THE LEADING PUBLICATION FOR THE INDEPENDENT HOSPITALITY SECTOR Page 2
Editor's Viewpoint
Pages 21-23
Warewashing
Pages 24-27
Outdoor Spaces
Page 28 The Food and Drink Trade Show
Pages 29-35
Page 36 Pages 37-39
www.CLHNews.co.uk
RETURN TO PROFIT Let us help you put your business back into profit We work “hands-on’ with you, in your business to:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Maximise your Profit Margins Minimise your Operating Costs Resolve any Operational and Staff Issues Increase the Profit from your Business
CLHNews
Design and Refit
Products and Services Property and Professional
ISSUE 211
CLHNews
APRIL 2018
Industry Condemns Reports That “One Alcoholic Drink Per Day” Shortens Lifespan
We will tailor a package that is realistic and practical for your business
Please call David Hunter of The Bowden Group for an informal chat about how we can HELP YOU
07831 407984 or
01628 487613
HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, PUBS & CATERING
Industry figures have rallied against a report by Cambridge University, which is published in this month’s edition of medical Journal The Lancet and states that regularly drinking more than the recommended UK guidelines for alcohol could take years off your life. Part-funded by the British Heart Foundation, the study states that drinking more alcohol is associated with a higher risk of stroke, fatal aneurysm, heart failure and death. The study compared the health and drinking habits of over 600,000 people in 19 countries worldwide and controlled for age, smoking, history of diabetes, level of education and occupation. The upper safe limit of drinking was about five drinks per week (100g of pure alcohol, 12.5 units or just over five pints of 4% ABV beer or five 175ml glasses of 13% ABV wine). However, drinking above
this limit was linked with lower life expectancy. For example, having 10 or more drinks per week was linked with one to two years shorter life expectancy. Having 18 drinks or more per week was linked with four to five years shorter life expectancy. The research supports the UK’s recently lowered guidelines, which since 2016 recommend both men and women should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol each week. This equates to around six pints of beer or six glasses of wine a week. However, the worldwide study carries implications for countries across the world, where alcohol guidelines vary substantially. The researchers also looked at the association between alcohol consumption and different types of cardiovascular disease. Alcohol consumption was associated with a higher risk of stroke, heart failure,
fatal aortic aneurysms, fatal hypertensive disease and heart failure and there were no clear thresholds where drinking less did not have a benefit. Dr Angela Wood, from the University of Cambridge, lead author of the study said: “If you already drink alcohol, drinking less may help you live longer and lower your risk of several cardiovascular conditions. “Alcohol consumption is associated with a slightly lower risk of non-fatal heart attacks but this must be balanced against the higher risk associated with other serious – and potentially fatal – cardiovascular diseases.” Industry figures say, however, that the claim overlooks “mental and social benefits “sensible alcohol consumption brings.
READ MORE ON PAGE 3...
RETURN TO PROFIT
Let us help you put your business back into profit...
PROFIT TURNAROUND
MAXIMISING PROFITABILITY
If you have a Restaurant / Hotel / Pub business that is not profitable, and you want it turned around, call David Hunter on 07831 407984 to discuss this. We have a very impressive 30-year track record of profit turnaround, and David is the very best person to help you to turn your business around.
If your business IS profitable, but you need it to be MORE Profitable, David Hunter can do this for you. David will ‘’benchmark’’ your business against the current market, and will tell you what SHOULD and CAN be achieved by that particular and individual business. David will work with you and your Team to deliver that essential improvement in Profitability.
We will tailor a package that is realistic… and practical, for you… Please call David Hunter of The Bowden Group about how we can HELP you…
07831 407984 or 01628 487613
HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, PUBS & CATERING
www.guysimmonds.co.uk
LEADING NATIONAL LICENSED PROPERTY AGENTS
ATTENTION VENDORS LOOKING TO SELL OR LEASE?
Guy Simmonds have purchasers URGENTLY seeking Freehold and Leasehold licensed property. • NO SALE - NO COMMISSION • FREE DISCREET VALUATION
Tel: 01332 865112
or email: sales@guysimmonds.co.uk
2
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
Editor's Viewpoint
April 2018
Welcome to the April issue of CLH News, and welcome to any new readers, we have recently updated our database so those of you who are receiving a copy of the first time welcome, we are free to trade hospitality and licensed publication and very much hope that you find us interesting and useful! So the nanny state is at it again! Yet again another alcohol warning which takes no account of social and mental benefits, as our cover story states. The EDITOR most disappointing aspect was that when the story went mainstream almost nobody sought the opinion of industry figures and all mainstream news reported the study and nothing else.
Peter Adams
You don’t have to be a doctor to accept that heavy consumption of alcohol will have detrimental effects on health, it is the positive aspect of moderate alcohol consumption, keeping within sensible guidelines which the majority of the country do which needs more publicity. In fact, only a year ago (January 2017) the University of Oxford examined this and looked at whether having a drink may play a role in improving social cohesion, given its long association with human social activities. Combining data from three separate studies - a questionnaire-based study of pub clientele, observing conversational behaviour in pubs, and a national survey by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) – the researchers looked at whether the frequency of alcohol consumption or the type of venue affected peoples’ social experiences and wellbeing. The study found that people who have a ‘local’ that they visit regularly tend to feel more socially engaged and contented and are more likely to trust other members of their community. They also observed that those without a local pub had significantly smaller social networks and felt less engaged with, and trusting of, their local communities. Furthermore, they also revealed that people who have a ‘local’ that they visit regularly tend to feel more socially engaged and contented, and are more likely to trust other members of their community. They also observed that those without a local pub had significantly smaller social networks and felt less engaged with, and trusting of, their local communities. The study also showed that those who drank at local pubs tended to socialise in smaller groups, which encouraged whole-group conversation, while those drinking in city-centre bars tended to be in much larger groups, and participated much less in group conversation. Professor Robin Dunbar of the University of Oxford’s Experimental Psychology department, said at the time: ‘This study showed that frequenting a local pub can directly affect peoples’ social network size and how engaged they are with their local community, which in turn can affect how satisfied they feel in life.
Read all the latest news from the licensed industry at
www.catererlicensee.com @CLHNews
www.facebook.com/catererlicensee
‘Our social networks provide us with the single most important buffer against mental and physical illness. While pubs traditionally have a role as a place for community socialising, alcohol’s role appears to be in triggering the endorphin system, which promotes social bonding. Like other complex bonding systems such as dancing, singing and storytelling, it has often been adopted by large social communities as a ritual associated with bonding.’ Wonder why this wasn’t reported in mainstream media?
PUBLISHED BY RBC Publishing Ltd Roddis House, Old Christchurch Rd, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH1 1LG
TELEPHONE:
01202 552333
FAX: 01202 552666 sales@catererlicensee.com
www.CLHNews.co.uk @CLHNews CLHNews
EDITOR Peter Adams
SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson
PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades
PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Shelly Roche Published by
Commenting on the study James Calder, Head of Communications at the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) said; “This study completely overlooks the well documented health benefits light to moderate enjoyment of alcohol brings. The incidence of Type II diabetes, coronary heart disease, haemorrhagic stroke, pancreatitis, osteoporosis, macular degeneration and gall bladder disease are just some of the conditions that are lower in sensible drinkers. The mental and social benefits of enjoying alcohol sensibly are also overlooked. We have 40 years of research, which shows light to moderate drinking equals improved cognitive function and memory in ageing as well as reduced chance of vascular dementia. What about the simple, social, improvements to quality of life that being in a pub or taproom with your friends and family regularly brings to our wellbeing?” “The well known J shaped relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality shows that with light to moderate consumption, your relative risk of total mortality drops significantly when compared to teetotallers.” “Sadly we live in an era where those in the temperance and health movements refuse to accept the facts: that sensible alcohol consumption has health benefits and that adults should be informed to make their own choices, not nannied into submission.”
The campaign for real ale (CAMRA) slammed the “inaccurate, misleading and sensational” reporting of the study urging the government to provide more balanced information about the risks associated with alcohol consumption. Chairman Colin Valentine said “this study confirms what we have been saying for a long time, moderate consumption of alcohol is more beneficial than not drinking at all, while heavy drinking of course carries risks to health, those risks only increase at levels of consumption for above the current UK consumption guidelines. In addition, studies have shown that enjoying alcohol responsibly in communal settings such as pubs brings drinkers many benefits to their social well-being and mental health. We will continue to urge the government to provide the public with balanced and unbiased information about risks associated with drinking so that they can make their own informed decisions as well as urge the media to report studies of this sort in a fair and accurate way, rather than potentially misleading people into believing any alcohol consumption is harmful” A spokesman for industry body the Alcohol Information Partnership said: "This report confirms our view that moderate drinking does not pose a risk to most people. These figures are in line with the UK Chief Medical Officer's guidance and support previous studies which show that the lifetime risk from many cardiovascular diseases for most people who are moderate drinkers is lower than for those who drink heavily, or don't drink at all."
Britons Are Eating Out More But Less Satisfied with Restaurant Food People are eating out more than they were 20 years ago but satisfaction with service and food in restaurants has fallen, according to new research by the University of Manchester. Professor Alan Warde, of The University of Manchester, told the British Sociological Association’s annual conference in Newcastle that ratings given by diners for restaurants’ food, decor, service and value for money have all fallen. In addition, while people are more likely to eat out with their families, they say they are less happy with the conversation and company during the meal. Three researchers compared ratings given in 1995 and in 2015 by 2100 people in London, Bristol and Preston for their last meal at a
While the amount of people dining out as a family rose from 29% to 35%, the researchers found that the rate of people dining out with just their partner fell from 23% to 16%, and with their friends fell from 23% to 21%.
restaurant or cafe. They found that: • The proportion satisfied with the meal’s value for money fell from 69% to 56% • The proportion satisfied with the food itself fell from 81% to 72% • The proportion satisfied with the service fell from 65% to 57% • The proportion satisfied with the decor fell from 57% to 48%
During the same period, diners were less happy with their companions. The proportion who said they were satisfied with the company at the meal fell from 91% to 86%, and the proportion happy with the conversation fell from 82% to 79%. Interestingly, the researchers also found that people were 13% less likely to dress up for the occasion and 8% more likely to eat just one course, which suggests eating out is a less formal event than it was 20 years ago.
U.C.I lamps have been specifically designed to be energy efficient for use in the catering industry. They are use in heated counters and serveries of establishments such as restaurants, hotels, pubs, hospitals, schools, prisons, army bases, universities etc. This low pressure design offers along service life of 8000 hrs! that’s 60% longer than other manufacturers.
The catering heat lamps are available in two overall lengths of 118mm & 220mm, and supplied in 200, 300 and 500W power ratings.
Accessories available. The novel design features give them stability in catering environments at competitive prices.
All lamps are CE approval and manufactured to EN60335-1:2005 and EN60335-2-30:2003, the Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC and the RoHS Directive.
Our heat lamps will keep food warm at a constant temperature which can be controlled by the use of a variable power controller.
Anglo Continental Placements LTD Hospitality & Catering Recruitment Specialists Est. 1993
We can help your business find the quality staff it needs. • We supply independent & branded chain hotels, restaurants & pubs • All levels of Live-in / Live-out Front & Back of House staff • Reasonable rates with a professional & friendly service
• DISHWASHERS • GLASSWASHERS • REFRIGERATION
CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE...
Do you need permanent staff?
• MICROWAVES • EXTRACTION CANOPIES •
RECONDITIONED & SECOND USER CATERING EQUIPMENT EDWARDS, KING & EDWARDS
Country Coolers
admin@acplacements.com | 01273 776660 www.acplacements.com
CLH News
• We have a comprehensive range of Re-conditioned Catering Equipment in stock • We can supply most of the markets leading names in New Equipment at competitive prices • Full Service & Installation facilities by fully qualified engineers • We can also supply modular fridge & freezer rooms
Telephone with enquiries:
Tel: 01273 492488
Email: kingedwards@btconnect.com Mobile: 07860 274243
TOASTERS • STAINLESS STEEL SINKS & TABLING
3 COOKERS • ICE MACHINES • FRYERS • SLICERS •
Industry Condemns Reports That “One Alcoholic Drink Per Day” Shortens Lifespan
April 2018
Refrigerated Trailer Hire Wedding Receptions • Outdoor Events Game Shoots • Sporting Events Farmers Markets
Emergency Cold Storage for Butchers, Hotels, Restaurants, Pubs etc
ALL ENQUIRIES WELCOME
Te l : 0 1 2 5 8 8 4 0 2 1 2 Mob: 077340 55 913 w w w. c o u n t r y c o o l e r s . c o . u k 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.
4
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
Attracting The Right People In The Tightening Labour Market Many UK hospitality businesses, especially smaller owner-managed ones, need to revamp their approach to recruiting because of growing labour shortages that will worsen through the UK exiting the European Union.
From Alex Lawrance, Head of Recruitment Advertising, ThatRecruit.com
For instance, authenticity and visualness work well on social media. So, do talk about the aspects of your business that you are most proud of and have inspiring photos. For bars, for instance, a great photo of your barkeeper passionately whipping up an amazing Whisky Sour will bring more impact that a wordy job description‌ whether to candidates or punters.
Currently EU nationals make up around a fifth of workers in the sector (according to the Office of National Statistics), and there are now fewer arriving and potentially many heading home. For instance, accountants KPMG estimates that the hospitality sector employs more than three million people in the UK, and it warns that with no new migration into the UK hospitality businesses may face a recruitment shortfall of more than 60,000 people each year. So, the competition for workers, wherever they come from is already hotting up. For owners and managers that means filling vacancies will get tougher, and simply continually increasing pay to make the job more attractive is often not feasible or desirable. However, I find many smaller businesses do not help themselves when it comes to recruiting, and in fact sell themselves short by making the job sound me-too and samey, not selling the benefits of working for an owner-managed business or simply approaching it too casually. With fewer workers and more competition for them, approaching recruitment professionally and systematically is the best way to get good people, especially in a tight labour marketing.
Read all the latest news from the licensed industry at
www.catererlicensee.com @CLHNews
www.facebook.com/catererlicensee
First of all, make sure your business is attractive online. Most people investigate employers online, particularly the young‌ and as the average age of people working in pubs and restaurants is under 30, your website and social media shows you off as a great place to work. A cobwebby presence creates all the wrong message for customers and employees alike.
Besides doing a better job of selling the job and your business as a great place to work, the other key to attracting the right staff is to ensure you have plenty to chose from for each vacancy. Don’t just rely on a card in the window, mates of the existing staff and a quick Facebook post. Be on as many job sites as possible as there are lots out there (to give some perspective on the number out there ThatRecruit.com deals with over 1,200 job boards). This also allows you to reach suitable people who are not actively searching but could be tempted by the right opportunity. My recommendation is that you should treat each vacancy, whether a bar manager or a waiter, as business critical. After all, that person will be representing your business to the customers who meet them, so your reputation is in their hands. By putting in the effort to make working at your business attractive, communicating it really well and attracting plenty of applicants for each vacancy, you will get great staff regardless of the size of your business or the recruitment problems your larger competitors are experiencing.
April 2018
Alcohol Worth £16 billion and Is UK’s Leading FMCG Category Innovation in the drinks sector and a reduction in the amount of trade promotions has seen Alcohol retain its place as the top selling FMCG category in the UK, worth £16.1 billion (€18.2 billion) in value sales to the economy. This is according to big data and technology expert for consumer industries, IRI’s Top Categories Special Report – an analysis of the top selling FMCG categories in 2017 across the UK and five other European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands). Posting growth of 4.4% year on year (yoy) last year, Alcohol outsold its nearest rival, Ambient Food, by £660 million (€700 million), with Chilled & Fresh Food worth £13.5 billion (€15.2 billion) in third place, and Drinks and Personal Care taking fourth and fifth places – worth £8 billion and £6.1 billion (€9.1 billion and €7.2 billion) respectively. Alcohol sales in the UK grew more than in any other country, however total sector value grew strongly across all countries, worth €62 billion, +2.6% yoy.
OTHER KEY TRENDS: • Growth in Snacks – boosted by consumers’ increasingly busy lifestyles and preference for eating on the go, snacks were a key driver within the Ambient Food category in 2017. Overall, Ambient was worth €96 billion across Europe and grew by +1.4% on average, with the UK posting nearly a fifth of all sales – £15.5 billion (€17.5 billion) in value, up +0.5% yoy. Local market growth was largely influenced by savoury snacks, including crisps, nuts, popcorn and instant hot snacks.
CLH News
5
Beer was the leading growth sub-category in terms of absolute value growth year on year in five of the six countries measured. Premiumisation of beers, especially craft beers, which have gained shelf space within key retailers, helped drive sales in most countries, especially the UK (+6% yoy). Sparkling wine was the fastest-moving sub-category in the UK with +10% growth, while Spirits saw +5% growth. Gin was the star performer in 2017, seeing a saw strong upturn in fortunes, including double digit growth in the UK (+24% yoy). “Reduced levels of trade promotions, coupled with shallower price cuts, have played a part in bolstering topline macro category performances in the UK, Alcohol included,” comments Olly Abotorabi, Senior Regional Insights Manager at IRI. “It’s no surprise that we’ve seen strong growth in this category, and particularly in Beer, where brands are moving towards premiumisation, delivering innovation via new flavours, and offering beers and ciders with crafty credentials. In Spirits, Gin is also proving popular, driven by a growing number of small and niche batch distillers, celebrity culture and enhanced in-store exposure via displays during key seasonal events. But price increases have hit home with UK consumers who are being much more selective in what they buy and where they shop.”
EXTRACTOR FACTOR
• Bottled Mineral Water – outsold colas for the first time in the UK. Concerns about high sugar content linked to health issues like obesity and diabetes are playing an influential role, as well as the success of premium sparkling waters. The decline in fizzy drink sales could be compounded further in the UK with the introduction of a soft drinks tax this month. • Frozen Food – performed strongly, posting value growth of +3.3% yoy ahead of the total market. Ice Cream, the biggest single frozen category, increased value in 2017, benefitting from the warmer weather in the early part of the year. Frozen meat also grew in value and share due to shoppers switching away from fresh meat.
Our specialist specialist service service means means we we can can assist assist with: with: Our • Kitchen Extraction Systems • Kitchen and Extraction Cleaning • Canopies and Hoods • Ductwork Manufacturing • Air Conditioning Systems • Gas Interlock Systems
To arrange your free quotation call:
Tel 01273 492488 Mob 07860 274243
FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT
www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS
BRINGING EXOTIC THAI DISHES TO YOUR EXISTING MENU STARTER PACK Includes: x72 Starter/ Side Dishes x72 Curry Dishes x24 Noodle Dishes x50 Menus (with your name, logo & contact details)
LET OUR AWARD WINNING THAI CHEFS BE YOUR CENTRAL KITCHEN WITH OUR EXTENSIVE THAI FOOD MENU FOR YOU TO HEAT AND SERVE PERFECTLY EVERYTIME….
Our marketing dept will promote your Thai cuisine in your area using Google/ Bing ad words system, Trip advisor & FB
Normally £695
NOW ONLY £495 Yim Thai Foods King Arthur House,George Farm Close Little Brickhill, Milton Keynes, MK17 9LT
Sales: 0800 6893129 Enquiries: 01525 261642 Email: sales@yimthaifoods.co.uk www.yimthaifoods.co.uk
CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE SAMPLES
The Sugar Tax is Here - Embrace the Change 6
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
“It’s not the strongest that survive - It’s those most adaptable to CHANGE”! This month (April 6) sees the introduction of a new levy applying to drinks that contain added sugar and have a total sugar content of above 5 g per 100 ml as consumed. A higher levy will also be applied to drinks that contain added sugar and have a total sugar content above 8 g per 100 ml. Excluded from the levy is pure fruit juices milk-based drinks that have a milk content of at least 75%. The introduction will see manufacturers having to pay a sugar tax on their products, and pub and restaurant customers paying more for the drinks if the costs are passed on. That is the bad news, however the good news is that few products are above the threshold where the levy kicks in, as manufacturers have invested considerably and worked hard to comply with the threshold, reformulating recipes to avoid having to raise prices. One of the soft drinks industry’s main objections has been that the rate of Britain’s sugar intake has been falling in any case and this is partly attributed to the fact that the soft drinks industry had taken the initiative and been reducing sugar in the drinks for quite some time. Furthermore, the British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) are quite emphatic that there is no evidence reintroducing a levy will reduce obesity, in a statement they say : “Whilst we recognise health issues associated with obesity are a serious matter, it’s important to note that obesity is a complex issue with a number of factors and there is no evidence to suggest a tax will reduce obesity. As an industry we recognise we have a role to play in tackling obesity. Soft drink companies have been engaged in a range of calorie reduction initiatives for many years – resulting in a 19% reduction in sugar intake (from soft drinks) since 2013. [Kantar] Current data illustrates that a tax of this sort on a single category will not have a meaningful impact on obesity levels.
BITTER PILL? When the levy was first mooted in 2016 predictions were that whilst raising unanticipated £504 million in revenue for schools it would however come via an extra cost slapped on 2.8 billion litres of soft drinks, resulting in £132m in lost sales and the loss of 4,000 jobs, warned Oxford Economics in a sombre impact assessment in August 2016. ALMR CEO Kate Nicholls made it clear in article earlier this year: “The sugar tax will affect almost
all of our members,” she warned. “Collectively, we estimate 4,000 jobs will be at risk across the sector as a result.”
Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the BBPA said last summer : “The new Levy will increase the burden of taxation on pubs – and put up prices of soft drinks for pub goers,” she stated. “As well as penalising soft drinks customers, we certainly don’t want the Levy to create a new incentive to steer customers towards stronger drinks, or penalise drinks that contain considerably less sugar than the drinks that are its real target.
tor at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) said: “we have continued to focus on the work we began long before the soft drinks tax was announced to help people reduce sugar intake”, however CCEP said that it had no plans to change the recipe of Coca-Cola classic which “reflect the fact that there are some products that won’t stand reformulation and will therefore have to command a higher price”. Steve Pérez chairman of drinks company global brands also made the point that some drinks cannot be successfully reformulated and said “we realised we can’t take sugar out of our ginger beer and keep it natural because it it affects the taste. We’ve done tests with artificial sweetener and you lose the mouth feel-and we don’t really know what long-term impact on health the sweetness have. In any case for us, if it’s not natural it’s not premium”, Pérez said global brands has reformulated 70% of its brands, with some products according to tasting panel tasting better with reduced sugar!
IS THERE A SILVER LINING?
“The government has already recognised this, and indicated that cans and bottles of shandy or spirit-mixed drinks will be exempt. However, a lot of pub and bar drinks are ‘post-mixed’ in front of the customer and, as currently planned, these won’t enjoy relief from the Levy. That is why we have already held discussions with Treasury officials on the Levy and strongly pressed for pubs to be able to claim relief for ‘post-mix’, so drinks that form part of an alcoholic drink. We don’t want to see this new tax morph into a ‘shandy tax’.” Now that the tax is here and the muddy waters are clearer the fact is that soft drinks manufacturers have been “well ahead of the game” investment, preparation and equally important marketing. And what was first considered to be a threat is now an opportunity.
TASTE - THE ULTIMATE BENCHMARK! After years of marketing soft drink brands with the slogans “great tasting” first thoughts would be that it would be impossible to reformulate without compromising taste. It would be fair to say that in some cases reducing or cutting out sugar will affect flavour, particularly on the old favourites, and manufacturers will be faced with the dilemma, reformulate and risk consumer repercussion, or keep recipes the same and pass on the costs. Rob Harris direc-
Can innovative soft drinks manufacturers discover opportunities and find a way to keep their bestselling brands popular with different recipes? “One hundred per cent,” says Stephen Oldfield, agrifood leader at PwC. “There is an opportunity here to grab the growth of the health and wellness category, and an opportunity for healthy, nutritious food and drink.” The trend for health and well-being in the soft drinks sector has been huge for many years, John Campbell, commercial operations director at Britvic, said: “The consumer landscape and the way people live their lives is fundamentally changing and now is the time for the category to evolve. Soft drinks must adapt in order to maintain, but also grow their relevancy amongst consumers. At Britvic, we want to share our insights with customers and work together to identify new opportunities to grow the category, all by getting the nation to Drink Differently.” 2017 £7 billion (6.9 billion) and with a growing demand for not only a healthier drink but also a demand for more premium products in all drinks categories mixers were a star performer growing alongside spirits particularly and food led pubs, wine bars and restaurants with a focus given to delivering higher quality, more exploratory soft drink offers and a noticeable increase in availability. So how can you capitalise on the silver lining? The out-of-home market is both buoyant and growing, a report this month from Barclaycard revealed that restaurants and pubs yet again continued to outperform other sectors in March as year-on-year sales grew 7.2% and 7.7% respectively.
