Inapub Magazine Winter 2022 Issue 101

inapub

Issue 101 Winter 2022 £4.95 magazine.inapub.co.uk

Winter survival guide

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ubs really are a barometer for the mood of the nation, and this year, as the door to Number 10 revolved so fast it almost fell off its hinges, and the collective jaws of the UK’s leading economists hit the ground, publicans across the country were to be found facepalming with the best of us.

As the community hubs that they are, pubs are a vital resource for the local people around them, and when times are tough, those individual struggles and hardships will be felt immediately across the bar.

The difficulty this time, is that publicans themselves are finding it really tough too.

It’s incredibly hard to light that fire, heat that mulled wine, put on your Christmas jumper and open your doors with a big welcoming smile when you know there’s a £78,000 energy bill sitting on your kitchen table upstairs.

We know all our readers want to be there for their customers, to provide a warm space to meet up with friends, to provide a friendly face and a shoulder to cry on where needed, as they always have done. Our message this year though, is to be kind to yourself too.

The stress and uncertainty of the last few years have put enormous pressure on small businesses and none more so than pubs. There is support out there if you are struggling, and we have put together a January Survival Guide on pages 4-6 in this issue, which offers some advice and links to further help and free resources you might find useful as you navigate the tricky start to the new year. There are also some ideas to help boost trade in 2023 on pages 43-44, and for those who’ve had their fill of Slade and Mariah Carey, an alternative Christmas playlist on p50.

A very merry Christmas to you all.

The Inapub Team

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what’s happening January survival guide • The Heron

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drink Low & no • Spirits

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eat Healthy options • Menus for a lean January

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play

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stay How to put together a package deal

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ideas Elton Mouna finds some things for you to try

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The power of music

46 time at the bar Richard Molloy • Alternative Christmas playlist

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Editor Caroline Nodder Contributors Richard Molloy, Claire Dodd, John Porter, Mark Ludmon Production editor Ben Thrush Chief executive Barrie Poulter

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magazine.inapub.co.uk Cover image: Adrian Don / Electric Pics Photography / www.electricpics.com

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Sales manager Katy Robinson Subscriptions 0800 160 1986 • magazine@inapub.co.uk

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January survival guide The quiet weeks at the start of each year have traditionally been a time for licensees to take a step back and take stock of their businesses, get their houses in order, and plan for the year ahead. Given the enormous challenges facing the pub trade at the moment, this task might seem more daunting than ever, so we have pulled together a list of 31 top tips, advice and ideas – one for each day of the month!

Counting the pennies Now, more than ever, every penny counts. Here are a few things you could do to help save money or tackle any debts you have built up.

The Licensed Trade Charity offers a whole range of free advice for anyone working in the trade – from a financial helpline to advice on money management, and even financial grants – and has really stepped this support up during the cost-of-living crisis. Find out more at www.licensedtradecharity.org.uk/cost-ofliving-crisis/

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which can be booked online. Find out more at www. savewhileyousleep.world Go to your GP regularly! Remember your Gross Profit is king.

Stocktaker Roslyns offers a free Gross Profit Calculator app for hospitality businesses which calculates GPs on food and drink. Get it at www.pubstocktake.com/ hospitality-app

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The British Business Bank has published a free guide for small

Get free support from the hospitality sector’s Zero Carbon Forum, which has published a pack of materials for operators looking to cut their energy usage during the current crisis. The pack is free to download online, and the Forum is also offering free half-hour sessions with its Carbon Coaches,

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WINTER 2022

businesses to help them prioritise debts and begin growing their business again. Download it at www. british-business-bank. co.uk/finance-hub.

Stocktaking is vital to keep your costs down. January is the time for a full stocktake across your whole business.

Employing a professional to do this can seem like an expensive choice, but their advice can save you £1,000s and help cashflow almost instantly, which is vital at the start of the year.

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Download the free Nudge financial app from the Licensed Trade Charity, or suggest your team members do, at www.licensedtradecharity. org.uk/nudge for help with budgeting and managing your money.

Food waste is one of the biggest drains on the finances of hospitality venues. January is a great time to gather your kitchen team together and do a food waste audit, review portion sizes, re-write your menus so that you can use ingredients multiple times in a number of dishes, and ensure your margins are reflected in the pricing. Free advice on tackling food waste, plus a range of resources for you to use, can be found at www.guardiansofgrub.com

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MoneySavingExpert offers a free online budget planning tool which can help assess the main issues with your finances and make a plan to tackle them. www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/ budget-planning

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what’s happening.

Take the Step Change 60 second Debt Test to help assess the level of your debt and guide you in the direction of help and support. Find the test here: www.stepchange.org/ debt-test.aspx.

January is a great time to do a complete audit of your regular outgoings. List all your suppliers, service providers and other regular contracts. Note the contract end date in your calendar, so you know when to start looking at other options, and then review how much you are spending with each one. Are there any services that you don’t use or need any more? Can you combine any and get a better deal through a single supplier? Could you get the same product or service cheaper elsewhere?

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Housekeeping January is a great time to get your paperwork up to date, make a business plan for the year ahead, and improve your processes and efficiency.

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A library of free HR templates is available for employers from Acas, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, which offers customisable HR documents for small businesses who don’t have a dedicated HR resource. It includes

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Healthy Hospo is offering a free course to bar and pub owners this winter to help them survive these difficult few months. Called ‘Get Your Business Fit for Winter’, the course can be found at www.healthyhospo.com/ course/get-your-businessfit-for-winter

who could theme some food around the events, and your suppliers, who may have some special promotions they’re running. There’s a day for almost everything so don’t just go for the ones everyone celebrates – “Measure Your Feet Day” is on January 23rd in case you were wondering…

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Get planting! The start of the year is the time to get your outside spaces ready to grow. Even if you haven’t got a full garden, some raised beds or even window boxes can offer enough space to grow herbs and smaller vegetables, or you might be able to swap some growing space at the local allotments for a regular meeting room for the allotment committee. The more you grow yourself, the less you pay suppliers for.

If you are planning your events programme for the year, don’t overlook crafting, which is growing in popularity. From crochet and knitting, to candlemaking and life drawing, regular weekly crafting meet-ups boost trade on quiet nights. For some ideas download the Welcoming Creativity pack from the Creative Lives website at www.creative-lives.org/ pubs-welcomingcreativity-toolkit

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Find free templates and guidance to help you produce the perfect business plan through the Government’s Business Planning portal at www.gov.uk/ write-business-plan

standard downloadable terms of employment documents and checklists to help employers navigate issues such as redundancy or recruitment. Find the library at www.acas.org.uk/ templates-for-employers The National Cyber Security Centre offers a free guide for small businesses to check and improve their digital security. With cyber-security a growing risk for small businesses, which tend to be less well protected, the guide takes you through the key steps to better security. Find the guide at www.ncsc.gov.uk/ collection/small-businessguide Pub is the Hub can give you advice and support if you are thinking of adding an additional revenue stream to your pub with an extra community service – for example a post-office, shop, community space, computer room, café or repair shop.

Find out more at www.pubisthehub.org.uk

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If you have five or more employees, then you need to set out your Health & Safety policy in a formal document. To help you do this the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has produced an online guide which takes you through the process.

You can access the guide here: www.hse.gov.uk/ simple-health-safety/ policy/index.htm

Make sure you have all the key dates for 2023 marked in your calendar so you don’t miss an opportunity to boost trade on a quiet night, or set the tills ringing with a party or special event. Don’t forget to involve your kitchen team,

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People power While your staff are less busy at the start to the year, it is a great time to refresh training, review performance, and engage them in plans for the year.

Why not take a study tour? If your festive season has gone well, a January study tour can kill two birds with one stone – treat your staff to some post-Christmas staff drinks and food to say thank you for their hard work, and get them involved in coming up with business-boosting ideas for the year ahead by visiting some of your competitors’ sites to see what they’re up to. Hold a team meeting the Monday after the tour to share all their ideas.

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Make your venue more inclusive by putting front-of-house staff through the free British Sign Language – Phrases for Hospitality course. Free to access, the course covers key phrases in British Sign Language which are commonly used in pubs and can be found here: www.cpllearning.com/ online-courses/britishsign-language-phrasesfor-hospitality

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The online Cask Marque Beer School includes a number of free downloadable guides, checklists and

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“how to” videos covering cellar and bar cleaning, line cleaning, dishwasher and glass maintenance and perfect serve training. Find these free resources here: www.cask-marque.co.uk/ pubs/training

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Training firm CPL has made its Drink Spiking e-learning course free to access. The course is really useful for induction or refresher training of staff and a good use of time during the January lull. www.cpllearning.com/ online-courses/drinkspiking-awareness/

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The Food Standards Agency offers online training courses available to food businesses free of charge. The courses can be used as part of a staff induction programme and include courses on allergens, food labelling and traceability which are really useful: www.food.gov.uk/ business-guidance/ online-food-safety-training Performance reviews are best done in January and planning next steps for your team in terms of their career will give them more security in their job and make them far more likely to stay. Book those meetings in now!

