CLH Digital - Issue #97

Issue 97

Hospitality “One of the UK’s Fastest Growing Sectors” says Research www.CLHNews.co.uk

Despite the devastating impact due to the pandemic, business is looking up in the UK hospitality sector, as new research by Yell business, reveals that it was the fifth fastest growing industry throughout 2021.

Using data acquired from Companies House, the research reveals that despite yet another challenging year, the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation is alive and well, with more businesses founded per month in 2021 than in 2020, or even dur-

CLHNews

CLHNews

ing pre-pandemic 2019.

An average of 13% more new businesses were founded each month in 2021 vs.

2019 with the hospitality sector helping to lead the way. Of the 718,441 companies started during 2021, 64,404 (9%) of those were from within Hospitality, in the face of what has been an uncertain year for the likes of hotels and pubs.

(CONTINUED ON PAGE 3...)

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CLH Digital

Issue 97

Editor's Viewpoint

Welcome to the latest issue of CLH DIGITAL I sincerely hope that our lead story is “the shape of things to come”.

PUBLISHED BY

Recent weeks have been dominated by the devastating impact restrictions had on trading during the festive period, plus appeals by industry leaders and observers for the government to maintain the current level of VAT. (Once again, good luck with that!)

So, it’s nice to put a bit of cheer on the front page.

Yes, according to reports the hospitality sector is one of the U.K.’s fastest growing.

EDITOR

Peter Adams

Even better news is that our lead story is not just coming from one source - we have 3 different sources highlighting the growth in the hospitality sector generally, restaurants, and UK travel and tourism.

The sector is of course, facing many challenges. Cash flow, rising costs, particularly energy, staffing issues, supply chain, business rates. A parliamentary report has also revealed that while the full impact of the pandemic is still not clear, early indications are that five per cent of pub businesses (2,500) closed in 2020 alone, and almost 400 have been lost or redeveloped, averaging at six per week.

The parlimentary report also raised concerns that many pub owners have taken on high levels of debt during the pandemic, with widespread concern about the repayment of the Government’s Bounce Back Loans. Which is reason enough for the Chancellor to heed the pleas of the sector.

That said, the news that, sales are up on pre-Covid levels and we have seen increased restaurant openings - all good news for the sector which has been besieged for almost two years.

I did note on the front page, and I can confirm this in Bournemouth where we are based, is that in certain areas demand is outstripping supply.

This is nothing new, I had a restaurant/wine bar here 30 years ago, and for certain parts of the year the town was empty! Bournemouth at the time was seen as a sleepy seaside town for the ageing population. Things have certainly changed!

I think Staycation has been the driving factor for hospitality bouncing back, and for the UK seeing a surge in visits and short breaks. According to many reports we are set for a record year for Staycation, and another reason why the government should seriously reconsider stance on VAT. The UK’s rate of inflation has surged to 5.5% and is expected to peak at over 7% in April, at the same time as a reversal of the hospitality VAT cut.

Furthermore, our wine beer and spirits taxation is too ludicrous for words. Once again, I was having a rather heated discussion highlighting beer taxes here in the UK compared to Germany, where we pay in beer taxes by the end of February, than Germany pays in a whole year.

One can only imagine how successful the sector could be if it wasn’t shackled!

Another story which took my eye is the one where “Online Reviews Can Predict the Failure of 7 out of 10 Businesses, Even Months Ahead”. (See page 7) Like most of the country I do check out online reviews. I am also pretty confident that “savvy” readers of reviews can sort out the wheat from the chaff, the genuine ones the bogus ones.

Review sites were not around in my time in operations of course, but like them or loathe them they are here to stay, and operators must play them to their advantage.

I’m no expert when it comes to these sites, but the ones that tend to be off-putting to me are the ones where operators “vent their spleen” when replying to negative reviews.

In this day and age reviewers can leave genuine reviews based on their experience, but unfortunately trolls can also negative damaging reviews without even visiting. There is always a danger, and I have seen many high-profile businesses fall into this trap, of getting into an online spat.

According to researchers, if a hospitality business responds to a negative review, it will only encourage and stimulate more negative reviews, and the study’s authors say that customers are more likely to write negative reviews if they feel their words will influence the business. In other words, if a business responds to a negative review, it will embolden others to write more negative reviews!

So we are hoping in the lead up to the summer to have some expert good guidance and advice on what to do what not to do when dealing with reviews and reviewers!

Once again I would ask the favour - 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

“Never make an excuse for going to the pub, save it for leaving.”― BENNY BELLAMACINA

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EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Shelly Roche Published Publishedbyby

Hospitality “One of the UK’s Fastest Growing Sectors” says Research Issue 97

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) Of those new ventures founded within the industry, some 16,898 were takeaways and mobile food stands, highlighting how many have capitalised on working from home guidance and closures with a new business idea.

RESTAURANT MARKET SET TO RECOVER The report follows data released this week by Lumina Intelligence, entitled UK Restaurant Market Report 2021/22, which revealed that the UK restaurant market is set to recover to 94% of its 2019 value in 2022.

The report indicates that the UK restaurant market grew +25.9% or +£2.3 billion in 2021 to a total value of £11.2bn. Coronavirus restrictions in the first half of the year, including no dine-in trade until early April and outdoor only trade until late May, hampered recovery in the first six months of the year.

UK TOURISM TO BOUNCE BACK Furthermore, new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) shows the UK’s Travel & Tourism sector is recovering, with the country’s GDP predicted to rise to £192 billion, just 19% below prepandemic levels by the end of 2022.

The global tourism body forecasts a healthy recovery for the UK Travel & Tourism sector if travel restrictions and unnecessary testing protocols remain off limits for the rest of the year.

According to the latest research, it could also mean a net gain in jobs for the sector, with a rise of 1.7% on pre pandemic levels, resulting in some 4.3 million people being employed within Travel & Tourism by the end of the year, 70,000 more than in 2019.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “Travel & Tourism to and from the UK is poised for a full recovery. By the end of this year, we estimate its contribution to national economy could reach £192 billion.

“While the UK was one of the worst hit in terms of the sector’s contribution to GDP, the future is looking positive. But this will depend on the government keeping to its pledge to re-open UK Plc and not reintroducing the chaotic travel restrictions that actually had zero impact on

the spread of the virus.”

THE 10 FASTEST GROWING SECTORS IN 2021 Rank

Sector

Businesses Founded in 2021

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Retail Professional Services Real Estate Commercial Services Hospitality Construction Wholesale Information and Communication Manufacturing Health and Social Work

119,948 116,669 109,570 67,858 64,404 61,035 45,578 37,175 36,538 36,753

Yell’s research also revealed where budding entrepreneurs could find the biggest opportunities within the sector and was achieved by analysing the Google search demand for the likes of ‘London hotel’ versus the actual number of businesses fitting that description in each area.

Revealing that demand for pubs in Oxford far outweighs the supply and therefore could present an opportunity for anyone looking to open a new pub in 2022.

Key Areas Where Demand Outweighs Supply in The Hospitality Sector RESTAURANT

Top three locations based on searches per listing

1.

2.

3.

HOTEL 1.

2.

3.

Reading (1153.91) Bournemouth (999.54) Bath (955.48) Wigan (2762.07) Oldham (2300.00) Milton Keynes (2269.01)

PUB 1.

2.

3.

BAR 1.

2.

3.

CAFÉ 1.

2.

3.

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Oxford (523.36) Milton Keynes (479.70) Brighton (452.74) Newcastle upon Tyne (422.54) Belfast (413.97) Bournemouth (365.16) Oxford (357.20) Brighton (335.20) Bath (294.19)

ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT GROWS YEAR-ONYEAR Claire Miles, Chief Executive Officer of Yell commented: “With the challenges of the last two years, we might expect to find that fewer people were deciding to take the leap into the world of starting and running their own business. However, the data clearly shows that it has potentially inspired more people to take ownership of what they do for a living and finally make the dream of running their own business come true.

It certainly has when it comes to the Hospitality sector!

With the background of the pandemic and numerous economic and supply chain challenges, it’s really encouraging to see that the entrepreneurial spirit of the UK is continuing to grow year on year. We look forward to working with some of these new business owners in the Hospitality market in 2022, to help make their venture a success”.

The extensive analysis also highlighted which areas of the UK had seen the highest number of businesses launched per capita, and somewhat surprisingly the Welsh coastal town of Llandudno ranked as the most entrepreneurial location, showing that big business doesn’t just start in the city.

Further breakdowns of these findings can be found in the full report published on: www.business.yell.com/sme-insight/the-entrepreneurial-spirit-of-the-uk

Staff Shortages: The Next Big Challenge for Hospitality 4

CLH Digital

Issue 97

By Kunal Sawhney, CEO of Kalkine (www.kalkine.co.uk) Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently announced that from 24 February, people in England will no longer be needed to self-isolate themselves even if they test positive, making it the first major economy to replace legal requirements to self-isolate with guidance. Also, vaccinated travellers arriving in the country are no longer required to take a covid-test but need to fill out a passenger locator form.

However, some scientists have warned that the easing of restrictions too early may leave vulnerable people exposed.

The Hospitality sector is supposed to be the biggest beneficiary of the development as it has suffered a lot due to the pandemic restrictions and is making all efforts for a bounce back.

INCREASE IN SALES IN JANUARY Easing Covid restrictions and increasing consumer confidence led UK’s managed restaurants, bars, and pub groups to report a sales increase of 3% in January, compared to what it was in the same month in 2019. The increase also indicates a strong recovery from December’s fall in sales.

Restaurants were the strongest performing business with 4% growth in January 2019, followed by pubs businesses with 2% growth. However, bar businesses saw a dip in sales by 3%, as the legal requirement for vaccination passes and concerns overcrowded venues cancelled latenight parties and events.

A SURGE IN JOB VACANCIES IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR

At the start of the year, the number of unfilled vacancies across the country reached a record high of almost 1.3 million, with the accommodation and food services sector seeing the largest increase in job vacancies.

According to recent data from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), the number of job vacancies in the UK Hospitality industry has increased by around 100,000 in the last two years.

Vacancies in the hospitality sector increased by more than 700% from November 2021 to January 2022 as compared to the same period a year ago, and there are over 178,000 job vacancies in the accommodation and foodservice sector. This is a major uptick from the 84,000 staff vacancies seen across the hospitality sector between January and March 2020. Vacancies per 100 employee jobs are predicted to up by 7.9%, which is the highest of any job category as per the data of the ONS.

STAFF SHORTAGE CAN PLAY A SPOILSPORT IN RECOVERY Hospitality, the worst affected industry, is desperate to operate fully for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, but the staff shortage is forcing UK pubs, hotels, and restaurants to shut their doors or reduce their working hours. The industry is struggling to recruit skilled workers despite offering pay raises and better conditions.

Covid pandemic coupled with the departure of European workers after Brexit has led to a serious staff crisis in the hospitality sector. This is a threat for the industry, which has little or no cash reserves and carries huge debts, especially when from April it will face a rise in labour costs, VAT and business rates.

There is a need to tackle the supply chain challenges and offer greater flexibility in current employment and skills initiatives to meet challenges of staffing and retaining skilled employees to help drive the economic recovery, as a pathway back to pre-pandemic situations is essential for its survival.

Community Celebrates Reopening of Historic Royal Oak Community Celebrates reopening of historic Royal Oak Popular village pub, The Royal Oak in Warboys, Huntingdon has recently reopened having been taken over by talented licensees Helen Pertoldi and Andrew Lea. Working together with leading community pub company, Admiral Taverns, the licensees have been able to breathe a new lease of life into the Royal Oak. As well as using a joint investment to refresh the pub’s interior and exterior aesthetic, the licensees have worked hard to keep The Royal Oak’s community roots. Alongside cosy interiors like a wood burning stove and low-beamed ceilings, Helen and Andrew have championed the local history throughout the pub, framing and hanging old newspaper clippings and original building plans to bring its history to life.

The licensees are keen to encourage a welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere, and believe the cosy interior and spacious beer garden will provide the perfect social hub for village activity.

Helen and Andrew are old friends, and now business partners, who have been residents of the surrounding area for much of their lives. Having worked in hospitality for over 20 years — at times even together —

they are both extremely experienced operators who have a passion for people and the community. Whilst their career paths have previously taken them to other sectors, the licensees have a strong affinity for the pub industry and enjoy the challenge of taking on and growing successful, sustainable businesses.

Licensee, Helen Pertoldi, commented: “Since reopening we have been overwhelmed by the incredible support we’ve received from our customers. Pubs are nothing without their locals and our priority is to give something back. We feel The Royal Oak has the potential to become a pillar within the community and it is our mission to make it so.

Licensee, Andrew Lea added: “The Royal Oak offers a fantastic space for the residents of Warboys and the surrounding areas. The feedback from customers has been fantastic so far and we’re extremely proud of what we have created. It’s such a great feeling to give the locals their pub back.”

Jean-Paul Russek, Business Development Manager for Admiral Taverns, said: “The Royal Oak is the definition of a traditional village pub and it deserves hardworking, community-minded licensees like Helen and Andrew.

Registration Now Open For Europe’s Leading Natural And Organic Business Event Natural & Organic Products Europe has announced that visitor registration is now open for 2022. After a two year wait, Europe’s leading trade show for natural, organic and sustainable products will reunite the industry once again on 3-4 April at ExCeL London.

For over 25 years, Natural & Organic Products has played an integral part in making the natural and organic sector what is it today. Due to unprecedented times, the show has had to close its doors to many visiting buyers, who say it’s “the place” they source new contacts for their businesses. The return edition is perfectly timed because it will feature new and exciting ‘start-ups’ – some that have emerged through the pandemic, plus new innovations from established brands who have been adapting and evolving. The show will also provide expert insights about current challenges and future opportunities for the industry.

The show brings together 700 exhibitors across five exciting sections: • Natural Food • Natural Health • Natural Beauty & Spa

• Natural Living • Vegan “If you own a health store or work in the industry, this is the essential show to attend. It is the only place that you can meet your suppliers, other retailers and trade associations and find out about new products and trends in one place over two days. It can be hard taking time out of your business, but you will save time in the long run by dedicating time to the show. You will have fun, try lots of new foods and end up exhausted but it is all very much worth it,” says Joanne Hill, founder of Amaranth Wellbeing.

VISITOR REGISTRATION NOW OPEN Natural & Organic Products Europe will return to ExCeL London on Sunday 3rd and Monday the 4th of April 2022. To register for a free trade ticket, please visit www.naturalproducts.co.uk

Hospitality Salaries Jump by as Much as 12% with 100s of Jobs Over £50k

Issue 97

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salary for this role is £31k. Similarly, people believe the average salary for waiting staff is of £18k whilst in reality this is 25% higher and consumers expect bartenders to be paid £19k yearly whilst the average salary is £25k. Overall, hospitality employees earn 30% higher than public perception, demonstrating there is still work to be done in debunking myths surrounding the sector.

KEY DRIVERS TO ATTRACTING TALENT A new report from Caterer.com reveals that salaries for hospitality jobs have risen over the last year, increasing by up to 12% for some roles with a record number of hospitality jobs offering a salary of more than £50k.

Caterer.com’s Hospitality Hiring Insider finds that front-of-house salaries have risen fastest as the industry adapts pay and benefits to improve staff retention and attract talent. Roles which benefitted from the salary increase include Bar Attendants (8%), Maitre D’s (9%), Head Waiters (8%) and Sommeliers (12%).

The report, which analysed trends across job postings and applications, as well as gathering the views of 250 hospitality employers and 2,000 consumers, shows how a targeted approach to recruitment is key to success and how employers are changing their offerings to suit candidates’ changing needs in order to rebuild the hospitality workforce.

