CLH Digital - Issue #82

Issue 82

Christmas Will Be Lockdown-Free says Prime Minister www.CLHNews.co.uk

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that he sees no evidence to suggest a Christmas lockdown is ‘on the cards’, despite rising Covid cases. This comes as good news for young adults as a survey by industry analysts CGA has revealed that up to three quarters of them (71%) are ready to celebrate the festive season in pubs, bars & restaurants.

Speaking to reporters during his trip to Rome for the G20 summit, Mr Johnson once again insisted ministers are sticking with the current plan to tackle coron-

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CLHNews

avirus and there is no reason to activate the government’s Plan B. Asked if he could guarantee a good Christmas, he said: “I see no evidence whatever to think that any kind of lockdown is on the cards. We’re watching the numbers every day. Yes, it’s true that cases are high. But they do not currently constitute any reason to go to Plan B,” Mr Johnson said.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

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CLH Digital

Issue 82

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH DIGITAL I sincerely hope Prime Minister Boris Johnson sticks to his word!

He has rather been under “the cosh” - particularly this week - over the government's handling of the lobbying scandal, which has resulted in a backlash for him.

However, being the eternal optimist, I am hoping that he remains true to his word and does not instigate a Christmas lockdown. (See our front cover story).

Well, money is an object! And I suspect that people may consider opting for more frequent dining out at less cost, which will certainly benefit the independent sector.

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

I was highly critical of last years Christmas Covid rules - too complicated and too ludicrous for words!

Tier 4 here, Tier 3 there, it became a lot of nonsense!

Another boost the independent sector is the decline in turnover of the branded restaurant sector.

Earlier this month when the Prime Minister made a clear statement that he has no intention of instigating a Christmas lockdown, the nayayers were “quick out of the blocks”. All those people in safe and secure jobs calling for yet another lockdown.

While Covid had a devastating effect on hospitality generally in the branded sector particularly devastating, with some entering into administration others into creditors voluntary arrangement and some well-known names disappearing from the high street forever.

I have followed the increase in Covid cases within the UK, and it would appear that our higher incidence of cases is relative to the fact that we test more than other countries.

It is only my personal opinion but the branded casual dining sector negatively dominated hospitality in recent years. It grew phenomenally by heavily discounting, and one cannot run a restaurant deploying a marketing strategy of consistent discounts without facing some financial repercussions.

EDITOR

Peter Adams

It’s true I can assure you. As of October 27, 2021 the UK had tested more people than the whole of America and France put together, and we had tested almost 4 times as many people as Spain had, and we had tested almost 5 times as many as Germany.

Not rocket science to see why our positive tests are higher than other countries!

It is imperative that the Prime Minister keeps the hospitality sector open over the festive and New Year period. Not only for the sector itself, but for the well-being of the country.

As our lead story reveals, almost three quarters of the younger generation intend to celebrate the festive season in a pub bar or restaurant and, according to the report’s authors, the survey gives cause for “cautious optimism”.

It would be a disaster for the sector and the country to compromise that in any way, and while I am sure this will leave the government open to criticism, I really do feel the government needs to ‘stick to its guns’.

So keep us open Boris!

Another article in this week’s issue surrounds a consumer index report by guest experience specialists HGEM. (See page 8.)

The study revealed that “if money were no object” people would flock to Michelin Star restaurants to enjoy a fine dining experience. But the survey also revealed that up to quarter of people would opt to go to an independent pub or restaurant.

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An article I read a year or two back confirmed the folly of over discounting when referring to one of the chains which entered administration; “they've been flooding the market with vouchers all these years. The only time people eat there is when they've got a voucher.”

All businesses need more premium items to make up for the lack of profits from those discounted items, and over time, we saw a lack of profitability, which led to a massive high street cull.

So the signs are there (providing we do not enter into any restrictions or a lockdown) that the independent sector will enjoy a very busy and profitable festive season!

Watch out for our printed issue which will have some great tips guidance and advice on how to maximise sales!

FAX: 01202 552666 sales@catererlicensee.com

www.CLHNews.co.uk @CLHNews CLHNews

EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Shelly Roche Published Publishedbyby

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

We are trying to maximise our advertisers reach as much as possible, without them would not be possible to run CLH NEWS, 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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Christmas Will Be Lockdown-Free says Prime Minister

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

The Prime Minister's comments follow calls from health leaders and prominent scientists for the Government to take steps to ease the growing pressures on the NHS. Coronavirus infection levels have risen across the UK, with the most recent estimates showing the same proportion of people in England have Covid now as at the peak of the second wave.

Despite the prevalence of the virus across the UK hospital admissions and deaths remain below levels seen during January, with the vaccine rollout acknowledged as the main reason.

MOVING TO PLAN B Moving to Plan B for England would mean the return to working at home advice and the mandatory wearing of face masks, as well as the introduction of so-called vaccine passports.

The prime minister said the government is monitoring cases but there was no need to act at this stage.

"We're watching the numbers every day. Yes, it's true that cases are high. But they do not currently constitute any reason to go to Plan B," Mr Johnson said. " We're sticking with the plan. And I think rather than thinking new restrictions the best thing everybody can do is get that booster jab as soon as you're offered it.

"It's a very important message. I think people don't quite realise that the first two jabs do start to wane.

So people who are double vaccinated can experience a waning effect in their immunity.

"How sad, how tragic, it would be if people who had other complications, other compromises in their health got seriously ill because they were overconfident about their level of immunity and didn't get their booster when they needed it.

"So please, please, please can everybody get their boosters."

His comments come after the NHS Confederation, the British Medical Association and scientists called on the government to take steps to ease the growing pressure on the health service.

YOUNG ADULTS SET TO EMBRACE THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR CHRISTMAS

The news that the Prime Minister has ruled out a Christmas lockdown follows a survey which revealed that young adults are set to embrace pubs, bars and restaurants for Christmas celebrations.

New research by industry analysts CGA revealed that well younger adults offset to enjoy an on-trade, dining out yuletide experience, but older people may be more hesitant about eating and drinking out.

Issue 82

CLH Digital

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CGA’s latest Pulse survey suggests that nearly three quarters (71%) of consumers plan to visit the On Premise over the festive period. People aged 18 to 34 are particularly enthusiastic, with two thirds (69%) of those who will go out planning to visit at least as often as they did over Christmas 2019—more than twice the number who plan to visit less (31%).

OLDER DEMOGRAPHICS “LESS BULLISH” However, older demographics are less bullish. Well over a third (38%) of those aged 55 or over say they won’t be using the On Premise at all—and even among those who do plan to go out, nearly half (45%) will do so less often than they did in 2019. It is a reminder of the ongoing need to show consumers that they can enjoy safe as well as happy experiences in venues—especially as confidence levels have been dented by rising COVID cases in recent weeks.

PUBS, BARS AND RESTAURANTS WILL BE POPULAR PLACES The Pulse data suggests that pubs, bars and restaurants will be popular places for people to reconnect this Christmas. A third (33%) of consumers intend to celebrate with friends there, and nearly as many (31%) are planning celebrations with family. Around a quarter (26%) plan to have workplace Christmas parties in the On Premise. One in seven (14%) plans to visit on Christmas Day, with similar numbers for Christmas Eve (15%) and Boxing Day (13%).

These figures give us grounds for cautious optimism for strong December trading,” says CGA’s research and insight director Charlie Mitchell. “After a Christmas washout in 2020, consumers are eager to get back to the kind of festive experiences that only the On Premise can provide. However, venues will have to juggle some people’s desire to celebrate with more cautious consumers’ anxieties about safety—all while addressing major challenges around staffing and supply. Venues that pull this off can look forward to a positive end to a very challenging year.”

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Redhouse Pubs Group Invests with Star at Historic Enfield Pub

Redhouse Pubs Group is breaking ground on a joint £350,000 refurbishment of The Rose & Crown in Enfield with Star Pubs & Bars. The pub is Redhouse Pub Group’s first substantive lease with Star.

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Dating back to 1716, The Rose & Crown is believed to have once been run by Dick Turpin’s grandparents and to have been a hideout for the highwayman.

The investment will transform The Rose & Crown into a great quality, family-friendly pub serving outstanding food. The exterior work will carefully renovate the Grade II listed pub, repainting the building and adding new lighting and signage.

A kitchen refit will enable head chef Allan Herrick – who has previously worked at Michelin-starred establishments such as Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck – to develop The Rose & Crown’s food. The menu will focus on pub classics as well as changing à la carte specials. All the dishes will be made from

0800 44 44 43 scratch using seasonal ingredients and top quality produce sourced by Allan. Fresh fish will come daily from Cornwall and fruit and veg from Covent Garden or nearby farms.

Says Redhouse Pub Groups’ head of operations Brian Coughlan: “I can tell instantly whether a pub will work for us, and I got that feeling when I walked into The Rose & Crown. It has got loads of potential and fantastic outside space.”

*Offer subject to Terms & Conditions.

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Staff Crisis Ingrained In Hospitality Sector, May Extend Beyond 2022 4

CLH Digital

Issue 82

By Kunal Sawhney, CEO of Kalkine (www.kalkine.co.uk)

The hospitality sector of the United Kingdom has been a major contributor to the overall output of the services sector as accommodation and food and beverage facilities command a stronghold with a deep penetrated and considerable number of stores in overseas locations, as well.

The repercussions of Covid-19 have severely disturbed the functioning of the industry with the businesses facing multiple blows from repeated closure of stores, outlets and accommodation facilities, as the country underwent a national lockdown for three times during the pandemic era so far. The extended set of restrictions and stern social distancing guidelines have been inducted for the greater good of national health as the frequency of infections unsettled the authorities.

But, the very restrictions have landed most of the enterprises operating within the hospitality industry in serious troubles as a substantial number of hospitality businesses were already functioning after securing multiple credit lines, the no show of customers for an elongated stretch made it worse as they were not able to realise even 25% of the revenue generated in the pre-Covid duration.

Furthermore, some businesses including late night pubs, bars, restaurants with large seating arrangements were told to shut entire operations as social distancing norms can’t be obliged at such hospitality settings.

As a result of mass disruption in the businesses, the sector is now reeling under the immense pressure of staff inadequacy as the government of the UK has allowed to resume the operations on full scale and have withdrawn the social distancing guidelines, effectively allowing the indoor, as well as outdoor settings to accommodate and operate at full functional capacities.

The shortage of human capital at such consumer facing businesses makes it very hard for the operators to service the customers in the adequate manner, at a time when consumer footfall is on a rise ahead of

the Christmas festivities as the country would be celebrating the festival in the most relaxed environment after 2019.

However, the sharp resurgence of Covid-19 cases can potentially affect the new normal as people are still contracting the virus, that too after completing the two-dose regimen. Some Asian regions have partly placed some localities under lockdown after a steep surge in the daily rate of infection. The ‘mini outbreaks’ have led to devastating situations, if left unaddressed.

The healthcare administration of the UK seems quite proactive when it comes to alleviating the possibilities of widespread infection as the National Health Service initiated the massive pinging exercise during early May this year, leading to a crisis called ‘pingdemic’.

The acute shortage of drivers, hauliers, HGV operators, and other people deployed in the supply chain and logistics systems snowballed after the mobile application of NHS started sending hundreds of thousands of pings to people who have been in proximity of infected individuals, suggesting a mandatory self-isolation. The situation has slightly moderated after the government intervention to revive the petrol supplies at the refuelling stations.

The NHS, PHE, and other medical bodies designated to control Covid19 remain on the edge as the winter season traditionally leads to increased transmission of viruses. It happened during the same time, earlier last year, when the Downing Street administration had to come up with the tier system after the massive second wave unnerved the medical facilities and hospitality administration with the rate of hospitalisation and daily infections climbing to an unforeseen level.

Nonetheless, the situation has ameliorated now with the healthcare authorities increasing the level of protection for the vulnerable people across the nation with the booster shot of Covid-19 vaccine. According to the latest figures released by the Department of Health and Social Care, more than 8 million people have received an additional dose over the standard process of double jabs.

The added protection for the vulnerable and individuals who are highly susceptible to such viruses, certainly diminishes the chances of a major outbreak in the country, and, at the same time it ensures that all the people have the maximum level of protection as the country has now eased the international travel restrictions further, allowing more people to fly to and from the UK from various parts of the world.

The double-jabbed people who are receiving the third dose of vaccine can be rest assured that the level of protection secured from the first two doses of the vaccine will be maintained over the winter period. The healthcare administration has now allowed the people, eligible to receive a booster shot of vaccine, to get it done by visiting any of the

walk-in Covid-19 vaccination centres from 1 November, provided that a six-month period has elapsed from the date of their respective second doses.

All such measures taken by the healthcare authorities can unquestionably augment the smoother functioning of businesses as enterprises look forward to capitalising the surge in consumer spending over the festival season and the upcoming Thanksgiving period of deals and discounts.

Even with the present set of precautionary measures and increased business activity, the enterprises will take years to get over the problem of staff crisis as uncertainty with regard to the operations is still there.

The level of uncertainty has only enlarged in the recent past as the influx of international travellers has increased with the people increasingly opting for cross-border travel following the restart of sports hospitality.

The sports associations and governing councils allowing the fans to return to the stadiums and visit away matches of their favourite teams during the ongoing Premier League season and the remaining fixtures of the UEFA Champions League, has increased the chances of transmission. Though the sports administration and stadium authorities are making sure that there is absolutely no lapse in the suggested advisory by the governments to only allow double-jabbed people.

The deep-rooted challenges of staff shortages is likely to take at least a year from now as some businesses have started facing the pressure of capital crunch as they are required to service the debt obligations in the upcoming tenure. With the reduced scale of operations and curtailed staff makes it very difficult for the businessowners to recognise preCovid level of revenues.

Without adequate staff size, businesses are forced to operate at a reduced scale, as a result of which they will fall short of estimated sales in the upcoming months. On the other hand, the enterprises who have a sizable warchest are finding it difficult to deploy skilled staff in other positions as a sizable number of overseas workers have left the country during the course of repeated disruptions and the disastrous period of ‘no work, no pay’.

Moreover, the businesses are already struggling with the broken balance sheets due to which they are unable to hire the adequate number of people at the desired pay packages. Sufficient level of human capital has been a key driving force for the consumer facing businesses. The industry-wide limitedness of workforce can extend beyond 2022 unless the enterprises manage to drive up the revenues with the curtailed staff size, effectively increasing the profitability, paving the way for more people in the operations.

VisitBritain Research Highlights Football’s Importance in Boosting Inbound Tourism

Research from national tourism agency VisitBritain demonstrates the increasing importance of football in driving inbound tourism to the UK and in boosting visitor spending.

Its ‘Football Tourism in the UK’ report published today shows that overseas visitors who went to a football match spent £1.4 billion across the UK in total during their trip in 2019, up 84% on the £742 million spent in 2011 when the research was last conducted.

There were 1.5 million visits to the UK in 2019 that included watching a live football match, up 66% compared to 2011 when there were 909,000 visits.

Visitors who attended a football match also spent more and stayed longer, spending £909 per visit on average, 31% more than the global visitor average of £696 in 2019, and staying 10 nights compared to seven.

It is not just leisure visitors that enjoyed football matches. Out of the 1.5 million who went to a football match during their stay, 94,000 were international business visitors.

Football also took the top spot in 2019 as the most popular live sporting event for international tourists to the UK. Tourism Minister Nigel Huddleston said: "Our national game is a massive draw for visitors that want to come and watch top-class football from some of the best Leagues in the world. Football tourists boost

local economies during the off-peak tourism season supporting restaurants, hotels and hospitality venues.

"I will continue to work closely with VisitBritain, the Premier League and the EFL to keep up this momentum."

VisitBritain Chief Executive Sally Balcombe said: “This research demonstrates the huge draw and increasingly valuable role of live football in attracting international visitors to Britain. It also cements the importance of football in driving regional tourism by encouraging visitors to explore different parts of Britain and its effectiveness in driving growth across the shoulder seasons, boosting local economies.

“We will continue to harness the global interest in football as international travel reopens, helping drive back demand for travel to Britain, from our long-standing partnership with the Premier League to content partnerships in our overseas markets and global promotion through our digital channels.”

Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters said: “The Premier League and its clubs provide competitive football, featuring the world’s best players and managers, in front of brilliant fans. We are very proud of the positive impact the League has on both national and local economies.

“Seeing the competition in action is fantastic and we look forward to welcoming more international visitors to our stadiums in the future.”

More than half of visitors who watched football during their trip also took time to see the UK’s famous monuments and buildings and almost three-quarters included a restaurant meal. They were also more likely than other inbound visitors to undertake these activities, underscoring the additional value football visitors bring to the economy.

Almost two-thirds of trips took place in either January to March or October to December, cementing football’s importance in driving inbound tourism outside the peak travel seasons. Overseas visitors to the North West of England were the most likely to watch a football match, almost one-in-five, followed by 1-in-14 overseas visitors to the North-East and 1-in-20 to Yorkshire.

Looking at visits to specific stadiums, Old Trafford in Manchester and Anfield Stadium in Liverpool attracted the most international visits, 226,000 and 213,000 respectively.

The top three source markets for football-watching visitors in 2019 were the Irish Republic with 175,000 visits followed by Germany with 126,000 and the USA with 113,000.

VisitBritain has been promoting football tourism to the UK for more than a decade through its ongoing partnership with the Premier League and the UK Government’s GREAT Britain campaign.

For inspiration and ideas on football-related visitor attractions and experiences see the following links: www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/celebrate-britains-footballing-heritage www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/top-places-buy-premier-league-tickets www.visitengland.com/12-englands-best-football-experiences-and-stadium-tours

Pub and Bar Owners’ Loans To Own Businesses Hit £138 Million During Covid Issue 82

The amount of money lent by UK pub and bar owners to keep their own businesses afloat last year hit £138 million, according to research by private equity investment firm Growthdeck.

Their study shows that 1,730 UK pubs and bar companies have run so short of cash and other finance that their directors have had to make loans to them from their own personal resources. Many of those loans are for in excess of £200,000.

Many pub and bar owners were left with no option but to lend money to their own businesses to prevent them going bust, in spite of Government backed lending schemes such as CBILS and BBLS. Pubs and bars, even those operating at a profit, have found it increasingly difficult to borrow over the last decade, as high street banks tightened their lending criteria for businesses they deem to be ‘high-risk’

borrowers and limited their lending to SMEs. Owners of pubs and bars may have found it difficult to access funds through CBILs and BBLs as lenders favoured other sectors such as tech and healthcare. This is likely to have prompted more owners of pubs and bars to put their own money on the line.

Given the surplus of lower cost leisure space available, Growthdeck says there is scope for pubs and bars to see a profitable rebound, provided they have access to the funds necessary to enable them to grow.

The increase in domestic tourism, which saw a 35% jump in number of “staycations”, has been a boon to the UK hospitality sector. Sales in pubs and bars in August were 35% higher than the same month in 2020 and up by 5% compared to August 2019*.

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Steve Talbot, Investment Director at Growthdeck, says: “The pub and bar sector has endured a difficult 18 months. Many owners have had to use their own money to stay in business as traditional funding options have been restricted.”

“However, the hospitality sector now faces a unique opportunity. The impact of the pandemic on the High Street has led to an excess of prime sites at attractive rents and much less onerous lease terms.”

“A lot of competition has been removed from the industry and the prospect of a bounce back in trading for the right concepts looks strong.”

Talbot adds: “Pub and bar companies with access to the right finance have an excellent opportunity to expand and grow. Investors should not underestimate the considerable growth potential of the hospitality sector.”

Read Greene King’s Inspiring Real-life Pandemic Stories From the Heart of Hospitality

The Greene King pub company and brewer has published Covid Stories, a book which captures a collection of stories from its people throughout the crisis.

the character of people who work in pubs, was phenomenal. Covid Stories aims to tell some of our people’s experiences, from the highs and the lows during the pandemic.

With pubs closed during much of the pandemic, Greene King, a company with over 220 years history, it has encapsulated the accounts from its team members for generations to come.

“I am so proud of all of our team members, and the book is full of selfless, creative, giving, community-minded, team-spirited, endlessly resilient and frankly, inspirational people.”

The book shares the inspirational stories of people from across the business, the challenges they faced, the highs and lows and how they brought communities together.

During the pandemic, Greene King raised £1.5million for its charity partner Macmillan Cancer Support, despite pubs being closed for much of the year. Food and stock worth £800,000 were donated to good causes and brewery drays travelled the length and breadth of the country collecting 120,000 firkins of unused beer so it could be disposed of in an environmentally-safe way.

Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie said: “When Covid struck it was devasting for the pub and brewing industry, but we battled through the constant uncertainty and restrictions. The fortitude and can-do spirit, which epitomises

Read Covid Stories at https://www.greeneking.co.uk/our-company/covid-stories/

Most Furloughed Staff Returning to Work Issue 82

Most workers who were still on the British government's COVID-19 furlough programme when it closed at the end of September returned to their employers on the same hours, an official survey of businesses has revealed.

