Dram 334 July 2018

DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

334

@dramscotland

DRAM MAGAZINE ISSN 1470-241X July 2018

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DRAM DRINKS RETAILING AND MARKETING

WELCOME Welcome to my first issue of DRAM as Editor. Susan may have tiny feet but she leaves huge footprints and I look forward to following in them with equal amounts of hard work and dedication to bring you all that’s new and interesting about the Scottish licensed trade, spotlighting the many people that make it what it is, and with a few touches that are uniquely me.

This month’s cover features the Mortimer family, who own Lynnet Leisure, and who raised a whopping £160K at the Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Charitable Trust, and what a terrific job Lord Willie Haughie did as auctioneer. A missed vocation?

My very first interview is with Barry Oattes. He’s the main man behind The Kelvingrove Cafe in Glasgow’s hipster playground, Finnieston, and you can find out what he had to say on page 18.

Susan’s full steam ahead judging for our Scottish Bar and Pub Awards, happening on August 21st, and for ticket and entry info see page 15, and for a rundown of all the William Grant & Sons 2018 Bar Apprentices in the category, it’s pages 10 and 11.

Office dynamo Jocelyn O’Keefe delivers her verdict on the redesigns of Glasgow’s Baby Grand and The Saint in St Andrews, on pages 22 and 27 respectively. And when she’s wasn’t wearing her design hat she was speaking to licensees to see which beers were favourite with their customers. Read the results on page 14.

Did you know that soda is your best bet for cleaning stubborn stains on your toilet bowl? Thought not somehow, and you can binge on more interesting facts and figures on soft drinks on page 12.

I want to hear from you if you have any feedback on what we cover on what you think we should cover as well as any news, and I hope you enjoy what we have put together for you this month.

Jason caddy, Editor jason@mediaworldltd.com dramscotland.co.uk @dramscotland

/dram.scotland

CONTENTS July

2018

FEATURES

10 14 18 22

WM GRANT & SON BAR APPRENTICES 2018 – The new Intake.

FAVOURITE BEERS OF THE SUMMER.

LICENSEE INTERVIEW

Jason Caddy talks to Barry Oattes of Kelvingrove Cafe in Glasgow.

DESIGN FEATURES:

The Baby Grand, Glasgow; The Saint, St Andrews.

REGULARS

4 6 30

NEWS

All the news from around the trade.

BRAND NEWS

The latest brand news.

SUE SAYS

Find out what Susan Young has to say.

DRAM JULY 2018 3

NORMAN AND WHITE ADD TO THEIR PORTFOLIO IN GLASGOW Lawrence McManus and Simon Green have sold Nick’s in Hyndland and Chelsea Market in Finnieston to Stephen White and Oli Norman.

The two entrepreneurs, who also own Brel, Sloans and The Griffin as well as various other bars in Glasgow, also took on board all the staff.

The deal, which completed last month, brought to an end the tenyear business relationship that McManus and Green had.

McManus told DRAM, “Stephen and Oli run a great operation and it was a turn-key sale. The timing of the offer was just right. After 10 years in business together Simon and I had decided to go our separate ways. Simon to focus on property development and me to get a new business up and running.”

However, before McManus could concentrate on that, he had to deal with the fall out from a fire at Salty Dog in Byres Road which took place only a week after the deal for Chelsea Market and Nick’s completed. Says McManus, “The timing was terrible. But once Salty Dog is back up and running I will be stepping out of the business operationally and my family will run it, leaving me free to concentrate on a new business which I am passionate about.”

Oli Norman told DRAM. “We are all about expanding into great units with an established track record. We can bring some fresh energy to the businesses which really ticked all our boxes. We have major plans and there will be big changes across the units.

“We have already brought in Ben Dantzic, a former restaurant manager at Andrew Fairlie.” Dantzic also is the former owner of Burger Meats Bun and most recently Street Food Putter Events.

Did you know?

Joint safety initiatives by the police, Aberdeen council and Aberdeen Inspired, which have included the introduction of street pastors and taxi wardens, have contributed to driving down incidents of drunk and disorderly crime in the city by 60%, says a new report.

There were 72 reports of public street drinking between last April and March this year – down from 87 for the same period the year before. The five-year average for the crime stands at 186.4 meaning this year’s figure is a reduction of 61.4%.

Similarly the number of drunk and disorderly offences recorded for 2017-18 stood at 167 compared to 228 for the period last year and a five-year average of 466. Police also say less people are going to pubs which helped!

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DRAM JULY 2018

Grand Café makes a splash at the Scotsman The Grand Cafe at the Scotsman on Edinburgh’s North Bridge, part of the G1 portfolio, has reopened following a six-month restoration. The new look, inspired by the ‘Grand Cafes’ of Europe and set within the Scotsman’s former advertising hall, blends original walnut wood panelling, marble pillars and ornate cornicing, all of which have been resuscitated by interior designer Jim Hamilton, who has also added new elegant furnishings.

The Grand Cafe, which has a 3am licence, now has 150 covers across its ground floor and balcony area. Dundee-born Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Chris Niven is in charge of the kitchen while Andy Cummings is Head Bartender and Kenny Arnott is General Manager. Arnott comments, “Our customers can enjoy the relaxed, friendly vibe of café culture with a fresh and simple menu full of exceptional quality Scottish sourced ingredients, packed with dishes to suit everyone, at any time of day. We also feel exceptionally lucky to be setting our new venture in one of Edinburgh’s finest historic buildings, with an interior that is full of incredible period detail, bringing a magical sense of the Scotsman’s great past but with a very modern ambience.”

NEWS NICOL MANSON SELLS WATERSIDE HOTEL Nicol Manson, the well-known Inverness hotelier, has sold his Waterside Hotel in Ness Bank, Inverness to entrepreneur Jon Erasmus. The Manson family who recently celebrated 60 years in the trade, also sold the nearby Glen Mhor hotel to Erasmus in 2007.

Manson told his local paper, “Having already sold the Glen Mhor to Jon it’s a bit like keeping it in the family now by selling him the Waterside.”

Nicol Manson was 12-years-old when his father, Donald, a hotelier, bought the Glen Mhor in 1958. He then followed his father into the industry and Nicol’s own son Grant also came into the business. Nicol acquired The Waterside, formerly the Haughdale Hotel, in 2003 and received an OBE in 2010 for services to tourism.

Erasmus is keeping on the 40-strong team at the hotel.

It’s all go for Scotts at Port Edgar Marina Work has begun on the new Scotts Bar and Restaurant at Port Edgar Marina in South Queensferry – marking the first East Coast venue for Buzzworks Holdings. Scheduled to open its doors later this summer, it’s the third of Buzzworks’ restaurants under the Scotts brand umberella, alongside two others in the familiar territory of Ayrshire at Troon and Largs.

The new Scotts, say the company, will offer the signature relaxed vibe that is evident in the existing venues. Kenny Blair, Buzzworks Holdings MD, also said, “We were thrilled to pick up the keys to our new venue and begin bringing our vision for our first Scotts

in the East to life. We pride ourselves in creating fabulous venues offering delicious food, superb cocktails and outstanding service and what we are planning to create here at Port Edgar will certainly not disappoint.”

