Women leaving hospitality costs industry £3bn finds reports

Every year, over 300,000 female workers leave the hospitality industry, a turnover that comes at a cost of almost £3bn to businesses, according to a new report.

Released yesterday by the hospitality skills council People 1st, the report also presented research findings that show how a company’s business performance increases when women form part of the senior management team.
“Employers in the industry are losing a valuable resource when talented women are unable to achieve their career ambitions,” said Martin-Christian Kent, director of policy and research at People 1st.

“If we are able to develop and retain more women in the industry, it would help ensure that we have the number of skilled managers we need for the future,” he said at the launch of the group’s awards for women in the hospitality industry.

The Top 100 Most Influential Women in hospitality awards – set up the council’s development programme, Women 1st – aim to recognise women for their achievements in the hospitality sector. Yesterday’s launch involved a call for nominations, which can be submitted via the People 1st website.
Barriers to the top
According to findings in the new report (‘Women 1st – the case for change: Women working in hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism’) the sector loses £2.8bn per year in replacement recruitment and initial training directly as a result of 310,000 women leaving the industry. This compares to 224,500 men who leave the industry every year.
Although the sector continues to grow – with an additional 290,000 managers expected to be recruited over the next seven years – the percentage of female workers has been declining over the past six years, from 61 per cent in 2004/5 to 56 per cent in 2010.
Out of those, only 18 percent are employed in management or senior positions, compared to 25 per cent of men.
The report highlights the key barriers that prevent women from advancing to senior management roles in the sector. These are:
• The difficulty of combining work with caring responsibilities

• A dominant macho culture

• Preconceptions and gender bias

• A lack of networking

• A lack of visible women in senior positions

Business benefits of women

Women 1st also highlights research findings from various sources, which demonstrate a link between women’s representation in senior management and business performance indicators – such as financial performance and shareholder value.

For example, a Leeds University Business School study found that having at least one female director on the board cuts a company’s chances of going bust by about 20 per cent.

In addition, research by the New York-based group Catalyst found that the Fortune 500 companies with three or more women on the board showed a 73 per cent higher return on sales, an 83 per cent higher return on equity and a 112 per cent higher return on invested capital than those with the fewest female board members.

For more information please visit: http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/?page=articles&ID=205824

National Restaurant Awards 2010 to be announced next month

Next month we will reveal the 100 best restaurants in the UK as part of this year’s annual National Restaurant Awards.

Voting by the National Restaurant Awards academy – comprising some of the UK’s best known chefs, restaurant critics, restaurateurs and food writers – is now over with votes cast across 15 categories, including the Best Restaurant in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales; Gastropub of the Year; Hotel Restaurant of the Year; Wine List of the Year and Best New Restaurant.

The results will be announced at an exclusive event on 11 October, after the first day of The Restaurant Show, and will be followed by a must-attend party.

The Fat Duck
Last year's winner of the ultimate accolade of National Restaurant of the Year 2010 as well as the Best Restaurant in England in 2009, was Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck in Bray.

Other winners last year included The Walnut Tree, named the Best Restaurant in Wales; Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, which picked up Restaurateurs’ Choice; Sat Bains, who was named Chefs’ Chef of the Year; and The Sportsman, which scooped Gastropub of the Year.
The awards this year, sponsored by Llanllyr Source Water, Martell Cognac, Nestle Chef and Nespresso, promise to be the most interesting yet.

To be among the first to find out how new high-profile openings this year, most notably Bar Boulud, Koffman’s, Bistro Bruno Loubet, Viajante, Kitchen W8, and Dean Street Townhouse have fared, and to see wether there are any major upsets, you’ll need to come along to the event.

For more information visit http://www.nationalrestaurantawards.co.uk/



Eating out report warns of long term effect of recession

The UK eating-out market is starting to see green shoots of recovery, but while the amount spent on dining out of the home in 2010 is marginally up from last year the recession will have an enduring impact on consumer attitudes, according to new research.

The report, Eating Out in the UK 2010, produced by industry analysts Allegra Strategies, revealed the value of eating out would rise 1% from last year to £40.5b in 2010, with one in 10 meals eaten away from the home, down from one in nine in 2009.

The findings come in an extensive piece of research into the size of the UK informal eating-out market, which includes pubs, fast-food restaurants, staff restaurants and coffee shops.

The report, which tracked the eating habits of more than 2,000 consumers, found that there had been a decline in visits to outlets typically charging more than £10 per head, while outlets charging less than £10 have seen the strongest increase in trade. Moreover, discounting has become a permanent feature of the market, with nearly four in 10 adults using vouchers on a regular basis.

Eating Out in the UK 2010 predicted that growth would continue over the next five years, with the market hitting £49b in 2015. However, it warned that the market would be affected in 2011 by the outcome of the emergency budget and the rise in VAT to 20%.

The report also found a major trend towards healthier eating, sustainability and food provenance. It said that half of consumers claimed that healthier eating now formed part of their overall eating-out behaviour and said that local sourcing was the most important sustainability initiative for operators to engage in.

Steve Gotham, project director, Allegra Strategies, said the evidence of the market recovery after a difficult 2009 was encouraging. "However, with trading conditions set to be impacted by continuing economic uncertainty and the VAT rise to 20% in 2011, which will only serve to widen the price gap between the cost of eating in versus going out, short-term market prospects are set to remain challenging," he said.

"Foremost among customers' emerging needs are healthier eating and greater sustainability responsiveness from operators. Consumer awareness and knowledge of healthier eating and sustainability issues continues to grow - and more engagement in both of these areas from eating out businesses will be essential to strengthen customer affinity."

Centre Parcs to open more luxury accommodation

Luxury accommodation at Center Parcs in Nottinghamshire and Wiltshire is to be increased with the opening of three tree houses and five exclusive lodges, in 2011.

The two-storey, four-bedroom tree houses at Center Parcs Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire will each feature en-suite bathrooms and balconies to all bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area, a separate games and entertainment den and a private hot tub.

Meanwhile, the exclusive lodges at Longleat Forest, Wiltshire, will each have four en-suite bathrooms, a spa area with steam room, sauna and hot tub, as well as a dedicated games room with pool table and games console.

"The exclusiveness of the new lodges and tree houses make them very appealing not only for leisure guests but also for corporate bookers, offering a unique delegate experience," said Ian Linley, head of corporate sales, Center Parcs.

Over the past three years, more than £150m has been invested in improving the range of activities, upgrading the restaurants and introducing new luxury accommodation at the four Center Parcs in the UK, which include Elveden Forest in Suffolk and Whinfell Forest, Cumbria. A fifth site is currently under development in Bedfordshire.

Bhupinder Virdee-Lace Indian Recipes - Lamb Saag

LAMB SAAG

Ingredients

400g roast lamb (cubed)
2 tins of spinach well drained or 750g baby leaf spinach
1kg of onions (finely chopped)
100g of butter or ghee
4 chillies finely chopped
1 thumb sized piece ginger finely sliced
2 heaped teaspoons of coriander seeds
2 teaspoons of turmeric
1 teaspoon of salt
Left over stems of coriander

Method

1. Cook the onions in butter or ghee for 2 hours on a low heat with crushed coriander seeds, stirring frequently to ensure that a crust does not form
2. Add chillies & root ginger and cook for a further 10 minutes
3. Add salt & turmeric and cook for a further 5-7 minutes
4. Add diced lamb and coat well with sauce
5. Heat for 10 minutes or until meat is piping hot
6. Add drained spinach or fresh spinach leaves and cook for 5 minutes
7. Add chopped coriander

Serve with rice or chapattis

Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 2.5 hours
Serves: 6

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