CLH Digital - Issue #140

Issue 140

Support Local Hospitality During Train Strikes - Public Urged www.CLHNews.co.uk

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As the country faces severe travel disruption over Christmas and the New Year, with rail workers staging a series of 48-hour strikes in December and January, sector leaders are encouraging the public to support their local hospitality businesses – in a bid to help plug the gap left by those unable to travel.

The RMT union has revealed that more than 40,000 workers across Network

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Rail and 14 train operating companies will stage a series of 48-hour walk-outs.

Industrial action is taking place this weekend (16 and 17 December) and on 3, 4, 6 and 7 January.

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CLH Digital

Issue 140

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital We lead with a rally call from sector leaders to the public - support your local hospitality!

Often calls such as this are taken in the moment and yet forgotten in an instant.

This is different, and far more important. It boils down “use us or lose us”.

EDITOR

And to compound that point I would draw you to an article on page 12 which I was going to incorporate into the lead story, but decided against it since I wanted the headline and the point made to stand alone.

Peter Adams

“Hospitality is the saviour of mankind”. Now some may think that rather over the top! However, I am delighted to say that the concept of hospitality is extremely old; it is mentioned in writings dating back to Ancient Greece, ancient Rome and Biblical Times.

In fact, in 2020 researchers revealed that they had fully unearthed a frescoed “thermopolium”, or fast food counter, in an exceptional state of preservation in Pompeii, which as we know was buried lava when the volcano on nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD! Nathan Outlaw says “People love to eat and drink too much. Human beings love it. Hospitality is the saviour of mankind. If you don’t eat well, if you don’t drink well, and you don’t have fun, then what’s the point?”

What is the point indeed? Imagine any country without hospitality. It really does not bear thinking about.

Which is why I feel it is time for the public to step up. I said the very same in February this year at a licensed trade seminar in London. Speaking with a hospitality sector

leader we discussed the ongoing issues facing the industry, and all the lobbying and petitions to the government change.

I did comment that the sector of society which foots the bill when the government “squeezes the lemon until the pips squeak” is the public, who never seem to voice any objection.

The hospitality and on-trade sector is the most overtaxed industry in the country. A survey by UKHospitality revealed that business rates tax alone places a disproportionate burden on the hospitality sector, with estimations that the sector overpays by £1.8 billion per year compared to its turnover.

Don’t get me started on VAT! The UK is one of the few countries in Europe that does not have a reduced rate of VAT for the hospitality sector. It has been widely and successfully introduced in almost all EU countries as a measure to boost tourism and to grow the economy, yet we let the opportunity slip by in 2021 when then Chancellor Rishi Sunak ignored pleas to keep VAT at 12.5% until December 2023.

And when it comes to taxes on alcohol, I may be a little out of date, but I remember reporting within the last year that Finland, Ireland and the United Kingdom are the three countries that levy the highest excise duties on beer.

We here in the UK have the second highest excise rates on wine in Europe, (only Ireland is higher), and when it comes to spirits, we are the fourth highest in the world, according to The Tax Foundation. Tax on Scotch Whisky in the UK currently stands at 70%, meaning around £3 in every £4 spent on Scotch Whisky in the UK goes to the HM Treasury in excise and VAT.

possible, and I think it might have had an impression (partially) at least on the issue of rates for the hospitality sector.

Nevertheless, there was nobody from the public, which was a huge disappointment. I would urge operators to let their clientele know just how much tax THEY, the public are paying to the Treasury! It’s very easy to say it comes from the hospitality sector, when in reality it comes from the public, as if they are not taxed enough!

PUBLISHED BY

Another story which I have to say I was rather disappointed about is the fact that many hospitality operators are looking to shorten their operating hours this Christmas due to staff shortages. (See page 11).

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

Cutting operating hours at Christmas! The very concept is unthinkable!

TELEPHONE:

When I worked for a very well known steakhouse early in my career I managed several outlets in the Midlands, London, Hampshire and Berkshire (and I could tell a few stories!)

01202 552333

Many of our bar and waiting staff were working part-time second jobs, making up household income, but also the opportunity for a change of environment for a few hours of the week.

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It seems like they were different days then, we have soaring inflation rising energy costs and I would have thought a second part-time job would be the answer to many problems.

And for those entering the workplace for the first time, well, as I’ve often said before the sector is a wonderful opportunity for people from all social backgrounds, irrespective of qualification, to join a vibrant friendly progressive sector. Hard work yes, but an opportunity for career progression, travel, enjoy an abundance of new skills, and meet new people.

FAX: 01202 552666 sales@catererlicensee.com @CLHNews CLHNews CLHNews

EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

And while it is the hospitality sector that the government collects this tax from, it is invariably Joe Public who foots the bill.

Which I hope is the message the sector will be taking through to 2023!

Once again I would ask the favour, we want more Twitter followers!!!

Charlene Fox

Last month I attended a demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament, which then moved on to the Treasury. We had sector leaders, operators, chefs and waiting staff from around the country making as much noise as

So please do follow us on Twitter, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to subscribe to our digital issue, further details can be seen at www.catererlicensee.com

The Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News Group is published by RBC Publishing Ltd, Suite 4, Roddis House, Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset. Contributions are welcome for consideration, however, no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage. Views expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Whilst every care is taken when compiling this publication to ensure accuracy, the publisher will assume no responsibility for any effects, errors or omissions therefrom. All rights reserved, reproduction is forbidden unless written permission is obtained. All material is assumed copyright free unless otherwise advised.

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Published by Published by

Support Local Hospitality During Train Strikes - Public Urged Issue 140

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“The Government cannot ignore the escalating situation any longer. As more unions join the UK wide industrial action bringing the country closer to a stand still.”

With the Covid pandemic having hit hospitality especially hard, the sector is facing its third heavily impacted Christmas in a row, with the costof-living crisis now set to be compounded by train strikes, which will disrupt the plans of hundreds of thousands of people.

“Our sector is one of the hardest hit by the rail strikes, first to close and last to open during the pandemic. The current circumstances are critically impacting businesses and will require a Government intervention and further support for businesses at the sharpest end of this crisis.”

Cancellations across the hospitality industry have skyrocketed following the announcement, and with hotels and other hospitality venues already facing a difficult winter, HOSPA, the Hospitality Professionals Association, is calling upon the public to get behind hospitality businesses local to them to help keep the industry going.

HIT MASSIVELY

TEETERING ON THE BRINK

She continued: “We have sympathy for people fighting for better pay and working conditions and this is something we champion at HOSPA. However, the bleak fact is, whilst others are looking to improve their working conditions, the knock on effect will be people in hospitality losing their jobs completely. Operators have clung on over the last few years, with many only doing so miraculously, and now, with consumers already struggling, confirmed bookings are fast evaporating. It’s difficult enough to generate trade during a cost-of-living crisis, but now hospitality is even losing the custom of people in a position to afford it – but who just can’t get there. It’s yet another blow on top of the many before it.”

With travel disrupted, HOSPA is calling on those who’ve been affected by the strikes to consider their local hospitality businesses instead, while it’s also urging those who can afford to do so to engage with hospitality wherever they can.

Jane said: “With costs rising, it’s incredibly difficult for so many at pres-

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“It is estimated that businesses will lose over 2 Billion in revenue during this period, vital revenue that will help them survive in the early part of 2023.”

GET BEHIND HOSPITALITY

Commenting, Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA, said: “The hospitality industry has gone from one crisis to another, with the pandemic having caused many operators to close and never reopen. This winter, it’s set to happen all over again, with many teetering on the brink.”

CLH Digital

ent – but the hospitality industry is the third largest employer in the UK, supporting millions of households. So we urge people to not forget us and we ask them to support their local hospitality operators wherever they can. Something as simple as popping into bars and pubs for a pint, or having just a light meal in a restaurant all helps to keep these businesses going. Simply staying open with the lights and heating on is a huge expense in itself at the moment, so you’ll be helping to offset these costs. To coin a phrase from Tesco, every little helps – and that’s never been more fitting in our current predicament.”

GOVERNMENT “HAS LOST CONTROL” Michael Kill CEO of Nightime Industry Association (NTIA) Says: “Its abundantly clear the Government has lost control, strike action has overshadowed the first Christmas period we have had to celebrate with some normality in over 3 years.”

“Businesses are already seeing a 30% downturn in trade due to transport challenges and changing weather, with festive bookings being cancelled daily and party sizes reducing as we move into the heart of the festive period.”

Chef Tom Kerridge, who owns restaurants in London, Marlow and Buckinghamshire, said his London venue Kerridge’s Bar & Grill would see its revenues being “hit massively” by the strikes, but noted that more rural areas may be less affected.

Mr Kerridge echoed the sentiments of other operators, stating that he sympathised with railway workers going on strike but that the government should have been working harder to facilitate negotiations with rail unions To support the initiative, HOSPA has created a series of social media assets for hospitality businesses to use on their social channels to help highlight the plight of the sector and drive awareness of #SupportLocalHospitality. These can be downloaded via, https://www.hospa.org/supportlocalhospitality.

Jane Pendlebury concluded: “With everyone assessing their own circumstances at present, it’s easy to overlook the impact beyond this. If hospitality businesses can help to raise awareness of the struggles the sector is facing where they can, they might inspire those who are in a position to do so to dine out, go for drinks and even indulge in an overnight hotel stay. For a sector in crisis, the smallest of things can make the difference, so we encourage those who can to get involved.”

Hospitality and Leisure: Survival of the Staffed 4

CLH Digital

Issue 140

By Chris Maloney, partner and head of hospitality and leisure at accountancy firm, Menzies LLP (www.menzies.co.uk)

It is no secret that the hospitality and leisure (H&L) industry has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years. From forced closures due to pandemic-related restrictions, to staff shortages and soaring energy bills, it is little wonder that some operators are struggling to cope.

The largest challenge facing the industry is that of recruiting and retaining staff. A report by accountancy firm, Menzies LLP, has revealed that a lack of skilled workers from baristas to hotel managers and chefs is holding the industry back, and with staff beginning to look elsewhere for more rewarding work as the cost-of-living crisis hits, businesses in the sector are struggling to remain viable. In fact, a hospitality and leisure thinktank, led by Menzies, found that most hospitality employers said that they had been forced to close due to staffing issues, and some felt that wage inflation was also a particular issue.

With 1.288 million unfilled roles within the H&L sector, according to

data from the ONS, reported in UKHospitality’s Workforce Strategy, it is little wonder that employers are facing significant staffing and recruitment challenges. However, with some innovative thinking around building a brand and implementing a structure that supports staff in a rewarding long-term career, businesses could reverse their situation to become an employer of choice.

To succeed in attracting staff in a climate of low unemployment, employers need to put together a compelling and competitive offer, seeking to implement changes both internally and externally as they do so. For example, with many candidates looking for work that empowers them and allows them to have a positive effect on the world around them, employers need to create career paths with this in mind; adapting practices and developing a brand with a social purpose.

nally anticipated. With the right support from their employer, these newcomers can flourish and stay to pursue their careers.

Additionally, changes to immigration policy in both 2021 and 2022 now allow employers to recruit skilled workers from overseas. Whilst the UK may be facing a shortage of staff, the world is made up of people who are willing to work, and there are a number of routes available to employers to engage with them. For example, the Youth Mobility Scheme visa allows young people between 18-30 years from participating countries to live and work in the UK for up to 24 months. In addition, as part of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, there are pathways for workers from Australia to live and work in the UK for a set time period.

Potential applicants are looking to work with businesses that not only understand the world around them, but the experience of being an employee within the H&L sector. This can also help to retain employees, as employers seek to understand how they compare to others in the sector. Listening to the workforce and acting on appropriate feedback is one way to ensure that recruits find their new roles motivating and skilled staff feel respected and valued.

Finally, it is well worth considering internal practices, such as the approach to staff development, internships and partnering with local colleges and universities, which may provide hospitality courses.

Implementing a robust training and development programme will also act as a draw for candidates from all walks of life. Careful career structuring, combined with a sensible approach to pay that allows the business to remain viable, could help employers to build a strong reputation within the industry, attracting and retaining workers over time.

Employers should also be aware of external processes that could help to attract and retain staff. These can be as simple as considering the business’ hiring strategy and reaching out to new employment pools, perhaps to candidates who will require a little more training than origi-

In the face of unprecedented challenges and disruption, attracting and retaining the right staff, in the right roles, is a key ingredient for success.

Employers should examine their businesses both internally and externally and focus on building a brand with staying power.

SLTA Issues Strongest Warning Yet on Future of Scotland’s Licensed Trade and Hospitality Sector The SLTA (Scottish Licensed Trade Association) has issued its strongest warning yet that the licensed trade and hospitality industry north of the Border is “on its knees” with many businesses set to close permanently amid the cost-of-living crisis and other ongoing pressures.

Colin Wilkinson, the trade group’s managing director, also expressed bitter disappointment at Deputy First Minister John Swinney’s failure today in the Scottish Budget to follow the lead of England and Wales by implementing a 75% rates relief package for businesses.

Mr Swinney, who is responsible for the Scottish Government’s finance and economy portfolio while Cabinet Secretary Kate Forbes is on maternity leave, offered little respite for the hard-pressed hospitality industry, Mr Wilkinson noted.

“The industry is on its knees and businesses hoping for a busy and successful December trading period, which would have helped them get through the traditionally quieter months of January and February, would have received at least some festive cheer if Mr Swinney had fully recognised their plight,” he said.

“With trains cancelled due to strike action, some cities and towns lacking taxi capacity and buses that aren’t always reliable, staff are finding it challenging to get to work and many people are simply not bothering to go out due to the difficulties getting home – this is not where the sector hoped it would be at this time.”

Mr Wilkinson added: “There is extended and increased relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England worth almost £2.1 billion and this is the most generous business rates relief in over 30 years, outside of Covid-19 support.

“Yet there is nothing for Scotland which means we cannot remain competitive with our neighbours south of the Border. Instead, our hospitality sector is facing a winter of discontent.”

Mr Wilkinson offered as an example the difference in rateable value between two hotels – one in West Lothian and one in Surrey. “The rateable value (RV) of the hotel in Surrey has gone from £370,000 to £210,750 while the West Lothian hotel’s RV has gone from £367,000 to £350,000,” he said.

“Even with a freeze on the Scottish UBR (top tier), the Scottish one will pay over £75,000 more (70%) than the English one in rates in 2023/24 when they were paying virtually the same this year. How can that be fair?”

Earlier this week, the SLTA, along with the Scottish Beer and Pub Association (SBPA) and UKHospitality Scotland, warned that many hospitality businesses were on track to fail without “meaningful intervention on business rates”. The groups, urging Mr Swinney to match the support for the sector in England and Wales, said: “The sector desperately needs this to survive, to continue to provide employment for staff and remain competitive with our neighbours.”

Repeating previous calls for a further review of Scotland’s commercial rating system at the earliest opportunity, the groups stated: “Every day is a challenge for our pubs and bars who have worked very hard post-Covid and Brexit to showcase Scotland’s hospitality industry, but we need more help to protect the jobs that outlets provide directly and the associated jobs in the wholesaling, brewing/distilling and food-producing sectors.”

Mr Wilkinson cautioned that the next few months will be “grim” and pointed to a recent SLTA survey which revealed that some pubs and restaurants are considering closing over the winter period because they are unable to absorb recent sharp increases in energy bills at a time when they are recovering from the pandemic and still paying off debts incurred during Covid.

“The hospitality industry creates jobs, it brings vibrancy, life and footfall to high streets in our towns and cities, it sits at the centre of society in communities the length and breadth of Scotland as well as playing a key role in tourism and therefore contributing to both local and the wider Scottish economy.

“What happens when we are no longer there?

“We of course welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackling child poverty, strengthening public services – including the NHS – and the transition to net zero,” Mr Wilkinson added. “However, with the Bank of England’s announcement this morning that interest rates will rise to 3.5% from 3%, their highest level for 14 years, and Mr Swinney’s decision to increase income tax for everyone earning more than £43,662 in Scotland, consumers’ spending power will be further eroded.”

How to Cut Water Use, Bills and CO2 in One Simple Step Hospitality businesses could slash CO2 footprints, cut water use by hundreds of thousands of litres each year, and annually save over £1,200 on every three urinals operated, simply by switching to waterless technology.

These findings have been released by Smarti Environmental, the UK’s leading waterless urinal business, following one of the driest and hottest summers in living memory, leading to water shortages, and drought measures across the UK. The savings are possible with the installation of Smarti Environmental’s ecofriendly waterless Vortex triple seal valve (TSV), which has been designed to cut urinal running bills by over half, at the same time as eliminating bad urinal smells, and blockages commonly experienced in flushing urinals.

Ending the need for water, the eco-friendly, retro-fit Vortex valve typically saves 100,000 litres of clean water and 105kg CO2 per urinal, per year. It also prevents airborne infections caused by flushing urinals, which have been shown to spread 500,000 germs per inch, per flush, landing on skin, surfaces and clothing, spreading viruses including

Covid-19, influenza and norovirus.

The Vortex TSV fits 98% of all urinals, which means that businesses can retain their existing urinal bowls, and it also provides the fastest draining waterless urinal solution on the market.

Utilising an eco-friendly bio-block enzyme ring and integrated bio-tablet that breaks down uric acid and bio film proteins, the valve not only makes urine PH neutral - a world first - but it also prevents costly and damaging back-fill flooding caused by the chemical reaction between urine and water, which leads to uric salt and biofilm build-up that often blocks flushing urinal waste pipes.

With the ability to be fitted in under a day, Smarti’s waterless urinal solutions offer a great way to cut costs, carbon and water use simply, easily and with the minimum of fuss, enabling hospitality businesses to function even during periods of water shortages.

Visit https://smartilimited.com/ or call 01392 311 202 for a no obligation washroom survey and quote.

Small Firms Fear This Christmas Will Be Their Last if Energy Support Ends Post-March Issue 140

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is warning that discontinuing government energy support at the end of March would force tens of thousands of small firms, many in the hospitality and licensed on trade to close or downsize.

This comes ahead of the publication of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme review, which is due imminently – when the government will decide whether current energy support for small firms will continue after the six-month coverage ends on April 1, 2023.

Latest FSB research shows that one in four small firms (24%) plan to close, downsize or restructure if energy relief comes to a sharp end in April next year.

This rises to 42% of firms in the accommodation and food sector, followed by the wholesale and retail (34%), and manufacturing sectors (29%).

A third (30%) of small firms expect to cancel or scale down planned investment if the government ends support on energy, while more than four in ten (44%) consider raising prices to cope with soaring bills, although it will be impossible for them to pass on full costs to consumers tightening their belts amid the cost of living rises.

From local pubs and knitting shops to laundry services, small firms in this tough winter are reluctant to turn their heat up, as every extra

degree will affect the viability of their small business.

“Covid never worried me as we were supported from the beginning.

This energy crisis however is very bad. I might not be here next year,” said Stuart Race, who owns the Woolpatch, a knitting shop in Long Melford, Suffolk.

Others were asked by energy suppliers for disproportionate upfront payments when trying to secure new contracts. “Out of the three gas suppliers I approached for new quotes, two including my incumbent supplier wanted a £16,000 deposit,” said Rona Tait, who runs laundry service TDS Commercial in Isleworth, London, despite having a good credit rating.

