CLH Digital - Issue #72

Issue 72

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Pubs To Serve 60 Million Pints Over Bank Holiday Weekend – 6 Million Fewer Than Pre-Covid

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The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has revealed it estimates 60 million pints of beer will be sold in Britain’s pubs over this weekend's August Bank Holiday – 6 million fewer than the same period in 2019.

The trade association said the forecast was based on a survey of its members, who own 20,000 of the UK’s pubs and brew 90% of the beer in the UK. It means that this bank holiday weekend alone, pubs will lose out on £25 million in revenue from pint sales – down 10% on revenue for the same bank holiday in

2019 before COVID – a very significant decrease in revenue for pubs.

As the brewing and pub sector in the UK gears up for recovery now the majority of restrictions have been lifted, the BBPA is urging the Government to invest in the sector to help it bridge the gap in revenues and enable pubs to play a leading role in building back better.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

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Issue 72

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH DIGITAL I am old enough to remember a hit song from 1977 by Ian Dury and the Blockheads, “Reasons To Be Cheerful (Part 3).”

I am not too sure about the Part 3, but there are some reports in this week’s issue, giving reasons to be a bit cheerful.

Covid lockdowns took EDITOR away our freedom. both in full and in part during the past 15 months and has devastated the country’s economy, as well as personal finances with thousands losing their jobs and millions on furlough.

Peter Adams

However, I don't think any sector has suffered as much as the hospitality and licenced on-trade.

I have said before that the sector is nothing if not resilient, and we have been delighted to report during the pandemic of many pubs, bars and inns becoming centre hubs for communities opening shops, food banks, and rewarding emergency workers, proving just how valuable they are.

It is good to see reports this week and in this issue, that the performance of the drinks sector in the on-trade has been steadily improving and is almost at pre-COVID levels.

This weekend pubs are likely to serve in excess of 60 million pints. This is 6 million fewer then pre-COVID levels and it is expected that pubs will lose out by a staggering £25 million, but I suspect (hope) come Tuesday this gap may well have narrowed. Nevertheless, it is an indication that the public are returning to hospitality.

I live in Bournemouth, one of the UK’s most popular destinations, and work in the town centre so I get to see how busy the town is. Trust me, I have never seen it busier!

A report by industry analysts to late-night hospitality

venues, GGA, states that consumers have been flocking back particularly to late night venues. Now we have the added bonus of Premier League and Champions League football - always a huge bonus for pubs.

But the sector is in desperate need of government support.

I would echo once again the calls by the British Beer and Pub Association and the British Institute of Innkeeping, who are calling for a raft of reforms to support the sector.

They are calling for the reform of business rates, VAT and beer duty, and of course by reform they mean cuts.

Something we have been advocating for over 15 years. I did say in a previous issue at a trade show I was “politely but firmly” accused of becoming a one trick pony when a visitor to our stand and said: “You are always banging on about cutting VAT and duty, it's never going happen”. To which I replied that it has been successfully applied in other countries but was firmly told yes that is in other countries, but it won't happen here!

To an extent of course it has, and has been immensely successful. VAT was reduced by the chancellor and is currently 5%. The government announced in its Budget 2021 that the temporary reduced rate was to be extended until 30 September 2021.

After which a new reduced rate of 12.5% will then be introduced which will end on 31 March 2022.

This should be made permanent, and in the absence of that, it should be extended till at least 2023.

Our duty on alcohol is eye-watering, as it is ridiculous.

Again, we have reported previously that when we were part of the European Union we were paying more duty on alcohol than Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Poland put together.

By the end of February (two months) each year the 60 million people living in Britain will have raised more in beer duty that the 82 million people living in Germany will in a whole 12 months.

Too ridiculous for words!

A group of MPs is calling on the government to reduce the tax burden on pubs and breweries to prevent more businesses closing for good.

In June the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG) highlighted the fact that over 2,000 pubs and breweries in the UK had permanently shut during the pandemic others struggling with huge debts, urged ministers to lower alcohol duty, VAT or business rates to help the industry recover from the pandemic.

They specifically called for the lowering of duty on draught beers, which are entirely available in licensed premises that were, and as the report by the BBPA reveals, continue to be hit by the enforced closure of pubs.

Mike Wood MP, chair of the APPBG and Conservative MP for Dudley South, said at the time that halving the tax on draught beer to 22p on an average strength pint would provide a £600m "shot in the arm" to the industry.

"The quintessential British pub has never been more vital to our communities than it is today, as we emerge from the dark isolation of the past 14 months," said Wood.

"Unfortunately, in order to survive and thrive, the industry needs government to go even further in its support, extending and building on some of the measures introduced after March 2020.

"Supermarkets have flourished over the past year, with sales of wine and spirits soaring. But now we need to make sure that pubs and breweries come out of this fighting too."

The clock is ticking, next month businesses lose the support of furlough, and we will see VAT increase from 5% to 12.5%.

If the government is serious in its commitment to support a sector that contributes so much to the economy, then it needs to get off the fence and give a clear indication of what that support is going to be, and more importantly when!

One favour we would ask here at CLH News is we are trying to increase our Twitter following and subscribers to our digital publication!

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

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Pubs To Serve 60 Million Pints Over Bank Holiday Weekend – 6 Million Fewer Than Pre-Covid It says the UK brewing and pub sectors are grossly overtaxed and so to support their recovery and the Government’s levelling up agenda Government must reform or cut taxes on the sector to enable it to build back better.

OVERPAYING BUSINESS RATES Earlier this week, the trade association revealed that pubs will overpay on Business Rates by £570 million a year from March 2022, unless the Government reforms the rates system. That is money the sector could use to reinvest in its pubs to support the recovery in communities across the UK.

CUT VAT & DUTY The trade association is also calling for a permanent cut in VAT in pubs which extends to the beer sold in them, and a Beer Duty cut.

In the UK, Beer Duty has increased by 60% over the last 20 years and now the UK has one of the highest rates of duty in Europe.

The BBPA says investment from the Government in pubs by cutting their taxes will have a strong return in levelling up communities across the UK.

supporting their local this bank holiday weekend will buy 60 million pints. Of course our sector is grateful to be fully open again and for all the trade it can get, but that is still 6 million pints down on 2019.

A pub adds significant value to the local economy, creates jobs, acts as a social hub, and is a sought after amenity when house hunting. 85% of pubs are based in community and rural areas, bringing jobs to parts of the UK that need them most. They employ over 600,000 people, of which 43% are under 25.

“Trading 10% down is a huge gap in sales for pubs. Especially after 16 months of lockdown and heavy restrictions that destroyed trade.

LONG LIVE THE LOCAL The BBPA is backing the Long Live The Local campaign, which is calling for Government investment in pubs as part of the recovery and to build back better, by reforming Business Rates, VAT and a cut in Beer Duty. So far, over 50,000 people have signed the petition calling on the Government to support pubs and breweries and nearly 40,000 have written to their MP directly to ask them to support pubs in their constituencies.

A British Beer & Pub Association spokesperson said: “We reckon Brits

“The Government must bridge the gap for pubs and invest in them.

Reforming excessive Business Rates, permanently lowering VAT and cutting Beer Duty is clearly the answer.

“Pubs have so much to give to the UK’s recovery and building back better in communities across the country, so it’s a no-brainer.

“A pub adds significant value to the local economy, provides vital jobs and creates connected and vibrant communities, particularly in community and rural areas.

“If the Government is serious about levelling up the UK and building back better, it must invest in our pubs so that they can help lead the much needed economic and social recovery.”

A group of Conservative northern MPs are calling for the implementation of a range of measures, including scrapping closing times for pubs and bars, to give beleaguered high streets a fighting chance post-coronavirus. The proposals follow July’s announcement that saw the Northern Research Group (NRG) urging the government to level up places in the north.

The NRG’s other suggestions include one year of free business rates for all new high street businesses, tailored start-up loans for new high street businesses, time-limited free parking and local discount cards sent to every resident with their council tax bill.

John Stevenson MP, who represents Carlisle, said: “The high streets across Carlisle are the beating heart of the community and are the original and local social network.

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“While the Government’s High Street Strategy is welcome, we must now deliver for high street businesses across the Carlisle constituency.

“The Government must release high street businesses from the shackles of regulation and remove the barriers that prevent many from shopping locally.

“For too long issues such as high parking charge costs have driven people away from local businesses to large shopping centres or online.

“It’s time we levelled the playing field to level up our high streets.

“Our plan for the high streets tears down the barriers and blows away the cobwebs to unlock the true potential of our town and city centres to have a post-pandemic bloom.”

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Extended Staff Crisis Could Worsen Supply Chain In Hospitality 4

CLH Digital

Issue 72

By Kunal Sawhney, CEO of Kalkine (www.kalkine.co.uk) The hospitality sector in the United Kingdom has been already reeling under the doldrums of staff shortages, at a time when the enterprises were allowed to resume their operations on full scale. Hospitality is one of the worst hit industries as all the businesses were obligated to shut their entire operations at the beginning of the first lockdown and it came in last, when it came to allowing the businesses to reopen due to higher level of consumer interaction.

sourced partners are facing a dearth of drivers who can transport the goods on time. The hospitality industry largely depends on a plethora of people, managing respective tasks. The sharp increases in the people staying in mandatory quarantine has given rise to the market-wide inadequacy of individuals handling various operations.

The internal problems with the hospitality enterprises have now shifted from arranging the working capital facilities to ascertaining the required number of staff to run the business. The problem started with the pings sent by the National Health Service’s mobile application, directing the individuals in proximity of infected to self-isolate.

As a result of apparent scarcity of staff handling the supply chain operations, there has been a momentous rise in the shipping costs. To partly overcome the wearisome situation, companies are pushing their payrolled workers to fill in the requirements for drivers’ shortage.

During the last few months, hundreds of thousands have been advised for a mandatory quarantine, effectively creating an acute shortage of staff for the corporations to manage various operations that necessarily require human intervention.

The pressure on businesses has been rising week-afterweek as they are utilising enough money to run their fullscale operations, but are unable to realise worthwhile revenues even when there is a sharp rise in the customers waiting in line for various services including food and beverage and holidays.

Now, the pain of staff shortages has affected the supply chain systems as internal logistics divisions and out-

The adequate number of people overseeing the supply chain systems for a corporation has been disturbed with the so-called ‘pingdemic’ as these processes require actual humans on the ground that remain accountable for time-sensitive tasks.

The continuous difficulties in the supply chain space are pushing the businesses to struggle in replenishing the stock of essential items. With the holiday period round the corner, the enterprises have turned quite skeptical about the forthcoming opportunities whether they will be in a position to deliver the committed supplies during the peak time.

The optimal transportation of the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) products is a serious matter as stores are running out of supplies due to delayed deliveries. Furthermore, all the major businesses operating within the hospitality industry need an error-free and timely supply chain in order to run a full-fledged enterprise catering to thousands of customers at a time.

With the limitedness of staff to handle the duties, the outlets are apparently unable to service the desired customers due to the extended deficit of the products, as well as the people supervising the duties. The problems are likely to subside in the upcoming months, only if the healthcare authorities manage to contain the spread of Delta variant cases, productively downsizing the number of pings send by the NHS.

Horseshoe Inn Earns Place Among Top 10% of Restaurants Worldwide

The Horseshoe Inn, a community pub in the heart of Hunmanby, North Yorkshire has been recognised as a 2021 Travellers' Choice award winner for consistently delivering fantastic experiences to its visitors, placing it in the top 10% of restaurants worldwide. The pub is owned by leading UK community pub group Admiral Taverns, and run by passionate licensees, Dave Wells and Holly Shaw.

attention given to their customers by the staff. The food was beautiful and very plentiful. I would definitely recommend this pub/eatery and will be going again".

Craig Kennedy, Business Development Manager at Admiral Taverns commented: “It’s fantastic to see Dave and Holly's hard work throughout the past year being rewarded with this excellent achievement. The pub itself not only hosts a spectacular beer garden, with amazing flowers at the front, but has the food to match the beauty of the pub. I would recommend everyone to visit and try the food for themselves.”

This achievement celebrates businesses that consistently deliver fantastic experiences to people around the globe, having earned great traveller reviews on TripAdvisor over the last 12 months. As challenging as the past year was, licensee duo, Dave and his daughter Holly stood out by continuously delivering great service and experience to their guests, providing delicious food and drinks to their customers.

Located in the beautiful Hunmanby, the traditional community pub offers a range of locally sourced food, including Steak, Gammon, homemade steak pie, lasagne, cod, and scampi. The kitchen is run by experienced chef, Marie Granger who has been at the pub for three years.

Dave Wells, Licensee at the Horseshoe Inn, commented: “It’s an honour to receive this award, being recognised as one of the top restaurants worldwide. We take great pride in offering the best food around, and I’m so grateful for the reaction from all our customers. As hard as the past year has been, our community has always been supportive of

the pub.”

Dave takes great pride in providing the best service around, and from visiting its TripAdvisor page, you will see the list of amazing reviews, with over 100 “excellent” reviews. The most recent describing their visit as "amazed at the friendly atmosphere and the level of care &

The Pubs are Back!

It’s so nice to see packed pubs, busy hotels and restaurants thriving again – with the strict lockdowns behind us we are all so very excited about the future again and the sector is oozing positivity.

The past months have taught us not to take anything for granted. Seeing your customers ordering food, drinking beer and having a good time is pleasure you can’t measure.

With the sector booming there has never been a better time to refresh your offers and the best way to do this is to visit the HFE Signs online library for Pub Banners – here you will find hundreds of pre-designed out-

Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at TripAdvisor.

“Congratulations to all the winners of the 2021 Travellers' Choice Awards, I know the past year has been extremely challenging for tourism businesses. What has impressed me is how businesses adapted to these challenges, implementing new cleanliness measures, adding social distancing guidelines, and utilizing technology to prioritize guest safety. The Travellers' Choice Awards highlight the places that are consistently excellent - delivering quality experiences time and time again even while navigating changing customer expectations and new ways of working. Based on a full year of reviews from customers, this award speaks to the great service and experience you provided guests in the midst of a pandemic.”

door grade banners, all of which can be customised to suite your needs at no extra cost.

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Bespoke print and bespoke sizes are available, and even with this its buy 2 get 3rd free! Furthermore you get free UK mainland delivery when ordering two or more Pub Banners.

So, to get some ideas or get you next marketing campaign planned out visit www.hfe-signs.co.uk today! See the advert on page 5.

UKHospitality and BII Call on Government to Introduce Business Rates Reform UKHospitality and the BII have welcomed the opportunity to comment on the Government’s Business Rates Revaluations Consultation and support the proposal to increase the frequency of evaluations to three-yearly revaluations – however this cannot come at the cost of extra reporting, restrictions on appeals and penalties The trade bodies recognise the helpfulness of the consultation in addressing one area of reform, they stressed the need for more wide-ranging reform to redress the unjust and imbalanced current system, and the need to move taxation away from property.

The hospitality sector overpays by 300% relative to its turnover in the current system, following the pandemic this already unfair system will put further pressures on heavily indebted businesses as they begin to rebuild and repair balance sheets.

The trade bodies are also concerned about a number of further proposals included in the consultation, which will put a significant administrative burden on hospitality businesses, and therefore propose that: • Businesses are not asked for more information than they currently are at revaluation: the need to report amendments mid-list is burdensome and will actively discourage investment in the sector at a critical time.

• The move to more frequent revaluations be considered as part of the broader review of business rates – which should be designed to reduce, not increase, the burden

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CLH Digital

on ratepayers.

• The Valuation Office Agency should enhance its technological systems to facilitate data returns at valuation.

• Businesses should not be charged for challenges, nor should there be fixed windows in which to bring a challenge.

• Government should consider minimising the time between the AVD and the new list to 18 months or lower.

In a joint statement the trade bodies said: “The current business rates system has long been unfit for purpose and puts an unfair burden on pub and hospitality businesses. It’s extremely encouraging that the Government is proposing to increase the frequency of revaluations, something for which we have been calling for some time. However, the proposals are severely undermined by administrative burdens, limits on appeals and penalties.

“It’s vital that Government reforms match the severity of this issue. This proposal is helpful but does not redress the wide-ranging issues with the current system that will severely hamper the sector’s ability to recover from the pandemic if not addressed. We urge the Government to work closely with the sector to implement wide-ranging reform that will empower hospitality businesses, to rebuild and repair revenues, create jobs and be at the forefront of the economic recovery.”

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

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Focus Must Remain On Safety As Consumers Return 6

CLH Digital

Issue 72

By Nick Wilson, Director of Health & Safety Services at Ellis Whittam, a former HSE inspector, and a chartered safety practitioner (www.elliswhittam.com) The recent easing of Covid restrictions came as a long-awaited relief. However, we’re not out of the woods yet and a two-fold challenge has emerged, particularly for employers and employees in the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors.

Firstly, let’s be clear, regardless of the timing and the easing of rules and restrictions, coronavirus has not vanished as we all would have liked. This is still very much an occupational hazard which we cannot eliminate and it’s therefore essential businesses don’t drop Covidsecure measures entirely.

The jury is out on the effectiveness of some controls such as lockdowns, isolation periods, foreign travel and face coverings – although the requirement to wear these in many public spaces remains. What has worked however, and what will continue to work will be social distancing between individuals where possible, regular cleaning, good personal hygiene, ventilation, isolation of positive/suspected cases and for businesses to have an emergency action plan to deal with potential outbreaks. Arguably some of these actions are good practice in public areas, regardless of a pandemic.

Secondly, with life returning to a degree of normality, now is a vitally important time for employers to focus on other areas of safety and staff training which could easily have been overlooked or lacking in priority in recent weeks.

Health & Safety Executive stats released in July show that more workplace fatalities were recorded in Great Britain last year, despite fewer people working. Tragically, 142 workers were killed at work between March 2020 and March 2021, up from 111 the year prior. While many of these deaths were in sectors such as construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing, it certainly suggests that staff absence and changes in the workforce caused by Covid could have compromised safety standards in the workplace.

These figures should serve as a timely reminder to us all – employers must ensure they’re doing all that is reasonably practicable to protect workers and others affected by their work activities. For several organisations now getting back to business, this includes consumers.

The tribulations of the past 18 months have had many consequences on every type of workplace. With more normal operation returning as we emerge from the pandemic, employers need to make sure they have carefully reviewed all their risk assessments, in particular identifying where process, equipment and staffing may have changed or reverted.

My advice to businesses is to involve your team members in your review, communicate your findings back to them, and ensure follow-up action. With the full reopening of retail, hospitality and leisure, there are now thousands of new young workers entering these sectors, in addition to recent returners from furlough. Robust training for new staff as well as refresher training for others is vital in ensuring everyone remains as safe as possible. Continuing to focus on safety means every consumer-facing business can let their customers again enjoy what they have to offer with full confidence.

For free resources including guides and templates for risk assessments and employment policies visit https://elliswhittam.com/resources

Cooking For The Future: The Best Of British Food With The Chefs Of Tomorrow Rational and the Craft Guild of Chefs have teamed up to launch Cooking for the Future, an exciting competition for catering students and colleges. It’s open to anyone on a recognised catering educational course, full or part time, and along with a brilliant package of prizes, Rational is offering a range of educational services to help students get to grips with the latest cooking technology.

part of the judging panel.”

To underline the use of modern technology, initial entry is multimedia, combining written recipes and a video. Four regional winners will be selected from this round to go on to a live final, to be held at Rational’s development kitchen in Luton, under the watchful eyes of a judging panel made up of expert chefs.

Teams of two will compete for prizes including a fabulous Michelin Star experience, at a restaurant in their region. In addition, the winners’ college will get the latest in advanced kitchen technology in the shape of a Rational iVario multifunctional cooking system. Meanwhile all finalists will receive an embroidered Rational chef’s jacket, a Rational knife set and a year’s membership to the Craft Guild of Chefs.

“This competition is designed to enthuse catering students, by showing them what modern kitchen design is all about, and the results they can achieve using the latest multifunctional cooking systems,” says Thomas Bentham, Rational’s Regional Corporate Chef, who is leading the project for the company. “This is exciting technology, and we want catering students to see that for themselves, using the very best of British ingredients.”

Andrew Green, CEO of the Craft Guild of Chefs, says, “The Craft

Rational is supporting the competition with a full range of educational resources for colleges and students, including online training, site presentations, and visits to colleges by Rational chefs.

“Rational’s commitment to creating the tools chefs need to meet the challenges of modern catering is the driving force behind the competition,” says Bentham. “Cooking for the Future will help tomorrow’s chefs understand and develop their skills, using the latest RATIONAL cooking systems, like the multifunctional iVario, while celebrating the best of British food – and perhaps win their college one of the most advanced cooking systems on the market!”

Guild of Chefs is excited to be involved with Rational’s brilliant new cooking competition. ‘Cooking for the future’ is a fantastic, forwardthinking concept which will help support the next generation of chefs and UK catering colleges. We are delighted to lend our expertise as

Entries will open on the 6th September 2021, with the final live event scheduled to take place in February 2022. Full details of entry can be found on the Craft Guild of Chefs website, craftguildofchefs.org

Master Innholders Awarded Princess Royal Training Award City & Guilds Group has announced that the Master Innholders is one of the 46 organisations to be recognised by the 2021 Princess Royal Training Awards for its Aspiring Leaders Diploma training programme (MIALD).

Currently in its sixth year, The Princess Royal Training Awards recognise and celebrate organisations across the UK which have demonstrated exceptional commitment to training and development. Despite facing unprecedented challenges due to Covid-19, the organisations receiving this standard of excellence have created and delivered highly engaging training programmes which have resulted in significant measurable impact.

MIALD is designed to develop management skills, leadership talent and career prospects for staff in the hospitality sector across the UK. The programme provides strong online support, offers an ILM level 3 qualification and has kept learners engaged during what has been a particularly challenging time for the industry.

David Morgan-Hewitt FIH MI, Managing Director of the Goring and Chairman of the Master Innholders, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been recognised by the Princess Royal Training Awards for the second time. It is a wonderful honour, and proof of the dedication of those who have worked tirelessly to develop MIALD. We look forward to continuing to provide support to the hospitality industry now that the Princess Royal Training Awards accreditation further shows the quality of the MIALD programme.”

