Tag Archives: schools
27 Aug |
Who Doesn’t Love Blueberries? |
The UK eats 53 tonnes of blueberries annually. M&S makes more money from blueberries than from apples and pears combined. While Aldi sells 3 times as many punnets as bags of oranges. Yet blueberries were not sold in UK supermarkets until the 1990s, nor at all commercially until 1916! And with the UK crop surging to over 5,000 tonnes from below a 1,000 on 2009, they can be sourced locally.
What’s not to like?
Is it a coincidence that blueberries were one of the original superfoods in the 1990’s? They certainly went from being only included in muffins and other baked goods, to a fruit in their own right. Consider the options if you want to get the beneficial effects of the antioxidant anthocyanin. Would you prefer beetroot, red cabbage or blueberries? This might explain why the over 55’s particularly pick them.
Given they’re small and don’t need peeling nor leave fingers sticky, they’re also a hit with parents with young children. A great way to get some of their five a day without too many tantrums. Ideal in smoothies or the finishing touches as a topping, they’re in favour with young adults as well. This is why blueberries are in 58% of all UK fridges.
The UK Future
A quarter of blueberries eaten in the UK come from Peru, while 10% now come from the UK. Back in 2009 we struggled to supply 5% of a much smaller market. Driving this growth is the demand for premiumisation. Tesco value range is £9 per kilo, it’s finest over £13. The difference is size; 14mm diameter is the smallest allowed, while 18-22mm is where the premium sits.
The good news is British farming is responding with new growers and programmes to produce better more consistent growth at the times when there is a market lull in early summer. A downside is the need for pickers as mechanical picking can’t currently sort between ripe and unripe fruit leading to a loss of up to 20% of the crop. Yet getting pickers is difficult as it’s not a highly paid role. Given time there will be more premium British blueberries with better picking machines to meet the demand.
Opportunities
Both farming and catering are sectors under threat from rising costs and difficult conditions. Both need to adapt to feed the nation. Innovation and giving consumers more of what they want is key.
It’s also about exploring the different. After all the blueberry was ignored as a fruit until Elizabeth White noticed them growing well in the boggy acidic soil of her family New England cranberry farm and decided to cultivate them. Are blueberries on your menu and are they sourced locally from the UK? Why not seize the opportunity?
Published Date: 27th August 2025
Category: Blog, Food Sourcing, Local food, News
Tags: Food producers, mass catering, Pubs, Restaurant, schools
01 Feb |
5 Catering Trends 2023 |
We’re already a month into 2023, but it’s never too late to plan for the year ahead. Which is why this month, AC Services is looking at five emerging trends in UK catering businesses.
Menu Size Reduction
With the cost-of-living crisis, the message seems to be getting through that less is more when it comes to items on the menu. One of the consistent messages from Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant rescue programmes has always been reducing the size of the menu. Why, because a shorter menu is far easier for the kitchen to cope with. The consumer can have too much choice!
Shorter menus have significant benefits. They reduce waste as a smaller range of items need to be purchased. This also enables an increased focus on the freshness and availability of ingredients. In turn this allows better control of costs.
A 2023 trend is the 9 course a la carte menu, with only 3 choices each of starter, main and dessert.
Premium Side Dishes
Here the aim is to keep the mains to as low a cost as possible. Why, because consumers will calculate value based upon the advertised price of the main course. They then feel they are in control of deciding whether they want a side dish.
The side dish could be justified as a treat, sounds attractive or because they have decided it’s a necessary part of their meal. The last one is key. What is not happening here is cutting back the mains to say just the protein and charging extra for everything else.
This trend allows chefs to keep costs down for the core menu, but also show their creativity in this week’s side dishes with greater margins.
Flatbread Sharing
This trend is not for everyone perhaps, but flatbreads are increasingly appearing on menus usually as starters. They are a low cost option which are easy to make to order for most kitchens. With a range of toppings, dips and sauces they become an easy sharing course for groups or couples, who perhaps didn’t intend to have a starter.