Embrace the Change
• Motivate your clientele to choose soft drinks on more occasions-as adults increasingly look for more sophisticated soft drinks make sure you are catering for this growing trend by stocking a selection of adult soft drinks. Give your soft drinks menu the same consideration you give your alcohol and food menus • 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 • Cater for the health-conscious- when dining out 94% of guests will treat themselves, however 74% still search for healthy options. Many customers simply need help your lifestyles, and they know that drinks are one way to add unnecessary calories to a meal. So help them out by offering low-calorie drinks, and drinks which comply and are under the sugar Levy threshold. • Cover off different demographics-make sure all demographics are met within your soft drinks range, from core carbonated soft drinks kids through drinks right through to adult premium brands. It is important to differentiate adult soft drinks from children’s, adults have different taste pallets and want to drink with a more grown-up feel and look. • Maximise trends to deliver sophisticated drinks-premium soft drinks are in 28% of value growth so maximise the mixed drink revolution by offering fantastic mixed drinks and sensational serves to upgrade customers to premium drinks creating memorable experiences
Get Your Business On Board With Seafood Week Businesses across the UK are being urged to get behind Seafood Week by taking part in the eight-day celebration of seafood. Organisers Seafish are calling on the UK foodservices industry to get behind Seafood Week, taking place from Friday 5-12 October, and help the nation celebrate the incredible variety and quality of fish and shellfish available to buy and eat. Seafood sales have increased during Seafood Week in each of the three years that the campaign has run, with businesses who take part often enjoying increased trading and customer engagement.
consumers up and down the country to eat seafood on offer at local restaurants, takeaways, hotels, public houses and retailers. Starting on Friday October 5, each day of the campaign will focus on a different species of seafood demonstrating that the perfect fish dish is out there for everyone, with a range of tastes and textures to suit all lifestyles and budgets. This provides the foodservice sector with the opportunity to showcase a product or dish containing the key ingredient of the day. For further information on Seafood Week visit www.seafoodweek.co.uk
A jam-packed week of festivities is planned to encourage
Consider Attending The UK's Premier Showcase Of Housewares, Tableware And Small Domestic Appliances To Stay Ahead Of The Competition Staying at the forefront of product innovation and consumer trends is essential in today’s ever competitive Hospitality Sector. Serving on trend menus on desirable serveware can be the balancing decision to choosing your venue over another. Moreover, efficiency gained from the latest tools and gadgets, can lead to a competitive advantage too. Consider investing time to see the very latest new launches and Gifting Christmas collections for 2018/19 at this summer’s Premier UK Show; Exclusively Housewares and Exclusively Electrical June (12&13th) show to ensure you maintain your competitive edge. The explosion of new products, across table top, preparation equipment and SDA’s alongside an
offering is on trend for 2018 and 19. Knowing what is coming next in your market sector, understanding your consumer, helps you de-risk innovation and creativity, and builds confidence in your buying decisions.
informative and relevant seminar program are key reasons to attend the UK’s Premier Housewares and Electricals show, but there are many more. Consumer and Design trend experts Scarlet Opus, return in 2018, to show case their predictions for future high street trends. This is essential inspiring knowledge, is fundamental to many purchase decisions to ensure your
Networking and business opportunities at the show are numerous with over 120 exhibitors showcasing their latest new collections, but also take the opportunity to connect at lunch, chat over a coffee in the isles or to take time out in the buyer’s lounge. Exclusively Housewares and Electricals take place on the 12th and 13th June at the London Design Centre. See the advert on page 11 or visit ww.exclusivelyshows.co.uk
Forum Of Private Business Launch Support Package For Hospitality Sector
April 2018
CLH News
7
section, and Chris Wright from the Pubs Advisory Service, who will be able to provide additional tailored support and help, particularly for tenants. Ian Cass added: “We are delighted to be able to launch our new section aimed specifically at the hospitality sector. It reflects our increasing work with landlords and small brewery operators and provides a real focus on providing resources and helping them to grow and develop their businesses.” Ian and his team have become increasingly concerned about the survival of traditional British pub and the supply chain that feeds into it. The Forum of Private Business (FPB) have launched a new support package aimed at hospitality-based businesses. The launch comes after rapid growth in Forum membership from the Tenanted, Free and Small brewery sectors. Ian Cass, Managing Directory of the FPB, said: “We see this as a very important sector of the British economy and as part of the new package we will provide more tailored support, including with HR and health and safety issues, for example.” The Forum are teaming up with Dave Mountford, formally of Pubs Defender, who will be driving the new
He added: “Brewing and pubs are a key part of our culture. Just look at each soap opera- the pub plays a central role in them all.” “They are also major local employers, provide a social hub for the community and the tenanted estate has often been the start point for many young entrepreneurs who in later years go on to make a larger contribution to the industry and the UK economy as a whole.” As part of this new section the Forum intends to encourage the government to further develop the pub code, and the role of the Pubs Code Adjudicator, so that it meets its intended aims to remove unfair business practices and ensure that pub tenants are no worse off than the free of tie.
Coffee Shops “More Popular” Than Pubs by 2030 The number of coffee shops in Britain looks set to overtake pubs by the year 2030, according to industry research. Some three coffee shops are opening every day adding an extra 21 a week serving up lattes and cappuccinos. The research, conducted by consultancy group Allegra, also revealed that 1,215 coffee shops opened in the UK last year, bringing the current total to more than 24,000 – up 7.3% on 2017. While both independent and coffee chains continue to rise rapidly – up from 10,000 shops in 2007 – 21 – 25 pubs close down each week
by contrast, which according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) is attributed to high alcohol taxes, the smoking ban, business rate rises and changing cultural habits. That said, Allegra expressed concern over a shortage of baristas following the Brexit decision, predicting a further 40,000 staff member would be needed over he never six years to keep up with the demand. A spokesman for The London Coffee Festival said: ‘With Brits drinking 2.4 billion cups of coffee per year in coffee shops – up 4% from 2.3 billion in 2017 – it is clear
to see why coffee continues to be a major player in the UK food and drink world. “The data also shows 39% of Brits stated their coffee consumption has increased over the past 12 months, with 18% of people visiting at least once a day, keeping the UK’s 160,000 baristas busier than ever.” Jeffrey Young, festival founder, added: “For the industry to be contributing almost £10bn per year to the economy is an incredible achievement and shows how coffee has come to be the go-to drink for Brits and how advanced coffeeshop culture has become.”
FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT
www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS
8
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
Deposit Scheme Departure from the EU Will Allow Us Must Not Increase to Reduce VAT on Hospitality Says MP Hospitality Burden
UKHospitality has warned the Government not to increase costs or restrictions for hospitality businesses through any proposed deposit scheme and called on it to create an opt-out for business where drinks are sold on the premises.
Nigel Evans, Conservative MP for Ribble Valley has issued a strong backing for reducing VAT in the hospitality sector once Britain leaves the EU.
“We need to make sure that we do everything we can to ensure our pubs and restaurants have a fair deal on tax to remain competitive and that they are able to thrive. “
Comparing the high level of VAT the UK is taxed compared to our EU counterparts he said “I know that in Romania for example their hospitality sector is taxed at lower rates than in the UK. It seems blindingly obvious to me that we should do the same here. I am fully supportive of the work the Vat Campaign supported by UKHospitality and the BBPA have been doing to convince my ministerial colleagues of the need for a reduction.” “Wetherspoon chairman Tim Martin, as well being a doughty supporter of Vote Leave has been especially articulate in demonstrating how a VAT reduction will lead to increased employment in the sector as well as over time drive up the tax take from the industry, which would be achieved by higher sales.”
The Government has today announced its intention to introduce a deposit scheme for single-use glass and plastic bottles and steel and aluminium cans.
Speaking today Evans said “As the UK moves to leave the EU we need to take this opportunity to reduce VAT in pubs and restaurants. “
Acknowledging the contribution the sector makes to the economy he went on to say “Pubs, bars and casual dining outlets are essential engines of economic growth and the fact that our departure from the EU means that the government can now impose reduced levels on VAT on the sector I hope my colleague the Chancellor of the Exchequer will grab this chance with both hands.”
UKHospitality has warned that any scheme must take into account hospitality businesses that may be disproportionately hit by a cost for singleuse packaging.
“The hospitality sector is a bellwether for the wider economy and the government must ensure that it is taxed fairly and at levels which will ensure its continued prosperity after Brexit. “
UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The Government’s proposal for a deposit scheme highlights the need for a united front from the sector to tackle the problem of packaging waste and avoid additional costs for businesses.
“The opportunity to reduce VAT in pubs and restaurants is now more achievable as the UK leaves the EU, unconstrained by European Commission rules which currently prevent this.”
CAMRA Warns Storm Brewing for Pubs Unless Government Acts Soon
“The hospitality recognises the challenge and is already playing an active role in providing solutions and is not underestimating the importance and cost implications. “There is, however, a genuine worry that this scheme will simply increase costs for businesses while not providing the action required to tackle packaging waste. “Any scheme needs to make a provision and an opt-out for hospitality businesses to ensure they do not incur a disproportionate and massive cost burden that could potentially drive some employers out of business. “If the Government is serious about tackling the problem of waste, it also needs to ensure that funds generated by the deposit scheme are ringfenced to provide improved recycling facilities across the UK. UKHospitality will be making this point to the Government, highlighting the positive work already being done by businesses to tackle waste.”
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is calling for a new deal for pubs in response to fresh data which reveals 18 pubs are being lost each week. The consumer group says that urgent action is needed to cut the tax burden placed on pubs. Pubs are being hit hard by a triple whammy of one of the highest rates of beer duty across Europe, rapidly rising business rates and VAT. A third of the cost of a pub pint is now made up of various taxes. While temporary business rate relief and a beer duty freeze have been welcome, CAMRA is calling on the Government to implement a fundamental review of the tax system. Britain’s departure from the European Union provides new opportunities to support pubs, such as the potential for lower rates of tax for draught beer sold in pubs. Colin Valentine, CAMRA’s National Chairman says: “Pubs are now facing a crippling tax burden, exacerbated by the perfect storm of the last business rates revaluation and a high level of beer duty. From these new pub closure figures, it is clear that a fundamental change is needed if the British pub is to survive for future generations. “As Britain prepares to leave the European Union, the Government has a unique opportunity to update
Homarium UK are the foremost supplier of Lobster tanks in the United Kingdom. Homarium UK offer a unique range of lobster and shellfish display equipment to the restaurant sector and fish retailers, widely used on the continent these Lobster tanks are now available in the United Kingdom in standard or bespoke custom designs to match your image and premises needs.
The Homarium range of lobster and shellfish displays are specifically designed for the purpose of maximum customer impact and optimum conditions for crustaceans and shellfish.
@HomariumUK
@LobsterLifeSystemsUK
the tax system to better support pubs, which are a bastion of British culture and at the heart of communities across the country. “We can now look further afield for a new tax deal for the sector. This could include implementing the Australian model of having a lower rate of duty for beer sold in pubs, radically changing the business rates system, or charging a lower rate of VAT for pubs or, even better, all three. “Millions of dedicated pub-goers are looking to the Government to act now to secure the future of the great British pub. We’re now challenging the Government to be the most pro-pub in history by seizing this opportunity.” The data has been compiled by CAMRA’s WhatPub online pub guide, which covers about 47,500 pubs in the UK. This is estimated to represent over 95% of all currently open pubs. Information is collated by several thousand CAMRA members who provide updates on pubs to the 220 CAMRA branches maintaining the WhatPub database, and report to branches on pubs closing and opening. Branches then monitor these pub closures and record the key details including when and why.
“It’s long been recognised the unique economic and social role of the pub and casual dining sectors and we must pledge to ensure the benefits of leaving the EU, including the reclamation of the UK government’s ability to levy taxes such as VAT at rates appropriate to the British economy will be implemented in short order after 29th March 2019.” He added “I look forward to continuing to back the campaign in Parliament.”
Total UK pub closures Jul-Dec 2017 Jan-Jun 2017 Jul-Dec 2016 Total pub closures Jul-Dec 2017
Total
Per Week
460 525 455 Closures
17.7 20.2 17.5 % of total pubs closed
England Wales Scotland
413 19 28
1.00% 0.60% 0.80%
REGIONAL BREAKDOWN Total pub closures Closures Jul-Dec 2017 East Midlands East of England Greater London North East North West South East South West West Midlands Yorkshire and the Humber
38 47 52 16 59 62 47 35 57
% of total pubs closed 1.10% 1.10% 1.20% 0.80% 0.90% 1.00% 0.90% 0.80% 1.20%
Over 50’s To Make Up Millennial Eating Out “Shortfall” Global information company The NPD Group is predicting a decrease in eat-out or out-of-home (OOH) visits by consumers aged 25-to-34 between now and 2022. Citing its new report, The Future of Foodservice: Great Britain 2022 (1), it says OOH visits in Britain’s foodservice industry among this age group will decrease from 20% to around 18% of the industry total of 11.5 billion visits, a drop of two percentage points. This is equivalent to 155 million fewer visits annually and a potential loss in annual spend of up to £ 800 million. This would represent another strong visit decline after the big drop between 2007 and 2012 in the same age group. But Britain’s foodservice operators can compensate by targeting the over 50s. That fast-growing demographic will account for more than 70% of the growth in the country’s population between now and 2022 according to the ONS. This is an attractive proposition for British foodservice, especially as many over 50s are wealthier, more active and more experimental when eating out than previous generations. Total OOH visits among people aged 50+ could increase by more than 4% by 2022 (130 million visits), three times faster than the total OOH market. Cyril Lavenant, Foodservice Director UK at the NPD Group, said: “Foodservice operators seeking growth in the next five years should be aware that business coming from the 25-to-34 age band, which includes many ‘millennials’, is likely to drop. Visits from this age group have been dropping since 2007. One reason is that millennials typically need new experiences and sources of inspiration that the foodservice industry does not necessarily provide. The 25-to-34s are also facing higher living costs than ever, especially in housing and childcare, and this is prompting them to cut back on foodservice purchases. Operators and suppliers will have to work hard to determine what could bring the 25-to34s back to the market. But now is also the right time to think more about the needs of the over 50s. There are huge differences in levels of fitness, mobility and prosperity as people move beyond 50 and into their 60s and 70s. But this is still a big opportunity for the foodservice industry.”
BIG SPENDERS AND WEEKENDERS Not only will the over 50s account for more visits, they are already the biggest spenders when it comes to
April 2018
CLH News
9
eating out. The average bill for the 50-to-64 age group at a full-service restaurant is £13.41, higher than any of the other age bands, including 25-to-34s. The over 65s have the second highest average spend at £13.10. Older customers will also sustain weekend business. The NPD Group says the over 50s will drive more than half of an expected 14% increase in weekend foodservice traffic by 2022, and eventually account for 29% of weekend visits.
OVER 50S TO BOOST DELIVERY BOOM Britain’s over 50s will strengthen the delivery boom, in which customers order food by phone, online or via apps. The over 50s currently account for 14% of all delivery visits and this will increase three percentage points by 2022 to 17%. While the over 50s currently only account for 8% of delivery via apps, the NPD Group believes this will increase rapidly as older consumers become more app savvy. The NPD Group says the industry can expand home delivery for the over 50s, especially if operators innovate with lighter food options. Menus can offer more low-GI foods, for example, including many fruits and vegetables, beans, minimally processed grains, pasta, low-fat dairy foods and nuts. Menus can do more to assist consumers who are diabetic or who are watching their cholesterol.
CLOSING THE FREQUENCY GAP Foodservice operators need to close the ‘frequency gap’ between young and old. Consumers aged 35-to-49 will be visiting OOH foodservice operators more than 253 times a year by 2022, buying anything from an afternoon snack or a lunchtime sandwich at work to a sit-down restaurant meal in the evening. This is a high frequency – more than 1.5 times the visit frequency of the 50-to-64 age group (166 yearly visits per capita in 2022), and 3.5 times the frequency of the over 65s (73 visits per capita predicted for 2022). The foodservice industry can build business by narrowing that gap. Cyril Lavenant added: “Balancing lower eat-out business among 25-to-34s in the next five years with more business from the over 50s will be a challenge. But Britain’s foodservice operators have the skills to address this. Brands and advertisers in many industries are beginning to make the over 50s more of a priority and the foodservice industry should do the same.”
FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT
www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS
10
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
Maximise Your Bar Entertainment Profits Just One Month To Go Until Fundamental Power Shift On Personal Data
By Sarah Williamson, Partner at law firm Boyes Turner
Despite challenges from smartphones, quiz nights and other late-night distractions, bar entertainment remains a valuable revenue stream for many bars and clubs. With costs of running bars still on the rise, it's more important than ever to ensure that all bar revenue streams are operating as well as possible.
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR DIGITAL GAMING MACHINES Fruit machines and other digital games rely on the novelty factor. If you need any greater proof of this, check out the Apple App Store. The hottest new app games last as long as a flash in the pan and are replaced by something new. Competition for our attention has never been higher, so you need to make sure that you're offering bar entertainment that is fresh and new. Regular rotation of your machines keeps your regulars engaged by offering them something new to play. “The fruit machine is still the most profitable four square feet in any bar. To make the most of your AWP it’s important to ensure you’re providing a fresh experience to your customers. You can ensure this through regular updates and frequent machine rotation.” - Adam Jenkins, TVC Leisure But you can't just rely on the draw of a machine's own merits. Making the most of your digital entertainment assets requires a little more thought and imagination than simply switching on the machine.
Top Tips for Maximising Profit 1. Know what you want To make the most of your bar entertainment revenue stream, it's important to determine your goals. If you're looking for pure profit, the classic AWP fruit machine is the way to invest your money. They provide the highest revenue to bars of all digital gaming machines. If you want to create more of an atmosphere and encourage people to bring their friends and spend time in your bar, skill with prize machines (SWPs) provide encourage group play and keep your customers in your bar, buying more drinks. Millennials are prioritising experiences over many other factors when it comes to a night out. Group experiences enhanced by digital gaming machines can help attract this valuable demographic.
2. Prominent placement For security purposes, it makes sense to keep your machines within sight of the bar, your staff and your CCTV. But there are ways you can maximise your customers' enjoyment with a little more imaginative placement. Most quiz machines and SWPs encourage group play, so position them in isolation to give your players plenty of space to gather around.
AWPs with low stakes are best positioned near the bar to make access to change more easily available. Having a place for players to put their drink also makes their gaming experience more enjoyable. Position your machines where clients can find them and make it easy for them to spend money
3. Make it easy to play You should also make sure that your machines are as accessible as possible to players. Note acceptors and ways to accept as many denominations as possible help reduce the barrier to entry to play. Make it as easy as possible for customers to part with their money.
4. Promote your entertainment You promote your events, live music nights and quizzes, so why not your other entertainment? If you want to maximise the indirect profits, promote your multiplayer entertainments, such as SWPs, pool tables and dartboards in your marketing efforts. This may sound basic, but you'd be surprised how many people don't advertise this to clients who are looking for a bar with a little more social activity. Fruit machines and other digital entertainment remain a relevant source of revenue to bars and clubs through both direct profit and by creating an atmosphere that makes people want to stay in your venue for longer. Optimising your digital assets can help you maximise profits at a time with so much uncertainty in the economy.
Businesses should ready themselves now for a host of requests from guests asking how they are using their data, says Sarah Williamson. Respect for guest privacy has always played a crucial part in the success of the hospitality industry, but in today’s hyper-connected world that includes protecting your guests’ precious personal data. Innovations such as algorithm-led online review systems have already placed data centre stage in recent years, but the competing requirements of guest privacy set against the need to maintain long-term relationships and secure repeat business will become even more complicated to navigate with the introduction of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR, which is coming into force from 25 May 2018, aims to give new data rights to individuals, principally by fundamentally altering the way businesses approach the collection, storage and manipulation of data, and requiring companies to embed data privacy into their processes and systems. The new regulation is indiscriminate and will affect any pub, hotel or restaurant - big or small. These requirements will create a compliance burden for any businesses processing personal data and will have major implications for the hospitality sector. How should a business get its data ready for the General Data Protection Regulation?
FIND THE GAPS For companies unsure of their preparations for GDPR, a gap and risk analysis is a great first initiative. An analysis can evaluate current data protection procedures and compliance, and assess these against the requirements under GDPR in order to identify gaps. These audits can be crucial in helping a business identify the biggest threat in terms of financial and reputational risk.
BE READY FOR A CUSTOMER BACKLASH It is not only business awareness that needs to be dealt with. Consumer rights groups are likely to be campaigning to let the public know of the new rights and of companies’ responsibilities. The Information Commissioner’s Office is also expected to launch a major PR offensive in early 2018, alerting consumers to their new rights as “data subjects”. A flood of data subject requests is possible, be it access requests from current or former employees, or requests from customers wanting to see what information is held about them or to have it removed. To minimise any resulting disruption, you need to know where data is held and to have processes in place to quickly access, amend and remove it as necessary. You need to be ready to respond to enquiries and formal requests in a way that builds trust. And, conversely, to ensure that distrust doesn’t lead to a haemorrhaging of usable data from your business.
PREPARE FOR ANOTHER ‘TRIPADVISOR EFFECT’ Some businesses are making a comparison between GDPR and the disruptive effect that price comparison sites or review sites such as TripAdvisor and Amazon have had on the travel and retail industries. These innovations forced a shift in the balance of power between marketing teams and customers when it came to the way the brand was seen, defined and able to market and price its products. GDPR will force yet another shift in power from companies to consumers. Trying to stand in the way of this disruptive juggernaut is futile. Instead, as they have with TripAdvisor and the like, businesses must look for ways to adapt and take advantage of the new world of marketing, data and consumer control. Sarah Williamson is a Partner at specialist technology and innovation law firm Boyes Turner. She is an experienced adviser on complex technology related projects, and heads up a team advising clients on data protection and security issues. For more information and resources on preparing for GDPR, visit www.boyesturner.com/our-expertise/gdpr
Hospitality Spending Weathers the Storm As Consumer Spending Falls Restaurants and pubs continued to outperform other sectors in March as consumer spending was hit by adverse weather conditions dubbed “Beast from the East.” Year-on-year growth in spend for restaurants and pubs increased by 7.2% and 7.7% respectively according to data released by Barclaycard, while general consumer spending growth for the month peaked at 2.0%, the lowest since April 2016 However, while spending remained strong, March’s adverse weather conditions did have an impact on spending in restaurants and pubs with both seeing a drop in the rate of growth from 9.7% and 7.7% in February. Data from Barclaycard, which processes nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, shows that in-store spending fared particularly poorly, contracting 1.9 per cent as a third (34 per cent) of consumers reported the cold weather prompted them to spend less overall on the high street. Expenditure online grew by 11.7 per cent, however, as Brits chose to shop from the comfort of their own homes in the face of inclement weather. Despite the slowdown in March, overall expenditure for the quarter was broadly stable with growth of 3.1 per cent in Q1, down only slightly from 3.2 per cent in Q4 2017 and matching the figure for Q3 2017.
April 2018
CLH News
11
Signs of stability also extended to consumer sentiment; 64 per cent of Brits are confident in their household finances, up 10 percentage points from the month prior and the best reading since October 2017. Likewise, the proportion of those confident in the UK economy rose from 34 per cent in February to 37 per cent last month, a seven-month high. While these figures suggest reasons to be optimistic, however, it’s important to note that a meaningful minority of consumers feel worse off now than they did last year. Compared to 2017, a third (33 per cent) say they are less confident in their ability to save money for a rainy day, and a quarter (25 per cent) say the same about covering the cost of a night out. Paul Lockstone, Managing Director at Barclaycard, said: “The ‘Beast from the East’ took its toll on the high street in March, keeping shoppers at home and leading to a slowdown in consumer spending. Despite the dip in growth last month, however, expenditure was broadly stable in the first quarter. “It seems consumers have become accustomed to adjusting their budget and as a result, are more confident in their own finances. While there are bright spots, however, it’s important to note that a sense of caution still remains, with many of us hesitant to change our spending patterns no matter what the next few months
Yim Thai Foods - A New Service To Restaurants, Pubs, Hotels & Guest Houses Yim Thai restaurants were the largest group of Thai Restaurants in the UK in the late 90’s, it’ success was down to giving its customers the very best Thai food available in the UK while offering good value for money. In 2003 we won best Thai chef of the year for the all the UK. The group was sold but the owners having seen the popularity of Thai Food increase in recent years have now teamed back up with our award-winning Thai Chef and her team to produce the same high-quality Thai dishes as a Heat & Serve
concept for your business. Using the highest quality ingredients and authentic products shipped from Thailand. Professionally prepared for you & your customers giving them an authentic taste of Thailand every time. We supply everything from a full menu to one or two dishes while understanding how important a good gross profit is, preparation time and wastage. Call or email today for more information on 0800 6893129 or sales@yimthaifoods.co.uk or see the advert on page 7 for details.
FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT
www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS
12
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
One Year Until Brexit: Hospitality Sector View Unless you have been in a cave on Mars you will be aware that “Brexit is looming”, and arguments to remain or leave are in the news daily. But what will the consequences be for the Hospitality Industry now that the UK will be leaving the EU? European workers currently make up a quarter of the Hospitality Industry’s workforce, so the UK could inevitably face an even bigger shortage of Chefs and kitchen staff, and what will the implications be for restaurants and other eateries in the UK? The cost of raw products has tripled on some products, with some ingredients increasing by up to 20%. Those establishments that cannot increase their prices or can’t absorb the increases are in serious trouble. Commercial insurer NFU mutual have recently released a hotel confidence report and CLH News contacted Darren Seward, hospitality specialist at commercial insurer NFU Mutual, who shares his thoughts : “In an industry so reliant on reputation, loyalty and recommendation, there is concern that after Brexit businesses won’t have the staff to carry out basic functionality and keep guests happy and returning. “Just a handful of businesses had been able to plan or prepare for Brexit in 2017, which is unsurprising given the ‘unknown’ to plan for. While it may seem impossible to prepare right now, businesses should start thinking about how they would manage a changed employment and supplier landscape. For example, some businesses have started working with colleges to help make hospitality more attractive to young British people.
"My hope for the year ahead is that we will begin to have reassurances and answers to give businesses the proper time and head space to plan. “That said, the way that the food service industry approaches supply strategies is already changing. A Brexit-induced drop in the value of sterling has contributed to significant price rises in imported produce, forcing retailers and hospitality businesses to improve supply efficiencies, reduce margins or increase prices for consumers. In attempts to offset rising import costs, businesses are bidding to source more goods produced in Britain. “Our research also found that 99% of consumers would buy more British or local food if retailers made it easier for them, with almost half (49%) considering products to be ‘most British’ when the ingredients are grown here. British food also has its advantages through a shorter and better regulated supply chain that may be more manageable and less likely to be susceptible to fraud. “Hospitality businesses should familiarise themselves with the potential effects and the vulnerabilities they may be exposed to as a result of Brexit, to safeguard against potential unexpected consequences such as increased import costs that may encourage alternative – and less secure – means of supply. “Business owners may feel at the mercy of food producers to mitigate risk, but they too have a duty to ensure that the food they sell is legitimate and safe and to improve consumer confidence, especially given that they are not immune to the reputational consequences of not doing so.” A PDF copy of the NFU Mutual Hotel Confidence Report can be found at www.nfumutual.co.uk/hotelconfidencereport A PDF copy of the NFU Mutual Food Fraud Report can be found at www.nfumutual.co.uk/foodfraud
Brexit-Specific Statistics from Hotel (and Hospitality) Confidence Report: • The balance of opinion was that Brexit will have a negative impact: 32% of the total sample held this view, compared to 11% predicting a positive impact and 12%, no significant impact. The majority, 45%, said that it was too early to say • When asked about their plans for Brexit, almost nine out of ten were unable to comment • The top concern for the hospitality industry as a whole in 2017 was political and economic instability as a result of Brexit negotiations (47%) • A skills shortage was the second biggest concern (45%) for hospitality businesses • Respondents said that Brexit posed an opportunity for the industry to focus on the workforce and developing skills – especially in response to Brexit and the need to increasingly look towards UK workers
Statistics from the NFU Mutual Food Fraud Report: • 27% of people are concerned about how Brexit will affect the UK food industry and 30% have little knowledge about food regulation • A third of consumers believe that food crime is likely to increase in the future, which may be a product of Brexit and general economic and global uncertainty • Only one in ten people have confidence in the global food chain • 99% of consumers would buy more British food if retailers made it available to them
C.C.R Systems Ltd New Sector-Wide Commission Launched By UKHospitality CCR Systems have been supplying, installing and maintaining Retail and Hospitality EPOS systems for over 34 years. We are an ISO-9001 registered company with a diamond award for customer satisfaction. Our Powersuite software package that includes Total Control Premier/Stock, Instant Loyalty and Drilldown is the ideal package for all types of Hospitality & Retail outlets. Our hardware is a choice of top of the range touch screen terminals from selected quality manufacturers. The ORDERMAN Restaurant table ordering system is without doubt the best of it's kind, utilising the latest Oderman 7 hand held terminal and Kitchen Monitors or printers. Have a look at our web site on 'ccrsystems.co.uk' and view the ORDERMAN video. We also cater for the client that needs a low cost system that easily compares with the box shifters. Please contact GEORGE GUNNERY on 0151-644 8296 for a quotation for your establishment, or email to: epos@ccrsystems.co.uk
UKHospitality is launching a sector-wide hospitality workforce commission to promote understanding of the importance and potential of the UK’s hospitality sector. UKHospitality Commission 2030 will bring together a wide range of hospitality employers and All-Party Parliamentary Groups, along with other stakeholders, industry bodies and authorities, to deliver an employment foundation for the sector. Sector leaders will provide evidence to identify and address the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. The Commission will aim to launch a report of its findings in June, providing recommendations to the government in order to secure the future of the sector’s workforce. The Commission will seek to provide assured and effective guidance on a range of issues facing the sector including: • Promoting careers and ensuring retention in the sector
• The diversity of the hospitality workforce • Education and skills in hospitality UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The hospitality sector employs almost 3 million people in the UK, it produces £130 billion in economic activity and generates £38 billion in taxes. It is a vast, vibrant and constantly-evolving sector delivering jobs in every constituency. But it is not immune to pressures or changing consumer habits and we need to plan for our futures to ensure it remains robust, relevant and to secure the workforce of the future. “This is an opportunity for us to bring together sector leaders and policy-makers to promote the great work we do, change perceptions about our industry and to ensure that hospitality businesses are in the best position to succeed decades from now.” Michael Tomlinson MP, Chair of the APPG Youth Employment added: “Hospitality makes a crucial contribution to employment in the UK and pro-
vides fantastic opportunities for young people to learn and develop rewarding careers. “UKHospitality’s Commission 2030 will enable us to identify the skills that are needed and develop a cohesive plan to offer support and opportunities for young workers.” Mike Wood MP, APPG Beer Group: “Securing a coherent and accessible pathway for young people into hospitality is a must. We need to make sure that teenagers who are looking to develop a career in hospitality are aware of the opportunities on offer and the skills they can develop.” Steve Double MP, Chair of the APPG Visitor Economy concluded: “A thorough investigation into the future of the sector’s workforce will put us in the best possible position to secure its continued health. It will aid the cementing of its position as an immensely valuable part of our economy.”
April 2018
CLH News
13
14
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
BBPA Welcomes Rules of Origin: Food and Drink Sector Faces Hidden Hard Brexit Consultation On Low Alcohol Product Labelling A new report commissioned by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and the National Association of British and Irish Flour Millers (NABIM) from Global Counsel has revealed that the UK’s food and drink manufacturing sector could face a hidden ‘hard Brexit’ once the UK leaves the EU as a result of rules of origin.
The BBPA has welcomed the Department of Health’s consultation published yesterday, on low alcohol descriptors in the marketing or labelling of alcoholic drinks. This should provide an opportunity to change the rules to help grow the lower strength market and clarify labelling for consumers. The intention of the Department of Health to use guidance on this issue, rather than the heavy hand of legislation is very welcome. The BBPA has for some time been calling for more flexibility to promote lower strength or ‘lighter’ beers at or below 3.5% ABV. This should extend to labelling descriptors and advertising which will help consumers make informed choices. Current advertising regulations prevent brand owners from promoting lower strength beers as such. The BBPA has consistently supported initiatives that promote lower alcohol options and BBPA members have long supported responsible drinking initiatives. Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, comments: “The consultation acknowledges that the sale of lower strength products, as an option for consumers, helps encourage responsible drinking. “BBPA members have responded to consumer demand for a greater range and choice of lowerstrength beers, many with new flavours and ingredients. Investment in no and low alcohol beers has drastically increased in recent years. “Pubs are increasingly providing a growing selection of lower strength alcoholic drinks. Greater clarity in advertising and marketing will allow the lower strength market continue to grow while supporting pubs at the same time.”
‘Rules of origin in an EU-UK FTA: A ‘hidden hard Brexit’ for food and drink exporters?’ warns that due to the international nature of food and drink manufacturing, many UK producers have built supply chains within the EU’s Single Market which may fail to comply with future origin requirements. The report also sets out eight practical recommendations the UK and EU can take to minimise disruption to our essential and seamless trade in food and drink. While it is the intention of the UK Government to negotiate an ambitious free trade agreement with the EU that delivers continued tariff-free trade in goods, including food and drink, exporters would still need to comply with complex origin requirements. This poses a significant risk for UK firms exporting to the EU. This is worth more than £13.3 billion each year. In essence, rules of origin dictate if a product is deemed sufficiently ‘British’ – its economic nationality – and whether it qualifies for a preferential tariff that has been agreed in a trade deal. Once this economic nationality is identified, customs officials then apply the correct tariff or duty to the product. Our manufacturers are committed customers of UK farming but this is dependent on having continued access to imports that complement our use of UK raw materials. The ingredients in many food and drink products are a mix of domestic and international goods, many of which are not produced in the UK or not in sufficient
quantity throughout the year to meet consumer demand.
We know that under existing models applied by the EU, many UK manufactured products would not qualify for preferential tariffs. For example, UK chocolate producers that export £530m of products each year to the EU could face tariffs of 27 per cent or more depending on the value of UK refined cane sugar originating from the world’s poorest countries and the volume of Irish milk in their products.
Manufacturers could face the prospect of either a costly restructuring of their supply chains or de factor barring from future EU-UK trade as a result of the EU’s Most Favoured Nation (MFN) tariffs which are prohibitively high for food and drink, rising to more than 100 per cent on many of our products. Ian Wright CBE, Director General of the Food and Drink Federation, said: “Rules of origin are a big piece of the Brexit puzzle for the food and drink industry. If we fail to secure sufficiently generous rules as part of a preferential trade agreement with the EU, food and drink manufacturers will be the ones who suffer this hidden hard Brexit. They could be facing an increase in exporting costs, or a complete ban of entry to the market. This report is essential reading for those who want to avoid both.” Alex Waugh, Director General of the National Association of British and Irish Flour Millers, said: “Flour millers in the UK source 80 per cent of their wheat from the UK, but also use grain from Canada, the USA and other European countries to make a range of flours with different baking qualities. If the rules of origin adopted in many of the EU’s trade agreements were to apply in a trade deal between the EU 27 and the UK, flour milled with even a small proportion of these grains, and many foodstuffs made from it, would no longer be considered ‘of UK origin’ and would therefore be subject to very significant duties. This would add, for example, €0.10 to the cost of a loaf in Ireland, which is mainly supplied with flour from the UK. Negotiating the right agreement is therefore crucial to the entire food supply chain, including consumers.”
Profits At Top 100 UK Restaurant Groups Fall 64% In Just The Past Year The total pre-tax profits at the UK’s Top 100 restaurant groups have fallen 64% in the past year to £125 million from £345 million, shows research by UHY Hacker Young, the national accountancy group.
that 35 of the UK’s Top 100 restaurant groups are now loss-making – an increase of 75% in the past year – as trading conditions have become increasingly difficult.
The research comes in the wake of several recent high-profile examples of restaurants chains being forced to restructure or to undertake large scale closures across their portfolio of restaurants.
Although the Chancellor has brought forward a planned cut to business rate rises by two years (to 2018), UHY Hacker Young says that more could be done by the Government to help the sector, in particular smaller restaurants.
The Casual Dining Group, which owns High Street chains Café Rouge and Bella Italia, is one of the most recent to report difficult trading with an 18% increase in losses to May 2017 to £60 million.
Recently a group of major restaurant bosses, including the chief executives of Bill’s and the Casual Dining Group, wrote a letter to the Chancellor asking for a ‘root and branch’ reform of business rates.
UHY Hacker Young explains that major drivers behind the fall in profitability across the sector include the effects of over expansion coinciding with soaring costs for restaurants such as: rising business rates, increased supplier and staff costs and poor footfall.
Peter Kubik, Partner at UHY Hacker Young, comments: “The restaurant industry has grown ahead of demand in recent years and is now going through a necessary period of consolidation and restructuring to remove excess capacity. The industry’s woes should be temporary while it deals with this process, as long as
Previous research from UHY Hacker Young revealed
! P L E H R U O Y S D E E N H L C
We rely heavily on the support of our valued and trusted advertisers... Please help support them by signing up for our digital newsletter
www.catererlicensee.com We will deliver to you twice a week all the latest hospitality news, views, professional opinion, recipes and much more plus the latest products, services and offers from our advertisers. We can only provide the service we do with the support of our advertisers, and our advertisers can only support us by getting coverage and return on their investment So with the new general data protection regulations coming into effect in May please help us to help our advertisers by signing up!
consumer confidence can be maintained.” “Our view is that many of these chains that are running at a loss are very sustainable businesses once those excess branches are shed.” “Trading conditions over the past year in particular have become more difficult for restaurants, particularly with rising inflation and recent dips in high street footfall.” “Above-inflation rises in the National Minimum Wage are very hard to sustain in low margin businesses.” “The rise of Deliveroo has also had a mixed impact on restaurants because it has often deprived them of sales of alcohol and other drinks, which are normally high-margin sales in restaurants.” “The Government is moving in the right direction in reducing business rates, but more can be done. Some commentators say that rates for some businesses could rise by over £24,000 in the next five years.”
INNATE - Food in Tune! Inspired by the belief that food ought work with rather than against us, Innate are on a mission to contribute a more imaginative and sensory euphoric solution to the healthy snacking arena; utilising a fusion of science and art to create food which is both in tune with our innate requirements as humans and exceedingly delicious.
gory newcomer; packed in eye-catching resealable stand-up pouches, which enable the consumer to snack at their own rate - enjoying longer lasting nutritious sustenance. Their stunning ingredients compilations offer a unique, balanced flavour profile and are by default gluten/dairy/grain/soy/refined sugar free as well as vegan friendly and paleo compliant.
Innate’s first newly launched products are their 100% natural savoury squares, an airdried snack which combine vegetables, coconut and almond in order to achieve a rare and happy marriage of exquisite flavour, nutritional balance and slowrelease sustaining energy. The result of this is an excitingly innovative and intensely satiating cate-
Innate don’t cater to passing whims or fad diets, ‘beyond trend’ their vision is to create life enhancing food that we are born to eat, supporting people to thrive and feel amazing on every level.
All The Major Chains Are Using Digital Screens, Why Aren’t You? Say goodbye to outdated posters and chalkboards and say hello to AdGen. With an entry costs starting at £1 a day and no long-term contracts, it’s the complete solution to your digital signage needs. Put an end to out of date information with our state of the art app, update menu boards and adverts instantly online, on your phone or on your tablet. Developed by someone who knows the hospitality industry inside out, AdGen allows users to create professional looking content for digital signage with ease. After selling his pub in Hastings three years ago, AdGen Director Colin Brighton threw his all into
developing a content creation app that was so desperately needed in the industry. An app that allowed bar owners to create and update digital adverts and announcements to their existing TV screens.
For further details email hello@innatefood.com, visit www.innatefood.com, call 07838 195120 or see the advert on page 15 tomer engagement and information output with AdGen, from bars, restaurants, takeaways and hotels to gyms and convenience stores. Everyone can benefit from AdGen’s innovative concept. It’s been a long and interesting road for Colin and his product, but with total belief in AdGen and a mission statement advocating true partnership and a win-win situation, everyone who utilises AdGen can feel the benefit. Promote sports events, entertainment, food offers, drink promotions, rent third party advert space. The list of opportunities is endless with AdGen. All the major chains are using digital screens, why aren’t you?
Over the last three years, AdGen has been developed and perfected to give users a simple and easy to use system. Now, industries across the board are maximising their cus-
For more information, visit www.adgentv.com or call 0333 577 1914 to arrange an online demo today or see the advert on page 17.
April 2018
Good Fish Guide – Latest Fish Ratings Hospitality should consider including providing alternative fish options on their menus after Brexit, says the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) as it updates its online Good Fish Guide to include new additions to its Best Choice list. As talks continue regarding fishing rights post Brexit with fisheries hoping to secure a larger share of fish, now could be the time for menus to diversify and feature new fish choices, as opposed to the traditional top five UK favourites. Megrim from Rockall, Northern North Sea and West of Scotland; North Sea line and trap-caught or UK farmed turbot; line-caught pollack from the Celtic Sea; lemon sole, seine netted from the North Sea and eastern English Channel and queen scallop, traditionally caught in the Fal Estuary in Cornwall, are all now on the Good Fish Guide green-rated Best Choice List. “We’re suggesting that dab, hake, herring, mussels and mackerel become the new cod, haddock, salmon, prawns and tuna. By choosing from a wider range we’ll be putting far less stress on individual fisheries,” says Bernadette Clarke, MCS Good Fish Guide Programme Manager, who suggests a post-Brexit UK Top 10 which includes great tasting fish that aren’t a household name – yet. MCS says that there are some very good reasons for going local aside from complicated economics: lower food miles and carbon footprint; fresh fish can be tastier and better quality; good for the local economy; more choices; better traceability so you get what you pay for. “We are currently exporting around 75% of fish caught and landed in the UK, but we’re the ninth largest importer of fish in the world with around 70% of the seafood value entering the UK fish supply chain coming from overseas. By choosing more sustainable sources and keeping it local it will help reduce wasting wild caught fish that are discarded dead because they have less value,” says Bernadette Clarke. “For many years MCS has been advocating consumers diversify the types of fish they eat and so relieve demand for traditional or more popular species such as cod and haddock. Although the health benefits of eating fish is well recognised and Government advice from the Food Standards Agency has been to eat at least two portions of fish a week, including a portion of oily fish, the Agency also recognises since 2010, the importance of eating a wide variety of fish and fish from sustainable sources,” said Bernadette Clarke.
CLH News
15
INTRODUCING...
The MCS, Post Brexit, Best Choice Top 10
• Dab, seine netted in the North Sea • Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certified hake from Cornwall • MSC certified herring from Irish, Celtic and North Seas, SW Ireland and Eastern English Channel • Mackerel, handlined in the southwest of England, and MINSA (Mackerel Industry Northern Sustainability Alliance) North East Atlantic MSC certified • Megrim from the Northern North Sea and West of Scotland • UK rope-grown mussels • Brown crab from Devon Inshore Potting Area, Western Channel • Queen scallops from the Fal Estuary, fished by traditional sail and oar method • Pollack handlined from the Celtic sea • Sole, Dover from the Western Channel
100% NATURAL • PALEO • GLUTEN FREE • GRAIN FREE • VEGAN
HIGH IN MORAL FIBRE 4
Designed to comply with out INNATE requirements, our outrageously delicious air-dried squares are a happy marriage of vegetables, coconut and almonds, delicately punctuated with an A-team of herbs and spices.
Exquisitely flavoursome
Nutritionally balanced
Energy sustaining
hello@innatefood.com
www.innatefood.com 07838 195120
FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS VISIT THE CATERER, LICENSEE & HOTELIER WEBSITE AT
www.catererlicensee.com OR FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @CLHNEWS
16
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
How to Capture the “Millennial Market” - And Keep It! generating) areas which can be enjoyed by guests and the general public alike. Unused meeting rooms are being utilised for after-business-hours yoga lessons by local instructors. Lobbies are being transformed into allday cafes and cocktail bars. Breakfast rooms are being scrapped altogether, in favour of more genuinely engaging spaces (think free bike hire, a wine-cellar, or third-party operated offerings). The millennial trend of sharing food photos is more prevalent than ever, and savvy hoteliers should target their food and beverage offering accordingly. This extends beyond what is on the plate, to: • Where it is sourced (does it provide a local experience?); • How it looks (Instagrammable?); and A report published in this issue by Global information company The NPD Group predicts a decrease in eat-out or out-of-home (OOH) visits by millennial consumers, in particular those aged 25-to-34 between now and 2022. As you will see in the article out-of-home visits in Britain’s foodservice industry among this age group will for from the current 20% to around 18% of the industry total of 11.5 billion visits, and is equivalent to 155 million fewer visits annually and a potential loss in annual spend of up to £ 800 million. This would represent another strong visit decline after the big drop between 2007 and 2012 in the same age group. Added to that, another survey revealed that Millennials are falling out of love with the UK, recent statistics from VisitEngland, revealed that that 16–34 year olds took 1.4 million fewer holidays at home last year than they did a decade ago. While Britons as a whole enjoyed a staggering 55.89 million UK breaks in 2017, a four per cent growth on the previous year – less than 25 per cent of these were by millennials. It’s not all doom and gloom of course the same report by the NPD group also predicts that out-of-home visits by the over 50s group during the same period could increase by hundred and 30 million (an increase of 4%). Millennial’s are according to reports having a bit of a “tough time” at the moment and that has certainly had an impact on the casual dining sector which is readers will now is suffering extremely turbulent trading conditions which look set to continue. Furthermore, millennial’s have suffered the second-worst decline in their earnings of any of the dozen advanced economies surveyed by a think tank over the past decade. In a new report, the Resolution Foundation calculates that average real hourly earnings for under-30s in Britain fell 13 per cent between 2007 and 2014. Only Greece fared worse. However that is no reason to sit back be complacent and watched the millennial age group disappear into the sunset. Millennial’s account for 20% of the population and some industry observers consider them to be “an important player” in the demographics of consumers spend. Make no mistake this is a generation that knows what they want. A tech savvy generation with a keen sense of awareness on environmental and sustainability issues, as well as social issues, Millennial consumers are more attracted than their elders to cooking at home, ordering delivery from restaurants, and eating quickly, in fast-casual or quick-serve restaurants. So are you doing enough to attract this generation? Are you keeping up with their demands? And if not what can you do? CLH News contacted industry experts who share their views!
CAPTURING THE MILLENNIAL TRAVELLER – A HOTELIER’S GUIDE Mitch Reynolds, Senior Associate, Squire Patton Boggs gave his views: When it comes to vacations and city-breaks, millennial travellers have shown that they are engaged by unique, local-inspired travel experiences. Having largely lived in a digital world, millennials (currently aged from their late teens to mid-thirties) are tech-savvy multitaskers who connect with the world in an authentic way. Millennials are also one of the largest generations in history, and they are about to move into their key spending years. Hoteliers – take notice, and ensure your legal documents have the necessary scope and flexibility to meet the challenge!
• The setting it’s presented in – the hotel is providing the space, lighting and design for that food photo, after all!
ISSUES As hotels are increasingly Instagrammed, hoteliers should give greater thought to their investment in and use of branded furniture, fixtures and equipment, and operating supplies and equipment. Whilst branded FF&E and OS&E may increase initial capital and ongoing operating expenses, it may also provide easy (and potentially free) social media marketing opportunities. Just think of that carefully placed hotel-branded napkin behind that Instagrammable dessert, or the hotel’s logo on that hired bike parked in front of a backdrop of stunning local scenery. Of course, these Instagrammable snaps are more likely to reach the greatest audience by being shared by bloggers and social influencers. In a single tweet, influencers can open companies to new markets, or equally cause losses of hundreds of millions of pounds in market-cap, so this is an area in which hoteliers need to be razor sharp. Social influencers should be engaged via a written contract which includes a clearly defined scope, agreed deliverables and an obligation to comply with product endorsement codes. Such codes require that paid endorsements are clearly identified, which may in turn diminish the endorsement’s impact if it is no longer viewed as a genuine peer recommendation. Social influencers should therefore be carefully selected as a trusted information source for their followers.
