CLH News #253 October/November '23

THE LEADING PUBLICATION FOR THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR & LICENSED TRADE Page 2 Page 22 Page 23 Pages 24-25 Pages 26-31 Pages 32-33 Pages 34-35 Pages 36-37 Pages 38-41 Page 42 Pages 43-45 Page 46 Page 47

Urgent Call for Government Support Amid Rising Number of Pub Closures www.CLHNews.co.uk

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Ahead of the Chancellor’s Autumn statement, leading figures from the hospitality and licensed on-trade sector are once again calling on government support to stem rise in pub closures following a report which revealed that almost as many pubs closed in the first six months of 2023 as closed during the whole of 2022.

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The report, by real estate analysts Altus Group, revealed that up to June this year 383 pubs closed, almost matching the total for the whole of 2022 when 386 were lost.

The study also revealed that London is the hardest hit, with more pubs closing

CLHNews ISSUE 253

Oct/Nov 2023

in London in the first six months of this year than anywhere else in England.

The capital lost 46 watering holes up to the end of June.

During the first three months of 2023, an average of 51 pubs closed every month, which rose to 77 a month between April and June, according to the study.

Wales lost the greatest number of pubs in the UK as a whole with 52 shutting down.

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CLH News

Editor's Viewpoint

Oct/Nov 2023

I am sending a copy of this latest publication to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Keir Starmer and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves!

EDITOR

Peter Adams

I am doing so ahead of the Government’s autumn statement. On our front page we have deliberately led with a report on the rise in pub closures recently announced by property analysts Altus Group, and, a report by the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) which reveals that staggering 50% of our beloved pubs are not turning a profit.

The front-page story also reveals that almost as many pubs closed in the first six months of this year as they did for the whole of last year.

RBC Publishing Ltd 3 Carlton Mount 2 Cranborne Road Bournemouth Dorset BH2 5BR

So am hoping that the above parties will grasp the severity of the situation and take decisive action, as opposed to weasel words we often hear about “how we support our cherished pubs”, while at the same time taxing them into oblivion.

TELEPHONE:

On a personal point I was sad to see two pubs that I am familiar with closed.

sales@catererlicensee.com

One of my favourite watering holes in Birmingham, called The Bulls Head, is still closed. I was deeply disappointed when visiting the city in the year and finding it closed and even more disappointed revisitng this month to see it all boarded up, and neglected.

Add to that, in my home city of Liverpool one of its most famous pubs The Munro has shut its doors. A pub, which in my younger years was one of my favourite haunts. I think everybody in Liverpool has a tale to tell about the famous “Munro”!

The prospect in April 2024 of a huge hike in business rates will fill any operator in the sector with despair. After which the sector is faced with the relentless surge in energy costs, the creeping shadow of inflation, and the spectre of rising interest rates, trapping pubs and other hospitality venues in a merciless cycle of adversity. The result? A sector struggling to stay afloat, with the very essence of our British culture and community hubs at stake.

What exacerbates this situation is the stark contrast to the support provided to other sectors. The government's response, or lack thereof, to the woes of the hospitality and on-trade industry is disheartening, to say the least. It is not a stretch to assert that this sector, which was once the lifeblood of our local communities, is being left to fend for itself.

The Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News Group is published by RBC Publishing Ltd, 3 Carlton Mount, 2 Cranborne Road, Bournemouth, Dorset BH2 5BR. 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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The hospitality industry is the heart of our communities, and it's high time we offer it the support it deserves. Failure to do so risks losing more than just beloved businesses; we risk losing the very essence of British culture and community that our pubs represent.

Please do follow us on Twitter, and encourage as many people you know in the trade to subscribe to our digital issue, further details can be seen at www.catererlicensee.com

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WEBSITE: www.CLHNews.co.uk @CLHNews CLHNews

EDITOR Peter Adams

SALES EXECUTIVES David Bartlett Guy Stephenson

PRODUCTION & DESIGN Matthew Noades

PRODUCTION & WEB ADMIN Charlene Fox Published by

Urgent Call for Government Support Amid Rising Number of Pub Closures Oct/Nov 2023

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

the full potential of our sector.”

Alex Probyn, president of property tax at Altus Group, warned more venues would disappear unless the chancellor extended business rates relief beyond spring 2024.

The BII’s #MyPub campaign has also called on licensees across the country to write to their MPs, asking for their backing for the continuation of the 75% business rates relief seen in England and Wales members, as well as an extension of the same relief to Scottish businesses.

Pubs, as with other eligible hospitality, leisure and retail business currently get a 75% discount off their business rates bills for the 2023/2024 tax year up to a cap of £110,00 per business.

This is set to end on 31 March 2024, while business rates are also set to rise next April in line with September’s headline rate of inflation, which could also add more than 6% to bills next year.

“With energy costs up 80% year-on-year in a low growth, high inflation and high interest rates environment, the last thing pubs need is an average business rates hike of £12,385 next year,” Mr Probyn said.

ONLY HALF OF PUBS MAKING A PROFIT A separate report by the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) revealed that just half of pubs are currently making a profit due to significant cost increases across the industry.

The BII insight which highlights the severe impact of exceptional costs on their businesses over the last few years, revealed that pubs have seen significant cost increases, driven by high inflation, across all areas of their business in additional to inflated and unfair energy prices.

Whilst 2/3 of respondents are reporting trading back to normal levels or seeing a rise in sales over the past year, their fortunes are mixed when it comes to profitability, with only 1 in 2 of these making a profit.

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD Steve Alton, CEO of the British Institute of Innkeeping commented: “Many long-standing, viable and diversified pub businesses are seeing strong sales simply not translate to profit. This is holding back their ability to further grow their businesses through investment in their offer and their teams. The exceptional short-term pressures will abate, and Government must now invest in these essential community businesses to allow them to weather current trading challenges. Announcing an extension to the existing business rates support for at least another year will be a vital lifeline for many. Also levelling the playing field for pub businesses through reducing unfair and disproportionate taxes, focusing on a specific VAT reduction for pubs and hospitality, will be key to unlock

VITAL ROLE Emma McClarkin Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, the organisation that supports the Long Live the Local campaign, said:“These figures don’t just tell the story of the hard times pubs have faced the past few years but indicate what’s to come if the Government fails to extend the business rates relief and implement wider business reform. Since 2020 our pubs have faced a myriad of challenges, from forced closures to an ongoing energy crisis and for many the looming increase in business rates early next year will be the last straw.”

“Our pubs play a vital role in local socio-economic success all over the UK, but they aren’t able to do their very best work because they are under threat from unfair taxation through business rates and VAT, looming duty rises and extreme energy bills that are forcing publicans to make incredibly tough choices. Under the right conditions, our pubs have proven they are resilient, standing strong for centuries, but we really need the Government to lay foundations to ensure pubs can serve their communities now and in the future.”

A stark example of the uncertainty pubs face can be summed up with the plight of Poole Hill Brewery, in Poole Hill, Bournemouth, who have seen electricity bills sharply rising from £600 per month in December 2022 to £2,800 a month. Poole Hill Brewery/pub, which was awarded silver at the International Brewing Awards will also see a business rates increase from £4,179 to £15,818 per year numbers which the brewery’s manager Jennifer Tingay said are “unjust” as sales have not increased to compensate.

PROTECTING PUBS AT RISK A separate campaign has been launched by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in the wake of the Crooked House fire and demolition, to review historical pubs protect those of value that are at risk. In the first six months of 2023, CAMRA identified 21 pubs in England which had been demolished without planning permission.

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As part of their 'List Your Local' campaign, residents are encouraged to submit pubs they believe are of historical significance to the region. A ‘target list’ of suitable heritage pubs has been drawn up which, alongside the public’s recommendations, will be examined on a case-by-case basis to see if and how they can be protected.

CAMRA Chairman Nik Antona said: “If we are to save more of our beloved pubs and social clubs from being lost as community hubs then we desperately need the Chancellor to use the Autumn Statement in November to extend help for licensees with business rates which is due to end in April next year. Governments across the UK also need to reform and replace the deeply unfair business rates systems to give pubs a fighting chance of surviving and thriving.”

“On the back of the Crooked House affair, we are also calling on the Westminster government to strengthen planning laws to make sure councils in England can protect pubs and require them to be converted back to their original use – or rebuilt brick by brick – if they are unlawfully converted or demolished.

“The Government’s plans for High Street Rental Auctions to get high street premises in England back into use also needs to exclude converting high street pubs to other uses.

“The Welsh Government urgently needs to introduce protections for pubs in the planning system where there are currently none so that local people can have a fighting chance of saving their pub from being demolished or converted into the likes of a shop, housing or a take-away.”

PUBS “KEY DRIVERS” A government spokesperson said: "We recognise that pubs are key drivers of local economies, but no national government can control the global factors pushing up the price of energy and other business costs.

"We are supporting hospitality businesses and those in the supply chain across the UK with 50% business rates relief, freezing alcohol duty rates on beer, cider, wine and spirits and reducing employer national insurance.

This is in addition to the billions in grants and loans offered throughout the pandemic."

The BII has written to the Chancellor ahead of the Autumn Statement, taking its members’ voices to the heart of Government to call for further investment in these essential businesses at the heart of their communities.

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CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

New Tipping Legislation: What It Means For Hospitality Businesses With the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Bill having received Royal Assent in May, new legislation is expected to come into force in the spring of next year.

The legal changes come as research from HOSPA and UKHospitality suggests the UK public is very much in favour of tipping – with 81% of people claiming to be regular tippers.

As part of a study into public opinion, which came from a survey of 1,000 UK adults, digging down further found that 82% preferred that any tip goes directly to the person serving them – a statistic which suggests the public is in favour of the general principles of the new legislation; that of 100% of tips going directly to staff.

The research also questioned the preferred methods of tipping – with the overwhelming preference (71%) being to see a tip added separately, while just 17% wanted to see it automatically added as a service charge. 9% of those who responded wanted to see tipping scrapped altogether, while a further 7% felt a tip should be factored into the initial pricing (and not added as a service charge).

With the changes to tipping set to impact businesses operating across the spectrum of hospitality, HOSPA, the Hospitality Professionals Association, has shared what the implications are for hospitality operators, following an industry debate which called on numerous fields of expertise.

From a legal perspective, this legislation has not yet been tested and remains open to interpretation — with the majority of provisions within the act not set to come into force until secondary legislation is established and a code of practice is released. However, following the event, HOSPA has outlined the key implications as to how things currently stand for hospitality operators: • Operators must now pay 100% of money earned through tips to staff — meaning it is illegal to withdraw money earned from tips out of the pockets of hospitality workers, even direct costs to the business such as credit card charges and administrative time.

• It will be the duty of the employer to fairly allocate all tips, gratuities and service charges that are collected amongst workers, employees and agency workers.

• Employers must have a written policy that deals with tips in the workplace to be shared with all employees.

• Employers must keep a record of how every tip has been dealt with — including the tip amount and the amount that’s been allocated to workers. This record must then be maintained for a period of 3 years from the date that the tip was paid.

• Employees and agency staff can bring a new claim to the table during employment tribunals regarding the allocation of tips.

• New information requirements and an information request process means workers can ask for information every three months as to how their employer is fairly allocating tips — which will be a potential new administrative obligation for hospitality businesses.

• It’s taxable. From an employment tax perspective, it's fairly simple: it’s taxable. Whether through self assessment or taxed through a tronc arrangement – although there are national insurance contribution savings to be made through use of a tronc.

Elaborating on the point of taxes while talking at the HOSPA event, Jackie Roberts, Employment Tax Director at BDO, said: “From a tax perspective, businesses need to make sure that firstly the operation of tronc arrangements if they have those in place, are fit for purpose already as HMRC could come in and investigate at any point. This new legislation is going to affect over two million workers who will have access to tips and didn't before — creating a fair playing field. I think it's now, more than ever, about making sure people understand what this all means, ensuring employees, customers and employers are kept abreast with the new legislation.”

When asked how hospitality businesses can best prepare for the new legislation, Charlie Barnes, Head of Employment Law at RSM, said: “It’s about getting ready, essentially. Understanding what you’re doing now, keeping an eye on what's happening with the code of practice and starting to strategise. As part of this, you should start bringing in all those important stakeholders from HR, Payroll, Finance and Tax and just make sure everyone has their views heard and that you always maintain an audit trail. Once the plan is established and an audit trail is kept, it’s then important to effectively communicate this to everyone.”

A public consultation for employers on tipping practices is set for later on this year to help determine a formal Code of Practice that will come into force next year. Once agreed, HOSPA will update its Tips, Gratuities, Service Charges and Troncs guide to help employers make the right decisions.

Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA commented: “In short, 100% of all income from gratuity tips and service charges has to go to the employee. Hospitality businesses must prepare for further change, as with the code of practice pending it remains to be seen how it will emerge definitively. Hopefully though, what comes out will be something that’s more transparent. However, there is concern that the consultation won’t reach as far as operators, and that the final code will fail to take into account their concerns. Additionally, the overarching purpose of the legislation is to encourage employment, so there’s concern that, if agency workers are receiving higher wages as well as tips, this could cause a problem.”

Jane added: “With hospitality businesses across the UK already experiencing serious cost pressures through the rising cost of living and stock, and staff shortage, this bill will be seen by many, especially those who use tips to boost revenue, as another cost pressure — with the threat of tighter guidelines and greater penalties for poor compliance.”

50% Of Millennials Consider Drinking & Dining As Essential Spending-Survey Reveals Hospitality and booking platform, DesignMyNight have announced the results of their annual city survey with this year’s focus putting a spotlight on affordability in the UK. One of the biggest questions posed to their 3.9 million monthly users was ‘has the cost of living crisis affected your spending habits?’ A resounding majority (almost 84%) stated that it has. However, despite this shift, almost 36% of participants still class going out to restaurants and bars as ‘essential spending’.

When broken down further, it was revealed that almost 50% of those who voted ‘yes’ when asked whether they believe drinking and dining is essential were in the 26 to 35 age bracket. This age group interestingly accounted for almost 42% of the votes when asked whether the cost of living crisis had changed their spending habits. It appears that, from the affordability survey, visiting pubs, bars, restaurants and going to events, is more important to millennials than any other age group.

Once again, it’s not been an easy summer for the hospitality industry. Not only has the cost of living crisis made an impact, but there’s also been a large number of train strikes and price increases; plus, the UK experienced the sixth wettest July on record. Despite these factors, people are still willing to part with their

cash when it comes to drinking and dining out. Almost 46% of respondents would happily spend up to £60 on a meal, whilst 73% stated they’d spent between £4 and £6 on their last pint. There were also still 15% of people who’d spent between £7 and £9, with the minority of just 1% stating they had spent more than £10.

When asked what event people would most likely splash the cash on, birthdays came up as the clear winner, with 85% stating they would happily spend more for this occasion. Surprisingly, promotions or getting a new job got 20% of the votes, way more than celebrating a graduation, which only got the nod from 9% of those surveyed.

Katie Kirwan, Head of Brand and B2C at DesignMyNight, said: “The going may be tough right now, but going out remains important to our audience across all price points. While we’ve seen that a demand for affordability is propping up the industry, quality of spending is equally as important, and people aren’t willing to sacrifice their money for the mediocre.

Hospitality’s run of it post-covid has been difficult, but our consumer survey has shown that shared experiences are still there to be catered to, and that with over 50% of millennials seeing drinking and dining as a necessity, a cost of living crisis isn’t going to hold the industry back.”

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September’s Sun Boosts High-with Pubs & Bars Enjoying Positive Growth Oct/Nov 2023

Consumer card spending grew 4.2 per cent year-on-year in September – less than the latest CPIH* inflation rate of 6.3 per cent but higher than August’s growth figure of 2.8 per cent – as the late summer sun boosted in-store spending. MeanwhilCe, the Rugby World Cup drove spending at pubs and bars, yet growth slowed on restaurants and takeaways as Brits begin saving money for the festive period.

Bars, pubs & clubs enjoyed a positive month, rising 6.1 per cent compared to 2.8 per cent last month; likely due to sports fans flocking to watch major sports events such as the Rugby World Cup. Meanwhile, travel, which has been one of the best-performing categories in 2023, continued its double-digit growth (13.2 per cent). Much of this uplift is driven by demand for holidays abroad, with spending on airlines up 31.1 per cent.

Spending on essential items grew 4.6 per cent, considerably higher than last month (1.0 per cent). This was largely due to an upswing in fuel spend (-10.9 per cent versus -20.1 per cent in August) driven by rising petrol and diesel prices, as well as a 7.0 per cent uplift in spending on groceries, which was higher than August’s growth (4.5 per cent).

A SURGE IN “SURGE PRICING”

As shoppers become increasingly cost-conscious, close to half (47 per cent) have noticed more examples of “surge pricing”; where companies raise the prices of products and services during peak times, or when demand is higher.

Of those who have spotted this growing trend, one in three (32 per cent) has seen an increase in the price of food and drink in pubs and bars during peak times, such as evenings, weekends and during major sports events.

While some pubs and bars may be charging more when trade is busier, only one in 12 (8 per cent) consumers say they are willing to pay more to eat and drink out at popular times. Those who are happy to pay “surge prices” are prepared to spend an average of 70p more for a pint of beer and an additional 60p for a glass of wine.

FESTIVE SAVERS REIN IN DISCRETIONARY SPEND Meanwhile, the rising cost-of-living continues to impact spending on restaurants, which saw further decline in September (-10.8 per cent compared to -5.8 per cent in August). This comes as 44 per cent of Brits said they are planning to reduce in discretionary spending over the next couple of months to save money for the upcoming festive period, with eating out

The hotels, all members of Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA), set a goal of raising as much as possible for Bristol Autism Support.

It all happened at Lockleaze Sports Centre and was won by the team from the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel.

The Leonardo Hotel team finished runners-up, with The Bristol in third and De Vere Tortworth Court fourth.

BHA Chair Raphael Herzog said: “The event was a great success and everyone had a great time, especially the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel team, who took first place; congratulations to them.

“We are hoping to have another football tournament in the spring.”

Bristol Autism Support is the BHA’s charity partner for 2023.

Mr Herzog said: “Our decision to partner with Bristol Autism Support was driven by a unanimous desire to encourage change and support for our local communities.”

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at restaurants the most frequently cited cutback (60 per cent).

Seasonal savers are also planning to row back on food deliveries (59 per cent), which may explain why the growth in spending on takeaways and fast food (6.5 per cent) remained flat compared to August (6.4 per cent) and well below H1’s data (consistently above 9 per cent).

One of the reasons for these Autumn savings is that two in five (40 per cent) Brits say they expect that this coming Christmas/festive period will be more expensive than last year. To help spread the cost, a fifth (20 per cent) has started to buy presents already, while 18 per cent have spoken to loved ones to make a mutual agreement to cut back on gift-giving.

Jack Meaning, Chief UK Economist at Barclays, said: “Over the last few months a picture has been building of consumers beginning to pull back on discretionary spending as the cost of living, and monetary tightening from the Bank of England increasingly bite. We’ve seen the warning signs from surveys, and now we see it in the more concrete spending data.

“This suggests the outlook for consumers, and the businesses that rely on them, is weak, even as they finally see their disposable incomes rise faster than inflation. It makes it hard to see anything but a relatively stagnant economy on the horizon.”

Footballing Hoteliers Net Over £500 For Charity Teams from a dozen Bristol hotels netted more than £500 for charity after taking part in a fund-raising football tournament.

CLH News

Bristol Autism Support began as a small pub group in 2012 but has grown into a respected charity with more than 3,000 local families in its network.

It is a peer-to-peer support charity for parents and carers of autistic children, either diagnosed or undiagnosed, in Bristol.

Its goal is to improve outcomes for autistic children by providing their parents/carers with information and timely support while connecting them with other parents and carers, to share experiences, knowledge and provide mutual support with like-minded people.

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CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Should You Have A Customer Loyalty Programme?

By Zsuzsa Kecsmar, Chief Strategy Officer at loyalty enterprise cloud platform Antavo (www.antavo.com) income, they are looking for the best ways to attract new faces and improve customer loyalty with those already frequenting their venue.

freebies to their customers (and vice versa) is a good way to reach a new audience. For example, a bar with no food offering might partner with a nearby restaurant, helping both reach a new audience at a relatively low cost.

So how can technology help hospitality businesses weather the storm and build a thriving community among their customers?

Others, like KFC, have added gamification to their loyalty programmes, rewarding customers for time spent on their app playing online games.

By keeping the brand front-of-mind for customers, KFC has created a successful mini community and supported its own sales.

This is where customer loyalty programmes can slot in. Few hospitality businesses are strangers to loyalty programmes in one form or another.

From the very simple and manual approaches - stamping a loyalty card and offering free drinks, or cashing in 5,000 points for a free extra night - to the highly complex multi-brand coalition systems, loyalty programmes deliver a proven return on investment.

Modern technology supports hospitality businesses in many and varied ways and plays an incredibly important role in helping businesses to thrive. It’s always been important as a business to use the best tools available to you, but this has never been more crucial than it is today.

Hospitality businesses are facing a crunch. The sector lost over 4,600 venues between May 2022 and May 2023; equivalent to a 4.3% reduction.

Pressures abound from all sides - customers are spending less (experiencing financial pressure themselves) while bills have skyrocketed.

As businesses battle over fewer customers with less disposable

USING TECHNOLOGY TO IMPLEMENT LOYALTY PROGRAMMES

In fact, Antavo’s Global Customer Loyalty Report 2023 indicated that companies with a successful loyalty programme generate 4.9 times more revenue than they cost. That same research found that an overwhelming majority of businesses (88.5%) said they trusted their loyalty initiative to help them overcome the inflation crisis.

The great thing about loyalty programmes is that there are off-theshelf options which you can simply plug into your CRM. It’s a good idea to look for a cloud-based SaaS (software as a service) solution rather than something that’s hard wired, as it will generally be cheaper and easier to install.

WHAT TYPE OF LOYALTY PROGRAMME WORKS BEST?

Where the technology gets really interesting is its ability to track customer spending habits and start to personalise offers in order to boost engagement or to reduce the chance of customer churn. It might pick up that a person eats in your restaurant every Sunday - why not show that you acknowledge this loyalty with a free starter or dessert voucher, or an offer to try another day or site for half price?

There are lots of different loyalty programme approaches. Many will take the traditional approach of offering discounts or vouchers in return for spend, but there are plenty of innovative ways to expand loyalty programmes that will help cement your business in customers’ mindsets and create loyal brand fans.

For instance, offering third party rewards is an increasingly popular option. Teaming up with an appropriate partner and offering discounts or

With technology giving you the data to map out how your customers interact with your brand, you can start to establish a personalised loyalty programme - in turn making your customers feel seen and valued, and more likely to return to you in future.

Cardiff Licensees Forum Welcomed Night Time Industries Association And Manchester’s Night Time Economy Advisor To City Sacha Lord, Manchester’s Night Time Economy Advisor and owner of the UK’s biggest nightclub The Warehouse Project, discussed his role and its success with Cardiff’s hospitality leaders.

event, showcasing the immense potential of the UK’s night time industry.

Together, we are paving the way for a vibrant and prosperous future for Wales after dark.”

Cardiff Licensees Forum welcomed some of the UK’s hospitality leaders to the city last month to learn more about the work they are doing to improve the economy after dark, and how Cardiff could benefit from replicating it.

Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Advisor for Greater Manchester, said of the visit: “It was a privilege to visit Cardiff and meet with hospitality operators and leaders who are truly passionate about the night time economy. It’s essential that we continue to champion the cause for the night time economy and make sure that every voice is heard across Wales.

Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy (NTE) Advisor for Manchester, and Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), visited Cardiff for a Night Time Economy (NTE) networking event as part of the NTIA’s drive to establish partnerships across the UK’s licensed sector.

Hosted by Nick Newman (Cardiff Licensees Forum and Croeso Pubs) and Bruno Nunes (CEO of Creative Hospitality Group with businesses in Cardiff and Swansea), Sacha Lord expressed his wish to see NTE Advisors across all of the UK’s major cities and explained the success his role had brought to Manchester’s already vibrant nightlife scene.

NTIA’s Michael Kill discussed the ongoing challenges facing the industry and the importance of successful advocacy to UK and devolved governments: “I cannot emphasise enough just how crucial the night time economy is in Wales. It plays a pivotal role in not only shaping the cultural landscape, but also in driving economic growth and job creation.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure collaborating with key partners within Cardiff to deliver our networking

“The people I met in Cardiff are doing incredible work in this industry, and I believe that by working together, we can create a vibrant and thriving economy that benefits everyone. Let’s keep pushing the agenda and making a positive impact on the future of hospitality in Wales.”

Chair of Cardiff Licensees Forum, Nick Newman, added: “It was a great pleasure to welcome Sacha and Michael to Cardiff, show them around our great city and discuss with them some of the challenges we face as a sector here in Wales.

“The success of Sasha’s role in Manchester demonstrates that having advocates for the night time economy is key to ensuring that Cardiff is a safe, prosperous and thriving city after dark, which in turn will have a positive impact on Wales as a whole. We have lots of plans for the forum, including eventually creating a Community Interest Company to represent our members, therefore we look forward to working more closely with the NTIA on this in the future.”

Waterblade - Hotel Resort & Innovation Expo Sustainability Award Winner Inspired by Dyson Air Blade which was improved by spreading the air flow out Nigel Bamford created the water saving device WATERBLADE to save significant amounts of water. With the help of Innovate UK, the EU and the Green Growth Platform he developed it to fit easily to most taps.

Waterblade provides luxury washing and rinsing performance using dramatically less water achieving a 50% reduction in the tap water used. The WRAS approved tap flow mod has been fitted to over 10,000 UK hotel, restaurant and pub hand basins in the

last year.

Here you can see Nigel of Waterblade receiving his well deserved award this week at Hotel Resort & Innovation Expo Sustainability Award held at Excel London and hosted by Fortem International.

For more information about Waterblade please visit www.thewaterblade.com or email info@thewaterblade.com or telephone 07956 247392

Welcome To Choice... It’s Not So Black and White Anymore For years your customers have had just one choice when it comes to the black stuff – now there is another, and it might just be better. Now available as part of BrewDog’s headliner range, Black Heart is a 4.1% ABV classic draught stout alternative, brewed in and for this century.

THE BEER A no-nonsense dry-Irish style stout. Chocolate and extra dark crystal malts give layers of roasted, toasted coffee and cocoa, with a hint of caramel coming through. It’s smooth, it’s creamy, it’s all head and it’s all heart.

THE CATEGORY OPPORTUNITY

DISCOVER THE ALTERNATIVE At BrewDog we believe drinking beer is about discovery and experimentation, with a mountain of different types and styles available. However, when it comes to stout, there really is only one choice in most pubs and bars and has been for years. As the experts in taste and quality, we have worked with our brewers to develop a classic draught stout, that can be offered to those looking to try something new.

With flavour at its core, Black Heart is already introducing more younger consumers to the stout category, indicating its potential to drive further growth by appealing to those that have all but given up on the chance of a stout alternative.

Stout is the second fastest growing beer category +10.9%, worth almost £1bn (£947m)

What if it’s better?

It grew +8.8% in value and +0.9% share in the last three years – exceeding pre-covid levels1

GET IN TOUCH

Draught Stout has 97% Category Share, but with the category dominated by just one brand, this provides a huge opportunity for an alternative premium stout to drive further growth and higher margins

Available NOW in 50L KEGS and to be poured through a NITRO LINE. Also available iconic assets including hero font and tap handles, glassware, POS and staff t-shirts.

For more information, visit https://www.brewdog.com/uk/black-heart, or contact us on salesenquiries@brewdog.com or see the advert on page 3.

Vacancies Fall By 33% As Workforce Strategy Delivers Successes Oct/Nov 2023

Commitments made in UKHospitality’s Workforce Strategy, launched in May 2022, have helped bring down hospitality vacancies by 57,000 at its peak.

In a significant update on the strategy’s progress since its launch, the sector now boasts record levels of employment in accommodation and food service with 2.7 million people employed, according to the Office for National Statistics.

• The progress update summarises significant achievements over the past 18 months that have helped businesses recruit and develop their own talent, including: • An enhanced partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions, resulting in the launch of a new employment programme to help the economically inactive back into work.

• The majority of local authorities including hospitality in its Local Skills Improvement Plans.

• Launch of the Hospitality Wellbeing and Development Promise.

The move would allow the hospitality sector to pay the same rate of VAT as they did during the pandemic, and at the same time bring the UK into line with that of other European countries, who have enjoyed rates as low as 10% dating back to 2009.

Appearing alongside Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell, deputy mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green, and restaurateur Simon Wood, Mr Lord said action is needed now otherwise ‘we are going to see more businesses close, adding that said he would also call for an end to the “outdated and unfair” business rate scheme as well strengthening the remit of

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• Major reform of the childcare system by Government.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “High levels of vacancies have plagued hospitality for years and what this update shows is that huge progress had been made to reduce the overall vacancy rate by a quarter.

“We can’t kid ourselves that the work is complete because there is plenty more to do, but what we can and should do is recognise the achievements driven by our Workforce Strategy.

“Recruitment, skills and training, working lives, image of the sector and infrastructure were pinpointed in the strategy as key areas of focus and they remain the driving force behind our work.

“Whether it’s the partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions to help recruit those currently out of work, making hospitality a focus in Local Skills Improvement Plans or making our businesses better places to work through a focus on wellbeing, we can see real achievements in each area.

“Being able to see such a significant reduction in vacancy numbers since the launch of the strategy is heartening to see and is testament to the work taking place in hospitality businesses across the country. There’s still a long way to go but I’m confident we’re on the right path to making hospitality’s offering top of class across the economy.”

Reinstate Hospitality VAT Cut Labour Urged Manchester’s night-time economy czar Sacha Lord is urging the Labour party to reinstate a previous “Covid era” hospitality VAT reduction from 20% to 12.5%.

CLH News

energy market regulator Ofgem.

Mr Lord, who is also co-founder of the Warehouse Project club nights in greater Manchester and a member of the Labour party since November 2022, said: “The 12.5 per cent VAT rate for the hospitality industry was a lifeline for the sectors and it must be reinstated either by this government or the next one, which I hope will be led by Sir Keir Starmer. The people’s party should implement policies that help the venues, pubs and place the people frequent.”

He added: “The hospitality industry does not want or expect handouts, but it does need a business and regulatory environment in which it can flourish after a period of unprecedented economic hardship.”

Chancellor Announces National Living Wage Increase To £11 Per Hour Oct/Nov 2023

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt used his speech to the Tory party conference to confirm an increase in the national living wage (NLW) to at least £11 an hour from April 2024.

The national living wage, presently £10.42 an hour, sets out the lowest amount workers aged 23 and over can be paid per hour by law.

Younger workers under 23 are paid at a lower rate.

The rates are decided each year by the government, based on the advice of an independent advisory group, the Low Pay Commission.

The Conservatives said this meant the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the national living wage would increase by £1,000 next year.

“Since we introduced the national living wage nearly two million people have been lifted from absolute poverty,” Mr Hunt is expected to say.

“That’s the Conservative way of improving the lives of working people.

Boosting pay, cutting tax.

“But today, we go further with another great Conservative invention, the national living wage.

“We promised in our manifesto to raise the national living wage to two-thirds of median income – ending low pay in this country.

The Conservatives said the move would benefit two million of the lowest paid, with Mr Hunt also expected

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to announce that ministers will have another look at the benefit sanctions regime in a bid to get the unemployed back into work.

The Chancellor also sought to lower the expectations of those who are pushing the government to reduce taxes, with Mr Hunt saying: “I believe in lowering taxes but we don’t know whether that’s going to be possible before the next election at the moment.”

He said any tax cuts this year would be inflationary, making it more difficult to achieve Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s promise made in January to halve inflation by the end of the year.

Following the announcement Michael Kill, CEO of Night Time Industries Association commented: “We’re deeply disappointed by the Chancellor’s announcement on the National Living Wage increase, and we see it as a token gesture that’s timed at our industry’s expense. It’s nothing short of a slap in the face for our already struggling businesses.”“The night-time economy has been battered by the pandemic, with our venues facing closures, restrictions, and crippling financial losses. Now, just as we’re trying to get back on our feet, the Chancellor decides to unload the burden of a wage increase squarely onto the shoulders of operators.”

“This move effectively erodes any positive impact from the current business rates support, and it shows a complete lack of understanding of the night-time sector’s fragile state. While we support fair wages, the timing couldn’t be worse. It’s a cynical attempt to score political points at our expense.”

“We call on the government to engage with us, the Night Time Industries Association, and other stakeholders in our sector. Let’s discuss a more sensible, phased approach to implementing this wage increase. Our industry is struggling to survive, and we need a government that truly understands and supports us.”

Hospitality Spend “Holding Up Well” Study Reveals Consumer spending in hospitality is holding up well despite the cost of living crisis, according to CGA by NIQ’s new BrandTrack Plus research.

restaurant groups with the highest level of consumer spending at brand relative to their competitors, while Dishoom, Hickory’s and Hawksmoor score highest for both guest satisfaction and Net Promoter Score.

The exclusive insight service shows 6.5 pence in every pound of consumers’ spending between January and July 2023 went on out-of-home eating and drinking—an increase from 6.2 pence in the same period last year. The entertainment / leisure and travel categories also increased their share of spending, in a welcome sign that consumers remain keen to prioritise hospitality experiences even when money is tight.

The new service fuses CGA by NIQ’s long-running quarterly BrandTrack consumer survey with more than 1 billion anonymised transactions from leading bank and credit card companies to help operators benchmark performance by dayparts and track key metrics like frequency, spend per head and more. It enhances leadership teams’ understanding of consumer behaviour and identifies ways to grow loyalty, boost engagement and gain share of spending from competitors.

The figures are revealed in the launch edition of BrandTrack Plus, CGA by NIQ’s powerful new research tool that combines consumers’ out-of-home preferences with card spending data to deliver expert analysis of engagement with key hospitality brands.

As well as highlighting more trends in consumers’ share of wallet, BrandTrack Plus provides important insights into spending at hospitality brands compared to their competitors, with extensive rankings of leading operators by various metrics.

Typically, consumers that visit Nando’s spend over a quarter of their restaurant budget there (27%) and 73% at other competitor restaurant brands. Ego (21%) and Pizza Hut (19%) rank second and third for

Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: “It’s encouraging to see that hospitality venues have increased their share of consumers’ spending this year, and it’s testament to the compelling experiences offered by Britain’s restaurants, pubs and bars. But in a competitive and fastchanging market, there is no room for complacency. Our data consistently shows the close correlation between satisfaction and sales, so all brands need to stay laser-focused on guest experiences and the fundamentals of hospitality. Cutting through the noise of data to get actionable insights is the first step to gaining share over the rest of 2023 and beyond, and our new BrandTrack Plus service is the ideal launchpad for successful strategies.”

Community-Owned Pubs Have Increased by 63% Research Reveals Research from Co-Operatives UK has revealed that the number of communityowned pubs has increased by 62.6% over the last five years.

tives, mutuals, credit unions and building societies as communities look for fairer, more ethical finance options to help at a time of financial crisis.

Community pubs involve people coming together to form a new democratic business where ordinary people can own a stake and where the pub is run for the benefit of the local community.

The report is the first ever to measure the full size of the ‘Democratic Economy’ in the UK – meaning those businesses and organisations that give people genuine control and ownership.

New data reveals impressive growth in this area of the market, considering the backdrop of record pub closures in the wider industry.

It revealed that there are 9,113 such businesses in the UK with a combined annual income of £87.9 billion.

Research also showed that credit unions grew revenues by 13.5% and added 40,000 new members in the last 12 months.

These not-for-profit financial institutions are owned and controlled by their customers, demonstrating the popularity of fairer and more equitable forms of finance during the cost of living crisis.

The study shows that the cost of living crisis is driving the growth of democratic businesses like co-opera-

Rose Marley, CEO of Co-operatives UK, said: “As we enter the fourth industrial revolution, we really are coming full circle, with co-operation at the heart of economic growth. Everywhere in modern business, from AI to farming and culture to data, there are co-ops.

“This report demonstrates the resilience, growth and power of co-operation. Ahead of the political party conference season, I urge all parties to move away from business as usual and embrace those democratic business models that are giving people real power, control and a stake in the future.”

The Law Has Changed On Single-Use Plastics – What Do Businesses Need To Know?

Whilst previous campaigns on the responsible disposal of plastic items have urged many businesses to think more sustainably, a number of them still rely on single-use plastics.

certain single-use plastic items as of October 2023.

We use 4.7 billion plastic straws, 2.7 billion items of single-use cutlery, 721 million single-use plates, and 316 million plastic stirrers every year – but only 10% of these items are recycled and many find their way into our ocean. According to recent studies: “The flow of plastic into the ocean is projected to nearly triple by 2040. Without considerable action to address plastic pollution, 50kg of plastic will enter the ocean for every metre of shoreline”1.

• straws • cotton buds • drink stirrers • plates, bowls and trays • cutlery • balloon sticks • polystyrene food or drink containers • polystyrene cups

To address these environmental issues, protect our marine wildlife, and ultimately eliminate all avoidable plastic waste, The Environmental Protection (Plastic Plates etc and Polystyrene Containers etc) (England) Regulations 2023 prohibits businesses from supplying, selling or offering

The ban includes the following items:

If businesses fail to follow the new rules, they risk being investigated by their local authority, which has the power to conduct inspections and issue fines to those

that break the law.

Whilst the ban on single-use plastic is beneficial for the environment, we understand that navigating consumer law and how it applies to your business can be complex. So, whether you’re a takeaway business, a retailer, or a charity organisation that uses single-use plastic products in any way, the latest Business Companion guide on single-use plastics is here to help you. This free resource covers all the key areas of the ban in detail, so you can be prepared and adapt accordingly. Visit the website to find out more: bit.ly/single-use-plastics-ban 1 *PEW Charitable Trusts and SystemIQ. “Breaking the Plastic Wave: A Comprehensive Assessment of Pathways Towards Stopping Ocean Plastic Pollution,” 2020.

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CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Natasha’s Law: Reflecting on the Past Two Years

By Simon Brennan, Senior End User Client Manager for Labelling and Specialist Print, Brother UK (www.brother.co.uk) FURTHER CHANGES AHEAD

Two years ago, we saw the introduction of a new law that required any food industry company that sells pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) foods to re-think how they’re labelled. The law, formally known as Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019, means that all PPDS foods must be clearly labelled with information on potential allergens present.

It’s clear that many UK businesses are not yet compliant with current regulations, there are now calls for even clearer rules on food labelling, arguing that terms like “free-from” and “vegan” can be misleading. And there is the potential for changes to be made on how allergens are labelled on menus in restaurants if Owen’s Law – a campaign launched by the family of 18 year old Owen Carey, a dairy allergy sufferer who died after eating a mis-labeled chicken burger that contained buttermilk – is introduced.

THE STATE OF COMPLIANCE IN THE UK The initial response to the new law was positive, with Brother UK research finding that 100% of food industry businesses surveyed agreed it would make customers with food allergies feel safer.

Reliable, easy-to-use technology can greatly improve a business’ ability to keep up with any regulatory changes and take the hard work out of compliance, day-in, day-out.

But while motivation to comply was there, businesses were faced to do so quickly. Solutions have ranged from handwritten labels to printing the information on paper, cutting it to size, and sticking it to the packaging. So, what has this meant for compliance rates?

A study carried out by Erudus, a market leading source for accurate allergy, nutritional and technical product data, found that more than half (54%) of PPDS1 food labels still failed to accurately declare the presence of allergen ingredients. One of the most common reasons for non-compliance was illegibility due to poor handwriting, patchy printing or overlapping text.

ADAPTING TO NEW REQUIREMENTS It’s clear that there is work to do if businesses are to consistently meet these regulations while maintaining efficiency.

Implementing the right technology can be an excellent way to do this, without adding extra pressure or strain on your team. The most appropriate solution will depend on the scale of the business, and how many locations it has.

For those with a single location, a stand-alone label printing solution might prove a cost- and time-efficient way to ensure good legibility of information. For those with multiple sites, or more complex requirements on a single site, integrating food labelling with a menu management system can help streamline the process of making changes to information by allowing it to be done from a single, central database.

Marka is one such system. Marka has helped customers, including leading international multi-channel Japanese food business Snowfox Group, find a better way to label accurately and in accordance with Natasha’s Law. It achieved this by analysing the group’s unique needs and implementing the right software and hardware to allow Snowfox to focus on the growth of its business without worrying about the tech.

Evolving food labelling regulations have played a major role in improving food safety standards over the years, and have undoubtedly saved lives.

While it’s alarming that so many British businesses are still falling short of the current standards, the good news is that the challenges they face are easily fixed, with a wide range of robust and good-value labelling systems now on the market purpose built to make efficient compliance easy.

For in-depth, expert guidance on achieving and maintaining compliance as efficiently as possible, visit www.brother.co.uk/food-labelling See our Food Safety feature on pages 32-33 of this issue.

1 Erudus’ study analysed 116 PPDS labels on foods purchased from delis, farm shops, cafes, food markets and festivals across the UK.

Lumina Intelligence Research Finds Consumers Remain Value Conscious When Dining Out

The latest research from Lumina Intelligence Eating and Drinking Out Panel (4WE 03/09/2023) has revealed that rising consumer confidence and easing inflation year on year are boosting consumer optimism with more UK consumers having an out of home occasion – driving an increase of +6ppt penetrations.

0.6ppts.

However, frequency has remained flat, with consumers remaining cautious about discretionary spending.

The Bank of England’s continual interest rate hikes are impacting rents and mortgages, causing consumers to cut back on eating and drinking out.

CONSUMERS ARE INCREASINGLY OPTING FOR DRINK-ONLY OCCASIONS

RESTAURANTS ARE FAILING TO ATTRACT AT DINNER Share of dinner occasions grew year on year, although consumers opted for value-led channels including pubs & bars and QSR, which gained +1.1ppts and +1.0ppt share respectively. Restaurant share slipped back -

Consumers opted to stay at home to avoid the volatile weather and train strikes, with delivery share of occasions up +0.7ppts.

Drink-only occasions are up +4.2ppts, with consumers opting for both pubs & bars and retail channels for this occasion.

Coffee & sandwich shops lost the most share (-1.9ppts), due to less footfall because of poorer weather – finer weather being key for coffee & sandwich shops. Also, because of the poor weather, fewer consumers had a breakfast occasion year on year (-1.9ppts).

Hospitality Sector Overlooked in Shortage Occupation List Review The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has not recommended the addition of any hospitality roles to the shortage occupation list (SoL), which lists occupations where employers face a shortage of suitable labour and where the government considers it sensible to fill these shortages with foreign nationals.

The independent advisory body said it did not recommend adding of hospitality roles including chefs, hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors, restaurant and catering managers and proprietors, catering or bar managers to the list in a provisional report, despite compelling evidence from UKHospitality.

The list was introduced to help fill vacancies by attracting overseas workers and allows employers to hire international workers on 80 per cent of Britain’s “going rate” for the occupation, down to a minimum of £20,960 a year, which is cheaper than under the main “skilled worker” visa route where employees must be paid at least £26,200. The SOL also allows employers to pay lower visa fees.

Three years ago MAC recommended that chefs be removed from the list as it said not enough was being done to train a UK workforce, but now said while there is evidence of a shortage of chefs in the UK in 2023,the industry was making "slow progress" to improve working conditions and attract more domestic talent.

The MAC said a "substantial" number of chefs were coming to the UK through the skilled worker scheme, and it did not want to push the wages they were offered down by adding the role to the shortage list.

At the same time the body also called for the abolition of special visa rules for shortage occupations amid concerns of exploitation, while providing little value for money. In a letter to home secretary Suella Braverman, Brian Bell, a professor of economics at King's College London and chair of the MAC, wrote: “No employer should be able to pay below the ‘going rate’ regardless of whether they are experiencing shortage.”

UKHospitality has urged the Government to implement the recom-

mendation from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to expand the Youth Mobility Scheme to more countries.

a different planet. The chef shortage is a fact and not only in the UK but all around Europe.

The committee, however, did take up UKHospitality’s request to reclassify sommeliers to be eligible for the skilled worker visa route.

“Post-lockdown, there were regular reports in the media about hotels, pubs and restaurants who were struggling to get their businesses back up and running because they could not recruit the staff they needed.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Expanding the Youth Mobility Scheme has been a long-standing ask to help the sector recruit and I’m pleased the Migration Advisory Committee continue to make this recommendation.

“It’s imperative that the Government implements this recommendation from its own advisory body, in order to help hospitality businesses recruit. This is particularly important in light of the Committee’s refusal to add chefs to the Shortage Occupation List.

“We would strongly refute the Committee’s reasoning behind not recommending chefs to be included on the Shortage Occupation List, which demonstrates a lack of understanding and outdated perception of chef roles in hospitality.

“It has ignored the many changes to working practices, including increased pay, better working hours and increased development opportunities since 2020. There is a significant amount of work taking place to recruit and train chefs, but the Committee needs to recognise that these initiatives take time to bear fruit.

“The pandemic significantly exacerbated chef shortages by wiping out two years-worth of newly trained chefs and this should have been taken into account. The Shortage Occupation List is specifically designed to bridge gaps caused by a shortage, which is why we’d asked for a temporary addition.

“The Committee’s refusal to add more hospitality roles to the Shortage Occupation List is holding the sector back from reaching its full potential of creating even more jobs and driving economic growth.”

Raphael Herzog, Chair of Bristol Hoteliers Association, said:“This decision really makes us wonder if the people who sit on MAC are living on

“The hospitality sector was hit particularly hard during the pandemic, being among the first businesses to be forced to shut down and the last to be allowed to open.

“Add to that the recruitment issues posed by the impact of Brexit, soaring energy prices, and the cost-of-living crisis, which has reduced the money people have to spend in the hospitality sector, and it’s easy to see why we feel so deeply disappointed by the response of the Migration Advisory Committee.

“The BHA completely agrees with the trade body UK Hospitality, whose Chief Executive Kate Nicholls OBE said MAC has shown a ‘total lack of understanding of chef roles.’

“It seems MAC is absolutely clueless about what is currently happening in our sector, and rather than help us get our businesses back up and running again, they seem to be putting more barriers in our way and creating more challenges.

“We’ve been working tirelessly to tackle our staff shortages. Only recently we held a successful ‘Have A Go At Hospitality’ event, and earlier this year we provided some state-of-the-art equipment to the City of Bristol College to help inspire and train the next generation of chefs.

There are still over 700 job offers within 15 miles of Bristol for a chef role!

“But it does take time for the results of efforts like this to provide the benefits we all hope for, and while we work hard, MAC had the power to give our businesses a huge helping hand, but has decided to reject our calls for help.

“We feel very let down.”

HGEM Consumer Survey Finds Gen-Z Have The Biggest Budgets For Xmas Meals Oct/Nov 2023

Consumers might have to dig deeper in their pockets this year due to the cost of living, but nevertheless, they are determined to celebrate Xmas out in hospitality. According to a recent consumer survey by guest experience expert HGEM, the top three factors for choosing a Xmas venue are (in order of importance): total cost, meal quality and value for money. In contrast, last year, value for money was more important than meal quality, hinting at a return to basics for consumers desiring a decent meal without breaking the bank.