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mately what proportion of those furloughed employees had: • been made permanently redundant - 3%

The Office for National Statistics said that 65 per cent of these employees returned to work on the same hours, while 16 per cent went back with reduced hours and 6 per cent went back with hours increased. Another 6 per cent were either laid off or left their jobs voluntarily.

• returned to work on increased hours - 6%

The figures showed that a further 210,000 employees came off the scheme during September, and about half the 1.1 million people still being supported were on flexible furlough working for some of their hours in the workplace.

• returned to work on reduced hours - 16%

• returned to work on the same number of hours - 65%

• voluntarily left their role - 3% • other - 8%

Following the end of the CJRS, those 16% of businesses were asked, approxi-

Suffolk Pub Opens Village Store, Café and New Community Seating Space To Support Local Residents developed within a barn on the site.

The Queen in Brandeston, Suffolk has opened a village store, café and new community seating area to help local residents.

Caroline, who has run the pub for the last seven years, said: “During the first lockdown when we opened a temporary village shop and we also delivered essentials and vegetable box deliveries to local residents.

The pub, which is run by publican Caroline Aitchison, with her daughter Harriet and son Alexander, opened a village shop during the first Covid-19 lockdown and it proved so popular that it has become a permanent fixture. The nearest major supermarket is over 10 miles away and with limited transport links in the area there were challenges for locals to get their essentials.

“Our local store became a lifeline to villagers so we have made it a permanent service.”

Harriet added: “The new outside seating area and café offer is also proving really popular with the locals, many of who want to meet especially in the wake of the Covid pandemic.”

Part of a barn, which is situated beside the pub, was converted with inside and outside seating, to help bring members of the community together.

Pub is The Hub regional advisor Terry Stork said: “This family-run pub is a real hub of the community. The village store has proved really popular with those living locally and is an important amenity especially for older and more vulnerable customers who find it hard to travel.

The village store, café and seating area were opened with the expert help and a Community Services Fund grant from Pub is The Hub, the not-for-profit organisation that helps pubs to diversify and provide essential local services.

The store offers a range of essentials along with a specialist range of Italian and Spanish products, while the seating area, which includes both inside and outside seating, was

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“The seating area and café is crucial in helping those in the community connect with others to combat feelings of loneliness and isolation.”

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CLH Digital

Issue 82

Supporting Your Colleagues With hospitality gearing up for the traditionally busiest time of the year, Drinkaware is stressing how important it is for staff to be aware of the pressures that colleagues are under and be mindful of how to look after each other.

As part of that duty of care, Adam Jones, Drinkaware’s business development and partnerships director, offers some practical advice on spotting whether drinking may be getting out of control for someone you know.

Over the last couple of years, we have all become more acutely aware of those around us and the community that we live and work in. As people dealt with the pandemic in their own ways we were urged to #bekind and help each other as much as possible.

For hospitality, the positive team spirit and mutual support that is so prevalent was tested as colleagues were distanced from each other during a series of closures and restrictions. And now the sector faces other challenges – staff shortages, supply chain disruptions, and customers with different levels of anxiety and behaviours towards employees.

In the Drinkaware Monitor 2021[1] people reported that the pandemic, and particularly times of increased restrictions/lockdowns, caused periods of high stress, anxiety, isolation, and boredom, and that some turned to

alcohol as a coping mechanism. Additionally, 12% of those who were made redundant (or were in the process of being made redundant) during the pandemic said they drank to forget about problems compared to 5% of those still in employment. With pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels closed for long periods many staff would have fallen into the redundancy bracket if they were not able to be furloughed so may have been at higher risk of turning to alcohol to help them cope.

If someone you care about is drinking too much, whether it is out of habit, anxiety or adjusting to new working patterns, you may be well placed to recognise changes in their behaviour and help. The more we drink, the greater our tolerance for alcohol can become and this for some could lead to dependence over time, so it is important to recognise potential warning signs and seek support sooner rather than later.

Signs that you should look out for include: • Seeming tired, unwell or irritable • Feeling anxious or depressed, or talking about having trouble sleeping • Seeming secretive or dishonest about how much alcohol they’re drinking • Being unable to say no to alcohol or stop at one or two drinks • Appearing drunk more often, or needing to drink more in order to get the same effect • A lack of interest in regular activities, instead favouring occasions to drink With the festive season approaching and everyone under pressure to deliver high levels of customer service, look out for each other and if you spot any of the signs and think that one of your colleagues or someone you care about is drinking too much, remember that help is available.

Drinkaware provides online tools and advice at drinkaware.co.uk and our free online service Drinkchat is available with trained advisors on hand to provide confidential advice and support or call Drinkline on 0300 123 1110 (weekly 9am - 8pm, weekends 11am - 4pm). If you have any concerns please do get in touch and let’s continue to look after each other this winter.

Consumer Insight Report - Redefining Luxury Guest Experience Management experts HGEM have recently released a groundbreaking “Consumer Insight Report Defining Luxury”. which half (50%) consumers chose premium brands experiences slightly higher than men (respectively, traditional luxury: half (50%) of the consumers as their favourite.

86% v 79%). would prefer an overnight stay at a 5-star hotel or resort; almost a quarter (24%) would choose stayThe biggest support for mid-level supermarkets FORMALITY V INFORMALITY ing at a luxurious country inn. A tenth (10%) would was from consumers within the 56-65 age group at Traditionally, people opt for a cottage rental, and only 8% would prefer 20% (v average of 13%), and the ones most likely to imagine luxury being to either stay at an ultramodern aparthotel, or to shun mid-level supermarkets were the in the 66+ associated with aristocrago glamping. age category, where only 4% indicated these as their cy, or upper classes preference.

The 46-55 age group are particularly fond (59%) servers in tuxes, goldof 5-star hotels, and surprisingly, the 56-65 are rimmed crockery, etc., From a gender perspective, surprisingly, the group are least likely to select a 5-star hotel (39%); whereas in recent responses vary by only a few percent. Women are The pandemic has given us plenty of time for they are much more likely to opt for a luxurious decades, we’ve seen a more likely to prefer local farm shops and premium reflection, and that includes thinking about the kind country inn (34%) instead, in contrast to other age shift in wealth and luxury organic farm shop brands, whereas men are more of world we want to live in going forward. Working groups. being associated with likely to favour premium grocery store brands. from home for a large percentage of the population much more informal elements. It’s hard not to picPeople in the 66+ category are also very fond of MOST SOUGHT AFTER: FOOD has meant moving away from spending time in busy ture a tech magnate in a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, country inn stays (35%), and also like the idea of a city centres, and the chance to explore and fall in EXPERIENCE right? Some luxury lifestyle brands (such as Soho 5-star hotel (54%), but categorically refuse to go love with their local areas.

With food experiences, House) have even gone so far as to actively ‘ban glamping. People aged 18-45 have very similar stuffiness’, with dress-codes that discourage wearing consumer preferences Interest in sustainability and reducing our carbon tastes, much in line with the average results, howevare much more clear cut suits / business dress. footprint has become much more mainstream than er, Gen-Z respondents are slightly more inclined to than it is with their shopit was a few years ago, and we were curious to see go glamping (17% v average of 8%) than the rest.

But which do consumers see as the ‘hallmark of ping preferences. If just how much this sentiment has affected conluxury’? The answer is, overwhelmingly, 68% of Gender comparison is quite revealing: women are money were no object, sumer behaviour, especially in the context of respondents crave informality (friendliness, warmth, more likely to prefer 5-star hotels than men (53% v the vast majority (70%) whether recent years have had an influence on what and familiarity) in a luxury experience.

40%), whereas men have a higher likelihood than would treat themselves customers define as ‘luxury’. So, we’ve put it to our women in opting for a modern aparthotel (13% v Interestingly, people aged 36-55 value ‘formal’ luxto a 7-course Michelin panel of mystery diners – and the results may sur6%) or a cottage rental (13% vs 9%). ury slightly higher than other age groups, with 39% star restaurant experience, however, nearly a quarprise you. favouring this, in contrast to the average of 32% PERCEIVED COVID SAFETY ter (22%) would opt to go to their local independEFFECTS OF CLIMATE AWARENESS across all ages. The biggest enthusiasts of ‘informal’ ent pub or restaurant. It would be very interesting We have been keeping ON LUXURY luxury, surprisingly, are aged 56-65, with 78% of the to know what that breakdown would have looked track how safe our panel respondents indicating this as their preference.

Almost half (47%) – a like pre-pandemic! of consumers feel at the significant proportion – idea of going out into There is little difference from a gender perspec5% say they would choose either a high-street of consumers feel that hospitality venues, and tive, with women being slightly more likely to favour favourite (like Nando’s / Prezzo, etc.) or an upmarbeing climate aware has the most recent results ‘informal’ luxury than men (respectively, 69% vs ket pub / bar (such as Brewdog), and 3% would influenced their percepshow that despite UK 66%). choose a street market or food court experience tion of luxury.

Covid case numbers (e.g. Borough Market / Street Feast).

MOST SOUGHT AFTER: GROCERIES going up, consumers conData shows that It gets more interesting with the demographic If money and location fidence is the highest it’s been since tracking began women feel this sentianalysis: Gen-Z (18-25) are least interested in the convenience were no a year ago. The average safety score is now 8.34 out ment slightly more than men (49% v 42%).

Michelin experience, with only 50% selected this as object, more than a third of 10. This figure was 7.9 in September, 7.19 in July, Surprisingly, climate awareness seems to increase their preference, which is quite a lot below the of consumers (36%) and has been slowly increasing since October 2020, with age as only 39% of Gen-Z (18-25) say they’ve average across age groups (68%). would choose to get growhen that number was only 7.07. reconsidered luxury due to being climate aware, ceries from their local People aged 35-45 are most likely to opt for a Confidence is highest within the Gen-Z age group whilst that figure increases to 54% in those aged 56- farm shop, which, very Michelin treat, as that figure reaches 82% within the (8.78), and lowest with people over 66 (7.92); from 65, and peaks at to 65% within the 66+ category. surprisingly, is higher than age group. Conversely, because people within the a gender perspective, women are slightly more riskthe percentage of those Shopping for luxury goods now also comes with 36-45 age group are favouring Michelin restaurants averse than men (respectively 8.27 v 8.57). who would choose to shop at a premium grocery environmental remorse, as almost 4 in 5 consumers so highly, they have the lowest percentage of people SUMMARY store, such as Waitrose or M&S (32%) – which (77%) say excessive packaging adds an element of choosing a local pub or restaurant (10%). All the some might consider the pinnacle of grocery shopguilt, when buying goods; this rings true especially Sustainability is becoming increasingly important other age groups are closer to the average percentping. with people over 56, as 85% report feeling guilty to consumers, and climate awareness is already havage of 24%, and local venues are, in particular, about excessive packaging. ing an effect on what people perceive to be luxury favoured within the 56-65 category, where that figAlmost 1 in 5 consumers (19%) would opt for a (or what they choose to spend on). We can already ure reaches almost a third (29%) of the responses. premium organic farm shop brand, such as GOODS V EXPERIENCES see an impact on the grocery sector, where people Riverford or Daylesford, and, of course, there are Though figures show there's relatively low interest A vast majority of conare more likely to opt for a local farm shop, rather those who like to stick with their tried and tested in high street favourites, pub brands and street food sumers would rather than the premium supermarket. With hospitality, favourites: 13% of respondents would choose a mid- markets, if money were no object - but or Gen-Z spend money on experisustainability could become a key differentiator and level grocery store, such as Sainsbury’s or Tesco. respondents buck the trend, as 11% prefer high ences (83%) rather than selling point for brands, as people make choices street favourites, and another 11% favour street A demographic analysis shows that the biggest goods (17%) - excellent more carefully, but for now, consumers are happy to markets, much higher interest than in any other age advocates for local farm shops are those aged 26news for the hospitality pursue traditional luxury experiences, such as groups (the average is respectively 5% and 3%).

45, as 41% of respondents indicated this as their industry!

Michelin star restaurants and 5-star hotels. preference. There was also a larger prevalence to MOST SOUGHT Data shows responConsumers are experiencing a certain element of prefer luxury organic farm brands within the 26-45 AFTER: dents across all age guilt associated with excessive packaging, when it age group, in contrast to other age groups, as preOVERNIGHT groups think in similar terms, the only exceptions comes to buying goods, and this may have had an mium organic farm brands were chosen by almost a EXPERIENCE being consumers aged 46-55, who are below the impact on why customers (especially in older age quarter (24% v 19% average).

When if comes to median line, with 76% opting for experiences over groups) choose to spend on experiences. Hopefully Consumers from all other age groups (apart from accommodation, it seems goods, and those aged over 66, who overwhelmingly this will result in an increase in revenue within the 26-45) displayed a tendency to favour premium that consumers are still (92%) choose to spend on experiences. sector, as hospitality takes a bigger share of consupermarket brands, especially the 66+ age group, in more likely to embrace sumer disposable income.

From a gender perspective, women tend to value

SUSTAINABLE IS THE NEW BLACK

Download the Consumer Sentiment Report on Redefining Luxury at https://tinyurl.com/wtk765pu

Welsh Government Facing Fresh Legal Challenge on COVID Pass Policy Issue 82

Law firm JMW Solicitors has taken the first steps in launching a fresh legal challenge against the Welsh Government following the proposed introduction of the Covid pass system at hospitality venues - a move bosses say will sink hundreds of pubs and deliver a fatal blow to a fragile industry.

On 29 October 2021, First Minister Mark Drakeford said in a cabinet statement, “To strengthen protective measures at alert level zero, we intend to extend the use of the COVID Pass, making it a requirement for entrance to cinemas, theatres and concert halls from 15 November, subject to a debate and vote in the Senedd.” He went on to say, “If the public health situation does not improve, the next review of the coronavirus regulations will consider a further expansion of the COVID Pass to include more hospitality settings.”

When asked during an interview for a specific example of the measures being considered as part of the rollout of COVID Passes to venues such as pubs and restaurants, he said: “The hospitality industry needs to use the next three weeks to prepare for the possibility that Covid passes might need to be introduced in that setting, so there’s a specific example of an action we could take in three weeks’ time.”

The First Minister’s comments suggest that COVID Passes may become a requirement at pubs, bars and restaurants in Wales as soon as 19th November, when the next review of the Covid regulations is

announced, leaving the industry with insufficient time to prepare for what would be a major operational change.

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massive undertaking.

The legal challenge has been mounted by experienced restaurateur and entrepreneur, Matt Connolly, who launched similar action in April last year following leaders’ failure to set out an opening date for indoor hospitality, leaving the struggling industry in limbo.

Connolly, owner of the Sticky Fingers Street Food restaurant in Cardiff, has hired JMW to take the government to task on the mooted policy, which he says will be a death sentence for hundreds of pubs, branding the plans “completely impractical and wholly unworkable”.

“The hospitality industry should at the very least expect a full and fair consultation process on any plans to ensure that our concerns have been considered and the impact fully appreciated - I’m not convinced that the government understands the outcome that this will have on the sector and the fact that many businesses will be forced to close their doors; particularly pubs.

As things stand, it does feel like the hospitality industry is being scapegoated yet again.”

A letter has been sent to the devolved government with a deadline of Friday 5th November to respond. It asks that the Welsh Government engage in an open consultation process with Connolly and others with the relevant experience, information and evidence to offer.

Oliver Wright, Partner at JMW Solicitors, said: “A proposal to impose COVID Pass requirements on pubs, restaurants and bars would be excessive and a completely unjustified burden on an industry that is still reeling from the early stages of the pandemic.

Connolly said: “The ideal of introducing COVID passes for pubs and restaurants is farcical - it would be completely unworkable and, the sad reality is, it will sink hundreds of businesses.

“The cost impact would be huge - for our client, it would mean an extra £10,080 a month to monitor a single entrance and would be even higher for venues with multiple entrances.”

“It would add significant running costs to an extremely fragile industry and would be impossible to enforce. We need clarity on the plans rather than vague comments around being prepared yet being left in the dark the preparation alone would come at a huge cost in hiring more staff and introducing new procedures and processes, it isn’t a quick fix; it’s a

JMW benefits from extensive experience of the Judicial Review process and led several similar cases throughout the pandemic, including the successful legal challenge by Sacha Lord, Greater Manchester’s night time economy tsar, which forced the government to abandon its ‘substantial meal’ policy.

Cru Holdings Thanks Customers for Support with Return of Eat Out to Help Out Scheme

A Highland bar and restaurant group has brought back a popular initiative to thank customers who have supported the business through difficult trading conditions, while also safeguarding jobs in the hospitality industry.

Following the success of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme in 2020, Cru Holdings – which operates venues across Inverness and Nairn – has reintroduced the initiative this November, offering up to 50% off all food orders.

Director Scott Murray said: “By bringing back the Eat Out to Help Out scheme across the Cru Holdings group, we achieve two things. We get to say a big thank you to our loyal customers for their continued support, while also helping to protect the jobs of our incredible team, who always go above and beyond to provide excellent service.

“The hospitality sector has faced so many challenges over the last couple of

years, but despite restrictions lifting the industry still hasn’t bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.

“We’re committed to safeguarding the jobs of everyone that works for Cru Holdings, to provide some stability for our team at a time when so many other things in our lives can change every day. The fact we are able to do this by giving something back to our customers at a time when everyone needs a little pick-me-up is the icing on the cake.”

Mr Murray added: “The Highland economy is heavily reliant on the tourism and hospitality sectors. The way the community has rallied around local businesses through these trying times, when there are fewer visitors to the region, has been truly heart-warming. We’d like to thank everyone that has joined us at one of our bars and restaurants for a well-deserved afternoon off or night out – and look forward to seeing them again soon.”

Issue 82

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British Beer & Pub Association Hosts Leased and Tenanted Pub Showcase in the House of Commons The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) is hosting the inaugural Leased and Tenanted (L&T) Pub Showcase at the Houses of Commons on Wednesday 3 November. The showcase gives MPs from across the UK the opportunity to meet publicans from their constituencies, learn more about the L&T model and discover how it places pubs at the heart of their local community.

The Covid pandemic has been a challenging time for the industry, but the L&T model has ensured thousands of pubs have the best chance possible to bounce back strongly following the lifting of lockdown restrictions.

L&T pubs have received an average of £27,000 each in support from pub operating businesses. This support comes in the form of reduced or waived rent, as well as help with re-opening costs, refunds for spoilt beer and staff PPE. The BBPA say that publicans have received a fraction of this support from commercial landlords, with many receiving no rent waiver or discount at all.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “The last year has shown just

how important the leased and tenanted model is in ensuring Britain’s unique pubs survive and thrive.

“The Government is consulting on commercial landlords who have not supported tenants in their buildings. Any measures bought about from the consultation must not cut across the leased and tenanted pub model and undermine the successful collaboration between pub tenant and operator, which has only strengthened since the crisis.”

“It is thanks to the leased and tenanted model that many pubs have been able to successfully reopen and look after their customers and community.”

MPs are invited to drop-in to the L&T Pub Showcase in the Terrace Pavilion, between 12:30 and 2:45pm on 3 November. They will meet with industry representatives from companies including Admiral, Greene King, Marston’s, Pub is the Hub, Punch, Shepherd Neame, Star Pubs, Stonegate Group, Thwaites and Wells and Co.. They will also have the opportunity to meet operators from their constituencies and communities across the UK.

Licensed Trade Charity Launch App Giving Easy Access to Free Support for All Licensed Trade Drinks People

The Licensed Trade Charity have launched their free App for licensed drinks trade people giving them access to the free, confidential 24/7 helpline and support services from their phone.

The Charity, which was established in 1793, supports people from the licensed drinks industry has seen a steep growth in demand for help in recent years, from 8,300 people in 2017 to 73,171 in 2020.

The sector, which employs an estimated 894,817 people in pubs and breweries alone (source: Oxford Economics/BBPA 2018), has been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, and the toll on those working in the sector has been severe, both financially and emotionally.

The Charity’s free helpline reported a 127% increase in calls last year, with a shocking 41% of callers telephoning for mental health support. Many needed someone to talk to in a moment of crisis, while others required, virtual or telephone counselling sessions.

Users of the App have direct access to practical guidance on a range of concerns,

including money, housing, education and employment support.

Head of marketing for the Charity, Paula Smith, said “We continue to review the support our sector needs and expand our services in line with that. We work with a growing number of pub companies to ensure as many licensed drinks trade people as possible know about the free support we offer them. The new App will give those people, some of the hardest hit by the pandemic, easy and direct access to that support” “We encourage anyone who works in the sale, service, manufacture or distribution of alcohol to download the app and ask them to tell their colleagues and peers about it.”

To download the app search Licensed Trade Charity in the App Store or on Google Play. To find out more about the Licensed Trade Charity, its services, or to donate, visit www.licensedtradecharity.org.uk or call freephone 0808 801 0550.

