CLH News #202 July 2017

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July 2017

Issue 202

Hospitality Design Property & Technology and Refit Professional

Taylor Review “Cautiously” Welcomed

by Hospitality Trade Pages 20 - 21

Page 24

THE TAYLOR REVIEW, which was commissioned in October 2016, largely to examine how employment practices need to change to keep UP with modern business models, has been cautiously welcomed by hospitality industry bodies.

At the “heart” of the review was how the flexible demands of modern businesses can be balanced with the need for job security and workplace rights. The review’s main point being that changes to working rights are required to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation but not cause serious damage to the UK’s thriving flexible labour market, and that where possible, government should maintain flexibility for people that want to work that way. Key recommendations of the reviewinclude: • Replace the legal definition of worker with dependent contractor with legal definition to focus on control and supervision; • Align status tests for employment rights and tax; • Gig economy (short-term/freelance) employers likely to be obliged to provide holiday pay, sick pay and pay class 1 NIC; • Gig economy employers to provide real time information on pay in advance of any work being accepted and to prove that average pay rates exceed NMW by 20 per cent; • No ban on zero hours workers but right to request fixed hours and NMW premiums; • Remove tribunal fees in relation to establishing employment status; and • Holiday pay claims to be brought under HMRC’s remit.

The report’s author, Matthew Taylor, said that all work in the UK’s economy should be “fair and decent” and that “fairness demands” that people, in particular those on lower incomes, had opportunities for advancement in the workplace.

Speaking to the BBC Taylor said: “In my view there is too much work particularly at the bottom end of the labour market that is not of a high enough quality. There are too many people not having their rights fully respected. There are too many people at work who are treated like cogs in a machine rather than being human beings, and there are too many people who don’t see a route from their current job to progress and earn more and do better.”

Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive of the British Hospitality Association, which represents 46,000 businesses in hospitality and tourism, said: “We are pleased that the Taylor Review CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF SPROWTS

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has recognised that zero hour contracts are welcomed by many workers as well as employers for their flexibility. The review talks of minimum wage increases for people on zero hour contracts. We believe any increase must be set by the Low Pay Commission having access to all the available facts and not by politicians.

“Taylor emphasises the goals of good work for all. Hospitality and tourism, the fourth largest UK industry employing 4.6m people, is a force for social mobility and is a top six employer in each region. In the BHA’s 10 year strategy, the industry outlined its plans to encourage more UK workers to consider the industry as a career of choice, recognising the fantastic opportunities available to those who want to climb the career ladder. We are one of the few industries open to all and research shows that we have the ability to create over 500,000 jobs by 2022.”

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The report recognises that many people will have more than one career in their working lifetimes and endorses the ambition that work should be ‘fair and decent with realistic scope for development and fulfilment.’ This is something that the sector delivers brilliantly: providing options for training and the emphasis on transferable skills across an incredibly varied and dynamic range of businesses.

“The report acknowledges the fact that responsible employment, rather than regulation, is the way forward. In particular, it is good to see the Government recognising the value of flexible working for both employers and employees and not seeking to ban the use of such arrangements.

“In our discussion with members, and with the wider eating and drinking out sector, we have not seen any evidence of widespread misuse of contracts and flexible working. It is important that employers and employees still have the chance to benefit from a working arrangement that suits all parties. A measure that allows employees to request a guaranteed hours contract is fine, as long as the Government’s approach is one of collaborative working, rather than naming and shaming of employers unable to provide guaranteed hours.

“What we need now from the Government is engagement with employers to develop guidance and a code of practice to address concerns around contracts and recognition of good practice.

“The report also addresses the issue of employment costs and seeks to avoid any increases in the cost of employing people. While this is welcome, the possibility of a higher rate of National Minimum Wage for hours that are not guaranteed in a contract would increase costs for businesses and likely be a significant administrative hassle. Further reassurance from the Government that employment costs are not going to increase for employers is essential at this uncertain time.”

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Editor's Viewpoint

July 2017

WELCOME TO the July issue of CLH News.

Once again, I would take this opportunity to welcome any new readers to our publication. As previously explained we are free-to-trade publication! We have in recent months extended our readership to reach more independent hospitality businesses. We hope you’ll find us a one-stop publication news, views products and services which we are sure will help you in the day-to-day running of your business. We would ask just one thing of you!

When responding to our advertisers would be most EDITOR grateful if you could kindly mention that you saw the product or service in CLH News, even if you are buying online!

Please mention us to our advertisers!

One of the many pressing issues facing hospitality is staffing. According to a report by the British Hospitality Association the hospitality industry could create more than 500,000 new jobs over the next five years. The report states that labour productivity in the sector has grown more than twice that of the growth rate of the overall economy.

A staggering 500,000 jobs created by 2022. It is a wonderful example of how vibrant and buoyant the industry is, and again, according to an article in this issue by business advisory firm Deloitte, 89% of non-British workers say that they find the UK either quite attractive offer highly attractive as a work destination.

The elephant in the room being that the industry will suffer significantly if a deal on immigrant workers is not reached. We have also reported this issue that research from the Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association has revealed that more than half the workforce currently working in restaurants and pizza delivery businesses across the UK would have to leave if there is no agreement with Europe.

Given that the industry is the fourth largest industry in the United Kingdom, providing £38 billion in tax receipts, then the issue is clearly a huge issue, and one that needs to be at the very heart of EU negotiations.

As a mere “layman” I sometimes struggle to see why relatively simple issues are complicated to the point of standstill.

Way back in the late 70s and early 80s I worked in contract engineering, working overseas, both in Europe and Africa. I simply applied for Visa and was allowed to work. On a couple of occasions, I was called to produce my Visa which I did and there were no problems. It really was that simple.

The Pizza Pasta & Association has called for the introduction of a visa system that would allow unskilled or semi-skilled workers into the country for a limited period to take up vacancies that cannot otherwise be filled, and also wants specialists, such as chefs, to be included on any acceptable skills lists.

How difficult is that? It would work exceptionally well in my opinion (layman though I am) and will certainly help prepare the ground to help reduce the industry’s dependency on immigrant labour.

We reported back in April that according to the British Hospitality Association the sector faces a shortfall of 60,000 workers a year if immigration from the EU is too tightly controlled following Brexit, The hospitality sector in the U.K. is “highly reliant” on workers from other EU countries, representing almost one quarter of the sector’s workforce, according to the KPMG report commissioned by BHA. The BHA stated that the sector needed to reduce the its dependence on EU workers, and has sent the government a 10-year plan to train up British staff, target older workers and encourage younger people to take up jobs in the sector.

So whilst Prime Minister Theresa May’s announcement that three million EU nationals living in the UK for over five years will be allowed to remain indefinitely after Brexit is a welcome one for the hospitality industry, it does need to be finetuned and have more flexibility to take into account the short-term and transient ‘immigrants’ who are vital to the hospitality industry, but may not qualify under the Prime Minister’s proposed terms. And provide a solution in the short-term, helping the British Hospitality Association’s 10 year plan to train up British staff.

Peter Adams

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EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Shelly Roche Published by

Kevin Jenkins, UK & Ireland Managing Director at Visa commented: “June data provides further evidence that an increase in the cost of living, coupled with slowing wage growth, are beginning to squeeze household disposable income. Consumer spending fell for the second month in a row, rounding off the worst quarter since Q3 2013.

“It’s clear that inflation is beginning to affect shopping habits too, with consumers diverting their spending to essentials. Spend on food and drink grew by nearly 2%, while household goods suffered from a substantial drop as consumers cut back on big ticket furniture and homewares. The experience sector – which the Index has shown consistently outperforming in recent years – has started to feel the impact too. Spend on recreation and culture dropped for the first time in nearly four years.

“The recent heatwave and summer sales have failed to reverse the high street’s fortunes,

with face-to-face spend falling for the second consecutive month. On the other hand, e-commerce spend continued to grow, albeit at a slower rate compared to May.” Visa is tracking the sentiment of several small businesses across the UK on a monthly basis, asking about their views on the economy, business conditions and forecasts for the month ahead.

Josh Beer, The Illustrious Pub Company, Cambridgeshire said: "It’s been a challenging month for us, with sales down 6% on last year. The decline is likely caused by customers hunting for deals when they dine out. This hasn’t come as a shock and we’re looking to cut costs by doing more work ourselves. It’s been quieter for other restaurants in the area too, some businesses have reduced their opening hours and others have closed altogether."

Quan Nguyen, Chi Café, London said: "June was a rather tough month for us. A big office around the corner moved to a different part of London, taking away a large number of our regulars. We had less passing trade too, despite the weather getting better. At the same time, with rising inflation almost all of our main ingredients have increased in prices, putting more pressure on our cash flow."

EU Migrants Welcome to Remain in UK Under Special Settled Status Deal

PRIME MINISTER Theresa May has announced plans to allow EU citizens living in the UK to remain here as residents following Brexit designed to put their “anxiety to rest”.

Briefing MP’s in parliament on the outcome of Friday’s EU summit, Mrs May confirmed that all EU nationals lawfully resident for at least five years will be able to apply for “settled status” and to bring spouses and children, the BBC reports.

EU migrants who arrived after a date yet to be agreed will have two years to “regularise their status” but will not enjoy the same rights. The government has published a document summarising the UK’s offer to EU citizens.

May said she wanted to give reassurance and certainty to the 3.2 million EU citizens living in the UK – in addition to citizens of the three EEA countries and Switzerland – as they are an “integral part of the economic and cultural fabric” of the UK. However, she wants any deal on their future legal status and rights to be reciprocal and also give certainty to the 1.2 million British expats living on the continent after the UK leaves the EU – expected to be on 29 March 2019.

This promise could prove difficult to keep, as EU countries, such as France and Spain, already have less advantageous conditions for British expats than offered to EU citizens living and working in the UK. For instance, retired Brits are now facing the bleak prospect of paying for expensive health insurance or jumping on an Easyjet flight home every time they need treatment. This option could become closed to them if they are no longer resident in the UK. The main points of the UK’s proposal to EU citizens are: • EU migrants granted settled status will be able to live, work, study and claim benefits as they can now • The important cut-off date for eligibility will be no earlier than 29 March 2017 and no later than 29 March 2019 • EU family members of EU citizens living abroad will be allowed to return and apply for settled

status • Those EU nationals in the UK for less than five years at the specified date will be allowed to continue living and working in the UK and once resident for five years, they can apply for settled status • Migrants arriving after the cut-off point will be able to stay temporarily, however, they should have “no expectation” that they will be granted permanent residence • A period of “blanket residence permission” with less of the onerous requirements may apply to give officials time to process applications to stay in the UK • The Home Office will no longer request evidence that EU citizens who weren’t working held “comprehensive sickness insurance” Those granted settled status, which is the same as ‘indefinite leave to remain’ (ILR) or permanent residence, will be “treated as if they were UK citizens for healthcare, benefits and pensions”.

Mrs May added that the process of application – currently an 85-page form – would be simplified and a “light touch” approach applied to EU citizens, although she did say that criminal record checks will still be carried out when pressed by opposition MP’s.

Non-EU citizens will continue to endure the ever-changing lengthy Home Office forms and increasing high fees in order to gain indefinite leave to remain in the UK. “Under these plans, no EU citizen currently in the UK lawfully will be asked to leave at the point the UK leaves the EU,” Mrs May said.

The widely expected plan should be good news for migrants worried about their postBrexit status in the UK. Since Britons voted to leave the EU last year there has been a sharp increase in applications for ILR and UK citizenship. It has been suggested that those who have already obtained ILR may still have to apply for settled status.

Croatian citizens are currently subject to a 7 year restriction – similar to those imposed on previous EU entrants Bulgaria and Romania – on working from the date Croatia joined the EU.

BBPA Welcomes Government Action To Ensure Pubs Receive Their Reliefs

FOLLOWING GROWING concerns that local councils were not acting swiftly enough to ensure pubs receive all the rates reliefs to which they are entitled following changes in the Budget, the BBPA has welcomed the firm line issued by the Department of Communities and Local Government, telling councils that it expects them to deliver the discounts and communicate this to those ratepayers that qualify.

The notice comes in a detailed ‘Business Rate Information letter (4/2017) which is available on the DCLG website. In May, BBPA Chief Executive, Brigid Simmonds had urged Government and local authorities to work together to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The advice to councils to ensure reliefs are granted, covers premises facing the loss of either small business rate relief, or rural rate relief, but also makes clear that this applies to the new, pub-specific rates relief for premises with rateable values under £100,000, with the issuing of an annex to the document on the design and delivery of the scheme.

BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds comments: “I am grateful to DCLG for issuing clear guidance that stresses how important it is for councils to ensure that local business receive all the rates relief for which they qualify. Local authorities now need to get on and deliver these lower bills to businesses. For pubs, this is much needed, given the very great extra cost pressures they are facing this year.”

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July 2017

Brits ‘Booking Direct’ Through Hotel Websites More Than Doubled Over Last Decade, Finds Barclays SPECIAL OFFERS for direct bookings and lower prices are luring British holidaymakers to book directly through hotel websites, finds Barclays Corporate Banking.

Almost two fifths (37%) of Brits plan to book their stays through hotel and self-accommodation provider websites this year, compared to 17% in 2007 and 30% five years ago.

This contrasts with international trends where travel agents online and on the high street are the most popular ways for holidaymakers to book their UK breaks (52% and 22% respectively).

The findings are from a Barclays survey of British holiday booking trends and the Barclays Corporate Banking report, Destination UK: driving growth in the UK hospitality and leisure sector, which reveals the 2017 holiday and leisure preferences of almost 10,000 guests from the UK, continental Europe, the US, Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Mike Saul, Head of Hospitality & Leisure at Barclays Corporate Banking, said “Competition in the hospitality and leisure market is fierce and our results show that efforts by hoteliers to lure customers to book directly through their websites are paying off, with Brits now over twice as likely to book via this route than they were ten years ago.

“British hoteliers and self-accommodation providers should look to capitalise on this – and the increased trend for international guests to book their holidays using their mobile phones – by offering discounts and special benefits for direct bookers, and by ensuring their websites are mobile-optimised.”

Direct bookings boosted by discounts, special benefits and improvements to hotel websites

Eating Out Under Threat?

BRITONS COULD find it more difficult to eat out or have hot food delivered if the Government fails to find a way for foreign workers to fill jobs in the UK after Brexit.

The Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News Group is published by RBC Publishing Ltd, Suite 4, Roddis House, Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset. Contributions are welcome for consideration, however, no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage. Views expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Whilst every care is taken when compiling this publication to ensure accuracy, the publisher will assume no responsibility for any effects, errors or omissions therefrom. All rights reserved, reproduction is forbidden unless written permission is obtained.

All material is assumed copyright free unless otherwise advised.

Research by The Pizza Pasta & Italian Food Association suggests that more than half the workforce currently working in restaurants and pizza delivery businesses across the UK would have to leave if there is no agreement with Europe. Most of these could not be replaced by British nationals.

Without overseas workers, the industry would struggle to provide the level of service consumers have come to expect and many might be forced to close.

In fact, there is already a shortage of skilled pizza chefs in the UK with the uncertainties of Brexit causing some Italian pizzaiolos to return to Italy or take up jobs in mainland Europe.

In some London restaurants, the issue is more critical with some 70% of employees coming from mainland Europe or elsewhere.

“The uncertainty over Brexit is already being felt,” says Jim

Brits are being drawn to direct bookings by discounts (62%), offers of special benefits (39%), and improvements to the actual booking experience (37%) the report finds. Also effective in encouraging direct bookings is the provision of loyalty bonuses (27%) and access to price comparisons with nearby hotels (23%).

Booking holidays “on-the-move” using smart phones grows in popularity The number of Brits booking their trips online using their mobile phones has also doubled from the 3 per cent of all bookings made this way five years ago. With 6% of all UK holidaymakers planning to book their holidays online using their mobile phones this year, this equates to 2.4 million Brits planning their holidays, potentially, whilst on the move.

The popularity of smart phone bookings is even more obvious among international guests, with nearly one in ten (9%) planning to book their holidays this way. It is particularly popular for Chinese 17% Saudi Arabian holidaymakers (14%).

Conversely, US guests are the international visitors most likely to welcome a human touch, with twice as many booking their holidays by conversation over the phone (8% versus 4%) or in person (15% versus 11%) compared to the averages seen for other global holidaymakers.

Airbnb is more tempting for international holidaymakers than staycationers Airbnb is a popular option for international holidaymakers, with nearly a quarter (24%) considering this type of accommodation for their UK breaks this year. However, Brits still prefer the hotel experience (49%) and less than one in ten (6%) currently plan to use an Airbnb for their staycations, with mid-market (25%) and budget (10%) hotels being more popular options.

Winship, Director of the Association. “Some workers from overseas have already started leaving because they feel insecure and this is not helped by the weak pound.

“Unless the Government gives some real assurancessoon, this could turn into a flood and many of our member businesses would struggle.

“Although Theresa May has made a statement that those EU nationals resident in the UK for more than 5 years would be offered residency if the EU reciprocates with UK nationals, this does not entirely give confidence and does not deal with the on-going needs of the hospitality industry.

“Our research says that around 40-50% of the industry’s workforce nationally comes from outside the UK and in some areas, such as London, it is as high as 70%! Many of these are relatively short-term and transient ‘immigrants’ who will stay for a year or two, get experience and then go home.”

The Association is calling for the Government to introduce a visa system that would allow unskilled or semi-skilled workers into the country for a limited period to take up vacancies that cannot otherwise be filled. It also wants specialists, such as pizza chefs, to be included on any acceptable skills lists.

“The vast majority of these workers do not stay in the UK long term,” adds Jim Winship. “However, without them our industry will struggle as there simply aren’t the people here to fill the vacancies.”

July 2017

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Full-Service Restaurants Register Largest Dip In Visit Growth From 3% Down To 2%, Dinner Visits Slip 3% 1.5% visit growth seen in the period before the referendum (six months Jan to June 2016 compared to same period the year before).

ACCORDING TO RESEARCH from global information company The NPD Group, the British Out of Home (OOH) foodservice market has slowed since the June 2016 Brexit referendum result. While visits after the referendum (10-month period July 2016 to April 2017) were still 0.7% over the equivalent period a year earlier, this is slower than the

Visit growth to quick-service restaurants (QSR) has slipped marginally. QSR was registering pre-referendum visit growth of 2.2% but this has now fallen to 1.9%. Full-service restaurants – the most expensive foodservice channel – have seen the most noticeable slowdown from 3% down to 2%.

Cyril Lavenant, Foodservice Director UK at the NPD Group, said: “The British foodservice market has slowed since the Brexit referendum one year ago and the industry remains smaller than it was in 2009. However, the main message is that there is still growth and the industry is currently showing resilience. This is because operators have spent the past 10 years since the last downturn creating a lively and appealing foodservice environment that encourages consumers to keep eating out.

“However, there are big challenges ahead. The weakness of sterling means foodservice operators will have to replace global sourcing with local sourcing while ensuring they still get the quality they need. Inflation will prompt consumers to

make savings and so we expect it to dampen demand for eating out. Tighter immigration rules will make it harder for operators to hire staff. This is a huge issue in an industry where around 20% of employees are not from the UK. Even if a work-visa system operates when the UK leaves the EU, hiring EU staff would still be more difficult because it will absorb time and create costs. Any sustained staff shortage would damage Britain’s foodservice sector.”

Consumers have started to drop the more expensive dinner occasion, which is down nearly 3% in visit terms, although breakfast and lunch appear to be taking up the slack with faster growth since the referendum than before.

Children are another casualty of the post Brexit eating-out market. There has been a drop of over 2% in visits by adults accompanied by children of 17 years of age or less.

But contrary to the trend seen in the recession that began end of 2007, visits not involving a deal or promotion are still growing faster than promoted visits. This is a clear indication consumers feel they are getting good value for money from British foodservice operators. However, the perception of value might change if operators introduce large price increases to cope with strong inflation. Operators will

have to maintain a very appealing experience combining great service, as well as high quality of food and drinks to mitigate the negative impact of higher prices.

There’s no evidence that consumers are choosing lower quality food and drinks. In fact, the number of visits where a consumer chooses an outlet for its ‘quality’ has increased by 3% since the referendum. However, inflation is definitely evident in foodservice and has pushed the average bill per visit up by slightly more than 2%.

Meanwhile, less affluent consumers are showing the most caution over spending. Visits among the C2DE demographic have dropped nearly 1% in the 10 months July 2016 to April 2017 since the Brexit referendum. Prior to the referendum, this demographic was recording growth in eating-out visits.

Cyril Lavenant, Foodservice Director UK at the NPD Group, added: “We are only one year beyond the referendum and the full effects of Brexit on Britain’s foodservice industry have not yet appeared. But one thing is for sure – the industry will need strong growth rates if it is going to match and exceed the size it enjoyed before the 2008/2009 recession.

The post-referendum slowdown will make it more difficult to get there.”

Charity Launches Campaign to Help Workers Suffering Personal Issues THE LICENSED Trade Charity has announced a campaign that encourages those working in pubs, bars and breweries to open up about personal and family issues.

Announcing the launch of their latest marketing campaign, “Time to Open Up “ the campaign aims to raise awareness of the free resources available to anyone who has or is working in pubs, bars and breweries, when they have a personal or family problem. We are able to provide support for a range of issues including illness, housing and relationship problems and debt.

Liz Gaffer, Director of Marketing at the Licensed Trade Charity, comments: “Successful operators know that offering additional support to employees, and their families is a strong factor in recruitment and retention. As well as the help they offer as employees, many have said that having an independent resource is really useful to them.

“Last year over 7,000 people made use of the Licensed Trade Charity’s resources and support. We know that it’s often not easy to talk about problems but we hope this new, engaging campaign raises awareness of the help we can offer and give people the confidence to open up.”

The Licensed Trade Charity was established more than 200 years ago by publicans for publicans and their families, and is the industry’s longest standing charity. Support is free and confidential.

Please help us to increase awareness of our free and confidential services.

We have produced a range of awareness tools including, informative leaflets, posters and digital assets that you can use to let people in the trade know that help is at hand when things go wrong.

Further details can be found by visiting www.licensedtradecharity.org.uk

Detection of Allergens in Processed Foods: The Next Analytical Challenge

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The majority of the food and drink we consume has been processed or modified in some way. This processing brings about many benefits in terms of food safety, preservation and taste. Processing changes the characteristics of the food, of particular interest are the changes that can occur to allergenic proteins. Processing of allergens can alter their allergenicity, changing how an allergic individual may react to them.

Food allergen analysis is important as a means to emphasise greater trans-

parency, traceability and integrity in the supply chain. Analysis supports validation and verification of cleaning and investigation of recalls and incidents.

Most allergen detection methods rely on the use of antibodies to detect allergens present in food. It follows that such detection may be effected by processing. Such processing effects must be taken into account when developing new analytical methods, either by improving extractability of aggregated proteins or by going back to basics and raising new sets of antibodies that specifically target processed allergens.

Immunoassays that can reliably detect processed allergens are key to being able to fully support the food industry with all their future analytical needs.

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July 2017

Beer Day Britain Heralded A Resounding Success BEER DAY Britain 2017 has been heralded a resounding success with more people than ever getting behind the celebrations. The event, instigated by Beer Sommelier and writer Jane Peyton and developed into a four-day celebration this year in conjunction with ‘There’s A Beer For That’, saw a record number of brewery and pub events, broadcast, online and print media coverage and high levels of engagement on social media. Beer Day Britain trended on twitter throughout the day and the national #cheerstobeer thunderclap had a potential reach of quarter of a million people.

The importance of the celebrations was echoed by research specifically commissioned for Beer Day Britain by There`s A Beer For That which proved that over two thirds of Brits consider beer to be Britain’s national alcoholic drink, with over a third claiming to drink beer at least weekly.

“Our research highlighted some interesting facts about the British public’s knowledge of beer” said David Cunningham, Programme Director of There’s A Beer For That “and identified some real areas of opportunity for retailers, pub, hotel and restaurant operators to grow their sales.

“Over 60% of people questioned said they had only tried up to five different styles of beer with lager (45%) being the favourite, followed by pale ale (18%) and dark ales a distant third place at 6%. When there are over 140 different styles of beer to choose from this shows that, collectively, we still have a long way to go in educating drinkers about the wide range of styles and flavours there are to explore” said Cunningham.

The survey also revealed that people are typically most likely to drink in a pub or bar (45%) with 30% preferring to enjoy a beer in the comfort of their own home and the most popular occasion on which they like to drink beer is socially with friends and family.

“Whilst people tend to stick with their favourite drink” added Cunningham “there is a definite interest in finding out more about different styles of beer. Our research revealed that knowledge of the taste of the beer style was the most influential factor when purchasing a beer. So, we have an intriguing challenge where people want to expand their repertoire of beer styles but need more information about their flavour and taste as well as having the opportunity to try before they buy.”

The research revealed that this is also the case for those who claimed they didn’t like beer but would be encouraged to try it again if they were able to sample it and receive more information and recommendations on what styles might suit their palate.

Cunningham said, “Our research proves there is a huge opportunity to grow beer amongst beer drinkers & non-beer drinkers alike, by educating people about the different taste profiles of the wide variety of beer styles and beers now available in the UK.” The other great opportunity for beer that the research revealed is meal occasions.

“Beer`s versatility and diversity of flavours is best experienced when you match it with food” said Cunningham.

“Despite the popularity of beer, only 10% of drinkers in our survey drink it with their meal. The two main reasons for this were that people either didn’t think the flavours would complement their food or they just didn’t know how to create a good beer and food match. However, over half of Britons say they’d like to try matching beer with food. There is a real opportunity here for us as an industry to grow the category by promoting beer and food pairing.”

When looking to enhance consumer education, There’s A Beer For That’s research identifies information on taste and provenance, sampling and recommendation from bar staff as the main conduits for encouraging trial of a new beer style.

Consumers wanting inspiration about matching beer styles with food want to see information available on menu’s in the pub, at the supermarket and online.

Focus on Older Drinkers as Drinkaware Unveils Five-Year Strategy ALCOHOL EDUCATION charity Drinkaware has unveiled its strategy for the next five years which reflects key changes in UK alcohol consumption.

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Declining total alcohol sales and growing levels of abstinence amongst the young are seeing the charity shift its focus from under-age to older drinkers.

Drinkaware has identified two groups of older at risk drinkers who are more likely to be drinking significantly above the Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines on alcohol consumption, whether that’s at home or during a night out.

Reducing the number of drinkers in both these groups, along with increasing the provision of information and advice and engagement with consumers, are the three goals underpinning Drinkaware’s five year strategy.

Campaigns focusing on older drinkers are already underway with the ‘Have a Little Less, Feel a Lot Better’ campaign targeting men aged 45-65 who drink frequently, primarily at home, and who are disproportionately at risk of alcohol-related health harms.

The ‘You wouldn’t sober, You shouldn’t drunk’ campaign and the Drinkaware Crews, now operational in 13 local areas and set to expand between now and 2022, are targeting people

who are more likely to be binge drinking and the charity will continue supporting people who are using alcohol to cope with stress and anxiety.

Drinkaware has also launched an e-learning course for operators, to help employees identify and support customers at risk from alcohol harm and is working to extend the reach of its website, app and other resources to help even more people across the UK make better choices about their drinking and its effects.

Drinkaware Chief Executive Elaine Hindal said: “Drinking culture and habits in the UK have shifted significantly over the past five years and our new strategy reflects these changing currents.

“People are seeking information and advice in new ways and are increasingly looking for personalised help, support and advice about alcohol and its relationship to their health and wellbeing.

“Our five year strategy is based on an in-depth understanding of consumer behaviour as well as building on our considerable progress over recent years.

“It provides clarity both for us and for our funders and partners, whose engagement and support will be vital in helping us to meet our goals by 2022.”

July 2017

17 Michelin Star Pub/Restaurants Will Pay EXTRA £1M in Business Rates Shake Up BUSINESS RATES bills for the 17 pubs and restaurants recently highlighted as Michelin star worthy are set to rise by a mouth-watering £989,186 over the next 5 years according to data from CVS Business Rent & Rates Specialists.

Their analysis shows that the 17 Michelin star pubs featured in the Eating out in Pubs guide 2017 had a combined Rateable Value of £687,750 based on the last property assessment in 2010, which has formed the basis of rates bills for the last 7 years, but this has risen dramatically to £1,175,775, a 71% increase under the Revaluation which came into effect on 1st April.

