CLH Digital - Issue #192

THE LEADING PUBLICATION FOR THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR & LICENSED TRADE Issue 192

“Don’t Be Scrooge” This Christmas, Hospitality Employers Urged www.CLHNews.co.uk

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Hospitality employees are being urged not to shortchange their staff during the festive period.

casual staff over Christmas and the New Year and HMRC is stressing the importance of paying them the right rate.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding employers that they must pay their workers at least the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage this festive season, including seasonal staff and students.

Whether workers are employed on permanent, short-term or zero-hours contracts; for full or part-time hours; or as temporary seasonal staff, they are all legally entitled to be paid the minimum wage for their age, or the apprenticeship rate for first year apprentices, for all of their time spent working.

Traditionally, the hospitality sector relies heavily on additional temporary and

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CLH DIGITAL

Issue 192

Editor's Viewpoint

Merry Christmas to all our readers!

As the year draws to a close, I thought it prudent to examine and “take stock” of the challenges faced by the UK hospitality and licensed on-trade sector in 2023.

Our beloved industry, one in some way I have worked in for most of my adult life, and known for its adaptability and tenacity, has weathered a storm of economic difficulties, leaving its mark on the lower footfall experienced by businesses across the country.

The spectre of food inflation and increased interest rates has cast a shadow on the hospitality landscape, yet amidst the adversity, the resilience of the sector stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of those within it, and a spirit of which we should all be proud!

EDITOR

Peter Adams

Undoubtedly, one of the key factors influencing the hospitality sector this year has been the economic difficulties faced by consumers. Lower footfall, driven by a cautious approach to spending, has presented a significant challenge for businesses. The rising cost of living and economic uncertainties have made patrons more discerning in their choices, impacting the bottom line of many establishments.

Food inflation and increased interest rates have further compounded the challenges faced by hospitality businesses. The rising cost of ingredients has squeezed profit margins, requiring establishments to carefully balance quality and affordability. Additionally, the burden of increased interest rates has added financial strain, necessitating a strategic approach to financial management.

stimulate consumer spending but also enhance the competitiveness of our businesses on the global stage.

The issue of high duty rates is another pressing concern. The UK currently carries a disproportionate burden compared to other nations.

Reducing duty would not only alleviate financial pressure on businesses but also create a more level playing field, fostering a competitive and dynamic industry.

An incoming government has a real a VERY REAL opportunity to release the sectors true potential instead of continually “tying one hand behind its back”.

Looking ahead to 2024, the prospect of a general election looms large on the horizon.

As stakeholders in the hospitality sector, it is crucial that we articulate our needs and expectations to any incoming government. The support of policymakers is integral to ensuring the continued vibrancy and success of our industry.

So, as we reflect on the challenges of 2023 and anticipate the opportunities and obstacles of the coming year, we here at CLH NEWS must express our gratitude. The support of our readers and advertisers has been nothing short of phenomenal. Your commitment to CLH News has been the driving force behind our ability to deliver timely and insightful content.

Key measures that any incoming government should consider include maintaining business rate relief beyond March 31. This financial lifeline has been instrumental in supporting businesses, particularly smaller establishments, and its extension would provide muchneeded stability.

As the festive season upon us, we extend our heartfelt thanks and wish each of you a very busy and prosperous Christmas period. May the spirit of unity and resilience that defines our industry carry us into a new year filled with promise and success!

Furthermore, the government should consider aligning the UK with other European Union countries by reducing VAT in the hospitality sector. Such a move would not only

Once more I would ask you to please do follow us on Twitter, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to sign up to our digital issue, further details can be seen at www.catererlicensee.com

The Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News Group is published by RBC Publishing Ltd, 3 Carlton Mount, 2 Cranborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 5BR. 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.

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SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Charlene Fox

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Issue 192

3

“Don’t Be Scrooge” This Christmas, Hospitality Employers Urged (CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) 200% PENALTIES

do not risk short-changing your staff.”

Employers need to check beyond the hourly rate of pay and be aware that any unpaid working time this festive season – such as time spent opening and closing a shop, training, picking up extra shifts and working longer hours – can lead to payment mistakes. Deductions, for things like uniforms or tools, can also reduce pay rates.

• £10.42 – Age 23 and over (National Living Wage) • £10.18 – Age 21 to 22 • £7.49 – Age 18 to 20 • £5.28 – Age under 18 • £5.28 – Apprentice

The National Minimum Wage hourly rates are currently:

In 2022-23, HMRC identified wage arrears of £13.7 million due to more than 108,000 UK workers. And employers who break minimum wage rules can face penalties of up to 200% of the underpayments owed to workers and must pay the outstanding arrears due to workers on top of the penalty.

“DO NOT SHORT CHANGE” Marc Gill, Director Individuals and Small Business Compliance, HMRC, said: “We want to make sure that all workers, including seasonal staff and students, are being paid what they are due this festive period, which is why we are asking employers to check what they pay.

“It is not just about the hourly pay rate, look out for any deductions or unpaid working time, including training time, which could take workers below the minimum wage.

“HMRC can help employers to get things right and there is plenty of information available. We look into every minimum wage complaint, so

LONGER HOURS This time last year, hospitality employers called on staff to work longer hours over the peak Christmas period, according to a survey by workforce management company Bizimply The survey revealed that more than half of businesses reported that Christmas and New Year trading was as strong as they'd hoped, as consumers came out to eat and drink with family and friends, with the data confirming that many operators asked employees to put in longer shifts.

Bizimply analysed customer data from hundreds of its hospitality customers in the UK and Ireland, equating to thousands of outlets and tens of thousands of employees, across all sectors of the hospitality industry including pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels, cafés and fast food outlets.

The figures for 2023 revealed: • Hospitality employees were called on to work longer hours during the peak

Pub Gives 'Hope' This Christmas

trading period. Average hours per employee worked per week increased from around 28 hours in October up to around 32 hours a week during the second half of December.

• Top end restaurants made the biggest demands on their staff, with employees in this sector working an average of 48 hours per week in the run-up to Christmas and the new year, up from 40 hours a week at the start of December. In wet-led businesses, employees worked an average of 31 hours a week during the peak Christmas period compared to 28 hours at the start of December.

• Having increased steadily throughout 2022, the number of active employees in hospitality was close to its post-pandemic high in December, matching the levels seen at the hottest parts of the summer of 2022 when customers were seeking refuge from the heatwave. This was particularly true in wet-led businesses, which saw an increase of around 10% in the number of active employees during December, compared to an increase of around 5% for the hospitality sector as a whole.

• There has inevitably been a decrease in the number of active employees in the New Year. as hospitality employers plan for the traditional lull in trade to be compounded this year by consumers' reduced spending power and concerns about the economy.

• However, after a sharp fall in the first week of January, when total active employees declined by close to 5%, and average shift lengths to 25 hours, there are signs of an upturn, with more active employee and longer shift lengths recorded in the second week of January.

doubling last year’s contribution.

“I’m so proud that we’ve hit 90 hampers this year,” said Sarah. “Pubs should be all about the community, it’s not just about getting money into the till. At some stage in life, we will all need a helping hand, and I’m honoured to be able to give that.”

Sarah Beresford and partner, Robin Fahy of The Hope pub in London’s West Norwood have given back to the community by teaming up with local businesses to giveaway 90 festive hampers this Christmas.

The hampers will be collected by local families just in time for Christmas, meaning that 90 families across West Norwood will benefit from Sarah’s generosity.

For the third year running, Sarah has organised the Christmas Hamper campaign where local families can benefit from receiving a box of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, sweets, and biscuits just in time for Christmas.

The Hope pub is well-known for being a safe and welcome place, sitting at the heart of the community, and Sarah herself is incredibly passionate about raising money for those in need.

The campaign was the brainchild of Sarah and her friend who were chatting over a cup of tea about the struggles that families can face in the run up to the festive period.

Earlier this year, she raised an incredible £11,360 for Shooting Star Children’s Hospice by completing a sponsored walk from London to Brighton. The mammoth challenge took 27 hours to complete, with Sarah adding it to her list of growing achievements.

Alongside working with her local foodbank, Sarah reached out to local businesses including well-known supermarkets to ask for donations. The produce was then delivered to the pub, which sits on Norwood High Street, before Sarah, her team, and friends come together and box them up for collection.

Punch Pubs & Co Operations Manager, Julian James-Mobbs said: “Sarah truly is at the heart of the community in West Norwood. Her passion for helping others is unparalleled, and aside from being a fantastic Publican, she has built a reputation for herself as a local champion.

In addition to food drop-offs, Sarah also set-up a JustGiving page where donations could be made to help fund the hampers. Overall, they raised over £2,500,

“I am so proud of Sarah and look forward to seeing future fundraisers she will undoubtedly commit to.”

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How To Keep Hospitality Staff Safe During The Festive Period 4

Issue 192

CLH Digital

By Mark Balaam, CEO and Founder of imabi (www.imabi.com)

With hospitality businesses across the UK experiencing one of their busiest times of year, amid the festive cheer, it remains essential to focus on the well-being of hardworking staff members. Therefore, it’s important to adjust to the lively atmosphere and the potential safeguarding issues this presents.

Staff are the backbone of the industry, and their safety should always be a top priority for business owners. As the festive season unfolds, it's essential to ensure team members can enjoy the holiday spirit, deliver exceptional service — and, ultimately, remain safe.

LEAN ON TECHNOLOGY Technology can play a huge role in safeguarding hospitality staff and it’s important to embrace the latest innovations that allow us to minimise physical contact and respond swiftly to potential risks. It’s also worth noting that safeguarding issues don’t simply come from customers — in fact, there are a number of other potential risks such as commuting to and from work, or inter-team relationship challenges.

There are some great technology solutions to explore, but a comparatively old one – that of simply installing a camera security system – can offer an essential layer of security and help staff to feel safe. If an incident does arise, having video evidence can prove extremely valuable. Signposting that this technology is in use can also be an effective deterrent for inappropriate behaviour.

EDUCATE YOUR STAFF An effective way to protect your staff is by implementing comprehensive training programmes. By offering training on topics such as emergency procedures and conflict resolution, employees are equipped with the tools needed to navigate challenging situations effectively. Such situations tend to spike at this time of year, where larger, alcohol-fuelled groups are more common. Ensuring that staff members are well-prepared and confident in handling varying scenarios will not only help keep them safe, but create a well informed collective that can look out for one another.

Some businesses, such as bars and clubs, will typically employ security staff, so it’s also important to ensure they undergo specialised training for handling situations that may arise during the festive season. This will essentially create a first line of defence that enhances the overall safety net for other staff. However, it's also important that varied communication channels are open between the team — allowing security to react to any situations flagged by colleagues. Once this relationship is established, the team becomes dialled into a safe-

guarding ecosystem underpinned by the concept that everyone has the right to feel safe at work.

The festive season can bring together people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Therefore, it's important to equip your staff with training in cultural sensitivity to navigate interactions respectfully. Understanding cultural nuances can diffuse tensions and prevent misunderstandings, contributing to a more harmonious environment for both staff and customers.

FOSTERING A SUPPORTIVE AND OPEN WORKPLACE CULTURE Creating an open workplace culture is key, especially during high-stress periods like the festive season.

Encouraging an open dialogue where employees feel comfortable expressing their concerns ensures that potential issues are identified and addressed promptly. Implementing regular check-ins and encouraging a collaborative approach to problem-solving are all worth considering.

The festive season, while joyous for many, can also be stressful for hospitality staff dealing with increased workloads and customer expectations. Prioritise the mental health of your teams by providing resources, encouraging them to take breaks, and offering appropriate channels to raise concerns. A mentally healthy workforce is not only more resilient but also better equipped to handle the demands of the season.

At imabi, we offer a safeguarding solution that can help support the safety of your team across all of these aspects – including anonymous reporting. Alongside its 24/7 confidential reporting, our imabi Pro platform provides support and guidance from trusted sources across all sorts of scenarios from mental health to safe commuting and more. We also look to help your team to navigate difficult situations with confidence, while company information can also be added to provide updates specific to you and your workplace. Effectively a one-stop shop for safeguarding, it keeps your team informed, while also furnishing them with a platform to make their voices heard.

The key message here though is that with hospitality essentially being built on people, their safety should always be a priority. Speak to your teams, understand their concerns, and you may find that something as simple as providing adequate lighting in staff parking areas can have a huge impact on their overall outlook. Of course, there are also deeper, more far-reaching and more effective options to consider too.

Mark Balaam is a White Ribbon ambassador and safeguarding expert with more than 30 years of experience in the sector. He’s also CEO & founder of imabi, a safeguarding platform offering real-time actionable support to users, as well as empowering them to report crimes and access essential supportive materials and services – all within one place. imabi, which recently partnered with Crimstoppers, also provides the technology behind the British Transport Police’s Railway Guardian app.

Warwickshire Hotel Runs Festive ‘Golden Ticket’ Charity Drive A hotel based in the heart of Warwickshire is set to spread the true spirit of giving this festive season with its ‘golden ticket’ drive – planting 10 tickets in its napkins for guests to discover over the Christmas period.

Recognising that Christmas is about the essence of generosity and goodwill, Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa, a historic hotel situated on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon, is giving back to the community through the golden ticket campaign – which runs until 31st of December.

This season, Billesley Manor will surprise its diners by placing ten golden tickets in specially selected napkins during their festive dining experiences. Upon finding a ticket, guests are encouraged to snap a photo, share it on social media, tag Billesley Manor, and inform a member of the hotel’s team.

The recipients who discover these tickets are in for a charitable surprise – they will be asked to pick a charity of their choice which

Billesley Manor will then make a donation to, as well as given a complemetary glass of bubbles. It’s a chance for guests to make an impact, directing support toward causes close to their hearts during this season of giving. This gesture is aimed at spreading joy not only among the guests but also within the larger community by supporting a diversity of causes.

Commenting on the initiative, Laura Cherrington, Sales and Marketing Director at Billesley Manor, said: “Christmas is a time of sharing and giving, and at Billesley Manor, we wanted to create a memorable experience that represents the true spirit of this time of year. This initiative isn’t just about luck; it’s about making a meaningful difference in people’s lives by supporting causes that matter to them and the communities around us.”

Laura continued: “Through these golden tickets, we invite our guests to become partners in our mission to spread warmth and hope, creating a lasting impact that extends far beyond our festive halls.”

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Government Sets Out “Workers’ Rights Package” CLH Digital

Millions are set to benefit as the government sets out the next stages for a number of new Workers’ Rights Acts – giving more money and more say back to UK workers.

Benefits range from £200 million more back in the pockets of hardworking people, to greater flexibility over when, where and how you work.

Business and Trade Minister Kevin Hollinrake said: As we approach Christmas, it’s more vital than ever that we do what we can to support workers and families across the country.”

“I’d like to encourage businesses to be as flexible as possible and give their hard-working employees the tips they deserve.”

“I want to thank the MPs who brought forward this legislation to support hard working families and shape the UK’s outstanding workers’ rights record.”

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, which became law in May this year, requires employers to pass all tips on to workers.

Most employers already pass on tips to the staff who earn them. However, there are still some unacceptable tipping practices by unscrupulous employers, which must be stopped.

Christmas is an incredibly busy season for hospitality workers, and usually a time of year when customers are more generous with their tips. All employees deserve to receive their fair share of tips, so the Government has launched a public consultation on the Tipping Act’s Code of Practice to gain feedback from employers, workers and other stakeholders on the fair and transparent distribution of tips.

Acas Chief Executive Susan Clews said: The shift in recent years towards increased use of flexible working by organisations has allowed more peo-

Issue 192

5

ple to better balance their working lives and enabled employers to attract and retain skilled staff.

Acas has recently consulted on a new draft Code of Practice which outlines good practice around requests for flexible working and explains the forthcoming changes in the law to employers and employees.

New rights to protect new parents from redundancy, give carers extra support and help all employees work flexibly are also a step closer as government has laid legislation with plans for the measures to come in next spring.

These measures will improve the lives of hard-working families across Britain, aiding workers who have caring responsibilities or parents at risk of redundancy and ensuring everyone is able work as flexibly as needed into the new year.

An extra 2.6 million workers across the UK will benefit from the removal of the 26 week qualifying period that is currently required before making a flexible working request.

Those with caring responsibilities will also be entitled to a brand new employment right to a week’s leave to care for a dependent.

Redundancy protections are also being extended to cover pregnancy, as well as to new parents, plus the introducion the biggest ever increase to the National Living Wage, worth over £1,800 a year for a full-time worker, fulfilling the pledge to end low pay.

When this increase comes into effect in April, the National Living Wage will be worth nearly £21,000 a year for a full time worker – almost double, in cash terms, the amount which a full time worker on the National Minimum Wage earned in 2010.

For the first time, 21 years olds will be legally entitled to the National Living Wage, which is set to reach two-thirds of average earnings.

Deliveries Up In November As Consumers’ Ordering Habits Evolve Delivery sales at Britain’s top managed restaurant groups rose 4% year-on-year in November 2023, CGA by NIQ’s latest Hospitality at Home Tracker shows—but takeaway sales fell 6%.

The contrasting trends show how consumers have changed their athome ordering habits in recent years, moving away from the collection of meals in favour of delivery to the door. Deliveries in November accounted for 61% of restaurant groups’ orders—up from 52% just 12 months ago. Takeaways and click-and-collect orders attracted 39% of spending.

Combined, the value of managed groups’ delivery and takeaway sales in November was 2% ahead of the same month in 2022. It is the sixth month of like-for-like growth in a row, but marks a slowdown from the figures of 7% and 4% in September and October. The volume of total orders in November 2023 was down by 6% year-on-year.

CGA’s Hospitality at Home Tracker also shows that deliveries and takeaways accounted for around 15 pence in every pound that consumers spent with managed restaurants in November. Food attracted 90 pence per pound of this spending, with 10 pence going on drinks.

Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “After surging during COVID lockdowns and falling afterwards, a new normal is emerging in restaurants’ at-home sales.

With deliveries now so easy and fast, takeaways have become a thing of the past for many consumers. But with sales by value virtually flat and order volumes down, it’s also clear that the only growth in this channel recently has come from increased menu prices. Sustaining delivery sales while protecting margins is going to be big challenge for all restaurant businesses in 2024.”

Seven 2024 Business Travel Trends To Watch Out For Next Year…

6

Issue 192

CLH Digital

By Laura Busby, Commercial Director, Good Travel Management (www.good-travel.co.uk)

As 2023 draws to a close, we at Good Travel Management, have delved into the latest research and our internal data to share what we think will be the biggest business travel trends of 2024…

#1 MORE FOCUS ON THE BUSINESS TRAVEL COMMUNITY Studies show 83 percent of workers see corporate travel as a perk of their job and 65 percent of millennials consider corporate travel proof of their significance within their organisation.

cent of respondents said cost management was one of the top strategies for travel managers in 2024.

There have been numerous conflicting reports about the cost of air travel in 2024, with some companies saying prices will fall and others saying they will rise by as much as seven percent.

We predict there will be fewer business excursions in 2024, but the ones that take place, will have a longer duration, with companies trying to maximise the ROI of each trip.

Our data also shows that low cost flight carriers now represent 1 in 3 fares globally, showing price point is still important for those booking business travel.

However, according to Good Travel Management’s internal data the expected price increase per air travel booking in 2024, will be around 4.8 percent. With the average air fare costing £837 in 2023, this could actually be as little as a £15 price increase per person.

One more considered factor will be whether your company is successfully capturing the entire cost of a trip. More businesses will want to determine the holistic cost from the first coffee purchased at the airport to the cost of flights, hotels, and any other additional purchas-

More than ever, business travel will continue to be a valuable learning experience for employees, enhancing their skills in negotiation, communication, and cultural understanding.

es.

We believe it will become an increased priority for businesses as more recognise it as a way to recruit and retain 2024’s top talent.

This is where expense management software will become more prominent, as it amalgamates all travel data with expenses and vice versa.

More companies realise travel is not only significant for building business relationships with customers. It can motivate their employees to perform at a higher level, provide opportunities for team members to bond, and reinforce company culture.

#4 RISK MANAGEMENT AND DUTY OF CARE

#2 SUSTAINABILITY In November this year, Virgin Atlantic’s historic flight using 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) flew from London Heathrow to New York JFK.

According to the earlier referenced GBTA survey, 44 percent view traveller safety and security as increasingly important in 2024.

It’s hardly surprising as devastating conflict in the Middle East has led to demonstrations around the world, and there has been a rise in bomb threats at airports and tourist attractions. There have also been isolated instances of terror attacks targeting tourists, in Brussels and Uganda.

Sustainability seems to be on every business radar and though the costs may be initially steeper, organisations must ask whether they can truly afford to neglect sustainable travel.

Considering these complexities, it’s more important than ever to have an accessible company travel policy. ISO 31030 documentation is essential here, as it provides a framework for organisations to develop, implement and continually improve their travel risk management processes.

One study confirmed that businesses could risk losing out on the top candidates, with 53 percent agreeing they would prioritise companies supporting it over those that did not.

Not only this, but to ensure business success and the safety of different employee demographics in 2024 we must tailor our travel risk management approach to the unique needs of our company.

We believe CO2 measurement for travel will become increasingly more important in 2024, but it can be challenging given that there are so many ways to measure it. By partnering with CO2 experts, businesses can introduce accurate approval mechanisms dependent on CO2 emissions for planned trips.

This means profiling a traveller before they go on an international workplace assignment and the destination and checking whether the area is medium-high-risk for that individual.

#3 ROI WILL BE KEY ROI for business travel has increased in importance, and it will continue to be a key 2024 focus. According to a recent GBTA survey, 62 per-

Working with a travel management company here, is ideal, as they collect and remain up to date with legal and non-legal country information and can help your business develop risk management plans before employee travel.

#5 INCREASED FARE STABILITY

Considering these findings, we think the data suggests that air fares are levelling out and 2024 will see a trend of increased fare stability across the global market.

Other predictions are that seat capacity for flights in Q1 will be higher than 2019, meaning more availability and options on flights for business travellers.

#6 A SHIFT IN HOW HOTELS PRIORITISE BOOKINGS A growing 2024 trend is hotels shifting from pushing occupancy to raising revenue per room. In short, they will be accepting lower occupancy, as they prioritise selling rooms at higher rates instead.

Corporations are likely to spend more on hotel accommodation in the coming year. Because of this, we are also seeing an increased trend in certain booking behaviours among customers.

54 percent of our customers tend to book flex rates over non-flex rates and as costs continue to rise, we believe this percentage will increase next year.

#7 THE RISE OF THE ‘ZENVOYAGER’ Generation Z has a unique perspective on travel due to the massive boost in globalisation that has occurred during their lifetime. And their perspective will continue to alter how the business travel industry operates, each year.

An evident shift among Gen Z adults is their increasing preference for accommodation like Airbnb’s over traditional hotel chains, which means business travel may become less focused on booking this type of accommodation.

When it comes to travel convenience, Gen Z demonstrates a pronounced inclination towards apps that streamline the process. They actively engage with applications that facilitate booking accommodations, manage flights, and secure attractive travel deals. Technology plays a pivotal role in their travel arrangements.

This strong reliance on technology serves as a clear indicator for industries to adapt. Businesses that lack a dedicated app or possess an unreliable online presence risk losing their Gen Z audience.

Auction Luxury: Own a Piece of The Grand Brighton's Iconic Furniture

Renowned for its elegance and history, The Grand Brighton hotel is preparing for a lavish refurbishment starting in January 2024. But before the transformation begins, the hotel is offering a unique opportunity to acquire its luxury furniture through a collaboration with Pro Auction, esteemed hospitality auctioneers.

With a rich heritage spanning 156 years, the iconic Brighton city based hotel boasts 201 breathtaking rooms spread across seven floors, complemented by a majestic original staircase. Celebrities, influential politicians, and even film and sitcom productions, such as the iconic episode of Only Fools and Horses in 1992, have graced its halls.

As part of the hotel's refurbishment, the 201 guest bedrooms will be upgraded, following previous renovations in 2013 and 2019. Prior to the commencement of the new design, you have the chance to capture the essence of luxury by acquiring pieces of the hotel's furniture at a fraction of the cost.

"We are thrilled to offer our customers the chance to own a part of The Grand Brighton's opulence,"

expressed Simon Rose, Managing Director of Pro Auction. "This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire furniture from one of the city's most iconic hotels."

The first phase of the auction is scheduled for December 19th, 2023, featuring an array of furniture from the hotel's guest bedrooms, including beds, bedside tables, wardrobes, desks, chairs, and more. Subsequent sales will occur every five weeks starting from March 2024.

Don't let this extraordinary chance slip away. Mark your calendars and participate in the live and online auction on December 19th to secure your slice of luxury from The Grand Brighton. To preview the available lots, please schedule an appointment directly with the auctioneers.