It’s the warm flatbread, which is the trend. It harks back to the old tradition of offering a bread basket before a meal so the guest finishes the meal happily full!
2 Specialised Catering Trends for 2023 and 1 Certainty
An interesting trend to watch in 2023 is going to be the apparent upsurge in roadside dining. This had seemed to have died with the end of Little Chefs and Happy Eaters. The space in the market seems to be consistent menus with easily accessible dining rooms that aren’t fast food. The wider economic situation is of course similar to what fuelled the original trend in the 80’s.
A more localised trend is catering businesses asking their clients to help fund their development through crowd-funding. This comes in part from the various campaigns to save the local pub, which often use crowd-funding to raise necessary capital. The big plus of course is that it also builds the community clientele for longer term survival. And it taps into the support of those who dine infrequently, but want to do it locally.
Whatever the trends for 2023, the certainty you can rely on is that AC Services will be here to assist catering businesses in South West England and South Wales with servicing their Rational ovens.
Published Date: 1st February 2023
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: Catering business, Hotel, mass catering, Pubs, Restaurant, schools
14 Jan |
Top Tips for Catering Businesses in 2020 |
This year has started somewhat explosively, with concerns about the environment, bush fires, international political escalations and the future of certain members of the monarchy in jeopardy. But people still have to eat. So putting the news aside, it’s time to consider the next twelve months for catering businesses. Here are our top tips for catering businesses for 2020.
Firstly, there are no guarantees about the impact of Brexit. The best route to take is the one that is already benefiting your business directly. Top of the list is the maintenance of your appliances. Put in place a maintenance programme for your ovens. This will ensure that whatever disasters or decisions may befall us over the next twelve months; a substandard, under-performing oven won’t be one of them.
It’s All About the Planning
Secondly, plan for regular and irregular annual events. There are always catering opportunities linked to traditional dates, such as Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Christmas, food festivals and so on. Take a look at our sporting calendar for additional opportunities in 2020. It’s an Olympic year as well as Euro 2020 for football fans and the start of the new cricket Hundred game. So if you are catering for sports fans, take advantage or provide an alternative for non-sports fans.
Staff training is essential. Don’t stint on training because if something goes wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic. Make sure that your staff are fully familiar with all relevant health and safety requirements and appliance operation, and make this an ongoing exercise. There is a plethora of H&S legislation and come Brexit, there is bound to be more. Educate your staff so that in your absence, your business will still thrive.
Goal Setting
Set goals in terms of time management and profit and loss, and make them realistic. There is nothing more demoralising than not reaching your target within the time frame allotted but be reasonable on yourself. We have endured a turbulent and uncertain few years politically, and it’s not over yet. Continue working to the highest standard professionally and don’t cut corners.
Invest in catastrophe training. As we have seen from the traumatic scenes in Australia, sometimes we are at the mercy of unforeseen and unpredictable forces. These may be natural or man-made but either way, they can cause the loss of business. Be prepared. If you are a mobile catering company, plan for both rain and shine at events. If you live in flood-prone areas, check weather predictions and plan for the safe removal or protection of appliances and staff.
Trend-Spotting
The last of our top tips for catering businesses and perhaps most importantly, keep an eye on current trends. We have seen a momentous rise in vegan and vegetarian demands for restaurants and fast food outlets in the past few years. With culinary trends changing constantly, there is always an opportunity for savvy operators to gain a foothold in a new market.
Don’t be afraid to be bold and always check out the news on AC Services Southern’s blog and like our Facebook page.
Published Date: 14th January 2020
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Ovens
Tags: Brexit, Events, Hotel, mass catering, Pubs, Restaurant, schools
29 Oct |
T’is the Season… |
There is a school of thought that advocates eating seasonal produce , this is an interesting dietary and ecological idea. As it reconnects us with food and the land and alerts us to the reality that different crops such as pumpkins, are produced at different times of the year.