He continued. “This is another great step forward in our continued growth strategy as we branch out from the west of Scotland. The venue not only brings a new dining experience to compliment the area, but with over 75 jobs being created, it’s an ideal opportunity.”

He concluded, “The restaurant will quickly take shape and we look forward to opening our doors in the coming months.”

FENWICK WELCOMES THE LAIRD’S TABLE There is a new eatery in Fenwick at Craufurdland Estate called The Laird’s Table Cafe and Restaurant. It is aptly named as it is owned by Simon Douglas Houison Craufurd of Craufurdland and Braehead and wife Adity, who also own the estate.

This new casual dining restaurant offers locally sourced food and a great view over the private loch. Diners can watch anglers, as well as the local wildlife, while tucking into their meal prepared by Head Chef Gareth Furey and his team Everyone is welcome – couples, families, young children, muddy adventurers and dogs. The children’s menu has been developed to offer good quality food that kids will appreciate. The outside area is still being completed but when it is diners will be able to eat outside (midges permitting).

DRAM JULY 2018 5

NEWS n A new restaurant called Borough has opened in Henderson Street Edinburgh in the premises previously occupied by Norn.

Father and son team George and Andrew Dean are behind the new venture. They have completely refurbished the exterior and the interior. The Head Chef is Darren Murray, while Richard Kyle, formerly of Fishers in the City, is Restaurant Manager. He told DRAM, “I’d describe the interior as a modern, minimalist design, supplemented by some lovely additions by local artist Steven Cox.” n Little Steakhouse & Wine Bar has replaced the Dapper Squirrel in Kilmarnock. The bar and restaurant, an Iona lease, closed earlier this year.

The Little Steakhouse & Wine Bar, which also has a sister venue in Paisley, does what it says on the box and serves up a variety of steaks. It also features a specially commissioned piece of artwork – McCoo the Highland cow. McCoo has been painted by Kilmarnock artist Steven Brown. n Cafe Source is poised to make it a hat-trick once Nivens by Cafe Source at 72 Nithsdale Road in Glasgow’s Strathbungo opens in August. Most recently known as Kowloon restaurant, it will sit alongside other ‘family’ members in the group, Cafe Source at St Andrews Square and Cafe Source Too in the West End. The building’s original incarnation as H C Niven & Co motor engineers explains the name, with the building being first adapted from a workshop into an eatery called Cookie in 2009, where it retained features like cornicing and the ceiling-mounted hoist track.

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DRAM JULY 2018

Brasserie Prince by Alain Roux opens in Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel Brasserie Prince by Alain Roux, a new venture between the Forte and Roux families, has opened at Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel in what was formerly Hadrian’s Brasserie and The Balmoral Bar. Alain Roux is also the Chef Patron of The Waterside Inn, Bray-on-Thames, which currently retains three Michelin stars. It is the only restaurant in the world outside France to have upheld this accolade for more than thirty years.

Says Alain, “This exciting new brasserie will be defined by a

seasonally changing menu rooted in French bistro dishes, irresistibly simple and delicious food. I want to serve the dishes that I love to cook myself at home and seek out with family and friends when we go out to eat. It will be a menu informed by my French heritage but totally inspired

by Scotland.”

The interior of the new Brasserie was designed by Martin Brudnizki Design Studio and Olga Polizzi, the sister of Sir Rocco Forte, and the group’s Director of Building & Design.

McVicar switches things about Fergus McVicar just sold his Glasgow bar Tabac, at 10 Mitchell Lane, to Marco Lazzurri, the talent behind the city’s La Fiorentina and Alfredo’s Bar. New GM, Craig Turner, told DRAM, “ Marco was really keen to get his hands on a cocktail bar in the city centre and we’re not planning on making too many changes as it’s already very well established.”

Not one to rest on his laurels, McVicar has since turned his attention to a new summer pop-up bar named Sualdos one of his other Glasgow concerns, Chinaskis, on the city’s North Street. A spokesperson told DRAM, “It’s a summer pop-up bar with a Mexican theme. Customers will be able to see the World Cup, Wimbledon and the athletics.”

FHIOR HITS THE CAPITAL ‘True’ is a song by Spandau Ballet. It’s also the name of former Norn chef Scott Smith’s new Edinburgh restaurant - Fhior being Gaelic for ‘true’.

Fhior is located on Broughton Street, and has two distinct dining areas, as Scott explains, “The front area has a few different uses. Primarily it is our little bar, plus we also use this area for restaurant guests who wish to enjoy a few drinks. This leads into the second, dining area.”

He continues, “We’ll be offering wines that are sourced with the same care and ethos we use for our food. A lot of which will be served by the glass. The rest of our drinks offer is small, but we have taken great care to cover bases without filling it with a ridiculous amount of choice.”

INVERARITY MORTON Beyond Expectations since 1945.

Inverarity Morton is Scotland’s leading independent wines and spirits merchant.

We are able to supply the licensed trade with an unrivalled portfolio of packaged drinks products.

Our wine list features over 1400 wines handpicked from around the world.

0141 620 6100 sales@inveraritymorton.com www.inveraritymorton.com

We have an extensive range of boutique premium spirits, with craft beers, real ales and soft drinks also forming part of our drinks portfolio.

We deliver beyond expectations.

DRAM JULY 2018 7

BRAND NEWS Whiskey

Cordial

DINGLE UNVEIL LIMITED EDITION RELEASE

NEW ORGANIC CORDIAL

This month sees The Dingle Distillery release its third small batch, limited edition – Batch No.3 Single Malt. Only 13,000 are available worldwide with an allocation of 600 for the UK. Meanwhile the distillery has also released 500 bottles of its Cask Strength Batch No. 3.

Elliot Hughes, Partner at The Dingle Distillery comments, “This release of our Batch No. 3 Single Malt has seen a growth in what we have previously been able to release.

As we age as a distillery, the volume of our whiskey is increasing, albeit still in very limited numbers. The 13,000 bottles that we have released is a significant increase on our previous release of just over 6,000 bottles in Nov 2017.

This Bourbon and Port marriage will also be a departure from the last sherry based Single Malt.”

MAKER’S MARK PLANS TO MAKE ITS MARK If you are in London this month look out for Maker’s Mark new advertising. The brand has embarked on its first marketing campaign for 10 year. It highlights the craftsmanship that goes into every bottle.

The American whisky category continues to grow in both volume +30% and value +22% respectively and is the second fastest growing spirits category behind gin according to the campaign creative, which features the tagline “Hand-dipped.

One at a time. Every time” features the creation Maker’s Mark wax seal as a pair of hands dip the bottleneck into to the iconic red wax to create a unique design feature in which no two bottles are alike due to the way the wax sets – something for which the brand has become synonymous.

Although the outdoor advertising is London-focussed the brand is also running a trade PR campaign and print advertising. The brand also has a targeted on-trade engagement programme, ‘The Makers’, in which some of the UK’s most influential bartenders are being brought together at workshops inspired by the four pillars of the Maker’s Mark brand across wheat, paper, wood and wax – there will be an Edinburgh leg.

