waste wasn’t wasted?
We started collecting waste over a hundred years ago. Today, we help our customers recycle, redistribute and reuse it too. It’s all part of Biffa driving the circular economy – creating opportunities for businesses and organisations to grow more sustainably, save money and leave a smaller footprint. Here’s to the next hundred years. Change begins with what iff…
Watch our film to find out more
WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER
“AWARDS“ EDITION OF ONTRADE MAGAZINE
We are very proud to have had so many people from across our great industry from venues, brands, suppliers and more come together and celebrate a night side by side with no arrogance, no stereotypes just genuine togetherness.
A massive thank you goes to all of the exhibitors and partners for their support and also a massive thank you to James McFarlane, Roisin McCarney, Cappella and the fantastic Gees A Tune Bandoki for creating a fantastic fun atmosphere all night long
We never take the support and engagement for granted and truly value every interaction we have.
The feedback has been special and we thank you form the bottom of our hearts.
We are already planning something very special for no 6.
We hope you enjoy seeing all the winners featured inside and viewing all the images from the night which are also available on our website.
A massive congratulations to all the deserving winners of this years awards and congratulations to all of the finalists for reaching the top 5.
Have a great September And as always Stay Positive Stay Collaborative Stay Together
Justin Wingate
Director at TopGunMedia
Hayley Ewing
Head of Events - events@topgunmedia.co.uk
Fiona Gauld
Production - info@topgunmedia.co.uk
For press enquires or advertising opportunists please call or email: Email: info@topgunmedia.co.uk Telephone: 0141 556 4111 6 12 10 20
PASSING FANCIES
A LOT MORE THAN JUST A PASSING FANCY
NTIA
CLOSURES IN BRITAIN’S LATENIGHT VENUES REACH ALL-TIME HIGH
THUNDER DOG
THE THUNDERDOG’S BOLLOCKS ONTRADE AWARDS 2025 ONTRADE AWARDS 2025 WINNERS ANNOUNCED
OUTLOOK FOR SCOTLAND’S PUBS, BARS AND HOSPITALITY VENUES ‘BRUTAL’, SAYS SLTA
NEW figures released today by the SLTA (Scottish Licensed Trade Association) have been described as “brutal” and paint a worrying picture for Scotland’s pubs, bars and hospitality venues – with an alarming 70% of outlets in decline or considering closure, and 59% expecting to make a loss in 2025.
The Scottish On-Trade Market Insight Survey Report (August 2025) further reveals that profitability in 75% of outlets was down compared with the same time last year, with 56% of outlets reporting a decline of over 10% and 14% of outlets either closing or seriously considering closure. In the SLTA’s January survey report, this figure was 6% – it has now more than doubled.
In addition, for over 50% of outlets surveyed, trading was down in comparison with last year although 26% said trading was on a par with 2024.
The snapshot survey of the challenges facing Scotland’s pubs, bars and hospitality venues in 2025 comes after the recent changes to employers’ national insurance
contributions as well as ongoing rising costs for businesses and a gloomy economic outlook.
Over 350 pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels, covering the full spectrum of licensed hospitality businesses, contributed to the survey – with the continued challenges facing the hospitality sector, driven by a challenging economic environment and visitors and customers with less disposable income, coming across loud and clear in its worrying findings.
Colin Wilkinson, SLTA managing director, commented: “We’ve spoken repeatedly about the many challenges Scotland’s licensed hospitality sector continues to face. In recent years, it navigated the stormy waters of Brexit, the Covid pandemic, rising utility bills, and the ongoing cost-of-living pressures that have impacted on businesses’ operating costs and consumer spending.
“However, in the 10 years that we have been conducting our market insight surveys, these findings are the most negative we have seen – these insights are extremely concerning and the only word to describe the current trading conditions is ‘brutal’. There has never been so much business uncertainty.
“Spiralling costs to businesses from the Chancellor’s hike in employers’ NICs in the Autumn Budget, which took effect in April alongside increases in the national living and minimum wage, are having a devastating impact on Scotland’s pubs, bars, hotels and hospitality venues.
HOUSE OF GODS LANDS IN CANARY WHARFTHE HOTEL THAT TREATS YOU LIKE A STAR
The velvet ropes remain drawn, rooftop cocktails are yet to be poured, and the grand reveal is still on the horizon – but House of Gods London is already promising guests an experience far beyond an ordinary stay ahead of its opening on the 27th October 2025.
