Inapub Magazine April 2019 Issue 86

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Issue 86 April 2019 £4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

19/03/2019 14:43

84% of flavoured cider market1 1 in 4 pints of cider sold is Strongbow Dark Fruit2 3x rate of sale vs nearest competitor3

DON’T MISS OUT,

STOCK NOW 1,2: CGA Strategy 52 w/e 26/01/2019. 3: Nielsen CGA, up to 26/01/2019

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HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY TO THE UK’S #1 FLAVOURED CIDER Source: CGA Strategy 52 w/e 26/01/2019.

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Issue 86 April 2019 £4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

19/03/2019 14:43

84% of flavoured cider market1 1 in 4 pints of cider sold is Strongbow Dark Fruit2 3x rate of sale vs nearest competitor3

DON’T MISS OUT,

STOCK NOW 1,2: CGA Strategy 52 w/e 26/01/2019. 3: Nielsen CGA, up to 26/01/2019

91316_SDF_BIRTHDAY_ADVERT_INAPUB_COVER_WRAP.indd 1

HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY TO THE UK’S #1 FLAVOURED CIDER Source: CGA Strategy 52 w/e 26/01/2019.

25/03/2019 17:22

inapub

Issue 86 April 2019 ÂŁ4.95 trade.inapub.co.uk

Allow me to retort Meet the landlord who’s taking TripAdvisor reviewers to task p01 cover ideas.indd 1

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e welcome back an old friend this month – Matt Todd of The Wonston Arms in Hampshire. We first featured Matt in June 2016 when we went on a fishing trip with him and a bunch of his regulars to see if spending time with punters out of the pub could benefit the business (you can still see the video on our website). This month we are delighted to have him on our pages again (p14-15) after the pub was crowned CAMRA’s pub of the year.

Taking your punters out for the day might not seem an obvious move but then, as writer Matt Eley points out in the feature, “most entrepreneurs see things others do not.” That also applies to our cover model – Roger Cazaly of The Plume of Feathers in Cornwall. Roger has made quite a name for himself due to his searing comebacks to bad reviews on TripAdvisor.

We sent Inapub columnist Richard Molloy down to ask him – why does he do it? Does the risk pay off? Will he continue now he’s gained some notoriety? Find out on p10-13.

We’re always on the lookout for publicans behaving a bit differently. If you are running any unusual events, have had a brilliant idea, or just have something worth shouting about, give us a call on one of the numbers below, drop me a line at robynb@inapub.co.uk, or give us a shout on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

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this month TripAdvisor retaliation • CAMRA’s Pub of the Year

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drink Cider • Coffee

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play Cup finals • Virtual reality

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stay Finding the investment for letting rooms

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back-bar business Drone photography

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Burgers • Breakfast

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Editor Robyn Black 07909 251 231 • robynb@inapub.co.uk

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Contributors Matt Eley, Richard Molloy, Jo Bruce, Michelle Perrett

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Production editor Ben Thrush 07810 620 169 • ben@inapub.co.uk Chief executive Barrie Poulter 07908 144 337 • barrie@inapub.co.uk

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POSTCARD from the pub frontline

Owl trade.inapub.co.uk ice-cream and roasted fox were on the menu last month at The Fieldfare in Chorley, Lancashire. The pub welcomed more than 150 guests to an enchanted forest for breakfast with the Gruffalo and Mouse from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s children’s classic.

The makeover was part of the World Book Day celebrations across Marston’s 300-strong estate. Pubs were given free rein on how to celebrate the event, which saw premises transformed into everything from castles to pirate ships, hosting storytelling, arts & crafts, treasure hunts and competitions for those dressed as their favourite characters.

“The day was a huge success,” said The Fieldfare’s general manager Sophie Thompson (pictured). We want to say a big thank you to everyone who came and supported us. It was

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hard work getting everything sorted and ready as 2017 we really NOVEMBER / DECEMBER wanted to make the day the best we could. But we pulled 5 it off and the smiles and laughter of the children meant we succeeded – even the adults enjoyed it!”

Meanwhile, The Crows Nest in Seaham, County Durham welcomed guests to a Cinderella spectacular hosted by princesses, complete with Cinderella carriage.

The day enjoyed community support from primary schools and families, helped raise money for both local and the World Book Day charities.

Sarah Isherwood, head of marketing for Marston’s Inns and Taverns, added: “We knew we wanted to help celebrate World Book Day and our pubs did such a great job – they really did deliver and help put a smile on everybody’s faces.”

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IN THE TRADE THIS MONTH PPL tariff changes will cost venues £49m PPL’s decision to raise its fees as part of changes to its Specially Featured Entertainment (SFE) tariff, which relates to events such as discos and DJ nights, was greeted with dismay by the British Beer & Pub Association and UKHospitality. They estimate venues will face an average 130 per cent rate hike, costing the sector more than £49m.

Craft beer ‘a small brewery game’ — SIBA Only two per cent of UK adults think craft beer can be made by a big global brewer, according to the British Craft Beer Report. Published by SIBA, the report also found a five percentage point decline in people drinking beer more than once a week — from 26 per cent in 2017 to 21 per cent.

TOP STORIES ON TRADE.INAPUB.CO.UK Keeping it in the community LTC gives £1.1m to pub and bar staff in need Wonston Arms is CAMRA’s pub of the year Sky and Molson Coors to open up deal to more indie pubs

More people going out and spending more People spend more cash when they go out and go out more often, according to the latest Deltic Night Index. Its consumer survey indicated the average spend on a night out is £68.68, up 15.5 per cent from last year, driven by a 12 per cent increase in food spend, 10 per cent on drinks and 32 per cent on transport. In a slight increase from last year, 58 per cent of people now go out at least one night a week.

Double for Snow Goose at Star Pubs awards The Snow Goose in Farnborough, Hampshire, won Pub of the Year in Star Pubs & Bars’ annual awards. Licensees Kate Hayden and Paul Warriner also got the Heart of the Community gong for “constant innovation, commitment to the highest of standards and creation of an offer that appeals to all ages for a whole range of occasions,” the judges said.

Budweiser to sponsor England Women’s football team

New lease of life for an old favourite Eighty -six-year-old Gerry Loudoun-Shand is the oldest regular at Essex pub The Lamarsh Lion and had the honour of opening its new café and games room.

The Lamarsh Lion was acquired by the local community after the original closed without warning in 2016. The new facility was converted from a barn adjacent to the pub itself with the help of a £3,000 grand from Pub is The Hub’s Community Services Fund.

The room will be open from 10.30am every day until the pub closes in the evening and acts as an overspill area for pub diners, as the locals look to widen the pub’s community appeal.

Chair of the The Lamarsh Lion Community Pub, Robert Erith, said: “These new facilities give a much-needed meeting place for local residents and the wider community to socialise.”

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this month.inapub THE WAY I SEE IT KATE NICHOLLS

TWEET ALL ABOUT IT

Why we established a diversity forum

JD Wetherspoon reported a 19 per cent drop in pre-tax profits in the six months to January 19, which it blamed on rising labour costs, interest payments, utility bills, repairs and depreciation. The subject, predictably, generated strong reactions among the UK’s pub lovers on Twitter — especially given boss Tim Martin’s pro-Brexit views.

We like to pride ourselves on the fact the hospitality sector is a true meritocracy. We provide opportunities for people from all walks of life and ours is a sector in which you can rise to the top in a few short years.

We already have a good record on issues such as gender balance and pay but, obviously, we always need to be moving forward and looking to improve on the great work we already do. There is undoubtedly work we can do to ensure representation is equal at all levels of businesses, particularly in senior management roles and at board level.

That is why UKHospitality (UKH) has established a diversity forum. It will provide our members with an opportunity to share best practice and solutions to tackle inequality and promote equality in their businesses. It is hoped these solutions will also benefit the wider hospitality sector.

Our new forum is deliberately wide in its scope and remit to ensure UKH addresses any and all concerns our members and their teams may have. This means tackling issues such as pay but also ensuring team members are supported and free from harassment or discrimination on any grounds.

Diversity is key to the strength of the sector. A diverse, vibrant sector is also a strong one and promoting diversity should be a priority for hospitality employers. If you are a UKH member and you are interested in supporting this new initiative, then please get in touch with us. Support from the sector is going to be key to ensuring we all continue to make progress.

Yes I won’t enter one of his pubs again after his pronouncements.

There are plenty of others fortunately and I’m going to support the independents. @Richard8urton Maybe if enough staff employed to actually get served profit would increase? I used to run successful bars and worked out that quicker people are served the more often they come back. @PatHarkin7 Yeah! Shops selling beer at half the price of pubs has nothing to do with it! #Wetherspoons no music, sports, TVs… just #brexit @Moggsee Must really suck for #wetherspoons only having made 50m pre tax! Maybe you should start letting dogs in again? @samtaylor62 “Although profits fell sharply, sales at the chain are continuing to rise. #Wetherspoons revenues rose by 7% and like-for-like sales by more than 6%.”

Keep your hair on wet wipes, it’s just the #BBC bias spinning again. #Brexit @digatrondave

Kate Nicholls is chief executive of UKHospitality, which was formed last year from the merger of the British Hospitality Association and the ALMR

33%

One-third of people have failed to show up for a meal they have booked in advance OpenTable data, Book Responsibly campaign

Find us online every month at trade.inapub.co.uk

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Francesco Mazzei desserts

Really spoil your customers with luxury desserts created by the renowned Italian chef to showcase the flavours of Ferrero Rocher, Raffaello and Rondnoir. The Pistachio Glazed Ciambella that you are looking at is designed with Easter in mind. The collection also includes a Chocolate & Coconut Sphere and a Raspberry & Passionfruit Tartlette. www.ferrerofoodservice.com

Old Mout Pineapple & Raspberry

Exotic and cider are not necessarily words that you would ordinarily put together but Old Mout has done just that with its new Pineapple & Raspberry variant. In fact, exotic-flavoured premium ciders are growing at an impressive 20 per cent year on year, with pineapple challenging avocado as the fastest growing tropical fruit in the UK. Avocado craft beer anyone? direct.heineken.co.uk

Stuff

What’s new in the pub this month

Thatchers Rascal

It’s out with the Old Rascal and in with the, well Rascal, as Thatchers relaunches its 4.5 per cent ABV premium bittersweet cider. The amber cider recipe remains the same, as does the fox character guarding the apples in the orchard.

However, the brand has been given a new look, a new campaign and new clear 500ml bottles to show off the drink in all its glory. www.thatchers.co.uk

Lionheart English Artisan Ale

It is said that a kilo of Sweet Gale costs the same as one tonne of malt but that hasn’t stopped Brookfield Drinks from using it in this new beer that has been brewed to a 12th century style in open fermentation tanks. Named after Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, it will be supported with a marketing campaign focussing on patriotic events, such as upcoming St George’s Day (Tuesday, April 23).

01234 783 034

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this month.

Gin Sul

Jägermeister is out to master the gin category in the UK with the launch of Gin Sul, a small batch, super-premium craft gin from Germany. It is made with fresh lemons and hand-picked gum rockrose from the Western Algarve, alongside such botanicals as organic juniper, fresh rosemary, coriander, rose blossoms, lavender and cinnamon.

02031 899 500

Hardys Alcohol Free Chardonnay

What would Bridget Jones think? An alcohol-free Chardonnay has been launched by Accolade Wines under its Hardys range. It is the first no-alcohol launch for the brand, which is looking to tap into the 19.9 per cent year-on-year growth in the low and no category (Nielsen to end Jan 19). “The alcohol free wine category represents a growing £17m profit opportunity for the trade,” said marketing director David White. www.accolade-wines.com

Little Swine Brothers Parma Violet

Love ’em or hate ’em? The lavender-scented sweets have divided opinion for more than 70 years, and this new flavour from Brothers will surely serve up a taste of nostalgia for anyone who grew up on the likes of Refreshers and Love Hearts. Parma Violet-flavoured cocktails have become a thing over the past couple of years, but this is the first time the flavour has been used for a cider. For the violet-haters, the cidermaker has also released a Strawberries & Cream variant. Both are available in 330ml and 500ml bottles. brotherscider.co.uk

Hogs Back made its name with traditional English ales – particularly its flagship TEA, which stands for just that. And you can’t get much more traditional-sounding than small beer, a low-ABV brew quaffed by children and adults alike during the Middle Ages. However, this beer is in fact one of a four-strong keg range the brewer hopes will tap into modern beer trends – low alcohol, unfiltered and IPA. Unfiltered TEA, Hog IPA and Hogstar lager complete the range.

01252 783 000

Meat-free ‘bleeding’ burger

There was a time when any burger seen oozing blood would be sent back to the kitchen to be cooked properly. These days the kids want their burgers to bleed like a medium-rare living animal without containing any actual meat. Fortunately Moving Mountains is here to help, with this cholesterol-free vegan burger it swears smells and tastes as indulgent as real meat. www.movingmountainsfoods.com

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the

comeback king

by RICHARD MOLLOY

Publican Roger Cazaly, of The Plume of Feathers in Portscatho, Cornwall, has hit national headlines recently for his brutal but hilarious replies to negative online reviews. We sent our resident publican columnist, Richard Molloy, along for a landlord to landlord chat about unfair criticism and why, as all licensees know, the customer is not always right.

All businesses get an undeserved online pasting from time to time, but what’s the best way to respond? Most will ignore them; some of us will apologise and attempt to placate the complainer, but a few will bite back and fight the ire with fire. Roger is definitely one of those.

Since taking on The Plume of Feathers in Portscatho on the South coast of West Cornwall two years ago, Roger and his wife, Helen have built up a strong trade and have earned many good reviews – four out of five stars on TripAdvisor and number one rated in its area, in fact.

It’s fair to say, however, that it hits Roger hard when people take to the internet to air their grievances: “A minority won’t complain one-to-one,” says Roger, “they go home and slag you off on TripAdvisor. I don’t know what they hope to achieve apart from harming our business”.

If you have ever thought to take to your keyboard in defence of some online feedback that you think is unfair, then there are a few golden rules you should follow.

Roger, for example, only takes to his

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I always make sure I remain calm, don’t resort to abuse and never reply when I’ve had a drink trade.inapub.co.uk

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keyboard for criticisms he considers untrue, such as this review posted after a wedding party descended on the pub at opening time to begin their binge: “They [Roger and Helen] where [sic] rude, unhelpful and made it blatantly obvious that we where not welcome….. The toilet was filthy and stunk of urine…. not worth a visit,” TripAdvisor user Andy L wrote.

Roger begs to disagree and in response posted: “Wasn’t quite like this, was it? …You may be alluding to the fact that we refused to sell shots at 1.30pm. We did think it a little early and unnecessary… seeing as you had only been drinking 3.8 per cent lager up until this point and your behaviour was already diminishing at a vast rate of knots….

The toilets were cleaned spotlessly in the morning and the only people that had been in the pub all day was you and your party…

you may want to look a little at yourselves.”

Adverse reviews make Rog so mad that he sometimes waits a couple of weeks before he feels ready to reply and advises others to do similarly: “I always make sure that I’m calm, don’t resort to abuse and never reply when I’ve had a drink. I also read and edit them about eight times before I post them”.

Kittyminx from Worthing earned herself a dressing down by accusing him of being “rude and arrogant” after being told that the pub was simply too busy to serve them any food.

“The kitchen was maxed out,” Roger explains. “It was peak time in the height of the season and this lady strolls in and demands that we feed her family. It wasn’t possible”.

His online reply to this criticism is his

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of Roger’s most notorious comebacks

1. “We apologise that the waiter was complimentary towards you” In response to a review posted in November 2017, which complained that the pub was too full of tourists and that the waiter was “over the top with compliments” Roger wrote: “I haven’t cringed this much in a long time…We apologise that we were still busy in November and we had all our tables booked out.....bloomin locals coming in booking tables! We apologise that the waiter was complimentary towards you, he has been dealt with severely, he won’t be doing that again in a hurry…Hold on, Peterborough? I thought you were a local down here?

2. “If you can’t tell the difference between microwave chips (and) … freshly prepared triple cooked chips, I’m not sure you have the skills to be putting ‘reviews’ on websites.”

Reviewer kwiatek visited the pub for a meal with their family back in August 2017 but declared the food “disgusting”. Roger replied: “You seem to be doubting the freshness of the fish, we have 2 fish deliveries a day, morning and afternoon. The chips enter the building as a big bag of potatoes, they are then prepared and triple-cooked on the premises.

“If you can’t tell the difference between microwave chips (we haven’t even got a microwave) from freshly prepared triple cooked chips, I’m not sure you have the skills to be putting ‘reviews’ on websites.

What are chicken balls?”

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3. “Go and put your big boy pants on and get out there and do a proper review.”

Tony M from Manchester was not impressed that he had to reserve a table when he visited in the summer of 2017. Roger did not hold back. “Now, when it comes to doing a review, giving someone a 1 when disappointed is being a petulant child. It says everything is bad, bad, bad. Was the service bad, was the beer you drank bad? etc, Do you see what I mean, treacle? You were just disappointed, so that’s not a review is it? Hopefully you’ve learnt something today, now you go and put your big boy pants on and get out there and do a proper review.

Go on son, you can do it!”

4. “We feel we made the right decision on not serving shots at 1.30 in the afternoon” In September 2017 a group of wedding guests arrived at the pub to have a few preceremony drinks. One of the group subsequently posted a blistering review, declaring the pub to have “the worst customer service ever”. Roger replied in his typical style: “Seeing as…your behaviour was already deteriorating at a vast rate of knots, we feel we made the right decision on not serving shots at 1.30 in the afternoon…If you are asked to leave a premises due to your behaviour, just take it on the chin. Don’t put sad little ‘reviews’ on websites. It embarrasses yourself and this one has embarrassed the father of the bride...... again. I believe he did ask you to remove this post, but I guess you don’t have that much respect.”

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this month. favourite thus far, suggesting that she try the nearby takeaway: “...which might be a better option at this moment in time (seeing as you’ve left it until 7.30 in the evening to suddenly consider feeding your children)”.

His reward for this triumphant burn was the review being removed shortly after Roger’s retorts hit the online press.

Roger hopes that other reviewers he interacts with will do likewise, but adds that responding to them also helps assuage his frustration and that researching the person’s other reviews can help: “One woman complained about us not looking after locals she lives in bloody Peterborough!”.

Roger only replies to the TripAdvisor reviews as Google reviews has no reply option. He also believes that TripAdvisor has become “irrelevant” as there are so many people hijacking the system by posting false reports and that the site should work harder to weed out the “professional complainers”.

“I tried to get the untrue posts removed from the site, but all I get back is that they

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couldn’t take them down as the posts didn’t contravene their policy, so I decided to take on the trolls myself”.

The Comeback King of Cornwall says he is unsure if he will continue to reply to future reviewers who darken his inbox. I, for one, really hope he does.

26/03/2019 01:31

FAMOUS FOR BEING THE CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR

Matt Eley visits a pub that went from one man’s dream to Britain’s best

CAMRA Pub of the Year runners-up Volunteers Arms, Musselburgh, East Lothian The traditional local has been in the same family since 1858 The Chequers, Little Grandsen, Cambridgeshire Wooden benches, open fire, and the home of Son of Sid Brewery The Cricketers, St Helens, Merseyside 13 handpumps and room on the bar for the CAMRA Pub of the year 2017 trophy

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If Matt Todd had kept on walking he would never have gone into the Wonston Arms, let alone brought to it one of the most prestigious prizes pubs can win.

He and wife Lisa had moved to the Hampshire parish as a base for her work in the music business and his in sales and marketing in the mobile phone industry.

Eight months in, they had yet to set foot in the pub.

Matt picks up the story: “We were walking the dog and someone in the pub garden, who still drinks here to this day, said we should get the dog a drink and he’d buy us one.

“It was August Bank Holiday and there were only about four people in. We spent about five hours in here. Everyone was really nice and this pub felt special. The community welcomed you with open arms.”

The couple became part of the regular crew and it wasn’t long before Matt was spearheading a bid for a community takeover to keep the pub open. They fell £75,000 short, so Matt, who had not so much as pulled a pint, let alone run a pub, decided to chuck his savings at the project and do it himself.

Running the tiny freehouse as wet-only and only opening from 5pm during the week (all day at weekends) in a village of just over 1,000 residents would look like madness to most. But then entrepreneurs see things others do not.

Matt continues: “The beer was always good in here. My ambition was to keep the pub going and generally see if I could make this wet-only freehouse model work. I had to and we have made a community-driven meeting place with a wet-only pub.”

Beer has remained at the very heart of the offer. Two handpulls has become four, with The Wonston rotating around 40 different

regular casks from Hampshire and beyond.

He also freshened up the keg offer and recently introduced a real cider.

But it would be doing The Wonston a massive disservice to label it purely a drinking den. The tiny lounge pub is packed with character and wit, and always has something different going on. There’s the fish & chip van that comes on Tuesdays, the tie-up with a curry house to provide food on Fridays, the charity mornings where regulars run the pub as a café, and the 24-hour rowathon that the pub hosted.

Spirit of inclusivity

Then there are the 180 gins that Matt says has helped the pub establish a female customer base.

“I do feel humbled and chuffed because my ambition was to get women in here.

They are happy to come in now and they are happy to come in by themselves.”

He has done it through hard graft – up until this year he had no members of staff – and also by embracing new technologies.

“Word of mouth has been huge and the amount of time I have spent on social media every day has also made a massive contribution in growing the business,” he explains.

“Google has been a big part, as has working with TripAdvisor to respond quickly and to actively encourage people to share their experience here. I believe people see social media as word of mouth.”

Beyond keeping the pub running, Matt had an eye on getting the pub into the Good Beer Guide but never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that judges would see fit to name it one of the best in the country.

They did though, praising how it has become central to its community.

Matt continues: “It doesn’t feel real because nothing has changed in here. It was

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this month.

The Wonston Arms, Wonston, Hampshire Style: Freehouse Handpulls: 4 Staff: 1 Award: Camra Pub of the Year 2019 Online: www.thewonston.co.uk

never part of the journey. Being the best little pub in Hampshire was our aim.

“It’s not an award you enter. This award happens every day of every shift, any of the 200,000 CAMRA members can come in here and judge you.”

But already the pub is seeing the benefits of winning, with people travelling from further afield to sample the delights of a pub that is now establishing itself as one of the best in the country.

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26/03/2019 04:58

RICHARD MOLLOY We’ve all been there. You flop into your comfy chair, kick off your shoes, sigh the satisfied sigh of a job well done after spending the whole day getting happy people drunk, pull out your phone and read a onestar review. It ruins your night. It ruins the next morning, afternoon and evening too.

You scan your memory to try to identify your detractor. You try to remember barrel changes and who may have had that last pint out of the cask; you ask your staff if anyone was unhappy or complained; you even check the CCTV to try and spot the nay-sayer, and all the time you’re thinking “you fucking turd. How dare you!”. And how dare they indeed? A one-star review is effectively saying that visiting your boozer was worse than doing nothing – crossing your threshold actually detracted from the happiness of their existence. Visiting your pub was a bad experience – the pub that shows the football and puts on live bands; the pub that keeps good beer; the pub that collects for charity. The pub that one couple enjoyed so much they decided to nip to the toilet cubicle for one of those skirt-up-trousersdown knee-tremblers then head back to their pinots giggling like teenagers. Did they award me five stars when they got home?

Did they write something akin to: “Nice beer. Great band. Such a good night that I decided to give the wife one in trap two of the ladies. Will definitely come again”?

No. But MaddestMike67 wrote a review.

Maybe he was disappointed that we didn’t scatter lily petals in front of him as he made his way to a golden throne where he would be flanked by nymphs feeding him grapes as harp music mingled with the tinkle of a nearby stream and the smell of freshly cut grass gently wafted in on a warm breeze that gently shimmered the scented candles uplighting his best features.

Yes. This is a rant. It’s like those people – usually older, usually a couple – that walk into your pub, look around, mutter something to each other then walk straight

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Maybe MaddestMike67 was disappointed we didn’t scatter lily petals in front of him as he made his way to a golden throne

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

back out. I always wonder what they were expecting. We’re a pub. We sell beer, cider, wines, spirits, pork scratchings. It’s warm and friendly, and I’ve just said hello to you through a big smile. Is the laughter too loud; the music too upbeat? Would you like me to show you to a quiet corner next to a bookcaseful of never-to-be-read novels and offer you low, comfy-looking, fake leather chairs that, at your age, you’ll probably take an hour to get out of. Is that what you want?

A fucking Wetherspoons?

And that’s what we’re measured against: chain bars that took the local and supersized it – pubs that put the toilets in the loft, pubs that make us queue up at the bar, sucked all the personality and fun out of drinking, pubs that smell of baked beans, table polish and disappointment – and surrounded us with people who think that they’re having a nice time by eating microwaved food off a plate that your nan would’ve thrown away.

Your local ’spoons is a pub for people that don’t like pubs. For people who like to know what they’re getting even if what they’re getting is discounted mediocrity.

It’s for the same people who will buy a sandwich from Pret a Manger instead of the privately owned deli struggling to make a living next door. For those who walk past their local café to half-make themselves a coffee using tiny sugar sachets and a stick in a cup with their name written on it.

You know what? Go into your local café a couple of times and they’ll remember your sodding name! They’re for people who will walk into a busy pub, hear the band, see all the groups chatting and laughing, see the singles mingling and dancing, and the flush-faced couple adjusting their clothing on the way back from the toilets then go home and write a one star fucking review on tripadfuckingvisor.

“Ah, but,” I hear you say “you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.

No. Because some people are twats.

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One in five adults in GB are now teetotal.* Tap into the demand for premium adult soft drinks with Honest Lemonade

Available now, Honest Lemonade comes in two still flavours – Classic & Pink Lemonade

Supported by a £3 million Honest brand marketing campaign in 2019

To find out more contact us at connect@ccep.com or call our Customer Hub on 0808 1 000 000

© 2019 Honest Tea, Inc. All rights reserved. HONEST is a registered trademark of Honest Tea, Inc. *Office for National Statistics’ Adult Drinking Habits in Great Britain report – 2017

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26/03/2019 01:40 18/03/2019 11:02

drink DRINK OF THE MONTH

Standard lager In the first of our new series looking at drinks trends, we’re earmarking standard lager ­(aka “cooking lager”).

Don’t laugh us out of the bar — craft may get all the headlines but standard lagers are still hugely important to the pubs and bars of Britain (65 per cent of all beer sold in the UK is lager, according to the most recent Cask Beer Report). Of that, the top three brands account for nearly half the volume.

You’d be right to recognise the category has its challenges — there are 1.6 million fewer drinkers in the category now, compared with five years ago, and a million of those are 18- to 34-year-olds, according to Kantar Alcovision. A group that once would have started out in this category now see it as “a type of drink I see in an old man’s pub”, according to recent research by Carlsberg UK. Unsurprisingly, the big brewers are starting to act. Take Carlsberg, for example. In February the Danish brewer announced a revamp of its flagship brand and this was no tinkering around the edges. Carlsberg has undergone a brewto-bar overhaul, backed with a £20m marketing investment.

The lager itself is no longer the same. There’s a new font and glassware rolling out now, TV ads and posters to launch

this month and an on-trade staff training programme to come. “Please don’t think this is a marketing exercise,” the beer’s UK vice-president of marketing, Liam Newton, said at a press briefing. “This starts with the brew.”

He admitted the company had got it wrong in recent years, going for quantity over quality and allowing the brand to play the role of “cheapest lager on the bar”.

No longer. There will be price rises but the team (who have been working on the project for 14 months) are confident the all-new crisp, quaffable Carlsberg Danish Pilsner will hit the sweet spot.

It will be interesting to see how the other mainstream lager brands react but, one way or another, we forecast the spotlight is about to return to standard lager.

• And don’t forget mainstream cider, either —500,000 pints are poured in pubs every day, check out our feature on p21-25.

COMMERCIAL BREAKDOWN THATCHERS • Official cider of the Cricket World Cup This year’s World Cup is due to be held in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14 and cider fans will be delighted to know as part of a new sponsorship deal, Thatchers will be available in all 11 venues for all 48 matches of the ICC Men’s World Cup. MICHELOB ULTRA • Virgin Sport The 79-calorie beer has joined forces with Virgin Sport to “champion living fit and living fun”. The three-year partnership makes the brand Virgin Sport’s official beer partner across events including the Hackney Festival of Fitness.

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GRAND MARNIER • Theatre cocktail Selected theatres in London will be serving Grand Marnier cocktails as part of a new campaign to establish the French liqueur as “the theatre cocktail”. Campari UK marketing director, Nick Williamson, said: “Grand Marnier aims to elevate cultural experiences by blending art and performance with classic cocktails.”

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Mermaid Gin

Not only is this one of the most stylish bottles the Inapub team has ever set eyes on but it’s got substance too — the new bottle is 100 per cent recyclable, decorated with biodegradable paint and features an all-natural cork with a wooden top and a paper seal. It’s also weighted forward for easy handling by bartenders and has a flange to make pouring easier too. isleofwightdistillery.com

Woodford Reserve

The Old Fashioned has been named the most popular cocktail in the world for the last five years running and this Bourbon brand is on a mission to bring it to UK pubs and bars. This syrup combines all the core flavours of an Old Fashioned (bitters, sugar and orange essence) to ensure the cocktail — which is often perceived as complicated and time-consuming to make — can be made “quickly and easily with consistency”. woodfordreserve.com

Look out for...

Heineken 0.0 Blade

Heineken has made its alcohol-free lager available on its Blade draught system.

“Heineken 0.0 on Blade will allow operators to tap into the booming low- and no- category and offer consumers a pint of alcoholfree beer without the need for a cellar and traditional equipment,” the company said. uk.blade.shop

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Brooklyn Brewery Defender IPA

The brewer says its latest UK launch is a “fun and unpretentious” brew. The 5.5 per cent ABV golden IPA is described as featuring notes of rounded, bitter hops, juicy tropical fruit and an incredibly dry finish. Garret Oliver, Brooklyn Brewery’s awardwinning brewmaster, said: “We’re excited to introduce Defender IPA to UK shores for the first time, especially with the growing interest in IPAs showing no signs of slowing.” carlsberguk.co.uk

APRIL 2019

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26/03/2019 01:55

drink.

A core favourite

by ROBYN BLACK

Given the recent buzz around fruit cider you could be forgiven for thinking apple cider has had its day – but with 500,000 pints of mainstream apple cider still being poured in pubs every day, it remains a key part of your offer.

Mainstream apple cider still accounts for over two-thirds of all draught cider sales (CGA to end December 17), plus it delivers the strongest volumes and guarantees the most satisfied customers, says Jerry Shedden, category and trade marketing director at Heineken UK – which has category leader, Strongbow, among its portfolio of cider brands.

“Mainstream apple should be the first cider tap on almost every bar. Although premiumisation is prevalent within the

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industry, many cider drinkers remain loyal to mainstream choices – shown through an average per pint price increase of 25p in cider versus 41p in lager (CGA Strategy beginning October 2018).”

Because of this, Jerry warns against swapping out a mainstream cider tap in favour of a premium one in a bid to encourage trade-up among cider fans.

“Mainstream apple cider outperforms premium apple cider in almost every outlet, so removing the mainstream option in favour

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of a more premium one impacts volumes,” he says.

It is into this market that Showerings Cider Mill has launched its Mallets Original Cider, “a new, exciting apple cider that has been created for the experiential and Millennial generation.”

The brand was launched back in November with a national marketing campaign and comprises an apple version and a dark fruit variant. It comes on draught and in cans.

Senior marketing manager at the Shepton Mallet-based Showerings Cider Mill, Emmy Webster, says: “Mallets is a mainstream premium cider brand with

Thatchers’ new Rosé Cider is made with dessert apple varieties including Pink Lady, Fuji and Gala,

Meanwhile, in fruit cider...

The Westons Cider Report last year predicted that by 2023 over half of cider sales would be fruit cider. Currently the big successes have been draught berry-flavoured variants, such as Stowford’s Press Mixed Berries, which has been hailed as the company’s most successful on-trade launch to date, and Heineken’s Strongbow Dark Fruit, which spearheaded the category and is still growing at 30 per cent annually (CGA to end December 2018).

Data shows new drinkers are being brought into cider via fruit variants, not just younger drinkers but those in areas such as Lancashire and Yorkshire, not traditionally seen as cider-drinking markets. Some of the excitement surrounding the category can also be attributed to the raft of more exotic flavours entering the scene.

Showerings Cider Mill’s Brothers brand, for example has recently launched two new flavours, Strawberries & Cream and Parma Violet, while Heineken’s Old Mout range has recently seen the addition of a Pineapple & Raspberry version.

“The rise in exotic flavours has been driven largely by a younger generation who are looking for sessionable fruit ciders in original, unique flavours,” says Heineken’s Jerry Shedden.

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26/03/2019 02:53

“

Authenticity and provenance speak volumes within the industry

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unique provenance, delivered with standout creative and an inventive, characterful journey. While we spend a lot of time researching and crafting our flavours, it’s just as important for a brand to resonate with its target audience through its story and authenticity.”

She advises that with “consumers now looking for premium drinks with authenticity, the apple cider market is no different.”

Apple of their eye

Thatchers too, stakes great importance on apple cider, with a focus on authenticity underpinned by its heritage as a family cider maker. And it is working.

Its flagship cider, Thatchers Gold, is the number two draught apple cider nationally, and its Thatchers Haze brand has entered the top 10 draught ciders, posting a phenomenal 43.2 per cent volume growth in the last year (CGA).

“At Thatchers we firmly believe in apple cider and the boundless potential that this one fruit has,” says on-trade sales director Rob Sandall.

The company has, in fact, just invested in a relaunch of its apple-based Old Rascal brand as Rascal Cider and developed a new Rosé Cider, made with dessert apple varieties including Pink Lady, Fuji and Gala, which it unveiled in November.

“Whilst new product development in the cider category has been largely focussed on fruit, we have been pioneering innovation in the apple sector where there is considerable room for growth. Our new Rosé Cider demonstrates our commitment to quality apple cider and cidermaking expertise, offering a characterful, sweeter, lower-ABV cider that looks fantastic in the glass,” Rob says.

Figures show that premium apple cider delivers 20p per

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How to build your cider range 1. Ensure the first cider tap on your bar is a mainstream apple cider, as it accounts for over two-thirds of all draught sales (CGA) and delivers strong throughputs. Only the most upmarket outlets should start their range with a premium cider. void removing mainstream cider in favour of premium cider 2. A – you’ll lose loyal drinkers and significant volume sales. Stock mainstream favourites.

3. C apitalise on consumer demand for fruity flavours and a sweeter taste in cider, by stocking the right range of mainstream and premium flavoured ciders.

4. C onsider offering both mainstream and premium apple and flavoured ciders on draught, to appeal to a wide variety of consumer tastes and boost volume and value sales.

5. D on’t forget packaged cider! 30 per cent of cider sales are packaged and cider drinkers are format loyal, so it’s key to range packaged cider options to meet the needs of all your consumers.

Mainstream apple accounts for over a third of packaged cider, while mainstream flavoured tends to be about berry options. Premium flavoured accounts for 60 per cent of all packaged cider and delivers on an exotic variety of flavour choices.

6. S atisfy the growing number of consumers limiting their alcohol consumption by stocking popular no- and low- ciders, which are increasingly available.

With thanks to Heineken UK

24

APRIL 2019

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pint additional revenue (CGA to Jan 2018) and so it is no surprise there is increasing investment at this end of the market.

Over at Sheppy’s, for example, it is traditional apple ciders that make up the “vast majority” of its sales and the company sees a huge opportunity in the rise of craft varieties, in line with the growth of craft beer.

It sees its brands such as Special Edition, made from home-grown traditional cider apple varieties, and Sheppy’s Vintage Reserve, a sparkling vintage cider, as addressing this demand.

“As cider already has a craft reputation, suppliers will need to look at how they can position themselves to take advantage of this trend,” explains master of cider David Sheppy. “Authenticity and provenance speak volumes within the industry. With six generations of cider making behind it, Sheppy’s has heritage in abundance and has been producing expertly crafted cider for over 200 years.

“Consumers still recognise that UK producers such as Sheppy’s are inherently craft, therefore it’s important that operators bear this in mind when choosing what to stock.”

Cloud and haze on the horizon

Like others, Westons has found huge success in the fruit cider category in recent times – it says that over 205 million pints of fruit cider are now drunk in the on-trade and

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PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

“

Outlets with one cider tap at the bar should prioritise an apple cider that reflects and reinforces the positioning of the site

p21-22-23-24-25 cider.indd 25

draught fruit cider has become a key driver for the firm’s on-trade sales, up 35.7 per cent year on year.

Yet apple remains vitally important to the business.

“Apple has a big role to play in the cider category and this is especially true for premium and traditional apple ciders,” says Darryl Hinksman, head of business development there.

Their brands, Mortimer’s Orchard and Stowford Press, are the two they see as having the biggest opportunity for growth in the apple sector.

“It’s crucial operators don’t neglect apple cider, which represents the majority of draught serves,” Darryl explains.

“Outlets with one cider tap at the bar should prioritise an apple cider that reflects and reinforces the positioning of the site.

Where bar space allows, two apple taps provide the opportunity for bar managers to offer an incremental trade-up opportunity.

“The apple cider market continues to both premiumise and diversify, demonstrated by the growing success of cloudy and hazy ciders. We think apple cider is ripe for growth in the on-trade,” he concludes.

Thinking outside the bottle

by Nicola Randall, Senior Sales & Marketing Manager, Brothers Cider

Known for its quirky concoctions and curiosity with flavours, trailblazer of fruit cider, Brothers, is once again at the forefront of category innovation with the launch of industry firsts Parma Violet and Strawberries & Cream – perfect for summer.

With 22% of fruit cider drinkers admitting new flavours are a key factor in their buying decision, Brothers’ latest creations were produced to capitalise on the category’s growing popularity, specifically amongst 18 to 34-year-olds who make up more than 50% of fruit cider drinkers.

Thinking outside the bottle by using popular flavours unrivalled in the cider market, Brothers’ ciders pave the way for this year’s biggest trend for nostalgia, taking consumers back to happy times with iconic, British classics.

Parma Violet is a delicate flavour of sweet violets with a subtle hint of floral notes, whilst Strawberries & Cream is a delicious combination of fruity strawberry flavours with creamy vanilla tones. Veganfriendly and gluten free, both ciders have an ABV of 4% and are available in 330ml and 500ml bottles.

For more information, visit: https://brotherscider.co.uk

26/03/2019 02:55

more than a

by ROBYN BLACK

mugs game

Singer Ariana Grande launched her Starbuck’s drink – a Cloud Macchiato – to global headlines last month, which tells you all you need to know about how far the world of coffee has come in the last two decades. And, while pubs don’t have to start offering similarly complicated concoctions to get their share of café culture, they do have to start raising their coffee game.

Not persuaded? According to the British Coffee Association, the UK’s coffee consumption soared to 95 million cups per day in 2018, an increase of 25 million cups in a decade.

“We know bartenders prefer pulling pints to serving coffee but the sales speak for themselves,” says Scott Russell, founder of coffee merchant Paddy & Scotts.

“We work with many pubs that realise

Hot chocolate Just like coffee and tea, these days hot chocolate needs to be a luxurious option.

Customers not only expect whipped cream and marshmallows, flavoured syrups or a shot of Baileys in their hot choc these days, they also expect the base drink to be something altogether more indulgent.

Chocolate specialist Callebaut for example, suggests licensees make a simple but decadent hot choc by melting its Milk Callets into hot milk, while Carpigiani offers the Chocolady machine which tempers a special chocolate mix into a rich, thick chocolate drink.

26 APRIL 2019

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the potential that a good hot drink offer can bring. The Brakspear pub group announced in early 2018 that its on-trade coffee sales had increased by 44 per cent over the year, while Manchester-based JW Lees has seen double-digit growth in coffee sales and even got a mention in the Cool Coffee guide as a place that’s “rocking the lattes”. Fabio Ferreira, co-founder of the Notes Coffee shops and roastery, suggests licensees look to speciality coffee shops, which are driving much of the current growth in the market, to see what they can learn.

“We would recommend offering the best your budget will allow… coffee is such an intrinsic part of our culture here in the UK, which is why consumers do expect a quality coffee offering, irrespective of whether they’re in a coffee shop or a pub.”

These days that extends to ethically produced coffee too, Fabio says, which is why we are seeing Fairtrade and other socially conscious labels becoming a key part of coffee marketing. One example is the Project Waterfall charity, which is dedicated to delivering access to fresh water and sanitation to coffee-growing communities across the globe.

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drink.

“

Whether it’s chocolate fudge cake paired with an intense Americano or a rich cherry bakewell with a flat white, pubs can tempt a new daytime crowd with a sweet coffee and cake offer trade.inapub.co.uk

p26-27hot drinks.indd 27

One of the companies involved, UCC Coffee UK & Ireland, has just launched its latest coffee, made from beans grown in areas of Ethiopia and Uganda that are currently benefiting from Project Waterfall support. Flavoured syrups are also a simple way for pubs to raise their coffee game.

Brands such as Monin offer so much more than gingerbread and caramel these days – think peppermint, pumpkin or coconut.

The new nitro

Another trend is Nitro Coffee (served cold, on draught and infused with nitrogen), a drink that Mintel data suggests one in five Brits is now interested in buying.

Nestlé Professional is focusing on this area with its new Nescafé Azera Nitro equipment, which it brought to market last year. “Ideal for pubs looking to offer something refreshingly new,” explains Lynn Little, channel lead at the company. “It’s a serve of the unexpected, creating a real sense of theatre.”

Iced beverages are, in fact, growing in popularity across the board, with 66 per cent of 18- to 24-year-old coffee drinkers and 26 per cent of over-45-year-old coffee

drinkers saying they are a good alternative to sugary soft drinks (Mintel).

Of course, one of the major advantages pubs have over coffee shops is being licensed to sell alcohol, so why not boost sales by mixing the two?

“From boozy Irish coffees to creamy café lattes, luxury coffees tend to be the biggest hits on the after-dinner scene,” says George Thomas, coffee brand manager for Aimia Foods.

“As well as afterdinner coffees, pubs should also look to offer daytime coffee and cake.

Whether it’s a slice of chocolate fudge cake paired with an intense Americano, or a rich cherry Bakewell accompanied by a flat white, pubs can tempt a new daytime crowd with a sweet coffee and cake offering.”

Some punters will be more inclined to have a cup of tea with their cake and with the tea market also looking vibrant these days, licensees would be foolish to ignore it.

Speciality tea blends are particularly en vogue these days – take note of buzzwords such as “infusion” and “stone rolled” – and catering to this market will take more than boiling a kettle and pouring it over a bag.

But that’s a whole other feature.

APRIL 2019

27

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eat HOT TOPIC... BUYING BEYOND BREXIT Have you been enjoying the Westminister soap opera? As the government lurched from crisis to crisis last month and the Brexit strategy congealed into an ever more hard-boiled mess, minds were turning to how the nation would actually manage to feed itself in the uncertain months ahead.

Amid the general despondency at the lack of progress, one financial services company spotted an opportunity.

But this wheeze was also dashed, when the Advertising Standards Authority banned its ad urging people to take out a loan in order to stockpile food.

Irresponsible messaging aside, the question of what will happen to our food supply chains as the Brexit saga unfolds has been vexing the industry. With the UK importing 30 per cent of its unprocessed food from the European Union according to government figures, savvy operators have been looking at how they can adapt.

Seeking British growers for products such as tomatoes and garlic is one precaution some restaurants are taking.

Adapting menus to celebrate British produce is another.

Publishing the Spring 2019 edition of its Market Forecast, supplier Lynx Purchasing stresses that foodservice businesses need to look beyond the short-term disruption threated by Brexit and focus on how they can stay sustainable in the long term. “One of the most important issues around Brexit, and one that is most difficult for opera-

tors to address directly, is consumer confidence,” said Lynx managing director Rachel Dobson. “Consumers need to feel able to commit their disposable income to going out to eat and drink, and a clear message from the industry that, as far as possible, it’s business as usual, will help.”

Lynx goes on to highlight efficient ordering, good planning of delivery schedules and waste reduction as ways to minimise disruption and put businesses on a sustainable footing for the long term. With this in mind, the report flags up the following developments to be aware of this year: Beef: The barbecue season will drive demand for burger cuts from the forequarter, and for steaks, round cuts such as topsides and silversides will likely be better value.

