Letters

Look again: we do use local produce

What a shame that Roger Wilsher chose to write such a negative and ill-informed article on the lack of regional produce available in this country's restaurants (Caterer, 1 October, page24).

Our restaurant is on the quayside in Weymouth and we have, for many years, taken an active role in supporting regional producers - highlighting local produce on our menu and producing a menu featuring solely West Country food and drink. He obviously missed the "Taste of the West" logo in our window which shows that we have been recognised by the organisation of the same name. They work very hard to promote the foodstuffs of the West Country and have put together a book - edited by none other than Tom Jaine, assisted by a panel of restaurateurs including Kit Chapman, Joyce Molyneaux and many other well-known industry experts - highlighting restaurants that are committed to using regional produce.

If he had bothered to ask in Weymouth's only fish shop - which is, in fact, a wholesale and retail fish market - he would have discovered that, as well as selling to the public and ourselves and many other restaurants in the area, a large percentage of the shellfish landed here is exported to France and Spain and could very well have been what he was eating in St Malo.

As to the French port's supposed high standard of food and "friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff", we can only assume that he was very fortunate to have stumbled on the right place, as our recent trip to St Malo resulted in one of the worst meals we have ever eaten anywhere in the world.

The problems of obtaining fresh produce are many and varied, a point which he touched on briefly by posing questions about lack of self-esteem and lack of motivation, presumably on the part of producers and chefs. Unfortunately, he never came up with any sensible answers, preferring to waffle on about some idealistic Francophile's vision of a neverland which does not exist in reality, rather than do some serious research into what problems are facing producers and the people who want to use fresh, home-grown produce. If he really wants to find out the facts then I suggest he speaks to Taste of the West or visits their food fair in Bristol in November. And, of course, if he is ever in Weymouth again on his way to France, then we would love to see him and show him what the West Country really has to offer.

Stephen and Janice Gosson

Mallams at the Quay,

Weymouth,

Dorset.

Don't hire dross, pay decent wages

I was amazed to read the letter from E Taverna (Caterer, 24 September, page 21).

If he is prepared to pay a professional waiter £10 per hour, I can assure him that he will find many European Union professionals - and English ones, for that matter. To pay £2.50 an hour for beginners, however useless, is an utter and total disgrace. If you think that they are useless, don't employ them. As you and I know, you can't run your business without them, can you? Therefore, pay them a decent living wage, even if you have to pay your professionals less than £10 per hour.

What you should do, Mr Taverna, together with the rest of the catering industry, is to push the Government to invest money in teaching and training more people for the industry - not with a 24-hour course but with a new, organised school where exams are taken at the end of the course year.

And push the Government to invest more money in catering (since it takes a lot out of it) to make the catering industry look more attractive to young people.

Luis Barrinera

Cambridge.

"difficult trade" deserves good pay

Although I am not aware of the specific nature ofE Taverna's business, I would like to comment on his letter (Caterer, 24 September, page 21) stating the minimum wage of £3.60 per hour as being "grossly out of touch".

1. I believe that companies should provide uniforms for staff at the company's expense, since it is the company which wishes to portray some sort of image to its customers.

2. "Staff stand around doing nothing" - surely their supervisors should be doing something about this matter?

3. What sums up E Taverna's attitude, and he/she has hit the nail on the head without probably realising it, is the expectation that people will "work long, unsociable hours in a difficult trade". Surely such work deserves more than a measly £2.50 per hour?

Michael Kenny

Glasgow.

non-academic kids gain by working

This is a copy of a letter to Patricia Hewitt MP.

I understand that you are conducting an inquiry into child labour. Should be easy - everyone's against it. I would like to make two points:

1. Many 13- to 16-year-old non-academic youngsters would actually benefit hugely from a day or two of their school week being spent in "work". In the academic environment of the school they are bottom of the heap, with no prospects, self-respect or confidence. Too many emerge at 16 illiterate and disaffected. If they spend some of their term in a place of labour they realise that they do have ability of a practical, rather than academic, nature and it gives them self-confidence and the incentive to strive.

2. Local by-laws on child labour are quite farcical. In Hereford and Worcester a 13-year-old can earn money by chopping down an apple tree with a machete but is not allowed to peel potatoes in a kitchen. Basically, the rural lobbyists have skewed the rules to suit their needs

As I have said, many youngsters benefit from work under a good employer and gain much in self-esteem but I cannot employ them until they are 16. It's mad.

John A Jenkinson

Director,

The Evesham Hotel,

Worcester.

it's Better to be safe than sorry

I write in response to John Jenkinson's letter (Caterer, 1 October, page 22) about safety signs.

Signs that indicate fire exits and routes must, from midnight on 24 December 1998, be in white writing on a green background with a pictogram. Fire action orders must be displayed and a risk assessment, undertaken in accordance with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, will reveal whether or not they are required to be multilingual. Obviously, this will not be necessary unless your premises are frequented by non-English-speaking clients.

I am continually frustrated by AA/RAC/ETB inspections that result in the award of star and crown ratings to hotels and guesthouses without taking into account their compliance - or lack of it - with health and safety or food hygiene legislation. I can give a number of examples where establishments have received awards up to and including four stars and where even the most basic compliance has been lacking.

Non-compliance with health and safety and food hygiene law is a criminal offence punishable by unlimited fines and/or up to two years' imprisonment. Insurance companies often invalidate policies where claims have resulted from a breach of such laws, often with catastrophic financial outcomes. Non-compliance can also result in huge awards for compensation resulting from injuries or illnesses. Safety pays.

I would urge all readers to contact a consultant for professional advice. We really are extremely cost-effective when you consider the alternatives.

Mike Waters

MJ Waters Associates,

Mousehole, Cornwall.

leisure invasion hits ipswich

I have lived in Ipswich for more than 20 years, eight years running a pub and restaurant and 10 years in sales with a direct link to the hotel and catering sector.

I have, therefore, witnessed many local changes and trends. This year I have seen some of the biggest operators in the leisure industry perform an invasion of Ipswich. Why the fascination with Ipswich?

I am the first to admit that Ipswich fares better than many towns during recessionary periods, and the housing market can only be described as buoyant. But local industrial estates are not growing: in fact, they appear to be on the decline. We also see no growth in major employers. The average wage in Suffolk is well below the national average.

So, the question has to be asked: where is the money coming from to support this invasion?

For now, the smaller pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, etc, seem to be thriving alongside the bigger companies, but how much longer can this continue?

EA Broadley

Director,

Project C Catering Consultants,

Ipswich, Suffolk.

Confidence in Northern Ireland

Your article (Caterer, 24 September, page 32) gave the impression that there was not too much going on near the city of Derry by way of luxury hotels, and that the outlook in general was uncertain and gloomy. The presence of the Radisson Roe Park Hotel and Golf Resort clearly contradicts this. It is a £10m investment and is the only Northern Ireland Tourist Board-recognised four-star hotel in County Londonderry. We have full conference facilities, an excellent kitchen and an all-weather golf course.

I believe that the hotel, its presence and standard of service show that there is a strong investor presence in the North and that we are, indeed, in the process of "picking up the peace".

Ian Wynne

Radisson Roe Park Hotel & Golf Resort,

Londonderry,

Northern Ireland.