It also cuts down on the carbon footprint of importing and transportation. So for us in the UK, this represents a viable option.
We live in a temperate climate but with the assistance of technology; we can grow many exotic crops in the UK which would otherwise perish in the climate.
It’s easy to follow this in summer as we can feast on a wide range of fruits and vegetables. We can literally eat the rainbow with a broad spectrum of colourful fruit and vegetables as possible. Think strawberries, tomatoes, radishes, blueberries, summer leafy salads; but as we enter autumn, much of the more delicate foodstuffs start to disappear. This is when the roots come into their own, with carrots, beetroot, potatoes, swede and parsnips; as well as the leafy brassicas such as Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale.
Going Back to Our Roots
And that brings us to pumpkins! It’s very nearly pumpkin time and luckily for those planning to spend hours of frustration carving a hideous and unrecognisable face out of a solid block of fruit for Halloween, the fruit is now well and truly in season!
Although the UK doesn’t have as much history with pumpkins as in the Americas, where pumpkins actually originated over 9,000 years ago, there is no doubt about the value of the fruit. In fact, worldwide, the production of pumpkins exceeds 27 million tonnes, with China and India the main producers.
Pumpkins are part of the squash family. When cooked, the whole pumpkin is edible from the skin to the pulp and seeds. The nutritional value is undisputed; a great source of potassium and beta-carotene, and containing minerals including calcium and magnesium, as well as vitamins E, C and some B vitamins.
Another root vegetable that has accelerated in UK popularity in recent years is the sweet potato. This is also about to come into season. With a creamy texture and sweet-spicy flavour, this food has become the norm on menus to replace the humble chip. And its nutritional value is also high, as it is rich in fibre, vitamins A, C and B6, and an excellent source of carbohydrates. There are two varieties and the orange-fleshed one is also rich in beta-carotene.
Other fruits and vegetables reaching their peak in autumn include apples, aubergines, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cranberries, dates, figs, turnips and marrow.
Pronounce It Keen-wah
October is harvest time for quinoa! Quinoa is fast becoming a staple food among vegans and vegetarians for its incredible health benefits. This is a bead-shaped grain with a slightly bitter flavour and firm texture, and unlike wheat or rice, quinoa is a complete protein.
It contains all nine of the essential amino acids and has been recognised by the United Nations as a supercrop for its health benefits from dietary fibre, phosphorus, magnesium and iron. It is also gluten-free. Initially grown in the Andes in South America, it was known for thousands of years as the ‘mother grain’. High in anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, it is potentially beneficial for human health in the prevention and treatment of disease.
All of the above-mentioned foods are now grown successfully in the UK. Once considered exotic and relatively rare, they are now acceptable commonplace foods. At the risk of mentioning the B word, who knows how self sufficient we will need to be in future? The rewards of a seasonal food supply are exciting, especially with the contemporary emphasis on health and environmental benefits. After all, variety is the spice of life!
Published Date: 29th October 2019
Category: Blog, Food Sourcing, Local food, News
Tags: Brexit, Food producers, Pubs, Restaurant, schools
07 May |
Food-to-go Trends 2019 |
In the past, fast food or food-to-go comprised a burger, chips, pizza, chicken or a sandwich grabbed from a supermarket. Today, the choice is immense and growing rapidly.
Food-to-go is defined as a product that is ordered, bought and collected (or delivered) over the counter usually a portable single portion, designed for out-of-home consumption and not served on a plate.
According to the HIM and MCA UK Food To Go Market Report 2019, the UK market is set to be worth £21.2bn in 2019. This is 3% up on the previous year.
Evolution of Taste
This evolution of the food-to-go requires innovation and diversity and the industry is responding fast. When searching for a snack, more than a third (34%) of consumers look for a healthy product; while almost half (49%) say they would chose a savoury snack over a sugary option (Mintel 2018).
