Monday 7/12/15
Propelinfonews.com: Daniel Clifford opens first pub: Daniel Clifford, who holds two Michelin stars for his Midsummer House restaurant in Cambridge, has opened his first pub, the Flitch of Bacon in Little Dunmow, Cambridgeshire. Average spend is expected to be £27 for lunch, £35 for dinner. It has capacity for 50 diners inside and another 40 in the garden. All the food will be locally sourced apart from fish from Cornwall. It will be run by Clifford and head chef Daniel Gill, who has worked at Midsummer House for five years. The Flitch is still open as a pub for drinks only and it serves breakfast. Daniel Clifford will be cooking there on Sundays and Wednesdays. He said: “I have wanted to open a restaurant here for a few years. All the good places round here are full and people are going to eat in London. We wanted to provide something closer to home.”
Morningadvertiser: Licensees left homeless after Storm Desmond devastates pubs
By Oli Gross, 07-Dec-2015
Pubs have been ‘crippled’ by Storm Desmond, with many licensees in Cumbria evacuated due to severe flooding.
Barmagazine.co.uk: Drinkaware launches pilot safety scheme at nightclubs: Alcohol education charity Drinkaware has launched a pilot initiative across south-west England aimed at helping to keep young people safe on their nights out. It will create Drinkaware Club Hosts to work at nightclubs across the region – specially trained staff who work in bars and clubs to reduce drunken anti-social behaviour and help keep people safe. Working in pairs, the club hosts will have a presence in the venue throughout the night, talking to customers at the start of the evening when a queue is forming, supporting customers who are vulnerable due to alcohol and ensuring guests leave safely after the venue has closed. Running for six months, the pilot scheme has been developed by Drinkaware with Devon and Cornwall Police, Gloucestershire Police, police and crime commissioners Tony Hogg and Martin Surl and local community partnerships. Drinkaware is working with partners across Devon, Cornwall and Gloucestershire to test and evaluate the intervention, including Timepiece in Exeter, Plymouth Students’ Union and Popworld in Plymouth, The Venue in Torquay, The Office in Truro and Moomoo Clubrooms in Cheltenham. It will also be running at Rock City nightclub in Nottingham. Findings will be used to inform an ongoing roll-out of the Drinkaware Club Host programme in other parts of the country. This follows an initial pilot carried out in Nottingham in 2014 as part of Drinkaware’s Drunken Nights Out campaign, developed to reduce alcohol-related harm in the night-time economy. Elaine Hindal, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: “Following a successful pilot in Nottinghamshire last year we are delighted to be launching Drinkaware Club Hosts in the south-west of England in collaboration with police and community partnerships across the region. “We are encouraged by the findings from our initial pilot that indicated that this initiative can help to reduce the number of young adults experiencing drunken sexual harassment and other negative experiences on a night out. If behaviour isn’t acceptable sober, it isn’t acceptable drunk.” Tony Hogg, police and crime commissioner for Devon and Cornwall, said: “Tackling alcohol-related harm and crime is one of my top priorities in my police and crime plan. This is an important new pilot to help people made vulnerable through alcohol and safeguard them within venues. “It will complement and work alongside existing support structures in the night time economy and help keep people safe on their night out. “I am delighted at the level of engagement and support we have had from local partners. We have been working closely with local authorities, street pastors and the venues to put this pilot together.”
Tuesday 8/12/15
Propelinfonews.com: Foodco reveals plans to start rolling out high end cafe Jamaican Blue as pilot site celebrates first birthday: Foodco has revealed plans to start rolling out its high end cafe franchise Jamaica Blue across the country as its inaugural site celebrates its first birthday today (Tuesday, 8 December). The pilot UK store opened last year in Cambridge’s Lion Yard shopping centre, serving contemporary dishes, with a twist. The store has continued to see sales growth helped by the menu changing seasonally and it has also now introduced daily specials. Foodco UK general manager Lisa Brook said: “We are delighted that our first UK Jamaica Blue store continues to be such a success. It has enjoyed a fantastic first year of trading and we are excited for what the next year will bring, not only for our Cambridge store, but also for our expansion across the UK. We are currently in the planning phase of potentially opening four new stores in the UK in 2016, so there’s lots of exciting opportunities coming up for us next year. Our aim is that one day Jamaica Blue will become as recognised in the UK as it is in Australia – so we are definitely the ones to watch.” The Jamaica Blue franchise is owned by Foodco and is one of Australia’s most successful franchise companies. There are also a number of Jamaica Blue stores based in New Zealand, Dubai and China. The name of the franchise originates from the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, which is served in all stores.
Morning Advertiser: JD Wetherspoon pulls out of VAT Club
By James Evison, 08-Dec-2015
JD Wetherspoon has pulled out of campaigner Jacques Borel’s VAT Club. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: New bar specialising in craft beer opening in Northampton on Friday: A new bar specialising in craft beer is opening in Northampton on Friday (11 December). Bar Hygge is being launched in Guildhall Road as the latest new initiative by the Royal & Derngate theatre and filmhouse. It will serve draught and bottled craft beers, along with local spirits and wines and a selection of meats and cheeses. Taking inspiration from contemporary Danish design, the bar offers table service and will be available to both theatre-goers and the general public with entrances from both Guildhall Road and the Royal & Derngate foyer. The bar will be open from 5pm to midnight, Monday to Saturday, regardless of what is on at the theatre or filmhouse. Royal & Derngate chief executive Martin Sutherland told the Northampton Herald & Post: “The success of the Errol Flynn Filmhouse has proved that there is an appetite for a wider variety of leisure and cultural activities in the town centre. I hope that this new development will make a positive contribution to the night-time economy, offering a welcoming environment for people to enjoy a few drinks with friends and colleagues in the Cultural Quarter.”
