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Monart Destination Spa has opened an online Christmas store.

 

Details

The new online store includes soy wax candles, tea light holders, robes, teas, hampers, and gift vouchers.

 

Additional Information

Additional information can be found at Monart.ie.

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

The Compass Group has relaunched and rebranded as Compass Ireland, in recognition of the distinct nature of the company’s Irish team. With annual revenue of roughly €68 million in Ireland and employing 1,500 people here, this is an important step. DEIRDRE O’NEILL, newly appointed Irish MD, spoke to Hospitality Ireland about the group’s new direction.

This article was originally published in the Autumn 2021 issue of Hospitality Ireland Magazine, in October of 2021.

For Deirdre O’Neill, new Irish MD of Compass Ireland, innovation and growth are keywords for the next stage of the group’s development. O’Neill studied in Galway, where she did a business degree at GMIT and a master’s in marketing at NUI Galway. She clocked up 15 years’ experience in Irish food and retail – including marketing roles in leading FMCG companies like Kildare based O’Brien Fine Foods and Carroll’s of Tullamore, as well as HMV Ireland Xtravision – before joining the Compass Group in 2016, to head up the marketing division and drive digital and brand communications. She developed the company’s ‘cloud kitchen’ operations as future food offer director, before being promoted to MD in June 2021.

“To continue to develop an industryleading team of foodservice providers, and to innovate in client services and sustainability initiatives. We aim to build transformative partnerships for each of Compass Ireland’s clients with flexible food services that meet unique needs and exceed expectations. We are dedicated to reducing the environmental footprint of the business by eliminating waste and sourcing responsibly grown produce from local Irish farms. Compass Group recently rebranded as Compass Ireland here, and that was to recognise our Irish team as a distinct business unit, at the forefront of global innovation for what is a substantial organisation.”

The people with whom O’Neill works “punch above their weight. They love to excel, to try different approaches, and to ensure their food, our service, and our customer satisfaction levels are consistently excellent.”

 

Why has Compass chosen to pursue this new direction?

“The world of work has changed, with hybrid workplaces, flexible hours, and employees’ health and well-being viewed as a central concern for employers. Food solutions need to be flexible, varied, high quality, and easily accessed, wherever the employee is based. Employers also need assurances on cost, value and sustainability issues, which Compass is tasked to meet. Clients tell us that our food helps them win ‘the war on talent’ – the perk of a huge variety of freshly cooked meals and snacks on site, in a staff restaurant or available to personally order on our Feedr app, is a recruitment draw.”

 

Where does chef Kevin Thornton fit into the new vision?

“As a double-Michelin-star chef, Kevin Thornton is a fantastic food innovator and a great business person who is very much tuned into exciting the customer. His expertise will contribute to the Compass Ireland food philosophy, menu development, training and team-building. Kevin is consulting with our culinary director, Shay Kendrick, on all aspects of our food and service, and I imagine that he will hugely motivate our team and appeal to our customers also.”

 

So, what are the major innovations that Compass will be making?

“Our Copper Pan Kitchen was a first for our industry – a centralised production kitchen for freshly delivered meals, established even ahead of Covid-19. The concept has become a solution for the new hybrid-working situation, capable of scaling up and down with demand, and delivering food experiences when and where required.

“We’re also helping businesses digitise catering solutions. The launch of the handy Feedr app earlier this year delivery of meals to workplaces and homes, and offered employees healthier choices from an extensive rotating menu of 140 balanced meals. This way, businesses can provide a flexible food perk without needing a full on-site restaurant. Employees have nutritious meals delivered to the office, when they’re in, and Feedr simultaneously groups orders, to facilitate deliveries.

“Among our food solutions to support the safe return to workplaces is an Irish Village Markets partnership for on-site food trucks at client premises, which offer diverse street food and multicultural cuisines, ranging from Spanish, Mexican and Lebanese to Korean and Hawaiian.”

 

What changes has O’Neill seen in the foodservice industry in Ireland over the last five years?

