Wetherspoon founder ramps up expansion plans

Wetherspoon founder ramps up expansion plans: "

Despite that, he still feels Wetherspoon can navigate its way through the challenges facing the industry by continuing to focus on customer service and competitive pricing and believes the company's expansion plans should not be affected. ... See all stories on this topic »

Reuters UK

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It's official – most people can't taste the difference

One thing will make the difference perfectly clear... service.

It's official – most people can't taste the difference: "

In a blind taste test, volunteers were unable to distinguish between expensive and cheap wine

An expensive wine may well have a full body, a delicate nose and good legs, but the odds are your brain will never know.

A survey of hundreds of drinkers found that on average people could tell good wine from plonk no more often than if they had simply guessed.

In the blind taste test, 578 people commented on a variety of red and white wines ranging from a £3.49 bottle of Claret to a £29.99 bottle of champagne. The researchers categorised inexpensive wines as costing £5 and less, while expensive bottles were £10 and more.

The study found that people correctly distinguished between cheap and expensive white wines only 53% of the time, and only 47% of the time for red wines. The overall result suggests a 50:50 chance of identifying a wine as expensive or cheap based on taste alone – the same odds as flipping a coin.

Richard Wiseman, a psychologist at Hertfordshire University, conducted the survey at the Edinburgh International Science Festival.

'People just could not tell the difference between cheap and expensive wine,' he said. 'When you know the answer, you fool yourself into thinking you would be able to tell the difference, but most people simply can't.'

All of the drinkers who took part in the survey were attending the science festival, but Wiseman claims the group was unlikely to be any worse at wine tasting than a cross-section of the general public.

'The real surprise is that the more expensive wines were double or three times the price of the cheaper ones. Normally when a product is that much more expensive, you would expect to be able to tell the difference,' Wiseman said.

People scored best when deciding between two bottles of Pinot Grigio, with 59% correctly deciding which was which. The Claret, which cost either £3.49 or £15.99, fooled most people with only 39% correctly identifying which they had tasted.

In 2008, a study led by Adrian North, a psychologist at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, claimed that music helped boost the flavour of certain wines. North, who was commissioned by a Chilean winemaker, reported that Cabernet Sauvignon was most affected by 'powerful and heavy' music, while Chardonnay benefited from 'zingy and refreshing' sounds.

• Psychology
• Food science
• Wine
• Food & drink

Ian Sample

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Casa de mi Padre trailer

Not my standard blog of fare but to be true, I think this movie will do comedy a service. Enjoy.

Wetherspoon founder ramps up expansion plans

Wetherspoon founder ramps up expansion plans: "

Despite that, he still feels Wetherspoon can navigate its way through the challenges facing the industry by continuing to focus on customer service and competitive pricing and believes the company's expansion plans should not be affected. ... See all stories on this topic »

Reuters UK

"

Llanrwst welcomes Tesco (?)

http://www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

  

Heron's Reach, Blackpool

Stayed here two nights and shot a round of golf.  Really nice.  Couldn't walk past a member of staff without hearing a polite greeting.  Nice job Heron's Reach.

Heron's Reach (Linford Romance Library (Large Print))

Expedia, TripAdvisor Plan to Split into Two Companies

Expedia, TripAdvisor Plan to Split into Two Companies: ""

Hard-up Britons planning holiday cutbacks

Hard-up Britons planning holiday cutbacks: "... but as many as 45 per cent are planning a British beach break, with Devon, Brighton and Blackpool being the top spots. Two in three of those polled said they would be demanding better customer service and better value for money this year, ...
See all stories on this topic »"


 

Middle Britons to forgo holiday abroad

Middle Britons to forgo holiday abroad: "

It found that 68% of middle Britons will demand better customer service and value for money while on holiday from now on. Nigel Wilson, managing director of Experian Marketing Information Services, UK & Ireland, said: "Our latest analysis sends a clear ... See all stories on this topic »

The Guardian

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Bad restaurant service results in eat-and-run, finds survey

Bad restaurant <b>service</b> results in eat-and-run, finds survey: "

The reason most frequently cited for restaurant runaways was poor customer service, with 39 per cent of consumers blaming waiting staff for not returning to take payment, 26 per cent saying they were dissatisfied with their food, and 2 per cent ... See all stories on this topic »

BigHospitality.co.uk

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The Online Travel Agency Conundrum

The Online Travel Agency Conundrum: "The Online Travel Agency Conundrum"

North Wales libraries and museums get grants boost - Topix

North Wales libraries and museums get grants boost - Topix

Expedia, TripAdvisor Plan to Split into Two Companies

Expedia, TripAdvisor Plan to Split into Two Companies: "

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