The award-winning restaurants, the majority of which are located in Berkshire and Oxfordshire, paid just £324,163 collectively in rates liabilities in 2016/17. According to CVS, their bill is set to increase over the next 5 years to £522,001 per year on average allowing for the effects of transitional relief and forecasted inflation, representing an increase of £197,837 per year.

As a result, CVS project that over the next 5 years, allowing for transitional relief and forecasted inflation, the 17 Michelin star pubs face an almost £1Million tax hike.

The pub facing the biggest increase in rates bills is the

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Harwood Arms in London, which is set to face a hike of almost £200,000 over the next 5 years.

They are closely followed by the Hinds Head Hotel, Berkshire and The Hand and Flowers, Buckinghamshire, who face hikes in business rates bills over the next 5 years of £159,428 and £152,360 respectively.

The only business within the highly esteemed 17 not classified as a Pub Restaurant is The Wild Rabbit in Chipping Norton, which instead is listed at the Valuation Office Agency as a Hotel (4* & above). Its rates bill will still increase by £65,000 over the next 5 years.

Mark Rigby, chief executive at CVS, said: “It’s already a tough time for pubs and restaurants, and these in particular are paying the price of success.

“There could be an argument for the occupiers of these establishments that they qualify for ‘over trading’, meaning that the landlord or occupier is an exceptional trader and trading at levels that a normal operator could not attain. This over trading element should be reflected in the Rateable Value, and subsequently, will trickle down into reduced rates liabilities.

“It’s important for all landlords and restaurant owners to know that – despite Government reforms which disadvantage ratepayers – it is possible to challenge these new assessments with professional support.”

Hospitality Bosses Told to ‘Smell the Coffee’ on Low Pay by Unite BOSSES IN the hospitality and tourism industry were told to ‘wake up and smell the coffee’ in relation to the low pay and exploitative practices in their sectors.

Low paid hospitality workers, members of Britain’s biggest, Unite, took their message direct to key industry leaders attending last month's British Hospitality Association’s (BHA) annual hospitality and tourism summit at the Grand Connaught rooms in London.

Unite, which represents thousands of UK hospitality workers, is calling for a real conversation in hospitality to tackle the problems of low pay, zero hours contracts and the bullying culture that are rife in the industry. There are the key contributing factors to the industry’s ongoing recruitment, retention and skill shortage crisis.

High staff turnover is causing a productivity crisis in the hospitality industry, costing the industry around £274m a year – a situation set to get worse post-Brexit.

The hospitality industry has relied on EU free movement as a constant flow of cheap labour to exploit. The industry’s calls for a so-called two-year ‘barista’ visa to attract young non-UK nationals, post-Brexit has been slammed by Unite as way to keep wages low and continue their exploitative practices.

Rhys McCarthy Unite national officer for the services sector said. “The industry keeps harping on about changing the public perception of hospitality in order the attract young people to fill vacant positions. Yet it has done nothing to tackle the causes of it.

“The problem is not just that people perceive these jobs to

be low paid and exploitative. The problem is that this is very much the reality and that is what needs to change.

“Now faced with a staffing and skills crisis without the flow of EU workers, rather than tackling the deep-seated problems around low pay and exploitation, the industry’s latest gimmick is to call for a so-called barista visa to keep the tap of cheap labour flowing.

“Plans for a two-year barista visa for low-skilled workers with even less rights will exacerbate the problems around exploitation, while the industry continues to rake in multi-billion pound profits.

“The real conversation in hospitality needs to be around how the industry tackles the low pay, zero hours and exploitative culture which has been allowed to take root over many decades, because without a commitment to improve pay and working conditions nothing will change.

“Charging £900 a ticket for this event, which is what a minimum-waged waiter earns in a month, shows just how out-oftouch the BHA is.

“The industry’s open hostility to trade unions also needs to end so that we can start working together to make work better for everyone in hospitality – not just those that can afford to attend the BHA’s event.”

Later in the day Unite convened an alternative event in order for waiting staff, chefs, housekeepers and others to share their experiences. This event endorsed Unite’s Hospitality Workers Charter, launched in Scotland, two weeks ago.

The UK hospitality industry is the country’s fourth biggest employer, employing over 3m people and represents about a tenth of the UK’s economic wealth, equivalent to £143bn.

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July 2017

Are Kitchens ‘Rolling The Dice’ When It Comes To Food Safety?

A NEW study, conducted by a team of UK based researchers involving the University of Liverpool, Bangor University and the University of Manchester, known as the ENIGMA Project, has revealed the levels of bad behaviours in UK kitchens which increase the public’s risk of getting food poisoning.

The survey of over 200 chefs has revealed that: • a third of chefs had worked in kitchens which served meat ‘on the turn’ • over 30% had worked in a kitchen within 48 hours of suffering from diarrhoea and/or vomiting • 16% had served barbeque chicken when not sure it was fully cooked • 7% did not always wash their hands immediately after handling raw meat or fish Led by Professor Sarah O’Brien, from the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, the ENIGMA Project is a large collaborative programme of research, into the most common bacterial cause of diarrhoeal disease in the developed world, Campylobacter.

Undercooked barbeque chicken is associated with Campylobacter, and in addition, chefs returning to work too soon after suffering from diarrhoea and/or vomiting have been implicated in high-profile food poisoning outbreaks such as the one at Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck restaurant.

Risky behaviours The research, published in journal PLOS ONE, found that avoiding eating where such behaviours take place is not easy for the public, because chefs working in award-winning kitchens were more likely to have returned to work within 48 hours of suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting, and not washing hands was more likely in upmarket establishments – despite over a third of the public agreeing that the more expensive a meal was, the safer they would expect it to be.

Chefs working in restaurants with a good Food Hygiene Rating Scheme score were just as likely to have committed, the risky behaviours, at some time in their career or to have worked with others who had.

Among the public sample, the team found: • Over 20% had served meat on the turn • 13% had served chicken at a barbeque when not sure it was fully cooked • 14% did not always wash their hands immediately after handling raw meat or fish Dark kitchen secrets

The behaviours involved were embarrassing or potentially incriminating to reveal, so the researchers used something called the Randomised Response Technique (RRT) to cope with the fact that people might not want to reveal the truth about their dark kitchen secrets.

This involved those surveyed rolling two dice in secret, and switching their answers (Yes to No; No to Yes) according to the values they rolled. The technique makes people more prepared to reveal the truth than just asking them directly, and the researchers were able to recover the true rates of the bad behaviours from the data.

Professor Sarah O’Brien, said: “We know that food handling behaviours can create or worsen food safety hazards. By bringing together researchers from different scientific disciplines in the ENIGMA project we now have a much better idea of what really goes on.”

Huge burden Professor Dan Rigby from the University of Manchester, one of the lead authors of the study, said: “Foodborne illnesses impose a huge burden to the UK population, and these results indicate a high prevalence of behaviours which can give people food poisoning.

“Masking the smell and taste of meat on the turn is an old industry trick, and the ability to do it means restaurants can cut costs. Showing you can do it shows a potential employer you are experienced in the industry” “It is notable that chefs in fine dining establishments were more likely to have returned to work too soon after suffering diarrhoea and/or vomiting, contravening UK regulations – this may be that fear of losing a prestigious job, or a desire not to let the team down, is causing people to not to stay away for long enough, putting the public at risk.”

“Staff currently working in kitchens with higher prices, more awards or a good Food Hygiene Rating Scheme were no less likely to have committed the bad behaviours , or have worked with colleagues who had in the past – meaning that the public face a difficult challenge to protect themselves from these bad kitchen behaviours.”

Dice rolling Commenting on the dice rolling technique, Dr Paul Cross from Bangor University, said: “Whilst this may appear to be an unexpected use of dice, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that it is the most effective method for obtaining honest answers to very sensitive questions.

“We’re therefore confident in the reliability of the data we’ve collected and the implications this holds for food safety practices”.

Cautious Approach Needed on Minimum Wage Rates

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For further information please call The Yorkshire Crisp Company on 01909 774411 or visit www.yorkshirecrisps.co.uk

THE BRITISH Beer & Pub Association has urged a cautious approach when it comes to increases in the National Minimum and National Living Wage rates, given economic uncertainties and the big increases in costs the industry is facing this year. The BBPA is summitting its evidence to the Low Pay Commission.

The BBPA submission points out that the National Living Wage costs the industry around £34 million per year in 2016. The increase to £7.50 this year adds a further £52 million, giving a total additional staff cost of £86 million over the first two years of the NLW – an average of around £1,600

for every pub in the UK. In many companies and individual pubs, there have been further costs due to maintaining differentials, in terms of wage increases for other staff, as a result.

BBPA Chief Executive Brigid Simmonds comments: “A cautious approach is certainly needed. Uncertainty surrounding Brexit and access to labour, plus significant new costs in other areas such as the four per cent rise in beer duty in the Budget, are having an impact on the sector.

“Auto enrolment pensions, business rates, and the apprenticeship levy rate are also adding to costs now, and will continue to do so. All these factors all need to be fully considered when setting NLW rates.”

Hotels Need To Rethink Their Attitude Toward Security – And The Key To Doing So Is The Providers

By Scott Brothers, Executive Vice President Corporate Development at Oncam SECURITY IN the hospitality industry has never been more important. For many hoteliers – particularly the larger, branded chains - the role of security has fallen under a single management point - for example the Chief Security Officer (CSO). However, smaller independent businesses will often find that security roles are falling under the remit of general management or simply the owner. In both cases, the breadth of applications afforded by modern security technology is unlikely to be fully understood.

In partnership with The University of West London and Professor Alexandros Paraskevas Oncam commissioned a report - in the form of 22 interviews with senior hotel security executives from major hotel brands - into the status of the security technology needs of the hotel sector. The aim of this report was to understand the current status of the hotel sector, what steps can be taken to increase managerial understanding of the security technology and the benefits to both business and customer that come from it.

Our research has revealed that security is an oft neglected aspect of the hospitality trade for a number of reasons.

Primarily, decisions on security technology are driven by cost and are the first thing to be outsourced. In larger hotels this means that the finance and purchasing teams will have a lot of clout when it comes to decision making, however, third parties will be used when it comes to implementation. In smaller establishments we can also assume finance is a priority consideration when it comes to investing in new security or technology.

The various stakeholders in the hospitality industry can cause issues in improving security and technology. One participant from our study stated that “[…] the GM’s still got to secure that capital investment from the owner and if the owner’s not willing to release those monies, it does become a bit of a battle”. In particular, legacy systems (those which have been installed and invested in years ago and are now outdated) can be a source of conflict. There is perhaps a simpler solution: Education.

For many hotel owners, the reasoning behind investing in new technology is simply not understood. Our report concludes that “A lack of understanding of the security function is another factor that participants consider as significant in the way decisions are made on security technology.” Many

owners may be convinced to purchase certain security technology without being certain of its uses. What is required is greater transparency between the sales and security teams about the benefits and value their product or technologies can add – even beyond security – and bespoke solutions for different businesses.

While it is down to the hotel owner to make the decision on investing their money in a new technology, it is up to the security providers to educate that owner. At present there is a widespread view among hoteliers that technology is both a one-off cost at the start of the hotel’s lifecycle and also that it is simply a way to reduce personnel costs. In order to shift the dialogue on security and technology installation, providers must work with owners to educate them; not simply push for indiscriminate sales without considering the relevance to each individual business. That education, however, should not be intrinsically difficult and it will pay dividends for those beyond the expected parties.

The benefits of embracing new technology and security systems are multiple. While safety and security is one of the top criteria for guest selection of hotel accommodation for both business and leisure “regardless of the star rating of the hotel”, according to our research, the benefits go beyond customer perception. Whether it is the customer, owner, the marketer or the management – the business intelligence that smart video technology provides adds value in the ability to personalise, enhance, and delight guest experiences.

Smart video technology can automatically recognise regular customers through facial recognition, monitor queues and automatically alert management when they reach a certain length, count the number of people in conference rooms and more. The benefits of this technology go well beyond simply security. Customers have an improved experience, , the owner can see genuine returns on their investment through increased sales and depleted insurance costs and the management can solve customer disputes and monitor crowding with ease, or aid merchandising, and stock control – ensuring guests always get what they want, perhaps before they know they want it.

It’s a simple fact that when spending money, a business will come up against resistance from within and plenty of encouragement from without. When it comes to security and new technology, the stakes are high. However, the potential benefits are a more than worthy pay-out. By working together, security providers and owners can create a smarter, safer, customer experience. Security technology today is no longer about providing fuzzy-CCTV footage, but data-driven intelligence, a better customer experience and a solution that fits the needs of every business.

July 2017

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New Data Released Regarding Spending Habits of Inbound Visitors For the very first time, detailed information has been released about the spending habits of UK inbound visitors.

Data reveals that: • USA dominates UK inbound market spend • Gulf state visitors most lucrative – all six GCC markets in the top 10 for highest spend per visitor • Visitors from the Nordics, Benelux countries, USA, Italy and Spain rank eating out highly – their restaurant spend, as a proportion of total spend is significantly higher than the global average • Visitors from Denmark, South Korea and Israel – spend significantly more on live entertainment, relative to total spend, than the global average • Visitors from China, Hong Kong and Thailand like to buy UK products – retail accounts for over half of the value of all transactions made by these visitors • Latin American visitors enjoy the UK’s tourist attractions and exhibitions – this market tends to spend a higher proportion than the global average on this category According to the International Passenger Survey, over 37.6 million people visited the UK in 2016 (a 4% increase on 2015), spending £22.5 billion (an increase of 2%). Other data[1] shows that spending peaked in July and August with overall spending in the second half of 2016 higher than in the first half, as the exchange rate remained favourable for

inbound visitors.

UKinbound’s chief executive officer, Deirdre Wells OBE said, “We are delighted to present these results alongside industry partner VisitBritain. The findings provide a valuable insight regarding inbound visitors’ spending habits and provide further evidence of the incredible contribution that tourism makes to the UK economy. Further understanding our visitors will allow our members to tailor their itineraries, products and services, ensuring the UK remains a world class tourism destination.”

John Glen, minister for arts, heritage and tourism said, “The money tourists spend goes into our local communities, creates jobs and helps preserve our world class heritage sites. These findings will increase our understanding of just what visitors to the UK spend their money on and will help the tourism sector ensure their offer is as strong as possible.

The UK tourism industry is enjoying a good period of growth and I will do all I can to help that continue.”

VisitBritain’s chief executive officer, Sally Balcombe said, “We want Britain to be top of people’s list as a ‘must-go now’ destination. Understanding more about what our visitors want, and getting a fast read out of where they spend their money, will ensure we get the right products to them at the right time. The insights from this type of research are invaluable for the industry and crucial for us staying a competitive travel destination.”

Mitchells & Butlers Rolls Out New Apprenticeship Standards ONE OF THE largest operators in the UK’s pubs, bars and restaurants scene, Mitchells & Butlers, has for the first time signed up an apprentice onto the new Hospitality Team Member apprenticeship standard as part of its drive to create 5000 apprenticeships in the next three years.

Mitchells & Butlers currently have more than 1594 apprentices on programme and 402 achievers to date.

Paul Capper, Mitchells & Butlers Vocational Learning Manager, commented: "It's essential we can see the value we are driving through our apprentice scheme and the new apprenticeship standards give us an opportunity to have more transparency about the true ROI it creates. The standards focus on developing knowledge, skills and behaviour and therefore this will only drive greater quality standards within the team and across the wider apprentice network."

Christie Laws (19) is a Bar & Waiting Apprentice at the County Hotel in South Shields. Before joining the team in October 2016, she was at college and spent a year working in a

bar at the Stadium of Light. She completed her Level 3 childcare course but rather than heading into a career she was unsure about she decided to take a break from studying and take a job in the industry she was learning to love. She started her apprenticeship programme on 2nd May 2017 with Lifetime Training and is the very first apprenticeship standard start for Mitchells & Butlers: “Becoming an apprentice has meant I get myself to a place where I can forward my career and my earning power!

When I was accepted on to the apprentice programme it gave me such a confidence boost and now I am also training as part of the business fast track STAR programme. I can’t wait to see where this takes me and what the future could hold!”

Julie Proctor, Account Director - Hospitality at Lifetime Training, added: “This was our first hospitality sector apprenticeship standard sign up also. I applaud Mitchells & Butlers for embracing change and embarking on a journey that I am sure will pay them back in dividends.”

To find out more about bespoke Lifetime Training apprenticeship programmes visit www.lifetimetraining.co.uk.

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Cheese Prices ‘Whey Up’ THE DAIRY market is facing substantial price increases, with the price of cheese surging by up to 30% in some cases, according to purchasing company, Beacon. This comes as a result of an increased European demand for young dairy products such as butter and mozzarella, as well as impacts from recent currency fluctuations. This is resulting in price hikes of commodity cheeses by up to 30%.

The price of milk is also hovering at around 27ppl, an increase of 35% on the same period last year, as supplies dwindle to their lowest volume since May 2017. The price of butter is also experiencing a surge, surpassing a tremendous 100% rise. The higher prices correspond to a significant increase in demand for young dairy products amongst con-

July 2017

sumers, such as cream, butter, cheese curd and mozzarella, outweighing some of the more traditional products.

Paul Connelly, Beacon MD, commented: “As a result of increased desire for younger dairy products, and varying currency fluctuations, dairy manufacturers are really beginning to feel the hit. Many manufacturers and suppliers have absorbed price increases for some time, but this is no longer possible.

The impact of this is now being felt in the UK, with cheese manufacturers pushing prices beyond those experienced in the last quarter of 2016, with forecasters indicating that they are set to remain high for quarters three and four of 2017.

For the foreseeable future, cheese lovers should prepare to pay more for their favourite dairy products.”

Alice Bexon, Purchasing Manager at Beacon, continued: “The price increases that we are experiencing in the dairy market can be seen as worrying for the food and drink industry, however we are currently working with our suppliers and customers to ensure that these rises are controlled and managed in the marketplace in order to cause as little disruption as possible.”

Nisbets Celebrates Contact Centre Of The Year Award Success NISBETS, THE UKs largest supplier of catering equipment has scooped two prestigious awards at the South West Contact Centre Forum (SWCCF) Awards, held at Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol. Nisbets were awarded the highly sought after Contact Centre (Medium Sized) of the Year Award, for which winners must demonstrate world class customer service and be considered an extraordinary place to work.

Simon O’Mahony, Marketing Director at Nisbets was delighted with the success:

“To be recognised for the day to day care and assistance we regularly give our customers is extremely rewarding. A contact centre will only ever be as good as the call handlers within it, and thanks to a thorough in-house training programme and dedicated team, I am delighted that Nisbets has been recognised as having one of the best. Such an accolade can only be good news to our many customers, as they can be confident of receivingsome of the best advice in the industry.”

In addition to the corporate success, Luke Harrisoncollected Apprentice of the Year for outstanding occupational progress as well as practical and theoretical application of skills and an overall positive approach to employment.

UK’s First Vegan Trade Show Provides Solutions to Catering for Vegans in Pubs With the rapid rise in veganism in the UK over the past decade, pub owners and caterers across the board are increasingly having to cater for vegans and a lot of others demanding more vegan food options. What are the best ways for pubs to respond to the ever-increasing demand from an expanding vegan market?

VegfestUK Trade - the UK’s first dedicated vegan Trade show - will provide lots of tips to do just that.

Taking place on Friday October 20th 2017 at Olympia London, this inaugural Trade show will have in store vegan versions of the likes of ice cream, pies, pizzas, beers, spirits and many other food favourites for frequent visitors to pubs, cafes and other restaurants. Make sure to check out the stalls of Yorica! and Jollyum (vegan ice cream), One Planet

Pizza (vegan pizza), Clive’s Pies (vegan pies),Tyne Chease (artisan handmade vegan cheese), Ms. Cupcake (vegan cupcakes and bakery), Soupologie (vegan soups), Pudology (vegan desserts), Nush (dairy free yoghurts) Pitfield Brewery (vegan beers and ciders) and The Organic Spirits Co (vegan spirits) where you can get some delicious tasters of vegan pub food.

Relevant panel discussions not to be missed include vegan ready meals, which alcoholic drinks are vegan and which are not, how best to cater for vegans, making the most of Veganuary, what’s hot in the current vegan food trend, alongside other panels tailored not only to catering and hospitality trades, but also small business owners, retailers, healthcare professionals, bodycare and beauty trades, and media professionals.

Trade and Media professionals are welcome to register to attend the Trade show for free at www.trade.vegfest.co.uk/registration or see the advert on the back cover.

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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Celebrations for the Berkshire Town Set to Open the 50th Co-operative Pub in the UK THE CRAUFURD Arms in Maidenhead is set to become the 50th co-operative pub in the UK following funding and support from the More Than a Pub: The Community Pub Business Support programme, launched in 2016 by national charity Plunkett Foundation and funded by Department for Communities and Local Government and independent trust Power to Change.

The residents of Maidenhead, part of the Prime Minister’s constituency, started to become alarmed in recent years following the closure and redevelopment of local pubs. In August 2016, when former owner Wellington Pub Company announced that they would be selling the Craufurd Arms, locals sprang into action.

After learning of the heart-breaking news, a determined group of locals set up a Community Benefit Society, the Craufurd Arms Society Ltd., which in turn raised £310,000 from their community share offer in March 2017.

Shareholders were invited to invest between £250 and £25,000 to become members – and democratic owners – of the pub.

The group received specialist advice and finance from the More Than A Pub programme, which was set up in 2016 to support community ownership of pubs in England. This two-year programme is funded by the Department for Communities and Local Government and Power to Change, and is delivered by the Plunkett Foundation.

There are a number of ambitious plans to develop The Craufurd Arms into a community hub with services and facilities beyond the traditional role of a

local pub. The community want to retain the Craufurd Arms as a place for the local community to socialise, host fundraising events for local charities and act as a meeting place for local sports teams to come to after weekend matches. They are also planning to work with local charities and groups, an example of this is their aim to work with the Autism Group to provide an after school club for young adults on the autistic spectrum. This was not just about buying a pub; it was about helping to sustain a community and preserving local heritage.

Mark Newcombe, Chairman of the Craufurd Arms Society Ltd., said: “Although this is an urban setting, the Craufurd feels like a village local. There used to be six pubs in this part of Maidenhead and now this is the only one.

We’ve done this to safeguard the future of the community.

The pub has always been popular but it suffered from under investment. Under community ownership we will be investing the surplus in improving the pub. And with the support of well over 200 members I’m sure it is going to be more popular than ever.”

He added, “We are very excited and proud to be the 50th co-operative pub in the UK and are grateful for the support and advice we received from the Plunkett Foundation, I am sure without them we would not have been able to achieve our dream of bringing our pint-sized pub into community ownership.”

There will be an official ‘Grand Opening Weekend’ to celebrate the new community ownership from Friday 21 – Sunday 23 July during the Maidenhead Festival.

To find out more about the programme please call the programme advice line on 01993 810730.

Local Licensees Join Forces To Raise Funds For Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice A HUNDRED and fifty pubs are embarking on a fundraising journey into the City of London on 30th July in aid of Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.

Decked out in Spartan regalia, 300 managers and team members from Stonegate Pub Company’s Southern region will set off at 1:00pm on the 12.5-mile walk from the Danson Stables in Bexleyheath, taking the London Road into the City and arriving at The Alice in Houndsditch some six hours or so later.

Hollie Mckenzie General Manager of the Clockhouse in Harlow said, “We are really excited to be joining the Spartan Journey into London in aid of Noah’s Ark. Our team at the pub have been gathering sponsorship and our customers can’t wait to see pictures of the impressive sight of 300 Spartans taking to the street in full dress in aid of charity.”

Adam Stothart, Stonegate Area Manager and organiser said, “We see the tremendous amount of courage these young children have in fighting life-limiting conditions and thought it appropriate to honour that bravery dressing as Spartans. We will also be fundraising en route to add to the sponsorship money our teams across the south have already raised.”

Daisy Wilson from Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice said, “We are delighted that the Stonegate pubs in the south have chosen Noah’s Ark as the beneficiary for their fundraising. It is through support and donations that we help to ensure families are able to live life as fully as possible by providing support for those who have children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.”

The Stonegate Spartan’s are aiming to raise over £100,000. Donations can be made via just giving.

July 2017

LPC Must Act With Caution Over Future Wage Rates THE ALMR has urged the Low Pay Commission to show caution on future upratings of National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates.

The ALMR has submitted to the Low Pay Commission’s consultation on wage rates highlighting recent cost increases for businesses, tightening margins and continued political instability as reasons to avoid significant cost increases that could undermine investment.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “We are seeing unprecedented cost pressures eroding eating and drinking out margins, and significant increases could threaten investment and put jobs at risk.

“Employers have already had to swallow a significant wall of costs in the form of recent wage increases and continually mounting property costs. Any considerable wage increases could seriously limit the sector’s ability to invest in sustained job creation, training and growth.

“Research by the ALMR and Ernst and Young forecasts the sector to be contributing £166bn GVA by 2020, providing an additional 19,000 jobs and contributing an additional £50bn to economic turnover. That potential investment may be threatened by additional costs to employment. ALMR research shows that the cost of the introduction of the National living Wage on the hospitality sector could be over £1bn.

“Businesses in the sector are committed to developing their workforces, but recent increases in wage rates have not led to increased spend at tills for businesses. Some employers have had to adjust the number of hours they offer staff as a result of increased wages.

“With uncertainty around Brexit providing only instability for businesses, now would not be the time to drastically increase wage rates. The Low Pay Commission should act with care if it wishes to avoid risking future investment and jobs in the UK.”

New CGA Report Highlights Restaurant Wine Sales Potential

CONSUMERS WHO eat out at casual dining restaurants are three times more likely to recommend the brand to a friend if the quality of the wine they drink is very good, an exclusive new report from CGA Strategy reveals.

The ‘Wine and Casual Dining’ research highlights the significant opportunity for restaurants to increase their wine sales. It shows that half (51%) of consumers who visit casual dining brands drink wine out of home—but fewer than one in seven (14%) of the drinks that restaurants sell are wine of any variety.

The report also suggests a need for restaurants and suppliers to improve the quality and range of their wine offers. Only a quarter (25%) of consumers think the wine they drink at casual dining restaurants is ‘very good’—placing it 17th of 18 different drinks categories measured by CGA. As well as being 3.1 times more likely to recommend the outlet, this group of wine drinkers is much more inclined to revisit the relevant

Brexit Starting To Bite, Says CESA BREXIT IS really starting to hurt, according to CESA. The latest Brexit Watch, produced by EURIS, (European Union Relationship and Industrial Strategy), of which CESA is a founder member, makes difficult reading.

“The indicators we look at are, for the most part, disappointing,” says Glenn Roberts, chair of CESA. “The stats underline the need for a Brexit that gives our industries what they want – especially access to the single market and access to the EU workforce.”

This issue of the EURIS Brexit Watch comes exactly one year after the referendum. The main points are: • Sterling’s average exchange rate fell by 1.1% with the US Dollar in the first 23 days of June 2017, compared with the May 2017 average.

• Input prices increased by 15.6% in April 2017 and 11.6% in May 2017.

• The Consumer Price Index rose by 2.9% in the year to April 2017, the highest 12 month growth since June 2013.

restaurant themselves.

The rapid expansion of Britain’s casual dining restaurant groups presents huge prospects for wine producers and suppliers, the report indicates. Separate CGA Peach research shows that the number of restaurants in the country has increased by more than a fifth (21%) since 2011.

‘Wine and Casual Dining’ is the first in a series of four unique reports to be published by CGA Strategy before the end of the year. Future reports, which can be purchased individually or as a set, will provide advice on wine menu optimisation, analysis of the premium end of the market and comparisons of wine trends in the UK and US. The research is based on interviews with more than 8,000 wine drinkers and CGA’s industry-leading On Premise Measurement service, and is enhanced by commentary from wine experts gathered by Richard Siddle, co-founder and editor of wine industry website The Buyer. Together the reports form a holistic view of the out-of-home wine market, drawing on unrivalled data and expert knowledge.

• The index of production grew by 0.2% in the month of April 2017 but fell by 0.8% compared to April 2016.

• The second estimate of UK GDP growth in first quarter of 2017 was revised down by 0.1% to 0.2%, equivalent to £471 billion.

• The provisional construction output, at constant prices, fell by 0.6% in the year to April 2017, the highest 12-month fall since May 2013.

