Healthy options for kids
Changing times mean changing priorities. Longer trading hours following licensing reform and the greater emphasis on food for many pubs following the smoking ban mean that pubs which might previously have taken a firm 'no kids' stance are having a rethink.
At the heart of a family pub offer is a credible children's menu. The Jamie Oliver effect has spread well beyond the school gate.
For pubs, simple moves such as replacing chicken nuggets with 100 per cent chicken breast in breadcrumbs, or introducing family-only dining areas, can make a big difference to the way parents think about kids' food in pubs.
Which is why earlier this year The Publican, in association with Brakes, launched the Healthy Children's Menu Competition 2007. The incentive for the winning pub was a prize of up to £5,000-worth of outdoor adventure play equipment and having it professionally installed.
Eileen Steinbock, Brakes' head of nutrition, says: "Changes to school food, combined with recent government initiatives, mean parents are better educated on what a healthy meal consists of.
"They are now becoming more aware of what they are feeding their children in other parts of the market, in particular the pub sector, which is fast becoming the most popular destination for families eating out.
"With obesity doubling among six-year-olds and trebling among 15-year-olds in the past 10 years, it is important that publicans give a healthier focus to their children's menus."
The aim was to find a pub committed to offering a healthy children's menu and proactive in ensuring family dining was an enjoyable experience.
After an intensive shortlisting process, three finalists were selected.
The Ivanhoe, Scarborough
First stop for the judging team was Scarborough, on the North Yorkshire coast. For licensees Les and Lisa Price, running a family pub was a change of focus after a long and successful run as managers of busy town centre pubs.
In a seasonal area such as Scarborough, the challenge is to trade successfully through the quiet winter months as well as to meet the expectations of visitors during the very busy summer season.
Lisa and Les have set their stall out strongly. A vintage bus parked in the pub garden has been converted into every child's dream play area. This is also an ideal venue for birthday parties, helping with year-round trading.
A menu built around traditional pub food, including a successful carvery, has been supplemented by a children's menu developed by Les and Lisa based mainly on instinct. "We looked at children's preferences and parents' requests, then worked together to create food that was healthier but still appealed to children," says Lisa.The White Horse, Epsom
Located next to Epsom General Hospital in Surrey, the White Horse has completely revamped its offer since manager Stuart Down took the helm last year. Having gone smoke-free early, partly as a move designed to change its customer profile, the pub has introduced a range of community events, from a mother and toddler group to weekly jazz nights.
Few pubs in the area catered for the family market, and with its beer garden and separate outdoor play area, the White Horse saw a niche for itself. Establishing an appeal for families and food is essential to the pub's marketing.
Food at the pub is sourced through local suppliers. As well as specific children's meals, most adult options are available in smaller portions.
"Our children's menu is home-made, which allows us to control the amount of salt and fat," says Stuart. "For instance, instead of chips we serve pan-fried potato coins."
Making full use of the resources on its doorstep, Stuart also ran the menu past the nutritionist's department at the local hospital. "We've incorporated the recommendations into the menu and provide dietary information so that customers can make choices for themselves," says Stuart.
"The menu has been received very positively and we've had a number of comments about how useful the dietary information is."
The King's Head, Leatheringsett
The judging team rolled into Norfolk to visit the King's Head, a former winner of The Publican's Family Pub of the Year Award.
Licensees Dave and Pam Watts offer great food, well-kept cask beer and a traditional village pub welcome in an area that also has a strong seasonal trade. Pam is a self-taught cook and the food at the King's Head is proudly home-made, home-cooked and 99 per cent local produce.
When it comes to children's food, "we have one rule of thumb", says Dave. "If we wouldn't serve it to our own children, then we don't give it to our customers."
The menu is modular. Children can pick smaller portions of dishes from the main menu or select from a smaller-portion menu which also appeals to older customers.
"Basically, we can serve anything, any way the customer wants it," says Dave - it's a concept that many parents, used to inflexible menus in other establishments, sometimes find hard to grasp.
The fact that food can be prepared in just about any combination has also allowed the King's Head, like the Ivanhoe, to make a speciality of catering to special dietary needs. The pub is featured on the websites of groups such as the Vegetarian, Coeliac, and Diabetic Societies.
The judging team, consisting of Eileen, The Publican's food editor John Porter, and Brakes development chefs John Trelfa and Richard Wells, hit the road to learn more about the three finalists.
The prizes
The winning pub - to be announced latre this month - will win an all-timber club house and installation worth more than £5,000, courtesy of leading supplier of children's adventure play equipment Home Front (www.home-front.co.uk) .
Complete with two towers, bridge, slide, ladder and rock wall, it will totally revamp the winners' outside space and maximise the pub's family appeal. Happy children make for happy parents, who stay in your pub for longer.
The two runners-up will win £500-worth of Brakes Healthier Choices products.
For more information on Brakes' family range, call Brakes Customer Service on 0845 606 9090, email customer.service@brake.co.uk, or visit www.brake.co.uk