We’ve also heard reports of energy suppliers filing winding up petitions against cash-strapped small firms when they fall into arrears.

FSB has proposed through the Government’s review that there should be significant support for small businesses for at least the next 6-month period, based on a fixed wholesale price. There should however be further controls added on energy suppliers to prevent them cutting vulnerable small businesses off who fall into arrears, hiking their standing charges and enabling them to offer Time To Pay in the same manner as HMRC with tax debts.

Continuing to apply support directly to bills, as in the current scheme,

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will ensure that there is no deadweight cost, and will minimise the chances of small businesses who should be entitled to support missing out. The current delivery mechanism is therefore preferable to local authority-based grants, or loans that small businesses who are steeped in debt since COVID, with low cash reserves, cannot afford to repay.

FSB National Chair Martin McTague said: “After two long years of Covid, this Christmas was supposed to the one bringing back that small business spirit – but many small firms are now worried that they might have to shut their doors for good in a few months, if not weeks.

“More than 16 million jobs are in small firms. Our members are telling us their businesses as well as their staff are dependent on government support in this energy price crisis.

“We’d like to see the upcoming publication of the review taking business size into account, acknowledging the fact that small firms have typically lower margins and are least able to deal with skyrocketing energy costs – a purely sector-based decision will lead to deadweight and unfairness.

“At the same time, Government must intervene when energy suppliers find routes to inflate prices, raise standing charges, and ask for disproportionate upfront payments – these heavy-handed practices defeat the whole purpose of the multi-billion-pound relief scheme and will drive more small firms to go under.”

Wales Announces £460m Business Rates Support Package

All businesses in Wales will benefit from new rates support from the Welsh Government to help with the effects of rising costs.

A package of support worth more than £460 million over the next two financial years will be announced in the Welsh Government’s upcoming draft Budget.

The package will provide a boost to businesses across Wales which are struggling to cope with the impacts of high inflation and surging energy costs.

It operates in addition to permanent relief schemes from the Welsh Government which are already providing £240 million of relief to ratepayers across Wales this year.

The non-domestic rates multiplier has been frozen for 2023-24, at a cost of more than £200 million over the next 2 years. This ensures there will again be no inflationary increase in the amount of rates businesses and other ratepayers are paying.

A further £113 million will be provided over the next two years to provide transitional relief for all ratepayers whose bills increase by more than £300 following the UK-wide revaluation exercise, which takes effect on 1 April 2023.

Another £140 million will support businesses in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors. Eligible ratepayers will receive 75% non-domestic rates relief for 2023 24, a rise from the 50% relief provided in 2022-23.

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CLH Digital

Issue 140

Hospitality TV Systems: 3 Cost-Savvy Considerations When Choosing Management Software

By Nadav Avni, Chief Marketing Officer of Radix Technologies (www.radix-int.com) Hotel guests can also access their favorite streaming services to use these hospitality TV systems. Using their personal accounts, they can log in to the services and watch their favorite movies and TV shows.

Running your entire fleet with the Android TV operating system means having an inexpensive and secure system that’s always up to date. It also features the largest library of smart TV applications, thanks to support from the Google Play Store.

The Android TV operating system ensures smart TVs perform more than just in-room entertainment services. Using additional applications found in the Google Play Store, smart TVs can also act as the virtual remote control for other smart gadgets inside the room. This includes having remote access for locks, climate control, and lights.

Android TV also enables hotel smart TVs to function as digital kiosks and registration booths when needed. It’s simply a matter of switching apps and locking other applications while the main function remains active.

It’s hard to imagine a typical hotel room without the venerable television set near the bed. Generations of travelers have felt more at home by watching local news and entertainment or ordering pay-per-view movies. With the popularity of digital media, however, the hotel TV as you know it is gone. Hospitality TV systems are undergoing a makeover to provide guests with a better customer experience.

MODERN HOSPITALITY TV SYSTEMS What’s with the makeover? Hospitality TV systems are far more complicated than stringing a bunch of sets and adding a cable subscription. In fact, a complete system involves an administrator controlling the hotel’s entire fleet of TV sets from a central location. This includes TVs in the reception, lobby, and other common areas. Apart from optional ondemand services such as premium cable TV shows and movies, hotel TVs display:

INVESTING IN HOSPITALITY TV SYSTEMS IMPROVES GUESTS’ EXPERIENCE Upgrading hospitality TV systems to provide additional digital services requires a significant investment. The cost of replacing analog TV systems with smart TVs can add substantially, even as LED TVs are dropping significantly. Hotel management must also invest in reliable device management software to make this investment count and generate a great return on investment.

3 FEATURES OF EFFECTIVE DEVICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE Don’t rely on the default hospitality TV systems' software. You need an affordable, reliable, all-in-one software solution to effectively manage your smart TVs fleet. At a minimum, the ideal device management solution should have the following features:

• Welcome messages from the hotel administration • Upcoming hotel events • Directory of services • Room service advertising • Local weather channel • Tourist destination guide

Forget about using a device management system that runs on legacy protocols. The typical upscale hotel features an average of 313 rooms.

Asking your IT team to perform maintenance services on TVs in each room is inefficient and unnecessary.

THE BEST HOSPITALITY TV SYSTEMS RUN ON ANDROID TV

Instead, opt for cloud-based remote-access systems that perform secure and encrypted wireless connections with the devices in your

1. Cloud-Based System

hospitality TV systems. Ideally, the system should run on ultra-reliable platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) for the most secure and stable end-to-end connections.

With cloud systems, administrators can remotely access every hotel smart TV to download installers, apply updates, and perform other required services. The efficient device manager can also perform lowlevel maintenance based on what’s needed. Admins can deliver updates per individual device, by batches of selected units, or throughout the entire fleet simultaneously.

2. Assign and Manage Access Levels At the same time, the ideal device management software recognizes that different stakeholders require different access levels when using a fleet device. End users such as hotel guests only need access to the general system to open public applications such as the remote control, general services directory, and customer service. General access also lets them log in to streaming services like Netflix and Amazon.

Meanwhile, sales, marketing, and executive teams can use the data collected in the devices to gather insights on improving the customer experience further. For example, they can sift through the information and apply analytics to make your hospitality TV systems more effective.

Finally, the administrator and IT team members need access to plumb the operating system and settings. This allows them to establish remote connections and apply changes, fixes, and updates.

3. Provide Enhanced Security Like other modern devices, smart TVs tend to attract interest from curious hotel guests. For instance, those with some rudimentary background in IT might attempt to access the system out of malice. Or, they may try to harvest data or copy proprietary software.

The ideal device management solution should be able to stop any attempts remotely. In addition, to protect the unit from further damage, admins should be able to freeze or shut down the helpless device. In the unlikely case that a guest manages to pry the unit away from its place, geolocation services can track down the unit and disable it from use.

Absent-minded guests who forget to log off from their private accounts can also benefit from device managers. Between hotel guests, administrators can simply wipe all login data clean. Even after checking out, guests will feel better knowing the hotel management protects their user accounts.

Vicar Steps in to Rescue a Community-Owned Pub A team of volunteers, including the local vicar, will be stepping up to help run the Brewers Arms in West Malvern after the local community raised over £400,000 to buy the pub after it closed and looked unlikely to reopen.

Rebecca Elliott, who will be doing a few shifts serving behind the bar. The Reverend, who’s church St. James, is just a pint glass’s throw from the Brewers Arms and – what is more – is the final resting place of Roget (of thesaurus fame), will also bless the beer barrels too.

The Brewers Arms in West Malvern is a small and charming stone-built pub perched high on the western slopes of the Malvern Hills. The 190-yearold pub with fabulous views closed in June, with its future uncertain. The move prompted the local community into action, and in little more than six weeks 437 individuals raised over £400,000 to buy the place to run themselves. Since taking ownership, a small army of unpaid volunteers have dedicated themselves to knocking it into shape.

The Reverend Rebecca said: “Like the church and the school, the pub is a key part of our local community. Therefore, at its time of need, I’m delighted to be able to chip-in and do my bit. I’m quite looking forward to pulling a few pints, whilst also enjoying meeting up with local people.”

Despite these efforts, the team has been unable to source a landlord or landlady to run it ahead of its reopening date on the 10th of December. A team of volunteers will therefore be filling the breach, including the vicar of the parish, the Reverend

Meanwhile, the hunt for the right person (or people) to run the Brewers Arms goes on.

The team of volunteers set to run the pub includes the licence-holder, Mark Haslam, who said: “The Brewers Arms is a delightful pub, and we refuse to believe there aren’t the right people out there who want to become a key part of our vibrant and ‘can do’ community.”

Sustainability, Cobotics and Hygiene Habits

The Cleaning Show returns to London to highlight the latest trends and technologies transforming the cleaning industry The Cleaning Show 2023 returns to ExCeL, London, from 14-16 March 2023 to demonstrate the very latest advancements in cleaning technologies and provide unmissable learning and sourcing opportunities for the cleaning and hygiene sector, which together with the waste industry is one of the biggest sectors in the UK, worth nearly £59bn and employing 1.47m people.

The show, organised by the British Cleaning Council and Quartz Business Media, is set to attract more than 100 cleaning suppliers, with the likes of Jangro, Numatic, Makita UK, Karcher UK, Nilfisk and SC Johnson Professional among those confirmed to exhibit. And, with more than 7,000 senior cleaning professionals set to attend from across the contract cleaning, facilities management (FM), healthcare, hospitality, retail and public services sectors, it is no surprise that the event has become the largest and longest running exhibition in the UK dedicated to cleaning, hygiene and facilities management.

A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS Alongside a growing list of Europe’s leading cleaning suppliers confirmed to showcase their latest technologies and innovations on the show floor, The Cleaning Show Conference will also return. Welcoming the industry’s leading experts, the conference will offer a place to discuss and debate the big issues affecting the sector. A full programme of speakers and topics will be announced in the coming weeks.

Also returning after a successful debut in 2021, the Cleaning & Support Services Association will once again host the CSSA Innovation Showcase. The dedicated pavilion is designed to highlight and celebrate the industry’s most innovative cleaning products, services and initiatives. Among the big trends anticipated to take the spotlight, the theme of sustainability will return to help operators minimise their impact on the planet. Cobotics and the evolution of robotic technology to support the cleaning process and tackle the ongoing resources challenge will also play a key role alongside healthy buildings, where the Internet of Things (IoT) enabled dynamic resource applications will transform operations.

With a focus on creating the Future of Cleaning, businesses and organisations operating throughout the industry can enter their innovations via the CSSA website by 30 November 2022. Prior to The Cleaning Show, the CSSA will hold an Innovator's Pitch with a panel of leading industry experts who will review and interview all entrants and select those to be exhibited at the Innovation Showcase itself. For further information on submitting an entry, visit https://www.cssa-uk.co.uk/.

Registration for The Cleaning Show 2023 will open on 1st November 2022. To register your interest to attend and find out more about this year’s event, visit https://cleaningshow.co.uk/london/ See the advert on page 7 for further details.

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Hospitality’s November Sales Up 3.7% Year-on-Year but Inflation Slashes Growth behind the rate of inflation, consumer spending under strain and rail strikes threatening festive footfall, it will be a challenging December for managed groups. Spiralling costs leave many hospitality businesses extremely fragile, and with little respite in sight there is a strong case for urgent and targeted government support to protect businesses and jobs.”

Like-for-like sales at Britain’s leading managed pub, bar and restaurant groups in November were up by 3.7% from the same month in 2021, according to the new Coffer CGA Business Tracker.

The exclusive monitor—produced by CGA by NielsenIQ in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM UK—was also ahead of pre-pandemic comparatives for the tenth month in a row, recording like-for-like growth of 5.0% on November 2019. However, with the Consumer Price Index now showing inflation of more than 11% in the last 12 months alone, hospitality’s sales are significantly down in real terms.

The start of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 delivered a strong November for pubs, where sales rose by 8.1% year-on-year. The distraction of the tournament and pressure on discretionary spending made it a much more difficult month for the managed restaurant sector, where like-for-like sales slipped 0.8% from November 2021. Sales in the bars segment were down 8.6%.

The Tracker also indicates that London’s hospitality sector continues to bounce back from the upheaval of COVID-19. November sales within the M25 grew by 6.2% year-on-year—twice the rate of 3.0% outside the M25.

Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA, said: “It was a positive November for pubs screening World Cup matches, and another strong month for London as workers and visitors continue to return to the capital, especially ahead of the festive season. But with restaurants and bars trading way

David Coffer, Chairman, The Coffer Group, said: “On the face of it, these figures are very promising especially in relation to turnover, but the consumer price index figures obviously counter this progress dramatically, as well as the deterioration of turnover because of a wide range of industrial actions – in particular, those relating to trains and local transport.

With the impending strikes over the festive period there will certainly be further sector trading damage, but it is hoped that there will be extensive intolerance and resistance from the public wishing to seasonally celebrate for the first time in 3 years. It is hoped that this will see a dilution of the effect that is feared.”

Paul Newman, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, said: “The festive trading period is when most hospitality businesses make the majority of their annual profits. With last year’s festivities severely impacted, 2022 needs to deliver if the sector is to avoid a grim start to 2023. The World Cup is providing some welcome respite as fans come together to celebrate in their local pubs but industrial unrest alongside fragile consumer confidence will only add to restaurant operators’ woes and could leave a number of under-capitalised businesses teetering on the edge as New Year approaches.”

Be At One Crowns Best Bartender in Nationwide Contest Be At One has been on the search for their best bartenders with the return of their annual Bartender Challenge, after it’s three years absence. The winner was Adam Jennings, who works at Be At One, Berkeley Square in London.

260 Be At One Bartenders took part in the contest, sponsored by Havana Club, each competing for title of Best Bartender. The winner Adam Jennings, who also won best pourer, has been with Be At One for seven years. His special skills include ridiculously complicated pours with the most difficult bottles to hold.

This competition ran for five months starting in each Be At One bar where bartenders competed in pouring skills, spec knowledge, speed, spirit and brand knowledge and their interaction. These heats would decide who represented the bar for each category in the semi finals, which were held in Manchester, Berkeley Square, Liverpool Street and Russell Street. The best two bartenders from each Semi Final went through to the Grand Finale in Be At One, Regent Street.

Helen Charlesworth, Managing Director of Stonegate Group, said: “Our Be At One Bartenders are really at the top of their game and this competition gave them the chance to put their showmanship and expertise on show. The contest is about more than just skills, at Be At One we hire personalities not skills and at events like these those personalities shine through.”

The winners of the contest, who all got a share of the collective £8000 prize pot, are as follows: • Best Bartender – the highest scoring bartender overall in the final.

• 1st Place – Adam Jennings, Berkeley Square • 2nd Place – Stevie Burton, Norwich • 3rd Place – Desi Perricone, Liverpool • Best Newcomer- this is the best score of a bartender who certified after April 2022 – Jack Powell, Hammersmith • Fastest Bartender – The bartender who has the highest score in the speed round – Cassie McLeman, Hammersmith • Best Pourer – this is the highest scoring bartender in the final pour test– Adam Jennings, Berkeley Square • Most Knowledgeable – this is the highest scoring bartender in the final across both the knowledge test & spec test – Stevie Burton, Norwich • Best Bar – Norwich Helen Charlesworth continued: “A huge congratulations to our winners and well done to everyone who took part. Stakes were high, with incredible prizes to be won. I am so proud of the hard work and commitment that went into this competition.”

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World Cup Firing Drinks Sales but Rail Strikes Threaten Festive Footfall Last week’s drinks sales in the On Premise were up by 8% on 2021 as the football World Cup continued to boost pubs and bars.

The World Cup has been very good news for beer and cider sales, which were up year-on-year by 16% and 19% respectively last week.

Growth was more muted in soft drinks (up 10%), wine (up 5%) and spirits (down 8%)—and sales in all categories were behind the same week in 2019.

Average sales by value were ahead on each of the seven days to last Saturday (3 December), delivering an eleventh week of year-on-year growth in a row. Uplifts peaked at 64% on Tuesday (29 November), the day of the game between England and Wales. England’s quarterfinal against France delivered another big lift.

“This should be the best December for the On Premise in three years, but comparisons with the pre-COVID levels of 2019 show how trading remains tough,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland. “The squeeze on consumers’ spending continues to tighten, and forthcoming rail strikes will have a significant effect on many operators at the most important time of their year. While the World Cup is a welcome bonus for many pubs and bars, it is unlikely to be enough to deliver the real-terms growth that the On Premise operators and suppliers need.”

However, the latest sales figures benefit from comparisons with last December, when lingering concerns about COVID kept some people away from festive occasions in the On Premise. Against the same period in 2019—the last comparable pre-COVID Christmas—sales were 8% down last week. With inflation now exceeding 11%, trading is substantially further behind in real terms.

Welsh Tourist Tax is ‘Wrong Tax at the Wrong Time’ Sector Leaders Say He went on to say that it was also “deeply regrettable” that legitimate self-catering businesses were being caught up in the second homes issue.

The Wales Tourism Alliance (WTA) is calling on politicians in Wales to engage in closer communication with tourism trade bodies and tourism businesses to find joint solutions to major industry concerns.

“We will now see seismic changes to the way self-catering accommodation is assessed for property taxation in Wales,” he added.

Tourism businesses across Wales were also encouraged to respond directly to all consultations on tourism policy changes proposed by the Welsh Government. The urgent call was made by Adrian Greason-Walker, the WTA’s policy advocate and Val Hawkins, chief executive of Mid Wales Tourism, the independent organisation that represents nearly 600 tourism and hospitality businesses and organisations across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia.

Responding to the consultation UKHospitality Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls said: “We strongly oppose the introduction of a discretionary visitor levy in Wales, particularly at a time when the hospitality industry is facing a troubling combination of soaring costs and staff shortages. The added burden in administrative costs, time and likely impact on visitor numbers and spend, could prove to be the final straw for some businesses that are the heartbeat of many local communities and the lifeblood of our highstreets. Put simply, this is the wrong tax at the wrong time.”

The calls follow Welsh Government proposals that will give local authorities powers to introduce a “discretionary” visitor levy, which they say will generate revenue to support investment in the tourism industry in their areas.

The consultation on its proposals ended on December 13.

Introducing a visitor levy is a Welsh Government Programme for Government commitment, the consolation says.

Mr Greason-Walker said: “We have entered a far more economically challenging period than has been seen over the last 20 years,” he said. “The Welsh Government’s own Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment highlights the severe economic conditions that tourism businesses are currently facing.

“As we know from the very recent past, the economic tail of a recession is long and this time the effects of inflation and rising costs will only exacerbate the position.

“We have already asked if the Welsh Government will abandon the proposals if the majority of respondents to the consultation say they don’t want the tourism tax.”

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In its submission to the Welsh Government, the leading hospitality trade body highlighted the significant contribution overnight visitors make to local economies in Wales and requested that a detailed, independent Economic Impact Assessment be carried out in order that the full consequences of implementing such a levy be comprehensively explored.

UKHospitality Executive Director for Wales, David Chapman, added: “It is clear to us that any levy will make Wales uncompetitive compared to other international travel destinations, as in European nations where such a levy is in operation, hospitality business are subject to fewer taxes and a lower rate of VAT. Should any visitor levy be introduced in Wales, the money must be ringfenced and operators given full sight and control over where the funds are spent.”

