CLH News #255 February/March 2024

What has the Chancellor’s budget brought to the hospitality sector?

At the time of going to press the budget has yet to take place , so I am going out on a “limb”, and predicting (hoping) for some relief on hospitality VAT Gordon Brown reduced VAT which was then 17 5% in 2008 down to 15% which was the first cut 34 years

That VAT cut was a universal one across the entire economy However, the hospitality sector is just looking for a cut in hospitality VAT! (Which in my opinion affects the wider economy anyway since the wider public enjoys hospitality at some stage and they will be the main beneficiaries )

So will he want to? There is cer tainly enough pressure , backed by hard facts/statistics, that a cut would not only help the sector, but also lead to more jobs and greater revenue for the Treasur y So I would urge you to get on board and suppor t all the campaigns out there lobbying the Chancellor to make a bold decision and help the sector We , for our par t, have produced a poster which we urge all operators to download from our website at www catererlicensee com/calltoarms and hopefully display it in prominent positions encouraging your staff and most impor tantly the public , to lobby their MPs With an election looming they need to listen now more than ever to the electorate

Another stor y which took my eye this week was the news that my home town, Bournemouth is considering introducing a tourist tax

We all have our own opinions on this, and mine is firmly on the side against!

As a nation we are taxed enough already and as a sector it is being taxed to the point of bankruptcy

Suppor ters of the tax highlight the litter problems tourism brings however, I think I am fairly well qualified since I live in Bournemouth and not far from the beach and I too am one of the people who get annoyed when I see how untidy our wonderful seafront is left during the summer But aside from being a critic of taxes generally I do think a tourist tax will have a negative impact, whether that is on Bournemouth or anywhere else

The hospitality industr y is experiencing the most difficult trading conditions in living memor y, with many businesses struggling to stay afloat The wider public , are as up front page stor y confirms, being squeezed with the cost of living crisis so much they are cutting back on all things nonessential

This, coupled with inflation, interest rates, high energ y costs shor tage of workers post Brexit, and increased wages has meant prices in the sector have sky-rocketed despite businesses profits actually dwindling

Anything, and by that I mean a tourist tax, that may impact consumers being willing to fork out for a hotel stay will cripple businesses in the sector leading to fur ther closures, and leaving thousands of people out of work

I don’t think I could possibly canvas, suppor t, advocate the cutting of taxes on one hand and suppor t the introduction of taxes on another!

Unleash the Hospitality Sector's “Full Potential” Government Urged

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

The flat star t to the year indicates pressure on consumers ’ spending after a bumper festive season that saw the sales finish 8 8% ahead in December 2023 Trading was fur ther constrained by Dr y Januar y, poor weather and more rail strikes

The figures revealed a like-for-like sales growth of 0 9% for restaurants in Januar y, while pubs’ trading finished 1 5% ahead After strong growth in December, bars suffered a 13 6% drop in Januar y sales, while the on-thego segment was 1 1% behind

Hospitality sector performance contributed to the UK’s overall decreasing figures as consumer-facing ser vices fell by 0 7% in 2023's final quar ter, principally driven by a fall in food and beverage ser vice activities and retail trade , leading to calls yet again for urgent government suppor t

UNLEASH POTENTIAL

CGA by NIQ and AlixPar tners research also revealed that the number of licensed premises in the UK fell by 0 8% in the four th quar ter of 2023

The figure is equivalent to 803 net closures in three months or nearly nine per day, and represents an acceleration of closures from the third quar ter of last year, when numbers fell by only 0 3% in mid-2022, when post-COVID business failures were at a peak

Karl Chessell director of hospitality operators and food EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “After spending freely in the run-up to Christmas, consumers were clearly watching their outgoings ver y carefully in Januar y

“It is a reminder that while people remain eager to eat and drink out when they can, rising costs continue to limit discretionar y spending With hospitality operators’ margins also still squeezed by inflation, the sector needs sustained government suppor t on taxes and other issues if it is to unleash its full potential to invest and create jobs ”

“BIG WORRY”

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “The economy officially entering a technical recession is hugely concerning Consumer confidence has already taken a huge hit over the past year as the costof-living crisis bites and today s news will dent it even fur ther

“That will be a big worr y for hospitality businesses up and down the countr y, as they need suppor t from consumers more than ever

“I’d urge the Chancellor to look to hospitality as a sector that has a proven track record of driving growth and stimulating demand in the economy

“Introducing a lower rate of VAT for hospitality and capping business

rates increases would allow venues to reduce those incredibly high business costs and keep price rises at bay – that would be good for the public businesses and the economy ”

LOOSEN “ECONOMIC GRIP”

The British Beer and Pub Association's chief executive Emma McClarkin added: "The figures indicating that the UK economy is in recession is extremely worr ying and indicates that there will be no letup in the pressure facing the beer and pub sector

"It underlines the impor tance of the chancellor loosening the economic vice grip on breweries and pubs by cutting beer duty, capping business rates and introducing a pub specific VAT rate "

In response to the data, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “High inflation is the single biggest barrier to growth which is why halving it has been our top priority While interest rates are high – so the Bank of England can bring inflation down – low growth is not a surprise ”

“But there are signs the British economy is turning a corner ; forecasters agree that growth will strengthen over the next few years, wages are rising faster than prices, mor tgage rates are down and unemployment remains low Although times are still tough for many families we must stick to the plan – cutting taxes on work and business to build a stronger economy ”

“IT’S TOUGH”

Mar tin McTague , National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), said: “The news that we ’ re in a recession will just confirm what many small firms have been saying for some time now – it’s ver y tough out there

“Our research found that confidence among small firms has been in negative territor y for seven straight quar ters, due to the energ y price crisis and the knock-on impact on the cost of doing business

There are big differences between sectors, with the hospitality sector recording by far the gloomiest confidence score , underlining that economic pain and strain are far from equally spread out

“Small firms are grappling with high interest rates, energ y costs much greater than they were a couple of years ago, and weak consumer demand Two in five small firms said their revenues decreased over the final quar ter of last year, with only a third saying they increased, showing that the shine has definitely come off the so-called ‘golden quar ter’, to small firms’ detriment

“The Government needs to foster an environment where small firms can grow, to the overall benefit of the economy, and to put this period of stagnation and shrinkage behind us once and for all We have set out an ambitious but achievable programme for small business growth ”

NOT ALL BAD NEWS

While the UK has entered a technical recession new research from business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP finds that business revenue growth expectations have rebounded this month as inflation remains steady and interest rates were held for the four th time in a row

The firm’s latest Business Outlook Tracker, which sur veyed 600 midsized businesses earlier this month finds that respondents’ confidence in their revenue growth expectations has jumped +21 percentage points compared to December, to 79%

The research finds that business optimism is increasing, not only around revenue growth but across the board Following a stark decline since August last year, confidence in their funding position has rocketed to one of the highest levels seen in the Tracker, jumping +22pp from December to 79%

Over two thirds (69%) of respondents also expect their profits to increase – a significant +23pp rise from the last round and one of the highest levels recorded since Januar y 2021 Those expecting their profits to decrease also dropped by -12pp

Business optimism around the outlook of the UK economy has also increased (+17pp) since December, to 75% - significantly above the rolling average (69%)

Schellion Horn, Par tner and Head of Economic Consulting, Grant Thornton UK LLP said: “It’s encouraging to see increased levels of optimism across our Tracker in this round The number of respondents optimistic about the UK economy in Februar y is much higher than we ’ ve seen recently, and higher than the rolling average since 2021, which shows a renewed sense of confidence in the market since December While it’s now been confirmed that the UK fell into a technical recession at the end of last year, businesses still have good reason to be feeling optimistic Inflation has more than halved from its double digit high and remains steady, and interest rates seem to have reached their peak and are expected to drop through this year

“Renewed confidence in the outlook of the UK economy in turn boosts confidence about businesses own growth potential and ability to increase investment across core areas - this is a recurring trend that we ’ ve seen in our Tracker But it’s not just confidence in the UK’s economic performance that drives this, businesses also want cer tainty Cer tainty in how they expect the economy to perform and cer tainty around economic policy It’s much harder for businesses to plan and confidently make investment decisions if there’s uncer tainty

“While optimism is high, with an election likely at some point this year, businesses need to seize this oppor tunity The government and major par ties are listening, so businesses should prioritise outlining what they want and need from government to boost growth and productivity across the countr y ”

Operating in a Crisis: Tips for Riding the Storm

Steven Hesketh (https://thehospitalityhero.com/) has over

' experience in

the Chair of Chester Hospitality Association and Vice-Chair of Liverpool Hospitality (Association), additionally Committee Member for UK Hospitality (Nor thern

As ‘The Hospitality Hero’ he is on a

Don’t be afraid to close for cer tain days or times and reser ve costs Keep on top of your numbers so you know when it pays to open the doors and when it doesn’t and don’t be afraid to make changes - assess your operations to get real about if you are opening for the sake of being open

Hold your ner ve , don’t be quick to jump into discounts - I don’t believe in doing this - your customers will suppor t you and will happily pay for your ser vices if you truly focus on ser vice and experience

Retain and develop good people to reduce your recruitment costs and investment in never-ending training of new team members Develop your team members so they can take on multiple roles - consider the role of the ‘waiter’ - these days this role is much more than simply taking orders, it is a host role It involves high levels of customer interaction with your guests so blends into a customer ser vice role , and it can be a role of an influencer and marketeer encouraging guests to share their experiences on social media If ever y team member is bought into the bigger picture of the overall experience you are tr ying to create the business as a whole will be more efficient in delivering the highest levels of ser vice Be bold and actually spend on training with your team, whilst this may feel like a luxur y, it's proof to them of your intent to grow and also puts them in the position to help you increase sales

Learn from each other - in the industr y and beyond Networking and sharing best practice with peers is imperative to enable us all to thrive We are better together and we need to get better at learning from each other’s experiences and collectively moving forward both within the industr y but also working with other local businesses, councils and government

INCREASING FOOTFALL

So we have 23,000

since pandemic , 6,000 in 2023 and we have a backdrop of recent figures from ONS and also the VisitBritain s inbound tourism forecast for 2024, which states that UK inbound tourism recover y isn’t fully expected until 2025’ We know we are in unprecedented times - but let’s consider this - whilst we consider the level of crisis we are in, do we not also need to question the meaning of ‘fully recovered’ ? Our countr y has changed undeniably, social habits, spending habits, the economy has changed unequivocally -so when we talk about being ‘fully recovered - we must ask fully recovered to what? Fully recovered to pre-Covid times? Yes we ’ re a long way off from this and I believe we C ANNOT keep comparing back to 2019 as Utopia! - this is of no use to anyone

So as we review our current storm, let us also remember our future will be different to our past - but as for now what can we do to help ourselves? Here are a few of my thoughts:-

REDUCING OPERATING COSTS & INCREASING EFFICIENCY

Get back to cost reducing basics - Switch things off – create habits and the discipline of your team to be energ y saving wherever possible switching off areas that can be

Give the customers what they want/crave Focus on the experience - operators need to find innovative ways to deliver food and drink, to create an over and above' experience , as the public has become more discerning with their spending and many are demanding 'insta ready' experiences - offer them this and you’ll be their choice as they’ll feel they are getting more from their hard earned cash

Work with par tners - we are seeing an increasing trend in collaborations within the sector, of like minded businesses and brands coming together to ser ve the same audience - this can improve both efficiency of marketing and bring increased footfall

Hospitality is a mirror of society so we need to be sure we are offering experiences that are being socially craved - tap into timely oppor tunities within the social calendar and find ways to be a par t of a broader experience the public is engaged in Also be mindful of the rise of wellbeing related events and festivals - hospitality operators can learn from this trend and consider what they could incorporate to ser vice the needs of their audience , and their interests in this area

Yes the industr y is in crisis, but I do believe we need to commit to saving ourselves- and there are things we can do to put us on the right path

Greene King Toasts A Record-Breaking £3.8m Fundraising Year To Help Those Living with Cancer

This

£434 raised ever y hour and in total could fund up to 82 353 Macmillan nursing hours helping to provide people living with cancer with the suppor t that they need, when they need it most

This vital suppor t is so impor tant to people like Charlotte 46, from Kent, who was diagnosed with cer vical cancer in 2022 Charlotte discusses the impact her Macmillan nurse had on her own experience: “When I received my diagnosis, my Macmillan nurse was with the consultant when he told me She stayed and talked to me about the next steps She helped me make sense of what was happening She offered suppor t when I had to tell my 16-year-old daughter Macmillan nurses are the life blood of people’s cancer journey They go above and beyond what is required ”

At the beginning of 2023, Greene King pledged its first £1m raised to Macmillan’s Emergency Grants Appeal suppor ting those living with cancer with rising cost of living expenses The brewer and pub company then announced in May that it had reached its first fundraising milestone for the year

From there fundraising continued to go from strength to strength with team members around the UK taking on a host of extreme personal challenges such as scaling mountains hiking and running marathons and tackling the Yr Wyddfa (Snowdonia) Sea to Summit, as well as pub teams hosting local fundraising events, pub quizzes and Macmillan Coffee Mornings throughout the year too

The smaller donations that happen daily across all of Greene King’s 1,600 pubs, from the £1 dropped into the collection tin on the bar to the 25p donations that are added via Pennies (the online collection tin) have also added to this record result

Nick Mackenzie , Greene King CEO, said: “Ever y day we see people coming together in our pubs to suppor t one another This record-breaking fundraising total for Macmillan is a perfect example of this where our dedicated pub teams have joined forces with our amazing communities to suppor t a cause that is close to the hear ts of so many

“It’s not just the big fundraising events that help draw in the much-needed funds A large propor tion of our fundraising is generated through the smaller donations made via collection tins and Pennies when our customers pay their bill These little and often donations are not to be underestimated,

UK Restaurant Market Thrives Amidst Economic Challenges: Valued at £18.6bn in 2023

The UK restaurant market exhibited resilience in 2023, reaching a valuation of £18 6 billion despite economic challenges marked by high inflation, the industr y experienced a commendable growth rate of +4 4% during the same period, according to the latest insights from Lumina Intelligence’s Operator Data Index, The repor t highlights that the overall eating out market achieved a slightly higher growth rate of +5 8%, indicating that restaurant closures and restricted consumer spending have posed challenges for fur ther market expansion Notably, branded restaurants emerged as a success stor y in 2023, achieving a remarkable turnover growth of +7 7% The market has witnessed a distinct

polarization, with premium brands such as The Ivy, Côte , and Miller & Car ter thriving while mid-market brands faced struggles The shifting preferences of consumers have notably favoured fast-growing brands like Flat Iron and Rudy’s Pizza, which offer high-quality experiences at accessible price points In an effor t to boost profitability, restaurant groups have strategically rationalised their estates Leading brands experienced a decline in estate size by a combined average of -2 6% largely driven by mid-market chains undergoing estate restructuring to alleviate debt Seizing this oppor tunity stronger operators such as The Big Table Group increased their acquisition activity, aiming to consolidate market positioning, secure synergies, and expand their reach