MIALD graduates are also more likely to remain working in the sector. Despite the difficulties this industry has faced over the past year, 92% of learners from the previous three virtual cohorts are still working in hospitality.

Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Chief Executive of the City & Guilds Group said: “The last 18 months have caused disruption to the way most organisations operate which has led to major changes for all of us in how we live and work. Despite these challenges, it’s fantastic to see so many organisations’ continued commitment to training and development as well as the positive and life-changing impact learning can have on people.”

Drinks Performance Almost at Pre-COVID-19 Levels After Fifth Week of Improvement

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CLH Digital

improvements, with Spirits up an impressive 20%. Soft Drinks have also benefitted from their association with the category and now sit just -2% behind two years ago. Beer (down 13%), Cider (down 15%) and Wine (down 14%) are still struggling to recreate this performance though as occasions evolve, however all categories have improved week-on-week since July 19th.

Average drinks sales in the On Premise took another big step back to normality in the week ending 8th August, with performance just -5% behind the same week in 2019, according to CGA’s Drinks Recovery Tracker. Barring the May bank holiday weekend, last week was the best performing period since hospitality reopened in April, as growing consumer confidence saw a fifth consecutive week of improvement since ‘freedom day’ in England.

The removal of mandatory restrictions in Scotland and Wales on Monday 9th was also a welcome boost to top-line performance. Joining unrestricted England (down -5%), the average Welsh outlet saw flat performance, whilst Scotland lagged behind at -13%; however, a significant improvement to last week’s figure of -28%.

Consumers flocking back to the recently reopened late-night sector again played a huge role in overall

The top-line picture varied across the week, with poor weather fuelling a poor start on Sunday (-14%) but higher temperatures seeing a midweek uptick from -2% on Monday to +7% on Tuesday and +2% on Wednesday. Thursday dropped to -15%, but encouragingly in line with recent themes, the weekend was on a par with 2019, with Friday down 1% and Saturday down -3%.

It’s pleasing to see week-on-week performance returning to pre-COVID-19 levels as more obstacles are taken away, such as prohibitive restrictions, in all GB markets” commented Jonny Jones, CGA’s managing director, UK & Ireland.

“Further boosts have come from the welcomed return of live events such as the Premier League and we know that there are still many outlets and consumers who are taking smaller steps out of COVID19, which will hopefully escalate as confidence grows.

On the flipside, there are still headwinds on the horizon in the form of the supply chain, particularly for the Beer category, which may take some shine off recent performance.”

Read all the latest news from the licensed industry at

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7

Hospitality Sector Advised To Get In The Christmas Spirit Early … By Accountants 8

CLH Digital

Issue 72

Hospitality businesses may be in line for an early Christmas bonus this festive season – but only if they market their Christmas offering and secure Christmas deposits and payments soon.

Accountancy firm Hall Morrice (www.hall-morrice.co.uk) is highlighting the Christmas gift for businesses wrapped up in the HMRC VAT reduction scheme currently in place for restaurants, hotels and pubs etc.

Mike Innes, business development director at Hall Morrice explains, “The VAT rate remains at 5% for hospitality businesses until the end of September when it rises to 12.5%. This means that if a business issues an invoice dated before 1 October or receives advance payment for an event before 1 October – such as for Christmas parties and lunches – then the lower VAT rate of 5% can apply to this payment.

“Any customer payments made before 1 October will directly increase the bottom-line profit of the business, and hospitality businesses are all still in need of support as they continue their pandemic recovery.

“For example, an advance payment of £300 for a Christmas event paid before 1 October will attract a VAT

liability of £14.29. If this payment is received after this date, then the VAT liability for the business will be £33.33.

“Hospitality businesses may have been waiting to see what their sector looked like after the lifting of restrictions before creating their Christmas packages for 2021, but those who can launch their Christmas marketing now, and secure advance payments before the end of September stand to benefit. This will give working capital to hospitality businesses when they need it most.”

The common policy for HMRC reduction packages is to introduce anti-forestalling legislation as part of the scheme. Anti-forestalling legislation means that advance payments made before the rate increases cannot benefit from the reduced rate if the goods or services are supplied after the period when the reduced rate applied.

The government did not apply anti-forestalling legislation to the VAT reduction for hospitality, with the intention of supporting the sector. Prepayments made before the end of September for hotel rooms will also attract the 5% VAT rate.

Mike Innes continues, “Of course, this benefit is a two-way street as businesses which are considering Christmas bookings for staff will also benefit from the 5% VAT rate. It may also be worth businesses which will have staff staying in accommodation beyond the end of September to prepay these hotel stays, as well as Easter events” The reduced VAT scheme excludes alcoholic drinks. Under this scheme VAT will rise to 12.5% on 1 October for this sector before returning to the standard 20% rate on 1 April 2022.

Galtres Lodge Owners Announce Plans to Reinvigorate Historic Ripon Hotel

The owners behind a popular boutique hotel in the heart of York have announced their latest business venture after purchasing Ripon's iconic The Old Deanery Hotel.

Rebecca Hill and Chris Layton, hoteliers behind York's Galtres Lodge Hotel and proprietors of Layton Hill Hotels Ltd, have revealed their plans for the historic Grade II listed building. Formerly operating as an award-winning hotel and wedding venue, The Old Deanery was forced to close its doors for good earlier this year after months of lockdown. The new owners, Rebecca and Chris, hope to reinvigorate the hotel before re-opening primarily as a wedding and events venue later in the year.

Having lived in neighbouring Knaresborough for many years, partners in business and life, Rebecca and Chris are delighted to be returning to their old stomping ground and to be undertaking a brand-new business venture in a place that holds many fond memories.

Lending their expertise to the redevelopment of The Old Deanery Hotel will be the experienced general manager David Macdonald and consultant chef Stephanie Moon, both of whom were highly influential with the development of their popular York property, Galtres Lodge.

Located opposite the beautiful Ripon cathedral, The Old Deanery Hotel boasts 11 bedrooms, stunning gardens, and several public areas, which are due to be restored back to a country house that will be available for weddings and exclu-

sive use events.

Discussing their plans for the hotel, Rebecca Hill said: “We are beyond excited to take on The Old Deanery. It is such a beautiful property in the heart of a beautiful city, and we cannot wait to become a key part of the community. The welcome has already been incredible, and we are so grateful for the kind messages that we have received so far."

“As we are still in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, we plan on taking a cautious approach and start by opening primarily as a wedding and events venue.

We plan to be available for winter weddings and Christmas parties this November/December and fully up-and-running as a wedding and events venue from spring 2022.”

“We also hope to organise smaller public events, such as open days and afternoon tea parties, to keep The Old Deanery as open to the public as possible. We believe this approach will strike the perfect balance of being open enough to ensure we become a vital part of the community.”

“Overall, we want The Old Deanery to be a jewel in Ripon’s crown and be “the place” to celebrate weddings, birthdays and Christenings. We are currently in the process of planning some informal open days to meet everyone, as getting to know our local community is of vital importance to us,” Rebecca concluded.

Soho's al Fresco Festival to End in September Westminster City Council has announced al fresco dining will end on Soho’s roads next month.

Officials said traffic will be reintroduced in the central London area on September 30, meaning the streets can no longer be used to seat customers.

The Council had already banned gazebos and umbrellas on public roads from July 19, which combined with poor weather which affected trade at Soho’s hospitality businesses.

Restaurants with existing licences will still be able to use pavements, but roads will be off-limits.

A petition organised by Westminster’s Labour Party circulated amongst residents on social media called for a re-think of the schemes due to “extreme noise” and the “repeated violaton of social distancing rules.”

Businesses had hoped that the al fresco summer would be extended into an outdoor winter, with gazebos and heaters doing the work the sun has notably failed to deliver over the last few weeks.

John James, Managing Director of Soho Estates and a member of the Soho Business Alliance said removing the area’s al fresco permissions would send the streets back into effective lockdown.

“History tells us that hospitality can be a leading force in driving econom-

ic recovery. Soho needs al fresco to survive, and we simply wouldn’t be here without it.”

Last year the Council reversed a plan to charge for pavement licences following a public outcry.

A Westminster City Council spokesperson said: “We introduced al fresco dining after lockdown to enable residents and visitors back to enjoy safer outdoor dining and in, April and May this year, to allow businesses to reopen when indoor dining wasn’t permitted. This has been a huge success, supporting around 80,000 jobs and creating more than 16,000 additional covers across the city – the highest number in London – saving countless businesses and jobs in Soho and across the West End. “We always said interventions such as road closures and barriers were temporary and would end on 30 September. The end of temporary measures does not mean that all al fresco dining cannot continue; businesses can still apply for pavement licenses where there is space on the footway.

Additionally, we are consulting residents in six areas across the city, including Covent Garden, on whether some of the temporary measures should be transitioned into new long-term schemes. If residents approve these new schemes, they will be able to begin on 1 October. Furthermore, we are working with Soho residents and businesses to co-design a Vision for Soho that will go out to consultation towards the end of this year.”

Issue 72

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Pubs Overpay on Business Rates by £570 million, says BBPA Trade association says ‘radical’ overhaul of rates system needed postCOVID in consultation with Treasury The British Beer & Pub Association, the leading trade association representing brewers and pubs, has today revealed that pubs overpay their fair share of Business Rates by £570 million a year.

According to the trade association, the pub sector in the UK pays 2.5% of all business rates, despite accounting for just 0.5% of rateable turnover – causing it to overpay £570 million.

To aid the recovery of pubs post-COVID, who were forced to close during three separate lockdowns and still operate under heavy restrictions until recently, the BBPA is urging the Government to radically overhaul the Business Rates system.

The call from the trade association comes as it responded today to HM Treasury’s consultation on Business Rates revaluations, and in particular revaluating Business Rates every three years.

According to the BBPA in its response to the consultation, the multiplier (the rate in the pound that is then multiplied by the rateable value of a property to produce its annual rates bill) has increased to a ‘staggering’ 51.2p today from 34.8p in the early 90s.

The BBPA therefore welcomes the Government’s aim to provide more regular revaluations for pubs in principle in the hope it will result in fairer rates for pubs due to more regular re-evaluations. However, it has concerns that the proposed changes to the current system of re-evaluations will mean rates payers have to pay in order to access a better and more transparent tax regime, which is irresponsible.

Ultimately, the Business Rates regime needs radical change, which is why the BBPA is backing the Long Live The Local campaign, which is calling for Government investment in pubs by reforming Business Rates, in addition to VAT and Beer Duty.

A British Beer & Pub Association spokesperson said: “As things stand, pubs will overpay on Business Rates to the tune of £570 million a year. The bill for this will come through the post once the current relief on Business Rates ends in March 2022.

“Pubs overpaying on their business rates is fundamentally wrong.

Especially as they were one of the most affected sectors by Covid and lockdowns. The Government should be supporting pubs’ recovery, not punishing them.

“As our sector begins its recovery, now is the time for radical reform of Business Rates.

“While increasing the number of Business Rates revaluations to every three years would be helpful in principle, the proposals from Treasury would mean rate payers have to pay in order to access a better tax regime, which isn’t right.

“Root and branch reform of Business Rates is essential to the future of our sector, which is why we are supporting the Long Live The Local campaign calling for reform of Business Rates in addition to reforming VAT and Beer Duty.”

Beer Strike Suspended Following “Improved Pay Offer” Nationwide strikes by 1,000 GXO drayman who deliver top beer brands have been suspended following an improved pay offer from the company, Unite union, said.

The strike would have had significant effects because the firm delivers beer to about 40% of the country’s hospitality outlets. GXO distributes many major brands, among them those under the Heineken umbrella.

The improved offer of 4 per cent by GXO Logistics Drinks Ltd (previously XPO Logistics Drinks Ltd) will now be voted on by the drayman, who are based at 26 sites around the country, and the unionis recommending that the draymen, responsible for about 40 per cent of the beer deliveries to pubs and other hospitality outlets across the UK, accept the offer.

A statement sent to suppliers from Heineken said the strikes are off, subject to a ballot of the 1,000 draymen to take place next week. However, pub operators said they are “not out of the woods just yet” after a turbulent 18 months that has seen outlets forced to close for many months due to the pandemic, and then face the twin problems of staff shortages and the “pingdemic” forcing workers to have to isolate.

Strikes scheduled for Tuesday 24 August and Thursday 2 September have been called off while the ballot, which opens on 23 August and closes 31 August, is carried out.

Unite national officer for food, drink and agriculture, Joe Clarke, said: “Our members keep the nation’s beer pumps flowing and pint glasses filled, and they deserve a fair pay rise.

“We believe GXO’s offer of 4 per cent delivers this and will be recommending that our members accept the deal.

“All industrial action has been suspended while we conduct this democratic process.

Phil Thorley, operations director at Thorley Taverns, which operates 19 sites, told Kent Online: “Although this strike has been called off, we have been having a nightmare for the past month with both wet and food deliveries. One, is it going to turn up? Two, is what you’ve ordered going to be there? That is proving extremely challenging alongside the driver shortage as well as staff shortages in the hospitality industry currently. We’ve had failed deliveries with no strike. It’s happening all over. The most frustrating thing is you don’t get warned about it. It just doesn’t turn up. It’s challenging times at the moment but hospitality is such a resilient industry, it’s not the last straw because we’ll always have the doors open, but it is frustrating.”

Customers Returning To Hospitality More Quickly but Sector Remain Fragile 10

CLH Digital

Issue 72

A UK Hospitality survey, supported by data from CGA has found that that 56% of consumers visited a hospitality venue in the first 10 days after ‘freedom day’ this July1 – a much faster return to venues when compared to last summer’s reopening following lockdown when just 35% returned in the same timeframe2. However, data shows that thousands of businesses are still struggling compared to pre-pandemic The survey shows that it took over six weeks for people to return in similar numbers in 20202, and with 45% of those who haven’t yet been out saying they plan to do so in the next month, it paints a picture of growing consumer confidence when it comes to hospitality experiences1 The figures suggest that this is due to consumer confidence in the extensive hygiene and safety measures put in place by hospitality venues3. At the end of the first lockdown last summer, hygiene and cleanliness were the number one consideration for people when deciding which venue to visit.

This year, that has slipped to fourth place behind price, convenience and quality of food. Pre-pandemic, hygiene and safety was the fifth priority for customers of the on-trade.

Despite this rise in consumer confidence, UKHospitality is warning that the industry remains in a fragile state with businesses fighting for survival on a number of fronts, not least the critical shortage of staff. The latest ONS figures released earlier this week show UK job vacances at a record high, with the hospitality sector reporting a 10% vacancy rate – equal to 210,000 roles.

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “Eating and drinking out is safe and we encourage everyone to rediscover their favourite venues if they haven’t already. However, while rising customer numbers is welcome news, the hospitality sector is by no means out of the woods.

“Hospitality venues are struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels of revenue with staff shortages hindering their recovery. In order to rebuild, the sector needs the Government to put in place a supportive landscape which includes an extension of the business rates holiday until at least October and a permanently lower rate of VAT for the sector. Such measures will allow the hospitality sector and the people it supports to play a full role in the UK’s economic recovery.”

Red Dragon Pubs, A New Pub Company For Wales!

Red Dragon Pubs, a new pub company for Wales, has been officially launched at The Aubrey Arms, in Swansea – the first pub under its ownership.

Since it bought The Aubrey, Red Dragon Pubs has added seven more venues to its portfolio in the Swansea and Gwent Valleys, with plans to open four more pubs by the end of October.

Red Dragon Pubs is the brainchild of founder James Hunt, a serial entrepreneur, and a group of investors who admire and believe in the Welsh pub scene. The company aims to buy and invest in pubs across South Wales, James explained: “Being born in Bristol, I spent a lot of time over the bridge enjoying the craic at the local pub before, and after, various rugby and football matches, and while walking the beaches and hills of this beautiful country.

“I also have Irish parentage – and so recognise the strong sense of Welsh pubs being for the whole community. When we studied the market here, and we saw so many pubs closed, or just tired and under-invested, we knew there was a massive opportunity here to reinvigorate these venues, by working with and listening to the locals that use them and bringing them back to their best.”

Investing in pubs during and after a global pandemic amid one of the most difficult times for the hospitality industry was obvi-

ously a challenge, but for James he saw it as an opportunity that he couldn’t refuse: “The pandemic just made more visible a deeper problem. Pubs across Wales have suffered. What happened to Brains was tragic, but many sites have shut their doors when they could be really successful businesses because we believe they lost touch with the communities they serve.

“Being as close to the community as possible is paramount to us at Red Dragon Pubs, and will remain so. We won’t change the name of any pub we buy, and we won’t make them all look the same. We want them to be as individual as the customers they serve.”

James added: “We are ambitious. We believe there is an opportunity to create a Welsh pub company, for Wales, that everyone can be proud of. Customers will know they are in a Red Dragon Pub, but much more importantly we want them to know that Red Dragon Pubs is part of their community.”

British Lion and Osprey Lee Byrne and former Welsh rugby international Tom Shanklin joined James, the Red Dragon Pub team, and a gathering of the locals that have made The Aubrey Arms such a success since it reopened, at the official launch of the brand and business.

“This is just the start for Red Dragon Pubs. We will be adding more establishments to our portfolio in the coming months, with plans to be Wales’ favourite independent pub group,” James said.

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health To Prepare Food Businesses with Free Natasha’s Law Webinar The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) will prepare food businesses for impending changes to food labelling legislation as Natasha’s Law comes into force from 1 October 2021.

Delivering a free-to-attend webinar on 6 September, CIEH will provide essential training to ensure that organisations are aware and prepared for the changes.

From 1 October 2021, any business in England, Wales and Northern Ireland selling food pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS), such as sandwiches and salads, will have to include a full ingredients list on product labels, emphasising any allergenic ingredients that will help protect hypersensitive consumers.

Natasha’s Law has been introduced following lobbying by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, the teenager who died after suffering an allergic reaction to an undeclared ingredient in a sandwich.

The one-hour webinar, which is sponsored by Food Alert, will explain how food businesses will be affected

by the new law and what they must do to prepare to comply with the latest allergen legislation.

Kate Thompson, CIEH Director for Wales, said: “Natasha’s law was passed in 2019 so many businesses will be aware of it. There has been a long transition period for businesses to prepare, but the last 18 months have presented many other challenges for the sector. There is a window of opportunity now, before the law comes into force on 1 October, for businesses to ensure they have a full understanding of how they may be impacted and how they can implement changes in their operations to ensure they comply.

“This is not a matter of choice but a legal obligation that will ensure everyone can make safer food purchases, and we therefore encourage those dealing with food and operations, as well as those around them to attend.”

CIEH has been pioneering professional education for over 130 years, providing extensive educational events and training courses spanning food safety, health and safety, environmental protection and more.

To find out more about the impending enforcement of Natasha’s Law and to register your free attendance at CIEH’s upcoming webinar, visit: https://www.cieh.org/events/2021/webinar/webinar-natashas-law-new-allergen-legislation/

Bank Holiday Bounce Back Predicted to Drive Sales for Hospitality and Leisure SMES Issue 72

New research reveals that confidence among small and medium sized businesses is returning to pre-pandemic levels, with hospitality & leisure SMEs forecasting a revenue boost of 27 per cent in Q3 2021 compared to Q2 2021.

This renewed positivity is leading SMEs to predict an eight per cent increase in revenue by the end of Q3 2021 (compared to Q2), with transaction data from Barclaycard Payments also supporting this return to growth.

The seventh instalment of the report from Barclaycard Payments, found that 60 per cent of hospitality & leisure SMEs expect an increase in revenue across the August Bank Holiday – the first long weekend post lockdown.

Data taken from the 350,000 small and medium businesses that Barclaycard processes payments for shows that, on average, SMEs have already seen a six per cent increase in revenue in recent weeks, when comparing w/c 12th July (before all restrictions were relaxed in England) to w/c 2nd August (when many further restrictions were lifted across the rest of the UK)**.

In a sign that the recovery is continuing, 13 per cent anticipate the Bank Holiday weekend will be their busiest in a decade*, with Brits looking to book outdoor space and make dining reservations to socialise with friends and family.

Consumer demand to return to shops, pubs and restaurants has also led 60 per cent of retail and hospitality & leisure businesses to report equal or higher customer numbers than before the onset of the pandemic.

A POSITIVE PICTURE Confidence is improving among SMEs across all sectors, with 90 per cent feeling optimistic or neutral about the prospects for their business.

Encouragingly, concern about the impact of the pandemic has dipped to its lowest point since February 2020, while 44 per cent also expect to hire more staff over the next 12 months as the economy picks up.

The figures are particularly positive for small and medium sized restaurants, pubs and bars, who experienced a 25 per cent increase in year-onyear revenue during the first week of August 2021.

FUTURE-PROOFING Despite a turbulent 18 months, SMEs have been busy adapting and future-proofing their businesses to ensure they are set-up to respond to changes in consumer spending.

Almost half (47 per cent) of SMEs suggest they have seen improvements in their business operations as a result of changes made during the pandemic, rising to 57 per cent for professional services and 54 per cent for retail SMEs. When asked what pandemic-driven changes will contribute to their

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long-term success SMEs cited: local customers spending more as they work from home (20 per cent); the creation of a new website (15 per cent); and providing a click & collect service (8 per cent).

Rob Cameron, CEO of Barclaycard Payments, said: “Small and medium sized businesses hold such a significant position in the UK, accounting for around three fifths of the nation’s employment and half of the turnover in the UK private sector. The success and optimism we are seeing from this segment is an excellent gauge of how the wider economy is performing – and from that it’s terrific to predict that a bumper August Bank Holiday looks set to be on the cards.”

Kate Hardcastle MBE, independent expert, said: “There is a definite confidence in the air when you speak to SMEs. While there are undoubtedly difficulties ahead, I have been encouraged to hear of business owners’ readiness for the rest of the year and a newfound sense of resilience for whatever lies in-store. As we close out the last few weeks of summer, let’s continue to do our bit to help local SMEs and support their recovery in the run-up to Christmas.”