The Welsh Government’s proposed levy differs greatly from the recently announced Manchester Accommodation Business Improvement district (ABID) initiative. This voluntary, collaborative scheme gives operators full sight and control over the use of funds raised from a £1 guest surcharge that will be used solely to reinvest back into the sector.

Next Step in Keeping Business Costs Down Digitising the Supplier Order Process with Choco 10

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By Alex Kiely, General Manager of Choco UK (https://choco.com/uk/)

process, replacing the ‘gut feel, phone and paper list’ system. All available products are shown on the interface in real time, giving chefs the confidence that in a few clicks they can know exactly what products they are ordering and at what cost. This is hugely important, with inflation soaring and food costs changing on a daily basis, the platform provides transparency to chefs for accurate budgeting.

Food waste on the restaurant and supplier side is also adding to economic worries, and it is also leading to more of a focus on creating more sustainable environments. Currently 30-40% of food produced goes to waste each year and nearly three-quarters of that waste happens in the supply chain before consumers are involved. Waste is the third-largest driver of climate change. If food waste were a country, it would be the third largest in carbon dioxide emissions on the planet.

The UK food industry has a real appetite for tech. It’s adventurous.

Many of us know that digitising our business is not optional anymore.

The margin for error with orders being exchanged on pen, paper, voicemail or WhatsApp is too high. Wrong, misheard, or misspelt orders cost money and reputations. If anybody has been watching The Bear, the recent US TV drama about a top chef who takes over his brother’s neighbourhood restaurant in Chicago, you’ll have seen the repeated scenes of increasing frustration when orders are delivered in the wrong quantities.

As our industry prepares for a difficult few seasons, Choco, the industry’s No.1 global ordering platform, has launched to the UK restaurant and supplier market.

Choco can enable both suppliers and restaurants to make every possible financial and process efficiency, improving margins and strengthening the digital food chain.

Choco’s app allows suppliers to offer customers a fully digital ordering

We estimate that, when using the Choco app, restaurants are saving on average 1.27 kilos every week by reducing their ordering mistakes and saving up to two hours every week by improving their efficiency in the kitchen.

THE SUPPLIER PERSPECTIVE

London's Fitzrovia district serving a seasonal menu of modern British cuisine, uses Choco. “I’ve never come across an online food ordering platform for restaurants before, so when I was introduced to Choco I loved the concept. We’ve been using the platform for a few months now and it’s truly transformed the way we do things.

99% of our suppliers use the platform. We can see in real time what is available, and we can select exactly what we want any time of the day. It not only saves me approximately 20 minutes at the end of each service, but it also cuts out the human error, so I now get exactly what I ordered.

Previously, when done by phone, I could be waiting around to speak to someone, then I could read something out wrong or the supplier could have noted it down wrong so with Choco, we both know exactly where we stand so it’s a more seamless, efficient experience.”

Find out more about him and Choco UK at https://choco.com/us/stories/life-at-choco/london-launch https://choco.com/uk/ contact@choco.com

Shaun Henderson, founder of Henderson Seafood, the Brixham-based, sustainable and ethically sourced fish supplier to the restaurant industry is using Choco. “We use it as a platform for our customers to buy online from us. We typically take 50 orders a day. WhatsApp or phone can be prone to human error, but Choco eliminates that. It saves time for our customers as they simply tick box what they want, the order comes through to us, we process it, and the invoice is automated, saving us even more time. Onboarding has been quicker than ever imagined and we were up and running within two weeks - two thirds of our orders are already coming through Choco. Customers have really taken to it.

Choco has really changed the way we do things, and we couldn’t be happier.”

THE CHEF’S EXPERIENCE Chris Bassett, Head Chef at Portland, a Michelin starred restaurant in

10,000 Young People Across UK Secure Jobs in Hospitality thanks to Springboard Charity

Hospitality charity Springboard is celebrating having supported more than 10,000 people into employment through its Springboard to 2022 initiative, which launched in October 2020.

The scheme saw the leading hospitality charity support thousands back into work, from all walks of life including Ukrainian refugees, care leavers, those with mental and physical health conditions, and various other barriers to employment.

Launched to help the industry rebuild from the ongoing impacts of the covid pandemic, ‘Springboard to 2022’ sought to tackle the hospitality, leisure, and tourism industry’s long-term staffing crisis by ensuring an engaged, skilled talent pipeline to fill vacancies.

The charity is now celebrating having surpassed its initial target, helping more than 10,000 people nationwide secure jobs in hospitality. The 10,000 trainees of all ages, backgrounds, and walks of life, have fallen in love with hospitality and secured work within renowned businesses, including IHG, Compass, Hilton, Jury’s Inn, Starbucks, Pizza Hut, and Nando’s.

Of the 10,000 people securing jobs in hospitality, 56% were male and 46% were female, with 85% aged under 30. 40% went into front-of-house roles, 25% into the kitchen, 15% into reception jobs, 8% into cleaning, and 12% into support roles, including marketing, finance, or maintenance.

Among the trainees, Maryna Tonka, a single mother who fled the war in Ukraine to find shelter for herself and her daughter in Scotland, has secured work as an F&B Assistant at the IBIS South Bridge in Edinburgh. Maryna signed up for the training hoping to learn new skills to help her overcome the language barrier faced in Scotland and enable her to find employment.

Discussing her experience, Maryna said: “As a refugee from Ukraine, I wanted to be useful to the country sheltering us. As part of my training, I learned valuable skills such as how to work in a team and how client relationships differ between Ukraine and Scotland. The training was hugely valuable and has helped me find a job I truly enjoy.”

‘Outstanding Response’ to Community Pub Hero Awards PubAid’s annual Community Pub Hero Awards have closed after receiving 200 entries from pubs and MPs nominating locals in their constituencies.

The awards, running for the fourth year, are sponsored by Matthew Clark and run with the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG).

This year, PubAid refreshed the scheme by offering two categories for pubs – Community Support Hero or Charity Fundraising Hero and a new Community Regular Hero where pubs can nominate a supportive customer. The response level is a sizeable uplift on the 115 entries in 2021.

The list of entrants spans the UK and includes independent, managed and L&T pubs. Judging is underway and a list of finalists for each category will be published in January. All finalists will be invited, with their MP, to attend a reception in London in early 2023, where the three overall winners will be announced.

PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan said: “We are delighted with this response; despite having a cost of living

crisis and staff shortages to deal with, pubs have made time to enter these Awards. We’re genuinely honoured and will reward their efforts by ensuring entries are carefully considered by our judges.

“The entries this year are again of a high standard, and clearly demonstrate that pubs are a force for good in their communities. It is clearly going to be a tough task to choose our finalists and then the winners.”

John Steele, Trade Marketing Director, Matthew Clark added: “We have been very happy to support the Community Pub Hero Awards since launch. Pubs truly are heroes in their communities and this scheme gives them well-deserved recognition. We look forward to naming the finalists and winners of this year’s competition.”

The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Chairman of the APPBG, said: “At a time when there has been plenty going on at Westminster, to receive 70 pub nominations from MPs is an excellent result. This level of engagement clearly shows that MPs across the country see the value of pubs as hubs of community and charity support in their constituencies.”

Entries are being judged by the PubAid Steering Group of.20 senior people from the pub industry.

Shortlisted pubs in the Community Support and Charity Fundraising categories, alongside the finalist Community Regular Heroes, will be published in January 2023.

Third of Businesses to Reduce Opening Hours Over Christmas Due to Staff Shortages Issue 140

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urgent attention from Government.

New data from UKHospitality, in partnership with CGA by NielsenIQ, also shows the toll labour shortages have taken on business confidence, with 60% of business leaders no longer confident about recruitment.

“The statistics in the report lay bare the real-life impact on businesses and consumers as a result of not having enough staff. It’s so disappointing that businesses are having to go to such lengths such as simplifying menus and reducing trading hours to deal with this. It’s also doing the consumer a disservice, limiting choice and availability.

The 12th edition of Future Shock is focused on ‘Shaping the workforce of the future’ and also reveals that more than a third of businesses (35%) plan to simplify menus, 32% have been forced to reduce their opening hours and 13% have reduced opening days, all because of staffing shortages.

“There are very simple measures available to the Government that can free up the immigration system and make a huge difference to business. Expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme to the EU27, for example, would do wonders to add good numbers of people to the available labour pool.

UKHospitality is calling on the Government to implement a ‘twophase’ approach to tackle the issue, with changes to the immigration system and reforms to the Apprenticeship Levy. In particular:

“Implementing these measures, alongside reform of the Apprenticeship Levy to best develop our own talent, would help hospitality businesses no end. With the right staffing resource, hospitality can really drive growth, offer customers an enhanced experience and

• Expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme to include EU member states • Reviewing the Shortage Occupation List to accurately reflect the state of the labour market

help lift up the economy.”

• Abolishing the Immigration Skills Charge, a punitive measure that is an additional charge on top of other visa requirements and deters would-be applicants • Reform of the Apprenticeship Levy to include a proportion of funds being made eligible for use on nonapprenticeship training and improving the operation of apprenticeship system.UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “This edition of Future Shock is incredibly timely because workforce challenges have unfortunately become a fixture for hospitality businesses. We are facing a systemic problem that has persisted for years and it needs

CGA’s Director of Hospitality Operators and Food, Karl Chessell said: “CGA’s data shows us that the industry has been resilient and resourceful in the face of ferocious headwinds, with managed groups’ sales consistently ahead of pre-COVID-19 levels.

However, strong underlying demand is being compromised by a storm of cost and labour issues. As we see in this report, a shortage of labour is compromising trading for restaurants, pubs and bars and driving up pay.

All these issues have hurt business confidence and profitability ahead of the crucial Christmas and New Year trading period. The challenges highlight the urgent need for targeted government support for hospitality, which UKHospitality continues to work tirelessly to secure.”

Greene King’s Annual Tub2pub Recycling Scheme Returns Greene King has launched its annual Tub2Pub appeal for customers to start the New Year with charity and environment on their minds, by recycling empty plastic sweets and biscuit tubs.

Over 1,600 Greene King pubs will act as drop off points for people to leave their empty plastic confectionary and biscuit containers as they cannot be easily recycled in kerbside collections. The successful 2022 Tub2Pub scheme saw an amazing 24,000 tubs, which is over three tonnes of plastic, saved from landfill.

Throughout January and until 19 February, customers can recycle their clean and empty tubs at Greene King’s 1,600 managed pubs and franchised pubs throughout the country. [Find your nearest pub by visiting www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/tub2pub) This is the third year Greene King has partnered with co-cre8 in the Tub2Pub scheme. Co-cre8 specialises in recycling the hard polypropylene plastic which the tubs are made of. Money raised from the sale of the resulting granulated plastic will be passed on to Greene King’s charity partner, Macmillan Cancer Support.

Vance Fairman-Smith, Greene King’s supply chain director, hopes 2023 will see a new record number of tubs collected. He said: “Tub2Pub is simply a great initiative as we all need to play our part in tackling waste.

As a company we’re constantly working to support our communities and are committed to reducing the impact on the environment.

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lions of these tubs are sold over the festive season.”

Peter Goodwin, managing director and co-founder of co-cre8 added: “We are delighted to be working with Greene King again in 2023. Our successful partnership means there is an extensive network of pubs across the country where people can drop off their empty tubs. It’s simple, convenient and effective. It’s good for customers, charity and the environment.”

Customers can drop their tubs off at participating pubs from 1 January to 19 February.

“Hospitality Is The Saviour Of Mankind,” Says Celeb Chef Nathan Outlaw 12

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- Michelin-starred chef urges industry leaders to back Hospitality Rising campaign and help fulfil young people’s dreams in a mass exodus of experienced workers.

Celebrity chef Nathan Outlaw has said the hospitality industry is the ‘saviour of mankind,’ warning of a bleak future if people are unable to go out to eat, drink, or let their hair down.

Add to this the fact only 1 in 5 people would consider entering the industry, and 42 per cent of those working in the industry want to leave, and it’s clear drastic action was needed, and fast.

Speaking in an exclusive new Hospitality Rising podcast, the Port Isaac-based fish maestro said employers must invest in new recruits in order to ensure the industry survives amid fears that people are quitting hospitality for good.

That action has come in the form of Hospitality Rising’s recruitment initiative – which brings hundreds of brands together to champion the industry across the UK.

Having started working in the kitchen with his chef father aged just nine, Nathan is the latest among big-name chefs to back the bold Hospitality Rising campaign, ‘Rise Fast, Work Young,’ which has been launched in a bid to help fill the industry’s 400,000 vacancies.

Nathan said: “My dad is a chef, and my grandparents were all in the industry. So, I've really only ever known hospitality - it's in my blood. To this day I get out of bed and don't feel like I'm working, which is great.

"I started basically on Saturday mornings with my dad at eight or nine years old. I'd do things like tray up bread for toast or I'd butter bread for sandwiches, all little things like that. I just loved the teamwork part of it, that's what got me into it really. It was the influence of a good team around you and feeling part of something.

Within just four days of the movement’s launch, more than 6,000 applications were received for jobs across the UK, which will no doubt see significant hires within the sector.

Nathan believes that now is one of the most important times for hospitality leaders to get behind the campaign and help tackle the jobs crisis.

The 44-year-old said: “Looking at the industry, there is clearly the issue of gaps in the market in kitchens and front of house.

"It does also depend on employers. I always say to a young person, find as many interviews as you possibly can before you make a decision and find a kitchen culture or a restaurant culture where you feel like you belong.

“I think the hospitality industry will step up because it does always. The one thing about hospitality is we always make it happen.

“I believe there are good people in the industry, across the world and in the UK, and I think that people will get together and we'll make sure that the foundations are there for an industry that brings people into it, trains them properly, looks after them, pays them well and they obviously get the reward from where they work in. I believe that will happen because it can't go any other way.

"I think it's really important for others to get involved in Hospitality Rising. If you're part of the hospitality industry, you should be involved. It's about bringing people into the hospitality industry for a great future, and a great career."

By asking backers to pledge £10 per employee, the recruitment campaign aims to reach a £5m target, allowing for a "government-sized" collaborative campaign that will change the perception of the industry and bolster its workforce for good.

Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and campaign director, said: “I wholeheartedly agree with Nathan in the fact that hospitality must find a way to survive because it’s an industry that delivers all the pleasures in life – good food, drink, great company, helping to make memories, and creating the ultimate experience.

“We’ve already achieved huge success in the number of people who have applied for hospitality roles through our website, and through the support we’ve achieved from our inspiring and generous backers.

"People love to eat and drink too much. Human beings love it. Hospitality is the saviour of mankind. If you don't eat well, if you don't drink well, and you don't have fun, then what's the point?

“However, our work is not done and with further sector-wide support and investment, we’re certain that we can spread the word about this powerful campaign and find more of the exceptional people that make the hospitality industry so special.”

"I personally support Hospitality Rising because I believe that the future of the industry is strong and I want to being young people into it to fulfil their dreams.”

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

Finding recruits has never been more challenging for leaders in the industry. Hospitality lost valuable talent in what has been dubbed the ‘great resignation’ following the height of the pandemic, while Brexit also resulted

A full list of vacancies can be found at www.hospitalityrising.com

Taking Steps Towards A Sustainable Future For Hospitality Businesses 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 guide those working in the sector to net zero by 2040, it’s clear the

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 highlighting 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.

To find out how Calor can help you reach sustainability targets, visit www.calor.co.uk/hospitality

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CLH Digital

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Many Hospitality SMEs to Reward Staff with the "Gift of Time" at Christmas Ahead of Challenging 2023 Many hospitality and leisure SMEs are rewarding staff with the gift of time over the festive season, according to the latest quarterly Barclays SME Barometer. The study shows that 9 per cent of small and medium hospitality and leisure businesses will give their employees 3.5 additional days off, on average.

More than half (58 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs reported turnover growth in Q3 2022 against Q2 2022, consistent with data from Barclaycard Payments, which showed a minor increase of 0.27 per cent in the value and 1.62 per cent in the volume of payments made to SMEs between July and September this year.

This is part of a wider national trend as Barclays’ research shows that over half a million of the UK’s smaller businesses said they’ll be gifting each employee 2.5 extra days leave, on average. This means that SME staff across the country will receive 120,345,602 days off cumulatively.

Businesses expect growth to continue throughout the festive season, as over 45 per cent predict a year-on-year revenue increase in Q4, and 42 per cent expect revenues to grow from Q3 to Q4 this year.

Macro-economic concerns

The Barclays research also found that 45 per cent of hospitality and leisure SME employers believe staff activities leading up to the festive season contribute to employee retention. Similarly, a third (33 per cent) of consumers say they are less likely to look for another job if their employer organises activities to reward staff over the Christmas period.

Festive cheer and optimism are, however, dampened by the cost-of-living crunch as nearly two thirds (59 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs are worried about their business prospects for 2023.

In fact, of hospitality and leisure employers who are seeing an increase in demand for benefits from new employees, more annual leave is one of the top three benefits being requested by existing employees, according to 33 per cent of small businesses, behind more flexible working (71 per cent) and higher wages (70 percent).

In addition to providing time off, more than 4 in 10 (43 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs will be hosting end-of-year parties, spending an average of £35 per head on festivities, while 28 per cent will be closing offices between Christmas and New Year and 20 per cent will be awarding Christmas bonuses.

Furthermore, 9 in 10 (90 per cent) are concerned about the negative impact that rising energy bills will have on their business, with 29 per cent feeling very concerned.

Larger businesses are feeling the pinch too, with nearly two-thirds (59 per cent) predicting a decrease in consumer spending, and 41 per cent worrying about their businesses prospects as they approach 2023.

Colin O’Flaherty, Head of SME at Barclaycard Payments, said: “The upcoming festive period will be our first since the pandemic without restrictions, with both employers and employees looking to make the most of it.

Q3 SME Revenues

“While it’s been yet another challenging year for hospitality and leisure businesses, many SMEs are looking to inject some festive cheer by rewarding their employees, as business owners are aware of the positive impact that employee morale can have on staff retention.

Although data from Barclaycard Payments, showed a slight decrease of 1.58 per cent in the value of card payments to SMEs from July to September 2022, compared to the same period in 2021, over two thirds (65 per cent) of hospitality and leisure SMEs reported their total revenue grew.

“Our research, however, shows that although owners are very aware of the difficulties to come, they remain resilient in the face of risings costs, and we hope this festive period allows them to celebrate their achievements and ring in the New Year with energy and a degree of optimism.”

Prestatyn Pub Reopens After £185,000 Investment The Royal Victoria in Prestatyn reopened over the weekend following a combined investment of over £185,000 from leading community pub company, Admiral Taverns, and brand-new licensees, Sean Thomas and Debra Gee , who bring a wealth of experience and charisma to the pub.

Having run pubs across the country for over seven years, the licensees will use their knowledge and expertise to ensure The Royal Victoria becomes a pillar of the local community. For Sean, this is a dream come true as he is finally returning home to Prestatyn after 26 years away travelling around the country and the world with Debra. His family and friends have been visiting The Royal Victoria for generations and he is now determined to give something special back to his beloved local community.

