Inapub Magazine March 2019 Issue 85

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Issue 85 March 2019 ÂŁ4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk 21/01/2019 11:24

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Issue 85 March 2019 ÂŁ4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk 21/01/2019 11:24

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inapub

Issue 85 March 2019 ÂŁ4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

Get your piece of the

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ubs remain the UK’s number one social destination.

That’s right, among all the depressing stats that have emerged recently (there are still 14 pubs closing per day, says CAMRA, and CGA estimates there are 6,000 fewer pubs than five years ago), the CGA British Pub Market Report 2019, released last month, showed 36 per cent of hospitality visits in the year to July 18 were to pubs and a further fifth were to pub-restaurants.

This puts pub visits way above restaurants (25 per cent) and late-night bars and clubs (19 per cent) and shows that a pint and a pie down the local remains one of our favourite things to do as a nation. Talking of pies, as you may have guessed from this month’s cover, we’ve gone big on the pastry-encased dish in this issue. Our Barstool Expert gives the lowdown on page 5 and we’ve also done a guide to pies on pages 32-33.

And talking of pints there’s good news there this month as well – sales of beer were up 2.6 per cent in 2018, according to the BBPA, the biggest increase in 45 years. Find out more on that, and the performance of other drinks categories, in our Category Insights special in the Drink section (see pages 21-27). At least now, whatever Brexit brings at the end of this month, we can say it’s been a good start to the year.

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this month Community-owned pubs • The tech tycoon’s pub

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drink Resurgence of the wet-led pub • Category Insights 2019

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eat

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play Cricket • Musical instruments for punters

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stay Welcoming the away fans

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back-bar business Time for a proper spring clean?

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Pies • Bar snacks

46 time at the bar Irish pubs for a St Patrick’s pint

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Editor Robyn Black 07909 251 231 • robynb@inapub.co.uk Contributors Matt Eley, Richard Molloy

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Production editor Ben Thrush 07810 620 169 • ben@inapub.co.uk

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Chief executive Barrie Poulter 07908 144 337 • barrie@inapub.co.uk Sales manager Katy Robinson 07884 868 364 • katy@inapub.co.uk

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this month.

BARSTOOL EXPERT all you ever needed to know about PIES Who ate all the pies?

What’s with the body-shaming? You’re not so slim and sylphlike yourself.

That wasn’t an insult, it was a genuine question.

Which I imagine you’re now going to answer yourself at great length?

Well, I’ll tell you who ate all the pies. And you can forget your lazy stereotypes about Northerners, because a hungryhouse.co.uk survey in 2017 found people in London and Bristol ordered an average of 10 pies a year, more than twice the number consumed up north.

Ah of course, London, home of the jellied eel, mutton pie & mash shop…

Again, you’re letting the clichés mislead you; Londoners’ favourite pie was banoffee. Steak pies were big in Leeds and Newcastle, while Mancunians preferred pork pies.

And what about those pies that come in a dish with pastry on the top only – is that a pie, or just a casserole with a hat?

It’s a highly contentious issue. Many pubs sell such as a dish as a pie, and could quote the OED for support: ‘encased in or covered with pastry’.

However, a 2015 petition urging the government to ‘make wrongly describing a casserole with a pastry lid as a pie a criminal offence’ garnered 5,687 signatures.

So there are no actual rules then?

Well if you enter your pie for the British Pie Awards, there are: ‘All Pies in all classes of the British Pie Awards must comply with being a filling wholly encased in pastry and baked’.

I suppose the whole point of a pie is the interplay between the moist filling and the pastry crust, so a pie that fails to maximise this surface area is kind of cheating the pie-eater…

Spoken like a true pie purist. By the way, do you know where the most expensive meat pie ever was sold?

The Fence Gate Inn in Lancashire.

That’s not fair, you just Googled it!

But yes, the £8,195 pie was shared by eight guests. It contained Japanese wagyu beef and winter black truffles and was topped with edible gold leaf.

I’d have expected four-and-twenty blackbirds for that price.

In the 16th century, live animal pies were indeed a popular party piece for the rich.

Charles I was supposedly served a pie that a human dwarf jumped out of.

That’s pretty weird.

An eccentricity of the upper crust.

I’d rather eat humble pie – minced beef & onion’s good for me.

Lord of the pies: Do create a pie menu featuring five or six pies with a variety of fillings and types of pastry.

Simple Simon: Don’t forget to label which is which. Morrisons got in trouble a couple of years back for selling “chicken pies” that contained fish but no chicken.

For more on pies, see pages 32-33

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IN THE TRADE THIS MONTH Beer gets a result thanks to World Cup Volume sales of beer grew 2.6 per cent last year – the biggest increase in 45 years. The increase was attributed to a decent summer and England’s performance in the World Cup, with the biggest growth experienced in the off-trade (up 4.7 per cent), while on-trade sales were up just 0.1 per cent. However beer sales in pubs saw a strong end to the year, up 2.2 per cent in the final quarter of 2018 – the first time Q4 beers sales have grown in the on-trade since 2011.

TOP STORIES ON TRADE.INAPUB.CO.UK The Scotch Egg Challenge returns for its ninth year

Business rates inquiry is welcomed The Government has announced an inquiry into the impact of business rates, a move that was welcomed by the pub industry. British Institute of Innkeeping chief executive Mike Clist said: “It’s about time we recognize pubs’ vital contribution to our country and introduce a fair division of taxes across all areas of business.”

National Best Bar None winners revealed Plymouth has won the National Best Bar None “best overall scheme” award for the second year running. In the awards ceremony at the House of Lords, Wrexham won “Most Innovative Scheme” and Barnsley was named “Best New Scheme.”

British hospitality workers experience largest cut in hourly rates last year

Call for action despite closure slowdown

AB InBev to remove connection fees for small brewers

Pub closures have slowed to 14 pubs per day, down from 18, according to new figures from CAMRA. The organisation is still demanding action, however, and has announced a relaunch of its Save Our Pubs campaign as a result.

Pub wins national fish and chips award Pub’s leftovers to feed the community

Rachael shares her winning G&T ingredients Wonder what makes the perfect G&T? Well, Inapub caught up with Rachael Slatcher, the winner of our Best Gin & Tonic competition in association with Diageo, to find out about her award-winning drink. Rachael runs The Bell in Hillmorton, Rugby, Warwickshire, a pub which she describes as a “small community local” with “quite an affluent demographic”.

Rachael says people tend to go for “fruity gins”, especially the sloe gins, but they also have dry gins and more unusual fare. The pub offers the drink at a very affordable price too, putting it on a par with a pint. “We are pretty cheap,” she continues, “we sell it for around £5”.

Rachael says the pub “does a lot on Instagram” showing them preparing drinks, which helps with promotion – and it also does a drink of the week for punters. The gin offer has been great for business, and adds a fresh mix to the community local. “We have definitely found an increase in footfall of female customers since introducing the gin range. They really know their stuff, as they are familiar with the options during big nights out at bars in central Birmingham.”

The ingredients of the winning G&T: Tanqueray, Tanqueray Sevilla, Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water. Garnished with orange zest, orange slices, rosemary and served in a Copa glass. Congrats to Rachael and her team on their win!

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this month.inapub THE WAY I SEE IT CHRIS BECKLEY

TWEET ALL ABOUT IT

Why the trade must cut food and plastic waste

The news that Fuller’s, owner of London Pride, would be exiting the brewing game after 174 years in a deal that saw Japanese brewer Asahi buy all its beer brands for £250m shocked the beer world last month. Here’s what the Twitterati had to say:

The surge towards sustainability has undeniably impacted the hospitality industry, and with the appointment of the UK’s first Food Surplus Waste Champion at the start of January 2019, the pressure is now on for the industry to decrease its food and plastic waste. Here’s some ways pub operators can act.

Use portion control to avoid food waste Food waste is the biggest fight for sustainability that operators will face. The first place to look if they want to tackle food waste, is the bin. Understanding which ingredients or dishes are frequently being wasted, is a great first step into minimising food waste. It’s important to remember that portion control isn’t necessarily about cooking less, it just means that you are cooking to meet the needs of customers at the time.

The war on plastic 2018 saw a real shift in consumer behaviour towards sustainability, we ditched plastic straws, we recycled more than ever, and we bought reusable food and drinks containers all in a bid to do our bit – and this year we envision the war on plastic will only be more prominent.

Think recycled brown paper for sandwiches instead of plastic wrap and offering customers discounts if they bring reusable containers for food and drink.

Put it to a good cause Another option for operators looking to reduce their food waste is to offer leftovers to a local shelter or food facility. Not only will this help ensure any leftovers are used that day, but local people in need will benefit too.

[Check out ‘pubs’ leftovers to feed the community’ on trade.inapub.co.uk]

London Pride becomes Tokyo Pride. Is nothing sacred? @gplondon Asahi has made a massive vote of confidence in the future of the real ale sector in the UK with its £250m purchase of Fuller’s beer business. And if that’s not the angle you took away from the story, you’re not thinking this through properly. @zythophiliac This makes me a little sad. One of Britain’s longest-standing breweries sells up to Asahi. Fuller’s only recently bought out Dark Star too, I wonder how this will affect them? @AreviewByBrew Did a BBC 5 Live interview re Fuller’s. Discussed global brewers going on the rampage buying up smaller brewers, and concern about beer quality. Long chat with former head brewer @FullersJohn, shocked at news, thinks progressive beer duty a key factor. @RogerProtzBeer Regarding Fuller’s, business is a cycle, sometimes a very long one, but a cycle nonetheless. A Brewdog is the new Fuller really, and shows every sign of permanent, long-term business success, only on a wider canvas than old established breweries were able to operate on. @beeretseq

Chris Beckley is the managing director of KFF, a family-owned foodservice wholesaler based in Kent and Oxfordshire

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Average number of brands stocked in an independent pub, compared with 130 in a chain pub The British Pub Market Report 2019

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Made for Drink

Already sold in such fine establishments as Fortnum & Mason and The Crown at Bray, this is a new brand of upmarket snacks, each designed to be paired with a specific drink. There are four products : Mangalitza Salami Chips, made for Pilsner; Chorizo Thins for Rioja; Duck Fritons (“crisp morsels of free range British duck skin”) made for IPA; Patacones (slices of plantain fried until crunchy) to go with rum. Or you could just eat the whole lot without any paired beverages, just like the Inapub team did. For more on posh pub snacks, see p34-35. www.madefordrink.com

Honest Lemonade

Living up to its name, this organic, still lemonade aimed at grown-ups, has certification from the Soil Association to prove it is made from 100 per cent organic ingredients, says Coca-Cola European Partners. The company will launch two flavours (Lemon & Lemon Blossom and Raspberry & Lemon Blosson) into pubs and bars at the end of the month, supported with a £3m marketing campaign.