The live auction sale takes place at the hotel commencing at 10..00am promptly, online bidding is enabled and interested parties can register at Pro Auction Limited | The Grand Brighton Sussex Hotel Furniture Fittings and Equipment (FF&E)- Guest Bedrooms (bidspotter.co.uk)

www.proauction.com

Insurer Data Reveals Hospitality Payment Failures Up By 43% YOY CLH Digital

The UK’s second-largest trade credit insurer, Atradius, has revealed the number of claims they received in the hospitality sector increased year-on-year by 43% in Q3 2023, as they urge pubs and restaurants to diversify to overcome a potentially quiet first quarter in the new year.

The sector has faced significant challenges in recent years as firms battled with rising costs, increasing energy costs, and staff shortages. While the falling inflation rate and improving interest rate have increased consumer confidence, feeding into the 46% decrease in claims quarter-on-quarter in Q3, there is still a major concern for firms as Atradius predicts a quieter-than-usual Q1.

Experts at Atradius suggest that while there are some encouraging signs of recovery in the sector - with 37% of business owners operating at a higher profit margin than in the same period last year - hospitality firms must plan ahead to safeguard themselves and their businesses against an expected dip in consumer spending.

Owen Bassett, insolvency and hospitality expert at Atradius UK, advises: “It’s safe to say that the hospitality sector has, like all of us, had a turbulent few years since the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with economic uncertainty, rising costs and staffing challenges in the fallout. Despite this, many hospitality firms have weathered the storm and continue to do so, which is heartening to see.

Ultimately businesses that can show agility in operating costs, supply chains, and consumer offerings are showing the most resilience, and we are now urging hospitality businesses to look at where opportunities lie in 2024.

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This benefitted fast food brands, while we saw a downturn for mid-range restaurants, for example. We are predicting that there will be a high street revival in 2024, as consumers seek out engaging in-person experiences. In fact, nearly half (44%) of consumers would prioritise an in-person experience over purchasing items, even if their spending is reduced.

“Staying tuned in to consumer habits will be vital for hospitality firms, especially as we approach a quieterthan-normal January. Consumer priorities, such as convenient online experiences (for example using booking apps), sustainable practices, and the largest uplift in recreation and culture that we saw in Q1 2023, all highlight a major opportunity for businesses that can overcome a downturn in consumer spending.[3] “While business rates are expected to increase in April, with a predicted £1.56 billion impact on businesses, it is still unclear exactly what support will be offered to firms hit hard by this. The election may bring more support for businesses that are under pressure, but taking active steps to safeguard business’s finances during busy seasons is the best way to ensure resilience for your business. Proactive financial planning, such as safeguarding supply chains and credit agreements - a significant vulnerability – with insurance, to avoid the ‘domino effect’ of insolvency can make all the difference as we enter a quieter period.”

“In 2023, we saw consumers seek out experiences that were either high-end or affordable and accessible.

“In 2024, hospitality workers can safeguard their businesses by staying attuned to evolving consumer preferences and industry trends. Embracing technology will be crucial, from implementing user-friendly online booking systems and mobile apps to leveraging social media for marketing and customer engagement, all the while adapting to consumer trends. Hospitality businesses remaining agile and adaptable to unforeseen challenges will be crucial in navigating the dynamic landscape of the hospitality industry in 2024 and ensuring that their businesses continue to prosper”.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee has backed UKHospitality’s call for card payments to be permitted for use on gaming machines.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “This is yet another show of support to bring gaming machines into the modern age, with MPs joining united calls from the sector.

The committee said it supports the introduction of cashless payments but also highlighted that customers who prefer to pay by cash should be able to do so.

“Amusement machines have been long-standing fixtures in pubs and are a valuable revenue stream for venues, as well being enjoyed by customers.

In the Autumn, the Government consulted on whether to allow cashless payments on gaming machines, which UKHospitality supported. The sector awaits the Government’s final decision.

“Cashless payments would help protect this part of their business and we look forward to the Government’s conclusions on taking this forward, following an extensive consultation in the Autumn.”

MPs Back Card Payments On Gaming Machines

FPI Inflation “Up Like A Rocket, But Falling Like A Feather” CLH Digital

Inflation as measured by the CGA Prestige Foodservice Price Index (FPI) fell again during the month of November to 15.0% - its lowest level since July 2022.

The speed of that fall is much slower the equivalent rise to the 22.9% peak that happened in December last year. On the way up, it took just four months to rise from 15% to the peak, on the way down over twice the time period at 11 months.

Meanwhile, levels of supermarket price inflation (measured by CPI) which fell sharply between May and September are beginning to firm again in the run-up to the Christmas period.

In November, FPI saw just two categories (Oils & Fats at 1.4%, and Dairy at 8.8%) performing below 10% year-on-year. This was in stark contrast to Vegetables where inflation remained extremely high at 27.3%.

The UN FAO Food Commodity Index (the overall measure of international food commodity prices) averaged 120.4 points in November 2023, unchanged from its October level, as increases in the price indices for vegetable oils, dairy products and sugar counterbalanced decreases in those of cereals and meat. The index

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stood 14.4 points (10.7 percent) below its corresponding level one year ago. Brent Crude eased one dollar a barrel in the month, with a sharp fall in early December. Sterling appreciated 4% during the month against the dollar, whilst annual growth in employees’ average total pay (including bonuses) remained over 7% in November.

Shaun Allen, Prestige Purchasing CEO, said: “There’s little doubt that wholesalers have been battling rising costs, just like hospitality operators and the remainder of the supply chain. But with the market coming off peak-levels of inflation operators need to be especially vigilant as suppliers seek to enhance margins to rebuild their balance sheets.”

James Ashurst, client director at CGA by NIQ, said: “After such rapid rises in inflation in recent times, it’s frustrating to see a much slower journey back towards more normal levels. High rises in the cost of vegetables are particularly concerning as we move towards 2024. The general UK rate of inflation may be coming down, but businesses across the food supply chain will be feeling the heat on prices for some time to come.”

Alun Cairns MP Sends Important Message to MPs for the Community Pub Hero Awards In a video message Alun Cairns MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group, has called on MPs to nominate their local pubs for the prestigious Community Pub Hero Awards. This rallying cry underscores the significant role pubs play in the heart of our communities and the importance of recognising their contributions.

community through sporting events.

In the video, Alun Cairns passionately speaks about the integral role pubs play in our communities, not just as social hubs but as lifelines for local causes and activities. His message is a powerful reminder of the positive impact pubs have, far beyond serving drinks.

PubAid is supporting Alun Cairns’ call and is urging MPs and the public alike to nominate their local pubs for these prestigious awards. It’s a chance to celebrate the unsung heroes of our communities – the local pubs and individuals who make a difference every day.

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PUB HERO AWARDS

Nominations are open until 19 January 2024. Visit Community Pub Hero Awards Nomination website to enter your nominations and be part of this celebratory journey.

NEW FOR 2024 – Community Sustainability Hero Applauding a pub’s efforts in environmental protection and sustainability.

The Community Pub Hero Awards, a beacon of excellence in the pub industry, have announced their 2024 categories, reflecting the diverse ways in which pubs enrich our communities: Community Support Hero Celebrating a pub that truly supports its local area.

Community Fundraising Hero Recognising a pub that raises money for charity.

Community Regular Hero Honouring an individual who goes above and beyond.

NEW FOR 2024 – Community Sport Hero Acknowledging a pub that supports grassroots sport or unites the

Des O’Flanagan, Co-Founder of PubAid said: “The Community Pub Hero Awards offer a platform to acknowledge the extraordinary contributions of pubs in our neighbourhoods. From supporting local sports teams to championing environmental sustainability, these establishments are more than just venues; they are the heart and soul of our communities. Let’s come together to recognise and honour their outstanding efforts.”

Welsh Rates Relief Extended But Bills Still Set To Rise CLH Digital

The Welsh Government has announced that business rates relief will be extended at a lower level of 40% and that rates will rise by 5% next year.

UKHospitality Cymru Executive Director David Chapman said:

“I’m pleased that the Welsh Government has heard the concerns from UKHospitality Cymru and taken the decision to continue some form of business rates relief.

“UKHospitality campaigned hard for relief to be extended in Westminster, which resulted in additional funds for the Senedd, and it’s clear hospitality has been recognised as a sector in need of support.

“While we appreciate the economic pressures the Welsh Government is under, there will be concern from businesses that relief has been reduced to 40%, from 75%, and that business rates will be increased across the board by 5%.

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“It’s extremely disappointing that at the same time the Government is taking £16 million worth of funding from the tourism budget. This is a strategically important sector in Wales and central to our culture – it needs investment and this sharp reduction in overall budget is worrying.

“At a time of intense economic challenges, this slashing of the tourism budget will do little to inspire longterm confidence in the sector, particularly alongside the looming introduction of a visitor levy and other policies that are impacting hard on the sector.”

Director of CAMRA Wales Chris Charters said: “Pubgoers will be disappointed to see support for business rates bills for pubs, social clubs and breweries being cut – despite money from the UK Government being made available to keep the discount at 75%.”

“It must be remembered that hospitality businesses already pay more than their fair share of business rates because the current system is out-of-date and punitive for bricks and mortar businesses.

“Our locals are at the heart of community life across Wales, bringing communities together, helping to tackle loneliness and providing a safe social space to enjoy a drink with friends and family. They deserve help so they can survive and thrive in the months and years ahead.

“This reduced level of support now leaves businesses in Wales at a competitive disadvantage to businesses in England. Small businesses, in particular, will feel hard done by as their counterparts will see rates frozen across the border. A typical local pub or restaurant in Wales will, for example, be paying £6,400 more than one in England.

“That’s why I am urging the Welsh Government to think again and keep the business rates discount at 75% as it is in England. At a time when customers are tightening their belts and businesses are grappling with rising costs, this help is desperately needed if we are to avoid more pubs, clubs and breweries being lost for good to communities across the country.”

Year-on-year drinks sales fell again at the beginning of December but there were brighter spots of trading to raise hopes for a strong Christmas and New Year.

and 6% on the Friday. These numbers may provide better indications of the growth that might be expected in the crucial final few weeks of 2023.

CGA by NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker shows average sales in managed venues in the week to last Saturday (9 December) were 9% behind the same week last year. Growth has now topped 1% just once in the last eight weeks.

World Cup comparatives meant LAD categories struggled last week, with beer and cider sales down 9% and 13%. Soft drinks (down 1%) and wine (up 1%) were flat, while spirits (down 19%) had another challenging week.

Daily figures from the Tracker show how comparisons are skewed by the World Cup. Sales were down by 19% and 26% on Sunday and Saturday (3 and 9 December), as the comparative days in 2022 brought two knock-out matches for England—the second of which was one of the biggest trading days of the year.

“The World Cup of last December makes year-on-year comparisons difficult, but midweek performance suggests modest average growth in drinks sales at the moment,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director, UK and Ireland. “As festive occasions ramp up, operators and suppliers must hope that the weather and rail strikes don’t affect footfall. Total real-terms growth will be very hard won, but venues that strike the right balance of quality and value can look forward to a profitable Christmas.

Mixed Picture On Drinks Sales As Festive Rush Begins

While last week’s sales couldn’t hit those heights, there were signs of decent Christmas footfall in between, with year-on-year growth of between 1% and 4% from Monday to Thursday (4 to 7 December)

Managing the Staffing Crunch 12

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By Isabelle Shepherd, Director, haysmacintyre (www.haysmacintyre.com) The hospitality sector has been facing a staffing crisis for over three years now, and this shortage of workers, along with an increasing National Living Wage, has been driving up payroll costs. This strain on business’ cost base will only be amplified by the Autumn Statement announcement that the National Living Wage will increase by a further 9.8%, which equates to over £1,800 a year for a full-time worker over the age of 21.

To retain staff, minimise churn and optimise cost structures, businesses are having to consider each cost line in their profit and loss account and be inventive in their approach to retention.

Recent years have seen a shift in the sector in terms of the wellbeing and benefits offered to employees. A strong package in this area can help attract and retain the best employees. When implanting benefits packages its important to consider who will cover the tax on these. One option is ‘payrolling’ whereby the employee is taxed each month on the value of their benefits. This reduces the cost to the employer but is naturally less attractive to the employee.

An underused benefit is the use of pension salary exchange. Businesses may wish to explore this as an option for their higher paid workers who make pension contributions. Employee pension contributions are typically deducted after net pay, but for an employee who commits to pension salary exchange, their salary is reduced by an amount equivalent to their pension contributions and their employer pays the total contribution into the pension as an employer-only contribution. This results in savings to the employer and the employee on national insurance as the employee’s salary is lower. Employers could opt to share their part of

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these savings with the employee or retain these within the business. Once a pension salary exchange scheme is set up, it is a straightforward process each month to maintain. A scheme like this can bring great benefits, with the only significant pitfall being the need to ensure that wages do not fall below the national minimum wage threshold.

Looking beyond employee benefits, we are starting to see an increase in the use of technology to reduce costs. In the world of quick service restaurants, businesses that have to date not utilised self-service kiosks may wish to reconsider installing these. Not only do they allow a site to operate with reduced employees, but it is also reported that average orders are increased by up to 20% when ordering through this method than with traditional cashiers. The kiosks require an initial cash investment but should save on payroll costs in the long run. The extension to capital allowances rules announced in the Autumn Statement could allow those business who are tax paying to offset the investment against their corporation tax bill.

Given the levels of inflation we have seen, the cost of food and beverage is high on the list of every management team. This has led to an uptake in businesses employing a dedicated procurement officer to negotiate with suppliers, or for smaller business employing a contractor to support in this area. Although procurement can be heavy on management time and effort, the costs savings that can be achieved in the area can be substantial and it is well worth exploring if it is something yet to be considered.

During the pandemic a lot of businesses went through menu reviews to reduce the number of options available to customers to streamline kitchens however, in many cases the menu options removed have been reintroduced. If costs are particularly tight this maybe an area to reassess as it can reduce food waste and have environmental benefits.

Looking to the future, it is hard to predict when cost pressures will begin to subside. It is therefore essential that businesses continue to be proactive, respond quickly to changes in the operational environment and challenge themselves constantly on operational efficiency. Otherwise, there is a risk of high levels of continued closures within the hospitality industry (particularly for independent restaurant groups), fewer site openings and new brands. All of which may mean stifled growth in 2024 and perhaps beyond.

Domestic & Trade Handmade Garden Furniture From MG Timber The UK outdoor furniture market is heavily influenced by changes in weather conditions, with consumers more likely to purchase picnic benches during periods of good weather. MG Timber specialise in the manufacturing and supply of highquality wooden picnic tables. Their picnic tables are made from high-grade timber and are designed to withstand the harsh outdoor elements.

Whether you’re a restaurant seeking to enhance the cosy ambiance of your outside space with a high-quality dining set.

A hotel wanting to revive your garden with a premium picnic table or a pub landlord aiming to elevate your beer garden with an impressive

selection of pub benches and wheelchair accessible picnic tables. MG Timber are the garden furniture suppliers for you.

Crafted from the finest Swedish Redwood, each piece is expertly pressure treated to ensure longevity and protect against the elements. Renowned for their robustness, our treated wooden outdoor furniture is designed to withstand the unpredictable British weather, making them a reliable choice for any catering and licensing industry outdoor space.

For full details about our vast array of top-quality outdoor picnic benches for sale, please visit our website www.mgtimberproductsltd.co.uk or call us on 01902 953166.

Spiking To Be Targeted In Raft Of New Measures CLH Digital

The new package will see changes to the legislation, research into selftesting kits, more training for door staff and better education for young people, to raise awareness about the threat. There will also be coordinated police action to crackdown on spiking during key weeks of the year – an approach that has proved successful in tackling other crimes, such as knife crime.

TRAINING ESSENTIAL UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The safety of customers is a top priority for hospitality businesses, so highlighting and informing measures to prevent spiking is important.

The step up to tackle spiking comes as the government prepares to clarify under the Criminal Justice Bill, that without any doubt, spiking is illegal. It will be backed with separate guidance, set in law, to provide a clear, unequivocal definition of what spiking is. This will give victims renewed confidence to come forward, increase public awareness of the crime and enforce that perpetrators will face up to 10 years behind bars.

THIS INCLUDES: - training hundreds more door staff to spot potential perpetrators and signs patrons have been victimised - investing in research into spiking testing kits to help venues and police detect if someone’s drink has been spiked in real-time - intensive operations run by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) to tackle spiking during key weeks across the 43 police forces in England and Wales - an online spiking tool to be rolled out to all police forces to make it easier to anonymously report it if people fear they have been a victim of the crime - updated statutory guidance to include spiking (s182 Licensing Act 2003) - a spiking guidance/advice toolkit for the public that contains a range of resources and signposting for anyone who is looking for information on spiking, what it is, who is affected, how to report it, how to support victims, and which criminal offences can be used to prosecute it - supporting the higher education regulator, the Office for Students, as they take action to make sure universities and other higher education institutions to prevent and address sexual misconduct – this will follow its consultation on the issue, expected to report back in early 2024

AMENDING LEGISLATION Home Secretary, James Cleverly said: “Tackling violence against women and girls is a personal priority for me and this government has shown time and again that we will do what is necessary to keep the public safe.”

“Spiking is a perverse crime which can have a lasting impact on victims. Our comprehensive new measures are designed to help police and staff in bars, restaurants, pubs and other premises to protect victims and bring more offenders to justice.”

Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris said: “Spiking is an insidious and predatory act which is already illegal under existing laws.”

“We are amending legislation to make the offence explicit and capture the modern day nature of the threat.”

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“Taken alongside new measures to improve the way the police respond to incidents, and better equipping venue staff to identify, respond and protect their customers, we are sending a clear message that perpetrators of this crime should expect to be caught and face justice.”

Spiking will be targeted by police and door staff in a raft of new measures unveiled earlier this week by the Home Secretary James Cleverly as the festive party-going season gets into full swing.

Alongside this, the government will set out practical measures aimed at improving understanding of the crime and delivering better support to victims.

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“Education and proper training are essential and hospitality businesses continue to work tirelessly to prevent spiking.

“We’re committed to working with sector partners to provide venues with up-to-date advice and guidance on best practice to prevent spiking, as well as with the Home Office on measures like these.”

RECOGNISING RISKS Sarah Taylor, licensing partner at Keystone Law said: “The government plans include several initiatives to raise awareness of spiking and how to deal with it, including training door staff to spot the signs of potential spiking, investment for research into spiking kits which would allow real-time testing of drinks, the development of an online tool to enable easier anonymous reporting of alleged offences and an update to the statutory guidance under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003.”

“It is essential for operators to recognise the risks of spiking, implement measures to mitigate the risks and to ensure that their staff are trained to spot the signs and to effectively deal with alleged incidents of spiking in a consistent and effective way. Operators have a duty to promote the four licensing objectives, and two of those are the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety. Failure to do so can result in enforcement action being taken by the Authorities and a premises licence may be at risk if there have been multiple allegations of spiking at the premises and the incidents have not been dealt with effectively.”

DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, expressed deep disappointment today regarding the government’s new measures to address drink spiking. In a statement, Kill remarked that the omission of spiking as a specific crime in the latest measures falls significantly short of expectations, considering the gravity and far-reaching impact of this criminal activity.

“Drink spiking is a serious and prevalent issue that poses a threat to the safety and well-being of individuals within our community. The government’s failure to designate spiking as a distinct crime is disheartening and does not reflect the need to address this growing concern,” Kill stated.

He emphasised the importance of clear crime categories, particularly in light of challenges related to legacy data. “To effectively combat drink spiking, we need a comprehensive and dedicated approach. The absence of a specific crime category undermines our ability to gather accurate data and develop targeted strategies to tackle this menace.”

Kill urged the government to reconsider its stance and collaborate with industry stakeholders to ensure that adequate measures are in place to protect the public from the detrimental effects of drink spiking. The Night Time Industries Association remains committed to working with authorities to create safer environments for nightlife patrons across the country.

Rising To The Challenge – Becoming An Employer Of Choice In The Hospitality Sector 14

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By Michael Stokes, Partner and Head of Employment and Immigration at Harrison Clark Rickerbys (www.hcrlaw.com) There are currently well over 100,000 vacancies in the UK hospitality sector, according to ONS figures.

Those statistics also showed us that vacancies rose sharply in the months following the Brexit vote, descended to zero during the Covid lockdown and spiked to unprecedented levels when lockdown was relaxed. Current vacancies in the sector remain far above pre-Covid levels, with all the challenges that brings for businesses.

How can employers in the hospitality sector win the battle for new recruits? And if they succeed in recruiting new staff, what can they do to retain them in the face of stiff competition from others in the sector and many other parts of the UK economy?

EU membership gave the UK access to over 400 million EU nationals who had the right to come to the UK to live and work. That potential source of employees is now subject to the same controls as potential migrant workers from around the world.

The Government has a number of levers that it can pull to affect the number of migrant workers coming into the UK. They can target particular types of job, they can set minimum salaries for those jobs and, as we have recently seen, they can restrict the ability of family members to come to the UK with migrant workers. All of those levers are being used to varying effect right now, but the balance for the hospitality trade is still not right.

A chef is a prime example of a skilled worker who can apply for a visa. The minimum salary for a chef, under current Home Office rules, is around £17,000. That chef first has to find an employer with a sponsor licence allowing them to hire workers from overseas. The costs of obtaining a sponsor licence and assisting one chef with a visa application could easily exceed £10,000. In most situations that sort of outlay might not feel like a workable solution. The Home Secretary has now recently announced that the minimum salary will be raised to £38,000, arguably putting an overseas recruit for such a role out of reach of most businesses.

Leaving aside the possibility of an immediate and dramatic change in government policy on migrant workers, employers are then left to try to find employees from what has become a rather reluctant pool of labour. The hospitality sector has suffered during and since Covid. The sector does have the advantage of being able to offer careers, rather than just short term employment. Some potential recruits only want a job that feels valued, pays reasonably well, has some additional benefits and does not interfere too much with the rest of their life. Nowadays employees expect flexibility. Although working from home is less common in the sector, every employer is capable of coming up with ideas for additional benefits that they can offer to their employees to make their working lives a little bit nicer, such as shorter hours or flexible working patterns. Employers could ask themselves whether it is easier to recruit a whole new person, who will work exactly as required, or to keep their good employees on that more flexible basis. Most employees would choose the latter.

Regular engagement with employees will bring further suggestions. Employees often leave their jobs because of lack of communication or misunderstanding about what they expect from their employment. Don’t lose employees “by accident”. Talk to them about problems and use much more imagination in dealings with them, because employees are doing just that in relation to their working lives.

Not every problem of this kind can be solved by individual employers thinking of great ideas to make their employees happier. Some initiatives have to be sector-wide, particularly those relating to government policy on vocational training and immigration law. But every employer can take some steps towards trying to solve the recruitment problems that they come across every day.

A good start is to work out why someone should want to work for you. How can you make their working life good enough to make them come back every week, instead of planning their escape?

Upheld Alcohol Complaints More than Double in 2023 The Portman Group’s Independent Complaints Panel (ICP) upheld more than double the amount of complaints in 2023 compared with the previous year, with products subject to upheld complaints most commonly found to have breached the Code for having a particular appeal to under-18s.

This year 13 complaints were upheld and four not upheld, compared with five complaints which were upheld in 2022 and 16 not upheld.

However, the overall number of complaints received was down from 60 in 2022 to 42 in 2023.

There was a rise in upheld complaints this year concerning alcohol products found in breach of Code Rule 3.2 (h) – which requires that a drink’s naming, packaging and any promotional material or activity does not, in any direct or indirect way, have a particular appeal to under-18s.

Nearly half of the cases considered by the ICP this year were upheld under this rule, compared with three in 2022. Examples in 2023 include Carbon Crush IPA which featured wrap around comic book cartoons and Tiny Rebel’s ‘PRIMED’ beer which employed the same font, colour, flavour and style as the hydration soft drink popular with children.

This year there were also five complaints upheld under Code rule 3.2(f) which states that a drink, its packaging and any promotional material or activity should not in any direct or indirect way encourage illegal, irresponsible or immoderate consumption, such as drink-driving, binge-drinking or drunkenness. Five complaints were also upheld under Code rule 3.2(j) which states alcohol products should not suggest they have therapeutic qualities, can enhance mental or physical capabilities, or change mood or behaviour.

Three complaints were upheld under Code rule 3.2(b) which states that alcohol products should not suggest any association with bravado, or with violent, aggressive, dangerous, anti-social or illegal behaviour, with two cases upheld for linking directly to guns (Cosa Nostra and AU Vodka Gold Gang Money Gun). Three complaints were also upheld under Code rule 3.3 which states a drink’s name, its packaging and any promotional material or activity should not cause serious or widespread offence.