Both food-to-go specialists and leading supermarkets have seen a strong recent focus on hot food with consumers preferring this over the traditional lunchtime sandwich and crisps. However, sandwiches still hold a massive market share. The traditional egg and cress or tuna and sweetcorn fillings are being challenged by more adventurous choices. These include chimichurri flatbread pockets, halloumi toasts and avocado with vegan dressing.
The trend for more interesting, nutritious, healthier food has been fuelled hugely by social media. In particular Instagram, which acts as a visual diet platform. Users are constantly posting images of their food. The key influencers are having a significant impact on food trends, especially among the younger generation. If it looks good in a photo, it’s good enough to eat!
Methods Adaptation
It’s not just menus that are being adapted – key catering companies are changing the way that they operate too. For instance, brewery S.A. Brain & Co has invested heavily in the development of chef talent with the launch of the Skills Hub and Creative Kitchen (SHACK). This is a state-of-the-art training concept set to benefit its own kitchens and those of the wider industry.
Based in Cardiff, SHACK includes equipment trials and training on food-specific creations, menu launches and essential kitchen techniques. This 24-week programme involves category management, recipe building, market research and capacity management.
The changes can also be seen in more traditional events such as the Iftar. This is the historic breaking-the-fast meal during the month of Ramadan. According to a report in Eastern Eye, plates of curry, biriani, samosas and pakoras are giving way to lighter and healthier options. More restaurants are now catering to the trend with small plates menus for sharing.
The report says there is less of an appetite for fried and fatty foods and a shift towards grilled meats, salads and sharing desserts. This is particularly among young Muslims after 19 hours each day of going without food and drink.
Many pop-up kitchens, fast food outlets and catering vans are embracing new food-to-go trends and challenges. Food festivals are on the rise in virtually every city in the UK at some point in the year. People are more willing than ever to experiment with new tastes, from vegan to meat-free to tastes from other continents.
Published Date: 7th May 2019
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: mass catering, Pubs, Restaurant, schools
23 Apr |
Healthier School Catering |
How do we ensure healthier school catering? The staple menu of choice of pizza and chips or other fast food items is one that constantly worries nutritionists; but a landmark pilot scheme by Chartwells has revealed an interesting trend.
Chartwells specialises in providing catering services to the education sector, and recently carried out research, the Nudge Nudge initiative. This discovered if there were methods linked to menu presentation and guidance that could be used to drive healthier eating in secondary schools.
The pilot scheme saw an average increase of 8% in healthier choice take-up. This has led to a new customised menu to be introduced nationwide after Easter to Chartwells’ portfolio of 450 secondary schools.
Nudge Nudge
The scheme involved school menus being tailored to include a number of ‘nudging’ techniques such as:
- red heart stickers next to the more nutritious menu options;
- descriptive adjectives relating to texture, taste or smell;
- as well as information given out in assemblies, workshops and health stalls.
The most successful nudge, achieved through using red heart stickers on grab-and-go items such as selected sandwiches, fruit pots and water, increased sales by 8%.
In addition, students at the three schools targeted enjoyed a huge uplift in their knowledge. They scored 85% post-trial when asked 10 questions on nutrition and healthy eating compared to 36% before.
Richard Taylor, Managing Director of Chartwells, commented: “The results of the trial have provided us with so much insight into what more we can do to encourage healthy eating. Findings from this compelling pilot have been used to create new menus across our secondary schools. We believe that by working together and continuing to educate students about choosing more nutritious meals, schools as well as their pupils, will reap the benefits.”
Better Menus
In 2005, Jamie Oliver won the war over Turkey Twizzlers. This was followed by a ban on crisps and a restriction on deep-fat fried food in schools. In 2014, the Universal Infant Free School Meals policy was introduced in primary schools. The Department of Education issued revised standards the following year dictating that meals should include at least one portion of vegetables or a salad.
However, there are now fears that cost may send this progression leaping backwards due to Brexit uncertainty. According to the Food for Life’s State of the Nation report, the cost of school-food staples such as pasta, cheese and yoghurt rose significantly in 2018. Caterers said the cost of some fruit and vegetables had increased by 20 per cent. This they attribute to Brexit uncertainty, specifically confusion over trading arrangements.