01895 231 313

Stuff

What’s new in the pub this month

Cracked Egg Muffin

How about this for a cracking Easter treat? Otis Spunkmeyer has pulled out the stops with this limited-edition chocolate chip muffin, filled with vanilla cream and topped with a white chocolate cream egg. Before you check the diary, Easter Sunday is April 21 this year. www.aryztafoodsolutions.co.uk

Trooper Nitro

This is just the first of “many exciting” projects for Iron Maiden’s beer this year, according to Robinsons, which brews the beer. This is a mixed-gas keg version of the original Trooper ale that was launched back in 2013. It is aimed at taking the brand to outlets that it previously failed reach as a cask ale, namely music festivals and live music venues. It’s a Brave New World for the brand. brewery@frederic-robinson.co.uk

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Vegan ice-cream

Non-dairy ice-cream might sound like a contradiction in terms but that’s not stopping New Forest Ice Cream. The company’s two most popular flavours – vanilla and salted caramel – are being launched as vegan variants as well, so now your nondairy consuming customers will be like the cats that got the cream. Or, well, you know what we mean. www.newforesticecream.com

Funnybones Foodservice Jackfruit

Bonzer Barman’s Apron

Jackfruit: a fruit well accomplished in many trades but a master of none? Not just a joke – while the jackfruit has hit the mainstream as a popular alternative to meat in recent times, did you know it can also be used in desserts? Funnybones Foodservice offers both options – the young fruit in brine for savoury dishes, while the fully ripe fruit in syrup is “suitable for dishes such as cakes and jellies”.

01707 321 321

Staff uniforms or wear what you like, is a standard question in our regular Plate or Slate feature (see page 46 for this month’s) but whatever your answer, you might be interested in this apron that has been designed specifically for bar staff. It is the first move into clothes for barware brand Bonzer.

The apron features a large central pocket for tools of the trade such as strainers and mixing spoons, and two side pockets for cleaning cloths, notepads and the like. www.mitchellcooper.com

Grand Café Project Waterfall blend

UCC Coffee’s support of Project Waterfall gives pubs the chance to deliver fresh coffee to their customers and fresh water and sanitation to coffee-growing communities. Sales of this blend will further support areas of Uganda and Ethiopia where recent projects have helped provide clean water to more than 16,000 people.

Blended and splendid. www.ucc-coffee.co.uk

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Wrapmaster Sustainable Cling Film

Think wrapmaster, think Dr Dre, Snoop or Eminem… but cling film can be pioneering too. Cofresco Foodservice’s new product is made using polyethylene and 26 per cent from plant-based sources, helping you to be a little greener in the kitchen. www.aryztafoodsolutions.co.uk

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community

Keeping it in the

by JAMES EVISON

Community-owned pubs are the only segment of pub ownership that hasn’t seen a single closure in recent years. So is this the golden age of the community-owned pub?

Top to bottom: judges outside the pub as it hosts the World Beer Awards; volunteers raise a glass; campaigning for investment .

Facing page: launching the community share scheme in 2015

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According to the Plunkett Foundation, more than 1,250 communities have registered their local as an asset of community value (ACV) under community rights, but to date only around 140 have purchased their pub.

These success stories of communities fighting back and saving their locals, are truly inspiring though – and show it can be done. Stories such as that of The Duke of Marlborough, in Somersham, Cambridgeshire.

Driving into Somersham takes you along a country lane to a cluster of houses. This could be any village in England.

Sitting proudly at the centre of this small community is the 500-year-old Duke of Marlborough public house – saved from closure by its locals.

The Duke is a lovely example of how a community got together to save its pub. The pub closed in 2014 and it looked destined to be converted into residential properties.

But a local doctor, Sarah Caston, set up the “Save the Duke” campaign to try to keep it as a pub. After a public meeting was held

and a steering group set up, a registered company was established as a Community Benefit Society, whereby shareholders own the pub and the (democratically elected) management committee run it on their behalf.

The pub was purchased just over a year ago, refurbished and has now become a sustainable co-operative business. It is a wonderful story that has been played out more than 130 times across the UK, according to data from CAMRA and Pub is the Hub. The current chairman of the management committee, Dave Thorne, lives opposite the pub. “In the early days there was a lot of enthusiasm – but it took a long time to get from there to where we are now,” he says.“I’m sure there are some who would think twice now about being involved if they had known how much work it would be.”

But he smiles: “It builds community spirit that I have never seen before – and it’s about gritting your teeth and not giving up.”

Mike Shelmerdine, a member of the committee, says the volunteers were crucial

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Where to get support

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I’m sure some would think twice about being involved if they knew how much work it would be. But it builds community spirit I have never seen before trade.inapub.co.uk

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to getting the pub off the ground – and getting the funding across the line.“We had people with a number of different backgrounds helping on the committee and in the pub,” he says. “You need people willing to do that. Take the plumber, he was vital – it’s great business for them too, he’s got loads of work off the back of helping out.”

It takes all sorts

Sitting around the pub table with members of the committee, you can see what Mike means about skills. Local resident Frances Brace is a PR expert with a background in beer, and Maggie James has a background in fundraising management. There are craftspeople and someone who owns a hop farm. Having such people fills in the gaps with the kind of people a professional pub company would normally have.

The biggest factor in the success of community owned pubs though – and something you hear time and time again – is the support from the “community of Community Benefit Societies” (CBS). Dave says: “There is a real network across the country of other people in the same boat as us who want to help. We visited a community-run pub and that was really useful in our journey and

Plunkett Foundation This body, which supported both The Duke and The Shrewsbury Arms, has the More than a Pub programme, which is a three year “end to end” scheme to help communities buy pubs, and includes cross-work with national community-focused groups and finance firms. It enables locals to build up a finance package of loans and grants to make the dream of owning their village pub a reality.

CAMRA Tom Stainer, chief executive of CAMRA, says the campaign body focuses specifically on making pubs assets of community value (ACV). He told Inapub: “While we are unable to provide funding for buyouts, we offer advice and information on how to save pubs from closure and work closely with the Plunkett Foundation to support local communities along this process.”

Pub is the Hub A spokesperson told Inapub that groups should consider all options, including the co-operative model of ownership, leases or tenancy agreements. It also publishes a guidance pack for communities and has a new initiative with the BII to offer a year’s free membership and support – available to download at www.pubisthehub.org.uk/ 11 community-ownership/ MARCH 2019

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Above: Fun for all the family at The Duke

understanding the issues at hand.”

A good example of another person benefiting from such advice is Jonny Grey, who heads the campaign to save The Shrewsbury Arms in Kingstone, Staffordshire. They are at the other end of the spectrum from the Duke – just starting on the journey to community ownership after the pub closed last year and hoping to be in a position to put an offer of purchase this spring. “Most of our help came from other CBS, and the societies were keen to help share their experience in a much bigger way,” says Jonny. “There really is a community of community-owned pubs – and I think this will be invaluable going forward for them to keep thriving.”

Like Dave, though, Jonny warns it is hard work. “You basically need a core six people for whom it is a full-time job, and then an additional six on the committee to help out,” he says. “Do not underestimate the amount of work that needs to be done.”

Know who’s boss

Below: the campaign to Save the Duke gains traction

What does Dave think is the most important thing to get right when running a community-owned pub?

“Make sure you have the skills required – and also make sure to rotate the committee.

It is always good to have a fresh pair of eyes looking at what has been going on.”

“It’s also crucial to have a clear hierarchy of management to stop everyone piling in with their requests. People come to me as the chairman and I put forward suggestions to Kevin, our manager.”

This is Kevin Long, the pub manager and a hospitality professional with 40 years of

experience. He was chosen by the committee from a strong field of applicants.

Kevin says the philosophy of being community owned runs through the whole pub, including the food and drink offer. But this is a business – and it needs to attract customers beyond the locals.“We have our own branded lager thanks to Adnams and our food is locally sourced, including meat supplied from a local butcher,” Kevin says. “We can trace the food all the way back to the farm.”

He laughs: “Actually, we had a problem with the steaks and went back to the butcher, who went back to the farmer, and we were able to identify the cow itself.”

But surely the committee members – and those who have personally invested – are often asking to have their favourite beer on tap or food on the menu? Kevin smiles wryly: “It’s not been too bad – now with Dave as chair we are working well together, but in the early days there were some requests. We rotate the beers a lot and we have worked with the community on the food menu.”

The truth is that this isn’t a normal business – as is clear when I step into the pub.

In an isolated rural community, it is a safe space for vulnerable residents and for women to come in by themselves.

As Frances Brace, the aforementioned PR consultant, beer expert and local resident on the committee, says: “I wouldn’t always feel comfortable going into a pub as a woman by myself, but here it is completely different.

There is always someone from the community and the campaign here to talk to.”

Mike agrees when I say it is a bit like being in your own living room: “The people who work behind the bar are volunteers and locals to the community. We have all got to know each other well.”

On the Wednesday before my visit to the pub, there was a quiz night. They had to turn 40 people away, I’m told, because the place was rammed. I’m gobsmacked. It doesn’t take an expert to realise the incredible achievement of a rural pub in a community of several hundred people having to turn away people midweek on a cold, wet, February night.

Pubs can still be the lifeblood of their villages. Here is living proof.

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FAMOUS FOR A TECH BOSS WHO REOPENED HIS OLD LOCAL

James Evison tells the tale of a tycoon who put his cash to good use

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We wanted to bring back the life to the place so people could enjoy it for generations to come

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For most famous tech entrepreneurs living in San Francisco, the idea of investing in the rural British pub trade is probably far down the list. But for Michael and Xochi Birch, who founded social networking site Bebo in 2005 and sold it to AOL three years later for $850m, the opportunity to purchase a community local was too tempting to miss. Why? Because it was The Farmers Arms in Woolfardisworthy, north Devon, where Michael has family ties stretching back centuries, and spent many summers as a child.

In October 2014, the Birches bought the Grade II listed pub – and the local manor house – in the village, after it had lain derelict for nearly two years. Emily Harmon, project manager for the Birches, and who oversaw the redevelopment, refurbishment and operation of the pub, explains the redevelopment.

“Pubs like this struggle,” she says, “and the main goal for Michael was for this to be a pub specifically for the local community and for his family, and for it to be refurbished to such a high standard that it wouldn’t have to be touched again for 100 years.

“We wanted to bring back the life to the place so that their children, and children’s children, could enjoy it for generations to come.”

It was important to keep the pub as much like the old local as possible, Emily says, and local architecture firm Jonathan Rind kept to the brief of creating a sympathetic historic refurbishment fit for a pub business in the 21st century.

“We haven’t changed any of the historical parts of the building at all. We have kept the original flagstone floors in place with a clean-up, and even the original shape of the bar, which runs through two rooms, and isn’t ideal from a service perspective.

“But we wanted it to be completely recognisable to any locals that have been in before the pub closed, so they can go “oh, I remember the walls like this”, and they can still sit at what they call the ‘top bar’.”

