical support through Diageo One. For further information on receiving support, operators can head to www.diageo-one.com or reach out to their Diageo representative

Cinders ‘Classic’ Barbecue Continues To Exceed Customers’ Expectations The Cinders ‘Classic’ barbecue has exceeded customers’ expectations for decades, due to its unique, patented design. It easily cooks 1000 burgers in one session but being a true workhorse is not its only selling point. Robust, reliable and low-maintenance are just three adjectives to describe a barbecue whose repair costs are typically non-existent over long periods, generating a healthy ROI for many years.

The Cinders ‘Classic’ comes as a six-foot long double grill (TG160), or a half-sized single grill (SG80), with both running on LPG and offering incredible food output for the price of the energy used. The user-friendly grills are easy-to-light and powerful, getting up to temperature in around five minutes, to quickly feed a queue or facilitate an impromptu pop-up

barbecue if great weather arrives.

Cinders’ production values are impressive - not only offering a warranty for commercial use, unlike cheap imported barbecues, but also built to ISO 9001:2015 standards.

The barbecues have internal self-cleaning too, removing the odious chore of post-barbecue clean-down. The grill merely needs to be left running for a few minutes to burn off residue, which is then brushed away or ejected. Once cool, the Classic can be folded down and easily stored away.

Discover more at www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk or call 01524 262900.

SPECIAL OFFER Buy 11 get 1 FREE!

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Make Sure You're Ready for National BBQ Week foods made from premium ingredients is here to stay, and the lure of global cuisines has been steadily building – especially as travel has been off the cards for some time. We have become a nation of foodies with a keen curiosity for new flavours, and our younger, digitally driven, generation have embraced better food offerings, showing interest for regional specialities that not only taste good, but are also produced with care and preferably instagrammable too!”

National BBQ Week is set to take place over 4th – 10th July this year, figures from the event website show that ‘the overall BBQ and alfresco eating and entertaining market in 2020 was worth just over £1.7 billion’ and ‘24% of us Brits now have BBQ’s during the Spring, with a record 11 million BBQ’s being held over the 2020 Easter holidays during Covid lockdown and a further 5% claiming to BBQ all year-round.’

Working closely with customers to ensure their needs are met exactly and providing reliable and prompt delivery, The Sausage Man prides itself on supplying the very best produce; a choice selection of premium meats and sausages are imported weekly from award-winning butchers across Germany to ensure optimum quality.

Sausages are a well-loved BBQ choice, and a barbecue wouldn’t be complete without the tantalising aroma of sizzling sausages over the coals!

The Sausage Man offers perfect outdoor entertaining food options and is famed for its varied range of gourmet German sausages and comprehensive selection of complementary goods from bakery, sauces, sides and accessories to complete the barbecue offer.

Charles Coleman, Sales Director at The Sausage Man says, “Industry research has revealed sausages have soared in sales and are a favourite choice.”

Research from Mintel* shows ‘sales of processed meat products, including processed poultry and red meat main meal components have skyrocketed by 18% during 2020 and are estimated to be worth £3.7 billion.

Breakfast and barbecue favourites, bacon (+18%), sausages (+20%) and burgers (+26%), all benefited from the rise in scratch cooking and a shift towards eating at home’.

Charles adds, “Consumer desire for artisan quality

Monster Mesh Monster Mesh is a leading events and construction branding company, specialising in supplying large format printed products.

We specialise in large format full colour and dye sublimation printing for weather resistance, strength and durability. Our top-quality products match the service you should expect, and we supply direct to brand owners, event management, construction, and signage companies.

We can provide a range of custom designed and printed products for HERAS fence covers, PVC and ACM Hoarding panels, PVC and mesh banners, and large scale scaffold wraps. We have been in operation

Choose from favourites such as Bratwurst, Frankfurter or Halal Turkey, alongside a Gourmet collection featuring Wagyu Beef, Iberico Pork and Black Angus for the true sausage connoisseur.

For the ultimate in convenience all sausages and meats are pre-cooked, delivered frozen, and are quick to serve. Apart from the vegan sausage options, all other sausages are gluten-free. *Mintel ‘Temporary Slowdown In Meat Reduction Trend As Processed Meat Sales Boom’ Jan 2021

To find out more about our products visit https://wholesale.sausageman.co.uk

for 4 years now, continually growing year on year thanks to both new and return clients.

At Monster Mesh we agree that your brand needs to generate the right impact. Getting an eye-catching design is the most important when displaying your banner amongst others, so at Monster Mesh we offer a complete inhouse design service. Most of the time this is a free service where our team of designers will take your logo and a brief sample of text to create your individual design. Throughout our years of experience in large format design, we have learnt several ways to produce the impression you desire.

The majority of our products include free delivery and typical lead times are just 7 working days, with some products available through our 5-day express service.

To find out more, please visit www.monster-mesh.co.uk.

Country Benches - High Quality Benches Country Benches is run by a vastly experienced and time served tradesman who has been serving in the trade for over 25 years. The business was started 15 years ago and we have provided our services independently ever since. In this time he has developed the business into being family run, amassed a loyal customer base and welcomes new customers on a regular basis.

Country Benches creates high quality benches, picnic benches and garden furniture. We only work with the best quality of wood to bring you the highest standards of benches and garden furniture. Country Benches can create benches to exact specifications as well as offering a large variety of standard design garden furniture. Call Country Benches to see what we can do for you.

Although based in Bedfordshire we cover the whole of the United Kingdom on trade offers. Country Benches is also pleased to be able to offer you a delivery service for smaller orders with a delivery cost. In addition to this, Country Benches can offer you these prices much cheaper than our competitors.

Our services are great value for money and are of the absolute best quality.

All our products are built to order and delivered within seven days and we also operate a "payment on delivery" basis. So contact us today so that we can build your order to your exact specifications.

For details call 07446 101657 or email countrybenchesltd@aol.com

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Play Facilities Attract Customers and Encourage Repeat Visitors HAGS offer the opportunity for children to explore and be imaginative through the world of play. With a huge range of playground equipment, the creative opportunities are unlimited and provide play areas for children of all ages and abilities. HAGS playground equipment can keep children entertained for hours with a variety of inclusive features. Each playground HAGS makes is designed specifically to suit the needs of each individual client and to suit the needs of your customers.

By installing a play area in your restaurant, customers will stay longer and spend more as they enjoy spending time with each other. Play areas allow everyone to be happy, as the kids can go and interact with each other, and adults can relax whilst knowing that their children are entertaining themselves through play and exercise in a safe space. Relaxed families will spend hours at your restaurants, especially knowing that their kids are enjoying themselves and having a good time.

As we approach the Easter holidays, most families will be looking to set off on a mini holiday or go out to family dinners where they can spend time togeth-

er, as well as have time for themselves. Having a playground area set up on your business allows the kids to have some fun whilst the adults enjoy the scenery and ambience of your restaurant. After having a wonderful and relaxed experience at your business, a HAGS playground is guaranteed to keep those customers coming back!