That being said, it may be worth taking a leaf out of Ashley Painter’s book. As a kitchen manager, he helps prepare over 1,200 healthy schools a day. He is a finalist for the BBC Cook of the Year in this year’s Food and Farming Awards. This recognises that “a good canteen kitchen serving nutritious, cleverly-budgeted food transforms lives and it celebrates the people who are creating change through food.”
He works for Local Food Links in Bridport, Dorset. This is a non-profit organisation which has been providing healthy dinners to school children for more than a decade, winning numerous awards. It was recently named as one of the best businesses in the South West. With a limited budget but a lot of imagination and frugality; he manages to provide healthy, inexpensive, nutritious food to thousands of hungry children.
So the answer is we can provide healthier school catering through focused initiatives.
Published Date: 23rd April 2019
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: Brexit, Catering business, mass catering, schools
10 Apr |
Free School Meals Change |
There is really only one subject dominating the news at the moment and that is the issue of free school meals. School lunches have been offered for decades. Those in primary education in the 1960s and 1970s will probably still recall the trays of overboiled cabbage and swede, and solid pastry mince beef pies.
The great British school lunch menu has come a long way since then, with a choice of much healthier and more nutritious meals. The last week or so however, has seen a storm brewing over the axing of free school lunches due to Government budget pressures.
The Education Department has revealed that it does not think that “a free school lunch for every child in the first three years of primary school… is a sensible use of public money”.
Free school lunches came into effect in September 2014 and at the time, the introduction caused a great deal of consternation within schools as 2,700 primary schools had to install new catering facilities before they could even think about offering free meals.
However, the majority rose to the challenge and adapted their kitchens for the provision required. And the policy has shown results, with many schools reporting an increase in the uptake of cooked school lunches, not only by those entitled to free lunches.
Entitlement to Free Meals
With the old scheme, all children in reception, Years 1 and 2 automatically qualified for free school meals in England and Scotland. In Year 3, free meal eligibility is linked to benefits.
Now, parents earning up to £7,400 a year are entitled to a free school meal. The average cost of a lunch is £2.30, which equals £46 per month per child. Multiply that by two or three or four children at school and the cost rises to £92, £138 and £184 per month respectively.
Perhaps it is understandable why the National Union of Teachers general secretary Kevin Courtney said cancelling the universal offer of a hot meal in the day “mean-spirited and wrong-headed”.
Valentine Mulholland, head of policy at the National Association of Head Teachers, said: “after the nightmare of bringing this policy in at breakneck speed and all the capital funding spent to upgrade kitchens and dining facilities, it’s pretty sad to see this U-turn.”
A Department for Education spokesman said: “we continue to support the country’s most disadvantaged children through free school meals, the £2.5bn funding given to schools through the Pupil Premium to support their education and the recently announced £26m investment to kick-start or improve breakfast clubs in at least 1,700 schools.”
Best Meal of the Day
The only alternative on the table so far is free breakfasts, which are vastly cheaper at a 10th of the price, and if this is the case, then the catering staff may have to change the menus so that children get maximum nutritional value from the first meal of the day.
A sugar tax on fizzy drinks has just been announced and it is believed that the revenue from that (expected to be £200m+) could be reinvested in breakfasts. The days of the full English breakfast may be returning, with the most nutritional meals being served up to provide energy for the rest of the day.
Published Date: 10th April 2018
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: mass catering, schools
27 Feb |
2018 Source Trade Show |
The Westpoint Exhibition Centre in Exeter was the setting for the 2018 Source Trade Show which took place on 6 and 7 February. This prestigious show gave visitors the opportunity to escape the big cities, where the majority of trade shows take place, and travel to the beautiful West Country and the historic city of Exeter.
