Welcome to Rise & Shine
If you have any news about your business you’d like to see here, including recruitment, please contact our News Editor, Carolyn Moss, at news@breadandbutter.media or call her on 01305 575155. Follow us on Twitter @BreadButterNews for updates.
Robin Alway
Editorial Director
INDUSTRY NEWS
New business park and services planned for M5
Planning applications for a new employment park and motorway service station at Junction 24 of the M5 have been submitted to Sedgemoor District Council.
The proposals could provide up to 1,200 jobs in over 850,000 sq ft of commercial and employment space including warehouse, light industrial and general industrial areas.
The new contemporary motorway service area could generate around 70 jobs with a building that would include a unique rooftop terrace accessed by an external walkway. The building will be a modern contemporary design, with an open central space lit by large glazed walls at either end. The building will be clad using a terracotta façade system which is environmentally friendly, as well as giving the building a “unique appearance in service station design”, according to the plans.
Submitted by property consultants JLL on behalf of the landowner S Notaro Land Ltd and the new motorway services operator, Euro Garages, the plans have been prepared by a consultant team including Peter Brett Associates (part of Stantec), LHC Design and ADS Architects.
Joe Notaro of S Notaro Land Ltd said: “Notaro Park is a really important development for us as a family business. It is literally on our doorstep and we are determined that the whole park is a legacy that the family can be rightly proud of.”
The employment park will be marketed by property consultants JLL. Giles Weir, JLL director added “Notaro Park will meet the very great need we are seeing at the moment for good quality space in an excellent location right on the important M5 corridor. The industrial and logistics sector remains a strong performer in the market so sites such as this on busy motorway junctions are vital for growth and meeting occupiers’ requirements”.
New environmental award for Taste of the West
South West food and drink group Taste of the West are adding a new Environmental Sustainability category to its list of awards.
Launched at the Source Trade Show on the 6th and 7th February, it is sponsored by Somerset-based RH Fibreboard Containers Ltd.
John Sheaves, Chief Executive of Taste of the West, said: “At Taste of the West, one of our aims is to provide the region’s residents and visitors with great food and drink, and we think that, increasingly, environmental sustainability is at the heart of this. Consumers now really care about where their food comes from and increasingly how it is produced and how production processes care for our environment.
“We want to encourage and support local businesses where possible to meet these new consumer goals and to ask difficult questions if need be. This really matters in such a beautiful area like the south west, where the quality of the landscape and wider countryside mean a lot to consumers who either live within it or visit it, and yet it is also a highly productive area in terms of quality food and drink.”
South West Tourism Excellence Awards announced
The best of South West tourism was celebrated at the annual South West Tourism Excellence Awards, held on the 7th February at Aerospace Bristol.
From a record 651 entries, a total of 107 awards were presented. The shortlisting process saw 472 entrants visited by a team of 51 mystery shoppers.
Gold Award winners on the night Included: the Italian Villa, Poole for Business Tourism and Venue; the Cornish Vegan, Cornwall, for Café/Tearoom of the Year; Unique Devon Tours, Devon for Guided Tour of the Year; the Roman Baths & Pump Room, Bath, for International Visitor Experience of the Year and Large Attraction of the Year; Bovey Castle, Devon for Large Hotel of the Year; Rick Stein’s Cookery School, Cornwall for Learning Experience of the Year; Glazebrook House Hotel, Devon for Restaurant/Bistro of the Year, the Gainsborough Bath Spa, Bath for Spa, Pampering & Wellbeing Experience of the Year; and Boardmasters, Cornwall, for Tourism Event/Festival of the Year.
A special Outstanding Contribution award was given to the South West Mountain, Cliff and Cave Rescue Teams for the “huge voluntary contribution to looking after visitors as well as their pets.”
Opening the event Robin Barker of Services for Tourism said: “I’d like to commend you – the South West’s leading tourism businesses for your vision, investment, hard work and excellence. You have had the courage to put yourselves forward to be judged, have been through what is recognised as England’s toughest judging process, and will all be winners tonight.”
