Letting off Steam - Will you change your food offer as a result of the new licensing laws?
This month we ask licensees if they plan to change their food offer as a result of the new licensing laws
Kevin Simpson, licensee, the Hill, Haverstock Hill, Hampstead, London
"We're extending our food offering, serving our full menu until 10.30pm rather than 10pm, and we're promoting food and great service rather than more drinking. We are staying open until midnight on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and will be serving snacks from 7pm until closing from a tapas type
menu. We'll also offer people tea and coffee while they wait for taxis so they can stay here rather than wait outside. We don't have a lot of lunchtime trade and are closed then on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday."
Murray Christie, general manager, the Salisbury Tavern, Sherbrooke Road, Fulham, south west London
"We are now open until midnight and might extend the food another half an hour until 11.15pm or so. There's definitely a market here for doing brunch and breakfast at the weekends, although it wouldn't work in the week. I'm definitely going to be pushing for that because personally I really like to come to a pub for brunch at the weekend. We're really busy for Sunday lunch but we only open from 12pm which I think is a real waste because there's another couple of hours trade to be had there."
Mary Harris, licensee/owner, the Swan Inn, Craven Road,
Lower Green, Inkpen, Berkshire
"This isn't going to make any difference to us. We already serve food seven days a week and we do breakfast for the people who are residents here. We are in a village - if we
were in a town centre seeing hundreds of people passing our door then there would be a case for all-day breakfast. Our hours won't change, though."