DRAM
289 DRAM MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2014 ISSN 1470-241X
DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING
COUNTDOWN TO THE RYDER CUP • SCOTT CLARK INTERVIEW • DESIGN FOCUS
RARE MOMENTS CALL FOR RARE WHISKY THE BLUE LABEL RYDER CUP LIMITED EDITION
The JOHNNIE WALKER and BLUE LABEL words, the Striding Figure Device and associated logos are trade marks. © John Walker & Sons 2014.
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DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING
WELCOME
W
e waved goodbye to the Commonwealth Games last month and in this issue we talk to licensees and restaurateurs from around Glasgow to see what impact it had on their business. I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it. The buzz in Glasgow was fantastic. It makes me wonder why we don’t have a Festival of Glasgow every year. If Edinburgh can do it, why can’t we? Our licensee interview is with Scott Clark of Clarks on Lindsay Street in Dundee. Jamie Allan caught up with him in his Dundee pub to find out more about the man himself. Jamie has also been busy visiting new venues including Cask and Still, Enzo and Charwood in Edinburgh, and a pub that he is very familiar with, the Ubiquitous Chip in Glasgow. See our design section. This issue we have a rum feature and a people’s feature - we asked various folk what was their last drink and what is their favourite tipple. There might be a few surprises there! Susan Young Editor susan@mediaworldltd.com
CONTENTS
September
2014
FEATURES
15 19 24 27 31
RUM REBELLION
Rum is as popular as ever but it’s focus has changed. The DRAM reports.
GOING FOR GOLD
Commonwealth Games round up.
licensee interview
Jamie Allan chats to Scott Clark of Clarks on Lindsay Street, Dundee.
DRINK OF CHOICE
What was your last drink?
DESIGN FOCUS
Charwood, Cask & Still, Enzo, Edinburgh and Ubiquitous Chip, Glasgow.
REGULARS
04 09 43
NEWS
All the news on pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels.
BRAND NEWS
All the latest brand news.
Sue Says
Straight talking from our very own Editor. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 3
Saltoun Inn opens in Fraserburgh
JD Wetherspoon has moved into Fraserburgh with the opening of the Saltoun Inn last month. The company has invested £2.4m in the Inn, formerly The Saltoun Arms, which is managed by Donna Rafferty, who used to manage the Granity City pub at Aberdeen Airport. The new-look pub and hotel is set on four floors, with one ground floor bar, a beer garden to the rear of the premises. The hotel has 11 bedrooms, including one disabled (twin), two family, two twin and six double rooms with the rooms and hallways featuring artwork by students from the nearby Fraserburgh Academy and Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen. The bar itself will specialise in real ales, serving a wide range of beers, including those from local and regional brewers.
Boatique hotel beside Britannia The owners of the Royal Yacht Britannia have revealed that they have bought a former lighthouse boat, the MV Windsor Castle, and plan to spend £1m converting it into a luxury floating boatique hotel with 25 bedrooms. The hotel, which will be permanently berthed next to Britannia, is due to be completed by Spring 2016, with the conversion taking place at Leith. Launched in August 1963, she was the last ship built by the Blythswood Shipbuilding Company in Glasgow, and was previously the Northern Lighthouse Board’s (NLB) tender Fingal. She was Leith registered but spent most of her NLB service working out of Oban for 30 years, followed by her
last six years, based in Stromness, Orkney. The vessel was sold by the NLB in 2000 to Tamahine Shipping and has been maintained to the highest standards ever since, at her berth on the River Fal in Cornwall. Britannia’s Chief Executive Bob Downie said, “After many years of searching for the right ship, we are delighted that we have been able to acquire this iconic vessel and look forward to opening Scotland’s first boatique hotel. As a youngster growing up in Oban, I have very fond memories of seeing the Fingal and I am delighted that the long-term future of another much loved classic vessel has been secured.”
Have you heard? St Andrews Fairmont Hotel has been bought by Kennedy Wilson Europe who paid £32.4 million for the 209-room hotel and resort. The hotel, which is operated by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts under a management agreement running until 2031 was previously owned by privately-owned SABD Holding. Kennedy Wilson also bought Dublin’s Portmarnock Hotel earlier in the summer.
Living Ventures expands in Glasgow Living Ventures, the group owned by Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts, has secured its first site in Glasgow for its Gusto brand. It has acquired a building at 14 Bothwell St. Living Ventures completed a management buy-out of Gusto earlier this year and expects to add to the group with four opening over the next 12 months. Another one of the Living Ventures companies, New World Trading Company, is also planning on opening a new bar called, The Botanist, in Glasgow 4 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014
in the near future. Although the paperwork has not yet been completed, it’s thought to be in the former Pesto premises on St Vincent Street. The group already has four other Botanist bars at Alderley Edge, Chester, Leeds and Manchester’s Deangate. The latest one to open in Deangate features giant antique pot chandeliers, cabinets filled with horticultural bits and bobs and an aged vine walkway.
NEWS
www.dramscotland.co.uk
Steakhouse opens at Hotel Indigo
Marco Pierre White has opened his first Steakhouse Bar & Grill in Scotland in Glasgow city centre at Hotel Indigo, Waterloo Street. The new restaurant is situated on the ground floor of the hotel. Says Marco Pierre White, “I’m delighted to bring the first Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill in Scotland to Glasgow and am confident that it will become a destination for diners to return to again and again.” He continues, “The Steakhouse concept is all about giving people a setting in which they can enjoy good food at affordable prices. The idea is to make eating out in lovely restaurants accessible to all; which is why we cater for different budgets, ranging from a very reasonably setpriced menu up to our delicious steaks.” Denis MacCann, General Manager of Hotel Indigo and CoChair of the Greater Glasgow Hotels Association (GGHA), said, “We’re thrilled to introduce Marco Pierre White’s unique brand of affordable glamour to Glasgow’s buzzing dining scene. Excitement about the restaurant has been mounting in the weeks leading up to our opening and bookings have already far exceeded our most optimistic projections.”
Comedy club, The Gilded Balloon has joined up with the Drygate Brewing Company to launch its club in Glasgow. The comedy club, now in its 30th year, revealed the news last month. Says artistic director Karen Koren, “It’s been 20 years since Gilded Balloon had a regular venue to present comedy in Glasgow and we’re really excited to be joining up with Drygate and The Vintage.” She continued, “Drygate is the ideal environment where audiences will be able to experience first class comedy, food and craft beer all under one roof. We’re looking forward to a long association with Drygate and bringing regular comedy back to the west coast.” Darren Blackburn, Director of The Vintage at Drygate comments, “When Drygate opened its doors in May, The Vintage craft beer kitchen and bar jumped at the opportunity to expand west from our founding restaurant in Leith, Edinburgh. The Gilded Balloon expansion continues this theme of collaboration, expansion and talent finding a home here at Drygate.” Karen Koren, will curate the line-up of popular comedic talent including Rob Rouse, Mark Nelson, Romesh Ranganthan and Felicity Ward with two three act shows running every Friday from 7.30pm – 9.30pm and from 10pm – 12am. Dinner and comedy packages will see The Vintage at Drygate as front of house hosts, serving a pre and post-show menu that includes beery mussels, rump steak and artisan cheese boards alongside a 200-strong bottle list.
n.b. bar & restaurant
The Gilded Balloon expands into the West
All aboard for Anchor Line launch Mario Gizzi and Tony Conetta are only weeks away from opening their most ambitious project to date, the new Anchor Line Bar and Grill on St Vincent Place, Glasgow. This is their first business venture to have a dedicated bar as well as a restaurant. Until now, all of their restaurants which include Di Maggio’s, Cafe Andaluz, Amarone and Barolo Grill, have concentrated on the food side of the business. The Anchor Line Bar and Grill has been named after the company that formerly occupied the A-listed building, Anchor Line cruise ships, which sailed between New York and Glasgow. The sympathetic refurbishment will obviously retain many of its original features due to its A-listed status, but it will also have a Prohibition-era interior theme. More next month.
Steak and Cherry to re-open Steak and Cherry, one of Glasgow’s late-night restaurants, had to close due to a fire back in 2011. Now it’s set to make a return. It is set to open later this month at 508 Sauchiehall Street, just over the road from its former premises. It will, however, open earlier than its previous incarnation and shut earlier too - with its operating hours being 8am to 1am.
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DRAM DRINKS
RETAILI NG
AND MA RKE
TING
289 DRAM MAGAZINE SEPTEMBE R 2014 ISSN 1470 -241X
NEWS ALL THE L ATEST NEWS
Cover story - Countdown to Ryder Cup There are only four weeks to The Ryder Cup, and Diageo is gearing up for one of the most significant and high profile events that the company has ever been involved with. Golf stars such as Masters Champion Bubba Watson and Rory McIlroy, are competing and no doubt many more golfing greats including Colin Montgomery will be at Gleneagles to see the spectacle from September 26-28th. However, The Ryder Cup is more than just a golf tournament; it is the third biggest televised sporting event in the world, reaching a global television audience of over half a billion people, and this is the first time it has been in Scotland in 41 years. Diageo is celebrating whisky and golf in their heartland through the Official Partnership of Johnnie Walker and The 2014 Ryder Cup, and the company also owns Gleneagles where the drama of The 2014 Ryder Cup will unfold over the PGA Centenary Course. To celebrate the occasion, one of Scotland’s most famous golfers, and Ryder Cup legend Colin Montgomerie joined forces with the luxury whisky brand to celebrate the return of The Ryder Cup to Scotland, and unveiled a rare Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Ryder Cup Limited Edition Scotch Whisky. Said Montgomerie, “Whisky and golf are two of Scotland’s greatest gifts to the world and what better way to celebrate them than with such a beautiful and unique Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ryder Cup Limited Edition. “This is a truly rare and unique Scotch whisky and everyone who loves whisky and golf will want to have a bottle of this Johnnie Walker limited edition in their drinks cabinet. I know that I certainly do.” Nick Temperley, Head of GB Diageo Reserve said, “There are no greater global icons of whisky and golf than Johnnie Walker and The Ryder Cup and we are delighted to be able to celebrate both in the year that The Ryder Cup returns to Scotland. “It is terrific to see The Ryder Cup coming back to Scotland and the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles is a wonderful stage on which to play the world’s greatest team golf event.” Each bottle of the Johnnie Walker Blue Label “Ryder Cup Limited Edition” is individually numbered. The distinctive design of both the packaging and the bottle depicts the unforgettable, classic view of the iconic Gleneagles Hotel.
Hi-Spirits team up with Tails Cocktails
Hi-Spirits is to distribute the Tails cocktail range following a reformulation, expansion and redesign for the premium premixed drinks brand. The entire Tails range has been reformulated and refreshed in collaboration with Bols of Amsterdam. The cocktails are now made with new, even higher quality liquids and ingredients, including Bols liqueurs. The new partnership will see Hi-Spirits distribute the Tails range in both the UK on-trade and off-trade from August 2014. At the same time, Tails is adding three new variants, including two super-premium stirring cocktails. The core single-serve 125ml shaking range now includes Mango Caipirinha, as well as the established Espresso Martini, Mai Tai, Cosmopolitan and Elderflower Collins varieties, all at 15% ABV; Espresso Martini and Cosmopolitan 15% ABV are also available in 500ml four-serve shaking packs. Dan Bolton, managing director of Hi-Spirits, said, “Cocktail sales are booming in the on-trade, and pre-mixed cocktails play an important role for operators, particularly on occasions where the time or skills needed to mix drinks from scratch isn’t available. The Tails range is, quite simply, the best quality pre-mixed cocktail range available and an important addition to our portfolio of premium brands.”