The Birches also got in a top designer from London to make the pub really sparkle, with a woodworker employed to renovate Windsor chairs and other furniture.

“Each room has its own personality,” says Emily, “with the design matching the historic part of the buildings. Then as you journey through the pub, the furniture and design become more modern.”

Foodservice for all

The food offer for the Birches’ project began life as fish & chips, after they purchased the next door fish & chip shop. The chippy had been kept open just a couple of days a week by locals, and the Birches were asked if they wanted to take it over.

“So we took that on,” Emily says, “and the idea was simply to have the best fish & chips around.”

The pub then took on Ian Webber (pictured) from the Rick Stein group as executive chef. Ian’s plan was to create two menus for separate sections of the pub – the restaurant in the back part of the building, and a traditional pub menu at the front – both of which would focus on local ingredients. The menus are served by separate kitchens and run by separate teams to ensure quality control and consistency.

He also does a Sunday roast menu, consisting of a selection of sharing platters with seasonal vegetables, which Emily describes as ‘like going to your nan’s house for lunch”.

“All of the pub food aims to be the best it can be for the type of British fare we do,” Emily continues. “It is modern British in the

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dining room and then you have dishes such as Devon cottage pie and sausage, egg & chips in the pub.”

Creating a compelling food offer was vital to the business success of the pub.

“You quite literally have to drive past all the other pubs and restaurants in north Devon to get the Farmer’s Arms,” Emily says, “so we have to be the best to get people in.”

And what has the reaction from locals been? “It has been quite something. We opened in September but haven’t done much publicity beyond the local community as we wanted them to feel like they had ownership.

“We employ 15 staff from the community, who we fully trained and many of whom haven’t worked in hospitality before.”

The Birches’ long-term plan is to have a farm sourcing ingredients for Ian’s kitchens, with Devon rare breed meats, unusual herbs and foraged ingredients.

“The business is all about helping the local economy. Our dream plan is to have the farm and employ 150 people in the local community, which will revolutionise employment for the region.”

Saving a pub and then rebuilding a local economy? Cheers to that.

The Farmer’s Arms Woolfardisworthy, Devon Beer offer: Four ales on rotation from local breweries. No national or regional distributor – all locally sourced drinks.

Future accommodation plans: A 17 bedroom hotel in the local Manor House, also derelict at the time of purchasing the Farmer’s Arms. Also plans to convert cottages into part of the accommodation offer of the business.

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26/02/2019 23:51

RICHARD MOLLOY As I write this it’s Valentine’s day.

All across the country ribbons are being untied, jewellery boxes are being flipped open and flower vans are doing their rounds delivering love, duty and relief at him not forgetting again.

Tonight the theatres, cinemas and restaurants will be packed with handholding smoochers having a night off from leggings and Eastenders to go out on a schoolnight, parade their forever love to the world and forget about the time Kevin snogged that bird from Tescos.

The pubs will probably be quiet. Oh I’m sure that the more established couple will pop in for one before their linguine, and some pubs will probably dim the lights, put candles on the tables and play Lionel Richie all night long by way of creating a romantic atmosphere, but for the most part our punters tonight will be downbeat singletons avoiding the mush and/or Chelsea or Arsenal fans risking the wrath of their partner in the hope of witnessing Europa League glory against a team whose name is written in hieroglyphics.

I understand that “fancy a couple down The Dog?” isn’t the most auspicious way to woo a mate on February 14, and that inflated expectation negates the local boozer as an option for eye-gazing and footsy, but I think it’s a shame. After all it’s where many people met their other halves and it’s a stock venue for first dates – the casual ambience, diversity of clientele and inhibition-loosening effects of alcohol form a perfect environment for the getting-to-knowyou stage of relationships.

As with nearly all aspects of life, modern ways have changed the way we do things.

Before Tinder, Grindr, eHarmony and others, the pub was the go-to dating site. It was where you met people, where you got to know someone and where you got to like them before plucking up the Dutch courage to ask them out. Nowadays it’s where people arrange to meet up for the first time

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We’re a refuge for the jilted and brokenhearted. But I’ve known couples who’ve met in my pub, seen them celebrate their enagement, their wedding, the birth of their children Richard Molloy is director of four-strong pubco White Rose Taverns and the microbrewery Platform Five. Read more of his work on trade.inapub.co.uk

after swapping messages about their favourite music, films and what they do for a living; they’ve already shared links to their favourite websites, songs and TV programmes, and sent pictures of their pets, friends, family and genitals.

So now, when I see Tinderella walk in to meet a nervous Prince Swiperight I hope it works out. I hope that this is the start of something beautiful and that they will forever think fondly of my pub; that they will return one day and tell whoever is behind the bar about their first date and maybe even mention the landlord who served them their first drink.

Of course we see the other side of it too, and the flip-side of romance can actually be more profitable. We’re a refuge for the jilted and peddle solace to the cheated-on and broken-hearted. We’re a cure for the loneliness of the halfway-flat for the recently single, and tonight we’ll see those that are marginalised by the annual outpouring of affection. We’ll talk to them, get them drunk and say goodbye to them as they head home to cheer themselves up by sending pictures of their penis to strangers.

But at the end of the day pubs deal in pleasure, and some of my deepest pride in being a publican has come from seeing people get together a bar’s width away.

Sometimes it’s people you’ve introduced or employed. I’ve known couples who’ve met in my pub. Seen them celebrate their engagement, their wedding and the birth of their children.

In a way relationships define pubs and what we offer: we’re here for the singleton needing an ear, the Plenty of Fisher angling for a hook-up and the old couple’s routine stout and sherry. We’re the oldest dating site around and we’re here for life.

But maybe not for Valentine’s.

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/02/2019 23:55

Are you suffering from illness?

You can talk to us about anything.

For advice on health or other issues like mental health, money or education and training, just call our helpline on 0808 801 0550 or visit licensedtradecharity.org.uk The last thing you want to do is bottle things up.

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28/02/2019 11:19 19/02/2019 16:18

drink Has the pub market reached “peak food?” It was a question posed in the recent CGA report, The British Pub Market, Reasons to be Optimistic for 2019.

The idea we might have maximised our potential as purveyors of food may not on the face of it seem that positive but, if true, it does represent an opportunity for the oldschool boozer to return.

Well, all right then, maybe not an old-school boozer but certainly a 2.0 version of it, as the stats suggest that wet-led establishments might soon have their time in the sun again.

For, while the figures show that over the past five years the number of food-led pubs and bars has increased by 2 per cent — equivalent to net openings of 351 new sites or six(ish) a month — and we can also see that drink-led outlets are down 17 per cent over the same period, there are signs that the decline in numbers may be starting to bottom out.

with ROBYN BLACK

Or as the report has it: “In the year to September 2018 the pace of closures (of drink-led venues) slowed significantly to around 18 sites a week. The cleanout of unsustainable drinking pubs is not over yet but there is definite evidence that supply is now approaching more realistic levels of demand.”

Despite my love of an attentiongrabbing opening line, then, it may well be too audacious at this point to suggest the pub market has in fact reached “peak food”. It does seem, however, perfectly sensible to suggest that drink-led pubs are becoming relevant again.

Those that succeed will be run by landlords who see the sense in tapping into trends such as craft beer, gin, low- and no-alcohol and cocktails, as well as whatever else Generation Z and beyond desires.

And, to a fault, a new generation of drinking pubs needs to provide better décor, service and entertainment than the boozers of yore.

It does seem perfectly sensible to suggest that drink-led pubs are becoming relevant again

COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN

CARLSBERG • Danish Pilsner Carlsberg has promised a multimillionpound campaign to support the THATCHERS • Race Car rebranding of its A new TV ad for Thatchers cider has been flagship beer as released. It features a slow car race through Carlsberg Danish Somerset and the West Country to underline the company’s commitment to Pilsner. Activity making quality cider and will be shown from now until September. will launch next month and run COCA-COLA • Where Everybody Plays for the rest of the Ex-footballer Jermaine Jenas stars as a battered fish in this year, including TV, TV ad to promote a three-and-a-half-year tie-up between Coca-Cola and the Premier League. Fellow football star Jesse online and outdoor poster ads.

Lingard also appears alongside a host of real-life footie fans.

18 MARCH 2019 p18-19 drink intro.indd 18

trade.inapub.co.uk 28/02/2019 11:25

Kokoro Gin Japanese liqueurs Timed to coincide with the Japanese cherry blossom viewing season, Kokoro — “the British gin with a Japanese heart” — has unveiled three gin liqueurs. Kokoro Blueberry & Lemongrass, Kokoro Yuzu & Ginger and Kokoro Cherry Blossom are all available now. info@mangroveuk.com

El Bandarra

The trend for vermouth is gathering pace in the UK, according to Love Drinks, which has added this Spanish range to its line-up.

Two vermouths from the Barcelona-based brand have launched here: El Bandarra Red and El Bandarra White. lovedrinks.com

Look out for...

Cape Brewing Co

Three beers from the South African craft brewer Cape Brewing Co have been added to the Morgenrot portfolio. The trio comprises: a 5.1 per cent ABV Cape Point Lager; a 6.5 per cent ABV Cape Point India Pale Ale, and a 4.8 per cent Cape Point Pale Ale, all of which are brewed adhering to Germany’s historic Reinheitsgebot brewing laws. enquiries@morgenrot.co.uk

Fentimans

The newest addition to the botanically brewed Fentimans soft drinks range is this “quintessentially British” flavour combination of red apples and ripe blackberries. The variant is aimed at a “new, discerning consumer who expects differentiated flavour experiences and premium quality options above and beyond ordinary carbonated drinks”, marketing director Andrew Jackson said.

01434 609 847

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28/02/2019 01:11

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28/02/2019 10:31

drink.

The UK drinks market is worth a whopping £46.45 billion, according to Mintel and, as a publican, you need to make sure you are getting your fair share of it. That’s why, at this time each year, we bring you our Category Insights special – an in-depth look at the six main drinks categories, compiled from hard data, expert analysis and research.

So, without further ado, here it is for 2019�.

CATEGORY INSIGHTS Still room to grow in an increasingly popular segment With more and more people shunning the booze — if not permanently, then certainly on more frequent occasions — there is a £2.6bn opportunity for soft drinks in the UK, according to the most recent Britvic Soft Drinks Review. of drinks consumed by The market for soft drinks is worth children out of home last around £14bn today but the bods at year were specific Britvic believe there is significant room for children’s drink further growth, particularly in the “with food” brands market and the kid’s sector.

Only six per cent of what kids drank out of home last year was specific children’s drinks brands, the company claims, yet 40 per cent were drinking tap water in pubs and restaurants. The company estimates if it can increase kids’ consumption of branded drinks out of home by just one per cent, that would be worth an extra £3.3 million a year to the on-trade.