EXPERIENCES AND SPACES Hotels engage with the Insta-crowd through unique, location-specific experiences, and interactive use of hotel spaces. Large, disused (and nonrevenue-producing) spaces are out, replaced instead by active (revenue-
Guest management systems that integrate with a loyalty programme can be used to gather email addresses. The loyalty programme can also collect other valuable information, including a customer’s allergies, their birthday and anniversaries. For a variety of mobile-responsive email templates and access to email performance analytics, operators can use email marketing software tailored for this. The programmes can cost as little as a month £7 month and some are even free.
3. Invest in technology Millennials will avoid restaurants with long waits and inconsistent food quality at all costs. Technology solves these problems, though. Here are a few of the most popular systems operators should consider: Guest management system Investing in a guest management system that allows millennials to check wait times and make a reservation via a companion consumer app makes restaurants much more desirable. Apps give restaurants access to a consumer network they would not otherwise be connected with. To keep improving customer service, operators also need a solution that gathers guest analytics to help track trends and guide business decisions. Kitchen automation tool A kitchen automation system will help reduce ticket times and create a more efficient kitchen. Reduced ticket times improve the guest experience and maintain food quality. A good kitchen display system will also provide metrics about ticket times, staff efficiencies and more.
Whilst creating a unique offering is a key millennial-catching approach, independent hoteliers obviously need to avoid creating a lodging offering which is so alternative that it turns off funders as being too pandering to temporary, passing trends. As ever there needs to be a balance. Of course, an alternative for hoteliers is to engage a third-party operator under a ‘soft-brand’. This allows the hotel’s stylistic and market-targeted approach to flourish, whilst increasing financeability through affiliation with a wellknown hotel operator. The key challenges for hotel owners engaging softbrands are: • Acquiring a good understanding of the hotel’s required brand standards (particularly if a lack of homogeneity results in those standards being loosely defined); and • Ensuring that suitable limitations are negotiated in the brand-engagement documents, to control FF&E expenditure which may be required for everchanging brand standards. Of course, such limitations should be carefully considered and not overly restrictive – wouldn’t want your hotel to fall out of trend with the Instacrowd, after all!
SIX RESTAURANT MARKETING STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT THE MILLENNIAL MARKET Lee Leet of QSR Automations adds; According to a survey by marketing commentators Campaign, UK millennials (those born between the early 1980s and mid-1990s) now account for an annual £27 billion of restaurant spend: 30% of the total market. What’s more, this is a group that is well used to the smartphone as a source of information, something that marks them out from previous generations. Given the size of this audience, their substantial spending power and their penchant for wearable devices, it’s clearly vital to position restaurant marketing carefully and to use the right channels to take the brand advantage amongst this profitable group. Here are six top strategies to keep in mind:
1. Get social
Appealing to millennial travellers is not as straightforward as marketing a good brand at a hotel in a good location. Millennials tend to be less brand-loyal (to hotels or anything else), and far more concerned with genuine experiences and genuine peer recommendations (including Instagram recommendations, of course). In fact, a recent survey has indicated that 40.1% of millennials select their travel destinations based upon how ‘Instagrammable’ they are. The advantage for independent hoteliers is that, in many ways, their hotels no longer need to compete in the same ballpark as their more dominant brand-operated counterparts, since millennials are more likely to look for unique, one-off or independent hotel or lodging offerings. The challenge, however, is convincing millennials to take up your offering.
phone, highlighting how important it is for emails to be mobile-friendly. A mobile-responsive email template will ensure all content displays properly, improving the experience and preventing users switching off.
Close to 60% of millennials have said that social media influences their purchases. Indeed, Campaign found that, so far, there are already over 380 million posts under #foodporn and #food, with platforms such as Instagram used not only for sharing but also finding venues in this era of brand promiscuity in the restaurant sector. So social media presence is vital. Operators should take time to build a campaign that shows off their restaurant by running competitions, sharing high-quality photos of menu items and other engaging activity. It’s also important to respond to reviews and comments. Instagram, Facebook and Twitter tend to be the best social media platforms for restaurants. Those new to this as a marketing channel could start with just one, master it, then add another.
2. Keep in touch Email campaigns are a great way to generate business and develop customer loyalty. However, there are several best practice tips to bear in mind. Content needs to be personal – millennials will not take kindly to a generic email blast. Operators should therefore take some time to segment lists of email addresses by customer type – new, repeat, etc – and consider experimenting with several email templates to establish which style is achieving the most engagement. Making formatting less predictable will also help avoid email-fatigue. Research by Adobe found 88% of millennials read their email on a smart-
Guest Wi-Fi Guest Wi-Fi is a great way to attract large groups, particularly during work hours. Millennials are constantly on their phones so they’ll want to visit venues that don’t require them to use their data allowance to get online. If an operator has been struggling with lunch sales, for example, this could be a way to address that. Self-service kiosks Several UK operators have introduced self-service kiosks, including McDonald’s and the fresh-food quick service brand Tossed, which went so far as to open the country’s first entirely cashless restaurant two years ago. The operator has since opened more, citing the improvement to the customer experience as they can browse the menu, customise dishes and order at leisure, increased purchase accuracy and, simultaneously, the fact that valuable staff time is regained to fulfil the brand’s promise that ingredients are always fresh and dishes are made to order. For McDonald’s, the move to self-service has considerably improved the guest experience too, releasing staff from back-of-house and counter duties to provide valueadded services to customers at-table.
4. Make it convenient Millennials demand convenience. With the growing popularity of food delivery apps, it’s hard to avoid take-away so off-premise dining should be top-of-mind for restaurants pushing to build and maintain their market share. Before leaping in, operators must draw up an off-premise dining plan. Which menu items can sites realistically offer? Probably the quickest and easiest to prepare. How should deliveries be packed? Hot and cold items can’t travel together so separate packaging will be required. Operators also need to consider the two streams of traffic that restaurants will have to manage – dine-in and dine-out. Ideally, restaurant technology that manages this will be in place and provide real-time order tracking. Most importantly, there is a vital decision to make about whether to use a restaurant delivery partner, such as Just Eat and Deliveroo, or manage orders inhouse. Delivery partners do charge a commission but they also provide a network of consumers actively seeking food for delivery.
5. Be transparent Millennials want to know where their food is coming from and operators should be transparent about food provenance. In an ideal world, all ingredients would be organically grown by a local producer, and millennials are apparently twice as likely to care about organic origins as non-millennials. But that’s not always realistic and the path to a completely clean menu can be a long one. That said, millennials will be more loyal to restaurants that are truthful about the source of their ingredients. Transparency should also include social responsibility. Millennials love brands that give back and care about the environment. Forbes reported that 75% of millennials have a very high opinion of companies with a strong philanthropic spirit.
6. Offer an experience Restaurants are more than just a place to eat for millennials, who are all about the experience. A restaurant should tell a story. What inspired the concept to launch? What does the brand stand for? Operators should look to tell their story and tie it into the brand. For further information, please visit www.qsrautomations.com
April 2018
CLH News
17
18
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
Levels Of Financial Distress Up 8% Across UK Restaurants Over The Past 12 Months New research shows that subdued consumer spending and fierce promotional activity in the UK’s £5.9bn restaurant industry has contributed to a significant increase in financial distress across the sector over the past year, as experts warn that some restaurant owners may struggle to afford the commercial rent payments due on 25 March; the sector’s upcoming Quarter Day. According to new analysis of Begbies Traynor’s Red Flag Alert data, which monitors the financial health of UK companies, the number of UK restaurants experiencing ‘Significant’ financial distress ahead of the sector’s Quarter Day hit 11,091 (as at 13 March 2018); an increase of 8% compared to the same stage last year (10,228). Following a number of high profile CVAs (company voluntary agreements) across the industry, including Jamie’s Italian, Byron and another expected from Prezzo, the UK restaurant sector has clearly been feeling the pinch as a result of declining consumer spending, with the latest data showing that sales at UK restaurants fell over the 18 months to December 2017 due to weakened consumer confidence and lower discretionary spending. Meanwhile, experts warn that a “perfect storm” of challenges could force many restaurant owners into the red ahead of this week’s quarterly rent day, with rising costs, increased competition and an over dependence on promotional offers to drive footfall, all adding to the industry’s woes. Julie Palmer, Partner at Begbies Traynor, said: “The UK restaurant sector is facing a perfect storm of pressures ahead of this week’s quarterly rent day, with growing labour costs from the National Living Wage, subdued consumer spending and fierce competition from established high street chains, coming together to cause a spike in financial distress across the industry. “As rising inflation continues to hit real wages, UK consumers are proving increasingly cautious when it comes to their discretionary spending, meaning that there is even more pressure on restaurants to put on margin squeezing meal deals to entice diners through their doors. Unfortunately for those restaurateurs experiencing both declining sales and rising costs, the upcoming quarterly rents payment this weekend could be too big a financial hit for many to swallow.”
Nationality Pay Gap Rivals Gender Pay Gap In Hospitality Pay
An analysis of pay based on candidates registered in 2017 with luxury hospitality recruiter, The Change Group, reveals significant levels of pay disparity by gender, nationality as well as job function. Across all roles and nationalities, there is a 7.3% gender pay gap across the hospitality sector, which equates to men being paid on average £2,000 more than women. Meanwhile, British workers are paid on average 20.3% more than employees from other EU countries, or over £5,800 per year more, and 14.4% more than those from non-EU countries, or over £4,300 more. Overall, front of house, EU workers are paid 19% less than British employees (£5,705) and those from other parts of the world are paid 12.2% less (£3,891). Meanwhile, the gender pay gap is 10.8%, with women front of house paid on average £3260 less than men. There is greatest pay equality among more junior front of house waiters and waitresses, where the gender pay gap is only 2%. There is also a negative nationality pay gap with UK employees paid 4% less than those
from either other EU or non-EU countries. This could be because these are among the lowest paid roles in hospitality and are often at minimum wage level.
here by paying a fair wage for a fair job regardless of gender or nationality.” said Craig Allen, founder and director of The Change Group.
The gender pay gap rises to 11.5% back of house, with male chefs earning on average almost £3,000 more than women. The nationality pay gap is also higher in the kitchen than front of house with British employees being paid on average 15.1% or around £4,000 more than workers from the European Union, and 10.4% (almost £3,000) more than workers from other non-EU countries.
“Many restaurants fall below the government’s 250 plus employee threshold for reporting gender pay gap data, which means they may not be aware that there is an issue. Our data reveals that while at 7.3%, the hospitality gender pay gap may be lower than in other sectors, it is still significant and should be addressed. Female talent has a vital role to play in developing UK hospitality, and this gender pay gap could put many women off joining or staying in the industry. “While gender is currently the hot topic, we think the nationality pay gap is also an important agenda for discussion as the right level of pay has a part to play in attracting talent from overseas. It is vital to our industry to ensure that talent of all nationalities have access to the same pay and career development opportunities. The Brexit negotiations have still not clarified the status of EU nationals after 2019. There are already fewer people from the EU migrating to the UK looking for work in hospitality, and many EU citizens are moving back home. This disparity in salaries may encourage more to leave and stay away and as we have read recently, many chefs, hoteliers and restaurateurs are rightly at their wits end trying to deal with shortages in their operations.
The gender pay gap among front of house managers is the highest of all at 13.7%. Meanwhile, British hospitality managers are paid on average 12.5% more than EU employees (almost £4,000) and 10.5% more than those from other non-EU countries (£2,500). Sommeliers from all nationalities retain their pay premium among other front of house employees, earning on average 19.5% more. Women working in pubs and bars are paid on average 8.4% (£2,279) less than men. There is also a significant ‘nationality pay gap’ in bar salaries, with UK workers being paid on average 4.8% (£1,384) more than those from other EU countries. “Our annual research shows that people largely work in hospitality because they love the industry but remuneration has to be fair to help the industry become more sustainable and for equality to prevail, which is why we undertake this analysis. If we want to help the industry challenge the US or Asia as best destination for service and food culture then we need to start
“We would strongly urge hospitality employers to examine salary levels for different types of employees to ensure fairness for all and that the best talent is well rewarded. This is vital to retaining and attracting talent during the continuing and ongoing candidate shortage.”
South Coast’s Biggest Craft Beer Festival Returns Bigger and Better Brighton will be the centre of the beer world once again this April, when the third annual Brighton Tap Takeover (www.taptakeover.co.uk) takes place in the city, from April 27-29. The festival sees 15 city centre pubs (up from 14 last year) dedicated to craft beer for the whole weekend, creating the world’s biggest craft beer pub crawl. Over 100 different craft beers, from 18 breweries, will be available on tap. A huge variety of brews will be available from porters to extra pales as well as several gluten-free and vegan beers. Breweries taking part include New Zealand’s Yeastie Boys, Somerset’s Wild Beer Co, Leed’s North Brew Co, Newcastle’s Wylam and London’s One Mile End, Gipsy Hill and Four Pure. First Chop from Manchester and Berkshire’s Wild Weather will be bringing 100% vegan brews to this year’s festival. The theme of this year’s festival is ‘collaboration’ with attending brewers bring-
ing some of their most exciting collaborative beers, most of which will be pouring in Brighton for the first time. The North Laine Brewhouse will collaborate with Resident – Brighton’s premier record shop – producing a mash-up of sound and brewing, with a special music-inspired beer and festival playlist. In addition to the beer takeover, festival goers can look forward to special entertainment and events curated by the guest breweries in most of the venues. For those keen to find out more about craft beer and how it’s created, several talks from leading beer writers and educators will take place at the North Laine Brewhouse, and other participating pubs across the city. Attendees are urged to visit www.taptakeover.co.uk for the full listings and beer information. Wristbands for the event – which come pre-loaded with four beers, a can to take away, swag bag and priority entry are available now for £15 from www.taptakeover.co.uk.
Creating Profit In An Uncertain Catering Equipment Market Fire Door Safety Compliance for Hotels CESA’s Building Business Seminars programme continues with three key topics: on 12th April it’s ‘Strategies for an Uncertain World’; ‘The Digital Transformation’ is on 7th June; and ‘Profit in a Low-Price, High-Cost Economy’ is on July 19th. All three take place at CESA’s offices at Rotherwick House, London E1W 1YZ, running from 10:30 – 14:00. The seminars, run by Martyn Drake, one the sector’s top business management consultants, are aimed at CEOs and senior management within the catering equipment industry. Attendance is free for CESA members and £100 + VAT for non-members. Julian Shine, managing director at Shine Food Machinery Ltd., attended an earlier seminar and is impressed. “Martyn enables you to look at the same old problems with a different perspective, uncovering those obscured opportunities,” he says. Glenn Roberts is chair of CESA. “We live in a period of unprecedented uncertainty,” he says. “The seminars’ aim is to build on dele-
gates’ acumen, experience and perception, to help them formulate strategies that will allow their businesses to thrive in difficult times.” The ‘Strategies for an Uncertain World’ seminar on 12th April will cover major trends and changes in the catering equipment industry; how to define a business’s future; and leadership by creating clarity in a time of uncertainty. The seminar’s aims include giving delegates a clear understanding of both the pitfalls and the opportunities of the current marketplace, the knowledge of where investment should be made, and the confidence to take managed risks. Full details are available on the CESA website. Places for each seminar are limited, so interested companies are urged to book now. The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA) is the authoritative voice of the catering equipment industry, representing over 190 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment - from utensils to full kitchen schemes. For more information on CESA visit cesa.org.uk
For any hotel it is vital to ensure that measures are in place to keep guests and staff safe. Since the Grenfell Tower disaster last June, the focus on fire safety, in particular, has rightly intensified. It is crucial that the hospitality industry realises the vital role that fire doors play in helping to save lives and protect properties.
The simple air vent control system also means ease of use as well as the smooth push pull door opening system to allow for a quick access during a busy service, the spark arrester on the top of the oven releases smoke at a steady pace meaning you can use under most extraction canopies, along with the unique look comes the dynamic chamber that has a large cooking capacity with up to 12 different grill rack positions for
INTUMESCENT SEALS
The UK’s largest supplier of ironmongery, IronmongeryDirect, has created a checklist advising on the essential components required to make fire door hardware compliant.
Seals are perhaps the most overlooked aspect of a fire door and need to be checked regularly for damage. The Pyroplex Fire and Smoke Strip is an ideal choice as it has a 30 minute fire rating and is suitable for both fire and smoke protection.
DOOR CLOSERS
SIGNAGE The correct blue fire door signage should be fitted in accordance with BS 499. A full range is available on the IronmongeryDirect website.
The Fogarty Charcoal Oven - Tough, Durable & Reliable The Fogarty Charcoal Oven is Tough Durable and Reliable as well as Sleek Versatile Flexible and Resilient.Designed in London and expertly hand made in Staffordshire with all materials sourced in the U.K, and has a cast iron door and frame with thick chamber walls along with a high grade stainless steel ceiling and outer casing with polished stainless steel hinge bar and handle with a heat resistant glass look through which means originality as there's no other like it on the market.
The Twin Ball Bearing Fire Door Hinge is ideal as it’s specifically designed for fire door usage and is suitable for doors up to 120kg. Intumescent hinge pads should also be fitted to ensure compliance.
LOCKS AND LATCHES
multiple food types and various cooking timings.
Be sure the latch holds the door firmly in place without rattling. It is also essential to ensure that it is fitted with the correct intumescent and CE marked.
The Fogarty oven has been tested in Carter’s of Moseley in Birmingham, a Michelin-starred restaurant where chef Brad Carter agreed to trial and review the oven in a real-life situation; the chef is now the brand ambassador for the Fogarty and has the original prototype oven in his kitchen.
Heavy duty fire door closers should be used in high traffic public building areas. With variable power size, closing and latch speed adjustments, 120minute fire rating, Equality Act compliance and a 10 year guarantee, the Arrone AR5500 is ideal and offers durability and flexibility.
The Fogarty Charcoal Oven is ultimately aimed at the professional kitchen but can also be used outdoors.
HOLD OPEN DEVICES
To download the full fire door checklist, visit IronmongeryDirect.
Hold open devices, such as Dorgard, are the only legal method for keeping a fire door open. Tested in accordance with BS EN 1155 and releasing the door when required.
IronmongeryDirect has over 16,500 products available. Orders can be placed as late as 8pm for next day delivery, and by 4pm on weekends.
“Seeing is believing “, and We here at Fogarty would be delighted to provide a free demo to see what the Fogarty Charcoal Oven can really do as there's no limits to what it can do with all types of food.
HINGES
For further details visit www.fogartycharcoalovens.co.uk or see our advert page 13
Guidance is to have three CE approved hinges fitted on a fire door.
Fire doors are too often downgraded on a specification or neglected during their service life. It is vital that correct installation and maintenance are carried out, in order to properly ensure fire safety.
For more information, visit: www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk or call: 0800 168 28 28 or see the advert on page 9.
Top Tips For A Great Night’s Sleep Away From Home; National Bed Month Sleeping in an unfamiliar bed is something of a mystery, whether sleeping in a hotel, or whilst staying with friends. Tossing and turning all night in strange surroundings can send the mind into overdrive and come breakfast time, there isn’t a ‘fresh face’ in sight. However, hotel management group, Hospitality First, came together to give the UK some sound advice on how to get a great night’s sleep, away from the comfort of home, for National Bed Month, which took place last month. To help beat the morning slump of a bad night’s sleep, here are Hospitality First’s top tips for a great night’s sleep whilst staying away from home. National Bed Month was created by The Sleep Council. The Sleep Council is an impartial, advisory organisation that aims to raise awareness of the importance of ‘a good night’s sleep’ for health and wellbeing, and provides helpful advice on how to improve sleep quality, and how to create the perfect sleeping environment. Hospitality First, the management group behind Holiday Inn Express Kettering, Holiday Inn Express Preston South, Best Western Tillington Hall, Best Western Crewe Arms Hotel, Quality Hotel Birmingham South, and Holiday Inn Express Castle Bromwich, are keen to showcase that their focus is on the comfort of their guests in all of their hotels.
• Pack your own essentials – Got a set of favourite comfy pyjamas? Bring them with you! A lot of people fail to remember that comfort is key, and your favourite night wear can be the start of a great night’s sleep at any hotel. Don’t forget your slippers too, if that’s something you normally wear at home. • Whilst you’re packing… - Remember to bring your favourite pillow, or pillow case too. Whist it may seem like extra luggage, but some people find that the comfort of their own pillow is the number 1 reason they don’t get a good night’s sleep! We’re all different, and so are our sleep needs, so take the guesswork out of it and bring your own if it’s something you’re normally very particular about. • Don’t abandon your routine – Do you watch a film, box set, or read a book before bed? Do it whilst you stay away from home too! If you usually wind down by watching your favourite TV show or movie, love to fall asleep to music, or like to drift off whilst away with the fairies in a book, be sure to bring those things with you. Make sure you limit how much screen time you get though – this can sometimes have an adverse effect on sleep. • The Goldilocks effect – Apparently, around 18.5 degrees Celsius is the perfect sleeping temperature. Being too hot, or too cold, in bed can have a huge effect on sleep! Don’t be afraid to turn up, or down, the temperature in your room so that it’s ‘just right’ for you. Not sure how? Call reception and most hotels will be able to help. • Relax! – Whether you’re staying away from home for business, or for a break away with the girls, most hotels want you to be able to relax in their establishment. Turn down the lights in your room, close the curtains, and take a moment (or an hour or two!) to take a break from the hum-drum of regular life.
Towels and Bathrobes Can Have Guests Feeling Like Royalty While a lot of UK hotels choose similar bathrobes and towels it’s worth considering what could make a hotel stand out, providing marketing advantage and an even more memorable experience for guests. Organic products, for instance, are on the increase and recent studies show Organic beauty and health products grew by a further 8% last year alone. King of Cotton has also seen a dramatic increase in the uptake of more unusual robes by hotel owners, which is why they now offer no less than nine different ranges. Some offer ‘stand-out’ by virtue of their heritage, such as the ‘The Ritz Carlton’, a beautifully designed robe, used in one of the
world’s grandest venues in 400 GSM soft velour waffle and lined with pure cotton terry towelling. Other designs that are unique include the Monte Carlo Towelling Robe, with its contrasting collar and cuffs in different colour ways. Towels need not be white and need not be made in the same way. Look at the King of Cotton’s latest addition, the 700gsm Superior range made in Portugal; they’re very absorbent with a deep soft pile in a range of striking colours including honey, silver and charcoal. Visit www.kingofcotton.com or call King of Cotton on: 020 8332 7999 and register as a trade customer to enjoy further offers and discounts.
April 2018
CLH News
19
20
Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier
April 2018
Dirty Toilets Put 97 Percent of Brits Off Returning to a Hospitality Establishment
Often seen as the first or last “point of call “toilets/washroom cleanliness and hygiene is simply too important to be left to chance! A dirty and unhygienic washroom area is an absolute red flag that will trash a businesses reputation and no doubt find itself on social media almost immediately. We have all heard the saying don't judge a book by its cover — but judging a restaurant, pub or hotel by its toilet is now the “Norm”. Your businesses cleanliness and hygiene may be one of the most important factors in attracting new customers—and in keeping the ones you’ve already got. We live in the court of public opinion, and it doesn’t matter how great a meal or a visit is chances are if you’re toilets/washroom facilities are not up to scratch that is what will stay in the customers mind, and the chances are they will take to social media to let people know . And it’s not only only Tripadvisor which the public take to when making comments or providing feedback. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ all forums for a critical public to use,
and there are dozens of news outlets regional and national waiting in the wings to pick up on a negative story and run with it.
UK consumers and only train facilities fared worse in the survey, part of its Lifting the Lid on Washrooms report.
A recent YouGov online survey of 2,012 British adults by Cannon Hygiene highlights the huge importance people put on the cleanliness and upkeep of restrooms.
“Train stations and pubs/bars are both perceived to have the filthiest loos (by 41% and 39% respectively), while the latter creates the longest quest for them too.”
• 85 per cent warn friends and family members about bad facilities with 76 per cent put off by what they’re told • Laying toilet paper down on seats (24 per cent), squatting above the loo (29 per cent) and using elbows to open doors (21 per cent) are all common practice in public restrooms • Biggest bug bears include cleanliness (90 per cent), lack of toilet paper (89 per cent) and soap (70 per cent), bad smells (63 per cent) and weak hand driers (54 per cent) • Older Brits are more likely to be put off returning because of poor facilities versus millennials – 99 per cent of over 55s versus 94 per cent of 18-24 year olds The data also revealed that we Brits are sticklers for the hygiene of toilets in bars, restaurants and other public places with many taking extra steps to avoid germs, flushing the toilet with the foot using paper towels or tissue when opening the door, or pushing and opening doors with their shoulders or hip.