Greene King try to get locals onside It seems like Greene King are a step closer to opening a Hungry Horse restaurant and public house in Perth. The new venture, at the Broxden Business Park, has been touted by Perth and Kinross Council to many businesses over the years, but to no avail. Now it seems that the Council could sell the site, which is considered to be a prime Perth business location, to Greene King. The brewer and pub operator has sent out
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leaflets to locals saying they plan to “provide a new leisure and community facility for Broxden, while creating job opportunities for local people.” However it still may not be plain sailing. Said a spokesman for the council, “We are aware of the proposal and have had discussions with the agent. Until such time as we receive an application with supporting documents, we cannot give a firmer view on the acceptability or otherwise of the proposals.”
The Glenmorangie Company has reported an increase in annual profits to £15.3m, nearly a 17% rise for the period ending December 31. Sales rose almost 6% to £70.1m while profits increased to £16.4m from £14.3m the previous year. It also revealed that the value of its whisky stocks at the year end totalled £115m.
Morrison Bowmore has seen a rise in sales of 12% to £55.6m for the period to the December 31, 2013 and a rise in profits of 7% to £9.1m. The company re-stated its intention to concentrate its resources and investment on its brands: Bowmore, Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch and McClellands.
Maclay sees turnover rise but still posts a loss Maclay Group Plc has reported a pre-tax loss of £199,819 for the 16-months to February 1, 2014. The Alloa-based group, filed consolidated accounts with Companies House for a 16-month reporting period, which showed operating profits falling 15% to £604,616 against £718,302 for the 12-month 2012 financial year and a pre-tax loss for the 16-months compared with a pre-tax loss of £737,379 booked for the 2012 year. However turnover rose to £13.52m for the 16-month against £10.43m reported for 2012. Due to a change in the company’s accounting year, the records lodged cover 16 months to 31/01/14 making a year-onyear comparison difficult, especially given the seasonal nature of the business. Steve Mallon, Managing Director of Maclay Group commented, “During this period we embarked on a major investment programme spending over £1m to refurbish three key venues. This meant extended periods of closure for The Tullie Inn, Balloch, The Southsider in Edinburgh and the West Port Hotel, Linlithgow. As a result, sales at these venues were down in the short term, but since re-opening all three have exceeded our expectation. This year we will continue to invest in some of our other premises as well as in the development of our staff.” The group notes average profit per pub for the 16-months rose 6.2% against the prior year, with like for like sales up 1.3%. Maclay Group, now operates 26 pubs across Scotland and employs around 540 people. Looking ahead, the directors said the results for the 16-months were “satisfactory” in difficult market conditions, and they “expect growth in the foreseeable future”. Steve Mallon concludes, “Recent results, related to the start of summer and the Commonwealth Games activity, are very encouraging and we’re optimistic about the forthcoming Edinburgh Festivals and Ryder Cup events.”
Eden expands into distilling Eden Brewery boss Paul Miller is returning to one of his first loves, whisky, with the news that he is expanding his St Andrews brewery, after getting planning permission to build a new privately-funded distillery called Eden Mill. It will produce a new single malt supplemented by a range of gins that will use botanicals grown in St Andrews Botanic Gardens and surrounding parts of Fife including Sea Buckthorn and Rowan berries. Paul Miller the man behind the brewery and the new distillery, told DRAM, “It’s fantastic chaos here. We are still brewing, construction work is underway and we have tours going on too. But I have a passionate team and we are all pulling together.” He continues, “We will be producing eight barrels of whisky a week much of which will be maturing in our own wee quarter casks. Originally we thought that our
whisky business would mainly come from tourists, however many of our regular customers have already expressed a lot of interest in buying their own casks. Our blended malt will be matured and bottled here in barrels that I have selected with the help of some industry experts, and we have got some great barrels.” But the first spirit to be distilled will be gin. Says Paul, “We will be producing small batch gins and seasonal gins too, including one matured in whisky oak barrels.” The site will also host the ‘Gin Experience’ for visitors. Says Paul, “Our brewery tours are already very highly rated on Tripadvisor because we make them very personal, and with the Gin Experience we will have Gintime every day for visitors and we will showcase the World of Gin with some great Scottish Gins on offer. We really will be offering everything under one roof.”
Mackintosh takes the helm
Ewen Mackintosh takes the helm this month at Elgin-based business Gordon & MacPhail. Ewen, 46, succeeds MD Michael Urquhart, who is retiring. Ewen, Gordon & MacPhail’s Chief Operating Officer, has been with the company his entire working career, after graduating from St Andrews University. He was also part of the team that brought Benromach Distillery back to life following its purchase in 1993 and only this month the company opened two new warehouses at the distillery following the success of the brand across the world. The new warehouses, and the appointment of a third distiller last year, will allow the company to increase production at the distillery. The completion of the new warehouses almost doubles the storage capacity at Benromach from 8,000 to 15,000 casks. Gordon & MacPhail also revealed last month
that it had become the sole distributor of Gordon Castle Gin a new Scottish superpremium gin. Meanwhile both Ewen and Sales Director, Stephen Rankin have received accolades from within the whisky industry. Ewen became a Master of the Quaich and Stephen became a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers as did Michael Urquhart. Gordon & MacPhail was established in 1895 and is one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, exporting to more than 60 countries. It is still family owned.
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NEWS ALL THE L ATEST NEWS
Heavenly Trip Edinburgh bartender Michael Braun is packing for an all-expenses paid trip to the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, as Scotland’s winner of the Buffalo Trace ‘8 Steps to Heaven’ cocktail competition. Michael, who works at Panda and Sons in Edinburgh, saw off strong competition to take first prize in the contest, organised by Hi-Spirits, the UK distributor of Buffalo Trace Bourbon and judged with the help of our own Jamie Allan. Says Jamie, “There was large turn-out and a very high standard, but Michael managed to combine a quality drink with a fun, expert presentation which blew the judges away.”
A £60K report by Edinburgh City Council, if actioned, could see Edinburgh get its own version of London’s Convent Garden in the area around West Register Street, currently home to The Café Royal, Voodoo Rooms and the Guildford Arms. The Council believe the project will kick-start nearly £100m worth of investment which would see the creation of a garden beside New Register House and boutique shops and restaurants within the maze of lanes in the area. City economic leader Cllr Frank Ross is overseeing the project which includes liasing with five major landowners in the area, including the Bank of Scotland, RBS and the Scottish Government. The plan is to create a pedestrian area, and 40,000sq ft of retail units and 23,000sq ft of office space. The long-awaited scheme has been unlocked following the purchase of 42 St Andrew Square by development firm the Chris Stewart Group, who gave a similar treatment to Advocates Close in Edinburgh’s Old Town, creating, apartments, a bar and restaurant and retail units.
New restaurant for Finnieston Glasgow’s burgeoning Finnieston area is set to welcome a new restaurant with the September opening of The Scullery on Claremont Street. The Scullery is owned by Kathleen Sheridan, a former manager of the Ubiquitous Chip. Kathleen told DRAM, “Myself and my husband Scott Burgess bought the building in 2007 with a view to transforming it into a bar and restaurant, as Finnieston was in the process of re-inventing itself. Scott has operated his AV business from it since then, and we felt that now was the time to take the leap. “It will be a modern, European-style restaurant and diner serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food will be modern continental, focusing on small, tapas-style plates. It’ll go hand in hand with our drinks offering, which will feature quality wines, craft beers and cocktails.”
Mexican Mess It appears there is a bit of a Mexican wave going on when it comes to new restaurants. Glasgow’s Topalabamba kicked it off last month, while Edinburgh has seen the opening of Cha Cha Laca which is owned by Giorgio Crolla, who also runs Bar Napoli and Grand Cru, and Bar Napoli and Grand Cru. Back to Glasgow this time for the opening of Mess Cantina on Otago Street, formerly Skinny’s, which is owned by the Walker family who also have Mess Cantina on Glasgow’s Southside.
Campbell’s get green light for Belleisle Campbell Inns has now been given the green light to turn the former Belleisle mansion building in Ayr into an upmarket hotel complete with spa. John and Senga Campbell bought the mansion in June 2012, and have spent the last two years attempting to get permission from planners and Historic Scotland, who suggested that their plans, which included a controversial new extension, complete with pool, would ruin the historic building. Their plans however did get support from locals including ‘Friends of Belleisle’. John Campbell told DRAM, “It’s been a hard struggle but we have finally got there. We had a lot of hoops to jump through and we needed to persuade Historic Scotland of the things we needed to do to make it a viable business proposition. Since we started the process the project has grown and grown
and the Friends of Belleisle were very supportive.” John continues, “The new Belleisle Mansion Hotel & Spa, when completed, will feature 82 guest bedrooms and suites, its own state-of-the-art spa and 20m indoor swimming pool, we will offer a gym membership for locals, a ballroom with the capacity for up to 400 guests, as well as a conference facility for 200, and three restaurants.” The plans also include a new grand staircase, reception and lounge. John concludes, “We are currently in for building warrants and we hope to get them through September/October and get building work started in the Autumn. We are planning to open in Spring 2016 in time for the British Open at Royal Troon.” SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 9
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BRAND NEWS
ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS
Liqueur
British Limoncello now available
Demijohn, are now selling British Limoncello. It has since taken the owners, Angus and Francis Ferguson 10 years to find a British Limoncello that has the quality, freshness and wonderful taste that they first tasted in Italy. It is made by Hilary Blackford in Gloucestershire from vodka and Italian lemons, is a fresh British lemon liqueur which is best drunk really cold, ideally straight from the freezer. To celebrate its Scottish launch they have also created a cocktail, the Lemon Weegie. To make a Lemon Weegie, add 50ml of Limoncello Liqueur to 25ml of Demijohn’s handmade Elderflower Vinegar in a tall glass with plenty of ice. Squeeze in fresh lime and top up with Indian Tonic Water.
GREAT BALLS OF ICE! It used to be that you depended on bartenders to carve ice balls... but not any more. Ice Machine gurus Hoshizaki have come up with a machine that produces ice balls for you. The Hoshizaki IM-65NE-Q is a 26kg per day capacity machine with 17kgs of storage producing balls of ice rather than cubes and is the only machine of its type in the world. Now you know!
Rum
New Wild Geese Rum Collection Premium Irish whiskey makers, The Wild Geese, has expanded its portfolio to include a collection of crafted rums, The Wild Geese Rum Collection. Continuing its partnership with Marblehead, The Wild Geese have launched three new Caribbean rums, Golden Rum, Premium Rum, and Caribbean Spiced. Already the recipient of nine industry awards, all won within two months of each other, the rums are set to feature at the Boutique Bar Show in Edinburgh in October as part of the rums’ introduction to the Scottish on-trade. The Wild Geese Caribbean Rum Collection tells the story of the Irish exiles from Ireland in 1691, forced from their home to work in the Caribbean and Americas. Determined to win freedom, many escaped with wind under their sails, blazing a trail across the fierce oceans as liberators and pirates of the Caribbean.