The PCA Launches 2024 Annual Tied Tenant Survey

The Pubs Code Adjudicator has announced the launch of its Annual Tied Tenants Sur vey calling on tied publicans to take the oppor tunity to share their views on their pub company and the Pubs Code Adjudicator

The sur vey was launched on the 9th of Januar y 2024 and will be live until mid-March Tied tenants from the UK s top six pub companies operating within the code – Admiral, Greene King, Marston’s, Punch, Star, and Stonegate – will be contacted by independent research company Ipsos, and are encouraged to find time to par ticipate , as their input plays a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of the pub industr y

Last year ’ s sur vey marked a significant milestone for the PC A, as their largest and most impactful to date , capturing insights from over 1,200 tied pub tenants, and enabling comparisons between the six pub companies Building on the success of the previous year the PC A survey this year, aims to gather opinions from tied licensees with the UK’s biggest pub companies

Speaking on the impor tance of the sur vey, Fiona Dickie , Pubs Code Adjudicator, said: “The Annual Tied Tenant Sur vey is an essential platform for tied tenants to express their views on their pub company and the effectiveness of the Pubs Code Adjudicator in safeguarding their interests The insight gained helps steer our priorities for the coming twelve months and empowers us to help more hard-working business owners

If you are a tied tenant with one of the six pub companies, I urge you to please take this oppor tunity to make a difference by sharing your experience and perspective By actively par ticipating in the sur vey, you are

contributing to the ongoing effor ts to enhance transparency fairness and accountability in the industr y ”

Tenants taking par t in the sur vey are asked to share their overall satisfaction with their pub company, contentment with their type of tied agreement, the dynamics of their relationships with Business Development Managers (BDMs) and Code Compliance Officers (CCOs), and their sentiments regarding the information provided to them

Last year ’ s sur vey revealed a consistent satisfaction level, with 62% of tenants expressing contentment in their existing relationships with their pub companies The areas where tenants felt pub companies were performing best included fair and transparent treatment of tenants (with four in five tenants saying their BDM is fair with them in discussions) providing quick response times to concerns and issues raised, and the provision of information Areas with room for improvement in this years ’ sur vey include enhanced communication and awareness related to Code Compliance Officers, as only a quar ter of tenants could name their CCO

The full results of the 2023 sur vey can be found at https://www gov uk/government/publications/pca-annual-tied-tenant-sur vey-2023-results

Regular updates will be provided by The Pubs Code Adjudicator, with the final results expected to be published in early summer 2024 For more information on the PC A s Annual Tied Tenant Sur vey, please visit: Pubs Code Adjudicator – GOV UK (www gov uk)

“I Found Hair In My Soup!” Just A Bad Dinner Or Grounds For A Defamation Claim?

By Daniel Jennings , litigation specialist from law firm, Shakespeare Mar tineau (www shma co uk)

With

Social media reviews have become a powerful force in shaping the success of hospitality businesses, and the rise of platforms like TikTok means that customers can now share their experiences and opinions with a global audience – fast While positive reviews can boost a business's sales and credibility negative reviews can have a detrimental impact on reputation and profit, but where exactly is the line drawn between opinion and defamation?

Since the dawn of the internet enabled people to share their unfiltered opinions instantly, venues have had to navigate the fickle world of online reviews Whereas websites, such as TripAdvisor, allow venues to easily monitor and respond to reviews, giving the oppor tunity to clarify or contextualise

of TikTok’s popularity makes this much harder

Another barrier venues face is that it can be difficult to identify defamation when it occurs, because to meet the legal definition of defamation, the statement or statements have to meet specific criteria, the most important being that the statement must be untrue or greatly exaggerated While this may be stating the obvious to some when the review includes subjective statements such as ‘I didn’t like the taste’ as well as claims based in fact such as ‘the food was undercooked’ it can be more difficult to determine defamation from simple opinion and when pursuing a defamation suit it is crucial that the statements can be proven to be false

Secondly venue owners must prove that there has been ‘serious financial harm’ caused by the claims This can be done by examining the revenue for a period of time before and after the review was posted, and comparing the revenue brought in Exactly how much financial harm has to be caused before it is considered serious ’ is ambiguous to allow for the wide range of venues in the UK What is considered ‘serious’ for a chain

venue with branches across the globe would naturally be different to an independent venue with only one location

Deciding how to deal with negative , online reviews can be challenging, as the impact is not always clear at the time A number of variables such as the number of followers an account has, the amount of traction it is getting – for example , has it gone viral? – what the content of the claims are , and what the potential consequences could be , should all therefore factor into the venue ’ s response Implementing a comprehensive action plan, with different responses based on different scenarios, will make it easier for a venue to decide an appropriate course of action

It's impor tant to note that in some circumstances the best response is to not respond at all, as it may add fuel to the fire – for example if the claims were more subjective , such as not liking the food, the account has few followers or there is little engagement Claims that are more serious such as detailing a specific incident at the venue where staff were rude may require a response online Finally serious claims that are getting a lot of traction, such as those around health and safety, may require a legal response , and venues should contact an exper t where appropriate

If it is decided that the claims require a legal response , it is impor tant to capture key details about the defamator y statements, such as exactly what was said, when it was posted and on which platform Saving or screenshotting the comments is especially useful in case the comments are deleted or taken down after the fact Actively monitoring social media platforms on a frequent basis will aid this

As well as knowing how to respond to negative online reviews when they occur, it is crucial venues take pre-emptive measures Training managers to appropriately respond to customer complaints and de-escalate situations at the time will reduce the likelihood of negative reviews later on Encouraging a work culture where staff feel like they won’t get in trouble if they do make a mistake will help to ensure this happens, as to deal with situations effectively a manager needs the truth about what occurred

Reputation management is an incredibly impor tant tool for venues to manage reviews and help to build a credible brand Histor y tells us that ever y time a new social media giant, such as Tik Tok, is established, it takes time for the platform to implement regulations and ensure they have adequate monitoring processes in place Venues need to ensure that they are prepared for any negative review scenario as the amount of defamation claims in this area is on the rise and could occur with little to no warning

Cost A Premier League Pint To Hit £10 By 2030, Study Finds

The most affordable booze in the prem at Sheffield’s Bramall Lane and Manchester United’s Old Trafford could hit £6 25 – £3 33 cheaper than City Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and West Ham’s London Stadium with the most expensive drinks could see prices of a match-day draught reach an eyewatering £13 12 by 2030

In the Nor th West getting a round in could reach £8 22 per person with Ever ton suppor ters expected to fork out £9 47 each at Goodison Park Prices in the West Midlands at Wolverhampton’s Molineux Stadium and Aston Villa’s Villa Park are predicted to soar to £8 33 and £10 83, respectively

Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium could see its rates surge to £8 33

A spokesperson from UKSoccerShop commented: “Drinkflation is on the rise , and with UK households feeling squeezed from the cost of living, hospitality ser vices already tr ying to workaround spiraling costs with some choosing to ser ve weaker beer It’s likely to affect our stadiums too ”

“Using inflation figures from the ONS we can estimate what prices football fans could pay for a match day pint We found that over £6 could become the norm up nor th and over £10 in London – some may even get closer to £15 by the end of 2030

MPs Back Calls to Support Hospitality Businesses

The campaign for a cut in hospitality VAT received “resounding suppor t in parliament as MPs repor ted that the sector is screaming out that VAT is too high”

The comment was made in a debate on fiscal suppor t for the hospitality sector’, where several MPs made their feelings known

In a Westminster Hall Debate on fiscal suppor t for the hospitality sector’, secured by Alyn Smith, MP for Stirling (Scottish National Par ty), there was broad agreement from MPs that the sector was in need of fur ther backing by the Government

Many MPs echoed UKHospitality’s key asks, including a lower rate of VAT, addressing business rates increases due in April and wider reform of business rates

Stirling MP Alyn Smith pleaded with UK Government Ministers to cut VAT on food, soft drinks and alcohol to 5%, alongside a wider package of reforms and suppor t aimed at shoring up the sector as it weathers the cost of living crisis

Mr Smith urged administrators at UK Scottish and local level to star t taking the plight of hospitality businesses seriously, and apply rapid, targeted suppor t for an industr y that is ‘vital to so many communities’

“Our pubs, restaurants, hotels and cafes play a vital role in our communities – they keep our high streets busy, they re community hubs, they give us a sense of place and purpose , Smith told the House of

Commons

Par ticularly in rural communities, if the pub or cafe goes they just become dormitories Hospitality promotes social mobility – how many of us had our first job in the local bar or restaurant, pulling pints, waiting tables or doing dishes?

“Both the UK and Scottish Governments, along with local authorities, must wake up and realise the calamity facing the sector – the beer and pub sector alone accounts for 936,000 jobs and £26 billion to the economy UK-wide – in Scotland that’s 62,000 jobs and £1 8 billion in tax

receipts

The wider hospitality sector employs

what am I calling for? If you remember only two words from me today, it is cut VAT”

Steve Double , MP for St Austell and Newquay (Conser vative), said: I think we need more fundamental reform of business rates for the hospitality sector to reduce the burden of that par ticular tax ”

Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Liberal Democrat), said: “I really hope the Minister will listen and bring in the actions we need All we ’ re asking you to do Minister is back a sector that will boost our economy to the tune of billions more

Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central (Labour), said: “The hospitality sector is at the sharp end of all markets sensitivities It feels ever y economic challenge acutely The sector needs suppor t

Alan Paton Wins the Great Sausage Roll Off 2024

As

Alan’s

was a Suffolk Duroc pork and black pudding Battenburg with Yorkshire rhubarb curd While second place went to Alec ‘The Weeping Chef ’ Tomasso – for his handmade pig cheek cotechino sausage with croissant dough, crackling and tomato sauce powder, ser ved with basil and spicy pepper

sauce And third place went to Kat Dima, Head Baker of The Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum, for The Kilted Wonder – a pork and haggis sausage roll ser ved with spicy ketchup Winner, Alan Paton, said: “I’m delighted to have won this year ’ s Roll Off It’s such a great event and it’s an honour to spend time with my culinar y companions – tr ying their creations and hearing their stories This trophy will be displayed proudly – for all to see ”

Angus McKean Manager of The Red Lion said: “Once again the Great Sausage Roll Off was a fantastic event The level of skill these chefs have is incredible and the passion that emanates out of all of them created an electric atmosphere – in the kitchen and for our audience

The judges had a difficult job to pick a winner The calibre was so high – each entr y was a delicious sausage roll delight Thank you to ever yone who entered and to the excellent panel of judges A big thanks to ever yone who joined us on the night, too We raised £5,000 for Only a Pavement Away – a charity that’s close to all our hear ts in the hospitality sector ”

Government to Consult on Martyn’s Law

The government has launched a consultation on new laws which will require premises to under take necessar y steps, according to their capacity, to help safeguard the public from terrorist attacks

The new laws, named after Mar tyn Hett, one of the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, will require venues to draw up preventative action plans against terror attacks, assessing the potential risks, dangers and scenarios in order to improve protection of the public

The consultation is targeted at organisations businesses including hospitality and leisure local and public authorities, and individuals who own or operate publicly accessible premises or events that the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill will potentially affect

It seeks views from those responsible for smaller premises which would fall within the standard tier

The bill will impose requirements in relation to cer tain premises and events to increase their preparedness for, and protection from, a terrorist attack by requiring them to take propor tionate steps, depending on the size and nature of the activities that take place at the premises

The proposed requirements would apply to those responsible for qualifying public premises and qualifying public events They might be individuals but, in most cases, would be a business or other organisation

One of the conditions for premises would be that they be wholly or mainly used for a listed purpose , such as the provision of enter tainment and leisure facilities to the public

The proposals set out different requirements for :

• standard tier premises , whic h would have a capacity of 100-799 individuals

• enhanced tier premises and qualifying public events , both of whic h have a capacity of 800 individuals or more

Premises within standard tier will be required to notify the regulator that they are within the scope of this legislation

The updated requirements for smaller businesses are focussed around outcomes rather than processes , said the Home Office

For instance , the new laws will remove the necessity to complete any specific terrorism training, however,

those responsible for these premises will be requested to put in place procedures such as evacuation and lock-ins in the event of an attack

“SIMPLE STEPS SAVE LIVES”

Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat, said: Simple steps save lives Mar tyn s Law will help protect the British public from terrorism, and make sure public premises are better prepared in the event of a terror attack ”

“I want to make sure that our proposals are balanced and propor tionate That’s why our updated approach is easy to implement, and better tailored to individual businesses ”

“I’d encourage smaller premises to share their feedback on these crucial changes Your feedback will help ensure that Mar tyn’s Law stands the test of time ”

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “We have long been calling for Mar tyn’s Law to provide a flexible approach that enables venues to introduce safety measures that are bespoke and suitable for their premises

“I’m ver y pleased that the Home Office has listened to UKHospitality’s representations on this issue and is moving forward with this approach ”

“Protecting our customers and staff alike is a priority for venues who want to ensure that the great experiences hospitality offers also comes with the best possible safety and security for all ”

“We’ve been engaging with the Home Office throughout the process to achieve the aims of Mar tyn’s Law in a way that is both propor tionate and practical for venues, while getting the balance right between practicality and safety ”

“This is also true for the higher tier, for venues with a maximum capacity over 800 people , with which we will be working to ensure it is also propor tionate for businesses

“As guidance for businesses is developed, we will continue to work with the Home Office to ensure it suppor ts venues and keeps customers safe ”

Proposals from the Government and energ y regulator Ofgem are positive but should apply to all businesses UKHospitality has said The Depar tment for Energ y Security and Net Zero is proposing to expand access to the Energ y Ombudsman and Ofgem is proposing to widen the Complaints Handling Standards, but only to those that fit the ‘Small Business Consumer’ criteria1 Also in the package of measures is a Government proposal for energ y bills to include clearly any third par ty costs to brokers

UKHospitality suppor ts these additional measures to improve protections for hospitality businesses but has called for all businesses, regardless of size , to have access As currently proposed,

pleased that Ofgem listened to UKHospitality’s concerns, and those of our members, by bringing forward a rigorous review into the market, which led to these proposals being introduced

While we suppor t the measures, as they do increase protections for some businesses, the vast majority will not feel the benefit under the

“No

than 5,200 venues across the UK The guide is also freely available online through this link

Jimmy Adams, from the Lucky Saint pub in Mar ylebone , shared his key insights and noted that over 73% of the UK population are now moderating”, which contributes to Global Market Insights predicting that the alcohol-free beer market will double over the next ten years

Rowan Smith from The Hide in Bermondsey has seen more low and alcohol-free drinks being sold in the middle of the week and said, “Just because people are choosing not to drink, or not drink, that day, doesn’t mean they don’t want to celebrate and socialise ”

Hari Fell from The Tudor Farmhouse , Forest of Dean, has seen more low and alcohol-free drinks sold at her events

Adam Jones, the charity Drinkaware’s Director of Business Development and Par tnerships, said: “This free guide is a great example of how Drinkaware and our par tners in the industr y can work together to share key insights and knowledge We know, and our research shows, that pubs play an impor tant role in many communities, and so are ideally placed to help continue the growth of low and alcohol-free options

“Moderating and swapping alcoholic drinks for low and alcohol-free alternatives can be a great way to help

at the

people stay within the CMO’s low-risk guidelines of 14 units a week while socialising any day of the week at pubs across the UK We hope the guide helps venues fur ther embrace the categor y, identify some great ideas and boost their sales of low and alcohol-free ”

Laura Willoughby, the founder of the mindful drinking movement Club Soda, who’s been helping consumers and venues discover alcohol-free drinks since 2015, said: “No business likes to miss revenue; an estimated £800m is lost to hospitality when consumers order tap water so now is the time to review your drink range and make sure you have drinks for ever yone We are chuffed to have teamed up with Drinkaware to provide a free training guide to make this easier, and we re excited that we have got some of our favourite venues to share their top tips on how to pick a winning range and execute it well Request the guide , share it with your team and delight your customers with some new drinks!”

Clive Chesser, the CEO of Punch Pubs & Co, said: “We know more people than ever are purchasing low and no-alcohol drinks and we want them to feel welcome and catered for in all our community pubs across the countr y

“We’re committed to responsible consumption and would urge all pubs to showcase low and no products with pride to demonstrate value and quality ”

Lawson Mounstevens, the Managing Director of Star Pubs & Bars, said: “There is an expectation now that pubs have low and alcohol-free drinks available We want our pubs to be leading the field in this growing market and alongside Drinkaware and other industr y leaders, materials like this will provide our people with the knowledge to do just that ”

Emma McClarkin, the CEO of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “With the low and no market continuing to show strong growth and consumer interest remaining high it is great to see this guidance from Drinkaware and Club Soda to help suppor t licensees to make the most of oppor tunities presented through the no and low alcohol categor y and to ensure these products are presented in the way that delivers the best possible consumer experience In par ticular, where sufficient consumer demand suppor ts, for low and no beer ser ved on draught as a way for those who are seeking low and no options to enjoy the full pub experience ”

If you want to get the freely available guide for yourself, visit http://tinyurl com/bdfa776y

For more information on Drinkaware , visit the website www drinkaware co uk

Culinary Evolution: The Transformation Of The Hotel Dining Scene

By Michael Obray, General Manager of Cotswold House Hotel & Spa (https://bespokehotels .com/cotswoldhouse/)

Hotel dining has evolved over the years, marked by a transformative shift from conventional norms to providing an extraordinar y experience for guests I've witnessed firsthand the dynamic changes that have redefined the culinar y landscape within the hospitality industr y and it is quite an exciting journey

One notable trend that stands out is the evolution of the solo dining scene Traditionally hotel dining was synonymous with formal group-oriented experiences where guests would gather in large dining rooms for elaborate meals However, in recent years, there has been a shift towards catering to the solo diner Recognising the changing demographics and the rise of solo travellers, hotels have adapted their dining offerings to provide a more personalised and inclusive experience

Solo dining is no longer associated with hurried room ser vice , a cheap meal-deal from the local shop, or a lonely table in a corner Instead, hotel restaurants are now creating inviting spaces for solo diners, creating an atmosphere that encourages self-indulgence and relaxation It may be a little unusual to see a person sitting alone at a subtly lit table amidst a restaurant full of romantic Valentine’s diners, but apar t from that, it is less than remarkable to see both leisure and corporate single diners in more formal hotel settings and bars This evolution is a response to the growing number of business travellers, digital nomads, and individuals seeking a moment of peace and quiet amongst their busy schedules

Another key aspect of the evolution in hotel dining, is the increasing focus on locally sourced produce Hotels are moving away from generic , mass-produced ingredients and meals, and instead celebrate local, seasonal ingredients, honouring traditional techniques and fostering relationships with local producers and ar tisans Locally sourced produce not only suppor ts the surrounding community but also allows chefs to

showcase the unique culinar y heritage of the area

Menus are now produced with a commitment to showcasing seasonal ingredients and hotels take pride in informing guests, as par t of an enhanced dining experience , about where selected local ingredients come from and what the chef has chosen for them This ser ves to both promote the local area and to be informative to guests, championing the region's rich culinar y heritage whilst also embracing creativity to produce memorable dining experiences

For example , as a Cotswold hotel, we are in a position to take advantage of a huge selection of locally produced food We offer game dishes such as rabbit and grain mustard pie or Cotswold venison fillet with sticky slow cooked haunch celeriac and beetroot which are always ver y popular with our diners

Over the years, traditional dining experiences have changed and evolved to suit more diverse and knowledgeable audiences Beyond solo dining and locally sourced produce guests are now also looking for an enhanced and luxurious experience In the 80s, 90s and into the 00s, dining out at high end restaurants became a fashion statement and, for the business elite , almost a status symbol Michelin Stars became the industr y standard, and this led to aspirational dining This element of dining out is still alive but now with such a diverse and competitive market, such restaurants are having to conform more to what diners expect, and are having to work harder to meet those expectations

It s now ver y much about how restaurants and top chefs’ can add different and innovative elements to the overall dining experience This could be in the form of menu style and content, dish presentation, intelligent use of a huge range of ingredients available year-round and being more creative with cooking as an ar t form

Front of house ser vice plays a big role too in delivering the chefs innovations in an intelligent and engaging way to the guest

Embracing these trends not only meets the changing preferences of guests but also positions a hotel and its restaurants as a dynamic and forward-thinking player in the ever-evolving world of hospitality who strives to exceed the expectations of a diverse and knowledgeable audience As guests continue to seek unique and memorable dining experiences, the culinar y landscape will likely see fur ther innovation, creativity, and a continued commitment to providing exceptional experiences for diners

Hertfordshire Publicans Honoured With Awards For Community Contribution

– from the World Cup to the Coronation – as well as local traditions like Codicote Village Day and a har vest festival ser vice in aid of the church’s maintenance fund Whenever possible , the pub fundraises for good causes, raising more than £20,000 for Her tfordshire chari-

ties, including the Isabel Hospice , since the Doveys took the helm

Graham and Brenda fell into taking over The Goat Inn by chance Having just sold a glass fibre business in 1990, the couple – who were keen pubgoers – decided to tr y their hand at running a pub in

Scotland Raises Minimum Unit Pricing by 30%

The

Shona Robison, the Deputy First Minister, said action was needed to "reduce the causes and effects of ill health " Adding “The decision to continue MUP and to increase the price shows Scotland continues to be world leading in improving the health of the people in Scotland ”

The change , which has to be approved by the Scottish Parliament, will not take place until September 30, Ms Robison added

Scotland became the first countr y in the world to introduce MUP when the policy came into force in 2018 Minimum unit pricing (MUP) is a flagship SNP policy and was fiercely opposed by the Scotch whisky industr y when it was first announced in 2012

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the Scottish Beer and Pub Association, said the rise is disappointing, especially during a cost-of-living crisis”

She added: “The vast majority of people consume alcohol responsibly and this increase will put fur ther pressure on strained household budgets

“We strongly advise the Scottish Government to reconsider the increase at this time and instead look towards targeted inter ventions which have a proven record in tackling alcohol misuse ”

The SLTA (Scottish Licensed Trade Association) a long-time suppor ter of minimum unit pricing for alcohol welcomed today s announcement

It has fully suppor ted the principle of a minimum unit price for alcohol and commended the Scottish Government in 2011 for its effor ts to tackle the problem of “cheap booze” and the consequences of irresponsible promotions in Scotland

The trade association said that controls on pricing continue to be the foundation for other complementar y policies to be effective in cracking down on irresponsible pricing and promotions

Colin Wilkinson, SLTA managing director, commented: “Scotland has long had a challenging relationship with alcohol and the link between low prices and increased consumption is clear The sale of cheap alcohol has been a major factor in many people developing alcohol-related problems so a propor tionate increase in MUP make absolute sense

“Pubs and bars provide a controlled and safe environment for people drinking alcohol whereas people drinking at home are not necessarily aware of how much they are drinking The retention of and the proposed increase in the level of MUP will help avoid a return to the days of deep discounting and irresponsible promotions which were par ticularly seen in supermarkets where alcohol, on some occasions, was being sold cheaper than bottled water and below cost as a loss-leader

“The 50p level was approved in the Scottish Parliament nearly 12 years ago so we believe that with rises in inflation since then, it was time to increase MUP from September 30 ”

Mr Wilkinson said the introduction of MUP in May 2018 helped bring back price stability to the market and described the Scottish Government’s policy as “robust” adding: “Minimum unit pricing is one

tedly suppor t the Scottish Government for its robust

where we

Majority of UK Hotel Arrivals Came From Overseas in 2023, Signalling Return of International Travel Despite Higher Prices: SiteMinder

A CHANGING MARKET IS DEMANDING A DYNAMIC APPROACH FROM ACCOMMODATION PROVIDERS

SiteMinder’s vice president of ecosystem and strategic par tnerships, James Bishop, says the findings are encouraging for UK hoteliers, but they shouldn’t expect a return to the old normal at a time of industr ywide change

“SiteMinder’s data and research shows that while international travel is returning strongly, and traveller demographics are normalising, today’s guests are a strong depar ture from those that hoteliers once knew Increasingly travellers have a nuanced approach to spending While they are experience-driven and prepared to purchase extras beyond the cost of their room, they are more often turning to packages and promotions that allow them to continue travelling the way they know and love , ” says Bishop

“This increasingly sophisticated traveller behaviour underscores the need for hoteliers to be dynamic in the way they do business We already see signs of this for example , the UK has some of the world’s highest day-to-day variation in room rates, indicating that hoteliers are already adopting nimbler practices to keep pace with changing customer preferences As international and business-related travel ramps fur ther, it’s vital for the hotel industr y to continue evolving, to ensure it is monetising revenue oppor tunities at ever y customer touchpoint,” concludes Bishop

In the UK, Trip com rose from eleventh to seventh place , while Agoda climbed one spot to fifth:

1 Booking com

2 Exped a Group

3 Hotel webs tes (direct bookings)

4 Hotelbeds

5 Agoda

6 Global distr ibution systems

7 Tr ip com

8 WebBeds

9 Airbnb

10 Hostelworld Group

11 HRS - Hote Reser vation Ser vice

12 Mr & Mr s Smith

SiteMinder s Chief Growth Officer, Trent Innes, says: The global travel industr y has long awaited the return of Chinese travellers and it is clear from our data

and Thursday (£197) Januar y was again the cheapest month for guests, with an ADR of £155

Shor t stays, due in par t to London being a haven for business travel, were again a driver of the vast majority of arrivals, with UK hotels hosting among the shor test stays in the world Eighty-six percent were for 12 nights, compared to the global average of 81%, while 96% were for 1-4 nights

THE RETURN OF “ASIAN GIANTS” IS MARKING A TURNING POINT FOR THE GLOBAL SECTOR

The rise in international travel globally was spurred by the strong rebound of outbound Asian travel in 2023, with two of the region’s most popular channels, China’s Trip com and Asia Pacific’s Agoda, rising the fastest among SiteMinder’s Top 12 hotel booking sources based on the total gross revenue they generated via SiteMinder’s platform

concern This coupled with the repor ts that Adnams has been working with a management consultancy to explore options to shore up its finances – including the possibility of an injection of private capital – is a one-two punch at the hear t of the UK brewing industr y

“The news raises the issue of fair competition, access to market and consumer choice C AMRA does not want any brewer y or cider producer to close their doors for good, be it a contemporar y small independent brewer or larger family-owned establishments with decades of histor y

“The worr ying news that two prestigious, award-winning breweries are both facing pressure to remain trading and sur vive is indicative of the wider problems the brewing and pub trade are experiencing C AMRA, along with the Society of Independent Brewers (SIB A) and the Independent Family Brewers of Britain (IFBB), is calling on the Government to increase Draught Relief to 20% from its current figure of 9 2% in the Chancellor’s upcoming Budget Cutting tax specifically on draught beer and cider in pubs would encourage people to suppor t their community local, and help secure jobs and businesses in the pub and beer sector – par ticularly small and independent breweries that sell more of their products into pubs and taprooms

Antona commented: “To hear that Elland Brewer y is facing liquidation just six months after their 1872 Por ter was crowned C AMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain 2023 is a major cause for

“C AMRA is encouraging ever yone to email their MPs, asking them to suppor t the ‘Make it 20%’ campaign and call on the Government to show their suppor t for pubs, social clubs, breweries and cider producers "

Bournemouth to Vote on 'Tourist Tax'

A charge for tourists staying in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) is set to receive a vote , with those in favour stating that the charge will raise around £2million for the area ever y year

The hotel and tourism industr y in the town says the initiative

The

leader Vikki Slade said she welcomed the

She said:

Although

Hospitality Sales Flat In January As Consumer Spending Is Squeezed

food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “After spending freely in the run-up to Christmas, consumers were clearly watching their outgoings ver y carefully in Januar y It is a reminder that while people remain eager to eat and drink out when they can, rising costs continue to limit discretionar y spending With hospitality operators’ margins also still squeezed by inflation the sector needs sustained government suppor t on taxes and other issues if it is to unleash its full potential to invest and create jobs

Saxon Moseley Leisure and Hospitality Par tner at RSM UK, said: “Given the impact of successive storms Henk, Isha and Jocelyn that left many Brits sheltering at home in Januar y alongside acute competition for scarce discretionar y spending, these results demonstrate the appetite of consumers who continue to favour experiences over “things” With ongoing cost pressures having already accounted for some recent high-profile restaurant closures, operators will be hoping that the continued fall in inflation and the prospect of interest rate cuts in the Spring will tempt consumers to venture out and suppor t their local establishments ”

Why The Traitors Could Be The Answer To Your Next Marketing Campaign

Rebecca Kelly, CEO of VenueScanner (www venuescanner com), discusses the impact popular culture has on the hospitality sector and how venues can tap into mainstream trends to boost bookings .

More than eight million people in the UK watched the Traitors finale a few weeks ago – and its success reached fur ther than just viewing figures for the BBC

Our data shows that between December 2023 and this Januar y, searches for castles on our website spiked by 117% as viewers inspired by Claudia Winkleman s bolthole in the Scottish Highlands looked to book their own trip

it’s not just a trend we ’ re seeing from fans of the show – we ’ ve seen an increase in interest in unique and unusual venues and experiences post-Covid People want to spend time in spaces that enter tain, inspire , and surprise So how can hospitality venues diversify their offering and grab a slice of the

1 Think about how you use your digital marketing to tap into trends – use hashtags on social media platforms like

and

your venue up to huge audiences If you combine

you

l

2 And if you do that think about how your marketing literature looks to new audiences If you ’ re a wedding venue looking to branc h out into corporate events , make sure your pictures aren’t all of happy couples!