Perfectly positioned at the centre of London’s cultural playground and in the up-and-coming neighbourhood of Canary Wharf, guests will be just moments from iconic attractions including the Museum of London Docklands, Greenwich, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London.
The brand-new hotspot will not only become one of London’s most glamourous places to stay but it will feature the very first rooftop to grace Canary Wharf, making it the perfect spot for post-work drinks or a relaxing afternoon in the city. Sacred Garden, a 300-capacity rooftop bar and restaurant will provide a moment to soak in the skyline and sweeping views over Eden Dock at what will soon be London’s most iconic destination. House of Gods will feature 79 opulent rooms and suites that will follow the intimate, design-led spirit of House of Gods Edinburgh and House of Gods Glasgow with the new London property promising the same immersive glamour – but on a grander scale.
CLYDESIDE CONTAINERS FINALLY LANDS IN GLASGOW AFTER SHIPPING DELAY SCANDAL
Clydeside Containers – Glasgow’s newest outdoor food, drink and events destination – has today finally taken delivery of its repurposed shipping containers, marking the beginning of on-site construction and a long-overdue turning point in the project’s launch.
But behind today’s milestone lies a farcical and costly logistics failure that has left a mark on one of Scotland’s most ambitious hospitality developments this year.
Despite the containers arriving from China on time at London Gateway Port, the project has suffered over six weeks of delays due to Hapag-Lloyd UK’s inability to move the containers just 500 miles north to Glasgow. Astonishingly, it has taken longer to transport the
containers within the UK than it did to ship them across the globe.
“This is a textbook example of incompetence,” said Nathan Sparling, from the team behind the Clydeside development. “We’re not talking about shipping across oceans – we’re talking about moving containers from Essex to Glasgow. Hapag-Lloyd UK’s failure to act with urgency has disrupted our entire supply chain, put local jobs on hold, and hit small businesses who were counting on this launch.”
The delay has impacted dozens of small businesses - from vendors and suppliers who were due to begin trading this summer, to training consultants and local workmen, as well as the plans for large-scale events timed with Glasgow’s peak tourism season.
Despite this, the team remains optimistic.
“We’re proud of what’s coming,” Sparling added. “Clydeside Containers will be a game-changer for Glasgow’s riverside – we just wish Hapag-Lloyd had taken their role in that journey seriously. Today should have happened six weeks ago.”
“Glasgow’s newest and bigger hospitality opening is one giant step closer to opening today - and we can’t wait to show the city what we have in store.”
The team are in discussions with a legal team seeking to pursue Hapag-Lloyd UK for damages caused by these avoidable delays.
HOSPITALITY SUFFERS MORE THAN HALF OF ALL JOB LOSSES SINCE BUDGET
Of the 164,641 job losses in the UK since the Budget last October, almost 89,000 have been lost in hospitality.
New analysis of ONS jobs data by UKHospitality reveals that hospitality has accounted for 53% of all job losses in the UK since the Budget, confirming the sector is the hardest hit by tax increases.
The scale of job losses is three times worse than estimated by the Office for Budget Responsibility, which predicted 50,000 job losses as a direct result of changes to employer NICs. It’s also been revealed that:
One in 25 jobs in hospitality have been lost – representing 4.1% of all jobs in the sector.
The percentage of job losses within hospitality, as a proportion of its total workforce, is seven times larger than the rate of the wider UK economy.
This new analysis is a further illustration of the regressive nature of changes to employer National Insurance Contributions, in particular the lowering of the threshold. These changes have directly hit part-time and flexible jobs. UKHospitality is calling for urgent action at the Budget this
autumn. The Government needs to lower business rates, fix NICs and cut VAT to stop hospitality businesses being taxed out and to reverse the damage done by increased taxes.
Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said: “The number of job losses suffered in hospitality since the Budget is staggering.
“More than half of all job losses since October occurring in hospitality is further evidence that our sector has been by far the hardest hit by the Government’s regressive tax increases.
“The sheer scale of costs being placed upon hospitality has forced businesses to take agonisingly tough decisions to cut jobs – with part-time and flexible roles often those most at risk.
“At a time when the country needs jobs, the Government should be encouraging hospitality to grow and create jobs, not tax them out of existence.