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Scheduling staff shifts is a fine art, and you need to get it just right to avoid both costly overstaffing and poor customer service due to understaffing. Take the time

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in January to review any issues in 2022 but also sit in on each weekday shift over the month to understand what needs changing.

The Bright HR Lite software package, which supports planning of staff rotas, is free to access for all hospitality businesses: www. app.brighthr.com/lite

Mind matters After the few years we’ve had, it is incredibly important to be kind not only to your team, but to yourself.

There is no shame in asking for support with your own mental and physical health when you need it, and there are a lot of free support services available if you need them.

Mental health initiative The Burnt Chef Project has published a free WorkRelated Stress Guide to help with issues such as stress, depression and anxiety: www. theburntchefproject.com/ workplacestressguide

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Are you losing sleep over your business worries? The Drinks Trust offers free help with insomnia through sleep guidance service Sleepstation. Find out more at www.wellness. drinkstrust.org.uk/sleepinsomnia-full The NHS Every Mind Matters campaign has an online page dedicated to managing mental health and stress, and can be a good place to start if you are looking for advice and support: www.nhs.uk/every-mindmatters

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A new physical support service has been launched by the Licensed Trade Charity in partnership with the Fire Fighters Charity which includes online physical therapy sessions. Find out more here: www.licensed tradecharity.org.uk/ physical-wellbeing/

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Supporting your local Food Bank with excess food from your kitchen can not only be a positive thing for your community but can also help boost your own mental wellbeing. The Trussell Trust can help put you in touch with your local site: www. trusselltrust.org/ get-involved/ ways-to-give/ donate-food

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Are you stocking the UK’s bestselling Alcohol-Free Cider brand?1 Kopparberg has more customers than any other Alcohol-Free brand, and 19% of Alcohol-Free customers only buy Kopparberg2 Make sure you are stocking the most loved Alcohol-Free brand in the UK3

Stay in touch: Kopparberguk

For stocking info: sales@kopparberg.co.uk

Sources: 1.IRI Data, total market, 52wks to 04.09.22. 2. Kantar Worldpanel: Data 52w/e to October 2021 – Total Alcohol Free.

3. Savanta, Top 100 Most Loved Drinks Brands report, n=96,000, Jul ’21- Jun ’22.

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Survive the

bleak midwinter

With inflation, energy costs and an imminent rise in corporation tax, the looming winter promises to be a tough one for hospitality. Licensee and Inapub columnist RICHARD MOLLOY popped in for a cuppa and a publicanto-publican chat to get some survival tips from 2022 BII Licensee of the Year, Nick Hemming of The Heron Inn down in West Cornwall.

Best in class: Nick was named BII Licensee of the Year for his work at The Heron

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Amanda and Nick Hemming have been licensees of The Heron Inn since 2016, so have seen their fair share of ups and downs in their first few years at the helm. With one eye firmly on the upcoming Christmas season, Nick, along with most licensees, has the other fixed on the traditional post-festive lull, a drier than normal January and a winter of potential discontent.

Top of the list for most businesses is cash flow. None more so than the hospitality trade in the winter, with the peaks of the Christmas trade needing to fill the troughs of the rest of the winter. “It can be an issue if you don’t have a great December,” Nick tells me. “The last couple of years have been tough because we’ve all been on the back foot. There’s VAT bills in March/April and

then corporation tax hits.”

To navigate this rollercoaster of a season, Nick points towards fiscal prudence. “Be careful about reinvesting your December money as you may need it for a cushion in January and February.”

I think that many of us are prone to doing this, but I can’t help but think that this advice will be especially pertinent this winter.

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Pic: Charlotte Salaman

The Heron Inn Malpas, near Truro, Cornwall Average takings Summer £50k per week, winter £20k per week Covers Summer Saturday 5-600, Winter Saturday 150-200 Opening hours All year 9.30am-11pm Staffing costs (annual) 32% of takings Avg. spend per head £36 Bestselling drink Estrella Dam Bestselling dish Cornish paella “Be careful about reinvesting your December money as you may need it for a cushion in January and February,” advises Nick

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Preventative maintenance is key. Keep on top of things and it will save you money in the long run

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Promotions in quieter times are also important to keep the till ringing. The Heron is no exception and chooses to use the influx of festive revellers in December as targets for repeat custom in January. “We run a bounce-back promotion,” he says. “We give out vouchers in December for people to claim 15 per cent off their bill if and when they return in January.”

Take stock in the new year

And what about those leaner times in January; how can we use our time wisely to keep costs down? Nick has some advice about that too: “It’s a great time to look at your cost prices, menu pricing, margins etc. Talk to your suppliers and see if there’s anything they can do to help but remember that they have to earn too, so don’t be too aggressive. We expect sales to be good for us, but costs are rising so we look at pricing on an almost daily basis.”

Energy prices are at the forefront of everyone’s minds at the moment and Amanda and Nick are no exceptions. Nick says they try to be “clever and vigilant about their energy usage. You can save 10 per cent from the energy usage of your cooker if you

only turn it on 10 minutes before service.”

Maintenance is also a surefire way to slow down that electricity meter. “Fridge seals are important to keep on top of. If you see one that’s cracked, then replace it. Preventative maintenance is key. Don’t wait until something is broken before you fix or replace it.

Keep on top of things and it will save you money in the long run.”

We also chat about reports of many pubs closing at quiet times to save on costs, and I wholeheartedly agree with his response.

“We will continue to open every day. You must be consistent, or people will just stop coming.” Amen to that.

Whilst all of this may seem obvious to experienced licensees, complacency is not an option this winter, and some or all of these measures, and more, will be needed for many of us to get through to that Holy Grail of spring.

And whilst the smorgasbord of licensed venues means that challenges will differ depending on location and the type of outlet, it’s fair to say that all of us could learn from each other as we navigate these next few months. And maybe an award-winning licensee is a good place to start.

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MOTHER IVEY’S NORTH CORNWALL 50.547187° N, 5.014349° W 11:44

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drink

SPONSORED BY

A NEW CROP OF CREAM LIQUEURS ARE REVIVING THE CATEGORY

Primus Pilsner The Original Belgian Pilsner, from the Haacht Brewery, a proudly independent family-run brewery. First brewed back in the 1920s, and still brewed to the same recipe, Primus is a superpremium pilsner with a refined flavour and perfectly balanced taste.

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In these unsettled times, a trend towards nostalgia, where people seek out the comforting and familiar, is undeniable

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With flavours from Pina Colada to Eton Mess, Bailey’s has worked hard to prove it’s for the whole year, not just for Christmas.

But we can’t be alone in our memories of this cream liqueur being brought out every Christmas Eve, as part of some sacred and unbreakable tradition none of us can quite remember the origins of.

Suffice to say that it’s at this time of year when the days get short and the weather gets wild, that we most think of cracking open a bottle.

And like seasonally confused bunnies, cream liqueurs have been rapidly multiplying. Yes, we never thought we’d say this, but they seem to be…. whisper it…. in fashion.

There seems to be a new one launched every time we look… or a brand owner pushing an existing product with a new marketing budget.

Throwing out the rulebook, there’s Dead Man’s Fingers Tequila Strawberry Cream Liqueur, which casts aside whisky and even suggests you use it to create a strawberry Espresso Martini. Crikey.

There’s Finland’s Kyrö’s Dairy Cream Liqueur, which is made with local milk and cream, wholegrain rye spirit and single malt rye whisky.

5 Walla uses rum as its base and adds chai tea and cream, along with spices including cinnamon, clove, cardamom, ginger and vanilla.

Hailing from Co. Cavan, Ireland, Coole Swan intends to “reinvent Irish Cream Liqueur for a modern world”. Which we think means it comes in a cool bottle. It combines single malt Irish whiskey, Belgian white chocolate and fresh Irish cream.

Not quite a cream liqueur, but to complete the animal theme, there’s also Panther M*lk, described as the world’s first alcoholic oat milk RTD cocktail, launched in Original, Mint, Chocolate and Strawberry flavours.

You get the picture… but why is this happening now? In these unsettled times, a trend towards nostalgia, where people seek out the comforting and familiar, is undeniable. Waitrose for example has reported bumper sales of nostalgia nosh such as Angel Delight since the start of the pandemic.

The task all these brands have on their hands, though, is to speak to a new audience, something Bailey’s has been making concerted efforts to do. And with a “craft” alternative to everything else on your bar, it makes sense cream liqueurs now have that too.

Will this Christmas and the cost-of-living crisis also result in a bumper year-end for shots too, as your hard-pressed punters look to let their hair down? More than likely.

Low-strength, easy-sipper options will do the job nicely.

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drink.

