CLH Digital - Issue #218

THE LEADING PUBLICATION FOR THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR & LICENSED TRADE issue 218

Euro 2024 Brings Massive Sales Boost to Pubs www.CLHNews.co.uk

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As Brits Set to Almost Double the Consumption for Euro 2020

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While reports vary regarding the number of pints Brits are expected to sink during the Euros football tournament there is no doubt it is a welcome boost for the licensed-on trade.

According to one report more than 600 million pints will be “sunk” throughout Euro 2024, a figure almost double that of what was downed in pubs and social

clubs for Euro 2020 three years ago.

Estimates from betting website safebettingsites.com suggest approximately 604.5 million pints will be sunk up to and including the tournament’s final on July 14.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

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CLH Digital

Issue 218

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH Digital The Euro's Football Tournament – A Boon for the UK's On-Trade

PUBLISHED BY RBC Publishing Ltd 3 Carlton Mount 2 Cranborne Road Bournemouth Dorset BH2 5BR

The Euros have brought a welcome break from the forthcoming election. (Thank goodness) EDITOR

Peter Adams

TELEPHONE:

Yes, as we currently bask in the glorious sunshine and enjoy a break in the weather, the Euro's football tournament has arrived just in time to provide a massive and much-needed boost for the on-trade.

01202 552333 FAX: 01202 552666

Estimates on the number of pints to be sold during the tournament vary, but all predictions point towards an uplift in sales running into the millions. One report even suggests that Britons will nearly double their consumption compared to four years ago when England reached the finals in the last Euro competition.

This surge in sales is reminiscent of how things used to be "back in the day" when pubs were bustling for no other reason than socialising. Despite the economic challenges of the past, it wasn't as expensive to visit a pub then. Today, our beloved pubs are taxed, taxed, and taxed some more, making it increasingly difficult for people to enjoy this quintessential British pastime.

Not only has the Euros brought a massive boost in sales, but it has also significantly lifted the nation's wellbeing. The sense of joy, fun, and camaraderie that has returned to the great British pub is unparalleled.

This should serve as a stark reminder to the incoming government that they have taken the hospitality sector for granted for far too long. If they were to take the bold step of reducing taxation, even as a trial, they would see the public eat and drink out more often, ultimately resulting in more revenue for the treasury.

While it is welcome news that inflation has fallen and is now back in line with government targets, it is disappointing to see the Bank of England freezing interest rates for the seventh time in a row.

If ever there was an example of hospitality driving growth, the Euro tournament is it.

Hospitality drives growth, creates jobs, and regenerates towns and cities, but only when it has the financial headroom to invest. High interest rates, especially when operators still

www.CLHNews.co.uk @CLHNews CLHNews CLHNews have Covid loans to pay off—money borrowed just to keep the doors open during government-imposed lockdowns—are stifling this potential. It's time to bring the rates down now!

EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES

I would finish with I hope that England and Scotland progress the later stages, both are in a good position to do so, and as stated above, the Euros have not only reignited the public's passion for football but have also revitalized the hospitality sector at a most important time for the sector.

David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

This tournament is a powerful testament to the impact that a thriving on-trade can have on our economy and societal wellbeing. It really is high time the government any government recognizes this and provides the necessary support to ensure the continued success and growth of this vital sector.

Matthew Noades

I can always be contacted at edit@catererlicensee.com Once more I would ask you to please follow us on X (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

PRODUCTION & DESIGN PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Charlene Fox

Published by Published by

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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Issue 218

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Euro 2024 Brings Massive Sales Boost to Pubs As Brits Set to Almost Double the Consumption for Euro 2020

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

BRITS SUNK 364 MILLION PINTS THROUGHOUT EURO 2020

Additionally, reports also indicate 30 million pints were drunk during the Three Lions’s 1-0 victory against Serbia on June 16. Furthermore, Scottish fans drank the fan zone in Munich dry prior to their humbling defeat to Die Mannschaft on June 14.

England Scotland and Wales’ participation in Euro 2020 saw 364 million pints of beer drunk throughout the tournament by Brits. The final between the Three Lions and Italy saw 13 million sunk alone.

Pubs and clubs across the UK cashed in on England’s first game owing to the 8pm kick-off. Consequently, supporters were able to drink throughout the day, right up until full time at approximately 10pm.

Analysis from trade body UKHospitality estimates the group stage alone will generate an additional £340m in sales for hospitality venues across the UK, rising to £800m if England win the tournament.

Two in five Brits planning to watch the football will do so in pubs and bars, with sales of beer increasing by 14% on matchdays, according to CGA by NIQ.

Held a year later owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, thirsty Brits took advantage of their new-found freedoms by wasting no time in drinking pints down their locals.

Gareth Southgate’s side going all the way to the final helped boost the number of pints sold. And of course, it provided a timely boost for the hospitality industry.

£2.4BN SET TO BE SPENT ON BEER IN THE UK

NATION “GRIPPED”

With Brits on course to drink approximately 604.5 million pints of beer for Euro 2024, a staggering £2.4Billion will be spent across pubs and social clubs.

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “The nation is set to be gripped by the Euros, with fans filling our pubs and bars to cheer on the home nations.

Considering the number of venues that closed during 2023, and with the cost of living crisis, the projected figure is a herculean effort from football-fanatic Brits.

“Outside of being at the games in Germany, we know the pub is the number one place to watch live sport and hospitality businesses can’t wait for the tournament to begin.

If broken down by person, it works out to approximately £74.25 spent per-head throughout the tournament.

If England were to go all the way to the final again, it’s likely the £2.5bn barrier could be broken.

“The group stage alone will provide an additional £340 million in sales, but England lifting the trophy could see almost a billion pound boost for our pubs – adding just one more reason to get behind the Three Lions.”

LONDONERS ESTIMATED TO SPEND THE MOST

5M EXTRA PINTS

In terms of regions in the UK who are estimated to spend the most on pints of beer during Euro 2024, Londoners will be forking out the most.

Ahead of last nights rather “lacklustre” England v Denmark game, the BBPA estimated there would be 4 – 5 million additional pints consumed, worth an extra £19m - £24m in sales.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association:“The Euros are already providing a huge uplift in extra trade for pubs as football fans know that there is no better place to watch live than down their local. For this England v Denmark the latest BBPA figure show that between four to five million extra pints will be enjoyed worth up to a potential £24million for the sector and despite the Euros bring into focus the big differences in beer duty paid between the different competing nations with English and Scottish fans paying by far the most, I urge everyone to enjoy the match, cheer on England and enjoy a refreshing beer.”

Betting website safebettingsites.com, compared the expected beer consumption for Brits against other recent major sporting events. These include the 2023 Rugby World Cup and this year’s Cheltenham Festival to name but a few.

Key Data Takeaways • A whopping 30million pints drunk for England’s win against Serbia on Sunday • Euro 2020 tournament saw 364million pints downed by thirsty Brits • £2.4bn set to be spent on beer in the UK alone thanks to favourable kick off times • Londoners are estimated to spend the most when they watch the Three Lions play!

Naturally, the cost of pints in the English capital is one of the highest in Europe. However, that isn’t expected to deter beer-going football fans.

All in all, it’s predicted that £120 will be spent just on beer throughout the tournament from locals and those planning to visit the big smoke to watch matches. The Euro 2024 beer consumption won’t come cheap.

POSITIVE MOMENTUM Admiral Taverns has reported a 122% uplift in draught sales thanks the tournament. The pubco saw sales across its community focused division Proper Pubs more than double during England's first match of the competition on Sunday 16 June, when they beat Serbia, compared with the previous two Sunday's> Mark Brooke, Managing Director - Proper Pubs, commented: "It was fantastic to see such positive trading momentum across the estate last night during England's first match of the 2024 Euros. Initial figures from Proper Pubs show an impressive 122% uplift in draught sales during the game versus the previous two Sundays which stands testament to the hard work of our operators across the country making sure their pub acts as the go-to social hub to celebrate the tournament. We have some fantastic promotions and offers running over the Euros period in selected sites."

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Trends, Challenges and Sustainability 4

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CLH News speaks with Cristina Maia , former Masterchef winner and Group Head Chef, Camm & Hooper (www.cammhooper.com) Tell us a bit about your background and experience in the kitchen? What inspired you to become a Chef?

“I am from Brazil and grew up around friends and family members who really enjoyed cooking but had never cooked in my life until I came to the UK. I moved here 21 years ago, but for the first few years worked in an administration and accounts before I decided to pursue my passion for food and completed a 3-year diploma at the City of Westminster College, London.

My passion for food stemmed far beyond just wanting to curate tasty dishes – I wanted to discover where food really came from and how to experiment with different textures and flavours.

From here, I have always worked in private catering companies and much prefer the innovation and creativity this environment offers compared to restaurants. I love working with different people and ideas to create new and exciting menu options to suit client tastes and occasions – from weddings to large corporate celebrations.”

What types of foods do you enjoy cooking with?

“As a pescatarian who is passionate about sustainability, I really enjoy cooking with fish and a wide range of vegetables.

Since joining Camm & Hooper, I have worked hard on expanding the variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes on offer, while integrating sustainability into our menu planning and execution.

This has ranged from implementing food waste bins and using the surplus from foods to create other dishes - for example, I use the skin of fish to create base for my canapes and integrate the skin from onions into our whipped butter – to using more local, UK based suppliers and opting for food choices that are seasonal. However, this in itself is a challenging task as every dish we create needs to be easily replicated and scalable to be served at an event.

There are so many delicious vegetables on offer that people are completely unaware of and have never tried.

I genuinely love introducing clients to new vegan and vegetarian dishes and in educating them on where the food has been sourced from and how it has been created… all with sustainability in mind.”

What are the main challenges of implementing sustainable choices into your menus?

“The ultimate sustainable journey food is from nature to your plate and then back to compost.

Today, we are collectively working hard to embrace a dedicated eco-conscious philosophy that will ultimately position Camm & Hooper at the forefront of sustainability in the events management sector. A key part of this is to become a zero waste establishment, however this is a lot more challenging in the events sector compared to standalone restaurants, like Silo in London.

The steps we have made so far are extremely positive and a true reflection of a shift in perception amongst our amazing and passionate team.

Ultimately, I believe that to really become a sustainable entity, you don’t need to have a certificate - you need to have change in mindset and for people to understand why we are working towards this goal.”

How are increased food & drink and supply chain costs impacting the sustainability agenda in Hospitality?

“Pre-COVID, it was really easy to source and supply different foods, including a variety of vegetables. But in the current economic climate, it is really expensive to buy quality produce – particularly meat and fish. Meat is now really costly.

Although a big challenge, I think this in itself can drive a shift towards sustainability, by inspiring Chefs to opt for the more cost-effective vegan and vegetarian dishes and to use as much of the produce as possible, i.e., using the skin of vegetables for sources as opposed to throwing them away.”

How have food trends changed in recent years and how do you see these trends evolving during 2024 and beyond?

“Our menus now have a lot of vegan and vegetarian food options, with more and more consumers shifting to a vegan or even flexitarian type diet.

Rewind 10 years ago and there were hardly any individuals with dietary requirements at an event, but now it is in excess of 25%. I think this is a combination of people being more aware of food intolerances and an increased focus on gut health and what they actually put into their body.

I think food trends will evolve in line with cultural shifts. For example, it is actually the younger generation who are driving veganism/vegetarianism as part of a healthier lifestyle.

To truly accommodate and excite this audience, Chefs need to move away from lazy options like mushrooms, and instead look at the wide variety of vegetables that are on offer and to really cook and curate dishes with them.”

However, the impact of BREXIT combined with a significant increase in costs has meant it has become difficult to source certain foods. Implementing variety into menus and adapting to seasonal foods, while also sourcing quality, UK-based suppliers has enabled us to overcome this and ensure sustainability remains a key focus in our planning and execution.

How do you educate clients about sustainable food choices? And how are dietary preferences influencing future of sustainable in event catering?

However, sustainability moves beyond menu choices. In catering and hospitality, we operate in a world where the use of plastics is high through vacuum packs, cling film and gloves - just to name a few examples.

I think this is driven by both cost and sustainability, with corporate clients in particular understanding the benefits of choosing vegan and/or vegetarian dishes over meat.

I am proactively working hard to measure our carbon footprint and ensure our kitchen is completely plastic free within the next 5 years maximum. In starting on this journey, I was really aware that in order to achieve my goals, I needed to educate my team on the importance of sustainability and inspire them to support our long-term objective.

I also think education and taste testing plays a big part – whenever I present new dishes and they have the option to try lots of different flavours together, it blows their minds, and they are happy to trust in our creations and try more and more.”

“More and more clients are choosing entire vegan/vegetarian options for their events, which would have been unheard of 10 years ago.

Footie And Father’s Day Boost The UK On Trade

Over the weekend the Euros and Father’s Day celebrations provided a significant boost to beer and cider sales, yet again showcasing the critical role of major events in revitalising the UK hospitality industry.

In England, pubs saw an increase of 55 extra pints sold per pub (+20.6%) compared to last year. This uplift was notably generated by football driving pub traffic as well, of course, as families celebrating Father’s Day.

In Scotland, enthusiasm for the Home Nation’s first game led to a substantial surge in pub sales, with Scottish fans consuming a massive 107 more pints per pub compared to the same period in 2023.

Ale by +18.3%. These rises are partly attributed to the Father’s Day celebrations, which tend to see families celebrate across the generations.

Overall footfall declined by 1.9%, driven by decreases in both rural and city locations as consumers opted to stay closer to home to watch football and celebrate Father’s Day. Despite this, Sunday saw a 2.5% increase in visits to pubs, primarily driven by suburban outlets, which experienced a 3.8% increase in traffic. In contrast, Friday saw a significant decline of 2.5%, and Saturday fell by 1.8%, indicating that Father’s Day concentrated visits into a single day.

Conversely, in Wales, where there was no Home Nation team to support, sales did not see a similar boost. Instead, Sunday sales declined by 46 pints per pub as Father’s Day alone did not suffice to spark significant sales increases.

Dwell time grew by 3.3% over the weekend, with pubgoers staying longer particularly in City Centre locations, which saw a 6.6% rise, and Suburban outlets, with a 4.9% increase. The average dwell time grew to 127 minutes per occasion.

The average UK pub served 984 pints of draught beer and cider over the weekend, generating an income of £4,674. Although this is a -1.7% decrease from the same Father’s Day weekend in 2023, it represents an improvement from the YTD decline of -3.8%.

Alison Jordan, CEO of Oxford Partnership, comments: “The combination of the Euros and Father’s Day demonstrates the significant impact that major events can have on the hospitality industry, particularly in terms of driving beer and cider sales. While we still see an overall decline in sales compared to the previous year, the reduction in the rate of decline is encouraging. The positive trends such as increased dwell times and higher sales during specific events offer a hopeful outlook for the industry as it continues to navigate the challenges of the current economic environment. By strategically leveraging major events and understanding consumer behaviour patterns, the hospitality industry can continue to build on these gains.”

Declines were observed across all lager categories, with Premium Lager sales dropping by -15% and Core Lager by -7.4%. Cider sales also suffered, with fruit cider declining by -13.7% and apple cider by -18.2%.

However, standout performances in other categories included Stout sales which increased by +22.9% and

Inflation Target Being Met Is ‘Strongest Signal Yet’ To Cut Rates Issue 218

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Inflation falling to 2% should give the Bank of England confidence to ease pressure on businesses through a rate cut, UKHospitality says.

“It’s clear that the economy is heading in the right direction, which should give confidence to the Bank that now is the time to begin easing the sustained pressure from high interest rates on businesses and consumers.

The Bank of England held interest rates at 5.25% for the seventh consecutive time in what it described as a “finely balanced” decision. Andrew Bailey, the Bank’s governor, said: “It’s good news that inflation has returned to our 2% target. We need to be sure that inflation will stay low and that’s why we’ve decided to hold rates at 5.25% for now.”

“We need to remember that costs remain high for hospitality businesses and beginning to reduce the cost burden for the sector needs to be a priority for any incoming government.”

Mr Bailey was among seven of the nine-member MPC who voted to leave rates on hold. Swati Dhingra and Dave Ramsden voted for a quarter-point cut to 5%.

Responding to this week’s inflation data, Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Inflation coming down to 2% and hitting the Bank of England’s target is the strongest signal yet for interest rates to be cut.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said: “Pubs and brewers will welcome the news that after a sustained and difficult period of high inflation, the target rate of 2% has been achieved. But with energy costs and food and drink 25% higher than in 2022, the cost of doing business remains challenging. While interest rates are unlikely to be lowered during the election period, we now look forward to these easing during the summer and latter stages of the year, and working with the next government to help put in the place the optimal fiscal and regulatory framework that will ensure the beer and pub sector does not just survive but thrives.”

CGA’s Pubtrack Reveals Consumers’ Top Pub Operators A consumer tracking service has unveiled its latest rankings of Britain’s biggest pub operators, based on guest satisfaction, revisit potential and recommendation scores.

PubTrack is an exclusive tool that combines CGA’s Outlet Index with a survey of 10,000 nationally representative pub-going consumers. It delivers accurate insights into guest behaviours and sentiment towards a wide range of metrics.

The new PubTrack rankings reveal that Brunning & Price, part of The Restaurant Group, is Britain’s top pub operator—for the second year in a row after topping the list in 2023. It is joined in the top five

by St Austell Brewery, Hydes Anvil, Youngs and Everards. See below for the full top ten.

Brunning & Price also tops the rankings when measured solely by

guest recommendation ratings, ahead of Youngs and St Austell. Hydes Anvil scores highest according to guest satisfaction scores, with Brunning & Price and JW Lees in second and third places. City Pub Company achieves the highest likelihood of revisit, ahead of St Austell and JD Wetherspoon.

CGA client business partner Danielle Rowlands said: “These PubTrack rankings provide the inside track on pub operators’ engagement with their guests. They’re an expert guide to which businesses are leading the way in satisfaction, and a valuable tracker of the groups and operational areas that need improvement.

With consumers’ spending still under significant pressure, keeping guests happy and creating brand champions has never been more important, and PubTrack is the ideal starting point for strategies that deliver even higher satisfaction and sales.”

New UK Government Must Appoint Night Time Economy Minister Urges NTIA Issue 218

The United Kingdom's night time economy (NTE) is at a pivotal point, struggling to meet global standards due to a lack of dedicated representation and leadership. While over 100 NTE advisors worldwide are driving innovation and growth, the UK lags behind, with only Manchester, West Midlands, Bristol, and London currently supporting such roles.

The night time economy is more than a cultural facet; it significantly bolsters national and local economies by fostering employment, tourism, and vibrant communities. As cities globally thrive by embracing their night time potential, the UK risks falling behind. There is a critical opportunity to lead by example, championing a sector known for resilience and adaptability but in need of strategic support to fully realise its potential.

By appointing a central Government lead for the night time economy and hospitality and developing a central strategy that mandates local representation and policy guidance, the UK can set a new standard for nightlife governance. This approach will enhance the vitality of the night time economy and position the UK as a leader in innovative and inclusive economic development.

Such a move would restore confidence within the sector and demonstrate a commitment to true representation and leadership. It would also create a national network of industry representatives to guide policymakers through the sector's unique challenges.

Globally, notable figures have transformed the night time economy landscape. Ariel Palitz, former NTE Mayor of New York City, redefined policing nightlife. Camilo Ospina Guzman in Colombia is collaborating with Congress to establish a National Law of the Night. Lutz Leichsenring from VibeLab and spokesperson for the Berlin Club Commission has been crucial in creating protections for NTE businesses and expanding Berlin's cultural assets.

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Mirik Milan, the first Night Mayor from Amsterdam, continues to advocate for nightlife globally, supporting cities that embrace the growth and development of a safe and considered night time economy.

Australia exemplifies this success, with Michael Rodriguez appointed as the 24-hour Commissioner for New South Wales in 2021 and John Graham as the Minister for Night Time Economy in 2023, leading a thriving and innovative approach to NTE strategy.

These examples show how dedicated roles, both nationally and regionally, have transformed nightlife and could potentially do the same in the UK. Michael Kill, CEO of NTIA, states, “The night time economy is a powerhouse, contributing significantly to employment, tourism, and community vibrancy. Yet, without strategic leadership, it risks stagnation. Global cities have embraced the night time economy's potential, and it's time for the UK to step up. We have an opportunity to lead by example, emulating the success seen in New York, Berlin, Amsterdam, and New South Wales, Australia, where dedicated leadership has transformed the night economy.”

“The appointment of a Night Time Economy Government Lead will be the cornerstone for the recovery, stability, and growth of this vital sector. It will enable the UK to build a cohesive national strategy for the night time economy, aligning with successful global models, providing a framework for local authorities to adopt and implement tailored policies that reflect the distinct needs of their communities.”

Appointing a Night Time Economy Minister is the first and most crucial step toward securing the future of this essential sector. It’s time to revitalise the UK’s night time economy, creating a thriving, dynamic environment for all, and ensuring the sector feels valued within the UK as it does globally.

Labour Plan For High Streets Right To Focus On Saving Great British Pub The Labour Party’s plan for high streets commits to replacing the business rates system, cutting energy bills and giving communities the ‘right to buy’ community assets, like pubs has been warmly greeted by sector leaders.

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “A plan to help high streets thrive and, crucially, support our pubs is much-needed.

“With around 80 pubs closing each month so far this year, we are already in a critical situation. Any incoming government needs to urgently fix business rates, where

hospitality faces another cliff edge in April next year with rate increases and relief set to end.

“That’s why UKHospitality has campaigned so hard for the broken business rates system to be replaced and we’re pleased to see manifesto commitments to doing just that. Progress can easily be made in the first 100 days of a new government, through the introduction of a permanently lower rate for hospitality and other high street businesses.”

Three Tricks to Maximise Tips in a Hospitality Job 8

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Issue 218

tional service and details strategies for enhancing customer interaction.

while boosting sales.

THE DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE AND INCREASED TIPS

For instance, recommending a premium wine to pair with a specific dish or suggesting a popular dessert can add value to the customer’s experience. It’s important to upsell naturally and not be pushy, as this can create a sense of trust and satisfaction, leading to higher tips.

Studies consistently show that customers are willing to tip more generously when they receive outstanding service. Exceptional service enhances the overall experience, making customers feel valued and appreciated.

This appreciation often translates into higher tips as customers express their gratitude monetarily.

Key elements of exceptional service include attentiveness, responsiveness, and a genuine desire to meet and exceed customer expectations.

The largest share of Americans (49%) say the decision to tip depends on the situation, so great service is essential for improving your chances of being tipped.

In the hospitality and service industries, exceptional service is the cornerstone of customer satisfaction and loyalty. It is more than just a smile or a polite greeting; it is a holistic approach to ensuring that every customer interaction is positive and memorable.

Exceptional service not only fosters customer loyalty but also directly correlates to increased tips, a crucial component of income for many service professionals. One 2022 study found that 60% of customers would be likely to tip if they felt ‘impressed’ by the service, while only 7% would ‘never tip’.

Stock (https://stockmfgco.com/) examines the significance of excep-

Creating memorable experiences involves going above and beyond basic service expectations.

This can include small touches like providing complimentary samples, celebrating special occasions, or accommodating special requests with enthusiasm.

Memorable experiences leave a lasting impression on customers, making them more likely to return and recommend the establishment to others.

Additionally, customers who have had a memorable experience are more inclined to show their appreciation through higher tips.

TIPS AND STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING SERVICE AND BOOSTING TIPS Building Rapport with Customers Photo by RDNE Stock Project on Pexels

Creating Memorable Experiences

Enhancing Customer Service Skills

Establishing a connection with customers is essential for providing exceptional service.