Matt Lambert, CEO of the Portman Group said: “While we have seen a significant rise in upheld complaints this year, it is reassuring as the alcohol industry’s self-regulator to see robust decisions being made by the Panel and irresponsible and inappropriate products being removed from the market as a result, in turn driving industry change and protecting consumers.

“It is encouraging that for all of the cases upheld for having a particular appeal to under-18s, the producers in question took immediate action to remove the products from the market following the decisions of the Panel, demonstrating the efficiency of the self-regulatory model and the industry’s commitment to improving standards and marketing responsibly.

“Our primary purpose is to protect consumers from harm, particularly those who may be vulnerable, so a fundamental priority is protecting those who are under-18, and as such we have bolstered our guidance and amended our Code this year to provide even further clarity to producers.

“I would encourage all producers who are unsure of the requirements under the Code to contact the Portman Group’s free and confidential Advisory Service.”

Forged Irish Stout Hits the Drinks Market Running New stout brand 'Forged Irish Stout' is making huge waves across the drinks industry, achieving remarkable success with over 500 installs in the UK since going live with LWC at the start of October, and is experiencing a huge surge in popularity. The brand has not only gained significant popularity across ASDA stores and Beerhunter, having sold over a million cans through retail so far, but has also rapidly expanded its presence in pubs across the United Kingdom and seems to be captivating all who encounter the product.

Having recently secured a partnership with LWC, the award-winning and largest independent distribution company in the UK, as well as launching in the off trade, entering the shelves of Asda earlier this year, Forged Irish Stout has achieved unprecedented sales figures across the board. Its popularity has led to store shelves at Asda being cleared, with customers eagerly demanding more.

Furthermore, the stout is now available on draught in over 500 pubs, pouring in over 20 cities. To celebrate this remarkable journey, which has taken place in little over a month, launch parties have been held all over the UK, including London, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, and numerous other locations, where enthusiasts can't seem to get enough of Forged Irish Stout.

Doug Leddin, Chief Marketing Officer, expressed his excitement about Forged's success, stating, "Forged is

performing beyond our wildest expectations, and we have no intention of slowing down anytime soon. The brand has grown phenomenally in such a short amount of time, which is down to the sheer quality that you don’t find with other brands in the market."

Forged Irish Stout’s unrivalled quality and 100% Irish ingredients has set a new standard for smooth, creamy, and fresh stouts that have left enthusiasts craving more. The stout's exceptional flavour profile is the result of a meticulously crafted blend of malts, including pale malt, crystal malt, Munich malt, black malt, roasted barley, and wheat. This unique combination creates a stout with unparalleled depth and complexity, setting Forged apart from other stouts in the market.

They’re not here to take part, they’re here to take over, and the way Forged is moving, their quest for takeover certainly won’t take long.

Contact your local depot or LWC account manager for more information https://www.lwc-drinks.co.uk/contact/ Visit www.forgedirishstout.com for details.

Is Your Digital Marketer Trustworthy?

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SEO expert Mike Knivett of Artemis Marketing (https://artemis.marketing) explains what to look out for to make sure your provider knows their digital onions In the 21st century, it’s not enough for hospitality managers to simply offer top notch service and serve up exemplary food to keep customers coming through the doors — they need to be able to successfully navigate their way through the world of digital marketing to survive. It doesn’t matter how comfortable the beds are, how cold the beer is or how friendly the staff are — if your establishment is nowhere to be found in an online search, or your social media is lacking, then all your efforts will be in vain.

This isn’t news, of course. Booking.com was founded in 1996, Tripadvisor in 2000 and Facebook in 2004. The popularity of these platforms and others has been on an upward trajectory ever since and have had an enormous impact on the hotel and catering industry. In 2023, 5 out of 10 UK table reservations were made online and online bookings for hotels grew by 10.3%.

The dilemma for caterers and hoteliers is not whether to focus marketing activity online, but who to trust to deliver a good job. There are reportedly over 7,500 digital marketing agencies in the UK, which is why it might come as a surprise to hear that the industry is completely unregulated. There are no obligatory exams to pass and no chartered organisation someone has to be a member of before they set themselves up in businesses.

That might sound slightly terrifying, especially as you’re probably allocating around 75% of your marketing budget to online channels. That’s an enormous proportion of money to entrust to someone, whether it be to a company or an individual, and you want to make sure your provider knows their onions (the digital sort).

But when they baffle you with talk of ‘canonicals’, ‘domain authority’, ‘link building’ and ‘impressions’, how can you tell if your online marketing is really doing what it should?

Here are 5 easy approaches you can take to help make sure your digital marketing partner is worth their

weight in gold:

1. THEY SHOW YOU THE RESULTS Your partner should produce a report for you on a regular basis, for example monthly, and — critically — they should be happy to talk you through the report, not just send it over by email for you to try to make sense of yourself.

2. THEY NEVER HIDE BEHIND JARGON There are so many specialised terms in digital marketing that it’s easy to feel bamboozled if you don’t work in the industry. Your provider should respect that and speak to you in a way that is accessible. If you ask a question, the answer should be clear and comprehensible.

3. THEIR EXPERTISE ALIGNS WITH YOUR NEEDS Digital marketing is a broad church. It encompasses social media, SEO, web development and design, paid search, display ads and more. If your goal is to appear high up in online searches, hire an SEO expert rather than a graphic designer. If you’re more interested in giving your web visitors an amazing user experience, look for a UX expert over a social media agency.

4. THEY ARE OFFICIALLY ACCREDITED While digital marketing is an unregulated industry, a sound, trustworthy provider will carry an official accreditation, such as those awarded from Google or Microsoft. This gives you a layer of reassurance that the quality of their work has been recognised by a highly respected organisation.

5. THEY BENCHMARK YOUR RESULTS Looking in isolation at the work your digital marketing partner does for you may not be altogether helpful.

You want to know how your campaign is performing against competitors to find out which areas could be improved. Your partner should be proactive at benchmarking their performance against others and be transparent at explaining how they intend to tweak their approach moving forward.

Admiral Taverns Invests Over £690,000 Into Two Hull Community Pubs BarsAdmiral Taverns has invested £692,000 across two Hull community pubs on Anlaby Road. The Parkers, run by passionate operator Paul Harker, has received a £268,000 refurbishment, whilst the New Griffin, which is run by David Smith, has received a £424,000 refurbishment.

Both pubs are part of Proper Pubs, the community wet-led operator division of Admiral Taverns, which has more than 200 pubs across England, Scotland, and Wales. The investment has ensured they are ready for the busy festive season.

Investing in its pubs through capex is a core part of Admiral’s strategy as it seeks to nurture community pubs with long-term sustainable futures. Capex investment gives operators the necessary infrastructure to ensure their pubs can thrive within their communities and offer customers an active social hub.

Behind the bar at the New Griffin is passionate operator, David Smith, who has an array of experience on the hospitality trade and has the community knowhow to grow the New Griffin which will enable him to continue to foster a friendly social hub for the Hull community.

The New Griffin reopened on 15th December with a revitalized look and feel. The pub features a new staging area specially for live entertainment, as well as an open-planned main room which includes brandnew flooring, seating and a bar.

David Smith, Operator at The New Griffin, said: “Opening night was fantastic, it was amazing to see all our customers, old and new, coming to see what the pub has to offer!

The feedback we received from our community was amazing, and we can’t wait to see them again soon!”

Behind the bar at the Parkers is community hero, Paul Harker, who also has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the hospitality industry which will allow him to create a welcoming community hub for local residents.

The pub has also undergone a complete interior and exterior renovation, including brand-new flooring,

furniture, and fixtures throughout, as well as a new centralised bar. Outside, the pub hosts a spacious garden area featuring brand-new bar, seating and lighting.

The pub is set to reopen on Thursday 21st December with a prosecco reception and special Christmas activities, followed by a weekend full of music and live sports.

Paul Harker, Operator of the Parkers is excited about the reopening, he said: “The pub already looks fantastic, and I can’t believe the transformation so far. I’m really excited to get back behind the bar, meet all our customers old and new and support the local community. We’ll be starting off by collecting food for a local food bank, and donations to get a defibrillator installed.

Pubs are the hub of their community, and we can’t wait to be the hub of Hull.”

Both pubs provide a wide range of drink offers, including cocktails, wine and fizz promotions, as well as a full sports package of Sky Sports, TNT Sports and horse racing. Customers can also expect to enjoy regular weekend entertainment, such as Karaoke and DJ nights.

Matthew Gurney, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, said: “The refurbishment at both the New Giffin and Parkers looks fantastic – the teams have worked really hard to ensure they are a success for the local community.

On behalf of the Proper Pubs team, we would like to wish our community heroes, Paul and David, every success for the future in making The Parkers and New Griffin fantastic hubs of the community.”

Across its estate, Proper Pubs is continually supporting local communities through an array of events and charity fundraising initiatives. In the run up to Christmas, operators across its 200 pubs have been collecting Christmas selection boxes to donate to local charities. The Group has also been recognised for their defibrillator campaign and is a finalist in the Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards 2024, for defibrillator fundraising, saving nine lives within their communities.

Prepare a Warm Welcome this Winter In the bleak midwinter, it’s not easy keeping a cheery face when toes are froze. Ensuring our venues remain open, and events go ahead as planned, is a full time job. Hotels, restaurants and event venues are often located in older, larger buildings which require a lot of maintenance and are rarely heat efficient.

But, having adequate heating and a solid back up plan should the boiler fail, is paramount to ensuring a comfortable environment for staff and guests alike.

These include Space Heaters, Radiant Heaters, Halogen Heaters and Industrial Heaters.

SPACE HEATERS

Perfect for cold spots, gas, paraffin or diesel powered radiant heaters work by radiating infrared light. A safer option in locations where children or vulnerable adults could harm themselves.

HALOGEN HEATERS Halogen heaters are favoured in an external setting and are typically used as patio heaters. Halogen heaters are also infrared and so only heat solid objects like you so there is no loss of heat when used as heat source outside.

Space heaters heat large spaces. They work by heating the air and are ideal for heating a marquee or large hall. Great as a fallback option should the boiler fail, they are either paraffin/diesel powered or gas fired and can vary in output. For convenience, we also supply trolley mounted models so you can easily transport the heat where it is needed.

INDUSTRIAL HEATERS

PRIME THE PUMPS

For instance, in larger buildings where airflow is limited, additional heating may be required to ensure a comfortable ambient temperature throughout.

For instance, a large dining hall 13m sq. with a 3m high ceiling would require a heat output of 34kW. The Clarke Devil 1600DV produces 36.6kW so is ample for heating a cold dining hall when the central is on the blink. To calculate what size kW heater you require, visit our simple calculator at https://www.machinemart.co.uk/stove-calculator and simply add in the dimensions of your room.

Clarke have a whole range of heaters which cater for all scenarios.

RADIANT HEATERS

Visit www.machinemart.co.uk/c/heating-ventilation to see our full range of heaters and pumps available this winter.

Our range of electric fan heaters is perfect for external buildings, heating up quickly and efficiently. A low heat setting can take the chill off an exposed conservatory for a comfortable dining experience.

Flash floods have become the norm recently, following snow and heavy rain, meaning cellars are at the risk of becoming flooded. Machine Mart’s range of Clarke Water Pumps painlessly remove floodwater from cellars and basements at subterranean levels even when working flat out.

Government Publishes Draft Statutory Code of Practice for Tipping 18

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The Secretary of State for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is publishing this Code to promote fairness and transparency in the distribution of tips that fall in scope of the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023.

The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 will cover England, Scotland and Wales and is designed to ensure tips, gratuities and service charge are fairly distributed to staff.

It comes into effect on 1 July 2024. This Code applies to England, Scotland and Wales and will be reviewed periodically to ensure it remains up to date.

The Code will give employers and workers in hospitality and other tipping sectors more detail on ‘fair and transparent’ allocation of tips. It will include guidance on how tips can be gathered and distributed, factors which should be considered when distributing tips, and details on transparency measures including the requirement to keep a written tipping policy and to maintain accurate tipping records. Once the Code and other measures in the Act are in place. consumers can also have greater confidence when leaving tips to recognise good service.

The purpose of the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 (referred to as “the Tipping Act” is, the government says, to ensure the fair and transparent allocation of all tips, gratuities and service charges.

EMPLOYERS ARE NOW REQUIRED TO: - pass on all tips and service charges to workers without deductions, except in very limited scenarios, such as deduction of income tax - ensure that tips are distributed in a fair and transparent manner when the employer takes control, or exerts significant influence, over their distribution - have regard to this code of practice on fairness and transparency of tip distribution when they are distributing or influencing the distribution of tips - maintain a written policy on how tips are dealt with at their place of business, and ensure this policy is made available to all their workers - maintain a record of all tips paid at their place of business and their allocation and distribution between each worker, to which workers have the right to request access Employers must have regard to the Code when designing and implementing their tipping policies and practices. It is recommended that all parties attempt to resolve issues locally in the first instance.

The Tipping Act is seeking to to improve fairness for workers by ensuring that the tips consumers leave in recognition of good service and hard work are going to the workers as intended. The Act aims to increase fairness in tipping practices and create a level playing field for employers who already allocate all tips to workers by ensuring that all employers follow the same rules.

Kevin Hollinrake Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business said: “We want this Code to be useful for workers and employers in tipping industries. Its intention is to provide statutory guidance on how employers can meet the requirements of ‘fair and transparent’ distribution of tips under the Act. I would welcome employers, workers, representatives, and consumers from all tipping industries to respond to this consultation.”

THE TIPPING ACT WAS GRANTED ROYAL ASSENT ON 2 MAY 2023. IT AMENDS THE EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS ACT 1996 (“THE 1996 ACT”) SO THAT

“This legislation is part of our wider commitments to protect workers’ rights and to ensure the UK is the best place in the world to grow a business.”

Proper Pubs Kicks Off Christmas Selection Box Appeal Aiming To Spread Christmas Cheer To 20,000 People New analysis shows that thousands of Scottish hospitality businesses will be left unsupported, if rates relief isn’t included in the Scottish Budget.

The Fraser of Allander Institute has concluded that around 10,000 hospitality businesses would stand to benefit if the Scottish Government heeded the calls from UKHospitality Scotland and introduced a business rates relief scheme, replicating support in England.

Those 10,000 businesses are ineligible for the small business bonus scheme, which would mean they would be left unsupported through one of the most challenging economic periods in years if the Scottish Government chooses not to act.

UKHospitality Scotland Executive Director Leon Thompson said: “The Scottish Government has a golden £230 million opportunity to show its support for one of Scotland’s most important sectors – hospitality, leisure and tourism – by introducing a business rates relief scheme.

“These figures clearly show what is at stake and the fate of almost 10,000 businesses hang in the balance, as they await tomorrow’s Budget.

“If rates relief is introduced, they have some degree of certainty and can fulfil plans to invest in and grow their businesses, delivering economic growth and creating even more jobs.

“If the Scottish Government chooses not to act, those businesses will have no support whatsoever. Some will be closer to closing for good and others will remain fighting for survival and unable to invest. This significantly impacts on our sector’s ability to deliver economic growth for Scotland and create more jobs.

“That would be a tragedy, particularly when the Scottish Government would have had two opportunities to act on delivering a reciprocal business rates relief scheme.

“UKHospitality Scotland, alongside the entire hospitality sector, has made these calls loud and clear – it’s time the Scottish Government now acted.”

UKHospitality Scotland is also calling for the poundage rate to be frozen in the Budget, preventing a further £20m cost increase for the sector.

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 pounds. 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 Andrew Jackson – andrew.jackson@oilchef.com Landline: 01278 691327 Mobile: 07902 745435

14 dA y 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 Andrew Jackson by phone or email: andrew.jackson@oilchef.com Landline 01278 691327 Mobile 07902 745435

Christmas Cheer: National Poem of Thanks 20

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Pub is The Hub is again thanking publicans for their continued resilience and support of their local communities with the ‘National Poem of Thanks to Our Nation’s Publicans.’

And joy rolled, tapped, lightly on the tongue fizzing with Coca-Cola from the gun and So many stories, memory eddying in the air Lifted in the rumble

The thank you poem for publicans called ‘The Public House’ was originally released by Pub is The Hub and arts project INN CROWD in 2021.

Glinting against glasses you carry in shatter-less towers Fuelled by barrels of generosity and curiosity It smells like beer and smoke and cheese and cheer And crinkles the way packets of crisps Are shared between staff and strangers when the movement shifts This rumble

The poem is written and performed by poet and actress Alexandra Ewing, the daughter of a former publican who grew up in pubs in Suffolk.

Ewing also worked for a decade as front of house staff in the hospitality industry, including pubs.

To watch Alexandra Ewing read the poem visit http://tinyurl.com/mry4yztu

THE PUBLIC HOUSE RUMBLES

By Alexandra Ewing Through the floorboards, within the walls, we feel your industry We hear it before we arrive At the door you hold open like a beating heart Voices upon chinks and clinks and sloshes and swills and bawling, singing sounds Conducted by you A rumble

The weaving of art and intuition with which you Serve Welcome Embrace a world-sized room With a rumble Patience is poured

Brave as whiskey Bold as brass A laugh like a bell And a warmth unmatched, built hearth upon hearth Your house rumbles A hum, steady and strong Brewed, stoppered, popped with applause That heart open with song Worn on your sleeve next to a hand all can grasp Beating in rhythm to your rumble

Showcasing The Power Of Candlelight This Christmas Candles take centre stage this time of year, as they work wonders in creating a magical and festive ambiance to gatherings and dinners in any hospitality setting. Why not join the nation in watching ITV's Christmas Carols on Christmas Eve to fully experience the beauty and warmth that candlelight brings to these special occasions.

Bolsius Professional is incredibly honoured to be providing all the candles that will serve as the backdrop for some wonderful festive performances, broad-

cast live from St Elisabeth's Church in Greater Manchester at 11.30pm.

The soft glow of candles will create an enchanting atmosphere, making the event even more memorable and heartwarming - hosted by BAFTA award-winning presenter and singer Jane MacDonald, there will be performances from Anna Lapwood and the Pembroke College Chapel Choir, West End Leading Lady Marisha Wallace, plus many more!

Visit www.bolsiusprofessional.co.uk

Retirement for Stalwart Saniflo MD, Tim Pestell The end of 2023 culminated in the final few days of a long and distinguished career for Saniflo MD, Tim Pestell who joined the company very early in 2007 as Sales Director. Prior to joining Saniflo Tim climbed the ladder in sales both in the merchant and bathroom manufacturing sectors, including spells at Aqualisa and Ideal Standard. He subsequently became Managing Director in January 2013.

Over the 17 years that Tim worked at Saniflo, the company consolidated its position as UK market leader in the macerator sector. He not only oversaw the upgrade of the complete domestic Saniflo range, but also the introduction of multiple new products in the commercial range, including underground pumps and floor standing lifting stations. He has also championed the Kinedo shower brand and oversaw the emergence of the all-in-one

cubicle product offering that was pioneered by Kinedo.

An avid cyclist, Tim, along with several of his Saniflo colleagues, has raised thousands for charity during epic cycle rides from the Saniflo offices to Paris; the last one undertaken in September 2023. He will now have more time to indulge his cycling passion and also intends to continue with various charity endeavours as well as being a volunteer for his local church. No doubt he will wonder how he used to find time to work.

Everyone at Saniflo wishes Tim a long and happy retirement. He is succeeded by Dave Cook, ex-Baxi, who joined Saniflo in May 2023 and has been working alongside Tim as Sales Director.

Sodexo Health & Care Donates 100,000 Meals to The Bread and Butter Thing Sodexo Health & Care has this week donated 100,000 frozen meals to support food redistribution charity, The Bread and Butter Thing, provide much-needed food to those in need of support this Christmas.

February 2021 the Foundation has been providing financial support as well as providing regular volunteering slots for Sodexo colleagues at its Manchester warehouse and community hubs.

Working with Sodexo’s Stop Hunger Foundation and its supply partners Brakes and Lineage Logistics the frozen meals have been delivered to The Bread & Butter Thing so they can use them to provide nutritious hot meals to families across the UK over the Christmas and New Year period.

Mark Game, Founder, The Bread and Butter Thing added: “It’s like Christmas has come early for us! Sodexo and its Stop Hunger team have consistently been one of our biggest and most thoughtful partners.

We’re extremely grateful to them for working with their teams at Brakes and Lineage to supply these amazing meals. Together we’re adding an extra sparkle to the festive period for thousands of families who are making tough choices between heating and eating. These 100,000+ meals will make the world of difference.”

Philip Leigh, CEO Health & Care, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “Food insecurity is a huge issue in the UK today so as Christmas approached we have worked with the Stop Hunger team, our supply management teams, Lineage Logistics and Brakes to provide The Bread and Butter Thing with meals to support the local communities in which they operate. Knowing that the meals have gone to those who need some extra support this Christmas is fantastic, and I thank everyone involved who has helped make this happen.”

The Bread & Butter Thing is one of Sodexo’s Stop Hunger Foundation’s charity partners. Partners since

The Bread and Butter Thing is an award-winning food redistribution charity. It runs over 110 mobile food clubs, taking affordable food into some of the UK’s most impoverished communities. But food is just the start. The charity uses surplus food as a catalyst to have a transformative effect on people’s lives. It aims to empower people, to enable them to better manage limited funds, connect with their neighbours and reduce loneliness – with the added bonus of encouraging them to eat better.

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Innovative Hospitality Recruitment Scheme Helps Westminster Businesses Attract New Talent As Staffing Crisis Continues A year on from the launch of an innovative scheme designed to tackle the hospitality and leisure industry’s staffing crisis in the wake of Covid-19, ‘Westminster Works’ has revealed that over 220 businesses across the borough of Westminster have been supported with recruitment and retention of new talent.

The first of its kind in the UK, the initiative created in partnership by Step Ahead, New West End Company,Knightsbridge Partnership and AttisTowns and funded by Westminster City Council attracted interest from over 7,000 potential employees in the first six weeks.To date over 150 people have been placed in new roles, from barista to bartender, reception manager to chef de partie all at London Living Wage rates or above*. This was a key component of the Westminster Works Good Employer Pledge which has helped to secure better job conditions andprospects for traditionally low paid workers in the industry.

Recognised as having a world-class hospitality and leisure offering, Westminster is home to over 3,700restaurants, bars and cafes and a further 4,000 leisure businesses supporting around 120,000 jobs in the city. Some of the most iconic destinations in the borough have signed up to the scheme including luxury hotel, Raffles, restaurant group Caprice Holdings which encompasses some of London’s best restaurants such as Balthazar and Scott’s Mayfair, and the popular Arcade Foodhall dining experience.

The year milestone for the initiative comes as the latest ONS figures reveal that there are over 121,000unfilled job vacancies in the accommodation and food services industry across the UK, one of the highest rates of any sector and still significantly higher than before the Covid-19 pandemic. According to industry advocacy organisation UK Hospitality, staff shortages cost UK businesses £21bn in lost revenue in 2022 and led to 45% of operators reducing opening hours or closing at least one day a week.

One of the ways Westminster Works is addressing this problem and adapting to the needs of businesses in a changing labour market is by attracting a new, diverse range of high calibre applicants to the roles via a bespoke training service run by Step Ahead. Candidates are first enrolled in a Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Excellence in Customer Service for Hospitality, upon completion of which they are offered guaranteed interviews with selected employers in the Westminster Works scheme.

Candidates can then go on to take either a Level 1 course in employability skills or a Level 1 in personal and social development, with each course lasting just seven days and being completed fully remotely. This approach means that in two and half weeks, job seekers can achieve two new qualifications and secure a guaranteed interview with a London Living Wage employer in Westminster, helping to fast track the employment process whilst providing motivated, trained talent There are currently over 120 live vacancies as part of the Westminster Works programme for a diverse

range of hospitality roles in some of London’s most prestigious hotels, bars and restaurants.

Paul Barnes, Programme Director for AttisTowns: commented: “Despite an uncertain economic landscape, this programme has shown that collaboration is key to tackling the recruitment crisis in the hospitality and leisure sectors and I look forward to seeing what more we can achieve together over the coming months, particularly as we head into a critical trading period for hospitality businesses.”

Businesses looking to fill roles with high quality candidates can register interest in joining the scheme at www.westminster.works.

Under Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kevin Hollinrake MP, Confirmed as Speaker at NTIA Night Time Economy Summit 2024 The Night Time Industries Association is delighted to announce that the Under Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Kevin Hollinrake MP, who serves as the Minister for Enterprise, Markets, and Small Businesses within the Government, has confirmed his attendance at the upcoming NTIA (Night Time Industries Association) Night Time Economy Summit.

