The hospitality industry may be about providing food, drink, accommodation and service, but sometimes you have to go the extra mile to pull customers in. If you’re stuck for ideas on how to make your business more appealing take a look at what others are doing for inspiration
Titanic feast
Two pubs in the Bowland Village Inns estate - The Fenwick in Claughton and The Punchbowl in Garstang - will be serving customers a version of the last dinner eaten by guests in the first-class dining saloon of The Titanic and some murder mystery this week. The group's executive chef Michael Weston-Cole has created a £27.95 three-course menu inspired by the 10-course feast served on the doomed cruiseliner on 14 April 1912, which includes Consommé Olga; a clear beef and vegetable soup, roast duckling with apple sauce and Waldorf pudding. The dinners on the 24 February at The Fenwick and the 25 February at The Punchbowl will form part of the murder mystery organised by After Dark Murder Mystery Events.
Skinny Indian
Cyrus Todiwala's east London Indian restaurant Cafe Spice Namaste has created a menu designed for customers who don't want to gain extra weight when eating out. The Skinny Indian vegetarian and non-vegetarian thalis are made up of an assortment of nutritious dishes inspired by different regions of India and which are beneficial for the digestion. The meat version is £16.25 while the vegetarian version is £13.95.
Wine and dine
Tom and Ed Martin's London pub The White Swan will be running food and wine-matching dinners on the last Friday of every month to help inform customers about how different foods can affect the flavour of wine. The first will take place next Friday (26 February) with the pub's sommelier Paulo Brammer there to share his knowledge with diners who will drink five specially chosen wines alongside five courses. Tickets are £42 and include coffee, petit fours and tasting notes.
10 for 10
The Millennium Madejski hotel in Reading is giving away 10 rooms at £10 per night on every day of this year to celebrate its 10th birthday. The promotion is being given on a first come first served basis and guests are only allowed the promotional price for one night at the four-star hotel situated on the outskirts of the city.