CLH Digital - Issue #136

Issue 136

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Autumn Budget- Business Rate & Energy Support But Sector Remains “Fearful”

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Budget has drawn a mixed reaction from the hospitality, with leading figures saying, “the devil will be in the detail.”

The Chancellor announced his Autumn Budget yesterday morning (November 17) comprising a £55 billion package of tax rises and spending cuts, which will see the government provide a £13.6 billion package of business rates support for companies.

The Package Includes: • Freezing the business rates multiplier for another year to protect businesses from rising inflation • An extended and increased relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses worth

almost £2.1 billion • Reforming Transitional Relief so for businesses seeing lower bills because of the revaluation, the government will make sure they benefit from that decrease in full straight away, by abolishing downwards transitional reliefs caps.

• The government also announced a £1.6 billion scheme to cap bill increases for businesses who will see higher bills because of the revaluation.

• Protection for small businesses who lose eligibility for either Small Business or Rural Rate Relief due to new property valuations through a more generous Supporting Small Business scheme worth over £500 million.

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CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital EDITOR

Peter Adams

Well, “That Was The Week That Was”. Those old enough to remember will recognise this is an early 1960s satirical comedy show.

fits a reduction in VAT would bring to the country, the sector and the Treasury itself. This was referenced with the success stories in other countries.

Only on this occasion there is nothing remotely funny! This week I was up in London demonstrating with the wonderful organisers of HospoDemo outside the Houses of Parliament and then moving on to the Treasury.

Hospitality is crucial to the health of the UK economy, it provides much-needed growth, investment and jobs in every single region of the UK.

As set out in last week’s issue the main demands were simple - a reduction in VAT to 10%, and business rates holiday or reduction and Visa scheme to allow overseas workers into hospitality.

As you see on page 4 the demonstration drew support from around the country, with some impassioned speeches from event organisers, industry spokespeople and grassroots frontline operators.

It was, of course, timed to take place just a few days before the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget.

And after demonstrating outside the Houses of Parliament we moved on to the Treasury office where, I am absolutely thrilled to say, we made a lot of noise which can be seen (and heard!) here https://tinyurl.com/595jdtwm It may not have looked like the biggest demonstration the UK has seen, but there were many messages of support from the sector around the country who could not make it due to pressures of work, in particular staffing issues, and also people who could not make it due to the cost - many in the sector really are living on the breadline.

Nevertheless, the message was succinctly put. To be honest I didn’t expect VAT to be cut. Regular readers will know we have lobbied for years and last year, October 2021 I wrote to Rishi Sunak, who was then Chancellor, outlining all the bene-

I highlighted the wider country’s well-being. That is what hospitality is:

Pre-pandemic up to 2019 it was the UK’s 3rd largest private sector employer, contributing a significant £130bn to HM Treasury.

And as far as employment goes it is still in the top 5 of industries within the UK with few industries able to match the fantastic career and training prospects offered by the hospitality industry to workplace entrants of all skill levels. I have often cited myself as an example, a “working class boy from an inner-city estate in Liverpool” and when I joined hospitality, working and studying here in Bournemouth opportunities for travel career growth and social skills were astonishing, and still are!

However, it’s not just the sector’s employees, but also consumers more broadly, that benefit from its hospitality success. It is ingrained in every community across the country, providing food, drink, comfort and enjoyment on both special occasions, and commiserations and in everyday life. Without hospitality, visitors to the UK would not have the experiences that make us one of the best tourist destinations in the world.

This did, of course, fall on then Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s deaf ears. Okay, no surprise there, and while the chancellors’ budget may not have been as bad as expected, the lack of support (even any projected future support) is hugely disappointing. That said I do live in hope that sooner or later instead of seeing a tax-and-spend Chancellor, and in my lifetime that’s all they have been, I cannot think of one that has been truly inspirational in any way. But I do hope that we have one in the not too distant future (I won’t be in the least bit surprised if we have another Chancellor by May 2023) who will take the bold and courageous decision to give VAT reduction a chance.

My letter to Rishi Sunak highlighted the fact that he had reduced it during the ludicrous lockdowns we were forced to endure - all he had to do was maintain the momentum for a period of time to give it a chance to see if it worked.

The World Cup kicks off on Sunday, offering wonderful opportunities for extra sales.

This is the first to take place in autumn, traditionally taking place in warmer summer months, which automatically ratchets up the feel-good factor and the money flowing through the till.

Taking place in the dark and colder months, and not without its controversies, the World Cup is, according to some pundits, under threat of being a rather muted affair.

Personally I don’t think that is the case. Once kick off takes place I think all nations will get behind the game and their national team. I suspect pubs may enjoy a boost to sales from late November. This is typically quiet time that may see more business, particularly on Mondays and Tuesdays, when some of the early England and Wales games take place. That could transition nicely into Christmas trade, which, now the Chancellor has set out his stall, will see a return of office parties, and revellers on nights out as we seek to put our woes behind us.

However, and this is a very big “however” at the time of writing this, just to add to the controversy the Royal family in Qatar have banned beer sales in and around stadiums.

Who negotiated contracts and terms for the biggest sports event in the world, and did not ensure certain safeguards and guarantees for sponsors who pour tens if not hundreds of millions of pounds into the sport in sponsorship, and fans who by tradition are beer drinkers before during and after game?

That said won’t have that problem over here, and I will be certainly watching England’s first game at the sports bar near where I live!

Once again I would ask the favour, we want more Twitter followers! So please do follow us on Twitter @CLHNews, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to subscribe to our digital issue.

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EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Charlene Fox

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Autumn Budget- Business Rate & Energy Support but Sector Remains “Fearful” Issue 136

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

The provision of the 13.6 billion package will, the Chancellor said, help companies through the next five years of economic uncertainty, promising that two-thirds of properties “won’t pay a penny next year”, stating that “thousands of pubs, restaurants and small high street shops” will benefit from this move.

A new government-funded transitional relief scheme will also be introduced, as called for by business trade bodies, which Hunt said will benefit around 700,000 businesses.

Mr Hunt confirmed that the current VAT threshold will be retained until March 2026.

NEGLECTING THOUSANDS OF BUSINESSES Hitting out at the Chancellor’s budget, Michael Kill CEO NTIA said: “This Government is guilty of neglecting thousands of businesses and millions of employees and freelancers across the night-time economy, this budget has not gone far enough and still lacks clarity, and will, without doubt, see a huge swathe of SMEs and independent businesses disappear in the coming months.”

“When businesses should be preparing for the busiest period of the year, they are now having to consider their future, and will remember the fourth failed attempt to deliver a budget to safeguard businesses at the sharpest end of the crisis.”

‘There is no consideration for the human impact, this will have a devastating effect on not only business owners, but the individuals and families who have committed their lives and livelihoods to this sector.”

OFFERS LITTLE IMMEDIATE COMFORT British Institute of Innkeeping CEO, Steve Alton said: “Today’s statement from the Chancellor offers little immediate comfort to our members, all of whom are facing the most challenging and critical times for their businesses.

“As small businesses at the heart of their communities, run in the main by independent operators, they are amongst the hardest hit once again.

“We welcome the news that Business rates relief for the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure sectors will be continued and increased to 75% for 23/24, in line with our consistent calls on Government for ongoing support in this area.

“However, energy price rises are crippling these vital and viable businesses, and whilst the current Energy Business Relief Scheme offers some support, for many, it is having a limited impact in terms of mitigating the huge cost increases they are bearing.

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“The scheme only addresses a discount on actual energy usage, and other increased costs such as management fees and standing charges mean that bills have risen in real terms by well over 200% and in some cases up to 700% in comparison to 2021.”

be at the centre of that. UKHospitality stands ready to work with Government to develop such a plan and on the essential package of energy support post-April.”

“In addition, our recent survey with other industry trade bodies, revealed the impact of chronic staffing shortages for BII members, with 20% vacancies over the key festive trading period, leading to 1 in 3 operators having to reduce trading hours to cope with demand. Unable to trade fully in this golden quarter, for many, they will be facing a cliff edge for their businesses come January.

Emma McClarkin Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said: “It is right the Chancellor has acknowledged of the need for changes to our business rates system and extended and increased relief to 75% for pubs, so they do not continue to be penalised through unfair taxation. Urgent root and branch reform is still needed make business rates fit for the 21st century, with the decision not to introduce an Online Sales Tax it seems the Government doesn’t recognise the completely archaic nature of the current system.

“Whilst the support for those more vulnerable individuals in the form of a rise in the National Living Wage is welcome for staff, these additional, unavoidable costs for our members, without further support from Government, could be the nail in the coffin for many small businesses.

“As the public face their own cost of living crisis, pubs cannot simply pass these rapidly escalating costs through to their customers.

“PLEASED TO SEE BUSINESS RATE BENEFIT” UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls, said: “The Chancellor painted a grim picture of what we’re facing as a nation and Britain’s hospitality businesses are already in the midst of severe economic turmoil.

“Survival this winter is the priority for venues across the country and there is the very real possibility that a significant proportion of our sector will not survive the winter. It was crucial that the Government addressed this today.

“I’m pleased that the Chancellor has listened to the vast majority of UKHospitality’s proposals on business rates, covering a freeze in the multiplier, extended reliefs and no downward transition. This means those seeing their valuations decrease will see the benefit in their bills immediately, at the same time as increases are capped.

“However, it remains the case that the current system is outdated and not fit-for-purpose. The Government made a manifesto commitment of root and branch review and it’s essential that this delivered as soon as possible.

“What we failed to hear today from the Chancellor was any plan for economic growth, despite him recognising its importance. Businesses create jobs, deliver higher wages and contribute millions in tax revenues but without a serious plan from the Government, margins continue to be squeezed without a path forward to growth.

“There is nothing to give firms confidence, let alone invest, and we need to see an urgent plan for economic growth and how business will

ROOT AND BRANCH REFORM STILL NEEDED

“The failure to provide any further relief for our industry today will hit pubs, breweries and their customers extremely hard this winter, and will have a devastating, lasting impact on communities across the country.

“Without lower beer duty or detail on whether energy costs will dramatically increase early next year, pub and brewers will still be forced to continue to make incredibly difficult decisions. The last thing they want to do is increase costs for their customers; they want to remain a place of solace, warmth and community, especially now, when the country needs them most”

BUDGET ONLY GOES HALFWAY TO SOLVING HOSPITALITY’S PROBLEMS Giles Fuchs, Owner of Burgh Island Hotel, said: "Restaurant, pub, and hotel owners alike listened intently to what the Chancellor had to say at the dispatch box yesterday. For months, industry leaders in the hospitality sector have been calling for support as rising inflation and a growing cost of living crisis forces venues up and down the country to shut their doors. We welcome the announcement in yesterday’s Autumn budget that thousands of venues will be eligible for £14 billion in business relief. “ “Whilst this will provide venues with a vital financial lifeline for the months to come, the Autumn budget only goes halfway to solving hospitality’s problems.”

The Chancellor should continue to look for ways to enhance the current support measures, which could include reforming the business rate system and encouraging more investment into and throughout the hospitality industry. The next time the Chancellor steps up to the dispatch box, we hope that he will announce further support for the sector as the country likely moves into a difficult recession."

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Hospitality Sector Stages Third Demo to “Make Its Voice Heard” 4

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

The hospitality sector came together at Parliament Square and outside the Treasury in protest at the government’s lack of support which the sector says is “killing the industry “.

Publicans, restaurateurs, chefs, and bartenders, waiters and waitresses descended on Westminster for the third HospoDemo protest yesterday (Monday November 14), urging the government to support the beleaguered hospitality sector.

Sector workers owners and supporters came gathered from the throughout the country, including Dorset, Kent, and Manchester, made their way to Parliament Square with their pots, pans, and wooden spoons to make as much noise as possible ahead of the Autumn Budget this coming Thursday.

Sacha Lord Night-Time Economy Adviser to Manchester travelled down to make his voice heard.

“None of us will ever agree politically and everything he said, one thing we would all agree on is that hospitality is at its 11th hour”.

“We are the 5th biggest industry in the whole of the UK, and I’m sure that Christmas bookings, are camouflaging the reality, unless this government listens to us and unless they stand up and unless they give us the support that our colleagues across Europe have, a reduction in VAT, extending business rates ,lowering the Visa requirements to get people back into the sector, if they don’t listen to us we will see closures in January February March that we have never seen before on record”

Tom Robinson proprietor of Tom’s restaurant travelled up with his team from Lyme Regis in Dorset to their voices heard. “It cannot go on he said. Our industry has been decimated since the pandemic began and things are only getting worse. Without urgent government intervention, countless more businesses will close, more jobs will be lost, and more lives will be ruined.We are here to make our voices heard”

In impassioned speeches organisers, sector leaders and business owners called on the government to provide three concessions: reduce VAT to 10%, offer a business rates holiday or reduction, and the introduction a visa scheme allowing staff from overseas to work in hospitality.

In an impassioned and sometimes emotional address, Natalia Ribbe, owner of Barletta and Sète in Margate, who has worked in the industry for over 20 years, added: “Enough is enough. I’m tired of feeling like I live on the red line, whereas the hospitality from this government”? “We are part of history” she added “we bring people together we bring people to this country, and I’m tired of not being acknowledged”

Opening the demonstration organiser Rachel Harty the current challenges facing the sector as a “perfect storm of inflation, rising costs staff shortages and much more”, these are the toughest times the industry has ever had to face” she said.

“Hospitality is the first thing to go when you have a recession; we won’t be able to survive if we don’t see some kind of support or acknowledgement from the government.”

Oliver Eardley a bartender of 10 years who currently works at Sketch in London’s Mayfair, came to the protest despite having been at work at 3am “deep cleaning the fridges”.

He said he had worked 75 hours a week for the past three months due to lack of staff and his main concern was “getting the EU workers back”.

He said: “I am in a relationship with someone from France. We did long distance for two years and she also works in hospitality.

Unfortunately, she spent €1,500 (£1,322) trying to come here six months after Brexit. She already paid and then the company itself got denied the license by the government. Since then, the government have put more and more rules in place.”

After the shaking of cocktail makers, the ringing of bells and the banging of pots and pans the protest moved on to the Treasury, where the crowd united to chant “Save our pubs! Save our pubs!”.

“The government must step in to help hospitality before it’s too late” she pleaded, highlighting that the sector is the 3rd largest employer in the UK contributing £130 million to the UK economy each year” Supporting the sector’s cause was LibDem MP Daisy Cooper, who described “our iconic pubs restaurants and music venues as the beating heart of our High Street”.

Recognising the hard work and dedication by workers in the sector, and described forecasts that up to 1/3 hospitality of businesses could close in the New Year as a “national scandal”.

Recognising how the sector stepped up during the pandemic, helping a vulnerable, delivering food, supporting communities, changing business models overnight, she said it would be “unforgivable if the government was to allow hospitality to fold because they’re not supporting them now” She demanded that the government “fix the broken business rates system once and for all, I want to see the salary threshold scrapped for visas, and we must extend the energy support system so businesses can plan and invest in the future”

Josh Eggleton of Pony Restaurant Group, which includes Michelinstarred The Pony & Trap in Bristol, “Every penny I have ever made in our business I have reinvested in our business and that’s all I’ve ever done, paid myself the bare minimum to make sure that I can make the environments I run better for my staff and customers.

We give as much back as possible but now we need to ask for something back from the government.”

Rachel Harty, organiser of HospoDemo, said:

He said the industry is “on its knees” and echoed the group’s calls for the government to introduce measures to ease the impact of economic headwinds currently hitting businesses across the UK.

“What’s important is the government listen to what we’re asking for. Jeremy Hunt is currently inside the Treasury that we’re standing outside and is hearing this noise and reading our signs.”

Rachel said the demonstration had received great support from people who were unable to attend simply because couldn’t leave their restaurant, bar, or café to attend because they didn’t have enough staff to work the hours of the demonstration.

Adding that there were also supporters couldn’t even afford the train fare to London to show their support for the protest, because “businesses are so close to the bone”.

Rachel added that I am confident that “We have made our point, we came here to tell the government that the industry needs its support, and am delighted that so many people have travelled from near and far”!

READ ALL THE LATEST STORIES AT WWW.CATERERLICENSEE.COM

Issue 136

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Autumn Budget- Business Rate & Energy Support but Sector Remains “Fearful” (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3) NO FREEZE IN ALCOHOL DUTY

es in England in 2023/24 will certainly be welcomed by licensees.

However, this is not a substitute for proper reform of the business rates system to end the unfair burden on pubs.

CAMRA Chief Executive Tom Stainer said: “The UK’s world-renowned pubs, social clubs, brewers and cider makers are a vital part of the social fabric of our communities that need and deserve help to make sure that they survive and thrive. But businesses and pubgoers will have found little comfort in today’s Budget statement.

“CAMRA will now be looking closely at the results of the latest revaluation and can only hope that the pub sector has a fairer share of the burden than before.

“The lack of clarity on whether or not the hospitality sector will get help with energy costs beyond April 2023 makes it impossible for licensees to plan and risks more of our beloved locals calling last orders for good as they struggle to cope with rising costs and customers tightening their belts.

“With consumers feeling the squeeze, it has been disappointing that the Chancellor didn’t announce any extra help to keep pub going affordable, such as re-introducing the freeze in alcohol duties to avoid additional increases in the price of a pint or bringing forward plans for a new, lower rate of duty for draught beers.

“CAMRA will continue to campaign for extra support and a fair deal for the nation’s pubs, clubs, breweries and cider producers.”

Commenting on the forthcoming business rates revaluation in England, Tom Stainer added: “Extending and increasing business rates relief for hospitality business-

UNSUSTAINABLE PRICE INCREASES David Scott, CEO for The Hotel Folk who own and run six hotels, a boutique spa, golf course and an event venue across Suffolk said: “While the increase in minimum wage for over 23s by nearly 10% and holding the employee’s tax allowance at its higher level of £5,000, will be welcome by employees, it will only compound budgeting issues for larger hotels such as ourselves.

“Combine this increase in staff salaries with rising costs in other areas and we have a package of unsustainable price increases.

To help balance rising costs, the Government is extending and increasing the business rates relief scheme from 50% up to 75% of the pre-pandemic level for 2023-24, capped at £110,000 per business. This surpasses the ask of the main business representatives and is most welcome.

“However, this won’t be sufficient to counteract the higher costs and we would have no choice but to pass these onto the consumer whose finances are already under pressure.”

RECOVERY REMAINS FRAGILE Joss Croft, CEO, UKinbound said “We greatly welcome the business rates support package which will come as a welcome relief to many businesses in the inbound tourism sector, however we urge the Chancellor to go further and expand the business rates relief scheme to include vital nonretail businesses such as tour operators, who were also excluded from the leisure and hospitality pandemic support.”

“The UK’s inbound tourism industry is a vital driver of our economy, and we remain committed to rebuilding from the impacts of the pandemic. Today’s statement reinforces that this recovery remains fragile and that we have a long way to go to return to our pre-pandemic levels of visitor numbers and our £28.4 billion contribution to the UK economy.”

NEXT PART OF THE PUZZLE Robert Hayton, UK President at the real estate adviser Altus Group said the Chancellor has listened, delivered and provided certainty to business over a key ask adding “This is a budget for the embattled high street where rents have been in decline for a number of years. Next April will now level up regions and sectors which have fared badly whilst protecting those against exceptionally large increases in tax liabilities.

The next part of the puzzle could come as early next week with the publication of new draft rateable values and then businesses will know exactly their rates bills for next year.”

“With the right investment in these small businesses at the heart of their communities in every village, town and city, they can be a driving force for employment and rapid career growth, levelling up every area of the UK.

The letter calls on the Government to recognise the fragility of pubs, but also the opportunity they represent for growth and employment for the country going forward.

CEO of the BII, Steve Alton commented: “Times have never been tougher for our members and the wider hospitality industry, but the resilience they have shown over the past 3 years has demonstrated the immense appetite for the experience that they deliver, one that cannot be replicated anywhere else.

“Whilst they face huge challenges with rising energy costs and double-digit inflation across all areas of their businesses, they also have the power to be a key part of the economic recovery, providing thousands

“They have been recognised as a unique and critical part of our communities and our economy by Government throughout the pandemic, and they now need the breathing space to be allowed to begin their own recovery, to the benefit of the entire nation.”

Read the letter at https://bii.imiscloud.com/common/Uploaded%20files/CEOLetters/2022/ British-Institute-of-Innkeeping-letter-to-the-Prime-Minister11.11.22.pdf

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of jobs and career opportunities like no other sector can.

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) has written to the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, urging them to invest in our vibrant and vital sector to ensure that it can be at the heart of the economic recovery.

DISHWASHERS • GLASSWASHERS • REFRIGERATION

Time to Invest in the Skills of our Nation’s Pubs and Hospitality Businesses

Soaring Energy Bills Add Misery To The Struggling Hospitality Sector 6

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

By Kunal Sawhney, CEO of Kalkine (www.kalkine.co.uk)

The outlook for the hospitality industry in the UK has been darkening gradually amid the rising cost of living crisis. Over the last three months, over one-third of the restaurants and pubs in the UK have slashed their opening hours to stay afloat amid the escalating energy bills, according to the fresh figures unveiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A range of UK hospitality businesses, including restaurants, cafes, and pubs, have decreased the number of days that they would be open. At the same time, 7% of businesses slashed a day of trading, and around 7% reduced two days. Additionally, 21% of businesses said they had altered their operational hours but didn’t disclose the days they would be open.

The ONS’s Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) has uncovered that the wider UK hospitality sector, in which one out of 14 UK workers are employed, has been notably impacted by the skyrocketing energy costs. But looking at the bigger picture, overall, just 3% of the total businesses slashed their trading hours due to rising energy bills.

Numerous hospitality enterprises also said they were facing a decline in demand due to their customers being hit by the rising energy bills ever since the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war. In September, the UK government announced energy subsidies tem-

porarily to help businesses tackle the increasing costs. However, the ONS claimed that this didn’t result in any major change in the percentage of hospitality businesses which was saying that soaring energy bills were their chief concern.

Trade body UKHospitality had said in October that the threat of collapsing by early next year persisted among over one-third of the UK hospitality businesses. This fear was mainly driving rising energy prices, labour shortfalls, and overall consumer spending decline due to their squeezed budgets.

In general, the UK hospitality sector hangs in the balance, and rising energy costs are adding to the pressures faced by businesses.

Source: https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/11/14/over-a-third-of-uk-pubs-and-restaurants-cut-hours-to-save-onenergy-bills/ https://www.bighospitality.co.uk/Article/2022/11/14/Hospitality-sector-faces-900m-business-ratesincrease https://www.creditstrategy.co.uk/latest-news/ons-over-a-third-of-pubs-close-early-in-order-to-save-onbills#:~:text=More%20than%20a%20third%20of,for%20National%20Statistics%20(ONS).&text=The %20ONS%20reported%20that%20many,days%20a%20week%20they%20open.

Visionary Chefs Invited to Compete in the Prestigious Lumina Challenge A two-stage semi-final will see finalists join the judges at a champagne and canapes networking event at Alliance HQ in February 2023 where they will receive samples of the Lumina product, learn more about the brand and speak directly with a Lumina farmer in New Zealand. Semifinalists will then be asked to submit a short video about what makes Lumina Lamb stand out from the competition, their recipe and what makes their dish so special.

The judges will then select just eight chefs to move on to the live final which will take place at Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) on 20 March 2023. An exhilarating one-hour live final will see contestants produce four dishes, with the winner announced in an Award Ceremony hosted exclusively at Chef HQ, the exciting HRC hub for Chef’s Magazine.

The winner of the Lumina Challenge 2023 will win an all-expenses paid trip to New Zealand in 2023, and be inducted into the Lumina Ambassador programme, joining the likes of Andrianos Poulis, Lee Ladislav Poustevnik, John Skotidas, and the illustrious Lumina Challenge judging panel. Their exciting adventure to New Zealand will include a visit to Lumina Farms, a chance to try the product on premium menus in the country’s best restaurants, a chance to cook alongside the best Lumina chefs from around the world, and an opportunity to experience the local culture and lifestyle.

Returning for its fifth year, the Lumina Challenge, run by Alliance – New Zealand’s only 100% farmer-owned red meat co-operative – has announced the launch of its 2023 competition.

From 1 December 2022 – 16 January 2023, chefs from across the UK and Ireland are invited to submit their most exciting lamb recipes, for a chance to scoop the top accolade and an all-expenses paid trip to New Zealand.

For a chance to reach the professional pinnacle to which many aspire, chefs of all levels can enter their award-worthy recipes via the Lumina website. Images of the chosen dish are also required to be shared on Instagram, using the hashtags #LuminaChallenge2023, #LuminaLamb and #PinnacleofTaste, for a chance to win.

The Lumina Challenge will open for entries from 1 December until 16 January 2023. For more information, visit the Lumina website at http://www.luminafarms.com/challenge-uk

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Hospitality and retail are facing another tough year, and it’s more important than ever to draw the silver lining from the economic storm clouds in every way possible. These shows do just that!

Returning to Bristol after last year’s inaugural show, this show brings both the best of the South West, as well as the latest innovations from around the world, to Bristol’s food and drink buyers.

THE SOURCE TRADE SHOW - Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th of February 2023, at Westpoint near Exeter.

The Source trade show takes place in February. There's been a food and drink and hospitality show in this time slot in the South West now for more than 20 years. This is one of the key times of year for buyers to seek out new suppliers of products and services. In partnership with regional food group Taste of the West, this trade show will delight your senses with the latest flavours and ideas.

EXPOWEST CORNWALL - Wednesday 8th & Thursday 9th March, at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge.

If you have a Cornish business that’s in hospitality, catering, or food and

These shows will satisfy your appetite, whether you run a pub, hotel, restaurant, café, deli, farm shop, holiday park, tourist attractions, catering business, supermarket or if your business is food and drink. They’re free to attend for trade buyers – all you need to do is visit the relevant show website to register or ring the team at Hale on 01934 733456. Of course, they welcome enquiries for stand bookings via the websites too, or you can call the sales team on 01934 733433. Visit www.hale-events.com to find the website you’re looking for.

Feed your need for the latest flavours!

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Mayor’s Tourism Campaign Provides Multi-Million-Pound Boost to the Capital A tourism campaign led by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to encourage visitors back to the capital has helped bring in £289m additional spending to London, new figures show today.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Our hospitality, leisure and culture sectors are world-leading and a major driver of our economy, but they have had an incredibly difficult few years due to the impact of the pandemic and now the cost of living crisis.

The Mayor expanded his Let’s Do London campaign – already the biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital has ever seen – earlier thisyear to reach international audiences and encourage even more people to enjoy everything London has to offer following the impact of the pandemic on our hospitality, culture, leisure and retail sectors.

“I’m delighted that my Let’s Do London campaign has helped bring in an additional £289m spending in London.

The Mayor’s campaign has been a huge success, delivering a return on investment of £28 for every £1 spent*, bringing in an additional £289m spending to London.

It is also estimated that the campaign will bring an additional 600,000 visitors to London from other parts of the UK, Germany, France and the USA. Sadiq launched his Let’s Do London campaign last year to support the capital’s tourism industry after the devastating impact of the pandemic and travel restrictions saw the number of overnight stays in the capital more than halve. Prior to the pandemic, London was the third most visited city on the planet with the thriving tourism sector accounting for as many as one in seven jobs and contributing almost 12 per cent of the capital’s gross domestic product. Visitors to London also went on to spend more than £640m in local economies outside of the capital.

Through the Let’s Do London campaign, the Mayor has been working with London’s business growth and destination agency, London & Partners, and the London Tourism Recovery Board, to encourage Londoners and tourists across the world to enjoy the capital by shining a spotlight on the world-leading range of attractions and entertainment.

This began with the biggest domestic tourism campaign the capital has ever seen and was extended earlier this year when the Mayor visited New York to launch the largest international tourism campaign London has ever seen. This has included spending £7m to encourage international tourists back to London, £2m to attract overnight UK visitors and £1m for reaching out to Londoners.

“I will continue to bang the drum for our capital and highlight our unparalleled offer to visitors from all round the world, as well as the many exciting free events that we have on offer, as we build a better, more prosperous city for all.”

Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners, which runs Visit London, said: “It’s fantastic to see the positive impact Let’s Do London has delivered for London’s tourism industry, as we welcomed back large numbers of international and domestic visitors this year. With London’s 50th Pride anniversary, the return of NFL London series, and the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, 2022 was a milestone year for the city. As momentum continues to build in 2023 with the royal coronation and the return of renowned international events like Major League Baseball, we encourage even more visitors from around the world to come and join us in London next year.”

UKHospitality Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls, said: “London is one of the most vibrant cities on Earth and it’s fantastic to see the success of the Mayor’s campaign, bringing much needed visitors back through the doors of our amazing hospitality venues. The sector is so critical to London, generating £36 billion for the economy and employing half a million people, and I’m certain the campaign will go from strength-to-strength, attracting even more people from at home and abroad to visit. As we head into winter, I can’t wait to see even more people enjoying the capital’s Christmas offering and the return of our world class fireworks display this New Year.”

Michael Kill, CEO Night Time Industries Association, said: “The Let’s Do London tourism campaign has been hugely successful for the capital, encouraging people to return to London post pandemic, reminding the world about how much this amazing city has to offer. The proactive response by the London Mayor in conjunction with business leaders from across London in response to the end of the pandemic has led the way in recovery campaigns.”

JD Wetherspoon Appoints CBRE and Savills to Sell 7 More Pubs Pub operator JD Wetherspoon has confirmed the appointment of CBRE and Savills to sell 7 of its pubs which are in addition to the 32 pubs that were put on the market in September.

The new properties, which comprise a mix of 5 freehold and 2 leasehold units, are located in England and Scotland and are being considered for sale either individually, in small packages or as a portfolio. All of the properties will continue to remain open and trading as Wetherspoon outlets until they are sold.

Paul Breen, Director at Savills commented: “Despite the volatility in the current market interest in the properties which went onto the market in September has been encouraging with terms now agreed for several of the sites. We expect these additional properties to be equally appealing.”

Toby Hall, Senior Director at CBRE added: “These additional properties are all substantial, well located pubs which are fitted to a high standard.

Most of the properties are coming to the market for the first time in

many years which should give them a broad appeal to both local and national buyers”.

Full details of the properties are available at www.jdwdisposals.co.uk

The properties are as follows: Coronet, Holloway* Cross Keys, Peebles* General Sir Redvers Buller, Crediton* Lord Arthur Lee, Fareham* Plough & Harrow, Hammersmith Saltoun Inn, Fraserburgh* Thomas Leaper, Derby * Freehold

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Half of Consumers Dining Out Less as Cost of Living Crisis Intensifies Half of UK consumers surveyed for a new study said they are dining out less than at the start of 2022, while guests are increasingly looking for value and variety when they do visit restaurants.

A study by Revenue Management Solutions (RMS), analysed, in detail, over 600 UK consumers, comparing the survey results of Q1 2022, against the latest findings for Q3 2022, to determine whether there has been a shift in consumer behaviours and attitudes to dining out, as inflation continues to rise at a staggering rate and the cost of living crisis intensifies.

51% of those surveyed are ordering less frequently from restaurants in order to save, an increase of 12% points on Q1 2022, when more guests managed their spend by also trading down. Additionally, 70% compare prices prior to placing their order, while 72% stated they always know the price of the menu items they’ve selected prior to ordering.

All surveyed cited their intention to reduce their frequency of visits to restaurants across all sectors. When comparing Q1 2022 figures against Q3 2022. Dine-In 25% rising to 40%. Drive-thru 36% rising to 49%. Take-

out 34% rising to 47%. Delivery 35% rising to 47%.

Cooking ‘everyday’ meals from home is on the rise, from 62% in Q1 2022 to 82% in Q3 2022. Socialising with family and friends in a restaurant remains important, with 43% of respondents in Q3 2022 reporting meeting more at restaurants as opposed to at home, versus 37% in Q1 2022.

Celebrating a special occasion within a restaurant environment also saw an increase from 33% in Q1 2022 to 42% in Q3 2022.

For Q3 2022, 80% of UK consumers stated they enjoy having a variety of option choices on a menu, yet one in two feel this is currently missing, with an additional one in three stating they no longer find satisfying value options on a menu.

65% of respondents cited purchasing a combo meal from a quick-service restaurant in the past month, with more than one in two purchasing a combo meal multiple times for the same period. 53% of consumers agree that combo meals represent better value than individual items. However, interestingly, two in five consumers purchased a combo meal because they felt it was faster to order.

International Salon Culinaire 2023 Opens for Entries

Historic chef competition International Salon Culinaire has opened for entries for 2023.

Taking place alongside Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) on 2022 March at ExCeL London, Salon Culinaire offers chefs of all ages and skillsets the opportunity to compete in over 80 live and static competitions, from meat, cheese and plant-based challenges to desserts and sugarcraft.

Next year’s edition of the competition will see the return of popular categories including the NHS 4 Nations Chef Challenge, the Alaska Seafood Masters, Stadium Experience Chef Team of the Year and Country Range Student Chef Team Challenge, along with popular 2022 additions such as the Apprentice Challenge and Pub Chef of the Year.

Craft Guild of Chef’s National Chef Team of the Year competition, in association with Waitrose & Partners, will also have a new format at the competing chefs are challenged to construct delicious bowl food dishes.

New for 2023 is the prestigious Lumina Lamb Challenge from Official Meat Partner Alliance NZ and a new online training competition for chef lecturers in partnership with The Grande Cuisine Academy.

Steve Munkley, Salon Chef Director, comments: “Next year’s event is set to be another fantastic edition of HRC and International Salon Culinaire, attracting everyone from the UK’s leading chefs to the next generation of culinary superstars. Live competition is a great way for chefs to challenge themselves, meet industry peers and stand out from the crowd and I can’t wait to see what this year’s competitors produce.”

Among the over 70 esteemed chef judges returning for 2023 are Cyrus Todiwala OBE of Café Spice, Gary

Devereaux of the House of Lords, Dennis Mwakulua of the Lexington, Nick Vadis of Compass Group UK & Ireland, Matt Owens of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Martyn Nail of the Dorchester Hotel, Yolande Stanley MBE of The Pastry Training Company and Candice Webber of Thomas Franks of London.

“We have seen our students flourish and gain massive confidence to face the world,” says Todiwala “To all chefs: be bold, be brave, face challenges and be competitive, as it is facing an audience and creating the magic that is within you that what will make the difference for your rise and future achievements, and will give you the confidence to succeed.”

New additions to the judging panel include Terry O’Riordan of Ketochefs, Shona Sutherland of the Tastyful and Scottish Culinary team and Wayne Roberts of the Royal Lancaster London.

International Salon Culinaire is working with a number of Official Equipment Partners, including combi ovens from Unox, refrigeration from Liebherr, and induction from Induced Energy. Compass Group UK & Ireland is returning as Headline Partner for 2023, continuing a longstanding partnership with the competition.

Unox will once again be taking all the Live Theatre Best-in-Class winners for on an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to explore Venice and Padova and enjoy a guided tour around the Unox global headquarters. Read about the 2022 trip here.

International Salon Culinaire will take place on 20-22 March 2023 at ExCeL London. To find out more about all the competitions and challenges at next year’s event, and for information on how to enter, head to internationalsalonculinaire.co.uk.

New Study Finds Just One Scenario for Tourism That Meets ‘Net-Zero’ Goal, Given Current Forecasts Issue 136

With global tourism set to double in size by 2050 from 2019 levels, current strategies that rely solely on carbon offsetting, technological efficiencies and biofuels are woefully inadequate. Such measures alone will fail to meet the Paris Agreement-aligned goals to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

Instead, global policymakers and climate planners attending COP27 are urged to combine all those measures with significant investments and incentives for bringing forth the greenest forms of transport, and limits on the most polluting. This is the only scenario that can provide comparable levels of revenue and opportunities to travel in a decarbonising world.

These are the findings from a soon-to-be-released report, Envisioning Tourism in 2030, published by the Travel Foundation in collaboration with CELTH, Breda University of Applied Sciences, the European Tourism Futures Institute, and the Netherlands Board of Tourism and Conventions, and with additional input and perspectives from a broad range of businesses, tourism destinations and other stakeholders across the world. They conclude that destinations and tourism businesses must take action now to identify new opportunities and build resilience to changes in visitor patterns, potential new restrictions and regulation, and the worsening impacts of climate change.

The team behind the report have used a sophisticated ‘systems modelling’ technique to explore future scenarios for global travel and tourism. They found only one decarbonisation scenario that could match current growth forecasts and so double revenue and trips in 2050 from 2019 levels. This scenario is achieved through trillion-dollar investments in all available decarbonisation measures and by prioritising trips which can reduce emissions most readily – for instance those by road and rail, and shorter distances. Some limits must also be applied to aviation growth until it is fully able to decarbonise, in particular capping the longest-distance trips to 2019 levels. These made up just 2% of all trips in 2019 but are, by far, the most polluting. If left unchecked, they will quadruple by 2050, accounting for 41% of tourism’s total emissions (up from 19% in 2019) yet still just 4% of all trips.

The best-case scenario identified means the world can still travel and tourism can support the destinations and businesses that rely on it, avoiding COVID-like restrictions and regulations. Step out of this scenario and it will be much worse for the planet and tourism. The report emphasises the huge undertaking required to achieve this future, but show it is technically possible, if the will is there.

“It’s clear that business as usual for tourism is neither desirable nor viable,” said Menno Stokman, Director

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at the Centre of Expertise Leisure, Tourism & Hospitality (CELTH). “Climate impacts are already here, increasing in frequency and severity, with monumental costs for humanity and the environment that affect tourism more than most other sectors. Current decarbonisation strategies will reach net zero far too late. So we must reshape the system. From a climate perspective, once we reach net zero we can travel as much as we like. Shifts in investment will get us there within a decade for shorter-distance trips. But for long-haul we need more time, and we should take this into account as tourism plans its future.”

A global coordinated response also needs to address the existing inequity within the tourism system. Many countries, particularly those in the Global South, have yet to fully develop their tourism economies and will have fewer resources to invest in green infrastructure. And some destinations, such as island nations, which are both more susceptible to the impacts of climate change and most dependent on tourism and long-haul visitors, must be the first to be supported.

“As always, the risk is that the most vulnerable people and nations, those that did the least to cause climate change in the first place, will lose out,” said Jeremy Sampson, CEO of the Travel Foundation. “We urge governments at COP and beyond to coordinate globally and consider what is fair in terms of who pays for this huge investment, and what is equitable in terms of optimising global travel distribution. We must not exacerbate the existing system, which often fails to yield fair outcomes for host communities. Instead, tourism’s coming transformation is the sector’s opportunity to make good on its promise to be a catalyst for positive change once and for all.”

The Envision Tourism in 2030 recommendations aims to support the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, a UN-led initiative supporting the Paris Agreement goals, and which the Travel Foundation helps implement. Intrepid Travel was among the first signatories when it launched last year at COP 26 and, alongside Destination Vancouver, Visit Barbados and the Netherlands Tourism Board, is sponsoring the report.

“This research clearly shows the need to plan now for a resilient low carbon tourism sector. We must recognise the future will be different from business as usual and that the climate crisis is not a competitive advantage,” said Dr Susanne Etti, Global Environmental Impact Manager at Intrepid Travel. “Tourism operators should unite behind the Glasgow Declaration to align, collaborate and accelerate collective action and innovation to decarbonise travel. Only then can our industry truly achieve its huge potential sustainable development,” Dr Etti added.

Huddersfield Town Foundation Partners with Drinkaware and Heineken UK to Launch Walking Football Programme amateur football player myself, at Drinkaware we know the almost unrivalled power sport can have in bringing people together, helping them get active and supporting healthier lifestyles.“We are delighted to be working with Huddersfield and Heineken on this exciting new programme.”

Huddersfield Town Foundation has announced a new partnership with Drinkaware and HEINEKEN UK, to encourage more active lifestyles via a new walking football programme.

The increasingly popular sport of walking football is played at slower pace, with players not allowed to run. Sessions on the new programme are free and will take place weekly across Huddersfield and the wider Kirklees area.

The partnership will see new walking football teams established by Huddersfield Town Foundation.

When attending for the first time, participants, who can be adults of any age and gender, will be asked to complete a short wellbeing questionnaire and provide details on their alcohol consumption.

Throughout the year they will also receive occasional additional light touch information about alcohol.

The initiative will look to replicate a similar programme run by Drinkaware and Derby County Community Trust, during which players spoke of increased confidence and wellbeing, leading to broader lifestyle changes including, for many, reduced alcohol consumption.

At the end of the programme participants will be asked to give feedback on their experience, whether they enjoyed the physical and social aspects of the programme, and anything else they may have found useful. They will also be given information to help them stay active and manage their alcohol consumption longer term.

Adam Jones Business, Development and Partnership Director, Drinkaware, said: “As a lifelong

Siobhan Atkinson, Chief Executive Officer, Huddersfield Town Foundation, said: “We are absolutely delighted to partner with Drinkaware and Heineken UK to deliver this pioneering Walking Football programme across Kirklees.

“We hope to provide positive opportunities for the community of Kirklees to improve their health by being able to take part in physical activity whilst also having education around sensible drinking habits.

“This programme will see sessions rolled out across different areas of Kirklees and allow people to access the Foundation’s programmes in a very local setting.

“It’s fantastic to see how the charitable and private sector can come together as a force for social change, offering sessions free of charge is helping to remove some of the barriers people face engaging in physical and sporting activities. Improving the standard of health in our community can drive many other benefits and we look forward to achieving positive results.”

James Crampton, Director Corporate Affairs, HEINEKEN UK, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Huddersfield Town Foundation and Drinkaware on this innovative and targeted solution for tackling alcohol harm.

“We are steadfast in our commitment to encouraging moderate consumption as part of a healthy lifestyle.

“It is our hope that this partnership model becomes a template for helping communities get more active while also providing education around alcohol; one which sports clubs are able to replicate up and down the country.”

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London Mayor Unveils New Night Time Enterprise Zones to Support Local High Streets Issue 136

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced that Bromley town centre, Vauxhall and Woolwich are set to become the capital’s new Night Time Enterprise Zones.

London’s nightlife was devastated by the impact of the pandemic and with businesses now battling the spiralling costs of operating, the Mayor is doing all he can to encourage more people to use their high streets after 6pm and boost the local economy.

The boroughs of Bromley, Lambeth and Greenwich will each be awarded £130,000 to develop a range of activities and programmes to make their streets more welcoming after 6pm and supporting businesses, encouraging more Londoners to use their local high streets at night.

In partnership with the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP), the funding will allow the boroughs to work with businesses and local communities to develop ideas to make their high streets more accessible, inclusive and welcoming at night. This includes extending opening hours and offering a greater range of activities that encourage a diverse range of people to make use of the high street after 6pm. It will also support the number of night workers benefitting from good work standards.

Projects include: . In Vauxhall, the council plans to activate unique spaces such as the Pleasure Garden tunnel, to celebrate the area’s LGBTQI+ history through murals designed by local artists, in partnership with the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. They are also identifying sites within the Vauxhall area that could be used to support culture, entertainment, leisure, education, training and wellbeing after dark. . Woolwich will be delivering a year-round mix of events, encouraging locals and those in other boroughs to think of them as a ‘lates’ destination. They will also be creating a low level sustainable lighting scheme connecting the town centre and the Royal Arsenal, improving safety and create a more welcoming destination for all. . Bromley will bring the high street to life with events such as library lates and sporting lates – allowing an after dark experience and exclusive access – winter lights and night markets, accompanied by a campaign to raise the profile of the town centre. In addition to this, new ambient lighting will be installed as part of work to make the pedestrianised high street more welcoming.

The announcement follows the success of a Night Time Enterprise Zone pilot in Waltham Forest in 2019, where extended opening times, events, increased promotion and repurposing council-owned buildings helped to increase footfall on Walthamstow High Street by 22 per cent.

Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Harrow and Islington are also set to receive £25,000 each to pilot ideas that make licensing policies and processes less time consuming and costly for local businesses. This is part of the Mayor’s work to support the capital’s night time businesses to recover from the effects of the pandemic.

The Mayor is determined to do all he can to make London a fair, inclusive and sustainable 24 hour city. This includes supporting night time businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic and the spiralling costs of doing business, so they can help drive our economic and social recovery.

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He has introduced the first-of-its-kind Women’s Night Safety Charter for councils, businesses and venues to prioritise women’s safety at night, produced world-leading guidance for councils to develop Night Time Strategies and is offering evidence and insight through the Night Time Data Observatory to help decision making. Culture and Community Spaces At Risk programme is also providing dedicated advice and guidance for the most at risk night time spaces, including grassroots live music and LGBTQI+ venues.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Local businesses and high streets are at the heart of our communities, but they are struggling due to the spiralling cost of doing business and the lasting impact of the pandemic. I am committed to doing all I can to support them during these challenging times and am proud that we are creating three Night Time Enterprise Zones to bring innovative ideas that will support our high streets after 6pm. We all have a role to play to support our local businesses and help drive forward our economic recovery as we continue working to build a better and more prosperous London for everyone.”

Amy Lamé, Night Czar, said: “With two thirds of people active at night, our new Night Time Enterprise Zones will provide fantastic opportunities to make the most of our high streets around the clock and drive forward our economic recovery. These new zones allow us to work in partnership with boroughs to provide a boost to businesses, communities and the wellbeing of night workers and help us to pioneer better ways of living, working and doing business after dark.”

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The new Night Time Enterprise Zones announced by the Mayor today will be a real boost for London’s late night businesses and this move recognises the huge value they deliver to the city. The schemes to make licensing more business-focused will be welcomed by venues, particularly as it will provide some much-needed help in the current economic climate.

“The established Women’s Night Safety Charter and guidance for Councils to develop Night Time Strategies complement the extensive work that venues across the capital are already doing to ensure the best experience for customers, from start to finish. I look forward to continuing our work with the Mayor and Night Czar to support this initiative and their work with the wider hospitality sector.”

Cllr Claire Holland, the Leader of Lambeth Council, said: “Vauxhall has a long history as a popular nightlife destination, with Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens for example defining London’s nightlife in the 18th and 19th centuries.

“Today Vauxhall has one of London’s most dynamic LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as being is a diverse neighbourhood with significant Portuguese speaking and Black African populations.

“Following the Covid-19 pandemic the area has bounced back, but that recovery is now under threat from the Cost of Living crisis.

“So we are delighted to have secured Night Time Enterprise Zones status to help us deal with those impacts and work with our community partners on plans to create new activities, spaces and employment opportunities in Vauxhall that support local nightlife venues, boosts economic activity in the area after 6pm and benefits all our communities.

The Days Of Shouting Are Over: Why Compassionate Leadership In The Hospitality Sector Cannot Be Underestimated 14

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Comment from Harry Lomas, Head of Culinary Club Wembley (www.clubwembley.com)

A collaborative workforce is the key to ongoing success. The pandemic dramatically changed the way that we operate across all sectors, but hospitality was hit with countless unprecedented challenges from staff droughts, adaptation of food service and in Wembley’s case, navigating the gradual return of sports fans to grounds and stadiums.

Lockdown dramatically shifted the way we, as a sector, operate, and reminded staff the importance of free-time and family that’s so often

overlooked in hospitality careers. With a greater awareness of the need for work-life balance paired with the rising costs of living pressures squeezing those on lower wages. Now, more than ever, compassionate leadership cannot be underestimated to ensure the preservation of motivated, inspired teams and high-quality output.

of us know the long unsociable working hours, often poor wages, and lack of appreciation all too well; it’s a tough game to be in. It’s essential to better understand the mental stresses that your team is under, as the challenges to both individuals and within the sector are constantly changing.

Your team should come first and foremost as you’re going nowhere without them. Kicking out-dated ways of working and prioritising building a well-supported body is an essential first step in reaping success. In the sport catering industry, if kick-off is at three, the match kicks-off at three and whilst individual experience holds value, it’s totally impossible to pull off the operation alone. I have a military background and experience catering for the Olympics which has equipped me to work on large scales and at a fast pace. Members of my team won’t have had these opportunities or set foot in these settings.

If we are to attract new chefs to the industry and keep the next generation of hospitality staff going, we need to start showing them more appreciation. Encouragement of striking a successful work-life balance for you and your team is becoming increasingly important. Having hobbies, pastimes, and passions outside of the stadium doors is something I strongly encourage, and employers should be committed to steering their team in the right direction to getting the balance right.

As a result, I can’t expect everyone to be able to work at the pace I’ve set myself. Even when moving positions within the field, you yourself must adapt to different tasks and responsibilities. That’s why taking a more liberal approach to leadership and always looking after your team will not only benefit you, but them too. Adopting a coaching-style of management will produce a team who want to work where they work, who have an exceptional level of professionalism and ultimately, get you great results. Be the leader that the team can learn a lot from and start to learn from them.

Mental health has been considered a taboo subject in hospitality. Many

When operating in a workplace as vast and diverse as Wembley, strong leadership skills must translate successfully beyond the kitchen. Take Club Wembley for example, its diverse menu offerings, constant customer experience evolution and expansion means we’re always communicating both internally and with our customers.

I need to understand how they’re operating and meet their needs and they need to understand mine – it’s consistent communication.

Successful management teams should be ready to embrace the changing environment and come together to form a bank of problem solvers. You play a big part in leading your own team, but you’re also a cog in the greater, more complex machine; every team member is essential. A team that is well-supported will also support you.

Plea From Pubs and Brewers to Help Keep the Price of a Pint Affordable This Christmas As business costs continue to soar and the cost of living bites for consumers, the British Beer and Pub Association has made a final plea in an open letter to the Chancellor, asking him to reconsider a freeze to beer duty to help keep the cost of a pint in the local pub affordable for customers this Christmas.

Highlighting new figures the letter shows the average costs for pubs and brewers were up 22% at the end of this summer compared to 2021, even before colder months started to bite.

Writing to the Chancellor, the Association stresses that soaring prices are forcing businesses to pass on costs to their customers at the bar, with the average price of a pint up 8% on last year.

The letter, sent by the BBPA, representing businesses from regional pub companies to international brewers, highlights the tax as one of a myriad of costs that are driving increased prices for customers and crippling their businesses; with over 50 pubs a month now closing compared to around 30 just 12 months ago.

Highlighting soaring costs across the entire supply chain and ongoing uncertainty about whether they will receive support with unmanageable energy costs beyond March, the letter notes the freeze would help to keep the price of a pint affordable and ensure customers aren’t deterred from a trip to their local this festive period, with UK beer sales already down 10% on the same period last year.

The letter also cautions that failing to introduce the beer duty freeze would take the tax to its highest ever historical record at a time of severe pressure for the industry, but reinstating would channel £360million back to pubs and breweries.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said: “We are caught in an extremely vicious circle, customers are understandably being cautious, but the cost of doing business is out of control and as a result this is set to be the toughest Christmas on memory for UK pubs and brewers. Many just managed to pull through the pandemic, but what we are facing now is crippling businesses at an unprece-

dented rate. We need the beer duty freeze reinstated to alleviate at least some of the cost pressure on our pubs and brewers and to avoid undermining the crucial Alcohol Duty reform measures to be implemented in 2023.

“The last thing these pubs want to do is put prices up for customers who are struggling themselves with the cost of living, they want to provide a warm and welcoming space for their communities, especially in this acutely difficult time, but without relief from the Government it’s difficult to see how many will continue to do so.”

Oliver Robinson, Joint Managing Director of Robinsons Brewery, who operate 260 pubs across the North West and North Wales said: “For months there has been absolutely no let-up in the costs being piled onto our business. We are seeing unprecedented price increases across the business but especially on raw materials and if these were all passed on it would make the cost of a pint almost unaffordable in many pubs.

“News of the beer duty freeze by the former Chancellor provided a ray of hope, but the subsequent Uturn has not helped the mood and we urgently need the Chancellor to reinstate it to provide some let up.

Beyond this, there needs to be some parity created, we need a VAT reduction within our sector to make sure it can be allowed to thrive once again, not just survive. We want to be in a position where we are supporting and funding government in a fair way, not one that is unsustainable.”

Paul Davies Chief Executive of Carlsberg Marstons Brewing Company said: “Costs are spiralling across the whole of our supply chain, from the cost of CO2 to malt to bottles, all directly impacted by energy. A cut to beer duty would ease these pressures so we can continue to supply the industry at this difficult time and help keep the cost of a pint affordable for customers.

“If the Government is serious about investing in businesses for growth they need to recognise the value our industry brings not only socially in communities across the UK but economically and deliver a freeze to a tax that is in desperate need of reform.”

More Than Great Coffee For Your Business As we enter the winter season with the continued inflationary pressures, rising energy bills and increased labour costs; operators from all corners of the hospitality market are looking at their total offer to consider changes that will make guest eating and drinking occasions work more efficiently and effectively, better for the guest experience and better for business.

The demand for quality remains but the expectation for value for experience grows, here’s where Douwe Egberts Cafitesse can help your business with more than great coffee.

With a range of Douwe Egberts’ Cafitesse machines to choose from, each is a beautifully designed high-speed, self-serve coffee machine with varying capabilities to suit the needs of your venues, your hospitality occasions and your guests. Each is also built for reliability to serve high volumes of coffee and drinks at peak times, whether pots or cups, served or self-serve. Perfect for high-demand usage, all day long, from breakfast to evening service.

Douwe Egberts Cafitesse knows how to deliver great tasting coffee at high speed and in high volumes, now being experienced by the 135,000+ machines being used worldwide, serving two billion cups every year and counting.

Sourcing coffees from around the world, Douwe Egberts Cafitesse coffee is roasted and brewed to create perfectly balanced blends full of flavour – capturing all the flavours and precious aromas to deliver a consistently delicious coffee, cup after cup. Within the range, we also offer UTZ Certified blends including Intense and Classic Roast.

Discover the benefits of Douwe Egberts Cafitesse in your business, scan the QR code shown.

FREE TRIAL OFFER EXCLUSIVE TO HOTELS ONLY See for yourself the difference Cafitesse can make to your guest experience and the efficiency of your serving team.

Applying is no guarantee of a free trial. Selection criteria and geographical restrictions apply. For full terms and conditions visit www.jacobsdouweegbertsprofessional.co.uk/cafitesse-freetrial-terms-of-use See the advert on the facing page for further details.

Food Trends Predictions for 2023 16

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

Expect Gut Health, Flexitarianism and Supply Chain Traceability to Be Key Factors Trending in the Food Industry in 2023

By Jo Hall, Communications and Development Director at allmanhall (https://allmanhall.co.uk/), looks at emerging trends we can expect to see in 2023.

As we approach 2023, the food industry’s attention is likely to continue to focus on inflation as the cost of raw materials, transport and labour drive volatile prices. As producers and manufacturers work to manage the rising costs within the supply chain there is likely to be a lower number of innovative food products bought to market.

However, changes in eating habits that we have seen in recent times are likely to continue, as consumers take responsibility for their own carbon impact and look to eat more sustainably, both for their own health and that of the planet. So what are these trends and how are they likely to change?

Flexitarianism and food alternatives A flexitarian diet will continue to gain momentum and increase in popularity, whilst veganism could potentially slow. Defined as an individual who primarily follows a vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish, flexitarianism appears to be popular as it is inclusive of those who wish to exclude meat from their diets entirely, and of meat eaters who are looking to reduce the amount of meat they consume by looking for healthier reformulations of their favourite foods.

