CLH News #226 July 2019

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ISSUE 226

CLHNews

JULY 2019

Pub Closure Rate “Slowing” with Community Help

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The rate at which pubs are vanishing in England and Wales has halved, prompting claims that government measures intended to arrest the decline may be stemming the tide of closures.

A total of 235 pubs have disappeared from communities in Britain in the first half of 2019, according to the latest research by real estate data company Altus Group. This equates to an average of 40 pubs a month closing their doors, never to re-open.

Alarming though the news is, the rate at which they are vanishing slowed down on the back of recent government support, including a recent freeze on alcohol duty.

Pubs are vanishing, by either being demolished or a change of use such as homes or offices, at almost half the rate of last year, when 76 pubs disappeared each month.

The pub sector has come under enormous pressure due to rising costs, including businesses rates which have had a devastating effect, cheaper supermarket alcohol and changing leisure habits, and an increase in the minimum wage.

Alex Probyn, president of expert services at Altus, said Government measures to support the future of pubs may be having an impact.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, said it is positive that the rate of closures has slowed down but too many pubs have already been forced to close.

She said: “Cost pressures, principally extortionate business rates, are pushing too many pubs to the margins and high streets are being squeezed.

We have heard various members of the Government say they wish to stimulate investment in high streets and support businesses.

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“If they are serious, then they need to tackle these increasing costs – otherwise, more pubs will close.”

He said: “Since legislative changes in May 2017, pubs looking to respond to the changing market have been able to expand their food offer without the cost and uncertainty of having to apply for planning permission.

“Meanwhile, local communities… now have a say on the future of their local by the listing of a public house as an asset of community value, which results in an automatic removal of the permitted development rights for its demolition or change of use.”

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

Editor's Viewpoint

July 2019

Welcome to the July issue of CLH News.

I recently attended a Christmas Launch by one of the country’s leading foodservice suppliers. Yes, I’m not kidding - it was Christmas in July!

There was a presentation from Futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye, who, in partnership with food service supplier Bidfood, gave us a fascinating prediction of Christmas food trends for 2029.

EDITOR

Peter Adams

I have to say the presentation was captivating and, as the saying goes, it really was “food for thought”.

I have always considered myself to be old school I don’t think I’m a dinosaur, but when it comes to certain technologies and traits I often find myself siding with tradition.

A good example would be the fact that I’m still an avid newspaper reader!

At a seminar some time ago, I listened to a very interesting person talk about news and the internet. He said most people are simply browsing online, skipping from website to website, page to page, often doing other things, so the concentration levels, and the ability to absorb information is very low. That’s not the case with print media. Full concentration, reading uninterrupted absorbing content!

Anyway, back to the future! Envisage a society with microchips and skin embedded sensors, which will help us with our nutritional needs. Imagine sitting round a table where you can conjure up anybody from the past, family or celebrity using hologram technology.

Consumers will be more focused on localism, moving away from traditional Christmas fare with flavours inspired by seasons and global food trends. And envisage a society where almost nothing goes to waste, where we move away from meat to eat more plant-based and insect-based foods.

Another real positive is that, at the present, we are consumed with “food on the go”, as pressure on our time increases - often eating alone while we are doing something else. However, according to the report, this will not be the case in the future and we will return - thankfully I say - to set eating times, making more time with the family.

It was in many parts a real positive glimpse of the future. However, some of what I took away was rather concerning, and I hasten to say this is only my personal opinion - that is we appear to have sleepwalked into “an age of prohibition”. Whether you feel these things are right or wrong, they have been unilaterally imposed - the smoking ban which many observers have described as devastating to pubs; The sugar tax (which are newly appointed Prime Minister may be re-examining); Nutritional and calorie labelling on foods; and alcohol taxes which are eye watering the high compared to the rest of Europe. Readers may remember the comparison we published where 5 ½ million people living in Essex pay more in alcohol duty the 82 million people living in Germany. The message is that this will extend even further into the future.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for healthy living - I try to live as healthy lifestyle as possible, but the overall responsible population seem to be getting punished for the sins of those who perhaps indulge to much. We all have to enjoy life, as Clement Freud once said, “If you resolve to give up smoking, drinking, and loving, you don't actually live longer; it just seems longer.”

So that is the Ghost of Christmas future!

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SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

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they are the focal point of society.

In the 2018 autumn budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a business rates discount scheme for small high street properties in England with a rateable value below £51,000.

“Some people who live on their own may not speak to another person for several days without a visit to the local pub.

He said the move would help “up to 90 per cent of all independent shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes”.

Mr Probyn added: “The new retail relief, which discounted business rates bills by a third from April 1 for smaller pubs in England, will certainly have helped to ease cost pressures with the average small pub saving £6,052.”

Nick Love, pub protection officer for York Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), said: “British Pubs are a very important part of our national culture and identity.

“The best pubs are an egalitarian cross-section of society - barristers rub shoulders with brickies, students with seniors, musicians with market stall holders.

“There is that healthy mix of friends and strangers. They are invaluable community assets and according to an authoritative recent study by Professor Robin Dunbar at Oxford University help to combat loneliness and social isolation.

“Pub closures hit communities hard, even more so in rural communities where

The British Beer & Pub Association has called on Boris Johnson, to back beer and pubs with a cut in beer tax and help on unfair business rates bills.

The beer and pub sector supports 900,000 jobs, generates £22.9 billion in GDP and contributes £13 billion in taxes. With 82 per cent of the beer sold in Britain brewed in Britain, beer has a much bigger positive impact on the UK economy, UK jobs and pubs than any other drink.

Beer and pubs also play an important social and cultural role. 9 in 10 brits describe themselves as pub goers, with many viewing their local as the beating heart of their community.

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of British Beer & Pub Association, said: “Pubs are the original social network and at their heart of their communities, playing a key role in uniting us all. Along with brewing, they are also an important pillar of the UK economy. This is why Boris Johnson should back the sector by cutting beer duty and helping pubs with their business rates."

Premium Soft Drinks Worth Over Half a Billion Pounds says Fentimans Market Report

The premium soft drinks and mixes category is worth a staggering £517 million according to a market report by drinks maker Fentimans.

The report produced in association with CGA insight offers a unique insight into the premium soft drinks and mixers market in the UK. As the most comprehensive evaluation yet, the report combines Fentimans’ deep knowledge of premium drinks with in-depth data and authoritative analysis from research consultancy CGA, as well as expert opinions of influencers, taste makers and leaders within the drinks industry.

The premium soft drinks and mixer category has grown 33% versus last year and is now worth a huge £517 million, accounting for 11.5% of the total category. Staggeringly this equates to nearly 12p of every £1 spent on soft drinks and mixers in the on-trade0.

Fentimans further expands on this data, providing valuable insights for on-trade outlets to consider when developing their drinks offerings.

The report also highlights a strong year for the drinks led pub sector revealing that drink sales in the drink led pub sector increased by 6% to £7.3 billion, and in the drink sales in the food led sector sales increased by 4.7% to £10.1 billion. Drink sales in bars and clubs increased by a modest 0.2% to £12.6 billion.

The top five non-alcoholic drink categories by value are • Mixers £323.1 million • Juice £50.2 million • Flavoured carbonates £47.1 million • Water £43.1 million • Lemonade £36.5 million The report looks at the market from two points of view: that of consumers and their evolving needs and that of the businesses and brands that serve them. It explores consumer themes such as the rise of the everyday connoisseur, the need for memorable ‘insta’ moments and the increasing demand for healthy options such as no/low alcohol offerings. As well as highlighting on-trade market trends for outlets such as consumer drinking experiences, wellness of employees, sustainability and use of plastics.

In addition to the current findings, the report gazes into the future, predicting drinks trends we might see over the next few years. Some exciting findings that will undoubtedly inspire the market include the look to Japanese ingredients and styles in response to the country hosting 2020’s Olympics and Rugby World Cup, the increased use of fermentation in drinks, and the growing trend of using citrus alternatives like yuzu and bergamot.

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July 2019

How To Secure Investment At A Difficult Time In Hospitality as the quality of the offer isn’t diluted in the process. Expansion should be a smart prospect, not a risk and operators must demonstrate that their business is in the best place possible to ensure it appears lucrative to investors. However, we would urge operators to be realistic about their capabilities and make certain they can manage the battle between quality and quantity under the pressure to repay a loan or expand quickly to turn a profit for an investor.

In the current climate, it might seem as though the finance market has fallen out of love with the hospitality sector, leaving many operators wondering how they can fund their growth plans. Here, Catherine Gannon, Founder, Gannons Solicitors, offers her five top tips to investment.

The latest figures suggest the insolvency rate among UK food and beverage operators rose by 17.9% in 20181, so it’s extremely important to stay abreast of business finance options.

However, for the right concept, in the right location, the financial backing is there. It’s about knowing what’s right for your business and how to find it.

1. Get under the skin of how an investor thinks Lenders are still open to investing in the hospitality industry, however, it needs to be the right type of venture. A great concept and fantastic food offering are just the start – those ideas then need to be supported by the right team. Since the crash in the casual dining market, private investors have been following the example set by the banks and looking more carefully at the people behind the plan.

Operators need to be asking themselves: Can I demonstrate strong ethics? Have I really done my research? Do I know how to budget – and indeed stick to it? In addition to serving up the perfect plates, it’s important for operators to be able to demonstrate they know how to run a business and that they have set that business up to succeed.

2. Making the case for expansion: Quality v Quantity Funding is still available from investors.

Indeed, venture capitalists and private equity investors are actively pursuing worthwhile projects. However, naturally, there is a greater degree of caution in the current climate. There is certainly no objection to expansion, as long

3. Be realistic – setting attainable goals Investors look for a strong scale-up plan and a clear exit strategy. Operators should understand their target market, know their proposition and have the presence to achieve it.

Investors also want to see genuinely attainable goals. Be realistic – don’t promise to open 40 new sites in a year, when you know you can only achieve 15. Investors prefer honesty from the outset when setting out profitability targets. Be real and be business-minded. We’re seeing a focus from investors on businesses that have harnessed the power of technology to improve operational efficiencies. Operators should automate in-house processes as much as possible. Tech is very fashionable and we find investors often want to help fund projects they have a connection to or feel passionate about.

4. Know where to look for investment Access to funds can be an issue. Banks are still hard to crack and schemes such as Funding Circle are not offering sufficient investment so, without access to High Net Worth individuals, venture capitalists or private equity funds, operators find it difficult. To my mind, investment is personal. It should reflect the needs of that operator’s business at that time. The main aim is to find the relationship that suits you. So, what are the alternatives to private equity investment?

BANKS Banks are heavily regulated and have the strictest rules so the pressure to deposit money will be higher. The relationship with a bank is also less personal.

CROWDFUNDING With a good business plan and sound preparation, crowdfunding can be successful but these platforms have higher thresholds for success. Again, there is no personal relationship and crowdfunded

investments will not be able to offer any further input into the company. However, crowdfunding is an attractive platform for many looking to invest: backers may receive tax benefits on investments made in smaller companies and any resulting shares, via a government initiative known as the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS). A crowdfunding platform can be a good way to go to market, get the brand out there and act as a useful halfway house between bank loans and private equity investment.

Operators should look at a range of investment options to see which suits their circumstances best. After all, you wouldn’t choose a partner that didn’t suit you personally.

5. Negotiating with a lender It’s important to accept that there are market standards. Today, personal guarantees are standard requirements by banks, and investors will demand good and bad leaver provisions.

These provisions set out what will happen to the funds or shares should the investor leave through involuntary circumstances – a good leaver – or for undesirable reasons, such as misconduct – a bad leaver. These conditions are incredibly difficult to negotiate and I would advise operators to focus their energy on areas where they can improve their position and soften standards, such as agreeing a cap on liability. The responsibilities vary between types of investment – with a bank loan, the conditions are stipulated by the bank; with crowdfunding, the operator lays out the terms; and in the case of private equity investors, there is scope for negotiation.

It’s about finding the investment which fits the business, knowing what the goals are and having a solid, well-researched, realistic plan in place. It’s vital that operators aren’t over-ambitious. We have witnessed the distressing fallout when a plan goes awry and an operator attempts to expand too far, too quickly. The brand and the team behind it can become diluted by growth and the quality of the offer will suffer, potentially leading to the collapse of the entire enterprise. With concerns about Brexit still unanswered and the rises in rent, rates and wage costs continuing unabated, now is not the time to enter into any business partnership without a full and detailed plan of action.

For more information about the services offered by Gannons Solicitors, visit www.gannons.co.uk

Admin Tasks Restricting Time on Customer Activity in Hospitality Sector A new survey has revealed that over a quarter of hospitality operations spend nearly one day a week on administration, stopping them from spending more time on customer facing activity.

The average time that respondents said they or their team spent on admin was 5.49hrs a week, but 14.42% said it was between 7-8 hrs a week and a further 14.88% said that it was more than one day. If this could be reduced by two hours a week, they would choose to devote more resource to focusing on guest experience (56%), training staff (44%), engaging front of house staff (28%) and driving customer loyalty (23%).

The survey, commissioned by Access Hospitality, took a snapshot of opinion from across the hospitality industry on attitudes towards business in 2019 and the measures being implemented to deliver improved customer and staff experience to stimulate growth. It included 217 responses from hotel, pub, bar and restaurant businesses through to food and go outlets and conference venues.

Henry Seddon, Managing Director of Access Hospitality commented “It’s worrying to see that so many hospitality operators are still caught up in admin tasks that take them away from interacting with their customers when there is a wealth of technology, tools and apps available to help them manage their business and reduce admin time. This is an area in which Access Hospitality works closely with its customers and the survey highlights why it’s so important for us to continue to apply the right technology solutions to help reduce the time they spend on admin, giving them freedom to add more value to their operational demands.

“But our survey also revealed that, whilst improving overall profitability was the number one priority for the next 12 months (62%), guest and employee experience also rated highly. Where operators recognise that using technology to break free from the burden of back office duties, they are therefore in the best position possible to work with staff and customers to offer the best experience of its type in their venues. As they face increased pressure on recruiting and retaining skilled staff as well as menu engineering, technology is poised to make an even bigger impact on how they manage their business.”

Encouragingly, nearly a third of people surveyed (29%) said that they are looking to improve customer service by introducing technology as part of their menu engineering programme, including an increased attention on providing allergen and calorie information. The same number are also looking at technology to aid improved data reporting whilst 33% see implementation of customer loyalty apps in the next year as a boost to improving customer service.

“The survey results have highlighted some very practical aspects of running a hospitality business” continued Seddon “and the challenges faced in using resource as effectively as possible. Some operators are still trying to do everything themselves when they could use technology programmes for everything from an integrated kitchen management system and menu engineering, to customer loyalty and online payment tools, right through to staff training and providing an enhanced employee experience. Introducing any software will increase productivity whilst reducing manual tasks and give hospitality operators freedom to do more.”

Full details of the trends identified by the survey are available at: https://pages.theaccessgroup.com/Hospitality_Trends_Survey.html

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New PM Boris Johnson to Consider Australia-style Immigration System Boris Johnson has ripped up Theresa May’s plans for immigration after Brexit, in favour of a more liberal approach.

In his first Commons statement, the new Prime Minister said advisers would work up plans for “an Australian-style points-based system”, declining to set any limit on migrants, and said the rights of EU citizens would be "guaranteed in law" as early as possible.

Responding to a question from newly appointed LibDem leader Jo Swanson regarding the rights for EU citizens the Prime Minister Prime Minister said "I join you in insisting on the vital importance of guaranteeing the rights and protections of the 3.2million who have lived and worked among us for so long.

"Of course, we are insisting their rights are guaranteed in law, and I'm pleased to say that under our settlement scheme, 1million have already signed up to enshrine their rights.

EU workers make a massive contribution to the hospitality sector across restaurants, hotels, pubs and bars, in the past three years uncertainty as had a worrying

effect on the industry, 24% of the UK hospitality staff are EU nationals. According to the ‘Labour migration in the hospitality sector’ report, the hospitality sector needs approximately 62,000 new EU workers each year to maintain the current activity and growth.

Joseph Miller, a bartender at Blackfriars Restaurant on Friars Street in Newcastle, beat 272 mixologists from 18 countries in the #Brocktail contest organised by Brockman’s Gin. In first place came Maksim Evseev, chief bartender at the Brothers Bar and Grill in Vladivostok, Russia and

In its response to the consultation, the BBPA has said it believes most aspects of the Pubs Code are working in an acceptable way, considering the complexity of the legislation and how long it has been in place.

Feedback to the BBPA from the six pub companies covered by the Code indicates that the average length

Though it still remains the most popular option, for the first time there has been a noticeable decline in the number of respondents that cited the pub as the type of late night leisure they spend the most money on each month (23.9%, down from 28.9% last quarter and 26.3% last year) Similarly, we continue to see a steady rise in the number of respondents that spend the most money at the cinema each month, at 16.4%.

This is up from 13.6% last year, and 14.6% last quarter

"This is only going to be exacerbated if the Government continues down the path of seriously restricting migration post-Brexit. We need a future immigration system that meets the needs of the UK economy, not one based on inflexible ideology. We need workers from the EU to bolster our home-grown workforces and keep pace with growth, particularly with unemployment historically low."

More than two-thirds (71.6%) of 18 to 21-year-olds find going out and spending time with people more important than connecting online, a figure that falls to 56.5% for 22 to 25-year-olds. More than half (55.2%) of 18 to 21-year-olds think a night out is “very important” for bonding with friends, compared with 39.7% of 22 to 25-year-olds. When they do go out, 22 to 25year-olds like to share their experiences on social

The competition attracted a record number of nominations and voting was entirely by members of the

BBPA Responds to Pubs Code Statutory Review

The British Beer & Pub Association has today submitted its response to the consultation on the Statutory Review of the Pubs Code and Pubs Code Adjudicator

Late-night leisure spend has continued to rise but the popularity of the pub is declining as cinemas find favour, according to the latest Deltic Night Index.

Average spend on a night out was up 18.8% to £70.56 year-on-year – a 2.7% rise on the last quarter.