The Summit, set to take place at Freight Island in Manchester, is a significant event that brings together key stakeholders, industry leaders, and policymakers to discuss and address the challenges and opportunities within the night-time economy. It serves as a platform for fostering collaboration and driving innovation in this vital sector.

“We are extremely pleased to have Under Secretary Kevin Hollinrake MP join us at the NTIA Night Time Economy Summit.

His presence underscores the importance of the summit and the communities it represents, but also allows us to hear the government’s position, specifically its commitment to supporting and promoting enterprise, markets, and small businesses within the night-time economy,” said Michael Kill CEO NTIA. As the Minister for Enterprise, Markets, and Small Businesses, Mr. Hollinrake’s insights and perspectives will contribute significantly to the discussions on strategies for fostering growth, ensuring regulatory support, and addressing the unique needs of businesses operating in the night-time sector.

Minister Hollinrake, will deliver a compelling address on the current landscape and the commitment to the future of the industry. This is just the beginning, as we release more high-profile speakers and engaging sessions to be revealed in the coming weeks.

The NTIA Night Time Economy Summit promises to be a pivotal event, bringing together thought leaders and decision-makers to shape the future of the night-time economy. Join businesses, stakeholders, and members of the media on Thursday 8th & Friday 9th February at Freight Island in Manchester.

Sustainable Solutions Help Improve Waste Management at Expowest Cornwall 2024 food and drink brands all under one roof.

To improve its sustainability values, the Expowest Cornwall trade show is leading the charge in responsible waste management. Beyond the vibrant showcase of hospitality and catering innovations, this year's event prioritises minimising environmental impact through strategic partnerships.

Mike Anderson, Managing Director of show organisers Hale Events, expresses the commitment to waste reduction, stating, "We are constantly striving to better manage the waste produced at our trade shows. It's great to be working with Passmore Cleaners, TQuality, and Biffa in Cornwall to enhance waste separation and removal, with a focus on recycling as much as possible."

Passmore Cleaning Company, who are exhibiting at the show for the first time, will spearhead the collection of waste from stands, along with cleaning the show, while TQuality takes on the responsibility of recycling cooking oil used during the show.

Biffa, the waste management experts, will be playing a crucial role in ensuring the responsible disposal of the various wastes generated by a trade show, including food waste, glass, cardboard, and mixed general waste. All this will be either recycled appropriately or taken to a waste plant for conversion into electricity.

Taking place on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th March at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge, Expowest Cornwall brings together buyers from the hospitality, catering, and food retail industries, offering a unique opportunity to explore a diverse array of

Smashed Drinks - Rethinking Drinking Drink Natural, a key player in the soft drinks sector with a decade of experience, has recently acquired the fastest-growing premium craft AF 0.0% brand, Smashed Drinks. This strategic partnership has set the stage for Smashed Drinks to revolutionize the market with its range of Craft Beer, Ale, and Cider using a vacuum distilled process, which is the only one of its kind in the UK. With a focus on low calorie content, vegan and gluten-free options across its cider range, and Halal certification, Smashed Drinks is poised to redefine the concept of alcohol-free craft beverages. With the slogan "REAL BEER, REAL CIDER, REAL TASTE, REAL AF," and the enthusiastic endorsement of CEO John Hodgson, Smashed Drinks is ready to disrupt the industry and reimagine the way we drink.

This pioneering initiative aligns with the broader vision of Expowest Cornwall, which not only offers free attendance for trade buyers but also promises two unparalleled days of networking with the leading producers, service providers, and distributors in the industry.

Register online at www.expowestcornwall.co.uk or call 01934 733456 to be part of this innovative and sustainable trade show experience.

traditional alcoholic beverages.

HEALTH-CONSCIOUS OPTIONS: Recognizing the growing demand for healthier beverage alternatives, Smashed Drinks goes above and beyond to cater to a diverse range of dietary needs and preferences. By being low in calories, Smashed Drinks appeals to those who are mindful of their calorie intake, without compromising on taste or quality.

Moreover, the brand's commitment to vegan and gluten-free options across its cider range ensures that individuals with dietary restrictions can enjoy the full range of Smashed Drinks' offerings. This dedication to inclusivity and health-consciousness sets Smashed Drinks apart as a brand that truly understands and respects its diverse consumer base.

CONCLUSION:

Smashed Drinks is at the forefront of redefining the concept of alcohol-free craft beverages. With Drink Natural's acquisition and a focus on craftsmanship, innovation, and inclusivity, the brand is leading the CRAFTSMANSHIP AND INNOVATION: charge in disrupting the market. From their range of Craft Beer, Ale, and Cider to their unique vacuum distilled process, low calorie conSmashed Drinks has quickly gained recognition as the fastest-growing premium AF 0.0% brand, owing to its tent, vegan and gluten-free options, and Halal certification, Smashed Drinks is setting a new standard for AF unwavering commitment to craftsmanship and innovation. The brand's range of Craft Beer, Ale, and Cider 0.0% beverages. With the enthusiastic support of CEO John Hodgson, the brand is poised to reshape the way showcases a depth of flavors that rivals their alcoholic counterparts. Through the vacuum distilled process, Smashed Drinks achieves a remarkable feat: preserving the authentic taste and essence of traditional craft bev- we think about drinking, offering a real and satisfying experience to consumers seeking an alcohol-free alternaerages while ensuring a complete absence of alcohol. This innovative approach sets Smashed Drinks apart from tive that doesn't compromise on taste or quality. other alcohol-free options, providing a real and satisfying experience for consumers seeking an alternative to See the advert on the facing page for details.

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Scottish Tourism and Hospitality Bodies Express ‘Extreme Disappointment’ At Scottish Budget Businesses already report that it is challenging to fill vacancies, with higher tax in Scotland being a barrier.

The Scottish Tourism Alliance, UKHospitality Scotland, the Scottish Licensed Trade Association and the Scottish Beer and Pub Association have highlighted the material threat of long-term damage to the competitiveness of Scotland’s hospitality and tourism sector, as a result of ongoing inaction.

“One positive is the decision to freeze the poundage, which keeps another multi-million price rise at bay for now, but this will simply maintain the status quo of already extortionate business rates.

Commenting, the groups said: “With estimated consequentials of around £230 million coming to Scotland as a result of the 75% rates relief afforded to businesses in England, the Scottish Government has squandered a golden opportunity to support one of the country’s most important sectors for the second year in a row.

“The 100% rates relief which has been announced for hospitality businesses in our island communities is welcomed, given the economic disruption these businesses have experienced as a result of years of underinvestment in our ferry infrastructure. However, this measure falls very short of what has been expected. It is an extreme disappointment for tourism and hospitality businesses across Scotland.

“The lack of business support measures will see many thousands of tourism and hospitality businesses facing acute financial challenges in the next year, tipping many into crisis.

“It also entrenches the fact that it is now immeasurably harder to run a hospitality, leisure or tourism business in Scotland, than anywhere else in Britain. This is particularly highlighted by the decision not to support the sector with rates relief, at a time when pubs in Scotland are already closing at twice the rate of those in England.

“Around 10,000 of our businesses will not benefit from the Small Business Bonus Scheme, leaving them unsupported, and this growing gulf with the rest of Britain will cost jobs, economic growth, investment and, ultimately, tax revenues which are needed to fund public services.

“The announcement of a new income tax band will also hit our sector’s ability to recruit senior and highly experienced candidates from elsewhere in the UK and potentially retain our emerging leadership talent.

“The Scottish Government must now work closely with businesses, as promised in the Budget announcement, to bring forward a clear strategy for economic recovery and growth, including delivering on its commitment to reform business rates through careful examination of the methodology as a starting point.”

Scotland Director of consumer group CAMRA whose members had been lobbying MSPs asking for a 75% business rates discount to help save pubs and breweries, said: “Pubgoers will be deeply disappointed by the lack of help for most of our locals today. Whilst 100% rates relief for hospitality businesses in island communities will be welcomed, failing to pass on extra money from the UK Government to help with business rates for the rest of our hospitality businesses is undoubtedly a blow and puts many of our pubs at risk of permanent closure.

“Yet again it seems that the Scottish Government just doesn’t understand the importance of our pubs, social clubs and breweries as a vital part of our social fabric – bringing communities together and providing a safe, regulated environment to enjoy a drink with friends and family. Our locals are community hubs that need and deserve help to make sure that they survive and thrive.

“With reports that pubs are closing at a faster rate here than elsewhere in the UK, Scottish Government ministers urgently need to re-think the decision not to give our locals the 75% discount with business rates bills that pubs south of the border are receiving. The Scottish Government also needs to support consumers, pubs and breweries in the new year by ditching any plans to bring back restrictive bans on alcohol advertising.”

Greene King Supports Brand New Macmillan Initiative Greene King is strengthening its resolve to help even more people living with cancer as it announces it will be supporting a new Macmillan initiative with the aim of reaching people across diverse communities with poorer cancer outcomes.

Time on Racism manifesto we committed to work alongside Macmillan Cancer Support to support projects directly linked to cancer care for people from ethnically diverse communities.

Greene King and Macmillan Cancer Support are committed to driving greater equity, inclusion and diversity and so over the next three years Greene King will be helping to fund the new programme that will be rolled out in local communities across the UK.

“This new initiative has incredible potential to reach even more people living with cancer and we wholeheartedly support this programme to enhance inclusive cancer care. This initiative is in its early stages and we hope that through its development more people living with cancer from many different communities will be supported.”

Macmillan’s new initiative aims to promote the understanding of and access to cancer support services for under-served groups. The project will work in areas of economic deprivation and with ethnically diverse communities and a proportion of the funds raised by Greene King team members and customers will directly support the initiative.

Julian Backhouse, Implementation Lead for the initiative at Macmillan Cancer Support, added: “We are really looking forward to having Greene King on this journey with us as we aim to make cancer care services more accessible across communities, breaking down barriers and in turn enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Assad Malic, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Greene King, said: “In 2021 in our Calling Time on Racism manifesto we committed to work alongside Macmillan Cancer Support to support projects directly linked to cancer care for people from ethnically diverse communities.

“This new initiative has incredible potential to reach even more people living with cancer and we wholeheartedly support this programme to enhance inclusive cancer care. This initiative is in its early stages and we hope that through its development more people living withGreene King is strengthening its resolve to help even more people living with cancer as it announces it will be supporting a new Macmillan initiative with the aim of reaching people across diverse communities with poorer cancer outcomes.

Greene King and Macmillan Cancer Support are committed to driving greater equity, inclusion and diversity and so over the next three years Greene King will be helping to fund the new programme that will be rolled out in local communities across the UK. Macmillan’s new initiative aims to promote the understanding of and access to cancer support services for under-served groups. The project will work in areas of economic deprivation and with ethnically diverse communities and a proportion of the funds raised by Greene King team members and customers will directly support the initiative.

Assad Malic, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer at Greene King, said: “In 2021 in our Calling

“We rely almost entirely on donations and so this additional support from Greene King is hugely appreciated. Greene King and Macmillan have shared views on creating inclusive cultures at the heart of every community and we will be working closely together over the next three years with the aim of being there for even more people who need us.”

Greene King has been fundraising for its charity partner Macmillan for over 10 years and raised £16million to date helping the charity continue to do whatever it takes for people living with cancer.

Julian Backhouse, Implementation Lead for the initiative at Macmillan Cancer Support, added: “We are really looking forward to having Greene King on this journey with us as we aim to make cancer care services more accessible across communities, breaking down barriers and in turn enabling earlier diagnosis and treatment.

“We rely almost entirely on donations and so this additional support from Greene King is hugely appreciated. Greene King and Macmillan have shared views on creating inclusive cultures at the heart of every community and we will be working closely together over the next three years with the aim of being there for even more people who need us.”

Greene King has been fundraising for its charity partner Macmillan for over 10 years and raised £16million to date helping the charity continue to do whatever it takes for people living with cancer.

Make It Tasty, Make It Easy, Make It Free From – Make It Meatless!

THE MEATLESS revolution is here, with 50% of consumers reducing their meat consumption out-of-home, is your menu catering for diners looking for greattasting plant-based food?

The Meatless Farm range offers something for everyone, with a versatile range that makes it easy for you and your customers to swap out meat, without sacrificing on the flavour and texture they crave in their favourite dishes!

But making sure your menu keeps customers coming back for more doesn’t just stop at fabulous taste and variety. According to the Food Standards Agency, it is estimated that two million people are living with a diagnosed food allergy and 600,000 with Coeliac Disease. With these numbers increasing, more of us are looking for dishes that are safe to eat for those with food allergies - but these options must deliver on enjoyment too. Free From meals are often limited and can lack taste and imagination…. …Well look no further because Meatless Farm has it covered with our core range of Sausages, Burgers, Meatballs and Mince. Made with peas, these signature products are all Free From top allergens, low in fat and high in protein - making them a must for your menu!

Set taste-buds sizzling with Meatless Farm Sausages – bang them in a bun or serve on top of hearty mash!

Our plant-based Quarter Pounder Burgers are juicy and succulent – simply bung them in the oven or on the griddle!

Why not swap out beef and pork on the menu for our Meatless Mince in crowd-pleasers, such as Lasagne – or give dishes a twist with Meatless Meatballs perfect with pasta!

At Meatless Farm we’re on a mission to help people reduce their meat consumption by taking all the compromises out of plant-based catering and going large on the benefits. Our products are not only loaded with taste and texture – they are also frozen for convenience and super simple and quick to prepare.

The Meatless Farm range is a sinch for caterers to create a menu of tasty dishes that tick all the boxes. So, whether it’s a classic cooked English breakfast, a gourmet burger or a fiery chilli, everyone can get stuck in and enjoy Meatless made easy!

For More information visit https://meatlessfarm.com/professionals/

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Issue 192

CLH Digital

Holyrood Committee Backs Visitor Levy Bill at Stage 1 The majority of members on the Holyrood Committee considering the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill have supported the general principles behind the legislation, which would allow Scottish local authorities to introduce an overnight accommodation levy, following extensive consultation.

Read the report Publishing its Stage 1 Report today, the Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee said that a majority of members of the Committee support the general principles of the Bill and a majority of members again found that it was “unlikely that the introduction of a levy in certain local authority areas, assuming a relatively modest rate, would have a deterrent effect on visitor numbers and therefore on the visitor economy in Scotland.”

majority of the members of the Committee recognise its potential to positively impact Scotland's tourism sector.

"After thorough consultation and consideration, most members of the Committee have supported the core principles of the legislation, emphasising that a well-designed levy, at a modest rate, shouldn't discourage visitors and should bring benefits for the tourism sector.

"A majority of the members of the Committee welcomed and support the flexibility provided by the Bill, which will enable local authorities to customise the levy's implementation meaning that local levies are designed to suit local circumstances.

Miles Briggs and Pam Gosal did not support several of the report's conclusions or the general principles behind the Bill.

“Understanding concerns from businesses and being mindful of possible administrative burdens, a majority of members of the Committee believe that industry worries can be resolved through constructive engagement and consultation at the local level, ahead of any levy being introduced in 2026.

A majority of members however agreed with evidence from stakeholders which suggested the introduction of a levy has “the potential to bring significant benefits to visitors, the tourism sector and local residents” whilst recognising that not all of Scotland’s local authorities are expected to introduce a levy and therefore benefit directly from the Bill.

"For the majority of the members of the Committee the Visitor Levy Bill has the potential to be a positive force for the tourism sector, and thank the individuals, organisations and other stakeholders who provided evidence to inform this report .”

Supporting the Bill’s provision to give local authorities the ability to choose whether to introduce a levy and how to apply it locally, a majority of members of the Committee welcome “the degree of flexibility” provided and believe that this will allow councils to “design and implement it in a way that suits local circumstances.”

The Committee also recognised business concerns around the timing of the legislation, following the impact of COVID-19 on Scotland’s tourism sector and the increased costs of doing business, as well as recent changes to short-term lets licensing.

The Report also said the Committee was “mindful of the concerns of accommodation providers that the introduction of a levy could result in an additional administrative burden” and welcomed the Bill’s requirements to implement localised monitoring and reporting to ensure transparency and accountability.

Considering if any levy should be a flat or percentage rate, the Committee considered this was “perhaps the most difficult aspect of the Bill in terms of determining what the right approach should be.” and invited the Scottish Government to undertake further work on this area of the Bill to find a suitable solution.

The earliest date a visitor levy could be applied by local authorities is 2026, which a majority of members of the Committee considered would provide enough time for any “outstanding issues to be resolved through engagement and consultation” with businesses and other key stakeholders. However, the Committee also invited the Scottish Government to respond to suggestions from some councils that they should be able to introduce a levy sooner than 2026.

Commenting, Committee Convener, Ariane Burgess MSP said:“In supporting the Visitor Levy Bill at Stage 1, a

Winter Trends for 2023

Outside of the festive fervour there are a number of trends which are becoming popular as we enter the colder period of the year. The key themes we have identified are casual dining maximalism and minimalism and premium dining maximalism and minimalism.

CASUAL DINING MAXIMALISM Casual dining maximalism is all about embracing life, vibrancy and excessiveness. Allowing for a huge mixing pot of colours, patterns and textures to be embraced and showcased it is a case of go big, bold and bright and do not shy away. The only advice we’d give is ensure the rest of your venue follows suit too, if you have a bold restaurant then double down and chose a vibrant table setting to further embrace the perfection which exists within the chaos. Churchill’s wide variety of Stonecast colours is the perfect place to start when looking to incorporate this trend.

CASUAL DINING MINIMALISM Simplistic, refined but stripped back is the way to nail casual dining minimalism. The trend predominantly relies on white crockery with occasional pops of neutral light shades to build a subtle flow of tones through-

UKHospitality Scotland Executive Director Leon Thompson said: “The introduction of the Visitor Levy will represent a huge change for both hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses, as well as local authorities, so it is essential that the Scottish Parliament properly scrutinises the legislation.

“Given the scale of change this tax will bring, to businesses and customers, it’s very concerning that the Local Government, Planning and Housing Committee has today concluded that the 18-month period set aside for businesses to prepare could be reduced to 12-months. That is simply not long enough. Accommodation providers will need maximum time to prepare their systems, teams and customers for this change.

“The Visitor Levy will come with significant costs to businesses implementing new, or upgrading existing IT and payment systems, as well as identifying dedicated human resource to manage the charge. There is also the issue of businesses paying commission on bookings and credit card transactions. As things stand these are to be borne by businesses, whilst councils look to recover their costs. The legislation must provide for businesses to recoup expenses associated with administering the scheme, on behalf of local authorities.

“Furthermore, the report pushes expectation to resolve outstanding issues onto the Expert Working Group and the guidance that will be created. This is not good enough, as the guidance will not be statutory, leading to a variety of approaches in implementing this tax in different parts of the country.

“It appears that business-critical issues raised during the consultation and at the Committee’s evidence sessions are being swept under the carpet. If we are to learn lessons from previous failed initiatives, like the Deposit Return Scheme, all these issues must be resolved in legislation. That is the only way to provide certainty to businesses.” out your table offering. With this theme you must let the food do the talking so ensure your dishes are vibrant, well dressed and visually stunning. A great range which can help you achieve this is Vintage Med Tiles from Churchill.

PREMIUM DINING MAXIMALISM High end, premium maximalism is a contemporary theme which draws on the eccentricity of high society dining and the art deco scene in Miami during the 1980s. The idea is to be bold and visual and allow the colours and patterns to take centre stage.

The trend is exciting and somewhat limitless allowing you to go beyond the table display and bring in elements from the wider restaurant such as plant foliage, internal architecture, and other such textures. A glassware range which is perfect for this is Villeroy & Boch’s New Moon

PREMIUM DINING MINIMALISM Premium dining is where minimalism shines. Elegant whiteware combined with subtle accents of colour with a shimmer of discreet gold is the best way to capitalise on this trend. To clarify, this does not need to be boring but rather wants to evoke the feeling of a clean canvas with just a hint of colour allowing the food to be visually elevated to a higher aesthetic level. If you are wondering where to start regarding accented tones, we’d suggest either tying in colours from your current venue theme or select monochromatic visuals to offer a bolder contrast. A perfect place to start for this trend would be with the Spyro range from Steelite.

For further information see the advert on page 10 or visit www.allianceonline.co.uk

Six Company Announce Further Investment Into Glasgow Restaurant Scene With Three New Openings For 2024 Six Company, the Glasgow-based company behind the Six by Nico restaurants, has announced ambitious development and investment plans for its hometown of Glasgow, including the launch of three new venues across the city.

Chief executive and founder Nico Simeone confirmed three new Glasgow openings and a three million pound investment into the city’s restaurant scene including a new flagship Six by Nico Glasgow restaurant location in Merchant City.

The other two locations will see the addition of Sole Club in Finnieston, which will pay homage to the original idea that launched the Six by Nico journey – ‘The Chippie’ – by bringing together two concepts in one venue as well as further investment at Six by Nico Byres Road with the introduction of Somewhere by Nico – an innovative cocktail bar that aims to reinvent the traditional bar experience by combining multisensory, mixology and storytelling.

The final investment for the first quarter of 2024 in Glasgow for Six Company will bring a new cocktail tasting experience to Glasgow’s West End. Somewhere by Nico is an innovative cocktail bar that looks to redefine what a bar experience looks like by blending storytelling, multi-sensory mixology and experience together.

Six Company Chief Executive and founder Nico Simeone said: “Our team is driven daily by the challenge to constantly create and reinvent. We are dedicated to being different, never resting on our laurels, and continuously striving to create the best customer experiences. Marking our six-year journey with such a significant evolution of experiences in our home town and reaffirming our commitments to the city seems like the best way to celebrate the next stage in our company vision.“

The Six by Nico brand has created 49 tasting menus since the conceptual brands launch in Glasgow and raised over £700,000 in two years for the groups charity partner Beatson Cancer Charity. Since Six by Nico Merchant City will open on January 15th 2024 at 64 the partnership’s inception less than two years ago, the restaurant Albion St, Glasgow, with all bookings from their Finnieston location – CGI Image of Six by Nico Merchant City – group and their customers have raised funds across their fifteen Six being transferred to the new flagship City Centre location.

by Nico locations in England, Scotland, and Ireland as well as 100% of The existing Glasgow Finnieston Six by Nico location will close on the proceeds from the Beat 6 restaurant in Glasgow Bearsden going directly to Beatson Cancer Charity.

January 14th and an exciting and brand new concept for the group will launch in its place in February.

Cleaning and Hygiene

CLH Digital

Issue 192

27

Five Star Levels of Hygiene for All Hotels, Restaurants, Cafes and Public Houses Hygiene and cleanliness are important in many areas of business but are perhaps most pertinent in the hospitality sector where first impressions really count. Guests visiting hospitality venues both expect and demand these facilities to be clean and inviting and judge this as being an integral part of their experience.

team of Field Service Engineers are strategically located throughout the UK to enable them to easily visit your site to carry out regular service visits and any repair work, if required. Each Engineer is a full-time employee of the company and has been fully trained to work on your Rotowash.

We appreciate that flooring surfaces will differ from location to location within your facilities and that each area presents unique cleaning challenges. The Rotowash floor cleaning machine has been specifically designed to tackle all these difficulties and to deliver the highest standards of cleanliness.

We offer all our customers a preventative maintenance agreement (PMA) operating on a rolling twelve-month basis at an extremely competitive price. Each PMA covers you for all call out and labour costs in the event of emergency repairs being required, as well as two planned service visits carried out on a five-month cycle.

Uniquely, the same Rotowash floor cleaning machine can be used to clean both carpets and hard floors, guaranteeing not only a quality finish but real value for money. Coupled with this, our machines are built to last, particularly if they are cleaned after each use and maintained regularly.

We are committed to providing you the best in customer care and see selling a machine as only the start of the journey. Our

As well as customer care, health & safety is extremely important to us. The design features of a Rotowash machine helps to work injuries by reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Additionally, although we believe that Rotowash machines are easy to use, we offer free training to all operatives for the lifetime of the machine.

For more information, please visit at www.rotowash.com

Make Sure Your Business is Legionella Risk Assessments Compliant with Legionella Testing Regular testing for legionella in hotels and catering environments is of paramount importance. Legionella bacteria thrive in warm water systems such as those found in large buildings, including hotels and catering establishments. By conducting regular testing, potential sources of Legionella contamination can be identified and appropriate measures can be taken to mitigate the risk of infection, safeguarding the health and well-being of staff and guests.

Regular testing allows for the early detection of any contamination, enabling prompt action to be taken to eliminate the bacteria and prevent their spread. This proactive approach reduces the likelihood of an outbreak occurring and helps maintain a safe and healthy environment.

