The Cocktail Lovers Magazine Issue 36 Autumn 2020

ISSUE 36

AUTUMN 2020

ISSN 2052 0603

Faith, Hope & Charity The blend for a positive future

Plus…

A focus on London Cocktail Week

Discover the finest contemporary silver and jewellery from over 300 designer-makers. www.thegoldsmithsdirectory.co.uk

Cocktail set: Martyn Pugh

Contributors

Imie Augier

Gareth Bath

Imie first caught the bartending bug when she started working at Merchant House in London in 2016 where she worked her way up to General Manager. Since then she’s done stints at The Shrub & Shutter and Fitz’s bar in the Kimpton Fitzroy London.

Following managing director roles at BrewDog and Curious Brewery, Gareth brings his wealth of experience in the drinks industry to Distill Ventures. As well as managing the day-today operations of the London team, as Managing Director of the European Division, it’s his job to ensure that the company maintains its reputation for being at the forefront of industry trends around the world.

These days she’s keeping busy working on a number of projects, including opening Nebula, a new bar in Hackney, and a ready-to-drink range due to launch very soon.

In this issue Imie writes about the empowerment she feels being a woman of colour in the drinks industry after this year’s Black Lives Matter protests (p. 44).

Gareth takes time out of his busy schedule to share his thoughts on the innovation providing hope during challenging times.

Read what he has to say on page 46.

Ben Reed

Roisin Stimpson

From running the ground-breaking Met Bar in the mid-90s to setting up London’s first cocktail consultancy in 2000, Ben Reed has been at the forefront of the global drinks industry for nearly 30 years. He’s written 14 books, makes regular television appearances and has written for a variety of publications including the Guardian, Vogue and GQ.

“I remember my husband Edmund and I going to a wonderful gig in Dublin which evoked a sense of a 1930s bar – that became our blueprint for our first venue,” says Roisin. Inspired by their combined love of live jazz, beautiful drinks and the glamour they associated with those things, they opened their highly acclaimed speakeasy Nightjar in London 10 years ago.

Since then they’ve added three more award-winning bars to their roster: Oriole and two branches of Swift.

He is now Global Cocktail Ambassador at Cocktail Credentials where he acts as a consultant to the world’s largest drinks brands, writing, training and speaking about cocktails all over the world.

Ben writes about his faith in the future of the drinks industry on page 24.

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Roisin talks candidly about the highs and lows of running a business during these unpredictable times and how giving birth to her third son (pictured) gives her hope for the future (p. 38).

25

IN-the know

REASONS TO BE A COCKTAIL LOVER THIS SEASON

one hundred live and die 1984. neon tubing with clear glass tubing on metal monolith 299.7 x 355.9 x 53.3. collection benesse holdings, inc./benesse house museum, naoshima © bruce nauman/ars, ny and dacs, london 2020, courtesy sperone westwater, new york

Harking back to the 70s, waiting for the postie, ditching the citrus peel and putting on the spritz – a few of the things on our agenda in the coming months

N1 o

Lighting up our lives That Bruce Nauman is a talented so-and-so. Over the years the American artist has explored pretty much every artistic medium – drawings, printmaking, video, performance, sculpture – you name it, he’s had a go at it and a mighty fine job he’s done of it too. We’re huge fans of his neons. So we’re pretty excited as there will be plenty of them on show at his first major exhibition in the UK in 20 years. There’ll

be immersive installations and poetic sculptures too. Fancy something just as clever and creative in liquid form? Try the ever-inventive concoctions on the menu at Scout London – they’re bound to light up your palate.

‘Bruce Nauman’ is at Tate Modern from 7 October 2020 to 21 February 2021. tate.org.uk

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IN-the know

IN-the know

THE PEOPLE “What lockdown (and the London bar scene’s emergence out the other side) has shown us is that our industry and the people within it are the perfect blend of positivity, innovation and resilience," say Siobhan Payne (left),and Hannah Sharman-Cox (right). "The warmth and energy with which bar owners, bartenders and brands alike have embraced our plans for London Cocktail Week 2020 as a kick-start of better times to come just shows that you can’t dampen the spirit of the drinks trade – have no doubt that we WILL bounce back with even more vigour than before!”.

Find out more about London Cocktail Week 2020 on page 26.

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IN-the know

THE COCKTAIL Hope, bottled. This season’s essential Negroni, made with love and a healthy measure of Hope Gin. Available from hopedistillery.co.za For personal stories on hope for the future of drinks, see pages 38-48.

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IN-the know

THE BOTTLE This isn’t Single Malt Scotch Whisky, this is Nc’Nean Ainnir Single Malt Scotch Whisky, the fresh thinking, clean drinking Scotch that looks good and does good too. Made from organic Scottish barley in a distillery powered by 100% renewable energy and packaged in completely recycled glass, the first 10 of its maiden bottling were auctioned off, raising £92,500 for charities including The Drinks Trust.

For more initiatives with charity in mind, see page 50.

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Faith, Hope & Charity

left: electric bing sutt exterior after the blast; above: the interior in brighter days; below: jad and lin

Jad to respond, they set up a GoFundMe page to help the team rebuild their beloved bar. ‘Our brother is in trouble’, the rallying cry went. “Although he has proven he has all it takes to succeed, under the circumstances he just can’t; not there, not right now. We are asking for the global bar industry, our extended family, to support our cause and help raise funds so that he can start over.” And just like that, the funds started to roll in. To date, it’s raised over €30,000.

“I was surprised and happy at how much support we received from around the world,” Jad told us a few days after the blast. “I can honestly say that our industry is the best because I haven’t seen any other community get so much support as we have. Everyone has been sending us messages – even people that I’d only met once at a bar show or had a quick chat with have been calling and sending messages – it’s been really amazing. Then Nico and Dinos set up a GoFundMe page for us – I didn’t know anything about it,” he says. “This is what keeps us going, it’s really helped to keep us strong because we don’t feel alone – it gives us hope. It makes us feel that everyone is with us and it really, really has been incredible.”

A little support goes a long, long way. And the abundance that Jad received gave him and the team the impetus needed to pick themselves up, dust themselves down and start all over again. “For the first few days we did all that we could to retrieve whatever we could safely get out, but the building was severely tilted and looked like it would collapse at any point,” he explains. “The good thing is that there were a lot of volunteers on the street, so as well as our team a lot of people came out to help us.”

A month later, we caught up with Jad to find out how things were progressing. Unbelievably, at the very same time a huge fire had broken out in the port, bringing with it reminders of the recent event. “Initially, I was scared,” Jad admits, unsurprisingly. “But it seems like it was only a fire.” The rebuilding of the bar has been equally perplexing. “There’s nothing that we can do with the building at the moment, we have to wait for

the government to get enough funds to reinforce the buildings in our neighbourhood and then we can proceed to reopen the bar. We’ve been informed that could be anywhere between six months and a year,” he explains. “In the meantime, we’re looking for temporary sites to open Electric Bing Sutt pop-ups – something new, raw and vibrant to keep the bar going and help the staff with much-needed salaries to support their families.”

And the GoFundMe help? “That’s still being processed but we’re actively searching for sites to collaborate with.

We have had some good news though,” he adds. “Next week we’ll be doing a two-day pop-up at a fabulous beach bar owned by our friend. Think an all-natural setting, bamboo chairs, starry lights, freshly cut grass, a golden sunset over the stunning Mediterranean Sea and Electric Bing Sutt cocktails! It will be the first time after the explosion that we’re back making cocktails and we can’t wait.”