To this end, in the past 12 months the company invested in a £3m campaign for its J20 brand featuring a Cockney alpaca called Mojo and the first TV ad for its Fruit Shoot Juiced range in October. For the “with food” opportunity, meanwhile, it launched new zero proof drinks into the market as an alternative to alcoholic mixed drinks, including Monte Rosso and T&E, a “botanical beverage” made with 20 ingredients.

Currently, Britvic remains the secondbiggest soft drinks manufacturer in the on-trade, in front of Red

6%

SOF DRI T NKS

Bull, Fever-Tree (which is up an astonishing 65 per cent in value in the sector) and Barr, but behind Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP).

The latter has also been focusing on that opportunity for growth and is promising a raft of new products for the on-trade in 2019, including the recently revealed Honest Lemonade — a still, low-sugar, organic, grown-up range of two lemonades (see page 8) — and Honest Kids, a blend of juice and water with similar credentials as the adult counterpart. It has also just revealed a three-and-a-half-year sponsorship of the Premier League and deals with the Women’s World Cup and the ICC Cricket World Cup this summer.

CCEP says it will also be maintaining its focus on carbonates, which remain a huge part of the soft drinks market, with sugarfree versions taking the fore following the introduction of the Soft Drinks Levy (AKA the Sugar Tax) in 2018. Coca-Cola Zero is up 266 per cent in the licenced on-trade, according to CCEP, for example, so we should expect to see even more investment and innovation in this part of the market over the next 12 months from all fizzy drink manufacturers.

Other players in the market are looking to tap into the trend for mocktails, such as Vimto with its alcoholic slushie range Fryst; the mixer market, with others looking to follow in the footsteps of Fever-Tree (company sales rose 39 per cent to £236 million in 2018, according to the last set of financial results); and craft, for example Global Brands’ range of infused sodas under its Franklin & Sons brand.

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CATEGORY INSIGHTS SPIRIT The gin boom continues as interest in premium grows While vodka remains the country’s biggest selling spirit by volume, the category dipped one per cent in 2018, losing out to gin, which by contrast posted a 24.4 per cent increase in sales by volume year on year.

This triumph of gin has helped maintain growth in the white spirits category overall, which grew by 35.8 per cent between 2013 and 2018 to £7.5bn (Mintel) and the on-trade remains fertile ground for companies that want to drive growth.

While all industry watchers predict that the gin boom shows little sign of slowing down just yet, forecasters have been pointing to dark spirits such as American whiskey and rum as possible successors. Indeed, Mintel figures show that the dark spirits and liqueurs market grew by 20 per cent between 2013 and 2018 and is currently worth just under £6 billion across the on and off-trades in the UK. Such growth has been driven not just by inflation but also sales growth in the two aforementioned categories, Mintel figures show.

The data firm also suggests offering of drinkers opt for quality more premium brands is key to making money out of this sector, with 57 per cent over quantity when it of drinkers preferring to drink a smaller comes to spirits quantity of a premium dark spirit or liqueur than a larger quantity of a standard one.

Education remains key to growing the sector within interested groups, while sampling and discounts can lure in new drinkers. Pubs will be able to tap into this by staging tasting sessions, meet the distiller events and encouraging staff to give recommendations.

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SUPPLIER’S VIEW With the continued growth of premium and craft, the future of the spirits category looks bright.

The gin boom is unmissable and is likely to continue for a number of years as brands continue to innovate.

Consumers have become increasingly demanding when it comes to their choice of spirit and we’re now seeing their attention turn to the other key part of the equation – the mixer. This represents a great opportunity to up-sell, so venues need to have a premium mixer range to match their spirit range.

Discerning drinkers are increasingly looking for mixers that complement and accentuate a spirit’s taste, rather than masking it. By offering a range such as Merchant’s Heart, expertly crafted to allow the full flavour of the spirit to shine through, operators can meet a clear need.

Aside from G&Ts, when looking at the spirits category more broadly it’s hard to miss the NoLo movement. As moderating alcohol consumption becomes relevant to more people, this trend is only going to grow. These consumers aren’t willing to compromise on their experience though, so we’re seeing the on-trade really starting to embrace this movement and rise to the challenge of creating brilliant options for the NoLo drinker.

Personally, I’d love to see long mixed drinks featuring sherry, sake or port which offer all the style and flavour but around half the alcohol. A Jerez Fino sherry enhanced with Merchant’s Heart Floral Aromatics Tonic & orange zest is sublime!

Jason Sennit Head of Merchant’s Heart

28/02/2019 11:39

Merchant’s Heart is a trademark used under license. Please drink responsibly.

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28/02/2019 10:27

CATEGORY INSIGHTS Sales are flat in the on-trade but low-alcohol is a bright spot Last year, UK beer sales experienced their biggest year-on-year growth in 45 years – up 2.6 per cent, according to the British Beer & Pub Association’s (BBPA) Beer Barometer figures.

Unfortunately for pubs, this was largely year-on-year growth of beer due to increased sales in the off-trade, which saw a 4.7 per cent upturn on sales in pubs, bars and 2017’s figures, compared with a mere 0.1 restaurants per cent growth in pubs, bars and restaurants. Pubs did see a strong end to the

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year, however with beer sales growing by 2.2 per cent in the final quarter and, notably, this is the first time beer sales have grown in the last quarter of the year in the on-trade since 2011.

Earlier in the year, undoubtedly England’s performance in the World Cup and a decent summer helped shift volumes (despite an unprecedented C02 crisis, which threatened but ultimately didn’t cause, beer shortages in the UK). Unsurprisingly, lager in particular benefited, according to Mintel.

The trend for low- and no- beers also fuelled demand – with Heineken claiming to have sold 15 million bottles of its 0.0 variant in 2018. Boss David Forde has ambitious plans for the beer and recently publicly declared that he’s going after the Coca-Cola and spring water crowd, aiming to double sales to 30 million bottles in 2019.

Of course, Heineken isn’t the only brewer going after this market and this year has seen a good performance from brands such as Krombacher Low Alcohol Pils, as well as zero-alcohol versions of Budweiser (Budweiser Prohibition) and Peroni Nastro Azzuro (Peroni Libera) launched.

It’s not just the lager end of the market getting into low- and no- either. In November Greene King made its move into the sector with the 0.5 per cent ABV Old Speckled Hen Low Alcohol. This was a bright spot in a sector that remains troubled – this year’s Cask Report figures showed cask sales falling sharply, down 6.8 per cent in volume in the year to July 2018, a rate of decline greater than that of the overall beer market over the same period.

All is not lost, however, and there are some bright spots for ale fans. Golden ales are in growth (this includes cask and keg products), for example. One in seven pints of beer sold in pubs is cask and, at £1.6bn, sales of cask are worth double those of gin to the on-trade.

trade.inapub.co.uk 28/02/2019 04:03

drink.

Brexit a big opportunity for New World brands

WIN

E

There is no doubt that for British wine fans the Prosecco party continues — from Prosecco-flavoured crisps to giant-sized bottles to low-alcohol and low-calorie versions, it was rarely out of the headlines last year.

And with good reason, as it is currently the third-most popular wine style in the UK (26 per cent of adults buy Prosecco, Mintel says) and analysts predict hat Prosecco will to continue to grow this year and beyond. No surprise, then, that there were a number of new launches into this area, notably from Accolade Wines, which added one to its Echo Falls range last autumn, having already launched one under its on-trade exclusive label Jack Rabbit, the year before.

Despite the sparkle in this section of the market, however, still wine remains the most popular kind of wine to drink with still white wine commanding 36 per cent of purchases and still red wine 31 per cent, according to Mintel.

Further good news is the value in the overall market is in growth — it was up five per cent in 2017 to £13.1 billion. This has been driven by price increases and by drinkers trading up to more premium wines, rather than volume growth, though. such as the fruit-spiked fruit fusion wines, The sector also suffers from a lack of experimentation, with research suggesting will help lure in new drinkers to the category.

The on-trade’s reliance on Old World wine fans remain reliant on a narrow repwine is also being challenged by the ertoire of styles. Wine festivals, sampling uncertainties of Brexit and some — and wine suggestions on menus, notably JD Wetherspoon pubs posters and on the bar will help — have already taken measpeople to move beyond their ures to bring in brands from comfort zone in the pub Australia, New Zealand and environment, along with California to replace the offering a decent selection French and Italian wines by the glass.

Value of the overall that have dominated restauCreating your own wine market in 2017, rant, bar and pub wine lists wine-based drinks such as up five per cent for so long. spritzers and promoting lowerAll of these factors suggest alcohol wines will take the category wine fans may be forced out of their to those looking to cut down on alcohol, comfort zones in the near future, somewhom as we know are growing in number, thing the pub trade will be able to turn to while offering some of the more innovative profit if licensees are canny. products to hit the market in recent times,

£13.1bn

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28/02/2019 04:03

CATEGORY INSIGHTS Berries have been making the most noise in an evolving sector Mintel figures show the cider market is worth an impressive £3.6bn in the UK. What’s more, between 2013 and 2018 the total UK cider market rose by 14.8 per cent.

This helps to make sense of what has been to some extent a year of consolidation for the cider category, with 289-yearof cider sales will be fruit old Suffolk firm Aspall Cyder being variants within five years, swallowed up by Molson Coors, Brewdog predicts Westons snapping up Hawkes Cider, and Cornish Orchards moving from family firm Fuller’s to Japanese brewer Asahi, as part of the latter’s £250m takeover of the former.

These headline figures mask a less positive story, however, as industry-watchers say that 14.8 per cent rise was primarily driven by inflation and masks a “volatile”

50%

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sales performance.

Within that we can identify some positive performances, however, primarily from berry-flavoured cider this year – CGA figures show that demand in this area is growing, with 195 million pints of fruit cider now drunk in the on-trade.

Westons says its debut of Stowford Press Mixed Berries reflects this, as it is the most successful launch in the company’s history, selling one million pints through pubs and bars in its first six months. The cider-maker now predicts that fruit variants will make up almost half of all cider sold in the UK within five years.

All of this follows, of course, Heineken’s trailblazing move into draught fruit-flavoured cider with Strongbow Dark Fruit launched back in 2013 (2014 into pubs), and the brand continues to dominate the market.

Thatchers, meanwhile, has launched a rosé version of its cider, made with dessert apples. Mintel statistics show that rosé cider appeals to 22 per cent of drinkers, rising to 28 per cent among women, which suggests this could be a fertile furrow. “The launch was also an example of cider producers blurring the boundaries with wine, seen also in Canadian ‘super-premium’ brand Bulwark, which arrived in the UK in February 2018,” Mintel’s cider report stated.

The report points to an opportunity for barrel-aged ciders as well, suggesting that these have a particular appeal to the over55s, “making these variants a promising means for companies to maintain engagement among older consumers.”

