ARE TEACHING RESTAURANTS less important than any other Science Lab? An open letter to the Vice Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University! UPDATE - with answer from the Dean and Pro Vice Chancellor of Oxford Brookes.

To:

Professor Alistair Fitt,
Vice-Chancellor Oxford Brookes University

Dear Professor Alistair Fitt,

As Chair of the Council for Hospitality Management Education (CHME), the non-profit-making organisation representing the UK, European and International universities and colleges offering higher education programmes in the fields of hospitality, I am writing to you in relation to the consultation on the possible closure of the Brookes Restaurant.

At a time when external pressures such as Brexit, the declining number of 18-year-olds and the out workings of the Augar report have created the perfect storm for Higher Education institutions, it is understandable that efficiencies have to be made. However, the impact of these cuts would appear to be disproportionately affecting hospitality programmes across the UK. CHME would assert that this is short-sighted, ignoring the economic, social and cultural importance of the hospitality industry. Indeed, as the third-largest industry in the UK employing 3.2 million people (UK Hospitality, 2018), it offers a wealth of graduate opportunities.

More broadly, the UK Hospitality industry needs to source 200,000 new workers every year to replace, churn and support growth, and if restrictions around migration from Europe as a result of Brexit are introduced then another 60,000 workers would be added to this figure (British Hospitality Association, 2017). If these targets are matched against the ambitious growth plans of leading Hospitality brands in the UK and Europe then there must be a strong commitment by education providers in developing a successful cadre of future Hospitality leaders and operators. 

Indeed, the consultation to close Brookes Restaurant comes at a time when the government has issued an unprecedented white paper (Tourism Sector Deal, 2019) that fully supports the tourism and hospitality industry, recognising its importance for the UK and committing to working more proactively with Universities through the Hospitality and Tourism Skills Board. At such, Universities should be showing leadership by supporting and enhancing hospitality education programmes.

Specifically, in terms of the value of training restaurants, relatively recent research (Alcott 2014) has highlighted that the experience gained in such facilities enhances students’ ability to make a success of placement and graduate opportunities. It also noted that employers were more willing to offer placements to students who had such experience - not just for their technical skills and confidence but also for other key employability skills such as teamwork, leadership and the ability to work under pressure. 

Whilst it is recognised that some training restaurants have not proven to be cost-efficient, there are excellent examples of successful operating models that deliver outstanding student experiences and equip students for leadership roles in the industry. For example, the Lakeside Restaurant at the University of Surrey and Ulster University’s Academy restaurant or the University of Derby Devonshire restaurant. Additionally, in an international context, there are several very successful training hotels such as the Hong Kong Polytechnic’s ICON hotel and The Statler operated by Cornell University. Nevertheless, it is concerning that management in some Universities consider teaching restaurants as profit centers whilst at the same time do not apply this profit requirement to science related laboratories.

Brookes Restaurant has received many accolades over the years and is well respected by the local community in Oxford and by industry and academia both nationally and internationally. CHME would urge you to explore alternative business models that would sustain its operation and permit it to continue to deliver an excellent learning experience for students. Such strategic leadership at Higher Education level is needed to ensure the continued development of the hospitality industry in the UK and we, as educators, have a responsibility to ensure that this happens and is sustainable. 

CHME has recently commissioned research exploring the long-term trends impacting on the future of hospitality education and we would be happy to share the findings with you in Spring 2020. We would hope that any major decisions about Brookes and its hospitality programmes would be delayed until decision-makers have sight of these data to make an informed decision.

Yours sincerely

       Ioannis

Dr Ioannis S. Pantelidis FIH

Chair - Council for Hospitality Management Education

This letter has the unanimous support of the CHME executive and is supported by the following individuals and representatives of hospitality organisations:

·     Surinder Arora FIH, President Institute of Hospitality, Founder & Chairman Arora Group

·     Professor Stephen Ball, CHME Fellow, Emeritus Professor Sheffield Hallam University

·     Professor Paul Barron, CHME past Chair, Professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Edinburgh Napier University   

·     Nina Becket, CHME Fellow

·     Dr Maureen E A Brookes,  CHME Fellow, Member of the professional panel for the IOH, past president ICHRIE and Eurochrie, past hospitality liaison officer for the HLST

·     Dr. Cathy Burgess, FHoSPA(Hon), FiH, CHME Fellow, HoSPA Professional Development Committee

·     Tim Cookson FIH, Chairman, Litmus Partnership

·     David Coughborough, Chairman of Trustees, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

·     Peter Ducker FIH, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Hospitality

·     Paul Evans FIH, MD and Associate, CONSULTINC 

·     Crispin Fairbrother, CHME past chair

·     Sam Goss FIH, General Manager, Moor Hall Hotel & Spa

·     Andy Jones FIH , Chair, PSC100 

·     Ryan Hanson, Head of Catering & Retail, Royal Agricultural University

·     Marianne Hood FIH, Hospitality Solutions, Chair of North Ireland IOH Branch

·     Sandra Kelly, Director UK Skills and Policy, People 1^st International

·     Professor Paul Lynch, CHME past Chair, Professor of Critical Hospitality and Tourism,  Edinburgh Napier University

·     Layla Moran,  Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon

·     Steve Munkley, Vice President Craft Guild of Chefs

·     Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive Officer, UKHospitality

·     Danny Pecorelli FIH MI, Chairman of the Master Innholders.