Read the full interview at thecocktaillovers.com Donations can be made at, https://gf.me/u/ymzsq2 Keep up to date at facebook.com/electricbingsutt

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MEET THE NEW ICON

TCL Partner

The bottle shape is certainly recognisable, the colour of the cap is reassuringly distinct and bright, and there’s no mistaking the unique oversized label. Definitely familiar, but decidedly different, this is the brand-new bitters from Angostura.

Celebrated worldwide for a rich history in creating both its signature aromatic and orange bitters, Angostura has long inspired discerning drinkers, imaginative bartenders and creative chefs. While the aromatic bitters originated in 1824, the orange bitters didn’t follow until 2007, so it’s safe to say Angostura doesn’t believe in rushing, instead taking time to refine and perfect. It’s been worth the wait. After years of research and trials, we can now enjoy ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters.

Like its illustrious siblings, the recipe for the new bitters is a closely guarded secret but, at its heart, two things blend beautifully together. First, Angostura brings nearly 200 years of heritage and experience to the creation of the new bitters. Second is an ingredient which, like Angostura itself, heralds from Trinidad and Tobago, where it enjoys an equally legendary reputation – Trinitario cocoa. Dating back centuries, Trinitario cocoa has won international recognition as the world’s finest cocoa hybrid, and earned the region a reputation as a mecca for chocolate. And it’s this locally harvested cocoa that is at the heart of ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters.

Espresso Martini Ingredients: 37.5ml vodka 12.5ml coffee liqueur 25ml brewed espresso coffee 12.5ml simple syrup (1:1) 6 dashes ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters Method: Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a coffee bean.

Combining bold and sumptuous top notes of rich, floral, nutty cocoa with an intoxicating infusion of aromatic and sensory botanicals, Angostura has created a bitters that opens up a world of possibilities. ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters pairs perfectly with sweet vermouth, as well as aged spirits such as whisky, rum, cognac and tequila. It also brings new layers of complexity to classics like the Espresso Martini and the Mojito, not to mention adding extra depth to non-alcoholic drinks. And it has even inspired a reimagining of the Trinidad and Tobago classic Queen’s Park Swizzle, which has been beautifully twisted into the delicious Trinitario Swizzle.

Combining bold and sumptuous top notes of rich, floral, nutty cocoa with an intoxicating infusion of aromatic and sensory botanicals

As for food, it’s equally at home in savoury dishes and sweet desserts, adding richness to the former and delicious indulgence to the latter.

Like the renowned aromatic and orange bitters, ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters is all about inspiring creativity among professionals, as well as in the home, for both drinks and dining, reimagining classics and as an essential ingredient in new creations.

All around the world, ANGOSTURA® cocoa bitters looks set to become another Angostura icon.

To find out more, see angosturabitters.com

Please enjoy responsibly

Available soon in the UK on amazon.co.uk and in the USA from Walmart.

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Faith, Hope & Charity 22 - The Cocktail Lovers

Faith

How do you keep faith in your dream when the whole world stops and tells you to stay at home, away from social contact?

Humans are social animals. We need interactions with each other, we crave a sense of belonging to a group that believes in the same things we do. It makes us better versions of ourselves.

We believe that, as an industry that touches so many aspects of everyday life, we have a responsibility of being leaders in our communities. No matter what we do, we are pillars of a neighbourhood, of a city, a society.

Our answer was: keep faith in what you believe in and find ways of meeting people.

We pushed hard for weeks, and things finally started to fall into place: we planned, got the keys to the venue at the beginning of June and started getting the team together.

Five days after receiving the keys, the venue was deep cleaned, cocktails batched and our outside takeaway bar opened. We were able to introduce ourselves and our offering to locals who, we found, were craving something new and exciting.

Every good deed has a ripple effect, so we cleaned the street, painted our neighbour’s fence and invited local business owners in to the bar.

We spoke to everyone in the street, from people stopping by for a drink to dog-walkers on their way to Hyde Park, all the way to people in their cars stopping in front of the bar at traffic lights.

We could sense the need for human interaction.

Before we knew it, a little following was starting to build, bringing us more guests and opportunities.

The place next door started cleaning the street with us.

We now know most of our guests by their first names, most of them dropping by twice a week, making us feel like part of their lives.

At our core, we believe that having a positive approach to every situation is not a trend, it’s the only way of looking at business in the long term. It is paramount for us not only to look at sustainability from an environmental point of view, but also financial, social and cultural as well.

Every good deed has a ripple effect, so we cleaned the street, painted our neighbours fence, and invited local business owners in to the bar We offer high-quality, seasonal produce-driven cocktails and small plates, organic or biodynamic wines and local beers, and we try to work in a closed loop as much as possible. We also invested in a clear ice machine which saves us tens of thousands of pounds a year while drastically reducing our environmental impact.

All these decisions are based on our faith in our people, the industry and our environment. We believe that by persisting in our beliefs, our faith will reward us.

It is by having faith in our mantra, People, Produce and Positive Impact, that we were able to take a small venue during an impossible period and give birth to Publik. A place where we serve Hospitality, and drinks and food are a way of expression.

And you, what do you have faith in?

Greg Almeida is cofounder of Publik.

We make sure the lowest-paid employee is paid above the London Living Wage, and that our standard sick pay package gives them peace of mind in case of illness.

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Faith, Hope & Charity 36 - The Cocktail Lovers

Hope

above: the sumptuous interior at oriole; right; close-up at swift

stomach bug that I’d put down to stress turned into fever, aches, chills and breathlessness. I ended up in hospital on 27 March, 28 weeks pregnant with Covid-pneumonia.

Highs and lows, ebbs and flows; this has been the nature of the past few months. For me, recovery from the virus was a nervous shuffle of illness – two steps forward, one step back. Likewise, it wasn’t long before the shiny, monolithic pillar of support that Rishi had unveiled began to be chipped away at. Most disappointing was the announcement that service charge (taxed income) would not be included in the furlough scheme, leaving many hospitality staff at 60% of their earnings, if that.

Most of our musicians were left out in the cold as well.

Accessing the government-backed Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme proved almost Kafkaesque, and landlords, under no governmental obligations, were sympathetic but hesitant to amend leases.

Yet in the face of all this adversity there has been much to sustain our hope. In contrast to the initial scenes of panic buying, people helped one another. The hospitality industry was vital, with hotels putting up the homeless and chefs cooking food for key workers.

Many in the drinks industry took to delivering cocktails, and our east London neighbours Callooh Callay and Happiness Forgets encouraged us to bottle ours, giving vital tips on packaging and distribution.

We were also able to pick the brains of Andrew Ho of Hope & Sesame bar in China, whose experience of moving in and out of lockdown months ahead of us gave us a glimpse into our possible future.

As business owners of a decade with a few levels between us and the coalface, it was a rewarding experience to come face-to-face with our most loyal customers during our bottled cocktail deliveries. And generous contributions to our Staff Hardship Fund as well as the success of our Friends of Nightjar pre-paid voucher scheme renewed our hope that the bars would come alive again.

A friend working in public health commented on the dynamism in the drinks industry when they saw the speed with which bars launched their bottled cocktail ranges, yet it is no surprise to me that our sector has been one of the most enterprising responders. Bars and clubs attract non conformist, entrepreneurial and energetic people-lovers, who are skilled at responding to a crisis with creativity.

