Botanic Inns: 15 unique pubs, one glasswasher brand

Winterhalter UC undercounter glasswashers have the flexibility to cope with a huge range of venues

Botanic Inns is a 15-pub Group in Northern Ireland with a truly eclectic estate. The Botanic Inn itself is a Belfast institution, a big venue that’s popular with students who know it affectionately as ‘The Bot.’ “Lots of students now in their 60s still drink there,” says the Group’s Quality Standards Manager, Gordon Harvey. At another end of the scale is Apartment, a stylish bar with floor-to-ceiling glazing giving views over Belfast where the glitterati go for cocktails and fine dining.

Despite the economic climate, Botanic Inns is doing very well. The Bot alone turns over around £5million per year. The Group has won the Publican magazine UK Pub Operator of the Year Award twice, most recently in 2010. “We operate under traditional pub values, not only in terms of what we deliver to the customer but also in having a realistic view of the value of our business. It’s an attitude that’s helped keep us grounded,” says Harvey.

Whilst each of the 15 pubs has its own style, operation and menu, when it comes to undercounter glasswashers one brand does all: Winterhalter. “When we replace a glasswasher, we look to upgrade to a Winterhalter, especially in our busiest sites,” says Harvey. “There’s no doubt that they are the best, significantly superior to anything we’ve had before.”

Botanic Inns’ most recent Winterhalters have been installed at The Bot and Apartment. The fact that they work so well in such different venues is testament to the flexibility of the brand’s new UC undercounter range. “We installed an UC Energy model in Apartment,” says Harvey. “It’s ideal for the sophisticated ambience: it’s quiet and no steam comes out of the machine at the end of the wash. Plus, of course, it reduces our carbon footprint and saves energy costs. In The Bot we used the straight UC machines, because they are so fast. It’s all about horses for courses.”

The UC machines are equally at home with glass or polycarbonates, which is a big plus as different pubs within Botanic Inns use both.

It’s not just the flexibility, it’s also the performance, speed, reliability and ease of use that justify the upgrade to Winterhalter, Harvey adds. “For example, the setup on the new UC machines is excellent. We can program it so all the operator does is push the button to turn it on – they can’t fiddle with it!”

The Bot is a real testing ground for equipment. Recently the Group installed a new hardwood block floor there. It lasted nine months. “So anything that goes into The Bot and survives – like the Winterhalters have – is deemed to be of the highest reliability!” he laughs.

Bunzl McLaughlin supplied the Winterhalters to the Botanic Inns Estate and Harvey is impressed by their customer support. “Their knowledge and performance are second to none,” he says, “and nothing is too much trouble.”

As a former engineer, Harvey is also impressed by the UC machine’s engineering. “I really took on board the design concept behind the Energy versions,” he says. “The way Winterhalter have managed to get a heat exchanger to work efficiently in such a small space is remarkable – as is the fact that you don’t get a faceful of steam when you open it! As a Group we’re committed to minimising our carbon footprint, but at the end of the day its energy saving features are saving us money, too.”

Winterhalter provides a total solution for warewashing, from pre-sales advice to after-sales service, training and maintenance. Alongside its market-leading dish and glasswashers, the company’s range includes utensil washers, advanced water treatment machines, cleaning chemicals and detergents. For further details, call Winterhalter on 01908 359000, see www.winterhalter.com/uk-en/, or www.winterhalter-scout.biz or email info@winterhalter.co.uk.