• Turnover fell across the four monitored manufacturing industries in April 2017. On a yearly basis, only the mechanical manufacturing industry showed some growth (0.9%). Compared to April 2016, electronics fell by 5.0%, fabricated metals fell by 2.6% and electrical fell by 0.6% There were some positives: • Business investment for all industries grew by 0.6% to £43.8 billion in 2017 Q1.

• Although exports fell in value terms by 0.1% in April 2017, to £49.8 billion, compared to April 2016 export growth was up by 10.2%.

“We’ll continue to lobby and negotiate with the government for a Brexit that works,” says Roberts. “In the short term, however, it looks like business is going to be difficult for many manufacturers and suppliers.”

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July 2017

Get Ready for New Food Hygiene Legislation Or Lose Custom ALMOST HALF (44%) of customers could physically turn away from the front doors of more than 43,000 restaurants, takeaways, cafés and pubs when food businesses in England are legally required to display their food hygiene ratings, according to research by commercial insurer NFU Mutual.

The NFU Mutual Food Hygiene Ratings Report reveals that 44% of people would turn away from even their favourite places to eat and try somewhere else instead, if a food hygiene rating of less than four out of five was on display1.

Commenting on the report, Darren Seward, Hospitality Sector Specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “Our report shows that when it comes to food safety customers have naturally high standards and that a ‘good’ score can no longer be seen as an aspiration but a minimum benchmark.

“It’s fantastic to see that over 82% of all hospitality-sector food outlets in England have a rating of good or very good and the industry as a whole is taking real pride in food hygiene, but imminent compulsory displays are destined to be a game changer for those businesses struggling to reach the top grades. In advance of legislation changes all business owners should prioritise their food hygiene plans and processes, acting now to ensure that they have considered all hygiene and paperwork aspects rated by their local authority including cleanliness, structure and confidence in management, to ensure a continued rating of 4 or 5 for the day an inspector calls. Our free Food Hygiene Ratings Report also contains advice to help businesses achieve a

good rating.”

The report, which assesses consumer attitudes, public support for new legislation and its potential impact, shows that in total over 65,000 – almost one in seven2 – relevant businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland2 have a food hygiene rating of three (generally satisfactory) or below – with over 43,000 of these being catering and hospitality businesses in England. Over 82% of all English catering and hospitality businesses have a hygiene rating of 4 (good) or 5 (very good). A different scheme is used in Scotland2.

Wales and Northern Ireland have already subscribed to mandatory display of food hygiene ratings schemes3, with new legislation set to come into force in England by 20194, and a comparable Scottish scheme likely to follow suit4.

Mandatory display means any outlet that serves or sells food must display its score in a prominent place such as the front door or window.

Running in Wales since 2013, the mandatory ratings display scheme has been hailed by its Deputy Health Minister as a big success story, helping to drive up industry standards – so much so that the number of businesses with the highest rating of 5, ‘very good’, has risen to 60.8% in November 2016 from 45% prior to the legislation coming into force.5 The NFU Mutual report found that a law for compulsory display of rating stickers in England and Scotland has gained the support of consumers, with 88% in favour and 66% strongly so.

To request a free PDF copy of the full report, visit www.nfumutual.co.uk/foodhygiene

The Beauchamp Arms in Dymock, Gloucestershire was taken over by its local community in 1997 when the last remaining pub in the village was put up for sale and threatened with closure.

The Parish council took the then unusual step of applying for a loan from the Public Works Loan Board to purchase and renovate the pub for around £160,000 where rental paid by tenants would be enough to cover the monthly repayments.

Following approval (as legend has it) by the recently appointed Secretary of State for the Environment, John Prescott, the Parish Council took over ownership of The Beauchamp Arms in May 1997 working with a management company running the pub. Much of the refurbishment work was done by the local community donating their time, skills and resources at the time.

The present tenants of the pub, John and Linda Griffiths have been running The Beauchamp Arms for fifteen years with great success. That success, says John, is down to the Parish Council operating at arm’s

THE UK remains an attractive place to live and work, but could face challenges in retaining large numbers of non-British workers, according to research by Deloitte, the business advisory firm.

Deloitte surveyed 2,242 EU and non-EU workers, half living in the UK and half living outside, to assess their views on what makes the UK attractive and how likely they would be to come to, or leave, the country.

The report indicates significant changes in the UK labour market, which Deloitte argues will require a measured immigration approach, upskilling UK workers and making better use of automation for the UK to adapt successfully.

UK remains attractive to foreign workers 89% of non-British workers say they find the UK either quite attractive or highly attractive as a work destination and of those currently based outside the UK, 87% would consider moving to the UK if the right opportunity presented itself.

Highly-skilled non-EU citizens are the most likely to choose moving to the UK, 94% say they would move to the UK if they could, with 83% of highly-skilled EU citizens saying the same. Among less-skilled workers, 79% of EU nationals and 93% of non-EU nationals would consider moving to the UK. For respondents based outside the UK, the UK ranked as the most desirable place to work with 57% of respondents placing it in their top three destinations, ahead of the US (30%), Australia (21%) and Canada (19%).

Respondents already in the UK were asked what attractlength and letting the couple run the pub as they see fit, even ed them to the UK. 51% put job opportunities in their top when it comes to making tough decisions. John said: “We have a meeting with the Parish Council once a year to discuss main- three choices, followed by cultural diversity (34%), better lifestyle (30%) and work-life balance (27%). For those outtenance issues and future plans but otherwise they have given side the UK, 54% said job opportunities was a strength for us space to run the business ourselves.”

In May this year, Terry Bell the current Chairman of Dymock the UK, followed by cultural diversity (43%) and work-life Parish Council paid the final repayment for the 20-year loan. balance (40%). London was also cited by 37% of respondents He confirmed that support for the scheme by residents was as a strength, as was the UK’s global connections (30%). overwhelming; “the Parish Hall meeting was rammed” and that Sentiment shifting within the UK they are now in the enviable position of working out how they Attitudes among non-UK citizens have shifted since the will spend the rental income from the pub. referendum on EU membership. 48% of migrant workers While the loan was being repaid, ‘Friends of the Beauchamp already in the UK see the country as being a little or signifiArms’ (FOBA) was set up as the pub’s financial safety net, raiscantly less attractive as a result of Brexit, compared to only ing funds through village events to support the maintenance, 21% of workers outside the UK. repairs and small building projects at the pub. Ian Brown who Highly-skilled workers report the largest drops in the heads up the group said: “We hold at least four big village attractiveness of the UK. Of those currently living in the UK, events each year with the proceeds 65% of highly-skilled EU workers and 49% of highly-skilled of three of them going towards the pub and the fourth is given to charity. non-EU workers say the country is now less attractive.

Among less-skilled workers, 42% of EU nationals and 25% The last major job we paid for was of non-EU nationals say the country is now less attractive. replacing the bar.”

Ian added: “The purchase and run- 30% of less-skilled non-EU workers say the country is actually now more attractive. ning of the pub has been entirely supported by the community One-third of non-British workers considering leavthroughout the twenty years. I have ing to take my hat off to the Parish Overall, 36% of non-British workers in the UK say they Council, it was an inspired idea.” are considering leaving the UK in the next five years, repre-

UK’s Longest-Running Community-Owned Pub Celebrate THE UK’S longest running pub under community ownership is celebrating its twentieth anniversary on 1st July 2017 with a big village party.

UK Remains Highly Attractive To Overseas Workers But Could Face Skills Crunch

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senting 1.2 million jobs out of 3.4 million migrant workers in the UK. 26% say they are considering leaving within three years.

Highly-skilled workers from EU countries are the most likely to consider leaving, with 47% considering leaving the UK in the next five years, versus 38% of highly-skilled nonEU workers. Among less-skilled workers, 27% of EU nationals and non-EU nationals say they are likely to leave in the next five years.

Filling the skills gap Overall, 58% of non-British workers say it will be difficult or very difficult to find a UK worker to replace them. This rises to 70% of highly-skilled EU workers and 56% of highlyskilled non-EU workers. Among less-skilled workers, 61% of EU workers, but only 33% of non-EU workers, say it will be difficult to replace them.

28% of highly-skilled migrant workers say parts of their work are either likely or highly likely to be automated in the next five to ten years, as do 28% of lower-skilled non-EU workers and 36% of lower-skilled EU workers.

Based on previous Deloitte research, the three sectors with the highest numbers of EU workers are also in the top four sectors with the highest potential for automation.

David Sproul, senior partner and chief executive of Deloitte North West Europe, said: “The UK remains a highly attractive place to work for people from around the world. Despite political and economic uncertainties, more people are attracted to live and work in the UK than anywhere else in the world. Nine out of ten overseas workers would consider moving to the UK if the right opportunity presents itself. The UK’s cultural diversity, employment opportunities and quality of life are assets that continue to attract the world’s best and brightest people.

“But overseas workers, especially those from the EU, tell us they are more likely to leave the UK than before. That points to a short to medium term skills deficit that can be met in part by upskilling our domestic workforce but which would also benefit from an immigration system that is attuned to the needs of the economy.”

Angus Knowles-Cutler, vice chairman and London senior partner, said: “These shifts in the UK labour market come in the midst of a longer-term employment transition where automation is beginning to transform the world of work. Brexit does not change the fundamental factors shaping this but has altered calculations on how to drive change for best advantage.

“The UK economy depends on migrant workers to plug gaps in both highly skilled and lower skilled jobs. If immigration and upskilling can help fill higher skill roles, automation can help to reduce reliance in lower skill positions. This will require careful consideration region by region and sector by sector, but there is a golden opportunity for UK workers and UK productivity if we get it right.”

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

July 2017

Hospitality Workers Lose More Than 25 MHA Chair Adrian Ellis On How The Hotel Sector Is Minutes Per Day Due To Technology Issues Coping In The Aftermath Of Manchester Terror Attack NEW RESEARCH released from Managed 24/7 has revealed that the average employee in the hospitality and leisure sector who uses IT loses more than 25 minutes per day of productive time due to technology issues A critical new report released by Managed 24/7, a managed IT services business, has reported the impact of poor IT to the UK’s workforce productivity. The average GB employee in the hospitality and leisure sector who uses IT and has wasted any time, wastes 25.83 minutes per day due to IT issues – the highest percentage of time lost due to IT issues of all sectors polled. All employees in the GB private sector who use IT and have wasted any time, waste on average 5.59% of their total working time due to IT issues (however long the working day).

In the hospitality and leisure industry this rises to 7.47% of the total working day.

It is widely accepted that the UK is facing a productivity crisis and this report outlines, for the first time, how much of this loss is caused by poor IT systems and support. The report has suggests that IT failure could cost UK PLC £35 billion per year* if the average amount of time lost was applied to all fulltime workers, the equivalent of the entire population of Birmingham and Milton Keynes not working all year.

The top issues experienced by IT users in the GB hospitality and leisure sector in the last year: • Slow running systems / equipment (57%) • Failures in connection (55%) • Outdated kit or software (24%) • A system crash lasting more than four hours (22%) • Equipment not being ready for when a new started starts (19%) • Poorly installed new systems and/ or equipment (15%) • Lack of expert support (15%) • Lack of training meaning that you experience problems using IT/ IT software correctly (13%) In addition to the underlying costs in term of productivity

and the bottom line, the report also found that amongst employees who use IT at work: • 32% believe that their workplace IT systems are damaging their ability to do a good job, a rate which rises to 37% for firms with more than 500 employees • 44% believe that IT problems directly cost their business time and money • 40% of agree that they had better IT systems at home than at work • 24% have experienced IT issues said they have caused customers to complain, a proportion that rises to 30% in firms with 500 or more employees John Pepper, CEO and Founder of Managed 24/7, said: “The UK is facing a productivity crisis. The UK currently ranks seventh in the G7 and 17th in the G20 for productivity per person, and fixing our outdated and poorly managed IT systems and support should play a significant role in closing this gap, especially in the UK hospitality and leisure sector.

“It takes a German worker four days to produce what his or her UK counterpart does in five and this crisis is resulting in the UK lagging well behind other developed nations. In light of recent outages such as at British Airways and the NHS, it is time for the UK to address our IT issues to ensure that we aren’t left behind by our more technically adept neighbours.”

When issues do occur, more than a third (34%) of all IT users do not feel that they receive sufficient IT support. This is more marked for very large organisations (500 or more employee firms where 36% of staff feeling dissatisfied). Large companies (those with more than 500 employees) have the worst record for resolving IT issues, with 15% of respondents finding it typically takes more than a day for issues to be resolved.

Staff are therefore inclined to attempt to fix issues on their own, with 27% of respondents saying they are most likely to sort IT issues themselves, with men more likely to sort out their own issues (34%), than women (20%).

New Research On Preventing The Spread Of Norovirus THE FOOD Standards Agency (FSA) has published research carried out by Ipsos MORI, Food handlers and norovirus transmission: Social science insights. This study aimed to help stop the ‘winter vomiting bug’ norovirus from spreading, by understanding and improving food handler behaviours.

Key findings The literature review identified 5 strategies for controlling norovirus: • Personal hygiene • Food handling • Washing and cooking food • Surface and uniform cleaning • Fitness to work Visits to food catering establishments involved in-depth interviews, surveys, and structured environmental and behavioural observations.

Strongest evidence was found for:

• Inadequate hand washing; • Not washing hands before gloving; • Using bare hands when preparing food; • Not regularly changing gloves; • Food handlers instead of trained staff cleaning areas where people vomited; • Not washing uniform correctly; • And returning to work too early after being ill.

Data analysis and behavioural theories were used to rank behaviours which risk spreading Norovirus in relation to the control strategies, according to the strength of evidence that food handlers were expressing these behaviours.

Next steps Several behavioural interventions were recommended based on the findings. Just as one example: strong evidence indicated inadequate knowledge of how to stop Norovirus spreading, so educational training for food handlers was highly recommended. FSA is exploring the design and delivery of future interventions.

For further details visit https://goo.gl/bBdMeh

MANCHESTER’S HOTEL sector is holding strong despite the pace of bookings slowing in the immediate aftermath of last month’s terror attack.

Chair of Manchester Hoteliers’ Association (MHA) Adrian Ellis said the unimaginable night of terror at Manchester Arena, which resulted in 22 innocent people losing their lives, created a sense of anxiety across the city.

But the 53-year-old, who is also The Lowry’s General Manager, believes the situation is improving with tourists, visitors and families from the UK and abroad beginning to fill the 9,000 hotel bedrooms across Manchester once again.

“What happened on May 22 had never happened before on this scale in this great city,” said Adrian.

“It was a night of unimaginable terror. The city, its people and indeed the hotel sector united however, in a show of strength.

“In those immediate hours after the bomb went off, people fleeing the arena were given shelter and safety by hoteliers who opened their doors and supported them in any way they could. So much happened that showed the best of people.”

He added: “In the first week or two, following the attack, general managers of hotels reported a softening when it came to people booking hotel rooms.

“While there was a lot of uncertainty, that feeling is starting to change now, with tourists, visitors and families returning to stay in the city’s hotels.”

According to Marketing Manchester, a staying visitor in paid for accommodation spends an average of £97 per person per day including accommodation, and £58 excluding accommodation.

Greater Manchester’s visitor economy, which currently generates £7.9 billion including the £4.2bn generated in Manchester, has felt the pinch since May 22.

Adrian, who has spent almost 18 months in the region’s top role for a hotelier, says the hotel community – like many others – will soon begin to prosper following the attack.

“Manchester has so much to offer,” said Adrian, who has also served as chair of hoteliers’ associations in major European and Asian cities.

“The way Manchester reacted collectively to the terror attack was just amazing and showed the world what the city and its people are all about.

“With this in mind, I believe tourism will thrive in the months to come, as one person’s despicable actions won’t stop people wanting to visit this great city.”

Adrian, who made appearances on BBC News, Radio 5 Live and Sky News following the attack, also said the experience has urged MHA members to press on with the good work the organisation has been doing.

“Like many, I didn’t expect to have to react to a terror attack in Manchester. I remember speaking to the media on a number of occasions, wishing the families and friends of victims our kindest thoughts and revealing how hotels and the hoteliers that run them helped people by opening their doors and offering them safe places to enter at a time of huge distress.”

He added: “At MHA we have just shy of 50 General Managers of hotels across the region signed up as members. We focus on being a strong voice for our hotel community so we can ultimately improve what we offer to people spending time in this city region.”

Industry Urged To Support 2017 ALMR Operations Managers Awards WITH A little over a month until deadline, the industry is being urged to submit nominations for the 2017 ALMR Operations Managers Awards, the annual search to identify the best and brightest leaders in pubs, restaurants and bars.

The ALMR Operations Managers Awards identifies and celebrates outstanding individuals running multi-site businesses within both the managed and the leased sectors of licensed hospitality. These Awards are unique in recognising the skills, insight and professionalism that the best operations managers bring to their businesses and to the industry.

The 20 finalists will be revealed in August and will then each spend a day in trade with one of the Mentor Judges. Following that is a rigorous three-day masterclass where the finalists are immersed in leadership, strategy and personal development that leverages and polishes their own skill sets.

They then move on to the finals judging day in November which involves searching interviews from panels of leading industry professionals – testing the finalists’ performance and potential. The winners are then revealed at a gala ceremony that same evening. They then take the plaudits of the entire

sector when they are presented at the ALMR Christmas Lunch on 19 December at Old Billingsgate, London.

Past winners and finalists have gone on to senior roles in some of the sector’s leading companies and include Simon Longbottom, current chief executive of Stonegate. He said: “I’m proud to have won this award at an early stage in my career and can testify to the fact they provide a rigorous assessment of your own skills and competencies. The awards shine a light on a cohort of individuals that are driving the performance and reputation of the industry and I would encourage people to submit their nominations.”

Nick Bish, founder of the Operations Managers Awards, said: “The challenging entry papers take a day or two to complete and should be submitted by the end of July at the latest so it’s worth nominating now so that individuals have time to show what they know and what they can do. Companies should look closely at their teams, spot their own champions and those who will benefit from being involved.”

Nominations can be made online at www.almropsawards.org.uk, with downloadable entry papers to be submitted any time before 31 July.

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Ice Machines STS Response To Reports of Maidaid Icemakers. The Difference is Clear Bacteria Found In Ice July 2017

THIS SUPERB range of automatic ice makers provides various size ice cubes or flakes of extremely high quality.

A BBC investigation has found that ice from three of the UK's biggest coffee chains contained varying levels of faecal bacteria. Mike Williams is director of leading UK food safety consultancy STS. He says that while the reports are concerning, the story has a positive outcome: "Ice sampling during the summer months is nothing new and we regularly see news stories that raise eyebrows regarding bacterial content. The good news is that food poisoning outbreaks are rarely, if ever, attributed to ice so there should not be too much to fear.

"The sampling that is talked about in these articles identified the bacteria found in the ice as faecal bacteria. This is not great news but this is more of an indication that cleaning or personal hygiene standards need to be improved in the stores rather than identifying a potential major outbreak of illness just around the corner! The coffee chains tested have

taken very appropriate actions to improve standards as a result of the sampling results and I feel that this is a positive outcome.

"It's actually quite easy for ice machines to become contaminated. Scoops need to be kept thoroughly clean to help prevent contamination and there should be controls in place to maintain ice machine cleanliness. Basic but essential controls such as ensuring there is no hand contact (ever) with the ice, making sure that utensils other than scoops e.g. glasses are not used to scoop the ice and drinks bottles are not placed in the ice machine as well as regular emptying and sanitising will ensure that there is no contamination.

"Faecal bacteria in ice makes a great headline but it really needs to be looked at in context - ice is not a common source of food poisoning. The story here is more the wider connotations of poor handling practices of all types of food that can lead to food poisoning and, in many ways, dirty ice could be just an indicative tip of the iceberg…"

The Maidaid range caters for everyone, from small businesses in need of an attractive, compact model for a small space, through to businesses with large scale demands.

Restaurants, hotels, bars, fish markets and supermarkets, hospitals and laboratories – Maidaid has the perfect product for every application.

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

What places Maidaid ice machines head and shoulders above the rest is their capacity to create the optimum quality of ice when housed in ambient temperature surroundings usually around 21°c. This is how machines spend their working life, so that is how we test them, unlike other makes that use unrealistically lower test temperatures of around 10°c. Through ongoing technological innovation, Maidaid icemakers are energy saving with quick recovery times.

For further information call 0845 130 8070 or visit www.maidaid.co.uk

Dirty Ice: In The News Yet Again

BBC’S WATCHDOG programme has found bacteria from faeces in ice in three top coffee shop chains.

Hubbard Systems, which markets the Scotsman range of ice machines, says it’s about time the industry cracked down on the poor hygiene practices that lead to the issue. “It’s not like we haven’t seen this before,” says Mark Stebbings, technical and aftercare manager at Hubbard Systems. “Every year for as long as I can remember the issue comes up. And every year ice machine suppliers point out the simple measures that need to be taken to sort it out.”

So, the simple dos and don’ts for clean ice: • Keep hands clean - staff should always wash their hands before and during service.

• Keep the machine clean – by following the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions. Make sure you empty, clean and sanitise the storage bin on a regular, weekly basis.

• Don’t pick up ice with your hands – use a scoop. Consider using a Guardian scoop, which will further protect the ice • If your machine is fitted with an anti-bacterial system, change the anti-bac bag every month.

• Have a maintenance schedule for the com-

ponents that need regular cleaning: it will help keep your equipment in peak condition.

“There are loads of online resources that can help anyone looking for guidance on cleaning ice machines, such as our ‘how to’ videos, which can be found in the video area at scotsman-ice.co.uk,” says Mark. “With all the information available, there’s simply no excuse for poor hygiene.”

Any operator who is concerned about a potential problem with their ice machine can use the 3M Clean ‘n Trace kit, available from many outlets including Hubbard Systems. The operator just swabs the area – in this case the inside of the storage bin – then pops the swab into a solution that will change colour to show if there is an issue with bacteria.

Hubbard Systems is the UK distributor for the market-leading Scotsman range, which is available via dealers nationwide. For more information on the full range of Scotsman ice machines, and details of local stockists, freephone Hubbard Systems on 0800 616559, call 01473 350045 email sales@hubbardsystems.co.uk or visit www.scotsman-ice.co.uk (*See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england36126788).

Guard Your Ice Hygiene with the Saf-T-Ice AS THE media lights up with unhygienic ice stories again, FEM is offering a solution: the Saf-T-Scoop from San Jamar. Its radical design has a guard that protects the ice from contact with the user’s hand, so that ice is kept as safe and contamination-free as possible.

The Scoop is supplied with the Guardian storage system.

This can be easily sited beside the ice machine, and fully encloses the scoop when not in use, ensuring it is not contaminated by contact with, for example, the counter top. When it’s required, staff can quickly grab the scoop’s handle and get to work.

The Guardian has a variety of mounting systems, including brackets and suction pads.

Another key hygiene danger area is transporting ice, for example from a back of house storage area to the front of house counter or bar. The solution is the

Saf-T-Ice Tote, a dedicated transport system for ice. The Tote has a hook that fits on the side of the ice machine, so there’s no need to hold it while filling takes place. Once full, staff pop the lid on and can either carry it to where it’s required or load it onto the Saf-T-Ice Dolly, which can hold and easily transport up to two full Totes. The system ensures that ice can be transported hygienically.

“Ice hygiene is regularly in the spotlight,” says Mark Hogan of FEM. “As well as being a major food safety issue, the bad press can have a huge impact on business. These systems are an inexpensive and simple way to control the problem.”

The Saf-T-Scoop with Guardian storage system comes in a variety of sizes, starting from £38.90 List prices for the Saf-T-Ice Tote start from £59.20 They are available through FEM distributors nationwide.

For more information and details of local stockists call FEM on +44 (0) 1355 244111, email sales@fem.co.uk or visit www.fem.co.uk

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July 2017

Pub and Restaurant Trading Remains Steady During June Study Reveals Top Five Food Safety Mistakes Hospitality Staff Make THE BRITISH public is continuing to go out to eat and drink, despite growing concerns about a weakening of consumer confidence, latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker show.

Managed pub and restaurant groups reported collective like-for-like sales up 0.6% in June against the same month last year. They come after a 0.4% decline in May. “Fears of consumers cutting back on spending so far appear premature, at least when it comes to going to the pub or restaurant,” said Peter Martin, vice president of CGA Peach, the business insight consultancy that produces the Tracker, in partnership with Coffer Group and RSM. The Coffer Peach figures, collected from 36 companies across the country, show that pub and bar groups saw collective like-for-likes sales up 1.1% on June 2016, with casual dining restaurant chains marginally down 0.2%.

“The good weather in June will have helped pubs rather than restaurants, but a positive return across the market, even if modest, is good news,” added Martin. “We essentially have a flat market, which considering the uncertainty in the wider economy and the increasing cost pressures that the out-of-home market is experiencing, will be welcomed by operators.”

Overall, London had the best of the trading, with like-forlikes up 1.2%, against a 0.4% rise outside of the M25. London pubs had a particularly good month with like-for-likes up 2.4%.

“We know from our CGA business confidence survey

that in the light of spiralling raw material costs, especially food, over 80% of pub and restaurant operators have already pushed through at least some price increases on food and drink this year. Although that hasn’t boosted sales in any significant way, neither has it depressed them or significantly deterred customers, it seems,” Martin added.

Total sales growth in June among the Tracker cohort was 3.7%, reflecting the continuing if more subdued effect of new openings over the year. The underlying annual sales trend shows sector like-for-likes running at 1.4% ahead for the 12 months to the end of June.

Trevor Watson, Executive Director, Valuations of Davis Coffer Lyons said, “undoubtedly the favourable weather will have improved wet led trade in particular. The impact of terrorist attacks on London wet led venues appears to have been relatively modest compared with previous incidents.

DCL is experiencing high levels of activity with large numbers of both buyers and sellers for all forms of licensed property at present with a perceived change in market sentiment approaching.”

Paul Newman, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM, added: “The pub sector has benefitted from June’s spectacular hot spell, particularly those operators with river based pubs and large gardens. Despite the additional cost pressures and general economic uncertainty, the resilience of this month’s results with a return to positive like-for-like sales is encouraging. Operators who offer the consumer an affordable experience will continue to thrive and prosper in the current environment.

Brexit One Year On: “Whirlpool Of Worry” Is Pushing Independent Food and Drink Business To The Brink ONE YEAR on from the decision to leave the EU, Britain’s leading purchasing company Beacon, is urging the Government to provide clarity on what is to come to limit increasing inflationary pressures and uncertainty in the £27billion UK food & drink industry.

Hans Ziebeck, Director of Purchasing at Beacon, said: “The benefits of Brexit if you are a small independent British business have been pretty hard to spot in the last 12 months. We are still no closer to understanding how this will play out and as such a damaging whirlpool of worry has formed which is hitting smaller independent businesses the hardest.

“Currency concerns, a pausing of investment, the uncertain future of migrant workers, rising prices and the threat of a consumer spending slowdown are all combining to make business as normal incredibly difficult which is threatening the future prosperity of the UK food and drink market. What is really concerning is that there could be worse to come in the second half of the year as transformation companies who import ingredients begin to run out of previously hedged currency and suppliers start renegotiating terms of new cost structures.

“Since the start of the year we have seen an unprecedented number of price rise notifications from our suppliers, a 267% increase on the same period last year. Beacon has managed to mitigate price rises of up to 25% in some cases already, but

ultimately the continued upward pressure on pricing is not sustainable and must be absorbed somewhere within the value chain which means the end consumer is going to continue to feel the pinch for the foreseeable future, either at the supermarket or on menu prices.

“If rising prices translates into a slowdown in consumer spending then it is a very real possibility that in the coming months and years we will begin to see smaller businesses disappearing from the marketplace altogether.”

On top of the currency pressures Ziebeck went on to explain that there are a whole host of other questions brought about by Brexit that urgently need to be resolved.

“Currently two thirds of all food and drink exports are through the EU, with up to 96% of all exports trading through Free Trade Agreements negotiated through the EU (these also protect the UK from cheap imports). We are no clearer on the impact of export tariffs, custom checks (potentially export licences will be required). We currently have a 23bn euro trade deficit on food with the EU; we import £3bn of fresh fruit, £2bn vegetables and are the world’s largest importer of wine at £3bn. How will these categories be affected?

