CLH Digital - Issue #159

THE LEADING PUBLICATION FOR THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR & LICENSED TRADE Issue 159

Hospitality to Be 'Big Winner' Over Bumper Coronation Weekend www.CLHNews.co.uk

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Pubs and bars will benefit from extended licensing hours over this Coronation weekend, boosting footfall and sales, as the hospitality sector look set to be the U.K.’s biggest beneficiary on this historic occasion.

The temporary extension to licensing hours will allow venues to stay open later, as part of the Coronation celebrations, and enable them to benefit from the esti-

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mated £350m on-trade boost the sector will see this long weekend, and applies to England and Wales permitting licensed premises to remain open until 1am the following morning from Friday 5 May to Sunday 7 May 2023.

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CLH Digital

Issue 159

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital This weekend we have, certainly for my age group, a “once in a generation historic occasion”.

PUBLISHED BY

And hospitality is set (rightfully so) to be the big winner. Estimates vary considerably, and will probably come somewhere in between. Nevertheless, over Coronation Weekend there is a projected boost to sales in the hospitality sector of between £1.2bn and £2.6bn, which is astounding.

EDITOR

Peter Adams

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

TELEPHONE:

As I have often reported, the importance of the sector to the economy is always taken for granted.

Employing over 3 million people contributing £130 billion the economy, the sector is treated rather indifferently by successive governments who treated as a cash cow and not a sector to be nurtured and appreciated.

As our lead story indicates the Coronation Weekend is a marvellous opportunity to put some cheer back into the UK, with pubs and bars alone expecting to see a 55% increase in sales compared to a typical weekend. Restaurants and hotels are also set to benefit, with an expected 40% and 30% increase in sales, respectively.

01202 552333

FAX: 01202 552666 sales@catererlicensee.com

www.CLHNews.co.uk @CLHNews CLHNews Reputation, reputation or reputation! Businesses stand or fall on reputation. And in this day and age we are all, individually and as a business in the court of public opinion.

But it's not just about the economic impact. The hospitality industry has an important role to play in raising the nation's spirits and creating a sense of goodwill. Pubs and bars have long been seen as places where people can come together and celeI am making no comment regarding individual decisions to display items behind the brate, and the Coronation Weekend will be no exception. Restaurants and hotels also bar, nowadays, and it is only my “tenpenneth” - it is important, nay vital, to read the provide a space for people to come together and enjoy good food, good company, room. and good times.

When a reputation is gone it’s gone, and livelihoods ruined, so we are hoping to The sector is a vital part of the country's social and economic fabric, and its impor- draft in some reputational experts to give some tips advice guidance and best practance cannot be overstated. As we look forward to King Charles' coronation, let's tice and how to avoid the court of public opinion and if you do find yourself in said take a moment to appreciate the important role that pubs, bars, restaurants, and court how to get out of it with your reputation intact, so please do watch out for hotels play in our lives! the coming issue.

And we want to know just how you are celebrating! What are you planning? We One more thing! Once again I would ask the favour - we want more Twitter followwant to share it with the nation, in a “Coronation Supplement” in our May 12 ediers! tion. So please send us photos, menus, costume pictures, and we will put them on So please do follow us on Twitter and encourage as many people you know in the our website, social media and in a celebratory feature! trade to subscribe to our digital issue. Further details can be seen at Email me at edit@catererlicensee.com so we can share! 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.

CLHNews

EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Charlene Fox

Published by Published by

Hospitality to Be 'Big Winner' Over Bumper Coronation Weekend Issue 159

HOSPITALITY VENUES SET FOR BIGGEST CORONATION SPEND

Overall, according to industry research, the hospitality industry is set to see a boost of anything between £1.21bn and £2.6bn over King Charles’ Coronation weekend as consumers enjoy their extra time off in pubs, bars, and restaurants, according to new research.

The “King Charles III Coronation Report”produced by VoucherCodes.co.uk, reveals that £0.64bn is forecast to be spent on drink alone over the Coronation bank holiday weekend, with a further £0.57bn to be spent on food as consumers enjoy restaurants and takeaways.

The news comes as the British economy is forecast to see a total boost of £8.01bn over the Coronation weekend), with consumers spending £3.22bn more than a typical May bank holiday (£4.80bn).

Most of the hospitality spend will come from consumers visiting hospitality venues in-person, as 10.3 million people plan to visit a pub, bar, restaurant, cafe or other venue over the bank holiday weekend, spending £0.97bn. Breaking this down further, restaurants are expected to see the biggest boost in sales with 4.1m consumers planning on dining out. Bars and pubs (3.3m), cafés (2.4m), clubs (1.3m), and other venues (2.2m) will also see a rise in visitor numbers as a result of the Coronation weekend.

A further £0.24bn is set to be spent on takeaways, as 7.2m people order in as they spend their time off relaxing at home.

PREDICTED UK HOSPITALITY VISITOR NUMBERS ACROSS THE KING CHARLES III CORONATION BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND (6TH – 8TH MAY)

making the journey to London to watch the event in-person (3.4m), the other 53% of consumers will be opting out of Coronation celebrations.

These consumers will instead be spending their weekend relaxing and enjoying their local restaurants, pubs and bars – in welcome news for the hospitality industry.

Maureen McDonagh, Managing Director and SVP International at VoucherCodes.co.uk, comments: “Whilst our research shows that sentiment towards the royals is mixed, the bonus bank holiday for King Charles’ Coronation will undoubtedly lead to a welcome surge in consumer spending for the hospitality sector.

“Although not everyone will be celebrating the event directly, many consumers will take advantage of the extra time off work to head to their local restaurants, pubs and bars and enjoy socialising with friends and family. ““However, it’s important for the hospitality sector to keep in mind that many consumers are still adapting to the pressures of the current economic climate, and value for money is front of mind.

“Hospitality venues hoping to capitalise on the Coronation weekend should provide their customers with real value by offering deals, discounts and loyalty promotions to help reel in customers and put themselves above the competition on what is set to be an extremely busy and lucrative weekend for the industry.”

HOSPITALITY “AT THE HEART OF EVENTS” UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The King’s Coronation will be a historic moment for the country, bringing communities together in celebration and there’s no doubt that hospitality will be at the heart of events across the country, which we hope will deliver a £350m boost to the sector.

“I’m delighted that the decision has been taken once again to extend licensing hours, as was the case with the Platinum Jubilee, to allow consumers to make the most of their local venues and support businesses in real need of their custom.

“This will also be of benefit to the influx of international visitors we expect this weekend, which follows almost a year of tourism levels increasing and taking us back up to pre-Covid levels.

Whilst 47% of UK consumers will be celebrating the Coronation by watching the event on TV (15.8m), attending a street party (15.7m) or

“These celebrations come at a crucial time for hospitality and the £350 million boost we hope to see this Coronation weekend will be a huge lift to businesses dealing with record highs in energy, food and drink costs.”

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AVERAGE HOSPITALITY SPEND £88.51 PER HEAD

Furthermore, research from SevenRooms reports that the Coronation will generate an even bigger spend in the wider hospitality sector, with they say and additional £2.6 billion spent in the sector through consumer spending in restaurants, pubs and bars across the UK, with an average spend of £88.51 per head.

SevenRooms predicts that 29 million people are due to flock to hospitality venues over the three-day bank holiday weekend. Demand for restaurants, pubs and bars is even set to overtake that seen for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, which saw 19 million Brits heading out and spending an average of £79 per head over the weekend, generating an estimated £1.5 billion in total.

Not only this but establishments who have developed themed menus and activities for the Coronation are expected to draw in an additional £1.05 billion (£35.83 per head) for the industry, highlighting the growing demand for experience-led dining.

TOP SPENDERS BY CITY: UK City Edinburgh Manchester London Bristol Leeds

Average Spend Per Person expected Over Coronation Weekend £120 £112 £105 £99 £84

Danilo Mangano, Managing Director, International at SevenRooms, comments: “As the data shows, it is clear that people are keen to celebrate the Coronation by taking full advantage of the additional bank holiday in May this year. While we’re seeing a general trend towards consumers focusing on the quality of their hospitality experiences amid the cost of living crisis, the Coronation is giving them an excuse to enjoy themselves.

“They’re also willing to spend more on unique and out-of-the-box experiences which are being offered by many venues across the UK to celebrate this momentous occasion. This reflects a wider trend towards experience-led dining and the desire for that something special. With many venues going the extra mile for the Coronation, restaurants that know their customers best and tailor menus for special events will continue to reap the benefits of guests’ appetite for outstanding hospitality experiences in the future.”

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CLH Digital

Issue 159

How The Hospitality Sector Can Utilise the UK Immigration System to Fill Job Vacancies as the Holiday Season Looms

By Jacqueline Moore, immigration consultant with full-service law firm, Thorntons (www.thorntons-law.co.uk/) As the sun finally begins to shine and the UK holiday season gets under way, one of the biggest challenges for many hospitality businesses continues to be getting the operational staff needed to run the business at the busiest time of the year.

As of 1 January 2021, the only citizens with an automatic right to live and work in the UK are British and Irish citizens.

Everyone else needs a visa.

Some visa holders hold their own immigration permission, for example they could be here on a partner visa or an ancestry visa. Some have blanket permission to work, meaning they can work for any employer in any role, while others have restricted work rights. For those who do not hold their own immigration permission, however, sponsorship can offer an important means of employment.

RECRUITING THROUGH SPONSORSHIP A sponsor licence is a licence issued by the Home Office, which enables employers to recruit international staff. The employer applies for a sponsor licence and, once the licence is in place, they can issue a Certificate, known as a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). The prospective employee then applies for a Skilled Worker Visa using the CoS. A sponsor licence involves an investment in both time and money, although not perhaps as much as some might think. The cost of applying for a sponsor licence, which lasts for four years, is £536 for a small business and £1,476 for medium or large businesses. The employer must also comply with a number of sponsor duties in exchange for holding a sponsor licence.

SPONSOR LICENCE ADVANTAGES Businesses that hold sponsor licences report a number of benefits. Key among these is very high retention rates; although sponsored workers can change employers, the fact that a visa application is required acts as a disincentive.

Secondly, sponsored employees are permitted to do overtime for their sponsored employer, providing that the overtime is paid at the same rate or higher than the rate stated on their CoS. Employers report that sponsored workers are in general very willing to do overtime and provide emergency/sickness cover for colleagues when needed.

Thirdly, many employers report that having sponsored international staff brings fresh ideas into the business and promotes their organisation’s wider diversity strategy.

Lastly, a number of larger hospitality businesses have found sponsorship invaluable for recruiting chefs and spa managers, which have both been hard-to-fill roles following the end of free movement.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS Despite the benefits, uptake of sponsorship in the hospitality sector has been slower than in other sectors as many roles do not meet the skills threshold for sponsorship. To be eligible, a role must be assessed as requiring a skill level set at Level 3 or above on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF). Currently this includes chefs (all levels), bar managers, catering managers, floor managers (restaurant) and health and fitness managers. Waiters (including head waiters), bar staff and beauty therapists are excluded, although there is a chance that sommeliers could be re-categorised to make them eligible.

Another important point to flag is processing timescales. The Home Office is currently receiving applications for sponsor licences at the rate of 500 new applications per week, with a standard processing time of eight weeks. There is a priority service, but only 30 new businesses a day are lucky enough to obtain this. The priority service operates on a first-come first-served basis, and slots open at 9 am, with only those applications arriving bang on the hour having any chance of success.

Once the licence is granted, there are further processing times and costs to consider in connection with the prospective employee’s Skilled Worker application. Employers must pay £199 to issue the Certificate and there is also an Immigration Skills Charge (ISC). The ISC is an employer levy and costs vary depending on the size of the business. A small sponsor pays £364 per year of the visa, a medium or large sponsor pays £1000 per year. There are then visa fees and fees to use the National Health Service. These fees can be subsidised by the employer or paid for by the employee, and practice varies widely across businesses and sectors. Skilled Worker visas take, on average, anywhere between 3-8 weeks to be processed.

GET A LICENCE AND ADVERTISE ROLES AS SPONSOR-ABLE Another route worth considering is to advertise the roles as being sponsor-able. Clearly this only applies where the business has decided that they are prepared to pay the costs of sponsorship. Clients frequently tell us that obtaining a sponsor licence and being listed on the register of licensed sponsors can result in approaches from potential new hires. Some businesses decide to go one step further and will advertise as part of their recruitment process that they hold a licence and can sponsor the prospective employee.

Businesses also find that many sponsored workers become a source of recruitment, bringing in family and friends from their home country who are looking to live and work in the UK. Many businesses choose to incentivise this by operating staff commission schemes.

For the hospitality sector, the end of free movement has been very impactful on business operations. No immigration system will ever be as good as free movement but sponsorship can provide alternative options, and many businesses find that the advantages outweigh the costs and red tape involved.

Proper Pubs and Carling Donates £60,000 to Initiatives in Need Across the UK Proper Pubs, the community wet-led division of Admiral Taverns, has partnered with Carling, the number one lager brand in GB and ActionFunder to launch a community fund with £60,000 available to donate to a host of charity schemes across the UK. The campaign highlighted the importance of fostering strong connections with the community by focusing on groups that run physical activities or provide mental health support to the nearby area.

Five Proper Pubs were selected to take part and a voting system was created for locals to have their say on the most deserving charities. The chosen initiatives range from local sport clubs to learning centres that all support their neighbourhoods and encourage the community to come together.

Thanks to the community fund, one pub – The Brown Cow in Manchester – was able to donate almost £28,000 across three local groups including Healthy Me Healthy Communities, Angels of Hope for Women, and the Ryder Brow Community Allotment Society.

Lee Willett, Brand Director at Carling, said: “Pubs are already vital community hubs, which makes them the perfect focal point for this initiative, aimed at bringing people together to support local causes. It will help our customers to engage with their communities and get involved in projects that will make a real difference, and we’re looking forward to seeing the positive impact the fund has across the UK.” It builds on Carling’s ongoing support for communities all over the UK through its Made Local Fund,

investing in regional projects across the UK. The brand has supported local projects up and down the country, including everything from grassroots sports and accessible gyms to arts centres and community hubs.

Proper Pubs has approximately 170 community pubs across England, Scotland, and Wales, and has always been a strong supporter of mental health initiatives, demonstrated through its partnership with national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma.

Mark Brooke, Director of Proper Pubs, commented: “At Admiral we have always championed community pubs because we recognise the vital role they play in bringing people together. We are thrilled to have partnered with Carling to launch this community fund, allowing us to give back and empower the neighbourhoods we serve. On behalf of Admiral Taverns and Proper Pubs, I’d like to thank Carling and our passionate operators for all their hard work in helping us to achieve this.”

Proper Pubs has approximately 170 community pubs across England, Scotland, and Wales, and has always been a strong supporter of mental health initiatives, demonstrated through its partnership with national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma. To date, it has raised an impressive £35,000 for the charity and is preparing to undertake a 35-mile walk this summer with a fundraising target of £50,000.

In addition, Proper Pubs is constantly supporting its local communities through an annual schedule of events, including installing life-saving defibrillators, Easter Egg and Christmas selection box donations, as well as live music events.

Upcoming Coronation is a Historic Moment to Share!

Issue 159

The coronation of a new king is a significant event that provides a unique opportunity for pubs to generate revenue while bringing the community together. This momentous event is an opportunity for pubs and hospitality businesses to reach out to the public with their own events, creating a sense of community and shared heritage. By organising special events and activities to celebrate the occasion, businesses can attract a large audience and create an unforgettable experience.

New research from SevenRooms reports that the Coronation will create an additional £2.6 billion for the hospitality industry through consumer spending in restaurants, pubs and bars across the UK, with an average spend of £88.51 per head. SevenRooms predicts that 29 million people are due to flock to hospitality venues over the three-day bank holiday weekend. Demand for restaurants, pubs and bars is even set to overtake that seen for the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, which saw 19 million Brits heading out and spending an average of £79 per head over the weekend, generating an estimated £1.5 billion in total.

Not only this, but establishments who have developed themed menus and activities for the Coronation are expected to draw in an additional £1.05 billion (£35.83 per head) for the industry, highlighting the growing demand for experience-led dining.

One of the most popular ways to celebrate the coronation of a new king is by hosting a themed party. Pubs can decorate their venues with patriotic colours and offer a range of activities, including trivia games, dress-up competitions, and live music performances. Food and drink specials can also be offered, featuring classic British dishes and speciality cocktails. Pubs can charge a cover fee or sell tickets to the event to generate revenue.

Beer festivals are always popular, and pubs can capitalize on the coronation celebration by hosting a themed beer festival. The festival can feature a range of traditional British beers, including ales, lagers, and stouts.

Again, hospitality businesses will have the opportunity to offer themed food options, such as fish and chips, bangers and mash, and other classic British dishes.

Hospitality businesses can also use the coronation celebration as an opportunity to give back to the community by organizing a charity event. Pubs can partner with local charities or non-profit organizations and donate a portion of the event's profits to the cause. Charity events can include activities such as raffles, auctions, and live music performances. Attendees can also donate directly to the charity, generating additional revenue for the pub.For our issue for Wednesday May 10 we are hoping to include a “supplement” surrounding the King's coronation and how the care sector celebrated.

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Quiz nights are popular events in pubs, and pubs can incorporate the coronation celebration into a royal-themed quiz night. The quiz can feature questions about the monarchy, British history, and current events related to the royal family.

Danilo Mangano, Managing Director, International at SevenRooms, comments: “As the data shows, it is clear that people are keen to celebrate the Coronation by taking full advantage of the additional bank holiday in May this year. While we’re seeing a general trend towards consumers focusing on the quality of their hospitality experiences amid the cost of living crisis, the Coronation is giving them an excuse to enjoy themselves.

They’re also willing to spend more on unique and out-of-the-box experiences which are being offered by many venues across the UK to celebrate this momentous occasion. This reflects a wider trend towards experience-led dining and the desire for that something special. With many venues going the extra mile for the Coronation, restaurants that know their customers best and tailor menus for special events will continue to reap the benefits of guests’ appetite for outstanding hospitality experiences in the future.”

With careful planning and promotion, businesses can make the most of this historic occasion and make a lasting impression on their customers!

WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EVENTS! We here at CLH News are looking to do a round-up on how the hospitality industry and individual businesses have celebrated the momentous occasion.

Please send us photos and details of your events to edit@catererlicensee.com for a special commemorative feature later this month!

Navigating Customer Expectations: How to Optimise Brand Reputation and Drive Growth 6

CLH Digital

Issue 159

By Tracey Pankhurst, Senior CX Strategist, Reputation (www.reputation.com) Since the pandemic, the hospitality industry has had to contend with closures, staff shortages, job losses, and the cost-of-living crisis, while evolving with rapid digital transformation and changing customer expectations.

At Reputation, we partnered with CGA, an insight and research consultancy, to survey 2,300 consumers across Britain, France and Germany, and understand sentiment towards the industry. Here, we look at some key findings and share insight on how hospitality operators can better manage their online brand reputation, understand feedback and drive business growth.

BUDGET-CONSCIOUS INDULGENCE The survey found consumers remain eager to visit restaurants, pubs and bars and continue to turn to digital channels to help decide where to go. But with the cost-ofliving crisis impacting spending and frequency, consumer expectations are rising, with almost one in four wanting greater value for their pennies compared to a year ago.

This makes every step in the customer journey a make-or-break moment for operators. And as digital channels continue to grow in significance, there is no tool more crucial for developing a successful business than obtaining customer feedback at every single touch point.

COVERING THE ESSENTIALS When researching venues, the study shows that consumers consider practical information – such as menus, opening hours and prices – to be the most vital factor in influencing their decision-making. As such, businesses must ensure this information is easily accessible and presented clearly on their websites, social media, Google, and other platform presences. In fact, some research shows that Google’s knowledge portal gets almost 10x more traffic than a businesses corporate website*.

Shouting about deals and discounts is important too, as nearly a quarter of Brits are on the hunt for offers when planning a visit – a trend we expect to see more of as the cost-of-living crisis mounts – with a third more likely to leave a review after a good deal or discount.

Getting these fundamentals wrong can lead to prospective guests turning away, negative reviews and harm to the brand. Further supporting this are the third of Brits who expressed frustration at being unable to find the basic details they want from a venue’s online presence – highlighting the importance of providing up-to-date, consistent information across all digital channels.

THE WORD AROUND TOWN The survey also points to the importance of review and rating platforms, with TripAdvisor remaining Britain's most popular platform for pre-visit reviews, and Google the preferred choice for ratings.

With review platforms a major battleground for brand reputation and consumers increasingly relying on them to make dining decisions, it's crucial for businesses to actively monitor good and bad feedback across all platforms and respond promptly and professionally.

TURNING LEMONS INTO LEMONADE Nevertheless, analysis indicates that more than one in five Google reviews is left without any kind of interaction. This is where many operators are missing an opportunity. Acknowledging a positive review is a good way to build repeat customers, but it’s the interaction a business has with negative reviews that can really turn things around. Engaging with negative feedback shows customers that an establishment values their experience. It also presents a chance to repair the damage, as almost half of Brits say they would return to a venue if their negative feedback was addressed appropriately.

Similarly, with consumer expectations on the rise, businesses can use the feedback to identify and address areas for improvement in the guest experience. This can include everything from the quality of the food and service to venue hygiene, giving businesses the insight to continuously improve guest satisfaction and drive repeat customers.

All this information can be a lot to juggle, let alone harness. Particularly in today's environment where it’s imperative for pubs, bars, and restaurants to offer multiple communication channels, – including social media platforms, messaging applications and text messaging – as customers expect convenience and accessibility in their interactions.

Here, collating voice of the customer (VoC) data into a single platform provides businesses with a one-stop shop for understanding how guests feel about them in real time. By adopting a comprehensive digital touchpoint management system, operators can make feedback work harder for their business, enhancing customer engagement and overall operational efficiency.

The cost-of-living crisis is having a significant impact on consumers’ discretionary spending. Our research shows Brits’ love of pubs, bars and restaurants is undiminished, but operators will have to stay laser-focused on consumer habits and priorities to get guests through the door. This means understanding the consumer, their digital journey and acting fast on feedback.

The full study is available here and contains insight into the three big stages of digital customer engagement with a brand – before, during and after their visits – as well as recommendations and top tips.

10 TIPS FOR BUILDING DIGITAL BRAND REPUTATION 1.

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Encourage reviews to increase volume and improve visibility on key platforms.

Make reviews quick, easy, and rewarding to boost response rates.

Be responsive to all reviews, especially negative ones, within hours.

Analyse social media to understand and improve brand reputation.

Act on feedback to improve operations, particularly around hygiene, food, and service.

Involve staff to gather feedback and improve operations while motivating and retaining talent.

Optimise for social media by delivering "Instagrammable" food and decor that guests can share.

Emphasise value by making guests feel they are getting a good return for their money.

Nail the basics on websites by making essential practicalities easily accessible.

Check the tech regularly to solve glitches before they irritate users. *Sourced by Reputation.

London’s Top Food Critics Fight It Out for Charity After a brief hiatus, Too Many Critics returns bigger and better than ever to raise funds for Action Against Hunger The Cinnamon Club will host the sixteenth Too Many Critics charity event, which was established by charity ambassador Bill Knott and late supporter Charles Campion, on Sunday 4 June, in aid of Action Against Hunger – the world’s leading charity stopping life-threatening hunger in its tracks.

Since its inaugural dinner in 2001, Too Many Critics has raised over £100,000 to date.

This year’s Too Many Critics event is a unique opportunity for guests to enjoy a memorable dining experience while supporting Action Against Hunger’s life-saving work. The event will see some of the UK’s best-regarded food critics become chefs for the night, preparing an Indian-inspired fourcourse menu that will be open to critique by the chefs.

The critics taking part include Tom Parker Bowles (Mail on Sunday), Giles Coren (The Times), Grace Dent (The Guardian), David Ellis (Evening Standard), Adam Hyman (The Good Food Guide), and Food Writer and Author, Rose Prince. The chefs judging the critics’ dishes include Michelinstarred Nieves Barragán (Sabor) and Great British Menu winner Pip Lacey (hicce).

Guests can expect dishes like Slow braised leg of spring lamb finished in the tandoor, served with nutmeg and peppercorn sauce; and Tandoori morels filled with paneer and royal cumin, saffron rogan josh sauce. While guests enjoy a welcome cocktail, ‘The Big Bread Fight’ will see the critics get creative by personalising Tandoori breads with a variety of toppings to see who is crowned the overall naan champion.

Alongside the meal, there will be a silent and live auction with a spectacular array of prizes, including a champagne dinner for four at Michelin-starred Gymkhana, a four course dinner for two at Michelin- starred Trinity and a lobster and champagne lunch on the beach with an overnight stay at The Suffolk. This year’s

event hopes to raise £100,000.

The money raised will help Action Against Hunger continue their vital work to end world hunger. With projects spanning mental health, climate change adaptation and improved access to clean water, Action Against Hunger works to predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger in over 50 countries.

While the critics will be taking care of the cooking, they will be overseen

by Vivek Singh and the existing kitchen brigade at the award-winning restaurant The Cinnamon Club, known for its contemporary Indian fine-dining fare.

