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Alison Baker looks at ideas gastropubs
are using to attract trade
Bar-snack sharing platters
Where: the Cricket Inn, Totley, Sheffield, South Yorkshire
The idea: When Richard Smith, of Sheffield's Thyme Café fame, took over the Cricket Inn four months ago with Thornbridge Brewery he was keen to have tasty, home-made snacks on the menu from day one. With the help of the inn's head chef, Jack Baker, he came up with the idea
of offering a sharing platter with a twist. Jack says: "Lots of people come here for a couple of pints and a few snacks. They don't necessarily want to order a full meal and so the bar-snack platter that we have created is proving to be extremely popular".
How it works: For £12, customers are served a platter of seven different bar snacks: home-made black pudding with sticky onion jam, spicy pub nuts, and pork scratchings with bramley apple sauce sit alongside Old Spot chipolatas with mustard, marinated olives with feta and sunblush tomatoes, and bread and dips.
The platters are served on wooden boards with the snacks presented in an assortment of terracotta pots, parfait jars and metal buckets. Customers can also order the tasty treats individually.
Business benefit: The platters have proved to be a huge success and are enjoyed by a wide range of customers. "At lunchtime we sell a lot to businessmen, and from Thursday to Saturday evening they're popular with everybody," Jack explains.
"On a Saturday night we're selling between 15 to 20 platters in addition to the bar snacks that are ordered individually," he adds.
Top tip on making the idea work: Keep it simple and make sure everything is prepared and ready before service begins.
Chef's recipes
Where: the Pipe & Glass, South Dalton,
East Yorkshire
www.pipeandglass.co.uk
The idea: Chef's recipes. When chef James MacKenzie opened the Pipe & Glass last year he was keen to make his mark as the owner of a pub serving excellent food rather than a fine dining restaurant. The former head chef of the Michelin-starred Star Inn at Harome, North Yorkshire, was aware that locals expected him to turn out expensive minimalist food, and set out to do the opposite by producing an uncomplicated menu that uses the best local and seasonal produce. James says: "I wanted to share recipes that I use with customers because it backs up everything that we're about. Cooking shouldn't be a big secret;
I want people to have a go."
How it works: Picking popular dishes from the menu, James adds recipes to the pub's website for customers to try themselves. At present, have-a-go home cooks can choose to follow James's recipes for boiled bacon shank, with broad bean and lovage salad and crispy quail egg or marinated Lowna dairy goats' cheese with watercress salad, boiled beetroot and juniper dressing.
Business benefit: James has maintained a high profile for the pub by organising cookery demonstrations at local events and attending food festivals. "People often ask me for recipes when I attend events and I can refer them to our website. Publishing our own recipes backs up everything that we stand for. It's the little things that add up and set us apart from our competitors."
Top tip on making the idea work:
Pick recipes that are menu favourites and are not too complicated.
Group packages
Where: the Flask, Hampstead, London
www.theflaskhampstead.co.uk
The idea: When Natalie Satchell, manager of Young's pub the Flask, discovered a large feature table was to be installed as part of the pub's refurbishment, she decided to take full advantage of it by offering group packages to her customers. "I feel that they are the future of pub entertaining. We introduced the concept to allow us to create an environment for groups of friends to enjoy a special evening without having to worry about the details," Natalie explains.
How it works: Customers choose from a range of sample packages or create a bespoke package with the help of Natalie and her staff. Customer favourites are the Sunday roast package; the girls' night out package which includes bellini cocktails, a three-course pre-ordered menu and half a bottle of wine per person, and the Champagne and oyster option which is a favourite for birthdays. This luxury package includes the services of the chef to open the oysters at the table, or to help guests open their own, plus a dedicated member of staff to ensure that the party has everything it needs. Available for groups of six people or more, the package prices start at £20 per person.
Business benefit: "Sometimes entertaining large groups can mean that you have less time to attend to other customers," explains Natalie. "With the packages, we can prepare in advance to allow us to be efficient during the event without sacrificing service levels
in other areas."
Top tip on making the idea work:
Create bespoke packages for the customers; it makes them feel cared for.
Wine experience tours
Where: the Bell, Alderminster, Warwickshire
www.thebellald.co.uk
The idea: Wine experience tours to northern France. The owners of the Bell, Keith and Vanessa Brewer, have a long-standing affinity with France and its wines. Having enjoyed trips to wineries there, the pair decided to share their experiences with their customers, by offering wine tours to northern France. The Brewers, aware that most wine tours are either very expensive or else day-return booze cruises, wanted to organise a series of tours that fell somewhere in between. The result is their Tastevin tours, named after the small, silver cup used by winemakers and sommeliers when judging the wines' maturity and taste. The tours are for the enjoyment of wine enthusiasts of all levels. "They're not high powered but more trips for customers to sample, savour and buy at their leisure," Keith, who accompanies all trips, explains.
How it works: Catering for groups ranging from as few as two people to as many as 50, the tours are run in conjunction with a long-term business acquaintance, Guy Boursot, whose wine business is in Ardres, 15 minutes south of Calais. Customers opting for the two-day tour, at £250 per person, benefit from an overnight stay in St Omer and a gourmet dinner at a prestigious restaurant with wine tasting, traditional French lunch and tour of Ardres the following day. The day-return tour is ideal for those wanting to stock up on their wine collection and features wine tasting, with a French buffet lunch, at £99 each.
Business benefit: Keith and Vanessa plan to offer two day-return trips and one longer trip each month with the aim of establishing a small tour company offering a range of tours; from day trips to western France through to more specialised trips to Bordeaux, Muscadet country, Burgundy and the Champagne region. "Most takers are mature customers who like good food, fine wine and a spot of pampering," Keith explains, "So far the tours have been a great success."
Top tip on making the idea work:
Choose your wine outlet very carefully.
Make contact with a small, established, reputable wine supplier who knows his wines and is prepared to give value for money.
Hog-roast picnics
Where: the Old Bore, Rishworth, Sowerby Bridge, Halifax, West Yorkshire
www.oldbore.co.uk
The idea: Hog-roast boards. Keen to extend food covers during summer, chef/owner Scott Hessel came up with the idea of offering
hog-roast picnics to his weekend customers.
How it works: For £20 per couple or £35 per family, the former Roux Scholarship winner provides his customers with everything
they need to create what he describes as their own mini carvery. A large wooden board carries the pork, together with roast potatoes, mash, Yorkshire puddings, roast vegetables and gravy.
A carving knife is also included so that customers can carve their own meat before heading for the garden to dine al fresco. "The board looks the part and customers enjoy the novelty o
