Category Archive

Has the UK Gov made a total hash of the COVID-19 crisis? lets not kid ourselves some industries have come out a lot better that Bars and nightclubs, some of which have been fully closed since March 2020.

The industry has had the benefit of Furlough, no business rates, grants (for those that qualified), some even managed to get some other discretionary grants. It was noticeable that some London venues managed to get huge grants to help them, some northern venues also but these venues are not the majority that are the day to day bread and butter of the night-time economy we know and love.

TIME TO REMEMBER

Now as we get to the almost end of the crisis everyone should remember the businesses and organisations that have helped, some in a small way, others who risked there own business to help. #NDML spring to the forefront as they stood up against the big insurers and stood behind the policies they have sold in good faith.

#NTIA – Mike Kill and Co have been a fantastic help to all the independents, small and large and have never ceased to give support and fought the good fight and I firmly believe that without this substantially more businesses would have vanished than have gone so far.

I have lost count of the number of Companies, Landlords and other suppliers who were only interested in themselves, even some actually stated “well you’ve had the Grant so you should just give us that” – this poor conduct should be the forefront of your mind when you come to reopen!!

RENT & RATES

I reported on 19th May 2020 https://hsadd.co.uk/will-landlords-reduce-rent-charges-by-80/ That a full reset of the current system of up to 80% is going to be needed in order to get bars and venues back on their feet, I feel that I was justified in what I said then and I am today – nothing will get back to the way it was for many years!

Why? Quite a few reasons, are the customers now used to staying at home more? Do they all believe that with vaccination they are 100% safe? Do people want to mix in large crowds again, nose to nose? Have they lost their jobs (nearly 1 million have and that’s only what is official declared)?

HSADD thinks – That venues will not get full opening until after April 2021, that is when the Furlough is running until and also by this time we should have several million people vaccinated. UK Gov will have a % figure of the population that they are content to release the hounds, I would suspect it is between 70% to 85% population.

I also think they will need to have some form of evidence that a person has been vaccinated, whether it is a card or some sort of code on a drivers licence or passport and then at least the venues can have some form of admission policy.

Personally, I cannot wait to get through this issue and I am really optimistic that the independent venues can recover, they have to, and there is so much talent in our industry who come up with brilliant ideas and promotions knocking the ball out of the park and doing the unexpected.

HSADD PRODUCTS

https://isitchecked.com – Adaptable real-time checklist system totally adaptable to any situation, any checklist – AND Insurance discounts for using this system.

https://mysmartbar.co.uk – Mobile order App built by bar and venue owners for venue owners, we have kept the product as low priced as possible, at 1p per order regardless of order size is the lowest priced in the UK/world?

https//hsadd.co.uk – provides health and safety support with real-time software covering all aspects of Health & Safety from Fire Risk assessments, staff training, Risk assessments, Equipment maintenance records – basically everything you need to run your compliance management from anywhere in the world.

So I hope everyone has a good a Christmas and New Year as possible, stay safe and don’t risk yourselves or your loved ones, hopefully, come May 2021 we can have some fantastic Christmas Parties (Marketing idea is for free)!! :-))

TRACK & TRACE – DIY!

Numerous venues are using software to create a ‘safe area’ for customers to return, the question to ask is ‘have we been compliant’ or ‘are we doing our best’ – this is not always as simple as ‘we asked the customers to record their details, not my problem if they don’t’!

You may think that you are being ‘Compliant’ but if the system you are using is not working then you are NOT going to pass the ‘#hit hitting the fan’ test’. That is when you have an outbreak that is serious and the Local Authority decides that they need to carry out an investigation.

Problems

The problem is simple – IF you have an electronic system that relies on the customer scanning a QR code and entering the details then ‘IF’ all customers were honest, then great. BUT have you checked?

If you haven’t you should! You can then see how many M. Mouse’s, D Ducks etc. If that’s not enough ‘fail points’ for you then a quick comparison against sales or meals or whatever you can get a close idea of how many have been in. Big variance?

One venue did this and found a 75% deliberate avoidance either incorrect information or missing details

Alternative

Pen and paper don’t really work well and can slow down the queue, ISITCHECKED is a recording solution that your staff use to record attendance. Using Security staff they should be able to tell if someone has big ears and a tail or a large flat beak (you would hope). But this method at least gets you closer to a more honest Track & Trace System, it is also easy to recall by time and date filter – when the #hit hots the fan!