For further information Tel: 0845 2601655, E-mail: sales@hags.co.uk or visit www.hags.co.uk

Add A Taste of Sunshine to Your Barbecues level of heat, suitable for most palates, so the complex flavours don’t get lost or hidden by the chilli.

Tasty, handcrafted and made in small batches in the UK using fresh ingredients only our highly versatile sauce is great for using as an ingredient for marinading etc. but also straight out the bottle as a dipping or pouring sauce. It’s a perfect accompaniment for any barbecued or grilled food.

"Sun on a Beach” sauce from Spirit of Aloha 65 is just the thing to add that tropical, spicy, summer flavour to any meal. Inspired by and using many of the same all-natural ingredients as Spirit of Aloha 65’s tropical spirit, our sauce is made from roasted pineapples, ginger, and a handful of other tropical spices including scotch bonnet chilli to give it a comfortable

Vegan, gluten-free and all-natural, Aloha 65 “Sun on a Beach” must be tried.

Try something out of the blue.

For more information or a sample bottle please contact aloha@aloha65.com

Awning for Large Areas THE “PERGOLA STRETCH” OFFERS ALL-ROUND WEATHER PROTECTION cover in similar fashion to a roof festoon. LED light provides beautiful lighting in the evening and radiant heaters guarantee a cozy atmosphere. The light and heat options can be controlled individually in multiunit systems. In order to be able to sit dry under the awning, waterproof and highly flame-retardant fabrics are used. It is also possible to combine the awning with vertical or side awnings for privacy and wind protection. 200 words

photo: markilux.

For further information, please visit: www.markilux-project.com

Manufacturer markilux has brought another “pergola awning” onto the market. A “stretch” version. The toothed belt-driven operating system makes it possible to offer even larger sizes. The use of waterproof fabrics protects reliably against rain as well.

The “pergola stretch” from markilux offers suitable protection against both sun and rain. The hospitality sector in particular benefits from this as the system creates an area in the open air where guests can sit at almost any time of the day or year. The awning also impresses with its dimensions: Up to 175 square meters can be covered by this astonishing awning model.

Transverse profiles, which move up and down the lateral guide tracks, extend and retract the awning

photo: markilux.

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Outdoor Leisure Stylish Luxury Gazebos From White Pavilion Hi, I'm Tim Burdekin, and I've designed and built the White Pavilion Garden Gazebo to be your perfect, allweather gazebo for all the seasons.

I designed the White Pavilion Garden Gazebo range to be combined with a variety of lighting, heating, coloured canopies and side screen options to help create the perfect gazebo for your outdoor space, garden, patio or hot tub area. They're 100% waterproof and designed to withstand the very worst the British weather can throw at them. And they're guaranteed to survive 100 Mph Winds - see 100 Mph Windproof.

Your gazebo choice doesn't get better than this.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to get in touch. Give our team a call - 01653 695 285 or visit www.whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk We're here to help you get the very best from your outdoors.

Our stylish hospitality gazebos Generate More Income from your outdoor space. Keeping your customers comfortable outdoors, the more time they will spend with you…. which means more money they will spend with you.

A White Pavilion Gazebo gives 100% Waterproof Protection...100 Mph Windproof Guaranteed...100% Sun Protection......and comes with a 5 Year Guarantee -

Café Culture - Pavement Profit We are an independent supplier serving the outdoor restaurant trade with supplies for outdoor seating areas. We have some large clients including Gondola group along with many smaller cafe bars, restaurants and public houses.

We design and manufacturer our own windbreaks and use the best materials available. For anyone looking long term that saves you money as you won’t be replacing cheap internet imports next season. It’s one area where it doesn’t pay to buy budget as the continual bumps and scrapes

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outdoor goods receive combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job.

We also supply Markilux awning which are some of the best made in the industry and Uhlmann parasols another top rated German brand.

Bespoke goods are also a speciality with custom made menu holders, waiter stations and planters all to you requirement. If we can help you do drop a line to sales@cafeculture.biz

Geodesic Domes We have been custom-designing temporary and permanent structures including geodesic domes for more than 30 years but it is apparent that these flexible, portable buildings in particular are really gaining momentum right now, at a time when businesses in all areas are becoming more eco-conscious.

These unique spaces we create are flexible and just as suitable for warehousing or agricultural applications as they are for greenhouses, corporate events, festivals, glamping and even residential homes. Aesthetically, they have the wow factor and their shape makes them incredibly lightweight but this masks a considerable strength and durability that can withstand even the most severe weather conditions.

Quick to deploy, the range of anchoring options means we can install them almost any-

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where and the fabric covers can be easily changed so are fit for purpose at a trade fair one week and hosting a music festival concert the next.

Available in spans ranging from 5m to 37m, our geodesic domes can be fully branded with graphics and/or logos printed onto the fabric cover and come with bespoke options on windows, doors, exposed framework, interconnecting zips, as well as heating and cooling systems. The low surface-to-volume area means that up to 30% less energy is required to heat and cool the interior. Their shape ensures they insulate efficiently, promote better air circulation and keep temperatures even throughout the structure. It’s no wonder their popularity is on the rise.

However, aside from the eco credentials, there’s no question that whatever the domes are being used and re-used for, they always look impressive and deliver a memorable experience.

For a site visit or quick quote: call us on 01380 830 697, email sales@coprisystems.com or visit www.coprisystems.com

New Ranges from LeisureBench LeisureBench Limited is one of the UK’s leading suppliers and installers of commercial quality outdoor furniture.

The Company has built its reputation on outdoor products offering excellent value for money, with many years experience in meeting the needs of the hotel, pub and hospitality sectors and are heavily investing in manufacturing and finishes.

OUTDOOR FURNITURE Wooden round and A Frame picnic tables, in a number of styles and sizes, brings style, comfort and practicality to your outside space, as do their teak and pine range of benches.

The classy collection of Rattan dining sets, chairs and sofas will add a touch of luxury, comfort and elegance.

Teak, Hardwood, metal furniture, table tops and bases,

gazebos, outdoor buildings, parasols and planters etc. can all be viewed in a range of styles on the LeisureBench website.

RECYCLED PLASTIC FURNITURE LeisureBench has put in place a substantial ongoing investment to manufacture their own environmentally friendly furniture in their own factory, using 100% UK recycled plastic materials, that is available now!

The range includes benches and a wide variety of picnic tables in both ‘A’ Frame and 8- seat square designs in a choice of colours. They will all be hardwearing, easy to maintain, and a strong powder coated underframe will guarantee them for a minimum of 15 years.

Website:www.leisurebench.co.uk E: sales@leisurebench.co.uk Tel: 01949 862920

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lnvicta Catering Repair Ltd lnvicta Catering Repair Ltd is an established Company, based in Canterbury. We have been repairing catering equipment for over 25 years in the South East.

Our quality engineers have an established record of 'first fixing' on all types of catering equipment.

We also supply & install all makes of catering equipment and can offer a design service, if required.

lnvicta also offer an Annual Service Contract Package which includes an annual Gas Certification Check, Service of the Equipment and no Call out Charges - Please contact the office for further details.