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DRAM JULY 2018

Belvoir Fruit Farms has launched a new Organic Lemon & Mint Cordial. Made from a blend of sweet, fresh organic lemon juice, organic sugar, and aromatic garden mint it is bright yellow in colour, but once diluted by the recommended 1:10 ratio, the drink is a clear, very pale mellow yellow. Each 500ml bottle makes around 22 glasses.

Like all Belvoir’s drinks, the new cordial is made on the farm using natural ingredients and contains no artificial sweeteners, preservatives, flavourings or colourings.

Diageo invests £6.4m at Menstrie centre Diageo has broken ground on a £6.4 million project at Menstrie which will see a new centre of excellence created that will upgrade facilities for its whisky blending, science and technology and materials testing teams.

Careers in science, technology, engineering & maths (STEM) are crucial to Diageo’s business and the new centre at Menstrie will provide world-standard facilities for the company’s industry-leading scientists. It will also be a hub for innovation, not just in the spirits industry, but in environmental sustainability in manufacturing.

Ewan Andrew, Director of Diageo International Supply Centre, said, “This investment will create new state-of-the-art facilities for our talented team of whisky specialists and scientists to enhance the industry-leading work they do on growing and protecting our business around the world.”

The technical centre is home to teams who work across Diageo’s leading global brands, including Johnnie Walker, Bell’s, and J&B Scotch Whiskies, Smirnoff & Ciroc Vodka, Tanqueray & Gordon’s Gin, and Captain Morgan Rum.

Gin

Red Door Gin swings into action Red Door Gin, from the experts behind Benromach Malt whisky, and named after the distinctive red doors at Benromach Distillery, has just laumched.

The small-batch, handcrafted London Dry style gin, (45% ABV) has been inspired by Scotland’s mountains, forests and coastal fringes, and created by Benromach’s dedicated team. It is distilled in a handmade copper pot still affectionately named ‘Peggy’.

The new gin, say the company has “signature notes of juniper and a defining citrus note of bitter orange, with aromatic sea buckthorn, floral pearls of heather and chocolatey rowanberries.”

Red Door Gin marks a new chapter in the familyowned distillery’s proud history.

Commenting on the launch, David King, Sales Director at Red Door Gin, said, “We’ve been working hard behind the red door to create a gin with a distinctive palate, using the finest botanicals.”

He continues, “From the classic Red Door G&T to a delicious Negroni or smooth Martini, we are confident that we have created a gin that will prove popular with gin lovers everywhere.”

Gin lovers will also have the opportunity to peek behind the red door with the creation of a visitor experience, telling the story of Red Door Gin and the personalities who craft it, at the Benromach Distillery in Forres, Scotland. Visitors will hear the story of Red Door Gin’s handmade copper still, ‘Peggy’, how the distillers create each batch of Red Door Gin and finally the secrets of creating “perfect serves”. Red Door Gin is available from all quality specialist retailers with a RRP of £30.

FOUR PILLARS NOW AVAILABLE IN UK The Four Pillars Barrel Aged range from Australia has made it to the UK. The gins have Rare Dry gin as a base, which is made by filling the barrels from the top row of a traditional solera system and bottled from the bottom row.

The Sherry Cask and Chardonnay Barrel gins are best enjoyed neat or on the rocks. The Sherry Cask solera is made up of 42 Australian ex-sherry barrels, varying in age from 15 to 35 years and finished with just a touch of Amontillado Sherry which adds some length and sweetness to the final gin and the Chardonnay Barrel solera uses barrels originally used to age Yarra Valley Chardonnay for 6 to 8 years. The brand is represented in the UK by Love Drinks and they are available to buy from Master of Malt.

WILD THYME SPIRITS BEGINS PRODUCTION ON COLONSAY Wild Thyme Spirits has now commenced gin production on Colonsay and launched its first ‘Island Batch’ – Wild Thyme 909. The Hebridean island has been home to owners husband and wife team Fin and Eileen Geekie since 2016, and they launched the gin in 2017, crafting small-batch Colonsay Gin with the help of Strathearn Distillery.

Now Wild Thyme Spirits will now produce Colonsay Gin solely on the eponymous island. Owner Fin Geekie comments, “We are so excited to be bringing production home to the island.

Our first year has flown by and this part of our plan has come around quicker than we could ever have imagined. We’re now looking forward to releasing our first island distilled batch and also employing our first islanders – a few extra pairs of hands will come in very useful.”

SUMMER MAKE-OVER FOR POETIC LICENSE Poetic License has given its Picnic Gin a new look. Grace Noon, Poetic License Marketing Manager comments, “We want to evolve the packafging to reflect the unique summer gin drinking occasion that Picnic Gin offers. The new decoration is bright, gives great standout with colours that amplify the strawberries and cream flavours.”

It will be available to the ontrade in August.

DRAM JULY 2018 9

MEET THE incorporating the DRAM AWARDS 2018

KRIS ROSE Scotts, Troon

Kris began his work in an Indian restaurant as a teenager, both waiting on and as a KP. This lead to some bar work. He got a taste for it, but left for a couple of years to try some jobs outside of the trade. He returned to bars a couple of years ago and is now concentrating his efforts on shaping a career in the trade. He says that he loves the art of mixing drinks, making them look the best he can, and then seeing a customer’s reaction to what he just crafted. He believes a good bartender can make the difference between a mediocre night and a great night in terms of the customer experience. n Fave drink - He said that he couldn’t pick because it changes all of the time depending on his mood and the weather!

SANNI, JOSEPH

Pearce’s, Edinburgh

SARAH NELSON

Holyrood 9A, Edinburgh After working in restaurants Sarah really wanted to learn more about the drinks industry. She got her first, and current, bar job at Holyrood 9A and never looked back. She says that she loves working there because the training is on-going, thanks to tastings and planned activities for staff, like brewing their own beers.

Her favourite thing about working in the bar is the people – and she says that she particularly loves being surrounded by “such a weird and wonderful array of people, plus the staff are all very knowledgeable about what they’re selling.”

Anthony’s dad is a chef and former restaurant owner and Anthony starting working for him at age 13. He got his first job in a hotel not long afterwards and he’s been working hard ever since. As soon as he was 18 he was keen to jump behind the bar and he’s been working on the bar at Cornhill Hotel for just over a year. n Fave drink - WHISKY SOUR.

n Fave drink - She loves a Margarita in the summer, but is also a fan of a Bloody Mary and full-bodied red wines and loves a customer’s reaction to what he just crafted. She believes a good bartender can make the difference between a mediocre night and a great night in terms of the customer experience.

ELLIE RAESIDE

Candy Bar, Edinburgh Ellie moved to Edinburgh from Lanark three years ago to work in retail, but she’s always had an interest in bar work. Her first bar job was, says Ellie,”pulling pints in a wee old man’s pub”, but she loved it so much that she began looking into pursuing bartending as a serious profession.