Whisky
Gold Stars For Dark Island Reserve The Orkney Brewery’s speciality Dark Island Reserve ale has picked up three gold stars – the highest award possible – at this year’s Great Taste Awards. Each product entered into the competition is subjected to rigorous tasting by a panel of over 400 expert judges. Of the 10,000 entries received for this year’s event, only 153 have been awarded the top three-star classification and will now go on to be judged for a place in the Great Taste Top 50 foods, announced next month. This is the second time the multi-award winning Dark Island Reserve has been given a three-star classification in the Great Taste competition, cementing its position as one of the world’s finest ales. This time around it was one of only six beers entered and the sole Scottish three-star winner. Dark Island Reserve is available in 75cl bottles and a new 330ml version that’s proving extremely popular with fine food and drink lovers in the UK and overseas. Orkney Brewery’s Norman Sinclair says, “We’re really thrilled with this result for Dark Island Reserve.”
BENRIACH RELEASES BATCH 11 BenRiach has released the latest batch, its eleventh, of single cask bottlings. It comprises fourteen superb casks that were bottled in July and are all now available. Ranging from 9 to 37 years old, the much-anticipated release demonstrates a hugely eclectic range of expressions for which BenRiach is renowned, with astonishing variety across the fourteen casks. These include whiskies in the traditional, classic Speyside style, peated expressions and wood finishes such as Dark Rum, Tawny Port, Madeira, Virgin Oak, Pedro Ximenez Sherry and a Marsala wood finish. All fourteen casks have been hand-selected by BenRiach’s Managing Director and Master Distiller, Billy Walker, who described them as “absolutely special” and added, “Wood Management is one of the most important factors in ensuring excellence of quality during maturation. The most important factor is to use top-quality casks – Bourbon barrels, Hogsheads and ex-Wine Seasoned casks - and there is a role in the maturation process for all of these casks. Getting the wood right can be expensive but it’s one of the things I’m most proud of since we took over BenRiach.” The oldest, 1976 #529, at 44.2% vol, is Sherry Cask Matured and finished in a Bourbon barrel. Fresh crisp oak and cereal combine with sweet plum syrup, developing to an elegant, soft tropical fruit and toasted coconut finish. While the youngest, 2005 # 3781, at 58.7% vol, a Virgin American Oak Hogshead, offers floods of sweet peat reek in rich caramelised apple and pear, softening gently to dried apricot and desiccated coconut. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 11
BRAND NEWS
ALL THE L ATEST BRAND NEWS
Gin
Shetland Reel Gin launches
Shetland Reel Gin, the first product from The Shetland Distillery Company, launched last month. The distillery only opened last year on Unst in the supplies building of the former RAF Saxa Vord site. The business venture, a partnership between Scotch whisky industry specialist Stuart Nickerson, his wife Wilma and Saxa Vord owners Frank and Debbie Strang, will also, in the fullness of time, produce whisky. The Strangs have owned Saxa Vord for nine years and have turned it into a tourist resort with self-catering accommodation and a seasonal hostel, bar/restaurant. The new gin is made with botanicals including apple-mint, which is grown on Unst.
New gin from Dunnet Bay Distillers Dunnet Bay Distillers has just distilled its first gin, Rock Rose. Owners, Martin and Claire Murray, installed their copper pot still, called Elizabeth, and carried out some early trials, before producing the first batch of Rock Rose gin recently. The gin is made using locally derived botanicals, including the rock rose, from which the brand takes its name, sea buckthorn, rowan berries and blaeberries. The company plans to distil 700 bottles per batch, around 10,000 bottles each year.
Wine
Spanish wine added to Alliance portfolio Alliance Wine has announced that it has added artisanal Valencian producer, Celler del Roure, to its portfolio. Celler del Roure produces a range of wines focusing on quality indigenous Valencian grape varieties such as Mando (red) and Verdil (white). Garech Byrne, Spanish Buyer at Alliance Wine, comments, “We are really pleased to have Celler del Roure in our portfolio as these are truly delicious and interesting artisanal wines, made by great people. They offer something totally different from Spain and we are looking forward to introducing them to the UK market.”
Tequila The Art of Tequila Lochrin Young Wines & Spirits, a new Scottish drinks marketer and distributor founded by Phil Lochrin and David Young, is about to launch award-winning tequila brand Arta into the UK and Europe. Arta is an ultra-premium, smallbatch organic tequila produced by an 11th generation farmer and 3rd generation distiller, and presented in a bottle made from hand blown, recycled glass. The brand portfolio features a triple-distilled Silver, 11-month aged Reposado and an Anejo which is aged for a staggering 2 years before being custom blended in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. Arta Reposado recently won a double gold medal, as well as Best of Show prize at the 2014 WSWA Awards, making the brand a must try for those with a taste for premium drinks. Marketing Director David Young, who said, “At Lochrin Young our aim is to build a unique portfolio of superpremium brands that we can be proud of, and we’ve made a great start with Arta. The opportunity for this brand came about through connections in the US, and we’re very excited about its potential over here.”
Beer
Menabrea launches in Scotland Massimo’s in Glasgow was the venue for the launch of Italian brand Menabrea, which is now being distributed and marketed in the UK and Ireland following an exclusive distribution agreement with C&C Group. Franco Thedy, Managing Director of Menabrea, came to Glasgow to launch the beer which has been brewed in the Piedmont region of Italy since 1846. Menabrea is well known throughout Italy, especially in its northern heartland, but currently has minimal distribution in the UK and Ireland. A family owned business, employing 33 people, it is managed by the fifth generation of the Menabrea-Thedy family, headed up by Franco Thedy.
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CELEBRATORY PACKAGING FOR KRONENBOURG 1664 Heineken has launched special edition packaging to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the original Kronenbourg brewery. The limited edition packaging is available in the on-trade from now until December. The bottles have been updated to showcase the heritage and brewing expertise behind the brand. The limited edition, new-look features a colour split label of silver and the classic Kronenbourg 1664 blue, emblazoned with the text ‘Celebrating 350 years of brewing excellence’. The 350th anniversary will be supported by heavyweight consumer print and online advertising, traditional and digital PR including social media, limited edition glassware in selected on-trade outlets, an on-trade customer-facing below-the-line competition, consumer events, ‘Hero Farmers’ TV advertising featuring Eric Cantona and two shorter videos – ‘Nun’ and ‘Posterboy’ – have been launched this year online and will be available via video-ondemand and social media.
Rebellious spirit, bottled.
Imported, marketed, and distributed in the UK by Lochrin Young Wines & Spirits. t: +44 (0)800 471 4783 /ArtaTequilaEU
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RUM REBELLION rum has been very popular for the last few years, but is it maintaining its grasp on the market? Jamie Allan investigates.
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um is a versatile spirit lending itself to a broadness of appeal across age and gender. While white rums are light in flavour, making them a good substitute for vodka, golden rums mix well while still packing a punch, much like a good entry level bourbon. Meanwhile, the top-end premium rums can be enjoyed like a good whisky, neat or with ice. Research by Halewood International also indicates that consumers view rum as both a winter (63%) and a summer (54%) drink, ensuring the spirit’s yearround popularity, and the increase in rum brands across Scotland’s back bars is indicative of the spirit’s growth. Adam Murphy is the General Manager of Bos’n in Aberdeen, a newly-opened bar that specialises in rum and rum cocktails with 50 specialities behind the bar. While acknowledging rum’s status as a bartender’s favourite, Adam comments, “I think rum appeals to the public because it offers something different from the norm, people are really embracing its versatility and our rum cocktails outsell even beer. “We host rum and chocolate tastings every Wednesday, they heighten awareness of the category as a whole and show just how versatile rum is. Bartenders come to our bar quite a bit and sample the full range, but we’re very much about introducing the public to a drink they may not know much about. As a category it has grown a lot over the last few years, and the public are coming round to that.” Brand Manager for Brugal Rum Sarah Bell also highlighted the importance of on-trade staff in spreading the word about rum to their customers. She said, “I think bartenders tend to migrate towards rum because of the spirit’s heritage and authenticity. Its versatility in cocktails and mixed drinks helps too of course. Bartenders have really helped us grow the brand in the Scottish ontrade, they tend to be very knowledgable and are happy to recommend Brugal to their customers, being as it is the number one selling rum in the Caribbean.” Yet although golden rums have been embraced by bartenders and are currently enjoying an increased share of the rum category, Sarah believes that there is still some work to do on broadening consumers’ rum horizons. Says Sarah, “When working with consumers, a lot of what we focus on is education, not only on our brand but the rum category as a whole. We’ve just completed a sampling campaign in Glasgow and Edinburgh, going in to some of the best cocktail bars and allowing consumers to try Brugal. A lot of people have quite a narrow view of the category, and when they taste it they are often quite surprised. It’s about presenting the spirit in a new, more premium way to rum objectors.” One of Edinburgh’s hottest new spots for cocktails is Juniper on Princes Street, where they have opted for Brugal as the unofficial house rum of choice. Deputy Food and Beverage Manager Ifan Marasco told DRAM, “We’re not tied to pouring contracts at Juniper, and although we have Bacardi Superior to hand if a customer name calls it we prefer to leave the choice up to the bartender. Brugal is the
one we get through the most of, it’s really well-rounded and works brilliantly in cocktails and long drinks. Also, with so many premium, sipping rums available we’re seeing a real surge in interest amongst our customers, and we sell more neat rum than we do whisky.” It’s worth noting however that although high-end bars such as Juniper may be seeing an increase in consumers enjoying rum neat, 95% of consumers still drink the spirit with a mixer, with leading brands such as Havana Club and Bacardi predominantly enjoyed with a mix. Although on-trade volume continues to drop year by year, the white rum category still accounts for almost half of the market share, largely in part to the continuing popularity of Bacardi. Yet Bacardi aside, white rum sales continue to drop. Ian Sanderson is General Manager of the Tiki Bar in Glasgow and President of the Glasgow Rum Club, and he has witnessed a recent shift in focus away from white rums. He said, “ Brands are now moving away from their white rum variants and promoting gold rums as their house pour choice, primarily because of consumer-led trends. Bacardi aside, there’s no financial backing behind white rums, which makes it very difficult for bars to pour with them.” Distill has one of the biggest collections of rum in Glasgow with over 100 brands featured, and Assistant Manager Abi Clephane told DRAM that Angostura is their pouring rum of choice. She said, “Angostura is our house pour rum, and we have the full-range on the back bar. The brand really lends itself to the full spectrum of rum drinking, from mixing the Reserva and 5yr in long drinks and cocktails or enjoying the 1919 or 1824 variants as sipping drinks. The 1824 is a personal favourite, it makes a brilliant Treacle cocktail.” Dark rum remains an often overlooked component of the category. Negative stereotypes about dark rum are proving hard to shift, with the sub-category generally associated with older drinkers and men at sea. It remains heavily male biased, with 65% of dark rum drinkers being men. Understandably, brands are starting to fight back against this perception. James Wright, International Sales and Marketing Controller for Halewood, who distribute and promote Lamb’s Rum, comments, “Dark rum is in decline, but that has slowed. It’s seen as an older person’s drink, but people have a high recognition of the brand and are loyal to Lamb’s because of the heritage and provenance. It’s an exciting time for Lamb’s, and it’s nice to have a brand that people already know and trust.“ Another dark rum brand looking to shake up the image of the category is O.V.D. who, despite being the best selling dark rum in Scotland, are looking to challenge bartenders and consumers’ understanding of the brand. Last year they launched SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 15