Just as hope began to seep back into the shuttered industry, so I gradually recovered from the virus, and when our third child – the greatest symbol of hope to have emerged from all of this – arrived on 1 June I was more or less in full health. This date also marked the loosening of lockdown, and gave the industry a tentative timetable for reopening on 4 July. As the ‘glorious fourth’ approached, the industry buzzed anew with optimism, anticipating a release of pent-up demand.

Reopening turned out to be a slower, more hesitant business than we had hoped. They say it takes three months to form a habit, and even the most ardent of barflies had spent nearly six learning to entertain themselves at home. We abandoned plans to reopen Oriole until September when Nightjar’s bookings came in at a trickle rather than a deluge. The Eat Out to Help Out scheme bolstered restaurant business but sucked the energy from the weekend as people dined out Monday to Wednesday. It took weeks, and the return of live music in mid-August, to see Nightjar properly buzzing again.

Now that we have some momentum there are bright sides to this new normal. Staff have renewed energy and enthusiasm; real-time booking software has done away with long queues; and our £30 minimum spend (to counteract our reduced capacity) has resulted in a house full of engaged guests. At Swift Soho, sales are up in large part due to the newly permitted outside seating on Old Compton Street. Its sister site in Shoreditch opened in late July and has been gathering the residential, regular clients essential to all good bars.

It would of course be unwise for any of us to relax; the recent rise in new cases of Covid-19 has resulted in the new ‘rule of six’, with the spectre of further restrictions.

Another lockdown would be crippling, however even in this worst-case scenario, I feel we can move into the breach with the confidence borne of experience. Living day-to-day has restored a nimble approach to our thinking, akin to when we started our business. One hope we can cling to is that in times of crisis, the British public will continue to go out drinking and having fun.

As Peggy Lee sings, “If that’s all there is… let’s break out the booze and have ourselves a ball.” barnightjar.com; oriolebar.com; barswift.com

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Hope

his utmost to pre-empt the changes in the how and when people drink, not just now but going forward. “We’ve had to have a rethink in terms of the space itself as well as work our drinks menu to be smartly costed out,” he says with his business head screwed firmly on. “That means re-evaluating how we can offer the same quality by using different products so we can raise our profit margins. If we can return a smarter profit off the products that we sell, that means that I don’t have to be quite so tight on the labour of my team.” Don’t mistake that for the guest being shortchanged in any way. Like the drinks found in Happiness Forgets, his award-winning bar in the basement below, the offering at Ever After is every bit as smashable.

and started over, revisiting his original idea: a bricksand-mortar equivalent to walking into a welcoming hug.

“Ever After is very much a bar with food rather than an out-and-out restaurant,” he says, beaming. “We’ve gone for a casual counter dining [which will be operational once social distancing is over; until then, guests can take their pick from the 26 seats inside and on the heated terrace outside] but the focus and emphasis is on cocktails and of course, we have a good, solid wine menu as well.

The drinks are mainly easy-drinking, lighter cocktails with a few classics along the lines of what Happiness Forgets is known for, but we’ve added in some spritzes and lower abv drinks to make it more approachable for everyone.”

It’s a crowd-pleaser alright. The Ever After Sherry Cobbler (Manzanilla and Amontillado sherries, white port, pineapple and orange) has already become one of the standouts. But there are plenty others vying for the top spot, including the House Martini (your choice of either Plymouth Gin or Absolut Elyx Vodka, Dolin Dry Vermouth and the thing that gives this Martini its edge, Koserate white tea), poured straight from the freezer and all the better for it. Then there’s the Bloody Martini (radishinfused vodka, tomato and celery water and spices), as well as everyone’s favourite, the Espresso Martini, done here in three ways: classic; with rye whiskey and orange curaçao; and lastly with Plantation Pineapple rum and orgeat – what’s not to like? The list also takes in four non-alcoholic options so everyone can join in the party.

But before we get on to the menu, let’s talk about the thinking behind the bar. Ever After occupies the spot formerly known as Petit Pois, a casual-in-a-chic-kindaway, all-day bistro. The emphasis was on well-priced, well-cooked home-style food with drinks, and to be fair, it did bloody well. So well in fact that it earned itself a Bib Gourmand, a none too shabby accolade awarded to restaurants deemed to be both good quality and good value. “The recognition was incredible but it did us a massive disservice in what we were trying to achieve with the restaurant,” Alastair says unexpectedly. Most establishments would be rubbing their hands together with glee and raking in the profits after gaining such approval from the Michelin gods but for Petit Pois, it had the opposite effect. “We put the plaque outside and people thought it was an expensive restaurant and started rating us higher than we wanted it to be. In the end it just wasn’t working as it should,” he explains. “So we took the decision to close Petit Pois and make the space fall more in line, conceptually-wise, with what was doing consistently well, the bar.”

There’s that optimism again. Rather than hold on to that plaque and the prestige that went with it, he took stock

The food has been designed to be equally low-key and delicious. “The brief to the chef was ‘easy staples; nice, simple snacky bits’. But you’ve also got solid bar food such as a charcuterie board and bistro burger with fries.

The idea is you come in and have drinks and maybe order some small plates to go with. But if you’re hungrier, you can choose something more substantial for dinner. Or you can come because you know the food is great but you can also have a drink. Which is just how I always wanted this place to be.”

It’s working like a charm, both as a destination in its own right and as a precursor to an evening in the dark, smouldering warmth of Happiness Forgets downstairs.

“I haven’t worked this much service in years,” he says, laughing. “Mind you, I feel it the next morning! But it’s great to be working with the team, talking to people and getting a real feel of keeping my hand in, knowing what customers like and want and being able to react,” he says. But back to what keeps him positive: ‘I believe in people more than anything else. Throughout this whole thing having Chelsie Bailey and my team on board has made it really easy for me to be optimistic. You have to surround yourself with like-minded people and they’ll pull you through.” everafterbar.com

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Hope

We were our own 58 bubble and it felt good to do something we knew was helping people no matter how stressed, tired or anxious we felt

bottles and had fun making bespoke ‘Gin-itizer Navy Strength’ sanitisers for the event. They were very well received and that’s all it was supposed to be – a bit of fun, nothing more than that.

Then March hit and everything rapidly changed as our entire events, Gin School and bar side of the business had to close. Our wholesale operation was mainly on-trade, supplying bars and restaurants, etc; we had limited customers in retail; and our new products and website were still in development. As a small team, furlough wasn’t an option – we had to do something drastic, and quickly.

We realised that with the World Health Organization recipe guidelines we could switch our entire production line to produce and bottle liquid sanitiser. If we could supply, we knew there was demand, as the phone hadn’t stopped ringing from the press we received after The Drinks Trust’s ball. We locked in our liquid suppliers, ran the numbers and did some tests – the decision was made and we pivoted the entire business in just three days.

None of this was planned, we were reactive and in turn being a small team was to our benefit as we were able to make the decision quickly. I believe we were also the first distillery in the UK to switch production to sanitiser, which enabled us to get a head start on the testing and certifications needed for us to sell safely. What we didn’t anticipate was the sheer scale of the demand. From the National Health Service to frontline police including Metropolitan, Humberside and various other county

constabularies, it was apparent we were engaged in a full-blown crisis. The virus had blindsided everyone, so sourcing packaging was a nightmare with many sources being tapped from all across Europe. There were long days and restless nights; however, we came together as a team, brought in girlfriends and partners to help on the bottling line and even hired cars to drive in to avoid public transport. We were our own 58 bubble and it felt good to do something we knew was helping people no matter how stressed, tired or anxious we felt. Everyone had bad days but in times of crisis you just get on with it, and you could always make an ice-cold Negroni at the end of a long day (one of the many benefits of having a bar on-site).