At the younger end of the market some brand-owners are taking a leaf out of the brewer’s handbook and producing lowerand no-alcohol ciders to get a share of the growing low- and no- market. The most high profile of these include Stowford Press Low Alcohol and Old Mout Alcohol Free Berries & Cherries.

trade.inapub.co.uk 28/02/2019 11:00

drink.

The market is diversifying to meet changing tastes

RTD

s

the short to medium term.

While it is true that the overall category is in decline, down five per cent by value in the on-trade (CGA), there are still many reasons to be positive.

The Global Brands-owned VK, for example, continues to be the biggest brand in the UK on-trade and is bucking the market, showing growth of 4.5 per cent.

Its recent campaign to choose a new flavour by public vote saw Watermelon receiving 19,000 of the whopping 35,000 votes cast and is rolling out now.

WKD too has added to its range, Age of core market revealing WKD Mango for the RTD category Crush last April. Its blue variant, however, remains the largest single flavour in the on-trade (CGA to October 18, MAT by volume) and, along with the second-biggestselling single variant Smirnoff Ice, accounts for almost 40 per cent of total RTD volume in the on-trade. WKD owner SHS Drinks has also stretched the brand in recent times with the cocktail-inspired WKD Mixed range and the low calorie NKD variants launched in May 2018 and November 2016, respectively.

Outside of the biggest brands there is also plenty going on, demonstrating how vibrant the category remains.

Global Brands, for example, has seen its craft-inspired Crooked brand post doubledigit growth, albeit off a small base, the company reports. It is also targeting RTDs at the “with food” opportunity via its Hoopers range, and the retro crowd with Hooch.

Start-up brands too, are seeing potential in the category. Longflint, created by a team who used to work in a London craft brewery, and Happy Down, billed as the “UK’s first crafted sparkling cocktails in a can,” have recently emerged on the scene, for example.

All of which demonstrates that the category remains a vibrant and key one for pubs and bars.

CGA data shows that circuit bars remain the most important outlets for RTD sales, followed by wet-led pubs – together they account for 60 per cent of all on-trade volume for the category – and free-trade pubs continue to deliver more sales by volume for RTDs than managed, leased or tenanted outlets.

It is these outlets then, that should be a focus for brand owners in the category over

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28/02/2019 11:41

eat The results are in, and a record number of 250,000 people signed up to Veganuary this year. This really is a phenomenal achievement for veganism, and, to put it in perspective, that is the total number of the previous four years of the campaign combined.

So is going plant-based the big new trend? According to an article I saw the other day, it is the new “rock n’ roll”.

Well, I’m not sure about that, but the fact this question is even being asked shows how far it has come from a fringe lifestyle choice and all the jokes that went with it.

For pubs over the past few Januarys, the fight has been between Dry January and Try January, but this year it felt as if Veganuary broke into the mainstream.

Where has this shift come from? Perhaps it is best to look at veganism within the wider health trends across the UK. The younger generation may appear to live in their phones – but they also live in the gym. They live for health, in fact, and “wellbeing” is probably their generational rebellion. Maybe spin classes are their rock n’ roll.

Really? Well, it’s not that much of a surprise. The

Get your scotch eggs at the ready

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with JAMES EVISON indulgence of Generation X and the Baby Boomers must look shocking to teenagers and those in their early twenties. Headlines about obesity, diabetes and cancer must be taking their toll on the habits of millions of under-30s. There has been a widespread public health campaign in the past 20 years – maybe we are finally seeing the fruits of that?

Looking at all the stories about Veganuary, what really stood out was how people “identify” as vegan – it is a lifestyle choice, not just a diet. But even the type of lifestyle choice it represents has shifted in recent times. In the past, veganism was very much a fringe option, but now sports stars like David Haye and celebrities like Ariana Grande have embraced it. Being vegan is cool.

It’s important to think about this fact when creating dishes: explain the ethical sourcing, how the dish helps the environment, how it represents their lifestyle choice.

That is how they see their veganism.

Rock n’ roll? Maybe not – but it’s going to grow and grow. Never has it been more crucial to have vegan dishes on your menu.

This year’s Scotch Egg Challenge will take place on Wednesday, April 10. It will be hosted by Oisín Rogers, landlord of The Guinea Grill in London’s Canonbury who founded the competition.

Previous winners have come from some of the finest eateries across the country, including The Drapers Arms, Holborn Dining Room, and Smoking Goat, whose southern Thai-spiced Tamworth pork with fermented crab, chilli & kaffir lime Scotch egg was crowned 2018’s winner.

Oisín set up the competition as an opportunity for chefs and their teams from pubs and restaurants all around the country to come together in a spirit of camaraderie and collaboration.

The winner will be decided by an expert panel of judges who will blind-taste each egg, scoring out of 10 for taste, appearance and presentation. In 2018, just half a point separated the first- and second-place Scotch eggs.

The Scotch Egg Challenge is free to attend, subject to capacity, and entries are now open. Venues can express an interest by emailing: guinea@youngs.co.uk

27/02/2019 00:24

EGG HOPPER

Dharshini Perumal, co-owner Karapincha Sri Lankan restaurant Currently in residence at The Limehouse, Canary Wharf, London

Relish

“This is another important part of the dish. The relish is made up of chilli, tamarind, and onion, which is slowly cooked for many hours in order to provide a soft, deep flavour.”

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The hopper

“To make the hopper you grind rice into a thin paste, then add coconut milk then the yeast to finish off the batter. Heat the pan like you would for a yorkshire pudding, until it is very hot, then pour a spoonful of the batter mix into an appachatti – a special kind of pan specific for this dish. Twist the pan around until the batter is up the sides and creates the bowl shape for several minutes. You have to be very careful as you move the batter around and it is a real skill that takes time – if the batter is too thin it will break and disform, and the overall bowl effect will be lost. Once it is cooked, you should have a hopper which is crispy on the edges and fluffy in the middle, into which you can place the fried egg or leave it plain.”

Pol sambol

“This is a traditional accompaniment to the hopper. It is made from freshly ground coconut, dried whole chillies, and lime powder.”

27/02/2019 00:13

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28/02/2019 11:13

Pick up a pie

by JAMES EVISON

Pies are always a popular choice on a pub menu — but do you go home-made or consider buying them in?

Pie & mash and a pint – perhaps the quintessential pub meal. But choosing exactly what type of pie to serve can be tricky.

Indeed, as punters get more adventurous in their menu choices, the variety of pies has snowballed — and so has the work required to make them. With this in mind, why not leave it to the experts and buy them in?

Charlotte Salaman is landlady of The Pie supplier Olivier Kay’s pork and rhubarb pie offers a seasonal twist

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Wych Elm in Kingston, Surrey. Six months ago, the pub altered its pie option after years of making it in-house. “We had been doing just a pastry-top pie that was homemade for about four years — but we decided to change to a full encased pie provided by our local butcher,” she says.

Although Charlotte was concerned about buying in the pie — “we make everything else”, she says — in the end the pub went for a steak & blue cheese pie, a chicken & ham hock pie and a cheese & sweet potato pie, all produced a local butcher.

Paying the pieman

The two things Charlotte loves the most about buying in a pie are the consistency of the product and the impact the pub not having to make its own pies has in the kitchen.

“We used to have someone just making pies about two days a week,” she says. “Of course, it costs us more to buy them in, but with labour costs hugely reduced, it evens out.”

trade.inapub.co.uk 27/02/2019 00:19

eat.

Make the swych: moving to a bought-in offering saw pie popularity soar for The Wych Elm

“

Of course, it costs us more to buy them in, but with labour costs hugely reduced, it evens out

The Hull Pie Bakery supplies a number of local pubs, such as The Tiger Inn in Beverley. Matt Cunnah, who runs the bakery, says pre-made vegan and gluten-free options are great for pubs like The Tiger.

He says: “Originally they were only wanting to serve our vegan pies, so they could ensure zero cross-contamination from their kitchen and tap into the current market trends. But then they looked at buying in our other meat options too.”

One of the points Matt raises — and Charlotte agrees with — is that pubs love the consistency of a pre-made pie and this really helps sell the item on the menu.

Matt says The Tiger is now buying around 144 pies a week, after previously selling around 30 to 40 homemade pies, while Charlotte says the pie choices are the second-most popular menu item at The Wych Elm after its burger.

Playing the name game

Indeed, using a local pie company that is known throughout the region and has a good reputation can be a surefire winner

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for your pub. Matt says: “We have a very well-known reputation in Hull and the East Riding, winning multiple awards, including more than 10 at The British Pie Awards and a few other more local Hull awards.

“We are very active on social media and have a strong presence at all the area’s major events and food festivals, and this definitely helps.”

But surely pubs want to have “their” pie on the menu? What advantages are there for pubs in using a local supplier with a good rep? “This is tough one,” Matt says.

“Local is important but a lot of pubs still want ‘their’ pie on the menu. We are not looking to supply shit pubs — it’s really important to keep our brand associated with other quality businesses rather than just take the money and run.

“It has been a tough sell to a lot of businesses, though, and the further away from the local area we go the less we will be known, so then it will be down to cost and flavour rather than the brand awareness factor.”

Spice it up

Choice can still be king, too. Lots of people love a steak & ale pie, but keeping it original can be crucial to long-term success and gets the punters talking.

Hopefully you will have taken advantage of British Pie Week this year — which falls in the first full week of March — to show off your pies. Beyond the event, Laurence Tottingham, development chef at pie firm Oliver Kay Produce, suggests featuring a Pie of the Week or even Pie of the Day — alongside a specials board — can get regulars interested and also build new custom.

His creations aimed at pub menus, include a wild rice, button onion, mushroom & ale pie, and a vegan option, as well as a seasonal twist on a classic pork pie — a rhubarb & pork pie — which he says works well as “part of a sharing platter or as a light bite”.

The important thing is, as Charlotte concludes, “keep it interesting but simple, and as long as it is tasty and what people expect from a pie, you should have them flying out the kitchen.”

MARCH 2019 33 27/02/2019 00:20

Packing a punch

by JAMES EVISON

In recent years, pubs have increasingly looked to improve their bar snacks with a host of hot sharing plates, warm scotch eggs, and even tapas. But good old snacks in a bag should not be ignored, particularly as the collection of goods now available offers far more than fried potato slices.

Taking nuts and crackers to the next level

“Salted or dry roasted?” This is so often the question posed across the bar. But increasingly punters are asking “have you got any chili crackers?” or even “have you got those wasabi peas?”

The time of the peanut may be passing, and although there will always be a place for a packet of nuts on the bar, it is probably time to consider some more ambitious nut and small packaged snack options.

Firms such as Nibblers and Mr Filberts offer a range of premium nuts and snacks which are perfect for pubs.

Mr Filberts has Adnams Ghost Ship peanuts, almond flavours, mixed nuts and packaged olive options.

Nibblers have a large range of nuts, including wasabi peas, piri piri, smoked almonds, and baked chilli rounds.

The products can even be purchased in large Kilner jars for prominent positioning on the back-bar.

Bidfood and other foodservice firms also offer a range of premium products, such as Kettle Chips Bacon & Maple Syrup or Tyrrells Furrows – a ridged version of its range. Also available is the Graze range of protein snacks which have been flying off the shelves in the off-trade. Options include

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mixed nuts, peas and wasabi.

Walkers PepsiCo also recently launched its collection of Max Strong crisps, which has various levels of heat, including Jalapeno & Cheese, Chilli & Lime, Wasabi and Hot Chicken Wings, and are specifically aimed at matching with beer occasions, such as sports events.

Going meaty

Pre-packed meat snacks have become a big item for the off-trade and there is no reason why this can’t be transferred into the on-trade as well.

A range of options are now available, including beef jerky, fish jerky and premium options for crackling, such as chicken skin, and even “charcuterie” items.

Firms such as Cleaver & Keg offer a selection of packaged meats to the on-trade such as salami cuts, strips of beef and chorizo. Also recently launched is the Made for Drinks range of premium packaged snacks, which founder Dan Featherstone said was put together to counter the “pack of dusty crisps served from a cut-out cardboard box” often found in pubs and bars.

His range includes salami chips, duck fritons and chorizo thins. Each of these products has been specifically designed to go with a certain type of alcoholic drink,

trade.inapub.co.uk 28/02/2019 00:32

eat.

“

Yummy Pub ` offer a help-yourself option with large pots of popcorn on the bar, which provides interest and is a great way to show off your premium snack offer

making it perfect for the pub market.

The chorizo is matched with Rioja wine, the salami with pilsner beer and the duck with IPA. There is also a plantain option matched with rum.

Posh pork scratchings, meanwhile, have exploded recently, with brands including Mr Trotter, The Snaffling Pig Co, Mr Tubs, and Serious Pig among many other small local suppliers.

For chicken crackling, the firm Little Bobby Jebb’s offers what it claims is the first British product, available with either sea salt or “a hint of habanero chilli” flavours.

There is even the option of duck crackling from Wilding Snacks, the brainchild of chef Adam Wilding, who used to create the dish as a starter in a restaurant. Flavour choices include Peking, Smoked Sea Salt & Kampot Pepper or Habanero Chilli & Lemongrass.

popcorn on the bar, which provides interest and is a great way to show off your premium snack offer. There are also packaged options such as Tyrells Popcorn range which comes in Sea Salted and Sweet & Salty flavours. Other lighter choices as a potential alternative to potato crisps or nuts include the Hippeas range of organic chickpea “puffs”, which are baked rather than fried, and offer a good low-calorie choice that is also high in protein and fibre.

Flavour options include “Cheese and Love”, “Far out Fajita”, “In Herbs We Trust”, and “Sweet and Smokin”.

Potentially one of the healthiest packaged snack options is the Emily range of fruit and vegetable crisps – available from a number of suppliers and foodservice firms – which includes options such as Crunchy Root Vegetable and Crunchy Spring Greens as well as banana, apple and pineapple varieties.

Whatever you chose in terms of snacks, there are so many options now out there for the on-trade, that at least a couple are bound to be a great fit for your punters and the type of pub you run. Get it right now and you’re sure to bag a profit.

Lighter alternatives

The range of healthy eating options for bagged snacks has also increased.

Some pub operators, such as the Yummy Pub Co, even offer a help-yourself option with large pots of

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play with MATT ELEY I learned a few things walking around Pub 19 last month.

Choosing beers or gins from the ever-growing range on the market isn’t getting any easier, tech companies are fighting hard to make an impact in a slightly cynical sector and attending a trade show is great for getting your daily steps up, if you’re into that kind of thing.

But the main thing I learned from the show at London’s Olympia is that there is so much value in just getting out.

The start of the year tends to be quiet for trade writers (well, for me anyway) so you can spend a few weeks looking at not much more than screens and four walls.

Licensees tell me it can be much the same for them, albeit in a slightly different environment.

It’s not just January either. Many licensees and managers are guilty of spending too many hours in their own premises throughout the year. It’s easily done of course.

When you’re running your own business it’s understandable that you want to keep a close eye on the daily running of things. But this sometimes means not seeing the wood for the trees.

There is so much going on outside as well, be it in pubs and bars up the road, a trade show or new concepts in the nearest major city.

Wherever you go you can pick up an idea that may just work for your business. Talent borrows, genius steals, as they say.

Are you Britain’s Best Rugby Pub? The hunt is on again to find a venue worthy of being crowned Britain’s Best Rugby Pub. The social media search has been launched by the Aberdeen Standard Investments Melrose Sevens. Pubs can nominate themselves on Twitter using @melrose7s and the hashtag #bestrugbypub or by visiting www.facebook.com/melrose7s.

Last year’s winner was The Merchant’s Inn in Rugby, which stands yards from the school where the game was invented.

Manager James Reeve said: “The plaque takes pride of place outside our premises and it’s the first thing that visitors see when they walk in – they know they are entering Britain’s Best Rugby Pub of 2018. We would love to retain the title, but we know the competition will be tough.”

The winner will be revealed at the Melrose 7s on April 13.

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trade.inapub.co.uk 28/02/2019 02:49

play.

St Patrick’s Day

With Paddy’s Day falling on a Sunday you could be in for an extended weekend. And your customers may be suffering from a little Irish flu come Monday morning.

Sunday March 17

Champions League

We’ll know who’s in the last eight by March 13, with the Premier League sides completing their second legs against some of Europe’s finest. Man Utd, Man City, Spurs and Liverpool are all in action

Happening this month The Six Nations

March 9 & 16, BBC/ITV

Mother’s Day

Right-minded offspring across the nation will be taking their mums to the pub. For tips on how to make mum feel special, check out trade.inapub.co.uk Sunday, March 31

Red Nose Day

Support great causes and get your staff to dress ridiculously. What do you mean they do that anyway?

Friday, March 15

English Tourism Week

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Manchester derby by numbers Manchester’s finest meet at Old Trafford at lunchtime on Saturday March 16, but did you know these facts about two of football’s biggest rivals…

1881 This was the first year the two clubs met. Though in those days City were known as St Mark’s and United went by Newton Heath. The latter won 3-0.

8 Sergio Aguero and Wayne Rooney share the record for goals in this fixture in the Premier League era, with eight apiece.

The fight for Northern Hemisphere supremacy concludes this month with matches including Wales v Ireland and England v Scotland.

trade.inapub.co.uk

Pic: Getty

Need another excuse to tell the world why they should visit your brilliant pub? Here’s one for you.

March 30-April 7

177 While Man City have had the better of things in recent years United still boast the best overall derby record, with 73 wins from 177 meetings. City have won 52 times.

12 In a dozen derbies, Peter Schmeichel was never on the losing side. He played 10 games between the sticks for United and a couple for their rivals at the end of his career.

6-1 The biggest winning margin in a derby and a score Man City recorded in 2011. Since then United have only beaten City at home once in the league.

28/02/2019 02:50

Bowl ’em over

by MATT ELEY

by MATT ELEY

Perennial One Day International World Cup underachievers England go into this year’s home tournament as favourites. Can they give pubs and cricket fans the perfect start to the summer?

This year could be the biggest one for cricket in this country since The Ashes were recaptured back in 2005. In fact, it could be the greatest one ever, for not only are the Aussies coming over but all the stars of world cricket will be too.

England and Wales are hosting the Cricket World Cup, and if that wasn’t enough to get you excited, England’s ODI stars are favourites to lift the trophy as well.

There will be some 48 matches played over a six-week period. Every side will face each other in a league format, with the top four qualifying for the semi-finals.

The tournament culminates with the final at Lord’s on July 14.

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Establishing your pub as a venue to enjoy the cricket in could set you up for the entire summer, because a successful tournament will lead perfectly on to that Ashes series, which starts in August.

Fielding the fans

One pub that is already gearing up for the World Cup is the Griffin Belle in Vauxhall, London. Now, not all pubs have the geographical good fortune of being located next to a World Cup venue but licensee Mike Reed says the proximity to the Oval is just one of the strings to his pub’s bow.

He says: “Of course we are fortunate being on the doorstep of The Oval, but cricket

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play.

“

Almost halfa-million people a day watched The Ashes in a pub when it was last played in the UK four years ago

drives footfall for our pub. We know it’s a popular sport among the local community and they have, in turn, supported the pub.

“Our customers know they can come in and watch their team or their country in a great environment and with a great atmosphere. In the past cricket would have perhaps been perceived as boring to watch but Sky’s fantastic coverage has really helped boost interest.”

Magic moments

And Sky itself points to viewing figures to show how much of a pub crowd-puller cricket can be. According to Ipsos MORI figures almost half a million people a day watched The Ashes in a pub when it was last played in the UK four years ago. Other big matches also pull in the punters, with 720,000 going to the pub to watch a day of a Test Match between England and India last summer.

Mike adds the standout cricketing moments in recent years include Alastair Cook scoring a century in his final innings for England in that series.

“Our customers were willing him to get that milestone hundred. From a trading perspective, we couldn’t have asked for better timing as he was batting at lunchtime and we had a good crowd in, as well as about 50 builders from the local site trying to squeeze into the pub.”

The Cricket World Cup may not create quite the same levels of national fervour as the football equivalent but, as Mike points out, the format of the game does give pubs the opportunity to attract customers throughout the day.

Getting the kit right, as with all sport, will be essential in ensuring cricket fans choose your pub rather than a rival business or their own living room. Mike adds: “We use state of the art technology and all our screens are the best UHD screens, along with a giant multi-screen wall and three sound zones. We try to offer customers a perfect way to watch sport.”

And it will be all the more perfect if Eoin Morgan is lifting that trophy on July 14.

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SUMMER OF CRICKET: KEY DATES CRICKET WORLD CUP 30 MAY England v South Africa

The Oval

3 JUNE England v Pakistan

Trent Bridge

8 JUNE England v Bangladesh

Cardiff Bowl

14 JUNE England v West Indies

Hampshire Bowl

18 JUNE England v Afghanistan

Old Trafford

21 JUNE England v Sri Lanka

Headingley

25 JUNE England v Australia

Lord’s

30 JUNE England v India 3 JULY England v New Zealand

Edgbaston

Riverside Durham

9 JULY Semi-final (1 v 4) 11 JULY Semi-final (2 v 3) 14 JULY World Cup Final THE ASHES 1—5 AUGUST First Test

Edgbaston

14—18 AUGUST Second Test

Lord’s

22—26 AUGUST Third Test

Headingley

4—8 SEPTEMBER Fourth Test

Old Trafford

12—16 SEPTEMBER Fifth Test

The Oval

All matches live on Sky Sports Cricket

27/02/2019 00:54

Bang your own drum

by MATT ELEY

Have you got an old acoustic guitar knocking about that you never got around to learning? Bringing instruments into the pub for customers to play has proved a simple way of creating atmosphere and entertainment at venues across the country. Here’s how a few of them are hitting the right notes.

