Scottish catering and hospitality news in Scotland

Ahead of fellow nominees Historic Scotland and Horsecross, the Town House Company took home the top award for People Development at last Friday's VisitScotland's Thistle Awards. The category was open to all tourism and hospitality businesses in Scotland that could demonstrate success in staff development.

Peter Taylor, Chairman of The Town House Company said: 'Our company philosophy is to invest in our staff and to ensure that they feel valued and it is extremely satisfying to see our efforts recognised and rewarded in this way.

'Each new employee is enrolled in a 'Learning Journey', which is a 12-week programme that includes a local and company-wide induction and a 10-day training plan, with a further commitment of 40 training hours per year. The programme has proved extremely successful, with a 10% reduction in staff-turnover in the last two years, and 70% of employees go on to receive internal promotions.
'Our staff are a fundamental part of our business and our success ultimately depends on the whole team. I am proud of them all.'

The Scottish Wholesale Association has launched its new website. Aimed at providing the trade with comprehensive information about the Association, including its role and responsibilities, the site also lists forthcoming events and the names of members of the SWA Council.

Having a professional website sends out an important message to the Scottish Government and others involved in these debates that we are a trade association with considerable clout and can make a relevant and useful contribution,' says Kate Salmon, executive director of the Association.

Visit the new SWA website for more information.

Scotland's only two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, has launched its new website.

Offering a host of features to food-lovers and restaurant-goers, the new site aims to introduce the restaurant and a taste of its award-winning cuisine.

The restaurant gained its first Michelin star in 2002, eight months after opening, and was then awarded a second Michelin star in January 2006.

Visit Andrew Fairlie online for more information.

Ultimate Resourcing, headed by Roddy Watt, Sarah Kay and David Shirra, all previously of Berkeley Scott, has launched its first office in Edinburgh .

With an initial focus on the hospitality & leisure markets, and accountancy & finance sectors, it is anticipated that the business will expand across a broader spectrum of associated professional arenas, including sales & marketing and human resources.

According to Managing Director, Sarah Kay, the company's vision is to be 'the ultimate resourcing company in the territories and sectors in which it operates': 'Our Edinburgh office draws together a highly experienced team of ten specialist consultants with combined experience in temporary, contract and permanent recruitment,' she says .

The key members of the management team are Sarah Kay, who will head the temporary division, and David Shirra, who will head the permanent and contract divisions.

Contact Ultimate Resourcing, on 0131 226 8000 for more information.

Frognal House, close to Troon in Ayrshire, opens its doors today after an extensive restoration.

'The transformation from a derelict children's home into a beautiful country house hotel and restaurant has been an incredibly rewarding experience,' says proprietor, Bill Costley. 'Catering for the top end of the market, Frognal will be the flagship establishment for our portfolio of hotels and inns'.

Charlton House is launching a new division to specialise in the public catering sector. Charlton House Restaurants will be spearheaded by Nigel Hutson, former Managing Director of Digby Trout Restaurants, who has joined Charlton House as Divisional Managing Director.

'Charlton House is in a strong position to make an impact within this new market because it is already a well-respected player due to its reputation and expertise in managing commercial catering contracts,' says Nigel. 'Our goal for Charlton House Restaurants is to become the new benchmark for the public catering sector.'

Tim Jones, co-founder and chairman of Charlton House, said: 'The market is crying out for new, quality operators within the public catering sector, and we are in a strong position to take advantage of the many opportunities available by targeting new prospectives such as museums, art galleries and other cultural, historical and heritage sites.

Charlton House currently enjoys an annual turnover of £67 million and employs 1,700 people nationwide. Clients include London Zoo, Her Majesty's Treasury and the corporate headquarters of T-Mobile, Sony (United Kingdom) Ltd and BUPA.

Visit Charlton House's website for more information.

Musselburgh Racecourse, near Edinburgh, is to put its bar and catering contracts out to tender.
The East Lothian track operates seven bars, a fine dining restaurant, bistro and premium hospitality boxes on 25 race days a year. Combined with flat and jump racing days, an additional 100 events held annually at the course attract an estimated 90,000 visitors.

According to Claire Sheppard, the racecourse's Commercial Manager, Mussselburgh's track is keen to open up its restaurants and bars in addition to existing race days: 'We would like to hear from interested parties who have a first-class background in bar and catering operations,' she says. 'This decision to go out to tender is not a reflection on the current operators but it is six years since we have tested the market and we are interested to see if the tender process can offer other alternatives. We are particularly interested in proposals to open up the hospitality, restaurant and bar facilities on non-race days.
'We believe there would be mutual benefits to the racecourse and catering operators if the facilities were fully utilised on a more regular basis, possibly daily.'

The racecourse is also gearing up to improve revenue streams with a proactive approach to pulling in more event-based business which could prove an added attraction for potential bidders. They have already secured the return of the next Edinburgh Marathon in May following the successful 2007 race which ended at the East Lothian course.

Catering activities generate an estimated £1 million annual turnover at Musselburgh, where facilities regularly earn an 8/10 rating in industry-standard audits.

