Evaluation of Aphrodite Greek Restaurant in Greater London

Design And Facilities

Evaluation of Aphrodite Greek Restaurant in Greater London

2010-01-01

 

REPORT

Table of Contents

1.     Table of Contents                                                                                                                     

2.              Introduction.                                                                                                                              

3.              Evaluation of Facilities in Aphrodite Restaurant,

      London and Systems Supporting These Facilities.                                                                               

4.               Research on the Monitoring and Documentation of CCTV

        and Security Systems.                                                                                                                                              

5.               Re-evaluation of the Aphrodite Restaurant Concept Board                                 

        with Solutions and Time-frame.                                                                                             

6.              Conclusion and Recommendations.                                                                                  

                                                                                                        

2.   Introduction

      The Aphrodite Greek Restaurant has only recently opened in London, in place of the erstwhile French Restaurant, Le Pont de la Tour. Located in the famous Butlers Wharf Building on the South Bank of the Thames River, it overlooks one of England’s historical landmarks, the renowned “Tower Bridge” (www.towerbridge.org.uk).  Featuring a wide variety of succulent Greek food and drink, the moderately-priced restaurant comes recommended as a gourmet’s delight, particularly for those who relish Greek food.

3.  Evaluation of Facilities in Aphrodite Restaurant and Systems Supporting these Facilities

         Facilities:

         Entrance to the Aphrodite Restaurant is through a pair of eye-catching Corinthian columns. A deferential Maitre d’ guides the customer to a table or the Bar, either directly or through the adjacent cloakroom. The front half of the cloakroom is divided into two by a lit-up wall, which has the figurines of the twelve Greek Gods in bas relief, six on each face. Entrance from there into the restaurant is through a red-curtained doorway or into the bar through a blue-curtained doorway.  

        Food is served both indoors and on the terrace, weather permitting. The terrace features Doric columns and a fountain around a statue of Aphrodite, “the Greek goddess of Love, Beauty and Eternal Youth” (www.greek-gods.info), epitomising the Restaurant complex. The new tables and chairs have an elegant marble look about them. Crisp Greek linen is used, with embossed Grecian urns as a motif.

          The walls feature discreet Hellenic art. The non-slip floor is dark brown wood that pales inwards into cream-coloured marble. The Centre-piece is a Harp which provides mellifluous live music, reminiscent of the Seas around Greece.  

       “’T is believ’d that this harp which I wake now for thee

         Was a siren of old who sung under the sea.” (Thomas Moore, 1810)

         The comprehensive Menu Card is elegantly designed with bold lettering; items and prices can be read easily. A separate barrel-shaped card provides the equally comprehensive Wine List. Lighting is automatically controlled to maintain a fixed luminosity.

          The main entrance to the bar is through two Ionic columns. Seating arrangement is good, both in the room and at the counter. The adjacent Lounge has plush seating, using Comfit sofa sets. Available wall space in both the bar and the lounge is decorated with quotations of famous Greek philosophers, like ‘Socrates, Plato and Diogenes,’ among others (www.livius.org). The piece-de-resistance of the bar is its aquarium. Set into four see-through recesses in the walls, the large water-bodies display half-body sized “Greek Gods and Goddesses of the Seas, Poseidon, Neptune (www.greek-gods.info), Phorcys and Amphitrite” (www.theoi.com).      

       The bar stocks many types of the traditional Greek drink, Ouzo, which has the strong aroma of aniseed. Though colourless, Ouzo turns milky white when ice or water is added. It can be served as an apêritif or with a meal, but it is “best had along with snacks known as mezedes” (Barret, n.d.).

         Systems Supporting These Facilities:

       The rear half of the restaurant houses the offices, the pantry, kitchen, refuse, wash and staff rooms and the CCTV control room. The pantry stores crockery and cutlery, kitchen utensils and all back-up kitchen and cookware. Upgraded ovens save a lot of energy, in keeping with current trend of global warming issues. The pot and dishwasher are in the electronically controlled steam washroom and use minimal energy. Glasses are stored on carousels, for easy access. Staff rooms are cosy and soundproofed, with separate male and female staff sections. Waste bins in the bar, washroom and kitchen are adequate. A special waste disposal team, equipped with gas masks, takes all waste to the refuse room which has different coloured bins for different recycling procedures. The bar is electronically monitored for alcohol consumption through the bills and integrates an efficient supply chain. A cellar is being built and will also serve as a wine shop later.

        Staff Training:               

        A large number of staff of the previous restaurant had to be re-trained along with Greek                      

       employees inducted from Greece. The procedure followed is listed below:

·         Daily training during the transition period, with Sundays off.