Left Luggage

Left Luggage at Monkseaton train station has a collection of instruments that people come from miles around to play

Monkseaton train station Andrew Findlay, co-owner of the freehouse, says that music has become “weirdly and accidentally” very important to what they do.

The cask and craft specialists opened nearly three years ago and shortly afterwards introduced a buskers’ night on Sundays.

Andrew explains: “Rather than people lugging stuff with them, we thought we’d get some kit in. It started with an acoustic guitar that a customer donated from his vast collection and now we’ve also got a bass, some tambourines knocking about, some

African bongos and loads of other stuff.”

It means that Sunday nights are always a great pull, with customers travelling from a 30-mile radius to either perform or listen.

The night has also proved to be a great recruitment tool.

“A lot of staff who work on Sundays originally came in for the buskers’ night.

We’ve now got some really talented staff working here and if ever it’s quiet on a Sunday they will get up and play.”

And the use of the instruments has stretched throughout the week as well.

Andrew continues: “They get very well used. There are the people who come in who we know are going to play, but you get nice surprises as well. We had a group of over-65-year-olds come in and they started to play and sing for two-and-a-half hours.

“It usually happens on a quiet and cold Tuesday rather than when it is busy, and it can really add to the atmosphere.

“We’ve also had some bands who have not played for years because of families or whatever, get back together and play here too.”

Caddyshackers

Leicester When Leicestershire multiple operator Steamin’ Billy was planning its latest opening in Leicester it wanted to provide some

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play.

Above left: Northern Guitars in Leeds is a guitar shop that opened a bar in order to hold its own as Call Lane evolved into a nightspot. Above right: Caddyshackers has an 18-hole golf course featuring a piano at the 5th for guests to play

“

Lots of people play and it adds to the fun and the atmosphere trade.inapub.co.uk

p40-41 instruments.indd 41

interaction for customers. Caddyshackers, on the edge of the city centre, provides just that with the only 18-hole crazy golf course in the city. The edgy and elaborate holes combine with a cocktail and craft beer offering that attracts students, stag and hen dos and office parties. In fact, fed up with bad weather ruining their day, Steamin’ Billy even held their company golf day there this year.

So, what’s this got to do with instruments?

Well, when you reach hole number five you’ll find a piano that guests are invited to play.

Company boss Billy Allingham explains: “We got an old upright piano from a house clearance. I think it only cost about £40 to have it delivered here.

“We are not doing anything that hasn’t been done before, but when we were thinking about the concept we wanted to create a place where there was loads for people to do.

“Lots of people play and it adds to the fun and the atmosphere, so we are now thinking about getting some other instruments in on other holes.”

Northern Guitars

Leeds For more than two decades Northern Guitars was established as a shop for, you’ve guessed it, guitars, on Leeds’ Call Lane.

As that area has developed into a major going-out spot with bars dominating the street, the owners followed the “if you can’t beat them, join them” mantra.

A couple of years ago they opened a licensed bar downstairs from the shop.

Here you’ll find craft beers, live music performances and guitars on the walls.

Though strictly speaking these are really for buying rather than playing there and then.

Co-owner Dave Baguley says: “It’s been a good move for us and the two businesses go hand-in-hand.”

They host open mic nights as well as professional live performances, which attract plenty of musicians to enjoy the brews and consider adding to their own guitar collections.

“Our barman is a singer-songwriter who has actually just been signed,” adds Dave.

“He books all of the acts in for us.”

MARCH 2019

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stay

7

by MATT ELEY

ways to welcome

the away fans

Live sporting fixtures are often a great opportunity to get people through the doors. Home fans may be the bread and butter, but don’t overlook the travelling supporters, who will be after a friendly welcome and somewhere to rest their weary heads.

With the Principality Stadium (still better known as the Millennium to many) in the heart of the city, Cardiff is undoubtedly one of the country’s sporting capitals.

Not only does it host the Welsh national rugby union side but it has also been the venue for numerous major events such as the 2017 Champions League Final.

And with Cardiff City in Premier League football and the city also home to the Cardiff

Blues, this is a place that knows how to welcome away fans.

Doing so can bring challenges but it is also an opportunity that operators such as Brains use to their advantage.

The pub and brewer has 18 venues in Wales with accommodation, and the half of those that are based in and around Cardiff are normally packed for sporting events.

One is the recently refurbished fivebedroom boutique pub and hotel The Maltsters in the village of Llandaff, just outside Cardiff.

Here’s how they make away fans feel at home.

1

Choose your sport

Not all sporting fans want the same things from events so consider how your offer can best suit their needs.

Wales has strong links with rugby as does Brains so it makes sense for them to focus their attention in this area.

Elliot Price Clee is Brains’ revenue manager with responsibility for the 18 hotels and pubs with rooms. He says: “The rugby internationals are a big driver for us. We find that travelling fans will come and make a weekend of it. With the football they often come for the match and then go back home.”

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“

Whether you go for rugby, football or whatever sport brings people to your area, make sure you keep on top of the fixtures

2

Know your fixtures

Whether you go for rugby, football or whatever sport brings people to your area, make sure you keep on top of the fixtures.

As soon as fixtures are revealed travelling fans will be looking for the best deals they can find on rooms. This means you need to know when things will be announced and keep a close eye on cup competitions which have draws throughout the year.

Elliot adds: “Different fans behave in different ways. We find the Scottish fans book as soon as the fixtures come out.

“We think this is because they want to secure the best places in the city centre or repeat where they have stayed before or because they are looking for a bargain.

“English fans tend to shop around more and will leave it until later.”

3

Target advertising

To capture the attention of England fans nearer to matchdays, Brains uses targeted advertising on booking agent sites.

This means that, for a fee, you can ensure people using sites in certain parts of the country will see what you have to offer. For example, Brains would target an area such as London ahead of England playing in Cardiff.

4

Think weekend

Most sports fans are only going to be in your area watching sport for one day, apart from those lucky few who can go to every day of a test match.

This could potentially make it difficult to book out rooms for all of the weekend. Brains

addresses this by insisting that rooms are only booked on two night deals.

“We do a minimum stay for two nights,” says Elliot. “This can be for room and breakfast or there is a room only option.”

5

Let demand set your rate

6

Spread the word

7

Be passionate about the sport

A high demand for rooms can give you more flexibility around pricing. It’s unlikely that you will pay the same for a pub room in Henley in July as in any other month.

Brains says that its pricing is in line with other operators in the area when home rugby internationals are on.

Using booking agents is one way of getting your business in front of people’s eyes but there are other ways of targeting specific groups or areas. Boosting Facebook posts allows you to do just that but don’t overlook traditional media such as local newspapers.

Brains links up with other international stadiums and their publications to let fans know that when they come to Cardiff there is somewhere for them to stay.

If fans are staying with you they may want you to share some of their enthusiasm for their chosen sport.

Even though they may be heading to the stadium, make sure the game is live in the pub and that you show more of the same over the weekend. It gives them another reason to come back to you for a drink before they hit the hay.

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back-bar business

9

tips for a super 1

“

Deep cleaning any less than three times in 12 months could put you at risk of breaching health & safety regulations

spring clean

Schedule your deep clean for spring mornings

It’s not just a cliché, spring really is a great time to get down and dirty with a mop in your pub. Commercial pub cleaners recommend deep cleaning at this time of year, to take advantage of the quiet period before the summer rush (another great time is the period before the Christmas madness begins). Setting aside the morning hours before you open your doors is also recommended, for obvious reasons (who wants their morning coffee or lunchtime pint disturbed by a cleaning frenzy?)

2

Deep clean your pub at least three times a year

Some experts recommend you do it quarterly. Certainly, any less than three times in 12 months could put you at risk of breaching health and safety regulations, particularly if you serve food in your pub. Build-up in grease traps and ventilation ducts for example, can harbour mould and germs, which would contravene regulations under The Food Safety Act 1990.

3

Focus on areas above eye-level

4

In the kitchen concentrate on grease traps…

Day-to-day cleaning in most venues will concentrate on those places most visible to customers, so if you are doing a deep clean then you also need to think about high-up areas and objects. The tops and backs of TVs; ledges and picture rails; picture frames; curtain rods; window and door frames, and so on.

become very difficult to remove and will render a trap ineffective and smelly. Routine cleaning alone will not suffice, so it is important these get properly dealt with during a deep clean – especially as a build-up will have a negative knock-on effect to ventilation systems (see below).

5

…and vents

A deep clean of vents will remove any residual carbon and oil which can be responsible for causing fires in pubs. It will also improve the lifespan of equipment, according to experts. They say vent blockages can reduce output, increase costs through greater power usage and damage expensive equipment.

6

Don’t use bleach

Typically, licensees should try to use alternative products to bleach, as punters do not like the lingering smell. Acidic limescale remover will be handy in the loos as an alternative, while for tables you could use a pH-neutral multi-purpose hard surface cleaner, and for floors a neutral floor gel cleaner is recommended.

A build-up of dirt in a grease trap can

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With thanks to: Kush Patel, operations director, Logicare Complete Solutions; Paul Casson, technical manager, Rentokil; Specialist Hygiene Jeremy Bennett, sales manager, Essity UK

7

Be environmentally friendly

Demand is rising for more environmentally friendly cleaning products, although they are currently more expensive.

For businesses that make a big deal of their environmental credentials, however, they will be worth the extra investment, not least as people become more aware of the environmental damage strong cleaning chemicals can wreak. For those pubs where the extra cost is prohibitive, there are still measures you can take to make your cleaning regime greener, such as buying larger sizes then decanting into smaller bottles to use, and buying concentrates and diluting before use. Both these measures will cut down on the plastic packaging, at least.

8

Keep cleaning products close to hand

If you are using a specialist, make sure you have communicated what you need

9

For many licensees using a professional cleaning company, particularly for deep cleaning, makes financial sense. In order to make the partnership work ensure you are both clear about who is responsible for what areas – cleaning tables, for example, often remains a job for bar staff, as might behind the bar. Also make sure the company has allocated enough time to get the job done properly – questioning a cheap quote might reveal that the company in question has only allowed for a fraction of the hours that others have.

A recent study by health and hygiene specialist Essity found that in premises where cleaning and hygiene products were not situated in logical, easy-to-find places, staff were typically spending 20 to 30 per cent of their time looking for products and then cleaning their hands and surfaces. In premises where products are better placed this time can be drastically cut, improving efficiency – in one kitchen where this was done Essity estimated a saving of 16 personhours a day.

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time at the bar

PLATE OR SLATE? Where the nation’s pub people stand on the really big questions Paul Human, We Serve Humans Paul Human is the awardwinning owner of street food pub residency, We Serve Humans, which has been in a long-term residency at pubs The Leyton Star and The Heathcote & Star, both in Leytonstone, east London. Paul has just got the keys to his first site in Walthamstow, which is opening later this month, and will be a collaboration with local brewery Signature Brew, simply named “The Collab”.