Areas covered- Kent & Essex Contact - 01227 454775 Paul@invict.co.uk or invictaaccounts@googlemail.com

Fry More For Less with OilChef The foodservice and hospitality industry have suffered greatly since the shutdowns started in 2019.

Since then, there have been gradual re-openings of hotels, bars, restaurants, and takeaways.

However, the cost of food has risen greatly.

One food group – cooking oil – has more than doubled in price and is set to rise even further. Some of the reasons are weather related which has reduced crop yield and other reasons are economic. Supply chains have been hit with rising costs of fuel, distribution, and labour. In addition to this, farmers are being offered a higher price for their crop seeds to make biofuel instead of edible oil and this impacts supply.

How can the food service and hospitality industry protect against these risings costs? One way is to make the cooking oil last longer. In fact, the awardwinning accessory for deep fryers, is doing just that.

The OiLChef device is a catalytic convertor for deep fryers!

It keeps the cooking oil in a fresher condition, by

slowing down oxidation, stopping polymerizations of the oil molecules and by retarding the buildup of free fatty acids, peroxides, total polar materials and most importantly of all the carcinogenic acrylamides in frying oil.

The OiLChef device is not a filter, it is not a chemical, it adds nothing to the oil, it takes nothing out of the oil, it is an inorganic device that helps you keep your oil alive for longer.

A simple 3 second self-installation which is virtually maintenance free, and only needs replacing every 3 years. OiLChef is a dream come true for professional kitchens that operate deep fryers. OiLChef is in thousands of deep fryers around the World and comes with a full 3-year warranty and saves you up to 50% on oil purchases every month. Check them out at www.OiLChef.com Contact their CEO direct: sean.farry@oilchef.com

Invicta Catering Equipment and Repair Ltd. Supply, Design, Install & Service Equipment for Modern Commercial Kitchens Annual Service Contract Package Available The Professional Services Team at Invicta Catering Repair Ltd is focused on creating a "customer first" environment for our clients, offering innovative solutions, a flexible work ethic able to react to and prevent issues, provide cost effective answers for every catering concept.

Since 1993, our growth has been steady and strategic, with the sole focus of "Growing and changing our business model and solutions approach to meet all of our clients demands.

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

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Issue 109

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Caterquip Ventilation – For All Your Commercial Catering Ventilation Needs

New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) Creates Considerable Interest R-TEC Services & Innovation Ltd. (previously known as Rational Technical Services UK Ltd.) demonstrated its Combi Oven equipment to commercial kitchen operators at the recent HRC ExCel London Exhibition. On the stand was a working demo of a Rational Combi Oven and the New DrainMajor C (Combi Oven Pump) manufactured by partner Pump Technology Ltd. This proved a focal point for Combi Oven manufactures, installers, maintenance engineers and users alike. Potential users were shown a number of significant advantages that this combi oven drainage pump offered.

Very noticeable when viewing the exhibition demonstration tank with its clear side window was the large, triangular, low-level float attached to the pump by a rigid arm, external to the pump casing. Because of the design of this float system the unit can cope with an exceptional quantity of grease, fat and food particles before the reliable start/stop operation of the pump is affected.

The triangular low-level float also means that inlet heights can be just 70mm from base to centreline, giving the appropriate inlet requirement for wall or central island Combi Ovens.

The build quality of the submersible wastewater pump was also a discussion point, with the mechanical shaft seal arrangement between pump impeller and motor winding generally agreed as an advantage over a common lip seal/diaphragm arrangement, especially considering the hot wastewater temperatures and potential grease which these units have to handle.

often advising industry professionals on ventilation systems to a DW172 specification & BSEN:6173.

It can be connected to multiple ovens or oven and sink combinations. Also, multiple inlet connections can be cut onsite directly into the rigid Polyethylene tank without the need to manifold inlets outside of the tank and then feed into it via a single inlet. This means that the installation footprint is just the size of the compact tank and potential leaks from knocked manifold piping and joints are eliminated.

It looks like the New DrainMinor C is a winner and will soon be featuring in combi oven installations everywhere.

See the advert on the previous page for more details.

They have strong relationships with all leading kitchen equipment suppliers, and they offer a kitchen design service to help you build your ideal kitchen.

Caterquip Ventilation Ltd is proud to be celebrating their 22nd Anniversary this year.

This Warwick based company offers nationwide coverage for all your commercial catering needs: free site surveys, quotations and designs (CAD), quality bespoke and standard fabrications, specialist knowledge of catering ventilation systems including input air, odour reduction (carbon filtration and ESP) and sound attenuation. Affiliated members of Constructionline, CHAS and B&ES, Caterquip Ventilation have a strong hold in the marketplace

Projects undertaken have included Olympic Villages, Basildon Hospital, The Mitre Hotel at Hampton Court, The Truck Stop at Anglesey, The Lodge at Old Hunstanton, Colleges, Schools, Hotels, Restaurants and Public Houses. They ensure their systems are compliant with the current guidelines whilst maintaining an efficient and dynamic facility.

With extensive knowledge of manufacturing and installing ventilation systems, they can help you design the best kitchen within the space available.

Call: 01926 887167, visit: www.caterquipventilation.co.uk, email: info@caterquipventilation.co.uk

Cemco (The Catering Equipment Maintenance Company) Cemco (The Catering Equipment Maintenance Company) first opened for business in 1990, and have been serving Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Bath, and the rest of the South and Southwest, ever since.

We offer a full range of services, including servicing and repairs for all commercial catering appliances, ranging from small local projects to major national work, and everything in between. Specialising in commercial Glasswasher and Dishwasher repairs sales and service our reputation is second to none.

We can offer you a no obligation quote now, so contact us for more information.

CEMCO also carry out repairs to commercial catering equipment Dishwashers, Glasswashers, Ovens Grills Bournemouth, Poole, Dorset and The Southwest. We undertake

repairs and servicing to ALL, types, makes and models of commercial catering equipment.

A repair is often far cheaper then a replacement! 30 Years in this Industry gives us the edge over our competitors, with time served Commercial Catering Equipment Engineers our clients have found we save them the cost of purchasing new equipment time after time…why buy new when a guaranteed repair is often all your Catering Equipment requires…

We are based in Bournemouth & Poole, covering the whole of Dorset, as well as Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Call 01202 377205 now, to arrange a site visit www.cemcoltd.co.uk

Specialists in Servicing, Repairs and Maintenance of all Commercial Catering Equipment

Cemco undertake Service and Repairs to ALL Commercial Dishwasher and Glasswasher Manufacturers Including Hobart, Electrolux, Meiko, Winterhalter to name a few.

CEMCO carry out repairs, servicing and routine maintenance to all makes and models of commercial catering equipment, including dishwashers and glasswashers.

We can also supply you with a new or used dishwasher …simply Contact Us for details of available Used Stock

We are based in Bournemouth & Poole and cover the whole of Dorset, along with the neighbouring counties of Somerset, Devon, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Trust CEMCO for commercial catering dishwasher servicing!