Oldham pub closed down after repeated breaches of social distancing guidelines. @OldhamCouncil sd the Granby Arms pub in Uppermill had had up to 100 people drinking outside and opened for drinkers when all other pubs were closed during the lockdown. https://twitter.com/bbcnwt/status/1296480591328808960?s=12

HSADD says: WHY o WHY, do certain premises decide to drag the rest of the hardworking pubs and clubs into the press like this??!! It is hard enough to even break even and staying within the rules without every member of the public believing that all operators are just there to break the rules. On this occasion, I can find zero sympathies for the DPS and owners here.

HSADD Ltd with it’s software solutions to help venues has had to watch and take part in this COVID infection, we have not been able to trade the same with 70% of our business directly being the night time economy.

When the 23rd March arrived and within 3 days we did nothing but get cancellation notices for Direct Debit. Did it hurt, absolutely, Did we demand part-payments, holding fees etc – absolutely NOT, we totally understand the stress venues are up against.

Did we sit back? NO I through my knowledge behind the likes of #NDML and #NTIA and Mike Kill as I could see the work they were putting in to help independent venues, the very source of my knowledge for the past 30+ years. Venues needed help, guidance, encouragement and most of all more than a small number needed to just talk it through!.

We, with our software partners. MYSMARTBAR was designed and built the table service App from scratch, the only requirement we made was that it MUST be affordable for every small or large venue. This was achieved and the system is now live and running.

We adapted ISITCHECKED to help venues with our system to handle Track and Trace, our Clients paid nothing extra for this – WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU, is becoming more like a moto!

The bottom line is that we at HSADD Ltd have been side by side with many venues, I have spoken to numerous operators some for just practical operational advice, some needing a sympathetic ear, some even more desperate, hopefully at the end of each and every conversation, I sensed that I had helped the person in some way or other.

Message to #NDML #NTIA and all venue operators, whilst it’s tough-going now BUT when this is over you will have pushed through your most difficult time in history!

Here we are In August 2020, the Lockdown was placed around 23rd March 2020 and for all the bars, night-clubs, bowling alley’s, restaurants and the like it has been the most miserable time ever.

I have spoken to owners and operators who have been close to tears having placed 100’s thousands GBP plus untold hours which have been lost track of! There is now no sign of an end to this as COVID-19 continues to cause chaos, with venues planning to open only to be told the day before NO!

After working in this industry for over 30 years and only selling in 2018 I feel for these operators and owners, I feel the pain for the staff involved all of who treat this industry as more than a ‘Job’, you have to have a special skill set to be an owner/Manager, work a busy venue as security or sales staff it takes a certain skill!, A perseverance, empathy the ability to listen and not judge.

I have said for a while, (Since April) that the entire industry needs to be ‘reset’, that includes Landlord Rent, Business rates, IF this doesn’t happen you will never catch up, you will be worried about ever-mounting debts that due to restrictions – the venue cannot possibly catch up!

Now Mayor Andy Burnham has said, “There is a growing amount of evidence that pubs are one of the main places where this virus spreads.” He further states  “You can’t safely open schools with pubs open as well, with that level of performance.” in relation to Track and Trace – You can clearly see that the ‘BLAME the bars’ rhetoric is starting to build. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-53714874

WHAT CAN YOU DO AS AN OWNER /OPERATOR

You HAVE to follow the guidelines, no matter how you feel about them whether it’s ‘Social distancing’, ‘Track and Trace’, ‘Table service App’ IF it’s in the rules/guidelines you leave yourself wide open for further kicks in the (You know where) if you don’t!

I have spoken to numerous venues and operators and listened to the reasons they don’t believe they ‘need’ to follow the ‘Guidelines’, from ‘lack of interaction with customers and staff’, ‘The are only guidelines’, ‘our customers are only young and less vulnerable’ This will NOT work when the crap hits the fan and they trace an outbreak back to your venue!! They will be on you like a ton of bricks and you will be closed!

HSADD Ltd has three products to help venues stay compliant

MYSMARTBAR provides a Table service developed specifically to help Bars, restaurants, takeaways and venues get back on their feet by charging only 1p per order and £99 setup fee. This includes Track & Trace built-in.

ISITCHECKED Provides a real-time checklist which can be adapted to any scenario and can be used for Track & Trace independently, this keeps a full record of all the things you are doing to remain compliant. When EHO or the Police call there is nothing better than full digital records to defend your venue.

Compliance Management – This is a fully integrated cloud-based Health & Safety package that covers staff training through to Fire risk assessment and maintenance records.

The last word, I have over 30 years at running a busy and ‘difficult’ venue in Liverpool City Centre, there is little that I have not had experience with, dealt with, resolved over that time, IF I can help I will, the call and my time will not cost you a penny – but could save you thousands!

MySmartBar has launched with great enthusiasm and is the ONLY 1p per order App in the UK, which has been built to help businesses trade safely and at a reasonable price for venues that have suffered through COVID

• FREE APP
• PRODUCTS MENU(s) uploaded for you
• EASY FREE BACK OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
• SIMPLE 1P PER ORDER FEE

• Quick and easy setup one-off fee £99
• Low 1p (yes one penny) per order
• Monthly direct debit billing
• No Contract tie in
• Free customer App
• Venue full admin system, (change your menu, manage staff)
• Minimises staff customer contact
• Multiple staff using the same time
• Improves sales flow and time
• New features coming soon

New 1p per order App to be a lifesaver for small bars and restaurants

Are you an SME bar, a restaurant that does not have your own order App like maybe the larger venues have?

Now you can have the full benefit of an App that your customer can order from. They can browse from your full menu and drinks and order directly from their table. Orders then appear on a screen at your POS ready for the staff to collect the payment and deliver the order – however, you want to.

• QUICK AND EASY SETUP ONE-OFF FEE £99
• LOW 1p (YES ONE PENNY) PER ORDER
• MONTHLY DIRECT DEBIT BILLING
• NO CONTRACT TIE IN
• FREE CUSTOMER APP
• VENUE FULL ADMIN SYSTEM, (change your menu, manage staff)
• MINIMISES STAFF CUSTOMER CONTACT
• MULTIPLE STAFF USING SAME TIME
• IMPROVES SALES FLOW AND TIME
• NEW FEATURES COMING VERY SOON

Unlike some App interfaces that charge you 15 to 30% of order value, we don’t, we want to help venues get open and get selling within the guidelines of Corvid-19 rules, this system reduces the time the customer and staff are together discussing the order, what offers etc

HOW DO I SIGN UP?

This system is designed from the ground up to make everything as easy for the venues as possible.

1. Go to https://mysmartbar.co.uk
2. Register interest MY SMART BAR
3. FULL ACCOUNT SETUP AVAILABLE SHORTLY

TO SETUP YOUR FULL ACCOUNT YOU WILL NEED

1. Your bank details for the direct debit mandate
2. Your logo to display with the App
3. A PDF or photograph(s) of your menu
4. Card payment details to pay for setup

Do the customers pay through the App?

Not yet but that feature will be available as an option very soon, the customer pays you directly by whichever method you use, cash, contactless, card

Does it really cost just 1 penny per order?

YES – we charge 1 penny per order, NOT a % of the order, it doesn’t matter to us whether the order is for £1.00 or £100.00 you pay the Penny.

Do I have to pay by Direct Debit?

Yes, this is the only way we can keep the prices down, monthly you will receive an invoice for the 1p per order, this will be collected from your bank around 10-12 days later.

I have several staff, how do they manage the orders?

To keep the costs low for you then we provide the software and service, you provide your own internet connected device, whether that is Ipad or other tablets, Chrome book or laptop that is your choice. The orders will come up on the system, each signed in bar staff can accept the order, take the payment, serve the order, mark the order completed. The more staff you have the more devices you have will improve your throughput of sales and therefore increase turnover

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST CLICK BELOW

Staff who are dealing with your customers should be carrying out hygiene, hand washing, alcohol gel, facemasks etc – but as a business owner how can you monitor this, perhaps at multiple site.

Even at one site, you may ask your staff to wash their hands on a regular basis, even if you stated every 30 minutes you know full well that within a few weeks or even days, that will slip to 45 minutes, then one hour then 2-3 hours – maybe!!

