Monday 21/3/16
Here is our Hospitality News Roundup from around the country for week commencing 21st March. If we’ve missed anything please add in the comments below:
Propelinfonews.com: Cambscuisine wins top employer award: Pub and restaurant operator Cambscuisine, led by Oliver Thain and Max Freeman, has won the title of Cambridge “Employer of the Year” thanks to a culture of genuinely placing “people at the heart of the business”. Cambscuisine has 130 people working across six sites – St John’s Chop House, Smokeworks, The Cock Hemingford Grey, The Tickell Arms, The Cambridge Chop House, and The Crown & Punchbowl and prides itself with having high staff retention. With a number of innovative people development approaches – instead of having a head office and a traditional board, the directors stay connected by working from their restaurants “surrounded by their team”. The board is replaced with a team of “challengers” selected from across the business to provide feedback and ideas that has helped to nurture a strong family culture. The aim is to help staff realise their full potential and many of the company’s general managers have started in roles such as dish washing and waiting, progressing through the business supported by a personalised development plan.
Bighospitality.co.uk: Jamie Oliver named Raymond Blanc Sustainability Hero by the SRA
By Emma Eversham+, 21-Mar-2016
Jamie Oliver has been named Raymond Blanc’s Sustainability Hero ahead of the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s (SRA) Food Made Good Awards 2016.
Propelinfonews.com: Punch to absorb wine duty increase: Punch is to absorb the increase in duty on wine included during this year’s Budget, meaning the prices paid by its publicans will remain the same for the rest of 2016. While duty was frozen on beer, still cider, low-strength sparkling cider and spirits, duty rates on wine, made-wine at or below 22% ABV, together with high strength sparkling cider above 5.5% ABV, will rise by inflation from today (Monday, 21 March). In response, Punch has said there would be no wholesale price increase on wine this year ensuring prices were guaranteed for at least the next 12 months, while the prices of ready to drink products would also be held (excluding any further duty changes). Punch commercial director John Healy said: “While we were very pleased to see duty on beer and cider frozen in this year’s Budget, we appreciate that the rise in duty rates for wine may be a cause for concern for many. With this in mind, we’ve taken the decision to absorb these costs ourselves, ensuring our publicans are not affected in any way.”
Propelinfonews.com: Essex restaurateurs launch second site – fine dining venue in £3m Chelmsford development: The team behind Le Buchan restaurant and bar in Malden, Essex, will open a new fine dining venue near Chelmsford. The Wheatsheaf in Rettendon, derelict for a decade, will be transformed into Le Beanie Bar & Brasserie as part of a £3m plan that includes an equestrian centre and village store. The venue, parts of which date to the 17th century, will also feature a cocktail bar and orangery and seat 250, including 100 seats outside. Le Beanie will feature English and French-inspired cuisine and combine live music with cocktails and canapes. It will open in late April or early May. The development is the brainchild of millionaire businessman David Bishop. He told the Essex Chronicle: “I was so excited when I spoke to the guys at Le Buchan and so overwhelmed by the quality of the restaurant, I did a deal with them. What I love about Le Buchan is that they work together as a family in a traditional way that I love, and they are utterly enthusiastic and passionate about making the best food.”
Propelinfonews.com: Byron staffer opens Cambridge restaurant: Auntie’s Tea Shop in St Mary’s Passage, Cambridge founded by Yvonne Prevett more than 36 years ago, has reopened as The Senate. Prevett’s son Oli has transformed the premises into a bar and restaurant, which will serve healthy breakfasts, lunches and European dishes along with a selection of wines and cocktails. He has worked in eateries and bars around the city, most recently spending three years as general manager of the Byron burger restaurant.
Tuesday 22/3/16
Propelinfonews.com: Artisan gin maker seeks investment: Artisan gin maker Warner Edwards is seeking investment as it forecasts revenues of £5m by 2018. Warner Edwards produces artisan gins from its base in Harrington, Northamptonshire. The business is the brainchild of friends Tom Warner and Siôn Edwards, who met while studying at Harper Adams University in Shropshire. After selling its first batch of dry gin in 2012, the company has since gone on to create sloe, elderflower and rhubarb flavoured ranges. “It’s aimed at people like us,” Edwards said. “Traditionally, gin had been drunk by those aged 55-plus but people’s tastes are becoming more discerning.” Warner Edwards generated sales of £680,000 in 2015 and is hoping to turnover £1.4m this year. By 2018, the company is aiming to achieve revenues of £5m. Edwards also said the business partners were now seeking investment in a bid to cope with demand. He added: “We’ve been doubling volume year-on-year, which is tremendous growth. We’re now looking to get investors on board. We’ve come so far, but the next jump will be really big.”
Leicestermercury.co.uk: Fernandez Grillhouse opens in Leicester creating more than 50 jobs: A new restaurant has opened in Leicester city centre, creating more than 50 jobs. Fernandez Grillhouse, which already operates in Loughborough, has opened its second branch in Friar Lane on the site of the former Banker’s Club bar. It specialises in selling flame-grilled chicken, steak, fresh fish, burgers, salads and vegetarian options, which are Halal Monitoring Committee certified. The restaurant has about 122 covers. Kawsar Miah, Rayhan Miah and Joe Marson are the founders of the business. Kawsar said: “We were born and raised in Loughborough and whenever we went out to eat, we would always come to Leicester. “So we thought we should open up a restaurant in Loughborough. “But, as soon as we did, everyone from Leicester started to come to our Loughborough restaurant, so we thought we should open one here, too. “We had 500 applicants for jobs here, and we have taken on 45 so far, but we are still going through CVs and looking for people, so we expect to take on more than 50. “On our opening day, everyone had nice things to say about the new restaurant. We were really chuffed. The three men set up the first restaurant in Loughborough in 2013 and are hoping to open a further two in Nottingham in the next couple of years. Joe said: “We’re family orientated. We’ve tried to create an atmosphere where everyone is welcome, but we are very family friendly.” The business also sponsors basketball team Leicester Riders, who regularly eat in their restaurants. Kawsar said: “When the Riders were based in Loughborough, they would come to eat with us all the time. But then they moved to Leicester.”Now they can come back and eat with us again without having to travel to Loughborough.”
Wednesday 23/3/16
Propelinfonews.com: Whitbread rolls out rooftop solar systems at 88 Premier Inns: Whitbread has completed the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of 88 of its Premier Inns as part of a major sustainability drive. The installations are expected to generate more than 1,326 megawatt-hours of power a year, save an average 6,132 tonnes of carbon dioxide, provide about 10% of each Premier Inn’s total annual energy usage, and save Whitbread £280,000 in energy costs. Whitbread corporate social responsibility director James Pitcher said the investment formed part of a wider strategy to reduce carbon emissions across the business. He told edie.com: “It will support us in meeting our 2020 target of reducing carbon by 15% relative to sales turnover, and we’ll continue to develop our energy management strategy in line with the growth of our business.” The three largest solar installations are at the Ipswich North, Wirral and Basildon sites. Whitbread is also looking to increase its recycling rates to 80%, while its work on water efficiency has it on track to save more than one million cubic metres of water by 2017. In January, the company announced its Abu Dhabi Premier Inn had slashed water use by 24% via a grey-water recycling system.
Morning Advertiser: Cameron announces pub hours can be extended for Queen’s birthday
By Michelle Perrett, 23-Mar-2016
Pubs will be granted extended opening hours on Friday, 10 and Saturday, 11June, to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday, Prime Minister David Cameron had announced. Read More
Propelinfonews.com: New board games cafe concept opens in Nottingham, eyes expansion to other cities: A new board games cafe concept has opened in Nottingham with its owner eyeing expansion in other cities. Nicholas Higgins has launched Ludorati Cafe in Maid Marion Way, which has more than 750 board games for customers to play. The cafe, which cost £200,000 to set up and employs 12 staff, offers classic games such as Monopoly and Risk as well as modern games including cold war strategy thriller Twilight Struggle. It is divided into two sections with one area for people who want to go in for a coffee and a quick game and another where customers pay £1.60 per hour, which is capped after four hours at £5, to play whatever game they choose. Higgins told the Nottingham Post: “The board game industry has exploded over the last decade. In the 1980s and 1990s they fell out of favour due to the rise of video games but increasingly they seem to be growing in popularity. Video games are a solo activity whereas games are very social. If there’s sufficient demand in Nottingham, (we will look) to expand to other cities.”
Thursday 24/3/16
Propelinfonews.com: Krispy Kreme to open drive-thru doughnut store and production hub in Peterborough: Krispy Kreme is to open a drive-thru doughnut store and production hub in Peterborough. The company has signed a deal with Sladen Estates for a 4,577 square foot site at Cygnet Green in Hampton, which is expected to open this summer. The venue will have about 40 seats, a drive-thru lane and a production hub supplying doughnuts to all Krispy Kreme in-store cabinets within a one-hour radius. Sladen Estates development director Nigel Jones told Property Mall: “We’re delighted to have let this unit to such a well-known and well-loved global firm. Cygnet Green has proved to be an extremely popular development. Phases one and two of the project have seen restaurants built for Toby Carvery and KFC alongside a 30,000 square foot health and fitness centre operated by Peterborough City Council. The Krispy Kreme unit will complete the final plot on the site.” The site was secured by Krispy Kreme’s property agent Morgan Williams.
Propelinfonews.com: Nottingham-based seafood restaurant to open second site in Beeston, eyes further growth: Nottingham-based seafood restaurant The Lobster Pot is to start expanding by opening a second site in Beeston and is planning further growth. Chatchai Pongsawang is launching the new venue in Villa Street next month on the site of the former Yod Siam Thai restaurant, creating six jobs. It will share the same name as its Nottingham counterpart, which opened in Mansfield Road in 2001, but will be almost double the size with 55 seats. Dishes on the menu include grilled lobster with Thai chilli basil sauce, pad Thai noodles and king prawns along with a rotating specials menu filled with fresh fish. Pongsawang told the Nottingham Post: “It’s going to become a franchise, hopefully give it another five years and we will definitely have one or two more restaurants.”
Propelinfonews.com: Pint Shop chooses site that is 60% bigger than original for second opening: Pint Shop, the award-winning Cambridge beer house, is to open its second site in George Street in Oxford. The venue will open in late summer. Pint Shop has chosen a building that was not previously a pub or restaurant. The large 5,600 square foot site is spread over two floors, with a 110-cover bar area, 110-cover restaurant space and two private dining rooms. The Oxford Pint Shop will be 60% bigger than the current Cambridge site, and like the original is in the “cultural hub” of the city, located directly opposite the New Theatre and just two minutes’ walk from the cinema and shops. Formerly a building society, the site dates from the 1930s and will undergo a considerable refurbishment before opening. The move to Oxford will see an evolution of Pint Shop, with plans for an expanded drinks range with 24 keg lines, alongside draught cider. While the food offering will remain largely the same, the design of the new site will be heavily influenced by the features of the early 20th century building, taking on a more art-deco feel. Richard Holmes, co-owner of Pint Shop, said: “We’re incredibly excited about Oxford and just can’t wait to get in and get it open. The location is perfect and we’re confident we can make it a real success – there’s a massive gap in the Oxford market for us. Being in the thick of the action in the cultural hub yet again is really exciting, it means we can pack the place out all day long. Whist it will be more evolution than revolution, there will be plenty of surprises and cool new things to get excited about in Oxford.”