One key area of expected and much needed development is that of fish and seafood alternatives. As the Spoonshot ‘Trends for 2023 and Beyond’ report highlights, whilst there has been great innovation within meat and dairy alternatives, there are limited options available of free-from fish and seafood that are of the same calibre as the meat-less meat we have seen emerge on the market. With fish being a popular meal choice due to its health benefits, it is perhaps not surprising that it is reported that the global fish consumption has doubled since 1998 and is projected to nearly double again by 2050. It is vital that a more sustainable seafood alternative is found. Currently alternative fish products feature ingredients such as jackfruit, soybeans, peas and green lentils, but there is a huge scope for development into a viable fish-less alternative that meets taste and nutritional expectations as well as providing a more sustainable solution.

One solution could be the development of sea farms, where sea plants are grown in place of fish, grains and meat. Whilst this may not offer the ‘faux fish’ products consumers are looking for, ingredients such as seaweed, kelp and samphire would be sustainably farmed and harvested. Zostera marina is a seagrass grown without freshwater or fertiliser, the grains from the seagrass are gluten free and have nutritional value. They can also absorb carbon 35 times faster than tropical rainforests, making them a potential tool in fighting climate change and introducing more sustainable ways to source food. Such developments offer solutions that would alleviate the pressure on the marine fish populations and provide sustainable alternatives to other farming processes.

Meat consumers are also looking for healthier reformulations of their favourite foods, something we can expect to see emerging over the coming year.

Clean labelling Simply being plant based is no longer enough as consumers want clean label products that are sustainable, healthy, and contain as few artificial ingredients as possible. Whilst alternative food solutions have seen a surge in progression, the ingredients list to such products are often lengthy with a high content of artificial or unrecognisable ingredients and additives that help plant-based options achieve their texture, taste, and stability.

The idea of clean labelling is three-fold. The first seems a relatively simple solution of making the ingredients list understandable for the consumer and replacing the more technical terminology with the simplified and recognisable term for that ingredient Ascorbic acid, for example, would not be familiar to many, but it is better known by most of us as vitamin C. The second is more about the formulation of the products. As consumers are placing more importance on knowing exactly what they are putting in their bodies, people are looking for limited processing and more natural ingredients. Ultimately, they are looking for a simpler, less complicated ingredients list. And it doesn’t stop at plant based foods. Meat consumers are also looking for healthier reformulations of their favourite foods, something we can expect to see emerging over the coming year. Another consideration for clean labelling is where the ingredients come from and how they are produced.

Supply chain traceability and sustainability With many consumers looking to follow a more ethical and sustainable diet, supply chain traceability with a minimal environmental impact is an ongoing trend and one that continues to gain momentum. The clear communication of the source of ingredients also attributes to clean labelling, with symbols and logos for Red Tractor Assurance, Carbon Trust Footprint and Rainforest Alliance being a few that are used within the UK. And clean labelling does not stop at the physical food or drink item. With so much focus on reuse, reduce, recycle within the UK to help manage our waste and reduce the reliance on single use plastic, manufacturers are under a lot of scrutiny to use recycled materials in their packaging and to ensure that food and drink packaging can be easily recycled by our waste management system.

Measures to reduce waste will become even more significant in the need to deal with food inflation and maximise budgets, whilst having the added benefit of a positive impact on sustainability. Avoiding overbuying stock and checking deliveries match orders, storing and labelling food correctly, managing portion control and not overextending the menu are a few actions that can help in reducing waste.

Focus on gut and immune system A more specific trend we can expect to see develop into next year is a focus on immune and gut health and how food and drink can support this.

With a variety of products already on the market, functional beverages will continue to emerge. Fermented drinks such as kombucha offer antioxidant properties and immune system support outside of the more traditional fermented foods such as yoghurt, cheese, and sauerkraut. Accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, food is very much seen as a wellness category, with the marketing of foods to support mental health as well as reducing inflammation, improving the body’s absorption of vitamins and minerals, and promoting gut health.

Local MP Visits Two Community Pubs in Darlington reform of the unfair business rates system which will allow our pubs to trade out of this economic situation. I look forward to further conversations with Peter in the future.”

Two local community pubs in Darlington, The Avalon and Turks Head hosted visits from the local MP, Peter Gibson last week on Wednesday 9th November. The pubs are both owned by the UK’s leading community pub group, Admiral Taverns, with the Avalon forming part of the Leased and Tenanted division and the Turks Head, part of its community wet-led division, Proper Pubs.

Operators, Carl McDowell & Reece Haigh at the Turks Head, commented: “We really enjoyed hosting MP, Peter Gibson at the Turks Head last week and appreciate him taking the time to visit us. Community pubs are more than just a place to drink, they are the social hubs of their communities, providing a safe and warm place to meet with friends, constantly raising vital money for charities like we do here through many community initiatives. The energy crisis is truly frightening so it was a good opportunity to discuss the urgent need for a properly enforced energy price cap for businesses so we can continue to serve our community. We hope to see Peter again soon.”

Peter Gibson, MP for Darlington, commented: “It was a pleasure to meet the management team from Admiral Taverns and visit the Avalon Bar and Terrace, and Turks Head in Darlington. It was a useful opportunity to discuss and listen to concerns about rates, energy costs and alcohol duty. Unlike many other politicians who try and fail, I was able to pull a pint in both venues!”

Samantha Banks, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns, commented: “It was a pleasure to meet MP, Peter Gibson last week and showcase two of our fantastic community pubs within his constituency. The Avalon, run by our licensee, Lindsey Stephenson whom Peter knows well and the Turks Head, run by Carl McDowell & Reece Haigh . It was a great opportunity to discuss the amazing work that both pubs have been doing to ensure they thrive within their communities, but also a chance to discuss the challenges they are facing and the need for further support from the government, including a complete

Lindsey Stephenson, Licensee at the Avalon commented: “It was lovely to see Peter again and discuss the important wider issues which are currently impacting our industry. Peter was very understanding, so it was a good opportunity to highlight what more could be done, including a reform of the business rates system to help us combat the rising costs we are facing. We would welcome Peter back to the pub any time.”

The Difference in Engaging Food Hygiene Training is Right in the Video The Safety Expert has created an online Level 2 Food Hygiene course for hospitality businesses that enables staff to learn through video. The course consists of videos that are filmed in real-life scenarios with practical examples. The course is created and delivered by Natalie Stanton, Founder of The Safety Expert. Natalie is a Chartered Environmental Health Officer, food safety advisor and trainer.

Natalie said: “Presenting information in a visual way can increase knowledge retention. That’s why I opted for video. My mission is to bridge the gap between e-learning and face-to-face training. I want to retain the flexibility and affordability of online training whilst presenting information in a visual way to ensure staff learn and remember as much as possible. I know now more than ever food businesses are experiencing a high turnover of staff. It is essential that all of these staff are trained to work safely. After all, a business is only as good as its staff.

I’m passionate about helping food businesses to succeed by ensuring their staff are trained to work safely. My experience shows that training can’t just be a ‘tick box’ exercise. To produce safe food and for a business to get a good food hygiene rating, staff need to understand food safety. This is only possible if they learn and retain knowledge from training.

Having worked as a local authority EHO for over 11 years I’ve seen many examples of how poor staff training can impact a business. During a food hygiene inspection, it only takes one mistake from a food handler to cost the business its 5-star rating. For example; I’ve seen food handlers panic to get food into the fridge and cause cross-contamination by storing raw meat incorrectly. The EHO can’t ignore this when calculating a food hygiene rating. Effective training should help staff make the right decisions when it comes to food safety.”

To find out more: www.thesafetyexpert.co.uk info@thesafetyexpert.co.uk

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CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

Food Trends Predictions for 2023 Christmas, the World Cup, and a Cost of Living Crisis… What Can Hospitality Businesses Expect This Festive Season?

Article Supplied by Alliance Online www.allianceonline.co.uk/ As the World Cup kicks off in Qatar, it’s useful to take stock of the benefits and challenges that it will bring to your hospitality business. It’s been a tricky few years for the sector, but the combination of Christmas, New Year, and the World Cup might be just the opportunity you need to bring in some revenue over the winter.

shopping instead of heading to the pub to watch the match? However, almost in defiance of the challenging circumstances this year, research has shown that 48% of people are more likely to watch the World Cup matches because they were happening during the festive season! (Morning Advertiser).

Usually, the World Cup is a summer event, but concerns over the hot weather in Qatar mean that this year the tournament has been moved to late autumn, with the first fixture kicking off on the 20th November.

Rachael Kiss from catering supplier Alliance Online will take you through the impact and opportunity the industry can expect from the World Cup, along with tips for maximising revenue.

That’s good news for all businesses hoping to attract plenty of football fans this season, but it also presents something of a challenge: catering to both audiences at the same time. Try combining showing the games with having some warming, festive decorations in your pub, along with your Christmas food and drink offerings. This will create a cosy atmosphere that appeals to both regular patrons and football fans alike.

Opportunity to capitalise on increased footfall

Plan for larger numbers…but don’t forget your regulars!

While there wasn’t an imposed lockdown in December 2021, hospitality footfall saw a decrease as cases rose and many people chose to stay at home to ensure a Covid-free Christmas. This year, there is ample opportunity to bounce back and recoup lost earnings from the 2021 festive season, especially if past sporting events are anything to go by. In fact, there was a 320% jump in engagement at pubs in the final rounds of the 2018 World Cup. Despite the controversy around this year’s World Cup coupled with the current economic climate in the UK, a recent study has shown that 6.7 million football fans will watch at least one match in a hospitality venue this winter, with that figure expected to rise depending on the home nations’ performance!

Cost of living will impact purchase decisions This years’ World Cup is due to fall over one of the biggest retail events of the year, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Due to the worsening cost of living crisis, most consumers have less disposable income and are making tough choices when it comes to where they spend their money. However, this could work in the favour of hospitality businesses with recent research showing 38% of people said they would spend more money on alcohol during a World Cup match, and 27% said they would spend more during a Christmas event.

Barclaycard has revealed over half of consumers would rather spend their money on entertainment and events than material items. By offering a good experience, pubs, bars and restaurants can appeal to those customers who prioritise fun over things and could steal their custom from retailers this Christmas shopping period.

It is also worth noting that the average cost of a pint of lager has increased 13% since the last World Cup in 2018 which could result in less pints being sold overall. However, with reports coming out about pints being sold for £80 in Qatar (SportBible), UK drinkers may consider this a bargain!

Hospitality businesses should be optimistic but remain cautious Many businesses were initially concerned that trade would be impacted by the games taking place during the festive season. Would busy, cash-strapped punters chose to spend their money on Christmas celebrations or

It’s great having more customers coming through the door, but it can also be quite overwhelming if your business isn’t prepared for it. Being able to ensure that things run smoothly creates an enjoyable experience for the customer and will help secure some repeat business — as well as making things easier for your staff.

While the World Cup is a great opportunity to draw in some additional footfall, you want to make sure you’re still catering to your regular clientele and not alienating them. Re-assess how many people you can safely fit in your venue, and move around any seating and tables you need to in order to maximise space and comfort.

Due to some unusual match timings, with some games taking place earlier or later in the day than normal, many viewers may choose to watch the games at home or work rather than a pub or bar. Attendance will be highest during games that take place in the afternoon or evening, so bear this in mind during planning.

With Christmas events taking place at the same time, you may find that festive revellers don’t particularly want to watch the matches or sit with excitable football fans. So, space permitting, you might want to make a ‘World Cup free zone’ when the games are on, especially if you have lots of Christmas party bookings to cover.

It’s also well-worth checking the terms of your licence, to see if you can serve alcohol during earlier fixtures.

You may also be able to apply for a Temporary Events Notice, to ensure you can serve guests during all games.

“Tinsel, lights, log fires and Christmas trees alongside World Cup games might seem like a strange combination, but embracing it can allow you to reach customers interested in the football, and those just looking for a festive night out. It’s also a good idea to run some themed drinks as an extra attraction. Festive toddies are a great choice, but you might even want to add some World Cup specialities using classic British ingredients like gin and ale to maximise on the football spirit.

“My key advice to hospitality businesses would be to prepare adequately but exercise caution. Don’t overstock with items such as decorations and consumables that you don’t usually sell but rather prepare for the World Cup by enhancing your current offerings.” - Rachael Kiss, Marketing and Online Manager at Alliance Online

Michelin-Starred Chef Angela Hartnett Urges Backers to Join Hospitality Rising Campaign Celebrity Chef Angela Hartnett OBE has backed major recruitment campaign Hospitality Rising amidst fears the industry could be ‘killed’ by the energy crisis.

Speaking in an exclusive new Hospitality Rising podcast, the Michelin-starred chef urged leaders across the sector to support the Hospitality Rising movement and help give the industry ‘a voice’ during these challenging times.

She is the latest among big-name chefs, including Tom Kerridge, Raymond Blanc OBE, and Thomasina Miers, to throw her weight behind the ‘Rise Fast, Work Young,’ initiative which has been launched in a bid to help fill the industry’s 400,000 vacancies.

Highlighting the hospitality industry’s impact on the economy, Angela said: “We bring billions of pounds into the Exchequer, and as Robin Hudson always said, ‘we’re a tap that can be switched on.’

“We’re a great industry, I think we’re very welcoming and I don’t think I’d want to do anything else. I support Hospitality Rising because this is about bringing our industry together as one united body.

“I think it’s important for others to be involved in Hospitality Rising because then you have a say, it’s like anything – you can’t make a comment if you don’t have a vote.”

Seen as an icon in the food industry, Angela is an advocate for the campaign, which was launched last month as the industry’s response to help tackle the sector’s crippling jobs crisis.

Figures from KAM, which is supporting the Hospitality Rising effort, show that only 1 in 5 people would consider a hospitality job and 42 percent of current employees are thinking about leaving the sector.

Chef restauranteur Angela, who discussed her support for Hospitality Rising on BBC’s Saturday Live kitchen at the weekend, said: “I think there is staff out there, people can recruit but I think what the big issue is in lots of places is staff retention.

“I was talking to an operator the other day and she said we’ve recruited 50 per cent and we’ve lost 50 per cent, and that’s where your problem is.

“More than anything it’s the energy crisis that’s going to kill businesses. But we’re an industry that employs 3 million plus, that just never minds the periphery of people who make your cups, make your tablecloths, clean your restaurant, and all the rest of it.

“We can show everybody what a brilliant industry it is, what a great career you’ll have, and what hospitality is all about.”

Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and campaign director, said: “Angela has been a fantastic support from the very beginning of the Hospitality Rising campaign and a prime example of where the industry can take you.

“This movement is all about showcasing the opportunities and promise of where hospitality can lead. But we need action to be taken by the Government when it comes to the rising energy bills in order to ensure our industry is safeguarded.

“We are all united in our approach to make hospitality a preferred job and career choice for all.”

To see the full range of Hospitality Rising podcasts featuring backers and chefs, visit the campaign’s Youtube channel.

Jangro Launches New Catering And Hospitality Catalogue Jangro, the UK and Ireland’s largest network of independent janitorial distributors, is delighted to launch a brand new catalogue, dedicated to the commercial caterer and hospitality sector. Available now in a compact A5 size, it is packed with many new sustainable choices. These include disposable food packaging, cutlery and drinkware that are made from recycled materials and are also compostable, biodegradable, or recyclable.

From mixology, dispensing and serving essentials for bartenders, a large range of glassware (entry-level to fine dining), through to front of house essentials, including crockery, cutlery, oven to tableware, and presentation displays, the new catalogue has it all.

It caters for everything required within commercial kitchens, including equipment and furniture such as ovens, cookers, toasters, dishwashers, juicers and blenders, as well as cook and bakeware, storage and kitchen utensils. For staff, there is an array of uniform and PPE on offer, including chef’s clothing, headwear, hand protection, and footwear.

Also included are kitchen hygiene supplies, which are essential to avoid cross-contamination and the risk of foodborne illness. The catalogue covers all chemicals, paper products, and cleaning products, including the new ntrl range, Jangro’s innovative line of natural and

more sustainable cleaning products.

All ntrl products use raw materials that are derived from plant-based extracts; their natural formulas are 100% biodegradable, contain zero petrochemicals, and can reduce the product’s carbon footprint by up to 85%.

Jangro is also proud to offer products for hotels, from brands including Elsyl, and Taylor of London, as well as ranges that are 90% natural. Other features include an array of different signage, fire safety equipment, first aid, waste management, plus washroom essentials including baby change facilities.

Jo Gilliard, CEO of Jangro comments “We are thrilled to unveil our new Catering and Hospitality Catalogue. It may be a more compact size than previous editions, but it is absolutely bursting with everything a catering business might need for its establishment.

What’s more, we have included more sustainable options than ever before, helping our customers to make responsible choices and meet their own sustainability goals.”

For more info or to order a free copy visit Jangro.net or call 01204 795 955.

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Issue 136

Industry Unites to Tackle Recruitment Crisis, Urging Government to Show Support at Critical Time With a recent survey showing hospitality job vacancies are at almost three times the national average, industry bodies have written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions outlining the severity of the recruitment crisis, urging him to publicly support the steps being taken to address it and to implement policies to alleviate recruitment pressures.

In a joint statement, the organisations said: “The recruitment crisis currently facing pubs, restaurants, hotels, cafes and bars across the UK is causing an existential threat to our industry. This is not a problem facing just one type of venue or hospitality business, it is a universal issue, and it is critical because brilliant, passionate people are the lifeblood of hospitality.

In a joint letter to Mel Stride MP, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), British Institute of Innkeeping (BII), UKHospitality, the Institute of Hospitality and charity Springboard, have called on the Minister to support a new industry-wide recruitment campaign, after a survey of hospitality businesses showed the current vacancy rate stands at 11% compared to UK average of 4%, a problem costing the industry £22bn a year.

“Since the pandemic, vacancies in our sector have rocketed, with many businesses now struggling to recruit the staff needed to simply keep trading day to day. Couple this with the current extreme cost of doing business and you have a perfect storm which will force many businesses to close for good without urgent intervention.

Outlining the difficulties businesses are having in recruiting, the letter points to the newly-launched Hospitality Rising campaign, which aims to change the perception of what it’s like to work in pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels and encourage more people to take up fast-progressing and fulfilling careers in hospitality.

“Our industry is one of only a few that supports livelihoods and contributes to local economies in every single part of the UK, but we are being held back. We are already collaborating as a sector to demonstrate the dynamism of our businesses and the opportunity careers in hospitality offer, but we need the Government to help unlock our potential by ensuring there is a sustained talent pool available to support our businesses for the long term as well.”

Now, building on the backing of businesses from across the entire breadth of hospitality from national coffee shop and pub businesses to hotel chains and service stations, the letter has urged the Secretary of State to recognise the severity of the current crisis, to publicly endorse the campaign and ensure careers in hospitality are on the radar of young people and school leavers deciding their next steps.

As well as urging support for the campaign, the groups have also previously called on the Government to take action to help resolve the crisis by providing greater flexibility in the apprenticeship levy and increasing the number of youth mobility visas that are available to allow more people with the right skills to come to the UK.

Stonegate Group Accountant Has Been Named Luton’s Irish Person of the Year It is not just the work during the pandemic which contributed to Luke receiving this award, he has taken on various fundraising projects over the years, raising over £18,500 to date for local charities and organisations. He has also been involved with making up care packages for the homeless during winter months and shoe box appeals to deliver presents to children at Christmas.

Luke’s selfless acts of kindness do not stop there, as he also volunteers with his local Gaelic football club, St Dympnas GFC. He sits on the committee and holds the roles of Public Relations Officer Club Treasurer and Assistant Manager of the Senior Team. As well as football, Luke is also involved in the Finbarr Conway Academy of Irish Dancing, which is a passion of his and sees him take part in their charitable work.

Luke Kitching, who is an accountant at Stonegate Group has been awarded Luton’s Irish Person of the Year award for his amazing volunteer work. The award was founded 25 years ago and recognises outstanding contributions made by individuals to the local community.

Luke said: “I feel incredibly honoured to have won this award and grateful to have been recognised by the local community. It was special to have been able to share the awards night with my family, especially my parents and grandparents who are very proud.

Volunteer work and giving back to those in the community is something Luke is very passionate about, and he has undertaken many activities which have led to him receiving this award. He is a Trustee of the charity, Luton Irish Forum, and sits on the Board of Trustees as well as holding the role of Treasurer.

During the pandemic, Luke was a part of the Luton Irish Forums befriending service, where he would keep in touch with isolated members of the community and bought essential shopping each week for seven elderly and vulnerable members of the Luton community. Luke still goes shopping for one elderly gentleman who he helped during the pandemic.

Another activity that Luke took on during the pandemic was starting an appeal in the first lockdown which delivered items of PPE to local care homes and carers. Then later into the pandemic he organised a Food Bank Appeal which collected 8,500 items of food which was then donated to the local food bank as well as 37 families in need.

“I got into volunteering as I wanted to be able to make a difference.

There is no better feeling or reward than knowing you have genuinely helped someone and had a positive impact on them, which is why I would encourage people to find a way in which they can volunteer. No one person has ever made it through life without some form of help from someone else, so you should always look to give back and support others where you can.”

The Luton Irish Person of the Year award is another award added to Luke’s collections as he has previously been awarded the Queens Award for Voluntary Service with the Luton Irish Forum, which is the highest award that can be given to local voluntary groups within the UK. Dave Ross, Chief Finance Office for Stonegate Group, said: “Huge congratulations to Luke on winning this award and for all of his amazing volunteering and fundraising activities. It is great to see someone go above and beyond for his community, which is something we are very passionate about at Stonegate. Luke is an outstanding example to all of us and he should be very proud of his efforts and this award. We are certainly proud of him at Stonegate.”

Now ‘Not the Time’ for Additional Advertising Restrictions The Scottish government has launched a consultation on proposals that could heavily restrict the advertising of alcohol in public places, sporting events and supermarkets.

The proposals, unveiled in a paper commissioned by Scottish National Party (SNP), are part of a push to reduce “the appeal of alcohol to young people” and cut overall consumption in the country.

Among the restrictions up for discussion is the promotion of alcohol in prominent positions in supermarkets, as well as a possible ban on the use of alcohol brand logos on sports clothing, trophies and within sporting venues.

A ban on any alcohol advertising in public spaces such as on billboards and buses, in public transport hubs and in print media is also up for consideration.

Emma McClarkin OBE, CEO of the Scottish Beer & Pub Association said: “If enacted, these proposals would have a devasting impact on investment and jobs across a range of sectors, while hitting small, Scottish-owned businesses the hardest.

“It would create an insurmountable barrier to growth for Scottish producers, while ripping-out much need-

ed funding from sports clubs, cultural events and venues, like theatres and cinemas, and reduce jobs in creative industries.

“Businesses in these sectors are desperate for additional funding to survive the current economic crisis. The Scottish Government should be looking at ways to support them instead of inflicting more damage on the economy.

“There is already robust regulation of alcohol marketing and a recent report by Credos found ‘little evidence’ of a relationship between alcohol advertising and consumption trends and that ‘alcohol advertising spend trends are inversely correlated to alcohol-specific harms’ in Scotland.

“It would also be negative for public health goals by stifling innovation and growth in no and low alcohol products, that have a vital, recognised role in helping people moderate consumption and reduce health harms.

“We will engage constructively around these proposals but the Scottish Government and MSPs must think very carefully about the potential impact these measures might have on the economy. Now is not the time to be risking investment and jobs.”

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Issue 136

The Importance of Local Community in an International Industry

By Giles Fuchs, owner of Burgh Island Hotel (www.burghisland.com) er its distinctive characteristics and capabilities and how these can support the community. At Burgh Island, for example, we hosted last year’s Bigbury Net Zero assembly on climate change, marrying our sizeable entertainment space with our meticulous dedication to sustainable practices.

Hospitality is understandably inclined towards the international — as an industry, we rely on a steady stream of visiting guests to keep our doors open. Yet, when serving our guests, we must not neglect the local businesses and communities that we owe so much to.

Indeed, with almost half of UK travellers seeking experiential travel trips where they can truly explore an area’s history, culture, and traditions - maintaining the local connection has never been so important to a hotel’s success. By forging a symbiotic relationship with local businesses and organisations, hotels can support their communities economically, socially, and environmentally – and without turning away the modern traveller.

BEING PART OF A COMMUNITY History and heritage may well be the darlings of regional tourist boards across Britain, but for hotels hoping to promote and preserve their setting, it remains vital to recognise the important part played by community initiatives in nourishing local culture. By participating in initiatives such as arts programmes or environmental campaigns, hotels can simultaneously foster good relationships with local communities while ensuring a lively destination for their guests.

With a host of resources at their disposal, hospitality businesses can play a unique part in local initiatives. Alongside providing of facilities and catering for conferences, meetings, and events, each hotel should consid-

Our local and environmental commitments stem from our desire to do right by the environment and community that makes our island such a special place to live, work and visit. However, community engagement can also serve to benefit hotels in a more commercial sense. By extending a hand to their neighbourhood, hotels expand their reach much further than the local boundary stones through the additional marketing opportunities and brand recognition that community engagement presents. Positive community-orientated initiatives prompt for local and national news coverage, offering opportunities for promotion across a wide readership. Moreover, a place on the website of a socially- or environmentally conscious community group will raise an establishment standing among those 78% of tourists searching for eco-friendly accommodation in 2022.

OFFERING LOCAL BUSINESSES A HELPING HAND Guests don’t just want a place to sleep, eat and drink. They want to make lasting memories that they won't find elsewhere. In fact, Booking.com predicts that over 70% of s tourists will seek to escape their comfort zone and try something new in 2023. Undoubtedly, hotels that advertise the novel experiences their neighbours provide and partner with local businesses to offer exclusive deals will attract a wide pool of guests who want to engage with the local area. At Burgh Island, for example, we have collaborated with local fishing experts to curate a range of trips, allowing guests to cast their nets into one of the industries that gave rise to Bigbury-on-Sea. Collaboration can provide vital custom to hotels and local businesses alike. However, it can also afford a combination of social and environmental benefits. For instance, Burgh Island’s Nettlefold Restaurant sources 80% of its ingredients from local communities within a 30-mile radius. Not only does this cut the environmental cost of transporting produce onboard gas-guzzling vehicles, but we also feel smaller, local businesses are more attuned to the eco-friendly desires of our guests, and less prone to mass and, indeed, overproduction. By purchasing products from within a restricted radius, hotels can boost local business, cut

their carbon footprint, and sow a reputation for eco-consciousness all at once.

EMPLOYING LOCAL, EASING SHORTAGES Cultivating lasting relations within the local community can help a hotel promote itself not just to guests, but also to potential employees. With the shadow of a staffing crisis looming over the sector, securing loyal and enthusiastic workers has become a pressing concern for UK hospitality.

Indeed, as of October 2022, 158,000 industry vacancies remained unfilled according to the Office of National Statistics.

The positive reputation a hotel builds through community relations can attract staff from the neighbourhood by both showcasing the hotel to local residents and forging individual bonds between existing employees and members of the community. And with McKinsey research highlighting a lack of belonging among the top reasons employees leave a role, this pre-established connection will undoubtedly lead to long-lasting careers and a happier workplace, much to the benefit of business, staff, and guests.

With only 16 staff bedrooms currently on the island and, given its remote location where access is controlled by the tide, it’s important that staff can live nearby. House prices in South Hams have bucked current economic trends and remain expensive despite a drop in prices nationwide.

In 2022, amongst the 29 local authorities in the Southwest, South Hams recorded the highest property price rise, increasing by an average of 24.3%. Average house prices are now over £400,000 as the area becomes a popular destination for second homes and summer holidays.

We have recently invested £500,000 into transforming Korniloff care home into luxury staff accommodation with 22 high end ensuite double bedrooms. Burgh’s purchase of Korniloff is a move to shield employees from rising house prices and increasingly unaffordable rents, allowing them to focus on their roles at the hotel and progress their careers.

Through supporting local initiatives, collaborating with nearby businesses, and forging strong relationships with workers from the area, a hotel endears itself to both local community and visiting guests. It’s important that those hospitality businesses looking to serve the global market remember that, however far they spread their sights, their foundations still lie in the local community.

Chair of MHA Optimistic About a Strong End to the Year for the Hospitality Industry Adrian Ellis, Chair of Manchester Hoteliers’ Association (MHA) has said he is encouraged by early signs of a strong end to 2022 for the hospitality industry.