“The Government needs to recognise the devastating impact of its tax increases on working people and communities across the country. It should take action at the Budget to reverse this damage by lowering business rates, fixing NICs and cutting VAT.”
PASSING FANCIES
A LOT MORE THAN JUST A PASSING FANCY
Voted in the top 50 best cocktail bars, Passing Fancies in Birmingham is a classy and vibrant cocktail bar who strive to be the best in what they do with a stunning interior and delicious food to go along with their amazing cocktails.
So, historically Passing Fancies has always been about accessible luxury. Our rotating weekly menu has always been designed to put both our guests experience and the freshness of our local vendors produce at the forefront. However, after finishing on menu 150 after the 3(ish) years we have been kicking we’re ready to sink our teeth into something a little more static. Plus, we can’t really big up the local fruit market now that we are on the other side of the city centre. Moving to the Jewellery Quarter in September has given us a few opportunities. The first is a bit more of a static menu, a full premium offering that we have been working incredibly hard on and can’t wait to show off. The second is we are having two floors that is splitting us into Passing on the Bottom (Super similar to our current set up that highlights freshness and comfort) and Fancies on the first floor (A set menu that has been written to be a love letter to our city). And lastly, the
area itself - we can’t wait to be in an area that is as full of life as the JQ.
I think our answer would be similar to many of the other venue operators that love the industry itself. Real hospitality isn’t hard when you are passionate about it, it’s more second nature. We truly want to connect with those coming through the door and help them find the offering that’ll connect with them the most. People over product has always been key to how we want to operate and in turn make people feel. When opening a small independent cocktail bar you have to wear many hats as an operator, but I believe the fire fighter helmet is the one most used! We could honestly fill this whole article with issues but let me give you one we have never really spoke about! We opened Passing Fancies on a shoestring budget. What most people spend on their opening
wine order, we spent on the whole fit out and bar. The largest part of the budget was allocated to custom walnut furnishings and we naively paid for it upfront off of the recommendations of other venues that had used this company. Once the money was exchanged they cut off all contact and liquidated the company. We had to put out the hospitality bat signal and borrow tables as we were opening in 3 days. We felt like idiots and it was one hell of a learning curve, but we made it through due to the olive branch from our friends. Shout out Opheem & NQ64.
In the current climate people are wanting experiences more than ever. Bottomless brunches, arcade games, food and drink matched cinema evenings, the list goes on. It adds an extra value for money if someone can see/feel something a little extra. Which makes our jobs a hell of a lot easier!
It’s lovely you think this, I guess that just means that all our smoke and mirrors have paid off. As mentioned above our budget was super minimal so every penny had to be accounted for and thought about. Especially when we had to plumb all the toilets and wastage pipes into the venue that was once a car park. It’s felt crazy opening another site with a little more than two pennies to rub together.
With the closure of the old site at the end of this month we have two wonderful things. The first is that we are taking over the 3rd floor of the Morris in the Norther Quarter Manchester for the whole of August! All 5 weekends Fri-Sun - come and see us! The second is that PF 2.0 is set to open on the end of September so check out our socials for the official update! @ Passingfancies.bar
“Real hospitality isn’t hard when you are passionate about it, it’s more second nature. We truly want to connect with those coming through the door and help them find the offering that’ll connect with them the most. People over product has always been key to how we want to operate and in turn make people feel. ”
CARTE CARTE BLANCHE BLANCHE
CLOSURES IN BRITAIN’S LATE-NIGHT VENUES REACH ALL-TIME HIGH
Closures in Britain’s late-night venues reach all-time high with one in four businesses lost since 2020
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has raised concern about the contraction in Britain’s nightlife scene as new data from the latest Night Time Economy Monitor reveals one in four late-night venues have shut their doors since 2020 – a total of nearly 800 businesses, leaving just 2,424 late night venues still operating.
According to the research, compiled by the NTIA and CGA by NIQ, losses have stepped up over the past three months with three net closures of venues a week, creating what the NTIA warns are ‘night-time deserts’ across the country.
The late-night sector has contracted 26.4% since March 2020, compared with the 14.2% contraction seen across the wider hospitality sector.
“We’re witnessing the loss of important social infrastructure from our towns and cities. Nightclubs and late-night venues are more than just places to dance - they’re cultural institutions, economic engines and cornerstones of community life,” said Michael Kill, CEO of the NTIA.