Commenting on the event, Bill Knott, Co Founder of Too Many Critics says, “Together with the late, great Charles Campion, I staged the first Too Many Critics back in 2001 and it was terrific fun. The next year, we took over The Cinnamon Club, and I’m delighted to be back there again this year, 21 years later, with my old friend Vivek Singh, who has generously forgotten what we did to his kitchen last time. But it’s all in aid of a terrific cause. I’ve been very proud to work with Action Against Hunger for 25 years now: having visited many of their projects around the world, I know the funds we raise on 4 June will go to the people who need it most.”

Jean-Michel Grand, Executive Director at Action Against Hunger UK, said: “With 222 million people facing crisis levels of malnutrition and hunger, we know that Action Against Hunger’s work is far from over. Extreme poverty, wars, climate change, and increased levels of inequalities are compounding the issues that we have been addressing for over 40 years. This is why it’s invaluable to get the support from as many people as possible, and Britain’s favourite culinary stars and their critics are no exception.”

Tickets are on sale now via the website: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/too-many-critics-tickets-611148620977

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Hospitality Drives City Centre’s Growth Pubs, restaurants and bars in Britain’s biggest cities achieved solid year-on-year growth in the first quarter of 2023, according to the new ‘Top Cities’ report from CGA by NIQ and Wireless Social.

The report shows sales in each of Britain’s 10 biggest cities were higher than the first quarter of 2022, while device check-ins continue to build back towards pre-COVID levels. However, the year-on-year comparisons benefit from weak trading in early 2022, when concerns about the omicron variant of COVID19 kept some consumers away from city venues.

Growth has also been impacted by high inflation, which means that trading for many operators remains well behind last year’s levels in real terms.

The ‘Top Cities’ report combines sales data from CGA by NIQ with check-in data from Wireless Social to produce a ‘vibrancy’ ranking of the 10 cities in the first quarter. It is led by Edinburgh, where sales and log-ins have surged back since the end of COVID restrictions. London, which was hit hard by COVID lockdowns, soars to second on the list after welcoming back many office workers and visitors over the first quarter.

Elsewhere on the ‘Top Cities’ rankings, third-placed Sheffield is the best performing city in the north of England, while Glasgow in fourth adds to a strong quarter for Scotland. At the other end of the table are Leeds, Birmingham and Liverpool, where the cost of living crisis and rail strikes have put the brakes on the post-COVID recovery in footfall. See below for the full list of cities.

CGA client director Chris Jeffrey said: “This research shows that consumers remain very keen to visit city centre pubs, bars and restaurants despite the squeeze on their discretionary spending. While high inflation continues to make trading conditions difficult, hospitality is a resilient and dynamic sector that is helping to breathe life back into cities’ economies after the turmoil of the pandemic. It deserves targeted and sustained support from government to sustain hard-working businesses through the costs crisis.”

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Julian Ross, founder and CEO of Wireless Social, said: “Hospitality is an incredibly resilient industry.

Despite facing up to many significant challenges over the last three years, the sector is continuing to fight back. Footfall and sales remain strong in major hubs all over the UK, especially across competitive socialising and more experience-led concepts that have emerged and blossomed since the pandemic.

Consumers are looking to get as much for their money as possible, and that is what these operators are capitalising on.

“However, the market is still fraught with economic obstacles that are continuing to pose a serious threat to the survival of many businesses. Soaring energy bills, grossly inflated supply chain costs, an ongoing labour crisis, and a business rates system that is simply not fit for purpose, are just some of these issues, and it’s absolutely vital that the sector continues to receive as much support as it can get. Without the requisite support, the road ahead is set to be extremely rocky for our sector.”

BRITAIN’S 10 BIGGEST CITIES, RANKED BY VIBRANCY: Q1 OF 2023 1 Edinburgh 2 London 3 Sheffield 4 Glasgow 5 Bristol 6 Leicester 7 Manchester 8 Liverpool 9 Birmingham 10 Leeds The quarterly ‘Top Cities: Vibrancy Ranking’ reports are based on a powerful combination of sales data from CGA’s Managed Volume Pool of more than 8,000 pubs, bars and restaurants, and Wireless Social’s guest data gathered from more than one million logins. It provides the most accurate assessment yet of the vibrancy of Britain’s key city markets for eating and drinking out.

Read all the latest news from the licensed industry at

www.catererlicensee.com @CLHNews

www.facebook.com/catererlicensee

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Making the Most of Your Business's Opportunities This Coronation Weekend 8

CLH Digital

Issue 159

By Florent Malbranche, CEO, Brigad (www.brigad.co)

With an extra bank holiday booked this year to celebrate King Charles’ Coronation, hospitality businesses will be wanting to make the most of the busy weekend and boost their sales for the year. Weather permitting, the coronation weekend looks set to be busier than a usual bank holiday as the government has given hospitality venues permission to stay open until 1am. Early projections predict that the coronation will boost the UK economy by £1 billion through hospitality services, with pubs, restaurants, bars, clubs, shops and hotels at the frontline of sales. For most of the UK, this coronation will be the only one in living memory.

Even people who won’t celebrate the monarchy will still be making the most of the extra bank holiday, especially thanks to the extra allowance in licensing hours between Friday, May 5th and Sunday, May 7th.

The extra trading hours have been backed by UKHospitality, who’ve said that they are “fully behind” the government’s coronation plans, especially as the festive season was not as lucrative as many businesses will have hoped. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said of the extended trading hours: "Not only will it benefit customers, but it also means businesses will be able to trade for longer, increase footfall and generate additional sales.”

However, with a staffing shortage in the hospitality industry, there will be many businesses which will find it difficult to maximise revenues and take advantage of this huge opportunity.

IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND TALENTED AND RELIABLE LAST-MINUTE STAFF? The Coronation weekend is set to be the busiest bank holiday of the year. As all food and beverage businesses know, at such a busy time of the year it’s important to find relief work well ahead of schedule.

So, how can you reinforce your team with competent workers, all while wasting as little time as possible?

Should you turn to temping agencies, hire on a short-term contract, or call in casual staff to temporarily beef up your teams? Maybe you should consider a freelancer.

Freelance jobs are, by nature, ever-evolving, and freelancers have to give the best of themselves in order to ensure longevity in their business venture. This extra drive is incredibly important in industries where a general lack of motivation invariably leads to lower-quality service and delivery.

Of course, the aim is not to completely replace your existing salaried staff with freelancers. Quite the opposite. Freelancers offer the possibility to support and reinforce existing teams. Every organisation needs a permanent team that knows the place like the back of its hand, particularly in the service industry.

A restaurant’s regular customers enjoy seeing the same friendly waiter, who greets them with a smile, knows how they take their coffee, and makes them feel like they’re not just another customer. Team stability is essential in running any type of establishment.

Since 2016, hospitality talent platform and app Brigad has helped thousands of hospitality businesses to find the best self-employed hospitality staff for this blended approach. Time is precious, but it only takes around 3 minutes to post a mission on the Brigad app, and 80% of missions posted are accepted in less than 2 hours.

Be prepared for the coronation weekend, and secure support if you need it.

CORONATION CELEBRATIONS As with the Queen’s diamond jubilee, the government has released a toolkit and recipe book to help with this year’s Coronation celebrations, including homemade bunting, recipe cards, kids' activities and even Spotify playlists which includes the likes of The Beatles, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, and Boney M’s “Daddy Cool”.

The government has released a royal recipe kit to celebrate Charles’ coronation - which does not include coronation chicken. Bake Offer winner Nadiya Hussain offers a starter - a coronation aubergine - fried till tender, and drizzled with a “simple coronation sauce”. Chef Ken Hom, the “leading authority on Chinese cuisine”, provides the main cause with a coronation roast rack of lamb with an Asian-style marinade. Chef Adam Handling provides dessert with a strawberry and ginger trifle - another twist on a British classic.

There will be sure to be plenty more dishes being invented over the weekend to celebrate the day, and rewards fit for a King will surely come to creative hospitality businesses.

Hospitality Rising Helps Boost Appeal to Work in Hospitality by 14% More than 1-in-3 UK adults now consider hospitality an appealing industry in which to work, up from 1-in-5 just a year ago.

New research from Hospitality Rising, in partnership with research consultancy KAM, shows that 35% of UK adults say they would consider a career in hospitality, demonstrating a positive shift in the way the industry is perceived.

Progress has been driven by activity across the industry, from operators, trade bodies and suppliers plus the positive impact of the Hospitality Rising initiative and its #RiseFastWorkYoung campaign.

The results of the research also highlight that, of those who currently don’t work in the industry, the consideration to work in hospitality has increased from 52% to a staggering 81%. When benchmarked against other industries, such as education, retail and construction, hospitality has experienced the biggest increase in consideration to work over a 12-month period.

The success of the inaugural ‘Rise Fast, Work Young,’ campaign, which

recently hit 105,000 job applications, is such that nearly half (46%) of the target 18 to 30-year-old demographic had seen and remembered the campaign and 76% of this group said the campaign would encourage them to work in hospitality.

“Without new talent coming into the industry we will continue to struggle. The needle on total vacancies will take time to move, so we are calling on all operators big and small to invest in the campaign for year two, starting in September.

Encouragingly, the results were similarly high for slightly older job seekers with 75% of 31- to 40-year-olds saying the ads would encourage them to work in hospitality too.

“This really is a fight to attract the talent the industry deserves but also to drive applications now. We’ve come so far in six months with 300 investors imagine what we could do with 1,000. Let’s not take a step back but keep up momentum and build on this fantastic start.”

Mark McCulloch, founder of Hospitality Rising and campaign director, said: “It is incredible to see this transformation in the way hospitality careers are perceived in less than six months of launching our first campaign. It’s much needed positive news for the industry.

“We are so proud of what the Hospitality Rising team have achieved, proving the power of what we can achieve as an industry when we truly come together to tackle important issues. This is why we will continue to champion the hospitality industry far and wide.

Cask Beers Are Reigning For Greene King As well as the release of its coronation seasonal ale, Greene King Brewery will also be releasing a further three cask beers for May and June, which include a collaboration with Big Hug Brewing, a returning favourite and an ale inspired by hop picking.

CORONATION ALE Available now until the 14th of May, the Coronation Ale is a refreshing 4% hoppy serve, with drinkers able to enjoy notes of citrus and tropical fruit from four fragrant hops.

The light, fruity style of the Coronation Ale means it’s the perfect pairing for a wide range of fish dishes. Everything from pub classics such as the classic fish & chips, right up to seasonal dishes like seared salmon or creamy fish pie.

PAVE THE WAY The 4.6% pale ale is a new collaboration version of the beer with Big Hug Brewing, that supports the charity Only A Pavement Away. The charity aims to connect employers in the hospitality industry and charities working with people facing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans, to help place them into

long term, stable employment. Big Hug Brewing will be giving 50% profit from the beer to the charity.

Pave The Way has flavours of caramel coming from the malt, that combine with watermelon, peach and stone fruit to create a refreshing cask beer and will be available through May and June.

HOPPING SPECIAL The second cask beer available for the whole of May and June is Hopping Special, also a new cask creation by Greene King. The 4.2% amber ale has been brewed with five different malts to create the rich body and biscuity sweetness, and late hopped with Galaxy and Citra for extra fruity flavour.

The name for the hoppy ale was inspired by the train service put on for the hop picking families in the 19th-20th century. Before the invention of the farming technology now available, hop picking was hugely labour intensive and when harvest time came around farmers needed extra hands. The help usually came in the form of families from London, who would see it as a holiday as they exchanged the city for the green countryside.

ST EDMUNDS As we look beyond the coronation, also making an appearance through

Hospitality Rising is backed by some of the biggest names in the UK, including Whitbread, Pret, Welcome Break, Hilton, Soho House, Prezzo, Revolution Bars Group, Parkdean Resorts, Buzzworks, Claridge’s, JW Lees and The Pig. On the supplier-side, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, hospitality tech supplier Zonal, and guest WI-FI Wireless Social based marketing solution, are platinum sponsors.

Celebrity chefs including Nathan Outlaw, Tom Kerridge, Thomasina Myers OBE, Angela Hartnett OBE and Raymond Blanc OBE, have also generously given their time and support to the initiative.

June, is the retuning golden ale, St Edmunds. The 4.2% fresh beer uses Cascade hops to deliver the pink grapefruit notes. Returning with a slightly updated look and feel, this is sure to be a welcome return for guests.

Jack Palmer, Head Brewer at Greene King said: “We certainly have lots of styles and flavours available for May and June. Collaborating with Big Hug Brewing has been an honour and great to raise further awareness of such an important cause. Greene King has worked with Only A Pavement Away for a number of years now through our social mobility scheme, Releasing Potential, and it’s great to be able to support the charity in a different way.

“Our Hopping Special and St Edmunds celebrate the brilliant parts of beer history and our heritage. Our cask beers are brimming with stories, from the ingredients that make then, to the flavours they create and the inspiration of their names. I encourage customers to get them on their bars while they are around, as they are sure to draw attention.”

The exclusive cask ale is part of the wider Fresh Cask Releases calendar, a portfolio of 18 limited-edition cask beers available at specific times throughout the year ahead, which have been created by the talented brewing team at Greene King. Greene King supports customers with knowledge packs for each seasonal beer, including tasting notes and access to online training support.

To order from the Cask Fresh Releases Calendar contact your Greene King sales representative or phone 0345 600 1799.

Hospitality Loses 4,600 Venues in 12 Months, But Closures Slow in Early 2023 Issue 159

“On a 12-month view, the number of closures is still very significant. A statistic homing into view is that by the end of the year, the total number of licensed venues is likely to fall below 100,000 for the first time in many decades. It reflects approximately 13,000 closures since March 2020, and the many thousands of pubs that have shut in the decades prior.

The drop is equivalent to 4.3% of the licensed sector since March 2022, and an average of 12.6closures a day. However, net closures slowed to 756 venues in the first three months of this year—a quarter-on-quarter drop of 0.7%, and equivalent to 8.4 closures a day.

– A 30.6% contraction in the nightclub sector since March 2020 – A slowdown of sports and social club closures, with numbers down 4.8% year-on-year but just 0.3% quarter-on-quarter.

Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “Each of the 4,593 closures over the last 12 months represents a sad loss of jobs and the permanent withdrawal of a community asset. It is at least encouraging that losses have slowed in the first few months of the year—a welcome indicator that demand for hospitality remains strong. However, the recent cut in government support on energy bills, alongside a hike in minimum wage rates and the ongoing tax burden, now leaves thousands more fragile venues at risk of closure.

Hospitality has shown how, with the right backing, it can generate jobs and fire the economy—but sustained help is needed to tide the sector through the current crisis.”

Graeme Smith, AlixPartners’ managing director, said: “While the number of pubs, restaurants and other licensed venues continues to contract in UK hospitality, there is some positivity in this latest analysis of the market, given that the overall cadence, or rate of decline, has slowed significantly.

“Underpinning this is the fact that the rate of closures in all major cities is reducing, as COVID-19 concerns subside, and workers and tourists steadily return to urban centres – even to a degree, on Mondays. This stabilising picture extends to London – the largest leisure market, which was most affected

by COVID-19– and it’s clear that many of Britain’s city centres are returning to something comparable to their pre-covid vibrancy.

“Tellingly, this latest study underlines the growing divide between larger and smaller operators, reflecting the varied ability to withstand the continued headwinds the sector faces.

The closure rate of independent businesses – the lifeblood and entrepreneurial driving force of the sector – continues to

DISHWASHERS • GLASSWASHERS • REFRIGERATION

– A much steeper drop in restaurants (down 7.8% since March 2022) than food pubs (down2.2%) and high street pubs (down 2.5%)

“This is a trend that speaks to the relative shift from high-frequency drinking occasions, which have in part made way for the growth in (less frequent, higher spend) dining-led visits, and the rise, in recent times, of (less frequent, higher spend) competitive socialising occasions.”

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THE REPORT SETS OUT MORE KEY TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY OPENINGS AND CLOSURES, INCLUDING:

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vastly outstrip the better-funded corporates and the branded operators. It highlights the need for government support to be extended, especially on energy costs, if small (often family-owned) businesses are to survive.

Britain has suffered a net decline of 4,593 licensed premises in the last year to March 2023, the newHospitality Market Monitor from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners shows—but the resilience of managed groups means the rate of closures has slowed in the last quarter.

Independent businesses have borne the brunt of closures with a 5.9% drop in numbers over the last 12 months, while managed groups achieved growth of 1.5% and in the same period, including 0.3%in the first three months of 2023. In the three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the independent sector has shrunk by 14.1%—more than four times the contraction of 3.3% in the managed sector. It reflects both the vulnerability of small, mostly family-run businesses in the face of COVID and the cost of living crisis, and the resilience of better resourced pub, bar, restaurant and hotel groups.

CLH Digital

Closed-Loop Recycling: How to Implement in Business 10

CLH Digital

Issue 159

By Nathan Gray, Head of Sustainability at Reconomy (www.reconomy.com)

With many businesses rushing to consider their environmental impact, closed-loop recycling should be a process high up on the agenda.

Closed-loop recycling is a particularly effective system in manufacturing. Partnering with a waste management service can give better guidance on waste segregation at project depots to achieve zero waste.

This is defined as the process by which a product is used, recycled, and then made into a new product if it can’t be reused in the first instance. The process results in no waste going for energy recovery or landfill.

Problematic and difficult-to-process waste streams may include silicon, PVC banners, and fibre-based and laminated packaging. However, with the right guidance, even these difficult plastic waste materials can be recycled back into other products.

This is crucial in light of tighter government legislation such as the plastic packaging tax introduced last April and the impending single-use plastic ban in October 2023.

HOSPITALITY

With this in mind, we share our tips on how you can bring your organisation’s processes full circle.

Food waste is particularly problematic as it can contaminate many other forms of waste which significantly reduces recycling opportunities. When food waste ends up in a landfill, it decomposes without oxygen which releases methane. The preferred solution is preventing food waste in the first instance, however, anaerobic digestion is the preferred solution for food waste.. This effectively transforms food waste into green electricity as well as producing an effective fertiliser to help grow fresh fruit and vegetables in line with circular principles.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS FOR BUSINESSES? Embracing closed-loop methods offer significant benefits, including: • Decreased air pollution by producing little to no greenhouse gas emissions in the creation of new plastics from oil extraction.

• Reduced landfill space and landfill taxes for businesses.

• Minimised risk of harm to wildlife.

• Opportunities to market your sustainable solutions to enhance customer satisfaction among those who prefer to buy sustainably.

We provide some examples of success stories from different sectors:

RETAIL Packaging can also be a chief concern for retailers. 40% of UK online shoppers, for instance, feel they are sent deliveries with packaging that is too big for what they ordered. One of the best ways to limit extraneous packaging is to employ a closed-loop solution. This could include recycling old or broken materials or reusing packaging which would ordinarily be disposed as single use.

MANUFACTURING

Fully digitising your processes can facilitate this. By using web portals and mobile apps, companies can itemise materials and monitor them in and out. Machine-driven algorithms can then filter the data to identify areas where waste can be eliminated and items can be recycled.

Sources Plastic Packaging Tax: steps to take - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Far-reaching ban on single-use plastics in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Retailer clothing take-back guide | WRAP How can online retailers minimise their waste | Biffa Plastic Recycling | Singlye- Use Plastics | Reconomy | Waste Management https://environmentagency.blog.gov.uk/2021/03/28/construction-and-demolition-sites-do-you-know-whats-in-your-waste/ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57899572

Trade Bodies Call for Urgent Government Intervention on Unfair Energy Costs and Contracts Issue 159

CLH Digital

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Since the beginning of the energy crisis, members of the trade organisations have faced a raft of businesscritical challenges, with 50% being forced into contracts between July and December 2022, in an uncompetitive market when energy prices were at their highest.

“Following any meaningful Government support tailing off at the end of March, operators now face bills between three and four times higher than in 2021, locked into contracts that are destroying their otherwise viable and vibrant businesses.

Hospitality trade bodies, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), UKHospitality (UKH) and the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) have written to Amanda Solloway MP, the Minister for Energy Consumers and Affordability, calling for urgent Government support for hospitality businesses on the brink of collapse.

“We have been engaging with Government Ministers and officials, as well as Ofgem, for over a year now, sharing the often-immoral behaviour of energy suppliers, whose actions have plunged pubs and hospitality businesses into debt and uncertainty. Domestic customers have been protected to some extent, but small businesses supporting families and communities have been left exposed to untenable costs and contracts, threatening livelihoods the length and breadth of the UK.

Ofgem, the industry regulator has investigated evidence from hundreds of pubs and hospitality businesses, showing the unfair nature and length of contracts, sky high standing charges and management fees, and aggressive sales tactics by some energy suppliers, but the action taken so far has been too little, and for many will be far too late.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE TRADE BODIES STATED:

“Ofgem’s limited powers leave it unable to intervene in contracts between these suppliers and hospitality businesses. We are calling urgently on Government to step in and take action to save essential community hubs and thousands of jobs from being lost forever.” View the letter here

Pub at Centre of “Offensive Doll” Row Has Now Closed A pub at the centre of a row has closed for business after its collection of golly dolls was seized by police on April 4.

Five Essex Police officers removed what were deemed to be offensive dolls from The White Hart Inn in Grays. The pub was subsequently vandalised and removed from the Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA) Good Beer Guide.

“I feel gutted. Totally and utterly gutted. This is my life now that they’ve ruined because we’ve got a stigma with our name now and the pub,” she said.

which went against the Campaign’s agreed national policies and values.

The White Hart has also been removed from the current Good Beer Guide.

Mrs Ryley said the collection of about 30 dolls were donated by her late aunt and from customers and had been in the pub for nearly 10 years.

Landlady Benice Ryley told Thurrock Nub News that Carlsberg and Heineken had told the pub to stop selling their products, and Innserve had refused to attend the premises.

CAMRA national chairman Nik Antona said in a statement: “Following the announcement that the White Hart in Greys, Essex, has closed, CAMRA now hopes this heritage venue is preserved as a pub and will provide a warm welcome to all. We believe pubs are for everyone – there is never a place for discrimination.

“CAMRA has an agreed policy that none of its 220 branches across the UK should grant awards to a pub which displays or promotes discriminatory items or materials, either in the venue or on social media accounts. ”

“It hurts. I’ve had 17 years of my life here, if people didn’t like it they didn’t have to come through my door,” she told the publication.

“Previous Pub of the Year awards were removed due to displays

He added that CAMRA would remove awards from any pubs, clubs, cider producers or breweries which operated “at odds with our values”.

An Essex Police spokesperson said: “At this stage our investigation is still ongoing.”

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Solid Easter Brings 7% Drinks Sales Growth Issue 159

Easter holidays and decent weather helped managed On Premise venues achieve a 7% year-on-year increase in drinks sales over the three weeks to last Saturday (22 April).

CGA by NIQ’s Drinks Recovery Tracker has shown an 18% increase in the first week of April, followed by drops of 3% and 7% in the next two weeks. Comparisons are skewed by the way Easter dates fell in the calendar in 2022 and 2023, but the threeweek comparison provides the most accurate picture of trading over the period.

The 7% growth shows consumers remain eager to drink out in the On Premise. However, with inflation as measured by the Consumers Prices Index continuing to top 10%, year-on-year sales remained slightly down in real terms over Easter.

In the latest week, sales on Sunday and Monday suffered from comparisons to the key Easter dates in 2022, but they recovered to track 6% ahead on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (19 to 21

CLH Digital

13

April)—before dipping 1% on Saturday (22 April) amid wetter weather.

Wine sales were up by 3% last week, continuing a welcome revival of the category which had a difficult 2022 as the On Premise emerged from COVID-19. Beer sales were flat while cider and soft drinks were down 10% and 13% respectively. The spirits category continues to suffer from tough 2022 comparisons, with sales running 22% behind.

“Considering all the pressure on consumers’ disposable income, the solid performance over the Easter period is encouraging, and shows that they are prioritising the On Premise over other discretionary spend” says Jonathan Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK and Ireland. “With the next five weeks containing three bank holidays we can expect further positive performance, especially if the weekends are accompanied by warmer weather.”

Hoteliers Give a Helping Hand to Bristol Autism Charity Hoteliers in Bristol have given a huge helping hand to a charity which supports thousands of people in the city who are affected by autism.

At its recent AGM, the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) presented a cheque for more than £3,500 to the Bristol Autism Support (BAS) organisation.

Most of the money was raised through a raffle at the recent BHA ‘Night of the Stars’ event, a glittering gala which recognises the city’s hospitality heroes.

Imran Ali, the BHA’s Head of Charity, said: “Our decision to partner with Bristol Autism Support was driven by a unanimous desire to encourage change and support for our local communities.

“We were delighted with the amount raised at the 2023 Night of the Stars event in March and we know it will make a positive difference to many, many, families throughout the city.

“We aim to provide further help for the BAS through a range of other, smaller, fund-raising events throughout 2023.”

Louise Mills, Operations Manager for Bristol Autism Support, said: “We had the honour of attending the

Night of the Stars gala as the charity partner of Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA).

“It was inspiring to see so many individuals and teams from hotels across the city being celebrated and receiving awards for outstanding contributions in their work.