In the survey, 17% of consumers wanted to see more toilets provided for customers in pubs, nightclubs and sports stadia while hands-free flushing is the technology most (61%) want to see, followed by better ventilation (46%) and thicker toilet paper (41%).
Over 97 per cent of people would be put off returning to a restaurant or bar because of poor toilets according to the survey and 85 per cent will also warn friends and family members planning on going to a restaurant if the toilets are in a bad condition. We also don’t keep it to ourselves. When it comes to complaining, 60 per cent said they would be likely to bring it up with staff directly, while a quarter (24 per cent) say they’d make a public complaint on social media. “Toilets say a lot about their owners,” according to a survey by laminate manufacturer Formica whose research of 2,000 UK adults between July and August 2017 revealed that toilets in bars and pubs were even worse than those found in nightclubs according to 40% of
Washroom Top Tips! Here are some top tips to consider courtesy of the Formica group for your toilet/washroom facilities: • Don’t let them fumble in the dark: Is going to the loo such an embarrassing exercise it requires a darkened room to do it in? Behind providing clean surfaces and hand soap, it’s lumens people love. Why force people to sit in the shadows when going to the toilet can be a lighter, brighter experience? • No-touch please, we’re British: Sometimes being touchy-feely isn’t a great idea. Brits don’t like the idea of touching anything in washrooms that they don’t really have to. While you’re not required to install hands-free flushing, you’d be loved if you did. A whopping 61% of people want to be able to flush with the swipe (not touch) of a finger. • Soundproofing please: A cacophony of splishes and splashes is not what people really want to hear. More than a quarter of people (26%) dislike toilets for the noise they’re subjected to from other people. When a third of adults (32%) say they want workplace/public loos to be better soundproofed, that’s your invitation to do something about it. • Neutral or nothing: It’s out with the garish, the patterned, the dark and even the wooden. The public are unanimous - it’s either neutral or nothing.
Another “bugbear” the public have in toilets is locks, Darren Goowin of Goodwin technology specialists in the manufacture of Burstcatch locks says “locks are a critical part of the decision process when designing or refurbishing a washroom, in fact they are vital for both privacy and security. In high traffic areas such as commercial washrooms it is essential that toilet doors stay operational. We have been fitting toilet blocks to pub chains including JD Wetherspoon, Yates, Mitchell and Butler, and Stonegate as well as many independent hotels bars and restaurants, and our locks ensure customer safety which allows standard privacy but should access be required in case of emergencies doors can be opened without causing damage to the lock or the door itself”
• Give them air: Excretions smell. We get that. So why hide washrooms away in the darkest corners of buildings that are unventilated and nowhere near a window? Some 68% of respondents think loos smell unpleasant, and not surprisingly, 46% call for greater ventilation. So give them what they want and design your space where windows will take away any eye-watering stench.
Howard Sedgwick, MD of Cannon Hygiene, said: “Many of us are conscious of the upkeep of restrooms in public places, particularly those where food is being prepared as it suggests a lot about the hygiene elsewhere in the building.
• Mirror, mirror, on the wall: If you can’t easily put in lighting (the second top interior design want behind cleanliness), then mirrors are what people want next. Not just to throw some light on proceedings, but no doubt so men and women alike can perfect their hair and get ready to face the world again. Some 39% of people want to stare back at themselves, so mirrors are a cheap way to cheer someone up.
“Britons are clearly sticklers for good hygiene and the data suggests that a huge majority of us aren’t willing to put up with poor standards with many going above and beyond to warn friends, family and followers on social media when they’ve had a bad experience. “It’s a warning to restaurants, bars, hotels and others in the retail and leisure sector that their repeat business can goes out of the window very quickly if customers are forced to use facilities that aren’t up to scratch.”
• Don’t say it with flowers: Blooms might well appreciate the dark, damp conditions many public loos offer, but patrons definitely don’t want their public conveniences decorated with daffodils or any such-like foliage. This is not the way to take away smells. A mere 6% say they’d appreciate them in their toilets. • Keep it clear: Hommes/Femmes, Hombres/Señoras - we’ve seen them all before; but while you may think your signage is clever, spare a thought for your patrons, especially if they’re restaurant diners, who may have had a glass or two by the time they’re faced with deciding which door to push. Nearly two-fifths of people (38%) say they’ve stumbled into the wrong sex toilet because they didn’t think the signage was obvious enough.
•
Mind the gap: Adults aren’t children who need cubicles with large floor-todoor gaps so they can crawl out if need be. So don’t treat them like kids. Nearly half (48%) of people say they’re conscious of the large gaps in cubicles that make them feel their privacy is being compromised. Give them a door that reaches the floor and they’ll surely thank you for it.
•
Unisex - think twice: While the zeitgeist might be for unisex toilets, it’s still a hot potato – especially in the workplace. Two-thirds (68%) of staff say unisex loos would make them feel awkward, and older staff and women in particular still want their gender-specific toilet for reasons of sanctuary and cleanliness.
Warewashing
April 2018
CLH News
21
Warewashers - The Work Horses of the Catering Kitchen ty, given that broken down machines mean slow service and therefore lost revenue.
DIRTY PLATES A survey undertaken by British warewashing brand, Classeq, has shown that over 97% of consumers said they would be put off by eating or drinking out of home in an establishment where they are served with dirty or cloudy glasses and crockery.
Earlier this year we described warewashers as the “work horses” of any busy catering kitchen.With many operations now offering all-day catering, breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner there is an unprecedented demand on both staff and equipment. Ensuring high standards of cleanliness is vital for the hospitality sector if they’re to attract customers and keep them coming back, says warewashing specialists Miele. Busy pubs, clubs and restaurants are particularly challenged in the quest to maintain a steady supply of clean glassware and crockery. The hospitality sector relies heavily on its warewashing machines to help deliver consistent levels of cleanliness. Reliability is therefore a vital qualiTypes of Warewashing will include: Under-counter machines: back bar or front-opening warewashers use smaller racks than larger machines and their performance will be lower. However, they are compact and can be fitted where they are most needed and in tight spaces – behind a busy bar/servery or below the counter of a coffee shop/tea room. Pull-down hood dishwashers: The next stage up in machine design is a pull-down hood machine. These are more powerful, faster and are manually loaded with a basket of soiled tableware. They are usually configured with stainless steel tabling either side of the dishwasher so while a basket of dirty tableware is being washed, another basket of dirty tableware is being loaded ready to go in and a washed basket on the other
And, a staggering 94% of those surveyed said they had been on the receiving end of dirty crockery or glasses in a restaurant, hotel, or café. Over 70% of consumers said they would not return to that establishment, and would have concerns over hygiene and general cleanliness. According to the survey, the message is very simple: Operators aren’t currently paying enough attention to their warewashing to ensure that all glasses and crockery are scrupulously clean, every day, every wash – and that’s regardless of peak footfall and volumes. Adam Lenton, Marketing Manager for Classeq emphasises the importance of establishments getting to grips with their warewashing provision and more importantly understanding how to get the best results side of the hood washer is waiting to be emptied. This gives a continual cycle of plate washing. Rack conveyor dishwashers: These work on a pass-through system where the baskets of soiled tableware are on a conveyor belt which passes through the washing machine, going through wash zones which start at pre-rinse, go to hot wash, then hot rinse and come out on the other side of the conveyor ready for stacking away. Flight dishwashers: These are a semi-automatic dishwashing system, similar in principle to rack conveyor systems, but very much bigger. They are designed to cope with huge volumes of soiled tableware which might be found in a university or hospital kitchen, an airline food production kitchen, large staff feeding facility or a conference and exhibition centre.
from it. He says:
“You don’t get a second chance to create a good impression – get it wrong and customers won’t be back and the need for quick, efficient warewashing equipment is paramount. “At Classeq, our whole ethos is about keeping things simple…but effective. It’s all about the end result. Take our new digital under-counter collection which comprises of 13 different machines across two ranges (Standard and Duo). These offer customers space efficient, highly bespoke solutions to their warewashing. The DUO machines come with new digital displays for clear visibility wash and rinse temperatures – plus feature a choice of programs of which there are three distinct washing cycles for fluctuating service levels – Light (2 min), Standard (3 min) & Heavy (5 min). “Importantly, the new monitoring software takes away human error and ensures accurate chemical dosing, along with a ‘watching eye’ over the wash cycle, rinse and wash tank temperatures – features normally associated with a much higher price point. Alongside sustainable and energy efficient features plus easy to use controls, operators are guaranteed great results, wash after wash, backed up by fast service support when needed”. Talking about reliability an important aspect that can’t be ignored is of course service and prevention of machines’ break down. Krupps for this reason has introduced IKLOUD, the Wi-Fi connection that gives the engineer the possibility to modify by distance every parameter of the technical menu. In this way the machine can always be adjusted belonging to the customer’s requests and errors can be prevented or solved quickly thanks to the real-time notification, giving the best support ever. This means a great ROI since the customer have just to care about his job, forgetting about the warewashers that is always connected with the technical assistance. “There is another important feature about IKLOUD that have to be mentioned” says Manuel Petrucci, Krupps’ marketing Manager, “also the customer can manage the warewasher through the app, setting working times and controlling its consumptions. This is a really important key to cut running costs and optimize energy and chemical savings, just think about how much a chain manager can save from optimizing all the warewashers installed in its branches.”
As the casual all-day dining has revolutionised the catering/hospitality industry, it has created challenges. Greater choice, longer trading hours, varied menus/ cuisines places great demand on equipment more than ever, in particular Warewashers, and businesses can often find themselves spoiled for choice, however choosing the right warewasher is a balancing act and it will pay dividends to obtained professional advice. Price for any business will always be a critical factor, however running costs should always feature as heavily in the buying decision and energy efficient machine may cost more. Initially, but will last longer, and provide a better return on investment over the years. And most importantly it will be more reliable! How and what food is presented on is really important within the catering industry – a dirty plate or smeared glass reflects poorly on the cleanliness of a business and will turn customers away.
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...
Top Tips To Find The Right Warewashing Equipment For Your Business Ensuring high standards of cleanliness is vital for the hospitality sector if they’re to attract customers and keep them coming back. Busy pubs, clubs and restaurants are particularly challenged in the quest to maintain a steady supply of clean glassware and crockery. Your warewashing needs will vary depending on whether you’re a small bar or large restaurant, but Miele suggests the following tips for businesses in the hospitality sector:• Ensure that you buy a dishwasher that is appropriate for your size of business. It’s vital to ensure the turnaround time matches your table turnover. • If you’re a busy establishment that requires a fast turnaround of tableware, consider a tank dishwasher. This can wash glasses and crockery at a quicker pace without compromising on the quality of the clean. • Businesses that require tableware to be used straight after washing should consider an AutoOpen feature to dry the contents of the dishwasher quicker, making it much easier for staff when they have an influx of customers.
April 2018
CLH News
22
Warewashing (CONTINUED FROM OVERLEAF) John Shepherd, UK & Ireland Country Manager for Wexiödisk says: “Ensuring that crockery being used to serve dishes to customers is always clean should be a number one priority for operators, as this alone can directly affect repeat business. As the primary source of crockery cleaning, having an effective warewashing system offers the simplest solution to ensuring consistently cleaning dishes. Arguably, one of the most common, yet least effective pre-rinse systems is the traditional overhead spray arm. Washing from above, spray arms are extremely inefficient when it comes to ensuring that the crockery is free of debris before entering the warewasher. Bowls, upturned plates, pots and pans retain almost all of the debris and contaminants such as grease and sauce, which then enter the warewasher. As a result of inefficient pre-rinsing this debris then enters the washing tank contaminating the clean water and thus resulting in poor quality wash results. Not only will the wash results be increasingly poor but operators will also need to change the water more frequently, increasing costs as well as water, energy and chemical consumption. Recognising this as a key problem with the pre-rinsing process, Wexiodisk has developed a much more effective solution that gives both better, high quality wash results whilst saving time, money and staff labour. Wexiodisk’s patented PRM machine replaces the sink and overhead spray arm utilising the same space next to the warewasher and uses the waste water from the wash tank to pre-rinse the crockery. By reusing this water, the crockery is pre-rinsed with warm, chemical enriched water which is sprayed from above and below inside the hood of the PRM machine ensuring that most of the debris is washed away. This whole process is done inside of the machine, which means to there is no excess water splashed onto the walls, operator or floor thus providing a more comfortable environment for staff too. “It’s all about the end result, adds Adam Leyton, at Classeq, our whole ethos is ‘warewashing made simple’ and that means ensuring that the whole customer experience is effortless, and the machines are simple to use, clean and understand. We can guarantee great results, wash after wash, and that, after all, from our research is what both operators and consumers are really looking for.”
to save money, it is by no means a budget option in terms of service. “Winterhalter delivered the machine and installed it, checked the electrics, tested the water and made sure we had the right chemicals.”
DISHWASHER STRIPS ‘‘The importance of hygienic cleaning is paramount in any foodservice environment, says Martin Brown, Cookshop Brand Manager for Nisbets Plc. and there is much debate surrounding the difference between an item that is ‘clean’ and one that is hygienically sanitised. Although not standard practice as yet, it is expected that new regulations will soon be introduced requiring establishments to ‘test’ for the hygienic operation of their commercial warewashers. Whilst no date has been confirmed as to when these regulations will come in to place, thanks to the Vogue Dishwasher Strips (GJ059) operators can begin to get into the habit of monitoring and recording the temperature of their warewashing cycle during the final rinse – ensuring it reaches the optimum temperature for hygienic cleaning of 82°C. Whilst most quality manufacturers will already manufacture machines that can reach acceptable sanitising temperatures; ensuring your equipment is, and continues to work at its premium is something that operators shouldn’t ignore. Failing to do so could potentially lead to an ineffective dishwash cycle, which can fail to kill bugs such as E. coli 0157. Keeping an official log containing the date and temperature of each wash cycle also means caterers are in a position to demonstrate due diligence should their hygiene ever be brought into question.”
NEW FROM CLASSEQ: The latest addition to Classeq’s warewashing range is the digital P500A Pass Through Dishwasher - designed for intensive, high volume daily use, this machine is suitable for straight-through or corner situated operations. This range of dishwashers (also known as hood types) are perfectly suited to any busy kitchen and are capable of cleaning up to 720 plates per hour. Three wash cycles (2 minute, 3 minute and 5 minute) allow for maximum output without compromising wash quality whilst saving energy too. The new, easy to use and intuitive Digital LCD display allows the user to adjust key settings to the machine (temperatures, rinse and wash times, chemical dosage, and stores usage information) to ensure it is being used to its optimum performance.
PAY AS YOU GO OPTION Winterhalter thanks to one of the company’s latest developments, has recently introduced a Pay Per Wash (PPW) initiative, which seeks to harness the possibilities afforded by the connectivity of the internet. Simply put, operators rent their machine. The package includes racks, water treatment and chemicals, and they only pay a fixed price per wash. This means that businesses have access to high-end equipment, but only pay for what they use. This makes it ideal for start-ups, seasonal businesses or anyone looking to save money. The price for running a Pay Per Wash system includes maintenance and repair costs. Even better, the cost of a wash is tax deductible as an operating cost. One of the first pubs to take up the initiative was The Butchers Arms in the Suffolk market town of Beccles is a proper, old-school pub. 100% wet-led, it has a loyal core of regular customers. “Horrible people,” jokes landlord Ian Willis. “They deserve the best – they got me instead!” “Winterhalter’s a make I’ve been aware of in the past,” says Ian, “But I’ve always considered it as out of my reach. I could never consider buying one as an outright purchase. So to be able to have one is fantastic!” He contacted Ovation Commercial Services for help with choosing the right replacement. In the end, he plumped for a Winterhalter UC Excellence-I Plus Glasswasher, with an integrated Reverse Osmosis unit. The RO unit filters water before it’s used, removing salts, minerals and other impurities. “It’s great,” says Ian. “Now the glasses come out of the machine sparkling clean, ready to be used again immediately.” While PPW is a great option for businesses looking
Fitted with a 39litre wash tank, running costs are kept to a minimum and features such as continuous hood clean and removable wash arms ensure that they are easy to clean. All machines have full, ‘Type A’, Water Board compliance (WRAS) and drain pumps and rinse pumps fitted as standard, plus the option to have detergent pumps and integral water softeners fitted. Classeq also has a very useful online guide that purchasers can access when it comes to choosing the right machine and accessories for their bespoke needs. A ‘help me choose’ section has explanatory animations and video links to help answer questions such as “do I need a drain pump or water softener”, as well as “which machine is appropriate for my level of footfall, what do I need to consider when it comes to chemical dosing?” GLASSWASHERS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCIMhiRNq8A DISHWASHERS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BupLMGaqCaU
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...
Warewashing (CONTINUED FROM OPPOSITE PAGE) WINTERHALTER SAYS CONNECTIVITY IS A TURN ON FOR FOODSERVICE OPERATORS impact on areas like staff morale and the cleanliness of the tableware. “Operators are starting to get that connectivity can minimise breakdowns, maximise the prospect of a fast first time fix, reduce running costs and even improve staff morale. Not surprisingly, they’re interested.”
Winterhalter says that there was huge interest in connectivity at Hotelympia 2018. “Connectivity is really gaining traction, especially with the group operators,” says Paul Crowley, the company’s marketing manager. “We launched Connected Wash versions of our PT passthroughs and UF utensil washers at the show. The technology’s potential is turning foodservice operators on to the prospect of lower running costs, virtually zero downtime and 100% first time fix rates.” Warewashing is a bit of a Cinderella in the kitchen, “People want to fit and forget,” says Crowley, “and with Connected Wash, they can – because their service provider can take over looking after the machine, by monitoring it remotely. Of course, if they prefer, customers can monitor the Connected Wash dashboard themselves. Or they can share the access, so both the operator and their service provider can monitor it. Increasingly we are working in partnership with our customers, and connectivity plays a significant role in cementing that relationship.” Another key element to the importance of connectivity when it comes to warewashing is that many sites only have one dishwasher in the kitchen, and maybe one glasswasher in the bar – so if either goes down it’s a huge issue that can have dramatic knockon effects to the whole operation. “There are all sorts of hidden costs when a warewasher breaks down, including extra labour, and there’s also the
Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance. Alongside its market-leading dish and glasswashers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, cleaning chemicals and detergents.
SUPPLIERS CLASSEQ www.classeq.co.uk or phone 0844 225 9249 CRYSTALTECH www.crystaltech.co.uk or call 0370 350 2424 WINTERHALTER www.winterhalter.co.uk or phone 01908 359000 MAIDAID HALCYON www.maidaid.co.uk or phone 0345 1308070 WEXIODISK www.wexiodisk.com/en or call 0845 643 0421. ALLIANCE ONLINE www.allianceonline.co.uk or call 0844 499 4300 NEXTDAYCATERING www.nextdaycatering.co.uk or call 0344 875 4 875 ALEXANDERS APPLIANCES DIRECT www.alexanders-direct.co.uk or call 01264 333388 NISBETS www.nisbets.co.uk or call 0117 316 5000 KRUPPS www.krupps.it +0039 049 7625159 MIELE www.miele.co.uk/proffesional or call 0845 365 6636
April 2018
CLH News
23
April 2018
CLH News
24
Outdoor Spaces
Outdoor Shading For Popular Restaurant On Poole Quay When prominent eatery Banana Wharf on Poole’s bustling quayside was looking for cover, warmth and light for their new outdoor seating area, they turned to Broadview Shading Solutions, who were able to offer them a one stop shop service that also included eyecatching branding. After an initial consultation by Broadview’s expert team, the installation of a bespoke canopy, two large-span umbrellas with heaters and lights, three electric sun screens, illuminated signage, menu cases and window graphics took place. A four metre by one metre wedge-style canopy was manufactured using an aluminium frame and digitally printed with Banana Wharf
graphics and installed over the entrance doors. To assist with extra sun screening to reduce any internal glare within the restaurant, Broadview also developed and positioned a series of electric sunscreens with special zip channels over three large windows. These screens are operated by remote control and include the Banana Wharf livery. As well as protecting diners eating inside the restaurant, customers choosing to dine and enjoy a drink outside can be protected from the sun and other weather conditions under one of the two 4m x 4m umbrellas which each incorporate four 1.5kw heaters and Osram fluorescent lighting. Reader enquiries - Tel: 01202 679012 or visit www.outdoor-shading.co.uk
LOFA Guide Answers Outdoor A Very Tasty Opportunity Furniture Flammability Questions To Earn Additional Profits
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Designed, fabricated, project-managed and installed
DP Structures are designers and manufacturers specialising in the creation of bespoke architectural steel structures and products.
3 Specialist Pavilions, Pods & Kiosks 3 Commercial Structures 3 Industrial Fabrications 3 STRUCTURED by David Palmer
T 01282 697563 M 07766 242059 E enquiries@dpstructures.co.uk W www.dpstructures.co.uk
Produced by FIRA to give a greater understanding of fire safety issues that may concern those buying or selling outdoor furniture, the LOFA Outdoor Furniture Flammability Guide provides a basic introduction to the LOFAssured Scheme with essential information for retailers and consumers. One of the conditions of LOFA membership is that members must adhere to a code of conduct, part of which is compliance with all current legislation. The new guide explains that, in order to achieve LOFAssured status, LOFA members must pass an audit process supported by Hertfordshire County Council which acts as prime authority and offers assured advice which will be accepted across all county and borough councils. The scheme shows a member company is compliant to flammability regulations and performs sufficient due diligence to ensure products are fit for purpose. Providing answers to 12 key questions relating to flammability concerns, the LOFA Outdoor Furniture Flammability Guide makes it clear that any form of garden/outdoor upholstered furniture that could be set up or carried into a dwelling and conservatory must meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989, 1993 and 2010). These regulations are enforced and policed by all local trading standards departments across the United Kingdom. For further information on the Leisure and Outdoor Furniture Association, call 02392 258844 or visit www.lofa.co.uk. https://www.lofassured.co.uk/
With the UK manufactured Elite Range Hog Roaster you have the best equipment available, with a lifetime of use. The Elite can accommodate a hog up to 90 kilos, feeding up to 250 people in around 2 hours. Watch the theatre of a full hog roasted to perfection with juicy succulent pork and mouth-watering crispy crackling. The benefit of The Elite is you can barbecue using the Elite Hot plates, while the pig is still cooking using the same heat and labour and this gives you the opportunity of earning additional profits, while attracting more customers at the same time. Once the barbecue is completed, simply raise the pig to the carving position. A Steve Cullum professional Hog Roast Machine represents a fantastic opportunity from significant events in 2018 It would be very easy to reach 20 hog roast days and if we are lucky with the weather, this could increase to 30 Hog Roasting days. Contact us today, to see how we can benefit your business. Call 01652 681883 or visit spitroast1.com
Outdoor Spaces
DP Structures
tions. It had to be manufactured to provide a serviceable bar front that could be increased or reduced depending on the function requirements and be complimented by a modular “back of house” construction that provided a temporary are to store barrels and pumps.
The company concentrates on three areas of expertise, namely, Structures/ Canopies,
The counter fronts had to be interchangeable for different occasions but for the requirement of Ascot they chose a natural Cedar timber which softened the steel bar when set up as a bar.
DP Structures Ltd design and manufacture bespoke steel products for the commercial and retail sectors.
Kiosks / Pods and Sculptural features (DPStudio) , all of which are designed and manufactured at our workshop in Lancashire. The modular bars at Royal Ascot racecourse were one such commission.
DP Structures can be produced to any design or requirements and these units can be utilised for marquee functions events, exhibitions or wherever the need for a quick temporary bar is required.
