McMULLEN NEWSSPRING EDITION 2016

REFURBISHED PLOUGH SEWING SEEDS OF SUCCESSIT’S FULL STEAM AHEAD FOR THE NEW-LOOK PUB AT CREWS HILL

ALSO IN THIS ISSUENEW MANAGERS AND TENANTS SUMMER MENUS FUNDRAISING FOR KEECH

“Thank you for looking after our guests so well. How you make them feel is what makes us successful”Heydon Mizon, page 3

CONTENTSSPRING 2016

4-5 MANAGED PUBSThe new-look Plough at Crews Hill

6-7 NEW MANAGERSMore new Managers – at the Vine, Waltham Cross, and Chadwell Springs Golf Course

8-9 TRAINING AND PEOPLECatch up with team progress in the company

1O-11 FUNDRAISINGFergus McMullen leads the way in a big Macs fundraising effort for Keech Hospice

12 PUBLICAN AWARDSOur Chicken & Grill concept just missed out at this year’s awards but there are big hopes for next year

13-14 DRINKSGlenfiddich tastings, food and beer pairing, and a delicious summer drink from gin maker Sipsmith

15 TENANTSNewcomers at the Bright Star, plus the new Tenanted Operations Manager Luke Davy

16-17 FOODTasty new menus, and inspiration from Spain

18-19 TAP ROOMMore charity triumphs, plus DJs, glitz and flowers

McMullen & Sons, Limited, 26 Old Cross, Hertford SG14 1RDTel: 01992 584911 Web: www.mcmullens.co.uk

Like us on Facebook.com/McMullens1827 Tweet or Instagram @McMullens1827

Watch us on Vimeo.com/McMullens1827

Editor: Andrew Pring Production: Kate WhealKeep us informed of your news – contact Andrew Pring on 01732 463589

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McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / MANAGEMENT COMMENT

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Well, we are halfway through another great year – thank you! There is much positive news to share, which you can read in this issue of McMullen News. But there’s also something else I wanted to take the time to share – how we are working towards improving the business. We are very proud of Macs and the people that make it so good. We continually try to improve working conditions, pay, bonus, training and incentives. We even arrange for the Head Office five-a-side football team to pretend to be terrible (ha ha!).

However, despite this, it still feels like we have too many people joining us and not staying very long. The numbers of new team members versus the numbers that leave McMullen are, frankly, higher than we would wish for, and we think we lose too many good people too soon. Why does it matter? Well, each time we recruit someone, it costs time and money to induct and train them and it takes time for our team to settle down when any new people join. Also, our guests like to see familiar faces and be recognised by the team.

So, if too many people are leaving, we are either doing something wrong or we need to recruit differently. It is our mission to look for new ways to improve Macs as a place to work and we believe that our huge number of loyal, long-serving team members is a key part of our success; and we want more of them. To better understand how we can make Macs an even better place to spend

time and progress your professional career, Amanda Walden, our Training and Recruitment Manager, has sent out an anonymous questionnaire asking for feedback from all team members, across all departments of the business. We will be spending a lot of time looking at the feedback over the coming weeks and would like to thank all of those who shared their thoughts with us. This aside, and with the summer just around the corner (we hope!), our next retail adventure is now well underway. Chadwell Springs Golf Centre and Driving Range (see page 7), along with a brand new pub that’s yet to be named, will be open before Christmas 2016.

It is one of the most exciting things the Retail Division has undertaken and for the Estates team perhaps the most challenging build imaginable. If it opens anywhere near as well as the Plough in Crews Hill (see page 4 and 5), then we will all be delighted.

The Plough was a great example of how to do it well – amazing design from Kerry Walters, prompt build from Robert Stimpson and his team, passionate training from Amanda Walden and her supporting cast, Lee and Vince in the kitchen, and great leadership from Ian, George, Simon and Katie. Well done and thank you everyone! I now await your feedback, sunshine and another cracking half-year. Once again, thank you for all that you do and for looking after our guests so well. How you make them feel is what makes us successful. Passionate people, quality product.

“IF TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING, WE ARE EITHER DOING SOMETHING WRONG OR WE NEED TO RECRUIT DIFFERENTLY. IT IS OUR MISSION TO LOOK FOR NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE MACS”

WE WANT YOU TO JOIN US AND STAY WITH USRETAIL DIRECTOR HEYDON MIZON EXPLAINS WHAT MACS IS DOING TO KEEP TEAMS ON BOARD

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / MANAGED PUBS

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McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / MANAGED PUBS

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PLOUGH REAPS REWARDSTHE PLOUGH, CREWS HILL, HAS REOPENED WITH A NEW LOOK, NEW MENU AND A NEW TEAM

A major refurb at the Plough, Crews Hill near Enfield has seen the country pub deliver spectacular results since reopening at the end of March.

Guests returning after the six-week closure have been thrilled by the results of all the hard work, with the pub team serving 7,500 covers in its first month of trading.

General Managers Ian Gill and Katie Goulding, who moved to run the Plough from the Bull at Broxbourne a year ago, say they’ve seen plenty of new faces as well as all the returning regulars. “It’s gone down really well with everyone,” says Ian. “Kerry Walters and her team have done a tremendous job.”

The pub is almost unrecognisable inside following an extensive makeover. There’s lots of shiny reclaimed wooden floor and beams plus a new log-burning fireplace and smart new furniture throughout. And the two conservatories have been remodelled to provide more seating. It all makes the pub much brighter and lighter.

Externally, there are lots of changes too – a new dining area with full table service, new signage and seating, new plants and a new play area.

Designer and purchaser Kerry Walters says she took design inspiration from the many garden centres near the Plough. “There’s almost 20 of them locally and many of their customers visit us,

so I wanted to have a rustic, country farmhouse feel to it,” she said. “We worked well with Ian and Katie making it all come together. I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out and so are our guests. I think it’s probably my favourite job since I joined McMullen.”

No longer a Mcfayre concept pub, the Plough’s menu takes the best meal items from across the company and is quite similar to that of the Angels, Hitchin.

While the refurb was going on, Ian and Katie were busy recruiting and training up the new team. Says Ian: “We’ve got a fantastic team, including our head chef, George, and second chef Frankie. Everybody’s doing a great job.”