Adrian, who is also General Manager of The Lowry Hotel said: “Bookings for the festive season are looking strong and following closely to 2019’s pre COVID-19 figures which is massively welcomed by the industry. Occupancy levels are looking around 70% – 75% for the year with leisure business making a robust return.”

He added: “We are expecting a busy lead up to Christmas with the Manchester Christmas Markets having launched aswell as the World Cup kicking off on the 21st November. Manchester also has a number of concerts in the run up to the festive season and the Premier League re-commencing on Boxing Day will give a much-needed push to venues. We expect hospitality to reap the rewards of this in what has been a hugely

challenging two years surrounding Christmas.”

Adrian, who has been in the post for over seven years also hailed the return of leisure business saying: “We have seen the return of leisure bookings with high levels of enquiries for festive events and corporate Christmas parties which is extremely positive for the industry, as well as a strong Autumn period for hotels and hospitality venues.”

“The hospitality industry has been hit with a wave of challenges over the past three years due to COVID-19 pressures, the aftermath of the pandemic as well as the rise in energy prices, the cost of living crisis and the change in government leadership however we remain positive that hospitality will continue to proposer.”

The city is also set to see a number of hotel openings during the course of 2023 with some new hotels arriving in the city including Treehouse.

Free Support For Hospitality To Safeguard Record Festive Turnover Rob Easton BSc, PgDip, MSc, MBA, Head of Environmental Health at Shield Safety discusses the potential £4bn revenue spike heading towards the UK’s hospitality sector during the 2022 festive period but warns venues could be at risk if they aren’t prepared for surging footfall.

With less than two weeks until the kick off of the FIFA World Cup 2022, venues across the UK can claw back lost earnings from the 2020 and 2021 festive seasons, which were severely impacted as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. This period also comes at a time when the hospitality sector is struggling with rising costs, recruitment challenges and disrupted supply chains. The prospect of a bumper Christmas period could provide the lifeline that many businesses are seeking, however, if managed poorly, the rise in trade could tip an already rocky boat.

If venues aren’t managing their safety systems in the right way, increased revenues could be hit by large penalties, due to a predicted lift in expedited reviews by police and licensing authorities throughout the festive period.

There is a golden opportunity for the hospitality industry here, as Christmas and the 2022 World Cup coincide; people are going to turn out in record numbers and for UK venues this will be the first full trading festive period since 2019. This does however need to be managed carefully to avoid an own goal. A huge increase in visitors will take place against the challenges of varying staffing levels, adapted menus, venue layout changes, more outdoor presence to mention just a few. Venues need to be prepared to avoid heavy fines for health and safety breaches, so many of which are easily avoidable.

For a venue with an average weekly turnover of £12k, fines for culpability or harm range from between £25k to £120k, with top fines equating to 6% of the entire year’s turnover.

Statutory fines for hospitality vary according to the severity of the breach, but even if a venue is not hit with a fine, the review process can and does result in significant business disruption, even closure, while investigations are undertaken. So, in the event that there is no breach, a fine is avoided but the venue has still lost potential income from having to close its doors. We are campaigning to help venues avoid this situation.

We can be fairly confident of record footfall in venues this Christmas. To put some context to this, during the last World Cup, spending in hospitality increased by 41% compared to the previous year and this shot up to 73% on the day of the England-Croatia semi final. Coupled with the Lionesses' victory in the European Championships earlier this year, there is huge excitement for the World Cup this winter.

A recent survey from Access Hospitality found that 76% of football fans are looking for venues to watch the World Cup this winter and 30% of respondents said they would be happy to sit in a heated beer garden. This shows the scale of opportunity for hospitality but interestingly, if they have outdoor space they can adapt with patio heaters and can provide alfresco dining options such as BBQs or pizza ovens, there’s scope to really diversify, enhancing customer experience and bringing in vital revenue.

To help the hospitality industry be prepared, stay safe and avoid fines, Shield Safety has produced a free XLMAS Guide and risk assessment template, which is available to access and download for free here at https://info.shieldsafety.co.uk/hubfs/Content/XLMAS/xlmas-guide-with-links-to-ra-template.pdf. In addition to the spirit of England’s last (and only) success at the FIFA World Cup in 1966, they are offering a free “Safety Net” – access to their RiskProof safety checklist software and Safety Advice Line for 66 days – the Safety Net businesses really need this festive period. You can access at https://try.shieldsafety.co.uk/safety-net Shield Safety also has a free webinar to help more venues learn how to prepare for the busy festive period, which can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/759076029/0d8f5f0f9a

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The CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) continued its relentless upward march again during October to hit 19.9%—a ninth consecutive month of double-digit inflation.

Prestige Purchasing CEO Shaun Allen said:

“The coming months will be extremely tough for hospitality operators.

They will be caught in the squeeze between rapidly rising costs of operation, and diners seeking even more value as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. Riding out this storm requires investment in supply chain management, as in the hands of skilled professionals price increases can and should be avoided and mitigated.”

As in previous months Oils and Fats led the way, rising almost 50% yearon-year. Prices in the Milk, Cheese and Eggs category fell slightly in the month, but still increased by more than 30% compared to October 2021.

Only one category within the Index is not in double digit-inflation, with Sugar, Jams and Syrups the outlier at 9.6%. Core products for hospitality such as Meat, Fish, Vegetables and Fruit are now all in the 16%-to-19% range year-on-year. Food in total climbed a further 1.3% month-on-month during October and is now running at 21% inflation year-on-year.

James Ashurst, client director at CGA by NielsenIQ, said: “Soaring costs are making trading exceptionally challenging across the supply chain, and eye-watering inflation in several key categories will hit sales and margins again over the crucial Christmas season. While it’s encouraging to see some signs of inflationary respite as we move into 2023, it is clear that our sector needs targeted government support to get through these unprecedented challenges.”

There were some signs during October that price-influencing factors occurring upstream of delivery are beginning to normalise, with oil prices, exchange rates and commodity markets all showing increasing stability.

IR35 Issues Not Dealt With in Chancellors Statement VAT and charge VAT to their clients – remains at £85,000 will simply discourage many businesses which could have looked to expand.

The fact that the Government has not addressed any of the issues raised by IR35 – and in effect actually taxes many personal service companies at an effective rate of over 50% once one takes into account Income Tax, dividend tax and Corporation Taxes – just reinforces the message that this Government does not have time for the self-employed or freelance economy.

Businesses with a client base of private individuals often chose to keep their turnover below the VAT threshold, as charging VAT simply increases the core cost for private individuals. As such, businesses in this situation will have to choose between raising their fees significantly – and hence potentially becoming uncompetitive or potentially just reducing the amount of work they take on, so that they can remain below the £85,000 threshold.

Given that economists have generally agreed that the flexible, freelance economy has been a major success factor behind the whole British economy over the past 30 years, this deliberate targeting of freelancers and entrepreneurs is a retrograde step which undermines the UK economy.

With many small businesses actually operated by people who are relatively advanced in their career, it would be no surprise if many such individuals simply decided to take on less work and, for example, only work on four days per week. This could cause problems for those looking for support with building projects for example.

VAT Threshold remains at £85,000 The fact that the VAT threshold – i.e., the threshold before businesses need to register for

Hyatt Hotels Manchester Announced as Manchester Museum’s Hotel Partner Hyatt Hotels Manchester has become Manchester Museum’s exclusive hotel partner as part of its strategy to cultivate positive community impact and promote tourism to the district. The 12-month sponsored partnership coincides with the museum’s much anticipated re-opening, which is scheduled for February 2023 following an extensive £15m refurbishment.

The dual branded Hyatt Regency and Hyatt House Manchester will run themed campaigns for guests to promote the new exhibition spaces, including the centrepiece ‘Golden Mummies of Egypt’ Hall. The purpose-built hall will house an exhibition that has toured the US and China and features eight mummies and over a hundred objects from the museum’s existing Egyptology collection.

The 19-storey building comprises a 212 bedroom Regency Hotel and Hyatt House; a 116 bedroom aparthotel. With a choice of luxurious rooms, suites and studios, the 4-star hotels located on Booth Street West will also welcome and host media and VIPs attending the museum’s press launches as well as running new and unique leisure stay packages with a creative twist to entice families to visit the new museum collection.

The major refurbishment programme at the museum named ‘hello future’, includes a new space called the Belonging Gallery, the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery, a new display area for the dinosaur and prehistoric exhibitions, and a South Asia Gallery, which is in partnership with the British Museum. As part of the

refurbishments, accessibility has been improved at the neo-Gothic building, with a new ramped entrance on Oxford Road.

Assumpta McDonald, general manager at Hyatt Regency Manchester, said: “We are delighted to support Manchester Museum, one of our closest neighbours, in this landmark year. The new exhibitions and the vibrant programme of activity are bound to attract visitors not just from the region, but from across the UK and overseas. As a global hospitality chain, our brand provides a familiar and luxurious welcome to guests from all over the world. We are looking forward to theming rooms, menus and offers and displaying exciting artefacts in our lobby to tie in with exhibitions at the museum.”

Esme Ward, director at Manchester Museum, added: “The hotel is simply round the corner from us and there couldn’t be a better base for exploring the results of our exciting refurbishment. With over 4.5 million items to discover, it’s a great idea for visitors to plan an extended stay and we are very thankful to the hotel for pledging their commitment in supporting us as we re-open to the public and for a very exciting year ahead.”

For more information, visit www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/england-united-kingdom/hyatt-regency-manchester/manrm

Taking Steps Towards A Sustainable Future For Hospitality Businesses guide those working in the sector to net zero by 2040, it’s clear the topic of sustainability is only going to grow.

Yet, while the appointment of a chief sustainability officer might not be possible, there are other steps hospitality businesses can take today to help foster a sustainable future. One of the ways that pubs and bars off the mains gas grid can unlock significant reductions in their carbon emissions is through the transition to sustainable fuels.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OPTIONS Calor Futuria Liquid Gas (previously BioLPG) is a sustainable fuel made from a blend of waste, residues and sustainably sourced materials.

As the drive towards net zero continues to gain pace, UK businesses are continuing to put sustainability at the heart of their operations.

Research has highlighted that almost two fifths (37%) of UK businesses have appointed a chief sustainability officer, while over half (56%) have an employee in post, whose remit includes sustainability.

And, with the UK Hospitality Association unveiling its 10 pledges to

With busy pubs and bars requiring a fuel source that offers increased reliability and a controllable flame for cooking, Futuria Liquid Gas can be utilised for a variety of uses, such as hot water, heating and cooking requirements. In addition, Calor’s range of storage options, including underground tanks, which can be hidden out of sight, means there’s a solution for every business.

Available in a 100% blend, bulk Futuria Liquid Gas can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 86% (kgCO2e/kWh) when compared to using heating oil and up to 80%4 compared to conventional LPG. For businesses keen to demonstrate their reduction in carbon emissions, the Green Gas Certification Scheme ensures traceability of all Futuria Liquid Gas delivered to, and used up by, hospitality customers, while also highlight-

ing the amount of CO2 saved.

THE FUTURE WITH CALOR As part of its commitment to offer its customers 100% sustainable energy solutions by 2040, Calor is raising awareness about off-grid energy options and encouraging hospitality businesses to make the switch to bulk Futuria Liquid Gas – helping to support pubs and bars across the UK to deliver on their sustainability goals for today and tomorrow.

Deliveroo’s Australian Exit Calls for Modernization in the Food Delivery Sector, says GlobalData

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favor of from-scratch cooking. However, consumers will increasingly look for the most cost–effective way to do this. At the surface level, techniques such as opting for collection or pick up and ordering directly from the brand (where there are no additional third-party fees) put delivery aggregators in a difficult position.

Following the news that UK-based delivery aggregator Deliveroo is withdrawing from Australia after just seven years due to touch economic conditions; Hannah Cleland, Foodservice Analyst at GlobalData, offers her view: “Deliveroo’s decision to leave Australia is a dramatic move, but is based on an all-too-familiar story for delivery aggregators. Since the pandemic, the sector has been plagued by driver shortages, tightening gig work regulations, and now more than ever increased inflationary pressures such as rising fuel costs.

“A focus on a more modern and sustainable way of covering ‘last mile’ delivery can provide some solutions to the challenges faced by the food delivery sector. Cyclist couriers, for instance, will help alleviate fuel cost pressures, while drone delivery is an attractive alternative in the face of an industry labor shortage. Pick up lockers are another option that are currently being used by restaurant brands. These could provide opportunities for delivery aggregators to make the delivery process more efficient for drivers and cheaper for customers.

“Despite these issues, consumer demand hasn’t fallen. GlobalData’s 2022 Q3 consumer survey reveals that 64% of consumers globally said they ordered food and drink from food delivery channels at least once a month, making it the third most frequented channel surveyed behind quick service/fast food restaurants and supermarkets.* “Although consumers are continuing to tighten their budgets, delivery and takeaway are likely to remain a somewhat regular option as consumers will always seek the occasional convenience–driven ‘treat’ meal in

“Delivery aggregators disrupted the industry to provide a convenient modern solution for businesses and consumers, so it seems likely that their continued survival will hinge on keeping up with modern delivery trends. The sector desperately needs to increase ESG and technology investments if it is to survive long term.”

Isle of Wight Distillery in High Spirits After Achieving B Corp Status The company’s B Corp certification comes three years after the distillery relaunched Mermaid Gin in a strikingly sculpted, plastic-free and fully recyclable bottle. The distillery is now in the process of setting its nearterm science-based targets, to eliminate and reduce its emissions.

One of the key efforts recognised as part of the scoring and certification is the dedication of the distillery to reduce its impact on the environment by minimising waste and preserving resources. The Isle of Wight Distillery has engaged in a number of local and global initiatives that reinforce its commitment to sustainability including:

The Isle of Wight Distillery, producers of high quality and hand-crafted spirits, Mermaid Gin and Mermaid Salt Vodka, is delighted to announce today, that it has received B Corp certification from non-profit organisation B Lab. The distillery is the first business on the Isle of Wight to achieve B Corp status and earned an overall score of 88.6, ranking it the highest scoring gin distillery in England to date. The home of Mermaid Gin is the 27th distillery in the world and the 13th distillery in the UK to achieve B Corp status.

• Seagrass restoration - Mermaid Gin is working with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to monitor and restore seagrass meadows in the waters surrounding their island home. It is estimated that 92% of these seagrass meadows have been lost over the last 100 years. As well as financially supporting the project, the team take part in surveys and beach clean-ups, working as ‘Marine Champions’ for the Trust.

• Mermaid Gin is working with Surfers against Sewage (SAS) a national marine conservation and campaigning charity tackling plastic pollution and protecting the UK’s coastline for people to enjoy safely and sustainably.

• The iconic Mermaid bottle is crafted from 100% natural materials, designed to be reused and plastic-free. The glass bottle is decorated with

The distillery achieved B Corp Certification by meeting and exceeding rigorous benchmarks across five categories of the B Impact Assessment: Community, Customers, Environment, Governance and Workers. This involved working with its employees and customers to reach a high level of inclusion and working with its supply chain to achieve a high level of transparency and accountability. The distillery met these criteria independently and unusually, without guidance from external consultants.

biodegradable paint and features an all-natural cork with a wooden top.

The neck tag is recyclable and the tamperproof seal is crafted from corn and potato starch, which composts in food waste in 6-12 weeks. The cases of Mermaid Gin fit six bottles which do not require bubble wrap for protection and all tape has been replaced with metal staples.

As well as putting environmental sustainability at the core of its operation, the distillery has a strong focus on the community. The majority of employees live locally and it uses local suppliers where possible.

“Our mission when we founded Mermaid Gin and Vodka was not only to create great quality spirits but also install responsible practices in everything we do. We are a small team, the majority of whom live and work on the island and I am so proud of what we have all achieved. To be considered as a company that holds some of the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability in the world of business, is a great honour. Not only are we passionate about making people’s lives better and considering the well-being of our planet, we are proud of our Isle of Wight heritage and hope this achievement will give other local businesses the inspiration to become B Corp companies as well.” adds Xavier.

“Since our inception in 2014, the team at the Isle of Wight Distillery have been committed to the environmentally friendly production of spirits and the preservation of our island and marine environment,” comments Xavier Baker, co-founder, Mermaid Gin. “We want to use our brand as a force for good within the local community and are delighted to join a community of B Corp businesses that have been recognised for their commitment to operate in a way that has a positive impact on the planet”.

Connecting Food Professionals From All Fields Free From Functional & Health Ingredients Expo 2022, 22-23 November, Amsterdam

DOING BETTER BUSINESS FOR RETAIL AND FOODSERVICE

The Free From Functional & Health Ingredients Expo 2022 takes place in RAI Amsterdam on 22 and 23 November. It gives valuable opportunities for national and international experts from various fields and all over the world to meet and share insights into the most important food trends and what will be on the shelves in the coming years.

During the Free From Functional & Health Ingredients Expo 2022 in Amsterdam, hundreds of international manufacturers and traders in food & beverages will present their latest product innovations. On display will be thousands of relevant products, ready to be placed on supermarket and food service shelves, and on the menus of catering companies and delivery services.

CLEAN LABEL, ORGANIC, VEGAN, PLANT-BASED, ALLERGEN FREE Free From Functional & Health Ingredients 2022 provides insights into the latest trends in lactose-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and plant-based products, organic, vegan, protein transition, functional food and ingredients. It will also carefully address the future trends. “For example, products that are becoming more mainstream are those that are processed as little as possible and that contain few or no artificial additives,” says organizer Ronald Holman of Expo Business Communications.

At the same time, more and more people are thinking about where their food comes from and what's in it.

“This is reflected in the ever-increasing ranges of plant-based products being found in supermarkets today,” adds Holman.

In addition, numerous expert roundtables give opportunities for experts and keynote speakers to hold more in-depth conversations on specific topics, and to open up discussions with food professionals, buyers and category managers on how to resolve some of the biggest obstacles facing the industry. “Our mission is to enable connections and drive better business for retail and foodservice in a rapidly evolving market,” says Holman.

REGISTER NOW To obtain a free entry badge, register before October 30th at: https://freefromfoodexpo.com/track740517533302/

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Costs Crisis Wipes Out Hospitality’s Growth Despite Increase in October Sales October sales at Britain’s top managed restaurant, pub and bar groups were 1.5% ahead of the levels of October 2021, the latest edition of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

The Tracker—produced by CGA by NielsenIQ in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM UK—also shows growth of 4.3% from October 2019—meaning sales have beaten pre-pandemic comparatives for nine months in a row. However, with inflation now in double digits, sales are significantly behind 2021 and 2019 in real terms.

Pubs were the strongest performing of the Coffer CGA Business Tracker’s three segments in October, with year-on-year sales growth of 6.4%. Restaurants endured a tough month with like-for-like sales down by 3.6% on October 2021, and bars’ sales slipped 12.7%.

London’s hospitality sector continued its recent rebound from more than two years of COVID-related upheaval, as tourists and workers steadily returned to the capital. Groups’ October sales within the M25 finished 6.4% ahead year-on-year—in sharp contrast to regions beyond the M25, where like-for-likes were up by only 0.3% from October 2021.

Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA, said: “It’s been encouraging to see hospitality sales running ahead of pre-COVID levels for nearly all of 2022. But

after adjusting for the effect of higher prices it’s clear that footfall is down, and inflation means sales are even further behind in real terms. Sustained increases in energy, food, property and other costs are putting a very tight squeeze on both consumers’ discretionary spending and operators’ profits, especially in restaurants. The sector must now pin hopes on a strong festive season to make up some of the growth that has been lost over a variety of unprecedented challenges.”

Mark Sheehan, managing director at Coffer Corporate Leisure, said: “There is a continuing sense that sales are in the increase, certainly in city centres. Whilst these numbers are not positive in the context of inflation they are at least improving in real terms. There is a sense particularly in London and not withstanding strikes that trade is returning steadily.”

Paul Newman, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, said: “October’s shift to a pint and a bite in a pub over a more expensive restaurant meal is a clear signal that demand for out-of-home socialising remains strong, but that belts are being tightened in response to the costof-living crisis. With any uplift in sales cannibalised by rising costs, margins are being squeezed and the entire industry is now geared towards maximising Christmas trade. With last year’s festivities severely impacted by Omicron, 2022 needs to deliver if the sector is to avoid a swathe of closures in the New Year.”

Craft Guild of Chefs Seeks Nominations for Honours & Awards Nominations are now open for the Craft Guild of Chefs Honours and Awards, which will be announced at the Annual General Meeting, taking place at 11:30am on Sunday 23rd April 2023 at The Hilton Waldorf Hotel, Aldwych, London, WC2B 4DD.

made by the Vice Presidents’ Council.

• Honorary Membership: Awarded to non-members who have rendered outstanding service to the Craft Guild.

Andrew Green, chief executive of the Craft Guild of Chefs, said: “Attendance will give you the chance to see just what we have been up to, and also to see how we run your Guild.”

• Company Award: Presented to Business Partners who have shown significant support and involvement with the Craft Guild of Chefs over the past year.

The Honours and Awards available for nomination include:

• Chairman’s Shield: Awarded to a catering training organisation, nominated by the National Chairperson, who have clearly demonstrated qualities and outcomes that mark them out for this award.

• Rising Stars: Awarded to young people, members or non-members, who have been recognised as potential stars of the future. If the young person is not currently a member of the Craft Guild then one year’s complimentary membership will also be awarded.

• Chairman’s Award: Awarded to any member or non-member who has given extraordinary service to the Craft Guild of Chefs. Nominated by the Chairperson of the Craft Guild of Chefs.

• Local Heroes: Awarded to members who work tirelessly on Guild business in their local area or chosen field.

• President’s Trophy: This is awarded to any establishment for outstanding food and service. This award is nominated by the Chairperson of the Vice Presidents Council.

• National Hero: Awarded to a member who has worked tirelessly over a long period of time to promote the Guild, and the Guild’s ethics.

• Order of Merit: This is the highest award given by the Vice Presidents’ Council for meritorious and outstanding service in furthering the aims and objectives of the Craft Guild of Chefs over a long period of time (minimum 25 years). This award is only given in exceptional circumstances.

• Diploma for Support: Awarded to non-members for their continued support and assistance in the promotion of the aims and objectives of the Craft Guild of Chefs.

• Diploma for 50 years Membership: Awarded to members of any grade of membership who have completed 50 years of membership of the Guild. These members will no longer have to pay, but still retain voting rights.

• Bronze/Silver/Gold Medal: Nominees for these medals come from the Committee of Management. These awards are not necessarily progressive in nature but recipients should be awarded the medal colour that is most appropriate to their performance and or achievement.

• Fellow: The grade of Fellow is awarded to suitably qualified members of good standing who have not less than five years continuous membership of the Guild who have been proposed and seconded by two Fellows of the Guild and endorsed by the Vice Presidents’ Council • Governor: The grade of Governor is awarded to Fellows with at least 20 years of Guild membership and who have either given outstanding service to the Guild or held a principal divisional or national office or have served on the Committee of Management, rendering distinguished service to the Guild in so doing. A maximum of 40 Governorships are permitted in the Guild at any one time. The appointment to a Governorship is

• Vice President: Appointments to the grade of Vice President are made to a member of the Guild who has displayed exceptional dedication to the Guild. Suitable candidates are identified by the Vice Presidents’ Council and will be invited to submit a portfolio of their activities and involvement with the Guild including any offices held. The citation should include a statement of why the applicant should be considered and what special qualities and attributes they would bring to the Council.

• Special Achievement Award: Awarded by the Vice Presidents’ Council to a member or non-member of the Guild in recognition of exceptional achievements in promoting the aims and objectives of the Guild.

Please make sure your entry includes a citation as without one it will not be considered. The deadline is Friday 27th January 2023. Special Awards maybe awarded at the discretion of the Vice Presidents Council.

Completed forms should be sent to: Honours & Awards, Craft Guild of Chefs, 1 Victoria Parade, By 331 Sandycombe Road, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3NB.

New “Empowering People” Award to Highlight Best Independent Craft Brewery to Work For

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) have today announced a new “Empowering People” Award which seeks to highlight the best breweries in the UK to work for. The award is the newest category in the SIBA Business Awards 2023, which open for entries today.

The new award will put a spotlight on independent craft breweries who go above and beyond for the members of their team; empowering people to achieve more in their professional career, introducing initiatives and incentives which create a positive working environment, making efforts to promote diversity and inclusivity, or providing benefits or support mechanisms which encourage a happier healthier life for employees.

“The brewing sector is an incredibly hands-on and collaborative industry and the wellbeing of employees is at the forefront of all successful brewing businesses. This new award seeks to highlight the breweries in the UK who are not only supporting their staff but helping them to have a happier, more successful working life.” Neil Walker, SIBA Business Awards Chair of Judges.

The SIBA Business Awards seek to congratulate excellence in the brewing industry across a variety of categories, from pump clip, can and bottle design, to efforts taken by brewers to make their business more sustainable, innovative or successful, as well as naming the UK’s best pubs, bars and retailers of craft beer from independent breweries.

Christian Barden, UK & Europe CEO of Konvoy who are sponsoring the new Empowering People Award as well as the overall Brewery Business of the Year 2023, commented;

“I’m really proud to be supporting SIBA’s new award for Empowering People. Having been part of and built businesses across various organisations and continents it’s always empowered people that are encouraged to dream and work together with mutual trust and respect that create long term success stories. It’s so easily forgotten when the pressure is on but that’s actually when it matters most.

High performing teams are always about smiling faces and great results, and that’s the environment we’ll keep building at Konvoy. It all comes down to empowerment at every level, which is what my leaders create for me too. I look forward to seeing the great entries from breweries across the UK that are striving to do the same.”

The new categories introduced last year for the “UK’s Best Independent Craft Beer Retailer – Online”, “UK’s Best Independent Craft Brewery Webshop” and “Community Engagement” will also return for the 2023 Awards following huge interest from the industry.“The SIBA Business Awards have evolved in response to changing consumer habits over recent years, as more people look to purchase beer online or discover their local brewery taproom. Independent craft breweries are embedded in their local communities and these awards highlight the businesses doing it better than anyone else in the UK.” Neil added on behalf of SIBA. The SIBA Business Awards 2023 are judged by a panel of industry experts and presented at the UK’s biggest beer and brewing event – BeerX UK in Liverpool, March 2023. For more information about the awards visit www.siba.co.uk/businessawards

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Food and drink service businesses were more likely than any other industry to say they plan to cut trading by at least two days per week in November 2022 to reduce energy costs.

More than 1 in 20 businesses in the sector (6%) planned to stop trading for two or more additional days a week in the month.

The same percentage of food and drink service businesses said they had already done so in the last three months, which was among the highest of any group. They were also the most likely to reduce trading hours, even if they were still operating for the same number of days (21%).

The broader hospitality industry, which employs around 1 in 14 UK workers, has been particularly affected by rising energy prices, according to our Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS).

We use “hospitality” as an umbrella term for food and drink services – including pubs, restaurants and cafes – and accommodation, such as hotels. All of the figures include businesses that are either currently trading or that have paused trading, unless otherwise stated.

Food and drink service firms were the most likely to say energy prices were their main concern for November, while accommodation businesses were close behind.

The impact of energy prices was also reflected in the comments businesses made in the survey when asked to describe their current situation.

Across the hospitality industry, 23% of businesses said energy prices were their principal concern for October, which was similar to November (22%). The most recent responses were collected after the UK government pledged to subsidise businesses’ energy bills in September.

The hospitality sector as a whole was also the most likely to say that energy costs were making them consider raising their own prices in November.

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said: “These new figures highlight the extreme pressure that extortionate energy costs continue to have on our pubs and brewers and the tough decisions they are being forced to make to keep serving their communities.

“Many have already taken drastic measures, reducing trading hours or even days on which they open and we’re not even into the coldest months yet. These rising costs are compounded by inflation on key ingredients, severe staffing shortages and a cost-of-living crisis that is leading customers to see a pint in their local as an unaffordable luxury.