We were asked to produce a series of modular bar units that could be assembled and yet moved easily in sec-
T 01282 697563 W www.dpstructures.co.uk or see the advert on the facing page
April 2018
CLH News
Cinders Barbecues Limited Launch the StreetWok LP20
The portable ‘StreetWok LP20’ from CINDERS BARBECUES Ltd introduces new technology to an ancient method of cooking, solving problems of noise and skill levels inherent in traditional wok burners. Asian flavours are pouring out of oriental kitchens and into vibrant Street Market catering, where convenience is critical to success. We predict the compact power of our new product will also enable popular stir-fry cooking to find its way into beer gardens next to the ubiquitous barbecue and onto hotel patios as the themed component of a memorable occasion. The StreetWok LP20 packs up to 16kW of controllable punch into a portable appliance weighing only 17kg. This kind of power is usually accompanied by a loud roar, whilst CINDERS
uses a ‘flower head’ array of patented low pressure burners to diffuse the sound and spread the heat around the base of the wok. Spreading the heat also avoids the difficult wok ‘hot spot’ and allows heat to penetrate food faster and more evenly, enabling more reliable throughput without specialist training. Made in Britain and CE safety compliant, the StreetWok LP20 represents a real technical breakthrough and is set to offer fresh opportunities to all sectors of outdoor catering. CINDERS STREETWOK LP20 MRP: £695.00 For purchasing options contact us on info@cindersbarbecues.co.uk or call us on 01524 262900.
Many restaurants have outdoor patios and other uncovered dining areas that are nearly unusable when it’s cold outside. Restaurateurs discover a substantial increase in business when they provide a comfortable atmosphere for customers to enjoy their meals outdoors. Losing that business no longer has to be an option.
large open areas.
Don't Let Cold Days Put A Damper on Business
Space-Ray has over 60 years of field experience and exposure to a variety of outdoor heating applications, offering a diverse line of radiant gas-fired and electric heating systems for restaurant facilities, fully outdoor or partially covered dining, patios, drive-through and other
Radiant heat warms people and objects directly in the same way as the sun. Space-Ray radiant heaters are designed to withstand outdoor environmental conditions – many are IP55 weather proof so they remain in top working condition regardless of weather conditions. Based in Ipswich, Suffolk, Space-ray has been serving the UK and European markets since 1964. For more information: Phone: 01473830551, Fax: 01473832055 or E-mail: info@spaceray.co.uk. Space-Ray’s line of outdoor heaters can be found on the web at outdoorheating.spaceray.co.uk
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
25
April 2018
CLH News
26
Outdoor Spaces
LeisureBench - Quality, Value and Great Service! We're an industry-leading trade supplier of quality outdoor furniture, offering unrivalled care and service for our customers.LeisureBench was established in 2001 and we have grown into one of the country's leading suppliers of outdoor products. Our furniture is selected for strength, longevity, quality and value. We source direct from manufacturers worldwide and work closely with them to ensure that both our ethical stan-
Garden Trading
The Garden Trading collection embraces a clean, practical and uncluttered lifestyle. Combining classic materials with innovative designs; the range of contemporary lighting and timeless furniture for the home and garden adds distinctive style in any setting. We are constantly expanding our collection, to deliver a mix of new and bestselling products that have a style to transform any living space. Every product is designed
dards of production and our high environmental demands for sustainability are met. We are also participants in LOFA's 'Made Aware' scheme which focusses primarily on sustainable forrestry. We are situated in the very heart of the UK and with over 100,000 square feet of warehousing we can ensure a reliable supply and fast delivery wherever and whenever you need us. For details see advert this page. and developed in our Oxfordshire office, taking inspiration from our British countryside and urban lifestyles. The Garden Trading product range is often successful because every product has a purpose, designed to help remove the clutter from everyday living, by creating calm living spaces. We only offer products of the very best quality at sensible prices, with our neutral colours and organic materials suiting both town and country homes. Browse our collection online at www.gardentrading.co.uk or get in touch with our team on sales@gardentrading.co.uk or 01993 847334 to discuss opening an account or to request a catalogue.
Discover How A Canopy Can Increase Your Profits
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Over the last twenty years hotel owners,licensees golf courses and theme parks around the UK have discovered the secrets of increasing their profit by installing Zenith Canopy Structures at their establishments. Since the advent of the smoking ban, licensees have had to re-appraise their business and re-market the features that encourage customers to choose them over a competitor particularly in food led establishments. Ian Manners of Zenith said “The benefits to licensees of our canopy structures is that they can be used all the year round regardless of weather.” When approached by the licensed trade we have used our experience and spent a good deal of time with them discussing how we can make the best use of available space to increase their profits and add real value to their business. We encourage them to provide as comfortable a setting outside as they provide their customers inside the pub. For example, for some reason in this country licensees seem to think that customers like to eat and drink in raging sunshine. Our research tells us
that people actually like to eat and drink in the shade under a fixed, robust cover that they feel safe beneath. By adding electric radiant heating and lighting and easily removable sidewalls, licensees can create a warm, welcoming environment in all weathers without losing that al fresco feel.’ Many of Zenith’s customers have opted to fund a canopy project by LEASE RENTAL. This is a financially efficient way of installing a canopy because it allows the licensee to budget on a monthly basis without making a large capital investment. After a three or four year period the licensee will own the structure outright. It is also tax efficient as the lease rentals can be offset against taxable profits. Furthermore the canopies are being paid for as the number of customers increases. Zenith’s canopies are available in a variety of modular sizes and colours. For further information contact:Zenith Canopy Structures Limited, T: 0118 978 9072 F: 0118 979 3034 Email: info@zenithcsl.com or visit www.zenithcsl.com
These Businesses Are Already Benefiting From Our Canopy Structures
All year round use – regardless of weather Quick recovery on your investment
Market your business with fixed canopy structures to attract and look after your customers Our research tells us that people like to sit in the shade to eat and drink outside
www.zenithcsl.com For Free consultations call 0118
978 9072
Outdoor Spaces
April 2018
CLH News
Your Outdoor Space Can Make You Money With one of our great canopies you can turn outdoor space into somewhere usable no matter the weather. The choice is vast – marquee-style with a clear roof (very funky) or a lightweight retractable. High-end rotating louver roof or fixed polycarbonate. Jumbo umbrella or garden gazebo. It is entirely up to you what you choose, however we will help with advice and options to make sure you make the most of your structure and your space.
AEL Outdoor Solutions AEL are the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of outdoor solutions for leisure and hospitality venues. Our range includes outdoor furniture, bespoke build solutions, giant branded umbrellas, roof structures, awnings, smoking shelters, banner barriers, pavement screens, artificial and live plants, pots, planters and play equipment. Pergola and Pavilion structures provide all-weather cover with motorised adjustment of shade and shelter, allowing businesses to enhance and extend outdoor areas to increase revenue. With corporate events, wed-
In addition to the structure there are options for the roof and the walls – solid, retractable, clear, opaque and more. Then there are the lights, speakers and heating! For more help and information visit our website or give us a call. We are specialists in shade and shelter and we are ready to help. To get in touch, call 0844 561 7679 or email sales@outsidestructures.co.uk dings, hospitality, food and beverage, the need for a welcoming outdoor area for guests to relax and take advantage of the UK’s growing love of alfresco dining is huge. Guests can enjoy the fresh summer air with an open roof that closes at the touch of a button, and when combined with optional windows and doors, provide complete enclosure. They seamlessly attach to an existing building or wall, with a variety of styles including a curved, inclined or flat roof. Suitable for small terrace areas to large spaces, our solutions can also be free standing to create an outdoor living pod or pavilion. To see whats possible at your venue, contact AEL for a free no obligation site survey at sales@aelsolutions.com, call 01189 230 300 or visit aelsolutions.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
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
27
April 2018
CLH News
28
The Food and Drink Trade Show
The Place To Be In May The Food & Drink Trade Show in May is an unmissable event for all those involved in this innovative and fast-moving industry. Whether you are a producer, supplier or a buyer, success depends on keeping your offering fresh, on-trend and inspirational – you need to be totally up to speed with the latest developments, ideas and opportunities, meeting the movers and shakers, and getting your own products and services out
there. This unique show enables you to achieve all this, and more, for a very modest investment of time or resources.
SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITY The show makes it easy for you to find unusual products with fascinating provenance stories to tell – the kind that discerning customers are so hungry for. You’ll be able to meet an exclusive mix of passionate producers who are really pushing the boundaries – whether you are looking for locally sourced goods or speciality items, seasonal offerings or just the very best mainstream suppliers, you’ll be spoilt for choice. There’s something for everyone; with exhibitors from Abbotts (S.W) to Zenith Epos, with plenty in between.
Bacon, charcuterie, chocolate, beer, wine, gin, foodservice, catering equipment, coffee, tea...it's a unique spread of inspirational speciality food & drink products.
A FEAST FOR ALL YOUR SENSES These days shopping all seems to be about the internet, but there’s no way you can properly judge food and drink without tasting, touching, smelling, talking and observing. The smartest way to get this full-on sensory experience, all under one roof and in just a few hours, is to attend this show. It’s business, but it’s fun too! You get a rare opportunity to make valuable new connections, build better relationships with existing suppliers and catch up with colleagues and friends. The timing couldn’t be better, enabling you to get stocked up and raring to go before the busy summer season. If you’re hungry for culinary inspiration The Food &
Double Dutch Drinks Twin sisters Joyce and Raissa de Haas are the ambitious young female entrepreneurs who started Double Dutch Drinks. The twins were raised in the Netherlands and developed a keen interest in high quality spirits, which is no surprise as they are from the birthplace of gin after all! They noticed that despite the spirits industry kept growing, the tonics and mixers on offer were not given much attention. This frustration grew into a passion to start their own business which they did, and soon received a Foodpreneur Award from Sir Richard Branson in 2015.
Holywell Malvern Spring Water is famous for containing nothing at all. See us on Stand B6
Tel: 01684 568548 sales@holywellmalvernspringwater.co.uk www.holywellmalvernspringwater.co.uk
Double Dutch specialises in premium mixers and tonics, which are created using flavour-pairing techniques. The Double Dutch range includes a number of innovative products such as Cucumber & Watermelon, Pomegranate & Basil and a Cranberry Tonic to name a few. The de Haas twins have expanded the business substantially and their products can now be found in over 20 countries. Readers enquiries - See us on Stand F9 or visit www.doubledutchdrinks.com
e 1 Se on C1 us d N an St 100% Pure Smoothness
Email: info@silverfoxgin.com Telephone: 01454 219 219 Mobile: 07493 946 434
www.silverfoxgin.com
For more information about the show, to book a stand, or register to attend, please call 01934 733433, visit thefoodanddrinktradeshow.co.uk
Exhibiting its real ales at the show is Black Storm Brewery. Launched in December 2017 by Paul Hughes, and brewed in the North East, Black Storm’s mission is to champion British
real ale. Continuing the tradition set by the famous breweries from its region, Black Storm Brewery puts a modern twist on classic beer. Their beers are available in a range of styles from a light and refreshing blonde to the company’s chocolatey and robust porter.
SevernBrewing Craft Beers Born from Pure Cotswold Spring Water
Having run successful pop-ups this year at its Bottle Shop and Tasting Rooms on the North East coast, plans are in place to make the venue on York Street, Whitley Bay a permanent feature.
As well as exhibiting across the UK this year, Black Storm is also delighted to be part of the high profile STACK shipping container retail, food and leisure village, that from June will be located on Pilgrim Street in Newcastle upon Tyne. Visit: www.blackstormbrewery.com Buy: order@blackstormbrewery.com Follow: @blackstormbrew
Holywell Malvern Spring Water
Our ambition is to create classic and unique British beers crafted from only the finest ingredients. Yes, the brewery may be young but boy do we know our beers…and we can’t wait for you to try them!
Holywell Malvern Spring Water is renowned for its purity and refreshing qualities. Naturally filtered through layers of pre-Cambrian rock in the Malvern Hills, the water is famed for containing just nothing at all and is used in prestige products.
For further information contact 01453 764 170, email sales@s7n.co.uk or visit www.s7n.co.uk
See us on Stand B6. Reader enquiries, Tel: 01684 568548 or visit www.holywellmalvernspringwater.co.uk
Silver Fox Gin
8 carefully chosen botanicals
The Food & Drink Trade Show, held on the 2nd and 3rd May at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern, is a great opportunity to get ahead of the game. You’ll discover new products for your shop, new ingredients for your menu, new equipment for your kitchen, new ideas from industry experts as well as new partners and customers. With all this on the menu, and exclusive show offers to take advantage of as well, can you afford not to be there?
A Storm In The Bottle
Severn Brewing is an independent, locally owned and operated brewery on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment overlooking the Severn Vale.
Distilled 5 Times
Drink Trade Show also features a Demo Kitchen, hosted Celebrity Chef Felice Tocchini, who will be joined by Andrew Link, Mark Stinchcombe and Yvette Farrell, amongst others. Share their knowledge, skills and stories – it’s informative, but great entertainment too.
Silver Fox Gin is crafted with 8 botanicals. It is blended by a master distiller using 100% English Grain Spirit, distilled in an English Copper Pot and bottled in England. The inspiration came from an awareness of rural England. Tony Holdsworth has spent the last 35 years working in the great outdoors and this combined with extensive experience tasting the finest gins meant, that
the birth of Silver Fox Gin was inevitable. Silver Fox Gin is intensely aromatic with savoury notes of cedar, lifted with mellow citrus tones. A deliciously pure tasting dry gin that has a balanced palette, a slightly creamy texture and an incredibly smooth, fine finish. Whilst full of flavour and delicious on its own on the rocks, it also lends itself to a number of twists, from cucumber to orange and even lavender and rose. Telephone: 01454 219 219, Mobile: 07493 946 434, Email: info@silverfoxgin.com or www.silverfoxgin.com or visit us on Stand NC11.
Design and Refit
April 2018
CLH News
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. We work on a no minimum order 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 sales team on 01234 834693 or visit www.hotelcontractbeds.co.uk
Is Your Leisure Club Performing As Well As It Could
Established in 1991, 3d leisure (3d) is a leading health, fitness and Spa management company in the hotel sector. With an impressive client renewal record and a wideranging client portfolio we currently manage 71 facilities in the UK and a further 5 in Europe. 3d is owned by the directors of the company who all work in the business and have direct involvement with all our clients. With over 25 years’ experience, 3d offer a totally bespoke service from concept development through to management. 3d’s success and continued growth is due to our flexible approach and positive attitude. With 3d driving the health club and spa portfolio we take away the hassle of managing leisure, leaving the hotel
management to concentrate on core business. However, we will ensure that hotel management receive regular reports to monitor our progress and keep track of the success of their leisure facility. We will maximise income, by delivering an effective marketing strategy and developing a robust sales system and demonstrate a return on investment. By working with 3d you are not abdicating but rather delegating responsibility to a dedicated and focussed team who will maximise each club’s potential. Our service goal is to establish a client’s needs and then exceed their expectations with exceptional service and value. For more information see the advert on page 2 or visit www.3dleisure.com
StableTable - No More Wobbly Tables!
StableTable produce award winning tables that automatically adjust to any uneven surface. We produce our table bases in Sweden a country well known for furniture production and craftsmanship. Our products are produced in a state of the art production facility, adhering to the most rigorous production standards. All products are fully recyclable; smart, efficient and environmentally friendly. Our vision is to enable our customers to focus on taking care of their customers, and not
have to spend time on fixing wobbly tables. That is why we introduce StableTable - a patented, self stabilizing table base for all kinds of tables in hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés. Thanks to its unique solution, StableTable automatically adjusts to any surface, be it cobblestone, tile, wooden floors or carpets, without any need for manual adjustment. Simply place the table where you need it, and it automatically adjusts to a stable position. For further details visit www.stabletable.co.uk or see the advert on this page.
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
29
April 2018
CLH News
Design and Refit
30
Feather and Black Trade
Feather and Black Trade have developed their offer over many years to inspire and accommodate a variety of styles. Our focus on high quality ranges realised at competitive prices, enables a vast stock holding of our popular Metal frame and Solid wooden frame beds. We even provide quick dispatch upholstery, and mattresses for speedy solutions.
STORAGE BUNKER IDEA FOR COAL, WOOD PELLETS SALT & GRIT
Pl C eas LH e £1 211 Quo O 0 fo te FF r
No Shovel Needed - avoiding loss or theft Excellent Storage Solution - for all small fuel types Easy to use Dispenser System Suitable for Indoor or Outdoor Use - clean & convenient Waterproof with Lockable Secure Lid - ensuring moisture proof Backup Fuel Source - due to limited space around the property Easy to Re-fill - from shoulder height Lockable Key Lids Supplied Stores up to 200kg
www.thesmartbunker.co.uk 02843 770845
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
With a huge selection of upholstered beds, from affordable through to totally luxurious. A particular favourite among our clients is the COM opportunity, adding their own
design flare and bespoke design options! All our upholstered beds and mattresses can be manufactured to full CRIB5 regulations. Not forgetting those finishing touches, no new bedroom is complete without fresh bedding and linen. Our luxury collection of cushions, throws and other accessories will help you create a bedroom your customers won’t want to leave. Many of our ranges sit beautifully in other areas too! From living rooms to reception and breakout areas. Follow our trade accounts section to keep you updated with news, latest trends, new products and latest projects. Visit Featherandblack.com/trade, call 01243 380 664 or see the advert on page 19.
High-End Automatic Access For Hotel Guests A characterful stone inn just south of Huddersfield, The Three Acres offers superior accommodation coupled with an outstanding restaurant. As part of a recent refurbishment project, a TORMAX automatic glass swing door has been installed, welcoming guests from the lobby into the elegantly decorated reception room. Whisper-quiet operation is assured thanks to the precision engineered, high-torque motor developed at the TORMAX HQ in Switzerland and combines with a level of reliability that has been proven in locations worldwide. “We have had many positive comments about our new reception area,” comments Tom Truelove, Partner of The Three Acres. “The internal automatic door not only makes it easy for guests arriving
laden down with bags and coats, but also successfully creates a barrier from the outside weather, keeping our reception warm and welcoming at all times.” Maintaining natural light levels, the full glass door blends seamlessly with the contemporary décor of this Michelin-listed inn. Discreet and unobtrusive, the swing door is powered by the TORMAX 1201 operator which is housed in an anodized aluminium casing that is just 85mm high and 640mm long. It is still however a powerful operator, capable of automating swing doors measuring up to 1.4m wide and weighing up to 250kg and is also suitable for external applications. For further information, contact 01932 238040 or visit www.tormax.co.uk
Coal On Draught! Using Smartbunker-It’s As Easy As Pulling A Pint!! Are you tired of getting cold, dirty and dusty whilst working hard to give your customers a warm welcome? Originally designed for arthritis and chronic back pain sufferers, the multi- purpose, multi-award winning Smartbunker provides ideal storage and an easy to use dispensing system for coal, wood pellets or salt & grit. • Fully waterproof • Suitable for indoor or outdoor use • Lockable lid • Easy assembly in under 5 minutes • Can be secured to the ground if required • Easy to use dispenser system
• NO SHOVEL REQUIRED "One of the best things we ever bought... #smartbunker ... would happily recommend... well done and best of luck!" Suzanne J Brant "Brilliant product, very well made, light and so easy to move around if needs be. A clean and tidy addition around any house or property." Patrick L If you’re interested in having your coal, wood pellets, or grit on draught (no pipes to clean) then visit our website, watch our videos and ask us some questions. Visit www.smartbunker.co.uk for details.
Design and Refit
The Not So New Kids On The Block!
After the explosion of casual dining eateries in towns and busy shopping centres, many had branded this trend as the death of the pub. In 2016 various studies cited this as the ‘casual dining boom’ with more pubs than ever closing. Fast forward to 2018, this has now come full circle giving pubs a crucial window of opportunity. With many casual dining chains such as Jamie’s Italian, Carluccio’s, Café Rouge and Byron Burger all reporting losses within the last year, pubs are being urged to get their act together in order to eat up greater market share. As Keith Hobbs, managing director of Fresssh Image, a specialist fit out, maintenance and venue design service for the hospitality sector, explains: “Many of the casual dining establishments that were set to take the market by storm haven’t been able to make the impact they would’ve quite
liked to. To combat this, pubs need to invest in their venues both inside and out to capitalise. “Pubs that offer all-day dining and focus on the customer experience will ultimately seize the day. If you can create a relaxing place where people can eat or drink at their leisure – whether it’s a coffee, brunch, pub lunch or mid-afternoon nibble – you’re onto a winner. “What many also don’t realise is the importance of the pub garden – it is often the first area of the pub that a customer comes into contact with so making a good first impression is vital. As we move into the summer months, we’re working with many pubs to focus on smart maintenance of their venues.” For more information about Fresssh Image or to request a free site evaluation for your venue, visit www.fressshimage.co.uk, email info@fressshimage.co.uk or call 01623 883602.
By The Fire - Keeping You Warm For Over 40 Years By The Fire is a leading supplier of fireplaces, gas fires, electric fires, hole in the wall fires and wood burning stoves. Representing all of the top manufactures in the UK and Europe, offering the highest quality products at affordable prices. Located in Westbourne, just minutes away from Bournemouth town centre, By The Fire has been supplying and installing Fires and Fire places to customers for over 40 years longer than any other fireplace shop in Dorset.
April 2018
CLH News
31
Anapos Supply Sauna and Steam Room to Woodbury Park Hotel and Golf Club, Nr Exeter
Following a number of recent installations for The Club Company, owners of the Exclusive Woodbury Park Hotel, Golf and Health Club, Anapos were once again asked to manufacture supply and install The Club Companies brand standard Sauna, Steam Room, Feature Shower and Heated Loungers.
The Sauna was constructed from the special high quality Rohol sauna timber with a drop ceiling, with feature lighting, including fibre optics, behind bench heaters and an automatic essences dosing system. The Steam room was installed with square benching to take large format tiles for easy cleaning and wood effect plank tiles on the walls, the steam room was also installed with under bench LED lighting for extra effect, ceiling down lighters and a full essence injection system. The Anapos Feature shower that was installed offers the
clients the option of a tropical rain shower experience with a rose fragrance or a cold rain shower experience with a peppermint fragrance all at the press of a button.
The project was completed with two of the Anapos Heated Corian loungers, the smooth Corian contoured surface makes it very comfortable to relax on and easy to clean for the operators.
To complete this fantastic installation it was awarded first place in the Health & Wellness Category in the UK Pool & Spa Awards 2017.
Anapos has also completed recent Projects at :The Midland Hotel Manchester The Coniston Hotel Skipton Formby Hall The Lifehouse Day Spa Alton Towers Resort Spa Whittlebury Hall Gomersal Park Hotel Low Wood Bay Hotel
For further information call 01942 226539, email: info@anapos.co.uk or visit www.anapos.co.uk
The team at by the fire has un-parallel experience in providing a wide selection of fires and fireplaces to suit every home lifestyle. From ripping out to the very end installation, By the fire ensure every job is completed to the highest standard and that every customer is left happy. Tel: 01202 760760 email: bythefire@hotmail.co.uk www.bythefireonline.co.uk
Harrow Stacking Chairs – Affordable Without Sacrificing Comfort Searching for affordable seating for your venue? Look no further than the Harrow stacking chair. This economy chair is available in three popular frame colours and has dozens of different fabric colours, materials and patterns to choose from. Supplied by British company Trent Furniture, you are able to create the perfect style for your interior with these long-lasting, stylish stacking chairs. Whether you want to fully furnish a whole venue or have extra seating conveniently stored away to help you cope with busy periods, Harrow stacking chairs provide
value for money. What’s even more impressive is that their frame is constructed of fully welded strong steel to withstand busy contract environments. Priced at £13.90 plus VAT, the ability to customise each chair, combined with the classic design, makes the Harrow chair perfect for use in your hospitality venue. View the Harrow stacking chair alongside a wide range of both traditional and contemporary furniture specially designed for bars, restaurants, cafés, hotels and more at www.trentfurniture.co.uk. Call 0116 2985 852 for more information.
