Licensing World - Autumn 2014

Licensing

WORLD Autumn 2014

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Cover: Sky Sports and Molson Coors Appealing Package for Pubs 12: Tullamore D.E.W. Marks Distillery Opening 20: Classic Drinks Celebrates 10 Years in Style 22: Paul McNulty on Building a Successful Bar Brand 26: David Chawke Stays Ahead of the Game 34: DIGI Calls for Reversal of Excise Increase Ahead of Budget 2015

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Š 2014 The Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Red Disc, the design of the Coca-Cola Contour Bottle and the Dynamic Ribbon Device are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.

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Contents

Contents

4 News A round-up of all the latest news from the on and off trade.

16 Out & About

lassic Drinks marked a decade in C business this year with two summer parties in Cork and Dublin. Licensing World was there to meet the team, their suppliers and customers.

18 Viewpoint David Chawke is Owner of the Bank on College Green in Dublin. He offers his perspective on the market and on what publicans need to be doing to stay competitive.

20 Cover Story

ky Sports and Molson Coors are a S Winning Team with Appealing Package Deal for Pubs

24 Pub Profile Paul McNulty is one of the brains

behind some of Dublin's most popular watering holes: Cassidy's, P.Mac's and the newly-opened Blackbird. Licensing World's Valerie Jordan met the publican in Cassidy's of Westmoreland Street to try and uncover the secrets to his growing success.

28 Training

34 Whiskey Licensing World spoke to the Head of the Irish Whiskey Association, Aoife Keane, about the association's vision for the Irish whiskey industry.

Andrew O'Gorman details the operational and bar management training courses that are currently available for the industry.

31 Business Matters The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland’s (DIGI) recent submission to the Minister for Finance for Budget 2015 is calling on the Government to reverse last year’s excise increase.

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38 Tea & Coffee Recent trends in Ireland have shown that coffee has a growing consumer base who are willing to pay more for a good cup. With training and knowhow, publicans can easily tap into this growing market, writes Aoife Loy.

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Editor's Letter

What are you doing to promote your facilities and services to existing and potential customers? Apart from the obvious benefits of a strong website as well as an active Facebook and Twitter presence, there are many more traditional online tools that publicans can employ to promote their services and encourage customers to engage with their product on a more regular basis.

In this issue David Chawke, Owner of the Bank on College Green in Dublin, offers his perspective on the market and on what publicans need to be doing to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive business. He notes the new bars that have opened throughout the country over the last few years and the targeted way in which they have developed their product in order to reflect new market trends.

Licensing

World Editor: Maev Martin Editorial and Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Art Director: Jane Matthews Design & Layout: Alan McArthur Advertising Design: Colm McDermott Stock Photography: Thinkstock.com Production: Nicole Ennis Sales Director: Paul Clemenson

But it isn't just the new bars that are innovating and introducing new products and services to get the punters in the door. I was very impressed with the inaugural issue of a newsletter from The Brian Boru pub that popped into my inbox recently. The August newsletter is a follow on from the success of their 110th birthday celebrations in July and is their way of thanking all of their customers and guests who helped them to celebrate the big milestone. However, what is particularly impressive about the newsletter is the detailed list of information on upcoming events at the pub which include a Brian Boru Golf Society BBQ, live music, a table quiz, a Croke Park Classic BBQ, and information on the GAA coverage that is available in the pub throughout August and September.

Successive surveys have shown email marketing, in the form of an ezine, email newsletter or e-newsletter, whichever term you use to describe it, to be the most popular online marketing format. So what’s so great about the e-newsletter? On the plus side, the Irish Digital Sentiment Survey 2012 shows that email marketing campaigns offer highest conversion and lower costs when compared to other online marketing channels. The communication lands directly in peoples’ inboxes and it has been proven to drive sales, revenues and traffic. The downside is that people are currently inundated with mail coming into their inboxes, a lot of which is spam, or is identified rightly or wrongly as spam, and is quickly deleted. Also, given the number of companies and businesses producing e-newsletters and the number of people signed up to receive different newsletters, there is often an unwillingness to opt into further email lists.

However, despite the downsides, and the ever growing array of digital marketing tools at peoples’ disposal, there is no sign of the e-newsletter diminishing in popularity. In fact, its versatility and flexibility make it is the ideal complement to, and enhancer of, other digital formats. The Marketing Institute and Newsweaver’s Email Marketing Insight 2012/13 survey reveals that since 2011 there has been a 12.8% increase in the numbers using social media in their emails. This, allied to the ever-increasing penetration of mobile and tablet devices, presents major new opportunities for marketers – and publicans. So, if you aren't already doing so, it's time to start issuing your monthly ezine, email newsletter or e-newsletter to let your customers know about what's happening in their local.

Managing Director: Diarmaid Lennon Published by: Ashville Media, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7.

Tel: (01) 432 2200 ISSN: 1393-0826 All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2014. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Licensing World. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 1393-0826

VISIT US ONLINE www.licensingworld.ie FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BarAwards2013 Find us on facebook For information on the Bar of the Year Awards and the Hotel & Catering Review Awards please visit our dedicated Facebook pages www.facebook.com /BarOfTheYearAwards www.facebook.com /TheHotelCateringReview

Maev Martin Editor email: maeve.martin@ashvillemediagroup.com tel: 01 432 2271 2

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News

News round-up

(l-r): Brewery owners Saoirse and Cliona McCabe, Head Brewer, Shane Murphy, and Brewery Manager Judy Wilkins.

New Cork Micro-Brewery And Pub Looking For Beer Tasters

Diageo's Learning for Life Supports Local Community

Cork city centre recently welcomed a new micro-brewery and brewpub, the Rising Sons Brewery, which opened its doors on the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The new micro-brewery and brewpub is located on Cornmarket Street (opposite the Bodega) in Cork and is looking for ‘beer tasters’ to sample its products and help perfect its brews.

Brewpubs serve craft beers brewed in an onsite micro-brewery and The Rising Sons Brewery will be serving no less than five on-site brewed beers - a Pilsner lager, a wheat ale, an amber ale, an Indian Pale Ale (IPA) and, of course, a stout. They also plan to offer ‘special beers’ that make use of more unusual and exotic ingredients.

The Tánaiste Joan Burton at the Guinness Storehouse with some of the participants in Diageo's Learning for Life initiative.

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he Tánaiste and Labour Party Leader Joan Burton launched Diageo Ireland’s Learning for Life initiative at a special ceremony in the Guinness Storehouse on June 12th.

Learning for Life is a new programme that seeks to provide employment opportunities in the hospitality and tourism industry for young people in Dublin 8. June 12th marked the completion of a seven-week training programme by the participants in the Guinness Storehouse, and since then they have embarked on the next phase of the programme which involves the 14 participants gaining work experience with Diageo's partner

organisations in the hospitality and tourism industries in hotels, bars and restaurants.

Learning for Life is being piloted

by Diageo Ireland in Dublin 8 this year. Participants in the programme have received training in a variety of areas, including bar, serving, customer engagement, interview, first aid, computer and life skills.

Partners in the hospitality and tourism industry in which the participants will be gaining work experience include Madigan Brothers, The Merrion Hotel, Dalata Group, Fitzwilliam Hotel, Jurys Inns, The Gibson, OPW, Abbey Tours and The Guinness Storehouse.

“Having the beers manufactured on-site allows them to be produced without preservatives and served fresh,” says Brewery Manager Judy Wilkins. “Typically the flavours are bright and the aromas strong, making it easy to pick out local ingredients such as local Cork malt and the finest hops.” However the brewery/pub promises to offer more than ‘craft beer’ appeal. Fresh pizzas will be served from a wood-fired oven, large HD televisions will show all major sporting events, and there’s a purpose-built stage for live music. An online radio station is also in progress.

The brewery is owned and run by Cliona McCabe with the help of daughter Saoirse, Brewery Manager Judy Wilkins, and their team.

“We are delighted to be helping manufacturing to return to Cork city centre,” says Cliona. “Cork has a wonderful brewing heritage, with there once having been lots of smaller breweries in the city, as well as Murphys and Beamish. Around 40 people will be employed in our micro-brewery when it is complete and eventually we hope to work with Cork publicans on a co-operative basis to distribute our beers.”

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Exclusive Whiskies for Bushmills Live Headliners Bushmills Master Blender Helen Mulholland handcrafted two exclusive single malt whiskies for this year's Bushmills Live headliners - The 1975 and Gary Lightbody’s supergroup Tired Pony. The whiskies were inspired by the bands, who played at the Old Bushmills Distillery in Co Antrim on June 12th. To celebrate The 1975’s performance, Helen hand-picked the casks from each of the years the band members were born - 1988, 1989 and 1990 - to create the Bushmills 24 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey ‘The 1975’ - Artist’s Reserve. Only eight bottles exist in the world.

"This whiskey encompasses the core spirit of Bushmills Live - celebrating handcrafted whiskey and handcrafted music," says Helen. "Each of the casks has a different finish - bourbon, sherry and wine - creating a wonderful combination of flavours. The liquid is full of the honeyed, warm tones typical of Bushmills, but with a spectacularly long finish that would perfectly complement chocolate… or anything else for that matter!" To celebrate Tired Pony's visit to Bushmills, Helen created a personalised Single Malt Triple Distilled Tired Pony – Artist’s Reserve blend of the Bushmill's single malts. Three types of bourbon casks contributed to

Members of Gary Lightbody and Peter Buck’s supergroup Tired Pony being presented with a bottle of Single Malt Triple Distilled Tired Pony - Artist’s Reserve by Helen Mulholland and Colum Egan. (l-r): Richard Colburn, Belle & Sebastian, Helen Mulholland, Peter Buck, R.E.M., Gary Lightbody, Snow Patrol, songwriter Iain Archer, and Colum Egan.

where their first two albums were recorded," she says. "It was crafted with a touch of whiskey drawn from port finished casks, laid down in 2009, which was also the year that the band formed.

The result is a whiskey full of vibrant layers, which we hope will inspire future recordings.

There are only 10 bottles of the special Tired Pony blend in the world - one for each member of the band and for the guest musicians who joined them at Bushmills Live and one that will stay at

the blend, each representing one of the three renowned bands from which Tired Pony was formed – R.E.M., Snow Patrol and Belle & Sebastian.

Helen explains why the bourbon finish was a particularly significant choice. "US bourbon casks traditionally give deeply rich, honeyed tones so I decided to use these, not only because they reference the Americana style of music that Tired Pony play, but also because it recognises the location

the Old Bushmills Distillery for them to share with friends whenever they visit.”

The 1975 and Tired Pony played the third Bushmills Live alongside a host of international and local artists, including James Vincent McMorrow, Luke Sital-Singh, Matthew and the Atlas, David C. Clements, Rubblebucket and Levity Breaks. The Artist’s Reserve bottles were created as a gift from Bushmills to the bands and are not available to buy.

Matt Healy, lead singer of The 1975, being presented with a bottle of Bushmills 24 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey The 1975’ - Artist’s Reserve by Bushmills Master Blender Helen Mulholland and Bushmills Master Distiller Colum Egan.

