CLH Digital - Issue #6

ISSUE 6

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Vital Government Support Needed Post-Lockdown if Industry is to Survive

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Vital government support will be needed if the pub and restaurant sector is to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic say industry leaders, as pubs and restaurants face up to 50% drop in trade when current restrictions are lifted and proposed social distancing measures are implemented. All pubs, bars and restaurants across the UK have been closed since 20 March, and the Government has confirmed that areas of hospitality will be among the last to exit the lockdown.

Social distancing measures in the UK are according to reports expected to be in place for at least the rest of the year, and safely lifting the lockdown poses a profound challenge to the hospitality sector, with social distancing requiring that people keep a 2m (6.5ft) distance between staff, customers and colleagues to avoid the risk of coronavirus spreading.

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Ministers are allegedly further concerned that some members of the public would behave inappropriately as soon as lockdown is ended, and the difficulties in enforcing social distancing guidelines in pubs and restaurants means they could become a breeding ground for the coronavirus spread.

The devastating effect on sales in the sector has seen beer sales collapse by 40% in March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, according new figures from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).

The BBPA says the stark decrease shows the immediate and devastating impact that lockdown is having on the great British pub.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

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CLH Digital

Issue 6

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to Issue 6 of CLH Digital Welcome to the sixth edition of CLH Digital - an “offshoot” from our normal monthly CLH News, which we will be distributing via our digital newsletter, social media and will also available to read online whilst this current Covid-19 crisis continues.

It is all but impossible to imagine how the sector will cope post EDITOR lockdown. As our lead story states, the sector is expected to be amongst the last to open once lockdown restrictions are eased, and will be subject to severe social distancing measures.

Peter Adams

In very simple terms, and as UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls said last month, the effects of extended social distancing and further restrictions in the pub and restaurant sector will be catastrophic - there is no other word for it.

To remind you what Ms Nicholl said in her letter to Michael Gove: “With social distancing measures still in place, reopening the hospitality sector without a plan would be catastrophic. The hospitality sector was one of the first hit by the crisis and the hardest hit in terms of lost revenue. It will also be one of the last to fully emerge from the lockdown.”

“An extended period of social distancing will mean that many hospitality businesses will not be able to operate fully, and many will not be able to open at all. Hospitality is a sector built around socialising, so there must to be Government support for businesses that continue to be hit by this crisis.

“We need a plan of phased opening for our sector. For those businesses that can trade safely with social distancing measures still in place, they should be able to. For the many venues where it is not possible, support, such as the furlough scheme, must be extended to make sure these businesses stay alive and jobs kept open. We can’t have a situation where, overnight, the entire sector is suddenly expected to hit the ground running.

“If the correct support is not in made available to help businesses get back to work when the time is right, then

businesses will have survived the immediate crisis only to find themselves out of business during the aftermath.”

Added to this is a survey today in which Government ministers were warned the 'stay at home' messaging might have been too successful amid fears 'coronaphobia' could stop the country getting back up and running - tell us something we don’t know!

With Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealing that the Government will unveil a 'road map' next week for how the country can return to a semblance of normal life while keeping pandemic under contro,l he needs to announce a clear unequivocal post lockdown plan for the UK’s third largest employer - the hospitality sector.

A poll has apparently suggested 61 per cent of Britons would be nervous about going out to bars and restaurants even the current restrictions or eased. It would seem that the UK population appears to be among the most nervous in the world, with more than a quarter saying lockdown should not be eased even if the PM's 'five tests' are met.

I will also take the opportunity to remind you of the UKHospitality’s six point plan, setting out the level of support that the sector needs to reintegrate into the economy, to avoid in excess of one million redundancies and to ensure much-loved local businesses and high-street brands can survive the crisis. UKHospitality recommended: · Extension of the furlough scheme beyond the end of June for hospitality · Legislative intervention on rent payments · Improved access to capital · A comprehensive fiscal package to stimulate demand post-crisis · An overhaul of business regulation · Guaranteeing a functioning and responsive insurance market If the government proposes to lockdown the sector longer than other sectors, and proposes restrictions on custom in and out of hospitality/pubs and restaurants then it has to offer a comprehensive package of support.

I have been saying in recent weeks that this whole crisis has been a moving picture. This was confirmed by Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary today who said that overseas travel for the foreseeable future is “dead in the water”. This cre-

ates an opportunity for holidaying (staycations) in the UK. However, current reports would make that seem unlikely. I desperately hope that that changes - people holidaying at home in recent years has been an absolute boon for the sector and could very well prove to be its saviour, if we can get past the proposed restrictions!

Once again, we have some of the industry’s leading lights forward/experts to give an insight on the crisis itself but also to advise with guidance and best practice on how to merge ready to trade!

Visit our website for our “Staycation - Your Country Need You” Poster available to download at www.catererlicensee.com/staycation.jpg Only the hospitality sector can put some cheer back into the country, showcasing the wonderful diverse vibrant UK!

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EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

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PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Shelly Roche Published by

Issue 6

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Vital Government Support Needed Post-Lockdown if Industry is to Survive (...CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) On Monday 16th March 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson advised members of the public to avoid the pub. By Friday 20th, he had ordered pubs to close - stopping their businesses overnight and making them the first sector to be hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

Sales in the ‘off-trade’ – such as supermarkets and off-licenses – were up 10.6% on the same period last year. The uplift, however, did not make up for the huge loss of beer sales in pubs, resulting in total beer sales in March 2020 down 12.7% when compared to March 2019.

The data is a clear demonstration of the cliff-edge impact of the Prime Minister’s advice to avoid pubs, followed by the order for them to close for lockdown. With March data showing the impact of 11 days of closure on pubs, April`s data will reveal the full impact of total closure with no sales in pubs at all.

Whilst the Government has given pubs some financial support to help them through the COVID-19 lockdown, which the BBPA has welcomed, the trade association has identified significant gaps that the Government needs to fill.

Government grant support, because they have a rateable value above the arbitrary £51k threshold. This has left some of the UK’s most iconic and well-loved pubs – who between them support thousands of jobs and contribute a huge amount to their local economies and communities – in desperate need of support and facing a real risk of closing forever.

As the social hub that binds communities together, the British Beer & Pub Association is pressing the Government to take action and give more vital support to Britain’s pubs to not only help them survive the lockdown, but also allow them to get back on their feet when it is safe to do so.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said:“These stark figures reveal how the lockdown is having a devastating impact on our pubs. The cliff-edge impact on our sector in March, when people were told to stop going to the pub and then pubs were shutdown, is clear to see. In April, beer sales for pubs will be zero.

This is devastating our sector, who still have huge fixed costs to cover, far in excess of the sales revenue and financial support they are receiving from Government right now.

culturally and economically. Without further support, particularly for the 10,000 pubs who aren’t getting any grants, many pubs across the UK are in real jeopardy of being lost forever.

“When this crisis is over, the first place many will want to visit with their friends, family and neighbours is their local pub. The Government must invest in them now to save them for the future.”

Speaking before a House of Commons Treasury Committee’s inquiry into the economic impact of coronavirus last month UK hospitality CEO Kate Nicholls warned that even an end to the lockdown will not ease the sector’s woes.

“With social-distancing restrictions in place, businesses are only going to be able to reopen at 30-50 per cent of normal revenues,” she said.

She called for the furlough scheme to be extended for businesses required to remain closed beyond June or those which can only open at reduced volumes and for continued access to government grants for the hospitality industry.

“Otherwise we will have done all this for nothing, because businesses won’t be able to stand up by themselves when we remove the support,” she warned.

Boris Must Back British Pubs - Says BBPA In particular, 10,000 of the UK’s 47,000 pubs have not been offered any

“Local pubs are the heart of our communities. They are vital socially,

support they need to get through the COVID-19 lockdown and beyond.

It says such support is essential to ensuring pubs survive the COVID19 lockdown, so they can re-open when safe to do so and be commercially viable whilst getting back on their feet.

The news comes as France today announced its plans to end their lockdown, but stated it will not set a date for when restaurants, bars and cafés could reopen until the end of May, but it would not be any earlier than June. As a result, the French Government has not only extended the current support available, but also introduced additional financial support.

British Beer & Pub Association urges UK Government to recognise more specific support is needed for pubs, as France announces plan to end lockdown confirming bars and restaurants won’t open for months The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to back British pubs, by giving them the specific

In the likelihood that pubs, which are unique to the UK, and other British hospitality businesses won’t have certainty on when they can reopen for months either, the BBPA says it is more critical than ever that the UK Government gives them specific additional support.

It says the UK Government must ‘fill the gaps’ we have highlighted in the support pubs need to get them through the COVID-19 crisis, as well as extend this support until full social distancing measures are lifted to help pubs and hospitality businesses get back on their feet. This

would include continuing the Job Retention Scheme for pubs throughout their closure and beyond, as well as extension of the Government’s grant support scheme – including to the 10,000 pubs above the current £51k rateable value threshold.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “We urge Boris Johnson to back British pubs. The sector needs his full support if pubs are going to make it through the COVID-19 crisis.

“The plans announced in France today to lift lockdown measures suggest that pubs, bars and hospitality businesses here in the UK will be amongst the last to reopen.

“Pubs are unique to the UK, but many will be lost if the necessary financial support isn’t in place to help them now and when they reopen. The Government needs to give the guarantees now it will give more specific support to pubs and hospitality businesses.

“Pubs might survive the COVID-19 lockdown, but without additional support to assist them when re-opening, many could fall at the last hurdle as we come out the other end of this crisis.”

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CLH Digital

Issue 6

Surviving the Pandemic - Top Tips for Employers

By Helen Astill, MD Cherington HR Ltd. https://cheringtonhr.com/ Employers have seen their businesses turned upside down by the impact of coronavirus, altering the way we all work for the foreseeable future. Many businesses in the sector have been told to close by the government, meaning you will probably be trying to understand the complexities of the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and attempting getting your head around the frequent changes to the new Furlough rules.

However, there will be a lot of businesses who are somewhere in the middle with some employees furloughed, some working on site and others working from home (WFH). And in amongst all that, you may have had employees off sick, struggling with childcare or worried about elderly or vulnerable relatives, whilst you are trying to work out if you are eligible to claim any of the other government funded finance schemes.

The difficulties have been immense, but things are now starting to settle as the first furlough payments have appeared and there is talk about how to restart the economy. Businesses will need to embrace a new way of working and you need to be ready to move forward as soon as the situation allows. So, what can you do?

LOOK AFTER YOUR EMPLOYEES Firstly, you need to look after your staff – I know you will have been

worried about your business, but they will be worried about their jobs and families too, so keep in touch with them regularly. Even if they are furloughed and unable to do any work, there is nothing to stop you checking in on them as a friend to make sure that they are OK; that they are not feeling unwell (and if they are what to do about that). You can also tell them how things are going and what your plans are. Treating staff well will encourage them to support you as you restart your business.

PLAN AHEAD It is important to think about how you can start to open up your business again. What will social distancing mean? Will you have to make more adjustments to the layout of your premises, the cleaning routines or access for staff and customers? Be creative – remember you can invent new ways of doing things and this will be an opportunity to put in place things that you may not have tried before. There have been lots of businesses who have introduced new services, for example some hotels have started delivering cooked meals. Think about whether this could become the “new normal” rather than simply reverting to what you did before.

There are lots of free online courses available and this could be the opportunity for you to get staff primed for your revised offering. Even if it is not directly relevant, it could be motivating for staff to be encouraged to learn new skills. For example, see those being offered by the Open University. Just bear in mind that if you are asking staff to do training for your business, they must receive the National Minimum Wage (NMW) whilst doing it. If they are at or near the NMW for their age band and you are paying them a furlough rate of 80% you may need to top that up for the days that they are training.

LOOK AT YOUR STAFFING

THINK ABOUT TRAINING YOU CAN OFFER STAFF

Will you need all the employees you currently have? Sadly, if that is not the case think about how many posts you may have to lose. If it is 20 or more, you must submit a form HR1 to the government. And there are specific timescales and rules for consultation to observe before making redundancies. If there are fewer than 20 posts affected, you can consult with the individuals directly (which may need to be done by video conference). If they are furloughed, it may be possible to use some or all of that time as their notice period, but you may need to top those up to 100%, so would in effect be paying 20% of their wages once you have received the furlough grant. Any statutory redundancy pay would need to be paid when they leave. You cannot claim for that, but it would not normally be subject to tax or National Insurance.

Whilst staff are furloughed, they are not allowed to work such that it would generate an income for you, but they can undertake training.

No matter your situation, talk to a reputable HR Adviser to evaluate your options, as there are probably more than you think!

Huge Blow’ To Pubs And Brewers As Government Fails To Defer £750 million Beer Duty Payment During COVID-19 The Government has rejected the call for a blanket deferral of beer duty payments due on 25th April relating to beer produced in March, when pubs were forced to shut down overnight. [Nor will it defer beer duty for the whole of the next quarter (April-June) to support the brewing and pub industries.]

The British Beer & Pub Association, and other trade bodies, had called on the Government to defer April’s duty payment and those of the following quarter – totalling £750 million – as a matter of urgency to provide vital cashflow support to the UK’s 2,000 brewers who supply the UK’s pubs.

The relationship between pub and brewer is symbiotic, 7 in 10 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs are beer, so without one the other suffers. With pubs now closed, 70% of the UK beer market by value has been cut-off to Britain’s 2,000 breweries. Sales in supermarkets and off-licenses cannot compensate for the losses.

If the Government had deferred beer duty payments, it would have better enabled brewers to get back on their feet and ready to resupply pubs after the COVID-19 crisis. The decision taken will instead put all brewers under even

more financial strain.

Some brewers have been able to achieve duty deferments with HMRC through their helpline. The BBPA is now encouraging all its members who urgently need a duty bill deferment to contact the helpline directly.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, commented: “The Government’s failure to defer beer duty is a huge blow to pubs and brewers. It will put brewers under even greater financial strain, meaning there is a real risk to their ability to resupply pubs when they can safely reopen after the Coronavirus lockdown.

“The Chancellor had said he will do ‘whatever it takes’ to help, so it’s a shame not to see him put his words into action. Beer is our national drink and a key UK manufacturing industry, whilst pubs are key part of our national identity and culture. They need and deserve all the support Government can give then.

“Pubs and brewers will be left bitterly disappointed by this decision.”

Chancellor Reveals Bounce Back Loans Up To £50,000 To Help Small Businesses Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled a new government backed loan scheme for small businesses in a bid to help them “survive” the coronavirus crisis.

Mr Sunak said the 100% government-backed ‘Bounce Back’ loan scheme would be up and running in a week’s time, allowing businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 interest free.

The Government will underwrite the full amount of the loan in a bid to encourage lenders to get money out the door, and the Treasury promised that the new scheme would be accessible “through a short and simple form”.

The state will also cover any fees and interest for the first 12 months and no repayments will be asked for during the first year.

However, the Chancellor is resisting calls to increase the level of state backing for firms covered by existing loan programmes, despite c Loan terms will be up to 6 years. No repayments will be due during the first 12 months. The government will work with lenders to agree a low rate of interest for the remaining period of the loan.

The scheme will be delivered through a network of accredited lenders.

Eligibility You can apply for a loan if your business: • is based in the UK • has been negatively affected by coronavirus • was not an ‘undertaking in difficulty’ on 31 December 2019alls from some MPs for him to go further.

WSTA Chief Executive, Miles Beale, comments: “This new support announced today by the govern-

ment, whereby small businesses can apply for 100% government-backed loans amounting to 25% of turnover up to £50,000 is welcome, and may support the continued survival of businesses across the wine and spirit industry.

Issue 6

“However, as we have said before, much of the announced support amounts to loans which will need to be paid back. In this instance, a ceiling of £50,000 is low and the government could have gone further.

“The burden of additional debt is particularly unattractive to businesses in the supply chain who are yet to enjoy the government support afforded to other hospitality businesses in the form of grants, but for whom, just like pubs, bars and restaurants, sales have been reduced to zero practically overnight.

“We have been clear that what these businesses need is for the government to recognise their value in the same way they have other parts of the hospitality sector. It may well be the case that these businesses will be the last to be permitted to re-open, and even when they are allowed to begin trading again it is likely they will still be forced to operate at reduced capacity or be tightly restricted. This impact will be felt just as much by businesses in the supply chain.

“The government must extend business rates exemption and availability of government grants to businesses in the on-trade supply chain, by broadening its definition of hospitality to include them. This would represent a much more supportive measure.

Based in Dorset, SCT & SCT LIMITED is a family-owned and operated company serving the whole of the UK.

“The government must recognise that persisting with such a narrow definition of hospitality is harmful – there will be no hospitality sector without the businesses that keep pubs, bars and restaurants stocked”

They provide high-quality snacks to retail and trade customers, including pork crackling and nuts.

They have been creating these products for more than 10 years, and they are proud of the service that they are able to offer.

The recipes have always stayed in the family, and this is how they are able to create their quality products.

Boom in low & no-alcohol beer continues as 16% of Brits says they are drinking less in lockdown Sales of low & no-alcohol beer appear to be rising, according to the British Beer & Pub Association, following research revealed by YouGov(1) that 16% of Brits say they are drinking less or not at all during the Coronavirus lockdown.

Upon lockdown, further analysis by Nielsen found that to 11th April, low and no alcohol beer sales continued to grow by 14.8% for the previous 4 weeks (3).

One BBPA member, Lucky Saint – which brews an alcohol free 0.5% lager – has seen its online sales alone increase by 300% since the lock down.

Low and no alcohol beer has been booming in the UK. From 2013 to 2018, the category grew by 232%. 96% of low and no beer is lager, but ale options have been emerging in the market with growth of 69% between 2017 and 2018 and 164% between 2016 and 2017.During Dry January 2020, the BBPA believes as many as 4.8 million pints of low and no alcohol beer were sold across the month.

The increase in sales of low and no alcohol beer during the last few years follow a huge amount of investment and innovation in low and no alcoholic beers by UK brewers, which has helped to drive growth according to the BBPA. During the Coronavirus lockdown, research from Nielsen has suggested that 39% of UK shoppers aim to prepare healthy and well balanced meals currently. 26% are currently trying to prepare light or low calorie meals too (4). This trend of shoppers

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Sales Of Low & No-Alcohol Beer Fizz Up Amid Coronavirus Lock-Down To the 21st March, just as Boris Johnson announced the beginning of the UK’s lockdown, analysis by Nielsen(2) found that low and no alcohol beer sales surged by 33% YoY for the previous 4 weeks.

CLH Digital

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becoming more health conscious during COVID-19 correlates with growing low and no beer sales according to the BBPA. However, despite the growth in low and no alcohol beer sales during the COVID-19 crisis, and growing retail sales of the overall alcohol category, the BBPA has been very quick to reiterate that these are no way near enough to offset the lockdown of pubs and fall of beer sales from it.

Particularly as 7 in 10 alcoholic drinks sold in pubs are beer.

All 47,000 of the UKs pubs are closed due to the lockdown, meaning 70% of the UK’s beer market by value has gone overnight. The BBPA is therefore continuing to press Government for specific pub support, to see them through the crisis and when possible enable them to re-open and serve their communities once more.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “The boom in the popularity of low and no beer is very encouraging and clearly providing people with a good alternative to an alcoholic pint in the pub during this period of lockdown.

“A lot of innovation has gone into making great tasting low and no alcohol beer so with a bigger range of low and no-alcohol beers than ever before, I encourage beer drinkers to give them a go!”

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CLH Digital

Issue 6

Covid-19: Probably the Greatest Test of Leadership in the Last 40 Years?

By Chris Sheppardson, CEO at EP Business in Hospitality (www.epinsights.co.uk)

It’s doubtful that many across the industry believe it is going to be a measured return to strength for the hospitality sector. Most know it is going to be extremely testing and the importance of great leadership is at all time high.

We’ve seen examples of how important it is for leaders to be visible both to staff and customers at this time and also the difference that makes. Yet this kind of challenge often brings out the best in people (as we have seen in hospitality with many firms supporting the wider cause). The challenge ahead may also force leaders to open up doors to new talent, to be braver, take more risks and to continue to be more vocal.

What tests do leaders now face and what might the impact be in the future?

that appointing good young talent into leadership roles is more risky than appointing experienced, older people. There is a lot of evidence that does suggest that experience and competence can sometimes be detrimental. It is natural that experienced leadership becomes defensive, conservative and protective in approach. Sometimes leadership needs a touch of the naïve as it can make a major difference.

would focus his players on improving 1% at a time and if they could improve by 10%, the chances are that they would be world-class players. The more worldclass players a team possessed, the better the odds.

The more confidence the players possessed, the more leaders emerged across the team and the stronger the whole unit became. It was a simple and yet highly effective philosophy.

the utmost respect for the business leadership that the sector has displayed over the last three decades.

across all the great disciplines as one of the most exciting industry sectors. Hotels, restaurants, stadia catering, foodservice and bars are seen to be exciting environments – businesses that many venture capitalists and investors today want to invest in. It used to be viewed as a highly risky investment. Today, there is

vision, an objective that others feel that they want to follow – for it must be their choice; where they will want to improve their skills and will work hard to improve by those small 1% margins: and in setting an environment where people feel safe and that they can trust in leadership.

However, there is more to come. Hospitality can be a leading force in society, in communities, in those that it employs and it can be a role model for other industries to follow. Hospitality has travelled a long and hard road but today it is a truly world-class Industry LEADERSHIP IS NOT A PRIVILEGE JUST THE ABILITY TO ABSORB PRESSURE with world-class talent in a whole range of disciplines FOR THE EXPERIENCED So much of success in leadership is about the mental from management to the culinary: from reception to There will be few leaders across the country that ability of a person to absorb pressure, be calm and housekeeping; from restaurants to bars to major had been in roles for a good length of tenure, who find solutions. It does take time to learn and few are events. There is an exciting new era awaiting to see will regret either having been a leader or the lessons able to achieve it; for it does need, within each person, the Industry take the small leap up to the next level. that they will have learned during their journey. They a motivating factor to ensure that the leader accepts This is not to hide from the number of challenges will possess scars, often deep ones. They will have the bad moments and learns so that they can improve. that the industry does still face. There is a need for a endured some dark moments and at times, the role It is also no surprise that so many dyslexics found stronger relationship between Industry and education will have felt highly painful and pointless. However, their home in Hospitality. For a long period of time, beyond the top hotel schools, which have long domithey will look at their tenure with some pride. They Hospitality has been an industry that been perceived nated the landscape. A world-class Industry needs a will feel that they were privileged to have had the as almost a second-class profession. Just like many world-class structure and system to support the opportunity to make a difference regardless of dyslexics, the industry has so often been slighted, felt development of the young. It needs to be progressive whether they may have failed or if they have been lauded for their success. We all know that success and inferior to others and just ploughed on. Only today is and to find a stronger voice. For this it needs investment. Education needs to make the argument and failure are remarkably close together. It is all about a it beginning to realise the real scale and scope of its potential. industry need to work far more closely in support. matter of small margins and it is the small margins that ultimately make the difference.

Hospitality today, is viewed by many professionals So the challenge that lies ahead is a mix of setting a

The good news is the majority will be ready to test their skills against the challenge ahead. It is the type of Sir Clive Woodward (113), the former England challenge that often makes many leaders excel and open doors to new talent. Companies need to redis- Rugby Union Coach who led England to glory at the Rugby World Cup of 2003, often talked about the cover how they can once again free up talent, to be small margins that determine success. He would note brave, to be vocal and to take the risk. that the difference between a great team and a good There is very little evidence to support the notion team, who would win nothing, was less than 2%. He

Hospitality Industry Survey Identifies Gaps In Business Support

UKHospitality has revealed the results of the first comprehensive survey of the hospitality sector during the COVID-19 pandemic, in which businesses were asked about their experiences of accessing loans, insurance claims, the speed of grant payments and workforce issues.

The results have highlighted flaws in the level of support provided to businesses during the crisis.

Around half (48%) of businesses have applied for loans, but the majority of those receiving a response (57%) have had their bids turned down. Governmentimposed State Aid rules account for over a quarter (26%) of rejections, alongside banks telling business

MORE TO COME

to exhaust their own capital first (28%).

Nearly three-quarters (74%) of businesses have claimed, or intend to claim, for business interruption insurance. However, their chances of success appear limited: alarmingly, fewer than 1% of businesses that have claimed have received pay-outs.

Only around a quarter of eligible businesses had received hospitality grants, which falls significantly short of Government estimates. UKHospitality has been urging for these loans to be expedited and extended to more businesses.

In terms of workforce, redundancies have been

kept to a minimum (2%), with the majority of businesses furloughing staff, accounting for 84% of sector employees. This demonstrates the huge success of the Government’s job retention scheme, and the need for it to be extended as the recovery begins.

Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality CEO, commented: “These findings lay bare the extra work that needs to be done by governments, banks and landlords to make sure as many businesses as possible can survive this crisis. Hospitality was the first hit, the hardest hit and will suffer for the longest, and Government support needs to reflect these facts. Hospitality businesses will be key to recovery as prolific employers, major

tax contributors, and hubs for social interaction.

“Governments across the UK have provided unprecedented support to assist hospitality through this crisis, and that is extremely welcome. Yet, we are in this for the long haul. Everyone is rightly looking to how the economy and the industry restarts in a way that avoids a return of this horrific pandemic.

Before we get to recovery, we need to make sure that the support measures already announced are getting through to business.

“Loans must be fast-tracked with minimal restrictions, grants must flow to all businesses that need them regardless of size, and the job retention scheme must be amended to reflect actual earnings.”

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Issue 6

Pubs and Breweries Offered a New Route to Market with CAMRA App

CLH Digital

The Campaign for Real Ale is launching a new app called Brew2You on 6 May which will allow customers to order their favourite drink from local pubs and breweries trying to stay afloat during the lockdown.

Pubs and breweries can use the app to create a menu which customers can order from, making it easy for local businesses to sell beer and cider without going through the hassle of setting up their own online shops or complicated e-commerce services.

Pubs and breweries will receive the full price charged for their products and CAMRA will not charge a commission to suppliers for use. Pubs and breweries just need to pay a small £2/month fee for Stripe usage, which manages payments separately.

To sign up as a partner, simply visit brew2you.co.uk and set up your shop.

Nik Antona, CAMRA’s National Chairman said: “The Brew2You app is the next logical step in CAMRA’s Pulling Together campaign, launched with SIBA and Crowdfunder to support the industry during this difficult time.

“We already have 2,000 breweries, pubs and cideries listed as offering takeaway or delivery services so that consumers can support local businesses during lockdown, but it is still a multi-step process to then go on and order beer.

“The Brew2You app brings all of this great work onto one platform so that users can not only search for but also order their favourite drink with just a click of the button.”

The app has also already received support across the industry with an endorsement from Cask Marque and SIBA, who will also be encouraging their members to sign up.

Paul Nunny Director of Cask Marque said: “It is

great to see the industry working together supporting local brewers and pubs. Many pubs have responded to the challenge to help their communities and this app makes it easy for the two to work closer together. The app gives pubs a single platform to promote their offering. Well done to CAMRA - now let us take advantage of modern technology to help our businesses.”

James Calder, SIBA Chief Executive said: "SIBA are delighted to be working with CAMRA to promote the amazing beers available from independent breweries across the UK. With pubs and bars closed, breweries are putting more beer into bottles and cans than ever before and launching local delivery and takeaway services too - the Brew2You app helps beer lovers find the best beer from small independent craft breweries in their local area. Not only is it great for consumers as they can get the freshest, tastiest beer available near to them, but they will be helping a local independent business survive during these difficult times."

CAMRA is now asking pubs, clubs, breweries and cideries to sign up on the platform ahead of the launch date on 6 May to ensure good coverage of services when it goes live.

Perfect for pubs looking to sell their draught beer to customers before it spoils and great for offering a refill service!

The 32oz (1.75 Pints) Amber Growler with Screw Top are now selling at £6.66 each in packs of 12 - OR with a 50% discount to beer trade for pallets of 384!

The 64oz (3.5 Pints) Clear Growler with Screw Top are now selling at £7.80 each in packs of 6 with a 50% discount to beer trade for pallets of 192!

Leisure Consumers Under Lockdown Retreat to In-Home Entertainment spending increase one percentage point compared to Q1 2019. Consumers intend to increase this spend over the next three months, with a quarter-on-quarter projected uplift of six percentage points.

Simon Oaten, partner for hospitality and leisure at Deloitte, commented: “As opportunities to spend on out-of-home activities remain restricted, the leisure consumer is in hibernation. However, consumers have found more ways to keep occupied whilst spending more time at home, be it through remote fitness classes or subscribing to more on-demand streaming services.

“With lockdown and social distancing restrictions yet to lift, consumers anticipate they will spend more of their discretionary income in this way in the coming months.”

• Net leisure spending in Q1 2020 fell seven percentage points compared to same time last year; • Year-on-year spending was down across all categories except in-home leisure; • Spending intentions for the next three months suggest consumers expect a continuation of lockdown and social distancing measures into the second quarter of 2020.

UK leisure spending fell seven percentage points in the first three months of the year compared to 2019 as social distancing measures encouraged consumers indoors and seeking entertainment at home, according to Deloitte’s latest Leisure Consumer report.

HOLIDAYS ON HOLD 35% of consumers revealed they had lost money due to the cancellation of planned holidays and events. With quarterly net spending down on both long-haul (-8 percentage points) and short-haul breaks (-10 percentage points), planned net spending is set to fall further by another 35 percentage points over the next three months.

Oaten said: “Consumers remain cautious about discretionary spending, with many holidaymakers’ pockets already directly hit as a result of travel restrictions. Whilst summer 2020 may not see the level of travel we’d usually expect, historic trends The quarterly survey of more than 3,000 UK indicate that consumers value the opportunity to adults revealed that spending fell year-on-year across travel. Experiences are likely to remain important to every leisure category, with the exception of inthe leisure consumer in the long term, even if suithome leisure, marking the steepest quarterly and cases are kept in storage for the time being.” year-on-year fall since the Deloitte Leisure A LOOK AHEAD Consumer survey began in Q1 2016.

Oaten concluded: “Leisure is one of the sectors STAYING HOME, STAYING SAFE most significantly impacted by the COVID-19 panThe reporting period, capturing the start of the demic, posing an unprecedented financial challenge.

UK-wide lockdown and social distancing measures, Historically low consumer confidence means we are found that consumers sought more in-home leisure unlikely to see the usual uplift in leisure spending activities this quarter, as entertainment venues, from that the warmer spring months bring, and current bars and pubs, to gyms, museums and cinemas were restrictions have highlighted the value leisure congradually closed. As a result, in-home leisure saw sumption brings to our economy and society.

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CLH Digital

Issue 6

Leadership During Lockdown: Keeping Hospitality Employees Motivated Throughout The COVID-19 Crisis

By Dom Kneafsy, The People Pod

The Coronavirus pandemic has presented the biggest challenge to the UK’s economy since the war, but few sectors will have felt it more than the hospitality sector.

With pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants shut and facing uncertain futures, times have never been harder for many businesses. And in this sector boosting morale among teams is also more challenging - most companies aren’t held together by a luxurious corporate head office, while many team members are relied upon to work harder than ever, wearing many different hats throughout the day.

So, how can the hospitality and on-trade sector keep the team on board, boost motivation and help businesses get back on their feet?

In this article we’ll provide some tips on making the most of the situation and keeping employee engagement as high as possible during an extremely difficult time for all.

YOUR EMOTIONS ARE INFECTIOUS As an employer and leader, your employees will likely look to you for emotional cues. So it’s important that your emotions are positive and motivational as much as possible.

After all, you’ll likely have employees in one of two camps: those who are still working and having to put in more effort than ever; and those

who are furloughed and are worried about their career prospects, as well as feeling disengaged and isolated from their team.

Your responsibility is to both sets of employees. Both need your support and need motivating. So make sure you are regularly speaking to everyone as a company, making use of video technology to schedule short, but frequent, catch-up sessions.

Inspire your team and communicate with passion, energy and reassurance. Remind them daily of the small victories that are occurring both inside and outside of the business, and keep them focused on the important role they play in keeping the company running.

But remember, the emotions you visibly display will catch on. As difficult as it is to control your anxiety and concern for the current situation and the future, if you want to ensure your team remains motivated, try and remain positive and inspiring.

ideas available online and shared on social media for having fun together remotely. Show you trust the staff by giving them new and different responsibilities for taking the business forward, and be transparent about what is happening throughout the company - from top to bottom.

3. Empower team members - there’s going to be a lot of independence within virtual teams, which makes finding ways to delegate extremely important for success. To ensure accountability, set up a good system for monitoring progress but avoid micro-management. Perhaps now is the perfect time to get those junior members of staff trained up and plug those skills gaps you’ve been worried about.

RECOGNISE AND REWARD

HOW ARE YOU MOTIVATING YOUR TEAM?

Your employees are your company’s most valuable resource and it’s a simple human need to want to feel valued. When an employee is recognised and rewarded for their hard work, it can have a huge impact on productivity levels.

There are several behaviours that are associated with highly effective and motivating virtual team leadership.

It’s not about rewarding somebody every hour, it’s simply acknowledging the right effort, behaviours and achievements during lockdown.

1. Re-envision - during lockdown a new culture will develop, new ways of working will emerge and there will be shifts in virtual team dynamics. This is an opportunity to build upon relationships, overhaul processes and keep focused on how some of these unexpected new ways of working can benefit you in the future.

2. Build trust - look for new ways to spark team spirit - show that you truly care about their wellbeing by checking in with them regularly and organising social events for the team. There are plenty of resources and creative

Rewarding your team and recognising great work is important to boost staff morale, instil confidence in their work, contribute to a great working environment and retain top talent way beyond lockdown.

Now more than ever our staff need to feel valued and motivated. Not only that, but now more than ever your company needs an engaged workforce to help you get out the other side of this huge challenge.

UKH Calls For UK-Wide Unity In Reopening Plans

UKHospitality has welcomed the Welsh Government’s framework for recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, but called on the Westminster and devolved Governments to ensure there is a unified approach to reopening across the entire UK. UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “It is positive to see the Welsh Government putting some thought to how businesses might begin to open, but we need much more detail on the what the Welsh Government’s seven tests mean practically-speaking for businesses.

“There must be a plan in place well ahead of any eventual reopening of businesses. The focus of the plan must be how we can open safely and viably, rather than when. We do not want to rush the process only to find out that businesses cannot operate and that customers and team members are at risk.

“There also needs to be a unified approach to this across the UK. Different countries moving at different speeds, potentially measuring against different criteria sends a confused message to businesses and

Are you doing enough as a leader to make that happen?

customers.

“Businesses will also need continued support after reopening commences. UKHospitality is working hard to ensure businesses and staff are ready and safe to reopen only when it is appropriate, and we are happy to liaise with the Welsh and UK Governments to support.” https://gov.wales/first-minister-announces-path-lead-wales-out-coronavirus-pandemic

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Britons Could Face Two- Or Three-Pint Limit When Pubs Reopen Pubs could reopen if landlords restricted beer to two or three pints per customer then asked them to go home to help with social distancing measures, it has been claimed.

Lockdown adviser Professor Eyal Winter, of Lancaster University, said people were ‘starving’ for pubs which he described as ‘an important part of British culture’.

Mr Winter, an economist advising politicians on how to ease the coronavirus restrictions, said social distancing would have to be enforced if pubs reopen.

One possible result of his proposals would be to stagger the number of people going into pubs over the course of a day to avoid them getting ‘very full’ at one.

However, Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “Stringent social distancing, if required, will have an enormous impact on footfall in pubs and consumer confidence will take time to

rebuild.

“Trade could be down by well over half upon reopening so pubs will need substantial support from Government if they are to survive this crisis for the long term.

“Restricting and monitoring consumption on top of any Covid restrictions that may need to be enforced is a step too far.”

Matt Todd, landlord of The Wonston Arms in rural Hampshire, said: “As a landlord I will be pulling pints, so how can I make sure people are social distancing in the pub garden? I don’t think it’s practical.”

Katie Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality said reopening without a plan of action would be “catastrophic” for the sector, especially if social distancing was to become the norm for the foreseeable future.

She said: “An extended period of social distancing will mean that many hospitality businesses will not be able to operate fully and many will not be able to open at all.”

Two-Thirds of Hospitality Businesses Say They Will Not Survive Another Three Months Of Lockdown Latest research reveals that two thirds of hospitality companies believe they will not survive a prolonged lockdown without further far-reaching support from government, and the vast majority believe a significant break or ‘holiday’ from rent obligations is required.

Referring to this #NationalTimeOut campaign, the research showed that 87% of hospitality businesses do not expect to survive without the nine-month rent holiday or some equivalent, being introduced.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, said: “The government has moved quickly to address some of the existential challenges that hospitality The study by KAM Media, which involved 211 hospitality companies – ranging from businesses operating pubs and bars to restaurants, cafes and faces, brought by the crisis and lockdown, and as an industry we are extremely grateful. street food venues – showed that 66% of businesses do not think they can survive a further three months of lockdown measures.

“However, this research underscores the scale of the challenges, which is reflected in the current mood of the industry. We need far-reaching Commenting on the findings, Katy Moses, managing director at KAM Media, said: “So many hospitality businesses are at risk and we need help and continued support, and unprecedented intervention of the order of the proposed nine-month #NationalTimeOut idea or an equivalent conin navigating a pathway to safety. We need some fundamental interventions on rents and property, and on finance and loans, and it’s becoming cept of similar scale, in order for hospitality jobs and businesses to clear that much of hospitality will require a much longer extension of the endure this crisis and to be there to drive the recovery.” furlough scheme, given that businesses will not emerge fully from lockdown for some time.

“As an industry, we need to get behind campaigns such as #NationalTimeOut, spearheaded by Jonathan Downey and Hospitality Union, who are campaigning for a nine-month rent holiday, to be supported by the government.”

The hospitality industry is also expecting a long recovery time before sale return to pre-Covid levels, the research showed. When lockdown measures are lifted, most companies (86%) said they thought consumers would eat out less, with 82% expecting consumers to drink out less, as well.

Moses added: “We are very likely to see a much more cautious consumer coming out of this lockdown, at least in the short-term. Although

there will be a proportion who will run straight to a pub for a cold pint, many will stick to essential only social gatherings in a bid to keep themselves safe.

“While we fully expect operators to respond with well-executed and communicated social distancing, and health and safety measures, it means that many will operate on drastically reduced capacity and this will place significant economic pressure on swathes of the industry.”

On this latter point, hospitality business owners seem to acutely aware of this: the research found that 83% of those questioned expect customer numbers to be down for at least six months after re-opening; 38% said they would expect it to take at least a year for their footfall to return to pre-lockdown levels.

The research also showed that many hospitality businesses are working hard to pivot their business models during lockdown, as well as to support their communities. Of the 211 participating companies, one-in-four had started offering delivery, as a result of the lockdown, and 80% say they intended to continue offering this service, post-lockdown. 67% are already pro-actively planning how to attract customers back once they’re allowed to re-open.

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CLH Digital

Issue 6

The Star Shines How To Maximise Drinks Customers For The Community

By Tom Berresford, Managing Director, Bermar.

Bermar are manufacturers of the world’s leading professional wine & Champagne preservation systems; Le Verre de Vin+ & PODBAR+.

In these troubling times we find ourselves speaking with operators around the world who are looking to make the very most of a testing situation. Talking of profit may be a repetitive subject but making sure your venue earns more from each customer has never been so important.

Maximising the drinks spend of your customers in the world of wine & Champagne is a great place to start.

The community in Harbottle in Northumberland have several reasons to be thankful for the huge effort of their village pub, The Star Inn. Having opened a village shop in the rear of The Star Inn earlier this year, Phil and Karen reacted quickly to the demands of the Covid 19 crisis by expanding the range of produce they sell.

At the same time they teamed up with a local farm butchery business and another local dairy farm, who have lost their usual hospitality customers, by providing a local outlet for their produce and freshly produced local essentials for the Harbottle community and surrounding area.

Next on their list was support for local sheep farmers, now in the middle of the busy lambing season. They set up an email ordering and delivery service to save them having to travel to the nearest town for groceries. Busy customers place their order on day one for a next day delivery when Phil also takes around their daily newspapers. The couple also deliver to their older and more vulnerable residents who place their orders by phone and, if they have no means of payment without cards, they operate a ‘pay later’ scheme.

Karen said: “When we heard that one of the neighbouring farms was expecting to deliver 4,000 lambs over the next few weeks we knew we had to help these time-pressed farms to provide the daily essentials that they needed. Extending that service to our more isolated residents was the next step.”

With a stand-alone building for a wood fired oven in development with further help from Pub is The Hub’s Community Services Fund, Phil and Karen next intend to provide a pizza takeaway service for their remote village, alongside their sales of beers from the local micro-brewery at Elsdon.

Nigel Williams from Pub is The Hub, who has been advising the couple added: “Since Phil and Karen moved into the pub last year they have set about making it the very heart of their community. The Star is really shining again!”

TODAY’S CONSUMER Over the past year or two the nation has seen a health kick like no other, consumers have woken up drinking less, but better.

Drinking better means providing premium options and this is a factor that operators are wary of. Providing premium is something that many operators have historically steered away from, purely for the fear of losing profit through spoiled product.

However, there are an ever increasing number of operators who have taken the leap into premiumisation and they’re reaping the rewards. A premium wine experience is key to success with 56% of consumers willing to pay extra for a better-quality drink Today’s consumer has changed the way they view wine for good!

With wine being the UK’s favourite drink according to YouGov (a survey of 2000 consumers showed that 81% of adults had chosen to drink wine as their alcoholic beverage of choice in 2019. Compared to 71% who said they would choose beer or spirits.), operators have the chance to take their wine list to the next level, making premium options accessible to their curious consumers.

PROMOTE KEY WINES There are some simple ways to highlight and promote key wines to draw customers in. Examples include wine of the month, vineyard special and the most popular… food and wine pairings. Food and wine pairings make wine choices simple for guests, they create ‘up-sell’ opportunities and encourage consumers to try different, new wines from the list. By assisting the consumer, not only is their wine knowledge broadened but their dining experience is enriched and enhanced. An ‘experience’ is

what 65% of adults say they would rather spend money on over possessions with an even larger 72% of millennials inclined to spend money on an experience. Opportunities to match wines to dishes is something that should be celebrated and promoted in any great establishment.

ARE YOU ON INSTAGRAM?

Word on the street is that if it’s not Instagrammable it doesn’t count! You’ll have seen the numerous flashings of mobile phones in restaurants as customers snap a picture before taking a sip or cutting through the ‘melt in the middle’ chocolate pudding. With 69% of millennials taking a photo of their meal and experience before eating, operators need to tap into the aesthetics of their offerings. Taking your own pictures of wine and food pairings for your business will educate your customers whilst informing them of your brand. Instagram is a great way to upload your latest wine and perhaps incentivize a trade up amongst followers.

Consumers that want to drink less but drink better will also be drawn in by the dining experience on show. Dining out is not just a simple stop gap between home cooked meals, it is now an experience that is to be celebrated and shared.

WINE BY THE GLASS Have you got the right tools for the job? Selling wine by the glass isn’t always easy, but simply put, it just needs a sustainable preservation solution. By having preservation in place, your wine by the glass list can increase the business’s profits and delight customers with ever-changing options.

Next you need to think about enticing customers. Make sure you add new wines to your list to keep customers excited about new tastes on offer. Try an orange wine on the menu and get people talking about this mysterious beauty that graces your menu. Why not add a new sparkling wine or Champagne to the list, or an English sparkling wine by the glass? This wine has not only been seen trending for its brilliant recent harvests but also for its unique mineral freshness. English sparkling wine is a great promoter for goods produced in closer to home – a growing, sustainability driven trend. A new trend hitting the hospitality world is the Champagne cocktail! These cocktails were quite literally a thing of the past, but now they are back with vengeance.

Customers crave a fresh tasting fizz in their cocktails, and this can only be attained by using great quality Champagne. A premium wine or Champagne cocktail also makes consumers more likely to order this option for the Instagrammability effect.

Draw in the consumers that crave change, that crave new ideas and are craving a new taste for premium. The consumer experience is key, and we have the keys to your success. For more information visit: www.bermar.co.uk

New Measures to Protect Businesses from Aggressive Rent Demands and Closure Issue 6

Businesses, including pubs/bars restaurants and hotels under pressure amid the current crisis will be protected from aggressive rent collection and asked to pay what they can during the coronavirus pandemic, the Business Secretary has set out.

The majority of landlords and tenants are working well together to reach agreements on debt obligations, but some landlords have been putting tenants under undue pressure by using aggressive debt recovery tactics.

To stop these unfair practices, the government will temporarily ban the use of statutory demands (made between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2020) and winding up petitions presented from Monday 27 April, through to 30 June, where a company cannot pay its bills due to coronavirus. This will help ensure these companies do not fall into deeper financial strain. The measures will be included in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill, which the Business Secretary Alok Sharma set out earlier this month.

Government is also laying secondary legislation to provide tenants with more breathing space to pay rent by preventing landlords using Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) unless they are owed 90 days of unpaid rent.

This will further safeguard the high street and millions of jobs by helping to protect them from permanent closure during this time. However, while landlords are urged to give their tenants the breathing space needed, the government calls on tenants to pay rent where they can afford it or what they can in recognition of the strains felt by commercial landlords too.

Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, said: "In this exceptional time for the UK, it is vital that we ensure businesses are kept afloat so that they can continue to provide the jobs our economy needs beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

"Our unprecedented package of support can help commercial land-

lords, including through the recent expansion of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans Scheme.

I know that like all businesses they are under pressure, but I would urge them to show forbearance to their tenants. I am also taking steps to ensure the minority of landlords using aggressive tactics to collect their rents can no longer do so while the COVID-19 emergency continues.

"The temporary emergency measures are designed to acknowledge the pressures landlords are facing while encouraging cooperation in the spirit of fair commercial practice.

They also come on top of a substantial package of business support measures, including a moratorium on evictions for commercial tenants for at least a 3-month period."

Communities Secretary, Robert Jenrick, said: "During this period of significant disruption, we are doing everything we can to ensure that commercial tenants are as well placed as possible to get back to business from the pandemic.

"We understand that landlords are facing their own very serious pressures and are concerned about their position with lenders. We are working with banks and investors to seek ways to address these issues and guide the whole sector through the pandemic."

Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, Helen Dickinson OBE, said: "Rents are a huge burden for retailers that must be paid even where shops are closed. We have raised this problem with government and the announcement protects firms who – during these extraordinary times – are unable to meet their rent obligations.

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"We thank Alok Sharma for his swift action, which will give retailers some vital relief and help safeguard millions of jobs all across the country. We look forward to the finer details, however it is clear government is listening and willing to act."

Chief Executive of UK Hospitality, Kate Nicholls, said: "This is a very helpful and pragmatic response from the Secretary of State and will give hospitality businesses some very valuable breathing room.

"Many businesses in our sector have no revenue whatsoever coming in, so paying rents has been out of the question for some. This extra space will allow businesses to survive and to find a way to work with landlords. If social distancing measures are to be in place for some time, as we now believe they will, this measure may need to be extended to ensure that businesses can survive."

These new emergency measures come on top of the government’s support package for business and workers during the economic emergency: • the Coronavirus Job Retention Schemewhere small and large employers will be eligible to apply for a government grant of 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month, backdated to March 1 and available for at least 3 months, with first grants to be paid within weeks • a deferral of the next quarter of VAT payments for firms, until the end of June – representing a £30 billion injection into the economy • £330 billion worth of government backed and guaranteed loans to support businesses • a business rates holiday which is worth over £9.5 billion to business across the UK • small business and grants and grants for retail, hospitality and leisure

'Take a Tour' of the Nation's Best-Looking Pubs Issue 6

ners will be recognised at an event hosted in CAMRA’s new virtual pub, the Red (On)Lion, by judges at 7pm on 7th May. To join the event and congratulate the pub owners and designers, simply visit https://theredonlion.co.uk/bar/join/Pub-Design-Awards to book a place.

Pub goers can digitally ‘visit’ the pubs by browsing the CAMRA library of the winners, available to view on Dropbox.

As the nation’s pub-goers face uncertainty on the re-opening of our beloved locals, they are invited to ‘tour’ the nation’s best-looking pubs as CAMRA announces the winners of its prestigious Pub Design Awards.

CAMRA has put together a photo collection of this year’s winners, which include a canal side newbuild reflecting the architectural heritage of industrial Swindon, a Lancashire pub that has reopened after 105 years, a bustling tap-house in Shropshire and 150year-old pub that was saved by the local community.

In line with current social distancing measures, win-

Winners this year include: • The Hall & Woodhouse, Swindon (New Build Award) - Built as part of the Wichelstowe housing expansion, it occupies a prominent canal side site in the town centre and is an important asset for the emerging community.

• Plau, Preston (Conversion Award) - Originally built in 1668 as a butcher’s shop, it was converted into a pub in 1795 however it closed in 1913. It finally re-opened as a pub after a gap of 105 years in 2018.

• The Zetland, Middlesbrough (Historic England Conservation Award) - Originally built in 1860, it was

painstakingly restored in 2017, which included sourcing custom-made tiles from the very firm that created tiles for the pub over 120 years ago.

• The Farmers Arms, Woolfardisworthy, Devon (Refurbishment Award joint winner) - having served as a public house for much of the building’s 300-year life, new owners have restored the pub its former glory, retaining its unique character.

• The Peterborough Arms, Dauntsey Lock, Wiltshire (Refurbishment Award joint winner) - Built as a farmhouse in the late 18th century. Having previously being declared an Asset of Community Value (ACV) and taken on by the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust, six volunteers began work on its restoration in 2015. It finally reopened in late 2018, with volunteer hours in excess of 10,000!

• The Shakespeare, Bridgnorth (Joe Goodwin Award for best street-corner local) - a tap-house with beer truly at the heart, with preserved log burners and bespoke stained-glass windows adding to the pub’s character.

Also highly commended for Conversion was the Old Mill Bar in Leek, a former textile mill whose con-

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version saw the whole interior stripped back to the original Victorian brickwork of the former mill.

Andrew Davison, chair of CAMRA’s Pub Design Award judging panel, said: “In these uncertain and worrying times for pubs, we are delighted to be celebrating the stunning, eclectic range of architecture and design preserved in these institutions.

“Some of these pubs have been used in that capacity for hundreds of years, demonstrating not only their tenacity and endurance, but also the necessity of the pub to the British way of life. We hope that all will be able to endure the current crisis, and that patrons will be able to celebrate their achievement in person once the restrictions have lifted.

“We had a tough time narrowing it down to these six exemplary pubs – congratulations to them all!”

These awards are celebrated as CAMRA is underway with its #PullingTogether campaign, highlighting the initiatives pubs and breweries are using to keep themselves afloat during the coronavirus lockdown.

Learn more at camra.org.uk/pullingtogether

Coeliac UK Offers Discount Throughout its Gluten Free Community Week, 11-17 May Coeliac UK will be celebrating all things gluten free with a week of online activities and, in support of the catering industry, is offering a special discount on its online catering course throughout the week 11-17 May. The online catering course was re launched at the start of March, enabling both private and public sector caterers to meet the needs of the growing gluten free market. The charity is offering a 20% discount to any caterers who take the online course during its Gluten Free Community Week.

MasterChef Champion and Coeliac UK Ambassador Jane Devonshire said: “The online catering course is a great way to get staff to understand the needs of those requiring a gluten free diet when coming to your restaurant, cafe or bar. It is easy to do and underlines principals that everyone should have in place legally when offering a gluten free option on the menu.”

“Research shows that people with coeliac disease – and the family and friends they eat out with – are currently worth a potential £100

million a year to venues that can cater for them. So what a great time to do it now, so when everything opens you can hit the ground running offering great food to all your customers.”

The course, which takes approximately one and half hours to complete, is suitable for all food industry professionals in both the private and public sectors and provides in depth training on: • • • • • • •

understanding coeliac disease and the gluten free diet the law on gluten free choosing the right ingredients and gluten free storage preparing and cooking gluten free food cleaning and personal hygiene communicating with staff and customers monitoring gluten free procedures.

On successful completion of the training, a personalised certificate from Coeliac UK can be download to be displayed or added to training records. Individual access to the training costs £70 and can be purchased from: www.glutenfreetraining.org . To take advantage of the special discount use the code: gfaware20, which gives the user 20% off any of the courses during Coeliac UK’s Gluten Free Community Week

between 11-17, May. The charity will be celebrating all things gluten free during Coeliac UK’s Gluten Free Community Week, bringing together its community with a variety of online activities, including a cook along with MasterChef champion, Jane Devonshire and hosting a virtual gluten free afternoon tea party to help support those that are feeling isolated and alone at this difficult time.

Hilary Croft Coeliac UK’s CEO said: “Many people with coeliac disease are not only anxious about their own health conditions but also struggling with isolation and obtaining essential gluten free supplies. We usually run an awareness campaign in May, but due to the current situation surrounding Coronavirus, we decided to replace this with a week of interactive online and social media activities to help people feel more connected during this time of lockdown.”

Coeliac UK hopes as many people as possible will take support their virtual gluten free afternoon tea party on Friday 15 May. There will also be an opportunity for people to donate to the charity at: www.coeliac.org.uk/virtualgftea to help ensure it can survive and continue providing a much needed service to so many.

14

CLH Digital

Issue 6

What Can Hospitality Brands Do To Survive The Lockdown?

By Roly Grant, creative director and co-founder, brand design agency Without

So much has changed in the past few weeks, it’s almost impossible to make sense of it all. We’ve seen much-loved and long-established restaurants and bars from all sectors of the industry let staff go, revert to delivery only, or shut down altogether. Many people are asking if there’ll be anywhere left to go out and celebrate once the restrictions are finally lifted.

There’s no doubt the current pandemic is having a devastating effect – hospitality is one of the hardest-hit industries – but lots of business owners are doing everything they can to protect the livelihoods of as many staff as possible, and keep their companies going for as long as they can through diversification.

Restaurants in China are obviously further down the line. April Puffer, a Beijing eatery specialising in puffer fish, established a delivery fleet made up of its own chefs and waiters. Business revenue has dropped by 90% but the restaurant has invested in keeping its brand alive – and resisted handing its direct link to consumers to a third-party delivery service (as well as a substantial chunk of its reduced income).

Back home, efforts by the likes of Leon have garnered a lot of media attention. The healthy fast-food chain, in partnership with Wasabi, Abokado and Franco Manco, is teaming up with food suppliers and distributors to deliver free hot meals to NHS staff. With celebrity endorsement, they’ve managed to raise in excess of £600,000 so far through public donations. It’s a brilliant way of a) being seen to do the right thing, not the easy thing, and b) keeping brand awareness alive and consumer loyalty high. Research and history show that actions like these pay divi-

dends in the long term. (Google ‘brands we’re going to boycott’ to see how businesses that are deemed not to have the common good at heart might fare when all this is over.)

The good news, as reported recently by data consultancy Kantar, is that of all the activities that people want to pick up as soon as the lockdown is lifted, dining out is top of the list. Shopping, out-of-home entertainment and sport came second, third and fourth. So, what actions can restaurant and bar owners take now to make it easier to re-establish themselves down the line and take full advantage of the predicted spike in business?

KEEP BRAND AWARENESS ALIVE Government intervention, though by no means a panacea for all problems, has taken some of the pressure off. Where initial fears about survival may have eased, what can people do in the downtime to shore themselves up for the future?

Protecting customer relationships is vital. Deliveries and goodwill to critical-care workers alone won’t save a business, but they can keep the dialogue with consumers alive. It’s worth noting, however, that so many third-party delivery services are still taking a hefty commission (as much as 30%), and they can have the added effect of diminishing stand-out for individual outlets. If you’re ordering sushi to come to your door by bike, do you always note which restaurant made it?

If you can, protect your route to market without handing the keys to the empire to a third party (digital platforms, socials, delivery services, et al).

London’s Crosstown Collective has got the right idea. Made up of The Estate Dairy, Crosstown Doughnuts and Millers Bespoke Bakery, it delivers its goods across the capital.

It’s the brands that remain recognisable, and have known values and stories, that will engender loyalty and be first on people’s lists when all this ends.

Wetherspoon Hotels Praised By Which? Survey Wetherspoon has come out on top in a survey by Consumers’ Association Which?, that compared its hotels to those run by fellow pub chain Fuller’s.

Wetherspoon scored an overall 79 per cent customer score against Fuller’s 69 per cent.

The hotels were scored against three criteria; bed comfort, bathrooms and value for money, as well as comparing the cost of an average room rate per night, full english breakfast and 175ml glass of pinot grigio.

Wetherspoon scored five out of five in the value for money category.

The report added that “Readers raved about one of the chains……..Wetherspoons wowed in our UK hotel chains survey.”

However, Which? then made the following inaccurate and untrue statement (in relation to the coronavirus crisis).

It stated : “Mr Martin later told staff that he might not pay them on time, while details of the government furlough scheme were still being agreed. He reversed the decision only after public criticism.

Which? then added: “Our next pint will be in Fuller’s.”

Tim Martin said: “I’m delighted that consumers have awarded

TAKE NOTE OF NEW CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR Ask people what they want. Focus less on what you’re used to doing and more on what people need now. Think of the things that would be nice if you were sitting on the sofa craving a pick-me-up. If ever there was a good time to branch out, this would be it.

When we do finally return to something resembling normality, consumer behaviour will have changed forever. So, look at what they’re doing and respond to it. Kantar’s report shows that more and more consumers are embracing digital tools, and will continue to use them in future.

So, what could a ‘welcome back’ package look like, for example, and is there an opportunity for restaurants here? Can booking processes be made more flexible and experiential (order your first round of drinks while you book online so it’s ready on arrival, or arrange surprise birthday extras digitally)? Customers are using digital platforms in greater numbers than ever before, why not harness that and improve hospitality experiences accordingly?

GET READY FOR YOUR COMEBACK When the government finally says that it's safe for everyone to come out and play, those brands that have looked after themselves and maintained strong, positive profiles stand to benefit.

We need to use this enforced hiatus to our advantage. For example, now’s the time for restaurateurs and local authorities to reassess rental arrangements, which are so often hiked when times are bad, but rarely reduced when fortunes take a dive.

If brands have been nurtured, staff treated with respect, and new consumer wants and needs acknowledged, businesses should be well-positioned to take advantage of an upturn. Those who ‘went dark’ or prioritised recouping funds, could end up being bumped off the guest list for what could be the biggest party of the decade.

Wetherspoon hotels top marks for value for money and that we scored 79 per cent.

“Fuller’s hotels and pubs are excellent, so this is a high class comparison.

“Which? have got it wrong. “They have based their comments on a distortion of the facts, which undermines their position as an impartial and unbiased organisation.

“In a video recorded less than 48 hours after pubs shut, I said “all our endeavours are going to be on trying to make sure that you (staff) get your money and the pubs reopen”.

“An email was sent to all staff, with the video, on Monday 23 March, the first day of “lockdown”, which said “all employees will be paid as normal on Friday 27 March”.

Fizzical training ensures the perfect pour Dispense gas is one of many factors that influence the quality of beer, cider and soft drinks in a pub or club. Yet it’s often left out of training about the perfect pour. Carl Goode, Product Manager at BOC Sureserve, explains why ‘fizzical training’ can prevent you losing customers through poor quality products – and save money in the long run.

Remember the carbon dioxide shortages of last year? Suddenly everyone from manufacturers to customers began to appreciate the importance of dispense gases. Yet they’re still overlooked as a factor in the perfect pour.

Dispense gases put the fizz in a pint of beer or cider and are essential for serving drinks the way the brands intended. That benefits licensees as well. With the correct food-grade gas and the right mixture, bar staff will pull a great pint and customers will order another. Get the mix wrong, or use poor quality gas, and drinkers will feel as flat about your pub or club as they do about your beer. They may not come back.

That’s the last thing a cost-conscious landlord wants to happen as margins continue to be

squeezed by increased competition from other leisure activities, more consumption of alcohol in the home, and pressures such as rising rates and the living wage.

Improving the quality of beer, along with food and the pub environment, is one way of reducing the impact of challenges facing the licensed trade. If you train your bar managers and staff in the correct (and safe) use of foodgrade dispense gases from BOC Sureserve, you can ramp up quality and increase cost savings.

It’s not just dirt that hurts When you teach bar staff how to pull a pint, you’ll probably cover the importance of clean glassware, chilling and the 45 degree pour. You might also explain why glasses are etched to

nucleate the gas and generate better bubbles and which glasses are right for a Guinness versus a cider. These are all essential lessons if you want to create draught masters in pouring perfect pints – and happy customers.

However, all that hard work can be undermined if you don’t get the gas mixture right or fail to use food-grade gas. Customers don’t much care for bubbles in a Guinness, a frothy head of beer or a flat Coke – all consequences of using the wrong gas or bad gas.

That’s why the gas needs to underpin all other training, whether your staff have 20 years’ experience or two hours’. Trained correctly, they’ll be able to use the right dispensing gas in the correct way, which has three main benefits:

→ Only with a good dispense gas do you get a stable head, carbonation at the right level, clarity, great flavour and no bitter after-taste – the perfect pour that brings customers back. → The wrong mixture wastes beer, because it fobs and foams and isn’t servable. Given that there’s about 2.5p of gas in every pint, gas is pretty inexpensive. But if you’re throwing away four pints each time it fobs, the costs mount up. → In today’s trading climate, it’s tempting to try and save money by using cheaper products than food-grade gas from a reputable supplier. But it doesn’t save money in the long run and it could be incredibly risky.

For further information contact BOC SURESERVE on 08457 302 302 or email sureserve@boc.com

Issue 6

CLH Digital

17

The Covid Present… The Big Comedy Pub Quiz! Government Issues For one night only on 1st May at 8pm become part of an official Guinness World Records title attempt by staying in and sitting on your back side.

Break a Guinness World Records title for the Most visitors to a virtual pub, support your local pubs and donate to The National Emergencies Trust Coronavirus appeal – all while wearing your slippers On May 1st, join The Covid Arms ‘landlady’ Kiri Pritchard-Mclean and her host of celebrity guests; Russell Howard, Nish Kumar, Jon Richardson, Joel Dommett, Marcus Brigstocke, Rachel Parris, Lucy Beaumont, Jenny Ryan and Suzi Ruffel, for a night in at the world’s largest virtual pub Ladies and Gentlemen of our great nation, the team at The Covid Arms, and some of the nation’s best-loved Comedians, are calling upon you to join them on Friday the 1st of May at the world’s largest virtual lock-in; where they will be attempting to break the Guinness World Record Title for ‘Most visitors to a virtual pub’. In taking part you will also be helping to raise money to support your local pubs, and donate to The National Emergencies Trust Coronavirus Appeal – all while wearing your slippers….

The UK is a land of great tradition and in these challenging times one thing that we are all missing is the sense of community that thrives through our local businesses.

The food and beverage industry has been greatly affected by this pandemic; so let’s give back, share a drink and enjoy the company of our favourite pub owners, neighbours and friends in the safest way possible – and why not break a world record while we’re at it?

Admission to The Covid Arms will support your local watering hole, as well as our hero emergency workers who are risking their lives for our safety everyday. Help honour them by staying home, logging in and letting the fun begin. Entry will be based on a pay-it-forward scheme so any pubs missing their locals can register online, and let their community know they’re (virtually) open for business.

When the doors swing open at The Covid Arms you’ll be greeted by the formidable landlady, double Chortle Award winner, Kiri Pritchard-McLean. It’s her pub, she calls the shots and tonight it’s quiz night. To help host the night, Kiri will be joined by a group of fellow celebrities – including the likes of Russell Howard, Nish Kumar and The Chase’s Jenny Ryan – who are no strangers to quiz shows. There will be mystery guests (who’ll be hosting the music round?), quick-fire rounds, a live leaderboard and prizes. At any minute you may be joined live in your front room, so make sure to wear your best ‘staying in’ gear.

Kiri, adds: “I’m so excited to be involved with this, it’s all my favourite things; comedy, pubs and quizzes. Oh, and charity, please delete this line so it looks like charity was the first thing I said.

“This is going to be such a fun event and takes me back to my comedy roots, gigging in pubs for no money and working on a webcam to make ends meet.

“In all seriousness this is exactly the slice of kindness and joy we all need now. See you at the bar.”

Guinness World Records Editor in Chief Craig Glenday said: Any initiative that keeps as many of us indoors as possible right now is worth celebrating, so fingers crossed for a record-breaking knees up.

The next best thing to a night out with your mates is a night IN with your mates – and let’s face it, when are you ever going to get the chance again to share a drink with so many celebs in the same pub?

‘tronc’ Furlough Guidance

On the mission to host the World’s biggest lock-in, Simon Deverell, Founder and Director of Crowdfunder UK (and co-landlord of The Covid Arms), said: “After the news broke that the lockdown had been extended for another three weeks, we thought that the time was right to celebrate the incredible community spirit and humour at the heart of the British public by bringing back the Great British tradition of sharing a pint.

“We started this campaign in collaboration with the brilliant Covid Arms team, founded by Kiri, Jess and Jake. They began the initiative to stream live comedy at ‘The Covid Arms’ in support of charity, and we’re helping to scale this for an amazing cause; showing our support and solidarity with not only our local businesses, but the emergency workers across the nation keeping us safe.”

Innovative, experiential brewery, Beavertown are onboard to support everyone involved with a brilliant campaign on Crowdfunder.co.uk to help pubs looking to get punters involved, and help raise some much needed funds for landlords and ladies; as well as connecting communities across the UK. Beavertown are providing cases of their customers’ favourite beer Neck Oil and limited edition prints as rewards for those involved.

Logan Plant, CEO and Founder of Beavertown says: “When we heard about The Covid Arms’ mission to support the pub industry and our amazing health care workers through the pandemic, we jumped at the chance to be involved! It’s an important cause close to our hearts, and such a brilliant idea.

It’s not every day that you get to break a world record and we’re so glad we could be a part of it in some way. We’re proud to be pledging £5,000 worth of beer to the cause, and can’t wait to crack open a beer on Friday with everyone”.

To find out more about how you can get involved, and buy tickets for a night in at The Covid Arms go to: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/worldsbiggestpub Lets login to The Covid Arms, have a pint and protect ourselves and our Key Workers by waiting for this to blow over.

The government has clarified employers cannot include tronc when claiming under the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme (CJRS), leaving many employees out of pocket.

Employers have been keen to learn whether common funds for shared tips and service charges, known as “tronc”, would be included in furlough wage calculations ever since the Job Retention Scheme was launched in late March.

However, updated HMRC guidance (April 24) states that employers could not include payments made at the discretion of the employer or a client when calculating wages. This included any tips, including those distributed through tronc, optional bonuses and optional commission payments, as well as non-cash payments, non-monetary benefits, such as a company car, and salary sacrifice schemes, including pension contributions.

Jonathan Downey, co-founder of London Union, which operates Street Feast markets, said on social media the latest news was “disastrous for people working in hospitality, many of whom earn half of their pay through tronc. This cannot be what the JRS intended to exclude and government has made a mistake here.”

Andrew Ball, apartner at sector accountancy firm haysmacintyre, said: “While technically the tronc is made at the discretion of the troncmaster not the employer, I think this is pretty black and white. I’m sure there will be continued lobbying to get this changed but this is disappointing news. It is unclear what those who have already claimed tronc via the CJRS are required to do – hopefully there will be some guidance on this in the coming days.”

Issue 6

CLH Digital

19

New Hospitality Tracker Sees First Quarter Sales Drop 21.3% The UK hospitality sector saw sales decline 21.3% in the first quarter of 2020, as the country and the industry moved into COVID-19 lockdown, figures from the newly launched UKHospitality Quarterly Tracker reveal.

In the most comprehensive analysis of the UK hospitality market ever undertaken, combining data from all sub-segments of hospitality, the cliff edge impact of the Government-imposed lockdown can be seen with hospitality among the first sectors impacted by the crisis.

had on the sector. At the end of December, the industry had seen year-on-year growth running at +3.9% – the turnaround has been dramatic and will only get worse in the coming quarter. A continuation of business support is the only way to avoid a bloodbath of job losses and company failures in the hospitality sector, one of the UK economy’s jewels in the crown.”

Data for the new UKHospitality Quarterly Tracker has been compiled by the market’s leading insight and data provider CGA, using its own Trading Index and OPM data on food and drink sales across the on-trade, combined with hotel data supplied by STR and fast food market data supplied by NPD Group’s Crest Panel, direct company contributions and complemented with ONS statistics.

The drop in trading across the nation’s pubs, hotels, restaurants, bars, clubs and attractions in the first three months of the year is concentrated in March as figures show total annualised sales across the hospitality sector at £126.8bn, down 2.7% on the previous 12 months.

Phil Tate, Group CEO of CGA, added: “The new UKHospitality Quarterly Tracker is the first time the industry has been able to produce a comprehensive picture of trading right across the UK’s hospitality sector, including food, drink and accommodation and attraction sales, and it has only been possible due to unprecedented co-operation between CGA and fellow data specialists STR and NPD. We thank them for their support.”

The total value of the sector to the UK economy at the end of 2019 was £133.5bn. It will be a long time before that level is reached again.

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality, said: “The scale of the fall underlines the severe impact the COVID-19 crisis and the lockdown imposed by the Government from March 23 has already

Aspirations Eight - Stonegate Managers on Top-Tier Training Programme Raise Nearly £12,000 for Families Affected by COVID-19 in Companywide Effort Members of the Stonegate Pub Company team currently enrolled on the company’s eighth cohort of its top tier training programme, Aspirations, completed an amazing 590 mile virtual journey last night (Monday 27 April), raising nearly £12,000 to help the families of colleagues tragically taken by COVID-19. Dubbed ‘Aspirations Eight’, the team far outstripped their original target of £10,000.

The initiative saw the group of ten walk or run the equivalent of the distance between their pubs, and took them from Glasgow, through the UK to London, back to Stonegate’s Head Office in Luton, before heading back to London for a virtual celebratory drink on the company’s flagship site, the Tatterhsall Castle. They were joined by the Stonegate Success Coach, Jon Perkins, and Joanne Davies, the Aspirations programme tutor.

The last five days saw the Aspirations Eight team cover 60 miles each and nearly 23 marathons between them, as well as encouraging the wider Stonegate team to join to a run or walk a mile or more and donate to the cause.

Through a cascade of run and donate nominations, more than 700 people took part, covering nearly 4,000 miles between them. By nomi-

port people showed each other, and outpouring of generosity shown to the families of those we’ve lost, made everything worth it.

“I think in times like this, we all needed a bit of the camaraderie and positivity that the group effort brought over the last week or so. We are an incredibly social group, who are friends as well as colleagues, and after weeks of lockdown, having a cause for everyone to rally behind has really lifted our spirits, as well as shown how much the Stonegate Family means to us.”

nating friends and colleagues within the company, the scheme reached as far as Stonegate’s Chairman, Ian Payne MBE, CEO, Simon Longbottom, and Commercial Director, Suzanne Baker, as well as the rest of the executive team, who all did their bit just using the outdoor spaces available to them.

Jon Perkins, Stonegate’s Success Coach, said: “Like many other companies, we have tragically lost members of the Stonegate team to COVID19 and its heart-breaking. As a company, the ‘Stonegate Family’ has always been entrenched in our ethos and how we operate as a business. Now more than ever is the time to show that bond and really support each other through this time. I am so proud of what we have achieved, and I want the thank each and every one who got involved.”

Angela Sinclair, General Manager of the Old Library in Leamington, said: “Watching everyone come together to support our colleagues that have been affected was so heart-warming. The encouragement and sup-

The Aspirations Eight fundraising effort can be found on the groups GoFundMe page: www.gofundme.com/f/aspirations-8-group-supporting-stonegate-families

COTTONS HOTEL & SPA

Andrew Roddis, Food & Beverage Operations Manager “The Cutlery Polisher Company are an efficient supplier offering great products alongside personal and swift service. Never had any issues and can always rely on a speedy response and actions.

MACDONALD SPEY VALLEY HOTEL

Pedro Ramos, Food & Beverage Manager “The time (and money) we save with this machines is huge.

A no brainer to use them.

More than that... staff loves it!”

OULTON HALL HOTEL

Jan Coskun, Director of Operations “The cutlery polisher has drastically reduced our labour costs and simply reduced the number of people standing around. It is quick, efficient and most importantly polishes the cutlery to a high level. So we are happy with the result. We have also just taken on a glass polisher machine and so far has shown similar results.”

FORBES OF KINGENNIE COUNTRY RESORT

Sandy McGregor, Operations Manager “The Cutlery Polisher has been a fantastic addition to the team at Forbes of Kingennie.

The number of labour hours that we have saved, especially on a weekend when we have four weddings and a fully booked restaurant on top of that, is unbelievable.

The customer service from the engineers is also second to none. We highly recommend.”

RAITHWAITE ESTATE

CHEPSTOW GARDEN CENTRE

Stuart Cox “Your machine has made our cutlery standards much higher and made my team more productive with serving and looking after our customers rather than time stood trying to keep on top of polishing the cutlery, a very good investment for a high turnover business. We will be looking to getting another machine some time towards the end of next month for 1 of our other sites which is currently being built.”

VILLAGE HOTELS

Tom Lee, Pub & Grill Manager “It was set up at a time to suit me and never had an issue with the machine.

Saving me around 20 hours of labour a week it’s a no brainer.”

COSMO RESTAURANTS

Alan, General Manager “I am very happy about the cutlery polisher we are using right now.

It does help a lot on saving time and labour costs. I am also very satisfied about their services, very prompt and professional.

I would highly recommend it to other restaurants.”

Lorraine Smith, Food & Beverage Controller “I have been using our cutlery polisher for a few years now. I find the company very friendly, efficient and inexpensive for the service I receive. It’s a more hygienic way of polishing cutlery and it reduces the back of house workload. We had our polisher on trial and it’s virtually silent when running without cutlery in, it’s very efficient and polishes to a very high standard. It sits conveniently next to the dishwasher. It is so simple to use that all our catering assistants are able to operate it with ease, freeing up the food service team to concentrate on customer service. We are very happy with the service we receive and wouldn’t think of not using this company.”

www.thecutlerypolisher.co.uk | 01474 873 892 | info@thecutlerypolisher.co.uk

Issue 6

CLH Digital

21

Much More Government Support Required If Pubs Are Last To Re-Open British Beer & Pub Association says urgent support targeted at pubs is needed to ensure they can survive extended COVID-19 lockdown The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) is pressing the Government to announce extra support just for pubs, to ensure they can survive an extended COVID-19 lockdown.

The trade body’s plea comes after cabinet minister Michael Gove warned that the nations pubs would be ‘among the last’ to see restrictions placed upon them relaxed.

The BBPA believes that if pubs are to be the very last to re-open after the COVID-19 lockdown, it is only right they receive more targeted support from the Government to help them survive.

It says the Government should extend and expand its business grant support scheme specifically for pubs, so they can get further cashflow whilst they remain closed. It has called on the Government to expand

the threshold for grants to above £51,000 rateable value for pubs, giving the more than 10,000 pubs who until now have been ineligible for Government cash support a much needed boost.

The BBPA has also said an extension of the furlough scheme for pubs would also be pivotal in saving many of the million jobs created by the sector. Crucially, it has also specified that wavering state aid is another vital measure the Government should action, ensuring all pubs across the UK get the support they need.

Unless such vital measures are taken by the Government, many pubs will – unnecessarily and through no fault of their own – close for good and cease to exist once lockdown restrictions are lifted for them. As the heart of the community and the social hub that binds people together, this would be a tragedy.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub

Aviation American Gin donates 30% of UK Online Sales to The Drinks Trust Ryan Reynolds owned Aviation American Gin has extended its #TipYourBartenders initiative to the UK, in an effort to support the nation’s bartenders affected by COVID-19.

Running until May 31st, the new initiative will see 30% of proceeds from all bottles of Aviation Gin sold online via its new UK distributor Proof Drinks, as well as The Whisky Exchange, donated to The Drinks Trust.

The Drinks Trust is one of the largest community organisations for the drinks industry, currently raising funds to provide wellbeing and financial support for industry workers at this crucial time.

Ross Carter, CEO of The Drinks Trust said: “We are receiving unprecedented demand for our services at this time. The financial concerns caused by loss of work can seriously impact an individual’s mental health and we’re working with experts in both HR and wellbeing to help give actionable advice to all members of the on trade. We’re grateful to Aviation Gin for its support during this tough period for our industry.”

Speaking about the extension to the UK, owner Ryan Reynolds added: “The UK is not only home to

Association, said: “The Government have said they will make decisions on lifting the lockdown and loosening restrictions by following scientific and medical advice. We all want to get back to the Great British Pub, but fully understand they need to re-open under safe and sustainable conditions – both for their staff and customers.

“If pubs are going to be the last to re-open, then it’s only right the Government gives extra support to them to help ensure their survival.

We are clear that unless the Government gives specific support to pubs now, thousands of them in communities across the UK could be lost for good. And with them hundreds of thousands of jobs too.

“As the heart of the community and social hub that binds people together, losing pubs would be a tragedy. When this crisis is over we will all want to go to the pub, so it’s vital the Government does everything it can to help them right now.”

Interclean Amsterdam Online 12-15 May

the world’s most discerning gin drinkers, but also the ‘gintenders’ themselves. In an effort to support the bartenders we know and love, we will be donating a tip for every bottle purchased online to support the invaluable work The Drinks Trust continues to do.”

For more information please go to http://proofdrinks.com/tip-your-bartender-with-aviation/.

The current COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the world and as the people become more focused on hygiene and cleaning, knowledge transfer has become even more crucial.

To facilitate this knowledge transfer, Interclean Amsterdam has created an online programme that will run from 12-15 May. The Interclean Amsterdam Online programme consists of webinars, live interviews, expert sessions which are free to attend.

Speakers include: Didier Pittet (WHO Collaborating Center), Pierre Parneix (Bordeaux Hospital University Center), Alexandra Peters (WHO Collaborating

Center), Leon Wennekes (CINET), Josefien ten Have (Consumatics), Marieke Weerts (Atir).

THE PROGRAMME Every day of the programme will cover a specific theme:

12th May: Innovation Day 13th May: Healthcare Cleaning 14th May: Expert Session 15th May: Show Preview For the full programme and to register, visit: https://www.intercleanshow.com/ amsterdam/programme/isaonline/ We hope you will join us online!

Issue 6

CLH Digital

23

Hospitality’s Pessimism For Future Prompts JD Wetherspoon Renewed Call For Business Support Extensions Plans To Open Results revealed from a survey of hospitality businesses, paint a gloomy picture of low expectations from operators in a sector that is the UK’s third highest employer.

The findings have prompted renewed calls from the trade body for urgent commitments from Government to extend support for the hospitality sector, as it examines the safest commercially viable route back to normality, safeguard businesses and more than one million jobs that are at risk.

The survey’s respondents overwhelmingly expect a very slow recovery in the second half of 2020, with a ‘worst-case scenario’ in December down by a crippling 61% for the same period last year, and a worrying best-case scenario of a 31% decline. The shorter-term outlook is yet more severe, with expectations for August 2020, a key month for hospitality and tourism, at between an astonishing 82 and 53% decline.

This comes days after UKH’s CEO wrote to Cabinet Minister, Michael Gove MP, with a six-point plan to shore up the hopes of an achievable return to a healthy hospitality sector. It highlighted the unique needs of hospitality, urging

longer-term commitments from Government on furloughs, rents, loans, insurance, regulations and stimuli for sector growth.

Commenting on the survey results, UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls, said “A bleak outlook from hospitality operators should send shock waves across Government and the economy. Hospitality is a key economic force for the UK, with 3.2m jobs reliant upon it in normal times.

“Social interaction is key to hospitality, so at a time when public health is rightly the Government’s top priority, it is essential that our sector is seen as a special case. For most venues, enforcing full social distancing is financially unviable, though we are undertaking substantial work to get prepare for a return.

“The Government’s generous support measures so far have given many operators real hopes of survival – it would be a tragic waste of jobs and public funds if such businesses were to fall at the last, with the recovery rug pulled from beneath them. A continuation of business support is the only way to avoid carnage in hospitality, one of the UK economy’s jewels in the crown.”

Mechline Charity Partnership Receives Awards Recognition National recognition has been given to the longterm partnership between foodservice equipment manufacturer, Mechline, and MK SNAP, a Milton Keynes based charity for people with learning disabilities. The relationship, which has lasted almost three decades, is shortlisted for the national Third Sector Business Charity Awards – and sits amongst an impressive line-up including Deloitte, Sky and Network Rail.

MK SNAP is an education and skill-building charity for people with learning disabilities.

Mechline outsource part of the labelling, cleaning and packaging of its Dormont commercial kitchen gas hoses to MK Snap - whose fully trained learners work together under the supervision of a tutor to perfect Mechline’s established procedures. The finished product is then collected and checked by Mechline before being distributed across the UK. People with learning disabilities gain invaluable skills and a real sense of achievement and purpose assembling components of Mechline’s Dormont gas connectors. It builds skills, confidence and work-readiness and has led to jobs for people with learning disabilities that may not have been possible. Today MK

SNAP supports more than 65 adults a day and the assembly of Mechline Dormont gas connectors is still a favourite skill-building project on the timetable.

The partnership highlights the trust Mechline place in the abilities of people with learning disabilities and what they ‘can do’ and has given MK SNAP and Mechline enormous pride.

Kristian Roberts, Marketing Manager at Mechline Developments, comments: “Over the years, MK SNAP has been able to provide a wide range of skillsets to cover the broad range of production assembly tasks that we have set them. They provide a good reliable service, and the quality is excellent.

We find the added expense and commercial time taken to outsource this work an investment to be very proud of. It’s a wonderful relationship. The scheme is currently on hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but all parties look forward to it beginning again as soon as possible after the current situation improves and it is safe to do so.”

The results of the awards shortlisting process is due in May.

Give your pub and hotel guests a free wireless TV headset • The free AudioZone app lets guests tune into silent TVs with their phone.

• Let sports fans hear match audio while you have music in the bar • Hotel guests can watch TV without keeping other guests awake • Show news broadcasts without ugly subtitles • Fantastic service for hearing impaired guests

The standard AudioZone service is free to all UK pubs and hotels and requires no hardware installation or account registration.

Contact us for promotional materials.

sales@audiozone.net 0207 175 8880 www.AudioZone.net

Pubs In June

Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin has announced plans to start re-open its pubs and hotels ‘in or around June’.

Tim Martin was forced to close all 900 pubs and furlough 40,000 staff before Britain went on lockdown.

He was among the last on the High Street to close on March 20, just three days before a shutdown was imposed by law.

“The coronavirus outbreak is having a severe impact on the UK pub sector,” said Mr Martin.

“In these challenging times I would like to thank everyone at the company, its suppliers, landlords, banks and the government for their support and commitment. We’ve had to take significant action to reduce costs, decisions which have not been taken lightly.

“We look forward to re opening our pubs and hotels and welcoming back our teams in the near future.”

Wetherspoons said earlier this week that it has furloughed 99% of its workforce, and added that it had been able to slash overheads, maintenance costs and capital expenditure, as well as deferring a majority of rental payments due in March and deferring tax payments.

However, Wetherspoons is still looking at a bill of about £3m a month during the lockdown in order to cover topping up employee salaries and interest on existing loans.

The chain is however eligible for the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and says it is considering applying for a loan.

New pub openings have been put on hold and are not expected to restart until 2022, with around five a year from then.

Mr Martin’s firm also revealed it has paid suppliers due at the end of March, with 83% paid in full and extended payment terms agreed with a number of larger suppliers.

Communities and Vulnerable Supported Through Pandemic By ‘Pub Heroes’ Issue 6

have supported.”

COMMUNITY PUB HEROES McMullen Brewery has been helping local NHS workers with a drive through, contactless service for fresh goods and groceries at its Hertford brewery. The service has been so popular that it has been rolled out to seven McMullen’s pubs across Hertfordshire, complementing the support that licensees have been offering their local communities. At The Hare in Harlow, the team cooked up 60 hot meals for staff at Princess Alexandra Hospital next to the pub, the Long Arm Short Arm in Welwyn is home delivering to elderly people, and the Dogs Head in Bishops Stortford collected fabric to make scrubs, donated to the local hospital. One NHS customer said: “Amazing quality and service, I will be ordering more stunning fruit and veg next week. Thank you.”

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The Post Office Inn in Plympton, Plymouth, organises a weekly online concert to raise funds for charities NHS Charities Together and local St Luke’s Hospice. Every Sunday evening, the pub’s operator Danny Jones is performing and streaming live gigs which can be viewed via the pub’s Facebook page – providing the local community with musical entertainment.

The Strand in Exmouth, part of the Craft Union group, has created a foodbank at the pub to support the Friends in Need charity. Operators Doug, Kathleen & George have put a supermarket trolley in the pub garden so that people can leave food donations while complying with social distancing rules. Friends in Need looks after local families that have suffered abusive relationships.

Since the Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown last month, hundreds of pubs have stepped up to help their customers, elderly and other vulnerable people, NHS and key workers and local charities.

Despite the uncertain future faced by many pubs about when they might reopen, and how social distancing regulations may impact their business, licensees are ‘pivoting’ to offer a range of food and drink for local people, preparing and delivering hot meals to vulnerable people and providing social and emotional support with online quizzes, chats and music gigs.

Des O’Flanagan, co-founder of PubAid, the organisation that highlights pubs as a force for good in their communities, said: “The pandemic has been the biggest challenge our industry has faced, but licensees have shown huge resourcefulness in transforming their businesses overnight to serve the needs of their community in the ‘new normal’.

“Pubs have been at the heart of their communities for centuries, and the last few weeks have demonstrated just what a vital role they play: the support they are offering to local people, particularly those who can’t leave home, is invaluable, and is frequently done for no gain, just a desire to help.

“When lockdown is lifted, let’s hope that these wonderful licensees are rewarded by the ongoing thanks, and custom, from the local residents they

The Crown in Costessey, near Norwich, has raised £1,000 for fresh fruit and veg boxes for local NHS staff. The money will enable licensees Bradley Richards and Trina Lake to make up 100 boxes for Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital, and complements their regular food deliveries to NHS staff, made either close to hospitals or to their homes. Additionally, a plea to regulars brought in enough toiletries to make up boxes for several local hospitals and care homes, providing daily necessities to vulnerable people.

The Crown and Anchor, Chesterfield has been holding daily online raffles to raise cash for the NHS. Currently they have raised £330, and are also running regular quizzes via Facebook. Elaine, who runs the Craft Union pub with Paul, has channelled her inner Mary Berry by giving baking lessons on Facebook, with her cake becoming a raffle prize that was luckily won by a regular a few days before her 50th birthday.

The Chequers in Aylesford is delivering 150 free meals a week to vulnerable, disabled and isolated OAPs in the local community. The service, funded by generous donations and a band of volunteers to deliver the meals, gives elderly people a hot meal and a friendly face checking on them – from a distance. One message of thanks read: “The Chequers are stars!

I’ve been so worried about my father since my mother was hospitalised, but they provide him with a fresh, hot meal, free and delivered to his door.”

The Swan in Croydon has supported local street artist, Chris Shea – also known as State of the Art – to raise money for the NHS. Chris has painted a series of art pieces across the city of his son watering a rainbow, in honour of the rainbow campaign of support and thanks to the NHS. The pub has continually promoted the campaign via its social channels, helping it to raise over £9,000 to date. Chris honoured The Swan by painting his 100th piece of work, known as rainbow boy, on the wall of the pub.

The Witton Chimes, a Craft Union pub in Northwich, Cheshire, is on a mission to raise funds for local charity Tiny Steps who provide sensory, soft play and a social café to support families. Last week, operator Adam Prestage and his team of regular customers raised £500 for the charity from the pub’s weekly online ‘Kinky Pinky’ virtual disco.

Issue 6

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Breakfast to Help Operators Recover When Lockdown Restrictions Ease Global information company The NPD Group says firm growth in breakfasts in Britain’s quick-service restaurant (QSR) channel prior to the COVID-19 outbreak might be a business area some foodservice operators can leverage when lockdown restrictions are eventually amended. The NPD Group says breakfast QSR visits grew by 4.5% in the year ending (YE) December 2019 versus 2018. This was the fastest increase for the last five years and accounted for about 50% of total QSR growth. In comparison, remaining daypart visits in QSR only grew by 0.6% and even the total QSR market only managed visit growth of 1.1%.

NPD says growing frequency was the biggest driver of the increase in breakfast trips in 2019, driving two-thirds of additional trips in Q4 2019 versus Q4 2018. New buyers have also entered the breakfast market with close to one-quarter (23%) of the growth in breakfast trips coming from this source. There is room to grow breakfast penetration and frequency. The 61% penetration (% of British consumers aged 16 to 64 buying in YE Dec 2019) for QSR breakfast was over 20 percentage points below QSR lunch (84%) and over 10 percentage points below

QSR dinner (72%). In addition, the 10.4 frequency (average trips per buyer in YE Dec 2019) for QSR breakfast was only two-thirds of the frequency for QSR lunch (15.2)

Dominic Allport, Insights Director (Foodservice), The NPD Group, said: “The COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in widespread foodservice closures and travel restrictions, creating unprecedented and overwhelming business challenges for the sector. We know many foodservice operators are looking ahead to when the business environment changes, and we want to focus their attention on areas we believe could be set for growth. Breakfast is one of those and our data shows that, pre-COVID19, more people were choosing to get their first meal or beverage of the day out of home. If this trend re-establishes itself, all operators can potentially benefit from this in the future. For smaller players, think about growing your local offer, and where possible, highlighting what you did during COVID-19 to help your staff and local community.

Whatever your size, be ready to support visitors with pre-ordering and/or delivery and, of course, be clear on measures like social distancing, cleaning routines and offering hand-sanitizer stations in your venues.

The future will be different for every sector and foodservice is no different. Now is the time to be planning how your offer will adapt to new times.”

Hotel Profit Plunges Amid COVID-19 Rise in Europe

With cases in China starting to plateau, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Europe to be the new epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in March, fueled by the rapid expansion of the virus across Italy and Spain. This prompted governments across the region to scale up the measures to contain the spread, and several lockdown and quarantine orders ensued.

The consequences on the European hotel industry were swift and devastating. Gross operating profit per available room (GOPPAR) in March 2020 plummeted by 115.9% compared to the previous year to €8.33. This is the first triple-digit year-over-year decrease in profitability ever recorded in the HotStats database for Europe, as well as the first time GOPPAR turned negative in the region.

Driving this profitability slump was a massive contraction in demand. Occupancy in March plunged by 44.8 percentage points YOY to 27.4%, which in turn drove RevPAR down by 66.2%. A further 65.6% decline in total F&B revenue per available room contributed to the sharp 61.6% YOY fall in TRevPAR.

board, resulting in a 25.3% YOY decrease in overhead costs. Total labour costs also adjusted downwards by 28.8% YOY. However, these flex efforts were not enough to offset the lost revenue, and profit margin in Europe was recorded at -13.1% in March 2020, placing 45.7 percentage points below the same month of the previous year.

The March results are in stark contrast to the two previous months, as both January and February had recorded YOY GOPPAR growth, up 0.7% and 1.2%, respectively. However, the severity of the downturn in March made the first quarter of 2020 the worst performing Q1 in Europe recorded by HotStats since it started charting the region’s data. The YOY contraction in GOPPAR for Q1 2020 was 49.9%, amply surpassing the previous record set by Q1 2009, when profit per room fell by 22.2%, the result of the Global Financial Crisis.

Italy was the hotspot of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe in March, as cases in the country increased from 400 at the end of February to more than 53,000 barely one month later. Lombardy, Italy’s most In response to this top-line nosedive, undistributed affected region, was the first to be placed under expenses on a per available room basis fell across the forced quarantine. As early as March 8th, the Italian

government prohibited anyone from entering or leaving the northern region and its capital, Milan.

Hoteliers in the city had already faced a profit per room contraction in the month of February, with a 27.1% YOY fall in GOPPAR. In March, the spread of the pandemic and the containment measures associated with it severely deepened this trend, resulting in a record 182.1% YOY GOPPAR drop to -€64.96.

enough to prevent the erosion of profit margin in March, which placed 600.9 percentage points below the same month of 2019, at -574.1%.

Spain was another epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe in the month of March, as the country increased its number of confirmed cases from 430 to more than 70,000 in the span of just a few weeks.

Madrid was the hardest hit, spurring the regional government to decree the closure of all educational institutions and galleries on March 11th. Three days later, a nationwide quarantine order was enacted.

Lost demand was at the heart of the top-line slump. Occupancy in the city marked an all-time low in March at 1.7%, a 69.5-percentage-point decline compared to the same month of the previous year.

Average rate followed suit and was slashed by 21.5% YOY. As a consequence, RevPAR recorded a YOY contraction of 98.1%. F&B revenue was cut by 96.2% YOY on a per-available-room basis, and with the rest of the revenue centres sharing in this same downward trend, TRevPAR plunged by 96.2% compared to March 2019.

After consecutive upticks in the first two months of the year, profit per available room took a massive hit in March, and GOPPAR was reduced by 127.7% YOY to -€17.12. Plummeting occupancy, down 59.7 percentage points YOY, fueled the 78.9% YOY drop in RevPAR. Further declines in non-rooms revenue added to the top-line plunge, and TRevPAR placed 75.8% below the previous year.

Expenses were slashed across all operated and undistributed departments to compensate for the precipitous revenue decline. Total overheads per available room were down by 49.4% YOY, and labour costs dropped by 53.8% YOY. However, this was not

Hoteliers in the Spanish capital managed to flex overheads (down 31.9% YOY) and labour costs (down 33.4% YOY), but the unprecedented top-line contraction still resulted in a loss of 79.3 percentage points of profit margin YOY to -42.3%.

Dobson & Parnell Announced Taste Of The North East Issue 6

Newcastle restaurant, Dobson & Parnell, has secured the title ‘Taste of the North East’ at the virtual North East England Tourism Awards 2020.

The restaurant was amongst a host of tourism businesses from across the North East which were celebrated as the region came together to support their contribution to the regional tourism offer during these challenging times.

Eligible winners of the North East England Tourism Awards will be automatically put forward to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2020.

Each of the shortlisted businesses went through a thorough judging process, focused on experiencing their offer first-hand. As well as being evaluated by a judging panel made up of industry experts, planned visits by judges or ‘mystery shoppers’ helped to inform the final decisions.

The judges gave the award to Dobson & Parnell for its “amazing experience in terms of quality of the food and service with particular note of its tasting menu and matching wines”.

The restaurant was opened in 2016 on Newcastle quayside by Andy Hook along with Troy Terrington as Chef Patron. The restaurant offers casual fine dining with creative, seasonal British and European cuisine. It is also listed in the Michelin, Good Food and Hardens Guides and offers a set, a la carte and tasting menus in an elegant Victorian dining room.

Andy Hook, managing director of Dobson & Parnell said: “We are absolutely thrilled and honoured to have won this award and to be acknowledged as the best restaurant in the region by tourism experts especially as our sister restaurant, Blackfriars held the title the year previously. These are really challenging times for the industry and we hope

we can adapt and grow in the future as our business changes after lockdown”.

The full list of Gold winners were: • • • •

Accessible and Inclusive Tourism Award – Sage Gateshead B&B and Guest House of the Year – St Cuthbert’s House Business Events Venue of the Year – Sage Gateshead Camping, Glamping and Holiday Park of the Year – Seafield Caravan Park

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• Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award – South Tynedale Railway • Experience of the Year – CBK’s Adventure Co. • Large Hotel of the Year – Matfen Hall Hotel, Golf and Spa • Small Hotel of the Year – Seaham Hall • International Tourism Award – Falconry Days • New Tourism Business Award – Maldron Hotel Newcastle • Pub of the Year – The Apple Inn • Self-Catering Accommodation Provider of the Year – St Oswald’s Farm • Taste of North East England Award – Dobson & Parnell • Large Visitor Attraction of the Year – Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens • Small Visitor Attraction of the Year – Falconry Days Sarah Green, chief executive at NewcastleGateshead Initiative, which organise the awards, said: “A huge congratulations to this year’s winners and all those who continue to contribute so much to the North East tourism sector. Covid-19 is having a devastating impact on the sector but these awards demonstrate the quality of the North East tourism offer and give us confidence that once the current situation eases the region will be in a strong place to benefit from a predicted upturn in domestic and day tourism.

“Along with our colleagues in tourism organisations across the North East, we will continue to invest in marketing, with a strong digital and media presence, to ensure that tourists are aware of our fantastic region and have us front of mind when planning for future visits.”

Regale Revolutionise Injection Molding Method And Gain Worldwide Patent base, giving superior cooking performance and product robustness.

Regale Microwave Ovens in conjunction with Microsave are proud to announce another worldwide patent for it’s famous Microwave Cavity Liner.

After more than a decade of development, the latest version of cavity liner boasts a special curved

regime used by several countries to incentivise research and development by taxing patent revenues differently from other commercial revenues, giving Regale a fund boost allowing more R&D for the Microsave family.

Whilst the liner itself is a brilliantly simple idea, the manufacturing process is immensely complex and has presented many obstacles. Says Iain Phillips of Regale “the thought that has gone into resolving the problems by the team of individual specialists Dr. Andrew Sant of GovGrant and Mark Thompson of Plastech, in conjunction with Patrick Bray of Regale is very much to be admired and has resulted in a unique method of production”.

This compliments the production site in Bodiam, which supplies markets in Europe, Australia & New Zealand.

This action now means Regale, with Microsave, can join the unique network of ‘Patent Box’.

Now we have the USA fully underway, the Far East is our next target market says Deputy MD Phillips.

Patent Box is a special very low corporate tax

Production of the Microsave cavity liners has now started in Chicago, supplying markets in the USA, Canada and South America.

Microsave cavity liners are now available for mod-

els by Daewoo, Marren, Menumaster, Panasonic, Samsung, Sharp and Valera.

The Microsave Cavity Liner was first launched in the UK and is now demanded by top restaurant groups such as Whitbread, Las Iguanas and many other groups throughout the UK. It is now well known for its hygiene protection, saving money on unnecessary repairs, saving downtime due to ceiling and/or base plate problems – especially lens light covers peeling off.

It is known that it can save hundreds of pounds over the life of a microwave oven and even extend its life! The cost of a Microsave Cavity liner is far less than the cost of one repair.

Issue 6

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Proper By SCT Proper By SCT is now it its 3rd year supplying the trade/wholesale sectors for shop, camp site, touring sites, bar, hotels, butchers, farm shop and everything else in between.

Products and Services out with FEDEX for next day delivery anywhere in the UK with European deliveries on a 3 day service.

Our Proper Pork Crackling has a 6 months BB, Fabulous Fudge 6 Months and our Delectable Nuts 12 months.

Our full range is available to see on our retail website so please call 01202875280 or email trade@sctsct.com for a trade price list. See page 21 for details.

We now tick more boxes than anyone else in our field.

Proper Pork Crackling: ALLERGEN FREE & KETO Delectable Nuts, Peanuts: VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE & KETO Delectable Nuts, Cashews: VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE Fabulous Fudge: GLUTEN FREE We not only supply are products pre packed but loose with a free 3L display jar, supplied in a large clip seal bucket for the perfectly free taste every time. which give you an even greater margin.

All orders received before 2pm each day are sent

Free App Gives All Your Guests Their Own Wireless TV Headphones without keeping everyone else up. AudioZone has also been popular with hearing impaired guests.

The standard service includes synchronised TV audio of the main UK free to air channels. For many bars and hotels without Sky this will cover all their guests’ needs. An individually tailored channel listing including premium channels for Sky subscribers can be arranged with a call to AudioZone.

Free app gives all your guests their own wireless TV headphones.

Better still, the standard AudioZone service is provided completely free to all UK venues with no requirement to install any equipment or even register an account.

Over 40.000 people have already installed the free AudioZone app to tune into muted TVs in pubs and airport lounges or to listen to TV in a hotel room

All you have to do is make your guests aware that the service is available. Give AudioZone a call to get promotional posters or TV frame stickers sent out to your site. All your guests have to do is: install the free app, join the WiFi, select the channel they wish to tune in to, and press play.

Why not install the AudioZone app and give it a quick test yourself right now? sales@audiozone.net 0207 175 8880 www.AudioZone.net

Caternet, Powered by Zupa Caternet is hospitality software developed with operators, buyers and chefs, who have all experienced the same operational and financial challenges as you. It is specifically designed to help the catering sector remove manual processes. You will buy more competitively, manage nutrition and allergen risk, enjoy paperless financial administration, and reduce overheads.

Our live price guide guarantees competitive purchasing for all your procurement needs, not just food and drink. Your trusted suppliers join Caternet for free, and if you’re looking for new relationships, we already have over 2,500 suppliers on board. There are no hidden discounts or rebates.

Mirroring your approved budgets

and utilising your existing finance system, our software provides you with full spend control. Simply set specific, authorised spending levels at a user, group or departmental level across your trading locations. Your budgets won’t be broken, and with paperless reporting, you’ll never chase an invoice or credit note again.

Meeting allergen and nutrition legislation is a constant concern.

Our comprehensive recipes module provides live data from supplier to servery, enabling you to build and publish recipes whilst remaining compliant.

Start saving time and money today.

023 8212 4099 www.caternet.co.uk sales@caternet.co.uk

Allergen Labelling: How to Meet Natasha’s Law Natasha’s Law was enshrined in the UK on 5th September 2019. The crux of the law is that all prepacked food will have to be individually labelled with ingredients highlighting all allergens.

The tragic events of 2016 leading to this law coming into force were reported nationally. Natasha EdnanLaperouse was a 15 year old girl when she suffered an anaphylactic allergic reaction to poppy seeds in a baguette. The product was prepared on site for sale on site and as such required no labelling under UK or EU law.

Natasha’s Law changes that.

Positive ID Labels can offer you a range of solutions to ensure you fulfil Natasha’s law: • Printer – desktop, industrial or high speed industrial printers with printer software for your labels • Labels – printed to order with your brand design to any specification you want • Data Management Software – Nutridata LiteTM to ensure the data on your labels is accurate and legally compliant • Standalone Keyboard – allows you to run your printer without a computer • Printers & Labelling Software

All of our printers are supplied with the appropriate Label Direct for SOLOTM software.

This is a labelling software solution that allows you to design the layout and content of your labels. The software solution is licensed to the printer and can be installed on as many computers as you like.

Once you have completed design of your label, you can upload the label design and data to the printer.

Label Direct for SOLO uses a “What you see is what you get” interface so designing labels is as easy as it can be.

Visit www.pid-labelling.co.uk

For Lovers Of Speciality Coffee – The Jura WE8 Bean To Cup Coffee Machine Wherever customers can enjoy superlative coffee, the atmosphere is warm and relaxed Anyone who appreciates the finer things in life and the wide choice of speciality coffees, will love the WE8.

The WE8 offers 12 different specialities . JURA has perfected the complete brewing process for short, speciality coffees, allowing the WE line to make them to professional barista standard every time.

Cleanliness and hygiene are essential in the workplace, so integrated rinsing and cleaning programmes, combined with specially developed cleaning products for JURA coffee machines, ensure perfect hygiene at the touch of a button.

Because requirements vary

G&I Spirit Group G&I Spirit Group are a group of mixologists and bar owners, all related with family ties.

We felt that when we were serving customers, some of the base spirits we were using left a bit to be desired.

We started to work over 3 years ago with our master distiller to produce a line to start with of 6 x SKU All super premium with the direction being on avoiding the “Burn Sensation” which I as a consumer have always found to be unpleasant and a block to purchasing more drinks, be in a mixer, straight or in a cocktail scenario.

This in our view would and was having a negative effect on the sales revenue of venues serving this as a customer lead targeted area.

So after a lot of “tooing and froing” we had a development of lines which were now ready to be produced to our own requirement and idiosyncrasies.

All Super premium 1 x 88 Vodka Masters Award Winning 1 x 88 Gin Gold Medal 1 x Jillions Gin Not entering into a comp yet Mis Amigos Tequila:

from one situation to another, the WE8 comes with many options for programming and customisation. The amount of ground coffee and water can be adapted to suit personal preferences and the cups and glasses used.

WE8 packages are available with JURA I Ltr Cool Control and cup warmer, adding to the professional presentation of your customer coffee offering. The suggested daily capacity is 40 cups a day suiting many cosy pubs, bars, restaurants or staff rest areas.

To view the full range of JURA Professional bean to cup coffee machines and full information on JURA, go to uk.jura.com or sales@uk.jura.com or see the advert on page 2.

Chocolate Gold Medal Winning Chocolate and Lime Silver Medal Winning Coffee Silver Medal Winning Chocolate Cream Tequila and Strawberry Cream Tequila both @ 15% We are looking to educate the bars and venues we work with, so that tequila is moving away from the unpleasant experience that most people associate with tequila.

Forget the Salt and Lime, drink a well-balanced tequila that has been distilled with passion and smoothness with authentic Mexican Flavours like Chocolate, Lime and Coffee to make a spirit drink/liqueur that can be drunk long and or over ice.

We are looking for our tequilas to be respected as is a good cognac or Whisky.

We are adding 3 new variants to our range in the early part of 2020 Café Latte Tequila Mocha Tequila Mocha Cream Tequila Are we concentrating on the tequilas as our go to brand?

No, we are actively working on Cognac,Whisky and a bourbon collection and have plans to increase our current range to 43/45 Sku in the next 3-5 years!

See the advert on the back cover or visit the website at www.gi-spiritgroup.co.uk

Lamb Weston Launches ‘The DUKES, A Proper British Chip That is a Cut Above the Average!

It’s the moment the entire country has been waiting for – discerning citizens rise up and prepare to rejoice in this great British occasion as Lamb Weston launches ‘The DUKES’, elegantly exciting, perfect pub chips – with chips this good, one can see why the British started queuing!

Allow us to introduce to you The Dukes of Chippingdom – Proper British Chips. Distinctively natural, gloriously golden, royally rustic, thick-cut chips – made from 100% British potatoes - The Dukes are more British than a British bulldog in a union jack waistcoat, spiffing!

We all know that everyone loves chips, and none more than pub goers; more than half (56.2%) of pub dinner occasions include chips, fries or wedges as a side, and chunky, thick-cut chips are the most ordered potato product in pubs*.

In a recent consumer test^ almost 40% declared their love of chips as a side, more than 60% said they prefer skin-on in a pub, and a whopping 72% said they are willing to pay a bit more in a pub for a British sourced product.

The most important attributes of a chip were cited as having a crispy outside, being thick cut with a fluffy inside and a having a hand-cut appearance.

Enter, The DUKES! Brought to you by innovative global leader, Lamb Weston, The DUKES are super tasty, irregularly thick

cut to appear homemade and distinctive in character.

With gloriously golden edges, and a richly rewarding taste, Dukes will grace every plate with a guarantee of quality that’s as firm as a gentleman’s handshake.

These little beauties have been irregularly cut, with feathered, golden edges. They are beautifully crispy on the outside – even though they’re non-coated – fluffy on the inside, are available with skin-off and skin-on, and they’re ready to make their grand entrance, gracing pub plates across the land.

So come on, let’s make this chip nation proud! Be upstanding and make some noise for The DUKES! So far, they have already earned their place in the Craft Guild of Chefs highly esteemed Product Endorsement gallery, with an above average rating, they are Red Tractor certified and gluten free.

These are like no ordinary chips; they are the ultimate quintessentially British menu item with a proud and distinguished British heritage. 100% satisfaction guaranteed. Chippingdom’s finest creation are proper pub chips, cut from British potatoes.

Step aside, pretenders to the throne, make way for the Proper British Chip. The DUKES are remarkably reliable, fabulously fry-able, marvellously moreish and British, through and through. Characterful in their cut, they’re fluffy and light, yet as reliable as a gentleman’s character and as crisp as his tailoring.

For innovative ideas, recipes and potato inspiration, head over to www.lambweston.eu/uk , call 0800 963962 or email us at salesUK@lambweston.eu or see the advert on the facing page. * LW research 2019 & MCA Eating Out Panel 2018 ^ Consumer survey, 9th September 2019, London. 42kg of chips sampled with 310 consumers

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Outdoor Leisure

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

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

the continual bumps and scrapes outdoor goods receive combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job.

We also supply Markilux awning which are some of the best made in the industry and Uhlmann parasols another top rated German brand.

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

Bespoke goods are also a speciality with custom made menu holders, waiter stations and planters all to you requirement. If we can help you do drop a line to sales@cafeculture.biz

High Quality Outdoor Furniture from LeisureBench LeisureBench are an industry-leading supplier of quality indoor and outdoor furniture, offering unrivalled care and service for our customers.

Our furniture is selected for strength, longevity, quality and value. We source worldwide to ensure that both our ethical standards of production and our high environmental demands for sustainability are met.

We are situated in the very heart of the UK and with over 100,000 square feet of warehousing we can ensure a reliable supply and fast delivery wherever and whenever you need us.

We are also participants in LOFA's 'Made Aware' scheme which focusses primarily on sustainable forestry.

QUALITY

We deliver high quality outdoor furniture suitable for any commercial environment. Nearly all of our products are FSC certified and EU compliant too.

VALUE Because we buy direct from manufacturers worldwide and deliver all our stock direct from our own warehouses we can offer the best value available anywhere both online and offline.

SERVICE Our customer service team will do everything they can to make sure your furniture is delivered to you where and when you want it. We go the extra mile to ensure our customers have the best possible service.

Visit www.leisurebench.co.uk

CINDERS Doubles Product Range

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

UK manufacturer Cinders Barbecues Ltd announces a doubling of its product range for 2020.

LPgas innovations include an operator-friendly wok burner for kiosks and trailers and two new barbecues which meet the latest UKLPG Code of Practice 24 for tented areas and build-ups.

‘This is our time to coordinate recovery with our distributors at home and abroad’ says Karen Swift, Marketing & Business

Development Director.

The 2020 range also includes an upgraded version of their popular half-size folding barbecue. ‘the new Festival SG80F is ideal for when customers begin to gather again in smaller groups, preferring outdoor areas whenever possible,’ adds Karen.

Call 01524 262900, email info@cindersbarbecues.co.uk, or visit www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk

Design and Refit Capricorn Contract Furnishings Capricorn Contract Furnishings are now firmly established as one of the country's largest stockist and supplier of quality contract furnishings to cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs and hotels.

Issue 6

CLH Digital

For more information or a Capricorn Contract Furnishings catalogue and price list contact Brian Pengelly on 01395 233 320, visit www.ccf-ltd.uk

Capricorn are based in a 40, 000 square feet showroom and distribution warehouse on the outskirts of Exeter in Devon. From within the distribution area we are able to offer a next day delivery service on thousands of products including tables , chairs , stools and lounge furniture.

Customers are encouraged to visit our large showroom to view an extensive range of furniture ideally suited for the leisure market. Here you can relax and let Capricorn help and advise you with your requirements. Opening hours for the showroom are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Drakes Bar Furniture - UK Bar Furniture Supplier We pride ourselves in providing the best quality items at great prices with fantastic customer service and can supply bespoke tailored made furniture such as booths, tables, seating or ‘off the peg’ items.