RISING PAY AND PUBLIC MISCONCEPTIONS For employers and hiring managers looking to attract and retain talent as the cost of living rises, compensation has become key. In fact, Caterer.com’s report reveals that 8 out of 10 (86%) consumers say that salary is of utmost priority when looking for a new role. Despite over a third (37%) of UK consumers believing jobs in the sector aren’t paid well, the survey found that 65% of hospitality employers pay all staff above living wage. Caterer.com also analysed the roles and salaries advertised on its platform and discovered that the number of chef roles with a salary of £50k+ has increased by 373% – making them some of the highest paid roles in the sector.

The report also highlights outdated public perceptions about the average salary of hospitality workers and, in many cases, this is highly underestimated. On average, people expect sous chefs to earn £26k when in fact data from Caterer.com suggests the average

In addition to an attractive salary, employers must present comprehensive benefit packages to appeal to new talent and have been updating their offerings to put this into action. The survey reveals consumers’ top sought after workplace benefits as: • • • • •

Flexible working hours (52%) Pay above living wage (36%) Bonuses (30%) Competitive pension programme (28%) Flexible shift patterns (28%) Employers surveyed showed that they are in tune with what talent is looking for, and are responding to make the necessary changes to attract them, listing their most attractive benefits as:

• Paying a competitive wage (51%) • Offering flexible working hours (39%) • Paying above living wage (36%) • Offering bonuses (32%) • Offering flexible shift patterns and free staff meals (28%) Despite the benefits employers are offering being closely aligned to those that applicants are looking for, research amongst consumers shows that misconceptions about the industry hold people back from entering the sector.

Kathy Dyball, Director at Caterer.com commented: “The hospitality sector offers incredible long-term career opportunities and our report shows how rewarding a job can be, not only financially but also enriched by flexibility and work life balance. Beyond salaries, workers are driven by training and development and clear levels of promotions which the majority of businesses already offer.

“We are seeing great measures being taken by employers across the sector to help change misconceptions around the industry, but there is always more that can be done. Working together as an industry to address these will be paramount to develop future talent pipelines.”

UKHospitality Welcomes £10m Tourism Investment for London pandemic and attract people back into the capital.

London has so much to offer domestic and international tourists, as brilliantly showcased by the Let’s Do London campaign, and is crucial to driving economic recovery, not just in London but beyond.

Visitors to London go on to spend over £640 million in local economies outside of the capital and, prior to the pandemic, 15% of overseas visitors to London came as part of wider trip to the UK, so this benefits the whole of the country.

UKHospitality has welcomed The Mayor of London’s announcement that a further £10m will be invested in attracting tourists back to the capital.

Kate Nicholls, UKHospitality CEO, said: “This is exactly the sort of support the hospitality and tourism sector needs in order to recover from the

“Businesses in our sector remain in a fragile state, carrying crippling debt and facing a barrage of rising costs across the board. Initiatives that help drive footfall such as this will be vital to our recovery.

However, remaining an attractive destination for both international and domestic visitors will become more difficult if the planned VAT rise in April goes ahead and so we are urging the Government to commit to keeping it at its current 12.5% level permanently.”

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BBPA Calls for Permanent Business Rates Reform in Submission to Parliamentary Inquiry 6

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Issue 97

Within the response the BBPA makes numerous recommendations to tackle the unfair system, including:

The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has responded to the Allparty Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG) Business Rates Inquiry, calling for long overdue reform that reduces the disproportionate burden paid by pubs and brewers.

• Introducing an Online Sales Tax explicitly used to reduce the burden of rates from physical properties.

• The creation of a permanent relief or unique property-based multiplier that is exempt from current Subsidy Control limits.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said:

The brewing and pub industry in the UK makes a major contribution to the local and national economy. The sector generates £23 billion of economic value and supports 900,000 jobs, and 85% of pubs in the UK are run as SMEs. However, the sector has also long suffered from over-taxation on business rates. Pubs pay more in business, per pound of turnover, than any other business sector. The business rates bill for the sector accounts for 2.5% of total business rates paid despite only representing 0.5% of total rateable turnover, an overpayment of £570 million.

“It is clear the current business rates system places disproportionate burden on pubs and brewers which is stifling their recovery and ability to return to sustainable growth. Reform is needed to create a system which accounts for how the economy functions in the modern day.

“Pubs and brewers are at the heart of communities fostering social cohesion as we reconnect and recover from the pandemic. With the required support our sector can deliver jobs and additional economic value in every part of the UK, supporting levelling up and the regeneration of high streets and town and city centres up and down the country.”

The submission by the BBPA highlights these statistics and states that as one of the highest taxed sectors per pound of turnover, they do not believe the current system is fit for purpose, nor does it reflect a fair and equitable model for taxing business.

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Online Reviews Can Predict the Failure of 7 Out of 10 Businesses, Even Months Ahead Issue 97

By analysing online customer ratings, researchers from Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) have developed an AI model which can predict a restaurant’s likelihood of failure, 70% of the time.

Dr Markus Weinmann, Christof Naumzik and Prof. Stefan Feueriegel used almost 65,000 customer ratings from more than 900 restaurants as the input for their data analysis, and developed an AI model to estimate the most likely state that a restaurant is in. They found three states: • restaurants that get bad ratings but are still in business, • restaurants that get good ratings and are still in business, and • restaurants that have very dispersed ratings (ranging from very positive to very negative) and are still in business.

They identified that restaurants in State 3 – those with wildly fluctuating reviews, some very positive and some very negative – are most at risk, and have a likelihood of failure which is twice as high as restaurants in the other two states. Their model can detect these business failures, even months ahead.

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Restaurants using this tool to estimate their current service state (good, bad, or risky) could identify their likelihood of failure. And if they find their reviews predict that they’re in the risky state, they can take steps to improve their service. It could also be useful for investors to assess the current state of a restaurant before committing to backing it or investing more.

According to Dr Markus Weinmann “The restaurant market is very volatile and dynamic. Even minor changes – such as updating a menu or a change of personnel can make customers switch their loyalty. The success, or even the survival, of service businesses depends on their ability to satisfy their customers. Yet, businesses are often too late to recognise slumping customer satisfaction and suffer the ultimate failure. So an early warning system for restaurants would help them to adjust their service offerings in time.”

Taking it a step further, review platform providers such as Yelp or TripAdvisor could offer this tool as an additional premium service to their restaurant members, making the platforms more useful and attractive for restaurants.

Sheffield Licensees Receive Prestigious Long-Service Award The licensees of one of Sheffield’s oldest and most iconic pubs – Fagans on Broad Street – have received a prestigious long-service award in recognition of more than 35 years at the helm.

Sheffield born-and-bred Tom Boulding and his wife Barbara – who hails from Barnsley – took over the pub in 1985 when it was called The Barrel. The couple renamed it Fagans after its local nickname and in honour of the previous landlord -Joe Fagan – who ran the pub from 1947.

The award from the building’s owners, Star Pubs & Bars, highlights the contribution the Bouldings have made to Sheffield life during their time at the pub.

Says Tom: “Walking into Fagans is like stepping back in time. It’s a proper old-fashioned pub. That’s why we wanted it. We loved it just as it was when we first saw it, and we still do. The area around has transformed out of all recognition since the mid-eighties. The factories and offices have gone and we’re surrounded by new buildings, but Fagans remains the same.”

Despite the lack of changes, Fagans has stood the test of time. The walls of its acoustically-superb music room are adorned with pictures of musicians – such as Richard Hawley and Jools Holland – who have played

at Fagans over the years, and music lovers travel from far and wide to the pub. It is a destination for many visitors to the city, attracts regulars from across Sheffield and is popular with pub goers of all ages, from students to its eldest customer, who is aged 103.

Adds Tom: “It’s fantastic to be paid for doing a job you love. Many of our customers have become great friends. Running Fagans is like having a party in our house every night; the only difference is that the guests buy their own beer!”

The public’s appreciation for Fagans shone through during the pandemic. The Bouldings were inundated with offers of financial support when the first lockdown came. Comments Barbara: “We were astonished and very touched; it showed just how much Fagans means to people. Fortunately, we didn’t need to take a penny, as we had firstclass rent support from Star Pubs & Bars, which kept the pub afloat.”

Says Star Pubs & Bars’ area manager Anthony Lowther-Knowles: “It’s a great honour to present this award to Tom and Barbara. They put their hearts and souls into Fagans, and have retained all its wonderful quirkiness, friendliness and character.

It’s all credit to them that Fagans is still thriving and is such a well-loved Sheffield institution.”

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How to Manage Energy Costs and Demonstrate Green Credentials 8

CLH Digital

Issue 97

By Kerry Maisey, Head of Smart Metering at SSE Energy Solutions (www.sseenergysolutions.co.uk)

As caterers and hospitality providers navigate the continuing impact of the pandemic, many face increasing overheads and tighter budgets. The rise in wholesale gas and electricity prices has also brought the cost of energy into focus. In the catering industry, energy typically accounts for 4-6% of operating costs, according to the Carbon Trust, so any energy savings made can have a big impact on the bottom line.

Take advantage of smart technology I would encourage any hospitality business to make a smart meter installation their priority, even amid current pressures.

Upgrading your meter comes at no additional cost and with minimal disruption to your business. The installation usually takes less than one hour, and your power supply will only need to be switched off for around 15 to 20 minutes.

While many hospitality premises were required to close for periods of time during the pandemic, suppliers relied on estimated readings for billing purposes. Unfortunately, these estimates are not always very accurate under such unprecedented conditions and could lead to you over or underpaying for your energy use. However, with a smart meter, your energy readings are sent directly to your supplier, so you can be confident that you'll only be charged for the energy you've used when you use it.

You can also link your smart meter to free energy management software and analyse your energy usage across various time periods, from every half-hour to across a year. With this insight, you can identify patterns

and emerging trends. You will also be able to spot areas to implement energy efficiency measures, such as installing motion sensors for lights, improving insulation and advising staff about turning equipment off when not in use.

Show customers your green credentials While the pandemic has had many negative economic impacts, it has accelerated consumer behaviour in addressing the climate emergency. As well as helping control costs, a smart meter is a way of future-proofing your business as the UK works towards net zero. The urgent need to cut emissions will see our heating and transport shift away from sources such as gas and towards electricity, which in turn will mean increased demand on our power grids. And with an increasing proportion of power coming from renewables, flexibility will be essential for when the sun doesn't shine or the wind doesn't blow.

Smart meters will be a crucial tool in enabling businesses to see when the cheapest and greenest time is to consume power. Increasingly, many companies are looking at generating their own power, for example through solar panels, or storing energy with batteries. With a smart meter, you will have the information to empower your commercial decisions for investing in these technologies.

According to a recent SEC Newgate report, two fifths of UK consumers said they had avoided a company's products or services because they disagreed with the business's environmental, social and governance practices. So, any business that can demonstrate green credentials will have a competitive edge over its rivals. A commitment to keep energy use as efficient as possible is a statement to customers and employees that you are serious about the issue.

I appreciate it has been a tough time of late for caterers and the hospitality industry. A lot of uncertainty remains but installing a smart meter is a positive step to helping you manage costs and demonstrate your green credentials. It's an easy step to take with clear benefits for your business.

Bristol Honours its Hospitality Heroes success stories, and look ahead to a brighter future.”

Hundreds of people attended a glittering gala to honour Bristol’s hospitality heroes and celebrate success after one of the most challenging periods ever for their businesses.

The award-winners were not the only people who had cause to celebrate the Night of the Stars; the event also raised £1,237.50 for Childrens Hospice South West through a raffle.

The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) hosted its fourth Night Of The Stars spectacular to recognise those who went above and beyond in their work to support the city’s hospitality industry.

Corporate Parnterships Fundraiser Amanda Gallagher said: “It was truly wonderful to see so much support for CHSW in the room and the money raised could pay for over 60 hours of care for the families we support, at home, in our hospices and virtually.

The event did not take place in 2021 because of the pandemic but more than 300 people attended Ashton Gate in a strong show of support for their sector.

“We would like to say a huge thank you to the Bristol Hoteliers Association for their support.”

Raphael Herzog, Chair of the BHA, said: “This has been a very tough 18 months for hospitality businesses and we were so excited to finally be able to celebrate success.

AWARD WINNERS: Employee of the Year, Front of House: Charlotte Karadag, De Vere Tortworth Court

“People are the most important asset in our industry and business, and it was an honour and a privilege to be able to come together again at last and recognise the many hospitality stars working in Bristol.

Employee of the Year, Heart of House: Adele Britton, Hampton by Hilton Bristol City Centre

“The judges were highly complementary of the nominations, which were all first class. We would also like to express our immense gratitude to our sponsors, without whom we would not have been able to stage this event and give our hospitality heroes the recognition they have thoroughly earned.

“Many of the sponsors have already agreed to support the 2023 Night of the Stars, which is fantastic news and a welcome vote of confidence for all our hard-working teams.

“I would like to congratulate all the award winners and everyone else who was nominated, for the amazing work they have done in the most challenging of times.

Rising Star: Madeleine Dampier, DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City Centre Chef of the Year: James Small, DoubleTree by Hilton Cadbury House Hotel Bright Idea & Best Innovation: Lockdown Wedding Pod, Bristol Harbour Hotel Team of the Year: F&B Team, The Bristol Hotel Unsung Hero: Amy Howard, Clifton Hotels Group Community Spirit: Rachael Cooke, DoubleTree by Hilton Cadbury House.

“But in a sense, everyone in the room was a winner, and it was wonderful to all come together, share our

OptiClean Rapidly Reduces Levels of Virus-sized Airborne Particles Carrier's OptiClean™ air cleaner for hotels, restaurants and pubs is proven to rapidly reduce levels of ultra-fine, virus-sized particles in the air.

OptiClean uses a highly effective High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter, which operates with an efficiency rating of up to 99.995% at the most penetrating particle size.

Research carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) demonstrated that OptiClean cuts levels of airborne particles in the critical size range (up to 1 m diameter), covering viruses and virus-containing droplets, by around two thirds in just 30 minutes.

To broaden protection, OptiClean comes with optional internal UV-C lamps to target pathogens on surfaces within the unit and activated charcoal filters to reduce odours and absorb Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

The results also show OptiClean is as effective when located in the corner of a room as at the centre.

The unit is easy and quick to deploy, with smooth-running castors enabling it to be moved rapidly to areas requiring treatment.

Matthew Maleki, the company’s air quality specialist, said: "These independent findings demonstrate that OptiClean effectively targets ultrafine virus-sized airborne particles and can be installed in hospitality settings as part of a risk reduction strategy.”

OptiClean is part of Carrier's Healthy Buildings Programme, a suite of advanced solutions to help deliver healthy, safe, efficient and productive indoor environments.

In the US, where OptiClean was introduced first, the device was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions of 2020. In the UK it was selected as Air Conditioning Innovation of the Year in the Cooling Industry Awards.

Matthew Maleki said: “Good air quality is as important as safe drinking water. With people now returning to pubs and restaurants, OptiClean offers owners and managers a practical and visible means of reassuring customers and staff and supporting premises."

For more details: www.carrier.com/commercial/en/uk/products/air-treatment/air-scrubber/39uv/ OptiClean can be used in hotels, pubs, restaurants, offices and classrooms to reduce risks from airborne pathogens. Pictured is an OptiClean unit protecting players and staff in the changing rooms of Sale Sharks Rugby Club.

Year-on-Year Surge in Hospitality Vacancies Issue 97

Vacancies in the hospitality sector have risen by over 600% between November 2021 and January 2022 , when compared to the same period the previous year.

This is a rise of almost 100,000, taking the number of vacant positions in accommodation and food service to over 178,000 in total, according to the Office of National Statistics.

Overall, there are an estimated 1.3 million vacancies UK wide, an increase of 113% year-on-year.