A proper drink please,

by CLAIRE DODD

hold the booze

Asahi is aiming to have 20 per cent of its sales accounted for by alcohol-free products by 2030

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Okay, we’ll say it before you do. A lot of non-alc products that have made it to market in the past have, frankly, been a bit rubbish. And pricey too.

We get your scepticism. We do. And no, this article isn’t just another cynical plug for ‘Dry January’ either.

From sub-par beers, to overly sweet CBD infused gin-a-like’s, the likelihood is we’ve all sampled a product in the past that didn’t quite hit the mark. And that may have put you off.

But in just the eight years since gamechanging distilled non-alc “spirit” Seedlip launched, low and no drinks have come an awfully long way. And they’re now vital to your business.

“People experience products which don’t deliver, and that leaves a bad taste in their mouth,” says Strykk co-founder and chief

executive Alex Carlton, whose range now includes Not G*n, Not R*m, Not V*dka, Not V*dka Vanilla, and Not Aperitivo. “You’re making a non-alcoholic version of the spirit.

It’s very hard to get the exact mouthfeel and flavour and taste. That’s changed.

“I think we’ve achieved that brilliantly on our products. And certainly when you mix them up, it’s hard to decipher between the full-strength gin & tonic, for example, or a zero per cent one. There’s a lot of nonalc spirits in the marketplace today; that’s helped build a category.”

From zero-strength breweries, to the emergence of credible non-alc wines, and a wider range of spirits alternatives than ever before, licensees have substantial choice when it comes to choosing what to stock.

And as quality has grown, so has demand.

No longer restricted to “Dry January” or “Sober October”, enthusiasm from imbibers is now year-round.

Asahi Europe & International, for example, aims to have a substantial part of its sales – 20 per cent, in fact – made up of alcoholfree products by 2030. Sam Rhodes, marketing director at Asahi UK, says: “The world of beer is changing. With 53 per cent of consumers trialling new no and low alcohol

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brands this year, we know UK beer-lovers are seeking high-quality beers that can be enjoyed without compromising refreshment, and taste.”

Whitbread too is taking the category seriously. The company has recently announced a year-round partnership with Strykk to introduce alcohol-free cocktails to its pubs. As the first national on-trade account to introduce the cocktails, it will list three serves – Not Vanilla Vodka Pornstar,

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Wine alternatives come of age One of the slowest segments of the low and no category to develop has been a credible alternative to wine. Today, there are plenty of non-alc wine brands out there, from rosés from the likes of Adnams, to sparkling wine alternatives from producers such as Oddbird.

“I think the innovation space for beer and spirits probably works quicker than that of the traditional wine market,” says Paul Beavis, chief executive of sparkling non-alcoholic wine brand Wild Idol. “However, I do think this is starting to change now, as the growth and demand is increasing. It is not easy to produce a high-quality alternative to many still wines, as we have found out in making a premium alcoholfree sparkling Rosé and White.”

For its wines, Paul says Wild Idol has been sure to pay attention to the details, from not making the liquid overly sweet, to using specialised processes to produce ultra-fine bubbles, in order to better replicate the real thing. “We use only natural high-quality fruit blended by expert winemakers which allows us to talk authentically about the taste,” he adds.

“We pride ourselves on the simple fact that we do not go through any form of alcoholic fermentation.”

Other wine-alternatives are also now emerging, including kombucha.

Real, described as a naturally fermented sparkling tea, is being positioned as an alternative to champagne and sparkling wines, and is listed by the likes of Fuller’s.

Currently available in two flavour varieties, Royal Flush (made using Darjeeling, with notes of rhubarb, peach, and a hint of spice) and Dry Dragon (made with pan-fired Dragonwell green tea, it has notes of sweet lemon and grapefruit, with a nutty finish).

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A dark non-alc spirit you can drink neat?

New Lyre’s Highland Malt hails from the Australian non-alc spirit megabrand and, as the name suggests, is based on the flavour and aroma of a Scotch.

Rather unusually – and in a marked breakthrough for dark non-alc spirits – it is made to be enjoyed both in cocktails and sipped neat. Sipped neat?!?

Surely not.

“As you would expect, dark alcoholic spirits are far more complex to create than white spirits as we need to capture the characteristics of aging,” says Mark Livings, chief executive of Lyre’s. “For me personally, Highland Malt is a real triumph, simply because I am a whisky fan myself and so it was always my dream to create a convincing non-alcoholic substitute.

“Consider all the things you experience when you taste a good whisky; you’re looking at how it behaves on the nose, the palate, and of course, the finish and length – which is critical. We had a really excellent recipe at one point but the finish wasn’t something we perfected until we were able to lock down the tell-tale warm, reassuring afterburn. It’s been a long process of experimentation and innovation to arrive at the place that we were happy to launch the product.

The 18-strong range also includes alternatives to gin, American whiskey, rums, liqueurs, and even absinthe. “Our mission at Lyre’s is to offer a nonalcoholic substitute for every major spirit on the market,” adds Mark.

What can pubs do better?

From food pairings to moderated serves where just one ingredient in a cocktail is swapped for a low or no version, there is plenty of opportunity for pubs to get creative. BUT, with the vast majority still lagging behind in stocking and promoting low and no-alcohol drinks, it’s important to get the basics right first.

Don’t make customers search for non-alc products Have them displayed, easily visible on menus and blackboards, so your customers don’t end up defaulting to lower-margin serves such as a soft drink as a compromise.

“There is still some education to be done in order to guide people to the no and lower category,” says Jennifer at Diageo. “To help people navigate a range, visibility is key. Having non-alcoholic drinks displayed on the back bar alongside their alcoholic counterparts will also help to educate customers on these options.”

Have a list of easy, go-to non-alc serves “Ensuring barstaff can advise on recommended serves, or even including non-alcoholic spirits in cocktails, is a great way to encourage people to opt for non-alcoholic options – especially for drinks consumers cannot easily create themselves at home,” adds Jennifer. “This also provides operators with key trade-up opportunities within the category.”

Don’t scrimp on your presentation Low and no drinks should still feel like a treat. “Serving non-alcoholic spirits with garnishes and the correct glassware delivers a more elevated experience to customers,” says Jennifer. For more details on how to make the most of the no and lower category in-venue, visit www.diageo-one.com

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Not Vanilla Vodka Espresso Martini and Not Rum Strawberry Daiquiri – within the “Remove the Alcohol” section on its menus.

“In fact, 38 per cent of consumers are looking to moderate, the highest it has been in the last seven years,” adds Jennifer Runciman, head of category development, on-trade at Diageo, whose brands include Gordon’s 0.0 per cent and Tanqueray 0.0 per cent, launched in early 2021, and Gordon’s Premium Pink 0.0 per cent. Though relatively late to the category, the brands are some of the first leading full-strength brands to launch no-low alternatives.

“There is a wealth of non-alcoholic drink options available to consumers and with the category continuing to grow, there is a strong focus on quality,” Jennifer adds.

“More so now than ever, adults can enjoy non-alcoholic drinks without having to compromise on quality or taste.”

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drink.

spirit

That’s the

by CLAIRE DODD

New products can be a blessing or a curse. We know it. Your backbar is crammed, your fridge is full, and you may even be debating the number of taps you currently have on the bar to cut costs. We hear you. But making sure you’re on top of what your customers are demanding is important.

When it comes to spirits, brand owners seem to have calmed a little on the rampant product launch sprees we’ve seen of late, directing their efforts to products that aim to tap into seasonal drinking, or bigger consumption trends.

Here are our highlights from the latest launches…

Gins Sipsmith Very Berry Gin

Looking for feisty and fruity flavours?

Sipsmith’s limited edition Very Berry Gin (40.4 per cent ABV) is the fifth product in its limited-edition Sipping Series, and combines the flavours of hedgerow fruits. Flavour notes include pine, poached plums, roasted cherry and fresh cranberry. Garnish a G&T with raspberries and blackberries. www.sipsmith.com

Jaisalmer Gold Gin

The Indian gin brand has just launched its second gin, made with 18 botanicals, 14 of which are handpicked in India. Why gold?

The gin (43 per cent ABV) is made with saffron as a botanical, and filtered through

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Stir up a

Raspberry Mule

gold – yes, you read that right. According to the brand, this process of passing the gin slowly though a filter of intertwined golden silk filament, enriches it with gold ions, giving it a clean smoothness. Other botanicals include coriander from Jaisalmer itself, Nagpur orange peel, Darjeeling green tea, and Nutmeg from Karnataka.

If gold is good enough for the baby Jesus, it’s good enough for us too. www.jaisalmergin.com

Indian or Slimline Tonic Gin Chambord Lime Juice Orange slice

Schweppes is the nation’s favourite mixer1 and recognised by 76% of the country.2

57˚ Skye

Speaking of regional botanicals, 57˚ Skye – based, you guessed it, on the Isle of Skye – has just launched its first two gins, inspired by the landscape of the island itself.