Thankfully, we got through it with everyone’s health intact and since lockdown was eased we’ve picked up where we left off when our doors closed on 12 March.

Our beautiful new bespoke 70cl bottles are now in play – made with recycled glass and 100% recyclable. We’ve also launched the UK’s first artisan gin seltzers, which I’m incredibly proud of as they have been in development for some months. Offering customers a low-calorie, natural and convenient alternative to the high-sugar, low-quality ready-to-drink products already out there, they are proving incredibly popular.

I believe distilling is an art form and for you to sustain growth you must make it relatable and accessible to the general consumer. People need to understand what you are trying to do and why you are trying to do it. Whether it’s being kinder to the planet or producing products with transparency in the ingredients and process, what drives us is being able to tell that story and create memorable experiences that inspire people.

I think caring for your community, telling stories and creating memories is what drives the whole hospitality industry, and I sincerely hope we can all persevere so we can continue to do that.

58gin.com

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Hope IN-focus

Meanwhile, Starward, which is based on the other side of the world in Melbourne, Australia, switched from in-store tastings in the US to virtual tastings through whisky clubs, joining other new world whisky brands to introduce this exciting new category to whisky drinkers through virtual distillery tours and the like.

Many brands set up bundle deals by partnering with mixer and tonic companies; some have connected with consumers in new ways by offering them kits to make standard serves in their own home; and others have stepped up their role in supporting local communities.

While all of these tactics are slightly different, the strategy remains the same – to utilise innovative marketing and e-commerce solutions to build consumer relationships while strengthening the brand.

And it worked. Consumers started trying new drinks and new formats, in an attempt to bring the bar experience home with them.

What has also changed is the occasion. With social distancing measures in place and many choosing to go out and come home earlier, late-night, high-tempo onpremise [places where alcohol is meant to be consumed on site, such as bars, clubs and restaurants] consumption has dramatically reduced. What has replaced it is a shift towards socialising in smaller, trusted groups.

Planning has become the bedrock of these occasions.

Decisions on where to go are now much less about spontaneity; they’re now more considered. While consumers are still after great venues with enjoyable atmospheres, it’s now more important than ever that they are easy to book and put guests’ safety first.

Local venues have also become the lynchpin for many, as consumers seek establishments that are within walking distance of home in an effort to reduce their use of public transport. This is another area where the industry has seen inspirational innovation from local venues which very quickly adjusted to deliver great

Local venues have become the lynchpin for many, as consumers seek establishments that are within walking distance of home experiences to their highly valued customers, despite the difficult circumstances.

What does the next six months hold? With so many moving parts, it’s simply too early to tell. At times like these, being fleet of foot and doubling down on changes that are working are the key to success, and seeing brands across the industry throw such energy into different marketing, e-commerce, home delivery and social distancing practices has been a source of inspiration in a year of troubled times. It’s this innovation which gives us hope that, as an industry, we will adapt, implement new approaches that put the consumer at the heart of what we do, and ultimately ensure that we will emerge stronger together from the challenges presented in 2020. distillventures.com

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Faith, Hope & Charity 48 - The Cocktail Lovers

sly agustin and sophie bratt showing community spirit at london cocktail week 2019

Charity

CHARITY BEGINS

AT HOME Sly Augustin has always prided himself and his award-winning bar, Trailer Happiness, on being part of the community. So when the Grenfell Tower fire broke out in west London three years ago, just down the road from his bar and home, his charitable nature kicked in immediately and Community Spirit was born.

This is his story: I was away doing a pop-up at the Spare Room in Los Angeles at the time. The first I knew of the tragedy at Grenfell was when one of my bartenders sent me a photograph of the fire and very quickly, the story started to unfold. It was incredibly frustrating being away for those first 24 hours but luckily I was able to co-ordinate a plan of action through the guys on site at my bar, Trailer Happiness.

To begin with, we opened the bar up for supplies, donations – whatever was needed. We also made ourselves a pit-stop for volunteers to take a break and get refreshments. As soon as I got back to London two

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days later, I went straight down to the Grenfell base camp to find out how we could help. To be honest, there was a lot of distrust at that point. Obviously the nature of the fire and the reason behind it was a huge factor. And the fact that Kensington and Chelsea Council were non-existent in terms of their support for the community didn’t help.

Essentially, it was down to the community to do things for themselves. As I’m from the area I was able to speak directly to the people on the ground to find out what was needed.

That was the first stage. Things shifted gear as people in the drinks industry were concerned about the effects

Charity

of the fire and wanted to help but didn’t know how to channel their support. As a result, someone on the London Bartenders’ Association Facebook Group page tagged me in a conversation saying something like, “It’s Sly’s area – he’ll know what’s needed.” So on the strength of that, we organised a meeting at Trailer made up of people in drinks and friends of mine from different industries such as design and music who also wanted to assist. Within 24 hours we came up with the name Community Spirit and my friends had designed the logo. We also came up with the concept of doing a fundraiser, like a music festival but with the bartenders being the main acts by making drinks and essentially getting everyone involved.

The response from drinks brands was instant and incredibly generous. They all sent stock without hesitation and all of the bars we asked to be involved donated their time free of charge. The whole thing took us two weeks to pull together, it was a real collective effort and in the end we raised around £12,500 for the Grenfell Tower fund. I felt immensely proud of what we achieved – it was a good moment to say we’re not just in the community, we are the community. We’ve been witnessing acts like this over the past few months with the pandemic: humans can really look after themselves.

We don’t need to solely rely on government to be good people and support each other.

Since then, we’ve continued to work with bartenders and spirits brands to raise money for community projects.

Sophie Bratt [from Sexy Fish bar] has been instrumental in championing Community Spirit and keeping it alive.

Thanks to her hard work, we link up with events and try to get a space wherever we can, then we plug into an existing charity doing something for the community and raise money for it. So far this has included a youth club that offers shelter to victims, a London Firefighters fund and Mind, a mental health charity. Last year we teamed up with London Cocktail Week and bartenders donated their time to make cocktails to raise funds for Good Night Out, a campaign to end sexual harassment in bars, clubs and at festivals. In September this year we linked up with Cocktails in the City to raise funds for The Drinks Trust – our industry is in trouble so we definitely want to help out in any way we can.

bartenders get behind community spirit

bar owners pushing the rules. We generate money so we’re tolerated but we’re not generally celebrated within the community. I wanted to change that and we have.

Do we want to set up as a charity? Yes, of course we do.

But truthfully, I haven’t had as much time as I would like to focus on it. For the moment we’re just fundraisers but going forward I’d like Community Spirit to be a charity and stage its own events. It will come, watch this space.

One of the key things for me was to establish hospitality as part of the community

One of the key things for me was to establish hospitality as part of the community. At the time of the Grenfell fire, I was in constant conf lict with the council – there was this preconception about

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Charity

that they want to get rid of too. Patrón is big on waste.

Or rather, it’s fully committed to making the most of it. The compost that we witnessed employees proudly tending creates around 5,500 tonnes of natural fertiliser each year. Some of it feeds that vegetable garden we mentioned earlier, some goes to enrich the Weber Blue agave plants that famously give tequila its Appellation of Origin declaration, while the rest finds its way into local fields and parks. That’s just one of the many ways that the company helps out the community; there are plenty more, including supporting local food banks, working with orphanages and ensuring that all of its agave growers are paid a fair wage.