UKHospitality Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls, said: “Of course the hospitality sector is delighted that Covid restrictions are being lifted, but that brings a new problem: how to service increased customer demand without the staff to do it.

“Vacancies in our industry are now double (+102%) what they were before the pandemic, and there has been a fundamental shift in the labour market and hospitality must address that quickly. The acute shortfall comes despite employment being close to pre-pandemic levels (-4%), at a time when our sector seeks to be at

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the vanguard of the UK’s post-pandemic economic recovery.

“That’s why we’re backing a proposed £5m cross-sector drive to recruit for those roles; urging government to allow more flexible skills training and to enable businesses to use unspent apprenticeship levy funds from the past two years; and promoting closer partnerships between local businesses and job centres to match jobseekers with the exciting jobs that are available in our sector, and which provide long-term career prospects.”

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), said the figures showed how “challenging” the staffing situation was in hospitality.

“Now and throughout the past 22 months the hospitality sector have experienced acute labour shortages due to varying factors from the pandemic through to Brexit. We are calling on the government to provide greater flexibility in current employment and skills initiatives to enable the sector to meet the challenges of recruiting and retaining a skilled and motivated pub and brewing workforce to help drive the economic recovery throughout the UK.”

Oxford Economics Study Confirms Beer’s Significant Global Economic Impact The first-ever worldwide report to assess the beer industry’s global economic impact reveals that 1 in every 110 jobs in the world is linked – through direct, indirect, or induced impact channels – to the beer sector, and that it supported 555 billion USD of gross value added (GVA) to global GDP in 2019.

Given its scale and its impact along a long value chain, a thriving beer sector is a key ingredient for global economic recovery. Authored by Oxford Economics on behalf of the Worldwide Brewing Alliance (WBA), the report found the beer industry also helped generate 262 billion USD in government tax revenue in the 70 countries studied, which account for 89% of beer sold worldwide, and supported an estimated 23.1 million jobs.

The report evaluated the beer industry’s global economic impact between 2015 and 2019, including its contributions – direct, indirect and induced – to global GDP, jobs, and taxes.

“This landmark report puts a figure on the scale of our impact on job creation, economic growth and government tax revenue, and across a long, complex value chain, from barley fields to bars and restaurants,”

said Justin Kissinger, President and CEO of the WBA. “The beer sector is a vital engine of the economy,” he added. “The success of the global economic recovery depends on it, and vice versa.”

“Our findings reveal that brewers are highly productive businesses that help raise average productivity across the entire global economy, meaning they have an extensive economic footprint that can make significant contributions to the recovery,” said Pete Collings, Director of Economic Impact Consulting at Oxford Economics.

Key findings • Direct impact: By brewing, marketing, distributing and selling beer, the beer sector directly created a 200 billion USD GVA contribution to global GDP and was responsible for 7,600,000 jobs.

• Indirect (supply chain) impact: By purchasing goods and services from small, medium, and large businesses across the globe, the beer sector indirectly supported GDP, jobs, and tax income for governments. In 2019, the beer sector spent an estimated 225 billion USD on goods and services inputs, supporting an estimated additional 206 billion USD GVA contribution to GDP and 10 million jobs.

• Induced (consumption) impact: By paying staff wages and supporting wages in their respective supply chains, brewers and their downstream value chain supported a 149 billion USD GVA contribution to GDP and 6 million jobs in 2019.

Globally, the beer sector was linked to 1 in every 131 USD of global GDP in 2019, but the sector’s economic significance was found to be even larger in lower- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) than in high income ones (1.6% vs. 0.9% of GDP). In addition, the beer sector supports 1.4% of national employment in LMICs, vs. 1.1% in high income countries.

“Beer matters: for the economy, job creation, and the success of a wide array of actors up and down our value chain,” concluded WBA’s Kissinger. “This deep understanding of our global impact enables the WBA to fully leverage the strength of its sector, its links with industry partners and communities, and to share its vision for a thriving, responsible industry.”

The full report can be accessed at: https://worldwidebrewingalliance.org/impact/

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Hospitality to Bolster Employee Numbers Following Promising Start to 2022 Issue 97

Two in five (40.0 per cent) small and medium-sized businesses in the UK plan to hire, on average, six new employees before the end of March, following a promising start to the year, according to the latest quarterly Barclaycard Payments SME Barometer, with year-on-year payments volumes demonstrating a feeling of confidence amongst SMEs across the UK, with leisure and entertainment, food and drink and retail SMEs seeing an increase by 471.0 per cent, 110.8 per cent and 54.1 per cent respectively.

The news comes as 56.2 per cent of SMEs report a rise in earnings in the last quarter of 2021 against the same period in 2020.

2022 has started positively for many SMEs despite concerns around economic uncertainties, with almost three fifths (58.1 per cent) predicting an increase in revenue this quarter compared to the same period last year when the UK was in the third COVID19 lockdown.

On average, businesses forecast a year-on-year increase in Q1 turnover by 13.5 per cent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, hospitality and leisure operators – whose physical premises were closed this time last year – expect the largest turnover increase (33.6 per cent), followed by retail (16.5 per cent), transport and distribution (14.6 per cent) and financial services firms (11.2 per cent). This is likely due to the impact of coronavirus settling and SMEs feeling more confident to invest or seek investment – evidenced by 32.7 per cent of UK SMEs who plan a ‘high level’ of investment in their business over the next 12 months.

Overall, there is a quiet confidence among small and medium-sized company leaders, that they are on track to have a positive finish the financial year, despite a broader atmosphere of uncertainty among rising inflation, the cost of living on consumers and the lingering impact of the Omicron variant.

The research, which polled 577 senior staff working in UK SMEs, found that overall business optimism is beginning to build, scoring 55 out of a possible 100, up from a low of just 40 points in Q2 2020. This quarter equals the highest levels recorded (with Q1 2020, Q2 2021 and Q3 2021 recording 55 each), since the Barclaycard Payments SME Barometer started in February 2020, before the first lockdown.

Yet, while almost half (48.7 per cent) are optimistic about the outlook for their firms, confidence in the broader economy is less pronounced, with those reporting a neutral sentiment (39.6 per cent) outweighing those who are optimistic (23.8 per cent).

Just under two thirds of SMEs (64.6 per cent) are worried about a rise in the cost of living and inflation and a similar proportion (66.6 per cent) highlight a feeling of nervousness about increases in their energy bills,

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with four in ten (39.4 per cent) stating that it will impact their ability to remain competitive, while 9.5 per cent will reconsider the need for a physical retail outlet as a result.

When asked to select the number one challenge for this year, SME leaders now view the rising cost of living as a bigger headwind than the ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic. Over a tenth (10.6 per cent) of the respondents to the Barclaycard Payments study selected a rise in inflation as the issue causing them the greatest concern, this was followed by the stability of the domestic economy (10.2 per cent) and the difficulties associated with COVID-19 (6.6 per cent). In contrast, SME leaders ranked the pandemic (22.0 per cent) as the biggest challenge of 2021, followed by the domestic economy (8.2 per cent) and the cost of materials (7.8 per cent).

As a result of the challenging economic backdrop, SMEs have a mixed view on how this will impact consumer spending throughout the year. While four in 10 (41.7 per cent) SMEs expect it to fall, a further 29.2 per cent believe that, although shoppers will spend cautiously, they are likely to spend more on loved ones to help lift their spirits.

Colin O’Flaherty, Head of Small Business at Barclaycard Payments, said: “Small and medium-sized businesses have had a positive start to the year and it’s encouraging to see so many seeking to add to their workforce.

SMEs are also remaining resilient by continuing to focus on areas within their control, such as by improving their operating models to overcome the hangover to supply chain disruption which peaked at the end of last year.

“The coming months will no doubt present continued challenges for British SMEs and the impact of rising costs will remain front of mind. Businesses will need to call on the same spirit for innovation and specialised support that has propelled them through the last two years.”

Jo Fairley, Co-Founder of Green & Blacks and SME Investor said: “The strong start to the year for British small and medium-sized businesses, who are looking forward to an average anticipated uplift of 13.5% in earnings over Q1, is really great news. But it comes at a time where two thirds of SMEs are also acutely aware of the challenges posed by the rising cost of living, inflation and energy bills – potentially a perfect storm.

“From my own experience running multiple ventures, I know all too well that trying to weather economic turbulence while growing a business can be daunting on top of the day-to-day fire-fighting. Nevertheless, the last couple of years have shown that the British consumer is keener than ever before to support smaller and local businesses, and this should prove really positive for SMEs, helping them not just to cope but go grow in the months ahead.”

Issue 97

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UK Restaurant Market to Grow +59% in 2022 to £17.8bn – 94% of its 2019 Value According to the new Lumina Intelligence UK Restaurant Market Report 2021/22, the UK restaurant market is set to recover to 94% of its 2019 value in 2022.

The UK restaurant market is forecast to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +1.0% from 2022F-25F, to see the market recover to £18.3bn.

The report indicates that the UK restaurant market grew +25.9% or +£2.3 billion in 2021 to a total value of £11.2bn. Coronavirus restrictions in the first half of the year, including no dine-in trade until early April and outdoor only trade until late May, hampered recovery in the first six months of the year.

Restaurant outlet decline is expected to slow from 2022F-25F to a CAGR of -1.5%, up from -4.0% in 2019-22F. Blonnie Whist, Insight Director at Lumina Intelligence said, “Unrestricted trading throughout 2022 is forecast to underpin recovery in turnover across the market. Falling case numbers will boost virus conscious consumer confidence in socialising out of home.

However, despite most wanting to move on from pandemic, it is the pandemic-led trends that will continue to provide the biggest growth opportunities. Demand for delivery shows no sign of waning, menus are set to remain streamlined to manage rising costs, digital ordering and payment solutions will increase speed and satisfactions and outdoor dining will be a key development opportunity.”

Outlet decline continued in the market in 2021, at a rate of -2.8%, seeing a net loss of -817 sites.

In 2022, the report predicts year-on-year growth of +59.4% or £6.6bn to a value of £17.8bn. Outlet decline in the market is expected to ease to -2.1% in 2022, impacted by continued decline in the independent segment.

Delivery share of occasions peaked at 56% yet the channel continues to account for almost one in three branded restaurant occasions.

Consumers eat out in independent restaurants less frequently than branded restaurants, but when they do, they spend more. Average spend per person per visit for independent restaurants is £25.14, versus £21.59 for branded restaurants.

Operators use customisable dishes to maintain consumer choice, whilst maintaining reduced menu sizes.

Chain restaurant menus had an average of 64 dishes in 2021, a decline of -20% compared to 2019. This is the steepest decline in the market (vs. pubs and fast food). Operators are retaining simplified and reduced menus to mitigate challenges around staff shortages and supply chain disruption.

The proportion of items tagged as customisable increased by +46% on chain restaurant menus, with over a quarter of dishes (26%) now customisable. Greater customisation allows operators to continue to offer personalisation and wide choice, despite running reduced menus.

UK RESTAURANT MARKET TO BE WORTH £18.3BN IN 2025

the end of the rent mortarium and the introduction of mandatory calorie labelling on menus will all increase expenses for suppliers and operators. Increases in bills and National Insurance are expected to see consumers tighten purse strings. Restaurants will be in direct competition with pubs, QSR, delivery and grocery channels for spend.”

Find out more about Lumina Intelligence’s UK Restaurant Market Report 2021/22 here https://store.luminaintelligence.com/product/ukrestaurant-market-report-2021-22/

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Restaurant penetration was +69% higher in December 2021 than in December 2020, peaking in September with one in ten consumers having a restaurant occasion each week. Restaurant penetration fell towards the end of 2021 with the spread of Omicron impacting consumer risk aversion

“Operators will have to be savvy, with costs rising impacting both consumer and operator spend. Increases in NLW, utility costs, VAT,

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In contrast to the entire restaurant market, the top 10 branded restaurants by turnover are expected achieve sales of £3 billion in 2022, exceeding 2019 turnover. Leading branded restaurants are also forecast to add a net +56 sites in 2022, a +1.5% increase.

Two Years of Covid Does £115bn Damage to Hospitality Industry Issue 97

Two years on from the start of the Covid pandemic, the full extent of the damage done to the once vibrant hospitality industry has been revealed – a massive and devastating £115bn loss.

Hit first and hit hardest by coronavirus, the sector has racked-up £114.8bn sales lost versus what was expected for 2020/21. With a full 24-months of data available, hospitality, which in normal times generates up to £140bn-a-year, has lost 43% and 45 full weeks of sales since March 2020.

On top of these catastrophic losses, the sector is facing rising costs across the board and UKHospitality is urging the Government to continue its support of this vital industry by keeping VAT at its current level of 12.5%.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “These figures lay bare the utter devastation that two years of this terrible pandemic has wreaked on the third largest private sector employer in the UK, with thousands of businesses closed, many on the brink of collapse, and countless jobs lost. The last thing operators need – and which a lot of them simply wouldn’t survive - is a VAT increase.

“Businesses big and small have been left with depleted cash reserves and crippling debt as Covid loans as well as contending with a gaping hole of 400,000 job vacancies, as more than 80% of hospitality businesses report they have roles to fill.

“Who’d have thought two-years-ago that we’d now be looking at a once vibrant and dynamic industry

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brought to its knees? Tragically, in addition to the devastating monetary losses are the damaging and long-term psychological effects on thousands of people in our sector who have lost their livelihoods and, in some cases, seen their life’s work ruined.

“But two years on, and with all restrictions about to end, there are signs of hope and recovery. With government support, hospitality – which is full of energetic, creative and entrepreneurial people – must be at the vanguard of the UK’s wider post-pandemic recovery."

The latest edition of the UKHospitality and CGA Quarterly Tracker reveals that hospitality enjoyed £17.3bn (121%) final quarter growth in 2021 compared to the same period the year before. However, that is still down 32.3% in the 12-months to the end of last December versus the 12-month period ending December 2019.

That is the equivalent of a £43bn loss across hospitality in 2021 against expected 2019 levels – the last full year with which to compare, after 2020’s lockdowns.

That final quarter growth shows that when given the opportunity – and despite Plan B being in place for the industry’s busiest time of the year – hospitality can and will be the leading contributor to the UK’s economic recovery, if given the right support.

UKHospitality is therefore pressing Government to keep VAT at 12.5% beyond April, and last week gave its backing to Hospitality Rising, a planned £5m industry-wide drive to recruit the 400,000 people needed to ease the staff shortage crisis.

January Sales Up 3% on Pre-COVID-19 Levels as Restrictions Ease Rising consumer confidence about safety and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions helped Britain’s managed pub, bar and restaurant groups to a modest increase in sales in January, the Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

The latest edition of the Tracker, produced by CGA in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM, shows groups’ total sales in the first month of 2022 were 3% higher than in January 2019. It represents a solid recovery from December, when heavy COVID-19 measures were in place and sales fell 11% below the levels of 2019.

Restaurants were the strongest performing segment of the market in January, recording 4% growth on January 2019, while pubs were up 2%.

However, bars saw sales slip 3%, as the requirement for vaccination passes and lingering concerns about crowded venues dented late-night visits.

weaker in London than elsewhere in Britain. Sales beyond the M25 were up by 6% on January 2019, but they dipped 8% within it, with office workers and tourists slow to return to the capital.

Karl Chessell, director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA, said: “After a bleak December for managed groups, January brought a reasonable revival. Growth for restaurants was particularly encouraging, and the challenging London and late-night markets should hopefully pick up as people return to offices and COVID-19 restrictions wind down. However, it’s important to note that sales growth remains below inflation. With some businesses vulnerable after a tough end to 2021, and consumers facing mounting costs of living, hospitality’s road to recovery still has a long way to run.”