Licensee at The Royal Victoria, Debra Gee, said: “It really is such an honour to take over The Royal Victoria – it’s going to be our baby. I know how much it means to Sean and I am delighted I can be by his side as we venture into this new chapter of our lives. Prestatyn is somewhere we both hold very close to our hearts, and we can’t wait to pour our heart and soul into the pub and give the wonderful locals their community pub back.”

As well as being a talented pub operator, Debra is a performer at heart and looks forward to treating her customers with special performances each week.

What’s more, the licensees are hoping to run biweekly music quizzes with a well-known, local quizmaster as well as Karaoke nights on a Friday and live music on a Saturday featuring local up and coming acts.

For the licensees, community will be at the centre of everything they do, so on top of their fantastic entertainment line-up, they will also make sure the pub acts as a safe haven to the elderly. Sean and Debra will provide somewhere for the older residents to come and enjoy during the day, offering a warm, friendly environment and hot meals. In addition, they plan to host regular charity raffles giving residents the opportunity to win back old trophies which have been sitting in the pub for years in aid of local initiatives.

Becky Whitlock-Torr, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns commented: “It’s hard not to be happy when you’re around Debra and Sean – their passion is totally infectious and I am confident they are the perfect people take over The Royal Victoria. Thanks to Debra and Sean the pub is a perfect blend of old and new and I look forward to seeing how they bring it to the forefront of their community.”

A Real Nation Of Snackers

Snacking is a central part of British eating habits and most people snack on a daily basis.1

Importantly, crisps and savoury snacks are the No1 purchase alongside a drink and a sandwich for hospitality venues.2

Whether you offer sit-down or take-away meals, or snacks to accompany a drink, the inclusion of snacks is a must for all hospitality outlets.

Listing great tasting snacks is key, as the main reason for purchasing crisps is as a treat, so there has to be no compromise on taste. After all, a treat is a treat, it’s got to taste great!

THE REAL DEAL REAL premium hand cooked crisps is a hospitality exclusive brand, with award winning flavours that will delight you and your customers.

The right offering of quality branded snacks can help drive more cash through your till.

REAL Hand Cooked Crisps have so much to offer your business and your customers:

REAL TIPS Display the right range of snacks and flavours to drive incremental sales.

Ensuring your snack display is well stocked will help your business take advantage of the 40% of consumers who impulse shop their snacks3.

Snack sales increase by up to 80%3 when made more visible, we know displays is key and have a range of FREE POS to meet your needs.

Snacking offers hospitality venues a rare opportunity in the challenging times ahead. History tells us that snacking increases in a recession - as it remains an affordable luxury. Upselling a pack of snacks to every customer who orders a drink is a fairly simple way to put much-needed cash in the till.

Don’t miss out on incremental impulse sales, stock REAL hand cooked hospitality-exclusive premium crisps now!

1. Mintel, UK Crisps, Savoury Snacks & Nuts Market Report 2022 2. Hospitality Snacking Research, Norstat - August 2022 3. HIM! Foodservice Research 2016 4. CGA Strategy Research - 2016/2017

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CLH Digital

Issue 140

What Are The Rules For Hiring Under 18s To Work In Hospitality? Licensing Experts Answer Key Questions Leading licensing solicitors Poppleston Allen share expert advice on hiring under 18s over the festive period The Christmas and New Year period will see many businesses like pubs and restaurants looking to take on extra staff to cope with higher demand around the festivities, which may include workers under the age of 18.

alcohol but in a bar that is going to prove more challenging.

Of course there are several key differences when hiring those who aren’t legally adults and considerations that must be made in terms of the kind of work they can do and what they are able to be responsible for.

The 2003 Act does allow under 18s to work in premises (or a part of the premises) set aside and reserved for diners and to take orders and deliver alcoholic drinks for consumption with a meal. It would be sensible to check with the local authority for any local bylaws relating to agerestrictions on this. The child would need to carry out age verification checks as appropriate, and you need to ensure that they have the maturity and training to undertake these.

To help with guidance on the subject for those looking to take new workers on, leading licensing experts Poppleston Allen have answered key questions on the rules and regulations around bringing younger employees into the workforce.

A spokesperson for Poppleston Allen said: "With hospitality vacancies still at extremely high levels, many businesses are likely to want to tap into the temporary talent pool of students on school holidays. However, licensed venues must make sure they follow all the rules in terms of what those under-18 are and aren't allowed to do in terms of serving alcohol.

"They also need to make sure they comply with all the regulations regarding how many hours children can work in school holidays and in term time if they decide to keep them on after the festive break. With the cost of living crisis affecting many families, it's possible some under18s will ask for more work than they are actually allowed to do, so it's important businesses are completely up to date on what is allowed, bearing in mind this varies depending on age and educational status."

WHAT ABOUT IF THE ALCOHOL IS BEING CONSUMED ALONGSIDE A MEAL?

If a person is 15 years old but has just finished school and has a birthday by 31st August, then you have to treat them as a child ‘still at school’ until their birthday.

16 to 17 years (young worker) A person who has left school and is under 18 must now either stay in full-time education or start an apprenticeship or, can do part-time education or apprenticeship and work at the same time.

They would not be allowed to physically dispense the alcohol nor put the drinks order together behind the main bar unless supervised by an adult. Technically, the law does not prohibit them from dispensing drinks or putting drinks together at a separate dispense bar in the restaurant/dining area however, again from a risk management point of view you will want to ensure sufficient training and supervision.

HOW MANY HOURS CAN UNDER 18S WORK FOR? 14 to 16 years (child) There are restrictions on the number of hours and days that can be worked depending upon whether it’s term time or holidays.

WHAT KIND OF WORK ARE UNDER 18S ALLOWED TO DO? Subject to local bylaws, children aged 14 and above can be employed to do ‘light work’ which is not harmful to their safety, health, and development nor to attendance at school or participation in work experience. Generally, due to licensing restrictions children under 16 tend to work in kitchens and back of house areas, not front of house.

CAN UNDER 18S SELL ALCOHOL TO CUSTOMERS? The Licensing Act 2003 does not allow a person under 18 to sell alcohol unless the sale is specifically approved by an adult. That might be easy in a supermarket where not every transaction involves the sale of

WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN EMPLOYING UNDER 18S? You are legally responsible for ensuring that the child is not exposed to a risk due to their lack of experience, maturity, or absence of awareness of the risk. You must check with the local authority for bylaws, including whether the child needs a work permit. A young worker is eligible for the national living wage (or the apprenticeship rate) and must receive a payslip and be on the payroll whereas a child under 16 is not (subject to local bylaws). www.popall.co.uk

Plea for Energy Bill Help as String of Breweries Shut Up Shop

CAMRA urges the Chancellor to announce continuing support with energy bills to stop more beloved breweries going under

announcing in recent weeks that they are having to close down for good due to the soaring costs of both making beer and keeping pubs open.

The Campaign for Real Ale is making a plea to the Chancellor to confirm before Christmas that breweries, pubs and hospitality businesses will receive support with their rocketing energy bills when the current scheme runs out in April 2023.

“Coupled with customers tightening their belts and the risk of energy bills rocketing when the Government support scheme ends next year, these closures could go through the roof if the Government doesn’t offer urgent support to save this crucial part of British brewing.”

It comes after a string of announcements in recent months of small, local and independent breweries closing down as they can’t make ends meet.

Charlotte Nichols MP commented: "With pubs and other hospitality businesses facing a cliff edge in support for a crisis that will last long beyond April, it's vital that Government give the trade some certainty over the festive period. The risk of spiralling future energy costs will leave licensees and brewers in limbo as they try to mitigate the impact of consumers being forced to tighten their belts. There are a huge range of measures that the Chancellor and Business Secretary could take to support pubs and I look forward to hearing from them both about their plans."

Research by Steve Dunkley of Manchester-based Beer Nouveau has revealed that dozens of breweries have closed their doors in 2022.

Brewers, and the wider pub sector, face a Christmas of uncertainty as the Government has failed to make key announcements about economic support and fiscal arrangements in 2023.

The sector is anxiously awaiting news on which businesses will get energy bill support past April, as well as a decision on whether or not general beer duty will be uprated next year (which could see huge inflationary rises in the price of a pint at the bar), leaving brewers and publicans in the dark.

CAMRA's campaign has now reached the House of Commons where Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Pub Group Charlotte Nichols MP has submitted parliamentary questions to the Chancellor and Business Secretary asking for support with energy costs to help stop more pubs and breweries having to call last orders for good.

Commenting, Steve Dunkley of Beer Nouveau said: “It is deeply worrying to see scores of small breweries

CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona added: “Small and independent breweries have been a huge success story for the UK economy over the past 30 years, employing local people and reviving the UK’s beer scene and massively increasing the choice of tasty and distinctive brews for drinkers.

“If we are to make sure that our beloved breweries can survive and thrive, then the Government urgently need to give brewing and pub and club businesses certainty and make key announcements about ongoing energy bill support and freezing general beer duty as soon as possible.

“CAMRA are also calling for venues to receive more help with the burden of business rates – and for the new, lower rate of duty charged on draught beer and cider to be introduced as quickly as possible to help pubs and small, independent breweries.”

OiLChef Wins Prestigious Best Kitchen Innovation Award Congratulations to OiLChef for winning the prestigious Best Kitchen Innovation Award at the Restaurant & Takeaway Expo at the Excel in London.

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OiLChef is virtually maintenance free, takes 3 seconds to install and only needs to be replaced every 3 years. FDA Approved technology, and winner of “Best Kitchen Innovation Award UK 2022”, the OiLChef device is virtually unbreakable and maintenance free.

The OiLChef device is now available for fish pans and can cost as little as one pound per day and guaranteed for 3 years!!

Readers of CLH News that order units in 2022 get a special £150 discount.

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With OiL Chef in your fryer, your food cooks quicker, becomes a little crispier, absorbs less oil and your food holds its texture for longer which is fantastic news for your delivery and kerb side pick-up!

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Global Research from RoomRaccoon Reveals Key Trends Shaping The Hotel Industry 18

CLH Digital

Issue 140

• Domestic tourism is still going strong. Despite a 33% increase in hotel bookings from international travellers, domestic bookings account for 64% of bookings in 2022 and will continue to present significant business opportunities for hotels.

• Booking lead time returns to normal: The average hotel booking lead time is on par with pre-pandemic levels, measuring 30 days in 2022 in comparison to 31 days in 2019. This shows a shift in travellers’ confidence as restrictions are eased and the travel landscape stabilises.

Commenting on the data and the industry’s recovery, RoomRaccoon’s CEO and Co-Founder, Tymen van Dyl, says: “Despite predictions that hotel occupancy would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023, recovery has come sooner than expected. This will come as encouraging news to the industry. However, challenging economic times and soaring inflation could weigh the pace of recovery in the new year.”

RoomRaccoon hotel management system has unveiled its annual global report, ‘RoomRaccoon Report 2022, A Year of Impact: What’s Next?’. The report analysed the booking data of thousands of independent properties in 54 countries around the world.

The data covers key hotel performance indicators such as occupancy, RevPAR, booking lead time, length of stay, international and domestic travel, direct and OTA bookings, as well as upsell performance to forecast trends shaping the hotel industry in 2023.

Highlighting the speed at which the sector has recovered from the pandemic, the report reveals that guests are returning in greater numbers, with occupancy levels reaching and exceeding parity with pre-pandemic levels. In August 2022, RoomRaccoon’s clients in Europe had record-breaking occupancy levels averaging 64% in comparison to 61% in August 2019.

Some of the findings include: • Direct bookings are on the rise. Direct bookings have been on an upward trajectory, increasing by a staggering 169% from 2019. This reflects the continued desire of guests who want greater control over their accommodation bookings.

• Hotels are generating better revenue. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) in 2022 is up 46% compared to 2021. The data reflects a spike in RevPAR over the European summer season, hitting a record-breaking €105 on 13 August 2022.

• Memorable experiences outweigh rising inflation. In 2022, RoomRaccoon

clients that use automated upsell technology received some of the highest ancillary revenue performances recorded with room upgrades, breakfast, early check-in/late check-out and a bottle of champagne among the top-performing add-ons.

“For me, the importance of making decisions driven by data is more imperative than ever before. With the industry rapidly evolving and the dramatic shift in guest behaviour, analysing the numbers has become the most effective way to track patterns, develop appropriate strategies and understand where your efforts, and money are best spent. Going forward, it will be imperative that hotels use data to inform their marketing and commerce strategy to ensure they remain competitive and maximise revenue despite uncertain economic times,” says van Dyl. Visit web.roomraccoon.com/Hotel-Performance-2022 to read the full report and discover key insights and opportunities to inform your hotel business strategy in 2023.

Culinary Director Encourages Progression of Wales’ Best Young Chefs Three chefs – Harry Paynter-Roberts and Sion Hughes from Carden Park Hotel and Spa and Harry Osborne, head chef at the Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy – are set to leave the junior team because of their age.

The junior team was managed and coached at the Culinary World Cup by Michael Kirkham-Evans, a lecturer at the Gr p Llandrillo Menai campus in Rhos-on-Sea and Danny Burke, co-owner of Olive Tree Catering, Runcorn, respectively.

Michael has retired from his role as manager but Danny is continuing as coach and will be supported by Graham who takes on overall responsibility for both the senior and junior teams.

“I think Mike and Danny have done very well with these young chefs who are talented and understand the competitions,” said Graham.

“When chefs reach the age limit for junior team competitions, they should progress into the senior squad.

The culinary director of the Culinary Association of Wales is keen to see talented young Welsh chefs progress into the Senior Culinary Team Wales.

Graham Tinsley, MBE, executive head chef at Carden Park Hotel and Spa, near Chester, praised the Junior Culinary Team Wales for their silver and bronze medals at the Culinary World Cup in Luxembourg.

Now he wants the chefs, who are too old to compete with the junior team at the Culinary Olympics in 2024, to take the step up into the senior Wales squad as part of the CAW’s succession planning.

“We were all thrilled when the junior team won a silver medal in the hot kitchen in Luxembourg. The team was great and these young chefs have really gelled together. It’s a shame that three of them are going to be too old for the Culinary Olympics but hopefully they will now progress to the senior squad.

“Progression is very important because we have to bring the young chefs through. They are the future of the senior team.”

Graham has already had positive feedback from some experienced chefs he has approached about joining the senior team for the Culinary

Olympics. He is keen to hear from chefs interested in competing for a place in both the junior and senior squads.

Having attended his sixth Culinary World Cup, Graham said it was good to meet up with old friends including his mentor Anton Mosimann who visited the CAW stand to support Wales’ bid to host the Worldchefs Congress 2026.

The other members of Junior Culinary Team Wales are captain Calum Smith, pastry chef at Shrewsbury School, Stephanie Belcher, chef de partie at Coast, Saundersfoot and Jay Rees, who is studying for a degree at Gr p Llandrillo Menai.

Dispelling the Myths About Good Cellar Hygiene Following the opening of their new 13,500 sq ft Trafford Park facility, sister companies Chemisphere UK and Beer Piper International are working on a drive to educate the industry on the importance of good cellar hygiene and to dispel the myths that it’s a complicated process.

The two companies have a unique proposition – Chemisphere are specialists in providing the hospitality industry with premium detergents and accessories for ware-washing, beverage dispense system sterilisation and kitchen hygiene, whilst Beer Piper provide advanced beer line cleaning systems. This means that complete bar & cellar solutions are available all under one roof.

Chemisphere developed the world’s first purple beer line cleaner changes colour if the line is dirty, when it remains purple you can be confident that your line is absolutely yeast and bacteria free. This product revolutionised beer line cleaning and continues to do so today with both manual cleans and automated cleans.

As publicans and bar managers struggle to maintain their ever-increasing workload in these difficult times,

automated beer line cleaning systems such as Beer Piper have taken the stress out of a little-loved, yet essential, task.

The Beer Piper unit is programmed, meaning it does all the hard work for establishments during their opening hours. One of the distinctive features of the Beer Piper system is the Dispense Line Beer function which gives the option of saving much of the valuable beer that until now, was simply poured down the drain every week when doing a manual line clean.

Chemisphere and Beer Piper continue to invest in new equipment and develop a wider range of products.

Wilf Worsley, Operations Director at Chemisphere said “our research and development department are hard at work and strive to lead the industry through new product development. We are the home of several pioneering products and we continue our mission to educate the industry on the importance of maintaining high hygiene standards of their dispense equipment and glass hygiene to ensure optimum quality of their dispensed products.”

Both companies now look forward to continuing to execute their growth plans with Chemisphere UK focusing on expanding their product range and Beer Piper International on the launch of their new BP5 beer line cleaning machine which will utilise Chemisphere’s game changing powder-based product.

Visit www.chemisphereuk.com and www.beerpiper.co.uk for more information.

RBH Looks Ahead to the 2023 Hotel Landscape 20

CLH Digital

Issue 140

GREEN CREDENTIALS TO BE REQUIRED IN PROCUREMENT PROCESS - GREGOR MACNAUGHTON, CTO

Experts in their respective fields, RBH Hospitality Management’s Executive Committee share their thoughts on the UK hotel industry after a year of change, challenges and success. From hotel investment patterns to the rising prevalence of sustainability in the procurement process, what lies ahead for 2023?

After a year where material prices soared by 10%, we’re now seeing as much as 20% inflation on projects priced in 2019 and 2020. This is likely to slow down the development of new build hotels and could lead to more focus on refurbishments of existing hotels.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS TO DOMINATE OVER PRIVATE EQUITY FUNDS - DAVE HART, CEO

Based on rising energy prices and the ever-increasing pressure to reduce our carbon footprints, we expect to see far more consideration from owners and developers (which we gladly welcome) for the introduction of environmental initiatives not only in new build hotels, but also in refurb projects.

The UK transaction market has been very slow in 2022, driven by a lack of stable trading coupled with increased cost of capital which has seen many investors pause and take stock in recent months. I fully anticipate that we will see much increased transaction activity in 2023 which I believe will be dominated by the institutional investors who, as longterm investors, are perhaps the best placed to capitalise versus private equity funds that generally have a short to medium term view of the market.

WITH INCREASING RATES WILL COME GROWING EXPECTATIONS – SUSAN BLAND, MANAGING DIRECTOR In a year full of ups and downs, 2022 did bounce back with corporate travel, and international travel returning much quicker and stronger than initially anticipated. This resulted in rate driven strategies that saw soaring room rates and healthy occupancies. It was also a year of staffing shortages, increasing cost pressures, rising inflation and ongoing political and economic turbulence.

I anticipate that 2023 will see the corporate and international markets continue to grow, with revenue levels exceeding the 2019 figures currently being used as a benchmark. However, with increased room rates, comes increased customer expectations in order to ensure value, so a huge focus on the customer experience is required and delivery of the highest standards. Achieving this in a world of staffing challenges will require a drive of technological solutions that can free up time and allow hotel teams to focus on personalisation. They will be expecting to be rewarded accordingly which will lead to further competition for the best

staff who can be most productive.

The customers’ requirement for an increasingly eco-friendly experience will also drive changes in delivery of the experience and those who are not able to demonstrate their performance in this area will fall behind.

FORECASTING COSTS TO BE APPROACHED WITH CAUTION - ANDREW ROBB, CFO This has been a unique year with really strong revenue recovery offset by extreme inflation levels and utility costs that have impacted everyone.

