RICHARD WILLIAMS TALKS ABOUT SANDY LANE

THE HOTEL: It is a very special place. Barbados as a destination is easy to reach so people can decide on a
whim to come here to relax. People have so little leisure time now. We also have a huge advantage because of its
location on easily the best beach surrounded by elegant private homes in an elegant private estate. The hotel
owns 400 acres but has only 120 rooms so it never seems busy even when we are full.
STAFF: We have just under four staff, about 3.8 to every guest room, which is a nice ration because it allows us
to be very attentive. About 25% of our training budget goes on technical skills as the rest is on attitude and
motivation. We send staff overseas to work in hotels such as Savoy in London and their staff come here so they
are always learning. But what impresses me is the friendliness of the staff. Where else does a maid come in on
her day off to bring fruit from her garden for a guest who does not feel well?
RATES: We think our rates are good value. In the summer the rates are lower which we think is very good
value for money because you get exactly the same service and facilities as in winter. We also consider families
very important and have just built a children’s village in the grounds and offer adjoining rooms for $100,
complete with soft drinks and cookies instead of minibar. Our dominant market is still couples aged forty or
over.
GUESTS: Our dress code sometimes causes problems because we will refuse entry to dinner if someone is not
smart enough. Sometimes celebrities will try to bend the rules which is a shame because other guests don’t like it
if exceptions are made.
ONE WISH FOR THE INDUSTRY: That we could get over the problem of seasonality. I wish I could
somehow get across the message that the Caribbean is a beautiful place in the summer.

QUESTIONS
1. High season in Barbados is:
A. in summer
B. in winter
C. all the year round
2. The staff at Sandy Lane are:
A. 480 people
B. about four people per guest
C. less than 480 people
3. The main clientele of the hotel are:
A. families with children
B. middle-aged couples
C. corporate clients
4. You cannot have dinner at the restaurant unless you are:
A. a celebrity
B. a resident of the hotel
C. in formal dress
5. Management is trying to attract families with children by
A. offering discounts for children
B. introducing new children’s amenities
C. offering “happy meal” menus

READING COMPREHENSION 3
CORINNE LESLIE’S FOOD TALK
Britain’s liveliest food columnist finds out the truth.

Is it really true what they say about the food in Britain?

 The vegetables are always too soggy.
 There are not enough restaurants where you can eat well, cheaply and take the children.
 They put too many things on the plate at the same time.
 There is too much salt in everything.
 There are too few places where you can eat after midnight.

Well, those are some of the things they say, but now take a look at this guide to restaurants in a suburb of
London and see for yourself if the criticisms are justified.
LA TRATTORIA
Cheerful and friendly south Italian style restaurant. Mama Peroni serves while Papa makes delicious home-made
pasta in the kitchen. Children welcome but you must book. Take your own wine. Open Sundays.
LEGS DIAMOND
Take a trip down memory lane to the gangster days in the city of Chicago. It’s trendy (with a disco at weekends)
but you can take the kids. Best hamburgers in town served by a brisk and friendly young staff dressed up as
gangsters and their girlfriends. Go and enjoy the fun. Closed Mondays.
LES TROIS FRERES
Eating is a serious business in this very smart and very expensive French restaurant. A lunchtime favourite for
businessmen with expense accounts, but even for the average pocket, it’s worth living on bread and cheese for a
week just to taste the delicious food.
LITTLE AGORA
A little bit of the Athens plaka in the midst of a suburb in London. Try the stuffed vine leaves, sip the retsina,
close your eyes and you could be in Greece. Open after midnight so it’s ideal if you want to eat after a show.
Closed Sundays and Mondays. Unlicensed so take your own retsina.

QUESTIONS
1. Which criticisms of food in Britain, mentioned above, is not discussed by Corinne?
A. the quality of food
B. admittance of children
C. the number of things on the plate
2. Service at Legs Diamond is:
A. sophisticated
B. quick
C. old-fashioned
3. Which statement is true of La Trattoria:
A. it serves fast food
B. it operates on first come, first served basis
C. it is not licensed
4. People go to the Les Trois Freres to
A. do serious business
B. to enjoy lunch on a company account
C. to try the delicious bread and cheese
5. Which restaurant could a family on budget go to on Monday night
A. the Italian one
B. the American one
C. the Greek one

FOOD FOR FESTIVALS

Food plays an important part in British festivals. The 1)….…… festival of the year in Britain is
Christmas, 25th December. Only the Scots may 2)………. agree. For them, Hogmany, or New Year’s Eve on
31st December is 3)………. important. In fact, the Christmas and New Year festivals have become one long 4)
………. in Britain. Most people stop work on 24 th December, Christmas Eve. Christmas Day and Boxing Day,
26th December are 5)……… holidays, then New Year’s Day, 1st January, is a holiday, too. Christmas is really a
religious 6)……… but people in Britain have celebrated a midwinter festival 7)…..…. long before Christianity
came 8)….…. this country. Then, as now, people 9)……… their houses with evergreen leaves and hoped that
life 10).……. begin again in the spring.
Cooking for Christmas begins in 11)….…. October or early November. At that time housewives make
their Christmas cake. These taste 12)..…… if they are made a month 13)…..… two before they are eaten.
Christmas dinner is the most important 14)……… of the year. Some families eat Christmas dinner at
one or two o’clock in the afternoon, 15)...….. eat it in the evening. The menu is usually roast turkey, with
chestnut 16)..……. , roast potatoes, brussels 17)…….., bread sauce, bacon rolls and gravy. In the past most
families had roast goose, but 18)..….... turkey is more popular. There is more meat and 19)…..…. fat on a turkey
than on a goose. However, children still sing a song 20)………. a goose before Christmas.

