Flying the flag

This week's hot tip comes from David Lee, general manager at Great Yarmouth's Carlton Hotel. He receives £100 for telling us about a promotional weekend break which hit just the right patriotic note.

David Lee's East Anglia-based hotel decided to home in on benign patriotic sentiment this summer by launching a Great British weekend break package.

Invitations were sent out to 500 people from the hotel's database, enticing them to visit the hotel for a fun weekend themed around the varied culinary traditions of the British Isles.

On the front of each invitation were the four national symbols of each country - the English rose, Scottish thistle, Irish shamrock and Welsh dragon - neatly fitted into the four squares of the English cross of St George.

Inside was an itinerary outlining what was offered in the £99-a-head package.

It included two nights' accommodation, dinner on Friday night, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, afternoon tea on Saturday, a welcome cocktail followed by a gala dinner that evening and rounded off by Sunday lunch.

All the food laid strong emphasis on produce from the four parts of the UK and Ireland. In between this feeding frenzy, the itinerary made suggestions to guests on activities in Great Yarmouth.

The idea emerged after what David Lee describes as a "head-banging session" with other members of staff. The invitations were designed in-house and printed at a minimal cost.

All the material was sent out by the end of June and within a few weeks, the weekend was sold out. Lee says it raised £13,000 revenue for a very low outlay.

The hotel now plans to extend the theme idea to boost trade on other weekends.

Lee says: "It is clear from the response that we generated that people still want to enjoy all that is truly British."

• If you have an idea that has helped cut costs, raise revenue or simply made life easier, here's your opportunity to 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.