Recognising the crucial role hospitality plays in Suffolk’s visitor economy, this new stream mirrors the strengths of Retail Excellence while adapting it for cafés, restaurants, hotels and leisure operators. Business development support to help hospitality firms strengthen supply chains, improve environmental practices and boost visitor satisfaction.
Hospitality Matters Programme
- Free, impartial targeted training and support for local pubs, cafés, hotels and restaurants.
- Mix of online and in-person workshops.
Hospitality Matters workshops - 5 sessions
(click on each for more details)
Love Your Town (In‑Person)
In person in selected towns: This will be a creative session that explores local identity, civic pride and shared challenges. It aims to help businesses understand their individual needs and skills, find quick practical solutions, reconnect with their place, and collaborate on bold, town-wide ideas.
Strategic Planning & Financial Literacy (Online – 2.5h)
This workshop will focus on seasonal planning, cost control and sustainable business confidence.
Marketing & Online Booking Systems (Online – 2.5h)
During this session, we will cover hospitality marketing, booking platforms, loyalty and simple website fixes.
- Mastering booking platforms (OpenTable, ResDiary, etc.).
- Encouraging repeat visits with simple, human loyalty schemes.
- Fixing the top five hospitality website mistakes (slow menus, no allergens listed, no photos, no phone number, no booking link).
- Social media ideas that aren’t food pictures e.g. chef mini‑interviews, supplier spotlights, playlist reveals.
Menu Engineering, Profitability & Sustainability (Online – 2.5h)
Core themes
- Engineering menus to maximise high‑margin dishes.
- Using visual hierarchy and menu psychology.
- Waste reduction, portion control, and stock rotation.
- Sourcing locally without raising prices.
- Designing menus around seasonality and supply chain realities.
Bold activities
- Menu ‘surgery’ session: Participants bring a real menu; you identify what to cut, what to promote, and what to reprice.
- The “£1 switch” challenge: Improve profitability by £1 per dish through micro‑changes (garnishes, prep efficiency, or smarter pairing).
- Sustainability swap‑shop: Participants share one supplier, one process, and one product that reduces waste or energy use.
Seasonal Staffing, Team Culture & Operational Excellence (Online – 2.5h)
Core themes
- Recruiting for attitude, training for skill.
- Keeping morale strong in peak season and off‑season.
- Reducing turnover through simple, human management.
- Scheduling that avoids burnout but protects profitability.
- Creating a culture where staff genuinely want guests to return.
Creative elements
- Scenario role‑plays: Handling a late‑booking rush, last‑minute cancellations, or an understaffed shift.
- Team‑culture storyboard: Participants design how they want their team to feel, then reverse‑engineer the daily habits to create it.
- Seasonal readiness plan: One-page checklist covering staffing, supply chain, menu transitions, housekeeping/deep‑clean tasks, and marketing.
January - February 2027 programme
(subjects, dates and venues)
| Love Your Town | In person | 10am – 12.30pm | Leiston – Wednesday 13 January 2027
Sudbury – Tuesday 19 January 2027 Stowmarket – Wednesday 20 January 2027 |
| Strategic Planning & Financial Literacy
Guest speaker Rob Hall, Yawn Marketing |
Online | 9am – 11.30am | Wednesday 27 January 2027 |
| Marketing and E-commerce
Guest speaker from Digital Bridge Skills |
Online | 9am – 11.30am | Wednesday 3 February 2027 |
| Menu Engineering, Profitability & Sustainability
Guest speaker, Geoff Mayers from Broadloand Food Innovation Centre |
Online | 3pm – 5.30pm | Wednesday 10 February 2027 |
| Seasonal Staffing, Team Culture & Operational Excellence
Guest speaker Peter Boswell |
Online | 3pm – 5.30pm | Wednesday 17 February 2027 |
How to Join
The Hospitality Matters Programme, funded by Suffolk County Council, is run by industry experts. In just a couple of months, you will have had a detailed look and review of operations, HR, marketing, finance and customer-related activities. The actions you take can make all the difference in improving your business.
Get in touch for more information shsm@newangliagrowthhub.co.uk and sign up soon as places are going fast!
Tick ‘High Streets Matter‘ under ‘Reason for Enquiry‘.