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Seamus Celebrates 30 Years at the Cherrytree Bartender Seamus Murphy recently celebrated 30 years service at the Cherrytree pub in Walkinstown in Dublin. A native of Holycross, Co Tipperary, Seamus came to the pub originally for a weekend while he was working with Murtagh Properties, a division of Guinness Ireland and later Diageo, but he saw out that weekend and quite a few more. A committed Tipperary hurling fan, he has managed to stay strong throughout his workdays in a noted Dubs stronghold. Seamus arrived at the Cherrytree's celebratory event on a high nelly with a suitcase tied to the back of the bike. In front of a full house he removed the case from the bike, placed it on the counter and asked for a 'start', in the manner that he, and many others, might have done 30 years previously.

“The house was on hand to conduct an interview,” says proprietor Gerard McGeough.

“A vote was taken afterward and Seamus was publically endorsed by customers of the Cherrytree for the 'start'. Celebrations moved up a gear in our newly-refurbished premises when the Chairman of the local GAA club Robert Emmets called on Seamus to introduce a very special guest. Sam Maguire was not to be left out of the celebrations and there was a great cheer for Seamus and Sam when they came into the bar. The house later presented Seamus with a signed jersey from the Tipperary senior hurlers. Seamus lost little time putting on the jersey and proceeded to do a dance on the counter. The house formulated a policy in the aftermath…When you have 30 years served, you can dance where you like!”

David Keenaghan and Mike Morrissey founders of MyDealDoc Photo credit: Marc O’Sullivan.

New ‘BoozeDoc’ App Available on Apple and Android The BoozeDoc App is a new free App that allows the user to see what beer/wine/spirits special offers are available in their local store. It is designed to show what savings the consumer can make on purchases according to the consumer’s location and it helps retailers and consumers engage with one another through the user’s smartphone.

BoozeDoc lists products according to category and ensures that no more than four clicks are required to access the information on the offers available locally. BoozeDoc also features tasting notes and suggested food pairing ideas in the wine and craft beer categories. With over 25,000 downloads on Apple and Android since February 2014, BoozeDoc enjoys a five star rating on Apple App store and a similar rating on the Google Play store. It's completely free to download and use. The major off-trade retailers and supermarkets are featured on the App and BoozeDoc is working closely with craft breweries to create an information resource to interest consumers. BoozeDoc is the first of a suite of Apps published by mobile applications creator MyDealDoc. Founded by former KPMG accountants Mike Morrissey and David Keenaghan, MyDealDoc will release more Apps in the coming months.

The Cherrytree is run by the McGeough family who have been behind the bar since 1979 when Ted McGeough took over the O'Meara's pub in Parkgate Street. The family took over from Murtagh Properties in 1998, marking the passing over of Dublin's last Guinesss Brewery pub.

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C&C Gleeson Launches Clonmel 1650 C&C Gleeson launched Clonmel 1650 on July 30th last in The Church bar and restaurant on Mary Street in Dublin. The new draught Pilsner-style lager from Tipperary has a 4.3% ABV. “The Irish beer market is currently dominated by foreign beers so we see a great opportunity for a new Irish beer to make its mark in this sector,” says Sarah Shimmons, Beer Marketing Manager for C&C Gleeson.

“In fact, it is long overdue and our view is that Clonmel 1650 will be enjoyed by consumers who appreciate authenticity and, quite simply, a great pint in their local.” The long alcohol drinks (LAD) market has returned to growth in Ireland and draught lager accounts for four in every 10 pints of LAD consumed in Irish pubs, with draught growing faster than the overall market at +7% in the last 12 months. That's according to Nielsen's on trade data to March 2014. “The buoyancy of the market affirms our confidence in the timing of this much-anticipated launch and the response to date for our new beer has been hugely enthusiastic,” says Sarah. Clonmel 1650 is being rolled out across the on trade in Ireland with a full complement of support activity spanning outdoor and digital advertising, bar staff incentives and sampling. The new beer is served in a distinctively branded, nucleated glass, while the name reinforces C&C Gleeson's strong ties with the town of Clonmel, which is where the company was first started almost 80 years ago and where its flagship product, Bulmers, is still brewed.

Family Brewer Nominated for Advertising Award

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raft brewing company McGargles Irish Family Brewers has been shortlisted in the prestigious 2014 ADFX Awards, which take place in the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on September 4th.

Campaigns shortlisted for the 2014 ADFX Awards are recognised for being the most effective advertising campaigns in Ireland in the last two years.

"We’re delighted to be short listed for an ADFX award, especially as we only launched McGargles beer in November 2013," says Niall Phelan, Founder and Managing Director of McGargles.

"McGargles has been nominated in the alcohol category and in the small budget category – we are up against Diageo in the alcohol section and we are competing against Jameson in the small budget category. And we already

have a couple of An Post direct marketing awards under our belt this year. We always knew it was going to be tough to launch a small Irish craft beer against global alcohol brands with a very small budget. With our agency, Acorn, we developed a typical dysfunctional Irish family of beers with a great campaign of hand drawn animated characters to represent each member of the McGargles family. It’s thanks to our advertising that less than a year later we’re stocked in all 32 counties; supermarkets, restaurants and pubs. We spent our money on brand advertising, believing the risk would pay off and it did as we exceeded our target of units to be sold between November 2013 and March 2014 by 44%.”

The ADFX awards, also known as the Advertising Effectiveness Awards, were launched by the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI) in 1996.

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€2,000 Worth of Radio Advertising for Award Winners

Pubs Inject €2.1m into Local Supply Chain

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he findings of an academic study conducted by the University of York and Newcastle Business School (Northumbria University), and prepared for the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, has revealed the central role that pubs play in creating economic development and social wellbeing in rural Ireland.

Figures from the research show that 50,000 people are employed by Irish pubs, with €60.7m generated in wages alone. Pubs surveyed also used local suppliers regularly calculations made on responses indicate a total of €2.1m injected by pubs within their local supply chains, with each pub spending approximately €600 a month in local businesses. The pubs surveyed were selected in parishes with a resident population of less than 3,000 located at least five miles or 10 minutes’ drive from

the VAT rate on food served in pubs and restaurants that was introduced by the Government.

However, the rate of VAT at 23% applied to drinks and beverages is still perceived as excessive and a significant issue by most pub owners.

parishes with a population of 5,000 and above. The social and economic role played by pubs in rural Ireland is evident from the qualitative findings undertaken by researchers showing that local residents significantly value the pub. The closure of rural pubs is strongly associated with the decline of social drinking and increasing levels of alcohol consumption in private premises, fuelled by cheap prices available in the off-licence sector. The majority of pub owner respondents surveyed indicated high levels of cost; with their revenue sunk into managing costs, mainly associated with employment, service rates, suppliers and taxation. Interviews conducted on behalf of the researchers with pub owners and managers also identified costs associated with licensing, regulations and rates as significant burdens for their overheads. The one-year study indicated that publicans were pleased with the drop in

By using a database provided by the VFI and comprising data on nearly 3,700 pubs nationwide, the researchers identified 1,744 pubs meeting the criteria to be considered a rural pub. The survey questionnaire was administered between June 15th and July 31st 2013. About 94% of the pubs surveyed are independently-owned businesses, with nearly half of those being active since before 1913 and four per cent opening in the past 10 years. Two-thirds of these businesses are wet pubs, while about 26% serve food and another 5.5% serve food and provide overnight accommodation.

The winners of the Dublin Bar of the Year and Munster Bar of the Year categories in this year's Licensing World Bar of the Year Awards will each receive €2,000 worth of radio advertising courtesy of Spin 103.8 and Spin South West. The radio station is one of the Bar of the Year Awards' new sponsors this year and is sponsoring two of the new categories that have been introduced for the 2014 event. The awards will take place in the Double Tree Hilton Hotel on October 28th. "Spin 103.8 and Spin South West is delighted be part of an event that acknowledges the hard work and dedication of an industry that is such a massive part of Irish culture," says Jamie Crawford, Chief Executive Officer of Spin 103.8 and Spin South West. "Spin is a cutting edge, innovative and vibrant brand and we like to celebrate likeminded brands, companies and people, of which there are many in this category.

In recent years, the bar trade in Dublin has raised its game and reinvented itself time and time again to ensure that our venues and our city remain one of the most social cities in the world. The licensed trade has supported Spin 103.8 since we launched 12 years ago and Spin South West, which was launched seven years ago, so it is a pleasure to be able to give back to the industry in some small way. Congratulations to all the nominees in this category and we wish them the best of luck at the Bar of the Year Awards on October 28th."

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Kinnegar Creates Special Brew for Traveller's Inn The Traveller’s Inn in Milford, Co Donegal, recently launched a new house beer called ‘Baxters 1867’. Owner Michael McBride commissioned the craft beer in honour of the Baxter family whose connection to the building dates back to 1867. Brewed by Kinnegar Brewing, ‘Baxters 1867’ is based on an American pale ale style in recognition of Samuel Alexander Baxter, who fought with the North in the American Civil War. ‘Baxters 1867’ is exclusive to The Traveller’s Inn and was officially launched with a summer barbecue on Friday, June 27th when guests enjoyed live music from The Brambles and DJ Paul McGlynn. "I was intrigued by the family’s story, particularly when I discovered the connection to the American Civil War," says Michael McBridge. "I asked Rick LeVert from Kinnegar Brewing to create a craft beer inspired by the Baxter legacy and I’m delighted with the result." Rick LeVert says the brewery loved working with Michael on the project. "Kinnegar Brewing is all about finely crafted, all natural farmhouse beers," he says. "Collaborations with like-minded, local businesses like Michael are a natural fit for us and a great way to experiment with new recipes and flavours. The added bonus is that customers get to experience more variety, enjoying craft beer at its best."

Pub owner Michael McBride serving up a glass of the new ale.

Setanta Rolls Out Premier League Coverage Setanta Sports recently announced its first 24 Premier League games of the season.

They include: Man United v Swansea (August 16th, the first televised live match of the season); Arsenal v Man City (September 13th September); Liverpool v Everton (September 27th); Man United v Everton (October 5th); Man City v Spurs (October 18th); Newcastle v Liverpool (November 1st) and Liverpool v Chelsea (November 8th).

"As most premises will know, this time last year we were announcing our new deal with BT Sports," says Graham Byrne, Head of Commercial Business, Setanta Sports.

"This deal allows us to show all of the great BT sports content alongside the two Setanta Sports channels. This means that our package continues to offer 71 Premier League games, exclusive FA Cup, Champions and Europa Leagues, GAA and great rugby action, and our offering will be getting even stronger this year. We will now be showing 35 exclusive European Champions Cup rugby matches (formerly Heineken Cup) in the pack. This will no doubt be of special interest to pubs, hotels and clubs in the Leinster and Munster areas. We like to think that as an Irish company we understand the continued pressures that a significant number of licensed premises continue to cope with. And, despite the content in the package continuing to grow year after year, we have managed to keep our existing subscribers at the same rate as last year. We are very pleased to be able to do this, given that our competitors have lost content to our package but have felt the need to increase their rates."