The 2018 Source Trade Show was exactly as described. A venue that allows owners and managers the opportunity to source whatever they need for their premises, whether it be food ingredients, staff or equipment. As with previous shows, representatives from the pub and bar industry, the public sector including schools and hospitals, supermarkets, hotels and farm shops attended the Show.
Food and Other Stuff
Over 250 exhibitors from Taste of the West, the South West, and beyond also attended the show. 17 newcomers all from the South West exhibited at a trade show for the very first time. 83 companies also braved Source for the first time. Exhibitors comprised key South West, UK and international food and drink producers, as well as service providers.
Newcomers are more than welcome at the Source Show as the organisers explain. “We offer them special rates, or a leg up as it were…one of the biggest challenges new companies have is actually getting their products to market and the Source also connects them with distributors, who in turn get the chance to add exiting new products to their ranges.”
Visitors were able to source more unusual local products and meet face-to-face with local producers and learn the provenance of their products. The organisers wanted to present the show on all sensory platforms – taste, smell, presentation, packaging, a feat they managed admirably. Food was not the only attraction. Visitors also took advantage of other goods on display from kitchen equipment, EPoS systems, uniforms and tableware.
The Demonstration Kitchen was a huge and popular success, boasting “inspirational chefs, masterclasses, talks and more!” Perhaps the most popular area was the artisan section. But there was a massive presence from local, regional and national manufacturers and regional food and drink producers.
Key Exhibitors
Some of the most popular producers included ice-cream makers, Dartington Dairy . It uses sustainable farming practices and innovation to produce their range of goats’ milk ice-creams. Their latest offering is Kefir, a super tasty cultured goats’ milk drink.
Healthy Recipes Ltd introduced MezzeSoul, a fresh pomegranate juice sauce brand which brings the heat, warmth and soul of the Mediterranean into the UK. JEAM Super Mixes is a range of award-winning, nutrient rich organic bread mixes, organic, nutrient rich and delicious. The chosen ingredients are sourced extremely carefully and are all tested thoroughly before committing to production.
And of course we should mention Rational UK. They were showing off the latest advances in their Rational oven range at the 2018 Source Trade Show.
The next year’s show is already under planning. To book your place, visit the Source Trade Show website.
Published Date: 27th February 2018
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: Food producers, Hotel, Pubs, Restaurant, schools, Show report
07 Nov |
Fast Food and Mass Catering |
Fast food and mass catering may appear to be the invention of the 20th century but catering for the masses transcends millennia. Evidence has been excavated at the site of the Pyramids. This revealed a mess hall for the workers, long benches and tables and fish and meat bones. Armies throughout history were fed en masse (possibly not with the healthiest food but fed nonetheless) so catering as a trade has a long heritage.
The modern idea of fast food evolved with the inception of the motor industry where it became easier for people to pop into a store to buy a burger. By the 1950s in the USA, fast food was in full swing. It wasn’t long before heavy advertising and the introduction of children’s meals made it a firm favourite. Today, the global contribution of fast food outlet revenue is in the region of £500 billion.
Fast Food Growing
According to a recent report in the Guardian, the total number of takeaway food shops in England has risen by 4,000 in the past three years. This is an increase of 8%. There are currently 56,638 takeaways in England. They comprises more than 25% of all the country’s food outlets.
Many of the 326 local authorities in the UK have seen significant increases in the number of fast food outlets. Between 2014 and 2017, 20 record rises of more than 20%. Only 40 councils (12%) have seen the number of fast food outlets fall or stay the same.
Since 2012, the fast food and mass catering industry has performed relatively well. Takeaway operators have responded to higher levels of consumer expenditure by introducing higher quality food, often using organic produce and ensuring low-fat, low-sugar and low-salt meal options.
Despite the constant criticism of unhealthy and high calorific food content, fast food is still very popular . Reasons include affordable prices, busy lifestyles and increasing on-the-go consumption. There is also a much wider variety of products available to accommodate different dietary requirements.