Call us now, on 01202 377205 for a free quote to repair your dishwasher

www.cemcoltd.co.uk

Products and Services For High Quality Restaurant Pads in a Range Of Never Compromise on Quality Issue 109

Different Options, Put Your Trust in Pukka Pads

of sizes, Pukka Pads has you covered for all your order taking needs. Choose from single-part, duplicate or triplicate pads, all numbered to help you accurately keep track of your covers. The handy thick card back covers make these pads perfect for taking orders on the go without having to rely on a surface for support, making them ideal for use in a restaurant, café, bar, pub or kitchen! Plus, you can benefit from minimum order quantities as low as 1 pack of 5 pads when you purchase through Pukka Pads as well as discounts for ordering in bulk.

Visit pukkastationery.com today to shop our huge range of business supplies and take 15% off your order with the code ‘OFFICE15’. Or get in touch with our friendly sales team on 01202 339960 or info@pukka-pads.co.uk for more information!

With 7 different styles to choose from and a range

See the advert on page 7 for details.

Restock Your Bar Essentials This Spring It’s spring and across the nation pubs and bars are starting to clean and prepare their beer gardens and outdoor areas ahead of the returning summer climate.

Whilst performing this annual task, now is a great time to take stock of your barware before the summer season begins. Here, at Alliance Online we aim to highlight the various areas you may want to upgrade and what options are available to you.

BAR FRIDGES One of the most overlooked of all the large bar equipment is your bar fridge and it may be getting tired and not working as well. The first thing we’d recommend is cleaning your bar fridge and continuing to do so weekly. Regarding your Spring stock take, the first area you want to inspect closely is the seals surrounding the doors. Broken seals can cause heat to escape from the main cavity meaning your fridge then needs to use more electricity to maintain its internal temperature. With rising electricity costs, it is within businesses best interest to check the state of bar fridges as they could end up costing you more.

selves. Are they robust and sharpened as any fault in the blades could cause problems mid-shift which could present problems at a less than favourable time. It is also worth checking the motors which spin the blades ensuring they are free of debris and free from any blockages. Always instil in your staff after use practices like cleaning and washing of the device to prolong the service life of the equipment. When looking for new options Hamilton Beach have become a staple within the industry.

GLASSWARE

Following on from fridges we come to mixers and blenders. The first aspect you will want to review is the blades them-

Staying with cocktails, the design of your glass can accentuate the drinking experience. So, why not review your more specialised ranges of stemware to opt for a more unique style? Martini, margarita, gin goblets, hurricane and coupe glasses all have iconic shapes but can all benefit from a touch of individuality. One such range we’d recommend to create stunning showstopping drinks is the Hayworth range from Utopia.

See the advert on page 8 for details.

With costs rising from every angle, it’s never been more important to scrutinise overheads. However, compromising on quality is never an option – your reputation depends on it.

Lanchester Wines is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of quality wines and spirits to the trade, successfully operating and innovating across every element of the UK wine trade. We supply a wide range of quality and premium wines to the on-trade with customers including pubs, clubs, bars and hotel chains.

Our extensive wine collection includes high quality wines from all corners of the world and we work directly with some of the leading wine producers across the globe to make sure we’re always offering the best quality wine at the best price.

What’s more, we are a sustainable wine business and continue to invest heavily in the generation of renewable energy at our County Durham headquarters. We believe being carbon neutral is just the beginning, which is why we make a conscious effort to ensure all of our operations are as environmentally friendly as possible.

We’re a family owned business and we believe in always

going above-and-beyond for our customers, which is why we offer a range of additional services: • Our team of designers and wine experts can help strengthen your brand by creating your own label wines.

Ideal as a house wine, each bottle is created bespoke using your colours and logos • We can work with you to create your own bespoke wine lists, tailored to suit your individual business needs, industry and customer base. Select the wines your customers want to complement your food menu • Do your staff need more training? We offer staff wine training to equip your team with the skills and knowledge required to provide your customers with unparalleled wine service For further information, please call 01207 52 1234 or email sales@lanchesterwines.co.uk and we’ll put you in touch with a Lanchester Wines business manager in your area.

Visit www.lanchesterwines.co.uk or see the advert on page 15.

The Henley Distillery is one of the newest and most exciting distilleries in the UK. Based from a restored threshing barn just outside Henley-on-Thames, the Distillery was established last summer by Jacob Wilson, one of the youngest Master Distillers in the country. A few months later Wilson launched his Henley Gin brand and among other plaudits, he has just taken home the award for Best London Dry Gin in England at the World Gin Awards for his Classic Dry. Despite his young age, 27, Wilson’s CV is impressive and now as one of only a handful of distilleries in the UK owned and run by a Master Distiller, he is showcasing leading edge, contemporary spirit innovation rooted firmly in traditional, artisan methods.

HENLEY GIN Wilson’s small batch, hand-crafted Henley Gins are available in three expressions: Henley Gin, Classic Dry, the Best London Dry Gin in England and GOLD medal winner at The Spirits Business Gin Masters is a contemporary twist on a London Dry. A signature sipping gin, it builds on the familiar juniper foundation with citrus flavours of orange peel, lime leaves and lemongrass. Warmth flickers from the bold Szechuan peppercorns before mellowing with the rich notes of cardamom and vanilla-like tonka beans to create a smooth, refined

balance.

Henley Gin, Rhubarb & Orange, a MASTER medal winner at The Spirits Business Gin Masters, is deceptive in blushing pink. This fruity, single-shot, artisan gin has been layered with fresh hand-peeled orange zest and tart English rhubarb to create an elegant and refreshing gin.

Henley Gin, Oriental Spiced offers a complex blend of rich spices inspired by the Silk Road, combining long pepper and cubeb with fiery ginger and a hint of lemon zest.

For more information visit www.thehenleydistillery.co.uk, or to place an order please call Alan Wilson or Jacob Wilson on 07511208490.

Old Jamaica, The UK’s Number One Ginger Beer Brand

Old Jamaica, the UK’s number one ginger beer brand, has the perfect range of soft drinks to appeal to all those who like to mix it up. All of our drinks pair perfectly with gin, vodka, rum and whisky; in fact almost any spirit you can think of, there’s an Old Jamaica product that can pair perfectly with it!

From Old Jamaica Ginger Beer – with Regular, Light and Extra Fiery to choose from – through to our recent launch of our Ginger Ale, as well as a Rhubarb & Ginger Ale, we are the OG’s of ginger beer and the only brand that uses authentic Jamaican root ginger across our range.

In addition to ginger beers, Old Jamaica has a range of Sodas too. Our Tropical Soda joined the family in 2021, with Grape Soda, Cream Soda and Pineapple Soda continuing to delight consumer tastebuds across the country!

All of the products in the Old Jamaica portfolio deliver a bold and unique flavour, meeting

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Best London Dry Gin In England and Other Award-Winning Gins From Henley Gin

Now is a perfect time to take stock of your glassware. Firstly, go through and check if you need to replenish any of your glasses.