Mark Sheehan, managing director at Coffer Corporate Leisure, said: “January saw steady improvement throughout from a slow start. It was only on 25th January that the government stopped guidance to work

from home where possible. As working habits return closer to normal, we expect to see eating and drinking out to rebound steadily. London and other city centres are seeing very good numbers. There is cautious optimism for the sector.”

Paul Newman, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM, said: “January’s bounce back after the disappointment of December sees the sector make an encouraging start to the new financial year. With trading restrictions finally lifted and the Omicron variant easing, customer footfall numbers and card spending are getting stronger week by week. The sector is not without its challenges as COVID-19 reliefs begin to fall away but there is a strong sense of optimism among many operators, particularly around the return of office workers and tourists to city centres. We expect to see further consolidation in the sector over the coming months, led by a number of well capitalised larger groups looking to grow their estates and take advantage of the resurgence of demand in the pub and casual dining sectors.”

HRC Reveals Speaker Line-Up for 2022 Continuing the pattern of recent months, trading was significantly

Hotel, Restaurant & Catering (HRC) has unveiled its 2022 seminar programme, with an all-star line-up of hospitality brands and industry leaders. The event, which takes place on 21-23 March at ExCeL London, will reunite the hospitality and foodservice industry for three packed days of learning, networking and product discovery.

with a session from The People Collective featuring John Mason of Sideways, Leanne Tester, Learning & Development Manager at Pizza Pilgrims, Grind’s Head of People Preeya Parker and Avi Collins, Head of People at Tapas Revolution.

Tech on Toast Editor and EXP101 Founder Chris Fletcher will then be joined on stage by pointOne EPoS Founder Steven Rolfe, Dub Lee of Honest Burgers and William Connors of Popeyes for a discussion around all things digital transformation, and how technology has elevated the online offering of leading hospitality brands.

HRC has partnered with EXP101 for this year’s event to curate the programme of content for the Vision Stage, designed by Harp Design, which will be focussing on a range of timely topics and trends affecting hoteliers, publicans, restauranteurs and professional caterers.

After a two-year period which has seen significant evolution in the use of hospitality tech, the show’s Tech X stage will host sessions examining best practice in implementing new technology and where to make smart investments for hospitality businesses.

The Staff Canteen Live Across the three days of the show, the UK’s leading chef’s will be recreating some of their favourite dishes live and sharing their expertise with visitors to the event as part of The Staff Canteen Live.

HRC Event Manager Ronda Annesley: “HRC 2022 is jam-packed with content tackling some of the most important topics, challenges and opportunities in the world of foodservice and hospitality.

“We’re thrilled to be working with some fantastic content partners who have brought exciting new insights, speakers and talking points to this year’s seminar programme.”

Monday 21 March Day One of the show will kick off with ‘The return of the pub’ on the Vision Stage, during which KAM, the British Institute of Innkeeping, Louise Maclean of Signature Pubs and Anthony Pender of Yummy Pubs will be discussing the impact that the past two years have had on the pub and bar sector and some of the new opportunities that have emerged since restrictions eased in the UK. One of the biggest challenges to emerge in recent years has been staffing shortages in the hospitality and foodservice industry, and 21 March will see an all-star panel hosted by Keiron Bailey of EXP101 and featuring Chris Gamm of Springboard, Mark McCulloch, Founder of Hospitality Rising, Abi Dunn of Sixty Eight People and UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls take to the stage to discuss the changing approaches needed in recruitment and retention.

Dunn commented: "We've seen operators struggling with staff short-

ages throughout the pandemic at all levels, not just in recruitment but also in retention. Some of the more successful businesses to tackle this have collaborated with marketing teams, made smart use of technology and have understood that there is a need to invest in people.”

Tuesday 22 March Day Two of the show will see HRC’s Chef Ambassador Michel Roux Jr take to the stage to discuss shifting kitchen cultures with a panel of top UK chefs.

This will be followed by Katie Rose, CFO and COO of Market Halls and Andy Dyson, Business Development Director – New Concepts at Revolution, revealing how diversifying your offering can grow and protect your business.

On the Tech X stage, KAM Founder Katy Moses will be joined by Yummy Pubs Founder Tim Foster and Philip Thorley of Thorley Taverns to discuss how hospitality tech can benefit both pubs and their patrons.

Wednesday 23 March The third and final day of HRC will be putting people on the agenda

Cooking on Monday 21 March will be the Head Chef of The Grill at The Dorchester, Tom Booton; followed by Head Chef of Michelin-starred Tony Parkin at the Tudor Room; Chef Owner of Michelin-starred Salt in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Paul Foster; and last but not least, Jean Delport, Head Chef at the one Michelin-starred Restaurant Interlude of Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens.

On Tuesday 22 March Asimakis Chaniotis of Michelin-starred Pied à Terre will be taking to the stage, followed by award-winning Chef at The Conrad London St James', Sally Abé; Chef Patron of Michelin-starred The Angel at Hetton, Michael Wignall; and famed Chef Patron of Ynyshir, Gareth Ward.

Last but not least, on Wednesday 23 March, The Staff Canteen Live will be joined by Nick Beardshaw of Kerridge's Bar and Grill; Chef Patron of The Beehive Dom Chapman; newly-appointed Head Chef of three Michelin-starred The Fat Duck, Oli Williamson, and Head Chef at Michelin-starred Ikoyi, Jeremy Chan.

View the full seminar programme, including the chef line-up for The Staff Canteen Live and the agendas for the Better Hospitality Conference and Hospitality’s Talent Conundrum conference, at hrc.co.uk/2022-seminar-programme. Places are limited for these live discussions so ensure you book ahead to secure your place.

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73% of UK Consumers Think the Food Service Industry Could Do More to Promote Sustainable Dining 73% of UK consumers think the food service industry could do more more

82%

of UK consumers agr ee sustainability agree is important when dining out

71%

say they would choose sustainable options if they were wer e available

to promote promote sustainable dining.

So, how do food operators encourage sustainable dining?

Over rcome hesitance hesita ance ar round trying Overcome around sustainable dishes.

28%

TOP FIVE ar eas diners rrelate elate sustainability areas to eating out:

would like sustainable versions of popular dishes, fr ee samples or testing events. free

40%

39%

minimising food waste

sourcing local sour cing

Better marketing & staff awar eness. awareness.

16%

17% would like better pr omotion promotion of health benefits

17% would like cr crossosspromotion pr oduct promotion product

would like better pr omotion promotion for envir onmental benefits environmental

17% more informed informed would like more front of house staff front

Opportunity: Pr omote the Promote carbon footprint of your dishes.

71%

55%

say carbon footprint is important when choosing sustainable food and drinks.

think plant-based dishes are are more more sustainable than meat and dairy products. they’re pr oducts. In fact, 35% said they’r e the same or less sustainable.

33%

31%

minimal and/or recyclable packaging recyclable

rreduced educed singleuse plastics

31% lower carbon footprint

To o find out more more and lear learn n how you can adapt your operations protect environment. to meet consumer er needs AND pr rotect the t envir o onment.

Nestlé Professional research has revealed that almost three quarters of UK consumers think cafes, restaurants, pubs and fast-food chains could do more to support and promote sustainable diets on their menus. And with 71% saying they would be likely to choose sustainable options if they were available, this presents a big opportunity for food operators to adapt - to meet consumer needs and to make a lasting impact on the environment.

Most are conscious about their menu choices and 58% choose plant-based or vegetarian options when they eat out: sometimes, often, or always. Dining out, however, they could be persuaded to eat more plant-based if they were offered dishes with: improved flavour and texture (30%), free samples or taste testing events (25%), more variety (23%), or plant-based alternatives to popular meat dishes (20%). For food operators, this translates into greater innovation, reworking classics with meat alternatives, and more promotion around plant-rich dining.

Surveying consumers across the UK who regularly eat out – at takeaways, restaurants, café and pubs – Nestlé Professional’s research provides a timely snapshot of rapidly changing attitudes towards sustainability in the food service industry.

SUSTAINABLE SOURCING / RESPONSIBLE USE OF RESOURCES

The research highlights opportunities for food service sustainability, enabling operators to adapt in-line with consumer tastes and environmental legislation. Spanning key areas including plant-based diets, sustainable sourcing and responsible use of resources, consumers pinpoint opportunities for food operators to improve, outlining ways to encourage more sustainable meal choices. They also talk about their expectations and buying decisions regarding sustainability, with more than half (63%) willing to pay a premium for sustainable options when dining out.

CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS 82% of UK consumers now agree sustainability is important when they’re choosing what to eat and drink.

The top five areas where they consider sustainability when making food and drink choices are: minimising food waste (40%), local sourcing (39%), minimal and/or recyclable packaging (33%), reduced single-use plastics (31%), and lower carbon footprint (31%).

They’re happy to pay a premium for sustainable products too, with consumers saying that they would be prepared to pay slightly more for food and drink products that are locally sourced (31%), have reduced singleuse plastics (30%), minimise food waste (29%), or have minimal and/or recyclable packaging (26%).

Dining out, consumers expect a premium on sustainable options; however, 37% say that these choices shouldn’t be more expensive. There’s hesitance around trying sustainable dishes too, with consumers asking for familiar recipes and a chance to try before they buy: 28% requested sustainable versions of popular dishes and 28% free samples or testing events. But there's a consensus that raising awareness of sustainable options through better communications and marketing could improve take-up. Respondents requested improved marketing for health (17%) and environmental (16%) benefits, cross-product promotions (17%), and more informed front of house staff (16%).

PLANT-BASED DIETS Consumer attitudes are shifting. Vegetables and legumes are becoming more popular, with 39% and 24% of consumers looking to up their intake over the coming months. Another 22% are looking to eat more plantbased meat alternatives, and 19% more plant-based dairy in the coming months.

Despite the popularity of plant-based diets, only 55% think they’re more sustainable than meat and dairy products - and 35% said they’re the same or less sustainable. When asked, 71% of survey respondents said carbon footprint was important when choosing sustainable food and drinks. This represents a chance for food operators to sharpen up communications on the carbon footprint of meals – addressing poor knowledge and encouraging sustainable choices.

Minimising food waste is critical, with 82% considering this important when making choices. Packaging also continues to be a hot topic, with single-use plastics important in buying decisions for 74%, and minimal or recyclable packaging important for 79%.

Responsible sourcing and animal welfare are another key concern, with 77% of consumers concerned with animal welfare, and 76% agreeing that responsible production in farming, fishing and agriculture are of importance. Many of these would pay a premium too, and 31% agreed that they would pay slightly more when purchasing food and drink products that protect animal welfare.

Sourcing and seasonality are rising up the agenda, with local sourcing important to 72% of consumers, and seasonality important to 65% when choosing sustainable food and drinks.

Katya Simmons, Managing Director Nestlé Professional UK&I says, “These findings show a sizeable gap between what consumers want and what they're currently being served by the industry. Despite this, the areas highlighted for improvement can be easily implemented by food operators.

And as well as injecting a welcome boost of creativity in their operations, the benefits are wide-ranging – improving staff morale as well as increasing customer loyalty.

Consumers are looking to the industry for change, and although 43% admitted culpability for making sure their diets are sustainable, almost a quarter (24%) said it is also the responsibility of food operators.

To help operators respond to this pressure, we’ve developed a knowledge base, which consolidates our expertise and consumer insight on sustainability issues impacting the industry right now. This research highlights the urgent need for the industry to get up to speed, and with advice spanning all of the key areas mentioned, we hope this plays a valuable part in that change.”

TOP FOUR ingredients' ingredients' consumers will increase increase consumption of over coming months: months:

39%

24%

vegetables

legumes

22%

19%

Plant-based dining More than half of consumers choose More plant-based or vegetarian when eating out.

But they could be persuaded to eat mor e more plant-rich meals with:

30%

25%

improved improved flavour and texture texture

free free samples or taste testing events

23%

20%

more more variety

plant-based alternatives alternatives to popular meat dishes

Food service operations When buying and consuming food & drink, according accord ding to consumers:

plant-based meat alternatives alternatives

plant-based dairy alternatives alternatives

Consumers would be prepared prepared to pay slightly more more for food and drink products products that are: are:

31% locally sourced sourced

29% minimising food waste

30% have reduced reduced single-use plastics

26% have minimal and/or recyclable recyclable packaging

82%

74%

79%

find minimising food waste important

consider reducing reducing single-use plastics important

consider recyclable recyclable packaging and minimal packaging important

Sustainable sour cing sourcing Consumers ers ar are e increasingly increasingly interested interested in the food supply: ply: fr om o pr o ocurement to seasonality. from procurement

72%

65%

find local sour cing important sourcing

say that seasonality is important

77%

76%

ar e concer ned are concerned welfare with animal welfar e

agr ee that responsible agree responsible production farming, pr oduction in far ming, fishing agriculture are and agricultur e ar e important.

To To find out more more and learn learn how you can adapt your operations to meet consumer er needs AND protect protect the environment. enviro onment.

Double Delight for Luxury New Forest Hotel in Southampton Hospitality Awards 2022 Staff at a New Forest hotel are celebrating this week having won two awards in the prestigious Southampton Hospitality Awards 2022.

Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, nestled in the heart of the ancient New Forest – recently voted the best National Park in Europe per Tripadvisor – came up trumps against some of the region’s leading hospitality venues, scooping accolades in two of the three categories it entered.

Recognising the fantastic commitment and outstanding contributions of the hospitality industry, Balmer Lawn’s General Manager, Michael Clitheroe, was crowned ‘Lockdown Hero of the Year’, while Assistant Hotel Manager, Lucy Whittington, took home ‘The Rising Star of the Year’ accolade.

Michael played a major part in helping Balmer Lawn increase its turnover in 2021 despite the pandemic. With heavy losses sustained from closures and lost Christmas function revenue due to coronavirus restrictions, Michael moved fast to commission The Lodge, a COVID-secure, outside bar and kitchen, built specifically to welcome guests safely back during the pandemic. It safely served 7,812 people in its first five weeks of outside dining in April 2021.

Meanwhile, Lucy’s influence at Balmer Lawn has included increasing service standards, while providing safe work practice training for the return of staff from the national lockdown. This helped Balmer Lawn to be accredited with a ‘AA Covidsecure’ and V.E ‘Good to Go’ scheme on the day of reopening.

In addition, she volunteered to live in the hotel for four months during the first lockdown, where she oversaw security and staff welfare. Lucy also played a key role in arranging education and community days with Bournemouth University, where she promoted career possibilities to young adults.

The Hampshire hotel also saw co-owner, Alison Wilson, who has been running the hotel with her husband Chris for 25 years, receive a special mention in the Lifetime Achievement Award. Since taking over in 1997, Alison has been integral in the hotel’s transformation from a three to four-star venue, enabling it to boast 4 silver stars for its facilities, 2 AA rosettes for its kitchen, and become a leading destination for weddings and corporate conferences.

Speaking of the hotel’s triumph, Michael Clitheroe, General Manager at the Balmer Lawn Hotel and Spa, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have won in two of the three categories we were shortlisted in at the Southampton Hospitality Awards 2022 – getting a special mention in the lifetime achievement award was a bonus!

“We are also immensely proud to also be shortlisted as a finalist in the Beautiful South Awards. The Lodge has been a great success and we look forward to seeing it go from strength to strength. On behalf of Balmer, I also want to take this opportunity to say how proud we are of Lucy, who has underpinned a career in hospitality with a meticulous focus on development and welfare. She is a real superstar in the making!”

Colliers Waves A Red Flag Over The Government’s Technical Consultation On Business Rates 20

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The latest consultation setting out how the government intends to implement measures it set out in its business rates review at the end of October is totally “underwhelming” according to business rates experts at Colliers and has consequences that should certainly raise a red flag. As a result, Colliers is urging its clients and businesses to respond before the 22 Feb deadline next week.