“The amount raised over the course of the evening will make an enormous difference to the support BAS can give to parents and carers of autistic children in Bristol and the surrounding areas.“We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with the Bristol Hoteliers Association, in particular Raphael and Imran, whose encouragement during the Night of the Stars helped us raise such a huge amount for Bristol Autism Support.”

BAS began as a small pub group in 2012 but has grown into a respected charity with more than 3,000 local families in its network.

It is a peer-to-peer support charity for parents and carers of autistic children, either diagnosed or undiagnosed, in Bristol.

Its goal is to improve outcomes for autistic children by providing their parents/carers with information and timely support while connecting them with other parents and carers, to share experiences, knowledge and provide mutual support with like-minded people.

Coronation Fortnight Delivers a £205m Tourism Boost to London Issue 159

CLH Digital

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rentals available over the Coronation fortnight has climbed 6.5% on last year to 81,818.

London will receive a tourism boost worth over £205million during Coronation fortnight, helped by the arrival of 30,595 more overseas visitors than last year, research by Key Data reveals today.

Revenue per available room (RevPAR) — a key measure of revenue strength across the hospitality industry — is up a staggering 50.1% annually. Short term rental operators in the capital are enjoying a 59.9% increase in revenue overall.

The historic event has sparked a surge in bookings with international visitor numbers up 75.1% compared with the same period last year.

Overall arrivals in London, including from across the UK, are 47.4% higher year on year. This compares with just a 9% rise in the number of people taking trips in England as a whole.

Sally Henry, VP of Business Development at Key Data, said: ”London will be full to bursting as royal fans from all over the world head to the capital to experience the atmosphere generated by this historic moment for themselves.

Analysis from Key Data, which tracks trends in the short term rental market, shows London can expect an extra 30,595 overseas visitors during the Coronation fortnight, totalling 71,378 foreign tourists. That alone has provided the capital with an additional revenue windfall worth an estimated £20m, including spending money and the cost of hotels and short-term rental accommodation.

All international visitors to London will spend an estimated £67,614,561 during the first half of May1 — while all 192,406 tourists in the capital will shell out an estimated £205,137,727 over the same period, providing a massive lift to the hospitality and tourism industries.

Nightly rates are up approximately 16% year on year to £186 while there has been a 29.4% improvement in occupancy. While the supply of hotel rooms will have remained relatively static, the number of short term

“London is always a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, driving huge numbers of visitors all year round. The jump we’re seeing over Coronation fortnight is testament to the pulling power of the history and pageantry Britain is so famous for. The crowning of a king has become the crowning glory in London’s economic story this year and it’s the entire tourist industry’s chance to shine on the world stage.

“Short-term rental hosts are really feeling the benefit because they’re the cornerstone of London’s tourism economy. Occupancy, average daily rates and RevPAR are all up, but so are the number of properties on offer.

This speaks to how the short-term rental industry has this incredibly important flexibility built in, which the traditional hotel industry just cannot offer.”

Businesses Support Deaf Awareness Week It is Deaf Awareness Week (1-7 May 2023) and RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are calling on everyone to be deaf aware!

tap on the shoulder to get someone’s attention. Face the person you’re speaking to so they can lipread, and speak to them, not their interpreter or anyone else with them.

People who are deaf or have hearing loss have individual communication needs and you should ask how best you can communicate with them.

REPEAT AND REPHRASE – if someone doesn’t understand you,

RNID is encouraging people to use E.A.R. to help them remember simple tips they can use to make communication easier:

try repeating what you said or rephrasing it in a different way. If this doesn’t work, you could write it down, or speak to a friend or relative if they ask you to.

ENVIRONMENT – reduce background noise or move to a quieter area. And make sure the room is well lit if the person relies on lipreading.

Following E.A.R. can make the difference between your friend, family or colleague being part of the conversation or left struggling on the side-lines.

ATTENTION – use simple gestures such as pointing, waving or a light

For support or information, please visit rnid.org.uk

SURVIVING 16

CLH Digital

Issue 159

An Open Letter to Readers of CLH News

By David Hunter, The Bowden Group (www.bowdengroup.co.uk)

So … look at your website … how easy IS IT to book direct with you?

We have also been looking hard at the in-room complimentary stuff like hairnets for the shower, how many towels, soaps, gels etc we put out.

Many of the Budget operators now will not clean a room unless that is specifically requested. However, I am not a great fan of that, as its not what we traditionally expect from an hotel.

We have been introducing automatic on/off light sensors in bedroom corridors.

And … some Budget operators have been centrally (at Reception) over-riding the settings that the customer sets on the bedroom heaters … turning them off automatically between the late-night ‘’sleeping’’ hours.

FOOD GP% I have a few big tips here: 1. Cost out your menu items in great detail, and formally, and on a suitable spreadsheet

Ok … we all know that we have been through some very difficult times over the last few years.

If you are still here … VERY WELL DONE … but don’t get to complacent, ‘’cos it ain’t over yet’’ …

I am often asked ‘’how can we survive’’ ?

There are always things that we can do to reduce the overhead costs in any business: Working with a Hotel client in the North West of England, we were recently asked to use our weekly eMailed report on the business’s Profitability to get the staff’s support for reducing usage of gas and electricity.

Common sense you might have thought.

What happened though really did amaze me.

It wasn’t just that the units of power used weekly reduced by 20% … it was that we COULD save that huge amount … just by asking staff to participate.

Yes, it IS a bit sad that we COULD reduce power usage so much, but the fact that we did do that shows the power of just talking to the Team, and getting their support.

It is clear that the staff feel they have a vested interest in helping the hotel get through an approaching massive increase in Power costs per unit, and that THEY WANT TO HELP. Sounds familiar?

This is the fourth Recession that I have worked though in my role, and by now I am ready for the fallout of a Recession … but … it never ceases to surprise me HOW everything changes during and after such a period … and it never changes in the same way.

I often say that in Hospitality, Profit is largely driven by: • Sales … Overall, and Departmental • Bedroom Sales and the Costs of cleaning those rooms • Food GP% • Drinks GP% • Labour Costs I promised I wouldn’t write a book for you to print (thinking of the printing costs), so let’s just dip into these one at a time … highlighting the bigger issues or the ‘’quick wins’’ … as there are things we CAN do to help the situation, and we will focus on those.

SALES … OVERALL, AND DEPARTMENTAL We need to up our game on Marketing … not just increasing the number of people that come to use our facilities, but increasing the Spend per Head of all of those that do use our the businesses.

If we attract some new customers, and get existing customers to spend more per visit … we stand an even better chance.

2. Do those costings every single month … not twice a year as used to be acceptable 3. Make very sure that are achieving the right level of GP% on every single dish. There is no such thing as an Industry Standard GP% … it all depends on the type of establishment, what it is, where it is, and how it operates.

4. Reduce the menu size if you can … and use the same ingredients in a number of different dishes … reducing the number that you need to buy in.

5. Negotiate, and renegotiate, and seek at least two other suppliers to compare with to get the best purchase prices for what foodstuffs that you need to buy in. The tough ones might well be: Fruit & Veg / Fish / Meat / Cheese / Oils 6. Get advice on what your Food GP% SHOULD BE.

DRINKS GP% My best tips here are: 1. Take the time to establish what GP% you need … not just overall, but per category of drink (as defined by a licensed stocktaker) 2. Make sure that you price accordingly to be able to achieve your target GP% overall 3. Get help on the Wines side … there is a whole separate pricing strategy for GP%s on Wines, on different types of wine and on the different glass sizes. Call me if in doubt.

4. Try to reduce the Wine List a bit if you can … that helps with cashflow 5. Get advice on what your Food GP% SHOULD BE.

LABOUR COSTS Here there is no choice … you MUST ACT … and NOW … Labour costs just keep going up … never down … and the Minimum Wage doesn’t really help us in Hospitality.

My top tips are: 1. Do what is known as a Manpower Planning Study.

This identifies exactly how many staff members you need in any one place at any one time … in 15 minute intervals throughout the day … every day … and every day being different.

2. Then, do your rota strictly (as strictly as possible that is) on the numbers that you ACTUALLY NEED …

3. You may need to change the way you employ people … you may well need more Part Time and Casual employees … so that you don’t end up with too many staff on duty at any one time.

4. Get as much flexibility into the manpower system as you can … which can mean you employing MORE people but on LESS hours each.

5. Train your staff well, incentivise them too, but most importantly, respect them and communicate with them.

The ATTITUDE of any member of staff shown towards a customer is paramount, and that often determines whether a Customer returns a second time … and more.

The above will help … but no one should think of it as being easy … it isn’t !!!

SURVIVING … is what we hope happens when you do all that you possibly can.

There are so many special offers and new packages that we can dream up, to increase customer visits.

You also need to be ‘’Relentlessly Optimistic’’ … at the same time.

BEDROOM SALES AND THE COSTS OF CLEANING THOSE ROOMS

Panic, worry and being miserable are all things that rub off on others very very quickly.

Yes, we have been trying to get more people to book Direct. There are a number of ways we can do that … but asking guests to book direct in future certainly works.

Give me a call on 07831 407984 or 01628 487613

As good as the online OTA agencies ARE … the more people we can get booking direct with us, the better, as it reduces that extra Commission cost.

I will be happy to help. If you quote ‘’I saw you in CLH’’ … the first on-line Video Call session with me will be totally Free Of Charge.

If you think that I can help you at all …

P&G Professional: Reduce Energy Without Compromising Results

Against the backdrop of the current energy crisis and impending net zero targets, companies are now more aware than ever as to how much their practices are impacting the environment. Customers are also increasingly conscious of the products businesses use, and how sustainable they are. However, an emphasis on sustainability should not come at the expense of product performance. Businesses need commercial solutions that can save energy and conserve energy without compromising results.

For example, Ariel® Professional is specifically formulated to provide an outstanding clean, even at colder temperatures, meaning businesses can save energy and in turn save money on bills, while still achieving a spotless clean. In fact, making a simple change such as switching temperature from 60°C to 30°C can save up to 60% on washing machine bills!

P&G Professional’s trusted brands – including Ariel® Professional, Lenor® Professional, Fairy® Professional, Flash® Professional– are formulated to provide an outstanding clean even with one wash, short cycles and low water temperatures, giving professionals confidence that their business will always shine.

*Cost of electricity saved for laundry when washing at 30C vs 60C cycle and for automatic dishwashing when using a short cycle (average 47C) vs. a normal cycle (average 57C). Plus cost of gas saved filling in a 10L bucket of water at 20C vs 50C for surface cleaning and a 45L sink at 20C vs 46C for hand dishwashing. Energy cost saving based on average H1 2022 electricity and gas prices (incl. taxes) for businesses in the United Kingdom source Eurostat (Statistics for European Commission).

Based on 4 washes per day (1460 per year) for both hand and automatic dishwashing, 1 wash per day (365 per year) for surface cleaning, and 10 loads per week (520 per year) for laundry.

Learn more on: https://pgpro.co.uk/en-gb/

TO READ OR SIGN UP FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR VISIT WWW.CATERERLICENSEE.COM

Coronation Weekend Kicks Off CAMRA's Summer of Pub 18

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The Campaign for Real Ale encourages people to head down to their local and support the trade for the Coronation bank holiday and the start of their annual Summer of Pub campaign.

These can be submitted to CAMRA’s Events platform, allowing beer and cider lovers to seek out pubs, clubs and taprooms that are running Summer of Pub events nearby.

Pubs and breweries across the UK will be organising events over the summer months, whether it be an open mic night, ale trail, pub quiz or tap takeover, as part of CAMRA’s Summer of Pub.

Commenting, CAMRA’s Campaigns Director, Nick Boley said: “I think we’re all looking forward to summer after a tough winter that has seen the pub trade, brewers, and consumers hit hard by parallel cost-of-living and cost-ofbusiness crises. This Coronation bank holiday is the perfect time to start Summer of Pub celebrations with a visit to the pub, to enjoy the community spirit that only a pint of real ale or cider down the local can bring.

The past few years have presented an enormous challenge for the pub and brewing industry, as venues have faced skyrocketing energy and business costs.

The Summer of Pub campaign aims to support and promote pub and clubgoing throughout the summer and there’s plenty to celebrate.

“Summer of Pub has much more to come, including the return of Pub Pride from our friends at Ask for Clive, celebration of the Women's Football World Cup, Better Transport Week run by partner organisation Campaign for Better Transport, and of course the publication of CAMRA’s latest Good Beer Guide – which last year had a foreword contributed by King Charles III as the Prince of Wales.

The start of the campaign coincides with the Coronation weekend and the extended licensing hours for venues in England and Wales, making it the perfect time to enjoy a pint of cask ale or real cider. CAMRA is calling on all consumers to take advantage of the bank holiday to support their locals.

Licensees can join the celebrations too, helping spread the word with a wide range of bespoke marketing materials available from the campaign’s website free of charge. CAMRA is encouraging its network of over 150,000 members to get their local pubs involved in the campaign, and host events of their own.

“I encourage everyone to head to their local this weekend and start their Summer of Pub!”

Yhangry Hosts First Annual The Foodie Heroes Awards To Highlight the Stories Behind The Food

Yhangry, the UK's fastest-growing private chef marketplace, as seen on BBC’s Dragons Den and backed by Silicon Valley accelerator YCombinator, yhangry, held its first annual Yhangry Foodie Heroes Awards on 26th April 2023 at Refettorio Felix at St Cuthbert's Centre.

Private Chef Of The Year Rising Star Chef Of The Year Supper Club Of The Year Vegan & Plant-Based Chef Of The Year Cookbook Author Of The Year

With categorise across Media, Chefs and Supply Partners, yhangry welcomed 90 esteemed guests including a range of content creators, local businesses and chefs. With 700+ chefs from across the UK, Yhangry is uniquely positioned to support local businesses and entrepreneurs while elevating their stories.

As the world begins to recover from the pandemic, it is more important than ever to celebrate the thousands of impacted individuals and businesses that have gone above and beyond to create memorable customer experiences. A short- list of nominees will be selected by a public vote, with the winners finalised by a panel of esteemed judges including Nikita Pathakji, winner of MasterChef: The Professionals 2022 and Syabira Yusoff, winner of Great British Bake Off 2022 who were in attendance on the evening.

The winner of the award were as follows:

Food Blog Of The Year Event Decorator Of The Year Self Catered Venue Of The Year

Thomas Middleton Layla Powell Niyi Olopade - Novice Kitchen Fran Currie Mark Studley Annabel Karmel Recipe Developer Of The Year Kate Dowse Event Planner Of The Year Alice Bicknell - Vivencia Specialist Food Retailer Of The Year Fine Food Specialist Food And Event Photographer Of The Year Emma Boyns Drink Supplier Of The Year Black Lines Halal Chef Of The Year Mouhoub Madouni Caterer Of The Year Jordan & Hannah - Wingz N’ That Pop-Up/Street Food Seller Of The Year Nathan Farquharson - LJ Hugs Food Content Creator Of The Year Wan Ting Amy Reid Jade and Joe Asman- The Wedding Attic Andaz London Liverpool Street

New Award Winning Technology Can Save You 35% To 55% On Cooking Oil in Deep Fryers If you own a restaurant or a kitchen with a deep fryer, then you might be surprised at how much you spend every year on cooking oil. Have you ever calculated this direct cost? If you haven’t, then you should, because Canadian Company, Eco Friendly Chef Corp. is helping thousands of professional kitchen operators to dramatically cut their oil costs in half.

A new innovative product called OiLChef is revolutionizing the food industry. The award-winning OiLChef device is one of the most sophisticated technologies available in the world for deep fryers today. It is not a filter or a chemical, but rather a device which is simply installed in your deep fryer in less than 10 seconds!

Putting the OiLChef in your fryer will give you a competitive edge and attract more consumer dollars. Your fried food items will absorb less oil and therefore will contain fewer calories. Good for the consumer, good for the bottom line.

Reduce carbon footprint: It will minimize your environmental impact through a reduction in energy and oil consumption.

Faster service: Food cooks quicker.

Reduce food waste: Food is crispier and holds its shape and texture for longer. Great for food delivery.

Zero flavour transfer: It prevents flavour transfer between different foods being cooked in the same oil.

Kitchen smoke and frying odours: It reduces the smoke and odours of frying in your kitchen/restaurant. Creating a more pleasant working and dining experience and minimizes the workload on your air filtering systems and maintenance.

Health & safety: It reduces the smoke point of your oil, and thereby lowers the risk of a deep fryer fire. Also, staff interaction with changing the fryer oil is cut down by at least half, reducing risk of accidental burns and oil spillage.

Reduce operating costs: It gives you the opportunity to cut down or move away from costly monthly additives required to improve oil quality. Fewer people hours are required each month for fryer changes.

For further information visit www.oilchef.co.uk Contact Louis Farry by phone or email: louis.farry@oilchef.com or Tel. 07448419664

MONE Y GUAR BACK ANTEE .

3 YE A WARR R ANTY .

New Award Winning Technology can SAVE YOU 35% TO 55% ON COOKING OIL in deep fryers.

REDUCING COSTS Increasing Margins

We strongly believe in cutting costs without compromising quality.

We look forward to the day that all food industries will join our Eco Friendly quest.

Until then we will provide eco friendly solutions that will help them all to reduce their carbon footprint.

Why spend all that money on oil, energy and labour when you can dramatically reduce these costs today?

www.oilchef.co.uk

Contact Louis Farry by phone or email: louis.farry@oilchef.com Tel. 07448 419664

Who Has Made the Semi-Finals of the Graduate Awards 2023?

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After receiving an impressive number of entries into the Graduate Awards 2023, the Craft Guild of Chefs has whittled the entry list down to just 36. These ambitious chefs will now be heading to either Watford or Sheffield to take part in the semi-final stage of the award.

The Graduate Award is a practical and theory exam which is aimed at chefs aged under 25 who are looking to test their skills, put themselves in the spotlight and connect with like-minded peers. It was founded in 2002 by Steve Munkley, Vice-President of the Craft Guild of Chefs who wanted to give chefs an award to work towards once in the workplace. Over the last 21 years, it has developed and grown to help meet the demands of modern kitchens. As well as the Kitchen/Larder exam, it now includes a Pastry award which is spear-headed by Will Torrent, senior development and innovation chef at Waitrose & Partners.

The semi-finals will take place on Tuesday 20th June at West Hertfordshire College in Watford and on Thursday 22nd June at Sheffield College. Those who make the grade will then go through to the final at University of West London on Friday 1st September. All those who make the final will be invited on the Guild’s annual mentoring trip which this year sees chefs being taken on a culinary tour of Suffolk in July.

Taking part in the Watford heat will be: -

Darragh Ryan, 36 On The Quay Restaurant with Rooms Harvey Barker, The Botanical Rooms at The Newt in Somerset Elliot Wakefield, Savoy Grill Sam Reynolds, The Fat Duck Liam Balmer, Lucknam Park Hotel Luke Morton, The Tudor Pass, Great Fosters Hotel Alessio Sneider, Soho House, 76 Dean Street Zach Colburn, House of Commons Nathan Cooper, Goldman Sachs, BaxterStorey Matthew Mark Crane, Royal Air Force Club Jack Baldwin, The Angel Inn at Topcliffe Perran Clark, New Coast Kitchen Allocated a place in the Sheffield heat are: -

Brandon William Stokoe, Jesmond Dene House Angus Paul Levell, The Caddy Mann Restaurant Michael Jones, Fletchers Grantley Hall Megan Beale, Dumbleton Hall Daniel James Cox, Morston Hall Hotel Connor Gray, Talbot Hotel in Malton Jamaar Semper, Lucknam Park Hotel Chloe Williamson, Prestwold Hall Ivan Barzev, Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa Jack Newbold, No. 23 Uppingham Restaurant Georgia Hackett, City of Liverpool College Jason Cargill, The Rookery Restaurant & Bar The pastry semi-finalists who will sit the exam in Watford include: -

Paige Hill, Pentonbridge Inn Owen Morgan Roberts, Rabbit Blessing Olusile, Pillars Restaurant Stephanie Grace Belcher, Coast in Saundersfoot Charlotte Vicars, One Aldwych Hotel Hoi Yan Tam, Sofitel London St James Marija Kuzaite, Ardtara Country House Luke Watkins, Auberge du Lac Jack Kirby, Lygon Arms Hotel Mackenzie Pope, Lucknam Park Hotel Yip Man Ying, Shangri-La Tara Pasotti, Pennyhill Park Hotel Steve Munkley, Vice-President of the Craft Guild of Chefs said: “As the founder, it has been inspiring to see so much interest in the Graduate Awards this year so thank you to everyone who entered. To help the chefs going through to the next stage, we are sharing videos that will help them to practise and be as prepared as possible for the semi-finals as we realise for some of them this will be their first taste of a culinary test like this. I recommend they all work with their senior chefs, take advice and use this opportunity to its full potential as it’s known to open many doors that will help their future careers.”

The Craft Guild of Chefs Graduate Awards wouldn’t be possible without sponsorship from The London Meat Co, Oranka, Savoy Educational Trust, Reynolds, Meiko UK, Essential Cuisine, City and Guilds, Robert Welch, Continental Chef Supplies (CCS), James Knight of Mayfair, Worshipful Company of Cooks, CCE London Ltd, University of West London, Lakeland Dairies, Grande Cuisine, The Caterer, Maldon Salt, NOWAH, Wild Farmed, Villeroy & Boch and Daregal Gourmet.

TSA Gains the Support for Cross-Party Meeting in Westminster SNP member Martyn Day and Conservative Anne Marie Morris raised the issue of the need to support commercial laundries under the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries scheme. Even Grant Shapps the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, mentioned the issue in his recent letter, saying, "I recognise the ongoing challenges for the commercial laundry sector due to significant increases in global energy prices and other cost of living pressures."

TSA met with Derek Thomas, the MP for West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (St Ives), in Westminster this week, to discuss the ongoing issues facing the commercial laundry industry. Association member Luke Edwards from Mounts Bay Laundry in Penzance helped to set up and also attended the meeting, as Mr Thomas is his local MP. Having pitched the case for the industry, the TSA is delighted that Derek Thomas has agreed to sponsor and to help organise a cross-party meeting in Westminster with an invitation to be sent to TSA's members' local MPs. "We are hugely grateful to Derek for his help and for being such a strong advocate for our industry," says David Stevens, CEO of the TSA. Derek had previously visited Mounts Bay Laundry and so had a good understanding of the scale of the industry and its challenges. The Westminster meeting covered a lot of ground, including energy support, labour shortages and, more generally, what the industry can do to ensure that it is visible to the Government going forward. Also, demonstrating the industry's role it plays in supporting the UK economy and how it can help the Government achieve its sustainability targets.

Stevens emphasises the work of the TSA's members and the new Lobbying Steering Group in helping raise the industry's profile. "The work has resulted in many MPs visiting laundries and recognising the importance of our industry."

The rise in the industry's profile is evident in the questions being raised in Parliament - just last month

The aim of the upcoming cross-party meeting will be to provide an overview of the commercial laundry industry. It will underline the value it brings to the UK Economy and the reliance of both hospitality and healthcare on the industry. In addition, it will look to develop a strategy to allow the industry to engage fully in the newly formed Energy Efficiency Taskforce.

"At last, after all the lobbying by TSA and its members, the Government is starting to listen to commercial laundries," says Stevens. "The support from Derek and other MPs is critical if we are to drive the messages home. But this is just the beginning, we can't let up.

There is much work to do."

The TSA is the trade association for the textile care services industry. The TSA represents commercial laundry and textile rental businesses. Membership ranges from family-run operations through to large, multinational companies. Visit www.tsa-uk.org for more information.

Alliance Online Reviews the Latest Buffet Trends and Products As temperatures start to rise and winter becomes a distant memory, the UK hospitality and tourism sectors begin to look to the beginning of the late spring and summer seasons. With one of the largest up and coming trends of 2023 being buffet style dining Alliance Online talk through the newest products to help you take advantage of this theme.

DAPPER DISPLAYS Buffets areas are a staple of most hotels, especially ones which offer breakfast and lunch options. With refined options for crockery, cutlery and glassware it seems only right to match them with an equally premium food display area.

So, if you’re looking to add a touch of sophistication to your display offering we firstly recommend items from Craster’s new range of Fare Display Trolleys. The system is fully modular meaning it can be tailored to your particular taste and layout along with various shelves, pots and rails allowing you to build exactly what you

need.

If you are already happy with your buffet area but want some new ways of displaying the food itself, then Craster have you covered on that front too by way of their Tilt Buffet range. The selection comprises of multi-level stainless-steel riser frames and matching presentation plinths and bowls. The plinths can be made of either walnut, white marble or grey marble whilst the bowls come in brass, grey ceramic and white ceramic giving your displays a stylish and contemporary aesthetic.

VINTAGE IS VOGUE The next buffet trend hitting the industry is vintage serveware and pieces which evoke feelings of retro and rustic vibes. One great range which perfectly encapsulated this antique aesthetic is GenWare’s Vintage Steel collection.

The selection of products include classic black with golden handle mini

serving frying pans, saucepans, and oval dishes along with copper serving cups and ramekins and finished with accenting industrial steel pieces too.