·     Anne Pierce MBE, Chief Executive, The Springboard Charity & Springboard UK Ltd

·     Neel Radia, Chair, National Association of Care Catering (NACC)

·     Robert Richardson FIH, General Manager, The Grand

·     Adam Rowledge FIH, Managing Director, Rowledge Associates

·     Molly Shaher, Chair, Professional Association for Catering Education (PACE)

·     Richard Shepherd CBE, Honorary President & Trustee, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

·     Robin Sheppard FIH MI, Chair Institute of Hospitality, Chairman, Bespoke Hotels

·     Chris Sheppardson, Founder, EP Business in Hospitality

·     Craig Smith FIH, Honorary National Chair, Hospital Caterers Association

·     Sara Jayne Stanes OBE,  Chief Executive & Trustee, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

·     Alastair Storey FIH, past President Institute of Hospitality and Chairman &CEO of WSH

·     Brian J. Turner CBE, President & Trustee, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

·     Chris Upton, Chair, HOSPA

·     Matthew White FIH MIoD, Chair, The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO)

·     John Williams MBE, Chair & Trustee, The Royal Academy of Culinary Arts

References:

Alcott, P (2014) An exploration of the effective use and viability of teaching restaurants in higher education. Available at: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?did=1&uin=uk.bl.ethos.486119 (Accessed 2 September 2019)

British Hospitality Association (2017) Labour Migration in the hospitality sector. Available at: https://www.bha.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/BHA-EU-migration-final-report-170518-public-vSTC.pdf (Accessed 2 September 2019

Tourism Sector Deal (2019) Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tourism-sector-deal/tourism-sector-deal (Accessed 2 September 2019)

UK Hospitality (2018) UK Hospitality Workforce Commission 2030 Report - The Changing Face of Hospitality. UK Hospitality, London, England. Available at: https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/dev/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/UK-Hospitality-Workforce-Commission-2030.pdf (Accessed 2 September 2019)

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UPDATE 1:

On the 14th September Mike Boella sent me this message and wanted me to share it so I am posting it here. Mike is the original author of Human  Resource Management in Hospitality and he is really the legend that created hospitality at University of Brighton, I had the luck to collaborate with him and he is as much a legend in real life as he is in his books and industry articles. ere is his message:

Dear Ioannis

I grew  up in a family of caterers and decided on a career in the industry . My father worked on transatlantics including RMS Queen Mary before running his own restaurants in Southampton and Brighton.

From the age of fourteen I worked on Saturdays in one of the family businesses including clearing and cleanings

At the age of 17 I went to study hospitality at Portsmouth municipal college for three years taking  the HCI (later to become HCIMA) professional membership course. This included City and Guilds professional cookery and  the HCI restaurant service studies, plus clearing and cleaning! as well as more academic studies such as  accounting, food science and law. 

One summer vacation, as part of the course requirement I worked in a restaurant in Paris as a commis cook, and the next summer on a transatlantic liner as a commis waiter. The ship was the SS Homeric, a Greek Lines ship! Crewed by Italians. I got a bonus because I spoke English!

The practical courses combined very well with the academic studies, in fact they were an essential part of such a course.

I have always insisted that the Food preparation and Service elements of hospitality courses are essentials so that future managers can experience and understand the issues and stresses and risks of hospitality vis the recent tragedies (anaphylactic reactions).

In passing I should mention that I started my education at St. Peter's primary school in Oxford but did not graduate from there with a degree!

Mike Boella 

UPDATE 2: 18th September 2019, a very sad day for hospitality higher education.

From: Chris Blackburn
Date: Wednesday, 18 September 2019 at 13:55
To: Ioannis Pantelidis
Subject: Brookes Restaurant

Dear Dr. Pantelidis

In light of your Open Letter to the Vice Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University on behalf of CHME and the Craft Guilds of Chefs which was taken into consideration as part of the university deliberations over Brookes Restaurant, I am writing on behalf of the university to convey the following information which is being made public:  

 “Following a formal consultation process and careful consideration, the University has taken the decision to close Brookes Restaurant at the end of the current academic year.

“Brookes Restaurant has maintained an excellent reputation over a number of years, reflecting the quality of its service. However, despite a number of initiatives over the past decade, the restaurant has consistently made a significant annual operating loss.Over the last four academic years the restaurant has lost an average of £280,000 per year on direct operating activities.

“Staff affected by the decision will continue to be fully supported, including exploring opportunities for alternative employment within the University.”

“A misconception which arose from those outside of the University during the consultation period was that Oxford Brookes teaches catering courses at undergraduate or postgraduate level, which is not the case. However, we remain committed to providing world class education which prepares students for successful careers in the international hospitality industry.

“Undergraduate hospitality management students already undertake placements outside of the University during their second year. Only 4 of the course’s 24 modules are directly associated with Brookes Restaurant and work is underway to ensure that alternative measures are put in place. Our ambition is to develop and expand our programmes in hospitality management and associated areas. 

“The University recognises that members of the wider community have enjoyed using the Brookes Restaurant over many years and will be saddened by this announcement. As a publicly funded institution, however, the University ultimately has a duty to ensure that all of its activities are financially viable. 

“A proposed closure date for the restaurant has provisionally been set for 1 May 2020.”

With kind regards

Chris Blackburn

Chris Blackburn Pro Vice-Chancellor & Dean Oxford Brookes Business School Oxford Brookes University, Headington Campus, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK