Sunday, 26 December 2010
Cold and Icy England
A view of the bar and terrace taken this morning
cold overnight but a beautiful day today
Friday, 24 December 2010
To answer your concerns
a couple of our kind readers have suggested that J and I are much more amateurish in our approach to business than we were in our previous roles.
I want to take this opportunity to assure you that this is not the case. In fact J and I have just held our
STAKEHOLDER BRAIN STORM for STRATEGIC STRATEGY and HOW TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN 2011
We discussed our strategic position, how we could get a win win from our unique service proposition in our exclusive location. We looked at how best to harvest the low hanging fruit, how to be more customer centric, the introduction of focus groups for feedback, innovations for value added perceptions all to be available in real time.
We have a state of the art, best in class set up and need to be proactive to get consumer buy in to best sweat the assets.
Our customers are offered a well positioned, value proposition that will make our business more sustainable. By being customer focused, putting ourselves in the customer's shoes, and being individually empowered and by using scalable best practices, constantly monitoring the business dashboard will enable us to be market leaders.
At this point we realised that we were talking absolute bollocks and ordered another bottle of red
I want to take this opportunity to assure you that this is not the case. In fact J and I have just held our
STAKEHOLDER BRAIN STORM for STRATEGIC STRATEGY and HOW TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING IN 2011
We discussed our strategic position, how we could get a win win from our unique service proposition in our exclusive location. We looked at how best to harvest the low hanging fruit, how to be more customer centric, the introduction of focus groups for feedback, innovations for value added perceptions all to be available in real time.
We have a state of the art, best in class set up and need to be proactive to get consumer buy in to best sweat the assets.
Our customers are offered a well positioned, value proposition that will make our business more sustainable. By being customer focused, putting ourselves in the customer's shoes, and being individually empowered and by using scalable best practices, constantly monitoring the business dashboard will enable us to be market leaders.
At this point we realised that we were talking absolute bollocks and ordered another bottle of red
Saturday, 18 December 2010
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
France Life Pushing Papers
I thought it time to update you all on another aspect of french life, red tape.
For those that are UK based, be thankful. France has layers upon layer of paper shufflers in just about everything you can think of. It is said that 50% of the people here work for the government and I can believe it. Well, I can believe the 50% but not too sure about the "work".
We have just applied to accept the french equivalent of luncheon vouchers. The procedure is that you collate 5 pieces of paper and send them to a centre who check them, authorise them and as a result give you permission to apply to another department. The papers all have to be dated within the last 30 days , so you can never use the same ones, each time you have to apply for a copy which of course costs.
The most ludicrous is the birth certificate. Whenever J has to produce a birth certificate it has to be dated within the previous month. Mine was given to me in 19** and has sufficed ever since. But for J it means she has to ring the Marie of her home village and request a copy which is then sent through.
Our insurance company send us at least one letter a week, changing something, asking for extra information, updating this or that. we have a yearly health contract but they send us each a monthly authorisation.
Likewise no utility like water, electricity etc uses one office so one department will write to you asking you to send something to their company but at a different address. You do as required but they don't then communicate with each other so they ask again or assume you haven't sent it
I once visited China and was amazed to see about 100 men with wheelbarrows moving a pile of coal from one side of a piece of land to another. My thoughts at the time were " why use 100 men when a couple of JCBs would be much more efficient?" The answer of course was that China had 100 men to keep busy and better that 100 earn from working than 2 work and 98 go on benefits. I suppose the same applies in France so whilst people push papers around we will just have to grin and bear it
For those that are UK based, be thankful. France has layers upon layer of paper shufflers in just about everything you can think of. It is said that 50% of the people here work for the government and I can believe it. Well, I can believe the 50% but not too sure about the "work".
We have just applied to accept the french equivalent of luncheon vouchers. The procedure is that you collate 5 pieces of paper and send them to a centre who check them, authorise them and as a result give you permission to apply to another department. The papers all have to be dated within the last 30 days , so you can never use the same ones, each time you have to apply for a copy which of course costs.
The most ludicrous is the birth certificate. Whenever J has to produce a birth certificate it has to be dated within the previous month. Mine was given to me in 19** and has sufficed ever since. But for J it means she has to ring the Marie of her home village and request a copy which is then sent through.
Our insurance company send us at least one letter a week, changing something, asking for extra information, updating this or that. we have a yearly health contract but they send us each a monthly authorisation.