MELAMINE IS GOING MAINSTREAM Finally, we come to our last trend which is the inclusion and rise in popularity in melamine buffet solutions. The durability and versality makes it perfect for catering serveware but the finish ensures that the material doesn’t look plastic. A prime example of a sleek and modern use of melamine is the Hoxton range from Dalebrook with its matte finish and wide variety of dishes and platters making it perfect for any hotel or restaurant buffet area.

For more information on any of the ranges included or other options available for buffet solutions contact Alliance Online on 01270 252333 or email us on hello@allianceonline.co.uk.

UK’s Best Restaurants, Pubs & Bars Revealed at the Casual Dining Awards 2023 22

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Hawksmoor, Loungers, Mission Mars, The Ivy Collection and Dishoom have been named as the UK’s best pub, bar, and restaurant operators at the long-awaited return of the Casual Dining Awards, which took place last week (on 27 April) at the London Marriott Hotel, in Grosvenor Square.

cess. We have more than 1,000 colleagues working hard to deliver for our guests. The awards we received on the night are a tribute to their commitment, enthusiasm, and dedication.”

Stephen Herring at Diversified Communications UK (organiser of the awards and Casual Dining show) says: “The return of the Casual Dining Awards was the best yet. It’s been a great opportunity for this vibrant, passionate, and creative industry to get together and celebrate their successes. It’s exciting to see so much innovation, ambition, and dedication this resilient sector has to offer. Thank you to all the sponsors and judges and congratulations to all the winners!”

Mowgli, Pizza Pilgrims, wagamama, Caravan, Nando’s, Cosy Club, and Hickory’s Smokehouse were among the other leading brands who took home prestigious awards – covering everything from best family dining experience, and menu innovation to best brand marketing and design.

Multiple award winners included Mission Mars / Albert’s Schloss, Hawksmoor, and Bacchanalia.

The Special Award, which goes to someone who isn’t an operator but has made an incredible contribution to the sector, went to Mark McCulloch for his work as the founder of Hospitality Rising. Previous winners of the award include Peter Martin from Peach 20/20 and Kate Nicholls OBE, Chief Executive, UKHospitality. Hospitality Rising seeks to solve the hospitality recruitment crisis and change the perception of hospitality as a career. In the first six months it’s seen over 100,000 applications.

Mission Mars had an evening to remember with Roy Ellis and Neil Macleod winning the coveted Trailblazer of the Year Award and then winning four more awards on the night for its popular Albert's Schloss brand and for Mission Mars as Casual Dining Group of the Year.

Mission Mars co-founder Roy Ellis commented “The Casual Dining Awards are an energetic and enthusiastic celebration of some wonderful businesses in our industry. Hospitality is a tough industry facing unprecedented challenges - it's good to occasionally focus on the positives and celebrate suc-

For further information, including the full list of winners, finalists, and judges, please visit www.cdawards.co.uk/winners-2.

Mitchells & Butlers to Commemorate 125 Years of Serving Mitchells & Butlers, one of the UK’s biggest pub & restaurant operators, has unveiled a season of celebration created to commemorate 125 years of serving guests. A range of activities have been planned to reflect the achievements of the business since its formation in 1898, coupled with outlining commitments for continued innovation, growth and sustainability within the hospitality sector.

The heritage of the Mitchells & Butlers business of today can be traced back to 1898 when two Midlands family brewers joined forces and has grown to today’s business which operates 1,700 pubs and restaurants across the UK. Whilst ownership of the business may have changed along the way, the core proposition at the heart of the business created by Henry Mitchell & William Butler 125 years ago has always been to serve guests with pride.

As part of the anniversary celebrations, Mitchells & Butlers will be engaging with employees, past and present, for a season of celebration with a host of activities planned across the year, including a city-wide treasure hunt hosted by historian Dr Carl Chinn in the group’s heartland, Birmingham, as well as a special party in June.

Guests will also be able to join in the celebrations as three of Mitchells & Butlers’ most-loved brands mark their anniversaries too. Pub brand Nicholson’s who joined the Mitchells & Butlers brand family in 1958 will also be turning 150 this year marking the occasion with a limited-edition gin fizz spritz; while Harvester and

Browns celebrate their 40th and 50th birthdays respectively.

Commenting on the milestone, Mitchells & Butlers’ Chief Executive Offer (CEO)

PHIL URBAN SAID: “After a tough few years, we really wanted to take a moment to celebrate and thank our colleagues, guests and communities, both past and present, for enabling Mitchells & Butlers to play our part in serving up a great hospitality industry experience. As well as recognising achievements from the past, being committed to our future is an important part of this anniversary activity; ensuring sustainability is a key focus of our mission, both to help the health of our hospitality sector but also society from an environmental and social perspective.

Our 125th anniversary celebration coincides with recent recognition for Mitchells & Butlers by The Publican who awarded us as being “Most Sustainable Pub Company” — our future has to be sustainable for people, practices and planet to ensure we can keep serving with pride for another 125 years.”

Thatchers Digs Deep for Pub Gardens Thatchers, the leading family cider maker in the UK, is continuing its support for pubs this spring and summer with the launch of a new competition that offers the chance to win one of three top prizes of a £10,000 garden makeover.

Each winner will be offered a bespoke makeover of their outside space, ensuring the design meets the needs of the winning pub and its customers.

There will also be 10 runners-up prizes of a garden parasol kit, comprising a sought-after Thatchers jumbrella and five eye-catching premium parasols.

All the winners and runners-up will receive a Thatchers sampling event for their outlet.

As British consumers continue to show their love for premium ciders, 1 in every 7 ciders sold in the UK on–trade is from family run cider maker Thatchers, with brands including Thatchers Gold, Thatchers Haze and its new Fusion flavours Blood Orange, Cloudy Lemon and Dark Berry, To enter the competition, pubs simply need to purchase three 50-litre Thatchers draught kegs from participating wholesalers before the closing date of 30th April

2023. For the list of participating wholesalers and the full terms and conditions visit www.thatcherscider.co.uk/pub-garden-makeover Pubs can enter the competition as many times as they like during the promotion period.

James Palmer, Head of On Trade at Thatchers says, “A pub’s outside space, whether a garden or courtyard, however large or small, has an increasingly growing appeal to customers. The addition of plants and shrubs creates an attractive and welcoming environment, with items such as garden furniture, umbrellas and planters adding interest throughout the year.

“The winning pubs will each receive expert advice from our makeover team, who’ll work closely with them to implement the new design in time for the summer season, to create the perfect pub garden for the perfect pint of Thatchers.”

The cider maker’s continued investment into pub support follows its Pledge campaign during the Covid restrictions, which saw over 6,000 pubs receive a free keg of cider.

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT WWW.CATERERLICENSEE.COM

Billion Pound Bonanza for Hospitality in May Issue 159

The combination of the King’s Coronation, Eurovision and three bank holidays means hospitality is set for a bumper month, according to UKHospitality.

The long history of bank holidays providing a boost to footfall and sales, in addition to the first Coronation in 70 years and Eurovision being held in the UK, has contributed to the analysis by UKHospitality that hospitality is in store for an estimated boost of £1 billion.

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UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “May has the potential to be a historic month for the hospitality sector, which is set for one of its busiest times in recent memory.

“We know the British public turn out in their droves for big events and we expect the Coronation and Eurovision to be no different.

The King’s Coronation bank holiday weekend alone is set to deliver an individual boost of £350 million to the sector.

“Whether it’s the traditional street party to celebrate the King or a watch party in Liverpool for Eurovision, hospitality will be at the centre of both events and we anticipate this will translate to a huge uplift in sales for the sector.

The bumper month would come at a crucial time for a sector that is contending with a significant increase in energy costs, record food and drink inflation, continued staffing shortages and a fresh set of rail strikes.

“Bank holidays alone are always popular for eating and drinking out and staycations and combining this with two historic occasions is incredibly exciting for hospitality, at a time when the support of the public is absolutely essential to its survival.”

The Springboard Charity Takes on the World and is Inviting the Hospitality Industry to Join its Virtual Challenge The Springboard Charity is calling for walkers, runners, cyclists and swimmers to join its biggest challenge yet – a race around the globe, virtually visiting the seven wonders of the world.

Supported by headline sponsors CH&Co and Nestlé, the charity’s 3rd virtual race will take place throughout July 2023 raising vital funds to futureproof the talent pipeline for hospitality.

To complete the full challenge and visit all seven wonders, racers will have to achieve approximately 31,000 miles. For a team of 20 it’s a stretching challenge but each year’s racers have pushed themselves to the limit so Springboard has increased the challenge to see just how far tenacious teams can get, and how much can be raised for charity along the way.

The virtual races have raised more than £150,000 over the past two years. This makes a huge difference to Springboard’s trainees, allowing the charity to reach more young, unemployed, and underprivileged people, giving them the skills and confidence to secure great jobs in hospitality.

Previous virtual racer, Bidfood’s Catherine Hinchcliff, said: “I was a bit hesitant to participate, but was so pleased to have joined up.

It was such fun and really motivated me to get back on my exercise bike and really go for it!

“The team spirit and competitiveness between our teams pushed me to do way more exercise than I’d done in years, and I really surprised myself.

Lovely to be raising money for such a great cause too.”

The race will use My Virtual Mission to track the miles and move each team along in the race.

Teams are a maximum of 20 people and each team member must pledge to each raise £150 for The Springboard Charity, making it a rewarding and achievable challenge. Everyone who takes part in the virtual race receives a goodie back and branded vest. There are also spot prizes to win along the way.

Registration is £15 per person and team leaders and participants can register at: www.springboard.uk.net/events/virtual-race-to-qatar-and-back/

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Toast in the New King with the Best of British Cocktails Get ready to toast the New King in true British style with the Best British Cocktails. From classic gin and tonics to a boozy vesper martini, British cocktails have always been the favourite choice for celebratory toasts.

Whether you're hosting a street party or enjoying a drink at home, these cocktails are sure to impress. So, let's raise a glass and explore the Best British Cocktails that will add a touch of elegance and tradition to your toast to the New King!

1. The Gunner Cocktail With an unparalleled natural and refreshing taste, The Gunner cocktail is the perfect option for those who want to try something a refreshingly different option made from Ginger. Just simply add ginger ale to a tall glass packed with ice, follow it up with some lime cordial and ass Angostura bitters. Top up with ginger beer, stir, and Garnish with a sprig of mint. For those looking to mix it up with a quick fix, Gunner Cocktail’s The Sinner adds a shot and a half of aged dark rum to classic cocktail recipe, making it the perfect "sundowner" after a long day of street parties.

2. Vesper Martini It would be treasonous to exclude the King’s favourite cocktail from our list. Named after the seductive double agent Vesper Lynd, it is possibly the world’s most famous drink order in history. In a cocktail shaker, combine gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc or dry vermouth, and pour over a cooled cocktail glass. If you are struggling to serve up this movie classic, Whitebox’s Freezer Martini has a license to chill.

3. Pimms Cup No summer garden party is complete without a Pimms Cup. This fruity and flavoursome cocktail recipe is a garden party favourite. The beauty of this quintessentially British cocktail is that you can make it up with whatever chopped fruit and herbs you want, but traditionally it’s mixed with lemonade, strawberries, orange, and cucumber. Use the classic Pimm’s No1 as your base, or make your own using dried bitter orange peel, Burgh Island Gin, and a cup sweet vermouth.

4. Glimet This classic gin-based drink is the perfect blend of sweet and sour and is sure to satisfy your thirst on coronation day. To make it, simply mix gin, lime juice, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a lime wedge. You could even add a royal touch to the cocktail by using a crown-shaped garnish, or by serving it in elegant glassware fit for a king.

5. Bramble A year-round favourite with gin lovers all over the country, this classic cocktail features gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and blackberry liqueur, and is finished with a beautiful blackberry garnish. In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz. of gin, 1 oz. of fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 oz. of simple syrup. Shake well and strain over the crushed ice. Next, drizzle 1/2 oz. of blackberry liqueur over the top of the drink, allowing it to sink to the bottom. For a royal touch, why not try shaking things up by using some of Britain’s best independent gins such as Poetic License Northern Dry Gin.

Black Sheep Brewery Enters Administration malt delivered and are busily making more beer and can supply everyone as normal. So, if you’d like to help us, get out to your local and sup some Black Sheep!”

A North Yorkshire brewery has appoint administrators after failing to attract new investment. The Black Sheep Brewery, which employs 50 people, said in April it was undertaking a review to look at funding options, including a potential sale or merger.

CAMRA’s Real Ale Cider and Perry Campaigns Director Gillian Hough said: “The fact that one of the UK’s most recognisable independent family brewers has put out a notice to appoint administrators shows just how serious the cost-of-business crisis is for brewers and cider makers. Despite some support being available, CAMRA believes that Government simply hasn’t done enough to ensure that brewers are not forced to close by events beyond their control.

The company said it had been “hit very hard” by the pandemic and rising costs. The board said the decision to appoint Teneo Financial Advisory Ltd would protect the interests of its creditors.

Charlene Lyons, chief executive and executive chair of Black Sheep Brewery, said the company had done its “utmost to deliver new investment” but it had not been possible.

“Black Sheep is still actively brewing and producing beer, while their Board are working hard to secure a sale of the business which will protect jobs and ensure they can continue to trade.

“We are progressing with our discussions around a sale of the business,” she said.

Ms Lyons said the firm hoped to achieve continuity for the brewery and its staff.

“We have taken the decision to protect the business and its creditors, during this period, by filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators.”

A spokesperson for Black Sheep Brewery shared an update on social media, and said: “Thanks for all the supportive messages since our announcement, but we’ve not gone anywhere! We’ve just had 22 tonnes of

“Imminent hikes in fixed costs like business rates and alcohol duty mean brewers and cider makers across the UK will be facing the same ‘perfect storm’ as the Yorkshire brewery. Black Sheep ales appear regularly at CAMRA events and their cask range is a much-loved sight at bars across the nation’s pubs, so we hope a solution can be found which secures Black Sheep’s future.”

Eurovision: Unite Calls for Fair Pay and Treatment of Liverpool Hospitality Workers Issue 159

During Eurovision week (8 May to 13 May) in Liverpool, Unite, the UK’s leading union, will launch a drive to win fair treatment and pay for the city’s hospitality workers with a number of events.

Next week, Liverpool will see a huge influx of visitors as it hosts the Eurovision Song Contest, bringing in millions of extra revenue for the city’s hospitality industry. While Eurovision is a cause for celebration in Liverpool, low paid workers in bars, restaurants and hotels will face a huge increase in workloads.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Liverpool’s hospitality employers will be taking full advantage of the boom in custom during Eurovision. Meanwhile, the low pay and insecure work hospitality staff suffer will continue, with no share in the rewards reaped by the contest, despite them bearing the brunt of the extra work.

“That’s why during Eurovision and after it, Unite will be helping Liverpool’s hospitality workers to organise collectively. Unite is intent on giving them the tools and support they need to force employers into addressing

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their concerns and paying a proper living wage.”

UnionVision is being launched during Eurovision week as part of Unite’s drive for Liverpool hospitality workers to be paid at least the Real Living Wage of £10.90 per hour. Unite is also working to ensure hospitality workers in the city to be on secure contracts, to receive 100 per cent of their tips and be free from sexual harassment and abuse.

Unite hospitality organiser Caitlin Lee said: “Unite is concerned that employers will use Eurovision as an opportunity to grab the extra millions the competition will bring in, but pass nothing on to their workers but more pressure and worse working conditions.

“It does not have to be this way – Eurovision is a chance for employers to raise their game and show the world they are leading the way in treating workers fairly. Unite calls on them to grant the union access to workplaces to ensure this happens.”

Kitchen Porter of the Year Celebrates its First Decade with Biggest Prizes Ever Once again it’s time to nominate the heroes hidden in your kitchen

times, so it’s never been more important to highlight their brilliant work.”

2023 sees Kitchen Porter of the Year reach its tenth anniversary. The competition, which is organised by Winterhalter UK and The Caterer, aims to celebrate the amazing work kitchen porters do in professional kitchens across the UK.

Since its launch in 2013, hundreds of businesses and organisations across the UK have nominated their star KPs, recognising the exceptional yet so often unrecognised and unrewarded work they do.

This year’s prizes are the biggest to date. The grand winner will not only bag a brand new Winterhalter worth £10,000 for their workplace, they’ll also get £1000 of vouchers for themselves as well as an exclusive celebration event in London for their friends and family. Two runners up will each get vouchers worth £250, and because every KP deserves recognition every nominee will receive an exclusive KP of the Year apron.“I’ve been a KP, it’s a job that requires dedication and skill,” says Stephen. “Down the years we’ve seen countless examples of KPs going above and beyond in all sectors of the industry, from fast, casual to fine dining, from hospitals, schools and prisons and football grounds to oil rigs, and we hope that our tenth year sees yet more great companies and organisations nominating their kitchen porters for this award.”

“The past few years have been pretty tough for a lot for the industry,” says Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter UK. “Like everybody, KPs have had to work harder than ever to adapt to these trying

To enter, simply fill in the form here. . Closing date for entries is 29th July 2023, and the winners will be judged by a panel of some of the biggest names in the foodservice industry.

Kitchen porters play an essential role in keeping kitchens organised and running smoothly. Not only is the work itself vital, but as can be seen in how many of the industry’s top names started out as KPs, it’s the ideal foundation to a great career in foodservice.

WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR EVENTS! We here at CLH News are looking to do a round-up on how the hospitality industry and individual businesses have celebrated the momentous occasion.

Please send us photos and details of your events to edit@catererlicensee.com for a special commemorative feature later this month!

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Charities Just a Drop and Street Soccer Foundation Partner to Launch The Travel United Cup 2023 Travel industry charity, Just a Drop, has announced a partnership with the Street Soccer Foundation to launch a new travel-exclusive football tournament.

The Travel United Cup, which will be held on Friday 7th July 2023, will bring together 16 teams to compete at the iconic St. George’s Park, the home of English Football and the ground used for the national England team to train across the year.

It will give attendees the exclusive opportunity to experience playing on the prestigious David Beckham Pitch and exploring the Club England Pavilion, an opportunity that is usually closed off to the public. Alongside the tournament itself, attendees will be invited to take part in a ‘skills zone’ to practice their penalties and learn new tricks.

The tournament is the brainchild of Andy Mabbutt who said, “I got involved in the Street Soccer Foundation over a year ago and it has absolutely blown me away how much of a positive game changing impact the foundation makes upon many young people’s lives. To do this in partnership with another wonderful, amazing charity, Just A Drop, whom I have had the privilege and pleasure in supporting on many occasions, is a hugely rewarding combination. I love my football and more importantly I simply adore the travel industry and the people in it, and to bring both together to create an event that will make a difference to less fortunate young people is a no brainer and incredibly exciting.”

And Founder of Just a Drop, Fiona Jeffery OBE said, “The travel industry has a reputation of competing to

be the very best – this is a chance to compete for and take home a different accolade – an industry cup that proves once and for all which travel company is the best…at football. All whilst transforming lives both in the UK and across the world”.

The Travel United Cup is also a once in a lifetime opportunity to play at the home of English football whilst supporting two organisations dedicated to making positive change.

Having started at WTM in 1998, international water charity, Just a Drop, works directly with communities in Asia, Africa and Latin America to enable access to sustainable, safe water solutions, sanitation facilities and knowledge of safe hygiene practices.

Since conception, the travel industry has helped Just a Drop to support 1.9 million people across 32 countries with community-owned safe water and sanitation projects, transforming lives.

To enter the tournament, companies or individuals need to put together a team of 7-10 people and sign up through Just a Drop’s website here. Entry is £2,000 per team and we also have several sponsorship opportunities available from £1,000 up to £6,000 for the headline sponsor. For any questions about registering or sponsorship please email Ruth Mileham at ruth.mileham@justadrop.org.

So, do you think you could’ve done a better job than Harry Kane in that quarter-final? Dust off your football boots and grab some teammates to prove once and for all, you are the best in the travel industry!

Scotch Whisky is Made To Be Measured in New Responsible Drinking Campaign The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has launched a new campaign as part of its ongoing efforts to promote responsible consumption and tackle harmful drinking.

Made to be Measured aims to raise awareness of the alcohol content of drinks and the recommended weekly guidelines (units). As Scotland’s national drink, carefully crafted and only released after many years of maturation in warehouses across the country, Scotch Whisky is there to be savoured and enjoyed responsibly. The campaign, aimed at adults in Scotland, will run across a range of digital and consumer platforms, all using creative advertising to help convey and clarify the units within Scotch Whisky and other alcoholic drinks.

One single 25ml measure of whisky (at 40% abv) comes in at one unit, with guidelines from Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer recommending consumers do not regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week. Fourteen units of alcohol equate to approximately 14 single measures (25ml) of spirits, one and a half bottles of wine or five pints of lager at average strength.

Research from the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland found that awareness of the recommended guidance for weekly alcohol consumption remains low.

Mark Kent, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, said: “Scotch Whisky is an iconic product with

a diverse consumer base, enjoyed in many forms including as a dram, or in a cocktail. However you enjoy your whisky, it is a product that is meant to be sipped and savoured. Distillers take great pride in the heritage, experience and care that goes into blending and maturing Scotch Whisky and like us, want to see consumers enjoy these incredible liquids in a responsible manner. It’s about quality over quantity.”

“The Scotch Whisky industry takes the responsible consumption of its products extremely seriously. With many people in Scotland still unclear on what the unit guidelines are and how this equates to the volume of alcohol they drink, Made to be Measured aims to drive awareness of this guidance and encourage people to track what they drink, so they can feel informed whilst they enjoy it.”

Billy Walker, Managing Director of the GlenAllachie Distillery in Speyside, and chair of the SWA’s Members’ Forum, said: “This campaign is another important milestone in the Scotch Whisky industry’s continued work to ensure its products are enjoyed responsibly throughout Scotland. The whiskies we produce have been skilfully crafted over many years, and we are proud of our products and their place on the world stage. We look forward to participating in this campaign to raise awareness and understanding of alcohol units and recommended drinking guidelines among Scottish consumers.”

“Masters of Travel” Board to Seek Solutions in the New Era of Corporate Travel Hospitality group Accor will bring together 10 leading businesses from across Europe to host its 2023 “Masters of Travel” advisory board meeting on 9 and 10 May 2023.

The advisory board was established in 2021 to create a vision for business travel and corporate meetings post-pandemic. The panel will connect European business leaders responsible for corporate travel from across 10 industries and senior executives from Accor to explore corporate priorities in the new era of business travel.

Delegates will attend from leading firms across multiple sectors, including the technology industry, legal, energy, engineering, FMCG, Pharmaceuticals and professional services. Executives from the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Spain and Poland will come together in Belgium at the Le Louise Hotel Brussels, part of the MGallery collection.

The Carbon Footprint of the event has been calculated using Accor’s Carbon Calculator and the carbon offset via certified carbon credits. Carbon credits are an investment in emission reductions to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Topics for discussion at the event will include environmental, social and governance (ESG) as an ongoing key focus for corporate travel organisers and the hospitality industry. The group will also look at the smartest ways for corporates to manage payments; issues around the increasing propensity for business travellers to blend work and leisure trips; and how hospitality companies can better support business travellers through loyalty programmes.

Sophie Hulgard, Chief Sales Officer, Accor and Co-Host of Masters of Travel commented: “The world of corporate travel is still changing quickly and both clients and hospitality businesses need to learn how to adapt to the new demands and priorities of organisations and business travellers.

The Masters of Travel event has been invaluable in shaping our thinking around business travel and it is crucial that we continue this dialogue in order to fully understand what businesses are thinking and work collaboratively to create solutions that meet their objectives.”

The board will share its findings, insights and actions as part of a series of three reports Accor will develop in the coming months, focusing respectively on leisure travel; business travel; and MICE.

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ISSUE 159 Issue 159

CIDER- A BRITISH “LOVE AFFAIR” THAT JUST KEEPS GROWING!

Cider has been a beloved drink in the UK for centuries, with a rich history and a strong cultural association with summer and outdoor drinking. In this article, we explore the British love affair with cider, including its popularity in pubs, bars, and beer gardens, the history of the drink, the demographic age groups that consume it, and cider sales data for the past ten years. We will also provide tips and advice on how pub bar owners can increase sales.

category, more consumers are becoming interested in alternative offerings.

POPULARITY IN PUBS, BARS, AND BEER GARDENS Cider is best drunk in pubs, bars, and beer gardens, particularly during the summer months when customers are looking for refreshing, fruity drinks to enjoy outside.

According to industry data, cider accounts for around 20% of total alcohol sales in pubs, making it the second most popular drink after beer. In 2020, pub and bar sales of cider totaled £1.5 billion, up from £1.2 billion in 2011.

Cider has a long and storied history in the UK, with the first recorded mention of the drink dating back to the 13th century. It was traditionally produced on small farms and orchards, and each region had its own unique cider-making methods and varieties of apple.

MAKING THE MOST OF THE SUMMER MONTHS

In recent years cider has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with a growing number of craft cider producers and a renewed interest in traditional cidermaking methods.