Among 18-21 year olds clubs are the most popular option, with 28.2% saying this is the late night leisure activity they spend the most money on each month, followed by the pub (21.4%). For 22-25 year olds there is a more even split between clubs and bars (17.2% and 17.8%)

third was Andrea Forni from La Gintoneria di Davide in Milan, Italy. All three finalists have won an expenses-paid trip of a lifetime as guests of Brockmans Gin to ‘Tales of the Cocktail’ in New Orleans, an annual magnet for the bartending profession for which Joseph is currently learning more about his trade and enjoying the sites of New Orleans.

of occupation and the number of enquiries regarding new tenancies have increased since the Code came into place. Furthermore, new tenancy options have been introduced to the market, giving prospective tenants a wider range of choice on how they run their pub to suit their financial position and operating experience.

Most importantly of all, since the Code has come into place, the majority of tenants/lessees say they are satisfied with their pub company overall and are more likely than not to recommend them to another licensee.

CLH News

5

Late Night Leisure Spend Rises as “Options Broaden”

Earlier this year UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls expressed concerns that restricting EU workers post Brexit will undermine the hospitality industry, she said: "Historically low unemployment and high employment is driving labour shortages in sectors like hospitality. Our members are reporting that they are finding it increasingly difficult to fill vacancies.

Businesses are concerned that they will not be able to find the employees they need to continue to grow.

Newcastle Mixologist Voted Best In The UK A mixologist from Newcastle upon Tyne has been voted the second best mixologist in the world and top in the UK in a world-wide gin-making competition.

July 2019

media. More than half (52.6%) feel it’s “very” or “somewhat” important to share their experience on social media, compared with 39.3% of 18 to 21-year-olds and 34.6% nationally.

More than one-third (34.4%) of 22 to 25-year-olds and 33.3% of 26 to 30-year-olds post on social media on a night out or the following day.

Peter Marks, Chief Executive of The Deltic Group commented, “We know that young people enjoy a good night out, but this data reinforces why going out is so important to them – it provides the opportunity to bond with friends and meet new people, both of which can be difficult to do in today’s busy world.

“Importantly, it also gives us a snapshot of the role social media plays in their social life. Though there are a lot of similarities, the research suggests there are also some differences between Gen Z and Millennials when it comes to social media and the late night economy. As more Gen Z become adults, it will be increasingly important for night time operators to recognise and respond to these differences.

“It’s always good to see an increase in consumer spend, but I think what’s notable here is that there is a more even spread in terms of where Brits are spending their money – for the first time we’ve seen a notable decline in the number of respondents that said they spend it at the pub (though it remains the most popular).”

public which had 30,000 votes in the run-up to World Gin Day 2019.

“I kept checking the leader board online every day and I was in the final four the day before deadline. The winner and two finalists got to go to New Orleans, so I was delighted to come second. Tales of the Cocktail is a huge festival with seminars and tastings – and all pretty cool.”

Joseph’s winning cocktail was inspired

by Newcastle’s charity shops and was called Ping’s Obsession.

He said: “There was no particular theme to the competition which was quite hard for me as I like to have a theme. I got inspiration from walking around charity shops in Newcastle looking at various drinking vessels. I found a set of two ducks which seemed ideal.”

The BBPA has, however, raised concerns in its response that some aspects of the Code need to be improved to provide clarity and certainty for all parties involved. It believes the Adjudicator should accredit the individual “Market Rent Only” agreements for the six pub companies to provide tenants and lessees with more information and greater clarity. For the same reason, the BBPA believes the Adjudicator should publish ‘golden threads’ of common interpretation in certain areas of the Code, so that all parties have a clear and consistent understanding of the legislation.

The BBPA has also said that the success or failure of the Code and the Adjudicator should not be solely

Andy, Hook, managing director of Blackfriars Restaurant & Parlour Bar said: “We are so proud of Joseph winning this competition – he is an amazing mixologist and is always coming up with new and creative cocktails for our guests.”

based on the number of MRO agreements. The MRO option is only one element of the Code, which was not introduced with the singular aim of increasing the number of free of tie agreements, but to oversee a much broader, fair and balanced relationship between pub companies and tenants.

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “The evidence suggests that the Pubs Code and the Adjudicator are doing the job they were meant to do; regulating the relationship of pub operator and publican.”

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July 2019

Online Reviewers Read Nine Reviews Before Deciding Where to Eat, Drink or Stay

Five Important Types Of Data For Restaurant Owners

By Jurgen Ketel, Managing Director EMEA, Givex

Those running any type of business in 2019 will know that data is key to business growth. Any insight and information you can gather on your customers, staff, sales and operations can be put to good use to make your company more efficient, productive and, ultimately, more successful.

TripAdvisor has announced the results of a study which uncovers how significantly reviews influence booking decisions.

The global study, conducted in partnership with Ipsos MORI, polled over 23,000 TripAdvisor users across 12 markets on the use of online reviews and their role when booking hotels, restaurants and experiences.

TRUSTED, ACCURATE REVIEWS The study reveals that the wisdom of the crowd remains the reason respondents visit TripAdvisor, with participating users citing the descriptive and helpful reviews (70%), the accuracy of the content (62%) and the broad range of travel content (62%) as their primary reasons for visiting the site.

Across hotel, restaurant and attraction reviews, more than four out of five (85%) participants report that the reviews they read on TripAdvisor accurately reflect their experience, with 86% agreeing that TripAdvisor makes them feel more confident in their booking decisions.

“These findings show how important travellers find real perspectives from real people when they are planning their trips,” said Becky Foley, Sr. Director, Trust and Safety at TripAdvisor. “While there are thousands of places to get travel information online, people keep coming back to TripAdvisor because they are guided by the reviews and can confidently plan the trip that’s right for them.”

PEOPLE TRUST PEOPLE The results show that traveller reviews remain a go-to source of information, with 72% of respondents always or frequently reading reviews before making a decision on places to stay and eat, or things to do. The figure is even higher when it comes to accommodation bookings, with four out of five participating travellers (81%) always or frequently reading reviews before booking a place to stay.

Nearly 8 out of 10 TripAdvisor users (79%) are more likely to book a hotel with a higher bubble rating when choosing between two otherwise identical properties, and over half (52%) agree that they would never book a hotel with no reviews.

RECENCY AND CONSISTENCY IMPORTANT TO TRAVELLERS When researching their travel, respondents indicate that the most important thing they are looking for when reading reviews is recent content. They want to know that what they are reading is a fresh perspective by a fellow traveller, with 78% focusing on the most recent reviews.

TripAdvisor users make thoughtful decisions, with nearly four out of ten respondents (39%) saying they ignore extreme comments, and over half of respondents (55%) reading multiple reviews across several pages to get an overall sense of people’s opinions. On average, TripAdvisor users read nine reviews before making a decision on booking a hotel or a restaurant.

WHY DO PEOPLE WRITE REVIEWS? The results of the research emphasise that TripAdvisor is not simply a place for people to air their grievances. When asked about their motivations for writing reviews and sharing their stories on TripAdvisor, the top reason given by 87% of people is that they want to share good experiences with fellow travellers; this is further supported by the fact that the average worldwide rating on TripAdvisor in 2018 was 4.22 out of five.

Foley adds: “With our minimum word count and candid photos, travellers are able to share their experiences and stories with other travellers, allowing our reviews to serve as a true guide during the planning process.”

But being able to identify the right data and knowing how to use insights effectively can be difficult. Restaurant managers have it particularly rough, because, surprise, surprise, they generally don’t have the budget to employ a data scientist. But the good news is that in recent decades, access to data has become democratised thanks to technology – and staff across many different departments can now take advantage of it.

Knowledge is power – if you know what data to look out for you can put it to good use, even if you wouldn’t call yourself a data ‘expert’.

Here are the top five types of data that restaurant owners can start collecting and utilising right away to identify ways to create cost efficiencies, improve the customer experience and make better business decisions.

STAFF DATA Labour can be one of the biggest costs for a restaurant, so it’s worth figuring out when your restaurant is at its busiest and quietest. You want to avoid letting your staff sitting around and twiddling their thumbs, but you also don’t want customers to wait for decent service.

This is where information that electronic point-of-sale (EPOS) and ordering systems like kiosks and tableside tablets come in handy. The data points they collect, including how many sales are made in certain time periods, can give you a good idea of when your restaurant is busy and needs more staff, and vice-versa. From there, you can adjust schedules accordingly, avoiding understaffing at busy times and overstaffing at quieter times.

INVENTORY DATA Customer demand is unpredictable by nature, but that doesn’t mean you should stock up on all available ingredients to be on the safe side.

Food that isn’t used but held in excess will eventually spoil, while customers are generally more conscious of waste today than they have been in the past. However, scarce quantities of popular items will upset some customers and cause you to lose potential sales. It’s a tough balance to strike, but one that can be achieved if you have the right data to hand.

Some restaurants will operate separate inventory management systems, but many could benefit by streamlining the process further by implementing EPOS and kiosk systems with built-in inventory management features. These systems can help you keep track of which menu items are selling well, and those that aren’t selling so well. They do it in real-time, too, meaning inventory data is kept up to date and relevant stakeholders can be alerted when things change. This data will instantly

give you a better idea of the stock you need (and don’t need) to replenish, and will save you money in the process.

PURCHASE DATA As mentioned, gathering menu item performance can be pretty significant for a restaurant owner who wants to be more efficient and profitable. The more data you have on the bestselling items on the menu, the more you can do to promote them. Menu data can also help you deliver a more tailored and appealing dining experience, as you’ll be equipped with insights into customer purchasing trends. For example, you can keep track of the frequency of specific dietary requests that are made, and if you find that it’s increasing, it makes sense to promote the menu items that cater to them.

PROMOTION DATA Many restaurant owners would do well to borrow a tactic that retailers have used for a long time – customer loyalty schemes. Loyalty schemes obviously work well with promotions because you can use purchase data to determine which items a person usually buys, and then give them a personalised loyalty reward.

Mobile ordering apps are especially good at capturing information on who’s ordering your food, what they’ve ordered and what they’ll probably order in the future, so they can automatically personalise offers (via tailored ads that appear on a restaurant’s mobile app) to help close opportunities.

Certain EPOS systems can also help staff identify likely interests of the people sitting at a particular table based on demographic data, so that they can make recommendations when in the restaurant. Or, in restaurants which have started to use tableside ordering tablets, they can be programmed to show relevant offers on the screen.

REPORTING DATA By capturing all sorts of data, you can make better business decisions.

Collating and reporting on all of the data you have will give you a better picture of your business. Data points related to labour costs, sales and inventory are most important for senior decision makers and managers, and they need a centralised system through which to easily access them.

Reporting can be centralised with a mobile app or digital reporting system which can highlight relevant trends and issues, and suggest actions to either capitalise on or fix them. It also saves time on going through all the data manually – time which can be best spent on other strategically valuable activities.

DOING GOOD WITH DATA It’s worth mentioning that, in the age of GDPR, you need to prove that all the data you collect has a business purpose. In addition, it simply doesn’t make sense to collect information that you don’t need. Working with tech partners helps you to make sense of your data, but it also helps you to keep it clean and in line with regulations. Your partners can help you to create a robust data management strategy.

Collecting the right data doesn’t have to be difficult - and it could be the key to successfully growing your restaurant business. You don’t need to be a data scientist to do it, either. Once you start gathering insights, put them into action and see the tangible effects on the business. Once you’ve done it, you won’t want to work any other way.

Pink Gin Sales More Than Double Over Past Year, Says CGA Gin sales have rocketed 56% by value in a year, new research from CGA reveals—and the number of people drinking pink gin has more than doubled.

A report into major current gin trends based on CGA’s drinks data and insights, highlights the stellar growth of the gin category for suppliers, bars, pubs and restaurants. It shows that on-trade gin sales reached £1.4bn in the year to mid-May 2019, and that 8.9 million people now drink gin out-of-home—up by 2.3 million in just 12 months.

The research indicates strong growth across mainstream, premium and super-premium gin categories, and the arrival of nearly 250 new gin brands on the market in the last five years. Licensed venues now stock an average of 8.2 gin brands—well over twice the average of two years ago.

CGA’s Director of Client Services for drinks Jonny Jones said: “CGA’s research shows there is no end in sight to the remarkable revival of gin sales. From value brands to artisan distilleries the category is booming, to the point where consumers now drink gin out-of-home more often than vodka. They are becoming ever more adventurous and experimental in their purchases, which

July 2019

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makes it vital for suppliers and operators alike to obtain the sharpest insights into the latest trends and market preferences.”

CGA’s report shows that much of the flourishing interest in gin is being driven by pink and flavoured varieties. Sales in this category increased more than eightfold to £392m in the 12 months to mid-May, and around 5.1 million consumers now say they drink pink gin—a number that has more than doubled from 2.2 million in a year.

CGA’s research indicates stark variations in the takeup of pink gin, both by region of the country and venue type, but finds that women account for seven in ten of all pink gin drinkers.

Jones added: “Pink gin has been an extraordinary success story for the on-trade. It is clearly tempting a lot of drinkers away from other spirits and cocktails, and with new pink gin producers now piling into the market, it will be fascinating to see where the category goes from here.

Brands and bars will have to innovate and keep their range fresh if they are to keep up with the pink gin megatrend—and the best way to do that is to get a deep understanding of the drinkers behind it.”

Forum of Private Business Welcomes the PCA’s First Investigation The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has welcomed the launch of the Pubs Code Adjudicator’s (PCA’s) first investigation, but are questioning why it has taken so long to do so.

The case, which is investigating the suspected use of unreasonable stocking terms by Star pubs and bars in proposed MRO (Market Rent Only) tenancies, is the first undertaken by the PCA since its launch 3 years ago.

This is despite calls for earlier investigations relating to other issues.

Ian Cass, Chief Executive of the Forum of Private Business, said: “The issue over stocking requirements as set out in the pubs code was raised when the code was first introduced 3 years ago as something that needed clarification.

“Surely government and the PCA should have realised that this greater

clarification would be needed, when Heineken bought 1,900 Punch pubs in 2017, making it the third largest pub operator in the UK, something the Secretary of State for Business Greg Clark welcomed as “another significant vote of confidence in the UK economy”, because it would be obvious that Heineken as a brewer would be making this investment in order to sell more of their products.”

Earlier this year the FPB formally cut ties with the Pubs Code Adjudicator citing his failure to have made any move to resolve significant issues within the industry.

In a comment at the time, Ian Cass said: “Whilst we continue to make ourselves available to Mr Newby to provide evidence and to engage on specific issues if required, there seems to be no merit in simply joining a regular talk shop, and we have advised him that we believe that our

time will be better spent lobbying the politicians directly where the influence may be greater as well as providing much needed information and support to new and existing pub tenants.”

CAMRA’s National Chairman Nik Antona said: “CAMRA welcomes the news that the Pubs Code Adjudicator (PCA) is finally using its power to launch an investigation – something we have called for in our continuing campaign to get the Pubs Code working as intended.

“It is clear that the Pubs Code is not working. CAMRA is leading the fight to get meaningful changes introduced by talking directly to licensees, when the PCA has admitted they can’t. We are currently surveying tied tenants and we expect that the results will illustrate ongoing issues with the Code and provide a compelling case for reform.”

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.

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

July 2019

Four Steps To Address Issues Of Mental Health In The Workplace Mental Health Awareness Week which took place earlier this year and is helping to place the spotlight on a major issue that affects 1 in 4 people at work and 1 in 3 in our sector, hospitality and events.

The horrendous scale of the issue has been only recently started to gain the attention that it truly deserves. CLH News has been following this issue closely, readers may remember the tragic event in June last year when it was announced that American chef, author and television personality Anthony Bourdain had taken his own life. Bourdain had always spoken frankly about his mental health issues and addiction, and his death led to others sharing their own stories of mental illness.

Rewarding though the industry is, anybody who has worked in front-line hospitality knows the pressures, long hours and stress which can arise. A study of London chefs by the Unite union last year revealed that 51% said they suffer from depression due to being overworked, and nearly a third (27%) said they drink alcohol to see them through their shift.

Furthermore, research by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) found that 45% of respondents would not recommend working in the industry, while 62% did not think the sector took care of its employees.

Almost a quarter (24%) of respondents said they had

required medical or psychological help, with only 10% saying they had received training to support health and wellbeing.

In high-pressure working environment sometimes it is difficult to see the wood for the trees and that can result in “warning signs” inadvertently being missed, and can lead to tragic consequences. There is an above average chance that somebody reading this will be working with a colleague struggling with mental health issues.

A spokesperson at Mind, said: “It’s worrying to see such high levels of stress and poor mental health within the hospitality industry. It’s even more concerning that so few people are seeking help, or opening up to their employers about it, probably because of the perceived stigma surrounding mental health. Staff struggling in silence are unlikely to be getting the support they need, and this can make things worse.

“Employees living with mental health problems such as depression and anxiety can and do make a valuable contribution to the workplace, but may need additional support. If your mental health problem meets the definition of a disability under the Equality Act 2010 – in that it has a substantial, adverse, and long-term effect on normal day-to-day activities – you need to tell your employer about it.

They then have a duty to make reasonable adjustments, which could include anything from changes to working hours, roles and responsibilities, to providing quiet rooms and regular breaks, for example.”

CLH News spoke with Katherine White, HR Director, Wyboston Lakes Resort who shares her views:

by Katherine White, HR Director, Wyboston Lakes Resort As an organisation which for several years has been these workshops have been completed, we are training taking steps to provide mental health support for our a further 10 people to become Mental Health First team, I’d like to share what we have learned in that Aiders. time.

4. TREAT MENTAL HEALTH HOLISTICALLY WITH PHYSICAL HEALTH WITHIN A WELL1. TRAIN STAFF AS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST NESS CULTURE AIDERS In addition to supporting the team with their mental The first step that every organisation must take is to train a group of staff as Mental Health First Aiders who health we are working to establish a wellness culture within the business through the introduction of various team members can confide in if they feel the need to different activities, learning bites and commitments do so. They are trained to identify the symptoms of potential mental health breakdown, to listen acutely and which team members can get involved in. By doing this we are hoping to support the team with their physical persuade those in difficulty that there is no shame in health and wellbeing as well as their mental health as admitting that they have a problem and in starting to they are all inter-connected. We are also looking at how deal with it. we can raise awareness of how important it is to look 2. COMMUNICATE TO STAFF THAT HELP IS after your own wellbeing whether that is mental or AVAILABLE TO THEM physical health or just encouraging a better work life Once Mental Health First Aiders have been trained, balance. the team must be made aware of who they are and Mental health is a undoubtedly major issue in this given the confidence to know that they can talk to industry in particular. It’s great that the HBAA, one of them completely confidentially at any time, and that our leading industry associations has embarked on a they will gain support and help by doing so. year-long campaign to address it with a series of activities. They include courses for Mental Health First Aiders 3. EDUCATE MANAGERS TO SPOT SIGNS OF and this week, a special event, of which we are one of TEAM MEMBERS WHO MAY NEED HELP the sponsors, with an impressive and inspiring keynote Here at Wyboston Lakes Resort we have had a small speaker Vikie Shanks to raise awareness and funds for team of Mental Health First Aiders over the past few more courses, years, we are taking our next step. Working with Illuminate VR we are rolling out an Awareness Programme starting with the senior management team.