Despite commercial glassware’s durability breakages still occur and whilst we are still not quite in the Spring to Summer socialising period it’s good to place orders for any replacements you may require.

Whilst doing this process you can also review your current glassware and decide whether you want to replace any ranges you have with more modern or themed glasses in line with more recent trends. With Should you consider completely replacing your bar rum and rum based cocktails beginning to boom tiki fridge we’d recommend models from Sterling or glasses are great for serving such drinks due to their Blizzard. Both are well known within the catering indus- more fun and outlandish style. Equally, decorative crystry, specifically for tal cut hiball tumblers are always a favourite for their range of serving cocktail drinks as they highlight the vibrant refrigerators. colours.

MIXERS AND STICK BLENDERS

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the increasing needs of UK consumers, as one in four consumers already mix Old Jamaica with alcohol.

Terri Cooper, senior commercial manager at Old Jamaica, said: “We’re excited to see Old Jamaica continue to be the UK’s no.1 ginger beer brand and consistently tap into consumers' growing demand for quality, versatile, flavoursome mixers that pair perfectly with a variety of spirits and are suitable for all occasions.”

A wide-ranging communications strategy will support the brand throughout 2022 and aims to broaden Old Jamaica’s brand appeal, increase awareness, and position the brand as the authentic alternative to the ‘norm’ within the soft drinks category.

Visit www.refresco.com or www.oldjamaicagingerbeer.com for details. or see the advert on page 17.

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Issue 109

MST Auctioneers MST AUCTIONEERS Ltd specialise in handling & auctioning a wide variety of goods.

We act for Insolvency Practitioners, Receivers, Bailiffs and Solicitors as well as large PLCs. We are members of The National Association of Auctioneers and Valuers (NAVA).

For the past 25 years, we've provided a unique disposal service tailored to suit, liquidators, banks, receivers as well as

private and corporate vendors. We carry out probate valuations and conduct complete house and commercial clearances.

We have the largest Auction venue in the South of England. Our regular monthly Auctions occupy 45,000 sq.ft. of undercover space, selling over 2500 lots from 3 rostrums over two days.

We have storage and removal facilities.

In addition we have forklifts for machinery up to 5 tons.

We also hold regular Auctions ”On Site” and "On Line" See the advert on this page.

Design and Refit

Having Successfully Launched the ILF Chairs New Comprehensive Website, ILF Have Now Added Further Stock Product Colours www.ilfchairs.com

email: terry.kirk@ilfchairs.com

Their new online website offers both indoor and outdoor seating and table solutions.

Divided into Contemporary seating, Barstools, Lounge Seating, Period Seating, Outdoor seating and tables plus Indoor Dining & Coffee height tables, offering a great selection of products to view at your leisure. They have also now added a range of stock chairs and barstools.

Most indoor seating and indoor wooden table bases and tops can be finished to any customer specification. Outdoor items offer a vari-

ety of colours within the same product style.

Also included is a link to priced chairs and table bases plus a selection of priced made to order seating in a selection of Faux Leather upholstery colours and wood frame colours.

These products can also be supplied to customer specification, just ask for details.

Enquiries can be sent to them directly from the website and they will reply within 24 hours. They hope you will enjoy the experience of viewing their easy to navigate website and they look forward to helping clients get the best products for their hospitality site.

Prevent Dine & Dash with CardsSafe The CardsSafe system is designed to securely retain customer credit, debit and ID cards while the cardholder runs a tab, which means it is the ideal deterrent for anyone contemplating walking out of your establishment without paying.

CardsSafe works with the hospitality industry to assist with bar tabs which undoubtedly help to increase profits.Young’s pubs, Hilton Hotels, and many independent and chain restaurants and pubs have been using CardsSafe for many years. The system helps to increase the bottom line by eliminating dine & dash while fighting card fraud simultaneously.

“The CardsSafe system is great for servicing customers who enjoy our outside areas.”

Deborah Steel, the Director of the Deers Hut in Liphook in Hampshire.

Increasing profit and reducing walkouts, CardsSafe offers many bene-

fits to its customers. No wonder over 5000 major brands and independents in the UK trust CardsSafe.

CardsSafe virtually eliminates walkouts because it retains bank cards and allows secure tab keeping. Rather than insisting on advance payment, businesses can keep tabs and up-sell while doing so. CardsSafe technology eliminates the temptation or opportunism.

CardsSafe is affordable and pays for itself.

Each unit, which contains ten card drawers, can be hired for just £9.99 per month. Each hire comes with customer service troubleshooting, free replacement keys, and additional units can be added at any time.

The question is, can you afford not to consider CardsSafe as a part of your business?

Call 0845 500 1040 or sign up to CardsSafe here https://cardssafe.com/account/create-account

Design and Refit

Issue 109

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Mayfair Furniture

time to time hospitality and leisure establishments like to give themselves a fresh new look. That's why not only do we supply contract furniture, but when it's time for your establishment to go through a refurbishment we also offer a complete clearance service. We'll organise everything from a suitable time and date, professional clearance staff to remove contract furniture whether fitted or unfitted.

01733 310 115 sales@mayfairfurniture.co.uk Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 10 years this year of providing the UK’s fastest and affordable commercial furniture. Supplying all kinds of establishments from high end hotel chains to small local takeaways.

www.mayfairfurniture.co.uk

We keep in stock a huge variety of items ready for immediate dispatch, and can fulfil a wide range of bespoke orders. We deliver to all areas of the UK, Ireland & Europe.

We are not just a supplier; we understand that from

The Curtain Cabin Based in Verwood, Dorset, The Curtain Cabin is a well-established curtain making company, specialising in the manufacture and supply of bespoke curtains and soft furnishings including blinds, tracks, poles, sheer curtains and furnishings. The Curtain Cabin produces a range of products for the commercial sector, including furnishings for hotels, village halls, health centres and on projects for local authorities.

The Curtain Cabin has been in operation for over ten years, however, Managing Director, Dawn Moses has been in the soft furnishing industry for over 30 years. The company has built up a strong working relationship with Harbour Hotels, over

the past seven years, having worked on a number of sites within the Harbour Hotels portfolio.

Most recently, The Curtain Cabin has been involved with Harbour Hotel Southampton. Working on this project, The Curtain Cabin carried out site visits to ascertain track, blinds and curtain sizes; advised on best positioning and operation; compiled a pricing and fitting schedule; and manufactured and supplied curtains, sheers, lining & curtain sundry items, blinds and tracks.

The Curtain Cabin also supplied a large area of electric hard wired sheer blinds to the 6th floor (21 blinds in total), as well as electric tracks in the Function Room with nearly 6 metre drops on electric tracks.

For further information please call 01202 813533 or visit www.curtaincabin.co.uk

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Design and Refit

Issue 109

Beautiful Art Pieces. Quality Materials.

Original Designs. different sizes and endless colour combinations to suit your interior design needs.

