Letters
Colleges should not be accused of apathy
It is sad and disheartening for all of us in education to read letters like the one from Robin Bidgood and Chris Latta ("Even the colleges now seem apathetic", Caterer, 15 August, page 14). Colleges are facing ever-decreasing numbers of applicants for vocational courses - be they catering, engineering or hairdressing - and so, while the numbers of job vacancies rise, a shortfall of students for jobs grows.
Students pick and choose their jobs and, sadly, they often put instant money before long-term career prospects. Is this, I wonder, why no students took up the vacancy described in the letter?
As to the issue of poor skills and knowledge, there are a number of reasons why this opinion could be reached: poor quality students in the first place; the weak content of NVQ courses; or, quite simply, the unrealistic expectation by companies as to what a student fresh from college is capable of.
We receive over a dozen requests for staff from catering outlets every week. Some employers seem to view colleges as a form of employment agency to solve their staffing problems, and are usually looking to employ on the cheap to boot.
Colleges are far from apathetic in finding their students key jobs and, more importantly, the right job for the individual student. As with most colleges we can boast a 100% employment or progression to higher education for all our catering students. The current shortfall of staff makes this a buyers' market for students and students are checking out what employers are selling before they make a purchase.
Stuart Rhodes, Lecturer, Harrogate College, North Yorkshire.
Entertainment ought to be tax-deductible
Our industry should support the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in its call on the Government to make entertainment expenses tax-deductible once more.
The arguments in favour are compelling: it would simplify corporation tax calculations and it would give our industry a much-needed shot in the arm now that tourist numbers are lower. Above all, it would recognise eating out as a legitimate business expense and an integral part of a busy person's working schedule.
No doubt the hospitality industry's various representative bodies will make the point forcibly to Chancellor Gordon Brown.
Neville Abraham, Executive Chairman, Groupe Chez Gérard, London WC2.
Do beef up your facts on imports
In his letter "A beef about meat suppliers" (referring to Caterer adopted business Savannah's philosophy to provide "quality food, simply served" - Caterer, 20 June, page 16) Peter Allen, managing director of Aubrey Allen, Catering Butcher, said: "As Namibian beef is not subject to the same strict quality controls as British beef, it is impossible to guarantee that it is ‘free range'."
We are well aware of the anxiety about beef from all origins, but this should not warrant such uncalled-for comments, especially as, to our knowledge, Mr Allen has never visited or seen the beef industries in the countries on which he makes such damaging comments.
No beef is allowed into the European Union unless it fulfils all the same demands on hygiene, disease controls and traceability as for EU-produced beef.
We are able to state that beef from Namibia and Botswana, the two countries in southern Africa that we represent, is safe and can be sold with confidence. BSE is not found in these countries and never has been. They are free from foot-and-mouth, the beef is hormone-free (the use of growth hormones is forbidden by law), our abattoirs are rated as some of the most modern in the world, we are approved and constantly inspected by the EU veterinary department, and we are exporting under the strict rules of the EU Third Country Directive for Beef. We also operate a bar-coded traceability system that enables us to back-track animals to the farm from which they were delivered.
These facts and the sheer quality of our product, make beef from Namibia and Botswana safe and attractive and a product that, for many years, customers have been buying with confidence.
Ove Nielsen, Chief Executive, Allied Meat Importers, London N8.
Caffeine headaches
The article highlighting the decision by Coffee Republic to sell a number of sites (Caterer, 1 August, page 4) makes me wonder how many company shareholders would believe that they had "a strong brand and fantastic sites across the country" when the company is producing losses of £7.5m?
There is only so much coffee people can drink each day and there was never going to be enough business for all the coffee bars throughout Greater London.
Ron Zanre, PR Partnership, Chislehurst, Kent.
Incentives, not hand-outs
I applaud Bob Cotton for his letter "BHA needs no push to urge tourism aid" (Caterer, 15 August, page 14).
A coherent marketing policy means more than wanting Government cash. It has to be a mixed-funding package, giving the incentive to provide the right quality of service and accommodation for all tourists, otherwise the amount of money pumped into tourism will make no difference.
It is important to produce a tourism policy that will be inclusive and is as much for the three-roomed farmhouse as it is for the five-star London hotel.
Dudley Seale, by e-mail.