Colliers is concerned about:

1 MEASURES TO ENABLE MORE FREQUENT REVALUATIONS Whilst business rates experts welcome that the government’s commitment to more frequent revaluations from 2023 as it moves to a 3yearly revaluation cycle, the trade-offs, enabling the VOA to undertake the work in a shorter time scale, will be reduced appeal rights and increased administrative responsibilities on ratepayers says Colliers.

The VOA has given the government a wish list which includes the annual provision of information whereby the ratepayer will have to provide not only confirmation of physical details on an annual basis but updates on rent and lease information as well as trading information even when there have been no changes. According to John Webber, Head of Business Rates at Colliers, “This will pass a significant bureaucratic burden onto the ratepayer, which we believe is neither needed nor healthy for UK plc.”

Webber continued, “To put into context, currently out of approximately 1.9 million ratepayers, 700,000 pay no business rates. These changes will therefore result in these 700,000 ratepayers being required to send one or more pieces of information annually to the VOA, involving them in a bureaucratic exercise where their information is unlikely to be used. This will have no effect on the amount of rates collected. At a time when business is supposedly being relieved of red tape in a post Brexit world, the government seems to be proposing the opposite!”

Colliers is also worried that • the VOA will be spending too much time wading through this information instead of getting the values correct or dealing with appeals in a timely way.

• sanctions and penalties that will be imposed should ratepayers either not return the information or not return it within what appears to be a ridiculously short period of time.

• a late return of any annual request or none-returned physical update information could result in a technical knockout of any appeal- which Colliers feel the VOA is fond of doing.

• little indication from the government to impose similar time deadlines on the VOA even though they are receiving half a billion pounds of additional funding.

Lack of transparency at the VOA- timing to implement any transparency is vague and extends well into the 2026 rating list and beyond. Colliers believe that the VOA should be far more transparent starting now at the beginning of the 2023 rating list.

2 IMPROVEMENT RELIEF The government set out how it will introduce improvement relief targeted at qualifying works which ratepayers carry out to their premises. Colliers believes this is a step in the right direction, but has doubts about the extent of this relief, particularly as developers and landlords are exempted from it. It does not appear as generous as the scheme already in place in Scotland and says Webber, “Depending on how it is implemented, may have little consequence to ratepayers in their decision-making process.”

3 SUPPORT FOR INVESTMENT IN GREEN PLANT AND MACHINERY The government also set out several green measures to exempt plant and machinery used in on-site renewable energy generation and electricity storage. Colliers think the government should go further in a more wholesale review of the plant and machinery regulations to make sure that developers, landlords and occupiers carry out investment in all new technology that makes buildings more sustainable, but without carrying an additional tax burden for a period of at least 10 years.

4 OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES The government has also proposed several relatively minor administrative changes which on the face of it seem of little consequence. How the central list is administered may be of little consequence unless the government decides to make it far easier for the VOA to change the valuation approach to certain hereditaments and create a back doorway of raising more revenue.

The government has also proposed simplifying the system which administers discretionary relief by local authorities. This relief can be a vital tool for local authorities to help specific businesses who may be experiencing hardship and underusing their premises. On the face of it these reforms appear sensible- however in practice Colliers believes the continued underfunding of local authorities across the country means greater control by local authorities is meaningless.

As John Webber concluded, “Overall, the government’s failure to deliver the much-needed fundamental business rates reform last Autumn and replacing it with this consultation is desperately disappointing. We urge all interested parties to let the government know this and to respond before the consultation ends next week or they could find themselves snarled up with extra expense and administration.”

Full Employment Is Hospitality’s Big Challenge, Warns Bizimply 22

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Bizimply’s warning echoes that of UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls, who said: “Of course the hospitality sector is delighted covid restrictions are being lifted, but that brings a new problem: how to service increased customer demand without the staff to do it. Vacancies in our industry are now double what they were before the pandemic. There has been a fundamental shift in the labour market and hospitality must address that quickly.”

The impact of spiralling costs may be in danger of diverting hospitality operators from the longer-term challenge of employee recruitment and retention, warns workforce management specialist Bizimply.

With the latest ONS figures showing that hospitality saw the largest increase in vacancies of any industry sector in the three months to January, Bizimply chief executive Conor Shaw believes operators need to get smarter at managing and motivating employees.

Shaw added: “The hospitality sector had a great track record of developing younger employees to manager level, but retention is also more of a challenge with a younger demographic. Freeing up managers to be front-of-house delivering great customer service encourages them to become more productive and motivated, and less likely to leave.”

Shaw said: ‘”Of course, rising costs, particularly food and drink inflation, are currently a real challenge for operators. However, with the UK now effectively at full employment, simply focusing on managing costs without dealing with the reality that businesses need motivated staff to thrive and expand is simply storing up problems.

Bizimply’s software is designed to help businesses reduce the amount of time spent creating staff rotas and sorting out payroll. It means that GMs and supervisors can spend more time front of house, where they can have the most positive impact, making operational decisions, managing team members and interacting with customers.

“When you’re running the business with 10% vacancies, you have to make sure the 90% of staff you have are delivering 100% capacity. That doesn’t mean overworking them to the point where they become demotivated and ultimately leave, it means managing them better.

“Simple things like giving plenty of notice of shifts, and ensuring that staff are promptly paid when they do work extra hours, makes a real difference. People want to feel valued, and will move on quickly if they don’t.”

Bizimply estimates GMs can save up to six hours a week, compared to creating a staff rota using Excel or similar. One operator using Bizimply software is now creating rotas for 60 team members, across five sites, in just one hour a week.

Bizimply’s warning comes as ONS figures show that the total number of UK job vacancies from November 2021 to January 2022 reached a record high of just under 1.3m. The accommodation and food service sector, which is how the ONS defines hospitality, saw the fastest growth in vacancies, up to 178,300.

FREE LABOUR SCHEDULING MASTERCLASS AT HRC

In addition, the total size of the workforce has fallen by almost 580,000 since the start of the pandemic two years ago. The ONS estimates that 400,000 people over the age of 50 have left the labour market, with overseas workers returning to EU also a factor.

Bizimply is offering visitors to the HRC trade show from 21-23 March a free Labour Scheduling Masterclass.

Lasting 30 minutes, the session will give operators practical advice and examples to help them make sure the right people, with the right skills, are always where they are most needed. Bizimply is on stand H781 in the Hospitality Tech area of the show, taking place at Excel, London from 21 – 23 March.

Chestnut Hospitality Group Announces Latest Acquisition Hospitality brand Chestnut has announced the acquisition of The Lawns in Holt as its latest addition to the growing portfolio of pubs and inns.

The new acquisition is part of an ambitious three-year plan, with the first year alone bringing four new inns to the collection, the addition of over 80 new team members and year on year revenue growth of 150%. The new sites, all in regional tourism hotspots, include The Feathers and The Maltings in North Norfolk, The Carpenters Arms near Cambridge and The Lawns – its latest acquisition in Holt.

“We are delighted to welcome The Lawns in Holt to our collection, a destination that’s a key part of the tourism scene in Norfolk,” said Founder and Chief Executive Philip Turner. “Following on from the recent

Invest Northern Ireland Food and drink is a vital and growing industry in Northern Ireland. In terms of turnover, employment and cultural significance, this £5bn sector continues to extend its reach in GB and in international markets. Whilst 50% of turnover comes from our top 10 companies, family-owned businesses remain prominent, resulting in an industry that is flexible, authentic and straightforward in its dealings.

A diverse range of food and drink brands from producers of all shapes and sizes brings warmth and personality to the sector. Northern Ireland’s produce has proven award-winning status, the result of many years of success in schemes such as Great Taste, the Quality Food Awards and most recently the Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards. Key to this success is our unique blend of tradition and innovation. Invest NI’s Pure, Natural, Quality strapline summarises the goodness of Northern Ireland’s produce, which

acquisition of The Feathers this new pub will add extra rooms to our portfolio in the town. We have plans to renovate both pubs in the coming months and look forward to playing our part in the continued success and growth of staycations in North Norfolk.”

“Going into 2022 with another new acquisition has only been possible as a result of us having a clear strategy for growth, focusing relentlessly on investment in our sites and, most importantly, bringing in new talent to the team to build on the great people we have in the organisation.”

To support the ambitious growth plans, Chestnut has been investing in their people and has recently appointed two new senior managers from the wider hospitality sector. Charley O’Toole joined the team as Head of People, bringing with her 15 years’ experience in developing and leading people in a range of leisure businesses, including the last four years as Head of People at Bill’s. While Tom Salt has also joined the team as Head of Food, Tom has spent the past 20 years working in London most recently at the Manicomio Group, and having worked in Chef positions at both The River Café and Zafferano.

Philip continued: “The past two years have been incredibly tough for the industry, particularly for our people. In a sector which is facing real recruitment challenges – retaining and attracting the best people has never been more important.”

emanates from our rich pastures and sustainably managed farms. High quality local ingredients ensure guaranteed provenance and short supply chains, giving full confidence in food security and traceability.

Northern Ireland is well known for the quality of its beef, dairy and bakery products. In each of these sectors, suppliers are melding established production techniques with the latest technology, enabling them to access opportunities in the growing plant-based and freefrom sectors. Finnebrogue is at once a leading supplier of sausages, nitrate-free bacon and plant-based meat alternatives, operating from several discrete production facilities. In the bakery sector, traditional craft soda farls and wheaten breads sit alongside gluten-free and vegan options from Stone Bakery and Graham’s.

Invest NI’s dedicated food business development team supports local companies to develop their business with customers in GB and beyond. Visit our website or contact us directly to learn how our world-class food and drink can help grow your business. www.buynifood.com

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5 Creative Ways to Increase Sales and Boost Outreach at Your Catering Business 24

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By Megan Prevost, marketing content writer for MustHaveMenus (www.musthavemenus.com) The catering industry can be cutthroat, filled with many different businesses both large and small vying for the customer’s attention.

To make a name for yourself, you have to stand out from the crowd.

To do so, you’ll need to brand your company in a way that’s attractive to others. Ask yourself “why?” Why would people choose your business over another? Make a list of your answers, and then run with it.

After you’ve discovered your “why”, also known as your brand, it’s time to start thinking about marketing strategy and ways to get your name out there to potential event organizers and individuals.

Whether you’re looking to try out some new strategies, or you’re just starting out, here are five creative ways to boost sales and increase your marketing outreach.

1. GET PLACED ON “PREFERRED VENDOR” LISTS AT VENUES Many venues offer a list of “preferred vendors” that they like to work with. Getting on one of these lists means that everyone who holds an event at that venue will see your company as an option. The increase in brand visibility will increase your booked events and sales directly.

However, it can be challenging to get onto one of these lists, depending on the venue.

To start, make a list of the most popular venues in your area. Choose ones with good reviews that get a lot of business. A venue that’s booked out far in advance can prove valuable for your company.

After you’ve made your list, start contacting people. Check out their website to see if they have any forms or direct contact for partnership.

Some venues may require specific things, so make sure to check that out as well before applying or sending over an email. Building a personal relationship with venues can also help get you on these lists, so don’t be afraid to spark conversation at a show or exhibition.

2. UPGRADE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS Did you know that 55% of consumers learn about new brands on social media channels like Facebook and Instagram? Over the past few years, more and more people have used social media to follow businesses alongside friends and celebrities. In fact, approximately 90% of Instagram users

follow at least one brand.

impression than leaving them without a response.

With these statistics in mind, passing up social media isn’t the right move.

Using social media as a platform to promote your business can help potential customers find you more easily. If you’re already on social media but you aren’t getting the results you want, you might need to step up your game.

To increase your positive reviews, you can reach out to the people who left negative ones and attempt to solve the issue. Offer a coupon for their next booking, or a partial refund for any errors that occurred. Oftentimes, people who have had a bad experience simply want to be heard and acknowledged. Reaching out and hearing them through can often resolve the issue and convince them to remove the poor review. If you feel that a customer left an unwarranted bad review, you can reach out to Google, Yelp, or whatever service they used to have it removed.

To find success on social media, you need to post content that is informative, relevant to your brand, and helpful for your audience. There are many ways to do this, such as posting sales, availability, and general information about you and your business. You should use all channels available, such as stories, reels, posts, and more depending on the platform.

The more consistent you are, the more likely you are to show up in someone’s feed. Even if they aren’t planning on hosting an event now, they may remember your name in the future. On top of consistency, you should also promote a cohesive brand image across social media. Define your color scheme, logos, and voice to ensure that everything matches up. This will make your brand look more well put together and professional.

3. CREATE A STAND OUT MENU When choosing a catering company, many people rely on their menus, websites, and reviews in order to decide if it’s the right company to work with. In order to engage customers and prove that you’re professional and experienced, you’ll need to have a succinct, well-designed catering menu.

There are two types of catering menus you’ll want to consider. First, is your general offerings. This menu should showcase the types of food you can provide for different events. This menu, like your social media posts, should align with your brand image. Not only that, but it should feature smart food names and evocative descriptions.

Another menu you may want to consider is a prix fixe menu. These menus could be made for specific types of events or if you offer preset multi-course meals. Having a few preset menus makes it easier for customers to make a decision, and they’ll be able to showcase this prix fixe menu at their event. Having menus on display that showcase your brand will provide your business with greater visibility and brand recognition.

4. ENCOURAGE POSITIVE REVIEWS As is true with all consumer-facing businesses, reviews are everything, especially in the event industry. If your company has too many bad reviews, your business might be dead in the water. However, it’s possible to revive your company and receive those sweet, sweet five-star reviews. You should always respond to negative reviews to show that you’re putting in the effort and attempting to better your business. This will leave a better

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You should also offer incentives for new customers to leave reviews after your service has been performed. This could be any number of things from a discount on their bill or their next booking to a complimentary number of desserts. Because people only tend to leave reviews when their experience is bad, it’s important to incentivize your customers to leave positive reviews.

You can make it easier to leave a positive review by placing a QR code linked to your Google My Business listing on their receipt or any other materials that you give them.

5. MAKE SURE YOUR WEBSITE IS PERFECT Your website is often the first thing that potential customers see, so it’s important to make a good first impression. If your website is poorly designed or runs too slow, you’ll want to make updating it a priority. A poor website will cause potential customers to click away immediately, but a great one may inspire them to book you for their next event.

For your website to be effective, you should have a simple layout that features all of the information that people need to know before they contact you. You should include sample menus from previous events, potential menus for future events, booking information, prices, and availability.

To create a good website for your business, you can either use a website design tool or hire a professional. It’s possible to make a good website on your own, but hiring a professional will ensure that you’re left with a fantastic product that nails the first impression.

IT’S TIME TO TAKE YOUR CATERING BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL With these five tips in mind, it’s time to start working on improving your catering business. With hard work and dedication, you can get your name out there. Analyze your business model and figure out what isn’t working.

Do you need a new website? Are you posting on social media enough? Is your menu exciting? Put these tips into action and continue to work hard to achieve your goals for this year.

SMEs Hit Back over Government’s Proposals to Overhaul Alcohol Taxation 26

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den on British businesses! And all for marginal gain to Treasury coffers.

The Wine and Spirit APPG has published its SME Inquiry Report probing the consequences of the Government’s proposed reform to alcohol duty for UK SME wine and spirit businesses.

The APPG report is an excellent gauge of British SME businesses who believe the scheme proposed by the Government is punitive and NOT fit for purpose.”

MPs heard damning evidence from 15 small and medium sized businesses who are frustrated and confused over the Treasury’s complex and costly approach to a once in a lifetime chance to make alcohol taxation simpler and fairer.

Sam Linter, MD and Head Winemaker at Bolney Wine Estate, said: “Following the huge success of English sparkling wine, we have begun to see an exciting growth in great quality English still wines. However, if the Government’s current proposals for wine tax go ahead this will stifle the growth of the English wine sector and be extremely prohibitive for our talented English wine makers.