This will be followed by Awareness Workshops held for all managers so they can identify the signs that someone may need help and support them if need be. Once

It is our responsibility as employers to ensure we provide a safe, healthy working environment for all of our team and support them in maintain their physical and mental health. The rising wave of publicity about mental health is very welcome.

Under One Roof: Exclusive B2B Event for European Pizza and Pasta Industries and Live Cooking Show in Central London The 4th edition of the European Pizza & Pasta Show will unite equipment manufacturers, specialist ingredients and food product suppliers and service providers with leading UK and European food wholesalers and retailers, pizza operators and pizzeria owners, restaurant chains and independent restaurants, hotels and catering companies.

The show is organised by IPR Events London Ltd in association with PAPA Pizza, Pasta and Italian Food Association, in cooperation with Accademia SRL and Ristorazione Italiana Magazine.

Last year the event was attended by over 140 exhibiting companies with 2,500 buyers, and is a firmly established event on European food and

beverage industry scene. The European Pizza and Pasta Show will be expanding to a three day event this year at Olympia National Hall from the 13th to the 15th of November 2019.

EPPS 2019 HIGHLIGHTS The EPPS 2019 programme will include open discussion and one-to-one “In Conversation with....” style interviews with industry experts, leading restaurateurs, C-level Managers and world foremost nutritionists from UK, Europe and beyond.

Our speakers list features industry legend Ian Neill - CEO Hush Hache and K10 Restaurants, Randy Liebowitz - Global Food Regulatory Counsel at PepsiCo; Pete Lachapelle - Pizza Today, USA; Andrew Macleod - CEO Emilia's Crafted Pasta; Thom Elliot - Co-founder Pizza Pilgrims; Kirill Vyrypaev - Head of Dodo Pizza EMEA; Phillip Quinn of Papa John’s, Chantal Symmons from LEON Restaurants and many others.

COMPETITIONS AND COOKING MASTER CLASSES

In addition to the exceptionally high number of chef competitors for The European Pizza Championship to be held on the 14th of November, we will also be hosting The International Pizza Acrobatics Show, as well as The 2019 PAPA Pizza and Pasta Chef of the Year Finals (14th of November).

For the first time alongside the championships, we will be introducing world renowned chefs and pizzaioli from UK, Europe and the USA. Celebrity chefs Tony Gemignani, Aldo Zilli, Marco Fuso, Enzo Oliveri and others will be presenting Master Classes and discussing the latest cooking trends and use of innovation and technology in our industries.

The European Pizza and Pasta Show 2019 is the first and only trade event to host a launch of live Cooking Academy with world leading chefs Antonio Sorrentino and Davide Civitiello.

For further details on exhibiting, sponsoring or visiting the EPPS 2019 please head to www.pizzapastashow.com or see the advert on page 9

July 2019

Institute of Alcohol Studies Call for Higher Alcohol Taxes The Institute of alcohol studies has called for an increase in alcohol taxes saying that alcohol taxes could benefit the UK economy. In a study by the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute (FAI) and the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS). The research, to be published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review, the findings claim that higher alcohol taxes would lead to an increase in both national income and employment, provided the additional revenue is invested in public services.

Using a sector-by-sector model of the economy, the researchers estimated the effects of a 10% increase in alcohol tax, with the government using the proceeds to increase spending on public services, finding that: • The higher rate of duty would raise an extra £789 million for the Treasury • UK GDP would rise by £847 million • There would be over 17,000 more full-time equivalent jobs Peter McGregor, director of the Fraser of Allander Institute, and one of the authors of the study, said: ‘For an increase in alcohol duties we find evidence of a net positive effect on both value-added and employment in addition to improved health outcomes, indicating that here there is no trade-off between the two: indeed, there is potential for a “double dividend” of a simultaneous improvement in health and a stimulus to the UK

CLH News

economy.’

Aveek Bhattacharya, policy analyst for the Institute of Alcohol Studies, and a co-author on the study, said: ‘This study clearly demolishes the argument that we cannot afford to tackle cheap alcohol. While the weight of evidence that reducing the affordability of alcohol would save lives and reduce crime and violence should be reason enough to take action, this research strengthens the economic case for raising its price.

‘Supermarket beer is 188% more affordable today than it was in 1987. The government should get back on track and ensure that alcohol taxes rise above inflation, as well as introducing a minimum unit price to address the cheapest products.’

CAMRA’s National Chairman Nik Antona said: “The Institute of Alcohol Studies is applying a broad-brush strategy to a complex situation. Yes, supermarket beer is significantly more affordable today than it was in 1987, but the price of a pint within a pub has continued to rise.

“If you really want to benefit society, then supermarkets should be asked to pay a higher rate of tax on alcohol than pubs. This would not only help support the pubs trade but also support the public health message that enjoying a pint in moderation in a supervised and social environment is better than chugging cheap cans at home.”

CAMRA Is On The Hunt For The Nation’s Best-Looking Pubs Entries are now being sought for CAMRA’s prestigious Pub Design Awards. Anyone can submit a pub into the competition – as long as it has a stunning design to showcase.

The Pub Design Awards, which are held in conjunction with Historic England, recognise the highest standards of pub design, in categories ranging from the refurbishment and conservation of existing pubs to the construction of new ones.

Judged by a panel of experts in design and conservation, they showcase the very best architectural projects completed between 1 January 2018 and 30 June 2019. This year’s categories include: • Historic England’s Conservation Award – given for work which conserves and enhances what is good in a historic pub.

• Refurbishment Award – given for a successful

makeover of a pub. Judges are looking for work which reflects the building’s individual qualities, rather than something that looks like lots of others.

• Conversion to Pub Use Award – given for a project which sees a building designed for some other use converted to a pub. The judges are looking for imagination and flair in the conversion.

• New Build Award – given to a completely new pub.

Judges are looking for individuality, rather than ‘off the peg’ design.

• Joe Goodwin Award – named after a former Camra national chairman, who was a champion of the ‘ordinary street-corner local’. The judges are looking for projects which give a new lease of life to the building, however it is done.

Applications close on 30 September 2019 and can be submitted by visiting www.camra.org.uk/pubs/awards/pub-design-awards/

Read all the latest news from the licensed industry at

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Spirits Category “Booming” and Shows No Signs Of Slowing Spirits producers across the UK are gearing up to dramatically increase production over the next 12 months amid signs that the boom in UK spirits is set to continue, according to research conducted by a campaigning alliance launched this week.

A poll by Survation for the newly-established UK Spirits Alliance has found that 65 per cent of the nation’s distillers report increased sales of spirits since chancellor Philip Hammond froze duty in the 2018 Budget. The findings, which will provide cheer for Mr

Hammond’s successor as they look to build on the success that has seen the number of distilleries in the UK double in the last five years, include: • News that 84 per cent of distillers plan to increase production over the next 12 months • Nearly a third of producers are planning to more than double their production over the next five years • 70 per cent expect to increase exports in the next 12 months

• 60 per cent of producers plan to hire additional staff However, the industry also used the survey to send a warning to the Government that any increase in excise duty on spirits in this year’s Budget would have a chilling effect on growth. One third of respondents warned that they could be forced to delay or cancel plans to increase production, expressing fears that increased duty could put the brakes on the industry. More than a quarter of respondents fear they would be forced to decrease the number of staff they employ.

World’s Biggest Pub Quiz Tops £200,000 for Charity At the King’s Arms, Dorking, ‘Mark’s Men’ won The World’s Biggest Pub Quiz 2019.

The World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, organised by PubAid in March this year, has raised more than £230,000 for hundreds of charities, including over £94,000 for Prostate Cancer UK, the event’s official charity partner.

This is the first time that money raised from the quiz has topped the £200,000 mark since its launch in 2016 and is a 21% uplift on the 2018 amount. The average sum raised per pub this year was £160, up from £134 last year. The quiz has raised a total of £750,000 over the four years it has been running.

Co-founder of PubAid, Des O’Flanagan, commented: “We’re delighted with this impressive total raised by the quiz, which we know will be put to good use by the wide range of charities and worthy causes it benefits.

“The substantial increase in the average amount raised per pub is welcome and we think it shows that, after four years, the quiz has become a popular fixture on many pubs’ calendars, something that licensees and their customers look forward to every year. It meant that this year, more publicans were promoting the quiz, attracting more quizzers and often adding additional fundraising activities like bingo or raffles, to increase the amount raised on the night.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Hospitality is a fantastic employer and we are keen to ensure it remains fair. We certainly welcome moves to

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Breweries Compete for the Ultimate Beer Award 71 breweries are in the running for the prestigious Champion Beer of Britain Award, taking place on the opening day of the Great British Beer Festival (6 August).

Ranging from Swannay Brewery’s farmhouse brews hailing from the windswept tip of Orkney to serial winners such as Timothy Taylor and London’s Fullers – who have scooped 15 championship titles between them – the competition this year will be anything but boring.

“The quiz not only raises money, but also shines a spotlight on the great work that pubs do for charity. More than £100 million is raised by pubs every year, an incredible amount which reflects their vital role at the heart of their local communities.”

He added: “We are grateful to every pub, pub company and brewer who supported this year’s quiz, and also to our charity partner since 2017, Prostate Cancer UK; they have driven the quiz with huge professionalism and enthusiasm and have undoubtedly helped to raise its profile over the last three years.”

Jon Eserin, Associate Director of Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “It’s been brilliant to watch the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz grow over the past three years and we feel lucky to have been able to play a part in that as PubAid’s official charity partner. We are extremely grateful to all the venues who have chosen to support Prostate Cancer UK this year and who have raised funds that will help stop prostate cancer being a killer.

“As well as helping us to raise an incredible amount of money, our partnership with PubAid has allowed us to reach men and raise awareness of a disease which kills one man every 45 minutes. We thank PubAid for their ongoing support and look forward to seeing the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz grow from strength to strength.”

Action to Tackle Rogue Employers Must Provide Balance, Says UKH UKHospitality has welcomed the Government’s consultation on flexible working. The trade association has called for action to tackle rogue employers but urged the Government to retain some flexibility for hospitality employers.

July 2019

provide clarity on the rules of flexibility and action to tackle rogue employers.

“If the Government decides to legislate, then any new measures must tackle those looking to abuse the system, while ensuring there is a reasonable degree of flexibility for fair employers and employees. Cancelling shifts at unreasonably short notice is not acceptable, but the hospitality sector does need a fair balance.

“Our sector deals with unexpected and exceptional changes in demand and the system needs to suit the constantly shifting needs of both employers and employees. For some of our team members part of the attraction of hospitality is that it offers and allows such flexibility. We need to make sure we retain that while providing a measure of protection for hardworking staff.”

This year’s entrants include: Over 4,000 brewers, publicans, industry professionals and members of the press will descend to Olympia London to find out who has won, which will be announced on the centre stage at 3pm. Visitors will have an exclusive opportunity to sample the winning and finalist brews throughout the week, along with a thousand real ales, ciders, perries, wines and gins from across the UK and abroad.

Nick Boley, Champion Beer of Britain Coordinator said: “It is an incredibly exciting time for British brewers, and nowhere is this better reflected than in the Champion Beer of Britain competition, one of the most prestigious titles within the beer industry.

“From the largest and most established brewers such as Timothy Taylor and Fullers to the smallest startups such as Redwillow and Byatt’s, it is anyone’s guess who will win take home the title this year.”

The Champion Beer of Britain competition opens the Great British Beer Festival, which runs from 6-10 August at Olympia London. It marks the culmination of over a year of local tasting panels and regional heats by volunteers across the country. Judges will choose the winning beer based on its appearance, aroma, taste and aftertaste across 10 categories.

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

July 2019

Brexit: Catering For A Hiring Disaster?

Sasha Lal is an immigration consultant at Gherson Solicitors (www.gherson.com) The catering industry is heavily reliant on EU migrant workers, as we well know. Still faced with the uncertainty as to whether or not there will be a deal in regards to the ongoing Brexit saga, and with the uncertainty as to the confirmation of what immigration restrictions will be imposed post Brexit, the industry is in limbo as to who it can hire and how. The only certainty we do have is that Brexit poses a real threat to the ease of access of the EU migrant low-skilled labour in the UK. That being said, the catering industry should be preparing for either eventuality now that we have a promised leave date of the 31st October 2019.

With Brexit looming, this article will outline what the industry needs to know and how it can prepare its hiring practices whilst faced with the possibility of a nodeal scenario.

Firstly, employers are obliged to carry out right to work checks on every individual in their employment.

Currently, EU nationals are not required to provide a residence document to confirm their status in the UK. However, as of 1 January 2021, employers will be required to carry out these checks to ensure that all EEA nationals have a document to confirm that they either hold a pre-settled or a settled status in the UK. If possible, the worker should obtain the status before travelling because in the event of a hard Brexit it is difficult to see how the immigration authorities will distinguish which EU citizen does or does not have the right to reside and work in the EU. Let us not forget the recent Windrush scandal…

EEA nationals currently residing in the UK can apply for pre-settled or settled status now, additionally some EEA nationals may have already been in the UK for a continuous period of 5 years or more and therefore may have the option to naturalise to become British.

For those EEA nationals that have not yet entered the UK and will not enter before 31 December 2020, the process in which EEA nationals are able to work in the UK will be reliant on whether or not there is a deal struck.

We now have a new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who is rigorously undoing Theresa May’s immigration plans post Brexit. Dare we say it, but he appears to be taking a rather more liberal approach. If there is a deal, he has stated his intention to form ‘an Australian-style points-based system’ for all nationalities to ‘continue to attract the brightest and best talent from around the world’. He has also declined to set a limit on the number of skilled migrants working in the UK. In addition, he has asked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to undertake a review of the current points-based system (PBS).

Up to now it sounds like good news. But to add to the complications for the catering industry in particular in this area the rules for chefs for example are very different to barristas. Whilst both are seen as ‘low-skilled’ workers, the former is slightly higher up in the pecking order and therefore the applications to work are differ-

ent.

For example, MAC has offered some potential relief in regards to changes to the current Shortage Occupation List. This could ease the current restricted rules that restaurants are faced with in regard to hiring non- EEA national chefs in the UK. However, the current regulations to hire barristas who are non-EEA nationals are non-existent. Before a Non EEA national can be sponsored, the establishment looking to hire must have or obtain a sponsor licence to enable the migrant to work in the UK and be sponsored on the basis of a Tier 2 visa (this can prove difficult seeing as the Home Office has deemed the work as a low skill level).

To make any sense of the varying rules we strongly advise you seek legal advice. The world of catering involves such a vast array of different skill sets and therefore different rules for each role applies. Given the recent news about our new Prime Minister and how he would like to change Theresa May’s immigration proposal, there is definitely no certainty as to a procedure for job roles classified as low skilled in the UK. With the Migration Advisory Committee reviewing the new processes, it is unlikely that they will be able to produce a report prior to 31 October 2019. The requirements for the new system may be similar to the current sponsor licence procedure but only time will tell.

5 Tips To Help Your Independent Bar Serve Instagram-Friendly Cocktails BAR As much as it can be tempting to jump on the latest cocktail trend, it’s important that your drinks reflect the look and feel of your bar. If you run a sophisticated establishment, it won’t make much sense to serve drinks that come with a garnish of popping candy. And, if the vibe of your bar is quite casual, an array of martinis might look slightly out of place on your menu.

Whenever you and your bar staff are coming up with new recipes, take some time to make sure that they’re in keeping with the style of your décor and any food you might serve.

INVEST IN FANCY GLASSWARE

Mike Hardman is Marketing Manager at the catering supplies wholesaler Alliance Online. Here, he shares his top tips for creating cocktails that are guaranteed to attract the Instagram-loving millennial crowd.

If you run an independent business, you’ll constantly be trying to one-up your competitors. And, more often than not, your closest competition will be chains that typically have a lot more money and manpower behind them.

You can still thrive alongside these larger businesses, though. In fact, having an independent bar can actually work to your advantage — especially among the younger crowd.

But, you can’t have an “if you build it they will come” mentality. You need to do everything you can to gain as much attention as possible for your bar.

And, if it’s millennials that you’re looking to attract, it’s well worth ensuring that you have a drinks menu full of Instagram-worthy cocktails. Here, I'll give you my top tips for making sure that’s the case. Read on to learn more.

MAKE SURE YOUR COCKTAILS FIT THE FEEL OF YOUR

The glass can make or break the look of a drink, so it’s well worth having an array of impressive glassware behind your bar. Of course, you’ll need the usual beer, wine, and spirit glasses, but you can have a bit of fun with the ones you choose for cocktails.

Balloon, martini, margarita, hurricane, hiball, and oldfashioned glasses are pretty standard, but you could also add some tiki glasses to the mix. If your bar has a distinctive theme, you can reflect this in the glasses you buy too. For example, there are those that resemble science beakers, skulls, and even pineapples.

Serve your drinks in any of these and you’ll soon be getting plenty of Instagram shares and likes!

with serving a cocktail with a lemon slice and maybe a little umbrella — your garnishes need to be a lot more interesting.

Edible flowers, brightly coloured whipped cream, fruit shapes, and even plastic figurines can be used to dress up your drinks. And, they'll help to ensure your customers' drinks are photo-ready each and every time.

SET UP YOUR OWN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT The main goal of making your drinks Instagramworthy is to encourage your customers to post photos of them on their own accounts. This will mean that they spread the word about your establishment without you having to do any extra work — it's essentially a free marketing tool.

But, you'll want them to be able to link back to your bar's Instagram account, so people can click through to see even more of your wonderful creations. You should also ensure you have a geo tag, so your customers can let their friends know exactly where they need to go to sample your drinks.

The social media platform has a great guide to setting up a business Instagram account, as well as plenty of advice on how to make the most of it. So, make sure you check out all of their content before getting started.