SMEs “Keep Calm and Carry On” Despite Rising Costs from Suppliers Issue 82

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Supply chain issues and increasing costs have impacted SMEs countrywide and yet they seem to be handling it in their usual resilient stride.

Fintech business lender MarketFinance asked 1,000 SME owners across the UK how they are managing rising supplier prices, what measures they have put in place and sought their long term outlook on the increasing costs of doing business.

too much. Two fifths reported they could increase their prices by as much as 10% in the run up to Christmas. Longer term, three quarters (73%) of SMEs are already preparing for the current higher prices to be the norm until at least the end of 2022. A third of SMEs (34%) have taken out loans or are using other finance facilities to manage the increased cost of doing business.

Four out of five (79%) SMEs have faced increased prices from suppliers over the past 6 months. An increase of cost of raw materials was the top ranked rationale for price increases by suppliers, most keenly felt by businesses in the north west of England (85%). This was followed by staff shortages, the ongoing impact of the pandemic slowdown and supply chain disruptions owing to a shortage of truck drivers. Across the UK, a quarter of SMEs reported supplier prices have almost doubled over the past 6 months.

Anil Stocker, CEO at MarketFinance, commented: “The current economic environment with rising costs is presenting some headwinds and headaches for SME owners but they are proving to be as resilient as ever. The vast majority have been thinking ahead and accounted for the longer term scenario, which will hold them in good stead to do business.

It’s great to see that SME owners are taking the long view and preserving their customer relationships and managing suppliers by having a finance facility in place to deal with the overhead for now.

A third of SMEs (32%) have been able to absorb the increased costs without passing them on to customers, suggesting that these businesses have the necessary cash reserves to handle the impact. Only a fifth (21%) are passing a portion of the increased costs onto customers.

Businesses in the south west of England and Northern Ireland are least

likely to absorb the costs while businesses in the north west and Yorkshire are the most likely to do so. Their customers are proving to be equally understanding of the wider supply chain situation with only a fifth (20%) challenging business owners about the price rises.

Looking ahead to the festive season, SMEs feel they will be able to manage the situation but some could increase prices if the pressure gets

TLT Acquires 13 Sites for Urban Pubs & Bars TLT has advised Urban Pubs & Bars, a leading independent pub, bar and restaurant group in London, on its acquisition of 13 pubs and bars from Barworks – increasing its number of venues to 34.

The acquisition follows recent external investment in Urban, which was designed to help accelerate the company’s growth.

The Barworks transaction complements Urban’s existing estate sites, expanding its presence in East and North London including in Shoreditch, Clerkenwell and Camden, and adding iconic sites such as the Exmouth Arms (Exmouth Market), Singer Tavern (Moorgate) and Harrild & Sons (Farringdon).

TLT advised Urban and worked closely with Urban’s other advisors (including Sapient Corporate Finance) as part of one deal team, as well

as leading on the negotiation of legal terms. The team was led by corporate partner Alice Gardner and commercial real estate leisure partner Julian Mant, and included Luke Thorngate-Davies and Jessie Cockhill (corporate), Rachel Channer (real estate), Piers Warne (licensing) and William Ngan (tax).

Nick Pring at Urban Pubs & Bars, says: “We’ve known the guys at Barworks for many years and are delighted to be able to acquire so many iconic pubs that complement our existing estate perfectly.

“We trusted TLT with this work because of the firm’s leading pubs, bars and restaurants expertise, as well as their transaction management skills on delivering corporate transactions. They gave us sound and clear advice and managed the negotiations and the end-to-end transaction

The British Business Bank announced last week that it will extend its Recovery Loan Scheme to June 2022. This extension will give SMEs easier access to more affordable finance they need to continue running and growing operations in the face of ongoing challenges such as staff shortages and supplier price increases.” brilliantly.”

Alice Gardner, partner at TLT, says: “There is strong market activity in the leisure, food and drink sector right now, with buyers wanting to grow their portfolios and strong private equity investment.

“We are delighted to have supported Urban Pubs & Bars with this significant acquisition so soon after their new investment and at a time when the industry is building back stronger after the pandemic.”

Robert's Dorset, based in Wimborne, is family-owned and operated, serving the w Our range includes Proper Pork Crackling, Yummy Peanuts, Delicious Cashews, K We’ve been creating these products for more than 10 years, and we are proud of th the freshest products every time. Pork crackling 6 months BB, Nuts 12 months BB, One area we excel above any other company in our field is we bespoke every box Our pork crackling has 11 flavours, if you only want 1, 4 or 9 flavours that’s exactl We have kept our delivery costs down as well so any order over £140 will receive f We are now regarded as the leading company in Europe for Allergen Free & Keto following.

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Keto mix nuts, Fabulous Fudge, Keto Panko Crumb & more. he service that we’re able to offer. We make everything to order so you receive , Fudge 6 month BB. to your needs. We offer mixed boxes of flavours in every product. y what we will make for you. free delivery on a next day service via FEDEX or we charge £6.50. pork crackling, and our range of peanuts & cashews now have a huge national has taken the country by storm. Earlier this year we launched our secret recipe

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Autumn Budget 2021: What Does It Mean for the Hospitality Industry?

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Issue 82

By Russell Nathan, Senior Partner at HW Fisher (www.hwfisher.co.uk)

In the Autumn Budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a series of policies designed to support the recovery of the hospitality industry. As one of the hardest hit sectors in recent years due to Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, many pubs, hotels, and restaurants were eagerly waiting to learn what level of help that they would receive as they head into the new year.

Key changes included – • VAT: At the moment the industry is very much enjoying a reduced rate at 12.5%.

However, this is set to revert back to 20% from the 1st April 2022.

• Employment costs and National Minimum Wage increase: The industry will take years to recover from the impact of the pandemic, especially as they are currently paying higher costs due to inflation and an increased National Minimum Wage. The implementation of the 1.25% health and social care levy from April 2022 will also increase pressure on the P&L of many pubs, hotels, and restaurants. The freezing of personal income tax thresholds will also have an impact on employees themselves, as the increase in minimum wage will mean that lower paid workers will be paying more tax than they would have done when personal allowances were raised in line with inflation.

• Business rates: Continued government support will play a key role in the recovery of many hospitality businesses. Fortunately, it has been announced that for the 2022/23 financial year, the hospitality and leisure sectors will receive a 50% rate discount up to a cap of £110,000 per business.

• Annual Investment Allowance (AIA): Pubs, restaurants and hotels will more than likely need to undergo significant refurbishment. To support this, the government has maintained the AIA with a £1 million limit to 31st March 2023. This will provide businesses some much-needed relief if they are able to raise the funds needed to carry out the investment.

• Alcohol Duty Reform: This duty has been simplified in a new system that will see alcohol taxed based on its alcohol content. Stronger drinks, including spirits, will pay higher rates while weaker drinks, such as fruit ciders, wine, and lower strength beers, will pay lower rates. The 28% duty premium on sparkling wines has also been cut, which will mean businesses will pay the same duty as still wines of a similar strength. Pubs and bars will benefit from a 5% cut on duty on draught beer and cider from barrels of more than 40 litres. This marks the biggest cut to beer duty in the past 50 years.

All of these steps are welcome news for a struggling industry. However, is it enough for a long-term recovery? Only time will tell. Funding in other areas such as local cultural heritage sites, and transport infrastructure, will eventually have a positive knock-on effect for the hospitality industry. However, this will be much further down the line.

I believe that much more should be done. In comparison to the level of support shown to the industry in the height of the pandemic, many hoteliers and restaurateurs will have been disappointed by the Chancellor’s announcement. I would urge the government to consider extending the VAT cut beyond 2022 to give all the pubs, hotels, and restaurants in the UK a better fighting chance.

Top 25 Restaurant Brands See -20.1% Turnover Decline in 2020 According to the latest data from the Lumina Intelligence Operator Data Index, the top 25* UK restaurant groups reported combined turnover of £2.1 billion in the 2020 financial year, down -20.1% year-on-year.

Average operating profit across the leading 25 restaurant groups has fallen to just 4.6%, from a high of 11.2% in 2015. In the past five years a multitude of factors have seen profit margins decline, including increases to staff costs through rises in legal wages, business costs increases, price rises and fluctuations in food costs as well as hiking property prices.

Commenting on the findings, Senior Insight Manager at Lumina Intelligence, Katherine Prowse, said: “Following four strong years of turnover growth, the impact of the coronavirus pandemic was felt as early as February 2020, with consumers starting to reduce socialising. Government restrictions were introduced in March 2020 when the UK entered its first national lockdown, seeing the closure of restaurants. Negative outlet growth means that operators will need to focus on growing turnover through existing stores by utilising levers of growth including growing volumes with new customers and new day parts, menu price inflation and upselling.

In terms of estates, branded restaurants saw outlet decline fall to -7.9% in December 2020, following turnover declines and reductions in operating profit.

Find out more about Lumina Intelligence’s Operator Data Index at https://www.lumina-intelligence.com/product/operator-data-index/

The top five restaurant brands in the UK in terms of reported 2020 turnover are Nando’s, Wagamama, Cosy Club, Pizza Express and TGI Fridays.

*This is the top 25 restaurant groups who have published its reported turnovers and operating profits

Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality Raises Global Ambition for the Hospitality Sector tive by uniting leading hotel companies and industry partners with the ambition to raise the global basic level of hotel sustainability. The global tourism body will create a set of fundamental sustainability actions for hotels, with demonstrable positive impact, for those businesses that are at the very beginning of their journey.

The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, which unites leading hospitality companies comprising 30% of the industry, has announced the development of a Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality for the planet. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) supports the ambition and plans a sustainability framework accessible to the global hospitality industry.

The Pathway aims to enable every hotel to improve their impact, whatever their starting point on their sustainability journey. It will encompass four clear stages with practical tools that guide the industry towards a regenerative impact on our planet.

Globally there is overwhelming evidence of the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation. The hospitality industry, like other major industries, has a crucial role to play in limiting its impacts across the spectrum of critical issues including emissions, water usage, waste and resource procurement.

The Pathway recognises the wealth of initiatives and resources designed to support the industry, from external partners as well as the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, and it aims to build on these to develop a holistic, action-based approach for sustainable hospitality, regardless of whether hotels are part of a large international brand or independent.

To lead inclusive positive action on climate change, WTTC, which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, will support the initia-

The hospitality value chain will play a key role in achieving the vision set out by the Pathway, including hotel developers, owners, investors and franchisees, who can all powerfully impact sustainability at different life cycle stages of an individual hotel property. The Sustainable Hospitality Alliance is therefore launching an Affiliate Membership. This will create a unique forum for industry asset owners and investors to join with the leading hotel operators to lead a consistent approach to responsible hotel management and advance the sustainability of hotels across the buildings as well as their operations.

Wolfgang M. Neumann, Chair of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance said: “The world is without a doubt at a crucial tipping point. But it’s not too late to avert an environmental catastrophe. We need to act fast and we must collaborate as we double up our efforts. The dialogue needs to go beyond having ‘zero’ impact and look towards what we can be putting back into the natural world to ensure we have a lasting positive impact on our planet and its people.”

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said: “We recognise both the major challenges we are facing and the urgent need to restart our sector safely and responsibly. We fully endorse and support the Pathway, an initiative which complements WTTC’s own ambition to move the entire sector to net zero. WTTC is in a unique position to connect the entire industry and encourage the many SMEs and others within the industry to begin their journey with a solid sustainability framework.”

The Pathway has now entered the consultation phase and details will

be launched in March 2022.

"Climate change calls for collaboration, not competition. We believe that working with our peers and partners from the hospitality sector is the most effective way to make substantial change happen. The pathway is an important step in that journey." Brune Poirson, Chief Sustainability Officer, Accor “At Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, we are dedicated to protecting and regenerating our planet and elevating our communities around the world. We are proud to help drive collective action across our industry through the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance. We support the pathway for net positive as a cohesive framework for stakeholders across our industry to join together to create a better future for our planet and its people.” Caitrin O’Brien, Vice President of ESG, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts “We are proud to be part of the creation of the pathway for net positive hospitality – underscoring our industry’s commitment to protect the environment and limit the effects of climate change on our planet.

Led by the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, this collaboration will allow the hospitality industry to have a much greater impact collectively than we can individually. We encourage others in the industry to join us on this pathway, to help our communities remain vibrant places to live, work and visit, and create a better, more sustainable future for all.”

Anthony Capuano, CEO, Marriott International “The Pathway to Net Positive Hospitality provides an excellent framework for the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance’s planet work going forward. The hotel industry needs to come together to define a clear and common framework for basic hotel sustainability, in all transparency to the traveller and suitable for hotels just getting started on the journey.”

Federico J González, President & CEO Radisson Hotel Group

Budget Offers Cold Comfort For Bristol Hoteliers 18

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Issue 82

As the dust settles in the wake of Rishi Sunak’s third budget, hoteliers in Bristol say the Chancellor has given them nothing but cold comfort for the winter.

Like many businesses in the hospitality sector, members of the Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) had hoped for an extension to the current reduced VAT rate.

But while Mr Sunak did announce a one-year 50% business rates discount for hospitality sectors, there was no mention at all of the VAT rate, which is due to return to its normal rate on April 1 next year.

Raphael Herzog, Chair of the BHA, said: “We had hoped for a little more support from the Chancellor in his budget at the end of October; not only was the VAT rate not mentioned, but there was very little mention of the hospitality sector in general, despite being one of the biggest UK tax contributors and also one of the sectors that has suffered most during the pandemic lockdowns.

“We fully supported the #VATsEnough campaign, which called for the current 12.5% VAT rate to be made permanent for our sector.

“As it is, many businesses still face a very uncertain future and also we have challenges to overcome such as the staff shortage which is posing a considerable challenge to post-pandemic recovery prospects.

“For some hotels, the cost of utilities might go up by as much as 300%. There are increasing costs of food and beverages, increases in costs for our suppliers and there is also the increase in the rate of the living wage

going to £9.50 per hour.

“In simple terms, this means it is going to cost more for guests to stay and eat in hotels, which is going to make it very challenging for some hospitality businesses to balance their books.

“Added to that is the continuing staff shortage. We hear every day that, all around the UK, some hotels, restaurants and bars are not opening fully because they simply don’t have the staff they need. Some are operating at only 75% capacity, or even less.

“The Government has introduced temporary visas to help with the shortage of lorry drivers. We had hoped the Chancellor would announce something similar for the skilled workers we are struggling to find, including chefs.

“Hotels are also having difficulty struggling to find the waiters and housekeeping staff that they need in order to provide the standards of service that our customers expect.

“Even where wages have increased by 20 percent or more, hotels are just not getting the applications they need for these roles.

Another challenge facing hotels is that they are still not yet seeing the return of conferences to anything like pre-pandemic levels of 2019.

Mr Herzog said: “Many people are still working from home, which means corporate travellers are not using hotels, and added to that challenge is the fact that the leisure business is now slowing down again compared to the summer boom.

“Usually at this time of the year, we are planning for Christmas but this is also very slow this year, as many companies don’t want to engage in large social events because of ongoing Covid fears, which is very understandable, of course, but which is one more challenge which does not help the hospitality industry.”

Campaign for Real Ale Helps Consumers ‘Drink Greener’ During COP26 The Campaign for Real Ale has launched a new scheme to celebrate environmental breakthroughs in the beer and pub industry.

CAMRA will be highlighting ways for consumers to ‘Drink Greener’ during the COP26 summit being held in Glasgow with its ‘Drink Greener’ scheme, which aims to raise consumer awareness of the ways pubs, clubs, brewers and cider makers are contributing to the fight against climate change.

Just some of the industry solutions already in place include creating more efficient brewing processes with a fraction of traditional water usage, sharing fermented grains with local farms as animal feed, ditching plastic and single use products in pubs and social clubs, and developing heat recovery systems that capture energy used in brewing.

As well as helping consumers discover ways to drink greener, the Campaign has committed to examining its own environmental impact and finding ways to face the

challenges of climate change head on.

Commenting, CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said: “Brewers up and down the UK are doing brilliant, innovative work to ensure that future generations can enjoy fantastic live beer. As a consumer organisation, it’s only right that we recognise and celebrate this, particularly ahead of the COP26 summit.

It’s an exciting time for the whole industry, as well as a reminder that, together, we can achieve real change.

“We know that visiting the pub to enjoy a pint of local live beer or real cider has social and wellbeing benefits, but it’s also a great way to support the wellbeing of the planet – with local drinks saving carbon emissions compared to imported products.

“I can’t think of a more enjoyable way to protect the environment, and I hope consumers across the UK will relish the opportunity to ‘Drink Greener’ too!”

A Strong Month for Hospitality Sales Issue 82

Like-for-like sales were up 13.5% in October when compared with 2019 levels, according to the latest data from S4labour, the online labour-scheduling management system from Catton Hospitality.

In particular, food-led sales performed well with a 17.8% increase in like-for-likes. Drink sales were also up by 9% – much higher than September’s drink like-for-likes. Non-London based sites saw their like-for-likes increase by 15.5%. London sites showed signs of recovery with their like-for-likes up too, but by a smaller

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3.5%.

S4labour chief product officer Richard Hartley said: “October’s high like-for-likes is excellent news for the sector, especially given the amount of headwinds (such as the increase in VAT and supply problems) that operators are facing. The autumn Budget also spelled some good news for the sector in the years ahead.”

Jerome Ianmark Calayag is the Winner of the 0S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award year, with the aim ofnurturing the future of gastronomy by discovering young talents and empowering them with a plan of education, mentoring and experience opportunities. This edition of the Competition was more impressive than ever, seeing applicants from all over the world.

135 young chefs passed the preliminary selections and took part in live cook-offs in front of international jury panels from the participating countries of the 12 regions. The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition Regional Winners arrived at the Grand Finale after a mentorship path during which, thanks to the support of a Senior Chef, they were able to refine their signature dishes.

The most exciting talent search for young chefs in the world, created by the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy to nurture the future of Gastronomy, came to an exhilarating close on the evening of Saturday 30th October. During the Grand Finale of S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2019-21, after rounds of competitive cooking, Jerome Ianmark Calayag, representing the UK and Northern Europe Region, has been announced as the winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award 2019-21. Jerome’s impressive “Humble vegetables” Signature Dish conceived in partnership with his mentor, David Ljungqvist, wowed the esteemed Grand Jury with his choice of ingredients, his skills, genius, beauty of the dish and message behind the plate, beating entries from 9 other talented chefs from around the world.

This year’s competition introduced three new awards that complement the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Award and reflect S.Pellegrino’s belief in and support of the transformative power of gastronomy and its impact beyond the kitchen. Elissa Abou Tasse, representing the Africa and Middle East Region, with “Adam’s garden” is the winner of the Acqua Panna Award for Connection in Gastronomy, recognizing her ability to prepare a Signature Dish with ingredients that highlighted the richness of her own cultural background and reflecting the perfect connection among different cultures. Callan Austin, from the Africa and Middle East Region, with “The ghost net” received the S.Pellegrino Award for Social Responsibility, assigned by Food Made Good to the chef who put forward the recipe that best represented

the principle of food as a result of socially responsible practices. And finally, the online community of Fine Dining Lovers assigned its Fine Dining Lovers Food for Thought Award to Andrea Ravasio, from the Iberian and Mediterranean Countries, as the young chef who best represented his personal belief within his “El domingo del campesino” Signature Dish.

The S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition is the key activity of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy project, launched by S.Pellegrino last

Stefano Bolognese, Sanpellegrino International Business Unit Director: “We are really proud of the Grand Finale event that offered us the opportunity to reconnect in person and to see some truly phenomenal culinary talents at work, to create something extraordinary together. So thanks to all of those who joined us from around the world to share the enthusiasm of these three days. It was amazing.

Jerome truly shone in front of our esteemed Grand Jury, and our warmest congratulations go to him, with the wish he will bring his own passion and thinking to the table to help shape the gastronomy of tomorrow. We also want to thank all the young talents, protagonists of this inspiring journey and already members of our S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy: they are the game changers of the future and we wish them the best of luck and a dazzling career. Our search for creative talents doesn’t stop and we can’t wait to announce more details about the next edition of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition”.

The Showering Family Announce the Acquisition of Ancestral Home, Kilver Court Issue 82

Commenting on the recent announcement, Matthew Showering said, “Shepton Mallet is an integral part of who we are as a family and a business, so we are incredibly proud to have had the chance to come back to Kilver Court.

The Ship Inn, which forms the front of the site, was purchased in 1854 by Francis Showering. Our grandfather, Herbert Showering, purchased the rest of the site in 1938. It is from there our family’s business grew, aided by the success of Babycham, into a major drinks business. We see this as an incredible opportunity to harness our roots and heritage to provide the local community, as well as visitors to the area, with an authentic and unique experience. We have strong ambitions for our destination, both for the business and for the area, and are looking forward to welcoming our friends in the trade to see this incredible site and spectacular gardens.”