3 Take the time to think about what live events and diar y dates are coming up in the calendar Taylor Swift’s recent US tour was thought to have stimulated the economy by $5 billion and Beyoncé’s 2023 tour grossed more than $579 million worldw de With Tay or coming to the UK th s year, venues who can tap into the Swifties could benefit big time

4 Don’t gnore other popular culture trends – villa owner s might want to cash in on Love Island be ng on our screens throughout the year, but we ’ ve also seen bar s repor ting a r ise in requests to show viewing parties or watc halongs Venues should keep an eye on TV shows creating a buzz and look at what events they could offer to get customer s through their door s – and with par ty-goer s looking for unique exper iences , the quirkier the event you can create , the better

5 And finally, don’t forget about the obvious diar y dates – Burns Night, Valentine’s Day, Pancake Day and Chinese New Year have all happened in the last two months and consumer s are still looking to celebrate – and what about diversifying? We’re seeing more and more bus nesses ooking to recognise International Women’s Day w th their team – if you have the r ight space for an event for businesses to mark the day, make sure you ’ re adver tising it!

Sir Woofchester’s - Canine Hospitality

Sir Woofchester’s has the UK’s largest and most specialised product range for dog-friendly hospitality businesses, including several personalised products

For your BAR OR RESTAURANT

Our Dog Menu features a range of Treat Pots, Dinner Bowls, Dog Drinks and Snacks, displayed with eye-catching point of sale

For your

BEDROOMS & ACCOMMODATION

Choose between:

-“All day breakfast” snac k bar : a delic ous innovative treat for dogs on-the-go! -“Sleepy Bones” treat pot relaxing bedtime dog treats -“Dog Welcome Pac k” PERSON ALISED: an nicely presented pac k contain ng poo bags , a ball toy and a pot of Sleepy Bones (Note: the container also ser ves as a temporar y waterbowl!)

YOUR COMPLETE SOLUTION

Water bowls, waste bags, accessories, top tips & ever ything else you need to be more dog-friendly

To ensure the highest quality products we hold a DEFRA registration a GB Pet Food Manufacturers registration and much of our range is BRC or SALSA cer tified

We look forward to working with you

David & the Sir Woofchester’s team

DOGFRIENDLY BENEFITS

You may also wish to consider the following benefits of working with Sir Woofchester’s, to help elevate your wider business:

• Increased average customer spend

• Increase repeat vis ts

• Enhances staff engagement & enjoyment

• Link to other initiatives – c har ityfundraiser s online competitions

• Great social media content & word of mouth marketing

• Contr ibutes towards improved reviews

• Fully compliant with legislation etc

WHY DOG-FRIENDLY?

The number of UK dog owners has increased by over 25% since 2020

Many of these are new ‘first time dog owners ’ (including pre-family millennials)

Dog owners like to treat their canine like one of the familywhen they visit your establishment

The dogfriendly trend in hotels & tourism etc has been increasing for over a decade!

The pandemic has seen a behaviour change , with more dog owners choosing the UK for their shor t breaks or annual holidays

The cost of boarding kennels & pet-sitting has risen, so your customers now increasingly want to bring their dog with them!

We see ever-increasing dog-friendly requirements with accommodation providers, food & beverage outlets, as well as tourist attractions

See the adver t on the facing page for details

Maximising Refunds for Hard-Hit Hospitality Businesses

Back in July 2020 at the height of the global pandemic , the UK Government introduced a temporar y reduced VAT rate of 5% to suppor t the badly impacted hospitality sector The reduced rate was applicable to meals both in restaurants and for takeaway, holiday accommodation and admission to attractions such as theatres amusement parks and cultural events

The reduced rate of 5% was applicable to sales between mid July 2020 and 30th September 2021 Thereafter the rate went back up, first to 12 5% until the end of March 2022 and then back up to the standard rate of 20%

Businesses already dealing with the difficulties thrown up by the pandemic , may not have taken advantage of the temporar y reduced rate at the time , but can now revisit their VAT records to claim a refund if they have overpaid their returns

VAT returns can only be amended up until the end of

from their due filing date , so the earliest affected periods will star t to fall out of time to amend in July 2024 Given this, hospitality businesses should ensure they take the oppor tunity now to check whether they may be entitled to a repayment

Businesses which may have a claim include those who didn’t realise that the temporar y reduced rate was applicable to them The definition of ‘attractions’ was ver y loosely given and the guidance provided was scant This has resulted in several disputes with HMRC about who should be allowed to get a repayment Cases which have been taken to tribunal already about the applicability to events and attractions, include a junior driving experience business which lost on the basis that it was not admission to an attraction Other businesses which have successfully applied the reduced rate include Christmas fairs and outdoor cinemas

Businesses may

There are exceptions to the application of the reduced rate Whilst meals either on premises or for take away are included, alcoholic drinks remain at the standard rate of 20% and should be removed from any claim amounts In respect of takeaway meals, only hot takeaway drinks qualify, not cold drinks

Claims should be made to HMRC by submitting an error correction notification This gives HMRC the oppor tunity to scrutinise the basis of the claim and ensure full disclosure can be made An attempt to carelessly claim too much VAT could give rise to unwanted questions and the potential for penalties If in doubt of the validity of claims, seeking advice from a suitably qualified professional is advisable , to ensure businesses optimise their position whilst remaining compliant

The '

In

wide

The repor t’s findings substantiate the fact that the guest journey lead generation and guest profile are the pivotal issues that will determine the future shape and scale of the role that OTAs play on the hospitality landscape SHR Group warns that hotels are in danger of becoming too reliant on OTA lead generation, to the point that it becomes financially impossible to recover their current share of bookings and return on adver tising spend (ROAS)

As the repor t makes clear, AI-powered personalization of the guest journey, greater leverage of loyalty schemes and the use of predictive analytics to reduce cancellation rates and unnecessar y discounting do offer hoteliers a technological solution to the challenges they face However, the effective window of oppor

doubling from $0 21 to $0 48 (up 128 6%)

In the travel arena, a metasearch engine pulls in data from lots of other websites to produce its own results for consumer queries It organizes all the information they need whether it's flights accommodation, car rentals or vacation packages on a single results page Kayak and Trivago are both examples of metasearch engines

A knock-on effect of this is that the revenues associated with organic search have fallen 15 3% YoY, almost exactly matching the increase won by paid search 15 5% This, in turn, is forcing hoteliers to invest more heavily in PPC to compete with the OTAs and prevent them from claiming all of the high-intent traffic , which was historically the domain of organic search

A consequence of OTA strategies is that indirect bookings are also attracting guests looking for longer stays This has meant that the change in indirect bookings’ share of room nights is even more significant, climbing from 53% to 56%1 in 2023 a change equivalent to approximately 65 6million room nights world-

HRC , par t of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week, returns to ExCeL London on 25-27 March for an immersive dive into the future of hospitality, offering invaluable networking oppor tunities, a chance to explore the ver y latest trends, and a firsthand look at new innovations in foodser vice

With sections covering hospitality tech, foodser vice , furniture , interiors & tableware , and professional kitchen equipment, visitors to HRC can source anything needed to elevate their business offering and customer experience

The Vision Stage , designed by Harp Design, will see a packed programme of content across the three days of the show, with speakers including UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls OBE, HRC Chef Ambassador Lisa GoodwinAllen and futurist Simon Stenning

Stenning comments: “HRC has always been an impor tant event in all our calendars so I am looking forward to being there on all three days to see all the new and latest products on display and to meet up with clients colleagues and friends I am ver y pleased to be presenting foresight from our latest Future Foodser vice repor t – 2030Vision – with trends, developments and shifts in the market over the next six years It will be a great week

The Vision Stage will also be hosting the awards ceremony for the inaugural World Catering Technolog y Awards, in par tnership with FoodBev Media, which recognise the innovative suppliers changing the face of catering and streamlining processes front and back-of-house

The 2024 event will also see the return of stage and demo kitchen Chef HQ, curated by Chef Publishing, where visitors can enjoy presentations by chefs including Glynn Purnell, Simon Hulstone , Ker th Gumbs, Tom Shepherd and Pierre Koffmann

Shepherd comments: “Truly looking forward to being the opening demo at Chef HQ at HRC this March Sharing my stories and experiences with peers in such a fun, relaxed environment, surrounded by some amazing culinar y stars and future generations of chefs will be a memorable moment Come along and join us!”

The show’s TechX stage will be the home of all things hospitality tech, with discussions taking place on a wide range of topics including labour productivity tools rebuilding a fractured tech stack future oppor tunities in the changing hospitality landscape and how modernised shift patterns can results in a healthier workforce

In the show’s Networking Hub designed by Design Command a number of industr y associations and key par tners of HRC will be hosting networking events including the Foodser vice Equipment Association, Arena and HOSPA

HRC takes place on 25-27 March 2024 at ExCeL London alongside The Pub Show, IFE, IFE Manufacturing, and International Salon Culinaire , as par t of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week To find out more , visit

www hrc co uk

With Great Distress Comes Great Opportunity

By Matthew Padian, Restructuring and Insolvency Par tner at Stevens & Bolton LLP (www stevens-bolton com)

Businesses are said to be facing a perfect storm – high interest rates, persistent inflation, and subdued consumer confidence Add to that the prospect of a rise in the National Minimum Wage from April this year, and it’s not a promising basis on which to star t 2024

But then those in the catering, hospitality and leisure space rarely look to the new year with excitement The busy Christmas trading period is behind us, people are cosied up in front of the fire back at home and it can be tricky to tempt people out when the UK is being battered by Storms Isha and the like

So how might catering leisure and hospitality businesses weather the next 12 months? And what strategies might they adopt to maximise the chance of a sunny outcome?

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON

I don t mean do nothing But I do mean focus on what you are good at – running successful businesses It can be all too easy to get distracted by the minutia of supply chain contracts, reducing costs and potential restructurings Sometimes clients come to us looking for a restructuring as the answer to their ills rather than as a means to an end Fundamentally successful businesses have a good product, a loyal client base and high-performing employees Look after those and the rest should (hopefully) follow

BUT DON’T PUT YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND

The above said we have also seen clients who enjoy running the operational side of their business – be it producing top quality food or providing fantastic accommodation – but struggle to find the time or energ y to deal with the less glamorous aspects – the book-keeping, the negotiation of key contracts, the recruitment and retention of staff It can be easy to blame the difficult trading environment on the wider macro-economic situation but there are winners and losers out there and the winners will inevitably be running a tight ship This quieter time of year can be a good time to get one ’ s house in order before the weather improves, customers get tired of lounging around at home and – hopefully – business gets busy again With a general election on the horizon later this year, businesses are unlikely to be able to rely upon government inter vention to see them out of trouble – the days of Eat Out to Help Out and generous HMRC time to pay arrangements appear to be over Proactive self-help with therefore be key

CAUSE FOR OPTIMISM

Amidst the Januar y blues there have been some positive developments which should provide some encouragement Household energ y costs are said to be coming down According to the latest Asda Income Tracker household disposable income is at its highest in two years Jeremy Hunt may offer some tax cuts over the coming months (although they are likely to be followed by tax increases of some kind after the next election) And a cut in national insurance for employees has already come into effect from this Januar y So, whilst there are some ongoing geopolitical concerns, including the Red Sea crisis and the ongoing war in

Ukraine impacting on supply chains, the worst might be behind us and this might be the year in which businesses change their focus from sur vival to turning their for tunes around

Each business will face its own unique challenges but successful businesses invariably do a number of things, as outlined below

SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER

Many will see external advisors as another unnecessar y cost However professional advisors are more likely to deliver value and enhance the prospects of rescuing a business and/or meeting creditor demands if brought on board before events take over

CHALLENGE ADVISORS TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

There may not always be a single answer to a company ’ s financial woes However, restructuring advisors now have several tools in their toolbox to implement a turnaround solution Options include a restructuring plan that crams down cer tain creditors, a pre-pack that salvages a successful business from the ashes of a failing one or a company voluntar y arrangement or moratorium which buys a company time to implement a longerterm restructuring

ADDRESS LOOMING CHALLENGES UPFRONT RATHER THAN AFTER THE EVENT

Many businesses will need to refinance their bank loans this year and we have heard repor ts of some lenders “de-banking” customers in cer tain sectors This can leave businesses shor t of financing solutions when they leave it too late to line up alternative funders

MAINTAIN AN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Lenders for example are more likely to respond positively to a borrower’s financial troubles if they are informed about a potential covenant breach or amend and extend request directly rather than finding out about it only after defaults occur

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES

The insolvency statistics don’t lie and there will inevitably be some businesses who reach the end of the road this year For those with an acquisitive mindset this can be a chance to diversity into new markets or improve performance where organic growth has slowed

AVOID THE EASY WAY OUT

When one finds oneself in times of trouble the obvious solution might be to jump ship or close a business via a strike-off application to Companies House Directors need to be ver y careful about going down this path – the Insolvency Ser vice is becoming increasingly vigilant in pursuing those who abuse the strike off process to tr y and flee creditors Directors who cheat the system face the prospect of disqualification

Professional advisors are not immune to the challenges facing many businesses Many will welcome an initial conversation around any of the above before formal instruction and this can be a good first step before embarking on the chosen path

“The process for removing fake companies has to be speeded up and made easier We need greater transparency from Companies House and a clear timeline In some cases it is being repor ted it can take up to 18 months to rectify

“Checks by Companies House on the identity of people registering companies would reduce the risk of frauds and be a major help for restaurants and other businesses facing up to problems with fraudsters ”

Fraudsters targeting restaurants register company names at Companies House usually by applying for registration with slightly different or misspelled names They then apply for bank accounts and finance in that name and can then target suppliers and potential diners In some cases restaurant owners have been targeted by other scammers tr ying to charge them for amending fake details

Heston Blumenthal’s restaurants are now located across three continents and the group continues to expand its international presence Heston’s imaginative and scientific approach to the dining experience is revered by many of the great chefs of our time

am grateful this issue has been highlighted and am confident Companies House will do it all it can to suppor t businesses with tackling what is a long-running problem

“Our legal team has been scanning the Companies Register for years and has regularly needed to notify Companies House of bogus companies claiming to be to be par t of our group

Heston Blumenthal added: The protection of our brands is absolutely paramount to our customers, our par tners and our teams who excel ever y day in our kitchens and restaurants We will not allow fraudsters to deceive unsuspecting patrons or par tners and risk the legacy which we have collectively built with hard work, dedication, innovation and a grain of eccentricity ”

Organic brutalism is a theme which is becoming popular in developed urban areas and requires the restaurant / hotel to fully embrace the notion of opposites attract The best way to visually capture this theme is by twinning the brutally linear nature of city architecture with the softness of organic elements When tying in your tableware with this style of décor we’d suggest Churchill Stonecast Sorrel of this Fusion range or opt for the stark contrast of the Ar tis Elements collection