“My main concern is that one year on this could be the tip of the iceberg for the food, drink and hospitality industries. We need clarity and we need answers as to how these valuable and important industries will be supported.”

A STUDY by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has revealed the most common and potentially dangerous mistakes hospitality staff and the general public make over food hygiene.

The study revealed the top five most widespread examples of bad practice in the kitchen, including the common phrase: “if it smells alright, you can eat it.”

According to RSPH food safety examiners, the main areas of misunderstanding and malpractice among caterers were: Buffets Bacteria thrive in temperatures between 5°C and 63°C. Therefore buffet restaurants which leave their dishes out for more than an hour or two have been described by examiners as the number one practice putting people’s health at danger.

Continuing to work when ill Examiners found that catering staff were largely unaware of how easily infectious diseases can be spread by an infected member of staff entering the kitchen, even after symptoms subsided.

The RSPH claims that pressures to not lose out on work are leading many to overlook this and are returning to work while infected.

Inadequate understanding of the controls necessary to prevent allergen contamination The UK sees around 10 deaths per year due to undeclared allergenic ingredients. The RSPH examiners believe that there is insufficient understanding of the controls needed to prevent

allergen contamination.

The RSPH recommends extra training and more communication between front-of-house, waiting, and kitchen staff when dealing with allergen information.

Reuse of unclean cloths for cleaning surfaces In many establishments, examiners found that staff would leave cleaning cloths to dry overnight and then reuse them the day after. Reusing unclean cloths spreads pathogens.

Temperature checking When monitoring food temperature, examiners found catering staff just checking the temperature of the fridge however it is the food itself which must be probed.

To overcome these concerns, the RSPH has launched an elearning course in food safety aimed at the hospitality workforce.

Shirley Cramer, chief executive, RSPH said: “The UK continues to have some of the highest standards when it comes to handling and preparing food safely. While many catering professionals have an excellent understanding of food safety regulations and best practice, it is worrying to hear some of the most common and hazardous mistakes and misconceptions which persist.”

Richard Burton, director of qualifications, RSPH said: “Ideally, staff in the hospitality industry would have received food safety training and a relevant qualification before they started working in the industry. For those who haven’t our new e-learning package will be an effective and convenient method of food safety training which will enable them to take a qualification with confidence.”

BT Sport to Kick Off New Premier League Season with “Top Six” FOOTBALL FANS will get the chance to see last season’s Premier League top six in BT Sport’s opening selection of eight exclusively live Premier League games this coming season.

Live matches include the clash between title contenders Chelsea and Manchester City in September, plus Arsenal and Manchester United taking on Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium.

BT Sport’s Premier League coverage begins on the south coast as league debutant’s Brighton & Hove Albion take on Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, 12 August.

The following weekend will see the first of two games on BT Sport where the expected leading lights take on the challenge of Stoke City away. Arsenal visit Mark Hughes’ men on 19 August with the visiting side hoping to get the season off to a good start after they missed out on finishing in the top four last season. Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho will take the Manchester United to Stoke City on 9 September, following the international break.

Manchester United’s second match at Old Trafford this season is against Leicester City and will be broadcast on BT Sport on Saturday, 26 August at 5.30pm. Football fans will also see action from Wembley on Saturday, 16 September with Tottenham Hotspur playing home matches there for the duration of the 2017/18 season. Maucricio Pochettino’s team will take on Swansea City as Paul Clement’s men look to improve on last season’s 15th place.

With matches coming thick and fast as the season gets underway, Leicester

City v Liverpool will welcome BT Sport cameras on Saturday, 23 September, for a 5.30pm kick off.

The final weekend of the month will see two title contenders Chelsea and Manchester City battle it out at Stamford Bridge with Antonio Conte looking to build on a title-winning season in his first season in English football. The next day will see BT Sport focus on the Emirates as Arsenal welcome Brighton & Hove Albion for the first time ever in the Premier League. The match kicks off at midday on Sunday, 1 October.

Complementing the live top-tier football action in August, BT Sport will screen English football’s traditional curtain-raiser, the FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Chelsea, on Sunday 6 August, kick off 2pm. Fans can also watch Liverpool’s two-legged UEFA Champions League play-off in late August as they attempt to get back in the elite European competition for the first time since the 2014/15 season. Also setting the scene on the new season will be coverage of the UEFA Super Cup clash between Real Madrid and Manchester United on August 8, kick off 7.45pm. During the coming season BT Sport channels will once again show 351 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League games exclusively live. This is in addition to Scotland’s Ladbrokes Premiership, the Emirates FA Cup and European domestic football.

Bruce Cuthbert, director, commercial customers, BT Sport, said: “What a fabulous start to the new season with newly promoted Brighton hosting Manchester City on the south coast on the opening day. And by the 1st October, BT Sport will feature Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal no less than five times something that’s guaranteed to pull in the crowds.”

British Frozen Food Federation Awards 2017

Authentic Food Co Wins Foodservice Product Of The Year JD WETHERSPOON’S Vegetable Samosas made by The Authentic Food Company have been crowned Best New Frozen Foodservice Product of the Year at the prestigious BFFF Annual Awards 2017.

Organised by British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF), the awards were the highlight of the trade association’s annual gala dinner dance at the London Hilton on Park Lane hotel on the evening of 8 June. Now in their thirtieth year, the awards were sponsored by the Yearsley Group, and are recognised as the frozen industry’s top accolade.

The Authentic Food Company’s samosa came out on top amongst six other gold award winners to claim the

overall top spot. Gold winners included Bidfood, which claimed two gold awards in the Best New Accompaniment and Best Bakery categories, Crown Foods, KK Fine Foods, Laila’s Fine Foods and Mademoiselle Desserts.

The Frozen Food Awards are well respected throughout the catering industry as all the entries are judged by representatives of the prestigious Craft Guild of Chefs, who, as executive chefs, catering managers and recipe developers, are expert in their field and uncompromising in their assessments of the entries.

Commenting on the awards John Hyman, BFFF chief executive, said: “Our judges simply loved this crispy Indian shortcrust pastry, filled with potatoes, a garam masala blend of spices and peas, tempered with fennel seed and cumin seed.”

The judge’s comments included: ‘Very good product, looked authentic, great taste, not greasy’, another said, ‘Good colour, very nice flavour just enough ‘kick’. Pastry good’, with yet another saying, ‘Good shape and size, crispy pastry with good mixed filling. Flavour very good. A really well-deserved winner.

John Hyman added: “We’ve seen an impressive range of foodservice entries this year, with plenty of ingenuity, innovation and appetite for global cuisines. They demonstrate that frozen foods continue to make significant progress in the foodservice sector as end users demand enhanced quality, recipe authenticity and significant labour-savings in the kitchen.

“The foodservice industry has enjoyed a strong year, with growth under-pinned by strong consumer confidence and dynamic choice of outlets.”

Tom Holmes, Retail Marketing Manager at The Authentic Food Company comments: “We are delighted to win the top honour in foodservice twice in four years.

Yet again we have challenged ourselves to upgrade the humble samosa to a new level in terms of taste and texture and the product is bang on trend with the rise of authentic international hand held street food.”

LIST OF GOLD WINNERS: Best New Starter Product: JD Wetherspoons Vegetable Samosa by The Authentic Food Company Ltd. Best New Accompaniment Product: Everyday Favourites Cooked Quinoa and Veg Mix by Bidfood Best New Main Course/Meal Centre Product: MSC Gluten Free Bubble Coated Salmon Fillet by Crown Foods Ltd. Best New Meat Free/Vegetarian Product: JD Wetherspoons Mediterranean Lasagne by KK Fine Foods Plc

Best New Multi-Portion Product: Thai Red Chicken Curry by Laila’s Fine Foods Ltd. Best New Bakery/Pastries Product: ‘Premium Selection’ Red Leicester, West Country Farmhouse Bloomer by Bidfood Best New Ice Cream/Dessert/Confectionery Product: Carrot Cake Roulade by Mademoiselle Desserts In the retail awards, Northcoast Seafoods won the Retail Product of the Year for 2017 for its Fishmonger’s Favourite Two Salmon and King Prawn Stacks. The Grimsby-based company’s product also won the Gold Award for Best New Fish-based Product.

THIS YEAR’S prestigious BFFF Gala Dinner saw Laila’s Fine Foods Ltd presented with one Gold Award in the Best New MultiPortion Product category.

comments, “We were thrilled to go up on stage in front of some of the leading figures in the Frozen Food industry and collect a Gold Award. The BFFF Awards recognise the best product innovations in the market so for us to win gold for one illustrates that our New Product Development team continues to deliver Award-winning products in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

Joint Managing Director, Nazir Remtulla comments “We had a fantastic evening and the awards demonstrate our commitment as a business to continually deliver quality, innovative and great tasting products to our valued customers”.

For further information call today on 01253 594342 or visit www.lailasfinefoods.co.uk

Gold Success at the British Frozen Food Federation Awards for Laila's

The Multi-portion Thai Red Chicken Curry by Laila’s Fine Foods underlines the commitment we have to the hands-on production approach, making it similar to how you would cook at home, enabling us to maintain a true home-made taste in all of our products. BFFF judging chefs certainly enjoyed this product as well with one commenting, “A good quality Thai Red Curry with big chunky pieces of chicken, a nice level of spice, a very good sauce and topped off with quality vegetables. A well rounded product.”

Managing Director, Laila Remtulla,

British Frozen Food Federation Awards 2017 July 2017

Best New Dessert Gold for Mademoiselle Desserts THE GOLD AWARD for Best New Ice Cream/Dessert/Confectionery Product this year was won by Mademoiselle Desserts for their CARROT CAKE ROULADE. The judges loved this moist traditional carrot cake layered with smooth and creamy white chocolate cheesecake with one saying, “Innovative presentation, well-defined, nice layers and good finish. Go well with morning coffee. Good eat.

Very rich”, whilst another said, “Tasty moist sponge with a lovely amount of spice with a ‘not too sweet’ cream.”

manufacturing and supplying high quality, deliciously decadent desserts, cakes, slices, tortes and tarts across the UK Foodservice market since 1995.

Established by their customers as leading the market on innovation, they pride themselves on their ability to continue to delight a wide range of customers with first to market bespoke desserts.

Product development is the centre of everything they do, from sourcing good quality, sustainable ingredients through to understanding the ever evolving, fast moving market they supply. They pride themselves on delivering excellence by exceeding their customers’ expectations.

For further information on Mademoiselle Desserts call today on 01536 463250 or visit www.mdesserts.co.uk

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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Pacific West Win Silver at BFFF Awards

PACIFIC WEST are delighted to announce that we have won a Silver Award at the recent BFFF Awards in London in June 2017.

Slipper Lobsters are unique to Pacific West in the UK, they come as a raw and prepared product which is, but cut in half, with then head cavity removed

& cleaned, making them ready to cook. These are an excellent inexpensive premium product which would enhance anyone’s menu, whether they are served hot or cold as an appetizer or indeed as part of platter or the ultimate ‘Surf & Turf’. Available in 4 sizes 50/70grm, 70/90 grm, 90/120 grm & 120 /150 grm, for all enquires please contact our office on 01373 824242 or email us at enquiry@pacificwestfoods.co.uk

Daloon Foods Win Food Service Silver Award Best New Meat-Free/Vegetarian Product for Crown Foods MSC Gluten Free Bubble Bidfood Sweet Potato Falafel Bites Mademoiselle Desserts has been

Coated Salmon Wins Gold Award

CROWN FOODS, established in 1977, are delighted to announce that they have won a Gold Award in the British Frozen Foods Federation Annual Awards 2017; Foodservice Best British New Main Course/Meal Centre Product for their MSC Gluten Free Bubble Coated Salmon Fillets.

The award was presented at BFFF’s Annual Awards 2017 last month and accepted by Trisha Rasor, Marketing Director and James Rasor, Product Assurance Director, Crown Foods.

The winning MSC Gluten Free Bubble Coated Salmon as judged by The Craft Guildof Chefs, are coated in a unique, crispy & crunchy Gluten Free coating, that are perfect for intolerances and can also be served as an inclusive meal for everyone.

The bubbly texture as well as being delicious, adds real visual interest and

appeal.

The judges thought it was absolutely delightful and stated, “Fantastic sized salmon that fills the crumb well, crumb crispy – fish flakes well”, “Excellent crumb casing.

Plump salmon fillet, still moist and flavoursome.”

Trisha Rasor, Marketing Director at Crown Foods says “We hope to stepchange perceptions and expectations on the quality of gluten free products. Many of our customers love the range so much that they offer as part of main menus. Meaning whether you have gluten intolerance or not, it is the centre of plate fish dish of choice. It’s such an inclusive product.”

Following the successful launch, this product is widely available through Charles Sanders,Brakes, Bidfood, Holdsworth, Hopwells and Thomas Ridley.

For further information, please call 01590 677616 or visit www.crownfoods.co.uk

KK Fine Foods Win Gold

WHILE KK FINE FOODS has always focused on establishing what people will be eating in the future, this objective has become even more important as our customers continue to look for a point of difference in a highly innovative marketplace.

There has been a huge trend in the industry towards vegetarian and vegan products, a category that KK has spent decades specialising in. Consumers are increasingly demanding more high quality, flavour-packed vegetarian options – something that KK continuously strives to achieve. This continued commitment has led KK Fine Foods to once again develop an award winning vegetarian product, winning Gold in the Best New Meat Free/Vegetarian Product category for their Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne.

Within food trends we have seen a shift towards allday dining, small plates and sharing. In addition to this there has been a trend towards premiumisation within food. Therefore, KK Fine Foods developed a stunning premium meat sharing option; melt in the mouth British beef short rib, marinated with paprika and smoky chipotle chillies. The marinated double bone beef rib is slow cooked at a low temperature using sous vide technology

for 10 hours, which adds to the succulence and ensures the flavour penetrates the meat, resulting in perfectly succulent beef that falls off the bone. This double bone beef rib is a perfect centre piece sharing option that certainly has the wow factor, winning Silver for Best New Multi-Portion Product!

The fantastic results at this year’s BFFF highlights KK Fine Foods’ ongoing commitment to creating innovative, highly quality products with award winning flavours.

Contact KK Fine Foods on Office- 01244 286226 Fax- 01244 286201 Email- Rebeccacrat@kkfinefoods.com Web- www.kkfinefoods.com Instagram- www.instagram.com/kkfinefonds/

LAUNCHED IN October 2016, this product was launched with national availability, picking up on the potential growth of Street Food, a key out of home consumer trend. It was supported with a special feature on the Bidfood website and Market Place magazine with sales continuing to go from strength to strength ever since.

Main ingredients include the very ‘on trend’ sweet potato and chickpeas, combined with a blend of herbs and spices for that all important authentic taste.

Versatility of preparation was also

important, being suitable for oven and deep fry.

IZICO Food Group, owners of Daloon Foods, has strengthened its UK team to focus on adding value to its Food Service operation through both Private Label and Branded solutions.

Ant Durrant, Marketing and Innovation Controller commented, ‘We are delighted as a new team to be working so creatively with our customer partners, bringing really successful innovation to market. This is the third award this year to date that we have been associated with and we are really looking forward to our next round of development as it goes to market in the Autumn.’

Telephone: 01636 701000 Website- www.daloon.com

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July 2017

Products and Services

Pure Luxury And Quality Services In Contract Towelling Introducing NJ Products' Christmas Toilet Rolls FLORINGO IS a byword for excellence in the hotel and laundry contract towelling business.

We are the towel experts - textile professionals whose passion is providing our customers with exceptional quality, service and value.

Based on our extensive knowledge and understanding of laundries, hotels and health & leisure facilities, Floringo have developed a comprehensive range of products specifically designed to fulfil their demanding requirements.

For over 20 years Floringo Ltd has grown into one of the UK's leading suppliers of high quality contract towelling products to hotels

and laundries.

Floringo's success has been built on a complete understanding of our customer's requirements and then being able to source and manufacture the highest possible quality towelling products to meet those needs.

Floringo only use the best yarns, specifically selected to suit the appropriate product and with our stringent quality controls within the manufacture process our customers are guaranteed the highest quality towels.

Contact Floringo via mailorder@floringouk.co.uk 0208 587 3400 or see the advert on page 13.

Sanitary Bins Re-invented by Brilliant Bins

MANY HOTELIERS believe there is no alternative to signing up for a costly serviced sanitary bin contract. However, when Brilliant Bins launched their self-managed disposable sanitary bins, the whole situation changed.

So what do disposable sanitary bins save and how do they work?

Not only can contract commitments be avoided, but savings of 60% are typical, with costs as low as 85p per week per cubicle - that’s just £44.40 per year.

Disposable sanitary bins are despatched flat-packed anywhere in the UK. It takes a few moments to pop them up, and then they stay in place for up to 3 months. They have a lid with a

magnetic catch, and an inner cover to conceal the contents.

When the bins are full, then the whole bin and contents are placed in the black bin bag that is supplied with each bin.

Then they are disposed on into the commercial or business regular waste container - all perfectly legally.

Brilliant Bins supplies all kinds of businesses from pubs and hotels to offices, healthcare facilities, leisure parks, schools and from city centres to rural locations.

The bins are available in five colours Pink, Silver Great Metallic, Mint, Metallic Purple and Leopard Print.

There is more on the website www.BrilliantBins.co.uk or call 01488 684850 or email sales@brilliantbins.co.uk or see the advert on page 5.

Interflow - Reliability, Simplicity, Longevity INTERFLOW UK distributes and installs a range of equipment for commercial kitchens, including: • GIF ActiveVent ventilated ceilings for perfect extract and hush-quiet operation. A real alternative to a traditional canopy with smaller plant necessary with lower running costs.

• ecoAzur option automatically adjusts airflow rates to suit kitchen operations in real time thus reducing running costs for any commercial kitchen.

These can be retro fitted to existing ventilation systems.

• Recirculating air option and heat recovery available • GIF Jet Stream extraction for Theatre / Front Cooking operations.

• plasmaNorm odour and grease elimination to clean exhaust emissions into the neighbourhood, an

alternative to traditional carbon filter systems due to easier maintenance.

• Basika stainless steel floor drainage systems.

• Basika gravity grease separators, in both above and below ground versions for manual and vacuum pump emptying, can be linked to BMS controls for automatic operation. With the need to control the grease discharge from your commercial food operations gravity grease separators offer a competitive solution to more familiar methods of control.

Interflow equipment is suitable for kitchens of all sizes and is designed to be environmentally sustainable in full compliance with regulatory requirements and is economic in operation with extended life-cycles.

Contact a specialist today on 01952 510050 or email sales@interflow.co.uk. or see the advert on page 12

Important Aspects To Consider When Designing A Busy Commercial Kitchen

By Simon Lohse, Managing Director of Rational UK FUTURE PROOFING your kitchen is key to a new design. Equipment should now last for 10 years or more, making it necessary to plan for any anticipated changes in menu and numbers of covers. It’s therefore vital to source modern, flexible multifunctional cooking equipment.

A new design is the opportunity to get a kitchen that works for your operation. The advantage of choosing multifunctional cooking equipment is that it can adapt to changes in menu. Also if you choose easy to use equipment, such as Rational SelfCookingCenters and Frima VarioCooking Centers, then when staff change there is not a lengthy training process to go through.

It is vital that operators work closely with manufacturers and designers to ensure they are specifying the right equipment for their kitchen’s requirements. Designers and customers should visit other sites where the equipment is already in use to make sure they are making the right purchasing decisions.

Ideally get the equipment demonstrated

and where possible test it out prior to purchase.

Open, theatre-style kitchens are growing in popularity. In these kitchens it is essential that the equipment is easy to clean and looks good at all times. Rational SelfCookingCenters feature a self cleaning programme, while a Frima only takes a couple of minutes to clean. Installing advanced cooking equipment such as these also impresses customers.

The equipment specified for open, theatre-style kitchens needs to be reliable and easy to maintain, ideally with selfdiagnostics so there are no hiccups in service. It should also be compact, offer fast cooking and be energy efficient.

Theatre cooking will expose potential flaws in the operation, so it is important to be confident in the food offering, staff and equipment.

For information and brochures on Rational or Frima products, or to arrange to come to a free Rational CookingLive seminar or Frima Cooking Live demonstration, contact your dealer, freephone Rational UK on 0800 389 2944 or visit www.rational-UK.com.

CellarCraft - The Perfect Serve

CELLARCRAFT has been created to empower you and your staff to achieve “the Perfect Serve”.

Being passionate about “The Perfect Serve”, we have pulled upon experts within the industry with plenty of real experience and expertise to find out what the industry needs to ensure that every pint, in every town, regardless of brewery, pub company or the drink being pulled, can achieve the perfect serve.

Pulling upon the experts has identified that on some occasions the advice, help and processes needed are not always well informed and sometimes not followed. This creates an issue with glass preparation and cellar hygiene, creating a poor drink being served with a resulting loss of custom and £££’s to you.

Free guides and posters With this in mind we have created

FREE, easy to use, downloadable posters and guides that can be utilised by your team, available from our website.

Ensuring they are eye catching and appealing with plenty of illustrations has meant that it’s easy to follow with simple ‘how to’ guides and problem solving support, making the perfect serve easy to achieve.

This will increase your profits with less wastage and more pints being served along with more repeat customers.

From cellar to glass Follow the guides and ensure that you serve the perfect pint, in your pub every time!!!

Still have a problem? “Ask the Cellar Craft Team” and ask our experts a question – we are always happy to help. Visit www.cellarcraftuk.com or see the advert on page 8

INTRODUCING OUR bestselling Christmas product the Novelty printed Christmas toilet rolls! They are made from high quality 3 ply tissue and there are 24 designs to choose from. A perfect ‘stocking filler’ gift for under a fiver!

Available in individual designs of 6 rolls, 24 assorted rolls in a counter display unit or a ‘special’ price for a mixed pallet of 720 rolls.

We also supply a vast range of printed Everyday and Christmas printed napkins for all occasions as well as our own foil printed

Birthday and Anniversary dinner and lunch sized napkins which can be supplied in bulk packs of 50 napkins upwards per design.

Amongst our branded products we stock the Dunilin and Dunicel 40cm napkins and tablecovers which are made from high quality material which would enhance any occasion with their ‘linen’ like feel.

You are most welcome to visit our website or contact our sales office for more information.

Reader enquiries: info@njproducts.co.uk www.njproducts.co.uk or see the advert on page 9.

Clamato from Empire Bespoke Foods Tell me about Clamato – what's in it?

Clamato ® history began in California in 1966 when it was created by the Duffy-Mott company by two employees who wanted to create a Manhattan clam chowder style cocktail. Clamato is made with the finest Californian tomatoes for a freshly picked flavour and is mixed with a blend of spices that liven the senses. It uses minimal processing and production for a balanced texture, with light and distinctive taste.

What makes it different to other tomato drinks on the market?

Clamato is different to other tomato drinks on the market due to the fact it contains premium New England clam broth.

And what makes it so popular in its home country of America?

The invigorating blend is perfect for cocktails, delicious to drink alone or to add a little depth to your favourite dish.

How versatile is it – how would you use it in cocktails?

Clamato is a classic cocktail mixer and can be used to make a bloody Caesar by just adding Vodka.

This is Canada’s number one cocktail which was invented in 1969. Clamato is also very popular in central America where the traditional Michelada™

a beer cocktail was invented. The drink consists of Clamato with beer, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lime and pepper.

And in cooking?

It can also be used as an ingredient within food for example to make a prawn cocktail, Gazpacho, Chicken Tacos as well as a grilling marinade.

Why should independent retailers stock it?

Clamato is a versatile product that can be used for cocktails and food, it has a twist on the typical tomato juice and offers a point of difference to consumers. It is available in a glass bottle 473ml for a more premium look and feel and one person serving and is also available in a PET bottle 946ml.

Empire Bespoke Foods Ltd has been providing the finest branded foods from around the world since 1997.

Based in West London, the business is one of the UK’s most respected food importers, distributors and brand-builders, representing over 100 brands across 13 categories, with an extensive portfolio of products sourced from Asia, Europe and America.

For more information on the product range or how to stock, please contact Empire Bespoke Foods on 0208 537 4080, by email info@empirebespokefoods.com, or visit our website www.empirebespokefoods.com or see the advert on page 11.

Pay Per Wash Offers Operators A No-Upfront Investment, Risk-Free Warewashing PAY PER WASH is an alternative payment model that allows operators to have a Winterhalter warewasher without investment or any risk. It is the latest launch under Winterhalter’s Next Level Solutions project, which exploits the latest digital technology to bring commercial warewashing to the next level.

With Pay Per Wash, which is initially available for Winterhalter’s UC Series of undercounter machines, customers no longer have to buy a warewasher to have one operating in their business. It eliminates acquisition costs and means customers are only charged when the warewasher is actually washing. Pay Per Wash contracts have no minimum term and can be cancelled at short notice.

Customers select a desired number of wash cycles and prepay for them, using a credit card.

The wash codes they buy are automatically entered into the machine and they can start washing straight away. There is a fixed price

per wash cycle, and everything is included in the package: warewasher, racks, water treatment and chemicals.

Winterhalter believes Pay Per Wash will appeal to a variety of sectors of the market, especially with seasonal businesses, who will only pay for warewashing when they are earning money. Meanwhile owners of start-ups will be able to rely on perfect wash results, without having to make an initial investment. “These days more foodservice operators are questioning traditional approaches and are moving to use-based accounting,” says Ralph Winterhalter.

“They no longer necessarily want to own a warewasher, instead they just want to pay when they use it. Pay Per Wash is perfect for them.”

For further details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, see www.winterhalter.co.uk, or www.winterhalter-scout.biz or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.

So Hot Right Now - HotmixPro Gastro

HotmixPro Gastro is the industrial strength ‘Thermal Blender’ every commercial kitchen has been waiting for.

Beautifully engineered in Italy, the 2 litre heavy usage mixing bowl sits within a fully insulated stainless steel body and operates exactly to programme.

With a speed range from 0 -12,500rpm blending, small and large amounts, to just the right texture, has never been safer or easier.

Producing specific mixtures at the desired temperature, 0°-190°, could not be more precise.

There is no end to creative possibilities, from the simple to the sublime, all at a touch of one finger.

The integrated memory SD card not only

stores numerous extremely useful recipes, but will also allow users to memorise their own unique creations to be repeated whenever and wherever required.

Last, but not least, any part that comes into contact with food can easily be cleaned in the dishwasher!

Barbel’s legendary customer support ensures second to none servicing back up at all times.

HotmixPro Gastro is an essential support for every hard-working chef and certainly pays for itself.

Can YOU afford to be without?

For full details on all available models, please contact us today.

E: info@barbel.net T: +44 (0)1629 705110 www.barbel.net or see the advert on page 8.

Fish & Chip Flavoured Crisps?

THAT’S RIGHT - and it doesn’t stop there. The Great British Crisp Company has a whole range of ‘meal in one bite’ flavours including Tikka Masala, English Breakfast and their newest addition: Cornish Pasty. If you’re more of a traditional crisp lover, the classic varieties of West Country Cheddar & Chive and Cornish Sea Salt are a must.

The Great British Crisp Company has been created by an award winning

British bakery, recognised as one of the nation’s leading craft bakeries. To create their flavours, they hand cook small batches of Cornish potatoes in sunflower oil, before seasoning with Britain’s finest natural ingredients.

The result? An exciting range of crisps to really give your customers something to talk about.

For more information and to sample the Great British Crisp Company first hand visit www.greatbritishcrispcompany.co.uk or call 01736 788538 or see page 4.

Products and Services Wireless Temperature Monitoring Made Easy Phat Gluten-Free & Vegan Pie July 2017

THE CONSTANT requirement to perform manual checks on all cold storage units is something all catering establishments are burdened with. Taking a reading from every fridge and freezer, is to say the very least, tedious. It may be a tried and trusted method, however its accuracy and reliability is somewhat questionable.

With the current process, incorrect temperatures are only discovered after they have oc-curred, when it’s too late! Checks are often missed or forgotten altogether for a variety of reasons.

Our solution is a fully automated temperature monitoring solution, purpose built for the cold chain, allowing any employee to log, store and access live and historical temperature records from any web enabled device, anywhere in the world.

Here at Logicall Wireless Solutions we believe above all else, the consistency, quality and safety of perishable food products is para-

mount. As food safety becomes a more prominent issue and food regulations become ever stricter, we feel it is necessary to drive change in the catering industry.