Simple gestures like remembering a customer’s name, engaging in light conversation, and showing genuine interest in their preferences significantly enhance the customer’s experience.

When customers feel a personal connection with their server, they are more likely to reward this interaction with a generous tip.

Upselling Menu Items or Services Upselling is an effective strategy to enhance service and increase tips.

By suggesting higher-value menu items or services that complement the customer’s initial choice, servers can enhance the customer’s experience

Experts at Stock emphasise the importance of active listening and empathy in providing exceptional service.

“Active listening involves fully engaging with the customer and understanding their preferences and concerns. Empathy allows you to connect with customers on a deeper level, making them feel understood and valued,” they explain.

Regular training and feedback sessions can also help you refine your skills and stay ahead of customer expectations.

Stock experts reveal, “Exceptional service is a powerful tool in the service industry that directly correlates with increased tips. By building rapport with customers, effectively upselling, and creating memorable experiences, service professionals can enhance customer satisfaction and boost their earnings.”

Jeremy Brown Appointed as Culinary Director of Noble Restaurants Group Noble Restaurants Group has announced the appointment of Jeremy Brown as its new Culinary Director.

In his new role, Jeremy will oversee culinary operations across three key elements of Noble Restaurants Group’s portfolio: Angus Steakhouse, Steak and Company, and Alley Cats Pizza. His strategic vision and proven track record in the industry make him the ideal individual to ensure all three brands’ continued success and progression.

In his previous position as Group Executive Chef at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants UK, Jeremy led the culinary direction across 27 restaurants. Under his guidance, the group saw remarkable growth and success, with Jeremy playing a key role in rebranding initiatives and achieving impressive financial results.

Jeremy’s extensive experience also includes executive chef positions at iconic

establishments such as Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London, Hotel Café Royal, and Rhubarb Sky-garden, where he demonstrated his ability to drive operational excellence, elevate dining experiences, and achieve outstanding guest satisfaction.

Brown says: “This is an incredibly exciting time to join Noble Restaurants Group and lead its talented culinary team. I look forward to bringing my passion for innovation and operational excellence to the group’s portfolio of restaurants and creating exceptional dining experiences for our guests.”

“We are excited to welcome Jeremy Brown to Noble Restaurants Group,” said Paul Sarlas, CEO of Noble Restaurants Group. “His extensive experience at world-renowned establishments will be instrumental in further enhancing our dining offerings, and maintaining the high standards we expect across all three brands.”

BII Announce Licensee of the Year 2024 Winner The BII Licensee of the Year winner has been unveiled, Justine Lorriman from The Royal Dyche in Burnley beat off stiff competition from five other finalists to be named as the champion!

The BII licensee of the year award is widely regarded as the most rigorous and hard-fought award for individual licensee operators in the UK. Since January 2024, operators from across the UK have been whittled down from a field of over 300 nominations, all vying to become the next BII Licensee of the Year winner.

Excelling across all areas of the competition, Justine faced incredibly tough competition from the five other finalists, from a diverse range of business models and experience, with her performance on the final judging day seeing her take the top spot.

Taking on her pub 11 years ago, it was originally called The Princess Royal, but a joke on a chalkboard eventually saw the pub change to The Royal Dyche in 2018, immortalising Burnley FC’s then manager Sean Dyche.

With Justine at the helm, the business has been transformed into a pivotal local landmark and a hub of inclusivity, where customers from across the community can come together in a safe and welcoming space. Despite football being a key feature of The Royal Dyche, the events and other occasions that the pub supports, mean that match days are no longer their busiest times, with festivals, live music and charity fundraising bringing in customers from far and wide.

Justine’s dedication to transforming her pub into the centre of her community and the pride she takes in it are summed up in her own words: “At the Royal Dyche, you’re not just a face in the crowd; you are a valued member of my sportsloving family.”

Steve Alton, Chief Executive of the BII commented: “I’d like to offer a massive congratulations to Justine on behalf of myself and the whole team here at the BII, including our fantastic judges. This is the most rigorous and intense competition in our industry, so I would like to also congratulate our other wonderful finalists on this incredible achievement. This year more than ever, we saw incredible diversity across the operators and business models represented by our finalists, proving once again how much the great British pub has to offer in every community across the UK.” “Justine’s leadership, innovation and tenacity as an operator is simply inspirational. She represents everything that is uniquely brilliant about our industry, and we can’t wait to share the excellence and experience from her, and all our finalists over the coming year.”

The BII would also like to thank everyone who entered this year’s competition.

Despite the huge challenges they continue to face. Their tenacity and sheer determination for continued excellence has been an inspiration to the whole BII team.

80 Pub Closures Per Month, Research Reveals Issue 218

New data has revealed that 239 English and Welsh pubs were either demolished or converted for other uses in the first quarter of 2024.

It means around 80 pubs shut each month, representing a 56% increase on the closure of 51 pubs a month over the first quarter of 2023.

Sector leaders have said the data reflects the impact of high energy and food costs, tighter consumer spending and a significant tax burden on hospitality businesses.

The data, gathered from UK Government figures by real estate specialists Altus Group, shows that approximately 80 pubs closed per month in the period to 31 March 2024.

This means that whereas there were 39,401 pubs in England and Wales at the end of 2023, by the end of March 2024, there were 39,162.

homes, offices and nurseries.

Over the past year, a total of 472 pubs across England and Wales left communities for good.

Last week as political parties released their manifestos pub and brewery group bosses called for an immediate cut beer duty and demanded business rates reform ahead of next month’s General Election.

Alex Probyn, president of property tax at Altus Group, said: “The fundamental issue for business is not necessarily the system but how much tax it actually generates.

“It is a tax that has risen 49% during the last 14 years with business, across all sectors, now paying £9.48 billion a year more than in 2010.

The region to have suffered the biggest hit was North West England, which lost 35 during Q1 2024.

“Whilst the pledges are welcome to drive down bills permanently for the high street, business had hoped for more detail and a timeframe in achieving this.”

A growing number of pubs have disappeared from communities they once served after being demolished or converted for uses such as

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), said: “The pub closure figures for the first quarter of

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this year are a reflection of the continuing high costs of doing business, especially with factors like high energy costs and food and drink inflation remaining higher than the topline inflation rate.

“Trading conditions have also not been helped with the varied weather than we have experienced, and in addition, with £1 out of every £3 being spent in pubs going directly to the taxman, the tax burden with which the beer and pub sector must grapple is another cost component which squeezes margin.

“Last week saw the publication of the various party manifestos with the parties making different pledges to reform business rates, which combine with previous promises to recognise the importance of the sector for communities and the wider economy.

“It is for this reason why it will be essential that the next Government puts in place a fiscal and regulatory framework that makes sure that the sector does not survive, but thrives.”

Market Taverns Appoints Suzanne Baker As Non-Executive Director Suzanne Baker has been appointed Non-Executive Director of progressive London pub operator, Market Taverns. With a hugely successful track record in hospitality Suzanne, who has over 35 years’ experience at the forefront of hospitality retailing, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Market Taverns board.

Suzanne was appointed to her first board position at JD Wetherspoon at age 33. Following 13 years growing the brand Suzanne joined Stonegate Group as Commercial Director commanding the best in procurement and business strategy managing multi-million-pound contracts.

Suzanne was instrumental in the business growth success that saw the Stonegate business expand from 180 pubs to become the biggest pub

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company in the UK operating 4,500 businesses.

Serial entrepreneur and owner of Market Taverns, Rolf Munding said, “We are absolutely delighted to have Suzanne on board. Her career achievements speak volumes and together with her industry knowledge and strategic vision we are confident Suzanne will help put us firmly on the map as we continue to grow the business.”

Market Taverns operates 14 pubs in the heart of London including the quintessential Lady Ottoline in Bloomsbury; Chelsea’s gastro delight, Lots Road and the latest addition to the portfolio, The Spencer Arms overlooking Putney Common.

Suzanne is also Non-Executive Director of Cask Marque, the non-profit beer quality control initiative that encompasses pubs and brewers in driving excellence in beer quality.

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Issue 218

Pushing the Envelope - Why It Pays To Have a Holistic View of Card Payments

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Payment services are one of the most fundamental parts of a business’ finances, but they’re also an area that’s rapidly changing. Artificial Intelligence, digitisation, and predictive analytics are already starting to make a difference to how businesses operate and how they plan.

Business owners in the hospitality sector are calling out the emerging trends. From the rise of online and remote payments, to increases in travel and tourism, the use of cards as a payment mechanism, the need for payment software that supports exceptional customer service and card payments which integrate with other financial products and services.

One of those needs is understanding how digital transformation can create opportunities for your business. Being able to use and optimise your data is a great example. While data is fast becoming one of the most valuable assets you have, being able to access it easily, and analyse and understand what it means for your business can still be a challenge.

Cardnet have the tools to deliver a business management solution that is expressly designed to make running your business easier because they have data sitting at the top table.

You may know your customer by name, or what they look like, but our systems can help you better understand their actual behaviour, creating a more robust customer profile, and help you take a deeper dive into what they’re actually spending their money on.

The insight from your own customer data is great, but it can be backed up by broader data from our wider group. We touch more than 25% of the UK card market, which creates access to some strong trend information about where customers are spending, which in turn might be the extra push you need to get ahead of those trends everyone is talking about. We can share that insight with the businesses we support.

A 360 DEGREE VIEW

new technology emerges, and payment habits start to evolve, finding efficiencies when margins are tight and customers are watching every penny can really make a difference to growth and how successful your business becomes.

With an increasing 360degree view of real-time payment activity across every point-of-sale channel, and a full range of payment solutions to choose from, security is also important. No business can afford to lose money, or reputation, which is why secure data processing and fully PCI compliant payment devices is a must, regardless of who you work with. The Cardnet platform has a 99.9999% uptime* providing reassurance for you, your business, and your customers.

Taking the worry out of payment acceptance means you can focus on delivering great service, secure repeat custom, and support your ambitions to grow and hopefully thrive in even the most challenging of environments.

Some 35 years of experience in supporting hospitality businesses of all shapes and sizes with card payments has gone into developing Cardnet so that it continues to meet business’ requirements now and in the future.

We’re proud to support UK hospitality businesses be a part of that future.

Lloydsbank.com/cardnet *Based on the Cardnet platform maintaining 99.9999% uptime covering the 12 month period from January 2023 to January 2024.

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Authority under Registration Number 119278.

Hydes Pubs Summer Ready Following £1M Beer Garden Makeovers North west brewer and pub retailer Hydes is ready to welcome customers to its beer gardens, patios and terraces after investing over £1M across its pub estate.

As part of its ongoing pub refurbishment programme which has seen over £10M pumped into its estate since 2022, the family-owned business has enhanced many of its outdoor spaces, carrying out makeovers which have seen investment in smart new decking, patios, planters, benches and furniture, Nordic-style tipi extensions and outdoor screens and heaters. There’s even an innovative beer barn at The Joshua Bradley in Hyde which can be used exclusively for weddings and events.

Managing director of Hydes, Adam Mayers commented: “Every summer we have a packed programme of garden events at Hydes pubs as we know our customers love to enjoy the outdoors. So whether it’s enjoying a refreshing pint in a sun-kissed beer garden with friends, taking in the spectacular views of the North Wales countryside, attending a mini Glastonbury-type music festival or enjoying lunch in

one of our Nordic inspired tipis, there is something for everyone this summer at Hydes. That’s why we continue to invest in our pubs, ensuring that our customers have a memorable and enjoyable visit and will want to return, again and again.”

“We’ve invested heavily in our pub estate and remain committed to supporting our establishments, helping them to make the most of the summer weather. After the last few years, we’ve recognised that outdoor spaces such as beer gardens and terraces have never been more important. Our beer gardens investment programme is specifically designed to help our pub managers maximise the opportunity and we do everything we can to support and encourage activity outside that will boost business.

“Investment has dramatically transformed lots of our pubs' outdoor spaces, providing comfortable, welcoming spaces for people and communities to come together and enjoy a pint, a bite to eat and quality entertainment in a space that can be enjoyed all year round.”

Winterhalter Gets Ready for the Top Ten Countdown to the 2024 KP of the Year 2024 sees Winterhalter celebrate the 10th Kitchen Porter of the Year competition, which aims to recognise the amazing work so many kitchen porters do to keep the UK’s foodservice industry in peak condition.

£1000 in vouchers and a celebratory meal for friends and family in a casual dining restaurant of their choice. Furthermore, the winning KP’s employer will get a piece of Winterhalter equipment worth up to £10,000.

Since it was first held in 2013 KPOTY has become one of the biggest and most prestigious awards in the industry, and has been praised for its focus on the vital role kitchen porters play in catering and foodservice. In many businesses KPs are the secret weapons of the kitchen, going above and beyond their standard duties to keep them running smoothly. For many of the biggest names in the industry the experience they gained during their time as KPs served as the foundation to their future career.

Along with this, three highly commended KPs will receive vouchers to hospitality experiences, and every nominee will get a bespoke KP of the Year apron designed by Oliver Hardy.

Over seven hundred nominations have been made over the previous nine competitions, representing all sectors of foodservice, including the UK’s best hotels and restaurants, pubs bars and clubs, and institutional and contract caterers, demonstrating the importance of KPs throughout the industry.

“When we first came up with the idea for KP of the Year we had no idea that it would get the response it did,” says Stephen Kinkead, Winterhalter UK’s managing director. “It’s all about putting KPs and the work they do in the spotlight. It’s humbling to read the nominations – learning about the dedication and effort so many of them bring to their jobs is always inspiring.”

The KP of the Year 2024 will be awarded the prestigious KPOTY trophy, as well as

“Over the years we’ve received nominations from a hugely diverse range of businesses,” says Stephen. “For our tenth competition we’re looking forward to discovering more of the industry’s exceptional kitchen heroes!”

Nominations are open until the 30th of August. More information about the competition and previous winners, along with a link to the nomination form, can be found at www.kpoftheyear.com.

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.

Hospitality Groups Beat Mixed Weather And Inflation With 3.6% Growth Issue 218

Britain’s leading hospitality groups achieved year-on-year sales growth of 3.6% in May 2024 despite disappointing weather in many parts of Britain, the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

It is a quick return to growth after a 1.7% drop in trading in April, which followed six consecutive months of positive numbers.

May’s figure is also comfortably above the current rate of inflation, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index. An easing of some household bills, along with two Bank Holiday weekends, provided a welcome boost to consumer spending during the month.

The Tracker—produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with RSM UK—shows year-on-year growth was highest in the pub sector at 4.4%, while restaurants achieved 3.8%. Bars saw a 2.7% drop, though this is a substantial improvement on April’s figure. The onthe-go segment was 1.6% down.

For the fifth time in six months, hospitality groups performed better in London than elsewhere in Britain. May sales were 4.1% ahead of last year inside the M25, while increasing by 3.5% beyond it.

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Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “May brought a relief to return to above-inflation growth in hospitality after a blip of negative numbers in April. Wet and cool weather continues to work against pub operators, but they and restaurants may be starting to feel the benefit of a relaxation of spending among some consumers, especially over occasions like Bank Holiday weekends.

Bars and on-the-go sites are meanwhile still some way short of where they could be. The General Election and greater economic certainty may help to unlock further spending, but operators will be hoping above all for much brighter summer weather to tempt people out of home.”

Saxon Moseley head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, said: “A return to growth in May is welcome news but the sluggish gains since April’s minimum wage increase means that many operators will be struggling to absorb this additional overhead. As rainy weather and delayed interest rate cuts continue to weigh on the recovery of consumer confidence, pressure will be mounting on whoever is elected in July to offer much needed support to the sector, with rates reform, reduced VAT and better access to skilled workers high on the wish list.”

Increasing Pub Closures Show Impact Of Cost Increases New analysis shows the number of pubs in England and Wales fell by 239 in the first quarter of 2024 – almost 80 a month.

doors, robbing communities of a vital asset and costing people their jobs.

The closures came in the months immediately preceding aboveinflation increases to both business rates and wages, which significantly increased the cost burden for hospitality businesses by a total of £3.4 billion.

“The fact that we’re seeing such a high number of sites closing for good should concern us all, particularly as this occurred before above-inflation increases to business rates and wage costs in April.

Responding to the figures, Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “The level of closures that we’re continuing to see reinforces that the challenges facing our nation’s pubs remains as acute as ever.

“It is unacceptable that 80 pubs a month are forced to shut their

“This underlines the need for any incoming government to urgently address the cost burden facing hospitality businesses. It’s encouraging that replacing or reforming the business rates system has featured in several party manifestos, delivering on one of our key policy recommendations. Such changes are essential to ensure hospitality can create places where people want to live work and invest.”

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Brewing Success: The UK Pub Sector is at a Turning Point 14

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Issue 218

By Giles Fuchs, Owner of Burgh Island Hotel and the Pilchard Inn should also provide the sector with a much-needed influx of new business. All this does indeed suggest that the industry is at a turning point.

Renewed confidence is boosting performance This combination of renewed confidence from both pub chains and consumers is set to benefit the sector, fostering a robust recovery and future growth. Also, despite pubs contending with rising costs, interest rates are forecast to fall. With real disposable income set to grow for consumers, along with their confidence, the horizon appears positive for the industry.

UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls claimed last month that the industry is now over the worst. True last year was difficult. Take the pubs sector.

Over 500 of the UK’s pubs closing. More recently however, market conditions have improved.

Indeed, Heineken has announced it is spending £39m on reopening 62 pubs, Greene King has announced a new brewery in East Anglia, and JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin has identified 130 towns and cities for new pubs.

In addition to these signs of recovery from on-trade venues, macroeconomic factors such as easing interest rates and slowing inflation should also provide relief to the pub sector. We have already seen consumer confidence increase – a recent CBRE study found 65% of respondents planned to increase or maintain how frequently they visited a pub.

Furthermore, the upcoming summer season filled with sporting championships such as the Euros, T20 World Cup and Summer Olympics

At Burgh Island, we too have committed to enhancing our pub, the Pilchard Inn. As Devon’s oldest smugglers’ pub, we have hired a new head chef, introduced a new summer menu, and lengthened our opening hours to make the most of the coming summer, in anticipation of the arrival of guests looking to quench their thirst in a historic location with excellent scenic ocean views.

Government action has helped Growing confidence in the sector can also be seen from Government action. The Chancellor’s announcement in this year’s Spring Budget that the alcohol duty freeze would be extended to February 2025 was a welcome relief for the food and beverage sector.

Additionally, the extension to the 75% discount to business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure firms is expected to save up to £110,000 per business.

However, the Government only froze the small business multiplier for pubs with a rateable value of less than £51,000, leaving larger businesses to shoulder the price of inflation since April, in turn potentially increasing costs for consumers, which is a situation whichever party comes to power in the forthcoming general election should address.

Take advantage of a summer of sport

With summer getting underway, pubs can also expect an uptick in business with improved weather and international sporting tournaments.

One way that pubs can take advantage of the longer days and favourable weather is by amending their opening hours. At Burgh Island, for example, the Pilchard Inn remains open seven days a week from 11 am to midnight, maximising opportunities to attract and serve more customers.

The 2024 UEFA Euros begin in mid-June, and Brits are expected to drink just over 600 million pints across the 33-day tournament. Around half of pubgoers intend to watch games in a pub, with spending predicted to be £2.4bn for the championship – a welcome influx for the nation’s on-trade venues.

Furthermore, should England or Scotland make the semi-finals of the Euros in July, pubs will benefit from not only longer opening hours, as mandated by the Government, but from more customers.

In addition to the football, the Paris Summer Olympics is also predicted to bring in more business, with a third of pubgoers intending to watch the games in a pub.

With just shy of two months of international sporting competition this summer, pubs can look forward to significant economic activity and a vibrant atmosphere for sports fans across the nation. This extended period of events promises to boost revenue and invite a lively and prosperous summer season.

As UK pubs navigate these transformative times, the convergence of strategic investments, supportive government policies, and a resurgence in consumer confidence heralds a more promising future. The anticipated economic boost from major sporting events this summer further underscores the sector’s resilience and potential for growth. This period marks a pivotal moment, paving the way for the pub sector to leave the dark days of the past couple of years and reclaim their place at the heart of British culture.

Wireless Social Makes Final Call For Teams To Enter Hospitality Kicks Football Tournament Later This Month Wireless Social, the Access Group-owned leading provider of guest Wi-Fi solutions, is making a final call for both men’s and women’s teams to re-create EUROs fever and sign up to its annual charity football tournament, Hospitality Kicks. With Access Hospitality kickstarting the fundraising with a £20,000 donation, hopes are high that funds can eclipse the £25,000 raised for charity last year.

Now in its second year, the tournament – raising money for the Tim Bacon Foundation, the Licensed Trade Charity and Only a Pavement Away – will be taking place on Tuesday 25th June at Wythenshawe Sports Ground in Manchester, with the aim of smashing last year’s total raised.

The tournament – won last year by the Licensed Trade Charity (men’s) and Snowfox Group/YO Sushi (women’s) – is a 7-a-side format, with three subs allowed per game. Every match will be refereed by a professional official, ensuring fair officiating in each game.

There is still plenty of time to register your team, and it’s open to operators, suppliers and agencies alike – anybody with a connection to the hospitality and leisure industries can enter

a team to be in with a chance of lifting the trophy – which last year was presented by Liverpool and Scotland icon, Sir Kenny Dalglish.

Julian Ross, Founder and CEO of Wireless Social, said: “Last year’s Hospitality Kicks football tournament was a huge success, raising more than £25,000 for three of our industry’s leading charities. With the additional support of Access Hospitality, we’re expecting this year’s follow-up event to be even bigger and more exciting, and there’s still plenty of time to get involved and enter your team.”

Champa Magesh, Managing Director – Access Hospitality at The Access Group, said: “At Access Hospitality our purpose is to serve hospitality operators – the lifeblood of the UK economy. We are delighted to be a part of Wireless Social’s annual Hospitality Kicks tournament, raising money for three outstanding charities, and I’d like to extend the best of luck to each and every team competing on the day.”

To enter a men’s or women’s team into the tournament, simply visit this website and register your interest. Entries will close on Friday 21st June. www.wireless-social.com

Energy for Rural Hospitality Businesses – Versatility is Key As energy-intensive operations, for hospitality businesses the drive towards sustainability and reducing carbon emissions also needs to factor in the careful balance of customer experience and efficiency. That’s why a fuel that does it all can be a game-changer.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR OPTIONS With busy hotels, pubs and bars requiring a fuel source that offers increased reliability and a controllable flame for cooking, LPG can be utilised for a variety of uses, such as hot water, heating and cooking requirements.

In addition, Calor’s range of storage options, including underground tanks, which can be hidden out of sight, means there’s a solution for every business.

READY FOR THE FUTURE Despite being one of the most carbon intensive fuel sources, oil-fuelled boilers are still commonly found in off-grid catering outlets. Switching from oil to LPG can immediately cut CO emissions by up to 18%1 compared to oil and is

ideal for rural businesses where electricity is simply not viable due to the processes needed or simply because of limited supply to the location.

From providing an instant and controllable flame needed to create mouthwatering meals, to offering the versatility for heating and hot water requirements, Calor LPG is the fuel source catering businesses can trust.

To take this step further, once a business is on LPG they can easily switch without any change of equipment or infrastructure - to Futuria Liquid Gas which is a sustainable fuel made from a blend of waste, residues and sustainably sourced materials. For catering businesses keen to demonstrate their reduction in carbon emissions, the Green Gas Certification Scheme ensures traceability of all Futuria Liquid Gas delivered to, and used up by, our hospitality customers, while also highlighting the amount of CO2 saved.