Four simple steps with ISITCHECKED free App, once this is set up a hand wash record can be saved, contactless, paperless and recorded in real-time, accessed from anywhere in the world – IF the staff hygiene is slipping you will be aware immediately.

Record produced includes automatic time/date/GPS stamp

Night Clubs, Bars, Pubs, Restaurants are the highest rental values in the UK, surely this cannot continue?

When clubs, particularly the city centre bars and clubs that are mainly standing venues relying upon the throughput of customers come out of Corvid-19 restrictions they will be operating on a much-reduced capacity, service times, volumes and all of which reflect on profit.

Rents have always been calculated by the landlords’ dependant upon the use of the premises. A simple way of looking at it is that if you had a corner shop with 300 SqFt then you may pay a rent of £2-3,000.00 PA, Business rates would be pro-rata.

Take the same general area and 300 SqFt fully licensed late night bar then you may pay as much as 10 times the rental value dependent upon the area and footfall. The point is that the Landlord is fully aware that the nightclub and bars have a much greater turnover/profit therefore they want their ‘share’!

With the event of Corvid-19 and the closure of bars and clubs and now as we come through this hospitality disaster if you own a bar or nightclub the likelihood is that when you get open you are only looking at around 20% of capacity and turnover due to the likely discussed restrictions on distancing is still in place.

I do not believe that Landlords can still command the same rent as they have prior to Corvid, it is not feasible or even practical for any venue to consider paying such large TEN FOLD rent values for a nightclub any longer – or at least until normality returns and actual turnover increases. They would not get that value of rent for a corner shop or other normal retail site, as the turnover would not permit it.

So Landlords, IF you don’t want to have thousands of empty premises on your books you really need to consider the huge drop that venues have already suffered through no fault of their own and the realistic profits that these venues can generate in the future, at least for the next 2-3 years!

The VOA will also need to readdress the Business rates model that they use, the SqFt business rates are the highest of all rates – again based on previous turnover and profits and the councils wanting their share – IT IS NO LONGER FEASIBLE!

WHY DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT?

The world has changed and the old rules and regulations have been totally altered, you never had to worry about people standing too close to each other or your staff – now you do.

Lots of reopening businesses are having to adopt ‘social distancing’ of 2 metres (6 feet in old money). You have to make sure that the staff are protected, perhaps with suitable PPE (this has to be risk assessed and be suitable). How are you dealing with cleaning? in the past the occasional wipe down of the tables was sufficient, hand washing glasses was sufficient, will this still sterilise the surfaces?

Staff training will have to be completed with social distancing and IF you still use paper you need to consider that Corvid-19 has been shown to stay active on surfaces for 2-3 days! Who handles that paper? How many people handled the paper before and after?

HSADD has two Cloud platforms that reduce paper handling and training to ‘paper-free’. Compliance Management to provide full compliance with your business, H&S Policy, Rish assessments, PPE assessments, remote training for staff and lots more included. ONE Module includes everything so fixed easy costs.

ISITCHECKED provides one of the best paperless checklist systems, this is contactless, worldwide, time and date stamps, GPS stamped, insurance approved, approved for controlled drug storage by VMD

THOROUGH AND ACCURATE RECORD KEEPING WILL BE VITAL TO REDUCE YOUR LIABILITY AND INSURANCE COSTS MOVING FORWARD – HSADD’s systems provide that and are ready to deploy rapidly.

HSE Has received 4,500 complaints already and lots of businesses have not even opened yet!

More than 4,500 complaints have been made to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) since the first UK case of coronavirus was confirmed, it has been revealed.

Last month the HSE issued a warning to employers that it would hand out enforcement notices to those who do not comply with the two-metre social distancing rule in workplaces that remain open during the outbreak.

The workplace safety regulator said it was now working through the reports, received since March, with a ‘range of actions’.

Yesterday in the House of Commons Andy McDonald, shadow secretary of state for employment rights, asked an urgent question on guidelines for workplace safety after the lifting of the lockdown. (credit Iosh Magazine https://www.ioshmagazine.com/2020/05/07/uk-regulator-receives-more-4500-covid-19-complaints)

If you require any further information or a free trial of our ISITCHECKED system please contact us using the buttons below.