EHA NEWS

June 2008

Dear Member

Well the summer season is now upon us and I hope that you are all trading well with lots of forward booking for the summer.

They have filmed a Hotel Inspector Revisited at the East Beach and that will be shown in the next few weeks.  It is going out on Wednesday nights on Channel 5.  I have not got a date yet, however when I do I will send out an email.

I am delighted that the Conference Membership Scheme is going really well, Jennifer and her team have been working really hard bringing in new business to the town.  If you are still undecided to join, think again!!  Speak to Annie Wills or Jennifer at the Council.

Don't forget to enter Eastbourne in Bloom.  Entries have to be in by the 13th of June.

Andrea Field - Garfield Guest House would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support, car boot items and sponsor money.  I was 1 of 6 runners for G.A.P. Projects in the Flora London Marathon and completed the course in 6hr 42min.  What a great experience and the whole day was memorable in many way.  The support and encouragement from other runners and all the spectators who lined the course was amazing.

At the end of it I felt tired and sore muscles, which took a couple of days to get over but okay now.  I hope to raise over four hundred pounds but will let you know the final total soon.

Best Wishes

Andrea

Congratulations! Goes to Mrs Chesterman of Ashlea Apartments for winning the Manchester United T Shirt.  Mrs Chesterman entered a free draw held by Eric Webb of Knighthood Insurance at the EHA Trade Exhibition in February.

"Karen at the Sherwood Hotel would like to thank members of the EHA for their kind support and cards of condolence following the tragic death of her partner Spencer.  He was killed while on a motorbike holiday in France."

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

JUNE

14th - 21st International Women's Open

26th Ladies Dinner - Mo Mambo 7:30 for 8p.m

JULY 

5th - 6th 999 Displays

7th - Ladies Lunch - Langham Hotel 12 for 12:30p.m.

19th - 20th Eastbourne Extreme

20th - Family Afternoon at the Royal Parade Green - Joint Event

AUGUST

14th - 17th Airbourne

SEPTEMBER

8th Ladies Lunch - Langham Hotel 12 for 12:30p.m.

30th General Meeting - Venue to be advised

OCTOBER

18th - Disco and Buffet Free to EHA Members at the East Beach Hotel.  Tickets are limited.

25th Beachy Head Marathon

NOVEMBER

3rd - Ladies Lunch - Langham Hotel 12 for 12:30p.m.

25th General Meeting - Venue to be advised

DECEMBER

12th - Christmas Party at the Sidedoor.  Tickets are limited.

For Ladies Lunches please contact Liz Millar, email address lianz@uwclub.net or telephone 417533 

A WARM WELCOME TO THE FOLLOWING NEW MEMBERS:-

Heidi Cowderoy

EHA CHAIRMAN

REGULATION UPDATES

The following extracts are from the March Edition of Hospitality Matters

THE CONSIDERATE Hoteliers Association, which provides information and advice to hoteliers who want to pursue greener practices, has now published a purchasing guide, The Green Source, offering advice on sourcing and selecting products and services that have a reduced impact on the environment.  The guide has been published in partnership with the London Development Agency and is available as a free downloadable file from http://www.consideratehoteliers.com or email jfirrel@tiscali.co.uk

THE SAFE AND LOCAL SUPPLIER APPROVAL (SALSA) SCHEME As the demand for local foods from small artisan suppliers has increased, so the need for these suppliers to upgrade their image and operations - in order to comply with the standards expected by responsible caterers - has risen.

Help is now at hand with the launch of SALSA, a new food safety scheme, which will make it easier for chefs and restaurateurs to seek out accredited producers of artisan foods.

Inaugurated last year by the BHA in conjunction with the British Retail Consortium, Food and Drink Federation and National Farmers' Union, the scheme - designed specifically for small producers and manufacturers who wish to supply at a local level - will demonstrate that rigorous standards have been met in the production of ingredients and products.

The SALSA scheme is particularly beneficial to the national buyers of large catering companies who demand the most stringent standards from all suppliers.  A spokesman for Elior UK, for instance, says that it is company policy that all suppliers obtain suitable and sufficient accreditation before it will consider using a product.  "The introduction of SALSA complements our company's desire to reduce our impact on the environment and purchase from local suppliers, opening trade channels that would otherwise be restricted due to the requirements of alternative accreditation schemes," he says.

Amongst the suppliers who have already successfully achieved SALSA accreditation are Caws Cenarth Cheese in Boncarth, Dyfed; Copas Traditional Turkeys, Cookham, Berkshire; and West Country Organic Herbs, Launceston, Cornwall.

Find SALSA accredited companies at http://www.salsafood.co.uk

The following extract is from the March edition of Leisure Opportunities:

An untapped resource for restaurants? By Luke Tuchscherer

Bars, cafes and restaurants across England and Wales are being encouraged to serve their customers tap water as a matter of course, rather than bottled water.

The Consumer Council for water said that as the tap water in the UK is "among the safest in the world", there is no reason for consumers not to ask for it, and no barrier to access other than serving it to customers and making it "a pleasant experience".