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App Urges Smart Thinking About Drinking

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rish Distillers' recently launched free mobile application educates consumers about responsible drinking. Its launch on May 30th coincided with the fourth annual ‘Responsib’All Day’, a day of action involving the company’s 500 employees across its three sites in Ireland which is geared towards the implementation of practical measures in 80 countries around the world to combat inappropriate or harmful drinking. On ‘Responsib’All Day’, normal employee activity ceases and employees participate in local initiatives and events aimed at promoting responsible drinking to customers, distributors and consumers. Thanks to this new

Irish Distillers' staff Sean Weinmann, Hannah O’Leary and Tony O’Brien at the launch of 'Wise Drinking’, the first global digital application.

application, which is available in 37 languages on iPhone and Android, users are able to calculate the number of units of alcohol they consume in real time. The application takes into account the type of drinks consumed (wine, spirits or other), their volume, as well as the user’s gender and weight.

This breakdown enables users to track

their consumption over a given period of up to four weeks. With a geolocalisation system, the application adapts itself to applicable local law and then informs the consumer of the nearest suitable means of transport. For more information and to access the application, go to www.wise-drinking.com

William Doherty, who was crowned an honorary Molson Canadian ambassador for the year after locating and opening the fridge with a simple swipe of his passport, is pictured with Mick Dooley and Denise Catney of Molson Coors.

Fridge Opening Experts Now Molson Ambassadors The iconic Molson Canadian Beer Fridge landed in Ireland for the first time in June. Made famous with over 2.5 million YouTube views from previous international outings in London and at the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Canadian’s Beer Fridge was

for the year. To help people locate the elusive Beer Fridge, Molson Canadian developed a Twitter-powered interactive map for each city the fridge visited, and the more people tweeted using the hashtag #MakeItCanadian the more the interactive map zoomed

hidden in secret locations in Dublin, Galway and Cork on June 5th, 6th and 7th respectively. The first person in each city to locate and open the Fridge, with a simple swipe of their passport, would be crowned an honorary Molson Canadian ambassador

in to reveal the secret location of the fridge. Mayo-native William Doherty was the first to find and open the famous fridge at a secret Dublin location and was crowned Ireland’s first honorary Molson Canadian ambassador. Meath man Eric Lawless located and opened the fridge in Galway on the second day of the campaign while Eoghan Kennedy won the final leg of the competition in front of a home crowd in Cork. All three ambassadors jetted off on an epic outdoor trip to Canada, the home of Molson Canadian, where they and a friend immersed themselves in the Canadian way of life, explored the scenery, experienced Canadian wildlife, including grizzly bears, and got to grips with a real life glacier. On top of this, all three winners were entitled to VIP access to Molson Canadian-sponsored events throughout 2014, including the Independence festival and the Canada Day celebrations.

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BLACK DONKEY LAUNCHES SHEEP STEALER BREW

COCA-COLA HBC IRELAND LAUNCHES NEW TRADE INITIATIVE COCA-COLA HBC IRELAND LAUNCHED their new trade initiative aimed at maximising revenue for its loyal customers in the licensed trade across Ireland earlier this year. In recent years ‘Perfect Pour’ initiatives have been employed by iconic brands in the alcohol industry to encourage sales, provide quality bar experiences and promote repeat custom and outlet loyalty.

Recognising these benefits Coca-Cola sought to pioneer a new initiative for the soft drinks industry. The essence of the ‘Coca-Cola Signature Serve’ programme for the licensed trade is to educate and inspire bar staff on the crucial six steps to achieving a perfectly served Coca-Cola but crucially to deliver the product in a branded glass, the premium experience which is sought after and expected by consumers in outlets. It also challenges bartenders to add their own flair to the pouring ritual by creating a signature move that demonstrates their unique skills and also brings to life the character of the brand.

By taking part in Coca-Cola’s Signature Serve ‘train and gain’ initiative, successful

bar staff will benefit from a personalised accreditation from Coca-Cola HBC for display in their outlet following a mystery shop, which took place in late summer.

Feedback from the ‘train and gain’ experience has been very positive with one bar staff in an outlet saying “no other brands are doing a training programme like this at the minute”.

With 150 outlets trained for mystery shops, successful outlets will then have the opportunity to nominate two bar staff members to compete in an allIreland competition for the chance to win an experience to remember to the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia.

Regional finals will take place across the country in four cultural hubs - Belfast and Dublin and then Galway and Cork this October and November - with the overall final taking place in Dublin early next year. The winning outlet representative will also be presented with the prestigious title of Coca-Cola Signature Serve Master Bartender.

Outlets and bar staff can find out more about The Coca-Cola Signature Serve programme from their Coca-Cola area representative or customer services.

Roscommon-based craft brewers Black Donkey Brewing has officially launched Sheep Stealer Irish Farmhouse Ale, their first offering to the market. Named after the legendary sheep stealers of Co Roscommon, where it is brewed, Sheep Stealer Farmhouse Ale, or Saison, is a beer more typically associated with Belgian and French brewers. It is, however, a style that could conceivably have been produced by regional Irish brewers, before the homogenization of the Irish brewing industry over the last two centuries. Located in the the village of Ballinlough, Black Donkey Brewing is the brainchild of Richard Siberry and Michaela Dillon.

The husband and wife team returned to Ireland in 2012 after 20 years in New York, bringing with them what they had learned from the US’s burgeoning craft brewing scene and putting their home brewing experience from their garage in Queens to good use to open a craft brewery. “We are continuing to develop new recipes and fine-tune various brewing processes and we anticipate following Sheep Stealer with a rye beer and a Belgian, New Zealand and American hybrid amber ale,” says Richard Siberry.

“Seasonal and one-off specials will also follow, along with some interesting collaborative brews with other breweries around the world.” Sheep Stealer is currently available from the following outlets: 57 The Headline, Dublin; The Brewdock, Dublin; Against The Grain, Dublin; The Black Sheep, Dublin; The Salt House, Galway; Oslo Bar, Galway and JJ Harlows in Roscommon.

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News

'Parting Glass' Campaign Celebrates Distillery Opening

I

n preparation for the opening of its new distillery this September, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish whiskey has launched the 'Parting Glass' campaign, a global online search for the best toasts to mark the beginning of life's new chapters.

The 'Parting Glass' is a time honoured way of marking the closure of one life chapter and celebrating the beginning of the next. As Tullamore D.E.W. celebrates its new chapter, it is inviting people to share their own parting glass moments online to be in with a chance of winning a trip to Ireland to attend the distillery opening celebrations this September. For a chance to win, people need to share a video or image of their parting glass moment with Tullamore D.E.W. via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, adding #PartingGlassIE to the entry. To coincide with the competition and inspired by the award-winning short film 'A Parting Glass' featuring a group of guys ahead of their friend's wedding, Tullamore D.E.W. has created a series of shareable videos featuring the same characters celebrating a variety of parting glass moments. From a toast to a new home through to a raised glass to a new job, these videos can be personalised and shared with friends via www.TullamoreDew.com.

"The new Tullamore distillery opening is a true 'Parting Glass' moment for us – marking an exciting new chapter in our 185-year history," says Caspar MacRae, Global Brand Director, Tullamore D.E.W. "As we raise a glass to this momentous occasion, we look forward to seeing the milestones happening in the lives of our fans and inviting the best entrants to join us in Ireland for some very exciting celebrations in September."

Toasts can be submitted directly via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using #PartingGlassIE. The window for submissions ran from July 9th 2014 until August 6th 2014.

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News Wild Atlantic Way: Planned Cycle Route Kerry Sunday 24th August Evening meal: The White House, Pearse Street, Kinsale Bed & Breakfast: The Lord Kingsale, 4 Main Street, Kinsale

Cork Monday 25th August

Evening meal / Bed & Breakfast: Barley Cove Beach Hotel, Goleen

Kerry Tuesday 26th August

Lake House Bed & Breakfast: Cloonee, Kenmare

Wednesday 27th August

Evening meal / Bed & Breakfast: John Longs Bar, Main Street, Ballyferriter

Clare Thursday 28th August

Kevin Cassidy and Tony Quinn at Slieve League in Donegal.

Solo Cyclist Highlights Pubs Along Wild Atlantic Way

Former Donegal GAA all-star Kevin Cassidy officially launched the Wild Atlantic Way charity cycle last month. Kildare native Tony Quinn is undertaking the solo charity challenge in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation and will be joined by Kevin for the final leg of the cycle from Portsalon to Derry.

Kevin and Tony launched the cycle in the picturesque surroundings of Slieve League, Co Donegal and retired to Nancy’s of Ardara which is one of the many pubs that will accommodate Tony during the cycle. Tony's partner Jenny runs Nancy's bar. The cycle will highlight

the significance of the Irish pub to the Wild Atlantic Way as not only will pubs be central to serving tourists along the route, but they will also cater for all of Tony’s requirements along the way.

"The importance of the Irish pub to the tourism industry in Ireland is there for everyone to see," says Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland. "We have played and continue to play a pivotal role in Irish tourism up and down the country.

Recent research shows that over 80% of tourists use the pub for food and/ or entertainment and it is the number one attraction. This charity cycle being undertaken by Tony is a case in point as the Irish pub will provide all of the food, all of the accommodation and all of the entertainment during his journey.

Not only will the pub do this for Tony’s cycle but it will continue to cater for domestic and international tourists all year round."

Tony Quinn commenced his cycle of the Wild Atlantic Way in Kinsale, Co Cork on August 24th and will pass through Cork, Kerry, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Donegal before finishing in Co Derry on September 4th. Tony will be accommodated at a number of pubs during the cycle and all proceeds will go the Irish Heart Foundation.

Meal/Bed & Breakfast Hickies, O’Connell Street, Kilkee

Galway Friday 29th August

Meal/Bed & Breakfast Tigh Phadraicin, Furbo, Spiddal

Saturday 30th August

Meal/Bed & Breakfast Murty Rabbitts, 23 Forster Street, Galway City

Mayo Sunday 31st August

Evening meal/ Bed & Breakfast The Mill Times Hotel, Mill Street, Westport

Sligo Monday 1st September

Evening meal/ Bed & Breakfast Gilroy’s Pub, The Square, Enniscrone

Tuesday 2nd September Nancy's Bar, Ardara

Donegal Wednesday 3rd September Evening meal/ Bed & Breakfast The Store Bar, Portsalon

Derry Thursday 4th September Abbey Lodge B&B, Derry

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News

Cross Border Dimension at Inaugural Craft Beer Fest

T

he Wild Atlantic Craft Beer Festival, which took place in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, over the August Bank Holiday weekend showcased the best in local craft beer, Irish music and Irish artisan food from the north west. The festival also provided the launch pad for a unique cross border venture in the craft beer industry as two micro-breweries just 20kms apart, north and south of the border, joined forces to create a brew, aptly named 'North and South of the River'. This Limited Edition small batch brew has been created by Donegal Brewing Company and Inishmacsaint Brewing Company .

Gold for Northern Ireland’s Shortcross Gin Shortcross Gin, recently launched

by Rademon Craft Distillery in Northern Ireland, won gold and silver awards in the latest prestigious Spirits Masters Awards. The company, which launched its first gin in March, gained gold in the super premium and silver in the micro distillery categories in the awards. The distillery, founded in 2012 by husband and wife team David and Fiona Boyd-Armstrong, is located on the family estate outside Downpatrick in Co Down.