NUOVO CAFFÈ

The term “Let’s grab a drink” is slowly shifting from referring to have an alcoholic beverage and becoming more synonymous with having a coffee If you ser ve coffee and want to attract the discerning coffee drinker, then give your social areas are more relaxed and contemporar y At Alliance we are always up to date with the latest hospitality trends and products so call your nearest Alliance Local to see how we can help you with all your needs

www allianceonline co uk

Photo by Andrew Kneebone via F ic kr

Hospitality and Luxury Trends On The Rise: Five Key Drivers To Watch Out For

Carlos Díez de la Lastra is Global CEO of Les Roches (www lesroches edu)

With 2023 already consigned to histor y as the year of tourism recover y, the hospitality industr y, star ting in 2024, now finds itself facing a scenario where actors who began making waves a few years ago are now consolidating their positions

This year, we will witness a significant transformation in how the sector connects with its guests and the rest of the world, characterised by a strong presence of technolog y as the driver of innovation Here are five key things to keep tabs on

TECHNOLOGY AS THE CORE

Customer expectations and priorities have shifted, with a preference for fully personalised, sustainable experiences closely tied to the local context Simultaneously, these new demands in the hotel industr y are being propelled by technolog y, which ser ves as the primar y driver From ser vice automation through chatbots and Ar tificial Intelligence (AI) to hotels employing Business Management Systems (BMS) for efficient resource management, including robots facilitating manual tasks like cleaning or luggage transpor tation

Advancements not only steer us towards a more digital society but pave the way for delivering personalised customer experiences and operational efficiency for companies and their employees Technolog y is, ultimately the only path to sur vive and stand out in the tourism sector

PRIORITISING SUSTAINABILITY

In Booking com ’ s latest repor t, travellers already reflected their con-

cern for making the world greener : 79% stated they want to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months, with 75% looking for companies offering more sustainable options

Today’s tourists are much more aware of the environmental impact generated by tourism-related activities in recent years Hotels are adopting renewable energies, centralised software , and BMS to optimise operational efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint Implementing these intelligent systems contributes to energ y efficiency through climate control, smar t lighting, or electric vehicle charging points

However, sustainability is not only about the optimal use of environmental resources but also considering the economic and sociocultural aspects surrounding the environment This includes respect for the host community or the creation of activities that contribute to the benefit of all tourism stakeholders and pover ty reduction through the promotion of local employment or the purchase of local products Thus, hotels align with the sustainable development principles of the World Tourism Organization

HYPER-PERSONALISATION FOR DIFFERENTIATION

In recent years, the sector has made a push to fur ther personalise ser vice for a more premium clientele This hyper-personalisation demanded by 71% of customers, is achieved through the use of digital tools like AI, machine learning, and extensive data analysis

Adopting these concepts allows hotels to anticipate and proactively meet guests’ needs, offering highly tailored experiences based on their preferences and habits Key factors include adapting dynamic pricing strategies tailor-made loyalty programs gastronomic recommendations based on consumption patterns, and bespoke ser vices based on guest histor y The implementation of multichannel ser vices, such as mobile device usage and e-invoicing, along with social media monitoring, expands options for developing seamless communication This customercentric digital revolution redefines actions providing efficiency in commercial strategies and preparing hospitality to offer unique experiences globally

Moreover, there is a surge in collaborations between companies seeking innovative approaches Examples include Hotel Puente Romano and Nobu restaurant, which par tnered to enhance the value and prestige of their ser vice in Marbella; or Hotel Don Pepe and Moët & Chandon which segmented suites to cater to different tastes

EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL BASED ON HEALTH AND

WELLNESS

The trend towards a holistic approach is consolidating, with travellers seeking authentic local experiences, with a strong preference for activities related to wellness active tourism immersion in nature and gastronomy These plans now surpass interest in activities conventionally linked to tourism, such as ar t and culture

The impor tance of adapting to these emerging trends is becoming an imperative and mandator y requirement for hospitality agents, as overreliance on specific tourism products can be inefficient affecting destination sustainability In this quest for new experiences, other types of tourism more linked to health, such as spor ts tourism, are gaining ground In Spain, this finds its peak in golf, with our countr y and, more specifically the Costa del Sol being global references in this activity Les Roches recently bet on this expanding sector, which directly impacts the Spanish economy with over €5 4 billion annually, through its new Postgraduate Diploma in Golf Course Management, offering students the oppor tunity to train in golf business management, club operations, tournament organisation, and design, installation, and maintenance of courses

Additionally, these experiential trips must be guaranteed from the moment of booking: according to a Forbes study, tourists under 34 are 130% more likely to book a hotel if they can take a vir tual tour through its website Such vir tual visits, tailored to new demands and prior to travel, generate confidence in the destination establishment and an increase in the length of stay

IMPACT AND INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media remains and strengthens as an essential tool for the hospitality and tourism industr y, influencing travel decisions and transforming customer interaction Strategies focus on inspiring through platforms like Instagram or TikTok influencing booking decisions and building credibility through authentic reviews following travellers’ positive experiences

The impact of social media is evident in tourists’ behaviour change , who consider direct brand relations crucial Tourism companies actively use social media to promote destinations adver tising campaigns and enhance customer ser vice , demonstrating their continued impor tance in the hotel industr y

Additionally, they cannot overlook the received ratings and comments, and often must determine whether those reviews correspond to real experiences and give them the appropriate treatment to attract the most guests

Consor t Claudgen is renowned for its innovative heating solutions Recently they introduced the Consor t Connect app that enables users to control their heating units from anywhere using their smar tphone or tablet The app is free and downloadable from Google Play or Apple Store It can control Consor t's Wi-Fi enabled heaters and SL heaters connected to an SLPBWIFI wireless controller

The Consor t Connect app is easy to set up It provides quick access to four operating modes and a 7-day timer with twenty-four daily heating periods The Connect app offers complete customisation, allowing users to modify the settings of ever y connected heater according to their preferences Users can keep track of the app ' s energ y consumption statistics to increase energ y efficiency and monitor consumption

The app has several notewor thy features, including custom automation and a security lock function to prevent unauthorised access to the system It also features an open window

detection which reacts intelligently to a sudden temperature change in the area or room Additionally, the SLPBWIFI controller and Consor t heaters with Wi-Fi and occupancy sensor have a self-learning control ability This sophisticated feature uses occupancy and temperature sensors to detect and learn a user ' s weekly presence in a room It then creates a heating schedule and automatically warms the room according to the detected or predicted occupancy When the room is unoccupied the heater will conser ve energ y by switching to a setback temperature or frost protection mode

Those interested in learning more about this exciting offering from Consor t Claudgen can contact one of their sales representatives via phone at 01646 692172 or visit their website at www consor tepl com to discover how they can transform their heating control experience

See the adver t on page 3 for fur ther information

New Laws Set To Ban “Drip Pricing”

ble and as soon as possible before making purchases

Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “The vast majority of additional fees involved in hospitality bookings are optional and designed to offer customers ways to enhance their experience , such as adding breakfast to a hotel stay

“We’re pleased the Government has taken on board our feedback and excluded optional extras from an outright ban This means customers will still be able to upgrade and customise their hospitality experience as they see fit ”

The legislation will also add fake reviews to a list of banned business practices and ensuring platforms hosting reviews check their veracity This was another key ask from UKHospitality

“Banning fake reviews is a positive step given the significant reputation damage and financial impact they can have on businesses It’s essential that deliberate fake reviews of businesses on third-par ty platforms are covered by this legislation and we look forward to working with the Government as these plans develop, Kate Nicholls added

widespread and occurs in more than half of providers in the enter tainment (54 percent) and hospitality (56 percent) industr y, and almost three quar ters across transpor t and communication (72 percent) sectors

Ever y year, unavoidable fees cost consumers £2 2 billion, which is why these laws are being designed to ensure online shoppers have a clear idea of what they are spending upfront, to inform them as much as possi-

Minister for Enterprise , Markets and Small Business Kevin Hollinrake said: From supermarket shelves to digital baskets – modern day shopping provides customers with more choice than ever before But with that, comes the increased risk of confusion, scams and traps that can easily cost the public more than they had planned

The announcement demonstrates the clear steps we ’ re taking as a government to ensure customers can compare purchases with ease , aren’t duped by fake reviews, and have the sting of hidden fees taken away

Crippling Costs Lead to Sharp Rise in Leisure and Hospitality Insolvencies

The number of businesses in the food ser vice and accommodation sector becoming insolvent have increased by 37% according to figures released by the insolvency ser vice

The company insolvency statistics show accommodation and food ser vices insolvencies increased 30% in Q4 2023 (from 775 in Q4 2022 to 1,013 in Q4 2023) and were up 37% on an annual basis (from 2,712 in 2022 to 3,726 in 2023)

Alarmingly, insolvencies have increased at a faster rate during the past 12 months

Robyn Duffy, consumer markets senior analyst at RSM UK, comments ‘Despite positive sales numbers in 2023, with like-for-like sales up 5 8% on average , there was a significant jump in the number of insolvencies in the hospitality industr y in Q4 2023, and on an annual basis

‘Crippling costs will have been the last straw for some operators, with energ y costs still around twice as high as they were pre-Covid Additionally in April, we ll see the largest ever single increase to the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over (increasing £1 02 to £11 44) and a similarly sharp increase across other age groups

‘Without suppor t from the government to manage the escalating costs for these businesses in the form of VAT relief or otherwise , it’s likely the distress we ’ ve seen will continue at least until H2 2024 The second half of the year brings greater hope of a fur ther boost to demand with economic factors impacting consumer spending beginning to enter positive realms – interest rates should fall from summer ; inflation is forecast to hit 2% in Q2, and real wages will continue to grow But until then, the sector looks set to see continued distress for now ’

NTIA Figures Reveal Extent of Crisis: UK Nightclubs Struggle

– 8 Businesses Closed (21%

The closure of nightclubs transcends mere economic repercussions; it represents a cultural crisis endangering the vibrancy and diversity of our nightlife Nightclubs ser ve as vital hubs of social interaction, ar tistic expression, and community cohesion, making their preser vation imperative

While the pandemic has exacerbated existing challenges, the systematic closure of nightclubs cannot be solely attributed to COVID-19’s impact It reflects years of neglect, burdensome regulations, and insufficient governmental suppor t

In light of this urgent situation, the NTIA demands that the government takes immediate action to provide financial relief to struggling nightclubs Central to this relief is the imperative for the government to

reduce VAT to 12 5% across the board, failing which fur ther closures across the sector are inevitable

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, has vehemently expressed the stark reality faced by businesses within the nightlife sector Before the pandemic , many of these establishments were thriving, demonstrating their profitability and resilience However, the onslaught of COVID-19 brought for th not only health challenges but was followed closely by an unprecedented cost of operating crisis Kill highlights a bitter truth: many of these businesses could have weathered the storm if adequate suppor t had been provided Instead, a lack of consideration and suppor t has led to countless closures The narrative suggesting that changing habits caused these closures is absurd The truth lies in the economic impact, driven by poor policy decisions, overbearing regulator y controls and inadequate infrastructure

“The marginalisation of nightlife businesses has left them feeling neglected, questioning the Government’s motive , with limited avenues for sur vival As we navigate recover y, it’s imperative that policymakers acknowledge the vital role of these establishments and provide the suppor t they urgently need ”

This suppor t must be targeted, transparent, and substantial to enable businesses to withstand the ongoing challenges and emerge resilient The NTIA stands prepared to collaborate with policymakers to devise effective solutions that safeguard the future of our nightclubs and preser ve their crucial role in our cultural heritage

We implore the government to heed our urgent plea and act decisively to prevent irreversible losses within the nighttime economy

Achieving Sustainability with Dry Steam Cleaning

faces The environmental costs of high-pressure washing are astronomical, and that s without considering the massive volume of wastewater

Stop chemical pollutants and dangerous wastewater

One of the biggest problems with traditional cleaning methods is the considerable volume of effluent discharge Toxic chemicals can pollute clean water sources and damage the environment when handled incorrectly When handled properly, wastewater still consumes significant energ y to remedy and levies a high cost on the environment

One of the most significant advantages of DSV technolog y lies in the waste removal procedure that saves considerable time and money while providing an environmentally friendly solution that prevents cross-contamination Your cleaning operatives can simply empty the waste tank when it fills and enjoy the peace of mind that sustainable actions provide

The science behind DSV technolog y

an hour,

instantaneously, this

In

When you combine dr y steam vapour with validated technologies, you achieve the most effective efficient and sustainable cleaning standards without the use of any chemicals

The process requires a small amount of cold tap water that gets superheated inside our machines, reaching temperatures up to 175 degrees Just one litre of water transforms into 1600 litres of small but powerful

dr y steam droplets

These tiny dr y droplets cover a far greater surface area than manual cleaning in a shor ter time with greater effectiveness It loosens dir t and grime that you can easily remove with Osprey Deepclean’s validated HEPA filtration vacuum cleaners or microfibre cloths, leaving your surfaces clean and sanitised

Driving Sustainability with DSV technolog y DSV technolog y relies on super-heated dr y steam that substitutes tonnes of hot water for small amounts of cold tap water It produces no moisture , prevents cross-contamination and relies on no chemicals to achieve higher standards of environmental hygiene than any other cleaning technolog y

Government research shows that UK businesses can save up to £23 billion ever y year through the way they use energ y and water Financial rewards, unmatched environmental benefits and exceptional hygiene standards should drive home the transformational effects of DSV cleaning

At OspreyDeepclean, we ’ ve dedicated 20 years to engineering the most sustainable and effective DSV technolog y Tested in healthcare settings and relied on by hospitals, we re striving to help businesses like yours have a positive environmental impact

and equipment

HACCP principles state that commercial dishwashers should be maintained at a minimum of 55 °C during the wash cycle , and a minimum of 82 °C during the rinse cycle Anything outside of this would not be considered an effective or safe clean due to the temperature not being high enough to kill pathogens

The dishwasher temperature should be regularly monitored, tested and logged to ensure compliance , and to protect the health and safety of your staff and customers This is now easier than ever thanks to temperature measuring equipment that places the technolog y right in the hands of the user

Dishwasher temperature probes can be placed inside

the dishwasher during a cycle and provide a temperature reading throughout the wash cycle Many commercial businesses often have pre-existing digital HACCP platforms that these can plug into, but for smaller organisations, simply recording the data in a safe and responsible way is accessible through this tech all the same I’d still recommend looking into a digital HACCP software for the ease of recording, archiving and filing of all the data

Traditional means of recording dishwasher temperature through single use strips have a high cost due to the continuous need for purchase Their accuracy can also be questionable , and they re not the most environmentally sound option either Investing in long term digital solutions for your health and safety benefits ever yone across the board Think of it as an investment in the future by being confident in your practices with the hard data to back you up It is impor tant to view food safety and adherence to HACCP from a holistic view Of course restaurants and catering ser vices should comply with this as a matter of principle , but think about the wider effects of improper recording, human error or lack of training Not only does it leave the business open to legal implications, but long-term reputational damage across consumer and business audiences if news gets out New technolog y provides sound and trustwor thy equipment that improves efficiency and reduces costs at the same time Visit www thermometer co uk for details

With over 220 000 hospitality businesses registered in the UK, the sector is the UK s third largest employer However, it is also one of the biggest polluters because according to data from Big Hospitality, UK hospitality accounts for up to 15 percent of UK greenhouse gases

And so quite rightly the industr y is under renewed pressure to engage in more sustainable business practices And this is not just because it is the right thing to do but because consumers are demanding it

Our research with Unidays showed that over 80 percent of Gen Zers are prepared to pay more for sustainable goods and ser vices while Rebound research shows that 87 percent of consumers want a sustainable deliver y option So in the face of economic uncer tainty and challenging times for the sector, it pays to be more sustainable - for our planet, for our people and for our profits So, what can UK hospitality businesses do to

become more sustainable this year?

