Meet the Team: Henry Poultney

Here at NCASS, there’s a passionate team working behind the scenes every day to make sure members get the most out of their membership – and we thought it was about time you got to know them!

Up next is Henry, NCASS’s Public Affairs Lead, who works to champion independent hospitality on behalf of NCASS through engagement with MPs, local authorities and regulators.

Henry’s journey through hospitality has taken him across multiple concepts, formats and cities. Alongside his wife, he first founded Mexican-inspired Café Horchata, trading from a 1970 Renault Estafette serving across Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.

From there, he went on to develop a string of creative food and drink ventures including Creamed Pops, an ice cream pops concept, and Holy Dough, a mobile woodfired pizza business.

His passion for building unique, neighbourhood design-led hospitality experiences later led to Grace + James, a wine bar and cheese shop, and Poli, a neighbourhood pizza restaurant in South Birmingham. He is also co-founder of Kask Wine, a natural wine bar in Bristol.

What are the biggest policy and regulation challenges in the industry right now?

It is a difficult time for all small businesses, but the catering and hospitality sector face unprecedented cost increases. Combined with increased ingredient, energy, business rates and staffing costs this has resulted in a significant squeeze on already tight profit margins across the sector. Businesses are not able to pass these costs onto the consumer given the broad cost of living pressures.

The sector continues to experience high levels of insolvency and without urgent and targeted support many viable businesses risk closure. Hospitality is a civic asset, and it needs to be treated as such. The sector doesn’t require handouts, but a tax policy focussed on growth rather than sabotage is necessary to halt business closures, support employment and high streets and importantly to encourage more food entrepreneurs. A reduction in VAT would help to relieve these key costs pressures.

Local authorities should also be encouraged to review street trading and licensing policies to enable mobile hospitality businesses to trade on private land to compliment wet led pubs, reenergising town centres in places that could not support permanent food businesses.

How does NCASS work with local authorities and policymakers

NCASS works with Environmental Heath teams across Local Authorities every day. We also raise sector concerns with Councillors and MPs to champion small hospitality and catering businesses in their local areas. As the only membership organisation representing independent caterers and hospitality businesses, we work with other hospitality and event trade associations to ensure the interests of our members are being raised.

What do you think policymakers still misunderstand?

Policymakers still fail to understand the real impact of taxation and policy on the small and micro businesses that make up independent hospitality and how much profit margins are being squeezed. The lack of tangible policy action leads me to conclude that many policy makers underestimate how much these businesses support communities, high streets, and our local economies.

What do you think are some recent wins or progress in your work for NCASS?

We are very proud of our recent work with the West Midlands Combined Authority where we facilitated a programme working with local street food pioneers Digbeth Dining Club to deliver an incubator programme to encourage, train and support food business across the mobile sector. Not only delivering direct business support but also improving the ecosystem of business to support markets, events and festivals across the region.

How can businesses engage better locally?

Too often, small food businesses do not feel like they have the agency to contribute to Government policy making. Write to your local Councillor, write to your MP, and talk to them about your business. You never know how they might be able to help! NCASS are working on launching a member Ambassador Network programme to involve members in representing our sector. Please email Sarah Loutfi for further information: [email protected].

What are NCASS’s priorities for the next 12 months?

In what seems like endless political chaos, we will continue to work with other trade associations and encourage our members to communicate with local government, combined authorities and their local MPs to stand up for food and hospitality businesses. We are particularly focussed on more local engagement with Councils around licensing policy and we hope to encourage focus on funding to support food and catering entrepreneurs. With everything we do, we work as a membership organisation to deliver better value and opportunities for NCASS members across the country.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Cheese on toast! Given I own a cheese shop. Specifically, Sparkehoe Red Leicester and Ogleshield as my melting cheese of choice!

What would you name your food truck?

I used to keep a notes list of all my food name ideas that I have since lost – Hungry Henry Harrys or Rocket Wines (if a mobile bar).

What are some fun facts about you?

I have recently moved to rural Anglesey with my family, and I am attempting to learn Welsh…..