“Winning these awards so early in the company’s development is a marvelous endorsement of the quality and outstanding taste of our gin,” says David BoydArmstrong. “These awards will be immensely beneficial as we seek to build business in Britain and further afield.” Shortcross Gin is the first small batch craft spirit to be launched under the Shortcross brand by Rademon Estate Distillery. “It is as an aromatic and exceptionally long, smooth gin that redefines what an Irish gin should be,” says David. “From the moment of making that very first sale, the response has been phenomenal.” Shortcross Gin is 46% ABV with an RRP of £34.99.

Amber Ale, and follows on from another special craft beer that was launched as a tribute to Ireland's biggest surf festival, Sea Sessions, which was held in nearby Bundoran at the end of June.

"The public reaction to our brews has been phenomenal, with our 'Blonde' brew being the current best seller," says Brendan. "The popular bottles of craft beer are augmented by draught supplies to a number of local drinking emporiums.

As our national award-winning off licence and bar has 500 different craft beers for sale, it seemed natural that we should create a festival to celebrate all these beers and to acknowledge the work of the craftsmen that are producing them."

Founded in 2009 by Gordon Fallis, Inishmacsaint Brewing Company is a small craft brewery located on a farm just outside the village of Derrygonnelly in Co Fermanagh. Gordon originally got involved in the business as a way to supplement his income from the family farm and initially supplied just one restaurant in Enniskillen. His brews have continued to make headlines all over Northern Ireland and he has also featured on the BBC. The Wild Atlantic Craft Beer festival, the first of its kind in the north west, was organised by Ballyshannon publican Brendan O'Reilly who set up the Donegal Brewing Company three years ago. The festival also coincides with the launch of the company's latest offering, Atlantic

Early morning brew day with Patrick Gallagher, Donegal Brewing Company, Gordon Fallis, Inishmacsaint Brewing Company and Brendan O'Reilly, Donegal Brewing Company.

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22/08/2014 17:33:49

Out & About

Classic Drinks Celebrates

10 Years in Style

Classic Drinks marked a decade in business this year with two summer parties in Cork and Dublin.

Licensing World was there to meet the team, their suppliers and customers.

T

he dual celebrations took place in Blackrock Castle in Cork on Monday, July 14th and in House on Dublin's Leeson Street on Tuesday, July 15th.

Both venues provided the perfect setting for a Classic Drinks Carnival, with plenty of fun entertainment to accompany the great food and wine, including circus performers and magicians.

Many of the winemakers from Classic Drinks exclusive wine portfolio came to join the party. These wineries have been suppliers since Classic Drinks first opened for business in 2004. "Over the last 10 years we have grown with their support, as well as with the support of our longstanding customers, so we were delighted that so many of customers came to party

The Classic Drinks Directors Ger Finan, Hugh Murray, Niall Condon and Steve Dwyer.

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Out & About

(l-r): Marie O'Riordan, Seifried Estate, Sean Collender, Kinara Kitchen, Miriam and Ian McGuinness and Kevin Seegaren from Roganstown Golf & Country Club.

Daniel Emerson (left), Stonewell Cider, and guests at the Dublin event.

(l-r): Joe O'Rourke, The Punch Bowl, Alan Campbell, The Banker's Lounge, Tom O'Brien, The Ferryman, and Paul Savage, Classic Drinks, at House.

with us," says Hugh Murray, Director and Co-Founder, Classic Drinks. "We had over 150 guests at both the Cork and Dublin events so the celebrations were a great success for us."

Suppliers in attendance at the celebratory events included Eric Remlinger of Les Jamelles, a quality wine producer from the Langeudoc region of France who gave guests the opportunity to sample Les Jamelles Pinot Noir and Les Jamelles Viognier, top Chilean producer Jorge Smith who brought along his Rosario range of Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot wines from central valley, and Terence Kenny of multi award-winning house Champagne Pannier, which has the oldest cellars in Champagne, who offered guests their Extra Brut and Rose wines. Guests could also sample a wide range of other wines from Classic Drinks'

Anne Roque, Laroche Wines and Rigal Wines, and guest at House.

winemakers were represented

by Adolph Huesgen who can trace his family's wine making heritage in the Mosel region back to 1735. The Villa Huesgen winery concentrates exclusively on Riesling and their Schiefer Riesling was available to sample at the Classic Drinks events.

Camus Cognac, founded in 1863 and one of the top five Cognac houses in the world, showcased its Ungava premium gin and its Camus VSOP cognac. Henk Kluft was on hand from top Cava house, Vallformosa, near Barcelona, to offer guests a taste of their Cava Brut and Cava Rose, while Daniel Emerson of Stonewell Cider gave guests a taste of his three different styles of cider.

Stonewell Cider was chosen for The Irish Food Writers' Guild Annual Food Awards first ever drink award in 2014.

extensive portfolio of brands and suppliers, with the Chablis Laroche Saint Martin and Rigal (Contes & Legendes Malbec) from Cahors being represented

by Anne Roque and, of course, Bodegas Muriel (Rioja Reserva and Real Compania Verdejo), being represented by Eladio Fernandez.

Mar Dopazo represented Spain's Terras Gauda Group of wineries, a multi awardwinning winery from Rias Baixas, with the O Rosal wine from their Terras Gauda winery and the Mencia wine from their Bodegas Pittacum winery on display. Sant Antonio is a family-run winery from Valipolicella in Verona, Italy, which is run by the Castagnedi brothers. Anna Ooostendorp was in Ireland for the 10 year celebrations and treated Classic Drinks guests to some Scaia Bianco and Scaia Corvina wines from Sant Antonio. German

Chris Seifried and Marie

O'Riordan were there to represent New Zealand's Seifried family from Nelson and showcased their Seifried Pinot Noir and Decanter Gold Medal Winner Sweet Agnes. Wine expert Mary O'Callaghan, who is a regular contributor to our sister magazine, Hotel & Catering Review, was also in attendance. She reported on her visit to the Seifried winery in Nelson in the May 2014 issue of Hotel & Catering Review. Nelson is home to 25 family-owned wineries and Seifried is the oldest family-run winery in the South Island. The winery was recently the first to gain Sustainable Wine Growing recognition in New Zealand.

The aforementioned wines are just a sample of over 800 exclusive wines from around the world that make up the Classic Drinks portfolio.

Here’s to the next 10 years!

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22/08/2014 17:36:04

Viewpoint

Raising the

Bar

David Chawke is Owner of the Bank on College Green in Dublin. He offers his perspective on the market and on what publicans need to be doing to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive game.

N

othing I can remember has shaken up the hospitality industry in this country like the recession. The licensed trade in Ireland is unrecognisable from the industry that existed back in 2007/08. Publicans have been dragged kicking and screaming into a new era where, if we don’t evolve and change, we are finished.

For years bars all over the country opened on a bit of a whim - and I include ourselves in that. The days of renovating a premises by just improving on the look of what was there before, and giving the staff the instructions to smile and be polite, are over.

I have noted with much interest the new bars that

Beer (Craft), Wine, Whiskey and Cocktails.

Like it or not, craft beer is here to stay. Sales have grown by 42% in 2012 and 35% in 2013. We need to give our customers an experience they cannot replicate at home. There has been huge growth in the whiskey sector - 1.7% growth in Ireland in 2013 and 8.8% worldwide.

It is the fastest growing spirit category. Heritage, quality and authenticity is what makes an Irish whiskey. When it comes to cocktails, there are numerous areas to consider ingredients, glassware, style, and consistency etc. Cocktails have the power to turn a venue into a destination. Start off by doing it simply. Offer quality wines at the right price.

have opened countrywide over the last few years. You see the attention to detail with regard to their offering and the research that has gone into their target customer and how they are going to attract them.

In The Bank on College Green we like to think that we are making improvements to our product all the time. We divide our offering into four key categories: drink, food, service and atmosphere, and we make improvements, we hope, accordingly.

Drinks: With regard to the drinks category, the trends that we have identified and that we feel we can work and improve on are as follows: 18

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Viewpoint

across all four categories? It is not easy. In fact, it gets more difficult and customers are much more selective.

Careful presentation and staff knowledge is key. With regards to the drinks category, drinks menus are essential. If it is not priced, then it is not for sale. Also, people tend to feel intimidated when they have to ask the price of something.

Food Attention should be paid to local and seasonal ingredients.

There are four seasons in the year and menus should change to reflect that. Keep the food simple, when necessary, stand over the quality, and focus on presentation. Staff product knowledge is key.

an apron and sending them on their way to serve tables.

Thankfully, this practice is, for the most part, a thing of the past. Staff training is imperative.

Working in a bar/restaurant is a skill and should be treated as such. If staff do not know or understand what they are selling how can they sell it?

There is no point having a good food and drink offering if that offering isn't reflected in the level of service that is available.

Staff are a key factor in the success of any business in the licensed trade. They must be motivated, personable and hard working. If that isn't the case it is not their fault - it's yours.

Key factors to consider are background music, live music, lighting, air conditioning, toilet facilities etc. All of these contribute to your customers' overall experience and slight and subtle changes can make a huge difference. Put yourself in your potential customers' shoes. Walk into your premises and think objectively about what improvements can be made. If you don't see any changes that need to be made, congratulations, you are on your own in our industry!

Times have changed and we need to move with the changes. How many of us can look at our business across the four areas mentioned above and honestly say that our business has improved

Service We have probably all been guilty over the years of employing staff, giving them

Atmosphere This is an interesting category and it is largely overlooked.

Let us not forget where we came from. We are renowned all over the world for our bars and our personalities. The product offering is unique and cannot be replicated. We should be competing with supermarkets and multiples on our own terms – by giving the customer what they can't replicate at home - the atmosphere and the craic.

We are a sociable nation and we must make our bars the cornerstone of every community. Great towns and cities are known globally by their great bars. We need to be proud of what we do.

Newcomers to our trade have raised the bar. They have seen the mistakes of the past and they have a plan. They seem to be capable of standing over their offering and they are proud of the service they deliver. Are you?

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Cover Story

Get Your Venues

Ready for the New

Season Sky Sports and Molson Coors are a Winning Team with Appealing Package Deal for Pubs

T

he Barclays Premier League is the biggest driver of footfall to pubs and clubs across the UK and Ireland, and this season Sky will be showing 75% of all Barclays Premier League matches, as well as 90 Sky Bet Football League games, 30 Scottish Professional Football League games and up to 600 live European football games on Sky’s new home for European Football, Sky Sports 5. Sky is also now showing the AllIreland Gaelic Football and Hurling Championships - a guaranteed crowd puller as the tournament comes to an explosive finish in September.

“To help pubs to broaden the customer experience through live sport, Molson

schedule includes seven live Manchester United fixtures as well as the biggest derbies like Manchester City vs Manchester United, Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea v Arsenal.