As an industry we remain in a strong place and all of RBH’s forward booking data continues to be positive, however caution remains within forecasts, with a number of previously predictable cost lines potentially subject to change as everyone (including suppliers) settle into a new cost base. However, I remain hopeful that inflation levels will return to more manageable levels within the first half of 2023 and that we will continue to see the downward trend in staffing related issues that we have seen across the sector over the last few months.

More companies, and hopefully those in the construction industry, will begin to take a lead and start to consider their scope 3 emissions and how they are recorded, which can only be a good thing to help reach Britain’s net zero targets. At RBH, FM and capital, and development teams are already asking companies to demonstrate their green credentials through our procurement and tendering processes.

DIGITALISATION TO CONTINUE WITH A FOCUS ON SECURITY - VIBHU GAIND, CIO Where technology is concerned, 2023 will see another year of investment in automation and further advancements in direct-to-room arrival for guests. This will be driven by kiosks and online check-in, enabling hotel teams to focus on meaningful customer service. Due to staffing issues across the industry, there has already been a rise of digitisation like digital dining, and this will carry on growing. Data based analytics will become mainstream with consolidated data across a company, leading to a more concise view of the business and benchmarking ability.

Fast and efficient connectivity will be crucial, as room casting and streaming will be a standard across multiple brands and independent hotels. Governance will also take precedence, as lenders and funders start to ascertain risk. PCI-DSS and cyber certifications for the business will become a basic requirement – especially given the increasing number of targeted threats to hospitality.

McKays Gift 100 Free Xmas Lunches to Pitlochry Community McKays Hotel is to play its part to ensure the Christmas spirit isn’t swallowed up by the cost-of-living crisis by providing 100 free meals for Pitlochry’s Community Christmas Lunch.

ing this winter. That is bad in this day and age. As individuals we can take things for granted but businesses and individuals that can afford it could help.

Staff at the Pitlochry hotel are teaming up with the Atholl Centre, who run the Pitlochry Food bank and Community Larder, to provide ready-made festive meals with all the traditional trimmings.

“At this time of year, as a business, we believe we should be helping if we can. Our suppliers have been great as well. We’ll be doing everything you would associate with a traditional Christmas lunch, bar the gravy,” said McKays Chef, Richard Kirby.

McKays have also decided to devote the takings from their Thursday Quiz nights to supplying cases of food for the Food bank, which is seeing increasing demand due to rising living costs.

As well as operating the Food bank, the Atholl Centre is one of 4 designated Warm Places in the town where individuals, concerned about the cost of heating their homes, can meet and work.

The hotel, restaurant and bar has pledged to support the free Christmas Day community lunch at the Atholl Centre, after working with the team there last year.

Helen Kirkwood, Manager at the Atholl Centre, is delighted at receiving the help from McKays, as well as other community individuals and businesses.

Concerns over potential new Govt lockdown announcements saw hotel visitors cancel pre-booked Christmas lunches and McKays donated excess turkey portions to the Food bank.

“We’ve had a lot of help and McKays have really pulled out the stops. It’s just amazing.

This year they have gone further, working with their trusted suppliers to provide full pre-cooked meals, free of charge, for 60 covers and 40 festive food parcels.

“Having spoken to people at the Atholl Centre, we know they are getting busier. They do an amazing job.

More people are facing pressures with the cost of living.

“When you turn on the TV, there is a lot of stuff about people having to choose between heating and eat-

“The Community Christmas Lunch will be for many different people, free of charge. There are some people who might be on their own, some who might be able to make a Christmas lunch but are perhaps worried about the costs of cooking. We will also be sending out the turkey dinners, in food parcels, too.

Christmas is a family time and some people want to spend it in their own homes, with the kids staying in pyjamas for most of the day. We are catering for all, including our Food bank recipients.

“I am sure we will use all the 100 dinners!”

How To Create A Compliant Labelling Solution To Meet Natasha’s Law

By Ged Cairns, Head of Auto ID at Brother UK

Natasha’s Law has significant implications for all businesses that produce foods pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) to customers on-site.

Together with putting customers at risk, those who don’t comply face the possibility of large fines and reputation damage, with longer-lasting consequences for customer numbers.

Depending on setup and menu size, we offer businesses three types of solutions: a complete standalone solution with pre-built designs and prestored menus, a wirelessly connected tablet and app from one of our specialist software partners, or a multipurpose PC-based solution that can be used alongside our free P-Touch label design and print software.

It’s created a product labelling challenge for food retailers. But while our research found that all agree the regulation will make consumers with food allergies feel safer, many say they are finding it challenging to adapt their labelling processes.

One business benefitting from our multipurpose solution is café Common Ground, in Altrincham in the North West.

After the business started offering takeaway PPDS food for the first time, they used our Brother TD-4520DN professional network desktop label printer, alongside our free P-touch Editor software, which enabled them to design and print custom food labels, alongside logos, images and barcodes. They simply connected the device to a laptop and printed off batches of labels for that day’s products.

Handwritten labels open you up to the risk of human error, and preprinted labels can be costly and limit your ability to make any changes to an ingredient list - neither provide the speed, accuracy and flexibility of a digital, compliant food labelling solution.

Brother has a strong track record of delivering tailored systems for the food service and hospitality sectors and creating a solution for full ingredients labelling for PPDS food needn’t be complex or expensive.

Our compact desktop devices make it easy to create long-lasting, highresolution labels for allergen content, ingredients, barcodes, branding,

pricing and expiry dates quickly and accurately, using thermal print technology without the need for inks or toners. For those with multiple sites, our solutions also integrate with menu management systems

To discover more about how to integrate food labelling solutions into your business, visit www.brother.co.uk/food-labelling

Top Ten Tips On How to Interview and Hire the Right Candidate 22

CLH Digital

Issue 140

Emma Alexander, Tylney Hall’s Personnel & Development Manager, offers her Top Ten Tips on how companies can not only deliver a successful interview but can also hire the right candidate…

• According to 51% of recruiters, the best candidate is often found after three interviews • Recruiters spend about two-thirds of their hiring time on the interview process Much is written about what it is like to be interviewed.

What is it like, however, from the other side of the fence – that is, from the interviewer’s perspective? Emma Alexander, a seasoned human resources practitioner who spent eight years with Hilton, and who now heads up Elite Hotels’ Personnel & Development Department at Tylney Hall Hotel, near Hook, in Hampshire, is fully aware of the challenges faced by interviewers today - that is, she and her peers.

The industry continues to be competitive and, although Elite Hotels offers an excellent overall remuneration and benefits package, the existing external factors – including an acute labour shortage and competition from other industries able to offer more desirable working hours – are proving to be an additional challenge when trying to attract the right calibre of employee.

Emma says: “Today it’s very much an employee’s market; job vacancies are at record levels, the likes of which haven’t been witnessed for a long time. Would-be employees are conscious that the pendulum is swinging in their favour, so the interview experience is of vital importance in deciding whether or not the candidate is happy to consider joining your organisation or not.”

Emma is very aware that interviewing skills are now playing a more significant role than ever before when seeking to find that elusive right candidate. To help others in similar situations, she has put together a list of handy tips on how best to conduct a successful interview that will help the interviewer not only to find, but also to secure, the right person for the job in question.

1. SUCCESS IS IN THE ADVERT

Not enough organisations put the required thought into their advertisements, but the ad itself is the key driver that can either attract - or deter - the right candidate. Think of it as your shop window; it really needs to stand out from the crowd. Make sure it’s relevant to the job you’re advertising - include not only the hours, the salary scale and working patterns, but also the hugely important element - your organisation’s culture.

2. BREAK THE ICE Many candidates find the interviewing process daunting. A good idea is to call them before meeting them; this allows you to get a feel for their communication style, and is also a good opportunity to sell the team in which they will be working - and the wider business, too - before they even come through the door. It also helps to put candidates at ease, ready for what may be a daunting experience for them.

3. QUESTION TIME Make sure you are prepared and have a list of relevant questions to ask – not just the run-of-the-mill interview questions. You need to come across as both knowledgeable and confident, as well as genuinely interested in your interviewee.

4. BE ANSWER READY Be ready and eager to answer their questions; you are the hotel’s ambassador, so make sure that you know all about both the department in which the interviewee will be working and also are thoroughly briefed on the overall business. *Some 47% of interviewers say they wouldn’t choose a candidate who had little knowledge of their company. What if YOU couldn’t answer a candidate’s question about your company…?

5. YOUR PERSONAL APPEARANCE/PRESENTATION

*Lack of confidence during an interview is why 40% of interviewers don’t take a candidate past the first interview stage. By helping the candidate to relax, you could well help bring down that percentage – both to your/your company’s advantage, and to the advantage of the interviewee.

7. INTERVIEW SETTING Where you interview the candidate plays an important role in their performance. For junior candidates, try to create an informal ambience, as this will help them to relax and will get the meeting off to a good start.

8. ENCOURAGE AND ENGAGE Interviews are not about putting candidates on the spot unnecessarily.

Aim to encourage and motivate them with positive affirmations. A smile goes a very long way! *Having a positive interview experience makes candidates 38% more likely to accept a job offer.

9. WHAT’S IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION? Make sure that the job description is clearly set out, so that the candidate understands exactly what they are potentially signing up to. This is a good opportunity to let them know that your company can help to develop their skills, that you offer training, and that career prospects are good.

10. WILL VERSUS SKILL

Your own appearance sets a standard. If you’re not presenting a smart image, you can’t expect the candidate to follow suit. This is particularly important for junior candidates, who are looking up to senior management for direction and guidance.

That said, appearance and dress shouldn’t be a barrier to attracting the right candidates – you certainly don’t want prospective employees to be put off, or to feel intimidated. The best strategy is to be clear up front about the dress code required for the interview. *A massive 71% of interviewers will not select a candidate who isn’t appropriately dressed.

6. READ YOUR AUDIENCE ON ARRIVAL

To help a candidate to get through the interview as well as they possibly can, make sure that you read their body language. Are they nervous?

If so, try to put them at ease; some small talk works wonders, and you’ll get much more out of your candidate if they feel comfortable in your company.

Attitude is an important factor when it comes to a candidate’s work ethic; although they may possess the right skill set, they might not have the right attitude. Try to ascertain if they have the will to succeed, and whether they have the right attitude for the hospitality industry; it could well make the difference between employing the right - or the wrong candidate. Skills can be taught - but having a positive attitude, and also the will to succeed, is the very best starting point. *The average interview-to-offer rate is 42.1% *What To Become is a useful website that offers educational information and career advice.

Hospitality Spending in Greater Manchester Above Pre-Pandemic Levels

Spending and demand in the hospitality sector in Greater Manchester has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, boosted in the past quarter according to data released today by the Greater Manchester Chambers of Commerce.

ities of a stuttering economy, historic covid-related debt piles and the cost of living crisis, and we are forecasting a severe drop in consumer spending which businesses must prepare for.”

In its quarterly Economic Outlook report released today (14 December), the Chamber revealed that the hospitality sector has recovered better than its counterparts in retail, with spending across hospitality in the city region now marginally exceeding pre-pandemic levels, attributed to Christmas shopping, inbound regional tourism and World Cup fixtures boosting trade for pubs and bars.

The results also highlighted significant and ongoing financial difficulties for many operators. While data showed consumer spending has improved, the number of businesses in negative cash flow remains high, signalling the potential for financial distress in the first six months of 2023.

The survey of 324 businesses held between November 7th and November 30th also revealed spending in outer boroughs of the region has been bolstered by customers staying local, a contrasting picture to that of the city centre where struggles continue in the main due to the changing work habits and well publicised transport difficulties.

Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester and Chair of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) who has launched a ‘Give the Gift of Going Out’ initiative to encourage spending over the Christmas and New Year period, said: “Trading across Greater Manchester has been quietly improving in the past 12 months, and given how much the region suffered, our recovery post-pandemic has been pleasing.

There have been some extremely tough times, but the region is outperforming multiple cities including London in its recovery and this is testament to the strength of the sector and the ability of the region to attract tourists.

“However, we cannot be complacent, and although I am confident the sector can sustain its recovery, the first quarter of 2023 will be extremely tough. January is a difficult month in any year, but add in the complex-

Lord continued, “Business cash flow has suffered a heavy blow, burdened by the uptake of debt to weather the pandemic, and rising costs of inflation which has had a severe impact on budgets. This isn’t just a Northern problem it’s nationwide and businesses across the country are suffering.

“In an ideal world, we would be advising operators to stockpile now in order to reserve cash flow, but clearly this is an impossible strategy given the lack of a solid starting ground.

We will continue to push for further financial support for operators and continue to support business owners as we move into the next period of recovery.”

Subrahmaniam Krishnan-Harihara, Head of Research at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, said: “Spending during Black Friday sales contributed to an uptick in service sector activity. So has increased hospitality spend in the lead up to the festive season. It is also likely that the FIFA World Cup, particularly the progression of the England football team, led to increased patronage at pubs and bars giving a boost to the hospitality sector.

“However, the post-Christmas period presents some concerns. There are valid questions around the ability of households to sustain consumer spending beyond the festive season, which could affect economic growth and business sentiment.”

Hospitality Venues Set to Miss Out £199m Following England’s World Cup Exit Issue 140

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With England crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against France at the quarter-final stage, the UK’s retail and hospitality sectors are set to lose out on £267 million, according to a new report.

their local hospitality venue. Contrastingly, if England had reached the final, hospitality spend was predicted to hit £243.3 million, with 13.7 million viewers.

The World Cup 2022 Spending Report1 by VoucherCodes.co.uk estimates that 70.9 million consumers were set to watch the rest of the tournament at home and in pubs, bars, and restaurants, should England have made it to the final.

With the remaining teams fighting for the World Cup trophy, pubs, bars, and restaurants are predicted to sell 12.1 million pints, down from an estimated 39.9 million pints predicted to have been poured if England had made it all the way.

But, as the Three Lions lost out to the French, the report expects just 27.4 million Brits to tune in to the rest of the tournament – almost two-fifths (39%) fewer viewers than if England had made it through.

Maureen McDonagh, SVP International and Managing Director at VoucherCodes.co.uk, commented: “2022 has been a hard-hitting year for the hospitality sector, with the cost-of-living crisis looming large over consumers and venues alike and unfortunately England’s premature departure from the tournament will be another hit. However, pubs, bars, and restaurants will be relieved that some fans are still continuing to watch the remainder of the World Cup at their local venues, despite the Three Lions’ exit.

Retailers are set to miss out on £68.3 million in sales due to England’s early exit. Despite no participation from Gareth Southgate’s men, the report expects shoppers will still spend £133.3 million in stores. However, if England had made it all the way, £201.6 million was predicted in retail sales Hospitality venues will also suffer a significant loss of £199 million as a result of England failing to reach the final hurdle. Sales are forecast to hit £43.6 million throughout the remainder of the tournament as 4.9 million football fans prepare to brave the cold and head out to watch the rest of the World Cup tournament from

“These venues can generate business in a variety of ways throughout the latter stages of the tournament by appealing to football fans and those out to celebrate the festive season with discounts on food, drinks packages and more. It’s important that hospitality venues provide good value for money to encourage the predicted 4.9 million customers to watch the remaining matches outside of their homes.”

Businesses Suffering 30% Downturn in Bookings & Trade as Government Loses Control of Escalating Strike Action NTIA Say Businesses Suffering 30% Downturn in Bookings & Trade as Government loses control of escalating Strike Action.

Train services around the UK will be severely disrupted once more as national strikes resume today (Friday 16th), despite another union accepting Network Rail’s pay deal.

Passengers have been advised to only attempt to travel by train if necessary as this week’s second 48-hour strike by members of the RMT union begins, with three more weeks of disruption to follow.

Just a week ago sector leaders warned that more rail strikes planned for the festive period will devastate Christmas bookings and risk “killing” hospitality businesses across the country, furthermore, research has revealed that the industrial action could also see industry workers lose up to £15 million in tips.

Michael Kill CEO NTIA Says: “Its abundantly clear the Government has lost control, strike action has overshadowed the first Christmas period we have had to celebrate with some normality in over 3 years.”

“Businesses are already seeing a 30% downturn in trade due to transport challenges and changing weather, with festive bookings being cancelled daily and party sizes reducing as we move into the heart of the festive period.”

“It is estimated that businesses will lose over 2 Billion in revenue during this period, vital revenue that will help them survive in the early part of 2023.”

“The Government cannot ignore the escalating situation any longer. As more unions join the UK wide industrial action bringing the country closer to a stand still.”

“Our sector is one of the hardest hit by the rail strikes, first to close and last to open during the pandemic. The current circumstances are critically impacting businesses and will require a Government intervention and further support for businesses at the sharpest end of this crisis.”

Chef Tom Kerridge, who owns restaurants in London, Marlow and Buckinghamshire, said his London venue Kerridge’s Bar & Grill would see its revenues being “hit massively” by the strikes, but noted that more rural areas may be less affected.

Mr Kerridge echoed the sentiments of other operators, stating that he sympathised with railway workers going on strike but that the government should have been working harder to facilitate negotiations with rail unions

Restaurants' Delivery and Takeaway Sales Start to Plateau After Falls for 12th Month in a Row record highs during COVID lockdowns, CGA by Nielsen IQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker shows.

Combined sales in November 2022 were 1% behind November 2021—the 12th month of year-on-year decline in a row, but a small improvement on October’s figures.

Despite flattening out this year, delivery and takeaway sales are still nearly double pre-COVID levels, with November’s trading 99% ahead of November 2019. Deliveries accounted for 17% of groups’ total sales in the latest month, while takeaways and click and collect orders took a 9% share.

Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director - hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “COVID was a powerful catalyst for the delivery mar-

ket, and it’s not surprising that sales have fallen away from the peaks of lockdown. Some consumers have switched back from ordering-in to eating-out this year, but others are becoming increasingly cautious about their spending on treats like deliveries and takeaways as costs soar. With little respite on inflation in sight, restaurants face fierce competition for sales on third party delivery platforms in 2023.”

The CGA Hospitality at Home Tracker is the leading source of data and insight for the delivery and takeaway market. It provides monthly reports on the value and volume of sales, with year-on-year comparisons and splits between food and drink revenue. It offers a benchmark by which brands can measure their performance, and participants receive detailed data in return for their contributions.

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY DAILY SEE OUR WEBSITE

WWW.CATERERLICENSEE.COM

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CLH Digital

Issue 140

Legionella Sampling: Part 1 - What's Your Sampling Strategy?

By Roy Sullivan / Authorising Engineer [Water], Water Hygiene Centre Ltd (www.waterhygienecentre.com) Sampling of water systems for Legionella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa or bacteriological can be somewhat daunting, with thoughts of ‘do I need to sample’, ‘how to take a sample’ and ‘where should I send the samples.

CLH News has spoken to Roy Sullivan at Water Hygiene Centre Ltd to provide some background on the sampling process…

INTRODUCTION TO WATER SAMPLING The accuracy of the results obtained from water sampling relies principally on ‘doing the basics well’.

Whilst it is imperative to understand the; how, what, why, where and when we take water samples, these considerations are underpinned by two key requirements: • The sampler must follow the approved technique when sampling from an outlet; • As far as reasonable and practicable, think about all aspects of the sampling environment that may pose a cross-contamination risk.