Likewise no utility like water, electricity etc uses one office so one department will write to you asking you to send something to their company but at a different address. You do as required but they don't then communicate with each other so they ask again or assume you haven't sent it
I once visited China and was amazed to see about 100 men with wheelbarrows moving a pile of coal from one side of a piece of land to another. My thoughts at the time were " why use 100 men when a couple of JCBs would be much more efficient?" The answer of course was that China had 100 men to keep busy and better that 100 earn from working than 2 work and 98 go on benefits. I suppose the same applies in France so whilst people push papers around we will just have to grin and bear it
Thursday, 2 December 2010
Cold beer
We have been told that the Vienne is cold in winter and they were right!!. We have had two days of snow and minus temperatures and whilst it isnt that cold, warming a house with big rooms and stone walls with no insulation is a big task.
As you can imagine the snow and temperatures don't help trade but we still get a few hardy people in for a cold beer.
The bar is decorated for Christmas and hopefully looks inviting.
we have an Xmas dinner planned, together with our caterer partner (called Tickle your Taste Buds) on the 12th December. This will consist of a Kir, a starter, Christmas dinner, dessert, mince pies and coffee all for only €27.50. We hope to get 50 people and this should create quite a party atmosphere. We have chosen the 12th as it is early enough before people return to the UK and guests arrive for those staying here.
Whilst it is quiet we have been concentrating on our lunchtime menu. we offer a 3 course plus a glass of wine for only 9,90. This gives us a chance to try out new things and a typical menu is
Entrees choice of
Potage maison (home made soup)
Nems ( spring rolls)
Salade au Surimi ( salad with crabsticks)
Plats choice of
Coq au vin Riz ( chicken in a red wine sauce with rice)
Saucisse Fume frites ( smoked sausages with chips)
Ravioli jambon cru, sauce tomat, salade ( Pasta filled with parma ham in a sauce with side salad)
Dessert choice of
Crepe au pomme ( apple pancake)
Batonnette au choix ( Magnum style ice cream or ice cream tub)
Supreme au fruit rouge ( mousse style cake with red fruits)
it's a long way from allocating stock and processing orders for print ribbons and only a few months
Monday, 8 November 2010
Autumn
Autumn has arrived. Yesterday was the first day since we opened that we were unable to use the terrace. The wind blew and it rained for most of the day, a great contrast to last week when you didn't even need a jumper in the evenings.
The bar is warm and hopefully inviting. We are settling into the expected winter trade, few people, mainly meals and plenty of spare time albeit tied to the bar.
On Saturday we had an unexpected suprise. Hunting here is a big thing and it is rare to drive for more than a few miles without seeing men, normally with a shotgun over their shoulder, walking through the fields on the lookout for anything that moves.
Saturday afternoon we were sitting in the bar when two hunters came in and presented us with a small forequarter of bambi, as a gift from the hunters of the village. Remembering my butchery courses from my Tesco days, the meat is now boned and maturing ready for cooking in a few days, and no, it is not going on the menu!!
We have just agreed with a couple of dancing instructors that we are going to host once a month, an evening of social dancing, both tuition and practise. We will soon be rocking to the tune of the samba, the rumba and the tango.
We have also now become a drop off point for a company called Dont forget your teabags.com. These guys, based in Rochester, deliver food purchased over the internet in the UK from Tesco and Asda to expats in France. Food is cheaper in the UK and many people here get their income from UK pensions so in some ways it makes sense to buy in England and pay the delivery premium. I was completly dumbfounded however, when they opened the van and I saw that people were buying fresh milk and sliced bread and having it sent 400 plus miles but it works as every delivery slot they have is filled until the new year. For us, it's about people seeing the bar, getting to know what we do and perhaps even having a lunch out whilst they wait for the van to turn up.
Last but not least, we have just put Raviolis au chocolat on the menu. It may seem strange but if you get the chance give them a try, they are excellent
The bar is warm and hopefully inviting. We are settling into the expected winter trade, few people, mainly meals and plenty of spare time albeit tied to the bar.
On Saturday we had an unexpected suprise. Hunting here is a big thing and it is rare to drive for more than a few miles without seeing men, normally with a shotgun over their shoulder, walking through the fields on the lookout for anything that moves.
Saturday afternoon we were sitting in the bar when two hunters came in and presented us with a small forequarter of bambi, as a gift from the hunters of the village. Remembering my butchery courses from my Tesco days, the meat is now boned and maturing ready for cooking in a few days, and no, it is not going on the menu!!
We have just agreed with a couple of dancing instructors that we are going to host once a month, an evening of social dancing, both tuition and practise. We will soon be rocking to the tune of the samba, the rumba and the tango.