RUM REBELLION a cocktail competition encouraging bartenders to re-imagine the category by utilising it in their original libations, in a bid to dispel some of the pre-conceived ideas people may have about the brand. OVD Brand Manager Paul Curry told DRAM, “Dark rum has a very distinctive taste profile and has traditionally been served neat or with a simple mixer. It has been marketed in the past as a traditional man’s drink. These factors have somewhat limited its appeal for today’s bartenders and drinkers, so we are now taking steps to encourage them to start to experiment with dark rum and discover just how mixable and versatile it can be. I see my job as starting to break down some of the pre-conceived notions about dark rum and begin expanding its appeal. O.V.D. has a strong and loyal following of enthusiasts who have been enjoying it for many years and know how good it is. It is now time to position it to attract its next generation of loyal drinkers.” In his role as Mixxit Manager, David Miles works with bartenders across the UK, and he believes that the increased quality of rum in recent years means that the spirit is more relevant than ever. Says David, “The huge growth in rum that we saw a few years ago may have slowed slightly, but it’s still extremely popular in the on-trade and there’s a lot of interesting stuff going on. While there’s no doubt that gin is experiencing a surge in interest I think it’s come at the expense of flavoured vodkas rather than rum.” Pointing to the maturation processes used in Scottish whiskies, David said, “Premium, higher-quality rums are very much the thing just now, with distillers learning important lesson from single malt whiskies. There’s now much more awareness of the importance of cask quality, and the ageing process is now much more rigorous than in the past. So many good bars now have premium, aged rums on their top shelves, to be lingered over and appreciated rather than mixed.” There is a new rum range on the market, The Wild Geese, who have added the rums to their portolio of Irish whiskies. Packaged with a distinctive skull logo on the label, The Wild Geese rums have Golden, Premium and Spiced variants, each having a number of industry accolades to their name. Tom Ma from Protege International, who distribute The Wild Geese, said, “Unlike our whisky, the range of Wild Geese rums have very little to do with Ireland, being blended from aged Caribbean rums. It’s a new brand obviously, so we’re still in the stages of introducing it to bartenders in Scotland. We’re in the same price range as Captain Morgan’s and Bacardi, which is great value for money given the quality of spirit.” Although one wouldn’t dispute the increase of interest in rums in city style and cocktail bars, I wondered whether more traditional venues displayed the same trends. Susan Munro of Tennent’s in Glasgow said, “We’ve noticed a lot more people recently buying spiced rum,
primarily Captain Morgan’s Spiced though we sell a small amount of Kraken too. It’s mainly women who are buying it, with the guy’s preferring Captain Morgan’s Dark.” It was a similar story at Edinburgh’s Haymarket, with Manager Derek Meechan observing the same trends. I asked whether the rebranding of Morgan’s Spiced to Captain Morgan’s Spiced had any effect on sales, but Derek said, “To be honest, I don’t think people noticed. They still ask for Morgan’s Spiced when they’re at the bar.” David Miles believes that spiced rum will be the next category to continue the trend towards premiumisation, saying, “Looking forward, I think we’ll see a development of better quality, premium spiced rums, with more actual spice rather than a simple addition of caramel.” Spiced rums sales continue to grow, with the category having always enjoyed more popularity in Scotland than the rest of the UK, perhaps because of our famously sweet tooth. With spiced rum now driving category growth, up 15.9% in value share, Lamb’s are now looking to make further inroads into the spiced rum market with increased brand activity of Lamb’s Spiced in the coming months. James Wright told DRAM, “Lamb’s Spiced works well in the on-trade because of its 30% ABV, as the duty saving helps drive profitability at the bar and consumer’s don’t appear to be put off by the lower strength.” One brand that has been a driving force in recent years in the spiced rum category is Kraken. Backed by a monstrous advertising campaign (no pun intended), which saw the eponymous sea-beast take to cinema screens this June in a 30 second clip costing in the region of six figures, Kraken have made a concerted effort to be at the forefront of the public’s consciousness. Scott McKenzie of Proximo Spirits said, “Kraken is performing outstandingly well, trade and consumers have a genuine love for the product and brand. We continue to support all sectors of the trade by using key branding opportunities such as murals, sampling, great advertising and POS. “We have been working with our wholesale partners and Old Jamaica ginger beer to promote the Kraken’s premium key serve – The Perfect Storm with ginger beer and fresh lime. Kraken is a versatile spirit, so we’ve been working with DRAM to promote Kraken as a versatile cocktail ingredient with the sponsorship of the Cocktail Bar of the Year. The point of difference always lies with the taste – once the bartenders fall in love with Kraken, this passion translates to customers.” One such bartender is Alisdair Shaw of Bath Street Palomino, who told DRAM, “Kraken’s a good quality product, which makes all the difference when it comes to recommending it to customers. For me it’s the best quality spiced rum to hit the market since the old Sailor Jerry, and people have really latched onto it. We sell roughly a case a week, which for a premium product is extremely good.” Kraken have enjoyed much more success in their advertising than one of the brand’s spiced rum competitors. Diageo’s Captain Morgan has twice been censured in recent months for its advertising campaigns. After the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) ruled that a TV advert for the spiced rum brand linked drinking with “daringness and toughness”, a Facebook post that showed the Captain Morgan mascot “declare war on mid-week boredom” was adjudged by the ASA to imply that drinking the spiced rum would alleviate boredom. Despite Captain Morgan’s issues with advertising both campaigns were clearly aimed at emphasising rum as a fun, accessible drink, and it’s these attributes that are perhaps responsible for the spirit’s enduring popularity with bartenders and younger drinkers. As Ifan from Juniper says, “Because rum was made purely for drinking rather than for medicinal purposes it’s always had a reputation as a party drink, which fits in nicely with the bartender ethos. It’s not a serious drink, it’s for sharing and having fun. Also, pirates drank it, which is obviously cool.”
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18 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014
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lthough figures detailing the financial impact of Games have yet to be released, the initial statistics made available by the Glasgow 2014 press office show the sheer volume of visitors that visited the city each day. Over 3.5m people passed through Central Station over the 11 days of the Games, with more than 1.2m tickets sold for Games’ events, not including the tens of thousands who lined the street to watch the marathon and cycling and a further half million who attended the live centre in Glasgow Green. City hotels are said to have tripled their trade from last year, and an estimated 100 tonnes of fruit and vegetables were ordered by Glasgow’s restaurants over the 11 days. As expected, the areas closest to the Games venues enjoyed great success, with bars and restaurants in and around the Merchant City reporting record trading figures. Perhaps most interestingly, despite concern in the lead-up to the Games that deliveries would be seriously impacted by road closures and increased demand, operators were generally positive about the service provided. DRAM visited Bar 91 on Candleriggs the day after the Closing Ceremony. The pub was still busy with Games tourists, and owner Michael Dickson was a tired, but happy man. He told us, “It was a hugely successful period for all of the Merchant City, and a record breaking time for us. We were about 70% up from the previous year over the two weeks, and it was undoubtedly the busiest we’ve been in our 20 years of operating. It took us a couple of days to adjust to the sheer volume of it all and find our feet, but we got there. “I can’t fault any of the organisers or our suppliers, everybody worked together to ensure that things ran smoothly. Logistically it was a success. The atmosphere was fantastic, and a real showcase for what the Merchant City can offer. Everything had a real family feel to it, though if I have one complaint it’s that we were unable to extend our children’s license beyond 8pm, which seemed a shame. The extended hours were a real boon to business though, even that extra half hour up to 12.30am made all the difference.” Heineken who secured the beer and cider supply for the Commonwealth Games did an excellent job of activising the sponsorship with on-trade outlets receiving outdoor furniture and other branded merchandise as well as training on pouring the perfect pint of Heineken prior to the Games. Certainly the brand had excellent visibility particularly in high Games traffic areas. John Gemmell, Trading Director North, Heineken Scotland, commented, “It was a pleasure to be involved as a partner to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. We set out with a vision to play a huge part in the celebration and enjoyment of the Games. Consumers were able to interact with the Heineken brand at all games venues across the city and the external events such as Glasgow Green and Merchant City Festival. We managed to work our way through almost a million PET bottles of Heineken. We also worked with 30 fantastic outlets across the city to provide permanent Heineken branding as a
way of building long term relationships with our customers and creating an On Trade legacy for the Games. We were also able to give some of our customers a once in a lifetime experience at a host of different events, using our own fleet of Heineken taxis. As a Glasgow boy I fought long and hard to make sure that we were involved, and looking back I am glad I did, as along with others it was an emotional but thoroughly enjoyable journey.” Ian Cumming, Commercial Director Inverarity-Morton, told DRAM that although deliveries over the period were challenging, his team rose to the occasion. He said, “Trade was fantastic during the Games, better than we thought it would be. We really didn’t know what to expect after the experience of London during the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games being a bit of an unknown quantity in terms of business uplift. However, Glasgow really embraced the event and the great weather added to the feel-good factor in the city. Many of the top bars were close to running out of product due to demand. “We always knew there would be restrictions and our customers were fantastic in working with us to accommodate all the delivery demands. As ever, there was the occasional emergency, almost always due to customers selling way more than anticipated, but our warehouse team and delivery guys handled these cases extremely well. We have been delighted with the result.” Another area of the city that enjoyed heightened levels of trade was Finnieston, with the area’s proximity to the SECC, Hydro and Kelvingrove bowling lawns bringing a constant stream of visitors and a boon to the hospitality trade. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 19
GOING FOR GOLD Elaine Scott of the Ben Nevis said, have thought the organisers “It was a great showcase for the would want to include the entirety city, and for us a chance to show of the city. There seems to be an visitors to Glasgow some traditional assumption that because Byres music, songs and whisky. Everyone Road is an affluent area then all really enjoyed it, and even the the businesses are thriving, and naesayers were won round in the therefore very little is done to help end. It brought a nice increase in them out.” business, we were about 75% up Yet even if the West End didn’t on last year.” enjoy the same increase in Yet once we spoke to licensees business as other areas of the further afield than the areas directly city, the extension of operating linked to the Games it became hours during the Games still apparent that not everybody afforded bars like Booly’s an extra “Trade was “The cycling enjoyed a substantial increase in hour of trading, something that fantastic business. Because of his pub’s Mark feels is worth investigating was probably during the proximity to Central Station, The for the future. Says Mark, “It’ll the busiest Pot Still owner Frank Murphy had be interesting to see whether Games, day that we hoped for a better return than the licensing board takes heed better than had because of materialised. He told DRAM, “It from the event and reviews the we thought it wasn’t quite the tourist-fest that we laws regarding operating times. the weather. ” would be.” expected, and while we were busier If it was a success and there Frank Murphy, The Pot Still Ian Cumming, Commercial we were only 5-10% up on what were no issues that arose from Director Inverarity Morton we would normally expect to take. I the extended hours then surely think a lot of people who otherwise it would be worth considering might have been in the city centre reviewing the laws if it’s safe and welcomed.” were sucked towards the events zones near Finnieston and the When DRAM contacted Glasgow Licensing Board regarding Merchant City. The overarching security had an impact too, as the present policy on operating hours, a spokesperson told people had to be at the venues much earlier than normal. Once us that while few problems had resulted from the extended inside, of course, they stayed there. trading hours it was unlikely that the Board was use the Games “The cycling was probably the busiest day that we had because as an opportunity to review the law. He said, “The board of the weather; people were in the pub to shelter recognised that the Commonwealth Games would from the rain, popped out to see the cyclists go be an event of local and national significance past, and then came back in for a drink.” and so used the discretion within the licensing It was a similar story in the West End. Mark legislation to offer the extra hour to all on-sale Tracey from Booly Mardy’s on Vinnicombe premises over the course of the event. Street told DRAM that although he appreciated “Standard opening hours for the city were set last how successful the Games had been and what year following a lengthy and detailed consultation they had meant to the city as a whole, he was with the widest possible range of stakeholders. disappointed that the West End wasn’t utilised “In the draft of the board’s licensing policy for more Games activities. statement for 2013-2016 there was an initial Says Mark, “As a whole the Games didn’t bring in proposal to extend opening hours. much business for us, only about 3% more than “But this proposal was rejected after a majority normal. The first week was great, but Booly’s of consultees, including many from the licensed is a good weather bar and we would have been trade, indicated they were not in favour of later “It was extremely busy regardless. As the Chairman opening.” of the Byres Road Trader’s Association, the DRAM spoke to a Community Safety Glasgow a great feedback I’ve had is that businesses around the Spokesman on the subject of public safety and showcase for area were quite disappointed with trade over the anti-social behaviour during the Games. He said, the city and Games period. “The whole thing went extremely well, there were for us” “I don’t understand why Kelvingrove Park and no hitches at our end. Lots of strategy planning Elaine Scott, the Ben Nevis the Botanic Gardens weren’t utilised more, or went into it and it paid off. It made it extremely why there was nothing on Byres Road, as I would difficult for people to behave anti-socially.