What’s the story globally? Well, seeing as you ask, Patrón makes it its business to contribute to all manner of charitable initiatives, ranging from food programmes to disaster relief funds. More recently, attention turned to the hard-hit hospitality industry and the effects of Covid-19 on the sector. The result? A donation of US$1m, which went some way to helping three carefully considered charities: Children of Restaurant Employees, the James

Beard Foundation and Another Round, Another Rally – that’s on top of the US$3m that parent company Bacardí Limited handed out to separate charities.

Closer to home, that sense of community spirit saw all of the brands in the Bacardí Limited portfolio join forces in the hugely successful #RaiseYourSpirits programme.

Devised to give bars and bartenders in the UK and Ireland much-needed help to get through lockdown, it took in a number of strategies ranging from the buying of cocktail vouchers and pre-paying for events held in bars through to providing over 120 outlets and their bartenders with a platform to generate revenue from the sale of their cocktails via a Deliveroo partnership.

There’s more where that came from but in true Patrón style, they don’t like to brag about it. Which makes us love them that little bit more. patrontequila.com

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IN-formed

Æcorn to the rescue Claire Warner has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to the things we should be focusing on, both in and outside of the glass. She was the first person of note to advocate the importance of well-being in the drinks industry. She was also the one who warned us of the perils of sugar and its adverse effects in cocktails.

All a little awks when she was Head of Spirits at a major booze company but in true Warner fashion, she held firm and championed the cause.

Now she’s on another mission. This time it’s to get us all to connect. Again, drinks come under the spotlight but in this case, as a unifier, a reason for people to come together, whether they’re drinking or not. “Generation Z are choosing to drink less but they’re also the generation that seem to be more affected by feelings of social isolation,” she explains. “They have hundreds of followers on social media but feel no real connections in real life and that’s the issue. As we come out of lockdown those real-life connections need to be cherished, now more than ever.”

Enter Æcorn Drinks, the drinks brand she cofounded and launched 18 months ago. As the world’s first nonalcoholic aperitif, the hypothesis behind the range was always about inclusion. “Sometimes, if you’re not drinking you can feel as though there isn’t room at the table for you, or that you’re not invited,” she says. “Yet,

the stronger our connections are with each other, the richer we all become. So we wondered whether we could help to reduce some of those barriers by creating a fun, social, non-alcoholic range of aperitifs that might help those people who don’t want to drink feel that they can still connect with their friends without having to compromise.”

It took time to get the flavour profile just right. “If you choose not to drink alcohol for whatever reason, it’s important that the drink you get served looks the same, smells similar, has as a complex taste and offers the same experience as an alcoholic drink. You shouldn’t feel underserved, underappreciated or less than,” she offers.

“Our aperitifs are packed with botanicals, full of flavour and bursting with complexity. In fact, we’re always championing the fact that the least interesting thing about Æcorn is that it’s non-alcoholic; the most interesting thing is you should still be able to have the exact same experience and by the way there’s no alcohol in your glass.”

During London Cocktail Week a number of bars will be serving cocktails with Æcorn Bitter, Aromatic or Dry aperitifs as a base. “It’s the first time that the festival will be running for a month so I see it as a great opportunity for people who are doing Sober October to still get out and have a nice time and see their friends,” enthuses Claire. “We’re coming out of being isolated so it’s our first real chance to get out in the capital and its bars and socialise in the way that we used to – with or without restricted hours, whether we’re drinking alcohol or not.”

For a list of bars serving Æcorn Aperitifs cocktails during London Cocktail Week, see londoncocktailweek.com aecorndrinks.com

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London cocktail week: who's in?

It’s still called London Cocktail Week but this year it’s been extended to the whole of October, and more than 200 bars will be taking part right across the city.

Check with the venues to find out what they’re offering and to get the latest details.

BEHIND THIS WALL Basement, 411 Mare St, E8 1HY behindthiswall.com

BREWDOG SEVEN DIALS Marquis of Granby, 142 Shaftesbury Ave, WC2H 8HJ brewdog.com/bars/uk/brewdog-seven-dials

BELLANGER 9 Islington Green, N1 2XH bellanger.co.uk

BREWDOG SHOREDITCH 51 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 6LA brewdog.com/bars/uk/brewdog-shoreditch

46 & MERCY 46-48 Commercial St, E1 6LT 46andmercy.com 69 COLEBROOKE ROW 69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA 69colebrookerow.com ALBIE AT THE HOXTON, SOUTHWARK 40 Blackfriars Road, SE1 8NY thehoxton.com/london/southwark/albierestaurant ALL STAR LANES BRICK LANE 95 Brick Lane, E1 6QL allstarlanes.co.uk/locations/brick-lane ALL STAR LANES WHITE CITY Westfield London Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, W12 7FU allstarlanes.co.uk/locations/westfield-white-city APPLES & PEARS 26 Osborn Road, London, E1 6TD applesandpearsbar.com AQUA NUEVA 5th Floor, 240 Regent St (Entrance 30 Argyll St, W1B 3BR aquanueva.co.uk AQUA SPIRIT 5th Floor, 240 Regent St (Entrance 30 Argyll St), W1B 3BR aquaspirit.co.uk ARTESIAN AT THE LANGHAM 1c Portland Pl, W1B 1JA artesian-bar.co.uk ARTIST RESIDENCE 52 Cambridge St, SW1V 4QQ artistresidence.co.uk/london/clubhouse AVIARY Montcalm Royal London House, 22-25 Finsbury Sq, EC2A 1DX aviarylondon.com BAR 45 45 Park Ln, W1K 1PN dorchestercollection.com/en/london/45-parklane/restaurants-bars/bar-45 BAR AMÉRICAIN 20 Sherwood St, W1F 7ED brasseriezedel.com/bar-americain BARRIO ANGEL 45 Essex Rd, N1 2SF barriobars.com/angel BARRIO BRIXTON 30 Acre Ln, SW2 5SG barriobars.com/brixton BARRIO SHOREDITCH 141-143 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JE barriobars.com/shoreditch BARRIO SOHO 6 Poland St, W1F 8PS barriobars.com/soho BASSOON AT THE CORINTHIA Whitehall Pl, SW1A 2BD corinthia.com/london/restaurants-bars

8 Bride Court, EC4Y 8DU blackparrotbar.co.uk

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BIG CHILL BRICK LANE Dray Walk, E1 6QL bigchillbar.com/brick-lane BIG CHILL KINGS CROSS 257-259 Pentonville Rd, N1 9NL bigchillbar.com/kings-cross BLACK PAR BLACK ROCK 9 Christopher St, EC2A 2BS blackrock.bar/london BLACK ROCK TAVERN 9 Christopher St, EC2A 2BS blackrock.bar/london BLUE BAR AT THE BERKELEY Wilton Pl, SW1X 7RL the-berkeley.co.uk/restaurants-bars/blue-bar BOBBY FITZPATRICK 273 West End Lane, NW6 1QS bobbyf.co.uk BOISDALE OF BELGRAVIA 13 Eccleston St, SW1W 9LX boisdale.co.uk/belgravia BOURNE & HOLLINGSWORTH BUILDINGS 42 Northampton Rd, EC1R 0HU bandhbuildings.com