The Chancellor’s proposed changes are set to heap more misery on British businesses and consumers after the UK’s rate of inflation jumped to 5.5% and is expected to peak at over 7% in April, at the same time as a reversal of the hospitality VAT cut.

The APPG has written to Exchequer Secretary to The Treasury, Helen Whately MP, to share the findings and recommendations of the report following the closing of the consultation at the end of January.

SMEs are vital to the vibrant UK wine and spirit sector, ranging from distilleries and English and Welsh Vineyards to independent merchants, importers and fine wine brokers.

Under the current proposals, both beer and cider will continue to be taxed at significantly lower rates than wine and spirits, and the proposed Small Producers Relief scheme will only apply for products under 8.5% abv.

This threshold means that vineyards and distillers are barred from accessing the scheme and its benefits, leaving wine and spirit SMEs disadvantaged and dismayed.

Hundreds of businesses and consumers have submitted their responses to the consultation making it clear that the Government’s proposed measures fail to meet its own objectives of being fairer and easier to implement.

The APPG report highlights the serious concerns from SME businesses over increases in administrative costs which threaten the financial viability of some wine and spirit companies.

The report concludes that the current policy proposals need to be revised as a matter of urgency.

The economies of scale are not there for small producers and even a 10p tax increase on a bottle of wine has a major impact on an industry which is still in its infancy compared with its European counterparts. We very much welcome the reduction in sparkling wine tax, but not the proposed effect on the increase in still wine.

We cannot understand why vineyards have been excluded from the Small Producers Relief scheme. For a small producer the most effective way of getting up and running is through cellar door sales which is an area where Government could be supporting us.”

Kathy Caton, co-founder of Brighton Gin, said: “I don’t resent paying taxes, I just want it to be fair across the board. The stifling duty costs act as a handbrake to growth for businesses like ours. Instead of putting barriers in our way the Government should be promoting and supporting ‘Brand Britain’.

This is also incredibly unfair on consumers who should not be facing higher prices for their favourite drink, especially at time when there is increasing pressure on household budgets.”

The APPG report recommends: The Government should recognise that the current proposal does not achieve its own suggested aim of being fairer and revise its proposals to apply a single rate of duty to all categories of alcoholic drink.

Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said: “Far from being more economically rational, these proposals would embed and increase the illogical and unfair treatment of spirits and wine. Beer and cider tax remains the lowest and will not go up, but on the flip side 80% of all still wine, 95% of red wine and 100% of fortified wines. Spirit drinkers will face the highest taxes of all at 29p a unit.

In addition, levying tax by degree will require huge changes to the supply chain and major changes to IT systems – all coming on the back of the changes required when we left the EU. These proposals will result in more costly red tape and will be particularly prohibitive for SMEs. It beggars belief that a Conservative government is responding to an opportunity to do things differently post-Brexit by choosing to impose cost and bur-

With major increases in administrative costs falling to wine businesses as a result of potentially replacing 3 rates with 27 new rates, the Government should work with the wine and spirit industry to consider an alternative solution which is implementable and not drown SMEs in costly new red tape and administrative burdens.

The proposed model limits small producers support only to those producing products at less than 8.5% abv. Small producer support should be made available to all small producers irrespective of the alcoholic strength of the finished product.

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Restaurants Quadrupled Donations to Action Against Hunger’s Annual Foody Fundraiser why we wanted to partner with Action Against Hunger to help more communities access the food they need to survive and thrive.

Action Against Hunger have more than quadrupled donations in its latest annual fundraiser.

The charity which has worked with the food and hospitality industry to transform people’s love of food into a force for good in the world, has raised over £11 million in the process and saving countless children’s lives.

“I’m so proud of our teams and our customers for getting behind the campaign and raising a staggering £211,702” The funds raised will allow Action Against Hunger to support children facing life-threating hunger in countries like Afghanistan, Yemen and Madagascar; and, since the pandemic, right here in the UK.

The impact of Covid-19 has been devastating for the hospitality industry, and as an organisation that works so closely with the sector, Action Against Hunger has not been immune from the impacts of the pandemic. In 2020, as Covid restrictions forced restaurants to close their doors, the annual restaurant fundraiser saw revenue fall by more than seventy percent, raising just over £100,000.

Charlotte Matier, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Action Against Hunger UK, said: “We are incredibly grateful to our partners for all their support during what has been an incredibly difficult couple of years for the hospitality industry.

But 2021 has seen the charity and its annual fundraiser bounce back! Due in no small part to the incredible support it received from chefs, restaurants and food brands, the annual fundraiser was able to quadruple the funds raised in 2021, raising more than £400,000 to support children fighting hunger.

Amongst the 259 restaurants that took part in 2021 were: D&D London, Shoryu, Hawksmoor, Shake Shack, Hakkasan, Cinnamon Club, and Darjeeling Express. By adding just £1 to a customer’s bill, or by creating a special dish, these restaurants helped raise vital funds to support communities both in the UK and across the world.

Undoubtedly, the star of this year’s campaign was Yo!. Partnering with Action Against Hunger for the first time, it raised an astonishing £211k across 54 restaurants.

Victoria Mather, Director of Marketing at Yo!, said: “At Yo! we believe in the power of good food, which is

“Despite the many challenges the hospitality sector has faced, partners have stood by us through thick and thin. Their generosity will mean that we are able to save the lives of thousands of children battling life-threatening hunger. That is something that every chef, restaurant or food brand can be rightly proud of.

“Here is hoping that 2022 can be the year that the hospitality industry finally gets back to doing what it does best- bringing people together around the joy of food” A recent report by the United Nations outlined a bleak humanitarian landscape for 2022, with hunger levels expected to grow in numerous countries. The Hunger Hotspots report warned that acute food insecurity is likely to deteriorate in twenty countries between February and May 2022; of these twenty, four were identified as being at risk of experiencing famine like conditions, they were: Ethiopia, Northern Nigeria, Yemen and South Sudan.

Products and Services

Beckford’s Rum We are a family business based in Bath serving the UK, we make Award Winning drinks using quality Caribbean Rum with traditional techniques and only the best natural ingredients.

sumer events.

Isn’t it time you stocked one of the UKs best selling rums?

We sell to pubs, hotels, cocktail bars & farm shops Order your taste samples today - sales@craftywolf.com or 07961471474 or visit www.craftywolf.com for further information.

Caramel, Coconut, 40% Black Pearl Spiced, Golden Rum, Pineapple Spiced Rum In 2021 over 65,000 bottles of Beckford’s Rum were sold to consumers across the UK, this year we will be attending over 100 con-

A Fresh Take on Grease Filters In a busy food operation, you probably don’t even think about your grease filters, they’re just there building up dirt, fat, oil and grease; but when was the last time you had your kitchen grease filters cleaned? Not only are they the first part of your extraction system, they are also a legal requirement in the prevention of fire and compliance with health and safety. There are many other benefits to having clean filters, such as improved kitchen cleanliness and reduced levels of carbon dioxide, to ensure top air quality for your staff.

You may not be surprised to hear that 57% of kitchen fires in restaurants result from issues with cooking equip-

ment; that’s why it’s important to identify the exclusions of your insurance policy because many insurers demand regular deep cleaning of filters which, let’s face it, is inconvenient and time-consuming. If you do suffer a kitchen fire and can’t evidence that you’ve been having your filters correctly and thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis, your insurer may reject your claim.

The answer? Our professional cleaning service means your dirty filters are exchanged with clean ones in minutes, as part of our package we provide a free set of standard sized filters for your kitchen, prolonging the life of your own. Our service also evidences due diligence to your insurer and fire safety officer, as we provide an online client portal where you can download full service history and certification.

We do Just Filters, so let us keep your kitchen running and compliant.

01279 420289 | justfilters.co.uk | info@justfilters.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

Products and Services We Promise To Make Coffee Robert’s Dorset - Handmade in Britain Moments Unforgettable

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Your customers choose you because they want to create great memories. Whether enjoyed first thing in the morning or last thing after supper, Artisan Coffee will transport your customers somewhere truly magical - and all they need to do to get there is to walk through your doors.

Our indulgent blends have been created and perfected by some of the best in the biz. From a Michelin two-starred chef to a team of the world’s best Q graders (the coffee industry’s equivalent to a sommelier), the leading minds - and palates - in the industry are behind our original and characterful blends.

This is no ordinary coffee. When it comes to flavour, we’re changing the game. We use cutting-edge science and innovative technology to stay ahead of the flavourtrain. Our six distinctive characterful blends have been crafted to thrill everyone from the casual caffeine con-

sumer to the consummate coffee connoisseur. Who knew coffee could taste so good?

We didn’t start with a mission to change the way you drink coffee; we started with a mission to greatly improve it. From giving you the power to choose how you brew our coffee is available as pods, whole bean, coffee bags or ground so you can tailor it to suit your needs - to ensuring that flavour and freshness are maintained cup after cup. Our unique packaging keeps your coffee at its flavourful best. No subtle note is lost, just cup after cup of perfection.

With us, you’re in good company. Like the coffees we craft, we’re constantly evolving, improving and seeking perfection. The only challenge your customers will face is how to stop at just one cup.

Visit www.artisancoffeeco.com or contact sales@artisancoffeeco.com for more information.

Fly the Flag this June to Celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Urges Chevler

Chevler, the UK’s leading manufacturer of baking cases and a major player in the bespoke printed greaseproof sheet market, is urging bakers, coffee shops, retailers, and foodservice operators not to miss out on the opportunities offered by what it is describing as a truly momentous event and unprecedented anniversary – the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“As the country is now rapidly coming out covid of restrictions and with the four-day bank holiday in early June in order to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70th year on the throne approaching we hope that bakers, cake makers, coffee shop owners and retailers will get into the spirit of the event and seize the opportunities the fourday bank holiday offers,” explained Chevler’s director of sales and marketing Garry Parker.

“That’s why we have we have been forced by popular demand to reintroduce two of our specially designed baking cases which feature the Union flag. This means it is not too late for cupcake makers to take advantage of the growing excitement and build on the red, white and blue theme I know many are planning.”

The cases are available in the ever-popular 51mm x 38mm size and in quantities as low as 360 giving every

business, whatever its size, the chance to participate.

Chevler is unique in that its printing and converting is carried out in-house. “We do not rely on stock shipped from abroad or depend on outside printers or converters, explained Mr. Parker. “This means it is a truly British manufactured product. And we only use water-based, odour-less food safe inks. We have responded to our customers’ requests in order that they can be as innovative as they like this summer and take full advantage of the opportunities the snack cake market will offer.”

To also help tap into the excitement the company is offering a food-safe, printed natural greaseproof sheet featuring the Union flag marketed under the company’s Gourmet Food Wrap brand.

The 255mm x 406mm sheet with its rich luxurious feel has numerous potential uses and applications in the retailing, presentation and serving of both cold and, because of its excellent thermal properties, hot food.

These range from a simple sandwich, panini or burger wrap to, a liner for wire baskets and stainless-steel buckets, a place mat, or it can be simply put on a wooden board or slate on which sizzling or cold food can be placed.

Mr Parker stressed: “It is very important to remember that we print on natural greaseproof paper which does not have any chemical treatments or coatings. It acquires its greaseproof properties during the pulping process. Its fibres become so tightly entwined that the spaces between them are smaller than a grease molecule. It is therefore recyclable and a sustainable option for your business.”

They are available in individual packs of 500 sheets within boxes of 2000.

For further information visit www.chevler.co.uk or call 01844 344231.

Swinging With The Sausage Man

Bavarian style swing grills are really hot right now. A practical way of cooking large quantities of sausage and steak quickly, it’s no wonder that these awesome grills have fast become Christmas Market and event favourites the world over.

SCHWENKER GRILLS It’s rumoured that this distinctive fire pit style grill originated in South America, before being popularised in Southern Germany – where the worder “Schwenker” originates – and then spreading around the world. The person grilling on a Schwenker grill may also be referred to as a Schwenker, or a Schwenkermeister.

COMMERCIAL CHOICE Mark Coles, Key Account Manager with The Sausage Man, spent some time visiting Xmas events across the UK this winter and reports: “Bavarian Swing Grills are fast becoming the weapon of choice for our commercial customers. They’re open sided, so the people get a great look at the products and cooking process. The cooking smell circulates fantastically across the site, so it’s great at attracting people to your stall. The firepit also keeps your cooking team nice and warm in the

winter weather, which is always welcome in temperatures like we’ve been having lately!”

VERSATILE GERMAN SAUSAGE FOR EVERY OCCASION No matter what type of cooking method you use in your outdoor space, The Sausage Man has the products for you. You don’t need a Swinging Schwenker Grill to prepare Sausage Man products, but you can certainly use one.

Jorg Braese, Managing Director of The Sausage Man, had this to say: “Our sausages are extremely versatile.

We’ve cooked them in pans, microwaves, ovens, grills, hot dog machines, hot water, deep fryers, barbeques and steamers. Each preparation adds and highlights different flavours. There’s no wrong answer, as the results are always great!”

Find out more and set up your Commercial account now with The Sausage Man. You can also save 10% on your first order over £125 when you set up your account online at wholesale.sausageman.co.uk. Be sure to enter code CATER10 at checkout to secure your saving before the end of March 2022.

Robert’s Dorset is a family owned and operated company and we know the value of our stockist.

All orders are made to order giving you the freshest product available.

One area we differ from everyone else is each box we send out. We don’t insist on each box being a single flavour. We tailor every box to exactly what you require.

We offer 11 flavours of Proper Pork Crackling so if you only want 8, that’s exactly what we will send you.

Our minimum order is just 1 box with carriage or £150 with carriage paid.

We specialise in 3 core products, Pork Crackling, Nuts and fudge but we offer both reusable and recyclable

packaging in both.

In today's market place we try to tick as many boxes as possible to make us a one stop for the snack requirements.

Allegan Free, Keto, Vegan, Gluten Free, Low Carbohydrate, No Cholesterol, High Protein.

All of our products are British sourced with the exception of our nuts but hopefully in time, who knows.

For own online catalogue with visuals & prices please email trade@sct-sct.com or give one of the team a call 01202875280.

If you have an online store we are happy to send you visuals to ad to your website. Those with store we will provide full POS free of Charge.

Disposable Straws Created by Nature Frogut Straws produces natural disposable drinking straws made from wild grass (Lepironia articulata) growing in the Mekong Delta. The straws are produced in Long An province in Vietnam in the production plant established together with our Vietnamese partner Natufarm. The grass is handpicked by the local farmers living in wetlands so that improves their livelihoods.

On the other hand, growing Lepironia grass helps maintaining wetlands in their natural state. Therefore this is a great example of integrating ecosystem conservation and poverty reduction in the wetlands.

The straws are stored in Gdansk/Poland, and from there we distribute them to any place in Europe.

Frogut supplies both wholesale market (250 or 500 pcs carton dispensers)

and retail market (50 and 100 pcs boxes). The straws come in three lengths and can be individually wrapped in tissue paper. In the production we follow strict hygiene rules, as a result of which we obtained the German LFGB (food contact) certificate, issued by TÜV Rheinland.

Our grass straws are an ecological and sustainable alternative to paper straws. They do not soften, keep their shape and stiffness in both hot and cold drinks. They are ideal for water, carbonated drinks, juices and alcoholic beverages. They remain hygienic and functional even after years of storage.

For further information visit www.frogut-bio.pl or see the advert on the facing page.