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“As part of the overall planning for the extended operating hours we had night zones operating every day instead of just weekends, and there were also street pastors out each night. That aside, it was business as usual, there was no increase in anti-social behaviour as a result of the late license, and I’ve heard no complaints from members of the public or Merchant City residents.” Inspector Duncan Evans of Greater Glasgow Division’s Licensing department was eager to praise those involved in the licensed trade for their help in creating a safe environment in the face of a large spike in visitors. He told DRAM, “Glasgow City Centre, and indeed the Greater Glasgow area, has never before seen the unprecedented numbers of visitors as during the Commonwealth Games. It was an opportunity to showcase Glasgow at its best, and the event was a huge success. I welcome the support that was given to Police Scotland during the Games by the licensed trade whose hard work no doubt contributed to an enjoyable and safe experience for all. “Due to the number of visitors, it was always going to be a
challenge for everyone involved, and I would like to thank the licensed trade for their support both in the months preceding as well as during the Games and I look forward to continuing to work with the licensed trade in Glasgow.”
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THE PEOPLE ‘MADE’ GLASGOW Ryan James, Chairman of Glasgow Restaurant Association and owner of Two Fat Ladies, wrote a piece on the Commonwealth Games for his fellow members of the GRA, but he is happy to share it with DRAM readers too. Here is what he had to say about the Commonwealth Games.
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didn’t get to any of the sporting events, as I thought we were going to be too busy to attend anything. I am sure that was the case in venues and units surrounding The Merchant City, Kelvingrove, Buchanan Street and some of Finnieston. However I think the bounce wasn’t felt throughout the city though, in terms of a massive uplift. Certainly that was the case for Two Fats, but then we are intentionally off pitch as part of our brand because I am a mentalist. It worked very well for our smallest unit on Dumbarton Road as the lawn bowls started to get exciting, week two was definitely better for Blythswood Street and The Buttery. Maybe my expectations were too high, thank god I don’t make my guys work to budgets. They all expected a second Christmas. That all being said both weeks were generally a lot better than we would have experienced during the Glasgow Fair, and miles ahead of what we would normally see during such an extraordinary extended spell of sunshine. Santa did come, though, but in an unexpected way. Sure I would rather have coined it in and laughed all the way to the bank on Monday morning and some of the members definitely did. But I think we have to drill down to what The Games were really all about, and the impact that it is going to have on our future business long term. Glasgow’s journey began with Glasgow’s Smiles Better and The Garden Festival in the late 80s, European City Of Culture 1990, European City of Architecture and Design in 1999, all of this positioning ourselves as a city with serious ambition and international acclaim. All of these projects gave us the legacy and assets to become the conference and tourist destination that we are now. The journey to 2014 began seven years ago when we won the bid. The work that started in the 80s was capitalised on year by year and was orchestrated to come to a crescendo over the two weeks of The Games. None of this happened by accident. Currently the regeneration of Anderson, The Old Gorbals, now called Laurieston, and of course Dalmarnock, are at present, underway and on their own, make sense for the population of the city but as a whole they are transforming No Mean City into one of the most vibrant and attractive contemporary back drops for a world wide audience. Our dear green place has never looked better and everyone I could see was fufilling the People Make Glasgow Brand; it’s not just a sound bite but the modus operandi of a confident, ambitious, welcoming and proud Urban European City that has scale and purpose. There is still so much work to do and The City Deal which has been awarded to Glasgow by both Westminster and Holyrood amounts to a total fund of £1.3 billion to continue to transform not only the skyline but the future of Glasweigans by creating major opportunities for major public and private sector investments and therefore sustainable jobs, cultural activity, a better use of the River Clyde as the heart blood of the city, new affordable housing for the influx of workers that we will require to satisfy the growth of all of the key sectors of our current success, and we are right at the heart of that action. Key areas that will experience a Finnieston type explosion that the Hydro created could be from Trongate to The Forge, including The Barras, London Road and Dalmarnock. In my opinion it is ripe for redevelopment next. Could that area be Glasgow’s Shoreditch? Definitely. Time to get in now. In a recent piece of North American research into the key drivers to encourage both visits to and the regeneration of challenged districts into blossoming communities says it begins with coffee shops, restaurants and an embryonic
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night economy. A few years ago I spoke at a GRA event and flippantly suggested that Finnieston was the place to get a pitch and a position before the prices rocket and over provision became an issue, I didn’t realise how right I was. Currently to add to the already bustling area I recently counted three new licensed units currently under refurbishment because as yet supply doesn’t equal demand, but it will soon. Dennistoun is already showing signs of becoming a prime future location. The development on both sides of the Clyde; in the north towards Scotstoun, in the south east Laurieston, and the south west Govan, location of Glasgow Film City, The Science Centre and so close to BBC Scotland, STV and directly opposite the SECC campus are four top tips for the next growth areas, though it won’t happen overnight. The Commonwealth bounce will create an influx of visitors who will now see Glasgow as one of the must do European Cities. What has driven many of us to visit Amsterdam, Lisbon, Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Berlin, etcetera; the collateral and images that are created by world wide media attention. The availability of discount air travel has made it possible to create the critical mass of tourism that they have enjoyed. We are heading for the most exciting decade that Glasgow will have experienced in our generation. The foundations have been laid and we all have a chance to be on the ground floor and be part of the discussion. Glasgow is an Economic Power House with an economy at last based on a large cross section of sectors. No more the heavy industrial city dependant on manufacturing, our post industrial city has been created by a triple helix of cooperation between the public, private and educational sectors positioning us as a cultural, educational, life sciences, renewable energy, financial services and, for us, most importantly a tourist destination of choice. The Commonwealth Games will be the real game changer for us all. Manchester had a great bounce after their hosting of the Common Wealth Games. We are set to trounce it. Their formal evaluation says they received an extra 300,000 tourist visits creating an estimated £20,000,000 for the local economy in the first two years of their legacy programme. The Glasgow Chamber of commerce hosted Baroness Ford and Dame Tessa Jowell during The Games to lead those present through the legacy lessons of The London Olympics. They also acknowledged that the Glasgow and Scottish Legacy work is well thought through, strategic and being delivered systematically. The future gains are like a row of plastic ducks and they are all being grasped by the City Fathers on our behalf. Witnessing the reaction of Glaswegians was the highlight of the Games for me. I have never seen as many smiling police and council workers, were they just actors in costume? No they got it because everyone else got it. The Clydesiders were amazing and had time for everyone. People who would normally be walking around just getting about their business were stopping to chat and I have never seen so many polite people, I thought Bearsden and Milngavie had held a coup! It was infectious. People do make Glasgow and it’s the people and what makes us tick that has been the revelation of The Games. That is what people will be coming here to experience. We are at the frontline of that message. Anyway enough of the Glasgow Zealot, I hope that I am preaching to the converted. People Make Futures... People Make Communities... People Make Glasgow.
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hree years since opening, Clarks on Lindsay Street in Dundee continues to go from strength to strength, and was recently awarded a Certificate of Commendation in the Tennent’s Quality Award category at the 2014 DRAM Awards. In the wake of this major industry recognition I was dispatched to Dundee to meet owner Scott Clark, and discover how he came to operate one of the city’s most successful venues. It was my first visit to Clarks on Lindsay Street, and as Scott showed me around the venue he explained his business’ ethos. He told me, “Our tagline is ‘The contemporary bar with traditional values’. The contemporary is the surroundings, the product and the music, while the traditional is the service, of being willing to really excel at something and be proud to put your name to it. Hospitality is the key thing, it overrides everything. It’s what differentiates ourselves from a larger pub co, the stamp of personality.” “I’ve been in the trade for over 20 years now, and like a lot of people I started out by accident. I’d worked part-time in bars before when I was a student, but I didn’t finish my degree and my friend Angus Robb offered me a full-time position in his venue, the Old Westport Bar in Dundee. It was a wee bar, but with a strong focus on live music and food. In a relatively short period of time I ended up running it, as Angus had taken on another site and entrusted me with the Westport.” Although it was Scott’s first management position he found that the role came easily to him. Says Scott, “Because it was a small venue I was involved in everything, and it was really there that I came to understand and appreciate the intricacies of the business. I took to it quite quickly, I thrive when I have to think on my feet and I loved the different levels of communication in the pub, from the banter with the customers to understanding how to effectively manage staff and engage with reps.” Scott worked at the Old Westport Bar for eight years, though by 2000 he began to contemplate moving on. Scott told me, “Eventually I began to think about my future. Although I loved my time at the Westport I was looking to move to a larger operation. At the time Maclay Inns were opening Mickey Coyle’s, and they offered me the General Manager position. It was quite a small bar too, and within two years Maclays were looking for a bigger premises, which they found with Braes. I moved there and managed the bar from 2003 until 2011, during which time I managed to double the venue’s turnover.” I asked Scott if the challenges of working in a venue the size of Braes led to him changing his management style. He said, “My adjustment to working in an operation like Braes came in steps, which made it much simpler. It was also my first experience of not being as hands-on as I had been in the past, and I learned to be able to stand back a bit from service and look at the bigger picture. When you’re in a larger bar the challenge is to keep your personality involved while trusting others to deliver your vision, which you can manage if you have developed a good relationship with your team. I really had a great time at Braes, Maclays were a great company to work for and I learned so much in my time there.” Yet as much as Scott relished his time at Maclay Inns, he had always harboured ambitions to go into business for himself. Says Scott, “I’d always toyed with the idea of owning my own bar, and it had gotten to the point where I was either going to do it now or leave it as a box forever unticked. I was aware that I wasn’t getting any younger, and I discussed the subject at length with my family and friends. Maclay Inns had offered me a position as an Area Manager, so I was really forced to decide which
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way my career was going to go. Ultimately, with the backing of those closest to me as well as my regular customers, I decided the time was right to open Clark’s on Lindsay Street.” It didn’t take long for Scott to find the right site. From there, it was just a matter of securing funding. “I had some savings”, Scott told me, “and I borrowed money privately from a friend to secure the lease on a closed bar on North Lindsay Street. I bought the lease from RLS, a private company, which was great for me; they weren’t tied to any particular brewer which allowed me to negotiate the best possible deal. Eventually I signed up with Tennent’s, who have been extremely supportive from day one.” I asked Scott about the bar’s name, and whether it was generally shortened to Clarks. Not so, he told me; “When choosing a name I thought back to the old days when every pub had a surname above the door. I wanted people to know it was my bar, and for them to know I was proud to put my name to it. At the same time I didn’t want to be overly traditional and so I added ‘On Lindsay Street’ to lend a bit of mystique and also to let people know it was a contemporary place. The name also gives us flexibility should we wish to move the bar or open another.” Once the venue was secured Scott was clear in his vision, and determined to use his past experiences to help shape his future. He told me, “What I wanted to do with Clark’s on Lindsay Street was marry the strengths of larger operations with real, individual character and the stylings of my personality. I’d built up a good reputation from working in the trade which has brought a lot of goodwill over the years. When I moved to Braes all those years ago a lot of the staff and customers followed me up the road, and it was the same when I opened my own place.” “The site had been an Irish bar for many years, hobbling along under various names and incarnations and in dire need of some new ideas. When I came in the place was run-down and in desperate need of repair. The refit cost £60,000 initially, not including the toilets which we completed later
TREETS HEAD