The research, which polled over 664 senior staff working in UK SMEs, finds that overall business optimism is at 55 out of a possible 100 this quarter, up from a low of just 40 points in Q2 2020. This is the joint highest recorded (alongside Q2 2021), since the Barclaycard Payments SME Barometer started in February 2020, before the first lockdown.

Hawthorn Launches Proper Pubs Managed Brand Community pub operator Hawthorn, now part of Admiral Taverns, has created a new platform, Proper Pubs to bring together its managed operations Consisting of around 20% of the Hawthorn estate, Proper Pubs are wet-led community pubs.

Proper Pubs will be run by director of managed operations, Mark Brooke, who joined Hawthorn last year having previously been responsible for growing Beacon in the Ei Group from 165 pubs to 300 pubs, operating in the wet-led, value-driven market.

“This platform will bring our entire division together,” says Brooke. “The brand builds on the strong foundations of the original Hawthorn operator managed model, and applies learnings from Bravo Inns, which we acquired in 2019, and how that business was successfully grown.

“People are at the heart of everything we do, and we want our Proper Pub operators to be community heroes who know their regulars and treat them like a true friend. By creating the Proper Pubs brand, we’re giving them the freedom and confidence to support their customers and their local community in whatever way they see fit, and make their pub a place where the whole community feels welcome.””

Proper Pubs will support Hawthorn’s new corporate charity partner, Chasing the Stigma, a national mental health charity which works to reduce suicide, eradicate stigma and enable everyone in the country to be able to access clear pathways to mental health care.

The Proper Pub operators will have the opportunity to become Ambassadors of Hope to provide support, if sought, for the pub goers who may be less likely to speak up about the need for help.

Living Wage Expectations Are The Reality For Hospitality, Says Bizimply 12

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Issue 72

Increasing pressure on hospitality operators to pay the Real Living Wage (RLW) is likely to prove to be an irresistible force for those who want to employ the best staff, says workforce management specialist Bizimply.

introduction of a fair salary policy for hospitality operators, including payment of the RLW, as part of Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham's plans for a Good Employment Charter.

A ‘pincer movement' which is seeing politicians put more emphasis on the RLW, at the same time as there is fierce competition amongst operators for the best employees, is putting the squeeze on businesses - but Bizimply believes that the best operators have little to fear.

At the same time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended the £20 cut in Universal Credit by saying that people would prefer to increase their income "through their own efforts".

"Upward pressure on wages is a consequence of operators restaffing as hospitality reopens after the pandemic, at the same time as the sector deals with the reality of significant labour shortages post-Brexit, with many experienced employees no longer in the UK," said CEO Conor Shaw: "Of course, increased costs are always a challenge for operators to deal with, but embracing the opportunity to attract the best and most ambitious staff is a more effective approach than hoping the problem will go away."

Sacha Lord, the Night Time Economy Adviser for Manchester, has confirmed that the city is considering the

"Despite the huge costs that hospitality operators have incurred during the pandemic, it's clear that politicians on all sides now also expect employers to meet the increased salary aspirations of the workforce," said Shaw. "Practically, there's little choice for those who want to stay ahead of the pack and deliver great customer service; they need the best people front-of house in their units.

"What employers can do is ensure that they are managing staff rotas and working hours as effectively as possible. That also has the added benefit of freeing up managers' time to focus on where they can be most effective - delivering great customer service."

Saniflo Macerator Pump Gives New Lease of Life to British Treasure The Saniflo Sanicubic macerator pump is breathing a new lease of life into a highly-acclaimed piece of British heritage – a replica of the famous ship, the Golden Hinde, known for circumventing the globe during the 16th century under the command of British explorer Sir Francis Drake. Sitting in dry dock, the replica ship, which has also sailed the seas worldwide, is now a stunning floating museum and events’ venue near London Bridge.

The owner of the Golden Hinde, Roddy Coleman, who has ensured the ship remains faithful to the original, first installed a Sanicubic a couple of years ago in the dock beneath the ship to take the waste from two WC cubicles used by visitors and staff. It discharges waste up and along the dock walls through 35mm pipes to connect to the sewers above at street level. During this time, it has provided faultless service, so when the team decided to install on-board facilities during the COVID-19 lockdown, he knew that a Sanicubic would fit his brief. Located underneath the floorboards in the bow of the ship, it is perfectly positioned to take waste from two new WCS cubicles and basins as well as a new kitchen area in the galley. A dishwasher, sink and icemaker are all plumbed into the Sanicubic thanks to its multiple outlets. The plumbing

work was carried out by Toby Millinder, who is a full-time employee at the Golden Hinde and in charge of all the updates; “The Sanicubic has enabled us to do our own catering on board for events rather than bring food on board. We also have children for overnight stays on board and it means they don’t need to alight to undertake night time ablutions. It was very straightforward to install and I have run it into the same lengths of pipework along the dock walls, which saved a lot of time and work. Since the installation we have had a wedding on board, as well as an overnighter for a group of children. It has made life much easier all round.”

Saniflo Head of Marketing and Product Management, Ann Boardman, says: “It’s wonderful to see pieces of British heritage being lovingly preserved and given a new lease of life ready to welcome back the public after COVID-19. Thanks to Saniflo, such national treasures can go on providing wonderful experiences to members of the public. There really is a Saniflo solution to suit all manner of quirky public and private establishments, even in places where there is no mains drainage.”

Visit www.saniflo.co.uk for further information.

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Issue 72

Delivery and Takeaway Sales Growth Begins To Stabilise as Consumers Return to the On Premise

CLH Digital

ery sales compared to 2019, which in July was nearly three times higher than takeaways. In total, delivery and takeaways accounted for over a third of restaurant and pub groups’ sales in July.

“As consumers returned to eating and drinking out following restrictions lifting, growth has naturally begun to slow in delivery and takeaway sales.

However, it’s clear that consumer behaviours have shifted and hospitality at home will remain an important consideration,” said Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA.

Despite restrictions on indoor service lifting following ‘freedom day’, deliveries and takeaways are set to maintain a significant share of restaurant and pub groups’ operations, the latest CGA & Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker reveals.

It shows sales in July were 206% higher than in July 2019—a drop on the growth in June (225%) and May (273%), following the return of indoor service in June and ‘freedom day’ in July. Although the lifting of all restrictions across hospitality has led to an increase in eating out, delivery has maintained its 20.5% share month-on-month while takeaway sales (defined as being collected from an outlet by the customer, including Click & Collect and Drive-Thru) declined by 1.3%.

This correlates with the significant growth in deliv-

“Understanding the balance between out-of-home and at-home preferences will be key to shaping sales and marketing strategies for all brands, as consumers continue to embrace the delivery and takeaway trend.”

“Hospitality at home remains key for our sector and it shows with online delivery market share remaining at 20.5%. With the multiple challenges facing the sector as it reopens, it is now needing more than ever a focused approach to delivery as an incremental business stream,” said JP Then, Founder of Slerp.

“It’s exciting to see businesses starting to hire dedicated online ordering experts and create exclusive online offerings to continue to power growth. This is especially key for marketing to consumers during the upcoming seasonal period.”

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

The Shock Factor them, should be a mainstay of your health and safety provision.

In the event of a Sudden Cardiac Arrest, effective CPR and defibrillation are critical to the individual’s chances of survival. If a defibrillator is used and effective CPR performed within three to five minutes of collapse, the chance of survival increases from 6 per cent to 74 per cent.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) does not discriminate and can occur at any time or in any place.

According to the Resuscitation Council, approximately 200 cardiac arrests occur each day in the UK. 90-95% of cardiac arrests are fatal. Just 5-10% of people who suffer a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital environment survive. This is often due to a lack of quick and effective treatment.

Medical emergencies such as SCA are life threatening so having the correct equipment and training in place is essential.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING DEFIBRILLATORS IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR Such is the varying nature of the hospitality sector, it’s staggering to think that having a defibrillator is not a legal requirement for UK hospitality businesses.

As a hospitality organisation, providing access to defibrillators, as well as training your staff how to use

Yet one of the main reasons so few people survive Sudden Cardiac Arrest is due to defibrillation not being provided quickly enough after they have collapsed – with findings showing that only 22 per cent of people in the UK would be confident in performing CPR on a stranger.

Therefore, training and equipping your staff with the knowledge and confidence to perform effective CPR and defibrillation is a necessity.

DEFIBRILLATORS FOR HOSPITALITY While we cannot prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest, we can prepare for it by ensuring that all hospitality venues have access to defibrillators. Ensuring your venue has access to a defibrillator will allow you to act effectively and confidently in the event of an emergency.

At defibshop, our mission is to ensure that all UK businesses have the skills and knowledge to save a life.

Speak to our defibrillator specialists today and take the next steps to ensure your workplace is heart-safe.

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15

‘Freedom Day’ Pushes Consumer Habits Back Towards Pre-COVID-19 Norms 16

CLH Digital

Issue 72

Consumers are spending freely on their return to nightclubs, CGA’s Consumer Pulse research shows—but many remain cautious about visiting.

their experiences had exceeded their expectations in May, that number had dipped to 37% by late July, suggesting that the initial novelty of visits to the sector is diminishing and, with them, expectations are rising.

The in-depth survey of people’s visits in the first ten days after ‘freedom day’ on 19 July shows more confident and varied behaviour than after the end of the first full national lockdown last July. Despite a large proportion of consumers sticking to familiarity and retaining a sense of caution, consumers appear much less wary than in previous research undertaken by CGA. A third (32%) of those who have been out since ‘freedom day’ suggest that they now prefer to visit new and different venues – eight percentage points more than in August 2020.

As anxiety about travel begins to ease, consumers in rural locations are also increasingly active in the On Premise. Rural residents’ share of visits grew by three percentage points between April and July, while the split of city centre residents—some of whom have been concerned about crowds in busy places—increased by four percentage points.

People living in city centres are typically very engaged with pubs, bars and restaurants, so their growing confidence is particularly welcome.

However, while consumers are settling back into some familiar habits, COVID-19 is likely to have permanently changed aspects of their behaviour, like the use of technology. Nearly half (46%) of those visiting in late July 2021 said they preferred to use technology to book order and pay over interacting with staff—an increase of ten percentage points since August 2020.

A fifth (20%) now prefer busy and lively atmospheres, up by three percentage points year-on-year, and the number preferring to meet in large groups has nearly doubled to 18%.

Spend, occasions and the timing of visits have all expanded significantly since late April, when consumers were limited to outdoor eating and drinking, and late May, when indoor service returned. Spend per head on food has risen from £16.96 in May to £20.57 in July, while spend on drinks has nudged up from £15.93 to £16.97.

More than a third (37%) of consumers say they visited the same number of venues per occasion as they normally do—a figure that has risen by 12 percentage points since April. The research also indicates that older consumers, who have been hesitant to visit venues after previous lockdowns, are returning to the On Premise in higher numbers. Only one in five (22%) visitors in April was aged 55 or over, but this segment

jumped 12 percentage points to 34% in the ten days after 19 July.

Food-led occasions continue to dominate the post-lockdown market, accounting for nearly three quarters (73%) of On Premise visits in late July, a proportion that is virtually unchanged since May. People are also broadening the timing of their visits, over-indexing on nearly every day of the week compared to the week after reopenings in mid-April and mid-May. As visits return towards pre-pandemic patterns, 61% of consumers stated their visits met their expectations. While 43% of visitors said

As the On Premise has moved through the three phases of outdooronly trading, indoor service and the ending of restrictions, we have seen consumer confidence steadily flow back,” says Rachel Weller, CGA’s director of consumer research and marketing. “While there is still some way to go before we return to normality, this is the most freedom that both consumers and venues have experienced for more than 16 months.

However, with rising familiarity and some lingering cautiousness, venues will need to be on top of their game to build repeat visits and recommendations in this crucial stage of recovery.”

Ten Chefs Confirmed for Young National Chef of the Year Final Allen, executive head chef at Northcote Manor, Julie Walsh, head pastry chef lecturer at Le Cordon Bleu, Alyn Williams, chef, George Blogg, executive head chef at Gravetye Manor and Adam Handling, chef/owner of Adam Handling Restaurant Group.

The Craft Guild of Chefs has revealed its finalists for the prestigious Young National Chef of the Year (YNCOTY) competition. The ten chefs, who work in hotels and restaurants across the UK, discovered they had made the top ten when they received a YNCOTY branded jacket from Continental Chef Supplies (CCS), as well as an exclusive gift box from competition partner, Knorr Professional.

Hrishikesh Desai said: “When we put the criteria together entitled 'British theme with a twist' we didn't know what to expect. Having scrutinised all the entries with my fellow judges, we unanimously agreed that the ten finalists who are going to battle for the title had put in huge amounts of effort, thought outside the box and made judging very difficult. We can’t wait to meet them on the mentor day as it’s going to be one hell of a competition this year. I personally think this will go down to the wire because all the finalists are incredibly talented chefs who are working with equally talented mentors.”

To impress the judges and take a finalist spot the chefs had to create a three-course menu which centred around ‘British themed dishes’ with a twist. They will now serve up these dishes in the final which will be screened for the industry to watch on Thursday, 21st October, when the winner will also be revealed.

For the first course, chefs will create a modern vegetarian or vegan version of a classic Scotch broth. Using inspiration from Knorr’s Future 50 ‘Beans and Pulses’ and ‘Cereals and Grains’ categories, judges will be looking for an innovative approach and for chefs to elevate the humble broth to a fine dining experience. The main course will be a take on a classic British Fish and Chips using a prime fillet of haddock or cod from Seafood from Norway. Judges have asked for an interpretation of the classic crumble using seasonal fruits for dessert.

The chefs taking finalists spots are: Matt Nicholls, sous chef, Cheal's of Henley, Warwickshire Daniel Cornish, senior chef de partie, Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons Bethany Disley-Jones, junior sous pastry, The Art School Restaurant Stephen Naylor, junior sous chef, Restaurant Story, London Joshua Rooney, chef de partie, Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Cornwall

Keaton Cooper, commis chef, The Angel at Hetton, Skipton Robert McCreeryBreen, chef de partie, Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Cornwall Sagar Massey, sous chef, Mar Hall Hotel, Gold and Spa Resort, Bishopton Ieuan Andrew Davies, chef de partie, Castle Inn, Wiltshire Owen Connell, chef de partie, Hillgate Quays, Newcastle To take the title of Young National Chef of the Year, the chefs will need to impress chair of judges, Hrishikesh Desai, executive chef/food and beverage manager at Gilpin Hotel and Lake House. He will be joined by Chantelle Nicholson, chef patron at Tredwells, Lisa Goodwin-

Cereal Partners UK

Mikey Billingham – Out of Home Business Manager At Cereal Partners UK we have been in regular contact with our Hospitality customers throughout lockdown, continually looking to support their needs during this difficult period, in particular around practicality.

Organiser of Young National Chef of the Year and food innovation & sustainability director, Sodexo UK and Ireland, David Mulcahy added: “It’s been another tough year for our industry, but YNCOTY is a true success-story to come out of it. These finalists have all risen to the challenge and created stunning menus that really reflect the theme of British classics with a twist. Every year we celebrate the young talent that’s coming up through the industry and see these stars go on to achieve incredible things, taking their learnings and growth through the competition with them to the next stage of their careers.”

The Young National Chef of the Year is run in partnership with Knorr Professional and is supported by Churchill, HIT Training, Seafood from Norway, Quorn and Le Cordon Bleu. You can follow the competition on social media using #YNCOTY.

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF CLH NEWS?

Many of our customers have reviewed their Food Strategy and prioritised guest safety in their plans. As a consequence, we have seen a significant increase in demand for our Box Bowls Single Portion Packs, which customers have turned into a convenient post COVID solution.

Whether this is an in room offering, table service or a takeaway breakfast, our portable portion packs of some of the UK’s most loved cereal brands have been a key topic of conversation.

Key features guests look for in their breakfast when staying away from home are quality and variety, with many guests seeking familiarity with some home comforts.

And that’s what our cereals are offering, with wholegrain as the number one ingredient.

Guests want to feel safe when staying within a venue and reassured that all precautions are being taken to minimise risk whilst vaccinations continue to be rolled out.

See the advert on the facing page for details.

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Why Increased Customer Expectations Mean Enhanced Hygiene Security Is Key 18

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David Mills, category manager at hygiene and pest control specialist Pelsis Group (www.pelsis.com), explains why demonstrating a commitment to hygiene will be key for independent hospitality operators as they fully re-open.

For independent operators in the licensed trade and hospitality sectors, the past year has been hugely challenging.

A LASTING LEGACY The sheer gravity of the Covid-19 pandemic means that businesses are operating in a new normal even now legal restrictions on social contacts have been lifted. One of the key aspects of this new normal is that the public are acutely aware of the hygiene of the places they visit.

Hygiene has become a key concern for the public during the course of the pandemic. Independent research conducted by Pelsis Group found that 87 per cent of people across the UK think the hygiene of the places they visit is more important to them now than it was before the pandemic.

While that survey finding is not unexpected, our research also suggests that a focus on hygiene is set to outlast the pandemic.

Only seven per cent of people across the UK say the hygiene of the premises they visit will become less important to them after the pandemic. This finding suggests that a focus on hygiene is likely to be a longterm trend.

Disruption has been a buzzword across the industry, with businesses operating in an environment characterised by uncertainty.

For independent operators, this means that clearly demonstrating a commitment to hygiene is key to giving the public confidence to return to premises in the same numbers as prior to the pandemic.

Now, with legal limits on social contact removed and nightclubs able to re-open, businesses across the sector are yet again operating in a new environment.

Conducting a comprehensive risk assessment ahead of re-opening in an environment where legal restrictions have been removed will be crucial to ensure customer and employee health and safety.

So how can independents make sure they instil confidence in the public and encourage them to return to their premises at a time when legal restrictions have been lifted but infection levels across the country are high?

As part of this, implementing enhanced hygiene protocols, such as the electrostatic fogging of premises, can help operators create hygiene secure environments which minimise the risk of infection spreading.

This approach should be integrated into a comprehensive hygiene

regime which mandates the frequent sanitisation of communal surfaces, such as door handles and tables, where the risk of infection spreading from one person to another are high.

These measures will be particularly important for operators at a time when new, more transmissible Covid variants pose a significant risk and infection levels are high.

They will also play an important role in ensuring the hygiene security of their premises later in the year as we move from summer in autumn and winter.

Colder weather will mean larger groups of people are more likely to gather indoors and options for natural ventilation may be more limited, so stringent hygiene protocols will be imperative.

SEEING IS BELIEVING The visibility of these protocols to both employees and customers is also key to building confidence. Our research showed that two thirds of people would be more likely to visit premises if they could see hygiene protocols being implemented or check the hygiene protocols online before visiting.

As operators seek to build widespread confidence in the hygiene security of their premises, promoting the measures they are taking to keep their premises clean and safe will play a bigger role in attracting customers than ever before.

There is undoubtedly a clamour among the public to be able to return to venues without needing to adhere to social restrictions. However, there is also a real appetite for reassurance that these places are safe.

By making sure they prioritise the hygiene security of their premises, operators can reduce risk and instil confidence in the public.

96% Of Scottish Small Independent Brewers Unprepared For Deposit Return Scheme The overwhelming majority (96%) of small independent brewers in Scotland are unprepared for the Deposit Return Scheme due to be introduced next year, according to a new survey by the Society of Independent Brewers.

The new Government recycling scheme due to be introduced in July 2022, known as the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), will see a refundable deposit added to every bottle and can sold in Scotland as well as hefty enrolment and administration fees for independent businesses and breweries.

Although broadly supportive of the scheme there are concerns about its costs and impacts, with 77% of small independent brewers expecting to sell less beer in bottles and cans and two thirds intending to reduce their range of beer available, hitting consumer choice in Scotland.

This comes as the Cabinet Secretary Michael Matheson is due to update the Scottish Parliament shortly on his review of the go live date of DRS. Small brewers are calling on him to adopt a stepped introduction of the ambitious scheme and to review the inclusion of internet sales.

A stepped introduction would allow Global producers to deliver the scheme first and delay it for small businesses providing them with much needed time to recover from Covid-19 which has seen small brewers lose 10 years of growth and accumulate debts of around £30,000 each.

Under DRS, small brewers selling beer in cans and bottles face significant changes and costs including labels, new fees and charges costing thousands of pounds. Cash flows could be hit by having to pay these fees and the deposits up front to the Scheme Administrator.

It would also require small companies to provide a takeback service for online sales, which have become essential during the pandemic. According to the survey, 90% of small brewers now have an online shop which provide around a quarter of their total sales. For some brewers up to 75% of their sales are now online.

Under DRS, small brewers are expected to provide a way for empty containers to be picked up from people’s homes though a takeback service, even though the vast majority will be returned to local shops directly. Small brewers lack the technical resources to make the changes work, no guidance has yet been provided and the costs of returning containers could be higher than the beer itself.

SIBA Scotland Director and Managing Director of Loch Lomond Brewery Fiona MacEachern said: “Small independent brewers in Scotland have been hit hard by the pandemic, with pubs closed and sales restricted they have been running on empty for some time. While DRS is a laudable scheme, small brewers just don’t have the spare cash or ability to prepare for its introduction next year. Inevitably given the costs and requirements there will be less choice for consumers and a setback for craft brewing in Scotland.”

SIBA Scotland Director and co-owner of Loch Leven Brewery Christie Slater said: “The challenges facing the industry is why small brewers are calling on the Scottish Government to give us extra time to prepare and allow those responsible for the vast majority of containers which are most littered to go first and make the scheme work in Scotland, but also to review the online takeback requirement which is unworkable for small brewers in its current form.”

Tyrrells Launches ‘Pub Classic’ Flavour and Pledges £50k Donation to British Pubs - Continued support of the Licensed Trade Charity with new on-pack promotion KP Snacks, the no.1 supplier of Bagged Snacks in pubs and bars1, and its premium snack brand Tyrrells, have announced the launch of an exciting new flavour alongside a promotional campaign supporting the Licensed Trade Charity (LTC).

From September to November, 2 million special edition packs of Tyrrells crisps will be on sale, with Tyrrells donating £50,000 to the LTC from sales generated. Running for the second year in a row, the campaign looks to help the On Trade Channel recover from the pandemic by supporting the LTC which provides essential help across the industry, from financial hardship to mental health.