Check Appliances
With any mass catering, the emphasis is on efficiency and hygiene. This is true whether it is for a fast food chain or a mess hall, hotel, hospital, airline or school. Too many instances of bad practice resulting in food poisoning or infection have been traced to bad habits in the kitchen or inadequate cooking facilities.
An oven, such as the Rational units, must not only cook the food but also synchronise the cooking of each individual element. It should also be fast and reliable in performance. In addition, the oven must be regularly serviced and checked. This is best as part of an ongoing maintenance regime to ensure top performance.
Contact AC Services on 01454 322222 if you are a fast food and mass catering organisation for appliance best practice .
Published Date: 7th November 2017
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: mass catering, Rational Ovens, schools, Servicing
06 Jun |
Women’s Cricket World Cup |
The excitement of the end of season matches in rugby and football is now over. This summer sees us settling back to watch more sedentary sports like tennis and cricket.
They may not draw the same crowds as the winter sports, but there now seems to be an explosion of cricket with the Champions Trophy. But more importantly it’s the start of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup taking place between 24 June and 23 July and which is attracting great excitement.
Hosted by both England and Wales, the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup is an international women’s cricket tournament which has been going for 11 years. It is the third time it has been held in England (after the 1973 and 1993 tournaments), both of which England won. No pressure there then…
Qualifiers
Eight teams have qualified to participate in the tournament: Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Lord’s will host the final, and other matches will be played at the home grounds of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Somerset and Gloucestershire.
Good news for cricket fans: the ICC announced that 10 games will be shown live on television, while the remaining 21 matches will be streamed live via the ICC website.
For those who are unfamiliar with women’s cricket, it may surprise you to learn that the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup is the oldest and most prestigious international women’s cricket tournament in the world.
It was first held in 1973 two years before the inaugural men’s tournament. Since 2005, it has held a regular four-year slot. However, the international scene originally stretches back to 1934, when a party from England toured Australia and New Zealand and won.
To date, ten World Cups have been played in five different countries with Australia winning six titles and England three .
Where and When
The timetable for the qualifying matches is as follows:
- 24 June: England v India, County Ground, Derby
- 24 June: New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 25 June: Pakistan v South Africa, Grace Road, Leicester
- 26 June: Australia v West Indies, County Ground, Taunton
- 27 June: England v Pakistan, Grace Road, Leicester
- 28 June: South Africa v New Zealand, County Ground, Derby
- 29 June: Sri Lanka v Australia, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 29 June: West Indies v India, County Ground, Taunton
- 2 July: Australia v New Zealand, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 2 July: India v Pakistan, County Ground, Derby
- 2 July: South Africa v West Indies, Grace Road, Leicester
- 2 July: England v Sri Lanka, County Ground, Taunton
- 5 July: England v South Africa, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 5 July: Sri Lanka v India, County Ground, Derby
- 5 July: Pakistan v Australia, Grace Road, Leicester
- 6 July: New Zealand v West Indies, County Ground, Taunton
- 8 July: South Africa v India, Grace Road, Leicester
- 8 July: New Zealand v Pakistan, County Ground, Taunton
- 9 July: England v Australia, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 9 July: West Indies v Sri Lanka, County Ground, Derby
- 11 July: West Indies v Pakistan, Grace Road, Leicester
- 12 July: Australia v India, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 12 July: England v New Zealand, County Ground, Derby
- 12 July: Sri Lanka v South Africa, County Ground, Taunton
- 15 July: England v West Indies, Bristol County Ground, Bristol
- 15 July: India v New Zealand, County Ground, Derby
- 15 July: Pakistan v Sri Lanka, Grace Road, Leicester
- 15 July: South Africa v Australia, County Ground, Taunton
The final will be held at Lord’s on 23 July.
The Women’s Cricket World Cup provides an opportunity for most catering businesses to run slightly different events than those for other sporting tournaments as it spotlights women’s sport. Given women’s sport is growing faster than men and the South West England focus of these matches it would be silly to miss out.
Published Date: 6th June 2017
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: Events, Hotel, Pubs, Restaurant, schools