The less important factors have not changed position since last year, and they are: location, entertainment value and, finally, a new and exciting place.

In terms of how consumers find their Xmas venue – 68% of consumers would trust a recommendation, 64% would look to Google and 62% would consider a venue that’s tried and tested. Steven Pike, MD of HGEM comments: ‘Given how heavily ‘recommended’ and ‘tried and tested’ venues come into play for customers choosing Xmas venues – a good Net Promoter Score should be a primary focus for operators (if it isn’t already).’ The results suggest an increase in office-sponsored Xmas parties for 2023 (47% of consumers are having work

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11

do’s, as opposed to 44% in 2022), which improves affordability for the customer.

The survey also shows that the average budget for a Xmas meal (drinks excluded) this year is £21-£30: this is consistent across all age groups, apart from Gen-Z (18-25) who are looking to spend £31-£40 on average per meal. The +66-age group also bucks the trend, hoping to keep the meal below £20.

In terms of dietary requirements, almost half (46%) of the consumers reported some kind of dietary restrictions, with the majority of those with restrictions being vegetarians (44%), followed by those on a gluten-free diet (19%) and vegans (19%).

Whilst it may be practical to have the same menu offering for vegetarians and vegans, providing a dairy option (e.g. cheese) to dairy alternatives (e.g. vegan cheese) would likely increase customer satisfaction for vegetarians. https://www.hgem.com/uploads/images/Xmas-consumer-report-2023.pdf

The Licensed Trade Charity Celebrates 2023 Awards Winners The Licensed Trade Charity (LTC), the industry charity celebrated the incredible professionals and businesses from across the drinks sector at its annual awards dinner last Thursday at Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London.

Europacific Partners, Bums on Seats, Dark Horse Wine, Lucky Saint Beer, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Madrí Excepcional, ProfessionalSecurity and Warren’s Gin, who all made the event possible, along with event organisers Inntegra.

Hosted by former international rugby player Martin Bayfield and senior leaders from the Charity, the LTC recognised the Charity’s leading supporters, volunteers, and fundraisers with winners of the 2023 awards including:

The awards evening was proceeded by the Licensed Trade Charity’s annual general meeting, with staff from across the Charity providing an update on its impact, and an overview of the vital support delivered by the LTC in 2022, which included assisting 36,606 people from the licensed trade, while awarding over £2.02 million in grants and services.

- Fleet Street – Partnerships Award - Barons Pub Company – Staff Wellbeing Award (under 250 sites) - Punch Pubs – Staff Wellbeing Award (over 251 sites) Alison Lee-Savage, LSG Purchasing – Fundraiser of the Year Celebrating with the award winners were staff, supporters, volunteers, and trustees of the LTC, whose ongoing support is vital for the Charity’s continued ability to assist so many people within the industry.

Joining them were event sponsors Venners, Gig Realm, Curious Brewery, Phantom Brewing Co, Coca-Cola

What can a TROLLEY do for you?

BOOST YOUR SALES

Jim Brewster, CEO of the Licesened Trade Charity said “Congratulatons to all of the winners at this year’s awards, the energy and passion with which you serve the industry and support the charity in its mission to help people in need, from across the sector, is truly inspiring.

A huge thank you to our sponsors, supporters, volunteers and trustees, because of your tireless effort, we have been able to provide significant relief to the industry and its people, in the face of unprecedented challenges.”

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The Hidden Costs of the Visa Fee Increase for the UK’s Hospitality Industry 12

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

By Michael Clitheroe, General Manager of Balmer Lawn Hotel and Spa (www.balmerlawnhotel.com) This October marks a turning point for the United Kingdom's hospitality sector, as it contends with the far-reaching consequences of a hike in visa fees.

In July of this year, the UK government announced an overhaul of visa fees, causing frustration across both the travel and work visa spectrum. These changes, enacted at the outset of October, brought with them a 15% uptick in work and visitor visa charges, a 35% surge in student visa fees for overseas applicants, and a minimum of a 20% rise in fees associated with settlement and British citizenship applications.

Drawing attention to this issue, John Dickie, the chief executive of BusinessLDN – a representative body for more than 175 London-based employers, wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in August. He explained the UK's pre-existing reputation for having some of the world's most expensive work visas, sounding the alarm about the implications of this further increase.

Consider, for instance, the application fee for a Skilled Worker Visa exceeding three years' duration, previously standing at £1,235. Under the newly introduced regulations, this figure escalates to approximately £1,480. While this may appear to be a marginal rise on the surface, it masks the wider financial burdens confronting skilled workers.

Prior to this adjustment, these visa fees often retained a competitive edge within the broader market, especially when weighed against the charges levied by recruitment agencies for local hires. Their worth became even more evident when factoring in the extended duration of these employment relationships, which frequently spanned several years. However, lurking beneath the surface is a pertinent concern – the potential destabilisation of a recruitment channel that has proven to be both reliable and enduring for the industry.

As Mr Dickie explained in his letter to the Prime Minister, the escalating Immigration Health Surcharge, a substantial financial obligation for migrant workers, is set to soar from £624 to £1,035 per adult per year.

When coupled with supplementary costs like the Immigration Skills Charge, the cumulative expenditure

incurred in bringing a single skilled worker to the UK will creep closer to the £10,000 mark.

The impending visa fee increase poses a considerable conundrum for the UK's hospitality sector, exacerbating the myriad challenges it already faces. The industry has been struggling with severe labour shortages, compounded by the twin blows of Brexit and the enduring COVID-19 pandemic. According to UKHospitality, its member establishments currently grapple with an 11% job vacancy rate, while data from the ONS reveals an astounding 132,000 vacant positions within the sector, representing a staggering 48% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.

The recent rise in visa fees only serves to complicate these issues further. The heightened financial barriers may deter prospective skilled workers from considering the UK as an attractive employment destination, exacerbating the existing scarcity of a workforce already stretched thin. It is entirely plausible that these skilled professionals might opt for countries boasting more accommodating immigration policies and less onerous financial demands.

Independent hotels, operating on smaller budgets compared to their larger chain counterparts, find themselves particularly vulnerable. The substantial surge in visa fees will exert financial pressure on these establishments, potentially compromising their ability to attract skilled workers – especially those from overseas. Such financial constraints could subsequently impede their capacity to deliver the level of quality service that distinguishes the industry.

The hospitality sector has persistently advocated for revisions to the government's immigration policy, shaped in the aftermath of the UK's departure from the European Union. This plea is rooted in the belief that the existing policy framework is ill-suited to the post-COVID world. However, despite ongoing appeals to revise the 'Shortage Occupation List', these calls have often met with resistance, hampering the industry's capacity to meaningfully address its persistent workforce shortages.

Furthermore, diversity has long been celebrated as a cornerstone of creativity, innovation, and excellence in the realm of food and service within the hospitality sector. Yet, as visa costs continue to rise, a shadow of apprehension looms over this invaluable source of diversity. Whether it's language proficiency, culinary innovation, inclusivity, or cultural sensitivity, the advantages of a diverse workforce are indispensable to the industry.

To safeguard the continued growth and prosperity of the hospitality sector, industry stakeholders must actively champion immigration policies that extend a welcoming hand to international employees and recognise the profound contributions they make. By engaging constructively with their local MPs and presenting evidence-based arguments against visa fee escalations, stakeholders can encourage policymakers to acknowledge the pivotal role skilled immigration has played in the industry's success and overall guest satisfaction.

NOWAH Equipment, Receive Prestigious Recognition Award as ‘Most Trusted Specialist Equipment Supplier’ We talk with NOWAH’s director Youli and look back at their first three and a half years of trading; EDITOR. Youli, congratulations on the award.

YOULI. Thank you. I have to say we were rather surprised when contacted as we are a relatively new company in a pretty niche market. We were actually nominated by the pastry team at a hotel that is consistently ranked in the Top 50 in the world.

EDITOR. Looking back, what made you decide to open a catering equipment supplies company during a pandemic?

YOULI. Michael (my husband) was made redundant at the very start of Covid by another start-up equipment supplier; that’s when we decided to start NOWAH. EDITOR. How has NOWAH managed during these past few years?

YOULI. The pandemic, lockdowns, delays in supply chains, war related price increases, stock shortages, the cost-of-living crisis and the subsequent impact on the hospitality sector have hurt a lot of businesses, but

these events also allowed our small company to project our character, our spirit of collaboration and above all our Values to customers. Everyone out there has had to overcome difficulties and take hard decisions, it’s been the same for us, however I’m hoping we’ve made more good ones (decisions) than bad. We decided to continue offering a very high-level of personalised pre-sales care and support at a time when sales were slowing down, and other wholesalers were cutting back on expenses and staff; our decision had its risks.

NOWAH is a small dynamic business that communicates and operates in a direct and personal manner that is very different from any other distributor/ wholesaler; that is the main difference, and it’s what makes NOWAH special.

EDITOR. Do you have any memorable moments?

YOULI. Over these years we’ve had many amazing, and at times, challenging experiences. Becoming UK agents for Italian manufacturer GGF within weeks of starting up, was an honour and we are grateful to GGF for their support and faith in us. Six months into the business we started collaborating with two American-owned manufacturers and it soon became clear we needed larger premises. One of our first milestones, albeit a scary one, was taking on 3000sqft of warehouse space just a few weeks after paying for three 40’HQ containers that were on their way to the UK; that period was particularly challenging as the hospitality industry was suffering, yet as a start-up catering sector business. In April last year we secured the Exclusive Distribution Rights (in the UK) for KMP, owners of the Avancini, Kemplex and La Pastaia brands; However, I suppose the

Catering for Every Eventuality Catering and hospitality prides itself on reacting to changing conditions, like a sudden influx of business, with aplomb.

It’s what makes hospitality the fascinating industry it is and makes it such a good subject for films and TV programmes.

However, when something unexpected occurs, like a drastic change in the weather, it pays to be prepared. As we come to the end of the outdoor catering season, an unexpected cold snap could affect customer comfort.

In larger buildings where airflow is limited, additional heating may be required to ensure a comfortable ambient temperature throughout.

At Machine Mart we supply Clarke heaters which cater for all scenarios. Space Heaters, Radiant Heaters, Halogen Heaters and Industrial Heaters.

SPACE HEATERS Space heaters heat large spaces. They work by heating the air and are ideal for heating a marquee or large hall. Great as a fallback option should the boiler fail, they are either paraffin/diesel powered or gas fired and

best highlights are to do with the training and sponsorship work we do with talented chefs, competitions, culinary course providers/colleges, world renowned chefs & culinary associations.

Over the last 12 months, it’s been our honour to work with Pastry World Cup Champion Massimo Pica; last November we hosted upskill days in Milan for some of the UK’s leading pastry chefs, including Andrew Ditchfield, Sarah Frankland, Mathieu Dias, Lillian Savage, and Hannah Catley. This November we are providing the same experience to 7 talented young chefs through our sponsorship of the 2023 National Young Pastry Chef of the Year competition - endorsed by. Finally, we are always happy to support young professionals and start-up businesses, as we ourselves are a relatively new company so understand what they’re going through.

EDITOR. So, what are your plans for the future?

YOULI. Well, despite the challenges we’ve faced, I always look for the positives in situations and remain hugely optimistic. This month we moved into a new 5000sqft warehouse, so as to bring all our stock under one roof. However, our main plan is to continue growing NOWAH through new initiatives, partnerships, collaborations, quality equipment and exceptional service.

EDITOR.Thank you and good luck.

YOULI. Thank you.

Visit NOWAH's website at www.nowah.co.uk or call 01772 305161

can vary in output. For convenience, we also supply trolley mounted models so you can easily transport the heat where it is needed.

RADIANT HEATERS Perfect for cold spots, gas, paraffin or diesel powered radiant heaters work by radiating infrared light. A safer option in locations where children or vulnerable adults could harm themselves.

HALOGEN HEATERS Halogen heaters are favoured in an external setting and are typically used as patio heaters, and for heating smoking areas and al fresco dining spaces. Halogen heaters are also infrared and so only heat solid objects like you so there is no loss of heat when used as heat source outside.

INDUSTRIAL HEATERS Our range of electric fan heaters is perfect for external buildings, heating up quickly and efficiently. A low heat setting can take the chill off an exposed conservatory for a comfortable dining experience.

Prime the Pumps Flash floods have become the norm recently meaning cellars are at risk of being flooded. Machine Mart’s range of Clarke water pumps painlessly remove water from subterranean levels in the most trying of conditions.

Explore our full range of heaters and pumps this autumn.

See the advert opposite for details.

Love Is In The Air, But Lo-Fi Is In The Airwaves 14

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Something about summer makes the season perfect for getting back into the dating scene, whether the hot weather or the brighter evenings. Music licensing company PPL PRS working with neuroscientist Dr Julia Jones (AKA Dr Rock), has revealed the results of their recent survey unveiling how hospitality businesses can help to calm the first date nerves with music.

In a brand new survey* the music licensing company discovered that when it comes to the UK’s most preferred hospitality venues for a first date, cafes (40%) and pubs (40%) were ranked the favourite rendezvous hot spots.

LOVE IS IN THE ATMOSPHERE

When it comes to building an atmosphere that’s good for business and lends a hand to the lovebirds of society, here are some things for hospitality venues to consider from the experts at PPL PRS.

THE TIME OF DAY Setting the mood ready for when daters arrive is key – so opening shift workers will not have to worry about witnessing any awkward first dates, as the more popular times for budding couples to meet for a first date are evenings (65%), followed by afternoons (22%), with having something to eat alongside a cocktail or coffee seemingly a winning combination.

MENU OPTIONS

Love is all about compatibility, but external factors play a crucial part on a first date. When asked about how a venue’s atmosphere and music influence first dates, almost two-thirds (61%) of respondents said that they prefer there to be music playing in the background of a date. Most said that music helps them relax (64%), reduces awkwardness (57%) and helps to break the ice (42%). Others also said it puts them in a happy mood (34%) and gives them something to talk about (33%) with their date.

Music licensing company PPL PRS found that singletons plan on sharing a meal on afternoon dates (13%) and evening dates (35%), venues could entice new customers with date (or mate) night offers, discounting meals and/or drinks when bought in pairs. Set menus or drinks deals could also help bars and restaurants to cement their status as a trendy date location.

THE MUSIC PLAYING

CAN YOU HEAR THE LOVE TONIGHT? The choice of music can also be crucial in setting the right atmosphere. More than half (57%) shared that they would prefer to hear chill-out music, like lo-fi, during a first date, which can be perfect for those first date jitters.

Dr Julia Jones, Smart Wellness Coach for PPL PRS, explains that “Listening to music that you find relaxing can help reassure your brain that you’re in a safe environment - so the stress response can be disengaged. Timing your breath with music to slow inhales and extend exhales also deactivates that ancient stress circuit and engages your relaxation mode. This is because our breath engages the vagus nerve that regulates the relaxation response.”

The next favourite genre of music for first dates was pop, being ranked second by 45% of people, and RnB – one of the more romantic genres – followed as 27% of daters preferred the genre.

Depending on what you specialise in as a venue, switching up the tracks you play during common date hours could lead to a couple becoming regulars, remembering your venue as where their relationship began.

We asked UK singletons which genre of recorded music they’d like to hear on a first date from different venues, and this is what they shared: · Bars should bop to pop (47%) · Pop music in a pub (48%) · Restaurateurs should add chill-out to the musical menu (63%) · Cafes should play chill-out music (55%) Dr Julia Jones said: “Studies show that our brainwaves often synchronise to the music we hear. This means that you can use slow, relaxing music to slow your brainwaves and enter relaxing brain states.” So, if you know you’re going to have a string of nervous daters in your venue, you can use music to ease their experience.

A word for the wise is that the most important thing for hospitality and daters alike is making sure the atmosphere and mood boost the relationships, new and old, within the customer base and employees to ensure that everyone has a good time – whether done through music or playing on another of the senses. The atmosphere created could be the reason someone scores a second date. * A survey commissioned by PPL PRS of 1000 UK respondents by Attest in June 2023

MP Gets A Taste Of Life Behind The Bar At Melksham Pub Local MP for Chippenham, Michelle Donelan, got to try out what it’s like behind the bar to celebrate the opening of popular Melksham community pub.

Michelle Donelan visited the Grapes on Bank Street to celebrate its re-opening following a major investment of £238,000.

The pub, which opened on the 10th August, is part of the Proper Pubs division at Admiral Taverns and has undergone a complete transformation to create a brand-new look with fresh décor to appeal to all of the local community.

At the helm of the pub is community hero and passionate operator, Antoni Pearce, who has lived in the local area his whole life and has fantastic knowledge of the local community. Antoni has been able to spend time establishing strong relationships with fellow residents which will enable him to foster a friendly social hub for the Melksham community to enjoy.

He said: “Opening night was fantastic, it was amazing to see all our customers, old and new, coming to see what the pub has to offer!

“It was great to take Michelle Donelan on a tour of the new look and improved pub. A huge thank you for coming down to say hello!”

Michelle Donelan said: “It was great to visit the Grapes and hear from Antoni and Matthew on how well the pub is being supported by local residents since it reopened last month. Antoni told me that he is really enjoying getting to know all the local customers and he will be launching a fundraising appeal shortly to raise money to place a defibrillator outside the pub.”

“Thank you Antoni and Matthew for taking the time to meet with me and show me around the pub. If you have not done so already, make sure you pop down for a drink.”

As well as having a fantastic drinks and entertainment offer, The Grapes will be collecting food for a local food bank and raising money to support the installation of a defibrillator outside the pub.

Matthew Gurney, Operations Director for Proper Pubs, said: “The Grapes opening was a fantastic evening, and the pub looks superb! I’m really excited for what the future holds for Antoni and the local Melksham community!”

Night Time Industries Association Appoints 30 Night Time Economy Ambassadors Across The UK The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has announced a significant milestone in its mission to strengthen the nighttime economy across the United Kingdom. The national trade body, which represents tens of thousands of businesses across the Night Time Economy (NTE) has appointed 30 NTE Ambassadors, representing major cities across the UK. This initiative is a major step forward in the NTIA’s commitment to enhance local representation by key business leaders in the nighttime economy.

time economy, compared to other world-leading countries.

In response to the growing importance of the NTE and the vital role it plays in our cultural and economic landscape, the NTIA launched a campaign last year calling for the appointment of Night Time Economy Advisors in every major city throughout the UK. Despite the urgency and significance of this call, the UK has appointed only two Night Time Economy Advisors in the last three years.

“These Ambassadors, who are prominent business leaders and stakeholders within their respective communities, will act as champions for the night time economy. They will work closely with the current network of Night Time Economy Advisors, local authorities, businesses, and communities to ensure that the nighttime sector’s needs and potential are recognised, supported, and cultivated.”

“The nighttime industry is not merely about entertainment. It is a crucial driver of local economies, providing jobs and opportunities while contributing to the unique community character and culture of our cities.

“With the appointment of 30 Night Time Economy Ambassadors in major cities across the UK, the NTIA aims to accelerate representation and advocacy for nighttime economy businesses.

The 30 Night Time Economy Ambassadors will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the industry and policymakers, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that our cities thrive not only during the day but also after sunset. Their dedication and expertise will be instrumental in shaping the future of the night time economy across the UK.

“We are excited to have these 30 Night Time Economy Ambassadors on board and believe that their collective efforts will create a brighter future for the nighttime industry in the UK. It’s time for our cities to fully embrace and benefit from the night-time economy, and with these Ambassadors leading the way, we are confident that we are on the right path.”

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, has called for faster progress across UK regions in appointing NTE Advisors, saying:

The Night Time Industries Association extends its heartfelt gratitude to all the newly appointed Night Time Economy Ambassadors for their commitment to enhancing the nighttime economy. Together, we will create vibrant, diverse, and thriving nighttime economies that reflect the unique character of our cities.

“We believe that the UK has been lagging behind in recognising the potential and significance of the night-

16

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Five Tips For Achieving Growth In An Inflationary Market

By Julie Neal, director and hospitality specialist at management consuitancy, Vendigital (https://vendigital.com) High inflation, steep energy prices and cost volatility, some of which is derived from supply shortages, continue to put pressure on the UK’s hospitality sector. However, the number of closures seems to be slowing, and some operators have reset their businesses with growth in mind.

operators to predict demand levels at specific sites and at different times of day. The model can then be used to inform decisions about how to modify products and services – perhaps closing or reducing the menu on certain days of the week or adapting the menu for lunchtime service. Acquiring a clearer picture of the future will allow businesses to respond to any changes in demand in a more agile way.

ONS statistics have shown that the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages in the year ending April 2023 soared to the second highest rate in 45 years, contributing to a wave of closures. Even larger restaurant operators are feeling the squeeze, such as Prezzo, which recently announced plans to shut 46 of its UK outlets.

Considering consumer spending could drop further if the Bank of England chooses to go ahead with further increases in interest rates later this year, restaurant operators may need to rely on the insights provided by real data to obtain a competitive edge.

When it comes to adapting business models to suit consumer demand, it is important to look for ways to cultivate customer loyalty. With train strikes and hybrid work patterns continuing to affect footfall in city centres, some operators have seen revenues slide. A potential remedy for this is for operators to make their business more attractive to the marketplace through the use of strategic discounts or special offers to draw people in and encourage them to return. It may also be possible to differentiate the customer experience in order to attract customers from a specific demographic, for example, using app-based pre-ordering or at-table ordering for people who enjoy using such services and those who have limited time. Using social media to measure customer sentiment and comparing opening hours with peak times will equally help businesses to stay ahead of the game.

1.

Only one third of hospitality businesses are optimistic about the future as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to push wholesale energy prices higher. If restaurant operators are to achieve growth and gain a competitive advantage, they need to tap into market intelligence to understand the local market drivers and what opportunities are open to them. Coupled with an understanding of consumer expectations and trends, this insight could inform pricing strategies and ensure operators make the right buying and selling decisions to optimise revenues. For example, improving cost understanding could open up opportunities to buy seasonal goods locally, taking advantage of lower prices and delivering sustainability improvements for the business too by reducing transportation.

TURN REAL DATA TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Before embarking on business adaptations to cut costs and boost revenues, restaurant operators need to conduct a holistic assessment of their cost base – both fixed and variable costs. As part of this, businesses should consider all of the data available to them, be that EPOS figures, customer footfall, energy usage, the costs of goods and labour. For bigger branded operators, this will require a detailed analysis of data associated with each site, in order to create a value map of the business identifying where profits and losses are being generated. Analysing this data will inform both micro- and macro-level decisions to protect margins and reduce costs, an effort that businesses can reinforce by gathering information about customer preferences and satisfaction levels.

2.

DEVELOP A MORE AGILE FORECASTING MODEL

Data harvesting is only the first step to securing a more stable market position. With research showing that two thirds of UK consumers are reducing the amount they spend on eating out, it is important that restaurant operators use insights about their customer base and operational costs to understand what the business’ demand levers are. For instance, measuring the true cost of dishes, including not only the ingredients but also labour and waste, across different time periods, could help to identify the most profitable dishes and where there is scope to optimise the menu.

Data-based insights can also be used to build a bespoke demand forecasting model, enabling restaurant

3.

4.

5.