“The new generation of foodservices is built around customer needs and employee wants, providing a flexible and scalable way for employers and venues to feed their teams and visitors. Where the focus, initially, was on the food, the service is now equally, if not more, important. We need to get a variety of great food to people when, where and how they want it, to suit their business operation.

“The local agri-food sector and sustainability have also become key business drivers. Corporates are conscious of their environmental footprint, and Compass Ireland is the first foodservice company here to publish a commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in its own operations and value chain by 2030.

“We work with 180 Irish food producers, spending in the region of €35 million a year with our Irish supply base. We partner with sustainable producers, like Ireland’s first commercial vertical farmer, Brian O’Reilly of Emerald Green, who uses cutting-edge indoor farming technology at his Ballyporeen hydroponic farm.

“Menus need to constantly change and offer diverse flavours from around the globe, whether Asian, French, Italian or Eastern European dishes, or traditional Irish. We’re catering for multicultural, well-travelled workforces, and vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, dairy-free and glutenfree meal options are a given these days. Our Feedr app even lets users choose their lunch based on life goals, such as low-carb or gut-health-optimising food.”

 

What post-Covid changes does O’Neill expect to see?

“More flexible food solutions in workplaces, facilitated by innovation, like contactless ordering and delivery via apps. For on-site catering providers like ourselves, a cloud canteen service makes sense for many employers, too. It takes the headache and risk out of managing their own kitchens, particularly with businesses trying to manage costs when on-site headcounts are unpredictable. It’s cost-effective, scalable, and doesn’t sacrifice quality, but saves on maintenance, utilities and waste.”

 

What are the priorities now for Compass?

“To continue to meet customer needs, recruit food professionals and producers of the highest level, and to motivate our team to consistently innovate and excite. Our annual revenue on the island of Ireland is in the region of €68 million, and the business employs 1,500 people here. Our 2020 income was hit by the initial lockdowns, but the business has turned a corner, thanks to groundbreaking, clientfocused solutions. We will continue to restore business and expand our innovative foodservice solutions – many of which originally piloted in Dublin – countrywide.”

 

What does O’Neill see as the most significant challenges for the industry at this time?

“Sourcing talent is a top challenge for the entire sector. There is scarcity in highly trained professionals and the pipeline of upcoming talent. For this reason, we have always focused on developing staff, teamworking and mentoring. We believe passionately in ‘hiring the smile’ and ‘training the skill’, and committed employees can develop rewarding careers with us.

“Added to this, we have a new apprenticeship programme, to encourage people into our sector and to promote gender balance and enhanced diversity, including more female participation in culinary roles with Compass Ireland. Michelin-star chef Danni Barry is the ambassador for the new Compass Ireland apprenticeship scheme, which will support the skills development of existing employees and attract new talent, helping future-proof personnel needs in the business. It is being developed in conjunction with Shay Kendrick, chef and culinary director of Compass Ireland.

“Supply chain disruption and difficulties in the logistics sector are affecting some foodservice businesses, but our long-standing commitment to local in Ireland and our recent moves to expand Irish sourcing have lessened any exposure to import headaches.

 

Any new developments on the horizon for the next year?

“We will launch Ireland’s first ‘frictionless’ food-to-go store in Dublin later this year, bringing next-generation retail to the Irish market. A first in the Irish market, the store will use cutting-edge computer vision technology, allowing shoppers to buy meals and snacks to go, without having to wait in line or stop to scan or pay. This will offer the convenience of self-service at any time of day, and fresh, quality, ready-prepared food round the clock.

“By innovating and adapting our operations and offering, we will ensure we continue to lead the industry and remain relevant to clients and consumers. This direction is already helping to win business and secure strong retention rates, so we constantly grow and further leverage our scale and resources.”

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Hawksmoor has opened a restaurant in Dublin’s National Bank building on College Green.

 

Details

The 152-seat restaurant includes a back-to-back bar and private dining space, and a menu of drinks designed by Liam Davy, the group’s head of bars.

The venue is open for dinner all week and for lunch from Wednesday to Sunday.