57˚ Skye Earth and Sea, a London Dry gin, uses local botanicals from the earth including heather, blossom, rowan berry and yarrow, with botanicals from the sea including smoked kelp seaweed. The resulting gin is said to have a peppery warmth, balanced well with a little earthiness.

Sources: 1. Nielsen Total Cov MAT Vol w/e 18.06.22 / CGA MAT Vol w/2/ 19.07.22. 2. Kantar World Panel February 2022.

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Stir up a

Jolly Gin Collins

The Banyuls Cask Finished Gin uses the same base of London Dry but has been finished in French oak cask previously used to contain the fortified aperitif Banyuls liquor.

Look for fresh citrus notes, a little waxy vanilla, aromatic spice and sweet butter apple notes. Yum. Both are 43 per cent ABV. www.57Skye.com

Vodka Green Man Wildwood Vodka

Amongst the greenwashing, it’s genuinely hard to know how you can reduce your impact on the environment sometimes.

Paper bottles have been mooted by brands for quite a while now, but they’re only just making it to the market.

Gin maker Silent Pool Distillers recently launched Green Man Wildwood Vodka (42 per cent ABV), packaged in a 94 per cent recyclable cardboard bottle with a carbon footprint up to six times smaller than glass

Indian or Slimline Tonic Gordon’s London Dry Gin Fresh Lime Juice Cointreau Lime wedge

To order your Christmas Serves POS Kit, visit my.ccep.com* ©2022 European Refreshments UC. SCHWEPPES is a registered trade mark of European Refreshments UC. *Whilst stocks last.

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Smirnoff Cherry Drop

Another switch-up on the seasonal trend towards berry flavours, Smirnoff’s latest fullstrength flavour (37.5 per cent ABV) is said to offer intense notes of sweet, sun-ripe red cherries. It mixes best with lemonade or cola. Mark Jarman, head of Smirnoff GB, says: “We know that cherry is a trending flavour and the popularity of vodka is only increasing.” It’s designed to stand out on back-bars, but you’ll have to wait a little bit for this one. It rolls out across the on-trade from February. www.diageo.com

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Liqueurs Derw Decaf Coffee Liqueur

Christmas can often mean sales of both cocktails and shots spike. Bottoms up. And often top of that list of festive serves is the espresso martini. But just because customers want a drink of something strong and dark, doesn’t mean they want the caffeine that comes with it.

Welsh coffee liqueur brand Derw has now launched a decaf version, for sipping without the caffeine buzz. Which may appeal to those making New Year’s resolutions too.

According to the brand, the challenge was to source a high-quality bean with a flavour that wasn’t diminished by decaffeination. The resulting liqueur (25 per cent ABV) is made from Indonesian beans roasted in Wales, and brewed for 16 hours in fresh Welsh water. The brand claims to have 75 per cent less sugar than most liqueurs too. www.derwcoffee.co.uk t

bottling. The vodka itself is described as herbal, with sweet, woody notes, with a little peppermint, burdock root, and a subtle bitterness. www.silentpooldistillers.com

magazine.inapub.co.uk 06/12/2022 12:47

Stock up on J2O!

J2O Glitterberry is the UK’s No.1 Christmas Limited Edition Adult Soft Drink*

*NielsenIQ RMS, Total Coverage, MAT TY, Value Sales, Adult Soft drinks, Britvic Defined, Data to 01.01.22 & Kantar Worldpanel data, Total J2O, Britvic Defined, 12we 26-Dec-21

Time to

@BRITVICTRADE

BRITVIC:SENSATIONAL DRINKS

SENSATIONALDRINKS.COM

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06/12/2022 08:10 30/11/2022 09:27

Cask Marque Become one of the best 10,000 cask ale pubs in Britain

‘Cask Marque’ is an independent scheme that assesses the beer quality in pubs to ensure standards are driven and maintained.

Qualified assessors visit pubs to test the beers temperature, appearance, aroma and taste. pubs have increased sales since 88% ofgaining the accreditation accredited outlets said they would 98% ofrecommend the scheme to other licensees Benefits include: Featured on the CaskFinder app - used 60,000 times a month to find Cask Marque pubs A Cask Marque plaque – recognised by 77% of beer drinkers as a badge of quality Point of Sale material – to help promote this achievement to customers Random inspections – helping pubs to consistently serve quality beer Access to cellar management training Regular newsletters Sign Up today by visiting cask-marque.co.uk or calling 01206 752212

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Stambecco Tiramisu Liqueur

Though this launched in the summer, we can’t help think that winter – and particularly Christmas – is its true time to shine. Created at the Vergnano family distillery, Torino Distillati in Piemonte, north-eastern Italy in honour of the classic Italian dessert, the liqueur (24 per cent ABV) has notes of mascarpone, amaretti biscuits, cocoa and coffee. Serving it is simple. Offer it as a shot, or over ice. www.stambeccoamaro.com

Tequila Neurita Citrus & Rosa Tequila

According to Google Trends, Margaritas are officially the world’s favourite cocktail.

So, if you want to make a flavoured version, the simple way, tequila brand Neurita claims to have the answer. Claiming to be the only tequila brand in the UK crafted to make Margarita cocktails, they’re intended to eliminate the need to add triple sec, reducing the number of ingredients needed to make the cocktail.

The two new flavours are naturally sweetened with real fruit, and include Citrus

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Tequila made with Sicilian orange and tangerine. Rosa Tequila is made with raspberry, strawberry and pomegranate, and is recommended in a Paloma or Margarita Spritz (mix with the juice of half a lime, and top with citrus soda). www.neurita-tequila.com

Whisk(e)y Jameson Single Pot Still

A celebration of the traditional style of Irish whiskey; that’s the description of the latest addition to Pernod Ricard’s Jameson brand (46 per cent ABV).

Created by master distiller Kevin O’Gorman from a mashbill of malted and unmalted barley, it’s then triple-distilled, before being matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks, as well as three different types of Virgin oak casks (American, European, and Irish). Taste-wise, expect notes of dried fruits, vanilla and fudge. Before the 20th century, Jameson was made on a single pot still, before switching to a blended style to make it more approachable. www.pernod-ricard.com

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25/05/2022 11:15

eat.

eat WEATHERING THE STORM PUBS MUST PLAY TO THEIR STRENGTHS

“

The upside for pubs is people want to keep eating out when they can. As the pandemic showed, pubs can adapt their food offer quickly when needed

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The trading outlook is unsettled to say the least, but there will still be a market for what pubs do best

Pub operators are, for the most part, an optimistic breed, but even the sunniest, most “glass half-full” publican could be forgiven for viewing the months ahead with trepidation.

The latest analysis, conducted jointly by trade bodies UKHospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association, the British Institute of Innkeeping and Hospitality Ulster, suggests than a third of the UK’s hospitality sector is at risk of business failure in early 2023 due to what it calls “the cost of doing business crisis”.

The Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee, meanwhile, never laugh-a-minute at the best of times, seems to get gloomier by the week. At the time of writing, the forecast is for a “prolonged recession” with the doubledigit rate of inflation not expected to start falling back to a more manageable level until at least the middle of 2023.

However, the upside for pubs is that people want to keep on eating out if and when they can. And as the pandemic showed, pubs can adapt their food offer quickly when needed. There may not be just one way

forward from here – delivery and collection, meal deals, limited menus and two-for-ones are all tactics that pubs may have to employ in the months ahead.

However, there are also opportunities to upsell great pub food at the times when customers are ready to treat themselves, and where Michelin-starred venues might become unattainable, a meal out at your local pub becomes an occasion to savour.

As well as upcoming events that every operator plans to make the most of, such as Valentine’s Day, Mothers’ Day and Easter, selecting your own special night – Tuesday Tacos for Two, anyone? – has the advantage that no one else in town is competing for you customers at that time.

More than ever, fresh and healthy food, seasonal produce, local specialities, all matched to local beers, ciders or an interesting wine list, are going to set you apart. Or just simple traditional pub food classics, cooked to order and served with a smile, can bring comfort to your customers and help pubs to trade through the challenges ahead.

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Not naughty

by JOHN PORTER

Menu planning is an art as much as it is a science, and for pubs trying to predict and plan for the various factors that drive consumer behaviour, 2023 seems set to be more complex than ever.

Interest in global cuisines is rising, particularly those that make use of a lot of vegetables and spices

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but nice

Resolutions to eat more healthily, as well as caution about spending, are nothing new when it comes to the early months of new year. This time around, however, these factors will need to be front-of-mind when it comes to pubs’ tactics for boosting trade.

Supplier Bidfood

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reports that “the ever-growing health trend” will show its influence in a range of food trends that pubs should think about when planning menus for the months ahead.

