Date :
30/08/2013
Experiencing Scotland’s catering consultant Sandra Reid says:
“Business support encompasses a review of tourism business catering activity. We take a 360 degree approach and we look at all aspects of the business - menus, food sourcing, merchandising, marketing, staffing and training, and ultimately we look at financial delivery. Is the food offer delivering financially for the business?”
Abbotsford House in Melrose, formerly the residence of Sir Walter Scott, initially signed up to receive 1-2-1 business support from the project early in 2011, in respect of the small tearoom operation within the main house.
Since then a new visitor centre has opened, featuring interpretation of Scott’s life and achievements, conference and exhibition facilities and restaurant and retail areas.
Sandra visited the new restaurant, to provide further guidance on the catering operation in preparation for the re-opening of the house in early 2013.
Justin Orde of ‘Gill Orde in Catering’, who manage the catering operation at Abbotsford says:
“Being based in the Scottish Borders, I already know instinctively where to go for local produce. We are right next to St Boswells, where the local livestock market is, likewise for fish, Eyemouth is a fantastic fishing port. We’ve got great fruit as well in the area, so it was simply a case of knowing where this produce was and then having a helping hand in planning our menus from Experiencing Scotland.
“Experiencing Scotland has provided us with a really solid base from which to go out and identify how we can integrate great local produce into our menus, and at the same time do it in a way which is cost effective and makes sense commercially. It’s also helped us to signpost and introduce local suppliers into our menus. It’s nice to be able to put the name of a supplier next to a particular product.
“For any business thinking about ways to increase the amount of local produce on their menus, I can’t really advise them any better than to go to Experiencing Scotland. It joins the dots between supplier and restaurant”.