“This Thursday, we desperately need the Chancellor provide relief to the cost of doing business, but we also need clarity and certainty for our pubs and brewers that energy support will continue beyond the initial six months. The figures published today demonstrate clearly how vulnerable our industry is, with 50 pubs a month currently closing their doors for good, without some long-term guarantee many more will not be able to survive what is set to be a very difficult winter.”

Cost of Living Pushes “Night Owls” to Walk Home Despite Safety Concerns Recent findings from Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I reveal that almost two-thirds (64%) say personal safety is front of mind when deciding to go on a night out. As many as 81% of women who visit pubs, clubs and bars report that they consider their safety when getting home, and 63% of females say they plan their route home before heading out.

The findings also show that 53% of women were more likely to visit a venue that has anti-harassment and discrimination policies, compared to men (35%). In follow up to these findings, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I launched an awareness campaign encouraging people to support the uptake of safety app WalkSafe+, and is promoting this message in venues across the UK, starting with Punch venues.

Pubs and bars must take the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on consumer behaviour into consideration. Pub-goers are now reassessing the ways they travel to and from nights out, with 1 in 5 (20%) women altering their behaviour by walking more and taking fewer taxis. Over a third (37%) of women said if they had access to a personal safety app which features a crime map, live location tracking, close contact notifications, and a SOS button, they would feel safer on a night out.

Budweiser Brewing Group’s long held belief is that every experience with beer should be a positive one. As a key player in the nighttime economy, Budweiser Brewing Group has a strong platform and route into bars, pubs and clubs which it is leveraging with a number of initiatives to create a more inclusive environment in hospitality venues. With its platform and vision for a more inclusive and enjoyable social environment for everyone the brewer has collaborated with WalkSafe+, an app to empower people to go out and plan a safer journey home.

WalkSafe+ exists to make the world a safer place and is a mapping app that allows its 500,000+ users to plan their route home using the latest digital tools and information based on police data, whether that’s a live incident or a warning about a lack of streetlights. Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I and WalkSafe+ understand

that everybody has the right to feel safe, wherever they are and in any situation. The cost-of-living crisis is not an excuse to jeopardise Britons’ safety and this collaboration and app will help users make informed decisions about their personal safety.

Since launching the campaign in September, a number of pubs and bars have signed up to support uptake of the app, including leading operator Punch Pubs. Through On-Trade support, the app has seen over 19,000 new sign ups since launch.

Jean-David Thumelaire, On-Trade Director at Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I said: “At Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, we want every experience with beer to be a positive one. We are proud to be collaborating with WalkSafe+ to promote digital tools that address safety concerns disproportionately affecting women and vulnerable groups. Budweiser Brewing Group is committed to creating a more inclusive nighttime economy, which benefits communities and businesses alike. We are thrilled to be working with Punch Pubs to lead the way in this initiative and invite all hospitality venues to join the effort.”

Jackie Burn, HR Director, Punch Pubs & Co. said: “We’re incredibly passionate in our support of initiatives to improve pub safety and the environments that surround them. We’re confident the WalkSafe+ App will help to empower and raise awareness of an issue that particularly affects women and often the more vulnerable within a community and we look forward to sharing it with our employees and pubs.”

Ali Butt, Management Partner of The Joiner on Worship pub, Shoreditch said: “The safety of our staff and guests is incredibly important to us, so, it’s an absolute honour to be asked to be involved with this campaign and actively share this great app within the pub. We’re certain it will make a real difference and improve awareness of safety in our great community and city.”

Operators across the UK can support the use of WalkSafe+ via promoting the download of the app on social channels.

Contract Catering’s Third-Quarter Sales up Year-on-Year but Down on Pre-Covid Levels Sales in the contract catering sector are still lagging pre-pandemic levels despite sharp growth over the last 12 months, according to the latest Contract Catering Tracker from CGA by NielsenIQ and Bidfood.

The exclusive tracker shows sales from July to September 2022 were 41% higher than in the same quarter of 2021, when contract caterers faced the lingering effects of COVID-19 restrictions.

However, sales in the third quarter of 2022 were 9% below the equivalent three-month period in 2019, when businesses were trading as normal. With inflation now exceeding 10%, sales are significantly further behind pre-COVID levels in real terms.

The Tracker also shows the number of units served by contract caterers has increased by just over 500 since September 2021—but it remains more than 800 sites short of the total market at September 2019.

While trading remains difficult, the Tracker indicates that sales have steadily built momentum this year. The 2022-on-2019 comparison of -9% in the third quarter of 2022 represents a steady improvement on the figures of -20% and -12% in the first and second quarters of the year respectively.

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.

Karl Chessell, CGA’s director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “After more than two years of

COVID upheaval, contract caterers are now besieged by soaring costs that are impacting spending by their clients and consumers alike.

Considering the seismic challenges, it is encouraging to see that sales are substantially up year-on-year and are approaching pre-COVID levels.

Contract catering is a resilient and innovative sector, but with business and consumer confidence so fragile there are some tough months ahead.”

Debra Morrell, business development controller for B&I at Bidfood, commented: “Whilst it’s great that we are still seeing that momentum build, with more people returning to the office, we can’t underestimate the challenges ahead to trading and how important it will be to continue to work closely together as a sector to adapt, innovate and mitigate.

Food inflation is impacting employees, caterers and the entire supply chain, and we want to nurture that year-on-year growth, whilst balancing affordability and availability over the coming months – we can only do that if we put our resources and heads together.”

UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “It’s clear from this data that the record levels of inflation we’re experiencing is hitting contract catering businesses hard; whether that’s soaring costs impacting demand and sales, or the extreme food price inflation we’re seeing impact caterers in their own costs.

“It’s encouraging that sales are up year-on-year in the last quarter, and I hope that momentum continues, but the fact the sector still remains below pre-COVID levels shows the scale of the recovery required. Contract catering is an incredibly important part of our sector and what it delivers for the economy, which is why I have every faith they will continue building on last quarter’s success and ensure they continue to deliver for their customers.”

What Do We Want from a Night Out (at 40)?

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The Tracks of my Years

Twenty-something’s two-step aside, there’s a new group on the town.

For many, the cosy embrace of adulthood spells the end of a hedonistic youth. Boozy late nights make way for early mornings, career responsibilities and mortgage repayments. But now, a new (old!) generation are dusting down their dancing shoes for a second adolescence on the tiles.

Whilst we aren’t all blessed with the God-like staying power of Mick Jagger, over-40s revellers still love strutting their stuff. Data shows pop music remains their preferred pick with over 50% of the vote, while indie, funk and soul nights and electronic / house events also charted strongly.

A recent survey conducted by The Night Owl, an independent nightclub renowned for its soul and retro music, found out that over 63% would want to ‘playback’ a night out from their younger days while over 30% still regularly go on a night out once a month.

Arith continued: “It’s clear that the older audience still possess eclectic tastes. Whereas club-going in your younger years may be more tribal depending on musical preferences, older clubbers can be less judgemental. It’s about cutting loose and having fun in an unpretentious environment. However here at the Night Owl we focus on the ‘cooler’ end of the market! Strictly cool retro sounds only.

In contrast, a sample of people in their twenties showed that 52.7% view nightclubbing as a regular free time activity with the average closing time for UK nightclubs being 3am. Some venues even stray past 5am and beyond.

“They’re growing old gracefully whilst keeping their spirits young.”

This new data joins a national discussion about the place for over-40s on the dancefloor. One of the nation’s most loved DJs, Annie Mac made headlines recently by launching a club night for ‘Cinderella’s’ opening at 7pm and ending at midnight.

Fine wine?

Late night venues across the country are shifting the time parameters and tweaking their offerings to accommodate an older audience.

One such nightlife proprietor is Arith Liyanage, CEO and founder of The Night Owl. He said: “I think the increasing demand for over-40s clubbing is not so much a nostalgic turning back of time but more a joyous celebration of their middle years.

“People are living longer, generally in better health and, by middle age, often see a relaxation in parental responsibilities. Added to that, the age group often has more disposable income than other sections of society and we can understand the rise in the over-40s club night.

“Generationally, this age group came of age in the heady dancefloor days of the 1990s and early noughties.

Think dance music, package holidays to the Balearics and techno super clubs. At the Night Owl, we still spin original vinyl, and this helps customers looking to rediscover that buzz in later life.”

With this in mind, The Night Owl have compiled the ultimate guide to late nights out over 40. From what to drink, what to wear and where to be seen, cheers to not looking like Michael Gove on a bender!

The survey also tracked the user’s drinking tastes. Beer came out on top with 30% of the vote while wine also clocked a healthy 25% with spirits 11% and cocktails 5%. It’s clear that preferences may be more gendered than their younger counterparts, growing up in the days of ‘Big Alcohol.’

Arith added: “Older drinkers may be more established in their tastes, but like younger people they are still open to a novel experience. At our venues, we cater for all tastes and offer themed drinks and specials aligned with modern social media sensibilities.”

A Cinderella Story..

Whilst the suction valve may still be firing, most participants agreed that the most suitable time to end the night is on or before midnight. Some 45% of people were calling last orders at 11pm with 29% hailing a cab for midnight.

Arith concluded: “Venues now need to offer visitors the best of both worlds. So, at the Night Owl we put on live music from 8-11pm. Then the venue becomes a club night through to the earlier hours.”

There we have it, a few hours reckless abandon but early enough for those who wish to remain sharp and productive the next day, plus the option to stay on later for those in need of a dancing fix.

Energy Efficiency, Upskilling and Green Incentives Critical to Hospitality’s Net Zero Journey The UK’s hospitality sector is committed to reaching net zero by 2040 but government partnership with the sector is central to achieving the target, UKHospitality has said in its response to the government’s Net Zero Review.

Through the launch of its Environmental Sustainability Guide for its members and its own Sustainability Commitment, UKHospitality is playing a leading role in providing bespoke advice and guidance to hospitality businesses.

UKHospitality’s submission said that businesses across the sector were committed to prioritising sustainability and reducing its carbon footprint but due to the ongoing cost of doing business crisis, additional financial incentives would be required to help speed up the transition to net zero.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Working towards our sustainability goals is an absolute priority for the hospitality sector and there has been a huge amount of work that has already gone into this by hospitality businesses.

The response included a number of examples, including:

“Unfortunately the situation for many businesses now is that, due to the energy crisis, they are fighting to survive the winter. That does mean that cashflow is tight and confidence to invest is being quickly eroded.

• Introducing targeted measures to incentivise the investment in sustainability through grants, loans or tax credits. For example, reintroducing the Enhanced Capital Allowances scheme for energy and water-efficient plant and machinery that ceased in March 2020.

“This reality does mean that the sector would really benefit from a partnership with government to aid its transition to net zero, through financial incentives such as grants or tax credits that can allow businesses to replace equipment with greener alternatives or take part in training to

• Tax relief for businesses replacing major equipment, due to the importance of replacing old equipment with newer, more energy efficient equipment as early as possible.

• Government support to upskill businesses, particularly SMEs, with practical steps on how they can reduce their carbon footprint and aid the transition to net zero.

boost our net zero knowledge.

“Hospitality is already one of the sector’s leading the way in its sustainability work, with fantastic examples of businesses going above and beyond, and it’s so important that we work together with the government to make sure we can continue on that path.”

Greene King Brewery Supports Customers to Buy Cask With Confidence Greene King, the UK’s leading pub company and brewer, has launched a new support pledge, the Cask Iron Guarantee, that gives free-trade customers the ability to claim a refund or credit for expired cask ale.

refund for un-broached volume and a credit for remaining volume on broached casks that go out of date ahead of them being sold through.

The Cask Iron Guarantee, which also includes the brewery’s seasonal cask ales, including festive Rocking Rudolph now available, is also aimed at encouraging freetrade outlets to expand their range, without the risk.

Jamie Shipperley, Head of Customer Marketing at Greene King said: “We are proud of the beer we brew, but we are also incredibly proud of the promise we are making to our free-trade customers and the cask ale sector. Whether customers are stocking their first firkin of Greene King IPA or are adding a seasonal ale to their current range, the Cask Iron Guarantee gives free-trade customers an opportunity to stock something new, without financial risk. It’s a great reason to try the amazing quality of cask beers we offer and see what they can do for your venue.”

Available with Greene King cask ales only, including Abbot Ale, Greene King IPA and more, free-trade customers signed up to the guarantee will be entitled to a full

Terms and conditions apply, customers should contact their Greene King sales representative for full details.

The pledge has been introduced by the brewery to build more confidence in the cask ale category and provide more support for customers, who may be looking to introduce Greene King cask ale to their offering.

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All I Want For Christmas Is...

Good Customer Experience

By Oyin Bamgbose, Vice President at Infinity (www.infinity.co/uk/)

With the festive period fast approaching, customers are researching the best spots for the family holiday, work socials and Christmas dinners. For those in the hospitality sector, the final quarter of the year is a time when there is so much more opportunity to deliver the best customer service, connecting and engaging with existing and new customers.

and promotions get discussed at scale. It also highlights how well staff are handling calls, helping to identify common friction points, such as taking pre-orders for large parties. Managerial teams can then come together to create a solution, guiding both new and old staff on how they can address such issues in the future.

Once installed, these analytics are also a great retrospective tool for the following year. Businesses can predetermine obstacles and iron out any problems before they surface. This means that customer service strategies can be revised and enhanced, helping businesses to gain a competitive advantage throughout the year.

CREATING COMPELLING CHRISTMAS ADVERTISEMENTS

Therefore, excellent customer service lies at the heart of hospitality during the colder winter months. It’s what keeps customers coming back, encouraging them to recommend their favourite bar or restaurant to their friends. 88% of consumers in the UK celebrate Christmas meaning that an unpleasant experience over the season can cause damage to a venue’s reputation and loss of business.

In today’s digital world, everything starts with a Google search.

Potential customers will scour the internet for their dream winter holiday or the best spot for a Christmas dinner – but so much more can be gained and understood from a conversation with a call agent. The intelligence gained from these calls can reveal the reason a guest picked up the phone, even tracking the keywords Googled that led them to your website.

In addition, more than a quarter (27%) of hospitality businesses are seeing bookings surge for Christmas already, higher than in previous years. Call intelligence tools can ease the stress of these mass bookings, as well as optimise advertising and streamline staff training – as bars, restaurants, and hotels will have access to the relevant data to positively affect the customer experience. Such tools integrate into booking systems, supplying businesses with a deeper insight into the nature of each call.

With the ongoing cost of living crisis, winter may present challenges for many in the hospitality industry. However, Christmas is a major season for both retail and hospitality. In 2021, PwC expected a total spend of £21 billion on presents and celebrations over the season.

Competition is high, and every organisation wants to be the one that makes an individual’s festivities special. Innovative strategies to market Christmas menus and winter stays are key to capturing the customers’ attention.

BOOST THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Call intelligence can help with this by assigning call outcomes and revenues to marketing activity.

Organisations are able to identify which campaigns, channels and keywords are pulling their weight and which aren’t. in addition, businesses can understand the thoughts and feelings of their callers. Teams then have the information needed to

A recent report found that one in five hospitality businesses are already seeing a surge in bookings for the Football World Cup. Also, three in ten are hiring more people to ensure they can cope with the uptake of customers. With so many new team members, it’s difficult to ensure all staff address customers in the same style and gather the right information over the phone.

Conversation Analytics can identify which destinations, rooms, menus,

Let Your Christmas Menu Sparkle with Just Desserts Classic ginger sponge topped with an irresistible toffee sauce – a real winter warmer!

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE Digestive biscuit base with a white chocolate peppermint ganache topping, finished with whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candy cane.

Established in 1985 in the renowned Salt’s mill, Just Desserts Yorkshire specialise in baking a range of over 100 quality handcrafted desserts.

With over 100 handcrafted desserts already on offer, Just Desserts Yorkshire have revealed their Christmas 2022 desserts range. Taking inspiration from those Christmas dessert classics, the new product range offers a unique twist on those traditional festive flavours we all love.

The new festive trio includes:

MINCEPIE FRANZI A sweet butter pastry case filled with classic mincemeat, topped with franzipan sponge and finished with a dusting of sugar snow.

GINGER & TOFFEE CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Using the finest of ingredients, the Just Desserts Yorkshire range includes a selection of over 20 large and individual luxury cheesecakes, decorative gateaux and cakes, tarts and pastries – featuring a range of delicious fillings, the famous Yorkshire Scoundrel, puddings and crumbles and so much more.

Widely available for distribution throughout the UK, Just Desserts Yorkshire supply the hospitality and retail sector, including pubs, restaurants and hotels with the finest of desserts. https://just-desserts.co.uk/

create incredible campaigns and optimise costs. The nature of call intelligence allows businesses to determine the true value of the campaign responsible for mass bookings.

ADDRESS CUSTOMER QUERIES QUICKLY More than half of Brits say being on hold is the biggest time waster.

Customers become frustrated, sometimes causing them to call back later or look to book elsewhere. However, during such busy periods, it’s not easy to always have somebody on hand to answer the phone. Staff are often caught up welcoming guests – missed call reports are beneficial in situations like these.

By monitoring calls, organisations have access to the caller’s telephone number, time of the call and the pages on the company’s website they visited the missed call. Businesses then have the opportunity to ring the caller back whilst their interest is still hot.

Moreover, this is a great tool to help create rotas and manage staffing levels. Hospitality businesses have intel into which times of the time, month or year require more staff availability to answer the phone. This ensures that employees can provide the upmost customer service with ease.

RECOGNISE YOUR GUESTS’ KEY VALUES Overall, call intelligence is key to truly understanding your customer base and providing them with a fantastic Christmas experience.

Businesses can analyse phone calls to generate revenue and ensure sleek customer service. The hospitality industry can align its Christmas marketing tactics with customer values, making campaigns more compelling.

Calls can then be met with helpful service, which heightens the customer experience.

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It’s Beginning To Taste A Lot Like Christmas- We Can Smell It In The Air For Christmas recipes see our new selection developed for us by master chef Peter Gorton littlepod.co.uk/our-recipes/.

For that extra sparkle we are putting our chopped Vanilla pods into ice cubes adding a dash of luxury to our cocktails.

At LittlePod the decorations are going up early as we prepare for our Christmas party and to say goodbye to a well-loved team member, Olly.

We are decorating our tree with lots of 10 ml miniature tubes of paste which make suitable ‘secret Santa’s’.

Do phone us for details if you want some (01395 232022 -sales).

Of course, the Perfect Gift for the Passionate Cook is our store- cupboard essential, LittlePod tube of Vanilla Paste. Try rubbing it into your turkey. Put a squeeze into your morning porridge, smoothies, Coffee. Vanilla is perfect for savoury dishes as well as the Christmas cake!

Fancy a vegan Christmas? Our products are suitable for vegans. We are also kosher certified and this year we are proud to say that we are a ‘Made in Devon’ Trading standards Approved company.

Cheers to Olly and cheers to you All. Look forward to catching up in 2023!

Bolsius Professional Launches Guide To Help Operators Drive Footfall And Boost Customer Dwell Time Over The Winter Period As temperatures drop and nights draw in, Bolsius Professional is releasing a new guide aimed at helping operators drive footfall and boost customer dwell time during the busy winter period.

Combining inspirational interiors and seasonal style tips, ‘Tempting Autumn Winter Months: Creating a warm welcome for customers’ provides cost effective ideas and guidance on creating a compelling experience for customers.

The guide provides easy to implement tips on boosting atmosphere; the effective use of mood lighting, driving footfall through welcoming window displays, embracing seasonal décor, and maximising architectural features such as fireplaces, to enhance a venue’s environment.

Alongside, the guide highlights interior design trends from the casual dining space; from traditional to modern, minimalist to maximalist, with an array of ideas to suit any venue’s aesthetic.

The premium candle specialist has launched the report as operators ramp up for the busy festive period. With many dining and drinking destinations facing fierce competition and a challenging climate, the look book is designed to demonstrate how elevating the environment can support revenue through creating a space where customers want to stay, and revisit time after time.

Paul Christodoulou, National Account Manager UK & Ireland Out of Home and Hospitality at Bolsius

Professional and Member of the Institute of Hospitality says, “The winter months can be the toughest time of the year to lure customers out of their homes.

Days are short, darkness descends, and sofas beckon.

“Post-pandemic, the environment has changed. Customers became skilled at creating lavish ‘nights out’ at home. As a result, experts predict that customer experience will come into sharp focus: creating unique memorable environments that premiumise offerings, lengthen dwell time, and spotlight venues to existing and potential customers.

We’ve gathered a few of our favourite winter interiors in this look book, showing how a few simple touches can go a long way. Lighting is a key element, helping to create a welcoming and intimate environment for any venue.

We’ve shown how operators can use this to maximum effect, showing their venue in the best possible light for customers.”

Bolsius Professional is a leading global candle manufacturer, with an extensive range of indoor and outdoor candles designed specifically for restaurants, bars and hotels. Free from palm oil and animal fats, they are clean burning and odour free, creating a warm welcome and premium atmosphere that encourages guests to linger.

To find out more about the Bolsius Professional candle range, and download a copy of the guide go to www.bolsius.com/en/professional/inspiration

Indulge Your Customers with Mozart Chocolate Liqueur Mozart Chocolate Liqueur is the world-renowned Austrian chocolate liqueur that combines two favorites from the world of indulgence: chocolate & spirits. Exclusively natural ingredients, a sugar beet distillate and the exquisite craftsmanship of the master distiller & chocolatier, from the Mozart Distillery in Salzburg, combine unique quality ingredients and flavors in a Chocolate Symphony that proudly boasts the “made in Austria” quality seal.

Mozart is the number one chocolate liqueur in the on-trade (CGA, P6 2022) and it’s clear to see why.

Featuring classic flavours such as cream, white and dark (Vegan), as well as trending flavours Strawberry, Coffee and Pumpkin Spiced, the full portfolio is award winning.

Most recently, the brand has been awarded with medals across the range in 2022’s IWSC Awards and the Bartender’s Brands Awards, to name a few. Mozart has been named “Liqueur Producer of the Year 2020” for the second time, after being awarded this title back in 2017 for it’s premium range of chocolate flavours.

This year, Mozart Chocolate Liqueur invested over

£100,000 into building brand awareness amongst consumers and the trade, including an influencer and PR campaign as well as partnerships with the likes of German Gymnasium (part of the D&D group), The Whiskey Exchange and Amazon, plus many more.

Mozart Chocolate Liqueur can be enjoyed in many different ways – in its pure and natural state, slightly chilled on ice, over ice cream, in a hot drink or as a ‘choctail’. The most popular way to use Mozart is in an Espresso Martini, a popular cocktail with consumers over the winter months.

MOZART CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO MARTINI 40ml Mozart Cream Chocolate Liqueur 35ml Espresso (cold) 25ml Vanilla Vodka Shake over ice and strain into a martini glass.

For more information and Choctail inspiration please visit www.mozartchocolateliqueur.com

Sip Champagnes Recently voted ‘Champagne & Sparkling Specialist Retailer of the Year’ in the 2022 Decanter Retailer Awards & ‘Specialist Online Retailer of the Year’

by The Drinks Business, Sip Champagnes is the UK’s leading Grower Champagne specialist, with a focus on newly discovered and fully independent producers that can’t be found anywhere else.

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With over 50 fresh and exciting growers – many of them brand new to the UK market – and a collection of over 200 cuvées, there are Champagnes to suit all styles and budgets. So, if you’re looking to reinvigorate your wine list ahead of the festive season, planning a corporate gifting surprise or just fancy a bottle or two for a memorable meal, get in touch.

With tailor-made packages and competitive trade pricing, Sip Champagnes offers options for local wine shops, Michelin-starred restaurants and everything in between.

For further details contact: trade@sipchampagnes.com For more information on Sip Champagnes and its latest UK releases in time for Christmas, visit https://sipchampagnes.com

Order Your Award-Winning, Artisan Cheese For Christmas Now

White Lake are cheesemakers who make over 25 cheeses on their farm in Somerset. Their range includes many top internationalaward-winning cheeses made of goat’s milk from their own herd, local Guernsey cow’s milk and British ewe’s milk.

The variety of tastes, textures, sizes and styles make them a popular choice with top chefs and caterers. Their newest products have been designed specifically for use in professional kitchens. The Glaston Brick and Glaston Tile are two sizes of pressed goat’s curd without the bloomy rind. They deliver the traditional taste of that style of cheese but can be easily cut and shaped to size.

Roger Longman, owner and 3rd generation cheesemaker, says “We’ve become known for our constant aim to make the best cheeses we can using traditional artisanal methods, while exploring unconventional ideas and innovating in exciting new ways.

We love to see how experts in catering work with our range. Chefs often share their creative, new dishes on social media. Our English Goat Curd seems to

be particularly popular at the moment.”

White Lake supply small cheesemakers, pubs and delis but are versatile enough to fulfil greater requirements such as for the caterers at Wimbledon. “As a small company we can be nimble enough to accommodate specific requirements when given notice. Cheese needs enough time to develop complex flavours, particularly the hard varieties. For example, Alpinestyle Rachael Reserva final weight is 12 kg so is matured for a minimum of twelve months. It’s in constant demand for its rounded richness in taste and larger size,” Roger explains.

The cheesemakers, affineurs and packers who handmake White Lake’s cheeses get into top gear from September until the end of December. Roger advises “We hate to disappoint people so strongly advise our customers to place their Christmas orders now.”

Contact Justin Carter, National Sales Manager, White Lake Cheese Limited justin@whitelake.co.uk | www.whitelake.co.uk Mobile: 07903 313812 | Office: 01749 831527

Order yOur aWard-Winning, artisan Cheese fOr Christmas nOW With a range of over 25 different cheeses, we can meet all your catering needs. Choose from soft cheeses made in Brie-style, lactic and ash-coated or wrapped in vine leaves. Our hard cheeses include Rachel, known as ‘the goat’s cheese for people who don’t like goat’s cheese’ that has won multiple gold awards. Chefs love our goat and sheep curd.

White Lake cheese is made on Bagborough Farm in Somerset using goat’s milk from our own herd, local Guernsey cow’s milk and British sheep’s milk. We hand-make and hand-wrap every single cheese. Order for Christmas now so we can fulfil your festive requirements.

White Lake Cheese Limited justin@whitelake.co.uk www.whitelake.co.uk 01749 831527

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

“Newcomer Sip Champagnes has a laser-like focus on cutting-edge wines from the region and, in the words of one judge, ‘is changing the game for Champagne’."

Decanter

trade@sipchampagnes.com www.sipchampagnes.com

www.instagram.com/sip_champagnes www.facebook.com/sipchampagnes www.twitter.com/ChampagnesSip

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Get Ready for Christmas with Alliance’s Festive Ranges Ensuring your establishment is appropriately decorated and furnished during the festive period is a necessity for the hospitality industry. In turn, restaurants, bars and pubs will all want to capitalise on the seasonal influx of business which is available. The best way to do so is make your establishment as appealing as possible during this period.

DECORATING THE ROOM When looking to decorate an eating or drinking area for Christmas you should first consider where your fire exits are and that all customers will still have a clear route to an exit. Once you have done this, check you can begin to decide how you want your festive design to look. We would always recommend a tree, go for a larger one if you can as this can be quite a statement piece, attracting party photos in front of it which can act as great free publicity across social media if your venue gets tagged.

In addition to Christmas trees, garlands and wreaths give you the option to add a subtle hint to areas such as toilet doors, mantles, shelves and other places. Equally, fairy lights, tinsel, baubles and balloons are also all great ways of adding some festive cheer to your hospitality business this year.

DRESSING THE TABLES There are many ways to dress your table to add a hint of Yuletide style. Firstly, if you have a colour scheme or a set theme for Christmas which features one particular colour, replicate that in your table setting. You could do this by incorporating the colour into your tablecloth, or if you want a white tablecloth then possibly a coloured table runner with matching napkins.

For tableware you could opt for classic whiteware or go for something more modern which can be a way of introducing colour to your table. Glassware we’d suggest sticking with classical looks to add a sophistication to the drinks you’re serving.