Plate or slate?

Background music or silence is golden?

There is a dish for every dish. But please don’t use slates if your dish has a sauce!

MUSIC FOR THE WIN, but don’t have a crappy playlist on repeat. CURATE IT! And make it appropriate for the time of day.

Brass or chrome fittings?

Brass, because chrome is so noughties. But that doesn’t mean you should throw your chrome away, put it in the cellar for the next time it comes back into fashion.

Family friendly or keep the kids at home?

Cocktails or cask ale?

Wear what you like or uniforms for the staff?

Yes please!

Mustard cords or skinny jeans?

NO.

Cash or Apple Pay? Cash has had its day in my view, I’m afraid. It is far easier to be cashless, especially as there’s no humping bags of change to the bank.

Family-friendly by day, naughty adults by night…

Simple branded t-shirt, the rest is down to the staff. But sandals with socks is a sacking offence, also tracksuits. And Ugg boots.

Packet of scratchings or Michelin Star?

I think that there is room in the world for both. Even better, get Heston to make me some scratchings.

Live sport or big-screen ban?

Now, that’s a tricky one. We want to show sports but don’t want our place full of partisan supporters. We also don’t want to rely on sports for revenue.

Shabby chic or design shrine?

If needs must, shabby chic! It’s gonna get wrecked anyway.

Dyson Airblade or handtowel?

This answer would formerly have been Dyson, but his views on Brexit [James Dyson was a vocal supporter of Brexit] have soured my love for their gear.

Big night out or meal with friends?

Definitely a big night IN with friends.

Dogs allowed or the only animals are on the menu?

More dogs. Dog of the Week on Instagram!

But not cats though, cats are evil.

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28/02/2019 13:51

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inapub 23/04/2018 13:23

23/04/2018 13:20

A destination dining pub is doing its bit to ensure food doesn’t go to waste by working with a local food bank.

The Jolly Brewers in Shouldham Thorpe, Norfolk, has partnered with King’s Lynn Foodbank. The food bank will collect surplus edible food from the pub, such as fruit, vegetables and fresh bread, and give it back to the local community to reach those in need.

Licensee Adam Noble, who runs the Admiral Taverns pub with business partner Aaron Dobson (pictured), said: “When running a fresh, local produce pub, there will inevitably be food waste which cannot be sold, but is perfectly edible. By teaming up with our local food bank, we are helping to ensure that good quality, edible food will not go to waste and we can help those in our local community who need it.”

Customers can also leave donations to the food bank – in the form of either food or cash – at The Jolly Brewers.

The King’s Lynn Foodbank forms part of a network of more than 1,200 food banks across the UK.

THE COLLECTION TIN What pubs around the country are doing to help good causes The Sportsman in Preston Village, North Shields has helped raise funds for a defibrillator at the pub. They raised the cash with a local football coach, who survived a heart attack suffered during a match played nearby.

Deputy manager Maria McGill, from The Black Dog in Aberdeen was aiming to raise £1,600 by shaving her head. The sponsored shave was in aid of the Scottish Association for Mental Health.

Award-winning pub The Bull in Ditchling, East Sussex has shown its support for its local football team. It donated £5,000 to Brighton & Hove Albion’s Albion in the Community fund after a host of fundraising events at the end of last year and the beginning of 2019, including a carol service and New Year’s party.

The animals of Warrington will be better off thanks to the fundraising efforts of The Lower Angel. The pub recently donated £900 to Warrington Animal Welfare after choosing it as its nominated charity for 2018. Raffles at Easter, Halloween and Christmas helped the cause.

The Licensed Trade Charity (LTC) has been doubling its efforts to help thousands more people in the last year.

Figures released by the LTC show that 13,500 people benefited from its services in 2018 – up 45 per cent on 2017.

Staff from pubs and breweries received a record total of £1.1m in grants to help them get back on their feet.

The charity supports people who have worked in the licensed trade and have fallen on difficult times in various ways, such as clearing rent arrears and unpaid bills, paying for convalescence or even funeral costs.

Trained advisors are also available to talk to those needing assistance on a free 24/7 help line.

Pubcos such as Wetherspoons, Fuller’s, Stonegate, Ei and Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) have been praised by the charity for raising awareness about its work.

M&B has dropped its own Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in favour of the LTC’s free services.

Caroline Davies, head of employee relations at M&B, said: “This directly replaced a fee-paying EAP service but there are many other benefits to the LTC service, the most important being that they understand the work and lifestyle of our teams due to their experience working with people who have built careers in the Licensed Trade”.

For more information go to www.licensedtradecharity.org.uk

Are you raising funds for a great cause? Let us know at editorial@inapub.co.uk

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TOP

10

PADDY'S DAY PUBS

Irish pubs outside the Emerald Isle for a St Patrick’s pint

Pic: Ewan Munro Geograph

1. The Auld Shillelagh

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Stoke Newington, London This little gem squeezed onto Stoke Newington’s Church Street was voted best Irish pub outside Ireland by the Irish Times, and you can see why. Hailed as a genuine Irish pub rather than an Irish-themed pub, it often hosts fiddling folksters, but the main draw is the craic.

2. The Star Pic: Stig Nygaard / Flickr

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Fishponds, Bristol A sign at the end of the bar points to the toilets one way, and to Craggy Island the other. On the gate leading to the garden, another sign warns: “No feckin’ dogs.” A regular contender in the Irish Pubs Global Awards for its live music, whiskey selection and community spirit.

3. The Dubliner

Pic: Rodhullandemu / Geograph

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Pic: Ewan Munro/ Geograph

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Copenhagen, Denmark “The Dubliner is Copenhagen’s Irish pub.

Here you can get a genuine Irish Stew and a cold Guinness, all while you follow a game of cricket,” promises visitcopenhagen.com. Not quite sure about that last Irish credential, but the pub drew huge crowds of Ireland footy fans for the Emerald Isle’s World Cup playoff against Denmark.

4. Kelly’s Dispensary

Liverpool, Merseyside A city with a proud Irish heritage boasts plenty of bars working the theme. Less in your face with the shamrocks, but a favourite with the city’s Irish community for generations, Kelly’s Dispensary hosts Irish acoustic nights and sponsors several Gaelic football teams.

Pic: Steven Richards / Geograph

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5. Bubbles O’Learys 9

Kampala, Uganda The Bubbles’ claim to be a genuine Irish pub in Africa is a strong one. The building itself used to stand in Drogheda, north of Dublin, until it was dismantled, transported to the Ugandan capital and rebuilt brick by brick.

6. Tir Na Nog

Wandsworth, London The name means “Land of Eternal Youth” in Irish Gaelic. That wasn’t the impression Inapub had when it used to drink in there a few years back, some of the punters looked like they’d been propping up the bar for many decades. But with its relaxed atmosphere, quirky decor, pool table and packed sports and live music schedules, this family-run boozer has it all.

7. The Brendan Behan

Boston, USA Named after the renowned writer and boozehound, this has been named best Irish Bar in Boston four times. In America’s most Irish city, where the St Patrick’s Day parade attracts a million-strong crowd, that’s no mean feat.

8. The Grapes

Sheffield, South Yorkshire “The Grapes is a pub that celebrates the important things in life,” proclaims its website.

“Meeting up with friends and family. The enjoyment of great Guinness. An appreciation of musical heritage.” Hosting live traditional Irish music six days a week, plus weekly Irish language classes, the pub was praised by The Irish Times for keeping Sheffield’s small Irish community united. Fun fact: the Arctic Monkeys played their first gig in here.

9. Dropkick Murphy’s

Edinburgh, Scotland Recently re-opened following a makeover, the venue boasts a stage for bands and seating arranged to make the most of its live sports offer. Home to the UK’s largest collection of rugby jerseys. “It’s an Irish pub effectively, but taken to extreme levels” commented one punter on TripAdvisor.

10. Raglan Road

Nottingham The community pub is proud to support Irish pensioners. Famed for being partly built into a cave, and for its Donald Trump urinal.

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time at the bar

HAIR OF THE DOG Tales of the unexpected from the wonderful world of pubs The chips are down

Beer before the Romans

ts, ice lollies less sunshine, waterfigh It was the summer of end ry needed a ust ing home. But if the ind and football almost com here it is. es, gam and nge isn’t all fun reminder that climate cha an ps chi left British The 2018 heatwave has Climate Coalition the by ort rep a r, rte inch sho with the baking led gg found. UK potatoes stru change isn’t just a conditions, showing how ers or our children’s problem for Pacific island h our pub meals children – it’s messing wit right now. mash, chips or jackets “To be able to enjoy our to take measures to d for years to come, we nee ly,” said the WWF’s ent urg e tackle climate chang Gareth Redmond-King. sed in the report is One such measure propo re oddly shaped vegmo g cutting waste by servin per cent of people were etables, which it found 75 with full-length chips. up for eating. Preferably

Permission to make some noise Fans of loud music got a boost last month, as Landlady Pauline Forster of The George Tavern in London’s Stepney won the legal right to make noise without worrying about the future neighbours complaining.

“It’s a real victory not just for The George but for pubs and music venues that would be threatened by proposed residential developments,” Pauline told The East London Advertiser.

The decision is the latest episode in the ongoing friction between music venues and luxury residential developments. Back in January 2018, minister Sajid Javid announced changes in the law to protect cultural spaces. The move followed protests after the UK lost an estimated one-third of its grassroots music venues between 2010 and 2018.

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To a nation still reeling from Fuller’s selling its entire drinks business to Japanese giant Asahi, comes some news that traditionalists might raise a glass to. Archaeologists have unearthed evidence of the “first British Beer”, dating from around 400BC. Left behind by Iron Age brewers, fragments of charred grains were discovered during roadworks on the A14 in Cambridgeshire.

Archaeobotanist Lara Gonzalez Carretero told The Guardian the residues revealed evidence of fermentation. Ancient peoples are known to have made beer as a means of making water safe to drink.

The find also included remains of bread and porridge. Whether Iron Age man had pork scratchings is not known at this stage .

Diners go nuts fo r this

season’s meat

With concern ov er food supply ch ains as Brexit lo we suppose it’s oms, encouraging to see a UK-reared increasingly mak meat ing its way onto menus. Grey sq been popping up uirrel has in dishes such as lasagne at Nativ London’s Boroug e in h Market and cr oquettes in The in Cumbria.

Forest Side Enthusiasts poin t out that with th e grey squirrel population need ing to be contro lled in order to protect the UK’s remaining red sq uirrels, the meat is one of the mos t sustainable form s of protein out there. Growin g concern over animal welfare in farmin g is also driving the rise of wild meat.

What does it taste like – chicken? Apparently not. Connoisseurs compare the flavour to rabbit, but less gamey.

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