This past year alone we’ve helped numerous companies to fully automate their tempera-ture monitoring process resulting in money saved, revenue added and productivity in-creased. Just ask Griff.

“The Logicall Honeycomb Solution is something that has saved us time, stress and stock on numerous occasions. Being alerted to any refrigeration issues before they become a problem is a real win for any restaurant business”.

Griff Holland – Friska Food So why wait? Contact Logicall today and get your very own 24/7 temperature monitoring system, perfect for a catering establishment with a clear view on food safety.

See the advert on page 39 or contact: Website: www.log-i-call.com Email: info@og-i-call.com Phone: 01672 569374

Why You Should Consider Producing Your Own Electricity With Solar HOTELS & restaurants are electricity hungry businesses and the latest figures show Solar is the cheapest form of electricity. Energy experts are predicting that over the next five years electricity bills will increase by at least 33%. Could your business afford this?

Solar is a cheap, low maintenance and reliable supply of electricity protected against price rises and compliments grid supplied electricity. Solar PV now delivers electricity at the cost of around 5p per unit – less than half the amount you probably pay.

With solar being the cheapest form of electricity combined with today’s low interest rates to finance an installation, now is the time for your business to

invest in solar, achieve a 12 – 15% ROI and a payback around 7 years.

Those who have already installed solar are not only saving a considerable amount of money, they are using it to promote their green credentials. Public facing display systems are great for reception areas to show customers how much clean and green solar electricity you are producing and the CO2 emissions being avoided.

Mypower are a highly experienced award winning team who consult, design and install Solar PV systems. At the heart of our business is delivering quality work with the highest customer service.

For more information, case studies, and friendly, helpful advice visit www.mypoweruk.com or call Mypower on 01242 620894

Grab A Slice Of The Action Cater-Bake are pleased to be showing their support for the National Pizza Awards through the Zanolli sponsorship.

As suppliers of pizza, bakery and cooking equipment, Cater-Bake’s impressive range boasts some of the finest, authentic Italian manufacturers, including Zanolli.

It has come as no surprise that Zanolli has been chosen as the official Equipment Sponsor National Pizza Awards, with 16 finalists set to bake their individual pizza recipes in the Zanolli ovens on the October 3 awards night.

Cater-Bake’s comprehensive range doesn’t just stop at Zanolli and pizza ovens either, they can supply end users with some of the finest products on the market from leading manufacturers.

Whether it’s pasta machines, dough

mixers and rollers, blenders, refrigeration, grills and cooking equipment or more, it can all be found through Cater-Bake’s one stop shop.

Cater-Bake’s Head of Sales, Steven Lilley, said: “We are thrilled to be involved with the National Pizza Awards thanks to Zanolli sponsorship, it’s a fantastic event and is set to be a great night for all involved.

“The Zanolli pizza ovens are outstanding products, which is why they have been chosen as the equipment for the awards night - we encourage all chefs to enter for the chance to make it to the final and cook up their pizza in the Zanolli ovens.”

To find out more about the Zanolli pizza ovens and the rest of Cater-Bake’s products visit: www.cater-bake.co.uk or see the advert on page 2.

New 12 Litre Bucket Makes Vikan's Award-Winning Bucket Family Even Better LAUNCHED IN January 2017,-the new 12 Litre Bucket is a welcome update to Vikan's award-winning bucket range, and includes a number of features to improve hygiene and usability, and simplify storage and handling.

The Vikan 12L bucket at a glance: • Stackable design saves storage space • Snap-on lid improves security and safety • Easy-to-read measures include litre, UK and US gallon marks Sloped design makes stirring, mixing and emptying faster • Drainage hole prevents water accumulation during storage • Available in 9 colours for hygienic colour coding Debra Smith, Vikan's Global Hygiene Specialist, says: "Buckets are one of the most com-

monly used pieces of equipment when it comes to ingredients handling and cleaning in the food and beverage industry.

With the redesign of our 12 Litre Bucket, industry professionals can now choose from a range of bucket sizes that all feature smart design solutions to improve hygiene, safety and usability. The new buckets also combine perfectly with our bowl and hand scoops to make measuring and handling easier."

The new 12 Litre Bucket is made from premium quality and highly durable materials, and is compliant with all relevant EU and FDA regulations. It is available in 9 colours: pink, green, blue, red, white, yellow, orange, purple and black.

For more information on the Vikan Bucket Family, please contact Vikan Customer Service on 01793 71 67 60 or sales@vikan.co.uk. Or visit our bucket website on buckets.vikan.com

Start Saving Time and Money with LineClenze WITH LINECLENZE we can help you identify how much product you are wasting, how much money LineClenze can save you and how quickly you can see a return on your investment. The results may surprise you.

We spoke with David Coe at The Holiday Inn, Telford and asked him how satisfied he has been with LineClenze both as a product and as a money saving device. David told us, “The time it saves is the most important aspect, from 3 hour cleaning periods every Monday afternoon – the cost saving means we will pay it back within the year. Very good.” LineClenze helps to save costs by reducing any risk to health when performing line cleaning as well as offering a fresh taste to the beer. We help to reduce the amount of beer that is wasted from rigorous, frequent cleans and in turn reduce the amount of time spent by staff cleaning. David has been working in the industry for over 20 years and said, “It would have been amazing if this product was around then.

LineClenze as a company, the support is second to- none.

Offering a trial period just to see if it works is great.”

The extended time between cleaning the beer lines saves time and money by: • Saving on ullage, up to 75% • Saving water • Saving time/labour • Saving cleaning materials • Extending the working life of the beer line • And, the quality of the beer is maintained • Environmentally Friendly.

For example, if there are 10 product lines, with a 3 pint pull each, 30 pints are lost with each clean, every week. If a pint is approx £3.50, that is £105 a week lost.

By increasing the time between cleaning, that saves £105 a week, so 3 weeks saves £315.00, then clean on the 4th week.

Annually this is a saving of £4095. For a chain of 6 inns, that would represent an annual saving of £24,570 Telephone: 0800 170 1564, visit www.lineclenze.com or see the advert on page 6.

With increasing customer demands for more ‘free from’ and ‘vegan-friendly’ products, Phat have introduced a Mushroom & Leek Pie to their premium filled pie range.

The UK free from market is estimated to be £365 million and is forecast to grow by 50% by 2019 . With 13% of the UK population estimated to be avoiding gluten (Mintel 2016) There are now over half a million vegans in the UK, according to research carried out

by IPSOS MORI for the Vegan Society in 2016, with many people opting to avoid meat due to the perceived health benefits driving this trend.

The new pie features Chestnut, Oyster, Shitake & Porcini mushrooms with leeks in a creamy vegan sauce, topped with pumpkin

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and sunflower seeds, all in a gluten-free pastry.

Available nationally via Bidfood, this new addition is ideal to offer on a hotplate or as part of a meal offer with mash or sweet potato fries, vegan gravy and peas.

Phat Pies are perfect for a range of operators, from busy pubs, hotels restaurants and operators looking to add premium pies to their menus.

Other Phat Pies in the range include Steak & Cornish Ale, Steak & Potato, Chicken, Bacon & Mushroom, Spicy Chicken Balti, Lamb, Rosemary & Garlic Potato and a Sweet Potato, Spinach & Goats Cheese (v) – all supplied as baked / frozen 250g individual pies in cases of 12.

For more information contact The Phat Controller on 0777 576 4454 or email phatcontroller@phatpasty.com www.phatpasty.com

Props4shows - Prepare To Be Inspired Props4shows is a family run business, selling one of the UK’s largest and most extensive ranges of all things prop for any event or display purpose. Our range includes fake foods, artificial foliage, replica animals and birds, seasonal and themed props among many more.

Combining with our next day delivery service on thousands of in stock products, we usually have something to suit any display or prop requirement, making us a one stop prop shop available to all. We particularly specialise in replica foods, offering a beautifully realistic and extensive range of breads, cakes, meats, fruits, vegetables and all things

sumptuous.

Perfect for creating timeless food arrangements in open kitchens and entertaining areas. With this in mind we have enjoyed working closely with many well known hotel, restaurant and bar chains, helping them achieve a very unique and stylish feel to their establishments. If you have an upcoming event or are looking for inspiration for a display you have in mind, have a browse on our web shop and order online, or if you need help to conceptualise your idea, our friendly sales team are just a phone call away. Large quantities of items can also usually be sourced, as well as special order items.

Tel: 03333 440078 Email: sales@props4shows.com See the advert on page 9 for details.

Bidfood Makes Christmas Free-From Hassle With The Launch Of Its New 2017 Festive Range Bidfood has unveiled its 2017 Christmas range, comprising its largest selection of on-trend, innovative and inspiring products to date.

This year’s range has been developed using industry insights to ensure the products meet emerging hotel trends, operators’ needs and individual guest demands. With over 120 new products, and over 750 in the range, operators will be spoilt for choice.

Tapping into the widespread growth of free-from, which saw more than half of consumers purchase a gluten-free item during the first three months of 2017 Bidfood has introduced over 40 gluten-free products to its festive range. These include Northcoast Seafoods’ smoked salmon & dill naked fishcakes, Premium Selection brie & beetroot chutney tarts in kale pastry, and Everyday Favourites baked winter cheesecake.

Adding a twist to traditional items is the innovative turkey ‘cushion’ with pork & orange stuffing, individual turkey & duck ‘cushions’ with Morrello cherry stuffing, and ‘Christmas on a stick’ skewers with pork chipolatas, turkey cubes and stuffing balls, all from the Farmstead range. For an extra touch of indulgence, there’s also Northcoast Seafoods’ raw lobster tails, Pacific West slipper lobster, Premium Selection king scallops with chilli butter, and smoked salmon & prosecco centre parfait.

It also wouldn’t be Christmas without a tipple and this season Bidfood is going beyond its extensive ViVAS drinks offering with a range of alcohol-infused cheesecakes. Hotel operators can choose from popping peach bellini, gin fizz & elderflower, and whiskey mac flavours.

To add that additional sparkle and build on the

demand for all things glitter, the dessert selection also contains Kara snowball sparkle cakes, a Premium Selection individual truffle torte with a gold shimmering profiterole, and Premium Selection individual gold bars.

Gail Bridgeman, Campaign Controller at Bidfood, commented: “While the holiday season is a time of indulgence for hotel guests, we also need to be mindful of different dietary requirements, such as free-from. This has been a big focus for us over the last 12 months, which is why we’ve created the largest selection of gluten-free options to date and have a dedicated section for these items within our Christmas brochure.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure we offer products for everyone, regardless of allergies, and without compromising on taste.

“Christmas is arguably the biggest and busiest time of year for hotels. Last year 72% of consumers ate out during the two-week festive period and many are taking advantage of a ‘festive mini break’. To ensure that operators are capitalising on this, we’ve developed this year’s range to cater for all customer demographics and price points. This doesn’t just mean food, we also have drinks, tableware, glassware, crockery and partyware items. With a mix of traditional favourites and exciting new products, the Bidfood 2017 range has a combination of what guests like to enjoy each year plus lots of new dishes to try.”

The Bidfood Christmas range is available on the Bidfood website, with over 150 deals running between October and December.

Specific channels guides are also available to download via: www.bidfood.co.uk

Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances Enhance Support With Launch Of New Website AS THE manufacturer of two of the industry’s most established brands, Burco Commercial and Lec Commercial, Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances has built on an extensive heritage and commitment to quality engineering to command one of the most comprehensive catering equipment portfolios on the market. Now, in a bid to provide a central resource for information and specification of the company’s equipment, Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances has announced the launch of a brand new website.

An easily accessible, yet comprehensive source of information, the new website (www.gdpacatering.com), has been designed in an easy to use, mobile and tablet optimised format, allowing operators to find out about the latest technology or find out more about a specific appliance to suit their bespoke back or front of house requirements on any internet enabled device. For those looking for more detail, the new website also features a library of full specification sheets and manuals, ideal for the many dealers, distributors, buyers and consultants looking for the technical information on products manufactured by the company.

For the complete package, the new website also includes a dedicated section for registering a warranty, finding out more about the extended guarantee packages available for added peace-of-mind and

details of Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances’ own service and repair team, Fixd.

On launching the new website, Head of Marketing, Ian Harbinson comments “Manufacturing a varied and diverse range of commercial catering equipment, we operate in almost every sector of foodservice. As such we wanted an easy to access, online portal that contained both top-level user benefits for operators and more detailed specifications and manuals which dealers, distributors and consultants could utilise. This new website is able to deliver just that, a simple, easy to use resource that can be quickly navigated to find the information a visitor may require, whether this is purchasing equipment or when looking for information on our market leading aftersales packages and assistance. We strongly believe in supporting all our customers and I genuinely believe that our new Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances website delivers just that.”

With regularly updated ‘featured products’, information on the latest news from the British manufacturer and a section detailing the company’s impressive history, brand values and commitment to researching new and innovative technologies, the new look www.gdpacatering.co.uk has become the one stop shop for all things Burco and Lec across the industry.

For further information on Glen Dimplex Professional Appliances, please visit www.gdpacatering.co.uk or call 0344 815 3742.

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Hey, Community Businesses! Get Up To £10,000 And Support to Help You Grow COMMUNITY BUSINESSES are the organisations that put their local area at the very heart of what they do: the restaurants, Pubs, energy companies, bakeries, sports clubs that are run by and for local people (to mention just a few!).

So we’re delighted to announce that applications are open from Thursday 13th July for a new support programme just for them: the Community Business Trade Up Programme, run

by School for Social Entrepreneurs, in partnership with Power to Change.

The programme supports the leaders of early-stage community businesses with: • a fully funded six-month learning programme (consisting of 12 learning days) • a grant of up to £10,000 The focus of the programme is to grow community business’ impact by increasing their sales and trading income.

The learning programme runs from January to July 2018 and will support 100 community business leaders across England. They will learn in groups of 10 peers.

The programme is delivered by

School for Social Entrepreneurs at eight locations: York, Liverpool, Midlands, Ipswich, London, Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall.

Alastair Wilson, CEO of School for Social Entrepreneurs, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Power to Change to support the learning of community business leaders, people who commit themselves to improving their local areas and nurturing local vibrancy. School for Social Entrepreneurs has 20 years’ experience in helping leaders of social change develop the confidence, skills and networks to grow organisations that help people in need and improve communities.”

Mark Gordon, Director of Communications at Power to Change, said: “Community business is all about exploring new ways to help local areas grow and thrive. This is a great opportunity for new entrepreneurs to look at new ways of doing business and doing good.”

The Community Business Trade Up programme is already supporting 30 community business leaders between May and October 2017. It will support 130 leaders in total.

Community businesses from across England can find out more and apply from at: www.the-sse.org/ community-business

BBPA Publishes Latest Cost Benchmarking Data for Tenants and Lessees THE BBPA has published the latest edition of its operating cost guide for tied tenants and lessees. The 2016 data is intended to help those wishing to take on a tenanted or leased pub business to be as well informed as possible about the current costs involved in running a pub.

The BBPA’s guide provides valuable information for tenants and lessees on typical operating costs in the tied pub sector. The guide gives existing tenants and lessees the opportunity to benchmark their own business, and compare their own costs against these published industry norms.

New for this year are categories for gaming machines and pay-TV for some models, as well as a higher turnover, community pub model, which brings the total number of pub models featured in the benchmarking guide to eight.

The guide shows the average cost of running a tied pub over a range of pub models based on turnover and business types. It covers a wide range of pubs, from those with little in the way of food sales, to those that are largely food-led, and takes account of the significant variations that exist in the

cost base, even within those pubs that are broadly in the same category.

As in previous editions, the guide’s input data and sources change each year, so the information should not be used to determine trends from year to year. For example, this year’s guide includes a new cost line (pay TV) and income stream (machines) for some models. The data should also be used in conjunction with sources such as the ALMR’s annual benchmarking survey and other pub trade data. The guide also makes clear that all pubs are unique and that actual costs incurred will be dependent on the different aims and styles of the business according to the location, the market and the skills of the tenant or lessee.

As well as providing average costs, the guide also includes the minimum and maximum typical costs, providing a range of scenarios across different types of business.

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive, BBPA, says: “Our updated report will provide very useful benchmarks that should help anyone thinking of taking on a pub, or those who are already in the trade. It can be downloaded free of charge from our website. It should be a great help to all those running a Great British Pub.”

Scotch Whisky Association Sets Out Priorities for New UK Parliament THE SCOTCH Whisky Association (SWA) is calling on politicians to give the Scotch Whisky industry the support it needs to ensure it remains a great British success story.

Following the general election, the SWA is setting out its priorities for the new UK Parliament. As the industry approaches the challenges and opportunities posed by the UK’s exit from the EU, the SWA is urging MPs from all parties to work with Scotland’s distillers to deliver a Brexit framework that supports future export growth, as well as a competitive domestic tax and regulatory environment.

On tax and excise, the SWA is calling on the government to address the ‘Scotch Supertax’, since excise and VAT on an average priced bottle of Scotch in the UK is now an onerous 79%. According to the SWA, the near-80% tax burden is holding the industry back at a time when, particularly because of the pressures brought by Brexit, the UK Government should be supporting domestic industries to enable them to flourish and to increase their exports. The SWA is urging the Treasury to take action to reduce the Scotch Supertax in the Autumn Budget. Currently, a unit of alcohol served as Scotch is taxed 51% higher than the same

unit of alcohol in beer and 19% higher than wine.

The SWA is also calling on Wesminster politicians to support Scotch Whisky by: • Delivering on the industry’s Brexit priorities to help boost exports • Promoting a competitive business environment for distillers • Working with partners to reduce alcohol misuse • Supporting investment in sustainability • Developing a Scotch Whisky ‘sector deal’ as part of the government’s proposed UK industrial strategy.

Karen Betts, Scotch Whisky Association chief executive, said: “Scotch Whisky is an industry of huge importance to the UK, which supports over 40,000 jobs and exports more than £4 billion worth of whisky to 182 markets overseas every year. However, our success is not a given. So we are urging politicians at Westminster and Holyrood to work with us to deliver a Brexit that supports our future export growth and creates a more competitive domestic environment. As part of this, we want to see a cut to the near-80% ‘Scotch Supertax’. Scotch has been a highly successful great British export for many years but its treatment in its home market is damaging its ability to grow at home and to sell overseas.”

Cheers to 40 years of British Beer PICTURE THIS – it’s the summer of 1977 and you are standing in the middle of Alexandra Palace in London visiting the first ever Great British Beer Festival, an event organised by a consumer organisation that was started just six years previously by four men from the North.

In “Ally Pally” there are hundreds of beers on offer – more than you’ve seen before in your life. Back home at your local, you can only drink a couple of the same beers that are on tap all year round. In fact, there are just 171 independent breweries across the country, all of whom seem to be on show at the Festival.

Fast forward to 2017. The Great British Beer Festival is gearing up to celebrate its 40th anniversary at Olympia in London. Tens of thousands of people will flock to sample close to a thousand different real ales, ciders, perries, and even gins and fine English wines, from all corners of the UK and abroad. More than 1,500 breweries now exist across the country and that once-small campaigning organisation now runs over 200 beer festivals each year. There are countless similar events to choose from, and your local pub has a revolving beer line up of 8-12 beers on tap from across the UK and abroad.

The story I am telling is a story of beer: beer brought back from the brink of extinction to become an intrinsic part of English culture and heritage, thanks to CAMRA beer festivals making a huge range of flavours and styles available to drinkers. Beer has never been as popular, as accessible, as innovative and as exciting as it is here now in 2017. The beer lovers of today would struggle to imagine Britain when there

were six big brewers dominating the market, pushing bland, fizzy beer onto the public.

To celebrate 40 years of supporting the beer industry, our Great British Beer Festival organisers are planning a festival different to those we’ve run in the past. For the very first time, we will be expanding our drinks offering to introduce fine English wine and gins from some of the country’s top winemakers and distillers. A collaboration of Irish brewers will be travelling to London to showcase the very best of Irish real ale at the Festival, and the London Brewers Alliance will be celebrating everything that is great about beer.

An exciting line-up of brewery bars will see some festivalexclusive beers, including the debut of some brands of American craft beer that will be entering the UK market for the first time – ranging from raspberry stouts to gin barrelaged IPAs. Some fantastic food and entertainment, including a range of tutored tastings and the announcement of the Champion Beer of Britain, will make this Festival unlike any before.

The world of beer has changed dramatically in 40 years and we are changing with it. This year’s Festival will have more more choice, more variety and even more exclusive beers than ever before. Our brewery bars and sponsors will be able to meet over 50,000 visitors throughout the week, launching new ranges, brands and designs.

We hope you are looking forward to our trade day, one of the biggest networking events for the beer and pubs industry. We would love to see even more brewers and publicans involved in the Festival in the future. Why not consider being part of the Great British Beer Festival movement next year, and join our journey transforming the beer world for the next 40 years?

Benchmarking Report Highlights Challenges and Opportunities for Sector

INCREASED OPERATING costs and tightening margins have highlighted the importance of support for the sector and the need for clarity over Brexit, according to the latest edition of the ALMR Christie & Co Benchmarking Report, launched earlier this month.

The ALMR Christie & Co Benchmarking Report benchmarks operating costs, market trends and sector performance and is the most comprehensive study of its kind in licensed hospitality. The 2017 edition shows operating costs passing the 50% mark for the first time in the survey’s history, with growth across the sector continuing to slow.

Operating costs across all trading styles now stand at 51.5% of turnover, with growth across the entire survey at 1.1%.

The survey also highlights areas of positivity, with licensed accommodation, the success story of last year’s Report, growing at 5.1%; and nightclubs experiencing resurgence with 3.6% growth.

Capital expenditure has also returned to the sector and now exceeds the levels observed pre recession. Some of this expenditure is likely to be defensive in nature, although with so many private equity backed pub and restaurant businesses in the UK, there are clearly bigger growth opportunities within the sector.

For the first time the Report includes a confidence survey which highlights that there is confidence within the sector, particularly trading prospects for 2017 in both anticipated like-for-like turnover growth and anticipated profitability. The majority of respondents felt Brexit would have little impact to their business in 2017.

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Employers are

Health and Safety

looking at the political instability and uncertainty caused by Brexit and the possibility of significant cost increases, as wages rise and rates reliefs expire. There is a risk that additional costs could hit at a time of great instability hitting eating and drinking out businesses that are crucial to the UK economy and have helped restore prosperity to our town and city centres. However, the continuing growth of accommodation in the eating and drinking out market, and the welcome revitalisation of nightclubs, highlights the innovation and dynamism on show in our sector.

“Venues are responding to challenges by adapting and providing customers with new and exciting experiences. It should be remembered though, that this growth could be undermined if the Government does not provide adequate support for businesses and fails to bring about the stability and access to labour that employers are going to need.”

Neil Morgan, Managing Director – Pubs & Restaurants at Christie & Co, adds, “Despite the well-documented decline in pub numbers over the past three decades we are seeing a more lean and competitive sector emerging as operators diversify and respond to the continuing evolution of the UK consumer landscape.

“There is clearly confidence in the sector, highlighted by the Report’s confidence survey and increasing levels of capital expenditure, however there are a number of political and economic pressures which could threaten some operators, all exacerbated by the uncertainty surrounding the Brexit negotiations. What is clear is that operators must prepare for both the challenges and opportunities; therefore the need for effective business planning is more essential than ever if operators are to not merely weather the storm but seek to thrive in the long term. ”

Health and Safety in Catering and Hospitality AS AN employer, you are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of your staff, irrespective of whether full-time, part-time or casual. In very simple terms is it up to you as an employer to ensure the workplace environment is safe, equipment properly maintained, work practices/systems are safe, access to and from the premises safe and the use of any dangerous/hazardous substances is controlled.

If you are fortunate enough to work for a large

chain/corporate group then health and safety procedures, policies, plans and risk assessments will all be in place as well as ongoing training and development. Many individual hospitality businesses/proprietor led pubs hotels and restaurants do not have this “luxury”, nevertheless, the responsibilities set out above remain the same. Penalties for breaches include imprisonment, unlimited fines, compensation orders, community orders, victim surcharge and Disqualification.

Do you have a safety policy? Have you undertaken risk assessments? Are you training your staff? Do you have a safety management plan?

Your business must have a written health and safety policy, if you employ five or more employees. Most businesses set out their policy in three sections: • The statement of general policy on health and safety at work sets out your commitment to managing health and safety effectively, and what you want to achieve • The responsibility section sets out who is responsible for specific actions • The arrangements section contains the detail of what you are going to do in practice to achieve the aims set out in your statement of health and safety policy What is a risk assessment? Whatever business you are you need to carry out a detailed and thorough review of your business to identify those areas and operations that could lead to causing serious injury/ harm to an employee.

Once you have completed this review you will be able to identify whether you have taken suitable steps to ensure the chances of harm/ injury are minimised or, whether your need to take additional measures to help prevent an accident happening. Much of this comes down to staff training, making sure your employees know what they are doing and how to do it, procedures are put in to place to keep everyone safe. Trained staff are more able to carry out tasks safely and proficiently and all tasks should be explained in detail to all employees and, ideally training logs should be kept for reference.

A simple plan for a hospitality business would be: 1. Try to identify all the possible hazards.

2. Decide which members of staff may be harmed.

3. Appraise the risk and analyse what precautions you need to take.

4. Write down your findings and implement a plan of action.

5. Make regular reviews of your findings When in doubt, get expert advice, smaller businesses may be able to conduct assessments themselves, however should you run a larger hospitality business you will

very likely require the help of a health & safety expert to carry out the assessment for you.

Consulting with staff in the decision-making process is essential since, they will have first-hand knowledge of the risks they face in their day to day tasks and will also appreciate being asked for their input.

Depending on what type of hospitality business you are each business will have will have a different risk profile and will therefore be expected to take different steps to safeguard against risk; any precautions taken should be balanced to the size of a business and the likelihood of the risk occurring. Proprietors/managers are advised to take their health and safety duties seriously and put in place specific policies to combat risk.

Conducting vigorous risk assessments, implementing control measures, and identifying and monitoring those control measures to check that they remain effective is not just good practice, it is vital. You are legally required to be compliant with health and safety legislation, not just to ensure that guests are provided with a safe environment, but also to protect your business and your reputation.

Health and Safety

July 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

Why Choose Creative Learning Solutions?

OUR LEARNING solutions are as individual as your business requirements and all the courses deliver measurable results for Managers.

Creative Learning Solutions are a team of experts with a passion for training individuals and groups in all sectors including Hotels, restaurants and the licenced trade, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, prisons, shipping companies, retail and schools across the UK and worldwide.

We have a gained an enviable reputation for developing innovative and cost-effective eLearning which is readily available, easily accessible and can be accessed from multiple devices.

We pride ourselves on offering excellent customer service and always try to go that extra mile to help our clients to get the best out of their training experience.

And as a Qualifications Approved Centre with the Royal Society for Public Health we also offer a wide range of traditional classroom training courses.

Our Food Safety eLearning follows the RSPH Level 2 syllabus and covers all the relevant areas from bacterial growth and food contamination through to storing, preparing, cooking and serving food safely.

And our Health & safety suite of courses is designed to equip learners with the knowledge and understanding required to work in a safe manner, thereby minimising the risk of workplace accidents and ill health. The courses cover both employer and employee responsibilities for maintaining a healthy and safe place of work and include Risk Assessment and the law, manual handling and fire safety, COSHH and accidents in the workplace.

For further details see the advert on this page.

Brand New Training Solutions from The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) CIEH HAS recently launched a suite of flexible work-based learning programmes.

This is the beginning of a new way of working together with our profession and the public they train and protect, and we call it ‘Partners in Professionalism’. We are a trustworthy awarding body that is now offering a new way of working underpinned by over 100 years of expertise.

This new approach gives you greater flexibility as it empowers you to deliver high quality training, where our courses can be set according to the individual learner’s needs and tailored to their pretraining base knowledge. The support materials allow for remote

learning, at the convenience of the candidates, minimising the impact on their daily workload.

We provide value for money, with a cost-effective pricing model that supports you, regardless of the size of your audience.

Our current portfolio has courses in Food Safety and Occupational Health & Safety, and additional courses in First Aid at Work and HACCP are due to be launched soon.

Each course comes with comprehensive and engaging materials to help you deliver great learning.