To find out how Calor can help your business thrive, visit calor.co.uk/caterers

Listed Building Consent: Is It Worth It? 16

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Issue 218

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

It is (undoubtedly) often said that there is nothing as charming and planning consultant. or as quintessentially English as a beautifully preserved ancient It is also important to bear in mind that the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s criteria for pub. And yet for many within the hospitality industry, the idea of listed buildings isn’t limited to specific buildings in isolation, or solely to bricks and mortar: in addition to applying for listed building consent to revive an old pub will ‘buildings of importance because of their design, decoration and craftsmanship’ other categories are buildings raise alarm bells. which ‘illustrate an aspect of the nation's social, economic, cultural or military history’, ‘demonstrate close hisIn this article, I’ll explain how that process isn’t as complex torical association with nationally important people or events’ and ‘form part of an architectural ensemble, and convoluted as some believe, and my experience of achieving such as squares, terraces or model villages’: the context and the historical significance can result in a building listed building consent for the restoration of an ancient coachbe listed too. ing inn.

Listed building consent is obtained though the local planning authority. Once the architect has drawn up the Dating back to the 1300s, The Mitre is Oxford’s oldest pub. plans, the planning consultant will check whether or not it requires listed building consent and if it does, what From the days of Chaucer, the Peasants’ Revolt and the Hundred Years war, people have been drinking on the site – ini- the local authority regards as acceptable, which can vary considerably, and therefore whether the plans are tially in a cellar which is still intact today, and later in the 1630s likely to achieve consent. inn built above it. Not only was The Mitre a Medieval drinking establishment, but it is said to have been used as one of the ancient centres of learning which eventually gave rise to the foundation of the University of Oxford.

So it was a disappointment to the city when the pub’s longstanding owners, Lincoln College, closed The Mitre in 2019. But this was necessary to undertake the substantial repairs and renovations to make it fit for continued use. With its stone fireplaces and panelling dating from the 1600s, stucco clad beam with a decorative pattern of exotic pomegranates (possibly dating from the previous century and moved on site), the inn not only has fascinating history but a history which is well-evidenced in its fabric.

In 2022 the building was acquired by Gusto Italian, which committed to a £1.4 million investment, both to preserve the listed features but also to introduce modern design elements unique to the brand. And dining in the Theatre Kitchen or the Dine Under the Olive Trees restaurants today, few would argue that the sensitive restoration has been a success.

A bureaucratic nightmare? Not really - listed building consent doesn’t need to be complex, even in the case of such a highly protected building. But to carry out unauthorised work is a criminal offence which can result in individuals being prosecuted and the work reversed, so it’s important to involve an experienced architect

As is frequently the case, the application for listed building consent for the Mitre was submitted along with a planning application for further structural works, with Boyer handling both.

A series of ‘pre-app’ meetings with the conservation office follow prior to the submission of the planning application. The period for determination should take no more than 13 weeks, but varies considerably due to the extent of negotiation with the conservation officer and the requirement for Historic England and other organisations to be consulted. Local residents are also informed and invited to comment.

In most cases, a well-managed listed building consent will be granted by council officers under delegated legislation, rather than doing to a planning committee. Generally speaking, local authorities are keen to see historic buildings brought back into use, their features retained and the building once again making a positive contribution to the built environment. If officers have been actively involved and their advice taken, the outcome is usually positive.

No applicant should feel that listed building consent exists only to preserve or reinstate an ancient building: the purpose of planning is to manage change. The system exists to enable historically significant buildings to continue to have a role, but it doesn’t require that role to replicate its original use precisely. As diners in Oxford’s new Italian restaurant will testify, thanks to changing tastes and trends, hospitality venues are destined to change over time, and the system exists to recognise and facilitate this.

Inflation Falls To 2% Target As Food Prices Rise At Slowest Rate Since 2021 Inflation has fallen to the Bank of England’s 2% target for the first time in almost three years.

true economic recovery that reaches every sector of society.'”

Prices rose at 2% in the year to May, down from 2.3% the month before, according to official figures.

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Inflation coming down to 2% and hitting the Bank of England’s target is the strongest signal yet for interest rates to be cut.

The fall in May’s figure was driven by a slowdown in price rises for food and soft drinks, recreation and culture, and furniture and household goods.

Inflation hit 11.1% – its highest level in over 40 years – in October 2022 as energy and food prices surged due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, sparking a cost of living crisis, but has been steadily falling since.

“It’s clear that the economy is heading in the right direction, which should give confidence to the Bank that now is the time to begin easing the sustained pressure from high interest rates on businesses and consumers.

Services price inflation, which looks only at the service-related categories such as hospitality fell 0.2 points to 5.7 per cent, but did not drop as low as the 5.5 per cent expected by economists.

“We need to remember that costs remain high for hospitality businesses and beginning to reduce the cost burden for the sector needs to be a priority for any incoming government.”

Michael Kill, CEO of NTIA, commented, ‘Hitting the 2% inflation target might seem like a win, but for businesses and consumers on the ground, it’s a different story. This achievement hasn’t yet brought real benefits to those who need it most. While some may celebrate, many in our industry are barely hanging on. The harsh reality is that the struggle continues daily, and we must keep supporting those affected to ensure a

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “A year-and-a-half ago, the Bank of England predicted the longest recession in 100 years. Instead, we have had a soft landing with inflation that was higher than nearly any other major economy now lower than nearly all our major competitors. That shows the difficult decisions that we’ve taken.”

Stella Artois Launches ‘Perfect Serve’ Campaign Celebrating The Perfect Pint Budweiser Brewing Group celebrates their dedication to serve quality, incentivising consumers to rate the quality of their Stella Artois serve, and rewarding customers who serve the perfect Stella Artois.

Stella Artois, a proud part of Budweiser Brewing Group, has announced the launch of its new ‘Perfect Serve’ campaign, illustrating the brand’s dedication to the perfect serve ritual.

From the 1st of March consumers are encouraged to rate the quality of their Stella Artois or Stella Artois Unfiltered served in 2000+ venues

across Britain. Consumers will be rewarded with cash back on the full price of their pint, driving footfall to on-trade venues stocking Stella Artois on tap.

From the 1st of May through to the 26th of June, Stella Artois, the official beer partner of the Wimbledon Championships, will then offer participating consumers entry to a prize draw for a chance to win a pair of tickets to Wimbledon Tennis Championships; transforming every Stella Artois moment into a chance to win.

At the heart of the campaign is a mobile powered platform called TaDa, which allows consumers to rate the quality their Stella Artois and Stella Artois Unfiltered serve. As part of the campaign, Budweiser Brewing Group will also be ensuring continued excellent serve quality by refreshing tap lines, training staff on the perfect serve ritual, and using targeted ads to drive local customer traffic into participating pubs yearround. Each pub will also receive promotional kits with coasters, bar

runners and other materials to promote the ‘Perfect Serve’ campaign.

"We're excited to give pub-goers even more reasons to enjoy a pint of Stella Artois through this new campaign," Elise Dickinson, Stella Artois Marketing Director. "By focusing on the Perfect Serve, we aim to boost dwell time and keep customers coming back for the perfect pint."

The ‘Perfect Serve’ uses the iconic Stella Artois chalice, pouring at a 45-degree angle whilst allowing the foam to spill over the top of the chalice. Next is to use the skimmer to slice the excess foam off the top – which creates a smooth foam barrier that locks in the CO2 bubbles, providing Stella Artois with its distinctly fresh flavour. The final step is the placement, with the cartouche (the brands iconic emblem representing it’s 600 years of brewing history) facing forward towards the consumer.

Sign up here https://thepubclub.beer/service/perfect-serve/ to be part of the campaign.

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Issue 218

The Top Checkout Concerns as Told by B2B F&B Buyers, and the Technology Your Business Can Implement To Prevent Them

By Louis Carbonnier, co-founder and President of Hokodo (www.hokodo.co) where he leads the product strategy of the company’s payment terms solutions.

Earlier this year, Hokodo launched its inaugural report on the e-commerce habits and expectations of B2B buyers.

The report featured data collected from a survey of 500 buyers from businesses across the UK and EU, including a number of buyers in the food and beverage (F&B) industry, who shared their thoughts about how suppliers could improve their customer service, checkout experience and payment processes.

The report found that 93% of F&B B2B buyers surveyed make their purchases via online platforms. Of this, 69% make over half of all their purchases online and 98% said they will make more or the same number of purchases online in 2024 as they did last year, signifying the growing prevalence of e-commerce in F&B business trade.

However, only 2% of survey respondents said that they hadn’t experienced any issues at checkout at all suggesting that the industry has a long way to go to improve customer experience.

With a huge proportion of F&B B2B buyers making their purchases online, there’s no room for poor checkout experiences. It’s time for B2B sellers in the F&B space to listen to their customers, improve their checkout process and ultimately boost loyalty. Here are the top 3 issues encountered by B2B F&B buyers, and the technology solutions you can introduce to prevent them.

Buyers cite lack of real-time information as top concern 50% of B2B F&B survey respondents said that a lack of real-time information is their top concern when ordering online. In an industry where buyers are frequently placing daily orders, it’s essential that sellers are keeping on top of their stock availability so that customers aren’t left disappointed at checkout when they dis-

cover that what they were looking for isn’t available after all.

Consider adopting inventory management software to your online store. This will allow you to meet the needs of your customers, fulfil all incoming orders and maintain a high level of customer service, preventing dissatisfaction.

F&B buyers prepared to abandon cart without payment terms F&B buyers are prepared to abandon their cart if they can’t shop on their own terms. In fact, 86% of F&B survey respondents said that they will abandon a purchase if payment terms are not available at checkout meaning that if you’re not currently partnered with an embedded finance provider, it should be on your list of priorities for the second half of the year.

Integrating seamless trade credit options into your B2B e-commerce experience can be complex on your own, but with a trusted partner it is simple, safe and supported. Find out what your customers want - this could vary from 30, 60 or 90 day payment terms, to instalments or trade accounts. Payment terms provide benefits to the seller, too, with embedded solutions available that allow you to get paid up-front and in full while your customer still benefits from access to trade credit.

Poor user experience driving customers away 45% of F&B buyers said that they’d encountered poor user experience (UX) when shopping online, relating to the speed and complexity of the checkout process. With the majority of F&B B2B purchases taking place online, it’s essential that sellers perfect their UX, or face being abandoned by potential customers in favour of a tech-savvy competitor.

Solutions could include allowing customers to store data for a faster checkout experience next time, enabling repeat orders, removing unnecessary questions from forms or taking measures to speed up your website by optimising images or limiting your website’s HTTP requests.

The rise in online orders in the F&B industry marks an exciting shift.. With a coherent online channel, sellers can open their business up to new territories and customers, and introduce a range of new stock that might not be feasible in a bricks and mortar premises. However, this change comes with its challenges, and it’s essential to keep up with buyer demands in order to stay ahead of the competition. Fortunately, there are plenty of accessible technology solutions on offer to improve the customer experience, and subsequently, gain their loyalty.

Highland Hotel Reaches World 'Green' Final A highland hotel that built a pioneering Energy Centre will take its place amongst global names after being short-listed in the first World Sustainable Travel and Hospitality Awards.

The Award categories were chosen to reflect the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and will be contested by brands such as Accor, Radisson and Mandarin Oriental.

The family-run Glen Mhor Hotel in Inverness developed Scotland’s first ever Water Source Energy solution centre in 2021, in a historic conservation area, saving 250 tonnes of carbon per year.

"When we evaluated our business with a desire to future-proof with renewable technology and practices, we knew we had to take bold steps in order to achieve our net zero goals,” recalls Victoria Erasmus, Sustainability Director.

It initiated its own Climate Action Plan and has introduced programmes to promote inclusion and positive mental health, with its 146 employees each having an individual Green job title.

Now its climate action and people initiatives have been rewarded with listings in three categories for the worldwide award; the only business in Scotland to be named, and one of only two in Britain.

Selected from hundreds of entries, the Glen Mhor will now go up against international chains, resorts and famous names in the global vote, which is now open to everyone.

Voting will close on 2nd August and the winners in each category will be announced in the inaugural ceremony in Belize on 27th September.

The Glen Mhor Hotel, which also uses its £8m Energy Centre to produce malt whisky and craft beer at its on-site Uile-bheist Distillery and Brewery, scored high with judges on three aspects.

Its nominations are for World Leading Sustainable Energy Efficiency Initiative, World leading Sustainable Water and Waste Innovation and the World’s Leading Sustainable Employer.

"Our Energy Centre and sustainable technology had never been used before and we had the challenge of building during lockdown in a historic conservation area and during the Covid pandemic. Despite the challenges and the risks, we were driven by the urgency to address a global climate crisis.

"As a smaller player among these fellow nominees, I am incredibly proud of our team's efforts and honoured to have been shortlisted. This recognition is a testament to the fact that everyone in the hospitality industry, not just the large chains and resorts, can make a significant impact on sustainability and climate change. The journey has been challenging, but this acknowledgement is the ultimate reward for our hard work and dedication."

As well as transforming operational practices, the 126-room hotel by the River Ness has won praise for its staff initiatives, with 20 trained mental health first aiders, sensory recruitment practices and measures to promote inclusion in hospitality.

“Sustainability is at the heart for our staff and training,” explained Victoria. “In our business, every role is a green role, designed with environmental responsibility in mind. This approach is essential for transforming both attitudes and operational practices

VK Enters Alcohol-Free Category with VK Blue 0.0% The UK’s biggest RTD brand in the on-trade category*, VK, is entering the alcohol-free market for the first time with the launch of ‘VK Blue 0.0%’.

their night.

The launch comes following shifting market dynamics and consumer behaviours, which have seen low and no-alcohol products become the fastest-growing category in the ontrade sector in the last year, according to Neilson (NIQ) data.

Craig Chapman, spokesperson at VK, explains: "We are proud to introduce our very first VK Zero available in our ‘OG’ Blue flavour. Our loyal VK fans are at the heart of everything we do, so recognising the changing drinking culture among 18-24s and supporting these choices through product innovation is incredibly important to us.

To support its development, VK commissioned research among students in key university towns across the UK, in a bid to better understand evolving drinking habits within the 1824 age demographic.

“The insights highlight a clear opportunity for on and off-trade stockists to support consumers’ changing needs and tastes, while providing greater choice when it comes to high-quality, fun, alcohol-free options.”

The findings reveal nearly half (49%) of students now consume less alcohol compared to the previous year, with 32% intending to further reduce their intake in the coming months.

The primary motivation for 79% is a focus on mindful socialising and connecting, with only 6% driven by the ‘buzz’ of alcohol.

Craig continued: “VK's mission is to bring people together to share unforgettable experiences. With Blue being our best-performing flavour, the decision to launch it in 0.0% format was an easy one and we’ve already received strong interest from a number of customers.

VK Zero maintains the signature, fruity flavour profile synonymous with VK Blue, but with 0% alcohol content, providing a more inclusive option by appealing to those looking to reduce their alcohol consumption or abstain.

VK Blue 0.0% is not the only new product joining VK’s lineup ahead of summer. The RTD brand is also announcing its newest VK flavour, which is set to launch following the successful #WEAREFLAVOUR campaign, which has asked consumers to vote for the next product to join the lineup.

Unlike many competing brands in the category, VK Blue 0.0% offers an added caffeine boost (32mg per 100ml, similar to standard energy drinks), ensuring consumers stay energised throughout

For further information on VK Zero click here: https://www.vkofficial.com/vkzero/.

TheAcademic‘Karaoke Room Effect’: Research into UK Hospitality Venues Reveals 20

CLH Digital

Issue 218

Financial Benefits of Giving Customers the Opportunity to Sing

British bars and restaurants installing karaoke systems experience a 12.2% increase in ROA, according to research by Finland’s Aalto University Finland’s Aalto University (www.aalto.fi/en) has undertaken the first ever research project into the financial impact of karaoke rooms within UK bars, restaurants, and other hospitality venues. At a time when the UK hospitality industry is under increasing pressure (over 6,000 hospitality venues closing their doors between December 2022 - December 2023, according to data from CGA by NIQ and AlixPartners), the findings present a potential silver bullet for the sector: the study of 53 UK venues during 2018-2022 revealing venues with karaoke experienced a 12.2% increase in return on assets (ROA) when compared to a control group without.

THE KARAOKE ROOM EFFECT - KEY FINDINGS FROM AALTO UNIVERSITY STUDY, AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH The research was commissioned by Singa (www.singa.com/business), the Finnish startup revolutionising the karaoke industry by providing innovative, professional karaoke software that gives venues access to a fully licensed song catalogue (frequently updated to add new hits), and customisable display and room management capabilities. Singa currently provides professional karaoke tech and business consultancy to well-known UK hospitality venues such as Boom Battle Bar and Roxy Leisure (both of which featured in the analysis).

Singa asked Aalto University researcher Ngoc Anh Pham to explore the impact of karaoke rooms on financial performance in UK hospitality venues. Aalto University is the leading university in Finland and, created through the merger of Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics, and the University of Art and Design Helsinki in 2010, is in the top universities for business and economics worldwide. The study reveals a 12.2% increase in ROA for venues with karaoke compared to those with no such facilities (ROA measures how effectively a business uses its assets to create profit). In addition to booking fees, additional revenue is shown to be created through attracting a new customer base and a corresponding uptick on beverage, snack, and other purchases.

The benefit to the business is not only financial, but has a positive experiential impact on patrons and customers who are able to enjoy an engaging and fun social activity with friends, increasing likelihood of return.

The Aalto University insights support the findings of European research conducted by Singa. In spring 2018, Singa analysed 37 European venues, finding that karaoke resulted in a 31% increase in the number of customers, alongside a 35% increase in average customer spend. In those venues that hosted occasional karaoke nights, a 42% increase in average customer spend during these special events (2-4 times a month) was observed.

The business benefits of a karaoke room can also be viewed in light of the current trend towards experiences, including ‘competitive socialising’.

According to research from Savills published in November 2023, the competitive socialising sector has grown at “unparalleled levels” over the past five years (with a 38% increase in competitive socialising venues since 2015). This reflects a growing trend amongst Gen Z and Millennials for favouring defined experiences over ‘things’, and with sobriety or drinking less becoming more popular for Gen Z (the ‘sober curious generation’), venues which offer alternative entertainment options are increasingly appealing to previously underserved customer groups. Competitive socialising is not a new concept - darts or pool being a mainstay of UK venues for centuries - but new options are increasingly sophisticated and often tech-enhanced.

To further demonstrate the interest in competitive socialising - and karaoke in particular - UK Google Trends data shows a marked volume increase in searches for ‘karaoke room’, with interest (measured by Google searches) more than doubling over the last five years (analysed up to February 2024).

Atte Hujanen, Co-Founder and CEO at Singa, comments: “Our research confirms that Britons want escapism through song. Anecdotally, I have always known that karaoke brings a huge benefit to hospitality businesses through the joy it brings, but for the first time the positive business impact to British venues can be quantified. Hospitality as an industry has faced serious challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently the cost of living crisis in the UK, and it’s clear that karaoke can help venues adapt and continue to thrive by offering local communities additional fun, social experiences.”

32 Independent Venues Shut Weekly In 2023-2024, As Political Parties Accused Of Turning Back On Youth And Culture The upcoming general election on July 4th has once again revealed a distressing lack of commitment from major political parties towards our younger generation and the vibrant cultural sector crucial to our nation’s future. Instead of offering a forward-thinking vision that engages and inspires youth, these parties have chosen to rely on support from an ageing demographic, neglecting the voices and needs of tomorrow’s voters.

We are deeply concerned to report a devastating trend reshaping our nightlife. Over the past year, an average of 32 independent nighttime economy venues have closed weekly.

This wave of closures is tearing out the beating heart of our vibrant nightlife, leaving a void that may never be filled.

The impact on our communities is stark. Factors like overregulation, inflation, and the pressures faced by independent businesses are creating an environment where survival is increasingly challenging. This trend threatens to homogenise our urban landscapes, stripping away the diversity and vitality that define our nightlife.

This oversight is particularly glaring given that the nighttime economy is one of the largest employers of under-30s and a major attraction for this age group. Underestimating the long-term impact on this demographic is shortsighted; they are not just the workforce of today but also the leaders and voters of tomorrow.

The manifestos presented by political parties are disappointingly superficial, filled with vague promises and hollow assurances. Token gestures of “promoting cultural activities” and acknowledging nightlife challenges lack concrete plans or steps for action. These fail to address critical issues such as education, employment,

housing, and cultural development.

Furthermore, the parties’ reliance on the ageing electorate reflects a myopic strategy focused on short-term gains at the expense of long-term societal sustainability. This approach alienates young voters and jeopardises our future. The voices of youth, who are tomorrow’s leaders and cultural ambassadors, are being marginalised.

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, underscores this disconnect, highlighting that young voices feel ignored and detached from the electoral process. He challenges political parties to support youth culture and nightlife, urging them to listen to the 2 million under-30s employed in this sector, the billions that take part in nightlife and to recognise the 90,000 businesses vital to our cultural fabric.

As the election approaches, it is crucial for political parties to engage meaningfully with the younger generation. Our nation’s future hinges on their participation and empowerment. We urge parties to move beyond rhetoric and offer substantive policies that address real concerns and support our cultural sector.

We call on all political parties to demonstrate genuine commitment to our nation’s future. Young voters and cultural advocates deserve more than empty promises; they deserve inclusion, recognition, and a vision that ensures our nightlife can thrive once again. Immediate action is essential to prevent further devastation and preserve our nightlife as a beacon of creativity and innovation.

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Political Parties Have “Not Grasped the Business Rates Issue” “Looking at the newly launched election manifestos from the three main political parties in this year’s general election, it has become apparent that none of them appear to understand or have properly grasped the business rates issue or how best to support the high street.” says John Webber Head of Business Rates at Colliers.

The majority consensus among businesses and the professionals is that the current system which provides £30 billion a year for local authority funding, “is not fit for purpose” and needs to be fundamentally reformed- to create a fair property tax that is affordable, transparent and easy to administer.

So what are the main political parties saying about it?

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS – The Liberal Democrats brought out their manifesto first in which they claimed they will: “Boost small businesses and empower them to create new local jobs, including by abolishing business rates and replacing them with a Commercial Landowner Levy to help our high streets.”

Although the Lib Dems have given no further detail of how this Commercial Landowner Levy will work, it looks likely that they are resurrecting their long-term policy of a commercial land tax on landlords .

The Tories said they would, “Deliver a 10-point plan to support SMEs in the next parliament which would include continuing to ease the burden of business rates for high street, leisure and hospitality businesses by increasing the multiplier on distribution warehouses that support online shopping over time.”

The manifesto also reiterated the Conservatives’ business rates support package, worth £4.3bn over the next five years, to support small businesses and the high street.

OUR VIEW According to Webber, “This is also disappointing. The Conservatives have failed to honour their original manifesto commitment to cut the business rates burden and we are now sitting on a multiplier of 54.6 %, the highest in the UK’s history. Nowhere else in Europe do businesses pay half the rental value of premises in property taxes. Such a tax rate is too high, stifling growth new investment in business.”

The proposal to shift some of the burden of business rates onto warehouses also “misses the point – that the overall burden of business rates is simply too high for everyone”. Distribution warehouses have already seen some of the biggest increases in their rates bills following the 2023 revaluation when the average rateable value increased around 35%. “The Conservatives should be cutting the rate for all, not just targeting specific sectors.”