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / MANAGED PUBS

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OUR OWN ‘PROPER PUB’THE NEW GENERAL MANAGERS AT THE VINE IN WALTHAM CROSS ARE RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

“IT’S BEEN EXACTLY WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR WHEN WE DECIDED TO MOVE BACK FROM SLEEPY DEVON TO THIS PART OF THE WORLD”

New General Managers Janice Bonnick and Jerry Mullan are settling in well at the Vine, Waltham Cross after a very hectic start last December. “We took over on the first of the month, after four weeks’ training with Katie and Ian at the Plough, Enfield, and it all went a bit crazy,” says Janice. “We were so busy for Christmas and New Year.”

Though they’ve worked together before, it’s the first time Janice and Jerry have been joint managers in the same venue. Both have lots of hospitality experience. Janice has worked in pubs for 20 years and Jerry ran his own Thai restaurant in Chiswick, west London, for a number of years before they moved down to the West Country and ran a managed pub for a regional brewer.

“It was beautiful countryside, but out of season it was so quiet,” says Janice, “I’m a London girl and I wanted something livelier that we could run together.”

They’ve certainly had a lively start, kicking off at the Vine for the festive period. “We really enjoyed it – it’s been exactly what we were looking for when we decided to move back from sleepy Devon to this part of the world,” says Janice. And they are steadily making

their mark. Says Janice: “It was very much a dining pub when we took over, but we wanted it to be more of a place you could just drop by for a drink and be comfortable chatting to people without necessarily eating – a nice, proper pub.

“We started a music night every other week, and there’s a retirement home next door so we introduced bingo and poker nights and they’re proving really popular.”

Drawing on Jerry’s restaurant career, they’re keen to build on the Mcfayre offer with menu items of their own. “Vince and Lee have been very positive about our ideas,” says Janice. “And our team’s really gelled – Kayleigh and Georgia, who were here before, have been great and we’ve brought in a chef we worked with before, Kristophe Krzysztof. it’s exactly what we were looking for.”

TELL US YOUR NEWS!McMullen News is always happy to hear

from you. Special events, refurbishments,

quiz nights, new menus, team leaving or

joining – tell us what your pub is up to and

we’ll share your news in the magazine.

Email andrewpring100@btinternet.com

McMULLEN NEWSSPRING EDITION 2015

FIRST-CLASS JOLLY POSTIE

A MACS SPECIAL DELIVERY

TEAM EFFORT PAYS OFF AS REVAMPED PUB RE-OPENS FOR BUSINESS

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

SUMMER MENUS SNOWBOARDING MANAGERS AND TENANTS FUNDRAISING

“As a result of your contribution, we

have seen continued improvement

in sales of both food and drink”

Peter Furness-Smith, page 3

McMULLEN NEWSSUMMER EDITION 2015THIS SEASON’S NEW LOOKS MARVELLOUS MAKEOVERS

QUEEN VICTORIA AND MILLSTREAM REVAMPS SET THE TONE FOR SUMMER

ALSO IN THIS ISSUEPUB GARDENS IN FOCUS FOOD AND DRINK NEWS MEET THE MANAGERS

“In research, 47% of guests said the pub is an important part of the British

way of life – very welcome news”Heydon Mizon, page 3

McMULLEN NEWSWINTER EDITION 2015

MACS’ PRIZE PERFORMERS

MANAGER OF THE YEAR DAN PARK PLUS MANY MORE WINNERS

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

REFURBS HERTFORD FESTIVAL PEOPLE MOVES FOOD FUNDRAISING

“As well as thanking you all for your

contribution to another good year,

I wish you a happy Christmas”

Charles Brims, page 3

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / MANAGED PUBS

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AT THE NINETEENTH HOLEMcMullen’s most exciting new project has to be the transformation of Chadwell Springs Golf Course. We’ve knocked down the old clubhouse and are building a new Destination Inn, which should open in October/November 2016. And Steve and Karen Jordan are transferring from the Britannia Chicken & Grill in Marlow to be our General Managers.

Late next year, we’ll be opening new family-friendly facilities to sit alongside

our yet-to-be-named pub. They’ll include an 18-bay driving range, a golf shop, a putting green, a nine-hole par three pitch and putt course with football golf. Our professional golfer, Dave Smith, will continue to support us and give lessons and groundsman Paul Harper will be maintaining the greens.

The Jordans, who joined McMullen in 2013, are buzzing with excitement about the prospect. “It’s a bit different to anything we’ve done previously, to put

it mildly” says Steve, “but we’re really looking forward to it.”

Before they get down to making a big success of their new venue, they’re off on a three-month work sabbatical – starting with three weeks’ driving down the Californian coastline and with more travelling to follow.

It’s something they’ve dreamt of doing for a long time. Look out for how they get on in a future issue of Macs News.

STEVE AND KAREN JORDAN ARE READY FOR A HOLE IN ONE AT CHADWELL SPRINGS GOLF COURSE

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / TRAINING

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WINNING TEAMSThe Training Department has been very busy since the last edition of McMullen News, with more Silver Awards for both Front of House and Kitchen, a cohort completing their Gold Award – Front of House and the pilot for Gold Award – Kitchen now underway. Silver AwardsIt’s been fabulous to see yet another 16 Team Members progress through their Silver Award – Front of House this year. The Silver Award is a key stepping stone to progress up into a management role and so far in 2016 we have had 31 people complete the Front of House Award.

We have also had our second group of Kitchen Team go through their Silver Award – Kitchen. This incorporates training on all the skills needed to run kitchen shifts, control stocks and take the next step into leadership. Well done to:• Galina Ashodova, Nag’s Head, Bishop’s

Stortford

• Lee Swain, Mops and Brooms• Dan Wallace, Millstream, Hitchin• Vasco Lewis, Robin Hood• Donna Livermore, Woolpack• Paige Harmsworth, Bull• Matthew Nicholls, Peahen. Gold AwardsThe content of the Gold Award – Front of House increased this year with the introduction of a two-day course on Managing Performance and the inclusion of the Coaching Masterclass designed for General Managers. But the Assistant Managers rose to the challenge and it was great to see how they all individually learnt new skills and progressed.

To celebrate their success, we held an Awards Evening at the Training and Development Centre in January. Peter Furness-Smith presented each Assistant Manager with their Award and reminded us how vital the progression of our team is. Congratulations to all and well done

for completing such an intense course.

We have just begun the pilot of the Gold Award – Kitchen. This is mainly soft-skills training involving recruitment, leadership, managing performance and coaching. But we

couldn’t leave out cooking altogether, so there is also a day on our concepts and dish creation. The 12 Kitchen Managers taking part in the pilot course will give us their feedback. We hope this will be part of our training for 2016/17. Watch this space. Further qualificationsA huge well done to all those who have completed a qualification with HIT Training this year – a real achievement while working at the same time:• Matthew Connelly, Baroosh Bishop’s

Stortford – NVQ Diploma Food Production and Cookery

• Rosie Luck, Baroosh Bishop’s Stortford, and Ella-Louise Peck, Coach and Horses – NVQ Food and Beverage Service

• Danny Horridge, Hare – Certificate in Licensed Hospitality Skills.

Coaching masterclassEver wondered what skills you need to be a good coach? Well, to help our General Managers improve their skills

Silver Kitchen (l-r): Matthew Nicholls (Peahen); Paige Harmsworth (Bull); Lee Swain (Mops & Brooms); Galina Ashodova, (Nag’s Head); Dan Wallace (Millstream); Donna Livermore (Woolpack); Vasco Lewis (Robin Hood); Cristian Gore (Three Horseshoes); Dumitru Borceanu (Kingfisher)

Silver Front of House, January (l-r) Danny Horridge (Hare); Stacy Gilbert (Nag’s Head Bishop’s Stortford; Mollie Grayburn (Baroosh Cambridge); Emma Ayling (Prince of Wales); Kim Manning (Crocodile); Alex Hoskins (Coach & Horses); Sam Pavey (Salisbury Arms)

Team Survey – we’re listening!

Thanks to everyone who completed our first Team Survey. At time of going to print, we did not have the final number of survey respondents. However, your input is so valuable in helping us to shape the McMullen of the future. We will crunch the data and have lots of discussions on what we can do based on your feedback. We’ll let you know the results of the survey and our actions once decided.

Silver Front of House, March: Cristian Sebea (Baroosh Bishop’s Stortford); Kayleigh Field (Vine); Robert Bonus (Bull); Alistair Chapman (Baroosh Marlow); Alex Megone (Spice of Life); Kathryn Anderson (Shark); Robert Martin (Golden Griffin); Eliza Bujnarowska (Chieftain); Lauren Dubois (Queen Victoria)

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / PEOPLE

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we have begun Coaching Masterclasses. So far 36 Managers have completed the course, with great feedback on how it’s made them think about their approach to conversations. Our aim is that all GMs complete this by the end of next year.

Farewell Laura JayIt’s with sadness, and happiness we say farewell to Laura after 15 years of loyal service and fun times. Sad because characters like Laura are what McMullen’s is all about – people who give

100% to their teams and guests. Happy because she’s moving to an exciting life down under.

Laura started at the Spice of Life as Assistant Manager

and, after a spell at Baroosh Cambridge, got her break as a GM at the Uxbridge Baroosh. She also managed Baroosh in Staines before moving to Chicken & Grill, opening both the Plough Cuffley and the Jolly Postie. Have fun in the sun, Laura!

Lew Miller logs offIT Manager Lew Miller retires after 28 years’ service, on 31 May 2016. Lew joined Macs on 1 December 1988, his 34th birthday. Previously in pension funds, he joined as an Analyst Programmer in a team of eight and found working in a brewery a joy. He quickly established a liking for the company’s cask-conditioned ales. “My earliest memories are going to Cameron’s Brewery for a ‘meeting’ (‘Would you like another pint?!’), and a huge Christmas party in St Albans, all in my first month,” says Lew. “The following spring, at a McMullen’s Garden Party at the company cricket ground, the Coldstream Guards marched on the pitch!”

Lew points out he did some work too. In the mid-1990s he helped install a system that served the company until 2005. He also had to deal with the millennium bug. Recalls Lew: “We set the system at the Golden Griffin to a whole year ahead so we could go through the century at the end of 1998 and iron out any bugs. In the end, the only problem was the office printers giving the date as 1901!”. His team introduced the Zonal EPOS system into the estate in 2000. And in 2005, he dealt with the biggest change in his time at the company when Navision was introduced.

But Lew says despite all the technology changes, Macs is very much the same. “It’s still all about the pubs and the people. We’re still a very traditional business.”

As Lew reflects, he says: “I couldn’t have been luckier. I am here today with as much as one could ask for, all thanks to the drinkers of Hertfordshire, a wonderful group of colleagues and the McMullen family. Thank you everyone”.

We all wish Lew and his wife Pat a long and happy retirement.

NEW COLLEAGUES IN 30 SECONDS

Geoff Pendleton has joined to lead the IT department as Information and Retail Technology Executive, taking over from Lew Miller (see boxout). Where have you worked before?I’ve had a lot of computing experience with Associated Newspapers and latterly as Head of IT at Kout Group, a multi-branded restaurant chain which includes names such as Burger King, Little Chef and KFC. Before that, I worked for Geest and Fyffes, and with fruit farmers in South America.

What do you do out of work?I’m keen on learning new things. I’ve got degrees from Aberdeen, Imperial College, Westminster and Reading. I like to work on my allotment, do oil painting, or perhaps cycle along the Lea Valley.

How are you finding Macs so far?I’m very happy to be working with McMullen’s. I was attracted by the long-term vision of the family and the support and development of all team members. These are exciting times for bringing new systems into pubs, bars and brewery.

Mat Briscoe, the Plough, CuffleyI was born and bred in Hertfordshire – my first pint was from a Macs pub. I’ve run pubs all over, from Hertfordshire to Kent to Islington to the City. It’s good to be back on home territory.

What do you do out of work?I’m a regular tweeter and a longstanding Spurs fan. I’m currently saving up for a classic VW camper. I also enjoy spending time with my wife and two young sons, and socialising with friends.

How are you finding it?I’ve done nearly two months now with McMullen’s and I am loving it. Everyone I have met so far has been great. I am really looking forward to a long and successful future within the group.