Fish: Wild brill, turbot, monk and hake should hopefully be plentiful in UK waters. Plaice will be in good condition after the spawning season this month. Wild bass, skate and mullet should be avoided due to sustainability issues.

Potatoes: Following 2018’s poor potato crop, large spuds such as bakers will be in shorter supply and likely more expensive.

Salads: Dutch salad crops such as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes are now replacing Spanish stocks as they come to the end of their season. The UK is a big market for these producers, and Brexit poses a challenge for both sides.

The political class have revealed their planning for Brexit to be woefully inadequate. Surely Britain’s pubs can do better.

An overdose of salts With customers increasingly concerned about healthy eating, a new report has warned that children’s meals served out of home are far too salty.

Pressure group Action on Salt analysed 352 children’s meals and found 41 per cent of them to be high in salt, defined as containing more than 1.8g of salt per portion. The 1.8g limit was set as a target for children’s meals by Public Health England in 2017.

Wetherspoons fish, chips & baked beans was singled out as a bad example, with a

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serve containing 4.9g of salt. TGI Friday’s chicken burger with crispy fries & baked beans, at 5.3g per portion, contained as much salt as 11 bags of ready salted crisps.

Brewer’s Fayre’s breaded cod bites with chips & baked beans, on the other hand, contained just 0.9g of salt, less than a third the content of a similar dish from Loch Fyne.

Mhairi Brown, nutritionist at Action on Salt said: “Protecting children’s health should be a priority for all food and drink companies – the out of home sector must act now and take salt off the menu for children.”

26/03/2019 03:17

VEGAN SAUSAGE ROLL

James Griffith, area executive chef, Liberation Group

Topping

Beetroot purée brushed on to the pastry, toasted breadcrumbs and beetroot piccalilli to create a crackling effect. Fine strips of shallots which have been in pickling liquor, discs of pickled beetroot and micro parsley.

James created this meat-free marvel for the hotly contested “Great Sausage Roll Off” competition held at Fuller’s The Red Lion in Barnes, West London, in January. A simpler version featuring a dukkah spice blend, butternut squash, beetroot, baby spinach, paprika & chickpeas, was a customer hit when it featured on the company’s “From The Allotment” menu in a selection of pubs in January.

The dish, which was sold on the menu for £5, prompted customers to tweet pics of the sausage-free creation to ITV’s Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan following his outrage about Gregg’s vegan sausage roll launch.

Such was the popularity of the dish it will be making a reappearance on the menu in May. James says that the ‘Squash and Beets’ sausage roll was devised with the aim of representing as many elements of a traditional sausage roll as possible.

Squash & beetroot filling Vegan friendly pastry

James made his vegan-friendly pastry with organic flour, cocoa butter and coconut oil and made the pastry to the same traditional puff pastry method.Jus-Rol puff pastry, which is vegan-friendly, could also be used.

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The tasty filling was designed to have a thick mince-like texture.

Butternut squash & red lentil purée, are used with maple syrup roasted butternut squash, raw pieces of red beetroot to give it crunch, and tiny pieces of pickled golden beetroot are mixed through to balance out the sweetness.

26/03/2019 03:17

The breakfast boom

by JO BRUCE

The rise of pub breakfasts continues, offering licensees the opportunity to make their food and drink sales around this meal rise and shine on both everyday and special occasions.

Innovation is key to help pub menus stand out against the competition. As Fabien Levet, commercial manager at pastry products supplier Pidy UK, says: “It’s all about elevating classic formats with additional flavours and simple ingredients to add the wow factor to everyday dishes and make them truly ‘Instagrammable’.”

Mohammed Essa, commercial director at Aviko UK & Ireland, suggests using Aviko’s hash brown bites or bubble & squeak rounds to freshen up dishes.

Ideas for dishes with a difference from Laurence Tottingham, development chef at Oliver Kay Produce, include black pudding hash browns, salt beef hash, or toasted croque monsieurstyle sandwiches.

He adds: “Even Mexican

or Asian style breakfast items are proving popular. The breakfast naan at Indian café brand Dishoom is a great idea, which pubs could adapt for brunch menus.”

Regional variations

To add interest to the full English pubs could offer their own regional variation. Operator UAB’s two pubs in Birmingham offer “The Brummie” featuring black pudding, which is the second top-seller after its full English.

The group also has a following for its distinctive toast. Operations director David Lewis says: “We don’t have any toasters and chargrill our toast, which gives it a unique flavour” Breakfast is a great dish for big event days such as sporting occasions and on Mother’s Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. David adds: “For the Six Nations we do an all-day breakfast and add special things such as beer-battered black pudding. We also find breakfast is popular on Father’s Day, with many people preferring to celebrate with a meal earlier in the day.”

Healthier options

With consumers increasingly looking for dishes which are better for them, it is also important to offer a healthier breakfast.

One such option is a spinach and avocado egg wrap, using the egg cooked into a thin omelette as the wrap. Healthier versions of classic dishes are also sure to be a winner.

At the Brigands Inn in Machynlleth, Wales, owner Kevin Geyton offers a breakfast which has half the fat and calories of a traditional full English breakfast.

The “Award-winning Breakfast”, so called because it won the National Breakfast Awards 2018, features poached rare breed eggs on toasted homemade sourdough, topped with crushed avocado, home-cured bacon, Rob Raterry’s homemade black

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26/03/2019 03:24

“

We find breakfast is popular on Father’s Day, with many people preferring to celebrate with a meal earlier in the day

pudding & local crisp chorizo, with a light Welsh rarebit sauce.

Kevin says: “I have a heart condition and I’m also diabetic but I love a cooked breakfast and wanted to create something I could enjoy.

I make my own dry-cure bacon, which has half the salt and fat and is simple to make.

I also make a cider rarebit sauce which is much lower in fat than hollandaise, the sourdough toast is lower in fat and free of sugars whilst the avocado replaces the butter.”

Smoothie operators

Michael Eyre, culinary director at Jestic Foodservice Equipment, advises publicans to include more fresh juices and smoothies as we head toward the summer. His ideas include apple & ginger juice or sweet lychee & strawberry smoothie.

At The Paddle in Christchurch, Dorset, drinks created by Harry Mosley, the National Breakfast Awards’ Breakfast Chef of the Year 2019, include the “Morning Mockito” with apple, mint, cucumber & lime juice and the ‘Breakfast Boost’ smoothie of peanut butter, honey, oat milk, banana & chia seeds.

LEAVE A LASTING

IMPRESSION this season with Callebaut

To help pub operators boost sales over the spring and summer months, real Belgian chocolate producer Callebaut® has launched new seasonal support materials from its Lasting Impressions campaign, providing pubs with channel specific tools to inspire dessert menus.

Vegetarian/vegan options

It is also a must to have meat-free options on your menu. Jon Turonnet, foodservice sales manager at Brioche Pasquier, suggests a halloumi and avocado croissant while Pidy’s Levet suggests sweetcorn fritters and scrambled tofu.

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Embrace flavours

Operators should also look to breakfast flavours to add interest across other parts of the menu such as breakfast pies, pizza and cocktails.

With the right market, menu and marketing, breakfast could become the most important meal of the day for your business.

Breakfast menu ideas Breakfast Biscoff — melt Lotus Biscoff spread with a drop of milk to create a topping for drizzling over pancakes, waffles, fruit and Greek yoghurt.

Breakfast on the go — for a takeaway option Brioche Pasquier recommends tea or coffee and a take-away pain au chocolat, with the company’s coming in long lasting, individually wrapped packs of six.

p30-31 breakfast.indd 31

Callebaut®

TOP TIPS FOR DEVELOPING A SENSATIONAL SEASONAL MENU:

1. Consider the weather, diners appreciate cold desserts when it’s hot 2. Promote use of seasonal produce to diners on menus 3. Create upsell opportunities by offering diners the option to add extra toppings

For recipe inspiration, visit: FORTHELOVEOFCHOC.COM

26/03/2019 05:02

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26/03/2019 05:22

eat.

The life and soul of

by JO BRUCE

1. UK Burger and Chicken Restaurants Industry Report 2017 2. MCA Bakery and Sandwich Tracker 2017

Above: The Mac n’ cheese burger at the Pig & Fiddle in Bath.

Below: Lantamann’s Grill Marked Burger Bun

the patty

The burger looks set to have another big year on pub menus with the UK burger market currently worth a super-sized £3.3bn1 and burgers now consumed on a whopper of a tenth (9.1%) of all eating-out occasions2. But if you’re going to tap in to burgers’ continuing popularity then you need to make sure yours stand out.

As Laurence Tottingham, development chef at Oliver Kay Produce, says: “Burgers are a mainstay of pub menus, but the market never stands still, and younger customers in particular expect pubs to offer the same range of choice and innovation as the speciality burger operators.”

Alison Smith, product developer for Mars Food Europe, which owns Uncle Ben’s sauces, adds: “Pub operators should look towards the latest food trends for inspiration.

Whether it’s a dirty, infused or vegan burger, pub caterers can maximise sales by stepping away from your standard options and giving customers something exciting that is sure to get customers talking.”

Theming burgers around special occasions

or things in the news is a good way to maintain interest and drive innovation in your burger offer. At The Red Lion in Hockley, Birmingham, “The Brexit’ is on the menu featuring a beef burger with Italian pastrami, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, sauerkraut & salad.

Laurence suggests customers be given the opportunity to customise burgers with speciality cheeses such as gruyère, Monterey Jack and smoked Cheddar, which can be bought ready-sliced to minimise food waste.

He adds: “Use a choice of slaws, such as heritage carrot & pak choi or a mint & cucumber slaw mixed with a ranch-style dressing as an alternative to lettuce and tomato, to add a point of difference.”

National Burger Day on August 22 is an opportunity for publicans to highlight their burger offer and stand out from the crowd by doing something different. Alice Bowyer, group executive chef at The Liberation Group, says: “We take part in National Burger Day,

Pimp your burger As part of National BBQ Week last year Liberation Group pubs served a Dingley Dell pork burger with blue cheese and a “camemburger” – a breaded half-wheel of camembert with beer onion marmalade, sweet & sour pickles, smoked bacon served on top of roasted new potatoes. It was a big hit for Bonfire Night.

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promoting our burgers and serving extras and toppings. Our mac n’ cheese topping goes down well at The Pig & Fiddle in Bath.”

Beyond beef

Above: working with pop-ups such as We Serve Humans is one way to make some fuss around burgers. Right: Stacked pulled pork burger made with Mars Foodservice’s Uncle Ben’s Hickory Smoked Barbecue Sauce

“

We’re seeing a rise in demand for game burgers like venison, partially because of their low cholesterol

Although beef is still king of the burger meats, lamb, pork, venison and wild boar burgers are also increasingly popular.

Richard Taylor, managing director of retail and catering butchers Owen Taylor & Sons, says: “We’re seeing a rise in demand for game burgers like venison, which are appealing partially because of their low cholesterol.”

The business supplies several hundred pubs with products including readymade burgers.

Their biggestselling option is burger balls, mixed to a customer’s individual recipe and ready to be pressed out by chefs. Caterers then personalise them with their own seasoning or marinade.