To attract a younger crowd, you need to make sure your bar is social media-friendly, and creating a cocktail menu full of drinks that will earn plenty of likes on Instagram is a great place to start.

UP THE FUN FACTOR Don’t be afraid to have fun with your cocktails — that’s what’s going to help them stand out. Cocktail bar chain The Alchemist, for example, is well known for its quirky drinks that come with a side of dry ice, or an interactive element like a syringe full of colourful alcohol. Why not take a leaf out of their book and make sure that anyone who orders one of your cocktails is given an experience, not just a drink?

THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT YOUR GARNISHES Long gone are the days where you could get away

High-Tech Solution to Help Combat Serious Offences in Pubs and Clubs Sheffield’s night-time venues will have an extra tool to deter violent behaviour as the high-tech traceable liquid, SmartWater, is issued to selected premises.

Under the scheme, security staff covering 25 premises in the city centre, including Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union and The University of Sheffield, have undergone training and been issued SmartTag packs.

South Yorkshire Police is working with Sheffield BID to issue the clear, colourless liquid to door staff, who will be able to use it to ‘tag’ those involved in serious offences, such as assaults.

Sheffield BID Sergeant Matt Burdett explains how the technology works: “Each tube of SmartWater has a unique chemical code, which means people sprayed with it can be traced directly back to the incident in which it was deployed.

Sheffield BID is funding the initiative, which will see a significant widening of the use of Smartwater in South Yorkshire. It is already being used for Operation Shield, which has seen over 2,000 homes marked with SmartWater in a bid to protect against burglaries.

“So if a person involved in a pub fight or disorder is sprayed by door staff, the SmartWater on their clothes or skin can be linked back to that incident, proving they were present and involved. Our officers and custody

Government to Introduce 'Natasha's Law' A new law will require food businesses to include full ingredients labelling on pre-packaged foods, the Department of the Environment has announced in a drive to protect the country’s two million food allergy sufferers.

Following the tragic death of Natasha EdnanLaperouse, the teenager who died after suffering an allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger baguette, the Environment Secretary confirmed legislation will be brought forward by the end of Summer to strengthen allergen labelling rules.

Under current laws, food prepared on the premises in which it is sold is not required to display allergen information in writing, meaning allergy sufferers sometimes lack confidence buying food out.

The new legislation, known as ‘Natasha’s Law’, will tighten the rules by requiring foods that are prepacked directly for sale to carry a full list of ingredients

– giving allergy sufferers greater trust in the food they buy.

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse’s parents Tanya and Nadim said: "We are absolutely delighted that the Secretary of State has announced the government’s decision to go ahead with full allergen and ingredient labelling. While Natasha’s Law comes too late to save our beloved daughter, we believe that helping save other allergy sufferers and their families from the enduring agony that we will always bear is a fitting legacy for her life.

"We would personally like to thank Michael Gove and Health Secretary Matt Hancock for their unflinching support in doing the right thing on behalf of all people with allergies, and their support in setting up the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation which we have launched in Natasha’s memory."

The government will introduce legislation by the end

suites are equipped with UV lights to check for traces of the solution.

“This product, along with footage from body worn cameras, can be really helpful when establishing the background to an incident.”

Detective Chief Inspector Lee Berry, Force Lead for Operation Shield added that the use of SmartWater will be strictly regulated: “The solution will only be carried and used by door staff who have been specially trained, they’ll also be wearing armbands which will identify them as carrying SmartWater.

of summer mandating full ingredients labelling for foods prepacked for direct sale, and the new laws will come into force by summer 2021 – giving businesses time to adapt to the change.

The introduction of ‘Natasha’s Law’ follows a consultation in January proposing four options, including full ingredient list labelling; allergen-only labelling; ‘ask the staff’ labels on products; and promoting best practice to businesses.

The consultation received overwhelming support from consumers for full ingredients labelling, with more than 70 per cent of individuals backing this option. The Food Standards Agency’s recent advice also recommended government should implement full ingredients labelling.

Chair of the Food Standards Agency Heather Hancock said: "We want the UK to become the best place in the world for people living with food hypersensitivities.

"The impact of food allergy and intolerance on quality of life can be as great or even greater than almost

all other foodborne diseases.

"Whilst it’s impossible to eliminate the risks entirely, we believe this change will mean better protection for allergic consumers."

The reforms cover labelling requirements for foods that are prepared and packed on the same premises from which they are sold – such as a packaged sandwich or salad made by staff earlier in the day and placed on a shelf for purchase.

Currently, these foods are not required to carry labels, and if asked by a consumer allergen information must be given in person by the food business.

Allergy UK CEO Carla Jones said: "We are delighted with the news that Defra’s labelling review backs mandatory full ingredient labelling for pre-packed direct sale food.

"This move towards full ingredient labelling for prepacked direct sale food will improve the lives of the allergic customer and it is warmly welcomed here at Allergy UK."

14

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

July 2019

Hospitality or Hostility? -Bulling in the Workplace A recent incident at a prominent hotel resulted in a chef being sacked and a social media storm after a chef was scalded and hospitalised after hot butter was allegedly poured into his trousers, which has been described as a “prank gone wrong”. The incident led to wider accusations of bullying which has drawn the industry into the spotlight.

CLH News spoke with Amanda Okill who is a Senior Associate specialising in employment legislation, employee relations and dispute resolution at law firm Furley Page who shares her views.

A chef at the renowned Calcot Hotel and Spa has lost his job after a “prank went wrong.” I am not sure how pouring boiling butter down a colleague’s trousers could have turned out alright.

The famous hotel in the Cotswold's was named Pride of Britain Hotel of the Year in 2019 and will undoubtedly suffer a dent in its reputation as a result of this unfortunate incident. Furthermore, employment in the wider hospitality industry has been brought into the spotlight once again.

which lend themselves to the sort of environment in which bullying and harassment can sadly flourish. The lack of long-term investment in staff (accepting many are seasonal) may explain the scarcity of policies and training to some extent but surely the risks, both legal and reputational, would make such investment worthwhile.

Calcot was keen to deny allegations of a wider culture of bullying in its kitchens and has since dismissed the chef responsible for the misjudged prank. However, the industry as a whole has to be aware of the risks both staff and employers face in the particular environment in which they work.

Although different legal concepts, bullying and/or harassment arise when one person’s conduct has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile and degrading environment for the recipient. It is the effect of the behavior on others which matters, not necessarily the intention which could land both the culprit and their employer in hot water.

From my own experience as an employment lawyer I am unconvinced the industry has either woken up to these risks or taken necessary steps to reduce them.

While I cannot speak for the Calcot, I have found a dearth of policies, training and awareness in the hospitality industry, even though the perils, from an employment perspective, are high. This does not make sense.

Long hours, late nights, low paid seasonal staff, and power disparities between employees are all factors

As I write, thousands of fresh-faced school leavers and students on university breaks will be starting their summer stints in bars, hotels, and restaurants across the length and breadth of Britain. Although the hospitality environment is generally less formal than an office, bullying and harassment are no less serious. At the start of the holiday season employers of seasonal staff should take a few moments to consider a few basic precautionary steps:-

Preventing Rodents From Becoming Regular Punters FOUR STEPS TO RODENT-PROOF YOUR PUB

including the biology of the animal, to help them to recognise signs of rodent activity or other pest infestations. This can turn employees into an army of eyes and ears, helping to spot the signs of a pest problem before they escalate.

If you’re unsure how to spot the signs of a rodent problem, then there are four characteristics or mice and rat activity that should be on your checklist.

1. Seal any gaps: Mice are capable of squeezing through gaps the size of a biro to enter a building, so seal holes in the exterior of the pub with wire wool, caulk, metal kick plates or cement. Rats are also known to enter buildings through damaged drains, so it’s important to make sure that these are well maintained and checked regularly. If you’re unsure how rodents could be entering a building, don’t hesitate to ask pest control experts to analyse the site and make recommendations.

2. Remove any clutter and food sources: Storage containers or clutter around the premises provides rodents with a place to hide, so it’s worth moving these away from walls if possible. Make sure food and waste containers are also adequately sealed. Mice can take food from up to 70 different sources in 24 hours, so placing bait for them can prove challenging. Rentokil has developed RapidPro Riddance (containing the rodenticide alphachloralose), which kills a mouse after just one feed of the Baits lard-based solution. This is a fast-acting rodenticide, meaning the deceased mouse will typically be found close to the bait and can be disposed of easily.

3. Quick detection: Non-toxic monitoring blocks are another way to detect rodent activity as early as possible, while ensuring toxic substances aren’t deployed unnecessarily onsite. Some of these blocks contain fluorescent materials which reflect UV light, highlighting droppings and making it easier to identify where the rodents have been active.

4. Employee education: There are online courses available (such as Rentokil’s myLearning) which can educate pub staff on the basic elements of pest control,

1. Smell and sound: Rats and mice have a strong and distinct scent of ammonia which is amplified by the fact that they tend to cluster and live in groups.

They are often quite noisy, making audible scrabbling noises as they move around the premises.

2. Droppings: Mice can produce oval-droppings, which are typically 5mm long.

Rats excrete about 40 dark, pellet-shaped droppings per day, which are up to 14mm long. These can often be found near food packages, in drawers, under sinks, in cupboards and near places that they are likely to be living in, such as warm hidden spaces.

3. Smears: Due to their poor eyesight rodents travel along walls and skirting boards, often leaving grease marks on surfaces that they brush against because of their poor hygiene.

4. Damage: Rodents gnaw on anything to keep their teeth at a manageable size. This includes electric cables, which is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of an infestation, as it causes a fire hazard, while also being very difficult to spot.

Whether you’re dealing with a pest problem or are simply looking to prevent one, it’s important that you know who to contact. It’s the role of external contractors to be fully up-to-date on the latest legislation changes in their area of expertise. Pest controllers are no different, so if you’re in any doubt as to what the best methods of pest control are, and which traps or treatments are appropriate, then it’s always best to check with the experts.

For more information visit www.rentokil.co.uk or call 0808 278 8192.

By David Cross, Head of the Technical Training Academy, Rentokil Pest Control Recent data from Rentokil Pest Control found that enquiries regarding rodent problems increased by 23% in December 2018, when compared to the same period in 2017. The heatwave last summer created the perfect conditions for rats and mice to breed, and the winter months are causing the population to migrate closer to humans as they seek food and shelter. A pub is a warm, cosy space where friends can get together and unwind with a pint and some hearty food. This makes the premises an attractive place for rodents, who seek warmth and customer leftovers.

You might not think that one mouse sighting warrants immediate attention, but a problem can quickly escalate into something more serious if left untreated. Rodents like to stay hidden out of sight as it helps them feel safe, so just one pest could indicate a larger problem. They also have a relatively quick reproduction cycle, so failing to act could create the conditions for an isolated issue to turn into something more serious. This not only poses a risk to health and safety, but also other assets within your business. Simple, effective measures can be taken to ensure rodents are less likely to choose your premises for their next meal. Rodent prevention is always better than a cure, so a proactive pest management strategy is vital and it will mean that costly infestations are much less likely to disrupt business.

• Ensure policies on anti-harassment and bullying are clear, relevant and fit for purpose.

• Ensure everyone is covered by anti-harassment and equal opportunities policies; including the temps, agency workers, parttime staff, those on zero-hours contracts, work placement students, and trainees.

• The policies should contain some clear examples of bullying and harassment so everyone understands what is and is not acceptable. For young people this is particularly important having recently left school or higher education; effectively coming from environments where social conduct is different to what is expected in the workplace.

• Businesses should integrate training on the policies into the induction for new starters, even if they are not expected to be around for the long-term.

Cooler June is Good News for Britain’s Restaurant Groups CAMRA To Work with Pubs to Make London

June was a better month for eating and drinking out across Britain – although pub and restaurant operators experienced widely contrasting fortunes, according to latest figures from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker.

Collective like-for-like sales across the combined managed pub and restaurant market, which the Tracker measures, were up 1.4% against June last year. But while pubs and bars saw a 1.2% decline in like-for-like trading, restaurant groups were collectively up 6.1%.

“And it’s all down to football and the weather,” said Karl Chessell, director of CGA, the business insight consultancy that produces the Tracker, in partnership with Coffer Group and RSM. “Last June, pub and bar groups saw sales jump 2.8%, largely thanks to the mini-heatwave at home and England’s good showing in the men’s football World Cup, while restaurants suffered a 1.8% decline. This June the roles have been reversed, with more sedate conditions favouring eating rather than drinking out,” said Chessell.

“These are encouraging numbers. Last June, the World Cup gave an overall boost despite restaurants suffering and to beat those numbers on a net basis shows some much-needed positivity. It’s tough out there but the hospitality sector is showing some much need resilience,” said Mark Sheehan, managing director at Coffer Corporate Leisure.

“It demonstrates how outside factors still influence trading patterns. The underlying good news is that the market overall still

grew, if modestly, by 1.4%, despite all the current political uncertainty, predictions of tumbling consumer confidence and flat trading in May,” Chessell added.

The ‘City Of Beer’

events, from quiz nights to garden parties or ale trails to movie screenings, to help boost pub footfall. CAMRA will then help to publicise these events as part of the festival experience both on the ground at the venue and on its website and social media channels.

Regionally, market performance inside and outside of London was broadly in line, with like-for-likes up 1.8% and 1.3% respectively. In pubs and bars, drink sales took a bigger hit than food over the month, down 2.2% against a 1.2% fall in meals.

Restaurants recorded a 2.9% increase in covers over the month.

Total sales across the 50 companies in the Tracker, which include the effect of net new openings since this time last year, were ahead 3.7% compared to last June.

“A number of high-profile restaurant closures in recent months has culminated in a net reduction of sites in June, leaving those operators that remain to benefit from reduced competition. We put much of this month’s increase in like-for-like sales down to supply and demand approaching a more even keel. There are certainly more challenges ahead, but these results will be pleasing news to embattled food-led operators,” said Paul Newman, Head of Leisure and Hospitality at RSM. Underlying like-for-like growth for the Tracker cohort, which represents both large and small groups, was running at 1.6% for the 12 months to the end of June.

The Coffer Peach Tracker industry sales monitor for the UK pub, bar and restaurant sector collects and analyses performance data from 52 operating groups, with a combined turnover of over £9bn, and is the established industry benchmark.

CAMRA is encouraging pubs across the capital to host ‘fringe’ events from 6-10 August to coincide with the Great British Beer Festival opening its doors at Olympia London.

The campaigning organisation’s flagship festival regularly sees over 40,000 beer-aficionados from across the UK and abroad descend to London to sample the 1000+ beers, ciders, perries, wines and gins under the Olympia roof.

CAMRA has written to hundreds of pubs across London urging them to capitalise on this influx of visitors by organising fringe

£2.2 Million Round of Funding For Community Pubs

Plunkett Foundation has announced the return of the More than a Pub programme , a new round of support and finance that will help community groups across England looking to take ownership of their local pub.

have a 100% success rate . Community pubs also play a vital role in reducing loneliness and social isolation, providing a range of community focused activities and services, as well as being a community space for all.

Community groups and representatives of the community pub sector gathered at The Dog Inn in Belthorn last month to welcome this new round of bespoke funding that will support more pubs to open under community ownership over the next 18 months.

The programme will be delivered in collaboration with a range of key stakeholders in the community pub sector, and a flexible package of support will be on offer to community groups, including access to an advice line, events, training, workshops, peer-to-peer study visits, and business development advice. It will also offer flexible bursary awards to fund very early stage activity, such as community consultation work, and a grant and loan package to help pubs reach the open and trading stage.

Community pubs are thriving where private enterprise has failed; almost a quarter of privately-owned pubs have shut down since 2008, but community pubs

The programme will support new-start projects and already open pubs, where they advance a charitable purpose to benefit their communities.

Funded by Power to Change and delivered by Plunkett Foundation, this programme builds on the success of the first round of the More Than a Pub programme, which supported 190 communities and saw 28 pubs open their doors under community ownership from 2016 to 2019. Many more who have been working with the More than a Pub Programme have been listed as ‘assets of community value’ under community rights, highlighting the important role that pubs play in local communities.

The initiative forms part of CAMRA’s Summer of Pub campaign aimed at encouraging people to explore what pubs have to offer over the warmer months.

Ben Wilkinson, CAMRA’s National Director said: “Local pubs are integral to London’s communities, and we want our flagship festival to put supporting them at its heart. We’ll be promoting local events throughout the week, and encouraging our visitors to build a pub tour into their festival experience.”

To get involved, pubs can submit events for listing and request marketing materials by contacting summerofpub@camra.org.uk.

More information can be found at camra.org.uk/summerofpub/

James Alcock, Executive Director of Plunkett Foundation, said: “Plunkett is delighted to be launching the return of More Than a Pub; in its first iteration, this programme significantly increased the number of community-owned pubs open and trading, bringing farreaching benefits to local people. This second round of funding will mean that we can build on the momentum and success of the existing community pub sector and help many more community groups seeking to take ownership of their local pub to save them from closure. For many communities, pubs are not just a place to drink; they are central to peoples’ sense of place and identity, they provide an important place for people to meet and help to build community cohesion.”

For further information visit https://plunkett.co.uk/more-than-a-pub/.

16

Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

July 2019

The Cider Market and the Growth of the Millennial Drinker CLH News spoke with Emmy Webster, Senior Marketing Manager, Showerings Cider Mill, producers of Brothers and Mallets Cider, who shares her views: According to CGA, the total UK cider market is now worth £2.98 million, an increase of 3.5% in the last year. As the popularity of cider continues to rise, the UK is becoming ever more dependent on its apples, with over 56% used for cider making and 10,900 jobs reliant on the wider industry.

The cider category remains a growing market seeing an uplift in both volume and value, and even more good news cider is welcoming more new drinkers, generally the younger age group (18-24) who are that little bit more adventurous and have sweeter pallets.

Whilst varieties such as pear may be in decline, fruit cider has seen strong volume and value growth of over 10% throughout the last year, with millennials the main force behind this surge. Currently, millennials make up half of the fruit cider audience, with 67% of those being female.

CHOOSING YOUR CIDER When it comes to helping operators improve their cider selection, no approach should be the same. Each

customer is different and what works for one, won’t necessarily be right for another. When deciding which flavours to stock, it’s important for operators to take into consideration the latest trends, time of year and target audience, in order to build a range bespoke to their customers’ needs.