SUPPORT LOW-VOLUME RECYCLING STREAMS

As new innovations in the circular economy develop, it is a good idea to star t separating more of your waste - for example , coffee grounds, which can be used to create biofuel, as well as beauty and food products

Due to space restrictions and hygiene , these materials need to be collected quite frequently but the benefits of separating this waste are drastically reduced if they’re collected by a van or HGV Look for providers who offer low-carbon collections and consolidate the small volumes collected from you with those collected from other businesses, at local microhubs before the materials are collected in bulk for larger vehicles

PACKAGING RETURNS

Work with suppliers and carriers to find the best low-carbon approach to dealing with reusable packaging returns

In cities developing efficient reverse logistics can have a huge impact on carbon, congestion and air quality Consider par tnering with companies like Again which has developed the technolog y for food and drinks brands to make it easier to swap single use packaging for reusables

NAVIGATE CLEAN AIR ZONES

With more cities bringing in restrictions to prevent high polluting vehi-

Navigating NET-Zero: A Business’s Guide to Sustainability

find handy guides and leaflets that will help you to get your green claims right

A good question to ask yourself around green claims, is “how can I prove this”? Also put yourself into the mind of your customer Would your customers understand what a ‘sustainable meal or what a responsibly sourced product is? If your green claims are vague , misleading, or not adequately explained, then you might not be complying with the law

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Riso Gallo - Sensationally Sustainable!

Riso Gallo is the first international rice brand to have produced its rice from sustainable agriculture , making their premium best-selling risotto completely sustainable from field to fork

Established in 1856, Riso Gallo is the oldest Risotto rice producer in Italy and has been delivering its premium rice to consumers around the world for over six generations

Known to many as Italy’s first choice , Riso Gallo is one of the longest sur viving rice companies in Italy and is still growing A family run business, it is now in it’s 6th generation

The company has uniquely created its own Circular Economy within it’s rice production collaborating with

Getting green claims right from the beginning will save you time and money, and protect your reputation

Top tips to getting environmental claims right:

Make sure that you under stand the difference between var ious definitions

innovative star tups to give new life to the by-products of the rice mill which produces the delicious range of rices of the Riso Gallo Brand

Rice House is an Italian initiative in which the secondar y materials in rice cultivation are used to build ethical houses

Rice by-products are even used by Mogu in a range of designer furniture production

The Albini Group to develop a process of ‘Off the Grain’ dye for fabric When the Nero (black) rice is processed for the food industr y, the by product of the deep grape coloured water is used as a natural dye

All Riso Gallo plastic vacuum packaging is now suitable for recycling following the launch of a new eco-sustainable , low environmental impact plastic Riso Gallo are the first company to adopt this sustainable packaging The Gallo Risotto Traditional, Arborio, Carnaroli, and the Carnaroli Rustico are now in packs using FSC cer tified cardboard outer to protect the grains

Riso Gallo is committed to reducing and monitoring greenhouse emissions and uses energ y from renewable cer tified resources www risogallo co uk

Designed for the fast food industr y in response to the demand for quick to install, reliable and lower carbon hot water, FUSION from commercial hot water specialist Adveco has fast become an award-winning leader when it comes to integrating low-carbon electric water heating into restaurants, pubs and cafés

Based around an electric boiler and specially designed ATSx cylinder (FUSION E), with the options of an air source heat pump and immersion heater, FUSION offers a range of pre-sized packaged water heating systems for restaurant, coffee and brewer y chains planning new buildings or a move from gas-fired systems to electrical alternatives in existing proper ties Compact and space saving, FUSION was conceived to address typical kitchen and washroom demands, no matter the water conditions, 24/7 for assured business operations

The FUSION T models offer a hybrid approach, employing an Adveco

Introducing Powerdown220: Leading the Charge in Energy Efficiency with Voltage Optimisation

Mitchells and Butlers Install 1,125 Voltage Optimisers

Are you tired of sky-high energy bills weighing down your hospitality business? Look no further!

Powerdown220 is here to improve your energy efficiency game with our cutting-edge voltage optimisation units

As the UK's leading specialist of voltage optimisation technology, Powerdown220 has earned its stripes by partnering with industry giants like Mitchells and Butlers the powerhouse behind beloved brands such as Harvester and Toby Carvery When Mitchells & Butlers sought to slash their energy expenditure and shrink their carbon footprint in line with their 2040 net zero target they turned to Powerdown220 to deliver this mission Why Voltage

In a groundbreaking undertaking, Mitchells & Butlers embarked on an extensive survey of their estate and a trial to prove the concept We identified a whopping 1 125 sites suitable for voltage optimisation This colossal project marks the largest multi-site initiative of its kind in the UK! With up to sixty Powerdown220 machines being installed weekly at the peak of the project, the impact is undeniable

But why voltage optimisation, you may ask?

Picture this: the average voltage supply across the UK stands at a staggering 242 volts However, all CE marked equipment operates optimally at 220

volts That's where Powerdown220 comes in Our state-of-the-art voltage optimisation technology effectively lowers incoming voltage from the National Grid, ensuring that your equipment runs smoothly while simultaneously delivering substantial savings of typically between 7-10%

Extensive Hotel Experience

We also have extensive experience within the hotel industry, working with leading groups and independent hotels such as Hilton Marriott Dakota, IHG and many more

Join the ranks of industry leaders who have embraced the power of voltage optimisation with Powerdown220 Say goodbye to excessive energy bills and hello to sustainable savings Elevate your business's performance and environmental stewardship with Powerdown220 today!

Contact us to learn more about how Powerdown220 can transform your hospitality business for the better.

‘‘I didn’t realise beforehand that this would be the biggest project of its kind in the UK, but that fact puts it all into perspective,’’ reflected Dale Fenton, energy manager at Mitchells & Butlers

The company was looking to invest in a technology that would deliver cost savings and improve its sustainability and found VO to be a technology that ‘‘ticked both boxes ’’

Diners Offered Allergy Lifeline Food Safety

A woman who developed a life-changing ser vice for allerg y sufferers after her friend was ser ved nuts, is hoping it will help save thousands of others

Juliet Moran, the founder of Allerg yMenu uk created the ser vice following an incident where her friend almost suffered a severe allerg y attack whilst on holiday

Whilst in Amsterdam, Juliet’s friend Kate informed the front-of-house staff about her allergies - including nuts

Despite getting the message across in both English and Dutch the first dish to arrive was Kate’s meal, rich in peanuts And, without thinking, she put her fork to her mouth about to take a bite

It wasn t until her husband pushed his arm across Kate and shouted ‘Stop!’, that she realised the dish could have sent her into an anaphylaxis shock

The restaurant had included nuts in Kate’s meal, despite being told that she was severely allergic

After speaking to her friend, Juliet realised this was a communication issue between front-ofhouse staff and restaurant chefs

She created a website and app to help save those suffering from allergiescustomers can now see which items on the menu they should avoid and which dishes are safe to consume

With the number of those suffering with food allergies on the rise , Juliet hopes Allerg yMenu uk will be a life-changing addition for those eating out

It also helps restaurants streamline their booking ser vices by flagging any allerg y issues before diners arrive

Juliet said: “I was out at a restaurant with friends including Kate who suffers with a nut allergy, and we were talking to the staff to make them aware of it

“We were having a few glasses of wine and chatting away when Kate put her fork in her food, about to eat it when her husband suddenly put his arm

Kafoodle: Simplifying Allergen Reporting for Safe, Reliable Dining

YOUR PARTNER IN ALLERGEN SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE

In the bustling world of food ser vice , where safety and efficiency are paramount, Kafoodle emerges as your indispensable digital par tner in allergen management and compliance Our cutting-edge kitchen management software simplifies the complexities of ser ving food safely and provides a single source of truth across the business ensuring your customers well-being and your peace of mind

DETAILED ALLERGEN INFORMATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Understanding the critical impor tance of accurate allergen information, Kafoodle’s system begins with an extensive and detailed ingredient database This robust foundation allows for the creation of recipes and menus, automatically presenting associated allergens, nutrition and costings Whether you are a hotel, restaurant, pub or any food establishment, you can ensure each dish ser ved is safe for your customers with the use of our intuitive platform

DIGITAL MENUS AND INNOVATIVE LABELLING

Kafoodle extends beyond the kitchen to your customers’ hands To prepare your establishment for Owen’s law, we provide you with branded digital menus which seamlessly integrate with the backend of your ingredient

database Accessible via a simple scan of a QR code , these menus allow guests to filter dishes based on their dietar y needs, ensuring a safe and enjoyable dining experience for ever yone And for grab-and-go, you can make bespoke allergen and nutrition labels complying with the latest food allergen safety regulations, including Natasha’s Law, in less than 5 minutes

EFFORTLESS UPDATES, REDUCED HUMAN ERROR

Kafoodle’s system is designed to eliminate the risk of manual entr y errors Ingredients, recipes, and allergen information can be updated across all platforms with just a few clicks, saving you time and reducing vulnerability to human error This automatic synchronisation ensures that your customers can always access the most current and reliable information

JOIN THE REVOLUTION IN FOOD SAFETY

Ser ving food safely and reliably has never been easier with Kafoodle Our comprehensive solution protects your customers and streamlines your operations, allowing you to focus on what you do best: creating exceptional culinar y experiences Embrace the future of kitchen management with Kafoodle , where safety meets efficiency Visit www.kafoodle .com or see the adver t on this page for details

over her and shouted ‘Stop!’

He’d realised the restaurant had put nuts in her dish

“I was really taken aback about how serious it was and spoke to her about all these problems and came to the conclusion that it seems like a communication problem between the front of house staff and the restaurant chefs

Most businesses already have a char t with all the allergen information onbut we ve found that the real problem is that the chefs aren t communicating with the front of house staff about what exactly is in the food

“But putting the allergens into a proper computer system and giving the information directly to the consumer who downloads the app or looks on our website can instantly see what food substances are in their dish

“Ever ytime I speak to users of our ser vice , their only frustration is that not ever y restaurant is on it I created this app to help solve this problem - and I’m doing this because I think it can help people out like my friend Kate ” https://allerg ymenu uk/

Are You Natasha’s Law Compliant? Many Still Aren’t

It s been more than two years since Natasha s Law came into force but there s evidence that many food businesses are still struggling to comply with it

The law, known formally as the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 means all businesses in England that produce pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) food to customers on site must label food clearly with information on potential allergens present These need to stand out so a customer can tell at a glance what they re about to eat A 2023 study carried out by Erudus, the market leading source of accurate allerg y, nutritional and technical product data, found that more than half (54%) of 116 PPDS products sampled still failed to meet the requirements by accurately declaring the presence of allergen ingredients on the labels

The repor t also revealed the most common reasons for non-compliance in the sample In a quar ter of cases, no information at all had been placed on the packet, a third failed to list ingredients, two fifths didn’t emphasise allergens and a third featured illegible information

Incorrectly labelled PPDS can not only put customers’ safety at risk, but those who don’t comply also face the possibility of large fines of £5,000 per instance and reputational damage , with longer-lasting

consequences for customer numbers

The right tool for the job

One way to achieve compliance with Natasha’s Law reliably and efficiently is by adapting your labelling processes

Small businesses have historically opted to handwrite their labels but these are time-consuming and risk poor legibility

Pre-printed labels from an external supplier is one alternative , but can lack flexibility and prove costly as any changes or additions to a product’s ingredients will mean ordering a new run of labels and potentially throwing away unwanted bulk-printed batches

An on-site printing solution avoids these issues

To help business of all sizes comply efficiently integrated packages are available that bundle a label printer with easy-to-use menu-management software These make it simple to keep your labels up to date as you make changes to your menu and multi-site solutions are available for those businesses with more than one outlet

If you ’ re looking for a compliant labelling solution, a Brother printer can help make it easy, whether as a standalone device or as par t of a turnkey menu-management system from one of our par tners To find out more , go to brother co uk/food-labelling

Victus Emporium is a family run wholesaler of speciality foods, working with ar tisan producers from across Europe

With over 35 years ’ experience in the hospitality and retail sectors, our passion for exceptional ingredients and food products runs deep within the families roots

We aim to supply unique high quality products from across Europe that have a point of difference and can compete on price and ser vice An enormous amount of time is invested contacting suppliers and researching the market, so we can have the upmost confidence that our products are the best

Chef's Buyer's Guide

Aneto Broths is one such company who have a range of outstanding products

Aneto Broths are made just as you would in the kitchen Using only the best freshest quality ingredients Aneto Broths are 100% natural and do not include any additives concentrates preser vatives or flavourings Just great tasting fresh natural ingredients

For example , the vegetables are bought from social cooperative and the chicken stock has full animal welfare cer tification Products with this label will come from animals raised on farms where four basic principles of animal welfare are employed; feed, housing, health and animal behaviour is assessed

In addition to this, 87% of the packaging, including the cap, is made of plant-based materials thus reducing CO2 emissions by 18% compared to the same packaging with fossil plastic

For more information on Victus Emporium and our wider range or if you wish to place an order please see our website www.victusemporium.co.uk or email info@victusemporium.co.uk or call 01172 421669

Twister Fries ‘No Nacho’ Mexican Sharer

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For fresh menu inspiration with nostalgia, elevate your food offer with a twist!