The nationwide initiative will run across three of the most popular Tyrrells flavours: Lightly Sea Salted, Mature Cheddar & Chive, and Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar in 40g singles format, as well as a new product, Tyrrells British Beef & Ale. Designed to be the perfect accompaniment to your chosen drink, Tyrrells British Beef & Ale crisps provide consumers with a favourite pub classic in a delicious snack form.

With consumer preference for meaty flavours in crisps and snacks growing2, the new product is set to catch the attention of pub-goers looking for a snack.

Beth Minch, Marketing Manager at Tyrrells says: “Tyrrells is a premium snack brand which provides hand-cooked crisps in a range of delicious flavours. As we launch this year’s campaign to support pubs and bars, we are excited to also be introducing the

new Tyrrells British Beef & Ale flavour, which was created with pubs in mind.

“We are incredibly proud to be supporting the LTC for a second year. As a brand, we are committed to supporting further recovery of pubs and bars after such difficult times. We are eager to see pubs get fully back on their feet and are thrilled to be able to contribute to the valuable work of the LTC.” Commenting on the partnership, Paula Smith, Head of Marketing, LTC said: “We’re so pleased to be collaborating with Tyrrells on this campaign and for the valuable funds to help pub people all over the UK”.

Taste and quality is at the heart of the Tyrrells offering and its authentic English heritage attracts consumers all over the UK, and internationally too. With a £55.4m RSV and growing at +10.2%3, Tyrrells products are currently purchased by over 5.5m households, with its main shoppers falling within the 45yr+ ABC1 category.4 It is the UK’s No.1 vegetable crisp brand and the No.2 hand cooked crisp and has 86 Great Taste Awards across its portfolio.

1 Kantar OOH Panel 52 w/e 27 December 2020 - Pubs and Bars 2 Nielsen Scantrack Tot Covg, Value sales MAT 18.04.2020 3 Nielsen Scantrack 17.07.2021 4 Kantar WPO 14.06.20

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Hospitality Sector Yet to Reap Freedom Day Benefits The UK hospitality sector continues to struggle and is yet to reap the benefits of the July 19 “Freedom Day” according to the latest data from the Xero Small Business Index, part of Xero Small Business Insights.

The data, produced by global small business platform Xero in partnership with Accenture, is based on anonymised and aggregated data from hundreds of thousands of small businesses. This month, it found that sales growth in the hospitality sector deteriorated to -7.5% year-on-year (y/y) in July (down from -0.1% y/y in June).

Typically, the Index compares year-on-year data to reveal how the small business economy is faring. However, as the data from July 2020 was significantly impacted by the pandemic, all comparisons in this release have been made using annualised two-year growth to account for base effects.

Small business sales overall rose 1.7% y/y. This is the fifth month of positive year-on-year growth but is down on the +8.0% y/y result from June. The best performing sectors were information media and telecommunications and retail sales, up 5.5% y/y.

The Index found that jobs in hospitality declined 10.0% y/y, only a marginal

improvement from the June figure of -12.9% y/y. After many months of travel restrictions and a poor UK summer, it’s possible that an easing of restrictions led to overseas destinations benefiting from pent-up demand rather than local businesses.

Glen Foster, Director, Small Business and Accounting Partners at Xero said: “While it’s good to see that things are recovering gradually, sales and job growth figures are still below average overall. The struggle of hospitality businesses to recover despite the easing of restrictions is a sign that we haven’t seen the back of the pandemic yet.”

“It’s essential we all work together to create an environment which accelerates growth in the coming months, particularly within the hospitality sector,” he added.

Xero has identified the key areas small firms will need greater support to rebuild. The Road to Small Business Recovery includes recommendations on technology access and the creation of a growth economy to help small firms in their recovery. You can read this manifesto at https://www.xero.com/uk/campaigns/road-to-recovery/

Hospitality Industry Be Aware: Huge Increase In Demand For Fake Vaccine Certificates

By Derek Middlemiss, Head of Security Solutions Engineering EMEA at Check Point Software (www.checkpoint.com)

Across Europe it’s already been announced that many countries are demanding vaccination certificates or proof of negative coronavirus tests in order to enter restaurants, cinemas or events. And following suit, it was recently revealed in England that such evidence will be required to enter nightclubs from the end of September.

fraudulent or suspicious domains, thinking they are genuine.

However, Check Point Research has found increasing demand for fake certificates being sold on Telegram and the Darknet. In Europe, the number of users registered into communication channels with fake certificates multiplied by 10 in just a few days, and some of these channels have up to 500,000 members.

It’s a huge concern for hospitality staff, especially for nightclubs, as bogus certificates will give them a false sense of security. Latest figures in the UK show that 35% of 18 to 30-year-olds have not yet had their first jab. However, this is the age group that is most likely to be visiting nightclubs and so something needs to be done to prevent them from being attracted into buying a fake.

Customers could be either people who have tested positive, refused to take a test or are unwilling to have the vaccine. It could also be down to the exploitation of innocent users looking for information and guidance, who are lured to

Up to now, these certificates have mostly been used for travel and our research team first reported finding them back in March. But it’s hard to ignore a new surge in demand when there are new rules coming out around entry to venues.

How can venue staff tell the difference? I’m not sure that you can. MPs were recently advised by UK border staff that it’s almost impossible to recognise forged documents. Until the government comes together and acts quickly to combat the increased sales of fake certificates on Telegram and the Darknet, the requirement to show proof of vaccination will be rather futile.

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National Pubwatch Joins Forces With Best Bar None To Offer Help To Independent Licensees and Operators To Make Their Venues Safe responsibilities seriously.

National Pubwatch is working in partnership with Best Bar None, the Home Office backed accreditation scheme for licensed premises, to support licensees and independent operators to reduce alcohol-related crime and meet their obligations under the Licensing Act.

“It can be quite daunting and time consuming to develop such policies, these will provide a template to use and adapt to the local context.

“We look forward to working closely with Best Bar None to help venues be safe and to improve standards across the sector.”

National Pubwatch, the voluntary organisation, which supports over 800 pubwatches, works to promote safe, secure and social drinking environments in all licensed premises throughout the UK.

Best Bar None chairman Lord Smith of Hindhead CBE, said: “Best Bar None recognises the responsible management of licensed premises, and robust policies and procedures are a core requirement to become accredited.

With restrictions relaxed and the late-night market now reopened after being closed for over 18-months due to Covid-19 restrictions, the two organisations have collaborated to help operators ensure that they are running safe venues.

Under the Licensing Act operators must meet the four licensing objects in the prevention of crime and disorder; public safety; the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

One way to ensure that each premises can demonstrate they meet these requirements is to have updated policies and procedures in place.

National Pubwatch and Best Bar None have produced tools to improve the operation and standards of venues with a range of free downloadable policies and procedures documentation that can be adjusted to each business. The documentation can be used by operators as evidence of their due diligence in upholding the licensing objectives and also assist them in achieving Best Bar None accreditation.

There are 16 updated policies and procedures, which are free to download for operators on both the National Pubwatch and Best Bar None websites. These include a range of topics from safeguarding vulnerable persons, Challenge 21/25, crime and disorder, drugs, searching and overcrowding.

National Pubwatch chairman Steve Baker OBE, said: “It is important as the market has reopened that publicans and operators continue to meet their obligations to ensure premises are safe. Having policies and procedures in place are important to demonstrate that the venue is taking its

“A fundamental aim of the scheme is to support premises to continually improve standards. With the recent refresh of the Best Bar None accreditation, we took the opportunity to update our template policies, tools and resources and are delighted to be rolling these out with the support of our partners, National Pubwatch.”

National Pubwatch recently warned licensees to ensure staff are fully trained to support vulnerable customers or face losing their reputation as safe and secure venues.

In response it created a training film called Supporting Vulnerable People, which takes frontline staff through a variety of scenarios on how to ensure the safety of customers.

The policies and procedures can be accessed here: https://www.nationalpubwatch.org.uk/policy-documents/

Greene King Kicks Off Month Long Fundraiser With Brave The Shave For Macmillan Greene King, the UK’s leading pub company and brewer, is kicking of its annual month of fundraising with the sponsorship of a new fundraising concept for Macmillan Cancer Support, called Macmillan Brave the Shave Live.

More than 100 Greene King pubs are inviting customers to sign up to shave their head live in the pub in front of family and friends this bank holiday weekend and raise money to support people living with cancer.

The Brave the Shave campaign will begin a month of fundraising during September, which is the delayed Macmillan May campaign, when all 1,700 Greene King pubs across the country will be fundraising for its charity partner.

Pubs will be holding fun days, collections, coffee mornings and challenges galore and will aim to raise £1m.

Macmillan helps people with every aspect of living with cancer, including practical financial and emotional support. The pubs’ efforts bring much needed funding during a challenging year for Macmillan, which has reported significant losses

in donations due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nick Mackenzie, CEO at Greene King, said: “We know what an amazing job Macmillan does being there when people need it most, so we always want to raise as much money as we can to support them. This year, with the addition of Brave the Shave, we’re hoping for an incredible month of fundraising and our teams can’t wait to get started.”

Rachel Gascoigne, senior partnerships manager at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Our partnership with Greene King has been so successful and it’s because of events like these. We were overwhelmed with support with the 2020 Macmillan September campaign, as it raised more than £1m – despite the most difficult of years and pubs having not long re-opened after lockdown. We are so grateful to all the pubs and their customers for their support and wish them good luck with their fundraising events.”

Since the start of its partnership in 2012, Greene King team members and customers have raised a staggering £9million for Macmillan.

What Can Employers Do When an Employee is Identified Publicly for Antisocial Behaviour?

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By Kate Palmer, HR Advice and Consultancy Director at Peninsula (www.peninsulagrouplimited.com)

Employers need to consider carefully what they would do if one of their employees is publicly identified as being involved in antisocial behaviour. Poor behaviour outside of work does not necessarily mean losing your job but some employers may decide that the connection between work and the employee’s behaviour is too strong and that continued employment is untenable.

Dismissal for something an employee does outside of work can be fair, but this all depends on the reason and the procedure used.

It’s best to avoid being precise when it comes to defining what kind of behaviour is unacceptable, especially when it comes to behaviour outside of work, because no policy could cover everything imaginable that would be unacceptable. However, employers would be best placed to cover it in their contracts to alert employees to the fact that their behaviour outside of work could be the subject of action in work.

The line between what is and isn’t seen as acceptable behaviour outside work can be a flexible one, which is dictated to by whether a dismissal would be seen as fair by an employment tribunal. Employers are more like-

A Summer Of Feel Good Food This year, Love Seafood by Seafish is celebrating Summer of Feel Good Food and encouraging the nation to choose the nation’s favourite takeaway – fish and chips. And you can be part of it.

Launched in 2020, Love Seafood has an aim of encouraging the nation to eat more seafood, building strong band of advocates around the industry and celebrating the huge diversity of fish and shellfish available to the UK consumer.

With more people than ever before planning to holiday at home this year, Love Seafood is making the most of the immense opportunity available and supporting the UK’s amazing local fish and chip shops with an integrated marketing campaign.

Here’s what we’re planning and how you can get involved:

ly to bring outside behaviour into question when the employee’s actions bring their integrity in the workplace in doubt, for example, if a finance clerk was charged with stealing money. Others may look to act because the continued employment will affect the success of the business or brings it into disrepute. An employee letting their hair down is not likely to make the newspapers; serious anti-social behaviour very well might.

Having your employee plastered all over the front pages in a compromising position is not what any employer wants, however, instant dismissal as a reaction to press coverage will almost always be unfair, depending on how long the employee has been with you.

All fair dismissals for poor behaviour are built on a good investigation into what happened so this is the first step, and the findings will inform how you proceed. Although cutting all ties with the employee may appear to be the appropriate way forward, employment tribunals will approach the case in the same way as any another dismissal for poor conduct so they will be looking for reasonableness and fairness.

Social media policies have become a mainstay for businesses in the past few years. Employers appreciate that employees have a social media presence but should set out clearly what their expectations are in connection with work in a policy, for example, not highlighting where they work.

With so much information easily accessible online it’s easy to trace someone’s workplace, and the reputational fall out for a company can be catastrophic. As we are seeing with Savills, where an employee’s Twitter account was apparently linked to racist abuse sent to England players, there can be immense pressure for an employer to act immediately, however, it is important to balance managing the company’s reputation with the employee’s right to fair process when considering any action.

A series of engaging features and fun, shareable content is being pitched to national and local media titles across the UK to inspire people to choose fish and chips for their next takeaway meal. Content from the campaign will be available on the Seafish website for other businesses to use in their own marketing activity.

Love Seafood will also be working with popular influencers from across the UK on @loveseafooduk social media channels, sharing their favourite spots for summer days out (which of course will include portion of fish and chips!). If you’d like to be considered for an influencer drop, let us know!

GET INVOLVED Love Seafood by Seafish has produced range of marketing materials to support the Summer of Feel Good Food campaign, available to download at www.seafish.org/love-seafood Feel free to use these in your own marketing and social media activity.

Working together with businesses, our Summer of Feel Good Food activity is designed to make sure the nation’s favourite is is first on the list for UK adventures during 2021 – if you’d like to get involved or want more information, email us on loveseafood@seafish.co.uk See the advert on page 9 for details.

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The Most Romantic UK Staycation Destinations (That You Might Not Expect) 24

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Issue 72

After so long spent without being able to enjoy a holiday, romantic getaways are on everyone’s minds. Whether you’re arranging a birthday or anniversary trip with your other half or planning to pull out a halo engagement ring and pop the question, finding a romantic destination is the first step of the perfect plan. With travel restrictions still limiting foreign holidays, staycations are a great alternative if you’re looking for a romantic break with your loved one. Interest in staycations has, unsurprisingly, rocketed over the past year, with many holidaymakers uncovering hidden gems very close to home. According to Google search data, searches for “staycation” increased by 83 per cent between June 2020 and June 2021. Searches for “staycation UK” increased by an even more impressive 173 per cent. Clearly, we’re all keen to discover new parts of the UK. When it comes to a romantic getaway though, which places should be at the top of your staycation travel list?

SOUTHAMPTON Another destination that may surprise you is Southampton. With 86 romantic restaurants and three hotels that are tailor-made for a romantic getaway, this city on the south coast of England is a hidden gem when it comes to staycation options. From elegant wine bars like Porters Wine & Charcuterie to locally caught seafood and stunning sea views at The Jetty, Southampton has some unique locations that are sure to make for a weekend to remember.

romantic place in the UK and it’s easy to see why. With 104 romantic hotels and 286 romantic restaurants, you’ll be spoilt for choice if you opt for Edinburgh for your next holiday. If you can’t decide between a city break and a romantic weekend in the country, Edinburgh is a great compromise. Enjoy the hustle and bustle of the Royal Mile, or get out of the city centre and hike Arthur’s Seat at sunset for an incredible panorama of the historic city.

GLASGOW Scotland’s done it again, proving that this part of the UK is the perfect choice if you’re planning on visiting a few different places on your romantic getaway. Glasgow is the fourth most romantic UK destination (after London, Edinburgh and one of our best-kept secrets – keep reading to find out!). Glasgow boasts 212 romantic restaurants, including Cail Bruich, the first restaurant in Glasgow to earn a Michelin Star.

Thanks to new data from Angelic Diamonds, we can now reveal the most romantic spots in the UK. From the twinkling lights of the most romantic metropolises to the best-kept secrets that you might not have considered for a romantic holiday, we’ve got you covered.

LEEDS For a big city break in the heart of Yorkshire, consider a romantic break in Leeds. This city is perfect if you’re looking for romance with a little bit of adventure and quirkiness. With so many romantic restaurants to choose from (184) and your pick of 11 romantic hotels, Leeds has a lot to offer for a couple’s getaway. For a stylish dining experience and beautiful views of the city, make a reservation at Angelica on the sixth floor of the Trinity centre.

BEST-KEPT SECRETS As well as the buzzing cities, there are plenty of smaller destinations in the UK which would be wonderful for a romantic getaway that’s slightly off the beaten track. If the bright lights of city life aren’t for you and you’d prefer a slightly more laid back romantic trip, try one of these smaller destinations — they’re sure to pleasantly surprise you!

OXFORD With 11 romantic hotels and 69 restaurants that are perfect for a holiday date night, Oxford is another serious contender in the competition for the most romantic destination in the UK. Although it comes in at number 22 in the rankings, this number is impressive considering its small size and the large cities it races ahead of (including Aberdeen and Swansea). In Oxford, there are plenty of romantic activities to choose from, such as a picnic in Port Meadow or a trip to the historic Turf Tavern.

CHESTER

SALFORD If you’re looking for a romantic weekend away to a slightly unexpected destination, Salford could be the perfect option for you! This city in Greater Manchester was ranked third in terms of romance, placing it above Glasgow and many other major UK cities. So, what is it about this large town that makes it so romantic? The main thing that has boosted Salford up the charts is that it is home to an impressive 291 romantic restaurants. From Lugana to Platzki, the romantic restaurants in Salford cater to every taste and offer a range of formal or more laid back atmospheres. As well as great dining options, Salford has many other staycation activities to offer, from a trip to the historic Ordsall Hall to seeing a show at the Lowry theatre.

BRADFORD Another strong contender for the UK’s most romantic destination is the West Yorkshire city of Bradford. Like Salford, Bradford won a surprise spot in the top five, becoming the official fifth most romantic place in the UK! Again, the main appeal of Bradford for a romantic getaway appears to be its abundance of restaurants that are sure to set the scene for a beautiful evening to remember. You’ll have plenty of options when taking your other half out for a delicious meal in Bradford, with 212 Tripadvisor approved romantic restaurants to choose from.

If you’re intrigued by traditional and picturesque towns like Oxford, Chester is also a great option! This city in the northwest of England was built as a Roman fortress and is a wonderful place to explore cobbled streets and find hidden wonders. With 15 hotels that are perfect for couples and 63 romantic restaurants, Chester is a wonderful staycation option if you’re planning a holiday and want to go somewhere a little different.

BIG CITY BREAKS Big cities can offer so many romantic opportunities. From high-end dining to evenings at the theatre, they are always a great choice for a getaway if you and your partner are looking for some excitement! To find out which big cities topped the romance charts, Angelic Diamonds researched the number of restaurants and hotels in the “romantic” category of Tripadvisor for every city and large town in the UK. Here’s what the data reveals.

BIRMINGHAM With 176 beautiful places to eat for a date you’ll never forget, Birmingham is another superb staycation option. This city also has plenty to offer in the way of romantic activities – you could organise a canal boat trip around the city (Birmingham is said to have more canals than Venice, after all), see a performance at the Birmingham Royal Ballet, or enjoy scenic canal-side dining at Mailbox.

Whether you’re looking for somewhere off the beaten track or you’re gravitating towards one of the UK’s favourite cities, there are plenty of romantic options for you and your loved one to choose from.

Staycations can be every bit as romantic as a tropical holiday, as long as you know where to look!

Sources

LONDON It will probably come as no surprise that London came out on top as the ultimate romantic staycation destination. With 281 romantic hotels to choose from and an incredible choice of romantic restaurants (1,870 in total), there’s something to suit every couple. Whether you’re eager to catch a West End musical, take a ride on the London Eye, or enjoy a romantic dinner in Notting Hill, there’s plenty to do to and romantic sparks are sure to be flying.

EDINBURGH For a fairy tale-worthy romantic getaway (castle included), you can’t go wrong with Edinburgh. Scotland’s capital came in as the second most

https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2021/08/uk-staycation-search-trends/ https://lugana.co.uk/ https://www.platzki.com/ https://www.tripadvisor.com/ https://www.cailbruich.co.uk/ https://ordsallhall.com/ https://www.harbourhotels.co.uk/southampton/eat-and-drink/the-jetty https://www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/pubs/oxfordshire/turftavern/?utm_source=g_places&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=places&utm_content= https://www.angelica-leeds.com/ https://www.angelicdiamonds.com/love-dilemmas/ https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/50050/culture_arts_and_heritage/179/canals_of_birmingham#:~:text=Birmingham%20has%2035%20miles%20of,iron%20and%20other%20heavy%20 goods. https://mailboxlife.com/

Join CLH News at Hotel360 - Get Your FREE Tickets Today!

We pride ourselves on bringing our readers the latest news in the hospitality industry, which is why we have partnered with Hotel360 - the UK’s leading hospitality event dedicated to increasing hotel growth and profitability.

Taking place on the 28th & 29th of September at the ExCeL London, Hotel360 is all set to assert its position as the UK’s leading hospitality event dedicated to increasing hotel profitability!

All under one roof, industry experts will provide ambitious visitors with their secrets to success; whilst an array of some of the most innovative suppliers in the hotel sector will showcase the solutions that are forming the future of the ever-evolving industry, all for FREE! Hotel360’s unparalleled line-up will boast over 300 cutting-edge suppliers, 150 inspirational seminars, expert-led panel debates, unlimited networking

opportunities, unmissable innovation awards, and much more.

Uniting the leading innovators from the worlds of marketing, branding, facilities management, operations, technology and beyond, the event is the hub of the solutions that are providing hospitality’s professionals with the tools they need to not only grow their business, but also increase their profits The incredible features don’t stop there! Running directly alongside Hotel360 is the Hospitality Design Show. Not only will the show reveal the designs behind business growth, it also grants you with a unique opportunity to let the leading creatives guide you to success!

So what are you waiting for? Visit www.hotel360expo.co.uk to secure your free ticket and discover the tools to maximise your margins and stay ahead of the curve!

U.S. Must Approve Astrazeneca Vaccine To Rescue Transatlantic Travel With UK 28

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Issue 72

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is calling upon the U.S. government to urgently speed up approval of the UK’s AstraZeneca vaccine to help restore vital transatlantic travel.

According to travel and data analytics expert Cirium, UK-U.S. flights scheduled for the last week of August have plunged by 73% compared to the same period in 2019, before the pandemic.

Just this week the City of New York included AstraZeneca to its list of vaccines which would be accepted as proof of inoculation to enter many indoor venues.

The Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the main health authority in the U.S., this week approved the Pfizer vaccine, however it still does not currently recognise AstraZeneca as an approved COVID-19 vaccine.

Total seats available over this period have collapsed from a high of 287,000 in 2019 to a mere 78,000 in 2021.

WTTC expects other U.S states to follow New York’s lead and calls upon the federal government to include all World Health Organization (WHO) and FDA approved vaccines.

Even if the Biden Administration allows borders to reopen, the CDC’s non-recognition of AstraZeneca will be a significant barrier to transatlantic travel between the UK and the U.S. WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, says America will effectively remain off-limits to the majority of Brits – and many millions more around the world – who are vaccinated with the AstraZeneca drug.

AstraZeneca has the largest global reach of all current vaccines and has currently been administered across 176 countries and territories, highlighting the importance of its approval in the U.S.

Virginia Messina, WTTC Senior Vice President, said: “It’s crucial the U.S. authorities step forward to formally approve the AstraZeneca vaccine as a matter of urgency to enable cross-border mobility and the return of transatlantic travel between the UK and U.S. “Unless it gives it the green light, then the U.S. will effectively remain closed to the vast majority of UK visitors and the many millions around the world who are double-jabbed with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“This will leave airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, hotels and the entire Travel & Tourism infrastructure, which depends upon transatlantic travel, in significant trouble for the foreseeable future.

In addition, WTTC has grown increasingly concerned that more layers of complexity around vaccine requirements are increasing barriers to mobility and cross-border travel, with Austria recently announcing a 270day expiry date for COVID-19 vaccine certificate.

The global tourism body believes such a move could significantly delay the recovery of the country’s Travel & Tourism sector, deterring travellers from visiting, causing further damage to the Austrian economy.

WTTC recently warned that the restart of international travel could be seriously delayed without worldwide reciprocal recognition of all approved COVID-19 vaccines

WTTC says CDC non-recognition will continue to seriously depress consumer demand and prevent any meaningful revival of transatlantic travel from the UK to the U.S.

“Neither the U.S. nor the UK economy can afford this ‘vaccine vacuum’ to continue a day longer, and every day which passes, and transatlantic travel remains off limits, it leaves the Travel & Tourism sector sinking deeper into the red.”

It will also continue the serious knock-on effects throughout the Travel & Tourism sector on both sides of the Atlantic.

WTTC warns that the current CDC approval process could take months to give AstraZeneca the all clear.

WTTC has also recently pressed the UK government to bear the cost of hugely expensive and unnecessary PCR tests for fully jabbed citizens, which continues to deter Britons from travelling.

U.S. carrier JetBlue recently launched its first transatlantic flights from New York to London, while Aer Lingus, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines are all due to add new routes or extra capacity to cater to increased demand from the U.S. to the UK.

It also fears that if the U.S. rounded on a policy which only approved the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vaccines, this would prevent millions of travellers from visiting America, the third most popular destination for travellers in the world.

WTTC has helped to spearhead the coordinated international response to the impact of the pandemic upon the global Travel & Tourism sector – which has so far cost 62 million jobs in the sector and suffered a loss of almost US$4.3 trillion.

Vaccine inequality could become an increasing barrier to international mobility and continue to inflict damage upon economies around the world.

The Access Group Acquires Omnifi To Increase Value Of Integrated Technology Solutions Simon Liss, Managing Director and Nick Holroyd-Doveton, Managing Partner of Omnifi will join Access Hospitality to ensure the successful transition of the business and will continue to manage the next phase of Omnifi’s growth, with Nick continuing to manage and lead the development of the Orderbee product.

The Access Group has strengthened its ongoing commitment to customer success with the acquisition of Omnifi and its Orderbee Mobile Order and Pay technology, which will be incorporated into its Hospitality division. This is Access Hospitality’s fourth major acquisition in the last four months, having previously completed the acquisitions of Acteol CRM, CPL Learning and Trail.

As a market leading technology provider, Access Hospitality continues to recognise the value that Order and Pay capability offers multiple operators. Access customers report that a tightly integrated order and pay, reservation and till system are even more relevant in the current climate when recruiting employees is especially challenging in the industry.

Adding Orderbee to the Access hospitality software suite will enable customers to order in seconds after they arrive, maximising operators’ profits, helping to drive efficiencies and reduce administration time as they re-establish their business at this critical time of trading. The ability to connect this to CRM for promotions and loyalty without the need for an App is game changing.

Henry Seddon, managing director of Access Hospitality commented, “Over the last year we have seen the full impact that digital technology can have on hospitality businesses, as they needed to react quickly to change and run as effectively and efficiently as possible. Omnifi provides best of breed Mobile Order and Pay technology, which has been an

essential part of this transformation, and enables a hospitality or leisure operator of any size, to deploy rapidly and at scale. Integration of Orderbee Mobile Order and Pay technology into the existing range of Access Hospitality Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions strengthens the end-to-end technology that we offer the hospitality sector. It’s about supporting operators to maximise their opportunities now there has been such a shift in consumer behaviour towards order and pay.

“Access Hospitality is passionate about developing software that gives customers the freedom to focus on delivering great guest experiences” added Seddon. “We pride ourselves on a track record of investing in the companies we acquire to improve customer success and product development in order to provide excellent service and solutions to support their future ambitions. We are excited by the additional opportunities that integrating Orderbee Mobile Order and Pay technology with our existing solutions including EPoS, CRM, reservations and ticketing, all powered by Access Workspace, will provide for our customers.”

Nick Holroyd-Doveton said “Access’ decision to acquire Omnifi is a reflection of the success of the Orderbee product that has helped us become the UK’s leading provider of enterprise level Order and Pay software to both the hospitality and leisure sectors.

“Combining with Access will allow us to significantly invest in our people, processes and products. We have agreed ambitious plans for Orderbee with Access and together we will continue to develop the product and drive the feature roadmap forward in collaboration with our customers and all our integration partners.”

Seddon concluded, ”Access Hospitality has a customer-first mentality and Omnifi customers will benefit from the ongoing investment in our services and access to a wider range of integrated business technology.

Many of our existing Access Hospitality customers approached us about Order and Pay and highlighted that Orderbee was an excellent solution. The more we investigated it the more excited we got about what this could do for our customers, and we believe the value of incorporating Orderbee into our suite of solutions will be second to none.”

Black and White Hospitality Signs Deal For New Leicester Square Restaurant Black and White Hospitality has signed a deal that will see it open a Marco Pierre White branded restaurant in Leicester Square.

Regarded as the home of film and entertainment, the new restaurant, which will create up to 80 jobs, will be located next door to the Odeon cinema and heralds the return of the famed chef to the capital’s West End in over 10 years.

Called Mr White’s, work will begin next week on the transformation if the 14,500 sq ft, four-storey property.

With British heritage at its heart, the menu will centre around steaks, grills and chops but also includes an Italian influence with handmade pizzas which adds a distinct continental flavour to the menu.

Nick Taplin, chairman and CEO of Black and White Hospitality said: “Opportunities like this are very rare so we had to act fast and are delighted

to have got the deal over the line.

“This is arguably one of the most iconic areas of London and is known worldwide as the place to go for entertainment. Around 2.5 million people visit Leicester Square every week so is one of the capital’s busiest places.

“That level of footfall therefore makes this new venue a very exciting proposition and we can’t wait to open. The property is currently undergoing a fit out and we expect to be trading by October.

“Mr White’s is the perfect fit for Leicester Square. It’s an evolution of taking tradition and quality ingredients and placing it in an easy to access, relatable and charismatic setting that been created purely for the guest who wishes to enjoy easy and affordable dining. It was an easy decision to launch a new International brand here.”

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Issue 72

The Hospitality Sector Must Leverage Digital Payment Innovations to Successfully Navigate the Pandemic and Enable Business Growth

By Travis Henry, Senior Partnership Manager of Travel & Hospitality industries at international payment service provider ECOMMPAY (https://ecommpay.com) Few sectors have been as hard-hit by the pandemic as hospitality. For almost 18 months, businesses have been asked to close for indefinite amounts of time, reopen at a moment’s notice or have been teased by ever-changing restriction-easing dates. Hospitality has seen the biggest economic decline of all sectors of the economy since the pandemic began. In the second quarter of 2020 alone, it is estimated that the hospitality sector lost out on £30 billion of revenue.

Even now, when the UK’s vaccine rollout is hailed as a success, and Freedom Day offers hope, hospitality businesses are still shouldering a disproportionate burden from the pandemic. With COVID cases rising fast, the sector is facing inevitable booking cancellations and refund requests. Even pre-pandemic, no shows reportedly cost the industry £16 billion per annum.

The picture is not much brighter when you look to the international stage. As Europe lags behind the UK’s vaccine rollout, and as their lockdowns are extended, the traffic light system is very much flickering. The uncertainty surrounding tourism from abroad is putting into question the “greatness” of the British summer season.

Hospitality businesses need to be more flexible and adaptable than ever to survive. To support them, merchant payment providers must act as reliable third parties to help manage and mitigate the ongoing impacts of the pandemic. In doing so, they provide the chance to demonstrate how digitalisation of the payment process enhances their offerings and protects not only their own data but their customers too.

MERCHANT PAYMENT PROVIDERS: A HELPING HAND The hospitality industry has, until now, built itself a complex payments structure to offer its customers flexible services – with legacy technology often connecting a system of suppliers, distributors, processors, security systems and payment options. However, there are simpler and more efficient ways to deliver.

Many merchants have had to move to online store offerings, which demands the necessary certifications to take payments online, and can often be a time-consuming and expensive process. Instead, there is a more optimal solution available in the form of a digital payment link. A one-time invoice where the order data is sent via email, messenger or any other convenient method, and executed in a matter of clicks. Since sending a link doesn’t require integration with a payment gateway or Application Programming Interface (API), merchants

who aren’t in a position to hire developers or spend money on building in-house IT infrastructure no longer need to. Many payment providers now offer a single client interface, whereby merchants can create payment links, monitor payment statuses in real-time, analyse incoming revenues, and create financial reports all in one place.

Online payment providers, particularly those with Open Banking solutions which offer a secure way to share financial information, are also in prime position to help the hospitality sector. By offering fast, secure, and easy refunds in instances where customers have prepaid or put down a deposit, hospitality businesses can use this data to better understand and maintain customer satisfaction despite unavoidable cancellations – increasing the chance of return business. Similarly, omitting charge-backs for refunds is a welcome measure to help struggling businesses keep costs low. Removing credit and debit cards in favour of Open Banking alternatives also eliminates the chargeback risks associated with fraud – which has also risen throughout the pandemic or insufficient funds.

Merchant payment providers are also in a favourable position to reduce the unreliability of international tourism in the Summer of 2021. By leveraging Open Banking APIs, cross-border payments will be made easier and faster. This will, on the one hand, incentivise tourists to pre-book with UK hospitality businesses, but also facilitate refunds in cases affected by international travel restrictions.

WHAT NEXT FOR PAYMENTS IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR? For all the upheaval caused by the pandemic, it has catalysed many pre-existing trends in the hospitality payments space. In an increasingly globalised world, customers need effective international payment solutions offering both global coverage and local solutions. This will be invaluable as businesses continue to navigate both the pandemic impacts and the Brexit transition. ECOMMPAY’s research found that more than one in three UK businesses (37%) have lost revenue from cross-border card payments post-Brexit, with an average revenue loss of £66,812.

Similarly, hospitality businesses have always wanted to ensure customer satisfaction whilst keeping costs low.

Open Banking services bridge this gap, offering flexible and fast payment options.

Customers are increasingly digitally literate. ECOMMPAY’s research found that one in five (20%) consumers used a digital wallet for the first time or started using one regularly in 2020. So, although the challenge of COVID is sizable, consumers are already well-versed with the tools offered by digital payment providers.

Therefore, hospitality businesses can rely on these services to continue to manage the impact of the pandemic throughout Summer 2021 and beyond.

See the Technology feature in this issue.

Brew’d Nitro Cold Brew - Serve Perfect Iced Coffee in Moments A Brew’d Nitro Cold Brew machine uses a bag in box system much like a juice dispenser, where concentrated cold brew coffee is mixed with chilled water and nitrogen. The water dilutes the concentrate, whilst the nitrogen creates a smooth creamy texture.

The finished product is a perfectly chilled, silky smooth cold brew coffee that is dispensed with ease from the integrated tap.

EXPAND YOUR MENU The opportunities from your new Brew’d machine are endless, as the cold brew coffee can be used as a base for literally thousands of different iced drink combinations.

ADD MILK Boost your Nitro cold brew’s already creamy texture by combining it with fresh milk or dairy-free alternatives.

ADD A SPLASH OF FLAVOUR Iced coffee is the hottest drinks trend of the summer, and thanks to the Brew’d Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Machine, serving it just got 1,000 times easier.

The UK’s iced beverages market is worth over £450 million per year, with over 6.4million sold in UK coffee shops each week in the summer months.

With a second heatwave on the way, there’s no better time to invest in a cold brew machine that will expand your drinks offering and boost your profits.

WHAT IS BREW’D NITRO COLD BREW? Cold brew coffee is prepared by soaking coffee grounds in cold water for a long period of time. The resulting drink is very different to what you’d get from icing hot coffee. Cold brew has a much lower acidity, is smoother, sweeter, and there is generally little or no bitterness. Whilst delicious, it is extremely time-consuming to prepare manually.

Adding a pump of syrup is the easiest way to add variety to your cold brew coffee menu. Invest in a core range of coffee syrups for extra flavour sweetness. The nations three favourite flavours for iced coffee drinks are caramel, salted caramel and vanilla.

TOP IT OFF Brew’d Nitro cold brew is already capped with a creamy foam top, but for something extra indulgent you could add a layer of milk foam or whipped cream.

FROM DAY TO NIGHT Transitioning your Brew’d Nitro Cold Brew coffee machine from daytime service to night couldn’t be easier. After months of mixing quarantine cocktails at home, people are back in pubs, bars and clubs and the demand for beautiful professionally made cocktails is high.

CRAFTING THE PERFECT ESPRESSO MARTINI A well-made espresso martini is a thing of beauty. Lightly bitter, with a dark chocolatey undertone and balanced sweetness, and it couldn’t be easier with a Brew’d Nitro Cold Brew coffee machine.

Classic Espresso Martini You’ll need...

50ml Premium vodka such as Chase Vodka 25ml Quality Coffee liqueur such as Conker Brew’d Nitro Cold Brew Coffee Whole coffee beans or grated chocolate to garnish

Method Combine the vodka, coffee liqueur and ice in a cocktail shaker. Add the nitro cold brew coffee from your Brew’d machine then shake. Strain into a pre-chilled glass and add whole coffee beans or finely grated chocolate to garnish.

To get a free quote for a Brew’d Nitro Cold Brew Coffee machine, please call Liquidline on 0800 849 9110 or email sales@liquidline.co.uk.To find out more please visit: www.liquidline.co.uk/brands/brewd/

An espresso martini is an obvious choice to get the most from your

Caffè Culture Returns This September Caffè Culture, the UK’s premier trade exhibition for the coffee bar market, will return from 2-3 September 2021 at the Business Design Centre, London, marking one of the first face to face events of the season. Over 4,000 decision makers consisting of independent coffee shops owners and buyers from the multiples and high street chains will visit the show to source the latest products and services needed to run a successful operation. Caffè Culture’s exhibitors will showcase products ranging from tea, artisan food, bakery and chocolate right through to equipment, technolo-

Brew’d machine in the evening. It is the ultimate impulse purchase of the drinks world, which falls into place at that moment of the evening when you decide you’re not ready to go home. Whether that be transitioning from the workday to after-hours, or from the early part of a night out to the next leg, the perfect combination of caffeine and alcohol is the rocket fuel that powers the night that little bit longer.

gy and packaging. Some of the highlights for 2021 include: • RECONNECT with Victoria Arduino RECONNECT will play host to some of the UK’s finest speciality roasters including; Caravan Coffee Roasters, London Grade, Cupper’s Choice, Crosby Roasters, Hasbean, Ozone, Foundation Roasters, Ue Coffee Roasters & Common Coffee.

• NEW for 2021 Speciality Tea Hub This new feature has been launched in partnership with the European Speciality Tea Association (ESTA) to promote the growing spe-

ciality tea market. As well as a variety of tea suppliers and an ESTA lounge, the feature will house a Brew Bar to enable visitors to taste some award-winning teas and to learn how to incorporate a more professional and profitable tea offering into their existing businesses.

• Caffe Culture Talks programme The multi-streamed Caffé Culture Talks Programme is an essential part of the show’s offering which has over 50 leading international speakers and panellists.

Coffee Studies, The Roasters Forum, People & Culture, and Caffé Insights provide a diverse and specialist series of talks to inform, educate and inspire owners and operators from all types of speciality coffee and hospitality businesses.

• SCA Latte Art Competition The SCA UK Latte Art Championship is an exhilarating competition showcasing pouring perfection. Each competitor will showcase their latte art skills in pouring and matching pairs of drinks, with the most complex and visually appealing designs possible.

Caffè Culture Show will take place in the Business Design Centre, Islington, London from 2-3 September 2021. Trade visitors can register at www.caffecultureshow.com

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Issue 72

Chefs' Buyers Guide

The Need to Offer More Than Just Great Food in 2021 Commercial Director of Wanis International Foods (www.wanis.com), George Phillips talks about why venues need to offer more than great food in 2021.

The closing of restaurants during the pandemic and the restrictions that still follow saw a step-change in which consumers were welcomed back, whether willingly or less so, to the delights of their own kitchens.

The unstoppable behemoths that are Just Eat, Uber Eats and Deliveroo, together with many consumers’ new-found experience of cooking for themselves 7 days a week, has resulted in customers becoming accustomed to eating their favourite restaurant food in the comfort of their homes. This means venues need to work that much harder to get customers through the door, and while many are already rising to the challenge, there is perhaps some unintended assistance from the Foreign Secretary.

2021 is fast becoming the year of the staycation due to the confusion and frustration of the ever-changing foreign travel traffic light system.

This presents a fantastic opportunity for venues to capitalise on a captive audience this summer by creating experiences that drive footfall.

As the adage says: "If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain", which is why creating a staycation experience within your venue could be a real money spinner this year.

Rather than going with the obvious such a Spanish theme with paella and sangria, think outside the box to offer your clientele something a little more exotic, such as a Caribbean-themed Staycation experience.

The growing popularity of the bottomless brunch shows no signs of slowing down and customers seem to be willing to pay a little bit more for an experience that is worthy of posting on their social media feed, particularly after being starved of this during lockdowns. Dress up the room and create interesting Caribbean themed backdrops for customers, not forgetting inflatable palm trees for their ubiquitous selfies, which also has the added benefit of promoting your venue via their social media platforms. Download a suitable playlist

from Spotify and you’re good to go.

Set menus work really well within this space and help simplify the offering for the kitchen. You don’t need specialist staff to create exciting dishes with a Caribbean flavour, just look to Tropical Sun, one of the brands in our portfolio, for ingredients, seasonings and condiments together with a selection of authentic recipes that can very easily help you create a real taste of the Caribbean. Everything you need from genuine Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, Ackee and Callaloo to herbs and spices, sauces, rice, beans, soft drinks and imported beers are all here under one roof.

BOTTOMLESS CARIBBEAN STAYCATION BRUNCH: Starter: Mango and prawn cocktail – just add a dash of Tropical Sun Papaya Hot Pepper sauce and some chopped mango to a traditional prawn cocktail.

Main: Jerk chicken with rice and peas – use Tropical Sun jerk marinade for instant jerk chicken and cook long grain rice with red kidney beans and coconut milk for the classic Rice & Peas. Jerk Jackfruit is a delicious vegan alternative.

Dessert: Mango and Coconut cheesecake Bottomless rum punch - made by mixing 1-part unbranded rum to 4-parts Tropical Vibes fruit punch.

There is also an opportunity to up-sell side dishes such as fried plantain, sweet potato fries and macaroni cheese.

The menu example above is both easy to prepare and keep during the day while offering customers both an experience some of the vibrant, sunshine flavours of the Caribbean. After all, there is some truth in another adage: “You are what you eat”. All the ingredients for these and so many more World Food dishes are stocked at Wanis International Foods, so please do visit us either in person at our East London Cash and Carry, online or order via our dedicated telesales team and let us help you make the ‘Staycation’ a ‘Vacation’.

LittlePod - It's Time to Get Real LittlePod produces unique natural vanilla ingredients for home cooks, professional chefs and manufacturers, and has campaigned for real vanilla since 2010. This Devonbased company has won

several accolades, including the Board of Trade Award for Exporting 2018 and KosherFest 2019 ‘Best Product for the Baking Aisle’.

The quality of LittlePod’s products has garnered praise and great appreciation over the past decade.

With Olympic winners competing in Tokyo, now, is the time for companies to apply for the Queen's Award this year. LittlePod got that 'Winning feeling' back in 2018, winning the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development.

LittlePod have also just become one of the first companies to achieve the Made in Devon status organised by their local Trading Standards team.

Trading Standards measure the performance of the organisation against their standards and if the company meet their criteria they could be the proud owners of a new kitemark of Trusted Trader, Made in Devon.

To celebrate is to be hopeful, and having survived the challenges of 2020 the LittlePod team are looking forward to summer. In July (21st), Exeter’s Cygnet Theatre will return to the LittlePod garden, performing another spectacular outdoor performance, while the audience enjoy picnic hampers filled with vanilla-infused treats.

On International Real Vanilla Day (October 17, 2020) LittlePod launched in Japan. This autumn, the LittlePod team hope to mark the occasion again with a gathering of LittlePodders at Bickleigh Castle in Devon.

Visit www.littlepod.co.uk for further details.

LittlePod Offering Apprenticeship training in Operations Management Like to join our team? Here at LittlePod, we’re on the look-out for our next apprentice…

Spotting potential, nurturing talent and offering opportunities are things high on our agenda and, during the last decade or so, many successful careers have been launched from our HQ, here in East Devon.

Olly, our CEO and the man leading our Campaign for Real Vanilla? He first joined LittlePod on an apprenticeship…

Be it here or elsewhere, we’re eager to see all our interns and apprentices develop and thrive in their chosen careers, and have long been committed to skills, education and training, and all that such things entail.