At no point in its manifesto do the Conservative mention tackling the multiplier or the relief system. Webber concludes, “Their proposals do nothing to stimulate future growth.”

LABOUR

If this is the case we’d be moving to a system where commercial land is taxed regardless of whether the buildings above it are occupied and the tax would apply to unused and derelict commercial land also. The report claims the Commercial Landlord Levy would mean lower taxes for businesses in 92% of English local authorities.

The final manifesto, Labour’s, rightly emphasizes the issues with business rates which they recognise “disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets.” Labour is committed to replacing the system, “so we can raise the same revenue but in a fairer way.”

OUR VIEW

But again, the detail is vague. Labour says, “This new system will level the playing field between the high street and online giants, better incentivize investment, tackle empty properties and support entrepreneurship.”

John Webber says, “We believe the idea of trying to replace business rates with a full commercial landowner tax is unrealistic. A land value tax would be a complicated system that would struggle to be evidence based.”

Moreover, business rates were set up to pay for the amenities and services businesses use in the community. There is surely no dispute that they should pay something for these services. To replace the levy with a total land tax on landowners would impact on land values and discourage investment into property generally. Among other things, this would not be good news for pension fund holders.The additional tax would also result in landlords retrieving their lost income by hiking up the rents they charge to occupiers.

Webber comments, “ We would therefore have a system whereby businesses would end up paying more to the landlord but, unlike in the present system, would be unable to appeal against their combined rent and rate bills that the landlord would introduce. So how would they benefit?” Other parts of their plans also show naivety. The Lib Dems claim that land will be valued on its “best permitted use” and that this would encourage landowners to work their land better. This implies they are not doing so now and ignores considerations of commercial viability.

They seem to think that without a land tax, land will be sitting empty and largely undeveloped, again ignoring the commercial realities of development in today’s marketplace. Even more concerning is that they admit the system would not produce enough tax income and the gap would need to be filled – probably by also raising corporation tax.

The period of transition between the two systems would also be tricky and unwieldly.

Webber concludes,” So, whilst we agree the current business rates system needs reform and drastic reform at that, we still need to remember that business rates raise £30 billion for the economy and local authority financing. To abolish them totally would be a drastic step. To try to put all the costs on the landowner would backfire given the impact on investment, rents and through increased corporation tax.”

THE CONSERVATIVES The Conservative manifesto has very little to say about business rates reform.

OUR VIEW Webber says, “Pledging to abolish business rates and replace them with a business property tax is the easy bit. But we need to be able to advise businesses on what kind of taxes they will be paying under a Labour government and Labour’s vagueness is frustrating- they give no detail as to how they will replace the £30 billion of income that business rates raise.”

Moreover, as Webber points out, “If Labour plans to raise the same amount of money but shield the high street, they will need to collect it from some other sector- such as logistics / industrials or offices.

Someone will need to take the pain.”

The mention of levelling the playing field between the high street and online giants, may indicate Labour is thinking again about resurrecting the idea of some sort of Digital Services Tax- which included a £3 billion tax raid on tech companies such as Amazon and Facebook. Labour later abandoned these plans after being warned that such a policy could result in a trade war with the US. Webber also wonders if Labour might be tempted to postpone the 2026 revaluation, since in that Revaluation retail RVs will bounce back. “If the Revaluation goes ahead as it is scheduled to do so, the retail sector will see an increase in RV and will take on a bigger business rates tax burden. Labour may decide to postpone the revaluation to keep retail RVs at their current low state. Otherwise it will be hard to see how they will keep their promises of defending the high street.”

The reference to “tackling empty properties” could also refer to Labour’s thoughts about a “new shops bonus” it has already trailed -to incentivise legitimate businesses. Under the plans, shop owners are offered a three-month business rates holiday in the first year in new premises. This would come in from month seven to nine to ensure the new business is viable and legitimate before it benefits from taxpayers’ cash. The business rate discount would be paid for by reallocating funding currently used to provide three months of ‘empty property relief’.

Labour says this relief currently goes to the landlord, rather than helping new tenants.

Webber adds, “We think this thinking rather misses the point.

Landlords often have a 12-month gap before finding suitable tenants, so to “clobber” them with empty rates is unfair and will do nothing to speed up re-letting. Then to offer new businesses a 3-month rates holiday 7-9 months in, also suggests the people drawing up these schemes have never set up a business – most new businesses fail due to a lack of cash flow in the early months since that’s when they need the help.”

And whilst Webber believes reform of business rates is essential, total abolition would be “naïve.” Business rates as a tax has been around for 400 years- it’s only the last 20 that it has been tinkered with so disastrously. It is the one “certain” tax. Given the economic situation in which the UK finds itself, no politician worth their salt would suddenly get rid of this the most certain of taxes, without replacing them with something they know will work.

So whilst Colliers would support Labour if it introduced significant reform to the current system, “We would not support its total abolition or any form of Land Value tax and we would certainly need to see the detail on other reforms suggested and its attitudes to say the Empty Rates Relief regime before we could give our support.”

“We hope that if Labour does go ahead to create a new property tax, that it would retain all the best elements of business rates whilst reforming the existing system, reducing the multiplier and hence the burden of tax, and making things simpler.”

Webber concludes, “ Labour’s lack of clarity on its policy is unsettling and damaging for businesses. Many businesses, especially prospective retailers from abroad, will not invest unless they understand the market they are entering. If we cannot tell them, they will invest elsewhere in the world. This issue will only become more pronounced as time goes on”

CONCLUSION John Webber concludes, “None of the three main parties’ manifestos provide me with reassurance. From the “Alice in Wonderland” policies of the Lib Dems to the dangerous tinkering with the Conservatives and vagueness of Labour, no one party has come forward with concrete proposals for reform.”

What we need to do is reform, not abolish business rates. As we say in our business rates manifesto we need primarily to: • Address the multiplier: rebasing it to a sensible level that businesses can afford, such as £0.35, near its historical level. And de-couple business rates from inflation to make the tax more sustainable.

• Reform the reliefs system- removing business rates deserts, which are inequitable. And make sure everyone that benefits from public utilities and local services pays something towards them-but at a fair rate.

• Look at alternative means of funding/ a range of measures • Extend Empty Property Rates Relief to Twelve Months for All Sectors • Introduce annual revaluations so business rates bills will accurately reflect values, • Review plant and machinery– exemptions from business rates for All plant that is an integral part of the trade process should be exempt from business rates, as should investment in new technology that makes businesses more green/ sustainable.

• Improve Transparency from the VOA • Reform the Appeal System • Take a proper look at local authority financing.

• Address Rogue Rating Advisors by Regulating the Ratings Industry

THE TIME IS NOW “A new government has a real opportunity to introduce key reforms to the business rates system – a system which, in its current form, is not working. Over the past 30 years, various governments have over-complicated this tax, made it more opaque and increased its level disproportionately, leading to a growing chorus of criticism and contributing to destroying the high street.”

We need a well-managed and transparent business rates system that supports growth, not hinders it; and we need it now. That is why we have been campaigning to all parties- for meaningful reform- not shallow sound bites.”

Meet Melissa – LittlePod's First Sustainable Development Officer!

Here at LittlePod, we’re delighted to have made an addition to our team, with Melissa Irace joining us as our first-ever Sustainable Development Officer.

Having established and run the brilliant Made in Devon scheme, to which we’re so proud to belong, Melissa brings three decades of invaluable experience to our Campaign for Real Vanilla. We’re excited to be able to put her skills, knowledge and expertise to good use here!

Melissa joined our celebrations last June when we received the King’s Award for Enterprise (Sustainable Development) from David Fursdon, the Lord Lieutenant of Devon. Twelve months on, it has been a pleasure to welcome her

back to Farringdon as a proper LittlePodder this week.

“My work has always been focused on organisations that make a difference to communities, the environment and wellbeing,” explains Melissa. “It was during my Made in Devon days that I fell in love with LittlePod’s products and all that the company stands for. I consider LittlePod to be an exemplar sustainable SME. I’m excited to be part of a truly values-based business that is really making a difference.”

We hope you’ll join us in welcoming Melissa to LittlePod and wishing her well as she gets down to work alongside the rest of the team here!

Issue 218

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Hoteliers say Bristol Needs More Big Gigs More big gigs and major events in Bristol all year round could provide a welcome boost to business for the city’s hospitality sector.

The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) is calling for more to be done to speed up the development of the long-awaited YTL Arena while applauding Ashton Gate – home of Bristol City Football Club and Bristol Bears rugby team – for its efforts in putting the city on the musical map.

Earlier this month, the sports stadium hosted two Take That concerts which, between them, drew some 60,000 fans.

BHA Chair Raphael Herzog said: “Ashton Gate’s CEO Mark Kelly said over 50% of all attendees to the Take That concerts were from outside the region, which meant they were staying in hotels, dining and drinking in local bars and restaurants and putting their pounds into the local economy.

“Mark said Bristol lacks big events and needs more all year round and we couldn’t agree more.

“While we applaud what Ashton Gate is doing, and the positive benefits they have brought to our businesses, there is a lot more than can be done, not least of which is to complete the Bristol Arena.”

The YTL Arena Bristol, at the former Filton Airfield’s Brabazon hangar, was originally expected to open in late 2025 but is now not likely to host its first event until the latter part of 2026 or even 2027, which is real blow for the city and the hospitality sector

courts.

Mr Herzog said: “The Take That concerts at Ashton Gate demonstrated that big-name acts will bring many thousands of people to our beautiful city.

“But while Ashton Gate is able to accommodate large events in the summer, during the winter its priority is to its sporting activities, whereas the Bristol Arena will be able to stage concerts and events all year round.

“For too many years, Bristol has been losing out to the likes of Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff, but the Arena will help level the playing field.

“People won’t just come for the specific gig or event, they will often stay overnight – if not longer – and explore the local area, too, which is great for the city’s economy.

“We really hope that everything that can be done is being done to get the arena open as soon as possible.

“And Mark Kelly is absolutely right when he says the city needs more big events all year round.

“We’ve got the balloon and harbour festivals, of course, which are hugely popular. We’ve also just had the Bristol Comedy Garden, which has seen big-names such as Harry Hill, Sara Pascoe, Josh Widdicombe and Dara O’Briain perform life.

With a capacity of 19,000, it is set to be the fourth largest venue in the country and an all-year-round destination, with conference and exhibition facilities as well as a proposed outdoor cinema, ice rink and sports

“But it still feels as if we’re only scratching the surface of the potential Bristol has to become a major events and entertainment destination which will not only be good for our businesses but will provide a very welcome boost to the city’s economy.”

The AVLA Licence – A Legal Requirement

the premises (e.g. in a hotel’s restaurant, bar, etc.). Operating without a licence constitutes a legal infringement of the rights of AVLA’s creatives.

When travellers check in at a property, they expect a certain level of comfort and entertainment. Television is indispensable. While some may argue that TV is dying in the age of streaming and on-demand content, in reality it remains essential, especially in the UK. Television still holds great value for the hospitality industry.

However, with the convenience and benefits of offering television come certain responsibilities, particularly respecting copyright laws. Hoteliers must ensure they have the necessary licences to broadcast content legally.

The AVLA licence enables hotels, aparthotels, B&Bs and similar establishments to legally display in public TV channels containing audiovisual works (films, series, documentaries, cartoons and other TV shows) from AVLA’s extensive repertoire. It covers TVs in bedrooms and in communal areas of

AVLA represents the UK largest and most varied community of audiovisual creators, comprising various categories of rightsholders: producers, authors, performers, directors, and visual artists. The AVLA licence covers an immense catalogue of works and rights not covered by other licensors. For clarity, the AVLA licence does not replace the licences of other entities, and vice-versa.

Respecting copyright law is crucial not only to avoid legal or reputational risks, but also to support the UK’s world-class creative industries. So, by taking an AVLA licence, hotels are securing legal compliance and demonstrating their commitment to ethical business practices, while also helping to sustain and support the creative individuals and businesses working hard to produce the TV and film content that is so valued by their customers.

To learn more about AVLA and get the licence, visit www.avla.uk AVLA offers a special 10% discount until 30 June.

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CLH Digital

Issue 218

Politicians Urged To Guarantee A Full Measure On 200th Anniversary Of The Great British Pint

Pubgoers’ group CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) is calling on political parties to give their backing to a change in the law to guarantee drinkers a right to a full pint.

Monday 17th June marks 200th anniversary of the passing of the Weights & Measures Act 1824 which defined a pint in law in British and Irish law for the first time.

Consumer group CAMRA, which has around 150,000 members across the UK, is marking the occasion by calling on all political parties to commit to changing the law in the next Parliament to guarantee that punters get a full pint when they order one – meaning the head on a pint or half pint of beer wouldn’t be included in the total volume.

Recent studies by the Chartered Institute of Trading Standards found that 86% of beer was short measured, and current laws leave consumers no recourse if they’re refused a top up.

Commenting, CAMRA National Director Gillian Hough said: “The pint of beer or cider is part of our culture and heritage across these islands and it is right that we mark the 200th anniversary of the pint being defined in law in Britain and Ireland for the first time by raising a glass to our great local pubs, social clubs, breweries and cider producers.

“But with too many consumers receiving short measures at the bar, CAMRA wants the next UK Government to introduce a legal right for pubgoers to receive a 100 per cent liquid pint each and every time they are served.

“This would give drinkers a guarantee of getting what they pay for when they are supporting local pubs and breweries and would be a fitting way to mark the 200th anniversary of the great British and Irish pint.”

Michael Kill Appointed Vice President Of The International Nightlife Association

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has announced the appointment of Michael Kill as the new Vice President of the International Nightlife Association (INA). This significant achievement marks a pivotal moment for the NTIA as it continues to solidify its influence and leadership on the world stage.

As CEO of the NTIA, Kill has been a staunch advocate for the nightlife sector, championing the interests of venues, operators, and workers across the UK. His appointment as Vice President of the INA is a testament to his leadership and the NTIA’s growing impact on global nightlife policy and advocacy.

The International Nightlife Association, headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, is the leading global organisation dedicated to supporting and promoting the nightlife industry. The INA works with a network of national and regional associations to address challenges, share best practices, and advance the interests of nightlife venues worldwide. With Michael Kill’s appointment, the NTIA is now positioned to play a more influential role in shaping the future of nightlife on an international scale.

“This appointment is a tremendous honour and a reflection of the hard work and dedication of the entire NTIA team,” said Michael Kill. “I am excited to collaborate with our international counterparts to drive positive change and innovation in the nightlife sector. Together, we will work towards a vibrant,

sustainable, and safe nightlife environment for all.”

The NTIA’s recent achievements include successful campaigns to secure government support during the COVID-19 pandemic, initiatives to promote safety and inclusivity in nightlife spaces, and efforts to highlight the economic and cultural importance of the night time economy. These accomplishments have garnered recognition and respect from industry leaders and policymakers, paving the way for this significant milestone.

Joaquim Boadas de Quintana, General Secretary of the International Nightlife Association, expressed gratitude to Michael Kill for his trust in joining the organization as the first Vice President. He also emphasized Michael Kill’s extensive experience advocating for the nightlife sector, his tenure as the head of NTIA, and his proficiency in organizing conferences and summits showcasing the nightlife industry’s value and prestige.

The General Secretary of the INA stated that “with the addition of NTIA UK, the INA now operates in 27 countries, which is a significant indication of its global presence. This enables our members to exchange experiences and ideas for addressing sector issues, prioritize the professionalisation of tourist leisure, handle business responsibilities in compliance with legal obligations, tariffs, and copyrights for artists, promote innovation and sustainability, and keep up with new trends”.

Global Brands Ltd Expands Spirits Portfolio with Shanky’s Whip Partnership Global Brands Ltd is proud to announce a further expansion of its spirits portfolio, thanks to its recent partnership with Shanky’s Whip, the original Irish black liqueur and whiskey blend.

The partnership will see Global Brands take full UK distribution for Shanky’s Whip across on and off trade, online and cash and carry channels. The strategic alliance comes on the back of Global Brands’ recent spirits focus, having recently announced their off trade partnership with Red Leg Rum and the launch of their own flavoured Tequila, Take.

Owned by importer and distributor Biggar & Leith, Shanky’s Whip is a unique Irish whiskey liqueur, blended with vanilla and caramel, made to shot, sip, or mix. Shanky’s current major listings include Greene King, Amazon, Costco and Whitbread, amongst other regional groups and venues.

Global Brands, whose portfolio includes VK, Hooch, and Franklin & Sons, is set to leverage its robust distribution network, and market insights to enhance the market prominence of Shanky’s Whip, propelling its growth by positioning the brand as a challenger against mainstream competitors.

Julian Atkins, Managing Director at Global Brands, stated, "Becoming the UK distributor for Shanky’s Whip marks another milestone in our ongoing spirits strategy as we continue to diversify the business into new categories through a combination of NPD and working with established industry partners. Elwyn Gladstone and

Mark Teasdale have an amazing track record of creating and building brands and we are delighted to be working with them.”

“Shanky’s authentic provenance, unique brand proposition and iconic flavour is fast becoming a consumer favourite, and we’re looking forward to leveraging our capabilities to support the brand.”

Elwyn Gladstone, Founder of Biggar & Leith, added: “This partnership with Global Brands will help to expand our distribution footprint across the UK. We have enjoyed tremendous growth for Shanky's Whip overseas and see real opportunity here in the UK.” “Global Brands will play a key role in our UK growth, and we look forward to seeing the results of the partnership come to fruition over the coming months, on our journey of achieving key grocery listings.”

Global Brands’ portfolio boasts a variety of drinks for every occasion, including VK, Franklin & Sons, Hooch, All Shook Up, Shake Baby Shake and the newly released be. Cocktails, demonstrating its commitment to innovation and quality in the drinks industry.

For more information about Global Brands and its diverse range of products, visit here: https://globalbrands.co.uk/about/.

Travellers Booked UK Hotels Furthest In Advance This Summer 26

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A new report by booking platform SiteMinder, reveals the excitement for summer in the UK, with the country’s hotels nabbing the longest booking window among the Northern Hemisphere’s travel heavyweights. At 150 days, the average lead time for reservations at UK hotels this summer is 10 days longer than the Northern Hemisphere average.

The report, SiteMinder’s Hotel Booking Trends - Summer 2024 Edition, studies hotel reservations made for stays between June and August, in 10 of the largest tourism markets within the Northern Hemisphere, including the UK, as well as Austria, Canada, France, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain and the US. Within the UK, the data shows: International travellers are a key driver of the leading, 150-day booking window, with guests from abroad set to make up 41% of the country’s hotel arrivals this summer, compared to 32% in 2023.

The average daily rate (ADR) has increased marginally by 2%, from £254 last season to £259 this year. The marginal rise is below the near 8% increase in ADR recorded across Europe.

The country’s hotels will experience the shortest length of stay among major Northern Hemisphere mar-

kets this summer. Guests will average stays of 1.68 nights which, while slightly longer than the 1.64-night stays recorded in 2023, are roughly half the length of the average in Portugal (3.28 nights) where the longest stays will be this summer.

SiteMinder’s vice president for ecosystem and strategic partnerships, James Bishop, says the findings signal an exciting summer ahead for UK properties.

“Confident travellers, over 40% of whom are from abroad, have made their summer bookings further in advance in spite of ongoing cost of living concerns, which is a good sign for the UK hotel industry,” says Bishop.

Bishop says despite the positive data, the spike in demand isn’t being maximised to its full potential by many hotel businesses.

“Among hoteliers, software adoption has ramped throughout the country ahead of the summer season, which is pleasing. However, we continue to witness a significant opportunity, particularly outside of major cities, for properties to embrace technology more fully. By doing so, UK businesses can ensure they are best set up to maximise the demand spike that summer is set to bring, particularly throughout July and August, which have historically been the country’s busiest months.”

Hospitality Insolvencies Highlight Crippling Challenges Faced By The Sector Newly released company insolvency statistics show accommodation and food service insolvencies increased 27% in the year to April 2024 (from 3,004 in the 12 months to April 2023, to 3,821 in the 12 months to April 2024) and were up 11% month-on-month in April 2024.

Saxon Moseley, head of leisure and hospitality at leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK, comments: “These insolvency statistics underscore the crippling challenges faced by the leisure and hospitality sector, as the cumulative impact of higher costs far outweighs the slower recovery of consumer confidence. April is the first month that operators have had to shoulder the increase in national minimum wage, putting a further squeeze on margins, and may have tipped some businesses over the edge.

“While the bigger picture shows insolvencies in the hotels and accommodation sector have increased annually, recent months show insolvency numbers are on a downward trend. This will come as positive news for hoteliers, particularly as we head into the traditionally busier summer months.

“Although consumer confidence is showing signs of improvement and individuals should start to feel like they have more money in their pocket as inflation eases, real wages grow, and interest rates come down, it’s clear the sector is desperately in need of support. Pressure remains on the next government to put business rates reform, reduced VAT and better access to skilled workers high up on the agenda in order to support this important area of the UK economy.”

Prime Waterfront Hotel Sites Hit the Market as Liverpool Becomes Hotspot Destination for UK and International Tourists Waterside regeneration specialist, Peel Waters, has unveiled two prime development sites along Liverpool’s iconic waterfront at Princes Dock and is actively seeking global hotel operators to bring forward the first of these developments.

The two development sites sit within Peel Waters’ emerging Liverpool Waters destination, which is already home to thousands of residents, hundreds of businesses and attracts international visitors every week through its onsite cruise liner terminal.

It is certainly Liverpool’s time in the spotlight. Last month, Liverpool was named by Which? as the UK’s best large city break destination due to its ‘buzzing atmosphere’ and its ‘fantastic cultural scene’.

The city also recently welcomed global superstar Taylor Swift, with a wide range of celebration and cultural events planned to mark the occasion. Liverpool was one of just four UK venues chosen for the sell-out international Eras Tour, bringing fans to Liverpool from across the globe. The Bascule Bridge at Liverpool Waters was also one of several locations from across Liverpool chosen and used by Taylor Swift in her self-directed video announcing her tour.

In May, Peel Waters and Peel Ports announced a 50-year agreement with Global Ports Holding Plc, the world's largest independent cruise port operator, to operate services from Liverpool Cruise Port and increase the number of liners coming into Liverpool Waters. Earlier this month, international cruise operator, Cunard, chose Liverpool as the destination for the naming ceremony and debut of its brand-new luxury cruise ship, Queen Anne, which attracted thousands of visitors to the site.

Both hotel sites are located along Liverpool’s internationally recognised waterfront, close to the city centre, the new Isle of Man Ferry terminal, and Everton Football Club’s brand new 52,000 seat stadium. These prime sites are perfectly placed to capitalise on Liverpool’s leading leisure industry; making the plots Peel Waters is

bringing forward, two of the most exciting development opportunities in the UK for hotel operators and investors.

The two new developments will join a thriving Princes Dock neighbourhood with cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels, all sitting alongside hundreds of new homes and 200,000 sq ft of Grade A commercial space. Visitors to Princes Dock can also take part in open water swimming, scuba diving, canoeing, dragon boat racing and, coming soon, the traditional Nordic sauna experience, WYLD Sauna, which will be the UK’s first public floating sauna.

Liverpool is the UK’s fourth most visited city by domestic tourists and fifth most visited by international tourists. The city has a wellestablished tourism market and enjoys high levels of demand, outperforming the UK’s other major cities such as Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds and Newcastle.

Chris Capes, Director for Development at Liverpool Waters said: “There is no doubt that Liverpool is an exciting international destination, which is attracting global attention and has huge potential for the future. The regeneration of Liverpool’s historic northern docks at Liverpool Waters, is already having a huge impact on the number of visitors and tourists coming here to enjoy everything this fantastic city has to offer.