Coors - Ireland’s fastest growing brewer - and Sky are offering independent licensed premises that join Sky and buy drinks from Molson Coors’ portfolio discounts of up to 30% on their Sky subscription,” says Alison Dolan, Deputy Managing Director, Sky Business. “This deal comes at an exciting time for pubs in Ireland and forms part of both companies’ commitment to supporting Irish pubs, helping to add value and drive footfall through providing great sport and innovative brands.”

Before the end of November, pubs will be able to show 43 matches exclusively live on Sky, with at least three live fixtures every week, plus Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all at least six times.

As well as Barclays Premier League, Sky will screen over 600 live matches on Sky Sports 5, the first-ever television channel dedicated to European football, featuring some of the best players, the best teams and the best competitions. Licensees and customers will be able to follow

More of the Games that Matter After a busy summer of international action, the Barclays Premier League returns as the biggest names in football lace up their boots for the 2014-15 season. The

many international stars and teams across 24 matches of their European qualifying campaign for the UEFA EURO 2016 Finals in France, including Northern Ireland, Wales and Hungary, as well as World Cup winners Germany, who start with their first competitive fixture against Scotland on Sunday, September 7th.

In addition to the European Qualifiers, the opening five weeks on Sky Sports 5 will offer 18 UEFA Champions League fixtures, weekend triple-headers from La Liga, and up to three games a week from Holland’s top division, Eredivisie, including regular live coverage of Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven and FC Twente.

Pull in the Crowd A strong overall sports

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Cover Story

Football… And Much More “While Sky’s football coverage is unrivalled, there is also plenty more in-demand content for licensees to show, with more than 55,000 hours of sport coming up in 2014-15, all of which can help boost business,” says Alison Dolan. “Avoid viewing clashes and appeal to a broader fan base by making use of multiple viewing cards, which allow pubs to show other sports that air at the same as Premier League fixtures. The unmissable GAA Football and Hurling All Ireland Championship Finals will be live from Páirc an Chrócaigh on September 7th and 21st respectively, after a gripping summer of Gaelic action. Watch every strike, hand-pass and goal on Sky in glorious HD.” Throughout the upcoming season, there is also international rugby to enjoy, with Ireland in action in the QBE Autumn Internationals, along with new rugby content to savour, including games from the PRO12, featuring Irish clubs Ulster and Leinster. Plus, everyone’s favourite golf tournament - the Ryder Cup - gets underway in September, with the European team looking to maintain their dominance over their American rivals and Rory McIlroy still looking on top form following his win at the British Open.

Cricket fans will also be spoilt for choice with live Test cricket from England, Australia, South Africa, India, the West Indies, New Zealand and England’s 2014 tour of Sri Lanka. Plus, action from the world’s top four domestic Twenty20 cricket competitions gets underway - the IPL, the ECB’s NatWest T20 Blast, Australia’s Big Bash League and South Africa’s Ram Slam T20 Challenge, as well as the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup. “And, with over 80 Super League games every season, 50 days of live darts, every F1 practice, qualifying and race live, as well as tennis, horse racing and boxing, there’s something to satisfy every sports fan’s fancy,” says Alison.

offering is a great start to establishing a venue as ‘the’ place to watch live sport, which can help drive customer loyalty, increased spend, longer stays and repeat visits.

“With the Sky and Molson Coors package, pub owners and their customers can enjoy an extended selection of quality beers to complement the Sky Sports pub experience,” says Keith Fagan, Sales Director, Molson Coors Ireland. “By adding Molson Coors brands, which include Carling, Grolsch, Cobra, Blue Moon and the refreshing great taste of Molson Canadian, plus the opportunity to introduce Irish craft beers such as Franciscan Well Rebel Red and Weisse beers, customers will discover and appreciate the great taste and selection. There is

an extremely strong demand within the industry for new, exciting products to stimulate sales. Molson Coors' goal is to help stimulate new business for their on trade customers by answering consumer demand for alternatives to what has been on offer to them over the past decade. Molson Coors will continue working to give the public a compelling reason to support their local pub.”

To draw in a crowd and ensure that your live sport offering equals business success, it is important to advertise events well ahead of kick-off times and create an atmosphere that will keep members coming back.

PreviewLIVE.co.uk provides Sky customers with upcoming fixtures, free POS to advertise the live sport showing in venues, and gives advice on promoting sport. Consider kitting out the 21

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2. Sky HD - bringing your customers closer to the action Bring your customers closer to the action with stunning high definition. Enjoy the biggest choice of HD channels in the UK, including seven high definition Sky Sports channels plus Sky News HD and British Eurosport HD.

watch several matches in a row, or perhaps organising a BBQ, live music event or quiz to keep customers at the bar beyond the final whistle.

Go Further With Sky: Helping Your Business Grow Sky’s ‘Go Further’ range provides your business with a suite of free products and services that can help drive footfall, increase the amount of time customers spend in your venue and help drive revenue.

venue in match day colours and offering free half-time snacks and table service during a game so customers don’t miss a second. To draw the crowds early, show the live build up before a game and consider putting on a postmatch event afterward to keep

1. A dditional viewing cards letting you show multiple sports at the same time With so much great sport on throughout the week, you can appeal to different sports fans with additional viewing cards.

With Sky you can get up to three free viewing cards so you can screen multiple sports in different parts of your venue at the same time which means your customers will be spoilt for choice.

them in longer.

Loyalty schemes and post-match events can help maximise the revenue potential of showing football in pubs and bars. This could be the chance to claim free drinks or food for returning to

3. S ky Sports Preview helping you plan ahead Containing free monthly sports listings to help you plan ahead and helpful, easy to implement business advice, you will find all the latest sports news and insight from Sky Sports talent, plus a free monthly fixture poster.

4. Sky Sports PreviewLIVE giving you the latest fixtures and POS The Sky Sports PreviewLIVE. co.uk website gives you access 24/7 to live daily sports fixtures to help you plan ahead, practical business tools and free personalised POS to help you promote your venue.

5. O nline training - providing you with ideas about making the most out of sport Sky’s online training course gives you and your staff practical and simple ideas that you can put into action quickly.

Designed to show you how to market sport well, attract more customers, and drive revenue for your business, this free online training tool can be found at previewLIVE.co.uk/training

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Testimonials

Satisfied Customers

Katherine and Joe O’Rourke of The Old Punch Bowl.

(l-r): Aaron and Con Treacy of The Halfway House.

(l-r): Keith Fagan, Sales Director, Molson Coors and John Brady, John Brady Group.

The Old Punch Bowl, Rock Road, Booterstown, Co Dublin

The Halfway House, Ashtown, Dublin 7

John Brady Group Pubs & Restaurants

www.theOldPunchBowl.ie

www.halfwayhousedublin.com

www.johnbradygroup.ie

This famous tavern in South Dublin has been run by proprietors Joe O’Rourke and his wife Katherine for 18 years. They considered several providers for their sports package over the last six or seven years but, according to Joe, none of the other services they tried were as good as Sky. “Events like the All-Ireland Gaelic Football and Hurling Championships, along with the Premier League and international rugby, are extremely important in bringing back customers, and having the added incentives and activity offered by Sky throughout the game keeps customers in during the entire event,” says Joe. “Getting Sky Sport back in means we can expand our offering, host catered private sporting events in our upstairs function room, and simply bring customers back to experience the cameraderie they enjoy when coming to our pub.” The Old Punch Bowl has been a Molson Coors customer for nearly two years serving Carling and Blue Moon. They saw huge value and potential beyond the 30% savings on their Sky package. “Carling and Blue Moon were already good sellers for us but now we have the opportunity to offer a broader range of great tasting beers, including two Irish-made beers from their craft range Franciscan Well Rebel Red and Chieftain.”

Visit The Old Punch Bowl on Facebook or on their website http://theoldpunchbowl.ie for their latest events.

Con Treacy and his son Aaron are a welcoming pair at the The Halfway House Pub and Restaurant. The Halfway House is famous throughout the north Dublin area for its friendly atmosphere, efficient and courteous staff and high quality carvery food. Sporting events are a huge draw for this busy pub. The Halfway House has had Sky for a number of years and the entertainment has always been popular with the pubs' loyal customers.

However, the value to the bottom line of the pub was evident from the first month that The Halfway House signed the 30% Sky and Molson Coors package deal and extended their line with three Molson Coors' brands now on tap – Rebel Red, Friar Weisse and Molson Canadian. “We saw the benefits of this package to our bottom line after just one month,” says Con Treacy, owner of The Halfway House.

“The deal provides real value for money for us. It’s not just a free product - it is real money in the bank month on month and for us that is money we didn’t previously have.”

The John Brady Group comprises three landmark establishments – Baker's Corner in Kill O’The Grange, Brady’s of Shankill and The Igo Inn in Ballybrack. “Multiple big screens in each of our pubs mean that we can show all the big sporting events on Sky Sport simultaneously,” says John Brady of The John Brady Group. “We are starting to see an increase in footfall customers who don’t have Sky at home are starting to come in to enjoy the GAA action on Sunday nights. We have always been a Sky customer and I encourage all pubs to take up this innovative deal from Sky and Molson Coors. Taking 30% off my Sky package is an incredible and unprecedented saving which is a big benefit for pubs at a time when so many are struggling. This deal shows that Molson Coors are not only delivering a great service and great tasting beer for our customers but are introducing positive change in how they work to help pub owners.” All of the John Brady Group pubs have taken up the Sky Sport/Molson Coors 30% package offer, extending their line of Molson Coors brands to include the Franciscan Well line of craft beers, Carling, and Molson Canadian.

To book your Sky Sport function or to find the next scheduled event offering Molson Coors beer, connect with Baker’s Corner, Brady’s of Shankill or The Igo Inn on Facebook or go to www.johnbradgroup.ie

To book your Sky Sport function or to find the next scheduled event offering Molson Coors beer, connect with The Halfway House on Facebook or go to www.halfwayhousedublin.com

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Pub Profile

Building a Successful Bar Brand,

Without Intending To Paul McNulty is one of the brains behind some of Dublin's most popular watering holes: Cassidy's, P.Mac's and the newly-opened Blackbird.

Licensing World's Valerie Jordan met the publican in Cassidy's of Westmoreland Street to try and uncover the secrets to his growing success.

P

aul McNulty was brought up in the hospitality trade; his parents owned a hotel in Co Meath and later a restaurant in Malahide, but a stint studying hotel management wasn't for him.

“It didn't suit me,” he admits.

“So I left and went to work in Whelan's on Camden Street with Frank Gleeson. That's where I got my love for music – I would have met The Frames and Paddy Casey and all that scene there.” A few years later Paul went back to Mullingar where he opened his own bar John Mac's which, he tells me, really took off. However, with the downturn came a rent hike and Paul took a year off to regroup and gather his thoughts before his next opportunity came knocking.

New Opportunities

how he wanted to position the bar creatively. “I'm a massive Queens of the Stone Age, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden kind of fan,” he says. “I grew up listening to that kind of music and I felt that even though there were great bars in Dublin at the time there was no one doing that kind of thing. So we opened the pub and I had DJs playing and bands playing.

But for three months we had absolutely no business. I said to Colin 'what are we going to do here?' and he said 'I think you're better off playing your own music and doing your own thing'.”