AttikoArt prints are each presented in a choice of 3-4 standard colour ways that we have curated and put together for you to browse and easily shop. We closely follow interior design trends and always try and come up with designs and colours to fit with ever-changing interior schemes.

However, if none of our standard colour-ways are quite right you can always contact us for a tweak. We can carefully edit the colours in our designs to produce a bespoke version that's just right for you. We work closely with the public and trade alike in this respect.

AttikoArt is a British mother & daughter designer duo and creator of abstract art prints. Our pieces are all designed in house, and then printed exclusively to order in the UK using a traditional, high-grade giclee printing method. By transferring our original artwork to print, we can produce custom variations for you allowing you the luxury of selecting from a range of

Do you have an upcoming project? Show us your room or interior design plans, and we will work with you to find one or more art pieces to complement your scheme.

If you would like more information or to find out how AttikoArt could help with your current or upcoming project, please email info@attikoart.com

Refresh Your Tabletops To Give Your Venue A New Lease Of Life As your tabletops are in constant use, practicality and durability are every bit as important as a stylish look in keeping with your design theme.

Trent Furniture’s

recently expanded range of tabletops includes melamine, solid wood, beechwood and a new oak-faced veneer.

Contrary to some misconceptions about veneer, this chic tabletop is every bit as hardwearing as our other contract grade finishes.

Our great range of tabletops are available with most of our tables, such as our wide selection of Black Pyramid Tables and our Rectangular Bar Table and Square Bar Table. However, because

tabletops tend to get more wear and tear than their bases, our tabletops are available on their own as a costeffective solution to give your tables an easy update. Not only that, they can be cut to size to your exact requirements to any length up to 140cm and stained in a wide range of colours to blend in with your décor scheme seamlessly.

Whether you’re looking for new tables or want to discuss refurbishing your existing tables, call 0116 2864 911 or fill in our contact form at www.trentfurniture.co.uk/contact-us to find out more.

How To Maximise Your Property To Provide Unique Guest Facilities A great way to maximise income is to leverage every nook and cranny of your property. Many period properties boast under exploited basements, attics and space under the staircase. Or even adjoining outbuildings. With a little imagination, proper planning and designing, plus the right products, any underutilised space can be converted into additional facilities.

For that cupboard under the stairs, consider a WC for guests to use upon arrival.

For the average cellar and attic, it’s almost always possible to add an en-suite bedroom. And if you have a large basement or loft, there’s always the option of adding a completely self-contained unit complete with a bathroom and a kitchen.

But how, you might ask, when the mains drains are out of reach?

Saniflo can usually help. With the widest range of macerators and pumps on the market that are specifically designed to remove waste water away from multiple appliances through small bore pipework they are often the enabler of such projects given water can’t travel upwards. They can also save the

time, effort and cost associated with digging up – often concrete – floors to lay new pipes.

The first step is to consult your local plumbing merchant or kitchen and bathroom retailer and share your conversion idea. They will be able to advise on the best Saniflo solution for your project. If in any doubt, Saniflo’s highly experienced technical team can provide help and knowhow over the phone. The next step is to work with a plumber to identify the route to the mains drains and the best place for the installation – bearing in mind ways to conceal the units to enhance the rooms aesthetics –in a cupboard, behind a panel or even under the floorboards.

Once the unit has been fitted and connected up, you’re on your way to earn more money from unused spaces.

For more information please visit www.saniflo.co.uk See the advert on the facing page for details.

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Issue 109

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How Covid 19 Changed Our Business Castelan Commercial Services are really setting the standards with innovative restoration ideas that are designed to extend the life of your fixed assets.

We caught up with Rob Jackson, from Castelan Commercial Services to ask what have been the key drivers to Castelan’s success in hospitality restoration after Covid.

we found we were really effective at doing the work -

Rob says that, during the pandemic, the Board at Castelan Group made a decision that would push the company to the forefront of the industry and change our service offering permanently. That decision is today paying dividends.

When many other companies were closing the doors - in some instances permanently - Castelan made a decision to invest and spend on new machinery and infrastructure in order to implement new services to support our Key Workers and Social Housing clients and, although risky, this decision ensured the survival of the division.

Rob says “what company spends in a pandemic?”

Castelan did and I have to take my hat off to our Board, they supported our Commercial Division many projects across the UK- helping our hotel clients and working tirelessly together to provide cover in social care with the following services 1) Carpet/hard floor cleaning 2) Upholstery cleaning 3) Bath tub restoration 4) Re-Upholstery service 5) Environmental cleaning “We expanded our cleaning services to include carpet & upholstery cleaning, re-upholstery services, mattress cleaning, bedroom deep cleaning (environmental) and bath tub restoration. Not only did we offer greener, safer cleaning products, but

and being competitive at doing this was a bonus.

Rob says, “One thing I’m proud of, and I know the Management and Board are also proud of, is that we didn’t make a single person redundant during the pandemic, we actually expanded, and that’s testament to all who worked through the pandemic. Supporting key workers and social housing projects across the UK to ensure our company survived, we diversified and showed how innovative we are as a company, nothing is too much trouble and our clients know we are there to help”.

If you need any assistance with the restoration of your fixed assets or have any questions around restoration ideas, please contact Rob Jackson who will be happy to help.

Contact Email: commercial@castelangroup.com M 07787 847 353 or T 0330 024 0433

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Property and Professional

Issue 109

Top Ten Business Insolvency Prevention Tips Dealing with financial distress is often very challenging. The impact can be minimised if early planning and advice is sought. Simon Underwood, Business Recovery Partner at Menzies LLP (www.menzies.co.uk), shares ten essential tips, should you find your business in difficulty.

3. RELIEVE CASHFLOW PRESSURE AND SAVE MONEY

7. EVALUATE BUSINESS AND SUPPLIER CONTRACTS ARE EVALUATED

Cost-cutting measures can aid in the alleviation of cash-flow problems. A company may be forced to make difficult payroll decisions as well as identify ways to cut discretionary spending. A critical examination of fixed costs, such as property expenditures, should also be carried out.

If a company reviews its contracts quickly, it may be able to put itself in a stronger position. Furthermore, it may be able to renegotiate terms and conditions to the benefit of the company.

1. IDENTIFY THE SIGNS OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY

If the company is having cash flow problems, it's a good idea to call in any outstanding debts and keep a careful eye on credit limits. Outsourced support to strengthen the cash position and increase operational efficiency in this area may also be beneficial to a business.

When a company is in financial trouble, it usually faces a drop in revenue as well as issues paying creditors, which may be more prominent in some cases than others. In particular, reduced footfall continues to have a direct impact on earnings in hospitality & leisure, and there is often a lag effect in other sectors where there is a backlog of orders to fulfil.

4. PRIORITISE CREDIT MANAGEMENT

5. SEEK SUPPORT AND KEEP INFORMED It is critical for businesses to stay informed about numerous support programmes in order to stay afloat during this challenging time.

2. SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE AND TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY

6. CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE BUSINESS' CASH POSITION.

If a company is in financial hardship, it is critical to act swiftly by focusing on cash management and taking actions to improve operational resilience.