Gold Awards (l-r): Pamela Lynch (Bull); Natalie Payton (Prince of Wales); Robert Eyres (Baroosh Marlow); Nicola Mansfield (Jolly Farmers); Amanda Walden, Macs’ Training and Recruitment Manager; Scott Rutterford-Byrne (Red Lion); Luke Malyon (Baroosh Bishop’s Stortford); Cliodhna Murphy (Nag’s Head, Covent Garden); Kean Grigg (Bulls Head); David Hayes (White Hart, Hertford); Mathieu Dubois (Three Horseshoes); Katie Wilson (Duchess of Cambridge); Laura Walker (Jolly Postie); Peter Robinson (Harrier)

Lew (second right) at the Hatfield Lodge Hotel dinner some years ago

FERGUS MCMULLEN IS LEADING THE WAY FOR MACS IN THE BRAVEHERTS APPEAL FOR KEECH HOSPICE CARE

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / FUNDRAISING

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REACHING OUT

Production and Sales Director Fergus McMullen has taken up the gauntlet and signed himself up to chair Keech Hospice Care’s £1.5m BraveHerts Appeal.

Working alongside the Hertfordshire Children’s hospice, Fergus aims to reach every seriously ill child in the county who needs the care and support of Keech.

Fergus became aware of Keech’s ambition to expand its services during his year as High Sheriff of Hertfordshire, and has taken on the challenge of raising the £1.5m, hand-picking a development board from different areas of the county to help him achieve his goal.

It’s estimated there are 900 children in Hertfordshire who have a condition that means they will not reach adulthood. Of these, 400 will need Keech Hospice Care’s services and support in any year.

At the moment, Keech Hospice Care’s nurses can support up to 150 of these children. This means there are many all across the county, along with their families, who are missing out on the level of support they need, when and where they need it. That’s enough children to fill a primary school.

Over the next three years, Fergus and the BraveHerts Appeal aim to raise the money and help every Hertfordshire child who needs Keech. Fergus’s fundraising will buy a larger team of specialists, including nurses, who will be able to bring all of the benefits of hospice care into the homes, schools and hospitals, of every seriously ill child and their family in Hertfordshire who need it.

This is a hugely ambitious plan and one that Keech Hospice Care could not do alone, which is why it’s so pleased Fergus has stepped in to help.

Parents like Oliver’s are just so grateful of Fergus’ support. Says Oliver’s mum: “During the awful months of chemotherapy, when Oliver was getting sick, we were referred to Keech for help. Now we have the true Oliver back.

“As a family, we have gone through a unique and terrifying experience and our little boy has missed a year of his life, but with the charity’s help our family is adjusting back to a normal happy life.”

Of course, Fergus cannot achieve this all by himself and, as mentioned above, he’s chosen five highly enthusiastic and talented people to become members of his development board: • Belinda Chambers• Kate Holland-Hibbert• Henrietta Buxton• Helen Buckworth• Kate McMullen• Annie Wentworth-Stanley.

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / FUNDRAISING

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Fundraising ideas are in the pipeline and one of the first supporters to get behind the BraveHerts Appeal is McMullen area manager Matt Cotter. Matt has also completed the St Neots Olympic Triathlon on 8 May, which includes a 1,500m swim, 40km cycle and 10km run.

As if that weren’t enough, Matt is also taking on the Edinburgh Half Marathon on 29 May, the Tour of Cambridge Gran Fondo 80-mile cycle race on 5 June, the Bournemouth Pier to Pier 1.2-mile swim on 10 July, the Leigh on Sea 3.3km Pier Swim on 31 July, the Tour of Yorkshire 83-mile Cycle Sportive on 20 August (which includes a 7,000ft climb); and is topping it all off with the Lake Coniston 5.25-mile swim on 3 September.

Other McMullen events that have been planned include:

• A Brewery Open Day part of the Hertford Food & Drink Festival in October – family fun weekend, food and beer festival including brewery tours

• Promotional materials and collection pots at 11 Chicken & Grill sites and nine Mcfayre sites.

Marketing Support Manager Daniella Robbins is in discussions about other events and ideas.

Fergus launched the BraveHerts Appeal to 100 guests at the beautiful venue of Wrotham Park on 4 March. It was a fantastic evening and got many new people wanting to hear more about Keech Hospice Care and how they could get involved with the appeal.

Fergus was delighted to welcome the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Lady Verulam, and Keech Hospice Care’s children’s nurses, who spoke about the work they do every day across

Hertfordshire to care for and support seriously ill children and their families at a time in their lives they need it most.

As a children’s hospice and a charity, Keech Hospice Care receives only 30% of its funding from the government. This means it relies on 70% of its funding to come from the generosity of people who care for its survival.

So why not come on board and support the BraveHerts Appeal today and make a difference to terminally ill children and their families across Hertfordshire? If you have fundraising idea or would like join an existing event, please contact lrogers@keech.org.uk

Left: Fergus McMullen with Keech Chief Executive Liz Searle (left) and Head of Appeals Alli Harmer

Below left: in March, a large group of McMullen friends ran in the Gauntlet Games for the Keech BraveHerts Appeal. Here, at the end of the race, are (l-r) Sarah Beazley,Belinda Chambers, Fergus McMullen,Caroline Egar, Edward Ruggles-Brise, Gretel Dennis and Rory McMullen

Below: Fergus in bubble trouble after the race

To find out more about the hospice and how you can get involved in its work, visit www.keech.org.uk

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / AWARDS

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C&G IN SPARKLING FORMCHICKEN & GRILL PUBS TEAM MAKE IT TO THIS YEAR’S PUBLICAN AWARDS FINAL

Chicken & Grill Pubs’ entry into the Pub Concept/Brand of the Year category at this year’s Publican awards reached the finals held back in March, writes Daniella Robbins. We did amazingly well, but were just pipped to the top award by the Seafood Pub Company, owned and run by Jocelyn Neve, which operates six pubs with its USP offering of sustainable fish, caught fresh every morning locally.

We might have won, but our entry was so passionately focused on food that the judges persuaded us to change category to the Pub Food Offer award. In hindsight, we should have talked more about ale. But it was still a great result, and with so much going on at Macs, we’ll have a great chance to win something next year.