That’s when she began working for Montpeliers at Candy Bar, where she’s been for a year-and-a-half.

n Fave Drink NEGRONI – she’s a big gin fan!

DRAM JULY 2018

Cornhill Castle Hotel, Biggar

Sanni got her first bar job two years ago in Joseph Pearce’s and has been there ever since. Her bartending career began simply as a means to end and paying the bills, but she quickly fell in love with it. She loves the social side of the bar and helping the customers find new favourites by making recommendations.

n Fave drink - Craft beers.

10

ANTHONY GALLANT

RICHARD JONES

The Pear Tree, Edinburgh Richard’s first ever bar job is the one he’s currently in. He started as a glass collector and worked his way up by picking up extra work where possible. He says that remaining where he is hasn’t limited him in any way because he’s been given lots of training opportunities and had lots of opportunities to develop his skills. He loves getting to serve and chat with people from all walks of life. n Fave drink - Whisky.

2018 BAR APPRENTICES

LIAM KEMP

Draffens, Dundee Liam’s first bar job was in Byblos in Edinburgh where he began by working on the floor waiting tables, but he knew that working behind the bar was what he wanted to move onto. He says that he loves working in this industry because of all the interesting people he gets to chat with every day as well as the creativity involved in developing his own cocktails. n Fave drink - Dalmore Cigar Malt.

ANASTASIA MOURGELA Hutchesons City Grill, Glasgow

After graduating from Glasgow University Anastasia got a bar job to raise funds to go to India on a teaching internship.

However, working in the bar quickly became her passion, and now, having worked at Hutchesons for around a year and-a-half, she says that she knows this is the career path she wants to follow. n Fave drink - DIRTY GIN MARTINI.

PATRYCJA OLSKA

Finsbay Flatirons, Glasgow Patrycja got her first job in a cafe as a teenager cleaning tables at the weekend to earn some pocket money. On leaving school she worked in an office in an admin position which she describes as “a living hell.” She returned to hospitality eight months later in a local hotel and restaurant where she was offered a trainee assistant manager role. Patrycja got her first job behind the bar at The Anchor Line when she moved to Glasgow and quickly moved into a supervisory role despite her lack of experience. She has since moved on and now works as a supervisor at Finsbay Flatiron. n Fave drink - She says that this completely depends on her mood and the season, but Patrycja believes you can never go wrong with a cold pint of Guinness or Rum Old-Fashioned.

FRANK DONNELLY, The Raven, Glasgow

Frank started in the trade at a relatively young age as a glass collector but had a break for a couple of years and worked in an office, which he quickly realised wasn’t for him. He’s been back in the trade for around three-and-ahalf years and is very happy with his decision. He says that he loves facing new challenges every day and the fact that every day is different. n Fave drink - Cold Town Lager and either a whisky or a rum & coke depending on how he’s feeling.

LUKE BRYANT

Copper Blossom, Edinburgh Luke’s first job in the trade was in Brewhemia where he started in a support role as a bar back, as well as helping with clearing tables.

After spotting Luke’s potential, one of the managers pushed for him to become a bartender. He now works behind the bar at Copper Blossom.

His favourite thing about working in the bar, he says, are the weird and wonderful conversations he gets to have with all of the different people that come in. n Fave drink - Luke believes you can never go wrong with a Negroni.

DRAM JULY 2018 11

The global soft drinks market is expected to grow by

during the period 2017-2021.

Mexico introduced a tax on sugary drinks on 1 January 2014, which operates in a similar way to the full year, Mexicans were consuming 12% fewer sugary beverages than in the year leading up to the tax’s introduction.

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Soft Drinks

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The first flavoured ‘soft drinks’ appeared in Europe in second half of 17th century. They were most popular in France.

Diet soft drink cocktails make you more inebriated Research by Northern Kentucky University found that drinking cocktails comprising diet soft drink could get people 18% drunker than cocktails comprising regular soft drink.The body identifies the sugar in it as food and slows down the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. With little-tono sugar in diet variants, the alcohol is absorbed quicker and leads to more rapid inebriation.

12

DRAM JULY 2018

Soda can also be used for: removing stains from a toilet bowl, removing bloodstains on a road after an accident, loosening rusted bolts, removing rust spots from car bumpers and removing grease from clothes!

Automated production of soft – or soda – drink bottles arrived in 1899 in the US. Its inventor Michael Owens managed in few years to create device that could create

58,000

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Warm Dr Pepper was popular in the southern United States during the 1960s. It was thought to help with colds and other ailments.

It was also a popular drink at Christmas parties

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The U Stat nited es repr es 25% ents o globa f the l drink soft s ma rket.

DRAM JULY 2018 13

FAVOURITE BEERS THIS MONTH WE START OUR FIRST OF OUR SMALL TELEPHONE SURVEYS. THIS ISSUE WE LOOK AT WHAT BEER IS MAKING AN IMPRESSION THIS SUMMER.

Brel Glasgow Ruth Martin, Manager: “Our best-selling beer is Moretti, I think it’s just the style of beer, people like drinking Italian lagers. It also might have something to do with the brand placement, the tap has the best position on our bar.”

Candy Bar Edinburgh Neil Bowie, General Manager: “At the moment one of our best-selling beers is Coors Light. It’s because it is quite central and visible on the bar.

Camden Hills is also popular right now.

It has got good branding. It is a bit more premium but a nice tasting, clean and crisp lager.”

Inn Deep Glasgow Sandy Macmillan, Manager: “Our best-selling beer is the Williams brothers Craft Lager. Lager is universal and this is a great one for people trying to get into the craft scene. We also had a grapefruit beer which sold exceptionally well, it was the Schoffenhoffer Grapefruit, we had it on as a guest lager. It’s an import from Germany so now it’s sold out it’s just about waiting for when we can import it again.”

Akva Edinburgh Riah Esson: “Our best sellers right now are probably William Brothers and Pilot Beer, because they are local beers.”

Bier Halle Glasgow Josh Barr, Manager: “Our best-selling beer on draught would probably be our own house lager, but brand-wise Furstenberg and Moretti have been selling really well recently.”

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Kelvingrove Cafe Glasgow Kirsty Addis, Manager: “Our bestselling beer has probably been Cornish Pilsner. It’s won 10 awards this year and it’s a very exclusive and refreshing pint.”

Chinaski’s Glasgow Will Tombe, Operations Manager: “We have a house lager that’s really popular, people want to try it when they come in. After that is Estrella.”

Panda & Sons Edinburgh Ian McPherson, Owner “Our best-selling beer is our collaboration with Pilot Brewery, we collaborated on the development of the beer and we sell it so people want to try it when they come in.”

Soul Bar Aberdeen Josh Clarkson: “Our best-selling beers are Peroni, Punk IPA and Carlsberg. They are very well known and good quality beers.”

Sofi’s Edinburgh Andrew Mikkerson, Manager: “Caesar is our best-selling beer right now.

Blue Moon is also selling really well.”

D’arcy Thompson Dundee Stacey Harrif: “Three Hop is very popular at the moment..”

Tabac Glasgow Craig Turner, Manager: “Innis & Gunn Draught Lager has been selling particularly well.”

King’s Wark Edinburgh Chelsea Nell: “Our ales tend to sell best, particularly the Deuchars IPA and Caledonian beers’ Golden XPA.”

Taphouse Glasgow Ryan Cumming, Manager: “Blue Moon, Belhaven Grapefruit IPA and Staropramen”.

Angel’s Share Edinburgh Scott Backhausen, Manager: “Innis & Gunn always sells well, but our best-selling beer on draught is definitely Birra Moretti.”

Bruach Dundee Chris Smith: “Heineken extra cold” Indigo Yard Edinburgh Andrew Sallon, Manager: “Pravka on draught is our best-selling at the moment.”

The Queens Arms Edinburgh David Brown, Manager: “Our best-selling beer Cold Town.”

is

definitely

incorporating the DRAM AWARDS 2018

Have you got your table booked for this year’s awards?

Tuesday 21st August Table of 10 – £1,200 (inc VAT) Individual ticket – £120 (inc VAT) Contact Cheryl on 0141 221 6965 or email cheryl@mediaworldltd.com

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GUIDE 23 YEARS OF CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE IN THE SCOTTISH LICENSED TRADE DRAM JULY 2018

15

the

incorporating the

DRAM AWARDS

BEER BRAND OWNER/ DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR John Gemmell (L) receiving his award from Colin Beattie

DRINKS WHOLESALER OF THE YEAR Ken Smith presents Ian Cumming with his trophy.

A WEE REMINDER OF ALL LAST YEAR’S WINNERS...

FOOD WHOLESALER OF THE YEAR Susan Young (L) and David Wither (CR) present Jim Rowan and Julie Dunn

SOCIAL MEDIA AWARD WINNER Manorview Howwood

BAR APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR Bar Apprentice Of The Year

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SPIRIT BRAND OWNER/ DISTRIBUTION OF THE YEAR Susan Young (L) and Denise West (R) congratulate Stephen Rankin

AWARD FOR SUCCESS Bill Costley: Costley & Costley Troon

COUNTRY PUB OF THE YEAR The Old Mill Inn pitlochry

CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD Atlantic Bar & Brasserie Glasgow

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR Colin Blair Buzzworks

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & COMMUNITY AWARD The Clovenfords Galashiels

COCKTAIL BAR OF THE YEAR WINNER Bon Vivant Edinburgh

WHISKY BAR OFTHE YEAR The Keys Bar St Andrews

DOG FRIENDLY PUB OF THE YEAR Saint Lukes & The Winged Ox Glasgow

CASUAL DINING AWARD The Swan Inn Eaglesham

INDEPENDENT BAR OF THE YEAR Bag O’Nails Glasgow

NEW BAR OF THE YEAR Finsbay Milngavie

THE PUB SPY AWARD The Birds & Bees Stirling

RENOVATION OF THE YEAR Angels Uddingston

WINE BY THE GLASS Vroni’s Wine Bar Glasgow

TENNENT’S QUALITY AWARD Hamilton’s Edinburgh

CRAFT BEER OF THE YEAR The Bier Halle Glasgow

PUB OF THE YEAR Saint Luke’s & The Winged Ox

DRAM JULY 2018 17

ROLLIN LICENSEE INTERVIEW

B

y the time Barry Oattes, the main man behind The Kelvingrove Cafe, reads this interview he’ll be the respectable age of 38. “I guess that makes me 19 twice over and I can make twice as many mistakes as I made at that age” he jokes. And with the big day only a few days away from our meeting in the cool shade of the cafe on a scorchio day in Glasgow, he has no plans to celebrate. I suspect that the friends of this hugely likeable guy might have something to say about that.

If he has made any mistakes they don’t seem to have hindered the success of The Kelvingrove Cafe, now in its fifth year and not looking one premium spirit out of place in the stylish, trendy, hipster Finnieston area of the city.

For all those unfamiliar with The Kelvingrove Cafe, as well as having the right set of cool credentials for Finnieston in the eyes of its customers, it’s also fair to say that it’s a bit of a bartender’s haunt. And in a chat with our publisher Susan recently, Barry said that “the bar is more successful than it’s ever been”, so this is no flash in the pan, which proves that you can capture the zeitgeist and still have longevity when the right kind of young and success-hungry operator is at the helm.

There were a fair few customers on the day we chatted in what is a very cool and stylish interior, loosely based on the Hotel Delmano in New York City. It’s not only a family affair, with sister Emma involved too, it’s also practically an extension of his living room, at least in terms of the vibe (not many people can boast a salvaged threshing tool hanging on the wall for example), and according to the man himself it’s been a lifetime in the making. “A friend of mine used to zone out by doodling geometric patterns on paper so one day she decided to retrain to be an engineer, and I’d say that, in a similar way, when I’m left to my own devices my instinct is to make drinks for people and make them feel at home. I’m a host. A nurturer. And the scary thing is I do this at other people’s homes as well as my own. I’ve done it ever since I was young. My parents threw lots of parties and from about the age of eight I’d walk around with a bottle of champagne that was half my size, filling up all of the empty glasses. I guess that you could say that we treat The Kelvingrove Cafe in a personal way, and just like the way you can tell if a dog has been loved, so can you a unit in the trade.”

He uses ‘we’ a lot because Barry’s sister Emma is currently an equal part of the team. They’re originally from Strathaven, south Lanarkshire, and despite its beauty, its out-of-the-way-ness caused him not to stick around for very long. In fact, stick a pin in a map of Glasgow, and you’re never very far from a bar that Barry had a hand in shaping the destiny of before he made the play for the 25-year lease of the Kelvingrove Cafe in 2013 with then business partners, Fergus McVicar and Mal Spence. Neither of these partners are directly involved in the business today. Barry is keen to add that much of the

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NG WITH OATTES

BY JASON CADDY interior design of the cafe was driven by Fergus, so his influence lives on in that regard, whereas of Mal, Barry says, “Mal is in Amsterdam looking after Maverick Drinks’ portfolio and loving it, and in my mind this bar will always be his” he adds cryptically.

We already know his trade history is varied, yet not a lot of people know that it all began in a place that he credits as not only where his teeth were cut, but also as the place where he learnt much of that which he still applies to maintaining his professional success to this day. He explains, “The first bar I worked in was Glasgow’s Brazen Head which was owned by friends of my parents.

I worked there from 1998 to 2000 and it was a wild and an amazing place to work and a real baptism of fire for a guy straight out of sixth year. The customers were salt of the earth, warm and funny and I learned more about how to treat people there than anywhere I’ve worked since – and that includes sleek style bars in Scotland and London’s Soho.”

Barry worked in London at the tender age of 21 in between working at The Cricklewood in Bothwell and Jinty McGinty’s in Glasgow, but London, as it turned out, wasn’t for him despite rubbing shoulders with a trailblazer or two. Says Barry, “I worked at The Sugar Club under Peter Gordon, the New Zealander that arguably brought pan Asian fusion food to Europe in the same way that JeanGeorges Vongerichten introduced it to North America.”