CULTIVATE CUSTOMER LOYALTY

EMPLOY LOCAL MARKET INTELLIGENCE

NURTURE SKILLED PEOPLE

Many restaurant businesses are feeling the effects of an industry-wide labour shortage, which is making it harder to attract and retain skilled staff. To compete for talent effectively, businesses must focus on giving staff more flexibility and empowering them by giving them control of their working hours. Offering free family meals, promoting a healthy work-life balance and offering flexible working hours can all make a difference and help businesses to attract and retain staff. Openly communicating with prospective and existing staff to establish their needs is also key to alleviating further pressure to increase the wage bill.

With inflation showing little sign of slowing down dramatically, the use of data-driven insights to facilitate informed decisions will allow restaurant operators to adopt a more flexible business approach and secure an advantage over their competitors.

Hospitality Unites for Annual Walk for Wellbeing Event Across the UK In the lead up to World Mental Health Day today, the hospitality industry stepped out on Sunday 8 October for its annual Walk for Wellbeing hosted walks across the UK. As it stands today, World Mental Health Day, the event has raised more than £85,000 for the industry’s leading support charity, Hospitality Action, with more rolling in by the hour!

On an unseasonably warm day, teams and individuals from some of the country’s top hospitality businesses walked 20km routes in six cities across the UK to highlight awareness of mental health in the industry and raise funds for Hospitality Action. Z Hotels, Dakota Hotels, and Placed App are just some of the businesses who signed up teams to walk the hosted events.

In London hundreds of walkers undertook eight laps of Battersea Park in an event hosted by mum, the hospitality talent partner whose founder and director, Craig Prentice, started Walk for Wellbeing four years ago after a difficult period of his own.

Glasgow was not quite as lucky with the weather but many still braved the elements to walk 20km through Strathclyde Country Park with Davidson Asset Management hosting.

In total almost 900 people registered for this year’s hosted walks and Walk it Your Way walks which are sponsored bycaterer.com and Peoplebank. The event has already raised over £85,000 and with funds still rolling in, it is expected Walk for Wellbeing 2023 will be the most successful in its four-year history.

Craig Prentice founder of UK hospitality talent partner, mum, and Walk for Wellbeing said: “The atmosphere at the walks is always incredible. They are a real coming together of a community and it’s a truly humbling feeling knowing not just how much money we are raising along the way, but how that money is providing vital help to those in our industry.”

The Bath Hoteliers Association partnered with The Bristol Hoteliers Association to devise a walk between two of the regions’ flagship hotels, The Royal Cresent Hotel, Bath and Double Tree by Hilton, Bristol City Centre.

With mental health issues, the cost-of-living crisis and fear of homelessness at an all-time high, since the start of 2020 Hospitality Action has helped more people than ever, answering 26,809 helpline calls and delivering 6,753 face-to-face and over-the-phone counselling sessions. More than half of those contacting the charity for support directly reference mental health issues such as extreme stress, anxiety and feelings of hopelessness, with the overwhelming majority also struggling with household debts, with many facing the threat of court action or eviction.

In the Midlands, the 20km route started and ended at Albert’s Schloss in central Birmingham, taking in green spaces such as the scenic Edgbaston Reservoir. Hosted by Tonic Talent, the walk also covered parts of Digbeth, the city’s creative quarter and some of Birmingham’s historic canal network.

Mark Lewis, CEO of Hospitality Action said: “Walk for Wellbeing has grown into one of our most important and successful fundraisers but equally crucial is what a positive experience it is for every single participant. There may be some sore feet at the end but there are many more warm hearts!”

Up in Manchester the 20km route hosted by the Manchester Hoteliers Association passed two water parks, the River Mersey and sections of the Trans Pennine trail.

The initiative is open for all to continue to ‘Walk it Your Way’ and raise more crucial funds until Sunday 15 October. For more information, please visit www.walkforwellbeing.org

Bigger Snacks Sales with KP

beer, the KP Nuts range was recently expanded with the launch of KP Flavour Kravers Flame Grilled Steak in a 21x50g pub card. The new product combines the best-performing SKU from the Flavour Kravers range with the popular pub card format. Designed to optimise impulse sales in pubs and bars by tempting customers to trade up, KP Flavour Kravers delivers a bold snacking experience.

Snacks represent an excellent commercial opportunity for pubs, encouraging consumers to increase spend. While snacks won’t replace meal occasions, they offer pubs the opportunity to trade up on drinks-only visits, with 56% of customers saying they like to consume savoury snacks with an alcoholic drink1.

68% of bagged snacks shoppers purchase on impulse2 so pubs and bars should be ready to capitalise on this by stocking a range of snacks and displaying these prominently.

As trends towards more cautious spending continue, it’s important to stock brands that consumers trust and recognise. KP Snacks offers a broad and flavoursome portfolio of popular snacks to help pubs and bars gain sales. From its market-leading KP Nuts to its award-winning Tyrrells crisps, KP Snacks offers something for everyone and all occasions.

KP Nuts is the UK’s number one nut brand. Perfect when paired with a cold

KP Snacks’ premium hand-cooked crisp brand Tyrrells is an ideal choice for customers looking to make trips to pubs and bars feel like a special occasion.

With 91 Great Taste Awards across the range, Tyrrells offers a great accompaniment to a glass of wine, offering classic and popular flavours including Mature Cheddar & Chive, Lightly Sea Salted and Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar.

Pubs and bars can maximise snacks sales by following a few simple tips: Credibility: Stock a range of best-selling snacks and NPD to meet all your customer needs Availability: Ensure your range is always available to purchase Visibility: Position your snacks with high visibility to drive sales See the advert on the facing page or visit www.kpsnackpartners.com 1 Mintel, Crisps, Savoury Snacks and Nuts, UK, Feb 2020 2 Lumina, CTP Average 09.01.22

Pocket Change - Cash: Who Needs It? 18

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

By Jem Shaw, Head of Communications, Clarency (www.clarency.com)

The falling availability of deposit facilities presents a serious challenge to retailers. High street banks continue to close branches, meaning that they’re faced with the choice of longer daily trips bank takings, or storing several days’ takings on-site, increasing the risk of theft. The easy option may be to cease accepting cash. However, digital payment, while more convenient, usually carries fees of 1.5 to 3.5%. This represents an additional cost that must either be borne by the business or passed on to consumers.

LEGAL TENDER Those outlets that have already moved to card payment only need to understand their legal position. Each country issues coins and banknotes for cash payments. These physical tokens represent legal tender, an instrument with a clear definition.

The Debate surrounding cash struck a particular chord, as I’m concerned that the banks are trying to eradicate it for their own convenience, without regard to the resulting social impact. A large sector of society – and many cash businesses – depend on it.

Yet high street banks continue to close branches, making it difficult to bank takings or cash earnings.

The reason is simple: banks dislike cash’s untraceability, which potentially lays them open to money-laundering penalties.

THE CASE FOR CASHLESS An increasing number of retail outlets are moving to taking only card payments. Going cashless has much to recommend it. It provides buyers with a record of purchases and may offer protection from fraud. For retail businesses it reduces the security risk of storing money on-site; it doesn’t necessitate trips to the bank, and the end-of-day process can be greatly shortened; contactless cards can reduce queues at tills, allowing greater throughput, and multiple payment methods can be stored in a mobile wallet. Over 85% of the UK’s population holds a bank account, most of which provide digital payment methods.

It’s widely believed that this means that an offer of payment using legal tender can’t be declined. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. If you try buy a newspaper with a £50 note, the seller is perfectly entitled to turn you down. Likewise, try to buy a car with the contents of your coin jars and you’re unlikely to be successful – in fact, in the UK, 1p and 2p coins are legal tender only up to a value of 20p. English banknotes aren’t legal tender in Scotland, and Scottish notes aren’t legal tender in either England or Scotland (they are, however, legal currency in either. UK law can be confusing!). The important point is that anything can be used as payment so long as both parties agree. Where legal tender is concerned, the law says that it must be accepted by the creditor for settlement of a debt.

The key element here is that the debt must already exist. If your local shop decides not to accept cash, it’s perfectly entitled to do so. As you can’t buy from them, you can’t incur a debt. A restaurant, on the other hand, would need to show a prominent sign saying it doesn’t accept cash. If you see the notice and eat there with a pocketful of banknotes but no card, strictly speaking, you’re committing fraud. If, on the other hand, no such sign is displayed and your notes are refused, it’s the restaurant’s problem, not yours.

THE FUTURE FOR CASH So is cash in decline? It would appear not. Despite the increased use of digital payment systems, cash continues to thrive. In the In the UK, the physical cash in circulation has doubled in the last ten years[1]. Neither

the Bank of England nor the European Central Bank predict the end of cash use or availability. The latter cites three essential attributes that aren’t fulfilled by any other method of payment.

• It carries value.

• It can be reliably authenticated and distinguished from counterfeits.

• It doesn’t require a third party to settle the payment.

The Bank of England forecasts a continuing increase in total cash requirement into the second half of the 21st century.

WHO NEEDS IT? Market stalls, laundromats, food stands, handymen and babysitters are just a few examples of enterprises that work primarily with cash. And those with employees will often pay wages in cash. We must also consider around a million unbanked people in the UK. Some of them are unable to obtain accounts, the blame for which also lies largely with the banks. It’s common for banks to insist on a credit check before opening a current account – even though no credit is being offered. A person with a poor rating can be denied banking for an entirely unrelated reason. Others choose not to be banked, frequently because of mistrust of the banking system. In either case, the withdrawal of cash facilities marginalises them. Those isolated tend to be in lower income brackets, creating a widening social divide. Elderly people, rural shoppers, people living in poverty or even victims of domestic abuse needing to remain anonymous depend on cash.

A QUESTION OF BALANCE Ultimately the convenience and safety of cashless payments is sure win out. Meanwhile, retailers are free to make their own decisions, whatever or however lobbyists or bar-room lawyers may protest. The government has stated that it has no intention of forcing the acceptance of cash. But those providing essential goods or services have a moral responsibility to cater for those who may be excluded by a cash-only policy. In many cases, the right course of action will be self-determining; no rational business owner will cut off an important avenue of business. Meanwhile, the high street banks need to accept their responsibility to serve the businesses and communities with adequate cash services.

1. Source: Bank of England

Hospitality Leaders Highlight The Importance Of Maximising Customer Experience As They Go Into Winter Trading Senior leaders from the hospitality and foodservice industry came together at the quarterly Arena Event for a roundtable event, hosted by Bolsius Professional, to discuss one of the most important objectives leading into winter – customer satisfaction.

hour. The new norm is to go to a venue and have a great time.”

Craig Goslin, Country Director at Vapiano, emphasised the importance of the customer journey and how face to face interaction, along with inviting digital feedback is integral. “Engaging with guests on the shop floor is key to the customer experience. Since COVID you need that human engagement to support and work alongside digital. The people component is still key.”

Six professionals in operations and food and beverage were present, representing the pub, hotel, restaurant, and QSR sectors, including Punch Pubs & Co, The Restaurant Group, and the entrepreneurial enterprise, Buns from Home.

Experts also highlighted the importance of ambiance when contributing to customer experience and satisfaction. Candlelight was discovered, through independent consumer research, to be a small investment that relaxed guests and made them feel invited to stay longer and spend more. In Alexander Henskens, Hotel Manager at The Royal Lancaster, own words: “When I come to a hotel, I stand in the lobby. I watch, listen, and smell. I move into the lounge. I stand still and come to my senses. A warm welcome is an important part of the ambiance.

Chaired by William Murray CEO, Anita Murray, the roundtable opened with her asking how businesses were finding the hospitality marketplace and what were their biggest challenges. Rising food costs, energy price increases and the added pressures of recruiting and retaining staff were all ongoing factors, however, it was inspiring to hear that the consensus was one of positivity and championing those that are navigating the day-to-day challenges and winning – with continued investment and daily openings of new hotels, restaurants, and pubs.

“

With an optimistic outlook, the roundtable highlighted that brands are realising that customer experience needs to be maximised and that doing the same thing is no longer an option. Customers are after an authentic experience when they go out and with tighter purse strings, they are looking for value for their spending.

It was stressed however, that when integrating crucial aspects such as light design, smell, and music, it is critical that each element can be easily executed by staff members. “Candles, diffusers, background music all play a part in getting customers to come back and bring friends. Accompanied with first-class service, these go a long way, especially as consumers missed this during COVID” added John Dale.

Jon Dale, Strategic Corporate Affairs & ESG Lead at Punch Pubs & Co. highlighted how scale spend is at a premium. “Cost of living is impacting us all. When they go out people want first class service, or they will go elsewhere. Maximising experience is key. There is now a particular demographic that go to a venue and want more than a meal or a drink. As a business, dwell time is important – we want them to stay for that extra

The roundtable concluded with a shared agreement that customers' expectations have risen following COVID, and that to provide that "sweet spot" experience, businesses must focus on engaging multiple senses, so the customer creates a stronger and more memorable connection and ensures a lasting impression is made.

New Award Winning Technology Can Save You 35% To 55% On Cooking Oil in Deep Fryers If you own a restaurant or a kitchen with a deep fryer, then you might be surprised at how much you spend every year on cooking oil. Have you ever calculated this direct cost? If you haven’t, then you should, because Canadian Company, Eco Friendly Chef Corp. is helping thousands of professional kitchen operators to dramatically cut their oil costs in half.

A new innovative product called OiLChef is revolutionizing the food industry. The award-winning OiLChef device is one of the most sophisticated technologies available in the world for deep fryers today. It is not a filter or a chemical, but rather a device which is simply installed in your deep fryer in less than 10 seconds!

Putting the OiLChef in your fryer will give you a competitive edge and attract more consumer dollars. Your fried food items will absorb less oil and therefore will con-

tain fewer calories. Good for the consumer, good for the bottom line.

Reduce carbon footprint: It will minimize your environmental impact through a reduction in energy and oil consumption.

Faster service: Food cooks quicker.

Reduce food waste: Food is crispier and holds its shape and texture for longer. Great for food delivery.

Zero flavour transfer: It prevents flavour transfer between different foods being cooked in the same oil.

Kitchen smoke and frying odours: It reduces the smoke and odours of frying in your kitchen/restaurant. Creating a more pleasant working and dining experience and minimizes the workload on your air filtering systems and maintenance.

Health & safety: It reduces the smoke point of your oil, and thereby lowers the risk of a deep fryer fire. Also, staff interaction with changing the fryer oil is cut down by at least half, reducing risk of accidental burns and oil spillage.

Reduce operating costs: It gives you the opportunity to cut down or move away from costly monthly additives required to improve oil quality. Fewer people hours are required each month for fryer changes.

For further information visit www.oilchef.co.uk See page 19 or contact Louis Farry by phone or email: louis.farry@oilchef.com or Tel. 07448419664

MONE Y GUAR BACK ANTEE .

3 YE A WARR R ANTY .

New Award Winning Technology can SAVE YOU 35% TO 55% ON COOKING OIL in deep fryers.

REDUCING COSTS Increasing Margins

We strongly believe in cutting costs without compromising quality.

We look forward to the day that all food industries will join our Eco Friendly quest.

Until then we will provide eco friendly solutions that will help them all to reduce their carbon footprint.

Why spend all that money on oil, energy and labour when you can dramatically reduce these costs today?

www.oilchef.co.uk

Contact Louis Farry by phone or email: louis.farry@oilchef.com Tel. 07448 419664

20

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Supporting the Mental Health of a Hospitality Workforce

By Daniel Stander, employment lawyer and certified mental health first aider at Vedder Price LLP (www.vedderprice.com) The above numbers make for difficult reading. From an employment perspective, failing to take a pro-active approach to the wellbeing of staff risks raising the likelihood of poor performance, sickness absences and misconduct. This can result in problems with employee morale, retention and at worst, the risk of claims arising which can damage a business’ finances and reputation.

With that being the case, how can employers in the sector best respond to this escalating issue?

THINK ABOUT CULTURE

From a global pandemic to a cost of living crisis, employers in the hospitality sector have had to contend with a perfect storm buffeting their organisations in recent years as the stresses and strains impact on their workforce’s wellbeing and resilience.

THE NUMBERS ARE IN… Research from the Royal Society of Public Health reported that more than 84% of hospitality workers people have experienced mental health issues during their career, and 62% do not think the hospitality sector takes care of its employees. According to another recent report, 80% of hospitality workers want more proactive wellbeing support from their employer.

Employers are recommended to take steps to foster a more inclusive culture that allows employees to feel safe and more confident engaging in difficult and sensitive discussions around their wellbeing. This can include senior management leading by example by reviewing the working environment for wellbeing “hot spots” and putting policy and procedural mechanisms in place dedicated to promoting a more positive environment. Additional measures such as regular check-ins from managers, encouraging employees to take their annual leave entitlements, ensuring workers take proper rest breaks, and actively managing the distribution of work fairly and equitably are just a few ways in which businesses can start to do this. Those who do so stand to gain a competitive advantage by being more likely to retain existing employees and attract new talent, something that has particular resonance for Gen Z workers, where there is a sense that issues around fairness and ethical behaviour in the workplace have changed significantly.

INVEST IN TRAINING In order to mitigate against the potential pitfalls associated with a perceived lack of support, and to set about creating a more sustainable business that is fair, robust and built to last, hospitality employers should

also consider investing in high quality training for staff on the early warning signs of mental ill-health, including being able to pick up on often subtle changes in a person’s emotions or behaviours which might indicate they could benefit from a wellness check-in and potentially signposting to appropriate forms of support.

BOLSTER YOUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PROVISION Considering a range of preventative-leaning options in terms of benefits provision can be helpful. Whether this comes in the form of financial support like implementing a policy whereby employees can access a percentage of their salary early each month, or physical and mental provision through employee assistance programmes or discounted gym memberships, these are all ancillary supports to an organisation’s wellbeing strategy.

TAILORED RESOURCES FOR HOSPITALITY EMPLOYERS Employers who recognise the importance of good mental health in the workplace but who may nevertheless be concerned about the financial implications of doing so are also recommended to consider a new toolkit produced by the Institute of Hospitality (IOH) and the charity, Mind. The toolkit provides a range of resources to help individuals across the industry tackle mental health issues in the workplace, including information on physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

It is clear that efforts to improve mental health in the sector require urgent support. As the IoH and Mind have demonstrated, help is at hand, and employers need not face these issues alone in their efforts to build a happier, healthier, and more productive workplace.

Pub Group to Charge More at Peak Times with ‘Dynamic Pricing’ Scheme

A pint of beer during the busiest periods will cost drinkers 20p more under a “dynamic pricing” system introduced by Britain’s largest pub group.

to the increased cost demands on the business with additional staffing or licensing requirements such as additional door team members."

Stonegate Group, which owns chains including the Slug & Lettuce and Yates’s, said it was raising prices at 800 of its venues during peak times, such as weekends, to help cover soaring costs.

Pubs are continuing to face faced a period of instability, in the first quarter of this year 150 pubs in England and Wales shut down. In 2022, an estimated 560 pubs closed amid rising energy bills and higher maintenance costs.

The policy has previously been implemented during one-off events, such as World Cups, where customers were charged up to 50p more per pint when England matches were shown at certain pubs. However, the group is now set to introduce price variance on a more regular basis.

The group is said to be increasing prices when its venues are busiest to help cover the cost of washing glasses, extra staff, supplying plastic cups and venue security.

Signs have been left in Stonegate pubs running the scheme, which aim to inform customers about why drinks may be more expensive.

These signs read: “Dynamic price is currently live in this venue during peak trading season. Any increase in our price today is to cover these additional requirements: To ensure we have enough staff, so you’re served quickly, additional door staff for your safety, satisfying and complying with licensing requirements, extra cleaning routines and use of polycarbonate glasses. Thank you for your cooperation”.

A spokesperson for Stonegate, which has a total of 4,500 venues, said the company “Regularly reviews pricing to manage costs but also to ensure we offer great value for money to our guests”.

“Across the managed business our dynamic pricing encompasses the ability to offer guests a range of promotions including happy hours, two-for-one cocktails, and discounts on food and drink products at different times on different days throughout the week,” “This flexibility may mean that on occasions pricing may marginally increase in selective pubs and bars due

Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) said it acknowledged the difficulty that businesses face but said that dynamic pricing could ultimately hurt pubs by confusing patrons.

Tom Stainer, the Chief Executive of CAMRA, said: "We know pubs and brewers are having a difficult time at the moment, but we don't think an extra charge penalizing customers that want to support the industry is the right solution,” Stainer commented. “Our fear is that it could convince people to stay away."

“Many pubs already struggle to display prominent price lists for customers, which are more important than ever for people who may be struggling to afford a pint with friends and family."

Steven Alton, chief executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping, which represents the independent pub sector, said the move was “indicative of the reality of operating costs right now where pubs are trying to find any opportunity to deliver decent margins”.

Dynamic pricing It has been widely adopted in various industries, including airlines, hotel chains and ticketing companies like Ticketmaster, and is a strategy that businesses use to set prices in response to changes in demand. With dynamic pricing, prices can change based on a wide range of factors, including the time of day, the day of the week, special events, and even the weather.

It has however, faced criticism. According to a YouGov poll published in December, 71 percent of Britons oppose dynamic ticket pricing.

Legendary Rockstar Sir Rod Stewart Launches Wolfie’s Whisky To On Trade Wolfie’s Whisky, the new blended scotch whisky from music industry icon Sir Rod Stewart, is now available for licensed venues via Champers Wholesale.

Embodying his reputation as ‘the Cockney Scotsman’, Wolfie’s pays tribute to Rod’s Scottish heritage and cheeky chappie image.

Designed to reflect Rod’s rock ‘n’ roll heritage with subtle nods to Americana, Wolfie’s was inspired by the legendary musician’s early hell raising days with the Faces.

“Wolfie’s is a rascal of a thing and with just a sip the whisky takes you back to the good old days. Fine-tuned and perfectly balanced, Wolfie’s is a delight both over ice and mixed into a favourite cocktail,” says Rod. “It’s a fine tipple, whether you’re partying with friends, celebrating a Celtic win or reminiscing with family. For me, Wolfie’s depicts the carefree behaviour of my more mischievous days and the excitement of what life still has to offer – let the good times roll!”

Wolfie’s Blended Scotch Whisky (40% ABV) is wonderfully balanced with flavours of warming cinnamon, fresh vanilla and baked apple. The whisky has a delicate taste of sweet peat and pears in syrup before finishing with candied citrus peels and a gentle

oak spice.

A selection of suggested serves including Rod’s favourite cocktail, a Wolfie’s take on the Apple-tini, are available online at https://wolfieswhisky.com/serves/.

With its unique blend of rock ‘n’ roll roots, Americana and Scottish heritage, Wolfie’s is bringing something new to the Scotch whisky market. Distilled on the banks of Loch Lomond by an expert team with decades of whisky-making knowhow and an all-Scottish team behind the brand, Wolfie’s truly has Scotland at its heart.

Referencing the opening track from Rod’s 1991 album Vagabond Heart, the lyrics ‘Rhythm of My Heart’ are emblazoned on the base of the bottle. Rod’s recording of the song was a nod to his own Scottish heritage having adapted the melody from the traditional folk song, Loch Lomond.

Follow Wolfie’s Whisky on social media for exclusive updates by searching @WolfiesWhisky on Instagram and Twitter and @WolfiesOfficial on Facebook.

For more information, visit www.wolfieswhisky.com

22

CLH News

Tableware

Oct/Nov 2023

Creating A Sustainable Ambiance effort as it is a decorative item that is easy to implement by staff members. Candles can be lit quickly and arranged in strategic locations to enhance the ambiance and placed in candles holders or candelabras for added elegance. Our own research highlights that candlelight ambiance invites consumers to stay longer and spend more – a key objective for any business.

Dining by candlelight is one of life’s little pleasures. The ambiance created by the soft flicker of a flame can make a venue feel intimate, warm, and inviting, elevating a night out to create a more premium experience.