The College Green venue is the 12th restaurant in the group and, as with all Hawksmoor restaurants, it has selected a local charity partner, The Dublin Simon Community, kicking off the relationship by sending them an initial donation of €10,000.

 

“Delighted To Be Welcoming Guests Into Our Wonderful New Dublin Home”

Alex McGettigan, general manager of Hawksmoor in Dublin, is looking forward to introducing guests to some of the most popular traditions that Hawksmoor have created over the past 16 years, from the group’s Sunday roasts to the award-winning cocktail list and the Monday Wine Club.

“We’re delighted to be welcoming guests in to our wonderful new Dublin home,” said Alex, who was born in Bray, raised in Bristol and is now back living in Bray again. “These are spaces that are designed to be full of people enjoying life. Being open for dinner every day and lunch from Wednesday to Sunday means we’ll have the opportunity to welcome all kinds of audiences, all kinds of diners, through those grand old doors.”

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

The new interactive and immersive Glovers Alley Kitchen Experience is being launched in June.

 

Details

On Friday mornings, chef Andy McFadden and his team will welcome groups of four food enthusiasts into the restaurant kitchen, where participants will don an apron, get hands-on and learn top-secret techniques, with lots of opportunities for tastings, followed by a four-course lunch with champagne and wine pairings.

McFadden said, “We are delighted to be offering our Kitchen Experience 2023. We love sharing our space with people just as excited about food as we are, and showing them how we bring our menu to life. Our team shares industry secrets, an insight into the workings of a real kitchen, and the creativity of Glovers Alley.”

The Kitchen Experience is two and a half hours in the kitchen, followed by a lunch. The experience begins just after 10am with a talk by McFadden. He will then bring participants into the kitchen, where they will make a batch of signature Glovers Alley bread to take home. Next, they will get hands-on with the skills and techniques that the team applies to butchering meat, preparing fish, and creating refined desserts. Participants will also assist the kitchen team members as they prepare for that day’s lunch and dinner service. Throughout the morning, McFadden and the team will prepare various dishes for participants to taste.

After all that, participants will swap the kitchen for the dining room to sip a glass of champagne before consuming a specially created four-course lunch menu with paired wines that McFadden and his team have prepared.

 

Additional Information

The Glovers Alley Kitchen Experience is limited to four people per date and will run on Friday mornings from 2 June until 28 July. It includes a four-course lunch with paired wines. The Kitchen Experience is unsuitable for guests with allergies or dietary restrictions.

Kitchen Experience gift vouchers can be booked by emailing info@gloversalley.com.

Glovers Alley is located at 128 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

FBD Hotels & Resorts announced its sponsorship of the Orby Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday 27 May as David Kelly, CEO of FBD Hotels & Resorts, joined Evan Arkwright, racing and sponsorship manager at The Curragh, in Orby’s Bistro at the racecourse.

Details

The Orby Stakes commemorates Orby, the first Irish-trained horse to win both the Irish Derby and the Epsom Derby in 1907, who was owned by Richard “Boss” Croker. Irish thoroughbreds three years of age and older will compete in the listed race over 12 furlongs (2,400 metres), with a total prize money of €40,000. The FBD Hotels & Resorts Orby Stakes will be part of the start of a summer of racing at The Curragh, taking place at 15.05 on Day 2 of the Tattersalls Irish Guineas Festival.

Commenting on the sponsorship, Kelly said, “Since taking over the neighbouring Killashee Hotel outside Naas in 2022, having previously purchased another nearby hotel, The Heritage in Killenard, Co. Laois, in 2019, we are delighted to have this opportunity to come on board and partner with The Curragh and support this renowned race. Orby created a great legacy as a horse, and we hope that this sponsorship builds over the coming years to become equally iconic.”

Arkwright commented “The Curragh greatly values the long-standing relationship with FBD Hotels & Resorts and looks forward to working with David and his team to further enhance the partnership this year.”

Additional Information

In April 2022, Killashee Hotel became the sixth hotel in FBD Hotels & Resorts’ portfolio of hotels and resorts, joining The Heritage Hotel in Laois, Castleknock Hotel in Dublin, Faithlegg in Waterford, La Cala and Sunset Beach Club on the Costa del Sol in Spain. Over the past year, Killashee has been transformed, with completion of the first phase of the €5 million refurbishment plan.