once more money was available. Andy Baxter of Nicholl Russell Architects was a big help on the project, as he came up with the main ideas for the interior. He’d known me as an operator and knew what I was about, and so did a brilliant job of creating a concept that matched my personality. The refit took approximately a month, and we opened in mid-August 2011.” Yet the August opening was borne from necessity, as a means of generating some much needed revenue as the refurbishment work continued. Scott explains, “For the first month we only opened at weekends, just to bring in some income. The kitchen wasn’t fitted yet, and it was a very tough opening period. I was literally banking money in the mornings to pay for direct debits coming out that day. One of my main concerns was that I’d taken two full-timers from Braes who’d believed in me enough to make that leap – I didn’t want to let them down. It was a trying time, it really tested both my metal and my conviction that I’d made the right choice. By October though everything was up and running, and by the time the festive period began we started to really take off. There are so many nights out at that time of year and it served as an opportunity for us to introduce people to what we do.” When asked to pinpoint what differentiated Clarks on Lindsay Street in the early days of trading, Scott was quick to highlight the bar’s music policy. Live music was booked in every Friday and Saturday, and proved a popular draw. Scott said, “There’s lots of live music venues in Dundee, but I’ve always felt that a lot of them were very male-orientated. Lots of women would only visit these places if they were part of a large group, and I wanted my bar to be a safe, comfortable, food-orientated venue to enjoy music.” After riding out a difficult start, the boon in business that followed allowed Scott to finish the first phase of the site’s refurbishment and begin planning for the second. Explains Scott, “That festive period was a springboard, and from there everything continued to grow. We were
When you’re in a larger bar the challenge is to keep your personality involved while trusting others to deliver your vision
able to employ more staff, and extend our music nights from Thursday to Sunday. By the Christmas of 2012 income was steady enough to get a loan deal done with Tennent’s and we were able to refurbish the toilets, which had been in a poor state. The deal was originally to be spread over five years, but we’re on course to pay it back in about half that time and so we’re looking to freshen up the bar early next year. I’ve planning permission to extend the bar’s windows to ground level, which will help open up the space and brighten things up a bit. We’ll hopefully change the seating too, we do well from party bookings so I’ll be looking to find new ways to accommodate larger groups in for food.” “The bar has gone from strength to strength since we opened, I couldn’t have hoped for more. Getting trade in for food has been harder than I thought, especially during the daytime, but it’s getting better and growth has been good. We have a hybrid license now which we didn’t before, meaning we can trade until 2.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s led to a big change in our customers’ perception of the bar, as it’s a latenight destination for people now. It’s really opened a lot of doors with new demographics of people coming in. Late night drinking in Dundee has changed a lot in the last five years, and we provide a real alternative for to people who think they’re too old for the nightclub scene.” I asked Scott about the differences in his working week now that he’s made the transition from General Manager to business owner. He told me that although he’s still a daily presence in the bar he has learned the importance of stepping back and empowering his management team. He said, “I try and pinpoint different key times of the week that tick different boxes and make sure that I’m behind the bar for them. We give out a free buffet on Fridays and I always take it around the tables. It’s a great way to meet and chat to your customers, and it lets them see that you’re still very much a presence in the bar. On Friday and Saturday nights I manage the floor, which is a very hands-on job. “We worked hard to establish the right network of communication between myself and the key staff. They begin each shift with a written plan, explaining what’s booked for the night, what’s expected from the booking and what each staff’ member’s role is to be that evening. At the end of each shift the manager has to write a written report on how the night went, and every Monday we collate the reports and discuss any issues that may have arisen. The process means that we find and discuss things that we should be learning from, and can implement changes where needed.” Although Clarks on Lindsay Street is still in its formative years, with various adjustments been made as the business develops, I was keen to know how far ahead Scott was looking, and whether his experience with the bar had encouraged him to consider taking on another venue. Says Scott, “I’d originally hoped to be here for 10 years, but that was just a number plucked out of the air to be honest. I don’t look long-term anymore, just medium-term. Who knows, I might look to expand out to a new unit in the future, but for now I’m quite happy where I am. The economic climate is still tough and especially here in Dundee people don’t have a lot of money in their pockets. Looking forward, we have the renovation next year and hopefully we’ll continue to go from strength to strength. I want to take meaningful, manageable steps, see where we are and build a foundation.” It’s certainly a strong foundation that Scott has built on North Lindsay Street. Who knows, maybe we’ll be seeing a Clarks on another Dundee street in the near future! SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 25
H O M E G R O W N. A N D G R O W I N G.
IN JUST 18 MONTHS WE’VE BECOME S C O T L A N D ’ S F A S T E S T - G R O W I N G B E E R. 26 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014 Caledonia Best is a registered trademark of C&C Group. Source: CGA, MAT Volumes to 15/7/13
DRINK OF CHOICE CAN YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOUR LAST DRINK WAS? WE ASKED VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE TRADE WHAT THEY ARE DRINKING AND WHAT THEIR FAVOURITE DRINK IS.
Rory McGinley General Manager, Fanny Trollopes I love a Chartreuse from time to time and I’m also prone to a bit of Wild Turkey, but my last drink was a large Fernet Branca and ice.
Claire Gordon Owner, The Keys Bar At the moment my favourite is Diplomatico Reserva rum, it’s amazing. The last drink I had was BenRiach 15yr, which is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.
Tom Cullen Molson Coors
Morven Shields Supervisor, Cottier’s
I had a lovely gin and tonic in the Kelvingrove Cafe last night, and my favourite of all time is an Espresso Martini. I first had it on a trip to London 20 years ago.
I’m a beer drinker these days, Cutthroat Porter is probably my favourite right now. The last drink I had at a wedding, where I had the Bolivian liqueur Agwa with squeezed lime.
Scott Gemmell Director, LA Group My favourite drink must be a Negroni and the last drink I had was Daiquiri at 6pm yesterday evening.
Fiona Sweeney Chilli Marketing I was at a cocktail event over the weekend and had a Rekorderlig there. My all time favourite is Laurent Perrier Rose Champagne. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 27
DRINK OF Niki Graham Brasserie Manager, Ubiquitous Chip After a hard shift I like to have a pint of Riegeler, which was also my last drink, or a nice peaty whisky. If it’s been a particularly challenging night I’ll have a vodka martini.
Iain McPherson Owner, Panda & Sons
Gary Lawson Branded Drinks
Last drink that I had was a Corpse Reviver No. Blue (Gin, Lemon juice, Lillet and Blue Curacao and a touch of Absinthe). My favourite drink is probably a 50/50 Sazerac (Rye whiskey, Cognac, dash absinthe, Peychaud btters and Barspoon sugar syrup).
My last drink was Riegeler Pils on draught at the Chip, but my favourite of all time is Weihenstephan unfiltered Pils, only available at the Brewery Restaurant in Weihenstephan.
Lesley Inglis Alliance Wine The last drink I had was this afternoon at Strathblane Country House Hotel. It was a glass of a delicious Albarino, made by Scottish Master of Wine, Norrel Robertson. My favourite drink is a pint of Bitter and Twisted – no comment please…! 28 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014
Kieran Haughey General Manager, Bar Home A pint of Joker was probably my last, with my favourite being a well-made margarita.
CHOICE Simon Collier Owner, Mr C’s I love an Amaretto Sour, as it tastes like marzipan and is basically Christmas in a glass. It’s also the last drink I had, coincidentally enough!
Adele Montgomery General Manager, The Commercial Hotel
Susan Young DRAM
The last drink I had was a Chambord cocktail that we’re calling The Pink Lady, and my favourite is vodka with cola.
I had wine with dinner last night, and my current favourite is Amaretto with a squeeze of lime.
Anna Christopherson Owner, Bar Boda
John Tindal Owner, Teuchters Landing I’m a beer man, and Black Isle Blonde is my beer of the moment. I last had a Pickering’s gin and tonic.
My last drink was a Max Von Sydow cocktail at the Crayfish party in Joseph Pearces. It is made with Anderson aquavit, cloudy apple juice, ginger and rosemary. Yum!! My favourite drink in the world! SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 29
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Fairmilehead, Edinburgh
charwood
BY JAMIE ALL AN
C
harwood in Fairmilehead, Edinburgh is the latest venture from Omni Taverns, operators of Whiski and The Whiski Rooms. The venue marks a slight departure for company directors Anne and Gary Still, with the focus being on chargrilled meat rather than the water of life. The restaurant had previously been called Tusitala, with the previous owners having operated the site for 24 years. Says Anne, “We’d been coming here with our kids since they were young, which is why we bought it. It was an off-market sale, totally confidential. It never occurred to me that it would be for sale, and we would never have approached the owners had they not gotten in contact with us first.” Once the deal was proposed however both Anne and Gary knew exactly what they wanted to do with the site. Anne told me, “We already had the concept in mind, we always knew that we wanted to focus on cooking with charcoal and a grill. The kitchen here is huge, and we knew we had the space and capability to use a Josper grill. Gary’s from South Africa and is very into his BBQs; he’d always wanted a Josper grill in Whiski or Whiski Rooms but there just wasn’t the space. We closed the restaurant for three days to replace the kitchen vents and install the grill. We then re-opened as Charwood.” The main refurbishment took place in the bar however, which is located in a separate room from the restaurant. Anne told me that they inherited a rundown, traditional sports bar that was in desperate need of refurbishment and modernisation, and as such they decided to rip everything out and start again. The refit took 11 days, during which time the room was stripped to its shell. Anne told me, “We re-clad the bar and put a new top on it; that is literally the only thing left over from the old room.” The bar dominates the room, with the beech bar top stretching out over six metres. Five leather stools line the bar, varying in colour from forest green to burgundy to beige. Walnut floor panelling outlines the bar area; the rest of the room’s floor is beech in colour. The gantry features LED lighting across the shelves and distressed mirrors along the back. Although the Stills are looking to differentiate Charwood from their other venues the backbar still features a healthy selection of whiskies, and the wall at the bar’s service entrance displays two black and white photographs of the Balblair distillery. Hanging above the bar top are a series of bold, metal lamp shades. Anne told me, “We changed our mind
DESIGN FOCUS constantly over the lights, we wanted to be brighter than our other two venues and we also wanted to make a statement.” They have certainly achieved that. Due to the immediate necessity of the refurbishment the Stills chose not to employ an interior designer, preferring instead to realise their own vision. When it came to fitting the furniture in the room Anne tells me that they remained undecided about the layout even after the bar was open for trade. Says Anne, “We like wood panelling and wanted fixed seating that we could also move around. We had tables and chesterfields in mind, and we just fitted them around the space. It looks different even now from when we first started, but the look should be settled now!” There are three banks of fixed banquettes along the main bar wall, divided by two raised wooden tables. The leather banquettes are olive green, and face onto beech, square tables and a mix of brown leather armchairs and green and purple tweed seating. The white walls above the banquettes are lined with dogthemed artwork; Anne told me that the bar is very dog-friendly and that her dog is a regular visitor. The raised tables are decorated with small, metal plant pots and tea-light candles, and are positioned by the windows, which look out onto Charwood’s outdoor seating area and the homes of Fairmilehead. Smart looking black, leather bar stools sit underneath the tables. An olive green chesterfield sofa sits in the centre of the floor space. Behind it is a small, square beech table flanked on either side by large, tweed armchairs, and on the bar-side wall are two more banquettes, this time beige in colour. The accompanying seats differ on this side of the bar, featuring cushioned seating in purple, wooden frames. A small, secluded outdoor seating area sits on a raised level outside the bar’s entrance, and wooden benches have been introduced to the grass areas on the opposite side of Charwood’s car park. The end result of the refurbishment is a relaxed and comfortable bar that should prove extremely popular with the affluent families that populate Fairmilehead. Despite the success of the refit Anne told me that there are currently no plans in place for a major refurbishment of Charwood’s restaurant, saying, “Over time we’ll make superficial changes but we’re quite happy with its layout, it’s a great space.” After a few weeks of hard work, she is now able to say that about the bar too. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 31
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Leith Walk, Edinburgh
CASK & STILL
BY JAMIE ALL AN
T
he Cask and Still, formerly The Volunteer Arms, on Leith Walk in Edinburgh is the latest addition to Iain Pert and Gordon Gilhooley’s PG Taverns pub group, and marks another development in their ongoing relationship with Star Pubs & Bars following the opening of McSorley’s last year and the soon-to-open The Jolly Botanist. When I met Iain, The Cask and Still was scheduled to open that very night. The bar was a hub of activity, with various tradesmen concentrating on snagging issues and staff scheduled to arrive to finalise the clean-up before the first customers began filtering into the bar. Says Iain, “We had the concept ready to go, it was all about waiting for the right venue to become available. We had some conversations with Star Pubs & Bars about some new ideas that we had. They then came back to us with this site and we thought it fitted perfectly. Star are very keen to invest in new venues at the moment, and we have a real partnership with them.” The interior design was completed by Rough Design, who worked with Iain and Gordon on the concept. Director Grant Rough told me, “We really enjoy working with Iain, Gordon and the guys at Star Pubs & Bars, as it’s both a challenging and ultimately rewarding journey. The projects always start with a strong brief and vision, and as this venture involved links with both Caledonian Brewery and Diageo the research phase of the process was particularly interesting. This led us to incorporate some subtle and playful references relating to the industrial nature of the brewing and distilling process within the project.”
DESIGN FOCUS As you approach The Cask and Still from Leith Walk the venue’s frontage provides a clear indication of the bar’s ethos. The exterior has been painted gunmetal grey, with the bar’s name printed in small, minimalist letters above a black, Victorian lamp. Large windows featuring the logo sit on either side of the doorway, and below there is barreleffect wood panelling made from old flooring and metal straps. The outside seating area can hold up to 24 people, and features brushed metal tables and chairs in keeping with the design of the interior. The canopies hanging above the tables bear The Cask and Still’s two slogans, ‘Where Beer is the Hero’ and ‘Today’s Rain is Tomorrow’s Whisky’. The message continues as you enter, with a large, neon red ‘Where Beer is the Hero’ legend bearing down from a reclaimed brick tile wall halfway up the room. The bar’s brickwork and red windows are a nod to Edinburgh’s iconic Caledonian Brewery, which was rebuilt in the old style following a fire. The same whisky barrel-panelling from the exterior wraps around beneath the bar top, with the slightly worn, paintdashed wood bound together with black, bolted metal. The bar top itself is light, varnished oak, with two bronze taps protruding from the surface for those wanting to add a little water to their dram. The back-bar has dark stained oak shelving in front of the brick wall, and houses an array of whiskies ranging from the well known, larger distilleries to rare expressions and single cask bottlings. Sitting above the gantry are small whisky barrels, nets and wooden delivery crates, a contunuation of the warehousefeel theme. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 33
When I asked Grant about the back bar he told me, “Iain and Gordon tasked us with designing a feature back display that would show off their trademark wide range of products. This was manufactured by the skilled team at Dimension Shopfitting with a specialist painter originally from New York working alongside the experienced decor team from Esk Solutions, achieving the reclaimed finish we wanted.” Six cask ales line the bar top, featuring three regular ales and three rotating guests beers. Iain told me that there is also a spare line installed for a potential seventh ale, should the need arise. As you would expect from a Star Pubs and Bars venture, Heineken is featured prominently, with two Heineken Extra Cold taps as well as the latest in Heineken’s Smart Dispense technology. A doorway behind the bar leads into a small food dispense area, with a sign above the door highlighting The Cask and Still’s food offering, pies and pickles. A black, vintage clock hangs on the brick wall adjacent to the bar, and long-hanging metal lampshades illuminate the bar top itself. Past the exposed brick pillars there is a snug seating area; tartan covered bar stools sit around restored whisky barrels and intimate booth seating featuring brown, leather banquettes either side of a table made from reclaimed scaffold wood. A large, chesterfield sofa is fitted into the wall, and directly above is one of The Cask and Still’s most striking features, a collection of inter-linked copper piping and pressure monitors that look like they’ve been transplanted directly from a nearby distillery. A few, small steps take you down to The Cask and Still’s 34 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014
tasting room. Grant told me, “We transformed a neglected area at the back of premises into the ‘Tasting Room’ with our custom designed large format artwork and bespoke screen, which aims to convey the client concept of a ‘marriage’ between beer and whisky and allows the area to be used for everything from whisky and beer tastings to corporate events.” The walls are lined with benches with burgundy, leather cushions, which face varnished wooden tables that match the beech wooden floorboards. Small, burgundy stools and leather-cushioned seats dot the tables’ exteriors. The area has a very traditional feel to it, and two large murals across the walls serve as a reminder to the heritage of The Cask and Still’s featured drinks. The first is a collage of old whisky barrels, date-stamped and worn. Two stand out however; one wears the famous Johnnie Walker logo, the other, bearing the pub’s name, looks as fresh and new as The Cask and Still itself. The second wall mural shows an old group photo of workers at the Lorimer and Clark brewery in Edinburgh, the predecessors of Caledonian Brewery. Iain tells me that Mr Clark himself is in the centre of the picture, a fitting nod to the city’s brewing heritage. Despite The Cask and Still’s tribute to Scotland’s brewing and distilling past the bar is very much grounded in the present, and serves as a welcome, contemporary addition to Leith Walk. Yet for all the hard work that Iain and Gordon have put into the bar, they don’t have the time to take a step back and admire their work, as their other venture with Star Pubs & Bars, The Jolly Botanist, is due to open imminently. No rest for the wicked indeed!
Lister Square, Edinburgh
ENZO
BY JAMIE ALL AN
L
ocated in the burgeoning Quartermile area of Edinburgh, which lies south of The Royal Mile, Enzo is a multi-faceted venue that aims to bring a touch of Italian style to the hospitality, retail and residential development. The new bar and restaurant is owned by Michele Civiera, Barrie Brown and Robert Reid, who are keen to stress the venue’s versatility, and have positioned Enzo as offering something different for the locality’s diverse population of office workers, students and tourists. Although Enzo only opened at the beginning of August, chances are that you may have heard of it already. Four months ago the style bar and Italian restaurant began a social media campaign that featured people from all over the world posing with the Enzo monograph in front of famous landmarks and destinations. Michele told me, “Our agenda was that by the time we opened everyone in Edinburgh would know what the Quartermile was, who we were and what we did.” The three men each live in the Quartermile area, and used to pass the vacant site that would become Enzo every day. Eventually
DESIGN FOCUS they made their move. Says Michele, “The project took 18 months from the lease being secured to opening day. We were looking to recreate the spirit of a 90s style bar but with an Italian flavour and sense of purpose.” The bar’s main entrance is on Lister Square, overlooked by the surrounding residential and commercial properties that comprise the Quartermile. The building is essentially a glass cube, and the symmetry of the exterior is maintained throughout Enzo’s design. Speaking of the challenges that his company faced when conceiving of Enzo’s interior design, Roddy McLean of Form Design says, “The original brief was to create a high-end, quality restaurant that provides something that hadn’t been done before. It was just a space, a large, double-sided cube, and the challenge was trying to fit a bar and restaurant into it while maximising the volume of the room.” The main contractor for the property conversion was Craig Murie’s SJS Property Services. The signage above the front door is minimalist, a feint print of the Enzo name and logo. Michele told me that they had sought to SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 35
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feature the Enzo monogram as much as possible in the venue’s layout, as a means of solidifying the brand. There are two outdoor seating areas for al fresco dining. The first, by the entrance way, features a series of black, square tables with black and white seats alongside some raised round tables and red and black bar stools. The second sits a few feet away in the middle of the square, and is a real sun-trap. The same square tables and black and white chairs sit upon a stretch of artificial grass, The area is surrounded by large plant features, matching the small plant pots that adorn each table. The entrance leads you straight into the bar area, a stylish, comfortable environment. The space is divided into two halves by the staircase to the restaurant, and in keeping with the theme of symmetry and angles, both halves of the bar replicate each other. Each has an identical cocktail lounge, featuring aqua-blue banquettes and walnut wood panelling. LED cube lights hang above the tables, which also double as foot stools, and grey, acoustic foam panels have been arranged in a rectangular fashion above the seating. Two thin, black raised tables sit directly opposite the bar, lined by hand-made, monarch orange, leather bar stools, which like all of the seating in Enzo were imported directly from Italy. The walnut bar top stretches the length of the room, with eight of the aforementioned bar stools arranged in mirrored, angled rows of four at either end. An LED wine rack imported from Canada is the focal point of the back bar, and the numerous spirits are housed in a walnut, cubed gantry. The staircase that leads up to the restaurant dominates the ground floor. The adjacent pillar has the Enzo monogram patterned throughout, with fitted reflective lights adding character and illumination to the monolithic structure.