He continues, “As much as I loved London I didn’t want to become a Londoner. Glasgow culture and chat is warmer and more inclusive as opposed to everybody simply waiting for their turn to talk. Plus I lived in a place that had seen better days and with a bunch of bohemians, who were lovely, but it just wasn’t home”.

On returning from London, Barry worked with yours truly and our publisher Susan at DRAM as a sales executive, as well as working the odd shift at Jinty McGuinty’s. But, like a lot of bartenders, the bug of being behind the bar had tunnelled its way too deep for him ever to be completely cured. Says Barry, “With all due respect to Susan and your good self, and as much as I loved working at DRAM, the call of the trade was too strong.”

He had to get back to it instead of ogling everybody else’s achievements, and, going on some of his staff, he’s not the only one that got bitten. Explains Barry, “I know people that have made it to brand ambassador level, or that work at brand level at least, and that still do one or two shifts a week in pubs because they miss the buzz of the trade. If they are home on a Saturday night they feel like they’re missing out. I’ve got one or two on my payroll. I guess that when it’s not there any more you crave it, like the panic of having so many checks on, or the ‘black hole’ of a Saturday night when sittings run into each other and the adrenalin’s pumping.”

Once he flew the world of advertising sales Barry DRAM JULY 2018 19

THE LEANING BARMAN OF FINNIESTON LICENSEE INTERVIEW worked with Alan Tomkins at “I welcome the additional Glasgow’s Booly Mardy’s as responsibility the personal one of the duty managers. “I licence brings. We also have learned so much from Chico to be more accountable. (aka Chris Miles), Ally Kelsey Accountability means that and Jody Monteith”, he says. we sharpen our focus and And from here he went on to work hard without offsetting open Criterion in Thornwood in blame.”

Partick, which he describes as In terms of trends and what “a great looking venue” yet his people are drinking, Barry time there was cut short by says, “Customers used to the untimely passing of Allan look for a brand that they Mawn, on which he solemnly recognised. Now it’s the reflects as tragic and such a opposite in my bar. I also think huge loss to the trade. that whereas there used It was just after this, in 2013, to be a ‘sugar rush’ and/or that Barry met the guys with customers being seduced whom he’d spark off of to by bright colours and fancy create their idea of ‘the best glassware, there’s now a real pub in Scotland’ which became appetite for knowing what The Kelvingrove Cafe, Mal benefits food and drink bring.

Spence and Fergus McVicar.

People are a lot more health The rest is history. and provenance conscious What comes across very and we are embracing that strongly during our chat is how trend. For instance, we “A FRIEND OF MINE USED thoughtful and considered an happen to be in the middle of TO ZONE OUT BY DOODLING operator he is. He told me “I creating a Vegan piña colada believe that alcohol may take yet we couldn’t have done this GEOMETRIC PATTERNS ON away from the body, but at even a few years ago because PAPER SO ONE DAY SHE the same time it provides all there was neither the appetite DECIDED TO RETRAIN TO BE of us with a release. What it nor the understanding.”

AN ENGINEER, AND I’D SAY takes physically it gives back If The Kelvingrove Cafe truly spiritually and I see it as an is an extension of his home, THAT, IN A SIMILAR WAY, WHEN honour to be able to provide he also seems pretty at home I’M LEFT TO MY OWN DEVICES a space in which people feel in Finnieston, an area of MY INSTINCT IS TO MAKE safe and comfortable enough Glasgow that, as he explains, DRINKS FOR PEOPLE AND to let go of the bad stuff or he can’t bang the drum loud celebrate life. On any given enough for. “I always knew MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME. day we can have couples that Finnieston was a special I’M A HOST. A NURTURER. celebrating their wedding area with so much going for AND THE SCARY THING IS I from the registry office in it, but being an operator DO THIS AT OTHER PEOPLE’S Park Circus, sharing the here surpassed all my space with a guy at the end expectations. We all get on HOMES AS WELL AS MY OWN. of the bar raising a dram to so well and complement each BARRY OAT TES the father he only buried a few other’s offerings. Our food hours earlier.” is great (and I can attest to He’s also very upbeat despite that) but it’s ‘homemade’ stuff what have been difficult trading conditions, saying “I want to that in no way means we’re eating into the restaurant business speak positively about the trade because it’s difficult enough nearby. Plus other operators will send people over here for a to make money in this world, but we all still manage it. Some drink if there’s a wait on tables at their venue. And we all buzz people say that the sweet spot for bars was the roaring 20s, in and out of one another’s venues too. It’s NEVER difficult to but it’s not, it’s right now. Never before have we had so much get staff to work here – put it this way, a bowl of scallops and a choice and such amazing service.” glass of prosecco at the Crabshakk while on your break beats On the subject of licensing, he also has a view. He continues, a supermarket sandwich out back next to the bins any day!” n 20

DRAM JULY 2018

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t: 01698 843360 m: 07791 414970

G

lasgow institution, The Baby Grand, just had the biggest refurbishment in its 34-year history thanks to a £250,000 shot in the arm from new investors calling themselves The Baby Grand Group. It closed for four weeks, with original contractor David Fulton being drafted in to oversee the re-design.

GM Saviolo Chamo is quick to point out that despite there being significant changes to the overall design, the ethos remains the same. He told me, “A lot of our customers were worried we were gonna change to fit what’s in right now but we haven’t, we have kept a lot of our original features.”

He continued, “We went for a real New York feel, we wanted it to feel like an old-school New York piano bar, from the design, to the pictures we put up and the music we play. We always have Frank Sinatra on and we stayed true to that aspect of our identity...We did it our way. We’ve not chimed in with the trends, we didn’t want to lose our personality - we knew we had to adapt a little bit but we wanted to keep the identity that is The Baby Grand.”

He was also keen to point out that one of the biggest improvements for the restaurant is the fact that it is now accessible for disabled customers and is child friendly too, with new baby-changing facilities.

GRAND

BY JOCELYN O’KEEFE Having the original contractor David Fulton on board was a key factor in maintaining The Baby Grand’s identity and continuity with the past. There was a lot of attention to detail in terms of sourcing the materials to replicate the floor tiling and woodwork on the new side of the restaurant in order to match the original features.

During my tour of the place it was of course immediately obvious that most of the investment had spent doubling the size of the Charing Cross venue and creating the delicatessen.

This was possible because the group saw the opportunity for expansion when the sandwich shop next door went up for sale.

They bought the premises and now the two units have been knocked into one, however there’s still a definite sense of it being two separate entities yet with an overall design cohesion, which was intended by the design brief.

Once you step inside, on the right hand-side as you enter is the original Baby Grand, now more designated as a restaurant area, complete with bar and piano, while the newly constructed part on left hand-side, is home to the new deli counter. This offers casual dining and it particularly caters to the lunchtime trade.

On the restaurant and bar side of the venue there is fixed seating DRAM JULY 2018 23

DESIGN FOCUS which runs along the right wall. It has slick black upholstery which coordinates with the black leather that’s been used for all the chairs and bar stools. The bar itself boasts a brand new marble bar top and back bar.

