NEWS The Fat Pony, a very small wine bar, is set to be opened by David Ramsden of The Dogs fame, this month. The new Edinburgh bar, on the site of a former jewellers, is at 47 Bread Street,
PERTH licensee John Bryden and daughter Georgia were thrilled to meet Jools Holland after sponsoring his Perth Concert Hall show. The Loft club backed the bandleader’s Perth Festival of the Arts appearance, hard on the heels of supporting last year’s appearance by Scots singer KT Tunstall. John said, “The Festival of the Arts is nudging towards its 50th anniversary and is a key plank in the 2021 City of Culture bid. Georgia and I were delighted to meet Jools and he was in superb form. The Loft was proud to play a role in bringing him back to the city and if he returns again next year we’d be delighted to support the concert.” They are pictured with Jools Holland (centre) at Perth Concert Hall.
STAR PUBS & BARS INVEST IN DUNDEE WITH A £500K IN TWO LOCAL PREMISES Heineken’s Star Pubs & Bars has earmarked £500K to invest in Dundee’s Mercantile Pub as well as The Gunners Bar in Broughty Ferry. The company is now looking for licensees to take on the leases A £300K investment is to be made at The Mercantile, which has been closed for a year. New plans have been drawn up to transform it into a contemporary upmarket modern industrial looking bar with a proposed new name, A. Smith Merchant. The look will be a mix of exposed brick, metal and wood and feature eclectic vintage lighting and decorative objects throughout. A feature beer wall will show-case the pub’s beer varieties and the ground floor bar will be repositioned at the back of the room. The upstairs will have circular booth seating overlooking the downstairs bar where people can eat, have coffees and drinks. The outside of the bar will also have a complete makeover. Meanwhile nearly £200K will be spent transforming The Gunners Bar from an old-fashioned drinkers only pub into a dynamic rustic urban bar serving premium branded drinks and pizzas.
Steak Cattle & Roll opened in Glasgow’s Merchant City just over eight weeks ago. This brings the number of Steak Cattle & Roll outlets in the city to two. The concept was thought up by owner Adam Hussain who originally opened in Weaver Street, before relocating to the city centre. Topolabamba has opened in Aberdeen bringing its own street food favourites and over 50 tequilas and mezcals to the city. The new restaurant at 367 Union Street is the third restaurant for the brand, which is also located in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Topolabamba is owned by Mario Gizzi, Paul Sloan, Tony Conetta and Calum McLaclainn. A pop up bar with a difference is opening Tuesday to Thursday’s beneath 6 Degrees North at One Below, in Howe Street, Edinburgh... called Survive. The pop-up has been inspired by TV show ‘The Walking Dead’, and offers customers an idea of what a bar post zombie apocalypse would look like. Even the staff are dressed up. It’s the brainchild of Linden Wilkinson. DRAM JUNE 2017 5