The sooner a company consults an insolvency practitioner, the better its chances of surviving.

Businesses must discover new strategies to improve their cash position as a result of the pandemic, such as selling surplus assets. Forecasting their cashflow can assist the company in weighing the benefits and drawbacks of taking such action.

Managing Cash Flow Issues In Your Business

By Gary Hemming CeMAP CeFA CeRGI CSP of ABC Finance Ltd (www.abcfinance.co.uk) As we move toward the end of the pandemic and into a cost of living crisis, many businesses are struggling financially. While you’re not alone in this, it is only you who can turn things around for your business.

In this guide, we will be breaking down the options available to you, from reducing your debt repayments to looking at how you could get a cash injection to provide that crucial buffer.

REFINANCING YOUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY If you’re struggling with debt and have equity in your commercial property, refinancing your commercial

mortgage can be a smart move. Businesses in the hospitality trade can borrow a maximum of 75% of their property value, so if you’re in need of a cash injection and have more than 25% equity in your property, consider remortgaging.

The big advantage of commercial mortgages is that they can be taken over longer terms than most other types of finance, often up to 25 years. This allows you to reduce your repayments, by spreading them over a longer period. In addition to this, commercial mortgage rates are usually lower than those offered on unsecured loans such as business loans and overdrafts.

The simplest way to approach commercial remortgages is either through your own bank (although they might not offer the best deal), or through a fee-free commercial mortgage broker.

8. MONITOR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT DATA When managing a business amid a crisis, it's critical to be aware and keep the financial status of the company under constant scrutiny. A further drop in turnover, for example, could necessitate more resource modifications.

9. GET IN TOUCH WITH LENDERS Maintaining a two-way communication with lenders is critical since it reduces the danger of them withdrawing assistance. If you're about to give bad news, talk to an insolvency practitioner first so they can help you craft your message and anticipate the lender's reaction.

10. COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS & SUPPLIERS Open lines of communication between customers and suppliers can aid in the preservation of relationships and the reduction of the risk of supply chain interruption.

For further information on Menzies business recovery services, or to discuss your specific circumstances with one of our team, contact advice@menzies.co.uk.

REFINANCING BUSINESS LOANS IF YOU DON’T OWN YOUR BUSINESS PREMISES

If you’re struggling with your finance repayments, but don’t own your business premises, there are still options available. The simplest way is to look at alternatives is either through your own bank or online.

Business loans are no longer the domain on your own bank exclusively, there are now many online business loan lenders who offer great deals.

Reviewing your options can lead to big savings on your interest costs, or on your monthly payments if you’re able to extend your term.

If you’re a homeowner, but don’t own your business premises, you may be eligible for a secured business loan. These loans are usually offered on a second charge basis, behind your existing mortgage and allow you to raise money against the equity in your home.

As the loan is secured, you’re likely to benefit from much lower interest rates than would be the case with unsecured loans. Secured business loans can usually be

offered up to a maximum of 70% of your property value.

IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO REFINANCE AND ARE FACING CASH FLOW DIFFICULTIES If you’ve tried the above options and can’t find a solution, or have already fallen behind with payments, making it difficult to refinance, the key is communication with your existing lenders. Whilst lenders will eventually expect payment regardless of your communication skills, you will be given a lot more time if you work with your lender.

Some lenders may even be willing to renegotiate the terms of your agreement, or give you a payment break to steady the ship. If you’re proactive in dealing with your problems and letting your lender know exactly where you stand, they will usually be flexible in return.

Remember, you’re not the first borrower who has fallen behind with payments and although it’s not ideal, most lenders will be sympathetic as long as you’re honest with them.

T H E W E S T C O U N T RY S P E C I A L I S T S

• Well Established & Successful Restaurant in the Heart of Dartmouth • Dining Area with Spectacular Panoramic Window with Harbour & Estuary Views • 3/4 Bedroom Apartment – Could be Used for Holiday Letting/Staff/Owners • Highly Profitable Business, Ideal for ‘Owner Operator’ Couple • Must be Seen to be Appreciated – Retirement Sale

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

EXETER CITY CENTRE

EAST DEVON COAST

DEVON/CORNWALL BORDERS

Established Licensed Café & Coffee Shop

Popular Day Time Café With Parking

Day Time Only, 4 Days a Week

Occupying Prominent Trading Location

Main Café Seating Area (30)

Main Café (30), Kitchen

Al Fresco Seating (12+)

Part Covered Al Fresco Terrace (16)

Profitable With Excellent Reputation

Must Be Viewed

Immaculate Detached Village Guest House 5 Quality Ensuite Letting Bedrooms Superior 2 Bed Owner’s Accommodation Commercial Kitchens, Car Park & Gardens Profitable Lifestyle B & B Business

LH £35,000

2140

LH £29,995

2138

FH £650,000

SOMERSET VILLAGE

SOMERSET VILLAGE

DEVON COASTAL TOWN

Substantial & Deceptively Spacious Inn

Quality Delicatessen & Coffee Shop

Bar & Dining Areas (140)

Character Main Bar (35+), Restaurants (50)

Equipped To Extremely High Standards

Trade Gardens & Patio Ares (64)

4 Quality Ensuite Letting Bedrooms

Prominent Town Centre Trading Position

6 Double Bed (2 Ensuite) Owners Accom.

3 Bed Owner’s Accom. & Sep. Flat

Unique & Profitable Business

Sought After Free of Tie Leasehold

Strong Trade & Profits

Alfresco Seating For 24 Customers

4815

FH £597,000

4811

LH £89,950

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4008

PRICE ON APPLICATION

PRICE: £45,000

W! NE

2131

PRICE: £525,000

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4232

• A Fabulous Waterfront Inn with Far Reaching Views Over the South Devon Coastline • Large Open Plan Traditional Trading Area, Commercial Kitchen & Ancillaries • Outside Trade Patio Area & Balcony with Coastal Views • 1 Bed Owners Apartment with Sea Views & Secondary Managers Flat • 4 Letting Rooms on the Top Floor - 3 of which have Spectacular Sea Views

DAWLISH, DEVON

FREEHOLD

REF: 4188

PRICE: £299,950

DEVON COUNTRY VILLAGE

SOMERSET COAST

SOMERSET COUNTRY VILLAGE

Beautifully Restored Country Village Inn

Quality Licensed Café & Coffee Shop

Detached Free of Tie Village Inn

8 Quality Ensuite Letting Bedrooms

Daytime Only 5 Days a Week

Stunning High Turnover Freehouse

Lovely Restaurant Areas (65+)

Main Café (35), Fully Equipped

Character Restaurant Areas (84)

Al Fresco Seating Area (76)

Al Fresco Seating (20)

Double Bedroom Owner’s Apart.

