Keeping up appearances

We're always being told to drink more water for the good of our health, and last year the UK quaffed its way through more than 2,000 million litres of the bottled stuff, an increase of 310 million litres on the previous year.

The on-premise sector - including restaurants, hotels and pubs - accounted for some 64 million litres. But on the dining table it's not just the water that's important. Its presentation counts for something, too.

"The bottle is very important," says Simon Antoine, food and beverage director at the Hyde Park InterContinental hotel, where Strathmore water is the order of the day. "Customers in a fine-dining restaurant don't want an ugly bottle on the table when they're paying those prices." Only glass bottles make it on to the tables of the hotel's two restaurants.

Plastic bottles are also a no-no at the Duck Bay Marina hotel on the banks of Loch Lomond in Scotland, where Highland Spring is the water of choice. "You want a bottle that you're not embarrassed to put on the table," bar manager Scott Adams says. "It has to be well presented, not necessarily stylish, but elegant. It's what customers expect."

While London's Berkeley hotel still places importance on the appearance of the bottle, recycling is also a key factor, and assistant food and beverage co-ordinator Zae Greenwood believes the hotel has found a balance with Fiji water. Although the bottle is made of PET, the design evokes images of a tropical beach and the square bottle sits in a silver holder to add an elegant touch. "And because the design on the bottle is attractive and its contents are from Fiji, it adds to the experience of drinking the water," she says. n

Figures from the Well Well Well 2004 Bottled Water Report.

CONTACTS

•  

  Abbey Well 0800 018 1670

•  

  Ty Nant 01974 272111

•  

  Fiji Water 0800 056 4137

•  

  Speyside Glenlivet 01807 590707

•  

  Spring Fine Foods 0845 456 4911

•  

  Springbourne/3663 0870 366 3000

•  

  Highland Spring 01764 660500

•  

  Strathmore/Matthew Clark 01275 836100

•  

  Radnor Hills Mineral Water Company 01547 530220

•  

  Well Well Well 01768 885405

SUPPLIERS SAY

"Every restaurateur pays close attention to the crockery and glassware, so the same high degree of attention and consideration must be given to selecting the right water."

Tony Robson, managing director, Abbey Well

"Consumers want a quality product and are less concerned with the packaging. Too often the consumer is expected to pay a premium purely because it's glass or has an estate label."

Tom Kissock, vice-president, Europe, Fiji Water

"The visual impact and brand of bottled water on a dining table is deemed very important in the most fashionable establishments where customers tend to identify with labels."

Niki Spencer, own-label brand manager at 3663 First for Foodservice (supplier of Springbourne)

"The table in a restaurant is a stage, and all items that are placed on it will affect the guests' overall experience and view."

Jason Williams, marketing director, Well Well Well (owner of Ashe Park, Aqua-Pura and Thirsty Work natural mineral waters)

"In a premium hotel or restaurant customers pay a lot of money for a meal and wine so they want something more exclusive than an everyday product."

Steven Price, chief executive, Speyside Glenlivet