Regular testing for Legionella in hotels and catering environments is also crucial for compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. It also helps to build trust and confidence among guests, who can be assured that appropriate measures are in place to protect their well-being.

In conclusion, regular testing for legionella in hotels and catering environments is essential for preventing the spread of Legionnaires' disease, ensuring the safety of water systems, and complying with legal requirements. By proactively monitoring and managing the risk of Legionella contamination, these establishments can prioritize the health and safety of their staff and guests, while also maintaining their reputation and avoiding potential legal issues.

Legionnaires disease can cause serious illness and even involve hospitalisation including ICU and even death. Public death, it was named after the 1st major recorded outbreak Health England confirms there were 503 cases of at a conference/gathering in the United States.

Legionnaires' Disease in 2019 for England and Wales – an The bacteria are present in all water and become an issue average of almost 10 cases a week. (Latest available data).

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 dissipate without treatment. The more serious illness can

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 page 2.

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Issue 192

CLH Digital

Products and Services

Choose Your Path For Assured, Sustainable Hot Water

Upgrade Your Air Freshener System To Keep Washrooms Constantly Fresh

Restaurants, bars and hotels have an often uniquely businesscritical need for hot water to ensure smooth daily operations.

With hot water demands generating up to 30% of a business’ daily energy use it is a prime candidate for addressing carbon emissions and climbing operational costs.

Unless a new build, which will be electrical-based, most refurbishments will look to either improve on existing gas systems or aim to completely replace them with electrical alternatives, typically heat pumps and/or directelectric heating. The latest generation of electric boiler, such as Adveco’s ARDENT, offers new levels of resilience, with multiple immersions in a protected sealed indirect loop arrangement that dramatically cuts issues associated with limescale damage in hard water areas. Digital controls and monitoring ensure 24/7 operational service.

Adveco Live Metering of the hot water demands of a building is a quick, non-invasive, and extremely cost-effective means of gauging needs. It also provides application design which enables owner/managers to develop realis-

tic and sustainable development strategies which deliver active results today with low to no impact on ongoing operations.

The process helps to avoid the common, and costly pitfalls of system oversizing, for immediate capital savings. Combining heat pump pre-heat and electric boilers will cut carbon emissions, by as much as 70% compared to equivalent gas-fired applications, so is a big tick in the box for business sustainability.

A correctly sized and installed solar thermal system will reduce UK annual energy requirements of a business on average by at least 30%. Southern/western counties could expect to offset most hot water energy demands in the summer months with a solar thermal system. With a less than 10-year return on investment now possible, solar thermal, as a proven renewable should be on any list of net zero technologies being considered as part of a wider sustainability strategy. www.adveco.co See the advert on page 7.

LeisureBench Ltd, is proud to introduce its new sister company SGM Recycled Plastics Ltd. Made from 100% recycled plastic, our new ranges are designed and manufactured at our new premises in Granthan using the latest technology.

From picnic tables to planters, the growing range of products are ergonomically designed for the commercial sector at affordable prices and most items come with a 25-year construction guarantee.

Introducing our new stylish side chairs available in several colours, they are both comfortable, and at a starting price of just £99.45 +vat in black, they represent excellent value for money.

Our new website www.sgmrecycledplastics.com has automated muti-buy discounting. Discounts start from

as little as two of the same product for exceptional value.

We believe we are the most competitive in the market.

Our in-house design team can design bespoke products for our clients and no job is too small or too big. Customer service is key to our success.

We welcome visitors to our factory showroom at Old Wharf Road, Grantham, Notts, NG31 7AA. SGM T: 0333 0112314 Calls charged at local rate.

E: support@sgmrecycledplastics.com SGM W: www.sgmrecycledplastics.com LeisureBench W: www.leisurebench.co.uk We all want to see less waste plastic and sustainability; our products are a small, but not insignificant, step in right direction. Thank you. See the advert on page 9.

FRNHZ Linen

website www.kangaboxuk.com.

We are also leading suppliers of European manufactured Stainless Steel items such as Sinks, Gastronorms, Accessories and other products.

In addition Catering Equipment Ltd are also the UK's largest specialist supplier of European manufactured gastronorm containers, ice cream containers, sinks, hand wash and restaurant equipment.

See our extensive range of products on our website clickonstore.net.

Catering Equipment Ltd are a family firm that has been trading for almost 30 years. Our commitment is to our customers you are the most important people in our business.

Our promise is that you can count on Catering Equipment Ltd to help you and that our team will do their utmost to ensure that dealing with us is a pleasant and worthwhile experience. Call the team on 0121 773 2228 now.

See the advert on the inside front cover.

The bath linen collection from FRNHZ is equally impressive, featuring an array of plush Face Towels, Hand towels, Bath Towel, Bath Sheets, Bath Mats and Bath Robe. FRNHZ's commitment to quality extends into the kitchen, where its linen collection includes essential items such as kitchen towels and cloths, contributing to a functional and aesthetically pleasing culinary environment.

SGM Recycled Plastics Ltd.

Catering Equipment Ltd Catering Equipment Ltd are the authorised UK Distributor for the range of Kängabox thermoboxes that keep items Hot or Cold. Kängabox is a revolutionary new high density EPP series of containers in which hot or cold items can be transported with an average temperature loss of less than 1°C plus or minus per hour within a temperature range of -40°C to +120°C. Kängaboxes are available in a range of capacities and attractive colours. Kängabox are available in eight different designs and four different depths.

The various gastronorm, pizza, ice cream and euro norm formats are available.

Our Transport Boxes perfect for keeping food HOT or COLD whether delivering food, running an event or managing extra food production in the Kitchen.

Comprehensive product details can be found on our

Blaze Signs Blaze Signs is a name that’s widely recognised in the signage industry; we are one of the largest signage businesses in the UK after all, offering a full turnkey solution from concept, design and planning through to manufacture and installation. We offer unparalleled capabilities and expertise, from project management, creative design services, manufacturing equipment and talent, and professional nationwide installation teams.

However, our talent and facilities mean we can provide far more than just standard signage for your business…

We have worked with countless customers spanning multiple sectors and industries to design and produce a variety of non-signage specific items. This includes:

• Bespoke fixtures, fittings and furniture • Feature lighting – inside and outside • Building cladding • Working with specialised materials – e.g. glass and wood With Blaze Signs, you can fit-out your restaurant, office or commercial outlet from the signage to the

table, lighting fixtures and mirrors.

Our promise of the highest quality service and product extends to these additional business solutions, so you can rest easy knowing you’ll receive the same standard that we’re best known for in the signage industry.

ESG is a huge focus for Blaze, and our dedicated group of employees who belong to the Blaze People&Planet working group are continuously looking at ways to reduce our environmental impact, create equitable solutions, take better care of our employees, and drive broader change within the industry and our communities.

So, for those potential customers out there not currently talking to us, we would love you to. It could prove to be the start of a highly rewarding experience!

Call: 01843 601 075 Email: info@blazesigns.co.uk Website: www.blazesigns.co.uk See the advert on page 9 for details.

Washrooms are the biggest source of complaints, accounting for over 45% of the complaints that facility managers receive.1 In addition, recent research from Tork tells us that 67% of employees say they’re more likely to complain about a washroom than any other aspect of their office.2 Therefore, it’s crucial that washrooms are run efficiently to ensure a standard of cleanliness that makes people feel cared for.

A NEW AIR FRESHENER THAT DISTRIBUTES SCENT EVENLY AND CONTINUOUSLY Tork has launched a new system that makes keeping your washrooms constantly fresh much easier. It uses a unique, high-tech technology that is propellant free to neutralise odours continuously and evenly. Research shows that the most important factor customers state when selecting an air care product is the “long lasting performance”3. The Tork Constant Air Freshener can last for up to 90 days before needing a refill, with a range of scents that eliminate bad odours, creating a consistent, fresh washroom experience, which helps facility managers to avoid washroom complaints.

FRNHZ Linen supplier are holding the esteemed title of one of the largest suppliers of bed linen, bath linen, Table Linen, kitchen linen, Chef wears, packaging items and refreshment wet towels.

In the Sphere of bed linen, FRNHZ's extensive collection is a testament to its dedication to transforming bedrooms into havens of luxury. From premium bed sheets to elegant duvet covers, each product is crafted with meticulous attention to detail and an unwavering commitment to unbeatable quality.

A SYSTEM THAT IS EASY TO MAINTAIN AND REFILL 71% of cleaning staff agreed that if washroom dispensers were quicker and easier to refill, they would have more time for other cleaning tasks2.

The Tork Constant Air Freshener dispenser is certified ‘Easy to use’ for speedy refilling.4 Its flexible placement at reachable heights also allows for easy maintenance. Refills and battery changes can also be planned into existing cleaning routines to save staff valuable time.

IOT CONNECTED DISPENSERS With Tork Vision Cleaning, the world’s leading datadriven cleaning solution, cleaning staff will now know exactly when and where to refill all Tork dispensers in the washroom. The new air freshener dispenser will enable them to keep the dispensers replenished and save time by avoiding unnecessary checks.

It’s easy to provide a great washroom experience with smart, sustainable hygiene management from Tork.

For more information, please visit Tork.co.uk. For more information on Tork air freshener, please visit Tork.co.uk/airfreshener. or see the advert on page 13.

The first-class collection of premium linens for clients all over the UK. Experience the luxury of our table linen, designed for a soft and sumptuous feel that adds a touch of elegance to any occasion.

Simplify your restaurant operations with our easycare table linens. Our fabrics are resistant to wrinkles and stains, making maintenance a breeze and allowing your staff to focus on providing excellent service Beyond hotel textiles, FRNHZ extends its reach into Chef Wear, recognizing the significance of highquality and durable garments in various professional settings. The brand's workwear line is designed to meet the rigorous demands of industries, providing both comfort and durability for individuals in their work environments.

In a unique and thoughtful addition, FRNHZ also stands out as a supplier of refreshment wet towels and packaging items. This offering caters to the need for convenient and refreshing options, providing a practical solution for various settings, including hospitality and travel industries.

For further information call 01234 910 660, visit www.frnhz.com or see the advert on page 7.

Elevating Hospitality: UK Hotels Embrace Walter Geering's Innovative Floating Dispenser Collection In a landmark decision reflecting a commitment to sustainability and guest experience, UK hotels are increasingly turning to Walter Geering's cutting-edge floating dispenser collection. Established in 1903, Walter Geering has evolved into an industry-leading supplier for hotels, holiday parks, and accommodation providers nationwide. Specialising in eco-friendly toiletries and welcome packs, including kitchen and bathroom essentials, pet packs, games night packs, birthday packs, and more, Walter Geering stands at the forefront of the hospitality supply chain.

A LEGACY OF ECOFRIENDLINESS Walter Geering's ascent to a leading supplier is grounded in its unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility. Acknowledging the hospitality industry's reliance on single-use plastic, particularly in toiletries, Walter Geering has pioneered eco-friendly alternatives.

Despite the allure of convenience, the company remains dedicated to supporting its clients in reducing plastic consumption, aligning with a broader global push toward sustainability.

TOILETRIES AND WELCOME PACKS REDEFINED Walter Geering has consistently led the toiletry and amenity market through innovative products and ecofriendly initiatives. Their extensive toiletry collections boast bottles and tubes crafted from oxo-biodegradable plastic, post-consumer recycled plastic, prevented ocean plastic, and wheat straw. Spring 2023 witnessed the launch of the ground-breaking floating dispenser system,

a simple yet ingenious solution designed to fit any bathroom seamlessly. Priced at just £4.28 per product per room, the system features a tamper-proof locking mechanism, with a discreet matchboxsized bracket creating the illusion of a floating dispenser.

KITCHEN AND CLEANING WELCOME PACKS Beyond toiletries, Walter Geering extends its commitment to sustainability into kitchen and cleaning welcome packs. Recognizing the imperative of a circular economy, the company invests in reimagining and redesigning its packaging. A new range of packaging types aligns with existing or foreseeable recycling infrastructure, facilitating consumer reuse or recycling. The practicality of their kitchen packs addresses guests' unspoken needs upon arrival, ensuring essentials like washing up liquid, bin bags, sponges, and cleaning cloths are readily available for the first few days.

SPECIAL OFFER: CLH10 FOR A 10% DISCOUNT Walter Geering invites accommodation providers to join the movement towards eco-conscious hospitality.

Contact them today and quote CLH10 to avail of an exclusive 10% discount on your initial order. Elevate your guests' experience while contributing to a sustainable future—Walter Geering, where innovation meets responsibility.

W:www.waltergeering.co.uk P:01233 658085 E:sales@waltergeering.co.uk See the advert on page 11.

Food Safety

Diners Offered Allergy Lifeline

The restaurant had included nuts in Kate’s meal, despite being told that she was severely allergic.

A woman who developed a life-changing service for allergy sufferers after her friend was served nuts, is hoping it will help save thousands of others.

After speaking to her friend, Juliet realised this was a communication issue between front-of-house staff and restaurant chefs.

Juliet Moran, the founder of AllergyMenu.uk created the service following an incident where her friend almost suffered a severe allergy attack whilst on holiday.

She created a website and app to help save those suffering from allergies customers can now see which items on the menu they should avoid and which dishes are safe to consume.

Whilst in Amsterdam, Juliet’s friend Kate informed the front-of-house staff about her allergies - including nuts.

With the number of those suffering with food allergies on the rise, Juliet hopes AllergyMenu.uk will be a life-changing addition for those eating out.

Despite getting the message across in both English and Dutch, the first dish to arrive was Kate’s meal, rich in peanuts. And, without thinking, she put her fork to her mouth about to take a bite.

It also helps restaurants streamline their booking services by flagging any allergy issues before diners arrive.

It wasn’t until her husband pushed his arm across Kate and shouted, ‘Stop!’, that she realised the dish could have sent her into an anaphylaxis

shock.

Juliet said: “I was out at a restaurant with friends including Kate who suffers with a nut allergy, and we were talking to the staff to make them aware of it.

“We were having a few glasses of wine and chatting away when Kate put

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her fork in her food, about to eat it when her husband suddenly put his arm over her and shouted ‘Stop!’ He’d realised the restaurant had put nuts in her dish.

“I was really taken aback about how serious it was and spoke to her about all these problems and came to the conclusion that it seems like a communication problem between the front of house staff and the restaurant chefs.

“Most businesses already have a chart with all the allergen information on but we’ve found that the real problem is that the chefs aren’t communicating with the front of house staff about what exactly is in the food.

“But putting the allergens into a proper computer system and giving the information directly to the consumer who downloads the app or looks on our website can instantly see what food substances are in their dish.

“Everytime I speak to users of our service, their only frustration is that not every restaurant is on it. I created this app to help solve this problem - and I’m doing this because I think it can help people out like my friend Kate.” https://allergymenu.uk/

Logicall: Elevating Food Safety Navigating Compliance: Owen’s Law and with Smart Monitoring Solutions Allergen Checker’s Seamless Support

In the bustling world of cafes, bars, and restaurants, Logicall’s temperature monitoring solutions aren’t just a luxury—they’re a necessity. Here’s why your establishment needs our innovative technology: Food Safety Compliance: Regulatory bodies demand stringent adherence to food safety standards. Logicall’s LoRaWAN temperature probes ensure continuous monitoring of fridges, freezers, and cold rooms, providing real-time insights into temperature conditions. This proactive approach not only prevents food spoilage but also safeguards your business against compliance issues.

Instant Alerts for Swift Action: Temperature breaches can be disastrous for perishable goods. Logicall’s instant alert system via text, email, or audible alarms ensures swift action in the event of fluctuations. This rapid response not only saves stock but also maintains the quality and safety of your food products.

Easy Deployment and Scalability: Forget the hassle of Wi-Fi dependencies. Our temperature probes utilise longrange communication technology, ensuring seamless connectivity across your entire establishment without the need for complex Wi-Fi infrastructure. This not only simplifies deployment but also makes scaling your monitoring capabilities a breeze.

Preventative Maintenance with Smart Sockets: Logicall’s smart sockets go beyond temperature monitoring.

They provide real-time data on energy usage and cold storage unit health, allowing you to proactively address potential issues. By optimising energy consumption and preventing equipment failures, you not only save money but also ensure uninterrupted service to your customers.

Logical Checks Food Probing App: Simplify your kitchen operations and go paperless with our Logical Checks app. Designed to digitise all your HACCP temperature checks, this user-friendly app streamlines your kitchen’s daily routines. Ensure compliance with ease, leaving behind the burden of manual checks and embracing the efficiency of digital monitoring.

Real-Time Display Screens: Take control with Logicall’s real-time display screens deployed throughout your kitchen. Monitor the status of your fridges and freezers in real-time, ensuring that your entire kitchen team is on the same page. This visual solution enhances communication and allows for swift corrective action, minimising the risk of temperature-related issues.

In summary, Logicall’s temperature monitoring solutions are vital for cafes, bars, and restaurants aiming for excellence in food safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. Invest in our technology today and secure the longevity of your perishable inventory while ensuring the highest standards in food quality and safety.

See the advert below for further details.

Recent court cases have highlighted the critical need for robust allergen management systems in the hospitality industry.

The legal consequences for breaching allergen-labelling laws have intensified: urging establishments to prioritise compliance and transparency.

One noteworthy case involved a Blackwood pub, fined for failing to provide allergen information, where the establishment’s stance was shockingly expressed as “We are unable to cater for customers with food allergies.”

This alarming case underscores the urgent necessity for a proactive and comprehensive approach to allergen transparency.

As the industry braces itself for positive changes with Owen’s Law within the next 12 months, Allergen Checker (www.allergenchecker.co.uk) emerges as an indispensable ally for establishments navigating this complex landscape.

Already a champion of compliance through its labelling function, the software positions itself at the forefront of the industry’s move toward enhanced allergen transparency.

Allergen Checker not only supports Natasha’s Law

requirements but anticipates Owen’s Law, offering a forward-thinking solution.

Picture a future where every ingredient, even beyond the standard 14 allergens, is meticulously accounted for.

Allergen Checker excels in offering this level of transparency, ensuring that compliance with Natasha’s Law and the upcoming Owen’s Law becomes an opportunity to enhance customer trust and safety.

Not only does Allergen Checker help those with allergies it also provides invaluable information to millions who suffer from intolerances. Listing every ingredient will only encourage your customers to trust what they are eating. All the information can be hidden behind a useful QR Code to be placed on your menu without encroaching on your menu design.

For those seeking a smooth transition and an opportunity to enhance their offering Allergen Checker invites you to explore its capabilities with a 14-day free trial.

Owen’s Law is not a challenge; it’s a chance to redefine how we approach allergen management, and Allergen Checker is here to lead the way.

Follow the link and step into the future with confidence. www.allergenchecker.co.uk

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CLH Digital

Coffee and Beverage Systems

Consumers Ready To Spend On Hot Beverages in 2024 While some drinkers are happy to upgrade, The Hot Beverages Spotlight Report indicates others will be seeking more value in 2024. The research provides expert insights into the impact of price on decision-making, as well as the formats and flavour profiles that consumers want at both the premium and value ends of the market.

The Hot Beverages Spotlight Report, part of CGA’s Food Insights Spotlight series, delivers a bird’s eye view of the segment to help suppliers, wholesalers and operators sharpen promotional, pricing and ranging strategies, as well as pinpoint opportunities for growth. It sets out the latest hot drink preferences, habits, channels, as well as plus consumer demographics, drivers to purchase and much more.

Andy Hodgson, CGA by NIQ’s senior business development manager, said: “Hot beverages are an increasingly valuable part of On Premise drinks menus and they can unlock incremental sales in new dayparts. But with competition so fierce and consumers more knowledgeable about their drinks than ever, it’s crucial to understand exactly where, when and why these drinks are bought.

With spending likely to fluctuate widely between premium and value offerings, crafting the right ranges and hitting the pricing sweet spots will be the keys to success in 2024.”

The research shows well over a quarter (28%) of consumers expect to spend more on hot beverages in the next 12 months, while more than half (54%) say they are likely to pay extra for a better quality drink—a figure that rises even higher to 62% of adults aged 18 to 34. There is a particularly strong appetite for trading up in coffee, where the quality of beans has become integral to marketing campaigns.

Sanremo Coffee Machines Sanremo Coffee Machines is an Italian espresso machine and coffee grinder manufacturer that designs and produces professional equipment dedicated to coffee extraction enthusiasts. This strong passion has guided the company over the years and has now become its greatest sign of recognition. The ability to accept and respond to constant market changes with courage, ideas and products that are born from thinking outside the box, summarized in their philosophy “The Brave Inspire”. This philosophy simultaneously expresses a way of being and an invitation to be inspirational.

Sanremo’s machines are designed and hand-built in Treviso, Italy. Creating one of the widest ranges of traditional espresso equipment from a single brand in the world. From their entry-level CUBE machines perfect for the home enthusiast or small bar operations to their Café Racer range, the machines are designed to deliver the consistency and quality required for the busiest of speciality coffee outlets.

Design and technology are at the heart of how Sanremo construct machines, giving baristas the controls required and a workspace which enables them to be efficient. Matched with an engineering quality using the best materials available for the task at hand, with a focus on sustainable life-long components and high levels of insulation and thermal stability to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption and costs.

During 2023 Sanremo Coffee Machines opened its first global Hub in South Kensington, London. Creating a destination spot for coffee lovers and enthusiasts to create the best coffee possible. It showcases the full range of machines along with hosting events throughout the year to bring the UK and Global coffee community together. The Hub is open to the public and no appointment is required to come and experience all the brand has to offer.

With Sanremo’s unwavering passion and dedication to innovate, 2024 is again set to represent another milestone in its history with the launch of a new machine that completely reimagines what is achievable at an entry-level machine, matched with Sanremo’s distinctive design and customisation options. Called the D8 it will be launched in the UK at the end of April.

If you are interested in finding out more about Sanremo you can visit their website www.sanremouk.com or contact them via phone or email 01364 644445.

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.

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

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Have you ever thought about investing in a great coffee machine, but are not sure it would work for you?

All you need to do is watch your customers enjoy great coffee and your profits rise!

We are so confident that our coffee systems will enhance your business we will install a

LOAN MACHINE

Plus sufficient coffee

completely free of charge for a week.*

CALL US TODAY TO START YOUR COFFEE JOURNEY

0800 44 44 43 OR EMAIL BILL@FORWARDVENDORS.CO.UK *Terms and conditions apply.

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The Source Trade Show Preview

Unlock Culinary Potential at the Source Trade Show – Registration Now Open!

Calling all food and drink buyers in hospitality, catering, and food retail – save the dates for The Source trade show on February 6th and 7th at Westpoint near Exeter. This vibrant regional event brings together an array of food and drink brands, food service, equipment, and business services, making it a one-stop-shop for your needs.

As 2024 approaches, it's time to plan your menus and source top-quality ingredients, and essential equipment and services. Whether you manage a pub, hotel, restaurant, café, deli, farm shop, holiday park, or supermarket, the Source is tailored to meet your unique requirements.

In partnership with Taste of the West, this show facilitates direct orders from South West artisan producers and well-known companies such as; Bartletts, Chunk of Devon, Clipper, EPOS Buddy, Farm Frites, Forest Produce, Franke Coffee, Frobishers, Gusto Organic, Heritage Cider, House of Sarunds, Proper Cornish, The Cress Co, The Real Olive Co, Unox, Westaways,

Westcountry Fruit Sales, and Yeo Valley.

MD Mike Anderson expresses the essence of The Source: “It’s a show packed with reasons to attend; the best producers, market-leading business ideas, networking opportunities, a tourism conference, and it’s open to the entire food and drink industry.”

Attendees have 2 days to explore trends, network with industry peers, and gain insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping the sector in 2024. The Source is free for trade buyers, easily accessible, and has plenty of free parking. In addition, many exhibitors at the show will have exclusive show offers for visiting buyers, including discounts, free delivery, free POS items, and deals on service packages. It’s a great opportunity to get yourself a deal and increase your profit margins!

For more information about the show and to register to attend, visit www.thesourcetradeshow.co.uk, or call 01934 733465. You can also follow the show on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @SourceFoodDrink.

The Source Trade Show Preview

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The Moray Honey Company The Moray Honey Company is a family run business. Our hives are surrounded by lavender, wild flowers.

health properties, aroma and goodness.

We are based near Forres and have apiaries at home and throughout Morayshire and some surrounding areas to the Highlands.

We produce many products ideal for the hospitality, catering and hotel sectors and their customers, which will be on display at The Source Trade Show on Stand F9.

Our Honey is simply hive to jar, as nature intended keeping all the beneficial

Visit us there or see our website at www.themorayhoneycompany.co.uk

The Label Group

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

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

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

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

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

Barton Reed & Co is a family-run business and we have been involved in the furniture industry since 1945.