The 60 cover restaurant greats you at the top of the stairs, a modern, minimalist space that overlooks the Lister Square courtyard. Each of the walnut tables are north-facing towards the sunset, maximising one of the advantages of being housed in a glass building. The row of tables that line the windowed wall are faced by yellow, leather banquette seating encased in a walnut, wooden border. The table settings continue the angular structure of the room. Says Michele, “Everything from the cutlery to the wine glasses were chosen to replicate the straight angles. We wanted the restaurant to be quite stylised and contemporary, which is juxtaposed with the authentic Italian food offering.” A row of three, black, spherical lampshades hang above the banquette; the rest of the room is lit by spot-lighting, and another LED wine rack adds its own particular form of illumination. Behind the banquette is the open kitchen; when I visited the strains of Italian chefs working away were clearly audible, lending further authenticity to the Enzo experience. Michele had made a point of telling me that everything in Enzo felt quality to touch, and the walls at the far end of the restaurant are no exception, being as they are papered in suede. Enzo is a very sharp, modern and stylised venue that’s accentuated by the site’s unique, glass cube space. Although it had only been open for a week when I visited Michele was extremely pleased with how trade was going, and he told me that going forward the plan was to emphasise Enzo’s flexibility. He said, “Our main focus is to turn it into a London city bar midweek for the surrounding residents and businessmen, then a destination venue at the weekend. We’re open from 8am to 1am seven days a week, we’re ticking as many boxes as possible and stressing the venue’s versatility.” Given Enzo’s locality and stylishness, they won’t have many problems attracting people to the site. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 37
Ashton Lane, Glasgow
UBIQUITOUS CHIP
before
BY JAMIE ALL AN
T
he word ‘institution’ gets bandied about a lot in the licensed trade, though few bars are as deserving of the term as the Ubiquitous Chip in Glasgow’s West End, having been a fixture on Ashton Lane for 43 years. The Chip has been owned by the Clydesdales since it opened, and the family have never been afraid to innovate with the space available. The venue has always housed the main bar and restaurant, and various stages of expansion and evolution through the years have seen the addition of the Corner Bar, the Wee Chip bar and an upstairs smoking terrace. Through all these changes the one consistency has been the main bar, which has remained endearingly familiar to the cast of regulars who frequent the pub on a daily basis. The DRAM was taken aback, therefore, when we heard through the grapevine that the bar was scheduled for a major refurbishment. Sure enough, the rumours were true. Having been closed for two and a half days to allow the work to take place, the bar reopened on a Wednesday evening, and General Manager Jessica Nikola told me that there was some concern that the Chip’s regulars wouldn’t take too kindly to the new look. Says Jessica, “We were obviously worried about how our regulars would react to the change. We’ve always been about making people feel comfortable, and the last thing we wanted was for our customers to feel that the bar wasn’t theirs anymore. The refurb isn’t about changing or modernising the bar, the Chip has never been about sparkling, straight lines. We’ve still got the same chipped tables, the same worn in floor tiles. The builders wanted to sand-down the bar top but we wouldn’t let them!” Jessica needn’t have worried. The bar is still unmistakably the Chip,
38 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014
DESIGN FOCUS the primary focus of the refurbishment being to extend the service area across the length of the room to the back wall, essentially doubling the size of the bar top. So keen was owner Colin Clydesdale to preserve the character of the main bar that the extension is almost a mirrored copy of the original half of the bar. The wine rack above the gantry has doubled in length, and the substantial increase in fridge space as a result of the larger back bar means that the Chip can offer a wider range of bottled products in the future. Old iron grates have been cleaned up and used to extend the wine display above the bar. The Chip’s famously esoteric wine selection is provided in part by Hallgarten Druitt & Novum Wines, who having provided wine to the venue for four years and became a major supplier in the last 5 months. Sales Director for Scotland Jon Harris told DRAM, “Although I’ve only been with Hallgarten Druit & Novum for a year now I’ve had a great relationship with the Chip for nearly a decade. It’s always been a Glasgow icon and to see it refreshed is very exciting. I look forward to continuing our great relationship for many more years to come.” Jessica told me that the purpose behind the refurbishment had been less about aesthetics than it was the improvement of the level of service. She said, “We’ve been getting progressively busier, and although the space behind the bar had always been tight it was beginning to take too long to get people served.” Those who have worked behind busy but crowded bars will know all too well the rhythmic waltz that bartenders soon learn to avoid bumping into one another when pouring or carrying drinks. The
are proud to supply Colin and the team at the Ubiquitous Chip. Wishing them continued success for the future.
The distinctive
Gary Lawson, Director of Sales - Scotland M: 07968 581747
premium The Bottling Works, Unit 1, The Business Park, Tufthorn Avenue, Coleford, Gloucestershire, GL16 8PN German lager E: sales@brandeddrinks.co.uk T: +44(0)1594 810261 SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 39
Chip has always been one such place, where the sheer volume of customers has always required as many people as physically possible behind the bar at any one time, which inevitably clogs up service. There is now much more room for manoeuvre, which most importantly should lead to customers being served much sooner. The extended bar has also provided space for an extra glass-washer to be fitted; those familiar with the Chip will remember how cluttered the bar area by the entrance could get on a busy night, and the added space essentially does away with this problem. New beer lines have been added, with Shipyard Pale Ale the first new addition on draught. There are also plans to install two new hand pumps for cask ales, once Jessica and the team have had the opportunity to sample some of Scotland’s finest craft beers. A tough job, of course, but someone has to do it. The cellar has also been refitted, with new coolers and pythons added. The length of the line from the cellar to the tap has been reduced, which should see an improvement in the quality of the draught beers. One major addition to the bar area is a cabinet made from refitted rifle cases that now houses the Chip’s single malts and bourbons. It sits above the bar’s prep area against the back wall, and is one of the most striking features as you come in through the bar entrance. The velvet lining of the cases has been removed, with marble shelving added to accommodate the whiskies. Cabinet lights will be installed in the near future, and Jessica tells me that there may be plans afoot to stock cigars in one of the cabinet’s 40 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014
compartments. A plinth in the middle of the unit displays two animal horns from an unknown beast. If pushed I would guess ‘goat’, though you never know. To create room for the new bar top two tables have had to make way. An old church pew dedicated to the memory of Jim Caldwell, a former Chip regular, used to face the tables, and rather than discard an important piece of the bar’s heritage Colin Clydesdale opted instead to modify the pew itself. It now stands at the same height as the bar top, with stools sitting underneath for customers to enjoy a drink beside the bustle of the bar. The building work was carried out by Hugh Stirling, and Jessica was quick to praise their efforts. She told me, “Hugh Stirling were really incredible, they worked with us on the Stravaigin refit too and they know that we’re not looking to do new things. People are comfortable with environments that feel used in some way, and the contractors understood that entirely. MME Electrical were great too, the helped the whole process go smoothly.” At first glance, the refurbishment looks to have been a success, preserving the character of the Chip while greatly increasing the bar’s functionality. The true judges however will be the regulars, so accustomed as they are to the homliness and familiarity of the bar. Although the Chip had only been open one night when I visited, Jessica was delighted with the initial response. She said, “It’s been such a wonderful reaction from our regulars, we couldn’t have asked for more. They all automatically congregated towards the new end of the bar, a sure sign of their approval!”
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builders and shopfitting contractors SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 41
WO R L D ’ S T HOEU R ITE TEQUI
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Sandy Gourlay and me at the opening ceremony
B
Sue Says
ritain’s top managed pub and restaurant chains are delivering consistent growth – reporting 16 consecutive months of positive growth, according to Coffer Peach Business. Total sales are running 4.3% ahead of last year, while a report released by the British Beer & Pub Association at the end of last month. Hailed the first positive quarter for the pub sector since 2011 and the biggest rise in pub beer sales since 1997. Long may the positive news continue. We certainly have no shortage of new bars and restaurants and refurbished places to write about – which is not just good news for consumers, but good news for all the trades associated with the pub industry too. I am not really one for gadgets, but this one caught my eye. A Canadian tech firm has developed “The Muse”, sleek headgear that uses brainwaves to detect users’ emotional state. It then translates these into computer signals able to control all manners of gadgets. One of the first uses the developers at InteraXon came up with was allowing punters to imagine themselves pouring a beer. Wearing the headband and standing in front of a hands-free beer tap, users’ beer-craving brainwaves are transmitted to a computer and interpreted as ‘relaxed’ or ‘focused’. When these signals exceed a certain threshold, the beer spout opens. The result? Thoughts are turned into a frosty serving of beer. Honestly this is not an April fool! But the possibilities are endless! The Commonwealth Games are nearly a distant memory but what fun they were. I was lucky enough to go to a few events, including the opening and closing ceremonies, and hats off to the organisers. It all went very smoothly. I joined Heineken for the opening ceremony and we were lucky in that it was scorching day, well organised and a lot of fun. Although one of the guests misheard the security guy – he asked her, so she thought, “to remove her knickers!” Instead what he actually said was could she remove her necklace. That caused much hilarity. Then there was the missing belt. One attendee, who shall be nameless, managed to break his belt in half! I know I said it last month, but there is no harm in saying it again, Heineken’s team did a grand job. Not least Kerrie Bennett and Suzanne Kinross who by the end of the event must have been exhausted. There was no rest, however, as straight afterwards they headed into Fringe mode! No rest for James Mortimer either - his venue 29 hosted the Heineken Lounge and James is pictured behind the bar pouring a pint... there’s a first time for everything! I’ve had a few calls recently asking me if I have heard of certain companies that are offering football coverage at a fraction of Sky prices. There is an old saying “if it is too good to be true...”. The good news is I hear that Sky are being more sympathetic when it comes to negotiations with licensees, and in some cases are putting the price
down, rather than raising it. Certainly with BT Sport now aggressively competing for business it is a more competitive market. You wouldn’t buy your alcohol without negotiating a price. Now is the time to try negotiating your satellite prices too. Sky are also reminding customers that Sky’s Go Further range also includes online training and other benefits. In fact they sent us out some cookies to promote the fact. However a misplaced one ended up being enjoyed by the office pooch! I’m located in Finnieston – and hardly a week goes by without a new place opening. So it was with interest I noted a gleaming white apparition – the shop outfitters appeared to put in a long white bar, trendy looking back bar, and a lot of mirrors and funky lights! But ‘blow’ me down its not a bar but a hairdressing salon, called appropriately Blow! Local Glasgow Historian John Gorevan runs the website oldglasgowpubs.co.uk. If you would like to be featured on the website or would like to see the information on your pub updated contact him at john@oldglasgowpubs.co.uk I think I’m like most people, you kind of go back to the same places to eat, and often you forget about some old favourites. Recently friends of mine were here from Australia – and they booked dinner for a dozen of us at Di Maggio’s in the West End of Glasgow. I can’t remember the last time I was there, but it was years ago. They met there (20 years ago) and thought it was an appropriate venue for us all to catch up. It was great (breathe Mario). Seriously the staff were super. They couldn’t have been more obliging, the food was tasty and service was spot on. I recommended it to some other friends and they went the following week and came back with similar report. Resolution between now and the end of the year... to visit some ‘new’ old haunts! I spent an enjoyable evening at a networking event organised by Scotland Food and Drink at The Sisters in Glasgow and had the pleasure of sitting beside Ryan James of the Two Fat Ladies, and also caught up with Caroline Wengel who now works for the organisation having sold their Houston Brewery last year, Warren Bader, the man behind Plan Bee – the people who site bee hives in city locations including restaurants and bars revealed they are to launch a ‘mead’, and the couple behind Azzurro coffee revealed they are relocating from Erskine to Paisley due to the success of the company. You always pick up some good information at these events, and obviously everyone is passionate about promoting Scottish food and drink. We certainly enjoyed some excellent Scottish fayre prepared by Jacqueline O’Donnell and her team. Well done to all involved. SEPTEMBER 2014 DRAM 43
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MANCHESTER • LONDON • GLASGOW • BOURNEMOUTH AUGUST 2014
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DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING PUBLISHED BY MEDIA WORLD LIMITED UPPER FLOOR / FINNIESTON HOUSE, 1 THE STABLES YARD / 1103 ARGYLE STREET, GLASGOW / G3 8ND t. 0141 221 6965 e. dram@mail.com web. www.dramscotland.co.uk Editor: Susan Young • Chairman: Noel Young Editorial: Jamie Allan • Advertising Manager: Emma McDonald • Advertising: Lucy McGovern & Vicky Corrieri • Production: Jill Donald Published by Media World Ltd. Subscriptions: DRAM is available by subscription for all other qualified persons involved in the Scottish Licensed Trade at the rate of £52 per annum including the DRAM Yearbook. The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. Any transparencies or artwork will be accepted at owner’s risk. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2013. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group. 46 DRAM SEPTEMBER 2014
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