As the summer months approach, pubs in the UK will be looking for ways to increase their sales of cider, a popular drink among customers during the warmer weather. Here are some tips for pub operators to increase their cider sales:

DEMOGRAPHIC AGE GROUPS Cider has long been associated with young people and summer drinking, with the drink being popular among students and festival-goers. However, recent data suggests that cider is increasingly popular among older age groups as well.

years, with data from the National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) showing that cider production increased by 5.5% in 2019.

The UK is now the world's largest producer and consumer of cider, with sales of the drink According to a study by Kantar reaching £3.5 billion in 2019. This represents s le Worldpanel, the number of people over Cider sa a significant increase from ten years ago, the age of 45 who drink cider has d e reach when cider sales were just over £2 billion. increased by 50% in the past decade. This on £3.5 billi Craft cider has been a major driver of the suggests that cider is no longer just a drink in 2019 increase in cider sales, with many consumers for young people, but is now enjoyed by a seeking out artisanal and traditional varieties of wide range of age groups. the drink. According to data from Nielsen, sales of Cider is a popular drink in pubs, bars, and beer gar- craft cider increased by 10.4% in the past year, howdens across the UK, particularly during the summer ever, mainstream ciders continue to grow with an months. Many pubs and bars now offer a range of uplift of 2.1% for mainstream cider brands. ciders, from traditional farmhouse varieties to craft ciders and flavoured ciders.

for fruit cider customers.

We do see drinkers come into cider from other categories over the summer months especially as they explore fruitier options!

With that in mind, we’re expecting Thatchers Blood Orange to boom this summer as it is the leading trending flavour across the UK”

WESTON'S CIDER REPORT

According to Westons’ eighth annual Cider Report: • On-trade cider sales were worth £1,863.4M (+61.5%) in 2022, as the premium and crafted sub-categories continue to outpace mainstream ciders.

• Draught cider sales hold steady, at 76.2% of the market. Apple continues to make up the majority of the draught category (75.4%) and anecdotally it is recognised that draught ciders are seen to offer better value When considering your cider selection, for money during times of austerity, so we can start with the apple – ensure you have a Draft c expect this performance to be maintained, if not id er represe well-loved premium brand on the bar nts 76.2 exceeded, in 2023. % such as Thatchers Gold. of all c id • Bag in Box continues to reinvigorate draught sold in er The key to success is quality – offering the ranges, as the cask ale category remains in o n trade consumers a brand synonymous with condecline and allows outlets to showcase an sistent quality and ensuring a perfect serve interesting and fully stocked bar. every pint will maximise rate of sale and keep your cider drinkers coming back for more. Thatchers Gold has the highest rate of sale of any draught apple cider.

Trends that will continue growth throughout 2023 The right range with the right profile will help maxand into next year include: imise revenue from every visit too, as you’re able to set a higher price point for premium and premium plus • Premiumisation picks up pace – this long termciders across both apple and flavoured styles. trend is continuing and accelerating, as consumers

MARKETING: Promoting the pub's cider selection through social media and advertising is an effective way to draw customers in. Posting pictures of chilled glasses of cider and advertising promotions such as happy hours and discounts can create a buzz and increase interest in the pub's cider selection.

FESTIVALS: Hosting cider festivals can also be a great way to generate interest in the pub's cider offerings. These events can be advertised through social media and posters in the pub. Hosting tastings and having knowledgeable staff on hand to answer questions about the different types of cider available can help customers learn more about the product

YOUR CIDER RANGE THIS SUMMER

According to data from CGA, cider sales in the ontrade sector (pubs, bars, and restaurants) have increased by 1.6% in the past year. This suggests that cider remains a popular choice for drinkers, despite competition from other drinks such as craft beer and gin.

CIDER DRINKING TRENDS FOR 2023

Apple cider remains king, accounting for 3 out of every 4 draught cider serves, with premium brands showing the strongest growth, so you see how vital it is to make the best choice with one or two taps on the bar.

WHAT ARE THE LATEST TREND DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN THE CIDER CATEGORY? Charlie Fryday, Category Director, UK On-Trade for HEINEKEN UK says: “Over 870,000 pints of cider are bought in the UK every day (CGA Strategy, MAT 16/07/2022). Draught serves dominate here, with mainstream apple brands such as Strongbow Original and Inch’s Apple Cider, remain best-sellers across most outlet types as mainstream apple cider remains the fastest selling cider category (CGA Strategy: GB MAT Value Share 2YA vs TY (03.12.22).

“However, premium cider is on an upward trajectory, providing a lucrative opportunity for pubs. Value sales of premium draught apple and flavoured ciders have grown by 7% and 195% respectively in the last five years (CGA Strategy MAT TY vs 4YA 16/07/22). To maximise cider sales, operators should look to support mainstream draught offerings with a selection of premium apple, as well as exotic flavoured ciders, on draught. This does not mean bottled cider should be overlooked, as packaged brings in over £5,800 to the average outlet every year (CGA November 2022).”

Cider sales in the UK have been on the rise in recent

If you have strong consumer demand for apple cider in your outlet, consider a second apple tap in a different style – Thatchers Haze complements Thatchers Gold with a sweeter flavour profile.

James Palmer, Head of OnTrade, Thatchers Cider said “Cider is an important category in any pub, at all times of year – if you only have one tap of cider, make sure it’s a brand people want to see.

We’ll be supporting our brands with high profile marketing campaigns this spring and summer.

We work with our customers to get their range right for their drinkers. Depending on if they’re a high tempo outlet or country pub, it’s important to offer a choice of cider styles, one or two taps, Gold and Haze, with our alcohol-free Zero in the fridge. And Fusion

are increasingly interested in the authenticity, craft and connoisseurship of cider. This sub-category is showing the most growth and value potential, growing from 12% of the category in the on-trade in 2021, to 14.4% of total volume sales at the end of 2022.

• Quality cues – During periods of economic uncertainty, consumers in the ontrade will be looking for a quality drink that matches the occasion and so cider ranges must deliver this message – especially when compared with other categories.

• Lead with apple – Apple cider remains the most popular cider type, driving the category in value and volume.

Flavoured ciders have stabilised at around a third of the category, with dark berry taking a significant share of this.

• Low & No – this sub-category is steadily growing and, in the on-trade, is worth £26.9M, having doubled over the past three years. While no and low alcohol cider is behind the total overall

and find new favourites.

PROMOTIONS: Offering promotions such as 2for-1 deals or discounted pitchers of cider can encourage customers to try different types of cider and increase sales. Running themed nights such as "Cider and Cheese Night" or "Cider and BBQ Night" can also be a fun way to showcase the pub's cider selection and encourage customers to try new flavours.

FOOD PAIRING: Pairing cider with food can also be a way to increase sales. Offering a food menu that pairs well with different types of cider can create a unique experience for customers and encourage them to try different types of cider. For example, a sweet cider may pair well with spicy wings, while a dry cider may be best paired with a cheese board.

In addition to these tips, it's important for pub operators to ensure that their cider selection is varied and includes popular brands as well as local and craft options. Providing tasting notes and descriptions can also help customers choose the cider that is right for them.

Overall, with the right marketing, events, promotions, and food pairing, pub operators can increase their sales of cider during the summer months and beyond.

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Chef's Buyer's Guide

PureOaty: Good for the Planet, Good for You New PEPPADEW® Bites - The Ultimate Glebe Farm: The Purest British Oats Pure, locally grown, gluten-free: Nobody does oats better

Oats are a natural superfood. They are packed full of the vitamins, minerals and soluble fibre that helps support a healthy gut, and they are also naturally gluten free.

Unfortunately, many of the oatbased products on supermarket shelves today are milled and manufactured at facilities that also process grains like wheat, barley or rye. This leads to contamination of the oats meaning they lose their purity and become unsuitable for the 1 in 100 of those who are coeliac , or the estimated 10% of UK consumers now following a gluten-free diet .

It was this gap in the market that saw sister and brother team, Rebecca and Philip Rayner, dedicate themselves to producing truly gluten free oats. An independent Cambridge farm and dedicated glutenfree site since 2010, Glebe Farm is the only farm in the UK growing and milling gluten free oats.

Glebe Farm’s wonderfully pure British oats are ready to be used by manufacturers and bakers, and are also used in their gluten free oat drink, PureOaty. The

PureOaty range has been designed as the perfect pairing for barista quality coffee, but is also great with cereal or in a smoothie. The range includes: PureOaty Barista, PureOaty Creamy & Enriched, and PureOaty Organic Barista.

Packed with all the delicious flavour, creamy texture, and delightful frothiness that characterises the best oat drinks, unlike many others on the market, PureOaty never uses concentrate or syrup. The only ingredients you’ll ever see on the cartons are oats, water, sunflower oil, and salt.

And it’s not just oat drinks, the same oats can be found in Glebe Farm’s own brand of gluten free porridge oats and granolas.

100% sown, grown, milled and packed in the UK, the second-generation farmers at Glebe Farm know where every single oat that goes into their products comes from. That means every oat leaving the site is guaranteed to be of the best quality and 100% gluten-free.

Even better, being British grown and produced means they have the lowest food miles on the market, making them the top choice for sustainable oat products.

For more information, please visit www.glebefarmfoods.co.uk

Bite to Pep Up Menus & Profits

With 9/10 consumers looking to indulge when eating outii and 87% of consumers saying they’d order the new bitesiii, PEPPADEW®’s latest innovation is set to take menus by storm. Made in the UK, these delicious new bites balance the sweet, tangy flavour of their signature whole Piquanté Pepper, with a smooth soft cheese filling, coated in a crisp, pankostyle crumb.

WE'RE ON A MISSION Through small, everyday choices -like shifting to plant-based meat- everyone has the ability to make a meaningful impact on some of the most pressing issues our world faces today: human health, climate change, constraints on our natural resources and animal welfare. With products in retail and foodservice

www.peppadewfoodservice.co.uk

Speaking of the PEPPADEW® innovation, Lukasz Lubasinski, Commercial Director, PEPPACO Ltd. said:

100% vegetarian, they meet the demand for tasty flexitarian options, as consumers continue to move away from meativ. Extremely versatile, they’re perfect for starters, sides, tapas, bar bites, or as an addition to sharing-platters. Conveniently frozen, they can be ready in 3-4 minutes, making them the quick and simple way to pep up your menu.

Crucially, these delicious bites can also drive margin, as over 50% of consumers would pay more for PEP-

Beyond Meat - Serious Sizzle Made From Plants There is a better way to feed our future. Founded in 2009, Beyond Meat pioneered plant-based meat that is crafted to look, cook and taste like its animal counterpart while being better for people and the planet. Today, we're growing the plant-based movement globally.

PADEW® Bites than jalapeño poppersii, and each 5kg case offers a £200 return. Their frozen format, 18month shelf life and versatility help minimise waste, providing a sustainable and cost-effective choice.

PEPPADEW® - the UK’s No. 1 pepper brandi - launches new PEPPADEW® Bites exclusively for foodservice.

outlets, we're making plant-based meat more accessible to the everyday consumer.

BETTER FOR YOU OUR PROCESS: Through a simple process of heating, cooling, pressure and mixing, we're recreating the meaty taste and texture you love about animal meat.

OUR INGREDIENTS: Our quality, plant-based ingredients -like peas and brown rice- contain no GMOs, antibiotics, hormones or cholesterol. They're also packed with nutrients, providing you with a great source of protein and other important benefits you get from animal meat.

“Now more than ever every part of your menu needs to taste great, work hard and most importantly drive spend and margin. PEPPADEW® Bites is an exciting, flexible and premium new product that works across a range of eating and drinking occasions as well as major trendsvi - from indulgence and meatfree to sustainability.”

PEPPADEW® Bites are available through leading wholesalers including Bidfood, KFF and Eden Farms.

Visit www.peppadewfoodservice.co.uk for more information.

Beyond Meat products enable you to Eat What You Love™ no sacrifice required.

For example. compared to 80/20 ground beef., our iconic Beyond Burger contains 35% less total and saturated fat. fewer calories and a comparable micronutrient profile.

BETTER FOR OUR PLANET Plant-based meat is far more sustainable to produce than animal-based meat. Compared to a 1⁄4lb. U.S. beef burger, producing an original Beyond Burger uses*: 99% LESS WATER 93% LESS LAND 46% LESS ENERGY TASTING IS BELIEVING Visit www.beyondmeat.com for further information *As of June 2021.

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Issue 159

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Bacchus Wines PLDC Announce UK-Exclusive Deal with Champagne House Paul Lebrun Bacchus Wines PLDC Ltd, an independent wine merchant, offers wines to restaurants, caterers, bars, pubs and wine enthusiasts. The UK-based wine wholesaler sells top-quality, award-winning wines at prices that hospitality businesses can appreciate. They have excellent relationships with family-run winemakers in France, and the team personally select their wines to ensure top quality at great prices. In addition, they handle the import of wine into the UK, solving all freight and trade agreement issues.

Bacchus Wines are pleased to announce its UK-exclusive partnership with champagne house Paul Lebrun. Founded in 1902, the Maison draws its inspiration from multi-generational winemaking know-how. Their Champagnes are top in their class and have beaten the biggest brands on the market in taste tests.

Bacchus Wines Co-Founder Trond Rornes told us, "We are very excited to bring the fantastic Champagnes by Paul Lebrun to the UK market. The Champagne house has been expertly making Champagne for generations, and we love the unique character and the rich taste of Chardonnay their Champagnes offer. We know our customers will love this Champagne as much as we do."

Over the decades, the Vignier-Lebrun family have adopted a progressive outlook to understand bet-

Ariela’s Gelato Gelato is more than just icecream – it’s a pure taste of Italy.

A truly artisan treat, Ariela’s Gelato is the perfect way to indulge in an authentic dessert that is as delicious as it is decadent.

Made with only the finest ingredients, our Gelato is never loaded with artificial additives and preservatives. Instead, we make sure that you are receiving the healthiest, most natural Gelato in keeping with Italian tradition. And unlike mass-produced ice-cream, artisan Gelato is carefully crafted from the heart.

When you forget tradition, you lose taste; and without the artisan, you lose the art. But with Ariela’s Gelato, you experience – and can taste – a true labour of love.

Ariela’s Gelato was born out of a desire to recreate a world that was taken for granted back in Italy. For founder and owner Ariela Cesana, after moving to London, it was impossible to get a true taste of home: “I was so frustrated when I couldn’t find a Gelato in London

like the one I grew up with – so I decided to just make it myself!” And since 2006, Ariela has been on a journey to bring the luxurious taste of Italy to the UK. Made in small batches using only the purest, highest-quality ingredients, our Gelato uses the same traditional processes that can only be found in an authentic Italian Gelateria for a truly artisan, lovingly crafted, authentic Italian Gelato.

What really sets Ariela’s Gelato apart is the artistry and expertise that can only come from true experience and passion. The base of our Gelato is pasteurised, poured into batch freezers, churned, then extracted and decorated by hand, one by one, flavour by flavour.

Care goes into everything we do to make sure you and our customers receive the truest Gelato experience, and when it comes to creating our range, we’ve been passionate about pursuing perfection. Each flavour is a carefully crafted blend of natural ingredients that have been painstakingly tried and tested to ensure you get flavour, not flavourings.

For further information see the advert on this page.

ter and look after the unique terroir to grow exceptional Chardonnay grapes for their cuvees. The grape variety is grown on their chalky soils south of Épernay and on the soils rich in rolled pebbles in Sézanne, which are rare in the Champagne vineyards. These exceptional terroirs must be protected and respected to produce their outstanding Champagne, which is necessary to achieve their Grand cru classification.

Private Chef Tim Whittam told us, "I served the Extra Brut champagne at my supper club. The Champagne solicited much praise from the diners!"

Small yet perfectly curated, the Bacchus Wines PLDC collection is handpicked and personally selected by the founders. They choose quality wines with provenance and integrity, with the utmost importance on the art of winemaking rather than mass production. In addition, they offer prices and service hospitality businesses can appreciate.

For more information, please visit https://bacchuspldc.com/

The Next Generation of Fries Have Arrived… and They Are REALLY Crunchy! quality, taste and heat-holding capabilities, but now the time is right to elevate the fry experience to a new standard in indulgent, sensory potato enjoyment!”

Lamb Weston has launched its latest potato innovation; REALLY Crunchy Fries!

Created to satisfy growing demand for unique sensory dining experiences and sustainably-minded quality ingredients, and designed for the next era of dining out, these ground-breaking coated fries promise an unbeatable long-lasting crunch sensation that no other fry can rival, appealing to diners that want the very best food experiences.

Sensory research by acclaimed audiologist Natan Bauman, MD, revealed that the sensation of crunchy food stimulates feelings of enjoyment and excitement in our brains.† This makes crunchier foods more pleasurable to eat, so REALLY Crunchy Fries means really satisfied diners!

When choosing to eat out, 1 in 2 diners in the UK want food experiences they can’t get anywhere else^ and right now 75% of diners crave indulgent foods that offer sensory pleasure as a means to boost their mental wellbeing and make them feel happier and UK operators want addedvalue products that offer a ‘wow factor’ moment for their guests, whether in-restaurant, takeaway or home delivery.

Pete Evans adds; “We set out with clear vision to create the crunchiest fry we’ve ever made, and with REALLY Crunchy Fries we have cracked it! This is a really new and really exciting product that is uniquely different in appearance and mouthfeel, offering an unbeatable fry experience for diners and an unbeatable product solution for forward-thinking foodservice operators.”

Lamb Weston’s UK Marketing Manager, Pete Evans, says; “Expectations on foodservice operators have never been higher. Guests want to be wowed like never before and every element of a dish needs to deliver a great quality sensory experience that goes beyond just taste! Our industryleading innovations in frozen fries over the past 25 years have created a legacy for world-famous potato solutions in

Ready to experience REALLY Crunchy Fries for yourself?

Visit https://pages.lambweston.eu/en/really-crunchy-fries to request a sample now.

Sources/References:

^ Foresight Factory: Consumer behaviours towards dining OOH, 2022. †C. Spence, 2004 – Journal of Sensory Studies. The Role of Auditory Cues in Modulating the Perceived Crispness and Staleness of Potato Chips, 2004.

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Chef's Buyer's Guide

Discover the Power of Chefs’ Most Trusted Bouillon

*

Tom said: "Using bouillons in kitchens isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about bringing the best out of the ingredients in a dish, adding an extra dimension to your food and making this food accessible and achievable for chefs of all levels.”

Chef Tom Kerridge has joined forces with Knorr Professional Bouillons to launch a new online training hub for chefs. ‘The Base’ contains exclusive recipes, video tutorials and training tools that will help other professional chefs to improve their skills in the kitchen.

Knorr Professional’s Bouillons are available in Powder, Paste and Jelly formats, offering chefs versatility and flexibility in usage and application, plus consistent depth of flavour every time.

As the new Creative Director for Knorr Professional Bouillons, two Michelinstarred Chef Tom has also developed a range of classic recipes with modern, seasonal twists, each using products from the range in a different way. The dishes showcase the versatility of Knorr Professional Bouillons, from delivering depth of flavour at the base through to a seasoning boost, meat rub or salt replacement.

GET TOM’S RECIPES AT UFS.COM/BITB See the advert on the facing page for details. *Aggregated UK wholesaler value sales 52 w/e 27th January 2023

Plant-Based Egg Alternatives from OGGS Riso Gallo - Sensationally Sustainable! ®

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

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

OGGS® Aquafaba is an egg white alternative made from chickpeas, an innovative solution to removing egg whites

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

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

For more information contact trade@loveoggs.com

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

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

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

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

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

ethical houses.

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

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

All Riso Gallo plastic vacuum packaging is now suitable for recycling, following the launch of a new eco-sustainable, low environmental impact plastic. Riso Gallo are the first company to adopt this sustainable packaging.

The Gallo Risotto Traditional, Arborio, Carnaroli, and the Carnaroli Rustico are now in packs using FSC certified cardboard outer to protect the grains.

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

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

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Issue 159

Cleaning and Hygiene Choosing Washroom Equipment & Minimising Costs wear and corrosion, it’s also hygienic and easy to clean, Behind-the-mirror systems are an especially durable option. With all the working elements set behind a mirror, dispensers aren’t subject to accidental knocks and scratches and they stay well-protected against tampering and vandalism.

Such systems may cost more initially, but they should greatly outlast less sturdy alternatives and by requiring less maintenance and fewer repairs and replacements, they should incur substantially lower costs overall.

Providing customers with attractive and properly equipped washrooms is essential for an organisation’s image and, of course, for legal compliance. Often however, the costs of maintaining those facilities can far exceed the costs of installing them.

Typically, the biggest expenses are associated with consumables: the ongoing costs of the soaps, paper towels and toilet tissue used in washroom dispensers and equally, the time and labour costs associated with checking and replenishing them.

Consequently it is often helpful to choose larger-capacity dispensers. They will reduce the need for regular intervention and, importantly, help to ensure that guests don’t find them empty when they need them.

In high-use environments, damage and breakdowns can be costly too, so it makes sense to choose well-constructed dispensers made of robust materials. Stainless steel is an excellent choice; it resists accidental damage,

Good washroom equipment can also make an important contribution to the customer experience. Guests will be quick to notice poorly equipped or badly maintained facilities; the condition of the washroom can say a lot about a business. Specifying more reliable washroom equipment will make an important difference, but stainless-steel products offer another attractive feature: they can be produced in a variety of styles and finishes – brushed, painted and lacquered – to match existing corporate branding.

Finally, many businesses are keen to promote sustainability and here, stainless steel dispensers afford another benefit. Made from 60% recycled content, they can be fully recycled at the end of their long working lives.

Moreover, Dudley Industries’ products are made in a factory using 100% renewable energy, so their carbon impacts are further reduced. For added peace of mind, they are also supported by up to 10 years’ warranty.

edencleen from Cleenol edencleen, from Cleenol, reaffirms our commitment to our credentials for environmental guardianship, and represents an evolution of what has been an integral part of our DNA.

The range covers the essential needs to cover 80% of daily cleaning and include: a washroom cleaner and toilet gel cleaner and urinal deodoriser, an all-purpose surface sanitiser, a degreaser and a washing up liquid, a no rinse floor degreaser, a window cleaner and a laundry detergent and fabric softener.

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

Combining carefully formulated products, with appropriate packaging, using recycled material or recy-

For further information see the advert on this page.

clable componentry, the range’s mostly colourless liquid and low fragrance usage are designed to convey a transparency and straightforwardness of our approach which will be a hallmark of all edencleen products and associated services.

Careful use of enzymatic formulations and more traditional chemistry brings a portfolio of products that’s finely attuned to delivering effective cleaning which when used as instructed helps maintain a neutral environmental impact.

See the advert on this page for further information.

Cleaning and Hygiene Legionella Risk Assessments Legionnaires disease can cause serious illness and even death, it was named after the 1st major recorded outbreak at a conference/gathering in the United States.

The bacteria are present in all water and become an issue when the right conditions for them to proliferate exist. These are; an ideal temperature and some stagnation, the perfect temperature is mid to high 30 degrees C. Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) L8 recommends that an initial Legionella risk assessment is carried out and then a suitable water management scheme is put in place and followed. This will include monitoring of outlets and water tanks and may include regular water sampling and disinfections. The Legionella risk assessment needs to be carried out to BS8580 by a competent, i.e. trained, person.

The bacteria is ingested by human beings in the form of an aerosol and then infects the lungs, the symptoms are similar to flu and also Covid 19. The mild illness is called Pontiac fever and will generally be flu-like and may dissi-

CLH Digital

pate without treatment. The more serious illness can involve hospitalisation including ICU and even death.

Public Health England confirms there were 503 cases of Legionnaires' Disease in 2019 for England and Wales – an average of almost 10 cases a week. (Latest available data).

The most common sources are from showers or other equipment, such as cooling towers, that produce an aerosol. Stagnation is also a major factor in increasing the risk, to mitigate this any low use/seldom used outlets should be run off weekly. Temperature monitoring is also advisable, both of these actions MUST be recorded.

In summation: A current Legionella risk assessment and appropriate water hygiene management and monitoring scheme will prevent the bacteria proliferation within the systems and therefore significantly reduce the risk to Staff and public health. Steve Dillon (Advanced WMSoC Legionella Risk Assessor) Managing Director Stokefield Water Treatment Ltd See the advert on this page for details.

Tork Offers Both Hygienic and Sustainable Skincare Solutions Tork, a leader in professional hygiene solutions have launched two new innovative soaps to cater to specific demands and improve sustainable performance in the hospitality market. The two new high-quality refills come in foam and liquid formats, are dermatologically proven and certified with the EU Ecolabel.

Alongside the increasing demand for effective hygiene solutions, the demand from customers for truly sustainable products is on the rise1.

Besides helping to secure the new hygiene standard through outstanding handwashing solutions, Tork is developing products that support a circular society and our soaps are generally designed to reduce environmental impacts such as water consumption or waste The new Tork Clarity Hand Washing Foam Soap helps promote a healthy and hygienic workplace: 99% of the ingredients are from natural origin2 and designed with sustainability in mind. 7 of 9 ingredients are sourced from vegetable origin, the full formula is readily biodegradable3 and therefore an environmentally con-

Issue 159

scious choice…

The hands of chefs and kitchen staff are subject to heavy wear and tear, especially in the dining and catering industry. The new Tork OdourControl Hand Washing Liquid Soap is special designed for professional chefs so they can focus on preparing and serving safe food. The soap helps prevent the transfer of food residues via the hands while also helping to remove food odours such as fish and garlic. It Both come in factory-sealed one litre bottles with single use pumps that provide a hygienic clean hand wash and help reduce risk of cross-contamination. The bottles collapse as the contents are used, helping to reduce the waste volumes by 70%4.