Market information is important to help get the offer right. For example, industry research has revealed that whilst women cider drinkers are on the rise, they prefer to drink packaged cider, whereas men are more likely to drink draught. By keeping category insight at the forefront, whilst utilising their knowledge of existing and target customers, operators can work closely with their suppliers to develop a successful cider range.

SHOWERINGS CIDER MILL CIDER PORTFOLIO Showerings Cider Mill recently strengthened its

offering with the addition of two new flavours to its Brothers cider range - Strawberries & Cream and Parma Violet. The company also introduced its latest brand Mallets into the on-trade towards the end of 2018, securing an exclusive partnership with Glastonbury Festival for its Mallets Original variation as the festival’s official cider for 2019-2023.

For more information visit: https://www.malletscider.co.uk/

Pubs and Bars More Upbeat as Restaurant Confidence Falters Confidence levels among the leaders of Britain’s pub, bar and restaurant groups remain broadly flat in light of on-going political uncertainty and multiple continuing business challenges, the latest CGA Fourth Business Confidence Survey reveals.

Optimism in their own business’ prospects continues to be higher than faith in the market as a whole. But, the exclusive June poll of around 140 senior industry executives, did show that drink-led operators were notably more upbeat about the future.

The research, conducted in partnership with Fourth, found that a minority (41%) of bosses were fairly or very optimistic about prospects for the eating and drinking out market over the next 12 months—up slightly from 39% in February, but down six percentage points on a year ago.

Leaders’ were more upbeat about their own businesses, with a majority (65%) fairly or very optimistic about the next 12 months—though the figure was down both quarter-on-quarter (from 68%) and year-on-year (from 75%). Movements in the two measures showed that the gap between confidence levels in their own businesses

and in the market in general had narrowed slightly over the last three months.

The latest survey highlights concern about the frequency of consumers’ visits to pubs, bars and restaurants over the rest of 2019. Nearly half (45%) of leaders think consumers will eat and drink out less often in the next six months than they do now, with far fewer (9%) predicting they will do so more often.

The poll also revealed a stark contrast in optimism levels between business types. Three in five (61%) leaders of drink-led businesses say they feel optimistic about the market as a whole over the next 12 months—nearly twice the proportion of leaders of food-led businesses (33%). This echoes findings from the Coffer Peach Business Tracker that show much stronger like-for-like sales growth for managed drink-led operators than for food-led ones over the past year.

Fragile market confidence reflects the many pressures facing the hospitality sector, including rising labour, property and food costs, intense competition and uncertainty over Brexit. It follows a tough first half of 2019, with more than a quarter (29%) of leaders reporting that

their business’ performance over the last six months had been below expectations—nine percentage points up on CGA’s last Confidence Survey.

CGA group chief executive Phil Tate said: “The patchy optimism among food-led business leaders confirms that 2019 has been a rough ride, with casual dining operators buffeted by ferocious headwinds and several high profile brands struggling. But leaders of drink-led businesses clearly feel they have much more to look forward to—a sign that after many years of pub closures and restaurant expansion, the tables have turned.”

The latest CGA Fourth Business Confidence Survey also highlights the need for investment if brands are to obtain a competitive edge. A third (33%) of leaders say they plan refurbishments across more sites this year than last, with only 14% planning fewer. This suggests that operators are focused on making the most of their existing assets rather than expansion, and recognise the importance of keeping their venues fresh and appealing Tate said: “Our survey suggests that for many big brands in the sector, the aim for the second half of 2019 will be to preserve market share and invest in current

Just Eat Becomes the First to Publish Hygiene Ratings standards in restaurants with ratings of three out of five or less.

FSA Chairman Heather Hancock said: “I am pleased to see Just Eat taking the lead by making this positive step to publish the food hygiene ratings for businesses on their website.

Online food delivery company Just Eat has become the first to publish hygiene ratings for every restaurant on its platform.

Customers can now see at a glance the latest Food Standard Agency (FSA) hygiene information for more than 30,000 restaurants and takeaways.

Food safety chiefs welcomed the ground-breaking initiative and called for other food delivery businesses to follow their example.

The move follows a trial in Northern Ireland where the ratings for over 600 restaurants were displayed on the Just Eat app and website.

Earlier this year the company launched a #1million scheme to provide training programmes to improve

“Having this transparency allows consumers to consider food safety when choosing to order food online and will help drive up standards across the sector. I encourage others in the sector to follow suit.”

Kate Thompson, Wales Director of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said: “This latest announcement by Just Eat is excellent news.

“More and more consumers are choosing to use online food delivery platforms. The availability of food hygiene ratings at the point of ordering will enable them to make informed decisions about where they purchase their food.

restaurants to improve standards.

The company also commissioned research of 2,081 British adults which revealed that 93% of people believe it should be mandatory for food businesses to provide online access to hygiene information.

Eight in ten respondents said they considered it important to know the Food Hygiene Rating of a food business before they purchased food from them.

Just Eat’s UK Managing Director Graham Corfield said: “We spoke to customers about the information they want before choosing their takeaway, and their feedback was clear. They want easy access to independent information about the hygiene standards of their local restaurants and we’ve worked hard to make that a reality.

“We would like to see others follow Just Eat’s example.”

“This will have the dual benefit of giving customers all the information they want, while also incentivizing restaurants to invest in food hygiene and safety and ultimately drive standards up across the whole industry – even when the food isn’t being ordered via us.

While it is currently not compulsory for restaurants and takeaways to display their Food Hygiene Rating online, a Just Eat spokesman said the new initiative provided peace of mind for customers and incentivized

“Our customers ordered more than 120 million meals via Just Eat last year and they deserve to have as much information as possible before making their food decisions.”

assets ahead of new openings. With consumer footfall and spend likely to be flat at best, and such intense competition for loyalty, all operators will need to keep their offer resolutely focused on the fundamentals of hospitality and the needs of guests.”

Ben Hood, CEO of Fourth, said: “It’s fascinating to see something of a confidence gap emerging in the outlooks of operators from different types of businesses, which is clearly a product of the extremely challenging conditions buffeting some parts of hospitality. What is also resoundingly clear from industry leaders is a razor-sharp focus on labour productivity, no matter what type of business they lead.

“The research graphically illustrates what we know from our many working partnerships with hospitality businesses: productivity and delivering efficiency gains is ‘mission critical’ for hospitality businesses in this market, and there is clear momentum in this area, with operators harnessing technology to drive efficiencies and defend profitability.”

Get Cracking for British Egg Week – 7-13 October British Lion eggs is calling on UK food businesses to get cracking and make plans for British Egg Week, which is running from 7-13 October with a Protein Power theme.

A well-established date on the foodie calendar, it provides retailers, caterers, wholesalers and manufacturers with the opportunity to boost their egg sales and capitalise on the continued popularity of eggs. Retail egg sales grew by 4% YOY in 2018, the equivalent of around 240 million extra eggs.

“Millennials are driving the growth of eggs as more and more are won over by their nutritional benefits and versatility. The protein in eggs is one of the most motivating benefits for young professionals and families, which is why we are focusing on Protein Power as our British Egg Week theme,” says Andrew Joret, Chairman of the British Egg Industry Council.

The trade can drive awareness of their egg offering with product displays, recipes, promotions, meal-deals, special menus and events.

“British Lion eggs will be supporting British Egg Week with social media content and promotions, including a challenge to see if it’s possible to break an eggshell holding it top to bottom, which is apparently impossible,” adds Andrew Joret.

Football and Music Disputes Continue To Dominate UK High Court Football and music bodies continue to be the most active users of the UK High Court, as they crack down on businesses breaching copyright law, shows new research from RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.

The organisation that brought the most claims to the High Court last year was the Football Association Premier League in first place, with 36 claims (year to March 31 2019). The Performing Rights Society brought the second highest number of claims, with 25. Sky PLC (which launched 8 claims) and Phonographic Performance Limited (6 claims), a music licensing company, were the fifth and seventh most frequent claimants in the High Court.

Many of the claims brought by these businesses are cases brought against owners of pubs, bars and restaurant businesses. The pubs and bars who faced these court cases are alleged to have shown football matches or played recorded music without full permission to do so, sometimes using internet-based illegal streaming plat-

forms to avoid paying a subscription fee to official providers.

In January this year three business owners were jailed for providing illegal streaming access to Premier League football matches to over 1,000 pubs, bars and homes in England and Wales.

Paul Joseph, Partner at RPC, says: “Football authorities have made a concerted public effort to let illegal streamers know that they are on their case. They will hope that those considering breaching copyright law will think twice before doing so.”

“Rights holders will continue to use court action as a way of shutting out businesses who ‘steal’ their product for as long as is necessary. However, they will now hope that internet providers help them.”

“The internet created huge, almost existential, challenges to business models of owners of music, films and other content so it’s not surprising that rights owners

and bodies that represent them do all they can to protect their businesses.”

• Queensbury Boxing, which obtained a court order requiring BT to block illegal streams of five boxing events, including RPC says that rights holders are now using more pow- Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury in December 2018 • UEFA, which obtained a court order requiring BT to block erful ‘live blocking orders’ to prevent people viewing illegal streams of UEFA football matches during the their content illegally. In July 2017 the Premier League 2018/19 season. received a High Court order requiring internet service Ben Mark, Partner at RPC, adds: “The responsibility of providers to use live blocking to shut down illegal combatting illegal streaming is changing hands – the streams of its matches – 200,000 illegal streams of its onus increasingly lies with internet providers, who have content were blocked over the 2017/18 season. been ordered to stop streams at their source.”

Following its success, the Premier League obtained an extension to the High Court order for the 18/19 sea“It could be that the success of the Premier League’s son. live blocking order opens the floodgates for other rights As a result, more rights holders are now using similar Court orders to help them protect copyright. For example: • Matchroom Boxing, which used a live blocking order to require internet service providers to block illegal streams of bouts, such as Anthony Joshua v Alexander Povetkin in 2018

holders to use the same tactic.”

RPC adds that broadcasters paid £5.13bn for the rights to show Premier League football this year. Rights holders are therefore eager to ensure they are bringing in as much revenue as possible by stamping out those who use their services without paying for them.

Products and Services

Is Your Business HACCP Compliant?

Good food hygiene is as important now as ever, especially in an ever increasing litigious society. The consequences of non-hygienic food practises can be devastating, both financially and for public relations.

To help businesses meet HACCP and the strict hygiene standards demanded today, Hillbrush, who specialise in manufacturing hygienic cleaning tools for the hotel, restaurant and catering industry, have produced a range of cleaning products that are manufactured using quality materials in a way that will meet anyone’s budget.

Their new Foodservice range offers the following key features and benefits:

segregation and reduce the risk of cross contamination • Available in 5 colours • Lightweight yet durable construction • Made using FDA/EU food contact approved materials •Specifically designed to meet the needs of hotel, restaurant and catering establishments • Own branding available, subject to minimum order stipulations • Affordable, Brandable, Compliant.

For more information: Visit our website at hillbrush.com/foodservice, call us on +44 (0)17 4786 0494 or email us at info@hillbrush.com or see the advert on page 17.

• Colour coded to support workplace

Ensure You're Prepared for the Summer with eCatering

eCatering, one of the UK’s lowest price Online Catering Equipment Supplier, is re-stocking at an unprecedented rate in June and July due to the recent change in weather eCatering has been enjoying a bumper year so far which has just got even busier with the recent upturn in weather. The online catering equipment giant are already outselling last year and are already restocking items such as their low-priced bottle coolers and refrigerators due to a massive increase in demand.

Mike Morris, eCatering’s Marketing Manager, said recently: “There has been a huge demand recently for our wide range of low cost commercial coolers, chillers, refrigerators, ice cream freezers and displays and stocks that usually last a few months are running low in a few weeks. Whilst this is amazing for us

it does mean we are re-stocking at an unprecedented rate in 2019 but that just means more choice and more stock for our customers to enjoy and helps improve our efficiency in getting these out quicker to customers.”

It’s certainly true that eCatering already keeps up with demand very efficiently and provides customers with amazing products at low prices. They have also recently expanded their options on many product ranges to ensure that customers also have a wider choice.

To find out more about this exciting and innovative company and see their incredible product ranges and savings, visit their website at www.ecatering.co.uk today or call 01539 234 350.

See the advert on page 15 for all the latest offers.

iMettos Commercial Catering Equipment iMettos Limited is aiming to bring changes to your catering equipment with a range of high quality products and greater prices. Our products are famous on the latest technology design, durable construction, ensuring maximum customer satisfaction and reliability. iMettos catering equipment will be a lead player in running a successful pub, restaurant, hotel and contract catering company/business, iMettos offers a huge range of cooking equipment, kitchen equipment, barware, stainless furniture and warming appliances to ensure your business runs smoothly and efficiently.

Our expert technical team designs and develops our products and brand with professional product knowledge and long standing experience. In the manufacturing process we put special attention on using only top class materials and make the latest technologies avail-

able for our production.

All iMettos product are covered with a Manufacturers 2 Years Parts and Labour Warranty back to base.

DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE TO ALL NEW CUSTOMERS

Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. www.imettos.co.uk E-Mail: sales@imettos.co.uk Tel: 01908 083636 or see the advert on page 4.

CK Direct ReCirc™ is Meeting Industry Demand For Less Retrofitted Equipment In Commercial Kitchens The demand for recirculation units is a growing trend, as more unusual and restricted spaces are being optimised by catering business owners. Recirculating will allow such kitchen professionals to take advantage of existing spaces without the high cost and practical implications that would apply to retrofitting permanent equipment like exhaust hood fans and ductwork, which filter airborne grease and smoke out into the atmosphere.

CK Direct’s series of Recirc™ units are self-contained kitchen ventilation systems with environmental design considerations that also eliminate major risks to the kitchen, such as ductwork fire hazards.

Multiple stages of inventive filtration within the units remove grease, particulate, smoke and odour before reintroducing clean air to the kitchen - Therefore the units need no direct duct connection to the atmosphere.

Each Recirc™ unit’s advanced technology and air purification system will make them appropriate for any commercial kitchen application and they’re compact enough for tight openings and kitchens that have been fitted in the most unusual spaces.

With 4 stages of filtration and the added value of fitted Frank Cascade™ high efficiency grease filters to the extract hood, CK Direct Recirc™ will ensure that a clean, fire safe and environmentally-friendly appliance is

installed and that it ticks all of the health and safety standard boxes.

In order to offer a greater choice of electrical cooking equipment, CK Direct ReCirc™ units are available in 8 standard sizes but units are also available within bespoke size requirements, including Island Canopies.

The importance of having the capacity and capability for bespoke manufactured units for size-specific requirements is crucial in being able to offer that flexibility the modern kitchen often needs.

The four stages of filtration for the standard CK Direct Recirc™ and Recirc™ ECO units start with a high-efficiency baffle-type grease filter unit mounted in front of the second set of filters. It then goes through a G4 pleated panel filter, HEPA filter and finally a Carbon Filter, effectively removing grease, particulate, smoke and odour in a safe manner.

CK Direct not only design and manufacture commercial kitchen equipment but they also consult on best-use of kitchen spaces, specify the equipment that will get your kitchen running efficiently and safely, whilst also saving you money with its innovations, such as the newly launched Recirc™ series.

Call CK Direct on +44(0)1733 302704 or visit www.ckdirect.co.uk or see the advert on the back cover.

Quality First with Proper by SCT

July 2019

CLH News

19

With so many products on the market today, it takes bar snacks of great substance, taste and quality to emerge triumphant. SCT & SCT establishes itself as the clear leader of its field, by combining all of these and more. Its ‘Proper by SCT’ range offers a selection of Proper Pork Crackling, Fabulous Fudge and Delectable Nuts.

Nuts make a fabulous edition to any pub or bar offring; with a range of nuts on offer, picking the best ones for your establishment is key.

Look no further for the perfect pork scratching with SCT & SCT's Proper Pork Crackling, including favourite flavours Extreme Naga Chilli, Sage and Onion, and of

course, the Classic Salted.

SCT’s range of Delectable Nuts have something for everyone in this stand out range. They offer nuts including walnuts, almonds, peanuts and everyone’s pub favourite, cashews.

SCT's Fabulous Fudge is a firm favourite up and down the country. This sugary snack is gluten free and perfect for a family-focused offering. Flavours include Belgian Choc, Ginger and Sea Salt and Caramel.

Call 01202 875280, email info@sct-sct.com or trade@sct-sct.com or see the advert on page 3.

The humble tea bag has been around forever. Most people encounter them every single day and it would never occur to them that the design could be drastically improved.

The founder was frustrated by the way that it’s nighon impossible to use a tea bag without a teaspoon, and even then it’s tricky to avoid drippage.

Finding unique products to show and sell into your client base can be challenging. The company have recreated the humble Tea Bag into something amazing. In fact, they won the 2017 World Beverage Innovation Awards and great taste award in 2018. They've packaged up Tea Sticks (yes…

not bags), into 10 amazing flavours all colour coded and immaculately presented to deliver a refreshing and visually stunning display; a prelude to the amazing aromas and flavours they contain. The product consists of a foil tube encasing loose tea leaves that infuses when stirred in hot water. Due to its straw-like shape, it effectively acts as container and strainer, all in one. The product outstrips the traditional tea bag for convenience too, as it’s much easier to use when you’re making your cuppa with no spoon, no drips and no mess, well almost!

If you’re looking for a product that stands out from the crowd that gives you another fresh and vibrant approach to your clients and customers these T-Sticks are perfect for your business. The end result is a perfect blend of passion and innovation, creating a high-quality experience for consumers and less mess for staff.

For further information visit T-sticks.co.uk or see the advert on page 4.

T-Sticks of London

Taking The Work Out Of Workwear!

So, you need personalised clothing but where do you begin? Most searches would start online where you can find a plethora of organisations, all offering customised clothing at similar prices. It’s all straightforward until you start asking yourself questions about the quality of the product and how your customisation will look on the garment itself. Online ordering is fast and simple for sure, but emailed proofs in PDF format can often make the artwork appear a slightly different colour to what it will look like on the finished product.

Axent Embroidery has been around since 1982 and has established itself as a leading supplier of promotional clothing in the Dorset area. Priding itself on exceptional levels of customer service and getting it right first time, Axent has managed to maintain its personal service even in today’s fastpaced world. The company

remains very competitive with a comprehensive website of top-quality products, but also offers the opportunity for clients to visit their showroom in Poole, where they can see their items being embroidered by the highlyskilled machinists and discuss any specific requirements that may arise.