Find out more by visiting www.cieh.org/training, calling us on +44 (0)20 7827 5800 or emailing info@cieh.org. Follow us @The_CIEH on Twitter and find out more using the #partnersinprofessionalism hashtag.

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Soft Drinks and Tonics

Boost Your Profitability At The Bar With Sophisticated Soft Drinks Offering has responded to the research with its range of premium soft drinks with flavours such as sparkling lime and jasmine.

Experiment with flavours in the same way as you would with alcoholic drinks menus, matching flavours that compliment each other well, in order to develop fresh and exciting beverage solutions.

Cater to the health conscious

UK DINERS will spend a staggering £54.7bn eating and drinking outside of the home, but with one in five adults choosing not to drink alcohol at all, how can you ensure you maximise every meal time? According to data from one of Beacon Purchasing soft drinks supplier, sales in the on-trade eclipse that of popular alcoholic preferences such as cider and wine. With this data in mind, the importance of providing a soft drinks selection that caters to varying tastes is increasingly important.

In 2014, Scotland’s drink-drive limit was reduced, and with this move expected to be replicated south of the border in the near future, business owners should carefully consider how to maximise revenue through their soft drinks offering, in order to avoid taking a financial hit if alcohol sales do slump. Beacon has identified significant room for growth in the premium soft drinks category for the hospitality sector.

Kelley Walker, Category Manager for Drinks at Beacon, commented: "When the new legislation was introduced in Scotland, some of our customers saw a drop in sales of up to 90%. Should a similar legislation come into force in England, we want to ensure that businesses are prepared for the changes and able to easily adapt in order to thrive."

Working with its leading suppliers Beacon, has pulled together its advice for businesses to utilise to refresh their soft drinks offering:

Be bold with flavours Soft drinks do not have to be plain. Mintel’s Attitudes to Premium Soft Drinks report highlighted that one of the main things consumers wanted from soft drinks, was high quality ingredients and a clear difference in taste. Fentimans

With the ever-growing popularity for health foods and the recent announcement of a new sugar tax, businesses and consumers alike are becoming increasingly conscious of making healthier choices. Communicating the healthy aspects of your soft drinks, such as low sugar or zero artificial colours will help to tap into this market and drive sales.

As an example, Oranka Juice Solutions has recently launched a range of juices that are free from artificial colours and sweeteners and contain just 2% sugar.

Develop a ‘mocktail’ menu The trend for ‘mocktails’ isn’t necessarily a new one, but is a trend that allows bar managers to up sell on the existing offering and adds a point of difference at the bar. Spend time developing a non-alcoholic cocktail menu that is equally as exciting as the standard cocktail menu, in order to maximise profits on soft drinks.

The UK drinks market is seeing a significant increase in demand for alcohol-free beverages. Recent reports from the Office for National Statistics showed that the number of adults who said they drank alcohol is at the lowest level ever recorded, with 21% claiming to be completely teetotal.

Non-alcoholic cocktails popularity It’s no surprise that the alcohol-free industry is growing exponentially to capitalise on this trend. Today, the public are much more aware of health risks involved with excessive drinking and are typically far more body and fitness conscious. The menu of alcohol-free cocktails — popularly called ‘mocktails’ — has increased considerably from the Shirley Temples of years ago and is now a lucrative and cre-

A curiously refreshing blend of apple juice and sparkling water Now in apple + raspberry

ative industry of its own. So, what does this mean for your business?

Who is drinking mocktails?

The term ‘mocktail’ was apparently coined in the 1970s, but the non-alcoholic cocktail trend has only really taken off in the past few years. Here are the customers you need to target to get maximum profit from your non-alcoholic cocktail sales: People with alcohol allergies or those on health kicks and diets; alcohol-free drinks give these consumers a way to socialise and not veer from their fitness regime.

People who are driving; less people are legally able to consume alcohol.

People who want to look like they’re drinking alcohol and avoid questions; the mocktail illusion helps people join in the camaraderie atmosphere of a bar and avoid drinking alcohol without noticeably abstaining.

People bringing families; non-alcoholic cocktails are fun and colourful, which makes them a popular treat for children.

Maximising your mocktail sales Mocktails are a good profit makers! The key is to think about your pour cost and research your competition — who is already selling mocktails, at what price, and how are they making them. Remember that mocktails are non-alcoholic alternatives people choose to cut alcohol, not flavour.

Therefore, you should mimic popular cocktail recipes, such as mojitos and margaritas, and avoid letting sugar dictate your mocktail menu.

Another way to maximise your earning potential is to be creative. Make sure to offer your customers a non-alcoholic cocktail that they can’t get elsewhere and include mocktails that are child-friendly. As we discussed, mocktails are an acceptable drink for kids, so try to create a theme that depicts popular cartoons or book characters to attract this demographic. Advertise your selection on your ‘Specials’ board and give your selection of mocktails its own section in your drinks menu for optimum promotion.

A final tactic to a healthy mocktail profit is considering presentation. Alcoholic cocktails are inherently attractive, so you should ensure that your establishment has a variety of drinks serving sets to embellish your mocktails.

The mocktail trend is on the rise, so don’t let your company get left behind. But remember; using fresh ingredients, making syrups, and experimenting with recipes takes time, money and resources. Make sure you factor this into your overall costs when devising price lists.

Nick Yates, Sales and Operations Director, Vimto Out of Home has seen huge growth in ‘Healthy’ soft drinks, “The demand for healthier soft drinks is clear. We know one in five 18-24 year olds today is teetotal , and as many as 54%

newtonsapplfizzics@gmail.com | 0208 241 5779

Nick’s recommendations for maximising soft drink sales include: 1. Give soft drinks the same consideration you do alcohol and food on the menu.

With one in five 18-24 year olds teetotal1 and consumers’ level of expectations on the rise, it’s important to have a selection of soft drinks and that includes healthy, premium soft drinks for adults too.

2. Think about your branding when choosing a soft drinks brand Brands have an instant impact on how a person feels.

Therefore, hotels, restaurants and bars should be conscientious about their own brand positioning and offer water and other soft drink brands which best represent their offer.

3. Cover off different demographics It’s important for outlets to make sure all demographics are met within its soft drinks range, be that core carbonated soft drinks, kids fruit drinks, through to adult premium brands. It’s important to differentiate adult soft drinks from children’s. Adults have different taste pallets, and want a drink with a more grown up look and feel. That doesn’t mean the options need to come from two different brands. Feel Good has an adult glass bottle range, with ‘refreshingly still’ and ‘a bit bubbly’ variant, as well as Tetra packs that children and their parents have come to know and love.

4. Add value through presentation There are simple ways to add value in the eyes of the consumer. Firstly, through activation – think about your back bar layout and merchandise to attract consumer attention. Secondly, make sure your staff have tried your soft drinks range and are able to make a recommendation. The final way is through the serve of drink. Give your soft drinks as much consideration as a cocktail. Serve the drink in the right glass, with the right amount of ice and use garnishes – it’ll help consumers to stay there for one more. Consumers are also willing to pay more for premium so by giving your drinks a premium look and feel you can improve your bottom line Beacon's Kelley Walker continued: "Data from Coca-Cola shows us that soft drinks account for 15% of wet sales in the on-trade, but they can often be overlooked by bar and restaurant managers. We’re advising businesses to take the time to invigorate their soft drinks offering so they can cater to varying types of customer and essentially run a more effective and profitable business."

New from Newton’s appl fizzics NEWTON’S APPL fizzics is a curiously refreshing blend of apple juice and sparkling water. It is all natural with no added sugar or sweeteners – and contains about 40% less sugar than apple juice on its own.

It comes in a 330ml single serve glass bottle and an elegant and table-friendly 750ml glass bottle for sharing, which looks very at home with wine or mineral water.

This large bottle also comes in a lovely new flavour

– apple + raspberry. Delicious.

Increasingly popular as a natural alternative to juice or sugary soft drinks, it’s a great choice for the growing number of adults looking for a serious alternative to alcohol. All the fun and none of the hangover.

Newton’s appl fizzics Chill and enjoy!

For more information, or to place an order, please contact us via the website (www.newtonsapplfizzics.com), email us on newtonsapplfizzics@gmail.com, or call us on 0208 241 5779.

Time To Release Your Spirits With NEW Luscombe Drinks Tonic Waters

RENOWNED FOR its award-winning portfolio of drinks, Luscombe Drinks has just announced the launch of three new premium natural tonic waters: Devon Tonic Water, Elderflower Tonic Water and Grapefruit Tonic Water. The range is available in 20cl bottles and has a recommended retail price of £1.20 per bottle.

www.newtonsapplfizzics.com

of consumers are looking for low sugar in their purchases .

There are lots of drinks on the market that claim to be ‘low in sugar’ or ‘healthier’ but very few actually are. As shoppers become wiser to what is and isn’t in their drinks, especially with increased publicity surrounding the sugar tax, it’s important that the hospitality trade have a truly healthy soft drinks offering.”

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association labelled 2016 ‘the year of gin’ as sales in the UK broke the £1billion mark for the first time. Sales of gin overseas were also higher than ever before, worth almost £500million. On the back of this, tonic water sales are also on the rise, with Mintel reporting 10.2% year-on-year growth (Attitudes Towards Premium Soft Drinks Report, February 2015). This rise is being credited to the expanding craft spirits sector, and the trajectory looks set to continue.

Gabriel David, chairman and founder of Luscombe Drinks, said: “Given the phenomenal rise in craft spirits, we have had a number of requests from our trade customers for a range of super-premium tonics that will enhance - rather than compete with - the complex flavours of these artisan spirits.

“Using natural Devon spring water, we have developed tonic water recipes with very distinct yet subtle flavours. Furthermore, we have increased the carbonation, helping to maximise the flavours of the spirit for a truly delicious drinking experience.”

The traditional Devon Tonic Water is enhanced with the zingy citrus taste of Japanese yuzu, a rare and expensive citrus fruit that has three times more vitamin C than a lemon.

The Elderflower Tonic Water is infused with wild English elderflowers, hand-picked in full summer sunshine and uniquely pressed, resulting in a light floral tonic. The third of the trio, the Grapefruit Tonic Water uses the finest pink grapefruit to create a delicate citrus tonic.

All three are perfect served either on their own or with one of the many craft gins, and other premium white spirits, that continue to emerge on the market. The Devon spring water helps to make the tonic waters crisp and refreshing, as well as bringing out the individual characters of the spirits with which they are mixed. It’s time to release your spirits!

Gabriel went on to say: “We are also seeing an increase in the number of consumers ordering tonic water instead of the usual draught soft drinks. Tonics deliver a dryer, more complex flavour – and this range has been created to so that each flavour is delicious served on its own over crushed ice.”

The three new tonics add to Luscombe Drinks’ existing range of 23 delicate bubblies, fruit crushes, juices, traditional soft drinks, ginger beers and a cider, which have, to date, received 58 Great Taste Awards.

For further information on Luscombe Drinks please visit www.luscombe.co.uk, email info@luscombe.co.uk or call 01364 64 30 36. Follow Luscombe on Twitter: @luscombedrinks and ‘Like’ on Facebook.

Outdoor Leisure

Crown Verity – The Grill To Last A Lifetime, Not Just A Summer...

CROWN VERITY provide the complete outdoor cooking system, with a range of barbecue grills to suit every user – from the publican with a small outdoor space to the busy event caterer looking for the ultimate outdoor kitchen!

Designed to last a lifetime, every model in the range is built to the same high specification, using only the finest materials and workmanship throughout. A 10

year warranty on the Stainless Steel burners and cooking grates speaks for itself!

A Crown Verity barbecue system will pay for itself in a very short period of time and become a great profit generator for many years to come.

The flagship MCB mobile barbecue range leads the way, available in sizes from 30” to 72” - complemented by built in options, traditional charcoal barbecues and hand wash stations – as well as a wide range of add-on accessories to help create a varied menu.

For more details, please contact our Sales Team on 01296 663400, sales@rhhall.com or visit rhhall.com

Sensational Surfacing from NovaPlay THE FOUNDATION of excellent play starts from the ground up: with safe, creative and colourful play surfacing suitable for any installation.

Nova Sport Ltd specialises in the supply and installation of NovaPlay wetpour and rubber mulch surfacing for play areas and walkways.

Both offer low-maintenance, porous play areas that are safe, sustainable and durable.

Where artificial grass is preferred, Nova Sport’s PlayGrass is a durable and attractive addition to any play space, court or multi-use games area (MUGA), combining the realistic appearance of natural grass with a robust surface that requires

minimal maintenance.

Whatever the surface, dull and dated play equipment stifles imagination. Capture children’s imagination with the exclusive new 3D rubber animals range.

Not only do they enhance the look and feel of a facility but also create a greater sense of adventure to feed children's imagination and make play even more fun!

The 3D rubber animals are safe, flexible, diverse, functional and add limitless play value to your leisure facility.

For show-stopping play, from the ground up, contact: Nova Sport Ltd 01332 292202 info@novasport.co.uk www.novasport.co.uk

July 2017

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Outdoor Leisure

White Pavilion Hospitality Gazebos STYLISH LUXURY Hospitality Gazebos Giving Your Customers 20 Years Relaxing Time… at least.

• Today the Hospitality Trade has a better understanding of adding value to their customers outdoor experience.

• Keeping your customers comfortable outdoors, the more time they will spend with you…. which means more money they will spend. Simples.

• The TRUE cost of a WHITE PAVILION Hospitality gazebo is only the profit from ONE drink a week because our Hospitality Gazebos will last 20 years and more.

• So, no more replacement canopies or parasols or Jumbo umbrellas.

Do not waste your hard earned money on stuff that doesn’t work for your business.

COMPARE these features to anything else on the market. If you can

CINDERS Barbecues

CINDERS Barbecues celebrate thirty three successful years with their legendary ‘Slimfold’ range of LPGas barbecues. Whilst there are no ‘cinders’ in a Cinders Barbecue, these rugged and versatile folding units are popular with widely varied catering operations, from street food vendors to five star hotels and everything in-between.

This British made equipment will

find anything better - then buy it.

• Long-Life Canopy - 20+ years • Long-Life Pressure Treated Timber • Stainless Steel Brackets & Fixings • Translucent Canopy - lets in 85% of the light • ‘Self Clean’ Canopy • 100% UV Protection • 100% Waterproof • Tested To Safely Withstand 100+ Mph Winds • 40 Colour Choices • Optional Side Screens - Infrared Heaters • Simple Self Build - can be dismantled and moved • 5 Year Guarantee To find out more you must visit our HOSPITALITY page at whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk Call us Today on: 01653 695 285

deploy and cook in less than ten minutes, leaving little excuse not to boost profits with an outdoor presentation whenever possible.

Over a thousand burgers at a large event is well within capacity for the best selling TG160 model, yet the unique design of grilling surface will easily support delicate items like fish or fruit. Investment is minimal and return on capital can be measured in hours, rather than years.

Summer is here at last - everyone wants to be outdoors and you need reliable equipment that will deploy in minutes and will store away cleanly when not in use……..Cinders website was designed with you in mind and is a useful resource for outdoor cooking – with blogs, best practice and always with sound advice for safety first. www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk

Exciting Ranges From Leisurebench Ltd. HERE AT LeisureBench, we have been working hard to enhance the emerging trend in quality outdoor and indoor furniture.

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SPECIAL OFFER July and August Buy 7 Get 1 FREE

Fibre cement furniture: Suitable for outdoor or indoor use, our Fibre cement range comprises a table and bench set made from a composite material renowned for its strength and durability, with natural acacia wood legs.

Fire pit tables: Fire pits have been popular for many years and this is a natural extension to this trend. Fire pit tables combine cooking and eating with the aesthetic appearance of a fire

pit, added to the practicality of a table that can be used for outdoor cooking or just relaxing.

Madrid Set: Made from quality weather resistant resin in a continental style found extensively across Europe, this table and chairs set is suitable for outdoor or indoor use and benefits from the aesthetic appearance of Rattan, but with more durablity.

Neptune chairs: Our Neptune range combines the look of a designer chair but built to last due to its sturdy robust polypropylene construction.

For further information visit www.leisurebench.co.uk or call 01949 862920.

Outdoor Leisure

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Pelmondo Outdoor Heating Solutions from Renove RENOVE BASED in Ellesmere Port have been appointed as the exclusive distributor for Pelmondo outdoor heating solutions.

Pelmondo invented the outdoor pellet heater over two years ago as an easy to use wood burning solution without smoke or ash.

After extensive research, they introduced their first wood pellet based outdoor burner ‘The Fire Cube’ to a rave reception and since then have steadily increased their product portfolio with a number of attractive lines. For 2017 they have introduced their new ‘Fire Barrel’, an outdoor table mounted on a wine barrel with integrated burner and glass shield and the ‘Fire Table’ for sitting areas.

So why Pelmondo: 1. They are cheap to run … almost 70% less running costs than bottled gas.

2. They look great!

3. They are easy to light and to refill.

4. They are environmentally friendly with a neutral CO2 footprint.

The outdoor burners are an ideal solution for Hotels and Restaurants as the owners love the look of the product and its ability to lift outdoor spaces. Customers love the natural wood flames and radiant heat from the burners.

To request a catalogue contact Renove on 0151 601 9984, or send us an email on sales@renove.co.uk

Elegant & Sophisticated Woodware - Freshen Up Your Food Service IS IT time to step up and do things differently?

Time to get an edge over your competitors?

Food Presentation Box, Deli Board, Burger Box & Wooden Steak Boards can make a big difference to your customer's dining experience.

A restaurant needs various elements to maintain its competitive advantage in the hospitality industry. There is tough competition given the rise of developing restaurants, cafés, pubs and hotels in anyone area.

Therefore, many restaurant owners have been forced to think out of the box when it comes to creating the differentiation factor.

Stylish Italian design we have selected and combined the finest and most durable bam-

boo materials to create this fine selection of wooden table service ware.

Case prices are available for trade but do feel free to order your sample from our online store by visiting www.blackrockgrill.com.

Black Rock Grill, Steak Stone Hot Rock Cooking company has been supplying table top solutions to the restaurant market for over 13 yrs.

Our world leading sizzling lava rock cooking concept has transformed many a dull, ordinary menu and brought a whole new life for many food service operators, simple to install & operate, Black Rock Grill is Trusted by the trade around the world.

Visit www.blackrockgrill.com, call +44(0)1256 359858 or email info@blackrockgrill.com

Kirklees Developments Ltd Catering Equipment WITH OVER 35 years’ experience of designing and manufacturing barbecues and a variety of gas appliances with C.E approval Kirklees Developments now produce 2 sizes of hog roasters, to cook up to 200lb pigs.

The 200lb pig roaster, the largest on the market, has a viewing window and wooden handles for comfort. It`s geared motor unit is 4 times the power of smaller roasters in its class. Chickens, jacket potatoes etc. can be cooked in the optional attachment & tall chefs may specify the optional adjustable carving brackets. Carving trays are also available.

Our newest product is our

Decarboniser soak tank. Designed for ease of use and robustness. Fabricated from stainless steel with 150Litre usable capacity. Simply switch it on, leave your pans and grills in it overnight, take out the clean stuff in the morning.

Kirklees Developments produce an extensive range of large professional catering grill & griddle barbecues including the widely respected Masterchef and Zenith ranges.

The 8 burner Magnum has removable grills for easy cleaning and is most versatile due to its overall size and independently controllable burners.

Tel: 01484 401134 Email: enquiries@kdev.co.uk Web: www.kdev.co.uk

Elegant & Sophisticated Woodware

Freshen Up Your Food Service • • • •

Steak Boards Charcuterie Boards Food Presentation Box Steak Stones

www.blackrockgrill.com +44(0)1256 359858 info@blackrockgrill.com

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Hospitality Technology Getting It Right When It Comes To Your Point of Sale

by Peter Moore, CEO at Lolly (www.itslolly.com) IN TODAY'S hospitality environment, people want to be served as quickly and efficiently as possible. Having the right point of sale (EPoS) system is vitally important - to help support speed of service, but also to attract customers, and to keep them coming back.

Integration now plays an important role - technology providers are creating seamless offerings at the PoS, which includes reporting, CRM, loyalty, supplier management and finance. It’s about managing multiple applications on one platform - in order to help hospitality providers offer the best service in what has become a hugely competitive market.

Here are some top tips when it comes to EPoS technology and creating financial success within the hospitality environment: 1) Financial accuracy An EPoS system will reduce the likelihood of customers being either under or overcharged, which can have an impact on the overall bottom line.

2) Speed of service Integrating card payments at the PoS will ensure a speedier and more accurate service, helping to maximise sales opportunities, but also encouraging repeat custom.

3) Stock management Businesses - of any size - should have the ability to tap into a powerful back office that automatically takes care of stock inventory, wastage and profit and loss down to an individual ingredient. This should all happen in real-time,

so stock can be replenished with no interruption to service, maximising takings and profits. This will also help the hospitality provider to understand wastage trends.

4) Accountability Hospitality providers need a system that can help them to actively monitor staff activity, for example: to gauge which member of staff is performing well. Or, conversely, to identify unusual patters or trends, such as a high number of void transactions.

5) Real time reporting Having the ability to see the peak selling times of the day, as well as the daily and annual profit margins, means the hospitality specialist can see what is really going on in their business, and therefore adapt accordingly.

When selecting a system, I'd always advocate one that is simple and intuitive - given the high staff turnover rates within the hospitality environment. Equally, there shouldn't be any hidden costs, for example when it comes to an upgrade.

An EPoS provider should be there to act as a partner, to support the business and its potential growth. Even support tasks, like directly swapping out equipment, is more time and cost effective negating the need for an on-site engineer.

At the end of the day, it's about saving time and money and helping to grow the bottom line.

Call 0800 038 5389 or visit www.itslolly.com for further information.

How Small Plates + Technology = Casual Dining Success SMALL PLATE service is revolutionising the way people dine today. Tapas-style service is not just great for customers, it’s good for operations, with lower food costs, good turnover of ingredients and a higher spend.

Chris Cartmell, business consultant for NFS Technology Group, said: “A good electronic point of sale (EPoS) system such as Aloha from NFS provides all the tools you need for small plate service.”

That includes tableside ordering using handheld devices ranging from dedicated technology to iPads, and kitchen automation technology that gets service underway immediately.

Chris said: “With Aloha EPoS, serv-

ing staff can send the order straight to the kitchen, where it is displayed on screens so chefs can prepare it immediately.”

Bills can be easily split, and items are never missed.

Afterwards, data captured enables restaurateurs to identify what’s selling and what’s not, improving stock control.

Jacque Ferreira, Co-Founder and Executive Chef of Bar Iberico, says his restaurants could not do without their Aloha system.

He said: “We expect to serve more than 700 people in the Summer when our outside area is running at capacity.

“The order going straight from the handheld to the kitchen screen ensures a blistering speed of service.”

Find out more about Aloha – www.nfstechnologygroup.com

Sam4s World Leaders’ in ECR/POS Technology

Sam4s world leaders in ECR/POS technology, aim to make the most flexible, cost effective, innovative and reliable EPOS products of all time. The Sam4s team have over 30 years’ experience in the market and now produce the most sophisticated and diverse products to the world-wide market, extensively used in over 60 countries.

The very latest in the POS line up from Sam4s are the Titan-S Series terminals which are stylish and perform to meet the needs of the most demanding hospitality environments. Titan-S range feature the latest PCT touchscreen technology and have IP rated water resistant front touch panels as well as Intel Celeron Dual or Quad core processors with SSD drives as standard.

To enhance the Sam4s POS terminals, Samtouch

front end POS software utilises the latest technologies of your SAM4S Point of Sale terminal, to display eye catching & easy to operate touchscreen graphics at lightning speed.

Integrated Bar & Table management features help your venue become a more streamlined more efficient operation that has proven to increase customer satisfaction and guest experience.

With third party integration to such packages as, ResDiary, Resident Pro and Mainstay, and integrated EFT payments with Payment Sense and Sage Pay. Also look out for Samtouch Cloud back office solution which enables you to get real time management reports, control stock and product maintenance, whilst on the move or in your office.

For further details contact YCR Distribution on 01924 438238 or email sales@ycr.co.uk who will arrange for your local authorised Sam4s & Samtouch reseller to contact you.

YO! Sushi Rolls Out New Restaurant Technology with NCR PROVEN NCR CLOUD AND HARDWARE SOLUTIONS ARE ENABLING GROWTH AND INCREASING PROFITABILITY FOR POPULAR INTERNATIONAL JAPANESE FAST FOOD RESTAURANT BRAND YO! Sushi, the UK’s wildly popular international Japanese fast food restaurant brand, has completed the roll out of a new restaurant technology solution with NCR Corporation, a global leader in omni-channel solutions.

YO! Sushi, which operates 91 restaurants including 71 in the UK, 6 in the US and 15 franchised across the world, sought to upgrade its existing system to achieve greater efficiency, business intelligence and operational control across the business. In partnering with NCR, YO! Sushi was confident in the reliability and scalability of NCR’s best-in-class software, hardware and services including the NCR Aloha point-of-sale (POS) solution In addition, YO! Sushi is using the NCR Insight and NCR Pulse applications to support business intelligence and drive efficiency across the business by enabling the management team to see exactly what is going on across its portfolio in real time and via a smartphone app.

As well as implementing NCR fixed POS solutions, YO! Sushi is also rolling out NCR Orderman handheld devices enabling mobile POS across stores where wifi connectivity is a challenge.

NCR’s omni-channel technology solutions help restaurants to simplify day-today operations, leverage business and customer intelligence to make informed

decisions and improve the customer experience.

“The insight tools that NCR are able to offer are a real game changer. It has never been possible to have such an array of data at your fingertips – and the fact that it’s in real time means that you can know exactly what is going on”, says YO! Sushi chief executive, Robin Rowland.

“The UK’s hospitality industry is seeing a seismic shift in consumer attitudes and this is having a significant impact on businesses, changing our servicing requirements. The likes of Deliveroo and UberEATS mean everyone expects you to be online and offering a seamless operation – working with NCR is a vital part in being able to be at the forefront of this transformation,” adds Rowland.

“Fast growing restaurant brands, such as YO! Sushi, are focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience, increasing profitability and growing their businesses,” adds Richard Goodall at NCR Hospitality. “Our technology platform can help restaurants improve speed of service, employee productivity and customer spend, resulting in higher profits, increased loyalty and satisfied, happy guests.”

YO! Sushi opened its first Japanese "kaiten", or conveyor belt-style, fast-casual sushi restaurant in London in 1997.

Since then, YO! Sushi has grown from a London-only sushi brand to 91 locations worldwide, including locations in the United Kingdom, United States, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

For further information please visit www.ncr-hospitality.co.uk

Hospitality Technology Technology Solutions to Embrace the Night-Time Economy

By Mel Taylor, CEO of Omnico Group As we continue to see a shift and convergence of shopping and hospitality experiences, with an emphasis on this being an evening activity; retail, dining and hospitality brands must start to embrace new forms of customer engagement and technology solutions. Without the technology in place to provide consumers with an entirely frictionless and hassle-free experience, those brands on the cusp of what we call The Experience Economy, won’t remain ahead in this competitive environment.

Figures supplied by analysts CACI indicate that retail outings where leisure was the chief purpose went up by 28 per cent in the last couple of years. The British Retail Consortium, meanwhile has attributed increases in high street footfall to the growing demand for the evening leisure economy. It looks as if the focus on the night-time economy that began in local government with the relaxation of licensing and planning regulations, may in some measure be paying off.

Whereas in the past there was clear distinction between when consumers shopped and when they ate, with a move toward the night-time economy and convergence between these experiences, the hospitality sector must work harder to compete for consumer’s attention. What is paramount for the success of hospitality brands today, is the ability to provide a technologically engaging and rewarding experience.

According to Omnico’s consumer research, the Retail Gap Barometer, 51% of under 35’s want to have a single loyalty programme uniting retail, leisure, food and beverage facilities. No longer is it enough for shopping malls or high street destinations to ‘house’ individual retail brands, dining options and leisure facilities like cinemas, ‘millennials’ today want these to be united. The under-35’s, or ‘millennials’ account for 20% of restaurant or mobile app downloads, according to CGA strategy. These ‘Trending Tastemakers’ are re-defining customer engagement, with 67% of under-35’s expecting some kind of new technology to be used by retailers in the next three years.

