How to optimise your outdoor space
With Covid-19 restrictions due to continue throughout winter, improving your outdoor area is essential. Here are our tips on creating an inviting space
Easter: 3 promotional ideas for restaurants, pubs and bars
Chocolate, roast dinners and treasure hunts – what more do you need this Easter?
Everyone’s hoping Easter this year will be quite a different occasion to 2020, which left venues closed and the nation in lockdown. While we can’t predict the future, we have hopes for a more ‘normal’ celebration this April: big Easter lunches, Good Friday drinks and treats for the whole family.
1. Spruce up your roast dinner
A roast lunch is the big meal at Easter, so market your offering early to get the bookings in. Make a real experience of the meal by stealing an idea from wedding venues.
Give each booking the option of having their own joint of meat (or veggie equivalent) to carve themselves at the table. Provide a paper chef’s hat and apron for the designated carver and let the fun photos commence!
The long Easter weekend presents an excellent opportunity to up your wet sales, so spruce up your menu with some fresh new drinks to go with a roast. Serve roast lamb with a rich red wine like Tribu Malbec for a fruity, yet savoury punch.
“Venues had a £2k boost to drinks sales on the long Easter weekend in 2019 compared to an average Friday-Monday”
- CGA: Volume Pool
Make the most of your veg (and be more cost-effective) by using waste trimmings that usually end up in the bin. Carrot tops and beetroot leaves can turn into a tasty pesto – try it drizzled over roasted carrots or greens. Add cauliflower leaves and broccoli stalks to a cheese bake or braise for a new side. Try this braised cauliflower leaves recipe.
2. Get baking
You just can’t have enough chocolate at Easter, so why not create some indulgent bakes for your customers or residents? Individual cakes such as cupcakes, brownies, cookies or tiffin can be decorated with Easter bunnies and eggs. You could put together a special Easter box with a selection of treats and off er a pre-order service.
If you have an excellent baker, cook up some batches of hot cross buns. The spicy, sweet aroma will fill your venue and make them impossible to resist! Any leftover buns can be transformed into a bread and butter pudding with custard, or a twist on French toast with a crème fraîche and fresh fruit topping.
3. A big chocolate treasure hunt
Easter is a great event for families with egg hunts and chocolate goodies galore. Be a part of this by putting on your own treasure hunt in your village or town, rather than hiding eggs around your venue. Customers can head to different landmarks to gather information and answers. When they have worked out the answer, they should return to your venue for their chocolatey prize. You could charge a nominal fee for the hunt, but include an offer on drinks and a meal for the Easter weekend, to encourage customers to stay on and enjoy the day.
If you don’t have time to think up the treasure hunt yourself, there are some great businesses online that sell trails and offer bulk discounts. Look up Treasure Trails to see if there is a hunt near you.
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