At Bolsius Professional, the biggest candle producer in Europe, Paul Christodoulou emphasises the importance of candles in determining the look of the table setting and demonstrates how well-positioned the company is to serve the needs of catering and hospitality businesses.

As the hospitality industry prepares for what could be one of their busiest times of year, ambiance is high on the agenda as customers crave warm and inviting spaces to kick-back in over the autumn and Christmas period.

As night outs may be less frequent but more special, value for money, service and atmosphere have all risen on the list of priorities for those visiting hospitality venues.

TABLEWARE PAINTS A PICTURE With that in mind, tableware and decorative accents are key elements that need careful coordination if you want to effectively convey your venue’s character or signpost to a theme or event. When it comes to the table setting, our research shows that 89% of diners expect a candle on their table. So, as well as making sure that cutlery, glassware, and table linens convey the desired level of decadence, be sure to leave space for a candle, to heighten the romance, set the mood and draw focus to the table.

Corby Hall

A candle provides the perfect ambiance with minimal

Corby Hall, a family-owned business based in Randolph, N.J. USA, has supplied the international hospitality industry with high quality flatware, holloware and bright white porcelain dinnerware for the

BOLSIUS PROFESSIONAL RELIGHT RANGE Bolsius Professional’s Relight® range, which is available in a wide range of colours and designs, are created with ease and sustainability in mind, as Relight® refills can be quickly changed or replaced to reflect the season, theme or occasion yet still offer a burn time of 24 hours, or no less than 30 hours for the new Relight® Plus. The refills can be recycled after use making them the leading contemporary solution for using candlelight to enhance the atmosphere in hotels, restaurants, and bars.

Consumers now value sustainability in all areas of their lives: drinking or dining out are no exception and here at Bolsius Professional, we place a strong emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly practices in the product of our candles. We keep our ecological footprint as small as possible by sourcing materials locally, and we’ve eliminated palm oil and animal fats – instead, our candles contain plant-based wax from Europe.

For further insight on the importance of candlelight when creating ambiance at your establishment visit www.bolsius.com/en/professional/ past 40 years.

With designs ranging from traditional to contemporary at extremely competitive price points, Corby Hall has the ability to supply all food & beverage outlets associated with a full-service foodservice operation. Our global distribution network coupled with production facilities in Europe and Asia allows for seamless service for both opening orders as well as re-supply. www.corbyhall.com

Uniforms and Workwear Being Sustainable Will Save You Thousands Of Pounds. How? Oct/Nov 2023

A Stalwart Crafts interview with Will Murray, head chef of Fallow about their curious choice of staff uniform – Leather Aprons How did you think of leather aprons as a uniform for a restaurant?

I was enjoying a slice of pizza and a nice cold beer at Pop Brixton market when I found myself chatting with Tim de Ket, a Dutch guy that moved over to London following his dream to open a leather-crafts workshop for the hospitality industry.

As the evening progress we found that we were getting on like a house on fire; it turns out we both felt strongly about one shortcoming of the Hospitality industry – its lack of sustainability: the amount of unnecessary food waste, and how restaurants were often more preoccupied with cutting costs than focusing on doing right by the planet.

I was in the process of opening my restaurant Fallow, and I was looking for a uniform for my staff members that tied in with the sustainable ethos of the restaurant. Tim was already making leather aprons I decided to give him the challenge of making me a bespoke tailored apron for my new restaurant that not only looks good, but is lightweight, comfortable to wear, easy to clean, and made of sustainable sourced materials.

6 weeks later after going back and forward with designs, he came walking

around the corner with a big smile on his face holding the Fallow leather apron – and it was gorgeous!

He rolled out this impressive black leather apron made of sustainably sourced leather from European Ex-dairy cow skins. He had it branded with our logo and the cross straps for the back were exactly right.

After trying it on I know this would be the look for Fallow.

Fast forward to the present day and we are still wearing some of these aprons we bought on that first day we opened.

Not only did it make our look, it saved us thousands of pounds on washing cost.

Just one apron per staff member for years to come. That’s it!

I cannot thank Tim enough for making us this masterpiece of craftsmanship. We were so happy that we’ve had Tim working on other projects the new menu covers they are making right now!

What would you say is your favorite thing about the aprons?

I can’t get over how long they’ve lasted. Sure they were pricey compared to a run-of-the-mill cotton apron, but we’re so glad we moved away from the hassle of constantly having to replace beaten up cotton aprons with holes in them. We look so much smarter now.

How do you clean your aprons?

Lafont Hospitality Workwear Lafont, a brand steeped in a rich 180-year history, is renowned for its exceptional chef's jackets. Serving as the esteemed global partner of Michelin, Lafont has firmly established itself as the pioneer of uncompromising quality in kitchen uniforms. We pride ourselves on bringing high quality garments at affordable prices to chefs worldwide.

We are honoured to have the calibre of brand ambassadors we do. Lafont has nine of the UKs most recognised Michelin-Star chefs as brand ambassadors, all who choose to represent us in their kitchens. These culinary luminaries place their trust in Lafont, not only for the superior quality of our products but also for the longevity and value of them.

Simon Rogan- owner of L’Enclume, a three Michelin-Star restaurant, has dressed his entire team across all of his restaurants in Lafont and has the following to say about our jackets:

CLH News

23

All you do is wipe them down with a damp cloth and anti-bac spray.

Couldn’t be easier! Tim explained that they’ve used a high-quality leather with an impregnated coating that makes the leather completely sealed meaning anything just wipes off: dirt, wine, butter, fat, you name it!

How many aprons did you go for?

We have one per staff member. There’s no need for laundering the aprons as they wipe down, so they’re always ready to use. They never leave the site, so they never go missing. In all honesty we could have just gone for enough aprons for the shift, but the staff enjoy having their own apron – it means they can adjust it the first time they wear it and then never have to again. It’s a nice thing to own as well – like a set of personal chef’s knifes.

Is a leather apron actually comfortable?

Our aprons are made from a full-grain Italian leather that is unbelievably soft and flexible. We went for cross straps which make the apron sit across the shoulders and back as opposed to around the neck meaning you barely feel like you’re wearing an apron! The aprons are really adjustable, as well, so they fit great on the entire team.

A note from Tim: We’ve continued to hone our craft since working with Will. While we remain good friends and continue to work together, we have capacity for more projects. If you’d like to explore having some leather aprons, menu covers or other leather goods made for your business, please contact us today for a free sample package or a business meeting. +44 (0) 20 3744 2271 www.stalwartcrafts.com “Let’s craft your new look together and elevate your business.”

More info on our leather aprons and menu covers on our advert on this page.

“My Lafont jacket is the most comfortable and easy wearing jacket I have ever worn. The longevity in the jackets is great, and they keep me and my entire team looking smart and professional all day.”

Discover our extensive range of jackets, available in an array of colours, short and long sleeve lengths, and a wide range of fits to cater to individual preferences. Lafont ensures that we have the perfect jacket to not only meet your aesthetic desires but also guarantee an optimal fit, so you can both look and feel your absolute best, regardless of your body type or style preferences.

As a prominent global authority in the realm of hospitality uniforms, Lafont remains dedicated to innovation and setting new standards. We ensure that everyone from Head Chef to Kitchen Porter have access to workwear that not only meets the demanding requirements of the kitchen but also exudes sophistication and style.

Find your new favourite jacket in our catalogue by scanning the QR code!

Tel: 020 3769 3523 Email: salesuk@cepovett.com Find us on Instagram and Facebook too @lafont_hospitality_uk

24

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Cleaning and Hygiene

Maintaining Good Hygiene with Kärcher Maintaining good hygiene ensures a safe and clean environment for facility users.

Consistent and proactive cleaning reduces the need for intensive deep cleaning, enabling facilities managers to redirect their efforts.

Regular cleaning and disinfecting within facilities help to prevent the build-up of bacteria and doing so in a time efficient manner is key whilst in a busy workplace setting. It is important that routine cleaning and decontamination measures are followed to ensure facility safety is not compromised. This practice guarantees that individuals entering and utilising a hospitality venue enjoy a hygienic and welcoming environment that enhances the likelihood of their future visits.

Running costs and sustainable operations are often top of mind for those in the hospitality sector as operational costs continue to rise. Customers are much more conscious when it comes to the environmental practices of businesses and it’s now becoming a strong factor when choosing who to invest in. Investing in cleaning and maintenance equipment, particularly within the catering and hospitality sector, could save you time and money in the long run. Battery-powered cleaning and maintenance solutions allow for a more robust, cost-effective and environmentally friendly cleaning operation due to their cordless design, being quiet and relying less on mains power.

easily clean surfaces without the need for cables to be strewn across the area. Added attachments allow for it to be used on a multitude of surfaces from entrance mats to curtains to keep the lobby area pristine for guests.

PERFECTING CLEANING QUIETNESS Those staying in hotel rooms or frequenting restaurants expect a high-level of cleanliness, however they do not want to be disturbed by loud cleaning appliances. Using battery powered machines can help to reduce noise levels without compromising the performance.

Vacuum cleaners such as the Kärcher T 9/1 Bp have a robust design and emit low-noise levels. The reduced noise output enables cleaners to use them in areas that are open to the public. This is perfect for cleaning corridors and passageways between rooms when dirt may have built up during hours when customers may be sleeping.

SUMMARY

Battery powered devices such as the Kärcher Vacuum Cleaner BVL 5/1 Bp Pack allow users to easily remove loose dirt to maintain the premises. Lifting dirt from carpeted flooring, the backpack vacuum cleaner can be used effectively in a matter of seconds to whisk away dirt and maintain the luxury aesthetic.

Making the move to battery power is about more than pursuing a more sustainable outlook for hospitality venues, battery power should also be top of mind for many companies who are looking to reduce fuel costs, noise and increase productivity. Kärcher’s range of professional battery powered machines offer unique advantages that help to speed up cleaning times and maintain effective cleanliness to suit catering and hospitality businesses of all sizes.

With its super-lightweight design, the Kärcher BVL 5/1 Bp is worn by the user on their back enabling them to

Visit www.kaercher.com/uk/professional.html

Tork, the professional hygiene products and services brand has announced the launch of a range of new washroom products, aimed at helping enhance guest experience and reduce complaints. Tork has launched a new system that makes keeping washrooms constantly fresh much easier. At the same time, aimed at upmarket hotels, restaurants, and spas are three new luxury soap offerings from Tork.

Also new is Tork Luxury Hair & Body Shower Cream with 94% of ingredients from natural origins1. Combining a shampoo, conditioner, and moisturising shower cream in one, this contains argan oil plus an extra conditioner to provide a luxurious shower experience.

EXCEPTIONAL CLEANING QUALITY

Tork Launches Range of New Washroom Products for 2024 The latest innovation from Tork is a new air freshener system designed to be quick and easy for cleaners to maintain, to keep washrooms constantly fresh. The Tork Constant Air Freshener uses a unique distribution technology that is propellant free, ensuring scent is distributed evenly and continuously throughout the washroom.

Lasting up to 90 days before needing a refill, the system is available in a range of scents that eliminate bad odours and provide a consistent, fresh washroom experience. What’s more the dispenser can be mounted at a reachable height and is certified ‘Easy to use’ making it easy to refill and maintain for cleaners.

Tork Luxury Foam Soap and Tork Luxury Liquid Soap contain natural magnolia extract, known for its relaxing properties. Derived from 94 per cent natural ingredients1 Tork Luxury Foam Soap has a pleasant hand-feel, while Tork Luxury Liquid Soap is soft and silky and comes from 95 per cent natural ingredients1.

All three products have been dermatologically tested while their improved formulations meet stringent new EU Ecolabel criteria.

“Customers in facilities such as upmarket hotels, restaurants, spas and gyms expect a more luxurious washroom experience,” said Essity’s Pilar Jimenez . “Our three new offerings fulfill this need and deliver high quality and effective solutions that also address sustainable hygiene expectations and meet ongoing business challenges.”

All three soap products have a fresh new label designed to appeal to upmarket environments. They are housed in a dispenser that is quick to refill and certified as being easy to use.

For more information, please visit the Tork website www.tork.co.uk.

1 in line with ISO16128

26

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Festive Buyer's Guide

It’s Christmaaaassss!

(Well Nearly! Less Than 70 Days)

r “Christmas is the Season fo lity” Kindling the Fire of Hospita Washington Irving

As autumn sets in, the anticipation of a busy festive season fills the air. For the UK hospitality and licensed on-trade sector, this time of year isn't just a celebration; it's a lifeline. The festive season is synonymous with joy, gatherings, and the warmth of togetherness—a period that boosts trade, lifts spirits, and offers hope, especially in the midst of the current economic challenges. To make the most of this opportunity, operators must act now, laying the groundwork for a successful festive season.

Paul Bolton said: “This research shows consumers are as keen as ever to enjoy pubs, bars and restaurants when they can. A strong end to trading in December has created good momentum for 2023, but the cost of living crisis is casting a shadow over spending. Finding the right balance of quality and value will be crucial—as will reassuring the small but significant So, inn 2023, the importance of this festive boost cannot be overstated. The economic crisis facing the UK has left many consumers and businesses feeling the pinch. The festive season presents a unique opportunity for the hospitality and licensed on-trade sector to provide respite, lift spirits, and contribute to the nation's sense of well-being.

A Much-Needed Boost Families, friends, and colleagues gather to celebrate and share special moments. Christmas and New Year's parties are the lifeblood of the hospitality industry, injecting a vital dose of revenue.

CGA’s Christmas 2022 Report revealed that 78% of consumers went out over the festive period— 20 percentage points more than in 2021, when fears about the Omicron variant of COVID-19 kept some people at home. The figure is now level with the number typically who went out over Christmas before the pandemic.

CGA’s Christmas Report also revealed some important changes in consumers’ On Premise habits. It showed 41% of consumers visited a casual dining restaurant in 2022, up by four percentage points on 2021. Numbers visiting pubs increased too, but hotel and nightclub visits both fell. Well over half of consumers went out for relaxed or quiet drinks (60%) or casual meals (55%)—year-on-year increases of 16 and four percentage points respectively.

The On Premise remains a key hub for drinks trial and experimentation, with nearly 1 in 3 consumers trying new drinks over the festive period. With less money in their pockets, consumers are more selective and have higher expectations than ever when they go out.

They want good value for their extra spend, which means not just high-quality food and drink but memorable all-round experiences. Venues that can’t deliver experiences over and above what consumers can get at home will be at risk.

the venue with 32% wanting a same day response to an enquiry. So responding and response times are definitely key.

Set menus / packages are popular with 37% of consumers, and 60% want to be able to pre-order their food from a set menu as it’s easier and less stressful, with 39% also wanting to pre-order drinks.

Finally – hospitality gifting remains ever popular, with 39% saying they would buy a gift card for a pub / restaurant as a Christmas gift.

So, the message is that despite the current economic climate, there are some key – and relatively simple - wins for operators.

• Whilst lots have already made their Christmas plans, plenty haven’t – so push that marketing message!

• Look at your packages and make sure customers can preorder both food and drink • Think about your bookings process – customers want contact! Follow up enquiries promptly, and secure that deposit (74% are happy to pay a deposit!)

• Get in on the gifting game – there’s a big potential market for hospitality gifting

Plan Now, Prosper Later Big Bookings are Back! amongst consumers to see how and where they are planning to spend the festive period this year, and how much of their plans involve the hospitality sector.

Whilst 34% say they are planning to spend less this year in pubs and restaurants, and whilst there’s a clear case of the ‘careful’ consumer with the cost of living crisis, 49% of people say they will visit a pub or bar or restaurant over the period.

19% of respondents have already made their Christmas plans and 10% have already booked a pub or restaurant during the festive period, up 1% on last year.

Only 27% of people said they won’t make plans until December – and most of these are either those without children, or those identifying as male.

Christmas Day is already looking positive. Nearly 1 in 10 intend to visit a pub on Christmas Day, which is back to pre-pandemic levels, and Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve are following the same pattern.

And BIG bookings are back! Over 39% of people said they will definitely be visiting a hospitality venue with 12 or more people. And what about how they book and what they expect? 46% want to speak directly to

Operators should ensure they have the tools in place to accommodate seamless and simple bookings.

According to Zonal’s research into booking trends, a third of consumers now use social media to book tables and so having a reservation system that can be linked to these online platforms will also benefit operators. Connected technologies and automated systems that send out automatic reminders and confirmation communications will also help prevent no-shows, drive reservations and ultimately boost revenue.

Commenting, Olivia FitzGerald, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Zonal, said: “At special times such as Christmas, bookings are an important part of the customer journey. With December being the most important time of the year for many hospitality businesses, promoting Christmas bookings and juggling table plans to maximise availability will help operators make the most of the festive period."

The key to a successful festive season lies in meticulous planning and preparation, starting as early as October. Here are some essential aspects operators must focus on: 1. Menu Preparation: Craft a festive menu that caters to all tastes, including traditional favourites and innovative dishes. Collaborate with suppliers to ensure a steady flow of quality ingredients.

2. Stock Control and Rotation: Manage stock effectively to minimize waste and ensure availability of popular items. Rotate perishables and update your beverage selection to include seasonal specialties.

3. Festive Decorations: Transform your venue into a winter wonderland with festive decorations. Lights, garlands, and themed ornaments create an inviting atmosphere.

4. Reservation and Booking Platforms: Streamline reservations by utilizing booking platforms. Make it easy for patrons to secure their preferred dining times.

5. EPOS Systems: Invest in modern EPOS systems to speed up table turnover, reduce administrative errors, and enhance the customer experience. Efficiency is key during the bustling season.

6. Staff Rotas: Create staffing rotas well in advance to accommodate holiday requests and ensure a motivated team. Train staff on festive offerings and excellent customer service.

7. Marketing and Promotion: Promote your venue as the go-to Christmas and New Year destination through effective marketing. Use posters, social media, email campaigns, and local collaborations to increase visibility.

A Season of Hope

The festive season is more than just a revenue boost; it's a source of hope and renewal for patrons and businesses alike. It's a time to create lasting memories, foster connections, and share joy.

In 2023, as we navigates economic challenges, the hospitality and licensed on-trade sector has a unique opportunity to provide solace, create magical moments, and help communities come together. By planning ahead and offering exceptional experiences, operators can make this festive season a beacon of hope for patrons seeking respite from the everyday challenges.

As October unfolds, it's time to prepare for a festive season that not only brightens the bottom line but also lights up the hearts of patrons across the nation. Let the countdown to a season of hope and celebration begin!

What Makes Wicker Such A Good Choice? Make Profitable Adjustments to Your Wine List This Festive Period There are many key benefits to selecting sustainable wicker for your packaging and display options due to its environmentally and socially responsible nature. It’s a natural renewable resource, growing quickly to replenish what is depleted, unlike nonrenewable resources such as plastics or metals. It’s also biodegradable and minimal chemicals are used during production so wicker will naturally breakdown over time and return to the earth without causing harm.

1. Renewable Resource: Wicker grows relatively quickly and can be harvested without causing long-term damage to the environment.

2. Biodegradability: Wicker materials are biodegradable, breaking down naturally over time, returning to the earth without causing harm.

3. Durable and Long-lasting: Sustainable wicker products are durable and can have a long lifespan if properly cared for.

4. Aesthetic Appeal: Baskets, Shoppers and

Hampers have a natural, rustic, and complimentary traditional aesthetic.

5. Reduces Plastic Usage: By choosing sustainable wicker products over plastic-based alternatives, you help combat plastic pollution and its negative impacts on ecosystems.

6. Indoor Air Quality: Natural wicker materials do not off-gas harmful chemicals or contribute to indoor air pollution, contributing to a healthier indoor environment.

Aside from the most impressive credentials of the sustainability of wicker, it creates a really, useful, tactile container perfect for food, drink, gifts, or storage. From traditional hampers to storefront shopping baskets, small bread baskets, to deep storage baskets, wicker will last for many years. That’s what makes wicker such a good choice. www.candigifts.co.uk salesdesk@candigifts.co.uk 01502 501681 SEE THE ADVERT ON THE INSIDE FRONT COVER.

Tom van der Neut is Business Unit Controller at Lanchester Wines: The festive period creates one of the simplest opportunities to make profitable adjustments to your wine list. The Christmas season signals parties and celebrations, a time for pushing the boat out and trading up from everyday drinks. Sparkling wine is the obvious addition to a wine list at Christmas, whether by the glass or by the bottle – perhaps a trade up on the size of bottle, to a magnum or even a jeroboam for extra special celebrations.

Thinking about something to fill the gap in the middle of your existing list of sparkling wines is wise for Christmas – many French or English sparklers fill this opportunity between Prosecco and Champagne perfectly. For example a bottle of London Cru Pinot Gris Sparkling Rose (grapes grown in West Sussex) or a Domaine Moutard Méthode Traditionnelle Blanc de Blancs (made by a Champagne house in the Champagne style, but with grapes grown in Burgundy) suit the celebratory style, but without massively impacting budgets, making this an ideal welcome drink or toasting fizz.

Affordability and familiarity are always important at the pointy end of a well curated wine list. Consumers may well be watching the pennies this festive season, so in the same way you want to maximise those trading up, you still need to have the easy

wins and great wines for those customers watching their budget. This doesn’t necessarily mean buying in an extremely cheap wine especially for that purpose – your flagship house wines should fill that gap already.

Commoditising wine will only result in a poor customer experience.

You know your customers better than anyone, so create a Christmas wine list that directly suits their specific tastes – and likewise, if something isn’t working, change it. Perhaps even invite key customers to taste the wines with your merchant before listing. When exploring new ranges and you’ve pretty much confirmed your core list – so after your first or second consultation – it always works incredibly well to invite your top customers to an exclusive tasting of the wines before you finalise your selection. Thus giving your customers a sense of ownership with the festive wine list.

But of course the most important factor for any list at any time of the year is if you don’t list it, customers can’t buy it. By no means are we talking about tying up cash by buying cases and cases of premium wine, but just a small stockholding and a place on the list will be enough to maximise these opportunities when they arise. And, of course, Champagne is not just for Christmas.

For more information on Lanchester Wines and the wines mentioned in this feature, please visit www.lanchesterwines.co.uk

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Festive Buyer's Guide

Festive Ordering with Bacchus Wines PLDC Bacchus Wines PLDC is a UK-based independent boutique wine wholesaler. They sell topquality, award-winning wines at prices that hospitality businesses can appreciate. They have excellent relationships with French family-run winemakers, including Château de Parenchère and offer a personal approach to selling wines to the UK hospitality industry. They manage the import of wine into the UK, solving any freight and trade agreement issues. As a smaller firm, they offer more flexibility and a personal service.

As wine drinkers become more discerning, they seek delicious wines that offer value and provenance from vineyards that they may not be familiar with. Bacchus Wines PLDC only sell wines they love to drink from independent estates they know personally, and festive orders are being taken now.

As consumer preferences change, and after 'cost vs. benefit' considerations, their focus leans towards sustainability, wines without added sulphites, and vineyards with provenance.

Unlike larger wine merchants, Bacchus Wines has simplified the wine-selling business for hospitality venues. They choose wines that are not faddy, and their selection process is based on decades in the hospitality industry, so they know what drinkers and diners will enjoy.

The small yet perfectly curated wine collection is popular among chefs and hospitality venues. Chef & restaurateur Jake S Watkins, commented, "I have been buying wines from Bacchus Wines for over twenty-two years - when I owned the Michelin-starred JSW Restaurant in Hampshire and since retiring. I always receive excellent wines and service."

Registering for a Bacchus Wines PLDC trade account is easy, and they offer significant discounts to those who sign up for trade accounts just in time for festive ordering.