Finally, if you’re finding you’re being booked up with groups looking to celebrate a Christmas works party, you could offer party accessories to go with the meal. Whether it be party poppers, a festive mask kit, artificial snow spray, all are great for adding a party vibe for customers.

With winter on the immediate horizon, restaurants, pubs and other such businesses should look to start ordering Christmas decorations and planning for the festive period now. Alliance Online offers a wide range of Christmas options which will be perfect for your establishment this year.

View the Christmas selection at https://tinyurl.com/56zd8dr9

Superior Wicker Hampers for Christmas Celebrations

When you’re looking for Wicker Hampers to fill with gifts, then these really are a great choice.

Traditionally, picnic baskets were filled with luxurious food and drink, and today the familiar lidded wicker hamper is still the most popular choice when presenting an exquisite gift, offering a delicious selection of hand-selected artisan and speciality treats for the recipient to enjoy.

We can’t supply the award-winning food or the huge array of deluxe beverages - that’s down to you! What we can offer are top-quality wicker hamper baskets. Every basket we commission is made individually by hand and woven using the best whole-reed autumn willow, keeping the integrity of the structure strong and straight. We’ve recently upgraded our Premium range to enhance the baskets further and created our new Superior range. Now ALL our wicker hampers, as standard, have gold-coloured buckles, rivets and lid chains to prevent the lids from falling back when open. The wicker handles have been replaced with quality faux leather handles, matching

Scrocchiarella - New from Fleming Howden Fleming Howden are long renowned for sourcing, manufacturing and distributing a wide range of bakery ingredients and yeast products. Our focus is on delivering the latest bakery technology and product innovation, and providing excellence to the bakery industry.

We have an extensive range of high quality food ingredients, bakery ingredients and bakery supplies. We continuously review our range to ensure we provide you with the newest and most exciting products available on the market.

Fleming Howden are thrilled to be launching a new frozen product into the UK food service market. Scrocchiarella is the perfect answer to the global consumer demand for healthy, high quality snacking and on-the-go food.

the closures and hinge covers.

Along with the increased spec, we’ve added some extra sizes to the range. We stock 12”, 14”, 18”, 21” and 25” widths and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find the overall dimensions are generally larger than that of our competitors for the same inch widths. By far the Natural Wicker is selected most often, however, we also supply a wonderful dark Vintage Brown Wicker, which looks stunning and gives an aesthetically pleasing alternative to the lighter more traditional colour. Both colours are available in all 5 sizes. www.candigifts.co.uk salesdesk@candigifts.co.uk 01502 501681 Scrocchiarella derives from the Italian word scrocchiare – used to describe something very crispy – and is a unique combination of selected traditional flours, sourdough and natural ingredients, ideal for easy and quick consumption.

Sourdough is the key ingredient for Scrocchiarella , ensuring a superior flavour and a memorable aroma to the final product, with a crunchy crust and an open crumb structure. Every piece is hand made, so you will not find two that are exactly the same.

We spend more than 30 hours preparing a single Scrocchiarella, so it takes less than 10 minutes from frozen to prefect service at the table.

Scrocchiarella Frozen maintains the same features of the traditional artisan process: long maturation, spreading by hand, a constant result of texture, flavour and crunchiness.

The final result is a light, crunchy and easily digestible product that delivers total consumer satisfaction, time and time again.

See the advert on this page for further details.

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Chef's Buyer's Guide

Plant-Based Bottomless Brunch With Oggs

®

With plant-based diets a growing trend, it’s more important than ever to ensure that menus are as inclusive as possible. This Veganuary, over 600,000 people signed up to go vegan for a month. Eggs were the second most missed product over this time (14% of participants), with options when eating out being the major barrier to sticking to the pledge (26% of participants).

Enter OGGS®, creators of OGGS® Aquafaba and Scrambled OGGS®. On a mission to remove unnecessary eggs from the food chain, OGGS® products are perfectly designed to provide your customers with delicious alternatives that are better for the planet and the animals.

Scrambled OGGS® is an egg alternative for breakfast and brunch menus made from chickpea protein. Simply shake, pour and cook in minutes for a breakfast scramble to take centre stage on vegetarian or vegan brunch. You can also create omelettes, quiches and so much more with Scrambled OGGS®. Producing 60% less CO2e than eggs, it’s not just kinder to animals, but the environment too.

Restaurants including Bill’s and Shepherd

Neame are already using Scrambled OGGS® to innovate across breakfast and brunch menus, from indulgent vegan full English breakfasts to plant-based carbonara.

OGGS® Aquafaba is an egg white alternative made from chickpeas, an innovative solution to removing egg whites from cocktails. With six months shelf life and a neutral flavour profile, OGGS® Aquafaba functions exactly the same as egg whites in cocktails, while removing an allergen from your menu. With 72% less CO2e than eggs, you can create the same delicious drinks without the egg using OGGS® Aquafaba for a more inclusive and environmentally friendly cocktail menu.

Will at 31k in Nottingham said: “Every other drink we sell is a cocktail, and 1 in 4 for those calls for a foam. That’s 100 cocktails a night which would call for 100 eggs. Thanks to OGGS® , we’ve saved 100 discarded yolks and 100 broken eggs shells each shift - and the hassle of rinsing spilled egg whites! OGGS® is hassle-free in use, taste-free in cocktails, and guilt-free as it helps us lower our environmental footprint.”

For more information contact trade@loveoggs.com

Northern Ireland - Bringing WorldClass Food and Drink to Your Table Food and drink is a vital and growing industry in Northern Ireland. In terms of turnover, employment and cultural significance, this £5.8bn sector continues to extend its reach in GB and in international markets.

Whilst 50% of turnover comes from our top 10 companies, family-owned businesses remain prominent, resulting in an industry that is flexible, authentic and forwardthinking.

Northern Ireland’s produce has proven award-winning status, the result of many years of success in schemes such as Great Taste, the Quality Food Awards and the Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards. Key to this success is our unique blend of tradition and innovation, exemplified by the recent rapid growth in whiskey distilling in Northern Ireland. The Irish whiskey category is expected to increase by nearly £1bn over the next 5 years. Until recently the Old Bushmills Distillery – the world’s oldest licensed distillery – was the only distillery in Northern Ireland but now the region boasts 7 distilleries, with an eighth in progress as The Belfast Distillery Company progresses with its £22.3mn distillery and visitor experience located at Crumlin Road Gaol.

As well as creating award-winning whiskeys and gins, these

distilleries are playing an increasingly important role in attracting and entertaining tourists. Distilleries on the Island of Ireland attract over 1 million visitors per year and the likes of Bushmills, Echlinville, Rademon, Boatyard, Hinch and Belfast Distillery are playing a key role in this growth.

Invest NI’s dedicated food business development team supports local companies to develop their business with customers in GB and beyond. Visit buynifood.com or contact us directly to learn how our world-class food and drink can help grow your business.

British Public Want British Eggs On Menu When Eating Out The British public want and expect British eggs to be on the menu when eating out and are surprised that isn’t always the case, according to a survey from British Lion eggs.

British Lion eggs asked the British public where they thought the eggs come from when they’re eating out of home; the responses were resoundingly in favour of British, with many saying that if they knew an operator was using British Lion eggs

they would be more likely to eat there.

Specifying British Lion eggs can help to keep your customers happy and ensure the highest standards of food safety.

See the advert on page 12. The video is available to watch at www.egginfo.co.uk/tv/british-lion-eggs-journey-consumers-eating-out-home

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

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Products and Services

Your Perfect Print Partner Bournemouth-based Aspenprint is the leading provider of design and print to hotels across the UK. The talented team are competent at working with big name brands and adhering to brand guidelines, as well as creating bespoke designs for smaller boutique hotels. In addition to providing a graphic design service they also have a large 20,000 square foot print facility filled with digital and litho machines as well as large format and finishing department to cater for all manner of print projects.

Aspenprint’s wide range of hotel products includes Christmas brochures, Wedding brochures, key card holders, door hangers, branded chocolates, menus, menu covers, branded pens, outdoor banners, giant

deckchairs, gift vouchers, branded merchandise and everything else a hotel might need to maximise its marketing and boost bookings.

Managing Director Ian Shenton commented; “We’ve been in the print business for over 50 years and have a strong team of staff who all know the hospitality industry inside out. We truly understand how to market a hotel through effective use of design and print, and can turn projects around within a matter of days. We pride ourselves on building a solid working relationship with our loyal clientbase. Our ever-expanding product range keeps customers coming back to us month after month, and our excellent customer service and high quality design and print keeps them more than happy to use Aspenprint."

For more information please visit their website at www.aspenprint.com or request a free sample box of hotel related design and print by emailing hello@aspenprint.com See the advert on page 13 for more details.

Gas - An Important Role to Play In Achieving Net Zero Operations Despite the call to embrace a net zero approach the majority of existing restaurants, pubs and hotels will depend on gas for their heating and service critical hot water supplies. For this reason, unlocking the potential of hydrogen represents a familiar, easier and more cost-effective way to transition to more sustainable heating practices in buildings with a connection to the gas grid.

20% blend ready. This instantly delivers an opportunity to embrace more sustainable gas supplies once available without the need for any change in specification, or post-installation upgrades to the appliances.

With advanced burner technology and rugged titanium stainless steel construction of the heat exchangers Adveco’s ADplus, AD and MD will continue to operate well into the 2030s, providing a practical, future-proof choice today to decarbonise operations in the most cost-effective manner as hydrogen blending becomes commonplace. Organisations also gain a clear path to the adoption of future generations of proven 100% hydrogen appliances as the gas network matures and greens.

For those wishing to adopt the hydrogen approach, there remains a question mark over how quickly, where and in what proportion hydrogen will be introduced into the gas grid. The ultimate aim of introducing 100% green hydrogen nationally via the gas network is unlikely to be fully realised until the 2040s. As an interim, the UK is assessing the potential for introducing hydrogen into the existing gas network as early as the end of this decade as a blend at 20% volume to deliver a safer, greener gas alternative that reduces carbon emissions.

Those currently working on commercial water heating projects with Adveco can continue to commit to gas-fired applications with the knowledge that Adveco’s instantaneous ADplus and semi-instantaneous AD water heaters, and MD boiler ranges are all hydrogen

For those wishing to commit to immediately decarbonising their hot water systems, Adveco can support hybrid applications that use solar thermal, as well as heat pumps, to pre-heat water and offset gas-energy usage without removing the gas connection necessary for future infrastructure developments. www.adveco.co

Proper Tasty Snacks Handmade in Britain Are You Still Hand Polishing Cutlery?

Great Tasting Pork Crackling, Delectable Nuts and Fabulous Fudge

All Robert’s Dorset products are made to order on site in Dorset, providing customers with only the freshest produce and bespoke selections.

Robert Parkin, founder of Robert’s Dorset comments: “We’re a passionate team here at Robert’s Dorset and we’re experts at creating tasty snacks in a wide range of moreish flavours. We’re a proud family-run brand and have come far when we think back to when we were creating our hand-made snacks from our modest kitchen back in 2011. As a brand, we are led by quality and flavour. We’re for everybody, whether you like classic tastes or are a bit more daring, have allergies or are vegan, Robert’s Dorset is for all”.

The Robert’s Dorset products are suitable for a wide range of dietary needs, such as gluten free, sugar-free, vegan, 100% keto friendly and allergen free. All with the same great taste.

Robert’s Dorset can supply you with: • Proper Pork Crackling - triple cooked with incredible crunch and available in 11 flavours. No MSG or Artificial flavours.

• Proper Pork Crackling Natural Triple Zero - the first non-HFSS Pork Crackling.

Containing no sugar, no salt, and no carbs, while still providing ‘full-on pork flavour’ and the Robert Dorset’s trademark crunch.

• Yummy Peanuts - grade AA nuts, ethically and sustainably sourced and available in 13 flavours.

• Delicious Cashews - grade AA nuts, ethically and sustainably sourced and available in 12 flavours.

• Fabulous Fudge - 100% British and available in 15 flavours. Cream based and Gluten-free. Two vegan varieties also available.

Robert’s Dorset products come in a range of different pack sizes and packaging options to suit all retailers.

Choices include small and large re-usable pots and jars, as well as recyclable bags and pouches, offering environmentally friendly solutions for traders across Europe.

Robert’s Dorset are proud to supply many stockists throughout the UK. These range from a modest solo operator shop to pubs, bars, restaurants, butchers, farm shops and more.

Contact Robert to find out more: 01202 875280, info@sct-sct.com, www.robertsdorset.com See the advert on page 3.

The difficulty in finding and keeping good employees in our industry has seen an unusually high interest in our products. A cutlery polisher used to be seen as a luxury item for those requiring a higher quality finish to their cutlery than hand polishing, now it's seen as a must-have as most restaurants are operating with reduced labour which is costly.

are more about health and safety. Some thin glasses are impossible to hand polish safely with good results, our Glass Polisher can safely polish with impressive results. 5 spinning brushes polish both the inside and outside of the glass, hot air is continuously blown so the brushes remain dry allowing the same brushes to be used all day long. The quality of polishing makes a great difference when glasses are on display.

Taking washed, still wet cutlery, handfuls at a time are placed into the polisher where the cutlery is immersed in a bed of crushed corn. This corn absorbs water and polishes the cutlery for 30 seconds before exiting under a UV lamp (which kills bacteria and viruses including Covid19) ready to place on the table. It will polish a basket of washed cutlery in 2 minutes (up to 3500 per hour for our mid-sized polisher). With a rental cost of just £3.57 per day, it's less than 20 minutes of staff time so it’s worth looking at your costs and seeing if we can be of service to you.

Our all-inclusive, noncontract rental plan is riskfree and will save on costs during the unprecedented times our industry is currently facing. If a rental scheme isn't for you, you can purchase with a 2-year no-quibble full parts and labour warranty.

You can see a video of the polisher working on our website at www.thecutlerypolisher.co.uk Our Glass Polisher is the same process and although it’s quicker than hand polishing, the benefits

We have been doing this since 1999, some customers have had the same machine since we first started, serviced regularly the Nicem cutlery polisher will last pretty much indefinitely. We still offer a free trial if the above is of interest, just contact us; at info@thecutlerypolisher.co.uk or 01474 873 892 For those reading who have a Nicem Cutlery polisher, our grain and service deal runs until the end of October 2022, contact us for more information.

See the advert on page 23 for details.

The Original Smartphone Quiz That’s Driving Footfall and Sales In Thousands of Pubs In theory, Thursday night at the Black Bull in York should be one of the pub’s quieter nights of the week, falling as it does just before the weekend. But the reality couldn’t be more different.

“We run a Thursday evening quiz using SpeedQuizzing and it’s now one of our busiest nights, with revenues up by about 80% and more than 35 four-person teams competing each week,” says manager Jill Clarke.

She’s not alone. The Black Bull is just one of over a thousand hospitality venues hosting weekly quizzes using SpeedQuizzing, an interactive app-based quiz platform that’s revolutionising the pub quiz and driving footfall, sales and fun in pubs and bars all over the UK. It has been described as offering all the excitement of a quiz and game show rolled into one, and, when you speak with SpeedQuizzing co-founder Alan Leach, it’s easy to understand why.

“We created Speedquizzing to be fast-paced, entertaining and hassle-free, both for pub hosts and players alike.

“Games are hosted in each venue via our platform using a laptop, and instead of using a pen and paper, players answer the questions in real-time

through our app, which they download for free. There’s no need to keep score as that’s done automatically and our customers love the fact that our quizzes are cheat-free, with our software making it easy to set time limits on how long teams have to answer each question.

“In keeping with the game show style of our quiz games, individual buzzer sounds can also be allocated to each team, while hosts can also use a variety of sound effects to add to the upbeat atmosphere.”

Its digital question packs, which come free with every SpeedQuizzing activation, are another key point of difference, with every pack being completely unique – ensuring no host will ever receive the same question pack as another host.

“They can be tailored by topic, age range or level of difficulty, meaning quiz hosts can perfectly cater to the needs and requirements of different audiences,” says Alan, “and with the World Cup just around the corner we’re already starting to see increasing demand for our football themed quiz packs.”

For more information, visit www.SpeedQuizzing.com or see the advert on page 2.

Wines, Spirits and Cocktails Coravin Trade Exclusive Promotion As we head into the festive season, maximising profitability while delivering an excellent guest experience becomes ever more critical across the trade.

To help the trade deliver against this objective, Coravin, global leaders in wine preservation, are running a trade exclusive promotion during October offering 30% off their latest innovation - Coravin Sparkling™.

Coravin Sparkling™ is the first preservation system to perfectly preserve the crisp flavour and effervescence of sparkling wines for up to 4 weeks. The portable format is highly convenient and easy to use, while the unique universal Coravin Sparkling™ Stoppers fit all half, standard, and magnum bottles.

Anne Roque, Coravin UK Sales Manager comments, “Coravin Sparkling™ offers a unique opportunity for bars and restaurants to increase their sparkling wine by the glass menu, while eliminating the risk of wastage. The Sparkling wine category is typically one of the most challenging for the trade, due to the high stock cost and short

Authentic Spanish Sangria – Now In A Can!

Solsueño sangria in a can, introduced to the UK in spring 2022 in partnership with Proof Drinks Ltd, has brought a premium, innovative addition to the premix beverage sector and a ray of liquid Spanish sunshine to UK consumers!

Packaged in a modern 330ml slimline can at 5% abv, Solsueño is an authentic sangria, crafted in the Denominacion de Origen region of Jumilla, Murcia.

Using local and natural ingredients, the great tasting liquid is vegan and gluten free, instantly giving consumers the ‘sun, sea and sangria’ holiday feeling.

Ideal for all indoor and outdoor settings, with no preparation or wastage, the can offers single-serve convenience but can also be used in shared occasions adding ice and fruit in a jug.

The eco credentials of cans mean lower transport costs due to the lightness of the packaging and the cans are infinitely recyclable.

Awarded Bronze in the 2022 IWSC Alternative Drinks category competition, the professional wine-tasting

panel offered the following tasting notes: ‘’juicy cherry and plum palate, with clove and cinnamon spice giving a refreshing and drinkable palate’’.

Following a first year of attending many national trade fairs, regional outdoor events, Foodie Festivals and local food & drink fairs, the overwhelming reaction to the liquid is really positive and has driven early successes with on and off-trade distribution, as well as Amazon. Supported by an active social media and extensive sampling campaign, Solsueño has established a firm foothold and the brand is very much looking forward to continued successes into 2023.

With pre-mix drinks growing to be a hugely popular category, particularly during the summer, sangria is a natural fit given the high levels of consumer awareness due to Spain being a major holiday destination for the UK consumer.

Solsueño sangria, Bringing Spain to the UK! Contact us at: info@sangria-solsueno.com www.sangria-solsueno.com

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shelf live after opening a bottle. We have a wide range of customers using Coravin Sparkling™, from fine dining restaurants offering super premium Champagnes by the glass, to traditional pubs who rely on the system to reduce wastage”.

Katie Warren, Coravin Marketing Manager adds, “Recent case studies across the UK have shown us that consumers really engage with an extensive menu of sparkling wines by the glass. We fully expect this trend to intensify as we head into the festive season.”

The promotion ends on October 31st, please visit trade.coravin.com/en-GB or contact sales_eu@coravin.com for more details.

Bottleproof Launch Selected Cocktails In Sustainable Paper Bottles

With over 25 cocktails in their range, Cambridge based Bottleproof Cocktails are one of the leaders in their field, supplying premium cocktails exclusively to the On-Trade since 2016. Customers include hotels, theatres, restaurants, pubs and events venues across the UK and beyond.

All Bottleproof cocktails are full ABV professional bar serves using branded spirits, juices and their own syrups. Each cocktail still has to be shaken, stirred or built so the theatre of a cocktail serve is not lost but they are considerably quicker to make and provide consistency without the need for extensive training.

Initially Bottleprtoof have launched two of their best sellers in the eco-friendly paper bottles, the multi award winning* Pornstar Martini and Espresso Martini which are now available to ship in 70cl bottles, each bottle serving 7 cocktails.

As Charlie Anderson, co-owner of Bottleproof Cocktails who heads up production and R&D comments: “In our drive to become more sustainable and to help venues reduce their carbon emissions, we have released the first of our cocktails in 70cl paper bottles. This

has followed extensive testing throughout last year to ensure they are fit for purpose. Not only are the bottles more environmentally friendly but they should also reduce the high costs venues have to pay for refuse collection” Compared to glass bottles, the paper bottles are: 5 x lighter than glass bottles 6 X less carbon footprint 94% recyclable paperboard outer As Mark Thompson, co-owner of Bottleproof Cocktails who heads up sales, says “Interest in the paper bottles from our existing customers as well as new customers has been phenomenal. Our cocktails are high quality with a proven track record in the on-trade; the packaging looks great and we are offering an initial stocking price that makes them cheaper than our glass bottles. Plus we are all helping the environment – what’s not to like!”

For more information, visit www.bottleproof.co.uk. Tel 01223 462211.

Email info@bottleproof.co.uk

Education and Training We are the National Hospitality Academy, Proud Creators of Expert LMS, Our World Leading Learning Management System

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Customise and brand your very own online staff training platform, to deliver an engaging training experience for your Hospitality team on any desktop, tablet or mobile device anywhere in the world. Fully equipped with over 70 interactive, accredited & certificated e-learning courses, our training is open access and covers a wide range of subjects including Food Hygiene and Hospitality, HR, Compliance, Vocational, Wellbeing and more – the perfect fit for your business. Visit www.nha.training Our powerful course building tools will allow you to produce an unlimited amount of your own bespoke training. You can upload video and documents, and even build your own interactive modules from onboarding to an interactive video’s using our stateof-the-art course editor! In-depth reporting and notification control allows for detailed analysis of all your training to help improve efficiency and effectiveness. Furthermore, Expert LMS with the Hospitality Academy comes with an open API, allowing you to seamlessly integrate your LMS

with another piece of software such as HR or rota systems.

Our dedicated team are on hand 7 days a week to offer technical support and you’re provided full and ongoing training in how to use our system so you can get the maximum amount of benefit.

We also provide over 3000 Personal Licences online every year with exams on Zoom every 30min. If you want to set up corporate account, call us 02035442211 and the course and exam will only be £70 per person.

The very fabric of a business lies within the skills of its workforce and the challenge to find the best technology to successfully induct, train and develop its talent. Your workforce is worthy of the very best, so get started today and join the thousands of other users online with our world leading learning platform, www.nha.training and www.expertlms.com

Boost Your Bottom Line and Gain New Customers with the Vegetarian Society Chef’s Diploma How enticing are your restaurant’s vegetarian and vegan options? The growing trend of meat reduction and flexitarianism has led to a rise in people expecting high-quality, exciting plantbased dishes when they eat out. It makes great business sense to keep these customers happy and coming back for more.

That’s where the Vegetarian Society Chef’s Diploma comes in – it’s a three-day course that will teach you how to make incredible on-trend veggie and vegan dishes, giving you the edge over your competitors.

Chefs will develop skills and build their confidence in everything veggie and vegan. The course costs just £750 and covers recipe creation, menu planning, vegetarian and vegan definitions and attitudes, plant-based ingredients, building flavour, alternatives to meat and dairy... And much more!

Here’s what course attendees are saying: “I can’t recommend this course strongly enough to any of you who are in this industry… With the modern trend in less

meat in the diet and people having meat-free days, I see this as a step forward to surviving in our harsh economic environment.”

Murray “It really does exceed expectations. Right mix of theory, business info and practical cooking.”

Ian “100% recommend this course… I had the best schooling days of my life in this cookery school!”

Darshana “Endless ideas and new techniques. More than met my expectations of improving veggie options at work.”

Matt Book your place now with a £75 deposit: www.vegsoc.org/diploma

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Issue 136

Cleaning and Hygiene

Ozone Clean

Ozone Clean is the leading manufacturer and supplier of Ozone generating equipment to the hospitality sector as well as many other industries for Odour and Infection control. We supply a range of generators suitable for all applications both industrial and domestic that can effectively treat small to very large areas.

Our company is multi internationally award winning and has rapidly built a strong reputation within Hospitality and other industries since our inception in 2005. Our goal is centred on supplying products that are efficient, safe and cost effective, backed up by an excellent service ethic and after sales operation.

Due to the efficiency and reliability of our flagship products the OC1500 and OC700, at a cost from 28p per day, we have empirical evidence, that by using Ozone Cleans range of products you will be able to enjoy an ROI within 12 months, often sooner. Genuine and provable results. This is achieved by the permanent removal of Odours, Bacteria, Mould and Viruses in as little as 5 minutes.

Peace of mind, efficiency and reliability go hand in hand with Ozone Clean and don’t forget by using our OC range you will be having a positive impact on the environment as opposed to the traditional methods which have a high energy or chemical consumption.

We have over 850 clients and 11 million rooms per

Should you decide to buy either our OC1500 or OC700 we will offer you a 15% discount exclusive to this article. Just quote OZO15.

Web: www.ozoneclean.co.uk Call : 020 8883 2756 Emails: sales@ozoneclean.co.uk

Tork - Think Ahead

brand Tork, which found that hospitality businesses are under increasing amounts of pressure to showcase or invest in their own sustainability credentials as consumer expectations evolve.

To meet the demand of hospitality businesses right now and for the years ahead, Tork has announced the launch of a sustainability guide for restaurants. The guide shares accumulated knowledge from Tork’s 50 years of experience within the food service industry, alongside brand-new knowledge on relevant topics for the industry.

The need for hospitality businesses to transform their sustainability performance has never been as critical, as new research reveals that Brits buy over 3.2 billion drinks in paper cups every year – just under two billion of which won’t make their way into an appropriate recycling bin.

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

year being treated with our equipment. In manufacturing we only use the highest quality parts which enables us to say that we still have machines that are still in use after 15 years. Therefore, our range of products are the most efficient and reliable on the market.

These alarming statistics are further emphasised by additional research from Essity’s professional hygiene

Tork’s PaperCircle service is the world’s first paper hand towel recycling scheme. Hospitality businesses can go circular by working directly with Tork to collect and recycle used paper hand towels into new tissue products. Tork PaperCircle reduces waste by up to 20% and cuts carbon emissions for paper hand towels by at least 40%.

Sustainability is core to the Essity business, with its credentials including featuring in the 2022 FTSE4Good global sustainability index and receiving a “Platinum Medal” award in the 2022 Ecovadis CSR Rating. This places Essity in the top one per cent of all companies to be assessed by Ecovadis.

To keep up with the latest Tork news and innovations, please visit: www.tork.co.uk

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Issue 136

Laundry and Linens

Sustainability - An Expensive Luxury? gy of the PowerPress and PowerSpin provides low residual moistures permitting high savings in the subsequent evaporation process. Thanks to the process control Eco2Power for the transfer dryer PowerDry, the energy is kept in the system and needs not to be recovered via heat exchangers. In the finishing process, Kannegiesser is a pioneer for low-temperature drying during the process of ironing, finishing or full drying - with impressive results for both, in maintaining textile value and energy consumption. Ultimately, the energy contained in the ironing and finisher exhaust air is used to heat fresh water for the washing process - the circle is completed.

Invest today, profit tomorrow: Why sustainability is for laundries a plus for their budget and for the climate?

Several tons of laundry are processed in a laundry every day. Textile service providers stand for reliability, quality and hygiene. Today, a responsible and integral circular economy means much more: Consistently clean and sustainable processed textiles.

Kannegiesser is the global partner for the future of the laundry industry. For us, sustainability is an elementary component and more than just a trend. In addition to savings in resources and textile care in the laundry technology, Kannegiesser stands for the integral sustainable corporate culture. This includes securing longterm economic stability, comprehensive education and training of the own employees and security for the future through innovation.

The modern technology of Kannegiesser reduces the use of fresh water and fossil fuels. Our solutions drive growth for our customers and create attractive, future-oriented and ergonomic jobs for us and in the entire industry. This is how we help people to live clean, healthy and safe lives.