FBD Hotels & Resorts is owned by farmer-owned investment company Farmer Business Developments Plc. Headquartered in Ireland, FBD Hotels & Resorts employs about 1,100 people across its hotel and resort portfolio.

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Ashford Castle has announced the appointment of Regina O’Donoghue as the property’s new director of marketing and revenue and Shane Brett as director of sales.

 

Regina O’Donoghue

O’Donoghue joined Ashford Castle 18 years ago, as a groups’ coordinator. A lifelong hotel industry professional, O’Donoghue was promoted to the position of sales office manager in 2017, with a remit that extended to the castle’s sales and marketing functions. Her experience and expertise in these areas have resulted in her most recent senior promotion.

As director of marketing and revenue, O’Donoghue will be responsible for safeguarding and further promoting the Ashford estate. She will also oversee revenue generation for both Ashford Castle and sister hotel the Lodge at Ashford Castle.

From Galway, O’Donoghue holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel management from GMIT.

 

Shane Brett

A native of Mayo, Brett has been appointed to the role of director of sales at Ashford Castle. A graduate of law from the University of Galway, Brett joined Ashford Castle in 2015. Prior to joining the castle’s sales team, Brett was guest services manager, affording him a 360-degree overview of the operation and the needs of guests. Thereafter, he joined the sales team and, in his new director-of-sales role, will be responsible for managing and overseeing the sales operation with responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluating sales strategies. He will continue to represent Ashford Castle and the Lodge at tourism events, both at home and abroad, developing and maintaining relationships with clients and tourism partners.

 

Statement By General Manager

The general manager of the Ashford estate, Niall Rochford, said, “Collectively, Regina and Shane have been a part of the Ashford family for more than 26 years, and these are very well-deserved appointments. Both consummate professionals, they have each demonstrated exceptional marketing and sales acumen. I know that their skills and passion will ensure a seamless handover from Paula Carroll, who has dedicated 35 years to the Ashford estate.”

 

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Ronan Flood is the publican behind the Refresh Hospitality group, which includes the popular Oscar’s Café Bar, in Smithfield, Barbers’ Bar, and Doyle’s Corner. Flood is also an outspoken advocate for the hospitality industry, and an inventive operator. Here, he talks to Hospitality Ireland about reopening, and what’s next.

This article was originally published in the Autumn 2021 issue of Hospitality Ireland Magazine, in October of 2021.

“We’re getting there,” says Ronan Flood, when I ask him how the reopening phase has been for his businesses. “We’ve returned to 75%. We had 50 staff on our payroll, pre-Covid, and now we’re back up to about 40 staff at the moment, so we’re nearly back with the same staffing levels as before.”

They were, Flood says, “lucky during the lockdowns, in the sense that we launched, in Oscar’s, a very successful hot bar last October. We got closed down on a Tuesday, and the following week, we were ready to go with a hot bar, doing mulled wine and hot whiskey. The intention there was never really to make money – it was to keep some staff on board and keep them engaged. That proved to be very successful, to the point where I was able to bring back about six staff in total back into Oscar’s during the lockdown. Then we turned the hot bar into a frozen bar after the Christmas lockdown, serving sorbet aperitifs and Porn Star [passion-fruitflavoured] Martinis, and the like – everything was frozen. We were lucky that – between Oscar’s and the Barbers’ – we managed to retain a team of about eight, so when it came to reopening, we were in a good position, in that we had our core staff.”

So he wasn’t scaling up from nothing, as some places were?

“Yes. We were very lucky, in that respect – we were kept very busy. I had this bizarre situation, where my head chef from Oscar’s and my head chef from Doyle’s Corner spent most of their time making mulled wine in the kitchen and cutting lemons for the hot drinks. It was never about making money. It was about breaking even, just to keep the team engaged.”

As part of the frozen-bar service at the Barbers’, Flood provided scooters for his employees.