That being the case, it excites us to offer our latest opening — an apprenticeship in operations management.

The successful candidate will assist LittlePod’s operations manager, completing a two-and-a-half year apprenticeship — in collaboration with ETS — that combines on-the-job experience and learning modules. The position is suitable for those who have an interest in developing professional skills within the production and operations environment. Five GCSEs (grade 4/C or equivalent, including English and maths) are desirable and graduates are also welcome to apply.

The salary is competitive and negotiable, depending on experience.

Like to find out more? For full details and applications, please visit: /www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/ apprenticeship/-626708 Perhaps YOU could join our team and become LittlePod’s next apprentice!

British free British range liquid egg

Range Farm Liquid Egg products are produced from fresh free range, British eggs. Available as Whole Egg, Egg Whites and Yolk supplied in pallecons, BIB and cartons. To start cooking with ease, call 01249 732221 or email Adrian.Blyth@stonegate.co.uk

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Chefs' Buyers Guide

Food Service at Sarunds

Sarunds are a distributor of world-class chocolate & confectionery, supplying the independent retail & food service sectors in the UK. We’re the largest supplier of top-quality chocolates and confectionery to the UK’s independent retail and food service sectors. We’re known for our large inventory of products from big brands and small artisan producers that offer great quality versus price. We’re also known for our customer service. Please explore this site if you’re a retailer (or prospective retailer) who is looking for the best supplier of quality chocolate and confectionery – both loose and prepacked.

We run a responsible business that’s committed to protecting the environment. We do that by continually monitor-

ing the way our goods are packaged and by reducing the non-recyclable elements wherever possible, for minimal environmental impact.

We are proud to stock one of the largest ranges of Fairtrade confectionery and chocolate in the UK. We not only encourage our existing suppliers to become Fair Trade accredited, but we seek this certification when looking for new suppliers.

Healthy living is important and we understand that. That’s why Sarunds provides a growing range of Sugar-Free and No-Added-Sugar products.

Great tasting confectionery to complement a healthy lifestyle.

With a strong increase in the number of people opting for a vegan or a vegetarian lifestyle over the past few years, we have created an enormous selection to suit this market.

For further information visit www.sarunds.co.uk or see the advert on the facing page.

Super Quick, Free Range, Super Easy Riso Gallo - The Maestro of Risotto

Range Farm Liquid Egg products are ready to use, easy to handle, and provide convenience for those working in foodservice. All products are free range, 100% pasteurised and meet British Lion standards. Available in Whole Egg, Egg Whites and Yolks, with no product waste or mess - all your eggs in one carton!

Range Farm Free Range Hens are free to roam and forage in the natural environment. Freshly laid, our eggs are processed at our state-of-the-art facility in Wiltshire and dispatched to customers in our fleet of refrigerated vehicles ensuring they arrive perfect and ready to use.

Range Farm Liquid Egg is sourced from 100% UK based farms so quality and continuity of supply is guaranteed. We are also conscious of our environmental responsibilities so please be assured that our cartons are recyclable.

We provide a range of sizes and packaging according to the needs of our customers, with all Range Farm Liquid Egg products available in pallecons, BIB and cartons. To start cooking with ease and find out how we can meet your requirements, call 01249 732221 or email Adrian.Blyth@stonegate.co.uk

See the advert on page 25.

Wanis International Foods

Clued-up chefs have been heading to Wanis International Foods in East London for decades. Unlike many wholesalers, Wanis open their doors at 5am, are open at weekends, and being located a stone’s throw away from New Spitalfields Fruit & Vegetable market means visiting buyers can source all their fresh produce and catering ingredients first thing in the morning, and still be back in good time to prep for the first lunch service.

Wanis’ award-winning 120,000 sq. ft. depot houses a unique range of over 9,000 different World Food and Drink products from West Africa, The Caribbean, USA, South East Asia and the Far East, as well those from closer to home together with a large selection of non-food essentials. With a dedicated catering aisle, chilled, and a frozen section offering specialist fish products, a walk around the aisles offers plenty of inspiration from across the globe to create new and exciting dishes.

Sourcing the right ingredients to create amazing food for your customers is sometimes one of the most overlooked parts of an Executive Chef’s role in the kitchen. It can be challenging for busy professionals to stay

We have been making Italians happy for six generations. Riso Gallo’s mission is to spread the culture of rice and risotto throughout the world by using innovation that constantly adapts to the needs of the modern consumer. At your service.

We strive to achieve total customer satisfaction, and at Riso Gallo we constantly analyse and identify our consumers’ needs in order to do this.We rely on our experience and work with specialised research centres to develop the finest varieties of rice that satisfy the market demand for high-quality, genuine,

tasty products that are quick and easy to prepare.

Riso Gallo brings you the best Italian Risotto Rice selected from the best rice fields of the Po Valley, motherland of Risotto and Risotto Rice. Riso Gallo guarantees the origin of the rice from selected rice farms; the traditional stone husking using "Amburgo" model whitening machines (dating from 1898); and a careful grain-bygrain selection process.

To see the full foodservice range from Riso Gallo, visit www.risogallo.com

ahead of the game with their patrons’ ever-changing dietary requirements and increasingly adventurous tastes to cater for. The UK’s 17 million millennials, in particular, increasingly demand vegan options and exotic dishes from far flung corners of the globe. With products such as bulk flours, beans and pulses, canned goods, spices and seasonings, sauces and cooking ingredients (including Vegan options), together with a large selection of drinks and snacks, Wanis International Foods can meet the needs of the most adventurous chef and the most demanding customer.

Utilising unusual ingredients and creating fusion dishes seems to be the key to pleasing fickle patrons; one of this year’s star performers has been jackfruit, Wanis customer, Delroy Dixon of Rhythm Kitchen said: “I recently added a jerk jackfruit dish to the menu after seeing the recipe on the Tropical Sun foods website and it has been incredibly popular with my customers.”

For further information email sales@wanis.com, call 020 8988 1100 or visit www.wanis.com

Products and Services Jura Professional Coffee Machines Stackability: The Beauty of Williams’ Latest Chefs Drawer 36

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During more than 20 years of developing automatic coffee machines, JURA has come up with many innovative technologies that set new standards.

These have been incorporated into the entire range and are now the fundamental ingredients for enjoying the perfect cup of coffee. Each machine contains the wealth of knowledge and experience of their engineers. Functions and components have become standards that will delight you with perfect coffee day-in, day-out, cup after cup.

JURA has a range of Professional coffee machines to cater for the smallest to the largest coffee shop, restaurant, pub, or hospitality venue. Top of the range is the GIGA X8 or X8c available with cool controls, fridges, cashless systems, cup warmers and data communicators. Smart Connect is integrated and suggested daily capacity is 200 cups per day. Still with the GIGA range

is the GIGA X3 or X3c which has most of the features and accessories of its larger sibling but a smaller daily capacity at 150 cups per day. The X10 and the X8 are models to suite mid-range venues with daily capacities of up to 80 cups per day. Finally, the smallest in the range are the WE6 and WE8, still packed with features but offering daily capacities of 30 coffees each. As you would expect from JURA UK there are price points and packages available on all JURA Professional machines and, of course, all these machines come complete with Smart Connect and J.O.E. the state of the art JURA Operating Experience.

For sales enquiries: ProfessionalEnquiries@jura.com or w: uk.jura.com See the advert on page 7.

Every Second Counts…

How quickly can you access a defibrillator to save a life? arrest strikes without warning, regardless of age, killing 100,000 Brits every year;” and the British Heart Foundation attribute 84% of these as being outside of a healthcare setting.

Oscar Palmer, Commercial Director of Aero Healthcare UK explains “Currently the UK is way behind other countries when it comes to the provision of defibrillators in public places. We are delighted to see businesses recognising the urgent need for correctly assessed defibrillator requirements, and are proud to be enabling the lifesaving change.”

Did you know that each minute of delay after a cardiac arrest, reduces the patients chance of survival by 10%?

The Arrhythmia Alliance state that “Sudden cardiac arrest strikes without warning, regardless of age, killing 100,000 Brits every year;” and the British Heart Foundation attribute 84% of these as being outside of a healthcare setting. Statistics also show that the survival rate in the UK after a cardiac arrest is only 5% to 10%, which when compared to Seattle that proudly boasts a 60% survival rate, is appalling.

Aero Healthcare, are the master distributors of the most technically advanced defibrillators in the UK and have supplied the largest roll out of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across the country. As industry experts, Aero Healthcare provide the hospitality sector with a complete solution for top of the range defibrillators, coupled with experienced ongoing support.

Selecting the correct defibrillators for multiple locations is complex. Aero Healthcare’s specialists pair each unit’s location and operating environment with the most suitable defibrillator features, to ensure that the device provided really is both fit for purpose and quick to deploy.

The Arrhythmia Alliance state that “Sudden cardiac

Aero Healthcare’s longstanding partnership with Stryker, the manufacturers of the extensive HeartSine and LifePak ranges, guarantees all needs can be catered for. The LifePak CR2’s superior technology, that allows lifesaving shocks to be delivered in more cases than any other device, boasts a significantly enhanced impedance range (skin resistance range).

This enables the delivery of an effective shock, regardless of chest size, skin tone, muscle build or age; all key markers for every defibrillator as they analyse the need to deliver, or not, a shock to save a life.

Installing the confidence to act swiftly, can save a life. Even without training!

For more information on Aero Healthcare’s defibrillators and support services go to https://www.aerohealthcare.co.uk/products/ resuscitation-defibrillation-oxygen email sales@areohealthcare.co.uk or call 01403 790704. Downloadable information resources are also available on the website www.aerohealthcare.co.uk, along with information on Aero Healthcare’s extensive range of First Aid and Consumer Wound Care products.

The Leading Manufacturers of Custom Printed Greaseproof Papers Benefits of It’s a Wrap greaseproof paper

1. Branding opportunity for every business, large or small.

2. From as little as 1000 sheets 335 x 500mm.

3. Useful product already being used by many multiples and independents.

4. Less stock, easy storage, order quantities to suit use.

5. Change the message on a regular basis, ideal for Christmas promotions, Valentines, Mother’s Day etc.

6. Fast turnaround 7 - 10 days dispatch, from approval of artwork.

7. Option to have 1, 2 or 4 colour process registered print

(including photos) exclusive to It’s a Wrap.

8. Free artwork 9. Very competitive, affordable for all. Limited set up costs, including disposable printing plates.

10. Biodegradable, non-toxic greaseproof paper and vegetable inks.

11. Available in brown or white substrates with good wet strength and high grease resistance.

12. Adds a high end look to the product.

13. Free trimming to any combination of sizes.

14. Manufactured by us in the UK. THE LEADING MANUFACTURERS OF CUSTOM PRINTED GREASEPROOF PAPERS (+44) 01327 301566 itsawrap@jrpress.co.uk www.printedgreaseproof.com See the advert on page 2 for details.

Working practices in commercial kitchens will have to change to accommodate social distancing.

Creating individual chefs’ stations where everything is to hand will be part of the solution. The latest Williams Chefs Drawer, model VWCD1, is a variable temperature unit that brings refrigerated or frozen storage right to the cookface, in even the smallest kitchens.

One of its main advantages is the ability to stack two units beneath a standard worktop, allowing users to create a flexible storage solution that can be customised to the chef’s specific needs.

Two drawers stacked together give a combined height of as little as 838mm, including castors, making it easy to fit beneath a standard 900mm high worktop. The VWCD1 features a completely new body design with a side mounted, front ventilating cassette type refrigeration system that helps to reduce the unit’s depth to just 670mm. This allows it to be installed easily underneath a standard 700mm deep worktop, as it leaves a 30mm gap for the plug (the unit runs off a standard 13amp power supply).

The exact size of the stacked drawers can be adjusted further since the swivel and brake castors are available in two different sizes – so operators can choose the best height for their site. The castors make moving the unit for servicing and maintenance simple, while solidly locking it into position when required. The option of legs offers even more flexibility. Depending on the selection of castors or legs, the height of the individual drawer can be adjusted by over 70mmm, between 456mm and 530mm. Each VWCD1 measures 1100mm wide by

670mm deep.

The combination of modular, compact drawers with variable temperature controls and a front venting refrigeration system makes the VWCD1 an extremely flexible option that can be fitted in to the tightest spaces, providing easy access to fresh or frozen ingredients right where the kitchen brigade need it.

This means it can be useful for both larger kitchens looking to make more self-contained cooking stations in line with increased requirements for social distancing, or smaller locations looking to maximise the use of limited space without compromising on quality. The variable temperature helps operators to cope with seasonal menu changes or major events, since it can be instantly switched from chilled to frozen storage and vice versa.

Despite its compact size each drawer can hold 2/1GN pans up to an impressive 150mm in depth, compared to 100mm for some competitor models. It has a capacity of 105 litres.

The body and removable drawers are constructed from robust, foodsafe stainless steel. The Chefs Drawer uses natural R290 refrigerant and eco-friendly high performance, high density polyurethane insulation, meaning it can operate in ambient temperatures as high as 43°C. Williams Refrigeration offers a comprehensive range of commercial refrigeration including gastronorm cabinets and counters, specialist bakery equipment, coldrooms, merchandisers and blast chillers.

To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk

Welcome To Greener, Safer, Cheaper Food Waste Recycling ReFood is the European market leader in food waste recycling. We offer businesses of all sizes an alternative to sending unwanted food to landfill with our safe, secure, closed-loop, end-to-end solution. We improve companies’ green credentials, reduce their carbon footprint and lower their overall food waste disposal costs by up to 50%*.

By combining the very best knowledge and technology with decades of experience in environmentally

sustainable practices, we deliver the ultimate recycling service to private and public sectors across the UK. And, our cutting-edge Anaerobic Digestion facilities create renewable energy as well as ReGrow, our nutrient-rich biofertiliser.

See what we could save you at www.refood.co.uk or call 0800 011 3214.

See the advert on the back cover. *Figure based on April 2020 landfill rate vs. volume weight.

ETI Launches Thermapen One Digital Food Thermometer for Kitchen Professionals

Electronic Temperature Instruments (ETI), a digital thermometer manufacturer and exporter of electronic thermometers and temperature probes, has launched the new Thermapen One digital food thermometer. In development for the past five-years, the Thermapen One achieves temperature readings in less than a second for any catering facility and kitchen professional.

The Thermapen One is the fifth model of its kind from ETI, which was founded in 1983 by Peter and Miriam Webb and is now led by son Jason Webb. The product is manufactured and handmade at its headquarters in Worthing, West Sussex, where crucial research & development also takes place in the ETI laboratories to continually improve the design of the Thermapen model.

meets the European Standard EN 13485, and comes in ten different colours.

The first Thermapen was created in Peter and Miriam’s garage 30-years ago, with support from Miriam’s brother who helped design the product, which was based on the model of a penknife. Now the product is relied upon by some of the world’s most renowned Michelin-starred chefs.

ETI has pushed the boundaries of read speed and accuracy by tightening its tolerances within its laboratory testing. As a result, the accuracy of the new Thermapen One has been increased to ± 0.3°C.

Jason Webb, ETI director, comments: “At ETI, we have a lot of pride about being a British manufacturer of the Thermapen, one of the most robust thermometers on the market used in kitchens and households across the world. A tremendous amount of consumer learning has gone into the Thermapen One. It’s important to think carefully about the materials and technology that you’re putting into each thermometer because the customer is at the very forefront of what we are producing. We understand what the customer wants so we made this the most robust thermometer that we’ve ever produced.”

The product also features a faster sensor, a brighter backlight which adapts to ambient light, and a longer five-year guarantee. The product is waterproof to IP67,

For more information please visit https://thermometer.co.uk or see the advert on page 3.

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Make the Most of Your Outdoor Areas with the Contract Furniture Group replace décor ahead of reopening; and to support this they are looking at putting finance packages together to spread the investment.

Contract Furniture Group have worked hard over the last year to provide their customers with the same high quality service you’ve come to expect from them.

Despite the frustration our whole industry is feeling at the moment, Contract Furniture Group encourage you to seize this opportunity to update, repair or

If you do have any questions or queries about Contract Furniture Group's products or services, stock availability or lead times, terms or available finance options, please don’t hesitate to call.

Most importantly, Contract Furniture Group say they hope you and your loved ones stay safe and well during these unprecedented times.

For further information visit www.contractfurniture.co.uk

Sunshade Services Specialist Bespoke Outdoor Structures Sunshade Services specialise in the design, manufacture & installation of outdoor structures directly aimed at the hospitality sector. There are many things to consider when deciding which type of structure may best suit your needs including appearance, materials, safety, coverage required, planning issues and cost to name but a few.

Having a totally flexible approach allows us to offer what we feel is the best all round solution to suit your individual needs. Every structure designed by us can be individually tailored to suit your requirements but allows us to meet any design requirements or site restrictions that may be placed upon.

Many of our structures can also be expanded upon in a modular fashion to allow further or extended coverage of large or awkward shaped areas allowing you to limit your capital expenditure as required.

Please either call us on either of the numbers below or email your enquiry to info@sunshadeservices.co.uk & one of our sales team will get back to you as soon as they are free Contact us for your free no obligation quotation & start saving now.

T: 01782 398848 / 07807 063734 e: info@sunshadeservices.co.uk

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

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Outdoor Spaces

Keeping Food Hot? We Have All The Answers

First of all, you will want one of our world beating Kanga boxes and a Carbon Heater. You can then keep food hot indefinitely and fully comply with HACCP regulations.

Sounds too good to be true? Well we only supply premium German manufactured products from stock at incredibly low prices. The insulated box manufactured from top quality expanded polypropylene is a dense closed cell insulation material but incredibly light to handle when empty for example the GN insulted box with a 117 mm internal depth only weighs just over a kilo and yet holds a massive 21 lts capacity. Now combine the Kanga box with a Carbon Heater and the magic begins, hot food all the time!

Our range of Carbon heaters offers two voltage

options 12 volts for car operation using the cigarette lighter socket or 230 volt mains voltage for internal or external mains use. The big advantage of the Carbon Heaters they are absolutely fool proof just insert them in the bottom of the box turn on and forget, there are no consumer controls the temperature is pre-set at the factory at 75 deg C. The Carbon Heater is very light at only 700 grammes and does not take up much room only being 10mm thick. Dishes can be place on the Carbon Heater straight out of the oven up to 120deg C. Finally quick and easy to clean just wipe over with a damp cloth.

Contact Catering Equipment Limited on Tel: 0121 773 2228 or visit www.clickonstore.net or www.kangaboxuk.com

The Bio Climatic Pergola from CambridgeStyle Canopies products on mainland Britain. We have a chain of partners that can assist you locally.

The Bio Climatic Pergolas are a modern aesthetically pleasing addition to Pubs, Clubs, Restaurants, Hotels and many more commercial outlets.

We have even installed on roof of new eight storey city centre students accommodation building for relaxing area.

Solisysteme are the inventor and historical leader of manufacture of the Bio Climatic Pergola Cambridgestyle Canopies is a long established provider of outdoor covered areas to commercial clients within the UK With clients such as BBC, Landrover Jaguar, Tesco and many more. We are very proud to be the sole distributor of Solisysteme

Designed to your specification Protects from the sun and inclement weather Provides natural ventilation Regulates the temperature in adjoining rooms Adjusts the brightness of the light by remote control Side walls, Heating and lighting options Up to 7m between structural support columns How can we help your business ?

Cambridgestyle Canopies 01353 699009 office@cambridgestyle.org www.cambridgestylecanopies.co.uk

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

Solisyteme is the inventor and historical leader of the Bio Climatic Pergola.

Since 1998 Solisysteme has designed and manufactured pergolas and innovates every day in order to provide customer with tomorrow’s Solar protection solutions.

• Protects from the sun and inclement weather • Provides natural ventilation • Regulates the temperature in adjoining room • Adjusts the brightness of the light by remote control • Heating and Lighting options

Cambridgestyle Canopies is a long established provider of outside covered areas to the commercial market sector and proud to be the sole distributor of the Solisyteme products throughout the UK.

We have trade partners in your area that can provide a full installation service if required.

Beer Gardens, Roof Tops and much more

Example: 4000mm x 3000mm remote controlled Bio Climatic Pergola with LED lighting supplied for less than £6,000 ex vat

Also a vast range of aluminium or steel canopies to your required specifications Enquire today!

CambridgeStyle Canopies Ltd 01353 699009 | office@cambridgestyle.org | www.cambridgestylecanopies.co.uk “WE’VE GOT IT COVERED - NOBODY DOES IT BETTER”

Previous Clients Include:

Outdoor Spaces

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

door goods receive combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job.

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

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

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

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

4 Seasons Outdoor

A world of many possible combinations, classic and traditional, modern and clear-lined, robust and solid or young and minimalistic. An extremely innovating world but yet recognizable and familiar thanks to the clever finishing, to the very last detail. High Quality against a mid-range price.

Visit our website for the complete collection: www.4seasonsoutdoor.co.uk

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

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Your Outdoor Areas For The Staycation Outside Structure Solutions Optimise Boom With 100% Recycled Plastic Furniture Achieve Gibus Atelier Status With nationwide restrictions having been gradually eased, ensuring your outdoor areas are fit for use has never been more crucial.

Outside Structure Solutions was founded in 2008 offering the supply and fitment of a small range of exterior canopies. As the business expanded, so did our variety of selected manufactures allowing us to increase our range to include awnings, outdoor vertical blinds and post protection, each complementing our existing range of exterior structures.

Research continues to validate that meeting outdoors comes with a reduced risk of transmission. Introducing furniture outside to optimise your available space is a great way to stay compliant with government advice, whilst creating comfortable al fresco areas for your expectant returning customers to enjoy – just in time for summer.

We quickly partnered with Gibus, one of Europe’s largest and most prestigious brands, raising our business profile to incorporate this range of high-end products. Gibus work closely with their brand partners to ensure the quality of their product is mimicked in the purchase and fitting process, thus creating the ‘Atelier’ accreditation.

When considering your outdoor furniture, NBB recycled plastic is the perfect choice, as the material looks like timber but can last outside all year round without the need for annual maintenance. All our furniture is offered at competitive prices and comes with our market-leading 25-year warranty! It is extremely hard wearing, guaranteed never to split, chip, crack, or rot, and the non-porous properties make it easy to clean between uses.