·         Importance of personal hygiene and own health.

·         Introduction to Greek culture and language; removal of any French accent.

·         Knowledge of Greek cuisine, menus and process of service.

·         Knowledge of Greek liquor and cocktails.

·         Practical tests every Saturday for all staff, with repeat training in observed weak areas.   

·         Security training, Fire safety training and evacuation procedure. 

·         Recognition of and procedure to defuse potential affrays.

·         Activation of Control Room alarms with prior intimation to other parties involved.

Research on the Monitoring and Documentation of CCTV and Security Systems         

       CCTV stands for Closed Circuit Television. Video surveillance cameras are popular and easily accessible to every kind of establishment. With terrorism and violent hijacking becoming more and more common, CCTV is now a must-have:

·       CCTV Monitoring Systems today provide a “new world of remote surveillance and security solutions that protect    people and property, reduce crime and improve crime detection” (www.video-surveillance-guide.com).  

·       With computers and easy communication, “remote access control and critical asset remote monitoring services are possible.” (www.hitechcctvmonitoring.com).

·       Surveillance video cameras give “added safety and security” (ibid). 

                 Types of cameras available: 

              A huge variety of video surveillance cameras are available in the market. Study and analysis of specific requirements and a survey provided the best options available. (Honovich, 2008)     

These included “covert or disguised surveillance cameras, wireless, wired and night vision or

poorly lit zones security cameras” (www.video-surveillance-guide.com).

             Since the CCTV was meant for a restaurant, specifications were simple. The camera needed to be of the “covert type” (www.cctvcore.co.uk). The primary aim is to ensure that:

1     -The clientele is screened to keep undesirable elements away.   

2     -Customers at the bar, lounge and dining areas are not misbehaving.

3     -There is no pilferage of any sort within the premises.

4     -Restaurant owners can monitor numerous sites from anywhere in the world with digital equipment and an Internet connection.

            Restaurants have invested in high-speed telecom lines to permit payment with credit/ debit cards. These lines can also be used for remote video surveillance. Cameras can observe food-handling techniques and employee skills to see if special training is needed and to identify and 

correct inefficiencies in store and kitchen layouts, while protecting owners from fraudulent accident claims . Two Sony CD6IR-2 cameras were purchased to match the Sony video recorder selected.                                                                                                                                                                                                      Video Recording Management System:                                     

        “Of the many types of video recording systems available, the most versatile is the Hybrid Digital Video Recorder (HDVR). The most advanced HDVR available in the market, the Sony SVR-2000, provides up to thirty hours of video recording” (www.epinions.com), and has been purchased and set up in the Control Room, which has a push-button alarm to a private security agency in the same building, as well as telephonic and radio contact with the nearest Police Station for immediate assistance if required. Recorded videotapes are stored for one week before re-use.     

Re-evaluation of the Aphrodite Restaurant Concept Board                                    

        Based on the feedback received and personal observation, certain drawbacks have emerged that needed rectification, as listed below:

      A.   Waiters/waitresses are not fully conversant with the Greek language.  

1.      Most Greek barmen do not know how to mix certain British cocktails.

2.      The credit/debit card swiping machine should be portable, as some customers

       are wary of their card details being pilfered.

3.       There is no sink in the bar.

4.       An attendant should be present in the cloak room. 

5.       Table layout in the dining room needs review.

6.      The restaurant has no website.

Solutions and Time-frame:

·         Items 1 and 2 were seen as teething problems. It was decided to step up the intensity of training sessions.

·                          Items 3 and 5 have been resolved satisfactorily.

·               Government rules specify that a hand sink must be available in a commercial bar  (Johnson, 2007). This mandate has been met.· Studies show that fifty percent of customers come to restaurants as pairs, thirty percent alone while twenty percent usually come in groups (McRea, 2009). A relook and discussion has been planned for Saturday. The website will be up and working by next Monday. 

        Conclusion and Recommendations:

               The start-up of the Greek Restaurant, Aphrodite, has gone off well and its progress is most satisfying. The interior is almost exactly as envisioned and costs have been kept within the budget. The CCTV has worked perfectly. There are a few teething problems, but these are to be expected of any new enterprise.

               It is recommended that renewed effort be put in on the training aspect, to get employees up to par. It is also recommended that a monthly brainstorming session be considered for discussion at the next meeting. A discussion on table layout has already been scheduled and the layout on the terrace may be reviewed simultaneously. The website will need publicity and it is recommended that all means of enhancing website publicity be explored urgently.