By The Fire
The highest quality products Keeping you warm for over 40 years
By the Fire 34-36 Seamoor Rd Bournemouth Dorset w: BH4 9AS
t: 01202 760760 e: bythefire@hotmail.co.uk www.bythefireonline.co.uk
April 2018
CLH News
32
Design and Refit
Sims Contract Furniture Ltd - The First Port Of Call For Banquette Seating
We are a family run business with 3 generations of commercial furniture manufacturing experience. Unlike other suppliers we manufacture all our seating inhouse, no importing, no subcontracting. We have full control over every aspect from design to installation to ensure every product leaves our workshops punctually and to our reputable high quality. Proudly offering 2 versions of Banquette Seating, firstly our “Premium Made to Measure” Banquette Seating which is built to your exact design, shape and size, then installed by our professional installation team. You can have anything from floor to ceiling designs to seating that perfectly follows the walls in a period
setting. Secondly our “Modular Banquette Seating” which is freestanding, set size units for you to mix and match to best fit your space. Manufactured and delivered to your doorstep ready for you to layout. Made to the same high standards as our premium range without setup costs, site visits and installation fees. Saving you up to 50% on competitors seating. Also, we offer a range of furnishings – tables, chair and bedroom furniture. To request a brochure or to discuss your requirement further please contact our sales team on 01945 450957 email Sales@simscf.com Web www.simscf.com
Capricorn Contract Furnishings Barton Reed & Co 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 40,000 square feet showroom and distribution warehouse on the outskirts of Exeter in Devon. From within the distribution area we are able to offer a next day delivery service 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.
Barton Reed & Co is the leading supplier of quality furniture to hotels, restaurants, public houses and leisure facilities in the South West. We can supply beautiful leather sofas, stylish high bar stools, comfy tub seats, elegant restaurant tables and chairs, and relaxing beds.
From laid back, seaside charm to cutting-edge design our extensive product range will suit your style and give your business the look that you want to achieve. We have a huge choice of colours, fabrics and finishes and all our furniture comes with a two-year warranty. Barton Reed & Co is a familyrun business and we have been involved in the furniture industry since 1945. Over the years
we have forged strong relationships with our suppliers to give you the best furniture available with a service that goes above and beyond our customers’ expectations.
Seven reasons why you should choose Barton Reed & Co to supply your contract furniture: • Wide range of styles • Easy ordering and re-ordering • Single point of contact • Short lead times • Direct delivery • After sales service • Two-year warranty on every item Get in touch to discuss your furniture requirements on 01409 271189, see page 4 or visit www.bartonreed.co.uk.
Consort Claudgen Introduces 3kW Fan Heaters to Their Electronic 7-day Timer Range The WMH3E Chelsea and HE6137E Flowzone fan heaters are the latest addition to Consort’s Electronic 7-day Timer range. Both heaters have a digital control panel with easy-to-read display and four large control buttons with audible and tactile feedback. They are robust to suit demanding environments and are quiet in operation. The Chelsea’s stunning curved fascia is lacquered aluminium allowing its good looks to be easily maintained whilst the Flowzone is compact making them the perfect choice where space is limited. The heaters offer 6 heating periods per day, 7 days a week and have an optional open/close window detection feature which reacts intelligently to a sudden temperature change in the area or room.
They are also easy to operate and can set comfort and setback temperatures which helps reduces the overall energy consumption. The Electronic 7-day Timer range is suitable for many applications such as hotels, offices, bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, laundries and conservatories. It includes low surface temperature heaters which are designed to suit environments with vulnerable people such as children and elderly residents; therefore ideal for schools, nurseries, retirement homes, hospitals and anywhere where safety is paramount. For more details, visit www.consortepl.com or contact Sales at 01646 692172.
Design and Refit
Pro Auction Valuers & Auctioneers
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.
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.
Auction sales are conducted both on site and webcast through our world-wide bidding platform.
Contact Pro Auction Limited on 01761 414000 or email info@proauction.ltd.uk
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.
Allen Pavitt Contracts Allen Pavitt Contracts is Europe's leading manufacturer and supplier of hospitality products. Our designs include the very latest style in banqueting and conference furniture currently leading the way for comfort and ease of use. All of our products are manufactured in the UK and include dance floors, folding tables, stages, conference chairs and tables. These are all guaranteed to perform in the most testing conditions within the busiest venues. We are particularly proud of our modern locking portable dance floor system with 21st century technology replacing high maintenance products!
This is where Warner Contracts Ltd. can help you; our website contains in excess of 1000 products which includes chairs, tables, bar stools, sofas and tubs. More importantly the majority of our range is held in stock for immediate delivery UK nationwide. Warner Contracts
Folding Tables Nylon Flock Plain Timber Laminate
To compliment our exhaustive range of standard products, we also build bespoke items for other areas such as theatres and concert venues.
Conference Cloth Table Skirting
Wheeling Folding Stage one man operation
Conference Tables Portable Dance Floor Easy clean no polishing Locks together will not come apart All Manufactured in the UK at our premises Allen Pavitt Contracts
offer a flexible service which means that we can supply a complete restaurant furniture refit or just a few tables and chairs to top up your existing furniture. Are you looking for something a little different? We also have the facility to bespoke manufacture furniture in your choice of wood colour and upholstery options; please speak to sales for details. For more information regarding Warner Contracts products and services, please visit our website www.warnercontracts.com, call 0161 408 2390 or email sales@warnercontracts.com.
33
Complete Table system for Banqueting
Maximise Your Takings This Summer by Adding More Covers Have you ever taken on too many bookings and not been able to seat all of your customers? Have you ever had to turn customers away because you don’t have enough tables or chairs? Now is the time to start rethinking the layout of your floor space to fit in those last few valuable covers.
CLH News
Tel: 01404 890290 sales@allenpavitt.com
To assemble simply push together and the locking floor is ready to use and will not come apart. Hard wearing laminate surface ensuring service free lifetime use.
Compatible with our other UK suppliers such as Burgess, our furniture provides the very highest standards of reliability, giving every confidence to the discerning hotelier. Other products within the range include table cloths, skirting, valances, chair covers and conference cloths. These are made to fit our chairs and tables plus those of other manufacturers. We would be delighted to discuss your requirements, and provide free noobligation quotes call us now on 01404 890290 and visit www.allenpavitt.com or www.portabledancefloors.net
April 2018
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Tomorrow's Furniture, Available Today
buk is the number one stockist, via a nationwide distributor network, to the UK hospitality sector. Established for over forty years, we have the expertise you are looking for.
We design, develop and deliver high spec, high tech, contemporary and traditional furniture for high traffic use, in the most demanding pub, club, café, hotel and leisure venues. Furniture and finishes that are built to last and meet all fire and safety regulations. We hold large stocks of a wide choice of lines for 24 or 48 hour despatch and if that’s not enough, we have thousands of special order items that can be turned around or customised by our partners and distributors in weeks. Just try us! Contact us to discover your local stockist of indoor seating, tables, bases and tops, in addition to our extensive outdoor furniture range. We have something for everyone…and if we don’t, simply ask…we’ll get it!
For more information please call us :
Email us: sales@buk.co.uk
01284 811666
www.buk.co.uk
April 2018
CLH News
34
Design and Refit
Novellini UK
Novellini UK is the British branch of Novellini Group The most important shower enclosure manufactured in Italy. A vast range, extremely high quality and probably the most versatile in the market – anything is possible in terms of scale and design. Throughout the world Novellini creates inspiring bathrooms that appeal to individuals at home, via our merchant partners. Working alongside architects and designers, we create beautiful and functional bathrooms that complement the home, helping to create tranquil spaces promoting Well-being within the living environment. Based in the beautiful market town
Woodman Chairs Woodman Chairs is a long established, dedicated chair manufacturer and wholesaler who make most of their own chairs. We offer a wide and varied choice of solid oak and beech chair and table styles – both modern and contemporary – with many finish and seat options. Included in our range is an exciting choice of sturdy bar stools and bar tables. The fact that we make gives us greater control and flexibility. It also enables us to offer bespoke chair and chair frame or component production to end customers or other suppliers and manufacturers looking for their
of St Albans, Hertfordshire, we have a small but well stocked Showroom with multiple displays of enclosures, trays, baths and steam cabins. At Novellini we understand that you desire individual bathroom designs, this is why we have created six new frame finishes to help you achieve these aspirations. Enclosures are now available in nickel, matt black, polished gold, white, silver and polished chrome. In addition we have coated all our profiles with an anti-bacterial and anti-scale coating as standard. New glass finishes include smoke, mirror and spy glass all with crystal clear glass treatment as standard. All our products are maintained by our qualified service engineers and supported by parts readily available from stock.
For further information call 01727 229 922 or visit www.novellini.co.uk 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
Imagine Your Restaurant Running Perfectly!
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
Imagine your restaurant running as perfectly and joyously as you want it. How would it look and feel? What would the ambience be like? How would the staff feel? How busy would it be? Every table rammed, or maybe three quarters full and every customer completely satisfied. Maybe, you would like it to have a warm cosy glow, with twinkling candles drawing customers in, safe in the knowledge that you won’t be clearing up messy wax all night, and that your staff will want to light them because they
won’t cause any hassle. You may now be imagining your restaurant with oil candles! If you want to know more about oil candles and would like a free one to try out for yourself, go to our website at www.clearcraft-catering.co.uk, choose a candle and I will send it to you, with some oil so you can try it out. Or even better, ring me for a chat. For further information email mike@clearcraftltd.co.uk or Tel: 01279 731621
Commercial Sofabeds Ltd Commercial Sofabeds Ltd is a UK company that offers unique, superior quality, specialist sofa beds that maximise space, and generate extra revenue to all types of businesses within the hospitality sector Our modern & elegant designs augment and totally transform any space, making it an attractive, flexible option for your business. Our quality products will enable you to boost your turnover without adding extra capacity or even adapting the room. What’s more, they are smart pieces of furniture in their own right. Commercial Sofabeds has developed specialist design
The Curtain Cabin
Based in Verwood, Dorset, The Curtain Cabin is a wellestablished curtain making company, specialising in the manufacture and supply of bespoke curtains and soft furnishings including blinds, tracks, poles, sheer curtains and furnishings. The Curtain Cabin produces a range of products for the commercial sector, including furnishings for hotels, village halls, health centres and on projects for local authorities. The Curtain Cabin has been in operation for ten years, however, Managing Director, Dawn Moses has been in the soft furnishing industry for almost 30 years. The company has built up a strong
Design and Refit and technology to make the products durable and longlasting. We are pleased to offer you a compelling return on your investment with us. Our sofa beds are robust items of furniture that will stand the test of time – even with several years’ use on a nightly basis. Unlike so many flimsy, poorly constructed sofabeds, we’re proud to guarantee a comforting, cosy night’s sleep again and again. All our fabrics and mattresses comply fully with British Standards, with the former chosen for their tested durability and natural stain protection qualities. They’re easy to clean, too, due to the specialised condition of the fabrics offered. For further details Tel: 02392 410100 or Email: mike@commercialsofabeds.com working relationship with Harbour Hotels, over the past five years, having worked on a number of sites within the Harbour Hotels portfolio. Most recently, The Curtain Cabin has been involved with Harbour Hotel Southampton. Working on this project, The Curtain Cabin carried out site visits to ascertain track, blinds and curtain sizes; advised on best positioning and operation; compiled a pricing and fitting schedule; and manufactured and supplied curtains, sheers, lining & curtain sundry items, blinds and tracks. The Curtain Cabin also supplied a large area of electric hard wired sheer blinds to the 6th floor (21 blinds in total), as well as electric tracks in the Function Room with nearly 6 metre drops on electric tracks. For further information please call 01202 813533 or visit www.thecurtaincabin.co.uk
The Securicot Baby Listening System ®
Dectel Ltd., a Bristol based telecoms engineering company for over 25 years, is launching its new product, Securicot® Baby Listening System, to the hotel industry.
by offering a safe reliable Baby Monitoring system for their guest rooms, enabling the parents to make more use of the hotel’s chargeable services.
The project to develop the System was inspired by Paul Sadler, General Manager at Calcot Manor, as the hotel needed to replace an obsolete system installed many years ago.
For reliability the Guest Room Units are directly connected to the Control Station located in the Reception Back Office. Here each Room Unit is permanently being monitored but the enabling of the microphone is under the guest’s control.
Dectel Ltd. manufactures and installs Securicot® and has two systems working very satisfactorily for over a year at Calcot Manor and LFH’s Fowey Hall. The market for Securicot® is hotels wishing to increase their revenue by being able to attract families
The complete system can be supplied and installed with a cost of around only 15p per room (cost amortised over 5 years). Tel: 01454 883300 or visit the website: www.securicot.com
April 2018
CLH News
35
Tel: 02392 410100 mike@commercialsofabeds.com www.commercialsofabeds.com Commercial Sofabeds Ltd is a UK company that offers unique, superior quality, specialist sofa beds that maximise space, and generate extra revenue to all types of businesses within the hospitality sector. Whether you run a boutique hotel, a chain of hotels, a guest house, bed and breakfast, a or restaurant with overnight pub accommodation, our range of sofa beds delivers style, space and most importantly, a With perfect, undisturbed night’s sleep. robust, box mesh systems and substantial, pocket-sprung mattresses up to a unique 18cm thick, we have the perfect solution for you.
Commercial Sofabeds Ltd creates high quality products that are ideal for:
• • • • • •
• • • • •
•
•
Hotels Golf hotels Serviced apartments Guest houses B&B’s Restaurants with rooms Pubs with rooms Holiday lets and parks Lettings agencies Student properties Universities and colleges Residential Care homes Residential Nursing homes And many more…
April 2018
CLH News
36
JURA UK - Revolutionising The Way We Enjoy Coffee Developed by a dedicated team of Swiss engineers, JURA has revolutionised the way coffee should be enjoyed with two of its professional bean-to-cup coffee machines, the WE6 and the WE8. As a business that lives and breathes coffee every day, JURA believes consumers shouldn’t have to compromise on the quality of their coffee and these two models are no exception to that rule. The high-performance WE6 expertly prepares up to eight classic coffees, from ristretto and espresso, to café crème. It is also complete with a three-litre water tank, a coffee bean container holding 500g, as well as a coffee grounds container with a capacity of 25 portions. With comparable features, the WE8 too offers innovative technologies, a one-touch function, and a modern TFT display. In comparison, it offers 12 specialities in total, including cappuccino, latte macchiato and flat white. Thanks to the patented Pulse Extraction Process (P.E.P.®) and the AromaG3 grinder, both machines guarantee the perfect coffee every time. Both of these beautiful models are also equally easy to care for with the Intelligent Water System (I.W.S.®), which provides optimum water quality. Discover JURA, where quality coffee is delivered at the touch of a button: uk.jura.com See the advert on page 15.
Products and Services
3R EPoS Systems Our State-of-the-art EPoS systems are designed to become an essential part of your business. Assembled with detailed reporting functionalities which will help to minimize your cost whilst maximizing profits, they are excellent for both multi-sites and single-site businesses. Built on over 16 years of experience, 3R EPoS reporting facilities safely stores information regarding your business and can be uniquely tailored to suit your needs. Whether you own a convenience store, restaurant or a bar, the 3R EPoS system can integrate products that are unique to your business. This can
include the ability to store new promotions, daily specials as well as adding local dishes to the menu. 3R EPoS systems will contribute to the success of your on-going business as it includes the ability to inform managers when your stock is reaching minimum levels thus allowing you to re-order stock accordingly. Furthermore, 3R EPoS systems will calculate and suggest what should be ordered based on current and archived sales, recent orders and current stock level thus saving time and money. In order to also boost your sales and gain customer satisfaction, 3R EPoS systems also offer a range of handheld touch screen devices. Such benefits can contribute to your cost savings and enhance your purchasing ability across your business. For more information on our services please contact our dedicated team on: 01992 574 650 or see the advert page 11.
Riso Gallo NEW Frozen Risotto Base
Riso Gallo has developed a premium quality frozen Carnaroli risotto for chefs that is ready in only 5 minutes. The Carnaroli rice is precooked in a vegetable stock and frozen grain by grain, known as Individual Quick Frozen Technology. This allows chefs to accommodate requests of single portions, reduces waiting times and avoids wastage. It is also gluten free, alcohol free, dairy free and nut free. Cooked from frozen, chefs add hot stock (or even just water) and chosen ingredients,
Servicing Binge-Watching Brits According to Ofcom*, Britain is a binge-viewing nation. Eight in ten adults in the UK (40 million people) use subscription services such as Netflix or catch-up technology like BBC iPlayer or ITV Hub. 51% of people watch TV in their bedroom and two in five adults say they watch TV alone every day.
Why is this relevant for hotel guests? Guests away from home are looking for ways to pass time and crave a “home-from-home” experience. Naturally, a home-from-home television system is a top priority. No longer will a large screen and scheduled TV programmes impress, guests armed with portable devices and used to catch-up TV and streaming services expect to choose their own content and watch it when they want.
offering versatility in the number of risottos they wish to offer to their customers. “Riso Gallo has been dedicated in the development of this frozen base over the past year”, commented Jason Morrison, MD Riso Gallo UK. “We are aware of the time chefs need to spend on creating a good quality risotto. A risotto that is cooked but the grain remains al dente. This frozen base offers chefs exactly that.” How can my hotel do this? Riso Gallo has over 160 years of experiCatch up TV services are available on Samsung, Philips ence in rice production and is now in its 6th and LG hospitality SMART TV displays. Whilst many congeneration as a family ran business. sumer SMART TVs offer thousands of apps, we recommend a basic line-up of the most popular catch-up TV apps such as BBC iPlayer. In a hotel environment, the provision of subscription services such Netflix is a little more complicated due to offer to ability to add a further 79 dedicated programs licensing restrictions. This can be remedied by the instalfor wet cleaning and other applications. An important lation of a casting device, allowing a guest to simply cast feature of the machines is the Care Touch drum which is their own content from a portable device to the hotel’s unique to Girbau. This protects and preserves delicate television. It's important that a hospitality specific casting wet cleaning fabrics and ensures a longer lifetime for device is installed in a hotel - lockable, more robust in everyday linens. nature and most importantly, preventing interference For drying Girbau installed a GUT30 space-saving twin between rooms. stacking dryer and a 19kg capacity ED340 dryer excluSounds good but I don’t have / can't sively to handle the delicate drying of wet clean items. afford ethernet infrastructure? One of the most energy efficient dryers on the market, ED Series dryers combine maximum efficiency, reduced Not a problem, a DOCSIS system enables the distribucycle times and lower energy consumption. Cabinet insu- tion of smart services over existing coaxial infrastruclation and a double-glazed door further optimise energy ture. efficiency and prevent heat escaping to the laundry. For more details on the provision of a home-fromGirbau also installed two pieces of home experience in your hotel, contact Airwave Europe: wet cleaning finishing equipment: a info@airwave.tv or 0845 555 1212 Sidi M502 Garment Former and a *Source: Ofcom - The Communications Market Report MPT825 Trouser Topper. Together these enable laundry staff to accom® plish the exquisite finish its guests expect when their delicate items are processed. For more information visit: Launched to serve the wine industry in France, Rwww.girbau.co.uk Biopharm’s automated and highly portable photometric
Our New and Extensive Fake Food Brochure is Almost complete! The Berkeley Hotel Embraces Girbau AguaSmart Wet Cleaning Filled with a massive range of fake foods for display and decoration, with different price and quality ranges to suit every budget and application, you will be sure to find something to enhance your venue. We have also extended our range of food sets, so if you need a quick set up, we’ve already done the thinking for you. Plus, don’t forget we also sell a wide range of artificial flowers, trees and foliage, plus many other display and prop products, which we stock in our warehouse ready for next day delivery. Our stock quantities are live on our website, so you can plan last minute projects knowing what is available. If you’re working on a bigger project, we can usually get large quantities of certain items quite quickly, so give us a call or drop us an e-mail and we will try to source what you need. You can pre-order a copy of our Artificial Food Brochure on our website, or contact us and we’ll add you to the mailing list. Contact us on Tel: 03333 440078, E-mail: sales@props4shows.com or visit www.props4shows.com. See the advert on page 4 for details.
The Berkeley, the premier five star London hotel renowned for its opulent luxury, distinctive style and faultless service, has specified the latest Agua Smart Wet Cleaning Ready washers and dryers from Girbau for its new on-premise laundry. The Berkeley approached Girbau UK for advice on upgrading its laundry equipment. Choosing the latest Agua Smart Wet Cleaning Ready washers and dryers means it can use the same machines for laundry and wet cleaning. Wet cleaning offers better quality cleaning of water-soluble stains and odours and is an ideal environmentally-sensitive option for all articles that are normally dry cleaned. Girbau installed two HS-6013 14kg-capacity and two 27kg-capacity HS-6024 INTELI washers capable of processing standard hotel laundry and wet cleaning the delicate guest laundry that requires special care and attention. The hotel also has a HS-6008 washer for smaller loads. INTELI washers come with a range of 20 pre-installed programs to meet a wide range of laundry needs, and
POS Display Specialists
The Devonshire Dome is one of Buxton’s most iconic buildings. The vast space is the biggest unsupported dome in Europe and was built in 1779 by the fifth Duke of Devonshire. Its original purpose was as a grand stable block and later it was converted into a hospital. It is now part of the University of Derby, housing the Buxton Campus. Recently The Dome made major changes to its catering operation, building a new kitchen and refurbishing an older one. Both new facilities are designed around refrigeration from Williams. Richard Greensmith is operations manager at the University of Derby Buxton campus. “When we’re buying catering equipment for students we are looking to prepare them for the workplace,” he says. “We need to train them for any eventuality – from the basic to the Michelin Star.” There’s a need to make sure the equipment is robust, easy to use and easy to clean. “Being used by students, it’ll need to take the knocks and scrapes that a normal operation wouldn’t give it,” says Richard. “Plus, all the equipment gets very heavily used when we have one of our big functions.” All of the refrigeration in the new kitchen is from Williams. The brand is also prominent in the refurbished kitchen, and in the serveries in the cafés and dining areas inside The Dome. Alongside counters and undercounter cabinets, the site also has a coldroom and a blast chiller, both of which are roll-in units, and a reach-in blast chiller. Similarly, there is a variety of different
RIDA CUBE SCAN Enzymatic Analysis Whenever And Wherever You Want
The Devonshire Dome’s Multifunctional Kitchen – Built Around Williams UK POS - The UK's No.1
With the nice season and the clock change fast approaching, businesses can expect to see an influx in evening customers. Ensure your POS reflects the seasonal change to avoid missing key sales. As the much anticipated lighter evenings and warmer climate arrive, consumer habits start to change. More people will now venture out in the evening to pubs and restaurants, and people start to think about their outside space. It is crucial that your business responds to these changes to receive maximum benefits. Give both your indoor and outdoor POS displays a refresh. Menu holders, snap frames and chalkboards are essentials for any hospitality business, so make sure yours are looking their best. Pavement signs will help give people that extra push to go out for that Thursday drink, whilst a new café barrier system will encourage some early al fresco dining. At WWW.UKPOS.COM you can find everything you need to maximise your sales all year round. Order by 5pm for next day delivery. Visit www.ukpos.com, email sales@ukpos.com or call 03332 207 322 today!
Williams counter and under counter fridges and freezers in the kitchen, to allow The Dome to maximise the amount of storage. They include eight Jade two-door counters in varying formats, including biscuit top units (designed to fit below a fitted worktop) and models with raised pan ingredient holders, which are used as prep stations. There are also several of Williams’ space-saving Aztra and Amber counters. The range of counter and undercounter refrigeration has meant that they could be installed into this difficult environment – working around the tricky angles and pillars. The Williams coldroom supports both the student-run restaurant and the banqueting. “The stores department prepares and dispatches the food, which is stored in the Williams coldroom until needed.” Bunzl Lockhart Catering Design Services designed and installed the kitchens and specified all the equipment. “I think they have been very thoughtfully designed,” says Richard. “The new kitchen was an especially difficult project from the start, because of the shape of the room and the range of work we require it to carry out.” In effect, it has to be truly multifunctional. “It’s a training kitchen, a fine dining restaurant kitchen, a large-scale banqueting kitchen, and it’s suitable for external caterers, too.” For more information on The Devonshire Dome visit www.devonshiredome.co.uk For more information on Lockhart Design visit https://design.lockhart.co.uk To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk.
system for enzymatic and colorimetric assays is proving its versatility with successful whisky fraud detection via The Scotch Whisky Research Institute, with a rapid and portable solution for the determination of sugars. Within the fruit juice industry, composition of fruit juices can easily be manipulated to increase quality perception or production volume. Enzymatic testing – carried out easily with the RIDA®CUBE SCAN with a single pipetting step – can determine the exact acids present to determine authenticity.