The Gibus Atelier accreditation is a strict programme of up-to-date training, best practise and set timescales guaranteeing the customer, expert product knowledge, a design to suite the requirement, punctual delivery, and fitment with precision by our trained experts.

Outside Structure Solutions are proud to be the only exterior structure company within Cambridgeshire, to achieve this status and one of only six throughout the UK making us the number one destination for your outdoor needs.

For our full range of outdoor solutions, visit https://outsidestructures.co.uk/

In fact, recycled plastic can last up to 5 times longer than its timber equivalent!

The longevity of recycled plastic makes it is the perfect

Indigo Awnings - Commercial Grade Shading Products At Indigo Awnings, the UK’s market leader in external shading, we offer we offer commercial grade shading products and provide expert advice with unrivalled customer and after-sales service.

With today’s trend in alfresco socialising and dining, we can offer you made to measure shading that will enhance the beauty, and accessibility, of your business.

Custom branded products by Indigo Awnings provide efficient weather protection, create extra outdoor space, and drive revenue by making it easier for customers to find your business.

We have a wide range of commercial grade retractable awnings, giant parasols and fixed roof structures that will enhance any outdoor area and thus the comfort of your guests.

Crafted from the highest-quality mate-

cost-effective alternative for use within the hospitality and catering industry, where heavy use is expected following the further easing of restrictions.

Furthermore, sales of our products have recycled over 35 million milk bottles to date. Not only does our recycled plastic furniture look great, but it has also helped many happy customers achieve their own environmental goals.

So, if you’re looking for long-lasting furniture to make the most of your outside spaces, take a look at our eco-friendly range and place your order today.

NBB Recycled Furniture www.RecycledFurniture.co.uk 0800 1777 052

rials, all our products are fully customisable and built to your required specification. Frames can be powder coated in a range of RAL colours, with a huge selection of fabric shades and patterns to choose from, all of which can be printed with your branding.

With the addition of quality infra-red heating and LED lighting you can create a whole new dining experience for customers to enjoy all year round, consequently, a healthy return on investment – simply creating “money from fresh air”, regardless of the weather!

Backed up by a national capability and support network, all installations are completed by our highly experienced fitting teams, ensuring continuity with only one point of contact for our customers to have the best experience possible.

Contact our friendly Indigo Awnings team on 01352 740164 or at www.indigoawnings.co.uk

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Cleaning and Hygiene

Waste2 Environmental Systems

As a foodservice operator, you know that fat, oil and grease (FOG) are unavoidable by-products of food preparation and meal service. Modern cooking technologies such as steam convection ovens, Bratt pans, and the like all contribute to FOG entering the drainage infrastructure.

Although most operators employ grease traps to capture the FOG, these can often be overwhelmed by the sheer volume entering the system. We are well aware that when hot, liquid FOG enters the sinks, underground pipework and drains. But on cooling, it solidifies, increasing the risk of blockages.

Your first line of defence, the grease trap, only captures so much and as the efficiency of the process drops, the drainage pipes can get blocked, causing problems in the downstream wastewater treatment process.

Thankfully, there is a new solution to manage this issue. New to the UK market through Waste2 Environmental Systems, BiOWiSH® Aqua FOG is a revolutionary product that actively accelerates the biological removal of fat, oil, grease and sediment food solids.

BiOWiSH® Aqua FOG delivers a range of bio-catalytic

materials that degrade a wide range of contaminants into smaller and simpler forms until they are removed from the water. This is the same process, and the pathway of natural decomposition is speeded up. It is entirely natural and has no detrimental effects on the environment, humans, plants, or animals.

Waste2 Environmental Systems is an exclusive partner of BiOWiSH Products. To find out more, please visit www.waste2es.com, call 01442 503929 or email enquiries@waste2es.com

SanOZone Cleans Indoor Spaces of All Sizes for Covid Safety Ozone sanitising is the most effective way to deep clean residential environments of all sizes and it is easier, quicker, and more cost-effective than manual cleaning or fogging.

two hours. This includes the production of ozone, maintaining the required concentration for total cleaning and then returning the room to its usual habitation state.

Once in position, an easy-to-use keypad enables the operator to set the optimal ozone concentration for the size of the room.

The system then automatically converts the ambient air into ozone that fills the room, sanitising floors, walls, ceilings, surfaces and equipment.

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

The complete sanitisation of an average sized room will take approximately

SanOZone is one of the most versatile and efficient sanitisation systems available to healthcare, commercial property owners and facilities management companies. It offers many benefits over manual cleaning and we believe that it is three times quicker and more efficient than alternatives like fogging.

See the advert below for details.

Why choose SANOZONE? ■ SanOzone generates Ozone and completes a deep and accurate sanitation cycle ■ Ozone sanitisation is cheaper and faster than alternatives like fogging ■ Swiftly cleans and sanitises rooms of all sizes, removing harmful microorganisms ■ Reaches every corner of location, acting more rapidly than other disinfecting agents ■ Machine generates ozone from the air, which decomposes to oxygen after use

SANOZONE CLEANS INDOOR SPACES OF ALL SIZES FOR COVID SAFETY THE MAIN BENEFITS OF SANOZONE ARE: • Highly efficient in the fight against Covid viruses • Effective against the majority of microorganisms tested • Requires only low volumes of ozone to kill bacteria, fungus, parasites and viruses • A standalone system that eliminates the need for chemical substances • More cost-effective than traditional cleaning operations or materials • Automatic cleaning cycle; easy to move from room to room SanOZone units are fully mobile, easy to programme for hourly or daily cleaning and have acoustic and visual warning indicators for safe operation. As it creates its own ozone, no chemicals or additional cleaning products are required.

There are no ongoing costs.

SanOZone Easybox systems are available from Barbel now, with prices starting from £1,750 ex VAT for the Easybox 5

For more information, contact Barbel on 01629 705110, email info@barbel.net or visit the website at www.barbel.net

Cleaning and Hygiene

What Infection Prevention and Control Measures Should Be in Place Within the Hospitality Sector, Now and Beyond 2021?

Business owners and management within the hospitality sector now (in England at least, soon also for the rest of the UK) have both the freedom, and responsibility, to decide how they should manage infection prevention and control within their premises.

But whilst the shackles have been removed, it is clear that we are not yet out of the woods. Case numbers, hospital admissions and fatalities for Covid are still alarmingly high, and we are now seeing outbreaks of Norovirus and other viral and bacterial infections.

The enhanced manual cleaning and disinfection efforts of all in the hospitality sector will clearly be an important change to maintain. Yet if we look more broadly, to the healthcare, childcare and social care sectors, sectors which often (pre-Covid) encounter infection prevention and control challenges, there are more effective, costefficient practices to be adopted.

Touchless, total environment decontamination (aka fogging and electrostatic spraying), delivered by an experienced infection prevention and control service provider, decontaminates ALL surfaces and the atmosphere, of even the largest properties, in minutes.

Introducing Sanondaf UK Launched in 2014, Sanondaf is a nationwide provider of specialist disinfection and decontamination services,

with 25 regional teams providing infection prevention and control support across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands.

Our clients range from hotels, restaurants, event and hospitality venues to the NHS, research laboratories and pharmaceutical manufacturers, office premises, nursing homes, nurseries, schools, national transport providers and international blue-chip corporations.

Contact us now to discuss your infection prevention and control support needs. www.sanondaf.co.uk +44 (0) 1236 702 028 support@sanondaf.co.uk

Engraved Table Numbers and QR Discs Facilitate Social Distancing as Pubs and Restaurants Re-Open The hospitality sector begins to re-open its doors after yet another long lockdown faced with the continued challenge to maintain social distancing.

Government guidelines state pubs and restaurants should encourage the use of contactless ordering from table and should adjust their service approach to minimise staff contact with customers.

Brunel has made a substantial investment in additional state of the art engraving equipment in order to produce individually etched table numbers and QR code discs which will provide clear markings and information for the public in order to satisfy the requirement for social distancing.

The individually engraved table numbers and discs will enable customers to link to Apps or menus, reducing staff contact and eliminating the requirement for hard copies of menus.

“We are working hard to keep the British hospitality industry going through these difficult times and we have invested heavily in new equipment to ensure that we can answer the increasing demand for our engraved products”, said Martyn Wright, managing

director of Brunel Engraving and founder of the company.

“Many pubs and restaurants have been undertaking major renovations during the lockdown period and we have assisted with their efforts to maintain social distancing by supplying table numbers, QR code discs, signage, PPE Visors and distancing floor stencils which will be used in the new public areas as businesses open their doors to the public once again.”

Established over 30 years ago, Brunel Engraving is a pioneering engraving specialist which leads the way in technical innovation. The company has ISO9001 accreditation and its highly skilled team of professional engravers is trained to the highest standards in the UK. In addition to rotary engraving Brunel offers laser engraving, chemical etching, anodic print, dye sublimation print, flatbed UV print and wide format UV print.

For further information please contact: 01275 871720 Email: info@brunelengraving.co.uk Website: www.brunelengraving.co.uk See the advert on the facing page for further information.

Customer Confidence is Essential for Success Although most COVID restrictions have been lifted, to be successful it is vital that pubs, restaurants, hotels and other catering and hospitality establishments reassure customers that their premises are clean, hygienic, and safe places to visit.

Hand hygiene is a key infection prevention measure and is one of the most visible ways that businesses can protect the safety of their staff and visitors, whilst also demonstrating commitment to their health.

The recently introduced PURELL SOLUTION™ features innovative dispensers and a brand-new type of ‘healthy soap’ to offer additional peace of mind.

PURELL HEALTHY SOAP™ sets a new standard for soap performance, enabling users to achieve their deepest clean ever. Thanks to its ‘CLEAN RELEASE™ Technology’ (CRT), it can access hard-to-reach areas of the skin, removing more than 99% of dirt and germs. It is also remarkably gentle, even with frequent use.

The new PURELL® ES8 Dispenser has a premium look, which inspires a sense of confidence and highlights that hygiene is being taken seriously. Its clever ‘AT-AGLANCE™’ design makes it easy for staff to monitor product levels with one quick look, saving both time and labour.

It also benefits from breakthrough ‘Energy-on-theRefill’ technology, enabling continuous touch-free dispensing, without the worry of the battery wearing out and needing to be changed. It is compatible with PURELL HEALTHY SOAP High Performance Foam Hand Wash, PURELL HEALTHY SOAP Mild Foam, as well as PURELL Advanced Hygienic Hand Rub. For more information, call +44 (0)1908 588444, email CustomerExperience@GOJO.com or visit www.GOJO.com

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3R - Your Edge in Payment & Business Management 3R offer industry leading EPoS Solutions with integrated countertop or wireless payment solutions.

all their customers 24x7x365 from UK served Office.

See the advert opposite or sales@3rtelecom.co.uk, 01992 574 650 or www.3rtelecom.co.uk

Coupled with durable, secure hardware, is our signature EPoS software: CES Touch.

Touch boasts a variety of features such as: a complete Stand alone or Multi Lane, Cloud Management, Online Ordering, Booking and Reservations; extensive stock control; intensive operator management; Hotel Link, ResDiary. Resident Pro, High Level, Guest Master, Guest Line and in-depth financial reporting.

We give you the edge in business and payment management. Above all 3R provides best customer service to

Say No To No Shows Guests not showing up to their booking is becoming a more common occurrence...

WELCOME BACK, HOSPITALITY Since partially reopening, the news from the sector is cautiously positive; most pubs and restaurants are busy – both bookings and spend-per-head are up.

There is, however, one problem that appears to be hurting pretty much every hospitality business. The issue is no-shows. People who book but don’t turn-up. This behaviour was never OK, but for businesses and their employees who have had such a tough 15 months, it’s a real kick in the teeth.

SECURE BOOKINGS WITH A DEPOSIT OR

PRE-AUTHORISATION Some operators are understandably concerned that changing the ‘contract’ with guests is risky. Many things have changed over the last year: habits have been broken and guests will understand the need to secure their booking with pre-payment, a deposit, or a cardswipe.

ADACTUS OFFERS SECURED BOOKING Adactus can help hospitality businesses implement the right secured booking service for your guests – whether that is full or partial payment up front (deposit), or a card swipe to authorise a charge in the event of a no-show – there is a solution that will work best for your operation. And, unlike other providers, we don’t charge a per-transaction fee: your costs are the same every month.

Give us a call!

Scott Muncaster, Managing Director, Adactus Telephone: 01844 269090, Email: hello@adactus.co.uk or Web: www.adactus.co.uk

All-In-One Intranet Software from Oak Engage

Working with some of the world’s biggest brands including Aldi, Five Guys and ITV, Oak Engage helps employers connect their workplace, engage their people and work better together through a mobile app and cloud-based platform.

Oak Engage provides a range of internal communications tools that integrate seamlessly with office applications including SharePoint helping to improve productivity. Oak Engage are experts within the internal comms industry, a success that has been achieved by listening to their customers and

developing applications that provide genuine value within the digital workspace.

Oak’s intuitive suite of digital tools and expert support, allow businesses to stay connected with their employees. An all-in-one solution that blends modern intranet practicality with the unique functionalities of an employee engagement app, Oak empowers employees to be the best that they can be.

To arrange a demo or for more info, visit www.oak.com or contact them on info@oak.com.

All-In-One Intranet Software for the Workforce of Today

A cloud based intranet platform to keep your workforce connected, productive & engaged. Mobile ready with drag and drop functionality.

Empower your people

Oak.com

Hosptality Technology

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How the Foodhub EPOS System Can Help Local Businesses Flourish Leeds based Archers Sweets sells everything from traditional pick ‘n’ mix through to American candy, and has seen huge success since the opening of its first bricks-and-mortar shop in 2018.

ness. We’ve gained lots more customers since implementing the EPOS system and the staff are under much less pressure. Joining Foodhub is the best thing we ever did; it’s made our lives so much easier.”

Owner, Natasha Archer, like many other business owners, found that the pandemic heavily impacted her business model, as when national lockdown hit, her delivery orders soared.

Ardian Mula, Foodhub’s CEO said: “We are delighted to have Archers Sweets onboard as one of our partners and thrilled at the level of success they have seen so far simply by using our order management system. In addition, Foodhub is the only major food ordering app that won’t charge a commission per order. Instead, our commission-free subscription model means they gain full access to our leading EPOS system for a monthly fixed cost, meaning our partners save significantly every month when compared to other rival platforms.”

Although delighted with the immediate jump in telephone order volume, Archer and her team started to become increasingly overwhelmed with delivery orders, leaving them little time to focus on the running of the shop.

Archer needed to find a solution quickly that didn’t mean handing over her hard-earned profits in commission. That’s when she discovered leading POS platform, Foodhub.

Joining Foodhub meant they had access to a world class EPOS system that would allow them to easily and effectively manage order volume. Instead of manually organising each customer order, the system allowed them to fully digitise and streamline the process, affording staff less stress and more time to spend with customers in the shop.

24/7 support means help is always at hand should they require assistance with the system.

“As part of our EPOS offering, we provide a complete turn-key solution to get food delivery businesses online. Our clients receive their own e-commerce platform, order management system and access to thousands of Foodhub customers. It can really help businesses such as Archers Sweets evolve their e-commerce offering and allow them to be agile at a time when they need to most, alongside the cost saving benefits.”

Foodhub is the only takeaway delivery provider that operates with a 0% commission model.

This is unique compared to other EPOS providers who charge up to 10% per transaction. Instead, Foodhub charges their partners a set monthly fee, making for a much more stable and manageable cost.

Foodhub is encouraging independent business owners to take advantage of the current appetite for e-commerce and delivery orders and sign up to the site.

Not only did Archer find that she was saving money and her team were less pressured, but the new system led to increased customer acquisition, as many local people appreciated being able to use the website to check the sweet treats available and then place an order ready to be picked up or delivered to the door.

With Foodhub the full order value goes direct to the business as they do not charge a commission on orders. This is unique compared to other EPOS providers who charge up to 10% per transaction.

Instead, Foodhub charge their partners a set monthly fee to trade with them, making for a much more stable and manageable cost.

Natasha Archer, owner of Archers Sweets, said: “Signing up to Foodhub has massively helped the busi-

Visit www.foodhub.co.uk/become-a-partner for details.

Visit foodhub.co.uk/become-a-partner to find out how your restaurant can benefit from a leading EPOS system, whilst saving money each month compared to other platforms.

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Hosptality Technology New Labour Scheduling Tool To Juggle Student’s Working Hours 46

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Across the country, many towns or cities depend on a level of student labour across a number of sectors, particularly hospitality. As operators gear up to welcome new and returning student employees in September, workforce management specialists Bizimply are launching new features designed to help businesses make the most of these valuable team members.

Most operators recruit students for their flexibility, enabling them to fill the gaps in their staff rotas. Juggling students’ availability around their lectures can be a challenge for whoever has to create the staff rota. This is why Bizimply’s ‘Unavailability’ and ‘Deactivate/Reactivate’ features are being welcomed by their customers.

Bizimply CEO Conor Shaw said: “So many of our hospitality customers rely to some extent on students and it’s a relationship that brings benefits to employer and employees. Managing a team where some members are unavailable for certain shifts and not

Point of Sale Technology Designed for Hospitality 2001, establishing SAM4S affiliate specialized in store automation products such as ECR, PC POS and Receipt printers, having its office in Seoul, Korea. We have human resources with knowledge of more than 30 years of experience in the store automation field. We now produce most sophisticated and diverse products to the world-wide market. Our store automation products are extensively used in over 80 countries, having around 100 partners all over the world.

ShinHeung Precision Co., LTD, (also called, SHC) is a leading corporation which provides the best quality precision machines. SHC was found in 1968 and have 16 affiliates in 11 countries. We have 25 offices and factories around the world with HQ and main factory located in South Korea. SHC maintains partnerships with Samsung, LG, Hyundai, Toyota and etc. with its own precision technologies accumulated over the years.

SHC took over ECR business from Samsung in

Due to global pandemic, the demand for contactless product such as Kiosk for self-ordering & selfcheckout has increased rapidly. To correspond to the market’s demand, we have launched 15” and 21.5” Kiosk models for the market’s safety and businesses. Moreover, we plan on adding 32” Kiosk model in the 2Q of 2021.

Since 2012, we have been attending retail technology related exhibitions such as EuroCIS, EuroShop, NRF, Computex, GITEX and etc. When we become a safer place for us to freely interact with each other, we would be more than happy to meet you in person and introduce our products.

See the advert on the facing page for details.

able to work for months at a time, was clearly making staff rota creation more timeconsuming than it needed to be.

The Unavailability feature allows managers – or the team members themselves, via their employee portal – to mark students as unavailable for work around their weekly lectures, eg every Monday and Thursday mornings. A second Deactivate/Reactivate feature makes it easier for operators to manage students’ longer-terms unavailability, eg returning home for the holidays.

“We’re pleased to have created these two new features which, like all Bizimply tools, are designed to help hospitality businesses focus their time on other areas of the business.”

Visit Bizimply at www.bizimply.com

The New Dojo Go, A Beautifully Intuitive Card Machine

Since full market launch last year from its new Bristol HQ, the new Dojo Go card machine has started revolutionising the UK card merchant industry. Just check out its Trustpilot user reviews to see some of the accolades bestowed on a product service that can evoke opposite feelings for many traditional challenges in this market.

These are card machines that mean business, with Wi-Fi & 3/4G connectivity, sleek design and powerful technology for reliable, fast and secure payments. Point to point encryption means your money is safe and you have the world's best security with simple PCI compliance. The fastest transaction speed and free next working day transfer of funds with just a monthly rolling agreement for switching merchants, and up to £3,000 towards

your current providers exit fees.

The Dojo App provides many modern features such as a real time window on transactions and transfers, allowing you to know where your money is at all times plus access to billing, PCI management and the help team 7 days a week.

The Dojo Go card machine has a 5" HD touchscreen that features gratuity activation, optional receipt printing saving paper and integration with over 600 Epos & software partners, this is the future available today.

For more details contact your local West Country Payments Consultant: Stuart Doderer on 07891 480 052 or link www.stuartdoderercardpayments.com

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Halton Foodservice Limited Halton Foodservice Limited, specialists in Commercial Kitchen Ventilation for over 50 years, have a depth of expertise and solutions to deliver in today’s complex and competitive marketplace.

At Halton Foodservice, we combine our highly professional services with the broadest technical understanding of Indoor Air Environment Quality (IEQ) on the market. We use this knowledge to serve our customers with the most convenient, and energy efficient solutions for all segments of catering: hotels & fine dining, institutional & corporate catering, restaurant chains & QSR, retail applications, the growing segments of food halls, food courts and ghost kitchens, and food processing.

We take a wholistic approach to kitchen ventilation, considering both supply and exhaust air systems, as well as light or acoustics, backing them up with the best product support. With customer satisfaction always in mind, we offer a total package and a highly flexible approach to tailor solutions to exactly meet their needs. This helps foodservice operators around the world provide the highest quality service, and improve their profitability.

We provide a comprehensive package of design tools to assist our customers and their designers in selecting the best combination of Halton Foodservice products and systems. These tools include an electronic product catalogue, full design service, with experienced personnel who will offer full support to advise on commercial kitchen ventilation design.

One of our most recent projects was Eataly, the world’s largest Italian food market. We began work on this project some 4 years prior to opening, working alongside key stakeholders to supply and install a number of kitchen ventilation solutions such as KVF and UVF hoods, low level canopies for fryers and KVV condensation canopies with integrated Fire suppression systems.

And when clean lines and clear views across a kitchen are required, we used our Cyclocell ceiling giving an aesthetically pleasing view for the customer, whilst delivering the usual high standards of performance We did not stop at canopies, we are very aware of the operational costs that operators face, we introduced energy saving technologies - Capture jet, and our Demand Controlled kitchen ventilation system M.A.R.V.E.L, which combined will reduce energy consumption by up to 40% Despite the challenges posed by the project, the majority of which were Covid-related, we were delighted to be involved and demonstrate our expertise in providing efficient solutions.

