Letters

Put aside rivalries for good of the industry

While our industry should certainly fight for more promotional funds ("United front", Caterer, 8 August, page 30 and Bob Cotton's letter, Caterer, 15 August, page 14), we should also welcome the Government's recent initiative in offering to match funding from the private sector.

With a Government more receptive to the industry's needs than in the past, it makes sense to lobby for a body to market England. But one cannot simply rely on a tourist board to fill hotel rooms or visitor attractions.

Companies, whatever their size, should work more actively together in a spirit of self-help. Rivalries should be put aside for the greater good of the consumer and of the industry.

In my experience of advising businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector many companies, particularly the smaller ones, do not have the necessary resources, let alone the expertise, to invest in independent marketing. A good co-operative marketing campaign could therefore yield a more effective result.

At the end of the day businesses will always have to help themselves. The domestic market is buoyant, according to the UK short-stay operators. Maybe investing joint marketing money into these established operators, as well as creating events or activities to bring people into hotels, would complement a tourist board's activities. And I haven't even mentioned the benefits of good e-marketing.

There's a lot of opportunity out there. Take a positive view and work together!

ASHLEY DE SAFRIN, Business Adviser - Tourism and Hospitality, Business Link for London, by e-mail.

Don't blame the colleges for choice of course content

Further to Stuart Rhodes's letter in defence of colleges (Caterer, 29 August, page 12) we would like to add that colleges do not have a policy of being looked on as employment agencies, although lecturers and tutors have always directed students to suitable opportunities that they have information about.

The offer of employment by Sodexho (Caterer, 15 August, page 14) may well have been waved about in colleges, but definitely not during a lesson.

We were also surprised in the Sodexho letter by the perceived poor ability of students, and it is unfair to say that this is a result of poor skills and knowledge which they gained while they were at college.

Course content is not a choice made by colleges but is the programme of training devised by awarding bodies which, in turn, are advised by industry as to specific content.

I would guess that the poorly trained college students referred to by Sodexho followed the NVQ programme specified by industry.

GERRY LANZL and DANIEL MARTELAT, Telford College, Edinburgh.

Spreading the party word

After many years of marketing Marmite to the catering industry, I cannot recall the brand being hijacked by politicians before. In the national press it was reported recently that former Tory cabinet minister Gillian Shephard prefers to think of her party brand in terms of "a Marmite" rather than "an Ikea". This is gratifying, as is her insightful acknowledgement of Marmite's "100 years of traditional and successful marketing".

I can see her point, especially as Marmite enjoys broad cross-party support throughout the country. Mind you, I doubt whether the Tories would be brave enough to also adopt our advertising slogan, "Love it, Hate it".

I will send Mrs Shephard a large jar of her preferred brand. It would be nice to think she may receive something large from Ikea, too!

CALUM ROSS, Business Group Director, Caterplan division of Unilever Bestfoods, Crawley, West Sussex.

Left with Egon his face

Alex Aitken wrote about me (Caterer, 22 August, page 14): "Over the past 10 years, while his commercial guides declined…" and that my knowledge of the industry "is now greatly lacking". Mr Aitken must be ignorant of the fact that Egon Ronay's guide has not been published at all for the past five years.

At one time the AA was responsible for editing and publishing what was my guide because it bought it in 1985. Eventually it sold the guide to another company which went bankrupt in 1997 and, in consequence of a High Court decision, I regained all my rights, including the use of my name, although whether I shall publish the guides again remains to be seen.

Mr Aitken's knowledge of the guide scene is greatly lacking and he should exercise more care when referring to me personally.

EGON RONAY, London SW3.

What's in a name?

Everyone who reads this letter will know what the term "hospitality industry" means to them - hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars, etc - but do the young people we are continuously trying to attract into our industry know?

You may be surprised to know that many of them do not. I spend much of my time visiting schools and have been amazed by the lack of understanding that young people have of the word "hospitality". When asked the question "what is the hospitality industry?" many answer "hospitals or care work".

Is this part of our recruitment problem? What can we do about it? Can anyone suggest an alternative name which means more to young people?

LESLEY WILSON, Careers and Education Co-ordinator, Springboard UK, Manchester.