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The Coronation of King Charles III 

by | May 2, 2023 | Blogs

Hospitality sales grew 14% in the week of the Queen’s Jubilee in 2022 when compared to the preceding week. Thursday 2nd and Friday 3rd of June were bank holidays, which gave Brits a 4-day weekend through until Sunday 5th, boosted by extended licensing hours and sunny weather.

The Coronation of King Charles III on Monday will be one the biggest events of the year, and will offer a much needed boost for hospitality venues up and down the country.

Unsurprisingly, historic events are a big driver of footfall and revenue for the sector, but they are also the most difficult when it comes to labour management.

Walking the line of operational efficiency and staff motivation becomes increasingly challenging when you throw long, busy shifts and staff who are eager to make their own holiday plans into the mix.

Operators looking to maximise sales must start by optimising their labour. Here are 4 easy-to-implement tips that will set you up for success: 

Forecast your peak trading times through historical sales data 

Look at your sales during the Queen’s jubilee as a good like-for-like position and consider your demographics. With this data, you can forecast the peak times of guest spending and make sure you have a fully-staffed front of house ready to pull some pints. 

Taking this proactive approach to your labour management will guarantee you have your people in the right place and at the right time, reaching full productivity and maximising sales in the process.

Communicate effectively with your team

Particularly during busy holidays, high service levels and informed staff are essential in any venue. Your team needs to know when they are working and what their roles and responsibilities are before going into a busy shift and serving guests. 

Early and effective communication of shift briefs and slack tasks to staff means every hour of the day will be filled with a clear sense of responsibility, increasing engagement and maximising productivity. 

Listen to your staff

Bank holidays are a great time for the industry, but it’s important to remember that they’re also a time when your staff may want to be with friends and family too. 

Striking the right balance between work and life for your staff is really important, especially so in what is now a retention and not a recruitment world. 

If your labour is managed effectively with forecasting, advanced rotas and clear communication, you won’t be asking your employees to stay late or come in on their day off, both of which are big drivers of high turnover and low engagement.

Incentives 

In the same way you drive sales through deals and special offers, you can boost staff motivation and engagement with incentives. Try and centre your staff around the excitement of the shift, offering the best seller a £50 bonus, for example. This kind of goal will keep your staff motivated and eager to sell, keeping spirits and sales up over the long weekend. 

Find out how S4labour can give you the tools for you and your staff to be your best. 

5 Tips to Help you Manage the National Living Wage Increase

by | Apr 13, 2023 | Blogs, Hospitality

#1

Get visibility of what you have been spending so that you can start to see the areas you might be overspending.

The only way to do this is with a dynamic system that can give week-by-week and day-by-day insight into what you are spending, rather than just looking at totals for the quarter.

#2

Get visibility of what you’re spending before you’ve spent it so you aren’t burdened with any unexpected costs.

Seeing your costs as you build the rota has a significant impact on efficiencies, and you can avoid finding out too late from the accountant that you have overspent.

#3

Ensure you are paying for actual hours worked.

Benchmark data shows that digital time and attendance saves in the region of 15 minutes of cost per shift compared to relying on inaccurate timesheets.

#4

Make time savings where you can.

S4labour are experts in reducing admin, which can save hours when taken out of the back office and management and returned to the shop floor.

#5

Get more out of your team.

Driving the engagement and motivation of staff with effective communication makes a big difference to how well your labour is spent. Using a team app as a point of truth for shift allocations and tasks will increase productivity for every shift.

March Sales Figures Show 1.8% Drop Year-on-Year

by | Apr 4, 2023 | Blogs, Sales Figures

Overall March sales show a decline of 1.8% compared to 2022, albeit with a 6.4% uplift in London despite rail strike disruption.

Rising prices continue to deter consumer spending, meaning like-for-like growth has slowed even more from 1.6% in February to -1.8% this month. March marks another consecutive month where this pattern is emerging, being the first this year to show negative year-on-year figures. December 2022 revealed an increase of 17% in like-for-like numbers, and January 2023 sat at a 4.1% growth compared to 2022.

London drink sales were up 8.9%, leading the capital’s 6.4% overall growth, but these figures sit against low 2022 statistics and higher prices, which indicates that volumes are down. Research also shows that there is a slight increase in the proportion of sites trading 7 days a week in 2023, compared to 2022, so there is an expectation that the numbers would be higher than they are.

Richard Hartley, Chief Growth Officer at S4labour, said: “The impact of inflation is paving the way for a challenging period, especially with labour increases coming into play next month.” From April, operators will have the task of maintaining their current margins by increasing takings, which will be no easy feat considering how much consumers’ disposable income is being squeezed.

February Like-for-Likes Show Little Growth

by | Mar 2, 2023 | Blogs, Sales Figures

February sales in Hospitality show little growth, as year-on-year increase sits at 1.6%, despite low 2022 statistics that were affected by Omicron.

Like-for-like growth has slowed significantly throughout 2023 so far. December 2022 saw an increase of 17%, followed by 4.1% in January and 1.6% in February.

The research also shows that there was a slight increase in the proportion of sites trading 7 days a week this year compared to last year.

Richard Hartley, Chief Growth Operator at S4labour, said: “It’s concerning to see little growth despite high rises in prices, indicating that volumes are down as consumer confidence continues to come under strain.”

4 Ideas to Inspire your Valentine’s Day Offering

by | Feb 7, 2023 | Blogs, Hospitality


Valentine’s Day is a big one for the sector. With everyone heading out to bars and restaurants to enjoy some quality time with loved ones, it is one of the busiest and most profitable periods for Hospitality. In 2021, despite lockdown restrictions, CGA reported that 70% of Britons were still planning on getting a special meal on the 14th.  Every year operators find different ways to get their hands on Valentine’s trade through unique and memorable experiences, whilst growing consumer confidence. Our like-for-like sales report revealed that in 2022, sales were up by 60% on the 14th compared to the preceding Friday 7th. So, what are other operators doing to drive footfall and sales that could inspire you this year? S4labour has been on the lookout for some fun and affordable offerings being run in 2023 by some big names in the business. We’ve found 4 ideas to inspire some fun this Valentine’s.
  1. Valentine’s Variety Show at Big Penny Social
Big Penny Social are presenting a night of live performances, ensuring guests stay at their venue long into the evening with an array of tasty food and drink offerings. Click here to find out more.
  1. Dine Out at Inamo
London-based restaurant inamo, which serves pan-Asian and Japanese cuisine, has put together a full menu for the 14th. They are offering three Valentine’s cocktails, as well as a selection of sushi, Asian tapas and v-day desserts. Dedicating a special menu to the night will draw the attention of those looking to do more than just the average meal this year. Click here to find out more.
  1. 3 Course Special at Bistrot Pierre
Holidays are a great opportunity to capitalise on your USP. Bistrot Pierre are bringing their French roots to the customer’s doorstep, offering a selection of French dishes and a glass of Veuve Devienne, which is likely to catch the attention of anyone looking for a Parisian evening of love. Click here to find out more.
  1. Valentine’s Brunch at Harper’s Steakhouse 
Everyone has a different idea of how they would like to spend their Valentine’s day – many operators will keep it traditional, banking on making sales in the evening with a dinner menu. Harper’s Steakhouse is offering a 2 for £14 Brunch deal until 5pm on the 14th, which will not only attract an entirely new group of customers to the evening crowd, but ensure all trading hours are maximised. For those who prefer to make a night of it, they’re even offering romantic overnight stays, taking the stress out of who’s driving. Click here to find out more.

Like-for-Like Sales up 4.1% in January Driven by Bounce in London

by | Feb 3, 2023 | Blogs, Sales Figures

Monthly like-for-like sales in hospitality were up 4.1% compared with January 2022, the majority of which was driven by a 15.2% bounce in London.

Rising prices over the last 12 months have impacted raw sales data. Although sales figures are increasing, these numbers lag behind inflation, which in real terms, will be a decline for some operators, particularly those outside of London.

Richard Hartley, chief innovation officer, added: “The figures aren’t adjusted for inflation, so we’d naturally expect to see some level of bounce. The capital took a lot longer to recover as we came out of Omicron, so last year’s figures act as a low basepoint. This reality goes a long way towards explaining why the 2023 numbers look better than they are.”