NEW DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump) from Pump Technology Ltd. Launched at HRC Excel 21 to 23 March 2022 The DrainMinor C Combi oven waste pump can be seen in operation at the Hotel Restaurant Catering, HRC Exhibition 2123 March 2022 ExCel London on Stand P621 which we are sharing with Combi Oven servicing experts R-Tec Services & Innovation Ltd, (previously known as Rational Technical services UK Ltd.) Combi Oven cleaning cycles require hot wastewater to be pumped away if gravity drainage is not available.

The New DrainMinor C Combi Oven waste water drainage Pump has been developed specifically for this demanding application and offers users excellent reliability and ease of operation.

The compact wastewater collecting tank with low level inlet height, which can be decided onsite to suit the discharge run from the Combi Oven, is fitted with a Specialist Submersible pump. It features a rigid external float arm with large triangular float. This robust design ensures accurate and reliable automatic stop/start of the pump even when the hot wastewater is greasy. It can also cope with food debris or turbulence within the collecting tank.

A Silicon Carbide mechanical shaft seal, oil chamber and inboard shaft seal ring protects the motor within the submersible pump. This arrangement is an engi-

neered solution for leak and ingress protection of the motor windings when pumping hot wastewater with diluted cleaning chemicals and food waste debris. It ensures considerably longer product life and operating reliability over submersible pumps fitted with standard diaphragm shaft seals.

The compact dimensions (380mm W x 290mm D x 332 H) of the rigid, recyclable Polyethylene collecting tank ensure that it will easily fit into most spaces. The lid covers the entire top of the tank and fits onto a captive seal. Removing the lid is quick and simple, making it easy to see into the tank and all around the pump for cleaning and to facilitate removal of any buildup of debris.

Pump Technology Ltd., established 1992, is a specialist wastewater pump and pumping system provider.

The company’s DrainMinor, DrainMajor and DrainKing wastewater pump systems are renowned as robust and reliable commercial kitchen drainage solutions. For all kitchen wastewater pumping requirements call the technical team to discuss an application. They will be able to select a proven wastewater pumping system for you.

Cleaning, Hygiene & Infection Control

Why Tailoring Your Products Will Revolutionise Your Cleaning Routine The pandemic has shone a harsh spotlight on venue hygiene and cleanliness. It can be tempting to cut corners when it comes to your cleaning routine, but ensuring you have the right products for the right job can save you time and money in the long run.

Hance McGhie from Chemisphere UK tells us about the science behind the products that will leave every aspect of your venue sparkling...

THE RIGHT PRODUCTS FOR...

CLEANING SURFACES...

A good surface spray should be food grade but food safe, and the ingredients should eat into biofilm removing any areas of residue that harbour pathogens. We have developed our independently-tested surface sanitiser to be extremely effective against bacteria, yeast and 99.999% of microbes, and - to ensure it’s easy to use - there is no need to rinse and it continues working for up to 14 hours when dry.

CLEANING NOZZLES, CONNECTORS AND SPARKLERS All nozzles, sparklers and connectors should be soaked overnight using sanitising tablets that are effective against bacteria, mould, spores and fungi. Using a tap and keg sanitising spray is also a good idea, as this can be used as and when to target bacteria and fungi, and remove any build up of yeast.

CLEANING BEER LINES Beer lines need to be cleaned by alkaline solutions which contain Potassium Hydroxide - a chemical used

in the food industry because it's an excellent detergent with strong antimicrobial properties. Your beer line cleaning products should be effective at emulsification and saponification of fats, protein peptization, and efficient at removing soils, greases and oils. Beer lines can get clogged up with yeast, so it’s crucial that your line cleaners stand up to the test - time and time again. Our Purple Pipeline Original is well known within the industry and is one of our top selling products, as it changes colour if your lines are dirty and doesn’t contain any caustic soda.

CLEANING GLASSWARE The best detergents for glassware include potassium hydrochloride but no caustic soda. Alkaline cleaning agents such as potassium hydrochloride are incredibly effective at emulsification and saponification of fats, protein peptization, and are efficient at removing soils, greases and oils.

CUTLERY AND CROCKERY Crockery and cutlery should always be put through a hot commercial grade dishwasher to ensure it’s hygienically clean and ready to be used again straight away.

Using a highly concentrated bactericidal dishwashing and sterilising powder should totally eliminate egg, protein, starch deposits and tannin stains, meaning that your customers can be confident of spotless cutlery and crockery.

Call us now on 0800 0188 062 or visit www.chemisphereuk.com

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OptiClean Rapidly Reduces Levels of Virus-sized Airborne Particles Carrier's OptiClean™ air cleaner for hotels, restaurants and pubs is proven to rapidly reduce levels of ultra-fine, virus-sized particles in the air.

OptiClean uses a highly effective High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter, which operates with an efficiency rating of up to 99.995% at the most penetrating particle size.

Research carried out by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) demonstrated that OptiClean cuts levels of airborne particles in the critical size range (up to 1 m diameter), covering viruses and virus-containing droplets, by around two thirds in just 30 minutes.

To broaden protection, OptiClean comes with optional internal UV-C lamps to target pathogens on surfaces within the unit and activated charcoal filters to reduce odours and absorb Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

The results also show OptiClean is as effective when located in the corner of a room as at the centre.

The unit is easy and quick to deploy, with smooth-running castors enabling it to be moved rapidly to areas requiring treatment.

Matthew Maleki, the company’s air quality specialist, said: "These independent findings demonstrate that OptiClean effectively targets ultrafine virus-sized airborne particles and can be installed in hospitality settings as part of a risk reduction strategy.”

OptiClean is part of Carrier's Healthy Buildings Programme, a suite of advanced solutions to help deliver healthy, safe, efficient and productive indoor environments.

In the US, where OptiClean was introduced first, the device was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Best Inventions of 2020. In the UK it was selected as Air Conditioning Innovation of the Year in the Cooling Industry Awards.

Matthew Maleki said: “Good air quality is as important as safe drinking water. With people now returning to pubs and restaurants, OptiClean offers owners and managers a practical and visible means of reassuring customers and staff and supporting premises."

For more details: www.carrier.com/commercial/en/uk/products/air-treatment/air-scrubber/39uv/ OptiClean can be used in hotels, pubs, restaurants, offices and classrooms to reduce risks from airborne pathogens. Pictured is an OptiClean unit protecting players and staff in the changing rooms of Sale Sharks Rugby Club.

Dreaming of a Covid-Free 2022? Here’s How to Make it a Reality…

Minoo Patel, Head of Technology at BonaCaeli, explains how hotels, pubs, bars and restaurants can protect staff and customers.

rates.

MAKE YOUR AIR AS CLEAN AS YOUR PLATES

We’re all hoping that 2022 won’t be derailed by further lockdowns. But many in hospitality are also worried that a surge in Covid-19 cases could lead to staff shortages in an already stretched industry. We know that masks, extra ventilation, and social distancing measures can help – but there’s another solution that could be a game changer.

BonaCaeli’s AirVSAFE 2000 air purifier will remove 90% of airborne pathogens in your venue after just six minutes of running time. Run it continuously for seven hours or more, and it will remove 99.999% of pathogens – better than any other air purifier on the market.

Covid-19 is primarily transmitted through air-borne mists of exhaled particles, which can remain in the air for up to three hours. By simply installing a custom designed air-purifier, you can actively remove virus-carrying particles from the air and dramatically reduce transmission

Give your staff and your customers the gift of a safer festive season with a BonaCaeli AirVSAFE 2000 air purifier. To learn more visit https://www.bonacaeli.com/hospitality

Hospital-Grade Air Purification Made Portable Rensair is a specialist in portable air purification, protecting and enhancing lives through clean air.

Our patented technology, which combines H13 HEPA filtration with germicidal UVC light, was originally developed to meet the strict standards of Scandinavian hospitals and is now trusted across all sectors. It is independently validated by scientific research laboratories, including Eurofins, Norconsult, and Oslo University Hospital.

Rensair air purification units destroy a minimum of 99.97% of airborne viruses, including coronavirus, and

meet all the standards recommended by the UK SAGE committee. A powerful fan ensures effective air circulation, cleaning up to 560m3 of air per hour.

In a test to determine Rensair’s performance in reducing the concentration of MS2 bioaerosols as a proxy for SARS-CoV-2, a particle reduction rate of 99.99% was recorded in 30 minutes (Danish Technological Institute, March 2021).

We collaborate with clients to develop the optimum indoor air quality for meeting building requirements, as well as government recommendations for mitigating the risks of Covid transmission. We take into account floor plans, existing HVAC systems, occupancy rates and noise tolerance, before recommending a tailor-made solution based on our portable, modular units.

Rensair has been included in Newsweek’s list of Best Infection Prevention Products 2021. To make the list, a selection committee evaluated the product against several criteria: effectiveness; safety; successful real-world implementation; the quality of research studies demonstrating the product's effectiveness; and the stability of the company (to support future implementations).

Rensair’s mission is to provide clean air for every space and to help the hospitality industry get back on its feet after the pandemic. contact@rensair.com +44 (0)20 3973 8927 www.rensair.com

Encouraging Better Handwashing with Intellimix from Ideal Standard Ideal Standard, one of the world’s leading providers of bathroom and washroom products, has launched Intellimix, a smart, cost-effective solution to support better hygiene in spaces as the commercial world reopens.

Designed to dispense both soap and water with every use, Intellimix is completely touchfree, guaranteeing improved hygiene standards in public washrooms. Ideal for offices, leisure facilities and other high-traffic environments, such as shopping centres, hotels and restaurants, and airports, the fitting significantly lowers running costs while being sustainable and reducing waste.

Despite delivering an optimum volume of soap with every wash for improved hygiene, Intellimix actually reduces the overall amount of soap and water typically used in washrooms with traditional fittings, minimising waste and generating cost savings of up to 80 per cent on soap and 85 per cent on water.

Maintenance and cleaning is also hassle-free, with less frequent and faster soap replacement compared to traditional dispensers, and reduced cleaning required with all soap directed into the bowl.

Bluetooth enabled, Intellimix also offers parameter settings which can be easily controlled by facilities managers via a smartphone. From the palm of their hands, they can conveniently change a variety of settings on all taps in a building, including how much soap is dispensed, how long water should flow and how often anti-stagnation flushing should occur. Intellimix also sends notifications when soap is running low to avoid unnecessary physical checks.

The fitting is available in Chrome and Black Onyx versions, while panel mounted models will launch later in 2021. What’s more, the screen can also be set to display a company logo or any advertising image during idle times.

As well as the fitting, Ideal Standard has also developed Intellimix Mild Antibacterial Foam Soap, a unique formula to ensure flawless performance and optimal hygiene. Irritant-free and with a rich, thick texture, it is gentle on skin and offers a luxurious experience every time.

For more information, visit: www.intellimix.co or see the advert on page 19.

Hospitality Technology

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The Next Generation Hotel Booking Platform Turn Lookers into Bookers with Style Travel during the pandemic has changed, with guests now increasingly likely to directly book via a hotel’s website. Consequently, an advanced booking engine that boasts seamless integration with your hotel website is key to boosting direct bookings.

Next generation hotel booking engines are more than just the source of direct reservations. They act as a comprehensive and easy-to-use platform that’s tailored to fit hoteliers' needs, helping properties to stand out within a highly competitive market by delivering a brand experience that guests will remember.

It’s all about results - supercharge your direct bookings and stand out online If you run a premium leisure hotel or resort, you will need a premium booking solution that’s been designed for your unique needs. The right solution will help you know your guests better thanks to powerful, datadriven insights, which enable you to provide the best possible online guest journey.

For guests, it’s all about clear navigation and easy access to relevant information in a minimum number of steps. A powerful booking platform maximises the potential of (up)selling offers, enabling hoteliers to achieve the greatest possible increase in sales per room.

To help defend against third-party online providers, the right booking platform will allow you to offer unique

incentives to book directly, such as tailored packages. Advanced database segmentation lets you create personalised communications, tailored offers, newsletters and/or campaigns that are aligned to individual guest’s preferences. By creating specific landing pages that can use sophisticated offers or upsell ‘experiences’ or even suggest more flexible payment plans, hoteliers can offer a value-added experience to those booking directly, helping to foster long-term relationships.

Premium booking platforms such as Profitroom’s Booking Engine 360 deliver real added value for both hoteliers and their guests by offering vouchers, alternative suggestions for dates in case of no availability and attractive discounts for direct bookers. Ultimately, it’s about tangible results, which is why Profitroom’s award-winning Customer Success team works with our clients every day to use all the data that’s coming in to drive conversions, improve performance and boost revenue.

The Profitroom Booking Engine 360 is a prime example of a solution that offers all these advanced features, having been developed exclusively with leisure hotels and resorts in mind.

For more information visit www.profitroom.com or scan our QR code for a personal consultancy.

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.

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Run A Leaner, More Efficient Finance System Organisations within the hospitality sector, from conference venues to independent restaurant chains, all share the same challenge of consolidating financial data.

With complex revenue streams and often disparate systems, it can be difficult to see where your business is heading.

We understand that changing financial systems can often fill teams with fear, but that need not be that case. Xledger is here to streamline, digitise and automate your finances, helping you run a leaner more efficient business.

Xledger is a leading provider of cloud-based finance software, empowering more than 10,000 businesses across 60 countries worldwide. As a true cloud solution, you have access to financial data anywhere on any device – all you need is an internet connection.

With one, live version of your data across all entities, Xledger’s powerful system allows you to drill-down into your finances and cross-check reports, enabling indepth insight and a 360-degree overview at the click of a button.

Effortless configuration allows custom integrations with your existing systems, giving you more time to focus on value-added activity for your business.

Xledger automates more functions than any other provider. With built-in OCR, costly and risky data entry errors are eliminated. Consolidated reports can be created in seconds rather than weeks. Plus, a host of other benefits from on-the-go expenses to GL posting, and fully automated digital workflows and purchase-to-pay process.

If your organisation is facing any of these issues, don’t hesitate to contact Xledger’s Business Development Manager, Phil Chalmers on: phil.chalmers@xledger.co.uk or call 07425 638 718.

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.

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

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

Bizimply CEO Conor Shaw said: “So many of our

hospitality customers rely to some extent on students and it’s a relationship that brings benefits to employer and employees. Managing a team where some members are unavailable for certain shifts and not 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.

Visit Bizimply at www.bizimply.com

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Outdoor Spaces

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

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

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

With today’s trend in alfresco socialising and dining, we can offer you made to measure shading that will enhance the beauty, and accessibility, of your business – with the added bonus of instant leasing options and monthly payments to suit you

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

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

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

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

Crafted from the highest-quality materials, all our

Stylish Luxury Gazebos From White Pavilion Hi, I'm Tim Burdekin, and I've designed and built the White Pavilion Garden Gazebo to be your perfect, all-weather gazebo for all the seasons.

I designed the White Pavilion Garden Gazebo range to be combined with a variety of lighting, heating, coloured canopies and side screen options to help create the perfect gazebo for your outdoor space, garden, patio or hot tub area. They're 100% waterproof and designed to withstand the very worst the British weather can throw at them. And they're guaranteed to survive 100 Mph Winds - see 100 Mph Windproof.

Our stylish hospitality gazebos Generate More Income from your outdoor space. Keeping your customers comfortable outdoors, the more time they will spend with you…. which means more money they will spend with you.

A White Pavilion Gazebo gives 100% Waterproof Protection...100 Mph Windproof Guaranteed...100%

Sun Protection......and comes with a 5 Year Guarantee - Your gazebo choice doesn't get better than this.

If you have any questions at all, feel free to get in touch. Give our team a call - 01653 695 285 or visit www.whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk We're here to help you get the very best from your outdoors.

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

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Outdoor Spaces

Having Successfully Launched the ILF Chairs New Comprehensive Website, ILF Have Now Added Further Stock Product Colours www.ilfchairs.com

email: terry.kirk@ilfchairs.com

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

same product style.