It isn’t just beverages that can be tested; canned food and pre-packed food, eggs, meat or fish products and milk and dairy products can now be analysed using established and proven methods with RIDA®CUBE SCAN automation. Small food laboratories and production facilities can now access sensitive and specific measurement of targeted components to the same standard as large laboratories using the bigger biochemistry analyzers. Each enzymatic test kit contains 32 single-test cartridges and an RFID card containing all the data and settings needed. The cartridges are pre-filled with the reagents and include a mixing device. All that is needed is a single-pipette step to transfer the sample. Once the cartridge is inserted into the machine, all other steps are performed automatically within 15 minutes. Results are calculated via the linked Android tablet and can be exported to a computer, printer or Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). For further information contact R-Biopharm Rhone at food.r-biopharm.com/news/automated-enzymaticanalyzer/ or see the advert on page 9.
Property and Professional
For Sale: Unique Bistro, Bar, Cafe And Boutique Surf Lodge Stonesmith are delighted to be offering for sale an exciting multifaceted business opportunity - The Beach House - an impressive and extremely well presented bar, bistro and cafe with boutique lodge accommodation. The Beach House occupies a prominent and prime trading position with extensive sea views, located within the heart of Woolacombe. The Beach House has been the subject of fastidious renovation and refurbishment to exacting standards by our clients over the last three years and is presented to an exceptionally high standard throughout. The owners have created an Attractive and Contemporary Bar and Dining Area which comfortably seats 52 customers, with panoramic sea views to the front and a feature atrium glass roof to the rear. To the front there is also Al Fresco Seating with sea views for 12 customers. The Beach House Lodge is self-contained and offers a completely unique style of accommodation in Woolacombe, described as a boutique luxury hostel experience predominantly aimed at surfers and out-
This substantial 2-storey 16th Century Inn is of limestone construction and sits under a pitched tiled roof. Two entrances to the front of the property provide access to all the trading areas. These consist of: Bar (circa 30+ plus standing) has exposed stone walls and provides simply stunning rolling countryside views to the front. To one end of the room is an exposed stonebuilt fireplace with built in log burner and there is a bar server of wood construction and 5 cask ale hand pulls. A few steps lead down to: Dining Room (circa 30 covers) also with breath taking countryside views has exposed stone walls and an exposed brick-built fireplace with an open coal fire. Leads through to: Pool/Function Room (circa 20+ / 50+ occupancy to inc dining room) is a multi-use room able to be used as a games room or as a small function room to include the adjacent dining room. The room has a quarry tiled floor and
FOR ACCOUNTING SERVICES
TAX
PAYE
The Beach House trades as a quality bar, bistro, cafe and lodge which currently trades for 9½ months of the year. The lodge currently only trades at weekends only during the off season, but offers opportunities for year-round trade. The business is well regarded and enjoys good levels of regular repeat trade, with an excellent local following which is greatly enhanced during the busy holiday months. The business has its own website www.thebeachhousedevon.co.uk which provides further background, information and videos of the business.
ACCOUNTS
VAT
an exposed stone-built fireplace with built in log burner. Fully equipped spacious Commercial Catering Kitchen. Ground floor Cellar. The owner’s accommodation has 3 double bedrooms (all en-suite). To the rear of the property is a spacious grass banked al fresco Garden Area with wooden picnic tables and breath taking rolling countryside views (c60+). To the front of the property are further wooden picnic benches (circa 24 covers). Also to the front/side is the patrons car park providing space for circa 15 cars. Theme: Free of tie Peak District Village Inn. Name of property: The Pack Horse Inn. Location (village/town, county): Crowdecote, Derbyshire. Price: £49,500. Tenure: Free of tie Lease. Rent (if applicable): £12,000. Landlord (if applicable): Privately owned. Turnover (annual): circa £222,424 (inc VAT) to 31st March 2017. Wet : Dry split: 50% Wet : 50% Food. Contact the agent, Guy Simmonds, on 01332 865112.
37
BUSINESS TRANSFER AGENT
T E LE P HO N E 020 867 3 22 55
This unique business opportunity is on the market as a trading going concern for £125,000 for a new free of tie lease. Full details can be downloaded from the website www.stonesmith.co.uk and viewings arranged by calling 01392 201262.
CLH News
ANDREW GREENWOOD
door sports enthusiasts. It offers 6 Letting Rooms, the majority with stunning sea views, which can sleep up to 18 guests, a Surfers Wet Room, Guest Lounge and Feature Rear Terrace with seating for 11 guests. Also to the rear of the property is a Private Car Park for up to 8 vehicles.
The Pack Horse Inn, Crowdecote, Derbyshire For Sale This business is located only 6 miles from Buxton in the beautiful hamlet of Crowdecote nestled in the hillside of the upper Dove Dale Valley in the tourist hot spot of the Derbyshire Peak District National Park.
April 2018
A comprehensive, specialised service whether you are starting up or run an established business
H D BUSINESS SERVICES LTD enquiries@hudsondeane.co.uk www.hudsondeane.co.uk
CHARACTER GIN & TAPAS BAR, WITH FIRST FLOOR A LA CARTE RESTAURANT & REAR TRADE GARDEN, AMIDST CONSERVATION AREA, IN SOLENT SAILING MECCA, HAMPSHIRE. Occupying an enviable location. Charming bar with oak plank floor – seats 16/20. Pleasantly furnished first flr restaurant – seats 30. Well equipped catering kitchen & delightful rear trade garden has covered seating & 2 thatched rotundas. Same hands 9 yrs. Only open 5 eves a week & closed Sunday. Projected T/O approx. £300,000 p.a. GP 64%+. 25 yr lease from Sept 2009 at current rental of £20,000 p.a.x. – OIRO £195,000 + S.A.V. (Ref. F/C.3740) FREEHOLD GUEST HOUSE, WITH 2 DBLE BED OWNERS QUARTERS, OCCUPYING A PRIZED RURAL LOCATION JUST OFF A BUSY ‘A’ ROAD, OUTSKIRTS OF WATERSIDE VILLAGE, ON FRINGES OF NEW FOREST, HANTS. Character, detached prop. circa 1800. Set in approx. 0.5 of acre (not measured). 6 letting bedrms for 14 guests & desirable 2 dble bedrm owners accomm. with lge feature conservatory & Duval fitted kitchen. Part underfloor electric & part Calor gas C.H. Dble glazed windows & parking for 12-15 cars + oak barn dble bay car port with adj. gge. Retirement sale – same hands 35 yrs. Accounts record T/O of £143,995 from B&B only. - £895,000 (Ref. GH.3744)
To advertise in
LOCK-UP DAYTIME COFFEE SHOP, AMIDST MODERN RESIDENTIAL PDE, CONVENIENT FOR M3 MOTORWAY & MAIN LINE RAILWAY STATION, FLEET, HANTS. Estab. by Vendors 4 yrs ago & fitted out at considerable expense. Tastefully decorated air-con seating area accommodates 38 covers plus outside seating for 8. Well equipped service counter with kitchen area. Open 6 days pw & closed at 4/5 pm. Easily manageable menu. T/O £2,500 pw. GP 70%. 15 yr lease from June 2014 at £17,500 p.a.x. - £35,000 + S.A.V. (Ref. C.3746)
Tel 01202 552333
www.andrewgreenwood.com
CLH News
romsey (01794) 522228
April 2018
CLH News
Property and Professional
38
Fabulous Jurassic Coast Dorset Guest House
NE W
NE W
T H E W E S T C O U N T RY S P E C I A L I S T S
MID DEVON
TORBAY, DEVON
SOMERSET
Former Town Centre Restaurant Premises Impressive 3 Bed Accommodation Gardens, Car Parking (6) Suitable Investment for Owner Occupier Blank Canvas Opportunity
Impressive Harbourside Bed & Breakfast Prime Central Location with Stunning Views 8 Letting Bedrooms, Separate Owners Cottage Impressive Levels of Trade from 33 Weeks Rare Lifestyle Business Opportunity
Well Regarded Licensed Restaurant Bar Area (12), Dining Rooms (45) Flexible 4/5 Bed Private Accommodation Private Walled Patio Garden Area First Time on Market for Over 30 Years
LH £15,000
1927L
FH £625,000
5989
FH £390,000
2074
EAST DEVON
EAST DEVON VILLAGE
EAST DEVON VILLAGE
High Quality Daytime Only Cafe & Coffee Shop Occupying A Town Centre Trading Position Cafe/Restaurant (55), Al Fresco Seating (40+) Impressive Levels of Trade With Much Potential Stylish and Extremely Well Equipped Premises Must Be Seen To Be Appreciated
4 Star Silver Award Winning Guest House Highly Desirable East Devon Village 5 En-Suite Bedrooms Sitting Room & Dining Room Front Patio Terrace & Rear Garden Tremendous Potential & Flexibility
Superior Award Winning Bed & Breakfast Sought After South West Village Location 6 High Quality En-Suite Letting Bedrooms Superior 3 Bed Owners Accommodation Car Parking and Attractive Gardens Exceptional Business & Lifestyle Opportunity
LH £89,500
2069
FH £450,000
5990
FH £950,000
5988
A great opportunity to purchase a guest house only two minutes’ walk from famous Jurassic coast beach. Situated in the charming village of Charmouth this substantial detached property, coupled with a profitable business, has been the subject of ongoing investment. Currently configured to provide eight letting rooms (all en-suite), including two family suites with self-contained three bedroomed owners accommodation. A deceptively large site, offers car parking for all guests, terrace area with alfresco dining facilities and
owners private enclosed attractive courtyard garden. Income for year ending 2017 was £153,506, giving a net profit in excess of £70,000. Trading 7 – 8 months a year, offering scope to build on current excellent trading levels. A rare opportunity to purchase an immaculate guest house in a most stunning location. Freehold £695,000 sav Selling agents EM&F on 01404 813762 (quote H33834R) or visit www.emfgroup.com for a large selection of catering establishments.
Terry Osborne Pub, Hotel & Restaurant Insurance Specialists We at Terry Osborne Insurance Services are a specialcover has been compromised to lower their premium ist Insurance Broker in the Hotel, Pub, Guest House and after a costly claim, which is all too late. At Terry B&B sector offering an impeccaOsborne Insurance Services ble service at a reasonable preLimited we aim to ensure that SBORNE T TERRY ERRY O OSBORNE mium. NSURANCE SE SERVICES LTD IINSURANCE ER RV VICES L LT TD our premiums are not reduced by cutting our coverage and we As a family run business we Hotel & RRestaurant Pub, Pub, Hotel estaurant are continually checking the marpride ourselves on our personal Insurance Specialist Specialist Insurance ket to ensure that we are proservice with clients all over the It would be 1622 7745 45 297 297 viding a quality service at a elephone 001622 Telephone UK we are pleased to offer our embarrassing not A u t h o r i s e d a n d R e g u l a t e d by t h e competitive price. expertise and advice. As with to be covered! Fina ncia l Conduct Aut horit y everything in life you seem to For further information conget what you pay for! As trade specialists we are keen to tact TERRY OSBORNE Insurance Services Ltd on 01622 offer a competitive premium without compromising 745 297, email terry.osborne@btconnect.com or visit cover as in too many cases clients only realise that their www.terryosborneinsurance.co.uk
The Spotted Dog, Bishops Green, Essex on the Market
DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK
EAST DEVON
WEST DEVON
Well Presented Pub and Restaurant Sought After Landmark Trading Position Character Bar & Dining Areas (100+) 3 En-Suite Letting Bedrooms Owners Private Accommodation Trade Garden & Customer Car Park Excellent Business Opportunity
High Quality Destination Pub Bar, Restaurant & Dining Areas (170+) 9 Quality Letting Rooms Trade Gardens,Barbecue Areas & Car Park £1,370,000 Turnover Under Management
Successful Licensed Restaurant & Cafe Bar Situated in Vibrant Town Centre Location Main Restaurant & Bar Area (36) Impressive 3 Bedroom Family Accommodation Profitable Lifestyle Business
LH £75,000/£625,000
4743C
LH OIRO £250,000
4585
THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION
FH £475,000
2072
01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising
W! NE
PRICE: £795,000
W! NE
PRICE: £125,000
MORETONHAMPSTEAD, DEVON
• Fabulous 17th Century Coaching Inn 20+ Bed Hotel • Located within Dartmoor National Park • Well Established Business Presented to an Extremely High Standard • Under Management • Genuine Potential for Owner Driven Growth
FREEHOLD
REF 3095
SHEPTON MALLET, SOMERSET
• Substantial Grade II Listed Thatched Country Inn with Letting Rooms • 100 + Covers Over 4 Character Trading Areas • 8 Very Well Appointed En Suite Letting Rooms • 1 Bed Owners Cottage • High Turnover Business Further Growth Potential
LEASEHOLD
REF: 3104
W! NE
PRICE: £125,000
! CED ER DU
PRICE: £19,950
EAST LOOE, CORNWALL
PRICE: £29,950
W! NE
PRICE: £599,950
• Substantial and Prominent Community Pub • Situated in a Busy Residential District • Main Bar/Trading Area with Games Room • Attractive Three Bedroom Flat on First Floor • Private Garden Trade Patio, Substantial Car Park
LEASEHOLD
REF 3048
DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK, DEVON
• Stunning Country House Hotel in a Beautiful Valley in Dartmoor National Park • Set in 36 Acres with 7 Beautifully Presented En Suite Letting Rooms • Separate 2 Bed Owners Accommodation • 3 Bed Holiday Cottage • Unique Opportunity to Acquire a First Class ‘Home & Income’ Property
LONG LEASEHOLD
REF: 3108
STOKE GABRIEL, DEVON
• Successful Licensed Cafe & Bistro in Unique Waterside Location • Stunning Surroundings with Views Across the River Dart • Smartly Decorated Trade Area & Well-equipped Commercial Kitchen • Internal Seating for 36, Al Fresco Seating for circa 70 • Separate Ice Cream Shack
LEASEHOLD
Leading National Licensed Property Agents Guy Simmonds have been instructed to sell the highly impressive 17th century Restaurant and Bar; the Spotted Dog, situated in the affluent and highly sought after hamlet of Bishops Green (close to Stansted Airport). This highly impressive property exuding a wealth of charm and character throughout and features an inviting Lounge Bar (circa 15), a multi-functional Restaurant (circa 20+ covers) and a versatile private Dining Room (circa 20 covers) with a lovely vaulted ceiling. There is also a fully equipped Commercial Catering Kitchen and the Owner’s accommodation briefly comprises: 1/2 bedrooms, dressing room (used to be a bedroom and can be quite easily converted back
into a bedroom) lounge and bathroom. There is also a detached Barn conversion offering good sized rooms and briefly comprises: 2/3 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen, dressing area and bathroom (this barn conversion is ideal for either staff/private accommodation or potential for letting subject to the necessary planning permissions). There is also a good sized lawned Beer Garden and Patron’s car parking facilities for circa 20+ cars. Price: £115,000. Tenure: Leasehold – FREE OF TIE. Turnover: Advised current turnover circa £416,000 (incl. VAT). Trade Split: 25% wet and 75% food. Rent: £25,000 per annum. Landlord: Private. Contact the agent, Guy Simmonds, on 01332 865112.
BUSINESS OF THE MONTH SOUTH YORKS/NOTTS BORDER £895,000 + VAT FREEHOLD REF: 8058F
REF: 3102
PAIGNTON, DEVON
• Attractive Cafe/Bistro/Bar Premises • Lock Up Unit Which Would Lend Itself to a Variety of Catering Styles • Elegantly Refurbished Including Kitchen Refit in June 2016 • Excellent Opportunity for Couple or Chef Patron • Situated in Highly Visible Location in the Heart of Paignton
LEASEHOLD
REF: 2850
DARTMOUTH, DEVON
PRICE: £320,000
! CED U D RE
PRICE: £159,950
• Deceptively Large Commercial Unit with A1 Class Use • Including Valuable Garage Space and First Floor Studio Apartment • Operating Seasonally as a Coffee Shop and Sandwich Bar • Modern & Stylish Décor with Seating for Approx. 46 • Ideal Business for an Owner/Operator
FREEHOLD
REF: 2903
SALCOMBE, DEVON
• Stylish and Well Presented Restaurant with Superior Living Accommodation • Prominent Location in Affluent Coastal Town of Salcombe • Ground Floor Bar & Restaurant Seating 15 • Mezzanine Level Seating 30 •The Perfect Home & Income Property
LEASEHOLD
REF: 2998
THRIVING AND PROFITABLE UNOPPOSED FREEHOLD EATERY AND INN WITH FUNCTION SUITE & 4 QUALITY BOUTIQUE LETTING ROOMS LOCATED IN THE VILLAGE OF AUSTERFIELD
www.guysimmonds.co.uk Tel: 01332 865112 email: sales@guysimmonds.co.uk Also featured on www.pubsforsale.co.uk
Property and Professional
April 2018
CLH News
39
Thinking Of Selling? Top Tips For Independent Hoteliers WITH the market being as buoyant as it is, many independent hoteliers are listing their properties for sale, hoping to attract the interest of larger hotel groups. The process of selling a hotel can be long and drawnout at the best of times, but planning is key and there are steps hotel owners can take to ensure the deal is done with as little disturbance to day-to-day business as possible. Here are Fladgate LLP’s top tips for independent hoteliers thinking of selling: • Think about corporate structure in advance. It may be preferable for a buyer to acquire shares in a company which owns the hotel and its contents and through which the hotel business is run, rather than transferring the assets, contracts and staff individually to the buyer. • It is important to identify the right person with the knowledge to answer any replies to enquiries so that the process is managed as efficiently as possible. Often the hotel manager will have a lot of the information required. • Full legal due diligence, including real estate diligence, will be carried out by the buyer. The process will be a lot easier if good records have been kept from the purchase of
•
•
•
•
the asset. It is a good idea to locate the deeds for the property early on (bearing in mind these may be with your lender or their lawyers) and to ask your solicitors to locate their purchase files. The purchaser will want to confirm the value of the hotel and identify the cap-ex requirements. The hotel’s trade stock (FF&E) will be assessed in terms of condition to confirm value and to identify investment requirements. A building survey is likely to be carried out by the buyer to examine the state and condition of the hotel. Following recent events relating to combustible cladding, buyers are much more alert to the requirement to understand more about what has actually been built. You should anticipate that the purchaser will require details of all major works carried out at the hotel within the last 12 years, including copies of relevant contracts. Where construction works are ongoing, the purchaser will want details of the progress of the works, any claims history and confirmation of completion date. In advance of a possible sale, it is a good idea to collate
copies of key documents such as contracts with suppliers and clients, standard terms of business, copy employment contracts and details of agency staffing arrangements. • Other relevant documents that the buyer will want to see include insurance policies, asbestos registers, fire inspection certificates, premises and other licences. Air conditioning reports and health and safety manuals must also be made available for inspection. It is important that all licences are in the correct company name and that the responsible individuals are up to date. • It will be important that all non-guest occupancies have been formalised legally. Therefore, any services provided by third parties (e.g. gym facilities, restaurants, spas) must be properly documented. • It is likely that the purchaser will want to review maintenance and supply contracts. The purchaser will be looking to see where there are overlaps with block contracts the group has and to identity where contracts can be terminated to create cost savings. • If the hotel is under franchise or management, give some thought to the transfer and termination provisions set out
in the contracts. Most contracts have a mechanism for transferring the contracts to a new owner, but some are more complex (and involve more time and money) than others. Certain franchisors (particularly US-based brands) will require more evidence to satisfy their compliance teams about the probity of a buyer. A buyer may want to purchase the hotel free of any franchise or management contracts, and there may be an expense in exiting these. • On any company sale it is also important to ensure that Company statutory registers (such as registers of members) are up to date and copy minute books are available. You should also consider whether any back-office function for the hotel business being sold is provided by a company in the group that is being retained. Consider how the functions might be separated and operated for a period after the sale. Fladgate LLP’s cross-firm hotels team provides the full range of legal services required across the hotel sector and supports clients in undertaking a wide range of sophisticated and complex transactions both in the UK and internationally.
Award Winning South West Commercial and Residential Agents Bettesworths are pleased to be marketing Fozzies Takeaway and Food Bar in Newton Abbot. Fozzies is an extremely popular takeaway food bar. The single story unit is well equipped offering a range of hot and cold breakfast and lunch choices including sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, omelettes, cheesy chips and steak to name a few. A range of beverages are also available, from tea and coffee to canned drinks and an assortment of cakes and confectionery are on offer too. Customers order at the service hatch and can either takeaway or sit at the outside tables and chairs which spaciously seat 9. The lock up unit occupies a highly visible position on Queen Street, opposite a wellestablished parade of commercial premises. This thriving
area of Newton Abbot offers a variety of retailers, professional services and catering outlets. The premises are close to the mainline Newton Abbot Railway Station, with Queen Street being one of the main thoroughfares into Newton Abbot Town Centre. Fozzies is being marketed at an asking price of £35,000 for the Leasehold interest, to include trade inventory and goodwill. The premises are available via assignment of a 7 year Fully Repairing & Insuring Lease from February 2018 at a rent of £5,300 PA. There is also an option to purchase the freehold as an investment with business unaffected, at a price of £66,650. For further information, please contact Genevieve Stringer at Betteworths on 01803 212021 or email: genevieve@bettesworths.co.uk
For further information visit www.fladgate.com/industry/hotels or our blog at www.hotelsandleisurelaw.com.
Fozzies, Newton Abbot on the Market How To Keep Your Hospitality Business Out Of Financial Difficulty Make sure your forecast includes not just regular payments such as your suppliers, rent and employee salaries, but also big lumpy payments like your annual corporation tax, quarterly VAT and large ad hoc payments. These are particularly important because, if you have not set aside money, you may well not be able to pay them.
When you’re running an independent hospitality business, with all the calls on you from staff and customers, it is easy to feel you don’t have the time or energy to give financial matters the attention they really deserve, especially more complicated areas such as tax. However, it’s vital that you do. Neglecting your bookkeeping will ultimately have serious implications for the business and your own finances. I know this only too well from my experiences at my first business.
AVOIDING UNWELCOME SURPRISES Cashflow problems are the biggest killer of small businesses, with recent research showing over 70% of SME owners see it as their biggest threat. Hospitality businesses are typically cash generative, so it is easy to think things are going well because there is lots of money in the bank. But running your business only based on looking at the bank statement is heading for disaster as most of it won’t be yours! The good news is that today its easier than ever thanks to new cloud-based applications and online bookkeeping tools – and many of them are free. The key to avoiding financial problems is having a regular cashflow forecast, effectively a chart showing, for the next year, how much money you will be paying out and how much money is coming in each month. A decent cashflow forecast that you update monthly, not once or twice a year, is the number one way for ensuring your business is not heading for the rocks. If you use cloud accounting software, then there should be a cash flow tool to make it a quick process. Pandle, for example, gives real time cash reporting and forecasting so that you can easily spot current or future cash flow problems and react. A cashflow forecast also lets you model how unwelcome events might hit your finances so you can plan in advance. For instance, what will happen to your finances if a wet summer or roadworks outside reduces custom.
It also helps prevents the big cashflow problem that afflicts many smaller owner-managed businesses… owners viewing the money in the business account as their own money and continually dipping into it for life’s luxuries! The end result of this is a big tax bill down the line and an anaemic business that struggles from one cashflow crisis to the next!
TURNOVER IS VANITY, CASH IS SANITY, AND PROFIT IS REALITY The second big area to avoid financial problems is through actually being profitable, and many hospitality businesses struggle here by simply not realising they are making insufficient profits on their sales. In the rush to boost turnover and fill rooms or tables, many inadvertently give money away through charging too little to cover their costs and still leave a margin for capital costs and owner’s income. For instance, viewers of the TV series The Hotel Inspector will have often seen small hotel owners finding to their horror the ingredients of the breakfasts and other meals they are serving are greater than the price they charge! It is easy with strong competition and the effect of the online booking discounters to want to get customers at any cost. The problem for independent businesses is that you may well get more money in the short term by cutting prices, but higher costs and potentially lower profits if you have not carefully worked out your costs and also where you will compensate by upselling extras. Simply cutting prices to boost footfall means loss-leaders quickly become lossgenerators Having your bookkeeping in good shape allows you to analyse the prices you charge and the costs incurred. It shows where you should charge more, where you should cut costs and where you might cut prices to boost sales. It also allows you to look at your sales per customer and where you should upsell more extra items, as generating more sales per customer is the key to really improving profitability. The good news is that the wide range of tools available online, many of them free, it has never been easier for small business owners to master this vital area.
Lee Murphy is the founder of Pandle (www.pandle.co.uk) the cloud bookkeeping software specifically for small businesses and the self-employed
Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising