Focus:Food&Beverage
environmentbackedbyexcellentservice- French,Thai,Italian,modernEnglish, theofferisnotjustthebestquality,but
ataprofit.It'samagicalperformancethat Indian,etc.whileatthesametime thebestvaluetoo."Ithinkthatpeople
LCIiscurrentlypullingoffacrossall10of exploringwhateverelseishappeningin don’trealisejusthowsteeppricesareon
itslocationsintheUK,somethingthat city,distillingdifferentoptionsintoour theHighstreet.Mycostsarethesameas
fewothercasinoF&Bdirectorscouldsay offer.Weseeourselvesascompeting thoserestaurants,"commentsMr.Bradley.
thatabouttheirbusiness.Factoringout directlywiththeHighStreetinregardsto "Butthere'slittlecomparisonintermsof
thecompbusiness,theselocationsare accessibility,value,serviceandoffer. thequalityoffoodofferedatsaythe
makingaprofitintheirownright. Outsidethecasinoenvironment,Ibelieve Sportsman,comparedwithlike-for-like
we'dbesuccessfulwiththeserestaurants HighStreetprices.Weofferverylocal
AccordingtoMr.Bradley,therehavebeen ontheHighStreet.Iknowthey'dbe menus,witheachmenudifferentateach
twoclearpathsfollowedinthecasino successfulandthatwe'dcertainlymake ofourlocations.Thechefstellmewhat
F&Bbusiness.There'stherouteinwhich evenmoremoney." theyshouldbesellingandIwatchthe
casinomanagementbattendownthe figurestoseethatthey’reright."
hatchestotakecostsdowntoa THERIGHTPATH
minimum,whichleavesthecasinowith Thechoicesarestraightforward-close TheofferwithintheLCIestateisliterally,
nothingtosellintermsofF&B;orthere's downorgrowthebusiness,thoughthe asHemmingwayputit,amoveablefeast.
thesecondpaththatLCIhaschosento resultsarenotsoclearcut.Several Themenusareconstantlyevolvingand
travel."Weaimtomaketheproductso restaurantswithintheLCIestatehavehad changingwiththetastesofboththechef
goodthatitdrawspeoplethroughthe toreducethenumberofdaystheyare andthepublic.InNottingham,theLCI
door,"explainsMr.Bradley."Undoubtedly open,buttheimpactoftherecessionhas Aleamenuquicklychangedafter
theofferhashadtochange.10-15years notbeenasdramaticduetochanges opening,asthehighendFrenchmenu
ago,theF&Bweprovidedcustomerssaw instigated15monthsago.Atthistime, servedonlytodrivedownbusiness,raise
65percentofdishesservedoff-menu- LCIconductedarationalisationofits costsandultimatelylostmoney.The
andthat'sfroman11pagealacarte businessatalllevels,ameasurethathas samerestaurant,ninemonthsin,turneda
menu.Weprovidedpersonalclubsin stoodthecompanyingoodsteadasthe profitinFebruaryhavingchangeditsfood
whicheveryonekneweveryone.Ifa recessiongotintofullswingatthetail andbeverageoffer,cateringtowhatthe
regularwalkedinoffthestreetand endoflastyear."Thebiggestchanges marketreallywanted-reallydecent
wantedwholesucklingpig,by9pmwe tookplaceinthefrontofhousesideof steaks!InGlasgow,therestaurant'svery
wereservingitup." thebusiness,"confirmsMr.Bradley."We highlevelfronthalfa'lacarteofferwas
havecontinuedtobuildtherestaurant steppeddown,andnowoffersamenuat
Today,LCIhastightenedit'soff-menu side,retainingstaffandgrowingthe thebarthatisbothwellcookedandwell
selections,thoughMr.Bradleyarguesthat businessinconjunctionwitharamping presented.FromtheRickyHattonfight
nothinghasbeenlostintermsof upofthemarketingdivisionwithinLCI." 'hotdogs,'totheChampionsLeague
standardsandservice."Weofferawide buffetservicewithhamburgersandbeer,
selectionthroughouralacarte,butwe IndirectcompetitionwithHighStreet theofferisadaptableateverylevel.
don'tneed25staffinthekitchento restaurants,Mr.Bradleyandhisteam
providetheservice.Themenusoffer constantlymonitorpricestoensurethat "Acasino'srestaurantsandbarsarethere
G3 l December2009 l Page42
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52