Kilver Court is a historic house, office complex and spectacular gardens in Shepton Mallet, owned by Showerings Limited until the early 1990s. Most recently, it has been run as a retail and leisure destination, receiving over one hundred thousand visitors on average a year. The Showerings have ambitious plans to further invest in the site, incorporating it as part of an overall experience and destination for the local community, where consumers will learn more about the heritage of the site, as well as the historic Somerset ciders, including Brothers Cider and Mallets Cider.

The destination is currently home to a premium shopping experience with brands such as Mulberry, Toast and Yves Delorme. Renovation of the café and restaurant is soon to be underway, as well as reopening the gardens to the public. The company also has plans to open a business hub including a conference centre and

The news comes after a strong few years for the Brothers Drinks Co., as it recently ranked 12th in the Alantra Food & Beverage fast 50 in 2021, a report outlining the UK’s fastest growing privately owned food and drink companies. Output has more than tripled over the last three years and the company has maintained its place in the top 10 cider producers with value growing by 31.8% year-on-year.

A voluntary donation of £1 will be added to bills and, at the end of each month, the restaurant will pass the money on to StreetSmart to distribute between their chosen charities. These specialist charities help the homeless with their basic needs, as well as providing resources, mentoring and skills training to

help get them back on their feet.

Actor and author Stephen Fry said: “StreetSmart’s ambitions are to connect the lucky citizen who can dine out with the unlucky ones for whom dining out means queuing up in front of foods banks.”

StreetSmart’s operational costs are paid for by their sponsors, LandAid, so every penny raised goes directly to those who need it. Since 1998, StreetSmart has raised over £10.5 million for the homeless.

For the past year and a half, Covid-19 has impacted the daily activities of many charities, while also creating a greater need for help than ever before due to increased social and economic challenges. This initiative provides a great opportunity for those who can afford to eat out to support the restaurant industry while also helping those who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Sign up here to take part at https://streetsmart.org.uk/about-streetsmart/sign-up/

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The property is adjacent to the Showerings Cider Mill and increases its footprint to 38 acres and reinforces the company as the biggest employer in the Shepton Mallet area.

While enjoying a meal out in a restaurant in November and December, diners can spare more than just a thought for those living on the streets by donating through a fundraising scheme. During the last two months of the year, look out for stickers in the window and information cards on the tables to identify restaurants taking part.

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suite of offices.

The Showering family has announced the return of its ancestral family home to the Brothers Drinks Co. business, after acquiring Kilver Court in Shepton Mallet.

The MICHELIN Guide and charity StreetSmart are once again partnering to help raise funds to tackle homelessness across the UK. StreetSmart’s 2021 campaign kicked off yesterday (Monday 1st November) and we is encouraging as many people as possible to get involved.

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Issue 82

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WTTC Unites with Travel & Tourism Organisations Around the World in Tackling the Global Climate Crisis The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, has joined forces with governments, Travel & Tourism organisations and businesses around the world in support of the Glasgow Declaration, a global initiative to tackle climate crisis.

ultimately achieving the reductions in emissions that will help protect life on

The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism is a call for all stakeholders to show leadership and drive action to address climate change.

WTTC to the list of supporters of the Glasgow Declaration.

While collectively, the Travel & Tourism sector supports the aspirations expressed in the declaration, industries within the sector face different challenges, and timelines to reach these goals may vary.

We support each of our member companies in their individual pathways to

our planet.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “We are delighted to add

“WTTC will support its members to achieve their individual climate initiatives over time and set up individual climate action plans.

“This is the time to show leadership and unity and the Declaration is an opportunity to come together towards these common ambitions.”

Award-Winning Hertfordshire Pub Reopens After £200,000 Refurbishment The Crooked Billet, a CAMRA Silver Award-winning community pub has received an investment of over £200,000 by leading community pub group, Admiral Taverns. The pub, located on the outskirts of Ware in Hertfordshire, is run by licensee, Beverley Gefaell and will reopen on Friday 5th November following a transformational refurbishment.

The newly renovated pub will see a full interior and exterior redecoration of the pub. Alongside the two indoor fireplaces, the pub will feature brand-new lighting, flooring and soft-furnishings to refresh and modernise the area. The outside of the pub will also receive a full redecoration to include new lighting and signage.

Beverley has lived in the surrounding area for over 20 years and has built strong relationships with the residents of Ware, having worked at the Crooked Billet for three years prior to taking over the pub in 2019.

She recently led the pub to winning a Silver Award in CAMRA’s (Campaign for Real Ale) South Hertfordshire branch of its Pub of the Year Competition. Beverley’s experience and success in the hospitality industry, combined with her passion and knowledge of the local community, makes her the perfect licensee for The Crooked Billet.

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Licensee, Beverley Gefaell, commented: “Pubs are about more than just beer, they’re the backbone of a community. A local business should look to give back to those in the local area and I want to try and bring the people of Ware together. I want everyone to feel welcome in The Crooked Billet, and for it to be a place where people can relax, unwind and enjoy themselves!”

Beverley’s vision for The Crooked Billet is to create a social hub that is accessible to all, so she has put forward two fantastic initiatives. Every Monday from 2pm-4pm Beverley hosts the ‘Nitter Natter’ group for all the local ladies to come down and have a gossip, and on Wednesday from 10:30-12pm she hosts the ‘Local Social’. This is a time for the older generations of Ware to come down and enjoy a chat, a brew and a piece of cake.

Mick Sheridan, Admiral Taverns Business Development Manager, said: “Beverley’s genuine passion for the pub industry is contagious! The locals adore her, and it’s quite clear that she really cares for them and what they want. Not only does she do a fantastic offering in The Crooked Billet, but she has fostered such a brilliant atmosphere too. I’m so pleased to have her on-board and I look forward to seeing her continue to take the pub forward.”

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The Pub Governing Body Publishes Fifth Annual Audit Report The Pub Governing Body has published its annual audit of companies operating up to 499 leased and tenanted pubs and covers the period 1st August 2020– 31st July 2021.

Conducted in what has been an unprecedented year due to the Covid 19 pandemic, this is the fifth audit to take place since the new codes of practice came into effect for those companies operating 1-499 tied leased or tenanted pubs. A full list of those companies covered by each code can be found in Annex A of the report.

The audit found full compliance regarding both business plans and the number of rent reviews settled within the audit period, apart from those which had to be delayed as a result of Covid 19.

Commenting on the fifth annual audit report, Pub Governing Body Chairman Sir Peter Luff said: “The board of the Pub Governing Body attaches great importance to this annual survey of the compliance of companies governed by our Codes. This has been a second very difficult year for all pubs - and we hope the easing of restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic will not be reversed – but we are very pleased to see that, despite these unprecedented challenges, a high level of compliance has been maintained.

“The industry can take pride in five years of sustained compliance, as the climate in which pubs operate returns to something closer to normality. However, there are two particular areas where we believe companies will need to be diligent if this record is to be continued into a sixth year – ensuring BDMs are properly trained and settling outstanding rent reviews at the earliest opportunity.

“The year has also seen changes in the structure of the industry, but we believe the work of the PGB remains a vital component in continuing confidence among tenants, commentators and politicians in the effectiveness of self-regulation of smaller pub companies.

“It remains the clear view of the board that the Pub Governing Body and its associated Codes are together proving that self-regulation is both effective and unbureaucratic. Crucially, self-regulation can respond quickly to changing circumstances and the board will remain alert to any need for changes that may be necessary as the industry continues to evolve.”

ABOUT THE PUB GOVERNING BODY The Pub Governing Body is the organisation responsible for promoting the advancement and improvement of Landlord (Pub Owning Companies) and tied tenant relationships in the licensed retail sector. It covers signatory companies that own between 1 – 499 tied pubs in England and Wales. The PGB achieves this through the publication of Codes of Practice which set the minimum standard for landlords and enhances their business relationship with tenants and lessees subject to a contractual purchasing obligation.

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

Eastleigh Pub Hosting Marathon Darts Fundraising Event The Station, Eastleigh is raising money for two great charities with a darts event that aims to score 180,000 points in one, marathon match. The event is open to all, so the local community can help too.

General Manager, Andy Moore, will step up to the oche at 10am on Saturday 13th November to kick-off the day. A team of pub staff, regulars, family, friends and the local community will then each take their turn to throw their best round. Three arrows each in a constant, no-breaks game until they hit the 180,000 point bullseye.

While the event is all about fun and bringing the community together for this team effort, the fundraising aim of the day is an important and personal one to General Manager, Andy Moore. Andy’s daughter, Willow, who is now six years old was born with a heart condition that meant she needed urgent open-heart surgery. Andy and The Station team have decided to split the funds raised between The British Heart Foundation and Southampton Hospital’s Ocean Ward, where Willow was cared for.

Andy commented: “The team at Ocean Ward did so much for Willow and my family that we could never repay them. We can go some way to show our gratitude by raising funds to say thank you and to help all the other children

who need their fantastic care” Andy and the team at The Station have been raising funds for Families of Ocean Ward throughout this year with collections and events, but the marathon darts match looks set to be their biggest yet.

Andy said: “I will kick-off the day with my first three arrows at 10am. We will just keep going until we reach our 180,000 point goal! My team will take part and we hope to get lots of family and friends of the pub dropping by to help too. We’d love as many members as possible of the Eastleigh community to join in. The more people we have, the faster we can reach our goal and the more money we can raise for these amazing charities” If you are in the Eastleigh area on Saturday 13th November and want to help The Station team reach their goal, why not drop in to try your hand at throwing your best three darts. To donate to the British Heart Foundation and Families of Ocean Ward for the event, you can also visit the pub’s Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thestationeastleigh?utm_term=bmYxyejPP

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Issue 82

Alleviating Restaurant Pressures With Self-Ordering Kiosks

By Fionn Hart, UK Country Manager, Flipdish (www.flipdish.com) The restaurant industry has been hit immensely hard over the past 19 months, owing to enforced closures and restrictions, as well as streams of new regulations that have vastly changed the overall dining experience for good.

According to Yelp’s economic impact report released in Q2 of 2020, as many as 72,842 restaurants had closed across the US by July 10, 2020. And in the UK, a tenth of all restaurants were closed

by May 2021. Meanwhile, those that were able to survive were forced to pivot and transition, whilst also tackling the ongoing staff shortages plaguing the sector.

From table layouts and adjusted menus to a spike in takeout options and a rethink of customer service, many of these adaptations are here to stay as customers remain conscious about health, safety, and cleanliness in the new normal. It has also birthed a long overdue new era of innovation for the sector.

Enter the self-service kiosk – an asset that is quickly becoming popular among diners.

Having initiated the rollout of self-ordering kiosks across the US in 2015, the vast majority of McDonald’s 13,000-plus restaurants across the globe now have self-ordering kiosks installed and there are four reasons this technology is the industry’s saving grace.

1) LARGER ORDERS We have Flipdish data showing that orders at self-ordering kiosk are on average 20-30 percent larger than a traditional counter transaction.

There are several possible explanations for this. At kiosks, customers are presented with various menu options, can take more time to order, and may feel more confident in buying more - through self-ordering kiosks, customers can be more comfortable in order any size meal or any volume of food without the risk of being judged.

2) MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES It is a well-known fact that data is now the most valuable asset in the world, and for businesses it is like gold dust. By tracking and analysing data effectively, key trends and insights can be unlocked.

For restaurants, kiosks can be the information hub, capturing every transaction which can, in turn, be used to track customer behaviour, nurture loyalty, and inform marketing opportunities.

Let’s revisit McDonald’s as an example. In testing marketing opportunities in its franchises, the company found that one in five customers who initially didn’t want a drink would buy one when presented with it on a self-ordering screen.

By removing the barriers of traditional print menus, restaurant owners are also encouraged to constantly revamp their menus, trial promotions, and alter prices. As a result, quick innovation and agility is unlocked and the marketing opportunities are endless

3) MORE ORDERS. FEWER QUEUES. We are experiencing a new generation of diners who expect immediate gratification on everything from retail to healthcare, and hospitality is no exception.

Customer expectations are only going up, with many now unwilling to wait in lengthy queues following lockdowns and restrictions. A 2020 study even showed that a huge 57% of customers are said to leave pubs and bars if queues are more than 5 people.

With such a vast array of other options available, consumers can and will simply go elsewhere – and if they have a bad experience, chances are they won’t return in any hurry, no matter how good the food tastes.

The best way to mitigate the risk of long queues when battling restrictions and social distancing measures is to introduce digital kiosk systems to work in tandem with face-to-face service. By doing so, you get the best of both worlds for your customers and revenues.

4) NO HUMAN ERROR Even the best employees are prone to making mistakes from time to time. They might mishear what a customer says, forget about an order when under pressure, or simply have an off day.

Such incidents are only human, yet they will undoubtedly lead to customer frustration, disappointment, and poor experiences.

The kiosk won’t call in sick or snap at a customer, it takes away language barriers, and ultimately serves customers faster. It is the perfect support for your front of house team.

5) A HELPING HAND TO TACKLE STAFF SHORTAGES Staff shortages are a long-running trend in the sector. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that vacancies in the sector have hovered at 90,000 or above since 2017. However, COVID-19 has clearly exacerbated this issue. Vacancies doubled between May and July of this year and it is now estimated UK hospitality has a shortfall of more than 200,000 workers.

The answer lies in digital. Through introducing systems like digital kiosks - and digital table ordering as another example - these personnel pressures can be alleviated.

Rebrand and Expand: Brakspear launches Honeycomb Houses Home’ ethos and turning it into memorable guest experiences.”

Pub operator and brewer Brakspear is launching a new identity for its nine-strong managed estate, now renamed Honeycomb Houses, while also planning to expand the division through acquisitions.

He added: “In designing the Honeycomb Houses identity, we had to define what the brand stood for, and it became evident that three pubs weren’t a perfect fit for the new proposition. Going forward, we are completely clear about the type of pub we want in Honeycomb Houses and have ambitions to expand through acquisition – with the funds ready to buy the right sites.”

Underpinning the Honeycomb Houses branding is a new ethos, ‘Our House, Your Home’, which informs every aspect of the pubs’ operation and will be brought to life by the division’s 230 team members. The Brakspear name will still appear on pub buildings, while the new Honeycomb Houses identity – a honeycomb cell with the bee symbol of the parent company – appears on other exterior and interior signage, menus and team uniforms.

Of the three pubs transferring to tenancy, Davies said: “These are all fantastic pubs, possibly some of the best tenanted sites currently available. This calibre of pub doesn’t come on the market often and we’re confident that, in the hands of the right operator, they will become some of the most successful sites in our tenanted estate.”

At the same time, Brakspear has refocused the criteria for its managed estate and is actively looking for new pubs that meet the brief: larger sites in rural locations and market towns in the south east and Cotswolds, with a strong food trade, event space and ideally bedrooms.

In redefining the Honeycomb Houses positioning, Brakspear has identified three pubs, described as ‘community locals’, which will transfer into its tenanted business: The Retreat in Staines, The Dog & Duck in Wokingham and the Golden Ball near Maidenhead. Tenants are being sought for all three pubs.

Tom Davies, Brakspear chief executive said: “Honeycomb Houses is a

‘Our House, Your Home’ Brakspear retail marketing manager Jacqueline Fletcher said: “‘Our House, Your Home’ is a simple but powerful way to express what Honeycomb Houses is all about, to our teams and our guests. strong identity which brings our managed pubs together, while retaining the links to Brakspear as a family-run business, steeped in centuries of brewing and pub tradition.

“We’ve had nothing but positive responses from guests and from the pub teams, who will be living and breathing the ‘Our House, Your

“We encourage our team members to ‘treat colleagues as family, guests as friends and pubs like home’. If they host guests in the same way that they would treat friends at home, they’ll deliver the service we want at Honeycomb Houses: relaxed, attentive and personal to each guest, creating a ‘home from home’ atmosphere in our pubs.”

Nightcap Report “Outstanding Financial Results” Bar operator Nightcap has reported unaudited total net sales for the 13-week period of the new financial year since 28 June of £7.6m. The company stated: “This is a 68% increase compared to the same period in 2019, when there were no covid-19 restrictions.

Leaders of the bar group attribute its solid performance to pent-up consumer demand for experiential socialising and punters accruing more disposable income over lockdown. The Group has seen a significant rise in footfall and sales across its popular cocktail bars, which include The London Cocktail Club and Tonight Josephine, as party-goers flock to enjoy nightlife once more.

Across the 13-week period of the new financial year, the late-night bar operator reports net sales** of £7.6 million, a 68% increase compared to the same period in 2019 prior to Covid-19 restrictions, and a strong balance sheet with cash at bank of £12.2million as of 26 September 2021.

The solid performance was reflected in figures from the London Cocktail Club (“LCC”), which saw increased total net sales by circa 55% over 2019, with like for like*** sales at LCC up 52% compared to 2019.

Such is the success of the company’s performance, the bar operator is set to open an additional three bars in London, Reading and Bristol in November, bringing the total number of locations to 22.

The three extensive sites are scheduled to open just in time for the festive period. Bristol’s new site, situated in Corn Street, will span 3,500 square feet and is due to open its doors on 18 November. The Mansion House 1,500 square feet site in Central London and the 2,861 square feet site in Reading will start trading the following week.

Continuing the success observed across the Company, Adventure Bar Group (“ABG”), which operates nine bars in London and Birmingham, including iconic brands such as Tonight Josephine and Blame Gloria, enjoyed increased total net sales of circa 75% and like for like*** sales up by 24% for the same period in 2019.

Sarah Willingham, Chief Executive Officer of Nightcap, commented: “I am delighted to announce this upgrade of our expectations for Nightcap’s first year, as a result of such strong performance across the Group. Our teams have been incredible, working tirelessly to meet the unprecedented consumer demand following the reopening of nightlife as lockdown measures lifted. I can’t thank our customers enough for their continued loyalty and commitment to helping, not just Nightcap, but the hospitality industry as a whole.

“Nightcap was built during the Covid-19 global pandemic to acquire and expand leading brands in the drinks-led bar sector and whilst the macro-economic climate remains uncertain, we believe that this uncertainty is core to our opportunity.

“As anticipated, new sites are becoming available as the fallout from the pandemic continues. We expect the end of the rent moratorium in March 2022 to further improve availability of excellent sites.

“With the opening of three new sites in November and a further 23 sites in legal negotiations or under offer, we are confident both in the strength of our bar concepts and in our ability to continue our rapid expansion across the UK.”

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Issue 82

The Travel Marketing Tech To Invest In Now For Competitive Advantage With more people returning to travel as restrictions ease across the world and more countries are removed from the ‘red list’, travel operators and businesses must rethink how they market to their audiences and keep customer loyalty in a competitive post-COVID world. Growth marketing automation provider Act-On Software states that with an “unprecedented surge” in early domestic holiday bookings for summer 2022[1], now is the time for organisations to implement strategies supported by the right technology to maintain demand, and propel the way they engage audiences for the long-term.

The world’s largest tourism business, Tui Group recently reported early sales for summer 2022, which hit an all-time high, at more than double the forward bookings at the same point before Covid-19[2]. However, despite increased demand, now is the time to be proactive to capture the surge, says David Greenberg, Chief Marketing Officer at Act-On: “Pent up demand for holidays has resulted in fiercer competition in the travel industry than ever before.”

David continues: “While it’s great to see this demand translating into bookings for next year already, it’s also indicative of changing consumer behaviours and habits. For example, January is typically the busiest holiday booking time, but insights suggest that it’s occurring much sooner this year, so travel operators should be prepared earlier. Businesses that are adapting accordingly and focusing on capturing behavioural insights are set to gain competitive advantage through providing a superior customer experience. The leveraging of these data insights is enabled through marketing automation technology, which is the key to gaining and maintaining audience attention.”

David outlines how one of the key ways in which marketing automation proves beneficial is through enhancing the customer experience via creating a personalised, automated customer journey: “Advanced marketing automation platforms enable marketers within the travel industry to capture and understand the interests and behaviours of customers in order to provide a more personalised experience and therefore more engaging

interaction.

“If we just take one element of an automation strategy - segmented email marketing - we can see how this contributes to great customer experiences. Automation technology enables marketers in the travel space to send personalised messages to opted-in recipients at customised times. This more tailored approach results in higher engagement rates with customers through targeting them with the right message at the right time, which is vital for travel operators in the current highly competitive market.”

As well as increasing engagement, email automation can also be used for maintaining communication, which in turn can drive sales, if this is the desired outcome. For example, personalised automated email can be used to push updates to travellers and send reminders. This could be anything from providing important travel details such as reminding travellers to go to their specific gate at a given time, to broader tourism information such as restaurant recommendations for the location they’re travelling to.