So how did we make it through to the final of industry’s most prestigious event? It all started in November last year, when we decided to get an entry together. Matt Cotter and I put together what we hoped would be “the best entry the judges had ever seen”.

We had a full pack on the pubs – how they’ve grown in number since the Chicken & Grill concept was born at the Bull’s Head in 2008, how they continue to evolve and deliver great chicken, pub

classics and a host of signature dishes such as our new Health Kick Salad. There was a pack on our commitment to team development, highlighting the depth of training we offer, front and back of house. Marketing, digital and in-house, were showcased, including our commitment to responding to Facebook and Trip Advisor feedback.

Having got through to the final judging stage, the next step was a day out with a judge. Matt took Daniel Woolfson, a Publican Morning Advertiser writer, to the Jolly Farmers, where the pub and kitchen looked great, General Manager Carolyn Jordan was on top form, and the rotisserie chicken didn’t disappoint.

Next was the Bull’s Head, which was as amazing as always, and jam packed (lucky we ate early or we wouldn’t have got a table!). General Manager Chris Allen was his usual driven self, giving Daniel a run-down on food evolution. And finally, to the Sun at Hoddesdon, where

General Manager Jody Sansom had the pub looking terrific, on a fraction of the investment of other C&G pubs.

Matt and Food Development Manager Lee Brooks then attended a judging day in London, where they were grilled by a panel on why C&G should win the award.

There were also two mystery visits during the process. We managed to secure a copy of those reports: the Prince George scored 95% and the Royal Oak 97% – real credits to Chicken & Grill Pubs and, of course, McMullen.

On Awards Night, held at the impressive Grosvenor House, every Chicken & Grill pub was represented by either a General Manager, a Kitchen Manager or an Assistant Manager.

We didn’t win, but we know we have one of the best pub food offers in the UK. It’s a proud feeling and the future is bright!

THE GREAT MACS KART-OFF!After a busy Christmas, it was time to give a little back to our hard-working chefs. So Macs’ traditional go-karting competition roared into action in January, with eight teams completing 60-plus laps. After many crashes and lots of flag waving and warnings from officials, Lee Brooks’ team was victorious. A fantastic day had by all, topped off with a few post-race pints and fresh pizza at the Angels. A great way to say thank you to our teams for their hard work day in, day out.

WALKING THE MACS PLANKTreasure Island greeted 77 Macs Team Leaders, Trainee Assistant Managers and Assistant Managers, all costumed in pirate-themed fancy dress for a fun and rewarding day in London recently. Chillisauce Event Manager Jon Jupp says: “We were extremely impressed by the enthusiasm and fun competitive nature of McMullen at their recent pirate themed scavenger hunt. Everyone dressed for the occasion and we enjoyed putting them through their pirate paces! They rose to each challenge with creativity, determination and cheeky team rivalry!”

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / DRINKS

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DESTINATION WHISKYBrand ambassadors for Glenfiddich hosted fun and informative teach-ins at some Destination Inns in April. Guests learned how malt whiskies are made and enjoyed sampling some Glenfiddichs, including the 15-year-old Solera Vat Whisky.

LOVE BEER LOVE TO COOK

To celebrate National Cask Ale Week we held our own Love Beer, Love to Cook competition. Aimed at food and beer enthusiasts, entrants had to combine McMullen beer with food ingredients to make a tasty dish. The prize: a day in the kitchen with Head Chef Lee Brooks to develop the dish, plus a VIP tour of the brewery with Head Brewer Chris Evans.

Many excellent entries made it hard to choose a winner. So we decided to pick two – a main meal and a dessert – Beer Belly main and an AK B+B pudding.

The winner who dreamt up Beer Belly, Stephen Marsland, had a great day in the kitchen with Lee. The pair cooked up a storm, then tucked into a delicious pork belly dinner at midday. His winning dish consisted of pork belly from our butcher Underwoods, buttered mash, carrot puree, curly kale, tender-stem broccoli, roasted onions, apple and black pudding, with a Macs cask ale gravy and of course crackling.

“I had loads of fun recreating this great recipe,” says Lee. “We were both very pleased with the results. Definitely a dish for the books and possibly a Sunday roast alternative for our pub specials boards in future!”

Unfortunately our dessert winner, Jo – who came up with a yummy brioche bread and butter pudding laced with ale and vanilla and cream – could not make the day in the kitchen. So Lee baked it by himself, and it was delicious.

It was quickly clear why the 129-year-old Glenfiddich has won more awards than any other single malt.

A lucky few of our Destination Inns even had the delight of holding what Glenfiddich calls its ‘Deconstructed’

evenings, at which small groups of guests had a go at creating their own version of the 15-year-old Expression. It’s good to see another family run business doing well too.

Participating pubs included (top to bottom) the Prince of Wales in Goffs Oak, the Old Beams in Milton Keynes, and the Heron on the Lake

ON THE BALL IN JUNEEuro 2016 kicks off next month and our community pubs are gearing up for a four-week festival of great football. England, Wales and Northern Ireland have all qualified for the action in France and their televised games should guarantee big audiences. The action starts on 10 June, with England and Wales playing their first games on 11 June and Northern Ireland on 12.As well as showing all the live football action, pubs will be staging many related activities during the event – for example, a “beat the goalie” competition at the Harrier, Hatfield, and a table football tournament at the Jolly Butchers, Enfield. And some pubs, such as the Crown in Waltham Abbey and the Plough, Flamstead End, will screen the games in their outside areas.

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / DRINKS

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SIPSMITH LONDON CUPWELCOME TO A FRESH NEW DRINK FOR SUMMER – AND MEET ONE OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT

Q&A: SIPSMITH FOUNDER SAM GALSWORTHY

How many years have you worked for Sipsmith? Every single one of the last nine years, even though the brand itself has only been going for seven.

Your favourite gin quote? “The proper union of gin and vermouth is a great and sudden glory; it is one of the happiest marriages on earth, and one of the shortest lived.”

How does Sipsmith gin differ to other British gin? Having set up the first distillery in London for 200 years, we inherited two centuries of gin-distilling tradition from the masters of old and we felt a sense of responsibility to harness this in everything we do. So we set about making our gin the way it used to be

Favourite Sipsmith tipple? Our classic London Dry Gin!