In the washhouse, the washing line PowerTrans sets new standards for washing efficiency, hygiene, water and energy consumption. The water-extraction technolo-

Visit www.kannegiesser.com/uk/en/ for further information.

Vision Linens Launches New Loyalty Program Additional points can be earned when you initially register for an account as well as reviewing products, referring friends and for social media interactions.

In turn, Reward Points can be redeemed against any products listed on the website, with no minimum order value. It’s as easy as that.

Vision Linens, leading textile supplier and distributer, has launched a new loyalty program across its ecommerce site, visionlinens.com. Vision is best known for supplying textiles to some of the biggest names in hospitality and retail, including Accor, IHG, Hilton and John Lewis & Partners. What many may not realise, is that Vision’s ecommerce site enables accommodation providers, as well as everyday consumers to buy the same ethically sourced, high-quality products, direct from Vision and delivered straight to their door.

The benefits continue to flow, you’ll be the first to know about Vision’s sales, promotions and new products, as well as handy industry tips. As a member you can view your full order history and quickly reorder the same products without having to find them and add them to your basket.

The Visionaires Members Club is completely free to join and rewards its members for every interaction they have on the online shop. The more its members spend and the more they share online, the more points Vision will offer to redeem against its products.

So, what are you waiting for? Click here to sign up and create an account with us.

Visionaires can earn one Reward Point for every £10 they spend online.

*Terms and conditions apply.

Double Accolade For Southern Contracts

Mark Rogers, Regional Business Manager for Electrolux Professional, added: “Electrolux Professional have dealt with Southern Contracts for over 30 years and during that time they have established themselves as always being one of our leading distributors. We have always found them to be a first class and professional partner.

SOUTHERN Contracts is thrilled to receive not one, but two awards for their performance over the past year.

Electrolux Professional have announced Southern Contracts as their Laundry Partner of the Year 2021 which is awarded to the top selling Partner of commercial laundry appliances across last year.

Southern Contracts have also been awarded Electrolux Professional’s Special Achievement Award for 2021. This is bestowed upon the company with the highest national sales of their food and laundry professional products.

To have been given these two awards is quite amazing when the whole of the country was in lockdown during this period, with hospitality, care homes, schools, cruise ships and holiday venues all closed to the outside world.

Adam Elphinstone, MD of Southern Contracts, said: “We have a very long and special relationship with Electrolux Professional and are proud to work with their products for both provision, installation and servicing. As we continue to emerge from the last couple of years we look forward to an optimistic future and all our clients being able to fully open up their businesses in this bright new world ahead.”

“I have worked with them personally for over 4 years and can always rely on them to provide the right solution and fantastic after-care for any customer, from a wide variety of sectors, across the Marine environment through to Care Homes, Hotels and Schools.

“Due to their many years of experience, they have a wide breadth of knowledge covering both the laundry and catering environments and although they are a company that can deal in a global marketplace, they still give the first-class friendly care of a family run business for both their remote and local customers.”

For more information about products and services on offer, contact Southern Contract’s expert team of technical staff to provide guidance and advice through every aspect of your purchase and ongoing commitment to service, please telephone 01202 422100 or visit www.southerncontracts.co.uk See the advert on the previous

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

Increase Customer Spend by 18% (or more)!

Download the Paytronix Loyalty Report 2022 to find out more: https://alohaepos.co.uk/ annual-loyalty-report/

0800 731 8451 info@alohaepos.co.uk www.alohaepos.co.uk

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CLH DIGITAL

Hospitality Technology

Issue 136

4 Biggest Payment Trends in Hospitality Top Hospitality Partnership Takes for 2022 to 2023 Customer Experience To New Levels

Those in the hospitality industry who weathered the pandemic and Brexit and lived to tell the tale find themselves in a different landscape. Customers’ expectations have grown as the world opens up to travel and tourism with renewed enthusiasm.

Truevo is an industry partner to UK’s hotels, selfcatering, bed and breakfasts, hostels, camping and caravanning. Along with other businesses like restaurants, bars and takeaways. We created payment tools and solutions to help owners meet customers' demands.

Here are the most prominent payment trends we’re helping you meet.

Online is offline, and vice versa.

In 2020, 65% of worldwide tourism and travel sales were online, which is expected to reach 72% by 2025.

Customers expect a seamless experience booking online and in person. Top hotels allow customers to self-service and pay for additional services from their mobile devices.

Cash is dead. The card is king.

This trend has been slow-moving, but after the pandemic, debit and credit cards have dominated as the preferred payment method.

Convenience is a must.

For hotel guests, convenience includes quickly paying online or in person with their preferred payment method.

Aloha integrated with Paytronix, benefits the customer experience in key ways:

Restaurant owners now have access to frictionless client engagement thanks to an exclusive partnership between a leading provider of restaurant epos and the most advanced digital guest experience platform.

Chargeback fraud is on the rise.

With the rise of new payment methods, the hospitality sector has experienced increased chargeback fraud.

Truevo’s system and the team help resolve chargebacks quickly, prevent fraud and keep payment data secure.

With us, you receive chargeback notifications in realtime.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TRUEVO’S • Competitive fees tailored to your business • Unrivalled support via phone, email and Live Chat • Next-day settlement to improve operational efficiency • Acceptance and processing optimisation to maximise successful transactions • Accept over 150 currencies globally and get settled in GBP or EUR Bump your payments up to first-class with Truevo Simply Better Payments at https://truevo.com/card-machines/

SumUp POS Our mission is to empower small merchants across the globe

HOW WE CAN HELP We give access to financial services to the millions of businesses that

NFS Technology, provider of Aloha restaurant management software, have announced the selection of Paytronix Systems Inc as their UK and Ireland partner in a move predicted to be hugely popular in the industry.

Chris Cartmell, Chief Commercial Officer for NFS restaurant technology, said the development is a response to the dramatic change in the way customers want to engage with their favourite restaurants.

“Many of our clients ask us how they can take a more integrated approach to client engagement, loyalty and feedback,” he said.

“The Paytronix platform seamlessly integrates with Aloha, to be able to offer our clients a tool to improve client engagement, grow revenue and be able to get a much better picture on both client spend and preferences,” said Chris.

are considered too small for most providers. They’re as much as 10 times smaller than the smallest businesses that would be targeted by banks and traditional providers. What started out as one card reader has now turned into a range of readers, multiple remote payment solutions such as Invoices, Gift Cards, Payment Links and so much more.

INCLUSIVE We want to make technology that anyone can use and everyone has access to. Whether you’re a one-person show or a team, we’re there for the smallest of businesses.

PERSONAL SUPPORT

1. It enables restaurants to provide a customised one-to-one journey for clients, combining data and marketing automation in one dashboard.

2. Digital marketing is highly personalised to customer behaviour and connected to actual guest spend.

3. Restaurateurs can create and deploy omnichannel marketing campaigns in minutes, using core design options that suit guest needs.

4. Order frequency is increased by offering combined services – for example, online ordering and loyalty programmes together have been shown to increase order frequency by 18%.

5. Customer loyalty is grown. The integrated system enables more ways to enrol and more promotion types – many users see guest participation of 50 to 70%.

Discover more about epos technology and customer experience: https://alohaepos.co.uk/ See the advert on the previous page for details.

Do you have questions about the usage of SumUp? We have a dedicated customer support team in the language that works for you.

SECURE PAYMENTS SumUp card readers are the most secure methods of card payments and have received full certification from a range of regulatory bodies.

RELIABLE TECHNOLOGY SumUp is authorised as a Payment Institution by the Financial Conduct Authority (license no. 900700) and is EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) and PCI-DSS certified.

See the advert opposite for details.

52

CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

Hospitality Technology

How to Harvest Intelligent Data

By Scott Muncaster, Owner and Managing Director of Adactus (www.adactus.co.uk) By definition, intelligent customer data is any data collected by your company which offers insight into the behaviour and mindset of your customers. This data will help you gain a better understanding of what drives and excites your customers.

Intelligent data is invaluable when it comes to marketing outreach, new customer procurement, and customer retention, as it allows you to provide a targeted and bespoke approach for all your guests.

However, so often brands are guilty of taking a blanket approach when it comes to communicating with customers.

Not only are they missing an opportunity to build a strong rapport with those who walk through their doors, but equally they risk losing existing clientele with irritating, irrelevant marketing.

Capturing intelligent data that creates a single customer view has never been more important. No one needs to dine out, especially with a cost-of-living crisis, so knowing who you’re speaking to and tailoring your messages appropriately is crucial to capturing people’s attention, enticing them in, and then nurturing those relationships further.

For example, you might want to reach young couples who have the flexibility, but not as much disposable income, with mid-week meal deals, or retirees living in a specific area with a lunchtime offer. Maybe you want to get early bird discounts in front of families who are slightly more cash strapped but still relish those one-off family outings – intelligent data allows you to do this.

MCR Systems

MCR Systems has over 40 years of experience in providing hospitality, catering and leisure organisations with enterprise management solutions that directly improve the efficiency of their business operations.

We do this by combining high-quality

software and cutting-edge EPOS technology.

Then there’s using this data to track customers’ behaviours and to tailor to suit. For example, having a highchair ready for the family with a baby or tracking a customer’s usual drink choice so the waiter is informed on arrival.

This insight can also be used to shape the company’s future product or service plans. For example, is it time to introduce ‘order and pay’ options at the table for those on a tight schedule or who want to be more in control of their experience if you’re seeing more customers that fit that profile? Or perhaps offering the option of takeaway could boost weekday sales?

It's about doing a deep dive into data to help shape and grow your business, while delivering a more personalised experience that makes you stand out. Harvesting intelligent customer data means you’re able to interrogate data, to understand where, when and how a guest engages with your brand.

Collecting intelligent customer data is easier than you might think. Using the right tools means as you gather, cleanse and segment your data, the more assertive you can be with your selling.

However, the more data you harvest, the more analysis is needed to make this data work harder for you, all of which can be automated via CRM systems.

This involves categorising your data so you can make inferences at a glance. The analysis process is where you begin to truly understand the trends of your customers. Once this stage of the customer intelligence process is complete, you’ll have a comprehensive single view of all your customers.

We find that consistency is key in the hospitality sector, and using technology can add speed and accuracy to your approach, as well as clearing a more visible path to maximising your data’s potential.

The hospitality industry is one of the most competitive, and as the sector continues to be hit by the costof-living crisis, businesses simply cannot afford to provide a so-so service. Intelligent data will help improve every facet of your offering, and make it easier to navigate the challenges of the current climate.

Employers Must Adapt To Employee Expectations, says Bizimply “The recruitment crisis is already stretching wage budgets, so employers don’t always have the option to increase pay significantly for entry-level staff working front-of-house and kitchen shifts. However, it’s important to understand employee motivation at this level.

MCR Systems T: 0116 299 7000 E: enquiries@mcr-systems.co.uk www.mcr-systems.co.uk See the advert on page 40.

The monthly ONS vacancy figures have seen a decline in the number of hospitality vacancies, with 158,000 vacancies recorded in the quarter from July to September 2022, a decline of 8.8% compared with the 173,000 vacancies in the from April to June 2022.

Conor Shaw, CEO of workforce management specialist Bizimply, said: “While vacancies still represent a huge challenge for the sector, the drop reflects our experience that some operators are using technology to manage their workforce a little better, and maximise the benefits to the business of the workforce available.

“An employer trying to run their businesses with 10% vacancy rates needs their existing staff to be 10% more efficient, and every employee willing to work an extra shift helps to relieve the immediate challenge for employers, while employees need to know that they can fit work around other commitments.

“Many of the businesses we work with rely on parttime staff, including team members who combine work with their studies, or who have childcare or other commitments. For these employees, there is the potential to take home a little more from every shift they work, through the increases in the minimum wage and the National Insurance threshold introduced earlier this year.

“Businesses that have robust workforce management systems in place can input changes such as new rates of pay, tax and NI, give employees the maximum notice of shifts, and process any changes in employees’ shift patterns quickly. Employees can use the same technology to it to let their employer know what hours they can work regularly, and if these change due to school holidays or other circumstances.

“Bizimply’s software helps businesses reduce the amount of time spent creating staff rotas and sorting out payroll. It means that GMs and supervisors can spend more time front of house, where they can have the most positive impact, making operational decisions, managing team members and interacting with customers.”

See the advert on this page for details.

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Outdoor Spaces

Issue 136

CLH DIGITAL

53

Putting Safety On The Menu For Al Fresco Dining Deborah Ainscough, founder and director of Crowdguard, specialists in safety installations for events and pedestrianised locations, discusses the safety considerations for al fresco dining areas to protect staff and customers.

No so long ago, al fresco dining was a lifestyle we associated with summer holidays abroad; a European pavement café culture that we’d never quite mastered over here, with our narrow roads and limited pavements. Indeed, al fresco dining was so foreign to us Brits that we’ve never even coined our own name for it!

But COVID was a catalyst for change. Forced to provide the option for customers to eat and drink outside when indoor spaces were too risky at the height of the virus, many hospitality businesses have made that temporary provision into a permanent change, and are now benefitting from their investment in outdoor dining with increased capacity and appeal to a wider demographic.

Extended outdoor seating licensing introduced as a temporary measure June 2020 was extended until September of this year and has now been extended again until 2023, pending permanent legislation to allow bars and restaurants to provide furniture on pavements and pedestrianised roads adjacent to their premises. It’s great news for a sector still recovering from the pandemic and offers customers greater choice, along with the continental vibe they may have enjoyed while en vacances. But there is an elephant in the outdoor space: safety.

UNDERSTANDING THE POTENTIAL RISKS

While vehicle as a weapon attacks are rare, they have become the tactic of choice for terrorists and any location where people gather outside close to vehicular access is vulnerable to this type of attack.

Terrorism is not the only safety consideration either. While drink driving statistics have been falling over the past few years, drug driving offences continue to rise, putting pedestrians at risk of incidents involving errant vehicles. Add to this a spate of ram raid attacks on high street stores, and it’s easy to see how quickly a relaxed lunch could become a serious incident if the risks involved have not been identified and mitigated.

Following the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, campaigning led by Figen Murray, mother of one of the victims, has led to proposed legislation called UK Protect Duty (Martyn’s Law), which will involve mandatory risk assessment and the implementation of safety plans for businesses responsible for gatherings of people. The consultation element of the legislative process has already been completed, and a draft bill is expected soon.

Regardless of the parameters of any future legislation, however, many businesses are already preparing and embracing the need to consider safety as part of their duty of care for al fresco diners.

THREAT, VULNERABILITY AND RISK An outdoor hospitality environment ought to be a place where people can relax and enjoy good food and good company, so mitigating risk should definitely not involve creating a Fort Knox enclosure that makes customers feel in constant jeopardy. Any measures put in place to protect people should be proportionate to the risk, and the level of risk will depend on numerous factors, including the proximity of roads, the direction of traffic, ease of vehicular access, etc.

A risk assessment process that considers the potential threats and specific vulnerabilities of individual al fresco dining environments to understand

"Can We Sit Outside Please?"

Over 79% of UK diners have attested that they would spend more time and money in a restaurant if they incorporated outdoor dining.

Integrating outdoor dining into your establishment is a no brainer decision especially when you consider the al fresco movement across the UK and return on investment opportunities. For example, when discussing predictions for the rise in al fresco dining in 2022, Janice H. Dobson, Business Development Director at Archatrak, said: “Restaurant owners can look at it mathematically, they know the value of every seat they offer and I encourage my clients to ask themselves, ‘what could 8 extra seats, 12 extra seats, 20 extra seats, mean for your business?’

Often, they’ll find that, in a relatively short period of time, these outdoor areas can pay for themselves and continue generating revenue years afterward.”

The maths is simple; seating 16 people under a 4m x 4m parasol, at an average spend of £12.50 per head

the level of risk involved enables hospitality owners and operators to make informed choices about the measures they put in place to protect people. There is a balance to be struck between risk mitigation and practicality/affordability. It will never be possible to eradicate risk, but it is possible to ensure safety measures are targeted and proportionate.

BLENDING IN OR STANDING OUT? There is a varied array of hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) systems available, and selecting the right solution for a specific environment depends on a variety of risk factors, along with practical, operational needs and aesthetics. For al fresco dining environments, it is entirely possible to select HVM protection that not only blends into the surroundings but actually enhances them.

A correctly specified IWA-14-1 rated HVM system can be concealed within a variety of streetscape casings, including planters, benches, bike racks and barriers, providing a decorative touch for outdoor spaces that keeps people safer. Bars and restaurants can even choose to combine HVM protection with branded banners, enabling them to combine safety with customisation too.

RELAXED DINING Al fresco dining is an opportunity for customers to relax and enjoy. By ensuring they understand and mitigate risk, hospitality operators can relax too.

equals £200. If you were to turn these 3 times a day that would equal £600. If we multiply that by a realistic 4 days of the week, you’re looking at £2400 or £9,600 a month! Multiply that by 12 and your revenue would increase by £115k per annum. Assuming 50% gross margin, the investment of 1 parasol could provide a profit contribution of £57.6k per annum, which is a welcome statistic in these economically trying times.

What’s more, our zero deposit leasing options allow for payments to be spread over 2-5 years.

So taking a 4mt X 4mt parasol with a moveable base, import, delivery and fitting, the monthly payment over 36 months would be £184.09 or the weekly equivalent of £42.98. As such, your potential R.O.I. massively outweighs this no deposit figure.

What are you waiting for?!

01352 740164 www.indigoawnings.co.uk enquiries@indigoawnings.co.uk

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CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

Outdoor Spaces The Sausage Man Launches the Optimum Grab and Go Sausage Solution with Sausage2Go Launched at this year’s Casual Dining Show, The Sausage Man’s Sausage2Go unit, presents the perfect hot-hold solution for caterers across all sectors wishing to offer hot dogs as a quick serve or grab and go option.

Specialists in authentic, premium quality German sausages, The Sausage Man, offers five bestselling sausages from its extensive range to kick off the Sausage2Go launch; choose from delicious Bratwurst, Bacon Krakauer, Cheese Frankfurters, Chilli Beef or Vegan Hot Dogs to entice custom.

All sausages are fully cooked, ready to eat and reheat, and are supplied chilled or frozen, benefiting from a long shelf life. The sausages are offered for sale accompanied by high quality brioche baguettes from bakery brand St Pierre.

The Sausage2Go unit, made by Flexeserve, the specialists in hot-holding, flexible merchandising solutions, facilitates the latest ground-breaking, patented

air recirculation technology, retaining heat without over-cooking for perfect food condition, superior flavour and texture, and no moisture loss throughout the day.

Sausage2Go couldn’t be easier to use; no catering experience is required, and user-friendly control panels set over individual zones can be independently used to allow greater energy efficiency.

Unit sizes range from countertop to freestanding with front and rear loading options, tailored to individual needs.

Branding and packaging featuring The Sausage Man’s eye-catching visuals will also be available to further enhance the offer.

For operators, the unit couldn’t be simpler to use and is especially useful for quick serve situations.

For product information, inspirational recipes and to find your foodservice distributor call 01322 867060, go to www.wholesale.sausageman.co.uk, or email info@sausageman.co.uk

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

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

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

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

Outdoor Spaces

Issue 136

CLH DIGITAL

White Pavilion Gazebos

‘Outdoor space that cannot be used because of the weather has no value.’

selves many, many times over.

Since the Pandemic, customers prefer to be outside, and I dread to think of the business we would have missed out on if we had not made the investment.”

Susie, Proprietor, Grantham Arms, Boroughbridge : The Bay Tree, Swillington, York : The Black Horse, Kirby Fleetham Premium quality Hospitality gazebos that last, 4 sizes from £1,666 ex vat

Your solution is an investment that gives your customers comfort.

Your solution is an investment that gives you a speedy R.O.I.* Another solution? Parasols & umbrellas? but no real weather Another solution? Perhaps buying cheap? But as our pubs tell us a cheap gazebo looks cheap. And their customers don’t like cheap [and it won’t last]. *According to our pub customers, each gazebo typically pays for itself in about 6 weeks Straight from the horses mouth, must read: “Nearly 2 years on, it was the best decision we ever made to buy 3 White Pavilion Gazebos. They have paid for them-

[ low cost leasing available ] White Pavilion Gazebos, carefully made in Yorkshire www.whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk info@whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk 01653 695 285

Keeping Food Hot? We Have All The Answers First of all, you will want one of our world beating Kanga boxes and a Carbon Heater. You can then keep food hot indefinitely and fully comply with HACCP regulations.

Sounds too good to be true?

Well we only supply premium German manufactured products from stock at incredibly low prices. The insulated box manufactured from top quality expanded polypropylene is a dense closed cell insulation material but incredibly light to handle when empty for example the GN insulted box with a 117 mm internal depth only weighs just over a kilo and yet holds a massive 21 lts capacity. Now combine the Kanga box with a Carbon Heater and the magic begins, hot food all the time!

Our range of Carbon heaters offers two voltage options 12 volts for car operation using the cigarette lighter socket or 230 volt mains voltage for internal or external mains use. The big advantage of the Carbon Heaters they are absolutely fool proof just insert them in the bottom of the box turn on and forget, there are no consumer controls the temperature is pre-set at the factory at 75 deg C. The Carbon Heater is very light at only 700 grammes and does not take up much room only being 10mm thick. Dishes can be place on the Carbon Heater straight out of the oven up to 120deg C. Finally quick and easy to clean just wipe over with a damp cloth.

Contact Catering Equipment Limited on Tel: 0121 773 2228 or visit www.clickonstore.net or www.kangaboxuk.com

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

55

ComPaCK - THe sTaNdard THaT maKes THe dIFFereNCe

ProFessIoNal WareWasHING sYsTems relIaBIlITY HIGH PerFormaNCe GUaraNTeed assIsTaNCe at prices you will be overjoyed with Purchase/rental/Interest free 0% finance available ComPaCK GlassWasHers

The Compack glasswashers have simplicity and robust performance in mind.

Where the need for just washing glasses is the main aim this is the machine for the job.

• Electronic control with push buttons for high efficiency and easy to use • 350, 400 and 500 basket machines available • 120 seconds washing cycle • Ecoclean control system for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle • Built in drain pump included • Complete with built in adjustable detergent & rinse aid dispensers • Guarantees hot rinse thermostop • Thermal protection for wash tank and boiler • Light function button with self diagnostic

(subject to status)

ComPaCK FroNT loadING dIsHWasHers

• Electronic control DIGIT with temperature display • 4 washing cycles • Ecoclean control System for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle • Built in drain pump included • Complete with built in adjustable detergent & rinse aid dispensers • Guarantees hot rinse thermostop • Thermal protection for wash tank and boiler • Built in softener (only on D50S and D55S) • Colour coded function button with self diagnostic • Evolute Electronic control with lCd display

ComPaCK Pass THroUGH dIsHWasHers

d100

For all models

• Self-diagnosis with errors solution, precise setting of the detergent dispenser, different temperature setting for each cycle • Ecoclean control system for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle (only with built in drain pump).

• Thermal acoustic double door • New inclined and deep-drawn welded tank • Door reinforcement brackets • Adjustable rinsing arm rotation speed • Fully stainless steel made wash and rinse arms for low maintenance, heavy duty, all corrosion resistant • Removable double filtering system for wash and drainage cycle

Web www.compack.uk email info@compack.uk Tel 0333 456 4500

BT100/BT100s

• Electronic control with LCD display • 4 individual programmable cycles • Ecoclean control System for partial clean water refill at every wash cycle • Built in drain pump included • Complete with built in adjustable detergent & rinse aid dispensers • Break tank – AA air gap – Wras approved • Guarantee rinse temperature 85⁰C at constant pressure • Self cleaning cycle on drain down • Thermal protection for wash tank and boiler • Built in softener (only on BT55S) • Self diagnostic

BT100TC/BT100TCs

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Issue 136

CLH DIGITAL

Quality, Flexibility and Efficiency: Decarb It is the Decarboniser Supplier That Delivers

By Kate Wearden, Marketing Ninja, Decarb It Ltd

There are many benefits to considering short-term decarboniser hire for your commercial kitchen.

Deep cleaning kitchen-ware that is heavily greased and carbonated maintains the hygiene of your kitchen and is recommended by EHO’s. Decarbonisers enable time previously spent scrubbing and cleaning, to be used on more important tasks. They increase the longevity of your kitchen-ware, and, unlike long-term hire or purchasing, they don’t require permanent space in your kitchen. All of these have a direct impact on your kitchen’s bottom line. High hygiene ratings increase covers, more efficient use of staff reduces your wage-bill, longer-lasting kitchen-ware means less money spent on replacements, and efficiently utilizing the space in your kitchen increases productivity.

Most reputable decarbonisers deliver all these costsaving benefits, but with energy prices skyrocketing, we at Decarb It think it’s important to go further to support your long-term profitability. Our decarbonisers deliver all the benefits above but are also the most energy-efficient decarbonisers currently on the market.

We invest in high-grade steel, premium insulation, and advanced electronics, resulting in an average of approximately 40% less power used vs. a leading competitor.

We also appreciate the challenges of the changing environment in which we now live, which is why we recognise the importance of flexibility.

Committing to long-term contracts with vendors isn’t always possible when the economic environments are so fragile, which is why we not only offer a range of decarbonisers to suit all budgets, but also flexibility when it comes to the length of hire. Whether it’s two weeks, a month, or longer, we can provide a solution that is bespoke to your needs.

Our flexibility, commitment to efficiency, and customer-focused approach ensures that every aspect of our service, from our product to our customer relationships, are the highest quality possible.

To find out how Decarb It can make your kitchen shine, for less, visit www.decarbit.co.uk or call 0161 871 7393

Fry More For Less with OilChef How can the food service and hospitality industry protect against risings costs? One way is to make the cooking oil last longer. In fact, the award-winning 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 chemi-

cal, 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

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

57

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CLH DIGITAL

Issue 136

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Kitchen Extract Hygiene – A Burning Issue One of the biggest challenges in keeping a commercial kitchen spotlessly clean is the regular cleaning of the canopy, fan and extract ductwork. This must be tackled, not only for the sake of hygiene, but also for fire prevention and compliance.

Airborne fat, oil and grease is a natural by-product of even the healthiest diet.

Carried in the steam that rises from cooking, grease and oil particles are drawn into the kitchen extract system to be vented away to the outside. As the exhaust stream cools, grease is deposited on the metal surfaces of the hood, canopy, filters, canopy plenum, fan and ductwork.

Should a kitchen fire reach the extract ductwork, or a flash fire occur in the extract system, then the accumulated grease deposits can act as fuel, helping to spread the fire. The ductwork itself can also help to spread the

fire, acting as a chimney through which smoke and flames can travel, spreading the danger to the other parts of the building.

To counter this potential fire risk, operators of commercial kitchens are required to comply with a new standard for the fire safety management of grease accumulation in kitchen extract systems, TR19® Grease.

Compliance is also essential to ensure that you don’t compromise your buildings insurance. If a fire should break out and the ductwork can be shown not to have been cleaned in accordance with TR19® Grease, many insurers will now refuse to pay out on a claim.

Ensuring legal compliance, a reduced risk of fire and greater hygiene in your kitchen are items which should always be on every maintenance menu. www.swiftclean.co.uk or see advert on page 47

Temporary Catering Facilities For Events & Kitchen Refurbishments Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire or sale of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

Ideal for events or to provide temporary catering facilities during your kitchen refurbishment, our versatile units and equipment offer an efficient and economic solution to the caterers’ needs.

Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms and Restaurant Units are available as individual units in their own right or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex.

Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer-term hires.

We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.

The standard specification of our smallest Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range, salamander grill, twin basket fryer, upright fridge, hot cupboard, single bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, plus ample power points to plug in Microwaves, Food Processors, Toasters etc. Internal equipment can be interchanged and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout.

We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

So if you’re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal.

For further information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk

New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) Creates Considerable Interest The New DrainMajor C (Combi Oven Pump) manufactured by Pump Technology Ltd. There are significant advantages that this combi oven drainage pump offers The pump features a 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.