Over the years we have forged strong relationships with our suppliers to give you the best furniture available with a service that goes above and beyond our customers’ expectations.

different names depending on their use. Labelling guns, price guns, pricing guns, label guns, coding guns and batch guns. Our range of products can meet all needs: Simple low use models, durable machines for industry.

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

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

See us on Stand H4 or call 01736 810334 for details.

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

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

Our Honey is simply hive to jar, as nature intended keeping all the beneficial health properties, aroma and goodness.

Phone 07727 148588 Email yogi@themorayhoneycompany.co.uk Web www.themorayhoneycompany.co.uk

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

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The Source Trade Show Preview Blizzard Refrigeration and Catering Equipment Experts in professional, affordable refrigeration and catering equipment Blizzard is excited to visit The Source show 2024 in February for the first time and show of some of the fantastic equipment we have to offer. Head over to Stand F26 to have a chat to our team about how Blizzard can help you, while you’re there why not take a guess on how many balls are in

our HSG40 to be in with a chance of winning a mini bar!

The Artisan Distilling Company The Artisan Distilling Company is born out of the award winning Devon Distillery.

Focusing on creating high quality, bespoke spirits for clients that would like to bring their dreams to life. With clients from the Royal Navy to local pubs, prominent brands to private events, the focus on quality and detail for each and every project if central to our process.

The Artisan Distilling Company also operate the only mobile stills in the whole of the UK, so the opportunities are endless when creating your own bespoke spirit, it can be made on your very doorstep, and indeed inside!

Make sure to visit them and start your journey of making your dreams into reality at Stand C15.

Say Goodbye to Plastic Lids THE ADVENTURE OF ARTISAN DISTILLING

01803 224856 artisandistillingcompany.co.uk See us on Stand C15

In 2023 the South West had over 18 million single use hot and cold drinks cups. The plastic lids and PLU lined cups equate to over 80,000kg of single use plastic waste. The hospitality industry sustains us but is also responsible for a large part of this plastic crisis. The is now a solution launching to the trade at Source 24. The Good Cup is a 100% plastic free hot and cold drinks cup with a unique integrated folding lid: meaning No More Lids! Fully compostable or simply recycled as paper. The Good Cup is being brought to the UK by Liskeard based No More Lids Limited and leading the change from our glorious South West.

The cup is available in 4 sizes and suitable for drink

and food service. Its unique aqueous lining ensures no leaks or soggy cups and even if the cup goes to landfill there will be no trace in under 6 months and ZERO negative impact on the environment.

The South West counties have the largest combined coastline in the UK and we know first hand the issues the single use plastic and increasing tourism waste can create on our beaches and wildlife.

It's time to make a change! Say Goodbye to PLU lined cups and plastic lids and say Hello to The Good Cup. Visit No More Lids and Swift Catering Supplies at Stand H7 to find out more.

Or visit www.nomorelids.com

The Source Trade Show Preview Let’s Talk About The Finance Your Business Needs To Grow CLH Digital

All businesses, no matter what their size, should have access to the funding they need to grow. Finding the right bespoke advice is often very difficult and this is where Asset Finance Brokers can be really valuable.

Colin Chastey is an experienced Broker with a wealth of business knowledge. He has a banking background but fiercely believes relationships and great customer service matter.

In his experience, small and growing businesses do not always know that there are so many more options than just traditional banks.

All businesses need a person to speak to. A person to help them understand all the options so an informed decision can be made… that’s Colin, the Asset Finance Man.

Asset Finance allows a business to buy or hire new or used equipment, machinery, vehicles etc and spread the cost over a period of time. It also

Rum and Reggae: Our Adventure So Far The seed of Rum and Reggae was born from our love for tunes and of course, rum. Blending the sunny sounds of reggae with our renowned rum punch was a no-brainer and we knew this experience needed to be shared. Venturing out, we hit the road to spread the Rum and Reggae joy at festivals and food events. And guess what? People loved it!

From punch to product, we crafted our signature ‘serious rum,’ a 40% abv golden tipple that shines in cocktails and pairs perfectly with your favourite soft drink. Our initial success paved the way for our next creation: a rum infused with honey sourced from rescue bees.

As the buzz grew, our reach extended to pubs, clubs, restaurants,

He works with a wide range of leading lenders to find the right solution for each business. Call Colin Chastey today on 07760 454244 – www.assetfinanceman.co.uk See Stand I33 at the Source Trade Show.

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

expand our range and have even more wonderful glass jars and bottles to show you this year.

Please have a look at our website www.frenchflint.com or give us a call on 020 7237 1750.

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

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

Continuing our flavour journey we recently released two new tantalizing rums – mango and coffee. With rave reviews already pouring in, you can be sure that even more innovative flavours are in the pipeline. Stay tuned!

Visit us on stand 567 at the Source Trade Show.

VISIT CLH NEWS ON STAND B20 AT THE SOURCE TRADE SHOW

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offers the ability to raise cash against assets already within a business.

and bars, revealing a demand for our rums with a difference. Our brand's visuals are a burst of excitement – simple, fun, and full of colour, they effortlessly capture the heart of Rum and Reggae whilst drawing in customers with their vibrant charm.

Now ready to spread sunshine nationwide through the hospitality trade.

Issue 192

Caribbean style rum, with a hint of spice and a touch of caramel, making it perfect to sip on its own, or mix with Ginger ale or cola.

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Chef's Buyer's Guide

CLH Digital

Looking Forward to 2024 with Lanchester Wines

Lesley Cook is Lanchester Wines’ director of purchasing. We caught up with Lesley to look at what will affect the wine trade in 2024.

One of the biggest impacts to the wine trade in 2023 was the Alcohol Duty Reform which saw wine duty increase by 20%. This will continue to impact the trade in to 2024 and beyond, with further half percent

incremental duty changes due in February 2025.

This increase in duty has been very detrimental to every alcohol-related business over the last six months. Unfortunately, we can’t offset the costs; businesses in our position don’t make enough profit to offset costs so unfortunately these have to be passed onto our customers. But, where we had to increase our prices, this increase is 100% duty on every line and, of course, some products, such as Sparkling wines and lower ABV, have been reduced, which has also been passed onto the customer.

There’s a lot of admin involved in the importation of alcoholic goods – we’re an HMRC bonded warehouse and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) which means we’re effectively an inland port. Our bond and logistics departments work through every single wine to ensure tax codes are implemented correctly and, if the Government continues with its plans for February 2025, it’ll cost tens of thousands of pounds in administration and computer systems not just for our business, but for every business in the wine trade.

Wine is an agricultural crop: the climate is heavily involved in determining the alcohol level (unlike beer and spirits which can be determined very

accurately on production). A hot growing season naturally increases alcohol by volume while cold, wet weather decreases it. This could mean that a wine from one vintage goes up by two or three duty increments from the previous vintage.

you can imagine, this takes a lot of planning, it can’t be done instantly and has to be changed while the grapes are starting to grow or before. But this ensures the wine still has the mouthfeel and profile you’d expect.

Customers want to taste a Pinot Grigio, not a watered-down version.

The alcohol percentage of wine, in my opinion, isn’t the issue. High ABV wines such as Barolo, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Amarone are high quality, expensive wines to be enjoyed for what they are and certainly not for binge drinkers.

I attended the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE) in Amsterdam last month and many of the vineyards are already planning to pick early next year. But this is a huge risk for them – if the wine doesn’t have the right flavour profile and they can’t sell it, then they’ve got no home for this wine.

It’s only the UK Government implementing these tax regimes; wine is sold across the globe, growers can’t amend their entire vineyards just to flex to UK requirements. At some point, someone is going to lose out – its unlikely the growers will continue to forfeit their crops purely for one country, so I guess they’ll look to sell elsewhere and the UK will suffer. The next twelve months will be crucial, so watch this space.

We’re currently lobbying Government to try and stop this from happening, as I’m sure other alcohol businesses and bodies are too. It is my thought that we can maintain a stepped alcohol duty but at a simplified scale: 1.Below 11% 2.11% - 13% 3.13% - 15% 4.15%+ This will not only maintain duty tax receipts but also save the UK wine industry millions of pounds in administrative fees. Although, obviously we’d prefer to leave the alcohol duty as it is.

We’ve introduced a couple of lower ABV wines within our own brand portfolio which will help minimise duty. I’ve tried a lot of lower ABV wines, all the wines you can think of, but the quality can suffer when you remove some of the alcohol and customers don’t want that - we don’t want that.

We’ve only progressed with Pinot Grigio and White Zinfandel because they’re both naturally lower in ABV and lowering by a percentage or two hasn’t reduced the quality. But some lower ABV wines can be green or tannic, you wouldn’t know what you were tasting. They’re not indicative of the varietal and I’m not prepared to lower our quality.

We started working with our producers as soon as we knew these duty changes were imminent – to achieve these lower ABV, the grapes are harvested earlier and the vines have been covered to reduce sun exposure. As

There is of course a glimmer of positive news, in that sparkling wines saw a reduction in alcohol duty. For Lanchester Wines, the time was quite fortuitous as we’ve just launched a new partnership with Domain Moutard, the renowned Champagne house and also introduced new sparkling Italian ranges; an organic Raboso Frizzante and Valdobbiadene Conegliano Prosecco Superiore DOCG, both of which are also lower in ABV (11%).

And these producers continue to innovate to ensure they remain relevant. For example, Domain Moutard has created a pair of Pet Nats (Pétillant-Naturel) from grapes grown in its vineyards in Tonnerre, close to Chablis in Burgundy. The Pet’ Mout’ wines, a Chardonnay and a Pinot Noir rosé, are produced according to the Methode Ancestral – an ancient method of making sparkling wines. These natural wines have gained popularity in recent years as an artisanal alternative to sparkling wines.

These Pet Nats signal an evolution. We have a world-renowned Champagne house growing grapes near Chablis and using an ancient winemaking method to produce cutting edge on-trend wines. This is really exciting. Moutard isn’t afraid to experiment and have fun with their wines, and what’s more fun than a farting sheep (a Péter Mouton) on the bottle?

Producer Celebrates a Meaty Haul at the National Craft Butchers Awards Cornish meat specialists Primrose Herd came away with an impressive haul at the National Craft Butchers Awards this year, receiving one Gold, three Silver and a Bronze from an experienced panel of expert judges.

Flying the flag for Cornwall, Primrose Herd’s Chorizo Hotdogs were their biggest hit at the hotly contested industry awards, securing a prestigious Gold for their outstanding quality and flavour.

Silvers followed for Sally Lugg’s Smoked and Unsmoked Bacon, and Cracked Black Pepper Sausages; a Bronze

www.primroseherd.co.uk

award for Primrose Herd’s traditional Pork Sausages completed the medal set.

Sally, who started the Primrose Herd butchery in 2000, said: “The National Craft Butchers Awards are the pinnacle of recognition in our industry. All products are tasted blind, so it really is just the quality of meat and production that’s being evaluated. I’m thrilled to come away with not just one, but five awards for our Cornish products.”

Primrose Herd are based in Newham, where their modern butchery facilities process prime meat from across Cornwall; cuts are carefully prepared by the skilled butchery team, bacon meticulously dry cured, and sausages made to exacting family recipes.

Primrose Herd meat is often name-dropped on the menus of top restaurants.

If you are interested in purchasing Primrose Herd products or have any questions regarding the wholesale side of our business please do get in touch at primroseherd@tiscali.co.uk

Lanchester Wines Put Focus on Sustainability At Primrose Herd we know how important quality is to you and your customers. We supply the finest pork individually prepared to a wide range of customers throughout Cornwall and beyond. These include pubs, hotels, restaurants, farm shops delis, cafés, and box schemes.

Customers can buy in confidence knowing they are dealing with a family business that is dedicated to them.

So whether its belly pork, dry cured bacon or even a bespoke sausage you want for your menu our dedicated and experienced team are here to help.

If you are interested in purchasing Primrose Herd products or have any questions regarding the wholesale side of our business please do get in touch at primroseherd@tiscali.co.uk

Tom van der Neut is business unit controller at Lanchester Wines.

While carbon offsetting is relatively mainstream, more and more businesses are looking at how they can introduce carbon insetting when companies invest in carbon reduction projects within their own supply chain. By engaging in carbon insetting, companies are investing in making their own products, practices and supply chains more sustainable.

The good news for operators is that the wine trade has focused on insetting for centuries. As the wine industry spans (literally) the globe, insetting has to be apportioned to the different elements of the wine process. You can firstly start by looking at the winery; how its adapted to its environment and social surroundings, and used the resources available from water conservation to soil management, vineyard grazing through to community projects.

Next, is the transportation of wine. Bulk shipping has many benefits, both monetary and sustainably: a Flexitank containing 24,000 litres will fit in a 20ft container, while the same volume in bottle would require two 40ft containers. With this comes a significant win on the environmental front, with CO2 savings of 37%

(bulk vs bottled at source) which is around 2kg of CO2 per kilometre travelled.

Then look at how your importer or merchant has implemented their insetting programmes. There’s no one size fits all solution to sustainability, so its important to understand what each business has done to minimise their own specific impact on the environment.

At Lanchester Wines, we started our insetting programme back in 2011 with the installation of our first wind turbine and solar panels shortly after – we’ve now invested over £13million in renewable energy and heat generation projects at sites across the North of England and our business is powered almost completely by wind and solar.

Lanchester Wines also actively seeks business partners and suppliers who share our vision to proactively improve their sustainability. Each of our wine suppliers has adapted to their environment and social surroundings, and used the resources available to them – from water conservation to soil management, vineyard grazing through to community projects.

In simple terms, it’s absolutely vital that every business implements carbon reduction programmes as soon as possible. Depending on budget, depending on suitability – but it’s vital to do what you can where you can.

Lanchester Wines has created a Sustainable Bulk Wine Partner Portfolio which can be downloaded from our website and shows the commitment from each of our partners, so our customers can be assured the wine in their glass truly is sustainable. https://www.lanchesterwines.co.uk/ what-we-do/sustainable-wine-business/

38

Issue 192

CLH Digital

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Winning Cheese and Whiskey Pairings from Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the food world’s best kept secrets, with artisan cheese makers and passionate producers providing an array of different types of cheese and an abundance of gastronomic delights. Through a combination of age-old traditions, local connections and diverse natural landscapes, this little corner of the world hosts a whole legion of diverse, award-winning producers. From velvety triple-cream bries and complex ale-washed cheddars to smoky whiskeys and rich, aged balsamics. This interconnectedness is not only a regional characteristic; the symbiotic nature of these lovingly crafted products is such that when paired together on a plate, an explosion of taste is enjoyed.

Cheese pairings have come a long way from the retro marriages of cheddar and pineapple. They are now more sophisticated, more inventive, and certainly more flavoursome. Why not take some tips from Academy of Cheese and pair them with some of the region’s best spirits?

Kearney blue with a tot of Mourne Dew Distillery Pooka Hazelnut Poitin

- this delectable spirit is infused and distilled with roast hazelnuts to give a strong, rich nutty flavour which complements the flavour of the poitín. The rich notes of fruit and nut chocolate cream fit seamlessly with the subtle spiciness and salty blue cheese.

Mike’s Fancy Cheese Young Buck with Dunville’s Three Crown Peated Irish Whiskey - The Three Crowns, winner of many awards, is a peated vintage blend of selected aged malt and grain whiskeys with a subtle wisp of smoke. Incredibly accessible, it has a creamy bite finished with a kiss of heat that perfectly complements the savoury notes of the Young Buck.

These unusual marriages certainly break with the traditional cheese and wine pairings. That said, they do satisfy the common rule of matching ingredients from the same geographical region, and when that region has the mighty smallness of Northern Ireland, they are certain to delight you and your guests.

Visit buynifood.com and academyofcheese.org.

Riso Gallo – High Quality Rice, Produced Efficiently, Sustainably And With Great Care To Protect Our Natural Environment Established in 1856, Riso Gallo is the oldest Risotto rice producer in Italy and has been delivering premium rice to consumers around the world for over six generations.

Excitingly, Riso Gallo is also now the first International rice brand to produce rice from sustainable agriculture, making their premium best-selling risotto rice fully sustainable from field to fork!

All of the Riso Gallo premium rice varieties are produced from sustainable agriculture, as certified by the international “Farm Sustainability Assessment”. Their high quality Carnaroli and Arborio grains are grown just a short distance from the company's headquarters in the Pavia area, and cutting edge technology works in harmony with a skilled workforce to build a modern, robust agricultural model which respects both nature and the farming community itself to create a wonderful natural balance.

Riso Gallo take great pride in collaborating with farms that respect their workers’ rights, and guarantees fair and stable prices to assist their farming suppliers with planning, which are agreed and confirmed before sowing begins.

British Premium Meats

Sustainability and a commitment to plastic that is suitable for recycling are key to Riso Gallo’s production, and they have uniquely created their own Circular Economy within rice production, collaborating with various innovative start-ups to give useful new life to by-products from the rice mill. See the QR code for more information on these exciting new developments.

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

The excellence of the products and the high quality standards of the Riso Gallo supply chain are guaranteed and endorsed by BRC, IFS certifications and the Sustainable Rice Platform scheme, which leads to total reassurance for consumers who are certain they are buying 100% Italian rice which can be tracked throughout its entire supply chain, from cultivation to packing.

Visit www.risogallo.co.uk or see the advert on this page for details. service across a large part of the country including parts of Wales, Monday to Saturday.

The business operates across all sectors of the industry and has a vast knowledge and experience of supplying to all sectors including leading brand hotels, restaurants, event caterers, contract caterers and many others.

British Premium Meats is a family run Foodservice meat supplier which has been trading since 1986.

Orders can be placed daily via phone, email and we also work with a number of EDI platforms.

The company operate from two separate facilities the main production and distribution hub in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, as we well as a second distribution only facility in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Across the two depots the business operates a fleet of over 70 refrigerated delivery vehicles and also holds AA Grade BRC at the Welwyn Garden production site.

From these premises, the company is able to offer a day one for day two delivery

or visit www.britishpremiummeats.com

Call 01707 361 370 Email info@britishpremiummeats.com

40

Issue 192

CLH Digital

Spirits and Mixers

Spirits and Mixers: A Soaring Success Story In the dynamic landscape of the UK hospitality and licensed trade, there's an enduring star that continues to captivate patrons and drive business growth: spirits!

From classic spirit & mixer, from cocktails to innovative creations, spirits have cemented their position as the cornerstone of this thriving industry.

It would be fair to say that the on-trade category has not been without its recent “challenges, the disruption of Brexit, the closure of the industry due to Covid, and the current economic climate, however, there are bright spots on the horizon, spirits continue to grow in popularity in the UK generating £12.4 billion GBP (£) alone last year.

Furthermore, the UK has a strong and vibrant hospitality sector, irrespective of the challenges, with spirits being an integral part of our socializing and drinking culture.

In fact, a recent survey revealed that 62% of leaders say they feel optimistic for their businesses over the next 12 months, according to the new Business Confidence Survey from CGA by NIQ and Fourth.

Additionally, the proportion of leaders feeling confident about the hospitality market in general has climbed to 45%, demonstrating a ‘welcome vote of confidence’ in the sector despite pressure on consumers’ disposable income.

Karl Chessell, CGA by NIQ’s director – hospitality operators and food, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said: “Leaders’ optimism levels are impressively high at such a difficult time for UK businesses and consumers.

“It’s encouraging to see businesses of all sizes looking to the future with such confidence, and with strong underlying demand for pubs, bars and

restaurants, the outlook is good.

According to data from statista, by 2027, 55% of spending and 20% of volume consumption in the Spirits market will be attributable to out-of-home consumption (e.g., in pubs bars and restaurants), with volume expected to amount to 350.90m L by 2027.

The market for Spirits is also expected to show a volume growth of 4.0% in 2024. This trend is not just a statistical anomaly; it reflects a broader shift in consumer preferences and the industry's adaptability.

Since 2016, the number of gin distilleries in the UK has tripled in size, with Gin becoming the "it" spirit of recent years. Gin continued to be popular despite the disruption in the previous two years, as indicated by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association's (WSTA) report of a 22% increase in sales from the previous year, in particular with the growing popularity of sub-segments of flavoured gin capturing consumers' interest and fuel impressive growth.

PREMIUM IS KING

This has created a favourable environment with customers maintaining a loyalty to mainstream brands but at the same time showing an increasing interest in premium and craft spirits, seeking unique and high-quality products that offer a distinct flavour profile and often “provenance”. If you ask most licensees, they will agree telling you that consumers are ‘drinking better, not more’ They want quality, authenticity and taste!

Data from the wine, beer, and spirits sector indicate that luxury and premium quality alcoholic beverages have started to become the core elements of post-pandemic drinking. According to Bacardi's report on cocktail trends for 2022, 50% of bartenders world-wide said that customers are choosing more premium drinks.

This shift in preferences can be attributed to the rising consumer awareness about the production process and ingredients used in spirits.

Customers are also becoming more adventurous in their choices, exploring different types of spirits, and flavoured spirits.

CONCLUSION

WHISKY A heavyweight in the spirits category, As more distilleries are emerging, more products are being blended and aged in casks whisky brands have started adding new innovative and stimulating flavours and textures like Sherry into their age-old favourites to augment the taste. It is helping them to attract more new and younger customers.

GIN BOOM

Isle of Wight Distillery - Free Your Spirit Rooted in the natural landscape of a unique island, we are the Isle of Wight’s first and only distillery. Our founders Xavier and Conrad and our small team distil spirits shaped by our stunning surroundings and the unique character of our island. Doing things differently, minimising waste, using ethically sourced and often local, foraged ingredients to craft a range of smooth, complex spirits.

Our signature spirit Mermaid Gin delivers a smooth yet complex blend of fresh organic lemon zest and peppery grains of paradise, with a hint of sea air from locally foraged, fragrant rock samphire - a refreshing and invigorating serve. Mermaid’s name was inspired by its lead botanical rock samphire, known locally as ‘mermaid’s kiss’.

This aromatic succulent clings to the cliffs surrounding the island and marks the high tide line on its majestic beaches. Like the kiss of a mythical mermaid, saving sailors lost at sea, the rock samphire signalled to shipwrecked sailors and smugglers that they were safe from the raging seas.

Alongside Mermaid Gin, we produce subtly sweet, naturally flavoured Mermaid Pink Gin, infused with fresh

Furthermore, as consumers become more health conscious are consuming less alcohol but of premium quality.

The spirits and mixers segment in the UK on-trade is riding high on a wave of success, with a decade of remarkable growth and unwavering popularity. As consumers continue to seek unique and memorable drinking experiences, on-trade establishments have a golden opportunity to capitalize on this trend. By embracing the versatility of spirits, celebrating both mainstream and craft offerings, and tapping into the festive spirit, businesses can raise their glasses to a prosperous future in the spirits and mixers market. Cheers to the art of mixology and the craft of hospitality!

Island strawberries grown in the rich and fertile microclimate of the Arreton valley and Mermaid Zest Gin, a citrussy and herbaceous blend of Mermaid with island bergamot, grapefruit and wild-foraged coastal rosemary.

Mermaid Salt Vodka (a favourite with mixologists), is crafted using salt harvested from the flood tide off the island’s southern coast, while our latest addition, Mermaid Spiced Rum, blends Caribbean rums with local fruits and spices, including honey from our beehives and fresh white cherries from Godshill Orchards.

Our spirit range also includes HMS Victory-branded Navy Strength Barrel-aged Gin and Rum, which incorporates real oak from the famous warship, in a unique and exclusive partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy.

We blend traditional methods with contemporary techniques, hand-crafting our spirits in small batches and slow distilling before cutting with local spring water and bottling on the island. The result is an award-winning range of spirits with a contemporary style, layered complexity and signature smooth delivery.

We are passionate about protecting our island and the planet. As part of our commitment to sustainability, conservation and a circular economy, we’re proactive in helping to protect the environment, actively working to reduce our carbon footprint and supporting reforestation and seagrass meadow restoration projects.

Awarded first place in the IWSC Design Awards and certified as plastic-free, our Mermaid range is crafted from recyclable glass, with a sustainably sourced natural cork and compostable tamper-proof seal. In 2022, we achieved another sustainability goal of becoming a B Corporation, joining a global, progressive community of organisations using business as a force for good, balancing profit with purpose and people. We are a purpose-driven distillery; inspired by the natural world to create premium, hand-crafted spirits, working in connection with nature.

Contact: office@isleofwightdistillery.com +44 (0)1983 613653 Web: www.isleofwightdistillery.com Social: Facebook: @iowdistillery | @mermaidgin Instagram: @isleofwightdistillery | @mermaidgin LinkedIn: Isle of Wight Distillery

Add A Festive Finishing Touch With Mixologist’s Garden Mixologist Garden’s unique new range of innovative, ready to use fruit garnishes created to help bartenders create the perfect serve – will give customers a drinks experience to remember while adding a little festive magic to bar sales this Christmas and New Year.