“That was quite funny,” he recalls, “because, at the time, everyone was giving out about Portobello and the rubbish that was being left behind, but our lads were wearing branded jackets, going up and down the road on scooters, cleaning up and interacting with crowds. It was a very visual thing – it was fairly noticeable that these guys in branded jackets were constantly slipping up and down the road.”

And creating a great deal of goodwill, I imagine?

“Absolutely. We were very much complimented on that. The lads, literally, were like the Pint Police, going up and down on the scooters, making sure people weren’t standing in front of houses and the like, so the Barbers’ proved quite successful for us, and we got a lot of publicity, too.”

This was around the time when there was a great call for public lavatories, and outrage at outdoor urination.

“We launched what we called the ‘urination donation’,” Flood says. “We were charging €2 in to use the toilets at the Barbers’, and we managed to raise €5,000 for charity. That kept the neighbours on side as well because people had no excuse to go to the bathroom in hedges or a garden.”

“[Once last summer’s reopening came] – there again, we were very lucky in Oscar’s,” Flood says. “Dublin City Council were excellent. They gave us a very large area outside – the cobbled area on the square. We also had our own outdoor area, which we’ve always had, in which we were able to build structures for shelter, so we ended up at the start of December with seating for about 150 outside, which was absolutely phenomenal. We were absolutely blessed, and we operated a policy of walk-ins only, so we weren’t taking bookings and we had a two-hour limit on tables. We were able to turn the tables. We sold it as that we were operating as a restaurant, so we did require food to be ordered, and that was good for revenue. With the Barbers’, because of the proximity to the park, we did extremely well there also.”

However, as he readily points out, it wasn’t all good news.

“The other side of the coin is: we’ve another property up in Phibsborough – Doyle’s Corner – and because of issues there – mainly the difficulty in recruiting staff, and because it lacks an outdoor area – we delayed our opening until 19 August.”

So he’s seen it from both sides?

“Very much so. I’m under no illusions that if our business was just Doyle’s Corner, on its own, we’d be in a very precarious financial position right now. I really think we’d be struggling to see out the year. I think that’s how serious the situation is at the moment around the country, so you are right, in the sense that we’ve seen the best and the worst of both sides.

“We were able to continue trading during lockdown, and we did well with outdoor seating, but Doyle’s Corner is a struggle at the moment. We’re getting there. We started back there with a brand-new team. We kept the core staff, i.e. our two managers and our head chef – we managed to retain them, thankfully – but we’re literally starting all over again in Doyle’s. It will be fine, but it’s tough going up there at the moment.”

 

Location, Location

This, of course, I say, highlights the fundamental unfairness of the Covid pandemic measures – not anyone’s fault, but the fact is: a really good business could still be annihilated by being in the wrong place. Locations that were once highly desirable became, over the last 18 months, impossible because of their lack of proximity to residential properties.

“No question about it,” Flood agrees, “and that is the issue up in Doyle’s Corner. That was always quite events driven, and during the lockdown, we continued investing in terms of doing up the function spaces that are there. Thankfully, the penthouse is booked out between now and December, which is fantastic – as you know, all you need is that group of 60 on a Friday and a Saturday night to help get you over the line – but the problem was the lead time. Obviously, when we reopened in August, no one was ready for booking a party for the following month, so it was about trying to get that steady.

“Getting events and bookings in is a challenge at the moment, but what we are finding – and I think it’s going to be a huge problem this year for Christmas – is that, for those that are booking, the numbers are washing down significantly. Even when anyone does come in looking to book a Christmas party for 100, the likelihood is that numbers are going to wash down significantly on the night because there’s so much uncertainty out there. People aren’t even sure if they’re allowed a party, and, of course, we’ve been asked, ‘Are you going to be checking passports in December? Are all of your staff vaccinated?’ We don’t actually have the answers to those questions.”

The uncertainties are still very much there.

“The uncertainty is absolutely massive, and also what we’re seeing is that people just don’t want to dine inside. I think that’s going to change as the weather deteriorates, which it inevitably will. I think there is going to be a seismic change, with people moving back inside.