Dame Yve Buckland, national chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said:  "Most cafes, bars and restaurants already strive to ensure that their guests have the best possible experience every time, so there should be no problem in them providing fresh tap water to their customers, if that what they desire.

"The experience of asking for tap water should be no different from asking for sugar, salt or pepper.  We can't insist that food and drink outlets provide tap water for free, but at a cost of one pence for around 50 glasses, having it available and well presented shouldn't be much to ask.

"The bottled water industry spends millions investing in their brands and that's what people are paying for when they pick up a bottle of water."

Below are extracts from the BHA Updates we receive at the office

GOING DIGITAL: The UK's switchover to digital television gathers pace from this year and is due for completion by 2012.  There's a fact sheet for hotels at http://www.digitaluk.co.uk/propertymanagers/_uploads/pdf/FSheet_Hotels.pdf The digitaluk website also sets out when each transmitter is due to switch to digital.

ILLEGAL WORKING - NEW PENALTIES:  A system of civil penalties for employing illegal workers comes into force on Friday 29th.  Log onto http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/employersandsponsors/guidancefrom290208 for summary guidance (27 pages which you must follow) and codes of practice on (a) the penalty system and (b)avoiding discrimination.  The maximum penalty per illegal worker for employers who 'get it wrong' on a number of occasions will be £10,000.

HOLIDAY REMINDER:  On 1st October, the minimum annual statutory entitlement to paid holidays increases from 4 weeks (20 days for a 5 day a week worker, including any bank holidays or days in lieu) to 4.8 weeks (24 days).  If you are currently giving less than 24 days, you'll need to advise your employees of their new entitlement ('casuals' are also entitled).  The Department for Business has issued standard contract wording with a ready reckoner to calculate entitlements and a set of frequently asked questions.  You can access these via http://www.berr.gov.uk/employment/holidays/index.html

HOLIDAY CONTRACTS:  Standard wording for advising employees about the increased minimum holiday entitlement, which begins on 1 October is now at http://www.berr.gov.uk/holidays/page41004.html

TELLING THE TREASURY:  BHA are responding jointly with the British Association of Hospitality Accountants to Treasury proposals on capital allowances which would add to the damage from the proposed withdrawal (by2011) of Hotel Buildings Allowance (HBA):  BHA have asked Ministers to retain 'grandfather' rights on existing HBA to 2017 and, for new hotel building, to keep the annual 4 per cent allowance to 2011, rather than reducing it each year from 2008.  If you are affected by the prospective loss of HBA, please write to your MP, asking for the BHA's proposals (above) to be agreed.  You might also take the opportunity to tell the Chancellor off for his ill-thought out abolition of Capital Gains Tax taper relief in the Pre-Budget Report!

SCORES ALERT:  The London Boroughs have told us they wish to sponsor a Bill making it compulsory in London to display a summary of your most recent food hygiene inspection notice, probably including the ridiculous 0 to 5 Stars hygiene rating now being piloted in most of the boroughs, as well as elsewhere in England and a bit in Wales.  We will oppose this proposal directly and via our involvement with the Food Standards Agency in trying to get a sensible nationwide system for internet (only) display of inspection outcomes:  a Scottish pilot based on 'pass' or 'fail' or 'improvement required' may hold the answer.

JOB SCAM:  Non-EU workers seeking UK hospitality jobs have been conned by bogus agencies offering apparently genuine (but, in fact, forged) employment contracts at UK hotels, but demanding money for a "required UK anti-terrorist certificate."  Of course, this does not exist.  In some cases, the workers have even got into the UK to claim thier "jobs" at the hotels.  Details at http://eurunion.org/AntiTerrorCertScamWarn.html

FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT SPECIAL

WHAT'S HAPPENING?:  BHA Fire Safety Toolkit has been upgraded with new software and training which has been certificated by the Royal Institute of Public Health (RIPH) with a certificate to Quality and Merit.  You will be able to train and retrain all your staff at no extra cost.  This is very timely given a Basingstoke Restaurant has recently been fined £33,000 for failure to comply with Enforcement Notices from the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority.

KEY FEATURE:  The new software has these key features:

* Your Fire Safety Risk Assessment records and training records can be stored on secure servers to give you peace of mind that you can retrieve lost informaiton if the worst happened.

* All of your documents can also be stored on you computer with an upload facility to make it easy to retrieve them.

* To make the whole Risk Assessment process more user friendly, we have included an edit facility which can be used to complete your action plan together with a reset button when you carry out a further risk assessment.

* The "On-line" compliance checklist is automatically updated so, when you comply, you do not have to go through the whole process again.

ON THE RADIO:  Following the Newquay hotel fire, BHA's Food and Technical Adviser John Dyson was on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme, stressing the need for all hospitality operators to meet the requirements for fire risk assessments which came into force last year.  You can access a compliance kit via http://www.bha-compliance.org.uk

TAX AND TAXIS:  The circumstances in which free taxis home for staff may be exempt from income tax and national insurance have been a source of contention and confusion between employers and HM Revenue and Customs for years.  HMRC have now issued draft guidance to clarify the law as they see it at http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employers/clarifies-tax-ni.html