letters
The ‘beast' of recruitment bites back
I REFER to Jeremy Rata's letter "Recruiting has it all backwards" (Caterer, 16 July, page 21). Unfortunately, I am one of those "strange beasts" that he describes, and I cannot understand the point he is trying to make.
Is it that he has realised that employment agencies and recruitment consultants offer a cost-effective, professional service to applicants and clients alike? Is it perhaps that nowadays there is a plentiful supply of work that he takes issue with? Or is it the fact that there we are in the marketplace providing a service, having the audacity to charge for it while at the same time breathing God's clean air?
Whatever the answer, Jeremy, by scanning the "sits vac" section, is clearly looking for a change. Perhaps he could do worse than to send his CV along to me - I have at least as much experience in my industry as he has in his and, I would venture to suggest, I am qualified to a similar professional standard. I look forward to receiving your details, Jeremy.
M ROWE
Managing partner,
MAS Recruitment,
Reading,
Berkshire.
Don't sell your venue space twice
IT'S that old chestnut again: venue contracts and the clauses relating to cancellations and reduction in numbers.
There is an obligation by the venue to try to resell the space, thus reducing the original client's liability for the costs incurred by reducing numbers or cancelling an event.
We, as hotel booking agents, have an obligation to our clients to work on their behalf to try to ensure the venue does resell the space. Our members also work on the venue's behalf by trying to place alternative business in that gap.
Yes, we know venues are under huge pressure to take advantage of the buoyant market by making good profits. However, there are too many examples at the moment of venues reselling the space and still insisting on charging the original client in full. This is devious and completely unethical and, in fact, contradicts clauses in most contract terms and conditions.
We don't want to have to check constantly if space is still available, but we are recording too many instances when we know space has been resold. Remember, we 30 members of the Hotel Booking Agency Association and our clients have very, very long memories. As we all know, this business is cyclical, and these misdemeanours will come back to haunt you.
KAREN KELLY-MOORE
Committee member,
Hotel Booking Agents Association,
Taunton,
Somerset.
rise of employee shareholders
I READ with interest the article "Dipping a ladle in the stock pot" (Caterer, 23 July, page 16), and thought it would be useful if I gave you some information about Swallows Hotels' experience of the benefits of providing employees with a shareholding in the company.
Swallow Hotels is the largest operating company within the Vaux Group and we have had in place different share schemes since 1974. In that year, share options were given to all full-time employees with more than one year's service by application. The amount was universal for all staff and was secured by the payment of a penny piece. The company's share then in relation to its current price was 8p per share and this option matured five years later in 1979.
In 1978, we introduced a profit-sharing scheme similar to one outlined in your article where all staff at the time with more than two years' service, benefited from an issue of shares based on individuals' P60 earnings. The benefit of this scheme has been outstanding in that we now know that 78% of our full-time employees who are shareholders in the group have more than three years' consecutive service with us. On the strength of the success of the scheme, we have now reduced the qualifying period to one year only.
In 1981 we introduced a save-as-you-earn option scheme which, again, has been most successful as there is a "no lose situation" monthly saving of between £5 and £250 which I put into a separate building society account. At the time of exercising - currently three years - each employee can decide whether they wish to take up the shares or just take the cash. Naturally, one takes the shares because of the value added. Again, this share scheme only requires one year's service to qualify.
Our considered experience is that such share schemes are very beneficial to the individual and to the company, but in no way should they detract from realistic and fair rates of pay, and the point that Dave Turnbull made is understood. But the value to individual employees to become stake-holders in the company for which they work is undoubtedly enormous.
PETER CATESBY
Managing director,
Swallow Hotels,
Washington,
Tyne & Wear.
we've been health checking for years
IT IS commendable that Kevin Shore proposes to health-screen his temporary employees (Caterer, 23 July, page 8).
However, his claim that "few recruitment agencies provide health checks" as a service is somewhat exaggerated.
Mayday has been health-screening all of its temporary staff since 1986 via on-site occupational health nurses. This is backed up by health and hygiene training as part of a comprehensive compulsory induction training programme.
ANTONIA REID
General manager,
The Mayday Group,
London W1.
Tutty's is a hard act to follow
I WAS sorry to learn that Roy Tutty is leaving the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (Caterer, 23 July, page 9). This is a sad loss both for our industry and the Government.
Roy has done an excellent job during the past four years and he will be a hard act to follow. The position of tourism adviser to the department should continue to be a joint enterprise between industry and Government. Roy's replacement from industry should be discussed with the major companies and leading industry figures to ensure a funding package is in place immediately.
When considering a replacement, we should review his success and the principles that helped him become the conduit between Government and industry, which should now form the blueprint for his successor:
l A passion for, and understanding of, the industry;
l Experience and successful background in hospitality/tourism;
l The ability to represent Government at industry events;
l The ability to strengthen ties between Government and industry by persuading key players to become actively involved; and
l An ability to persuade industry to take ownership of things it needs to do.
For the majority of Roy's period in office I was overseas. When I returned last year I quickly discovered the tremendous job he had done as I re-established my own links with the various associations.
HARRY MURRAY
Managing director,
Lucknam Park,
Colerne,
Wiltshire.
It's who you know that matters
Having read the article on Philip Howard (Caterer, 16 July, page 26) I have finally blown a fuse that has been burning for a long time.
Howard's good luck in becoming head chef at The Square after only three years in catering, not even working his way up the ladder, makes me angry. I'm a dedicated chef who has slogged for years to get where I am, but at the end of the day it seems that it's not what you know, it's who you know.
Fancy winning a Michelin star even when he states himself that his menus and the way the kitchen was run were out of control. It says a lot about Michelin stars. Perhaps the restaurant was so full because of the name Marco Pierre White.
There's a lot of good chefs in this country, but why do I always read about the ones that have worked under famous names? Can't they do it for themselves like the majority of us? Or is it that you don't get anywhere these days if you don't know the right people?
ROBERT HAYNES
Calbourne,
Isle of Wight.
Pay-and-display recommendation
I AGREE with Michael Halliwell's recent letter headed "Certificates of gullibility" (Caterer, 16 July, page 20). How can people be so na‹ve? There is a coffee shop not far from us displaying an Egon Ronay plaque although the business has changed hands in the past couple of years. We know an inspector has not been near the premises for years.
And now displayed in their window is the "Good Café Guide" certificate with an attitude of "the public don't know". Who's kidding whom?
Name and address withheld