For a full list of winners go to www.southwesttourismawards.org.uk.
New landlords for The Mariners Rock
Paul and Emma Ainsworth have acquired the lease of The Mariners in Rock, Cornwall in partnership with Sharp’s Brewery following the departure of their friend Nathan Outlaw last month.
The pub is located across the Camel Estuary from Ainsworth’s four other businesses in Padstow – Michelin-starred No.6, Rojano’s in the Square, boutique hotel, Padstow Townhouse and Mahé Cookery School & Chef’s Table, which opens in May 2019.
Chef proprietor, Paul Ainsworth commented: “Emma and I are thrilled to be taking over The Mariners in partnership with Sharp’s Brewery. When the opportunity arose, we knew straight away that we had to take it. 2019 will very much be the ‘discovery phase’ – learning what works and what doesn’t – with a refurbishment planned for 2020.
Nathan has done a fantastic job over the past five years and we certainly have big shoes to fill. We’re incredibly excited for what the future holds and are committed to ensuring the long-term success of The Mariners and keeping this Cornish jewel a destination for the local community and holidaymakers alike.”
Ed Hughes, Beer Sommelier at Sharp’s Brewery said: “We are hugely excited to announce our new partnership with Paul and Emma Ainsworth at The Mariners. Paul and his team have been great supporters of Sharp’s Brewery over the years and we can’t wait to work together on this new joint venture. We at Sharp’s are committed to producing quality beer from our brewery in Rock, just a mile up the road from the iconic Mariners pub. We also happily acknowledge that our skills and expertise lie in brewing beer so, to have such an amazing team running the front of house and the kitchen is a dream come true.
Patisserie Valerie acquired by Irish private equity firm
The troubled bakery chain Patisserie Valerie has been bought out by Causeway Capital Partners, an Irish private equity firm.
Parent company Patisserie Holdings fell into administration after rescue talks with banks failed at the start of the year. This resulted in 920 redundancies as 71 stores were closed including the iconic Soho site. This followed the discovery of “significant, and potentially fraudulent, accounting irregularities” in October 2018.
The deal sees Causeway Capital Partners take on the remaining 96 branches under CEO Steve Francis. A Patisserie Holdings subsidiary, Philpotts, has had its 21 stores separately acquired by A.F. Blakemore & Son. The two deals were for a collective £13m.
Matt Scaife of Causeway Capital said: “Patisserie Valerie is a heritage brand, much loved by its loyal customers. This investment should mark the end of a turbulent period for customers and suppliers alike. We are delighted to partner with the team and look forward to helping the business return to growth.”
Apex toasts bumper year in Bath
The Apex City of Bath Hotel brought in over one million pounds for its conference and event facilities in 2018.
The 177-bed, £50 million property on James Street West, opened in 2017 and is Bath’s largest purpose-built city centre conference facility.
The hotel welcomed 677 conferences and events to the city and hosted them in its eight meeting spaces. Events ranged from company conferences to weddings, including 400 attendees for the British International Studies Association’s annual four-day conference.
Phil Bailey, group meetings incentives conference and events sales manager at Apex City of Bath Hotel, said: “We’ve had an exceptional 2018 where conference and events are concerned, having built on an already successful debut, we have now cemented ourselves as the premier location for conference and events of all sizes in the city of Bath. In attracting both domestic and international business into the city, we have helped lift tourism figures and give a vital boost to the local economy.”
FOOD AND DRINK NEWS
Skinners Brewery launches IPA
Cornish brewery Skinners has added Sennen IPA to its core range of ales.
It’s a 3.8% “session strength” dry hopped IPA, named after Sennen Cover. It’s the first draught beer to be added to their core range for five years and will also be available in a 330ml bottle.
Skinner’s Founder, Steve Skinner, said: “Everyone at Skinner’s is really excited to welcome Sennen to the core range. Anyone who has visited Sennen Cove knows just how beautiful it is and we’re proud to have created a brew which is deserving of the name.
“Sennen is a very special brew for us and claims two firsts for a product in the core range – it’s the first to be sold in 330ml bottles and the first to be dry hopped in the fermenter. The depth of hop flavour in Sennen is simply superb and we can’t wait to see what else we can do with this technique – keep your eyes peeled for more dry hopped brews from Skinner’s in the future.”
New Forest launch vegan ice cream
New Forest Ice Cream have introduced the first non-dairy ice creams to their range. The two flavours – ‘Vanilla Pod’ and ‘Salted Caramel’ are the top-sellers from the company’s dairy range.
According to the producer, “The dairy-free recipe delivers the indulgent, soft texture for which New Forest Ice Cream is renowned for. The Vanilla Pod ice cream is made with real Madagascan vanilla pod seeds, whilst the smooth Salted Caramel flavour has a rich caramel taste with a hint of salt for a perfectly balanced flavour.”
Christina Veal, Director, New Forest Ice Cream comments: “It’s no secret that more and more customers are exploring plant-based living, so we are delighted to introduce our first ever vegan range into the foodservice market. We have been working hard behind the scenes to create a vegan ice cream recipe so that everyone can enjoy the delicious taste of New Forest Ice Cream.
By choosing two of our classic flavours, we know how popular they already are and we are confident that our dairy-free versions will be the perfect refreshment when served alone or when added as the finishing touch to any dessert!”
Both new flavours are available in 2.4ltr catering tubs. Visit www.newforesticecream.com for more details.
Quicke’s 3-month Clothbound Cheddar
Devon cheesemakers Quicke’s have introduced their Buttery Clothbound Cheddar, a 3-month matured cheese which reflects “a corner of England that the Quicke family has nurtured for 14 generations.”
They say it will challenge “any cheese lover who thinks top class cheddar must be mature” and has a rich, creamy and intensely buttery flavour.
Quicke’s Buttery Clothbound Cheddar is available to purchase from www.quickes.co.uk (200g £4.25, 500g £8.70, 1.5kg £25.00), as well as from many independent retailers across the UK.
PROPERTY
Dorset village pub on sale for £650,000
Drusilla’s Inn in the Dorset village of Horton has come to the market through Christie & Co for £650,000.
The country pub comprises a 90 cover restaurant, lounge bar and the Round Restaurant, a sphere-shaped space with 40 covers. The pub has exposed brick and beams and inglenook fireplaces, two bedroom owner’s accommodation on the first floor and a carpark for up to 70 vehicles. An additional 100 covers can be found outside with idyllic views over Dorset countryside.
Current owner, Phillip Prowse is now looking to leave the sector and hand over the reins to a new operator. He comments, “I have thoroughly enjoyed the past five years at Drusilla’s but feel the time is right to move on. We are very fortunate to have significant repeat business in our restaurant, which sources locally grown produce, and there is great potential to grow the business further, especially on the accommodation front, as our shepherd’s huts are in high demand.”
Richard Wood, Senior Business Agent at Christie & Co’s Winchester office handled the sale and said: “Drusilla’s Inn presents a fabulous opportunity to acquire a lovely village pub in a picturesque location with wonderful views. It is ideally suited for a hands-on owner operator who can see the business’ potential and has the passion and energy to take the pub to the next level.”
Cotswold inn added to new pub portfolio
Former Lucky Onion group co-founder Sam Pearman has added the Swan at Ascott-under-Wychwood to his new Country Creatures venture.
The Cotswold pub has 65 covers, function room and eight letting rooms and joins The Talbot in Malton and The Chequers in Churchill in Pearman’s portfolio as he looks to develop it into a group of inns and hotels.
Peter Brunt, a director with Colliers International’s hotels’ team who did the deal, said: “Originally offered as a confidential lease opportunity the new owners have instead bought the freehold for an undisclosed sum.
“Sam and Georgie Pearman were the former co-owners of the Lucky Onion group of pubs and hotels backed by Julian Dunkerton of Superdry fame. Their new venture is Country Creatures which also operates The Talbot in Malton and The Chequers in Churchill…
“Our clients bought the Swan in a very rundown state back in 2016 and set about an ambitious refurbishment. But keeping the pub had never been their intention.”
“Net turnover of £406,000 during its build-up year underlines the huge growth opportunities at one of my favourite Cotswold pubs. I am sure this fabulous pub will go very well under new management.”
TRADE SHOW SPOTLIGHT
Expowest Cornwall – the trade show that has Cornwall covered.
Over more than three decades Expowest Cornwall has successfully established itself as the region’s one truly essential hospitality and catering show. Every year suppliers large and small use the event to showcase their latest products and services to busy trade buyers from Cornwall and beyond. Taking place well before the all-important summer season kicks off, the show is regarded as a cornerstone of the Cornish business calendar – an absolute must for those eager to see, touch and taste the latest products and innovations, and to compare and contrast a range of competing offerings all under one roof.
With more than 170 exhibitors, Expowest Cornwall spans the whole of the hospitality and catering market; from foodservice to fresh produce, bakery to business services, ice cream to catering equipment, drinks to dairy, tableware to toiletries, and speciality foods to sundry supplies, plus much more besides. There’s also a range of exclusive offers that exhibitors save especially for this show, which make a visit even more worthwhile! Catch up with colleagues, suppliers and customers, and in just a few hours get a timely sense of which way the market is moving, what’s likely to prove most popular in 2019, and snap up the best ideas while they’re still fresh and exciting.
Expowest Cornwall presents everything that’s new and innovative to the catering trade and hospitality industry. When it comes to building those all-important business relationships there’s no substitute for meeting people face to face and no better time or place than at Expowest Cornwall. If you have a serious interest in hospitality and catering, food and drink, Cornwall and its economy, then Expowest Cornwall is the show for you.
For more information about the show (held on 5th-7th March in Wadebridge), to book a stand, or register to attend, please call 01934 733433, visit expowestcornwall.co.uk or follow @Expowest_UK.
RECRUITMENT SPOTLIGHT
Self Motivated and Talented Chef Required to Run Their Own Restaurant
Fairwater Head Hotel is looking for a talented Chef to take over their hotel restaurant and develop the already strong award-winning dining business in a stunning countryside location with panoramic views.
Have you always wanted to own your own restaurant, write your own menus and be the master of your own destiny, well now might be your chance?
It is important that you share our vision to use fresh locally sourced produce and offer quality cuisine in a relaxed and friendly dining atmosphere.
We have successfully sublet our 40 cover plus hotel restaurant to two individuals over the past five years and the opportunity has now arisen again.
We offer a strong base for a new, enthusiastic and talented chef to run their own kitchen and take all the proceeds from the food sales, we also bring a guaranteed 1000 covers to the restaurant each year.
We are happy to work with you, offer business, bookkeeping and telephone booking support, joint marketing promotions and assistance in staff recruitment.
In return, we will charge you a percentage rent based on turnover.
If you are interested please contact Adam Southwell to discuss the opportunity further.
Tel: 01297 678 349 & 07812 775 053
adam@fairwaterheadhotel.co.uk
www.fairwaterheadhotel.co.uk
Fairwater Head Hotel
Hawkchurch
Near Axminster
Devon
EX13 5TX
INDUSTRY EVENTS
February
Wines of Japan Trade Tasting by Swirl Wine Group
20th February 2019
Riverstation, Bristol. BS1 4RB
An introductory masterclass by Sarah Abbott MW from 11:30-12:30, followed by a walk around tasting from 12:30-16:30. This is a free event for industry professionals working in the wine trade, to register your place, please visit –
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wines-of-japan-trade-tasting-bristol-tickets-55077289656?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
March
Expowest Cornwall
5th – 7th March 2019
Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge PL27 7JE
“If you’re involved in hospitality and food and drink, this is the show for you. Attending gives you the vital advantage of tasting the latest innovations in food and drink.”
https://expowestcornwall.co.uk/
‘Meet the Future: Smart Labelling for Your Business’ Workshop
13th March 2019, 9.30am-2.00pm
Hosted by the Three Counties Food & Drink Co Ltd
Tewkesbury Growth Hub, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire.
“Labels are a crucial and sometimes under-appreciated contributor to the success – or failure – of our small and medium-sized food and drink businesses. This workshop is aimed at decision-makers in small and medium-sized food and drink producers.”
For more details and to book, please contact: Nick Waloff, nick@cotswoldtaste.co.uk
Marketing, PR & Branding Training Course
13th March 2019
Hosted by McQueenie Mulholland & Taste of the West
Oddfellows, Exeter, Devon
“A Marketing, PR and branding training course aimed specifically at food, drink and hospitality businesses. The courses last for one day and will include: Introduction to Marketing and PR, Making your Marketing Plan, Digital Marketing and Branding.
Prices – £65 for Taste of the West members and £80 for non-members.
For more information and to book, please email Eleanor Yeo at McQueenie Mulholland – eleanor@mcmu.co.uk
The International Food & Drink Event
17th – 20th March 2019
ExCeL, London
“The International Food & Drink Event (IFE) is a celebration of 1,350 innovative, global and cutting-edge food & drink manufacturers.”
https://www.ife.co.uk/
Pro2Pac – Food & Drink Processing & Packaging Event
18th – 20th March 2019
ExCeL, London
“Revealing the best of manufacturing innovation, packaging solutions and printing & labelling products”
https://www.pro2pac.co.uk/
Professional Development Courses for the Tourism & Hospitality Sector
18th – 22nd March 2019
Bournemouth University
“Practitioners can develop their skills through a series of half-day courses to develop operational and strategic thinking, delivered through interactive workshops and networking with leading academics.”
For more information, please visit https://www.bournemouth.ac.uk/about/our-faculties/faculty-management/our-departments/department-tourism-hospitality/professional-development-courses
Food Allergy Prosecution – Mock Trial
20th March 2019
Hosted by Food Allergy Aware & Blake Morgan LLP Solicitors
8.30am to 2.30pm
Blake Morgan Offices, Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire
“Practising barristers and solicitors will role-play a fictional scenario involving the prosecution of a food business involved in the supply of produce containing allergens which had not been correctly identified.”
Tickets are priced at £25 per person and include a light lunch. For more information & to book, please visit – https://www.fatc.co.uk/events/food-allergy-prosecution-mock-trial/
Marketing, PR & Branding Training Course
21st March 2019
Hosted by McQueenie Mulholland & Taste of the West
Lifton Farm Shop, Lifton, Devon
“A Marketing, PR and branding training course aimed specifically at food, drink and hospitality businesses. The courses last for one day and will include: Introduction to Marketing and PR, Making your Marketing Plan, Digital Marketing and Branding.
Prices – £65 for Taste of the West members and £80 for non-members.
For more information and to book, please email Eleanor Yeo at McQueenie Mulholland – eleanor@mcmu.co.uk
Food Drink Devon ‘Customers Are Key’ Workshop
22nd March 2019, 9:30 – 13:30
Exeter Golf and Country Club, Exeter, EX2 7AE
“This workshop will be an interactive session full of ideas and strategies to help you find the new customers you’re looking for and establish loyal fans who keep coming back for more.” The workshop will include talks from Barbara King (MD of The Shops at Dartington), Hayley Reynolds (RAW PR) and Susie Kevern (Industry Specialist).
Price: Members – £15 | Non-Members – £30 (Plus VAT)
To book, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/customers-are-key-workshop-tickets-54759041768
Gambero Rosso Wineteca 2019
26th March 2019
Royal Horticultural Halls, London
“UK trade and press professionals will have the opportunity to taste the finest wines featured in Vini d’Italia 2019, one of the most authoritative guides about the complex world of Italian wines.”
http://winetecalondon.co.uk/event/