We have also now become a drop off point for a company called Dont forget your teabags.com. These guys, based in Rochester, deliver food purchased over the internet in the UK from Tesco and Asda to expats in France. Food is cheaper in the UK and many people here get their income from UK pensions so in some ways it makes sense to buy in England and pay the delivery premium. I was completly dumbfounded however, when they opened the van and I saw that people were buying fresh milk and sliced bread and having it sent 400 plus miles but it works as every delivery slot they have is filled until the new year. For us, it's about people seeing the bar, getting to know what we do and perhaps even having a lunch out whilst they wait for the van to turn up.
Last but not least, we have just put Raviolis au chocolat on the menu. It may seem strange but if you get the chance give them a try, they are excellent
Monday, 18 October 2010
Where are the people?
Four good friends have just left us after a weekend visit. Their initial comment on seeing the bar and the village was " it's lovely but where are the people?
Champniers is very quiet, to see a person walking in the village is rare, to be walking and meet other walkers is most probably commemorated with a statue.
But the ex pats do come just like a french version of the end of field of dreams. Our first quiz was a great night, we had over 50 people sitting down answering questions and we think and hope a good time was had by all.
However our big event was Saturday just gone. (of course it was complete chance that this should coincide with a visit from four workers (sorry I mean friends)
This weekend was the Soiree Musical avec tourne-broche or in english, music night with hog roast. Eileen,our outside caterer, was in charge of HOG and the pictures below tell the story
I must mention Pete here, who helped with the pig, including hammering large spikes into it, even though he is a committed vegetarian.
I must also publicly condemn the other male visitor. His comments about his wife and her nightdress as the muslin was removed from the pig were not appropriate. Nor was calling for the KY as the skewer was inserted
Anyway, 8 hours later, the pig had roasted nicely and was ready to greet the 100 people who had booked for the evening. He was served with salads and potatoes, followed by Mars Bar Cake all washed down with loads of beer and wine.
The music was provided by a local duo who were very good.
Our thanks go to our vistors, Sarah and Julie for sterling work on the bar, and making the bacardi and red wine bottles much lighter for us to carry around.
For Peter for endless washing up and for being masterful in quickly learning and then
using the can crusher.
And also to Jim, for beer pouring, coffee making and for driving the troops!
We hope they come again and that Peter quickly recovers from being bitten by a monkey .
Our only regret from the weekend was that we couldn't attend the local festival in the village hall, It was a meal based on black pudding and chestnuts!!
We did go along after we had closed but they seemed somewhat suprised to be visited by 6 people at a quarter to one on sunday morning. They were clearing up so we missed out on the boudin noir (although one person did tread on one on the grass)
Au revoir
Champniers is very quiet, to see a person walking in the village is rare, to be walking and meet other walkers is most probably commemorated with a statue.
But the ex pats do come just like a french version of the end of field of dreams. Our first quiz was a great night, we had over 50 people sitting down answering questions and we think and hope a good time was had by all.
However our big event was Saturday just gone. (of course it was complete chance that this should coincide with a visit from four workers (sorry I mean friends)
This weekend was the Soiree Musical avec tourne-broche or in english, music night with hog roast. Eileen,our outside caterer, was in charge of HOG and the pictures below tell the story
I must mention Pete here, who helped with the pig, including hammering large spikes into it, even though he is a committed vegetarian.
I must also publicly condemn the other male visitor. His comments about his wife and her nightdress as the muslin was removed from the pig were not appropriate. Nor was calling for the KY as the skewer was inserted
Anyway, 8 hours later, the pig had roasted nicely and was ready to greet the 100 people who had booked for the evening. He was served with salads and potatoes, followed by Mars Bar Cake all washed down with loads of beer and wine.
The music was provided by a local duo who were very good.
Our thanks go to our vistors, Sarah and Julie for sterling work on the bar, and making the bacardi and red wine bottles much lighter for us to carry around.
For Peter for endless washing up and for being masterful in quickly learning and then
using the can crusher.
And also to Jim, for beer pouring, coffee making and for driving the troops!
We hope they come again and that Peter quickly recovers from being bitten by a monkey .
Our only regret from the weekend was that we couldn't attend the local festival in the village hall, It was a meal based on black pudding and chestnuts!!
We did go along after we had closed but they seemed somewhat suprised to be visited by 6 people at a quarter to one on sunday morning. They were clearing up so we missed out on the boudin noir (although one person did tread on one on the grass)
Au revoir
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