Including a different potato shape will increase variety and liven up your menu without adding effor t in the kitchen

Lamb Weston invented the original Twisters in 1983 using a patented knife to create the curly shape Since then, Twisters have ALWAYS been cut from whole potatoes and are NEVER reformed, giving more taste , better flavour and more natural goodness Twisters offer a high innovation value , meaning you can provide an exciting loaded fries option or ser ve them alone and capture the imagination of a nostalgic classic for consumers Children and young families love the fun and enter tainment that Twisters provides and as an affordable snacking option, it shows that treats don’t have to be expensive

Lamb Weston’s

Day, and one that we still celebrate each year on October 17th Stephane told us how he loves to use

vanilla paste at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow Ever since then, we ’ ve made a point of keeping in touch with our chefs and sharing their stories with our followers and all those who suppor t our Campaign For Real Vanilla ”

LittlePod’s research shows professional chefs find the company ’ s vanilla paste easy to use , with the recyclable aluminium tube proving good to handle in the kitchen environment, and the versatile product’s consistency aiding por tion control and reducing wastage

“Convenience quality and affordability combined – it’s a no-brainer ” said Jamie Rafter y The Holistic Chef who uses LittlePod vanilla in the plant-based dishes he creates in his kitchen in Thailand

“I love using LittlePod; ever y chef should have it,” added Peter Gor ton, Master Chef of Great Britain “It’s so versatile and saves so much time without compromising on quality ” Like to find out more and share your LittlePod stories? Follow @little pod and their #CampaignForRealVanilla on Instagram or visit www.littlepod.co.uk

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has released global expor t figures that show the value of Scotch expor ts topped £5 6bn in 2023

The equivalent of 1 35bn 70cl bottles of Scotch Whisky were expor ted last year equating to 43 per second

The figures, released today, show a decrease on 2022 expor ts for both volume and value , which the industr y says was a “bumper” year for expor ts as global markets reopened and restocked following the pandemic , as well as the full reopening of global travel retail The 2023 figures represent a more normalised depiction of the current state of global expor ts, with robust growth on pre-pandemic numbers Expor ts of Scotch Whisky have risen by 14% in value compared to 2019, with a 3% increase in volume However whisky bosses have also warned that 2023 posed “significant” challenges for the sector both at home and in a number of key markets, warning that maintaining these numbers without more concrete government suppor t in the coming year could hamper longer term growth

As in 2022, Asia-Pacific continued to dominate as Scotch Whisky’s largest regional market by value in 2023, suppor ted record value expor ts to China, a market up 165% on 2019, and value uplifts Singapore (19%) and Taiwan (8%) Premiumisation of Scotch Whisky remains a driver in these key markets: single malt Scotch Whisky continued to rise in popularity among a growing cohor t of consumers, with double digit growth in China and Singapore on 2022

G&Tea - Adventurous Spirits

from strength to strength

The full range from G&Tea can be seen on their website www,gandtea uk or at stand H44 at the ExpoWest event in Wadebridge in March

Europe remained a key expor t region for Scotch Whisky for both volume and value , with France once again becoming the industr y ’ s largest volume market – a position briefly held by India in 2022

Expor ts to India fell in volume and value compared to 2022, the fall coming against a backdrop of ongoing UKIndia FTA talks and the Scotch Whisky industr y ’ s calls for a trade agreement which lowers the 150% tariff on Scotch impor ts into India, which would lead to significant expor t growth to the market

The United States, which has long been Scotch Whisky’s biggest market by value , saw a sector-wide fall in expor ts of 7% compared to 2022, and 8 5% on 2019, to £978m Industr y figures say that these numbers are reflective of global economic conditions and rising living costs for consumers in the US, which remains a dynamic , competitive market for whisky, and the wider spirits categor y Last year saw companies manage stock levels within market following restocking in 2022 and the industr y expects the shor t-term expor t dip to realign over the course of 2024 However, the SWA has also warned that 2024 marks a halfway point for the five year removal of tariffs on single malt Scotch Whisky which were imposed in 2019, and has urged the UK government to press for longer-term tariff-free trade for Scotch in its talks with the US administration

The expor t figures come a month on from the industr y ’ s latest economic impact repor t, which showed that the contribution of the Scotch Whisky sector to the UK economy has reached £7 1bn annually, suppor ting 66,000 jobs across the UK

Mark Kent, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association said:

“Scotch Whisky has once again shown its expor t strength despite significant challenges across a volatile global trading environment The figures demonstrate that Scotch Whisky brands and distilleries are investing in their teams, their tourism offering, their long-term sustainability and their global presence to ensure that Scotch continues to be the world’s favourite whisky

“We know that the Scotch Whisky industr y is remarkably resilient as we look at these numbers against the backdrop of rising costs for consumers and businesses, but the figures are a reminder once again that the Scotch Whisky success stor y cannot be taken for granted We need to see more tangible suppor t from government both at home and in our priority markets in order to continue to grow our expor t numbers and the resultant investment, employment and economic benefits that come with that

UK Government Minister for Expor ts Lord Offord said: “Scotch Whisky is a major UK expor ting success stor y contributing billions of pounds to the economy and suppor ting thousands of jobs

“We want the UK to be an expor t-led economy and reach a trillion pounds of expor ts a year by 2030 It’s fantastic to see whisky expor ts in 2023 continuing to outperform pre-pandemic levels as businesses take advantage of our free trade deals and expand into new markets around the world

The seed of Rum and Reggae was born from our love for tunes and of course , rum Blending the sunny sounds of reggae with our renowned rum punch was a no-brainer and we knew this experience needed to be shared Venturing out, we hit the road to spread the Rum and Reggae joy at festivals and food events And guess what? People loved it!

From punch to product, we crafted our signature ‘serious rum ’ a 40% abv golden tipple that shines in cocktails and pairs perfectly with your favourite soft drink Our initial success paved the way for our next creation: a rum infused with honey sourced from rescue bees

As the buzz grew, our reach extended to pubs, clubs, restaurants,

and bars, revealing a demand for our rums with a difference Our brand's visuals are a burst of excitement – simple fun and full of colour they effor tlessly capture the hear t of Rum and Reggae whilst drawing in customers with their vibrant charm

Continuing our flavour journey we recently released two new tantalizing rums – mango and coffee With rave reviews already pouring in, you can be sure that even more innovative flavours are in the pipeline Stay tuned!

Now ready to spread sunshine nationwide through the hospitality trade See our adver t on the front cover for fur ther information or call 01428 641884

A Special Offer from Pergola

Pergola are thrilled to announce the upcoming launch of two innovative products that are set to redefine the canned cocktail experience Crafted with care and precision, our new fizzy tequila-based cocktails are not only allergen-free and preser vative-free but also boast unique flavor profiles that are sure to tantalize the taste buds of your discerning customers

Introducing Our New Offerings:

1 Margarita with Mint and Yuzu:

Embark on a flavor journey with our Margarita, infused with invigorating mint and the exotic zest of yuzu This zing y and refreshing concoction combines the classic allure of tequila with a modern twist, making it a perfect choice for those seeking a vibrant and revitalizing beverage experience

2. Tequila and Tonic - Cinnamon and Vanilla Flavoured:

Prepare to be warmed from the inside out with our Tequila and Tonic a pioneering creation that brings together the comfor ting notes of cinnamon and the subtle sweetness of vanilla This innovative blend offers a delightful balance of flavors, providing a unique drinking experience that is both comfor ting and invigorating

Why Choose Our Products?

• Allergen-Free & Preser vat ve-Free: Ensure peace of mind for your customer s with our c lean label coc ktails Innovat ve Flavor s: Stand out from the crowd with dist nctive flavor combinations that are sure to captivate

• Conven ence: Stream ine your bar operations with readyto-ser ve canned coc ktails that maintain the integr ity of fresh y crafted dr inks

• Ver satility: Appeal to a diver se c iente e by offer ng two distinct flavor profiles that cater to different preferences

Special Launch Offer :

To celebrate the introduction of these exciting new products, we are extending a special launch offer exclusively for our valued par tners Place your order by 28/02/2024, and enjoy competitive pricing that will elevate your beverage selection while maximizing your profitability

Get Ready to Elevate Your Beverage Program:

To secure your supply of our Margarita with Mint and Yuzu and Tequila and Tonic with Cinnamon and Vanilla simply reach out to us at rahul@pergoladrinks.com. Whether you ' re interested in sampling our products or have inquiries about marketing suppor t, our team is here to assist you ever y step of the way

We are confident that our allergen-free preser vativefree fizzy tequila cocktails will be a hit at your establishment, providing your customers with an unforgettable drinking experience

Cheer s to success and innovation!

Spirits and Mixers

Renais - Cultivated in France, Distilled in England

Luxur y gin brand Renais, founded by Alex and Emma Watson, promises to bring an elegant taste of Nor thern France’s wine region to the UK Renais has a contemporar y palate , bright tasting notes of minerality, fresh citrus, white grape , garden herbs juniper and flowers Distinctive and luxurious, it has been inspired by the people , produce and provenance of two iconic regions within Nor thern France Renais is a bold and vibrant gin, with an incredible stor y and flavour

Watson family, where Alex and Emma spent the summers of their childhood at their family’s vineyard Domaine Watson, which their Father has operated for over 30 years Following their family passion for winemaking, and Alex’s histor y of working for over a decade in the drinks industr y they founded Renais gin

When creating Renais, Alex and Emma wanted to ensure the spirit was as sustainable as possible Their unique production process begins with sourcing and distilling upcycled French pressed wine grape skins and lees including some sourced from Domaine Watson, which are by-products of the distilling process Renais is distilled in small batches, and combined with Kimmeridgian stone maceration which the region is famed for The liquid is elevated with hand-picked pressed organic grapes, sourced from Nor thern France’s finest Grand Cru vineyards and other all natural botanicals including linden flowers, cubeb berries and acacia honey

a

botanicals Renais is a product of two generations of the

Mutiny Island Vodka was created by award winning chef Todd Manley in

In

See the adver t on this page for details

‘exceptional spirits that set the standard in their categories’

Founder Todd Manley said Breadfruit with its rich histor y and legacy, provided us with the type of vodka that we knew would be true to the island Hand crafted Mutiny Island Vodka retains the character of the island and the breadfruit from which it is distilled’

We strive to bring the rich, tropical experience of the U S Virgin Islands to consumers around the world with the world’s first and only island vodka made from breadfruit

All natural ingredients come together for a silky smooth, versatile vodka and infusions that speak for themselves

www mutinyislandvodka co uk

Pergola

Introducing Our New Offerings

Marg arita with Mint and Yuzu

Embark on a flavor journey with our Margarita, infused with invigorating mint and the exotic zest of yuzu

Tequila and Tonic - Cinnamon and Vanilla Flavoured

This innovative blend offers a delightful balance of flavors, providing a unique drinking experience that is both comforting and invigorating

www.pergoladrinks.com

34 CLH News Feb/Mar 2024

Say Goodbye to Plastic Lids Expowest Cornwall Preview

Join Us at Expowest Cornwall in March!

Drinks

In and food ser vice Its unique aqueous lining ensures no leaks or sogg y cups and even if the cup goes to landfill there will be no trace in under 6 months and ZERO negative impact on the environment The South West counties have the largest combined coastline in the UK and we know first hand the issues the single use plastic and increasing tourism waste can create on our beaches and wildlife It's time to make a change! Say Goodbye to PLU lined cups and plastic lids and say Hello to The Good Cup Visit No More Lids and Swift Catering Supplies at Stand H41 to find out more

Spring is nearly here which means that so is the Expowest Cornwall trade show! Taking place on Wednesday 6th & Thursday 7th March at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge , it’s the region’s truly essential hospitality and catering trade show Whatever type of food or drink business you run, small or large , you ’ re invited

Over 160 exhibitors will be bringing you ever ything from the latest food offerings to the newest drinks, the best in business ser vices, sundr y supplies, catering equipment food ser vice and much more besides It’s your annual oppor tunity to get all the products your business needs for the year ahead, and to keep up with the ver y latest trends and innovations After all, you can t see , touch and taste on the internetthere's no substitute for meeting producers face to face and tr ying their products in person!

LWC Drinks, the UK’s largest independent drinks wholesale , will once again be bringing a wide range of drinks to the show There’s a world of wine , with vineyards represented from all over Europe and beyond to Australia and Argentina Tr y the latest beers and ciders from the likes of Healey’s, Skinner’s, Budweiser, Carlsberg UK, Thatchers, Asahi, and Beaver town Taste a whole range of spirits, with exhibitors such as Bacardi-Mar tini, Tarquin’s Cornish Gin, Diageo, Campari Group, and Pernod Ricard UK Looking for mixers or soft drinks? They will have those too, with companies such as Belvoir Farm Drinks, Fever-Tree , Frobisher’s Juices, Coca-Cola Europacific Par tners Luscombe Drinks and Navas

New for 2024 LWC has signed an exclusive distribution par tnership with ‘Forged’, the highly acclaimed new stout brand created by UFC double champion Conor McGregor Tr y it at the show!

Back bigger and better for 2024 is the area in the show built around T Quality the national fish and chip shop supplier and fast-food wholesaler This year you can taste and test products and equipment for your business from companies such as: Ask Packaging, Blenders, Heinz, Ice Stone Supplies (T Quality Desser ts), Kerr ys Foods (Goldensheaf), McWhinney’s Sausages, Meadow Vale Foods, Oil Chef, Pacific West, Pukka Pies, and Hopkins There are also many other suppliers to takeaways to be found throughout the show

This year, for the first time , Expowest Cornwall is delighted to be working with Cornwall Gateway CIC , which is a dedicated initiative established to foster the growth and scaling of Cornish food and drink producers Committed to suppor ting micro and emerging ar tisanal businesses they provide a platform for these enterprises to showcase their unique offerings and connect with a broader audience

As well as stocking up for the seasons ahead, you can catch up with colleagues suppliers and customers as well as making essential new contacts Many exhibitors at the show will have exclusive show offers for visiting buyers, including discounts, free deliver y, free POS items, and deals on ser vice packages It’s a great oppor tunity to get yourself a deal and increase your profit margins! The show is easy to reach and well signposted from ever y direction What’s more , there s ample free parking within an easy stroll of the show Expowest Cornwall really is the show that has it all covered!

Foodservice Distributors

striving to offer the highest quality fresh produce along with the best possible ser vice , Dole offers national distribution through our fleet of more than 500 temperature controlled vehicles Through our unrivalled infrastructure of depots nationwide , we are uniquely positioned to deliver value to both national and independent customers - supplying both locally grown and globally sourced produce from the finest producers across Dole’s extensive supply base A strong, vibrant and accomplished business, Dole Foodser vice Cornwall is par t of the worldwide Dole group Please visit us on stand F28

Every Minute Counts!