Proofing disappointments are avoided by all customers with a new logo set-up receiving an embroidered version of their logo for checking. Long-standing relationships with leading garment suppliers around the globe ensure that only the best quality products are sourced and available at very competitive prices.

Not resting on its laurels, Axent constantly strives to improve its service and welcomes all customer feedback and requests. To find out more about the organisation or to look at the extensive clothing range, visit www.axentembroidery.com or call 01202 697770 to speak with Tom and his team.

See the advert on page 11.

Grey Simmonds Food Service Equipment As a leading design house specialising in the design, production and installation of commercial bars and kitchens, Grey Simmonds Food Service Equipment have worked with a variety of clients ranging from small cafe restaurants to large pub and hotel chains.

The company’s CAD manager Oliver Hardwicke says ‘Every single project we undertake is unique.

Whether it be a small cocktail bar or a large scale restaurant kitchen refurb our job is to create bespoke, functional and cost effective catering spaces.’

through from start to finish including site survey, preliminary sketches, CAD drawings, Design and budget approval, equipment sourcing and final installation. This means our clients have one point of contact for the entirety of the job making each stage as seamless as possible.’

Whilst Grey Simmonds Food

‘Our company credo is ‘Consult, Design, Install’. We see each project

Service Equipment are experts at commercial warewashing solutions, they also supply the leading brands of commercial catering equipment, from cookers to refrigeration and everything in between at a competitive price. They can source bespoke and specialist equipment to ensure you find the perfect product for your kitchen or bar.

The company has a vast portfolio of successful installations from the smallest glasswash station to full commercial kitchens. You can see examples of their case studies at www.gsfoodservice.co.uk See the advert on page 8 for further information.

Hotelier’s Need To Grab Their Caffeine Fix With the coffee culture showing no signs of slowing down and a greater demand for premium product as consumers develop a more discerning coffee palette, Roger Heap from Swiss owned Jura says hoteliers should be serving quality coffee.

JURA manufactures premium, Swiss-made bean-to-cup coffee machines that are ideal for commercial use – producing from 50, up to 200 cups per day. The JURA WE8 is perfect for a small hotel offering as it’s capable of producing around 35 speciality

coffees per day.

This machine features 12 programmable specialities, from a latte macchiato to a flat white. It also has a 3l water tank capacity and a 500g bean container capacity with an aroma preservation cover. For optimum convenience, the WE8 is compatible with the JURA Coffee App, so you can control it wirelessly via Bluetooth.

For more information, please visit uk.jura.com, P: 01282 868266, E: service@uk.jura.com or see the advert on page 11.

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Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier

July 2019

‘Delivered-In’ Food Could Replace Hotel Room Service as Consumer Demand for In-Room Takeaways Soars combination of personal preferences, quality and cost, with 48% of consumers saying they find hotel food unappealing and 35% arguing that hotel food is too expensive.

Industry thought-leader, EP Business in Hospitality (www.epinsights.co.uk) has jointly hosted a topical business forum made up of world-class hoteliers, with HGEM (guest experience management firm), to question the idea that the delivered-in food model could actually replace hotel room service in the near future.

This comes in line with a growing trend of millennial hotel guests snubbing hotel food and wanting to ‘order in’ their favourite takeaway brands and have them delivered direct to their room.

In a lively debate that raised a number of thought provoking questions, leaders from the hotel industry listened to new research from HEGM ‘s latest consumer survey, which revealed that two thirds (66%) of hotel guests had used a delivery service to order food to their room. In fact, 71% of guests aged between 26 and 35 years say they order-in food while staying in a hotel. This is due to a

The debate, which led to a heated discussion on whether hotels should embrace the offer of collaborating with external food delivery brands or risk causing embarrassment to their customer, was led by Alberto Lo Bue, Head of Business for Deliveroo and Paul Fitzgerald, Director for Bespoke Hotels.

Chris Sheppardson, CEO at EP Business in Hospitality, who jointly hosted the debate commented: “This is a fascinating topic and one that has left many wondering if hotels will adjust and raise the bar of what is offered to their customers while looking at new ways to increase their profit lines.

The general consensus was that this is a fast-paced evolution that is becoming an accepted norm today. It’s a growing trend that won’t go away, in fact one of the attendees recounted how they will often ‘order in’ food in a fivestar London hotel and walk downstairs in their pyjamas to collect the food, almost to make a point to the hotel of the need to diversify their services or lose their future custom.”

Opportunities For New Independent Operators year, as many continue to report falling or marginal like for likes. Christie & Co predicts at least one CVA will fail where the business cannot be turned around by the end of the CVA period, in a case similar to Jamie’s Italian.

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co provides an overview of the restaurant market in the first half of 2019, reflecting on previous predictions, emerging trends and challenges facing the sector.

Christie & Co’s Business Outlook 2019 report anticipated further casualties of high street restaurant brands in the first half of 2019 and growth in the number of independent and multisite operators as landlords sought alternative tenants. Christie & Co also predicted that competition in the delivery market would heat up with increasing benefits for restaurants.

MARKET OVERVIEW At least three larger corporate operators resorted to Company Voluntary Arrangements (CVAs) in the first half of 2019, as predicted.

Patisserie Valerie was the biggest headline name to fall, but for reasons beyond a downturn in its fortunes on the high street which forced it into administration. In March, Boparan Restaurant Group (BRG) sought to close 27 of its Giraffe and Ed’s Easy Diner branded restaurants. Most recently, Jamie’s Italian has gone into administration after failing to turn the business around following the CVA process in 2018. The process is being handled by KPMG, who have instructed Christie & Co to swiftly secure buyers for the 20 closed restaurants.

The failure of many household names on the high street continues, as House of Fraser continues to close stores and stalwarts such as M&S and Boots have now also listed closures on the high street over the next two years. More operators are expected to turn to CVAs or fall into administration throughout the remainder of the

As a result, landlords have sought alternative tenants, exploring the available options to offer greater variety in order to attract customers back to the retail high street and shopping centres. Simultaneously, consumers have shown some signs of tightening their belts and restaurant operators are having to restructure their offer accordingly, for example by introducing an all-day offering or adopting a more casual approach to the dining experience, such as restricted table service or part self-service.

Both newcomers and established operators have found new opportunities within the market.

Loungers, Franco Manca and Mowgli have committed to further expansion, taking advantage of stressed landlords. The fastest expanding brand in the market is M&B’s steak offering, Miller & Carter, which surpassed 100 sites in 2018 and has its sights set on expanding to 150, targeting both large pubs and retail space. New concepts, such as street food markets, pop ups and box parks, have also adopted a strong position in the current market, as consumers seek an authentic and interesting offering. Current big players include Boxpark, Market Halls and Time Out, all of which are currently planning new openings across the UK and Europe.

As Christie & Co anticipated at the start of the year, technology driven sectors such as delivery services and ‘Grab & Go’ continue to find new successes, as competition in the delivery market heats up with increasing benefits for restaurants.

Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat continue to compete for market share. Undercutting Deliveroo, Uber Eats is competing with Just Eat as an ordering platform where the outlet delivers. Just Eat is teaming up with Domino’s Pizza to employ delivery drivers. Despite debate surrounding the benefit of delivery services to restaurants, who have to pay around 30% of the sale, the aggressive drive of the three largest ordering platforms will hopefully bring down

costs for operators.

Challenges for operators in the sector continue to revolve around rents, rates and wages.

Landlords have started to soften rents at review and have become more accepting of monthly rents or even holiday periods over quarterly rents. Following the 2018 Autumn Budget, small businesses with a rateable value of under £51,000 have experienced some rate relief, but many branded chains, especially those in city centres, do not qualify and therefore have not had any benefit. With little scope to increase menu prices in order to mitigate wage increases, many operators have turned to changing shift rotas, reducing staff numbers or cutting back hours.

BREXIT A lack of clarity ensues alongside the postponement of Brexit. Fluctuations in the pound will remain a concern for the sector over the next few months as the price of imported goods increases, however operators have been inspired to turn towards UK alternatives and better menu creation in an effort to mitigate increasing costs.

Simon Chaplin, Senior Director – Corporate Pubs and Restaurants at Christie & Co comments, “Secondary high streets are beginning to suffer as mid-market casual dining operators retreat back to the safety of major cities and towns, following a period of expansion from 2014 to 2017. There is still growth and opportunity for operators at either end of the market.

Ivy, Miller & Carter and others are expanding to create quality dining experiences, whilst local operators and street food vendors are finding good demand with casual, informal food offers.

“Pubs are also entering the market, increasingly introducing high quality food offers, and it’s no surprise that 12 of the top 100 UK restaurants are actually pubs. It’s an exciting time for the market, despite challenges, and we look forward to seeing the sector continue to adapt and evolve over the coming months.”

Christie & Co will publish its Business Outlook 2020 report, presenting an annual overview and a forecast of the year ahead for all its sectors, including Restaurants, in January 2020.

British Frozen Foods Federation Awards 2019 Frozen Food Industry Recognises Pioneering Products Of 2019 with its headed and gutted coated whitebait, which is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified.

The BFFF competition received entries from across the industry with the overall winners being selected from categories across both retail and foodservices, including Best New Ethnic or World Cuisine Product, Best New Bakery Product, Best New Starter Product, as well as special awards for innovation.

The retail awards are unique in that the winners are judged by panels of independent consumers from across the UK who mark the products for appearance, taste, innovation, packaging, preparation instructions, likelihood of purchase and value for money.

The winning products in all retail categories received high praise from the judges, with Aldi’s mince pie and brandy butter ice-cream – which picked up the Gold Award for Best New Ice Cream – described as ‘perfection’ and ‘a must-have for Christmas’.

The best new frozen food products in both retail and foodservice have been recognised at a glittering awards ceremony in London.

The annual British Frozen Food Federation’s (BFFF) Product Awards showcase the finest innovations and product excellence across the frozen category, culminating in an awards event and Gala Dinner Dance at the Park Lane London Hilton on June 13th.

Paramount 21 Ltd took home the Foodservice Product of the Year

Strong Roots Food Company made such an impact with its broccoli and purple carrot bites it was honoured with the Special Award for Innovation within retail, with one judge saying: “Loved everything about this product.”

Meanwhile in the foodservice awards, the Gold Award for Best New Ingredient, Component, Accompaniment Product went to Patchwork Foods Ltd for its bacon jam. The same product also picked up the Special Award for Innovation. Praised for its ‘unique flavour’ and ‘strong, balanced bacon taste’, the judges were impressed by its versatility as a

Pacific West Foods Celebrate Two BFFF Awards Pacific West Foods celebrated at the glittering BFFF awards ceremony, taking home two awards for their creative seafood. The Crispy Calamari and Cheese Bites were awarded bronze in the Best New Starter Product category; these individual seafood bites deliver a terrific flavour and a crispy bite, as stunning visually on the plate as they are to eat!

The second award was for the Tempura Crispy Battered Tropical Snapper, receiving a bronze in the Best New Fish Product category.

These light and crispy tempura fillets work brilliantly as a starter or as part of a sharing platter, bringing a touch of the exotic to pub and restaurant menus, for the more adventurous diner.

Pacific West has been at the forefront of quality and innovation in

savoury accompaniment.

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

Richard Harrow, BFFF chief executive, said: “This is my first awards event as chief executive and I am incredibly proud of the hard work and creativity demonstrated by all the entrants and the BFFF team. The impressive innovation happening across frozen is incredibly encouraging, especially considering the important role the sector has to play as we look towards a future of increased value for the consumer and decreased food waste for us all.

He added: “Our Product Awards are testimony to the dynamism and development within the frozen category. Standards were exceptionally high, showcasing the very best in new product development and innovation. I’ve been really encouraged by the number of businesses and brands putting their products forward, which speaks volumes about the confidence they have in their offering, as well as the future of frozen.

“We are looking forward to being able to further recognise and reward the people behind the products with the upcoming BFFF People Awards, entries for which open later this summer.”

For more information about the BFFF Product Awards, please visit www.bfffproductawards.co.uk

frozen seafood for the last two decades. With total commitment to creative product devolvement and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, it has grown to become one of the largest global seafood suppliers of raw and value-added seafood.

The demand for exciting seafood choices continues to grow across the Foodservice and Retail sectors with consumers keen to explore flavour trends and daring to try something different!

Martin Finegan at Pacific West said of the awards “The continued investment in our new product innovation has been recognised with these two prestigious awards from the BFFF. We will continue to create market leading, innovative seafood to help our customers stay ahead of trends and meet the growing pescatarian and flexitarian demand.”

To find out more, get in touch www.pacificwestfoods.co.uk or email enquiry@paccificwestfoods.co.uk

British Frozen Foods Federation Awards 2019 July 2019

Caterforce Have Great Success at BFFF Product Awards

Leading foodservice buying group, Caterforce, had great success at BFFF Product Awards where they won a silver award for their own-brand Chefs’ Selections American Battered Chicken Fillet.

There are currently just over 350 products in the Chefs’ Selections range, and they are adding to it all the time. Chefs’ Selections is a major focus for Caterforce, and they are passionate about delivering the right product for their customers.

“We’re extremely product to have received a silver award for our American Battered Chicken Fillet,” says Gary Mullineux, Caterforce Buying Director.

“These awards are renowned in the frozen food industry and we’re delighted that the judges recognised this great quality product from our range.”

Gary added: “Chefs’ Selections has gone from strength to strength since its inception and is a key area of focus for us this year.

The range provides good quality, cost effective alternatives to more expensive everyday industry food products. We have spent significant time and resource developing and improving the products including extensive taste testing, enhanced technical support, benchmarking and regular quality assurance

It was important for us to use MSC Haddock to carry on our work in promoting sustainability wherever possible. Lemon and Pepper is a classic flavour profile which we thought perfectly complemented this beautiful Haddock. The product has a citrusy zing and a cracked

F122506 Beetroot, Red Pepper & Quinoa Burger.

reviews. The existing products and upcoming ranges are available exclusively through our members.”

The award-winning range has been a huge success since its launch in 2012 and has grown into a £50m+ brand.

View the Caterforce Group's ranges at www.caterforce.co.uk or visit 01625 440 188

black pepper breadcrumb, which gives the goujon its premium appearance.

This goujon is extremely versatile, as it can be used in a starter or sharing platter, or in a wrap as a ‘posh’ fish finger sandwich. Because of this it works in all arenas, for example pubs, cafés, care homes and schools.

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01472 267558 or visit www.havelokltd.co.uk

Product Innovation Ensures Bidfood Lead The Way The Bidfood team has yet again demonstrated that we’re leading the way in foodservice product innovation by celebrating four award wins across three categories in this year’s BFFF product awards.

Additional wins in 2019 included a gold award for our Premium Selection Jewelled Carrot cake in ‘best new bakery product’ and a further silver award followed for our Everyday Favourites Gluten Free Carrot Loaf Cake in the ‘best new free-from, meat-free or vegetable based product’ category.

Success for Brakes in the BFFF Awards GOLD in the Free From, Meat Free, Vegetable category

We cannot wait for next year’s awards to showcase even more of our ever-growing portfolio of development.

Having won gold in the ‘best new dessert and ice cream product’ category in 2016 and 2018 respectively, Bidfood is fast becoming known as the go-to choice for dessert menu inspiration. We were therefore delighted to be awarded a gold for our Premium Selection Salted Caramel Figgy Pudding and a bronze for our Premium Selection Triple Chocolate Calypso Mousse in the same category this year.

21

We were delighted with our 4 BFFF Awards, for our SILVER in the Dessert, Ice Cream, products to be judged and recognised by members of Confectionary category the Craft Guild of Chefs is a real honour.

F123056 Brakes Chocolate Soufflé The winning product lines were: Insight told us that there was a lack of patisserie

Lemon and Pepper Haddock Goujons

At Havelok Ltd we are proud to announce that our Lemon and Pepper Haddock Goujons has won a silver BFFF award for ‘Best New Starter.’ It is great to receive the recognition for our constant commitment to development.

CLH News

Andy Small, Campaign & Brand Controller at Bidfood said, "Our mission is to deliver service excellence and help our customers to grow, and we do this through providing product inspiration that will have appeal across a wide range of foodservice channels.

"Through our portfolio of Bidfood Brands, which includes Farmstead meat, Black+White Coffee Co., Unity Wines, Beers and Spirits, Catering Supplies and Equipment to name a few, along with the our cross-category brands under Premium Selection and Everyday Favourites, we are always striving to ensure we can offer our customers great choice, quality, value for money and consistency, whilst also tapping into key market insights to ensure we’re always ahead of trends in our product developments.

"I’m delighted that these qualities are being recognised by the BFFF through their product awards, which reinforces these messages and gives customers confidence in the quality of our Bidfood brand ranges."

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01494 555900 or visit www.bidfood.co.uk

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians this panko style burger meets the needs of operators looking to offer a tasty vegan alternative on their menu’s. Simply cook from frozen in 6-7 minutes, this also offers a time and labour-saving option for busy chefs.

SILVER in the Fish category – F123955 M&J Seafood MSC Atlantic Haddock with Soba Noodles & Vegetables in a Miso Sauce.

This is a perfect meal solution for those operators who may struggle with skill levels in the kitchen, allowing them to offer a sustainably sourced fish option on their menu that cooks from frozen in 8-9 minutes.

chefs in the restaurant industry, which is why we developed this soufflé. It comes in a white ceramic ramekin and is suitable for vegetarians.

BRONZE in the Ethnic or World Cuisine category F34360 Brakes Chicken Murgh Makhani.

These individual portions of marinated chicken breast come in a cream and butter sauce with spices such as masala, ginger, fenugreek, coriander and cumin. Coming in a pack of 12 x 300g it allows operators to use as required, therefore minimising any waste.

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01233 206000 or visit www.brake.co.uk

KK Fine Foods Continues Winning Streak KK Fine Foods Ltd has continued its winning streak at the BFFF by taking home an impressive four awards this year, including two Gold awards!

KK Fine Foods’ Lamb, Apricot & Chickpea Tagine was awarded Gold in the ‘Best New Ethnic or World Cuisine Product’ category.

KK’s experienced NPD team are renowned for their innovative world flavours and worked closely with the team at Giraffe World Kitchen to create this delicious and authentic recipe. Inspired by the trending flavours of the Middle East the tagine includes traditional harissa paste for a spicy kick and sweet apricots to balance the flavours. The lamb has been slow cooked for hours using sous vide technology to ensure it’s perfectly tender and succulent, helping to secure the Gold award.