For more information, please visit https://bacchuspldc.com/ or call on 0845 500 1040.

Get Ready for Christmas with Alliance’s Festive Ranges toilet doors, mantles, shelves and other places. Equally, fairy lights, tinsel, baubles and balloons are also all great ways of adding some festive cheer to your hospitality business this year.

Ensuring your establishment is appropriately decorated and furnished during the festive period is a necessity for the hospitality industry. In turn, restaurants, bars and pubs will all want to capitalise on the seasonal influx of business which is available. The best way to do so is make your establishment as appealing as possible during this period.

DRESSING THE TABLES

ECO-CRACKERS

There are many ways to dress your table to add a hint of Yuletide style. Firstly, if you have a colour scheme or a set theme for Christmas which features one particular colour, replicate that in your table setting. You could do this by incorporating the colour into your tablecloth, or if you want a white tablecloth then possibly a coloured table runner with matching napkins.

As a business, sustainability and our impact on the environment are at the forefront of how we operate, as such this year we have opted for an initiative which ensures our crackers are fully recyclable. The way this has been achieved is by removing the silver fulminate which is used to achieve the traditional snap. Now when the cracker is pulled it will instead break apart with the audible crack of cardboard meaning you can still enjoy a cracker with your meal whilst knowing you are doing something right for the environment.

DECORATING THE ROOM When looking to decorate an eating or drinking area for Christmas you should first consider where your fire exits are and that all customers will still have a clear route to an exit. Once you have done this check, you can begin to decide how you want your festive design to look. We would always recommend a tree, go for a larger one if you can as this can be quite a statement piece, attracting party photos in front of it which can act as great free publicity across social media if your venue gets tagged.

In addition to Christmas trees, garlands and wreaths give you the option to add a subtle hint to areas such as

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

For tableware you could opt for classic whiteware or go for something more modern which can be a way of introducing colour to your table. Glassware we’d suggest sticking with classical looks to add a sophistication to the drinks you’re serving.

Finally, if you’re finding you’re being booked up with groups looking to celebrate a Christmas works party, you could offer party accessories to go with the meal. Whether it be party poppers, a festive mask kit, artificial snow spray, all are great for adding a party vibe for customers.

With winter on the immediate horizon, restaurants, pubs and other such businesses should look to start ordering Christmas decorations and planning for the festive period now. Alliance Online offers a wide range of Christmas options which will be perfect for your establishment this year.

Visit www.allianceonline.co.uk or see the page opposite for details.

REAL Vanilla is the Best Gift of All projects in the vanilla-growing region of Madagascar.

This is our gift to the farmers who cultivate the vanilla orchid in the Equatorial regions, helping to regenerate the rainforests, increase biodiversity and improve the air we all breathe.

In choosing REAL vanilla over cheap synthetic substitutes this Christmas, we are supporting their livelihoods and encouraging them to continue to grow a precious crop that benefits us all. This makes vanilla a gift that keeps on giving long after the Festive Season has passed.

Baking is going to be big this Christmas and as the Festive Season draws ever closer LittlePod has the perfect gift for the passionate cook.

Oozing luxury, vanilla is exotic and expensive, but not all vanilla is real. For those seeking something special to pop beneath the tree this December, LittlePod offers pure vanilla at an affordable price making this the best present of all.

Here in East Devon, we have enjoyed another eventful year and thanks to the LittlePod website, Christmas shopping has never been easier.

LittlePod’s vanilla paste, extract and pods can all be purchased from our website shop, along with our chocolate and coffee extracts, with 10% of all online orders donated to Blue Ventures to aid community

Why not create a hamper packed with LittlePod products so your loved one can remember you throughout the year, use our ingredients to bake an edible gift or use a REAL vanilla pod to spice up a bottle of rum or another festive tipple? The options are endless.

For more ideas about how to use our products, be sure to follow us on social media and take a look at our new website, where alongside our online shop, you’ll also find our latest recipe collection, created just for us by Peter Gorton, LittlePod ambassador and Master Chef of Great Britain.

Choose LittlePod and keep it REAL this Christmas.

Vanilla is the best gift of all.

Visit www.littlepod.co.uk for further details or see the advert on the inside front cover.

Real Vanilla Ice Cream

By Annabel Heron, from Cucumber Food Design

INGREDIENTS 284ml double cream 397g condensed milk 1 tbsp LittlePod natural vanilla paste

Method • Whisk the cream to soft peaks in a small one pint bowl that can be frozen and will look good on your table to serve the ice cream in.

• Add the condensed milk and vanilla paste to the cream and whisk in lightly, just until combined. Taste the mix, always essential with puddings, and add more vanilla if you like.

• Cover the mixture with a disc of baking parchment and cling film the bowl, then put in the freezer. There’s no need to stir or churn the vanilla ice cream, it’s ready after about 4-6 hours.

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Festive Buyer's Guide

PEPPADEW® Bites: Elevating the Festive Dining Experience in Pubs and Restaurants As the festive season approaches, pubs and restaurants seek to create an unforgettable dining experience for their patrons.

There is no preparation time, all the hard work of stuffing the pepper has been done.

There is no waste, as the product comes in Frozen, you just take out what you need.

PEPPADEW® Bites offer a flavour explosion in every bite. The signature PEPPADEW® sweet piquanté peppers provide the perfect balance of sweetness and heat, which have been hand filled with West Country cream cheese and then hand rolled in a Panko Style bread crumb.

Recommended portion size is 5 and there are 11 portions in the 1kg bag. The average price is £1.54 for a portion of 5 and the recommended selling price is £7, so a high margin of 74%.

The PEPPADEW® Bites are versatile and can be used on the menu as ‘while you wait’, as they are perfect with a glass of wine or pint of beer, or as a starter as portion or even on top of a winter salad.

When it comes to crafting the perfect starter for Christmas menus, PEPPADEW® Bites emerge as the ideal choice, adding a touch of innovation and culinary excellence to the festivities. PEPPADEW® Bites recently earned recognition with a Silver Award for innovation at this year’s Casual Dining show and are currently shortlisted for a prestigious Q award in the Food Service Party Food and Buffet category.

This Christmas, delight your customers with PEPPADEW® Bites and watch them savour the season’s joy with every delectable bite.

For further information see the advert on the facing page or visit www.peppadewfoodservice.co.uk

Here’s why Peppadew Bites are the ultimate choice for pubs and restaurants.

Classic Christmas Tree Decorations From Gibson Plus Gibson Plus are a well-established, family-run manufacturing business based in the UK. We pride ourselves on having built our family business around a core of loyal, returning customers over many years. Quality products at fair prices, attention to detail, speedy delivery and excellent customer service are top priority at Gibson Plus.

CLASSIC ENAMEL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS Our enamel Christmas decorations have been specially designed in house by chief designer, Susan Gibson. These beautiful ornamental decorations will add that real touch of class to your 2023 Christmas range. With luxurious golds, vibrant reds and atmospheric blues our decorations truly stand out from the crowd! The range has seven elegant designs, so you can have a beautiful enamel bauble to suit each part of your tree. Each decoration comes complete with a beautiful gold presentation envelope.

The decorations have been finished to the very highest of standards and when you take the product in hand it has that lovely weight that just oozes with quality!

BESPOKE ENAMEL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS If you’re wanting to stand out from the crowd our Bespoke Enamel Christmas Decorations will be perfect for you! The

same luxurious quality, but with your very own design. All we need to get started is your ideas and our design team can begin bringing it to life for you. By choosing your own bespoke design you can be guaranteed that your decorations will be truly unique and won’t be sold anywhere else in the world!

With bespoke designs we recommend a minimum quantity of 500 in order to maintain a competitive RRP.

LANDMARK BAUBLES Our Landmark Baubles are high-quality, hand-crafted, engraved baubles made from durable 3mm ethically sourced, maple veneer wood with a 70mm diameter. The engraved detail of the bauble is spectacular – the foreground showcases your landmark depicted with acute attention to detail, while the background features an idyllic Christmas night sky with a silhouette of Santa and his reindeer flying over the moon. The beauty of the Landmark Bauble is they can be produced with the landmark or image of your choice. This allows you to create a design that you can be confident your customer base will love! The fantastic thing about the landmark baubles is that you can have your own bespoke design from quantities of just 60.

WANT TO KNOW MORE? Contact us on 028 9181 8801 for more information and a free sample.

New Forest Shortbread

These boxes of award-winning traditional artisan shortbread are made by local people in the heart of the New Forest. They are genuinely a local product. Tracy Thew has made shortbread for family and friends for more than 50 years, now her team make small batches of her recipes at Burley Rails Cottage. They lovingly craft and seal them in recyclable bags and biodegradable boxes on the day they are baked. The packaging is charming, every box is adorned with images of the stunning New Forest by local Artist, Will Drew. They feature stories on the tear-off cards will illustrations by another local Artist, Shaun Stevens. They make perfect doorstep gifts, hamper fillers, welcome gifts in guest hotel rooms and table gifts for business meetings and conferences. Also wedding favours acting as a delicious gift that can be dressed up by a Wedding Planning or Calligrapher to match a wedding theme and act as a place setting.

Indulge in the buttery bliss of our artisan New Forest Shortbread with every bite - a delectable treat with a 1-star rating in 2022

Guild of Fine Food Great Taste Awards! Our shortbread are made using only the finest ingredients, ensuring a premium taste experience and wholesome treat every time.

Tracy's All Butter Original New Forest Shortbread was recognised by the Guild of Fine Food and their 'Great Taste Awards 2022' with a 1-star rating.

This esteemed organisation of 500+ experts gave their consent for the irresistible flavour and texture of this traditional shortbread, noting its "homemade appearance, even golden bake, rich buttery finish, soft snap, and dairy aromas", which melt in the mouth with a toasty flavour.

These boxes say your hospitality is grounded in the beauty and culture of your area; they give a tangible take away which will be remembered...long after the shortbread has been consumed.

Please call Tracy Thew on 07471 684639 for information on prices, discounts and added value, e.g., bespoke boxes and seals.

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Food Safety

AllergyMenu

Our simple but affective app provides restaurants the ability to keep a live updated menu with allergy information held within it.

Customers simply login to the app or visit your website and view the menu filtered to only show those dishes that are safe for them to eat.

This app significantly reduces the risk of incorrect communication between customers & staff, especially when mistakes can be so easily made, and these mistakes can lead to prison sentences for the restaurant owners.

Up to “20% of the population experience some reactions to foods” (The British Dietetic Association) so it’s no longer a minority issue, eating out should always be enjoyable ii should also always be safe.

HOW IT WORKS There is an easy account area, where the menu and dish information can be maintained via computer or mobile phone, or imported from other systems.

The allergies are assigned to each dish and it can be updated whenever it’s needed. An email is also sent out once a month to ensure the allergy information is

FoodCheck from Kelsius

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

The hospitality industry faces constant challenges when it comes to staffing, costs and delivering the best service to its customers in a dynamic and competitive environment. But one aspect of the business which must always be a priority is food safety. Stringent food compliance regulations, inspections and audits mean that hospitality providers must deliver a constant and consistently high level of food quality and safety. Not only is this vital for the health and safety of customers, but delivering a high standard of safety compliance also serves to establish a long-term business reputation and create trust and loyalty with repeat customers.

A digital HACCP system serves not only to meet food safety regulatory requirements, but it also helps hospitality

checked and the menu confirmed that it is still up to date. The company logo can also be uploaded to ensure the menu follows the restaurants brand.

Key Benefits to Restaurants • Meet regulations for allergy information in one simple step.

• Ensure your menu allergens are always accurate and up to date.

• Improve your customer experience for allergy sufferers, vegans and veggies.

• No need to re-print menus if you change ingredients.

• Handy email reminders to check your menu.

• Stop front of house staff making mistakes • Keep your customers safe from harm.

How it will make a difference It’s so hard to ensure accurate communication between customer and the person preparing the food and Allergy Menu helps to mitigate this risk while ensuring your allergy information is always up to date and easy to manage.

"At the Bannatyne Group working in partnership with Allergy Menu has given our business confidence when it comes to giving our customers transparent and simple information around allergic ingredients. The App is simple and very user friendly."

Denise, The Bannatyne Group www.allergymenu.uk providers to save time and cost across their operations.

Automated wireless temperature monitoring saves time on manual temperature recording, allowing staff to record data easily and without hassle. This frees up staff time to focus on delivering a high-quality service to customers and to focus on other tasks.

With FoodCheck from Kelsius, a user-friendly interface makes it simple and easy for all staff members to record data and create lists for daily tasks including deliveries, cleaning and cooking. Automated reminders for hot temperature checks help to ensure that HACCP is being implemented. The digital system means that the business also reduces its paperwork and paper storage costs, contributing to better sustainability practices. Real-time reporting gives management visibility of task completion as it happens. This also makes it easy at the touch of a screen to create the reports required for audits and inspections.

The FoodCheck system is tamperproof and provides HACCP compliance by using the best available technology that delivers good corporate governance and better risk mitigation – protecting your customers, your business and your reputation.

To find out more, visit www.kelsius.com/food, call 02045 799 048 or email sales@kelsius.com

Hospitality Technology

Oct/Nov 2023

CLH News

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How To Win The Payment Generation Game

By Delia Pedersoli, COO of MultiPay Global Solutions (www.multipayglobalsolutions.com)

As hospitality and leisure businesses look to future-proof their payment systems, its important to deploy the right strategy and technology that appeals to consumers of all ages So where should they start?

MOBILE FIRST - PAY BY BANK KEY FOR GEN-Z Propelled by an acceleration in the already existing shift from cash to contactless digital and mobile payments during the pandemic, there is a rapidly growing interest and excitement from consumers in using alternative payment methods (APMs) such as Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), crypto, and Pay by Bank. This is especially true for younger consumers. According to a global survey by card issuing platform Marqeta, 77% of UK Gen Z respondents feel confident enough with contactless payments to leave their wallet at home and just take their phone.

When it comes to increasing appeal to younger consumers, mobile-based payment schemes are critical. With this in mind, Pay by Bank, whereby customers pay by simply scanning a QR code and opening their mobile banking app, is not only appealing to consumers thanks to its simplicity, but more convenient and cost-effective for businesses too.

For example, with Pay by Bank, which removes the use of credit and debit cards from the transaction, there are zero interchange and scheme fees. As such, businesses can make substantial savings on every transaction.

Furthermore, there’s no need to clutter payment devices with third-party apps as no additional downloads for Pay by

Bank to work are required. Universally compatible, they can also seamlessly integrate with any payment device.

AGE DOESN’T ALWAYS MEAN TRADITIONAL Older generations, especially those over 65 years old, have seen significant changes to technology, consumerism, and payment options over their lifetime. In a global survey by FIS, 71% of baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) reported being more comfortable using the same payment methods they’ve always used, such as cash, credit cards and debit cards.

Having an array of more common payment methods available for consumers to choose from is therefore crucial in striking the right balance. However, FIS’ research also found that nearly half of baby boomers say they also like to stay up to date with the latest payment methods. Catering to these customers could also require a similar mindset and payment set-up needed to appeal to more mobile-inclined Gen-Z consumers.

DON’T FORGET CASH Finally, with cash still the second most popular payment method in the UK, after debit cards, UK Finance data suggests inflation and the rising cost-of-living has meant many people are making greater use of cash to manage budgets compared to just a few years ago. With the total number of cash payments made in the UK during 2022 reaching 6.4 billion, businesses should be mindful of physical money’s continuing importance in the payment mix.

Ultimately, with a cost-of-living crisis in full swing and customers increasingly more discerning about their spending, all businesses need to focus more than ever on delivering a superior customer service – whatever this looks like for the consumer. In the pursuit for speed and convenience, ensuring you are equipped to accept any payment, by any method, is key to pleasing every consumer, no matter their age.

Why a Sponsor Licence is Good for Business Keeping Bar Tabs – The Myths & Benefits The UK hospitality sector is currently grappling with a welldocumented shortage of staff.

Hotels, restaurants, and pubs are |facing challenges in finding suitable candidates for their advertised positions. As the holiday season approaches, this shortage becomes even more concerning. Christmas is undoubtedly the busiest time of the year for the hospitality industry, and a lack of sufficient staff can significantly impact a company's performance. So, how can this problem be addressed? One potential solution is to consider recruiting candidates from outside the United Kingdom, a path that an increasing number of companies are exploring to meet their staffing needs.

But how does a company transition from recruiting domestically to searching for candidates overseas? The process can seem daunting, involving interactions with the Home Office and the need to ensure that your recruitment team and HR systems are fully prepared.

Work Permit Cloud is a legal services company that specialises in assisting UK businesses bring skilled workers from abroad. We provide support in candidate sourcing, offer HR software solutions, and facilitate the acquisition of all the necessary licenses and visas.

For a company to employ a skilled worker from outside the UK, it must have a sponsor licence. This process typically takes eight weeks, but it can be fast-tracked - 10 working days. Once a sponsor licence is granted, the company can issue their candidate a 'certificate of sponsorship' (CoS), the candidate then applies for his/her work visa.

Access to a diverse talent pool, staying competitive, expanding market reach, and ensuring regulatory compliance are just a few of the compelling reasons why companies should prioritize obtaining a sponsor licence.

If you would like to know more see the advert on this page or visit https://tinyurl.com/42hcwrsh

CardsSafe specialises in food and bar tabs. Their wireless system makes the process professional and secure and helps venues to upsell by allowing tabs to be kept. CardsSafe is a proven and genuine deterrent for walkouts and chargebacks. It enables staff to upsell, increases trust between the venue and customers, and is why over 5000 brands, including Young's pubs, Hilton Hotels, Lord's Cricket Ground, and many independent restaurants and bars, utilise the system.

With more and more contactless, chip & pin or phone sales, it is less likely that customers will be offered to run a tab. However, according to VISA, venues that encourage running tabs will have at least 30% higher takings than those that do not.

Interestingly, it has never been illegal to retain cards.

What was unlawful was to allow customers to drink alcohol on credit, i.e., run a liquid tab. However, the Blair

government repealed this in the latest licensing act, so keeping food and bar tabs is legal.

CardsSafe does not store payment details, so is GDPR compliant. Customers' bank details are safe, and it is safer for the card to be placed in a CardsSafe box than left in a till or folder behind the bar.

To ensure that the bank card is not stolen or expired, staff can run a 1p charge against the card before a tab is opened. The EPOS system will alert you if the card has expired or has been reported stolen.

At just £9.95* + VAT per unit per month rental, CardsSafe pays for itself. The question is, can you afford not to have CardsSafe as a part of your business?

Please visit www.cardssafe.com or contact the sales team on 0845 500 1040 *Plus, a sign-up fee of £39.95 (plus VAT) for new customers.

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Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out Clean Away Your Fire Risk with TR19 Grease® Compliance Professional kitchen extract ductwork cleaning is not just a matter of hygiene; it is also an essential fire safety measure, as Gary Nicholls, MD of ductwork risk experts, Swiftclean, explains.

In every kitchen, no matter how lean or sophisticated the cuisine might be, the cooking process generates minute airborne droplets of fat, oils and grease, known collectively as FOGs. As the grease-laden air within the kitchen is drawn through the extract system, the air cools, leaving FOG deposits which gradually form a greasy film on the inside surfaces of both the canopy and the ductwork.

To remain compliant with the TR19® Grease specification, which is issued by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), the grease layer should not be allowed to exceed an average depth of 200 microns – about half the thickness of an average business card.

Compliance with TR19® Grease is an essential fire safety precaution, benefiting your staff, restaurant patrons, and also any residents, in both your own and neighbouring premises.

need your buildings insurance to pay out so that you can repair any damage. Increasingly, insurers will expect you to be compliant with TR19® Grease.

It is, therefore, important to be able to demonstrate your compliance with TR19® Grease. This can be achieved by using a member of the Vent Hygiene Register (VHR) as your specialist cleaning provider. VHR members can issue post-clean certification, providing evidence that you have fulfilled your legal obligations.

Also, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, you must appoint a Responsible Person for your property. They are legally obliged to ensure your compliance with TR19® Grease as part of your fire safety protocols.

Doubtless your kitchen is spotless. Unfortunately, the extract system is out of sight and can, as a result, easily end up out of mind. Its cleanliness should, however, be just as important in your list of maintenance priorities, as should compliance with TR19 Grease®. www.swiftclean.co.uk

Should the worst occur and a fire break out, you will

Caterquip Ventilation Caterquip Ventilation Ltd is proud to be celebrating their 23rd Anniversary this year.

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This Warwick based company offers nationwide coverage for all your commercial catering needs: free site surveys, quotations and designs (CAD), quality bespoke and standard fabrications, specialist knowledge of catering ventilation systems including input air, odour reduction (carbon filtration and ESP) and sound attenuation.

Affiliated members of Constructionline and CHAS, Caterquip Ventilation have a strong hold in the marketplace often advising industry professionals on ventilation systems to a DW172 specification & BSEN:6173.

They have strong relationships with all leading kitchen equipment suppliers, and they offer a kitchen design service to help you build your ideal kitchen.

Projects undertaken have included Olympic Villages, Basildon Hospital, The Mitre Hotel at Hampton Court, The Truck Stop at Anglesey, The Lodge at Old Hunstanton, Colleges, Schools, Hotels, Restaurants and Public Houses.

They ensure their systems are compliant with the current guidelines whilst maintaining an efficient and dynamic facility.

With extensive knowledge of manufacturing and installing ventilation systems, they can help you design the best kitchen within the space available.

Call: 01926 887167, visit: www.caterquipventilation.co.uk, email: info@caterquipventilation.co.uk

Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

Oct/Nov 2023

CLH News

Blue Seal Fryers and Oil Filtration

By David Chesshire, National Accounts Manager, Blue Seal (www.blue-seal.co.uk)

Operators should consider when purchasing a fryer and their oil, the oil capacity against production rate, burner efficiency and recovery rate, as well as a true cool zone in gas fryers to help prolong the oil life. Blue Seal V ray Gas Fryers are our premium fryer and burner system, which come at a higher price compared to some competitors’ gas models. However the fuel efficiency, cost saving, performance and stainless steel high build quality far out way the additional initial cost to the operator.

Blue Seal produce high performance thermostatic controlled gas & electric fryers. Our Evolution range gas fryers GT60, GT46 & GT45 have a premium feature benefit of all using our patented “V’Ray” burner system. This system uses infra-red technology radiating the heat into the tank, only heating the area of oil the baskets are sitting in. This promotes incredibly fast recovery rates, high efficiency for limited fuel consumption provides a true cool zone in conjunction with the specially shaped tank. The true cool zone prevents crumb and food debris that drops below the

batter plates from continuous cooking and carbonising, which in turn helps prevent the degrading of oil quality. This all achieves considerable cost saving for the operator with fuel and oil, as well as time efficiency, producing the finished products.

Blue Seal also offer an additional Filtration units that give a fantastic solution to improving oil life, have great mobility and space saving features as well as powerful pumps & full stainless steel construction.

Moisture, fatty acids and food residue contaminate cooking oil, spoiling fried food taste and causing the oil to smoke. Blue Seal Filtamax removes impurities, quickly and effectively, maintaining consistent high cooking quality and considerable extension of oil life.

The Carbon Pads remove sub-micron particles down to 0.5 microns – this is 100 times smaller than a grain of sand. Daily filtering of fryer oil using carbon filters can massively increase the life span of the oil creating large cost savings and create more consistent finish and taste to the food product.

There are significant advantages offered by the New DrainMajor C (Combi Oven Pump) manufactured

by Pump Technology Ltd. The pump features a tank with its clear side window was the large, triangular, low-level float attached to the pump by a rigid arm, external to the pump casing. Because of the design of this float system the unit can cope with an exceptional quantity of grease, fat and food particles before the reliable start/stop operation of the pump is affected.