“I was very friendly with Colin Dolan who's Joe Dolan's nephew,” says Paul. “Colin rang me up and said he and a guy called Paul Clinton were interested in going into business together in Dublin and would like me to come in with them. Paul would be the investor, Conor would run all the operational, legal, and accounting stuff and we decided that I'd do the creative stuff.” It took a long time to find the right venue. They eventually uncovered Cassidy's on Westmoreland Street, which had then been empty for three years. “It was absolutely derelict but I liked the location,” he says.

An avid music fan, Paul knew

He did just that. At the time the walls of Cassidy's were yellow and Paul wasn't sure what to do with them. Today 24

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Pub Profile

they're covered in writing and graffiti and Paul says he was the first to ink them. After a few pints in The Palace Bar on Fleet Street he came back to Cassidy's, which he was living above at the time, and wrote the lyrics to a Pearl Jam song on the wall. “Then the Trinity College students started coming in and writing on the wall... I started playing my own music – Queens of the Stone Age, Pearl Jam, Arctic Monkeys – and the pub got really busy. We started a pizza and a pint for a tenner and Willie Ahern in The Palace Bar said to me 'why don't you do some Irish craft beer?' so I started getting into craft beer.

It's hard to believe that the bar moved from a point where it was doing no business to a

Time to Grow

point where it was really busy in such a short space of time.”

Cassidy's was gathering a loyal following and was becoming renowned within the industry. This culminated in a nomination for City Bar of the Year in the Licensing World Bar of the Year Awards 2013. “I didn't want to go to the awards but John Nealon of the Licensed Vintners’ Association told me I needed to go,” says Paul. “On the night I ran up to Topman and bought a suit. I wore these runners and we all went and had the dinner. All the big pubs were sitting around us so I really didn't think we'd win. When they said the winner is Cassidy's it was just unbelievable! It was one of the best feelings of my life.”

The plan for a further bar venture, P. Mac's, came off the back of this success at the Bar of the Year Awards and, again, the search was on for the right venue. The partners looked at the former Shebeen Chic, which didn't work out, and then the closed Bia Bar on Lower Stephen Street. “I'd never even heard of it,” says Paul, “so I said no way.” However, they managed to convince Paul that he could design the type of bar he wanted at that location.

“Design and atmosphere in a bar is a big focus for me.

Everything that you see in the bar has been selected by me – candelabras, mirrors tables, mismatched chairs. I pick everything. I use a guy

in Mullingar called Mick Lynn who has an antique shop called Lynn Antiques. When I was in Mullingar he was very good to me with the first pub.

Now I ring Mick and say 'I need 30 tables'. P. Mac's is a bit more slick. I don't want to use the word cool... but it's not as brash as Cassidy's.”

Paul also found that he was given a lot of backing from some of the other pubs around town. “I'm friends with Dave Chawke and Willie Ahern and with Tom Cleary in Kennedy's of Westland Row," he says. "They gave me great support. P. Mac's took off really quickly. I was also very lucky that Danny from The Coronas and Damien Dempsey supported me on

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Where it all began. Cassidy's was empty for three years before being completely revamped and rejuvenated for a new customer. Winner of the City Bar of the Year award in the Licensing World Bar of the Year Awards 2013.

Twitter. I love social media. It has been great for the bars – Blackbird wouldn't be as busy only for Twitter. I was promoting it for two months through Cassidy's and P. Mac's.”

Which brings us to Blackbird in Rathmines, Paul's most recent bar venture. Just three months after opening P.Mac's the partners were approached about the former Rathmines Inn premises. Colin once again had to talk Paul into venturing a little further out of town with the draw of redesigning the bar the way he would like it. “Intimate and cosy,” he confirms. Finding a name, however, was almost his greatest concern. “I couldn't think of a name for the bar. But I was mad into the White Album at the time and I heard Paul McCartney's lyric in Blackbird 'Take these drunken eyes and learn to see'. I listened over and over

A slightly more mature relative of Cassidy's, P.Mac's is situated in the former Bia Bar. The space has been reimagined and partitioned into cosy snugs and booths. A full food menu is served from 12 noon to 8pm.

and wondered would Blackbird be a good name.”

Aside from finding the right name, the reputation of the other two bars has contributed to the immediate success of this new venture.“Blackbird is only open a month and it's been unbelievable,” he says. “It is so busy. I like the community up there. Blackbird is going back to my roots – there's a bar and lounge. And I'm noticing the same faces. During the week they'll drink in Rathmines and at the weekend if they're in town they'll drink in one of the other bars.”

Blackbird is the city bars' suburban cousin.

Recently opened, the former Rathmines Inn has been redesigned with inspiration from David Fincher's Seven. There's also a spacious outdoor area.

“I almost think drink is a secondary product in a pub nowadays. I want people to come in, to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves; listen to the music, eat a pizza - and get free Meanies or Stinger bars.”

So what is on the menu in the three bars? “We do pizza and a pint in Blackbird and Cassidy's and we give out free crisps, sweets, lollies,” says Paul. “In P.Mac's we do food.

Shane Guilmartin is our new chef, who worked in Mulligans for a while, and he's very creative so we're really lucky to have him. Shane and Hughie,

the manager of P.Mac's, are putting a cool new menu together. It's simple, quick, wholesome food.”

Paul's bars are clearly different, but has he worked hard to build the right elements of differentiation? “I've never really thought of it that way,” he says. “I just went in and said this is what I want to do here. I almost think drink is a secondary product in a pub nowadays. I want people to come in, to feel comfortable and enjoy themselves; listen to the music, eat a pizza - and get free Meanies or Stinger bars.”

Paul is keen to point out that the success they've realised is down to a team that's greater than the sum of its parts. “It's about me, Colin, Paul, Phil, the manager of Cassidy's, Shane, the manager of Blackbird, and Hughie. It's very open, we're very good friends and we all work well together.”

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Training

Developing Craft &

Managerial Skills Andrew O'Gorman details the operational and bar management training courses that are currently available for the industry.

T

he 'Is Your Bartender in the 21st Century' article, which I wrote for the summer edition of Licensing World appears to have caused quite a stir in the trade. My call for major structural reform of education and training, including my highlighting of the need to align education and training more clearly with the demands of the labour market, struck a chord with many Licensing World readers. I also received a number of requests from readers, both publicans and bartenders, for information on the courses that are available for aspiring bartenders. This article outlines the training courses offered by Institutes of Technology and by the Bartenders Association of Ireland throughout the country.

Dublin Institute of Technology BSc (Bar Studies - Management & Entrepreneurship) - NQAI Level 8 This four-year course will develop the student’s ability by equipping them with the appropriate knowledge, understanding and professional management skills to pursue successful and entrepreneurial careers in the licensed trade, which includes bars, hotels, restaurants, off licences, clubs and other entertainment venues.

Career opportunities include bar management in pubs, restaurants and hotels, bar ownership, wine and spirits retailing, off-license operations, and club management.

In addition, there are opportunities for graduates in consultancy, research and postgraduate education

knowledge to enable them to pursue a successful career in the bar and beverage management fields.

The indicative content includes: managing customer care in an effective and efficient manner; stock control procedures in the bar; security and training of bar personnel; the problem solving and decision making required; setting operational standards for licensed premises to deliver quality of service; creating a good working environment and effective use of manpower; and managing and improving the quality of food and drinks.

Galway Mayo Institute of Technology Bachelor of Business in Bar and Restaurant Management - NQAI Level 7 This programme will provide students with the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary for effective bar and restaurant management. Its fundamental aim is to meet the needs of the industry at local, regional and national level. To be a successful restaurant or bar manager you will need to have excellent organisation, problem-solving, promotion and people skills, including the ability to build strong relationships with customers and staff. Budgeting and stock-taking skills are also highly desirable. While practical experience is vital for progression in these areas, third-level qualifications have become far more commonplace among employees, particularly those in management positions.

Cork Institute of Technology CPD Certificate - Professional Bar Management Studies The aim of this module is to deepen the learner's technical, social, administrative and theoretical

Bar Management Degree Course NQAI Level 7 This innovative three-year course emphasises a creative, organised and entrepreneurial approach

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Training

Photos Courtesy of Dublin Bar Academy.

to bar management. A key outcome of all the programmes in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Studies is a well-educated graduate with the ability to learn and change to meet new challenges in their education and professional development.

Professional Bar Operations The course commences in September and is operated on one evening per week over 12 weeks and consists of a three-hour practical class each evening.The aim of this course is to give participants an opportunity to increase their knowledge, skills and aptitude and to motivate them to become more competent bartenders.

Award: Single Module Certification (five credits).

Higher Certificate in Arts in Bar Supervision – NQAI Level 6 This course is available at Athlone, Galway/Mayo and Tralee Institutes of Technology. Bar Supervision is a two-year higher certificate programme aimed at developing the skills and knowledge of the students.

This will enable them to pursue a rewarding career in the licensed trade and in the hotel sector. The emphasis of the course is on the following core areas: beverage knowledge and service skills, cocktail knowledge and service, and an introduction to bar supervision.Graduates will be qualified to work as bartenders and food service personnel in a range of hotels, bars, restaurants, private clubs and off licences, both in Ireland and internationally. Students

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of this programme will be equipped to progress to supervisory positions within the industry. Graduates of the above programme are eligible to progress onto year three of a degree course - Level 7. On completion of Level 7, they can progress to a Level 8 Honours Degree course in certain Institutes.

Limerick Institute of Technology Hospitality Studies - Higher Certificate in Arts (Level 6) The aim of this programme is to prepare students for a variety of positions in the hotel and catering industry and associated businesses such as restaurants, public houses, catering services for airlines and passenger ferries, hospitals and other businesses which provide either food, beverage or accommodation. This is a full-time, practical and multi-skilled programme aimed at providing learners with the skills and knowledge that are essential if they are to find employment in operational areas of businesses across the tourism and hospitality sectors. Students will acquire a range of skills such as food preparation, restaurant service, accommodation service, bar service and front office service.

Letterkenny Institute of Technology Higher Certificate in Arts in Bar and Restaurant Supervision – NQAI Level 6 This full-time, two-year programme is the fundamental training programme for aspiring professional bar operators. It prepares participants for entry to the profession in a variety of pubs, cocktail or wine bars, clubs, and gastro pubs, and ensures training in hygiene and HACCP. The aim of this programme is to prepare students for a variety of positions in the hotel and catering industry and associated businesses such as restaurants, public houses, catering services for airlines and passenger ferries, hospitals and other businesses which provide either food, beverage or accommodation.

Awarding Body: LYIT, under Delegated Authority from HETAC.

Waterford Institute of Technology Restaurant & Bar Programme - NQAI Level 6 This part time/evening programme is designed to provide a relevant professional qualification for those who wish to pursue a career in food and beverage service. The course is aimed at people employed in the hotel, catering and tourism industry. Students attend college one day a week for 18 months while working in full-time employment.

The Bartenders Association of Ireland The Bartenders Association of Ireland (BAI) continue to offer bartenders continuous learning through competitions, meetings and workshops. At the time of going to print, the BAI were restructuring their educational courses with the intention of providing training from entry level (foundation) to head bartender (advanced). Many past and current members of the BAI have attained significant success in their respective careers within the

hospitality industry, both in Ireland and internationally.