KK’s second Gold of the evening was in the ‘Best New Starter Product’ category for their Mac Cheese Bites.

Created in partnership with JD Wetherpsoon, this indulgent bite has a centre of macaroni pasta in a rich vintage cheddar, Scottish cheddar and mozzarella cheese sauce all coated in a crispy panko style crumb. The rich cheese sauce and crispy coating give this bite depth of flavour and texture, which led

to it receiving the top award in the category.

Inspired by the huge trend of plant based eating, KK worked alongside JD Wetherspoon for another award winning dish; Sweet Potato, Chickpea & Spinach Curry. This delicious curry is not only vegan but also gluten free, making it a perfect free from option for JD Wetherpsoon diners. The flavours in this curry have been inspired by the modern Indian street food trend that is sweeping the UK and secured the dish a Silver award for ‘Best New Ethnic or World Cuisine Product’.

The final award of the evening for KK was a Bronze in the ‘Best New Meat Product’ category for their Beef Lasagne, a classic recipe that has been elevated with smoked streaky bacon and Chianti wine for a rich and flavoursome lasagne.

Managing Director, Samir Edwards said “We had an amazing evening and these awards demonstrate our commitment as a business to continually deliver high quality, innovative and most importantly, great tasting products to our valued customers. This award is a credit to the whole team at KK, who work tirelessly to ensure we create award winning food.

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01244 286200 or visit www.kkfinefoods.co.uk

July 2019

CLH News

Hospitality Technology

22

Are You Cashing-in on the Home Delivery Market?

Comment from Philipp Laqué, Managing Director, Revenue Management Solutions (RMS) The latest figures from global trends they should be capitalising on to drive their share information company, the NPD of this additional revenue.

Group1, state that over the past It is important to maximise online presence and decade, the takeaway and delivery encourage purchases through the use of the tech that’s market in the UK has grown from available. I spoke to Jackie Berg, VP Marketing at US-based £2.4 billion to a huge channel delivery specialist Olo, which works hard to keep brands worth £4.2 billion - an enormous in control of their digital journey. Jackie confirmed that 75% increase. NPD also estimates SEO is crucial. Driving consumers to an operator’s direct this sector will grow a further channels, such as the company website or app, for deliv17% in value over the next two ery is imperative to customer ownership and cutting the years to be worth as much as £5 cost of commission to third parties. This is something Olo billion. If hospitality operators is incredibly passionate about – so much so that they credon’t have a delivery partner and ated an index in the US called the ‘Delivery Search Score’, can’t seduce consumers in, there are some technology

which measures how many online searches for a restaurant’s name plus the word 'delivery', work to direct customers to the restaurant’s own site. Olo found the top 300 US brands were performing at less than 30% of their potential with searches for their own keywords, allowing marketplaces to capture a major share of their delivery traffic. Not a single brand in the US top 300 has unlocked 100% of its potential for delivery discovery.

Current technological innovations in hospitality are being driven by the consumer desire for convenience, which will never stop. This will be further exacerbated by the staggering momentum technology is making in the hospitality and delivery space, meaning operators who want to stay relevant need to be thinking smartly like this to reap the rewards.

For further information about Revenue Management Solutions (RMS), visit www.revenuemanage.com or call 020 3755 0960

5 Great Ways To Send Revenue Soaring With Your Restaurant Management System

by Luis De Souza, CEO of NFS Technology Group Tired of reading about the challenges hospitality is facing?

Me too - so I’ve come up with 5 tips to help your restaurant fight back and grow revenue.

1. Tableside talent 2. Amazing menu design 3. Engage with your customers better 4. Turn satisfied customers into ambassadors 5. Create new revenue streams 1. TABLESIDE TALENT Serving staff using a restaurant management system to take orders at tableside on handheld devices that provide automatic upselling prompts, sending orders direct to the kitchen for fast delivery.

2. AMAZING MENU DESIGN Chefs need to remain within budget, ensure they create food that appeals to diners, and take account of allergens.

Leading restaurant management systems incorporate menudesign tools that spot high-selling dishes, identify trends and track possible allergy risks.

3. ENGAGE WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS BETTER A good restaurant management system means you can monitor your social media reputation so managers are alerted if adverse posts are made.

4. BRING SATISFIED CUSTOMERS BACK Because your system collects useful data, you can offer your diners targeted offers that bring them back again and again.

5. CREATE NEW REVENUE STREAMS Delivery services are allowing restaurants who’ve never offered home delivery to open up new revenue streams, with online ordering enabled by their thanks to the way their restaurant management system. * Find out more – www.nfs-hospitality.com

The Pig at Bridge Place Upgrades with Airwave The Pig at Bridge Place, a red-bricked 29-bedroom Queen Anne Manor House, nestled just outside the historic village of Bridge, a few miles south of Canterbury.

Sitting a jaunty 56minute train ride from Central London, the Pig boasts a convenient location in a stunning building. Period features such as secret stairways, panelled rooms and endless

nooks and crannies hide the building's intriguing secret four decades worth of decadent parties and gigs, including Led Zeppelin amongst others.

With far-reaching views over Kentish fields and meadows, the Pig's bedrooms offer a luxurious respite from the toils and troubles of busy lives. Whilst many of the hotel's bedrooms offer a old-style aesthetic, the remit for each room's entertainment system was a lot more modern in thinking.

Airwave supplied and installed Samsung's HGEE690 series of Hospitality TVs, providing a mixture of 32", 40"

and 43" displays - both desk and wall-mounted depending on the style and size of each room. The HGEE690 series offers a slim, stylish design to complement it's raft of features - including centralised display management, SMART TV services and DLNA / screen-mirroring.

Airwave implemented a free-to-guest Airtime service on each TV, offering guests a portfolio of Hollywood blockbuster content at the click of a button.

Airwave also designed and implemented a Pig hotel welcome screen, creating a branded experience for the hotel's guests.

To find our more about Samsung hospitality TV, Airtime or Airwave's list of products and services, get in touch: 0845 555 1212 or info@airwave.tv or see the advert on page 3.

Samtouch Point of Sale Software Samtouch our ‘On premise’ Point of Sale software solution has been fully developed and painstaking tested alongside brand leading Point of Sale hardware to ensure 100% compatibility, leading to reassuring high levels of reliability required by the hospitality industry.

Our total solution including SAM4S Point of Sale hardware, Samtouch hospitality software along with our cloud based back office solution which is not only very competitively priced but offers all the features required by all sectors of the hospitality industry.

With integration into payment solution provider’s such as Paymentsense, Worldpay and Sagepay you can be assured of fast and accurate card processing as well as securing the best credit and debit card rates available.

A new Point of Sale system can be a daunting change to any business, which can be stressful to your management team as well as staff. That’s why we offer localised installation, training and on-going support throughout the UK. Our professional system provider’s take -away the pain ensuring your initial installation is bespoke to your business using best practice to stream line business operation. Your point of sale solution is a crucial part of your business , so on-going local training & support is crucial to any successful business.

Reader enquiries - Tel: 01924 438238 www.ycr.co.uk

Hospitality Technology EPoS and Merchant Solutions from 3R Telecom 3R offers a wide range of hardware: robust, durable EPoS tills from both countertop to self-service kiosks; accompanied by kitchen screens for chefs; along with tablets for waiters; combined with either integrated countertop payment terminals or wireless payment solutions; and much more!

Coupled with our signature CES Touch EPoS software, which can come accompanied by a non-dependant cloud-based solution, this is the cutting edge in EPoS experience. Touch boasts a wide variety of features such as: a comprehensive table planner for any size establishment; an entirely revised split bill system; extensive stock control; and intensive operator man-

agement and tracking. We at 3R help to promote both multi-site businesses as well as single site users and can provide support when scaling a business to multi-sites.

3R aim to achieve all your requirements and expectations and are more than happy to take on feedback from our valued customers.

3R’s reporting facilities safely stores information regarding your business and can be uniquely tailored to suit your requirements. 3R hold the advantages of providing customers with speed of service, better staff productivity, cost control, stock control, and visibility with operator tracking/ control, and reduced shrinkage.

With mix and match offers, quick meal deals or special offers can be created on the fly. In conjunction with our extensive reporting suite, an increase in profits can be realised almost immediately.

Call on 01992 574 650 or visit www.3rtelecom.co.uk

C.C.R Systems Ltd 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.

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

Our hardware is a choice of top of the

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July 2019

CLH News

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July 2019

CLH News

24

Outdoor Spaces

Your Outdoor Space Can Make You Money Outside areas have huge potential for increasing turnover when the sun is shining. However, you want this area to generate an income for the whole 12 months no matter the weather.

The choice of structures is vast – from high-end rotating louvered roofs to fixed polycarbonate roofs, Jumbo umbrellas to garden gazebos and marquee-style canopies with a clear roof to a lightweight retractable structure. It is entirely up to you what you choose, however we will help you with advice and options to make sure you make the

most of your space. Most of our structures can either be free-standing or fixed to the building for installation flexibility.

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 01480 413050 or email sales@outsidestructures.co.uk

LeisureBench Announce Mid Season Clearance Sale If you hurry, you can grab yourself a bargain in the LeisureBench midseason clearance sale, but only while stocks last.

Many of the products on sale are end of line items and represent excellent value for money. There are bargains to be had across their full stock range of premium quality commercial furniture and as an added bonus you can save up to a further 15% on bulk purchases.

Whatever you are looking for, whether it be Rattan, picnic tables, benches, chairs, tables, dining sets etc. there is sure to be something to

suit your needs.

For example, picnic tables are available in A- Frame, round and walk in styles with prices ranging from £79 plus VAT. There are also an abundance of

Café Culture - Pavement Profit

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

We design and manufacturer our own windbreaks and use the best materials available. For anyone looking long term that saves you money as you won’t be replacing cheap internet imports next season. It’s

chairs in various colours and materials such as polypropylene and retro styles made from electro galvanised rust resistant steel from £27.67 plus VAT each.

Dining sets are on offer in various sizes and materials, including a set made from high quality commercial grade PE Rattan at £299 plus VAT, saving a massive £117 off our normal trade price.

There are bargains galore to be had. Go directly into the commercial special offers page by logging into www.leisurebench.co.uk/ special_offers/business_pages

one area where it doesn’t pay to buy budget as the continual bumps and scrapes outdoor goods receive combined with the harsh British climate really needs something tough enough for the job.

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

Bespoke goods are also a speciality with custom made menu holders, waiter stations and planters all to you requirement.

If we can help you do drop a line to sales@cafeculture.biz

Outdoor Spaces

July 2019

CLH News

Fantastic Shading Solutions from Broadview Dorset shading specialists Broadview recently designed and installed a Sunrain outdoor structure for Bayside Cabin, a beachside café in Gosport, Hampshire.

Having seen a previous Broadview installation for another hospitality business along the South coast, the owners of Bayside Cabin in Stokes Bay approached the Poole-based team for a similar structure that would offer them increased seating, as well as a unique and flexible space that could be hired out for weddings, parties and private functions.

Following an on-site consultation, the Broadview design team recommended a bespoke Sunrain structure to give them the look and feel of a marquee.

Measuring 12 metres x 10 metres and boasting a fully retractable roof that retracts back to a high centre point to give the illusion of a marquee, the space has not only provided increased covers on a daily basis with the option of AL Fresco dining on fine weather days but also a perfect space for weddings and special events.

Integrated LED spotlights with dimmable function were also installed to give the space a bespoke ambience and personality for use during evening celebrations.

The owners of Bayside Cabin are thrilled with their new additional space and the project has become a showcase for Broadview to show other hospitality businesses just what can be achieved with an outdoor structure.

Broadview’s commercial division designs, supplies and installs a wide range of interior and exterior shading, and graphic solutions for commercial clients. Working with a broad range of commercial clients including hotels, pubs, restaurants, cafes, retail outlets, offices and schools, Broadview have built an enviable reputation as being one of the leading bespoke outdoor shading solution providers in the country.

Call today on Tel: 01202 679012 or visit www.broadview.co.uk

The Cinders ‘Classic’ Barbecue The Cinders ‘Classic’ barbecue has exceeded customers’ expectations for decades, due to its unique, patented design. It easily cooks 1000 burgers in one session but being a true workhorse is not its only selling point. Robust, reliable and low-maintenance are just three adjectives to describe a barbecue whose repair costs are typically non-existent over long periods, generating a healthy ROI for many years.

The Cinders ‘Classic’ comes as a sixfoot long double grill (TG160), or a halfsized single grill (SG80), with both running on LPG and offering incredible food output for the price of the energy used. The user-friendly grills are easy-tolight and powerful, getting up to tempera-

ture in around five minutes, to quickly feed a queue or facilitate an impromptu pop-up barbecue if great weather arrives.

Cinders’ production values are impressive - not only offering a warranty for commercial use, unlike cheap imported barbecues, but also built to ISO 9001:2015 standards.

The barbecues have internal self-cleaning too, removing the odious chore of post-barbecue clean-down. The grill merely needs to be left running for a few minutes to burn off residue, which is then brushed away or ejected. Once cool, the Classic can be folded down and easily stored away.

Discover more at www.cindersbarbecues.co.uk or call 01524 262900.

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July 2019

CLH News

26

Design and Refit

Contract Furniture Group Contract Furniture Group has been set up to offer quality contract dining furniture to the hotel, restaurant, pub trades and leisure industries at realistic prices.

supply service; if you send us a picture of an item we will do our up most to supply to you at the best price.

All our furniture is manufactured to the highest standards, we only use hardwood frames which are glued screwed and dowelled for strength. crib5 interliner (if required) sprung seat areas or webbing and top quality Italian leathers and fabrics.

For further information, call 0115 965 9030, visit www.contractfurniture.co.uk or email info@contractfurniture.co.uk

We carry a lot of our range in stock so we can help you to meet your deadlines. We also offer a unique source and

MST Auctioneers Ltd

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

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

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

We act for Insolvency Practitioners, Receivers, Bailiffs and Solicitors as well as large PLCs.

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

We also hold regular Auctions ”On Site” and "On Line"

We are members of The National Association of Auctioneers and Valuers (NAVA).

See advert on this page for further details.

Drakes Bar Furniture - UK Bar Furniture Supplier We pride ourselves in providing the best quality items at great prices with fantastic customer service and can supply bespoke tailored made furniture such as booths, tables, seating or ‘off the peg’ items.

Drakes Bar Furniture not only sell chairs, stools, tables we also design build and install all types of fixed seating, pews and booth seating for pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and clubs.

When fitting out a premise the seating is almost paramount for a successful space. Fixed seating, booth seating or banquette seating as its also called can come in variety of colours, finishes, types and styles.

Below are just a few examples showing what we have done in the past.

With clever planning, seating generates a great flow for customers and staff around a pub, restaurant, cafe or club. It can be used to divide areas, create new spaces in a room and offer intimacy allowing for the perfect social meet up.

The beauty of bespoke fixed seating is that we can make the most of and take advantage of your space and features. We can come to your venue and measure up, give you advice and show you examples of our past work, finishes, types and styles.

We have a wide range of Bar Furniture, including tables, stools, chairs, outdoor beer garden, fixed seating and banqueting furniture.

If you require a bespoke quote either call us on 01422 839 690 or you can send us an email.

Design and Refit

July 2019

CLH News

Sims - The First Port Of Call For Banquette Seating

We are a family run business with 3 generations of commercial furniture manufacturing experience. Unlike other suppliers we manufacture all our seating inhouse, no importing, no subcontracting. We have full control over every aspect from design to installation to ensure every product leaves our workshops punctually and to our reputable high quality.

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.

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.

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

Add High Quality Art to Your Business with Global When considering the refurbishment or presentation of your venue it may be a wise move to look at some pieces of quality art to give a feeling of class and prestige to your business image.

Hotels, offices, restaurants and pubs can benefit aesthetically and financially from investing in quality original art which is both unique and profitable.

GLOBAL ART Acquisitions and Investments Ltd are based above the Antiques centre at the Bridge House Longham BH22 9AN. We have an extensive selection of unique art available for the discerning client with prestigious premises and customers.

GLOBAL ART is also the home of

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

the world’s number 1 reformed art forger BILLY MUMFORD’S collection. Billy put £6 Million pounds worth of forgeries through the major auction houses of the world before spending 2 years at her Majesty’s pleasure in Brixton and Ford prisons.

Art is now the number 1 financial asset and retains it’s value better than other asset classes so that you can appreciate your art as your art appreciates.

Take time to come over and visit us Thursday to Sunday 10 till 4 and see what a fantastic selection of works we can offer, you won’t be disappointed or Telephone James Hartey on 07894555107. 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

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GLOBAL ART For Your Refurbishment

With over 35 years of experience, Global Art Gallery offers artworks by a number of diverse artists and pieces from selected private collections from around the world.

p

p

You won't find lots of prints in expensive frames at Global just lots of original art at realistic prices.

Further information is available from James Hartey on 07894 555107

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CLH News

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Design and Refit

Stylish, Modern, Wholesale Contact Chairs from Regent

Established for many years www.regentchairs.co.uk has become one of the largest independent importers and wholesalers of furniture in the UK supplying the Trade.

Our aim is to provide customers with a comprehensive product range, first class service and outstanding value.

We have had a reputation for introducing ranges of good quality furniture at competitive prices that have become established into the furniture market place and continue to be best products for our customers.

We are continually sourcing new and exclusive designs to join our comprehensive product range.

We have a large warehouse with facility which enables us to carry stocks of furniture this allows us to operate a fast, reliable service.

We have a large purchasing department with many

Europa Furnishings At Europa Furnishings we pride ourselves on our ability to turn whatever you can imagine into reality.

e ot n qu he g w se 4 in ea 22 ond l P H p CL res

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With decades of experience in commercial, contract and speciality upholstery, we always aim to deliver the best for our clients.

Over the years our versatility has been proven as we’ve worked closely with clients from many sectors, including hotels,

product specialists. Every day they search for new trends and designs. They travel regularly to all corners of the globe to investigate, test, and buy new products. www.regentchairs.co.uk also invests a lot of care and time into the quality and packaging of their products. www.regentchairs.co.uk recognise the great importance to a personal approach, which is very much appreciated by our customers. www.regentchairs.co.uk logistics department collects and checks all orders and prepares them for collection. Our entire logistical process is focused on speed, accuracy and punctuality.