The demand for skin-friendly and sustainable hand hygiene products is increasing and Tork offers the perfect product combination to ensure the new standard of hygiene.

Please visit: www.tork.co.uk

Legionella risk assessments have been a legal requirement since 2001.

Do you have an up to date one?

If not, contact Steve on 07415713982 or office@stokefield.services We have qualified risk assessors carrying out the work to BS8580

10% DISCOUNT if you place an order quoting Caterer Licensee & Hotelier

All other water hygiene management carried out including:

• Disinfections, domestic and process water sampling • Softener installation and maintenance • ACOP L8 monitoring

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

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Products and Services

Issue 159

Robert’s Dorset – The Perfect Snack We offer keto, vegetarian, vegan, sugar-free, gluten-free and allergen-free crackling, nuts and fudge.

Whether you are a hotelier, landlord or shop owner, Robert’s Dorset have the perfect snacks for you.

Hoteliers. A customer or client arrives.

A snack and a beverage is offered.

What a lovely welcome!

Landlords. Our products cater for every taste.

A drink with a snack is a cherished tradition.

Shop owners. Not only are Robert’s products delicious, they’re also attractively designed and stackable. Our range will look splendid in your store.

Our products:

Proper Pork Crackling. Keto-friendly and allergenfree with no MSG, no artificial flavours and no enhancers.

Yummy Peanuts and Delicious Cashews. Our AA-grade nuts are ethically and sustainably sourced, vegan and gluten-free.

Fabulous Fudge. Gluten-free with vegan options available.

Panko Keto Crumb. Keto-friendly and allergen-free, with no MSG, no artificial flavours and no enhancers.

your branding. Set up fees and minimum orders applies.

With us, business is friendly and personal. This means our trade customers can enjoy: • Easy ordering options, either online or by phone • A dedicated account manager • Trade pricing • And we can deliver big orders.

All our packaging is fully recyclable or reusable and we have a 99.9% waste free production process.

We are proud to be 100% certified by RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil*) and buy only from a segregated supply chain.

If you are looking to rebrand and sell, stock, or gift our amazing, delicious snacks we’d love to hear from you.

Contact Robert to discuss your needs and ideas, or request our online catalogue: robert@robertsdorset.com

WHITE LABELLING SERVICE

01202 875280

All our products can be supplied in a range of sizes, fully packaged with

www.robertsdorset.com

*Palm Oil used only in Fudge products.

Beer Piper Putting Quality First To Deliver Cost Savings For Customers Beer Piper, home of the automated beer line cleaning system, are offering a package deal to make beer line cleaning simpler, more consistent and ultimately cheaper by focusing on quality.

For just £175 a month* customers will receive a beer piper automated cleaning unit and all chemicals delivered bi-monthly. This amazing deal also includes installation, training, technical support, a free hygiene starter pack, discounts on other products, as well as use of the dedicated app and portal.

The Beer Piper system is easy to use and can result in major cost savings for customers by reducing the amount of time staff spend on the task – a Beer Piper clean takes just 8.5 minutes! Not only does the system improve staff efficiencies, but it also ensures consistent high quality cleans are achieved every time. The sealed system mixes the neat beer line cleaner with fresh water directly into the lines, ensuring the correct dilution rate regardless

of flow.

The superior quality chemicals used and supplied by Beer Piper ensure lines are immaculate and allow customers to serve the best pints possible. Another advantage of this is that with time customers can go longer between cleans. The automated nature of the system also means that there is no need to manually mix these chemicals thus reducing the associated risks to staff.

No CO2 is required with the Beer Piper system so the surging costs of CO2 in the UK need not be a concern. The system also uses much less water than a manual clean so this also adds to the cost savings being made. As does Beersave – a function unique to an automated line clean as it allows the beer that would usually be wasted and poured down the drain before a clean to be sold, ensuring even more money is saved.

Visit www.beerpiper.co.uk for more information.

*up to 10 taps

Aqilla Helps Independent Hotel Reach a Level of Financial Control to Rival Global Groups When Sage 200 Extra Online was withdrawn, it was the perfect opportunity for Robert McCluskey, Financial Controller at The Spa Hotel in Tunbridge Wells, to implement new accounting software that would offer advanced financial analysis, reduce the time spent on manual tasks, and gain a competitive advantage for this independent hotel. He chose Aqilla’s cloud-based accounting software to help achieve these strategic goals.

Explaining his reasons for choosing Aqilla, Robert said, “Having come from larger hotel groups, I’m used to working with the level of financial analysis you get from bigger applications. QuickBooks was never going to do it, and the bigger packages are out of my range, but Aqilla is in that middle space where you can get lots of functionality from quite a light product and a low cost of ownership.”

THE CHALLENGE The 70-room independent hotel has several revenue streams, including a Spa and Leisure Club, restaurants, conference services and events. Different business applications are in place to support each department; the hotel management system covers bookings and housekeeping, and a spa and leisure club system manages therapy bookings and memberships. There is also a food and beverage till system, which stores information to help manage stock and predict purchasing needs in line with historic trends.

There are around 2,000 metrics that can potentially be harvested and analysed daily for improved financial control. The data from each system is currently imported into Excel. However, it wasn’t possible to upload Excel data into Sage. This meant that the financial analysis could only span the volume of data the accounts team could manually input each day – on average, just 30 lines. Particularly important following the impact on the business caused by the pandemic, improved financial analysis would help the hotel control costs, increase efficiencies and make more accurate predictions.

THE SOLUTION Sage’s limitations meant that Robert could only tap into a small percentage of the total data available to him, limiting his range of performance measures and the quality of the insights from such a small data pool. Aqilla’s Excel Add-In means that Robert can combine 100 per cent of his data in Excel before importing it to Aqilla.

He explained, “I was only able to manually input about 30 lines a day. Now I have almost 100 automatically uploaded that I use to check costs and performance.

He continued, “With Aqilla, I push a button, and it takes seconds to populate the data. The sheer volume it can handle is incredible, and it gives me the kind of detailed insights you’d expect from a much larger system.

It saves me an insane amount of time — maybe as much as two hours a day — that I can spend improving efficiency.”

Robert also uses Sharperlight, a self-service BI tool integrated with Aqilla that draws information out for reporting purposes. He explained how it saves time trying to find the source of discrepancies, “I’d often get to the end of the month and wonder why my spreadsheet is different to the accounts. Drawing reports from Aqilla via Sharperlight means my reporting is always in sync.”

Quantifying some of the advantages the finance team have experienced since switching to Aqilla, Robert added, “The daily banking process used to take two and a half hours with Sage. With Aqilla, it takes less than an hour. The bank reconciliation process at month end that used to take three or four days now takes me less than half a day.”

Streamlined, accurate accounting and access to cross-company data can help hospitality businesses recover from the challenges of Covid and get through today’s turbulent economic times. Summing up, Robert says, “Our accounting needs are basic; bank rec, general ledger and purchase ledger. Mainly, I want to get large volumes of data in and out of the system, fast. The level of analysis we can get from Aqilla and our ability to combine data from various sources gives us a real advantage. I’ve got big system analytics from a fast and light mid-range system.

It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 or 100 lines, I push a button on the toolbar, and the data is in.”

For further information email or info@aqilla.com visit www.aqilla.com

Mermaid Spiced Rum Introducing Mermaid Spiced Rum, the latest spirit from the Isle of Wight Distillery. Tropical island blends crafted for sipping on island time. Carried on trade winds across the Atlantic from the sunny Caribbean and discovered basking in golden light on Isle of Wight shores, then married together with local fruits and spices.

Mermaid Spiced Rum is crafted from a carefully selected blend of sugar cane and molasses rum from Trinidad and the Dominican Republic, distilled in column stills and aged between 2 - 5 years in oak bourbon whiskey barrels. Inspired by a long history of shipwrecks bringing Caribbean rum to our island shores, the unique spirit was created to honour heritage and folklore.

Is It Time For Some Fresh Promotions?

The start of the year is always a good time to reflect on what you did last year and what worked best for you in terms of both bringing in the footfall and ultimately profits.

Planning your promotions throughout the year is always good practice with any business and for our market sector we have to focus on events around the year and of course seasonal activity such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. HFE Signs have a range of pre-designed Pub Banners which are great to give some ideas.

There is no better way to advertise your promotions than Printed Banners from HFE Signs – with great deals such as Three 8x3ft Printed Banners for just £108 delivered, you can’t go wrong! Furthermore, if you order printed banners by 11am they are delivered next working day and if that isn’t good enough, the design is free too.

For more information on Printed Banners, check out www.hfe-signs.co.uk today or see the advert on page 5!

Infused on the Isle of Wight with fragrant rock samphire, fresh white cherry and apricot, honey from our beehives and black salt from our floodtides. Gently spiced with local holy grass, cassia and vanilla. Smooth yet complex, with a hint of sea air, delicate caramel notes and vibrant fruity spice.

This smooth and sophisticated rum gives soft vanilla, gentle spice and a hint of sea air on the nose, with honeyed caramel notes, vibrant cherry and a sea salt finish to taste.

Serving Suggestion: Fill a glass with ice and a measure of Mermaid Spiced Rum. Top with premium Ginger Ale and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a maraschino cherry for a refreshing and sophisticated serve.

Purchase from the Isle of Wight Distillery on 01983 613653, at office@isleofwightdistillery.com or via www.isleofwightdistillery.com

Products and Services The Hielo Wine Cooler “Style as Well as Substance” ®

Equally important as style with any product is substance!

And The Hielo® Wine Cooler meets both requirements.

From Manhattan to the Mediterranean the Hielo® wine cooler is a simple and stylish new way to keep wine chilled on any hospitality tabletop, using natural cooling technology that’s as simple as it is effective.

The minimal design of the Hielo® is inspired by luxury Manhattan dining – where soaring stone-and-metal skyscrapers touch the blue sky.

Add that to the rich tradition of Mediterranean cultivation that supplies the finest flavours to customers all over the world, and the Hielo® is an elegant marriage of urban sophistication and rustic integrity.

Designed with intelligence Using just 5 ice cubes through thermal conductivity the Hielo® wine cooler maintains a perfect temperature, and at 223mm tall and with an internal diameter of 105mm the Hielo® wine cooler can also accommodate larger and wider bottles such as Bollinger and Laurent-Perrier champagnes.

CLH editor Peter trialled one earlier this month on what he refers to as “date night”! And, is delighted to say this really is a fantastic and far superior cooler.

It takes just 5 ice cubes in the bottom to keep the temperature of your wine cooler for longer, or, until you have finished the bottle!

The real advantage is that it is really aesthetically pleasing, modern with that wonderful hint of elegance and “panache”, and, clean, and hygienic, without any “drips”, no water marks on your table from condensation running down the side. Highly recommended indeed!

And for anyone interested, the menu for the night was: Panfried scallop with Chorizo and a lemon butter Paella - Home-made of course!

Orange Caramel Creams: Flan de Naranja For further details on the The Hielo® Wine Cooler visit www.icecooldesign.com or see the advert on the back cover of this issue

Blue Star Foods

enable us to give our customers a long shelf-life of 18 months from production.

Quality- We guarantee our crab meat will taste and look as it would the day it was caught due to our unique pasteurisation system and rigorous quality control practices.

Blue Star Foods have been catching, processing and selling crab meat Strike the Gold Foods Ltd were for almost thirty years, offering a appointed the UK distributor twelve quality product and long shelf-life years ago who both the food service throughout this length of time! & retail sectors with the range of crab meats.

Sustainability - All the crabs we catch is wild caught and fully sustainable, only adult male See advert page 13 or visit www.bluestarfoods.com crabs are kept for processing. or www.strikethegoldfoods.co.uk for further information or telephone 0800 987 5431.

Packaging- Our patented recycled pouch packaging

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Old Jamaica, The UK’s Number One Ginger Beer Brand Old Jamaica, the UK’s number one ginger beer brand, has the perfect range of soft drinks to appeal to all those who like to mix it up. All of our drinks pair perfectly with gin, vodka, rum and whisky; in fact almost any spirit you can think of, there’s an Old Jamaica product that can pair perfectly with it!

From Old Jamaica Ginger Beer – with Regular, Light and Extra Fiery to choose from – through to our recent launch of our Ginger Ale, as well as a Rhubarb & Ginger Ale, we are the OG’s of ginger beer and the only brand that uses authentic Jamaican root ginger across our range.

In addition to ginger beers, Old Jamaica has a range of Sodas too. Our Tropical Soda joined the family in 2021, with Grape Soda, Cream Soda and Pineapple Soda continuing to delight consumer tastebuds across the country!

All of the products in the Old Jamaica portfolio deliv-

er a bold and unique flavour, meeting the increasing needs of UK consumers, as one in four consumers already mix Old Jamaica with alcohol.

Terri Cooper, senior commercial manager at Old Jamaica, said: “We’re excited to see Old Jamaica continue to be the UK’s no.1 ginger beer brand and consistently tap into consumers' growing demand for quality, versatile, flavoursome mixers that pair perfectly with a variety of spirits and are suitable for all occasions.”

A wide-ranging communications strategy will support the brand throughout 2022 and aims to broaden Old Jamaica’s brand appeal, increase awareness, and position the brand as the authentic alternative to the ‘norm’ within the soft drinks category.

Visit www.oldjamaicagingerbeer.com or www.refresco.com or see the advert on page 12.

Exclusive Elegance and Quality by Design Benefiting from Fracino's extensive research and development programme, world class engineering skills and state of the art production technology, the new Romano-R is a genuine fusion of style and luxurious quality.

Available in 2 or 3 group versions, it boasts all the power, technical qualities and reliability synonymous with Fracino products, in a stunning design to create the ultimate coffee bar furniture. The Romano elegantly combines classic curves and retro styling with contemporary materials and close attention to detail, ensuring a truly outstanding finish. Featuring latest technology integration, the full width touch pad features ‘digital trace’ icons for the drink selection and a wide range of control features within the programme - including controlled on/off times for maximum energy efficiency, coffee extraction displayed in volume and time for each espresso shot for precise drink quality, multi-lingual display selection and digital programme set-up for easy user adjustment capability.

Our powerful combination of stylish design and creative technology enables discerning clients to choose a bespoke finish for their Fracino espresso machine. Our expertise caters for individuality – whether it be to enhance a theme or interior design, promote a brand - or simply to challenge convention.

We offer the option to select a bespoke mirror finish in a range of lustrous colours, which draw out the beauty of the highly polished stainless steel, whilst an extensive range of dramatic solid colours – in a satin or matt finish – are available to complement and enhance the interior designer’s creativity and provide the finishing touch befitting the individuality of the exclusive luxury restaurant and coffee bar.

Transforming the purely functional into an enviable work of art; that’s Romano! sales@fracino.com www.fracino.com See the advert on page 7.

Washing and Drying Reusables For Safe, Can Your Hamper Packaging Be Sustainable?

Hygienic Foodservice Absolutely! Take A Look At Ours...

We’ve supplied our wonderful hampers and baskets to discerning customers to fill with their own speciality food and wine for many years. Whether you use traditional wicker hampers with lids or packing trays made from bamboo, all are woven from natural materials which are sustainable, reusable, biodegradable and recyclable. The versatility of quality baskets has kept them in use for centuries, so aside from being incredibly eco-friendly, they are excellent value for money.

And now to compliment your hamper, why not add one of our new, beautiful hand-tied, eco-friendly satin bows?

These clever bows are made by recycling used plastic bottles into yarn, which is then woven into a soft sheen satin ribbon. It looks fabulous and feels just as satin ribbon should. The ribbon is made in England and the bow is hand-tied here too!

The design is a 2-loop 2-tail bow, which means it's never upside down! The bow is created using a 70mm wide ribbon and is securely attached to the 50mm wide long strap.

On the back of each bow is a tab of double-sided tape to secure to your basket. The ribbon strap is 135cm so it will fit every hamper and basket we supply and once secured in place, just cut off the excess.

The recycled yarns we use are certified by GRS. The GRS is the Global Recycled Standard. Oeko Tex, the global industry standard for textiles, has also certified the product. In a nutshell, the manufacture and use of recycled yarns promote sustainability and reduce environmental impact through the reduction in waste.

Contact us on 01502 501681 or email salesdesk@candigifts.co.uk Alternatively, visit our website www.candigifts.co.uk or see the advert on page 2.

Hygiene is critical when providing food and drinks in reusable glass bottles, plastic cups, pints, flutes, bowls, plates, cutlery and containers.

WASHING PLASTICS, STORING PLASTICS The critical difference between plastic and traditional crockery is hygiene.

Crockery is dense and retains heat, plastic does not, so it is much harder to dry.

Stored plastic cups, pints and food containers must be dry to prevent hygiene issues. Any residual moisture will eventually lead to mould growth.

The key is achieving 0% residual moisture when cups, bowls, food containers etc, leave the dishwasher.

WASHING SMALL TO MEDIUM VOLUMES: Existing dishwashers can be converted to wash plastic cups and containers for immediate reuse.

A weighted grid for light cups converts Meiko’s single basket M-iClean H and double basket MiClean HXL hood-type dishwashers into cup washing machines, with a maximum capacity of up to 1,500 cups/h (M-iClean HXL).

Adveco Gas To Electric Decarbonisation Jamu Wild Water

Hotels and restaurants intending to replace existing gas-fired domestic hot water (DHW) systems with more sustainable electric technologies as part of a decarbonisation strategy should invest in data gathering first recommends hot water specialist Adveco.

Live Metering is a simple to install, non-invasive onsite service provided by Adveco that generates consistent six minute data 24 hours per day from existing hot water systems to accurately understand actual usage, including critical peak demands and their profile shape. Adveco’s specialist engineers will visit to fit the meter and assess the property. The data will then be processed, and a report generated with design recommendations for a replacement system that meets

the exact needs of the building.

New designs by Adveco will show carbon reduction and outline new operational costs. Accurate to the actual demands of the property, Live Metered designs avoid excess capital costs associated with oversizing and ensures operation within the limits of the existing electrical supply of the building.

Businesses which opt to purchase the recommended replacement system from Adveco will receive a 50% refund on the cost of implementing the initial Live Metering service.

Talk to Adveco about booking Live Metering at your property. https://adveco.co/products/live-metering/ or see the advert on page 5.

Jamu Wild Water is on a mission to rewild hydration from the inside-out. The Devon based natural soft drink brand takes inspiration from natures larder and aims to reinvigorate menus and grocery shelves with healthy sparkling drink options.

Their sparkling water range features three delicious flavours – Lemon, Blood Orange, and Raspberry. Each flavour comes bursting with British-grown botanicals and prebiotic fibre to actively support gut-health.

Tahi Grant-Sturgis, Co-ounder of Jamu Wild Water says: “where Jamu differs from other gut-loving beverages such as kombucha and kefir, is that it isn’t fermented, as a result we find a wider following among young

The option of a drying table speeds up the drying of cups.

Undercounter cup washing can also be achieved with Meiko’s M-iClean U, which uses a weighted grid for lightweight cups.

Meiko also provides wash baskets tailored to wash plastic bowls and food containers.

GLASS BOTTLES The move to reusable bottles highlights the need for dishwashing machines with high-volume capability.

Meiko’s undercounter Bottle Wash System is currently the most productive on the market (April 2023), washing 16 at one time, or up to 640 bottles per hour. A dedicated bottle wash rack and adaptor that swaps with the bottom wash arm quickly switches from dishwashing to bottles.

The Meiko Bottle Wash System takes bottles up to 114 mm wide and 370 mm tall, making a vast choice of bottles available. It is suitable for all Meiko M-iClean undercounter machines in use since 2009.

For further information see page 9 or visit www.meiko-uk.co.uk people and consumers that find fermented drinks more challenging”.

The subtle sweetness and flavour profile that the new range offers, suggests it will work just as conveniently as a low calorie mixer, offering a refreshing and clean alternative to complement botanical and crafted spirits.

Jamu Wild Water prides itself in its zero policy, that is - zero sugar, artificial additives, preservatives and plastics. The company is committed to making healthy and sustainable products that give back to nature through their 10% of profits pledge, which supports rewilding projects and serves to enrich the lives of young people through nature-led experiences.

Balancing flavour, wellness benefits, and it’s strong nature-led mission, Jamu is set to bring a premium offering to the ever-increasing healthy and eco-conscious consumer.

Visit www.jamuwildwater.co.uk or see page 23.

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Products and Services

Luquel - Revolutionising the World of Water In the UK we are lucky that the water boards ensure that the water supply into our businesses is healthy to drink. To do that they often have to add chlorine to kill bacterial growth in the pipes. Whilst it does protect us, it can also impact both the taste of our water, and the taste of the food we cook in the water.

The taste impact is so huge that many businesses are now purchasing hot taps and dispensers to remove the chlorine taste. That’s a great step forward, but caterers and restaurants can go further.

There are other water dispensers on the market, such as the LUQEL water dispenser. Rather than just using an active carbon filter, this system uses a reverse osmosis filter as well, which removes impurities at a more micro level. The filtration system removes the chlorine through its sediment and carbon filter, but then it also removes smaller bacteria, viruses, heavy metals, medical residues, hormones and micro and nano-plastics, through its RO filter. As we are seeing on many B2B platforms plastics in water is a trending issue that is not going away. It’s not just about the issues of the plastic on our environment, but also about the issue of the micro particles in our bodies.

Unlike other RO filtration systems, the LUQEL system then micro-doses natural mineral salts back into the water creating 30 mineralised waters. The water temperature range can be changed from 4 to 95 o C and the carbonation can also be amended between still, low, medium and high carbonation.

Offering a business high quality, great tasting water that they can be sure is cleaned to the highest quality. A mineralised water system that can deliver 30 different tastes, without the need for purchasing, storing and recycling of bottles or cans.

A healthy mineralised water for both our bodies and our businesses. www.luqel-water.com

Celebrate Summer in Style with LittlePod sales.uk@luqel-water.com

Summer is almost upon us and here at LittlePod we’re looking forward to celebrating picnic season in style!

alike and in choosing to keep it REAL, you’re making a difference to the farming communities in the Equatorial regions and, much further afield, to the wider world.

Proud winners of the 2023 King’s Award for Enterprise (Sustainable Development), we’re on a mission to spread the word about REAL vanilla and its importance to the planet, whilst livening up hampers across the land.

Did you know that the precious vanilla orchid replenishes the soil in which it grows? In choosing to purchase REAL vanilla, you can help to preserve biodiversity in the rainforest regions, protecting the fragile ecosystems that are so important to us all.

Be it a picnic in the park, lunch on the lawn or a back garden barbecue, LittlePod products will make your al fresco creations – both sweet and savoury – shine like the summer sun.

LittlePod makes it simple to make a difference, so please join our Campaign for Real Vanilla and create something special this summer! Look us up online at www.littlepod.co.uk and follow @little_pod on Instagram.

LittlePod’s responsibly-sourced products are great for the kitchen and the planet

Saniflo Sanispeed Facilitates Workshop Change Of Use through small bore pipework up 3m to an adjoining pipe. This ran by gravity to a soil and vent pipe some 60m away.

DL Mechanical is a Nottingham-based business specialising in plumbing and pipe fitting engineering services. The company works with a broad portfolio of clients in the commercial and educational sectors designing, engineering and installing new pipework for water, steam & condense, oil and gas, soil and vent, rainwater among a range of other services.

Terry Fisher, Mechanical Contracts Manager at DL Mechanical, oversaw the project; “The Sanispeed+ pretty much enabled the project to go ahead. Bar drilling a bore hole – which would have been prohibitively expensive – a pumped solution was the only way forward. The Saniflo unit is a simple plug and play solution, so proved easy to install and it has been working efficiently and effectively from day one.”

An FE college in Nottinghamshire called on DL Mechanical’s expertise to advise on a change of use project that would improve the facilities for mechanics apprentices. Changing a classroom to a workshop required the installation of a wash down area. A site survey confirmed that no drains were in the immediate vicinity of the required area, so an alternative solution was found.

With advice from local plumbers’ merchant, Willbond, a Saniflo Sanispeed+ grey water lifting station was specified to discharge the water from the new washdown area. With its robust 400-watt motor and low activation level of 95mm, the unit was connected to a Zip water heater and the washdown areas to discharge hot and cold waste water

The Sanispeed+ is ideal for pumping waste water from appliances and sinks in light commercial applications and with four inlets it connects to a range of appliances. It has a working temperature of 35°C but can handle temperatures up to 75°C for short periods. It has a quiet motor and can be installed below counters or in cupboards out of sight if required.