BREWDOG SOHO 21 Poland St, W1F 8QG brewdog.com/bars/uk/brewdog-soho BULL IN A CHINA SHOP 196 Shoreditch High St, E1 6LG bullinachinashop.london BURLOCK 31 Duke St, W1U 1LG burlocklondon.co.uk CAFÉ BOHEME 13 Old Compton St, W1D 5JQ cafeboheme.co.uk CAFE PACIFICO 5 Langley St, WC2H 9JA cafe-pacifico.com CAHOOTS 5 Kingly St, W1B 5PF and 13 Kingly Court, W1B 5PW cahoots-london.com CALLOOH CALLAY 65 Rivington St, EC2A 3AY calloohcallaybar.com CALLOOH CALLAY CHELSEA 316-318 Kings Rd, SW3 5UH calloohcallaybar-chelsea.com CAMINO KING'S CROSS 3 Varnishers Yard, The Regent Quarter, N1 9FD camino.uk.com/restaurant/kings-cross CAMINO SHOREDITCH 2 Curtain Rd, EC2A 3BL camino.uk.com/restaurant/shoreditch CHAPTER 72 72 Bermondsey St, SE1 3UD chapter-72.com CHARLIE'S AT BROWN'S HOTEL Albemarle St, W1S 4BP roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/ browns-hotel/restaurants-and-bars/charlies CHARLOTTE STREET HOTEL 15-17 Charlotte St, W1T 1RJ firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/charlottestreet-hotel/oscar-bar-restaurant

BLACK ROCK BOXPARK SHOREDITCH 2-10 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 6GY boxpark.co.uk/shoreditch BREAD STREET KITCHEN 10 Bread St, EC4M 9AJ gordonramsayrestaurants.com/bread-streetkitchen BREWDOG CLERKENWELL 45-47 Clerkenwell Rd, EC1M 5RS brewdog.com/bars/uk/brewdog-clerkenwell BREWDOG DALSTON 33-35 Stoke Newington Rd, N16 8BJ brewdog.com/bars/uk/brewdog-dalston

CHRISTOPHER'S MARTINI BAR 18 Wellington St, WC2E 7DD christophersgrill.com/rooms/martini-bar CITY OF LONDON DISTILLERY 22-24 Bride Ln, EC4Y 8DT cityoflondondistillery.com/the-bar CITY SOCIAL Tower 42, 25 Old Broad St, EC2N 1HQ citysociallondon.com CLF ART LOUNGE & ROOF GARDENS 4a Station Way, SE15 4RX clfartlounge.com COCKTAIL TRADING CO. 68 Bethnal Green Rd, E1 6GQ thecocktailtradingco.co.uk CORAZÓN 29 Poland St, W1F 8QR corazonlondon.co.uk COUPETTE 423 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 0AN coupette.co.uk

IN-ternational

COVENT GAREDN SOCIAL CLUB 6-7 Great Newport St, WC2H 7JB coventgardensocialclub.co.uk

GEORGE'S BAR AT THE GILBERT SCOTT St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd, NW1 2AR thegilbertscott.com/georges-bar

HAWKSMOOR SPITALFIELDS 157a Commercial St, E1 6BJ thehawksmoor.com/locations/spitalfields

CROSSROADS Junction of Royal College St and Camden Rd, NW1 9NN crossroads.bar

GILLRAY'S STEAKHOUSE & GRILL County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, SE1 7PB gillrays.com

HEADS + TAILS 175 West End Ln, NW6 2LH headsandtails.bar

DAFFODIL MULLIGAN & GIBNEY'S LONDON 70-74 City Rd, EC1Y 2BJ daffodilmulligan.com gibneyslondon.com

GORDON RAMSAY BAR & GRILL 10-13 Grosvenor Sq, W1K 6JP gordonramsayrestaurants.com/gordon-ramsaybar-grill

DALSTON SUPERSTORE 117 Kingsland High St, E8 2PB dalstonsuperstore.com

GREAT GUNS SOCIAL 96 Southwark Bridge Rd, SE1 0EF greatgunssocial.com

DARBY'S 3 Viaduct Gardens, SW11 7AY darbys-london.com

GREEN BAR AT HOTEL CAFÉ ROYAL 68 Regent St, W1B 4DY hotelcaferoyal.com/greenbar

DEMON, WISE & PARTNERS 27a Throgmorton St, EC2N 2AN demonandwise.co.uk

HACHA 378 Kingsland Rd, E8 4AA hachabar.com

DIRTY BONES SOHO 14 Denman St, W1D 7HJ dirty-bones.com/locations/soho

KOSMOPOL 138 Fulham Rd, SW10 9PY kosmopollondon.co.uk KWANT 25 Heddon St, W1B 4BH kwantlondon.com

EL CAMION 25-27 Brewer St, W1F 0RR elcamion.co.uk

FAM BAR Cnr of Picton Pl and 31 Duke St, W1U 1LG fam.bar FARE 11 Old St, EC1V 9HL farelondon.com FARZI CAFE 8 Haymarket, SW1Y 4BP farzilondon.com FLIGHT CLUB BLOOMSBURY 55 New Oxford St, WC1A 1BS flightclubdarts.com/london/locationbloomsbury FLIGHT CLUB ISLINGTON 56 Upper St, N1 0NY flightclubdarts.com/london/location-islington FLIGHT CLUB SHOREDITCH 2a Worship St, EC2A 2AH flightclubdarts.com/london/location-shoreditch FLIGHT CLUB VICTORIA 6 Sir Simon Milton Sq, SW1E 5DJ flightclubdarts.com/london/location-victoria FUNKIDORY 42 Peckham Rye, SE15 4JR funkidory.com

HOME BAR 5a Ravey St, EC2A 4QW facebook.com/ homeonravey

JINJUU 15 Kingly St, W1B 5PS jinjuu.com

DOUBLE STANDARD AT THE STANDARD 10 Argyle St, WC1H 8EG standardhotels.com/london/features/standard_ london_double_standard

EXPERIMENTAL COCKTAIL CLUB 13a Gerrard St, W1D 5PS chinatownecc.com

HICCE 102 Stable St, Coal Drops Yard, N1C 4DQ hicce.co.uk

HOTBOX 46-48 Commercial St, E1 6LT hotboxlondon.co.uk

DISREPUTE 4 Kingly Ct, W1F 9RR disrepute.co.uk

EVER AFTER 9 Hoxton Sq, N1 6NU everafterbar.com

HELLO DARLING 131 Waterloo Rd, SE1 8UR hellodarling.london HENSON'S BAR AT MIMI'S HOTEL SOHO 56-57 Frith St, W1D 3JG hensonsbar.com

HOMEBOY 108 Essex Rd, London, N1 8LX homeboybar.com

DISCOUNT SUIT COMPANY 29a Wentworth St, E1 7TB discountsuitcompany.co.uk

EVE BAR 34-35 Southampton St, WC2E 7HG evebar.co.uk

HEDDON STREET KITCHEN 3-9 Heddon St, W1B 4BE gordonramsayrestaurants.com/heddon-streetkitchen

CHAPTER 72 HAM YARD HOTEL 1 Ham Yard, W1D 7DT firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/ham-yardhotel/ham-yard-bar-restaurant HAPPINESS FORGETS Basement, 8-9 Hoxton Sq, N1 6NU happinessforgets.com HAPPY FACE PIZZA 14 Handyside St, N1C 4DN happyface.pizza HARVEY NICHOLS FIFTH FLOOR BAR 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ harveynichols.com/news/2018/07/12/ knightsbridge-fifth-floor-bar HAWKSMOOR AIR STREET 5a Air St, W1J 0AD thehawksmoor.com/locations/airstreet HAWKSMOOR BOROUGH 16 Winchester Walk, SE1 9AQ thehawksmoor.com/locations/borough HAWKSMOOR KNIGHTSBRIDGE 3 Yeomans Row, SW3 2AL thehawksmoor.com/locations/knightsbridge HAWKSMOOR SEVEN DIALS 11 Langley St, WC2H 9JG thehawksmoor.com/locations/seven-dials