Fish & fowl

Chicken and fish burgers are also wellreceived by customers. Alice from The Liberation Group says: “We are working on a fish burger, particularly for our Channel

Go gourmet on the bun According to Lantmännen Unibake UK, 84 per cent of consumers agree that a high-quality bun is a key characteristic of a gourmet burger.1 A premium bun is also a profit opportunity for operators as consumers are willing to pay up to £1.25 more for a burger in a gourmet bun.2 Among premium buns available from the company are the Americana brioche bun and Americana grill marked burger bun, which are supplied pre-sliced, ready to thaw and serve.

Among burger buns available from supplier Speciality Breads is the vegan-friendly Eden Burger Bun with the recipe including a touch of potato which creates a soft flavoursome crumb under a rich golden “soft top” crust.” It also holds meat burgers well for operators limited on space who don’t want to stock different burger buns.The company’s managing director Simon Cannell also recommends their rosemary focaccia roll for lamb burgers, cranberry pan rustic for turkey and sourdough & onion for beef.

1. MCA Pub & Restaurant Decision Maker Classic and Gourmet Burger Report Jan 2018.

2. Opeepl Classic and Gourmet Burger Consumer Research – December 2017.

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Islands pubs and our coastal pub in Dorset with, fingers crossed, a squid ink bun.” For caterers looking for a simple to prepare fish burger, Young’s Foodservice offers a crispy fish fillet burger made from skinless and boneless wild Alaskan pollock fillets.

Vegan/veggie burgers

With an increasing number of people now looking for meat-free choices, a vegan burger should be an option on your menu.

Liberation Group’s vegan burger launched in January and is selling well. It uses the Moving Mountains protein patty, also used by Marston’s.

The burger features a vegan brioche bun, vegan cheese and mayo, and a herb leaves mix.

Laurence from Oliver Kay suggests a beetroot burger, while Alison from Mars Foodservice recommends pouring Uncle Ben’s Chilli Con Carne sauce into beans and pulses to create a Mexican vegan burger, using a juicy mushroom in place of a bread bun and topping with vegan sour cream and salsa.

Burger residencies

Working with a street food operator on a burger pop-up or residency is another lowhassle way of focusing on burgers at your pub. Electric Star Pubs has burger residencies at pubs including The Leyton Star, in London’s Leyton, working with We Serve Humans, which won our best pub burger award in association with Shipyard last year.

Steve Macri, operations director at Electric Star Pubs, says: “We select our residency partners based on local recommendations and go and see other pubs with residencies. You need to ensure that a residency partner can deliver the same consistency at peak times. Our partners change the menus regularly to ensure consistency.”

He adds: “Burgers are a great dish for pubs to do a residency around as people are comfortable with them and know what they are going to get.”

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/03/2019 03:36

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TO FIND OUT MORE, VISIT: WWW.AMERICANA.CO.UK * Opeepl | Classic & Gourmet Burger Consumer Research – December 2017. ** MCA | Pub & Restaurant Decision Maker Classic & Gourmet Burger Interview Report – January 2018.

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PROUDLY PART OF LANTMÄNNEN UNIBAKE

26/03/2019 05:06

play HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Easter Sunday, April 21

down on the country for the entire weekend.

The reason Easter is a movable feast is that the date is always determined by the moon. Ever since the year 325, Easter has fallen on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the spring equinox.

From astronomers to zither players, pubs host clubs for everyone. Over the next few months we’ll be celebrating some of the best.

You never know who you’ll meet when you’re out and about. The team from The George were running a bar at a music festival when a ukulele band leader popped up and said his crew were looking for somewhere to practise.

Ever since, every other Monday has seen dozens of folk turn up with their ukes to have a strum and a drink at the Kent pub.

Paul Fillis, operations manager at the freehouse, explains: “Numbers vary week to week but there’s a core

t pub clu ea

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UKULELE CLUB• THE GEORGE TUNBRIDGE WELLS, KENT

gr

No doubt the dates are firmly fixed in your diary, because the Easter weekend always represents a great opportunity for the trade. This year we have a “late one”, arriving more than three weeks later than in 2018 in fact. It may give some hope that beer gardens will be bustling with the sun shining

of around at least 20 that are here pretty much every session.

We have had fewer and larger of weeks… there were 57 at their B ri t a i n Christmas bash.

“It’s good to know we have their custom guaranteed once a fortnight but we tend to find Mondays are OK for us on the whole anyway.

“We’ve even had people book tables to come and watch them rehearse.”

The pub doesn’t charge the group to use the space and provides them with some food, to ensure creativity in the town is sustained. They tend to stick around from 7pm to closing time. They also come back on other occasions.

“Some of them played our New Year’s Eve party and most come in with partners and friends for drinks at other times,” adds Paul.

Music is a key part of the business with the pub planning a programme of music events this summer. It is also the sister pub to live music venue The Forum, also in Tunbridge Wells.

Does your pub host a club with a difference that has helped grow your business? Let us know by emailing editorial@inapub.co.uk

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play.

FA Cup semi-finals

We’re at the business end of the competition now, which means four teams are off to Wembley for the chance to, well, play in the Cup Final at Wembley. The Scottish Cup semi-finals take place a week later.

April 6, 7, BBC, BT Sport

Pic: Philosophy Football

Champions League Quarter-Finals

Pic: Getty

Now that Real Madrid’s hands have finally been prised off the trophy, can any of the English teams bring it home? The semis also get under way at the tail end of the month (April 30).

April 9,10, 16, 17, BT Sport

Also happening this month If you need extra hands to get your garden in shape for the summer, now is the time to ask.

The Royal Horticultural Society wants people to get out, get fit and get gardening. There’s no reason you shouldn’t benefit from this.

April 27-May 5

Manchester United v Manchester City

This massive match has been put back from its original date due to both sides playing in the FA Cup. Suffice to say it could have a huge bearing on the race for the Premier League title and those coveted top four spaces.

Wednesday April 24, 7.45pm Sky Sports

Liverpool v Chelsea

Five years ago this month Steven Gerrard’s slip against the same opposition had a huge impact on Liverpool’s title challenge. What will happen at Anfield this time?

Sunday April 14, 4.30pm, Sky Sports Pic: Getty

Sky recently announced it will be covering all four of golf’s majors this year.

So you know where to go for those beautiful images from the always immaculate Augusta National. But did you know this…

Winners at Augusta are famously rewarded with a green jacket. These were introduced by the club in 1937 to identify members– and “to let waiters know who got the bill for dinner”.

Tickets to the Masters are among the most sought after in sport but if you are lucky enough to get in, food and drink is a relative bargain.

You’ll pay $4-5 for a beer, and just $3 for a grilled chicken wrap.

National Gardening Week

Pic: Getty

Did you know?

The Masters

St George’s Day

Fly your flags, get the red roses out, have plenty of cask in the cellar and prepare for some rousing renditions of Jerusalem. If that’s your thing. It’s also Shakespeare’s birthday (455 years young).

Tuesday April 23

Arnold Palmer was a giant of the game, but you can ask for one of your own at The Masters. You’ll receive the ice-tea and lemonade concoction that the four times Masters champion loved to sup.

Champions host a dinner the following year, choosing the menu themselves. When Yorkshire’s Danny Willet won in 2016, he returned with mini cottage pies, Sunday Roast and apple crumble.

Membership to Augusta is by invitation only. The general policy is, if you ask, you’re not welcome.

April 11-14, Sky Sports

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26/03/2019 03:53

The cups runneth over

by MATT ELEY

“

The Uefa Nations League might not be as exciting as the World Cup or the Euros, but England at least have a realistic chance of bringing something home

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There are few events that provide the excitement — or the need to sup nervously on a beer — of a cup final. The good news for pubs is this summer is packed with them. Here’s what’s coming your way.

FA Cup Final

When: Saturday May 18, 5.15pm.

Where: Wembley.

Who: At the time of going to press the finalists had yet to be decided.

On: BBC/BT Sport.

Pub tip: It might not be popular with the purists, but the teatime kick-off gives pubs the potential to get that Saturday evening session going a little earlier.

Champions League Final

When: Saturday June 1, 8pm.

Where: Wando Metropolitano Stadium, Madrid.

Who: With defending champions Real Madrid already out, there will be a new winner for the first time in four years.

Hopes are high a Premier League team could go one stage further than beaten finalists Liverpool managed last season.

On: BT Sport.

Pub tip: With a Spanish host and the potential for a Spanish finalist it may be worth thinking about some tapas and sangria options for your Saturday night football fans.

Europa League Final

When: Wednesday May 29, 8pm.

Where: Olympic Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan.

Who: TBC but the prize is huge. Not only will the club pick up a European pot, but they will also qualify for next season’s Champions League.

On: BT Sport.

Pub tip: This fixture comes hot on the heels of a Bank Holiday weekend, so promote heavily to ensure customers are willing to come back for more. And if you know anyone who supplies Azerbaijani beer Xirdalan, now’s the time to put that call in.

Heineken Champions Cup

When: Saturday May 11, 5pm.

Where: St James’ Park, Newcastle.

Who: At the time of writing, champions Leinster were the hot favourites to win the title.

Saracens were the only English team to make it to the knockout stages, where Edinburgh and Glasgow were also represented.

On: BT Sport.

Pub tip: Pubs in Newcastle should be rammed, with fans descending on a city more commonly associated with football. The Toon will be busy and pubs across the rest of the UK can capitalise on a sporting weekend

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play.

that will also include the final Premier League fixtures and potential deciders in the race for the title and the fight against the drop.

European Challenge Cup Final

When: Friday May 10, 7.45pm.

Where: St James’ Park, Newcastle.

Who: Europe’s “best of the rest” cup had five English teams in the last eight, so the chances of at least one English semi-finalist later this month is guaranteed. An English team in the showpiece would be the perfect start to a weekend of top-class rugby.

On: BT Sport.

Pub tip: Use this as the starting point to make your pub the place to be for a weekend full of decisive sporting clashes.

EFL Play-Off Finals

When: Saturday May 25 to Monday May 27.

Where: Wembley.

Who: The teams that just missed out on automatic promotion from the Championship, League One and League Two play off in some of the season’s most lucrative games.

On: Sky Sports.

Pub tip: These fall on a bank holiday weekend that leads into the European finals.

Basically, be prepared for peak football.

Uefa Nations League Finals When: June 5 to June 9.

Where: Portugal.

Who: England v Holland; Portugal v Switzerland.

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On: Sky Sports.

Pub tip: If any bunting or flags survived last summer’s Fifa World Cup now’s the time to bring them back out. OK, it might not be as exciting as that tournament or the Euros, but England at least have a realistic chance of bringing something home.

Women’s World Cup Final

When: June 7 to July 7.

Where: France.

Who: England and Scotland are among the 20 teams looking for World Cup glory. And they’re in the same group too.

On: BBC. Pub tip: June 9 is definitely a date worth noting in the diary. Not only is it the final of the Uefa Nations League, which could see Gareth Southgate’s side gunning for glory, but it is also the date that England and Scotland women’s teams start their World Cup campaigns. Against each other.

Cricket World Cup

When: May 30 to July 14.

Where: England and Wales.

Who: The top 10 teams in the world.

On: Sky Sports.

Pub tip: Despite a slightly humbling recent series in the Caribbean, England hold high hopes of winning the 50-overs One-Day International world title for the first time in their history. Check out the March issue of Inapub or visit trade.inapub.co.uk for more information and fixtures.