Ostara Systems focuses on helping clients manage maintenance costs, especially in the F&B and Hotel sectors with clients such as Whitbread and Admiral Taverns

The Ostara System establishes a culture of paying for completed work using automatic cost calculations based on contractor rates and time on-site The Ostara Mobile App validates engineers' attendances to sites, while proprietar y Bluetooth technolog y can replace QR codes for more accurate data Fur ther cost control options include replacing fixed cost quotes with estimates based on agreed rates, time , par ts, and miscellaneous costs, acting as a ceiling for costs rather than a fixed amount This then works alongside the check-in and time on site processes cited earlier resulting in the client only paying for actual time spent and par ts used

Customizable authorisation rules allow for a flexible approval processes with single or hierarchical structures, based on a range of conditions At all authorisation statuses there is functionality for spend value comparison to a budget

However, it is clear to Ostara that it is not just client expenditure that proves costly, but also the client’s

Revolutionar y technolog y company, WaiterMate has launched the world s fastest and most efficient EPOS system Powerful and pocket sized it combines traditional EPOS functions with an integrated ordering system and payment processing functionality for speedier ser vice , a greater volume of sales and better tips

Designed for fast-paced hospitality venues including restaurants bars cafes, and nightclubs, WaiterMate allows customers to be processed at a minimum of twice the speed of traditional systems Ever y single waiter or waitress can ser ve customers and take payments at the same time No bottlenecks during peak periods No frustratingly lengthy waiting times No jostling for use of the till or card machine Just seamless customer ser vice , efficient ordering, and lightening quick payments from any location within the venue

WaiterMate empowers ever y waiter or waitress to ser ve their customers’ food and drinks noticeably quicker and to a higher standard With more accurate order placement, seamless table management, options to split the bill, take payment and print receipts, they have a full EPOS system

manpower An automated invoice validation process reduces the

in the palm of their hand Better ser vice means better tips and a better customer experience

With one client, WaiterMate helped their bar tenders set a record for revenue The venue was looking for a solution that could help its business to scale generate more profit and make life simpler for staff WaiterMate exceeded all expectations With the old system a bar tender generated a maximum of £1,500 wor th of sales per evening With WaiterMate , that increased to £2 700 It’s a truly revolutionar y piece of kit that is user-friendly and packed with functionality for customer-facing teams and managers alike

For those in charge of the bigger picture , WaiterMate doesn’t just ensure a faster rate of table turnover, and improved productivity front-ofhouse It’s also been precisely engineered to make complete venue management easier The robust interface comes with enhanced analytics and truly useful repor ts for easier staff management easier data-based decision making, improved ser vice quality and upgraded customer loyalty

This functionality is the brainchild of WaiterMate CEO, Lee Nazari “I

grew up in the hospitality business Today’s managers and waiters face a range of challenges WaiterMate is designed to help them succeed, by making life easier for staff to help with productivity and retention elevating the customer experience to encourage loyalty and providing easy access to data and repor ting for informed decision making

Multiple site management is also covered Each venue can be reviewed independently or the whole proper ty estate brought together to see the bigger picture Those in charge have complete control and oversight of performance in real time or retrospectively

Compatible with online ordering, WaiterMate integrates with UberEats, Deliveroo, Just Eat, App 4 and Deliver y Hero straight out of the box Payments can be processed via Google Pay, Apple Pay, Visa or MasterCard and payment processing fees are almost 1% lower than popular alternatives There’s no need to juggle multiple complex platforms and no challenging accountancy tasks Ever ything needed is readily accessible from the pocket-sized device

To find out more , visit: https://waitermate co uk

View the video: https://www youtube com/watch?v=WX mjBK7bDc or follow on social @WaiterMate

Because travel is an inherently human-centric experience , tourism and hospitality companies have been somewhat sceptical of the impact of AI in the travel industr y But the sentiment is shifting AI models are ver y efficient at analysing data and the travel industr y has deep data troves By using algorithms for advanced data analytics industr y players can reach more customers, elevate ser vice levels, tap into new revenue channels, and increase operating efficiencies Let s take a look at how this revolutionar y technolog y is already making waves in this sector

DEEPER CUSTOMER INSIGHTS

Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms can trawl millions of data points in provided datasets to uncover new correlations, trends, and similarities In shor t, AI and ML both enable advanced customer segmentation sentiment analysis and behaviour forecasting Hostelworld, for example , successfully uses machine learning for sentiment analysis and marketing campaign optimisation By combining the analytical and predictive powers of ML, Hostelworld managed to increase its click-through rate (CTR) for email campaigns by 86% and its email open rate by 12%

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

Thanks to natural language processing (NLP), algorithms can easily

understand text-based commands and different contextual clues to better deal with incoming customer requests At the most basic level, AI can help classify and prioritise customer suppor t cases or look up relevant information for agents More advanced AI use cases include end-to-end customer issue resolution, voice-based suppor t bots, and customer suppor t

AI in tourism can increase suppor t staff productivity by 20% to 50% or more Airlines like Cathay Pacific already handle 50% of their customer care chats with Gen AI assistants allowing human agents to focus on more complex tasks

GEN AI TRAVEL AGENTS

ChatGPT has turned out to be a ver y capable travel agent Unlike the early generation of chatbots, which were mostly driven by pre-programmed rules, a generative AI (GenAI) travel agency or travel assistants have more wits and can perform a greater reper toire of tasks GenAI chatbots can analyse and summarise content from a wide variety of sources to reply to different user queries and create personalised travel itineraries on the fly From finding a room with the right amenities to booking group transpor tation and choosing add-on activities that align with an individual’s personal preferences, GenAI makes it happen seamlessly

On the back end, conversational systems can also interact with other tech systems: they can exchange data, look up information, update records, etc A GenAI concierge can automatically handle a wide range of tasks, from guest self-check-in to ordering late-night munchies and upselling some neat ser vices in between

At Virgin Hotels, guests are greeted by Lucy an in-app vir tual assistant Lucy functions as a contactless mobile key to access the room and can automatically adjust the lights, thermostat, and TV It’s also the one to ring up for room ser vice or ask about any details regarding the stay Lucy is a capable concierge because it integrates directly with: Virgin’s proper ty management system (PMS), which contains data about guest bookings; a point of sale (POS) system used for managing food and beverage operations; a smar t system for controlling ever y appliance in the room; and guest

management software , which automatically generates checklists for staff based on guest requests Thanks to such deep integrations, Lucy can perform a wide range of tasks across all Virgin proper ties and retain guest preferences for better experience personalisation

HYPER-PERSONALISATION

Due to robust classification capabilities, GenAI travel apps can offer real-time personalised travel recommendations by identifying and continuously tracking new patterns in data representing customers’ purchase intentions, stay preferences, and general travel interests Similar to Netflix, such algorithms can churn out hyper-personalised travel offers based on customers’ past trips, known room preferences, and data from third-par ty sources

Accor, for example , uses an AI-powered customer-relationship management (CRM) suite with some 400 customer attributes to run deep segmentation and personalise customer communication According to the company ’ s CDO Alix Boulnois, the solution generates a significant uplift in sales, with revenue from emails increasing threefold

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

As we navigate this evolving AI landscape our collective focus should be on responsibly utilising AI’s capabilities, ensuring it enhances rather than replaces human endeavour while adhering to the highest ethical standards

EU GDPR and AI Act-compliant systems can increase user trust and safety, as these regulations ensure robust data protection and ethical AI practices Luckily, there are several methods of making AI compliant with GDPR GANs, XAI, federated learning, transfer learning, and differential privacy can all help develop a GDPR-friendly ar tificial intelligence system Par tnering with a technolog y consultancy with exper tise in AI can help ensure a responsible AI system guided by a strategic approach is implemented

In the bustling landscape of the UK outdoor furniture industr y, valued at £650 million, the ebb and flow of consumer preferences are intricately tied to the ever-changing weather conditions Central to this dynamic is the link between supply and demand for items like picnic tables and children's picnic benches These essential pieces of outdoor furniture become not just functional elements but witness a surge in demand during periods of good weather

As the outdoor furniture market anticipates an annual growth rate of 2-3%, the influence of weather patterns on consumer behaviour becomes increasingly evident The Met Office , in a revealing study, underscores the undeniable influence of sunshine and warm temperatures on consumer spending habits The climax of this impact is remarkable , with outdoor furniture sales soaring by an impressive 70% during periods of good

weather Conversely, the subdued months during rainy spells reverberate through the market, evident in the 2019 downturn where UK retailers faced a substantial £200 million dip in sales with outdoor furniture , including the beloved picnic benches, bearing a significant drop In the hear t of these market dynamics stands MG Timber a specialist in the realm of high-quality wooden picnic tables Each masterpiece is meticulously crafted from top-tier timber, not merely as outdoor furniture but as a seamless blend of functionality and aesthetics MG Timber s picnic tables stand as beacons of durability, weathering the changing seasons while elevating outdoor spaces with timeless elegance Dive into our expansive range today and discover the perfect complement for your outdoor haven, where ever y piece becomes a par t of the evolving narrative of the out-

In the fast-paced world of adver tising, businesses are constantly on the lookout for effective solutions that deliver immediate results without draining their budget Enter HFE Signs a company that has revolutionised the adver tising game with its high-quality banners and online librar y These banners are not just any ordinar y form of adver tisement; they are a dynamic and impactful way to grab attention, convey messages, and drive action instantly This ar ticle delves into why HFE Signs banners are considered the best form of adver tising for businesses seeking immediate impact

vibrant and visible come rain or shine The use of high-resolution printing technolog y guarantees that ever y banner is a visual feast with crisp clear images and bold readable text This quality translates into unmatched visibility making HFE Signs banners a magnet for potential customers' eyes

ONLINE BANNER

LIBRARY

UNMATCHED QUALITY AND VISIBILITY

HFE Signs has earned its reputation by providing banners that stand out for their superior quality Crafted from durable materials, these banners are designed to withstand the elements, ensuring your message remains

The

HFE Signs online librar y for Pub & Hotel Banners promotional ideas is a treasure trove for businesses seeking innovative and effective adver tising inspiration This comprehensive resource is meticulously curated to showcase a wide array of banner designs, themes, and messaging strategies, catering to various industries and promotional events Whether you ' re aiming to launch a new product, announce a special sale , or elevate brand awareness, HFE Signs' online librar y provides a wealth of creative con-

At Roché

cepts and practical tips to maximise the impact of your banner adver tising All designs can be tailored to your specific requirements at no additional cost!

CUSTOMISATION AT ITS BEST

One of the cornerstones of HFE Signs' success is the unparalleled level of customisation and design suppor t they offer Understanding that ever y business has unique adver tising needs HFE Signs provides a bespoke ser vice that allows businesses to tailor ever y aspect of their banner, from size and design to maximise your message

RAPID TURNAROUND TIMES

In today’s fast-moving market, timing can be ever ything HFE Signs stands out for its rapid production and deliver y times, ensuring that businesses can launch their adver tising campaigns without delay Order your custom banner today for deliver y tomorrow! (weekdays)

COST-EFFECTIVENESS

Perhaps one of the most appealing aspects of HFE Signs banners is their cost-effectiveness Compared to other adver tising mediums that require ongoing investment, banners from HFE Signs are a one-time purchase that continues to deliver results long after the initial investment This affordability, combined with the banners durability and effectiveness, provides businesses with a

Catering Equipment Ltd

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PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS

The ultimate testament to the effectiveness of HFE Signs banners is the countless success stories from businesses across various industries From retail to real estate companies have repor ted significant increases in foot traffic inquiries and sales following the deployment of HFE Signs banners With a five-star Trustpilot rating, you can be reassured you are in the best hands

CONCLUSION

In the competitive landscape of adver tising, HFE Signs banners emerge as the clear winner for businesses seeking immediate , effective , and cost-efficient adver tising solutions With their unmatched quality, customisation capabilities, rapid production times, and proven success, these banners offer a compelling way to capture attention and drive business results As the demand for impactful and affordable adver tising continues to grow, HFE Signs stands ready to help businesses achieve their marketing objectives with its exceptional banners

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Visit www hfe-signs co uk or see page 3

website www kangaboxuk com

We are also leading suppliers of European manufactured Stainless Steel items such as Sinks, Gastronorms, Accessories and other products

capacities and attractive colours Kängabox are available in eight different designs and four different depths

The various gastronorm pizza ice cream and euro norm formats are available

Our Transpor t Boxes perfect for keeping food HOT or COLD whether delivering food, running an event or managing extra food production in the Kitchen Comprehensive product details can be found on our

In addition Catering Equipment Ltd are also the UK's largest specialist supplier of European manufactured gastronorm containers, ice cream containers, sinks, hand wash and restaurant equipment See our extensive range of products on our website clickonstore net Catering Equipment Ltd are a family firm that has been trading for almost 30 years Our commitment is to our customers you are the most impor tant people in our business

Our promise is that you can count on Catering Equipment Ltd to help you and that our team will do their utmost to ensure that dealing with us is a pleasant and wor thwhile experience Call the team on 0121 773 2228 now

A

then load the machine with the dir ties and push the button

Another bonus is that you only pay when you re washing when you are actually using the machine So if you ’ re not open one or two days a week, your dishwasher isn’t costing a bean

PPW is available on Winterhalter UC (undercounter) and PT (passthrough) machines, all of which, as well as delivering top notch results, have energ y and water saving features fitted as standard That means as well as getting superclean dishes and glasses, you’ll be reducing running costs There’s

•

Kitchen Equipment and Fit-Out

The New DrainMinor C (Combi Oven Pump)

The

Caterquip Ventilation

Caterquip Ventilation Ltd is proud to be celebrating their 23rd Anniversar y this year This Warwick based company offers nationwide coverage for all your commercial catering needs: free site sur veys, quotations and designs (C AD), 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 industr y 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 ser vice to help you build your ideal kitchen Projects under taken have included Olympic Villages, Basildon Hospital, The Mitre Hotel at Hampton Cour t,

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:

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Well at the end of a busy night it is, and for your hard-working customers it's essential that they have something welcoming, comfy, and attractive to rest their wear y bones Investing in new seating for your premises during unclear financial times can be a tough decision, but with small new bars, restaurants, cafes, and fast food establishments opening all the time , and with new trends appearing it might

(0)1603 488709 or at sales@healeyandlord co uk or visit our website at www.healeyandlord.co.uk for more details

Welcome The Crowds With Flexible Furniture

.co.uk

Protecting Your Licensed Premises From Insolvency

The Licensing Act 2003 which deals with the grant and preser vation of

ferred or an interim authority notice is applied for, the business will be trading without a valid premises licence and therefore an offence will be committed Many operators and insolvency practitioners are unaware that an ‘insolvency event’ causes a premises licence to lapse immediately

Following the ‘insolvency event’ there is a 28-day window within which to preser ve the premises licence This either requires the transfer to another active company or as a temporar y measure the application for an interim authority notice

Licences are not always held by companies, and it is still commonplace for an individual to hold a premises licence The ‘insolvency event’ in the case of an individual would be being made bankrupt, entering into a trust deed for creditors or entering into an Individual Voluntar y Arrangement (IVA) Licences also lapse upon the death of an individual licence holder or where the holder no longer possesses the capacity to hold the licence The procedure for preser ving the premises licence is the same a transfer must be made , or an interim authority notice must be applied for within 28 days of the insolvency event, loss of capacity or death

If a licence is not transferred in time , or if an interim authority is in place but the requisite subsequent transfer does not take place within three months the licence will be permanently lost Securing the grant of a new licence upon the same terms as the previous licence may not be easy or even possible Often, for example , if residential accommodation is in close proximity it is common for representations to be received from residents with concerns regarding the potential for public nuisance or crime and disorder

Insolvency is a time of uncer tainty and stress both for individuals and busi-

ness owners and it can be difficult to find the time to concentrate upon administrative tasks whilst tr ying to navigate other challenges Seeking advice from a specialist insolvency practitioner and a licensing specialist will ensure that steps can be taken to preser ve any premises licence and avoid the consequences, and potentially significant costs, of a loss of trade and the requirement for an application for a new premises licence

WHAT ABOUT LANDLORDS?

Landlords of hospitality premises can find themselves par ticularly vulnerable if a tenant holds a licence , but the landlord is not kept informed of an insolvency event Landlords can submit a ‘Notification of Interest’ to