LA GOCCIA BAR 1 Floral Ct, WC2E 9FB lagoccia.co.uk LADIES & GENTLEMEN KENTISH TOWN 2 Highgate Rd, NW5 1NR ladiesandgents.co LAKI KANE 144-145 Upper St, N1 1QY lakikane.com LE BAB Top Floor, Kingly Court, W1B 5PW eatlebab.com/home/lebab LINA STORES KING'S CROSS 20 Stable St, N1C 4DR linastores.co.uk LITTLE BAT 54 Islington Park St, N1 1PX littlebatbar.com LITTLE BLUE DOOR 871-873 Fulham Rd, SW6 5HP thelittlebluedoor.co.uk LITTLE MERCIES 20 Broadway Parade, N8 9DE littlemercies.co.uk LITTLE ORANGE DOOR 16a Clapham Common South Side, SW4 7AB thelittleorangedoor.co.uk LITTLE YELLOW DOOR 6-8 All Saints Rd, W11 1HH thelittleyellowdoor.com LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – BETHNAL GREEN Arch 253, Paradise Row, E2 9LE londoncocktailclub.co.uk/bethnal-green

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LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – CLAPHAM 182-184 Clapham High St, SW4 7UG londoncocktailclub.co.uk/clapham LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – GOODGE STREET 61 Goodge St, W1T 1TL londoncocktailclub.co.uk/goodge-street LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – LIVERPOOL STREET 206-210 Bishopsgate, EC2M 4NR londoncocktailclub.co.uk/liverpool-street LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – MONUMENT 2b Eastcheap, EC3M 1AB londoncocktailclub.co.uk/monument LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – OLD STREET 63 Worship St, EC2A 2DU londoncocktailclub.co.uk/old-street LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – OXFORD CIRCUS 4 Great Portland St, W1W 8QJ londoncocktailclub.co.uk/oxford-circus LONDON COCKTAIL CLUB – SHOREDITCH Unit 12, 29 Sclater St, E1 6HR londoncocktailclub.co.uk/shoreditch LONDON HOUSE 7-9 Battersea Sq, SW11 3RA gordonramsayrestaurants/london-house LONDON SHUFFLE CLUB 4 Ebor St, London, E1 6AW londonshuffle.com LOOKING GLASS COCKTAIL CLUB 49 Hackney Rd, E2 7NX lookingglasslondon.co.uk

MURDER INC. LOST BOYS PIZZA 245 Eversholt St, NW1 1BA lostboyspizza.com LOST IN BRIXTON Brixton Village, Coldharbour Ln, London, SW9 8PS lostinbrixton.com LUCA 88 St John St, EC1M 4EH luca.restaurant LYANESS 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD lyaness.com MAISON BAB 4 Mercer Walk, WC2H 9FA eatlebab.com/home/maisonbab MAMA SHELTER 419-437 Hackney Rd, E2 8PP mamashelter.com/en/london/restaurants

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MAP MAISON 321 Kingsland Rd, E8 4DL mapmaison.com MAYOR OF SCAREDY CAT TOWN 12-16 Artillery Ln, E1 7LS themayorofscaredycattown.com MERCHANT HOUSE 13 Well Ct, EC4M 9DN merchanthouse.bar MEZCALITO CHELSEA 119 Sydney St, SW3 6NR mezcalitochelsea.com MORTIMER HOUSE KITCHEN 37-41 Mortimer St, W1T 3JH mortimerhouse.com/restaurant MOTO 7 Maiden Ln, WC2E 7NA motoldn.com MR FOGG'S HOUSE OF BOTANICALS Newman St, W1T 1QQ mr-foggs.com/house-of-botanicals MR FOGG'S SOCIETY OF EXPLORATION 1a Bedford St, WC2E 9HH mr-foggs.com/society-of-exploration MR FOGG'S TAVERN 58 St Martin’s Ln, WC2N 4EA MRS FOGG'S DOCKSIDE DRINKERY & DISTILLERY 37 Broadgate Circle, EC2M 2QS mr-foggs.com/mrs-foggs-dockside-drinkerydistillery MURDER INC. 36 Hanway St, W1T 1UP murderinclondon.com NEAR & FAR CAMDEN 48 Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 8AJ nearandfarlondon.com/camden NEBULA 455 Hackney Rd, E2 9DY nebulapizza.com NIGHTJAR 129 City Rd, EC1V 1JB barnightjar.com NINE LIVES 8 Holyrood St, SE1 2EL ninelivesbar.com NOLA'S AT GOODS WAY 11 Goods Way, N1C 4DP goodsway.co.uk OPIUM 15-16 Gerrard St, W1D 6JE opiumchinatown.com ORIGINAL SIN 129 Stoke Newington High St, N16 0PH originalsin.bar ORIOLE East Poultry Ave, Smithfield Market, EC1A 9LH oriolebar.com OXO TOWER BAR OXO Tower Wharf, Barge House St, SE1 9PH harveynichols.com/restaurant/the-oxo-tower/bar PEONY AT OPIUM 15-16 Gerrard St, W1D 6JE opiumchinatown.com/peony PERCEPTION AT W LONDON 10 Wardour St, W1D 6QF theperceptionbar.com PERGOLA OLYMPIA Level Five Rooftop, Olympia Car Park, Olympia Way, W14 8UX pergolaolympia.com PERGOLA PADDINGTON 4 Kingdom St, W2 6PY pergolapaddington.com PIZZA EAST 56 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JJ pizzaeast.com/shoreditch

POP BRIXTON 49 Brixton Station Rd, SW9 8PQ popbrixton.org PUBLIK 1d Palace Gate, W8 5LS publik.london PURL 50-54 Blandford St, W1U 7HX purl-london.com

THREE SHEETS RONDO IN THE HOXTON, HOLBORN 199-206 High Holborn, WC1V 7BD thehoxton.com/london/holborn/rondorestaurant SAGER + WILDE PARADISE ROW Arch 250, Paradise Row, E2 9LE sagerandwilde.com/paradise-row SALVADOR & AMANDA COVENT GARDEN 8 Great Newport St, salvadorandamanda.com/ covent-garden SATAN’S WHISKERS 343 Cambridge Heath Rd, London, E2 9RA satanswhiskers.com SCARFES BAR AT ROSEWOOD LONDON 252 High Holborn, WC1V 7EN scarfesbar.com SCOUT LONDON 224 Graham Rd, E8 1BP scout.bar/scoutlondon SELFRIDGES 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB selfridges.com/GB/en/features/info/stores/ london/store-services/restaurants-bars SEYMOUR’S PARLOUR AT THE ZETTER TOWNHOUSE MARYLEBONE 28-30 Seymour St, W1H 7JB thezettertownhouse.com/marylebone/bar SILK STOCKINGS 80 Dalston LN, E8 3AH silkstockingsldn.co.uk SKETCH 9 Conduit St, W1S 2XG sketch.london SOHO HOTEL 4 Richmond Mews, W1D 3DH firmdalehotels.com/hotels/london/the-sohohotel/refuel-bar-restaurant SOPHIE’S SOHO 42-44 Great Windmill St, W1D 7NB sophiessteakhouse.com/soho SPIRITLAND KINGS CROSS 9-10 Stable St, N1C 4AB spiritland.com/location/spiritland-kings-cross