David also outlines how marketing automation extends to SMS messages, which enable organisations to meet consumers where they are – on their phones: “It’s a well-known fact that consumers are more likely and quicker to open SMS messages. Considering that when travelling, phones can be the only way of connecting with customers, it’s an absolute must to engage with audiences via SMS. “With a multitude of benefits, SMS allows brands to share information with audiences extremely quickly and also provide value to recipients who want to be notified of specific news, therefore creating positive experiences. It also enables end customers to receive personalised offers or deals and provide feedback to organisations to ensure an improved future experience. It is these types of engagements that audiences connect with and which therefore build loyalty.”

David concludes, “With the hospitality industry – and particularly the travel industry – having been deeply impacted by the pandemic, it’s now critical that organisations take full advantage of the tools at their disposal to drive sales, increase engagement and create better customer experiences. Marketing automation technology enables this, helping brands across the hospitality industry capitalise on the return to travel and re-engage guests in more meaningful ways.”

For more information about Act-On’s growth marketing solution and platform, visit www.act-on.com.

British Lion Egg Products Gets Cracking with Newest Member The Institute of Hospitality (IoH) has announced it has signed Fridays, one of the UK’s major casual dining brands, as its latest corporate member and will welcome over 500 of Fridays current UK employees as new members in the coming weeks.

Announcing the new IoH/Fridays’ partnership, Robert Richardson FIH, IoH Chief Executive commented: “We are delighted to welcome Fridays into the IoH family. This collaboration is a watershed moment for the Institute. Fridays and the IoH have a shared passion for providing development and progression at every step throughout a person’s career. I am excited to share their insight with the rest of the dynamic casual dining sector and the hospitality sector as a whole.”

Robert continued: “Supporting the development of current and future employees and

assisting them to build a career in the hospitality industry is vital. The IoH is committed to lifelong professional development and by joining the IoH, Fridays has demonstrated their commitment to their employees.”

Robert B. Cook FIH and Fridays CEO commented: “This is an exciting day for Fridays, our teams and the Institute of Hospitality. Fridays are renowned for our spirit of teamwork and family values. We wouldn’t be where we are, or who we are, without our amazing teams.

We believe that membership of the IoH further enables our ambition to provide industryleading development programmes to our talented workforce. I am particularly excited that it will help prepare and inspire the next generation of hospitality leaders.”

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Issue 82

Caterer.com People Awards 2021: Over Half (58%) Of Hospitality Employers Have Taken Action To Boost The Brand Reputation Of The Sector sector can offer.

The Caterer.com People Awards this week revealed the hospitality businesses that have had the biggest impact on the employer brand reputation of the sector as it has faced its most challenging period.

Calvern James, Sales Manager for Caterer.com said: “It has been a challenging time for the hospitality sector and its people, but these exemplary businesses have shown resilience and commitment to their employees. Responding to the shifting demands from the labour market, our winners are a real asset to our industry and have demonstrated the innovative ways to retain and develop employees.”

Judged by a range of experts and pioneers in hospitality recruitment, retention and development, the winners have been announced virtually throughout this week, with an exclusive industry event due to take place later this month. Among the businesses recognised for their successes were Dishoom, Greene King, Nandos and Soho House & Co. The Caterer.com People Awards shines a light on the pride, strength, and resilience that the sector has shown, with employers continuing to develop their people offering and provide rewarding careers despite unprecedented challenges.

Latest research from Caterer.com showcases that within the last year over half (58%) of hospitality employers have taken action to improve the brand reputation of the industry.

Tackling ongoing staff shortages in the industry during the pandemic has highlighted an even greater need to address ongoing negative perceptions held about the sector. From introducing bonus schemes, to wellness programmes and training initiatives, the winners of each category are working towards changing the perception around jobs in hospitality, showcasing the valuable employment opportunities and benefits the

Big winners, Dishoom, won in all three categories of Employee Engagement, Skills & Development and Employee Wellbeing, demonstrating their drive to provide the highest levels of training and communication. The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane also scooped up two awards for its outstanding initiatives to engage staff and support their wellbeing.

The 2021 Caterer.com People Awards would not have been possible without the invaluable help of its sponsors Lifetime Training, James Weber Recruitment, Tonic Talent, Purple Umbrella Training and People Bank.

Late Night Operators ‘Working Hard’ to Tackle Drink Spiking The campaign is demanding more rigorous searches on the doors of clubs, drinks covers to protect from things being dropped into them, additional staff training and dedicated welfare officers tasked with ensuring people get home safely.

Nightclubs are “working hard” to keep people safe following a rise in cases of spiking, an industry association leader has said. Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), said venues were well regulated, but his organisation was working with the government to introduce schemes to help tackle the problem.

A sharp increase in the spiking of drinks has resulted in a backlash with students and young people in the UK set to participate in a series of boycotts to the countries nightclub scene.

Reports of spiking throughout the UK have significantly increased in recent weeks, with data released by the National Police Chiefs Council on Wednesday revealing that 56 people had been spiked by injection and a further 198 via their drinks in September and October.

The boycott entitled “Girls Night In” is set to take place in 45 cities across the UK to demand a response from authorities amid outrage on social media, and will see people boycott nightclubs in favour of a ‘night in’ instead.

Earlier this month The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) urged the Home Office to launch an inquiry into the increase of drink spiking at pubs and clubs.

“The NTIA are very concerned to learn about the reported increase in the number of spiking incidents taking place across the country,” Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA said. “We support all those coming forward to speak about their experiences. It goes without saying that everyone should be able to enjoy a night out without fearing for their own safety, and we are saddened to hear that some don’t feel this way.”

He continued: “There is a lot that we as a sector are already doing to try to tackle drink spiking. In response to recent reports, operators across the country have been working with the police, local authorities and key stakeholders, focusing on safeguarding customers, particularly women, at night.

“It varies by region, but many cities already have well-established networks amongst operators and community support representatives, and

work very closely with authorities, communicating on a regular basis to highlight increases in crime or disorder.”

Organisers of the Girls’ Night In campaign in Nottingham said on social media: “Spiking has become an epidemic. Never before have we heard of so many students waking up with no memory of what had happened the night before.

“This is not getting “black-out drunk”, this is getting drugged and is something that can be changed.

“We are asking clubs and bars to increase their entry security. We are asking clubs and bars to provide free drink protection devices (drink divers etc.)

“We are asking clubs and bars to provide a clear and obvious medical centre and a safe way to get home.

“This is not a stay at home message. This is asking our students to protest against the clubs and bars.

“They are not responding to our complaints, so we must make them.”

A Government petition to “make it a legal requirement for nightclubs to thoroughly search guests on entry” has received over 150,000 signatures in recent weeks.

Strengthening Relationships with the Supply Chain In Unprecedented Times 32

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the current pressures on the supply chain in the food sector are unprecedented in a working lifetime. Times have changed in the food and beverage sector. The relationship dynamic between the client and the supplier that we have been used to for years is currently undergoing a significant remoulding.”

The turmoil facing suppliers has forced many to do an about-turn on the normal mantra of expansion and growth. Some are not only having to actively decline new customers, but also in some cases trying to reduce their existing customer base. They are being forced to go against one of the universal ambitions of businesses in any sector, growth.

Changes to buying behaviour can increase a catering operation’s survival when faced with supply chain challenges With the food supply chain facing unprecedented challenges, suppliers have had to change the way they operate, in some cases actively looking to downsize, an unthinkable strategy in normal times, in a sector where scale is often key to survival. Oliver Hall, MD of allmanhall, the leading independent food and catering-related procurement specialist, looks at the key factors driving these changes, and what actions catering operations can take to mitigate the impacts on their own businesses to ensure their survival.

According to Hall, “In the 15 years since founding allmanhall, liaising with both suppliers and clients on a daily basis, I have never seen a landscape like the one we are currently facing. In fact, it is fair to say that

The significant reason for this is the current labour shortages across the whole UK. As well as around 100,000 deficit in HGV drivers, it is estimated that the food and hospitality sector (including production and the supply chain) is devoid of over 500,000 employees. This ranges from produce pickers and butchers to chefs and waiters, and everything inbetween. The result is that each step of the supply chain is impacted by labour shortages, which in-turn translates to food product shortages… and we haven’t even mentioned fertiliser, CO2, fuel availability or gas prices yet!

The effects of the driver shortage have already had an impact not only on service levels, but also the availability of product that foodservice suppliers receive from processors and manufacturers. At allmanhall, we are aware that the current in-bound delivery levels to foodservice suppliers is ranging between 70-80%, where they normally sit at 98-100%.

This therefore means that up to 30% of stock is not even making it to the wholesalers for delivery out to customers.

This is having a knock-on effect upon all catering and foodservice operations. But buying behaviour changes can help ensure a catering operation remains a valued customer of foodservice suppliers, at a time

when they are looking to reduce in size. It is essential to remain, or become, an attractive business customer. Suppliers need customers with buying behaviours that will enable them to operate as efficiently as possible, therefore reducing the costs and time associated with making deliveries. This is known as the ‘cost to serve’, and by reducing the cost to serve, a business becomes a more attractive customer to suppliers.

There are several ways to do this: 1. Increase average delivery value – where possible consolidate and have higher value orders 2. Reduce average delivery frequency – minimise the number of deliveries received each week 3. Increase the delivery timeframes in which suppliers can make deliveries 4. Order full cases and reduce splits – where possible, order full cases, as splits increase the picking time and cost of the order to the supplier 5. Place orders day 1 for delivery on day 3, rather than next day – giving suppliers additional lead time aids planning and routing 6. Accept that there will be delivery shortages, try to be as flexible as possible and hold emergency stock to ease pressure points. Being an understanding customer when things do go wrong will help build loyalty.

Perhaps counter intuitively at times like these, the best way of achieving the above is by consolidating orders through fewer suppliers, and not looking for lots of alternative suppliers with the intention of ‘spreading the risk’ if one is unable to supply. With the root causes of the current supply chain challenges being structural, there is no ‘quick-fix’.

Unfortunately, things are going to take time to improve. With so much current uncertainty, the only real certainty is a period of higher food inflation and higher supply volatility than we’ve been used to in recent times.

Fridays Joins the Institute of Hospitality as its First, Major UK Casual Dining Brand The Institute of Hospitality (IoH) has announced it has signed Fridays, one of the UK’s major casual dining brands, as its latest corporate member and will welcome over 500 of Fridays current UK employees as new members in the coming weeks.

Robert continued: “Supporting the development of current and future employees and assisting them to build a career in the hospitality industry is vital. The IoH is committed to lifelong professional development and by joining the IoH, Fridays has demonstrated their commitment to their employees.”

Announcing the new IoH/Fridays’ partnership, Robert Richardson FIH, IoH Chief Executive commented: “We are delighted to welcome Fridays into the IoH family. This collaboration is a watershed moment for the Institute. Fridays and the IoH have a shared passion for providing development and progression at every step throughout a person’s career. I am excited to share their insight with the rest of the dynamic casual dining sector and the hospitality sector as a whole.”

Robert B. Cook FIH and Fridays CEO commented: “This is an exciting day for Fridays, our teams and the Institute of Hospitality. Fridays are renowned for our spirit of teamwork and family values. We wouldn’t be where we are, or who we are, without our amazing teams. We believe that membership of the IoH further enables our ambition to provide industry-leading development programmes to our talented workforce. I am particularly excited that it will help prepare and inspire the next generation of hospitality leaders.”

East Anglia Hospitality Group Accelerates Growth with North Norfolk Acquisition Chestnut, one of the UK’s fast-growing hospitality businesses, has announced its acquisition of The Feathers in Holt, North Norfolk.

The pub, which was built on the site of an old cattle market in 1650, offers 16 bedrooms with capacity for growth, alongside a restaurant and bar and is situated in the heart of the traditional Georgian town of Holt.

Domestic tourism in the region is increasing with recent Norfolk’s tourist visits up by 38% in 2020 and a predicted rise in the population by 500,000 over the next five years, making now the perfect time to expand and grow the portfolio across the county.

The addition of The Feathers to the Chestnut portfolio comes shortly after the acquisition of another Norfolk property, The Maltings in Weybourne, earlier this year. Speaking about the latest addition to the group’s portfolio, Philip Turner, Founder and Managing Director of Chestnut said: “We are really excited to be expanding in this wonderful part of the region. 2021 continues to be a year of

growth and with Norfolk remaining a great staycation destination and fast developing into a preferred post COVID relocation hotspot, The Feathers is the perfect addition to the Chestnut collection.

We have ambitious growth plans for the area, which is reflected in our latest acquisitions. Chestnut is looking to consolidate its position in a market of £3.5bn tourism spend and be well positioned for the changing dynamic of office/home working habits.”

Chris Scargill, Tourism and Leisure Specialist at Larking Gowen, Chartered Accountants welcomed the news of the acquisition and congratulated the group on its continued growth, he said: “It is great to see ongoing investment in the sector in East Anglia. We have a great offering here and with more and more visitors finding us and then making us their destination of choice, the future looks very good indeed. Also, with continued acquisitions in the area – and not just the obvious hotspots – there is an ongoing evolution which is so very exciting”.

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Issue 82

British Curry Day Commemorates Forefathers Curry houses are commemorating the forefathers who introduced millions of Britons to a taste of the subcontinent.

British Curry Day has been launched to mark those who came to Britain from the 1960s - opening restaurants and takeaways – and to show support for the industry today.

And businesses taking part will donate £1 to good causes for every Tikka Masala – the nation’s favourite curry – sold on Wednesday, December 1.

Community champion Naseem Talukdar, who is manager of Rajastan Royal in Bristol and whose own parents ran a restaurant from the 1970s, said: “British Curry has been a key culinary and cultural contribution made by migrants from the Indian subcontinent.

“In turn, it has helped to support future generations in the industry - as well as doctors, teachers, engineers and other professions which help their communities.”

CHALLENGES Enam Ali, publisher of Spice Business magazine and event founder, said: “Tragically we are losing many of the country’s first curry restaurateurs, who are now elderly with severe underlying health issues, to the pandemic.

“These people came to a strange foreign land at the invitation of the British government. Through their own endeavours and willingness to work anti-social hours, they built a special industry, which is now an inte-

Case Study of a ‘Curry Pioneer’ Naseem’s grandfather, Hassan Ali Talukdar, came from a small village in Bangladesh - then part of the province of Bengal in British India.

He is understood to have managed food and logistics for the British Navy during World War II - until their ship was captured by Germans and they were held as prisoners of war.

The shipmates were released three months later in May, 1945, following allied Victory in Europe Day (VE Day).

Hassan was granted British Citizenship in recognition of his work. He worked in the UK for several years before returning home.

Naseem, who received a High Sheriff’s Award from the Lord-Lieutenant Bristol in recognition of his contribution to the city and was invited to meet the Queen, said: “I was very young when my grandfather died but I heard a lot about him.

“It’s believed he ran away from home and joined a ship at Calcutta. I’m proud of him and his contribution, which shows our integration into British culture goes back years.”

Future opportunities Naseem’s father, Hazi Mohammed Siddik Ali, came to the UK in the early 1970s and opened his first restaurant in Bath, called Prince of India, in London Road.

He later opened Rupali in Kingswood in 1981, which attracted widespread custom at the time as it was one of the first to use a clay oven tandoor.

gral part of British society.”

UK Curry Connect (UKCC) is a campaign group which has been set up to raise awareness of skills shortages in the Asian catering industry.

Naseem is UKCC director for social responsibility and sustainability, as well as founder of Plastic Pollution Awareness and Action Projects (PPAAP) charity - looking at ways to reduce single-plastic use in the catering industry.

He added: “The industry has changed dramatically over the last 60 years and we have to find ways to continue to be sustainable.”

British Curry Day coincides with 50 years of independence for Bangladesh and it is a national holiday in the country on December 16.

CHARITY The event is expected to raise thousands of pounds for 10 small community groups, through #AskingBristol – connecting charities with individuals, organisations and business who can support them.

High Sheriff of Bristol Susan Davies said: “It is such a brilliant idea to celebrate with a national Curry Day. Curry is now one of the nation's favourite dishes and linking this with Independence Day is perfect - as most of the cuisine we know so well was brought to Britain from Bangladesh.

“But not only is this a day of celebration for Bangladeshis and their wonderful food, but dozens of restaurants across the region are also raising money for local charities making this a valuable event in so many ways."

For more information, visit https://twitter.com/britishcurryday For more information about #AskingBristol, visit https://askingbristol.org/ Mr Ali retired in 1995 and returned to Bangladesh, where he carries out charity and community work.

Naseem, who studied an IT degree at UWE and has worked as a software engineer, would often help out in the kitchen.

Naseem said of his father: “He was hardworking and helped to provide for our future, both supporting our education and instilling a strong work ethic.”

Tackling homelessness and plastic pollution Naseem manages Rajastan Royal in Westbourne Road and his work in the food industry led him to help the homeless and set up PPAAP. The takeaway, which joined a pilot scheme to reduce its use of plastic, has been awarded Best Takeaway in the South West in the Asian and Curry Awards.

Naseem said: “My work in takeaways, restaurants and with the homeless has heightened my awareness of the huge amount of plastic used in the industry. I’ve been working with various specialists to find a longterm solution to this problem.”

Rajastan Royal continues to contribute to its community, including its role in the Food4NHS project, in which thousands of free hot meals were delivered to NHS staff.

They have donated money to 1625 Independent People, which supports young people aged 16 to 25 at risk of becoming homeless or who are already homeless.

Naseem said: “It’s important to recognise the help we had from those who came before us and to give back where we can.”

Naseem is looking to find out more information about his grandfather and his regiment. If you have information or may be able to help, contact ali.naseem@hotmail.com

St James Quarter Secures Duck & Waffle Restaurant for Scotland Debut

Duck & Waffle is to open its first Scottish restaurant in Edinburgh next year.

The all-day restaurant will occupy an 8,400 sq ft site with an outdoor terrace on the fourth floor of the St James’ Quarter development and will serve the brand’s “playful take” on British cuisine, with dishes designed for sharing.

It will be the first UK site outside of London for Duck & Waffle, which launched on the 40th floor of 110 Bishopsgate, also known as the Heron Tower, in 2012. The site is the highest restaurant in the capital and is open 24 hours a day.

Directly accessible from Register Square and reflecting the brand’s signature culinary style, Duck & Waffle Edinburgh will deliver its playful take on traditional British cuisine with broad European influences emphasizing local, rustic, seasonal and sustainable ingredients to the Scottish capital, with dishes designed for sampling and sharing.

Following a hugely successful first phase launch, the signing is a demonstration of the global appeal of St James Quarter, as the mixed-use district continues to establish its place as the number

one dining destination in Scotland.

Ed Corrigan at St James Quarter, said: “For a brand of the calibre of Duck & Waffle to choose St James Quarter for its first UK restaurant outside of London is a massive coup for Edinburgh, underlining not just the strength of the city’s international appeal, but St James Quarter’s growing reputation in the market. It adds to a stellar food offer that will cater for all of our visitors, from the casual diner to the serial foodie – we absolutely cannot wait for this opening.”

Shimon Bokovza, Managing Partner & Brand Visionary of Duck & Waffle added: “Duck & Waffle was born in London and we’re proud to spread our wings to Edinburgh’s anticipated St James Quarter as we expand globally. We’re eager to participate in the city’s love for culture and the arts through our own contribution of culinary creativity and epicurean community.”

Duck & Waffle will join the likes of SUSHISAMBA, Bonnie & Wild, Ka Pao, Black Sheep, Bross Bagels, Salerno Pizza, Wingstop, Thai Express Kitchen and Pho as St James Quarter continues to strengthen an already formidable line up of dining options.

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Products and Services

Issue 82

Gunner Saint - The Drink with Heritage Staff Problem Solved!

Drawing upon a rich heritage, with a recipe that dates back to 1842, the Gunner Saint non-alcoholic cocktail is a truly fresh and energising drink, which we are proud to say is also made in the UK. Conducting our own market research earlier this year we found that 18% of UK adults have increased their consumption of NoLo drinks over the last 12 months, with over a quarter of respondents stating they would happily swap more than 50% of their alcohol consumption with NoLo alternatives. Results which corresponded with the recent growth of the sector in UK and international drinks markets.

Following the success of our existing draught

solution we have now launched the new Gunner in a can, which has been welcomed by customers across the hospitality sector.

The Gunner Saint, both draught and in the can is made to THE original recipe using all natural ingredients.

A cocktail of ginger, aromatic bitters and a twist of lime, the Gunner Saint provides a refreshing and restorative drink which can be enjoyed as a stand-alone mocktail, or if you want something stronger as an alternative refreshing mixer.

We have even created some ideas of how to mix yours on our website.

By listening to the needs of our stockists the Gunner Saint is in a slimline can, providing convenience and sustainability for use within the hospitality sector. Plus, it is made and canned here in the UK, avoiding any supply issues as recently experienced by some mixer brands.

The Gunner Saint is a great tasting, long, non-alcoholic drink with a grown-up kick.