The kitchen is now partially exposed in this section and a new window has been installed at the back looking out onto the Mitchell Library. The wall features of the musically themed body parts, like a ceramic ear shaped like a treble clef, remain on the right hand wall, now standing out more proudly thanks to a fresh lick of cream paint contrasted against the black seating below.

The left side offers something a wee bit different in that the deli counter displays the goods with overhead blackboards detailing take-away options, but is definitely ties in with the rest of the design, like the same floor tiles for example.

The delicatessen also boasts a fully exposed kitchen, which is now much bigger which allows it to cater for the newly expanded menu.

Another new feature is the rotisserie oven, which Saviolo was particularly enthusiastic about. He told me, “There are so many rotisserie places in Glasgow, but the difference with our rotisserie 24

DRAM JULY 2018

is its got the vertical rotisserie which means we don’t have to stick to chicken, so we plan to do lamb, fish and beef as well.”

Nerves tend to jangle a little when an institution is changed, yet And it would seem that a new kitchen demands a new Head Chef in the form of Colin Campbell, the former owner of the deli 1901 in Glasgow’s Shawlands. Saviolo explained, “We were picking his brains about different things like the deli and the new menu, he came on initially as a contractor and then he wanted to jump on board as it was an exciting opportunity and its the kind of thing he’s used to. Our deli was always part of the plan but Colin was a great person to bring it to life since he had run a deli.”

He continues, “The target market has changed, the offices around here are all changing. For example, Scottish Opera used to be one of our biggest customers and then they moved, and HMRC is also on the move. But in saying that, Scottish Power has opened, KPMG has opened and they’ve both brought new people, a lot of whom are much younger and much more health conscious. So we have had to adapt our business to suit that.”

This new refurbishment for The Baby Grand should cement its status as a Glasgow institution for another 34 years...at least! n

Black Ivy and Sugar Boat: two recent Saved By Robots branding project

PROFILE: SAVED BY ROBOTS Venue owners and operators will know that people are often quite vocal when you’re not in the room… and sometimes even when you are!

As the Scottish licensed trade continues to produce ever more interesting venues, an increasing focus on quality and design has become apparent. Diverse beer ranges, creative cocktails, innovative interiors and seasonal menus are visible across the land and Saved By Robots, a Scottish agency with hospitality roots, are on a mission to help operators tell these stories.

The Robots’ passion for the industry was forged in the fast-paced environment of G1 Group and, between them, the founding trio operated, created and launched dozens of successful venues before deciding to go it alone.

Local independents, established operators and even international corporations form part of an impressive, growing client list which includes RUSK & RUSK, Signature Pub Group, Kained Holdings and Marriot Hotels.

According to Robots’ co-founder Paul McVey, ’A brand is so much more than a logo and our job is to help people tell the amazing stories of their venues through great design.’

Backed by ex-G1 stalwart James Brown, now Director of Retail Operations at BrewDog, Robots’ work is clearly being well-received with the young agency already being nominated for a Restaurant Bar & Design Award and being shortlisted for the Marketing Society Star Awards.

Projects in destinations as diverse as Australia, China and The Middle East show also that this an agency with a global outlook, willing to think big.

These are exciting times to be involved in the Scottish licensed trade and exciting too for Saved By Robots, a Scottish agency on the move.

You can find out more about Saved By Robots at savedbyrobots.com DRAM JULY 2018 25

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170 South Street, St Andrews KY16 9EG

THE SAINT DESIGN FOCUS

BY JOCELYN O’KEEFE

T

he Saint, a bar-restaurant with rooms on South Street in St Andrews, has opened its doors following a refurbishment by owner, Signature Pubs.

The company, which bought the venue a while ago originally had different plans for the project, Signature Pubs boss Nic Wood explains, “We failed to get planning permission to extend the outside area, after battling for two years. I wish now we had just spent the money and refurbished it after we bought it, then we would have grown the business right away because we would have been concentrating on our customers and what they wanted. It has been quite frustrating and we have spent a fair bit on the legal process.

We mainly concentrated on upgrading the interior.”

The first thing that struck me is that this sandstone building might easily blend in with the others around it were it not for bright blue shutters and signage that gives it real standout.

The Saint’s interior is also much larger than it appears from the outside, comprising four distinct public areas – bar, restaurant, casual seating area and sizeable beer garden.

Despite each area having a distinctive style, it’s all neatly tied together with bric-a-brac and an earthy colour scheme with contrasting pops of pastel.

The bar runs along the entire left-hand side as you walk in and the colour scheme here is dark brown and blue with gold and copper detailing, like the bar top and beer taps. The back wall of the bar is decorated with shiny blue tiles, with four large display cupboards with golden gate doors, showcasing the drinks offering.

In the centre of the back wall is a section covered with wooden panels complete with deer head, a feature becoming something of a signature for Signature Pubs if all of the taxidermy used in Church on the Hill is anything to go by.

The wall opposite the bar is exposed brick and there’s high fixed seating running along it with bright blue upholstery, dark wooden high tables and stools in the same blue leather. There’s more fixed DRAM JULY 2018 27

DESIGN FOCUS seating by the front window on the right-hand side and more posing tables in the centre of the bar area for customers that prefer to stand.

Moving through to the back of the bar area, there are two sets of stairs. One leads into another seating area and then out on to the beer garden, the other leads into the restaurant area.

There’s plenty of natural light in the restaurant thanks to the huge windows along the left-hand wall. There’s a wooden room divider running through the centre of the room with fixed seating attached to either side along with tables. There are also semi-circular, half-booth style tables on the back wall and the upholstery in the restaurant area is predominantly caramel brown, with some blue and pastel pink used on chairs and on the booth-style seating over to the right.

Off to the far right are three exits that look like openings into different rooms, however, they simply lead into an open area by the front windows with booth seating.

The restaurant, despite being large and airy, doesn’t feel starchy.

The exposed brick on the back wall is decorated with old photos and artwork in dark wooden frames that coordinate beautifully with the tables and the muted floral wallpaper on the other walls give the impression of being in someone’s living room. The large wooden chandelier in the centre of the ceiling adds a rustic elegance to the more formal dining area. The area also boasts floor to ceiling pale 28

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pink curtains with a caramel bottom, which lighten up the room too.

Walk up the other staircase, which has a disabled stair lift available to reach the toilets, and you’ll come across a much smaller seating area that feels almost retro in its look and feel. The same floral wallpaper has been used as in the restaurant area and the left wall is decorated with lots of vintage fishing reels and the wall lights are vintage magnifying glasses. The seating is a mixture of soft pastel coloured armchairs and stools.

The wall on the right is another feature wall with dark wood pannelling and frosted-glass windows decorated with gold lettering.

The back wall is taken up mostly with the glass doors, which allow in plenty of natural light and lead out onto the beer garden.

The beer garden holds roughly 50 people and is home to one of The Saint’s quirkier features – a chicken coop.

Signature Pubs is a company that prides itself on sourcing ingredients locally, and its own hen provides at least some of the eggs.