Courses operated by the Bartenders Association of Ireland are certified by the International Bartenders Association, which is registered in Singapore.

As a non-profit making organisation, the BAI are uniquely positioned to offer very competitive rates for bartender training and education courses. Training offered by the BAI can be of great benefit to students of all hospitality courses operated in Ireland by the Institutes of Technology. This was very evident when the Bartenders Association of Ireland organised the National Hospitality Student Cocktail Challenge, which was sponsored by Edward Dillon and Co Ltd, in conjunction with Dublin Institute of Technology, Athlone Institute of Technology, Cork Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, and the Institute of Technology in Tralee. The Bartenders Association of Ireland hope to have more Institutes of Technology represented at the National Hospitality Student Cocktail Challenge in 2015.

Courses Supported Financially by FĂĄilte Ireland - NQAI Level 6 Higher Certificate Courses: These two-year, full-time Higher Certificate Level 6 HETAC programmes in Culinary Arts, Hospitality Studies, Tourism and Bar Supervision are available in Institutes of Technology nationwide. Applications are via the CAO. These courses are very practical and hands-on, with periods of work experience built into them. Graduates go into employment, or apply for a Level 7 Degree course. As FĂĄilte Ireland is committed to strengthening its recognised role as a major driving force behind the training, education and placement of culinary arts and hospitality students, the organisation will fund both the tuition and student contribution fees of those programmes. See your nearest Institute of Technology for more information. Apply directly to the college.

About the Author

Andrew O'Gorman is Treasurer/ Secretary and Honorary Life Member & Past President of the Bartenders Association of Ireland. He is Secretary of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers and an accredited social responsibility tutor with the International Bartenders Association.

He is an external examiner for Athlone Institute of Technology and was a judge at the World Sommelier Competition in Santiago, Chile in 2010.

He has also acted as a judge for many of the World Cocktail Competitions, including at the 2012 event in Beijing, China, and he will be travelling as a delegate to the World Cocktail Competitions and Congress in Capetown, South Africa, in September. Andrew has been on the judging panel of the Licensing World Bar of the Year Awards since their inception.

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Business Matters

DIGI Calls for

Reversal of Excise Increase The Drinks Industry Group of Ireland’s (DIGI) recent submission to the Minister for Finance for Budget 2015 is calling on the Government to reverse last year’s excise increase.

“T

hese increases are threatening 92,000 jobs in every parish throughout Ireland - that are dependent on the drinks industry,” says the submission. “The creation of a hostile tax environment is threatening future investment from global companies such as Diageo, Irish Distillers or Heineken. Excise is a tax on jobs, it is a tax on tourism and it is a tax on hard-pressed Irish consumers.

Tax increases have damaged Ireland’s reputation as a destination for drinksrelated capital investment, tourists have identified the high price of alcohol as the second biggest disincentive to visit Ireland (after the weather) and the average Irish drinker is now paying a733 a year in alcohol related tax. This is more than twice the a302 that the average drinker in Germany is paying, despite the fact that consumption levels in Ireland and Germany are nearly identical according to 2010 WHO figures (11.9 LPA vs 11.8 LPA).

Since 2011 the average price of a pint in a pub in Ireland has increased by a0.36 – with a0.28 of this increase, or 78%, going straight to the exchequer. We are now in the bizarre position that Ireland is one of the most expensive places in the word to buy Irish whiskey, with 68% of the retail price on an average bottle of whiskey in this country being taken by government.

In fact the a17.37 tax take on a bottle of

Jameson in Ireland is more than the total price of that same bottle a16.61) in New York. Excise on wine increased by 62% in less than a year (between December 2012 and October 2013). The tax on 1,000 cases of wine has increased by a17,958 since 2012 – this is a huge upfront cost for distributors, independent off-licences and restaurants to bear.”

The DIGI pre-Budget 2015 submission points out that substantial economic benefits arose from the excise and VAT reductions in Budget 2010 and from the tourism VAT reduction from 13.5% to 9% for a range of sectors. The DIGI submission states that by reversing the excise increase imposed on this sector in last year’s budget, the government would immediately enhance Ireland’s appeal as a tourist destination, support small and independent businesses that, due to their product offering, cannot spread the

The creation of a hostile tax environment is threatening future investment from global companies such as Diageo, Irish Distillers or Heineken. Excise is a tax on jobs, it is a tax on tourism and it is a tax on hard-pressed Irish consumers.

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"There are areas of the trade where we are seeing growth signs so it is important that publicans manage costs carefully, particularly Statedriven costs, to ensure that they capitalise on the pick up that appears to be taking place in the capital."

consecutive excise increases across their product mix, improve Ireland’s ability to attract additional investment from multinational drinks companies, reduce indirect taxes on Irish consumers, and support jobs in every parish in the country.

Coping With Other Costs Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive Officer of the VFI, points out that commercial rates, insurance and the cost of compliance, particularly for those who are either in or getting into food, are three of the biggest costs that a publican has to deal with. "Outside of Dublin, the only local authority that has been fully revalued is Waterford city and county and in recent times the proposed valuations have been sent out to individual businesses in Limerick city and Limerick county," he says. "The individual operators can make representation in regard to valuations that have been put on their premises and that will be finalised by the end of this year. But the process is really slow and if it continues at that pace it will be the guts of 10 years before the revaluation process

is completed. There are two elements to commercial rates – the rateable valuation set by the valuation office and the multiplier set by the council. Rates are a tax on business. In many cases individual businesses end up paying for the inherent inefficiencies in the local authorities.

And on top of that they are paying for refuse, water, and all of the other services required to operate a business so we have to ask what are we getting in return for paying these commercial rates and the answer is somewhere between very little and nothing."

Licensed Vintners Association Chief Executive Donal O'Keeffe points out that the average Dublin pub is paying a24,000 to a25,000 a year in commercial rates. "That is the average across a couple of hundred LVA members across the city," he says. "The commercial rates range from a low of a10,000 up to a100,000. A large pub in a prime location could have a a50,000 rates bill which amounts to a weekly rates bill of a1,000 so that publican needs to sell

almost a2,000 euro worth of drink to achieve a gross margin of 60%. What the LVA objects to is that the rates take no account of a pub's ability to pay.

Corporation tax is a function of your profits and your pub licence renewal is a function of your turnover but with commercial rates once your valuation is struck on a given day that is your valuation and it doesn't change so we have a lot of members paying Celtic Tiger rates without Celtic Tiger turnover. The LVA welcomes the pub revaluation process which began in 2011 - the Dublin City Council revaluation process is completing, the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council process is finished and Fingal County Council completed their revaluation a couple of years ago - but we feel that the process isn't happening quickly enough. And then you have the annual licence renewal fee. Your pub licence depends on your size but for a large pub it is a3,805 a year. In addition, a lot of pubs need dance licences, a restaurant licence, and special exemption orders which allow them to trade late. And then

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"We want to see a dedicated alcohol sales area in the supermarkets that has its own staff and POS system.

This would reduce the visibility of alcohol across the store and we think that is important. We would encourage the Government to introduce both of these measures immediately."

there is a raft of others costs, including a fats, oils and grease license and a street furniture licence, so there is a hefty state-driven regulatory compliance cost.

There are areas of the trade where we are seeing growth signs so it is important that publicans manage costs carefully, particularly State-driven costs, to ensure that they capitalise on the pick up that appears to be taking place in the capital.

In the Dublin market there is a high degree of stability and the city centre is in reasonably strong growth. There is still pressure in suburban areas but they are stabilising, not declining, which is good.

Tourism is strengthening and property prices are improving so the overall Dublin economy is improving and that means the licensed trade will improve and we are seeing signs of that. "

Legislative Support The Government had been planning wide reaching legislation to ban below cost selling of alcohol and alcohol advertising at sporting events and to reduce the prominence of Point of Sale

(POS) material in-store. Padraig Cribben says that the VFI's only problem with that legislation is that it isn't happening fast enough. "We have been calling for minimum pricing and for the segregation of alcohol for a number of years now," he says. "The Minister for Health and the Minister of State said they would bring in a minimum price for alcohol, ban sportsbased advertising, and have a code of practice regarding the merchandising and sale of alcohol in supermarkets. The latter two are in legislation already. Section 9 of the 2008 Act covers the whole area of segregation in supermarkets and section 16 of the Act covers the question of the marketing and promotion of alcohol. Those two sections were never commenced even though they are on the Statute books so that could be completed with the stroke of a pen in nine to 10 seconds. There is only one ingredient missing - political will.

Maybe the ministers don't know that this legislation is already on the Statute books but we have told them and asked them to action it. Our understanding regarding the

sports sponsorship question is that it is now in the Taoiseach's department for a review and that will happen sometime this year so we have to wait and see what is in that review before we can comment on it."

Legislative measures that the VFI would not support, however, are proposals to significantly increase the retail licence for selling tobacco and to ban the use of vending machines (a ban on token not cash-based vending machines) for cigarettes.

The LVA is also calling on the Government to introduce minimum pricing measures and to introduce structural separation in supermarkets between alcohol and other products. "We want to see a dedicated alcohol sales area in the supermarkets that has its own staff and POS system," says Donal O'Keeffe.

"This would reduce the visibility of alcohol across the store and we think that is important. We would encourage the Government to introduce both of these measures immediately."

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Whiskey

Distilling the

Irish Whiskey Association Licensing World spoke to the Head of the Irish Whiskey Association, Aoife Keane, about the association's vision for the Irish whiskey industry.

T

he recently established Irish Whiskey Association is set to invest over a1bn in whiskey over the next 10 years, bringing together new entrants and existing companies to promote and grow the Irish whiskey industry at home and internationally. Irish whiskey, or fuisce, is flourishing - it is the fastest growing premium spirit in the world. The industry has grown by 220% in the last 10 years, with average annual growth rates of over 12%. Since 2008 growth has been greater than 17%, with exceptional growth in 2010 and 2011 exceeding 35% per annum. To put this into perspective, three years ago the island of Ireland had just four whiskey distilleries in operation.

Now 15 new distilleries are being developed across the country to meet the new thirst for our native whiskey.

Head of the Irish Whiskey Association.

“It is against this backdrop that we have formed the Irish Whiskey Association. a1.1bn of investment is being ploughed into the industry between now and 2025. The long-term mission of the new association is to ensure the sustainable growth of Irish whiskey which in essence means protecting and promoting the category. It will focus on the specific issues facing the rapidly expanding Irish whiskey sector, including promoting the importance of maintaining the high technical standards of the product as per Irish and European regulations, promoting the category in Ireland and internationally, supporting new market entrants, and ensuring government policy supports the sustainable growth of the sector. It is an all-island organisation.”