“Our masterplan for Liverpool Waters supports the opportunity for at least two new waterfront hotels to accommodate the growing number of tourists and so we are now actively looking for a hotel operator to develop this first prime waterfront site.

“We will also be very excited to bring forward the site of the current temporary cruise liner terminal once Global Ports Holdings relocates to their new terminal. This is possibly the most prominent site at Liverpool Waters and so we will be looking for something quite special that will really transform that part of Liverpool’s iconic waterfront.”

SNP Manifesto Commits To Lower Rate Of Vat For Hospitality 28

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Leon Thompson, Executive Director of UKHospitality Scotland, said:

recruit the essential workers they need.

“Lowering the rate of VAT for hospitality has been a long-standing ask of UKHospitality’s and I’m pleased to see the SNP commit to that in its manifesto.

“Fundamentally, we need both the Scottish and UK Governments to work constructively to deliver a regulatory and tax environment that helps hospitality thrive. Mirroring in Scotland any positive changes to business rates in England must be part of that.

“We urge the SNP to work with the UK Government to make the case for this change to VAT, which would drive economic growth, create new jobs and keep prices low for consumers.

“This needs to be part of wider work to create a sustainable tax burden for both businesses and consumers. At the moment, the tax burden in Scotland is too high and it’s affecting our ability to recruit talent.

“UKHospitality Scotland supports the call for a devolved migration system. A Scotland specific visa would enable sectors with skills shortages, like hospitality, to

“Scotland is a world-leading destination for a reason, and hospitality is a huge part of that. Our sector is the shop window for Scotland and has a track record of delivering investment, growth and jobs to the country.

“It’s essential our ability to serve Scotland and create places where people want to live, work and invest is supported and empowered by both Scottish and UK Governments.”

Drinks Sales Feel The Chill In Early June drinks category, with year-on-year sales growth of 6%—the result of some users opting for food-led occasions rather than drinking out. Beer (down 1%) and cider (down 15%) failed to match the tough comparatives of June 2023. Soft drinks (down 5%) and spirits (down 10%) were also in the red.

Low temperatures are holding down drinks sales in June, CGA

by NIQ’s Daily Drinks Tracker shows.

Average sales in managed venues in the seven days to last Saturday (8 June) were 3% behind the equivalent period in 2023—a third consecutive week of negative year-on-year numbers. The week struggled against tough comparisons with June 2023, when temperatures touched the 30s.

“June sales were always going to struggle against the heatwave of 12 months ago, but the cool and damp weather is making year-on-year growth doubly difficult for pubs and bars,” says Jonathan Jones, CGA by NIQ’s managing director, UK and Ireland. “The start of the Euro 2024 tournament should give sales a boost, but a change in the weather is desperately needed to lure people out of home, whether to watch games or enjoy beer gardens and terraces.

The week started well with year-on-year growth on Sunday and Monday (2 and 3 June), but sales were down on all five days from Tuesday to Saturday (4 to 8 June). The weekend was particularly slow, with drops of 5% and 7% on Friday and Saturday as the chilly weather and showers kept many consumers indoors.

For the second week in a row wine was the best performing

JD Wetherspoon Launches Legal Action Over Welsh Pub Name JD Wetherspoon is taking legal action against a Welsh pub following a rebranding row for using its name on signs.

The pub group has filed a legal claim against a company trading as Wetherspoons Ltd, which runs The Bridge Head in Abergele, Denbighshire.

The pub, which has no link to JD Wetherspoon, had placed a “Wetherspoons Limited” sign on the building.

The Welsh pub faced controversy earlier this year after it changed its name from the traditional Welsh language name of Pen-y-Bont.

Companies House documents show ‘Wetherspoons Ltd’ was incorporated on 10 February this year.

A spokesman for JD Wetherspoon said: “We were made aware of a pub in Abergele in Conwy using the name ’Wetherspoons Ltd’ on their signage.

“Despite a number of requests to the pub owners to remove the reference to Wetherspoons, they refused, and we have therefore had to issue court

proceedings asking the court order that they do so.

“We hope that the matter can still be resolved amicably.”

Sir Tim’s company has held the trademark for JD Wetherspoon since 1993 and Wetherspoons since 2002.

A spokesman for the Bridge Head told North Wales Live in March: “Wetherspoons Ltd is a legitimate name and an available name. It has been registered with Companies House.

The Benefit Of Taking Wellbeing Seriously 30

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Issue 218

The Factories Act of 1833 kickstarted a culture of health and safety in the UK, and this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Health and Safety at Work Act. But hospitality employees aren’t just risking their physical health and safety when they go to work.

Richard Stockley, Managing Director of RRC International (www.rrc.co.uk), makes the case for taking workplace wellbeing and psychological stress seriously.

Slips, trips and falls, contact with hot surfaces and harmful substances, injuries from lifting, cuts from knives or dermatitis from cleaning chemicals there are plenty of examples of health and safety risks for those working in the UK’s hotels, pubs restaurants.

But thankfully the sector has developed an extremely good health and safety culture over time. According to HSE data, among accommodation and food services businesses, the rate of fatal and non-fatal injuries per 100,000 is among the lowest of any industry.

We have broadly got our collective heads around protecting our physical health and staying safe from harm, but we are far less familiar with our psychological needs. The next frontier for health and safety, therefore, is mental wellbeing, where the data is less promising.

In a study for the Royal Society for Public Health over four out of five hospitality workers reported increased stress as a direct consequence of their job. Almost three quarters (74%) had experienced verbal abuse from a customer and only around one in ten had received training to support health and wellbeing. This was back in early 2019. Since then COVID, worker shortages due to Brexit and inflation have all piled on the pressure. As a result, the remaining workers in the sector are among the most stressed in the UK. But is it the business owners’ responsibility to address this?

Regardless of your views on mental health and your responsibility to your employees, if you care about being profitable, you need a psychological health and safety provision.

The fact is 13.7 million working days are lost every year due to work-related stress, anxiety and depression, according to NICE. This equates to a loss of £28.3 billion every year. As of 2022, 55% of workers believe work is getting more intense over time, so there is the potential that this cost could grow.

Getting psychological health and safety right could therefore mean a more present and productive workforce, and ultimately more profit. You will also see other benefits, like higher staff satisfaction and retention, and you’ll find it easier to attract younger people to start careers in hospitality, which we are all desperate to do.

Creating a process to make worker wellbeing more robust and less woolly is the key to realising these benefits. Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet. It takes training, a long-term commitment, and continuous improvement to manage it effectively.

Start by acknowledging the seriousness of psychological wellbeing at work, and formally recognise common triggers of stress in the workplace, such as an increasing workload, a lack of clarity on roles, our working relationships, the culture, tough shift patterns, isolation and exclusion, and external pressures like bereavement, a house move, or getting divorced.

With this acknowledged, we recommend setting a foundation with training. Relevant NEBOSH health and safety courses include the HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work, and Working with Wellbeing.

It’s then a matter of looking at your policy statement and assessing how much weight is placed on psychological wellbeing. Identify the specific risk factors at your organisation, prioritise quick wins, assign long-term actions, and ideally appoint a steering group to ensure your continuous improvement.

Much like physical health and safety, managing our wellbeing is about changing the culture of your organisation, which is no easy task. But creating an environment that prioritises open conversation, where it’s OK to raise issues, will pay all sorts of dividends. Protecting the psychological wellbeing of your workforce will protect your organisation. It’s not simple, but it’s well worth the effort.

Box Launches Nationwide Search For UK’s Best Footballer Lookalikes As Euros Fever Takes Hold Calling all sports fans! Award-winning sports bar, BOX, has announced a nationwide hunt for the best football lookalikes ahead of an electrifying summer of sport.

As EUROs fever is set to grip the nation, BOX is joining in the celebrations by promising a free pint for all fans who submit photos of themselves, friends, or family members who resemble famous footballers. The competition is open to all footballer lookalikes, including past and present players from the men’s and women’s game.

The nation’s best doppelgängers will also be invited to a special photoshoot and one overall winner will be crowned and awarded a £250 bar tab for a table up to six at any BOX site during the muchanticipated UEFA EURO 2024 final on Sunday 14 July.

So, if your dad bears a remarkable resemblance to Maradona, your sister is the spitting image of Lauren James, or your colleague looks exactly like Gareth Southgate, make sure to submit your pictures.

The fun doesn’t stop there though. There will also be a weekly EUROs-themed quiz every Wednesday at all BOX venues to test fans’ knowledge, the famous ‘Bandeoke’ (live band karaoke) every Thursday, and live bands and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays to guarantee the party continues long into the night.

Football fans can also treat themselves to a number of European-inspired delights with a limited-edition food and drink menu, featuring exclusive dishes such as Currywurst Loaded Fries, the Bavarian Burger, and

the ‘Olympian’ pizza. Plus, you can get 2-pint beer steins, Brewdog minikegs, and a host of EUROs-themed drinks.

Laura Lewis, Marketing Director at ARC Inspirations, commented: “We’re excited for EURO 2024 to kick-off a huge summer of sport at BOX. This competition is the perfect start, and we can’t wait to see all the entrants and crown the overall winner. We’re looking forward to welcoming fans at our venues and hopefully celebrating a successful summer for the England team!”

“The football is just the tip of the iceberg. We will be showing all the major sporting events, like the Cricket T20 World Cup, Wimbledon, and the Olympics. We can’t wait to see our venues filled with fans having a great time and watching their favourite sports. Not only is BOX the ultimate bar to watch, it’s also the ultimate venue to play and party this summer.”

This summer promises an action-packed selection of sport events, and BOX is the ultimate place to get your sporting fix. With locations in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, and Nottingham, this exciting competition aims to unite sport fans from across the country to watch the action unfold.

To enter the competition, tag @theboxbaruk in your Instagram story with your lookalike image, using the hashtag #BOXDOPPELGANGER, and send a direct message containing your entry. T&Cs apply.

FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND ADVICE VISIT THE CLH WEBSITE AT WWW.CATERERLICENSEE.COM

New Poll: Three Quarters Of The Public Say Westminster Is Not Working Well Issue 218

A poll of 2,226 people, conducted by Savanta on behalf of the Electoral Reform Society, found 76% feel that politics needs to improve significantly.

That figure is made up of 48% of respondents who said that politics needs ‘a great deal of improvement’ and 28% who said it could ‘be improved quite a lot’. Only 4% of respondents said politics currently needed no improvement .

“It is imperative that we arrest this startling decline and rebuild trust in our democratic institutions as a matter of urgency. No project to repair the British public’s relationship with politics will succeed if it doesn’t reform our stuttering Westminster system.

While Conservative voters are less likely to say politics needs improvement, a majority (58%) of those still want to see change in the way politics is conducted. Meanwhile, the overwhelming majority of those intending to vote for other parties, including Labour 78%, the Liberal Democrats 72% and Reform UK 96%, say politics in the UK needs a great deal or quite a lot of improvement.

The report concluded that: ‘All in all, it appears that people’s trust in governments and politicians, and confidence in their systems of government is as low now as it has ever been over the last fifty years, if not lower.’

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Darren Hughes, Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, said: “It is clear there is a crisis of confidence in our democracy. Just a week after the National Centre for Social Research found that public trust in politics has sunk to a record low, our new polling shows that a massive three quarters of the public think politics is not working well and needs to improve.

Three quarters of the public say that Westminster needs to improve, new polling has found.

The poll findings come just a week after a major study by the National Centre for Social Research found more people ‘than ever before’ ‘almost never’ trust the British government of any party to place the needs of the nation above the needs of their own political party.

CLH Digital

“Central to this is the distorting First Past the Post voting system, which doesn’t accurately represent the way the country voted with seats in Parliament. It also reduces the focus of the main parties to the handful of ‘swing seats’ that change hands at an election, meaning large parts of our country have been ignored and left behind by politics.

“Restoring trust in Westminster is vital and has to start with bringing in a fairer proportional voting system for the Commons. This would reinvigorate the public’s relationship with our democracy by ensuring that every vote counts and every part of the country matters to whoever is in government.”

Couple Bid Farewell To The Market Inn In Faversham After Almost 20 Years

A couple who will retire this week after almost 20 years running the same Shepherd Neame pub, say they will miss there always being someone to talk to – “no matter what side of the bar you’re on.”

David and Suzanne Pott took over the Market Inn in East Street, Faversham, on September 1, 2005, and never wanted to leave… that is, until retirement finally beckoned.

David, 69, and Suzanne, 64, will hand over the keys of the pub today (Tuesday, June 18), but with heavy hearts.

“It is a lifestyle and we have thoroughly enjoyed it over the years,” said Suzanne. “There’s never been a reason to leave. There are times when you’ve had enough, but it is a good pub. But it is time to retire now. We will definitely miss it.”

“I will miss the social side,” said David. “No matter what side of the bar you’re on, there’s always someone to talk to.”

for everyone.

Charity fundraising included collecting enough for a total of four sponsored Guide Dog puppies, while awards have ranged from Faversham in Bloom winners for their hanging baskets, to Shepherd Neame’s Community Pub of the Year in 2009.

Family-friendly and dog-friendly, the pub has never done food and while its popularity could be down to many things, Suzanne says: “Some people just come here because it’s The Market. It is what it is.”

Above the bar are a selection of meerkats, bought by regulars and paying homage to the pub’s nickname of the ‘Meerkat Inn’.

The couple, who also ran The Beaver Inn in Ashford for two years before coming to Faversham, plan to move to Spain for their retirement.

He added: “We used to open at 10.30am and there was a queue outside the door to get in! It is also quite nice standing and looking out from the bar. It’s a nice view.”

Greg Wallis, Director of Tenanted Pub Operations, said: “David and Suzanne have been hard working licensees for us for many years, and this was recognised at our annual awards ceremony in May, when they received an Outstanding Contribution award.

The pub has, and will continue to be, a haven for social get togethers, from bat and trap games (there is a well-used pitch in the back garden) to local bands performing live, and a range of clubs with something

“We wish them a very happy retirement.”They will be handing over the reins to Tim and Lacey Stowell, who are already Shepherd Neame licensees at The Bear in Market Place, Faversham, and plan to run both.

Scotland Visa Urgently Needed, As Hospitality Vacancies Increase UKHospitality Scotland has added its voice to growing calls for the specific needs of Scotland to be recognised in the UK’s immigration system.

Recruitment challenges continue to affect Scottish hospitality’s ability to grow, as new figures show that vacancies in Scotland increased by 60% in April 2024, compared to January 2024.

The research, conducted by recruitment website Caterer.com, said that chefs, front of house staff and restaurant management were the three most difficult roles to fill in Scotland.

Hospitality businesses in the UK recruit more than three-quarters of their staff from within the UK, but Scottish businesses are finding unique challenges in the numbers of people available to work. The declining birth rate in Scotland and its rural nature are thought to be key factors.

Leon Thompson, Executive Director of UKHospitality Scotland, said: “Scotland’s hospitality and tourism sectors have been such a huge success story, and have been essential in making Scotland a leading visitor destination globally.

“Like the rest of hospitality in the UK, our businesses have struggled to recruit staff. This ongoing issue is putting at risk hospitality’s ability to serve Scotland and create places where people want to live, work and invest.

“A dedicated Scotland visa which allows sectors facing shortages to recruit essential staff would be a gamechanger for Scottish hospitality. It would also be clear recognition from an incoming government that the needs of business will be reflected in our approach to immigration.

“With such clear support from the business community for a dedicated Scotland visa, I hope all political parties heed the call and commit to its introduction.

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CLH Digital

Issue 218

Cleaning and Hygiene

Summer of Sport: A Golden Opportunity for the UK Hospitality Sector...

But Don’t Forget the Importance of Cleanliness & Hygiene The summer of 2024 is set to be a spectacular season for sports enthusiasts and the UK hospitality and licensed on-trade sector alike. With a lineup that includes the Euros, the Olympics, Wimbledon, and a host of motor sports events, pubs, bars, and restaurants are preparing for a surge in footfall. This period is not just an opportunity for social gatherings and celebrations but also a significant revenue driver. For instance, the Euros alone are expected to see a staggering extra 20 million pints sold during the tournament, compared to normal sales levels.

3. Adequate Supplies: Keep an ample stock of cleaning supplies on hand, including disinfectants, cleaning cloths, and floor cleaners. This ensures that staff can quickly address any issues as they arise.

4. Waste Management: Implement effective waste management practices to handle the increased volume of rubbish. This includes regular emptying of bins and proper disposal of waste.

MAINTAINING REPUTATION AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY

However, with great opportunities come great responsibilities, particularly in maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. As sports fans gather in large numbers, the potential for premises to become untidy and unhygienic increases. Establishments must be prepared to manage this influx effectively, ensuring that their venues remain appealing and safe for all customers.

The cleanliness of a venue is directly linked to its reputation. Patrons are unlikely to return to or recommend a place that they perceive as dirty or poorly maintained. In contrast, a clean, well-maintained establishment enhances the overall customer experience, encouraging repeat visits and positive word-of-mouth.

THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS The financial implications of these events are monumental. The Euros, in particular, are anticipated to be a major draw for patrons. The predicted sale of 300 million pints underscores the vital role that pubs and bars play in bringing people together to enjoy live sports. The economic boost from these sales, estimated to be up to £1.4 billion, highlights the importance of the on-trade sector to the UK economy. This influx of patrons provides a unique opportunity for establishments to not only increase their sales but also to enhance their reputation and customer loyalty.

Therefore, a robust cleaning regime is not just a necessity but a critical aspect of customer satisfaction and retention.

ESTABLISHING A ROBUST CLEANING REGIME Implementing a comprehensive cleaning regime involves several key steps:

THE IMPORTANCE OF CLEANLINESS AND HYGIENE

1. Regular Cleaning Schedules: Establish frequent cleaning intervals, especially during peak times, to ensure that premises remain clean and presentable. This includes regular wiping down of surfaces, cleaning of restrooms, and ensuring that floors are free of spills and litter.

With increased footfall comes the challenge of maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Sports fans are known for their enthusiasm, which can sometimes translate into a more 'boisterous' atmosphere.

This can lead to spills, litter, and general wear and tear on facilities.

2. Staff Training: Ensure that all staff are trained in proper hygiene practices and understand the importance of maintaining a clean environment. This includes training on how to handle food and beverages safely, as well as how to quickly and effectively clean up spills and other messes.

As the various sports competitions progress throughout the summer, it is crucial for establishments to consistently maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. This not only ensures the safety and comfort of customers but also helps to sustain the initial boost in business brought about by these events.

The summer of sport presents an exciting and profitable opportunity for the UK hospitality and licensed on-trade sector. However, the key to capitalizing on this opportunity lies in maintaining impeccable standards of cleanliness and hygiene. By doing so, establishments can ensure that they not only attract customers but also keep them coming back long after the final whistle has blown.

In a season where every pint poured and every meal served counts, the importance of a clean and welcoming environment cannot be overstated.

As the sports fans cheer and celebrate, let us ensure that our venues shine just as brightly, providing a safe, clean, and enjoyable experience for all.

Cleanliness is Always in Season

Maintaining good hygiene ensures a safe and clean environment for those in the hospitality sector. Consistent and proactive cleaning reduces the need for intensive deep cleaning, allowing facilities managers to focus on other tasks.

in seconds, maintaining a luxurious aesthetic and exceptional cleaning quality, while the eco!efficiency mode reduces the energy demand and volume of the machine and increases the battery running time.

Regular cleaning and disinfecting helps to prevent bacteria build-up, which is crucial in a busy setting. Following routine cleaning and decontamination measures ensures facility safety is not compromised. This practice guarantees a hygienic and welcoming environment for individuals entering hospitality venues, enhancing the likelihood of their return.

The Kärcher BVL 5/1 Bp, with its super-lightweight design, is worn on the user’s back, allowing easy cleaning without cables strewn across the area.

Additional attachments enable use on various surfaces, from entrance mats to curtains, keeping the lobby area pristine for guests.

Operational running costs continue to rise making them significant concerns for those in the hospitality sector. Customers are becoming more aware of businesses' environmental practices, which now significantly influence their spending decisions. Investing in cleaning and maintenance equipment, particularly in the catering and hospitality sectors, is crucial for ensuring a safe and clean environment. For example, battery-powered cleaning solutions offer robust, cost-effective, and eco-friendly operations due to their cordless and quiet design, reducing reliance on mains power. This allows for more regular and efficient cleaning, which is essential for maintaining high hygiene standards and providing a safe environment for both staff and guests in the hospitality industry.

EXCEPTIONAL CLEANING QUALITY Handheld battery-powered devices offer exceptional cleaning quality, such as the Kärcher Vacuum Cleaner BVL 5/1 Bp Pack, allowing users to efficiently remove loose dirt to maintain the cleaning standards of the premises. This backpack vacuum cleaner lifts dirt from carpeted flooring and can effectively whisk away dirt

PERFECTING CLEANING QUIETNESS Hotel guests and restaurant patrons expect high cleanliness levels without being disturbed by loud cleaning appliances. Battery-powered machines help reduce noise levels without compromising performance.

Vacuum cleaners like the Kärcher T 9/1 Bp feature a robust design and lownoise emissions. This allows cleaners to use them in public areas, perfect for cleaning corridors and passageways when guests might be sleeping.

Ultimately, ensuring good hygiene and cleanliness in hospitality venues is crucial for safety and customer satisfaction. Regular, proactive cleaning prevents bacteria build-up and reduces the need for intensive deep cleaning. Investing in advanced, battery-powered cleaning equipment enhances efficiency, reduces noise, and maintains a pristine environment. These practices not only save time and money but also create a welcoming atmosphere, encouraging repeat visits and upholding high standards in the hospitality industry.

For further information see the advert on the facing page.

CLEAN Do The Workwear, So You Can Do The Work CLEAN Linen & Workwear are one of the UK's most trusted laundry companies. They supply tailored workwear solutions provided by real people. Their comprehensive laundry network means they can service customers throughout England and Wales, providing chefswear, workwear and linen rental services.

Whether you operate from a single-site hotel, pub or restaurant or have multiple locations, CLEAN can tailor a workwear rental solution to suit your business requirements. They offer a range of functional, non-restrictive, breathable chef clothing perfect for the modern commercial kitchen, ensuring that your people look smart and are comfortable, boosting their confidence and productivity. They offer various uniform options to support the entire kitchen brigade, from Executive Chefs to Kitchen Porters.

With their workwear rental service, you can say goodbye to the hassle of purchasing, storing, and maintaining chef and kitchen uniforms. Instead, enjoy the convenience of a hassle-free rental system that provides freshly laundered

garments whenever your team need them. By renting with CLEAN, you can avoid upfront purchase costs, spread the payments over your contract, and ensure quality and care with every wash. Delivery is free, and there are no hidden charges; contracts even include repairs. Each item of clothing can be branded and tailored to the wearer with logos and embroidery. Their managed service prevents issues compiling when supplying your team with work clothes; a convenient locker valet service helps distribute and store uniforms, and they tackle minor repairs early to extend the service life of a uniform. Ultimately, this avoids costly replacements wherever possible as it reduces uniform losses, and uniforms only need replacing when a repair is not safe or cost-effective.

With CLEAN's workwear rental and laundry service, business owners can focus on what matters most — running their business — while CLEAN takes care of the rest.

To find out more: www.cleanservices.co.uk or see the advert on page 7.