“I’m torn!” he laughs. “On one hand, I really wish it would start raining, to help Doyle’s – bad weather is really good for business – but, on the other, my heart goes out to the publicans that don’t have covered outdoor areas. It reinforces the point that supports are going to have to continue well into the new year.”

Does he think that that will happen?

“Some support will last until March, but they’ll probably taper that off. I don’t think business levels will return to normal at all quickly. I really don’t see things changing until next summer. In my heart of hearts, I don’t see St Patrick’s Day happening as usual in March.”

It seems unlikely, I agree. There are many positive signs, but the numbers are still uncertain. Does he think that the government could be offering more clarity than it is, in terms of what can happen for hospitality businesses?

“I think a clear plan is definitely required, but, unfortunately – I think as we’ve seen – the Covid situation is proving to be so unpredictable. I can understand why the government are nearly nervous to nail their colours to the mast, in terms of setting out a clear agenda, as things can change so rapidly.”

Has he some sympathy for it?

“Well, I don’t know if I’d go as far as sympathy!” Flood says, with a laugh. “No, I wouldn’t use the word sympathy. I think the industry – all of us, at some point, are going to have to bite the bullet. Life is going to have to continue. We’ve been talking about living with the virus for the past two years, so let’s see that in action.”

At the moment, there’s still a kind of emergency footing, I say.

“Absolutely. The uncertainty out there is just colossal. I’m from a hotel background, myself, so, for hotels, even trying to plan for next summer is hard. The whole industry needs certainty.” How far ahead is Flood planning with his businesses, or is he just trying to keep flexible – keep moving week by week?

“Christmas is at the forefront of a lot of our work at the moment. We’re putting all our menus in place now. It’s definitely going to be a Christmas like no other because previous Christmases, we might have had seating for 200 people, but we could easily take bookings for finger food for 300 or 350. We can ‘rack them and pack them’ for Christmas, but this time round, there are huge implications around whether everyone has to remain seated. We are going to be at significantly reduced capacity for the Christmas period.

“For example, I had a large company that booked out all of Doyle’s Corner. They were paying a good minimum spend – they were paying room hire – and then, a few weeks ago, I got an email to say, ‘Ronan, look, we’re really sorry. We love your venue, we’d love to come back again, but head office has dictated that we’re not having a Christmas party this year.’ Now that’s a scary thought, and I suspect that’s going to be replicated throughout the city and country for Christmas.”

How does he feel about the next six months, in terms of optimism?

“I think huge challenges remain. I don’t expect that on 22 October there will be a massive relaxation of guidelines. That would worry us a lot. I think the staffing situation is still challenging, and it’s exacerbated by, in the past week or two, a lot of college students returning to their studies. We would have had a lot of staff that were full-time with us over the summer, but now they have been reduced to two to three days per week because of the need to go back to college.

“On top of that, Covid is not going away. We’re finding that at least once a week, a staff member says, ‘My partner has contracted Covid, and I need to isolate for 14 days,’ or a roommate, or a child. Thankfully – touch wood – we haven’t had any outbreaks of Covid originating in work here, but the big white elephant in the room – which probably a lot of places are not talking about – is staff constantly being out because they have to isolate. So, what we’re finding – particularly with chefs at the moment – we find ourselves overstaffing and over-hiring as an insurance policy.

“You know, we had a situation in the past week or two where we have a chef that works in Doyle’s and one Oscar’s, and they share a house. One of them got Covid, and that knocked our two chefs out because one had to go into isolation – literally overnight, we lost two chefs. Now, thankfully, both of them are back, and there are no issues. One’s fully recovered and the other never caught it, but it’s very challenging to be constantly losing staff due to isolation.”

 

So, what would make life easier? What would Flood like to see happen, from a state point of view?