With our thorough planning and dedicated, motivated employees, orders are processed in a very short timeframe.

See the advert on this page for further details. restaurants, cruise ships, wine bars, public houses, private hospitals, interior designers, architects, manufacturers of leisure furniture and domestic clients.

We have particularly built up a fine reputation for top-quality commercial seating and chair solutions.

Whatever you require, from a bespoke one-off item to a large commercial project, we have the capacity, experience and ability to produce outstanding results, time and again, so why not get in touch and see how we can help you?

Reader Enquiries: 01489 557460 or 07557 885644 or go to www.europa-ltd.co.uk

Design and Refit

July 2019

CLH News

If Your Staff Can’t Stand The Heat, They’ll Get Out Of The Kitchen, Taking Your Customers With Them!

With record Summer temperatures of up to 40 degrees this year, the UK is experiencing a glorious summer. But, some restauranteurs are about to enter the season of broken air conditioning units and refrigeration systems and, with this, potentially suffer lower customer footfall, unhappy staff, spoiled food and drink stock and profit losses as a result.

As we’ve seen over the weekend, the mercury can rise rapidly causing ambient air temperatures to increase beyond comfortable levels, especially at peak dining periods or in hot kitchens. This puts extreme pressure on air conditioning units and refrigeration systems which, if they haven’t been serviced and maintained, can result in unexpected failures, and unpredictable costs.

Unfortunately, when this occurs to one business, it often happens to many others simultaneously.

“On 26 July last year, temperatures reached their seasonal peak at 35.5 degrees in the UK,” comments Tod Harrison, CEO at Flowrite Services Ltd. “On this day alone, we received 379 emergency callouts to repair broken air conditioning units and refrigeration systems.

This marked an 85% increase compared to the same day the week before.”

Flowrite runs a 24/7 helpdesk, directing a mobile service team of over 100 engineers across the UK, so help is never far away. “Despite this, and although our engineers always want to help ASAP, the reality is there can be a waiting period during the Summer months when demand is incredibly high,” continues Harrison.

With air conditioning now regarded more as a necessity than a luxury, and walk-in fridges/freezers, cellar cool-

ing systems and ice machines being crucial to the restaurant trade, any unexpected equipment downtime can cause frustration of sweltering customers, damage to reputation, unhappy staff, spoiled stock and, ultimately, loss of revenue.

“If they are well maintained, commercial air conditioning units and refrigeration systems rarely fail,” Harrison continues. “The question restauranteurs need to ask themselves is what is the cost to their business when equipment does fail unexpectedly. We are advising our customers to book a Summer Check-Up before things really heat up, as the cost of an emergency callout and resultant repair works - in addition to the potential cost to their business - is always more than any planned maintenance works.”

In addition to preparing for Summer, restauranteurs also need to be aware of the F-Gas regulations and how it will affect their business. Many air conditioning and refrigeration systems use HFC refrigerants, for example R-404A, which have a very high global warming impact if released into the atmosphere. As of 1 January 2020, of most impact to restauranteurs will be the ban on using these in the servicing of air conditioning and refrigeration systems. During a Summer Check-Up, Flowrite can review existing equipment and advise what businesses need to do to be compliant with the F-Gas regulations.

“Many restaurants still have outdated cooling systems in operation, which use gasses that are soon to be banned,” adds Harrison. “Come January, servicing older equipment which use these banned gasses will not be possible. If this is the last Summer your outdated air con units and refrigeration systems are going to be operational and legal, it’s a sensible business decision to update them now to avoid potential emergency callouts and repairs over the Summer on equipment which will have to be replaced in January regardless. Newer equipment is also far more energy efficient, so will actually save you money on running costs too.”

Flowrite can help restauranteurs be ready for what lies ahead with a Summer Check-Up. The service ensures that air conditioning and refrigeration systems are in optimum condition and will withstand the increased demands put on them during the peak Summer months.

For more information or to book a Summer CheckUp, please contact the Flowrite team on 0845 603 4040 enquiries@flowriteservices.co.uk or visit www.flowriteservicesltd.co.uk.

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Property and Professional

32

FOR ACCOUNTING SERVICES

TELEPHONE 020 8673 2255 TAX PAYE

Making Light Work Of The Paperwork: The Development Of E-Invoicing In Hospitality

By Steve Emecz, Chief Revenue Officer, Cloud Trade

VAT ACCOUNTS 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

In business, time is money and nowhere more so than in hospitality. With the drive to ensure the best ingredients (supplies and services) due to ever-changing customer profiles, supply chains are growing and that, unfortunately, means more paperwork. Most businesses have automated their orders to their suppliers – raising a requisition and sending it out. However, according to a recent industry report from CloudTrade only a

little over 20% of invoices are provided by suppliers electronically. The time it takes to get invoice information back into your accounting package so you can reconcile with your orders can add up. As most suppliers will put you on stop if you don’t pay on time, it’s a process that often puts pressure on the accounts team. There is good news on the horizon, however.

In the last couple of years, the use of PDF invoices has rocketed to the point where they have become the industry standard. Over 90% of the suppliers we asked could send an invoice automatically by emailed PDF were able to do so easily.

Whereas ten years ago most attachments that were sent were images - now most PDFs are ‘application generated’ - i.e. an accounting system has created it, and this has the benefit that the raw data sits behind the image ready to be retrieved.

With tools available now to automatically extract and submit the invoice information directly from the PDF data layer with 100% accuracy, document automation is within the grasp of most businesses.

One of the hospitality companies that

has embraced e-invoicing is Fourth - a hospitality software provider. Fourth work with hotel chains like Park Plaza and Sofitel, catering companies like Sodexo and Elior and a host of bar, pub and restaurant groups. Mark Jensen, Business Development Director at Fourth commented: “PDF has become the standard for hospitality suppliers which means easy and rapid supplier adoption, and for the receiver of the invoices the time savings are material” To give you an idea of the big improvements document automation can bring to an accounts payable department; a large NHS Trust in the North of England, with an operating income of nearly £1 billion, had their manual invoice processing times slashed from up to seven days down to an average of one hour for digital invoices. They also saved 70 staff hours per week, freeing up employees to work on other value-added tasks.

There are other benefits beyond time-saving too. By collecting full line-level data from every inbound invoice, you can get great insights into the items that are bought on blanket orders and across locations. Take for example the major

hotel chain whose CFO explained that many of their purchase orders raised were blanket ones - for example for a month’s worth of food supplies for a particular hotel. He commented that by implementing document automation he “finally knew how much of each type of supplies we buy” which has led to fascinating insights and cost savings.

Line level data is also a quite effective anti-fraud tool, to combat invoice padding. Many businesses only match invoices at header/total level so unscrupulous suppliers can add additional line items to make up PO shortfalls. The best document automation solutions include validation rules to catch these things and flag them up.

Overall, e-invoicing and other forms of document automation have a very fast payback as they improve processes, save time and remove error – and with the arrival of the application generated PDF I believe market focuses will drive this as an industry standard.”

Free Review of Your Gas and Electricity Rates from The Bowden Group Alliance The Bowden Group Alliance have, for a number of years, been providing professional impartial purchasing advice on a wide range of supplier areas including Gas and Electricity rates for independent and multiple operators within the Pub, Hotel and Restaurant industries.

The Bowden Group Alliance are offering to undertake an Energy Audit of YOUR business … totally Free of Charge.

To undertake a review we will need a copy of the most recent Gas and Electricity bills so that The Bowden Group Alliance can establish

any existing contractual obligations and termination rules. If the agreement is due for renewal within the next 5 months, the Bowden Group Alliance will provide you with Renewal Rates with the best deals available to you from a wide array of business energy providers.

If, following a review, you wish to proceed to making those savings, The Bowden Group Alliance can, with your written authority, manage the whole process for you … including submitting paperwork, sending termination notices to existing suppliers and confirming

when the new contracts are live. We will also diarise the next renewals … making sure that you never slip onto the very high ‘’out of contract’’ rates.

All the relevant Utility Companies would pay us direct a very small commission … but that is outside the rates you are offered.

For more information contact Mike Crawshaw from The Bowden Group Alliance on 01628 487613.

Visit www.bowdengroup.co.uk

For Sale: Substantial Detached Character Country Village Freehouse Stonesmith are delighted to be marketing the sale of The Redwood Inn, a substantial and deceptively spacious detached country village freehouse with origins reputedly dating back to 1824. Well presented throughout, the property retains much of the original charm and character throughout the public areas. The property briefly comprises of a main bar, lounge bar and restaurant and snug. There is a

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

EXETER, DEVON

EXETER CITY CENTRE

Impressive & Extremely Well Presented Guest House 9 Letting Bedrooms & Owner's Accommodation Trading on a Bed & Breakfast Basis Only Impressive Levels of Trade & Excellent Profits Tremendous Potential For New Owners

Vibrant Well Presented Character Licensed Cafe Bar Trading on Day Time Only Basis Occupying Prime & Prominent Position In Exeter Customer Seating For 32 & Pvt Courtyard for 10 Private Studio & Attic Room

EXETER Well Presented Daytime Only Cafe & Coffee Shop Self Contained 2 Bedroom Owner's Accommodation Located in Busy Neighbourhood Shopping Centre Profitable Business Trading Six Days a Week Tremendous Potential

FH £635,000

LH £39,950

LH £55,000

5998

EAST DEVON Quintessential Thatched Free of Tie Village Inn 4 Ensuite Letting Bedrooms 4 Bedroom Family Sized Owner's Accommodation Dining Areas (50) & Trade Garden (90) Located in Attractive & Popular Devon Village

LH £49,950

4781

EAST DEVON High Quality Licensed Coffee House & Restaurant Prime and Prominent Trading Position Presented in Excellent Order Throughout 2/3 Bedroom Owners' Apartment & Private Parking Main Cafe/Restaurant (40) Al Fresco Seating (8)

LH £99,950

2098

2103

EAST DEVON High Quality Daytime Licensed Cafe & Restaurant Occupying a Prime and Prominent Trading Position Inside Seating For 54 Customers Courtyard Terrace Seating 10 Customers Strong Turnover With Excellent Profits

LH £140,000

2102

2099

EXETER, DEVON Extremely Well Presented Renowned Restaurant Established & High Quality With 48 Covers Occupying Sought After City Centre Location Impressive Levels of Trade & Tremendous Potential Must Be Viewed

LH £59,950

2100

WEST DEVON

SOMERSET

Impressive & Substantial Grade II Listed B&B 6 High Quality Ensuite Letting Suites Superior & Spacious 2 Bed Owner's Accomm Private Customer Car Park Award Winning & Lucrative Business

Detached Character Freehouse In Somerset Completely Renovated & Refurbished Throughout Main Bar (26+), Lounge Bar (12+) & Restaurant (22) 2 Double Bedroom Owner's Accomm Outside Seating Areas for 24+ Customers

FH £845,000

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

5999

FH £395,000

4776

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

fully equipped Commercial Catering Kitchen as well as spacious Owners Accommodation with Sitting Room, 7 Bedrooms (one ensuite), offering potential for letting accommodation. Externally, the property benefits from car parking, a lawned beer garden, skittle alley and store room.

The Redwood Inn is situated in the centre of the small country village of Uplowman located approximately 4 miles north east of Tiverton within easy reach of Junction 27 of the M5 motorway and the North Devon Link Road. The Cathedral and University City of Exeter and Taunton, the County Town of Somerset are both within 20 miles.

The freehold property is on the market for a guide price of £490,000 with offers invited. Full property details are available from the website www.stonesmith.co.uk and viewings arranged by calling 01392 201262.

Four Deals Done By Sprosen Sprosen Commercial have handled 4 very different sales in the past few weeks.

The freehold of the Woolpack Inn, Weston Super Mare was sold to entrepreneur Kerry Kimitri. Following a swift refurbishment, the pub is now performing well ahead of expectations. Another freehold deal was that of The Tavern in the High Street of Melksham (see photo with Sprosen MD Bruce Sprosen and the new owners Sue and Paul Fister). This was a closed site and Sprosen are now helping Paul and Sue to find a new tenant operator.

The EI Pub Partnership lease of The Ridgeway Bar & Kitchen in Newport, South Wales was sold to local operator Tom Musto from an asking price of £85,000. Sprosen also acted for Pete Lumber in the sale of the Whitchurch in Bristol. Pete was selling after over 15 years of successful trading.

In the Sprosen team there’s over 100 years of experience of selling, valuing and advising hospitality business owners.

With offices in Bath and London they are well equipped to provide national coverage. For sale valuations are free and its always “no sale – no fee”.

Sprosen can be contacted on 0333 121 0900, emailed on office@sprosen.com or viewed online at www.sprosen.com

The Anchor Inn, Ely, Cambs on the Market

Downham, close to the cathedral city venue for wedding receptions and family gatherings etc. of Ely. This most impressive establishment Senior Valuer, Geoff Bryan said this has a welcoming traditional bar/dining well established hotel and function area (circa 30), superb venue was rebuilt in 2012 to a high standard including 11 en-suite letting restaurant/function room (circa 70), 11 high standard en-suite letting rooms and since then has built up a loyal and regular trade from the local rooms, residents lift, fully equipped community and surrounding area and commercial kitchen, two section patio area.

Leading National Licensed Property is now recognised as a quality destiPrice: £775,000. Tenure: nation venue. With the added benefit Agents Guy Simmonds have been Freehold.Sales Criteria: £598,396 (Inc. instructed to sell this well-appointed of the quality letting rooms this VAT) year ending March 2019.Trade establishment is highly popular with and successful freehouse, hotel and Split: 35% wet, 30% food, 35% accomthe many visitors for both business restaurant with excellent function modation. and pleasure to the area all year facilities in an enviable and sought round and due to the excellent funcafter central location in the vibrant Contact Guy Simmonds on 01332 rural Cambridgeshire village of Little tion facilities it is also a very popular 865112 for further details.

Property and Professional

July 2019

CLH News

31

New Weekly Figures Analysis & Reporting Service David Hunter has been in the business for over 30 years, and with his vast amount of experience has become an expert in ensuring that businesses reach their full financial potential.

For years he’s provided a bespoke Mentoring & Consultancy service to a select few, and he has always provided with that, free-of-charge weekly figures analysis and reporting … yes, weekly.

David has now come up with a way of making his amazing Mentoring & Consultancy service more accessible to the wider market, and for a lower monthly fee.

Instead of being charged for monthly consultancy, you can now access David’s knowledge and expertise via his alreadyestablished and very well-used weekly figures reporting system. He will send you weekly reports on how your busi-

ness is doing and will throw in FOR NO EXTRA CHARGE AT ALL, four half-day on site Mentoring & Consultancy visits per year (or two full days, depending on location). He will also always be at the end of a phone for you, or email, if you needed him, and he also has access to legal experts as well as a ‘’tried and trusted’’ Bowden Group Alliance colleague who can advise you … again FREE OF CHARGE … on how to save money on your utility bills.

If you have a Pub, Restaurant or Hotel business which is facing financial or operational challenges … why not let David have a look, and help you maximise your full potential. There is no cost to David having a look at your figures, and letting you know what COULD be achieved.

Call David Hunter confidentially on 07831 407984 or on 01628 487613.

The Lamb Inn, Piltdown, East Sussex on the Market Leading National Licensed Property Agents Guy Simmonds have been instructed to sell the highly impressive and traditional freehouse, the Lamb Inn; situated in the highly sought after and affluent location of Piltdown.

This wonderful pub features a welcoming Public Bar (circa 20+), a relaxing Lounge Area (circa 20+) and a versatile and multi-functional Restaurant (circa 30+ covers). The family accommodation briefly com-

prises: 3 bedrooms, lounge, kitchen/diner and a shower room. There is also an additional 1 bedroomed self-contained apartment ideal for staff or letting. There is also a good sized Beer Garden and Patron’s Car Park for circa 60+ cars.

Price: £35,000. Tenure: NEW 10 Year Free of Tie Lease. Rent: £25,000 per annum. Landlord: Private Contact Guy Simmonds on 01332 865112

Is Your Business In Trouble? Are You Having Sleepless Nights?

Do you have serious money problems, are you facing legal threats, are you avoiding the post, your phone and your emails ? We can sort out all your financial and legal problems no matter how severe they are, our success rate is 100%

completely from all the pressure you are facing. We will deal with all your creditors and their litigators allowing you to concentrate on your customers and the business.

We promise to identify effective solutions and options to keep you trading, or if you prefer, a seamless and managed exit with no adverse effects on you for your future plans.

Every problem has an answer! Call us today without delay on 01183 800949 / 07538 161544.

Hotel & Pub Rescue Ltd www.hotelandpubrescue.co.uk enquiries@hotelandpubrescue.co.uk

Let us take control of all your problems and shield you

NR WINCHESTER, HAMPSHIRE LEASEHOLD £20,000 • • • •

BEAUTIFUL DEVON VILLAGE LEASEHOLD NIL PREMUIM

Top quality business recently taking £8,000 per week • Free of tie 17th Century Unopposed Thatched Pub Lovely Trading Area seats 90 plus Function Room & Catering Kitchen • Two Large Bars plus Dining Area and Function Room Fantastic Gardens with BBQ and childrens play area • Three ensuite Letting Rooms and Two Bedroomed Home Three bedroomed owners home • Car Park & Gardens – Brand New Agreement flexible terms

REF 336

REF 330

BRISTOL CITY CENTRE BAR LEASEHOLD £30,000

CENTRAL EXETER LEASEHOLD £275,000

• • • •

• • • •

Free of Tie in great location Refitted Bar seats around 100 plus catering kitchen Plus licensed basement with capacity of 60 Open limited hours at present – great potential

REF 332

Three late night venues with 3.30am license Open four nights a week – Free of Tie With Bar, Basement Nightclub & Gentlemen’s Club £500,000 annual net T/O – Wet Sales and Door Takings only

REF 337

• Emergency rescue & debt management • • Creditor problems & legal actions • • HMRC, utilities & business rates arrears • • Secured & unsecured financing • • Cash-flow funding & Investor finance • • Business & appraisal plans • • Planning consents & redevelopment • Ca ll us • Project management • toda y • Business purchase • witho ut For Hotels, Pubs & Restaurants delay (Leasehold, Freehold, single & multi-unit) www.hotelandpubrescue.co.uk

01183 800949

enquiries@hotelandpubrescue.co.uk

07538 161544