We take pride in continually advancing and improving our offering. We invest more in research and development of commercial kitchen systems than anyone else in the industry. We have our own R&D facilities on three continents, equipped with state-of-art tools like CFD, Schlieren and sound-measurement test facilities. We offer our clients these resources for tests, measurements and mock-ups in life-size, real-world conditions, enabling them to design and select the ideal system.

Based in Kent, Halton Foodservice forms part of the worldwide Halton Group – a leader in Indoor Environment Quality solutions globally, specialising in innovative products and systems that combine comfort, safety and sustainability Contact foodservice.uk@halton.com - Tel. +44 (0)1634 666111 or visit www.halton.com

Greater Lighting Choice Looms Large with New LED Downlight from Knightsbridge LED lighting applications and installations are set to be transformed with the launch of an innovative, brand new downlight from Knightsbridge - one of the UK’s leading brands of wiring devices, accessories and lighting.

SpektroLED breaks through the limitations of traditional LED downlights, offering unrivalled choice in versatility, performance, and style in one unique package, doing away with the need to specify multiple LED lamp types. It is also designed and manufactured in such a way that installation is quick and easy.

The new downlight can be configured to offer 40 variants from the one product thanks to its selectable wattages and CCTs and choices of bezel. Depending on the required illumination either 5W (up to 465 lumens) or 8W (up to 795 lumens) can be pre-selected via a switch on the rear of the lamp body. Once chosen, there are four CCTs available – 2700K, 3000K, 4000K and 6000K – the desired colour temperature selected by a sliding switch also on the rear of the lamp body.

Further customisation is then possible through the various bezel options that allow the lamp to complement or contrast with a room’s décor or colourways. The bezels come in a choice of stylish finishes from popular white and matt black to chrome, polished chrome and brass.

These permutations of wattage, colour temperature and bezel choice make SpektroLED a genuine 40-in-1 solution.

Installation is both quick and simple. Each unit, which has a low-profile design, features cleverly engineered first and second fix power connectors with loop in/loop out terminals that can be terminated and hidden away while other works are finished. Then the downlight can be simply plugged in to complete the installation after decoration, avoiding the issue of paint-damaged bezels! The connectors also allow the luminaire to be removed for maintenance or even re-programming by simply unplugging them.

Furthermore, the downlight is fire rated for solid timber, web joist and I-joist installation and is also IC rated* so retaining the efficiency of any mineral wool insulation in the ceiling void. And with an IP65 rating from below, it is suitable for use in bathrooms, wet rooms or other rooms where moisture is prevalent.

Once installed, SpektroLED will give 50,000 hours of rated LED life and can be used with leading and trailing-edge dimmers should the need arise, though compatibility should be verified beforehand. A five-year warranty guarantees peace of mind.

With the launch of SpektroLED, Knightsbridge is providing greater freedoms for user-determined lighting projects and making life for the installer so much simpler.

Visit www.mlaccessories.co.uk *check the product datasheet and instructions for further details

Design and Refit

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Luxury Wood Flooring For Any Interior Founded in 1975 Havwoods has become Britain’s foremost wood flooring company supplying architects, interior designers, and residential customers.

Havwoods concentrates on engineered and solid wood flooring, cladding and joinery, as well as bespoke flooring solutions in all situations, in a wide variety of species and designs, and with every conceivable finish.

Havwoods wood flooring can be found in the finest restaurants and hotels around the world, and their clients are offered a continuously evolving range of high-quality flooring designs creating spaces which are not just functional but beautiful. Havwoods selects only the very best products from the best manu-

facturers worldwide, and the result is a superior portfolio of floor covering products.

Environment and sustainability are in the heart of Havwoods which is why the products are sourced only from sustainably managed forests.

Havwoods’ sophisticated showrooms offer an exclusive, personal wood flooring experience providing customers with a first-class consultation and an opportunity to see and touch the wood flooring options in large panels.

Call us on 01524 737000 or visit www.havwoods.com/uk/bars-restaurants

Repurposing Buildings To Rejuvenate Restaurants In A Post Covid World

The simplification of planning use, enabling former shops, offices and professional services spaces to be altered into restaurants without seeking consent from local authorities is creating fascinating new opportunities for the food service industry. From pop-ups to permanent restaurants, the opportunity is clear, especially for restaurant chains that have specialised in refurbishing existing High Street buildings and revitalising suburban areas, latterly for those opting to continue to work

from home.

One thing we know well at Adveco is the potential complexity, and therefore hidden cost, of refurbishing a property when the site was not originally conceived as a restaurant. Landlords and new property owners need to recognise that heating and especially hot water are business critical functions, with suitable hot water storage needed to meet consistent and peak-hour demands. That water also must be supplied at a minimum of 60°C to ensure a hygienic cleaning of the environment, utensils and provide handwashing for both staff and customers.

Adveco will size the needs of the premises, design a bespoke application, and supply the necessary system components for installation. Our work includes systems in listed buildings and large-scale projects, such as for Five Guys, revitalising building hot water systems throughout the UK. In all these cases, our customers are not only securing modern, highly efficient fit-forpurpose heating and hot water systems, they are also reducing their costs and either better controlling their carbon emissions or excising them with renewables for a more sustainable workplace www.adveco.co

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Seating with Wider Appeal from ILF Chairs Hospitality has now got the Green light last to reopen outdoors from the 12th April. Will you be ready and able to cope with the rush? Will your Café, Restaurant, bar have the right outdoor ambience and comfort to stand out from the rest and make your customers want to come back?

Never fear, ILF Ltd. have the solution with a comprehensive selection of outdoor chairs and tables in many finishes and colours which we are able to sup-

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).

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to ads To advertise please call 01202 552333 to talk to one of our sales agents.

ply quickly from either our UK location or our European location. We have selections of seating in aluminium, resin, plastic, polycarbonate, teak and imitation rattan plus, there are also tables and barstools for exterior use.

Whatever your outdoor furniture needs might be we at ILF are here to help.

Why not contact us on 01293 783783 or send an email to:- terry.kirk@ilfchairs.com For the past 25 years, we've provided a unique disposal service tailored to suit, liquidators, 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 page 52 for further details.

Sims - The First Port Of Call For Banquette Seating 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.

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.

Secondly our “Modular Banquette Seating” which is freestanding, set size units for you to mix and match to best fit your space.

Manufactured and delivered to your doorstep ready for you to layout. Made to the same high standards as our premium range without setup costs, site visits and installation fees. Saving you up to 50% on competitors seating.

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

Design and Refit Refurbish with Pro Auction Ltd Refurbishing?

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This trust is built from our shared values and understanding of what is most important to them.

Our comprehensive service is based on the needs of our clients. Our expertise in valuing, marketing, and selling surplus assets means our clients can achieve the best prices and end result with minimal effort. Our integrity, expertise and customer-first attitude are the three pillars upon which we continue to grow.

Pro Action pride ourselves on our consultative, problem-solving service and our tradition of exceeding expectation.

Looking to refurbish or sell surplus furniture, fixtures and fittings, from your hotel bar or restaurant ? Pro Auction has a long history of helping both corporate and private clients source and sell valuables across the UK and internationally.

Trust underpins our entire operation and our clients stay with us because they know we keep their best interests front and centre.

For us, the auction process is a journey and one which we take with our clients. Ours is a results-driven service underpinned by solid technology, expert advice and a willingness to turn the first contact to repeat customer to a trusted friend.

Contact us today for a free no obligation appraisal.

Pro Auction Ltd (T) 01761 414000 (E) info@proauction.ltd.uk (W) www.proauction.ltd.uk

Novellini - Minimalism and Clean Lines specialist continues to strive towards ever more sustainable, holistic production and distribution methods.

Working alongside architects and designers, Novellini creates beautiful and functional bathrooms that complement the home, helping to design tranquil spaces that promote wellbeing within the home and businesses.

Novellini is available nationwide through its chosen merchant partners and retailers, but also welcomes designers and architects to explore its inspirational collections.

Based in Italy, the brand is an independent producer and manufacturer of shower enclosures, wetrooms, shower trays, steam saunas, baths, whirlpools and bathroom furniture.

In the last decade, Novellini has made significant investments into environmentally friendly manufacturing processes. With the future in mind, the bathroom

To find out more about Novellini’s new products you can contact us directly.

Info-uk@novellini.com 01727 229922 or www.novellini.co.uk

Pro Auction is a well established professional firm acting for both corporate & private clients conducting sales throughout the UK and internationally.

Our clients work with us because they know we have their best interests in mind.

This trust is built from our shared values and understanding of what is most important to them.

As a result, we serve a diverse clientele across the following sectors: • • • •

Hotel, Leisure and Hospitality.

Manufacturing Industrial Plant and Machinery Retail and Wholesale Stocks Luxury Goods, Prestige & Branded Products

We conduct sales by auction, tender and private treaty, supported by web based marketing and conventional promotional campaigns that reach the buyer quickly efficiently and professionally ensuring each and every sale is a success.

We can assist with the valuation, removal and sale of assets surplus to your requirements.

Contact us for full details: Pro Auction Ltd on 01761 414000

info@proauction.ltd.uk

www.proauction.ltd.uk

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Caterquip Ventilation – For All Your Commercial Catering Ventilation Needs

Caterquip Ventilation Ltd is proud to be celebrating their 21st Anniversary this year.

This Warwick based company offers nationwide coverage for all your commercial catering needs: free site surveys, quotations and designs (CAD), quality bespoke and standard fabrications, specialist knowledge of catering ventilation systems including input air, odour reduction (carbon filtration and ESP) and sound attenuation.

Affiliated members of Constructionline, CHAS and B&ES, Caterquip Ventilation have a strong hold in the marketplace often advising industry professionals on ventilation systems to a DW172 specification & BSEN:6173.

They have strong relationships with all leading kitchen equipment suppliers, and they offer a kitchen design

service to help you build your ideal kitchen.

Projects undertaken have included Olympic Villages, Basildon Hospital, Dock Gate 4, The Lodge at Old Hunstanton, Colleges, Schools, Hotels, Restaurants and Public Houses. They ensure their systems are compliant with the current guidelines whilst maintaining an efficient and dynamic facility.

With extensive knowledge of manufacturing and installing ventilation systems, they can help you design the best kitchen within the space available.

Call today on 01926 887167 or visit www.caterquipventilation.co.uk

7 Things to Remember About Commercial Refrigeration Whether you’re unaware of proper commercial refrigeration protocol or you’ve picked up bad habits along the way, there are many foodservice businesses and staff that forget the basics when it comes to running, using and maintaining commercial refrigeration.

Any commercial refrigeration is a major investment for a business and so it’s vital to make sure it is used correctly, not only to increase lifespan of equipment but also, critically, for food safety.

1.DO know what foods should be stored at what temperature. For general produce aim for around 2°C to 5°C. Fresh meat and fish should be stored between -2°C to +2°C while frozen foods should be stored at -18°C or lower. It’s no good just keeping food cold, it needs to be stored at specific temperatures to delay the growth of bacteria and preserve freshness.

2.DO monitor and record temperatures. This is good practice for any HACCP plan and also promotes best practice and additional food safety.

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3.DO clearly label all foods detailing the contents, prep dates, use by dates and the member of staff creating the label. Colour coded day labels are great for at a glance assessment of what needs to be used first.

(FIFO) system. This isn’t just a gimmick to create extra work for staff but is vital for food safety and to minimise food waste.

5.DO observe basic food storage rules.

Ideally cooked and raw foods should be stored in separate equipment to avoid cross contamination.

6.DO remember that commercial refrigeration requires more attention than a domestic fridge freezer. Vents, condensers and filter areas will attract dust & dirt which must be periodically removed to ensure effective and efficient operation. Regular cleaning and maintenance are vital to performance and to prevent possible breakdowns.

7.DO pay attention to the climate class allocated to equipment. This denotes the maximum ambient temperatures that a unit can work in effectively and efficiently and so dictates where it’s suitable for use. For example, a fridge with climate class 3 is designed for maximum ambient conditions of 25°C, which lends itself to positioning in a standard storage room. Fridges with climate class 4 or 5 are suitable for use in maximum ambient temperatures of 30°C and 40°C respectively, therefore can be situated in the working kitchen environment where it tends to be hotter.

Tele - 01455 815200 Email - sales@ffdgroup.co.uk 4.DO observe stock rotation and use the first in first out Web - www.fridgefreezerdirect.co.uk or www.247cateringsupplies.co.uk

Design and Refit

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Cemco (The Catering Equipment Maintenance Company) Cemco (The Catering Equipment Maintenance Company) first opened for business in 1990, and have been serving Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Bath, and the rest of the South and Southwest, ever since.

We offer a full range of services, including servicing and repairs for all commercial catering appliances, ranging from small local projects to major national work, and everything in between.

Specialising in commercial Glasswasher and Dishwasher repairs sales and service our reputation is second to none.

We can offer you a no obligation quote now, so contact us for more information.

CEMCO also carry out repairs to commercial catering equipment Dishwashers, Glasswashers, Ovens

Grills Bournemouth, Poole, Dorset and The Southwest.

We undertake repairs and servicing to ALL, types, makes and models of commercial catering equipment.

A repair is often far cheaper then a replacement! 30 Years in this Industry gives us the edge over our competitors, with time served Commercial Catering Equipment Engineers our clients have found we save them the cost of purchasing new equipment time after time…why buy new when a guaranteed repair is often all your Catering Equipment requires…

We are based in Bournemouth & Poole, covering the whole of Dorset, as well as Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Call 01202 377205 now, to arrange a site visit www.cemcoltd.co.uk

Increase Profit with CardsSafe

The CardsSafe system is specifically designed to securely retain customer credit, debit and ID cards while the cardholder runs a tab.

CardsSafe works with the hospitality industry to assist with bar tabs which undoubtedly help to increase profits.

Young’s pubs, Hilton Hotels, and many independent and chain restaurants and pubs have been using CardsSafe for many years. The system helps them increase the bottom line by reducing charge backs and walkouts, while fighting card fraud at the same time.

With COVID caution still in place, many businesses are relying on pre-pay at their establishments. However, this virtually eliminates the opportunity to upsell.

Without retaining cards to encourage customers to order more, the only alternative to increasing revenue is to hike up prices. As Phil Dixon, a former advisor to the BII, explains, “If you want to increase spend, you must retain cards.” A simple solution, and one that could be a quick and easy win.

CardsSafe is also a valuable asset to venues with outdoor service areas. Debbie, Director of The Deer’s Hut

in Liphook, Hampshire, explains, “The CardsSafe system is great for servicing customers who enjoy our outside areas.” It takes away the temptation for walk-outs, saving hospitality venues hundreds of pounds each month as a result.

Increasing profit and reducing walk-outs, CardsSafe offers a multitude of benefits to its customers. No wonder that over 5000 major brands and independents in the UK trust CardsSafe.

“Average spend is up and chargeback has virtually disappeared after we installed CardsSafe, which really puts our customers’ minds at rest.”

Timothy, Young’s Bar manager CardsSafe is affordable and pays for itself. Each unit, which contains ten card drawers, can be hired for just £9.99 per month. Each hire comes with customer service troubleshooting and free replacement keys.

Additional units can be added at any time. The question is, can you afford not to consider CardsSafe as a part of your business?

Sign up to CardsSafe at https://cardssafe.com/ account/create-account or call 0845 500 1040.

Specialists in Servicing, Repairs and Maintenance of all Commercial Catering Equipment

Cemco undertake Service and Repairs to ALL Commercial Dishwasher and Glasswasher Manufacturers Including Hobart, Electrolux, Meiko, Winterhalter to name a few.

CEMCO carry out repairs, servicing and routine maintenance to all makes and models of commercial catering equipment, including dishwashers and glasswashers.

We can also supply you with a new or used dishwasher …simply Contact Us for details of available Used Stock

We are based in Bournemouth & Poole and cover the whole of Dorset, along with the neighbouring counties of Somerset, Devon, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Trust CEMCO for commercial catering dishwasher servicing!

Call us now, on 01202 377205 for a free quote to repair your dishwasher

www.cemcoltd.co.uk

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CLH Digital

Issue 72

Design and Refit

Simple and Stylish Seating to Suit Any Interior No matter how good the food is in your restaurant or café, customers will only return if the surroundings match the culinary experience. When it comes to creating a pleasant atmosphere, attractive and comfortable seating is key.

With this in mind Trent Furniture have expanded their highly popular, durable and timelessly elegant Sorrento Chair range. Originally available in brown or grey faux leather, this bestseller is now available in a choice of nine upholstery options to suit any interior décor scheme.

As well as being a stylish and comfortable choice for your venue, Trent’s new range of fully upholstered chairs are a cost-effective and hassle-

free choice. Available for fast delivery, fully assembled, these contract grade solid hardwood frame chairs are built to withstand heavy use in your hospitality setting.

Not only that, their chic but simple style means they pair perfectly with a wide range of tables including cast iron, wooden and shaker styles.

To find out more about Trent’s fantastic new range of fully upholstered chairs, which are made using ‘no sag’ foam to your specifications by our in-house upholstery team, please visit www.trentfurniture.co.uk or call 0116 2864 911.

Hybrid Heating For The Modern Property EHC offer a comprehensive Range of Electric Products that are all controlled by the wellestablished DSR Technology Control System. It enables you to select a Hybrid Heating Solution from the range for the various rooms within your property to suit your design style and budget – the choice is yours.

All DSR Controlled Heaters are manually operated using the “easy to use” Controller located on the Heater.

They also have Wi-Fi capability that can be activated when you purchase the optional DSR Smart Gateway which will allow you to control your Heaters Anytime, Anywhere 24/7 up to a maximum of 30 Heaters per gateway using our free bespoke APP. The DSR Control APP has many features designed to enhance your comfort levels and provide essential information regarding your heating system. There is also an optional Power Meter Clamp available for Load Shedding Control.

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Popular features within the APP • Setting Times to suit lifestyle • Adjust each room temperature

• Limit electricity consumption to avoid exceeding maximum power available • Monitor your electricity consumption history • View the Temperature history by room The comprehensive range of Heaters which are available in various Outputs are: • DSR Heat Retention Radiators • Edge • Ecostore • Visage The DSR range of heaters are ideal for the likes of Bars, Restaurants or Hotels as the DSR control system allows for each heater to be controlled remotely from a smart phone or controlled centrally from a PC at a hotel reception. This level of control helps keep running costs to a minimum and removes the inconvenience of staff members going from room to room to adjust heating temperature when customers check in or out.

For further information or a free Brochure contact 01698 820533 or visit www.electric-heatingcompany.co.uk

Property and Professional

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Help Is At Hand For Businesses Devastated By The Covid–19 Virus In 2020 The Government is backing a new lending scheme that is aimed at getting funds out to struggling businesses that have seen profits impacted by coronavirus and whilst hotels, restaurants and public houses along with B&B’s and other hospitality businesses all struggled through the lockdowns we are pleased to let you know help is at hand.

Loans will be based upon 2018 & 2019 accounts, as opposed to last year’s figures.

Repayments will be anything up to a 25 year profile, meaning repayments will be low and give the best chance for business recovery.

Loans will normally be secured against the freehold, or long leasehold value, but can be used for any purpose including refinance, debt consolidation, providing additional working capital and even purchasing of another business.

Professional brokers, Global, have 31 years’ experience in introducing business owners to helpful and competitively priced banks, often not on the High St. but based in The City, with regional offices and a fresh modern way of working and providing business loans nationally.

Global will help you with the funding options and chat to the lenders to obtain the best terms before presenting them too you. Once you choose a loan option, Global will work to obtain an approval from the lender prior to any business valuation, so you know the bank is supportive and wants to take the process forward towards a loan pay out.

See their advert on this page and email them basic details of your requirements to see what may be on offer to you.

Email mvhwiddows@aol.com

Weekly Figures Analysis & Reporting Phoenix Specialist Risk Solutions Service from David Hunter David Hunter has been in the business for over 30 years, and with his vast amount of experience has become an expert in ensuring that businesses reach their full financial potential.

For years he’s provided a bespoke Mentoring & Consultancy service to a select few, and he has always provided with that, free-of-charge weekly figures analysis and reporting … yes, weekly.

David has now come up with a way of making his amazing Mentoring & Consultancy service more accessible to the wider market, and for a lower monthly fee.

Instead of being charged for monthly consultancy, you can now access David’s knowledge and expertise via his already-established and very well-used weekly figures reporting system. He will send you weekly reports on how your business is doing and will

throw in FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE AT ALL, four half-day on site Mentoring & Consultancy visits per year (or two full days, depending on location). He will also always be at the end of a phone for you, or email, if you needed him, and he also has access to legal experts as well as a ‘’tried and trusted’’ Bowden Group Alliance colleague who can advise you … again FREE OF CHARGE … on how to save money on your utility bills.

If you have a Pub, Restaurant or Hotel business which is facing financial or operational challenges … why not let David have a look, and help you maximise your full potential. There is no cost to David having a look at your figures, and letting you know what COULD be achieved.

Call David Hunter confidentially on 07831 407984 or on 01628 487613.

Much like the mythological bird, Phoenix Specialist Risk Solutions was born from the ashes of an industry which has grown tired and disassociated from the people it is designed to protect. Phoenix is built to be different, our main focus is you.

We have built our business with care at the core of everything we do. We strive to offer a quality personalised service which is tailored to each individual’s needs — we listen to you, get to know you and aim to support you every step of the way.

Your business is in most cases the biggest risk and the biggest asset you will ever have from the initial days of worrying about business levels and cash flow through to staff and HR issues and then back to business levels and cash flow, a revolving cycle. Within your business you will also have your trusted partners, your accountants and bankers, do you include

your insurance broker? If not why not?

Commercial insurance should not just be about the lowest possible price, it should be with someone you can work with and trust, someone flexible to the changes your business faces and someone who can advise you of which covers you may like to consider and not just the ones which you are legal required to have. Does your business description on your policy actually match your business, are your sums insured reviewed and adequate, do you have seasonal stock increases? Have you declared the accurate turnover and wageroll?

We work with you to help you establish and maintain an insurance program which meets your needs and provides the best value for money.

See the advert on page 13 or visit www.phoenixsrs.co.uk

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