“I think clarity on what supports are remaining in place or what else is coming down the line. Are they going to be waiving rates next year? Are they going to be waiving the licence renewal fee? Secondly, there’s talk about relaxation of guidelines on 22 October – what relaxation is there going to be? One thing that I do dread, and I suppose the one major criticism I would have of the government since the whole thing kicked off, was the lack of communication. Too many times we learned about new guidelines from the media, not directly from the government. It would start about two weeks prior to the announcement, and then when they announced the ludicrous measures – like we needed to log what people had to eat, or the €9 meal – they’d say, ‘but knew this was coming…’ The thing was: we didn’t know it was coming. Yes, we read the papers, but that’s just hearsay. I just wish there was more clarity and more communication from the government regarding restrictions.”

In terms, then, of broader initiatives around staffing, for example, does he see a role for the state there?

“I do, actually. What was a massive help was being able to apply for visas for a chef. I don’t see any reason why they can’t introduce similar initiatives to help us get skilled bartenders, cocktail bartenders, and even floor staff. I think that would massively help, if there was a system put in place for us to apply for staff visas. Good management is equally challenging at the moment, with so many having left the industry, so I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to hire managers from outside the EU as well. I suppose that’s the main one. I’m sure there’s lots more the government can do to help us recruit staff, certainly – maybe funding training schemes for staff as well?”

Does Flood feel that the industry is taken seriously, from a governmental point of view, when it is making plans, thinking about where to allocate resources, and generally connecting with what needs to be done? Does he think that the hospitality industry features highly enough on the agenda?

“I used to. There used to be lots of talk about the vintners [Vintners’ Federation] of Ireland and so on being a strong lobby group, but it’s very clear it’s not as strong a lobby group as previously thought. The farmers have more say than the hospitality industry do at the moment – they’re listened to more. I’m not saying that the industry has been treated with contempt, because that’s a strong word, but a bit casually, perhaps.”

A lack of understanding that these are real people’s jobs, real people’s lives, real people’s outlooks …? “Yes.”

So, what’s on the agenda for the next few months?

“Again, with the lack of clarity at the moment, I think if the government announces a relaxation of restrictions on 22 October, we’ll see a lot of enquiries. I can understand why no companies are going to really book large Christmas parties at the moment – because they don’t know, any more than we do, what the lay of the land is for December.

“We are, of course, still continuing with our gimmicks!” he laughs. “We’re planning Santa Claus in Oscar’s for December, where you can come and get your photograph taken with Santa Claus. We’re doing a doggy winter market in December. We’re still working away something crazy!”

And clearly never short of good ideas …?

“Ah, we do have a good bit of fun,” he says, but he’s serious, too. “We also invested a lot in technology during the lockdown, in particular with the Barbers’ Bar. We’re getting ready now to go properly live with that. What we did first was, we built an app to take over ordering. At one point during the summer, when you were allowed outdoor dining, we had a system in place whereby there was one bartender standing at the door of the Barbers’ and customers were asked to place their order with the app, so they might order a pint of Guinness and a beefburger. Via the app, the pint of Guinness would print out behind the bar, and because we got the app talking to our printer in Oscar’s, the burger would print out there. The meal was made in Oscar’s, and I’d jump on my scooter and deliver it myself. So, you might be sitting inside the Barbers’ with your pint, and I’d rock up on my moped with the burger. It was a brilliant bit of new technology, in that respect.”

“What we’re doing now is, we’ve managed to get that app as an iframe [an inline frame, to embed another document within an HTML document] on our website: TheBarbers.ie. You can go to the website, where you can play the jukebox, request a song for free on your phone, place an order for your meal, and place an order for your drink. It’s very much a younger generation going in there, as it’s close to the TU [Dublin] campus.

“We’re getting ready to launch a new ‘appy hour’, so we can actually programme the app so you can get a pint for whatever the deal of the day. We can do our specials on the app. That’s our next big project to launch now: an intranet to be used within the bar.”

So it’s not a shop window, I say – it’s a fully functioning platform?

“Yes, and we’re pretty proud of that.”

“[This kind of innovation] keeps us going,” says Flood. “At the moment, up in Doyle’s, we moved our accountant out of the penthouse level during lockdown and created an event space for about 50/60 people, with its own outdoor space. We’re putting a big push on the penthouse at the moment.”

Another thing that has caught his imagination is the idea of a sports bar.