The decline in wider night-time economy venues is evident across all UK regions, although Wales and London are among the hardest hit, seeing declines of -16.8% and -15.3% since 2020.
Across the UK’s major cities, Birmingham has experienced the largest decline in late-night venues, at - 27.5%, while Greater London’s late-night venue numbers have dropped 20.8%. The capital now has 343 late-night venues, compared with 433 in March 2020. Edinburgh has seen a gradual decline in late-
night venues, falling 13.0% since March 2020 to a total of 47 in June 2025, while Liverpool has also seen a steady decline, dropping 13.9% to 93 late night venues in June 2025.
“The closure of one in four late-night venues changes the UK’s cultural landscape. Small venues nurture new talent, fuelling the success of globally renowned artists and the creative economy. You don’t get Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, or Oasis without small venues. The collapse of independent venues puts the entire night-time economy at risk,” added Michael Kill.
“These closures have coincided with soaring operational costs—including increases to minimum wage and National Insurance in April—and a continued shortfall in post-pandemic support for independent operators. Although we have seen growth in venues such as themed bars and cocktails bars, our nightclubs and traditional late-night bars are cultural assets that we’re in danger of losing for good.” Said Karl Chessell, Business Unit Director – Hospitality Operators and Food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ
Sacha Lord Chair of the Night Time Industries Association said “These figures are deeply worrying. Night-time venues are not just businesses—they are cultural hubs, training grounds for artists, and vital contributors to local economies. Losing one in four since 2020 risks creating ‘night-time deserts’ and costing more jobs across the sector. We need urgent action: a VAT cut, business rates reform, and a reversal of NIC thresholds to protect venues, sustain employment, and ensure our cities remain vibrant after dark for generations to come.”
Nationwide Energy specialises in helping hospitality businesses, from pubs to hotels, reduce energy costs and find t he best utility contracts.
THUNDERDOG THE THUNDERDOG’S BOLLOCKS
Sister restaurant to Thundercat Miller Street, Thunderdog is now the largest venue within our group, with 120 covers inside and 40 outside. Our menu features many of your Thundercat favourites, such as Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza, Chicken ‘n’ Waffles, Smash Burgers, Chilli Dogs, BBQ Brisket Burnt Ends and Fried Pickles! Unique to Thunderdog, we are serving up our signature Buttermilk Fried Chicken Dogs - with inspiration pulled from our ever popular Bucks Bar menu, for all of the delicious sauces and toppings! We have DJ’s playing from 9pm-1am Thursday to Sunday with drinks from just £3 - making us the perfect spot to pop in for some late night drinks in the West End.
We keep it simple - our menu is unpretentious, however we put our absolute all into delivering fresh, delicious & amazingly presented dishes on every occasion - not to mention large portions (don’t forget to ask for a Thunderdoggy bag!).
Our specialty Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza is definitely our stand out menu item, but we like to think there is something for everyone across both our food & drinks menus. We have kept our prices easy on the pocket - with our £3 drinks menu available all day 7 days per week and 40% off cocktails Sunday - Thursday. You can also enjoy our Lunch Deal featuring any Dog or Burger + a Soda for just £10 Mon-Fri until 5pm. We believe our hardworking and amazing team is our biggest asset. Since opening, they have worked so hard day in and out to deliver an amazing experience for our guests, bringing their own personality to the front. We believe this certainly makes us stand out from the crowd!
As with all new openings of course there have been a few challenges. But with the support of the full Senior Team and the gang on site, we are able to work through these together as a team and learn from our mistakes along the way. It is no secret in this part of Byres Road, that previous operators have struggled at this particular site over the last few years. But we believe with the level of dedication and passion of everyone involved in Thunderdog - we have every chance of changing this for good! The area is getting busier with so
many fantastic venues now around us. Since opening we’ve done great trade and it shows no sign of slowing down.
We believe this is hugely important. Whilst we think our food speaks for itself, we know that for our guests, it needs to be about so much more than that. Now more than ever, at a time when things are tough in the hospitality industry as a whole; we understand the added value of drinking or dining in a dynamic and fun environment, with interesting decor and a brilliant playlist. And by being served by a friendly & efficient team, who are genuinely happy to help and who enjoy being at their work. We invested a lot in training during the venue launch period and we definitely put a real emphasis on the guest experience as a wholefrom a warm welcome, to a friendly goodbye.
