Letters

The comfort of not being alone

MY wife and I read the article in Caterer "Not in front of the children" with great interest, having gone into business on our own in the past 12 months after 20 years of working for others. We bought a small hotel, restaurant and coffee shop here in Wareham, Dorset.

I don't think either of us realised how difficult the change in lifestyle would be, especially for the children. Moving from a detached, four-bedroom house into a small flat on the premises was never going to be easy.

We have now been here 10 months and are at last becoming accustomed to the new way of life, although we are sure the children would still prefer things the way they were. However, we do not have any regrets and would advise anyone contemplating a similar venture to go for it.

It's comforting to know there are others going through the same experiences as us.

TIM AND JENNY PAYNE

Anglebury House, Wareham,

Dorset.

Seek out British independents

Trevor Benson of CPC picks up on Bob Gledhill's Viewpoint column regarding empty hotel restaurants, and he bemoans British hotel restaurants, contrasting them with those he enjoyed in south-west France.

Perhaps if he were to forsake the large chain-operated hotels and stay in smaller, independent hotels more like those he found in France, he would find equal satisfaction.

Many fine independent hotels are to be found with one or two AA rosettes or listed in the Good Food Guide. These take pride in their cooking and have regard for the needs of weekday business guests as well as for local non-resident diners.

Here at Haley's, we agree with Mr Benson's French hosts who said: "The food in the restaurant is what makes people keep coming back to my establishment."

JOHN APPLEYARD

Proprietor,

Haley's Hotel and Restaurant, Leeds.

Do we live in fear of food critics?

Michael Gottleib has found to his cost that one cannot criticise critics with impunity, as was shown by his public handbagging in Caterer from London Evening Standard restaurant critic Fay Maschler. But it is a strange situation that allows food critics to make constructive or malevolent comments about a restaurateur's livelihood, yet take umbrage if the compliment is returned.

Ms Maschler says Mr Gottleib's restaurant Smollensky's is not listed in her guide, but fails to point out why. I feel some sympathy for Mr Gottleib, who runs a good restaurant that is always one of my destinations on trips to London. He offers something that is original and different and the atmosphere is always friendly and informal. It has much to recommend it.

I notice a lack of support for Mr Gottleib's point of view in Caterer's letters pages, so I presume the majority of restaurateurs have been neutered by the fear of attack themselves. In which case we have the restaurant critics we deserve.

GORDON GREIG

Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire.

Shame of the terrible tearoom

Although I have already written to the restaurant concerned, I feel compelled to write to Caterer about catering standards in Britain. A party of three of us were in York in late December to view the Minster. Arriving around 1.30pm, we took a late lunch at a tearoom nearby.

Outwardly, the appearance looked inviting and on a wet, cold, snowy day we were hungry and glad to find somewhere close to the Minster. But the meal and service were a complete disaster. How can that happen in a place which attracts such an international audience?

We had giggling waitresses grouped in a huddle, awful soup, awful sandwiches (I have never eaten worse) and terrible washrooms (no handle on the toilet cistern pull-chain, not even a mirror). It was so bad, it was difficult to believe what we were experiencing.

Although I manage a hotel in Montana, USA, I am English. But I'm ashamed of the standards we experienced in York.

IAN TIPPET

Montana, USA.

Records provide proof of training

I was disappointed to read Graham Webb's comments about the Hotel and Catering Training Company (HCTC) in his diary column ("Romantic moods at an old piano"). Not least because our area training manager in Southampton had previously made several attempts to speak to Mr Webb about his concerns. Being extremely busy, he has been unable to find the time to talk to her.

Part of the difficulty is that Mr Webb has confused training and assessment, which are different things.

The Government will pay for young people to be trained, but only so long as they are working towards a recognised qualification, normally a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ).

NVQs are awarded once the trainee has reached a certain level of skill, judged by an assessor. The assessor is the trainee's line manager or supervisor, but can equally be someone from outside the business, such as a trainer or college lecturer.

It is necessary to keep a record of assessments to prove that the whole process has been carried out in accordance with national standards.

This applies whether the candidate is registered with City & Guilds, the Hospitality Awarding Body or any other NVQ awarding body. That said, if Mr Webb wants to train young people, but not keep records, no one will stop him. It's just that the Government won't pay unless there are records.

When approached by Mr Webb, our staff thought he was happy for his own colleagues to take on responsibility for assessing the trainee for the NVQ. Sadly, it seems we were wrong and we are ready to take our full share of the blame for this misunderstanding.

Had we properly understood, we would have explained more fully that our own staff can provide day-release training and assess the trainee for the NVQ. This is a service offered by many training providers, including local colleges.

I am extremely sorry this misunderstanding arose. I am, therefore, inviting Mr Webb to our Southampton open day, which will take place from 11am on 22 April. The day is open to any employer interested in finding out more about support for training, and places can be reserved by phoning us on 01703 333912.

DAVID HARBOURNE

HCTC,

Ealing, London W5.

An inspector recalls…

I am a senior inspector for a major restaurant guide and an experienced one, this being my 14th inspecting season. I am also the "lone woman" referred to in Shaun Hill's recent diary column, who did not strike him as good inspector material.

What actually happened when I dined at Mr Hill's restaurant was that midway through my main course the next table was taken by three Frenchmen whose clothes smelled very strongly of nicotine. I took the waitress aside and asked, nicely, if I could have my pudding at a different table, explaining why.

I don't know whether my words got twisted in transit from the waitress to Mr Hill, or whether my words were purposely changed for the sake of a better story, but the end results smack of tabloid journalism.

Mr Hill does not seem to have a high opinion of restaurant inspectors, restaurateurs, or, judging by recent diary columns, his customers. In my experience, restaurateurs get the customers they deserve.

The final irony is that on the occasion mentioned by Mr Hill, I was dining at his restaurant, the Merchant House, at my own expense. This, I assure, is an "honour" accorded very few restaurants and it requires the restaurant to feature not only excellent food (the meal was worthy of the restaurant's reputation in this respect), but also a pleasant atmosphere.

I shan't be visiting the Merchant House at my own expense again, because I did not like the atmosphere.

Name withheld.

Bass was brewing in the 18th century

There is an error in the answer to question No 2 in the Culinary Quiz, 30 January, which asked readers to identify the oldest company among Guinness, Bass and Marks & Spencer. Bass was given as the newcomer, having been established in 1967.

A number of mergers took place in 1967 which formed the basis of the company as it is today, but William Bass first established a brewery in Burton-on-Trent in 1777.

Dr AODH O'DOCHARTAIGH

Director of Communications,

Bass plc, London W1Y.