COOL

THE growing number of imported bottled alcoholic products - otherwise known as "designer beer" may not be good news for the British brewing industry. But for those in catering who want to maximise sales of drinks that can provide attractive profit margins, shrewd in-bar marketing is the key.

Ideally, back-bar cabinets should be placed just below customers' normal line of sight. The theory is that they look down to count their money after approaching the bar and are attracted by an eye-catching display of back-lit bottles.

Robert Cumming follows the profitability of the beer and spirits industry for analysts UBS in the City of London. He emphasises that growth of imported alcoholic drinks last year was as much as 36%. Those operators who fail to invest in the right equipment to capitalise on demand could be left at a competitive disadvantage.

Chris Holden, general manager of the Ipswich Moat House hotel in Norfolk, which has just invested £2,500 in cabinets supplied by Osborne Refrigeration agrees. "There's clearly a growing market for designer beer, we've had a glass-fronted multiple refrigeration cabinet installed to replace the original basic refrigerated shelves," he says.

"Cabinets can be a useful sales tool. Our sales have taken off because the range of drinks is in clear view. They're no longer hidden under the bar or in a fridge with a metal door," Holden adds.

Back-bar equipment can help create an atmosphere which maximises sales. Jo Edmonds, manager of the Henry J Beans Bar & Grill in London's fashionable Chelsea area, says such equipment was an integral part of a redesign which took place earlier this month.

The restaurant was established long before bottled beers came back into fashion, and management felt their facilities were not adequately marketing the exotic shapes and colours of new brands.

"But it wasn't just the look of the equipment that needed modernising," Edmonds adds. "Speed and ease of use are equally important. If we want to serve more customers quicker we have to be able to get the drinks out of the cool cabinets a lot faster."

Hertfordshire-based IMC designed the entire three-station bar for Henry J Beans. It installed back-bar equipment from the Bartender range: six glass-fronted fridges in customer line of sight, which have doubled capacity to four cases of wine and fifteen cases of beer at any one time.

Despite the wide range on the market it's hard to persuade some operators of the merits of dedicated pieces of equipment such as chilled drinks cabinets.

Kass Vergee, general manager of the 18-bedroom Bishop's Table hotel in Farnham, Hampshire, says he has given up on catering versions of chilled shelves with refrigerated base plates after a catalogue of disasters - five machines in eight years.

"Out of bitter experience we now use a domestic fridge. The cooling trays and cabinets we had used to break down about eight times a year," he explains. "We looked for a new back bar refrigeration cabinet but couldn't find one small enough to fit, so we decided there was no alterative but to serve direct from the fridge," he adds.

Another area to watch is the possible escalating cost of repairs, especially for older models. Always enquire whether an extended warranty is available after the initial guarantee period - which can sometimes be as short as twelve weeks for new equipment - runs out.

Back bar equipment that is under guarantee will almost certainly not be covered by misuse - so be careful not to overload chilled cabinets.

Also, take care when cleaning them, as the effects of an abrasive cleaning fluid or cloth could also invalidate any manufacturer's guarantee. n