A silver success

This week's tip comes from Andrew Lyell, owner of London's Daniel Hotel, who is using a clever study of the calendar to liven up his short-break market. He wins £100

I don't claim this as my own idea, but any hotel or restaurant that wants to encourage silver wedding anniversary business should give it a try.

Anyone married on a Saturday 25 years ago will find that their silver wedding anniversary falls on a Tuesday. Study the Saturdays in 1969 and you will find that they fell on the 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th.

Look at the August 1994 calendar, 25 years after 1969, and those dates all fell on Tuesdays. It's the same every year. On any Tuesday night, thousands of long-married couples are going out to celebrate their silver wedding anniversaries.

We have done some classified advertising in the Midlands and North of England offering a special silver wedding anniversary three-day mini-break which includes a Champagne dinner on the Tuesday night.

It has been quite a success, particularly by increasing out-of-season midweek business. Some of the couples who have come for the celebration package have rebooked for additional breaks with us.

The idea would also work well for restaurants who want to offer something on Tuesday, which is often the worst night of the week for business.

A little modest local advertising gives couples who are planning a formal family celebration for the weekend the opportunity to enjoy a private celebration on the actual anniversary date.

We have found that the "silvers", as we call them, tend to group together and create their own small party. The bottle of Champagne on the table is a dead giveaway for others in the room enjoying our "silver" break.

• If you have an idea that has cut costs, raised revenue or simply made life easier, then share it with the industry. We will pay £100 for all the ideas we print. Write to Hot Tips, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, Quadrant House, The Quadrant, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5AS.