“The GAA final in Doyle’s Corner – that was a great morale booster because we did very well out of it, so we literally decided on that day that we’re going to turn our first-floor space into a sports bar.

“I think one thing lockdown made us realise is that we need to diversify from the events as well. Monday to Thursday is your bread-and-butter stuff, so we’re now trying – not to walk away from the events, but to diversify a bit more and make that event space a bit more multifunctional.

“It’s tough,” he admits, “and when times are tough, it’s difficult to invest, but we are confident. We think things will get back to normal, and we want to be ready for that, so we are going to continue to invest because I think everyone likes to get a return on investments, and we’re confident we will.”

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Foam café in Bundoran, Co. Donegal, will host a spring supper event.

Three Friends’ Vision

Foam started as three friends’ vision for a destination celebrating the lifestyle and local landscape through coffee, food and a welcoming space. Having each settled in the area, owners Adam Cross, Gerald Arbuckle and Noah Lane wanted to put focus on specialty coffee, seasonal food and good times.

Subtle Nods To Beach Life And Menu Information

The café features subtle nods to beach life and a menu by Emily Duggan.

The café serves a variety of food options, including sandwiches, wraps, salads, and baked goods made from locally sourced ingredients. The owners source local, organic and seasonal produce with gluten free, vegetarian and vegan options available.

 

Events At Foam

Foam regularly hosts gigs, films, BBQs, and events that celebrate the people, landscape and lifestyle that they love.

 

Spring Supper

Spring Supper is a follow-on from the venue’s successful September Supper with Emily Duggan, featuring a three course Middle-Eastern inspired meal.

The event will take place on Wednesday 3 May 3 at 7pm, and tickets are available via Eventbrite.

 

Location And More Information

The café is located on Main Street, Bundoran, Co Donegal, and is open Friday-Monday from 9am to 4pm. Customers can choose to dine in or take their food and drinks to go.

For more information, visit FoamBundoran.com.

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com

Windward Management, a team of hotel operators and investors, has launched 90 new electric vehicle-charging points in 13 of its hotel locations nationwide.

Details

The charging infrastructure was installed by ePower, which supplies, instals, supports and manages electric vehicle chargers throughout Ireland.

As the number of EV drivers continues to rise, Windward believes that charging facilities are becoming an imperative hotel offering. The newly installed EV chargers will improve ESG factors, promote sustainability, reduce the hotels’ carbon footprint, and increase their green credentials.

The electric vehicle-charging points display a how-to guide for users. The charging stations are visible on several EV-charging apps, such as Plugsurfing, the ePower app, and the internationally used PlugShare app.

The executive director of ePower, Hugh Hall, said, “The ePower team was pleased to instal EV chargers for the Windward-managed hotels, as they work to improve their approach to sustainability. As well as installing the equipment, we’re looking forward to growing our partnership as we manage and maintain the chargers at these Windward properties in the future.”

The teams at Windward Management and the TMR Hotel Collection plan to continue with the expansion of the EV chargers as part of their decarbonisation plan in the future.

The group general manager at Windward Management, Charlie Sheil, said, “We are delighted to offer ePower car-charging facilities across our portfolio of hotels. Feedback from customers has been fantastic so far, and we are looking forward to expanding the facilities, in line with our sustainability initiatives.”

A spokesperson for the TMR Hotel Collection, Ian McSweeney, said, “We are very pleased with the professional installation of EV chargers by ePower across our properties. This is a fantastic service that we are happy to offer and is in keeping with our dedication to addressing the needs of our valued customers.”

Hotels With EV-Charging Stations

The ePower EV-charging stations are now available at the Connemara Coast Hotel, McWilliam Park Hotel, Radisson Blu Dublin Airport, Plaza Hotel Tallaght, Tallaght Cross Hotel, Mount Wolseley Hotel, Park Inn Shannon Airport, Aghadoe Heights, Cavan Crystal Hotel, Farnham Estate and Harvey’s Point, and they are soon to be live at the Fitzwilton Hotel and the Anner Hotel.

Original article by Dave Simpson on hospitalityireland.com