How much of Sipsmith consumption is in the UK? Roughly 70% of our total production remain in the UK and the rest going to around 30-plus countries.

What types of food would you recommend with Sipsmith gins? I love London Dry Gin with olives and cured meats as the crisp juniper and citrus burst through the oil and fat. But I have discovered, to my huge delight, that the greatest pairing is with steak tartare – quite fabulous! Sloe gin, I have also discovered, when paired with great English cheeses is a perfect alternative to ports and other sweet wines.

Describe your perfect gin occasionA gin martini after a long week and before a great dinner with a fun group of friends. A G&T after you’ve mown the lawn follows in close second!

The Sipsmiths: (l-r) Fairfax Hall (co-founder) , Sam Goldsworthy and Jared Brown (master distiller)

made and should be made; never from concentrate, only from the heart cut of the run and only on copper. As a result, we’re a classic tasting gin compared with many new gins that use more modern botanicals.

When did Sipsmith first start distilling and where? The first time we turned on our pot still, Prudence, was 14 March 2009 in Hammersmith, west London. It took us more than 40 attempts to get the gin recipe right – it seemed the harder we tried the further away from our desired goal we got. We eventually got there after four sweaty-palmed months. We haven’t looked back since. And as we’ve grown, we’ve added two other pot stills – Patience and Constance.

HOW TO MAKE THE PERFECT LONDON CUP

1. Find your best wine glass and fill it with ice

2. Pour over with 50ml Sipsmith London Cup

3. Top up with lemonade4. Garnish with one fresh lemon

round slice5. Sip in a leisurely manner.

Sales of premium gin spirits continue to boom. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association reports 49 gin distilleries opened across the country last year – 50% more than the previous year. So to make sure we’re satisfying our guests’ tastes, we are introducing more gin-related products, including London Cup – a blend of Sipsmith’s London Dry Gin, Earl Grey tea, borage, lemon verbena and botanicals inspired by the punches of 19th century London.

Sipsmith has given a traditional drink a bit of Sipsmithian flair. The result is a cup full of character and with a unique flavour. Why borage? This once commonly grown English garden plant was the garnish of choice in the original Pimm’s No.l Cup. Most people don’t grow it now, so Sipsmith has been inspired to distil with it instead. Why lemon verbena? This leafy herb brings a bright lemon freshness for a subtle citrus kick.

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / TENANTS

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BRIGHT NEW STARSNick and Kate Tominey are the new tenants at the Bright Star, Peters Green, near Luton – and they’re also totally new to the trade.

“We ran an online retail furniture business for 10 years,” explains Nick. “But when our children had grown up and left home, we fancied a change and were keen to run our own pub.”

Harpenden-based, they looked round for something nearby and eventually found the Bright Star. “It’s got a great catchment area,” says Nick. “We’re very rural here but only 10 minutes or so from some big towns, and business is already building quite nicely. We’ve got a great garden, with fantastic views, so we’re looking forward to doing well this summer.”

At the moment, Nick and Kate are doing everything

themselves, including the cooking – “It’s exhausting!” – but they hope to recruit a chef shortly.

“We’re really enjoying it,” says Nick, “but it’s totally

THE BRIGHT STAR’S NEW TENANTS PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS WHEN THE FARMERS CALLED IN

four years and are now in a very nice manager’s flat at Wadesmill, near Ware. I’m an avid sports fan (Nottingham Forest is my club from childhood – cheers, Dad!) and I’m a keen golfer when time permits. Favourite menu item? It’s got to be the sharing roast chicken at the Dusty Miller in Harlow. Simply delicious.

What brings you to McMullen? I’ve frequented Macs businesses for years and have always been impressed with them and, more importantly, the people in them. The company’s reputation for looking after their employees and their tenants is extremely good, and I’m looking forward to being part of that.

Where have you worked before? I’ve been in the pub and hospitality trade for over 24 years. I started as a waiter for Morlands in Oxfordshire at 16, and became a head chef at 22 while I studied design at the Royal College of Arts. At 24, I was a GM, running bars, hotels and nightclubs on the south coast. I then spent five years with Mitchells & Butlers, before moving into fine dining with Bel and the Dragon Group.

After that, I had four years with SSP

at London UK airports covering 15-plus different brands, looking after operations and brand development. My most recent job was four years with Enterprise Inns covering Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire.

What are the highlights of this role? I love the diversity of people and ideas. No day is the same. No business is the same. The excitement of tenancies is that there are few boundaries and I’ve seen some real evolution in the tenanted world in the past four years. You get to learn more when you see so many different things.

Tell us a bit about home life? I’m married to Catherine and we have a four-year-old son, Mortimer, as well as two dogs. We lived in Hitchin for the past

full-on. Whenever friends have dropped by to support us, we’re always far too busy to spend any time talking to them.”

Just how busy can be guessed from the day 50 local farmers in their tractors dropped by for refreshments. If Kate and Nick can cope with that (and they did) they’re clearly a perfect fit for the licensed trade.

NEW TENANTED OPERATIONS MANAGER – LUKE DAVY

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / FOOD

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SPANISH DELIGHTSFood Development Manager Lee Brooks explains how chefs can win a trip like the recent one to Barcelona

January saw our annual

food inspiration trip and this year we revisited an old favourite, Barcelona. Sampling the city’s culinary delights were the winners from the Kitchen of the Year Award – the Builder’s Arms, Potters Bar, and the Queen’s Arms, New Barnet – along with the winners of our Chefs of the Year 2015 – Natalie Payton, Assistant Manager of the Prince of Wales, Cheshunt, and Jamie Castle, Kitchen Manager at the Cock o’ the North, Hatfield.

La Boqueria food market is always a fantastic place to visit – you see, smell and taste some of Barcelona’s finest produce. We were also lucky enough to have a brewery tour around Moritz, which has an incredible history going back to 1856. We got to enjoy a few Moritz beers and tuck in to a tapas lunch, where the food just kept on coming. The highlight has to be the beer chicken and patatas bravas.

It was another wonderful trip shared with like-minded foodies, all of us coming away with lots of inspiration.