The closing date to register a note of interest is Friday, November 23, and should be sent to Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, Bill Farnsworth.
The new contracts will take effect from 1 April 2008.

The fist ever Real Food Festival is to launch in April 2008, and aims to reflect the focus given to food standards, provenance and sustainability in the UK and around the world. The aim of the Festival, which is based on the principles of Slow Food, is to bring producers and consumers together to celebrate 'good, clean, fair food'. Small producers from the UK and abroad will offer visitors the opportunity to explore, taste and buy their products.

Producers will be able to exhibit by invitation only, and will be subsidised to interact directly with the trade and public. The visitor experience will include a food market showcasing hundreds of small, artisan producers from the UK and overseas, a wine fair consisting of over 100 producers of quality wines, and
a cookery school where visitors will have hands-on tuition from Barny Haughton, Head Chef at the Bordeaux Quay in Bristol.

The Real Food Festival takes place at Earls Court, London, from 24 to 27 April 2008.

Camerons Restaurant at the Glasgow Hilton has been earmarked for a re-design later this month. Originally modelled on an old Scottish hunting lodge, the eaterie is to undergo a transformation at the hands of Dunn's, the Glasgow-based design and build specialist.

Michael Dunn, Managing Director of Dunn's, says of his company's brief: 'We hve been tasked with transforming Camerons' very traditional décor into something that more closely reflects the freshness and boldness of its menu, with a modern, intercontinental design that gives the venue more of a brasserie feel.'

Camerons restaurant will be closed for refurbishment from the 22nd October until 12th November 2007.

Attention Food & Beverage Managers, Restaurant and Bar Managers, Sommeliers and Bar Service staff:
The Academy of Food & Wine is offering a FREE tasting, organised in association with the Italian Trade Commission, which will provide an opportunity to taste the array of products made in the Emilia-Romagna Region.

Date: Tuesday 6th November 2007
Time: Tasting from 3pm-5.30pm, with buffet afterwards
Venue: Paramount Carlton hotel, 19 North Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1SD

Email Tamsin@acfws.org for more information or to attend.

Jack McConnell MSP will officially open Trade Connections at the SECC on 1 November. A trade fair and seminar which aims to increase trade between Scotland and Malawi, Trade Connections is part of a Scottish Executive-funded project aiming to boost trade and investment between Scotland and Malawi. The official opening by McConnell and the Malawian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Dr Francis Moto will take place at 10 am on 1st November.

'The future for the developing countries of Africa is a future based on strong economic foundations, more trade and sustainable jobs,' he said. 'This trade fair will help businesses from Malawi promote their products, and therefore help them grow in the future. I hope it will be widely supported by potential customers in Scotland.'

The project is being co-ordinated by economic consultancy, Imani Development, through their offices in Scotland and Malawi.

Simon Hess, consultant with Imani Development, said: 'Jack McConnell has been instrumental in forging the relationship between Scotland and Malawi, and will be critical in developing this further in his future post as High Commissioner to Malawi. We are pleased that two years on from the signing of the Scotland-Malawi Cooperation Agreement he is able to open this event with Dr. Moto.'

McConnell's ongoing work in Malawi includes involvement with the Clinton Hunter Development Foundation, which combines the skills of Scottish entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter and former US President Bill Clinton to form an integrated approach of agriculture, healthcare, education and economic self-sustainability.

Visit the Trade Connections website for more information.

Scotland's hotel sector remained buoyant in August, according to the latest monthly survey by accountants, PKF. Despite a decrease of 0.2% in occupancy in Scotland, Scotland witnessed an increase of 6.8% in rooms yield, compared to a UK average of 2.4%.

Rooms yield grew most significantly in Aberdeen, rising by 10.8% despite a 4.7% fall in occupancy. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, rooms yield grew 8.1% and 6.5% respectively, while occupancy rates fell by 1.0% to 87.7% in Glasgow and rose by 1.1% to 91.5% in Edinburgh.

'The continued success of Scottish hotels indicates that this is likely to be a record year for the hospitality sector,' says Alastair Rae, a partner in the Hospitality and Leisure sector at PKF. 'The Edinburgh festival in August continues to bring in the crowds, and the sector, so far, seems to remain immune to any negative impact from potential concerns over a recession or interest rate rises. This is probably due to it being more business- than tourist-orientated. It is uncertain at the moment whether the fallout from the US credit crunch coupled with the consequent knock-on effects on the UK banking sector will impact on the hospitality sector in the months to come. For the moment, however, the sector is buoyant and thriving and that is welcome news.'

The Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland have announced the launch of their 2008 scholarships programme.
A mix of local, national and international experiences aimed at developing the emerging talent within our industry, the scholarships will help and support individuals to learn from the best in class, which in turn, will help their business and ultimately benefit Scottish hospitality.

HIT Scotland are awarding Scholarships to individuals who have already started their career within the industry or are nearing completion of a further or higher education course. The scholarships will be awarded to those seeking to make a significant difference to Scottish Hospitality.

The awards offer a unique opportunity to experience the very best, and will be awarded on multiple levels:

A learning experience to the Disney Institute Florida or the Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne, to develop management skills. Open to Industry employees.
(30 places, 1 week duration)

A hands on experience to Dubai to develop hospitality skills in a world-class l environment. Ideal for middle management/supervisory positions.
(Up to 8 places, 2 weeks duration)

A craft course for chefs spending time with development chefs to refine your craft skills. (12 places, up to 1 week duration)

5-star experiences for operational skills. This would suit someone starting out in their career. (10 places, 2 to 4 weeks duration)

Designer scholarships are also available for individuals who know what they want and know where to get it. These may be within the UK or abroad after discussion with the Scholarship committee, and can include whisky- and wine-appreciation courses. (20 places, variable duration)

Masterclasses and Innovation days are available for industry applicants who want to be motivated by the best in the business. (20 places available)

To qualify for a HIT Scholarship, you must be working within the industry or studying a course leading to employment within the sector.
To apply, return the application form available from David Cochrane at david.cochrane@hitscotland.co.uk, by Friday 30th November 2007.

Tourism and retail businesses in Scotland are being offered the chance to attend a free training event to help improve the experience they give to customers. The autumn programme of Visitor Experience Workshops will kick off on 12th November for three weeks. These free workshops are designed to help frontline staff to understand how easy it can be to deliver an authentic visitor experience while boosting local trade.

Organised by Pride & Passion, the workshops are designed help tourism businesses enhance customer service to reach new levels of excellence. They will also show how to get the most out of interactions with visitors.

'We've changed the content and format of the workshops from previous years to ensure that participants are getting a whole new experience,' says Gillian Stirton, Project Manager. 'One of the attractions of having a theatre-based element to these events is that the possibilities for presenting visitor scenarios are endless.'

The workshop will include insights and helpful tips, and attendees will get the chance to swap notes and catch up with other tourism businesses in their local area. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Visit the Pride and Passion website for more information.

The Theatre Workshops are travelling around Scotland from 12th to 29th November as follows:

12th November
11am, Douglas Arms Hotel, 206 King Street, Castle Douglas

13th November
11am, Ayr Town Hall, New Bridge Street, Ayr

14th November
11am, Brisbane House Hotel, 14 Greenock Road, Esplanade, Largs

15th November
11am, The Undercroft, Linlithgow Palace, Linlithgow

16th November
11am, Beveridge Park Hotel, 6 Abbotsford Road, Kirkcaldy

19th November
11am, Crieff Hotel, 43 East High Street, Crieff

20th November
11am, Mortlach Memorial Hall, Albert Place, Dufftown

21st November
11am, Ugie House Hotel, Church Road, Keith

22nd November
10.30am, Stonehaven & District Sea Cadets Unit HQ High Street, Stonehaven

23rd November
11am, St Magnus Centre, Palace Road, Kirkwall, Orkney

26th November
11am, National Hotel, High Street, Dingwall

27th November
11am, Westlands Hotel, 160 Atholl Street, Pitlochry

28th November
11am, National Parks Gateway Centre, Loch Lomond Shores, Balloch

29th November
11am, Tontine Hotel, High Street, Peebles

Join members of the Federation of Chefs Scotland (FCS) at a fundraising dinner at Balbirnie House on 8th November.

A fun evening with fantastic food, the event will give guests the opportunity to sample the menu that the Scottish team will be using when they represent Scotland at the Culinary Olympics at IKA, in Erfurt, Germany, in 2008.

The cost of the meal will be £65 head, including wine, and all proceeds will go to the FCS.

To attend the dinner or find out about other ways in which to support the team, contact the Federation of Chefs Scotland on 0131 553 4034, or email marieclarejames@yahoo.co.uk

Customer-service evaluation firm Retail Eyes has released results of its 2007 National Customer Satisfaction Survey. Revealing how various cities, towns and regions of the UK rank in terms of customer service, the survey is based on the results of 83,860 mystery shopping visits between 1st September 2006 and 31 August 2007. The data has shown that Edinburgh has better customer service than Glasgow, and ranks 36th in the country this year. Glasgow, however, comes in at 88.
Twickenham in England came out first, while Paisley was the only Scottish destination that made the Top 10.

Retail Eyes currently runs mystery shopping programmes for a wide variety of hospitality, leisure, travel, and high street retail companies, employing everyday people rather than professionals as shoppers.

Crieff Hydro has won The VisitScotland Tourism Business of the Year Award in the 2007 National Business Awards for Scotland. Presented at the Glasgow Hilton. The firm beat off competition from Brightwater Holidays, Maximillion, The Famous Grouse Experience and Xscape Braehead.

The National Business Awards for Scotland recognises and rewards excellence, innovation and success. Open to organisations of all sizes and from any industry sector, the best of Scottish businesses are able to showcase their achievements and benchmark their successes against firms and bodies of all types.

'We were impressed by how well Crieff Hydro had got to know its customers and used research to shape its future business strategy,' says Barbara Clark, Head of Communications at VisitScotland and a category judge for the awards. 'Crieff Hydro has recognised the need to diversify from its strong position in the family market into the business-tourism market to ensure its rooms are full all year round.'