25Nov 2020 by Tracy Hazlewood
Retailers warned not to panic buy in the rush to get online

Retailers warned not to panic buy in the rush to get online

In The News
Hello Merchant Solutions Warns Shropshire traders and retailers By Tracy Hazlewood Today I've warned Shropshire traders and retailers not to be panicked into signing up for unnecessary contracts as they rush to move to online sales in the wake of the Covid pandemic.“We all want as many businesses as possible to survive this dreadful pandemic and with the key Christmas period looming it’s essential that retailers urgently get the help they need to save them money.”Many traders are buying online payment methods which are either too expensive or not best suited to their business as they switch to E-commerce whilst the High Street is locked down. Read The Full Article Facebook-f Twitter Linkedin-in
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25Sep 2020 by Tracy Hazlewood
Butchers Don’t Cook Your Goose This Christmas

Butchers Don’t Cook Your Goose This Christmas

In The News
Consumers have increased sales with independent butchers Butchers and farm shops have reported a surge in trade since the lockdown. COVID-19 has changed the way consumers shop, many forsaking the supermarket in favour of the independent butcher. Speaking to clients in Shropshire, there seems to have been a small tail off in September with queues slightly smaller on a Saturday morning. It's quite clear, consumers have discovered the benefit of shopping, retaining them is key to the continued increase in sales. Kantar Worldpanel GB data reported beef sales were up 19.3% on the same period last year and larger households' up 47.2%. Source: Farminguk.com  The impact for butchers with the new 6 person restriction in households is likely to surge turkey sales further. Queuing at the butchers to collect a…
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02Sep 2020 by Tracy Hazlewood
Festive Bookings

Festive Bookings

In The News
The current trading climate is tough for the hospitality industry, it goes without saying that the small independent on Britain's high street are feeling it along with the majority regardless of size! As a small business owner, I can sympathise with independents' but now is the time to look at how you can cater for more table bookings and turn tables and takeaway food faster, with smoother card payment facilities. Yesterday, I had a call from a Shropshire landlord (not a customer of mine) who owns five pubs with restaurant facilities. He went on to say that August had been the worst month he had experienced in all his years in the pub trade. The Eat Out To Help Out scheme had brought new customers and much needed revenue, but…
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08Jun 2020 by Tracy Hazlewood
27,000 Pubs With Beer Gardens

27,000 Pubs With Beer Gardens

In The News
Pubs are now starting to get some guidance on how a re-opening may look in the coming weeks, it appears the ones with outside space may get to go first. As things progress over the coming days and weeks, direction on how this is going to look surely going to be a relief for most landlords. The British Beer & Pub Association, the leading trade body representing the UK’s brewers and pubs, has said that those pubs with beer gardens should be among the first to re-open after lock-down. It says that pubs with beer gardens or outside terraces should be best placed to meet social distancing restrictions required for re-opening from July 4th, enabling people to enjoy their local community pub’s beer garden in the summer sun. The trade…
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17May 2020 by Tracy Hazlewood
Can I Have Two Fish & Chips Please?

Can I Have Two Fish & Chips Please?

Hospitality, In The News
The past couple of weeks my local fish and chip shop opened its doors for car park pick up, the whole family was delighted. However, the excitement of picking up the family favourite got a little frustrating for me. It wasn't the service and as always the fish, chips and mushy peas were spot on! But while collecting and standing in the queue (sigh), I wanted to reach out to the owners who were so busy. I couldn't bring myself to say something at the time and I didn't want my fish and chips to go cold. How the way you're taking customer payment might be hurting your bottomline The process they've adopted in these unprecedented times, is to call the number on the window and place the order over…
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