Best served over ice, it provides as much refreshment today as it did back in 1842.

Why not find out for yourself. www.gunnerscocktails.co.uk info@gunnerscocktails.co.uk

WTTB – Print Ordering Made Easy…

To take liberties with a popular phrase, “no business is an island.”

To succeed there are so many other factors to take into consideration, which is why it’s important to ensure that you have reliable, cost effective and professional suppliers in your corner.

WTTB is one such ally, so much so that we don’t see ourselves as service to your business but rather an extension of it.

Our print on demand and up-to-the-minute technology means that we can provide everything you need for your offline marketing – from banners to flyers to signage and all points in between.

Through our state-of-the-art site you can manage your print requirements seamlessly and easily, with a fast turn around time. And although we’re a digital service, we’re

there every step of the way to give you our support or answer any queries.

Our products are suitable for an endless range of sectors and particularly for hospitality.

From information packs to menus, from promotional materials to vouchers and loyalty cards – we’re about producing everything your business needs to keep your existing customers happy and to help you win new ones.

We have a long and strong track record in helping boost our customers’ bottom line with endless solutions to help you get your business noticed and keep it front of mind.

Print is an essential tool for any successful business so find out what we can do for you by visiting www.wherethetradebuys.co.uk

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 2 3 4

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

We’ve previously talked about the importance of Pub Banners to get your deals and promotions noticed, but with great deals on offer by HFE Signs, can we use their products in other ways?

The answer is certainly yes! HFE Signs print everything to order and with banner deals such as buy 2 get 3rd free you should really be putting your imagination to work. Remember the ‘sky is the limit’ and anything you like can be printed to promote the offers you are currently running or planning in the future.

Over the past months our industry has seen a rapid change from closure to re-opening to rushed off our feet and as a result it has been incredibly difficult to manage staffing to cater

for the quick change in demand – You will be surprised how effective a simple ‘Recruiting Now’ banner will solve this issue for you. The added flexibility of being able to use your banner over and over again means it is the perfect way to recruit staff quickly.

HFE don’t only print Pub Banners, they print banners for any purpose and cover all market sectors ranging from Birthday Banners to Solicitors or Accountants to Engineers and Schools to Construction Safety.

With various online categories it is worth looking to get some ideas on new promotions or help you plan some future events and if you only need two printed banners you could even donate your third free banner to your local school?

Schools are always on a tight budget and free school banners would be greatly received by any schools!

For more information visit www.hfe-signs.co.uk today!

Super Quick, Free Range, Super Easy

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

Shanty Spirit This evocative small batch Organic Botanical Vodka offers you an experience like no other.

An expertly crafted intricate blend of five hand-foraged organic British seaweeds create stunning undercurrents of Umami flavour. This subtle depth of flavour is further enhanced by ripples of Wasabi, Galangal, Yuzu, Bergamot and Sea Buckthorn dancing on the surface.

Each Botanical isseparately vacuum distilled to extract and retain the freshness that nature intended.

Finally we add a pinch of Dorset sea salt to remineralise the purest of water with which the spirit is cut.

Let your taste buds take the plunge and transport yourself directly to the water’s edge. As well as being enjoyed as a “Sipping Vodka” or a “Shanty on the Rocks”, Shanty Seaweed Botanical Vodka breathes new life and adds delicious dimensions to some old classics. It also pairs beautifully with seafood.

SHANTY MARY 50ml Shanty Seaweed Botanical Vodka, 125ml tomato juice, 5ml lemon juice, pinch of sea salt, pinch of white pepper, 4 drops of Green Tobasco, 2 dashes Worcester Sauce, Seaweed powder.

Pour all ingredients into tall glass with ice, mix. Garnish with celery and lemon wedge. contact@shantyspirit.com (+44) 7979-237-649 Facebook- @shantyspirits Insta- @shantyspirit www.shantyspirit.com

Giving Presentation Some Recognition It’s well known that the presentation of a dish can have a significant impact on a diner’s perception. Not only can a wellpresented plate of food intensify anticipation, it also encourages diners to believe ingredients are of a higher quality and prepared by a more experienced chef. However, it’s not just food that catches the diner’s eye, consumers repeatedly tell us that the use of customized items such as branded greaseproof paper encourages them to rate a venue as more professional, longer established and raises their expectations of the food they’ll eat.

In our increasingly visual society first impressions matter more than ever as consumers demand that all important wow factor. Thanks to social media, every customer is promoted to food critic and their experiences are out there for the world to see - positive or negative.

Take a scroll through Instagram and chances are you'll spot a food photo. With more than 500 million posts tagged #food or #drinks, food and beverage photos are some of the most popular content on Instagram and it’s important businesses capitalize on this trend.

With each dish served it’s likely that customers are posting images on social platforms, with or without your interaction. Where food presentations include your logo, such as those served alongside branded greaseproof paper, customer images are automatically branded. Not only do you ensure your skills are credited to your business, you utilise existing customers to upsell your restaurant to their social media network.

For customers opting for take-out, presentation matters too and for this packaging plays a huge role.

Packaging design allows businesses to communicate with their audience and the unboxing experience becomes a fundamental part of your customers’ sensory buying experience. Adding intentionally branded touchpoints such as branded greaseproof paper elevates both the look and feel of a product and helps create that sense of anticipation and value which consumers desire. More importantly it ensures an experience that consumers want to repeat and can’t wait to tell their friends about.

Visit www.printedgreaseproof.com

Products and Services K Fee UK Introduces Affordable, Low Thrill Sanitation from Steelite Maintenance, All In One Capsule Coffee Machines Issue 82

Thrill International glass chillers are professional tools that cool and sanitise glassware. With hygiene more of a focus than ever before, the Thrill machine kills up to 88% of the bacteria found on glassware in seconds. Using carbon dioxide to chill and sanatise the glass, the bartender simply pops the glass over the Thrill dispenser, which blasts CO2 into it for a few seconds.

These brilliant machines not only add drama to the bar, but keep drinks cooler for longer, neither watering down nor altering the flavour and aroma of beverages.

The chiller can be used with all glass types, making it ideal for establishments that serve cocktails, beer and chilled wine.

The Power of Scent

The new Thrill Vortex TAP glass chiller revolutionises the bar mat concept.

This new professional barman tool offers functionality at the highest levels and a unique design with a two-tone finish: satin structure and matte black grid.

Thanks to a low and elongated design, the new Vortex TAP CO2 glass chiller is ideal for Flair Bartenders and the most demanding Mixologists who can prepare cocktails using a large and reliable workspace, always clean and with integrated glass froster system.

The rectangular shape and the large grid with liquid collector allow Vortex TAP to be used also as beer glasses and mugs sanitizing tool.

Visit www.steelite.com

At Scentworks we offer a substantial range of essential oils, fragrance oils and formulations of both to suit all environments and needs whether it is for communal areas, washrooms, waste areas, offices, personal rooms, entrances etc. Our oils are all manufactured within the UK and are all IFRA controlled and compliant.

Our scent diffusion equipment is discreet but also stylish, very quiet and very low maintenance, requiring only 1-2 service visits per year on self-replenished units which helps to keep costs to a minimum, from as little £1 per day.

We have a selection of scent diffusion equipment with a wide range of coverage from small tabletop units suitable for an office environment, floor or wall mounted options for medium sized areas and up to larger units

that connect directly to an air conditioning system above a roof void.

All our scent diffusion equipment is programmable, which means that once set up you can just enjoy the fragrance not having to worry about switching the machine off as it will happen automatically.

We offer a wide range of pricing solutions, whether this would be renting or purchasing of equipment along with fragrance and equipment packages, we are totally flexible to suit your requirements.

Visit www.scentworkssolutions.com

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.

Jura Professional Coffee Machines

UK On-Trade Gets A Taste Of Bottega’s Italian Rainbow Award Winning Italian wine producer and distiller Bottega, has launched its Accademia Prosecco Rainbow into the UK on-trade market. Having already grown Accademia sales by a huge 166% this year, whilst also securing wide distribution in the offtrade, Bottega looks to continue to grow its distribution by 500% next year.

Sandro Bottega, Founder & Managing Director of Bottega SPA comments; “Following a spike in Rosé Prosecco last year, we think the Prosecco market still has potential to grow. As well as new drinking rituals developed during lockdown, we’re finding that drinkers not only want quality, but they want to know the provenance of their drinks, i.e from ground to bottle.

Which is why at Bottega, we’re proud to showcase our premium Italian taste, whilst also sticking to our roots of bottling in Venetian rainbow glass.”

These premium bottles recognise the most celebrated holidays so that hospitality outlets can capitalise on special moments, such as Halloween, Christmas, and Pride. What’s more, the Rainbow Collection also gives a nod to the renowned Venice Carnival and its festive atmosphere. Accademia bottles are inspired by the Venetian colourful art expressions which have

become synonymous with Italian craftsmanship. Produced in Italy’s Treviso area using the traditional Charmat method, the Accademia Prosecco Spumante Doc Brut encloses all the characteristics that made sparkling wines appreciated all over the world: liveliness, elegance and versatility. In each bottle exudes combined flavours of green apple, white peach, citrus fruits, acacia flowers and wisteria. The taste conquers each palate: fresh, light and pleasantly lively, with a good balance between acidity and sugar, make this wine elegant and refined.

Sandro Bottega concludes: “The advantage of our colourful bottles for vendors is a strong shelf impact, differentiating Bottega as a standout celebration bottle. We can’t wait to see Prosecco drinkers up and down the UK enjoying our colourful Italian-crafted Prosecco as we continue to dine out more and more.”

Accademia Rainbow Prosecco DOC is available (offtrade) across the UK RSP £84.99 (mixed case of six bottles).

For the UK distributor of Accademia LEGACY BRANDS, mail: sales@legacy-brands.co.uk Webiste: www.bottegaspa.com/en/

K Fee UK are part of the family owned Kruger Group and pride themselves in offering affordable all in one capsule coffee machines and coffee accessories for your pleasure and enjoyment. The coffee machines are compact, easy to operate, low maintenance and, where cost is a major consideration, great value for money. Prices start from only £99.00 for the K-Fee One and include a 2 year swap out warranty.

K – Fee are also explorers and connoisseurs, seeking out and sourcing the finest coffees from around the world. Driven by a passion for coffee, they experiment with new roasts and blends to develop flavours that reflect the latest trends in the coffee market. Their Mr & Mrs Mill coffee capsules, hand-picked coffee beans from

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the world’s best growing areas are used, gently roasted and ground. As soon as the capsules have been filled, they are given a seal to preserve their freshness and full aroma.

Furthermore, all their coffee is UTZ certified as they are committed to using resourcesaving production and helping develop better living conditions for farmers. They have also partnered up with myclimate to help compensate our CO2 emissions and reduce greenhouse gasses locally and regionally, but also make a positive contribution to sustainable development.

Contact: K-Fee-enquiries@Kruger-uk.com Tel: 0161 527 7359 Website: https://www.k-fee.co.uk/ See the advert on the back cover for further details.

Top Restaurants Enjoying The ‘Purest Water’ On Tap The importance of great tasting, pure water – and the role it can play in the dining experience – is well recognised within the restaurant industry. Yet, whilst water filters for the home have been around for a long time, hospitality businesses have only recently begun to embrace premium filtered water.

Nordaq is leading the way, with a unique and patented water filter system, developed in Sweden, capable of delivering the purest drinking water – with a taste and quality that is unrivalled. It does this by filtering out all impurities and undesirable flavours within local tap water, whilst retaining natural salts and minerals.

World-renowned chef, Heston Blumenthal, who has introduced Nordaq to several of his UK venues, including the famous Fat Duck, says: “Attention to detail is something that we have always looked at in all of our restaurants. An eating experience is

beyond the food we eat … Nordaq’s technology offered us exactly what we were looking for.”

Nordaq’s purity exceeds even that of bottled water because it doesn’t require the preservatives necessary for a practical shelf life. Instead, a venue can produce this incredible water – both still and sparkling – on-site, dispensing it straight from a tap into elegant, branded, reusable glass bottles.

Nordaq is now served in over 400 of the world’s best hotels and restaurants.They all benefit from Nordaq’s unique ability to enhance the taste of food and wine. In addition, the premium filter approach reduces the financial, logistical and environmental burdens that water service typically represents. With all this in mind, it’s hard to imagine the future of restaurant water being anything but filtered.

To request your Nordaq experience, contact Peter Smeaton on 01943 609 437, or email enquiries@nordaq.com.

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

Simply ‘Thaw & Serve’ with Schulstad Bakery Solutions NEW Danish Pastry Range Bakery experts, Lantmännen Unibake UK would love as many people as possible to experience the joy of its authentic Schulstad Bakery Solutions products. That’s why it has developed a new range of delicious, fully-baked, Thaw and Serve Danish Pastries, enabling operators without an oven to offer their customers a tasty, sweet treat at any time of day.

All they have to do is…. thaw and serve.

Now available through Brakes and Bidfood, the new range features traditional favourites including Schulstad Bakery Solutions Maple Pecan Plait and Mini Danish Selection, and provides an incremental sales opportunity for operators to serve pastries throughout the day, with 57% of consumers saying that they choose Danish Pastries as a between-meal treat . Wrapped either individually or in a tray, these easy to serve Danish Pastries are ideal for out-of-home, hospitality and leisure sectors, where operators do not have the facilities to bake fresh and can be enjoyed in house or on the go.

Kate Sykes, Marketing Manager at Lantmännen

Unibake, said: “Quality is key to the latest additions in our range, which has been specifically designed to ensure operators are able to extend their offering to provide more variety conveniently, meaning more of them than ever before can include superior sweet pastries as part of their menus. Our new collection of Danishes is fully baked and ready to serve after thawing, allowing caterers without ovens to significantly reduce preparation time, as well as control costs and wastage.”

The full range of Schulstad Bakery Solutions Thaw and Serve Danish Pastries consists of individually wrapped classics: Maple Pecan Plait, Vanilla Crème Crown and Apple Crown. The Mini Danish selection offers five indulgent modern favourites in a handy variety pack, including Mini Maple Pecan Plait, Mini Apple Coronet, Mini Cinnamon Swirl, Mini Raspberry Square and Mini Blueberry Square. Plus, to complement the range, Schulstad Bakery Solutions is offering individually wrapped Pain aux Raisins.

Visit www.schulstadbakerysolutions.co.uk

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Festive Ordering

Issue 82

Focus On Fresh and Local Festive Food, Says Bidfresh British ingredients.

“Festive menus can be fairly rigid, but building in some flexibility will be a real competitive advantage this year. That could mean offering roast duck or partridge as well as the more familiar turkey; having smoked mackerel or trout as a starter, or serving premium twists on accompaniments, such as a sprout slaw or roasted sweet potatoes.”

The research* found that:

Festive menus built around fresh and local food will inspire post-lockdown customers to eat out in the run-up to the peak Christmas and New Year trading period, says fresh produce specialist Bidfresh.

Drawing on the latest research into consumer plans for socialising this year, Bidfresh is advising chefs and operators that meals with genuine provenance will have the strongest appeal, with the added advantage of making the most of availability.

Bidfresh is highlighting the menu planning benefits of working closely with all three of its specialist businesses: meat supplier Campbell Brothers, Direct Seafoods, and fresh produce experts Oliver Kay. Martin Eshelby development support chef with Oliver Kay said: “Consumers are still in cautious mode following lockdown, and most say they plan to stay close to home, support local businesses, and meet up with friends and family. That creates opportunities for restaurants and pubs to offer interesting dishes with a focus on fresh produce and the best

· 59% of consumers plan to stay local and support local businesses; and a similar number expect to out to eat and drink several times in the run up to Christmas; · Festive bookings will start to ramp up from September onwards, so operators should have reservation systems in place, but 15% will wait until December – favouring businesses that can keep menu options and table availability flexible; · Seeing friends and family; giving gifts in person; and going out for meals and drinks are the top three things people are looking forward to this year; · The top four factors influencing choice of venue are the quality of food and drinks, the price of food and drinks; the safety and hygiene measure in places; and the choice of dishes on the menu; · 33% of consumers say they’ll definitely expect a higher quality of food when eating out than pre-pandemic; and 44% will now expect to be offered “something a bit different” when they eat out; · While 47% expect to eat a traditional Christmas dinner when they eat out, 27% will be looking for dishes they wouldn’t traditionally cook at home, and 21% want something new and interesting to try.

Eshelby added “It is very possible to meet what can seem like conflicting consumer expectations. A traditional Christmas dinner may not just mean turkey – in fact, 32% of consumers say they want a choice of different roast meat, and poultry such as duck or partridge can add a “wow factor” as consumers are less likely to cook them at home.

Koffmann's - When You Need the Very Best The Koffmann fresh potato range is the leading UK chefs brand for potatoes.

We select the best regional soil variations and maintain strict conditioning and storage regimes. Our advanced packing and handling facilities enable us to offer the best tasting and most suitable for purpose products available on any given day all season round.

The Koffmann’s frites range which includes Les Pommes Frites, Les Grandes Frites XXL and Sweet Potato Frites.

See the advert below for details.

“To accompany the main event, a root vegetable gratin with truffle infused cream adds a little luxury to plain root veg, while roasting squash and sweet potato wedges with maple syrup, cumin and fennel seeds is a delicious aromatic twist.

“Equally, 25% want to see unique starters on menus, and 23% want desserts they wouldn’t make at home. Offering alternative choices alongside the familiar smoked salmon and Christmas pud will have strong customer appeal, as well as helping to “spread the load” for the supply chain.

“Smoked mackerel or trout, served with a sprout salad, makes an interesting and tasty starter, and helps promote sustainability, which is an increasingly important consideration for many consumers.

“Offering a lighter dessert such as poached clementines with a yoghurt semifeddo can be particularly appealing after a roast with all the trimmings.

“Overall, a more diverse festive menu, making full use of the range of produce and ingredients available from suppliers give operators the broadest possible appeal to consumers, as well as reducing the pressure points that affect the supply chain when everybody is trying to order the same products.”

For a twist on a festive roast, a new recipe for spiced roast duck has been added to the range of menu ideas on the Oliver Kay website: www.oliverkayproduce.co.uk/food-info/seasonal-recipes-ideas/387-spiced-roast-duck Operators can tap into expert advice from specialist suppliers within Bidfresh via: www.campbellbrothers.co.uk, www.directseafoods.co.uk www.oliverkayproduce.co.uk *Bidfood & 3Gem , Christmas 2021 Consumer Survey, 2,000 UK respondents, surveyed 8-11th June 2021.

Prepare for Whatever Christmas Brings with D.A. Cooke Originally founded in 1967 by Ian’s parents, D.A.Cooke Wholesale has become one of the UK’s largest wholesalers specialising in supplying the hotel and catering industry with Christmas Crackers and Party Products.

We are not tied to anyone manufacturer so we are confident that we can source and import the widest possible range of products. Buying in bulk and keeping our costs down enables us to pass on the savings to you.

As specialist suppliers we can supply most products all year

around and are able to cope with last minute orders and “top-ups” with ease. Obviously, the more notice you can give of your requirements the more choice and variety we can offer.

It is not possible to list all the many hundreds of products that we can supply but are pleased to show the most popular ones in our new catalogues, available at www.dacooke.co.uk . If you cannot find what you require, please do let us know so that we can find it for you.

We do hope that we can be of service to you over the coming year and would be pleased to visit you with samples and to discuss your requirements further.

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

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CLH Digital

Issue 82

Festive Ordering

Bring Some Festive Cheer with a Christmas Tree Market research has indicated that when an establishment spends more money on their Christmas decorations, their customers are inclined to not only spend more time, but also more money, Source https://stiritupmagazine.co.uk/get-christmas-wrapped/ In addition, customers are more likely to visit an establishment that is full of festive cheer, than one that has not bothered to make too much effort.

Decorating your hotel, restaurant or bar can be fun for the staff to do & bring them some festive cheer before the onslaught of the Christmas party season gets underway.

A large Christmas Tree can have a stunning impact & attract the public from far & wide, just to see the tree.

Social Media is driving a lot of interest in the places people visit over Christmas time, as once images have been shared, lots of people then want to go and see it for themselves. The popularity of a venue can very much be influenced by how many images are posted, shared or tweeted so making sure your venue is looking its best in the run up to Christmas is vitally impor-

tant.

Why Trenchers chose an artificial:It is far cleaner to use than a real tree Real trees can be cumbersome to erect and damage doors etc when installing them Real trees drop needles everywhere and damage carpets with moisture Real trees bring insects and fungal spores into the building which can cause sever long term damage You can choose the shape of tree to fit the space, full, compact, slim or for very tight spaces pencil.

When real trees dry out they become a fire hazard https://interestingengineering.com/video/this-video-showshow-your-dry-christmas-tree-can-cause-a-deadly-house-fire.

All Christmas Tree World trees are fire retardant.

