Monday 4/5/16
Propelinfonews.com – All-you-can-eat dessert buffet cafe opening in Nottingham today: An all-you-can-eat dessert buffet cafe concept, believed to be the first of its kind in England, will open in Nottingham today (Monday, 9 May). Raheel Ali and Kay Shah, who also own desserts bakery Cake City, are launching OMG Cheesecakes in Abbey Street in the Lenton area of the city. Diners can eat as much as they want for £7 with the menu including Oreo and Ferrero Rocher cheesecakes as well as Belgian waffles, cookie dough, and several different types of brownie and cornflake tarts. Nine varieties of cupcake are also available and a soft drink is included in the fee. Ali told the Nottingham Post: “We trialled the idea on the website Groupon and it went viral – people in Newark, Leicester and Derby were trying to book us to come and do a buffet for them on Valentine’s Day – it was crazy. There’s no one in England doing anything like this. We know the concept is amazing and people are already talking about it.”
Businessgreen.com – Survey reveals Brits’ growing appetite for more sustainable hotels: 19 per cent of people would be more likely to stay in accommodation that uses renewable energy, E.ON survey shows: Almost one in five Brits would be more likely to stay in or recommend a B&B or boutique hotel if it uses renewable energy sources, according to a new survey from energy giant E.ON. The survey of 2,000 people, which was carried out in March, also found that around one in every six people would be swayed if the hotel used energy efficient measures such as low energy lighting, while one in 10 would be more likely to go for accommodation with smart thermostats in the room that allow them to monitor their energy usage. Overall, half of those surveyed said the sustainability and energy use of a hotel is important to them, with one third saying they would like to see an accreditation system that ranks hotels according to how sustainable they are. The survey also found half of people would be willing to be an “eco-customer” if they were given a 10 per cent discount for adopting low energy behaviours such as using a single towel during their stay and having their lights and electricity on stand-by. “The changes in travelling habits and the demands of guests will have a significant impact on hotels both small and large – not just from their impact on energy consumption, it’s also something to bear in mind when renovating your accommodation,” said Phil Gilbert, head of business energy solutions at E.ON, in a statement. “As well as changes to the infrastructure, hotel owners and managers can consider ways to incentivise their guests to keep their energy use down, and to ensure their energy systems are as efficient as possible. Cutting down waste, using smart technology to manage buildings and possibly generating their own power are all options for hotels to consider.”
Tuesday 10/5/16
Propelinfonews.com – Anglian Country Inns achieves three-star sustainability rating: All six sites owned by Anglian Country Inns group (ACI) have been awarded a three-star Food Made Good rating by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) in recognition of its commitment to serve customers food that’s “good in every way, delicious, ethical and sustainable”. SRA conducted a wide-ranging assessment of all six ACI establishments before awarding the rating. The Food Made Good rating covers all aspects of a business and everything that goes into making the food good, focusing on three main areas, sourcing, environment and society. This recognition means the ACI group of six restaurants joins the likes of Raymond Blanc’s Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage in a rapidly growing group of restaurants sporting Food Made Good stars in response to consumers’ increasing appetite for a dining experience that fits the sustainability bill and doesn’t cost the earth. The ACI group especially impressed the Food Made Good assessors by using small-scale, super-local British suppliers, British free-range chicken, beef, lamb and eggs, organic fruit and vegetables, and sustainable, seasonal seafood. ACI scored 100% in the “treating people fairly” section of the Food Made Good rating – providing apprenticeships, extensive training, as well as gym memberships and cycle to work schemes. ACI group operations director Harry Kodagoda said: “To get this rating is fantastic news for ACI and an amazing achievement by our hard-working teams at all six establishments. We simply believe and are passionate about sustainability and really like to do things properly. ACI has always sourced locally, which is where this rating started. We are over the moon and very proud of our achievement.”
Wednesday 11/5/16
Morning Advertiser – “You can’t win, can you?”: Pubs Code Adjudicator grilled about conflict of interest
By Oli Gross, 11-May-2016
The Pubs Code Adjudicator was grilled about his ability to be impartial in his new role at a Business, Innovation and Skills select committee yesterday (May 10). Read More
Propelinfonews.com – Hotel Chocolat shares surge on debut: Hotel Chocolat shares surged on their first day of trading yesterday (Tuesday, 10 May) after the luxury chocolate maker listed on the stock market. The company placed shares on AIM on 5 May at 148p each. They rose as much as 28% to 190p in early trading on Tuesday, valuing the company at more than £200m. The company, founded in 2003 as Choc Express, raised £55.5m from the share sale. It will spend £12m to add to its 81 shops, improve its website and increase production at its Cambridge factory. The rest of the cash was split between founders Angus Thirlwell and Peter Harris, who keep a two-thirds stake in the company.
Propelinfonews.com: Greene King revamps Loch Fyne menu to offer more non-seafood options: Greene King has revamped the menu at its Loch Fyne Seafood and Grill restaurants to offer more non-seafood options, the biggest menu change in the brand’s 25-year history. New offerings on the summer menu include 28-day-aged rib-eye steak, pressed lamb shoulder and lamb rump with smoked aubergine puree, and confit duck leg. The new “in a roll” section features crab and lobster burger with cocktail sauce, crispy prawn roll with mayonnaise, and fish finger BLT with tartar sauce. In March, City sources told The Sunday Times Greene King was exploring plans to sell off the Loch Fyne brand and was in early talks about a sale. Greene King bought Loch Fyne for £68m in 2007 to diversify from its core brewing and pubs business. The brand has been deemed surplus to requirements following Greene King’s £774m takeover of pubs rival Spirit last year. Loch Fyne was built into a nationwide chain by Mark Derry and Ian Glyn, who also helped celebrity chef Raymond Blanc establish Brasserie Bar Co, which recently acquired two Loch Fyne sites in Cheshire, one each for its Brasserie Blanc and White Brasserie brands. There are 37 Loch Fyne restaurants in the UK, one site more than when the brand was acquired.
Thursday 12/5/16
Morning Advertiser – Licensees left in dark over MRO amid claims pubs code ‘wrongfully’ delayed
By Oli Gross, 12-May-2016
A last-minute delay to the pubs code has left many tied tenants in the dark as to whether they will qualify for the market rent only (MRO) option at their upcoming rent review. Read More
Hospitalityandcateringnews.com – The three-year £40 million Discover England Fund, announced by Government last year, will ensure that England stays competitive in the rapidly growing global tourism industry, by offering world-class English tourism products to the right customers at the right time. In year one the fund will focus on: 1)Smaller-scale quick-win projects and pilots that meet customer demand and test new product or new ways of joining up and distributing existing product, 2) Research to build understanding of customers, markets and product gaps 3) Seed funding to build bids for years 2 and 3. VisitEngland is now calling for bids from destinations and businesses of all sizes who want to be the first to set how they can use this money to deliver bookable product that appeals to international visitors. We would also expect this investment to benefit the domestic market. Read More
Propelinfonews.com – Norwich-based pub operators take on second site in city: Norwich-based pub operators Claire and Dale Brooks have taken on their second site in the city. The Brooks, who already run The Walnut Tree Shades, have reopened the Pig and Whistle in All Saints Green. No sport is being shown at the pub, but it does have six dartboards and a pool table in the function room upstairs. General manager Lee Tuttle told the Eastern Daily Press: “Pub culture is as British as bangers and mash. We will be serving classic pub food and a variety of ales, as well as draft beers and lagers. We’re hoping to have local bands play in the pub and we’re getting a video dukebox.” The Pig and Whistle closed in March when then-landlord Simon Carpenter was convicted of three counts of fraud and ordered to pay more than £3,000 after admitting to showing football matches illegally.
Propelinfonews.com – Kaspa’s Desserts set to expand into Peterborough: Kaspa’s Desserts has signed up to open in Peterborough this summer. Barker Storey Matthews has arranged the letting of a restaurant/retail premises at 19-21 Bridge Street to Kaspa’s. The property is situated towards the north end of Bridge Street and incorporates 1,497 square feet of retail space at ground level and a 1,300 square foot basement. Kaspa’s is expected to move in by the summer and the new premises will provide 120 covers – 70 situated at ground-floor level and a further 50 in the basement. The dessert parlour offers a selection of gelatos, waffles, crepes, milkshakes, smoothies and sundaes. Julian Welch, director at Barker Storey Matthews, said: “The popularity of dessert parlours across the nation and, in recent months, particularly in Peterborough, proves this relatively new industry fad is firmly positioning itself on the British high street. The popularity of these stores and the late-night opening hours could perhaps be reflective of the increasing number of young people abstaining from alcohol-oriented evenings.”
Friday 13/5/16
Propelinfonews.com – Bitters ‘n’ Twisted to launch Leicester city centre bodega in July – first East Midlands site, tenth in total: Birmingham-based bar operator Bitters ‘n’ Twisted will open Bodega Cantina in Leicester city centre in July – the company’s first site in the East Midlands. Bitters ‘n’ Twisted, founded by Matt Scriven in 2006, has nine other bars and restaurants in the West Midlands, including two other Bodega Cantina venues in Birmingham and Worcester. The company has invested £200,000 in the new South American-themed bar and restaurant in St Martin’s Square. Bodega Cantina will serve street food favourites such as burritos, nachos and tacos and a range of Peruvian and Ecuadorian-inspired mains. There will also be a dedicated vegan menu, while drinks will include hand-made cocktails. Scriven told the Leicester Mercury: “We are proudly independent – this is our tenth year in business and Bodega Leicester is our tenth venue. We are looking forward to opening our first restaurant in Leicester. The city has such a great vibe and is full of pride and passion, something we relate to as a business. People come to us because they don’t want the uniformity and charmless atmosphere of a chain. They want something authentic and niche where they can step into the vibrancy, colour and carnival atmosphere associated with South America.”
GolfClubManagement.net – Golf club introduces free golf to members’ children: An innovative Essex golf club has introduced free golf to every child aged 10 or under who are the child or grandchild of any member of the club.Boyce Hill, which has a reputation for promoting family golf, hopes the initiative will encourage more children to play the game. The child has to play with his or her adult member parent or grandparent to receive the free round, explained Alex Woodward, Boyce Hill’s general manager, who won Golf Club Management’s ‘Newcomer Manager of the Year’ award last year. “Family golf is something that Boyce Hill Golf Club has been driving hard for in recent years, with a relentless programme of promotion to get golfers and their families out on the course together,” he said. “This has included rule changes to allow juniors to play in club competitions, much less restriction on their access to the golf course, a reduction in the junior fees and the creation of a ladies’ pathway to membership with three new categories of academy membership having taken on the findings of Sygenta and love.golf on female participation. “Today the club has a resurgent junior academy with roughly 60 children receiving regular coaching, is a Golf Foundation HSBC Golf Roots centre and has had over a dozen ladies on the academy pathway. What’s really encouraging this year they have started converting people from both initiatives to full membership. “Now the board of directors have gone even further to offer courtesy of the course to the children and grandchildren of members who are 10 years of age or under. There are some criteria to meet such as the parent of grandparent being a full member, they must play with their child, provide proof of insurance and register the child with the general manager before play. “They feel it is a great way to encourage the children of members to golf together with their parents or grandparents and be introduced to the game at a very early age. “Many people find golf through their parents or grandparents, I certainly did and we absolutely believe it’s a great way to introduce the next generation to our great game. Members at Boyce Hill are a treasured asset and as such your little ones can come and golf with you at your club, as often as you choose, for no additional cost. The price is already included in your membership.”
Propelinfonews.com – Cambscuisine launches Smokeworks Food Truck: Pub and restaurant operator Cambscuisine, led by Oliver Thain and Max Freeman, has launched Smokeworks Food Truck to take dishes inspired by its Cambridge city centre barbecue restaurant on the road. The truck will visit events such as beer and music festivals, as well as popping-up outside the company’s pubs. The truck has its own menu, served by chefs Adrian Scarlett and Tracy Reid, including the vegetarian mushroom, mac ‘n’ cheese bun with smoked beetroot mayo, and sticky smoked pork ribs. Smokeworks Food Truck will debut at the Eat Cambridge night food market on Saturday, May 21, with an official launch at The Tickell Arms Beer Festival in Whittlesford the following weekend. The truck, which will be available for hire this summer for events such as garden parties, weddings and corporate functions, will also appear at the Big Weekend festival in July. Cambscuisine operates six sites – St John’s Chop House, Smokeworks, The Cock Hemingford Grey, The Tickell Arms, The Cambridge Chop House, and The Crown & Punchbowl. In September last year, the company announced it was seeking a second Smokeworks site in Cambridge.