The triangular low-level float also means that inlet heights can be just 70mm from base to centreline, giving the appropriate inlet requirement for wall or central island Combi Ovens.

The build quality of the submersible wastewater

pump was also a discussion point, with the mechanical shaft seal arrangement between pump impeller and motor winding generally agreed as an advantage over a common lip seal/diaphragm arrangement, especially considering the hot wastewater temperatures and potential grease which these units have to handle.

It can be connected to multiple ovens or oven and sink combinations. Also, multiple inlet connections can be cut onsite directly into the rigid Polyethylene tank without the need to manifold inlets outside of the tank and then feed into it via a single inlet. This means that the installation footprint is just the size of the compact tank and potential leaks from knocked manifold piping and joints are eliminated.

It looks like the New DrainMinor C is a real winner!

Evolution Fryers and Filter Units

The New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump)

• Available in White & 10 new exciting colours • Complemented by colour coded matching trims • Fire rated to BS476/7 Class 0 • Sheet sizes 2440 x 1220mm & 3050 x 1220mm • Range of cladding sealants & adhesives

For more information, please contact us on 01392 360 999, or alternatively Visit us at:- Unit 21, Apple Lane, Trade City, Exeter, EX2 5GL

Email : info@plastexe.co.uk Web : www.plastexe.co.uk

The ultimate solution for any catering establishment, perfect for pubs, hotels, restaurants, cafes and much more.

www.blue-seal.co.uk Please mention the Caterer, Licensee & Hotelier News when replying to advertising

• Hygienic Wall Cladding & Ceiling Systems

01392 360 999

The Premium Fryer and Burner System

Rece 10% d ive iscoun on all t claddin hygiene g rang on pro es ducti of this on adver t!

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38

CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Outdoor Spaces

No More Relying on the Weather The well-known Brokenwood winery is situated in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, in Australia. In October last year, the outside terrace of the estate was fitted with an awning system from manufacturer markilux. The newly designed open space can now be used for events and wine tastings whatever the weather.

“We covered an area of almost 180 square metres in the winery here in Pokolbin in the Hunter Valley. Our solution consists of three markilux markant systems with four folding-arm awnings of the markilux 970 model additionally mounted on the sides and front,”

says Neil Marot, General Manager at the Australian subsidiary. This combination offers maximum flexibility to shade the entire area or parts of it.

The sun and weather protection system is also equipped with dimmable LED light and infrared heaters. The idea was, to be able to use the terrace in the future for a range of events – completely independently from the weather and the time of day. Alongside these functional aspects, the topic of modern design also played a decisive role in the choice of the markilux products. markilux-project.com

Park and Urban Furniture Stylish Outdoor Area ational spaces across the world.

ENHANCING REVENUE THROUGH OUTDOOR SEATING. Businesses, such as restaurants, cafes, and pubs can significantly boost their revenue by providing outdoor seating options.

This strategy appeals to a broader customer base, as many individuals prefer the refreshing atmosphere while dining or shopping.

We have teamed up with some of the most renowned Scandinavian designers to develop products encouraging the local community to socialise and enjoy spending time outdoors.

Boasting a timeless aesthetic and improved usability, our park and urban furniture range will cope with heavy use and age beautifully over the years. Suitable for all weather conditions and environments.

Suitable for all weather conditions and environments, it has added value to many outdoor recre-

The outdoor space creates a welcoming impression, enticing potential customers to stop by and support the establishment. Additionally, by offering outdoor seating, the business can accommodate more guests during busy times, resulting in higher sales and quicker table turnovers.

The improved customer experience fosters loyalty and positive word-of-mouth, further attracting repeat business. Consequently, this elevates the brand's image, attracting more customers, and ultimately driving revenue growth.

Email sales@hags.co.uk or visit www.hags.co.uk

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

for Popular Dorset Pub

Guests visiting The Old Inn pub based in Wimborne, Dorset can enjoy their food and drink inside an all-weather enclosed terrace area thanks to Broadview Shading Solutions.

Wanting to make more of their outside space all year round, the owners approached Broadview to come up with a solution. Being at the front of the property, the new area would also need that all-important kerb appeal.

Having provided outdoor cover solutions for the likes of Rick Stein Restaurants, The Sandbanks Hotel, and Dorset brewery pub chain Hall and Woodhouse, the team at Broadview drew upon all of their experience to propose an innovative, unique, fully weather-adaptable

outside covered area.

Two large parasols, in a vibrant turquoise, along with vertical guillotine glass to serve as a wind and rain barrier were installed. Staff are able to lower or raise the glass in line with weather conditions, and heating and lighting have been built into the parasol structures - all to bring optimum comfort to their guests.

If you’d like to discuss the idea of transforming the outside space of your pub, restaurant, or hotel, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Broadview.

Please call us on 01202 679012 or visit our website www.outdoor-shading.co.uk

Outdoor Spaces

Oct/Nov 2023

CLH News

41

Embracing the Chill: The Benefits of Utilising Outdoor Spaces in Cooler Months As winter sets approaches and temperatures drop, the idea of dining or enjoying a drink outdoors may seem counterintuitive. However, the cold season offers a unique opportunity for pubs and restaurants to leverage their outdoor spaces. Embracing the chill can lead to a range of benefits, not only for businesses but also for their patrons.

EXPANDED SEATING CAPACITY One of the most apparent benefits of using outdoor spaces in winter is the potential to expand seating capacity. By providing heated and sheltered areas, establishments can create a cozy atmosphere that encourages patrons to brave the cold. This increased capacity can lead to higher revenue and a more vibrant, lively atmosphere.

ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY Utilising outdoor spaces during winter showcases a business's adaptability and innovative spirit. It demonstrates a commitment to customer comfort and a willingness to go the extra mile. This adaptability is especially important in times of uncertainty, such as during public health crises or unexpected weather patterns.

ENHANCED ATMOSPHERE Winter brings its own unique charm, with the crisp air and potential for snowfall creating a magical backdrop. Well-designed outdoor spaces can amplify this ambiance, offering patrons an experience they can't get

indoors.

HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS In light of recent global events, outdoor dining has become increasingly popular for health and safety reasons. Providing well-maintained outdoor spaces with proper distancing measures in place can give patrons peace of mind while still allowing them to enjoy the dining experience.

MARKETING AND BRANDING OPPORTUNITIES Embracing outdoor spaces during winter can be a powerful marketing tool. Businesses can promote their winter offerings, such as special seasonal menus, themed events, and unique outdoor amenities. This can attract a wider audience and strengthen brand loyalty among patrons who appreciate the effort to create a memorable winter experience.

According to our pub customers, each hospitality gazebo typically pays for itself in about 8 weeks!

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Outdoor spaces create opportunities for community engagement and social interaction. Hosting events like winter markets, live music performances, or themed parties can draw locals and visitors alike, fostering a sense of belonging and community spirit.

While the winter months may bring cold weather, they

Increase Your Revenue with a Commercial Shading Solution both kerbside and in any garden areas you may have.

The battle for customers is tougher than ever, but with recent research suggesting 40% find the pub garden their Ultimate Happy Place, now is the time to make the most of your outdoor space and turn it into a haven for customers and a true talking point.

All our products are made-to-measure and completely customisable to meet your exact requirements, with powder coated frames in a range of RAL colours and hundreds of weatherresistant fabrics to choose from. Take advantage of accessories such as lights and infa-red heaters to create a desirable location for customers to relax and be comfortable while they enjoy evening meals or drinks. For an added wow-factor you can add signwriting to help reinforce your brand and drive people into your premises who may have otherwise walked by without noticing.

Whether it’s covering a terrace bar, expanding your seating area or providing a truly unique standalone outdoor experience, our commercial awnings and Louvred roof systems can create a unique feature for your business and add not just a significant WOW factor, but an area to be used again and again.

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

also present a unique opportunity for pubs and restaurants to leverage their outdoor spaces. By providing a warm, inviting atmosphere and offering a range of amenities, businesses can create a memorable winter experience for their patrons. This not only leads to increased revenue but also builds customer loyalty and strengthens the establishment's reputation within the community. Embracing the chill can truly be a win-win for both businesses and their customers.

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

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

'Your outdoor area begs you to earn more money’ JǞɨǞȁǐ ɯȌɐȲ ƧɐȺɈȌǿƵȲȺ Ɗ ǐɐƊȲƊȁɈƵƵ ȌǏ ƦƵǞȁǐ ƊƦǶƵ ɈȌ ȲƵǶƊɮ Ǟȁ ƊǶǿȌȺɈ ƊǶǶ ɩƵƊɈǘƵȲ ǞȺ Ɗ ƦǞǐ ƦɐȺǞȁƵȺȺ ƦȌȁɐȺ‫خ‬

ɓɲ‫ڳ‬ɬǠɋǚ‫ڳ‬ƌ‫ڳ۬ש׮ڳ‬ưƷȲȏȽǠɋ‫ڳ׬ڳ۔ڳ‬ǠȄɋƷȵƷȽɋ‫ډ‬ǑȵƷƷ‫ڳ‬ǠȄȽɋƌǹǹȂƷȄɋȽ ɓȵ‫ژ‬OȏȽȲǠɋƌǹǠɋɲ‫ژ‬ǒƌɼƷƨȏȽ‫ژ‬ƌȵƷ‫ژ‬ƷǑǑƷƩɋǠɫƷǹɲ‫ژ‬ǑȵƷƷ‫ژ‬ƨƷƩƌɓȽƷِ​ِ​ِ‫ژ‬ •

According to our pubs, each gazebo typically pays for itself in about 8 weeks!

•

We will ǚƷǹȲ‫ژ‬maximise income from your outdoor area.

•

This is your essential long-term investment‫خ‬

✓ׄ ȺǞɹƵȺ ‫ ب‬ȺɈƊȲɈǞȁǐ ƊɈ ‫ؾ אזדةׁڍ‬Ƶɮ ɨƊɈ‫ؿ‬ ✓ ‫ژۑ׎ד‬ưƷȲȏȽǠɋ‫ژבژڹژ‬ǠȄɋƷȵƷȽɋ‫ٮ‬ǑȵƷƷ‫ژ‬ǠȄȽɋƌǹȂƷȄɋȽ ✓ k wG‫ژ‬k °¾UwG‫ ׅژ‬æƵƊȲ JɐƊȲƊȁɈƵƵ

✓ ª DzÀ‫(ٶ‬0²XJy‫ٶ‬ǐɐƊȲƊȁɈƵƵƮ ɈȌ ɩǞɈǘȺɈƊȁƮ ׁ‫ ׀׀‬wȯǘ ȺɈȌȲǿȺ ƧǘƵƧDz ȌɐɈ R ²§XÀ mXÀæ J ð0 ² ȯƊǐƵ ǏȌȲ ɈǘƵ ǏɐǶǶ ȯǞƧɈɐȲƵ ƌǹǹ‫ژ‬ÅȺ‫¾ژ‬ȏưƌɲ‫ژ‬ɋȏ‫ژ‬ǑǠȄư‫ژ‬ȏɓɋ‫ژ‬ɬǚƌɋ‫ژ‬ɬƷ‫ژ‬ƩƌȄ‫ژ‬ưȏ‫ژ‬Ǒȏȵ‫ژ‬ɲȏɓِ àRXÀ0 § ßXmX y R ²§XÀ mXÀæ J ð0 ² ‫ׅ׈ׂ ׅ׉׆ ׃ׅ׆ׁ׀ ب‬ ƮƵȺǞǐȁƵƮ ƊȁƮ ƧƊȲƵǏɐǶǶɯ ǿƊƮƵ ƨɲ‫ژ‬ɓȽ‫ژ‬Ǟȁ æȌȲDzȺǘǞȲƵ ‫ ب‬ɩɩɩ‫خ‬ɩǘǞɈƵȯƊɨǞǶǞȌȁǐƊɹƵƦȌȺ‫خ‬ƧȌ‫خ‬ɐDz

Please Read ‘Nearly 2 years on, it was the best decision we ever made to buy 3 White Pavilion Gazebos. They have paid for themselves many, many times over. I dread to think of the business we would have missed out on if we had not made the investment.’

‘We now have 11 hospitality gazebos – this is how we get a fabulous ROI.’!

Susie, Proprietor: Grantham Arms, Boroughbridge -The Bay Tree, Swillington, York – The Black Horse, Kirby Fleetham

Get ready for more winter sales !4 sizes : starting at £1,582 [ex vat] ! 50% deposit + 3 interest-free instalments ! LONG LASTING 5 Year Guarantee ! ROBUST DESIGN guaranteed to withstand 100 Mph storms

Call Us Today to find out what we can do for you.

WHITE PAVILION GAZEBOS 01653 695 285 designed and carefully made by us in Yorkshire : www.whitepaviliongazebos.co.uk

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CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Products and Services

Airwave Europe Commits to a Greener Future The Label Group

Leading display technology integrator, Airwave Europe, is delighted to announce a partnership with conservation company, Gift-A-Tree, agreeing to plant one tree for every TV sold to a new customer.

South West Labels are a supplier of labelling guns, thermal label printers & labels. We’re here for retail, industrial and manufacturing businesses. We’re independent, which means impartial recommendations combined with over 30 years experience in supplying these products.

Based in Tiverton, Devon, Gift-A-Tree work with charities (such as WWF, The Rainforest Action Network & The Rainforest Trust) and companies, generating woodland and forests across 40 countries worldwide.

A Gold Package partnership agreement allows Airwave to plant approximately 25,000 trees a year, in turn contributing to the preservation of natural ecosystems, supporting biodiversity, enhancing air quality, and helping educate local communities.

“As a technology company, we can’t avoid creating a carbon footprint” said Airwave Head of Marketing, James Grant, “however this partnership will help us mitigate the effects of our operations. It’s a small step, but one we’re very proud to make.”

“It’s such a pleasure to welcome Airwave to the family” said Gift-A-Tree Founder, Andy Fields “I look for-

Walter Geering Established in 1903, Walter Geering is an industry leading supplier to hotels, holiday parks and accommodation providers across the UK, specialising in ecofriendly toiletries and welcome packs including kitchen and bathroom packs, pet packs, games night packs, birthday parks, to name but a few. Walter Geering also offers a comprehensive collection of bedroom and bathroom accessories, bedding, linen and towels.

Walter Geering has become a leading supplier due to its firm commitment to the environment.

For most of us, the use of singleuse plastic is all about convenience. As industries go, none are quite as keen on single use plastic as the hospitality industry. This makes sense; few people are more set on convenience than those who are on holiday, and whilst many of our products are not single use, we remain committed to supporting our customers (and their guests) in reducing the amount of plastic in their business.

TOILETRIES AND WELCOME PACKS Walter Geering has led the toiletry and amenity market for a number of years thanks to its innovative products and eco-friendly credentials. Browse their extensive toiletry collections and choose from bottles and tubes made from oxo-biodegradable plastic, postconsumer recycled plastic, prevented ocean plastic and wheat straw.

In the spring of 2023 Walter Geering launched its new floating dispenser system. A simple, yet innova-

The labelling gun market can be complicated. Many products are known by

ward to playing a part in their sustainable future.”

Airwave would like to thank Philips Professional Displays, LG Displays and Samsung Displays, for their support in this initiative.

For enquiries, please contact: info@airwave.tv or 01403 783 483 or see the advert on the front cover.

Moor Coffee Ltd. Our Independent coffee company based near Dartmoor specialises in commercial coffee machines, coffee beans, brewing equipment and machine repairs throughout the South West and the UK. With over 25 years' experience in the beverage vending industry.

tive, solution that offers a new generation of toiletry dispensers. The system is designed to fit any bathroom and comes with a matchbox sized bracket hidden behind the dispenser to offer the illusion your dispenser is floating. The system features a simple tamper-proof locking mechanism that takes housekeeping only 3 seconds to unlock with the security key. The entire system; bottle, bracket is just £4.28 per product per room.

KITCHEN AND CLEANING WELCOME PACKS At Walter Geering, we want to contribute to a circular economy where packaging material never becomes waste, but is recycled, reused or composted. To address the issue, we are investing time and money to reimagine and redesign our packaging. This includes designing a completely new range of packaging types across our diverse welcome pack portfolio to fit with the recycling infrastructure that either exists today or is likely to exist in the near future in the markets where we operate, making it easier for consumers to reuse or recycle our packaging.

When your guests first arrive at your accommodation, the last thing they are thinking about is whether there will be essentials such as washing up, liquid, black bin bags a sponge or cleaning cloth. However, these are the kinds of items your guests will need before too long. Fortunately, with our cost-effective and highly practical kitchen packs, your guests will not have to worry too much for those first few days.

Contact Walter Geering today and quote CLH10 for 10% discount on your first order.

Sales@waltergeering.co.uk www.waltergeering.co.uk SEE THE ADVERT ON THE INSIDE FRONT COVER.

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

We understand that choosing a new coffee machines can be difficult - bean to cup - group machine - instant machine, what is right for you?.

That is where our dedicated team can offer help & advice.

different names depending on their use. Labelling guns, price guns, pricing guns, label guns, coding guns and batch guns. Our range of products can meet all needs: Simple low use models, durable machines for industry.

A wide variety of specialist features including auto-incrementing guns for batch codes.

All equipment is supplied with a one year factory warranty and are designed to give years of reliable and effective service.

See the advert on PAGE 7 or call 01736 810334 for details.

industry we can guide you to finding the right solution for your business.

Call us now on 01409 231166 or visit www.moorcoffee.co.uk We offer a range of purchase options on both new and refurbished equipment. Machine accessories can be added to create a complete business model and once you have chosen your machine we will deliver, install and train you and your staff.

After-sales support is taken seriously so we provide you with a comprehensive back-up service with regular customer contact, a range of point-of-sale material and a fully equipped service department. www.moorcoffee.co.uk 01409 231166 SEE THE ADVERT ON PAGE 11.

With our knowledge gained by our time in the

Big K Introduces an Exciting Range of Smoking Wood Chunks and Chips Big K Introduces an Exciting Range of Smoking Wood Chunks and Chips, adding a smoky flavourful twist to their extensive range of natural cooking fuels.

endless possibilities.

Big K Products UK Ltd unveils its brand new range of Smoking Wood Chunks and Chips. These exciting additions to Big K's product line-up offer food hospitality professionals an unparalleled opportunity to elevate their culinary creations with rich and distinctive flavours.

"We are thrilled to introduce our new range of Smoking Wood Chunks and Chips," said Mike Theodorou, sales Director at Big K Products UK Ltd. "These premium products are designed to empower food hospitality professionals with the ability to create exceptional and memorable dining experiences.

With seven enticing flavours to choose from, chefs can unleash their creativity and elevate their dishes to new heights."

The new range features seven captivating flavours that promise to delight the taste buds and ignite culinary creativity. Chefs and grill enthusiasts can now choose from a variety of options, including Cherry, Apple, Grape Vine, Whiskey Barrel, Hickory, Oak, and the refreshing Citrus blend of Lemon and Orange wood.

Each variant brings a unique aroma and taste, enabling chefs to craft unforgettable flavour profiles for their menus.

In addition to their exceptional flavour profiles, Big K's Smoking Wood Chunks and Chips are crafted with the utmost care and quality. The wood is carefully selected, sourced from managed and sustainable woodlands, and undergoes rigorous processing to ensure consistency and optimal performance. With Big K's commitment to sustainability and eco-friendliness, chefs can enjoy the range's delightful flavours while knowing they are making a responsible choice.

Smoking wood chunks and chips are the perfect complement to charcoal, allowing chefs to infuse their dishes with a smoky essence. Whether it's enhancing the richness of grilled meats, adding a hint of fruitiness to seafood, or lending a distinct smoky undertone to vegetables, Big K's Smoking Wood Chunks and Chips offer

Discover the art of flavour infusion with Big K's Smoking Wood Chunks and Chips. For more information call 0208 808 6336 for deliveries with M25 area.

For nationwide deliveries call 01366 501 485. www.bigk.co.uk SEE THE ADVERT ON PAGE 7.

Blast Chilling is Best When It’s Fast Chilling Williams Refrigeration has released a new version of its reach in blast chillers and blast chiller/freezers which provide significant improvements over previous models.

Blast chilling is a key process for cook chill systems, allowing businesses to safely chill and store food in batches before regeneration is required.

The new models ensure chilling food safety regulations are followed by rapidly chilling food through the danger zone where harmful bacteria can grow, to a safe storage temperature.

The new models help to protect food by lowering it from +90°C through the danger zone where harmful bacteria can grow to a safe storage temperature.

The range now uses natural hydrocarbon refrigerant which has low Global Warming Potential and zero Ozone Depletion Potential. As the charge is less than 150g it falls beneath the threshold for hydrocarbon equipment, which means there’s no need for costly insurance or zone control and allows it to be installed directly on a cookline.

Chilling and freezing times have been reduced compared to previous models, while a powerful food probe sensor can save energy by stopping the cycle as soon as the food reaches the required temperature. The probe can be stored away helping to avoid damage when not in use. A powerful self-regulating system protects the compressors while cooked food is being loaded by cooling down the system before the program cycle is activated.

While some manufacturers promote a maximum capacity for their blast chiller/freezers, this is often smaller for freezing than it is for chilling. However, Williams blast chillers have the same capacity regardless of whether it

is being used to freeze or chill.

The overall design has been improved, with a sleek new door and the popular, easy to use Williams EasyBlast (WEB) controller. A simple 1-2-3 interface makes it easy for staff to program the cycle, while a clear digital display shows the elapsed time and the food probe temperature.

The door can be configured to be either right or left hand hung. A full-length integral door handle provides an easy to use, non-slip grab that is designed to be easy to clean, with no potential dirt traps.

The reduction in chilling and freezing times helps to deliver significant savings in energy compared with previous models. Efficiency is further improved by the 75mm high density polyurethane insulation which helps to maintain operating temperature in ambient conditions up to 43°C. Williams blast chiller and chiller/freezer ranges are available in both reach in and roll in models in a variety of capacities. Its new range of reach in models are available from the compact 10kg undercounter unit up to 50kg cabinets while roll in models start from 70kg capacity up to 320kg.

List prices for Williams blast chiller freezers start from £6070 for the WBC10.

Williams Refrigeration offers a comprehensive range of commercial refrigeration including gastronorm cabinets and counters, specialist bakery equipment, coldrooms, multidecks and blast chillers.

To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk.

Mayfair Furniture Mayfair Furniture will be celebrating 11 years this year of providing the UK’s fastest and affordable commercial furniture. Supplying all kinds of establishments from high end hotel chains to small local takeaways.

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

Design & Refit

Oct/Nov 2023

CLH News

ment we also offer a complete clearance service. We'll organise everything from a suitable time and date, professional clearance staff to remove contract furniture whether fitted or unfitted. Along with our sister company Caterfair who provides commercial catering equipment for your kitchens we are the ideal people to speak to when you are looking to refurbish.

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

We are not just a supplier; we understand that from time to time hospitality and leisure establishments like to give themselves a fresh new look. That's why not only do we supply contract furniture, but when it's time for your establishment to go through a refurbish-

Choose Your Path For Assured, Sustainable Hot Water Restaurants, bars and hotels have an often uniquely business-critical need for hot water to ensure smooth daily operations. With hot water demands generating up to 30% of a business’ daily energy use it is a prime candidate for addressing carbon emissions and climbing operational costs.