Legislation to tackle obesity, such as restrictions on High Fat, Sugar and Salt (HFSS) foods, and calorie labelling, undoubtedly has an influence. However, Bidfood’s research, undertaken with CGA, spotlights a general desire amongst consumers to improve their health after the pandemic, leading them to take more interest in wellbalanced diets and healthier choices.

Hand-in-hand with this goes more interest in a variety of global cuisines, especially those which make more use of vegetables and spices than traditional British dishes.

At the same time, it will come as no surprise that 83 per cent of UK adults say they have less disposable income due to the cost-of-living crisis. Half say they’re now spending less on eating out than they did last year, particularly younger adults.

Consumers are therefore more price-led than last year, with 72 per cent considering price a priority when choosing where to eat out.

Sustainability is also an increasingly important factor in consumer choices, as they look for options seen as better for the environment. A significant 61 per cent of fish eaters consider it important that the fish or seafood they eat when out is sustainable, and 51 per cent say they would pay a bit more if this is the case.

Highlighting sustainably sourced

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eat.

Central Food’s KaterVeg! vegan and gluten-free mince lasagne. Many people are now cutting back on their meat intake, and not just for Veganuary

“

The popularity of plant-based meals cannot be described as a passing trend any more. It’s well and truly here to stay

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products and ingredients on menus will help reassure customers, but there are other practical steps pubs can take to keep menus both healthy and sustainable.

The march of meat-free

Offering vegetarian and vegan options will continue to be an important driver of trade, as many people now cut back on their meat intake all year round, and initiatives such as Veganuary bring this trend to the fore at the start of the year. Inapub’s Indies Choice survey of pubs in spring 2022 found that 42 per cent of pubs already have five or more vegetarian dishes on the menu, and 14 per cent have five or more vegan dishes.

Gordon Lauder, managing director of frozen food distributor Central Foods, says: “The popularity of plant-based meals has grown so much and over a sustained period that in no way can it be described as a passing trend any more. It’s well and truly here to stay. This is being fuelled partly by the increasing number of people who are

becoming vegan and vegetarian, but more significantly by the rising numbers who are cutting down on meat and animal products, and choosing to opt for plant-based meals several times a week.

“It’s easy to create plant-based versions of popular classic dishes like shepherd’s pie, toad in the hole or lasagne by using meatfree swaps, such as KaterVeg! vegan mince or vegan sausages.”

Phil Thornborrow, Foodservice Director at Quorn Foods, says: “We surveyed 2,000 UK adults who identify as flexitarians for our Quorn ChiQin Report. Younger generations are driving the change, with 49 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds now following a meatfree or meat-reduced diet. As environmental awareness skyrocketed in the pandemic and consumers of all ages recognised the impact of their meal choices, eating less meat is now a behaviour, not a trend.”

For these younger consumers in particular, offering meat-free alternatives to pub favourites such a chicken wings,

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dishes on pub menus, both as a healthier choice, and as something they are less likely to cook at home. As well as fish from the grill, you could mix it up with some easy options, suggests Laky Zervudachi, director of sustainability at Direct Seafoods – Marine Stewardship Council Fresh Fish Food Service Supplier of the Year for 2022.

“Dishes such as fish curries and fish tacos are a great fit with streetfood-style menus,” he says, “and enable pubs to use a broader range of species according to availability and the latest advice on sustainability, as well as offering customers great value.”

Quorn ChiQin burger. Meat-free versions of pub classics can appeal to healthy aspirations while keeping a sense of fun on the menu

burgers and hot dogs, keeps a sense of fun in pub menus while still appealing to healthier aspirations.

Salads and sides

Winter menus aren’t obvious territory for salads, but flagging up lighter options on the menu by offering sides such as fresh vegetables, sweet potatoes, rice and salads alongside the heartier choices such as chips and onion rings, enables customers to tailor their meal. As an alternative to imported veg, use seasonal crops grown closer to home, such as fennel, squash, carrots and chicory, to create winter salads.

Healthy grills

Ben Bartlett’s Thai spiced barbecue scallops.

Grilling is generally a healthier way to cook meat and fish than frying. Champion barbecue chef Ben Bartlett suggests adding spices to meat and fish from the grill, such as oriental pork and lemon skewers made with fragrant lemongrass, or spiced scallops grilled with Thai seasoning.

Many customers look for interesting fish

The allotment at The Queen’s Arms near Helston, Cornwall

Grow your own

The Inapub Indies Choice survey found that 25 per cent of pubs grow at least some of the ingredients they use in the kitchen.

While this may not help with food costs immediately, by the spring even a small veg patch could help manage high food costs.

Starting a pub gardening club or working with the local allotment group can also be a good way to make the pub a hub for local customers looking for some healthy new year activity. Foraging is also something that appeals to consumers, with 53 per cent of UK adults saying they are interested is seeing foraged ingredients such as berries and wild garlic on menus. Sign up a group of your regulars and get gathering!

Menu design and planning

Research for Footprint Intelligence shows that menu design can play an important part in helping customers to identify healthier choices.

Use descriptive words to boost sales of healthy options, but be careful of the word “healthy” on its own. Instead use other taste-related terms such as “fresh” and “in season”. Using logos, icons and boxes

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eat.

Guardians of Grub tackle food waste

“

Cutting down the number of dishes reduces costs, food waste and prep time. Focus on serving the most popular dishes that deliver the highest profit margins

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Waste reduction body WRAP has created the Guardians of Grub campaign to help pubs and other businesses tackle the estimated 1.1 million tonnes of food thrown away by the industry every year.

The next Food Waste Action Week will take place from 6 – 12 March 2023, but there are Free Guardians of Grub resources to help pubs get started straight away, at www.guardiansofgrub.com/ resources The Getting Started guide takes a business through the steps to set up and start measuring food waste, while the free Guardians of Grub 15-minute Cost Saving Skills Training course helps consolidate the basic information.

The free Becoming a Champion Course has five levels, with certifications for completing each, and helps guide individuals and businesses through the food waste auditing and reducing process, covering every stage from menu design and procurement to prepping and plating up.

The saving calculator shows how much money and carbon foodservice businesses can save in four quick clicks. All it needs is estimated cover numbers to see the results from different targets for reducing food waste.

Social media handles for Facebook and Instagram have been launched to help pubs join the conversation, share ideas and get updates on the latest Guardians of Grub activities – search for @GuardiansOfGrub, #GuardiansOfGrub, #FeedPeopleNotBins

helps to draw the customer’s eye to the healthier dishes.

Buying specialist Lynx Purchasing also advises pubs to simplify menus. “Cutting down the number of dishes on the menu reduces costs, food waste and prep time.

Focus on serving the most popular dishes that deliver the highest profit margins,” says managing director Rachel Dobson.

“Designing the menu around a limited selection of ingredients presented in different ways is far more cost-effective, and fewer ingredients means less wastage of spoiled or overbought food, as well as enabling ingredients to be bought in bulk for better deals and more cost savings.”

Buying discipline

Dobson also urges a planned approach to buying, to help pubs control spiralling food costs as well as reducing food waste.

“With transport and delivery costs high, fewer, bigger deliveries are far better value than frequent small ones, and many suppliers have raised their minimum order level.

“Place orders as early in the day as possible rather than just before the cut-off, as this helps the supplier manage stock and enables operators to make the most of availability.

“Check orders carefully and report incorrect or damaged goods to the supplier, and make sure your account is credited.”

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Watching the waistline,

watching the wallet

by JOHN PORTER

More than ever, January menus need careful planning this year, as pubs start 2023 juggling a complex set of customer expectations. We asked some pub food specialists for their ideas on creating successful new year menus that hit the health target at the same time as appealing to cash-strapped customers.

Simplicity Foods’ plant-based “meatballs” in Liberation Group’s roasted winter vegetable and lentil salad

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Jasper Prickett, development chef with Liberation Group, which operates pubs in the South West and on the Channel Islands, says: “For January we put a focus on lighter and plant-based dishes, particularly on our lunch menus, which ties in nicely with Veganuary.” Liberation is working with Simplicity Foods, a plantbased product business developed by chef Neil Rankin, which makes meat alternatives such as sausages, “meatballs” and burgers from roasted and fermented vegetables.

“We’ve had a few of their products on our autumn and winter menus, and they’ll be there in January,” says Jasper.

For the new year, the group’s customers can expect:

WINTER 2022

• Plant-Based Supper pop-up events.

• Salads including a Beetroot Waldorf Salad, and a roasted winter vegetable and lentil salad which includes the Simplicity meatballs. “They’re hearty winter salads, but still a lighter option with a lower calorie count,” says Jasper.

• Chefs specials featuring lighter and healthier choices. “In the past we’ve done dishes like vegetable and barley stews, and Buddha bowls. That also helps offer value for money, as you can keep a main course between £10 and £15 by focusing on vegetables and plantbased ingredients.”

The group also makes a feature of seafood dishes, which many customers see as a healthier choice. “When the boats can go out, the quality of seafood at this time of year is outstanding,” say Jasper.