Christmas Tree World trees are guaranteed for 10 years but will last at least of 15 years, the cost spread over 15 years makes them far cheaper than buying 15 real trees To get the benefit from an artificial tree for your business visit www.christmastreeworld.co.uk

Raise Your Canapé Game This Christmas ly fed.

We do not force feed to encourage an engorged liver, instead we use their normal healthy liver to produce Foie Royale, the luxurious pate that rivals the taste and texture of foie gras.

Working with several renowned research institutions including DIL, The Institute of Food Technology, the complex question of how to combine the bird’s natural liver with its fat to make a product as good as Foie Gras was solved. Using modern technology Foie Royale was created.

Want to buy foie gras online, but concerned about animal welfare? Foie Royale is the ethical, luxurious alternative.

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

Foie Royale is an ethical alternative to foie gras. We ethically raise duck and geese that are bred for their meat. Our birds are raised on high welfare farms enjoying freedom to roam from an early age and are natural-

The result is a product that has the same texture, melt in the mouth feeling and flavour as foie gras that can served straight from the fridge or cooked in a variety of ways.

0800 368 7777 enquiries@foieroyale.com www.foieroyale.com See the advert on the facing page for details.

Festive Ordering

Issue 82

CLH Digital

Get Real This Christmas with LittlePod

LittlePod goes liquid! When we launched our award-winning vanilla beer we never expected it to end up in a cake – a souped-up version of an Irish porter cake. People often want to make a cake for Christmas but then leave it until it’s too late. This quick-to-make cake is the answer. As the Irish say: Nollaig shona duit!

(Happy Christmas!).

2. Preheat the oven to 140°C (275ºF) Gas mark 1. Sift the flour and spice into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter or margarine into the flour and rub it in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, soaked fruit (after straining it), nuts, lemon zest and stir well.

3. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the LittlePod vanilla beer or stout over a low heat. Beat the eggs, add BEERY BAKE CAKE the LittlePod vanilla paste (or seeds Ingredients of the vanilla pod) and combine them 150 ml LittlePod vanilla beer or stout 450 g mixed dried fruit with the beer mixture, off the heat.

3 eggs 50 g glacé cherries (optional) 1 teaspoon LittlePod vanilla paste, or 1 Stir this into the dry ingredients and grated zest of 1 orange mix well. vanilla pod, (seeds only) 1 tablespoon LittlePod chocolate extract a 20-cm round cake pan, greased and 4. Pour into the prepared pan and or 350ml, LittlePod vanilla beer or stout lined with baking paper, with a 5-cm bake for 2 hours, then turn down the 350g plain flour collar oven to 120°C (250°F), or until nicely 1⁄4 teaspoon mixed spice browned. If a knife or skewer insertMethod 175 g butter or margarine 1. Soak the dried fruit, cherries and ed into the middle comes out clean, 275 g soft brown sugar orange zest in the LittlePod chocolate the cake is cooked.

50 g walnuts or 50 g blanched 5. Allow to cool in the pan before extract overnight. Alternatively, soak almonds, shredded turning it out. Do not cut it the same the dried fruit, cherries and orange grated zest of 1 lemon zest in 350ml of LittlePod Vanilla Beer day, if possible; it’s best kept to 1⁄2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda mature in an airtight container. or regular stout overnight.

Riso Gallo Commit To Sustainable Program

Riso Gallo is the first international brand in the sector to have undertaken the production of rice from sustainable agriculture, making their premium best-selling risotto rices Gallo Traditional Risotto, Arborio, Carnaroli - fully Sustainable.

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

All Riso Gallo plastic vacuum packaging is now suitable for recycling, following the launch of a new eco-sustainable, low environmental impact plastic. Riso Gallo are the first company to adopt this sustainable packaging. The excellence of the products and the high quality standards of the Riso Gallo chain are also guaranteed by the BRC and IFS certifications, and by the intense activity of the company's Research and Development centre. The focus is on the development and experimentation in the field

of new Italian rice qualities, not genetically modified and aimed at minimising the impact of cultivation on the environment and its resources.

G

Guaranteed - 100% Sustainable

100% of our sustainable rice has been produced at FSA Silver level or higher.

A

Authentic - 100% Premium Quality

Riso Gallo guarantees the origin of the rice.

L

Local – 100% Italian All our sustainable rice has been cultivated in 2019 exclusively in 14 selected farms.

L

Loyal Lowering environmental impact. Using plastic packaging that is suitable for recycling and FSC certified paper packaging for sustainable forest management. Reducing waste and CO2 emissions and usingenergy from renewable certified sources.

O

Original – No.1 in Italy

To see the full foodservice range from Riso Gallo visit www.risogallo.co.uk

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

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CLH Digital

Issue 82

Cleaning and Hygiene

Why Increased Customer Expectations Mean Enhanced Hygiene Security Is Key

By David Mills, category manager at hygiene and pest control specialist Pelsis Group (www.pelsis.com) For independent operators in the licensed trade and hospitality sectors, the past year has been hugely challenging.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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 long-term trend.

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.

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.

Easy Does It.. Just Add Salt And Water For Powerful Disinfectant A unique handheld sprayer has been launched which turns mildly salty tap water into a powerful disinfectant that kills 99.9% of germs, bacteria and viruses, including Covid-19.

The easy-HC10 uses an electrochemical reaction to instantly convert tap water containing just 0.25% salt into hypochlorous acid, a powerful disinfectant which the human body itself produces to fight infection.

The easy-HC10 has been designed by Vapourtec, a leading manufacturer of flow chemistry equipment used throughout research and the chemicals industry.

The sprayer is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery and features a 2-litre reservoir which is filled with tap water and just 5 grams of salt.

Pulling the trigger produces an instant spray of hypochlorous acid solution, the concentration of which can be controlled depending on the intensity of disinfection

needed, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

The battery has a 90-minute run time and each 2 litres of water produces around 25 minutes of continuous spraying, making the device ideal for disinfecting larger areas like offices, schools, health settings and public transport.

“The easy-HC10 means there is no need to buy, store and carry around traditional disinfectant or bleach. It can cost up to 96% less to use than NHS-grade disinfectants” adds Duncan.

With commercial disinfectant costing between £0.75 and £4 per litre, the easyHC10 requires just a few pence worth of tap water and 5 grams of salt each time it is refilled. www.easy-hclo.com / 01284 728659

Infection Prevention and Control from Sanondaf UK

Business owners and management within the hospitality sector now 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

Sevenrooms Launches Vaccine-Related Product Features For restaurants looking to ensure its diners are vaccinated, guest experience and retention platform SevenRooms has announced new vaccine related product features to assist operators in communicating their COVID-19 safety and vaccination policies efficiently.

The new features include the ability to incorporate messaging around COVID safety protocols and vaccine requirements in booking widgets and the option to include tickboxes confirming vaccination status at booking. Furthermore, through SevenRooms, partner venues are now able to specify their COVID vaccination policies as part of reservation confirmation emails and booking reminders.

SevenRooms has additionally added a

feature allowing restaurants to tag guests as ‘Verified Vaccinated’, removing the legwork necessary when serving repeat customers as vaccination status will only need to be verified on the first visit.

Furthermore, the ‘Verified Vaccinated’ tag can be shared globally across group locations: a location can verify a diner’s vaccination status just once and apply this across the entire group, saving guests from repeating the process at each one.

Additionally, with guest tags, restaurants can enable a ‘Vaccination Verified’ tag once a guest has shown proof of vaccination.

See the advert on the facing page for details.

Cleaning and Hygiene

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CLH Digital

ICE - Your One-Stop-Shop for Cleaning Equipment environments. They are designed to work along-side your cleaning teams, allowing operatives to focus on crucial detailed cleaning tasks such as sanitisation.

With over 50 years of experience, ICE is the UK’s largest independent provider of industrial cleaning equipment. We manage all your cleaning equipment and servicing requirements, offering total peace of mind.

We are also proud to offer a range of cleaning equipment with water recycling capabilities, offering both productivity and sustainability benefits.

Our one-stop-shop offering provides everything relating to cleaning equipment purchase, rental, maintenance, and management.

We supply and service a huge range of cleaning machines to suit every need and budget – from low cost robust equipment, through to high end machines packed with innovative technology and features.

We offer a nationwide service with a team of highly skilled engineers dedicated to keeping your cleaning equipment up and running, and a specialist training team who ensure cleaning operatives can confidently use and maintain the machines.

ICE also have over a decade of experience in robotic floor cleaning machines. ICE Co-Botics is our complete range of autonomous vacuums, scrubber dryers, and sweepers in various sizes, suitable for a whole host of

All equipment can be purchased, rented (long & shortterm), or leased through ICE Asset Finance Solutions.

Innovation and technology advances stay at the forefront of our approach. We continuously review our product range, and the benefits and opportunities they offer our customers, in order to be able to fulfil a complete solution. It’s this investment in the key technology advances, both in equipment hardware and virtual know how that help us support our customers. enquiries@ice-clean.com 0800 389 3869 www.ice-clean.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.

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

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

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CLH Digital

Issue 82

Cleaning and Hygiene

Clean Water, Grease Control, Safe Establishment

As the catering industry moves to a new normal, with patrons eagerly returning to holidaying and eating out, it is essential to focus on an establishment’s overall health and compliance. In addition to meticulous food and general hygiene, this means ensuring clean, safe, water and air. Your water system must have an up-to-date Legionella Risk Assessment and comply with L8, the code of practice issued by the HSE. This may mean undertaking remedial work, as well as routine water tank cleaning, water testing and monitoring.

As the demand for cooked meals has risen, so, inevitably, will the accumulation of grease deposits within your kitchen extraction system. This grease must be removed at regular

intervals by expert technicians, as stipulated in the tables in TR19® Grease, which is issued by BESA. Failing to remove this grease layer allows a potential fire risk to accumulate, and could constitute negligence, for which there can be serious legal consequences. In a case of fire, a non-compliant extract system could result in your insurance company refusing to pay out.

Indoor air quality should also be safeguarded by regular cleaning of the ventilation system in accordance with TR19®. If your ventilation system is fitted with fire dampers, these should also be drop tested annually in accordance with BS:9999.

Visit www.swiftclean.co.uk or see the advert on this page.

Top Engraver Supports Hospitality Sector with Fast Turn Around for Etched Table Numbers & QR Discs

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

One of the UK’s leading commercial and industrial engraving specialists, Brunel Engraving, is providing a rapid response to the growing demand for etched table numbers and QR code discs in the pub and catering industry.

The company has made a substantial investment in additional state of the art engraving equipment and related software in order to produce a wide range of individually engraved table numbers and discs.

The numbers and disks enable customers to link to Apps or menus, reducing staff contact and eliminating the requirement for hard copies of menus. Although no longer a legal requirement to order remotely, this is something which the government is still actively encouraging and can improve table service through the reduction of queues.

Government guidelines now specify that whilst businesses are no longer legally required to collect customer contact details, doing so will support NHS Test

and Trace. It recommends encouraging customers to uses contactless ordering from tables where available such as through an ordering app and ordering for takeaway or delivery online, on apps or over the telephone.

“The demand for our engraved products has significantly increased despite the relaxing of Covid restrictions”, said Martyn Wright, managing director and founder of Brunel Engraving.

“Our investment in additional equipment and software has ensured that our customers in the hospitality sector can benefit from an accurate and rapid turnaround at a highly competitive price”.

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

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Issue 82

Hospitality Technology

New Labour Scheduling Tool To Juggle Student’s Working Hours

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

Hotel Keycards

Leading supplier of wholesale keycards for hotels and guesthouses, Hotel Keycards works with accommodation providers large and small to deliver the best room access solution for you and your guests. We have a simple mission: to supply our customers with a superior quality product and service at a competitive price.

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

When you order your keycards online from Hotel Keycards, you receive a 100% guarantee on your order, plus free shipping to anywhere in Ireland or the United Kingdom. We offer this unique assurance to all of our customers because we have complete confidence in the quality of our product and the standard of our service.

We dedicate as much attention to our smallest

employees. Managing a team where some members are unavailable for certain shifts and not able to work for months at a time, was clearly making staff rota creation more time-consuming 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 orders as we do to our larger shipments, getting to work on your keycards within hours of finalising your requirements. Whether you need a standard card for your guests, or you’re maximising your promotional opportunities by branding your card with your hotel’s details, we pride ourselves on our attention to detail and fast turnaround.

It’s not just about keycards. Here are some other products we provide: Keycard Wallets. See how you can promote your business while giving guests a handy way to keep their keycards safe.

Locks. We stock a wide range of room locks, including digital electronic locks.

Safes. Our laptop safes offer your guests security and peace of mind when storing valuables.

Visit www.hotelkeycards.net

Largest supplier of all types of Keycards and Wallets both Generic and Personalised

Glyn Wells Hotel Keycards Limited

T: 003353 667123842 E: hotelkeycardsltd@gmail.com

M: 003353 872302334 W: www.hotelkeycards.net

Hospitality Technology

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Hop - The All-In-One Property Management System As experienced hoteliers, we have hands-on experience in the hospitality industry. We understand the daily challenges and the pain points. That's why we created Hop and continue to develop the intuitive tools you require to free yourself of the daily hassles, which allows you to get on with what you do best. You look after your guests, we’ll do the rest.

Our cloud-based and responsive all-in-one Property Management System and range of contactless tools including a commission free booking engine and range of contactless tools empowers hoteliers to manage their properties, teams, and daily operations more efficiently and cost-effectively. Our experienced UKbased customer service and technical teams are here to support you 24/7 for total peace of mind.

Our sole mission is to support our clients by developing technology that frees management and staff from daily hassles. All we want is to make your life easier.

We strive to simplify your problems and believe our clients deserve an easier life. We achieve this by delivering a straightforward and affordable all-in-one service that covers all the bases.

With a team full of knowledge and hospitality expertise, we are experienced, skilled and passionate about creating solutions at affordable prices. We are reliable and honest, when we say we'll deliver, we will.

We are proud to say that Hop now operates globally, is trusted by hoteliers around the world and that we are an integral part of our clients' day-to-day business.

Whether you are a B&B, guest house, an independent hotel or a group, if you sell rooms, Hop has a solution to run your property more cost-effectively whilst delivering an enriched guest experience.

Book a free and no-obligation demo at www.hopsoftware.com

Point of Sale Technology Designed for Hospitality 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 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.

Due to global pandemic, the demand for contactless product such as Kiosk for selfordering & self-checkout 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 page 39 for details.

Yorkshire Chef to Appear at Europe’s Biggest Catering Exhibition As food businesses across the UK get ready for the introduction of Natasha’s Law next month, a York-based chef is preparing to take part in Europe’s biggest catering exhibition, to be held in London in early November.

From October 1, new legislation – known as ‘Natasha’s Law’ – will come into force, affecting hundreds of thousands of businesses and traders who produce and package food for sale.

Under current rules, food prepared on the premises in which it is sold does not have to display full allergen information in writing. The new requirements apply to items called ‘prepacked for direct sale’ (PPDS), which is food that is packaged onsite at the same premises where a customer then selects or orders it. This means that once Natasha’s Law comes into effect, each PPDS food item will need a label containing a full ingredients list.

Chef Mark Morgan-Huntley has pioneered a food labelling system called Allergen Checker, to help such businesses comply with the new regulations and keep their customers safe, and he will be showcasing his innovative system at the prestigious Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo, which is expected to attract more than 15,000 visitors.

Europe’s leading event for takeaway and restaurant owners looking to boost their profits, the Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo will return to London’s ExCeL convention centre on November 9 and 10, offering an insight into the innovations and technologies that are changing the face of the industry.

Mark said: “It’s exciting to be a part of the

Get 3 Months FREE^ Promo Code: natlaw21

exhibition for the first time, and I’m looking forward to not only meeting potential new clients but also finding out more about other innovations available to restaurant and takeaway businesses.

“Visitors to my stand will have the chance to demo my Allergen Checker labelling system, and I’ll also be accompanied by nutritionist and food consultant Georgina Stewart.”

Mark’s brainchild, Allergen Checker is an online system that enables business owners to easily identify and display all allergens and ingredients in their food products. It allows users to create their own virtual store cupboard, input ingredients, identify allergens and print customised full ingredient labels to attach to items, so customers know exactly what’s in their food.

Recent research commissioned by GS1 UK (the notfor-profit organisation leading the ‘Feed Us the Facts’ campaign for extra transparency from the food industry) has found that four in 10 businesses across the food industry have never heard of Natasha’s Law, and eight in 10 food business owners admit they feel unprepared for the new food regulations.

Non-compliance with the new rules could result in a business facing serious financial penalties, and potentially criminal prosecution. Mark has decades of kitchen and restaurant management experience and launched his unique food labelling service to help businesses of all shapes and sizes stay on the right side of the law in an easy-to-use, value-for-money way, while keeping allergy-prone customers safe.

The subscription-based service costs less than £1 per day for unlimited ingredients labelling. Allergen Checker is also donating £10 per subscription to The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, which funds vital research into food allergies.

Register for your FREE ticket now to the Restaurant & Takeaway Innovation Expo and be sure to visit Allergen Checker on stand Q42.

See the advert on this page for further details.

Your Complete Food Labelling System For less than £1 per day* Easy Online Software Allergen Management Labels • Menus • QR Codes Clear Allergen Icons

Celery Crustaceans

Lupin

Follow Us On

Nuts

Egg

Fish

Milk

Molluscs

Gluten

Mustard

Peanuts

Sesame

Soya

Sulphur Dioxide

Trace

Ingredients

allergenchecker.co.uk

* Yearly subscription is £360 incl. VAT and is required to print labels and menus. ^After 3 months it is £36 inc VAT per month for 9 months subject to 12 month contract. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer ends 1st November 2021. Management reserve the right to end the offer at any time without prior notice. © Allergen Checker 2020 Limited. All rights reserved. Reg no: 12511552

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Issue 82

Hospitality Technology

Fewer Than One In Ten Holidaymakers Trust Reviews On Accommodation Providers’ Websites

five over 55’s stating this, compared to just 7% of 25–34-year-olds. The research also found that females are far more likely (45%) than males (30%) to read a review before making a booking.

The research of 2,000 UK consumers by Hop Software found that the top reasons for leaving a positive review were good customer service and excellent communication, with half of people saying that this would encourage them to write a good review.

Conversely, there were several reasons why a holidaymaker would leave a bad review following their stay. Nearly half (45%) said that bad customer service would be the top reason for leaving a negative review, while a further 40% said that the accommodation not being as described would impact their decision. A further third (33%) were concerned about their evening meals and leisure time, citing that bad food at the hotel’s restaurant or bar would make them consider leaving a bad review online.

Commenting on the findings, Richard Drummond, COO of Hop, said: “Good customer service is, and always has been key. Simple fixes and small personal touches are evidently the best way to make sure that guests are talking about their stay positively. However, it’s quite shocking that while customers still rely heavily on reviews, most holidaymakers say that they don’t trust them. So, hoteliers and accommodation providers must not only continue to strive to receive great reviews from guests, but also to build their trust in these reviews. For example, the way reviews and testimonials are displayed on a website can have a huge impact on consumer trust, with video and image-led testimonials tending to work really well, as customers are able to put a face to a name.”

Following closely behind was a great location (41%) and personal touches, with over a third (38%) saying that small extras such as such as hampers or maps of local areas would encourage them to write kind words about a

Differences between demographics were apparent in the research, with 54-54-year-olds most likely to read reviews before booking (45%) and older people more likely to worry about fake reviews online, with one in

All of these findings are available in ‘The 2021 holiday boom: what Britons are looking for’ report, which can be downloaded in full at www.hopsoftware.com/campaign

New research has found that while more than a third (38%) of people always read reviews before making a holiday booking, trust in them remains low, with just 8% trusting reviews on accommodation providers’ websites and 16% trusting them on third party booking sites.

provider.

Toggle - The Hospitality Commerce Platform Toggle is the hospitality commerce platform. From gift cards to merchandise, merchandise to experiences, experiences to retail products. You can build a webshop in as little as 60 minutes and begin driving new revenue and welcoming new customers..

So how does it work? Glad you asked.

1. Build your store online. You can customise your store to match your brand.

2. Create a gift product. Figure out what you want to sell. Our togglers are already using Toggle to drive additional revenue through hundreds of different products. You could sell: merchandise, gift-cards, experiences, masterclasses, retail products and so much more.

3. Connect your payment platform. Toggle probably already integrates with your EPOS.. taking all the faff out of your hands, and allowing you to seamlessly sell and

redeem your online sales and physical gift cards. Easy.

4. Market your product. Now that everything is up and running, let your customers know about your products through your email lists and social channels.

5. Pre-vist revenue. It’s cash in the bank. Any revenue comes direct to you and potentially 20% will expire (you’d prefer them to visit though - see point 6)!