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. They have also now added a range of stock chairs and barstools.

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

Also included is a link to priced 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.

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

Design and Refit

Upgrade Your Chairs with Trent Furniture’s New Reupholstery Service If the metal or wooden chairs in your hospitality setting are looking tatty but the frames are still robust, there’s no need to throw them away.

You can easily extend their lifespan and have them looking as good as new again with Trent’s new reupholstery service.

Trent’s team of expert upholsterers, who work on many of the new chairs we supply, are now able to provide that service for older chairs that require a facelift or need to be recovered to fit in with a new décor scheme. With a choice of hundreds of contract-grade fabrics to choose from, you are sure to find the perfect choice for your venue.

Not only does reupholstery cost a fraction of the amount

needed to buy new chairs, prolonging the life of the chairs you already own is a more eco-conscious choice too. What’s more, the process couldn’t be simpler – all you need to do is email a photo of the chair stating how many you need reupholstered for a competitive quote.

To find out more about how Trent’s reupholstery service can give your chairs a new lease of life in 2022, please call us on 0116 2864 911 or fill in our contact form at www.trentfurniture.co.uk

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www.catererlicensee.com

Or to sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter and digital editions with all the latest news delivered directly to your email!

www.catererlicensee.com/signup

Design and Refit Carbon Savings with Adveco FUSION Hybrid Hot Water Systems Commercial hot water specialist, Adveco, introduces the FUSION FPH-S range of low carbon, all-electric, packaged hybrid hot water systems. Designed to meet the daily needs of restaurants, cafés, public houses and other small to medium sized business, FUSION harnesses Adveco’s FPi32 air source heat pump (ASHP), a high-pressure ATSH calorifier with electric immersion, controls, and metering. Packaged together this provides a reliable, high-temperature, sustainable and cost-effective system for new build and refurbishment projects.

“For organisations with small to medium basin and sink led hot water demands and a desire to embrace a more sustainable business model, the FUSION FPH-S range provides a single, easy to accommodate, highly effective response,” says Bill Sinclair, technical director, Adveco. “By choosing one of these packaged hybrid

water systems you gain optimum efficiencies, lower your carbon emissions and can be assured building regulations are being met for your commercial project.”

FUSION is available in 16 pre-specified variants with 6 or 10 kW preheat and 9 or 12 kW electric top-up which support continuous capacity hot water demands from 257-377 litres/hour. The physical design, dedicated controls, and integrated metering ensure the ASHP preheat, and immersion work seamlessly to deliver the highest operational efficiencies. This enables FUSION’s heat pump to supply 50°C for system preheat and offset much of the electric immersion top-up in the calorifier to deliver up to 53% carbon emission savings when compared to an identical direct electric only system. When compared to an equivalent gasonly system carbon savings of 50% can be demonstrated. www.adveco.co

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.

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.

Visit www.saniflo.co.uk or see the advert on page 13 for further information.

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Design and Refit Space Saving Solutions Without Compromising On Performance 42

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Issue 97

By Tim Charlton, managing director of Euro Catering Equipment, UK distributor for Giorik.

What are the latest and greatest features chefs should look out for when it comes to this equipment?

Space is one of the biggest limitations in any pub kitchen, as operators try to strike the right balance between maximising space for paying customers whilst providing enough room back of house to serve them. Whether it’s a historic building or a new-build, ask any pub chef and they’ll tell you they’d like more space in the kitchen.

Of course, space constraints don’t just pose logistical challenges for staff, they also impact what equipment can be installed. That’s why slimline ovens are proving increasingly popular and manufacturers are working incredibly hard to deliver the same performance from a smaller footprint.

Giorik offers a number of slimline models across its Kore and Movair combi oven ranges, including a choice of ten countertop Kore ovens (6 or

10 x 1/1gn) which are just 520mm wide and can be stacked two high to get the most capacity from the smallest footprint.

Unique to Giorik, a gas slimline model is also available in both 6 and 10 x 1/1gn format, as well as models with an internal boiler.

Or for complete flexibility, the Movair MTE523W from Giorik is a 13amp countertop 5 x 2/3gn model - universally popular in pub kitchens because it can be plugged in anywhere. And still just 637mm wide.

The most important thing with any slimline model is that they don’t compromise on performance or functionality. All of Giorik’s slimline combi ovens are fitted with touchscreen programmable controls, an automatic wash system, multi-level shelf timers and a core probe – for maximum performance from a minimum footprint in smaller kitchen spaces.

Visit www.euro-catering.co.uk/shop/brands/giorik or www.giorik.com/en/home.html

MST Auctioneers

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

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

For the past 25 years, we've provided a unique disposal service tailored to suit, liquidators, banks, receivers as well as private and corporate vendors. We carry out probate valuations and conduct complete house and commercial clearances.

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

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

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

Give Yourself a Fresh New Look with Mayfair Furniture Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 10 years this year of providing the UK’s fastest and affordable commercial furniture. Supplying all kinds of establishments from high end hotel chains to small local takeaways.

To advertise in the

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier Tel 01202 552333

We keep in stock a huge variety of items ready for immediate dispatch, and can fulfil a wide range of bespoke orders. We deliver to all areas of the UK, Ireland & Europe.

We are not just a supplier; we understand that from time to time hospitality and leisure

establishments like to give themselves a fresh new look. That's why not only do we supply contract furniture, but when it's time for your establishment to go through a refurbishment we also offer a complete clearance service. We'll organise everything from a suitable time and date, professional clearance staff to remove contract furniture whether fitted or unfitted.

01733 310115 sales@mayfairfurniture.co.uk www.mayfairfurniture.co.uk

Design and Refit

Having Successfully Launched the ILF Chairs New Comprehensive Website, ILF Have Now Added Further Stock Product Colours www.ilfchairs.com

email: terry.kirk@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. They have also now added a range of stock chairs and barstools.

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.

Issue 97

CLH Digital

43

See us at

Expowest

Cornwall

2 - 3 Mar ch Royal Cor nwall Sho wground &

HRC 21 - 23 M arch ExCeL Lo ndon

Also included is a link to priced 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.

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

Just Artificial - Plants • Trees • Flowers Established in 2004, Just Artificial have many years’ experience as one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high quality artificial plants, trees, silk flowers and related accessories, which we offer at competitive prices.

We have a range of fantastic options which will set your space apart from the rest, allowing you to create an indoor Eden. Our products are highly realistic, durable, and designed with particular care and attention by our master craftsmen, all of whom are experts in their field.

Our range is always growing, supporting current modern trends as well as traditional needs, for indoor and outdoor use, tailored to complement any business.

We offer a complete product range including silk flowers, floral arrangements, artificial plants, trees (even

palm trees), topiary, exotics, plant and tree displays, hedges, fruit, hanging baskets, ivy garlands and other foliage, synthetic lawn grass and astroturf, planters, pot pourri, organza ribbon, decorative butterflies, essential oils, oasis foam, metal wall art, and Christmas supplies.

Whatever your choice, we have the design experience and the tools to make your space stand out.

Whatever the case, we have the perfect solution for your décor – one which will transform your space into something extraordinary.

Contact (01524) 858888, sales@justartificial.co.uk or visit www.justartificial.co.uk

Artificial Plants & Trees for Businesses

At Just Artificial, we work with interior designers, decorators, set dressers, architects and more to set your premises apart from the rest. Our artificial plants, flowers, and trees are highly realistic to look and touch, as well as being durable and attractive.

Our master craftsmen construct each one with painstaking care and attention to create an exceptionally ‘real’ artificial flower, and we offer bespoke solutions to suit the needs of your space, business and tastes.

(01524) 858888 sales@justartificial.co.uk www.justartificial.co.uk

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

44

CLH Digital

Property and Professional

Issue 97

Weathering the Financial Storm It’s undoubtedly been a difficult time for many within catering and foodservice. With the combination of Brexit, COVID-19 and pinches to the economy, it’s no wonder many are looking to diversify or change to stay afloat. Rick Smith, MD of Forbes Burton (www.forbesburton.com), a business advisory firm specialising in insolvency, suggests how businesses can make the most of their situation.

It’s often the small changes that make the most amount of difference. If firms within catering and food are concerned with the state of their business, they should take steps to remedy this as soon as possible. For example, taking a look at your current strategy could work wonders. Is there anything that could be changed easily? It’s best to make a point of this, speak to professionals who may be able to identify weak areas and help strengthen your offering as well as your finances.

Restrictions have taken over the past few years, with many in the catering industry suffering from a lack of live events, cancelled plans and a general recruitment problem that is yet to be solved. All these things can compound to make what is usually a lucrative, seasonal business a success into an unstable, fraught experience.

If you don’t have a business plan to hand, then make sure you review or create one. Are there any areas of your business where costs could be cut? Could you plan for different scenarios of problems and how they can be overcome?

If you are struggling to find areas to save cost, looking at your suppliers could be a great start too. Just because you’ve been with the same one for 10 years and they’ve always been good doesn’t mean you have to stick with them forever. Do the research on any new suppliers beforehand though, reliability and fulfilment needs to be balanced with cost. An unreliable supplier can ruin your business, especially in a time where supply chains have been weakened overall.

You should also look at your marketing plan – has your niche market changed? Are you still using the right messaging and communications channels? Marketing shouldn’t be the first thing that gets cut when looking to save money, but making sure you are on the right platforms for your audience is essential. Otherwise you risk shouting into a void where nobody is engaged. Follow where trends dictate and learn to regroup and reuse content to get the maximum value from your marketing.

Cash-flow is a common problem within catering, from clients not paying on time to the rise in material costs and labour making their mark felt in a very real way. It should be an area that is closely watched. Quick fixes such as short-term cash injections may help, but is it just kicking the can further down the road if the business is actually no longer viable? It may seem obvious, but borrowed money has to be repaid. That piece of equipment you are thinking of purchasing might make you money in the long run, but what does it mean for your short-term cash flow? Could such a purchase cost you more than you think?

It’s always a good idea to take the time to negotiate too, there’s a real chance you might be able to talk to suppliers or clients to review terms or arrange payment structures. Could you arrange a retainer structure for fair use of materials or equipment? The possibilities are endless.

Whatever you do, there is always room for improvement and specialists out there to help. Burying your head in the sand is simply not an option.

Are You Struggling to RUN PROFITABLY Your Restaurant, Pub or Hotel Business?

If so, our bespoke Hospitality Mentoring & Consultancy service can help. Our Managing Consultant, David Hunter, has been a recognised Management Consultant specialising in the Hospitality sector for over 30 years.

David’s mission is to provide practical advice, knowledge and expertise that will help your business to reach its full FINANCIAL POTENTIAL. Our bespoke Mentoring & Consultancy service focuses on the key areas of your business, such as

PROFITABILITY, MANAGING PEOPLE, MARKETING and OPERATIONAL STRATEGY. As part of his Mentoring-driven service, David has always provided ‘’free-of-extra-charge’’ key weekly figures, analysis & reporting so that your finger is always on the pulse of your business’s finances and performance.

The GOOD NEWS is that David has now made this service even more accessible, with a lower ‘’entry level’’ ongoing Mentoring arrangement that is ‘’strapped on to’’ our providing those vital weekly figures to you.

So … instead of just getting our own wellestablished, tried and tested and very popular, weekly figures reporting system, you can now access David’s KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE and EXPERTISE via INCLUSIVE, and AT NO EXTRA COST, four half-day on-site Mentoring & Consultancy visits every year (or two full days, depending on your location).

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

You get even more than that … David is always available to you at the end of the phone or via Email, and always on-hand when you need EAST DEVON COAST

DARTMOOR VILLAGE

CORNISH COASTAL TOWN

Desirable 10 Bedroom Guest House

Stunning & Renowned Quintessential Village Inn 5 Letting Bedrooms Stylish Character Bar & Dining Areas (92+) Attractive Beer Gardens (60+) Sought After Idyllic Dartmoor Village

Character Licensed Cafe & Bistro 36 Seats Inside and 48 Seats Outside

FH £1,200,000

LH £135,000

2 Bed Chalet & Owner’s Accom.

Prominent & Visible Trading Position Trading On a Bed & Breakfast Only Basis Impressive Levels of Trade

LH £95,000

6011

4812

Trading 7 Months Of The Year Only Strong Profits With Low Overheads Potential to Increase Trade Levels

2134

SOMERSET VILLAGE

SOMERSET VILLAGE

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Exceptional High Turnover Free of Tie Inn

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Quality Delicatessen & Coffee Shop

Bar & Dining Areas (140)

Main Bar (35+), Restaurants (50)

Equipped To Extremely High Standards

Trade Gardens & Patio Ares (64)

4 Quality Ensuite Letting Bedrooms

Prominent Town Centre Trading Position

6 Double Bed (2 Ensuite) Owners Accom.

3 Bed Owner’s Accom. & Sep. Flat

Unique & Profitable Business

Sought After Free of Tie Leasehold

Strong Trade & Profits

Alfresco Seating For 24 Customers

LH £150,000

4815

DARTMOOR DEVON

FH £597,000

4811

LH £89,950

2131

DEVON VILLAGE

EAST DEVON COAST Award-Winning Tearoom & Restaurant

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Excellent Reputation With Potential

Interconnecting Bar & Dining Areas (66+)

38 Covers & Commercial Kitchens

30 Covers & Commercial Kitchen

3 Letting Bedrooms (2 With Hot Tubs)

3 Bed Owner's Accom. & Roof Terrace

2 Bedroom Owner's Accommodation

2/3 Double Bedroom Owner’s Accomm.

Sought After East Devon Coastal Town

Quality Business In Sought After Town

Completely Refurbished

Garage, Parking & Close To Beach

LH £89,950

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FH £395,000 PLUS VAT

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

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LH £89,950

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advice or guidance.

There is MORE. You would also get access to “tried and tested” experts through our Bowden Group Alliance, where our fully approved colleagues are ALSO at your disposal for advice on areas such as legal advice, saving money on Utility bills, Marketing and more. OUR BOWDEN GROUP ALLIANCE MARKETING COLLEAGUE MATTHEW WILL EVEN GIVE YOU A MARKETING REVIEW … COMPLETELY F.O.C. … to help you to get your business going.

Without cost or obligation, David will also take a look at your figures and discuss what could be ACHIEVED … again COMPLETELY F.O.C. …

If your business is struggling with financial or operational challenges, then get in touch today.

MAXIMISE YOUR FULL POTENTIAL by calling David Hunter confidentially on 07831 407984 or 01628 487613, or message us via our website at: www.bowdengroup.co.uk

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

Property and Professional

Straight Forward Insolvency Advice from Oury Clark We know that the last couple of years have been tough, especially in the hospitality sector. Not to worry, our Insolvency Practitioners are here to help advise and guide you if your business is struggling.

Oury Clark has been helping people since 1935 and our Insolvency Practitioners have over 20 years of experience in both Personal and Corporate Insolvency. We are a family run professional firm that provides the highest professional standards to all our clients.

If your business is in financial difficulty it is important to take advice well in advance to avoid any wrong doing as a director. At Oury Clark we will hold your hand from

the beginning to the end of the Insolvency process, whether it’s you or your company. We will explain clearly the best insolvency scenario/option that’s applicable to you depending on your circumstances. We will ease your stress and deal with your creditors directly on your behalf. We will not load you with jargon, but will explain matters in plain language.

Insolvency could be the right thing to do if your business is struggling. You can bury your old debts and make a new start.

So, don’t lose sleep over threatening creditors. At Oury Clark we are more than happy to assist and make your life simpler.

If you require advice and support on any sort of formal insolvency procedure we are only a telephone call away. Please ring us on 01753 551111 and ask to speak to Kalani or anyone in the Oury Clark Insolvency team.

Kalani.Gunawardana@ouryclark.com

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

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