“Mackerel is a highly underrated fish, local to our shores and great value, high in Omega 3, and easy to cook.

“We serve mussels that have been sustainably grown on ropes in the River Fowey in Cornwall. They’re great quality and not too expensive. They’re also quite healthy; we often steam them using beer or cider, or a nice light curry sauce using coconut milk rather than heavy cream. It really depends

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Left: Liberation Group pubs serve sustainable rope-grown mussels for a locally sourced, affordable and healthy option.

Right: Project executive chef Sang Nguyen celebrates winter veg on Shepherd

how much of the chips and bread you end up dipping in the sauce.”

Mussels also feature in a light tomato fish stew, along with clams and other fish, served with boiled potatoes. “It’s naturally low in calories, yet still warm and comforting for the winter months.”

Neame pubs’ menus

“

Slow cooking is great for making the most of the cheaper cuts of meat

Sang Nguyen, project executive chef with Shepherd Neame, says: “Winter brings an abundance of ingredients like butternut squash, kale and my personal favourite, beetroot. I like vegan dishes to be simple and packed full of flavour. A paprika, thyme and garlic marinated root garden vegetable salad, roasted with a light drizzle of olive oil, is great when mixed with some perfectly cooked lentils.” Sang’s top tips: • Pulses are a good way to substitute meat protein. Lentils, chickpeas and butter beans are a great addition to a salad, or can be made into a winter pie with seasonal root vegetables.

• Be adventurous. There are lots of exciting new ingredients on the market, and it’s worth exploring new flavours.

• Bottle spray oils are a great way to control how much oil you use when cooking, as well as air fryers.

Ashley McCarthy, chef and co-owner of the award-winning Ye Old Sun Inn in Colston, North Yorkshire, says: “My preferred method for winter dishes is slow cooking, as well as steaming for more delicate

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items. Slow cooking helps to break down the food, so is great for making the most of cheaper cuts of meat.” Ashley’s advice: • Use spices and herbs to bring out the flavours of lighter dishes.

• Hearty food doesn’t have to be carbheavy. Pulses and grains are healthier for customers, and more cost effective for menu planning.

• Adapt traditional winter recipes to increase the vegetable content. Reducing the meat element also reduces the cost.

• To get feedback on new dishes, put a few tasters on the bar.

Ella Cranmer, food marketing manager with Fuller’s, points out that promoting healthier choices is an important driver of new year trade, whatever choices customers ultimately make. “People go out with the best intentions of eating healthily, but when they see a burger or fish and chips on the menu, that tends to be what they choose,” she says.

“That’s also influenced by the cost of living at the moment, when people do go out they want to spoil themselves. So, the sales mix does shift towards healthier dishes in January, but not that significantly.”

The group will have more low-calorie and low-carb dishes on offer, with these choices highlighted on menus and promoted via social media. “Throughout January, that will be one of the big pulls to bring people into the pub, whether or not they actually end up ordering those dishes.”

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play.

play

SPONSORED BY

IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON Relaxing lunches, after-work drinks, lazy afternoons in the beer garden… whatever the mood calls for, music can help to make it. Discover the power of music and the benefit it can bring with TheMusicLicence

“

The wrong music can empty a venue in minutes, just as the right music can literally pull people in off the street magazine.inapub.co.uk

p35 play intro.indd 35

We all know that cinematic cliché, where the two out-of-towners walk through the doors of a pub/bar, there’s the screech of a stylus on vinyl as the music stops, and the regulars all turn as one to stare furiously in complete silence at the interlopers.

Music brings with it a sense of welcome, of comfort, and its sudden halt gives this particular cliché all the awkwardness it needs.

Publicans have understood this since time immemorial. You are the masters of creating atmosphere, and from dukes of the jukebox you have become more latterly the sovereigns of Spotify with a playlist for any and every occasion. The power of music cannot be overstated when it comes to the effect it has on an occasion. The wrong music – too loud, too fast, too old-fashioned – can empty a venue in minutes, just as the right music – a sing-a-long anthem, an old classic, those Christmas hits – can literally pull people off the street and into your venue. Licensees have also been using music both to excite a crowd – those dance classics in the build-up to midnight at

New Year for example – and to calm that same crowd at the end of the evening as they prepare to leave the venue with some slow ballads or even classical music. Indeed, according to KAM Media’s recent Competitive Socialising Report, 44 per cent of consumers say the music played at a venue is an important factor in their enjoyment of their experience there. And since the pandemic we have seen two trends that play well for pubs with a good music offering.

The first is that punters, having been confined during lockdown, are now desperate to enjoy live events once more. Live music is synonymous with pubs, and showcasing some great local bands on a regular basis gives customers a great reason to visit – holding events such as “battle of the bands” on quiet nights during the week can bring in additional revenue as well as supporting local talent.

The second post-pandemic trend worth noting is people’s desire to control what they are listening to. When it comes to pubs this might mean installing Bluetooth music speakers in function areas or booths to allow customers to put on their own playlists. Or it might mean hosting a weekly vinyl night where customers bring along their favourite records to play, or even a request night where customers can request tunes for your playlist either online or by putting in a request at the bar.

Over the next two pages, we meet a number of publicans who have placed music at the heart of their postpandemic strategy. And don’t forget to check out our alternative Christmas playlist on page 50.

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groove

Finding their

by MARK LUDMON

The Bluebell’s seven garden pods have their own sound systems

Music played an important role in helping The Bluebell Inn in Kirk Langley, Derbyshire recover after the Covid lockdowns. As part of renovations, it created a new outdoor bar plus seven garden rooms – pods with their own sound systems and Wi-Fi. The new-look garden also proved ideal for live music, with musicians booked every Wednesday evening from April to August in 2022.

The pub’s programming built on the success of music across the estate owned

by Berkeley Inns. “Our live music programmes have been especially popular over the years, and it is wonderful to be able to finally return to providing live events after pandemic restrictions were lifted,” managing director Howard Thacker says. “We have always recognised the fundamental importance of music within our venues – it is an essential part of the ambience.”

The company has earned several awards including Derbyshire Pub of the Year in the 2022 National Pub Awards for one of its former sites, The Cock Inn in Muggington.

In 2021, the pub was a finalist for the title of best pub garden in the Great British Pub Awards. This brought the group to the attention of PPL PRS, which was looking to champion music success stories. The body provides TheMusicLicence, needed by any pub playing music for customers whether in the background, through live performances, via a jukebox or on television screens. PPL PRS is always looking for ways to highlight the value of music to pub businesses so it worked with Berkeley Inns to develop content to share with other licensees.

Open-air gigs

Since the summer, the group has sold The Cock Inn as well as The Meynell Ingram Arms in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, to RedCat Pub Company. But music continues to be essential to its three other pubs, which include The Cow in Dalbury Lees and The Horseshoes in Long Lane Village, both in Derbyshire. The Horseshoes has an extensive garden where, along with its own garden rooms, it runs a programme of live music on summer Saturday afternoons with similar artists to The Bluebell.

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Of the three pubs, The Bluebell tends to attract a slightly younger crowd. For its Wednesday sessions, it has focused on small bands and solo musicians from the East Midlands, playing contemporary rock and pop, such as singer-songwriters Ian Britt and Josh Kemp, acoustic guitarist Mark James and singer and acoustic guitarist Ben Haynes. Music programming, including background music, is delegated to the general managers. At The Bluebell, that includes the music piped into the garden rooms, which come in a range of sizes with the biggest seating up to 12 people. Music also helps with ambience inside the pub where, after investment in upgrading its kitchens, it offers good-quality casual dining.

Singer-songwriter Ian Britt performs at the pub

HOW TO MAKE MUSIC WORK IN YOUR PUB CHOOSE YOUR PLAYLIST CAREFULLY to suit the time of day, customers and even the weather

APPOINT THE RIGHT STAFF to control the background music playlist to ensure it matches your pub CONSIDER USING A SPECIALIST COMPANY that can create tailored streamed playlists to suit your pub WORk WITH BOOKING AGENCIES to find the most suitable live bands and musicians from your area TALK THROUGH THE SET LIST with musicians to decide what songs will work best for your customers p38-39 play feature.indd 39

Musical motivation

Playing music also helps boost staff morale, points out Dawn-Elizabeth Rudd, head of communications for the group.

“Music is powerful and promotes energy.

Musical harmony is proven to lift the spirits of all our team. Whether they are serving or preparing food in the kitchen, the sounds waft through each room creating a feelgood factor and sets them in the right mood for work.” She says the partnership with PPL PRS was great for the business and its teams. “To get that publicity and support has been amazing.”

After a successful live music programme in 2022, Dawn says it is too early to talk about next summer’s plans but music continues to be vital “all year round”. Data from PPL PRS suggests that this is the right policy, with 67 per cent of people surveyed admitting they leave a venue after realising there is no music playing and 53 per cent saying they dislike sitting in silence while eating a meal. PPL PRS communications executive Rhiannon Jepson explains: “We believe music can help to create a more welcoming atmosphere and enhance the experience for customers, which could improve customer loyalty and dwell time.”

She adds that music can also be important for a pub business’s identity. “Playing music that reflects the brand could help to make a business stand out and make visits even more enjoyable for customers.”

Staying in tune this winter

By Rhiannon Jepson, PR & Communications Executive, PPL PRS We only have to open up our phones these days to be faced with a world of confusion.

From slang terms to abbreviations, it can sometimes feel impossible to keep up with the latest themes, topics and trends, particularly when it comes to ‘Wellbeing’ – one of the UK’s most used buzzwords.

According to Google Trends, the word ‘Wellbeing’ reaches its peak in searches this time of the year, and now winter is here many of us may be thinking about wellbeing even more than usual.

Advice from the NHS includes connecting with people and staying active, whilst the mental health charity,Mind also suggest listening to music. Research by McGill University has found that listening to music can release dopamine, the feelgood chemical in the brain.

It can even increase these levels by up to 9%, whilst helping to boost our moods and improve positivity.

So, when thinking about the wellness this winter, whether this is for yourself or for your staff, don’t forget to turn it up – after all it’s all about staying ‘in tune’.

For more tips about music and wellbeing visit pplprs.co.uk/ health-wellbeing/ music-reduce-stress/ 0800 001 4544 1. https://trends.google.com/ trends/explore?date=now%201d&geo=GB&q=%2Fg%2 F121mksj0 2. https://www.mind.org.uk/ information-support/your-stories/ why-music-is-great-for-yourmental-health/ 3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ health-12135590

06/12/2022 13:21

stay 11

SPONSORED BY

All part of the

by MARK LUDMON

Eviivo Helping pubs and inns manage guests, bookings and travel agencies and promote their rooms online

package

If you want to attract guests to your accommodation all year round, get a llama. That certainly works for The Merry Harriers in Hambledon in the Surrey Hills, which has 13 of them on hand for ‘llama treks’ and a ‘Llama Love stay experience’.

But this is just one part of the offering for the traditionally quiet months after new year. With 15 boutique-style rooms, the pub uses various offers to complement its “cosy” features, explains manager Martine Mason. “Our ethos is very much all weathers. We get a lot of people who are looking for a winter getaway.”

Peter and Lana de Savary bought the historic pub – including its resident llamas – in 2017 and converted the upstairs into four en suite bedrooms before creating six more

in a neighbouring barn. Three years ago, they added five luxurious shepherd huts, each with its own bathroom. Shepherd huts are normally less popular in colder months but at The Merry Harriers, under-floor heating and log burners make them a “toasty” retreat, Martine says, while there are fire pits outside and one has a hot tub. “We provide guests with blankets so they can sit outside and toast marshmallows,” says Martine.

The pub itself, with a 64-cover restaurant,

‘Hygge Holidays’ at The Merry Harriers include breakfast, lunch and dinner

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stay.

Log burners make the Shepherd Hut at The Merry Harriers a cosy retreat, while a large log fire keeps the pub cosy

“

We provide guests with blankets so they can sit outside and toast marshmallows

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is well-suited for winter with a large inglenook fire. Seasonal promotions include the cosythemed three-night Hygge Holiday which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, ranging from £540 for an inn room to £725 for a shepherd hut. It also offers guided walking tours and bike hire. Bookings are mostly for weekends but, with other packages such as one for dog lovers, it has midweek occupancy too. “We did pretty well last January and February and it looks like it’ll be same this winter,” Martine adds.

Stocking fillers

There are no llamas at the boutique Peak Edge Hotel and Red Lion in the Peak District near Chesterfield but it does have 27 rooms with a high occupancy rate after new year.

The area is popular with tourists, only 11 kilometres from the stately Chatsworth House, as well as for walking and cycling but, with meeting spaces and a destination restaurant, it sees corporates in the week and other guests for weekend breaks in winter.

It was originally just the Red Lion pub, built in 1788, but the hotel was added 12 years ago before being bought in 2018 by Steve Perez, whose father ran the Red Lion in the 1960s.

He carried out extensive renovations, ramping up the cosiness of the Red Lion’s historic interiors and installing five log burners alongside a large fire.

Steve is planning packages for winter 2023 and its vouchers offer popular festive gifts,

such as £160 for bed and breakfast and £210 for dinner, bed and breakfast.

Winter warmers

Seasonal offers are core to the wintertime success of The Inn on The Tay in Pitlochry in the Scottish Highlands, along with its cosy ambience. Bought by Geoff and Josie Wilson 15 years ago, it has six family-sized ensuite rooms upstairs. It is a busy tourist area, especially in the summer, but still attracts hardier walkers and cyclists in the winter. The bar, with a wood burner, and the 60-cover restaurant look across the river Tay. A conservatory-like area has been added, dubbed “the Coorie”, from the Scots Gaelic for “sheltered” or “snug” – a cosy winter spot thanks to a log-burning stove.

The pub’s 5,000-strong database has been built up over the past 10 years, linked to a “Friends of The Inn” subscribers’ list providing exclusive offers. “We find we don’t have to do much outside of that like advertising,” Geoff says. Vouchers are sold in the run-up to Christmas for redeeming until the end of March, such as dinner, bed and breakfast for two guests for two nights for £259, saving over £60, or for three nights for £359, saving over £120. “People buy them as gifts but also for themselves.” The inn has had success with a “Winter Warmer” promotion running to the end of February, which offers a two-night stay with dinner and breakfast for £299. “Our rooms are pretty full for most of the year,” Geoff adds.

“We get a lot of repeat business.”

WINTER 2022

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07/12/2022 11:37

Experience our award-winning booking and management platform — proudly serving pub owners with rooms to sell across the UK and Ireland.

.com +44 (0) 800 422 0088 sales@eviivo.com M A D E I N B R I TA I N ; P R O U D LY G L O B A L .

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19/03/2022 00:32

ideas.

NOW THERE'S

SPONSORED BY

AN IDEA

January is a perfect time to try new ideas, suggests Elton Mouna The lull after the World Cup and Christmas storm is fast approaching, or depending when you are reading this, is already here.

And I am coming at you with a suggestion that may appear counter-intuitive, but I believe has merit, and that is that when it comes to driving January footfall, don’t bother! In my experience (and I’ve run three pubs) January footfall-driving initiatives rarely have any significant positive impact.

So could now actually be an ideal time to batten down the marketing and promotional hatches and instead use January to strengthen the foundations of your business ready for the coming year?

Here are two ways you can do this, and if you get them right they could pay longterm dividends: 1: Agree with your staff what your team values are This may sound a little psychobabbley but believe you me, shared values, shared principles, shared boundaries… whatever you call them, they can sharpen focus, improve staff retention and influence potential employees to choose you over other employers. Think commitment to customers, constant improvement, integrity, accountability and having fun.

2: Don’t let January be a dry January, let your creative juices flow Strengthen or create your unique selling point. Focus on the one thing you’re famous for, the thing that will make people switch off Corrie or EastEnders and hotfoot it to your pub. To spark your imagination, here are three ideas:

magazine.inapub.co.uk p43-44 now there's an idea.indd 43

The World Gravy Wrestling Championships has put the Rose N Bowl in Stacksteads, Lancashire, on the map

• Be the most dog-friendly pub in your area. That doesn’t just mean a jar of dog treats and a bowl of water. Think bigger, think dog show, think dog beds, think dog Instagram stations.

Pic: Collins G

Not a fan of Jan

• Be famous for a dish only you sell.

Think dirty burger with your own unique twist, you could even think Disco Cauliflower. Scan here to find out how to make Disco Cauliflower.

• Plan an annual event your pub becomes famous for. Think the World Gravy Wrestling Championships, the UK Conker Championships, the largest gathering of Nigels ever witnessed. In the next edition of the Inapub video podcast In Your Shoes we discuss all those events. t

GuestRevu’s award-winning reputation management solution collects online reviews from websites around the world and displays them in one dashboard for you to easily monitor, analyse and manage.

WINTER 2022

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06/12/2022 14:27

back-bar business

Bounce back

When customers are enjoying themselves watching the footie or celebrating the festive season, give them an IOU bounceback business card to encourage them back to your pub in 2023. Above are two examples.

As our kindness knows no bounds, if you would like the artwork for either note adapted, totally free of charge, to include your pub name and your offer, drop becky@featuredesign. co.uk an email and she will email the artwork to you and you can print in-house (tell her the nice people at Inapub sent you).

Check out the Feature Design website here.