The food services industry is not shy to embracing new technology, with alternative Omnico research questioning

153 contract caterers and food service companies, revealing that 40% have already implemented ‘online booking’ systems, with 23% planning to implement ‘mobile payment systems’ and 15% ‘mobile booking systems’. The use of new technology solutions and mobile apps is clearly important in order to meet the expectations of today’s consumer. Specifically, the industry has an understanding that consumers today engage most prominently via smartphones when on-themove. The most rated functionality of a potential consumer mobile app by the food services industry is pre-order (31%), followed by loyalty (25%) and customer recognition (21%).

The fast-food industries race to embrace mobile ordering and payment reveals a clear industry-wide strategy. In May 2017 it was revealed that Burger King had begun testing mobile-payment technology in the Miami area, looking to rollout further within months. McDonalds is apparently also planning a nationwide debut of mobile payment by the end of the year. Interestingly Omnico’s Retail Gap Barometer research revealed that of the 55% of consumers who want to have more activities and facilities available to them in a single complex, it is fast-food outlets that are the number one additional activity / facility they desire. The need for fast-food to provide a quick and convenient experience lends itself to mobile innovation. Starbucks has had a mobile-payment feature for years, with 24% of Starbucks orders in the first quarter of 2016 paid for using the company's app. Orders placed via smartphones will make up more than 10% of all quick-service restaurant sales by 2020, according to Business Insider Intelligence. At that point, mobile ordering is expected to be a $38 billion industry.

Mobile is the clearest step in convenience for hospitality brands today. Retail and food services brands embracing The Experience Economy must undergo an “Uber-ization” to remain ahead. If our high streets are to continue drawing footfall, enticing with their mix of retail and leisure, they must think more like technology and app companies. The additional benefit of a mobile-first strategy is linking the ordering and payment, to a rewards programme, creating a more personalised engagement.

Those brands without a mobile ordering, payment and loyalty system are passing up on an enormous opportunity.

As the industry explodes, fast-food companies, pubs and chains need to look to early innovators like Starbucks, if they hope to stay competitive in the next decade.

Visit www.omnicogroup.com/contractcatering or see the advert on page 15 for further details.

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US Hospitality Tech System BlueCart Joins Comesto the UK Based Procurement Platform Comesto, the innovative new British hospitality supply chain platform, has formed a strategic partnership with US hospitality tech operator BlueCart to create a totally new business management solution for the UK. Providing an affordable procurement and stock control solution for all types of hospitality operators, from individual venues to the largest restaurant chains and from new artisan suppliers to big food and drink brands. This new service enables all to purchase and trade efficiently, raise quality and control costs.

The combined Comesto and BlueCart service provides a complete purchasing and stock management facility which is simple to

setup and use. It’s like a wholesale catalogue you design and own - your selection, your negotiated prices, your order quantities and your delivery schedule - putting you in control. Upload current suppliers catalogues and order with one click, and if Comesto alerts you to a better price or better quality alternative from another supplier, just swap it. And if you need a new stock item, simply search Comesto, check out prices and quality, get samples if you wish and drop it into your BlueCart shopping basket.

And for your suppliers, their ComestoBlueCart processes your orders, highlights special pricing, deliveries and alerts you to new stock items and special offers.

To sign up to Comesto FREE visit www.comesto.co.uk or email info @comesto.co.uk or see the advert on the inside front cover.

Lolly Launches Merchant Cash Advance

MARKET RESEARCH indicates that since the Brexit vote UK tourism is likely to benefit (1). In response to the hospitality sector's continued growth, Lolly, the Point of Sale (PoS) specialist, has launched merchant cash advance - helping to support its customers to increase capacity and to meet demand.

Merchant cash advances, repaid as a pre-agreed percentage of future sales, are becoming increasingly popular due to their flexible nature and the fact that the repayment plan accounts for seasonal income variations. It provides businesses, that take credit and debit card payments, with a low risk cash advance. This financing has a much lower impact on their cash flow because repayment is based on their day-to-day trading levels.

Peter Moore, CEO at Lolly, said: “We specialise in supporting small businesses across the UK's hospitality industry. And we want to help our customers to expand, refurbish and restock, which is why we have chosen to launch merchant cash

advance finance. I believe it is becoming the smarter, low risk way to finance their business.

"We understand the difficulties that seasonal and fledging hospitality providers face. For many, it makes sense to have the flexibility to receive funding during quieter months when it’s most needed - knowing that payback will happen in mid to high season."

The service is offered in conjunction with Liquid Finance Partners Limited. Eligible businesses include those which have been trading for 12 months or more, and who take between £3,500 and £250,000 per month through credit and debit card payments.

Unlike a loan, merchant cash advances are unsecured and processed faster than a typical loan and give quick access to capital when needed.

How much and how long a provider repays fluctuates with sales volumes - giving greater flexibility to manage cash flow.

Visit www.itslolly.com for further information.

(1) https://www.avondata.co.uk/blog/ industry-news/how-will-brexit-affect-thehotel-industry.php

Design and Refit Dolphin Catering Fabrications We are a company that specialise in the design and manufacture of bespoke stainless-steel fabrications & ventilation systems to the commercial catering industry.

We supply restaurants and takeaways (including national chains), hotels, garden & shopping centres, bakeries, sandwich & coffee shops, pub groups, schools & colleges, community & sports centres, churches & village halls, children’s play barns and local authorities.

We offer both 304 & 430 grade stainless steel, we provide a range of finishes including bright, dull & circu-

lar polish We offer a system design service and we also have the facility to provide fully working 2D & 3D kitchen ventilation layout drawings – these include flow rates – we usually combine this with a site visit The products we can offer include: Various canopies including wall & island, wall cladding, ducting, fans, fire suppression systems, gas interlock, cleaning & maintenance, counters & service centres, tabling, shelves, wall & base units, sinks, heated gantries, hot cupboards, bain maries, splash backs, handrails, bar & ice wells, charcoal grills and much, much, more We pride ourselves on excellent quality, this is reinforced by a high level of customer service, we continually strive to ensure total customer satisfaction.

Our on-site engineers have training certificates for mobile vertical & mobile boom lifting equipment, pasma tower certificates, pasma site ID cards, CSCS cards, abrasive wheel training & asbestos awareness certificates Contact us: Dolphin Catering Fabrications Limited on Tel: 0114-276-9000, E Mail: info@dolphinfabrications.co.uk or Website: dolphinfabrications.co.uk

Rearo Expands the RapidFit Range RapidFit the industry leading range of ‘off the shelf ’ washroom solutions has been extended into two complimentary systems: RapidFit MR-MFC and RapidFit Compact.

RapidFit MR-MFC toilet cubicles, vanity units and IPS wall panels are now available in a extended choice of eight mix and match colours with a five year guarantee.

RapidFit Compact cubicles have been introduced with high-traffic areas in mind. It is vandal resistant, 100% waterproof and extremely hardwearing. Compact comes in 10 complementary colours and is guaranteed for 10 years.

Kevin Nicoll, sales manager at Rearo, said: “The new RapidFit sys-

tems have three main benefits for our customers: convenience, choice and with the Compact range - durability.

“RapidFit can be collected the next day and is sold in components, so that our customers can buy a single door or pilaster, or a whole cubicle system. It’s very quick and flexible.

“We’ve chosen complementing colours that can mix and match to create a stylish, bespoke design and the Compact cubicles offers a extremely tough solution when it is needed.”

For more information and full specifications, visit the rearo website at or call 0141 440 0800 to request a brochure or samples.

Bespoke stainless-steel fabrications & ventilation systems

WE ARE a company that specialise in the design and manufacture of bespoke stainlesssteel fabrications & ventilation systems to the commercial catering industry.

The products we can offer include: • Various canopies including wall & island,

• Shelves • Wall & base units

• Wall cladding

• Sinks

• Ducting

• Heated gantries

• Fans

• Hot cupboards

• Fire suppression systems

• Bain maries

• Gas interlock

• Splash backs

• Cleaning & maintenance

• Handrails

• Counters & service centres

• Bar & ice wells

• Tabling

• Charcoal grills

and much, much, more We pride ourselves on excellent quality, this is

reinforced by a high level of customer service, we continually strive to ensure total customer

satisfaction.

Tel: 0114-276-9000 E Mail: info@dolphinfabrications.co.uk Website: dolphinfabrications.co.uk

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Six Ways To Accessorise Your Rooms For The Ultimate Guest Experience EVERY ESTABLISHMENT is unique and it is often the little touches that can make all the difference to a guest’s experience.

The increasing credibility of travel review sites has made the hospitality market even more competitive, so it is important to stand out for all the right reasons.

Here Chris Tame, Mitre Linen’s National Sales Manager, provides us with his six expert tips how to accessorise your rooms in order to create a warm welcome, a wonderful stay and a lasting impression.

1) Soft furnishings: Beautiful soft furnishings can transform a room and instantly make a guest feel welcome. Whether you want to ignite a certain sense of style or reinforce your brand identity, refreshing your curtains, cushions and bed runners will help create that all-important great first impression.

2) Include a blanket or throw: A deliciously soft cashmere or woollen throw or blanket can add a touch of glamour to a room as well as making guests feel at home. Guests love snuggling into a little comfort and will appreciate this little gesture.

Capricorn Contract Furnishings CAPRICORN CONTRACT FURNISHINGS are now firmly established as one of the country’s largest stockist and supplier of quality contract furniture to cafes, bars, bistro's, restaurants, pubs, clubs and hotels.

Capricorn Contract Furnishings are based in an 85,000 square feet showroom and distribution warehouse on the outskirts of Exeter in Devon. From within the distribution area we are able to offer a next day delivery service

Woodman Chairs

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

Building and Specialist Contractors

The fact that we make gives us greater control and flexibility. It also enables us to offer bespoke chair and chair frame or component production to end cus-

Luke Harbut and the team of William Buckhorn have been hard at work at the Perseverance Public House 63 Lambs Conduit Street WC1.

Luke and the crew were giving the old girl a long awaited make over.

For further information on how William Buckthorn can help your business, call today!

3) Pillow menu: The right pillow can make all the difference to a good night’s sleep and, in a competitive market place, personalisation is the key to standing out. Why not offer your guests a pillow menu to allow them to pick their ideal pillow? This is a unique and personal gesture and will help provide your guests with a fantastic night’s sleep, tailored to their requirements.

4) Offer practical bedroom accessories: Complement each bedroom with practical amenities that will provide your guests with all the essentials to make their stay as easy and comfortable as possible. From quality hair dryers to irons and ironing boards, sometimes these little extras can be a necessity.

5) Offer guests a bathrobe and slippers: Allow your guests to feel completely pampered and indulged by leaving a sumptuous bathrobe hanging up in the room. Nothing says luxury like a velour bathrobe and a pair of matching slippers. For that extra-personal touch, embroider your bathrobes with your brand name to help reinforce your identity throughout their stay.

6) Include complimentary toiletries: Guests love a quality selection of quality complimentary shampoos, conditioners, shower gels and body creams in their bathrooms. Adding them to a room shows attention to detail and will add a touch of luxury to that special hotel experience.

For more helpful tips and advice, call our friendly team on 01685 353 4456. www.mitrelinen.com

throughout the UK on hundreds of products including outdoor dining tables, tub chairs, bar stools, lounge furniture, conference stacking chairs.

Customers are encouraged to visit our large showroom to view an extensive range of furniture ideally suited for the leisure market. Here you can relax and let Capricorn help and advise you with your requirements.

Opening hours for the showroom are Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Capricorn Contract Furnishings are in the enviable position of being a sole UK importer of quality furniture which means that you the customer, will be dealing direct with manufacturers from around the world at very competitive prices.

For further details, please see the advert on this page. tomers or other suppliers and manufacturers looking for their own design or seeking to create a unique range or theme, again in both oak and beech, raw or finished.

Always keen to innovate, Woodman are constantly introducing new styles and have recently added Carver options to their more popular dining chairs and have further expanded their range of bar stools to include rush seated and fabric pad options. Here is a simple decision that won’t require a Referendum! If you want your customers to have the best choice, with honest quality, at affordable prices, with decent lead times and no minimum order, then you need only vote Woodman for your chairs.

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

Design and Refit

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

HotelContractBeds - Premium Quality At Affordable Prices WE’RE ONE of the leading suppliers of contract approved beds and mattresses within the UK. Manufactured by ourselves, we pride ourselves on high quality whilst also providing comfortable low trade prices. While of course we offer all the standard UK sizes for beds and mattresses, we also provide an affordable bespoke service that will enable you to get the exact bed, mattress or sofa bed required for your establishment.

Hill Interiors We work on a no minimum order

AT HILL INTERIORS we believe we are uniquely placed to deliver fresh, unique and inspiring homeware expertly, cost effectively and quickly. As one of the largest importers of furniture and homeware products in the UK we are able to offer an extensive range and choice with over 2,500 products at great prices with 40 years great service experience… and by great service we mean a dedicated Sales representative, next day delivery, six ways to order, no mini-

value policy, meaning you may order as much, or as little as you need. This enables us to supply the big hotel chains, while also providing top quality to the smaller and independent hotels.

Delivery is free of charge for all mainland UK orders with an estimated time of 3-5 working days. And what’s more, you can be assured that every contract bed manufactured and supplied via HotelContractBeds - including our memory foam mattresses, sofa beds, zip and link beds and divan sets complies with BS5852 and Crib 5, ensuring that they pass stringent fire safety inspections. Call our friendly sales team on 01234 834693 or visit our website www.hotelcontractbeds.co.uk

mum quantity per item, after sales support, bespoke design services… and the list goes on.

We pride ourselves on being a one stop shop for all your homeware needs. With extensive research and design undertaken, each category from clocks or furniture to our lighting has the depth and design to stand alone, delivering fantastic products to ensure you stand out from your competitors.

At the very core we are a family run business and this influences every aspect of our business. We are a family which works together from our owner, Nik Hill, right through, to our delivery drivers. All working towards a common goal of delivering a great service for you our customer.

We would love to meet you and discover how we can help you. Visit us at Autumn Fair, our Showroom or give us a call on 01845 567044, F: 01845 567055, E: sales. enquiries@hill-interiors.com or visit www.hill-interiors.com

Retain Credit & Debit Cards and Be PCI Compliant While Increasing Profits The CardsSafe® system is now the “best practice” way of handling credit and debit cards retained by merchants in the UK hospitality industry. More than three thousand venues now use the system every day and when managers share their experience they report these financial benefits: • Chargeback drops by more than ninety percent (90%) • Walkouts are reduced by at least fifty percent (50%) • Tab mistakes drop significantly and finally – • There is a major uptick in sales

In addition, their customers really appreciate that their security concerns are dealt with in this easy to use system as offered by CardsSafe limited.

If you are concerned about how CardsSafe works within the PCI scheme, Alan Gill from the independent PCI certifying company Orthus Limited states: “The PCI DSS standard encompassed 264 controls. CardsSafe helps to reduce the need to meet all of these through ‘compensating controls’ which allow businesses to comply to the standard without having to change the way they operate”.

Please contact CardsSafe Limited on: Phone: 0845 5001040, Email: cardssafe@cardssafe.com or Web: www.cardssafe.com

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

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Pro Auction Valuers & Auctioneers

PRO AUCTION Limited are one of the leading specialist valuers & auctioneers.

Providing a comprehensive range of services to ensure that the full value of surplus or redundant assets are realised, to maximum value, be that by a private treaty, tender or auction.

Auctions are conducted on a regular basis, throughout Europe in the Hospitality, Catering & Leisure sectors. We provide valuation and sale advice on all classes of industrial and commercial business assets.

Auction sales are conducted both on site and webcast

through our world-wide bidding platform.

Pro Auction runs both traditional and online auctions throughout Europe, using the latest auction platforms and software, developed to meet the demands and needs of both the seller and purchaser. The company provides expert advice to insolvency practitioners, corporate recovery specialists and turnaround professionals. It is widely acknowledged as a leading provider of machinery and business asset advice – from initial valuation to exit strategy planning and implementation – helping clients through the whole process.

Contact Pro Auction Limited on 01761 414000 or email info@proauction.ltd.uk

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

We carry a lot of our range in stock so we can help you to meet your deadlines. We also offer a unique source and supply service; if you send us a picture of an item we will do our up most to supply to

you at the best price.

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

For further information, call 0115 965 9030, visit www.diningchairsuk.com or email info@diningchairsuk.com

Air Conditioning Associates Limited WE CAN offer air conditioning, heating & ventilation, design, installation and service & maintenance both residential and commercial, at a very competitive price.

Air Conditioning Associates specialise in all aspects of heating, ventilation and air conditioning. We operate across London, the south-east and beyond.

Up-and-down the country you are never far away from an ACA satisfied clients.

We can offer the complete solution, from free site surveys and quotations through to design, assistance with planning applications, installation and preventative maintenance.

Our customer base is expanding and and diverse including blue-chip companies, schools, charities, hospital-

ity, and commercial clients, allowing us to continually develop our understanding and experience. Our experienced design team will offer expert guidance on the most cost-effective and energy-efficient system for your needs. No air conditioning project is too big or too small. We are here to help.

Tel: 0208 977 0208 fax: 0208 977 0200 info@airconac.co.uk www.airconac.co.uk

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Lakes Catering Maintenance Refit Windermere CFB Boilers Gets Energy Bills Out of Hot Water Yacht Club After Devastating Fire IN JUNE 2016, the Windermere Yacht Club suffered a devastating fire causing extensive damage to the kitchen which forced the club to close its catering facilities. The local fire service brought the blaze under control quickly after Zoe Broughton (Club Stewardess) had tackled the fire in the first instance, the fire is believed to have been started by a deep fat fryer. The committee in place sought the help from a local business Lakes Catering Maintenance to support them in planning, designing and project managing the whole refit.

Leigh Howard from Lakes Catering together with Zoe and the committee members worked together to enhance the kitchen, prioritizing safety, function and future proofing the design to stand the test of time. The galley style kitchen was modernized with up to date equipment such as a Rational 10 grid Combi and a Blue Seal cookline sited under a new ventilation system complete with an integrated air input plenum on the front

Mayfair Furniture AS A leading supplier of contract furniture to the leisure and hospitality industry Mayfair Furniture is always striving to bring high quality products at the lowest prices possible. We supply a huge range of products to suit a variety of establishments from café and bistro furniture, restaurant, pub, bar, hotel lobby and bedroom furniture.

As a direct importer of commercial furniture Mayfair Furniture offer the most competitive prices in the UK. For example we supply

face of the extraction hood.

Once the insurance details were finalized Lakes Catering started work on the kitchen refurbishment immediately, in order to harness the demands of the season and the all scheduled events for the club members.

Lakes Catering reported that the kitchen was completed on time and on budget for May 2017 in time for the Clubs extensive racing program and the first social for the 17 Foot Class Yachts Dinner.

Lakes Catering MD Leigh Howard commented: ‘With a space limited in size we found the 3D design package we currently use to be a real assets, it gives clients a realistic sense of spatial awareness and a great visual insight of the finished product. This kind of service ensures we can deliver the right design outcome for clients.’

Leigh Howard added: “This was very satisfying job and to be able to support a local club which has around for well over 150 years, it’s such a great local facility and stunning location.’

Call today onl: 01539 724506, email: info@lakescateringmaintenance.co.uk or visit www.lakescateringmaintenance.co.uk restaurant table tops manufactured in the UK and made from FSC & PEFC certified sustainable sources, with prices starting from £19.95. In 2017 we brought in a new range of premium quality seating from Europe with prices starting at £44.50 almost half the prices of our competitors.

For busy restaurateurs and hoteliers the entire range of commercial furniture and prices are quickly accessible from our fully ecommerce website. Buyers can also come and view our products at our new and extended showroom based in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire five days a week Monday to Friday 9am till 5pm.

Business Contact Details: Phone: 01733 310 115 Email: sales@mayfairfurniture.co.uk Website: www.mayfairfurniture.co.uk

ROUND-THE-CLOCK demand for heating and hot water in hotels and catering facilities can create significant financial burdens. But it doesn’t have to be this way – CFB Boilers’ high efficiency GB 162 hot water boiler range not only reduces energy consumption, therefore slashing bills, but as a Carbon Trust ECA registered product, also allows businesses to claim 100% of the first year capital allowance.

The 80kW and 100kW gas or oil hot water boilers can be fitted individually or combined (from two to eight boilers) using

CFB Boilers’ cascade kits, thus providing condensing outputs of up to 800kW. To precisely match heat demand, single boilers can automatically modulate output down to 19kW or less, while multi-boiler cascade systems can modulate down to 2.5% of total output. Consequently, system efficiency is always high – even when heat demand is low – and fuel consumption is significantly reduced. Wear and tear is also minimised.

CFB Boilers’ renowned 24/7 technical support covers everything from system layout design to installation. For more information about the GB 162 hot water boiler range, please contact CFB Boilers on 01255 224500 or visit www.steamboilers.co.uk.

Colshaw Hall Adds Chalet Pods from Green Eco Living

EXCLUSIVE WEDDING Venue Colshaw Hall, Cheshire has just taken delivery of Two Windermere Chalet Pods from Green Eco Living.

Colshaw Hall a 300 acre estate Grade II listed exclusive wedding venue in Cheshire has recently taken delivery of Two Chalet Pods as a way to increase their accommodation.

They choice the top of the range Windermere Chalet Pod which includes a top spec Kitchenette and will have an outside decking area for people to sit out on warm summer evenings. This will make the Chalets not only extra accommodation but that little bit more special for guests.

With 300 acres of land around the main home the owners see Green Eco Living’s Chalet Pods as a way to increase the amount of accommodation without affecting the history and feel of the main house which is listed. But with ever larger wedding taking place at the venue the amount of onsite accommodation was becoming an issue that needed to be addressed to maximise the return on ever event and of course improve the experience for the guest, step forward Green Eco Living and our Chalet Pods.

Although they have ordered only two to begin with, they are already looking

to the future and further ordered to increase accommodation to meet the anticipated demand.

The Chalet Pods are to be housed in a secluded wooded area on the estate giving the guests privacy from the main house, this in time may well become a separate area within the estate.

Green Eco Living’s Chalet Pods are unique in that they are fully insulated as well as being double glazed, contain full ensuite not a wet room and with the option of a kitchenette.

You can also include wardrobe space if you wish. The Chalet Units come in a number of different sizes and layouts which can always be tweaked to suit individual requirements.

Green Eco Living had developed the most thermally friendly, efficient Chalet Pod on the market in the UK. Not only are the walls insulated, but also the ceiling and floor.

Based in Lancashire, Green Eco Living is a leading provider of Chalet and Camping Pods who also offer Boutique Hotel Rooms and Garden Rooms for the every space. These are built on site so can be used when access is an issue.

For more information on Green Eco Living and our product range, visit the website www.greenecoliving.co.uk, call the office on 01257 453 791 or email ask@greenecoliving.co.uk.

Read all the latest news from the licensed industry at

www.catererlicensee.com @CLHNews

www.facebook.com/catererlicensee

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

July 2017

Straight To The Sauce STRAIGHT TO The Sauce is a regional chef recruitment agency. We established our firm with the intention of helping fellow chefs achieve their full potential and helping restaurants and kitchens find the best talent in the UK and beyond.

In an industry that’s facing an ever-increasing shortage of hospitality staff, we understand that connecting with the right chefs is a vital ingredient for any business’s growth and success.

For many kitchens, finding the right balance of staff can be a difficult process, putting stress and an extra workload on existing team members. This can sometimes overflow into negativity and bad customer feedback, causing a loss of revenue that can be devastating for any business.

‘Straight To The Sauce’ is an independent boutique agency, which means we don’t charge our clients over-inflated consultancy fees. We take pride in

ANDREW GREENWOOD BUSINESS TRANSFER AGENT LOCK-UP LICENSED ITALIAN RESTAURANT, FRONTING BUSY MAIN RD, AMIDST AFFLUENT RESIDENTIAL AREA, NR. WATERLOOVILLE, HANTS. Estab approx. 18 yrs, having a long eye-catching frontage. Traditionally furnished restaurant – seats between 70/90 covers. Well equipped bar & large catering kitchen. Open 6 eves & Sun lunch. T/O £4,500/£6,500 pw.

GP 72.5%/75%. SCOPE. Leasehold at current rental of £28,000 p.a.x. £115,000 + S.A.V. (Ref. C.3715) LIC. RESTAURANT WITH 3 BED MAISONETTE, SOUGHT AFTER POSN AMIDST PROFESSIONAL AREA, THRIVING TOWN CENTRE, BETWEEN SOUTHAMPTON & PORTSMOUTH. Character Grad II Listed Bldg amidst conservation area. Run on chef/patron basis. Same hands 14 yrs.

Retirement sale. Tastefully decorated, air con restaurant – seats 36/44 covers with adj. Cocktail Bar & open plan kitchen. 3 bed maisonette above & rear yard. T/O £5,000 pw. Accts. record T/O £198,507 (ex VAT). GP £142,509 (72%). Open 5½ days. – EITHER £695,000 + S.A.V. F’HOLD, OR, with a new 15 yr lease at £25,000 p.a.x. - £120,000 + S.A.V. (Ref. C.3668) LICENSED SPANISH RESTAURANT & TAPAS BAR, WITH S/C 2 BED FAMILY FLAT & P/P TO EXTEND, PROM MAIN RD POSN, OVERLOOKING TOWN QUAY, SOUTHAMPTON. Character Grade II Listed Bldg, abutting ancient city walls. Estab by Vendor 22 yrs ago. Fitted out in a typical Spanish style. Well equipped bar with adj. 50 cover restaurant & first flr mezzanine seats 70. Terrace seating for 20. Catering kitchen. Desirable 2 dble bed S/C flat with views & P/P to extend. Takings £13,000/£15,000 pw.

Accts for 47 week period record T/O of £591,206 (ex VAT). GP £402,808 (68.13%). – OIRO £995,000 + S.A.V. FREEHOLD, OR, avail. with new lease at initial rental of £52,000 p.a.x. - £135,000 + S.A.V. (Ref. C.3665)

www.andrewgreenwood.com

romsey (01794) 522228

Property and Professional being able to spend time focussing on our individual candidates’ strengths and qualities, matching them with our clients’ needs. We always make sure that we place our chefs in the right position, rather than just for filling a vacancy at a minute’s notice. We want to help our chefs’ careers progress, so they can continue to flourish and feel passionate about their trade.

All of our hospitality packages are specifically tailored to suit your affordability and budget, as we know that no kitchen is the same. Are you ready to cut down on hiring costs and recruit the ideal chef for your restaurant? Call or email us today.

Straight to the Sauce helps chefs find the right opportunities From French bistros, modern gastro menus, location catering, Michelin-starred restaurants and 5* hotels, we have a client base of some of the industry’s most renowned chefs. That are ready to share their wealth of knowledge or maybe just offer a chance to refine your culinary knowledge and sharpen your knife skills. What ever you employment situation our friendly team of constants, would love to speak with you and discuss how we could help your career develop and help you achieve the rewards and benefits you deserve…

Office hours 9:30-6:00 Tel : 01637 621554 Out of hours 24hr. Tel : 07342 824278 Email: straighttothesauce.com or see the advert on page 2.

Jenkinson, previously with PXL Insurance, has launched Sector Associates. He commented: “We have, for a long time, earned a reputation for understanding the insurance issues which pubs, restaurant and hotels face. By starting Sector Associates we can continue to achieve the right level of cover for the business and seek even better premiums for our customers.”

Sector Associates have taken office space in Thirsk, Yorkshire and have employed six staff with all of the claims and administration team based out of the Thirsk office.

The Brace of Pheasants is a delightful, Grade II listed 16th Century thatched inn with 8 superior en-suite letting rooms situated in beautiful, unspoilt countryside in this delightful corner of Dorset. The property is located in the hamlet of Plush set amongst the rolling hills of Dorset Downs approximately 9 miles from Dorchester.

The property briefly comprises a cosy, character oak beamed main bar with open fire seating 40, an attractive restaurant with up to 40 covers and a private dining/meeting room for 14. In addition there is a fully equipped commercial kitchen, prep/wash room, ladies and gents cloakrooms, laundry/utility room and a ground floor beer cellar. There are 4 individually presented en-suite letting rooms at first floor level and a further 4 superior en-suite letting rooms situated in the recently converted annex.

Outside is a pretty trade garden recently levelled, smoking shelter with light and heat, a private decking area and a large customer car park. To the rear of the site is a plot with foundations for an owners’ house or accommodation lodge which has a permanent planning permission in place.