By following the approved methodology/sampling technique coupled with the adoption of good sampling practice, to mitigate factors that may otherwise cross-contaminate the sample taken, it is possible to consistently obtain results that accurately represent the water quality within the outlet sampled.

SAMPLING PROCESSES Guidance is available from British Standards and the Environment Agency, which both offer practical advice on how to sample and monitor from hot and cold water services (BS 8554:2015). BS 7592:2022 describes how to sample specifically for Legionella bacteria in water systems and laboratory advice surrounding the determination/detection and enumeration of aquatic bacteria is found in Microbiology of Drinking Water – ‘Blue Book’.

Therefore ‘sampling processes’ may be defined by two parts:

• Operational considerations when sampling outlets; • Laboratory methodologies and associated diagnostics when determining the ‘target organism’ presence.

This article will focus on the first part and outline the operational considerations of taking a water sample following the aforementioned British Standards.

LEGIONELLA SAMPLING RATIONALE For legionella sampling, it is advised that water samples are undertaken to demonstrate the effectiveness of the established control scheme and are not considered a control measure themselves. Therefore, superfluous sampling (‘fishing for results’) is not advised.

The WSG should use Legionella risk assessments to determine when and where to test, which may include the following circumstances; • When storage and distribution temperatures do not achieve those recommended and systems are treated with a biocide regime, testing should be carried out monthly, although that frequency may be altered depending on the results obtained; • In systems where the temperature or biocidal control regimes are not consistently achieved, weekly checks are recommended until the system is brought under control, after which the frequency of monitoring can be reviewed; • When a nosocomial (a disease originating in a hospital) outbreak is suspected or has been identified; • Where there are at-risk patients with increased susceptibility.

For Pseudomonas aeruginosa, it is advised in the HTM04-01 that samples are taken every 6 months from outlets in augmented care units. Most care that is designated as augmented will be that where medical/nursing procedures render the patients susceptible to invasive disease from environmental and opportunistic pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other alert organisms.

The water outlets to be sampled should be those that supply water that: • Has direct contact with patients; • Is used to wash staff or visitors hands; or • Is used to fill or clean equipment that will have contact with patients or visitors as determined by risk assessment.

Although, guidance for Scotland ‘Guidance for neonatal units (NNUs) (levels 1, 2 & 3), adult and paediatric intensive care units (ICUs) in Scotland to

minimise the risk of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection from water’ does not advocate routine sampling for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

For general bacteriological monitoring, it is advised in the HTM04 that routine samples are not necessary as no direct association with the presence of waterborne pathogens. Although testing may be considered necessary where there are taste, discolouration, or odour problems.

SAMPLING PLAN Before water sampling begins there should first be a strategy/rationale for the works and HTM 04-01 Part B Paragraph 10.2 guides in this regard. Moreover, it is advised that water samples should be taken from the nearest and farthest points on a water distribution system, known as the sentinel outlets.

As a minimum, samples should be taken as follows: • From the cold water storage and the furthermost outlet from the tank; • From the calorifier flow, or the closest tap to the calorifier, and the furthermost tap on the hot water service circulating system; • Additional samples should be taken from the base of the calorifier where drain valves have been fitted, if safe to do so due to scald and mechanical risks; • Additional random samples may also be considered appropriate where systems are known to be susceptible to colonisation in line with BS7592-2022 guidance.

Sampling from outlets at the extremities of a distribution system offers insight with respect to the microbiological quality of water between these sentinel points, thus removing the need to sample every outlet in between. The sampling plan should also consider the need to sample any additional outlets, such as those that represent remote parts of the system e.g., an outlet positioned at the end of an unusually long pipe run.

COLLECTING SAMPLES When collecting a water sample, the aim is it should be representative of the sample location at the time of collection; hence the importance of using the approved sampling technique and mitigating any risk of cross-contamination.

Equally important is the handling of the sample once it has been taken to minimise change before the laboratory analysis begins. Therefore, careful consideration

should be given to the following: • Choice of sampling point; • The possible presence of biocides, such as chlorine; • Whether or not there is a need to disinfect the sampling point; • Location & timing of the sample – concerning normal operating conditions & control measures of the system.

Especially if secondary disinfection is commonplace; • The type & quantity of sample to be taken – considering the requirement for different volume samples dependent upon the target organism. For example; Legionella samples are usually collected in either 500ml or 1-litre containers whereas Pseudomonas analysis only requires a 100ml sample and may be collected in a 100ml to 500ml container depending on the laboratory; • Storage of the samples • Transportation of the water samples

SAMPLING TIPS TO REMEMBER Sampling can provide valuable information on the efficacy of the control scheme, which pre-planned maintenance (PPMs) such as temperature monitoring may form a part. However, this will only be true if the sampling programme is properly planned and executed following available guidance.

Random ‘fishing for results’ is not recommended.

Sampling should be carried out in response to a specific need with a clear underlying rationale.

When sampling has been carried out as a result of a previous loss of control, once it’s been accepted that control has been regained, then sampling following the original regime should resume – supported by the site-specific Legionella risk assessment and the organisational Water Safety Plan (WSP).

Part 2 - The water sampling technique and the chain of custody associated with microbiological testing will be discussed in next week’s CLH News.

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Support England’s Independent Food & Drink Sector Government Urged Issue 140

THE CRISIS FACING THE UK FOOD AND DRINK SECTOR

Food From England brings together exceptional food and drink producers and local organisations under one federation, giving them a united voice. In total it represents over 43,000 local growers, producers, retailers, and hospitality businesses. Local trade organisation Food Drink Devon represents 350+ members and is throwing its weight behind the demand for increased backing for local independent food and drink producers, growers, retailers, and hospitality outlets; having seen the current cost of living crisis directly affect their members, some of which have been recently forced to shut their doors for good.

The UK Agri-food sector – made up of agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and catering – contributed 116.2 Bn (6%) to the national Gross value added (GVA) in 2020 and employed 4.1 Mn people.1 But its role is much broader than supporting the economy alone.

THE CRUCIAL ROLE OF THE UK FOOD AND DRINK SECTOR Local independent food and drink businesses reconnect the consumer with the land their food comes from and with the people growing, processing, selling, and serving local products, creating a sense of place and community, and making people proud of where they live.

The sector looks after the land and is a driver of innovative, more sustainable practices, while also providing the culinary infrastructure to the country’s tourism industry: food and drink are the glue of any tourist experience and greatly influence its success. Without a quality offering, visitors are less likely to dwell or stay over, and spend less.

Local, freshly produced food and drink is a healthy alternative to super processed foods and – when used efficiently – does not have to be expensive. Food Drink Devon, along with their members makes a concerted

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effort to educate the public on how local seasonal food can be the healthy, affordable, and sustainable option.

The national platform of 26 regional food and drink organisations, Food from England, has issued an urgent letter to the Prime Minister and all England’s MPs requesting support for the food and drink sector amid the current cost of living crisis.

Chair of Food Drink Devon, Greg Parsons explains: “Our members are calling out for increased support and information to help them understand how they can weather the cost-of-living crisis. It’s affecting every stage of the supply chain and, due to customers having no choice but to cut their spending, passing on the costs is not a viable solution. Local businesses have gone above and beyond over the past few years to support their communities and if we don’t support the ones that have managed to survive so far, we will lose them.”

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But despite its invaluable contribution to the local economy, England’s characteristic landscape, the environment, the country’s social cohesion and its public health, the local independent food and drink industry is in peril.

Rising costs of imported ingredients and materials, supply chain issues, continuing staffing shortages and skyrocketing energy and fuel prices have all contributed to a steep increase in production costs.

Unable to absorb the additional cost due to tight profit margins, businesses are having to pass this on to customers amid a cost-ofliving crisis.

“The Covid lockdown saw both the demise of many artisan producers, and food outlets disappearing overnight. If we do not support the industry now, we will see a repeat of this tragic loss of livelihoods, skills, employment, and community, possibly on an even larger scale” says Rachel Mallows, Food from England.

Government action required Food from England has urged central Government to take action in the following areas: • Extend the Energy Bill Relief Scheme to the 30th of June 2023 – with trade usually picking up from April onwards, this would give businesses some breathing space.

• Provide additional (grant funding) support to high-energy using food businesses to invest in a wide range of green energy solutions.

• Extend the seasonal worker scheme beyond December 2022 across all sectors in the food and drink industry to avoid further (part) closures due to staffing shortages in 2023.

• Devise a fairer business rate system that will support smaller businesses in the longer term.

• Provide capacity-building support to regional food groups in England.

In addition to lobbying the Government for support, Food from England will also be launching a DON’T LOSE IT, USE IT! consumer campaign, urging customers to buy local and support our independent food and drink businesses this winter.

Scottish Budget Falls Short of Delivering Christmas Cheer to Hospitality Scottish business leaders have expressed dismay at the lack of support for the sector as well as deeper labour challenges in the wake of the Scottish budget.

While a basic freeze on business rates was widely welcomed, a move to raise income tax was criticised.

Leon Thompson, Executive Director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “The freeze on the business rate announced today is welcome news, and a key ask of UKHospitality Scotland, but we needed the Deputy First Minister to go further.

“Our businesses face a hard winter as costs continue to rise for them, whilst customers, concerned at their own spiralling costs and hit by rail strikes, are increasingly being more cautious and visiting venues less and less.

“What should be a time for hospitality to build up a financial cushion for the lean months ahead is instead resulting in cancellations and losses for many businesses. The lack of sector-specific relief on business rates for hospitality from the Scottish Government is painfully at odds with the support provided by the UK Government and Welsh Government to their hospitality sectors. By following their example, the Scottish Government would have extended a lifeline to struggling businesses so vital to our economy.

“This budget comes as our businesses were already counting the cost of the recent business rate revaluation process. This has resulted in many receiving higher valuations than before, which simply cannot be right after two years of Covid closures and restrictions for businesses now gripped by severe financial challenges.

While the details for the transitional relief scheme announced today are still to be released, it remains the case that these are simply sticking plasters patching up a dysfunctional system that is in desperate need of reform.

“Beyond the budget, it is very concerning to learn that the Scottish Government’s own Gateway Review into the Deposit Return Scheme concluded that the scheme is not deliverable, in full, by the go live date of 16 August 2023. DRS alone is already costing hospitality businesses and producers time and money as they work to prepare for it. This assessment throws the viability of the scheme into further doubt and in the current economic circumstances cannot be afforded by our businesses.

“Rather than holding hospitality back with burdensome and costly regulation, the Scottish Government should be supporting and applauding the significant contribution our businesses make to employment and vibrant community life across the country.”

Marc Crothall, of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, said: “The tax increase announced this afternoon further reduces consumer ability to support our already struggling sector; spending on leisure will continue to drop.

“There has been little respite for our industry and no meaningful fiscal support to date to enable an economic bounce back for tourism and hospitality businesses across Scotland.

“The situation is grim; we have now entered our most difficult winter yet.”

Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, said there was little cheer in the budget.

“The Scottish Government’s move to increase the top and higher rates of income tax will hit taxpayers in Scotland more than other parts of the UK," she said.

“This is a clear disadvantage for Scotland’s businesses and workers and could position Scotland as a less attractive place to live and work.”

While standard and basic rates of tax will not change, the higher rate threshold will be maintained and the top rate will be lowered to £125,140 from £150,000. The higher and top rates of tax will be increased by 1p each, to 42p and 47p respectively.

Colin Wilkinson, Scottish Licensed Trade Association managing director, also pointed out the difference in rateable value between two hotels – one in West Lothian and one in Surrey.

“The rateable value of the hotel in Surrey has gone from £370,000 to £210,750 while the West Lothian hotel’s RV has gone from £367,000 to £350,000,” he said.

“Even with a freeze on the Scottish UBR (top tier), the Scottish one will pay over £75,000 more (70%) than the English one in rates in 2023/24 when they were paying virtually the same this year. How can that be fair?”

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CLH Digital

Issue 140

The Source Trade Show Preview

Take a Bite Out of the Best the South West Has to Offer With 2023 rapidly approaching, it’s time to plan how you’re going to find ingredients for your new menus, the best retail food and drink, and the equipment and services your business needs to keep ahead of the competition. 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, the Source trade show is for you.

The Source trade show will take place on Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th February 2023, at Westpoint, near Exeter. 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 and, in partnership with regional food group Taste of the West, this trade show will delight your senses with the latest flavours and ideas. The Source is easily the biggest and best regional trade show in the country. You’ll discover

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everything a food or hospitality business could possibly want, from high quality ingredients, the freshest food and drinks through to foodservice, kitchen equipment and designs, stylish furniture and the latest EPoS and other business systems to keep your operation running smoothly.

This is a two day opportunity for you to see what’s hot in the fast-moving world of cuisine, network with colleagues, and pick up on the trends, business challenges and opportunities shaping the sector for 2023.

Meet the Newcomers, who are new companies from the South West that have never done a trade show before. Plus, many exhibitors put on exclusive show offers that you can advantage of!

For more information about the show and to register to attend, visit www.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk/welcome.

You can also follow the show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @SourceFoodDrink.

known by different names depending on their use.

Labelling guns, price guns, pricing guns, label guns, coding guns and batch guns. Our range of products can meet all needs: Simple low use models, durable machines for industry. A wide variety of specialist features including autoincrementing guns for batch codes.

The labelling gun market can be complicated. Many products are

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

Visit us on stand H4 to view our products.

The Source Trade Show Preview

Barton Reed & Co Barton Reed & Co is the leading supplier of quality furniture to hotels, restaurants, public houses and leisure facilities in the South West. We can supply beautiful leather sofas, stylish high bar stools, comfy tub seats, elegant restaurant tables and chairs, and relaxing beds.

From laid back, seaside charm to cutting-edge design our extensive product range will suit your style and give your business the look that you want to achieve.

We have a huge choice of colours, fabrics and finishes and all our furniture comes with a two-year warranty.

Barton Reed & Co is a familyrun business and we have been involved in the furniture industry since 1945. Over the years we have forged strong relationships with our suppliers to give

Devon Distillery

Issue 140

CLH Digital

you the best furniture available with a service that goes above and beyond our customers’ expectations.

Seven reasons why you should choose Barton Reed & Co to supply your contract furniture: • Wide range of styles • Easy ordering and re-ordering • Single point of contact • Short lead times • Direct delivery • After sales service • Two-year warranty on every item Get in touch to discuss your furniture requirements or to order our new brochure – we’re here to help.

Call us on 01409 271189, visit www.bartonreed.co.uk or email info@bartonreed.co.uk Alternatively see us on Stand H16 at The Source Trade Show.

Devon Distillery also produces it’s own award winning Dappa (Devon Grappa) and Devoncello as well as a great Sloe Gin. See the advert on this page for details or visit Stand C15.

Devon Distillery can produce a gin just for you.

Specialising in short run white-label production at competitive prices, we have made award winning gins for a number of clients already. If you want your own house gin or a gin for a special occasion Devon Distillery can produce it for you. You can include your own botanicals and design your own label, all with guidance from our master distillers.

CREATE YOUR OWN BESPOKE GIN SEE US ON STAND C15

T: 01803 812 509 E: info@devondistillery.com www.devondistillery.com /devondistillery

@devondistillery

CLH NEWS - SERVING THE INDEPENDENT HOSPITALITY SECTOR FOR 22 YEARS!

HS French Flint - The Glass Container Specialists HS French Flint Ltd are very pleased to be exhibiting at the Source Trade Show again this year and are looking forward to seeing Old Friends as well as New Contacts on STAND E17.

range and have even more wonderful glass jars and bottles to show you this year. Please have a look at our website www.frenchflint.com or give us a call on 020 7237 1750.

Having moved into a new and larger showroom overlooking the River Thames near Tower Bridge we have continued to expand our

HS French Flint Limited, The Gallery, Springalls Wharf, 25a Bermondsey Wall West, London SE16

See us at The Source Tradeshow 2023 www.catererlicensee.com

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Festive Ordering

Issue 140

CLH Digital

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!

Vinicola Tombacco Achieves Equalitas Sustainable Winery Certification Padua’s Vinicola Tombacco has been awarded Equalitas Certification, a globally recognised sustainability standard set for the wine sector which guarantees the winery’s commitment to sustainability.

Tombacco, who’s wines are available in the UK through Lanchester Wines, has announced the achievement following a series of both ongoing and new projects to address key sustainability issues. The third-generation family business, which recently celebrated its centenary year, has implemented various practices across its wineries to minimise its impact on the environment.

Solar panels are installed on Tombacco’s buildings, which optimises the cost of electricity covering 10% of the company’s energy needs and is the first step towards complete energy autonomy. An innovative Israeli-type drip irrigation system has been installed, that delivers just enough water and nutrients to the vines while minimising wastage. And, Valoritalia, the Italian certification body, has rewarded 47 Anno Domini's efforts with organic certification which in itself is a guarantee of attention and care to the highest standards.

Furthermore, Tombacco has introduced an employee welfare programme which, in the long term, will see them as recipients of annual awards for their good work and team building activities.

Brothers Cristian and Andrea Tombacco are joint

owners of Vinicola Tombacco.

Cristian said: "Improvement is a path taken one step at a time, and each step must follow a precise direction made up of short-term objectives that lead to more ambitious and prestigious long-term successes. Every year we'll prepare a Sustainability Report setting out the improvement policies that we intend to put into practice, measuring the overall situation. An independent body performs an audit to certify progress: this guarantees greater transparency, but also encourages businesses to show constant commitment and efficiency.”

"We know the path we have decided to take is a difficult one, but we do it with the awareness that this is the right one in order to stay faithful to our principles and guarantee future generations a thriving business like the one we are experiencing today,” concludes Cristian.

The Equalitas standard focuses on the social, environmental and economic pillars of sustainability. It’s a voluntary certification procedure regarding wine sustainability with the aim of bringing together companies in the wine sector to promote one, shared approach to sustainability. For more information, please visit www.equalitas.it/en For more information on Tombacco’s commitment to sustainability, please visit www.rinomatatombacco.it

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

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE Digestive biscuit base with a white chocolate pepper-

mint 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.

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/

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

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CLH Digital

Issue 140

Laundry and Linens

Elis UK Partners with Harts Group for Laundry & Washroom Requirements Hart Group was impressed with the thorough preparation and attention to detail that Elis has shown. The service has proven to be reliable and straightforward, allowing the restaurant teams to focus on their core business operations rather than worrying about the availability of laundry.

Textile and laundry services provider Elis UK (https://uk.elis.com) has partnered with Harts Group to deliver on laundry and washroom requirements for all its London restaurants. These include the modern Spanish Barrafina and Parrillian restaurant groups, the Mexican El Pastor chain and the historic Soho Quo Vadis restaurant and private members’ club.

Aurelija Sovaite, Operations Manager of Hart Group, said: “We chose Elis after reviewing several options and we’re very pleased by the attention to detail shown in the transition of the services. Visiting every restaurant and getting a full understanding of the needs and challenges of each has meant that the service Elis has designed fits our requirements, reduces the number of deliveries and collections and offers true value for money. As a result, I now spend little time of dealing with complaints in regards to laundry and washroom services, and we’re delighted to have selected Elis as our laundry and washroom partner.”