Strong Turnover & Profits

Parking For 4 Vehicles

Gardens & Parking

FH £695,000

4817

LH £85,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

2139

LH £45,000

PRICE: £620,000

4819

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

FREEHOLD

REF: 4184

BRIXHAM, DEVON

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4225

• Fabulous Freehold Opportunity within Dartmoor National Park • Charming Café/Bistro with Shop Trading Daytimes Only • Superb 2 Bed Self-Contained Accommodation • Huge Potential to Expand on Current Trade • Suitable for a Range of Catering Styles

FREEHOLD

REF: 3408

• Centrally Located Freehold Pub; Currently Closed & Priced to Sell • Main Open Plan Ground Floor Trading Area & Substantial ‘Back of House’ Space • Spacious Two Bedroom Owner’s Accommodation • Covered ‘Beer’ Terrace & Outside Decking over Two Levels • Would Suit Owner Occupier Operator or Alternatively Could Lend Itself to a Number of Alternative Uses (STP)

W! NE

LISKEARD, CORNWALL

PRICE: £195,000 + VAT

FREEHOLD

HATCH BEAUCHAMP, SOMERSET

• Substantial Completely Refurbished 18th Century Coaching Inn • 2 Character Trading Areas with Bar Serveries & Fully Equipped Commercial Kitchen • 5 Superior En-Suite Letting Rooms & Very Well Presented 3 Bed Private Accommodation • Outside Courtyard Trading Area, Car Park & Additional Storage • Skittle Alley/Function Room with Lapsed Planning Permission to Convert Upper Floor

• Superbly Refurbished & Upgraded Home & Income Premises • Turnkey Operation Suitable for a Variety of Catering Uses • Vibrant Ground Floor & 1st Floor Trade Areas with Delightful Trade Garden • Self-Contained Owners 2/3 Bedroom Maisonette • Located on Busy Pedestrianised Shopping Street

MORETONHAMPSTEAD, DEVON

TORQUAY, DEVON

• Successful Fish & Chip Takeaway • Prominent Location Within Densely Populated Area • Majority of Trade Inventory Replaced in 2020 • Potential to Expand Menu Options & Offer Delivery • Genuine Sale Due to Health Reasons

6004

Exceptional High Turnover Free of Tie Inn

LH £150,000

PRICE: £150,000

W! NE

REF: 4239

• Charming Country Pub & Very Successful Business Situated in a Desirable Area • Character Trading Areas which have been Totally Refurbished • Fully Equipped Commercial Kitchen & Professional Back of House Space • Beautifully Appointed 3 Bedroom Owners Flat • Outside Sun Deck, Stunning Beer Garden, Children's Play Area & Car Park

CHIPPENHAM, WILTSHIRE

PRICE: £800,000

FREEHOLD

REF: 4046

Property and Professional Are You Struggling to RUN PROFITABLY Your Business? service even more accessible, with a lower ‘’entry level’’ ongoing Mentoring arrangement that is ‘’strapped on to’’ our providing those vital weekly figures to you.

So … instead of just getting our own well-established, tried and tested and very popular, weekly figures reporting system, you can now access David’s KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE and EXPERTISE via INCLUSIVE, and AT NO EXTRA COST, four half-day on-site Mentoring & Consultancy visits every year (or two full days, depending on your location).

You get even more than that … David is always available to you at the end of the phone or via Email, and always on-hand when you need advice or guidance.

If so, our bespoke Hospitality Mentoring & Consultancy service can help. Our Managing Consultant, David Hunter, has been a recognised Management Consultant specialising in the Hospitality sector for over 30 years.

David’s mission is to provide practical advice, knowledge and expertise that will help your business to reach its full FINANCIAL POTENTIAL. Our bespoke Mentoring & Consultancy service focuses on the key areas of your business, such as PROFITABILITY, MANAGING PEOPLE, MARKETING and OPERATIONAL STRATEGY. As part of his Mentoring-driven service, David has always provided ‘’free-of-extra-charge’’ key weekly figures, analysis & reporting so that your finger is always on the pulse of your business’s finances and performance.

The GOOD NEWS is that David has now made this

There is MORE. You would also get access to “tried and tested” experts through our Bowden Group Alliance, where our fully approved colleagues are ALSO at your disposal for advice on areas such as legal advice, saving money on Utility bills, Marketing and more. OUR BOWDEN GROUP ALLIANCE MARKETING COLLEAGUE MATTHEW WILL EVEN GIVE YOU A MARKETING REVIEW … COMPLETELY F.O.C. … to help you to get your business going.

Without cost or obligation, David will also take a look at your figures and discuss what could be ACHIEVED … again COMPLETELY F.O.C. …

If your business is struggling with financial or operational challenges, then get in touch today.

MAXIMISE YOUR FULL POTENTIAL by calling David Hunter confidentially on 07831 407984 or 01628 487613, or message us via our website at: www.bowdengroup.co.uk

Changes to NICs Will Help to Fill Hospitality Shifts Recent increases in the National Insurance threshold and National Living Wage should help hospitality businesses to fill some of the gaps in their staff rotas, say workforce management specialists Bizimply.

CEO Conor Shaw said: “The changes will largely benefit part-time employees such as students, who will take home more for every shift they work. If that’s enough of an incentive for them to take on additional hours, then it’s a good result for the many hospitality operators who are struggling to fully staff their business.”

Bizimply’s software helps employers to put the new NI and NLW rates in place quickly, so team members who benefit from the changes will see the difference promptly.

Shaw adds: “These changes will be of some help in filling shifts, but they won’t solve the hospitality recruitment crisis. In the medium term, most businesses will be operating with permanent vacancies – which makes it all the more important to have your existing team working at 100% efficiency.

“That doesn’t mean working staff harder – but man-

aging and motivating them, so that they enjoy their job, deliver better customer service and are more likely to stay with you. Simple things like giving team members plenty of notice of shifts, and ensuring they’re promptly paid when they do work extra hours, can a long way to create a happier, more loyal workforce.”

Bizimply’s software helps businesses reduce the amount of time spent creating staff rotas and sorting out payroll. They estimate a time saving of up to six hours a week using their software to draw up rotas, compared to using Excel or similar.

For a free demonstration or more information: www.bizimply.com

Help Is At Hand For Businesses Devastated by the Covid–19 Virus The Government is backing a new lending scheme that is aimed at getting funds out to struggling businesses that have seen profits impacted by coronavirus and whilst hotels, restaurants and public houses along with B&B’s and other hospitality businesses all struggled through the lockdowns we are pleased to let you know help is at hand.

Repayments will be anything up to a 25 year profile, meaning repayments will be low and give the best chance for business recovery.

Loans will normally be secured against the freehold, or long leasehold value, but can be used for any purpose including refinance, debt consolidation, providing additional working capital and even purchasing of another

business.

Professional brokers, Global, have 31 years’ experience in introducing business owners to helpful and competitively priced banks, often not on the High St. but based in The City, with regional offices and a fresh modern way of working and providing business loans nationally.

Global will help you with the funding options and chat to the lenders to obtain the best terms before presenting them too you. Once you choose a loan option, Global will work to obtain an approval from the lender prior to any business valuation, so you know the bank is supportive and wants to take the process forward towards a loan pay out.

Email mvhwiddows@aol.com

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