ROBINSON'S 1838 CLUB AT THE QUAY HOTEL DEGANWY !
Family-owned independent brewer Frederic Robinson Ltd treated tenants of its North Wales pubs to lunch - then invited them to feature the dishes that they had enjoyed on the menus in their own pubs.
Staged at the four-star Quay Hotel and Spa in Deganwy, the event was aimed at "raising the bar" for standards of hospitality in the estate's pubs and inns across North Wales, which play a key part in the vital local tourist industry. It also sought to demonstrate how offering high quality food and drink to customers can significantly boost tenants' incomes during tough times for the licensed trade.
The lunch was the second of five gatherings of the "1838 Club"- established as a relaxed and fun networking forum for tenants - planned for 2010. The year 1838 commemorates Williams Robinson's purchase of the Unicorn Inn in Stockport, where his younger son Frederic founded the brewery.
A similar event was staged for Cumbrian tenants at Armathwaite Hall in March and others are planned for Lancashire, Cheshire and The Peak District estates in due course. Robinsons have more than 400 pubs in the North West of England and North Wales.
The menu at The Quay Hotel was specially devised by executive chef Neil Wiggins, head chef Sue Leacy and Christian Whittlesworth. Robinson's catering consultant, to enable the dishes to be recreated in pub kitchens, where possible using Robinson's wide range of beers as ingredients. Special emphasis was placed on supporting local suppliers and attractive presentation.
Several members of the Robinson family, led by company chairman Peter Robinson, together with key members of the brewery's management team greeted tenants and their partners with an impressive turnout of tenants from the 41 pubs in the North Wales estate.
The company's brand development manager John Robinson gave a talk on Robinson's bottled beers. Catering consultant Christian Whittlesworth and wines and spirits buyer Noel Reid were also present at The Quay Hotel to provide their specialist expertise.
Featured suppliers at the North Wales gathering included Essential Cuisine, suppliers of
stocks,
jus,
gravies,
reductions and
demi-glaces; the Cherwell Group providing Arrezo coffee; specialist butchers C&G Wholesale Foods; Cheshire Farm Ice Cream; cooking oil experts Convert2Green; Cracker soft drinks; Harlech Foodservice; fruit and vegetable supplier Michael McDonald; cheese producer Joseph Heler; Pendrill Cheese Merchants; Pwllheli Seafoods; Tibard Workwear; Veltins premier German Pilsner; tableware specialists Villeroy & Boch. The event was also supported by Archant, publishers of Cheshire Life, and Quay Marine Sales of Deganwy Marina who kindly provided Robinson's with a luxury yacht for the event.
A light hearted quiz with questions about the brewery raised £605 for Ty gobaith.
16/06/2010|