6. Redeem on visit. 70% of customers say they spend 55% more than the value on the card when they visit. A massive 60% of customers say they have been introduced to a new brand through a gift card. Double Win. With the first £1000 free, Toggle is a no-risk investment. We offer either a fixed fee or 5% model, meaning you can choose what is based for your business. Our hassle-free platform integrates with over 20+ technology partners, meaning the sale or redemption of physical and electronic gift cards has never been easier. Get in touch with us at luci.cunningham@usetoggle.com or sign-up at usetoggle.com See the advert on the back cover of this issue for further details.

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

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 all their customers 24x7x365 from UK served Office.

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

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Issue 82

Outdoor Spaces

Increase Your Usable Floorspace with Commercial Awnings

At Roché we offer award-winning retractable wall-mounted and freestanding awnings from leading German manufacturers Markilux and Weinor. Our team of experts have over 20 years’ experience in advising businesses on the right awning to suit a variety of outdoor spaces, and can help you maximise potential revenue by increasing usable floorspace.

Whether it’s accommodating smokers outdoors or covering a terrace bar, our commercial awnings can create a unique feature for your business and add instant curb appeal for those located on busy high streets. For an added wow-factor you can add signwriting to help reinforce your brand and drive people into your business who may have otherwise walked by without noticing.

All our products are made-to-measure and completely customisable to meet your exact requirements, with

powder coated frames in a range of RAL colours and hundreds of weather-resistant fabrics to choose from. Take advantage of accessories such as lights and infa-red heaters to create a desirable location for customers to relax and be comfortable while they enjoy evening meals or drinks.

Our teams of engineers and surveyors are based nationwide and use their experience to ensure each installation is completed to an extremely high standard.

During the initial stages of the project the surveyor will be available to discuss changes and address any questions you might have so that you receive the best experience possible.

Call us on 0800 060 8844 to arrange a free site survey or visit www.rocheawnings.com

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

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

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.

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

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

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CLH Digital

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Sun Shark System and Commercial Outdoor Bespoke Sails The SUNSHARK is a registered design shading and waterproof shade sail canopy structure, designed and manufactured here in the UK to fulfil a gap in the market.

Aimed at hotels and high network individual market, the SUNSHARK is a premium quality, fully demountable and modular based sail canopy system, allowing the installation to be installed and taken down as required, whilst still be complying with UK engineering loadings. Manufactured from marine grade “machined” stainless steel and PPC costed mild steel, the SUNSHARK is both elegant in design and robust in its construction. Designed with sunken ground level post sockets, posts can be installed and removed, leaving nothing but a stylish machine turned post gate

plate visible, flush with the ground.

The canopy itself is produced from marine grade fabrics and comes in a range of 10 standard colours, including, reds, orange, green, terracotta, white, greys and creams. Each sail has its own catenary cable system to ensure maximum tension and support is met throughout the canopies lifespan.

We also design bespoke outdoor shading solutions for all types of commercial entities from pubs, hotels, domestic gardens to Schools and more.

01249 848649 hello@shadesailblinds.com www.shadesailblinds.com

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

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

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

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

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

Commercial outdoor sails and canopies

Stylish and Contemporary shade sails & sail blinds ECO friendly & 100% Machine Washable

A functional and practical alternative to traditional blinds and other shading options, our stretched shade sails and shade sail blinds offer both style and substance.

Able to transform any area, our shade sails can be used inside to provide a contemporary shading and privacy solution to provide protection against the weather.

01249 848649 hello@shadesailblinds.com www.shadesailblinds.com

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For The Love Of Oil!

As we head into the autumn, with longer nights and cooler temperatures, the cosy draw of twinkling candle light becomes ever more important.

I believe that candles have always been a crucial element of the ambience of your bar or restaurant, and now it’s more essential than ever.

But you don’t want to be dragged down into the grimness of cleaning wax off everything, high costs and wasted time.

Oil candles will give you the perfect real flame candlelight that you want and need, without any of the headaches of regular wax candles, and none of the cheap look of a tea light.

Clearcraft’s 30 years of experience is on hand to help you choose the perfect oil candle and we will send you a FREE oil candle to try out.

Just visit www.clearcraft-catering.co.uk and click on the Request a Sample Tab. The only details you will need to give is your delivery details and your e-mail

address and there is no obligation to buy, whatsoever.

But we are certain you will love your free candle and want to make the change from the nightmare of wax, to the joy of oil!

Prices start from just £2.99 so you wont have to break the bank either!

Clearcraft Ltd Tel: 01279 731621 www.clearcraft-catering.co.uk sales@clearcraftltd.co.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

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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

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 highlyacclaimed 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.

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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Maximise Your Socialising Space With Tall Bar Stools

As the festive season approaches and bars and pubs embrace party season, it’s important to provide as much space as possible for customers to eat, drink and be merry. When it comes to providing sociable spaces without taking up too much room, tall bar stools are the perfect solution.

The beauty of bar stools is that they work just as well at spacesaving poseur tables as they do at the bar itself. Trent Furniture have a great range of bar stools available for quick delivery in a wide choice of fabrics and wood finishes to complement your existing interior scheme perfectly.

Trent’s Tall Washington Bar

Stool combines sturdy durability with rustic charm and is equally at home in a modern bar as it is in a pub. Comfort is catered for too, with a supportive slatted back and the option of an upholstered seat. Alternatively, the Tall Boston Bar Stool is another popular choice for hardwearing classic style that will serve you and your customers well for years to come.

To find out more about these and the other fantastic bar stools available from Trent Furniture, please visit www.trentfurniture.co.uk or call 0116 2864 911.

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

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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

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Combating Corrosive Costs For hoteliers and restaurant owners the assured availability of hot water is a business critical issue, but one that can quickly become costly for those operating in popular tourist destinations in the southwest, the Welsh coast, the northwest and throughout Scotland. These are all naturally soft water areas which prove highly corrosive to glass-lined vessels typically used in hot water systems. Though less expensive, the shorter life expectancy, with vessels sometimes succumbing in a matter of just months - even with the use of sacrificial anodes - can mean their purchase is a false economy.

Particularly as some manufacturers have reduced, or ceased to offer, warranties on glass-lined products installed in these regions.

Far more resistant to these water-side assaults are stainless steel vessels. For buildings with smaller hot water demands, such as boutique hotels and B&Bs, the capital cost can seem prohibitive

The UK is now out of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions which means that you can use our karaoke systems to replicate the feeling of a special event or occasion. Although restrictions have been lifted, it's important we all work together to stay safe and help make sure our hospitality industry doesn't face closure again.

A PRIVATE KARAOKE ROOM IS A SAFE AND PROFITABLE ENTERTAINMENT OPTION FOR YOUR PUB

Karaoke booths can be easily converted from any room at your venue with minimal investment and effort. If you already have a private function room, all you need is Singa Business, a

Adveco’s ATSx range of compact stainless steel, high pressure hot water tanks are specifically designed to serve as buffer vessels and indirect hot water calorifiers suitable for use with lower capacity, high pressure commercial applications in soft water areas. With a wide choice of vessels from 200 to 1000 litres all rated to 10 bar as standard, they are by far the most efficient and costeffective choice for businesses with smaller system demands, ensuring strong hot water supply for years to come. www.adveco.co

Singa Karaoke System

Karaoke rooms are a COVID friendly option for entertainment for your customers. With karaoke rooms you can control the number of people in one space and have the opportunity to cleanse equipment between bookings.

despite the extended lifespan. The taller the structure, the greater the pressure requirements on the system, for example to deliver strong, hot showers on upper floors. This means the hot water systems typically requires a larger or bespoke tank. This is where higher costs and space limitations prove problematic.

screen, mics and speakers and you're all set.

Venues such as Amber Taverns, Hogarth's Stafford, have created their very own Bubble-oke concept whereby, social bubbles can hire out the karaoke room for private entertainment. An increase in session times from one hour, to up to three hours, has given their customers the feeling of a real occasion and at the same time has trebled the hourly income of the karaoke room in comparison to pre-lockdown figures.

Remember to take good care of hygiene by using protective mic covers and cleaning the mics after use.

And of course sanitise the room between every group.

Mobile song requests and display ads makes Singa a great option for safe entertainment Karaoke song requests can be safely sent direct from the consumer mobile app that any customer can download to their own phone. No need for printed songbooks and no risk of transmitting the virus. Win-win.

Visit www.avt.technology

A NEW ERA OF SINGING

A private karaoke room is a safe and profitable entertainment option for your pub

www.avt.technology help@avt.technology 01535 280372

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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 manufacturers worldwide, and

EAIS - The Ideal Solution

EAIS are your one stop solution for all of your storage and handling needs. Our vastly experienced and award winning team are on hand to support our distributors and to help them overcome any challenge that they may face.

We offer 16 different types of racking to choose from including chrome, nylon, stainless steel solid, perforated & wire as well as lift-out systems. All of these are available in wide range of sizes which will help to maximise every area of a busy commercial kitchen. Follow this up with a huge range of trolleys and transportation system

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 See the advert on page 49 for details. you will find all that’s needed to support all types of commercial catering applications. We are proud of our ability to hold vast stocks of racking and trolleys, allowing us to accommodate urgent next day delivery requests if required.

In addition to standard products one of our strengths is our flexibility. Our onsite in-house manufacturing facility allows us to offer bespoke items to our customers. Therefore if our standard product doesn’t quite tick your box our engineers and designers will work closely with a client to ensure the correct bespoke solution is offered.

As well as supply only we can also offer an efficient and economical installation service with our highly experienced and qualified teams of fitters.

For more information please visit our website – www.eais.co

Greater Lighting Choice Looms Large with New LED Downlight from Knightsbridge 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 LED lighting applications and installations are set to be popular white and matt black to chrome, polished transformed with the launch of an innovative, brand new chrome and brass. downlight from Knightsbridge - one of the UK’s leading These permutations of wattage, colour temperature brands of wiring devices, accessories and lighting. and bezel choice make SpektroLED a genuine 40-in-1 solution.

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.

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 trailingedge 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.

Installation is both quick and simple. Each unit, which has a low-profile design, features cleverly engineered Visit www.mlaccessories.co.uk first and second fix power connectors with loop in/loop out terminals that can be terminated and hidden away *check the product datasheet and instructions for further while other works are finished. Then the downlight can details

TTHE H E IDEAL SOLUTION SOLUTIO N East Installation Systems Systems East Anglian Anglian Installation

Tel: 01553 765205 Fax: 01553 768464 www.eais.co Tel:

Manufacturer and Supplier of p roducts supplied both to the Foodservice EAIS is a leading Manufacturer products are looking for only meet the customer’s demands, but their expectations as well. Whether you are storage shelving, rracking acking systems and trolleys, trolleys, or healthcare healthcare shelving and medical ttrolleys rolleys or food storage bespoke design p roducts. EAIS will be your Ideal Solution.

Solution. even bespoke products.

East Anglian Installation Systems Ltd

EAIS Ltd @EAISUK

East Anglian Installation Systems Ltd

e.a.i.s_uk

Hardwick Norfolk East Anglian Installation Systems m, sOldm O Oldmedow Road, Ha rdwick Industrial Estate, King’s LLynn, ynn, No r folk PE30 4JJ

Premier1 Filtration

Filtration is a topic that is now more important to Fryers than it has ever been in the past. Filtration is traditionally, a process designed to remove particulates. For Frying oil, the target is longer oil life and healthier product, thus cost savings and a happier customer.

Similarly, our customers care deeply about the safety of their staff, the quality of their food, the health of their customers, the sustainability of their activities, and, of course, the profitability of their business.

And so do we.

Established in 2008, Premier 1

Design and Refit Filtration has become renowned for the Quality and Durability of our oil filtration systems, both portable units and in-built systems.

Our exclusive Merlin brand filtration systems are independently tested and verified to double the life of your cooking oil. The dual filtration system filters out food and carbon contaminants which are created during the frying process. These contaminants will directly influence the degradation of your cooking oil unless removed. Daily filtration using our filter stems and media can remove contaminants as small as Like you, we take great pride in the quality of our product.

Like you, we care about our customers.

Call us: 01325 377189

There are six signature wines: The ‘Classique’ red Château de Parenchère, the prestigious ‘Cuvée Raphaël, the Bordeaux Clairet, the ‘La Roseraie’ ‘Bordeaux Rose’, the Bordeaux ‘Blanc Sec’, the cuvée ‘Esprit de Parenchère’ and the 2020 vintage: ‘L’Équilibriste’.

Château de Parenchère aims to obtain a well-balanced wine with a firm density and elegant and mellow tannins. They also seek to produce an elegantly wooded wine, with a present yet discreet oaK, that leaves plenty of room for expressing red fruit and spices aromas.

Trond Rornes, Director of CardsSafe, says, "I am convinced that all CardsSafe customers will appreciate the Parenchère wines that Bacchus Wines (PLDC) is going to bring to the UK market via its energetic representative Pierre-Loup."

CardsSafe and Pierre-Loup look forward to offering independent restaurants, pubs and bars the opportunity to provide their customers with the fantastic Chateau de Parenchère wines.

To find out more, please email Bacchus@cardssafe.com https://cardssafe.com https://www.parenchere.com/

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Our Best Selling 50 Litre Dual Filter Machine . Change to designed Designed specifically… specifically for the medium sized fryers in the general restaurant / catering industry

CardsSafe Partner with Bacchus Wines (PLDC) CardsSafe Ltd. is pleased to announce a new partnership with wine broker and aficionado Pierre-Loup DeCam, founder of Bacchus Wines (PLDC).

For all the negatives the last two years have brought the hospitality industry, a lot of good has blossomed from visionary individuals in the field. In 2019, after decades of business together, an idea struck. Could CardsSafe and Pierre-Loup's wine brokerage business, Bacchus Wines (PLDC), based in Hampshire, collaborate in a way to benefit their mutual customers?

The answer was, yes, they can!

Pierre-Loup and Trond Rornes, Director of CardsSafe, met years back when Pierre-Loup was the landlord of a 500-year-old pub in Surrey. CardsSafe was first installed in the iconic public house in 2008, with additional units added quickly. His team saw immediately the benefits of the CardsSafe system, which handled their customers' bank cards safely, eliminating fraud and increasing spend via food and drinks tabs by more than 20%.

Bacchus Wines (PLDC) offer beautiful wines to private clients and independent outlets. The majority of the wines hail from the award-winning Château de Parenchère. The Chateau dates back to 1570 and has a long and well-established history in viticulture.

Issue 82

50 Litre Tank Solid Oil Heater 2 Way Hot Oil Pump Dual Filter Media System Heavy Duty Motor Portable / Castors Typical Servicing Intervals 4 Years Dimensions: Size: 77.5cm (H) x 43.5cm (W) x 67.5cm (L) Weight: 50kg (Empty)

Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising Optimum by Concept Bars is the new modular, ‘off the shelf’, stainless steel under bar system that is built to last, available in a short lead-time and cost-effective for even the most limiting client budget. The range is designed to improve staff productivity leading to speedier service, increased customer satisfaction and ultimately increased sales.

The high quality, modular system to create your ideal bar

Each unit has been ergonomically designed and fabricated to complete a particular task and can be configurated in a number of different arrangements to suit your needs. Constructed from food safe, 304 grade box section, satin finish stainless steel, it not only looks stylish but requires minimal maintenance.

Unlike many other suppliers in the market, the Optimum range features fully enclosed units complete with back and side panels, removable shelving, fully insulated ice chests; (in both foam & foil insulation) in varying capacities for maximum ice storage with a contemporary chamfered nosing and upstand detail. All units are designed and manufactured in the UK and are available to purchase from AutoQuotes or from Concept Bars direct. The units are easily assembled with no add-on parts however, if required, an installation service is available.

Concept Bars has also recently joined the Cedabond family of suppliers. With a history of over 30 years in the hospitality industry and a reputation for quality, expertise, and competitiveness in the discipline, Concept has evolved to be acknowledged as one of the leading bar specialists and innovators. We are continually trying to come up with new ideas and are proud to offer this new product range which we believe will surpass your clients’ expectations in terms of budget and quality. Please contact us today!

info@optimumbars.co.uk www.optimumbars.co.uk

01484 852 666

www.conceptbars.com info@conceptbars.com

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Design and Refit ILF Chairs Launch New Comprehensive Website www.ilfchairs.com

Their new online website offers both indoor and outdoor seating and table solutions.

Divided into Contemporary seating, Barstools, Lounge Seating, Period Seating, Outdoor seating and tables plus Indoor Dining & Coffee height tables, offering a great selection of products to view at your leisure.

Most indoor seating and indoor wooden table bases and tops can be finished to any customer specification. Outdoor items offer a variety of colours within the same

product style.

Also included is a link to priced stock chairs and table bases plus a selection of priced made to order seating in a selection of Faux Leather upholstery colours and wood frame colours. These products can also be supplied to customer specification, just ask for details.

Enquiries can be sent to them directly from the website and they will reply within 24 hours. They hope you will enjoy the experience of viewing their easy to navigate website and they look forward to helping clients get the best products for their hospitality site.

Get an Authentic New York Slice from Bakers Pride and Taylor UK Bakers Pride was founded in the Bronx, New York in 1945. It launched the world’s first production pizza oven and has established a worldwide reputation for the quality of its products.

The P22S is a countertop unit that is ideal for businesses that want to offer authentically cooked pizza, flatbreads, pretzels, and other baked products but have limited space for a full-sized pizza oven. With a sturdy, stainless steel outer shell and a fully welded, high heat aluminiumised steel interior, the P22S has an operating temperature range of 150–340°C and has a single oven chamber with two cooking decks of 52.7cm squared.

Each deck has independently controlled heating elements made of high performance, corrosion resistant alloy that help to guarantee a long and reliable working life. The baking chamber is lined with Cordierite which spreads the heat evenly, helping to create an authentically crispy pizza base and stone baked flavour.

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The P22S comes fitted with a 15-minute electric timer, a continuous ring alarm and manual shut-off, quickly alerting staff when each pizza is ready and making it simple to keep up with demand even at peak

times.

“New Yorkers’ pride in the quality of their city’s pizza is legendary, so any equipment that gets the Big Apple’s seal of approval has to be good,” says David Rees, marketing manager of Taylor UK. “The P22S is ideal for any business looking to offer customers an authentically cooked pizza.”

Bakers Pride Pizza Ovens are available from Taylor UK, for a free consultation call 0800 838 896, email sales@taylor-company.co.uk, or visit www.taylor-company.co.uk for more information.

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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.

We combine our highly professional services with broad technical understanding of Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ). Using this knowledge, we 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.

Our holistic approach to kitchen ventilation, considering exhaust and supply air systems, as well as lighting and acoustics, is backed up with the best product support. We offer a total package and a highly flexible approach to tailor solutions exactly as required. This helps foodservice operators provide the highest quality

service and improve their profitability.

One of our most recent projects was Eataly, the world’s largest Italian food market where 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%.

We take pride in continually advancing and improving our offering. Our investment in research and development of commercial kitchen systems is second to none with facilities on three continents, equipped with stateof-art tools. Based in Kent, Halton Foodservice forms part of the worldwide Halton Group – a leader in Indoor Environment Quality solutions, 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

The World’s First, and Only, Contactless Pool Dining Table Revolutionise your venue with the World’s first, and only, contactless pool dining table. Forget the days of customers queuing for change to play. Don’t sacrifice table covers for a pool table space. Now, with the flexibility of the Signature Vantage Pool Dining Table, your venue can be more efficient, increase dwell time and boost revenue.

solid oak with a single-piece dining table top and upholstered benches included. The revolutionary technology within the Signature Vantage includes an automatic security system, rechargeable battery to remove unsightly cables, online portal recording to monitor table revenue, and takings paid directly to your bank account.

Our patented ground-breaking design removes the chunky undercarriage of the pool table allowing for dining benches underneath, whilst still including payand-play contactless technology. The genius engineering behind the Signature Vantage gives versatility for table use during busy food trading hours and enables revenue to continue rolling in when dining times are over.

At Home Leisure Direct, we have pioneered contactless payment for competitive socialising products, with a unique and efficient system designed for the hospitality market. We're the top supplier in the field, providing renting and purchase options on our products as well as full-service back-up, floor planning service, and stocking all consumables necessary to keep products performing well. We are the only onestop shop in the market, providing finance and service solutions for a huge range of highly profitable products.

Use your space to its maximum potential, without any compromise on quality. The tournament spec Signature Vantage is hugely different from the classic pub pool table look. The sleek shape of the table gives clean lines and contemporary elegance to any bar, pub, or restaurant, made from

You can call us free on 0800 622 6464 and speak to our expert team with any questions you might have.

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Property and Professional Help Is At Hand For Businesses Devastated By The Covid–19 Virus 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.

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.

Email mvhwiddows@aol.com

Weekly Figures Analysis & Reporting 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

Phoenix Specialist Risk Solutions Phoenix Specialist Risk Solutions 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

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. 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.

Visit www.phoenixsrs.co.uk