WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW WHEN MAKING THE SWITCH TO A TAKEAWAY PUB.
LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH.
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In our first advice piece, we looked at the various support measures the Government is offering pubs to help them limit the financial fallout of having to close in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to this financial assistance, pubs have been offered a separate lifeline by the Government - the option to convert their business into a takeaway operation without the need for the usual planning consents. The Government is hoping that by allowing pubs to make this change, venues will be able to generate revenue, keep staff on and provide a vital hot food service to their local community. If you’re considering making this switch, Screach is here to help you make the transition as smoothly as possible. With this in mind, we have looked at the various ways businesses can make the change and the different services and technologies at their disposal. Click on the questions below to learn more. Am I obliged to convert my pub into a takeaway business?
Make no mistake, it is now illegal for any pub to have customers stay on its premises. Those that break these temporary laws face an unlimited fine and could even have their licence taken away.
It is essential to note that while the Government has made it easier to convert your pub to a food takeaway business, the same rule does not apply to alcohol. Pubs cannot serve alcohol to customers, even on a takeaway basis. Whilst food is considered an essential item that the public must have access to during this crisis, alcohol is not. How do I get food to the people’s homes?
At present, there are two routes that pubs can take to get food delivered to consumers; you can sign up an existing delivery network and its customer base or you can set up your own website and run your delivery service manually.
We are estimating that most pubs will opt for the first option as it is a relatively straightforward process and the set-up can take as little as a few days. Here is what you need to know about signing up for the biggest delivery networks in the UK market. UberEats Like most of the technological delivery solutions on the market, UberEats allows customers to use their app to view a menu and place an order. The order will be then sent to your pub where you will prepare the food. Once the food is ready, an UberEats partner will arrive to deliver the food to your customers. Getting started is simple - a description of the restaurant is required, as well as high-quality photos of the food. Once these have been provided, you will receive a tablet to kick-start the delivery process with the company. Once you are up and running, a per sale admin fee and commission will be applied to each order. This is usually a percentage of the total order value. If you’re considering partnering with UberEats, click right here to find out more. Deliveroo Branding itself as the UK’s favourite delivery partner, the set-up process for Deliveroo works in the same way as UberEats. You sign up, share information about your hot food offering, arrange a photoshoot and then you will receive a tablet to manage the takeaway delivery service. If you’re looking at Deliveroo as your delivery partner, click right here to start the process. Just Eat A long-serving addition to the food delivery market, Just Eat is still a popular way for takeaway restaurants to get food to consumers. The service still boasts 12 million customers a month. It’s also worth noting that with Just Eat, businesses can save up to £13,000 a year with exclusive partner discounts from wholesalers, utilities providers and insurers. In terms of the set-up process, you will be required to provide a description of the business, as well as a form of ID, proof of ownership and a menu. You will then receive an Orderpad to start taking orders. Importantly though, only parts of the country are covered by the restaurant delivery service and you may be required to provide your own drivers if your area is not covered. If you are interested in Just Eat, you can get started by clicking right here. How do I go about setting up my own website?
While this route may seem slightly more complicated, there are several technological solutions to help speed up the process which may be of use. They allow you to provide end-to-end takeaway management software from website creation, to order and delivery tracking. The options below allow you to run your own marketing and delivery service, so if you have that capacity, this may be a more cost-effective option for you and your business.
Vita Mojo Vita Mojo gives consumers more freedom on what their food consists of, while also giving pubs a straightforward digital ordering platform. It also allows kitchen staff to aggregate orders from all channels into one place, allowing you to manage orders from a single screen. This option is particularly useful for tech-savvy pub owners who are interested in how AI and data can improve restaurant insights. Gloria Food GloriaFood is a free service with no admin fees or commissions to start trading - an attractive option for pubs in their current situation. This method wouldn’t necessarily drive as much traffic to the website though as an option such as Deliveroo or Uber Eats. If your business is in a rural area though and these companies don’t currently operate drivers there, this option may become more appealing and could work well alongside a provider like Just Eat. What food and hygiene protocols should I follow?
It is essential as the UK fights the spread of the COVID-19 disease that pubs follow the necessary food and hygiene measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
As a rule, all of the above delivery management companies require an FSA hygiene rating of 3 or more and it might be worth brushing up food health and safety measures to ensure you comply. If any member of the kitchen staff develops symptoms of the novel coronavirus disease, they should not be allowed to prepare food for consumers. |
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