Bighospitality.co.uk: Employers ‘unprepared’ for National Living Wage, Government warns
By Sophie Witts, 07-Dec-2015
A majority of Britain’s employers are risking legal action by failing to prepare for the introduction of the National Living Wage next year, the Government has warned. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: Cote boss – ‘every pub and restaurant owner would like a VAT cut’: Alex Scrimgeour, the chief executive of French brasserie Cote, has joined the list of industry leaders clamouring for a reduction in the rate of VAT. All food and drink sold in pubs and restaurants is subject to 20% VAT while supermarkets pay no VAT on food they sell. Critics argue this means they can subsidise sales of alcohol, allowing them to undercut pub prices at a time when the pub industry is going through difficult times. Now Scrimgeour has joined other voices including JD Wetherspoon founder Tim Martin in calling for a cut in VAT. He told the Daily Telegraph: “Free-market economics are what they are, and businesses have to adapt to survive. However, every pub and restaurant owner in the country would welcome a more attractive rate of VAT to take some pressure off. The shortfall would be made up by raising VAT for supermarkets. It’s currently one rule for them and another for us.” Scrimgeour is now exploring other opportunities for Cote, which could see part of the business move away from restaurants. He added: “We’re going to try and piggy-back off our reputation for value and consistency. That’s all I’ll say.”
Wednesday 9/12/15
Insidermedia.com: Norton CEO snaps up Derbyshire hotel: The chief executive of Norton Motorcycles has expanded his hotel venture with the acquisition of a Derbyshire venue. Stuart Garner (pictured) already owns and operates Donington Hall and has now acquired neighbouring property The Priest House Hotel. All staff will be transferred to the new owner, with the sale due to complete on 29 January 2016. The Priest House was sold by Hand Picked Hotels, which instructed Christie + Co to market the property in July. Garner said the combination of Donington Hall and The Priest House Hotel “makes perfect sense”. “It gives operational scale and a fabulous offering to our clients. With a combined 80 acres of grounds, bordered by an ancient deer park and the river Tent our location is second to none.” Julia Hands, chairman and chief executive of Hand Picked Hotels, added: “The Priest House is an attractive property in a lovely setting. However, we do have a concentration of hotels in the Midlands, with gaps elsewhere geographically which we would like to fill. “We are keen to add additional slightly larger hotels to the Hand Picked Hotels collection and we continue to search for hotels in strategic locations across the UK.” Law firm Lupton Fawcett Denison Till advised Hand Picked Hotels.
Morningadvertiser: Storm Desmond: Pubs rally round those devastated by flooding
By Emily Sutherland, 09-Dec-2015
Pubs and breweries from around the country are helping people in Cumbria and Lancaster get back on their feet following ‘crippling’ Storm Desmond. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: Loughborough hotel sold for £2m: A 78-bedroom hotel in the heart of Loughborough has been sold for £2m. The Ramada Hotel on High Street was snapped up by an undisclosed hotel group based in the Midlands. As well as almost 80 en-suite rooms, the hotel also comprises five conference rooms, the Courtyard restaurant and parking spaces for 65 cars. Jonathan Wren, director at selling agent Colliers International, said: “The Ramada has been operated since 2000 by experienced hoteliers who, during their period of ownership, invested considerable time and money undertaking a rolling refurbishment of the facilities, and establishing an excellent reputation within the Ramada family of hotels. The sale of the Ramada Hotel in Loughborough is further evidence of the improving hotel market. With the major banks once again looking to invest into the sector we are anticipating a busy 2016.”
Thursday 10/12/15
Morningadvertiser: Plans to save pubs from developers win parliamentary support
By Emily Sutherland, 10-Dec-2015
Labour MP and shadow culture secretary Michael Dugher is the latest MP to show his support for the agent of change principle, legislation which could protect pubs from closing due to noise complaints. Read More
Friday 11/12/15
Propelinfonews.com: Tortilla opens 27th restaurant: Tortilla, the expanding Mexican restaurant group, has opened the doors to its 27th restaurant at the Intu Victoria Centre, which is also their second restaurant opening in Nottingham in the last two months. Located on the ground floor by the Clocktower, the restaurant serves up its usual classic California burritos, tacos, margaritas and beers, as well as its new evening menu offering of chicken quesadillas and nachos queso, all inspired by the taquerias from the Mission District of San Francisco. 2016 is also set to be another momentous year with a string of sites already lined up in Scotland, London and the Midlands. Richard Morris, managing director of Tortilla, said: “It’s been a fantastic year for Tortilla with six restaurant openings, additions to the menu, the launch of the delivery service and we are thrilled to come to the year-end opening our second location in Nottingham, the only city out of London to have two Tortilla’s. We are all extremely excited for 2016 and for what’s to come.”