Whiting & Hammond, the West Kent based pub company, has won the Business Innovation of the Year Award of the Budweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastro Pubs 2014.
Based in Chiddingstone Causeway, Whiting & Hammond operates seven, soon to be eight, pubs in the South East of England. The award, organised by leading pub industry magazine The Publican’s Morning Advertiser, recognised gastropubs that had shown strong business innovation in the past year by introducing a successful new initiative.
‘Gastro’ magazine
Whiting and Hammond’s innovation was its in house ‘Gastro’ magazine which is published quarterly and includes a range of articles about the company’s pubs and people as well as lifestyle articles, with the aim of building the Whiting and Hammond name amongst its customers whilst keeping up with current trends and initiatives.
The free magazine features fresh, seasonal food and recipes for customers to read and recreate at home and gives plenty of information about the past and upcoming beer festivals which Whiting and Hammond hold each year around the pubs.
In the next issue it will follow working progress on their eighth site, The Kings Head in Bessels Green, Sevenoaks which is planned to open not long before the next issue is released.
Awareness and customer loyalty
The Publican’s Morning Advertiser managing editor, Jo Bruce, said: “Whiting and Hammond demonstrated a strong understanding of its customer base and willingness to try something new in launching its Gastro magazine.”
“It has already impacted on customers’ awareness of its sites as well as increasing customer loyalty and trade.”
“We are certain the magazine will continue to make a positive impact on the W&H brand.”
Brian Whiting, Managing Director of Whiting and Hammond said:
“What a wonderful award to have won. We’re immensely proud of the magazine; we have been working very closely with local company One Media to produce what we feel is a fantastic tool for our business.”