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.

Caterquip Ventilation – For All Your Commercial Catering Ventilation Needs

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 often advising industry professionals on ventilation systems to a DW172 specification & BSEN:6173.

They have strong relationships with all leading kitchen equipment suppliers, and they offer a kitchen design

service to help you build your ideal kitchen.

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

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A Special Treat from KEMPLEX and NOWAH KEMPLEX and NOWAH are offering a special treat for customers with a sales offer that includes a two-day pastry masterclass in Milan - Italy, with the current Pastry World Cup champion Massimo Pica.

Anybody that purchases a Belt movement model from the KEMPLEX dough sheeter range, via an approved NOWAH dealer, will automatically qualify for the masterclass with Pastry World Cup champion, Massimo Pica, at his renowned pastry school in Milan.

The package includes return flights and accommodation, with sessions taking place between November 2022 and June 2023. Purchases

must be made before 31 March 2023 to be eligible.

NOWAH’s Michael George said the offer would give end-user customers a unique opportunity to enhance their pastry skills, while also spending a few days in Milan.

“We know that any customer who purchases one of these dough sheeters is going to have a real passion for pastry, so in order to ensure that they are able to indulge that passion – and get the very best from their Kemplex dough sheeter – what could be better than spending two days learning from the current world champion?

Kemplex has been manufacturing a wide range of pastry equipment since 1986.

Dough sheeters remain its flagship product.

For details of NOWAH approved dealers, please contact NOWAH Catering Equipment by visiting https://nowah.co.uk/kemplex-products

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out with Williams

By Malcolm Harling, sales and marketing director, Williams Refrigeration

These days kitchen space is getting squeezed, as foodservice operators look to increase their restaurant areas to get in more customers. The logical result of which is that, despite being smaller, the kitchen has to produce more meals. A new commercial kitchen fit out often has to comply with what the Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA) calls 20:20 vision: 20% more productivity from 20% less space.

All of which means there’s a big demand for equipment that can help maximise the available space – such as the Chef’s Drawer from Williams Refrigeration. The latest version of these individual refrigerated drawers is the VSWCD1, a variable temperature unit that can be switched from chilled to frozen storage, keeping pace with a business’s changing needs.

The combination of modular, compact drawers with variable temperature controls and a front venting refrigeration system makes the VSWCD1 an extremely flexible option that can be fitted in to the tightest spaces, providing easy access to fresh or frozen ingredi-

ents right where the kitchen brigade need it.

Depending on the selection of castors or legs, the height of the individual drawer can be adjusted by over 70mmm, between 456mm and 530mm.

Each VSWCD1 measures 1100mm wide by 670mm deep.

Despite its compact size each drawer can hold 2/1GN pans up to an impressive 150mm in depth, compared to 100mm for some competitor models, giving it a capacity of 105 litres.

Another advantage is the ability to stack two units beneath a standard worktop, creating an even more flexible storage solution.

The body and removable drawers are constructed from robust, foodsafe stainless steel. The Chefs Drawer uses natural refrigerant and eco-friendly high performance, high density polyurethane insulation, meaning it can operate in ambient temperatures as high as 43°C. To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk

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

UK agents & distributors of top catering equipment manufacturers We sell heavy-duty, long-lasting, no-frills equipment at sensible prices.

“...we select our products based on Quality, Reliability, Durability and Value-for-Money”

Visit our website: www.nowah.co.uk View our catalogue:

www.nowah.co.uk/catalogues Or call our office: 01772 305161

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As every pub, café and restaurant owner knows, the number one requirement for furniture is contract-grade durability that can withstand everything a busy catering environment can throw at it. Now it’s possible to combine these qualities with eco-friendly credentials, with Trent Furniture’s cost-effective new range.

Trent’s new furniture made from robust polypropylene is environmentally manufactured and fully recyclable when it eventually needs to be replaced. The Windsor Spindleback Chair combines contemporary good looks with great value and those all-important eco credentials. Equally, the Madrid Stacking Chair offers modern style in black polypropylene and is a great solution where space is tight.

Archetypely

Archetypely is a boutique design and construction project management consultancy that was founded in 2019, specialising in commercial fit-outs & refurbishments. Since then, we have been working on many interesting projects, successfully delivering to the satisfaction of our clients.

We can deliver the projects via the traditional procurement as ‘Main Contractor’ or via the ‘Design and Build’ route, but our biggest strength sits in the ability to also deliver the fit-out projects via ‘Construction Management,’ providing our clients with great control over time/cost and quality of the final product by directly controlling the trade contractors on client’s behalf.

In doing this we provide full support to the client and our team fully manages the entire process. We manage all of the client’s direct packages during the fit-out, from tender selection and interviews through negotiations, appointments and construction, while coordinating all trade contractors

and managing the site and main building works.

Here at Archetypely, we have a holistic and processoriented approach to project management consultancy. We are known for an unparalleled commitment to customer satisfaction; we bring together the best architects, engineers and designers within one team.

Every project is unique and comes with new challenges.

That's why at Archetypely we customise our approach and resources to suit the individual client’s requirements.

At Puttshack Watford the new mini golf course uses techinfused ideas to bring a unique twist to the traditional game of golf.

ANAMO Design Studio was employed as the Interior Designer for the project, whilst Archetypely was the Main Contractor. Renata Zywicka, Director at Archetypely, has undertaken all portfolio development-related duties for Puttshack and has acted as the primary representative on their construction projects.

Archetypely has fully managed the entire project from its initial feasibility studies, through the design development, procurement and on-site management of the construction phase of the fit out.

For more information visit: https://www.archetypely.com/

Trent’s new ‘Indoor-Outdoor’ range is also made from recyclable materials and has the added benefit of being as home in a café interior as it is in a pub beer garden in the summer months. Available in a stylish grey, the Nantes Stacking Chair is the perfect companion for a huge range of indoor and outdoor tables including our ever-popular aluminium Alma Table.

For more information on Trent Furniture’s large and varied range of sustainable, versatile and budget-friendly furniture, please fill in our contact form or call us on 0116 2989 661.

Top Engraver Supports Hospitality Sector with Swift Service for Etched & Printed Table Numbers & QR Discs One of the UK’s most professional and technically advanced engraving and etching supplier, Brunel Engraving, is providing a rapid response to the growing demand for etched table numbers and QR code discs in the pub and catering industry.

The company has made a substantial investment in additional state of the art equipment and related software in order to produce a wide range of individually engraved and printed table numbers and discs.

The numbers and discs enable customers to link to apps or menus, eliminating the requirement for hard copies of menus and making it quicker and more convenient for customers to order.

“Our investment in additional equipment and soft-

ware has ensured that our customers in the hospitality sector can benefit from high quality products with excellent swift service at a fair price. Our ISO9001 accreditation means that every job, no matter how large or small goes through the workshops with this expectation level, and the continuous amount of 5 stars we receive on Trust pilot, highlights this commitment” said Tom Pycock, Sales Director of Brunel Engraving.

In addition to rotary engraving, Brunel offers laser engraving, chemical etching, anodic print, dye sublimation print, flatbed UV print and wide format UV print.

T: 01275 871 720 E: info@brunelengraving.co.uk W: www.brunelengraving.co.uk

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Sparkle Interiors, Interior Design, Professional and Online

and our clients. For example, briefing meetings can take place via video call, with plans, mood boards, etc discussed and edited live through screen sharing. All types of drawings can now be completed within a matter of days, rather than weeks with how easy it is now to share information. Gone are the days of visiting the site every week, holding long face to face meetings with all the contractors and any unnecessary steps that traditionally are there for the sake of it.

Sparkle interiors has been set up to help our clients create fantastic interiors while saving on expensive designer fees.

The interior design industry has been evolving in recent years, companies have had to adapt along with many other professions. One of the main affects is on designers having to work remotely. For us its meant that we’ve been working on projects where actual site visits have not been a possibility, but this actually has had many positive effects on our process for both us

Solutions to on site issues can also be addressed with our new online focused process, as the site foreman can receive all the information and updates they need, any changes immediately handled and issued back by e mail to all that are concerned. All the above changes mean the costs for the client, designer, QS and contractor have been reduced significantly or completely eliminated in some cases. This is why Sparkle Interiors is able to save the client so much on fees. Visit our website today to enquire, or contact us directly to find out more.

Contact Email: andy@sparkleinteriors@gmail.com Tel: 07957762280 Web: www.sparkleinteriors.co.uk

Additional Ranges as ILF Continue to Expand www.ilfchairs.com email;terry.kirk@ilfchairs.com

With the continued success of the ILF Chairs comprehensive website, ILF have now added to the 2 chairs already stocked in 7 colours, a stock armchair in 7 different Faux colours, matching the chairs, plus a 6 colour range stock of Egger laminated table tops in a selection of sizes. A full range of table bases are also kept in stock.

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. Also included now an extensive range of stock seating, barstools, table bases and table tops.

Most made to order indoor seating and indoor wooden table bases and tops can be finished to any customer specification. Outdoor items offer a variety 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.

We are a boutique design & construction project management consultancy focusing on commercial fit-outs & refurbishments.

Over the years, our founder Renata Zywicka had the opportunity to work on a number of incredible projects that have allowed her to grow and establish Archetypely as a client-focused consultancy.

www.archetypely.com hello@archetypely.com +44 (0) 730 61 61 002

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Design and Refit London Roof Garden Boasts Toilet Block Thanks to Saniflo The Queen Elizabeth Hall at the iconic Southbank Centre has a stunning roof garden and café overlooking the Thames.

Filled with wildflowers and attracting bees and insects from all over London, it is a place to socialise, dine and even work when the weather is fine.

Early in 2022 the team running the venue came to a consensus that the distance of the nearest WC’s was hindering the experience for clients and staff alike; customers had to descend the winding staircase back to the Royal Festival Hall in the main building.

Richard Riley from building contractor, Eleven London, was contracted to construct a wooden toilet block with two separate WC’s and hand basins. With no gravity drainage available in proximity of the new block, a pumping solution was going to be the only way to discharge the waste away to the nearest soil stack some

40m away.

With input from the Saniflo technical team, including a visit to site to assess the potential run of pipework, a Sanicubic Pro 2 lifting station with twin pumps and a wireless alarm was specified and installed by Richard and his plumber. This powerful unit uses alternate pumps when operating normally, but in the unlikely event of a pump failure can switch to single pump operation in order to provide continuity of operation at all times. A wireless alarm offers early warning of any issues. The unit is installed in a cupboard to the rear of the block and provides quiet, efficient operation.

The installation of the roof garden toilet block has proved to be an excellent investment with the whole space enjoying more visitors who stay for longer.

For more positive solutions and inspiration, visit www.saniflo.co.uk

No More Time Wasted Cleaning Up Candle Wax One of the issues many restaurants are currently facing at the moment is a shortage of staff. So anything that can reduce workload has to be of interest.

We firmly believe that candles are an essential part of the dining experience, but what comes with them is all the mess, which uses valuable time cleaning up. Time and money that could be better spent elsewhere.

So how do you square that circle? The answer is with oil candles.

There are two types. Glass bodied, refillable ones, and plastic prefilled, disposable ones.

Both do the job fantastically well, while making no mess, having no waste and minimal maintenance.

The refillable ones are very economical while the disposable ones have all the convenience of a tealight.

On top of that, they look absolutely great and will enhance the look and feel of your restaurant or bar.

If you’ve never used, seen or heard of oil candles before, or even if you have, the best place to go to find out more is www.clearcraft-catering.co.uk.

There is an extensive amount of information there, FAQ section, guides to help you decide which candle is best for you and a full e-commerce site.

You can also request a free sample oil candle, with some oil by e-mailing sales@clearcraftltd.co.uk Please state what design you wish to see and include your delivery details Clearcraft Ltd Tel: 01279 731621 www.clearcraft-catering.co.uk

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Navigating Permitted Development Rights for Temporary Structures

By Simon Atha, Associate Director – Boyer (part of Leaders Romans Group) (www.boyerplanning.co.uk) The requirements for social distancing during the pandemic opened up the opportunity to utilise wide-ranging outdoor sites for hospitality, and in a rare ‘Covid positive’, that legislation is here to stay.

Under Class G of The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2021, the operators of pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants can significantly increase footfall, and thereby profits, by erecting a marquee or gazebo on their premises, running a pop-up bar in a beer garden or any other moveable structure. As a result, popular sports matches, large wedding parties and a wide variety of events can attract greater numbers of patrons for hospitality venues.

The legislation surrounding Planning Permitted Development Rights (PDR) is much misunderstood. Best known for home extensions and the controversy over change of use within the built environment (such as from commercial or agricultural buildings to residential use), it also applies to ‘temporary’ structures such as marquees.

There are some limitations on what is allowed. The first is that the structure must be moveable – easily dismantled or on wheels. It must be less than three metres in height with

a maximum footprint of 50 sq m, or 50% of the footprint of the building with which it is associated, whichever is smaller. In residential areas, the structure must be at least two metres away from nearby homes. There is also a limit of one structure per site and does not apply to the curtilage of a listed building or scheduled monument.

Despite social distancing being relaxed and the summer coming to an end, this announcement is good news.

Even for those venues which don’t have outdoor spaces of their own, the ability for high streets to hold markets and food festivals may assist in attracting footfall. Additionally, commercial spaces such as the landscaped grounds of office blocks can bring life to a site which may be underutilised as a result of changes in working patterns. And outdoor visitor attractions will have additional flexibility to introduce temporary structures on their grounds.

Another opportunity is the likely change to the marriage regulations in England and Wales, which could allow outdoor venues such as the grounds of a hotel or a beer garden to host wedding ceremonies, in addition to receptions. In July the Law Commission recommended that weddings should be able to take place anywhere, providing the presiding official considers it safe and dignified. The potential for a hotel to host one wedding inside and one (or perhaps more) outside, and for a pub to host everything from pre-wedding drinks through to the final dance will no doubt be well received.

Assuming that these proposed changes to marriage laws go ahead there is one important caveat – planning permission: to use a barn, a community centre or a historic building for a wedding could represent a change of use and as such may require planning permission. Whilst permitted development rights have been extended in some areas, such as temporary structures, there remain planning challenges for hospitality businesses to navigate to ensure their operations comply with the appropriate planning legislation.

CardsSafe - Protecting Assets - Lock in Our Old Prices Today!

Until January 2023, CardsSafe unit rental will remain at just £9.95 per month.

We have been helping restaurants, bars, pubs, golf courses and other venues to securely retain their customer bank cards while they run a tab for almost twenty years.

Since we introduced rental contracts in 2008, we’ve kept our prices as low as possible at just under a tenner a month and this has never increased. However, due to significant increases in both our cost of goods and related costs, we plan an increase in January 2023.

Our existing customers will continue to benefit from our low prices, so if you’re considering CardsSafe for your business, or need additional units, lock in at just £9.95 per month (per unit) for the duration of your contract.

There are many benefits to using CardsSafe in bars, restaurants and pubs: • Managing customer tabs • Helping to increase spending, therefore profits

• It is a significant deterrent for walkouts • Offers protection against credit card fraud – helps to build trust!

• Pays for itself by reducing charge-back and walkouts • No data capture required to use • Customers have peace of mind that their bank cards are kept safely, and they keep the unique key!

“Turnover increased significantly after CardsSafe was installed, and the system easily pays for itself.”

Siobhan, The Prodigal London.

CardsSafe is affordable! Each unit contains ten card drawers that can be hired for just £9.95 per month. Each hire comes with customer service troubleshooting and a number of free replacement keys. Additional units can be added at any time.

For more information, please visit www.cardssafe.com Or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040

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Why Use a Specialist Hospitality Consultant?

Answer: because we can help your business to succeed.

With over 30 years of industry experience in the Hospitality sector, The Bowden Group’s Managing Consultant David Hunter will work with you to address the following elements: Profitability, Operational Strategy, Staff Management, Marketing and The Future of your business.

David will also be on hand to give you extra (and this can be without any extra charge) support through our Sprowts4Mentoring system, to analyse, every single week, your business performance figures … giving you weekly analysis and concise reports, with appropriate guidance, to optimise your business’s Sales, Profitability and Staff Management.

PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS Our experts will analyse your entire operation and also its key operating figures if they are available. We then help you to identify strategies to manage costs and overheads associated with the core Profitability of running a Hospitality business.

The largest overhead, even higher than Cost of Sales, is the Labour cost,

so, with detailed analysis of your wages and being able to understand ‘’the way your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the labour usage in your business.

And YES … Covid19 changed a lot of things. We need to learn from those things!

Right now we are experiencing massive increases in the cost of the raw materials that we buy … both Food and Drink. We will take that fully into consideration. When was the last time that you fully and meticulously costed out and priced correctly, every dish on your menu … both Food and Drinks?

Budgeting, Forecasting, Menu Management, Stock Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are just a few of the other areas that David Hunter, your Restaurant Consultant, will work on with you, and improve with you.

MANAGING PEOPLE Managing people brings with it a whole set of new skills that are now needed more than ever. From ‘’Managing the Managers’’ through to Service and Kitchen staff, your team needs careful and skilful Management, Motivation, guidance and Development.

We have a very good record in helping Hospitality business owners to implement processes that improve how they manage their people, which in

turn benefits the owners as well as the Team Members themselves.

We can help you to manage ‘difficult’ people situations, to improve your operational planning, to recruit, train and manage your team better, creating a more productive, pleasant and ‘’retaining’’ working environment.

MARKETING We will help you build a workable, planned Marketing Strategy. We don’t do fancy, posh or expensive … we just recommend what our experience says will actually work for your business.

It’s no longer enough to rely on word-of-mouth and repeat business. You need to employ a wealth of skills in a number of areas to ensure that your Marketing is attracting new customers and engaging with existing customers.

From Digital Marketing, such as Social Media marketing, Websites, eMail Marketing and online advertising, to print design, Promotions and offline advertising, your Hospitality business should be constantly working on ‘’ all things Marketing’’.

If your business is actually struggling, or if you just feel that it could be doing some things better, give David Hunter a quick call on 07831 407984 to arrange a ‘’Free of Charge’’ initial consultation (please quote CLH Offer), when David will discuss with you what could be achieved if you ask us to work with you.

Christie & Co’s Hotel Snapshot Shows Resilience of the UK Market

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has today launched a new report, The UK Hotel Market: New challenges on the road to recovery, providing a snapshot of the UK hotel market in 2022, as it emerges from the pandemic and faces a new wave of economic and operational challenges. The report also shares a market outlook from major industry players, Accor and Pygmalion.

The snapshot suggests that the UK hotel market proved resilient throughout the pandemic and has recov-

ered at a faster rate than first anticipated since January 2022, with overall performance nearing or surpassing 2019 levels since May 2022. However, the coming months may prove more challenging for the sector’s different stakeholders due to the cost-of-living crisis, weakened GDP, and increasing inflation rates.

The snapshot analyses the performance and outlook for the UK’s top ten cities, which includes London, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff, Bristol and Newcastle.

E N IC IO PR UCT D RE

PRICE: £125,000

• 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

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4008

• Impressive Detached Tudor Style Property in Fabulous Location • Long Established, Well Appointed Licenced Restaurant with Outside Seating • Commercial kitchen with Prep Area and Wash Up Room • Exceptional Self-Contained 4 Double Bed Accommodation • Private Parking for 4 Cars and Outbuildings

MINEHEAD, SOMERSET

PRICE: £600,000

W! NE

PRICE: £175,000 + VAT

FREEHOLD

REF: 4265

• Light, Spacious & Modern, Award-Winning Bar/Cafe/Restaurant • Adjacent to Exmouth Marina & The Exe Estuary Providing Stunning Views • Main Trade Area with Seating for circa 70 & Alfresco Seating for circa 64 • Well Equipped Commercial Kitchen & Allocated Parking Space • Extremely Profitable Licensed Business Currently Run Under Management

• Elegant Restaurant Premises Offering Fine Dining • Located Close to Town, Major Hotels & Marina • Well Established with Potential for 40+ Covers • Trading 5 Evenings Only Providing Further Potential • Large 2 Bedroom Residential Accommodation

PRICE: £99,955

W! NE

PRICE: £120,000

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4412

• A Stunning Historic 4 Star Inn on the Beautiful Stourhead National Trust Estate • 5 Beautifully Presented En-Suite Letting Rooms & Two Bedroom Owners Flat • Extensive Outside Courtyard Seating & BBQ Station • A Very Rare Opportunity to Buy a National Trust Pub Lease • Projected Sales for 2022 in Excess of £1million with Very Strong Net Profit

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4168

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4344

• Premium Cocktail & Wine Bar Located Within South Hams • Voguish Interior Decor Creating Laid Back Sophistication • Internal Capacity for Circa 80 Guests • Dedicated Outside Seating Area on Promenade for 26 • Potential to Expand on this Already Successful Business

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4269

• A Stunning 9 Bedroom, Grade II Listed Hotel, Exuding Character & Class • Situated in the Village of Dunster at the Gateway to Exmoor National Park • Main Bar & Restaurant, Tea Room & Period Ballroom/Function Room • 9 Beautifully and Individually Appointed En-Suite Letting Rooms • A Rare Opportunity to Buy a Substantial & Successful Freehold Business

Regional UK markets such as Edinburgh, Birmingham and Liverpool saw the highest increase in RevPAR in H1 2022, surpassing 2019 levels by 6.9%, 8.5% and 7.5% respectively. In comparison, London has been slower to recover as the capital relies on international source markets and business travellers.

Since January, operators have maintained high ADRs in order to balance some of the increasing cost pressures as well as partly protecting their profit conversions. The success of this strategy has been made possible by a change in consumer behaviour in the face of rising costs, with holiday spending being prioritised.

Transactional volumes have remained strong and a total of £1.9 billion was spent on UK hotel transactions in H1 2022, an increase of 32% compared to H1 2021. Interestingly, domestic buyers are far more active in the market compared to last year. In 2021, cross border investors represented 52% of the buyers yet this number dropped to 23% in H1 2022, likely due to international travel restrictions imposed over the past few years due to the pandemic, although this is unlikely to be a long-lasting trend.

KEY FACTORS IMPACTING THE MARKET The report provides insight into the positive and negative factors that are impacting the hotel market.

Following the pandemic, hotels that were considered popular ‘staycation’ destinations have seen increased performance, particularly in more rural areas such as Belfast, Cardiff, and Newcastle. Hybrid hotels have also continued to perform well since the pandemic, as guests seek more flexibility in these spaces.

DUNSTER, SOMERSET

EXMOUTH, DEVON

STOURTON, WILTSHIRE

PRICE: £195,000

TORQUAY, DEVON

PRICE: £1,300,000

W! NE

PRICE: £695,000

FREEHOLD

REF: 4302

• Substantial Hotel & Inn Situated in the Heart of Ivybridge • 14 Well Presented En-Suite Letting Rooms & 1 Bed Owner's/Manager's Flat • Fully Equipped Catering Kitchen, Open Plan Lounge & Dining Area • Back Bar/Games Room, Office & Outside Trading Area & Car Park • A Very Well Established Business & a Genuine Retirement Sale After 30 Years

IVYBRIDGE, DEVON

FREEHOLD

REF: 4282

The impact of the Ukrainian war on the rising cost of gas and electricity bills has already affected hoteliers’ financial decisions in 2022, with many maintaining high ADRs to balance increasing cost pressures. Rising interest rates are predicted to directly impact financing options for hoteliers next year.

EMERGING TRENDS AND OUTLOOK Since 2020 with the rising popularity of “staycation” destinations, the UK market has seen an increase in domestic buyers. At present 77% of the UK volume is credited to domestic investors, a number which may continue to rise.

Inflation rates and GDP are expected to have a direct impact to the hotel market, with the BOE base rate expected to rise by 3% by the end of 2023. The market is full of active buyers, which may continue as a trend throughout 2022 as the rising inflation rates will encourage more hoteliers to buy rather than develop greenfield projects. Lenders may also grow more cautious in the next half of 2022 despite the upwards trend in the market over the last 12 months.

Diane Loubeyre, Senior Consultant – Hotels at Christie & Co, comments, “Despite having to navigate a new wave of challenges in 2022, the UK hotel market has remained resilient, and we are pleased to report the encouraging performance levels witnessed across the country so far this year. Inbound international travel is also picking up and might grow further into 2023, and with the pound at an all-time low compared to USD or Euros, the UK is now more affordable to visit. This will only act to further support the sector’s recovery next year.

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Carine Bonnejean, Managing Director - Hotels at Christie & Co, adds, “This publication clearly shows the

“Off the back of this, market sentiment amongst hotel investors remains positive albeit more cautious due to the challenging economic backdrop, and many investors continue to seek out a range of opportunities in the market.

“Christie & Co’s Consultancy team has experienced a busy year so far, and much of our work has focused on feasibility studies, development advice and buyer due diligence. However, we are starting to see more demand for operational and strategic reviews from lenders trying to support their clients facing increased interest rates and costs pressures.”

Laceys Solicitors Whether your business involves supplying alcohol, providing music, or late night refreshment to the public, every hospitality establishment (from restaurants, to hotels and bars, from off-licences to fast-food restaurants) needs to be properly licensed before it can start operating.

However, with the hospitality industry being so highly regulated, if you are looking to buy, sell, change or apply for a new licence in relation to the services your establishment provides, it can be confusing to know which you may need. This is where we can help.

Laceys can assist with all types of premises licence applications in England and Wales, be it to obtain a new licence for a previously unlicensed premises, to transfer, or to vary an existing licence (should you wish, for example, to amend any conditions, approve a new layout plan, or appoint a new designated premises supervisor). We will prepare each application, engage with the responsible authorities, deal with any notice require-

opposite forces currently shaping the UK hotel market, as hotel performance is positive and improving yet significant economic and operational challenges pose a serious threat to the sector’s recovery. The next few months will be another litmus test for the various stakeholders. We are starting to see the first signs of distress but to date there is still a functioning yet cautious transactional market.”

To read The UK Hotel Market: New challenges on the road to recovery, click here: https://www.christie.com/news-resources/publications/uk-hotel-market-snapshot-2022/ ments and help ensure that your business is properly licensed.

Should it be necessary, we have many years’ experience appearing before licensing committees, as well as at licensing appeal hearings at the Magistrates’ Court. We also have a strong success rate of representing clients whose licence has been subject to a review by the local authority and mediating on their behalf.

With our connections, networks and in-depth industry knowledge, our team of licensing solicitors have a national reputation to provide you with reliable, responsive and relevant legal advice, whatever your licensing needs.

If you need any further information, or would like to discuss a particular licensing matter you have, please either visit us at www.laceyssolicitors.co.uk or contact Philip Day directly on p.day@laceyssolicitors.co.uk or 01202 377800 and he will be happy to help.

Capify - We're Here to Support Your Hospitality Business For almost 15 years, Capify has worked closely with the hospitality sector, providing business owners with much-needed funding. We’ve been there through some difficult times – like the 2008 recession and Covid-19, and have continued to lend even when the banks have said no.

We’ve recently conducted a Business Confidence Survey and found that cash flow and cash reserves are key concerns for business owners across the UK. Over half of those who responded also said they lack confidence in their existing banking partners to meet any future borrowing needs.

We’re proud to have created an accessible business loan which is both quick and easy to apply for, and, once approved, the funds can be paid out in as little as 24 hours.

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6012

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The finance can be used for any business purpose, whether that’s: • Managing short-term cash flow issues • Purchasing extra food and drink • Hiring additional staff • Purchasing new catering equipment Our flexibility means we will try and look beyond your credit history when assessing your application and instead, we will consider whether your business has the potential to deliver solid and sustained growth.

If you’d like to find out how much finance you qualify for, visit www.capify.co.uk/hospitality-fund You’ll be taken to Capify’s website, where you can get a no-obligation quote within minutes. You’ll also be able to find out more information about the business loan and the unique and straightforward repayments.

To find out more visit www.capify.co.uk/hospitality-fund or call us on 0800 151 0980 to speak to one of our specialist finance sale team.