Drakes Bar Furniture not only sell chairs, stools, tables we also design build and install all types of fixed seating, pews and booth seating for pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and clubs.

When fitting out a premise the seating is almost paramount for a successful space. Fixed seating, booth seating or banquette seating as its also called can come in variety of colours, finishes, types and styles. Below are just a few examples showing what we have done in the past.

With clever planning, seating gen-

erates a great flow for customers and staff around a pub, restaurant, cafe or club. It can be used to divide areas, create new spaces in a room and offer intimacy allowing for the perfect social meet up.

The beauty of bespoke fixed seating is that we can make the most of and take advantage of your space and features. We can come to your venue and measure up, give you advice and show you examples of our past work, finishes, types and styles.

We have a wide range of Bar Furniture, including tables, stools, chairs, outdoor beer garden, fixed seating and banqueting furniture.

If you require a bespoke quote either call us on 01422 839 690 or you can send us an email.

See the advert below for details.

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

33

Issue 6

CLH Digital

Design and Refit

34

Increase Awareness of Your Business With HFE Signs be a little goldmine!

The simple answer is awareness, I’m sure they do ok or they wouldn’t be there, but it was just by luck that we stopped, and we spent just over £50.

How many others drove past? How many more £50 could they have taken that day?

Awareness is a vital essential for any product or service if its going to a success – You might have the best Chef with the best menu and keen prices but no customers or you might have average pub grub slightly overpriced and be rushed off your feet.

The key to success is identifying you target market; do you have competition and what can you offer that they don’t? Once you’ve established your market how do you let them know.

I recently walked into a pub after my daughter’s gymnastics competition, the carpark was empty, it was 4:30pm on a Sunday. I popped my head in and asked ‘are you doing food’ – the lady on the bar pointed to the carvery, I called in the rest of the family and we had a super meal, absolutely what we needed after a busy day. Obviously, we’ll go back, and we’ve also told a few people.

So why was the carpark empty when the food was so good? The price was £8.95 for large and £6.95 for medium. There are a few pubs nearby but none of them have a carvery. I went away thinking that place should be full it has potential to

A simple Carvery Banner on the fence would make every passing car aware of what’s on offer.

Pubs, Hotels and Restaurants use Banners all the time for promoting offers and raising awareness.

HFE Signs have a wide range of pre-designed food banners just for this purpose. HFE Signs have Carvery Banners, Steak Night, Quiz Night, Grill Night and hundreds more – Even if you’re just looking for ideas you should check out their library!

HFE Signs have been designing and printing pub and food banners since 1996. A typical PVC Banner with eyelets 8ft x 3ft costs just £45+vat and if you order two, you get a 3rd FREE and also FREE UK Delivery! Check out HFE today at www.hfe-signs.co.uk

Retain Payment or ID Cards & Be PCI Compliant Whilst Increasing Profits

When a vendor retains a credit card or debit card, or cent (90%) indeed handing over his or her ID card as security • Walkouts are reduced by at least fifty percent (50%) against running a tab or renting sporting or other equip- • Tab mistakes drop significantly and finally, ment, there is always some uncertainty • There is a major uptick in sales about the safety of the card whilst out of If you are concerned about how the customers’ possession.

CardsSafe works within the PCI scheme, CardsSafe® eliminates the need to Alan Gill from the independent PCI certiworry about any loss or theft as it is the fying company Orthus Limited states: “The simplest and most efficient way to ensure PCI DSS standard encompassed 264 conthe card’s safety from potential misuse. trols. CardsSafe helps to reduce the need to meet all of these through ‘compensating The CardsSafe® system has now controls’ which allow businesses to combecome the “best practice” way of hanply to the standard without having to dling credit and debit cards in the hospichange the way they operate”. In addition tality and leisure industries. More than to the commercial benefits the eighty thousand boxes are in use every CardsSafe® solution therefore helps merday and hundreds more are added every chants become PCI compliant, which truly week. gives peace of mind for all!

Customers who share their experience To order, please contact CardsSafe with our staff report these benefits: Limited on either of: Phone: 0845 5001040 • Chargeback drops by more than ninety peror visit www.cardssafe.com

Woodman Chairs

Woodman Chairs is a long established, dedicated chair manufacturer and wholesaler who make most of their own chairs. We offer a wide and varied choice of solid oak and beech chair and table styles – both modern and contemporary – with many finish and seat options. Included in our range is an exciting choice of sturdy bar stools and bar tables.

The fact that we make gives us greater control and flexibility. It also enables us to offer bespoke chair and chair frame or component production to end customers or other suppliers and manufacturers looking for their own design or

seeking to create a unique range or theme, again in both oak and beech, raw or finished.

Always keen to innovate, Woodman are constantly introducing new styles and have recently added Carver options to their more popular dining chairs and have further expanded their range of bar stools to include rush seated and fabric pad options. Here is a simple decision that won’t require a Referendum!

If you want your customers to have the best choice, with honest quality, at affordable prices, with decent lead times and no minimum order, then you need only vote Woodman for your chairs.

For further details call 01884 841789, visit www.woodmanchairs.co.uk or email sales@woodmanchairs.co.uk

Design and Refit Sims - The First Port Of Call For Banquette Seating The Contract Furniture Group Issue 6

We are a family run business with 3 generations of commercial furniture manufacturing experience.

Unlike other suppliers we manufacture all our seating inhouse, no importing, no subcontracting. We have full control over every aspect from design to installation to ensure every product leaves our workshops punctually and to our reputable high quality.

CLH Digital

visits and installation fees.

Also, we offer a range of furnishings – tables, chair and bedroom furniture. To request a brochure or to discuss your requirement further please contact our sales team on 01945 450957 email Sales@simscf.com Web www.simscf.com

Proudly offering 2 versions of Banquette Seating, firstly our “Premium Made to Measure” Banquette Seating which is built to your exact design, shape and size, then installed by our professional installation team. You can have anything from floor to ceiling designs to seating that perfectly follows the walls in a period setting.

unique source and supply service; if you send us a picture of an item we will do our up most to supply to you at the best price.

Contract Furniture Group has been set up to offer quality contract dining furniture to the hotel, restaurant, pub trades and leisure industries at realistic prices.

We carry a lot of our range in stock so we can help you to meet your deadlines. We also offer a

Secondly our “Modular Banquette Seating” which is freestanding, set size units for you to mix and match to best fit your space. Made to the same high standards as our premium range without setup costs, site

All our furniture is manufactured to the highest standards, we only use hardwood frames which are glued screwed and dowelled for strength. crib5 interliner (if required) sprung seat areas or webbing and top quality Italian leathers and fabrics.

For further information, call 0115 965 9030, visit www.contractfurniture.co.uk or email info@contractfurniture.co.uk

ILF Chairs - Seating with Wider Appeal Crib 5 fire regulations.

The majority of our products are available in a choice of frames, colours and we can offer an extensive choice of fabrics including real Leather and Faux Leather. In addition, we also able to offer a full service on bench seating and re-upholstery.

ILF have been supplying top quality indoor and outdoor chairs and tables for over the past 30 years to the hospitality market. We offer a wide selection of products to suit all tastes and as importantly, budgets!

We pride ourselves outstanding personal service with the motto ' No job is ever too big or too small – it’s customer satisfaction that counts'.

In this demanding Health & Safety led market place we guarantee that all our fabrics and fillings meet the exacting BS5852

35

Delivery times are generally 4 weeks from order, but we can also offer a "fast track" service for certain products.

Why not contact us at sales@ilfchairs.com or on 01293 783783 and find out how we can help you fulfil your seating and table needs.

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

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Design and Refit

Trent Furniture’s Italia Bistro Chair Offers Italian Style at a Competitive Price Bring a hint of Italian style and quality to your establishment with the Italia Bistro chair and tall stool from Trent Furniture. The classic ladder-back design and customisable seat makes this range a perfect fit for any commercial environment from bars and pubs to restaurants, bistros and cafes.

The frames are crafted from solid beechwood and are available in a timeless dark oak or walnut finish. Expertly manufactured, they are durable, sturdy and easy to care for – perfect for a busy contract environment.

fashion using materials from sustainable sources. Trent Furniture offers a huge choice of upholstery patterns and colours which are hard wearing, easy to clean and CRIB 5 fire retardant. As the Italia Bistro range is upholstered inhouse you can even send your own fabric to fit with your décor and branding.

The plush and comfortable seat pads are created in an eco-friendly

MST Auctioneers

MST AUCTIONEERS Ltd specialise in handling & auctioning a wide variety of goods.

We act for Insolvency Practitioners, Receivers, Bailiffs and Solicitors as well as large PLCs. We are members of The National Association of Auctioneers and Valuers (NAVA).

For the past 25 years, we've provided a unique disposal service tailored to suit, liquidators,

Square One Interiors Starting out in his garden shed, Jamie never thought that his new range of reclaimed furniture would become as successful as it has over the past 2 years.

Having had a history in design and furniture design, an idea was born and he decided to run with it. He loved the idea of a rustic looking, industrial range which was also eco friendly and sustainable. He soon found that a modern twist was also achievable, by using bright colours on the steel frames, as well as several different wood finishes

The Italia Bistro Chair starts from just £29.90 and the Tall Italia Bistro Stool from £44.90 (plus VAT) See the Italia Bistro range and more great options at www.trentfurniture.co.uk or call us on 0116 2986 286 for more information.

banks, receivers as well as private and corporate vendors. We carry out probate valuations and conduct complete house and commercial clearances.

We have the largest Auction venue in the South of England. Our regular monthly Auctions occupy 45,000 sq.ft. of undercover space, selling over 2500 lots from 3 rostrums over two days.

We have storage and removal facilities. In addition we have forklifts for machinery up to 5 tons.

We also hold regular Auctions ”On Site” and "On Line" See the advert on this page for further details.

which would compliment the overall design.

Making furniture from scratch also had its benefits, as Jamie soon found that businesses would approach him with specific needs and requirements, meaning that he was able to provide a fully bespoke service, as well as offering design and advice.

Since his humble beginnings in the garden shed, Jamie and the company have now work with hospitality operators, pubs, bars and hotels, as well as some large contract furniture companies and high street names.

Our portfolio and workforce are growing and we are very excited to be working on some fantastic projects moving forwards, so watch this space!

Visit www.squareoneinteriors.co.uk

Property and Professional

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Planning for the Future - Inventory Management and Distribution

by Neville Isaac, Chief Customer Officer, Beonprice

We are well aware that the tourism industry has been forced to stop its activity either by government mandate, or by the lack of demand. However we tend to get bogged down in the immediate future rather than think about what we'll find when recovery begins. What actions can we take now to prepare for when the situation improves?

While the markets have largely stopped, take time to review how you classify your rooms and configure your product, and go on sale with an optimized inventory mamangement plan.

REVIEW YOUR ROOM TYPES AND ATTRIBUTES. Since the last time you set up the distribution of room types, some things may have changed in your property.

Review the results of past sales and the production provided by each room type, as well as guest reviews, and think if you could make changes to improve results.

In the same way, you should review the attributes you can use that can be added through price supplements. In recent times we have seen how the tendency of the user is to customize his own product, adding certain features that he is willing to pay for a little more: sea view, double bed, bathtub, etc ...

RECONFIGURE YOUR PRODUCT. With this new revision of room types and attributes, you can already

Hotel & Pub Rescue FAST LOANS, MORTGAGES & RE-MORTGAGES For all your problems

• • • • •

Negative cash flow Supplier debts HMRC arrears Utility and business rate arrears Redevelopment and refurbishment Let us take control of your problems and shield you completely from all the pressure you are facing. We will deal with all your creditors and their litigators allowing you to concentrate on your customers and

consider a global reconfiguration of your product before putting it back on sale: Meal plans. What meal plans do you want to work with? What are the ones that have given you better results in the past? Find ways to innovate in this area.

Cancellation policies and restrictions. Consider your booking conditions and keep in mind the current market situation: people need to regain confidence and seek flexibility. Temporarily remove strict restrictions and prepayments. You must reassure your customers.

Added value. Find a way to add value for your guest, beyond offering a bed and a shower. Think in terms of experience: How does staying at your hotel change the life of a guest? Can you personalise their stay? This approach will also allow you to keep a certain level of rates and avoid the dreaded price drop.

REVIEW YOUR RATE STRUCTURE. You should consider the role of room type, occupancy, attributes, meal plan, cancellation policy and retrictions when restructuring your rate plans. We advise you to take time to see if your rate plans and rate codes are correctly configured and in the most efficient way.

• Remove or deactivate all those rate codes that have not produced anything or almost nothing in the last year.

• Decide if you need new rate plans,

the business. We promise to identify effective solutions and options to keep you trading, or, if you prefer, a seamless and managed exit with no adverse effects on you for your future plans.

For leasehold and freehold premises Every problem has an answer -call today without delay!

(07399) 287402 www.hotelandpubrescue.co.uk enquiries@hotelandpubrescue.co.uk

but try to keep a simplified and efficient structure.

• Review the basic plans and indexed rates and make the changes you think are appropriate to optimize results. Try to keep a clear difference of prices and conditions between one rate and another.

• If you work in a hotel group, try to make a standard of the basic structure to simplify operations and facilitate distribution.

• Is your rate structure understandable to the customer or does it hinder the purchase process? Does it build trust?

REVENUE MANAGEMENT NEVER STOPS! It is important to not let your guard down in these moments of low activity, but on the contrary, take advantage of this pause to focus on your strategies. Going back to basics may seem simple, but it can give us the opportunity to discover areas for improvement and better prepare ourselves for what is to come. The objective should be to go on sale with a very well configured and stronger product for a good competitive positioning in the market.

FAST COMMERCIAL FINANCE FOR ALL EMERGENCY SITUATIONS Call For All Business Debts us toda Complete or Partial Re-Finance y witho u Redevelopment & Refurbishment dela t y Purchase & Expansion Cashflow Correction & Working Capital

All cases considered, please call in confidence to discuss www.hotelandpubrescue.co.uk

enquiries@hotelandpubrescue.co.uk

07399 287402 T H E W E S T C O U N T RY S P E C I A L I S T S

MID DEVON

EAST DEVON

Substantial Detached Country Hotel & Restaurant 10 Ensuite Letting Rooms Lounge with Bar (16), Dining Room (22) 2 Bedroom Owner's Accommodation Set in 2 Acres with Extensive Woodland Area

Substantial & Impressive Hotel & Restaurant 10 Ensuite Letting Rooms, Function Suite (80+) 3 Bedroom Owner's Accommodation Set in 3/4 Acre With Stunning & Extensive Views Customer Car Parking for 20+ Vehicles

FH £575,000

6002

FH £895,000

6001

DARTMOOR, DEVON Extremely Well Presented Character Freehouse Occupying a Prime Location Close to Dartmoor Main Character Bar (50+), Dining Room (12) 4 Ensuite Letting Bedrooms & 2 Bed Owner’s Accommodation Beer Garden & Patio Areas

FH £495,000

4797

To all of our clients, colleagues, friends and everyone involved in the UK's hospitality and catering industry, we hope that you are staying safe and well during these unprecedented times.

Stonesmith remains fully operational and we are available to offer any advice or support to your business at this time.

SOMERSET Attractive & Well Regarded Licensed Cafe & Restaurant Trading on a Predominately Day Time Only Basis Main Restaurant 45+ & Al Fresco Seating For 32 Impressive Town Centre Business Must be Viewed

LH £49,950

2040

AXMINSTER, DEVON Well Presented Licensed Pizza Restaurant Main Restaurant With Seating For 32+ Covers Extensive Commercial Catering Kitchen With Wood Fired Pizza Oven Spacious 2 Bedroom Apartment Excellent Catering Opportunity With Low Overheads

LH £35,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

2111

DORSET Substantial Well Presented Character Inn Located In Highly Sought After Dorset Village Bar/Dining Area (50+) & Restaurant (32) 4 Stunning Letting Rooms & 3 Double Bedroom Owner’s Accomm Set In Over ¾ Acre With Extensive Car Parking

FH £725,000

4798

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk