M&C Report group editor Paul Charity and associate editor Mark Wingett report on this week’s chat on the pub and restaurant grapevine.
The family way
Who’d blame the Independent Family Brewers of Britain, the trade body for, er, family brewers, being frustrated over the constant questioning of the tie? You’d suspect that they blame the giant pubcos for kicking up controversy and giving the tie a bad name. Well, last week they produced a defence of the tie and just darn well came out and said it: “There has been much political and trade debate over the past two years over the use of the tied pub system by pub companies and breweries alike - much of this has surrounded the larger pub companies and this has served to damage the reputation of the tie generally and the family brewers, to whom the tie is of paramount importance.” It amounts to, “It wasn’t us, it was the Big Boys in the forth year.”
To Polpo or not to Polpo
After much to-ing and fro-ing, Diary hears that Russell Norman and Richard Beatty, the operators of London restaurants Polpo and Polpetto, may have decided on what they intend to do with their site in Maiden Lane, Covent Garden. The pair had intended to open their latest restaurant, Spuntino, at the site after walking away from a unit on Rupert Street due to growing frustration over protracted negotiation. But then the pair managed to break the deadlock on the Rupert Street site, leading to the opening of Spuntino last week. But this still leaves the company holding the lease for Maiden Lane. Rumours are that this will finally become a second Polpo, although based on previous history this could be subject to a late-minute change.
Storm in a coffee cup
It’s not been the best couple of weeks for global coffee chain Starbucks. First, its new “Siren” logo was taken to task by the disapproving blogosphere masses then rival Costa Coffee unveiled its biggest ever national campaign, which claims that twice as many consumers prefer it to the Seattle-based chain. Straplines include, “Sorry Starbucks, the people have voted. Again”, and “Voted the nation’s favourite coffee shop”. The ad follows Costa’s controversial “7 out of 10 coffee lovers prefer Costa” campaign, which, following complaints from Starbucks, culminated in a landmark ASA ruling in Costa’s favour last summer. Finally, Starbucks also fared badly in a survey by Ethical Consumer magazine, which named it the most unethical café chain in Britain. Diary thinks the chain might want something stronger than coffee to digest this news.
Objections from far and wide
A lap-dancing club in Northampton, the Urban Tiger, open for eight years, has become the first venue in the UK to get re-licensed as a “sexual entertainment venue”. Perhaps predictably there was a flurry of letters of objection and a petition against the club received by the local authority. Less predictably, a good number of the objectors seem to have come from people living nowhere near Northampton - signatures coming from people as far afield as San Francisco and Belgium, Bristol, Northumberland and Sheffield. Councillors granted the licence after an hour-long debate behind closed doors, but with no fewer than 31 additional conditions. They included banning any body contact between dancers and customers and preventing the owners from promoting the club with pictures of scantily-clad women that may “offend public decency”.
Pucker result for Portsmouth
And talking of licence objections, good to see police withdraw one for a potential new trouble hotspot in Portsmouth - a Jamie’s Italian venue. Officers had raised concerns over the quality of CCTV to be installed at the new branch of Jamie’s Italian at Market Square, Gunwharf Quays – formerly a sports shop called Donnay. The objection was withdrawn at the 11th hour after police and lawyers for Jamie’s Italian reached an agreement on CCTV that will be provided. PC Keith Hall, from Portsmouth’s alcohol-related violent crime reduction and licensing team, was at pains to stress that Jamie Oliver was treated like everyone else when it comes to background checks. Says PC Plod: “We will use a variety of background checks on anybody or any business that is coming into the area [to set up a licensed premises]. “Just because Jamie’s Italian has got a high profile name doesn’t mean they will be treated any differently.”
Friendly features
Anyone who followed the recent industrial tribunal involving London-based Realpubs will know that, er, broadening the appeal of a gay pub needs a softly-softly approach. The King William IV in Hampstead, a site that has relied very heavily on the pink pound, is currently walking the tightrope fairly elegantly. It’s been noticed by gay customers that the pub has removed its rainbow flag from the front of the building and no longer sponsors a float at London’s annual Gay Pride. The weekly quiz night is no longer hosted by a drag queen and gay lifestyle magazines are no longer stocked inside. Members of staff are telling customers, however, that the pub remains “gay-friendly and dog-friendly”. Following the introduction of Labour’s Equality Act last year, all pubs must classify themselves as all-inclusive, gay-friendly venues.
A Hoste of good news
Further proof that the north Norfolk coast is a groovy place to trade. Hoste Arms Limited, which operates the 35-bed Hoste Arms inn at Burnham Market and a string of other premises in the village known as Chelsea-on-Sea, saw turnover increase by about £600,000 last year to £4.7m. In addition to the Hoste Arms, the company runs the nearby Vine House Boutique Hotel, the Railway Inn, based in a converted train station in the village, and Burnham Market Holiday Cottages, made up of three luxury self-catering properties. The accounts for the year ending 2 May 2010 also showed an increase in gross profit from £1.8m the previous year to £2.04m. Profit before tax fell by about £60,000 to £624,183, partly as a result of a £407,000 increase in operating charges. The company said the uplift in trade reflected the investment in its premises. Last July, saw the death of The Hoste Arms’ guiding light and owner Paul Whittome - his widow Jeane has vowed to continue running the business. The business opened its own spa facilities at the start of this year.
