Bar Talk

Has the big rise in raw materials meant a review of menu prices?

Alan Vaughan

Countryman Inn

Shipley

West Sussex

We are having to think about looking at our prices purely to keep pace with wholesale food increases. It's not possible to absorb costs, particularly in a declining market, so it means these have to be passed on. This issue is becoming fairly critical, so keeping on top of soaring costs is now a high priority.

Geoff Holland

The Holly Bush

Salt

Staffordshire

I am adjusting our prices — some foodstuffs, particularly the cost of beef, have gone right up. We have increased prices once and now we are having to look at them again. We buy mainly from local firms and farmers, who are doing their best despite huge increases in animal foodstuffs.

David Salisbury

Alford Arms

Frithsden

Hertfordshire

Rather than simply put prices up, we

try to be more imaginative.

We are changing the dishes and using different cuts of meat to get more value. Our great team of chefs are being more inventive in creating different dishes with different ingredients, while still maintaining excellent quality.

Melanie Drew

Appletree Inn

Marton

North Yorkshire

Luckily, we use local suppliers who have not been forced to raise their prices too much yet. Our beef supplier is a local farmer who is one of our regulars in the bar and we buy whole carcasses from him. We can butcher the whole animal and become quite enterprising in the cuts of meat we use.