The company required a range of products such as chef and front-ofhouse uniforms, table linen, kitchen linen and washroom services.

Garments needed to be smart and professionally laundered, with a strong emphasis on quality and brand image. It had historically experienced a lack of consistency with service levels from a range of suppliers, creating complexity and additional administration pressures.

Elis worked closely with Harts Group to understand its key requirements at a site level. It completed site surveys and meetings with the management team of each restaurant. This helped to identify the number and type of garments required and the number of wearers, enabling Elis to work out a schedule that would fit the restaurants’ exacting requirements, while offering a consistent level of service. As a result, Elis was able to reduce the number of weekly collections and deliveries, increase the amount of stock in circulation, and combine all services into one straightforward delivery model. This reduced the carbon footprint of the services being delivered, and unlocked further commercial benefits.

Following the site visits, Elis gained a strong understanding of the operational and logistical requirements for the group and was awarded the contract. The service cycle commenced as part of a two-phase roll-out to support the Group during the withdrawal of the incumbent suppliers.

Quantex: Full Linen Quality Control

As in most situations of life, the first impression counts. This is also true when entering a hotel room as a guest. Our first scrutinizing look often focuses on the essential element of every hotel room: the bed. That is no surprise, since this is where guests spend several hours during the night. Therefore, quality and cleanliness of the bed linen has a decisive influence on the customer experience. However, hygienically clean is usually not enough. For many hotels, immaculate linen is a key requirement as holes and stains in the linen can easily overshadow an otherwise pleasant guest experience.

THE PROBLEM: INACCURATE QUALITY CONTROLS Laundry and hotel staff often work under great time pressure. Stains and holes are often only discovered by the hotel guests, thus leaving a lasting negative impression of the received service.

THE SOLUTION: QUANTEX BY KANNEGIESSER

Working with Harts Group for laundry & washroom requirements Elis UK are proud to have partnered with Harts Group to deliver on laundry and washroom requirements for all its London restaurants.

For all workwear, catering, food service laundry provider requirements please contact 0808 1685795 or uk-marketing@elis.com

Harry Bown, Director of Operations at Hart Group, said: “Having worked with some well-known laundry suppliers in London for many years, it’s been refreshing to work with a supplier of Elis’ professionalism and quality. It was important that we streamlined our invoices and supply chain to remove complexity. Laundry and washroom services have historically taken time to manage. However, Elis has delivered on its commitments and caused no disruption to our operations during the transition.”

Quantex offers automatic, end-to-end quality control of flat linen on Kannegiesser ironer lines. The scan system checks every piece of linen and guarantees highest quality, individually tailored to the needs of each hotel or restaurant. It sorts out flawed pieces of linen and enables quick delivery at the same time.

State-of-the-art camera technology mounted on the folding machine detects stains, holes, worng alignments and wrinkles on both sides of every piece and automatically separates rejected items. Quality criteria can be determined individually for each type of linen and each customer, thus guaranteeing optimally customized quality. The scanning system reduces the workload in quality control, speeds up the feeding process, and lowers the error rate.

Quantex at a glance: 1.Precise hole detection for single and multi-layered pieces 2.Reliable stain detection 3.Real-time detection of wrong alignments and wrinkles 4.Optional disregard of item areas 5.Clear, intuitive user interface 6.Comprehensive statistical evaluation for each criteria Visit www.kannegiesser.com/uk/en or see the advert on the facing page

Hospitality Technology

Issue 140

CLH Digital

Holidaymaker App - The Digital Platform That Powers Your Park Business When holiday park guest spending is at a premium it is time to look at new ways of working. Gain a new competitive advantage with Holidaymaker, our integrated Guest Experience platform to upsell holidays, increase on-park spend and encourage direct re-bookings.

Holidaymaker has been designed to help you engage with your guests from the moment their booking is confirmed, allowing you to deliver key information, upsell and market new opportunities to them and provide an exceptional guest experience before, during and after their stay with you.

We have 24 Parks already using Holidaymaker and over 100,000 guest downloads to date.

Our park owner customers are already …

• Earning more from every booking by up-selling services or promoting products or services from local partners • Creating new revenue streams by promoting special offers, caravan sales, and late-season deals with push notifications • Saving staff time and reducing costs by providing all their key information and messaging via their own branded app.

Holidaymaker is jam-packed with functionality, and we integrate with some of the leading park booking systems to personalise app content, including RMS, Elite Dynamics, Prophet, GemaPark, ParcVu, and CampManager, as well as activity booking systems such as

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 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.

BookWhen.

Holidaymaker app is available for single parks but can also be used by park groups with the multi-park set up.

Manage all the information from one central CMS and allow your guests to select their park (and respective app information) when they download the app.

Here’s just a few examples of what Holidaymaker can provide to you and your guests:• Holiday countdown and payment reminders • Welcome packs and video FAQs • Push notifications – send messages directly to your guest’s smartphone whenever you want to notify them • Things to do, virtual park maps and personalised guest itineraries • Events and special offers • Holiday home sales module – display your lodges and caravans for sale just like RightMove • New - Digital signage module – use one CMS to manage your app and digital signage content and update display screens around your park from your head office.

Book a Demo to see how Holidaymaker technology can help you connect directly with guests and generate new revenue opportunities www.holidaymakerapp.co.uk/discover

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 oneperson show or a team, we’re there for the smallest of businesses.

PERSONAL SUPPORT Do you have questions about the usage of SumUp? We have a dedicat-

ed 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.

a 3 year supply contract to a major Pub Chain following an independently assessed, competitive, performance based tender.

Building on this reputation for quality and performance new Managing Director, Dan Owen, this week announced a major new initiative, the launch of a Fatstrippa Approved Contractor Network following feedback from end users.

All contractors are required to demonstrate; • Understanding of relevant Legislation and Guidelines • Different Methodologies of Fog Management.

• Factory Trained Knowledge of Fatstrippa Range of Products and Options.

Fatstrippa undertake audits of each contractor performance with Approved Status formally reviewed on an annual basis.

For further information contact Dan Owen at info@fatstrippa.co.uk or see the advert on page 35.

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

smartphone.

• View welcome packs, check pool timings, on-park restaurants details, check-out times, events, special offers, holiday home sales and other guest services • Personal itineraries from your things to do, events and activities • Browse interactive park maps • Send out notifications and special offers • Integrate with your booking system • NEW… holiday home sales and digital display screen modules • 100,000 guest downloads to date across our parks

Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Fatstrippa Launches Approved Contractors Network Fatstrippa has been at the forefront of Fats, Oils and Greases (FOG’s) Management for the Catering and Food Manufacturing Industries since the 1990’s when it introduced its patented Fatstrippa Range of nonmechanical Grease Recovery Units. These units achieved FOG recovery rates of well below 35 ppm eliminating the need for secondary treatment with costly enzymes or chemicals.

Designed by Chief Marine Engineer, Allan Owen, in close cooperation with Water Authorities, Environmental Agencies and Restauranteurs the Fatstrippa quickly established itself as a market leader in performance, requiring little maintenance and a reputation for robustness. Manufactured from 304 Grade 3mm Stainless steel many of the units installed over 20 years ago are still giving peak performance to this day.

Allan who stepped down day to day running of the business still retains an important role as Chief Engineer to the business with his 65 years technical experience.

With over 40,000 units sold in the UK, Fatstrippa continues to lead the way on performance recently winning

• Give your guests all the information they need for their holiday on their

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.

33

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 140

CLH Digital

35

Fryers and Oil

By David Chesshire, National Accounts Manager, Blue Seal (www.blue-seal.co.uk) Operators should consider when purchasing a fryer and their oil, the oil capacity against production rate, burner efficiency and recovery rate, as well as a true cool zone in gas fryers to help prolong the oil life. Blue Seal V ray Gas Fryers are our premium fryer and burner system, which come at a higher price compared to some competitors’ gas models. However the fuel efficiency, cost saving, performance and stainless steel high build quality far out way the additional initial cost to the operator.

Blue Seal produce high performance thermostatic controlled gas & electric fryers.

Our Evolution range gas fryers GT60, GT46 & GT45 have a premium feature benefit of all using our patented “V’Ray” burner system. This system uses infrared technology radiating the heat into the tank, only heating the area of oil the baskets are sitting in. This promotes incredibly fast recovery rates, high efficiency for limited fuel consumption provides a true cool zone in conjunction with the specially shaped tank. The true cool zone prevents crumb and food debris that drops below

the batter plates from continuous cooking and carbonising, which in turn helps prevent the degrading of oil quality. This all achieves considerable cost saving for the operator with fuel and oil, as well as time efficiency, producing the finished products.

Blue Seal also offer an additional Filtration units that give a fantastic solution to improving oil life, have great mobility and space saving features as well as powerful pumps & full stainless steel construction.

Moisture, fatty acids and food residue contaminate cooking oil, spoiling fried food taste and causing the oil to smoke. Blue Seal Filtamax removes impurities, quickly and effectively, maintaining consistent high cooking quality and considerable extension of oil life.

The Carbon Pads remove sub-micron particles down to 0.5 microns – this is 100 times smaller than a grain of sand. Daily filtering of fryer oil using carbon filters can massively increase the life span of the oil creating large cost savings and create more consistent finish and taste to the food product.

Evolution Fryers and Filter Units

Why MIWE is a Five-Star Choice For Top Pastry Chefs The oven is the cornerstone of any baking operation for caterers, licensees, and hoteliers. Controlling the movement of air inside the convection oven, coupled with the performance of steam generation, ensures perfect heat distribution and the best baking results. Whether it’s a countertop oven to produce delicious snacks or full-scale ovens for busy kitchens, MIWE offers the oven to suit your needs and to provide the bake quality you demand. It’s no wonder that top pastry chefs request MIWE ovens for their five-star hotels.

The MIWE range of convection baking ovens offer excellent quality throughout the entire product catalogue, with the benefit of gastronomic functions and auto cleaning to provide ovens that offer fantastic flexibility and energy efficiency.

With a myriad of clever features to make baking a pleasure, programmable controllers to ensure consis-

tent results and an automatic cleaning system that allows you to clean your baking station overnight and save energy with the auto-start technology, MIWE convection ovens are designed to offer bakers the solutions to meet their needs.

Its ovens also feature a variety of energysaving technology. The MIWE eco mode ensures the right compromise of low energy consumption and baking-readiness is assured in between baking processes.

In addition, MIWE air control technology allows bakers to precisely control the amount of circulated air in convention ovens, allowing you to ensure optimal baking conditions for all baked goods in every baking phase.

EPP is the exclusive UK distributor of MIWE. To find out more, visit www.eppltd.co.uk

The Ultimate Bs EN 1825 Compliant Grease recovery • over 40,000 Units sold.

• separates down to below 35 parts per million.

• Eliminates need for enzymes or chemicals.

• Constructed of 3mm 304 Grade stainless steel.

• 10 Year Construction Warranty.

• manufactured in UK and Ireland.

• sizes from 0.5 litres Per second through 8.5 litres Per second.

Buy with confidence of performance and the back up of The approved Fatstrippa Contractor Network.

www.fatstrippa.co.uk

For further information contact Fatstrippa sales 0207 207 7713 sales@fatstrippa.co.uk

The Premium Fryer and Burner System The ultimate solution for any catering establishment, perfect for pubs, hotels, restaurants, cafes and much more.

www.blue-seal.co.uk Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

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CLH Digital

Issue 140

Outdoor Spaces

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

Outdoor Spaces

Issue 140

CLH Digital

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

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

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

scrapes 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

"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 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

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

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CLH Digital

Products and Services

Issue 140

From Humble Kitchen To A Growing National Brand! gluten free and available in 15 flavours with two vegan varieties Everyone can enjoy their delicious snacks which can cater for Keto, Vegan, Sugar Free, Gluten Free and Allergen Free lifestyles. You won’t find many competitors who can offer the same choices at such good prices.

If you haven’t heard about Robert’s Dorset before, let me update you. Robert’s Dorset is a family run business established in 2011. Robert Parkin, his wife Helen and their two sons Louis and Rorke set about creating snacks in the family’s humble kitchen and started selling at local markets.

“We took our products to markets in and around our beloved Dorset and were thrilled with the response. We knew our snacks were amazing, but we were blown away that everyone who tried them thought so too!” Robert Parkin From that moment, they have worked hard to ensure their products are of a high quality, ethically sourced and incredibly tasty, while keeping prices low.

They continue to develop delicious new flavours and ideas, as well as consistently deliver those firm favourites they started with all those years ago.

All their snacks are handmade in the beautiful county of Dorset, England, and all items are prepared to order to ensure that customers always get the freshest products. They have a 99.9% waste free production process. They are also 100% certified by RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) and buy only from a segregated supply chain. Pretty impressive.

Robert’s Dorset products include: Proper Pork Crackling – Triple cooked with incredible crunch available in 11 flavours, no MSG or artificial flavours Yummy Peanuts – Grade AA nuts, ethically and sustainably sourced, and available in 13 flavours Fabulous Fudge – Made with locally sourced cream,

They remain a family business, ensuring that their steady growth does not compromise quality or customer focus. This is the beauty of a small company like Robert’s Dorset, they can produce big flavours and fulfil big orders, but without the big price tag as they don’t have the same overheads as other brands.

Robert’s Dorset products are available for both retail and the hospitality industry, with the option of recyclable or reusable packaging in various sizes to suit your needs.

Set up a Trade Account and receive the following benefits: • Dedicated Account Manager • Amazing Trade prices • Easy order options - online or by phone • Next day dispatch on orders received before 2pm, delivered by a trusted, trackable courier • Delicious, high-quality products which will keep your customers coming back for more!

See the advert on page 3 or contact Robert’s Dorset to find out more, or to set up a trade account: robert@robertsdorset.com 01208 875280 www.robertsdorset.com

Fire Detection and Emergency Lighting Solutions You Can Trust Trowbridge and Farnham.

Illumino Ignis are independent, professional and highly experienced. We specialise in the design, commission, supply and support of an incredible range of fire safety, emergency lighting and disability products.

With our head office being based in Yaxley, Peterborough we also have other branches covering the UK; these are located in Cannock, Blackpool,

Besides designing fire alarm and emergency lighting systems, Illumino Ignis also focuses on the distribution of stock from our packed warehouses across the country which hold high levels of stock from many of our fire alarm manufacturers.

As well as distributing stock via courier, if you are in the local area you can pick up your equipment from one of our many branches which have trade counters.

See the advert on page 9 or visit www.illuminoignis.co.uk

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 elearning 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 See the advert on page 9 for further details.

For an exclusive use code CLH248.

Offer ends 31/01/2023*

10% OFF

Authentic Spanish Sangria – Now In A Can! spice giving a refreshing and drinkable palate’’.

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 pre-mix beverage sector and a ray of liquid Spanish sunshine to UK consumers!

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.

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 winetasting panel offered the following tasting notes: ‘’juicy cherry and plum palate, with clove and cinnamon

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 @sangriasolsueno See the advert on page 2 for details.

Gas - An Important Role to Play In Achieving Net Zero Operations heaters, and MD boiler ranges are all hydrogen 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.

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.

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 costeffective 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 gasfired applications with the knowledge that Adveco’s instantaneous ADplus and semi-instantaneous AD water

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.

Visit www.adveco.co or see the advert on page 2.

Pod in a Pouch - Being Green Shouldn’t Cost the Earth If we can help you reduce your carbon footprint, the cost of your cleaning products, reduce your single use plastics to zero, and save you a tonne of storage space, all whilst improving the quality of your range, then surely, you’d have to be interested?

for both your staff and your facility.

Introducing our eco-friendly dissolvable cleaning pod range:

Product Name PricePrice Per

SIMPLE, SUSTAINABLE, REVOLUTIONARY Pod in a Pouch allows traditional cleaning products to be more sustainable and easier than ever to use, with its clever packaging and soluble capsule design. Enabling you to clean more sustainably, it is easy to implement

Everything from the packaging to the sachet itself is manufactured in the UK which reduces transport costs and therefore your carbon footprint.

Multi-Purpose Glass & Stainless Steel Bathroom Cleaner Toilet & Urinal Descaler

20 x 750ml 20 x 750ml 20 x 750ml 20 x 1 Litre

Pack SizeStandard £9.72 £9.72 £9.72 £19.35

+ VAT + VAT + VAT + VAT

Bottle 0.49p 0.49p 0.49p 0.97p

Virucidal Disinfectant 20 x 750ml £17.00 + VAT 0.85p Degreaser 20 x 760ml £9.72 + VAT 0.49p Degreaser Detergent 100 x 5 Litre £22.86 + VAT 0.23p Air Freshener 20 x 750ml £17.18 + VAT 0.86p Laundry Pods (Non-Bio) 300 £41.90 + VAT 0.14p Trigger Bottles (750ml) 1 £1.99 + VAT Toilet Cleaner Bottle (1 Litre) 1 £1.99 + VAT We are so convinced about our Pod in a Pouch range that we would like to share it with you. Simply go to the link to access the Purozo shop and add “PIAPSAMPLE” to your basket. At checkout you will need to detail which product you would like to try, and we will send you a free sample together with a screen-printed trigger bottle.

See the advert on page 11 or www.purozo.co.uk or call +44 (0) 1594 546 250 for further details. *Offer finishes 16th January 2023 and is limited to one product per customer.

Design and Refit

Issue 140

CLH Digital

Iconic Project Management. Commercial Construction Projects; On Time, On Budget, On Brief. Guaranteed.

Iconic Project Management are on a mission to improve the reputation of the construction industry. We exist to help our clients turn their construction plans into reality. It goes without saying that our clients are our number one focus. We love solving their problems and delivering their projects. What we love even more is to delight our clients by exceeding their expectations.

Everyone has a horror story of that building contractor who over-promised and under-delivered. It’s almost considered standard practice to under-quote in order to secure contracts but we think that’s counter-productive.

Almost all our work comes from recommendations by people we’ve worked with in the past. The reason that they are happy to recommend us is not necessarily that we quote the lowest prices and the shortest delivery times but that we can be relied on to deliver what was agreed, by the agreed date.

Our team has over one hundred years of experience between them. We are experts at delivering restaurant and kitchen fit out projects. Satisfied recent clients include, Tim Hortons, Poke House, Boparan Group and Yolk.

Whether you are opening your first restaurant outlet or have a whole chain of pubs you want to fit out, we can help you achieve your ambitions. We’ll guide you through each step, from establishing your brief, procuring your design and selecting contractors, to managing the fit out.

We promise to keep your budgets and timelines on track so that your restaurant or pub is perfectly ready on time for your grand opening. Call us to talk through your project on 07775 543038 or email info@iconicprojectmanagement.com. If you’d like to know more about us, or would like hints and tips on how to plan your project, check out our website at www.iconicprojectmanagement.com

10 Years of Mayfair Furniture Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 10 years this year of providing the UK’s fastest and affordable commercial furniture. Supplying all kinds of establishments from high end hotel chains to small local takeaways.

We keep in stock a huge variety of items ready for immediate dispatch, and can fulfil a wide range of bespoke orders. We deliver to all areas of the UK, Ireland & Europe.