WIN AN OVERSEAS TRIPIf you would like the opportunity to go on an all-expenses-paid trip to a European city, enter our Chefs of the Year competition by emailing Vince.Handscombe@mcmullens.co.uk your nominations by 4 July.Put these dates in your diary for the preliminary rounds at the Training & Development Kitchen.• Monday 11 July, Chef of the Year.• Tuesday 12 July, Kitchen Manager/

Head Chef of the Year.

So what do you have to do? Come up with a dish you think has the WOW

factor. Do all your necessary preparation for two portions before arriving at our Training kitchen. You’ll have 15 minutes to finish the dish to be judged. Time slots will be allocated once all entries have been received. Six finalists in each category will be invited to a Master Chef Style cook off days in October.• Wednesday 5 October,

Chef of the Year• Thursday 6 October, Kitchen

Manager/Head Chef of the Year.

The top three from both competitions will be invited to our Newmarket company conference on 19 October,

when the winners will be announced.

Our winning chefs will then be invited to join us on an all-expenses-paid food trip in Europe next year. Remember, you’ve got to be in it to win it!

FISH CHEF OF THE YEARThe search for this year’s Fish Chef of the Year is on, with a record 46 entries, which is simply fantastic.

There are an unprecedented six entries from the Robin Hood

and five entries from the Salisbury Arms Hotel, which shows that they are taking it very seriously. Thank you

to all who’ve entered and good luck.

Direct Seafood will soon begin the judging process and, believe me, they will have a very hard job picking the top

six. See the summer issue of Macs News for a full review and competition update.

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / FOOD

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THIS SEASON’S MUST-TRIESThe run-up to summer has to be one of my favourite times of year. There’s no better place to end long, warm days than in one of our fantastic pub gardens. As I put pen to paper, the new Spring/Summer menus have just been rolled out across the business and I want to share a few must-tries.

We kicked off the menu cycle with the new Chicken & Grill offer. My favourite dishes has to be the Honey BBQ Smoked Beef Brisket with buttered corn on the cob (pictured). The melt-in-the-mouth brisket is slow-cooked overnight and coated in a sticky honey and BBQ

glaze. Perfect for a summer’s day.

Look out also for our new

Signature Health Kick Salad – pink

star cabbage, tomato,

carrot, onion and baby spinach

sprinkled with Chia seeds and Quinoa with your choice of topping from fresh grilled chicken breast to sweet chilli halloumi skewers.

Next is Destination, which has new heritage tomato

and mozzarella salad; smoked salmon tower with cream cheese; lemon and thyme roast

chicken (pictured) and Pappardelle pasta

with mushrooms and kale pesto, to name a few.

Tough to pick a favourite but it has to be roast rump of lamb with goat’s cheese dauphinoise, buttered greens and a red wine jus. A dish that’s just screaming “Spring is here!” Save room for dessert – the classic summer pudding with red berries and vanilla whipped cream or maybe one of our new sorbets. Sour green apple is simply delicious.

Next Baroosh, where we’ve added global classics – Peri Peri chicken; maple-glazed bacon ribs; West Country apple and cider tart; and passion fruit and pomegranate Eton mess (pictured). All great new additions, but the

one I’m looking forward to most is the Ramen bowl – Udon noodles, bok choi, baby corn, spinach, spring onion, chilli, fresh ginger covered in a fragrant stock. A real taste of the Orient! And there’s always room for dessert when there’s a salted caramel cheesecake on the menu. Wonderful!

Finally, our Mcfayre pub classics are making a return alongside fresh dishes for summer. Dishes to look out for are roast chicken, sun-dried tomato and black olive terrine; potato shells topped with habanero salsa and soured cream; lamb skewers with tzatziki dip; meatball and penne marinara; and salmon and smoked haddock fishcake, to name just a few. The one that had everyone talking at the menu launch is

the chicken panang – roasted chicken in a creamy coconut and red Thai sauce.

As for desserts, how do you decide between lemon meringue pie, strawberry cheesecake, cherry pie (pictured), treacle tart or raspberry

and white chocolate ice cream cake? Any one of these could top the list!

The first of this year’s Top Table dinners was held in February, writes Lee Brooks. Training and Development Chef Vince Hanscombe put on an American-inspired theme – Creole prawns; buttermilk chicken wings; blood orange sorbet with cream soda; BBQ brisket; Jack Daniels and maple glazed ribs; homemade burgers with smoked streaky bacon; hot sauce drumsticks; and salted caramel cheesecake to finish.

This sumptuous feast was enjoyed by all and superbly supported by Area Managers Ed Bunnett and Peter Wood.

Top Table dinners are our way of saying thankyou to our hard-working kitchen teams for going the extra mile, for doing something great, for doing what you do incredibly well.

As long as you work in the kitchen, you can be nominated by your Manager. Once I have all the nominees, I pick two from each area. If you’ve been nominated but not yet been invited, you will be on the waiting list for the next dinner, which is on 26 May. Invitations will be sent out shortly. We look forward to welcoming you to the training kitchen.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT CHEF VINCE HANDSCOMBE REVIEWS THE SPRING/SUMMER MENUS

ALL-AMERICAN TOP TABLE DINNER

Peter Wood (left) and Ed Bunnett

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / TAP ROOM

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CHARITY CHAMPSTHE LATEST FUNDRAISING EFFORTS BY MACS TEAM MEMBERS

HISTORY SOCIETY VISIT TO HERTFORD CASTLEFifteen members of the Brewery History Society visited our Whole Hop Brewery recently. Production and Sales Director Fergus McMullen gave a talk on the history of the family and its involvement in brewing, before they repaired to the Woolpack for lunch. Says Jeff Sechiari, the Society’s Chairman: “It was a most interesting visit, rounded off with a tasting of three bottled beers: Pale, Castle and Stronghart. It’s terrific to see the high concern for quality ales and a family business that’s found a route through the vicissitudes of the industry. Long may they continue.”

DOGS’ BEST PUB FRIENDPublicans are a dog’s best friend at the Owl, Lippitts Hill, near Loughton. There’s a menu specially for pampered pooches at the pub, thanks to Manager and dog-lover Robyn Hills. Favourites include ham and sausage and Sunday roast, and it’s proved very popular since Robyn introduced it two years ago. “With so many people walking their dogs in Epping Forest and visiting us afterwards, we wanted to make dogs welcome,” she says. “We’ve had up to 20 dogs at a time; one lunchtime we served 55 doggie roasts.” And dogs that don’t finish their meals can take it home in a doggie bag!