holiday late or biggest others

sprouts will less the better
to festival would in since
more meal public about day
today not stuffing decorated for

BRITISH EATING HABITS

A 1)…….… survey made in several British towns suggested that old ideas about British eating habits will have
to 2)……… revised. An analysis shows that the British prefer soup and melon 3)……… shell fish and pate as a
4)……… course; they like peas and brussels sprouts with 5)……… meat, while positively disliking cabbage;
and they 6)……… finishing the meal with fruit salad or with pies or tarts. Slightly more 7)……… they will have
wine, beer or cider with the meal and 8)……… finish with coffee rather 9)……… tea. For the main course, meat
is easily the most popular with poultry second and mixed grill 10)………. .
On average, when they eat 11)..…… , the British spend a quarter of what a manual worker earns 12)……… day.
Britons are much 13)……… conservative in their choice of food than they 14)……… in the past. This will not
surprise anyone who has noticed the mushroom growth of new stores where continental foods are 15)………
Good cooking is the main consideration in choosing a restaurant, but of course the choice is 16)………. to places
in the neighbourhood. Yet, 17)……..…. people have visited a Chinese restaurant at 18)……… once. Of those
who answered the questionnaire, 8% 19)…..… eaten in Indian restaurants, 5% had eaten in Italian and French
restaurants, and a further 1% had eaten in the German 20)…..… .

be to enjoy out less

third least have most then
very their much recent a
sold first often were style
had than limited will wide

A LETTER OF COMPLAINT

Dear Sir,
I am 1) ……… to complain about the appalling standard of 2)……… I received yesterday at the
Heritage Museum coffee shop.
On entering the self-service restaurant at 3 o’clock, my friend and I had 3)……… in a very long line. We had to
reject two trays before 4)……… a clean one. Once at the counter, we found most of the food had 5)………
except for three sandwiches. There was 6) ………..to serve us – a girl rushed up only when a man started to
help 7)……… to soup. The girl obviously had no training, she knew 8)……… what the soup was made of, nor
whether there were any more sandwiches 9)……… . Ten minutes 10)……… she appeared with a big cardboard
box and 11)………some sandwich packets on the counter.
The two girls at the drinks corner were also 12)……… and sloppy. I had a ten-minute wait for a coffee
half 13)……… across my tray and there was a further 14)……… for the one cash still in operation.
 I was disgusted to find the 15)……… covered with dry blobs of food and grease. The table we occupied
16)……… dirty and finally the soup I 17)……….. was greasy, heavy and 18)……… . I regret to say that I was
sick in the museum toilets afterwards.
I am a 19)……… visitor and I expect I will receive a letter indicating what measure you intend 20)
……… to improve the level of service.

Yours faithfully,
Mira Shapur

wait writing eaten over-spiced bought

neither threw the found was
himself no one service spilled after
finding cutlery gone slow to take
more later available to stand regular

БРИТАНСКИТЕ НАВИЦИ ЗА ХРАНЕНЕ

Има много различни зеленчуци във Великобритания и различни начини за приготвянето им. Но
задължително основното ястие се сервира с гарнитура от поне два различни зеленчука. Картофите са
най-често използвани, печени, варени, на пюре с масло и мляко или пържени на чипс. Някои хора смятат,
че ядене без картофи не върви.
Има три златни правила за приготвяне на зеленчуци. Първо, зелените зеленчуци се слагат във
вряща вода, а морковите и други кореноплодни зеленчуци във студена. Второ, не преварявайте
зеленчуците. Те ще загубят вкуса и аромата си. Трябва да бъдат крехки, а не меки. Трето, винаги
подсушавайте зеленчуците, след като ги сварите; няма нещо по-лошо от преварени, подгизнали във вода
зеленчуци. Ако е необходимо, върнете сготвените зеленчуци отново в тенджерата на слаб огън.
Английските гости ще оценят качествата на вашата кухня, ако отговаря на техните представи за
добра храна.

ХОТЕЛ АСТРОН

Посетихме хотела за пръв път през юли 1991 г., но решихме да не включваме хотела в
рекламната брошура на курорта. Имаше няколко причини: Стандартът на обслужване не беше
достатъчно добър. Стаите и другите съоръжения се нуждаеха от ремонт.
Обаче много се е променило оттогава. Хотелът има ново ръководство. Ремонтирали са и
подновили всички стаи, ресторантът е много по- удобен и привлекателен. Построили са и нов открит
басейн и детска площадка. Започнали са строеж на нова пристройка, която ще е готова до април
следващата година. Така броят на стаите ще се увеличи на 200.
 Ресторантът печели по-добра репутация. Новият главен готвач работи от три месеца, но вече е
съставил ново меню с разнообразна кухня. Снощи вечеряхме в ресторанта и останахме много доволни от
нивото на обслужване и отличната храна.
Непременно ще препоръчаме хотела на всички туристи, които записват почивки чрез нашата
агенция.