Roll the dice on pricing

I spotted a pub that invites customers to “roll the dice and pay the price” Here is an example of how it works. A customer orders a pint costing £4. The customer is invited to roll the die and if they roll a 1, well that means they pay £1 for the pint, if the customer rolls a 2 they pay £2 and so on. If they roll a 5 or 6 they pay the full £4 for the pint and the balance goes to your house charity.

It’s a neat little idea and a fun way to give your regulars an occasional discount, but do check out the legalities before starting it!

Get creative Bounce off

I was intrigued to see the determination to win etched on the faces of customers in a Reading pub who were playing Bounce Off. Definitely one to add to your games selection.

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WINTER 2022

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From knitting circles to ukulele groups to poetry corners to maybe even painting people in the nude, charity Creative Lives, promotes community-led creative activity.

Creative Lives wants to work with Inapub licensees to get creative people in to your pubs so they benefit from expressing themselves creatively with others, and you the licensee benefit from increased footfall. Scan here to watch an exclusive interview with Natanya Mark from Creative Lives.

trade.inapub.co.uk 06/12/2022 14:27

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07/12/2022 10:59

time at the bar

RICHARD MOLLOY Winter is upon us and with it comes the juxtaposition of the months either side of the winter solstice.

December is the month that regular gym-goers use the pub, and January the only month that regular pub-users go to the gym.

Both of these animals, along with most of the rest of the British public – who are cajoled into celebration then lulled into humdrum and sobriety by those with access to our subconscious – will milk the licensed trade for all it can be squeezed for in the runup to Christmas then wrestle with their sanity and overdrafts as they try to make sense of this uniform disparity in collective behaviour.

And for us licensees, January on the horizon looms like a hammer threatening to smash whatever nuts we manage to squirrel away in the Christmas harvest.

I have no doubt that the festive period will be as jovial and drunken as it usually is, and that restaurants, pubs, clubs and office broom cupboards will be as properly utilised as ever, but it’s the arid look of January that will paradoxically dampen the spirits and worry the slow-moving ales of publicans up and down the land. We are likely to still be in an inflation-driven recession by the time February comes around, and we’ve felt this coming for a while. Publicans are well-versed in listening to the bar-room choir and we could hear the hymns of trepidation being sung a while back.

People are worried. They are worried for their savings, they are worried for their mortgages, and they are worried for their stomachs.

As I write this, the temperatures have remained mercifully mild for late autumn, but it’s folly to think that we will be given the sedan chair of unseasonable warmth until the spring. And it’s when the temperatures drop, when the smart meters race, and when the blankets and socks are no longer enough to ease the chill of this winter of discontent that the shit will really hit the fan.

And as the heating bills rise, the footfall for

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WINTER 2022

“

In this bleak midwinter, we must continue to be the relief to those who use us as their escape rooms Richard Molloy is director of four-

strong pubco White Rose Taverns and the microbrewery Platform Five

pubs will drop. We are a luxury business and simply cannot compete with heat and food when stark choices have to be made. Something has to give, and the hospitality trade is traditionally one of the first to feel the pinch.

But in the face of this bleak mid-winter, we must and will continue to be the relief to those who use us as their escape rooms.

As the footfall dwindles and the net spend shrinks, we must continue to entertain. It is not just our choice or our duty; it is imperative for our survival that we play on, no matter how intent the ever-changing captains of the good ship Great Britain are on steering us towards every iceberg on the horizon.

Some of us will evaluate the need to continue to trade on quieter days or tinker with our opening hours in order to stay afloat, but we would be well advised to consider the greater implications of reducing our hours and presenting opportunities to the companies that procure money from the general public without them stepping outside – Netflix and chill could take on a whole new meaning this winter.

Yes, we will need help from above, and we will need a bumper Christmas to give us the momentum to make it to the spring, but we must also be wary of abandoning those who need us the most. Warmth is the key, both in our bar and in our welcome. We will need help from the general public but, especially this winter, some of them will need us even more than ever.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 06/12/2022 14:33

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07/12/2022 11:07

PLATE OR SLATE? Where the nation’s publicans stand on the really big questions Martin Strange

The Babbacombe Inn Torquay, Devon Martin runs both The Babbacombe Inn and its sister venue Hamilton’s Club under the Travel Inns banner. The two buildings sit side by side on Babbacombe Downs, boasting glorious views of the South Devon coastline from their clifftop location.

We caught up with Martin at the ever-busy Babbacombe Inn. The pub has recently won a Southwest wide award for beer garden blooms, and the outside areas are a summer pull for locals and holidaymakers alike, whilst Christmas parties keep the restaurant fully booked throughout December.

We picked Martin’s brains about some of the pressing matters of the day, as well as that ancient jam/cream conundrum. *Warning: contains scone rage*

Plate or slate?

Turkey or goose?

Plate. Can’t stand the food sliding off the edge of the slate, plus they’re a pain to pick up without ripping your nails!

Turkey please. Lovely and moist on Christmas day and pickled onions are an essential accompaniment when eating it cold on boxing day.

Pub quiz or live sport?

Pub quiz for us, especially the music round – 70s and 80s are my forte.

Cocktails or G&T?

Drinks promotions or karaoke?

Christmas or Easter?

Karaoke hands down – pass me the mic!

Both are really good for us. The Christmas party season is excellent in the middle of a tough trading period but, if the weather is good, then our beer gardens are very popular at Easter and the long weekend can give us a real shot in the arm. Last Easter was probably my favourite – I spent it in Greece.

Local beers or market leaders?

Local beers all day long. There’s an ever-increasing demand for local products, especially ales. I like a decent pale ale in the summer and dark, deep winter wallop!

Summer afternoon in the beer garden or winter evening in front of a log fire?

Summer, summer and summer!

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WINTER 2022

Cocktails for me. Not really a fan of gin.

Cream or jam first?

Cream of course! Devonians know best.

Jam first is for perverts and the Cornish.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 07/12/2022 10:15

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07/12/2022 11:14

time at the bar

ALTERNATIVE XMAS TUNES TOP

10

Ten tracks for anyone sick of Slade and Mariah Carey 1. Christmas Time

Smashing Pumpkins The harmonies, strings and multilayered production that had been added to the Chicago rockers’ sound by the late ’90s were perfectly suited to a festive record. Billy Corgan’s voice, which could at times sound like a spoilt brat faced with a disappointing stocking, is on soothing form here. Wouldn’t sound out of place in a nativity play.

2. Blue Xmas

Miles Davis When Columbia Records asked all its artists for a track for its Jingle Bell Jazz compilation, the trumpet legend wasn’t exactly full of the Christmas spirit. “When you’re blue at Christmas time,” explained vocalist Bob Dorough, “You see through all the waste / All the sham / All the haste / And plain old bad taste.”

3. Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa De La Soul The trio made their name in Hip-hop’s Summer of Love, but by Christmas 1991 the mood had taken a darker turn. The track tells the tragic story of Millie, whose dad is a cuddly Santa Claus in Macy’s but a villain at home. Millie takes matters into her own hands, and with the quickness it was over.

4. It’s Clichéd to be Cynical at Christmas

Half Man Half Biscuit Is it really so original to turn your nose up at traditional festivities though? Half Man Half Biscuit don’t think so: “See how we yawn / At your bile and your scorn / It’s a beautiful day / Peace on Earth has been played.” The surrealist Merseysiders are on the side of the elves.

5. Oi to the World

No Doubt You might not have backed the punks to bring the positivity back to your playlist.

This bouncy number by ska-punk band No Doubt does involve a racist beating, but the

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happy ending is worthy of a pantomime.

God Himself is vocal with his approval.

6. Space Christmas

Shonen Knife The Japanese all-girl three-piece wish you a Merry, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. They’re waiting for Santa on his bison sleigh, to bring them a space ship. They want to go to Pluto with you, with marshmallow and ice cream. Alt-rock doesn’t get much cuter.

7. Christmas in the Hood

Daz Dillinger Gangsta rap might not be the most obvious genre for a Christmas compilation, but what with all the bling, overindulgence and bellowing of “ho, ho, ho” it’s actually a perfect fit. Or so Snoop Dogg must have figured when he released Christmas in tha Dogghouse, featuring this festive banger from west coast O.G. Daz Dillinger. Parental advisory: smoking mistletoe is not recommended.

8. Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis

Tom Waits Anyone who’s ever received a card from a prostitute beginning “I’m pregnant” will know it’s one of those occasions when a simple “season’s greetings” won’t suffice. Tom tells the whole of his correspondent’s heartbreaking story with gravelly wistfulness.

That must have been a big old card.

9. Merry F***in’ Christmas

South Park Christmas brings out the child in all of us, so this time of year finds grown adults sniggering at the puerile fare served up by the tasteless cartoon institution. Mr Garrison teaches Cartman and co. about different cultures as he travels the globe wishing Muslims, Hindus, Shintoists and others a Merry Christmas. We offer you all our full-throated compliments of the season, with similar gusto if fewer expletives.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 06/12/2022 14:42

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10/05/2021 10:01

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