IN-ternational

ST JAMES BAR AT WILD HONEY ST JAMES Sofitel London St James, 8 Pall Mall, SW1Y 5NG wildhoneystjames.co.uk/st-james-bar SUPERMAX 14 Handyside St, N1C 4DN happyface pizza/#supermax SWEETWATER AT GOODS WAY 11 Goods Way, N1C 4DP goodsway.co.uk SWIFT SOHO 12 Old Compton St, W1D 4TQ barswift.com SWIFT SHOREDITCH 91-93 Great Eastern St, EC2A 3HZ barswift.com SWINGERS CITY 8 Brown’s Buildings, EC3A 8AL swingers.club/uk/venues/city SWINGERS WEST END 15 John Prince’s St, W1G 0AB swingers.club/uk/venues/west-end TAYĒR + ELEMENTARY 152 Old St, EC1V 9BW tayer-elementary.com TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD BRIXTON 64-68 Atlantic Rd, SW9 8PY tequilamock.com/brixton TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD CLAPHAM JUNCTION 46 Battersea Rise, SW11 1EE tequilamock.com/clapham TEQUILA MOCKINGBIRD PUTNEY 12 Putney High St, SW15 1SL tequilamock.com/putney THE ALCHEMIST – OLD STREET 145 City Rd, EC1V 1LP thealchemist.uk.com/venues/old-street THE ALCHEMIST – ST MARTINS LANE 63-66 St Martins Ln, WC2N 4JS thealchemist.uk.com/venues/st-martins-lane THE ALCHEMIST – BEVIS MARKS 6 Bevis Marks, EC3A 7BA thealchemist.uk.com/venues/london-bevismarks THE BAR AT SEA CONTAINERS RESTAURANT Sea Containers London, 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD seacontainerslondon.com/eat-drink/seacontainers-restaurant THE BERMONDSEY BAR & KITCHEN 40 Bermondsey St, SE1 3UD bermondseybarandkitchen.co.uk THE BLIND PIG AT SOCIAL EATING HOUSE 58 Poland St, W1F 7NR socialeatinghouse.com/#bar THE BOTANIST BROADGATE CIRCLE Broadgate Circle, EC2M 2QS thebotanistbroadgate.com THE BOTANIST SLOANE SQUARE 7 Sloane Square, SW1W 8EE thebotanistonsloanesquare.com THE CHURCHILL BAR & TERRACE AT HYATT REGENCY – THE CHURCHILL 30 Portman Sq, W1H 7BH thechurchillbar.co.uk THE CORAL ROOM The Bloomsbury, 16-22 Great Russell St, WC1B 3NN thecoralroom.co.uk THE DISTILLERY 186 Portobello Rd, W11 1LA the-distillery.london

THE DONOVAN BAR AT BROWN’S HOTEL Albemarle St, W1S 4BP roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/brownshotel/restaurants-and-bars/donovan-bar THE GIBSON 44 Old St, EC1V 9AQ thegibsonbar.london THE GREEN ROOM 101 Upper Ground, SE1 9PP grlondon.co.uk THE GUN 54 Brushfield St, E1 6AG thegunlondon.com THE HARI BAR AND THE GARDEN TERRACE AT THE HARI 20 Chesham Pl, SW1X 8HQ thehari.com/london THE HIDE 39-45 Bermondsey St, SE1 3XF thehidebar.com THE JONES FAMILY KITCHEN 7-8 Eccleston Yards, Belgravia, SW1W 9AZ jonesfamilykitchen.co.uk THE JONES FAMILY PROJECT 78 Great Eastern St, EC2A 3JL jonesfamilyproject.co.uk

THE PRINCE 14 Lillie Rd, SW6 1TT theprincelondon.com THE PROOFING ROOM Underneath Milroy’s of Spitalfields, 76 Commercial St, E1 6LY theproofingroom.co.uk THE RACKETEER 105 King's Cross Rd, WC1X 9LR theracketeer.co.uk THE RED LION & SUN 25 North Rd, N6 4BE theredlionandsun.com THE SHRUB & SHUTTER 336 Coldharbour Ln, SW9 8QH theshrubandshutter.com THE SUN TAVERN 441 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 0AN thesuntavern.co.uk THE WIGMORE The Langham, 15 Langham Pl, Regent St, W1B 3DE the-wigmore.co.uk THREE EIGHT FOUR 384 Coldharbour Ln, SW9 8LF threeeightfour.com THREE LITTLE BIRDS BRIXTON 412 Coldharbour Lane, London, SW9 8LF +44 (0) 20 3910 1870 threelittlebirdsja.com THREE LITTLE BIRDS CLAPHAM JUNCTION 42 Battersea Rise, SW11 1EE threelittlebirdsja.com THREE SHEETS 510b Kingsland Rd, E8 4AE threesheets-bar.com TOLA 56 Peckham High St, SE15 5DP tolapeckham.com

TRAILER HAPPINESS THE LAST TUESDAY SOCIETY 11 Mare St, E8 4RP thelasttuesdaysociety.org THE LIBRARY BAR AT THE LANESBOROUGH Hyde Park Cnr, SW1X 7TA oetkercollection.com/hotels/the-lanesborough/ restaurants-bars/bars-lounges/the-library-bar THE LIGHTERMAN 3 Granary Sq, N1C 4BH thelighterman.co.uk THE LOCK TAVERN 35 Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 8AJ lock-tavern.com THE LOST ALPACA AT FLORAL BY LIMA 14 Garrick St, WC2E 9BJ lostalpaca.com THE LUCKY PIG 5 Clipstone St, W1W 6BB theluckypig.co.uk THE MEZZANINE AT THE STRATFORD HOTEL Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, 20 International Way, E20 1FD thestratford.com/food-drink/the-mezzanine THE NATURAL PHILOSOPHER 489 Hackney Rd, E2 9ED naturalphilosopher.co.uk THE NED 27 Poultry, EC2R 8AJ thened.com/restaurants

TRAILER HAPPINESS 177 Portobello Rd, W11 2DY trailerh.com TREDWELLS 4a Upper St Martin’s Ln, WC2H 9NY tredwells.com TWO HUNDRED RYE LANE 200 Rye Ln, SE15 4NF twohundredryelane.com UNION STREET CAFÉ 47-51 Great Suffolk St, SE1 0BS gordonramsayrestaurants.com/union-street-cafe UNTITLED 538 Kingsland Rd, London, E8 4AH untitled-bar.com UPSTAIRS AT THE TEN BELLS 84 Commercial St, E1 6LY tenbells.com VICTORY MANSION 18 Stoke Newington High St, N16 7PL victorymansion.co.uk/victory VINEGAR YARD 72-82 St Thomas St, SE1 3QU vinegaryard.london WAESKA AT THE MANDRAKE 20-21 Newman St, W1T 1PG themandrake.com/waeska-bar-fitzrovia-london. html YORK & ALBANY 127-129 Parkway, NW1 7PS gordonramsayrestaurants.com/york-and-albany ZETTER TOWNHOUSE CLERKENWELL 49-50 St John’s Sq, EC1V 4JJ thezettertownhouse.com

The Cocktail Lovers - 65

SIP IN STYLE Escape the winter blues by stopping off for tropical vibes and a Casablanca-style setting at KwÄ nt in London. Recently voted Best New International Cocktail Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, Erik Lorincz (pictured) and the team will transport you to sunnier climes (p. 63).

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