The Brace of Pheasants is a hugely successful business, currently run by a husband and wife team with a compliment of both full-time and part-time staff. The Inn has won many accolades and awards over the years and was recently named Dorset ‘Dining Pub of the Year’ for 2017.

The business has a well-deserved reputation for tasty, locally sourced fresh food, complimented by a wide range of carefully selected wines and real ales.

The traditional food and drink revenue is significantly boosted by the 8 ensuite letting rooms which are popular all year round. The delightful rooms let at £119 per night on a bed and breakfast basis with a reduction for single occupancy. Pets are allowed in the annexe rooms.

For further information please contact Bettesworths on 01803 212021 or visit www.bettesworths.co.uk

Food For Thought – How Does Your Hospitality And Leisure Business Measure Up?

By Dave Gosling, partner and head of the hospitality and leisure group at Menzies LLP AS HOSPITALITY industry professionals enter one of the busiest trading periods of the year, having a good grasp of financial performance and a keen eye on how they measure up to competition will ensure that improvements in revenue also mean improvements in profits and increased business value. Failing to take advantage of an uplift in the market and monitoring key performance indicators precisely, could result in a sluggish start to the summer trading season.

The industry has seen significant change over recent years and following a decline in the market between 2011 and 2016, the industry is projecting strong growth over the next five years. In order to capitalise on expected buoyant conditions, business owners should be aware of how they match up to current industry benchmarks including their sales mix, profitability, rent and rates, to identify where efficiencies can be made.

Making adjustments now will help improve business performance well into the future.

Sales mix Understanding average spend by customer is key and motivating staff to help increase revenue will help improve business performance. Implementing incentive schemes for upselling and crossselling can help reward employees, in exchange for increased profits. Educating staff about which items have the largest margins can help focus the sales efforts on products with the largest gains to be made.

Assessing industry sales benchmarks can help business owners set targets to reach or exceed.

The average turnover split for the restaurant industry falls into the following categories: meals - 66.2%; alcoholic drinks - 27.2%; non-alcoholic drinks 4%; and private functions 2.6%.

Profitability Not all aspects of running a business are profitable and knowing which areas yield the greatest gains will help business owners concentrate on the most fruitful activities.

INDUSTRY EXPERT LAUNCHES NEW INSURANCE COMPANY FOR HOSPITALITY With more than twenty years’ experience in successfully reducing costs and making sure that customers have the right cover for the demands of the hospitality sector – industry specialist Jamie Jenkinson has launched Sector Associates – with a team dedicated to the licensed hospitality sector.

The Brace of Pheasants, Plush, Dorset for Sale

AWARD WINNING Licenced and Leisure Agents Bettesworths are delighted to announce the availability of the Brace of Pheasants in Plush, Dorset which is being marketed at an asking price of £995,000 freehold.

Jenkinson added: “Our team pride themselves on getting to know and understand the customer and their venue(s) so we can ensure that the underwriting is completed painlessly and with customers properly covered for any claim they might need to make during the time the policy is in place.”

Sector has already secured access exclusive underwriting markets and claim to be able to provide cover at prices lower than the existing provider in 9 out of 10 cases.

Jenkinson added: “We are able to negotiate direct with the underwriters and present the requirements of each and every business we work with – this ensures we get the very best cover at market leading prices as well as reducing the time involved for the business owners.”

They have launched on online form for fast quotes at www.sectoria.co.uk and the team can be contacted on 01845 527428.

One of the hardest decisions facing owners is coming to terms with an area of the business that isn’t making the desired profit. Instead of allowing it to haemorrhage money, owners should act quickly, possibly making significant changes or stopping the activity altogether.

Although the average profit generated in the restaurant industry is currently 11% of turnover, experts are expecting this to decrease as businesses come to terms with recent price hikes such as national living/minimum wage and increases in food prices for example.

Cost of Sales/Gross Profit Margin Throughout the industry, purchases of food and beverages account for 39% of revenue, giving an average industry gross profit margin of 61%. This has reduced in recent years due to a focus on quality produce and general cost increases of food.

Costs must be closely controlled by planning and costing menus, reducing waste, portion control and stock management. Setting bonus-related targets for staff to reach can ensure everyone takes ownership, while keeping an eye on costs and waste.

Wages Wages typically make up 26.9% of revenue in the restaurant sector, which is mirrored throughout the hospitality and leisure industry. Previous reductions in wages due to the industry slowdown, have since been overshadowed by regulatory increases in costs such as the national living/minimum wage and auto-enrolment pension costs.

Seasonality of trade means that the industry often sees high staff turnover and a relatively low wage bill and controlling staff changes will be key to managing costs effectively. With Brexit looming and limited access to overseas labour in future, wage costs are likely to increase over the coming months. Conducting scenario plans of the current workforce, including the reliance on overseas staff will help identify future gaps and give employers time to think creatively about how to fill any potential gaps.

Maintaining profits is crucial. Business owners should regularly review customer numbers to ensure that staff capacity levels are at the optimum. Careful planning should be undertaken for known increases to wages and pensions, for example, to ensure that profits and margins can be maintained.

Rents and rates Where a restaurant is located is crucial to its success but this often means paying a premium.

The industry rent charge is often higher than others, at 7.7% of turnover.

Business rates in England and Wales have been recently updated to account for the changes in property values, causing widespread concern for the hospitality and leisure sector. According to the Association for Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), such increases will result in a 15% average increase in costs for pubs and 23% increase for restaurants.

It is key that business owners continually review their business and stay up-to-date with market developments and demands, whilst keeping costs under control. By monitoring industry benchmarks and making improvements now, businesses in the sector will be well-equipped to take advantage of the busy summer season and the predicted lift in trading over the coming years.

Colliers Study Reveals Yorkshire’s Restaurant Market Cooling THE RESTAURANT market has cooled significantly in Yorkshire and the Humber as operators are becoming increasingly more cautious, particularly around central prime pitches, according to a new report.

Colliers International’s Midsummer Retail Report 2017 examines the issues affecting the retail sector, providing an analysis of forecasting and trends both in and out of town.

Tom Cullen, director in Colliers International’s Leeds office, said: “For the past few years, the food and beverage (F&B) sector has bolstered transactions the retail industry, but it is no longer the solid driver that it once was. We are seeing less demand for super prime restaurant units paying £175,000 pa or more for 3,000-3,500 sq ft.

“Only the very best pitches or restaurant units costing £100,000-£120,000 pa to rent are seeing any significant demand. Carluccios on St Helen’s Square in York was the last super prime restaurant deal to open in the region in 2016.

“The market modus operandi has changed; where once operators would be confident in taking out 25 year leases, more and more are now negotiating five-year break clauses

into their contracts to future-proof their business.”

However, despite this negative news, the report also demonstrates that the food and beverage offering within leisure parks and shopping centres have proven to be more resilient than the high street, as they have ‘round the clock’ footfall.

Confidence in this type of retail unit is demonstrated at the White Rose Shopping Centre in Leeds which will open a 65,000 sq ft food and leisure extension while The Moor in Sheffield has recently delivered phase two of the development including Primark, retailers, restaurants and a cinema.

The retail market as a whole remains strong for the most part. Across the region, there has only been a marginal decline in rental growth of -0.6 per cent since 2016. The region has seen the most stability year-on-year, with 86% of locations recording stable rents, versus 70% nationally.

Greg Styles, head of retail development for Colliers International, says: “During the past year, there has been a push towards flagship deals by bigger retailers in cities across the Yorkshire and Humberside regions. More than 500,000 sq ft of shopping centre space opened in Yorkshire and Humberside in 2016, and a further 1.5 million sq ft is expected to open over the next five years.

“There is also a further 600,000 sq ft of retail warehousing space being added to Leeds and Sheffield over the next three years, including new schemes at Thorpe Park and Armley Park; and additional space at Monks Cross Shopping Park.”

Why Invest in France?

INVESTMENT IN commercial real estate totalled well over 30bn euros last year and continues to grow. It is a mature, transparent, market where Hotels are a popular asset for international investors, with around 4bn euros invested in 2016. France offers attractive income returns with a stable economy and a growing opportunity for rental growth.

Leggett was recently listed by the Financial Times as one of the top 10 fastest growing property consultancies in Europe. They offer an award winning service throughout France which includes: Agency, Development & Investment, Valuations, Marketing, Sale Consultancy … Our bilingual team

Are You Focused?

35 YEARS ago, I stood on Lambeth Bridge & threw my briefcase in the Thames saying 'never again will I work conventionally. At the time I was MD of 3 companies, part of a large group, but I couldn't stand the politics. That was on a Thursday, the following day I went to my 3 offices & said goodbye to all my staff & put my car keys in the postbox of the group

Property and Professional

July 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

works closely with dedicated English speaking lawyers, notaires and accountants, specialising in the disposal and acquisition of commercial property in France. With over 400 Leggett Immobilier agents spread across France, Leggett have a unique opportunity to source commercial property opportunities in all the major centres / regions, including hotels, retail opportunities, student accommodation, car parks and offices.

France is the world’s top tourist destination … here the hospitality industry is built on solid fundamentals, enabling it to weather economic downturn. It has a great deal to offer tourists, ranging from its varied landscape, to its culture and lifestyle. Its many dynamic sectors (ski, business, culture, wine etc) give France a unique appeal. As a result, France has become one of the world’s most dynamic markets for hotel transactions with a continued rise in overseas investment activity.

Contact : Christopher Smith Tel: +33 (0)5 53 60 84 88 Email: hotels@leggett.fr www.Leggett-Hotels.com

head office & caught the train home.

The following day I went to Italy for 2 weeks & on the first day back, I saw a Midland Bank Manager, told him what I'd done & he said "despite the fact you're young, you've had a lot of experience in running companies, I think you can help some of my customers".

So for 35 years, I've been helping companies & it took me years to work out the 1 reason why a business makes money is the same reason why a business makes money: FOCUS. Focus just on your skill, you'll never make money. Focus on profit & you'll make money.

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01202 551193, email: office@markliddle.com or visit www.markliddle.com

The Woodlark Inn, Lambley, Nottinghamshire for Sale THIS BUSINESS is located in the highly affluent picturesque Nottinghamshire village of Lambley surrounded by green belt countryside, garden centres, popular golf courses and other highly affluent villages.

Occupying a landmark position within the village this well presented characterful property is of brick built construction sitting under a pitched slate roof. An attractive quarry tiled entrance porch to the front of the property with the old ‘off sales’ window still visible provides access to all the trading areas.

These consist of: Bar (circa 34+ plus standing) has exposed wooden ceiling beams, exposed brick walls and a lovely exposed brick built open coal fire. There is a well-presented bar server of wooden construction offering 4 cask ales and a darts throw to one end.

Well-equipped commercial catering

Kitchen with stainless steel appliances. Spacious below Ground Floor Cellar with python, remote and pumps etc and several storage room areas. The owners accommodation has 3 Bedrooms.

To the side of the property is a lovely elevated block paved patio area (circa 30 covers) with wooden picnic benches and tables and chairs all siting under a retractable awning for those more than hot days. For the cooler climate there are wall heaters to the side wall and CCTV. The patron’s lined car park has circa 10 spaces however parking is readily available throughout the village.

Price: £56,000 New free of tie Lease.

Tenure: Leasehold. Rent (if applicable): £33,000 p/a. Landlord (if applicable): Private/Freeholder. Turnover (annual): £378,252 (inc VAT) to April 2016.

Wet:Dry split: 83% Wet : 17% Food.

For further information contact the agent, Guy Simmonds, on 01332 865112.

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

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July 2017

Overseas Investors to Drive UK Hotel Market in 2017

2016 SAW £3.4 billion invested in the hotel sector, exceeding the 10 year average by £1 billion, according to research from Knight Frank.

This comes as investors are increasingly seeking long-term defensive asset classes, which provide strong economic fundamentals and income security.

Knight Frank predicts that the UK hotel sector in 2017 will continue to see significant overseas capital due to the weakened value of sterling, with opportunistic investors seeking investment in both London and key regional cities across the UK. In addition to this, the market should also benefit from increased overseas tourism of 4% according to Visit Britain, and more staycation holidays due to the unfavourable foreign exchange rates following the economic impact of the EU Referendum vote.

Julian Evans, Head of Healthcare and Hotels, Knight Frank, commented: “We expect that the strong economic fundamentals in 2017 will further underpin investor confidence in the UK hotel property market. The bond markets are driving yield compression for hotel fixed income including ground rents where Knight Frank has sold record deals at approxi-

mately 2.3% net initial yield. A ground swell of cross border capital is searching for quality going concerns and fixed income.

“Therefore we anticipate that we will continue to see strong results as investors look for better returns on their investments and reassess their portfolio to incorporate more specialist property assets. Momentum will continue across the industry as it responds to threats from technological disruption taking place in the sector, through further consolidation or long-term partnerships.”

Specialist property, which Knight Frank defines as hotels, healthcare, student property, automotive and PRS, is being recognised by investors as a source of long-term assured income. £70.4 billion has been transacted in specialist property assets since 2007 and its popularity is set to continue, with investment volumes forecast to reach £15bn this year according to Knight Frank’s report Rest Assured Specialist Property.

Income returns within the specialist sector reached 5.7% in 2016, exceeding the traditional commercial sectors, whilst four of the five specialist sectors saw investment volumes equal or exceed their five and ten year averages.

The Fox & Fiddler, Colchester, Essex on the Market

LEADING NATIONAL Licensed Property Agents Guy Simmonds have been instructed to sell the highly impressive 15th century Fox & Fiddler, situated in the highly sought after town of Colchester.

This delightful property features a traditional and inviting Public Bar (circa 20+), a relaxing Lounge Area (circa 20) and a versatile Private Dining Area/Snug (circa 10+). There is a highly impressive

2 bedroomed owner’s apartment and an additional 2 self-contained apartment – ideal for letting or staff accommodation.

There is also a courtyard Beer Garden at the rear and Patron’s car parking facilities for circa 6 cars.

Price: £65,000. Tenure: Leasehold FREE OF TIE. Turnover: Advised current turnover is circa £260,000 (incl. VAT).

Trade Split: 100% wet. Rent: £40,000 per annum. Landlord: PRIVATE For further information, contact Guy Simmonds on 01332 865112.

The Hospitality Business Mentor from The Bowden Group DAVID HUNTER is the Hospitality Business Mentor – he works with owners and investors in hotels, restaurants and catering businesses.

Ensuring the business performs and makes the required profit, is what David does, and he does this by: 1. Setting realistic targets for the business, and creating budgets and forecasts 2. Monitoring Sales, Gross Margins and Labour costs very closely 3. Mentoring the owners and/or managers of the business to help them achieve their objectives Other areas that David advises on include: • Marketing – general and specific (ie promotions etc)

• Human Resources (HR) - including all the legislation, and disciplinary positions.

• Reward and Bonus schemes – always linked to achievement of objectives • Customer Service - including Hospitality skills training Do contact David for an informal chat, or make an appointment to meet with him.

Call David direct on: Mobile 07831 407984 or by email on davidhunter@bowdengroup.co.uk Visit the website at www.bowdengroup.co.uk or the Blogsite at www.hunterbowden.co.uk

Industry Expert Launches New Insurance Company For Hospitality The Golden Fleece, Perry Street, South Chard, Somerset on the Market WITH MORE than twenty years’ experience in successfully reducing costs and making sure that customers have the right cover for the demands of the hospitality sector – industry specialist Jamie Jenkinson has launched Sector Associates – with a team dedicated to the licensed hospitality sector.

Jenkinson, previously with PXL Insurance, has launched Sector Associates.

He commented: “We have, for a long time, earned a reputation for understanding the insurance issues which pubs, restaurant and hotels face. By starting Sector Associates we can continue to achieve the right level of cover for the business and seek even better premiums for our customers.”

Sector Associates have taken office space in Thirsk, Yorkshire and have employed six staff with all of the claims and administration team based out of the

Thirsk office.

Jenkinson added: “Our team pride themselves on getting to know and understand the customer and their venue(s) so we can ensure that the underwriting is completed painlessly and with customers properly covered for any claim they might need to make during the time the policy is in place.”

Sector has already secured access exclusive underwriting markets and claim to be able to provide cover at prices lower than the existing provider in 9 out of 10 cases.

Jenkinson added: “We are able to negotiate direct with the underwriters and present the requirements of each and every business we work with – this ensures we get the very best cover at market leading prices as well as reducing the time involved for the business owners.”

They have launched on online form for fast quotes at www.sectoria.co.uk and the team can be contacted on 01845 527428.

STONESMITH OF Exeter are delighted to be marketing the sale of The Golden Fleece; a deceptively spacious landmark detached inn with grounds which extend to over 1.5 acres.

The property is extremely well presented throughout and trades as a destination country inn and restaurant with letting bedrooms and caravan/camping facilities This well presented property offers an attractive character Main Bar (40+), Snug Dining Room (12), well equipped Commercial Kitchen, and spacious family sized 3 Double Bedroom Owners Accommodation. The grounds extend to over 1.5 acres and incorporate a Detached Bedroom Block with 5 high quality En-Suite Letting Bedrooms, Customer Car Parking for 20 plus vehicles, Enclosed Patio Trade Garden (28), Owners Private Lawned Garden Area with Dayroom/Occasional

Bedroom, 2 Bedroom Static Caravan, and a Paddock Field which extends to around an acre and provides Overflow Car Parking, 5 Caravan/Motor Home electric hook-ups, potential for camping/glamping, toilet and shower room, and various outbuildings and stores.

The high quality letting bedrooms also provide a steady year round income with the business benefiting from impressive levels of goodwill and regular repeat custom. The rooms are also popular with commercial business travelers.

The camping field is listed with The Camping and Caravan Club and again attracts numerous repeat custom and spinoff for the business. The inn has its own website www.thegoldenfleecechard.co.uk which provides further information on the business.

The valuable freehold property is on the market for £545,000. Full property details are available from the website www.stonesmith.co.uk and viewings arranged by calling 01392 201262.

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RE DU CE D

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

INN OF THE MONTH DERBYSHIRE £525,000 FREEHOLD

WEST MONKTON, TAUNTON

SOMERSET VILLAGE

BUCKFASTLEIGH, DEVON

Well Regarded Daytime Café & Restaurant Main Café/Restaurant Area (40) Al Fresco Seating for up to 30 Customers Free Communal Car Parking (20) Trading 5 Days Per Week Only Impressive Levels of Trade & Profits

Wet Led FREE OF TIE Village Pub Bar (30+), Games/Function Room (40+) Courtyard Beer Garden (30+) Potential to Develop Food Sales Fully Renewable FREE OF TIE Lease

Substantial Country Hotel & Restaurant Bar (18), 2 Restaurants (74) 14 En-Suite Letting Bedrooms Flexible 3 Bedroom Private Accom Gardens, Car Parks & Small Paddock Area

2064

LH £19,950

4677

DEVON COASTAL TOWN

DORSET

Upmarket Licensed Cafe & Coffee Shop Prime Sought After Coastal Town Presented to High Specification Main Cafe & Dining Area (46+) Impressive & Growing Levels of Trade Move In and Start Trading

Extremely Well Regarded Daytime Cafe Dorset Town Centre Close to Coast Cafe Dining Area (26), Al Fresco Seating (10) Impressive 2 Bedroom Owners Accom.

Outstanding Catering Opportunity

2063C

FH £395,000

2061

5980

DORSET VILLAGE

Popular Free of Tie Dorset Village Pub Strong Year Round Trade Bar Area (40), Restaurant (54) 2 Car Park (10), Trade & Pvt Gardens Generous 3 Bed Owners Accommodation Viewing Highly Recommended

FREE OF TIE LEASEHOLD £97,500 4745

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NE W

LH £145,000

FH £545,000

NE W

NE W

LH £90,000

REF: 7925F

SOUTH CHARD, SOMERSET

EXETER CITY CENTRE

Destination Inn with Letting & Camping Set in Over 1.5 Acre Grounds Deliberately Restricted Opening Hours Main Bar (40+), Snug Dining Room (12) 5 Quality En-Suite Letting Bedrooms Superior 3 Bed Private Accommodation Paddock with 5 Caravan Hookups

Impressive City Centre Guest House 9 Quality Letting Rooms & Owners Accom Trading on Bed & Breakfast Only Basis Attractive Home & Profitable Business

FH £545,000

4748

An Internal Inspection is Recommended

FH £595,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

5959

SOUTH DEVON 4 Star Silver Awarded Guest House Popular South Devon Coastal Resort 6 Quality En-Suite Letting Rooms Well Appointed 2 Bed Owners Accom Residents Lounge, Breakfast Room Rear Garden & Patio, Car Parking First Class Order Throughout Tremendous Lifestyle Opportunity

FH £448,000

5932

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

DESIRABLE AND IMMACULATE AWARD WINNING FREEHOLD COUNTRY INN AND RESTAURANT WITH 4 ELEGANT EN-SUITE LETTING ROOMS LOCATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL PEAK DISTRICT VILLAGE OF BRADWELL

www.guysimmonds.co.uk Tel: 01332 865112 email: sales@guysimmonds.co.uk Also featured on www.pubsforsale.co.uk

July 2017

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

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Hospitality Could Create More Than ALMR Analysis of Licensee of the Year Pubs 500,000 New Jobs In The Next Five Years Highlights Broken Business Rates System THE HOSPITALITY industry’s contribution to the UK economy has grown faster than any other sector since the economic downturn in 2008 and new research predicts that over 500,000 new jobs could be created in hospitality in the next five years. Labour productivity in the sector has grown at more than double the growth rate of the overall economy, according to two new reports from the British Hospitality Association (BHA), the leading hospitality and tourism trade body.

The research, by Ignite Economics, also confirms hospitality and tourism as the UK’s fourth largest industry, employing 4.6 million directly and indirectly. Last year it provided £161bn to the total economy, £15bn in exports and £38bn in direct tax receipts. Around 17 per cent, nearly one in five, of all jobs in the UK is now related to the hospitality and tourism sector. The jobs are spread around the country with hospitality ranking as a top six employer in every region of the UK. Ufi Ibrahim, the chief executive of the BHA: “The two reports, into productivity and economic contribution, show the colossal value of hospitality and tourism to the economy and the wellbeing of the country, but points out that the growth outlook is highly uncertain, given the pressures of falling real living standards, the costs of implementing the National Living Wage, increases in business rates and the potential lack of labour following exit from the EU.

“We need the Government to step up and support our industry by reducing tourism VAT, working with us to reduce the dependence on EU workers and increase the number of UK workers joining the hospitality industry, allowing the Low Pay Commission to set the National Living Wage and to bring forward a fundamental review of Business Rates.

“We are the front door to the UK and are fundamental to ensuring the UK remains open for business. With the right strategic support from government, economic stability and access to labour we believe that hospitality and tourism can continue to grow and become a career of choice for more and more people.”

Ed Birkin, founder of Ignite Economics, said: “Labourintensive industries appear to be out of vogue with the current Government but they provide a key role in job creation, preventing significant socio-economic issues associated with high levels of unemployment. In the current climate of economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to promote industries with strong economic fundamentals.

“The hospitality sector has returned the highest levels of GVA growth and labour productivity improvements of any industry since the economic downturn, combined with a significantly improved use of capital at a time when the overall capital efficiency of the economy has deteriorated. However, there are a number of potential headwinds facing the sector, and the extent of these will determine whether the industry can continue to be a key driver of growth for the UK economy.”

Exmouth Arms Customers Push Sue Ryder Hospice Fundraising to £1400 CHELTENHAM PUB The Exmouth Arms, on the Bath Road, has raised a massive £1400 for Sue Ryder Hospice in Cheltenham.

The money was raised over a June weekend when the popular pub hosted its annual ‘Ex-fest’.

Local bands, a dog show in association with Vets on the Park and a science party for children drew in the crowds who dined on pizzas from the pub’s outside wood-fired oven and enjoyed special ales and ciders invited in for the weekend.

Exmouth Arms Manager Steve

Hine was delighted with local support for the event.

“This is our ninth ExFest and we all work really hard on making it a fun event for everyone who comes to support it. The Sue Ryder Hospice at Leckhampton is quite close to the pub, and it’s a charity which is hugely respected for the incredible work it does, so we wanted to do our bit within our community. We know the charity as a whole needs over £40 million a year to keep its services running and we are very happy that with the support of our customers and staff, we have been able to make our donation.”

NEW ANALYSIS by the ALMR - the leading voice for the UK’s eating and drinking-out market - has starkly highlighted again the unfair and imbalanced nature of the current business rates regime.

A study of the rateable values (RVs) of the six finalist pubs in this year’s Licensee of the Year competition, run by the British Institute of Innkeeping, has revealed that collectively their pubs’ RV has risen by 57%.

The Castle at Edgehill, Oxfordshire run by the winning licensee, Mark Higgs, is enduring a triple-digit rise (258%) following this year’s revaluation process and by 2020/21 is scheduled to pay more than double its current business rates bill.

Other notable increases include the Kings Head, Thursley, Surrey, which has experienced a 133% increase and Merchants 1668, Lancaster which has risen by 86%.

Overall, under the current regime, by 2020/21 the six pubs will be paying 64% more in business rates than before the revaluation.

Mark Higgs said: “The Government is penalising successful operators through the current unfair rates system. I have grown trade and invested significantly in my pub and now I

am faced with a steep increase in my rates bill. That just isn’t right. The system needs a huge overhaul and a fairer approach to hospitality businesses to encourage growth must be implemented as quickly as possible.”

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Our analysis once again brings into sharp focus the current unfair and broken business rates system. It is a regime that is rigged against hospitality businesses, penalises success and stifles investment and growth as higher turnover invariably leads to higher rates.

“These six outstanding licensees run exceptional pub businesses that contribute greatly to the local community and have been recognised as some of the best the country has to offer. How can it be right that their success is penalised by significant hikes in their rates bills which threaten to hamper future growth and job creation?

“It was disappointing to see no specific measures on rates announced in the recent Queen’s Speech. The ALMR will be keeping up the pressure for wholesale reform and pressing ministers for assurances on a commitment to change in the Budget later this year.

“If the Government is serious about supporting pubs and values the economic and social contribution they make, then it must push forward with reform as soon as possible.”

Are UK Hotels Doing Enough To Capitalise On Summer Bonanza?

INDEPENDENT HOTELIERS failing to take control of their online presence and bookings this summer are missing a massive opportunity, according to John Jones, MD of Welcome Systems Ltd. “For many, staying in a hotel is no longer an extravagance,” he explains. “It is much more affordable and frequent, meaning there is huge potential for hoteliers to capitalise on the summer period.”

However, despite the latest stats indicating that 16 million more nights were spent in European hotels than the previous year, the UK has seen the biggest fall in bookings with a drop of -15.4%.

While the growth of ‘industry disruptors’ like Airbnb may bear some responsibility for these figures, Jones believes that it is up to hoteliers to raise their game in an increasingly competitive market.

He continues: “This isn’t about just competing on price, but also on services and experience.

Our research shows that booking a hotel room is often viewed as the least enjoyable part of a holiday.

“We’ve found there are hundreds of online booking systems on the market, all with one common problem - confusing web layouts, a mass of options and text-heavy pages.” As a result Welcome Systems Ltd has launched its new ‘Book Yourself Full 2017’ summer

campaign, designed to help hoteliers achieve maximum occupancy with the least amount of work and stress.

“By signing up for our weekly newsletter, hoteliers will gain exclusive access to a wealth of top tips and hacks on achieving the ultimate booking simplicity and efficiency,” adds Jones.

“We’ll be covering everything from developing social media campaigns, improving in-room experiences and accepting contactless payments, through to mastering hotel websites and dealing with negative reviews, plus webinars and podcasts with key industry players and special guests.

“If that’s not enough we’re also offering the first new 100 hotels to register for Welcome Systems’ newsletter, a free two-month trial of our Welcome Anywhere PMS, the zerocommission booking system for hotels, featuring seamless integration with RateManager by BookingSuite.

“Additionally all clients committing to a full 12-months of Welcome Anywhere will also benefit from fully integrated TrustYou Stars Lite, an advanced software solution designed to collect, analyse and market guest reviews.”

With over thirty years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Welcome Systems Ltd understands the sector’s needs. We are a hospitality original that helps hotels, pubs with rooms and B&Bs fill beds and raise profitability with brilliant hotel booking systems. Welcome Systems Ltd (and Welcome Anywhere): www.welcome-systems.uk