Reader Enquiries - Tel: 020 8842 0033 / www.saniflo.co.uk

Flavour Blaster - Add Theatre to Every Serve With Aromatic Bubble Garnish A DEVICE adding the wow factor to cocktails has taken the international market by storm, after being inspired by the childhood experience of blowing bubbles.

down to Colins fascination with the concept of edible bubbles which would use authentic aromas rather than synthetic flavours.

Flavour Blaster Pro, which creates aroma filled bubbles on the top of drinks, is now used by professionals in Michelin Star Restaurants and Five Star Hotels around the world. As well as leading mixologist and Flavour Blaster ambassador Simone Caporale, owner of Sips 3rd best cocktail bar in world.

Australian-born Colin, who previously worked in the bar and leisure industry in the UK, spent four years helping to develop the product which he describes as “an inner child gadget.”

The professional aroma gun is sold to more than 40,000 customers in 150 countries, thanks to its use of innovative technology.

Its success is the result of a collaboration between hospitality entrepreneur Colin Myers and manufacturing guru, Robert Flunder who came up with the initial concept to add some theatricality to the drinks experience. And the resulting creation was

The company uses a leading company in New York to prepare its aromas, which are distilled from actual fruits, herbs and spices rather than being artificially produced.

“The ultimate in theatrical mixology.”

For further information visit www.flavourblaster.com

Girbau UK Launches Under Counter Washers and Dryers Known for its robust commercial and industrial laundry equipment, Girbau UK has launched its first professional grade Under Counter washers and dryers that fit underneath standard 900mm height counters. Both machines combine energy efficiency, ease of use and compact size with high quality, durable construction making them ideal for hospitality applications.

The new Under Counter washer’s stainless steel Active Drum™ has hourglass lifters that guide loads to gentler central areas for better load balance and reduced wear on delicate items. It is available with a choice of 6kg or 8kg capacity with either a pump or gravity drain. All

models have a 180-degree opening door for easy loading and unloading.

Quiet long-life operation is assured by the washer’s sturdy Quattro™ construction with durable shock absorbers that allow virtually vibration-free high-speed spinning. The washer features cast iron stabilisers for higher spin speeds, better water extraction and increased spin efficiency. It has an easy-to-use LCD user interface and 28 flexible programs including disinfection, mop, microfibre, allergy settings and three customisable programs. It also comes with in-built service diagnostics and a delayed start function.

The Under Counter dryer can also be stacked on top of the washer to save space. The 6kg capacity model is available in both condenser and vented versions and the 8kg model is vented. The Sensi Dry system automatically determines the right drying time, saving energy and assuring fabric care. Its auto programs save energy as the running time is automatically adjusted according to load size and the required dryness.

Butterfly drying ™ tumbling in a figure of eight movement, non-stop in one direction stops clothes from bundling and ensures long life durability of the motor and belt. The lint filter has an automatic indicator to remind users to clean it for energy efficiency and safety.

The dryer’s memory function remembers the last program used including any chosen settings, so if nothing needs to change, you can simply press start for the next load.

The new under counter washer and dryer are available to order from Girbau UK. Visit www.girbau.com

Hospitality Technology

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Replace Your Allergy Matrix, Reduce Risk and Make Your Customers Happier, All In a Simple App Our simple but affective app provides the chef the ability to keep a live updated menu with allergy information held within it. Customers simply login to the app and view the menu filtered to only show those dishes that are safe for them to eat.

This app significantly reduces the risk of incorrect communication between customers & staff, especially when mistakes can be so easily made, and these mistakes can cost lives.

Up to “20% of the population experience some reactions to foods” (The British Dietetic Association) so it’s no longer a minority issue, eating out should always be enjoyable ii should also always be safe.

HOW IT WORKS FOR THE CUSTOMER You can either find the restaurant’s menu by their unique allergy menu code on their menu or website, or you can find restaurants in your location on a map.

Many of us now limit the types of food we eat, for some it’s simply because it will kill them, for others, it’s for health or moral reasons.

However, it’s become a complex task to eat out these days, ensuring the food you have ordered is what you can eat. Some restaurants provide different menus, but simply don’t cater for the complexity, such as they may provide a gluten free menu, but not a gluten free & dairy free menu combined. Some restaurants provide complex matrixes, but nothing which is user friendly or easy to understand and the majority provide nothing at all, and rely on front of house staff communicating correctly the information, which is very prone to mistakes.

It’s then very simply to filter the menu by the list of standard allergens, or click the vegan or vegetarian option. The menu then displays showing only the items that you can eat, making a simple and easy to understand menu.

logo can also be uploaded to ensure the menu follows the restaurants brand.

KEY BENEFITS TO RESTAURANTS • Meet regulations for allergy information in one simple step.

• Ensure your menu allergens are always accurate and up to date.

• Improve your customer experience for allergy sufferers, vegans and veggies.

• No need to re-print menus if you change ingredients.

• Handy email reminders to check your menu.

• Stop front of house staff making mistakes • Keep your customers safe from harm.

How it will make a difference It’s so hard to ensure accurate communication between customer and the person preparing the food and Allergy Menu helps to reduce this risk. When failures happen in the communication, it cause have serious side effects for the customer and can even kill them. Taking steps to reduce this risk is essential to all food establishments.

For further information visit www.allergymenu.uk

HOW IT WORKS FOR THE RESTAURANT There is an easy account area, where the menu and dish information can be maintained via computer or mobile phone. The allergies are assigned to each dish and it can be updated whenever it’s needed. An email is also sent out once a month to ensure the allergy information is checked and the menu confirmed that it is still up to date. The company

Castra Solutions - Wired and Wireless Solutions At Castra Solutions, we understand the importance of reliable and high-speed WiFi for businesses of all sizes.

Our WiFi solutions are designed to provide seamless connectivity and exceptional performance, ensuring that your employees and customers can stay connected at all times.

In the hospitality industry, having a reliable and highspeed WiFi network is essential to meet the needs of guests who expect seamless connectivity during their stay.

With the rise of mobile devices and the growing importance of online reviews, hoteliers cannot afford to overlook the importance of providing a top-notch WiFi experience.

One of the biggest challenges in hotel WiFi is providing coverage throughout the entire property, from

guest rooms to public areas. This requires careful planning and optimization of the network, including access point placement, signal strength, and interference management. By working with Castra Solutions, hotels can ensure that their WiFi network is designed to meet the unique needs of their property and guests.

In addition to providing reliable WiFi, hotels can also use their network to enhance the guest experience and generate revenue. For example, hotels can offer premium WiFi services for guests who require faster speeds or more bandwidth or provide access to streaming services and other entertainment options.

In conclusion, providing a reliable and high-speed WiFi network is essential for hotels looking to meet the needs of their guests and stay competitive in today's digital world. By working with a Castra Solutions and taking steps to optimize and secure their network, hotels can provide a seamless and enjoyable WiFi experience that enhances the guest experience.

Call us today on 0300 124 5005 or visit www.castrasolutions.co.uk

MCR Systems MCR Systems has over 40 years of experience in providing hospitality, catering and leisure organisations with enterprise management solutions that directly improve the efficiency of their business operations.

We do this by combining high-quality

Hospitality Technology

software and cutting-edge EPOS technology.

MCR Systems T: 0116 299 7000 E: enquiries@mcr-systems.co.uk www.mcr-systems.co.uk

Epos Now

Issue 159

CLH Digital

Epos Now is the ultimate POS system for any business.

See the advert the facing page.

Epos Now is the ultimate POS system for any business. Our cloud-based system is designed specifically for restaurants, cafes, bars, and other hospitality businesses, with features and functions that cater to your unique needs. With Epos Now, you can streamline your operations, improve efficiency, and boost your bottom line.

Our system is easy to use and customizable, allowing you to tailor it to suit your specific needs. And because it's cloud-based, you can access your data from anywhere, at any time, on any device.

But that's not all – we also offer excellent customer

support and a range of additional features to help you grow your business.

From marketing and loyalty programs to integrations with other systems and software, we're committed to helping you succeed.

So if you're looking for a POS system that's tailored to your business, easy to use, and backed by excellent customer support, look no further than Epos Now. Talk to us today and see the difference it can make for your business.

For further information call 0800 2 945 945 or visit www.eposnow.com

3R is a leading provider of Electronic Point of Sale (EPOS) solutions, offering both integrated countertop and wireless payment solutions, as well as Mobile Top-Up services. With competitive rates and durable, secure hardware, 3R’s signature EPOS software, CES Touch, is a game-changer for businesses seeking to optimize their day-to-day operations and streamline their financial reporting.

Another essential feature of CES Touch is its full Stock control functionality, which enables businesses to manage their inventory effectively. This feature ensures that businesses can maintain optimal stock levels, avoid overstocking or understocking, and keep track of their stock movements accurately.

In addition to these features, CES Touch offers intensive operator management and in-depth financial reporting,

which is vital for businesses seeking to manage their staff and financial performance effectively. With full cloud business analytics, CES Touch also provides businesses with real-time insights into their sales, inventory, and customer behaviour, enabling them to make data-driven decisions to optimize their operations.

CES Touch also links directly to a wide range of Symbol Groups, including Londis, Booker, Premier, Budgens, Shop Local, Best-one, and NISA, allowing businesses to take advantage of automated promotions and price changes.

This feature is particularly useful for businesses looking to offer competitive pricing and promotions while maintaining profitability.

At the heart of 3R’s offering is their commitment to excellent customer service, providing 24/7 support, 365 days a year. Whether you’re a small business owner or a large retailer, 3R’s EPOS solutions and CES Touch software are sure to provide you with the tools you need to succeed.

See the advert below for details.

3R (EPOS) Solutions

Our cloud-based system is designed to cater to your unique needs.

Get started today from £0 upfront!

Call 0800 2 945 945

or visit www.eposnow.com for further information

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

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CLH Digital

Issue 159

Outdoor Spaces

Utilising Outside Spaces to Benefit the Bottom Line

By Simon Atha, Director, Boyer (part of Leaders Romans Group) - www.boyerplanning.co.uk

The mainstream media presents a gloomy picture of consumers’ spending power, drawing conclusions about the ‘inevitable’ impact on hospitality industry.

But while some bars and restaurants have already suffered as a result of the cost of living crisis, those that are strong, innovative and resourceful can survive. And as the weather warms and the evenings lengthen, there’s every reason to shake off the winter gloom.

One of the ways in which this can be achieved is using existing outside spaces to create the facilities that everyone looks forward to as the summer approaches. Inviting alfresco hospitality, whether in the traditional café culture style or something more alternative presents numerous opportunities for diversification.

And even when the summer disappoints, shelters, heaters and cosy blankets can still make the experience safe and enjoyable.

It goes without saying that maximising your outdoor space means maximising your profits. But it can also help attract passing trade, and options such as awnings can provide cost-effective advertising for your events and suppliers.

So its worth considering what can and can’t be achieved within planning law. In the most simple terms, there are three categories of consent: no planning permission required; temporary uses and structures that fall under the category of ‘permitted development and those which require full planning consent through the standard planning application process.

Without planning consent, hospitality owners and managers may introduce a variety of temporary and moveable structures to help diversify and extend their offer - such as moveable play equipment, tables and chairs, large parasols and patio heaters.

Since Covid, permission has existed for ‘temporary’ structures (essential-

ly, anything which can be moved if required), for a limited period of 28 days per year. This may sound restrictive, but 28 days is every Saturday for half a year, or every Saturday and Sunday in June, July and August. This use would cover the use of a marquee, pagoda or jumbrella.

Then there’s Class BB, which allows for 120 days’ use of temporary structures, following prior approval by the local planning authority. This allows for any of those features listed above to be used outside on a daily basis over the summer.

The prior approvals process is not complicated or time-consuming. In very simple terms, the legislation requires that the structures do not exceed 3 metres in height or occupy more than 50% of the footprint of the building, or 50 square metres.

category. Similarly, these provide a great opportunity for diversification and all year-round protection from sun, wind and rain. You might also want to consider louvered bioclimactic pods. Similar to louvred roof systems, these are retractable fabric roofs with aluminium blades which twist when operated to be opened, and let light and air in and out or closed to form a ceiling. In some cases extensions, conservatories and the creation of rooftop terraces can be achieved through permitted development rights, but it is important to seek advice on this as whether permitted development rights or full planning permission is required will impact on timing.

To serve the extra footfall, additional parking might be provided on adjoining land. Under the principles of ‘temporary’ use, this is allowed for up to 28 days without planning consent; for more than 28 days, change of use consent it required.

For bars which don’t provide food but may want to extend their offer or even host a food festival, there’s the opportunity for street food vans. This doesn’t require planning consent specifically, though licensing for food safety may be required.

The industry calculates that even a very simple outdoor space can Change of use planning consent which falls under Permitted increase revenue by up to 30% - in most circumstances, as very little cost.

Development Rights frequently covers other changes that might be necessary to host al fresco dining. For example, louvred roof systems offer a new and unique way to expand and improve outdoor areas: with motorised blades that can rotate up to 135°, they can First Impressions Count! Major Plants Limited specialon with your business while we ensure that outside, izes in providing cost effective, visually striking, hanging your plant arrangements and presentation never let you open up to allow a directed yet baskets rental and maintenance services. down. natural airflow, while also providing shade by responding to the In business over 10 years our company grown through Whether you are seeking an alternative quotation to sun’s position. They can also be word of mouth via our satisfied and expanding customer compare with an existing supplier or are looking at shut if needed, providing a water base. external flower arrangements for the first time our flexitight seal to prevent the tables ble agreement and personal service will give you a piece We know that busy businesses have enough work to and chairs becoming wet. of mind reliable support for your business. do without trying to remember whether the flowers have been watered, fed, or tidied up.

Calling in the Please get in touch!

Permanent awnings, outdoor experts like Major Plants Limited means that you can get rooms and pods fall under this 0800 111 4014 – info@majorplants.co.uk

"Can We Sit Outside Please?"

Make First Impressions Count with Major Plants

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.

Over 79% of UK diners have attested that they would spend more time and money in a restaurant if they incorporated outdoor dining.

What’s more, our zero deposit leasing options allow for payments to be spread over 2-5 years.

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.”

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.

The maths is simple; seating 16 people under a 4m x 4m parasol, at an average spend of £12.50 per head

What are you waiting for?!

01352 740164 www.indigoawnings.co.uk enquiries@indigoawnings.co.uk

Outdoor Spaces

Keeping Food Hot? We Have All The Answers First of all, you will want one of our world beating Kanga boxes and a Carbon Heater. You can then keep food hot indefinitely and fully comply with HACCP regulations.

Sounds too good to be true? Well we only supply premium German manufactured products from stock at incredibly low prices. The insulated box manufactured from top quality expanded polypropylene is a dense closed cell insulation material but incredibly light to handle when empty for example the GN insulted box with a 117 mm internal depth only weighs just over a kilo and yet holds a massive 21 lts capacity. Now combine the Kanga box with a Carbon Heater and the magic begins, hot food all the time!

Our range of Carbon heaters offers two voltage

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

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

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

The barbecues have internal self-cleaning too,

options 12 volts for car operation using the cigarette lighter socket or 230 volt mains voltage for internal or external mains use.

The big advantage of the Carbon Heaters they are absolutely fool proof just insert them in the bottom of the box turn on and forget, there are no consumer controls the temperature is pre-set at the factory at 75 deg C. The Carbon Heater is very light at only 700 grammes and does not take up much room only being 10mm thick. Dishes can be place on the Carbon Heater straight out of the oven up to 120deg C. Finally quick and easy to clean just wipe over with a damp cloth.

Contact Catering Equipment Limited on Tel: 0121 773 2228 or visit www.clickonstore.net or www.kangaboxuk.com removing the odious chore of post-barbecue cleandown. The grill merely needs to be left running for a few minutes to burn off residue, which is then brushed away or ejected. Once cool, the Classic can be folded down and easily stored away.

To discover more call 01524 262900 or www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk

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CLH Digital

Issue 159

Outdoor Spaces

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

We are an independent supplier of 20 years serving the outdoor hospitality industry. We cater for a mixed variety of needs with clients from the hotel sector, fine dining, high street large brand names, pub and licensee and many independent operators. We help all of them achieve the same goal which is to be as visually attractive as possible to passing trade to welcome the customer in. Investment on a good front exterior is money well spent as we firmly believe the better you look on the outside, the more customers will come to the inside.

We create appealing and comfortable outdoor seating areas for you supplying everything required including

tables and chairs, planters with real or faux plants, cafe banners and restaurant screens, lighting, heating, classic neon signage, menu boards, parasols, awnings and lenticular bladed roofed shelters. Our hardy planters are made to order from rot proof artificial woods that use UK factory waste plastics and materials that would otherwise have gone into landfill so do carry genuine green credentials too.

From our workshops in Kent we deliver UK wide and are happy to visit and survey at no charge or obligation to suggest what might work for you all within available budgets. Contact us on 01733 559437 or drop a line to sales@cafeculture.biz

Maximise Your Outdoor Space with Patio Heaters At Space-Ray, we can help you maximise the potential of your outdoor space and extend its use beyond sunset, and the inevitable drop in temperature.

Specialising in heating solutions for external areas, Space-Ray’s range of gas fired and electric heaters offer you the option to choose the product best suited to your applications:-

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

able, or a viable option.

Our SURA Plus and AQUA ranges of electric heaters use high quality Dr Fischer shortwave radiant lamps also offer an IP55 rating making them durable and weather resistant. The Sura plus range is remote controllable.

The Coldblocker gas fired radiant heater, is ideal for covered outdoor spaces and is rain proof to IP44.

Fitted with a tinted glass front, which not only offers flame protection, it also gives the heater a stylish sleek appearance when not in operation.

The Eclipse range of zero glow electric radiant heaters are perfect for those intimate areas where no additional light is required.

Ceramic heating elements are utilised, which provide a gentle level of heat from the sleek and stylish fully black heater. Suitable for covered outside areas and offer protection levels of IPX4.

The Linea electric radiant heater offer IP55 level of protection along with remote control and glass front, it is ideal for the smaller space where gas is not avail-

Check out our outdoor heating website for further information www.outdoorheating.spaceray.co.uk

Outdoor Spaces

SATELLIET-UK Hospitality Furniture A bustling terrace is the product of wellplanned design starting with your furniture.

Finding quality outdoor furniture that is durable and comfortable but stylish, is a key part of the concept when planning your new hospitality or leisure venue. Increasingly, terrace or patio areas are becoming an outdoor restaurant to match the atmosphere and vibe of their indoor equivalent. Al Fresco dining is a choice, not a last option because inside is full and is an opportunity for you to generate more income twelve months of the year.

Think four seasons in one terrace!

From retro to rattan, colour blocking and social seating, to fully sustainable options, Satelliet UK can provide a tailor-made solution to fit with your brand and style without compromising on quality. Each of the offices, Glasgow, and Ash Vale, have a knowledgeable team who can advise you on

materials, set ups and layouts to suit your outdoor space.

Satelliet Originals is the core collection that arose from the need to create a unique and versatile product range with its own recognisable signature. This collection features heavily in the most recent outdoor catalogue: from contemporary Taco to classic Terra, the Originals are designed with the end user in mind. Every product in the Originals collection embodies hospitality, quality, strength, diversity, individuality, inspiration, relevance and functionality. That is the promise of Satelliet Originals.

You can view the latest Terrace catalogue with over 200 pages of inspiration including the latest collections as well as timeless classics, tips, and interviews with hospitality owners and decision makers by visiting www.satelliet.co.uk

Enjoy the Sunshine with 10% Off Our Maintenance Free Outdoor Furniture!

With warmer weather starting to appear what better way for your customers to enjoy the sunshine than sitting outside and relaxing. TDP’s furniture, made from recycled UK plastic waste, will be ready and waiting, as it doesn’t have to be stored away for the winter or be treated for the new season.

Our range of furniture includes picnic tables, dining sets, benches and chairs as well as planters and children’s furniture. All products benefit from a 20-year warranty and very low maintenance, with no annual staining or treatments required. It will not rot or splinter, is very stable and extremely durable, lasting for decades in even the busiest of areas.

TDP has been supplying environmentally friendly products to the industry for over 30 years. We are the choice supplier for those who want outdoor furniture that lasts and to date we have saved over 4,000 tonnes of recycled plastic waste from landfill. By producing

our furniture from recycled plastic rather than wood, we have saved over 10,000 trees from being felled.

We manufacture all our furniture in Derbyshire. Everything is handcrafted and as such you can order your furniture in custom colourways, and we can include branding, establishment names, table numbers and other key information as either engravings or plaques. Our furniture is longer-lasting and easier to maintain than their wooden alternatives, meaning you buy them once and they will last a lifetime for your business.

From your first contact with us, to taking delivery, we want the whole experience to be both enjoyable and stress free. We’re here to help so please do visit our website www.tdp.co.uk, give us a call on 01629 820011 or drop us an email at info@tdp.co.uk To take advantage of our 10% discount off RRP please give us a call and quote CATERER!

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Outdoor Spaces Get Ready for a Hot and Profitable Summer!

With the long range forecast (MET office) saying summer 2023 will be hotter than 2022 due to El Nino effect, get your outdoor spaces ready for bumper trade.

What can you do to maximise footfall, dwell time and profit? At Woodberry, we help our hospitality clients maximise their outdoor spaces for customer enjoyment and profitability.

sure they are protected from weather conditions too.

Have you got enough shelter and shade provision for sunshine and rain? If we do have a hot summer, make sure you’ve got enough parasols!

INCREASE PROFIT

To generate more profit, can you increase the throughput of your cusINCREASE FOOTFALL tomers by zoning drinking and dining areas? This is easily Is your garden or outdoor area visible from the outside done with different types of outdoor furniture, bar height of your venue? If yes, that’s great for business, but make it tables for drinkers, dining tables and chairs or picnic even more stand-out with brightly coloured parasols or tables for diners. plants to draw in passers-by.

Contact Woodberry Outdoor Furniture suppliers If no, you need to shout about your outdoor areas with Woodberry are long-time experts in supplying outdoor visible signage at your frontage and marketing promofurniture to the hospitality trade. We offer a wide range tions. of hardwearing furniture, shelters and planters to help our clients maximise their outdoor spaces. Call our INCREASE DWELL TIME If customers are comfortable, they will stay longer and friendly team on 01926 889922 or visit the Woodberry website www.woodberry.co.uk hopefully spend more! Ensure your customers are comfortable with the right outdoor furniture but also make

Country Benches - High Quality Benches SPECIAL OFFER Buy 11 get 1 FREE!

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

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

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

can do for you.

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

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

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

CONCEPT bars

CONCEPT bars have enjoyed a surge in business recently supplying bespoke stainless steel bar counters to their valued customer Parkdean Resorts. Their expansion and commitment to improving their hospitality offer; not only to satisfy the rising expectations of domestic customers and popularity of staycations; has ensured they remain the UK’s largest holiday park operator - with 66 parks in stunning coastal and countryside locations up and down the country.

CONCEPT bars have over 30 years’ experience in bespoke stainless-steel bar design, manufacture and installation and have remained at the forefront of the UK hospitality industry venues throughout this time. They were delighted to work on the exciting new venues across the Parkdean estates. Each has its own particular style, and it was CONCEPT’s mission to provide the ideal bar setup to maximise speed of service, customer satisfaction and efficiency - and ultimately enhanced sales for the operator.

The refurbished bars offer exciting new cocktail menus (allowing staff to show-off their skills!), a range of national and regional draught beers and lagers, draught soft drinks, fruit slushies, plus a full coffee offer. The stainless

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steel counters allow for speed of service, optimised design, easy cleaning, and the upmost hygiene.

Regarding this successful collaboration, CONCEPT bars managing director Neil Coombes said: “At CONCEPT bars, we pride ourselves not only on the quality of our product and our service, but also on our ability to listen to our clients. We realise their vision - always offering the best advice and our in-house, experienced manufacture and installation teams always ensure a quality offer”.

“We have worked on many previous specialist bar projects and this brief was to provide a first-class operational stainless-steel working bar within fantastic new and imaginative schemes, moving customer expectations to new levels”.

Neil added “It was a privilege to work with such a skilled team again to deliver projects to such fine detail and assist in providing more fabulous venues for Parkdean Resorts.”

To discuss your bar - whether it be a new design or upgrading your existing equipment please contact CONCEPT bars on 01484 852666 or email us at info@conceptbars.com

Additional Ranges as ILF Continue to Expand www.ilfchairs.com email terry.kirk@ilfchairs.com

With the ever-growing success of the ILF Chairs website, 2023 has seen an increase in their stock chairs to 8 ranges available in different Faux and Velvet upholstery and selection of frame colours, plus an 8 colour stock range of Egger laminated 25mm table tops in a selection of sizes. A full range of table bases in metal and stainless steel are also kept in stock. In addition, a new range called Boutique, elegant seating with frames in Ash, Walnut and Beech and offering a full selection of stain finishes and fabrics.

Their new online website offers both indoor and outdoor seating and table solutions.

Divided into Contemporary seating, Boutique, 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 is an extensive range of stock seating, barstools, table bases and table tops.

Most made to order indoor seating and indoor wooden table bases and tops can be finished to any customer specification. Outdoor items offer a variety of colours within the same product style.

Also included is a link to priced chairs and table bases plus a selection of priced made to order seating in a selection of Faux Leather upholstery colours and wood frame colours.