JOLLY BUTCHERS – 175 UP!A pub that’s nearly as old as McMullen is celebrating its 175th birthday in June. The Jolly Butchers in Enfield, according to a local historian who drinks there, can be traced back to 1841 and General Manager Alison Barnes is keen to make the most of the occasion. A keen charity supporter, Alison’s planning a big party on 10 June, starring the regular Gregory Band (right), who play for free and have helped the Jolly Butchers raise over £7,000 since Alison took over in 2013.

l The Bull at Broxbourne raised over £1,000 in one event in March. It was in aid of a local woman with a brain tumour, and General Manager Cath Yule helped organise live music, palm reading and various other activities as well as contributing a hamper to the raffle. The Bull is a regular fundraiser, with Make A Wish and cancer charities its main beneficiaries.

l The Mops and Brooms, Borehamwood, raised £6,756.14 for various charities last year and has already raised £1,118 this year. It raised £3,400 in just one event last year – for the REMUS Memorial Horse Sanctuary, with Dena Schwartz as the main organiser.

l Tom Perry, tenant at the Orange Tree, Sawbridgeworth Hitchin, has discovered a good way of raising money for charity. Says Tom: “People regularly comment that I look like [former Coronation Street actor] Bradley Walsh, so we decided to put it to a good cause and have some fun. Anyone who mentions the B-word is given this poem to read to their table: ‘There’s a saying round here at the old Orange Tree, that our Tom bears resemblance to telly’s Bradley. And anyone who tells him just that, gets to put a pound in the charity hat’.” Adds Tom: “It’s just for some fun, not really a fine and you’re free if you wish to simply decline. But last time we counted it, there was over £400, which we’ll give to Make a Wish Foundation as it’s one of Bradley Walsh’s charities.”

l The Cock Inn, Harlow raised £1,000 for CHILD UK in one fundraising night recently. Here are some photos of the event:

Separated at birth?

TWITTER CORNERHere are some recent tweets we’ve received to tell us how well Macs teams are meeting

guests’ different dietary needs:

@Vicky the Vegan: “Thanks to the Old Beams pub in Milton Keynes for embracing my vegan dietary requirements this evening :)”

@Elizabeth Price: “@mcmullens1827 are upping their game with gluten-free bn to a couple since move 2 Herts #impressed”

McMULLEN NEWS / SPRING 2016 / TAP ROOM

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PARTY FOR THE STARSOn 4 December, the one place any A-lister wanted to be seen was the Nag’s Head. Our new neighbour, Charlotte Tilbury, make-up artist to the stars, had booked it for the opening party of her flagship store in Covent Garden. After a day of redecorating, the pub was unrecognisable as it became the hub of glitzy London. Paparazzi gathered outside the pub, a laser show was

projected onto the outside walls and stars poured in – Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Salma Hayek, Jamie Callum, Ferne Cotton, Amal Clooney… And DJs from around the world kept the party in full flow until 3am.

Then the super-quick clean-up process started, to return the pub to its original state before opening at 9am. And we made it with time to spare.

The whole event was a triumph, thanks to slick work by General Manager Will Buck, colleague Cliodhna

Murphy and the Nag’s Head team plus Hollybush General Manager Ryan Murphy, Area Manager Mike

Hawkins and Marketing Support Manager Daniella Robbins.

It was an incredible experience for the team and a milestone in the pub’s history. Let’s see what next

Christmas brings!

MR MOOD MUSIC

McMullen’s shop window on 26 Old Cross (formerly a Mac’s off-licence store and now a listed building) is a well-known Hertford site. Hundreds pass it each day, so it acts as shop window to The Whole Hop Brewery, now that the Victorian Brewhouse has gone.

Earlier this year, Marketing Support Manager Daniella Robbins began a partnership with local business and florist extraordinaire Yellie Walton of Love Flowers. The plan is to use Yellie’s display skills to make much more of the window as a communication platform throughout the year. Says Daniella: “It is important McMullen projects a message of locality and topicality using local produce or through our latest seasonal beers. We want to promote local businesses as well as our own pubs and bars. Love Flowers is the perfect partner to deliver eye-grabbing, photo-worthy displays that get the town talking.”

Says Yellie: “I’ve been a florist for 20 years and trained at the Jane Packer Flower School in London. After managing a shop in Hertford, where I learnt everything about floristry, I became

freelance, working with specialist clients for weddings and corporate events. My dream was to open a flower shop of my own in Hertford and I’m thrilled with Love Flowers and the amazing feedback we’ve had.

“The inspiration for the McMullen brewery window was to emphasise the feeling of spring, which many of us have been longing for! Mixing the old crates and beer barrels with beautiful daffodils reminds people to shop locally and see what’s on offer around Hertford.

Asked about her earliest memories of Macs, she says: “Serving Mr McMullen and creating a hand-tied arrangement for him when I’d just started working as a florist. I can remember being blown away by his politeness and how impeccably dressed he was!”

MACS’ AND YELLIE’S FLOWER ARRANGEMENT

Greg Hill is leading a double life. The Assistant Manager at Baroosh Chelmsford is also a popular radio presenter on Hospital Radio Chelmsford, based at the local Broomfield Hospital.DJ-ing’s come his way only recently and quite by chance. Explains Greg: “Last September, Baroosh Chelmsford was advertising on the hospital radio station and I did the voiceover for the ad. Someone at the hospital liked it and said: ‘You sound good, would you like to join us?’, so I did and I’ve been loving it.”

Greg plays requests one night a week, with Frank Sinatra, Cliff Richard and Michael Bubblé among the favourites, and sometimes throws in some of his own “mood music” choices.

If he wasn’t so committed to his career with McMullen, it’s a path he’d consider taking full time. “I’m really enjoying myself with Baroosh, and I’m just completing my Silver training. But it’s nice to know I’ve got another string to my bow.”

Seasonal and McMullen ales are available to buy online at mcmullens.co.uk in either 18 or 36 pint beerboxes, including cases of our bottled beers

Delivery within 4 working days (subject to events beyond our control)