We are not just a supplier; we understand that from time to time hospitality and leisure establishments like

to give themselves a fresh new look. That's why not only do we supply contract furniture, but when it's time for your establishment to go through a refurbishment we also offer a complete clearance service. We'll organise everything from a suitable time and date, professional clearance staff to remove contract furniture whether fitted or unfitted. Along with our sister company Caterfair who provides commercial catering equipment for your kitchens we are the ideal people to speak to when you are looking to refurbish.

See the advert below for further details.

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

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Design and Refit

The January Furniture Show is Back for 2023 terclasses, panel discussions and interviews with renowned makers and designers. The diverse agenda provides an opportunity to learn from the experts, listen to industry trailblazers and look ahead with recognised thought-leaders. These seminars aim to help you learn how to overcome the challenges you may be facing in the industry of today. Leading voices of the furniture world will share their insights and knowledge to help you make your business a success.

The January Furniture Show will be opening its doors once again at the Birmingham NEC in January 2023. Furniture and interior brands from around the world are excited to get back out and meet buyers after the success of last year’s show. You can expect plenty of new launches, fresh brands, industry insight, emerging trends and much more!

Buyers will have the opportunity to explore four halls of contemporary furniture, innovative design concepts and homewares to suit all retailer and customer styles. They will be able to discover everything from beds, to cabinets, to home décor and accessories from leading suppliers all in one place. With over 10,000 NEW products and EXCLUSIVE never seen before launches from 350 premium exhibitors, there is endless choice of product and inspiration from the best brands in the industry.

The Furniture Awards will also be back to crown the best in the industry. The expert panel of judges will be judging winner across these categories; Sustainability, Value, Global Player, Best of British and Design Innovation.

January Furniture Show takes place 22-25 January 2023 at the NEC. Find out more and sign up at www.januaryfurnitureshow.com

This season will see the return of Furniture Talks, a schedule of mas-

Create a Co-ordinated Look with Cost-Effective Furniture Packages Choosing individual pieces of furniture that complement both each other and your existing space can be tricky, timeconsuming and sometimes expensive. That’s why at Trent Furniture, we offer furniture packages designed to give you the perfect seating arrangement for your venue at great prices.

With 20 Mates Chairs, 20 button top Small Wooden Stools and 10 cast iron Girlshead Tables included, our Pub Furniture Package is the ultimate hassle-free way to refresh your traditional pub furniture while making significant savings. For more contemporary venues our Bar Furniture Package includes three of our popular Shaker Poseur Tables,

perfectly paired with 12 upholstered Tall Boston Bar Stools. For diners, our American Diner Package offers amazing savings on our fun and durable faux red and white leather American Diner range, with 10 Vista Tables and 40 American Diner Chairs.

Trent’s bar and pub furniture packages are available in light oak, dark oak and walnut finishes, with an optional upholstery upgrade. We’re also happy to discuss any small tweaks you may wish to make to your package order. To find out the latest on these great deals, please visit www.trentfurniture.co.uk or give us a call on 0116 4735 938.

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

Design and Refit Additional Ranges as ILF Continue to Expand 10 Years of Mayfair Furniture 42

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Issue 140

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.

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.

Saniflo Provides a New CPD Offering ing for Public Health Engineers, Mechanical Consultants, Architects, Mechanical Installers and Specialist Resellers.

The hour-long talk, which can be supplemented with a two-hour session of pump curve training if required, is designed to discuss and offer technical training on macerators and lifting stations for commercial and domestic buildings. This CPD is part of wastewater and drainage in the public health sector/mechanical engineering.

Saniflo UK – part of the SFA Group and a leading designer and manufacturer of pumps, macerators and lifting stations – has a new CIBSE-approved CPD offer-

bespoke orders. We deliver to all areas of the UK, Ireland & Europe.

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.

By the end of the presentation, attendees will understand the challenges of gravity-fed drainage systems, be able to identify where and when to use a macerator or lifting station, be able to navigate critical installation requirements and considerations, understand some of the key differences between the lifting station technologies, and be able to use pump curves to help specify the correct pump.

To book a CPD for your organisation, call 020 8842

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

Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 10 years this year of providing the UK’s fastest and affordable commercial furniture. Supplying all kinds of establishments from high end hotel chains to small local takeaways.

We keep in stock a huge variety of items ready for immediate dispatch, and can fulfil a wide range of

We are not just a supplier; we understand that from time to time hospitality and leisure establishments like to give themselves a fresh new look. That's why not only do we supply contract furniture, but when it's time for your establishment to go through a refurbishment we also offer a complete clearance service. We'll organise everything from a suitable time and date, professional clearance staff to remove contract furniture whether fitted or unfitted. Along with our sister company Caterfair who provides commercial catering equipment for your kitchens we are the ideal people to speak to when you are looking to refurbish.

See the advert on page 33 or visit www.mayfairfurniture.co.uk for further details.

CardsSafe - 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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43

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.

your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the labour usage in your business.

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.

PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS

MANAGING PEOPLE

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

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.

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?

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.

What Should a Business Owner’s Focus Be? When starting a business, the main measure of success is often “how much profit is the company making?”. However, should a business owner also be looking at other financial aspects of their business to help them create and sustain a business with longevity?

“Cash is King” and it is vital to keep a steady flow of cash into your business. Without income you can’t cover your expenses, pay employees or run your day-to-day operations. If cash isn’t coming into your business, you won’t think about growing your business and every business owner should be focusing on growth.

Understanding the finances of your business is hard. Especially if you are not familiar with accounting jargon or technical terms. We help and support business owners who are great at what they do but struggle to understand the complexity of business. Knowing where your business stands in terms of “cash in” and “cash out” is vitally important, especially in the current economic landscape.

Of course, every business wants to make a profit, but profit doesn’t automatically make a stable business. All business owners need to know their numbers. You need to know how much is coming in and going out of your

T H E W E S T C O U N T RY S P E C I A L I S T S

LYME REGIS, DORSET

SOMERSET VILLAGE

SOMERSET TOWN

Immaculate Coffee Shop & Café

Guest House With 6 Letting Rooms

Impressive Free Of Tie Landmark Inn

Completely Refitted in 2019

Refurbished To A High Standard

16 E/S Letting Rooms, Owners Flat

Easily Manageable Business

Lifestyle Home & Business

Refurbished To A High Standard

Daytime Hours Only

Gardens & Car Parking

Bar & Restaurant (82+), Kitchens

Well Presented & Equipped

Substantial Six Figure Net Profits

Exceptionally Low Overheads

LH £19,995

2153

FH £549,950

6009

LH £75,000

4829

SOMERSET TOWN

TAVISTOCK, DEVON

DORSET VILLAGE

Impressive 120 Cover Café/Takeway

Quality Delicatessen & Store

Detached Country Inn & Restaurant

Impressive 6 Figure Net Profits

Unique & Well Equipped

Impressive & Profitable Business

Trading Day Time Only

Sought After Location

Bar/Restaurant (60+), Al Fresco Seating (50+)

Outstanding Catering Business

Easily Manageable Business

3 E/S Letting Beds & Owners Apartment

Well Presented & Equipped

Tremendous Potential

Commercial Kitchen, Car Park & Garage

FH £625,000

2147

LH £32,500

2148

FH £625,000

4822

DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

CHAGFORD, DEVON

Detached B&B Set In 6 Acres

Two Businesses In One!

Superb Character Country Inn Sought After Trading Location

5 Letting Rooms, Owners Accom

Successful French Bakery Business

2 Lounges, Dining Room, Sun Room

Retail Shop/Cafe & Bakery Unit

Bar Areas (62+), Garden (40+)

Gardens, Paddock, Meadows, Stables

Profitable Business With Potential

4 E/S Letting Rooms, 2 Bed Owners

Idyllic Home & Income. Low Overheads

Full Handover & Training Available

New Free Of Tie Lease Available

DUCHY LH £395,000

6012

LH £90,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

2151

LH £49,950

4825

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

business and where it is coming from and going to. You need to know what your income streams are and the company’s expenditure. It’s always good to be thinking about and implementing sales and marketing campaigns to increase revenue. At the same time, you need to review your company’s expenditure and look for ways to reduce expenses regularly. If necessary, renegotiate with current suppliers or look for alternatives. Ask yourself if a particular product or service is working for your business.

We have products which can help with cashflow; Do you need to purchase additional stock for an event or busy time of year? A Working Capital Advance or Overdraft Facility (without the bank) could help.

Do you have a VAT bill which is larger than you expected? Ask us about a VAT Loan. It may be better to retain the capital in your bank.

Are you waiting for customers to settle their invoices but need to pay your suppliers? Invoice Finance could be the solution, receive up to 90% of invoice value in 24 hours, not 30 days or more.

Visit www.businessloansltd.co.uk for further details or see the advert on this page.

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Insurance in the Good Times, Insurance in the Bad Times Independent hospitality businesses play a vital role in the local community across the nation by creating jobs and providing access to essential products and services. When times are bad the last cutback you want to make is your insurance cover, it is the equivalent of throwing parachutes out of a plane to reduce the weight, or throwing life vests out of a ship taking on water to stop it from sinking. In the modern day, insurance is the only truly effective method of mitigating risk.

With over 32 years of experience protecting the hospitality sector, Forum Insurance understands that the key to achieving long-term success is having your business run smoothly and preparing for any unforeseen incidents.

Insurance is designed to do exactly that, protect your livelihood, your assets and your customers – paying the way for your business to truly grow.

WHY FORUM INSURANCE? Over 3 decades we have developed longstanding relationships with insurers and a wealth of insurance broking experience in this sector. We have the access and expertise to provide your business with advice, tailored insurance covers, and competitive premiums. For the most part, we have had great success in understanding our client’s

needs, mitigating the risks involved and when they have a claim, getting them back on their feet with our inhouse claims handling process. We understand that if we look after our clients, our clients will look after us.

Whether you’ve just started your business and are unsure which insurance covers would be beneficial for you, or you’re an experienced business looking for a free insurance review, request a call back using our website or call 0208 909 2899 and our friendly team will be able to help you.

Don’t just take our word for it, we have achieved a 97% satisfaction rate with our clients because we ensure they have the correct cover at a competitive price.

See the advert on the facing page for details.

Capify - We're Here to Support Your Hospitality Business • Purchasing seasonal food and drink • Hiring additional staff • Purchasing new catering equipment … or anything else which your business needs.

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.

Unfortunately, business owners are once again confronted with turbulence, thanks to the ongoing cost of living crises. However, there’s still an opportunity to prosper.

According to consumer data company Statista, retail sales over Christmas could reach £82.2 billion British pounds. Whilst that’s down on last year, it’s an increase from 2016, 17, 18 and 20!

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, www.capify.co.uk/hospitality-fund

If you’ve got exciting business plans this festive season, leading through to 2023, we can help you achieve them. 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.

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.

Capify’s finance can be used for any business purpose, whether that’s: • Managing short-term cash flow issues

To find out more www.capify.co.uk/hospitality-fund or call us on 0800 151 0980 to speak to one of our specialist finance sale team.

A Zero Hours Time Bomb? How to Work Out Holiday Pay Under New Rules

By Gareth Matthews, employment law partner at MLP Law (www.mlplaw.co.uk)

W! NE

PRICE: OIRO £200,000

W! NE

PRICE: £125,000

W! NE

PRICE: £175,000 + VAT

W! NE

PRICE: £1,750,000

TORQUAY, DEVON

• Restaurant Premises in Fabulous Location • Panoramic Views Across Torbay • Internal Seating for Circa 50.

Terrace Seating for 48 • 1st Floor Dining Room with Uninterrupted Sea Views Seating 35+ • Versatile Residential Accommodation

LEASEHOLD

REF: 3778

MORETONHAMPSTEAD, DEVON

• A Popular Daytime Cafe in The Heart of This Thriving Moorland Town • G/F Lock Up with Central Servery & Seating for 45/50 • Outside Seating & Fully Equipped Commercial Kitchen • A Strong & Well-Established Business

PRICE: OIRO £85,000

BRIXHAM, DEVON

REF: 4404

• Delightful Cafe in Sought After Location of Totnes • Quietly Trading to Suit Current Owner/Operators • Profitable Business with Further Potential • Trade Area Seating up to 34, Bespoke Servery, Kitchen • Car Parking for 1 Car

PRICE: £58,000

• Award-Winning Bar/Cafe/Restaurant • Adjacent to Exmouth Marina & The Exe Estuary • Main Trade Area with Seating for circa 70 & Alfresco Seating for circa 64 • Extremely Profitable Waterside Licensed Business Currently Run Under Management

EXMOUTH, DEVON

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4412

TETBURY, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

• Stunning Multi-Faceted, Award Winning Business in 4.2 Acres • 6 En-Suite Letting Rooms & Brand New Wedding/Function Venue ‘The Barn’ • 2 Large Camping Paddocks, Glamping Bell Tents • Permaculture Plot, Vineyard, Cider & Fruit Orchard • Stunning Owners Timber Chalet & Managers Flat

FREEHOLD

REF: 4439

REF: 4215

TOTNES, DEVON

• Freehold Commercial Premises in Brixham Town Centre • Of Interest to Owner Occupiers, Investors and Developers • Previously Trading for 18 Years as a Well Loved Bakery • Full Specialist Inventory Included • Opportunity Not to be Missed

FREEHOLD

LEASEHOLD

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4073

• Stunning 9 Bedroom, Grade II Listed Hotel • Situated in the Village of Dunster at the Gateway to Exmoor National Park • Main Bar & Restaurant, Ballroom/Function Room • 9 Beautifully and Individually Appointed En-Suite Letting Rooms • Rare Opportunity to Buy a Substantial & Successful Freehold Business

DUNSTER, SOMERSET

PRICE: £1,300,000

D UCE RED

FREEHOLD

REF: 4302

• Delightful Village Inn, Currently Closed • Large Open Plan Traditional Trading Area • Spacious 3 Bedroom Living Accommodation • Outside Trading Area to the Rear, Barn with Possible Development Opportunity (STP) • Affordable Freehold Property Priced to Sell

KINGSTEIGNTON, DEVON

PRICE: OIEO OF £200,000 + VAT FREEHOLD REF: 4315

As we enter the busy Christmas season, hospitality businesses should beware of new changes to zero hours contracts and how holiday pay is worked out. Following a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, the previously commonplace practice of adding 12.07% to wages to cover holiday pay for zero hours workers is no longer acceptable – and hospitality managers must act now to protect themselves.

Zero hours workers, or casual workers, have no set hours and businesses are under no obligation to offer them hours. This makes them an attractive solution to seasonal rush periods like Christmas or major sporting events which see pubs, bars, hotels and clubs heat up in terms of footfall.

The very nature of zero hours work means that people under these contracts end up working variable hours, but this causes difficulty with holidays as all workers in the UK are entitled to paid time off. When there is no set amount paid each week, it becomes tricky to work out a formula to ascertain holiday entitlement and so many organisations settled on enhancing the time worked by 12.07% to reflect a holiday pay allowance.

However, following a recent challenge to this protocol, the Supreme Court has now ruled this this is legally incorrect and that employers must follow a new process to establish holiday pay entitlement.

Now, employers need to work out how many hours were worked on average in the last 52 weeks where the person worked. This gives a weekly average which

is then multiplied by 5.6 (5.6 weeks being the minimum holiday amount, including all bank holidays) to give a holiday allowance.

In many cases, this will give a greater sum that the 12.07% method.

This change will impact all businesses using zero hours workers but particularly those who use seasonal workers, due to the ruling that the average must be taken from weeks worked, not merely the past 12 months – which would have brought their average pay rate down.

There are two solutions for businesses using zero hours workers: Firstly, you can approach the issue by ensuring that all seasonal workers have clearly defined fixed term contracts for each season worked. This takes away the ongoing agreement to offer work, removing a yearround relationship and agreeing upfront a holiday entitlement.

The risk with this approach, however, is that workers may not return following the completion of their fixed term contract; so you must be confident that you can easily replace these workers before choosing this route.

A second option is to tackle this change proactively with zero hours workers, making sure they take annual leave throughout the year so they do not accrue huge payments.

Whatever is right for your business, it’s advisable to receive proper legal input and speak to an expert to find out what is goinG to be best for your organisation.

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Make 2023 your best year yet áƺ‫ټ‬ȸƺ ǝƺȸƺ ɎȒ ǝƺǼȵ ɵȒɖȸ ƫɖɀǣȇƺɀɀ ˢȒɖȸǣɀǝً Ɏǝȸǣɮƺ ƏȇƳ ȵȸȒɀȵƺȸ It’s a challenging time for business owners

Xǔ ɵȒɖ‫ټ‬ɮƺ ǕȒɎ ȵǼƏȇɀ ǔȒȸ ɵȒɖȸ ƫɖɀǣȇƺɀɀً

in the hospitality industry, with global

ƫǣǕ Ȓȸ ɀȅƏǼǼً ɯƺ ƬƏȇ ǝƺǼȵ ɵȒɖ ƏƬǝǣƺɮƺ Ɏǝƺȅِ

price hikes driving up the cost of products

!Əȵǣǔɵ‫ټ‬ɀ ƏƬƬƺɀɀǣƫǼƺ ƫɖɀǣȇƺɀɀ ǼȒƏȇ ƬƏȇ ƫƺ

and bills. However, we’re here to support

ɖɀƺƳ ǔȒȸ‫ ي‬

you throughout the festive season, leading

• ¨ɖȸƬǝƏɀǣȇǕ ɀƺƏɀȒȇƏǼ ǔȒȒƳ ƏȇƳ ƳȸǣȇǸ • RǣȸǣȇǕ ƏȇƳ ɎȸƏǣȇǣȇǕ ɀɎƏǔǔ • ɖɵǣȇǕ ȇƺɯ ƺȷɖǣȵȅƺȇɎ Ȓȸ ȅƏƬǝǣȇƺȸɵ • XȇɮƺɀɎǣȇǕ ǣȇ ɎƺƬǝȇȒǼȒǕɵ

into 2023 and beyond... !Əȵǣǔɵ‫ټ‬ɀ ƫɖɀǣȇƺɀɀ ǼȒƏȇ ǣɀ ƺƏɀɵ ɎȒ ƏȵȵǼɵ ǔȒȸ ƏȇƳ ƬƏȇ ƫƺ ƏȵȵȸȒɮƺƳ ƏȇƳ ȵƏǣƳ ȒɖɎ ǣȇ Əɀ ǼǣɎɎǼƺ Əɀ ‫ גא‬ǝȒɖȸɀِ

ٌ Ȓȸ ƏȇɵɎǝǣȇǕ ƺǼɀƺ ɯǝǣƬǝ ɵȒɖȸ ƫɖɀǣȇƺɀɀ ȇƺƺƳɀِ

Xǔ ɵȒɖٔƳ ǼǣǸƺ ɎȒ ˡȇƳ ȒɖɎ ǝȒɯ ȅɖƬǝ ˡȇƏȇƬƺ ɵȒɖ ȷɖƏǼǣǔɵ ǔȒȸ ɯǣɎǝ !Əȵǣǔɵً ǕƺɎ Ə ȇȒ‫ٮ‬ȒƫǼǣǕƏɎǣȒȇ ȷɖȒɎƺ ɎȒƳƏɵ

Visit capify.co.uk/hospitality-fund or call us freephone on 0333 880 3665