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Food Safety

Issue 218

Are You Natasha’s Law Compliant? Many Still Aren’t The report also revealed the most common reasons for non-compliance in the sample. In a quarter of cases, no information at all had been placed on the packet, a third failed to list ingredients, two fifths didn’t emphasise allergens and a third featured illegible information.

It’s been more than two years since Natasha’s Law came into force, but there’s evidence that many food businesses are still struggling to comply with it.

The law, known formally as the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019, means all businesses in England that produce pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) food to customers on site must label food clearly with information on potential allergens present. These need to stand out so a customer can tell at a glance what they’re about to eat.

Incorrectly labelled PPDS can not only put customers’ safety at risk, but those who don’t comply also face the possibility of large fines of £5,000 per instance and reputational damage, with longer-lasting consequences for customer numbers.

A 2023 study carried out by Erudus, the market leading source of accurate allergy, nutritional and technical product data, found that more than half (54%) of 116 PPDS products sampled still failed to meet the requirements by accurately declaring the presence of allergen ingredients on the labels.

THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB One way to achieve compliance with Natasha’s Law reliably and efficiently is by adapting your labelling processes.

Small businesses have historically opted to handwrite their labels, but

Double Down on Temperature Management to fight E. Coli In light of recent outbreaks, temperature management to prevent E. Coli bacteria is at the heart of guidance from the UK government’s food safety body, the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Thorough washing of fruit and vegetables is not enough on its own. Chilling food below 8 C and cooking food correctly by ensuring that the centre is at least 70 C is also strongly advised.

Without such precautions, ingestion of harmful E. Coli can lead to gastroenteritis, UTIs and in the worst cases, kidney disease.

UK thermometer manufacturer, TM Electronics (TME) can provide all the tools you need to double down on your temperature management.

• High accuracy water resistant thermometers to ensure food is properly cooked • Fast response Needle Probes to ensure meat and fish is cooked all the way through • Colour coded Needle Probes to help avoid cross contamina-

tion • Waterproof probes which can be sterilized in a dishwasher/ware washer • Wall mount holders for your thermometer kit so it’s within reach at all times • New thermometers supplied with FREE calibration certificates and annual reminders at no extra cost to ensure you are up to date with your food safety protocols MD Tom Sensier: ‘I’m really proud of our money-saving food-safety kits for their quality, value and performance.

Our CA2005-PK combines a high accuracy thermometer with 6 colour-coded probes you can stick in the dishwasher.

And for fast-paced kitchens, you can’t beat our MMWALLKIT: a heavy duty thermometer and probe complete with hygienic wall storage – recently filmed in action on one of the UK’s most popular TV food competitions!’

To help businesses even further, TME is offering 25% off online orders. Visit www.tmethermometers.com for more details. Offer ends on 30 June 2024.

these are time-consuming and risk poor legibility.

Pre-printed labels from an external supplier is one alternative, but can lack flexibility and prove costly as any changes or additions to a product’s ingredients will mean ordering a new run of labels and potentially throwing away unwanted bulk-printed batches.

An on-site printing solution avoids these issues.

To help business of all sizes comply efficiently, integrated packages are available that bundle a label printer with easy-to-use menu-management software. These make it simple to keep your labels up to date as you make changes to your menu, and multi-site solutions are available for those businesses with more than one outlet.

If you’re looking for a compliant labelling solution, a Brother printer can help make it easy, whether as a standalone device or as part of a turnkey menu-management system from one of our partners.

To find out more, go to brother.co.uk/food-labelling

The Kelsius Digital HACCP and Wireless Temperature Monitoring System The Kelsius digital HACCP and wireless temperature monitoring system provides the hospitality industry with a one-stop food safety system that protects food, customers and a business’s reputation.

Digital probes allow for food temperature checks right before service, recording and date-stamping temperatures and data. Automated sensors provide effortless monitoring of fridges, freezers and other units.

Data is stored securely and can be accessed through a user-friendly portal, allowing for full regulatory compliance and traceability with access to reports and data at the touch of a screen.

The sensor system will alert staff in real time where a temperature falls outside predefined

parameters. Kelsius has recently launched alerts via push notifications on the Kelsius App. The app provides the most secure and reliable way to ensure that alerts are delivered immediately to the right staff on their smartphone or any mobile device.

Staff are alerted in real time to act immediately should there be a power outage, fridge or freezer failure, or doors left open.

Designated managers and supervisors have visibility of alerts, corrective actions and user data on site or remotely, providing peace of mind that food safety procedures and processes are being followed.

To learn more visit www.kelsius.com

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Issue 218

Products and Services

793 Spirits Co. Holy Island Bloomsbury Flowers - The Luxury Florist • Holy Island’s first & only distillery.

• Distil, bottle & hand label Vodka, Gin & Rum. • Distillery shop with hidden bar.

793 Spirits Co. have been distilling on Holy Island, a tidal island off the Northumberland coast, since 2017.

Starting with their first spirit, ‘Mjødka’, a triple distilled vodka, giving a nod to the island’s Nordic history. Following that, the ‘Creed & Tide’ gin range was released. With the first being a classic dry gin, then a navy strength gin distilled with fresh lime & Holy Island Sea Salt and finishing off with a slightly sweeter

Pomegranate & Rooibos Leaf gin.

The most recent release was a dark rum – ‘The Guffy Curse’, a traditional dark rum aged for 12 months, being the first of its kind from Northumberland. All spirits are distilled, bottled & labelled in house in Holy Island’s first and only distillery, using a 250L copper still.

Also, on Holy Island is ‘Spirit & Soul’, the distillery shop with a secret hidden sanctuary behind a bookcase door! contact@793spirits.co.uk | www.793spirits.co.uk or see the advert on page 4.

Wine Service Innovations Up Your Reputation & Profit Innovative products enhance operational efficiency and empower hospitality professionals to review their wine service and customer engagement, improving wine sales and reputation.

Wine Corner Ltd specializes in temperaturecontrolled storage solutions for wine. Fine dining establishments invest heavily in creating the perfect ambiance and employing the best sommeliers and staff to ensure guests feel valued, become patrons, and return with guests and family. This is in addition to investments in fine and vintage wines.

For the educated palate, it’s all about the perfect pour, which can only happen when the wine has been stored in the right conditions, chilled or acclimatized, and finally poured at the perfect temperature.

What about the business side? How to entice new or regular customers to spend more? When service and products are at their best, what’s left to press the ‘spend more’ button? How about a ‘holistic fine dining experience’?

From the first step into your venue, guests walk past beautifully displayed wine walls, the wine menu invites guests for a one-to-one ‘pairing’ session in your tasting room, equipped with a Technowine tower unit keeping already opened bottles in perfect condition, and a speed chiller which cools champagne to the perfect temperature in minutes without the drama of ice, buckets, and condensation… A truly smooth operation, a delight for your front of house team and guests, who are now ready to discover a different, and perhaps, more expensive wine.

The ‘perfect pour’ however, isn’t just the preserve of fine dining. For luxury outdoor catering, Bag-in-Box (BIB) dispensers offer a countertop solution for volume dispensing of chilled wine. Putting the actual appliances to one side for a moment, they are not just fancy coolers; they offer the potential for imaginative hospitality professionals to reimagine their wine service. Call Wine Corner Ltd on 01302 744916 and pick their brains. See the advert on the back cover of this issue for details.

ner, Bloomsbury Flowers will advise on the perfect complement to your brand and the prevailing interiors.

Bloomsbury Flowers is a renowned luxury florist in the heart of London’s Covent Garden area, recognised for using seasonal blooms and foliage.

Bloomsbury Flowers is extremely creative, dedicated, knowledgeable and passionate about the art and craft of floristry. Established for 30 years, it offers interior and exterior planting as well as gorgeous fresh, silk and dried flowers, always arranged with elegance and understated English glamour.

Their range of floristry and planting services include that for: • weekly contracts with hotels, spas, restaurants, offices, members clubs and facilities management firms with thrice weekly checks at least; • last minute concierge bou-

It will consider whether the room needs a focal point or whether the flowers should be in the background, whilst still emanating a sense of luxury, elegance and mood enhancing self-care.

quets; • weddings and events; • fashion shows and press launches; • exhibitions and festivals; • artistic installations; • interior and exterior landscaping; • plant maintenance.

It is a member of the exclusive venue group, Unique Venues of London, the invitation only Tatler Wedding Address Book and the UK Ambassador to the Floriculture Sustainability Initiative.

Whether an entrance table with a wow factor is needed or a lush arrangement of greenery in the cor-

See the advert on page 2, call 0207 242 2840 or visit www.bloomsburyflowers.co.uk

It considers flowers and plants essential to interiors as they add natural beauty, fragrance, texture and colour to spaces. A consultancy service to help you decide how to use flowers and planting to make the ambience more inviting, comfortable and relaxing for guests is offered.

Preventing Dine & Dash with CardsSafe

®

It's a good idea to hold customers' bank cards securely while they run a tab to ensure they don't make off with payment. The hospitality industry has been plagued with dine-anddash since the cost-of-living crisis. A few bad apples leaving a bar, pub or restaurant without paying can cost the venue hundreds if not thousands of pounds every year.

Too many dine-and-dash cases are being reported, but simple, affordable solutions exist. Hospitality managers shouldn't worry about dineand-dash. The good news is that CardsSafe is a genuine deterrent for walkouts because the venues securely store cards.

Deers Hut pub in Liphook, Hampshire, first came to CardsSafe in 2013 to seek help with a large volume of indoor and outdoor customers' bar tabs. One of the main motivations for utilising CardsSafe was to stay on top of where their customers sat outside. Deborah Steel, the Director, told us, "The CardsSafe system is

great for servicing customers who enjoy our outdoor areas."

Over 5,000 venues in the UK use CardsSafe. The system is used by Young's pubs, golf courses, Hilton Hotels, Lord's Cricket Ground, and many independent restaurants and bars in the hospitality industry.

CardsSafe is affordable, too.

Each unit, containing ten card drawers, costs just £9.95 per month. So, just one £120* walkout is the cost of a 10card CardsSafe unit for an entire year. In addition, each hire comes with customer service troubleshooting and free replacement keys, and additional units can be added at any time.

The question is, can you afford not to have CardsSafe as a part of your business?

For more information, please visit www.cardssafe.com or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040 or see the advert on page 11. *Plus a sign-up fee of £39.95 (plus VAT) for new customers.

Hot Off The Press: New Jangro Catering Kinedo Launches Stunning NEW & Hospitality Catalogue Kinewall Panels Jangro, the largest network of independent janitorial distributors in the UK and Ireland, is proud to present its new Catering & Hospitality Supplies 2024/25 catalogue. Boasting a fresh new look, the latest edition is the ultimate caterer’s companion, offering a wide range of quality brands and choice at competitive prices.

Enabling establishments to keep up to date with trends, the catalogue offers all the equipment and supplies required to stir up positive customer experiences.

From front of house to back of house, casual to fine dining, the latest crockery and table presentations to environmentally friendly catering disposables, Jangro’s new Catering & Hospitality 2024/25 catalogue has it all.

Jangro is committed to becoming a more sustainable business and helping its customers reach their own green goals. This new edition, therefore, offers a plethora of eco-conscious products, from food packaging containers, which are recyclable, compostable, and fully bio-degradable, to Jangro’s award-winning and innovative ntrl range of vegan cleaning solutions.

The ntrl portfolio comprises 13 products ideal for cleaning surfaces in a variety of environments, from kitchens through to washrooms. Registered with The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark, all formulas are 100% biodegradable, contain zero petrochemicals, and can reduce the product’s carbon footprint by up to 85%.

Jo Gilliard, CEO of Jangro, comments, ‘For catering and hospitality businesses, creating a great impression is as crucial as the gastronomic delights served. Front of

house presentation sets the stage for the customer’s entire experience, whilst back of house provides the foundation. What’s more, today’s consumers seek establishments that resonate with their values, particularly in terms of environmental practices.

‘Providing an exceptional customer experience, making sustainable choices, whilst also balancing a budget is a delicate juggle – our new Catering & Hospitality Supplies 2024/25 catalogue has been curated to help businesses strike this balance.’

Kinedo introduces the game-changing Kinewall panels for the hospitality sector, elevating bathroom aesthetics in hotels, restaurants and pubs. Boasting 70 unique patterns and colours across four themes— Minerals and Metals, Nature, Patterns and Geometric, and Wood— these panels offer versatile options to match various hospitality design schemes.

Designed for ease of installation and customisation, Kinewall panels come in six sizes, ensuring adaptability to diverse bathroom layouts commonly found in hospitality settings. Crafted from premium materials with a polyethylene core sandwiched between aluminium layers, these panels offer durability and can be effortlessly trimmed on-site to fit specific dimensions.

The catalogue features all the essentials required for catering, leisure and hospitality businesses – including kitchen hygiene, utensils and equipment, cleaning chemicals, tableware and glassware, washroom supplies, work wear, janitorial and waste management.

Manufactured in France by Kinedo, Kinewall panels meet the rigorous quality standards expected in the hospitality industry. Their lightweight construction, weighing just 11kg, facilitates hassle-free handling during installation, minimising downtime.

For more information see the advert on page 6, or to order a free copy visit www.Jangro.net or call 01204 795 955.

In partnership with Ideal Bathrooms, Kinedo ensures prompt availability of popular panel sizes and

colors essential for the hospitality sector's fastpaced demands. Ideal Bathrooms stocks 21 designs of the 1500 x 2500mm panels for immediate delivery, while additional options can be ordered with a lead time of four weeks, providing flexibility to meet project timelines.

Amanda Mills, Kinedo's Marketing Manager, underscores Kinewall's resilience to withstand the rigorous demands of hospitality environments, offering unmatched resistance to chemicals, scratches, and corrosion. With a 10-year warranty and adherence to European quality standards, Kinewall meets and exceeds the expectations of the discerning hospitality sector.

Introducing Kinewall panels marks a significant advancement in bathroom design for the hospitality industry, combining style, durability, and ease of installation to elevate guest satisfaction and enhance overall guest experiences.

Contact Kinedo: www.kinedo.co.uk Call: 020 8842 0033 Email: info@kinedo.co.uk

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Issue 218

Chef's Buyer's Guide

TUGO - Innovative Food Solutions We’re TUGO, a passionate team of food service fanatics, committed to creating the freshest, most flavourful globally inspired food concepts.

We’re clear in our purpose, to take the weight off our clients’ plate and make life easier with our complete end-to-end food service solution.

Our adventurous spirit, agility and positively restless dedication to innovation is what sets us apart, developing food concepts to suit operators across food service.

From menu innovation and concept development, through to product training, marketing and sales support.

From our vibrant global street food to our hand-stretched fresh dough pizza & authentic corn tortilla burritos, We seek adventure globally and are passionate about our produce as we are reducing our environmental impacts.

We provide the tastiest, most innovative food solutions so our clients can focus on delighting their customers and unlocking opportunities to drive revenue.

Tel: 01295 367351 | Email: hello@tugo.co.uk | Web: www.tugo.co.uk

LittlePod’s Innovative Vanilla Paste in a Tube Popular All Over the World LittlePod’s innovative vanilla paste in a tube is proving popular in professional kitchens all over the world.

Hailed as ‘a much-needed evolution for the kitchen’, we’re preparing to introduce our most-popular product to chefs in China following a successful trip to the Far East.

From Tallin to Tokyo, those using our versatile vanilla continue to recommend and endorse LittlePod. “We think our products speak for themselves,” said Janet Sawyer MBE BEM, the East Devon-based company’s founder and managing director, who has been out and about speaking to chefs both at home and abroad in 2024. “We continue to receive recommendations and endorsements from customers all over the world. Their comments are worth more than anything we could say.”

During a recent trip to Japan, where LittlePod exhibited at FOODEX 2024, Janet renewed acquaintances with Frederik Walther – the Executive Chef at the British Embassy in Tokyo.

“Frederik said LittlePod’s vanilla paste is an ‘upscale product with a beautiful design and a fantastic story’,” said Janet. “Frederik is recommending our vanilla paste to chefs in Japan.”

Janet also met with LittlePod’s distributor in Hong Kong, Frances Ma, who is planning to expand her operation

and take our products to China.

Frances said, “LittlePod’s vanilla paste resonates with people in the Far East because it is such high quality. It is convenient to use and the tube has a cool, clean and elegant design. LittlePod’s vanilla paste is natural and real. This isn’t just another product from off the shelf.”

Closer to home, our vanilla paste in a tube continues to prove popular in Europe, with Juta Raudnask, a long-time LittlePod retailer in Estonia, amongst those helping us spread the word.

“LittlePod’s natural vanilla paste exceeded all our expectations,” said Juta, who sells LittlePod’s products at Umami, a gourmet food store in Tallin and Tartu. “It is loved by all kinds of people in Estonia, from families to professional chefs working at finedining restaurants.”

Janet added, “LittlePod’s natural vanilla paste is versatile – it makes using real vanilla so easy. When LittlePod launched in 2010 we were the first to bring a vanilla paste in a tube to market. It has been our most popular product ever since.”

• Like to find out more about LittlePod? Visit www.littlepod.co.uk, email sales@littlepod.co.uk or call 01395 232022.

Bidfood Reveals Its First Group of Listed Suppliers On The Path to Acceleration Through its SME Scheme, Open Doors After the successful launch of its SME scheme last October, Bidfood, one of the UK’s leading foodservice providers, is proud to announce the initial group of suppliers selected through the Open Doors Programme.

Aimed at small food and beverage suppliers, the Open Doors Programme identifies the most innovative businesses trying to establish themselves within the industry and raises awareness of their products so they can make their mark in wholesale.

Despite the recent deceleration in inflation, the share of small businesses aspiring to grow this year has significantly decreased during the last six months. Small businesses within the food sector have shown the biggest drop in confidence that their business will grow, at more than 70%.

As a result, Bidfood’s Open Doors Programme has continued on its mission to unlock the potential of emerging suppliers, supporting their development journey, while also providing its customers with first-hand access to some of the most interesting brands out there.

Following a three-step development journey to nurture, champion and finally accelerate, the initiative has resulted in seven brands being officially listed with Bidfood, along with a selection of their products: • Bio&Me – A B-certified brand, Bio&Me has a range of handy on-the-go porridges created to support gut health.

Bio&Me is also part of the ‘Buy Women Built’ community, which shines a light on brands built by women.

• Boundless ¬– Using activated ingredients, Boundless snacks support gut health and are free from the top 14 allergens. They're also members of the ‘Buy Women Built’ community.

• Flawsome! – Another B-certified brand, Flawsome! produces a variety of juices, sparkling fruit waters and health shots made from wonky and surplus fruits.

• Ninju – A true kitchen table start-up, Ninju is a range of fruit and vegetable-based children’s drinks packaged in 100% recyclable cartons.

• OGGS ¬– Offering a vegan alternative to eggs, OGGS is the third B-certified brand out of the newly listed suppliers and will soon be a part of the ‘Buy Women Built’ community.

• TeaJoy – Designed to serve the growing demand for bubble tea in the UK, TeaJoy’s products are a quick and easy solution to making bubble tea using authentic Jasmine leaves from Taiwan.

• TRIBE – High protein vegan flapjacks with a strong stance against modern slavery.

Commenting on the newly listed suppliers, Sales and Marketing Director at Bidfood UK, Tim Adams said: “We have made fantastic progress in the past six months, from having our first SME supplier conference in October, to hosting dozens of guidance sessions to prospective suppliers. Now, we have seven amazing and inspiring brands listed with us that can work across a variety of sectors.

“Working with Andrew Allen has allowed us to tailor the Open Doors Programme to suit small food and beverage businesses, who are still facing some tough market challenges, and making their presence known in wholesale.

“It coincides perfectly with Bidfood’s vision to be a positive force for change and we will continue to be the voice for underrepresented founder groups with incredible brand stories, as well as suppliers who offer excellence in carbon reduction and social value. We can’t wait for the next six months and what this will bring for more small businesses.”

Cathy Mosely, founder of Boundless added: “Open Doors has done exactly what its name promises; opening doors for small brands like Boundless to thrive under expert guidance, in order to reach levels of distribution otherwise impossible for a start-up.

“Through mentorship and unlocking marketing opportunities normally reserved for big corporations, our projected growth with Bidfood is exponential and we’re extremely excited for the next 12 months.”

To learn more about the Open Doors Programme and to sign up for the ODP newsletter, visit here: https://www.bidfood.co.uk/about-us/open-doors/

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CLH Digital

Issue 218

Sustainable Resources

Foodles Partners with ReFood to Eliminate Unavoidable Waste As part of a strategic drive to further enhance its sustainability credentials, B-Corp Certified corporate catering business Foodles has partnered with ReFood to eliminate unavoidable food waste generated across its national operations.

The agreement will see the surplus meals collected from Foodles’ smart fridges across London sent to ReFood’s state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion (AD) facility in Dagenham and used to generate both renewable energy and biofertiliser. Foodles is a fast-growing company with a rising need for sustainable waste management, and this partnership with ReFood unlocks new circular solutions which both benefit the environment and have the ability to scale with Foodles’ rapid expansion.

Founded in 2014, Foodles has pioneered a revolutionary approach to tackle mundane corporate catering.

Rather than running a canteen, the innovative business delivers fresh, healthy, home-cooked meals on a daily basis, which are stored in next-generation smart fridges and dispensed to customers much like a vending machine.

The concept was originally launched in France, but has since expanded further across Europe – first into Belgium in 2020, before entering the UK in 2022. Every year, the business delivers more than 1,000,000 pre-pre-

pared meals, with hundreds of smart fridges operational across the continent.

Michaël Ormancey, cofounder and co-CEO of Foodles, commented: “Since setting up our services in London, we’ve seen a variety of companies sign-up to receive daily deliveries. We aim to offer complete flexibility to both employers and employees – in essence, we’ve re-imagined the lunch break.

“However, while our cutting-edge approach is far more sustainable than the old fashioned corporate catering model, uneaten meals must be dealt with responsibly.

Our partnership with ReFood will enable us to continue to grow with this sustainable, scalable solution.”

With three AD sites in the UK (Dagenham, Doncaster and Widnes), ReFood works with hundreds of businesses for across the food supply chain to enable best practice, sustainable food waste management.

Every year the company handles 480,000 tonnes of waste, using it to generate renewable energy and sustainable biofertiliser.

For more information about Foodles, visit www.foodles.com. To find out more about ReFood, or its pioneering food waste recycling services, visit www.refood.co.uk.

Elevate Your Space with Floral Image In the competitive hospitality industry, creating a memorable guest experience is paramount.

Floral Image understands this and offers a unique service that combines the beauty of nature with the convenience of cutting-edge design. Our stunning, life-like floral arrangements are more than just decorations; they are transformative elements that breathe life into any space, enhancing the aesthetic appeal and ambiance of your establishment.

Our service is straightforward and hassle-free. We provide premium, hand-crafted artificial floral arrangements on a monthly rental basis. This means you can enjoy the visual splendour of fresh flowers without the maintenance, wilting or replacement costs associated with live plants. Each month, our team delivers a fresh arrangement to your location, ensuring that your décor remains vibrant and contemporary.

Why choose Floral Image? Our products are meticulously designed to replicate the beauty of real flow-

ers, providing a consistent and high-quality visual impact.

They are perfect for hotel lobbies, restaurants, event spaces and any area where first impressions matter.

By partnering with Floral Image, you not only enhance the visual appeal of your property but also create a welcoming and luxurious environment that guests will remember. Let us help you make a lasting impression with our elegant and sustainable floral solutions.

Experience the Floral Image difference today and elevate your hospitality space to new heights. For more information or to schedule a call, visit our website or contact our customer service team. Transform your space effortlessly with Floral Image.

See the advert on this page or visit www.floralimage.co.uk

Salvaging Solar Investments For organisations across the leisure sector with high hot water demands solar thermal was the sensible investment 15 years ago to cut operational costs.

Purchasing Solar PV and flat plate or evacuated tube solar thermal systems, proved cost-effective and the technology enjoyed a heyday with many buildings employing one or both options. But poor initial installation, lack of maintenance, or retraction of manufacturer support for evacuated tube systems rendered many systems, still on rooftops, unusable.

But with new high-efficiency, robust flat plate collectors with protective drain back, plus cylinders and controls to integrate solar thermal with electric top-up there is a real opportunity to resurrect systems as part of new sustainability strategies. Most refurbishments where overheating has been the cause of shutdown will require new collector panels and pipework which fortunately is a relatively straightforward replacement. This allows for upgrading existing gas water heating, saving energy, and reducing emissions from the existing system.

Alternatively, Adveco can support the transition to full electric water heating with solar thermal through

bespoke system design and product supply. For businesses with lower capacity demands, such as pubs or cafés, Adveco FUSION offers a pre-defined low-carbon system that is compact, easy to install, resilient and cost-effective. For organisations which are considering but not ready to commit to a heat pump-based system, FUSION T is available now with an option that delivers a twin-coil stainless steel tank and mounted ARDENT electric boiler and controls without the heat pump preheat. This iteration allows for solar thermal to be introduced into the lower coil as the system preheat with a small amendment to the controls to optimise top-up heating from the boiler as the pre-heat fluctuates across the year.

Adveco’s single-cylinder FUSION scenario avoids the typical requirements of a 50/50 capacity split between preheat and top-up. Smart controls allow the system to ‘cheat’ in favour of the solar thermal delivering a 600litre solar capacity in FUSION’s new 750-litre tanks.

This provides an extremely compact option for all-electric low-carbon solar water heating with a minimal rooftop or façade footprint.

See the advert on page 9 or visit www.adveco.co

Versatile and Innovative Labelling Solutions for Hospitality Micronics has introduced its mC-Label3 and TSP143IVSK printers, designed to print permanent and repositionable labels, food orders, delivery and takeaway labels.

The printers respond to the growing requirement for allergy and food labelling, clear delivery and takeaway customer order labels, particularly with linerless media. Low adhesive, repositionable labels can track an order through the entire preparation process from initial order to delivery, providing the potential for greater order accuracy and efficiency.

With the rise in multi-channel ordering in the hospitality industry in recent years accompanied by increasing demand for customer collection, third party delivery and legislation around accurate ingredients and allergy identification, the requirement for efficient food and beverage labelling has surged. Without a doubt, amongst the range of labelling solutions currently available, linerless labels stand out for their eco-friendly properties and operational efficiencies.

In contrast to traditional labels with a backing paper, direct thermal linerless labels are self-adhesive labels which can be applied directly to products or packaging. Such labels are supplied with varying levels of adhesion, from high adhesive permanent labels to low adhesive repositionable labels which can be applied to virtually any surface and be removed easily and reapplied without residue.

Thanks to its ability to print on a wide range of liner-free media including low adhesive re-stick labels as well as high adhesive permanent and semi-permanent labels, the Star mC-Label3 printer offers the ideal solution for printing different sized and types of labels from one easy-to-use device. This includes variable length food and allergy labels, nutrition information as well as food delivery labels and bag seals from web-based apps or local services.

In addition to a range of label printing options including fully adjustable label widths from 25mm to 80mm wide, the mC-Label3 features black mark and GAP sensors.

Capable of printing traditional liner pre-sized labels, continuous label rolls and receipt paper, the printer is ideal for businesses that use a variety of media or are planning to move from traditional labelling to linerless media in the future.

For all linerless media, a key benefit is the reduction in waste. With no backing paper to discard, linerless media offers significant paper saving properties with more labels per roll than standard label rolls. Thanks to fewer roll changes as well as the advantage of reduced shipping costs and storage space requirements given linerless labels are more compact than traditional labels, cost savings can be achieved alongside enhanced operational efficiency and sustainability.

With CloudPRNT widely used by hospitality establishments worldwide as part of an online ordering platform or ecommerce solution, Star also provides StarPrinter.Online, a fully managed service for businesses to manage the printer estate with minimal set-up time and cost as well as near zero integration. For enhanced online visibility of connectivity and print jobs over an entire printer estate, the service additionally offers device management via an online dashboard to provide an overview of all devices and activity including reliable tracking of print jobs with notification of device status changes, barcode scans, new device connections to a group, etc. Additional printers and peripherals can simply be added without the need for server upgrades, further enhancing the versatility of the service.

About Star Micronics

With over 75 years in the POS industry and a global presence, Star’s strength and success is built upon product innovation alongside established relationships with leading software partners. Its experienced technical team boasts in-depth technical and integration expertise to provide unique tailored solutions for an evolving hospitality industry. Offering the versatility required to integrate traditional, tablet and cloud-based POS systems, Star ensures successful installation of its products into major hospitality operators as well as smaller independent venues.

In terms of label size, linerless media is available in a range of widths, enabling businesses to create labels for any product type including larger labels for food deliveries to smaller, more compact beverage labels. Equally, variable length linerless labels enable the printing of shorter orders or labels with less information on minimal paper, further promoting efficiency.

As demand grows for labelling products in a variety of sectors, international POS hardware solutions provider Star

mC-Label3 additionally features Bluetooth connectivity, whilst the printers equally benefit from a Wireless LAN option with Star’s MCW10 module. Star’s CloudPRNT™ technology is included as standard on both models for printing directly from central ordering platforms and websites.

Incredibly user friendly and with paper position, paper width detection and simple drop-in loading, different media can be loaded with ease and given its jam free operation reliable printing is ensured. Star’s Cloud-based free labelling app offers a wide range of pre-designed label templates, whilst the one touch label function allows for storing and printing of up to three label designs.

As a complete point-of-sale hardware solutions provider, Star offers a wealth of options including a wide range of unique desktop POS, mobile and self-service terminal printers for printing receipts, tickets and labels from traditional systems, tablets and mobile devices as well as from web and cloud-based apps. In particular, Star’s compact and versatile cloud solutions are ideal for a variety of applications including Click & Collect food orders, home delivery and online or at table food ordering. Additionally, Star provides tablet stands, display stands, barcode scanners and cash management solutions to complete the hardware offering.

Alternatively, for businesses seeking a compact linerlessonly label and order printing solution the TSP143IVSK boasts optimal versatility and ergonomic design, printing on low tack linerless re-stick media from 40mm to 80mm.

Moreover, the TSP143IVSK benefits from the power cable, interface cables and paper guide included at purchase as well as a 4-year warranty as standard.

In line with today’s multi-channel ordering and printing expectations in hospitality, the mC-Label3 and TSP143IVSK benefit from multiple interfaces for local PC, network, tablet and Cloud connectivity. Furthermore, both printers include Ethernet LAN and USB-C connectivity as well as direct sync and charge with supported tablets, together with hub connectivity to connect a scanner or customer display.

For further information, please call +44 (0) 1494 471111 or visit: www.Star-EMEA.com

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Hospitality Technology

Address F&B Profitability Before It Takes You Under, says Guestline Profitability in food and beverage (F&B) dropped by over 30% in the last five years. In 2018, hotels’ F&B profit margin stood at an average of 32% according to STR, but fast-forward five years and it stands at 22%.

Consumer behaviour and attitudes to F&B have shifted since the pandemic, with some outlets struggling to keep pace. Revenue leaks in hospitality F&B are varied, including food waste, overstaffing, and no-shows or - even worse an increase in ‘dine and dash’. Operating with increasingly tight margins,

hotels simply cannot support loss-making business units; action needs to be taken now to address the falling profitability in F&B. F&B teams need to ditch time-consuming, inefficient paper-based procedures for automated and digital processes including: prompts to upsell products and customise orders; maintain inventory management with real-time stock updates; process bills from the POS to the PMS; and, waitlist management to handle walk-ins and no-shows to minimise lost revenue.

By using data, hotels can improve revenue, identify customer preferences and shape menus and promotions to fit guest profiles. By using intelligent forecasting to respond to market changes, F&B profitability will improve.

Working with a fully-integrated PMS, POS and procurement platform, hotels can automatically bill in-house guests; better understand restaurant performance; assess inventory to work with high-profit margin items; and streamline menus to manage the supply chain. Savings in procurement go straight to the bottom line of your F&B department.

Guestline supports its customers with integrated solutions to drive excellence in customer experience, finance, and operations, promoting sustained business growth with impactful commercial data at its core.

Contact Guestline on +44 (0) 1743 282300 and www.guestline.com to discuss how you can improve the overall financial health of your business.

WaiterMate Debuts the World’s Fastest, Most Efficient Mobile EPOS Revolutionary technology company, WaiterMate has launched the world’s fastest and most efficient EPOS system. Powerful and pocket sized, it combines traditional EPOS functions with an integrated ordering system and payment processing functionality for speedier service, a greater volume of sales and better tips.

Designed for fast-paced hospitality venues, including restaurants, bars, cafes, and nightclubs, WaiterMate allows customers to be processed at a minimum of twice the speed of traditional systems. Every single waiter or waitress can serve customers and take payments at the same time. No bottlenecks during peak periods. No frustratingly lengthy waiting times. No jostling for use of the till or card machine. Just seamless customer service, efficient ordering, and lightening quick payments from any location within

With one client, WaiterMate helped their bartenders set a record for revenue. The venue was looking for a solution that could help its business to scale, generate more profit and make life simpler for staff. WaiterMate exceeded all expectations. With the old system, a bartender generated a maximum of £1,500 worth of sales per evening. With WaiterMate, that increased to £2,700. It’s a truly revolutionary piece of kit that is user-friendly and packed with functionality for customer-facing teams and managers

alike.

For those in charge of the bigger picture, WaiterMate doesn’t just ensure a faster rate of table turnover, and improved productivity front-of-house. It’s also been precisely engineered to make complete venue management easier.

The robust interface comes with enhanced analytics and truly useful reports, for easier staff management, easier data-based decision making, improved service quality and upgraded customer loyalty.

Multiple site management is also covered. Each venue can be reviewed independently or the whole property estate brought together to see the bigger picture. Those in charge have complete control and oversight of performance in real time or retrospectively.

To find out more, visit: https://waitermate.co.uk View the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX_mjBK7bDc or follow on social @WaiterMate.

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 page 38.

the venue.

WaiterMate empowers every waiter or waitress to serve their customers’ food and drinks noticeably quicker and to a higher standard. With more accurate order placement, seamless table management, options to split the bill, take payment and print receipts, they have a full EPOS system in the palm of their hand. Better service means better tips and a better customer experience.

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”.

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

www.guestline.com

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Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

Focus On Blue Seal's New The Importance of Venting Floor Mounted Waste Water Induction Technology Blue Seal Ltd are very mindful of the future equipment requirements for efficiency and carbon footprint and sustainability, with this everchanging food industry and the cost of gas and electric usage.

We currently produce a new range of free-standing & bench models of heavy-duty induction hobs with two or four zones. Each hob has the versatility of 3.5KW or 5Kw round zone generators for focussed power or 5kw power full area zones to accept multiple pans across the cooking area. The induction technology is incredibly responsive, with hardened 6mm thick glass cooking surfaces.

Blue Seal R&D are conscious of the ever-increasing demand for induction product, and we are in the process of launching our new induction- convection ranges, and wok induction hobs.

The induction technology lends itself to a myriad of concepts, especially QSR restaurants where they need quick heat up on demand, which is also remarkably simple for the operator to use and maintain.

The feature benefits of induction far outweigh the initial out lay, which is currently still relatively high for commercial heavy-duty product. Induction for prime cooking is still relatively fresh to be accepted into the general commercial kitchen environment, however the big energy savings and high efficiency

far outweighs the cost of changing the cookware and initial higher cost outlay for the product. This cost will no doubt reduce and become more competitive as the trend & demand for induction manufacture inevitably increases.

Induction equipment also avoids the additional very costly legislation requirement involved with gas canopy extraction/make up air and interlock systems.

When you compare the efficiency of using induction over gas, the induction is at approx. 90% efficient compared to approx. 45% efficiency for gas.

This is achieved by the magnetic fields heating up the entire surface of the cookware with virtually all of the energy transferred into the pan. Where gas disperses the heat, licking around the sides of the cookware more so, losing energy into the ambient air around the pan.

Using induction massively reduces heat transfer into the air flow, lowers the overall temperature in the kitchen promoting a more comfortable working environment, as well as the practicality of a simple wipe down of the glass cooking area at the end of a shift, which is very appealing to an operator. The appliances are much safer to use, reducing injury potential as well as being very simple to service & maintain.

David Chesshire - National Accounts Manager See the advert on page 2 for further information.

Pumping Systems

When designing or installing a commercial kitchen venting the floor mounted waste water pumping system may not be the first thing that is taken into consideration. However, understanding the importance of venting for the effective operation of the pump, as well dispersing odours from the tank, is a critical factor for reliability in these situations.

As wastewater drains from a sink or appliance the air inside the tank must be released to allow the flow of water into it. If the tank is not vented correctly wastewater will be noticeably slower to drain away from sinks and appliances. Odours and gurgling noises from equipment and sinks will also occur. In these situations, the likelihood is that the pumping system is not properly vented.

ing tank.

Two filters are available from Aldermaston based waste water pumping system specialists Pump Technology Ltd, the smaller CharcoVent and the larger MicroVent. Both contain an activated carbon filter ideal for removing odours.

The smaller CharcoVent, which is an easy to replace disposable cartridge, should be used on systems that are typically sink only. Its vent pipe should be 1 1/4”.

The larger MicroVent, which features a replaceable cartridge, should be used on systems that have multiple wastewater inlets, or with appliances such as dishwashers. Its vent pipe should be 2” to allow the greater airflow.

As the pump operates air needs to be drawn back into the tank so that a partial vacuum is not created.

If this is allowed to happen the discharge flow of the pump will be reduced adversely affecting its efficiency.

Vents should be positioned as far above the collecting tank as practical. This improves the life of the filter and its effectiveness and facilitates easy removal of the lid for cleaning and servicing. It also ensures that, when pumping hot wastewater, any potential condensation will not adversely affect the activated carbon.

For these reasons all pump tanks need to be fitted with a suitable vent to allow them to breathe in and out. Ideally this should be routed to atmosphere external to the building.

The specialist team at Pump Technology Ltd are always happy to talk with any potential customers who are designing or installing a waste water pumping system and offer help and advice.

In cases where the vent outlet can only be sited within the building, a filter must be used to minimise any potential odours escaping from the pump collect-

More information: 0118 9821 555 www.pumptechnology.co.uk

Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

Issue 218

CLH Digital

Stay Cool with Gasket Guy Gasket Guy are UK manufacturers of high quality refrigeration door seals. Our one-stop shop service provides all makes and brands of seals to order at competitive prices for swift dispatch. Buying from us means you’re immediately reducing your carbon footprint.

But we can offer so much more. As well as ordering online with our handy guides, we offer a measure and fit service and can provide Asset Registers for even faster ordering. Our Asset Register service codes all our clients’ appliances so they can be replaced quickly by simply quoting the codes when they order, fitting the seals themselves if they choose, therefore saving on labour costs. So we’re faster, cheaper and also greener, as you’re buying UK manufactured seals from one source.

There’s a lot to lose if your seals fail. At stake are increased energy costs as the compressors have to work harder to maintain temperatures. You also risk losing your stock, your customers and your hard-won environmental hygiene stars. Order from us for fast manufacture and dispatch. You’ll save on engineer site visits too.

We offer the same friendly service to all our customers, whether they’re high street chains and supermarkets, or local pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels. We keep huge stocks of profiles and can usually make seals for most makes, even for old or obsolete appliances.

Many a fridge or freezer owes its continuing life to us!

Exeter Golf and country Club’s General Manager Chris Jones has taken Gasket Guy with him throughout his career in hospitality. He says: Their products do the job, priced sensibly and often made on site. They really know their fridges.’

Flight Club Darts who have reinvented darts as a tech game for the 21st century at their 13 sites around the UK, found us on Google. Louis Atkins says ‘Gasket Guy immediately ticked all the boxes.’

Gasket Guy is proud to offer a fast, carbon friendly and competitive service to all our clients.

So call us and keep your cool!! www.gasketguyuk.com 01803 380251

Temporary Catering Facilities For Events & Kitchen Refurbishments

Mobile Kitchens Ltd specialises in the hire of temporary catering facilities and foodservice equipment.

Ideal for events or to provide temporary catering facilities during your kitchen refurbishment, our versatile units and equipment offer an efficient and economical solution to the caterers’ needs.

Production Kitchens, Preparation Kitchens, Warewashing Units, Dry Store Units, Cold Rooms and Restaurant Units are available as individual units in their own right or they can be linked together on site to form a complete complex.

Alternatively, we can offer modular, open-plan facilities, usually for larger, longer-term hires.

We offer a free design service, and project management from concept through to delivery and installation on site, plus full technical support throughout the hire period.

The standard specification of our Medium Production Kitchen unit includes a six burner oven range, salamander grill, twin basket fryer, undercounter fridge, undercounter freezer, hot cupboard, double bowl sink unit with integral hand wash basin, storage racking, plus ample power points to plug in Microwaves, Food Processors, Toasters etc.

Internal equipment can be interchanged, and clients can effectively specify their preferred layout.

We have many tried and tested design layouts and would be pleased to put forward our recommendations for your project.

So, if you’re planning a refurbishment or need to cater for an event then why not give us a call and we’ll be happy to provide advice and put forward a competitive proposal.

For further information or to arrange a site visit, email: sales@mk-hire.co.uk or call us on 0345 812 0800, or visit our website: www.mk-hire.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

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

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Issue 218

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

Get a Grip on Food Prep with the New Onyx from Williams Williams has launched the latest versions of its Onyx prep stations, with a sleek new look complementing the innovative features under the hood that deliver energy efficient performance and ensure food safety.

The Onyx prep station combines refrigerated storage beneath a worktop with refrigerated food wells on top – these provide instant access to regularly used fresh ingredients. The wells are ergonomically designed to be at the ideal working height and are positioned within easy reach for the chef.

The latest model combines practicality and good looks, with newly designed doors made from solid stainless steel featuring full-width integral door handles. These provide an easy to use, non-slip grab while being quick to clean, with no dirt traps. The generously sized work area makes the Onyx ideal for creating a range of foods including pizza, sandwiches, tapas, salad and desserts. Meanwhile the base of the unit has also been redesigned with a flatter surface, making it easier to install, transport and service.

The storage cabinets are designed to hold 1/1GN pans and the Onyx range is available in a choice of sizes, from the compact, space saving two door model up to the large, 1043 litre capacity, five door version.

The ingredient wells are capable of holding a selection of 1/3 and 1/6 GN pans, up to four 1/3 pans on the two door model, with the five door model taking twelve, or up to 24 1/6 GN pans.

Energy efficiency is improved by EC (Electrically Commutated) brushless fans, which allow for precise control with reduced power consumption. The new Onyx range uses natural hydrocarbon refrigerant which, as well as having low GWP/zero ODP, offers excellent thermodynamic properties which further reduce energy usage.

Capable of operating in ambient conditions up to 43°C and constructed from sturdy, food safe stainless

• Be ready for your inspections

steel, the Onyx comes with a lift-off cover to allow ingredients to be stored overnight, and removable, easy to clean crumb catchers. A choice of customisation options is available, including drawers, a hinged lid, granite worktop, and a polypropylene chopping board.

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.

Rational iVario by CEE You can boil, fry and deep-fry with just a single cooking system. Up to 4 times as fast and with up to 40% less energy. The iVario thus replaces numerous conventional kitchen appliances. Such as the stove, pots, pans, deep-fat fryers, pressure cookers and bainmarie. And in the restaurant, it is impossible to imagine the mise en place and à la carte without it.

Use the iVario to blanch, deep fry or confit effortlessly and in no time. Thanks to the powerful heating system iVarioBoost, the oil is heated in record time and you can start deep-frying immediately. At the same time, the temperature is regulated so sensitively

and precisely, that even meat, fish or vegetables can be prepared using the confit method.

Call For the best prices in the UK on 01902 495634.

Rational iVario by CEE

• 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

Boil, fry and deep-fry with just a single cooking system

• Next-day delivery service • Discounted prices on large orders

WhatsApp, phone, and email support

07936807320 sales@fridgesealsdirect.co.uk

fridgesealsdirect.co.uk

Outdoor Spaces Boost Profits This Summer with a Trailblazer BBQ Transform your terrace or outdoor eating space into a profit station with the theatre of a Trailblazer BBQ/Grill.

Don't miss out on capturing over 79% of UK diners who crave alfresco dining experiences. Tap into this lucrative opportunity right outside your door with a Trailblazer BBQ/Grill and elevate your establishment above the rest!

from the competition.

Take for example our ‘all new’ 350 Compact mobile BBQ/Grill that has been specifically designed for bars and restaurants with indoor/outdoor capabilities. This compact charcoal BBQ has a grill capacity of up to 350 BPH (burgers per hour), with adjustable grill heights to give instant heat control along with a lower self-powered warming oven...

For over a decade, Trailblazer BBQ has been the pioneering driving force behind the transformation of alfresco dining areas within restaurants, bars, hotels and many other outdoor eating venues throughout the world, with our industry leading range of commercial charcoal BBQ/grills & smokers.

Calculate the potential: With a grilling capability of up to 350BPH, 24 Ribeye steaks or 10 Tomahawks charring on the grill at one time, just imagine what your hourly earning capability could be. Finance options starting from just £70 per month, the investment is as palatable as selling a mere 12 burgers a month!

Visit our website (trailblazerbbq.com) to discover our full range of products for both on-site and off-site catering that will instantly turn your outdoor space into the ultimate alfresco dining hotspot.

Contact us today to learn more and schedule a call with one of our experts to help determine which trailblazer is best tailored to your establishment's needs.

From enticing grab-and-go offerings to revolutionizing outdoor spaces, we're committed to boosting your bottom line and ensuring your premises stands out

Proudly made in the UK to the highest standard before shipped to our worldwide, growing customer base. www.trailblazerbbq.com, 028 9057 9000

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

We create appealing and comfortable outdoor seating areas for your clients supplying everything required including:-

• planters with real or faux plants • cafe banners and restaurant screens • lighting • heating • classic neon signage • parasols installed and repaired • lenticular bladed roofed shelters • tables and chairs Our hardy planters are built to order using rot proof artificial wood planks. This unique material is not only completely waterproof but is formed from UK

factory waste plastics and materials that would otherwise have gone into landfill. They will last you countless years and are a genuine recyled investment.

From our workshops in Kent we deliver UK wide and are happy to visit and survey your site to to discuss your needs and prepare a drawing and quotation outlining what could be done, all within your available budgets.

We firmly believe the better you look on the outside, the more customers will come to the inside so contact us on 01733 559437 or sales@cafeculture.biz

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Issue 218

Outdoor Spaces

The Somerset Grill Company – New Revenue Opportunities For The Pub And Hospitality Sector

Join the trend for wood-fired cooking, and offer your pub, hotel or catering event customers something new – great flavours, great theatre and so easy to use. Over 30 hospitality business have bought our unique Grills in the last 12 Months, each of them driving a point of difference to attract more customers, and drive more revenue and profit.

The Somerset Grill Company has taken the principles of the Argentinian Wood-Fired Asado, and created Grills which overcome the main challenges of cooking with fire – easy temperature control, and simple fire and fuel management. And they look super-cool too.