APRIL 2019

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Get your head in the game

by MATT ELEY

Den of Thieves: the VR offering at the Four Thieves is a big draw for players and spectators alike

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I’ve had some strange experiences in pubs over the years, but never before have I blasted oncoming aliens and giant spiders with a laser gun and a chainsaw.

I hadn’t so much as sniffed a drop of alcohol, but this was what happened when I visited the Four Thieves in London’s Clapham. The pub is one of three Laine Pub Company sites that provides a home for Inter Pub Gaming (IPG), the virtual reality (VR) specialist working in the UK on-trade.

Upstairs in the Four Thieves’ games room — which also features crazy golf, arcade games and escape rooms — IPG has introduced thousands of punters to VR.

I donned a headset and picked up the controllers to be immersed in a world that felt as intense as a six-pint hangover, though thankfully nowhere near as unpleasant.

Social media

Company boss, Anthony Nixon, joined me in the game to help stem the alien invasion and later, back in actual reality, explained how he sees VR as a great social tool for pubs.

“For VR to work it needs to be social,” he says. “It’s not the case with every pub, but in places like [the Four Thieves] they have a professional population of males and females with disposable income who are looking for something more than just drinking.

“They are looking for entertainment and this is something unique. As far as I am aware, we are the only VR company globally that operates permanently in pubs.”

Anthony’s background is in IT systems, but the company came about almost by accident. After a real-life adventure to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro he returned to

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play.

“

It is about a shared experience rather than individuals losing themselves in another world

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London and ended up in a flat share with Oli Lane, a VR fan who was trying to get a business off the ground. Anthony bought in and suggested his local, the Four Thieves, would be the ideal spot to launch.

“I said I knew exactly where to do it and as a result of that we ended up opening two weeks later. I was a regular here, I knew the manager and I knew it would be the perfect location,” he says.

Teaming up with the pub reduces the company’s overheads. It’s not a cheap operation with the tech, the potential for kit to get damaged and staff working at every site and session to help customers get to grips with VR. Customers either book VR experiences in advance for an hour, which are around £40 per head, or they pay £6 on the night for a five to 10-minute game.

The pub is rewarded with more customers spending behind the bar and returning to play different games.

IPG also has booths at The Aeronaut in Acton and The World’s End in Brighton. They plan to be in half a dozen sites in different parts of the country by the end of the year.

Inter-pub action

More venues would mean the potential for inter-pub challenges, which have already been successful. Anthony continues: “We did London versus Brighton and it was epic. Brighton won, they have a big gaming and developer community down there. As they were coming out of the VR booths in Brighton the spectators made an impromptu tunnel and guided them to the bar where there were shots waiting.”

And this is one of the keys to VR in pubs. Perhaps surprisingly, it is more about a shared experience with customers watching the games on screens, rather than individuals losing themselves in another world.

Anthony adds: “The single most important thing in

Inter Pub Gaming Established: 2016 Sites in: 3 Staff: 22 Cost: Around £39 an hour or £6 a game Online: www.ipg.buzz

public spaces is spectatorship. Because people are so vocal and animated in the booths it commands attention and people demand to have a go. People see it and they want to play it. They will try it and they will love it.”

Shoot ’em up games are popular, as are quests and escape rooms, which prove particularly popular for team-building events.

The experiences also prove popular across gender and age divides.

“Quest games are great for family bonding. You get great family time. There are no mobile phones or TVs, they are working together and they are immersed together.

“We also have a lot of girls who play. If you look at other things such as pool or arcade machines, they are dominated by men. VR is one of the unique entertainment forms that allows entry for anyone to do it. We have done as young as three and as old as people in their 80s and 90s. It’s really appealing as an activity across the spectrum.”

However, it does share a similarity with pool — one all pub players will be familiar with.

“There’s a tipping point where you have two, two-and-a-half pints and you relax and you’re winning your games, but it doesn’t last for long.”

The VR sweet spot.

Which is exactly what IPG is hoping to hit.

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stay

Bankrolling the B&B

by MICHELLE PERRETT

When Paul Hope, owner of The Saxon Inn near Bishop Auckland, County Durham, wanted to add B&B bedrooms to the 400-year-old pub, he had no idea of the challenge he was facing to fund the project.

“I plan to retire in five years time and I wanted to leave the most sustainable premises I could,” says Paul.

“The pub is the only asset left within a small village. I didn’t want to leave and look back in a few years time and see it closed.”

A huge investment in local tourism in the area combined with the location of the pub, next to a 1,400 year-old Saxon Church, meant according to Paul, that “the time was right” to borrow £150,000 to further diversify the business.

THE BANK’S VERDICT Paul Marshall, relationship manager at NatWest, granted the funding to Paul Hope as The Saxon was a long-established business with a strong profile in the community and was diversifying income streams to strengthen the business. He says that the pub had profitable trading, provided financial forecasts that covered various possible outcomes and Paul Hope was also able to invest personal cash and assets.

“He had clearly fully researched the project, had undoubted enthusiasm for it and was prepared to back his claims with both time and money,” says Paul Marshall.

He says it was key to visit the customer and discuss his proposals face to face as well as look at the premises and the plans. “I am fully aware of a number of projects under way in the town which should attract people to the area and so was able to fully understand and substantiate his proposals,” he explains.

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Paul, who has been a publican for 40 years, had previously invested and funded developments such as a new kitchen and restaurant, from the profits within the business. “We owned the premises lock, stock and barrel, and we had no mortgage, no debt, were cash-rich and thought it would not be a problem,” he says.

“I have never been in bad debt and my credit score is excellent.”

Paul says that initially he approached his own bank but “didn’t get a great deal of feedback” and it never really moved forward with his application – it is the bank that already does his personal banking as well as that for a number of buy-to-let rental properties.

Loosening the purse strings

However, despite the fact that the pub business was worth £375,000, and he was asking to borrow less than half that, he was offered a loan of only £100,000.

He also approached other funding companies but there were a number of pitfalls.

“Some were too expensive to repay, some did not want to loan that much and others said we had more than adequate security but the timeframe was not flexible,” he says.

“I wanted to pay it back as if we were not using the accommodation, so the business itself could afford to pay it not tak-

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“

Get everything you need in one place because the amount of information you need for the bank is substantial

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ing account of the rooms.”

He then decided to speak to financial broker PXL Associates, who searched the market for the best deal. They advised Paul that the NatWest bank was the best option.

Paul says he believes that his knowledge of the pub trade, strong accounts and bank statements and good operation, persuaded NatWest the pub was a “good financial risk”.

Paul received £190,000 investment from the bank to be repaid over 15 years. He also invested £60,000 of his own money.

This was used to build and fit nine double, twin and family en-suite bedrooms. The development involved transforming the previous three-bedroom owners’ living accommodation above the original 400-yearold building.

This was then extended over the newerbuilt restaurant, bar and lounge areas. The rooms soft-opened in December 2018 and officially launched at the beginning of March

with the rate for double or twin rooms from £70 to £90 for bed and breakfast.

“We probably could have started six months earlier than we actually did but I was always looking for a better deal. Don’t always accept your first deal, look for the best deal,” he advises.

He says that the best approach is to look at as many different funding avenues as possible, depending on the type of investment and development.

“Get everything that you need in one place because the amount of information you need is substantial,” he says.

Paul says that the rooms are already trading well and he has already purchased an additional piece of land to extend the car park and kitchen, while refurbishing the exterior and lounge area. Although he has been offered additional funding from NatWest, he is hoping he can fund this from the profits within the business.

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back-bar business

Eye in the sky

by MATT ELEY

The Wiremill (top, (pic by Michael Kheng / Kurnia Aerial Photography) and the Stonemasons Arms (pic by Simon Delaney)

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Despite shutting down Gatwick last year, drones have grown in popularity. Whether you get a professional pilot involved or take the controls yourself, you can add a new dimension to showcasing what you do.

The once impressive black and white photos of a pub from above that decorated interiors a generation ago have been replaced by aerial images that can be used on walls, websites and any of the other channels that help you market your business.

And the good news is now you don’t need a low-flying aircraft to get these shots.

Check out the images of The Wiremill (left), the Yummy Pub a short drone flight from Gatwick Airport.

They show the lakeside pub nestling snuggly into its environment in a way that would be tricky to capture from land.

Similarly, licensee Simon Delaney used his own drone to capture a black and white shot of his new Greene King pub, the Stonemasons Arms in Timperley, Altrincham. He has also made a short film that helps showcase the new business.

He said: “We’ve been having lots of fun with my new drone and we are just starting to use the images and videos.”

Of course, for the very best results, you can also call in the professionals.

As well as capturing great images, professional companies should also be accredited by the Civil Aviation Authority and have public liability insurance in place, eliminating a large degree of risk.

Jason Geeves is a qualified drone pilot and professional photographer who runs Yorkshire based Skopa, which specialises in capturing aerial images and footage.

He explains the benefits to pubs: “Customers tastes develop and they become more and more savvy and not just in terms of the beer they drink.

“They are looking for something different and aerial photography gives you the chance to present something new and exciting to them before they have even set foot in your premises. It can give a sense of grandeur, it can be informative about location or facilities, but most of all it is eye catching and should help your pub stand out from the crowd.”

And naturally it gives you a great way of making an impact in those all-important social channels.

Jason continues: “Social media, apps and other digital platforms are usually the first place a potential customer might encounter your pub, so why not take the opportunity to highlight what makes your place unique.

“Got a massive beer garden? Shout about it with an aerial shot for people to see on your website or Facebook page. Located in the

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Pic by Skopa

“

Aerial photography gives you the chance to present something new and exciting

Tom O’ The Wood in Warwickshire (pic by Michael Kheng / Kurnia Aerial Photography)

middle of a stunning beauty spot? Capture a panning shot of your location and deliver a promotional sizzle for future advertising.”

Michael Kheng has gone from running pubs to photographing them from up high.

The former Lincoln-based pub operator now runs a licensing business alongside Kurnia Aerial Photography.

Michael, who took the images of The Wiremill and Tom O The Wood in Warwickshire, says: “Aerial photographs are a great way to showcase your pub, especially if in a great location such as the Wiremill. Anthony Pender and Tim Foster [founders of Yummy Pubs] wanted to capture a unique shot of their waterside pub and the use of a drone was the perfect solution. Pub operators should also be aware – there are laws regarding the use of drones, especially if the images are being used for commercial gain.”

If you are unsure about the law, use a licensed company or gen up properly – no-one wants to risk a Gatwick-style drama all over again.

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time at the bar

PLATE OR SLATE? Where the nation’s pub people stand on the really big questions Danny Grayson & James Dobson, Sport Shack, Sheffield Danny Grayson and James Dobson teamed up to launch micro sports bar concept Sport Shack in September. They have already opened two venues in Sheffield, have a third on the way and are aiming to expand the business across Yorkshire.

Plate or slate?

DG: We serve in baskets here. We do hand held food: hot dogs and paninis, so there are no fancy plates that could get dropped on the floor. We would never serve on slate, I think that is totally wrong in every way, shape and form!

Cocktails or cask ale DG: Cask ale. Through and through. This is Sheffield.

JD: We normally have two cask ales from a local brewery, mainly Bradfield and Abbeydale. We’ll do seasonal ones at Christmas and things like that as well.

Background music or silence is golden?

DG: Background music but low, not blasting out. Low background music that complements the atmosphere except when the big games are on, then we will always have the commentary on.

Dyson Airblade or hand towels?

Hillsborough a lot of the pubs are no kids allowed. Well-behaved children and well behaved dogs here.

Cash or Apple Pay? JD: It’s more cash at our Hillsborough site and Apple Pay at Ecclesall Road. But it is more and more card every year.

DG: Students will buy a bag of crisps on a card. We are moving towards card only so let’s embrace it.

Find a seat or book online?

DG: Please just get down early and find a seat. There’s no point trying to book in advance. We’ve got five tables so it’s just not fair. We are not going to start reserving tables and have no shows.

Wear what you like or uniforms for the staff?

JD: It’s casual but we do have a polo shirt.

So it is that plus jeans and trainers. There’s an identity but its relaxed.

DG: Blue roll and hand wash. It’s the future.

You can dry your hands quickly and get back to the live sport and your pint. We have residential above and if we had an Airblade the noise would just upset the people. They are too loud.

Wellies or heels?

DG: Wellies. We are a down-to-earth place.

Plus, I can’t walk very straight in heels.

Family friendly or keep the kids at home?

DG: Family friendly, bring your kids to watch the football. It’s a nice atmosphere, we are not full of rowdy lads.

JD: We get a lot of families coming in especially before football games at Hillsborough and Bramall Lane. Around

46

APRIL 2019

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26/03/2019 04:38

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inapub 23/04/2018 13:23

23/04/2018 13:20

Pub managers in Plymouth made the day of some poorly children by bringing them every gift they had asked for on a wish list.

The team from Craft Union Pub Company came up with the idea at a monthly meeting and delivered items such as PlayStation control pads, early learning musical instruments and a cot mobile to the children’s ward at Derriford Hospital.

Sean Clarke, the Craft Union Pub Company’s area manager for Plymouth, said: “Giving something back to the local community is something all of the managers at Craft Union are passionate about, so it was fantastic to see the faces of the staff when we delivered the surprise gifts. Pubs are much more than just a place people go to eat and drink, they’re the beating heart and social hub for communities and we’re determined to do our bit and seek out those who need help most in the community and give something back.”

Pubs in Plymouth also sponsor the local disabled children’s football team after overhearing one of the players’ fathers talking about their struggle for funding in The Cherry Tree.

THE COLLECTION TIN What pubs around the country are doing to help good causes The Plough Inn in Scalby, North Yorkshire, raised more than £4,500 for Great Ormond Street Hospital with a charity fundraiser featuring a raffle and an auction. Two members of staff will also be running the London Marathon for the cause.

A charity darts tournament at a Rochdale pub raised over £600 for Cancer Research UK. More than 100 people took part in the event at The Roebuck. The licensees put on the event after losing a couple friends to the disease.

A craft beer company has created new brews to help protect sea turtles in Africa.

Nottinghamshire-based The Beer Company has produced a lager and a pale ale to help fund NGO Project Biodiversity in Cape Verde.

The islands, off the North West coast of Africa, are an important nesting site for the endangered loggerhead turtle yet they remain at risk from poaching, marine pollution and coastal development. Only one in 1,000 baby sea turtles will make it to adulthood.

Director of The Beer Company Joanne Taylor was moved to get involved after witnessing Project

Nine Lives in Bermondsey, London, had a female takeover event in support of International Women’s Day last month.

There was bare breast painting and printing to promote body positivity with artist Trinity Tristan, and cocktails inspired by lesser-known stories of inspirational women throughout history.

A percentage of the proceeds went to the charity Forward.

Pubs across the country joined forces last month for the fourth annual World’s Biggest Pub Quiz. The Pub Aid event attracted thousands of people to support various causes.

Biodiversity’s work during her holiday in the region.

She said: “After seeing the amazing work that Project Biodiversity carry out first hand, it’s a real privilege to be able to use my passion for craft beer to help do a little bit towards the preservation of these incredible creatures.”

This year, Project Biodiversity released over 98,000 baby turtles from their hatcheries and protected more than 21km of nesting beaches.

The team has raised more £1,000 from sales so far, which will be put towards the training and resources needed to patrol beaches with a historically high rate of poaching.

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

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trade.inapub.co.uk 26/03/2019 04:40

TOP

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ST GEORGE'S DISHES

England’s finest dragon-slaying fuel for a patriotic menu 1

3

1. Roast beef

6. Mock crab

“When mighty roast beef was the Englishman’s food, it ennobled our veins and enriched our blood,” wrote Henry Fielding in The Roast Beef of Old England, before going on to denigrate the ragouts of “all-vapouring France”. So quintessentially English that the French deployed “les Rosbifs” as a racial epithet. That’s fine Jacques, you enjoy that plate of frogs while we tuck into this succulent piece of grass-fed topside.

With meat alternatives in vogue, this wartime concoction of tomatoes, onions, eggs and cheese will show your vegetarian diners they’re more than an afterthought.

Not that it tastes anything like crab, mind, but it’s certainly less hassle for a busy kitchen to prepare.

2. Fish & chips Ask most foreigners to name an English dish and this is the one they’ll come back with.

They might struggle to name another, but this classic is more than capable of flying the St George’s flag on its own. Make yours stand out by using sustainable fish (MSC certified cod or haddock, or golden redfish if you want to really push the boat out).

5

3. Balti Hang on, curry’s not English, is it? Leaving aside debates over ethnic identity in multicultural Britain, the balti is believed to have been invented in Birmingham in the ’60s or ’70s.

Half-a-century on, a few beers and a curry are a staple of nights out across the land, and one of the great things about being English.

8

4. Speaker’s pudding A topical menu item, given parliamentary Speaker John Bercow’s dramatic interventions in the national conversation in recent weeks. Made like bread & butter pudding but the addition of rose water and brandy makes for a more indulgent pudding. As with whatever MPs are currently cooking up, the proof will be in the eating.

5. Kippers 9

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You might think we’ve got Brexit on the brain, but we’re not talking about Farage’s ’kippers.

Sales of the delicious smoked herring had been in decline since the ’70’s, but they are coming back into fashion with a price- and health-conscious public. Craster kippers, from Northumberland, have been hailed as the best.

7. Fat rascals No, not your punters – these Yorkshire specialities are also known as turf cakes, and were originally cooked on the Whitby moors over an open turf fire. Similar to scones or rock cakes and loaded with currants and candied fruit.

8. Full English In these busy and health-conscious times, we wonder how often the English actually sit down to a fry-up these days. However, there’s a time and a place for indulgence, and that could be any time of day, in your pub. Check out “The Fry-up Police” online for mouthwatering photos and inspiration on how to cook up a showstopper.

9. Afternoon tea Upon arriving in England, one thing many Japanese tourists do is make a beeline for The Ritz to tuck into a tiered tray of cakes and sandwiches… er, just like the English do every afternoon. But why should the sightseers have all the fun? Use bakewell tarts and cucumber sandwiches for a very English indulgence, and it seems crying out for a trade-up option with bubbles too.

10. Doner kebab OK, so this dish is originally from Turkey.

But then so was St George, thought to have been born in Cappadocia in the late 3rd century. The doner is an integral part of English drinking culture, usually enjoyed on the way home from the pub courtesy of outlets of wildly varying quality. There are various ways you could make your own without any specialist equipment, and put punters’ thoughts of leaving the pub to the sword.

26/03/2019 04:43

time at the bar

HAIR OF THE DOG Tales of the unexpected from the wonderful world of pubs Meat marketing

Moving pitchers phy? Obsolete he beers? Cinematogra Calling all geeks… into nic perfect the has ad wer Dogfish He technology? US craft bre tipple for you. t ABV, is per Eight, at 5.3 per cen Birght red gose beer Su erry, ckb bla y, err r, mango, boysenb iian brewed with prickly pea wa Ha red and a ino qu i, toasted raspberry, elderberry, kiw sea salt. brewer t’s not all. Super Eight, the So far, so hipster. But tha film. era cam 8 er sup d to develop advises, can also be use The brewer offers instructions on how to Creative Chemistry use the beer as a developing agent, and to prove it works, has produced a short film in association with Kodak. Who needs cameraphones?

Kodak x Dogfish Head

Craft Brewery

for – “off-centered goodness Dogfish Head Craft Brewery s of beer. They’re bold.

– pushes the boundarie off-centered people” and use unconventional buck the mainstream They tell stories. They ent. In short, they’re afraid to experimem ingredients. They aren’t our kind of people.

Equipment List:

Heat sustainable container (pot, beaker) Stove/Hot Plate Thermometer

Rubber gloves 3 Buckets

Dark Room

Ingredients:

17 fl oz/500mL Super 1/ oz/12g Vitamin C

EIGHT Beer

2

1 3/4 oz/50g Baking Soda to KODAK Rapid Fixer (enough cover film) Bath KODAK Indicator Stop (enough to cover film)

Timer

Drying Rack

Somebody buy me a drink Buying someone a drink in a pub. It’s an age-old cultural ritual fraught with meaning: an affirmation of longstanding friendship, an olive branch proffered, the opening salvo of a romantic engagement, the glue that holds human relationships together.

It’s now 2019 though, a world of increasingly anonymous relationships mediated by technology. A fact amply illustrated by some punters taking advantage of Wetherspoons new order-at-table app to beg the online public for free drinks. “Spoons gatehouse table 44 do your thing” read a typical tweet on the @WetherspoonsTA page. “table 67 at the giddy bridge wetherspoons, no food pls, do ur worst x” read another. Judging by the photos posted on the site, some of these appeals have met with success. Such kindness to random strangers one will never meet... we can’t figure out whether it’s touching or creepy.

50 APRIL 2019

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Regular readers of this page may remember the furore a couple of months back when The Queens in London’s Primrose HIll offered a special deal of two cauliflower steaks for £28.

Menu pricing hit the headlines again last month for different reasons, as The Britannia in Margate, Kent, launched its £1 roast dinner. Reviews praised its quality and value for money, and it was taken up in numbers, with the pub taking booking for Sunday roasts for the first time.

To qualify for the £1 roast, customers needed to spend at least £3 on drinks. Landlord Paul Rollins told the i paper: “I’m hoping to break even on the food and turn a small profit from drinks sales. But the important thing is publicity for the pub. I could spend £400 on an advert, but this is getting national coverage.

Everyone’s talking about it.”

A little ray of sun shine The winter heatwa ve at the end of February had th basking in unse e nation asonal sunshine even as we tried misgivings that to suppress something must be not quite right climate. While th with the e record tempera tures might not news for the envir be good onment, they did provide a fillip fo trade, with trading r the pub up at large pub chains accordin to the Coffer Pe g ach business tra cker. Wet-led pu enjoyed the bigg bs est boost as punt ers got into the holiday mood se veral months ea rly.

The upturn buck ed the general tre nd from recent m with pub sales un onths, der pressure fro m the uncertain Brexit in addition ty over to the usual litany of factors conspi ring against the trade. All we need now is some summer su nshine and a happy ending to the Brexit palaver… surely that’s not too much to ask?

trade.inapub.co.uk 26/03/2019 04:49

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