ROAD SUCCESS

held desire to create something on his own terms. While the day-to-day operations are left in his capable hands, the three partners all have the same ambition to grow the business. It is no secret that the trio want to see Black Grape grow within the city, but first, they want to establish the original Black Grape and create a strong foundation to build on.

Since its launch at the end of November it has been very warmly received. Murray’s mantra is to, “first and foremost make sure that you’re doing it right. I’m a great believer that if you’ve got an excellent product, great service and a warm and welcoming environment then you’re on the road to success, but I also think that these days you need a compelling story and a strong brand.

“Then it is just a case of putting in hard work, and paying attention to the details while focusing to get the best results.” Murray is extremely proud of the team he has put together. “We’re big believers in a good work-life balance, and making sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy things outside the workplace as well.”

The only caveat to that he tells me is, “It’s my business so I’m living and breathing it 24/7 whether I’m at work or not.”

The stylish interior was designed by award-winning Edinburgh agency, Splintr. Murray was keen to collaborate with designers he hadn’t worked with before to create a look which is quite different from his previous venues and he tasked them with creating a venue with a European feel. He explains, “If you go to Madrid, Barcelona or Paris and walk down a street, you stumble across beautiful cafés, bars and restaurants where you can get fantastic food that doesn’t feel too stuffy.”

To this end they also hired award-winning chef, Owen Morrice. Murray said, “Owen impressed us with his presentation and his balance of flavours. He’s a real asset to the team.”

He adds, “Having the very best produce is central to what we’re doing, when you’re doing small plates there are not a lot of hiding places, so you’ve got to make sure that you have quality suppliers as well as the kitchen being on point.”

Former bartender of the year, Joey Medrington, with whom Murray had worked previously, helped create 16 unique cocktails for the venue. Murray enthuses, “His drinks always brought a real sense of fun. I knew I wanted to work with him on our cocktails.”

And for the wine list, they teamed up with regional wine specialist Nicola Henry, from Hallgarten. Murray says, “They’ve already got an esoteric wine portfolio which is great for us and means we have a lot of exclusive wines that you can’t buy anywhere else in the city.”

They also want to create a business where people want to work. Murray reveals more, “We update the menu every 12 weeks to give the chefs an outlet for their creativity, and we have a monthly wine club for staff, not to push sales but to build on their wine knowledge.”

They also are planning regular away days and events. To look after staff well-being they have enlisted the help of Frazer McGlinchey, from Happy Sense, who is passionate about meditation and mindfulness, and how they can be used within the hospitality industry to work with staff.

Murray certainly loves working in the hospitality industry, “It’s an exciting business where you can be really creative. It is like throwing a dinner party every night, where you welcome people in, create the ambience, and the menu.”

Looking back on his long career in hospitality, Murray does not regret giving up on the law. He said, “When we negotiated the legals for Black Grape, I realised that it was definitely a lucky escape. I think I’ll stick to the fun stuff.”

The Black Grape, 240 Canongate, Edinburgh