To control temperature, simply wind the Grill surface up and down using the axle wheel – so you can sear or simmer and everything in between. The unique V-grills prevent flare ups, and collect all juices for re-basting.

Think steaks, slow roasts, smash burgers, fish, stews, roast vegetables And to keep cooking, simply add logs to the integral Ember maker r, for a constant flow of cook-ready

embers, continuously as long as you add more logs. No more running out of temperature at the critical moment, with quick cook times and big grill area for fast turnaround.

Made in the UK by us, the Grills offer high output opportunities for outdoor hospitality spaces. All off grid, wood-powered only. Choose between free-standing models with stand and wheels to move around, or build in to your outdoor kitchen set-up, in gunmetal steel or pre-rusted corten finish. All cooking parts are food-grade stainless steel, you can bespoke your Grill with griddles, rotisserie, prep tables and meat hooks for slow cooks too.

Easy to Light. Easy to Fuel. Easy to Use. Easy to Clean.

And from just £1,240 + VAT inc delivery for our Asado to build in, they are great value too.

To discuss how we may be able to help you create extra outdoor revenue, or be different, email martin@somersetgrill.com, phone 07881 520888 or find out more on www.somersetgrill.com

Summer’s Coming – Time For Espresso On The Go! The range and number of outdoors activities is constantly developing and mobile coffee is evolving and growing to meet the demands of the outdoors consumer in a really big way!

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

Fracino manufacture one of the most powerful LPG powered espresso machines range available. Our BSI Kitemark accreditation – the only espresso machine manufacturer worldwide with this prestigious endorsement - reinforces the commitment to quality and durability; ensuring that you’re making a solid and astute investment.

The trend and enthusiasm for enjoying great coffee in the outdoors appears to have really caught on – and many artisan roasters are now using the concept for sharing their unique talents for creating amazing coffees and taking them to the places that people meet for leisure activities. This gives plenty of opportunity in a relaxed environment to share their knowledge and fantastic flavours to multiple new customers.

With such a wide range of Dual Fuel models available, Fracino provide every new venture with the per-

fect solution for their specific requirements. Operating from LPG – in the form of regular barbeque gas bottles - and a 12v battery, connected through an inverter to the machine to power the pump and electronic control system, these innovative models ensure full mobility and the opportunity to serve coffee in the remotest of locations!

Back at base, the same machine can then be connected to a mains power and water supply and, without any technical work required, become a standard, electric powered machine again! Ingenious!

Durable construction from high quality stainless steel, the Fracino Dual Fuel models are robust and strong to ensure they can handle the rougher treatment of moving around the roads and fields their owners take them to.

Where there’s people, the motto is becoming, ‘serve great coffee – and make money’!

Check out the range at www.fracino.com or contact us for more details at sales@fracino.com

Banners are an Exceptionally Effective Tool for Drawing Crowds into Your Pub Banners are an exceptionally effective tool for drawing crowds into your pub for sporting events, turning a regular night into a bustling hotspot of fan excitement and camaraderie. Here's how creatively leveraging banners can significantly boost your pub's appeal and bring in sports enthusiasts: Use large, colourful banners outside your pub to announce upcoming sporting events. These banners can highlight key matches, special game-day discounts, or viewing parties. With bold graphics and the logos of competing teams, you'll not only capture the attention of passersby but also ignite the spirit of rivalry and anticipation.

Custom banners can also effectively advertise special promotions, such as discounted drinks or game-day menus, exclusive to sporting event nights. Placing these banners strategically at the entrance or within high-visibility areas in the pub can entice sports fans to choose your venue over others.

casing your pub as a supportive hub for the community can significantly boost patronage.

Use banners to promote your pub’s social media hashtags or handles, encouraging patrons to share their game-day experiences online. This not only increases your pub's visibility but also creates a digital community of fans who frequent your establishment.

For larger venues, banners can serve as effective directional signage, guiding guests to specific areas set up for watching the games. This can include different sections for fans of competing teams, enhancing the overall experience by catering to the tribal nature of sports fandom.

Implementing these strategies with banners not only elevates the game-watching experience but also solidifies your pub's reputation as the ultimate destination for sporting events. By visually communicating excitement, offering, and community, banners can significantly influence sports fans' choice of venue, ensuring your pub is their first pick for enjoying the game.

If your pub is in a city with a local team, use pub banners to show your support for the home team during their games. Local pride is a powerful draw, and show-

Check out the online Banner Library at www.hfe-signs.co.uk for promotional ideas for your pub!

Outdoor Spaces

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

Gala Tent

Since 1999, the family-owned Gala Tent has supplied robust event shelters to hospitality businesses for many purposes. From pop-up gazebos covering smoking areas and patio benches to commercial quality marquees large enough to cover an entire beer garden, Gala Tent supplies them all.

POP-UP GAZEBOS With five models available to suit your budget, the Gala Shade Pro Gazebo range is renowned as the tent that stays standing when inferior products crumble in poor weather. The UV-protected, highly water-resistant PVC-coated polyester covers are available in 12 colours and can be printed to incorporate your business logos and information.

Perfect for: Patios and Smoking Shelters COMMERCIAL MARQUEES

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.

Incorporating patent-protected framework components and industry-leading cover materials, the Gala Tent marquee is available in sizes from 3m x 2m up to 6m x 24 in two distinct cover materials. Each marquee comes with 3 door options at either end, plus privacy blinds in each windowed side wall.

Perfect for: Large beer gardens and outdoor eating spaces CLEARSPAN MARQUEES The Gala Tent Fusion marquee range uses industrial strength T6061 aluminium and 650gsm wipe-clean PVC covers, providing cover for anything from 120 to 500 customers and beyond. The modular design means that the Fusion can be reduced in size to suit the occasion, or extended as you choose.

Perfect for: Private functions and very large beer garden spaces All Gala Tent structures come with warranties up to 5 years, with spare parts available quickly in the case of accidental damage.

To cover your venue’s outdoor space with a seriously strong temporary structure from Gala Tent, no matter what the size, just call 01709 242454 or visit www.galatent.co.uk.

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

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

Cinders’ production values are impressive - not only offering a warranty for commercial use, unlike cheap

imported barbecues, but also built to ISO 9001:2015 standards.

The barbecues have internal self-cleaning too, removing the odious chore of post-barbecue cleandown. The grill merely needs to be left running for a few minutes to burn off residue, which is then brushed away or ejected.

Once cool, the Classic can be folded down and easily stored away.

To discover more call 01524 262900 or www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk

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 contact us today. We are also offering up to 15% off on commercial orders, please visit our website www.mgtimberproductsltd.co.uk or call us on 01902 953166. See the advert on the front cover.

The importance of temperature controlled storage is understood by most within the hospitality and catering sectors, yet it is surprisingly often overlooked when making plans for outdoor events.

IceBox Refrigerated Trailers provides the perfect solution in such cases by means of our fleet of chiller and freezer trailers. Operating one of the largest fleets in the country, we’re in the perfect position to help you keep your cool when all around is hotting up! Our fleet ranges from midi chillers to extra large freezers with storage capacities ranging from approx 6 to approx 12 cubic metres and covering temperature ranges between -20c and + 10c. The ideal mobile temperature controlled storage solution!

POWER Our trailers are powered by either 16a single phase supply or 240v / 13a from a standard wall socket.

Units may be powered by a standalone generator providing maximum locational flexibility. In addition, internally they can be set up to meet each client’s specific requirements by means of 3-Tier food safe shelving being fitted to one or both sides.

SET-UP We’re at your service! Simply tell us where the trailer is required to be situated and we’ll do the rest. Our experienced Field Agents will deliver the trailer(s) to site and place the trailer where you require it. We will set it to the required temperature and get it running. All cables and adaptors are provided

by IceBox so you needn’t worry - we have it covered!

SECURITY The trailer will be secured in-situ by means of our security devices. The entry doors are lockable and we leave you the key to ensure

that you can secure your goods inside the trailer in the knowledge that they’re safe and secure.

WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP We have worked in partnership with many of our Hospitality and Catering clients over the years; acting as their ‘go to’ supplier in cases where: • ad-hoc additional outdoor temperature controlled storage is required • managing peak period excess refrigerated storage requirements • refrigeration support is required as part of the Client’s kitchen equipment scheduled maintenance

RAPID RESPONSE™ Even the best maintained equipment can suffer mechanical issues and, when it does, the knock on effect can be devastating for a busy commercial kitchen.

This is where our Rapid Response™ programme comes in. One call to IceBox and we’ll have one of our fleet of latest model refrigerated trailers delivered and commissioned within a few hours, ensuring business continuity and safeguarding valuable stock.

For more information on how IceBox UK can help you keep your cool, call us on 0333 6000 800 or email hq@iceboxuk.com

The Perfect Refrigeration Solution for Your Outdoor Catering Needs

IceBox UK provides the ideal solution to your refrigerated storage requirements when hosting outdoor catering events.

Our extensive fleet of chiller and freezer trailers will keep your food and drink at the desired temperature and avoid food spoilage.

Trailers are delivered and collected to / from the event / host location by our experienced staff who will situate the trailers in the required location and set them running at your required temperature.

• Nationwide delivery & collection service • Chiller and freezer trailers available • Powered by generator or standard wall socket • Internal racking supplied per your requirements • Short and long term rental rates available • Rapid Response™ programme for emergencies • Account facilities available subject to status

T: 0333 6000 800 | E: hq@iceboxuk.com | W: iceboxuk.com

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Design and Refit

The Absolute Solution To Your Interior Design Needs Creating inviting spaces for your hospitality customers is a great way to not only attract people to your bar, hotel and restaurant – but keep them coming again and again.

to build environments that adapt as required, ensuring your hospitality business can continue to excel.

With that in mind, it’s become more important than ever to invest in and optimise spaces to make them inviting, exciting, and importantly, fit for purpose.

Previous commercial spaces they have transformed include Beer Hawk’s Wetherby HQ, Leeds United’s Legend’s Club at Elland Road, North Brew Co.’s Leeds City Taproom, and the Yorkshire Lounge at Leeds Bradford Airport.

Absolute Commercial Interiors are design and build specialists that transform hospitality spaces into creative, agile and empowering environments.

Working closely alongside their clients to understand their business’ own unique requirements, Absolute provide bespoke solutions, so once-neglected spaces are designed and built to work the way you need them to, while ensuring they stand out from the crowd too.

As one of the longest-established design-and-build specialists in the UK, Absolute utilises a people-first approach

Hospitality spaces are more than just a seat in a restaurant, they’re about creating an atmosphere, buzz and giving customers and guests and unforgettable experience.

Head to www.absoluteci.co.uk to find out more about Absolute and see their work for yourself. See the advert on page 7.

Need to Increase Footfall? Our Custom Made Quality Furniture Could Help!

Have you recently taken over premises, just fancy a change or need to replace your tired old fixed seating and fixtures? At Drakes, we can help you realise your dreams with our bespoke furniture design service. Every week we build new tailor-made furniture up and down the UK, working with owners to come up with design concepts for fixed seating, booths and even bars and fixtures. We can take ideas from you, or your interior designer, or we can design something ourselves, all done efficiently, with professional quality and on time within budget.

Our service provides a unique opportunity to make your establishment stand out from others and add additional comfort for your customers.

ABOUT DRAKES BAR FURNITURE

We 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 time-served officially trained craftsmen or externally based professionals.

FREE QUOTE AND PROFESSIONAL ADVICE Got you interested? 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, just search for Drakes Bar Furniture and give us a follow!

Sustainable Refurbishment with Architectural Films So far we have transformed lifts, toilet cubicles, board room desks, solid doors, complete office interiors, panelling, kitchens, bars, Hotel rooms…the list goes on.

We are a sustainable refurbishment company that can transform any surface with our Architectural Films.

Hardwearing, scratch resistant, fire rated, these films meet all current regulations. Why rip-out when you can refurbish with our films? With over 2000+ finishes its no wonder why Architects, Designers & business owners are all choosing Architectural wrapping.

We save our clients up to 80% on some of our projects, that’s thousands of pounds. And lets not forget about the landfill we are mitigating. Why rip-out perfectly solid but tired furniture, doors, bars, reception areas?

Our films look and feel like the real thing, and the refurbishment project takes days, not weeks or months. So there’s less down time, we don’t make any mess and critically no dust. Also our process doesn’t make noise, so we can fit out areas and keep the public or customers happy, that’s always good!

Find out more at www.resurface.site or see our advert on page 17.

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also fits the style of the space. They offer furniture for receptions, including reception desks as well as seating, tables and chairs for lounges or dining rooms and restaurants, bar stools, and furniture for use in individual hotel rooms or suites. They also offer items for staff areas, including lockers.

Rosehill Furnishings Group are proud to have a longstanding history within the furniture industry. It’s their unique history and knowledge of the market which sets them apart from the rest. They’re committed to quality, and their standards have continued to excel over the last 40 years.

The expert team at Rosehill understand the market and can tailor your order to suit your exact requirements. With over four decades experience in the industry, you can feel at ease knowing that you’re in safe hands. They take pride in the quality products they supply which are built to last, while also being great value for money.

Their products and designs are inspired by innovation using only the best quality materials and trends. Rosehill have an extensive supply chain, meaning you can use them as a one-stop shop for all areas of your Hotel or Hospitality Venue. Whatever you are looking for, they can find, with very competitive pricing.

Knowing this market, their experience means they understand the usage you will like have and the importance of having durable and comfortable seating, which

Their furniture is available in a variety of styles and is designed and manufactured with the appropriate contact testing for hospitality venues. Many of the made-to-order products have a huge selection of customisations too.

Browse their wide range of furniture for your lounge, dining room, conference space, reception, bedroom or staff area online at www.rosehill.co.uk, or call 0161 485 1717 to discuss your requirements with their helpful sales team.

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK “Excellent customer service from start to finish, delivery on time as chosen, good delivery company and good packaging. Very pleased with the chairs ordered and the condition they arrived in.”

“The service from everyone at Rosehill has been excellent. From our initial enquiry, through the process of choosing the best chairs for our use, helping to meet our particular requirements, and the delivery on schedule that went exactly to plan.”

“The chairs are being admired greatly and we look forward to using them for many years to come.”

For further information contact: 0161 485 1717, sales@rosehill.co.uk or www.rosehill.co.uk

Mayfair Furniture Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 12 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-

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

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Cater For The Crowds With Brilliant Bar Stools

Whether it’s supplying seating for busy Friday nights or the special events that regularly come along such as this summer’s Euros, every pub and bar wants to make sure it can seat as many people as possible in comfort.

There is no easier and more cost-effective way to do this than with stools.

Here at Trent Furniture, we supply a huge range of stools to suit every budget and décor scheme. Nothing represents the Great British pub like traditional stools such as the Small Wooden Stool. With a small footprint, it’s perfect for providing seating during both busy and quiet periods, and can easily be moved around by staff and customers as required. For a more contemporary look in a modern bar, look no further than the Small Zeta Chrome Bar Stool with its clean lines and comfortable seat.

Tall bar stools are also a great way to maximise your bar space or place alongside poseur tables, such as the perennially popular Chrome Pyramid Poseur Table.

From the bestselling Tall Boston

Bar Stool with its comfortable back rest, to the traditional detail of the Tall Brass Rail Stool, we have a tall stool that will look right at home in your pub or bar.

As contract grade furniture made for use in the hospitality industry, all of our stools are designed at the standard height for use at bars or with our tables. Also, across our extensive range, you can opt for the simplicity of a hard wooden seat or choose an upholstery option in faux leather or in a vast choice of fabrics to blend in seamlessly with your existing colour scheme. o find out more about the great range of stools we supply, many of which are available with quick delivery times, please visit www.trentfurniture.co.uk Alternatively, you can call us on 0116 286 4911 or fill in our contact form for more information.

Restaurant Furniture Store

Restaurant Furniture Store, the leading UK supplier offering a wide selection of affordable and high-quality indoor and outdoor restaurant furniture. Whether you're searching for restaurant chairs, tables, table tops, or table bases, we have the perfect options to suit your needs. Our extensive range caters to various styles, from classic to contemporary, ensuring that you find furniture that complements your establishment's aesthetic. We understand the importance of affordability and good value, which is why our collection offers competitive prices without compromising on quality.

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

With thousands of products in stock, including faux leather restaurant chairs and laminate table tops, we are well-prepared to meet your immediate requirements. We take pride in our commitment to next-day delivery, ensuring that you receive your furniture

promptly. And here's the best part: we offer FREE delivery to enhance your experience, making it even more convenient for you to furnish your space.

At Restaurant Furniture Store, customer satisfaction is our top priority. We strive to create a collaborative environment where we work together to bring your vision to life. With our reliable and durable products, we offer a warranty to ensure your peace of mind.

Whether you're furnishing cafes, hotels, bistros, bars, or restaurants, we have the furniture solutions you need. Browse our online store, take advantage of our next-day delivery, and enjoy the convenience of purchasing in-stock items or personalised made-to-order pieces.

Visit www.restaurantfurniturestore.co.uk

Property and Professional

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Capitalise on the Summer Season with a Capify Loan Summer’s here, bringing a sportspacked season that’s a golden opportunity. With everything from Euro 2024 to the Summer Olympics on the schedule, big events are set to bring bigger crowds into pubs, bars, and restaurants. And that means one thing: it’s time to get ready for the rush.

Data shows that on major sports days, spending in UK pubs can jump by as much as 23%. Sports bring people together, and when they gather, they eat, drink, and enjoy the atmosphere.

BOOST YOUR STAFF AND STOCK So, how can you make the most of this? Think beyond just showing the action. Make sure you’ve got enough hands on deck. Hiring extra staff for these peak times helps keep service swift and smooth. Whether it’s extra servers, bartenders, or kitchen staff, more team members mean you can handle more orders and keep everything

running like clockwork.

Stocking up is just as crucial. You don’t want to run out of fan favourites during halftime. Load up on beers, snacks, and whatever else your crowd loves. Think about adding special menu items just for game days to make the experience extra memorable.

INVEST IN YOUR VENUE To make the most of the summer sports buzz, venues should step up their game-watching setup. Investing in some top quality screens and sound systems means everyone gets a great view. And making sure your seats are comfy and those in-demand outdoor spaces are warm and dry, will keep people around.

If you need funds to get set for the summer season, Capify is here with flexible business loans. Whether it’s for sprucing up your space or expanding your team, a little extra capital now can lead to big returns when the games begin.

Give the Capify team a call on 0330 8080 302 or visit capify.biz/caterer to see how much your business could borrow today. See the advert on page 21.

Why Use a Specialist Hospitality Consultant?

Answer: because we can help your business to succeed.

With over 30 years of industry experience in the Hospitality sector, The Bowden Group’s Managing Consultant David Hunter will work with you to address the following elements: Profitability, Operational Strategy, Staff Management, Marketing and The Future of your business.

PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS Our experts will analyse your entire operation and also its key operating figures if they are available. We then help you to identify strategies to manage costs and overheads associated with the core Profitability of running a Hospitality business.

The largest overhead, even higher than Cost of Sales, is the Labour cost, so, with detailed analysis of your wages and being able to understand ‘’the way your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the labour usage in your business.

Budgeting, Forecasting, Menu Management, Stock Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are

just a few of the other areas that David Hunter, your Restaurant Consultant, will work on with you, and improve with you.

MANAGING PEOPLE Managing people brings with it a whole set of new skills that are now needed more than ever. From ‘’Managing the Managers’’ through to Service and Kitchen staff, your team needs careful and skilful Management, Motivation, guidance and Development.

MARKETING 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.

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

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

D! L SO

D! L SO

BUTTERLEIGH INN, BUTTERLEIGH, DEVON

!

LD O S

D! L SO

SHIP INN, BURCOMBE, WILTSHIRE

W! NE

PALM BAR, EXMOUTH, DEVON

!

LD O S

!

LD O S

PRICE: £149,950

W! NE

OFFERS OVER £100,000

SWAN INN, BAMPTON, DEVON

!

LD O S

DUKE OF LEEDS, LEEDSTOWN, CORNWALL

BOATYARD BAKERY, EXETER, DEVON

THINKING OF SELLING YOUR HOSPITALITY OR CATERING BUSINESS? CALL US FOR A FREE APPRAISAL.

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

D! L SO

OSTLER INN, UFFCULME, DEVON

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

BANTHAM, DEVON

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4892

PRICE: £50,000

W! NE

LEASEHOLD

PRICE: £60,000

REF: 4907

• Stunning Hotel & Inn with Luxury Rooms Overlooking Dartmoor National Park • Steeped in History with 7 Luxury En-Suite Letting Rooms • Extensive Trade Gardens, Patio, 2 Paddocks & Private Field • Separate 3 Bedroom Owners Bungalow & Gardens • Genuine Retirement Sale of a Very Successful Business

PRICE: £1,500,000

FREEHOLD

W! NE

• Stunning Town Centre Period Property & Highly Successful Business • 8 Superior Letting Rooms with Character Cafe Trading Area & Function Room • Large Residents Lounge/Breakfast Room & Alfresco Covered Seating Area • Well Established ‘Chamaeleon’ Business with Great Potential to Grow Trade • Genuine Retirement Sale

PRICE: £575,000

W! NE

CONFIDENTIAL, SOUTH DEVON

• South Devon Harbourside Premises • Splendid South Facing Location within Busy Parade • Year Round Café, Bar, Bistro Popular with Locals & Tourists • Indoor & Outdoor Dining 80+ Covers • Further Growth Potential & Development Opportunities

W! NE LIVE & LET LIVE, LANDSCOVE, DEVON

SOLD IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2024.

• Spectacular Location for Licenced Store & Café • Panoramic Views Across Avon Estuary, Bigbury Bay & Burgh Island • Huge Benefit of Owners 3/4 Bed Accommodation with Parking • Trading Throughout the Year with Local & Seasonal Customer Base • Amazing Owner/Operator Lifestyle Opportunity

SOUTH ZEAL, DEVON

REF: 4940

SOUTH BRENT, DEVON

FREEHOLD

REF: 4939

W! NE

• Beautiful Pub with Land in Charming Somerset Village • Character Trading Areas Recently Refurbished to an Exceptional Standard • Pretty Trade Gardens & Outside Seating Areas • Scope to Develop Land and add Letting Rooms to Increase Income Streams • Priced ‘To Let’ on a New Free of Tie Lease

BISHOPSWOOD, SOMERSET

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4914

DARTMOUTH, DEVON

• Restaurant Premises with Guest Rooms in the Beautiful Town • Fronting a Busy Pedestrianised Street • Operating Daytimes Only with Scope to Increase Trading Hours • Guest Rooms Available All Year • 1 Bedroom Owner’s Accommodation & Bedsit Currently Let on an AST

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4918

• Historic Building, Sympathetically Converted to Create Versatile Property • Very Well-Established B&B/Hotel with Significant Net Profit • 10 Superior En-Suite Letting Bedrooms, all Individually Designed/Decorated • Breakfast Room & Conservatory, Fully Equipped Kitchen & Guest Car Park • Newly Renovated, Self-Contained & Separate Bespoke Owner’s Cottage

TOTNES, DEVON

OFFERS IN EXCESS OF £1,500,000 FREEHOLD REF: 4320

W! NE

PRICE: £55,000

NEWTON ABBOT, DEVON

• Iconic Building Housing Popular Café • Busy Central Location Amongst a Variety of Traders • Ground Floor Seating for 36, First Floor Function Room • Commercial Kitchen & Outside Seating for 6 • Operating Daytimes Only with Potential to Extend into Evenings

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4898