Unless a new build, which will be electrical-based, most refurbishments will look to either improve on existing gas systems or aim to completely replace them with electrical alternatives, typically heat pumps and/or direct-electric heating. The latest generation of electric boiler, such as Adveco’s ARDENT, offers new levels of resilience, with multiple immersions in a protected sealed indirect loop arrangement that dramatically cuts issues associated with limescale damage in hard water areas. Digital controls and monitoring ensure 24/7 operational service.

Adveco Live Metering of the hot water demands of a building is a quick, non-invasive, and extremely costeffective means of gauging needs. It also provides application design which enables owner/managers to develop realistic and sustainable development strategies which deliver active results today with low to no

impact on ongoing operations. The process helps to avoid the common, and costly pitfalls of system oversizing, for immediate capital savings. Combining heat pump pre-heat and electric boilers will cut carbon emissions, by as much as 70% compared to equivalent gas-fired applications, so is a big tick in the box for business sustainability.

This does come at a cost currently in terms of operational expense, due to higher electricity costs.

So, we would advocate the use of solar thermal which not only helps further reduce carbon, but crucially also reduces the expense associated with operating on both gas or electric. A correctly sized and installed solar thermal system will reduce UK annual energy requirements of a business on average by at least 30%. Southern/western counties could expect to offset most hot water energy demands in the summer months with a solar thermal system. With a less than 10-year return on investment now possible, solar thermal, as a proven renewable should be on any list of net zero technologies being considered as part of a wider sustainability strategy. www.adveco.co

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

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CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Cult Furniture Cult Furniture is a renowned furniture brand that offers a wide range of products suitable for bar venues.

Our Cult Trade collection encompasses a variety of styles and designs that cater to the diverse needs and

Design & Refit aesthetics of the hospitality industry. We are strongly committed to quality and design and draw inspiration from iconic mid-century and contemporary designs, ensuring that products are not only functional but also visually appealing. We frequently update our collections to stay in tune with the latest trends in interior design, making us a go-to choice for bar owners looking to create a chic and inviting space for their customers. At Cult Trade, we offer bar stools, bar tables, dining chairs, dining tables, ceiling lights as well as other accessories

budget constraints. We are dedicated to customer satisfaction, offering excellent trade account management, easy ordering, and reliable delivery options.

to complete your style.

We offer a diverse range of stylish furniture which allows bar owners to curate a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing interior that aligns with their unique vision and branding. Our products are designed and constructed to meet the highest standards, including Crib-5 certification, ensuring durability and longevity in high-traffic bar environments. Bar owners can trust that their investment in Cult Trade products will stand the test of time. While offering high-quality and stylish furnishings, Cult Trade remains competitively priced, providing bar owners with exceptional value for their investment. This affordability allows for more extensive transformations and improvements within

Our trade membership offers access to exclusive benefits. Join us to enjoy perks only available to Cult Trade members: - Exclusive trade discounts - Bespoke orders - High stock quantities on all of our best sellers - Personal trade manager - 48- hour dispatch time on in-stock items

Visit www.cultfurniture.com or see the advert on this page for further details.

Create A Cosy Atmosphere With Chic & Comfortable Café Seating Comfortable seating that can easily be moved around is a must for any café. Trent Furniture supply a fantastic range of café furniture that’s perfect for friends to relax over coffee and cake or a leisurely lunch.

The Italia Bistro Chair is a firm favourite for a reason. Newly revamped, it’s now available in a huge range of upholstery fabrics and a choice of stylish dark oak or walnut wood finishes. The combination of the timelessly stylish ladder-back design and the comfortable padded seat are perfect for relaxing over a drink. Add the Tall Italia Bistro Stool at your countertop dining area for a seamless style statement. Alternatively, the Solero Chair is another great choice for a traditional chair that won’t let you down in either the style or the durability stakes.

Both these versatile chairs can be used with different table styles to create a unique look. Pair with a cast iron table like the Square Bistro Table for a rustic chic feel or opt for a more streamlined contemporary look

New Year, New Look 2024 is fast approaching and it is a fantastic opportunity to give your hospitality site a fresh look that works hard for you and your customers in the upcoming year.

Woodberry are sharing some tips so that you can plan and get your hospitality venue to work harder for you in 2024.

CREATE ZONES Creating different zones with demographic appropriate furniture is a fantastic way to cater to your customers different needs. As well as this, it gives you scope to attract a different customer demographic.

You can create different zones by using different items of furniture. For example, bar height furniture will appeal more to a younger demographic visiting for a drink whereas armchairs and tables will appeal to older customers.

INVEST IN HIGH QUALITY AND EASY-CLEAN FURNITURE

with a Shaker Table.

Emulating classic Parisian café style, the Bella Chair is a chic and practical choice for any café interior or exterior. Currently with 10% off, and available in nine fabulous colours including mint green, blue, red and silver, this eye-catching chair is precision-welded in high quality steel and easily stackable when not in use. It also comes with the option of a wooden or padded seat for enhanced comfort and the Bella Tall Stool complements it perfectly at your countertops or poseur tables. The Bella Chair is often paired with contemporary tables such as the Chrome Pyramid Table but is equally at home with more traditional designs.

To find out more about Trent Furniture’s fantastic range of café furniture, please call us on 0116 2989 927 or fill in our contact form. www.trentfurniture.co.uk

Investing in high quality and easyclean furniture will mean that your investment will last longer without a lot of maintenance. It will also mean that staff are not having to spend too much time cleaning furniture during busy trade times.

BE BOLD Businesses are becoming more aware of social media for growth. Having a bold or unique interior is a great way to encourage visitors to share photos of your establishment. You may decide to get furniture that is bespoke to your brands colours or have a feature wall with a unique design. Woodberry offer a wide range of colourful chairs with upholstery options and colourful pedestal tables for a unique look.

The Woodberry team are keen to help you find the best products for your establishment. We offer a variety of quality indoor dining and bar furniture from traditional styles to unique and eye-catching designs. Call our team or discuss your needs or shop online.

01926 889922 mail@woodberry.co.uk www.woodberry.co.uk/indoor

Design & Refit

New Stock Chair Ranges from ILF www.ilfchairs.com email terry.kirk@ilfchairs.com

With the continuing success of the ILF Chairs website, 2023 has seen an increase in their STOCK chairs to 11 ranges available in different Faux and Velvet upholstery and selection of frame colours, plus a 12 colour STOCK range of Egger laminated 25mm table tops in a selection of sizes and colour finishes. A full range of table bases in metal and stainless steel are also kept in STOCK. In addition, ILF now also have a comprehensive range of STOCK outdoor seating and tables to suit all budgets plus real wood table tops and real wood table bases for indoor use.

More STOCK ranges coming soon please check the website.

Their online website offers both indoor and outdoor

seating and table solutions.

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

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

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

The World’s First Brushless Industrial Pump From Saniflo Saniflo continues to innovate in the industrial waste pump sector by becoming the first manufacturer to offer a brushless option. The popular Sanicubic 2 Pro Smart is a pumping station designed to lift grey and black waste water from individual properties, small businesses and light commercial premises such as pubs and restaurants.

The new brushless version extends the range to three models – the classic, the Pro Smart and the Pro Smart brushless.

Widely used already in a variety of products including power tools, boiler pumps and appliances such as lawnmowers, brushless is an advanced technology that improves motor lifespan, product efficiency and reliability. It eliminates the electrical connection to the spinning motor -which can create heat, friction and noise and in the Sanicubic 2 Pro Smart it allows regulation of the motor so it can run at variable speeds.

This offers further advantages including: • Energy saving of up to 30% • High efficiency

• High torque and thus better grinding quality • Lower noise The Sanicubic is widely used in the hospitality sector to discharge grey and black waste water from whole buildings, particularly those where change of use has occurred.

The unit has multiple connections for connections to kitchen and WC areas. Single and three phase versions are available as well as models with single or double pumps. The new brushless pumps are highly suitable for businesses in the hospitality sector, particularly given the potential savings in energy.

Tim Pestell, Managing Director of Saniflo, believes the new technology will have strong appeal for commercial businesses in particular; “As pioneer of the macerator concept, Saniflo, true to form, is now pioneering the use of new brushless technology in lifting stations. We believe it will be a popular option with customers installing pumps for industrial projects.”

For further information visit www.saniflo.co.uk

Oct/Nov 2023

CLH News

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CLH News

Oct/Nov 2023

Property and Professional

Businesses Forecast To Pay An Extra £1.56 Billion In Rates Bills Next April On current predictions, business rates bills look likely to rise by a total of £1.56 billion next April, giving unsustainable rises to all sectors of the economy, says John Webber, Head of Business Rates at Colliers.

Rates bills rise in line with inflation and are based on the CPI figure for the previous September. With CPI announced at 6.7% for August, Colliers are expecting to see CPI figures at around 6% for September 2023, with the result the total tax take from this tax will rise from around £26 billion in 2023/4 to £27.56 billion 2024/5 from next April.

This is unless the government steps in and freezes the business rates multiplier.

Last year, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt froze the multiplier for the current tax year, keeping it at 51.2p for every £1 of a commercial property’s rateable value, and 49.9p for small businesses.

Forty-four major British retailers have already written to the Chancellor ahead of his Autumn Statement, urging him to do the same again, otherwise they estimate an extra £400m will be added to the retailers cost base next year, particularly as Covid related reliefs come to an end.

However, as John Webber points out, retail is not the only sector that will be penalised by this unsustainable tax. The logistics/manufacturing sector now pays 26% of the total business rates tax bill and has seen steep rises in its rates bills, as a result of the 2023 Revaluation. With inflation at 6%, Colliers estimate the sector will see its rates bills rise by around £406 million in April. Combined with the revaluation increases, Colliers estimates the Amazon London distribution park in Tilbury, for example will see its

rates bill rise from around £4.7 million in 2023 to £6.7 million from April 2024- a massive £2 million increase- unless something is announced.

growth. It would broaden the tax base, disincentivise tax avoidance and help reduce any gaps in revenue for the Exchequer caused by a lower UBR.

Similarly, the offices sector is expected to face an extra £354 million in its total rates bill. Barclays Bank in 1 Churchill Place in Canary Wharf, for example, will see its rates bills rise from around £9.1 million this year to £9.6 million in April 2024- a half a million pounds rise. At a time when companies are considering their office space requirement, this is certainly not going to help the “case” for investing in the office.

Reform the sticking plaster reliefs system. Re-basing the multiplier to something affordable will mean that the whole question of the myriad of reliefs can become simplified and resolved, as not so many businesses will need to claim them. Everyone that benefits from public utilities and local services needs to pay something- but at a fair rate, maybe starting at 10 or 15% for the smaller businesses. Colliers believes reliefs should be reviewed at least every 3 years.

According to Webber such rises are unsustainable. “All sectors are suffering from increased costs, whether from increased wage bills, materials or energy costs. They cannot cope with the hike in rates bills too. Higher occupation costs will only dampen expansion and growth plans and for many businesses might be the last straw. The government must do something. Freezing the multiplier for 2024/5 is the first step, but only really papers over the issues. Ultimately, we need proper business rates reform.”

Webber has been an ardent campaigner for business reform and critical of successive governments that have totally failed to grab the nettle and just tinkered around the system or put it in the “too difficult box”. He believes the current system which provides £32billion gross (£26 billion net) for local authority funding is just unsustainable in current form, with the main issues being that rate bills are just too high and increasingly unaffordable for many businesses.

COLLIERS HAS DRAWN UP A MANIFESTO FOR REFORM, THE MAIN COMPONENTS OF WHICH ARE: The government should rebase the Multiplier to a level that businesses can afford– to say 34p in the £. A lower fairer UBR would reduce the barriers to entry, help expansion and innovation for businesses and encourage

Why Use a Answer: Specialist Hospitality Consultant? because we can help your business to succeed.

Introduce annual revaluations. The Government has moved from fiveyearly revaluations to three-yearly revaluations, which is a step in the right direction, but in Colliers’ view is not far enough. By implementing annual revaluations, business rates bills will accurately reflect the dynamic movements of the market and allow occupiers to benefit immediately from adjustments to rateable values.

Reform the appeal system and demand transparency from the VOA. The current system makes it too hard for businesses to either access the fairness of their assessments or to appeal them. Recent tinkering with (CCA) has only added to the confusion and the request for the annual provision of information from the ratepayer has also added a significant administrative burden.

Colliers believes the current system needs to transparent, easy to access for all and allow appeals to be resolved in 12 months, so that businesses can get on with what they do best- running their businesses.

Webber continued, “In its 2019 Manifesto, the Conservative Party promised, “To cut the burden of tax on business by reducing business rates. This will be done via a fundamental review of the system.“ With rises of over £1.5 billion looming next year, it clearly has not fulfilled this promise. We urge the Chancellor to make a statement and to do it soon.”

labour usage in your business.

Budgeting, Forecasting, Menu Management, Stock Controls, Purchasing, and controlling Variable Costs are just a few of the other areas that David Hunter, your Restaurant Consultant, will work on with you, and improve with you.

With over 30 years of industry experience in the Hospitality sector, The Bowden Group’s Managing Consultant David Hunter will work with you to address the following elements: Profitability, Operational Strategy, Staff Management, Marketing and The Future of your business.

MANAGING PEOPLE

PROFITABILITY & OPERATIONS

We will help you build a workable, planned Marketing Strategy. From Digital Marketing, such as Social Media marketing, Websites, eMail Marketing and online advertising, to print design, Promotions and offline advertising, your Hospitality business should be constantly working on ‘’ all things Marketing’’.

Our experts will analyse your entire operation and also its key operating figures if they are available. We then help you to identify strategies to manage costs and overheads associated with the core Profitability of running a Hospitality business.

The largest overhead, even higher than Cost of Sales, is the Labour cost, so, with detailed analysis of your wages and being able to understand ‘’the way your business actually works’’ we can ensure that you are maximising the

Managing people brings with it a whole set of new skills that are now needed more than ever. From ‘’Managing the Managers’’ through to Service and Kitchen staff, your team needs careful and skilful Management, Motivation, guidance and Development.

MARKETING

If your business is actually struggling, or if you just feel that it could be doing some things better, give David Hunter a quick call on 07831 407984 to arrange a ‘’Free of Charge’’ initial consultation (please quote CLH Offer), when David will discuss with you what could be achieved if you ask us to work with you.

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

W! NE

SOUTH HAMS, DEVON

MID DEVON TOWN

NORTH CORNISH COAST

Stunning Country Village Inn

Award Winning Free Of Tie Inn

Renowned Country Inn With 6 Acres

3 High Quality Letting Rooms

Trade Areas (60+), Catering Kitchens

8 Letting Rooms & Letting Cottage

Character Trade Areas (64+)

3/4 Impressive Letting Rooms

Bar & Restaurant Areas 150+

External Seating (98+) & Parking

2/3 Bed Owners Apartment

Free Of Tie Leasehold Opportunity

New Free Of Tie Lease Opportunity

Exceptionally High Trade Levels

Sales In Excess Of £500,000 Net

LH NIL PREMIUM

4845

LH NIL PREMIUM

4842

LH £99,750

TOPSHAM, DEVON

EXETER, DEVON

Stunning Free Of Tie Bar

Established Licensed Restaurant

Licensed Restaurant & Bar

68+ Seats Inside, 80 Seats Outside

Much Sought After Location

Desirable & Vibrant Location

Exceptional High Quality Business

44+ Covers, Newly Fitted Kitchens

42 Seats Inside, 18 Seats Outside

Impressive Levels Of Trade

Prominent Trading Position

First Class Purpose Fitted Unit

Unique Stylish Business Opportunity

Excellent Reputation & Reviews

New Free Of Tie Lease Available

4839

LH £75,000

2160

LH £35,000

EXETER, DEVON

FREEHOLD

REF: 4721

PRICE: £48,000

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4073

• Long Established Licenced Café/Bistro in Superb Trading Location • Stylishly Decorated with Internal Seating for Circa 45 • Benefitting from Outside Seating for 6 • Well Equipped Commercial Kitchen • Huge Potential to Expand on Current Trade

TORQUAY, DEVON

PRICE: £79,000

LEASEHOLD

REF: 3853

• Stunning Coastal Pub Situated in the Beautiful Heybrook Bay. • South Facing Outside Terraces, with 180 Degree Sea Views.

• Two Fully Refurbished Owner’s/Letting Apartments.

• Fully Refurbished One Bed Staff/Manager’s Flat.

• Very Profitable Business with Huge Potential to Push Revenue Further.

SOUTH HAMS, DEVON TAVISTOCK, DEVON

CORNWALL VILLAGE

Village Store & Tea Gardens

Exceptional 78 Cover Restaurant

Freehold Pub Investment

Spacious 4 Bedroom Family Home

Superbly Presented Throughout

Detached Village Inn

Easy Lifestyle Hours

Currently Run Under Management

Rental Income Of £18,000

Gardens With Stables & Garage

Owners/Managers Apartment

Lease With 11 Years Unexpired

Potential To Develop Business

Substantial Trade and Profits

For The Attention Of Investors

DUCHY LH £325,000

2149

LH £189,500

THINKING OF SELLING? CALL FOR A FREE VALUATION

2144

FH £195,000

4836

01392 201262 www.stonesmith.co.uk

PRICE: £75,000

TOTNES, DEVON

2162

DARTMOOR, DEVON

PERRANPORTH, CORNWALL

• Delightful Cafe in Sought After Location of Totnes • Quietly Trading to Suit Current Owner/Operators • Profitable Business with Further Potential • Trade Area Seating up to 34, Bespoke Servery, Kitchen • Car Parking for 1 Car

4841

DEVON COASTAL TOWN

LH £115,000

PRICE: £575,000

• Substantial Character Pub with 3 sets of Versatile Living Accommodation • Successful Business with Strong Net Profit, Recently Trading on Limited Hours • 2 Main Atmospheric Trading Areas with Function Room/Skittle Alley • Pretty Private Garden, Roof Terrace & Car Park • Fantastic Opportunity - Would Suit Multi-Generational Family

OFFERS IN EXCESS OF £1,000,000 FREEHOLD REF: 4656

• Stunning 17th Century Traditional Cornish Inn. • Successful Business, Oozing with Character and Atmosphere.

• 2 Welcoming Trading Areas, Well Equipped Commercial Kitchen.

• Attractive Owner's Accommodation.

• Outside Seating Areas with Sunny Aspect & Car Park.

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4711

• A Delightful Café & Takeaway with Commercial Kitchen • Busy Main Road Location Close to Tourist Attractions & Campsites • Popular Early Morning Breakfast Venue with Busy Local Lunch Trade • Internal Seating for 14, Outside Seating for 12 • Ideal Opportunity for Owner Operator

PAIGNTON, DEVON

PRICE: £37,995

LEASEHOLD

REF: 4731

TEIGNMOUTH, DEVON

• Established Cafe in the Sought After Town • Offering a Variety of Coffee Beans & Strength to Drink in or Purchase • Straightforward Menu • Social Opening Hours with Potential to Extend • Subtle Interior Décor with Seating for 40, Outside Seating for 4

OFFERS IN THE REGION OF £70,000 LEASEHOLD REF: 4520 • Charming ‘Free of Tie’ Country Inn Situated in the Beautiful South Hams.

• Traditional Pub with a Contemporary Style & 5 First Class En-Suite Letting Rooms.

• 2 Character Main Trading Areas, Commercial Kitchen & ‘Back of House’ Space.

• Secondary Outside Bar, Trading Outside Terrace & Newly Installed Pergola.

• Beer Garden with Uninterrupted Views of the Rolling Countryside & Car Park.

SOUTH HAMS, DEVON

OFFERS IN THE REGION OF £20,000 LEASEHOLD REF: 4714

Recruitment

Oct/Nov 2023

CLH News

47

Avoiding a Scrum at the Bar; Last Minute Hospitality Talent Will Be Needed During the Rugby World Cup

By Florent Malbranche, CEO and Co-founder, Brigad (www.brigad.co)

Just as finishers in rugby are strategic reinforcements to get a team through the most challenging parts of a match, integrating freelance hospitality talent into your team can also successfully raise your business game.

The Six Nations Rugby Tournament earlier in the year drove pub footfall up by a third and beer sales to over 17 million pints on match Saturdays.

This year’s Rugby World Cup promises to be one of the most popular ever with fans, given that the matches are scheduled for the afternoons and evenings for UK viewers.

15 million people in the UK watched England beat Australia in the 2003 final - and that was mid morning in the UK. So, we can expect even more fan fervour if the home teams do well in this year’s tournament, which promises to be a bonanza for the UK hospitality trade.

How can you reinforce your team with competent workers, whilst also wasting as little time as possible? Should you turn to temping agencies, hire on a short-term contract, or call in casual staff to temporarily beef up your teams? Perhaps the best solution is a freelancer.

Freelance jobs are, by nature, ever-evolving, and freelancers have to deliver quality and reliability in order to ensure longevity in their business venture. This extra drive is incredibly important in industries where a general lack of motivation invariably leads to lower-quality service and delivery.

Of course, the aim is not to completely replace your existing salaried staff with freelancers. Quite the opposite.

Freelancers offer the possibility to support and reinforce existing teams. Every organisation in the service industry needs a permanent team that knows the place like the back of its hand, but finding dependable extra staff to complement the team at periods of exceptionally high demand can be tricky.

Since 2016, hospitality freelancing platform and app Brigad has enabled thousands of high quality hospitality businesses in London, Birmingham and Manchester - from the Berkeley Hotel to a raft of passionate independent cafes, restaurants and pubs - to connect with the best self-employed hospitality professionals for this blended approach.

Brigad gives the same advice to every business that they support: recruit and train a permanent team that represents your business best, and when you need to, call for backup from a talented self-employed professional. These people bring a new injection of energy and passion about their career or craft, and are experienced enough to gel with existing teams for a short time to help with staff shortages.

In the hospitality industry, every second saved is important. So, to avoid wasting time, Brigad puts you in contact with qualified freelancers for your short-term personnel needs. All profiles are verified and approved by our team in advance. Calling in a freelancer who can hit the ground running saves you precious time. For a restaurant owner, that means less time taken away from looking after your customers.

There are parallels between sport and business. The sport of rugby has already shifted its approach from mere ‘substitutes’ to ‘finishers’, highly skilled individuals that bring a specific expertise on a flexible basis to relieve or complement the team. Hospitality businesses would be wise to draw inspiration from it: the best performing businesses are now the ones who are agile and reactive enough to adapt their team strategy, depending on the events happening. And in this new paradigm, new solutions such as Brigad are emerging, enabling them to manage a blended workforce.

Time is precious, but it only takes around 3 minutes to post a mission on the Brigad app, and 80% of missions posted are accepted in less than 2 hours. Be prepared for the Rugby World Cup and secure support to maximise takings during this busy period. To book last minute talent now, email: hello@brigad.co

Are You A Chef Looking for Work-Life Balance?

Work-life balance are three words that do not often come up in a chef’s vocabulary but are regularly used by the chefs employed by Care UK. Care UK are currently looking for chefs of all levels to work in our care homes across the UK. We are looking for people who want to make a difference to residents’ lives every day. When you join Care UK, you’ll be joining a team who all share the same values: caring, passionate and teamwork.

Life as a chef with us means that you will be preparing rosette level dishes in our stateof-the-art kitchens using fresh ingredients, for our residents and their families. We also have an exceptional track record in catering team career progression with countless

examples of chefs progressing from sous chef level to head chef positions.

We have our own Catering Academy to provide excellent training and induction programs for all new Catering Staff and we will give you all that’s needed to have a successful career as a Chef with us. Our high quality, innovative training and coaching will support the development of your skills throughout your career with us.

We are committed to recruiting diverse, talented people, who share our passion for helping others. We see the potential in everyone, let us help fulfil yours.

You can find out more about our rewarding careers by visiting careers.careuk.com