As with all restaurants within our group - the vibe and decor is such a major part of our identity. For Thunderdog, being situated on one of the busiest and most well known streets in Glasgow, we definitely needed to stand out. Our exterior is as vibrant as our food and drinks offering, with hand painted signage, custom neon’s and graffiti murals. Upon entering the venue, you will spot many, many custom made neon signs, art work featuring some of our favourite funk & soul artists, and not to mention our GIGANTIC discoballs! We wanted to create a space that was attractive to everyone that can be taken seamlessly from day to night. We have a mixture of seating options including poser tables for a casual bite to eat, and plenty of booth style seating creating a fantastic space for larger group catch ups and celebrations!
Just now we are gearing up for Freshers Week 2025 and for the return of students to the area - which we believe will give a welcome boost to the whole of the West End. We will be running food specials monthly, as well as regular cocktail specials run in partnership with our fantastic drinks brands. Keep an eye on our socials to find out more!
We are super grateful for the response so far since opening and we can’t wait to welcome everyone down to the venue soon!
MARTINI GRADE VODKA
Since our humble beginnings nearly 70 years ago when the Company was founded by Bobby Lynas, Lynas Foodservice has been dedicated to one word, Service.
The aim is simple, to serve our customer with the best product and the best service we can provide.
We deliver to over 5,000 independant and chain customers every week throughout Ireland and Scotland. Our customers come from right across the catering spectrum so with our extensive range we will have the right product to suit your needs and your business.
Contact us today to find out more and arrange a visit with one of our experienced team.
We are here for you.
COULD YOU BE PAYING TOO MUCH MONEY FROM YOUR BUSINESS?
RATES AND RELIEFS YOU COULD BE MISSING OUT ON.
Non domestic rates can be an expense business don’t always factor in and even when they have been paying these for years, constant increases can put pressure on an operator. Did you know if you make improvements, are affected by roadworks or flooding, or have an empty property, you could qualify for reliefs or reductions? Understand your rates and how to get the best from your valuation. The position is different in England, Wales and Scotland. Read on to see if you could be missing out on reliefs, reductions or spreading out payments without penalty.
Scotland has not seen any councils become insolvent yet, as England has, but ask any resident or business operator in almost every Scottish council area and they will all say they do not feel the money they pay through rates is spent in the correct places, nor that enough comes back to help the operator. In some Scottish cities LEZ (low emission zones) were introduced. This coincided in Glasgow with a restriction proposed on parking (charges were proposed after 6pm to 10pm) and an announcement that late night transport was being reduced. With the state of the roads and constant potholes, it’s no wonder operators country wide feel their hard-earned money is not helping to support their business through their rates payment.
SCOTLAND:
Non-domestic rates are called business rates and are a tax on property which is (supposed) to help pay for local council
services. The Scottish Government sets non-domestic rates and then the 32 Scottish councils administer and collect rates. Payment is based on a number of things: the value of the property (called ‘rateable value’ set by the Scottish Assessors) multiplied by a rate that is the to be paid which is fixed every year by the Scottish Government, minus any rates relief (discounts) your property is in able to claim – for example because it is used for charitable purposes or is in a rural area.
You can find out the rateable value for any non-domestic property at the Scottish Assessors website. The Scottish Government announces changes to rates and reliefs as part of the yearly Scottish Budget which is published in November or December. The changes then take effect from 1 April every year. In 2024 the Scottish Government
WHAT WE DO:
ADVICE ON PERSONAL AND PREMISES LICENCES
DRAFTING AND LODGING APPLICATIONS
ATTENDANCE AT CONTENTIOUS HEARINGS
ADVICE ON BUSINESS STRUCTURES FOR LICENSED PREMISES
TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT OF STAFF PERSONAL LICENCES
introduced 100% relief, capped at £110,000 cash value per ratepayer, for hospitality properties on islands and specified remote areas. In 2025 the Scottish Government introduced a further relief for hospitality premises with rateable values up to and including £51,000, including ‘grassroots’ music venues with a capacity of 1500. Revaluations are now every three years rather than every five which is good for some, as of their turnover has gone down that can be reflected in the revaluation, but bad for others if business has improved, or they have improved a previously run-down property, so applying for reliefs for empty property while fitting out or for improvements is even more important.
ENGLAND:
Relief was brought from 1 April 2025 and business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties went down from 75% to 40%, capped at £110,000 cash value per business. Licensed premises such as pubs, restaurants and entertainment venues are eligible for this reduction, though the criteria and application process need to be confirmed with your local council. Most councils require operators to pro-actively apply so make sure you have done that before any deadlines and are getting the benefit of the reductions or reliefs.
Other reliefs might be available if you are a small business in England, are a retail, hospitality and leisure property, are the only business in a rural area or are a charity or a community club. Also, if your property is empty or being fitted out, you are making other improvements to the property, you are in financial difficulty or are in an enterprise zone or freeport. It really is worth looking into beliefs you might be due especially if you are suffering as a business financially or are improving/renovating your property as these are often the areas operators do not realise can trigger further reliefs.
WALES:
Rates are paid by businesses and again there are reliefs provided by the Welsh Government. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) values properties and assigns the annual
rateable value (RV). Some premises might be exempt from business rates. In Wales, local authorities can give businesses hardship relief if they decide it is in the interests of the local community to do so. If an operator believes their RV is incorrect, they can contact the VOA to try to agree the valuation and then, if that cannot be agreed, they can appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for Wales (VTW). As in Scotland, Wales has a Small Business Rates Relief scheme. There is also empty property relief and relief for improvement. If the revaluation of a property results in an increase, this can also sometimes be paid over two years, helping business cashflow.
In England and Wales (VOA) works out rateable value using ‘fair maintainable turnover’ which is the annual level of trade (excluding VAT) a premises is expected to achieve based on: the type of pub or premises; the area; trading information; services offered - food, gaming, sports screenings and so on; rent paid; income from rooms; and rents and turnovers of other pubs. If any of these change, especially if the turnover goes down or costs go up, reliefs should be applied for and the changed trading information should be made really clear at the next revaluation.
In all areas, if you are affected by severe local disruption (like flooding, or nearby building work or roadworks) you may be eligible for a temporary reduction in your business rates. Many operators never look into this, nor make the necessary application, so don’t benefit from the option to pay less.
Operators can overlook the fact that taking on a new empty property and then refitting it, or improving their existing property, can attract reliefs and are missing out in paying less and leaving more money in their business. Most of these reliefs and assistance must be applied for so again operators should look into these applications and the option to save some money.
For a free business or premises licence review please contact Joanna Millar at The Licensing Company on 07747 653417 or info@thelicensing.company
THE WINNERS ARE…
COCKTAIL VENUE OF THE YEARTHE ALCHEMIST
RESTAURANT
OF THE YEAR - CUT
VENUE OF THE
FRIENDSHIP AWARDJUSTINE CONWAY
HOSPITALITY ENGAGEMENT AWARDJORDAN WATSON
INDUSTRY CHAMPIONSACHA LORD
in association with
MADE TO ORDER
TRANSPARENT PAYMENT PROCESSING THAT KEEPS
UP WITH YOUR OPERATIONS
With customers filling your tables and business operations in full swing, the last thing you need is surprise processing fees or confusing contracts disrupting your cash flow. At Maitre’D, we believe business relationships should be built on something more solid than smoke and mirrors.
The Real Cost of «Free» Deals
You’ve probably seen those offers: free POS systems, rock-bottom processing rates, deals that seem almost too generous. Here’s what we’ve learned after years in this industry: when something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
That «free» POS system? It’s actually being paid for through higher blended rates that are built into your processing costs. What looks like a generous upfront deal often means you’re paying more over time, and by the time you realise it, you’re locked in.
We take a different approach. From our very first conversation, we lay out exactly what you’ll pay, when you’ll pay it and why. No fine print surprises. When you can see the full picture from day one, you can make smart decisions about your business finances and sleep better at night knowing your costs won’t suddenly spike during your peak trading periods.
Real People, Real Relationships
Have you ever tried calling your payment processor and ended up in customer service ping-pong? You know the drill: you get transferred from one call centre to another, each representative has different information and nobody seems to know your account history. It’s frustrating, timeconsuming and frankly, it’s no way to treat business partners.
At Maitre’D, when you call, you’re not just another ticket number. Our customer experience team has been with us for years. They know your systems inside and out, and more importantly, they get to know you and your business. When Sarah from the city centre pub calls about her Saturday night peak-hour issues, our team remembers her previous conversations and can jump right into solving her problem. That’s the kind of partnership that actually helps businesses grow.
Stability You Can Count On
In an industry where rate hikes seem to come without warning, our clients tell us something interesting: their processing fees have stayed remarkably consistent over the years. That’s not an accident. It’s a reflection of how we think about business relationships.
We’re not looking for quick profit bumps at your expense. We’re building something that works for both of us over the long haul. This stability means you can forecast your expenses accurately, plan for growth, and focus on what really matters: taking care of your customers. When you’re not constantly worrying about surprise costs, you have more mental energy to put toward the things that make your restaurant special.
Technology That Actually Works
Whether you’re running a boutique retail shop, a restaurant or a busy hotel, our payment processing integrates smoothly with how you already operate. Retail businesses get clean, straightforward processing that doesn’t complicate their day. Restaurants and hotels get fully integrated solutions that make financial reconciliation as simple as checking your email.
The beauty of seamless integration isn’t just about convenience, though that’s certainly part of it. When your payment system works effortlessly with your existing operations, your team makes fewer mistakes, spends less time on administrative tasks and can focus on creating amazing client experiences - especially important during your busiest periods.
Meeting Modern Expectations
Today’s customers expect convenience and that includes how they order and pay. Our online ordering platform lets restaurant guests browse your menu, place their order and pay right from their table using their own devices, whether they’re dining inside or enjoying your terrace on a beautiful evening. It’s faster for them, more efficient for your staff and it often leads to higher order values because customers can take their time deciding what they want.
This summer, with terraces full and tourism picking up, having an efficient ordering system becomes even more valuable. It’s not about replacing the human touch in hospitality – it’s about removing friction from the parts of the experience that don’t need to be complicated, so your team can focus on meaningful interactions.
Building Something That Lasts
Every business decision we make comes back to a simple question: will this help our clients succeed over the long term? Sometimes that means turning down short-term opportunities that would benefit us but might not serve you well. Sometimes it means investing in technology or training that doesn’t pay off immediately but makes us better partners down the road.
We’ve found that when you prioritise transparency, reliability and genuine partnership, good things tend to happen. Businesses grow. Relationships deepen. Trust builds over time. And everyone involved prospers.
reduce costs & eliminate surprises from your payment processing?
DISPOSABLES ARE GONE, BUT VAPE PROFITS AREN’T
Vaping has been one of the strongest sales drivers for pubs in recent years. Disposables grew quickly because they were simple, convenient and delivered healthy margins. Now that the ban has landed, many publicans are asking what comes next. The answer is straightforward: the demand has not gone. Customers still want vape products, but the category now needs a different approach.
At Flavour Warehouse, we’ve developed a post-ban range that is built specifically for pubs. These products replace what has been lost with disposables and give publicans practical ways to keep tills moving, grow repeat sales and hold on to customer spend.
BIG PUFF PODS: KEEPING IMPULSE SALES ALIVE
Disposables succeeded because customers wanted quick, easy purchases. That demand remains. Big Puff pod devices give pub-goers the same convenience while delivering incremental sales and substantial markups for pubs. They are the simple “pick-up” option that keeps tills moving.
Pre-Filled Kits: Driving Repeat Spend
Pre-filled pod kits are where the category really moves forward. Customers buy the device once, but they return again and again for the pods. Every refill pod adds revenue for the pub and gives publicans a reason to keep stock behind the bar. Customers are more likely to return when they know their local carries the pods they need.
UNITS THAT WORK FOR PUBS
After disposables disappeared, pubs faced a gap: how do you store, present, and sell alternatives in a busy bar? We answer that with bespoke behind-the-counter units and clear displays. Staff get compact, organised storage, and customers can easily see what’s on offer. The result is a clean setup that makes vape sales practical and profitable.
A CATEGORY TOO VALUABLE TO IGNORE
The ban has shifted the vape category rather than closed it off. With the right range, pubs can continue driving strong margins, growing sales, and building repeat custom. Customers still look for vape products on a night out, and publicans are well placed to capture that spend.
Flavour Warehouse is here to make that change simple. With tailored products, fit-for-purpose units, and displays designed for pubs, we help publicans keep vape sales profitable. For those who move with the market, the rewards are clear: steady margins, repeat sales, and returning customers.