“With this growth comes the need for leadership to ensure that the category maximises its potential and continues to maintain the high quality standards that consumers have come to expect from their Irish whiskey,” says Aoife Keane,

The Irish whiskey industry has deep links throughout the economy. “It has a turnover of almost a400m, of which it spends about a240m in the domestic economy,” reports Aoife. “We spend about a35m on materials, which is

important for supporting the agriculture sector and local farmers; a64m on services, supporting high-end jobs in logistics, marketing, professional services firms, all in Ireland; a90m on capital projects every year, which supports about 500 construction jobs; and a45m per year in salaries and wages.”

The whiskey sector currently provides over 5,000 jobs directly and indirectly across distilling, logistics, marketing, operations and tourism. As the industry grows, thousands more direct and indirect jobs will be created. “We expect employment to grow to over 6,500 jobs in the next ten years as the sector is set to invest over a1bn in new distilleries across the country,” says Aoife.

“These projects will be creating jobs in construction during the building phases, and in distilling and tourism when the distilleries are open for business.”

A craft and heritage product, whiskey accounts for much of the Irish tourism business each year. “Irish whiskey tourism

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Irish Whiskey in Numbers

15

new distilleries are being developed across the country Whiskey accounts for

28%

of total beverage exports from Ireland.

Irish whiskey exports have grown by

220% since 2003

Head of the Irish Whiskey Association, Aoife Keane, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, and Chairman of the Irish Whiskey Association, Peter Morehead at the launch of the Irish Whiskey Association.

Irish whiskey exports have grown to

€350m

.

Irish whiskey sells into is expected to attract one million visitors a year by 2025,” Aoife predicts. “It has the potential to contribute immensely to Ireland’s tourism product. Currently, over 500,000 tourists visit Irish whiskey visitor centres around the country every year and we expect that to grow to over one million visitors by 2030.”

Ensuring that the legal protection offered by the Geographic Indication (GI) is applied in Ireland and internationally is another focus of the new association.

Much of the international success of Irish whiskey is the result of the quality and strong reputation of the products which Irish producers have developed, along with the strict GIs. The Irish Whiskey Association will also become a vital source of information on technical standards and on the economic impact of Irish whiskey distilling. “We'll also be a resource for new entrants to the category,” says Aoife. “One of our goals is to create a mentoring programme that will link existing distillers with the new

entrants, offering technical expertise on making Irish whiskey.”

So what services or training will the Irish Whiskey Association be offering to the licensed trade? “Our main focus in the first year will be on putting the foundations in place to ensure that the association is offering a valuable service to its members, from the smaller emerging players breaking into the market to the larger distillers hoping to expand and increase their exports,” says Aoife. “Once we have those foundations in place, we will be looking at activities around Irish whiskey education for the licensed trade but it’s too early to say what that might look like in practice.”

77

countries around the world.

Irish whiskey visitor centres attract over

500,000 tourists every year

The association's outlook for the future of Irish whiskey is hugely positive. “Last year, our companies exported 6.2 million nine-litre cases worldwide,” Aoife reports. “We expect that number to double to 12 million cases by 2020 and to double again to 24 million cases by 2030 – and those are conservative estimates. This would mean that by 2030 Irish whiskey would be a a1bn industry.”

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Tea & Coffee

A Brew of a

Different Kind Recent trends in Ireland have shown that coffee has a growing consumer base who are willing to pay more for a good cup. With training and know-how, publicans can easily tap into this growing market, writes Aoife Loy.

T

he Irish public will get an unprecedented insight into café culture this September with the launch of the inaugural Dublin Coffee & Tea Festival 2014. The festival will also serve as a celebratory event to promote Ireland's selection as the host nation for the prestigious World Barista Championships in 2016. Taking place in the Industries Hall of the RDS from Septemberr 12th to 14th, the festival will celebrate the growing taste for coffee and tea in the country, a taste which is becoming more sophisticated and discerning despite the economic downturn.

According to the latest 'Coffee in Ireland Report' published by market intelligence firm Euromonitor the total volume sales of coffee remained strong in 2013 at 3,992 tons. However, only marginal growth was achieved. Nevertheless, the report maintained that, given the economic backdrop, these findings show that consumer thirst for coffee, a luxury item, remains strong. Indeed, the report found that coffee achieved retail value sales growth of two per cent in 2014. This was driven by the fact that consumers are increasingly drinking coffee as well as tea in the home, with Nestlé Ireland Ltd remaining the leading player

in the coffee market in Ireland. Their retail success is attributed to the strength of their brand portfolio, which includes designer brand Nespresso, indicating that Irish coffee consumers demand quality products.

Consumers became accustomed to coffee during the boom years and demand is continuing to thrive.

Serving coffee in pubs is common practice in many countries such as the US. This, in conjunction with the trends detailed

by Euromontior, should provide Irish publicans with a strong incentive to further capitalise on this growing market. “Nobody ever lost money serving good coffee for the right price,” said Cathal Burke, Marketing Manager, Marco Beverage Systems, in a Q&A with the United Kingdom Vineyards Association. “In the US, coffee is dominant in pubs and restaurants during daylight hours as life becomes more hectic so the option of 'a pint with lunch' is out the window. Although there's a more relaxed attitude in Europe, there is a perceptible shift towards coffee being the favoured drink in pubs and restaurants during the day.

The demand is already there and growing so if a pub sells high quality coffee then they are tapping into that huge market.”

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Tea & Coffee

12-14 September 2014 Industries Hall RDS Dublin 4

If you love coffee and tea you’ll love this Meet international coffee farmers Ireland’s finest coffee and tea roasters - learn the most modern brewing techniques - watch the top Irish baristas in action - enjoy the food and live entertainment.

dublincoffeefestival.com

A Big Coffee Buzz Pictured at the announcement of details of the first ever Dublin Coffee & Tea Festival 2014 were event supporter and exhibitor Bobby Kerr, CEO of Insomnia, and model Sarah McGovern.

Marco Beverage Systems points out that this can also lead to a push for services during breakfast, lunch and dinner as people will be aware that there is good coffee available while they eat.

Niall Wynn, Manager of Coffee Angel on Dublin's Pembroke Street, is of the opinion that there is a growing market of consumers who are discerning and who do not mind paying extra for good coffee. “I would perceive coffee as the most affordable luxury,” he says. However, serving good coffee is another matter. “It's very difficult to do well,” he says. “Personally I would not order a coffee in a restaurant because it tends to be made by whoever is closest to the

machine.” He advises publicans to avoid this practice and to have one or two members of staff devoted to making coffee who have had some training – not to the same standard as baristas in speciality coffee shops but to be capable of delivering good quality coffee to a high standard. “Better training and a higher level of education would be hugely beneficial for publicans,” he says.

With the average customer becoming more particular about the standards of coffee they drink, Marco Beverage Systems puts a similar emphasis on the importance of quality and standards. “If someone has a bad experience and they have a good amount of social media followers then one

Created by both the Irish Foodservice Suppliers Alliance (IFSA) and the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE – Irish branch) the Dublin Coffee & Tea Festival 2014 will celebrate every aspect of the coffee and tea world, from where the tea and coffee come from and how they are brewed, to the varieties on offer today, the latest brewing equipment on the market, and all the enjoyment that goes with it, including cakes and chocolate. Competitions scheduled to take place so far include The National Brewers Cup and the semi-finals of the much-lauded Irish Barista Championship and the National Latte Art Championship (the finals of which will take place at Catex 2015).

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Tea & Coffee

Coffee Culture Pop-Up Academy – Provisional Schedule l Friday 12pm-3pm Coffee Tasting – Around The World In Twenty Sips l Friday 3pm-5pm Barista Workshop – Basic Latte Skills l Friday 3pm-4pm Barista Workshop – What's On The Menu (step

By Step Drink Preparation) l Friday 4pm-6pm Publicans' Seminar – How To Create A Day Time Coffee Offering In A Night Time Venue

Irishman Pete Williams competing in the World Barista Championships 2014.

bad cup by an untrained staff member can be more damaging than you think,” says Cathal Burke. “The demand for a higher standard of coffee is on the upturn as people become more used to the high standard set by speciality coffee locations and boutique cafés. No longer is it a case of throwing some boiling water in with the instant. Rather, there is a desire for well-trained staff or a good machine to deliver the perfect cup.”

In addition to training their staff and using a good standard of coffee, the company advises publicans to use the right machine, keep it clean and check the PH of their water. The Speciality Coffee Association of Europe (SCAE) has good tips on its website (www.scae.com), along with training courses available throughout the EU. Attending the Dublin Coffee and Tea Festival would be a good starting point for publicans who are looking to better capture the coffee and tea market in Ireland.

Festival events include The Roasters' Village, sponsored by Marco Beverage Systems (a hub of coffee and tea micro-roasters and retailers), The People's Stage (a platform for all the experts and enthusiasts in the field to share their wealth of knowledge and answer questions), The Festival Roastery (a microroastery at the show where the publican can experience the roasting process first-hand) and The Food Village where a range of pastry and chocolate makers will share their latest offerings.

In addition to providing a worthwhile insight into café culture, the festival is being supported by some of the key companies on the Irish coffee and tea scene such as 3FE Coffee Ltd, Badger & Dodo Boutique Coffee Roasters, Bewleys, Benders Paper Cups, Brodericks, Coffee Mojo, De Longhi, Delpac, Espresso Tech, Fair Trade, First Draft Coffee, Fitness Coffee & Tea, Hancock & Abberton Ltd, Heavenly Tea & Coffee, Insomnia, Java Republic, Joes Coffee, Kingfisher Tea, la Marzocco, Lillys Tea, Marley Coffee, Mathew Algie, McCabes Gourmet Coffee, Mrs. Doyles Tea, NevPak, Niks Tea, Robert Roberts Ltd, Scanomat Ireland, Silverskin Company, Suki Tea, UCC Coffee Ireland and Coffee Culture who are running a pop-up academy at the festival.

“Over the weekend, we are organising a variety of events, including a publicans' seminar which will discuss how to create a daytime coffee offering in a night time venue, and will be all about advising publicans on how to commercialise their coffee offering,” says Coffee Culture's Alan Andrews. “Other events provisionally taking place will include a trade workshop, which will explore how to create an in-house barista trainer. All events are subject to booking and levels of interest, and as such the organisers may add or replace some of the events with other seminars and workshops.”

To book tickets, log onto www.dublincoffeefestival.com.

l Saturday 10am-1pm Barista Workshop – Basic Latte Art Skills l Saturday 2pm-5pm Barista Workshop – Advanced Latte Art Skills l Saturday 11am-1pm Trade Workshop – Creating An In-House Barista Trainer l Saturday 2pm-3pm Seminar – What Is A Brand Standard?

How To Deliver Quality And Consistency l Saturday 4pm-6pm How To Start Your Own Café – Creating The Coffee Vision l Sunday 12pm Start Your Own Café – Where Does The Money Go? (How To Budget For A Café Start Up) l Sunday 12pm-2pm Barista Workshop – Basic Latte Art Skills l Sunday 3pm-5pm Barista Workshop – Advanced Latte Art Skills

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FINALISTS Announced Is your name on the list? www.licensingworld.ie/awards

Book your table now

For information regarding tickets please contact Orla Bonner on 01-432 2232 or alternatively you can email Orla at orla.bonner@ashvillemediagroup.com www.facebook.com/BarOfTheYearAwards

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