The beer garden itself is very spacious and is completely private with tall bushes running along either side. It is decked out with blue picnic tables and large, blue wooden planters with herbs and plants growing in them. There’s also a sheltered area at the back with a huge chess set and other games for children to play.

We don’t t happen to think that it’ll be long before nearby venues start to benefit from the The Saint’s halo effect in terms of a great refurbishment because it’s really upped the ante in St Andrews.n

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DRAM JULY 2018 29

@dramscotland

SUE SAYS

/dram.scotland

D

iageo is asking its agencies for their internal ‘diversity plans’ because the company hopes to rid its marketing of stereotypes.

Gráinne Wafer, Diageo’s global head of brand for Bailey’s, told marketing magazine the DRUM (and yes we are connected!) that one of the things they are questioning is whether the women in its ads are playing a supporting or lead role. Now Gráinne heads up Bailey’s – but I am hoping that the Global head for its whisky brands is considering that too. Perhaps we will break that taboo of having a woman seen to be drinking whisky in an ad – rather than just holding onto the drink – which is definitely a supporting role!

It’s not been a great month for price rises – first of Sky Sports and BT Sports increased their pub subcriptions, then PPL upped theirs. All of them have announced increases above inflation but PPL takes the biscuit – announcing a +400% increase for the trade! OUCH! My boyfriend has been saying for ages now that Amazon will bring out a Sports package... and he wasn’t wrong. Amazon have announced they too will be showing sport. It has won the UK rights to show 20 Premier League matches for each of the three seasons from 2019-20 to 2021-22. While BT Sport have 52 matches and Sky Sport have Sky have 128, which may mean that pubs will have to subscribe to all three!

Talking of football the World Cup has certainly been exciting, and I’m not even a football supporter! But I can’t believe that the CO2 issue wasn’t considered when beer supply for the duration was being discussed! Both Diageo and Molson Coors create their own CO2 from gas produced when they make beer...they capture it and use it for carbonation. Not only is this green, as the last few weeks has shown, it is prudent too. Pubs were not running out of their beer! Heineken, which has admitted it had to shut down production due to a lack of CO2 does actually do this at (at least) one of their breweries but obviously not all of them. Perhaps this is where their next investment should be.

Because I hate to think of the loss of earnings, that a lack of supply has had on the brewer not to mention the frustration that Heineken supplied licensees have experienced.

My nephew, aged 12, was fiddling with my mobile phone and changed a setting which means when I type in ‘Thank you’ it comes up as ‘I’m gonna kill you!’ And we/he hasn’t been able to change it back – it even appears on my emails. So should I inadvertently send you an email… you get the picture! So apologies in advance.

I have already started judging for this year’s awards and I always absolutely love it. Talking to people and finding out about their/your businesses is why I enjoy this job. But I am going to enjoy it even more now that Jason Caddy has taken over the Editorship. He was my deputy for five years before leaving to work in the land of the internet... but now he is back and it allows me to spend a lot more time out of the office catching up with folk. WELCOME BACK!

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Another past member of staff that has also made her way back is Lynn Kelly. She is heading up our Commercial side of the business.

She will be a familiar face to many but she too has enjoyed reconnecting with many of her former contacts. I always say the drinks business is the best business!

Talking of business Graham Arnott and Kevin Doyle have been floating about outside my office recently… not literally of course. But my curiousity cup is running over!

I hear that Edrington have appointed Lindsay McGarvie as Director of Corporate Affairs. I hope the team there realise that he is all about ‘pedal power’. I wonder if that lovely new office with the amazing view has place for a bike shed? Kidding aside, Lindsay, the former political editor at the Sunday Mail, is well versed in all things political but he also has some drinks knowledge having been a PR advisor with 3X1 to Diageo for a number of years.

Congrats on the new role.

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Freehold £550,000

• Characterful bar, restaurant & function room

• Spacious 42 cover restaurant and public bar

• Established business, owned by same family since 1989

• Recently refurbished to a high standard

T: 0141 352 7300

T: 0131 557 6666 5244919

6853989

For more properties visit: christie.com

CD LH

T: 0141 331 0650 T: 0131 220 8208

www.cdlh.co.uk

Leisure | Hospitality | Healthcare

Contact: kevin.hunter@cdlh.co.uk

SKY LOUNGE/SKY BAR

Contact: peter.darroch@cdlh.co.uk Contact: alan.creevy@cdlh.co.uk

RARE HERITABLE BAR / RESTAURANT SALE

Glasgow City Centre

Glasgow City Centre

LEASE FOR SALE

TO LET/MAY SELL

n Fully fitted restaurant/ bar, recently

n Superb trading location within core city

n Situated within highly successful Merchant

n Substantial premises extending to a gross

refurbished and in walk in condition.

centre.

Square licensed development.

n Ground and first floor restaurants, each of Premium Offers Invited

which have a dedicated kitchen.

GILCOMSTON BAR Aberdeen

internal area of approximately 624 sq. m.

(6,717 sq. ft.).

Offers Over

£895,000 Airdrie

FOR SALE

n Attractive traditional public house. Good

n Good quality traditional bar / restaurant. n Commercial kitchen. n First floor, 3 bedroom flat with separate

residential area.

£195,000

On the Instructions of Star Pubs & Bars

FOR SALE

n Desirable trading location in a good

O/O

refurbishment to reopen.

THE BOAR’S HEAD On the Instructions of Trust Inns

quality frontage and easily managed premises.

Reduced Price -

n Fitted public house ready for a minor

n Close to Robert Gordon University flats

and major new redevelopments.

access.

Offers Over

£225,000

n Beer garden. Rear yard / car park. n Popular community licensed premise.

Chartered Surveyors | Selling Agents | Business Analysts | Consultants

DRAM JULY 2018 31

SHOWCASE SHOWCASE

32

DRAM JULY 2018

SHOWCASE

SHOWCASE

CATERING EQUIPMENT

KIRKLEES DEVELOPMENTS LTD

HOG ROAST UP TO 200lb

From Only £1920

MAGNUM 8 BURNER

From Only £1460

ZENITH 5 From Only £645

Call us or visit our web site to order Tel: 01484 401134 www.kdev.co.uk enquiries@kdev.co.uk All prices exclude carriage and vat DRAM JULY 2018 33

ROUNDUP

The recent Donna Mortimer Bannatyne Trust ‘Donna Ball’, in memory and James and Rena’s daughter Donna, raised a massive £160K for the Trust which money raised going towards the Kilbryde Hospice.

Guests enjoyed a fabulous night and the Mortimer family managed to get Sister Sledge along to entertain guests. The Mortimer family are pictured on the cover.

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: news@mediaworldltd.com w: dramscotland.co.uk Publisher Editor Susan Young • Editor Jason Caddy • Chairman Noel Young • Editorial Jocelyn O’Keefe • Advertising Syliva Forsyth • Commercial Manager Lynn Kelly • Production Lorraine Gourlay, Dougie Wagstaff • Admin Cheryl Cook 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 2018. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

34

DRAM JULY 2018

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