These products can also be supplied to customer specification, just ask for details.

Enquiries can be sent to them directly from the website and they will reply within 24 hours. They hope you will enjoy the experience of viewing their easy to navigate website and they look forward to helping clients get the best products for their hospitality site.

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

bar design consultants bespoke stainless steel manufacture full design & build specialist refrigeration unique wine wall displays

With over 30 years experience of bar design tel +44 (0)1484 852 666 info@conceptbars.com www.conceptbars.com

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Design & Refit

Closing Down Sale - 25% Discount on All Stock Items After over 30 years of trading Capricorn Contract Furnishings are closing down due to retirement.

including tables, chairs, stools and lounge furniture suitable for pubs, restaurants, cafes etc.

As a result we are offering customers a 25% discount on all stock items (excluding special offers) while stocks last. Just quote CAT 2023 when contacting the office.

Customers are encouraged to visit our large showroom to view an extensive range of furniture ideally suited for the leisure market. Here you can relax and let Capricorn help and advise you with your requirements. Please call office to arrange appointment.

Capricorn Furnishings are based in a 30, 000 square feet showroom and distribution warehouse on the outskirts of Exeter in Devon. From within the distribution area we are able to offer a next day delivery service on thousands of products

For more information or a Capricorn Contract Furnishings catalogue and price list contact Brian Pengelly on 01395 233 320 or visit www.ccf-ltd.uk

The Manor Hotel – Bybrook Restaurant Trevillion were delighted to work once again with Exclusive Collection delivering a “fresh new look” for their Michelin starred restaurant at The Manor House.

Bybrook at The Manor has held a Michelin star since 2017 and the hotel were keen to achieve a crisp contemporary environment to compliment the culinary style of Executive Chef Robert Potter. Taking inspiration from the exceptional surroundings, produce grown in the hotels kitchen garden and the river from which the restaurant takes its name, Trevillion have delivered a scheme that evokes a true sense of calm within a building full of heritage.

A new wine room starts the journey having a rich décor intentionally contrasting the light environment of the restaurant. Eurocave wine fridges sitting on a

light oak floor, surrounded by “bottle green” textured wallcovering presents the perfect sense of “Theatre” The bespoke designed carpet influenced by the flowing Bybrook that runs through the hotels grounds, provides a soft aesthetic for the main restaurant and continues to “flow” across the room and into the adjacent Brook Room. Natural oak tables with dark timber & aged bronze pedestals are surrounded by chairs with a simple silhouette.

All are upholstered in a textured faux hide, combined with a tactile boucle velvet & perfectly finished with a tiny light oak “foot” Bespoke planters offer a subtle screening between diners & large scale glass wall lanterns, mirrors and two overlarge chandeliers provide elements of “sparkle” & layers of ambient light.

An existing collection of three fret cut leaves together with two new commissioned pieces of Art dress the now papered walls adorned with a pattern chosen for its “nod” to the formality of a traditional “knot garden” and the surrounding landscape.

The adjacent Brook Room has been furnished with subtle differences to emphasise its own character yet remains an integral part of the main dining room. Plain textured curtains are trimmed with the embroidered pattern that furnishes the bay in the restaurant and wall lights featuring an indulgent rocklike crystal have been chosen to “balance” the aesthetic of the featured stonework all providing the perfect place to dine !

For further information visit www.trevillion.co.uk

Established in 1972, Trevillion interiors has worked within the design industry to become a leading international design practice within their field.

Supplying architectual interior design solutions for both new build and refurbishment projects.

B.M.Trevillion Interiors Ltd, The Old Library, Old Cross, Hertford, SG14 1RB

For enquiries, please contact 020 8367 9494, email admin@trevillion.co.uk or visit www.trevillion.co.uk

CLOSING DOWN SALE DUE TO RETIREMENT

ALL STOCK ITEMS REDUCED BY ON WEB SITE PRICES (EXC

25%

LUDING SPECIAL OFFER S)

LARGE STOCKS AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY (While stocks last)

QUOTE Ref CAT 2023 Head Office/ Showroom: Unit 1, Greendale Business Park, Woodbury Salterton, Exeter, Devon EX5 1EW

Tel: 01395 233 320 www.ccf-ltd.uk sales@ccf-ltd.uk

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Design & Refit

Top Engraver Supports Hospitality Sector with Etched & Printed Table Numbers & QR Discs One of the UK’s most professional and technically advanced engraving and etching supplier, Brunel Engraving, is providing a rapid response to the growing demand for etched table numbers and QR code discs in the pub and catering industry.

The company has made a substantial investment in additional state of the art equipment and related software in order to produce a wide range of individually engraved and printed table numbers and discs.

The numbers and discs enable customers to link to apps or menus, eliminating the requirement for hard copies of menus and making it quicker and more convenient for customers to order.

“Our investment in additional equipment and software

has ensured that our customers in the hospitality sector can benefit from high quality products with excellent swift service at a fair price. Our ISO9001 accreditation means that every job, no matter how large or small goes through the workshops with this expectation level, and the continuous amount of 5 stars we receive on Trust pilot, highlights this commitment” said Tom Pycock, Sales Director of Brunel Engraving.

In addition to rotary engraving, Brunel offers laser engraving, chemical etching, anodic print, dye sublimation print, flatbed UV print and wide format UV print.

T: 01275 871 720 E: info@brunelengraving.co.uk W: www.brunelengraving.co.uk

Avoid Losses, Increase Profits and Build Relationships with CardsSafe

®

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

If you want to build trust and relationships with your customers, CardsSafe can help. The system wirelessly and securely holds customers' bank cards while they run a tab. As a result, staff can spend more time with customers, upsell and build valuable relationships.

Customers will also feel more relaxed knowing that their cards are safe.

The CardsSafe system is specifically designed to securely retain customer credit, debit and ID cards while the cardholder runs a tab. As a result, the technology not only protects against credit card fraud but also eliminates walk-outs and allows for checking the validity of bank cards.

The CardsSafe system has now revolutionised how hospitality businesses manage their customers' payment obligations. Their wireless technology can be safely tucked away behind the bar, POS or service station. The units are easily installed, and the system does not capture data, so it never breaches GDPR. CardsSafe helps pubs, bars and restaurants avoid losses, and it helps to increase profits by allowing staff to

upsell to their customers.

That's why over 5000 venues trust CardsSafe to manage their customer food and drink tabs and leisure facility hires.

From Young's pubs to Hilton Hotels, the London Golf Club, Lord's cricket ground and numerous restaurants and bars utilise the CardsSafe system.

Timothy, Young's Bar Manager, explains, "Average spend is up, and chargeback has virtually disappeared after we installed CardsSafe, which really puts our customers' minds at rest."

CardsSafe is affordable! Each unit contains ten card drawers that can be hired for just £9.95 per month. In addition, each hire comes with customer service troubleshooting and free replacement keys. Additional units can be added at any time.

Avoid losses with CardsSafe® and reap the benefits today!

For more information, please visit www.cardssafe.com Or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040

Design & Refit Make the Most of Your Space with Bar Stools

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CLASSIC COLLECTION

Long synonymous with the Great British Pub, bar stools are a great way to maximise your space and provide flexibility with your seating in any hospitality setting.

Tall bar stools such as Trent Furniture’s Tall Brass Rail Stool encapsulate timeless pub style in a choice of walnut or traditional dark oak, with the option to add upholstered seats in a wide choice of fabrics. With at-bar eating and drinking an increasingly popular trend in restaurants and bars, the Tall Shaker Stool, available in hard or button top is the perfect contemporary alternative.

Standard-sized bar stools such as Trent’s Small Wooden Stool are a perennially popular choice for pubs. Available with hard, piped or button tops, these versatile and durable stools will be the hardest working furniture in your venue.

Easy to move around, bar stools also add visual interest to your space when paired with chairs and sofas.

With 20% off many of Trent Furniture’s bar stools, now is a great time to boost your seating capacity with new bar stools. To find out more about our extensive range, please call us on 0116 2989 927 or fill in our contact form.

Healey and Lord

We regularly work with design and hospitality professionals to specify good value, durable washroom schemes for high profile venues.

Healey and Lord Limited specialise in the supply of high quality sanitaryware to commercial and hospitality projects around the world.

We also offer a range of high-quality design focused disabled toilet and washroom equipment to suit all projects.

We have an extensive range of less able products designed to complement modern and traditional schemes perfectly.

Our commercial product ranges are available to suit both modern and classically styled schemes. We have a full range of toilets, wash basins, urinals, taps and accessories in a variety of finishes. All products are available from stock and are made in the UK or western Europe.

Recent projects we have supplied include The Shard, The Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Lords Cricket Ground, The Queens Club, Battersea Power Station, The Globe, The Connaught Hotel, Whites in London, The Garrick Club and the Hurlingham Club.

We have an extensive range of no-touch washroom products including toilets, taps, accessories and urinal controls that are available in a range of finishes to complement any scheme.

Please contact us on +44 (0)1603 488709 or at sales@healeyandlord.co.uk or visit our website at www.healeyandlord.co.uk for more details.

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MODERN COLLECTION

Classic & contemporary designer sanitaryware & accessories Made in the UK and Western Europe

All products are available from stock

w w w. h e a l e y a n d l o r d . c o . u k Tel: 01603 488709 | E-mail: sales@healeyandlord.co.uk

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Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

Temporary Catering Facilities For Why LP Group Mixers Are A Events & Kitchen Refurbishments Top Choice for Artisan Bakers

Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

Ideal for events or to provide temporary catering facilities during your kitchen refurbishment, our versatile units and equipment offer an efficient and economical solution to the caterers’ needs.

Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Ware-washing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms and Restaurant Units are available as individual units in their own right or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex.

Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer-term hires.

We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.

The standard specification of our Medium Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range, salamander grill, twin basket fryer, undercounter fridge, undercounter freezer, hot cupboard, double bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, storage racking, plus ample power points to plug in Microwaves, Food Processors, Toasters etc.

Internal equipment can be interchanged, and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout.

We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

So, if you’re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal.

For further information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mkhire.co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.co.uk

Fridge Seals Direct

Fridge Seals Direct proud to be UK's no1 supplier of replacement fridge and freezer seals. We fabricate for a wide variety of commercial fridge & freezers.

The management team at Fridge Seals Direct have over 30 years of

LP Group mixers are trusted across the globe to deliver highquality, assured dough production.

The Italian machinery supplier has harnessed decades of engineering and manufacturing experience to create industry-leading models that produce excellent dough results for bakers. Its latest lines of fixed bowl solutions are ideal for artisan use, such as at small restaurants and bakeries, with an array of different sizes suited to dough handling production from 40kg to 250kg.

“LP Group produces fantastic mixers for consistent, high-quality artisan baking using specialist doughs,” says Steve Merritt, managing director of EPP, exclusive distributor of LP Group mixers in the UK and Ireland. “We’re pleased to offer its comprehensive range of high quality, robust mixers, which are perfect for small bakers and Italian pizzerias. The ability to produce at a smaller scale (whilst maintaining consistency) affords additional flexibility. Bakers can even make batches of just half a dozen loaves or a handful of pizza bases – ideal for smaller requirements, or to use as

experience in the refrigeration industry and have each spent many of those years installing gaskets and hardware for a range of styles, brands and sizes of fridges.

From restaurant kitchens to food warehouses we have experience in dealing with fridge & freezers of all sizes and scales. To learn more about fridge seals, be sure to explore our range of extensive guides on how to replace a refrigerator door seals. Otherwise, find your specific guides in how to identify, meas-

experimenting and testing, all with less wastage.”

All LP Group fixed bowl spiral mixers feature a tough steel construction and reinforced motors, built for many years of use. Its intuitive models have been designed for low maintenance and easy dough extraction, and they can be extensively customised to suit individual requirements. The mixers are capable of handling many types of dough, but are especially suited to artisan dough mixtures with hydration greater than 55% with European flour.

Its Star Mixer line – designed for 40kg or 60kg dough capacity – features an easy-to-use control panel with double scale electro-mechanical timer (which can be upgraded to an optional electronic control panel with bypass selector), and models can even be colour customised – ideal for reinforcing company branding, from kitchen to table.

Meanwhile, the VIS line is designed for dough capacities from 60kg to 250kg.

LP Group mixers are available in the UK and Ireland from bakery equipment specialist EPP. For more information, visit www.eppltd.co.uk ure, install or maintain your fridge or freezer door seal.

Our reputation in the industry along with our commitment to providing a high-quality gasket without having to buy from the factory allows us to have competitive pricing and fast turnaround time.

Try us out, order your door gaskets from us and discover a better way to do business. We are here to help you. www.fridgesealsdirect.co.uk

Fryers and Oil 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 infra-red 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

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By David Chesshire, National Accounts Manager, Blue Seal (www.blue-seal.co.uk) 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.

Caterquip Ventilation – For All Your Commercial Catering Ventilation Needs

Caterquip Ventilation Ltd is proud to be celebrating their 23rd Anniversary this year.

This Warwick based company offers nationwide coverage for all your commercial catering needs: free site surveys, quotations and designs (CAD), quality bespoke and standard fabrications, specialist knowledge of catering ventilation systems including input air, odour reduction (carbon filtration and ESP) and sound attenuation. Affiliated members of Constructionline and CHAS, Caterquip Ventilation have a strong hold in the marketplace often advising industry professionals on ventilation systems to a DW172 specification & BSEN:6173.

They have strong relationships with all leading kitchen equipment suppliers, and they offer a kitchen design

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service to help you build your ideal kitchen.

Projects undertaken have included Olympic Villages, Basildon Hospital, The Mitre Hotel at Hampton Court, The Truck Stop at Anglesey, The Lodge at Old Hunstanton, Colleges, Schools, Hotels, Restaurants and Public Houses. They ensure their systems are compliant with the current guidelines whilst maintaining an efficient and dynamic facility.

With extensive knowledge of manufacturing and installing ventilation systems, they can help you design the best kitchen within the space available.

Call: 01926 887167, visit: www.caterquipventilation.co.uk, email: info@caterquipventilation.co.uk

Evolution Fryers and Filter Units

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

• Be ready for your inspections • Damaged fridge seals are unhygienic • Make your fridge more energy efficient with a good seal on your fridge • We provide custom seals for cold rooms, discontinued models, and units with no identification information • Next-day delivery service • Discounted prices on large orders

WhatsApp, phone, and email support

07936807320 sales@fridgesealsdirect.co.uk

fridgesealsdirect.co.uk

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

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Commercial Kitchen Fit-Out

The New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump)

There are significant advantages offered by the New DrainMajor C (Combi Oven Pump) manufactured by Pump Technology Ltd. The pump features a tank with its clear side window was the large, triangular, low-level float attached to the pump by a rigid arm, external to the pump casing.

Because of the design of this float system the unit can cope with an exceptional quantity of grease, fat and food particles before the reliable start/stop operation of the pump is affected.

The triangular low-level float also means that inlet heights can be just 70mm from base to centreline, giving the appropriate inlet requirement for wall or central island Combi Ovens.

The build quality of the submersible wastewater pump was also a discussion point, with the mechanical shaft seal arrangement between pump impeller and motor winding generally agreed as an advantage over a common lip seal/diaphragm arrangement, especially considering the hot wastewater temperatures and potential grease which these units have to handle.

It can be connected to multiple ovens or oven and sink combinations. Also, multiple inlet connections can be cut onsite directly into the rigid Polyethylene tank without the need to manifold inlets outside of the tank and then feed into it via a single inlet. This means that the installation footprint is just the size of the compact tank and potential leaks from knocked manifold piping and joints are eliminated.

It looks like the New DrainMinor C is a real winner!

One of the biggest challenges in keeping a commercial kitchen spotlessly clean is the regular cleaning of the canopy, fan and extract ductwork. This must be tackled, not only for the sake of hygiene, but also for fire prevention and compliance.

Airborne fat, oil and grease is a natural by-product of even the healthiest diet. Carried in the steam that rises from cooking, grease and oil particles are drawn into the kitchen extract system to be vented away to the outside. As the exhaust stream cools, grease is deposited on the metal surfaces of the hood, canopy, filters, canopy plenum, fan and ductwork.

Should a kitchen fire reach the extract ductwork, or a flash fire occur in the extract system, then the accumulated grease deposits can act as fuel, helping to spread the fire. The ductwork itself can also help to spread the fire, acting as a chimney through which smoke and

flames can travel, spreading the danger to the other parts of the building.

To counter this potential fire risk, operators of commercial kitchens are required to comply with a new standard for the fire safety management of grease accumulation in kitchen extract systems, TR19® Grease.

Compliance is also essential to ensure that you don’t compromise your buildings insurance. If a fire should break out and the ductwork can be shown not to have been cleaned in accordance with TR19® Grease, many insurers will now refuse to pay out on a claim.

Ensuring legal compliance, a reduced risk of fire and greater hygiene in your kitchen are items which should always be on every maintenance menu. www.swiftclean.co.uk

Kitchen Extract Hygiene – A Burning Issue

PLEASE QUOTE CLH250 WHEN RESPONDING

Property and Professional

Issue 159

CLH Digital

57

Hospitality Businesses Can Use Finance to Access New Tax Incentives

The UK Government recently launched ‘Full Capital Expensing’; a new tax incentive designed to encourage business investment. This Capital Allowance enables hospitality firms to fully write-off the cost of qualifying purchases in the same year the asset was purchased. This equates to a saving of 19% or 25% of the asset’s purchase price (depending on your tax rate). The allowance can be claimed on a wide range of equipment by incorporated businesses, with the Annual Investment Allowance accessible under similar rules by unincorporated businesses.

This means you can get that new equipment, refurbish your premises, install an alarm or air-con at a significant effective discount.

For businesses who prefer to spread the cost of their equipment or project, using either a business loan or a hire purchase agreement allows the full expensing

allowance to be claimed.

Portman Asset Finance is both a lender and a broker, able to provide both hire purchase agreements and business loans, methods that allow capital allowances to be claimed. We have been helping pubs, restaurants and hotels spread the cost of new equipment, fund refurbishments and cover unexpected operational costs since 2007.

Portman also provide finance leasing, short term and flexible loans as well as tax loans and equipment refinance, helping hospitality businesses to boost cashflow or capture opportunities in today’s challenging environment.

If you’re looking to fund new equipment, refurbish your premises or boost cashflow, talk to the experts at Portman.

Call: 01604 669343 Visit: www.portmanassetfinance.co.uk

Why Use a Answer: Specialist Hospitality Consultant? 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.

just a few of the other areas that David Hunter, your Restaurant Consultant, will work on with you, and improve with you.

PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS

MARKETING

Our experts will analyse your entire operation and also its key operating figures if they are available. We then help you to identify strategies to manage costs and overheads associated with the core Profitability of running a Hospitality business.

The largest overhead, even higher than Cost of Sales, is the Labour cost, so, with detailed analysis of your wages and being able to understand ‘’the way your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the labour usage in your business.

Budgeting, Forecasting, Menu Management, Stock Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are

We will help you build a workable, planned Marketing Strategy. 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’’.

MANAGING PEOPLE Managing people brings with it a whole set of new skills that are now needed more than ever. From ‘’Managing the Managers’’ through to Service and Kitchen staff, your team needs careful and skilful Management, Motivation, guidance and Development.

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.

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

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

W! NE

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

EXETER, DEVON

SOMERSET TOWN

Exceptional 30+ Cover Restaurant

Stylish 78+ Cover Restaurant & Bar

Landmark Inn With 16 Letting Rooms

Being Sold Fully Fitted & Equipped

Furnished To A High Standard

Bar & Restaurant 82+, Kitchens

Prime Town Centre Position

Potential To Develop Own Cuisine

Owner’s Apartment, Car Park

Previous Strong Trading Levels

City Centre Trading Position

Free Of Tie Leasehold Opportunity

Must Be Viewed

Strong Turnover of £650,000+

Impressive & Profitable Business

LH £39,950

2157

LH £50,000

2146

LH £75,000

PLYMOUTH, DEVON

CORNWALL VILLAGE

DEVON VILLAGE

Freehold Pub Investment

Substantial Character Village Inn Sought After Trading Location Bar/ Restaurant Areas 66+, Garden 80+ 3 Letting Rooms, Owners Accommodation Tremendous Potential Throughout

Busy Prime Trading Location

Detached Village Inn

100+ Covers, Commercial Kitchen

Rental Income £18,000 pa

Huge Potential For New Owners

Lease With 11 Years Unexpired

Extensive Car Park & Gardens

Attention Of Investors

LH £80,000

2141

FH £195,000

4836

FH £380,000

BISHOPSTEIGNTON, DEVON

PRICE: OIEO £350,000 + VAT FREEHOLD

PRICE: £600,000

PRICE: £60,000

GUIDE PRICE: £750,000 - £1,000,000 LEASEHOLD REF: 4523

• Impressive Detached Tudor Style Property in Fabulous Location • Long Established, Well Appointed Licenced Restaurant with Outside Seating • Commercial kitchen with Prep Area and Wash Up Room • Exceptional Self-Contained 4 Double Bed Accommodation • Private Parking for 4 Cars and Outbuildings

• Stunning Ground Floor Lock Up Restaurant, Turnkey Operation • Elegant & Informal Fine Dining Restaurant Beautifully Refurbished Throughout • Fully Equipped Commercial Kitchen and Ancillary Spaces • Perfect Husband & Wife/Couple Operation • Of Possible Interest to Investors Looking to Create a Leasehold Rental Income

FREEHOLD

REF: 4265

• Tastefully Refurbished Licensed Café/Restaurant/Bar • Seating 40+ Over Two Trade Floors • Relaxed & Welcoming Atmosphere • Marked Increase in Turnover Under Current Ownership • Renowned for Providing Quality Handmade Pies

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4525

• Of Interest to Experienced, Creative Caterers • Fantastic Opportunity to Create a High-Quality Restaurant in Unique Setting • Fabulous Location within a Grade II Listed Building • New Lease with Head Rent of £24,000 Per Annum • Service Charge of 15% of the Rent to Include all Utilities

TEIGNMOUTH, DEVON

PRICE: £150,000

DARTMOOR, DEVON

SOMERSET COUNTRY VILLAGE

Village Store & Tea Gardens

Destination Country Pub & Restaurant

Extremely Profitable Business

Spacious 4 Bedroom Family Home

Bar/Restaurant Areas 66+, Garden 60+

Restaurant 32+, Catering Kitchens

Easy Lifestyle Hours

2 Bedroom Owners Accommodation

2/3 Bed Family Sized Apartment

Gardens With Stables & Garage

Landmark Trading Position

Town Centre With Stunning Views

Potential To Develop Business

Profitable Business With Potential

LH £125,000

2158

DUCHY LH: £325,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

2149

FH £349,950

4794

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

ANNUAL RENTAL OF £24,000

REF: 4464

FREEHOLD

REF: 4582

• Substantial & Prominent Town Centre Freehold Pub Available For Sale • Excellent Location Surrounded by a Mix of Both Commercial & Residential Uses Spacious Character Main Bar together with Outside Courtyard Area • Secondary Adjoining Annexe Building with Potential to Convert • Flexible 4 Bed Living Accommodation

TORQUAY, DEVON

W! NE

PRICE: £225,000 + VAT

NEWTON ABBOT, DEVON

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

PAIGNTON, DEVON

REF: 4420

TOTNES, DEVON

4834

Impressive Waterside Restaurant

• Fabulous Waterside Bar/Cafe/Restaurant Opportunity on Preston Seafront • Previously a Thriving Business Enjoying a Unique Location • Spacious Open Plan Bar/Restaurant, Over Spill Restaurant/Function Room • Ground Floor Beer Cellar & Large Outside Commercial Terrace with Sea Views • For Sale by Informal Tender - Bids to be Received by 12pm, 28/4/23

W! NE

MINEHEAD, SOMERSET

4829

Roadside Café & Restaurant

• Beautifully Presented Grade II Listed Village Freehouse • Elevated Position Overlooking the Teign Estuary in South Devon • Character Main Bar, Lower Bar/Dining Room & Library • Sunny Trade Terrace to Front with Partial View of the Teign Estuary • Spacious and Well Presented Five Bedroom Private Accommodation

FREEHOLD

REF: 4580

• Stunning Bar/Restaurant Situated in the Heart of Woolacombe with Sea Views • Well-Established Business with Very Impressive Trading Figures • Stunning Interior Designed Internal Trading Area with 60 Covers • Beautifully Refurbished Alfresco Decking Area with Sea Views & Circa 70 Covers • Remainder of 999 Year Long Lease at Peppercorn Rent (Effective Freehold)

WOOLACOMBE, DEVON

PRICE: £525,000

LONG LEASEHOLD

REF: 4437

Looks familiar, works differently.

HOW IT WORKS: Place 5 ice cubes into the Hielo Cooler The Ice sits between and below the three internal plinths Take chilled wine or Champagne from the fridge

No drips or mess Eco credentials This is a carbon assessed product

Place bottle on the three internal plinths Cooler maintains the temperature for up to one hour

T: +44 (0) 1747 859333 E: enquiries@icecooldesign.com www.icecooldesign.com *Approximate saving when compared to a standard ice bucket.Report by sustainability consultancy CARBON FOOTPRINT.