The six freeze-dried fruit options - Lemon, Lime, Orange and Strawberry slices, as well as whole Raspberries and Blueberries are the ultimate bar hack enabling staff to quickly and easily deliver a memorable perfect serve for customers within seconds.

Hand selected for their superior quality and then freeze-dried to capture 100% flavour and appearance, these jewel-like fruits enable bartenders and mixologists to enhance the flavour and appearance of almost any drink - including cocktails, mocktails, sparkling wine, spirits and soft drinks - without having to buy, store, prepare and ultimately waste fresh ingredients.

Available in resealable 100g pouches, they quickly rehydrate on contact with liquid in the glass and with a long shelf life, can be stored at ambient temperatures without the need for refrigeration. Each 100g pouch contains the equivalent of approximately 1kg of fresh fruit.

“Customers who go out to enjoy a drink are seeking something more than they can make for themselves at home – these fruit garnishes quickly and easily elevate all sorts of drinks from the fairly ordinary to the simply amazing,” commented Stuart Findlater, business director at Mixologist’s Garden. “They’re the essential addition to any busy bar especially at times of peak demand, enabling bar staff to add a truly memorable finishing touch to a drink in just a few seconds.”

Research carried out by Mixologist’s Garden showed that whether serving an alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink, for the occasions that demand a perfect serve, 90% require a drinks garnish. The research also revealed that 98% of consumers are willing to pay 5% more for their drink if it is served perfectly.

“While people buy with their eyes, their drinking enjoyment is enhanced by appearance and flavour,” added Stuart. “Equally importantly though, our fruit garnishes give operators a valuable opportunity to maximise profits at such a critical trading time of year.”

For more information, please visit the website: www.mixologistsgarden.com

42

Issue 192

CLH Digital

Hospitality Technology

Technology To Enhance Hotels Sustainability The last few years has been one of the hardest periods, if not the hardest, for the hospitality industry worldwide. Lockdowns, staffing issues, war on the European Continent and unprecedented energy costs have all put pressure on the on the industry.

When looking at reducing operating costs in a hotel, optimization comes as a very handy word; optimize labour, optimize training, optimize energy, optimize maintenance…but we many times fail to address the way to achieve this “optimization”.

As in life, information is the starting point to approach the problems we aim to solve, so gathering information about what is going on in our building becomes essential to optimize the way the building – our hotel – works. Once we have the information, we need to actually control those variables to be able to change them, and this is where technology can really make a difference.

Starting with the rooms, sharing information between the hotel PMS (such as if the room is booked for that day or if the guest has already checked-in) and the HVAC control system (room occupancy for example) help reduce energy waste to a minimum as the AC will only turn On when the room is occupied and the guest is checked-in, but not if the hotel staff gets in the room before the guest has arrived to the hotel. This can be applied to all room controls (lighting, TV, sockets…) but also to common areas, and bearing in mind energy accounts for 3 to 6% of an average hotel running costs, eliminating energy waste can really make a difference.

Following on to the hotel staff, housekeeping is many times overlooked with teams left to wonder through the

hotel looking for rooms to clean. Monitoring “Make Up Room” and “Do Not Disturb” signals (MUR/DND) in a centralised system help increase the overall efficiency as teams can be assigned to those parts of the hotel that require more immediate attention. Combining this information with room occupancy and access controls enhance guest privacy and provide deeper knowledge of how our hotels work, for example giving information on how much time it takes to clean each room.

Another big cost centre control systems help reduce drastically is Maintenance, as these solutions allow the use of predictive and preventive policies. Sorting issues before they become fatal or even before they appear decreases the amount spent in replacing broken units (for example AC units) but also minimizes the risk of refunds to guest because things are not working or because there has been an AC leakage nobody noticed before.

A robust long-lasting control system combined with a Building Management System (BMS) that integrates with our hotel’s PMS is vital to get to know how our building operates to optimize all those little things that end up costing several thousand every year.

These are the type of solutions Zennio develops and delivers in over 100 countries, helping hotels all around the world become more efficient and sustainable and supporting all projects locally and remotely to make sure everything works every day.

For further information see the advert on the facing page.

Hospitality Technology That Helps to Avoid Losses and Increase Profits Keeping bar tabs has always been a good idea. In doing so, staff can spend more time with customers, upsell and build valuable relationships. But it has not always been secure to hold customer's bank cards. Plastic wallets and till points have proven insufficient in ensuring that bank cards are safe, but that has changed exponentially in the past twenty years since the launch of CardsSafe®.

The innovative technology is specifically designed to securely retain customer credit, debit and ID cards while the cardholder runs a tab. It protects against credit card fraud but is also a significant deterrent for walk-outs and allows for checking the validity of bank cards. In a nutshell, CardsSafe® helps hospitality businesses avoid losses and increase profits by assisting with secure bar tabs.

The CardsSafe technology has revolutionised how hospitality businesses manage their customers' payment obligations. Their wireless technology can be safely tucked away behind the bar and work alongside POS. The units are easily installed, require minimal training, and the system does not capture data, so it never breaches GDPR. Customers will also feel more relaxed knowing that

their cards are securely held while they enjoy the facilities.

CardsSafe helps pubs, bars, and restaurants avoid losses, and it helps increase profits by allowing staff to upsell to their customers. That's why over 5000 venues trust CardsSafe to manage customer food and drink tabs. 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 spending is up, and chargeback has virtually disappeared after we installed CardsSafe, which really puts our customers' minds at rest."

CardsSafe is affordable, too. 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, and additional units can be added at any time.

For more information, please visit www.cardssafe.com Or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040 *Plus, a sign-up fee of £39.95 (plus VAT) for new customers.

MCR Systems MCR Systems has over 40 years of experience in providing hospitality, catering and leisure organisations with enterprise management solutions that directly improve the efficiency of their business operations. We do this by combining high-quality software

and cutting-edge EPOS technology.

MCR Systems T: 0116 299 7000 E: enquiries@mcr-systems.co.uk www.mcr-systems.co.uk See the advert on page 40.

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

46

Issue 192

CLH Digital

Hospitality Technology

Boosts Customer Experience and Business Operations with Cloud Telephony Running a business in the hospitality sector has many communication challenges. Utilising cloud telephony enables you to face these business challenges by making informed business decisions and provides you with the time you need to focus on your customers.

them to contact you via WhatsApp, Email, or Live Chat.

• What is a Property Management System integration? Offer simple solutions to enhance guest experience with guest voicemail, wake-up, maid status and guest call charges.

Evolve IP provides a range of products to help ease these business pain points. But without understanding the value that these technologies bring; how can businesses be expected to invest? Cloud telephony is more than making a phone call, it’s everything else around it that enables a business to collaborate effectively internally and externally with the customer. All of these moving parts to a business's operations seem small but once you see how disjointed they can become, it slowly evolves into a much bigger business challenge. We look at how we can help you better understand how cloud telephony can help your business.

TRANSFORMING OPERATIONS WITH CLOUD TECHNOLOGY

Focusing on Customer Experience From taking payment, managing bookings, and responding to queries across a range of communication platforms, the front-of-house team is a busy department. Utilising cloud telephony brings all day-to-day administrative tasks into one space. For example, tools like business analytics, call recording, CRM integration, Property Management System Integrations and even an

omnichannel contact centre all support these intertwined platform communications. Providing your team with focus whilst also optimising the team operations effectively.

How do these technologies help? Understanding the wide range of technologies can be a challenge.

Utilising a service provider to act as your trusted advisor will help you with managing this element of your business is invaluable.

• What does Call Recording mean? Access sentient analysis to identify trends and pain points within the business. E.g., “unable to make a booking”.

• How can Business Analytics help? Identify business times within the business and ensure you’re sufficiently resourced.

• Why is a Contact Centre important? Be where your customers are, enabling

Airwave Upgrade the Royal Society of Medicine’s TV System

Situated on the corner of central London's Wimpole Street and Henrietta Place, The Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) is one of the UK's leading providers of postgraduate medical education.

Delivering multidisciplinary, specialist and general education to a global network of 20,000 members, the RSM brings together healthcare professionals across multiple specialties, offering learning resources, specialty events, club facilities and a hotel.

THE HOTEL Domus Medica, offers 47 member only guestrooms set within a hotel environment on the RSM's first floor.

Stylish, comfortable accommodation complements amenities such as a restaurant, lounge bar, meeting rooms and library - providing a welcome respite for members staying before or after a RSM meeting.

Members also benefit from the hotel's fabulous location, set within a few metres of London's iconic Oxford

Street.

THE TECHNOLOGY Having previously supplied TV technology to the London venue, Airwave was delighted to be invited back to upgrade and refresh the hotel's TV system.

As the typical Domus Medica guest uses the guestroom for sleeping and bathing only, a simple Freeview system was all that was required on this occasion.

Airwave installed an IPTV headend, updating the network infrastructure and providing access to on-demand content and an extensive selection of TV and radio channels.

32-inch LG LT661H Series displays were wall-mounted on tilt and swivel brackets ; the LT661 Series is run on LG's WebOS 4.5 platform, and offers fully customisable hotel TV features.

For further information on Airwave, see the advert on the front cover or visit www.airwave.tv

Technologies available to the hospitality sector come with unique requirements for each business and providers need to work with each business to better help alleviate those pain points. Investing in technology will ultimately increase your revenue and customer retention long term. Onboarding your team and business to the cloud is a worthy investment into your communications strategy which will give you the tools to grow and scale your business efficiently.

Capturing live data and your current business output gives you a full view of the business and empowers you to invest in the correct areas of the business. To find out more about cloud telephony and how Evolve IP can support your business visit evolveip.uk.

See the advert on the previous page for details.

HotelREZ Increases Revenue and Market Share for Accommodation Providers HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts is one of the UK’s leading hotel representation companies, dedicated to connecting independent properties with bookers.

With market-leading sales, marketing and revenue teams, combined with cutting-edge technology, HotelREZ helps hoteliers achieve their commercial potential by working closely with their customers to produce high-rated revenue from the most suitable target markets at an attractive cost of sale.

Partnering with over 600 UK independent hotels, aparthotels, pubs with rooms and hotel groups, HotelREZ drives more direct bookings via distribution systems through its’ best-in-class booking engine ‘REZbooker’, meta, OTA and GDS travel agency system. A dedicated account manager assists to secure additional incremental income from corporate travellers, RFPs, and chain level agreements with global TMCs, consortia and agency networks alongside niche marketing programmes. To generate greater demand and reach a wider audience, HotelREZ gives access to its leisure subsidiary brands, World Rainbow Hotels and Best Loved Hotels.

HotelREZ focuses on exceptional support, speed to market and cost effective interfaces to PMSs, channel managers, RMS, payment gateways and unique booking widgets.

ADVANCING OPPORTUNITIES HotelREZ representation, technology and its’ in depth distribution knowledge, helps properties gain greater market share at an increased value per reservation by strengthening the quality of its global exposure.

In 2024, HotelREZ will be rolling out a newly enhanced WebServices division, including a marketchanging retail booking engine to help hoteliers sell more than just rooms or F&B, expanding into upgrades, amenities and external products like transfers and tours.

The HotelREZ team has a proven record of consultative, communicative account management where you speak with a real person, committed to helping your hotel generate increased revenue at an attractive cost of sale. Open a world of new booking and revenue opportunities. Learn more https://www.hotelrez.com/

SumUp Launches End-To-End Product Package For Quick-Service Businesses The quick-service package from SumUp includes a range of solutions for coffee counters, takeaways and everything in between—all at a discounted price.

Kitting out your business with tools that support your staff and satisfy your customers improves the flow of your venue.

SumUp is launching an all-in-one setup for quick-service businesses that transforms how these businesses operate. The quick-service package includes a range of SumUp solutions with savings on hardware, software, transaction fees and more.

Each included product optimises a different customer or staff touchpoint, simplifying orders and payments, reducing queues and relieving staff—especially during those busy periods.

Point of Sale Pro One POS solution for all of your daily tasks.

SumUp Kiosk Customers order and pay freely, while your team focuses on the food.

Solo card reader Never miss a sale with reliable payment acceptance.

Kitchen display screen Give your kitchen staff the boost they deserve.

Point of Sale Pro, SumUp’s most extensive POS solution, is the central hub within this package. Made up of easy-to-use hardware and software, staff can take orders, accept payments and make important changes in a few clicks.

The POS system provides valuable insights through data and reports, and is integrated with tools like Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Xero—ensuring businesses have everything they need in one place.

Orders can also be accepted via SumUp Kiosk, a self-service terminal where customers order themselves—reducing queues by up to 50%. The kiosk suggests add-ons to customers at checkout, potentially upselling on every order.

When it comes to payments, kiosks have an integrated card reader so customers can pay right away. The package also includes a Solo card reader, which can be used to accept flexible payments with POS Pro. All orders—including those from delivery apps—are synced with the kitchen display screen, a separate display that supports staff by organising orders on-screen in real time.

With these solutions, SumUp provides an ecosystem of tools that work seamlessly together at an accessible cost.

All of these individual products can now be purchased as the quick-service package, priced at £599 (instead of £1,929).

Software costs are reduced to £59 per month (instead of £118) and card reader transaction fees are discounted to 0.99%. These fees are guaranteed to never be increased.

Businesses can access their daily earnings made via SumUp the next day at 7am—even on holidays and weekends.

See the advert on the facing page for details.

48

Issue 192

CLH Digital

Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

South Coast Catering Equipment Ltd If you are a Chef, Restaurateur, Hotelier or Entrepreneur, we have the experience and expertise to help with Feasibility Studies and the Design and Installation of all your Catering Requirements

South Coast Catering Equipment Ltd a family business was formed in 1970 and is now in its 53rd year. To trade for over half a century through three recessions is a remarkable achievement and founder Mike Barnes says it’s down to giving reliable service at competitive prices. Our engineers are on call 365 days a year, and it is with great pride that the company has held the service contract with East & West Sussex County Council School meals division for 48 years. Our customers range from large hotel groups, a wide variety of high profile clients, restaurants, small cafes, schools and care homes.

The areas which we cover are East & West Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey and even as far as the Channel Islands. 2020 proved to be a difficult year, but we maintained our presence and our service division was busy throughout the whole of lockdown. Our design office with our New Cad System can provide a design layout very quickly, and when service drawings are provided it means our clients can obtain correct quotations with each company tendering quotes like for like. This in turn means the client gets the correct price and the equipment as specified on the design drawing.

We are main distributors for New Equipment Including Rational, Falcon, Lincat, Williams and Foster Refrigeration. We also produce Extract Ventilation Systems and purposed manufactured stainless-steel tables & sinks. Our engineers are fully trained on all this

equipment.

In the year 2020 we set up our ‘New Factory – SCCE 36 Station Road ‘producing refurbished equipment.

There are over 300 items of refurbished heavy duty catering equipment at our showroom in Hailsham and it has proved very popular with our customers who are on a fixed budget, as in many cases there can be savings of over 70%. Many of our customers mix new and refurbished equipment in their kitchens and because we offer a guarantee and service back up, this is enjoyed by many of them.

Tel: 01323 444530 www.southcoastcatering.co.uk sales@southcoastcatering.co.uk

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising Tel: 01323 444530

Established 1970

SOUTH COAST CATERING EQUIPMENT LTD Sales, Service, Design and Installation of Commercial Catering Equipment

Commercial House, Units 4 & 5 Apex Park, Diplocks Way, Hailsham, East Sussex BN27 3JU

www.southcoastcatering.co.uk | sales@southcoastcatering.co.uk

THE LARGEST SELECTION OF GUARANTEED REFURBISHED CATERING EQUIPMENT IN THE SOUTH Gas & Electric Combi Ovens, Gas & Electric Ranges, Fryers, Chargrills, Griddles, Glasswashers, Pizza Ovens, Pasta Boilers, Stainless Steel Tables, Stainless Steel Sinks, Dishwashers, Coffee Machines, Gas & Electric Grills, Hobart 20 QT Mixers, Microwave Ovens, Tea Boilers, Freezers, Refrigerators, Display Serve Over Refrigerators, Refrigerated Multi-Decks, Slicers, Potato Peelers.

HUGE SAVINGS OF UP TO 70% ON REFURBISHED EQUIPMENT

We also supply and design complete new kitchens including extract ventilation canopies

Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

CLH Digital

Issue 192

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Blast Chilling Is Best When It’s Fast Chilling Nationwide Equipment Training Williams Refrigeration has released a new versions of its reach in blast chillers and blast chiller/freezers which provide significant improvements over previous models. Blast chilling is a key process for cook chill systems, allowing businesses to safely chill and store food in batches before regeneration is required.

The new models ensure chilling food safety regulations are followed by rapidly chilling food from +90°C through the danger zone where harmful bacteria can grow, to a safe storage temperature.

The range now uses natural hydrocarbon refrigerant which has low Global Warming Potential and zero Ozone Depletion Potential. As the charge is less than 150g it falls beneath the threshold for hydrocarbon equipment, which means there’s no need for costly insurance or zone control and allows it to be installed directly on a cookline.

Chilling and freezing times have been reduced compared to previous models, while a powerful food probe sensor can save energy by stopping the cycle as soon as the food reaches the required temperature. The probe can be stored away helping to avoid damage when not in use. A powerful self-regulating system protects the compressors while cooked food is being loaded by cooling down the system before the program cycle is activated.

While some manufacturers promote a maximum capacity for their blast chiller/freezers, this is often smaller for freezing than it is for

On-Site Kitchen Rentals Ltd On-Site Kitchen Rentals Ltd supply temporary kitchen units, catering equipment and refrigeration solutions across the UK, Europe and occasionally worldwide. Supplying to a variety of industries from events and festivals to the hospitality sector, fast food companies and many more.

With over 40 years of experience in the industry, we have a fastpaced, hard-working team with an infrastructure of assets and resources to find the best solutions for all types of catering and foodservice requirements.

We are a supplier with a proven track record and a long list of completed installations with a wide and varied number of satisfied

chilling. However, Williams blast chillers have the same capacity regardless of whether it is being used to freeze or chill.

The overall design has been improved, with a sleek new door and the popular, easy to use Williams EasyBlast (WEB) controller. A simple 1-2-3 interface makes it easy for staff to program the cycle, while a clear digital display shows the elapsed time and the food probe temperature.

The door can be configured to be either right or left hand hung. A full-length integral door handle provides an easy to use, non-slip grab that is designed to be easy to clean, with no potential dirt traps.

The reduction in chilling and freezing times helps to deliver significant savings in energy compared with previous models. Efficiency is further improved by the 75mm high density polyurethane insulation which helps to maintain operating temperature in ambient conditions up to 43°C. Williams blast chiller and chiller/freezer ranges are available in both reach in and roll in models in a variety of capacities. Its new range of reach in models are available from the compact 10kg undercounter unit up to 50kg cabinets while roll in models start from 70kg capacity up to 320kg.

Williams Refrigeration offers a comprehensive range of commercial refrigeration including gastronorm cabinets and counters, specialist bakery equipment, coldrooms, multidecks and blast chillers.

To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk. clients from local businesses to major international names.

Our recipe for success is based on keeping things simple. We believe that all our contracts have been gained because we listen and advise on what's right for the client.

All our customers are very different with differing priorities.

However all have a few things in common, such as government regulations, hygiene restrictions and probably just as difficult to please, professional chefs and catering managers.

We pride ourselves on meeting every client's specific requirements. Each of our kitchen installations is a bespoke solution designed around your needs. www.onsitekitchens.co.uk 01253 863305 info@onsitekitchens.com

At Nationwide Equipment Training, we're qualified, accredited consultants specialising in catering equipment training. Based in Staffordshire, we cover the whole of the United Kingdom and have over 60 years of industry experience.

We deliver training on all types of catering equipment from a range of manufacturers and suppliers. We take pride in our ability to offer the highest standard of catering equipment training for businesses across the country.

WHY CHOOSE US? • We specialise in commercial catering equipment training • Full UK coverage • Reactive to short notice requests The services we offer can be used on an ad-hoc or continuous basis, depending on the needs of your business. We provide individual and/or package requests and support for your existing team(s).

We deliver the information so that it is easily understood by the end user, we have the skills to assess what learning style is best. We ask the right questions to ensure that the information provided, or the processes demonstrated have been fully understood.

REFRESHER TRAINING: Refresher training is hugely beneficial, ensuring that colleagues are kept up to date and routines and processes are embedded.

Over time colleagues may start to take shortcuts, when this happens, it is usually detrimental to their equipment,

their customers, and their due diligence defence. This may result in an avoidable cost to your business.

Bad practices in almost every case will cost your business money.

WHAT WE CAN OFFER: • Provision of on-site equipment training (suitable as a 1-2-1 or group sessions) • Able to support equipment roll outs across the whole of the UK • Able to provide ad hoc training requests • Able to support your existing training team during times of greater demand, sickness, maternity etc • Offer training days (suitable for end of project new builds or refurbishments) to include facilitating the training day, delivering training and coordinating supplier attendance Your training can be covered with our flexible approach to training.

Contact Nationwide Equipment Training Ltd:bookings@netltd.uk www.netltd.uk

PLEASE MENTION CLH NEWS WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

NATIONWIDE EQUIPMENT TRAINING LTD Supplying kitchens to the Pub and Restaurant Industry

For all your catering equipment training needs We are accredited consultants specialising in catering equipment training with full UK coverage and over 60 years of industry experience.

• Equipment hire for breakdown appliances.

• Kitchen hire for planned refurbishments.

• Kiosk hire for additional revenue. www.onsitekitchens.co.uk • Cold-room hire for additional space or breakdown.

01253 863305 info@onsitekitchens.com

You might need us one day.

Telegraph House 59 Wolverhampton Road Stafford Staffordshire ST17 4AW

Email: bookings@netltd.uk

Phone: 07957 938243 Web: www.netltd.uk

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CLH Digital

Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

Blue Seal Fryers and Oil Filtration

By David Chesshire, National Accounts Manager, Blue Seal (www.blue-seal.co.uk)

At Impact Hygiene we specialise in all cleaning services related to commercial kitchen cleaning, including kitchen deep cleans, the canopy, filters, and extract duct.

We also clean air handling units, and building ventilation systems.

We work to tr19 guideliness and our teams are fully qualified.

For a free no obligation quote call Hannah on 0161 274 9572 or email support@impacthygieneservices.co.uk

www.impacthygiene.co.uk

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

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

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 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.

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!

The New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump)

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Issue 192

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Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

Gamechanger: Winterhalter’s New High Volume Conveyor Dishwashers as extra wash zones, allow the machine to be tailored exactly to individual requirements. If new wash items are added that are difficult to dry, due to their shape or material, the MT can be retrofitted with additional drying units. In addition, Winterhalter offers neutral zones that mean the MT can accept extra-large wash items, such as crates or containers.

The neutral zones do this by extending the draining distance between zones. They also enhance the machine’s performance.

Winterhalter has launched new versions of its MT (Multi Tank) high volume conveyor dishwasher systems. The company says these MTs set new benchmarks in terms of performance, sustainability and adaptability.

Stephen Kinkead, managing director of Winterhalter UK, believes the new MTs are a ‘gamechanger’ that will help designers and operators meet the demands placed on commercial kitchens today.

“Functional and energy efficient technology, clever spatial planning, economical operating processes, ease of use and maximum hygiene safety – the MTs deliver in all these key areas,” he says.

There are two models of MT conveyor systems. They are the MTF flight machines, where dirties are loaded directly onto the conveyor, and the MTR rack machines, which use racks to carry the ware.

The MT’s high performance washing system produces first class results while the superior, multi-filtration process minimises running costs, by lowering water use and thus reducing the energy needed to heat it. MT systems have a huge washing capacity – the largest MTF can handle 8,000 plates per hour, while the equivalent MTR has a capacity of 355 racks per hour. As well as cleaning efficiently, the ‘air knife’ and standard drying zones deliver optimised drying results, so that ware can be handled efficiently and quickly after the wash.

The new MT is based around a versatile modular system that allows machines to be configured to very precise specifications – so that it can be constructed to exactly match the application, and designed to match the shape and size of the room it is intended for. The basic structure of the machine consists of the pre-wash, main wash and rinse zones, plus an inlet zone, positioned upstream, and loading and unloading zones. Additional zones, such

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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 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, measure, 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

• 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

The adaptability doesn’t stop there – the MT can be modified if business requirements change. For example, extra wash zones can be retrofitted to increase capacity.

Sustainability is at the heart of the new MT, with a variety of features and options to minimise both environmental impact and running costs. Typical are the heat pumps and exchangers that not only recycle the energy from waste water and water vapour, but also minimise the heat and steam emitted by the machine, enhancing the work environment and reducing the workload on the ventilation system.

List prices for the new MT start from around £51,000.

Winterhalter provides a total solution for dishwashing and glasswashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance, with sustainability fitted as standard. Alongside its market-leading dish washers and glass washers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, and cleaning detergents and rinse aids. For further details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, visit www.winterhalter.com/uk-en/ or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.

Caterquip Ventilation 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 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

Design & Refit

Do You Need a FAST, Easy-Fit Washroom Upgrade?

RapidFit by Rearo is an instant solution for washroom surfaces.

Designed to accommodate time-constrained commercial washroom projects, Rearo’s ‘off-the-shelf’ RapidFit range is the perfect, fast solution for projects requiring toilet cubicles or vanity units.

Washroom design plays a vital role in the overall appearance of your company branding and can have a lasting impression on visitors – that’s why Rearo offers a dedicated core range of nine high-pressure laminate décors within the commercial washrooms range.

The RapidFit finishes were hand selected by the Rearo design team, with colours and textures chosen to ensure compliance with The Equality Act and future-proofed for a minimum of three years. The colour choices take into consideration the needs of people with disabilities, including visual impairment, by ensuring neighbouring expanses of colour, such as walls and doors, are distinguishable by using contrasting colours. Particularly popular within the hospitality sector, RapidFit washrooms are ideal for pubs restaurants and hotels.

RapidFit toilet cubicles, vanities, and IPS are available in either an MR MFC or Compact Grade Core.

Supported by a five-year manufacturer guarantee, MR MFC is ideal for light to medium-traffic spaces.

For higher traffic areas requiring a little added durability, choose the RapidFit Impact range. Completely water resistant, this solid-grade laminate core is ideal for humid and wet environments and backed by a comprehensive ten-year guarantee.

Cubicles are supplied as a flat pack, ready for a quick and easy installation and all RapidFit components are available to buy individually to offer a variety of installation possibilities. Matching IPS can be made to order in only 3-4 weeks.

Ask your fitter/joinery/plumbing contractor or architect to get in touch for free sample packs and design and specification assistance. Or, order your RapidFit washroom now.

0141 440 0800 commercial@rearo.co.uk www.rearocommercial.co.uk

Just Artificial - Plants • Trees • Flowers

Established in 2004, Just Artificial have many years’ experience as one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high quality artificial plants, trees, silk flowers and related accessories, which we offer at competitive prices.

We have a range of fantastic options which will set your space apart from the rest, allowing you to create an indoor Eden. Our products are highly realistic, durable, and designed with particular care and attention by our master craftsmen, all of whom are experts in their field.

Our range is always growing, supporting current modern trends as well as traditional needs, for indoor and outdoor use, tailored to complement any business.

We offer a complete product range including silk flowers, floral arrangements, artificial

plants, trees (even palm trees), topiary, exotics, plant and tree displays, hedges, fruit, hanging baskets, ivy garlands and other foliage, synthetic lawn grass and astroturf, planters, pot pourri, organza ribbon, decorative butterflies, essential oils, oasis foam, metal wall art, and Christmas supplies.

Whatever your choice, we have the design experience and the tools to make your space stand out.

Whatever the case, we have the perfect solution for your décor – one which will transform your space into something extraordinary.

Contact (01524) 858888, sales@justartificial.co.uk or visit www.justartificial.co.uk

Artificial Plants & Trees for Businesses

At Just Artificial, we work with interior designers, decorators, set dressers, architects and more to set your premises apart from the rest. Our artificial plants, flowers, and trees are highly realistic to look and touch, as well as being durable and attractive.

Our master craftsmen construct each one with painstaking care and attention to create an exceptionally ‘real’ artificial flower, and we offer bespoke solutions to suit the needs of your space, business and tastes.

(01524) 858888 sales@justartificial.co.uk www.justartificial.co.uk

CLH Digital

Issue 192

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Issue 192

CLH Digital

Design and Refit

How to Weather-Proof Your Trade

Many hospitality establishments found their trade impacted by unpredictable weather conditions in 2023. This has led to more businesses looking into how they can make themselves less weather reliant. Woodberry are sharing some top tips on weather-proofing your trade so that you feel confident in welcoming customers rain or shine!

Invest In a High-Quality Shelter Investing in a high-quality shelter that meets all your customer’s needs is a great way to encourage them into your space, even if it’s dark and raining. Investing in a shelter will give your customers as a warm, dry and atmospheric space to sit all year round. Your shelter can also be used for holding events or hiring out for parties which offers you another way to bring in profit during quieter times.

Set the Atmosphere The atmosphere of your establishment will help people decide if your space is the right one for them. During the warmer months you may want to bring in brighter colours and faux plants to create a relaxed but fun envi-

ronment. You might also want to consider string lights and patio heaters as people stay outside longer. In the winter however, it is a good idea to provide throw pillows, blankets and mood lighting to create a cosy atmosphere.

Use Indoor-Outdoor Furniture Indoor-outdoor furniture offers you an extra element of flexibility so you can easily move the chairs in or out depending on your customer’s needs.

A lot of commercial indoor-outdoor furniture is light weight, stackable and easy to store which also makes it an ideal investment for establishments that occasionally hosts events.

Woodberry offer a wide range of outdoor shelters that can be tailored to your needs and furniture for indoor and outdoor use. Call our friendly team for any advice on which outdoor shelter is best for you.

01928 889922 mail@woodberry.co.uk www.woodberry.co.uk See the advert on the back cover of this issue.

It's Not Time To Sit Down Yet

Well at the end of a busy night it is, and for your hard-working customers it's essential that they have something welcoming, comfy, and attractive to rest their weary bones. Investing in new seating for your premises during unclear financial times can be a tough decision, but with small new bars, restaurants, cafes, and fast food establishments opening all the time, and with new trends appearing, it might be exactly what you need to either attract a new crowd or keep existing customers. We can either work with you to come up with designs for your seating or take ideas from your interior designer and build your dreams efficiently, effectively, and on time within budget.

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

ABOUT DRAKES BAR FURNITURE Drakes have been providing bars, pubs, restaurants,

cafes, clubs, and hotels with high-quality furniture and fixtures for decades. We employ over 15 joiners, upholsterers, polishers and designers who are capable of installing fixed seating and bespoke joinery, new bars and full refurbishments, or simply making stools for the front of the bar, or providing quality tables that last.

Our dedicated team are either timeserved officially trained craftsmen or externally based professionals.

Got you interested? Let us give you a free quote or ask for professional advice. We are available for a chat Monday – Thursday: 9.00 am > 4.00 pm and Friday: 9.00 am > 12.00 pm on 01422 839 690. If you prefer, email us at sales@askdrake.com, and of course please visit our website www.askdrake.com to see some of our range and past work. We are also available on Facebook and Instagram, so give us a follow!

Design and Refit

CLH Digital

Issue 192

Battling Staff Shortages?

Here’s How A Service Lift May Help

By Mark Chapman, General Manager, Stannah Microlifts Staff shortages have been a challenge for British hospitality businesses, with data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showing a 56% increase in staff shortages in the accommodation and food service sector compared to pre-pandemic levels.

To tackle this issue, businesses have had to turn to technology to ensure they can operate efficiently with fewer staff members. One option that can be easily implemented is the addition of service lifts to business premises. These lifts can move items like food, beverages, laundry, and luggage more efficiently between floors, reducing the manual time and effort required for tasks. This can help businesses run smoothly even with smaller teams, preventing waiting times from becoming unacceptable for customers.

Service lifts like the Microlift or Trolley lift can also reduce the risk of injury for staff and improve staff wellbeing by reducing physical strain, making the workplace more inclusive for those with disabilities or mobility

Mayfair Furniture Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 11 years this year of providing the UK’s fastest and affordable commercial furniture. Supplying all kinds of establishments from high end hotel chains to small local takeaways.

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

We are not just a supplier; we understand that from time to time hospitality and leisure establishments like to give themselves a fresh new look. That's why not only do we supply contract furniture, but when it's time for your establishment to go through a refur-

issues.

Many business owners may be under the impression that a service lift is expensive and disruptive to install, but this is often not the case at all. Microlifts from Stannah are compact, structure-supported and quick and easy to install. These reliable and hard-wearing products are designed for operation 24/7, 365 days a year, supported by regular service visits from our expert local engineers.

So even when staff shortages bite, great service can still be provided to your customers - without the heavy lifting. With a durable and reliable Stannah lift sharing the load, your staff will be well-protected every day and able to do more than ever before.

As manual handling is such a risky business, Stannah has compiled a comprehensive Manual Handling Guide detailing how business owners can reduce the risks of staff injury and prevent further shortages due to injury.

For more information visit: resources.stannahlifts.co.uk/manual-handling

bishment we also offer a complete clearance service.

We'll organise everything from a suitable time and date, professional clearance staff to remove contract furniture whether fitted or unfitted. Along with our sister company Caterfair who provides commercial catering equipment for your kitchens we are the ideal people to speak to when you are looking to refurbish.

01733 310115 sales@mayfairfurniture.co.uk www.mayfairfurniture.co.uk

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

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Issue 192

CLH Digital

Design and Refit

Get Ready For a Golden Year of Sport in 2024 With Euro 2024 kicking off in Germany on June 14th and the ICC T20 World Cup and the Olympics and Paralympics also taking place next summer, 2024 is set to be a fantastic year of sport. With popular annual fixtures on the sporting calendar such as the Six Nations Championship, the Premier League and the FA Cup also going on, there’s never been a better time to show the big event in your venue.

Trent Furniture supply a great range of stylish, contractgrade furniture, perfect for giving everyone the best possible view during the big match and for enjoying food and drinks long after the final whistle has blown.

Stacking chairs are a must when planning for the extra footfall that big sporting events bring. Trent Furniture’s Monaco Stacking Chair is the perfect solution for overflow seating to accommodate sports fans in comfort.

Available in a range of wicker, aluminum or wood finishes, this hardworking chair is suitable for indoor or out-

door use and pairs perfectly with the big screen in your bar or beer garden.

At quieter times, or in the winter months, it’s easy to stack away.

Poseur tables are a great way to offer your customers a place to congregate and rest their drinks as they concentrate on the action on screen.

The simple modern design of Trent’s Chrome Pyramid Poseur Table makes it a firm favourite, while the Single Dolphin Poseur Table is the perfect choice for any traditional British pub interior. Trent also supply a great range of tall bar stools, from the modern Tall Boston Bar Stool to the traditional charm of the Tall Captains Bar Chair.

Please call us on 0116 2989 927 or visit www.trentfurniture.co.uk

In 2023 the Contract Furniture Group created a Refresh, Rejuvenate and Refurbish service to offer pubs, bars, restaurants, bistros and hotels a way of reinvigorating hospitality spaces that is both cost-effective and eco-friendly. Our dedicated UK furniture refurbishment facility means we can deliver an end-to-end service that means logistics, disposal of irreparable items, reparations and replacement of tables, chairs and a host of other types of furnishings can all be taken care of quickly and

simply.

Throughout the year, our collaboration with household names like Harvester and Pizza Express have marked a series of triumphs in nationwide initiatives. A recent highlight was our engagement with The Barn in Chichester, where Harvester’s ongoing efforts to revitalise its existing sites and commitment to sustainability came to the forefront of the program. Beyond elevating guest experiences, Harvester prioritises environmental considerations by implementing a refreshing approach. Instead of replacing worn furniture with new, the brand has embraced a conscious strategy of refurbishing existing pieces. These furnishings are expertly handled by our skilled team, where frames underwent rejuvenation and reupholstering, returning them to their original integrity and aesthetics. This enhancement strategy not only reduces waste but also minimises environmental impact, underscoring Harvester’s dedication to ecofriendly practices. Beyond the sustainability benefits, this approach enables Harvester to maintain a consistent visual identity and safeguard the distinctive character of its establishments.

Visit our website – www.contractfurniture.co.uk

Cost Effective Care from the Contract Furniture Group

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

Design & Refit

New Stock Chair Ranges from ILF www.ilfchairs.com email terry.kirk@ilfchairs.com

With the continuing success of the ILF Chairs website, 2023 has seen an increase in their STOCK chairs to 11 ranges available in different Faux and Velvet upholstery and selection of frame colours, plus a 12 colour STOCK range of Egger laminated 25mm table tops in a selection of sizes and colour finishes. A full range of table bases in metal and stainless steel are also kept in STOCK. In addition, ILF now also have a comprehensive range of STOCK outdoor seating and tables to suit all budgets plus real wood table tops and real wood table bases for indoor use.

More STOCK ranges coming soon please check the website.

Their online website offers both indoor and outdoor

seating and table solutions.

Divided into Contemporary seating, Boutique, Lounge Seating, Period Seating, Outdoor seating and tables plus Indoor Dining & Coffee height wood tables, creating a great selection of products to view at your leisure.

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.

Enquiries can be sent to ILF directly from the website and they will reply within 24 hours. ILF 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.

Increase Your Revenue with a Commercial Shading Solution The battle for customers is tougher than ever, but with recent research suggesting 40% find the pub garden their Ultimate Happy Place, now is the time to make the most of your outdoor space and turn it into a haven for customers and a true talking point.

Whether it’s covering a terrace bar, expanding your seating area or providing a truly unique standalone outdoor experience, our commercial awnings and Louvred roof systems can create a unique feature for your business and add not just a significant WOW factor, but an area to be used again and again.

At Roché we offer award-winning retractable wallmounted and freestanding awnings from leading German manufacturers Markilux and Weinor, as well as the stunning Louvred Roof systems from both Renson and Weinor. Our team of experts have over 20 years’ experience in advising businesses on the right shading solution to suit a variety of outdoor spaces, and can help you maximise potential revenue by increasing usable floorspace, both kerbside and in

any garden areas you may have.

All our products are made-tomeasure and completely customisable to meet your exact requirements, with powder coated frames in a range of RAL colours and hundreds of weather-resistant fabrics to choose from. Take advantage of accessories such as lights and infa-red heaters to create a desirable location for customers to relax and be comfortable while they enjoy evening meals or drinks. For an added wow-factor you can add signwriting to help reinforce your brand and drive people into your premises who may have otherwise walked by without noticing.

Our teams of engineers and surveyors are based nationwide and use their experience to ensure each installation is completed to an extremely high standard.

Call us on 0800 060 8844 to arrange a free site survey or visit www.rocheawnings.com

CLH Digital

Issue 192

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Issue 192

Property and Professional

CLH Digital

Best Practice Property Disposal

to the sale. This might involve securing business rates rebates, or overseeing maintenance and repair obligations, licensing and regulatory requirements.

Determining the best marketing price is also impacted by the owner’s priorities in terms of timing: some will opt for a quick sale as an opportunity to move on, whereas others will decide to hold out for the best price or a potential uptake in demand. An understanding of the market is crucial, and so we would always recommend that when any

By Paul Johnson, Head of Corporate Sales at Leaders Romans Group (LRG) (www.lrg.co.uk) property valuation is by an RICS qualified valuer.

Understandably a concern about selling is that the chain may break and all progress will be lost. So bear in mind Hospitality was the sector most affected by the pandemic and many businesses were that there are companies which provide a guaranteed sale. Although full market value is not necessarily achieved, forced to take out loans to continue. In many cases, consistently rising interest rates many offer an additional payment if they are able to sell within a defined time or price bracket. have compounded that debt.

PWC’s Hotels Forecast 2022 – 2023 precited that real terms growth is likely to fall by -0.6% to -9.4% for all UK regions except London, due to continued volatility of trading conditions and rising operational costs.

Many hotel and catering businesses are being repurposed or restructured. Faced with a rapidly changing landscape and a variety of potential scenarios, some of which may be unfamiliar, it is important that business owners with substantial property assets consider the variety of options carefully to gain maximum return.

Our Corporate Sales division advises on options for property disposal – and options to avoid it where possible. This takes into account timeframes, adversity to risk and

flexibility.

REVIEW THE OPTIONS A viability study is the first step. This involves ascertaining current market values, proposed disposal options and understanding the demographics of best target market and future investment values/yields.

A valuation will determine whether any sale should be structured as a portfolio investment, or marketed as individual assets. Many larger hotels will have the potential to be sold as separate businesses – for example, a health spa may be sold separately, retaining the central services of the hotel as a business in its own right.

External factors and changing propensity to risk as the situation evolves will invariably impact on these decisions and, economic circumstances may change – so reviews are best revisited regularly.

EQUITY RELEASE THROUGH PROPERTY / PROPERTY SALE If a sale is considered the best route, the price achieved can be considerably increased if the asset is stabilised prior

Great Potential for Hotels in 2024 We, at Sidney Phillips, are currently experiencing high demand for licensed properties - in particular those providing accommodation, despite the present state of the economy. Interest rates have consecutively risen for 14 months up to the current rate of 5.25%, which is the highest in 15 years. With increasing interest rates we would expect the market to suffer, with less investment in commercial property, however, there has not been a notable fall in either demand or prices for our listings.

Commercial property remains so resilient because it is versatile to changes in the market. This has been proven following the pandemic, despite the rise in the cost of living. The adaptability of this type of property remains a key strength as owners can easily adapt their business’s use and purpose to changes in customer demand. An example of this is the increasing number of gastropubs appearing as customers want good quality food at good prices, in a relaxed and comfortable environment. Furthermore, with typically longer-term leases than residential property, freehold owners are provided with committed tenants, ensuring increased financial security with a stable and greater income. This enables higher rent than residential property fuelled by the opportunity for tenants to make profits. In this way, commercial properties can sustain appreciation of long-term value and have healthy cash flow positions, making them less reactive to the increasing interest rates we see now.

The industry continues to draw in first-time buyers, particularly those with management or chef experience seeking their own ventures. Currently we are seeing a particular interest in hotels and properties with letting bedrooms,

EXETER, DEVON

CHAGFORD, DEVON

SOMERSET TOWN

Manageable Character Café & Tearoom

Landmark Inn With 16 Letting Rooms

Desirable & Vibrant Location

Tearoom (22), Catering Kitchen

Bar & Restaurant 82+, Kitchens

42 Seats Inside, 18 Seats Outside

2/3 Bedroom Owner’s Apartment

Owner’s Apartment, Car Park

First Class Purpose Fitted Unit

Easy Daytime Hours, 5 Days A Week

Free Of Tie Leasehold

New Free Of Tie Lease Available

Tremendous Potential

Impressive & Profitable Business

LH £39,950

2150

LH £69,950

4829

SOUTH HAMS, DEVON

SOUTH CORNISH COAST

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

Stunning Country Village Inn

Free Of Tie Village Pub/Restaurant

Impressive Waterside Restaurant

3 High Quality Letting Rooms

Stunning & Profitable Business

Extremely Profitable Business

Character Trade Areas 64+

Impressive Bar & Dining Areas 94+

Restaurant 32+, Catering Kitchens

External Seating 98+ & Parking

Gardens, Parking, Owners Accom.

2/3 Bed Family Sized Apartment

New Free Of Tie Lease Opportunity

Excellent Reputation & Reviews

Town Centre With Stunning Views

LH NIL PREMIUM

4844

LH £45,000

4850

LH £125,000

2158

LOOE, CORNWALL

SOMERSET VILLAGE

DARTMOOR, DEVON

Coastal Town Licensed Restaurant

Stunning Country Inn & Restaurant

Lucrative Letting Business & Home

Spacious 2 Bedroom Apartment

3 E/S Letting Rooms, 2 Bed Owners

Set In 14 Acres With Stables

Trading Just 8 Months Of The Year

Bar & Restaurant Areas 82+

Spacious 6 Bedroom Owner’s Home

Exceptional Business Opportunity

Commercial Kitchens, Gardens 40+

7 Individual Letting Properties

Potential To Develop Business

Impressive Multi-Faceted Business

Idyllic Lifestyle Business

LH £79,995

2161

FH £525,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

Another planning route is change of use. Change from commercial to residential may result in a much more favourable price being achieved. Alternatively it might return the asset to a more viable position and provide a new income stream for the existing owner.

Change of use can now be achieved through permitted development rights. Amendments to planning legislation were introduced during Covid specifically to help struggling businesses. Class E was created to assimilate a number of previously separate planning use classes (shops, financial and professional services, food and drink; office space; clinics, health centres, creches, day nurseries, and day centres; gyms and most indoor recreations, and research and development or light industrial town centre use). This enables those individual uses to be changed, providing they remain within Class E, without the need for a full planning application. In 2021 legislation enabled a Class E building to be changed to residential use, again without the need of a planning application (providing certain conditions are met). So a restaurant or hotel can be changed into a home with a relatively straightforward planning process.

LEASEHOLD ARRANGEMENTS Finally, whether the use of the building changes or remains, there may be tenants in place. A property consultancy can negotiate new leases and tenancy agreements as necessary, protecting the interests of both parties and ensuring minimal disruption. It is important to note that existing leases can impact substantially on viability, and so a review of leases is a necessity. The same applies to any outstanding rent or other debts.

Selling a business or a property asset can be difficult for anyone, and so its important to get the right advice, from the strategic overview, to the detail of the sale. especially in rural and semi-rural areas as buyers can profit from surrounding affluent villages. In the present economic market, there are numerous reasons for this increase in interest from vendors as the segment experiences huge consumer demand for British hospitality. Following the pandemic, the hotel industry showed its durability with its fast recovery and demand levels remained consistent throughout. The resumption of business travel, weddings, and leisure travel has continued to boost demand for inns and hotels.

Freehouses have a unique opportunity to diversify by providing letting rooms to benefit from more income security. Tenants can alter room rates to provide protection from rising inflation as they can be adjusted each day. Again, being flexible as a commercial property, hotels can adapt through branding and a change in management to encourage demand and ensure profit.

2024 hopes to bring even more positive news for the commercial property market where we expect to see a continued rise in the rental market for public houses and for free of tie leases. As well as further demand for properties with accommodation, including hotels, properties with rooms to let, campsites, and guest houses.

Call 01981 250333 for more information or visit www.sidneyphillips.co.uk

Why Use a Specialist Hospitality Consultant?

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.

Licensed Restaurant & Bar

2162

Depending on timing and resources, there is considerable value in investing to increase the value of a hotel. For example, if a hotel has substantial grounds, this might involve seeking planning consent for additional buildings.

Answer: because we can help your business to succeed.

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

LH £35,000

CAPITALISING ON PROPERTY / LAND VALUE

4848

DUCHY LH £995,000

6013

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are just a few of the other areas that David Hunter, your Restaurant Consultant, will work on with you, and improve with you.

MANAGING PEOPLE Managing people brings with it a whole set of new skills that are now needed more than ever. From ‘’Managing the Managers’’ through to Service and Kitchen staff, your team needs careful and skilful Management, Motivation, guidance and Development.

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

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’’.

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.

Are You A Chef Looking for Work-Life Balance?

Work-life balance are three words that do not often come up in a chef’s vocabulary but are regularly used by the chefs employed

by Care UK. Care UK are currently looking for chefs of all levels to work in our care homes across the UK. We are looking for people who want to make a difference to residents’ lives every day. When you join Care UK, you’ll be joining a team who all share the same values: caring, passionate and teamwork.

Life as a chef with us means that you will be preparing rosette level dishes in our state-of-the-art kitchens using fresh ingredients, for our residents and their families. We also have an exceptional track record in catering team career progression with countless examples of chefs pro-

gressing from sous chef level to head chef positions.

We have our own Catering Academy to provide excellent training and induction programs for all new Catering Staff and we will give you all that’s needed to have a successful career as a Chef with us.

Our high quality, innovative training and coaching will support the development of your skills throughout your career with us.

We are committed to recruiting diverse, talented people, who share our passion for helping others. We see the potential in everyone, let us help fulfil yours.

You can find out more about our rewarding careers by visiting careers.careuk.com

Call 01981 250333 for more information www.SIDNEYPHILLIPS.CO.UK

THE SALWEY ARMS, SHROPSHIRE, FREEHOLD: £1,100,000

LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL A LICENSED PROPERTY? THE WYE VALLEY HOTEL, MONMOUTHSHIRE FREEHOLD: £675,000

Sidney Phillips is a company of Chartered Surveyors established in 1898.

We offer national coverage via a network of regional branches. We deal with sales, acquisitions, and finance of licensed businesses.

PENRALLT HOTEL, CEREDIGION LEASEHOLD: £1,500,000

This includes but is not limited to: nightclubs, bars, hotels, restaurants, B&B's, guesthouses, pubs, bistros, cafes, leisure and development units and investments. wE ADVERTISE ON MORE wEBSITES THAN ANY OF OUR COMPETITIORS

RIVER HAVEN HOTEL, EAST SUSSEX FREEHOLD: £1,750,000

NO SALE | NO FEE